Assessment of last cycle: Learned that it's safe to lift even if I'm feeling lightheaded. Still need to work harder to get the aerobic portion in everyday. Blood pressure seems to be coming down though.
Goals for this cycle: more of the same. Push/Pull lifting split complemented by Airdyne/Rowing aerobic work, and hopefully, some sled work and at least one longish bike ride per week.
Here's the projected microloading over the eight-week cycle:
This is kind of the meaty area where fairly easy resistances start to get hard, and technique becomes more important.
Following up on Abide's podcast about habits, I think I will prioritize consistency above all else. Therefore, although I will aim for the ideal routine of an everyday (ED) AM:Aerobic/PM:Lifting-Conditioning Split, which is further divided into a every other day (EOD) Push/Pull Split, this can be reduced or changed in order to always get something in.
So, for example, if I miss the AM aerobic, I can tag it on in the afternoon, after the lifting. Also, I may sometimes insert a longish bike ride after a EOD Push-Pull split if the lifting is getting tiresome, rather than skip a workout altogether. Also, on days when I'm just not feeling it, I'll just do warmup-set loads, just to grease the groove.
---------------Week 1: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.02.23
Another day of moving. Two bookcases and their books, then a desk and two file cabinets. My knees and lower back held up OK with lots of breaks. The hardest was carrying the bookcases down and up a flight a stairs. The cheap Ikea bookcases don't weight much, but the bulkiness was pretty awkward and you really have to be careful with that particle board material; stress it the wrong way and it all falls apart.
Monday, 20.02.24
Just moved my desk chair and a smaller shelving unit after dropping off the kids. My right knee felt a little cranky on the stairs, so decided best to let it rest and not do squats later.
Tuesday, 20.02.25
Wednesday, 20.02.26
Thursday, 20.02.27
Friday, 20.02.28
The week was pretty crazy for a variety of reasons--bad start to the cycle.
Saturday, 20.02.29
More office moving, then son's birthday party in the afternoon.
---------------Week 2: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.01
Final day of office moving. Weather cooperated. My mid-to-lower back felt pretty stiff, and my knees a little sore. The elevator has been out during this whole process, so lots of stairs work.
Monday, 20.03.02
Aerobic:
1 mile Walking; Rowing, 30 minutes.
Felt pretty sore, so just did some aerobic work.
Tuesday, 20.03.03
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
Wednesday, 20.03.04
Thursday, 20.03.05
Friday, 20.03.06
Saturday, 20.03.07
---------------Week 3: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.08
Monday, 20.03.09
Tuesday, 20.03.10
Aerobic: Pull
30 minutes, rowing. 1/2 mile bike to store with son, 1/2 walk back with daughter while son still rode.
Lifting: Pull
PD: 2 x 3 @ 100
DL: 3 x 2 @ 225
Wow, crappy start to the cycle.
Wednesday, 20.03.11
Thursday, 20.03.12
Friday, 20.03.13
-Noon-
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 10 mins.
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185, 2 @ 195
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 15 mins.
Felt my right hammie seize a bit on my second set of squats, so I shut it down.
It occurred to me it might be best to divide up the dreaded indoor cardio into 3 ten-minute chunks, or 2 fifteen-minute ones, instead of 1 thirty-minute session. Ten to fifteen minutes is usually about when the mental agony starts to kick in.
I think I also need something like Abide's morning routine. Just ten minutes of aerobic and some stretching might be enough. I want it to be something very easy that I can do no matter how tired or unmotivated I am.
So could do Morning/Noon/Afternoon cardio in ten-minute sessions, then Lifting 30 minutes at Noon or Afternoon. Or alternatively, Morning Cardio 15 minutes and Afternoon Lifting 30 minutes and Cardio 15 minutes again.
One final, unlikely alternative would be to follow each thrice daily ten-minute cardio session with one lift, maybe go from lightest to heaviest as the day progresses, like OP, then BP, and then SQ.
Saturday, 20.03.14
-Morning-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing 15 mins.
