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The "OK, New Year's Resolutions Are Either Over Or In Full Swing" 2022 Fitness Thread!

RodeoSchro

RodeoSchro

Well-Known Member
It's almost February. You know what that means!

Yep - by now, resolutions are falling by the wayside. Lots of motivation on 1/1, not so much on 1/15. Or, maybe you're the kind who hit the ground running and haven't stopped. Either way, let's see what we can do this year!

How about a 2021/January 2022 recap to get us started?

My 2021 presented a few challenges. Mainly, typhus. That was not fun and cost me 15 pounds. But the good news is that I beat it, put the weight back on, and regained all strength - and then some.

I spent a lot of time on legs last year. I mean, a LOT. And you know who loves to do legs? Other than uptownNYC on the site that shall not be named, no one! Certainly not me! But I did it anyway and I'm proud to report that I got to the point where I could press the entire stack on the sitting leg press machine (415 pounds) and squat at least 300 pounds on the squat machine. All this was done in preparation of skiing.

It worked!

I've skied my tail off this month and my legs have not burned once. Runs that I had to stop and rest on are now done from top to bottom with no rests. I guess this is good but you know what it means, right?

Ol' RodeoSchro has to keep doing leg exercises. Yay?

My goal for 2022 is/was to put of 225 pounds in the incline bench press. I actually did that a couple weeks ago, right before we left for New Mexico. Two reps, anyway. So the short-term goal is to get to doing 6 - 8 reps at 225 and then go from there. BTW, 225 is significant because that's 2 45-pound plates on each side. As my old frat brother said, optics are everything.

Speaking of my old buddy, he came up to New Mexico to spend a few days with us. I hadn't seen him in 40 years! We had the BEST time. I knew he'd been a Marine and I figured, "Hey - those guys never let up. He's probably in pristine shape. I'd better do 1,000 push-ups before he gets here, just so I don't embarrass myself". And I did! Push-ups, that is. Not "embarrass myself". I did 150 a day for 7 days. Seemed like old times!

Well, what's on tap for 2022? (1) get to 250 on the incline press; (2) continue moving onward and upward with legs; and (3) get back to a flat belly. I've got about 5 pounds too much right now? Seems like it. I need to eat better.

That's enough about me. How are you doing? What are your fitness plans and goals for 2022?
 
Gee... your post put the idea of posting anything about my efforts at fitness to shame.

I'd intended to put something up, a while ago, in an inspirational sort of way, about Nadal, at the Australian Open, breaking the record of 20 major wins that he had shared with Federer and Djokovic. I thought that might be inspiring, since he did that after having foot surgery just last year. It was a 5 hour match against 25 year-old Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev had him down 2 sets and two break points in the third, when Nadal turned it all around. Just the mental fortitude for that. Medvedev was pretty cool about the whole reversal and never lost his temper, which, if you ever watch tennis, you'll know it's unusual to have that sort of calm and self-control after almost grasping victory. I didn't see the match but I did hear Medvedev's interview afterwards, which was sobering because, it turns out, the crowd was quite biased for Nadal (again not that unusual since he's in the later stages of his career and he's been a dominant force and always a favorite, soft-spoken and modest about his dominance). But, the crowd actually hissed, vocally hating him. For what? He spoke of the little boy in him being gone forever after that day.

Now, there's the Olympics and all these amazing athletes.

Me? I'm a disappointed in my efforts right now. I'd started out the winter with a lot of determination. Today, I haven't done much of anything. Even though it's late, I'll do an hour now of a qigong exercise.

I want to get back to the NYTimes 9... with an added 9 minute warm up. It's a concentrated workout. The warm up starts with 3 minutes of jumping jacks, 3 minutes of pogo jumps and 3 minutes of reverse lunges. Well, I found out I'm good for 1 minute of jumping jacks and 1 minute of pogo jumps and ... well. reverse lunges are dessert after the other two.

The NYTimes 9, which I've written about before, is 3 sets of 3 exercises, each performed for one minute. Easy, right? Not for me.

First: one minute of 'body-weight squats'. Followed immediately by one minute of push-ups. I can do between 15 and 20 regular push-ups and then I switch to knee push-ups, if you know what I mean. Then, one minute of 'mountain climbers'. I usually poop out just before the minute's up, somewhere between 45 seconds and a minute.
workout abs GIF by Bodyshape

Oh, yeah. So, you're still in plank position from the push-ups and you go right into this motion where you jump with your legs, switching having the knee of one leg pulled up to your chest to having that leg stretched back in plank position and the other leg bent. It's a bit like running in a plank position. After the three one-minute exercises, you rest for a minute.

