# High Intensity...Boy this is really going to hurt



## fantasma62 (Feb 22, 2007)

For some, this title may be misleading. This is not going to be a HIT journal as I have done before. I am trying to create a hybrid workout for myself. Something that I can enjoy doing and that will allow me time with my family and to actually have a private life...

This is my plan:

I want to somehow mix weights, boxing and simple "caveman" exercises to help me achieve my long term goal. I call push ups, crunches and the like caveman exercises because no amount of technology is necessary and they are so easy, even a caveman can do them... 

I FINALLY built my boxing gym in the garage and have begun training but I find it disorganized and I need to bring some order to this workout.
I purchased an adjustable bench, thinking it was an ab bench and instead of returning it, I made lemonade out of the lemons and ended up buying a set of Select Tech dumbbells to get my idea going. I pulled my push-up bars out of an old box in my garage along with my 1980's cut off t shirts (ok, nop, I didn't do that because my wife hid them from me to avoid the embarrassment at her work and our neighborhood, besides, they now look like bras...I was in better shape back then).

What have I been doing? For the past two weeks I have been doing the following:

3 rounds of shadow boxing (all out for 3 minutes per round with 1 minute rest)
3 rounds of heavy bag (same as shadow boxing)
3 rounds of speed bag, or in my case, slow bag...it's embarrassing how I have forgotten how to do this...(also the same as the above two)

I have been doing this intermittently for the past two weeks (every other day)

Now I want to incorporate the dumbbells and "caveman" exercises into this, while still having time for other things. It'll be a challenge and hope to get your assistance regarding this new thing I am getting myself into.

I am going to do some research (when I get back from Disney World, where I am at right now...) and try to come up with an idea. Your imput, as I implied earlier, is not just welcome, it is required  

Heck, you never know, I may be instituting a whole new training method for the busy adult...I'll call it HIHT(I hope I don't get sued for this if I have stolen someone else's idea)  
Look out GP, I am going to be inventing the new P/RR/S without the P, or the RR...shoot, or the S...I AM GOING TO BE RICH!!!!! Aren't I?


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## Pylon (Feb 22, 2007)

Welcome back Tony!


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## Triple Threat (Feb 22, 2007)

You could call it Super High Intensity Training.     Maybe that's not such a good idea after all.


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## yellowmoomba (Feb 22, 2007)

Triple Threat said:


> You could call it Super High Intensity Training.     Maybe that's not such a good idea after all.



   Good one TT!!!!


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## King Silverback (Feb 22, 2007)

Brother Tony, WELCOME BACK my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 23, 2007)

What's up Pylon, Arch...

T.T:  I like that title....it's a bit suicidal, but I like it...

Still doing research on what the hell I am going to do.  No, actually I am lying, until I get back from the Happiest Place on Earth....no guys, it's not Scores....Disney...


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## naturaltan (Feb 23, 2007)

I like incorporating the boxing  into your workout/fitness plan


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 23, 2007)

Welcome Back Tony.  I missed your writing style and flair.  Bring it on brotha!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 23, 2007)

NT:  I knew you'd get a kick out of that, but didn't you have an idea that I would be doing something insane like this at some point or another?

JD: Thanks for the compliments and the welcome back...I am looking forward to continuing this climb...we'll see what happens next...


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## fantasma62 (Feb 25, 2007)

Research, research, research.....

I have yet to make a complete plan but I am still researching...

I am going to write a few things to keep my mind organized and as information for the good folks in this board as they try to help me build the perfect workout...for me....

My experience these past couple to three weeks has given me some knowledge of my body.
I found out the hard way that I am a lot older than I was when I first took up boxing.  Coming to that realization is a big step, in my opinion.  

Some background information.  I first took up boxing 25 years ago, when I was barely 12 years old.  No folks, at first I didn't train for fights, I just liked the sport so much that I wanted to get in shape by boxing.  That lasted 2 years because I left my birthplace, Venezuela, moving to the US.  I took up boxing again at 16, after not liking Karate all that much (got bored) and finally gave it up at 18 when I got my ass knocked out and my mother was afraid I would break my nose (5 years later a baseball hit me squared in the nose, so that only delayed the inevitable...yes I am a klutz).

I have digressed.  Ok, back to the here and now.  So, I realized that I am not a kid anymore and my body does not respond the same way as it did back when.  I found out I couldn't at first hit the heavy bag on a daily basis.  On the third straight day of hitting the bag, and one round into it, my hands were throbbing in ways I couldn't imagine.  My stamina was good, I wasn't tired, but my hands were.  Solution for the problem.  Do my whole boxing workout every other day.

Since I am in the middle of research and really want the IM folks' opinion.  I am going to end this post here with just the background of just what my mindset is coming into this week.

My next post will be how I plan to train and see how it works.  It'll be nothing more than trial and error and of course, with the help of the folks here, I may be building the Utopia of workouts, again, for  me...


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## King Silverback (Feb 25, 2007)

every other day sounds fantastic to me my Friend!!! Best Wishes!!!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 25, 2007)

I believe that I have done extensive research on the topic of HIT and how it can affect me. However, no matter how much research you do, there is never a consensus of the pros and cons, methods of HIT or even whether it should be done 2 or more days of the week.

I have read a couple of books by Ellington Darden regarding HIT, and have read information from the forums in his website, as more than one person here recommended his ideas to me when I was doing my first wave of research. He recommends that a person who is doing a full body workout should train no more than two times a week because of the abuse the body receives, it needs more time to recover. My mind, however, has never worked that way. If I am not doing something the other days, I feel that all the work that I did will go for naught, That's the way my brain feels and it is a bit tough to change it after 37...well, almost 38 years. What I did was follow the advice of a wise Angel, a mighty Pylon, Duncan Donuts, CamaroSuper6, Rocco and others who helped out but I am having trouble remembering...

When I first did HIT, I worked on a full body workout. Then I switched to splits. I have decided to go with full body and mixe both boxing and HIT by following the every other day boxing workout with two HIT workouts in between.

Although I know that running miles upon miles is probably what boxers find better for them, I am thinking of doing suicides on the football field close to my home. I always found them to be very effective when I was playing football a while back (and we called them UCLA's, don't know why).

So, my idea is Monday, Wed, Friday, the following workout:

1 set of suicides ( I am not in great shape, so I will improve that later).
3 rounds (3 minutes each, 1 minute rest) shadow boxing
3 rounds (3 minutes each, 1 minute rest) Heavy bag
2 rounds (3 minutes each, 1 minute rest) Speed (slow in my case) bag. 1 round for each arm.

Seems like a whole bunch work for a first time, but the only thing that I am adding here is the suicides. I am planning on timing these to see how I am progressing. Not sure if suicides and shadow boxing is overkill, but it'll be trial and error so I will see if there is a difference in how the suicides affect my body added to the other exercises.

Regarding the weight training. I need to see whether HIT plus boxing is overkill or maybe I should design a workout that will blend well with boxing and that will have a positive effect on my body.

Any and all comments are welcome. I will appreciate them...

Later all....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

This is the workout that I come up with for the moment, since I am on a trial and error basis.  As, this will be a dumbbell workout only, since that's all I have at the moment and the gym in my area really sucks:

DB Chest Press
DB Flyes
Inclined Hammer Curls
DB Side Lifts
DB Front Lifts
DB Lying Row
DB Lying pull over
Lunges
DB Single Calf Raises
DB Straight Leg, Straight Back DL's

I will try that tomorrow and see where I go from there....


That's all I have...


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## King Silverback (Feb 26, 2007)

Looks good, except thats alot for your delts imo!!! They get PLENTY of stimulation w/ the chest and back movements, My shoulder have beefed up w/ only 1 direct movement for them, just my 2 cents my Friend!!!

Excellent research too Brother Tony, kudos for adjusting and applying my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Looks good, except thats alot for your delts imo!!! They get PLENTY of stimulation w/ the chest and back movements, My shoulder have beefed up w/ only 1 direct movement for them, just my 2 cents my Friend!!!
> 
> Excellent research too Brother Tony, kudos for adjusting and applying my Friend!!!


 

You know what? You are absolutely right Michael...er...Brother Arch. Thanks...
In your experience, which exercise should I subtract from this routine?
I have always been a fan of the lateral raises. However, I fear that this may make me prone to cheat.
Which exercise do you recommend that may be almost cheat proof for me? I may replace both for one effective one where I won't be tempted to cheat by using some body english....in HIT forn is everything....

On another note, I am pretty tired after doing the boxing today.
This is how it went:
-All the rounds are 3 minutes per, with 1 minute rest

3 rounds of shadow boxing (all out). I made sure that my hands were always up to keep the correct form. Hell, once in a while I would get disorganized throwing a bunch of punches at a time, but I would collect myself and go back to looking at form and quantity. 

3 rounds of heavy bag (all out). I threw many combinations and basically threw punches throughout the three rounds at a good pace. Tweaked my right hand a little but nothing to be too worried about (I hit the bag at a funny angle and felt a little pain, but I kept on)

2 rounds of speed bag - at first I was too worried about not messing up, but once I started getting a rythm going, I was able to do a pretty decent (still very slow) job, but all in all I am very happy to have finished.

My arms were very tired from keeping them up and throwing so many punches and did sweat quite a bit (copiously). I am unhappy about the situation with the suicides and the jump rope (that should be another comedy of errors) because it was raining quite a bit outside and I did not want to catch a cold as I am beginning to do this.

Either way, I am extatic about the new beginning and I am looking forward to continuing to go strong....

By the way, as a point of order, I weigh 239 pounds right now and I am looking forward to getting to 200 soon. Good luck to me....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

My goals for the month of march are, first of all, to be able to reach 5 rounds 3/1 (3 minutes on / 1 minute rest) of shadow boxing, maintain 3 rounds of heavy bag at a 3:1 ratio and then be able to go 3 rounds speed bag.
Second of all, to be able to do 2 basketball courts, rather than the 1 that I will be doing now and at some point jump rope.

Regarding my weight training, I can't set any goals yet, since I am barely starting.  The only goal I have now is to have a good workout and not over-do things....

So, those are my goals for the month of March (I am considering this week as part of March, since there are two days left).  I am not setting the bar too high because I am basically starting from scratch in a whole new routine for me and don't want to suddenly disappoint myself and regress...


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Looks good, except thats alot for your delts imo!!! They get PLENTY of stimulation w/ the chest and back movements, My shoulder have beefed up w/ only 1 direct movement for them, just my 2 cents my Friend!!!
> 
> Excellent research too Brother Tony, kudos for adjusting and applying my Friend!!!


 

Arch, what do you think about killing the two exercises of and trying shoulder shrugs and another routine that you may recommend?  Overkill?


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## King Silverback (Feb 26, 2007)

You know something else you gotta think about is the bagwork you do, your shoulder girdle will be taking a POUNDING during the w/o's AND bagwork!!!  Iwould suggest doing seated military presses with your hands parallel to each other, and only do direct shoulder work once a week, you could also do shrugs to solidify your upper back area as well!!! 
Speaking of bagwork, sorry about your hand, do you wrap your wrists/hands??? You should imo!!!
Fantastic goals too, Best wishes to you and keep it up, looking solid,strong AND determined!!!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

Archangel said:


> You know something else you gotta think about is the bagwork you do, your shoulder girdle will be taking a POUNDING during the w/o's AND bagwork!!! Iwould suggest doing seated military presses with your hands parallel to each other, and only do direct shoulder work once a week, you could also do shrugs to solidify your upper back area as well!!!
> Speaking of bagwork, sorry about your hand, do you wrap your wrists/hands??? You should imo!!!
> Fantastic goals too, Best wishes to you and keep it up, looking solid,strong AND determined!!!


