According to the old man, carbo-loading would be a waste of effort for a hike. On his advice, I'll skip it.
Time to go get better hiking boots.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
HIIT and Carboloading
So, tomorrow I hike monadnock again, this time with company.
We are going to attempt to take a more difficult route up, taking the Cascade Link to the Spellman, to the Pumpelly. The spellman link includes 500 yards at 38% grade. That's steep as fuck. To be honest, I'm not sure we'll even be able to get through it, as it could be sheer packed snow, or a muddy wreck.
To improve my chances, I'll be bringing poles this time to manage the packed snow. I'll also be substituing a lighter pack for my last one, using a non-framed one this time. This should cut down on weight. I think I might also try to find myself a decent pair of used hiking boots today at Play-It-Again sports or something. Failing that, I'll at least beeswax the hell out of my usual boots, as wet feet make the whole thing so much worse.
Finally, I'm doing some physical preparation this time. This is going to be 4 hours of mixed exertion with that 500 years being pure hell:
Now, what this sounds like to me, is doing some HIIT tonight (basically just some sprints), and then wolfing down as much pasta as I can stand for dinner tonight. The HIIT depletes all my body's glycogen, and tells my body: "You're in for some rough shit, stock up muscle energy supplies" and then provides it with a stack of carbs to replenish it with. This should lead to much more stamina tomorrow.
Wish me luck.
We are going to attempt to take a more difficult route up, taking the Cascade Link to the Spellman, to the Pumpelly. The spellman link includes 500 yards at 38% grade. That's steep as fuck. To be honest, I'm not sure we'll even be able to get through it, as it could be sheer packed snow, or a muddy wreck.
To improve my chances, I'll be bringing poles this time to manage the packed snow. I'll also be substituing a lighter pack for my last one, using a non-framed one this time. This should cut down on weight. I think I might also try to find myself a decent pair of used hiking boots today at Play-It-Again sports or something. Failing that, I'll at least beeswax the hell out of my usual boots, as wet feet make the whole thing so much worse.
Finally, I'm doing some physical preparation this time. This is going to be 4 hours of mixed exertion with that 500 years being pure hell:
Short workout Carboloading
A new carbo-loading regimen developed by scientists at the University
of Western Australia calls for a normal diet with light training
until the day before the race. On the day before the race, the athlete performs
a very short, extremely high-intensity workout (such as a few minutes of
sprinting) then consumes 12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of lean mass over the
next 24 hours. The regimen reportedly resulted in a 90% increase in glycogen
storage.[1]
Now, what this sounds like to me, is doing some HIIT tonight (basically just some sprints), and then wolfing down as much pasta as I can stand for dinner tonight. The HIIT depletes all my body's glycogen, and tells my body: "You're in for some rough shit, stock up muscle energy supplies" and then provides it with a stack of carbs to replenish it with. This should lead to much more stamina tomorrow.
Wish me luck.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Mas Proteina!
So, today is the first day aiming for 200g protein a day. I'm aware that there's a real risk of trashing your kidneys without sufficient hydration, so I've been making sure to drink plenty of water. Today I went through about 2qt. before getting to the gym, and probably 1gal. while there.
It's looking like 2 scoops with breakfast, 3 scoops after gym, 2 scoops before bed. I might want some kind of bar for before the gym, maybe reduce the amount before bed. That adds up to 175, and I'm sure I get 25 from dietary sources.
I think I might hike Monadnock again early Wednesday before school, not sure.
I really hope it dries out so I can get some running in, I've got a feeling it's a lot better than jumping rope (which is the cardio activity for tonight).
As it turns out, a friend of a friend boxed for a good five years, and probably can help me with my form.
Chest day went okay, nothing to report really.
It's looking like 2 scoops with breakfast, 3 scoops after gym, 2 scoops before bed. I might want some kind of bar for before the gym, maybe reduce the amount before bed. That adds up to 175, and I'm sure I get 25 from dietary sources.
I think I might hike Monadnock again early Wednesday before school, not sure.
I really hope it dries out so I can get some running in, I've got a feeling it's a lot better than jumping rope (which is the cardio activity for tonight).
As it turns out, a friend of a friend boxed for a good five years, and probably can help me with my form.
Chest day went okay, nothing to report really.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Day of Rest
I'm utterly wrecked from back day and the hike.
