Captdhd's Blog I'm On The Right Side Of The Turf!

Even in defeat this has easily been my most accomplished challenge.  Where I had my arse kicked by a 1 eyed, 15 years my senior, disciplined workout guru, I feel real good about what I did and probably more important what I learned.

My friend TNT Man took it to me down the stretch. Early on he had a pretty serious eye issue that put him on the DL for a week or so, gotta figure it had to drive him nuts having to hold back although I knew once healed and released he would be firing on all cylinders never to slow down. Done and Done!

In the end we both met the insane 25,000 rep goal TNT pushed on with a minimum of prodding by yours truly the Man hit 31,000 reps Now that is accomplishment.

Here is a quick personal recap for this Spring 2011 Challenge:

Point; I finished this challenge with 26,799 reps in 43 hours, 49 minutes.  

Starting out with approximately 60 minutes circuits, 675-750 reps, averaging a heart rate of 129 bpm.  

Finishing with workouts of 100+ minutes, around 12-1400 reps, averaging a heart rate of 115 bpm.

Where I have found that the duration of my circuits and the rep count are too extreme my heart is certainly more conditioned.

Point; I have gained 3 pounds. In turn, I have near eliminated my “love handles” and the ugly fat on the inside of my thighs and under my biceps. I still have a ways to go with my belly fat though it’s bags are out and it’s packing to travel.

Point: With 9512 core reps performed, my oblique’s are becoming much more defined, I am sure that I can attribute this to the 25lb plate/2600 sit ups and 25lb/2500 core stabilizers, and the 1600+ 25/35/45 lb weighted Swiss Ball crunches.  

Point: The 8682 lower body reps will influence my golf game this summer by helping with my endurance, I always walk and carry my bag, as well as adding distance to the right clubs. It all starts with a solid foundation and drive through the legs.  

Point: the 8605 Upper body reps have actually garnered some resemblance of a set of noticeable pec’s. My back and shoulders are showing improvement and virtually all of the fat has been driven from my forearms and biceps.  

As a summary: I have made great strides in the all around physical condition of my body through this challenge. By pushing as I did I have been able to identify a couple perimeters that I will have to respect going forward. This post is long enough so I will whine about those things later if at all.

I’m glad to see it warming up, now let’s see if I can get my monies worth from my golf membership.

TNT, we can go at it again in the fall,,,,……..You going to be game for BB Mom’s suggested 100,000 Rep Challenge or something equally insane?

I’ll be ready for the June 1st start of the summer challenge although it will not resemble anything remotly like this monster challenge!

I am very pleased to have completed what I knew would be the toughest part of this 52-day challenge, the 25,000 reps contest. One day late, although completed just the same, I am pleased with my accomplishments to date.

My good friend TNT topped the feat yesterday morning. He has been a great motivator for me, without TNT’s example and his encouragement I would have given up with the simple 15,000 marker. I owe him a great debt of gratitude. My life is better through his friendship.

I knew yesterday was the day I should have pulled the workout I did today but just could not do anything to change the outcome. Any goal I set on the 52 DC’s down the road will have to allow for every other day workouts especially with the degree of my exercise routines. If I did anything less at this point though I would get bored.

I love exiting the gym floor with my clothes sweat soaked, thirsty, and aching in all the right ways. There is the feeing of accomplishment. If your not feeling used up when you are done you’re not working hard enough.

Here is what I will be reporting tomorrow morning on the forum, through this evening.

• My Goals
• CE: 84/90/90
• RT: 22/20
• CT: 7/10
• PG1: Insane 15,000 * 1645/25,499/25000
• (I will update individual numbers once a week)
• PG2:Upper Body Reps: 7260/8500
• PG3:Core Reps: 8092/8500
• PG4:Lower Body Reps: 7122/8500
• (2223 Reps Week 1)
• (3764 Reps Week 2)
• (3659 Reps Week 3)
• (4433 Reps Week 4)
• (4345 Reps Week 5)
• (4050 Reps Week 6)

I had a pretty vigorous workout this evening. When I first went in at 5:30 or so there was only one other person in the place. Needless to say there was no one to get in my way.

Saturday is Mothers birthday. Sunday I will hit the gym early, might play 9 holes with my son in the afternoon, I still need a couple CT’s. Told myself no golf until I hit 25,000.

Monday I’m going against my alternating days and pull a small circuit, off on Tuesday, Gym on Wednesday, Golf on Thursday, then finish this crazy challenge on Friday with a solid circuit. That is, If I survive this darn thing! One day at a time.