 
Arch, thanks for all the positive thoughts, they help, believe me.

Regarding wrapping, yes, I learned at a young age that I always had to wrap my hands to keep from getting injured.  The tweak, which is almost non existent now, happened near my wrist on top part of my hand. I iced my hands after I finished and all feels great now.

Thanks for the pointers.  Definitely worth a thought.  The heavy bag does put stress on my shouders.  In fact, keeping my hands up in a fighting stance while shadow boxing, heavy bag and speed bag, also put strain on my shoulders.

What I can do is do only one shoulder exercise per week, while doing shrugs twice a week, thus strengthening my upper shouders...

Great advice Arch, thanks....


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## King Silverback (Feb 26, 2007)

My pleasure Brother Tony, you have a GREAT head on your shoulders!!! Great idea about the shrugs as well as the shoulders, glad to hear you wrap your wrists AND that the injury is non-existant, Good Stuff and Go For IT my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 26, 2007)

Archangel said:


> My pleasure Brother Tony, you have a GREAT head on your shoulders!!! Great idea about the shrugs as well as the shoulders, glad to hear you wrap your wrists AND that the injury is non-existant, Good Stuff and Go For IT my Friend!!!


 
You see? Now I am going to have to give you credit for the workout....  

Seriously though, it's going to be a lot of fun tweaking this...and I do mean the workout folks

Regarding my wrists, from wednesday on I am going to maybe wrap my wrists a bit tighter to avoid any unforeseen "tweaks".  I own these gloves that are used in lieu of wrapping.  They look a bit like the gloves used in the UFC and Pride fighting.  They are good for stabilizing the wrist.  That may be another way to go.....I'll let you know what I am going to do....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 27, 2007)

Good News, Bad News...


Bad News: I did hurt my wrist yesterday when I was hitting the bag. I knew it this morning when I tried to carry my son and had something between discomfort and pain. I can do everything and anything but lift heavy weights. 

Good News: it seems like it's only a strain, you know, the kind you get when you are trying to get up and put your hand on the ground, and you feel a little pain in the top of the hand, right above the wrist. That's what it feels like.

Better news:  My idea today is to wrap it up well and lift because it's not excruciatingly painful and in fact I can do most of anything that i try doing.

We'll see if it works out today, but again, I am not too worried about it. It's just a little sore....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 27, 2007)

I figure if I can't lift today, I will go back to working on shadow boxing and speedbag and, god willing, be able to do my suicides in peace....

Just a thought I had.  I don't have many so enjoy this one....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 27, 2007)

Well, I gave it a go today and although I may have been able to complete a full workout, I would have done so in pain and may have hurt myself in the process.
I am going to try to give it a go tomorrow and see how my wrist feels.  I am not unhappy, if anything, I think I actually grew a brain and finally understood that if I get hurt because I tried to go at it with a tweaked wrist, I may be shelved longer than a couple of days....

It's cool, I'll bounce back tomorrow.....


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## Pylon (Feb 27, 2007)

Dude, give it time to heal.  Push to hard, you'll miss even more time.

Speed bag, shadow and run.  Get a jump rope if you don't have one, add it in as well.  You'll be fine.


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

Pylon said:


> Dude, give it time to heal. Push to hard, you'll miss even more time.
> 
> Speed bag, shadow and run. Get a jump rope if you don't have one, add it in as well. You'll be fine.


 

Hey Pylon...

I am definitely going to do that.  As a matter of fact, from one day to the next, it has improved quite a bit.  I am sure that tomorrow it'll be ready to lift.

I was planning on adding running (suicides) and rope on the first day, but the rain didn't exactly allow for that to happen.  I can't jump rope in my garage because it would just get tangled up with the motor and I didn' t want to be running in the rain because I just got over one weird cold that I don't want to be near to again.

Thanks for the pointers, I'll take them and run....


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## DOMS (Feb 28, 2007)

There's a series of articles on T-nation called "Shoulder Savers".  These may help you out.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

There's also a companion article about elbows and wrists.

Good luck recuperating!


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

DOMS said:


> There's a series of articles on T-nation called "Shoulder Savers". These may help you out.
> 
> Part 1
> Part 2
> ...


 
Hey DOMS, thanks a million for the help, I will have a look see.....


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

DOMS said:


> There's a series of articles on T-nation called "Shoulder Savers". These may help you out.
> 
> Part 1
> Part 2
> ...


 
DOMS man, this information is amazing.  Thanks very much. 
I will read more thoroughly later in the day, but what I was able to read is right on...thanks again...


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## DOMS (Feb 28, 2007)

My pleasure, fantasma62.


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

Today my brain broke my hand.....well, not exactly, but it could have happened...

It was the perfect day to work out. Long, pissy day at work, bad mood traffic. The setting was there it was perfect. It couldn't have possibly been any better.

I got home wrapped up my hands tightly to make sure I didn't injure myself further when I went at it and grabbed the jump rope.

Then I moved on to my three rounds of shadow boxing and then the moment of truth, the heavy bag...and that's why I said almost, because I decided that my right hand wasn't ready yet for the heavy bag. So I proceeded with more shadow boxing.

It may have been disastrous, if not for the words that Pylon said: "Dude, give it time to heal. Push too hard and you could miss more time". Those were the only thoughts that entered my mind at that moment.
Thanks Pylon, for some reason you got inside my brain there....

Anyway, for the workout.

*1 minute of jump rope: Yes, one freaking minute. I found out real fast the type of shape my legs and arms are in. I couldn't make it past a minute without feeling pain on my knees and thighs. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't damage pain, it was rust pain. I was able to skip around during my shadow boxing after the rope.

*6 rounds of shadow boxing (as usual 3/1) I went all out and folks, let me tell you, in round 6 I was pawing, rather than throwing punches as I could barely keep my hands up. Sad shape, I know. The good news is that if it wasn't for my arms and shouders I may have had enough wind for another 4 rounds. Not bad for an out of shape fat guy...

*2 rounds of speed bag (3/1): very happy with this one as I picked up a good rythm and hit the bag pretty well. However, my shoulders were so sore already that I had to stop 2 or 3 times per round, bring my hands down to my hips and get in rythm again. I also was able to make it a less-slow bag than I had made it on monday.

I am happy I did what I did today and pray that tomorrow I will be ready to lift. I am going to re-think a bit tonight my routine due to the stress that I put my shoulders in tonight. Believe me, they are already sore and it has been 1/2 hour.

I'll post a revised workout for tomorrow's weights a bit later...


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## Pylon (Feb 28, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Thanks Pylon, for some reason you got inside my brain there....



You may wanna get that thing fumigated now....At the very least, be sure you wash any exposed areas.


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## King Silverback (Feb 28, 2007)

Excellent w/o Brother Tony, SO glad you listened to Brother Pylon!!!
Do you wrap between your fingers too???


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

Pylon said:


> You may wanna get that thing fumigated now....At the very least, be sure you wash any exposed areas.


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## fantasma62 (Feb 28, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Excellent w/o Brother Tony, SO glad you listened to Brother Pylon!!!
> Do you wrap between your fingers too???


 
I do the wrap between the middle and ring fingers.  I have VERY strong knuckles so I try to concentrate must of my wrapping around my weak-ass wrists.  I went backwards on monday because I wrapped a bit more at the knuckles and less at the wrists.  I corrected that today....very satisfied....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 1, 2007)

After re-thinking my strategy.  I may just do shrugs twice a week and leave off the other shoulder exercises.  The shadow boxing and not-so-fast bag yesterday did a number on my shouders.  They are sore and I am happy about that.

Wrist feels great today.  It no longer hurts to make a fist and I can move it easily.

I will let you know how the workout goes tonight.  I am going to tweak a few things and see what happens...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 1, 2007)

This is my final routine which I will be working on tonight:

DB Chest Press


DB Flyes


Inclined Hammer Curls


DB Prone Incline curls


DB Kickbacks


DB Lying pull over


Lunges


DB Single Calf Raises


DB Straight Legged DL???s

I don't think I'll be able to write all that well once I am done so adding weights is enough for me tonight.  I'll post results later...


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## King Silverback (Mar 1, 2007)

Lookin good Brother Tony!!! Best Wishes my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 1, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Lookin good Brother Tony!!! Best Wishes my Friend!!!


 

Thanks Brother Arch, almost there though.  I kinda' started lifting but decided to back off tonight too as I felt a little something there.
Tomorrow I will most probably do the boxing workout and hit the heavy bag.  I am sure that by saturday I will be able to lift.  I owe it to myself.

Sorry folks, no new workout today.  I am a bit let down, but at least I know that I won't be hurting myself further....It sucks, but I guess I'll give it one more day.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 2, 2007)

Well, got home a bit late and in reality did not feel like training today, so I went ahead and ...trained.

I ate my dinner at 7:30 pm and finished at around 8:10pm *(part of having the gastric band in my esophagus is that I have to eat very slowly or risk having the food getting stuck there - nothing happens if it does, just uncomfortable)*.  At around 10:10pm I started with my rope, four rounds of shadow boxing and tried to follow those with 2 rounds of heavy bag and 2 rounds of speed bag.
Well, it didn't really work that way as I still feel a little something in my wrist and decided to go ahead and not hit the bag.  It's not pain, it's a bit of a ghost pain.  I don't know how to explain it other than it didn't hurt, it mostly annoyed me.  Instead of risking it, one more time, I continued shadow and finished all six rounds of shadow.

In the sixth round I could barely throw any punches and in fact, found myself throwing arm punches toward the end.  My shoulders and lats are sore as I threw a whole hell of a lot of punches.  Also, I did a bit better with the rope today.

All in all, I am very happy about the fact that I went ahead and trained even after I didn't really want to.

I don't think that tomorrow there will be any weights tomorrow as it still bothers me to close the fist tightly.  Again, not painful, just bothersome.

I guess we'll see....

I still have my mind made up regarding my future workout with weights and the boxing training has reenforced this mindset.  Shrugs only, no need for a lot of shoulder work.  I am, however, going to maybe include in my off days one or two exercises that DOMS' articles showed for shoulder health.

All righty then.....

It went something like this:

*3 minutes of rope work - don't even think that I went and did all three minutes of rope.  In fact, I stopped a bunch of times when I would step on the rope, but immediately started again.  Got tired after three minutes and maybe wore myself out and found myself running out of gas in the 6th round of shadow.  Did I mind?  No, I'll keep starting my workouts with rope work and go from there.  

*6 rounds shadow boxing (3/1) - five rounds all out and the last round as all out as I cut muster.

*2 rounds speed bag (3/1) - great session today.  Got a rythm going early and it went on for the 2 rounds.  No, I wasn't really going extremely fast, but I did go faster today.

I hope to include a little running in this HIHT soon.  However, I hate running like poison, but understand that is a must.  We'll see what happens...only time will tell.


