February 2011
10 posts
2 tags
Intervals
Did some 1:1 intervals tonight… I’m sure I’ve explained them somewhere before so I’m not going to type out the full routine again. Regardless, it felt quite a bit easier today, and my “fast” segments were 1) faster and 2) easier than they’ve been before. I managed to break 10km/h with my early “fast” runs which I know isn’t very much, but...
1 tag
8.25km
Did a 5K on Monday but forgot to blog it. This was after a couple of days away when rubbing wasn’t really practical, but I managed to do a ton of push-ups and sit-ups on all the days I was away from home except the day I was REALLY REALLY FUCKING HUNG OVER. Oh my God. Took me the best part of a day to get over that night, but perhaps the less said about that the better.
Tonight it was a...
3 tags
85 Pushups, 175 Situps
I attempted to do more pushups in one go, as I suggested I might yesterday. Turns out 25 is about my limit in one go, and I can (relatively) comfortably do two sets of 25 with a break in between them. I did 5 sets today of gradually-increasing knackeredness, so it went 25, 25, 15, 10, 10. A total of 85 is still significantly more than I’ve ever done, however they were split up.
Situps I can...
2 tags
58 Pushups, 169 Situps
I’m aware I’m being inconsistent with my hyphenation of push(-)ups and sit(-)ups but my blog, my rules, even if I don’t stick to them.
Obvious improvement tonight as I successfully managed to pull off 20 push(-)ups in a row without stopping and/or dying (which would also cause stoppage, I guess, just a bit more permanent) and 55 sit(-)ups, also without stopping and/or dying....
2 tags
1:1 Intervals
Decided to try some interval training again tonight in the hope that having cracked that “first attempt” barrier, tonight would be easier.
It was. This seems to be something of a pattern with new exercises: the first time you try something, it is ludicrously difficult, possibly because you don’t know your own limits and try to overexert yourself. This was certainly the case with...
1 tag
8.25km
Went out today with the intention of just a “regular” 5K run but started on a different route. By partway through said different route, I decided that I’d continue in this direction and do a big “loop” around to end up back where I started, instead of just turning around and going back when I got to 2.5km. I was curious to see exactly how long said “loop”...
2 tags
50 Push-Ups, 125 Sit-Ups
Same again today. Was going to go for a run but I’ve had an annoying dull headache all day—not enough of a headache to flail around overdramatically going “Aarrgh” until someone notices, but just enough to be a mild annoyance.
It’s also been cold and the wind has been like something out of a… wind movie. Normally that wouldn’t bother me, but it was...
2 tags
50 Push-Ups, 125 Sit-Ups
Today wasn’t an “official” exercise day but I thought I might as well do some of these anyway just so I’ve done something. I didn’t use the 100Pushups/200Situps iPhone apps for these, I just did 5 sets of equal numbers of reps of each. 5 sets of 10 push-ups, 5 sets of 25 sit-ups.
The push-ups were easy-ish to begin with but were starting to feel quite difficult by...
2 tags
32 Push-Ups, 137 Sit-Ups
Showing steady improvement on both of these. I was expecting the push-ups in particular to be a lot more difficult than they’ve proven so far… but then it is early days, and I’m not doing that many in one go just yet.
One thing I noticed today is that it seemed somewhat easier to do both exercises a bit “quicker” than before. Either it’s psychological and...
1 tag
6K
Since I’m supposed to be running 10K in May, I figured it was about time to try upping the distance a little bit, starting by adding an additional kilometre. This was a simple case of running “out” 0.5km further, which didn’t feel like a lot at all, until I had to run back into a strong headwind. Yay.
I managed it, though my legs were just starting to get to the...
January 2011
9 posts
2 tags
1:1 Intervals
Decided to try something new today in an attempt to improve my speed and/or stamina. I can run 5K pretty comfortably now, but constantly hovering around the 42-45 minute mark. It’d be nice to get that down a bit.
So, spurred on by an article I saw linked on the Couch 2 5K Facebook Page, I decided to try some interval training to see what a difference that might make. It would also give...
2 tags
24 Push-Ups, 87 Sit-Ups
Christ. That sit-ups app doesn’t fuck around. I made the (possible) mistake of doing enough sit-ups in my initial test for it to put me on the hardest difficulty level, which means that I’m doing a surprisingly large amount of sit-ups each day, and it does seem to be increasing the number significantly each time, too.
