Weightlifting/exercise thread

[Randorama]

MJR: My apologies if I sounded too annoying and pushy - or anything unpleasant. Obviously, my intention was not to be an hassle, but sometimes I forget that I should be as explicit as possible on the interwebs, when asserting something and when presenting my intentions.

I also think that everyone in this thread agrees on this - train carefully and with gusto, and enjoy routines. We are mature lads, so we are all authorized to be creatures of habit

[MJR]

MJR: My apologies if I sounded too annoying and pushy - or anything unpleasant. Obviously, my intention was not to be an hassle, but sometimes I forget that I should be as explicit as possible on the interwebs, and with intentions.

I also think that everyone in this thread agrees on this - train carefully and with gusto, and enjoy routines. We are mature lads, so we are all authorized to be creatures of habit

You weren't, don't worry. And thanks!

[DDDP]

Hope everyone got extra shredded wheat over the weekend. Weather here is becoming chillier, which means pushing my outdoor routines into new heights (I've always loved doing as much of my exercise outdoor in the cold).

My wife and I did 6 miles of kettlebell walks + 4 miles of jogging split across Saturday and Sunday. Felt great to invest a ton of time into endurance work. I've neglected the longer kb walks for several weeks, but I wanna get back into em to build up my shoulders and upper back to help w rope climbs.

https://youtu.be/0Z1tQoV-BTo

Keep experimenting and improving.

[Stevens]

Haha. We are very much the opposite in that respect. Not a fan of working in the cold. Respect though. I looked into Wim Hof's techniques a few years back and wasn't ready. Still not, but certainly haven't ruled it out. Like anything else I do though if I'm going to do it I have to be 100% on board. That isn't something to do half assed.

Was just thinking about my progress, sort of my calisthenics state of the union.

Hspu - thrilled with my progress since moving these to pull up day. Hitting 10 now no issues. Going to stay at this depth till Halloween and reduce book pile by 1\4 to 1\2 an inch.

Pull Ups - added 3rd set, but still stuck around 10. If I don't see a breakthrough in another week or two time to grease the groove.

Pistol squats. About same as hspu, hitting 11. Some days my sets are incredible and others my balance is a bit wonky. They're funny that way. Halloween increase depth by another inch.

Start decline archers today. I expect around 6 - 10 reps per side. And if the past is any indication 1 - 3 lbs of weight gain: )

Going to add a measly 4lbs. to my dips till Halloween and then maybe add more.

Stay strong kids.

[DDDP]

I'd liken Wim Hof / cold training to a person who cannot touch their toes. That person hopes to gain the flexibility to not only touch toes, but to pancake stretch. Gaining this flexibility is attainable within a few weeks/months of daily stretching (assuming no major injuries along the way) but when the person is first trying to touch their toes and cannot, the goal feels very far away. The simple rule for this person would be "try to touch your toes every day, but DON'T bounce and FORCE it!" and they will reach their goal in a few weeks.

In the same way, try to suffer the cold every day, but DON'T SHIVER!

The goal is to overcome the cold with your rate of body-heat generation, not to shiver in agony. Once the brown fat is patiently built up, you will genuinely feel "fine" near-naked at 32F or below for sustained periods of time, without frostbite or sickness. This is also when ice baths are on the table. The breathing routine isn't necessary but it helps, since the body-heat consumes a lot of oxygen (1 liter of oxygen consumed = 5 calories burned). Some folks do it just for the calorie burn, which adds up significantly over time. Just make sure to check your windchill chart.

When you shiver (more than just an involuntary shudder, but sustained muscle shivering), you're done. It means your Brown Fat is unable to keep up with the cold. Try again later that day, or tomorrow. Put the jacket back on. Turn the shower back up. Go back inside. Whatever. Shivering means your set is finished. Over time, the onset of shivering will become more sporadic and will stop appearing at higher temps entirely. The reduction of shivering intensity / sensitivity is your main indicator of improvement since the brown fat itself won't be noticeable on your body, not even if you have low bodyfat %.