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## King Silverback (Mar 2, 2007)

Excellent!!!
Smart move backing off and waiting for the weights!!!


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## Pylon (Mar 3, 2007)

Nice work, Tony.  Workouts that come when you don't feel like doing it are always a good sign.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 3, 2007)

Brother Arch, Brother Pylon, thanks for the words of encouragement...

I figured I have nothing to lose if I repeat the same workout daily until my hand gets better.
I am going to try to repeat it again tonight and hopefully tomorrow until my hand is fully healed.  I want to be able to do at least 6 rounds of shadow by the end of the month without running out of steam in the sixth round again.  Also, I want to shorten my rest time to 1/2 minute if possible...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 3, 2007)

I may be wrong, but I found out in the last few days that keeping my arms up as much as I could, not only work out the shoulders, but the traps too.  My traps were sore this morning.  Not overly sore, just a bit sore.  Enough to think I actually worked out the traps somehow.

Funny as there is a possibility that I will shorten the shrugs to maybe just one day a week.  I don't know....we'll see...


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## Pylon (Mar 3, 2007)

That would make sense.  Traps keep your arms up to the sides, so they would be getting some work (if not as much as the shoulders.)


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## fantasma62 (Mar 3, 2007)

Pylon said:


> That would make sense. Traps keep your arms up to the sides, so they would be getting some work (if not as much as the shoulders.)


 
See?  I may be getting smarter.....nah never mind...


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## King Silverback (Mar 3, 2007)

I agree, I would only do 1 direct shoulder movement and 1 direct trap movement once a week, and alternate them too, that will help out tremendously!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 3, 2007)

Archangel said:


> I agree, I would only do 1 direct shoulder movement and 1 direct trap movement once a week, and alternate them too, that will help out tremendously!!!


 
Thank you for your input Brother Arch, it makes me feel smarter to have folks like you and Pylon agreeing with me. I guess I am getting somewhat smarter...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 3, 2007)

Allright, as I said I went out tonight again and trained. This time however, I did feel like training.

I tweaked things a bit and decided to time everything. I thought I should time my rope work to the last second and for the first time I took a step toward HIHT. I failed, which makes me happy.

I'll explain:

**Rope work: 2 rounds (2/1)*. This was much better than doing the three straight minutes and stopping from yesterday. This really was a better way to do things because when I was done with my second round, my legs were unsteady. I know, only two rounds, two minutes each, but for me is a hell of a lot.

**Shadow Boxing: 7 rounds (3/1).* This is where I reached failure. This was entirely by mistake, however.  I simply lost track of the rounds.
The reality is that those two rounds of rope really take steam out of me. So, by the 4th round of shadow I was pretty spent. But I continued on to the 5th, feeling worse, then in the 6th I was totally spent. However, I had already lost track of the rounds, so I pushed on upset because I thought I had only fought 5 rounds, so I went on dead tired. To say that at the end of the 7th round I couldn't throw a punch and even felt somewhat dizzy and maybe a bit light headed is not an exaggeration. I did not notice that I had fought 7 rounds until I got to the speed bag and I didn't hear the bell ring for what I thought would have been the 8th round. It ended up being the 9th round.

**Speed bag: 2 rounds (3/1).* I am proud to say that after finishing that 7th round I only gave myself my normal 1 minute rest and went on to the speed bag, where again, I got better rythm and went much faster than yesterday. What I mean with "better rythm" is that I hit the bag steadily without losing my concentration, thus, having less stoppages due to hitting the bag wrong or out of rythm, where I may have slowed down myself a bit and lost track of what I was doing. Either way, I noticed after this 8th rond (what I thought was the 7th round), that the bell didn't ring to start what would have been the 8th, that's when I noticed what I had done.  So I set up the timer and moved on to the 9th round, now fully aware of my mistake.

In conclusion, I felt that tonight I took a nice step toward my HIHT by going an extra round (that extra rep when you are lifting) and literally failing or feeling a bit too light on my feet. I am very happy with this workout and I am looking forward to tomorrow when I plan to have another good training session.

On a side note, I felt no pain whatsoever in my right hand after making a tight fist, but I figure I am going to hold out from lifting until next tuesday, when I am supposed to follow my monday boxing workout. I figure, until I am sure that my hand is fine, I will continue with boxing.

HIHT baby.....paying dividends....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 4, 2007)

Another very satisfying workout....

I felt much stronger in my 7th round tonight than I did yesterday. My feeling is I either wasn't working as hard as yesterday, which I don't believe, because I throw a rather large amount of punches. I guess I am going to need an 8th round.

I had a thought regarding the heavy bag. Seeing that I am going to be trying to apply HIT to my shadow boxing, I am going to change things around and attack the heavy bag first. My reasoning is simple. When I finish shadow boxing I am pretty spent and all I have energy for is the speed bag, which is a shoulder and arm workout in itself. If I hit the heavy bag as spent as I may be after either shadow or speed bag, I may hit the bag wrong again and this time, I may hurt my hand worse. So my workout is going to be: rope, heavy bag, shadow boxing, speed bag.

So tonight's workout:

**Rope: 2 rounds (2/1)*

**Shadow Boxing: 7 rounds (3/1)*

**Speed bag: 2 rounds (3/1)*

I am thinking of tinkering with the speed bag rounds a lot more than the heavy bag rounds. The latter takes a heavy toll on your hands and I really don't want the problems that come about later. I am going to add a couple of ab exercises in lieu of taking out the shoulder routines.

All right, good night ya'll...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

As I have been doing the "rope work", I have noticed that during and the day after, both my knees are aching a bit more than they normally do. It goes away, but now, for the stupid question of the day, could I be putting more strain on the knees than I should by jumping rope wrong? I figure it's kinda' like riding a bike. Or maybe it's just old age creeping up on me...

Who knows, just thought I'd make a comment....


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## King Silverback (Mar 5, 2007)

Do you take anything for your joints???
I highly suggest GLC 2000, it has worked for me VERY well!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Do you take anything for your joints???
> I highly suggest GLC 2000, it has worked for me VERY well!!!


 
Hey Arch, I used to but haven't had a problem with either of my knees in the past couple of years (WHen I again ballooned to 291 pounds).  Heck, even at 310, I didn't have knee problems.  
This feels more like knee soreness because of the short pounding they take when I jump rope.  I actually feel it while I am skipping, so I have a feeling that today I am going to take it easy on the rope work and do the rest of the work, while I look forward to tomorrow....

Once I am done training, I am going to ice the knee...  I am not worried much thought.  It seems to just be sore, but it is sore enough to keep me from doing rope today...


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## King Silverback (Mar 5, 2007)

What kind of surface do you jump on???
I would suggest getting some used carpet pieces or something and doublin/tripling up on that!!! The wheels need to be taken care of my Friend!!! Also you don't use a weighted rope or anything do ya??? Waste of time and more wear on the joints (all over) imo!!! You build up your wind w/ rope jumping, and the rest of your body w/ bagwork/sparring!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

Archangel said:


> What kind of surface do you jump on???
> I would suggest getting some used carpet pieces or something and doublin/tripling up on that!!! The wheels need to be taken care of my Friend!!! Also you don't use a weighted rope or anything do ya??? Waste of time and more wear on the joints (all over) imo!!! You build up your wind w/ rope jumping, and the rest of your body w/ bagwork/sparring!!!


 
The surface may have something to do with it, I don't, however, use a weighred rope.  I am going to try to do this on a rug or a mat...
Thanks for the heads-up.  I didn't think of that....


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## King Silverback (Mar 5, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> The surface may have something to do with it, I don't, however, use a weighred rope.  I am going to try to do this on a rug or a mat...
> Thanks for the heads-up.  I didn't think of that....



Thats why we are all here my Friend!!!


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 5, 2007)

See what happens when you are slow to visit journals?  Holy cow brotha you are moving right along.  Didn't realize you were practicing the 'sweet science'.  COOL Tony!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> See what happens when you are slow to visit journals? Holy cow brotha you are moving right along. Didn't realize you were practicing the 'sweet science'. COOL Tony!


 
Sure am.  I have always been an admirer of the sport and what better way to lose weight than that, right?

I am going to try and give it a go tonight.  My knee is a little achy but I guess I can throw punches without using my legs tonight.  So long as I sweat, right?

If I see that the aching becomes bad, I'll just put ice on it, and continue on tomorrow....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

Ok, so I am maybe a little worried, not too much though.  The little pain that I have is behind the knee.  I remember back in my football days, any time someone got hit by the knees they would check the back of the knee for ligament damage.  It scares me a bit to have damage there, but at the same time, if it was a tear, it would be hurting me to walk, which it doesn't.  I guess I am just a bit paranoid.

We'll see how it behaves tonight and I'll let you all know if I did anything with it or not...

No biggie, just a little worried about a nothing pain....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 5, 2007)

Knee tested ok, somewhat sore; and the left hand feels great.

I tested them both out hard and they answered the bell like they were supposed to.  I did skip the rope jumping today because I know that's what did it.  Right now, as I said, the left knee is still sore but I'm no longer afraid that I hurt it bad.  

My workout:

** 3 rounds of heavy bag (3/1):*  This was an all out attack on the bag.  I kinda' owed me that since I haven't been able to hit the bag for almost a week.  I went full out and hit as hard as I could.  This time I was careful with my wrapping.  Either way, I am excited as hell that I was able to hit the bag hard without any complications.

**6 rounds shadow boxing (3/1):*  this was the "balls to the walls" part of my night.  I wanted to do 5 rounds of shadow, knowing that I was going to be doing heavy bag work before.  Well, after throwing everything I had at...well...my shadow, I decided that I was going to leave it all there.  So I went an extra round, a 6th, and threw many, many punches almost nonstop.  By the time a minute was left, I was about to fall down all by myself.  Once it finished, I was proud and happy.  The shadow beat me by decision.

** 2 rounds speed bag (3/1):  *hands are becoming faster and my rythm is improving while hitting the bag.  It's no longer a slow bag.  Now it is almost a speed bag workout.  Also very proud and happy...

Folks, I understand that this is mostly a body building board where most of you are interested in lifting weights and keeping a healthy lifestyle.  Well, I consider this to be the first steps toward becoming healthier, so don't be so hard on me because I am not lifting yet.  Tomorrow, however, the real HIHT begins when I lift weights for the first time.  I am both scared and excited if that's possible.  I am afraid that I will not do as well and not feel as good as I feel tonight, but at the same time, I am excited to try a whole new routine for me.  

I will do a revised list of my short term goals tomorrow, since I am seeing that I am meeting or about to meet my previous goals.

We shall see......


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## Pylon (Mar 6, 2007)

Let's see...weak wrists...cranky knee...lowered endurace...Yup.  Sounds like you're getting old.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

Pylon said:


> Let's see...weak wrists...cranky knee...lowered endurace...Yup. Sounds like you're getting old.


 

     Hey you are not that far behind, you'll be here soon too....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

Well, for the first time since I started this, I am literally sore all over.  
My lats, my arms, my chest and my shoulders (in three different places) are sore.

That's all good news.

More good news, I don't feel any problems with my wrist.

My knee is sore like yesterday, but I was able to work thru the pain (not so much pain) and did well....