Regularly scheduled self-abuse returns tomorrow, with hi-rep chest and a shit ton of jump rope.
Regularly scheduled self-abuse returns tomorrow, with hi-rep chest and a shit ton of jump rope.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Back Day (results)
Forgot to mention, a bent-over vertical row is amazing for upper back. I'm definitely in a fair amount of pain up there.
Also, I'm not sure what the deal is, but I felt a more pronounced heartbeat and some skin flushing after taking this new protein. I'm hoping I'll get used to it.
Also, I'm not sure what the deal is, but I felt a more pronounced heartbeat and some skin flushing after taking this new protein. I'm hoping I'll get used to it.
Monadnock
One of my goals is to be the kind of guy who would get up before sunrise on a weekend and go hit the outdoors.
So I got up around quarter to six, went to Mt. Monadnock (having decided to hike it today). I brought around 3 quarts of water, a pound or two of trail mix, and a monster ham sammich. These were good estimates, as it turns out. I also brought snowshoes and poles, in case there was still heavy snow up there.
On advice of the ranger (asked specifically about the snowshoes), I left them at the car. As it turns out, yes, the snow was knee-deep in places (despite having been pretty packed down by more hikers than I thought would be out), but it'd have been silly to put the snowshoes on for each of those occasions. It was a mistake not to bring the poles, though, as an additional two points of contact would have been very helpful when things got slippery (i.e. almost always).
I took a right on Cascade Link to get to the Red Dot Trail (correctly figuring that a longer path would be more of a gentle slope and a bit nicer). At this point, it was about 7:30am, and there were all sorts of conifers. It's the middle of spring melt, so there were at least two temporarly creeks to ford, and plenty of mud. I highly reccomend this route up, despite not having anything to compare it to. By the time I hit the REAL steep stuff, trying to join back up with White Dot trail, I was very fatigued. Interestingly, it was similar to how running is. A portion of the beginning feels awful, and you don't think you can go on. At some point, though, a switch flips and your body stops complaining about all the injustices you're inflicting on it, and you get up and go.
Even after I "broke through" I had to stop many times to let my heart-rate fall some. I was reminded of Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, about how at Everest, you have to take one step and a time, lean on your ice axe and take a couple ragged breaths.
It was at this point that I was passed by a family of three, with the kid being 15 or so, and the folks in their late forties. Ouch. Oh well, this is the first real hike since I was 15, so I'm okay with it. That and they had poles.
I was climbing into a cloud, it seemed. By the time I hit the treeline, the fog and the wind were really picking up. I put on a windbreaker (thanks, Dad!), and put up the hood. It was amazing. Through breaks in the fog, you could see how high up you were, and you had this MASSIVE bare rock (no ice, no snow, no plants, nothing) nub left to climb.
I was down by about 11am.
I took the white dot trail back down, and nearly hurt myself many times. I had thought "Take the slow way up to conserve energy, then get down directly." That was a mistake. It may be easier going, but as fatigue sets in, you lose agility. I had to constantly remind myself to land with bent knees, and I made more mistakes here than anywhere. Also, white dot trail is three things:
A) Crowded
B) Muddy
C) Steep
Bad combo.
At one point I took a face first spill, clonked my left knee, and nearly broke my right ring finger. It got caught under a rock or something as I fell, not quite wedged. It felt all tingly for a second. I wear a ring on that finger, and that could have been terrible. If it HAD broke, I would have had to try to wrench the ring off over the broken bone, as I was a mile or so out, and way far away from a hospital. The ring would have cut off my circulation otherwise, and I could have lost the finger. The lesson here is: take it easy, and take gentle routes each way.
I also learned today that workboots and hiking boots, although similar, are not freely interchangeable. There were plenty of times I didn't have the traction necessary to make moves comfortably, and nearly ate it at as a result. These boots (Cats) have served me well for many years, but the soles are apparently shot to hell, and the waterproofing uh... should have done it last night . Also, I feel like the ankle support is wrong somehow. They grab above the ankle very tightly, but I'm free to roll it beneath. Need new boots.
I am dying to hike some of these other trails, and once things thaw enough, find some of the less clearly marked footpaths. I haven't even TOUCHED the depths available to me, and it's $4 for a day pass, and half an hour away. I probably won't do the white dot trail again, though.