Second set: one minute of plank with your forearms on the ground. Then, one minute of body-weight split squats. Imagine you're in the position a knight would take when being dubbed sir so-and-so. Then, jump up in the air and switch legs and return to the kneeling position. Alternate legs like that for one minute. The last minute of the set is one minute of single-leg hip raise, which basically feels like an opportunity to relax because it's done lying on one's back. It's sort of like this gif, but you switch legs for each raise. I don't really get the point, but never mind. It's a chance to catch your breath. After this, take another minute of rest before the last set.
Single Leg Hip Thrust GIF by Hockey Training

The last set starts with one minute of the 'burpee with push-up'.

Sort of like this guy but I do it in more distinct phases: jump, squat, jump legs back into plank, push-up, etc. I don't necessarily make it quite to the end of the minute. The last two exercises in the set are gravy though. The single leg toe touch: .... .... ....
Oh... I found the description of the exercises on youtube after thinking you had to have a NY Times subscription to access it. I can't stand to erase everything I've already written. Here's the link:
NYTimes 9 Strength Workout.

Well... I have other stuff I do, on a 3 day rotation that includes the one I've described here.
 
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barnswallow said:
@maplenpg : Any plans to do that extreme running mileage you did last year???
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Lol, I haven't run once did I did the 300km. Like not even once. I really need to get into my fitness routine again. I do like the sound of your NYT 9 minute thing. Might give it a go. I have an app (called something like the flat stomach programme) that sounds similar, but it's 6 mins. I might make it a mini challenge to myself to do that every day for a month. When I was running I stupidly applied for the London marathon, which I last did 25 years ago. I'll find out this month whether I've got in. It'll be some hardcore training if I have as I'm very out of practise. Weirdly, I've lost quite a bit of weight since stopping my fitness routine. I guess I must have been subconsciously rewarding my efforts with food - anyway, it's something I need to look out for if I start up again.

Well done to you and Rodeo - you both out me to shame.
 
Shame?!? Pshaw! Pshaw, I say!

We're all on our own journey. The key word in that journey is "gains", or "improvement" (same thing). Whether that's going from a 1/8 mile run to a mile run or from 225 pounds on the bar to 250, the only thing that matters is doing better. (I can't do either running distance, by the way! If you can run to the end of your driveway and back, you're waaaaaaay ahead of me.)

So the only reason to list our respective units of measurement is so that we know when we are making gains. Celebrate the gains, not the actual number. I've learned that if you do that, you get more gains and get them faster.
 
Does anyone else want to go up to someone who spends 95% of their time at the gym looking at their phone, grab them by the shirt, and scream "The gym is for working out!"?

'Cause if you read a story about someone who grabbed a gym patron by their shirt and screamed at them "The gym is for working out!" you'll probably know who the perp was, LOL.

That drives me crazy. And I think it's because I hate to see people waste money.
 
RodeoSchro said:
Does anyone else want to go up to someone who spends 95% of their time at the gym looking at their phone, grab them by the shirt, and scream "The gym is for working out!"?

'Cause if you read a story about someone who grabbed a gym patron by their shirt and screamed at them "The gym is for working out!" you'll probably know who the perp was, LOL.

That drives me crazy. And I think it's because I hate to see people waste money.
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they have developed conditioning-by-osmosis techniques and are smugly watching you bust ---- while deriving all the benefit. and, exponentially maximizing their workout by watching the olympics at the same time
 
While recovering from royally fucking my knee at the Umstead 100 last year I have been hitting the Peloton hard. It has enabled me to get strength built in my ligaments again to allow lateral stability and I am, at last, back to running. It has taken a full year.
My knee is holding up at last after many false starts. Running 7-10 for my long runs right now but taking it steady between stretcher runs to keep building strength without the load on my knee.
Will be pacing at Umstead this year (first weekend of April) before running it again in 2023.
March is a big month- I have an event for Dylans Wings of Change that will see me run at least 300 miles in the month.
Goal for the year is to drop 20-30 pounds and get my running back to ultra marathon levels- doing the NYC marathon in November as part of Umstead '23 prep. Will do probably 5-6 half marathons on the way as build up. I will likely be pacing a buddy for NYC that wants a sub 4hr race after running a 5 hr race last time so looks like i need to get my drill sergeant head on for that one.
 
mdiver said:
While recovering from royally fucking my knee at the Umstead 100 last year I have been hitting the Peloton hard. It has enabled me to get strength built in my ligaments again to allow lateral stability and I am, at last, back to running. It has taken a full year.
My knee is holding up at last after many false starts. Running 7-10 for my long runs right now but taking it steady between stretcher runs to keep building strength without the load on my knee.
Will be pacing at Umstead this year (first weekend of April) before running it again in 2023.
March is a big month- I have an event for Dylans Wings of Change that will see me run at least 300 miles in the month.
Goal for the year is to drop 20-30 pounds and get my running back to ultra marathon levels- doing the NYC marathon in November as part of Umstead '23 prep. Will do probably 5-6 half marathons on the way as build up. I will likely be pacing a buddy for NYC that wants a sub 4hr race after running a 5 hr race last time so looks like i need to get my drill sergeant head on for that one.
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Go get 'em! I can't even run to the end of the driveway; the distances you cover are simply incredible!