Supplement with cold showers. Some people are horrified at the idea. A slower and easier method is to follow the cold weather (dropping from 60s to 50s, acclimate, then follow the 50s down into the 40s, and onward). During Autumn, you can acclimate yourself by the time freezing temps show up. My standard Winter test is to roll shirtless/shorts in the first snow for 5 to 10 minutes (usually calling my kids over to point and laugh) to see if I shiver.

The biggest payoff for me isn't health, but time. As a kid anything in the low 60F range was "jacket weather", and mid 40s and below was too cold without heavier coats. Now, I can play sports / outdoors all the way down to the high 30s without effort, extending my "summer" much further into the year and making my "spring" arrive much sooner. I have so many more weeks of the year that I can spend outdoors now, not only for activities but also just sitting on my porch or enjoying my yard.

Figured I'd brain-dump my own experiences with the method because you are correct: it isn't something to do half-assed. You can possibly make yourself sick / get frostbite by rushing at the beginning, but thankfully this isn't a high-risk method. Majority of people aren't going to grit their teeth and push to the point of frostbite when starting out.

Your calisthenics routine is beautiful! I am patiently working myself in such a direction, doing heavy bodyweight lifts / presses but I do not have the stability and strength in certain muscle chains to do em all. I'm very fond of calisthenics now that I'm not too fat to do them.

[Stevens]

I'd liken Wim Hof / cold training to a person who cannot touch their toes. That person hopes to gain the flexibility to not only touch toes, but to pancake stretch. Gaining this flexibility is attainable within a few weeks/months of daily stretching (assuming no major injuries along the way) but when the person is first trying to touch their toes and cannot, the goal feels very far away. The simple rule for this person would be "try to touch your toes every day, but DON'T bounce and FORCE it!" and they will reach their goal in a few weeks.

In the same way, try to suffer the cold every day, but DON'T SHIVER!

The goal is to overcome the cold with your rate of body-heat generation, not to shiver in agony. Once the brown fat is patiently built up, you will genuinely feel "fine" near-naked at 32F or below for sustained periods of time, without frostbite or sickness. This is also when ice baths are on the table. The breathing routine isn't necessary but it helps, since the body-heat consumes a lot of oxygen (1 liter of oxygen consumed = 5 calories burned). Some folks do it just for the calorie burn, which adds up significantly over time. Just make sure to check your windchill chart.

When you shiver (more than just an involuntary shudder, but sustained muscle shivering), you're done. It means your Brown Fat is unable to keep up with the cold. Try again later that day, or tomorrow. Put the jacket back on. Turn the shower back up. Go back inside. Whatever. Shivering means your set is finished. Over time, the onset of shivering will become more sporadic and will stop appearing at higher temps entirely. The reduction of shivering intensity / sensitivity is your main indicator of improvement since the brown fat itself won't be noticeable on your body, not even if you have low bodyfat %.

Supplement with cold showers. Some people are horrified at the idea. A slower and easier method is to follow the cold weather (dropping from 60s to 50s, acclimate, then follow the 50s down into the 40s, and onward). During Autumn, you can acclimate yourself by the time freezing temps show up. My standard Winter test is to roll shirtless/shorts in the first snow for 5 to 10 minutes (usually calling my kids over to point and laugh) to see if I shiver.

The biggest payoff for me isn't health, but time. As a kid anything in the low 60F range was "jacket weather", and mid 40s and below was too cold without heavier coats. Now, I can play sports / outdoors all the way down to the high 30s without effort, extending my "summer" much further into the year and making my "spring" arrive much sooner. I have so many more weeks of the year that I can spend outdoors now, not only for activities but also just sitting on my porch or enjoying my yard.

Figured I'd brain-dump my own experiences with the method because you are correct: it isn't something to do half-assed. You can possibly make yourself sick / get frostbite by rushing at the beginning, but thankfully this isn't a high-risk method. Majority of people aren't going to grit their teeth and push to the point of frostbite when starting out.