Today my plan is as follows:

DB Chest Press


DB Flyes


Inclined Hammer Curls


DB Prone Incline curls


DB Kickbacks


DB Single Calf Raises


DB Straight Legged DL???s

I am eliminating the lunges because of the lingering pain on my knee and will try to do the single calf raises and straight legged DL's.

I am going to remove the DB Lying Pull Over because today my back and lats are very sore, as if I had worked them out with weights.  I am going to add a couple of ab exercises like crunches.  Other than crunches, because they seem to target the upper abs (or maybe I am wrong), is there an ab exercise that may target one of my many, many, many, many problem areas, my lower abs.  I want to eliminate as much as I can the overhang on my lower abs.  Although I understand that it may not be completely possible, at least I want to try....


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## Pylon (Mar 6, 2007)

Lower abs...hanging knee raises?  Do you have a place to do them?  If not, I guess you could do prone leg raises.  Not as good, but same target area, I think.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

Pylon said:


> Lower abs...hanging knee raises? Do you have a place to do them? If not, I guess you could do prone leg raises. Not as good, but same target area, I think.


 
Thanks a bunch Pylon.  
Hanging knee raises?  Don't forget I am an old man with bad wrists.  Seriously though, that's not a bad idea but my grip is pretty crappy and my hands will do a disservice to my abs.

I am interested in the prone leg raises, though...


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 6, 2007)

Old at mid-30's? You young whipper snappers!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> Old at mid-30's? You young whipper snappers!


 

Hey JD!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

Ok ladies, no laughing please...I say ladies because the guys are already laughing and this workout was funny enough to make even the girls laugh..  

DB Chest Press:  25 reps x 25 pounds per DB

DB Flyes:  30 x 10

Inclined Hammer Curls:  21 x 15

DB Prone Incline Curls:  14 x 15

DB Kickbacks:  15 x 15

I am not too upset about this workout.  This is my first full DB workout and I was gauging my weights. 
I believe that come Thursday, there'll be some change on the weights.

My workout was interrupted by visitors tonight, so I was not able to do the ab exercises as I wanted to.

Oh well.....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 6, 2007)

After analyzing things a bit for the last hour or so, I am still not unhappy with my short workout.

On Thursday my last lifting day of the week, I will have a better idea and better ratio of weights vs reps than I did today.
My target is to have no more than 8-12 reps per routine.  That's what HIT normally allows for.  I'll rephrase.  HIT gurus recommend 8-12 rep range , so I'll try to conform to that while tweaing the weights of the DB's.

Tomorrow will be another day...


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## Pylon (Mar 7, 2007)

What about hanging raises using wrist wraps?


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## fantasma62 (Mar 7, 2007)

Pylon said:


> What about hanging raises using wrist wraps?


 
   I love leg raises, I just got nowhere to hang from that I can't rip off the foundation.....
Today I am planning on ending my workout with the ab stuff I didnt do yesterday...

If I do find somewhere to hang from that won't break and get me hurt, I'll do it...


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## King Silverback (Mar 7, 2007)

Thats an excellent w/o Brother Tony, believe me there is nothing funny imo!!! Keep at it, your doin Great and only gettin better!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 7, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Thats an excellent w/o Brother Tony, believe me there is nothing funny imo!!! Keep at it, your doin Great and only gettin better!!!


 

Thanks Arch....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 7, 2007)

Boy, what a rookie mistake I made. I know how to do things but decided to get cocky and ....well, I'll get to that later...

Training:

**3 rounds heavy bag (3/1): *I truly went all out and pounded the bag with all I had.

**7 rounds of shadow boxing (3/1): *very happy with this. I threw a lot of punches again and when I wasn't throwing punches I was moving my legs up and down toward my stomach, kinda' skipping. But mostly I liked the fact that on the 7th round I literally left all of my energy and all of my stamina. I literally threw punches for 2 1/2 minutes non stop. That half a minute that I didn't was mostly because I needed to regroup after getting all disconbobulated throwing punches. When I finished I could barely lift my arms.  I guess this was as intense I have gotten during training and I feel very good about it...

**2 rounds speed bag (3/1): *...so I took a minute off and started hitting the speed bag. Good rythm, good speed, getting better...


Let me go back and explain my very first comment. While hitting the heavy bag, my hand felt great and I was going full out. Suddenly in the third round I made a terrible mistake. I decided to throw hard body punches at the bag and if any of you have ever done any bag work, you know that the top part of the bag is not as solid as the bottom part of the bag, which is where the body would have been at. The way you need to figure the bottom part is like hitting a bag full of cement. Not solid, still powdery, but still all there...Anyway, my hand was not ready for that body work and I hurt it again. This time maybe a little worse. Nothing broken as far as I know because I am typing and can close my fist and move my hand around. My hands are normally pretty strong, however, it must have still been injured. It was a dumb mistake in my part because I knew better. I am just glad that this happened toward the end of the third and last heavy bag round, because had it happened in the first or second, I would have been moronic enough to continue on hurting it just for the sake of not letting myself down again.   

I will see how I wake up tomorrow and I'll go from there.

I am heavily disappointed at myself for damaging what was going to end up being a great training session. I am just glad that I didn't stop everything and quit today's workout.


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## King Silverback (Mar 8, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the hand my Friend!!! Ice it and take good care of it!!!

Bagwork, especially bodywork is no joke, your wrists and hand must be wrapped fairly snug, try wrapping between all your fingers when you are healed, you would be suprised how stable that makes your hand!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Sorry to hear about the hand my Friend!!! Ice it and take good care of it!!!
> 
> Bagwork, especially bodywork is no joke, your wrists and hand must be wrapped fairly snug, try wrapping between all your fingers when you are healed, you would be suprised how stable that makes your hand!!!


 
Thanks a bunch Arch... I am going to need to buy a longer wrap. I have been wrapping between the middle and ring finger, but I have a feeling I am going to have to do as you say...

Hand today feels the same as when it first got hurt, which isn't bad at all....It bothers, that's it...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

I am definitely going to let the hand heal properly this time.  I had scheduled weights today, but again, one of the activities that cause the hand to hurt is lifting weights.

By the way, and I figured this was going to happen today, I am extremely sore all over...my goodness I am sore...
Usually I lift one day, the day after I am fine and suddenly, the day after that one, the pain comes in...


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## King Silverback (Mar 8, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Thanks a bunch Arch... I am going to need to buy a longer wrap. I have been wrapping between the middle and ring finger, but I have a feeling I am going to have to do as you say...
> 
> Hand today feels the same as when it first got hurt, which isn't bad at all....It bothers, that's it...



http://www.boxinggyms.com/tips/handwraps.htm
Take a look at this my Friend, it is VERY important to wrap your hands correctly!!! Trust me, When I kickboxed for 5 years my wraps where a top priority, and I had NO broken bones or sprains in my entire career, well okay my career was only 11 fights, LOL, but you know what I mean!!! 

Let it heal ALL the way, you'll be much better for it my Friend, Best Wishes!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

Archangel said:


> http://www.boxinggyms.com/tips/handwraps.htm
> Take a look at this my Friend, it is VERY important to wrap your hands correctly!!! Trust me, When I kickboxed for 5 years my wraps where a top priority, and I had NO broken bones or sprains in my entire career, well okay my career was only 11 fights, LOL, but you know what I mean!!!
> 
> Let it heal ALL the way, you'll be much better for it my Friend, Best Wishes!!!


 
Hey Arch, thanks a bunch...By the way, if you check method one, that's how I wrap my hands.  I actually have this one in my favorites.

I am going to check the other methods. 

By the way, I also own these:  http://store.everlastboxing.com/everlast-evergel-glove-wraps.html

You know if these are good?  They seem made for this...


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## King Silverback (Mar 8, 2007)

Hmmmmmm, those are interesting!!!
These are the exact ones I used http://store.everlastboxing.com/everlast-mex-handwraps.html


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Hmmmmmm, those are interesting!!!
> These are the exact ones I used http://store.everlastboxing.com/everlast-mex-handwraps.html


 
Those are exactly the ones I use, but there is no way that the ones I have are 180" long like yours....how scary does that response sound to you?  Yours is 180" long, blah blah blah.....Mine is not, blah, blah, blah....


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## King Silverback (Mar 8, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Those are exactly the ones I use, but there is no way that the ones I have are 180" long like yours....how scary does that response sound to you?  Yours is 180" long, blah blah blah.....Mine is not, blah, blah, blah....



  Good stuff!!!

You definatly should get the longer ones, that way you can wrap every part of your hand correctly, Best Wishes Brother Tony!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Good stuff!!!
> 
> You definatly should get the longer ones, that way you can wrap every part of your hand correctly, Best Wishes Brother Tony!!!


 
Thanks for your opinions and good thoughts Arch.

Just finished watching Pride 33, UFC 67 and UFC 68 and I am still waiting for my son to fall asleep.... 

Funny, the hand doesn't even hurt now. It is the same fakeout as the last time, but don't worry, I am going to give it a week, even though I am dying to punch something.....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 8, 2007)

I finally took a break today, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.  See, my wife was out like a light at 7:30 pm.
Rest reasons:  My son finally fell asleep at 11:00 pm, which means that if I had worked out, I would have probably fallen asleep at 12:30 -1:00 am and then having to wake up at 5:45 am makes no sense.  Most imporantily, though, I am so sore, even my armpits hurt.  I have lifted weights for a long time but never, have my armpits been sore.  Even with that in mind, I was planning on going at it tonight anyway, but my son convinced me not to.

Hopefully tomorrow my armpits won't hurt and I'll be able to continue with my training.

Good night all....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 9, 2007)

Still quite sore.  I actually slept horribly last night and I am still tired, however, today I am not as sore as yesterday.

I plan to resume my boxing training tonight and lift my weights tomorrow.  Then on Sunday, Tony will rest...I can't promise anything though...

My hand feels great today, however, no false sense of security, I will not hit the heavy bag until Monday.  Arch, I am going to try to put the wraps/gloves under my boxing gloves and go from there.  Maybe all I need is better wrapping.

Man, am I sore


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## King Silverback (Mar 9, 2007)

Sounds good to me my Friend!!! You'll be suprised how much better and solid your hands will feel when correctly wrapped!!! Best Wishes and heres to ya Brother Tony!!!


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## Double D (Mar 9, 2007)

Hope all is well brother. Nice workouts by the way.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 9, 2007)

Brother Arch, thanks for the comments and the good wishes...

Brother DD:  thanks for dropping by, I will take all the good advice you, Arch and the others give me.

Alllright folks, I am working out early today.  Need to burn 1 1/2 slices of pizza and an oatmeal raisin cookie I had for dinner.  In my defense, we need to go to the groceries


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## fantasma62 (Mar 9, 2007)

Nice workout to end my boxing week. Tomorrow I will see if I can lift...

First off Archangel, I looked again at the No.1 method for wrapping, the basic method and noticed one very important detail that I failed to see as I was relearning to wrap. There is one step I missed, I was supposed to tightly wrap right above the wrist as I am going upwards. That's the spot that I hurt the last two times.
Today I wrapped correctly and it worked out very well as you shall see:

**3 rounds of heavy bag (3/1): *Once I wrapped the correct way I felt that spot rather tight. Instead of loose like the last time. Went at the bag all out but careful with my right hand as I thought I may hurt it again. Did not. After a few seconds I forgot about the problem from the other day and started putting together combinations and finishing the last round with punches so hard that I felt I may have knocked the bag off the frame (impossible, but that's what it felt like). Very good 1st part and thank you Arch!!!!

