Re: Post your daily exercise routine

On the sled press I put my feet slightly narrower than shoulder width just below the centre of the plate, the toes around the centre point (but I've got big feet!). I find this the best position for pushing with the soles fully flat on the plate, plus it keeps me from arching my back. I push about half way on high reps like these. On slower, heavy weights I'll go deeper.
I sometimes use the sled for calf pressing also but instead positioning my toes at the bottom of the plate and push with them only, working the calf muscles.

The double session will be a killer but I'll be doing alternate push and pull exercises, so to make it more interesting!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Thanks Floydy for your comments, runnings not for everyone and I am also amazed at the amount of gym work you put in, and by the look of you, you certainly have done it right. You obviously enjoy what you do otherwise it would have gone by the wayside years ago, and to avoid injury you must have researched and tailored your workouts perfectly. You are an impressive athlete....

Surfermom.....Now it's your turn....Eeek...With one day to go? all the work should have been done, gentle walking and stretching is now on the menu, the actual event is just the lap of honour.....I remember the tightening of the buttocks and the hairs on the back of my neck standing erect as I drove to a venue and caught sight of a mile marker board...... Standing on the start line gazing at other runners and wondering why they all looked better prepared and fitter than me......The nervous energy that coursed through my body and made it impossible to stand still....Then the sound of that pistol......The first six runners fell to the floor....Hahaha..only joking... ...The first mile shuffling and bumping into other people and trying to find space so as not to get kicked or tripped. Looking at the watch and realising you are going too fast....Then......just another day at the office....Doing something you have done a thousand times before.....

I managed a three mile walk yesterday with some minor discomfort afterwards, and again this morning, feeling a little better once the overnight stiffness had dispersed. One or two paces on me toes made me realise that I'm not ready to run yet.....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Cant believe it was only a week ago I walked three miles, yesterday I hardly stirred out of bed, and today I managed 200 yards to speak to the pharmacist
Still, thats 200 yards more than Ive managed all week!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Bob - Thanks for your comments yesterday mate. It does help the ego a little giving me the motivation to keep on with this sort of stuff.

You'll get there again very soon I should think with your running again bud. You've certainly got a much better chance of recovery than those who do absolutely nothing all day long. Good luck with your recuperation bud.

Surfermom - Do you have your race tomorrow. I seem to think I read about it somewhere a few pages back? If so, good luck with that. I'm sure you'll do very well indeed.

Ruthio - We all have days where we feel more like staying indoors; this weather doesn't help with giving us any gumption to venture outdoors. Still, as you say, you've been out briefly, so it's not all in vain.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Well that was a killer!
As I intended – and it’s a very good way of fulfilling your ambitions to write your promises down on here first – I completed two sessions back to back this afternoon in just over two hours. But I nearly died doing it – or it felt like it anyway!

I forgot all about alternating the push and pull body areas and started from the top of my programme with push (chest/triceps), making my way down the list. Some pieces of apparatus were inevitably occupied as it was Friday afternoon, but no worries about changing the order with so many exercises to choose from. I’ll submit more notes as I go on with my write-up:


Friday, 16 Feb 18
(Three sets of each exercise; Previous reps in brackets)

Routine 1: Push:

DB press, 15° incline, 20kg:
19/15/12
(16/14/11)

Smith flat bench press, 35kg:
20/12/14
*Upped the weight 5kg from this time on, so previous reps are void.

Shoulder press, 30kg:
22/16/14
(20/15/12)

Chest press, 35kg:
26/21/20
(23/20/18)

Pec dec, 30kg:
33/28/26
(30/23/20)

Triceps pulldown, 41kg:
37/25/21
(28/22/17)

Single DB press, flat bench, 42kg:
20/16/16
*Upped the weight from previous 40kg. Again, previous reps are void.

Tricep extensions, 40kg:
19/15/14
*Weight increased by 5kg to 40 this time.


At this point I had done 1hr 10mins solid training with very little rest between sets and I was ready to ditch the double session idea and head off to the changing rooms for my shower. It was then I started talking to a mate for a couple of minutes and he urged me to get back in there and see if I can carry on and do a bit more, maybe a couple of exercises. I looked at my programme and thought “Okay, why the hell not?!”, and so started on the bicep work thinking if all fails, at least my arms have had a good workout. In the event I ended up doing the full lot.


Routine 2: Pull:

E-Z preacher curl, 85° arm pad (low pull position), close grip, 23kg:
32/22/19
(28/20/15)
*The final couple of reps had to be paused at the top and forced out of my arms until they were ready to explode. Managed it though!

E-Z preacher curl, 45° arm pad (standard position), wide grip, 18kg:
16/14/15
*An additional exercise, just to destroy those guns even more.

