BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

7/9

Well, the rowing club lucked out last night -- the t-storms blew through very quickly about an hour before we were due to launch, and all we had to contend with was a periodic rain shower. Coach reminded us that "this is a water sport" so no complaining about the rain. Got some good practice and critique -- this was my second session working on the starboard side, and I'm starting to get my movement patterns re-trained after being port-side all last season.
--

Today's workout:

Session 27-2, Deadlift

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

275 x 6, 6, 6, 8; 5 mins rest between; 2 extra reps on set 4 means add 7 pounds for next deadlift session, but I'll program to go up 10 to keep it simple.

Front Squat -- 65 x 12 x 3; 3 mins rest between; first time a long time doing these, using them as an auxiliary leg exercise.

C&V work

Lat Pull-downs (cg) -- 95 x 12 x 4
Lat Pull-downs (wg) -- 95 x 12 x 4
Lat Pull-downs (uh) -- 95 x 12 x 4

Reverse Back Hyperextensions -- 2 x 15
Ab Bird-dogs -- 1 x 15

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 15 x 2
Kettlebell swings -- 25 x 15 x 2

Duration -- training 33 mins; C&V 23 mins

HR data -- max 149; avg 113; "fit" 42:04; "fat" 13:45

I got a new battery for my Polar heart-rate monitor late last night and got it working again.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) is our rowing session from 7 to 9 AM, then it appears I have been scheduled for some social interaction, which means I probably won't get to my next training session until Sunday. I'll post the rowing notes here.

[Bruce Ware]

7/10 (late entry)

Saturday morning row -- about 75 mins on the water, and I rowed about half of the time; we had a guest coach for the day, and she had definite ideas about what needed to be accomplished. Since I was "out" for much of the practice, I had to ask during the post-session debrief, and she said that the stroke seat rower and I were doing so well that she wanted to focus on the other 6. Heh-heh! She was surprised when I told her it was my third session at starboard and that all my previous experience from 2 years ago had been on port-side.

Social activity was an invitation from the neighbors to join them on their boat for the afternoon, so we motored out to a nice spot in the Potomac and spent the afternoon chatting, beering, and just hanging out. Resume lifting training tomorrow (Sunday).

--

7/11 Measurement Sunday

Tot weight -- (spot) 197.4 (-1.6 from 2 weeks ago); (week avg) 197.2 (-1.0); (long avg) 197.9 (nc)

LBM -- (spot) 178.7 (-1.1); (long avg) 179.0 (nc)
Fat -- (spot) 18.7 (-0.5); (long avg) 18.9 (nc)

Yields an est. BF of 9.5%

From the start of this "base_1 --> base_2 --> peak" cycle (late December), my change from baseline looks like --

Total weight down 0.5 pounds; Lean (non-fat) mass down 0.6 pounds; Fat mass up 0.1 pounds. A significant super-majority of the decline has occurred since the end of March, when I began adding in conditioning work to prepare for summer rowing. But even phrases like "super-majority" are meaningless when used to describe changes that can only be measurable in tenths of a pound!

The past 2 weeks have had some great eating days, but found them off-set by long-weekend vacations where eating was just terrible. And the reduced calories along with the increased burn from rowing seems to be pushing the numbers down. The up-side of all this is that I have most definitely continued to gain strength *and* seen improved "cardio"/endurance. With more vacation (camping week in two weeks and then going out-of-country next month) coming, and the inevitable change in eating planning, I'll probably not be able to force my intake numbers up much.

Later today, I'll continue with my training and do my Press day.

[Bruce Ware]

7/11 Session 27-3, Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

105 x 6, 6, 6, 10; 5 mins rest between; very solid strict lift; 4 extra reps means add 6 pounds next session, but I'll make it an even 115

Close-grip Bench Press -- 95 x 12 x 3; 2 mins rest between

C&V work

Push-ups -- 2 x 15
1-arm DB Rows -- 50 x 15 x 2 each arm

Standing DB Hammer Curls -- 40 x 15 x 2
1-arm DB Tricep Kickbacks -- 15 x 15 x 2 each arm

Duration -- training 34 mins; C&V 14 mins

HR data -- max 131; avg 94; "fit" 14:10; "fat" 33:46

[Bruce Ware]

7/12 Session 27-4, Squat

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

295 x 6, 6, 6, 6; 5 mins rest between; on rep #3 of set 4, my right knee had a kinda glitch, almost like it was going to buckle, but it didn't; I gave myself a couple of breaths at the top, re-set my feet and hips, and completed the set; however, no extra reps. I will add 5 pounds to next session, because I think I can warm up the knee a bit better next time and not have to worry about it.