Your calisthenics routine is beautiful! I am patiently working myself in such a direction, doing heavy bodyweight lifts / presses but I do not have the stability and strength in certain muscle chains to do em all. I'm very fond of calisthenics now that I'm not too fat to do them.

Thank you so much for the cold write up. You took something I knew little about and made it very easy to understand. Might give this a try sooner (within the next 12 months) rather than later.

Thanks for the kind words. Its been about five and a half years since I started the program I'm on. I've had lots of victories (these are fewer and farther between as you get stronger), a few setbacks (inevitable, but not the end of the world), and while I've revised it more than a few times the core has always been the same.

I remember back when I would wobble terribly trying a half pistol, or the first time I tried a lever push up I couldn't get back up. I was thrilled I even made it down!

Getting full ROM hspu is my final boss. It shouldn't have taken me this much time, but it has, and that's ok. I think I'm finally on my way.

It has been a really good week. The decline archers went far better than anticipated. After figuring out some logistics i did 7 on each side. Then 13 on my right (most I ever did on the ground), and 10 on my left. Very pleased!

[DDDP]

Thank you so much for the cold write up. You took something I knew little about and made it very easy to understand. Might give this a try sooner (within the next 12 months) rather than later.

Thanks for the kind words. Its been about five and a half years since I started the program I'm on. I've had lots of victories (these are fewer and farther between as you get stronger), a few setbacks (inevitable, but not the end of the world), and while I've revised it more than a few times the core has always been the same.

I remember back when I would wobble terribly trying a half pistol, or the first time I tried a lever push up I couldn't get back up. I was thrilled I even made it down!

Getting full ROM hspu is my final boss. It shouldn't have taken me this much time, but it has, and that's ok. I think I'm finally on my way.

It has been a really good week. The decline archers went far better than anticipated. After figuring out some logistics i did 7 on each side. Then 13 on my right (most I ever did on the ground), and 10 on my left. Very pleased!

Maybe you mentioned it in previous convo w the other users but why are you doing decline archers? Working towards stronger archers in and of themselves or moving toward a higher progression / form?

Handstand pushups and handstands on the rings (both out of reach for me, currently) have been on my mind ever since I added ring dips to the weekly rotation. Heard a quip that "dips are like the squats of the upper body", and it got the wheels turning about how I haven't worked much on my downward or overhead pressing STR compared to other muscle chains. Hence, handstands entered the picture a few months ago.

My big hurdle (self inflicted) is that I already do a ton of shoulder stuff (rings, kettlebells, medballs, boxing) so the handstand drills interfere / fatigue these same chains unless I pull something out for the day/week. Impatience and failure to commit fully, is what it boils down to. I've been doing candlesticks and inverse ring-hangs to at least condition my trunk to hold the proper form. I think my torso is the second-biggest weak link in my handstand chain, the lack of overhead shoulder pressing/stability STR being the main weakness right now.

Setting aside the limits from diagnosis / advice at a distance, since you've already gone through the handstand progression I wondered if this made sense and if you had any insight.

[Stevens]

Maybe you mentioned it in previous convo w the other users but why are you doing decline archers? Working towards stronger archers in and of themselves or moving toward a higher progression / form?

Handstand pushups and handstands on the rings (both out of reach for me, currently) have been on my mind ever since I added ring dips to the weekly rotation. Heard a quip that "dips are like the squats of the upper body", and it got the wheels turning about how I haven't worked much on my downward or overhead pressing STR compared to other muscle chains. Hence, handstands entered the picture a few months ago.

My big hurdle (self inflicted) is that I already do a ton of shoulder stuff (rings, kettlebells, medballs, boxing) so the handstand drills interfere / fatigue these same chains unless I pull something out for the day/week. Impatience and failure to commit fully, is what it boils down to. I've been doing candlesticks and inverse ring-hangs to at least condition my trunk to hold the proper form. I think my torso is the second-biggest weak link in my handstand chain, the lack of overhead shoulder pressing/stability STR being the main weakness right now.