**7 rounds shadow boxing (3/1): *This was an all out attack on...well...the shadow. For the first 5 rounds I threw many punches and rested very little (rest means back off and lower my arms to my sides). The last two rounds I spent almos 80% of the time throwing punches non-stop. I was exhausted when I finished my 7th round but had to regroup quickly, since I had speed bag work still to finish.

**2 rounds speed bag (3/1): *Good rythm, getting faster and more comfortable with the speed bag. No, I am not hitting it nearly as fast as a real athlete (boxer), but I am going at it fast.

All around good workout. Couldn't be happier....

Once again, Arch, thanks for sending me that link so that I would have a look again. Thank goodness I had my guardian Archangel looking over my shoulder....


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## King Silverback (Mar 9, 2007)

Excellent w/o Brother Tony, I'm glad I could help a Friend out!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 10, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Excellent w/o Brother Tony, I'm glad I could help a Friend out!!!


 

Thank you broher Arch, so glad you took up kickboxing a few years ago, otherwise I may not have gone back into the wrapping of the hands


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 10, 2007)

I wouldn't want to step in the ring with you Tony!  Keep up the good work!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 10, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> I wouldn't want to step in the ring with you Tony! Keep up the good work!


 

Thanks JD, but after seeing what you lift, all I am doing now is getting stamina to run the hell away from you in a ring...


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## Double D (Mar 11, 2007)

Sold my heavy bag around xmas time. Didnt use it much anymore, and now I wish I had it back!


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## King Silverback (Mar 11, 2007)

How goes it Brother Tony, hope all is well for you and yours my friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 11, 2007)

Double D said:


> Sold my heavy bag around xmas time. Didnt use it much anymore, and now I wish I had it back!


 
You can always buy one at Craigslist for $40 now...   Beleve me sir, you have nothing to worry about with the workouts you are doing nowadays...besides you need good hands for softball.  You 'll see my hands when I am done...a mess...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 11, 2007)

Archangel said:


> How goes it Brother Tony, hope all is well for you and yours my friend!!!


 

Brother Arch, it goes very well sir, thanks for asking.

Took the day off yesterday as lifiting is still out of the question, since curling takes a "special" toll on my wrist. However, today...

**Seated Leg Thrusts (2 x 10)*: I was finally able to do my ab exercises. Or at least some of them today. Due to time constraints I had to cut the workout short...oh yeah and Anthony...Anyway, it's not much, but is the best I could muster today, since I didn'r really have my heart on a workout.

**5 rounds Heavy Bag (3/1): *very happy and exhausted after this part of my training. For the first 3 rounds I was throwing combinations, putting nice ones together and got wore down a bit, not too much. Now, in the last two rounds I went HIT on the bag and I threw hard punches non-stop for two rounds. By the time the 5th round was over, I could barely lift my arms...

**3 rounds Shadow Boxing (3/1): *so, crazily enough, I went on to shadow boxing where I started throwing punches almost non-stop and by the time the 6th round was over (1st of shadow), I was dead. So I did 2 more rounds. When it was almost over, Anthony ran into my garage and started boxing with me. So I was barely able to lift my arms and threw punches at my shadow, while trying to run away from Anthony and his "groin" punches. When I was done, I was utterly exhausted....

**2 rounds speed bag (3/1): *...so I moved on to speed bag. I maintained good rithm and speed thorughout, however, it wasn't constant. I could barely lift my arms, so hitting the bag, above your head, is a bit tough in those conditions. I finished, however, with a flurry and didn't have enought strength after to lift the bottle fo water to drink a sip.

All in all, very good workoutfor not really wanting to do it. Tomorrow I will do boxing again and give my wrist an extra day for lifting on tuesday.


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## Fitgirl70 (Mar 12, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> **Seated Leg Thrusts (2 x 10)*:




This was actually my workout and how I got my stitches!!!!  Tony just thought he'd steal it from me....  

Just kiddin'!   Tony


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## fantasma62 (Mar 12, 2007)

Fitgirl70 said:


> This was actually my workout and how I got my stitches!!!! Tony just thought he'd steal it from me....
> 
> Just kiddin'!  Tony


 
Oh no, I am caught...

Thanks for dropping by...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 12, 2007)

Great training session today.  Did it pretty early today so I would give my body time to recover and eat dinner.

**5 rounds heavy bag (3/1):  *I went at it hard the first to rounds and then gave it all I had the last 3.  I was exhausted, but I still had a long time still before I finished.  

**4 rounds of shadow (3/1):  *the first 3 rounds here were at full blast, until I couldn't throw a punch with form, then I got ballsey and added a 4th round, just for fun.  Again, I barely stopped throwing punches, even in the last minute when I figured I was going to either pass out because my shouders were already numb from all pain....

**2 rounds speed bag (3/1):  *it was hilarious to see me finish the shadow boxing but, in the 1 minute rest between exercises I regrouped and had one of my better speed bag session, if not my best.  Not many stoppages or mistakes and great rythm.  I felt a bit Rockyish...

**Fitty's Seated Leg Thrusts    (2 x 12):  *today my session began with this, I just forgot to add it to the beginning and don't feel like fixing it now.  I added two more reps and plan to get better with time....

I tweaked my left shoulder a bit throwing a hook in the first round of heavy bag, but the discomfort went away after about 30 seconds.  It never bothered me again....


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## King Silverback (Mar 12, 2007)

Excellent last 2 w/o's Brother Tony!!! Theres NOTHING wrong w/ feeling a little Rockyish, nothing at all my Friend!!!

Fantastic job!!!


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## Pylon (Mar 12, 2007)

Nice work, Tony.  Take care of those hands!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 12, 2007)

Thank you brothers Arch and Pylon, and don't worry brother Pylon, Arch set me straight about wrapping, so my hands are now in good shape.

Folks, I forgot to mention something about my workout, Arch, listen up.  Part of the heavy load was body blows.  I hit the bag well, straight and no pain.  Just thought I'd give you a some good news


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## King Silverback (Mar 13, 2007)

Sounds GREAT Brother Tony, glad to help a Friend out!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 14, 2007)

Took the night off.  Will work out tonight...
Be back later...


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 15, 2007)

Keep it up Tony!  You are doing great.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 15, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> Keep it up Tony! You are doing great.


Thanks a bunch JD!!!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 15, 2007)

Ok, so I took a couple of days off...On tuesday, we went out to get a new car for my wife. We spent 3 hours at the dealership and ended up spending two days, pretty much destroyed. We got home at 10:00 pm on tuesday and went to sleep at 11:00pm....We went to sleep yesterday at 10:00 pm. Mind you, I normally go to sleep at 11:30 - 12:00 every night.

So today I resumed things but tweaked the workout a bit to see what happened. I changed things up from 1 minute rest to 1/2 minute rest and HOOOLY CRAP!!

** 5 rounds heavy bag (3 / 1/2): *after the 4th round I was pretty spent, but in the spirit of HIT, I added a 5th round and pretty much died out at the end of the round. But I pushed on...

** 3 rounds shadow boxing (3 / 1/2): *did the same thing with my shadow. However, I started off dead early and pushed on as far a as I could, so I couldn't muster more than 3 rounds of shadow. I think that's a bit of HIT, no?

** 2 rounds speed bag (3 / 1/2): *I was so tired that I didn't get this going until I was 30-40 seconds into trying. My rythm was off. My speed was WAAAAAY off, but I started to get better slowly and finished the first round well. The second round was tough, but good. I had to stop 2 to 3 times because I couldn't lift my arms to hit the bag.

All in all, I am destroyed. 1 1/2 hours later and my arms are still unsteady.

I think this workout was closer to HIT, than any of the ones I have done thus far. No insult intended to the HITers out there...


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## Double D (Mar 15, 2007)

Nice work right there! I wouldnt be able to hold my arms up!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 16, 2007)

Double D said:


> Nice work right there! I wouldnt be able to hold my arms up!


 

Hey DD, thanks a bunch.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 16, 2007)

I am ready to switch the intensity to a higher lever.
Up to now I have been wearing 12 oz gloves for my training.
My idea is to continue using these 12 Oz. gloves for bag work and then swtching off and putting on the 16 oz gloves for shadow boxing.  1/2 minute rests and 4 extra oz.  Make a big difference.
We'll have to see today.  I'll report back...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 16, 2007)

Well, the extra oz did make a big difference....
The good: I am exhausted. I can barely type anything. Also, I bought longer wraps to protect my hands better and was able to wrap every single knuckle. They also made my had a little heavier as sweat got in them. Not a bad idea...

The bad: boy those 16 oz gloves really do suck. Thank God I didn't use them to hit the heavy bag or otherwise, I would have broken both writsts. These gloves are the slip ons rather that tne12 oz ones that I have which use velcro.

Anyway, to the tiring workout:

*Splits: 3 minute rounds/ 1/2 minute rest.* I made a couple of mistakes (actually 4) with times but oh well...what can I do.

** 5 rounds heavy bag: *after the 4th round, I could barely keep my arms up in a defensive posture (right hand next to your ear, left hand next to your chin). I finished that 5th round with nothing left.

Here came my first mistake with time. I had to take a 1 1/2 minute break because I couldn't put on the stupid 16 oz gloves on with the wraps on, so I had to take off the wraps and put on the gloves, and begin shadow boxing.

** 3 rounds of shadow boxing: *well, I started off strong after the long break but faded in the second round, while I almost got knocked out in the third. I was so tired that I swong with a left hook and lost my balance a bit... But I finished the round, barely...

Another timing error by me. Needed to take off the sucky gloves and put on the gel wraps that also work as hand wraps (but in reality they are gloves, you know Arch, the ones I showed you). and I took a minute to get started with my speed bag work...

** 2 rounds speed bag: *folks, even with the extra 30 seconds, I could barely lift my arms. I would get a good fast rythm going but my shoulders would begin throbbing and I would have to stop. Then go again, and stop...It was a great first round in regards to rythm but I had to stop more than I wanted to. No choice, my arms were not responding. Since my children got home and were a bit rowdy and loud, I didnt' hear the bell to end the round and went right into the rest time.  When I did hear the bell ring, I stopped, noticing that I had done 3 1/2 minutes instead of 3 minutes in the round (mistake no. 3)

Mistake no. 4 with time: Anthony, my dear, dear son, got a hold of the timer and turned it off. I took it away and started it again, not noticing that I had flicked the switch to a 2 minute round instead of 3, however since I wasn't satisfied with all the stoppages I continued on, not knowing about the time. So I guess I did have a full 6 minutes of speed bag...

I need to go chill out a bit, I have been writing this post for close to 20 minutes and my hands don't want to type any more....

Chao...


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## King Silverback (Mar 16, 2007)

Great w/o Brother Tony!!! Your right, the extra weight DOES play a HUGE part!!! When I fought I trained w/ the 16oz. glove to get used to heavier hands, and come fight time the 6oz. gloves felt like NOTHING!!! Glad you got the longer wraps, Good Stuff my Friend!!!

On a side note just got back a while ago from taking LilBit to see the Princesses on Ice tour, talk about amazing!!! The stuff these people did on skates was incredible, and of course the smile on my Boo's face was priceless and worth EVERY minute!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 17, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Great w/o Brother Tony!!! Your right, the extra weight DOES play a HUGE part!!! When I fought I trained w/ the 16oz. glove to get used to heavier hands, and come fight time the 6oz. gloves felt like NOTHING!!! Glad you got the longer wraps, Good Stuff my Friend!!!
> 
> On a side note just got back a while ago from taking LilBit to see the Princesses on Ice tour, talk about amazing!!! The stuff these people did on skates was incredible, and of course the smile on my Boo's face was priceless and worth EVERY minute!!!


 
Thanks Arch....

You know what?  I agree with you.  We are lucky here in Miami because we have Orlando a wee 3 1/2 hours away and I'll drive that every day to see both my chispitos (a "chispa" in spanish is sparkle, so that name is what I made up for "my little sparkles") faces as we are getting to the Magic Kingdom and they are jumping in the back like a couple of crazies....It is, as you said, "worth EVERY minute".  I am happy that you guys had a great time, you deseve it....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 17, 2007)

Not much to say today that I didn't say yesterday...Hard workout, very tired...

*Same split: 3 / 1/2*

** 5 rounds heavy bag:  *very exhausting...

** 3 rounds shadow boxing w/ 16 oz gloves:  *died out in the first but gutted out the last two rounds.

** 3 rounds speedbag:  *added an extra round for masochist purposes only.  My arms are truly dead after a very good speed bag session....

All in all, a good workout....

See ya...


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## Double D (Mar 18, 2007)

To be honest I dont know what hardly any of that is, but I am sure it would put my ass to the floor, my cardio is bad at best.


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## fantasma62 (Mar 18, 2007)

Double D said:


> To be honest I dont know what hardly any of that is, but I am sure it would put my ass to the floor, my cardio is bad at best.


 
It's cool DD.  What I am doing is trying to burn as much fat as I can while my wrist recovers completely

This is all boxing style training.  My ideal thing is to lift 2 days and kick my ass with boxing for 3-4

We'll see how it goes....


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 18, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> ** 5 rounds heavy bag: *very exhausting...


My boxing knowledge is lame at best.  Are there special gloves you use with a heavy bag?


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## King Silverback (Mar 18, 2007)

OUTSTANDING w/o Brother Tony!!!

LOVE the nickname you have for your children, Priceless!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 19, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> My boxing knowledge is lame at best. Are there special gloves you use with a heavy bag?


 
No worries JD.  I use normal 12 oz gloves (the ones used during fights).  Then I switch to the 16 oz gloves.  These continue being normal everyday boxing gloves, just bigger and heavier....

What it depends on is whether you go all out hitting the freaking bag as much as you can, as hard as you can.

The way I am doing things is I am going "FULL TILT" against that bag and trying to have as little stops as possible during the round.  Stops are when I throw enough punches that I get tired and back off.  That moment where I back off I consider a stop...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 19, 2007)

Archangel said:


> OUTSTANDING w/o Brother Tony!!!
> 
> LOVE the nickname you have for your children, Priceless!!!


 

Thanks Arch....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 19, 2007)

Greetings from Colombia, South America!!!!!!

I have taken yesterday and today off because of travel issues. 
Tomorrow morning I should be lifting at the gym accross the street from my hotel.

Later all....


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## Fitgirl70 (Mar 19, 2007)

Send pics from Colombia, okay?

Hope you're having a good time!


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## King Silverback (Mar 19, 2007)

GOD speed you and yours my Friend!!!


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## Double D (Mar 20, 2007)

Hope things are going well?!?!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 21, 2007)

Hola amigos, como estan?...shoot, sorry, my brain went into spanish arrest....

Thanks for your thoughts Arch, Fitty, DD..

Things are quite hectic here.  One shock to the system.  Bogota is a very high altitude city and my body gasoline ran out extremely fast.  I am not giong to post yesterday's workout because, one, I forgot it since it was so short, and two, it was so short it was embarrassing.

Truth is, I need to rethink my HIT here.  I am from Miami, there is no altitude there...there's a lot of freaking, fracking attitude, but no altitude.
Anyway, I started off like mack truck and finished like a Yugo.  Man, I was out of breath during my first exchange between bench press and curls.  In fact, I even got light headed.  That's where I stopped everything and headed back to the hotel.  I am thinking of taking the rest of the week off to avoid a heart attack due to strain...

Anyway, Fitty, regarding pictures, "What Happens in Bogota, stays in Bogota..."   

Nah, just joking, nothing happening in Bogota.  Something happened to me about 15 years ago when I met my wife.  I grew a freaking conscience, so no worries, I am as faithful as a freaking Golden Retriever....

Anyway, back to spanish....

Hasta luego amigos...

(Gotta admit, I am taking it easy on you guys with the spanish...   )


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## King Silverback (Mar 21, 2007)

See you later too my Friend!!!


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 22, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> "What Happens in Bogota, stays in Bogota..."
> 
> ...I am as faithful as a freaking Golden Retriever....


You crack me up Tony, have fun in Bogota.  Why do I get the feeling you are having more then you are letting on?   

I love my GR because she IS so faithful.


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## Double D (Mar 23, 2007)

Whats up?!?!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 24, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> You crack me up Tony, have fun in Bogota. Why do I get the feeling you are having more then you are letting on?
> 
> I love my GR because she IS so faithful.


 
Man, you are a devil....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 24, 2007)

Double D said:


> Whats up?!?!


 
All is good Señor DD....a bit tired but good...thank you for asking...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 24, 2007)

So I got back home yesterday. Got off the plane at 3:00 pm, my wife was picking me up at 4:00 to go straignt to a fair here in Miami (Dade County Youth Fair). I was exhausted but also home sick ( actually family-sick, not to be confused with sick of my family folks) so I went along and stayed at the fair until 10:30pm, while falling asleep 2-3 times while sitting, waiting for my children to ride.

Anyway, about Bogota....well, it's a beautiful city with beautiful people. The operating word is not beautiful, gorgeous is more like it. I don't just mean that physically, but also spiritually. These people go out of their way to be nice and even those who don't are still nice. Entertainment (restaurants, clubs, hotels) are a fraction of the cost of our entertainment here and, sorry to say it, twice as fun. I have lived in Venezuela also, but have never seen so many fun loving people in one city. 
Over there, a 4 star hotel could cost you $160 or lower a night in the major enterainment zone in Bogota while a 5 star hotel, for which you would pay here upwards to $300-400 per night could run you about $250 or lower depending on the peak time.

I worked my ass off while there and really had a good time after work visiting malls, museums, restaurants, etc. Folks, I purchased a leather jacket that would run you about $600 here for $180 from people that actually make them and grow the animals themselves (sounds crude, but where do you all think your leather jackets come from?). 

Had a gym accross the street but the altitude scared me a bit, so I decided to pass during this trip and concentrate on getting it rolling when I go back in May.

Not much I can tell ya'll about it because I am still tired. Will try to throw a workout in there today or maybe wait until monday when I am more rested...

See ya...


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## Double D (Mar 24, 2007)

Man you got it so made! You live in Florida what more could a person want!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 25, 2007)

Double D said:


> Man you got it so made! You live in Florida what more could a person want!


 

Go somewhere else.... 

I guess we are never satisfied...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 25, 2007)

Well, I thought it better to just take the rest of the week off and start off monday.  Today we re-painted my daughter's room in light purple, to go with her princess decor.
I may post photos of it when we are done, if the owner of the room allows me to.
Either way, tomorrow will be a great day, I will do boxing and will prepare my workout for tuesday.  I remember well where I screwed up the weights the last time and will better that....

I guess I will finally continue with my HIHT (High Intensity Hybrid Training)...

By the way Arch, someone had posted in one of your older journals that also had the same type of name.  Hadn't even seen that...sorry...


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## Double D (Mar 25, 2007)

Hey do you live anywhere near the ocean? Now that would be badass!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 25, 2007)

Double D said:


> Hey do you live anywhere near the ocean? Now that would be badass!


 

Sure do, DD.  I live about 20 minutes away...Regardless, I go to the West Coast for beach time rather than Miami Beach, it's a pain in the ass and you can't have a peaceful time with your children.

Ivonne may be able to testify (Goal Getter).  She lived right on the beach and gave it up for Arizona....talk about opposite poles...


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## Double D (Mar 25, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Sure do, DD.  I live about 20 minutes away...Regardless, I go to the West Coast for beach time rather than Miami Beach, it's a pain in the ass and you can't have a peaceful time with your children.
> 
> Ivonne may be able to testify (Goal Getter).  She lived right on the beach and gave it up for Arizona....talk about opposite poles...



I went to Panama City for spring break a few years back and was that a crazy ass time. But I had to go to Destin to relax before I went home. Now that was peaceful!!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 25, 2007)

Double D said:


> I went to Panama City for spring break a few years back and was that a crazy ass time. But I had to go to Destin to relax before I went home. Now that was peaceful!!!!


 
Man, I hear that Panama City is outta hand...I am now too old and tired to go to Panama City for Spring Break, but would love to drink some Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas.....I hear that's good fun...


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## Double D (Mar 25, 2007)

Exactly. It was way out of hand a few years back!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 26, 2007)

So, the week ended.  No workouts last week, however, I am going to be resuming things today.  Maybe I won't do anything on Wednesday, since it is my 38th B-day and may just take the afternoon off.  
I'll see as the day gets nearer.  Maybe I'll just get pissed off and hit the bag for a few minutes (wednesday is my boxing day).

I'm very sleepy right now, as we finally finished my daughter's room at around 11:00 pm and fell asleep closer to 1:00 am.  All we need to finish is the border and that's all...


Allrighty then...


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## King Silverback (Mar 26, 2007)

Happy early B-Day my Friend, I'll be HITting 38 as well in may, best wishes to you!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 26, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Happy early B-Day my Friend, I'll be HITting 38 as well in may, best wishes to you!!!


 

Thank you sir....We are only a couple of months apart...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 26, 2007)

Well, there it was, my first workout in over a week.
It felt good and I even added a monkey wrench to it, just to make it a bit more extreme. When I say extreme, I mean extreme for me, not for some people in shape....Either way, today is the real beginning of HIHT...

** 4 Rounds Heavy Bag: *I really went at it hard. The hardest I have hit the bag yet. Not too many breaks, just throwing all I had at it. By the time the fourth round ended, I was arm-heavy.

1 minute rest - change of gloves: I have come to the realization that if I want to use the 16 oz gloves, I need to take about a minute to change gloves (hard to do since the big gloves are actually very small inside and I have some trouble pushing my hands in).

**4 Rounds Shadow Boxing: *By this time I was, as I said, arm heavy, but I continued on. I found myself to be weary, and slow and literally lumbered thru the first shadow round. Don't get me wrong, I was throwing all I could, but oh well. The rest of the rounds were better once I got my concentration going again and threw non-stop combos and many punches which really drove my arms to the brink of exhaustion.

...and now for the monkey wrench:

** 1 Round Shadow Boxing with a 5 pound dumbbell: *That was pretty extreme for me as I threw punches that tested my grip (very bad by the way, need to work on it) and my arm strength. I thought I had no strength for the first 1/2 minute or so, but I started throwing combos and other punches. I can't say that I threw punches non-stop here because it would be a bunch of shit. I had to take momentary breaks, because my arms were very tired and my forearms were beginning to ache. All in all a great idea which I am going to continue to improve on in the future.

