SuperSlow Heavy Lifting last night
(Then Steam Room, Hot Tub, & finish with Sauna)
LOL - one advantage of travel and having to be away from my lovely wife of 26+ years!
.
This morning (Friday), short Tabata (4 cycles, treating as muscle rest day).
Up at 3:30 AM Saturday morning Singapore time to catch series of 24 hour flights back to USA.
(32 hours of traveling time - door to door.)

Rough day today... got buried on my final set of squats before getting my rep goal and then, later, after benching, was so beat I couldn't hit my rep goal on deadlifts either. I've been pressing pretty hard recently... might be time to back the weights off by about 10-15% and build up slowly again to give my body a break and a chance to recover.

Lost my internet so didn't post yesterday's workout...

Thursday: 40 minutes Leslie Sansone dvd
Friday: 54 minutes biking, just over 10 miles (hilly terrain)

So far today...

30 minute hike with dogs upon waking at about 6:30 a.m. this morning.

60 minute hike with dogs from about 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Later today:

60 minutes of Hatha Yoga.

30-45 minute hike with dogs before bed.

I have decided after getting crushed by both Squats and Deadlifts yesterday that it is time to change my routine slightly, back the weights off, and build back up again.

It is cold and rainy. I was hoping for a longer bike ride today, but the weather is not going to allow it.

Well it did stop raining though stayed cold and cloudy. I did get in a good ride, 17 miles over 90 minutes.

[quote]
Posted By Matthew on 28 Apr 2012 02:51 PM
So far today...
30 minute hike with dogs upon waking at about 6:30 a.m. this morning.
60 minute hike with dogs from about 10:30-11:30 a.m.
30-45 minute hike with dogs before bed.
[/quote]
.
Wow, you must have very active dogs too walk that much with them.
We have a (Rescued) Papillion, that is a couch potatoe,
but loves walks and hikes, and will go all day.
She really surprised us with this aspect of her personality!
.
We also have a Miniature Australian Shepherd.
My wife does agility class with him on Thursdays.
This breed is just above average active, unlike a Border Collie, etc!
Is a good family breed, too.
.
Back from 31 hours of traveling!
Imagine leaving your house for the airport at 3:30 PM Friday,
and getting to your destination at 11:30 PM Saturday.
.
Aside from lots of water to help with all the time on airplanes,
I woke up at 6:30 AM and did 1 set Prisoner Squats and 1 set Push-Ups.
Went back to lie down for a while, until, 8:30 AM.
Repeated 1 set Prisoner Squats and 1 set Push-Ups.
Easing back allowing for Jet=Lag and bio-clock to reset.
.
Might take a walk with the dogs, later.
They missed me!

Yeah, I have two rescues... golden and ridgeback mixes and even though they are almost 8, they are the most energetic dogs ever. I generally walk them between 1.5-2.5 hours per day. When I say "walk" I mean moving at a really fast pace (such that I am sweating and breathing hard, through the very hilly area in which I live. When I get home, I am covered in sweat and the dogs are usually tired out for a bit. If they don't get a ton of exercise, they are up all night (and thus, keep us up all night).

So far today:

1 hour hike with the dogs from 7-8 a.m.

Later today:

1 hour of Hatha Yoga in the afternoon.

1 hour hike with dogs before bed.

Just went for a slow bike ride with my 8 yr old daughter. Am going to have to go again for a longer ride or do something else to break a sweatf!

Out of curiosity, John, is there any particular reason why you follow the "Superslow" training protocol? I have to admit, I am not the biggest fan of that style of training. This is not to say that there aren't some populations or training goals for which it might be okay, but I don't think it is the best way to train for most people. I suppose it depends on your goals and reasons for using it, but all other things being equal, more normal training cadences tend to be more effective for building strength, power, and muscle.

I started to "train" myself to jog/run, in hopes of jogging/running in a 5K later this year. Last week, I started with reps of 60 sec run alternating with 90 min walk for 20 min. I was sore afterwards, and had planned on repeating this cycle on Thursday. I had not gotten back out there to do that. So, decided to start again today. I did the same as my first session. Probably should just consider this "starting over". Gotta say that I am really not sure that this is for me. I prefer riding bike! But, will see. Maybe I can get over that barrier.

I hate exercise, I hate spending lots of time exercising, and I hate disrupting any flow I have to go to the gym,
when I feel body weight is not enough.
Plain and simple, might not be the best or most efficient, but it works for me,
and is enough for me.
Considering where I was pre-exercise 1-1/2 years ago, I am happy and pleased with where I am.
Plain and simple, not always what I do, but what I do mostly and regularly 1 or 2 times a week,
if that's all I do heavy weight wise.

[quote]
Posted By John on 29 Apr 2012 11:02 PM
I hate exercise, I hate spending lots of time exercising, and I hate disrupting any flow I have to go to the gym,
when I feel body weight is not enough.
.....
[/quote]
.
P.S.> ... and Super Slow minimizes my time at the gym.
Sometimes, after doing Super Slow (or also called Power of Ten),
I will add some barbell.dumbell exercises.