Setting aside the limits from diagnosis / advice at a distance, since you've already gone through the handstand progression I wondered if this made sense and if you had any insight.

My current goal is to progress to one arm push ups. Even though I can do a fair amount of archers it seems when I remove my straight arm from the floor I have stability issues. Sliding 1 arms were my original plan, but they cause too much discomfort in my right wrist, so decline archers it is for now.

Yeah I absolutely understand where you are coming from. You're thinking "I want to add this and this and this and this and this", but all these moves are:

A - Taxing

B - Taxing the same muscles groups

You really have to pick and choose what you want to work on after a certain point. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but sufficient rest and recovery is paramount.

I would suggest working on A and B movements (one, def not more than two) until you get sufficiently strong at them. I would say make these the movements you are already more proficient in as it will lay a solid foundation to move on from.
At that point move onto C and D as your work sets (two to three sets) but do maintenance on A and B (one good set/week should do for maintenance). For example I only do one set of pistol squats on each side per week, but am still able to add a rep ever week or two.

Hope this was helpful, let me know what you decide to do and if you need anything else.

[Mortificator]

Not sure if you mentioned it earlier, have you ever considered cooking most of your food on one day and then eating it during the week?

I thought I'd give this a try after reading your post and it worked pretty well! Made a big batch of vegan taco filling (black beans, sweet potatoes, onions) and a pot of hot & sour soup that I dipped into over the past week.

[Stevens]

Hello Monday. You're a rest day. How I take advantage? Get up an hour later: )

[Randorama]

It's still very hot here, so training outside is easy (well, sort of...).

i am procrastinating about a full post reporting the new schedule. I want to finish the fourth week and see where I am at, progress-wise.

[SolDirix]

When you want to stick to a workout schedule but vidya games be like 'nope'.

[DDDP]

Jogged a 5k on Saturday and breezed through it! About to do another one today at 7a. I am not a fan of running/jogging but I won't deny that it feels good to improve at it. I'd like to meet a challenge along the lines of "5k every day for a month" which should be feasible in fall/winter. I already jog that distance each day, but broken up across different times (usually a mile in the morning and several in the evening).

This past week I've been nursing a strained f. deltoid, plus some strain on one of the rotator cuff muscles underneath, so it has been a lotta bodyweight / volume exercises, anything that avoids the raising motion of the right arm. Bodyweight squats, lunge-ups, knee raises, nohandups, various situps, various planks/hollows/arch isometric holds, and so forth. Really sucks to be limited on the rings while the shoulder heals though. I am still able to carefully do some chinups, some rows, some support holds, etc but I am definitely in "maintenance" mode. The 7 pound squishy medicine ball has been a boon here; I'm doing a lot of isometrics and slow movements to get blood flowing to the strained area.

I'll have to build that shoulder back up and then focus on those handstand regressions, Stevens. Thanks for the advice on the previous page. It's really just a volume thing. If I put in enough time and patient re-adjustment without injuring (heh) or overtraining the muscle chain, eventually the move just happens. So I need to apply a humble / student mindset and just grind through it at a beginner level for awhile. Candlesticks have been a decent handstand regression while I'm laying off the shoulder, in the meanwhile.

Here's something to get the day going:

https://youtu.be/9r7PQyQJl0g

[Stevens]

Yeah go slow, previous skills are really great for facilitating healing.

Self rehabilitation is overlooked when talking about calisthenics, but after spending enough time with them that aspect kind of clicks. And even though the occasional sore, strained, or (please no) tear happens knowing how to work through it has a calming affect.

I tore my gastroc/soleus a few months before I started the program I'm on now. For the previous five years I had dabbled in this stuff, but not like the last six. Anyway other that seeing a therapist for ROM issues with my ankle I rehabilitated the tissue on my own. I just did calf raises - it just seemed like the right thing to do. It was.