Lat pulldown, hammer bar, 35kg:
25/22/17
(37/28/22)

Lat pulldown, underarm grip, 35kg:
20/18/16
(25/23/18)
*This and the above exercise were the only two exercises of the day I couldn’t complete the proposed reps. They are back exercises, which must mean I need more isolation work there possibly.

Seated row, 41kg:
22/20/18
(20/17/15)
*Started to get my mojo back again.

Machine bicep curls, 25kg:
26/21/16
(23/20/14)

Ab crunch, 40kg:
30x40, 30x40, 30x40

Fly dec, forward pull, 50kg:
35/28/27
(30/26/24)
*Going much heavier on this final exercise. Pulling inwards with the arms.


Time: 2hr. 5min.

Apart from the one exercise where I was just too tired to make my goals, I surpassed all my previous reps. My arms are dead but that's a good sign as it means they are very well exercised and likely to show some improvement.
Not blowing my own trumpet but I’m extra pleased because I did two sessions, so I know that there’s still plenty left in the tank at 53 to do this kind of hammering and I very much doubt there were many lads in the gym today of any age doing an hour never mind two.

I’m enjoying doing these light weights now that I’ve got the strength aspect out of my mind. Even with these exercises which involve pushing yourself to the max, to failure point, it builds harder and more defined muscle than simply putting on the bulk, so that’s my way forward from now on. Plus, I’m not losing any strength too so it’s a bonus.
The only thing I will do though is set myself a "respectable and practical target" instead of trying to beat the previous session's best. I'm finding already that it's extremely difficult to sustain never mind improve on a highest figure. So instead of a 'previous' figure, there will be a more sensible 'target figure' to reach, sometimes beyond that if it's there. I will be working just as hard, but instead of killing myself, I won't need to go "to failure" on every single set - that is a waste of energy and will not any improvement in my health or fitness.

Finished off with a sunbed and a sauna.

Home now for an evening of relaxation with a curry, a few Crabbies Ginger ales and a DVD night with Mrs. Floydy.

Take care all and enjoy your weekends

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

That workout was awesome Floydy, It's tired me out just reading it. Working in any kind of training for two hours is some feat Floydy. One of the main reasons why I decided to cut down on my distance was that it took me over two hours to do what I used to do in an hour and a half. At my age, and after two heart attacks I decided that two hours of running in a single dose was too far to be healthy. Have a good weekend mate...

Ruthio......Sorry to hear you're struggling with a Virus/Cold, sleep and rest will do you a world of good and give your body the tools to fight off the infection. While we're still in winters frosty grip the decision to catch up on some boxed sets or good books will be easily made.....

Managed to walk my round a three miler today with a couple of goes at a run, but decided the piriformis is not ready yet.....Weight training was achieved by lifting and carrying a settee and two armchairs down the street to their next home....I'm buggered now though.......I don't know how Floydy does it....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

It takes time, Bob, as you know to get past an injury. The piriformis (I haven't actually heard of that before) will ease no doubt and you'll be right as rain (or sun?) very soon buddy. I know it

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Cheers Floydy, in the words of a famous bodybuilder....'I'll be Back'.........

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Ruthio, I am sorry that your house guest in the form of a lingering cold that won't move on. Rest, time, tea, lemons aren't really magic, but they seem to do the job. Did your pharmicist have any other sage recommendations? Are you catching up on movies, books, and television, or is that even too much?

Floydy, what a day for you! Isn't it great how we can get inspiration from others? That was awesome of your friend to push you on, and even better that you took the advice to heart. The result is that you know you can do a big workout and have a second serving of your wife's curry .

OGF, upper body work for you! Do you hear this forum members? If thinking about moving, OGF is your man! Seriously though, how smart of you to walk with an ever so slight test of your hips.

Your common sense about limiting your distance seems to be supported in research. My cardiologist (from the great faulty ekg incident) suggested that I knock five miles off my weekly run. He said that I would put myself less at risk for a heart incident, and I wouldn't be so wiped out post run. So far so good on the former, and definitely right on the latter.

A boring report from me, taking it easy, and a pasta dinner is forthcoming... followed by a quick little run with a few hundred friends first thing. Thanks for the advice, OGF and thanks for the good wishes Floydy. In fact, the postive vibe on this thread made me wonder whether or not I still had it in me to race, which inspired me to sign up. Thanks to all of you! It will be great fun .



Happy start to the weekend, all!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Thanks Surfermom, I do definitely feel a bit better today, just hope it lasts...no cold, never a cold, just a demonic throat/glands virus, but it hardly hurts to swallow this evening so I must be doing something right!

I'm reading loads, even cooked pancakes this evening!

Trying to keep up with threads on here is hard work, now you see them now you don't!