Concurrent Strength & Endurance Training 2016: Cycle VI

Bare Lee

Barefooters
Jul 25, 2011
6,103
6,617
113
Saint Paul
Results for last cycle: Negative

Goals for this cycle: I think I'll just try to focus on the weights for a bit and not worry about how they fit in with the cardio. The cycling is always there for me. I can cycle for an hour or more even when I'm horribly out-of-shape. Dread of starting over on the weights forms the lion's share of my current mental block, best to attack that. The only aerobic activity I really enjoy is running, and I can't do that, so it's doesn't really matter if I cycle, row, or whatever. But I do know weights are central to my fitness routine, so I'll try to just focus on that and hope that the conditioning falls into place at some point.

---------------Week 1: Cycle VI---------------


Sunday, 16.10.09
Some priming in the recently re-cleaned and -organized garage gym. Right knee felt a little rickety on the empty bar squats. I'll have to take my time building things back up.

Monday, 16.10.10

Tuesday, 16.10.11

Wednesday, 16.10.12
OK, thinking I definitely need to recommit to the early morning routine. I'm so out-of-shape now, shouldn't be too bad just going light for a while while my body gets used to lifting first thing. Maybe I'll try seven reps for a while while I'm building back up, then switch to my tried-n-true 5-7-3 weekly wave when I'm close to 60-70% of where I was at the end of 2015 . . .


Thursday, 16.10.13

Friday, 16.10.14

Saturday, 16.10.15


---------------Week 2: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.10.16
AM
Bike commute
1mi

Midday
Bike Ride
10.5 mi

Beautiful fall day down by the river.
Monday, 16.10.17

Tuesday, 16.10.18

Wednesday, 16.10.19

Thursday, 16.10.20

Friday, 16.10.21

Saturday, 16.10.22


---------------Week 3: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.10.23

Monday, 16.10.24

Tuesday, 16.10.25

Wednesday, 16.10.26

Thursday, 16.10.27

Friday, 16.10.28

Saturday, 16.10.29


---------------Week 4: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.10.30

Monday, 16.10.31

Tuesday, 16.11.01

Wednesday, 16.11.02

Thursday, 16.11.03

Friday, 16.11.04

Saturday, 16.11.05


---------------Week 5: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.06

Monday, 16.11.07

Tuesday, 16.11.08

Wednesday, 16.11.09

Thursday, 16.11.10

Friday, 16.11.11

Saturday, 16.11.12


---------------Week 6: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.13

Monday, 16.11.14

Tuesday, 16.11.15

Wednesday, 16.11.16

Thursday, 16.11.17

Friday, 16.11.18

Saturday, 16.11.19


---------------Week 7: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.20

Monday, 16.11.21

Tuesday, 16.11.22
Holy Crap, this cycle is almost over. My cough is almost gone now, and my energy levels are nearly normal. Going to give up on any sort of regular aerobic exercise for a while, and just focus on getting my lifting back up to speed, then gradually working in more and more conditioning.

So with a focus on lifting, I need some kind of split so that I can lift every day. Not sure whether to do
A
Squats
Overhead Press
Pullup

B
Deadlift
Row
Bench Press

Or a Push/Pull split. I'm pretty sure I don't want to do an Upper/Lower split, but who knows? So this will get back a little bit to the idea of experimenting with different parameters or protocols. That is, for the next cycle or two, I may experiment with different kinds of splits. A good Push/Pull split would be
A
Squats
Overhead Press
Bench Press
Assistance: Overhead Dumbbell Press, Bench Dumbbell Press, Battling Ropes, Box Jump, Sled Push, Medicine Ball, Cycling.

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

I could also work in my 3 X 5/7/3 weekly rep wave. That seemed pretty successful. But three or five-reps for three sets every workout would probably also work just fine.

But first things first, and that's simply to establish any kind of consistency.