Friday I skipped straight arm work cause my body (I want to say serratus) was telling me I should. I didn't start adding weight to my dips too - up to 14. I don't have a smartphone, but Ill try to post a pic of the dip station and monkey bar set up.

I broke through to 11 pull ups and then followed up with sub max sets of nine and seven. Hoping that continues.

Squats and horizontal pull today! Stay strong!

[DDDP]

@Stevens That looks like a tough routine! I have tried to be careful and patient, but I still get occasional strains and pulls. It isn't feasible to visit the Dr for every little pain and ache, so I've had to become much better at (science-based, evidence-based) diagnosis of these things. So far I haven't suffered anything that took me out completely, and I haven't suffered anything that took out a joint / muscle / whatever for more than 1 week. God is watching out for my joints and tendons, for sure!

[Stevens]

Yo!

It's not really too bad DDDP, just a set of pistols on each side. I increased depth by an inch, did five per side and called it a day.

The horis I do on the monkey bars. Put my feet up so the are higher than my head. My current number is 35 which I do in two sets, but I think that might get bumped up a little.

Archers - two x 2 per. Another week with my feet at 13 inches and I'm increasing the height. I didn't think I would get there so fast. I hope a bit more height helps and is still mechanically sound.

Lots of stuff Friday, but for all I do dips are my favorite. Adding four lbs today after forgetting last week. Should get some straight arm work in too.

Pics of stuff - I haven't forgotten!!

[DDDP]

Picked up a fresh pair of sneaks yesterday; got fitted at the athletic shoe store and everything! After the 5k on Sat, again on Tues, and all the jogging/bouncing in between, my cheap $30 slip ons foam soles were showing their limitations. I mean, for the price they continue to serve me valiantly, but for this heavier, longer-distance stuff I need better. Some tendonitis was flaring up in the left ankle too so I knew it was time.

https://www.topoathletic.com/mens-magnifly-3?color=43

Tried on several different brands and types once me and the clerk talked about what I was hoping to get from a shoe. Haven't had an athletic shoe this nice since high-school sports, since after that I mostly sunk my $$ into nicer boots (like Red Wings or Wolverines). Based upon her expert foot evaluation (iPad footage and everything; hopefully doesn't end up on a foot fetish paysite ) my feet and ankles are waaay strong! I guess all that barefoot work and stretching paid off. She said that unless I really wanted to use em, I could ignore heavy arch support / heavy cushion / "rocker"-type jogging shoes, which is fine with me.

So I guess I have no excuses but to get on the 5k choo choo train, two or three times a week for a few more weeks and then maybe a "5k a day" month-long challenge in November as temperatures cool down. The payoff for boxing club will be substantial, if nothing else.

Re: tendonitis. I generally know how to stretch it out and how to detect the early symptoms, so I never have a flareup that lasts more than a day or two. I use the M.E.A.T method 95% of the time and only ice / isolate on rare occasions. Keeping the joint moving, gently pushing/pulling/stretching it through the range of motion, etc is how I learned to recover from minor strains and sprains. However, I am curious how others deal with it. I expect if I do more jogging it will flare up a few more times (previous injuries predict future injuries)

Anyway I hope EVERYONE has a stacked weekend full of fitness and abdomen-popping exertions!! The shoulder is just about healed enough to do lighter ring stuff so that puts me in a good mood.

Here's a good beat

https://youtu.be/cdBpncyanp4

[Randorama]

...so, I am currently doing these exercises:

1. Archer push-ups: 2x2x16 (2 sets, 2 sides, 16 reps). I think that the form is good but can be improved, and the reps are going up steadily. I find the exercise relatively easy (2 days a week);

2. Decline push-ups: 4x16, adding reps. I place my feet on a garbage bin that gives me exactly 45 degrees of decline (garbage bin=street training deluxe, I guess!). Go down slowly, up slowly, feel each and every one of the reps. I feel that this one is really though, but benefits are clear: chest tension is clearly increasing (2 days a week);

