Three up and three down

In my bodyweight exercise training journey, like others, I’ve been seduced into volume training for reps and sets of an exercise. For pull-ups and bar dips, for example, I’ve had a fascination with 100-rep workouts. Many of these workouts were timed; how fast could I complete 100 reps. I’ve always liked the game “Beat the Clock” but, truth be told, often it was the clock beating me. But I’ve always had fun trying.

 

Another variation of training with these two exercises has been adding weight and seeing how heavy of an added weight I could use to perform a single rep. Or how many reps of, for example a five-set effort, I could complete with a given weight, with progress measured by adding weight or trying to complete more reps with a given weight. Progressive resistance has always been the name of the game in my fitness training department.

 

Lately, I’ve been toning done the volume and doing something different that is currently a joyful change from my past training efforts. I’m doing a single set workout when doing pull-ups and bar dips. Yes, a single set for the day, no more and no less. To make it a beneficial single set, I’ve incorporated pause holds during the reps. My current variety of this is to hold a three-count at the top and bottom range of the exercise. Here are two recent videos of me doing this for pull-ups and bar dips:

Pull-ups with 3-count pauses

Bar dips with 3-count pauses

Add fitness training variety to your bodyweight training by incorporating pause holds with your reps like how I’m doing, three up and three down.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Cafeteria-style fitness training menu

I describe my fitness training as intuitive fitness training because I don’t follow a specific workout program that’s spelled out for me with specific exercises, weights, sets, reps or times that I follow to the “T”.  My approach, rather, has me never knowing exactly what I’m going to do until I step into the batter’s box ready to swing.

To make what I do legitimate, I’m guessing that 80 to 90 percent of the time what I do will be done with intensity. 

Otherwise, I risk the chance of being a sandbagger playing or working out below my potential.  Sort of like a B-level racquetball player who plays the D-level competition ladder at his local racquetball club.

Intuitive training works for me because I never know how my body is going to feel on any given day.  How my body feels depends on what I may have done the previous day.  For example, as I peck away on my keyboard composing this blog post, I’m very sore in my wheels because yesterday I ran six miles.  If I had some very specific plan to do this or that today, I’d probably not do this or that today because I wouldn’t feel like it.

Therefore, intuitively, today is a rest day but tomorrow will probably be an intense workout day.

This works for me.

So, the way I do things is like going into a cafeteria to have a meal.  As I walk down a cafeteria aisle, there are several foods to choose from: main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and beverages.  I might have a little of this and a little of that. As I approach the end of the aisle, chances are my plate is full and I’m about to begin having what’ll hopefully be a good meal.

This is how my workouts are put together on any given day.  I chose from a menu of fitness activities and exercise selections from my cafeteria-style fitness training menu.

Here are the exercises and activities currently on my menu, in no order of preference or training frequency:  

Pull-ups and chin-ups – Lately, a typical workout consists of about 100 repetitions done greasing the groove style.  I like doing this while at work where I have a pull-up bar.

For example, I might perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions during the morning or throughout my workday depending on how busy I am.  Last summer, I did more weighted pull-ups and chin-ups; lower rep volume of course with a 20kg or 24kg KB hanging from my waist using a lifting belt.

Bar dips – I have a bar dip unit in a spare room in my office and do most of my bar dip work while at work just like pull-ups and chin-ups.  I generally shoot for about 100 bar dips when I do them.  I’ve also done weighted bar dips but not lately.

Slam ball work – A couple months ago, I purchased my first slam ball; it weighs 15 lbs. and I’ve used it for about four workouts.  Honestly, I thought I would have used it more than I have thus far.  Also, honestly, the slam ball workouts I’ve done have spanked me big time in a short amount of time.  I’m looking forward to more slam ball work in the months ahead.

Burpees – I hate and love burpees in the same breath of air, just like everyone else.  I hate how they make me feel and how they keep me humble whenever my head swells thinking what great fitness conditioning shape I’m in, but I love the fitness conditioning results they deliver.  

Lately, I’ve been doing burpees a couple times a week and am chasing a goal of completing 100 of them in ten minutes or less.

Running – I don’t know how many times in the last ten years I’ve retired as a fun runner only to come back out of retirement.  I’m currently out of retirement again and have been so for almost two years.  It was tough coming back and I swear I’m not going to retire again but, rather, ramp up or taper the running I do depending on what else I’m doing.  

Lately, I’ve been running at a slower and steady-state pace only once a week for between 30 and 60 minutes.  During this summer, I’d like to do some more speed work and see how fast I can fun a one-mile distance on a high school all-weather track.