Wednesday, 16.11.23

Thursday, 16.11.24

Friday, 16.11.25

Saturday, 16.11.26


---------------Week 8: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.27

Monday, 16.11.28

Tuesday, 16.11.29

Wednesday, 16.11.30

Thursday, 16.12.01

Friday, 16.12.02

Saturday, 16.12.03
 
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Recap of prior cycle: This was the final endurance focused cycle for the year. My self- supported Pennine way trip didn't go as planned and I ended up pulling off early due to issues with my shins, rain and mental weaknesses. When I think back, stopping early was definitely the right decision and unlike other DNF's I am actually quite content with this one. It's kind of like finishing a crappy book (ie Moby Dick), life's too short to do things you don't enjoy and I don't do that shit anymore.

The second race or multi day adventure I had planned was a 185 mile race along the Wales/England border. This went spectacularly. And interestingly enough the shin problems I had experienced earlier were non-existent during this race. I had some major blistering issues, but other than that no injuries. So I am quite happy with how my first foray into supported +100 miles events went.

Finally two weeks after the Offa's dyke race I did a 60k race in the eastern Netherlands. I had run this race twice before, finishing the first year and DNF'ing the second. It was actually kind of tough. There was some lingering soreness from Offa's but I ended up finishing faster than the first year.

From the strength side, this cycle was essentially a loss. I have roughly lost about 20kgs off my maxes on the big three. Weight wise I am the same however.

Plan for cycle 5: 180kg deadlift by the end of the year.

I haven't finalized any plan yet. I am mainly trying to build up some consistency, which is fleeting these days. Hopefully by next week I can develop and commit to some plan. But it will be definitely focused on squatting and deadlifting and will probably be similar to the last one from a frequency perspective.

---------------Week 1: Cycle VI---------------
Monday, 16.10.10
Tuesday, 16.10.11

Bike Commute - 35k

Wednesday, 16.10.12
Bike Commute - 17.5k

Thursday, 16.10.13
Run Commute - 18k
Bike Commute - 17.5k

Bench - 3 x 5 @ 80kgs 1 x 10 @ 60kgs
Pull ups - 4 x 5 @ BW
DL - 3 x 3 @ 100/120/140kgs

Friday, 16.10.14
Bike Commute - 35k

Saturday, 16.10.15
Press - 3 x 5 @ 40kgs
Push Press - 2 x 5 @ 60kgs
Low Pull - 4 x 10 @ 70kgs
Squats - 3 x 5 @ 60/70/80kgs

---------------Week 2: Cycle VI---------------
Monday, 16.10.17

Bike Commute - 35k

Hamstrings are sore from the squats. I kind of miss this general muscle soreness from lifting. I think I might keep the next few weeks open to build up some general strength conditioning before I start the regular heavy stuff.

Tuesday, 16.10.18
CGBP - 3 x 10 @ 60kgs
Pull ups - 3 x 5 @ BW
DL - 3 x 3 @ 100/110/120, 1 x 1 @ 130,135,140,145

Bike Commute - 35k
Yoga

I think I am going to try to DL twice a week, and do one max set and then one density set of EMOM for 10 min x 3 of 80% of that weeks max.

Wednesday, 16.10.19

Thursday, 16.10.20

Friday, 16.10.21

Saturday, 16.10.22


---------------Week 3: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.10.23

Monday, 16.10.24

Tuesday, 16.10.25

Wednesday, 16.10.26

Thursday, 16.10.27

Friday, 16.10.28

Saturday, 16.10.29


---------------Week 4: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.10.30

Monday, 16.10.31

Tuesday, 16.11.01

Wednesday, 16.11.02

Thursday, 16.11.03

Friday, 16.11.04

Saturday, 16.11.05


---------------Week 5: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.06

Monday, 16.11.07

Tuesday, 16.11.08

Wednesday, 16.11.09

Thursday, 16.11.10

Friday, 16.11.11

Saturday, 16.11.12


---------------Week 6: Cycle VI---------------

Sunday, 16.11.13

Monday, 16.11.14

Tuesday, 16.11.15

Wednesday, 16.11.16

Thursday, 16.11.17

Friday, 16.11.18

Saturday, 16.11.19

Sunday, 16.11.20
---------------Week 7: Cycle VI---------------
Monday, 16.11.21

Run Commute - 18k

Tuesday, 16.11.22
Bent Rows - 3 x 5 @ 80kgs
Pull ups - 4 x 5 @ BW
Pull downs - 3 x 10 @ 50kgs

Bike commute - 35k

Wednesday, 16.11.23
Squats - 5 x 3 @ 60/70/80/80/80
Step ups - 3 x 10 @ 30kgs

Bike Commute - 17.5k

Thursday, 16.11.24
Bench - 3 x 5 @ 80/90/95
Press - 3 x 10 @ 40kgs

Bike Commute - 35k

Friday, 16.11.25
DL - 3 x 3 @ 120/130/140
Farmers - 2 x 80m @ 60

Bike Commute - 35k

Sunday, 16.11.27
Trail run / Hill sprints - 1:30

Four days of lifting this week, success!

