Concurrent Strength & Endurance Training 2016: Cycle VII

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
6,617
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Saint Paul
OK, one mini cycle to close out the year. I'll try to use the truncated cycle to just get back at it and not worry about any cyclical goals. Wow, cool this cycle ends at exactly the end of the year. Must portend something good for us I think. My cough is completely gone, so, in any case, no more excuses.

Assessment of last cycle: crap!
Goals for this cycle: less crap!

Will try a Push/Pull split with conditioning. I read a little T-Nation the other day after a long hiatus. The met-con fanatics are helping me let go of cycling as a regular fitness activity. I just don't enjoy it like running. So I'll try to do six days a week of lifting and conditioning, following a 5-7-3 weekly wave, then one longer bike ride on the weekend.

Push
Squats
Overhead Press
Bench Press
Assistance: Overhead Dumbbell Press, Bench Dumbbell Press, Battling Ropes, Box Jump, Sled Push, Medicine Ball, Stationary Cycling/Elliptical Machine.

Pull
Deadlift
Pullup
Row
Assistance: Pulldown, One-hand Dumbbell Row, Rope Pull, Sled Pulls, Stationary Rowing.

Monday: Push 3 x 5
Tuesday: Pull 3 x 5
Wednesday: Push 3 x 7
Thursday: Pull 3 x 7
Friday: Push 3 x 3
Saturday: Pull 3 x 3
Sunday: Bike Ride

Just three lifts per session should alleviate the mental burden I sometimes felt when doing all six basic barbell lifts in one workout. Conditioning will be conditional on my energy/mood/motivation. Could skip it altogether some days, might really push it others.


---------------Week 1: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.04
Some snow shoveling and playing in the snow. I'm so out-of-shape, that this counts as a workout.

Monday, 16.12.05
Woke up at 5am feeling up for a early workout, but talked myself out of it.
PM
Ran up half a hill on my way home, then some empty bar priming in the garage gym. Right knee didn't like the running, but no pain or anything. Just needs to adapt I think. I might try to make hill running a regular part of my routine, see how the knees take it. Definitely miss the running motion, and hils are a good way to reduce the repetitive impact of running. It was raining in the 30s, the cold moisture on the sidewalk felt good on the soles and provoked some Winter Challenge flashbacks and nostalgia, but I was glad I had an excuse just to run up once. Next time, a full length.

Tuesday, 16.12.06
A little sore from my extremely easy workout the day before. Baby steps, baby steps.

Wednesday, 16.12.07

Thursday, 16.12.08

Friday, 16.12.09

Saturday, 16.12.10


---------------Week 2: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.11

Monday, 16.12.12

Tuesday, 16.12.13

Wednesday, 16.12.14

Thursday, 16.12.15

Friday, 16.12.16

Saturday, 16.12.17


---------------Week 3: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.18

Monday, 16.12.19

Tuesday, 16.12.20

Wednesday, 16.12.21

Thursday, 16.12.22

Friday, 16.12.23

Saturday, 16.12.24


---------------Week 4: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.25

Monday, 16.12.26

Tuesday, 16.12.27

Wednesday, 16.12.28

Thursday, 16.12.29

Friday, 16.12.30

Saturday, 16.12.31
 
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Funny Lee that's what I have been doing 2-3 lifts a day. The only difference is I have been breaking them up by day as an lower push (squat +), upper pull (pendlay row +), lower pull (DL+) and upper push (bench+). I have also been going with one heavy lift and then two higher rep lifts.

It's going ok and recovery seems to be a little better than doing everything everyday.

---------------Week 1: Cycle VII---------------
Monday, 16.12.05

Squat - 5 x 3 @ 60/80/85/90/100kgs
TBDL - 3 x 3 @ 112kgs

Yes 100kg squat felt pretty easy, probably has something to do with gaining weight. Can't believe we are into the final cycle.

GOAL number 1..... lose some weight

Tuesday, 16.12.06

Wednesday, 16.12.07

Thursday, 16.12.08

Friday, 16.12.09

Saturday, 16.12.10


---------------Week 2: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.11

Monday, 16.12.12

Tuesday, 16.12.13

Wednesday, 16.12.14

Thursday, 16.12.15

Friday, 16.12.16

Saturday, 16.12.17


---------------Week 3: Cycle VII---------------

Sunday, 16.12.18

Monday, 16.12.19

Tuesday, 16.12.20

Wednesday, 16.12.21

Thursday, 16.12.22

Friday, 16.12.23

Saturday, 16.12.24

Sunday, 16.12.25
---------------Week 4: Cycle VII---------------
Monday, 16.12.26


Tuesday, 16.12.27

Wednesday, 16.12.28


Thursday, 16.12.29
Press - 5 x 10 @ 40kgs
Pull Downs - 5 x 10 @ 50kgs

Friday, 16.12.30

Saturday, 16.12.31
 
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-- assessment of last cycle --
running: 50-mile race was a success in that i finished well under the cutoffs and the bare feet were not the limiting factor. chip-n-seal rules and has dominion over smooth sidewalks! but..., the lifting disappeared and the running went on vacation for a little while, too.