---------------Week 4: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.15
-Noonish-
Aerobic:
Walking 1 mile to and from store, playing catch with my son and his friend out front--got to count everything when you're this out of shape!
Monday, 20.03.16
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 minutes.
Tuesday, 20.03.17
Aerobic: Push
-Afternoon-
2 mi bike ride to son's playdate and back.
-Evening-
Airdyne, 20 minutes.
Hmnn, two days in a row I did aerobic right before bed. Somehow, it seems easier at that time.
Wednesday, 20.03.18
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 @ 225/235/235
RW: 2 x 5 @ 135
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Thursday, 20.03.19
-Noonish-
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne, 15 mins
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 5 @ 135/145/155
SQ: 2 x 3 @ 135
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
Took it easy on the squats to make sure my hammie had recovered from whatever it was last week.
Friday, 20.03.20
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 @ 225/235/245
RW: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 150
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Saturday, 20.03.21
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
1 mi bike ride.
---------------Week 5: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.22
-Afternoon-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Monday, 20.03.23
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/195/205
OP: 5 @ 65/75/85/95
-Evening-
Aerobic: Push
Biking, playing catch, stubbed my right big toe playing soccer.
Tuesday, 20.03.24
Felt a little coronal, and my toe was a bit painful, so took the day off.
Wednesday, 20.03.25
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 36 minutes.
Still feeling a bit coronal, but an efficient afternoon nap did wonders.
Thursday, 20.03.26
Still feeling a bit sick.
Friday, 20.03.27
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/205/205
OP: 5 @ 65/85/95/95
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 15 mins.
This bug is strange. The last two days I've woken up feeling ok, but then it comes on in the afternoon, and leaves again in the evening. Still only minor symptoms, so I'm not too worried. Mostly low energy.
Saturday, 20.03.28
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 minutes.
---------------Week 6: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.29
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
Walk with kids in the drizzle
Monday, 20.03.30
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 155
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
-Evening-
Aerobic
3-4 mile bike ride with kids
Still feeling a bit low energy, so took it easy on the Squats.
Tuesday, 20.03.31
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 245
RW: 3 x 5 @ 145
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Wednesday, 20.04.01
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
Thursday, 20.04.02
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/205/215/225
OP: 3 x 3 @ 105
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 20 mins.
Friday, 20.04.03
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1 mi walk with kids.
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 25 mins
Saturday, 20.04.04
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 2 x 3 @ 245
PD: 2 x 5 @ 160
-Evening-
Aerobic
1 mi walk.
---------------Week 7: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.04.05
Monday, 20.04.06
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1 mile walk to store; soccer out front.
Lifting: Push
BP: 3/4/5 @ 160
SQ: 3 @ 185
Man, still feeling pretty low energy, mildly sick.
Tuesday, 20.04.07
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 2 x 3 @ 255
PD: 2 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk.
Wednesday, 20.04.08
Thursday, 20.04.09
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 160
SQ: 2/2/3 @ 225
OP: 5 @ 95/100/100
Energy levels are starting to rebound.
Friday, 20.04.10
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk in a regional park.
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 260
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Whew, my calluses are starting to rejuvenate.
Saturday, 20.04.11
---------------Week 8: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.04.12
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Monday, 20.04.13
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 225
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk to and from store.
Tuesday, 20.04.14
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 260
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic
20 mins Rowing.
Wednesday, 20.04.15
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Thursday, 20.04.16
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 162
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
SQ: 2/2/3 @ 227
Man, my energy levels are still a bit off, and I still feel like I'm fighting a mild bug.
Friday, 20.04.17
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 263
PD: 3 x 5 @ 162
My calluses are just about back. I'll start doing my rows again next cycle.
Saturday, 20.04.18
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk, soccer with kids.
Goals for this cycle: more of the same. Push/Pull lifting split complemented by Airdyne/Rowing aerobic work, and hopefully, some sled work and at least one longish bike ride per week.
