| Training Diary |
|---|
I started keeping a training diary a while back, and at the time I thought I'd put it up because there isn't much out there for women who train seriously, but not for anything in particular and who don't want to be superwomen. For the record, my commitment to training is partially because exercise is my last best defence against the re-occurence of my illness, partially because it helps with the cycling, and partially because I happen to think that Ripley #8 is a damn sexy creature and that aesthetic appeals to me. I'm a mesomorph, which means I put on fat and muscle easily, and I have a very large frame with broad shoulders.
In February 2002 the stats lined up as:
Now it's December 2003 and, weirdly, the only thing to have changed is my height (which changes the BMI slightly). I'm now around 170cm - that's T'ai Chi for you.
I gave up going to the gym when we moved further out from Exeter, as a 35-mile round-trip commute doesn't leave much time (or energy) for going to the gym. I have bought myself one of these personal home trainer things that uses pulleys and my own weight for resistance, but it takes up quite a bit of space when folded out and there's rarely enough room to use it.
At the end of July this year, I started keeping a ride log book, but that kind of fell by the wayside in October when I went down with the flu. I'm still recovering from that - pacing myself, as it were, so as not to go down with post-viral. This means accepting a lift part of the way to work whenever one is offered, which is most mornings and evenings at the moment, it seems. I've also bought a heart rate monitor and some books on training for "endurance athletes". They look a bit pretentious on the shelf, to be honest. I might have come round to the idea of being a cyclist, but an athlete? I don't think so.
Anyway. As things stand I'm going to leave the old stuff up for my own reference if nothing else. Once I get my legs back I'll start putting the mileage figures up as well.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Elliptical | Fat burner 5 | 20 mins |
| Bicep curls | 7kg, 9kg | 1x 12, 1x6 |
| Lat pull-down | 75lb | 2x10 |
| Shoulder press | 50lb | 2x10 |
| Assist chin | 52lb | 2x10 |
| Assist dip | 52lb | 2x10 |
| Chest press | 37.5lb | 2x10 |
| Crunches | Straight | 40 |
| Crunches | Reverse | 20 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 40 each side |
65km, average speed 18 kmh, including stops (computer set to manual).
Off gym for 2 weeks with fractured toe. Cut rest periods between sets from 90 seconds to 45.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Rower | 10 | 10 mins (2mins20/500m, 35SPM, 2131m, 717cal/hr, 121W |
| Assist chin | 52lb | 1x10, 1x8 (fail) |
| Assist dip | 52lb | 1x12, 1x9 (fail) |
| Bicep curls | 8kg, 10kg | 1x8, 1x5 (fail on left) |
| Lat raises (vert row) | 10kg | R 1x 12, 1x10; L 1x11 (fail), 1x10 (fail) |
| Shoulder press | 37.5lb, 50lb | 1x10, 1x5 (fail) |
| Lat pull-down | 75lb | 1x8 (fail), 1x6 (fail) |
| Chest press (vert) | 37.5lb | 2x12 |
| Fly | 12.5lb | 2x12 |
| Crunches | Straight | 50 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 50 each side |
| Crunches | Reverse | 30 |
Cycle home (windy, wet, 2 panniers) 0:40:18, average 20.7km/h, 13.95km.
Not happy with fit of fly machine at this gym. I was lifting 40kg on the one in Oxford. I used to be doing 3x10 at 20kg on the lat raises as well, and 70kg on the lat pull-down. Lost a lot of strength and not happy about it.
72km, average ~ 18km/h including shorter stops (of less than 30 mins).
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Elliptical | Fat Burner Plus 5 | 20 mins (8.2 mets, 77 length, 2.66km, 170cal, 105 rate) |
| Assist chin | 52lb | 1x10, 1x9 |
| Assist dip | 52lb | 1x12, 1x10 |
| Shoulder press | 37.5lb | 1x10, 1x9 (fail) |
| Fly | 12.5lb, 25lb | 1x12, 1x10 |
| Lat pull-down | 75lb | 1x11, 1x9 |
| Lat raises (vert row) | 10kg | R 1x 12, 1x12; L 1x12, 1x12 |
| Crunches | Straight | 50 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 50 each side |
| Crunches | Reverse | 40 |
| Chest press (vert, 3) | 37.5lb, 50lb | 1x12, 1x8 |
Cycle home, ~40 mins, weather good. Felt very tired and sore.
I am noticing that the lighting at work makes the rash worse.
First session after programme revision on Saturday 09th.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Elliptical | Fat Burner Plus 5 | 15 mins (8.2 mets, 75 length, 1.98km, 126cal, 107 rate, speed 7.9 km/h, average pulse 166) |
| Squat (Smith) | 40kg | 2x11 (looking for form) |
| Free bench | empty bar, 10 kg | 1x10 (empty bar), 1x10, 2x5 |
| Calf raises | 120kg, 150kg | 1x10, 2x10 |
| Free Fly | 6kg | 1x12, 2x10 |
| Shoulder press (free) | 5kg | 3x10 |
| Lat raises (vert row) | 10kg | 3x13 both sides alternate |
| Tricep press | height 7, #6 (check weight) | 3x10 |
| Hammer curls | 8kg, 9kg | 1x12, 1x9 |
| Crunches | Straight | 1x30, 1x20 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 50 each side |
Ride home. Very sore. Didn't make a note of time, but wasn't particularly slow. Need to work on form for squats and bench.
I am having some serious problems sleeping right now. Once I'm in bed it's not too bad, although my sleep is not refreshing at all. The problem is actually going to bed. I find myself very reluctant to go to bed, almost as if I'm missing life. If I go to bed the day is over and the next day is coming around, but I don't get as far as the next day coming around, I'm only getting as far as this day, this moment being over and I don't want it to be. It may well be because I'm not enjoying my job at the moment and am under a lot of stress. But Ben's right, I need to get more sleep.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Free bench | 5kg, 10kg | 1x13 (5kg), 1x10, 1x5 |
| Calf raises | 130kg, 160kg | 1x12, 2x10 |
| Squat (Smith) | 40kg, 50kg | 12, 2x10 |
| Assisted dip | 46lb assist | 1x12, 1x10 (fail) |
| Assisted chin | 46lb assist | 1x8, 1x7 (fail) |
| Crunches | Straight | 1x25 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 25 each side |
Squat form was better, but can't get all the way down to thighs parallel with ground as that causes some serious crunching in my hips and makes my back really hurt. Did chins and dips as superset, dips before chins. Ride home took 37:55.
104.9km, took round about 4.5 - 5 hours ride time.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Rower | 10 | 2:24/500m, 34SPM, 2099m, 116.5 W avg, 117cal |
| Squat (Smith) | 40kg, 52.5kg | 1x12, 2x10 |
| Free bench | 7.5kg, 12.5kg | 1x12, 1x9, 1x6, 1x2 |
| Calf raises | 140kg, 170kg | 1x12, 2x10 |
| Hammer curls | 10kg | 1x10, 1x7, R1x6 L1x5 (fail) |
| Vert row | 12kg | 3x10 |
| Inclined sit ups | straight | 30 |
| Fly | 6kg | 1x12, 1x11, 1x12 |
| Shoulder press | 6kg | 1x9, R1x8 L1x7, 1x8 |
| Tricep press | 28lb (#6) | 3x10 |
| Crunches | Straight | 2x25 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 2x25 each side |
Ride home: 0:36:03, 23.1 avg, 39.59max, 13.94km.
Form better on squats. Felt like a pretty good session, although I still don't feel like I'm lifting as much as I should be able to. Rower always tires out my arms and upper back - elliptical wasn't working.
Bought a new pack on Saturday, took this opportunity to test it. Filled with around 10kg of stuff, inlcuding 3l of water. Walked 3 miles to The Turf and back (after a pint of Dragon Tears cider). Need to do more walking - fitness is evidently very cycling specific.
| Exercise | Weight/setting | Time/reps |
|---|---|---|
| Eillptical | Fat Burner Plus 5 | 15 mins (8.0 mets, 77 length, 1.94km, 124cal, 103 rate, speed 7.7 km/h) |
| Squat (Smith) | 42.5kg, 55kg | 1x12, 1x9, 1x10 |
| Free bench | 10kg, 15kg | 1x12, 1x5 1x3, 1x6 1x2 |
| Inclined sit ups | straight | 1x20, 1x10 |
| Vert row | 12kg | 1x12, 2x11 |
| Calf raises | 150kg, 180kg | 1x12, 2x10 |
| Fly | 7kg | 3x10 |
| Shoulder press | 7kg | 1x10, 1x5, 1x5 |
| Assist chin | 46lb, 52lb | 1x8, 1x4 |
| Assist dip | 46lb, 52lb | 1x8, 1x8 |
| Crunches | Straight | 1x30 |
| Crunches | Obliques | 1x50 each side |
Ride home around 34 mins after trip to Tescos for dinner.
Squat form definitely improving, although my back hurts above the right hip now, the next day. My knees were a bit iffy on the way in to work today as well. T'ai Chi starts again tonight (Wednesday 10th). I really can't do dips and chins on the same day as doing bench press - unless it's the fly and shoulder press that is causing problems. Switched to doing the shoulder press with both sides simultaneously, as opposed to alternately, mainly to cut down on time spent working out. The bench was hard work this time.
| Weekly Distance 2002 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Week beginning | Kilometres | Miles |
| 01/04 | 123.4 | 77 |
| 25/03 | 206.9 | 129 |
| 18/03 | 150.14 | 93 |
| 11/03 | 180.2 | 112 |
| 04/03 | 248.9 | 155 |
| 25/02 | 98.3 | 61 |
| 18/02 | 229 | 142 |
| 11/02 | 167.9 | 104 |
| 04/02 | 166.5 | 104 |
| 28/01 | 159 | 99 |
| 24/01 | 159.3 | 99 |
| 14/01 | 152.4 | 95 |
| 07/01 | 193 | 120 |