Anubis' Log

[anubis]

Hi,

Just started the workouts on Friday (Nov. 07 2008). Figured since some of you have already lent me a helping hand I should post what's up as of now to show some thanks. I have to say I was under the impression that I should consider using different levels despite my very poor chin-up abilities. After some good advice I figure I'll stick to Level one until I can do some chin-ups for real. That should take some time I imagine. Anyway here it is:

L1D1:
30 sets

I did 3 body-rows bringing my chest up to the bar as a substitution for 1 real chin-up (as per directions) due to the poor upper body strength

L1D2:
7:26 (Note: in true "Newbie can't read directions" fashion I did not stop my stopwatch when I took breaks AS DIRECTED TO DO so I figure if I factor in a rough estimate for breaks I was probably around 7:05-7:10)

L2D3: 4:39 using 30 body rows to sub for real pull-ups

Anyway, I did 3 self-assisted chin-ups to sub for each required real chin-up. Here I hung from the bar of a smith machine (I've got to use this as I don't have a real chin-up bar, it'll suck when I can really do chin-ups...) and used my legs to help push the excess weight I couldn't lift . By the fourth round I had to use a bit of a kip to ensure I was lifting as much as possible with my arms and using as little legs as possible. Hopefully this is OK. This seemed much harder than body rows to me. Should it?

Had I not been brain dead and read the directions I likely would have gotten more out of this workout as I could have rested more for no penalty and been able to work more on my chin-up strength. If anyone is just starting out I STRONGLY suggest you avoid my mistakes and read the directions!! I guess I'll use this first week to get more familiar with what I'm supposed to do and hopefully build from there.

I also added in some pec deck, weighted squats, shoulder shrugs and sit up sets as well as 30 X box jumps onto a 22" box to end off and keep the time of the workout above 30 mins. Don't know if you're supposed to include this? Perhaps not.

[volleyball_man]

Why the need to keep it above 30 mins?

Nice job going for the pullups. How tall are you? Get a door gym.

[anubis]

I'm six feet. I can hang from my smith machine with my knees bent but as there is a bar running perpendicular to the top to allow for lat pulldowns etc. kipping pullups would likely result in me being unconcious on the first trip up. I can do controlled pullups on it though. I'll have a look at a door gym but more or less the height if the smith bar is around the height of a doorway, or where I estimate a door gym might be. Any other reason you'd suggest this?

More or less the only reason to keep it over thirty mins is just to get a longer workout. No actual training motivation there other than a bit of self abuse I guess. And I like doing shrugs and box jumps. I got quite a workout from just the posted D2. Good sweat and close to max heart rate. My arms are destroyed this morning! I've already tried stretching them (and my lats and chest) out twice to regain painless motion (pain just from sore muscles not injury). That 7 and a half mins was tougher than I thought and tougher than some 1.5-2 hr weight routines I have done in the past. Hopefully this is a good sign and I can improve perhaps.

[anubis]

Did L1D3 tonight. Did body rows (30 to equal 10 real) as a sub for the real pullups.

L1D3
4:39

[anubis]

Away on vacation for a couple of weeks to see the folks and attend a wedding. Started back, here's the last week:

L1D1:
35 sets

I did 3 body-rows (alternating grips) bringing my chest up to the bar as a substitution for 1 real chin-up (as per directions)

L1D2:
6:36

Alternated between assisted pull-ups and slow-negatives as well as alternating grips as some folks in the forums have suggested that this might be a better way to achieve a real pull up than sticking to one kind of assisted exercise. Hope that's the case!

L2D3:
4:53

Using 3 body rows to sub for 1 real pull-up. I went for a 30 min run prior to this workout and as a result it felt a lot harder than the first time around.

[anubis]

On to another week.

L1D1:
33 sets (continuing with the 3 body rows per 1 chin-up subs)

L1D2
7:42 (Alternated between slow-negs, assisted-pullups as well as alternating grips)

L1D3

5:01

Not too sure why the numbers were less than last week. I was pretty unmotivated I guess on D1 and went for a 25min jog prior to doing D2 so perhaps that's why? Still would have thought I'd see small improvement. On a positive note I can feel strength increasing in terms of pull ups. Still can't bloody do one but feels like I need less assistance to do one. Hopefully that keeps improving. Will edit to include D3 on Fri.

[brichm01]

Great work! The biggest victory is staying with it!

[anubis]

Thanks. I'll feel better when I can get my D3 times (5:01 edited in above) down and get closer to a legit pull up. My primary goal right now is just to stick with it as you said. Everything else will come from that.

[volleyball_man]

Once you've been at it for 3 weeks, take a lite week. Modify everything down. Then back at it. After four rounds of 3 hard 1 lite, take a week and do NOTHING.

Nice progress!

[brichm01]

To help with the pull-ups, I would recommend getting the door gym. I got a door gym and then put a chair or exercise ball in for help. I bent my knees and kind-of hooked my toes so that if I needed help I pushed a little with my feet.

[anubis]

Thanks for the advice guys!