Here's the projected microloading over the eight-week cycle:
This is kind of the meaty area where fairly easy resistances start to get hard, and technique becomes more important.
Following up on Abide's podcast about habits, I think I will prioritize consistency above all else. Therefore, although I will aim for the ideal routine of an everyday (ED) AM:Aerobic/PM:Lifting-Conditioning Split, which is further divided into a every other day (EOD) Push/Pull Split, this can be reduced or changed in order to always get something in.
So, for example, if I miss the AM aerobic, I can tag it on in the afternoon, after the lifting. Also, I may sometimes insert a longish bike ride after a EOD Push-Pull split if the lifting is getting tiresome, rather than skip a workout altogether. Also, on days when I'm just not feeling it, I'll just do warmup-set loads, just to grease the groove.
---------------Week 1: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.02.23
Another day of moving. Two bookcases and their books, then a desk and two file cabinets. My knees and lower back held up OK with lots of breaks. The hardest was carrying the bookcases down and up a flight a stairs. The cheap Ikea bookcases don't weight much, but the bulkiness was pretty awkward and you really have to be careful with that particle board material; stress it the wrong way and it all falls apart.
Monday, 20.02.24
Just moved my desk chair and a smaller shelving unit after dropping off the kids. My right knee felt a little cranky on the stairs, so decided best to let it rest and not do squats later.
Tuesday, 20.02.25
Wednesday, 20.02.26
Thursday, 20.02.27
Friday, 20.02.28
The week was pretty crazy for a variety of reasons--bad start to the cycle.
Saturday, 20.02.29
More office moving, then son's birthday party in the afternoon.
---------------Week 2: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.01
Final day of office moving. Weather cooperated. My mid-to-lower back felt pretty stiff, and my knees a little sore. The elevator has been out during this whole process, so lots of stairs work.
Monday, 20.03.02
Aerobic:
1 mile Walking; Rowing, 30 minutes.
Felt pretty sore, so just did some aerobic work.
Tuesday, 20.03.03
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
Wednesday, 20.03.04
Thursday, 20.03.05
Friday, 20.03.06
Saturday, 20.03.07
---------------Week 3: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.08
Monday, 20.03.09
Tuesday, 20.03.10
Aerobic: Pull
30 minutes, rowing. 1/2 mile bike to store with son, 1/2 walk back with daughter while son still rode.
Lifting: Pull
PD: 2 x 3 @ 100
DL: 3 x 2 @ 225
Wow, crappy start to the cycle.
Wednesday, 20.03.11
Thursday, 20.03.12
Friday, 20.03.13
-Noon-
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 10 mins.
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185, 2 @ 195
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
BP: 3 x 5 @ 135
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 15 mins.
Felt my right hammie seize a bit on my second set of squats, so I shut it down.
It occurred to me it might be best to divide up the dreaded indoor cardio into 3 ten-minute chunks, or 2 fifteen-minute ones, instead of 1 thirty-minute session. Ten to fifteen minutes is usually about when the mental agony starts to kick in.
I think I also need something like Abide's morning routine. Just ten minutes of aerobic and some stretching might be enough. I want it to be something very easy that I can do no matter how tired or unmotivated I am.
So could do Morning/Noon/Afternoon cardio in ten-minute sessions, then Lifting 30 minutes at Noon or Afternoon. Or alternatively, Morning Cardio 15 minutes and Afternoon Lifting 30 minutes and Cardio 15 minutes again.
One final, unlikely alternative would be to follow each thrice daily ten-minute cardio session with one lift, maybe go from lightest to heaviest as the day progresses, like OP, then BP, and then SQ.
Saturday, 20.03.14
-Morning-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing 15 mins.
---------------Week 4: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.15
-Noonish-
Aerobic:
Walking 1 mile to and from store, playing catch with my son and his friend out front--got to count everything when you're this out of shape!
Monday, 20.03.16
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 minutes.
Tuesday, 20.03.17
Aerobic: Push
-Afternoon-
2 mi bike ride to son's playdate and back.
