Mr. I's Fitness Log

Mr. Incognito

Well background is Male 32.

Would have had a gym in school so we had coaching on technique when we were teenagers in PE. As I get older I realise how invaluable that has been.

We were all advised not to do any heavy squats etc until we were at least 18 and our bone structure had developed.

Would have competed internationally with Tae Know Do in my teens so my base fitness used to be insane. I was training six days a week, but alas I went to college in Galway and had too much of a good time, smoking and boozing and general faffing about. When I was 18 my weight was a very lean 8.5 stone at a height of 5'8.

When I started work my routine got set but found it hard to kick the smokes. Struggled with that for a few years. My only exercise at the time was press ups every morning. 100 press ups would be the goal and took a few months to get there.

In the last two years of so I have become more stable at work and have gotten my gym regular enough so that I have confidence I would have enough dedication to commit to post to a log. My goal is to be able to run 5 miles and comfortable enough to have functional strength for my own bodyweight. I generally train Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays but that's an average.

If I feel tired or not into it I tend to knock off early. I have gassed once and nearly passed out recently and its not a pleasant experience. I try and work cardio and weights into my routine and at the moment start and finish with cardio. I used to do one each for alternating days but I didn't feel fit. I put on muscle but it's no good if your heart and lungs are not strong. I am using Rathmines Swan gym atm which is fine. The instructors are a bit disinterested and could care less if people have terrible form. I have seen loads of people gearing themselves up for an injury and the staff saying nowt but I live right beside it so can't really complain to much.

So currently as of last night my weight is 74 kg. Waist is 32''. No idea what chest is but will have to get it measured and neck is 15''.

Work out Monday 25 August.

Treadmill Run. 12.5km Distance 3.5km Time 17.5 mins.

Bench (the unassisted one)
70kg X 6
75kg X5
75kg X5
75kg X4
70kg X 6

Full extension pull ups
10

Standing bicep curls (On the tension resistance station where you hook in the bar)
59kg X5
59kg X5
59kg X5

Seated cycle
Performance setting Hill
10 mins

I really need to get some squats in there but it was a long weekend so will have one eye on Wednesday for leg and back.

Alf Veedersane

As Bob Hoskins said in the gas ad "It's good to log!"

Quick question: was it ITF or WTF TKD?

Mr. Incognito

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

As Bob Hoskins said in the gas ad "It's good to log!"

Quick question: was it ITF or WTF TKD?

WTF- Under Master T.K Loh
http://www.tta-taekwondo.co.uk/

Full contact. I loved it. I tried to join in NUIG but it was ITF so kinda lost the motivation. The full contact aspect used to keep me sharp as if you hadn't trained you were in for a beating in training.

Alf Veedersane

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

WTF- Under Master T.K Loh
http://www.tta-taekwondo.co.uk/

Full contact. I loved it. I tried to join in NUIG but it was ITF so kinda lost the motivation. The full contact aspect used to keep me sharp as if you hadn't trained you were in for a beating in training.

I always preferred the ITF (though I never trained WTF) because I preferred to get more boxing in there.

The Olympics was responsible for putting me off WTF - it looked too pedestrian

Mr. Incognito

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I always preferred the ITF (though I never trained WTF) because I preferred to get more boxing in there.

The Olympics was responsible for putting me off WTF - it looked too pedestrian

I can tell you from experience that's from adrenaline. Nothing can prepare you for the feeling that when you get in competition that you are in a full contact situation. You are giving permission for the other person to try and take your head off. You would be shattered from the adrenaline rush. No amount of training for that. Very weird- great rush though

Alf Veedersane

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I can tell you from experience that's from adrenaline. Nothing can prepare you for the feeling that when you get in competition that you are in a full contact situation. You are giving permission for the other person to try and take your head off. You would be shattered from the adrenaline rush. No amount of training for that. Very weird- great rush though

Depending on the competition, the rules on contact were different. A lot of the intervarisity competitions back in the day would have a lot of contact. Skin and hair would fly when we (UCD) fought against Trinity. And CIT used to fight hard too. I enjoyed those alright.