No 25,000 for the Capt’n during the next go. Maybe a 36,000 in the fall?

YIPPEE-KI-AAAAAA!!! It’s Golf Season!!!!

This took a little longer to compile than I thought it would, this is where I stand with the 25,000 rep challenge to date including my numbers through 4/11/11.

My Goals
CE: 49/54/90
RT: 14/20
CT: 5/10

PG1: Insane 15,000 * Adjusted/14,079/25000
(I will update individual numbers once a week)
PG2:Upper Body Reps: 4825/8500
PG3:Core Reps: 4822/8500
PG4:Lower Body Reps: 4432/8500
(2150 Reps Week 1)
(3705 Reps Week 2)
(3624 Reps Week 3)(4433 Reps Week 4) (1 day to go)

Rep Breakdown;

Lat Raises.

Now how would you figure a pair of 12 ½ lb weights could kick your arse like they do mine? Can’t answer it! Sure does the job though!

I pair Lat raises with weighted Lunges, another exercise I’m not wild about but I see and feel the importance of. I see guys and gals doing arm extensions (what looks to be a similar move but is not) in a number of ways generally with their palms facing in toward their hips if they are extending their arms out or palm strait back if they are flying strait out. Various weights, generally on the low end of the spectrum, similar to what I use, and they seem to have little trouble performing 10 or 12 reps at a time.

Now,change it up a bit by turning your palms to face forward, fly your arms strait out to horizontal, keeping your arms strait, try not to bend your elbows, hold it at the top for a 3 count, do 20 reps per set and the exercise takes on a whole different intensity.

I do 3 sets; 2×8/20 –2x 10/20 – 2×12.5,/20, alternating sets with weighted lunges 2×10/20 – 2×15/20 – 2×20/20. These sets come right near the tail end of my circuit. By the time I get to rep #15 my lefts arm is struggling! My last 5 reps are rarely clean.

Sunday April 3rd routine. #2 Circuit, 124 Min, 112 Avg Hr. 144 Peak. 152g Fat Burned, 1174 cal. 64 minutes in range. 

Threw in 165 extra weighted reps, Weighted Sit Ups,

Weighted Core Stabilizers, Few extra Hip Extensions (more on this one in a later post)

Pull Overs 25/20 – 30/20 – 35/20

Single arm Squat Curl OH Press 25/20 – 30/20

930 Reps. Felt pretty good. Sunday workout, had issues keeping my heart rate up.

On with the challenge.

There is at least one exercise in each of my circuits that I really hate. Don’t look forward to, and when it comes time I look to the sky and say, “Rob, you are an idiot!”

In circuit #1 it’s Bulgarian Split Squats.

Now who in their right mind with out being challenged, dared or is partially insane does Bulgarian Split Squats? Me, and they are helping to turn my quads rock hard! I love to hate them.

Footnote; I did 3 sets of box jumps this afternoon. Front part of my workout, great way to get the heart rate up and going fast. 3/31/11; 149 Min, 122 Avg. 148 Peak, 146g Fat Burned, 1126Cal, 84 Min in range. 983 Reps

I’ve been going for 16 or 17 days straight until today, finally took a down day. Slept to 9 AM, can’t remember the last time I did. I had sworn yesterday that I would strictly be doing personal stuff, turn off the cell phone, no business email, no contact with the store,….yeah right!

What I do is my passion, I love it. When you own a small business you have no days off, inside, you don’t really want one.

Along with all the followup and advertising work I managed a workout. Lucky FF is smoking me on the reps. came in 5 ahead of me for the first week. Well….now without straddling a boat show that had me working half days + (7am – 9pm) I can now concentrate my time on slaying the dragon.

Here are the spec’s for today.

TNT is going to be chasing me hard once he comes off injured reserve.  He’s already mentioned that the light in my rear view mirror is he gaining on me. I would like that light to be as small as it can be before he gets back.

This circuit wore me out. I was taxed when I walked back into the locker room to shower. To some it might be slim, not enough weight, well, to me it’s on the money. I’m working sort of with in my doc’s request and I’m plenty used up when done. Mother is not the only one noticing the body changes although she is the only one who sees me with my cloths off.  

Today I weighed on the gym scale post workout 204. a week ago I rung up 210. Curious as to what it will be in the morning.

