I really wanted to get ready for the Spartan Race, but my injury prevented me from running. It caused me to lose motivation to even go into the gym and ride a stationary bike or lift some weights. First world problems, right. Sure, but they are mine and I need to sort it out.
Yet despite not training I still chose to enter my first Spartan Sprint. I viewed it as a blow to my future active live if I gave up without even trying, even if it meant walking. A Spartan Sprint is a roughly 5km run through the bush, no real path, with obstacles/challenges/test dispersed in between. Can’t flip that tractor tire twice? No worries, just go do 30 burpees after which you are free to “roam” towards the next test. Wall to high? You know what to do.
I ended up doing 90 burpees. 30 because, like most people, I can’t throw a spear. 30 more because I was not able to pull a stone into the air using a pulley. I could not even move it to get in position and start pulling. 30 more because I was not able to do the rope climb. My upper body is weak, I know, but...
I FINISHED THE SPARTAN SPRINT!
Yes, and it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The finish inspired me. It showed me that I was not nearly as pathetic as I felt. It gave me the will to pick up my Kindle and read “New Rules of Lifting” again. Stepping back into into the gym as soon as possible to get power into my weak body was exciting. The race is still motivating me to stay in the gym and patiently wait for my heel to heal (see what I did there) and winter to pass.
*****
It’s been nearly 2 months since the race and I feel a gym report is in order.
I started off with the 2 week break-in program, took one week of and then started with the Fat-Loss program. Yea,I know I’m not exactly the overweight type, but it is the recommended program for a beginner or someone who has not spend much time in the gym for a few years.
Although there are many exercises in one workout, as there should be, I will use only the Squat to track my progress. Here goes.
For the break-in program I used only the Olympic bar to make sure I learned how to do the squats properly. Before the week was out I had already added a bit of weight, because it was just to light. By the time I started the first section of the main program I was squatting 30kg, 15 repetitions a set, 3 sets, as part of a superset with seated rows. 90 seconds rest between each set. By the end of the first program I was squatting 50kg, 10 repetitions, 3 sets and 45 seconds rest between each superset. Big words for a little man, but here is what it means.
Using an online calculator i calculated that my maximum one repetition squat weight went from 45 kg to 62 kg. If I only had to do one squat, as heavy as I could, then I was only able lift 45 kg. Now I can lift 62kg, once. For the fit out there this seems like nothing. Even I feel it is rather poor, but we all have to start somewhere, no? The question now is “How much is a good MANLY weight?”
This set of standards says I went from untrained to half a novice. I suppose I should not complain. It’s been been less than 2 months and I showed a 25% improvement. That is not to shabby, really. I know my improvements will slow down, but I need to keep this in perspective.
Here are some targets for me to look at. To get to be a novice I should be able to lift 85 kg once. Again, that is the weight be a novice, which will be OK with me. Fitness is my main goal, not pure power. Even so it would be nice if I could do that 105 kg to be considered intermediate.
Of course, I’m pushing the other exercises just as hard, while being careful not to overdo it again. By the time I get to squatting almost twice my body weight I hope to be able to do decent amount of actual pull-ups as well. I think my record is three, before I fail and fall to the floor :(
I think this is a nice base for me to start my new year on. By the end of next year I hope to be in shape with at least one Spartan Spring and a Spartan Super under my belt.
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