I just preferred hands up, mixing it with a bit of boxing as well.

Mr. Incognito

Wednesday 27th Session

Felt very hungry going home and while I had some nuts and a banana my blood sugar was definitely low. Felt below par and knew from the first km on the threadmill was going to be a hard slog.

Treadmill Run. 12.5km Distance 3.0km Time 15.0 mins. Warm down walk for a km.

Bench (the unassisted one)
70kg X 6
75kg X5
75kg X4
75kg X4
70kg X 6

Full extension pull ups
8

Squats- Unassisted Bar.

70kg x5
70kg x5
70kg x5

I was tanked at this stage and called it a night. I needed to eat. Really disappointed with Squats. My form was not good and I was not comfortable with that weight. Think I might come down 10kg and try and nail the form and build it up from scratch again. I think I have been concentrating too much on upper body and not enough on lower body. I work rowing into my routine and use the machines for quads and calves but I am not so sure if those isolation exercises are the way to go. I really wanted to try and get a deadlift in but I knew it would have been a bridge to far. I was wrecked.

All in all a frustrating night. Will put it behind me and hopefully can put a good session in next to make up for it.


__________________

Mr. Incognito

So- Missed Saturdays training due to the Kerry game.

I'll take it.

Hit the gym at 7am this morning as a work colleague wants to accompany and that times suits them

Run 12.5km for 3.1km. time 15 mins.

Bench

70x5
75x4
70x5
70x5

I was struggling with the weights and it was 7.45am. I think itll take the body a time to adjust so don't want to push it too hard.

Going to go back after work and do a full proper weights routine- I want to get those squats in this evening so will do light cardio- then a good weight session and probably repeat that on Wednesday

Mr. Incognito

Wednesday 3 September

3km Run

1.0 km @12.5km/hr
0.5km @15km/hr
0.5 km @12.5km
0.5 km@15km
0.5km@12.5km/hr

Weights
70 kg x5
75kg x4
75kgx4

Pull ups 10

Tension Curls 54kgx5

Isolated Curls
12kg X8
16kgX4
12kgX8

Work colleague didn't turn up. Didn't get in till 7.20 or so. Didn't really get to finish.

Will be hitting the gym at 7am again tomorrow. Will see how the body is adjusting to the morning work outs instead of the evenings. The gym is quieter anyway- that's for sure

Mr. Incognito

Wow- Missed a good bit of Logging

Friday 5 September

Run 7.20am

1km @12.5km hour
.5km @ 15 km /hour
.5km @ 12.5km/hour
.5km @ 15 km /hour
.5km @ 12.5km/hour

Bench 70kg x5
75kg X5
75kgX5
70kgx5
70kgx5

10 Pull ups.

free weight bicep curls 12x8x3

(Couldnt get the heavier weights)

Mr. Incognito

Tuesday 9th September

Run

1km @12.5km hour
.5km @ 15 km /hour
.5km @ 12.5km/hour
.5km @ 15 km /hour
.5km @ 12.5km/hour

Bench 70kg x5
75kg X5
75kgX5
70kgx5
70kgx4

Squats
70kg X 5
70kg X 5

Pull ups - Could only manage 8

Mr. Incognito

Thursday 11 September

I was after a Tribunal the day before and was dictating notes at work until 10 pm.

Was VERY Tired at 7am but made it in anyway

Run
1km@ 12.5km/hour
1.5km@12.5km

Bench
70KG x 5
75kg X4
75kg X4
75kg X4

Pull ups 7 ( )

Mr. Incognito

Sunday 14 September

4pm

Run 1km@12.5km/hour
Run .5km @15km /hour
Run .5km@12km/hour
Walk .5km @5km/hour
Run 1 km@12.5km/hour

Had a few drinks on Friday and found by second wind hard to find but with a wee rest in the middle was fine again.

