The Big L's workout log

[The Big L]

By way of introduction, I'm here from marksdailyapple forums via Cheapo. I've been doing free-form pullups/pushups for most of the last year, with sporadic time off due to minor injuries and laziness. At the beginning of the year I started following Mark Sisson's "Primal Blueprint Fitness" program. The relevant portion of that consists of pullups/pushups/squats/overhead presses/planks in a slow circuit, repeated for 2 cycles, and done twice a week. I got a little bored with that and decided to give SimpleFit a try a few weeks ago. Just before starting simplefit, I was capable of doing about 15 reps of pull ups, 35 pushups, and 60+ squats. I decided to start at Level 3 to get used to the increased rep volume. Without further ado, here's my progress over the last few weeks:

L3D1 - 28 rounds (2/21/2011)
For pullups, I alternated between shoulder-width pullups and slightly narrower chinups. I hadn't done any real endurance conditioning for a long time, so even though I took it easy, this was very exhausting.
Pullup reps: 56 total (pull + chin)
Pushup reps: 84
Squat reps: 140

L3D2 - 3:35s (2/23/2011)
Added in a "bonus" round to make it 4:10s for 6 rounds. I thought this workout was relatively easy.
Pullup reps: 18 (pull + chin)
Pushup reps: 60
Squat reps: 96

L3D3 - 2:50s (2/25/2011)
Pretty much a breeze. Added in some more pull/chin/push sets, and then a pullup/pushup superset-pyramid thing (1 pull, 2 push, 2 pulls, 4 pushes...up to 5 pulls, 10 pushes, and back down to 1:2 again)
Weekly pullup reps: D1 (56) + D2 (18) + D3 (16 + 16 + 36) = 142
Weekly pushup reps: D1 (84) + D2 (60) + D3 (33 + 38 + 72) = 287
Weekly squat reps: D1 (140) + D2 (96) + D3 (33) = 269

I graduated myself to level 4

L4D1 - 27 rounds (3/1/2011)
Again, the cardio-vascular aspect of Day 1 was brutal.
Pullup reps: 54 (mixed pull + chin + parallel chin)
Pushup reps: 108 (mixed narrow, shoulder, and wide width)
Squat reps: 162

L4D2 - 4:45s (3/3/2011)
Substantially more challenging than L3D2 for some reason.
Pullup reps: 20 (mixed grips, widths)
Pushup reps: 60 (all shoulder-width)
Squat reps: 100

L4D3 - 3:45s (3/5/2011)
Not too bad. Broke pullups into 2 sets of 12 and 8, and pushups into 2 sets of 25 and 16.
Weekly pullup reps: D1 (54) + D2 (20) + D3 (20) = 94
Weekly pushup reps: D1 (108) + D2 (60) + D3 (41) = 209
Weekly squat reps: D1 (162) + D2 (100) + D3 (43, oops!) = 305

I graduated myself to level 5

L5D1 - 21 rounds (3/7/2011)
This endurance thing really isn't getting any easier for me so far. Still feel utterly demolished after 20 minutes of this.
Pullup reps: 63 (33 pulls, 30 chins)
Pushup reps: 105 (65 shoulder width, 40 wide width)
Squats: 168


Ok, hopefully from now on I'll update after each workout, rather than in a big batch. So far I'm really enjoying SimpleFit. Definitely an increase in weekly rep volume over what I was doing before, and the day 1 endurance aspect is a work in progress. I'm satisfied with the number of rounds I'm getting in 20 minutes, but I'm not used to the deathly feeling that accompanies it.

[The Big L]

L5D2 - 5:38s (3/10/2011)
Pullup reps: 25 (mixed grips, widths)
Pushup reps: 75 (3 sets a bit wider than shoulder width, 2 sets a little wider yet)
Squat reps: 130

This felt about at the right level for me. Round 4 and especially 5 were bringing me pretty close to fatigue on the last rep for pullups and pushups. I still had plenty of juice to do the squats, but reps 15-26 in the last two rounds really started to burn. It will be interesting to see how I do on judgment day this week. If I don't clear 5 minutes with time to spare, I'm tempted to re-do level 5 next week.

[The Big L]

L5D3 - 5:46 (3/12/2011)
Pullup reps: 26 (mixed grips: 13+8+3+2)
Pushup reps: 51 (30+10+6+3+2)
Squat reps: 51

Ouch, I met my match in L5D3. I had to do a late afternoon workout instead of my normal mid-morning workout, and it didn't feel quite right...I was pretty tired from the first set of pullups onward. I also seem to have lost a couple reps off my PR for both pullups and pushups since starting SimpleFit. Prior to starting SimpleFit I was at 15+ for pullups and 35 for pushups. Now I seem to have trouble hitting 13 and 30, respectively, on judgment day. It could be that I'm subconsciously not letting myself go all out on the first set of reps since I know that I need to leave something in the tank for the rest of the reps.

[The Big L]

L5D1 - 22 rounds (3/14/2011)
Pullup reps: 66 (33 pulls, 33 chins)
Pushup reps: 126 (shoulder width, 110 + 16 extra in final round)
Squats: 184 (176 + 8 extra in final round)

Another painful day 1. I was determined to beat last week's 21 rounds, and managed to do so fairly easily. I finished my 21st round with about 2 minutes on the clock. I took almost a minute's rest before starting round 22. I was very slow and deliberate with my form in the last round, and decided to go to near-failure on pushups (21), and then keep doing squats 'til the time ran out (16).

I noticed lately that I've been cheating a bit on pullups and chinups: on the descent I stop a bit short of a deadhang and then "bounce" back up into the next ascent. Today I was much more careful, going as close to dead-hang as I felt comfortable with, and stopping at the bottom before beginning the ascent. The cumulative effect was noticeable, as I was struggled a bit to get the 3rd pullup in the last few rounds.

[The Big L]

L5D2 - 5:52s (3/16/2011)
Pullup reps: 25 (15 pulls, 10 chins)
Pushup reps: 75 (moderately wider than shoulder width)
Squat reps: 130

I'm not taking breaks between pullups and pushups, or pushups and squats, so the only way I could reduce my time was to do faster reps. I didn't see any point in that. Instead I intentionally went fairly slow (especially with pullups) to make sure my form was excellent. Additionally I pulled myself up about as high as I could go over the bar rather than just high enough to easily clear the bar with my chin. I'm continuing to stop slightly short of a dead hang, so that I'm not locking out and resting, and not using any momentum bounce at the bottom of the descent.

There's some minor pain in my left shoulder that popped up after L5D1 this week, and again toward the end of today's session. Hopefully that won't turn into something obnoxious like chronic tendonitis.

[The Big L]

L5D3 - 4:55 (3/18/2011)
Pullup reps: 26 (mixed grips: 8+7+6+2+3)
Pushup reps: 51 (18+15+12+6)
Squat reps: 51

I beat 5 minutes, but I definitely let my form suffer near the end of each exercise type. I was just barely squeezing out the last couple of pullups and pushups. When I got to the squats I was racing against the clock. Basically I had to do them almost as fast as I could to beat the clock. That goes against my philosophy of emphasizing quality of reps over volume of reps...but I just couldn't ignore that ticking clock today.

I'm undecided about whether to advance to level 6 next week or not. I'm tempted to start over at level 3 (or lower) with a modestly weighted vest and work my way back up through level 5 again.

[The Big L]

Long story short: because of boredom setting in, I decided to change things up a bit by starting over at level 1 with a weight vest. Well, technically a backpack with some sandbags in it. My plan for progression is this:

1) Level 1 while wearing approximately 10% of my bodyweight in a backpack. When I finish L1D3 in <= 5 minutes, I add in another ~ 5% of my bodyweight and start Level 1 again. Repeat this process until I've added approximately 1/3 of my bodyweight into the backpack. Then start at Level 2 with 10% of body weight added. Etc.

2) On WOD's, add an extra 2 supersets of weighted pullups and pushups later in the day after SimpleFit. Each set will go just short of failure.

We'll see how long I stick with this plan. As for today...

L1D1 - 33 rounds with 17lbs (3/21/2011)
Pullup reps: 33 (17 pullups, 16 chinups)
Pushup reps: 66
Squat reps: 99 (also held a 3.3lb sand bag in each hand to help with balance)

[cheapo]

That sounds like a good plan.

[The Big L]

cheapo - hopefully it's a plan I can stick to! I'm not sure whether my intended progression with the weights is too aggressive, not aggressive enough, or somewhere inbetween. I guess I'll sort it out as I go.

Addendum to L1D1:

Two rounds of 17lb weighted pullup/pushup sets - 3/21/2010
Pullup reps, round one: 8
Pushup reps, round one: 15 (decline with feet on a 18" high chair)
Chinup reps, round two: 9
Pushup reps, round two: 18 (same decline)

These were my first sets of weighted pullups and pushups to near-failure in quite a while. It felt good, and I was a little surprised I got as many pullup/chinup reps as I did. Form was impeccable, and all movements were slow and controlled with full range of motion. Pulls and chins brought my chin several inches above the bar. Pushups were done on my fists for slightly greater ROM on the descent. I find that my workouts are more rewarding if I really concentrate on form, rather than just banging out as many reps as possible.

The only downside is that I continue to experience left shoulder pain for a while after my workouts lately. It doesn't bother me 48 hours afterward, so it hasn't interrupted my routine yet.

[The Big L]

L1D2 - 3:10s with 17lbs (3/23/2011)
Pullup reps: 10 (4 pulls, 4 chins, 2 neutral grip)
Pushup reps: 30
Squats reps: 60 (plus 2x3.3 lbs sandbags for balance)

Breezed through this one. But it's probably good to keep the intensity low at the beginning as my joints and tendons get used to the extra 17 lbs. I'm on the fence about adding my planned 2-rounds of pullup/pushup sets to near failure later today. My left shoulder didn't hurt at all when I woke up this morning, nor was there any pain during or after the workout. If it feels fine later, I'll probably do the 2 rounds.

*Edit*: decided to skip the extra pullup/pushup rounds after the left shoulder started feeling sore.

[The Big L]

L1D3 - 2:13s with 17lbs (3/25/2011)
Pullup reps: 10 (5 pulls, 10s rest, 5 chins)
Pushup reps: 21 (1 continuous set, nearing failure)
Squat reps: 21 (+6.6lbs sandbags for balance)

This one was too easy. I'll make up for it later with a couple pullup/pushup sets to near failure though.

Left shoulder continues to have mild pain for a day or two after WOD's. I even felt it a bit this morning, but by workout time it was gone. Here's hoping that 2 solid rest days gives it ample time to heal before L1D1 + 24 lbs next week.

[The Big L]

Addendum to L1D3:

Four rounds of pullup/pushup sets - 3/25/2010
Pullup reps, round one, 17lb backpack: 8
Pushup reps, round one, 17lb backpack: 12 (decline with feet on bed)
Chinup reps, round two, 17lb backpack: 9
Pushup reps, round two, 17lb backpack: 10 (same decline)
Pullup reps, parallel grip, round three, 17lb backpack: 6
Pushup reps, round three, 17lb backpack: 8 (same decline)
Pullup reps, round four, bodyweight: 8
Pushup reps, round four, bodyweight: 9 (same decline)

All sets were to near failure. Yeah, I'm gonna need the weekend to recover.

[The Big L]

L1D1 - 31 rounds with 24lbs (3/28/2011)
Pullup reps: 31 (7 narrow grip, 6 medium, 6 parallel, 12 chins)
Pushup reps: 62
Squat reps: 93 (also held a 3.3lb sand bag in each hand to help with balance)

Today's workout was after a 17 +/- hour fast (had a sweet potato 1/2 hour before the workout, so technically it was a 1/2 hour fast ). Felt pretty good overall. I'm OK with adding ~7lbs to the backpack and only losing 2 rounds. I didn't feel like I pushed myself extra hard, but I was definitely sweating more than usual. Planning on trying a couple sets of pullups to near failure tonight, shoulder willing.

[The Big L]

Addendum to L1D1:

Three rounds of weighted pullup/pushup sets - 3/28/2011
Pullup reps, round 1: 10 (parallel grip, 17lb backpack)
Pushup reps, round 1: 10 (24lb backpack)
Chinup reps, round 2: 10 (chin grip, 17lb backpack)
Pushup reps, round 2: 11 (24lb backpack)
Chinup reps, round 3: 12 (bodyweight)
Pushup reps, round 3: 22 (bodyweight)

I did all sets to near failure. Squeezed a positive rep out of the end of each set, though mostly the last rep in each set was about 3x slower than the other reps. Managed to add a rep or two for the weighted pullups vs last week, so I'm happy about that. I also used pushup bars for greater ROM, which, along with 7 more lbs in the backpack, probably accounts for my drop in reps from last week.

[The Big L]

L1D2 - 3:32s with 24lbs (3/30/2011)
Pullup reps: 10 (4 pulls, 4 chins, 2 neutral grip)
Pushup reps: 30
Squats reps: 60 (plus 2x3.3 lbs sandbags for balance)

Nothing too exciting here. Slow and steady reps, about 2 mins rest between rounds.