I love working out with "drill sergeants" and am one myself. "C'mon, get that bar up! My daughter can bench more than that! One more rep or I'll leave this thing on your neck!!! All the girls in the gym are starting to laugh!" Say that kind of stuff to me or I can say it to you, either way is cool, LOL.
 
RodeoSchro said:
Go get 'em! I can't even run to the end of the driveway; the distances you cover are simply incredible!

I love working out with "drill sergeants" and am one myself. "C'mon, get that bar up! My daughter can bench more than that! One more rep or I'll leave this thing on your neck!!! All the girls in the gym are starting to laugh!" Say that kind of stuff to me or I can say it to you, either way is cool, LOL.
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I remember dragging Jorge Said (renegade) from the Org around for his first sub 2hr half marathon, he fell off the cliff at mile 8 and i channeled all the years he shouted at his soldiers as 1stSG through me and hauled him over the line at 1:58 - Val told me he looked like he was going to die and I didnt have a sweat on! Happy days
 
I may not have run 137 miles, or even .137 miles and let's face it - if the monsters, aliens or Russians come, I have no chance of running away. It's either fight or climb a tree for me! BTW I'm sure I've missed it but could you post the link to donate to Dylan's Wings of Change so that you/your team gets the credit?

But anyway - workouts. I posted the Alan Ritchson workout video and later on, I watched a video from Greg Doucette, an ersatz bodybuiler/YouTube squeaker and beeper. Doucette is all bent out of shape about whether or not Ritchson used steroids, and squeaks and beeps for far too long for me to watch until the end. But he did manage to squeak out one bit of information that I'd not caught in Ritchson's video:

Ritchson's approach is to do 6 - 8 sets of each exercise, going to failure and making sure that he gets at least 16 reps before said failure. Doucette beeped that hypertrophy - that is, the increase in muscle size - occurs between 16 - 20 reps. Awesome! That's for me!

So my last two workouts have been at home (rodeo takes up too much time right now), which means I get to use my bench press machine. I usually go to 230 pounds for 6, 8 or on a good day 10 reps but I only do 2 sets at that max weight. For the Ritchson method I backed off to 170 pounds and cranked out 20 reps per set for 6 sets. It was hard!

And I supersetted bicep curls in between the bench presses. 20-pound dumb bells and 20 reps per set. Ouch! But yay! What a pump! I haven't had a pump that great in many years.

I'm looking forward to going to the gym, where I can do 2 different exercises per muscle group. Ritchson did 3 or 4 per group, IIRC. I doubt I'll get to that many different exercises but my philosophy is, "If some is good, more is better". I'll do the most I can!

I'm going to continue with the Ritchson method until at least the summer, so I can see if it's of any benefit. But so far, after only two workouts, I sure do feel like there are gains.
 
RodeoSchro said:
I may not have run 137 miles, or even .137 miles and let's face it - if the monsters, aliens or Russians come, I have no chance of running away. It's either fight or climb a tree for me! BTW I'm sure I've missed it but could you post the link to donate to Dylan's Wings of Change so that you/your team gets the credit?

But anyway - workouts. I posted the Alan Ritchson workout video and later on, I watched a video from Greg Doucette, an ersatz bodybuiler/YouTube squeaker and beeper. Doucette is all bent out of shape about whether or not Ritchson used steroids, and squeaks and beeps for far too long for me to watch until the end. But he did manage to squeak out one bit of information that I'd not caught in Ritchson's video:

Ritchson's approach is to do 6 - 8 sets of each exercise, going to failure and making sure that he gets at least 16 reps before said failure. Doucette beeped that hypertrophy - that is, the increase in muscle size - occurs between 16 - 20 reps. Awesome! That's for me!

So my last two workouts have been at home (rodeo takes up too much time right now), which means I get to use my bench press machine. I usually go to 230 pounds for 6, 8 or on a good day 10 reps but I only do 2 sets at that max weight. For the Ritchson method I backed off to 170 pounds and cranked out 20 reps per set for 6 sets. It was hard!

And I supersetted bicep curls in between the bench presses. 20-pound dumb bells and 20 reps per set. Ouch! But yay! What a pump! I haven't had a pump that great in many years.

I'm looking forward to going to the gym, where I can do 2 different exercises per muscle group. Ritchson did 3 or 4 per group, IIRC. I doubt I'll get to that many different exercises but my philosophy is, "If some is good, more is better". I'll do the most I can!

I'm going to continue with the Ritchson method until at least the summer, so I can see if it's of any benefit. But so far, after only two workouts, I sure do feel like there are gains.
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Here you go mate, thank you so much!

https://hustle.kilterrewards.com/charity/1743/challenge/263/participant/22095/Phil Bennett https://hustle.kilterrewards.com/charity/1743/challenge/263/participant/22095/Phil Bennett


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