I find going to the gym to be a chore, because it seems so repetitive and boring. General exercises, too, I dislike doing that sort of thing. Having TV monitors does not help me. I really dislike stationary bikes.

Now, give me a bike to ride outside (or even walking), and I can enjoy that. I can alter my routes, I see all kinds of things (some day I will put together a photo album of things that I have seen on my walks and rides). I can assign the activity to other purposes.

I don't know how I really feel about the running. I was hoping that I would enjoy it more, but it is seeming to be more of a chore, and I am not liking how my body feels afterwards.

Well, I have always said that the best form of exercise is the one that you will actually do.

I love training with weights, but I realize that not everyone does. But weight training for "health" benefits doesn't interest me and would bore me to tears. Training heavy and hitting it hard and seeing numbers goes up makes me excited to get to the gym. I hate distance running, but love hiking. I hate "cardio" and would go mad being on some cardio machine in a gym, but I am perfectly happy hitting a heavy bag, jumping rope, doing a KB circuit, or throwing a 90 lb. dummy around in wrestling takedown drills. So, to each his or her own!

Anyway, today I started a new weight training routine since I was getting pretty burned out on the last one, so I dropped my weights down and did day one today. I'll build back up to challenging weights over the next 4 weeks and then the goal is to blow past where I last stalled out.

(Breakfast)

30 minute hike with dogs

90 minutes weight training, including:
+general warm-up and light stretching
+Squats
+Bench Press
+Bent Rows
+Snatches
+Back raises

(non-zone post workout sugar+protein drink)

60 minute hike with dogs

(second non-zone post workout sugar+protein drink)

Later this evening, before bed, I'll do another hike with the dogs, probably only a 30 minute one though.

Matthew.. The workout sounds good ... the post workout sugar-protien drink sounds nasty...

LOL... it certainly isn't nasty tasting. Today it was fat-free milk with honey. Sometimes it is fat-free milk with banana. Sometimes it is fat-free yogurt with a couple tsp. of brown sugar. Sometimes it is chocolate milk (with a little added chocolate whey protein powder). Sometimes (although rarely) it is a pre-packaged post workout recovery drink.

Now, I am well-aware that my post workout nutrition doesn't fall within the proscriptions of the Zone, but during this limited period of time (during serious strenuous training and up to about 30-45 minutes after) where I am convinced that the normal Zone guidelines (that I follow the other 22 hours of the day) don't apply. There is just too much research, too many studies, and too many years of accumulated knowledge from thousands of serious athletes to ignore the importance of a high GI + protein meal (with a range in ratios of between 2:1 to 4:1) during and immediately post-workout.

For more than 15 years Dr. Barry Sears has been working with world-class athletes and with over 25 Olympic gold medals, there is proven success. Just saying...

Hey Matt, don't kid yourself. If you're downing a couple of those post workout drinks on most days, as you described, you're probably not in the Zone for a good part of the other 22 hours of the day, if at all. The body won't be operationg on the basis of 'hmm, he just ate a Zone balanced meal; I'll lower my inflammation right now and put my insuln levels right back to where they were before he had that drink a few hours back.' The reality is it just doesn't work that fast. It takes some time to get back to where you were with insulin control. It can be a day or so for some people, several days for others.

I know...

Listen, I follow the Zone for the most part, but this is one area where I don't -- and for good reason, not on a whim. There are plenty of equally well-credentialed researchers and sports scientists who also work with world-class athletes (including Olympians and professional athletes like football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and mixed martial arts) who have proven success using a high GI + protein post workout drink. Also, I have competed at a high level in the sport of powerlifting. I have trained professional athletes myself. I have also trained with an Olympic silver medalist thrower, a member of the U.S. Olympic Weightlifting team, and a dozen or so world-record holding powerlifters. I have also trained under some of the top strength coaches in this country, as well as reading extensively from research conducted in the former Eastern Bloc (particularly former Soviet and former East Germany). I may not have the science background or credentials that Dr. Sears has on the subject, but it isn't like I don't have my own base of knowledge here.

Listen, I love the Zone concepts and recommend and apply them to my diet. But Dr. Sears and I happen to part ways when it comes to post workout nutrition. There is just too much research into the subject matter, too many studies done with athletes, and too much data on the benefits of a high GI + protein (and no or very low fat) immediately after intense exercise. If you are interested in the subject, I suggest reading some of the studies done by Dr. John Ivy, a very well respected sports scientist, at the University of Texas (who works with some of the most notable athletes in American professional sports, among others). Dr. John Berardi (who also works with some top athletes) has written extensively about this subject as well. There is also just way too much "in-the-field" data from athletes and coaches supporting its use.