---------------Week 8: Cycle VI---------------


Monday, 16.11.28

Tuesday, 16.11.29

Wednesday, 16.11.30

Thursday, 16.12.01

Friday, 16.12.02

Saturday, 16.12.03
 
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alrighty. it is now the last week of the purported "cycle", so i guess that is as good a time as any to create the plan for the cycle! basically, the early part of the cycle was dominated by the last few preparations for the 50 mile race. the middle part of the cycle was dominated by laziness disguised as "allow myself to recover properly". the latter part has been a dominated by travel. and the entirety has been obfuscated by the extreme uncertainty attending my way.

lifting: don't do anything until the last week and then see what happens

running: do the 50 mile race. continue running, but maybe not as far. retreat to timed runs to see what happens. do some semi-structured sprinting/jumping with children and verify the eternal truth that hand timing is really inaccurate over short distances. take a giant break. try to come up with a schedule that accomodates all the activity that will surely restart in the final week of the cycle. "if you don't make time for exercise, you'll have to make time for illness and injury."

goals: we'll just wait a week and put them down next time.

-- week 1: oct 9-15 --
sunday: 4.0mi at 9:59
tuesday: 3.0mi (3.0mi chip-n-seal) at 8:20
wednesday: 3.2mi (3.2mi chip-n-seal) at 8:17
thursday: 3.5mi (3.5mi chip-n-seal) at 9:14
friday: 3.5mi at 9:16
saturday: 50mi at 12:36

-- week 2: oct 16-22--
tuesday: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:31
wednesday: 4mi at 8:33
thursday: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:57

-- week 3: oct 23-29 --
sunday: 6.7mi (2.2mi chip-n-seal) at 8:28
tuesday: 6.2mi (3.0mi chip-n-seal) at 7:57
wednesday: 4.1mi at 9:26
thursday: 3.8mi at 6:52
friday: 3.2mi (1mi gravel) at 9:02

-- week 4: oct 30-nov 5 --
monday: 3.6mi (1.1mi gravel) at 8:16
tuesday: 4.0mi at 7:27
wednesday: 19.2mi (8mi chip-n-seal or gravel; also hill) at 11:24
thursday: 4.3mi at 6:59
friday: 4.5mi at 6:46

-- week 5: nov 6-12 --
one day (?tuesday) did a collection of pullups, bodyweight squats, dumbbell overhead presses, and farmer's walks.

-- week 6: nov 13-19 --
(this space intentionally left blank)

-- week 7: nov 20-26 --
sunday: 3.2mi at 8:54
monday: 3.9mi (0.55mi chip-n-seal) at 7:37
tuesday: 4.1mi at 7:18
wednesday: 3.5mi (0.3mi chip-n-seal) at 8:10
friday: 2.4mi (carrying 30lbs) at 11:51

-- week 8: nov 27-dec 3 --
monday: (28 minutes)
pullups: 6/6/4.5
squats: 4x6 at 65lbs
deadlifts: 3x6 at 85lbs
press: 5x5 at 55lbs (with a couple of "can't count" sets of 6 instead of 5)

tuesday: (31 minutes)
pullups: 5/5/5
squats: 6x4 at 70lbs
deadlifts: 4x5 at 95lbs
press: 6x4 at 60lbs

running: 5.3mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:12

wednesday: (33 minutes)
pullups: 5/5/5
squats: 6x4 at 80lbs
deadlifts: 4x5 at 105lbs
press:6x4 at 65lbs

running: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:20

thursday: (37 minutes)
pullups: 5/5/5
squats: 6x4 at 85lbs
deadlifts: 4x5 at 110lbs
press:6x4 at 70lbs

running: 5.3mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 8:00

friday: running: 5.1mi (1.9mi chip-n-seal) at 7:55
 
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a quick note to say: i finished the DPRT50 yesterday in roughly 10 1/2 hours. the bare feet were not the limiting factor. a longer report will (lord willing) follow eventually.
Cool to see your diligent surface training paid off!