VBM I'm technically in my fourth week but I am only counting it as the third as I had about 10 days where I was on vacation in between the first and second. As for toning down level one would you suggest just cutting off time in D1 sets in D2 and D3? By nothing do you mean nothing in terms of Simplefit or really nothing at all? I ask as I was planning on doing a week of weight training at the end of the four week period.

birchm01 I currently use the bar on my smith machine at home to do pull-ups(or rather assisted pull-ups as I am still fighting to get one real one). It's high enough to hang from with my legs bent at the knees. From this I try to do assisted pull-ups by pulling as much as I can then using my leg/legs to give assistance when needed on D2. I do body rows D1&3 as it is for time and #of reps and slow negs really kill these. I think this sounds similar to what you suggest except no chair or ball. Do you think it is that great an advantage to invest in a door gym over the set-up I now use?

[brichm01]

Hi Anubis,
My screenname is brichm01 but real life name is Bill. I don't know which is better your smith machine or a door gym. I got the door gym on the recommendations on Simplefit. I like it because when I don't do the SimpleFit routine sometimes I just decide to do impromptu stuff with as I walk by or through the door. Sometimes I practice one arm hangs - trying to hang as long as I can. Other times I practice L-hangs - trying to bring my legs up to a right angel from my body. Not real workout per se just stuff to do in passing.

I also added Metolius Rock rings. I replaced the rope that came with them with longer rope so I can adjust their height from pull-up height to dip height to push-up height. I'll take a picture and post it here.

Anyway the most important thing isn't the equipment that you use. It's building the discipline to stick with a program through all the challenges of life.

Great work! Keep it up!

-Bill

[volleyball_man]

For the lite week - assist everything (more than normal.) If you are doing bodyrows, lessen the load by changing the angle. On pushups, do them against a wall or with your hands on a table or a stair. Reduce the number of squats.

Once you are up a level, the rec is to go down a level. Until then, be creative.

On the week off - yes, completely off. These were hard to swallow at first as was afraid I'd lose momentum. Take it as a period to let your body mend and strengthen. When you come back - WOW!

If you want some resistance (weights) training, my suggestion would be to mix it in. Wait until you've done SF only for a couple of months or so, then add some work with weights. Keep the moves limited to complex moves as opposed to isolation exercises (do deadlifts not leg presses etc.) as these will fit better into the functional fitness paradigm simplefit (or any bodyweight work) aligns with.

Have you taken a before pic? Do it - post it when you are ready (I waited until I had something to show progress with as I'm a bit vain

Hang in there and keep up the good work!

[anubis]

Hey guys,

Thanks again for the added advice and encouragement. It definitely helps. The more educated you are on how to approach this stuff so you don't burn out or loose motivation, obviously, the better the chances of succeeding.

Bill, I think I'm leaning towards getting a pull up bar as I see the benefit of trying one when you walk past it even if it isn't part of a full work out. Hangs, jump-ups or impromptu pull-up attempts can only help(I tried a dead hang yesterday and could only get a third of the blankety blank way up ) . This part is certainly killing me mentally (the inability to do pull-ups), as I don't have difficulty with the push-ups and squats, but the pull-up seems like it will be a long time a' commin'. I might try to get a Powertrainer Powerbar as it seems like the best option for me after perusing some of the forum discussions on this. After all it is Christmas! And my wife can't think of anything to get me so... Perhaps next summer I'll look into an outdoor rig like VBM's if I can do pull-ups by then. Also had a look at the rock rings. I assume there is no opening to reach all the way through? If so would that make it more difficult to use (i.e. requiring more pinch grip strength) than a traditional ring? I have been considering rings but I thought I'd hold out until I get a bit stronger. Plus, and most importantly, I want to focus on sticking with the programme as, like you said, the equipment won't make a difference if I'm not using it!

VBM, I'll stick to your advice for the three normal, 1 lite one off. Your advice about not levelling up until I can complete a "true" level has been paying off I believe. The good thing is that my lite week will fall on the week of Xmas, and my off week the week following so that puts me in good contention to not fail at maintaining a good work ethic over the holidays . The rest week will be hard to adhere to but I'll try; it's weird but the more you do the more you want to do. I'm sure Xmas parties and the like will make it all too easy to accomplish a successful rest week! I haven't taken a start pic but maybe I will to track progress. As to if I could ever post it, I'd be surprised if I could. I'm truly too shy about that stuff. I'll try to keep plugging away though.

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement guys! Much appreciated.

[volleyball_man]

The 4th completely off happens after three full cycles - like this:

Wk 1 - full on
Wk 2 - full on
Wk 3 - full on
Wk 4 - lite (active rest)
Wk 1 - full on
Wk 2 - full on
Wk 3 - full on
Wk 4 - lite (active rest)
Wk 1 - full on
Wk 2 - full on
Wk 3 - full on
Wk 4 - lite (active rest)
Wk 1 - full on
Wk 2 - full on
Wk 3 - full on
Wk 4 - off (inactive rest)

The week after Xmas - kick it hard buddy!