3. Dips: parallel bars at 2 mtrs, 4x16. When I will go back to the gym, I will add weights, so for now I am trying to focus on keeping the tension high via slow, methodical movements (4 days a week);

4. Pull- and chin-ups: 16 reps, 4 sets with different grips: wide(st), close(st) x front grip (i.e. pull-up) and back grip (i.e. chin-up) (2 days a week);

5. Towel pull- and chin-ups: 2x2x2 Throw the towel...on the bar, grab it with either hand and keep the hand at chest level, 2 reps with the other hand. I am not really reaching dead hang position, but even completing 2 reps with an incomplete ROM is...hard. Body form must improve: first 2 weeks, I would systematically move my legs incorrectly (2 days a week);

6. Dead hangs: x2, I started with 60 secs of plain hanging, quickly promoted to 70 seconds. I must improve grip strength and decompress spine (2 days a week);

7. Leg raises: 2x16, feet reach the grip level. Easy one for me (2 days a week);

8. L-sits: I switched to doing these on benches and walls to decrease leverage (from parallel bars). 10 seconds legs in an L-sit position, 10 seconds legs open at 45 degrees, 10 seconds back, legs down.

9. Pistol squats: slowly learning these. If I can "feel" an object to straighten my balance as I go down, I can get a good room and perform 4x16 (2 days a week);

I am combing 4-5 of these exercises each day, Monday to Thursday, plus rowing a running (see below). Friday is a bit of rowing, running, stretching, and generally exercises to unwind and recover a bit.

I am also doing fixed-seat rowing with a twist:

I periodically row with only one arm for a few seconds, to increase general strength and in particular grip strength (one arm rows, the other is on legs keeping the tension high via handshake).

It is...incredible how I can potentially row for hours with both arms, but I can only spend a few seconds (10 reps, to be precise) rowing with one arm. "Near one-arm" exercises are a completely different dimension.

I wrap up with 2-3 kmts of running and stretching: slow stuff, and it is really meant to enjoy the weather (we are experiencing an out-of-season, dry and very shiny late summer period). Still, very useful to release the tension.

The dramatic increase of tension triggered by the near-one arm exercises seems still not a problem.

I feel that muscles are increasing a bit in volume and *a lot* in density, but tiredness is not lingering on, during the week-ends. I recover by Monday, so far.

...also, I am beginning to become old.

I don't really wake up late (7.30 am), and I go to sleep late-ish (12 to 12.30 pm), but I have begun to pop my eyes at around 6 am, only to mumble something to myself and go back to sleep.

There's this stereotype that people from Mediterranean countries wake up earlier and earlier as they age. Maybe it is true, and I will start waking up at 5 am like you guys?

[Stevens]

DDDP - Have you looked into zero drop shoes? Admittedly I don't run like you, but have been wearing them for about ten years now. Really comfortable, even if I workout barefoot more often than not.

Randorama - That is some Herculean volume. Not sure if you would be willing to try one (or both) of the following, but I would be willing to bet you see at least the same gains as a result. That said I know what follows might seem counter intuitive.

Cut your sets down to two (especially if you like going to >90% of your max reps) OR cut your workouts to one day a week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=73htR_-B-HI

This is a great video and tbh completely changed my approach. Sometimes, like a great action game, less is more.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts. Stay strong guys!

[Randorama]

Steve: Rogert that, though I must say: dips are my "comfort exercise".

To elaborate: I like doing them daily, as I feel good even when really pushing reps (I am aiming to 20) or weight (I will add weights once back to the gym).

Everything else, I would like to cut to one day per week and add variety.

Work is a bit intense this period, so I got "caught out" - I couldn't design a schedule in which I do 4 exercise types Monday to Thursday (i.e. 4x4), but without repeating type.

For instance, I lost the plot with handstand push-ups - I am mulling the idea of choosing a dedicated day to focus on balance first (reach 2 minutes static HS first). I also keep forgetting to ask you - horizontal pulls, yes, but how?