Bench
70kg x 5
80kg x 3
75kg x 4

Bicep Curls 54kg x5 (the tension machine)

Pull downs 68kg x 5 (Tension machine)

Bicep curls 54kg x 5 (tension machine)

I also did some free weights at home when I got up this morning.

I was planning on going tomorrow morning but my body needed to run.

Mr. Incognito

I keep missing logs and then when I think a week has gone by it's two.

Going to work backwards

Yesterday 28 September
10am

Run 4km x 12.5km/ hr

Bench
70 x 5
75 x 5
80 x 4
75 x 5
70 x 5

Standing Weight bar curls
30kg x 5
30kg x 5

Bicept Curls
18kg x 10

Mr. Incognito

Friday 26 September
7.20am

Run
1km x12.5
.5km x 15.5
1.5km x 12.5

Leg Extensions Machine
64kg x 10

Leg Curls
54kg x 10

Pull ups 8

Mr. Incognito

Wednesday 26 September

Run
1km x 12.5
.5km 15.5 km/hr
2.0km x 12km

Bench
70kg x 5
75kg x 5
75kg x 5
80 kg x 3
70kg x 5

Pull ups 8

Standing bicept curls tension machine
59kg x 8 x 2

Rope Narrow Pull downs
70kg x 10

Mr. Incognito

The Monday was the Monday after Kerry's All Ireland win so was not making it in.

Had done the Tuesday and Thursday of that week the

16th and 18th of September.

I wouldn't be able to remember the works outs at this stage but they would have been broadly similar except that I worked squats into at least one of the sessions. I came down 10kg and found that my form was much much better

Alf Veedersane

There isn't much in the workouts aside from benching. Some curls, pull downs and pull ups.

Mr. Incognito

Pretty much. I am limited to fifty minutes in the morning. Twenty is running so not much you can do in a half hour besides core. I used to alternate cardio and weights days and put on quite a bit of muscle but found that i wasnt physically fit.

Hell i am still not physically fit.

Theres no point doing isolation exercises really for me. Im not looking to body build or conversely run marathons

Alf Veedersane

Then maybe mix up the compounds or run every second day and mix up what weight exercises you do.

Would help all round

Mr. Incognito

Thanks- What would you advise. I try and give myself 48 hours to recover. I used to do two days on and then a day off but found that I was not able to hit the weights properly and my cardio suffered.

I's like cross fit- mixing it up as the body becomes efficient at it. I used to row and work the bike in but running is the number one cardio you can do.

Might look at mixing evening sessions in so that I can spend longer in the gym and get more done, perhaps a morning, evening day off morning evening mix to the week

Alf Veedersane

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Thanks- What would you advise. I try and give myself 48 hours to recover. I used to do two days on and then a day off but found that I was not able to hit the weights properly and my cardio suffered.

I's like cross fit- mixing it up as the body becomes efficient at it. I used to row and work the bike in but running is the number one cardio you can do.

Might look at mixing evening sessions in so that I can spend longer in the gym and get more done, perhaps a morning, evening day off morning evening mix to the week

If running is your thing then I'd suggest interval runs. 1 minute fast, 1 minute jog. Rinse and repeat. Loads of different schemes for it but if I was on a treadmill the fast would be 15.5+ km/h and the jog about 13-13.5. I prefer that but I mix in steady state running.

Don't underestimate rowing either. You can do interval rows and you're not likely to find too many that do that would say running is a lot harder. And it works more muscles.

I'd rotate the big lifts or look into a program that you can fit in to your time frame.

I've done a lot more interval running in the last year but a log less time running and my 5k and 10k times are better.

That said, I'm not a competitive runner or anything like that but it's relative I guess

Mr. Incognito

So, my work outs were same same and I could have copied and posted my gym routine for most of the last year.

Although I went I wasnt excited and not much was happening.