Still, I’m managing to do it, even if my sit-up form is...
1 tag
5K: 00:42:23
I was super-tired all day today so it was a struggle to get out the door and get running. But I did, and somehow this translated into one of my best times yet. This despite running back into the wind, in the cold, trying not to get drenched by passing cars.
I’m pleased with my progress so far but am wondering whether I should start trying to ramp up the distance a little bit, maybe pushing...
2 tags
19 Pushups, 81 Situps
First up, HOLY CRAP that’s a surprisingly lot of sit-ups. That sentence doesn’t make any sort of grammatical sense but you get the idea.
Second up, do you have trapped wind? Some sit-ups will sort you right out. (As will yoga, for that matter.)
Third up, the push-ups felt significantly easier today, even though there were significantly more of them. I actually felt like I was doing...
1 tag
5K: 00:43:50
Marginally slower than last time tonight, but then it was night-time, cold and starting to rain. So there.
I swear the iPod’s shuffle facility is aware of what time it is and serves up time-appropriate music. As such, tonight’s run was accompanied by a variety of moody tracks, with only a couple of upbeat ones. One notable one, though, was from the OCRemix album of Doom II remixes. I...
2 tags
13 Pushups, 67 Situps
I’ve always been rubbish at pushups and situps. My lower body is much stronger than my upper body. Understandable, I guess, since my lower body has to carry around my upper body at various speeds depending on my rate of activity, or whatever the “experts” call it.
But clearly the upper body needs some attention as well as the lower body. And in the absence of any money to go...
1 tag
5K: 00:43:04
And, having promised to keep this updated with each fitness activity I do, what do I then promptly go and do? That’s right, immediately forget to do the next entry. Oh well. Here I am now. (The one I missed was 5K in 00:46:41, incidentally, nothing to get excited about.)
Today, I had new shoes to contend with. The notable differences between these new shoes and my old ones were: 1) they fit...
2 tags
5K: 00:45:21
OK. Here we go. First proper post of the new regime.
At the moment, I’m running three 5K routes a week. I’m doing the same route each time so I can (hopefully) see some improvement as I go. And sure enough, there has been, actually.
On the 11th, it took me 00:46:28. On the 13th it took me 00:45:46. And today it took 00:45:21. That looks like gradual improvement to me. This is good....
4 tags
Resurrection
This blog used to be a powerful motivational tool for me, encouraging me to keep the world (but mostly me) updated on what I’d been doing and the progress I’d been making. Anyone who knows me in real life will know that the last year has been somewhat turbulent, to say the least, and as such any and all training programmes fell a bit by the wayside.
No more, though. I’ve signed...
September 2009
1 post
1 tag
BritMilFit
Gentlemen. If, on the other hand, you would prefer rolling around in the grass with the pendulous testicles of another gentleman hanging in your face while you hold up their legs and they do press-ups on top of you… come along on a Thursday night. :)
All right, maybe the testicles weren’t actually hanging in my face. It wasn’t Nude Night, after all. But a “partner...
August 2009
7 posts
2 tags
BritMilFit
Gentlemen. If you would like to spend your Saturday mornings (and/or weeknight evenings) rolling around in the grass and wrestling with ladies, BritMilFit is for you.
I’m not sure if it was just today’s session or not, but thinking about it in the last couple of sessions I’ve been to (one of which I forgot to blog - sorry, Pheasey) it has been largely girl-dominated. Curious. I...
1 tag
Gym
Finally stopped aching from the BritMilFit stuff so went to the gym today with determination on the brain.
Since a lot of the BMF workout involves running/jogging, I thought I’d concentrate on that for a while in an attempt to build up some stamina. I can keep going on bikes and rowing for a while but for some reason I find running a lot more difficult.
Set myself a target to manage ten...
3 tags
BritMilFit
I woke up super-early this morning to make sure I had time for some breakfast before what my buddies James and Ross had assured me was a pretty punishing experience.
I had some last-minute second thoughts when I woke up feeling knackered but then I thought to myself that was clearly just evidence that I needed to do this. So I pushed myself out the door and caught the bus to the Common, not sure...
1 tag
Gym
Went to the gym this morning. Trying to get into a routine of doing it in the morning at Jane’s suggestion, as since I stopped working it’s been a real effort to get out of bed. Probably exhaustion catching up with me or something.
