interestingly enough... (reports from Month #5, Week #3)

while things at work turns ugly this past week, things in the gym has been really great.

this past week is all about practical strength and putting the WORK back into workouts. This past week has been dedicated to CrossFit (www.CrossFit.com) and their way of training. In hope to forge elite fitness.

here are some of the workouts i did for the week, all done FOR TIME (only engage at own caution) :

Tuesday, 16th Oct :

"300"
25 Pullups
50 DeadLifts (135lbs)
50 Pushups
50 Box Jumps (24")
50 Floor Wipers (135lbs)
50 Kettlebell CP (36lbs)
25 Pullups
Time : 45minute 30secs.
--> man, this one is a real killer. It takes away all your ego and i swear.. you'd not want to do this workout ever again (if you're still breathing after the first time). My abs, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, traps and biceps was pretty sore for days after this one. Great routine to TEST your level of fitness!


Wednesday 17th Oct

"Fran"
21-15-9 rep of 95lbs Thrusters & Kipping Pullups.

Time : 12minute 15secs
Note : scaled down the Thrusters (Front Squat into Push Press) from 95lbs to 75lbs.
--> this one wasnt as bad as "300" but hard on your cardiovascular structure. Great workout for energy or "power" transfer from lower body to upper body, great for athletes who engages in alot of jumps or explosive movements.
** and i also broke my personal 1rep max for Bench Press, now its 185lbs. **

Thursday 18th Oct

"Burn"

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep of Deadlifts (135lbs), Squat (135lbs) and Pushups.

Time : 21minute 19secs
--> This one really destroyed me. I was splayed on the gym floor several times DURING the workout itself.. and i was down on the floor again long after the set ended. Crazy hard on the lower back and your cardiovascular. Overall, this crazy routine left me so winded... i couldnt even walk to get out of the gym.


Friday 19th Oct

Max set of 5 Pullup, 10 Pushups & 15 Squat in 15minutes.

13 sets in 15minutes.
--> Another great way to workout outside of the gym. This one really takes a toll on you as you'd be gasping for air just after a few sets. Overall great total body workout and a nice closer for a hard week's worth of workout.



I am planning to mix things up again from next week onwards.. i'm going to slowly change the way i train. I'll probably alternate between CrossFit & normal bodybuilding routines initially. AND i'm going to start incorporating the olympic lifts into my regimen soon enough, probably by end of the month.

while talking about end of the month.. end of Oct would mean it has been 6months since i re-started my dedication into all this. And to stay true to my pledge (read my previous post), here's the progress so far.

Squat : 350lbs x 3 reps.

DeadLift : 300lbs x 1 rep (245 x 4 reps)

Bench Press : 185 x 1 rep.

Power Clean : 115lbs.

and i'm able to do at least 25 consecutive Kipping Pullups, 40 BW Dips (10 reps on +30lbs dumbell), and 40 consecutive Pushups.

and i'm slowly improving with the CrossFit's regimen of WODs.


2 more months to New Year, cant friggin' wait!

Raya!

now, after 3 weeks of fasting.. i'm more than excited for AidilFitri to come.

i've not been able to rest good at night during this fasting month. Maybe working out at night has its downside aswell. Maybe the body keeps on running long after the workout session ended, maybe all the food being thrown into the body keeps it up all night too..

not to mention i gotta get up at 4 to cook, eat and clean up by 6 in the morning. And i have to report for duty at 7 everyday.

not that i'm complaining, truth is.. life has been great this Ramadhan. Work has progressed nicely, and my training in the gym has also been great.

but i'm just a little bit winded. out of breath.

so i'm going to take the next 4-5 days off.. or maybe take time off til AidilFitri.

getting some rest might do me good, physically and mentally.

anyways, for all Muslims out there, happy Eid Fitri.. may Allah bless us all year, every year.

get up, stand up.

day 10 of Ramadhan.

I am now feeling well, refreshed and rejuvenated. Alhamdulillah i have fully recovered from the Severe Acute Gastroentitis. Infact, i have been able to fast, train and maintain a pretty good daily routine for the past week.

I have changed my workout sessions to be at night, after breaking my fast. That way i can get my body hydrated and maintain energy and focus throughout the workout. I am back on Xplode & CellMass on training days now.

My body has been able to cope with the long periods of hunger and bursts of heavy eating at night. And i'm glad that i am still able to make progress with my workouts during Ramadhan.

funny how things changed is a very short period of time.

Alhamdulillah.

everybody have bad days.

turns out mine would be a couple of days before the fasting season.

i was down and out with fever, cold, stomach pains and virtually no food for 3 days. I was warded for 1 of those, in which i had to commute between the bed and the toilet every 10 minutes, while being on drips.

i was discharged, straight into Ramadhan. My body hadnt had any food for the past 72hrs and now its going straight into one month of imbalanced eating.

i'm coping with it all good so far, but with far less energy & strength.

i already missed a whole week's worth of training, AND my body has gone down as result of the illnesses and not being able to eat for extended period of time. BUT I AM POSITIVE THAT I CAN, AND I WILL RECOVER AND GET OUT ON TOP OF THINGS.

those goals i set before, they stand firm.

The Pledge

this is a testament from me, towards my own self.

this is what i pledge myself to achieve at the end of this year. Nothing less is acceptable, if i'm still standing, if i still have the needs.. i would will myself to achieve these goals.

physical strengths leads to greater minds.


i WILL be Squatting 415lbs by year's end.

i WILL be able to Deadlift 315lbs by year's end.

i WILL be able to Bench 185lbs by year's end.

i WILL be doing 50 Pushups, 20 Pullups and 25 Dips NON STOP.

I WILL be able to Clean & Press 135lbs by year's end.

I WILL be doing Sets of 21-15-9 for 95lb Thrusters & Pullups.

i will..

the push, towards year end.

2007 only has a third of it's age left for us to make use.

a full 4 months is a long time in the fitness world. A person can be made, or broken is this time span.. maybe several times even. You can bust through a plateau or you could be stuck in a rut..

4 months is long, and alot of differences can be made.


I .. I want 2007 to end with a bang. I want to exit 2007 carrying enourmous momentum, i want to be in the best shape in my life, be it physical, mental or spiritually.

I want to end 2007 being strong, proud, and be able to make a difference in this world.

I want 2008 to start with a new slate, with me holding all the tools to shape it into whatever that i'm capable of.

the works.. of putting together a body that works.

August ended.

it marks the completion of my 3 month re-strengthening phase, un-doing the damage and regression after months of inactivity.

as of 31st August 2007, the numbers are up significantly from before.. dare i say, the best it has been for me. now, i dont want to look like i'm obsessed by the numbers.. or showing off.. or have any agendas by putting up my numbers on an internet blog. BUT IT SERVES A PURPOSE.

as a reminder & benchmark to myself. so that i can easily measure and re-measure my progress.. or regression from time to time.

as of 31st August 2007.

Weight : 142lbs.

Squat : 335lbs x 8
DL : 225lbs x 8, 245lbs x 4
Press : 155lbs x 6

40 Dips/20 Pullups.

Clean & Press : 85lbs x 8 reps
Thrusters : 75lbs x 8 reps