So I got up around quarter to six, went to Mt. Monadnock (having decided to hike it today). I brought around 3 quarts of water, a pound or two of trail mix, and a monster ham sammich. These were good estimates, as it turns out. I also brought snowshoes and poles, in case there was still heavy snow up there.
On advice of the ranger (asked specifically about the snowshoes), I left them at the car. As it turns out, yes, the snow was knee-deep in places (despite having been pretty packed down by more hikers than I thought would be out), but it'd have been silly to put the snowshoes on for each of those occasions. It was a mistake not to bring the poles, though, as an additional two points of contact would have been very helpful when things got slippery (i.e. almost always).
I took a right on Cascade Link to get to the Red Dot Trail (correctly figuring that a longer path would be more of a gentle slope and a bit nicer). At this point, it was about 7:30am, and there were all sorts of conifers. It's the middle of spring melt, so there were at least two temporarly creeks to ford, and plenty of mud. I highly reccomend this route up, despite not having anything to compare it to. By the time I hit the REAL steep stuff, trying to join back up with White Dot trail, I was very fatigued. Interestingly, it was similar to how running is. A portion of the beginning feels awful, and you don't think you can go on. At some point, though, a switch flips and your body stops complaining about all the injustices you're inflicting on it, and you get up and go.
Even after I "broke through" I had to stop many times to let my heart-rate fall some. I was reminded of Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, about how at Everest, you have to take one step and a time, lean on your ice axe and take a couple ragged breaths.
It was at this point that I was passed by a family of three, with the kid being 15 or so, and the folks in their late forties. Ouch. Oh well, this is the first real hike since I was 15, so I'm okay with it. That and they had poles.
I was climbing into a cloud, it seemed. By the time I hit the treeline, the fog and the wind were really picking up. I put on a windbreaker (thanks, Dad!), and put up the hood. It was amazing. Through breaks in the fog, you could see how high up you were, and you had this MASSIVE bare rock (no ice, no snow, no plants, nothing) nub left to climb.
I was down by about 11am.
I took the white dot trail back down, and nearly hurt myself many times. I had thought "Take the slow way up to conserve energy, then get down directly." That was a mistake. It may be easier going, but as fatigue sets in, you lose agility. I had to constantly remind myself to land with bent knees, and I made more mistakes here than anywhere. Also, white dot trail is three things:
A) Crowded
B) Muddy
C) Steep
Bad combo.
At one point I took a face first spill, clonked my left knee, and nearly broke my right ring finger. It got caught under a rock or something as I fell, not quite wedged. It felt all tingly for a second. I wear a ring on that finger, and that could have been terrible. If it HAD broke, I would have had to try to wrench the ring off over the broken bone, as I was a mile or so out, and way far away from a hospital. The ring would have cut off my circulation otherwise, and I could have lost the finger. The lesson here is: take it easy, and take gentle routes each way.
I also learned today that workboots and hiking boots, although similar, are not freely interchangeable. There were plenty of times I didn't have the traction necessary to make moves comfortably, and nearly ate it at as a result. These boots (Cats) have served me well for many years, but the soles are apparently shot to hell, and the waterproofing uh... should have done it last night . Also, I feel like the ankle support is wrong somehow. They grab above the ankle very tightly, but I'm free to roll it beneath. Need new boots.
I am dying to hike some of these other trails, and once things thaw enough, find some of the less clearly marked footpaths. I haven't even TOUCHED the depths available to me, and it's $4 for a day pass, and half an hour away. I probably won't do the white dot trail again, though.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Purchased a massive thing of whey protein today, on sale at GNC. I'm hoping I can adjust the ratio of fat/carbs/protein in my diet a little more towards protein.
Right now, I'm on a strict diet of meat and beer. Great for a viking, where you get hacked to death at some point before middle age, but unsustainable for me.
It sucks to be working out like a fiend and still be a bit fat, due to my love of PBR. I know i'm only enjoying a brief period in my life where I can drink a lot of beer and not end up fat. Sooner or later, my metabolism will quit and I'll have to give it up altogether, as I would simply not have the time or motivation to do enough cardio to balance it out. Sad, I know, but that's life, right?
I know what's important to me, and it's health, not beer. I thank the Almighty I'm not 10% more of a fiend.
Right now, I'm on a strict diet of meat and beer. Great for a viking, where you get hacked to death at some point before middle age, but unsustainable for me.
