Workout blog Wednesday, 10/15/08

Another hump day in the books.

Today's workout was the Turbulence Training Big 5 Workout "B". As far as a work day was concerned, it was good overall, no allergy problems, had enough food. But I wasn't quite tuned in for the workout. Not in the mood, possibly. Perhaps I wasn't quite recovered from pushing it a littler harder on Monday...I dunno. But I got through it. And I felt much better afterward.

Remember, this is a full circuit routine..including these exercises:

• 1 Leg Squat
• DB Chest Press
• DB Row
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Stability Ball Rollout
  

Notes * Observations
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A.) 1 Leg squats were tougher tonight. Did them holding a couple of 10# DBs. The extra 20 pounds through off my balance a little, and I was still feeling Monday's hard work.

B.) DB Chest Press...again with a pair of 75# Dbs. Solid.

C.) DB Row...I bumped it from 65# up to 70#. Felt good, although I was still feeling the pullups from Monday.

D.) Bulgarian Split Squat...considering the 1 leg squat wasn't quite there...I ended up using a pair of 25# DBs.

E.) Stab. Ball Rollout ... kept the reps at 20 for all sets. A classic movement...gotta love it.

Overall worktime: 26:30 ...not good compared to 4 full circuits from last week.

Intervals: 6 rounds; 60 x 90 secs; 8/3 intensity. Felt good. Helped clear my head.

Cramps: Where did the cramping go? Thankfully, I seemed to have found a winning combination to combat the problems I was having with my cramping calves:

• Post workout...I've been supplementing with potassium at night (90 mg).
• Stretching periodically throughout the day. Specific calf stretching
• Making sure to stay well hydrated

Did that do it? Maybe. All I know is that I don't have the problems I was having just 2 weeks ago. I'll take it.

If you've been wanting to find a body management plan that works with you and doesn't take hours upon endless hours each week, then look no further than Turbulence Training. Complete, focused and results oriented. It's proven. It works. 'Nuff said.

Workout blog Monday, 10/13/08

Monday was a day off of work for me and I had a great afternoon with the kids. I took my oldest daughters MTB riding and then we met up with the wife and little one for some time at the park playing and feeding the ducks. When we got home, I did TT Big 5 workout A.

I performed 4 total circiuts including the following exercises:

• DB Squats
• Decline Pushups
• PullUps
• DB Reverse Lunge
• Stablility Ball Jacknife
  

Notes * Observations
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I did the DB Squats with 55# DBs held up in front where the bar for a front squat would be loaded. Felt Good.
I had to increase the reps for the decline pushups. In retrospect, I should have actually gone higher.
The Pullups were solid. I had to work really hard for those last 3 reps in the last set.
I did DB Reverse lunge with a pair of 30# dbs. Need to increase next go around.
Stability ball Jacknife was solid.

Total work time: 21:46. Slightly off my last mark, but more work overall.

Followed primary workout with 3 minute arms, 5x5x4.

Intervals: 6 rounds, 45/90 secs @ 9/3 intensity.

Overall, a nice and solid workout.

Workout blog for 10/09/08

OK, the TT Big 5 has come full circle. Wednesday night was the 2nd time through Workout B and man was it a scorcher.

There's one more workout that I need to do this coming Friday which is the bodyweight circuit version for Workout C. Otherwise, and all together, this is one ~FANTASTIC~ program. The beauty of it is that you could (if you wanted) swap out the exercises for a different set of movements every month and keep using the program structure...again, that's if you wanted.

Here's the smackdown:

• 1-Leg Squat
• DB Chest Press
• DB Row
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Stability Ball Rollout

Notes and Observations:

1-Leg Squat - again done body weight only. Balance is OK ...will do next week with a plate or holding a DB.

DB Chest Press - Used a pair of 75# DBs. This are increasingly more easy.

DB Row - Three point row with a 65# DB. Nice and solid...moving it up next week.

Bulg. Split squat - used a pair of 25# DB's. Nice and solid...will move up to 30#s next week.

Stability Ball Rollout - a classic favorite.

Work Time for 3 sets: 20:49...

I considered finishing off with either 3 minute arms..or 6 minute abs...but I decided that I would get more benefit by doing the entire routine again through the last set. So, I performed the 8 reps set again...for a total of 4 times through. The extra set took just over 5 minutes following a short break.

Totally Finished in just over 27 minutes.

Intervals: 6 rounds of 60x90 secs at an 8/3 intensity.

I can feel the fat melting away. Having a great time with this program.

Monday, 10/6/08 workout

Monday's Tubulence Training workout was from the Big 5 program; Workout A. ..and in one word...it was awesome!

I am thoroughly enjoying this Big 5 program; it is a full body workout...perfomed 3 times per week. It takes less than an hour and, if done correctly, melts fat like a furnace!

Here's are the exercises included in this workout:

• DB Squat
• Decline Pushup
• Pullup
• DB Reverse Lunge
• Stability Ball Jacknife
  

Notes and Observations

Same number of reps for all movements: 12+10+8+8 (4 circuits)

DB squats were performed with a pair of 50# Dbs...held up front on the collar bone where a bar would be for front squats. It was a good weight. Explode...almost literally jump...up and out.

Decline pushups were solid.

The Pullups were awesome...and quite frankly... allot more than I thought I could do. Fully extended...no swinging.

Used a pair of 30# DBs to execute DB Reverse lunges. I could have gone slightly heavier...maybe 35's...but I wanted to keep them fast.

The stability ball jacknife with the pause was great as well. By that 4th set...that pause (in the extended position) feels like an eternity.

Total worktime: 20:49.

Intervals: 6 rounds of 45 x 90 secs at a 9/3 intensity.