Romanian Deadlift -- 135 x 12 x 3; 2 mins rest between

C&V work

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 15 x 2
Kettlebell Swings -- 25 x 15 x 2

Seated Cable Row (cg) -- 95 x 12 x 4
Seated Cable Row (wg) -- 95 x 12 x 4
Seated Cable Row (uh) -- 95 x 12 x 4

Back hyperextensions -- 15 x 2
Ab Wheel rollout -- 10

Duration -- training 42 mins; C&V 26 mins

HR data -- max 151; avg 111; "fit" 36:35; "fat" 31:02

[Bruce Ware]

Measurement Sunday 7/25 --

After a nice long week+ away on my annual wilderness camping trip, here's where things stand:

Total weight -- (spot) 196.0 (-1.4 from 7/11); (week avg) 197.1 (-0.1 from 7/11); (long avg) 197.7 (-0.2)

LBM (aka non-fat mass) -- (spot) 176.5 (-2.2 from 7/11); (long avg) 178.7 (-0.3)
FAT -- (spot) 19.5 (+0.8 from 7/11); (long avg) 19.0 (+0.1)

Yields an est BF of 9.6%.

Undoubtedly, the loss of LBM is strongly linked to almost 2 weeks of no training, so I am not going to make any significant adjustments in eating or macros or anything in response. I expect that the coming couple of weeks will see things bounce back.

Generally, body-part measures are holding consistent, and the 7-point fat pinch tests are operating within 2 or 3 total millimeters up/down; currently, these net pinch measures are at ZERO change from the start of the year. It's so consistent and stable that it would take a pretty big change in something to trigger a shift.

But, since it is early in the rowing season, and I am starting a new "base" meso-cycle, I will monitor my intake and energy output closely, as well as my recovery metrics.
---

Sunday 7/25 Session 28-1, Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
135 x 2

working sets:

155 x 6, 6, 6, 9; 5 mins rest between; 3 extra reps on set 4 means add 6 pounds to next week, but I'll add 5 to keep it simple

Seated DB OH Press -- 70 x 12 x 4; 2 mins rest between; this is supposed to be done at an RPE of 7, but it seemed light (about a 5), so I'll add more weight next week

C&V work:

DB Front Delt Raise -- 40 x 12 x 4
DB Side Delt Raise -- 30 x 12 x 4
DB Rear Delt Raise -- 40 x 12 x 4

DB Supinated Curls -- 40 x 15 x 3
EZ Tricep French Press -- 30 x 15 x 3

None of these weights in the C&V section are planned for increase, but the number of sets will go up, and the inter-set rest periods will get as short as possible.

Duration -- training 28 mins; C&V 22 mins

HR data -- max 149; avg 111; "fit" 33:30; "fat" 15:59

[Bruce Ware]

Monday 7/26 Session 28-2, Deadlift

warm-ups:

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 15 x 3
Kettlebell Swings -- 25 x 15 x 3

deadlift w-u:

135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

285 x 6, 6, 6, 8; 5 mins rest between; 2 extra reps on set 4 means add 7 pounds next week, but I'll add 10 to keep it simple

Front Squat -- 75 x 12 x 4; 2 mins rest between; looking for rpe7; I think I could put more weight on to get there, but I'm still tired from the deads that it almost feels like an rpe7; I'll go to 85 next week to try for rpe8.

C&V work

Cable Lat Pulldowns (cg) -- 100 x 12 x 4
Cable Lat Pulldowns (wg) -- 100 x 12 x 4
Cable Lat Pulldowns (uh) -- 100 x 12 x 4

Reverse Back Hypers -- 15 x 3
Ab Wheel Rollouts -- 10 x 2

Duration -- w-u 5 mins; training 40 mins; C&V 20 mins

HR data -- max 153; avg 116; "fit" 50:04; "fat" 14:29

[Bruce Ware]

Tuesday 7/27, Session 28-3, Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

115 x 6, 6, 6, 8; 4 mins rest between; 2 extra reps on set 4 means add 3 pounds for next week, but I'll add 5; I think I could have gotten a few more extras by keeping to my usual 5 min (normal)/6 min (hard) rest interval, but I was running late so shortened up the recovery time a bit.

Close-grip Bench Press -- 105 x 12 x 4; 2 mins rest between; aiming for something about rpe7, and the third and fourth sets felt like they were getting into that region, but mostly because of the shorted rest interval

C&V work

Push-ups -- 3 x 12
1-arm DB Rows -- 50 x 12 x 3 each arm

Standing Hammer Curls -- 40 x 15 x 3
1-arm Tricep Kix -- 15 x 15 x 3 each arm

Duration -- training 32 mins; C&V 22 mins

No HR data collected.
----

Evening -- sweep rowing; due to a reduced number of people showing up, I elected to try out at the coxswain position, and didn't actually get to row; still sweated a ton in the hot/humid, and unbelievably cramped seat.

