Friday Training (5 mile run & Chandra's Gym Assessment)

Warm Up

Home > Gym: 2.0 miles (17:02; 8:27 min/mile; Av HR 147bpm)

(no Garmin dumps this post as got far too much to write!)

It was bloody freezing on the run to the Gym, I was almost shivering by the time I got there.  As I was putting my jacket in the locker, Chandra met me in reception and told me to do a quick 500m on the treadmill to warm up...

Treadmill: 500m (2:33; 8:13 min/mile; Av HR 133bpm)

As I finished the 500m, Chandra started his assessment. A quick Q&A session based on what I felt had worked/what hadnt and how I felt I was progressing.  I've been really enjoying the TRX suspension training and I could already see the benefits of it by how my chest had changed shape in the last 8 weeks.

Chandra agreed there was a significant change in my shape, so it was time to hit the weights room for the first time in 8 weeks, to see what improvements the TRX has made to my actual muscles.

The plan was to do the shoulder press, chest press and the VT doing 6 reps at a low weight and then increasing the weight to as far as I could go.

As a reminder, lets take a look at what I was lifting back at the end of the September after 17 weight sessions...

Shoulder Press - 6 sets of 6 reps (35kg)
Chest Press - 6 sets of 6 reps (55kg)
Pecs - 6 sets of 6 reps (45kg)
Vertical Traction - 6 sets of 6 reps (55kg)
Low Row - 6 sets of 6 reps (55kg)

Nothing major, especially as I've never had any upper body strength and only the 17 weights sessions I'd done from August onwards but I'd shown some progress in just August and September.

So first up was the shoulder press...

Shoulder Press:  6 x 20kg, 6 x 30kg, 6 x 40kg, 6 x 45kg (a 10kg increase)

Chest Press: 6 x 20kg, 6 x 40kg, 6 x 50kg, 6 x 60kg, 6 x 65kg, 6 x 70kg (a 15kg increase)

VT: 6 x 20kg, 6 x 40kg, 6 x 50kg, 6 x 60kg, 6 x 65kg, 7 x 70kg (a 15kg increase)

Well hell-o.  Ber-limey, where the hell did that progress come from?  That really opened my eyes up.  Chandra said the TRX would work wonders and it bloody well has.  I was walking 8ft tall after I chest pressed the 70kg.

The hard evidence.  Did I really chest press 70kg?!?!?! Blimey :)

Chandra seemed as chuffed as I was.  "See, I told you you would see massive improvement if you stuck at it", he said. "Little steps and all that..."

He took me back upstairs and told me to show him the TRX routine.

I banged out 6 of the crucifix, the shoulder press, the one armed pressups the the bicep and tricep curl and as I was doing the tricep curl, Chandra said "woo hoo, you've actually got some triceps, I can see them!" lol.  Now that is progress!

So, the plan is now to alternate the weights with the TRX every other session, maintaining the strength I've built and keeping the shape but not putting on a huge amount of weight and affecting my cardio system too much what with the marathon coming up.  We can change things about again after the marathon.

Chandra finished the session by making me do some Swiss Ball stuff, showing me how to make the sit ups a damn site harder.  Rather than having the feet about 2ft apart, I had to have them touching together.  Once I'd mastered that, I had to lift one foot off the floor.  Centre of gravity totally destroyed, felt like I was falling over and all the effort goes through the abs.

Final thing. Planks. When I started in the Gym about 12 months ago, I hated them. I still do tbh but massive improvement in them too.  On the Swiss Ball, lack of technique done me a bit but the first one I managed 42 seconds, the second about 1min 10 seconds.

That was the best Gym session I've had in 12 months.  It felt like such a boost to see how far I've come.

Despite the cold, I ran back home...

Gym > Home (the longer way): 3.4 miles (30:13; 8:53 min/mile; Av HR 148bpm)

Got a home, had a quick shower and headed to the pub for a couple of pints with Rich W.  Fab Friday night.