- 1 minute rest to remove wraps (they were hurting my hand a bit. I seem to have wrapped my hands to tightly. Point to ponder...)

** 2 Round Speed Bag: *I guess due to the inactivity I lost a bit of my rythm and speed. The first round was laden with errors and so was the second round. I am going to attribute this to the previous exercise which left my arms tired. Not a good speed bag session but not so bad either. I got some rythm between stops and tried my best. It's the best I could ask for, which is why I am not upset.

I am very happy to have reached one of my goals from early in the training, which was 1/2 rests during rounds. I know I had already achieved it the week before I left to Colombia, however, I just really noticed the difference that it made. I am going to continue trying to meet and beat more goals during this HIHT. I have promised that to myself...Meanwhile, I am proud of my 1/2 minute rest...

I am also finding out that I am not gassed during my workout.  Although my arms and legs are a bit tired, I was breathing well, not very heavily and have to tell you that I had more inside to give.  Problem was that my arms were literally down to my hips at the very end.....

I will be back later...


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## fantasma62 (Mar 26, 2007)

Folks, 

I don't think I can even begin to explain how sore I am right now.  I am elated, even if I can't move around too much.

Much of this has to do with the painting and decorating of my daughter's bedroom.  However, some of it is due to todays grueling workout.  My legs were very sore today and my thighs due to yesterday.  Now my whole body is in shambles and in fact, I am going to head to sleep already.  I have been falling asleep all night, however, now I can't hold it any more.

I will prepare tomorrows workout accordingly, however, not tonight....

Chao.....


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## King Silverback (Mar 27, 2007)

Excellent w/o Brother Tony!!! I would imagine you are VERY sore, keep it up my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 27, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Excellent w/o Brother Tony!!! I would imagine you are VERY sore, keep it up my Friend!!!


 
Thanks Arch, I am sore but I am going to work out tonight....I am long overdue for a good workout.  I am setting a bad example for my HIHT cronies.....LOL, like I have cronies.....


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## King Silverback (Mar 27, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Thanks Arch, I am sore but I am going to work out tonight....I am long overdue for a good workout.  I am setting a bad example for my HIHT cronies.....LOL, like I have cronies.....



  I'm a cronie!!! Now set the example my Friend, and DO IT TO IT!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 27, 2007)

Archangel said:


> I'm a cronie!!! Now set the example my Friend, and DO IT TO IT!!!


  

You are something else Arch.....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 27, 2007)

Well, today I was finally able to lift weights.  It was a long time coming...

I have to tell you, I was still sore from the work we did on Sunday, compounded with yesterday's boxing workout.  My legs are more so than my arms...I am also sleepy and tired.  Still did it, I needed it...

Here is my workout:

DB Chest Press:  17 x 35 pds(Need to increase the weight a bit more to go under 12 reps.

DB Flyes:  12 x 20 pounds (that was pretty much right on target).

Inclined Hammer Curl (both arms at the same time):  10 x 25 pd (right on target).

Concentration Curls:  13 x 20 pd (left), 14 x 20 pd (right).  Need to have my left arm catch up with my right....

DB Triceps Extension:  18 x 20 pd (need to increase the weight to about 30 pounds I believe).

All in all, is not the best workout ever, but form-wise, it was very good and I am a bit weak-armed as we speak.  Once I get it all down pat, I will be adding more routines to the workout, if needed.  I am planning on working out my legs a bit more later, as my knee improves, and it is improving a whole lot....

As I said, I am sleepy and tired....also need to take a bath, so I'll catch up with you good folks tomorrow....


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 28, 2007)

DAMN.  I wish I was 38 again


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## King Silverback (Mar 28, 2007)

#'s aren't as important as FORM!!! That imo is an EXCELLENT w/o my Friend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 28, 2007)

JD:  it doesn't matter how old you are, but how cool you are...or in my case, not... 

Thanks for the words Arch....


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## fantasma62 (Mar 28, 2007)

Great workout today....it had to be my B-day workout of course.  I am very happy because today my body failed to finish the workout...

As usual, I continue with the 3 / 1/2 split


** 5 rounds heavy bag:  *These were a very grueling 5 rounds.  I really hit the bag hard and went full tilt at it.  I was very tired when I finished but I pushed on.

**1 round shadow boxing with 10 pound db's:  *This took everything out of me.  I am not going to lie and say that I threw punches throughout the 3 minutes that I shadowed.  In fact, I felt like I zapped my whole energy throwing combos.  In the last 30 seconds I threw everything that I could and I felt as tired as I can possibly feel.  But I pushed on...

** 4 rounds shadow boxing:  *I don't know how I finished the 4 rounds.  By the time the last round was ending, I was doing badly and my arms weren't responding.  I believe I was reaching soe sort of arm failure.  

** 1 round speed bag:  *normally I do 2 rounds of speed bag work, however, today I could barely lift my arms when I was done shadowing.  I gave it a hell of a go and tried my best.  I couldn't get my rythm going because I could barely put my arms over my head.  So, I gave it a go and tried my best.  Never really got it going right, but to tell you the truth, I didn't mind.  I really had nothing left tonight and I couldn't be happier...


All in all, I am very happy that my fist birthday workout was better than I thought it would be.  Do I feel 38 today?  Hell yes, and I am sure that tomorrow I will feel the last workout I had at 37.  

Tomorrow I will take the day off, because I deserve it and I will resume on Friday.  I'll catch up with ya'll tomorrow, I am about to have my birthday sleep......


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## King Silverback (Mar 30, 2007)

AWESOME my Friend, now you know next time when you DO finish, you have SHATTERED a plateau!!! Hope you had a GREAT birthday Brother Tony, now go ENJOY the weekend!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 30, 2007)

Thanks Arch, but PLATEAU? WHAT PLATEAU? I beat that plateau tonight baby.....don't worry Arch, I am not screaming at you and your thougth of plateaus. I am just elated. I thought the same way you did yesterday, but then I saw your post and said "I've gotta show them..." and I did....

** 5 rounds heavy bag*

**1 round shadow boxing with 10 pound dumbbells*

**4 rounds shadow boxing*

**2 ROUNDS SPEED BAG (the hell with the plateaus): *Great rythm, great speed, great all around.  

I am too tired right now, and I just had dinner, but I am happy with the workout.

Didn't think I'd make it, but fought on....


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## King Silverback (Mar 30, 2007)

AWESOME, I will gladly eat my words my Friend, Excellently done!!!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 30, 2007)

Archangel said:


> AWESOME, I will gladly eat my words my Friend, Excellently done!!!


 

Thank you Sir....your words are always a welcome inspiration...


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## DOMS (Mar 30, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Great workout today....it had to be my B-day workout of course.



Few things feel as good as working out on your birthday!

Happy birthday, man!


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## fantasma62 (Mar 30, 2007)

DOMS said:


> Few things feel as good as working out on your birthday!
> 
> Happy birthday, man!


 

Thank you Señor DOMS


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## fantasma62 (Mar 31, 2007)

Just finished tonight's WO. We ate dinner late ('bout 8:00 PM)

Anyway, feeling good...I improved my last workout even after following thru with my observations from my last one. Have a few more modifications to do and I'll go from there...

*DB Chest Press: 15 x 40pds (Last w/o it was 17 x 35)*

*DB Flyes: 10 x 22.5 pounds (that was pretty much right on target).*

*Inclined Hammer Curl (both arms at the same time): 13 x 25 pd (improved from 10 x 25 the last time).*

*Concentration Curls: 8 x 25 pd (left), 8 x 25 pd (right).* 

Felt pain in my wrist, but my feeling is that it is going to be like this as long as I continue hitting the heavy bag, so I sucked it up and finished the curls. Felt real good in my bi's, not so good in my wrist. It is not a pain that I can't stand. In fact, I lifted in pain all workout long but finished. Tomorrow's rest will do wonders. On tuesday I will wrap it to offer support when I lift.

*DB Triceps Extension: 17 x 30 pd (Increased from 20 to 30 pounds and it made no visible difference).*

Not much else to say other than I am seeing changes already. I see (somehow, don't know why) more size in my forearms and biceps, and more definition on my bi's and tri's. This HIHT must be working out better than I thought. Do I notice increase in strength? Sure, if the changes that I made and how I reacted to them are what we mean by strength.

True thing folks, I am not here to get stronger, I am alrady strong. I am working to get thinner and so far it's working (again, cheating....I have a lap band). 

I am eating healthier and my blood levels dropped dramatically from my 295 pounds in May to my 238 pounds today. Funny, I have not dropped weight but size wise I can tell that I am thinner by my clothes. I am now wearing size 36 jeans for example but I have to put them above my belly button and tighten the belt well because they seem to fall off. We don't need to see that, believe me...

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I guess I felt like saying that today....and this is my journal, so I can do what I want to...


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## fantasma62 (Apr 2, 2007)

I took yesterday off and decided to finish studying for my Real Estate Exam. I took the course two years ago, but due to some personal problems I was never able to take the exam. Today was literally the last day I could take the exam without having to do the course over again and spend another $500 after I threw the first $500 away. Well, that didn't happen, today on the last day I passed the Real Estate Exam with flying colors. I am very happy because I really busted my ass studying. I had been hearing folks taking the exam 4 and 5 times and not passing and got a bit intimidated. When I showed up to the exam, I found it to be very easy and got thru it in a couple of hours (100 questions of which 14 were math calculations). I felt like I was in college again.....

Anyway, was thinking of taking the day off today too, but I am OCD and I have to always start on mondays, so I am off to working out...somehow, every time I wrap up my hands, I get an urge...so I guess I am off then.

Just wanted to share my happy moment with you good folks.....

Chao


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## King Silverback (Apr 2, 2007)

AWESOME w/o and Mega CONGRATS on passing your exam w/flying colors, You deserve it my Friend, enjoy your accomplishment now!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 2, 2007)

Archangel said:


> AWESOME w/o and Mega CONGRATS on passing your exam w/flying colors, You deserve it my Friend, enjoy your accomplishment now!!!


 

Thanks Arch, I thought of taking the day off to celebrate, as I said above, but as you will now see...


----------



## fantasma62 (Apr 2, 2007)

...so I worked out...

First of all, I made one of the dumbest mistakes I have made, followed by a small error. However, everything turned fine at the end.

To the workout:

*As usual, I use the 3 : 1/2 ratio (minute per round : rest period in minutes)*

**5 Rounds Heavy Bag: *as usual I started off the way I wanted to, I was pacing myself because of the discomfort in my right hand but after a while that went away and I started pounding the bag. Then I made the dumbest mistake I have made since I started doing my boxing training. I was hitting the bag in good rythm, hitting it hard, then doing a few combo's and at the end of the round, for the last 30 seconds, I went all out. 

In the third round, I saw these two really good looking women pass by and continued doing my thing. Suddenly, as I am pounding the bag, I took my eye off the bag for one second, and one of them had stayed behind looking at what I was doing, so what does a mature man who knows how to pace himself does? For the last two minutes of the round I pound the bag mercilessly with all I had. I was pumped up and I was just hammering. The discomfort long gone and now replaced by a fury... So, she left and when the round ended I slumped on my bench for my 30 seconds of rest, but I was done. However, I pressed on because I wanted to have something to show. My last two rounds were excruciating.