Unrelatedly, I stopped in at T-Nation for the first time in months, and came across this timely article: https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-best-cardio-for-hardcore-lifters
I know I've mentioned this before, but I'm coming to the conclusion that one of things I need to do to get out of this mental slump is to realize that I have to replace running with conditioning, not some other kind of aerobic exercise, like cycling. I'll still cycle on weekends I think, but my daily routine has to be centered on the gym, with weights, conditioning (prowler, battle ropes, medicine ball, etc.), and maybe a little aerobic rowing or cycling to warm up. So just wake up and head straight to the gym, no more excuse about first cycling to my office then later in the day cycling to the gym. Doesn't work. I stay put. And I don't like the gym when it's more crowded and I'm still a bit worried they'd bust me for being barefoot when they're staffed in the afternoon. Then if I went barefoot in the morning, I'd do it having been warned that it violates company policy, or I could write a letter to the higher ups, but I'm not much of a militant. And on rainy days I don't really feel like cycling straight to the gym first thing in the morning. Am I getting soft? Shouldn't I be embracing the elements like my former runner self? I dunno, cycling seems different, definitely colder in wind and rain than running is, but also more of a hassle. I think I'm a fair-weather cyclist, but I'll still try to get into winter cycling when the conditions allow--dry path conditions and mild temps. On a weekly basis, one or two outdoor adventures on the weekend might be enough. So try to drive straight to the gym first thing in the morning. OK, it's a plan.
 
Yeah get up and out first thing in the morning. Lifting later in the day is an absolute mind game as I am finding out.

Yeah warm up on the rower or buy a jump rope. Those fan bikes work pretty good too.

Sounds like we all need a dose of consistency!
 
sorry i haven't recorded anything yet. my very short term training plan is to get massive amounts of sleep (as much as i am allowed by children/work/etc.) this week. you will be able to tell by the timestamp on this that i am getting to bed at least an hour later than my ridiculous goal of 8pm. the plan then is to get properly rested and aligned with a ridiculous schedule so that i can then pursue my contradictory goals which will be outlined in the summary post above when i, you know, get around to it.

i mean, this is only week 3, right? so we can actually start trying on week 4 and really get going properly in week 5. :)
 
Yeah get up and out first thing in the morning. Lifting later in the day is an absolute mind game as I am finding out.

Yeah warm up on the rower or buy a jump rope. Those fan bikes work pretty good too.

Sounds like we all need a dose of consistency!
Hey, I swear I was on the verge, then I got hit with a mild but persistent hacking cough that's drained my energy. Starting to feel better now, but still coughing.

Feeling hopeful about resigning to life as a gym rat though, and just doing aerobic on the weekend. During the week, lifting, conditioning and some machines like you suggest.

Starting to get minor back aches from sitting, shoulders are starting to come forward, which will eventually cause pain. Really at the limits of being out-of-shape without any real consequences, yet.

sorry i haven't recorded anything yet. my very short term training plan is to get massive amounts of sleep (as much as i am allowed by children/work/etc.) this week. you will be able to tell by the timestamp on this that i am getting to bed at least an hour later than my ridiculous goal of 8pm. the plan then is to get properly rested and aligned with a ridiculous schedule so that i can then pursue my contradictory goals which will be outlined in the summary post above when i, you know, get around to it.

i mean, this is only week 3, right? so we can actually start trying on week 4 and really get going properly in week 5. :)

I think for me the goal is get everything primed in November, and start to push it again in December, to set up 2017.
 
a brief note to again say: i am still alive. i have been doing little intentional exercise lately under the theory of rest, recovery, and the usual uncertainties of life. next week: there's always next week, with you know, thanksgiving and all. maybe i'll go out and walk around on the gravel some or something. :)