-Evening-
Airdyne, 20 minutes.
Hmnn, two days in a row I did aerobic right before bed. Somehow, it seems easier at that time.
Wednesday, 20.03.18
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 @ 225/235/235
RW: 2 x 5 @ 135
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Thursday, 20.03.19
-Noonish-
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne, 15 mins
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 5 @ 135/145/155
SQ: 2 x 3 @ 135
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
Took it easy on the squats to make sure my hammie had recovered from whatever it was last week.
Friday, 20.03.20
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 @ 225/235/245
RW: 3 x 5 @ 135
PD: 3 x 5 @ 150
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Saturday, 20.03.21
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
1 mi bike ride.
---------------Week 5: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.22
-Afternoon-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Monday, 20.03.23
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/195/205
OP: 5 @ 65/75/85/95
-Evening-
Aerobic: Push
Biking, playing catch, stubbed my right big toe playing soccer.
Tuesday, 20.03.24
Felt a little coronal, and my toe was a bit painful, so took the day off.
Wednesday, 20.03.25
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 36 minutes.
Still feeling a bit coronal, but an efficient afternoon nap did wonders.
Thursday, 20.03.26
Still feeling a bit sick.
Friday, 20.03.27
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/205/205
OP: 5 @ 65/85/95/95
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 15 mins.
This bug is strange. The last two days I've woken up feeling ok, but then it comes on in the afternoon, and leaves again in the evening. Still only minor symptoms, so I'm not too worried. Mostly low energy.
Saturday, 20.03.28
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 minutes.
---------------Week 6: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.03.29
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
Walk with kids in the drizzle
Monday, 20.03.30
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 155
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 185
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
-Evening-
Aerobic
3-4 mile bike ride with kids
Still feeling a bit low energy, so took it easy on the Squats.
Tuesday, 20.03.31
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 245
RW: 3 x 5 @ 145
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Wednesday, 20.04.01
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1.5 mile Walking.
Thursday, 20.04.02
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 @ 185/205/215/225
OP: 3 x 3 @ 105
Aerobic: Push
Airdyne 20 mins.
Friday, 20.04.03
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1 mi walk with kids.
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 25 mins
Saturday, 20.04.04
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 2 x 3 @ 245
PD: 2 x 5 @ 160
-Evening-
Aerobic
1 mi walk.
---------------Week 7: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.04.05
Monday, 20.04.06
-Afternoon-
Aerobic:
1 mile walk to store; soccer out front.
Lifting: Push
BP: 3/4/5 @ 160
SQ: 3 @ 185
Man, still feeling pretty low energy, mildly sick.
Tuesday, 20.04.07
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 2 x 3 @ 255
PD: 2 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk.
Wednesday, 20.04.08
Thursday, 20.04.09
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 160
SQ: 2/2/3 @ 225
OP: 5 @ 95/100/100
Energy levels are starting to rebound.
Friday, 20.04.10
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk in a regional park.
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 260
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Whew, my calluses are starting to rejuvenate.
Saturday, 20.04.11
---------------Week 8: Cycle II---------------
Sunday, 20.04.12
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Monday, 20.04.13
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
SQ: 3 x 3 @ 225
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk to and from store.
Tuesday, 20.04.14
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 260
PD: 3 x 5 @ 160
Aerobic
20 mins Rowing.
Wednesday, 20.04.15
-Evening-
Aerobic: Pull
Rowing, 30 mins
Thursday, 20.04.16
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Push
BP: 3 x 5 @ 162
OP: 3 x 5 @ 95
SQ: 2/2/3 @ 227
Man, my energy levels are still a bit off, and I still feel like I'm fighting a mild bug.
Friday, 20.04.17
-Afternoon-
Lifting: Pull
DL: 3 x 3 @ 263
PD: 3 x 5 @ 162
My calluses are just about back. I'll start doing my rows again next cycle.
Saturday, 20.04.18
-Afternoon-
Aerobic
1.5 mi walk, soccer with kids.
Last edited: