Beaver's log

[Beaver]

Newbie here,
Started Simple fit today. I have been doing starting strength for the past year but as of lately I have been snake bitten with injuries. Plus, I really need to lose body fat. Anyway, I am starting today with lvl 1 and will go from there. I'll be doing Day 1 on Wednesday, Day 2 on Friday, and Day 3 on Monday. The only extra work I will do are sprints on Saturday and maybe some shoulder strengthening exercises on Monday after my simplefit workout since I am recovering from shoulder impingement.


Stats 22/02/2012:
Age: 37
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 190 lbs
Waist: 37 1/2 inches.


WEEK 1:

L1D1: 55 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated chins and pulls each round)


notes: 20 minutes can seem like a long time but felt good. I know it will get alot harder in the next few levels.

[Beaver]

L1D2: 3:16 (alternated chins and pulls w/ pulls first) w/ 1 min. rest between sets


notes: I hope I am keeping time correctly as I would simple start my time and stop after completion of each set. Or should I let the time run and then deduct 4 min.?

I also completed sets of situps 40/30/20/10 w/ 1 min. rest between sets afterwards. Since I am still a military reservist, I need to keep these up for testing. I also completed shoulder strengthening exercises as needed.

[KTG]

Hi Welcome to our little group. That looks like a great start. Keeping uninjured is key.

You are right about the time keeping. Most of us stop the clock between rounds on d2. Some don't use the clock at all on D2, and just focus on form.

Regulation is 3 minutes between D2 rounds. I've found that 2 minutes works pretty well for me so far.

Weight isn't really an issue for me, so I can't much talk, but my impression is that what you eat is really critical, since simplefit is a relatively short and efficient set of workouts. I don't know how much fat it can really burn.

[Beaver]

Thanks for the advice KTG. I guarantee you once I get to the higher levels, I will use those 3 minutes on D2. For fat loss, that will be my diet, but I am using this workout plan to keep muscle mass and train. Good news is my stats will change alot today. However, I am on a 24 hr fast. Not on purpose, I just skipped dinner last night since I wasn't hungry. We will see how this affects my D3 today.

[Beaver]

L1D3: time 1:22 (5 pullups/5 chinups)

finished up workout with situps: 40/30/20/10 with 1 min. rest between sets. I did not complete shoulder exercises since spring fling hit everyone today and the gym was packed. I may need to start going mid afternoon when the lunch crowd has cleared out. 24 hr fast did not affect performance, but probably affected my weight and waist measurements this morning.

Current stats (27/02/2012):
Weight: 184.4
Waist: 36 3/4
Neck: 15
chest: 43
hips: 39 are my hips supposed to be bigger than my waist. sure as hell doesn't look like it in mirror.

[Beaver]

WEEK 2:

Wednesday: L2D1: 49 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated chins and pulls each round)

Thursday: 1 hour walk
Friday: whole lotta nothing. Got sent home early from work and had to pick up kids from school due to tornado's. L2D2 delayed until tomorrow

Saturday: L2D2: 4:01 alternating pulls and chins w/ 1 minute rest between sets + situps 40/30/20/10 w/ 1 minute rest between sets.

Sunday: Sprints 4 x 20 sec. w/ rest being walk back to starting point. Goal was 5, but my hamstrings were screaming after 4 and I didn't want to pull something.

Monday: L2D3: 1:40 (8 pullups/5 chinups) I have pain in my left forearm during pulls/chins that google says is from a weak forearm not being able to keep up with bicep. So I am starting to include grip strength. My left hand is definately weaker than my right. 3 x 45 lbs barbell reverse curls for 10 reps each (45/45/45) and holding 100 lb. dumbbells in each hand for 30 sec x 3. I only made it to 20 sec. on last set. (30/30/20)

Current stats (05/03/2012):
Weight: 188.4
measurements: - wife "borrowed" my tape and I couldn't find it this moring. I can guestimate that nothing has changed. I did eat like crap this weekend.

[Beaver]

WEEK 3:

03/07/2012 Wednesday: L3D1: 39 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated pulls and chins each round).....this was tough going and I had to take about a 5 min. break afterwards before doing some forearm strengthening exercises. My shoulders and arms are definitely feeling it.

03/09/2012 Friday: L3D2: 4:16 (alternated pulls and chins each round)...getting tougher

03/12/2012 Monday: L3D3: 2:13 (8 pulls/ 5 chins/3 chins) felt weaker in the pullups/chinups for some reason. Maybe just one of those days.




03/12/2012 Monday Morning Weigh & Tape:
Age: 37
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 185.3
neck: 15
chest: 43
waist: 36.75
hips: 38.5
thighs: 22


Other exercise during the week:
03/06/2012 Tuesday: 1 hour walk during lunch
03/08/2012 Thursday: 1 hour walk during lunch
03/11/2012 Sunday: 6 x 20 sec. sprints uphill (.75 mile warmup jog to hill and walked back home)

[KTG]

39 rounds is terrific! I expect you are quite ready for L4. Nice job!

[Beaver]

39 rounds is terrific! I expect you are quite ready for L4. Nice job!

I hope so, but the rounds are getting tougher. Although, I have no idea how to kip and from reading journals that will be required to move up levels.

[Beaver]

WEEK 4:

03/14/2012 Wednesday: L4D1: 35 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated pulls and chins each round).....pushups started getting tough towards the later rounds.



Notes:
Wow, my shoulders and forearms were smoked after L4D1. My son fell asleep in the hallway and I had to carry him back to bed. He only weighs 40 lbs., but I was struggling. This morning, my lats and hips decided to join in on the pain parade.




Other exercise during the week:
03/13/2012 Tuesday: 1 hour walk during lunch
03/15/2012 Thursday: 1 hour walk during lunch
03/19/2012 Monday: 1 hour walk during lunch

[Beaver]

Well, I didn't get a chance to attempt L4D2 this weekends or sprint. since my forearms are still a little sore, I am taking today off and starting back on Wednesday on L4D1.

03/19/2012 Monday Morning Weigh & Tape:
Age: 37
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 180.8
neck: 15
chest: 42
waist: 36.5
hips: 38
thighs: 22/22
arms: 13/13.5 yes my right arm is .5 inches bigger than left


so tape shows decrease on chest waist and hips, yeah!!!!

[Beaver]

WEEK 5:

03/21/2012 Wednesday L4D1: 35 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated pulls and chins each round).....pullups and pushups started getting tough towards the later rounds. but I was not as smoked after the workout as the previous week.

03/23/2012 Friday L4D2: 5:56 (I alternated pulls and chins each round and 1 set of stacked pullups in the middle)

03/26/2012 Monday L4D3: 3:52 (pullups/chins 10/5/2/1/2 pushups: 41* squats: 41 I completed all 10 pullups and then hit the wall on chinups. pushups, I had to take a slight break with butt up in the air at 36. First time I have had to break pushups.

03/26/2012 Monday Morning Weigh & Tape:
Age: 38
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 184.8
neck: 15
chest: 42
waist: 36.5
hips: 38
thighs: 22/22
arms: 13/13.5

No change in measurements, but since my birthday was saturday, this was a horrible week diet wise. I assume the 4 lb. increase is water weight. biggest thing is no increase in any measurements.




Other exercise during the week:
03/20/2012 Tuesday: 1 hour walk during lunch
03/22/2012 Thursday: 1 hour walk during lunch

[Beaver]

WEEK 6:

03/28/2012 Wednesday L5D1: 25 rounds in 20 minutes (I alternated pulls and chins each round).....still had 1 minute remaining, but was gassed. Pulls and chins became 1 repetition apiece about 3/4 way through.

03/30/2012 Friday L5D2: 6:48 (I alternated pulls and chins each round)....brachioradialis in forearm very sore during workout from Wednesday. Oh and for the first time, my hamstrings have been very sore from Wednesday. Also a first, squats were getting tough towards the end. I am definately going to feel sore this weekend.

04/02/2012 Friday L5D3: 4:50 Hell yeah! just made it. pulls and chins went like this: 8 pulls/ 7 chins/2 pulls/2 pulls/1 pull/2 chins/2 chins/2chins) something like that, I was just trying to make it through and my form was not perfect. I did not go down all the way of a few. pushups were 30/15/6 and I was disappointed in them as they are usually my strong suit, but I could tell by 20 I was getting tired real quick. Squats were all the way through I had about 1:20 left on the clock once I started them. Icing brachioradialis in forearms with cold water bottle right now.




04/02/2012 Monday Morning Weigh & Tape:
Age: 38
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 184.8
neck: 15
chest: 42
waist: 36
hips: 38
thighs: 22/22
arms: 13/13.5

lost 1/2 inch of the waist even though there was no weight lost. However, I attribute the no weight loss to water weight. I had pizza and ice cream for dinner last night and 2 bowel movements already this morning at work.

[KTG]

This is just awesome progress burning through level 4 and now 5. Great job! I'm gassed at 25 rounds on D1 as well, but don't have anything like a minute remaining at the end.

[Beaver]

This is just awesome progress burning through level 4 and now 5. Great job! I'm gassed at 25 rounds on D1 as well, but don't have anything like a minute remaining at the end.

thank you, but I am definitely getting to the hard stuff now. For the first time, I am questioning whether I can finish day 3 within 5 minutes.