-- plans for this cycle --
strength: restart and keep going back to basics. i am going to continue trying the full-body, compound movement thing. i am dumping "rows" in favor of real pullups and real deadlifts. i am decreasing the number of repetitions within each set in hopes of handling higher loads than previously. also, to keep the time commitment under control. i am hoping to do at least 4 days a week. i like doing something every day (since some combination of weakness, genetics, and lifestyle mean that i feel like i recover quickly), so when the loads get higher and it takes more time, i might need to set up a rotation of some sort. and maybe do some jumping exercises as well.

endurance: winter time is upon us. i want to experiment to figure out how to maximize my cold endurance in case i want to run something in the spring when wet/cold/snow are still possible. i would also like to maintain/build the endurance base i had/have despite the challenges of cold, limited daylight, and scheduling. so, as usual but especially for this short cycle, i will experiment to try to come up with a good plan to try to stick to for the first block next year.

-- week 1: december 4-10 --
sunday: (37 minutes)
pullups: 5/5/5
squats 6x4 at 90lbs
deadlifts: 4x5 at 120lbs
press: 6x4 at 75lbs

running: 4.2mi (snowing giant wet flakes so super wet and cold on the feet) at 8:17; all the water and proto-slush led me away from the chip-n-seal and onto the smooth, beautiful park paths. i tested out pinning that plastic like you put in crawlspaces onto my lower pantlegs to see if it would keep wind/water out and heat in; then i had bluejeans over that. i think it kept my knees and calves a little warmer, but more will be necessary in wet circumstances like today. upon return, my feet were something like 57-63F (the back of the heel seemed to be the coolest) while the calves and ankles were more like 70s and 80s. winter has come abruptly, so the feet have not had a chance to acclimate. but still, i somehow need to keep the blood warm all the way until the toes, it seems like. but, surface water is obviously the first enemy here: we all know smooth dry concrete without wind gets you down into the low 20sF no problem after a few weeks of winter.

monday: (40 minutes)
pullups: 5/5/5
squats: 6x4 at 95lbs
deadlifts: 5x4 at 130lbs
press: ?x4 at 80/80/80[3.5reps]/75/70/65 (i will blame this on working out immediately after playing volleyball with my arms in the air and what not)

running: 5.2mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:18 [not raining/snowing today, so i went for chip-n-seal. i also put on tights underneath my plasticized inner pants. upon return, my feet were apparently the same temperature as when i left at around 68-70F. however, they felt cold for the first three miles which happened to coincide with a headwind, of course. we'll see how the triple-pant plan works. it let me remove a layer from the top half without ill effect, though.]

tuesday: running: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:18 [this time the feet started and ended in the 70s with toes a little cooler around mid-50s]

wednesday: (32 minutes; plan #1)
pullups: 6/6/5
squats: 6x4 at 95lbs
deadlifts: 5x4 at 115lbs, 5x2 at 140lbs

running: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 7:54 [it was colder, but the same deal with the foot temperatures]

thursday: (38 minutes; plan #2)
pullups: 6/6/5
squats: 6x4 at 85lbs
press: 6x4 at 70lbs, 5x2 at 80lbs

running: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal; 3.5 barefoot; rest moccasins) [it's not the cold, it's the wind! 22F with 10mph winds for a windchill of about 9F; i knuckled under and put the moccasins on after finishing the chip-n-seal section. no damage was done. the zombie zones are threatening a return, but i hope to keep them at bay somehow. i'm tempted to treat them with poison ivy and see if that rallies the immune system. :) ]

friday: running: 3.8mi at 7:46

-- week 2: december 11-17 --
sunday: did some walking with a friend and some of my kids; i got about 1/3 of mile in barefoot before retreating to mocassins...

monday: (35 minutes; plan #3)
pullups: 6/6/6
deadlifts: 5x4 at 115lbs, 5x2 at 150lbs
press: 6x4 at 75lbs

running: 5.2mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:19

tuesday: (30 minutes; plan #4)
pullups: 6/6/5
squats: 6x4 at 80lbs, 5x2 at 105lbs
deadlifts: 3x3 at 125lbs

running: 0.36mi (fresh fallen snow) at 8:23

wednesday: (32 minutes; plant #5)
pullups: 6/6/6
deadlifts: 5x4 at 120lbs
press: 6x4 at 70lbs, 5x2 at 80lbs

running: 2.6mi at 8:28

thursday: running: 3.6mi (13F) at 8:21
friday: running: 3.5mi at 7:36

-- week 3: december 18-24 --
monday: running: 2.4mi (circles in the house with children) at 12:30
tuesday: running: 2.6mi at 8:00

wednesday: (33 minutes)
pullups: 6/6/6
squats: 6x4 at 85lbs, 5x2 at 110lbs
press: 6x4 at 75lbs