Anyway, today I did most of my main routine but it was a bit hot and the aircon didn’t feel like it was on in the gym so I stopped before I passed...
1 tag
Gym
Headed back to the gym today. Getting back into the swing of things now. Over the next few days and weeks I’ll hopefully be getting back on top of my game. I certainly have the time now, at least.
Did bike, treadmill and rowing followed by some weights work today. Hard work but felt good. Broke a sweat in cardio work today too.
1 tag
Gym
Despite a mild hangover after some much-appreciated and hastily-assembled revelry with my workmates last night, Jane and I went to the gym today.
Did a mild-ish workout today involving bike, treadmill and some upper body resistance work. Going to try and get back into a good rhythm over the next few days while I’m off.
1 tag
Swimming: 30 lengths
It’s been a while, but with the bizarreness that’s been going on in my life (which is pretty public knowledge by now I think) the whole fitness thing has fallen a bit by the wayside.
Well no longer! After being unceremoniously dumped by my employer I find myself with a glut of spare time. So I’m going to try and use it to get myself back into that awesome rhythm I had before....
July 2009
1 post
1 tag
Gym
Been in holiday so I freely confess some wagon-falling-off may have occurred. Went back to the gym for a short session today though. Didn’t do a full workout but did enough to break a sweat.
Going to pick the EA thing up again too. It was going well.
June 2009
5 posts
1 tag
EASA: Day 4
Bring it, EA.
Actually, I’m wary of talking smack to EASA as it’s clearly trying to kill me. Each day of exercises has been getting tougher and tougher. Today was difficult to get through. There were a lot more of the “combination” exercises introduced yesterday, with some particularly brutal ones including squat jumps and alternating lunge jumps. These weren’t so...
1 tag
EASA: Day 3
Yes, I’m aware two days have elapsed since Day 2. The day after Day 2 was scheduled as a “rest day” so I took advantage of it. Yesterday I came home from work dribbling with snot and hacking up a lung so it probably wasn’t the best idea to overdo it. Took today off as I felt awful this morning and had a throat so sore my voice put James Earl Jones to shame. Spent much of...
1 tag
EASA: Day 2
Did a second day of EA Sports Active today, even after walking four miles earlier. It was a nice day so I thought instead of getting a taxi from the location of my job interview back to the station, I’d walk. I didn’t count on all the coffee I’d drunk throughout the morning filtering through to my bladder quite so quickly but reached a convenient McDonald’s just in time,...
1 tag
EA Sports Active
Picked up a copy of EA Sports Active for the Wii today as I’d heard good things from several people on my Twitter stream. I enjoyed Wii Fit for a while but the lack of variety in it eventually made it get a bit dull and uninspiring. I also question the value of some of the exercises in it - none of them save the jogging (which has some seriously dodgy motion detection) are particularly...
1 tag
Gym
Back again! I actually gymmed it a couple of times last week but forgot to blog. For that, I apologize.
Glorious sunny day today but fortunately the aircon in the gym was fully functional, meaning it was nice and cool. Aircon is still a relative rarity in the UK compared to the States but if summer continues like this it will be a worthy investment for many places.
Mixed up my routine a bit...
May 2009
5 posts
1 tag
Gym
Strange few weeks so gym had kind of fallen a bit by the wayside. Went with Jane again today though and did my usual programme, accompanied by podcast fun.
It’s very hot today. Fortunately the gym is air conditioned, but the entrance to the building it and the swimming pool are in is not, meaning that you walk in the door and are immediately hit with a wave of heat and the stench of...
1 tag
Gym
This one’s for you, Pheasey, and anyone else who was getting a kick out of exercising vicariously.
I’ve actually been a couple more times than this page may have suggested but for one reason or another forgot to record them. I consider myself appropriately chastised now!
Completed Persona 4 this morning, then had a severe haircut, now I’ve been to the gym. A good day off. The...
1 tag
Gym
Felt like a lie-in yesterday, then late shift at work, then went to see Star Trek with Jane in the evening, so no time yesterday. Star Trek was awesome though.
Tired today. Unfortunately missed out on joining the fine gents at The Exploding Barrel Podcast for recording tonight due to cursed timezones, so dragged myself to the gym instead after work.
Did everything at my new...
1 tag
Gym
Day 2 combo!