Kettlebell work – I really like kettlebell training and the stuff I do tends to be kettlebell complexes or chains.  I have a limited inventory of kettlebells that I own but enough to get awesome workouts.  I have a couple favorite routines or complexes I like to do so progress doing them comes from completing a certain number of rounds faster than the last time.

Other items that have been on my fitness training menu in the past – Certain menu items in a cafeteria menu might be seasonal and not always available.  This is also the case with my fitness training menu selections.  Things that I enjoy doing, have done in the past but am not now doing include pull-up hang and handstand against the wall holds for time, Heavy Hands workouts using a pair of 5-lbs. dumbbells and higher-repetition step-ups using a 12-inch step.  

I’ll add these exercises to my training when they come "into season" according to my whim.  I may also add new selections to my menu.

As a middle-age man fitness training warrior trying to achieve age-adjusted upper-percentile cardiovascular-respiratory and strength endurance conditioning, I do best with my intuitive fitness training approach and having a diverse selection of activities and exercises to chose from in my cafeteria-style fitness training menu.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Busy at work early morning 2-minute office workout

This is the time of year I'm extra busy with work so getting my middle-age man fitness training workouts in is more challenging. 

Knowing that something is better than nothing, this morning I did a quick 2-minute workout at my office where I have a pull-up bar and bar dip unit. First minute was a single set of 14 pull-ups.

Second minute was a single set of 25 bar dips.

Two minutes later, my early morning workout was done; I was ready to begin working.

Viewing the video, I'll admit my bottom range of my pull-ups could have had better extension. I'll do better next time but am satisfied with my 14-rep performance done cold with no warm-up.

Honest disclosure, I had a performance-enhancing beverage before my quick 2-minute workout - a strong homemade cup of Italian Roast coffee with no crème or sugar added, just the way I like it.

Later today, God willing, I'll do 100 burpees for time. This will be my workout for today.

Again, something is better than nothing.

I’ll be busy for the next month so being creative and time efficient with my fitness training is how I’ll get my job done, like this busy at work early morning 2-minute office workout.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Fall 2019 fitness goals results

Pierini Fitness doing a Sprint 8 burpees 
workout on a recent Fall 2019 day.

Good day Pierini Fitness sports fans.  Have you been wondering where I’ve been?  It’s been a while and I’ve been known to go AWOL every now and then for various reasons.  This time, I was gone for slightly over one month.  What was going on?  I hit a creative dry spot, something I’ve done before.  But I also got busy helping Mrs. Pierini Fitness help her 91-year old father who has become increasingly frail and needing more assistance.  It’s a reminder that we’re all going to, sooner or later, get our turn.

Despite my absence, I’ve managed to continue with my fitness training which, as of today, is for the most part significantly done for 2019. Mrs. Pierini Fitness and I are leaving for a two-week vacation in Arizona to visit our four little grandsons.  It’ll be a breath of fresh air that I’m looking forward to beginning, and it will on Saturday.

I’ve made and uploaded several YouTube videos sharing snapshots of my fitness training. Most of them showcase my pursuits of pull-ups, bar dips and burpees performance goals.  As a soon-to-be Medicare Man, I’m proud of my current conditioning yet grateful and humble, realizing that it could all be taken away from me in heartbeat.

The remainder of this post will give an accountability report of how I did in achieving, or not, various Fall 2019 fitness goals that I previously shared.

Fall 2019 Fitness Goals

1 - complete 100 reps of alternating pull-ups and chin-ups in 20:00 or less. Accomplished on 11/29/2019 - 100 reps in 19:38.

2 - complete single set max reps of 18 pull-ups. Did not achieve, best this Fall 2019 is 16 pull-ups on 12/14/2019.

3 - complete single set max reps of 25 bar dips. Accomplished on 12/3/2019 with 30 bar dips. 

4 - run mile in 7:00. Did not achieve, basically abandoned training effort due to demands of chasing burpees goal. Will achieve by Summer 2020.

5 - complete 100 burpees in 12 minutes. Accomplished on 12/14/2019 completing 100 burpees in 11:54.  

6 - morning weigh-in of 170-175 lbs. 100 percent. Accomplished, did not weigh more than 175 lbs. at any time but did dip below 170 lbs. for a streak.

7 - pull-up hang hold of 1:50. Accomplished with 2:02 on 10/19/2019. 

8 - handstand hold against wall of 1:15. Did not achieve but did do 1:14 on 12/10/2019. 

9 - body fat of 16 percent (currently 18.6 percent.) Did not achieve but measured 17.4 percent on 12/18/2019.