It sucks to be working out like a fiend and still be a bit fat, due to my love of PBR. I know i'm only enjoying a brief period in my life where I can drink a lot of beer and not end up fat. Sooner or later, my metabolism will quit and I'll have to give it up altogether, as I would simply not have the time or motivation to do enough cardio to balance it out. Sad, I know, but that's life, right?
I know what's important to me, and it's health, not beer. I thank the Almighty I'm not 10% more of a fiend.
Boxing
I think it might be that my calves are still sore from yesterday's jog, and it may be that I was just exhausted from lifting, but god DAMN I cannot box for shit. I can either get my jab and cross combo right (keeping my hands up) OR I can move naturally on the balls of my feet. Not both at once yet.
I think my first priority should be doing some jumprope and working on my footwork, followed by working on my slips and ducks. THEN I can get some hand shit in. I don't think I have the coordination or stamina to do both at once yet.
I think my first priority should be doing some jumprope and working on my footwork, followed by working on my slips and ducks. THEN I can get some hand shit in. I don't think I have the coordination or stamina to do both at once yet.
Back Day
Dead lifts: 275lbs 5x4
Bent Barbell Rows: 185lbs 5x4 (Looking at the dumbell rows, it's clear this will come up some as my back gets better used to keeping everything rigid)
Shrugs: 275lbs 5x4
Bent Dumbell Rows: 100lbs 5x4
Hammer Bar Curls: 105lbs 5x4
(Among a shit ton of other back, bicep, and a few forearm exercises)
I'm feeling pretty good about these numbers.
I think my bicep performance has actually declined a bit, or at best held steady. I think the increased pace I've been working out at (taking an hour and a half rather than three) has meant a quicker drain of my overall energy. Still, though, if I'm still improving the exercises (above) that I really wanted to, I'm fine.
I still can't do a wide-grip pullup, though. Maybe when I lose 20lbs I'll be able to (duh).
Bent Barbell Rows: 185lbs 5x4 (Looking at the dumbell rows, it's clear this will come up some as my back gets better used to keeping everything rigid)
Shrugs: 275lbs 5x4
Bent Dumbell Rows: 100lbs 5x4
Hammer Bar Curls: 105lbs 5x4
(Among a shit ton of other back, bicep, and a few forearm exercises)
I'm feeling pretty good about these numbers.
I think my bicep performance has actually declined a bit, or at best held steady. I think the increased pace I've been working out at (taking an hour and a half rather than three) has meant a quicker drain of my overall energy. Still, though, if I'm still improving the exercises (above) that I really wanted to, I'm fine.
I still can't do a wide-grip pullup, though. Maybe when I lose 20lbs I'll be able to (duh).
Wish I had started this earlier
Doing back/bi/obliques today, maybe with a set or two of forearms.
Current body weight is 219.8, which has been steady for a while.
Introduced jogging on off days, up to 4-5mi in about 40-50 minutes.
Will post current back weights on return.
To: Brother
Hey buddy,
As soon as I get comfortable with the cardio I'm doing, I think I'm going to start doing High-Intensity Interval Training on lifting days (short sprints with short rests), and jog on off days. I mean, I don't really want to get used to running more than 5 miles at a time. I'm built for short sprints, and I should probably be making those better, right? You can also do HIIT on a heavy bag, so that'll be perfect on the days after I do legs.
I was able to jog the day after legs, without too much of a problem.
Also, whenever I plateau on low-rep (which will be soonish), I think i'm going to try this 5x5 workout I've been hearing about.
-T
Current body weight is 219.8, which has been steady for a while.
Introduced jogging on off days, up to 4-5mi in about 40-50 minutes.
Will post current back weights on return.
To: Brother
Hey buddy,
As soon as I get comfortable with the cardio I'm doing, I think I'm going to start doing High-Intensity Interval Training on lifting days (short sprints with short rests), and jog on off days. I mean, I don't really want to get used to running more than 5 miles at a time. I'm built for short sprints, and I should probably be making those better, right? You can also do HIIT on a heavy bag, so that'll be perfect on the days after I do legs.
I was able to jog the day after legs, without too much of a problem.
Also, whenever I plateau on low-rep (which will be soonish), I think i'm going to try this 5x5 workout I've been hearing about.
-T
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