Bumped up difficulties on cardio today. Did bike at level 13, treadmill on 5.5 incline and rowing on level 9. Felt about as difficult as the cardio stuff when I first started, so like the weights I think I’ll stick at this level for now.
On the TV at the gym today was a horrendous-looking TV show called The Biggest Loser. The sound was off so all I could work out was that it...
1 tag
Gym
All right, I apparently lied. But today marks “fresh start” day.
Went with Jane today. I did my usual programme on my bumped-up weights and Jane did some cardio work. She’s found that in a relatively short space of time she’s been able to build up her stamina and strength by a noticeable degree, just like I have.
I’m also pleased that even after a short break I...
April 2009
8 posts
1 tag
Gym
It’s my birthday today. Was originally going to work later today, which would have been super-rubbish. I still had to work, which was still rubbish but at least I still have a bit of my evening.
Spent a day of not feeling particularly positive so wasn’t really in a gym mood tonight, but I made myself go.
It was hard work tonight. Got through everything as usual but it was a bit of...
1 tag
Back to the Gym
No, I’m not dead! I’m still here.
Let me explain.
My computer went tits-up recently (well… the graphics card was on the way out, anyway, it hadn’t died completely) so I took it into the shop to get it fixed. This took a little longer than I anticipated so I wasn’t able to go to the gym or swimming because I wasn’t sure most nights if I’d be having to lug...
1 tag
Gym
Tumblr ate my last attempt at this post! Bastard. Oh well, let’s try again.
Missed yesterday due to time constraints. It feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day at the moment, though this feeling is probably more an indication of stress than any actual “time kompression”.
Good session this morning. Weights were tough but I was pleased that my workout synced...
3 tags
1 tag
Gym
May have forgotten to blog on Saturday. Apologies! Yesterday was, of course, Easter Sunday (a celebration we marked in our house by doing precisely nothing… Though I did complete Sonic the Hedgehog, so the day wasn’t a total loss.)
Today both Jane and I hit the gym this morning. Ish. We both had good workouts. I smashed my previous bike record by breaking the 7km in 12 minutes mark....
1 tag
Gym
Had to skip yesterday due to time constraints but I feel I made up for it today by upping the intensity. I bumped up all the weights by an additional 5kg, meaning that on the resistance machines I’m now lifting and/or pulling things that are 10kg heavier than when I first started.
Like the last time I upped the weight, it felt like I did when I first started - doable, but hard work by the...
1 tag
Gym
We’re back on! Tiring session today… flagged a bit during cardio but I decided to POWER. ON. THROUGH. and not give up.
Weight training felt all right. I’m wondering if it might be time to bump up the weight by a few kg again. We shall see - maybe I’ll give it a try in a day or two.
Summer seems to be on its way. We’re actually getting some sun in the daytime and...
1 tag
Gym
Hello everyone - you probably noticed that it’s been a few days since my last post. I had a bit of a dodgy stomach for the last few days and didn’t particularly want to aggravate it - when I first started feeling a bit queasy I did my gym session (and forgot to blog it) and then felt like crap afterwards. So I decided to take a few days off to recover rather than make things worse.
Of...
March 2009
27 posts
1 tag
Gym
Exhausting day today mentally speaking and after a post-work coffee with friends I was tempted to give up and go home.
I didn’t, though. I went and did my session and while it may be quite late now I’m glad I did.
Relatively poor performance on the cardio today but after a sleepless night I think I can be excused that. Weights went well though.
Late start tomorrow so it will be...
1 tag
Gym
Break yesterday. Back to it today, then back to work tomorrow so it will be easy to get back into the “after-work” habit.
Harder work again today. Felt tired shortly after getting onto the bike but pushed through to get an early second wind.
Muscle work was moderately challenging today, but knee lifts felt easy again. I forget which muscles that works but they’re obviously...
1 tag
Gym
Again! Jane came today after her insistence that I “make her go”.
Another good session. Actually felt easier than yesterday on the cardio equipment, except for the rowing which dragged a bit.
Weight work was particularly good for the most part today. I was particularly impressed with my knee raises today (harder than it sounds… hold on to two handles, “float”...
1 tag
Gym
Gym again today. Third day in a row so the bike in particular was hard work. Still, made it through again despite my first sighting of gum-chewing, mobile phone-toting chavs since I started.
The Exploding Barrel Podcast once again accompanied me through the trials. I’m actually guest-spotting on there tonight so be sure to check that out.