To all my Pierini Fitness sports fan, Merry Christmas 2019 and Happy New Year 2020, and may all your dreams and desires for 2020 be realized in the new year.  I’ll be away until the first week of January 2020 and it may take another week before I return to Pierini Fitness with fresh new content of my middle-aged man reflections about living and dying, gracefully aging and trying to live a good and honest life.

There you have it, my Fall 2019 fitness goals results.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Pullups and bar dips test

Two staples in my fitness training rotation are pullups and bar dips.  I regularly perform them, both bodyweight-only and weight-added versions.  They’ve served me well, so I’ll continue to do them until further notice.

One way to measure progress is by how many repetitions of each exercise I can perform in a single set.  At this point in my middle-aged man fitness training journey, what I’m able to do is less than what I’ve done in the past.

Nonetheless, it’s still good to test myself occasionally, and recently I did so.

Here’s a recent effort with pullups:

And here’s a recent effort with bar dips:

My lifetime know best effort for a single set is 18 repetitions for pullups and 25 repetitions for bar dips.  This means where I’m currently at is a little less in relation to where I’ve been.  I’m OK with this and will keep marching forward in my fitness training.

And part of this fitness training will be to occasionally do a pullups and bar dips test.

  

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Middle-aged man chatter and white smoke

Pierini Fitness is an analytical fitness dude and likes objective measures to validate what he has accomplished or failed to accomplish.  This requires fitness, health and wellness goals that are expressed using a measurement of some type and a way of subsequently measuring results.  Anything else, the way he sees it, is middle-aged man chatter and white smoke.

Earlier this year, around the beginning of Spring, he set the following goals to achieve by the first day of Summer 2019 which is a few days around the corner:

(1)  Complete 100 pull-ups in 20 minutes.

(2)  Complete 100 bar dips in 15 minutes.

(3)  Complete a kettlebell (KB) complex using a 24kg KB consisting of 4 rounds of 8 reps each of swing, clean and push jerk with each arm, followed by 100 burpees in 20 minutes.

(4)  Enter and complete a 10k fun run and run it at a 9-minute mile pace.

(5)  Achieve a body weight of 172 lbs. with a body fat of 18 percent.

Since summer begins next week on June 17^th, Pierini Fitness has decided it’s time to report his results.

Complete 100 pull-ups in 20 minutes

Pierini Fitness chose to do this alternating between pull-ups and chin-ups for a better upper body workout.  While it’s true that chin-ups are generally easier than pull-ups, tweaking this goal, in his opinion, didn’t diminish the challenge. 

His best time thus far completing 100 reps is 20:40 on June 3^rd.  He may, or may not, complete another 100-rep workout by the first day of summer so the 20:40 is his final best result.  Therefore, he got close but failed to achieve the 20-minute goal.

Complete 100 bar dips in 15 minutes

This goal was achieved twice with the latest being 100 bar dips completed in 13:46 on June 4^th.  Goal accomplished.

Complete a kettlebell complex (described above) in 20 minutes

This goal got “parked” as the demands of running started to take more of his time.  It’s a tough goal and one that Pierini Fitness hopes to eventually tackle.  Bottom line, goal abandoned and not accomplished.

Enter and complete a 10k fun run and run it at a 9-minute mile pace

As previously reported here at Pierini Fitness, the fun run will be the Wharf to Wharf 6-mile run taking place the last Sunday of July.  It’s a run beginning at the Santa Cruz Wharf and ending at the nearby Capitola Wharf.  Pierini Fitness is currently training diligently for it with every intention of achieving his goal. 

He’ll give a report on how he did by early August.

Achieve a body weight of 172 lbs. with a body fat of 18 percent

Pierini Fitness has weighed in at 172 lbs. or less 31 days since the first time he did so on April 17^th, including yesterday when this was written.  He has since better defined his goal weight as between 172 and 177 lbs.

He had a DXA body scan done earlier this week to accurately measure his lean muscle, fat, bone density and visceral fat.  It’s a great value service provided by BODYMAP360 and one that he highly recommends.  The price he paid of $49 is far less than the valuable information provided. 

Pierini Fitness measured at 18.8 percent body fat, slightly over the 18 percent goal, but he’s nonetheless pleased with the results.  Since the last test done on April 10^th, his body weight was 0.8 lbs. less but the good news is that he lost 4.1 lbs. of fat while gaining 3.4 lbs. of lean muscle (0.1 lbs. variance due to rounding.)

So, while the goal was not achieved by 0.8 percent, it’s close enough to say that it was. 

Working with his cyberspace fitness training partner, Pierini Fitness will be defining the next round of his fitness, health and wellness goals to chase during the summer with a measurement date by the first day of fall in September. 

And, he’ll have objective measures to validate what he hopes to accomplish because anything else is middle-aged man chatter and white smoke.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum