Final Phase before Golf

posted over 2 years ago

This week is the start of the last phase of my annual routine prior to the start of golf season. It's an intense split cardio and power program involving plyometrics and core strength.

Been off since for one full week with no intense cardio and no lifting.

My neck is feeling good...no pain when laying on my side. Still a little tight in the left hip flexor, quad, and IT band. I punished them today with tough trigger point therapy. For the moment they are fine.

Anxious to get started!

Been using saline rinse 3x per day due to continued stuffiness. The results are very encouraging. Still some facial pressure indicating infection, but i'm sitting here breathing through BOTH nostirls with my mouth closed and not feeling like I'm going to suffocate! HURRAY!

Anaerobic Threshold Training

posted spring 2007

I've been training at a high intensity for several months now. There's no way I'm going to get to be Olympic even SUPER SENIOR Olympic material at least as a long distance runner.

Aerobic training at 80-85% is best for off season and safest for year round. I can sustain 143 HR for at least an hour. Today we spun at around 143 for 40 minutes. I was hardly sweating. When approaching the Anaerobic Threshold I begin to sweat profusely.

When doing Anaerobic Threshold training I need to reload after 4-6 weeks of AT according to Athletes Performance.

I also need to drink more water on the difficult days. 48 ounces isn't enough during two workouts. I should be doing closer to 70.

Spring 2007 Fitness Status

posted over 2 years ago

Near the end of phase 6. Burned about 4500 calories on the week.

My weight is up about 6 pounds from last fall. Bodyfat is the same. Strength is up slightly as well. I'm going to be ready to cut some fat in about 4 weeks. Will cut my calories by 500 per day to lose a pound per week. I feel better at 180 than 186. So it will take me about 6 weeks of plyometrics, reduced calories, plus lighter weights and cardio to drop the weight in time for golf season.

Aches and pain inventory:

1. Left hip is fine after trigger point therapy last week...this despite a PR of 270 lbs. dead lift and one legged squats on unstable bench (touch heal to ground plus using 5 lb. weights in both hands. great glute exercise....forces the glutes to engage!) This is awesome for me!

2. Left elbow tight (golfers elbow), but again the trigger point on the pectoral muscles helps. Doing 12 pushups on the ball 3 sets, plus seperate weighted pushups or elevated pushups for chest. This is followed by pullup, which I've managed to boost to 4 sets of 3. This routine is tough on the elbows and wrists considering the very next day I do the heavy deadlifts.

3. Both knees were a little tight (quads just above the knees were tender). Ran very little this past week. Also, breaking in the NIKE FREES by using them during my workouts and recovery walking....but NO running yet. So far NO foot issues! My hard cardio is twice M,F spinning.

4. Back is fine...just a couple of sore spots on Sunday...will be gone by tomorrow.

5. Biggest concern now: sinuses have been the worst in a year. Finally broke down and am using Flonase (starting with 2 puffs 2x a day, and 24 hour OTC antihistimine plus the saline rinse. Will try this for a week. Nothing has changed in my diet or fitness routine....but inflammation in the sinuses is really aweful. Couldn't breath at all through my nose last night. Can't smell except the occasional wiff of gasoline or similar. First time for antihistimine in over 3 years.....

Next week is the last week of phase 6. I'm going to cut the lifting down to two none-consecutive days. Monday: Spinning am Chest back/core pm; Tuesday: Recovery; Wednesday: Legs AM include some running after; Thursday: Recovery; Friday: Spinning only. Saturday: Recovery; Sunday rest...superbowl!

Now I have to decide whether to add some complex lifts or go straight to plyometrics prior to golf season. I've been training hard since October so my body is starting to ask for some serious downtime.

Weights and cardio

posted March 2007

789 calories burned in 1:10 minutes; 128 aver. HR; Weights first then combination of running and rowing for 25 minutes.

Did 2 sets 15 "quality" pushups, then 4 sets of 4,3 reps of pull-ups starting with warm-up of 150 on lat pull down machine (cable). Next "circuit" includes kneeling cable lift, One armed row (changed from one arm one leg contra leg due to hip issue), followed by 10 plyoball pushups. Did 65 lb. dumb bell max for 6 reps both arms. Right is far stronger than left....hard with left arm (form breaking down) easy with right.

Plyometric Phase

posted spring 2007

This phase is when I utilized Plyometrics to train my new strength to be "explosive." Strength isn't useful for many athletes if it's not translated into power. Track atletes who train with weights only will lose speed. They have to train with weights in the off season to build strength and then use plyometrics to harness that strength.

Friday workout:

AM Workout: Burned it up 612 calories...a difficult 40 minute ride.

Followed by an apple and a protein bar then a 1 hour break.

2nd Workout: 662 calories burned....1/2 hour of explosive moves with medicine ball or jumping. The other half included push-ups on the ball, pull-ups and a rope/cable circuit.

Monday was replica of Friday. Tues and Thursday were recovery days with a massage on Thursday.

Wednesday included Squats (230 lbs x 8), Curls on a machine, Cable work, and plyometric routine similar to Mon. and Fri.

Cardio on Wednesday was running about 3 miles of intervals after lifting. My calves and knees were tight. Slept fine on Wednesday and no pain on Thursday.

Today I feel super!

Workout Intensity

posted Fall 2008

As for the question about intensity of workouts, seniors naturally are concerned about the risks of doing any exercise. Risk versus reward needs to be measured. The risk of premature death is much higher for out of shape people whether they exercise or not! The lower the fitness the higher the risk. It's more a function of fitness than age. Clearly a fit young person can function at a higher intensity than a fit older person. There are many examples of fit seniors who train as intensely as their younger counter parts. We just do it at a lower heart rate.

Intense exercise (interval training) is the most effective way to burn fat and build power, strength, and endurance. It's the most effective way to increase V02 max. It is safe and effective for any age under the following conditions:

1. Build an aerobic base over several months.
2. A heart rate monitoring based system is used
3. No prior injuries or health issues that prevent the training.
4. Adequate active rest.
5. Proper supervision and education. This is not for the ignorant!
6. Limit intense cardio exercise to 2 times a week for not more than 45 minutes.
7. Do a week of active recovery only every 3 months.

The risks of intense exercise are the same for all ages. Snow shoveling is INTENSE exercise and has resulted in many heart attacks, strokes, and deaths. However, this is usually the result of out of shape people performing intense exercise. The sudden deaths we read about (marathoner in Chicago, and world class runner in the NYC marathon) are usually the result of some other issue. The runner in Chicago had a diagnosed heart problem. The NYC runner had an enlarged heart.

To display a six pack men need bodyfat levels to drop below 11%. That is a very challenging task considering the typical pro athlete from the 1960's had about that same level. But it's a great goal to strive for!

How Long Does It Take To Get Fit!

posted FAll 2008

Starting from many years of being "sedentary":

1. Strength and muscle development: Muscle tissue renews itself completely over course of about 6 months. As we train new cells are forming everyday. Those new cells will be stronger than the ones they replace. Increases in strength will occur slowly in the beginning, but within 6 months of starting resistance training there will be significant improvements in muscle tone and strength.

2. Aerobic endurance (VO2 max): it will take 6-12 weeks of preliminary base building before meaning full results. The average person should be able to run a mile by the end of this period without stopping.

3. Body metabolism: The rate at which our body burns calories at rest begins to adapt to change with new exercise and eating habits. We begin to burn more calories while resting. That change is immediate...slow but immediate. It took me about 12 months to see a dramatic change.

4. Weight loss: People who are 40-60 pounds overweight should expect to lose 50% of that within the first year. If they don't then they are doing something wrong. The ideal formula is to lose 2 pounds a month until the desired weight is obtained. However, 3-4 pounds a month in the beginning is not unusual. I dropped about 40 pounds in the first year (240 to 200); 15 in the second year; and 5 more the 3rd.

Heart Rate Monitoring

posted spring 2008

We've discussed the heart rate question a number of times, but it's always good to see the new material on various internet sites. The information is becoming very good. Plus research is also expanding and being posted on-line.

Here's a site to help you calculate training zones, but it's based on age and resting heart rate.:

view link

I think this site is a bit conservative, probably due to the potential for legal action against Polar USA.

My maximum calculates at 161. 3 years ago I tested to 167 max. with a VO2 max of 44. Take away a few years and now my max. is around 162...point is that this calculator is pretty good.

Here's another really good site that discusses the age relation to Maximum heart rate (MHR) and suggested levels for athlete's, elite, and by different type of exercise. It's more aggressive, but frankly I think it's on the money.

view link

I exceed 170 when doing all out anaerobic threshold training... intervals by racing the length of a basketball court 4 times in about 26 seconds then rest 44 seconds and repeat 5 times then rest 3 minutes. That's the toughest cardio workout I try and I only do it about 5 months out of a year for about 25 minutes including rests and warm-ups two days a weeks.

I have no prior history of heart issues. My resting HR is 45, and my recovery time is very good. Today I checked my recovery from 136 in two minutes my HR drops to 72 from 136. From 160 it will drop to 130 within 1 minute. A 20 point drop from peak is average, 25 or better is considered very heart healthy.

Back to Plyometrics

posted April 2008

After 4 days of rest back at it this week with a new routine designed to prep for golf season. Power drills including medicine ball tosses against a wall and floor are the biggest change. Combining this with lifting and cardio for a challenging workout.

Only issue is amount of time it takes...over 90 minutes not including cardio which has to be split out.

The program is as follows:

M. Dynamic Warm up, basic elastic drills, Power (ball throwing), Strength (weights basic strength...bench, pull, ups, squats...upper body 2 days, lower 1 day alternating by week).

T. Hard Cardio for 30-40 minutes.

W. Same is Mon...first week do 2 chest focus, 1 leg....next week 2 leg days, 1 chest/back.

Th. Recovery easy run at 65%

Friday Same as Wed. add 40 minutes spinning at medium to high depending how I feel

Sat. Recovery

Sun Rest

Pumping up

posted February 2008

Calories burned last two weeks over 10,000...and feeling great. Little if any soreness...

Seems that between Gluten and dairy my body spent most of the time fighting off the effects of the inflammation leaving me sore from most any activity. Another issue might have been tomatoes. When I cut out tomatoes from my diet my sinus congestion eased dramatically.

Friday's workout: Spun for 40 minutes at AT 1/2 of that....then immediately to heavy weight routine. Highlight was 270 lb. deadlift after about 1 1/2 hours of work. Doing Russian twists 12 reps at 45 lbs.

Prior day did 2 sets of 15 reps pushups with feet on ball. First 15 toes down...

Only issue is that I'm hunger more than usual!

Turkey Trot 2007

posted November 2007

Ran a 5 miler in Austin on Thanksgiving. First race in 20 years. This was an endurance workout keeping heart rate below AT. Averaged around 148 with a pace of 8:50. Ran in just under 45 minutes.

The following Saturday did a hilly 5k in just over 8 minute per mile pace. Conditions were terrible....cold rain and 40 degrees. Could have easily gone below 8 minutes on a dry day...(slowed going down hills due to slippery conditions....and had to stop and tie shoe!) Hands were so cold I couldn't tie my shoe at first!