Week 6, day 1 of Hundred Pushups.

Ouch.  Unlike the last couple of training days where we were doing four double sets of fewer reps followed by one big set, today we went back to five higher rep sets.

This is a lot reps with only 60-seconds scheduled rest.  I have to confess that after the second, third and fourth sets I did give myself an extra 30-seconds rest.  And even with that I still had to break the reps up into a lot of chunks (using APFT standard rest protocols, naturally).

This was a challenging day.  Based on how this felt, I’m predicting a redo of weeks 5 and 6 after my final max effort test.

Another thing that I like about this program is the rep counts.  Instead of just using equal reps across all sets I feel like the pattern they’re using is a huge psychological boost (heavy in the front, “easy” sets in the middle and then a hard effort at the end).  It’s kind of like a mini version of wave programming (BTW there are much more sophisticated and informative explanations of this protocol across the web on sites like T-Nation and others but this is the shortest and sweetest).

I used to (meaning before last Christmas) use Fitocracy.  I’m not really a huge fan of the online fitness community thing but that might just be because I’ve never really gotten into it and I haven’t in the past connected with too many people on the various platforms.  I’m willing to admit that failing to connect with other people may reduce the utility and enjoyment of fitness community apps.

Moving on.  After I got home from my unplanned trip to Michigan in February, my girlfriend got me to sign up for Tribesports because she and her running partner were on it.  So here’s the conundrum:  I don’t really like Tribesports.  I haven’t spent a TON of time messing with it, but just so far I prefer the interface and layout of Fitocracy.  So now I have to decide if I want to use Tribesports – where I have actual connections with actual people but I don’t really like the interface – or if I want to go back to Fitocracy – where I don’t know anybody but whose interface I find more appealing.  Either way I’m going to have to go back and meticulously enter a bunch of back data to get workout credit for all the exercise I’ve done lately that I haven’t entered into either of them.

The best/worst solution would be to simultaneously use BOTH of them so that I get to use Fitocracy where I enjoy the interface (best) but stay engaged with Tribesports so that I can interact with my friends and connections (best).  But that means double the work and double the data entry (worst).

The jury is still out.  We’ll see what I end up doing.  Whichever way I end up going (even if it’s both ways . . . that came out wrong) I think I’ll add a link to my [insert community fitness app name here] link into the sidebar so that folks can take a look at it.

8 x 400m intervals, the standard.  Standard route.  I moderated my pace.  It was slower but more consistent.

Not sure what happened on split number twelve.  It was almost entirely “uphill” as much as that term can be used here.  I’ll include the elevation chart of my run below to demonstrate the significance of that qualification.

Trust me.  When you’re running it there are uphill parts.  Really.

Week 6, Day 2 of Hundred Pushups.  Challenging.

I have one more day of the program and then another test day.  I think that I’ll do better than the 75 on my last test, but I have my doubts about doing 100.  We shall see . . .

Willfully and willingly took a day off of cardio.  I was feeling a little tired and fatigued.  (Those are different things, right?)  Should have been intervals but I’ll make them up tomorrow.

This is part of an ongoing series where I take a look at motivational images, phrases and soundbites culled from “fitness motivation” websites and other sources.  I break them down and try to figure out what makes them effective or ineffective motivation for me.

I absolutely LOVE this one.  I think it is an utterly accurate and seriously uncomfortable truth.

Anytime you skip a run because of the weather; don’t go to the gym because you started to watch TV; or decided not to do calisthenics in your hotel room because you’re traveling, you are finding an excuse because your health and fitness isn’t really important to you.

Think about the last time that something was seriously important to you.  Could be a major work project, a paper for school, getting your wife to the hospital while she’s in labor, anything that was REALLY important.  Did you find and excuse not to do it or did you find a way to make it happen?

You made it happen didn’t you?  If something is really, honestly important to you, then you’ll get it done almost no matter what.  You’ll stay up all night; work feverishly; run red lights; call in favors; brow beat lackadaisical group members; and metaphorically (hopefully) lie, cheat, and steal to get it done.

The problem is that for most of us the “importance” of those moments we’re remembering were IMPOSED on us externally: losing our job, failing out of school, having a baby in the backseat of the car, and so on.  Unless there’s an external factor involved then we’re all too likely to leap at the first obstacle we encounter as an acceptable excuse to cop out.

The trick is to impart “importance” to things ourselves in such a way that it drives us to overcome excuses and find a way.  Here are a few ways to do it:

1)     Explicitly state that it’s important.  Tell yourself – in writing and/or out loud to yourself – that the thing you should be doing is important to you and why.  Eliminate any vague notions your “other self” has that this isn’t a big deal.

2)     Identify that whatever you are doing instead or whatever condition you think is keeping you from doing what you should be doing is just an excuse.  Clearly state – to yourself, or better yet to your roommate or significant other – that [the TV, the weather, your mild muscle soreness, your attitude, etc] is a weak excuse not to do something that you know you should.

3)     Take a look at your written fitness goals (you do have those don’t you?) and remind yourself of why it’s IMPORTANT to go do your workout.

4)     Ask yourself, “what’s more IMPORTANT to me?  My [health/fitness/physical appearance/athletic performance] or [watching TV/taking a nap/going to the movies/sleeping in/etc. ?”  Hint: the answer should be one of the former NOT the latter.

5) Create a blog and generate external pressure (i.e. a sense of importance) by exposing your real priorities (i.e. potential hypocrisy) to your friends and family (and complete strangers).

6) Put your money where your mouth is.  Bet a friend.  Use a commitment system like Beeminder or Stikk.

Pushups tonight: week 5 day 1.  I’ve got a long way to go to get from 75 to 100 and I think the program is only two more weeks long.  We’ll see what happens but I may be repeating week 5 and 6 a couple times.

I also had to give myself an extra 30-seconds of rest before the last set (something which has built in functionality in the app so it isn’t cheating . . . much).  But that combined with the fact that the last two sets required some Army-standard rest breaks does show that a few more laps through the last two weeks of the program still has the potential for significant improvement.  We’ll do what’s necessary.

And then a 5-miler.  The normal route.

It wasn’t brutal, but I sure FELT like I was running faster than a 9:30 pace, even though I was just out for an easy run.  I need to drink more water.