Thanks for the video, but it's blocked (China etc. etc.). I am all open to reshuffle things anyway - I feel that I could get bored (or lose gains?) in a few more weeks.

[DDDP]

@Randorama Are you doing any torso-twisting exercises or isometrics? One armed exercises (obv) put a lot of extra work on that side's arm but also on the shoulder, obliques, lats, etc (depending on the exercise). You seem to be going for Volume already so some patient isometrics and one-sided pulls/pushes that target that side's shoulder/back muscles might also be worth considering.

Also nicely done on the Dead Hangs! If I don't do those on a daily basis, my back begins to slowly feel crooked lol

@Stevens Actually yeah! The pair i got last week are Topo Magnifly 3 which are considered "zero drop". I also workout barefoot when I can help it! I made the choice to invest a lot of time into barefoot running / conditioning before I began jogging on the regular (which was only a few months ago). My perfect outdoor jogging setup would be a large grass field without dog poop, spotted by occasional slopes and hills. I'd do 100% of my jogging barefoot if I could. But alas, concrete is a real thing and the various "road socks" and "toe shoes" do not hold up.

[Randorama]

DDDP: thanks, but I am a bit in a "Dumb mode" (with squinting eyes, of course: this is one of those Mondays).

Could you please give me examples of isometrics (dunno, L-sits?) and one-sided pull/pushes? I feel like I am asking something really trivial but it's better to ask, I guess.

Dead Hangs...ah yes, I swear that I recovered a 1 cm of height or something, by simply straightening my back. Today I did two reps at 70 seconds, and people training for basketball were suddenly distracted by the noise of my bones cracking up and expanding.

[DDDP]

DDDP: thanks, but I am a bit in a "Dumb mode" (with squinting eyes, of course: this is one of those Mondays).

Could you please give me examples of isometrics (dunno, L-sits?) and one-sided pull/pushes? I feel like I am asking something really trivial but it's better to ask, I guess.

Dead Hangs...ah yes, I swear that I recovered a 1 cm of height or something, by simply straightening my back. Today I did two reps at 70 seconds, and people training for basketball were suddenly distracted by the noise of my bones cracking up and expanding.

Two isometrics that comes to mind for you are planks / reverse planks, holding for up to 1 minute at a time (four limbs). If this is easy, then try to balance on one hand instead of two / on one foot instead of two (three limbs). Then, try to balance only with opposite hand + opposite foot (two limbs).

Isometrics are a class of "holding" exercise, typically where you are maintaining a position and trying to resist gravity. A lot of people ignore them, unfortunately, or don't understand the function they add. L-sits are definitely a type of isometric. Keep at em. They're useful at building the "compression" muscles in your torso.

One sided push / pulls can be done easily with gym rings and a wall-mounted resistance band, but I don't know what gear you have access to. The idea, instead of working the single arm, is to work the shoulder / lats on that side. Obviously you should do both sides to avoid imbalances. Serratus push-ups are an example of taking a "push" exercise, locking the arms, and focusing on one of the torso muscles instead. Oblique twists / crunches are another example of twisting the torso and engaging those twisting muscles. A third example would be a cable push/pull with the arms locked and feet planted. Instead of engaging the elbow joint, rotate the torso to engage those muscles while keeping the arm locked forward. You're not just putting more weight on one hand/arm, but also putting more weight on that shoulder, that lat, and all the stabilizer muscles that keep you from twisting like a ribbon. Building those muscles up with a variety of similar "twisting" motions will lend a ton of strength when you are trying to do one-handed bodyweight stuff.

[Stevens]

Woke up Tuesday, did normal morning stuff. Light stretch, warm up, get to bar and realize I'm more tired than usual. Do a set of pull ups, set of hspu and call it a day.

I had already decided prior to skip leg day. I did a few sets of horizontal pull ups and figured at best this needs to be a light week.

Checked my journal and realized I've been working pretty hard for the last eight weeks.

Sometimes you need that down time.

[DDDP]

Finally back on the rings yesterday!