running: 3.2mi at 7:28

thursday: running: 6.1mi (1.9 chip-n-seal) at 7:31

friday: 3.8mi at 7:31

-- week 4: december 25-31 --
sunday: running: 3.1mi at 7:11
monday: running 5.1mi (1.9 chip-n-seal) at 7:58
pullups: 6/6/6
squats: 6x4 at 95lbs
deadlifts: 5x4 at 120lbs, 3x2 at 155lbs (1 set was 3), 1x2 at 160lbs, 1x2 at 165lbs

tuesday: running 5.2mi (1.9 chip-n-seal) at 7:48
pullups: 7/7/6
squats: 6x4 at 95lbs

wednesday: pullups: 7/7/5
squats: 6x4 at 100lbs
press: 6x4 at 70lbs, 5x2 at 80lbs

thursday: running 5.1mi (1.9 chip-n-seal) at 8:18
pullups: 8/6/4
deadlifts: 3x4 at 125lbs, 2x4 at 130lbs, 4x2 at 165lbs, 1x2 at 215lbs
press: 6x4 at 75lbs



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sweetness! we are all still alive and kicking. and yes, things seem to be settling down in preparation for the next fruit-basket-upset. so this one will be the pre-launch to get us ready for next year.
Hail hail, the gang's still all here. Final prep for an amazing 2017.
-- assessment of last cycle --
running: 50-mile race was a success in that i finished well under the cutoffs and the bare feet were not the limiting factor. chip-n-seal rules and has dominion over smooth sidewalks! but..., the lifting disappeared and the running went on vacation for a little while, too.
Congrats once again on completing the race. Cool to see your chip-n-seal strategy pay off.
Funny Lee that's what I have been doing 2-3 lifts a day. The only difference is I have been breaking them up by day as an lower push (squat +), upper pull (pendlay row +), lower pull (DL+) and upper push (bench+). I have also been going with one heavy lift and then two higher rep lifts.

It's going ok and recovery seems to be a little better than doing everything everyday.
Yeah, once my strength levels get back up a bit, I may have to work out some kind of heavy/light alternation. Read a T-Nation article this morning about 8x3. Hmnn, that may be the way to go for the time being. I like the mental simplicity of three reps.
 
since this is the "concurrent strength and endurance training" set of threads...

my present assessment of the challenge is that for me, i haven't seen too much of a direct tradeoff between the two goals. ok, maybe a little bit in that if i don't run for a day or two before my volleyball games, i feel a little bit quicker and can jump an extra 1/2 to 1 inch. but things like my heaviest (or at least easiest feeling) squat performances seem to come after 13 miles runs and weird things like that. now, surely this is because i am both a terrible lifter and a non-spectacular endurance runner. still, the main problem i have found is that both activities are linked through the single scarce resource of time (as opposed to energy or muscle mass or "twitch fibers" or "hormones" or whatever people usually talk about). that is, if i'm knocking out 10 mile/1:45 running days in the heat of summer, i can't really keep the lawn mowed, wash the dishes, maintain employment, EAT TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF FOOD, *and* spend another hour moving piles of metal around.

so, upon restarting lifting over the last week or two (because i'm *not* throwing down the longish running days at the moment), i have noticed the time commitment creeping up along with the loads as i start lifting more than just air and bubbles. thus, i cooked up a rotation for you guys to declare foolish.

basically, i want to do the basic four food groups, i mean, exercises: pullups, squats, deadlifts, and press. i also like to lift almost every day. but, to shorten the workout length and accommodate the near-daily frequency, i want to eliminate one of the three bar exercises which in turn means i need a rotation (pullups seem to be easy recovery, so i'll keep those in every exercise "event"). since there will only be two exercises each time, that means there are 3*2 = 6 possible combinations. furthermore, i will declare one of the lifts to be the "primary" lift and give it an extra group of low-rep sets while the "secondary" lift will have a reduction in load and/or total repetitions. on top of all that, i want to avoid having the same primary lift in consecutive workouts and try to keep the deadlift/squat day as far as possible from the squat/deadlift day due to the overlap between those two motions.

i think with all those constraints, i end up with this single possibility for the rotation (or obvious variations like the reverse order or bouncing back and forth).

#: primary/secondary -> squat SETSxREPS; deadlift; press

1: deadlift/squat -> 6x4; 5x4,5x2; ---
2: press/squat -> 6x4; ---; 6x4, 5,2
3: deadlift/press -> ---; 5x4, 5x2; 6x4
4: squat/deadlift -> 6x4, 5x2; 3x3; ---
5: press/deadlift -> ---; 5x4; 6x4, 5x2
6: squat/press -> 6x4, 5x5; ---; 6x4

then the idea would be just to look and see what i did the last time i lifted and then move to the next plan in the rotation. then, i should get everything in over time whether it is a 2 day week or a 6 day week. and, since everyone warns against doing too many deadlifts, a) the load would be reduced on the secondary deadlift days as well as the total count on the squat/deadlift day.