Even Dr. Sears' colleague and sometime collaborator, Dr. Bowden, parts ways with Dr. Sears on this subject. Indeed, a few years ago I read what a number of high level athletes in the Zone (including Zone-sponsored athletes) do for nutrition during their sport and immediately after. It appears a sizable number of them are doing exactly what I do. This is one area of the Zone that I wish Dr. Sears would write about a great deal more. I can understand why he doesn't, because the sort of nutritional guidelines that an elite competitive athlete require probably doesn't have huge appeal or wide applicability. Also, I get why, even if Dr. Sears did agree with me on this subject, he would be hesitant to recommend it because it really only is for people who are training intensely and can be misapplied by the general fitness crowd or people just looking to drop a few pounds. People who fit into those categories SHOULD NOT be doing this type of workout nutrition.

So, while I am a fan of the Zone, generally, this is just one area where I have to part ways.

Sue,

I know we discussed this issue a while back (several years ago), but the reality is, the "zone" shifts during and immediately following intense training. The body is extremely carb and insulin sensitive during these narrow windows of time. Moreover, increased levels of insulin, particularly in the presence of protein, are NOT A BAD THING. Insulin is highly anabolic during this window of time. In fact, insulin is more anabolic (muscle-building) than even steroids during this narrow window. This is why professional bodybuilders engage in the highly dangerous, but effective, practice of injecting synthetic insulin into their systems immediately following training. Insulin (whether natural or synthetic) is rapidly replacing depleted muscle glycogen and providing the muscles with much needed amino acids to start to jump-start the recovery process. This window doesn't stay open long, and closes by roughly 45 minutes post training, but when athletes take advantage of it, it does wonders for their strength, recovery, endurance, and gains in muscle. And this isn't just gym-lore, there are plenty of double-blind placebo scientific studies on athletes that show this in measurable ways.

Drinking these drinks don't take me OOZ because, like I said, the Zone has shifted for me due to the increased carb and insulin sensitivity effect I get from intense training. When you are a relatively lean athlete who trains intensely, the Zone is a lot larger than it is for most people (even people who exercise regularly). Dr. Sears has even written about the fact that the Zone is not necessarily the same for everyone and that it can be a lot wider for some people. Well, serious athletes with low bodyfat, particularly post intense training, are among those people.

I am a full believer in the Zone...

that being said, I also believe that there is not one single end-all approach. Everyone basically follows his or her own version of a healthy diet. If one chooses to focus on the Zone "most" of the time, that is his/her choice. It sounds to me like Matthew has had a good share of success in doing what he is doing.

I recall a similar discussion a few years back... at that time, it was a debate about using the Zone for "endurance training" vs. "strength training". As I recall, many of the Zone athletes are more of the endurance atheletic type. However, what is being talked about here is more about using that special window of opportunity (which Matthew describes better than I) to help with muscle/tissue repair. If I remember back, we also talked about how it was similar to injecting the muscle, without actually doing it--so he is actually accomplishing the muscle building in a more natural way.

No one is suggesting that this is an "official" zone practice, and Matthew even alluded to that in another post. :)

So, basically, what I am understanding is that the Zone is not static, it is ever-changing. This is also true for me... I know that my Zone changes from time to time. What works one day might not work another day. Not that I can handle that post-workout drink, but I can understand how it might work for others.

By the way, I didn't mean to derail this thread on the subject of post-workout nutrition.

Like I have said before, I know that my alterations to the Zone would not be generally well-received here, and I do not even expect Dr. Sears to agree with them. I am not trying to covert anyone here, and, from what I can tell (although I may be wrong), I am the only person currently contributing to this thread (or the athletic performance forum) for whom this discussion even really matters all that much. I might be wrong, but I don't think there are others here who are competitive athletes or training like competitive athletes. So, in a sense, this back-and-forth probably is of little value to anyone here other than to test rhetorical skills.

So, to be clear, 99%+ of the people out there probably should not deviate from the Zone recommendations of a 3:2:2 ratio, even in their post workout nutrition.

Sorry to derail the thread.

I don't think you derailed it, but thanks for getting things back on track! LOL

I see out my window that it has stayed dry, so I am looking forward to a bike ride tonight.

If anyone is interested, there is a National Bike Challenge that is starting up tomorrow. It is being powered by Endomondo, but it is being sponsored by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, League of American Bicyclists, and Bikes Belong. Basically, the way it works is that you can register to participate, and your challenge points go towards a monthly prize drawing. If your workplace is participating, you can ride for your employer. If you live in a metropolitan community, your community gets points. Your state that you live in gets points. The whole idea is to promote biking and safe routes for cyclists. It is entirely free.

Last year, I participated in the challenge and I won a month's supply of Scott Tissue products. The challenge was done in Wisconsin as a pilot project, and we logged over 1 million miles--and if my memory serves me right, we were close to 2 million miles. The website calculated how much CO2 we saved, and how much $$ in gas (if bike trips were entered as commuting trips).

If you are interested in joining the challenge, here is the link: www.endomondo.com/campaign/national

(so, if this thread wasn't derailed before my post, it most certainly is now! LOL)