Back Squats are Fun

When I was younger, even when I rowed in high school, I didn't squat. I did bodyweight squats as well as exercises like leg press, and the rowing itself worked the same muscles, but I never did a squat with a barbell. Now that I'm older and wiser, I realize how important squats are - particularly from the perspective of longevity of activity. The hips and lower back are a very common area where people get injuries as they age, so the more of a foundation of strength and stability we can build, the better.

Workout

Time of workout: 7 AM

Warm-up: 5 minutes shadowboxing with calisthenics mixed in. I just kept it active and loose.

1. Back Squat: Bar x 5 reps

2 Pull-ups

I did the pull-ups straight after racking the bar, although I had about a minute rest between the pull-ups and the next set of squats. In case you are wondering, I can't do that many pull-ups in a row (maybe 5), so 2 is a solid amount to do between each squat set.

2. Back Squat: 65 x 5

2 Pull-ups

3. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

4. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

5. Back Squat: 85 x 5

2 Pull-ups

I recorded my last set of squats. The quality isn't great, but I want to use the videos occasionally to check my form and share them with you.

Heavy Bag: 5 minutes

I tried to keep the pace going for the 5 minutes. I also focused on body and head evasion. I originally wanted to use the double-end bag, which focuses on evasion and head movement, but my bungee cords need to be replaced, so I tried to keep in the spirit of the intended medium.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Duration of workout: ~25 minutes (it got broken up as I was getting my son ready for school between the main workout and the stretching, but probably 25 minutes of actual exercise.

Post-Workout Thoughts

I was pleased by the workout. I can squat more, but as I want to progress slowly as I haven't squatted heavy since before my knee surgery in 2013. However, I feel progress and a good workout overall. I could feel some good soreness from my shoulders from the Turkish Get-ups and Heavy Bag yesterday. Not too bad, but I wouldn't want to have bench pressed today.

Thank you for checking out my blog. Let me know what you think and I always appreciate any feedback. I'm not an expert on working out or blogging, but I try my best. God bless you.

Working Out When Sick

November 1, 2015

Today I debated whether or not I should work out as I have a little cold and sore throat. After reading this article about working out when sick, I decided to do a quick workout focusing on technique and skills. In summary, you shouldn't workout when the cold is in the lungs (or "below the neck") or if you have a fever. Otherwise, listen to your body!

Workout

Warm-up: Joint Rotation - 3 minutes 

I knew I was doing a less intense workout, so I just loosened up a little.

Turkish Get Up (TGU): 5 minutes with dumbbell (~8 pounds). Alternated reps with each side.

I found some pain in my right knee (I had surgery a couple years ago and there is pain sometimes on contact with the incision). But I worked through it as I knew it wasn't an injury. 

Heavy Bag: 3 minutes (light intensity)

Turkish Get Up (TGU): 5 minutes with dumbbell (~8 pounds). Alternated reps with each side.

Kettlebell Swings: 3 sets of 10 reps

Stretching: 6 minutes

Total Workout Time: ~25 minutes

Comments

I didn't really plan out my workout other than that I wanted to practice the TGU. My form is still there, but I wanted to use light weights for safety as I tried to focus on technique. I think a little added resistance will be good because the light weight allowed me to "cheat" as I didn't have to hold the weight directly overhead - e.g. I could hold it at an angle without it falling.

My Turkish Get-up technique is from Jeff Martone - both through his kettlebell book and his Crossfit videos. It is also known as a "tactical" TGU in that it is meant to be the fastest way to do it and not necessarily focusing on the perfect aesthetic. However, it's functional and the exercise will be great for my overall core and posture development.

Today's workout was about "play." I didn't want to focus too much on the design of my workout. My main goals was to practice TGU and threw in the heavy bag work and KB swings because I felt like it. It was a fun workout for me and  a good used of my time on a busy day of housework and spending time with the family.

Resources

Exercising when Sick: A Good Move? http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick

Video: The Turkish Get-up with Jeff Martone (from the Crossfit channel)