Schedule for the week is Friday, Sunday and Tuesday to pull a full circuit + bonus reps. I’d like to hit 800-850 reps per full circuit. In the between I’m going to do a minimum of 100 push ups on my off days.

I don’t intend to be #2 next Wednesday.

Capt’n

This is going to be the breakout challenge, I feel it. TNT, you have me refocused on my training schedule, can’t thank you enough.

Until this weekend I had been 100% every other day at the gym turning 550 – 650 of not screwing around reps a routine. It’s been working for me. I have places growing and places shrinking, the right places. I never get tired of Mothers mentions.

More than anything though, (other then kicking TNT’s arse) I want to walk into my cardiologist’s office in mid April as healthy as any valve replacement patient he has ever worked on. We’re coming up on three years and I just feel like I continue to get stronger and stronger.  Without I have the stripe on my chest you would never be able to tell I had ever had cosmetic surgery.

This first week is going to be a little screwy. I am displaying at my second boat show in as many weeks. Because of the boat show schedule a few of my initial workouts are going to be home circuits before leaving to head an hour south.

The plan is to use my 25lb DB’s, decline bench, Swiss ball. With this equipment I can do alternating sets of Decline push ups, weighted decline sit ups, decline weighted core stabilizers, chest flys, DB squats, sumo squats and curl overhead presses. I can do 3 sets of 15 reps each equaling 315 weighted reps per circuit.

Tomorrow I will be performing a full #1 circuit on my way home from work. I especially like the afternoons. Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday will be AM home circuits. Monday will be an off day, Tuesday I will perform a full #2 circuit. If I am successful I should be able to post 2300-2400 reps.

Week #2 I will be able to get into a normal routine.

Let the game begin! Good Luck All, Work Hard.

I just don’t know if I have enough sack to do it though!

My appreciation to TNT for getting me hyped on attempting this challenge. You are the master at motivation. I had been getting a little inconsistent at the gym, busy with other goals although bored to a degree. Your invitation was just what I have needed to spur my interest again.  

This insane 15000 is really going to be a load though with all things figured, I might just be able to pull this off. Now hang on because this post could be my longest.

This week I pulled my circuits together and balanced them out so that by the end of a 3 circuit rotation I would have completed a reasonably equal amount of three target area reps. Upper Body, lower body and core. To be successful I will have to perform a minimum of 24 full circuits.

 This week I went ahead and performed each of the circuits to see what the next day brought. It turned out very well. I didn’t get to complete a full 4^th routine yesterday because the gym closed at 2 but I did get a good half in. I performed 2215 reps. 80% are weighted.  I’ve eaten better and I have been sleeping more soundly.  I feel good.

There are going to be a couple periods throughout the 52 days where I will be involved in 14 hour days at boats shows. I will have to manage my time well. Because of this on certain days I will resort to working with my home equipment. You can do push-ups anywhere, I will be using my Swiss Ball, 25 lb dumbbells and decline bench in combination to keep my numbers in line.

Hey, if to attempt this at this time of year it is going to infringe on my responsibilities at my business, (boat shows- open houses) or degrade my health, it has to be a no. Turns out that if I pay attention to feeding my body right and logging a reasonably normal amount of sleep and following a livable schedule I will be able to meet the goal, plus.

The 3 circuits I will use are listed in their own posts below this one.  As you will see most are weighted reps. I have taken the liberty of classifying the jumping jacks as a core exercise. Where it really is a combined, I needed the balance.  The rest of the reps are very specific for the count.

My daily responsibilities can build this time of year and some days tax me more than others. Because of this, at points during the challenge I may elect to increase or decrease weights depending upon my energy level at the time, though I still want the majority of my reps to be weighted.

During the inspection interview for the 5 Star program, the inspector looked at me and asked something to the effect, “What do you really expect to get out of this certification?”

Direct, are you looking just to hang the logo or is there going to be a deeper commitment to improvement? Good question. I knew that had I not been able to state clear example of the programs guidelines in our use in ways that would benefit both our customers and my company his trip was for not.  

I am as committed to using the 5 star templates to improve my business practices as I am in using this 15000 to improve my health.

The goal will be to mop the gym floor with my opponent, if I happen to end up the mop, which is likely, I’m going to be in the best shape any mop has ever been!

Whether I am able to keep pace with TNT (and any others who choose to join in) or not, This should be fun.

Prior to the challenge I will post my goals. Golf is going to get into the mix at some point…..could add another dimension! Ahhhh…I am going to need to post a few CT’s  too…soooo!