So at the start of well, July I would say I sat down and started 5x5. I said I would do it for 6 weeks to see what happened.

I am now on week nine and tonight I deadlifted 120kg.

I came home to my gf and was like - HEY, I deadlifted 120 kg- and the reaction of, oh that's great made me restart the thread. I have no idea how much I will commit to it but I hope to get a post in a good bit and at least when I have my little victories I can tell someone, even if no-one gives a monkeys.

Tonight's work out

Bench
80kg x5
85kg x5
85kg x4
85kg x3
80kg x5

Pull ups Wide Grip x9 Proper Form
Pull ups bicep grip X10
Narrow Grip Pull down 65kg x 10 x3 Sets

Free Weights Military Press Rotating 45 Degrees 22kg x5 Reps X 5 Sets

Bent Over Row 30Kg X 5 Reps X 5 Sets left and Right

Squats 80kg x5
Squats 90kg x5
Squats 90kg x4
Squats 80kg x5

Deadlift 120kg x1

Deadlift 70kg x5

Diets is generally okay, but like everyone could be better.

I am going to make a serious effort to restart my porridge in the mornings. Usually I just have a banana on the way to work, maybe a cup of tea or two during the day with a biscuit. Lunch is usually an egg salad sambo with meat, tomato, and lettuce on toasted brown bread. Dinner is usually cooked fresh.

I don't eat white bread or potatoes usually, although I love my local butcher in Rathmines and I can have the odd few pints of Guinness on a weekend I am usually quite good. I might have a takeaway if I am hungover but try and avoid it.

I am trying to get 20 grammes of protein in after the gym, tonight it's three boiled eggs and some tuna on brown toast with spinach leaves.

I have a work colleagues Boyfriend roped in and he has just started with me on the 5x5. It's week three for him and he is still stuck on one pull up, benching 30kg, squatting 40kg etc. Day one stuff. I can see myself in him a few years ago when I walked in and wanted to get in shape and fair play to him, every gain at the moment is a victory.

So that's it, just wanted to share. Will probably eat, and lift and lift for a few more weeks and then throw in a week of solid cardio and start again.

Any tips would be welcome.

Mr. Incognito

Oh I should add that I have abandoned machines and am going compound exercises and free weights all the way!

Alf Veedersane

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I am now on week nine and tonight I deadlifted 120kg.

I came home to my gf and was like - HEY, I deadlifted 120 kg- and the reaction of, oh that's great made me restart the thread!

Last time I got a deadlift PR, came home chuffed, showed herself the video and she said "oh. I thought you were going to put it over your head".

Buzz: killed.

Having a programme makes a massive difference. You can see the progression which spurs you on. Ad hoc workouts just get boring quickly.

Keep up the good work

Mr. Incognito

So herself went out with her mates so decided to go for a run.

2km at 12.5km per hour. 3 further km at a much more relaxed 10.5km/ hour.

Sweat like a stuck pig by the end of it.

Feel great though. Every little helps.

Mr. Incognito

Todays work out ;
I kept up the 5 x 5 programme. I cannot recommend it enough. I came back here because I was all happy with myself and of course no one to share with that gives a rats.

Weight 80kg.

Warm up Run 1km at 12.5km/ hr

Bench 90kg x 5 95kg x 5 100kg x 3 90kg x 5 80 kg x 7

Military press. 28kg x 5 30kg x 5 30kg x 5 30kg x 5 28kg x 7

Squats 100kg x 5 110kg x 5 120kg x 5 110kg x 5 100 kg x 5.

Pull ups 2 sets of 7 full extension

Isolated bicept curls 18kg x 5 5 sets

Dips (tricept) 5 sets of ten

Rowed 2000 metres to finish.

The compound exercises make a huge difference and I have easily put on 10kg of solid muscle since starting the 5x5 programme. You dont see much improvements until you log back in here.

Also 8 weeks off alcohol and social smoking has made a big difference