But man do my forearms hurt this morning

Been doing a lot more squats, lunges, and ab-work while the ankle and shoulder were healing up. We'll see how the cross training helped with my core lifts during the downtime.

[DDDP]

Don't tell me thou hast abandoned THE GAINS?!

REPENT!

https://youtu.be/LcI8sfwxvIs

Shoulder is still nagging, but no longer holding me back. I'm doing several miles per day of walking / jogging, therefore stamina is through the ROOF. I'm also devouring sit-ups, up to 10 minutes of constant full range situps. These particular situps are called "1-2 situps" where I do a left-right punch at the top, or a 3-4 (left hook right hook) at the top, something we do a lot of at boxing club. Great for the core. Also doing a lot of bodyweight squats and lunge-ups. Knees are solid so far. Pushups are still a weak spot in comparison to some of the other standard bodyweight moves, but I'm not gonna whine.

And now it is cold. 40F - 50F for hours, every morning for the past week. The brown fat is kicking in and the capillaries are growing. A few weeks of this and I'll be set for 32F and below.

[Randorama]

No no, nevah!

...I decided to add some variety.

I tried archer pull- and chin-ups, and they are too funny not to do them on a regular basis.
I also tried the "fake" one arm variant, and I can complete 5 reps with one hand grabbing the lifting forearm.

So, I do one day of grip variations ((wide, narrow) x (chin, pull)), one day of "towel" variants, one day of "fake", one day of archer variants.

I now also do one day of basic dips. For the other days, I do "walks" on the parallel bars, a simple plyometric variant of dips (small jumps on the bars), and Korean grip dips (i.e. hands are behind the back, more or less).

Push-ups, I repeat archers twice, then diamond push-ups (i.e. very narrow grip, very slow movements), and decline push-ups (hooray for the garbage bin!).

Isometrics, I add a day for lever exercises, then dead hangs, L-sits, leg raises.

Temperatures in the low 10 C's (50F?), but a hat and very blistery hands are enough protection against the chillies. I may finally give up and go to the gym at single digits temperatures, maybe.

...I could put up some weight, duh. Down to 10%-ish body fat, I could use some extra weight when lifting and as a defence against the cold.

[DDDP]

G E T D A T
B R O W N F A T

Powerful calorie burn, and effective frostbite resistance down to freezing (and below)

Sounds like you're making consistent improvement @Randorama

I'm stalled on most of my ring progressions while the rotator cuff strengthens back up. Been focusing on cardio, primarily jump rope, jogging, bodyweight core work*, and shadowboxing, several hours a day. My endurance has increased by leaps and bounds over the past few months, but especially over the last 3 weeks. The jogging, the shadowboxing, and the jumprope are to thank for that. Over the last several days a few guys at the boxing club remarked that I'd really slimmed down, "have you weighed yourself?", etc, and that felt good to hear reassurances. Can't get lazy or complacent, though. Cold weather training is here and that's where grit is gained.

My wife has been amping up her exercise routines as well, and slimming down. She is teaching me tennis (she played through highschool) and I am terrible. Can't aim, but I can certainly whack the ball over the fence consistently. I'm learning on my left hand / off hand because that's my jab hand in boxing and the conditioning will cross over. Today we're headed to the court again and i'll be able to practice my aim on the wall.

*situps + variations, push ups, lunges, bodyweight squats, high-knee jumps, awful gym-class stuff like that

[Stevens]

Been a good few weeks, hope you're all doing well.

More detailed post this weekend: )

[GaijinPunch]

Weird one for me -- I just spent a month in Europe, taking advantage of my company's work from home policy. I did pretty good staying on top of things. Almost no cardio, but did my full workouts for all 4 weeks... except that I crammed in two of them in a week and a half instead of 2 weeks, then haven't worked out in about a week. I normally would have done an off week but I have another quick trip coming off which will be my real off week. So, off to the gym tomorrow to see how I fair. Honestly, I'm tired AF. 24 hours in transit. Hope I can sleep!