W6 - Summer is coming

Temperature :

OK, so right now in Hong Kong, its 33 degree celsius, feels like 39, 59% humidity !

I have switched to do my workouts in the early morning to have more free time in the evening, but even at 7AM its already super hot. And it's only the beginning.

This means soon I will have to do the workouts indoor as I am close to fainting in the children's park which I use as my workout spot. (The kid's horizontal ladder is pretty good for doing my pull-ups !)

Workout improvements :

I have noticed improvement in my pull-ups : I don't need to jump as much as before and the way down is much easier to control.

For the Burpees, I have tried to improve the movement : before I would let my body lie on the floor completely, this means the whole body would relax until I went up again.

Now I go down until the chest slightly touches the ground and then push back up.

This has a few advantages :
- Ensure keep the core tight on whole movement
- Ensure you don't let your body fall like a dead bird. So you can't save any energy and hence get more tired.
- Ensure you don't bend your back when you come up and reduces risk of damaging lower back.

I try to apply what this guy suggests for a smooth burpee :

New toys :

Also, I have ordered two new gifts for myself !

This one here and this one there

The first is a doorway workout bar that doesn't require drilling. It means you can put it easily on almost any door and do your pull-ups, then take it off when you're done.

So let's see if it works fine, it should be home in 1 or 2 days.

The second is a pull-up assisting resistance band. You attach to the pull-up bar and put your feet on it so the band make the weight to pull up lighter.

I've seen some interesting videos on how this is recommended to start with pull-ups so let's give it a try !

Alright, now the program for this week and my results :

26/05
Aphrodite : 37.21*

27/05
REST

28/05
Hades : 35.25

29/05
Uranos : 28.40

30/05
Ares : 12.58
Situp max : 81*

31/05
REST

01/06
Push up max : 31*
Pull up max :  17
Plank : 1.40
Chin up max : 15
Pull up max : 15
Push up max : 35*

W5 - Time to get to the next level

OK ! It's really nice to be able to keep on the standard coach program.

One advice : try to regularly check if you're doing the exercise in the right way, check again the video from the freeletics website and surf online to find additional information. It can really help.

I'm a bit wondering why I don't feel muscle pain the days after the exercise while others seem to suffer.
Maybe I'm not doing the burpees right.. :p
I'm gonna try to touch the ground today but not lie my body on the floor so the whole body stays contracted.

19/05
Hades : 28.40

20/05
20 push-ups in the morning

21/05
Zeus : 38.25

22/05
REST

23/05
Morning :
Metis : 8.08
Metis : 8.13

Evening : (just because I couldn't wait for the next day !)
Push-up max : 41 (New PB ! and I'm getting close to Pascal now !)
Push-up bench : 10
Split lunge max : 155 (New PB !)
Push-up bench : 30 (New PB !)

24/05:
REST

25/05:
Aphrodite : 37.30*

W4 + 1 Week Alternate program

As I mentionned before I started having some pain in the hip.
This one got triggered mainly when doing the burpees and the abs which pull on this part.

So, after checking my general doc and physio, I'm setting this part of the body for some rest.
Adding to the fact that this seems to be triggered by a too long sitted position (basically being in front of computer all day), I gotta make sure I treat my body right and help it recover.

So I won't follow the exact Coach program for 1 or 2 weeks, until it gets better then resume the advised one.

Personal notes : I have noticed if you don't plan your diet in advance, it's actually really hard to optimize your intake. I would always end up picking some ready-made solution like biscuits or bread. So I need to prepare in advance healthier solution (have some rice already prepared, some soy-milk, some almonds and nuts, etc...). I also need to cook more beans like lentils, red beans, ...

Here is what I've done so far on the workout part :

04/05
Hades : 32.27

05/05
REST + Physio treatment

06/05
2.5 Hours hike


07/05
20 push-ups
30 min. yoga
08/05
30 min. yoga

09/05
REST

10/05
Push-up max : 31*
Bench push-ups : 10
10 min running 

11/05
Push-up max : 32* (new PB!)
Pull-up max : 15
Bench push-ups : 22
Split lunge max : 130*
Push-up max : 22*
Pull-up max : 12

W5:

12/05
Push-up max : 35* (new PB!)
Pull-up max : 12
Bench push-ups : 23
Split lunge max : 140* (new PB!)
Push-up max : 32*
Bench push-ups : 12

13/05
REST (too busy at work)

14/05
REST (too busy at work)

15/05
Artemis : 36.21

16/05
20 push-ups in the morning
Hyperion : 30.08

17/05
REST

18/05
Hades : 29.36 (all star version except for the pull-ups!)

Now this is the end of the Coach program for the 4th week.
So far feeling great and really can't wait for the next workout !
Now is time to resume the normal program completely.

W3

Alright, week 3 went good. I have to say that motivation is not as high as the beginning, but that's where you need to hold on and not to give up !

I've noticed a pain in my hip that comes back when I do the squats or burpees, I guess I've been forcing a bit too much on the posture. I need to check this out.

Meanwhile, results are improving and clearly the breathing improvement is a great way to facilitate these exercises.

I can feel I'm getting a bit weight but I'll come back with clearer evidences once I have them ! :p

25/04
REST

26/04 (Not in the program)
Pull-up
Push-up

27/04
Sit-up max : 75*
Split Lunge max : 137*
Pull-up max (extra) :

28/04
REST

29/04
REST

30/04

Aphrodite : 31:41* (New Record!)

01/05
Hyperion : 28:23 (Definitely not with a star, this is really hard for me now)

03/05
Sit-up max : 76* (New record!)
Split Lunge max : 145* (New record!)