Overall: I'm loving this program and expect big changes by the end of this month.

Friday, 10/03/08 workout

Great workout last night using the TT Big 5 Workout "C", Barbell complex.

The velocity of this workout is awesome! Here's how it broke down for me on the first try. The rep count for each movement is set pretty high, so this routine is all about total body "motion". It included:

• BB Squat
• BB Push Press
• BB Row
• Forward Lunge
• Mountain Climber
  

Notes and Oberservations ( ...and confessions...)

OK, so here was the plan...
I had big ideas that I was gonna load up the barbell and crank out the reps for the first 3 movements using the same weight. Then I planned to move over to some dumbbells for the forward lunges and then drop them and knock out the mountain climbers.

That would indicate that the Push Press was going to be my weakest exercise here.

..at least it was a plan...here's the hard reality...

I loaded up the BB with 105#. The squats would be no contest at that weight and the rows pretty easy as well...but it was more than I could bite off and chew on the push presses. I managed to knock out the first 10 or 11 reps and then I had a reality check....there was no way I could finish that first set and then come back around and do 30 or more of these!

So, as quickly as I could I reloaded some of my DBs to 45# and finished out the set...and I used that setup for the remaining 2 circuits.

I knocked out the lunges with a pair of 30# DBs and mountain climbers are well...mountain climbers.

25 minutes later...I was jacked to the ceiling! Man that was awesome. I am going to love this whole program.

To finish out workout "C" you need some form of continuous, challenging cardio for 20 minutes steady. ( "Challenging" means that you actually have to be pushing yourself...but you can still dot it for the full length of time.)

So I warmed up...stretched my calves...warmed up some more...and then did my 20 minutes on the treadmill...cooled down and all done.

So...minus the gut check at the beginning, this was a great workout and I look forward to the challenge of it again in 2 weeks.

Thursday; 10/02/08 Workout

My October Turbulence Training Big 5 program got off to a big start
yesterday. However, I got home too late at night to
do both the resistance work and the intervals...so I
performed the intervals today.

Actually, I added in a quick set of Turbulence Training 6 Minute Abs
and then moved straight into the intervals for the
Big 5 workout "B".

The intervals for today were 6 rounds of 60 x 90 secs
at an 8/3 intensity. I had to stop mid way through
the warm up due to my cramping calves...Man, that is
really bothering me. I've upped my water through the
day, began supplementing with extra potassium and
stretch throughout the day...and I ~STILL~ get cramps!

Anyway...it was about 30 minutes all
through...including the Ab work and the warmup1,
warmup2, intervals and cool down.

Kudos to Craig for both the 3 minute arm and 6 minute
abs. Yes the names may seem a bit silly, but they are
just right to top off any Turbulence Training Program if you want to add focus on one area.

Heck, I intend to use both of them on a rotating basis
with all of my TT work from now on.

Until next time...work hard.

Wednesday, 10/1/08 workout

Kicking off the month of October with a bang! I've decided to move over to the TT Big 5 workout.

I'd like to focus more on fat loss this month (DUHH!!) and while maintaining mass and strength. Experts agree and recommend full body workouts if you're particular goal is maintaining muscle and concentrating on fat loss. Getting and keeping the big muscles active is a must for boosting overall metabolic turbulence...and the TT Big 5 routine is ~EXACTLY~ what the doctor ordered!

This particular program is a full body "circuit", so you work through the entire routine before resting and repeating up to 2 more times. Believe me...it's cruel and unusual punishment on your boy fat. Each exercise in the circuit has a countdown rep scheme of 12,10,8. The reps decrease on each cycle, so you start high and reduce on each iteration. If you're working hard...that final 8 reps is brutal.

Since I started this program on a Wednesday, I began with Workout "B"...that way the following week will fall back in line with the regular routine prescription. Awesome stuff.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Total work time: 23:58 mins.

The exercises included in this workout

• 1-Leg Squat
• DB Chest Press (Bench Press)
• DB Row
• DB Bulgarian Split Squat
• Stability Ball Rollouts
  

I maintained the same weight for all 3 circuits, so I used:

Bodyweight for the 1-leg squat (standing on a 20" platform)
Pair of 75# DBs for the chest presses
A 65# DB for the Row
Pair of 25# DBs for the Bulgarian Split Squat
Regular Stability Ball rollouts
Intervals: N/A...got home too late. Needed to finish quick. Did 3 minute arms, 5x5 instead.

Notes and Observations:
------------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't performed 1-leg squats for a couple of TT programs, so I did them body weight only just to get the sensation and balance keyed in again. I'll make them progressively more challenging this month by adding DBs or hold a plate.

For the DB chest press, I picked the same weight as I was using coming out of the last program (TT 2k3). Since the goal of the Big 5 is overall turbulence and has such a high beginning rep range, this fit pretty well. I would like up to the Dbs to 80#, but it just won't work with my equipment. Pressing explosively will continue to make this a challenging movement.

I performed the DB row as a "3 Point Row". This means standing, two feet down and your non-working hand positioned behind your back. The trick is to maintain your upper body position and stability and not "bob" up and down while performing the movement. That bobbing motion robs the rear shoulder and inner back muscles from what they're trying to do. Concentrate on the elbow...pointing and pulling up and back... You can also hurt your lower back if you bob up and down...SO DON'T!

Just like the 1-leg squat, I have not done Bulgararian Split squats in a couple of months. It was a rude awakening on that first cycle of 12 reps. Wow!

At the end...what can I say ... Stability ball rollouts are fantastic. Followed the whole thing up with a quick 3 Minute Arms routine, using the 5x5 scheme.

I loved this Turbulence Training workout and I can't wait to do the others in the Big 5 program.

Until next time...Work Hard.