[Bruce Ware]

7/30 (late entry) -- 7/29: Wanted to squat, but elected to take a rest day since I am planning to row tonight.
--

Rowed -- stroke (seat 8) position, one I really felt good in during my novice season 2019. Coach asked for volunteers to cox, but I didn't since I had already done my time in that awful place (LOL!); then he asked for a volunteer to do stroke, and I jumped on that, thinking it was a solid move on my part until he assigned the 4 males on the team (me and 3 others) to the 4-seat boat, and gave us a new coxswain who was getting her first experience as such. The "quad" is a lot lighter, quicker to accelerate, and a lot less stable (easier to flip if we get things wrong). But it worked out anyway and I felt really good being in stroke again. Hesitant about putting too much power into the movement, but that was okay since the cox was having trouble steering and didn't want us to flip the boat.

--

7/30 Session 28-4, Squats

warm-ups:

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 15 x 3
Kettlebell Swings -- 25 x 15 x 3

45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

300 x 6 x 4; 5.5 mins rest between; no extra reps on set 4 -- on last rep, I felt that my right knee was getting ready to glitch out again, and I elected to end the set; I felt I could have gotten another 2 or 3 reps but didn't want to push it too hard, since I'm supposed to be rowing again tomorrow morning. I'll add 5 pounds to next week's lift anyway.

Romanian Deadlift -- 135 x 12 x 4; 2 mins rest between; looking for an RPE of about 7, felt that this was about a 5 but I was okay with that since I was still running low on gas from the squats, and the short rest interval here. I'll add weight for next week and maybe stretch the rest interval a bit to get to an RPE 8.

C&V work:

Seated Cable Rows (cg) -- 100 x 12 x 4
Seated Cable Rows (wg) -- 100 x 12 x 4
Seated Cable Rows (uh) -- 100 x 12 x 4

Reverse Back Hyperextensions -- 15 x 3
Ab Wheel Rollouts -- 10 x 2

Duration: warm-ups 5; training 47; C&V 18

HR data -- max 160; avg 106; "fit" 18:26; "fat" 50:57. Clearly, this workout only hits the high zones (3+) during the "peaks" of the squats and maybe the Romanian DLs; most of the time was spent in zones 1 & 2, which is strange considering the last squat session was almost evenly divided between the 2 zone-classes. I'll have to continue to track HR data to see what sort of trends can be observed from the different training workouts.

[Bruce Ware]

7/31 AM -- Rowing this morning; I was seated in my favorite spot again - the stroke (8) seat. Coach says because of the length of my torso I need to lay back a lot more at the finish and that my abs will get a good workout. He was right. After the second round, my gut was tight like I'd just done about a hundred sit-ups. We did a lot of full-boat rowing and for sustained times and at sustained higher power, although we were trying to keep the rate down to about 20. I figure I got about 75 minutes of rowing, a great "cardio" session.

*IF* I recover enough today, I am planning on starting the next lifting week with the bench press day, which is week 3 of wave 1 of this meso-cycle. If so, it'll be late this afternoon, and I will record it here.

[Bruce Ware]

8/1 Measurement Sunday

Well, I didn't recover well enough from yesterday morning's row to do an afternoon bench workout, so I will be doing that today. Meantime, here are the week's numbers and where I stand:

Total weight -- (spot) 195.8 (-0.2); (week avg) 195.9 (-1.2); (long avg) 195.9 (-2.8) **** This metric triggered a Rule 2 process shift downward (2 points consecutive below 2-sigma). Spot fat-pinch test (JP7) has me at 9.1% for today's computations, representing a total loss of 5 mm on the sum of measures; this is the largest magnitude change I've seen all year, the previous largest being a delta of 3 mm, with the vast majority being a 1 mm delta.

LBM -- (spot) 177.9 (+1.4); (long avg) 178.6 (-0.1)
FAT -- (spot) 17.9 (-1.6); (long avg) 17.3 (-2.7)
Yields a 6-sigma (long avg) est of body-fat at 8.8%.

Now, this is based on only 2 data-points, so I expect some settling down to occur over the next few weeks, but the basic message my body is sending me is quite clear -- I AM NOT EATING ENOUGH FOOD TO SUPPORT MY TRAINING *AND* MY ROWING. This must change.

EATING numbers for the week: grams protein/carb/fat = 131/221/80 for 2130 kcals intake. And that confirms what has been going on and what I must do to adjust -- although, even with this eating profile, I have not seen my ability to handle the weights decrease (no loss of strength) or my cardio capacity (heart-rate/endurance under rowing stress) reduced by this weight-loss. And it may just be a "seasonal" adjustment -- I'm more active outdoors, have been away from the home kitchen for prolonged days and therefore eating is less-than-normally-structured/planned. But I will be taking steps to plus-up the intake this week coming, and we'll see how things go.