** 1 Round Shadow Boxing with 10 pd dumbbell:* painful as usual

** 4 Rounds Shadow Boxing: *of course folks I was spent by the time the 3 round was done and that fourth one was just slow shadow...

** 3 Rounds Speed Bag: *yeap, that's right, three rounds. That woman came and screwed everything over, so much so, that when the bell rang for a third round of speed bag I got confused and did it. I had a very good first round, an ok second round and an aweful third as I couldn't even lift my arms.  That was mistake number 2.

I am a little tired, I will come back later. I do deserve what happened to me for being a "puto" (male bitch)...You make your bed you lie in it...


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## Double D (Apr 2, 2007)

Brother your cardiovascular ability has to be some kick ass shit!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 3, 2007)

Double D said:


> Brother your cardiovascular ability has to be some kick ass shit!


 
Thanks a bunch DD

Funny thing is, I have been thinking of getting a stress test done just in case.  I don't want any surprises on the way.

However, when I am doing this training, I don't get out of breath or tired.  My body gets tired but I am breathing pretty well.  In fact, to boot, I don't touch the water while I am training.  I drink a mouthful before and I spit out a mouthful when I finish.  I don't drink water until a good 15-20 miutes after the workout...

It kinda' reminds me of my old football days when the coaches just wouldn't let you drink water until you finished...I hated those days.

I am going to start jogging also around the park by my house.  It is a 1/4 mile around, so at least I have an idea of distance vs. time.  Yes, I want to compete against myself and beat my PR every time, I've always been like that....  

I guess I am a whole lot more into my training now than I was when I first joined here.  This is what I like to do.  Not just weight training but boxing also.  It's a great workout for the fatties who want to lose the weight or the size if not the weight...


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## King Silverback (Apr 4, 2007)

As usual, doing GREAT imo my Friend, keep it up!!!


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## Pylon (Apr 4, 2007)

Heya Tony!  How's everything going?


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## fantasma62 (Apr 4, 2007)

Thanks Arch, I always look forward to your comments and critiques...

Pylon my friend, I am glad you are doing well, I am Ok.  I am taking these couple of days off to rest my hand which has been hurting a bit.

Tomorrow I will be back on the horse again.  Need to get ready for next week, as I am spending 3 days in Las Vegas with my wife.  That is if something doesn't happen with my wife's grandmother, who's basically on her last few days (maybe even hours).  Part of the reason why I stopped visiting and posting here the last couple of years has to do with my mother and wife's grandmother's health.  If ya'll recall a couple of years ago, I had mentioned in a previous journal (those who were here back then) that both my mother and my wife's grandmother had gotten cancer at around the same time.  My mother battled breast cancer and I thank God every day that she is here with us by beating her cancer.  Soon after her cancer treatment she had a mild heart attack, so it was a bit of a weird time.  She's well today.

My wife's grandmother got colon cancer a couple of years ago.  Once we thought that she had it beat, it returned but not to the colon, but to one of the worse possible places, the liver.  In the last year, since she got the cancer she had a surgery to remove it but all it did was stay in place and in fact, methastasized to her stomach.  Within the past 3 weeks she has deteriorated too fast.  I'll put it to you this way.  A couple of days before I left to Colombia 2 1/2 weeks ago, we talked a bit, we joked around and hung out with her and my kids, etc.  Less than a week later, Friday, when I flew back from Colombia, I saw something that wasn't Amelia.  This person didn't know who I was or what I was.  Later, my wife explained that during that week the cancer got a hold of her brain and things have regressed at mach speed ever since.  She's no longer able to speak or even recognize people.  A few days ago in her quasi-vegetative state, the only people she recognized were my kids and my nephew, as she smiled and called their names when they got close to her (gulp...), but as of yesterday she stopped eating or taking fluids.  We can't feed her intravenously because she has fluids in her stomach, so it is pretty much a matter of time.  This may stop things for us for a few days, including training or even any sort of a trip anywhere.

Sorry to bum you guys out, but I guess I am writing here to maybe get that off my chest and since this is my journal...well...I can do anything I want to do  

For those who pray, I ask for you folks to keep this old lady in your thoughts.  If you don't pray, keep her in your thoughts anyway.

That's all I have for today all...

Goodnight...


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## King Silverback (Apr 4, 2007)

My Friend, my heart hurts and cries for you!!! GOD speed your family and know you will always be in my thoughts and Prayers!!!
Revelation 21:3,4


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## fantasma62 (Apr 5, 2007)

Archangel said:


> My Friend, my heart hurts and cries for you!!! GOD speed your family and know you will always be in my thoughts and Prayers!!!
> Revelation 21:3,4


 
Thanks a bunch Arch


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## Pylon (Apr 5, 2007)

Sorry to hear about your trials, Tony.  Hope all goes well and she moves to a peaceful place soon.


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## Fitgirl70 (Apr 5, 2007)

I am so sorry to hear about everything Tone.  I definitely will keep you and your family in my prayers.  There is nothing like the power of prayer!

I do hope you and your wife to get to spend some time in Vegas though.  Having just a bit of time to yourselves is always so rejuvenating!

Much love my friend!  Please let us know if there is anything we can do.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 5, 2007)

Pylon said:


> Sorry to hear about your trials, Tony. Hope all goes well and she moves to a peaceful place soon.


 
Thanks for your thoughts Pylon


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## fantasma62 (Apr 5, 2007)

Fitgirl70 said:


> I am so sorry to hear about everything Tone. I definitely will keep you and your family in my prayers. There is nothing like the power of prayer!
> 
> I do hope you and your wife to get to spend some time in Vegas though. Having just a bit of time to yourselves is always so rejuvenating!
> 
> Much love my friend! Please let us know if there is anything we can do.


 
Hey Girlie, thanks for your thoughts.  They do mean a lot, from you and all of you here...


We decided this morning after her g-mother's full 2 days of no eating or drinking, that we will postpone this trip.  We are going to go to Las Vegas later in the year.  Sufface to say that I have spent the morning cancelling concert tix, hotel, flights, etc.  

No worries, we'll be Ok.  In fact we are praying that it happens soon so that nobody else suffers.  We know she's no longer suffering because in reality she's no longer with us in mind and spirit.  That's just my opinion...

Anyway, I'll be back later after my workout...

Thanks again all...


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## King Silverback (Apr 5, 2007)

We are here my Friend!!!


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## JerseyDevil (Apr 5, 2007)

Sorry to hear this news Tony. Sorry I haven't been around much of late. You are a good man buddy .


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## fantasma62 (Apr 5, 2007)

Thanks a bunch JD and Arch....

Again, not to bum anyone out but Grandm's passed away at 7:45 pm

We're cool.  I was worried about my wife but she's a trooper...

Anyway, I'll come by later....


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## Pylon (Apr 5, 2007)

Sorry for the loss, Tony.  Hope the family is doing well.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 6, 2007)

Pylon said:


> Sorry for the loss, Tony. Hope the family is doing well.


 

Thanks a bunch Pylon, we are doing quite well thank you.  Everybody is at peace....


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## Fitgirl70 (Apr 6, 2007)

I am so sorry for the loss sweetie!  I know you guys will find strength in her life and her love.

Many prayers and many condolences


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## Double D (Apr 6, 2007)

This is your journal and this is a good place as any to get something like this off of your chest. May god be with you.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 7, 2007)

Thanks for the beautiful thoughts DD and Fitty....we just came back from the burial.  Everyone is happy and relieved in many ways.

Now, I'll go back to my normal life.  I will try to work out today, although I am quite a bit tired (we had an all night viewing...some of us Cubans do this...) and need to get some sleep.  I slept on a freaking little couch, so my body is beat up.

Anyway, again, thanks for the thoughts and prayers...


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## King Silverback (Apr 8, 2007)

My heart hurt when I read that, my thoughts and Prayers are with you and your family my Friend!!!
GOD speed you and yours!!!


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## Double D (Apr 8, 2007)

Best of luck Brother. Hope things get back into the normal swing like they were before. Losing a loved one is tough, but moving on is all you can do. Prayers are still with you!


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## Fitgirl70 (Apr 9, 2007)

Tony.  HOpe you had a nice weekend dear!


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## DOMS (Apr 9, 2007)

Sorry about your loss, man.  But she had a full life.

I like to counter sadness with a little humor.

I have a co-worker that has (had?) colitis.  She ended up having her colon removed.

Her first day back in the office she made an interesting observation: She now had a semi-colon.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 9, 2007)

Fitty, DD, Doms Arch...thanks for your thoughts...

By the way DOMS, grandms ended up not even having a semi-colon, she got first diagnosed with colon cancer and got it removed....
Wanna get away?    

Don't worry chief, I laughed when I read your post and I was simply trying to make a joke out of it myself...sorry for my sick humor....

No bs, she did get diagnosed with it....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 9, 2007)

So, back on the horse I go...

** 5 rounds Heavy Bag*

**1 round shadow boxing with 10 pd. dumbbells*

**4 rounds shadow boxing*

**2 rounds speed bag.*

Not much I can say about this workout.  I am tired and sweaty.  I am off to the shower and I'll go from there.....

Adios


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## King Silverback (Apr 9, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> So, back on the horse I go...
> 
> ** 5 rounds Heavy Bag*
> 
> ...



Not much??? Looks like a Great one to me my Friend!!!


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## Pylon (Apr 9, 2007)

Nice return Tony.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 10, 2007)

Thanks Arch, Pylon...

Yesterday's workout was excellent, don't get me wrong.  It's just that there was nothing much I could say because I was tired and because it is the same workout and I had nothing to comiment.

The only thing that did happen to me was that my hand hurt, which I am used to already.  I am going to take it as a normal ocurrence (there was no swelling or pain after the workout) and I tweaked my shoulder a bit when I threw a hook into the bag.  For a moment there I couldn't throw any more punches but then it all went away...

See ya'll later....


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## King Silverback (Apr 10, 2007)

Please be careful, I used to rub wd40 (Yes, wd40) on my shoulders,elbows and wrists when I was done w/ a heavy session of bagwork and sparring when I was getting ready for a fight, consider it, you'd be suprised how great it makes your joints feel!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 10, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Please be careful, I used to rub wd40 (Yes, wd40) on my shoulders,elbows and wrists when I was done w/ a heavy session of bagwork and sparring when I was getting ready for a fight, consider it, you'd be suprised how great it makes your joints feel!!!


 
Interesting Mike.  If things got as they seem, as I have no pain anywhere today, it'll all be Ok....

Thanks for the suggestion...


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## King Silverback (Apr 10, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Interesting Mike.  If things got as they seem, as I have no pain anywhere today, it'll all be Ok....
> 
> Thanks for the suggestion...



  I know it sounds insane, but you massage it in, and I promise it makes your joints feel 100% better!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 10, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> *DB Chest Press: 15 x 40pds (Last w/o it was 17 x 35)*
> 
> *DB Flyes: 10 x 22.5 pounds (that was pretty much right on target).*
> 
> ...


 
Today was my weights day.

Workout as follows:

*DB Chest Press: 11 x 45 pds. Right on target (Last w/o it was 15 x 40)

DB Flyes: 11 x 22.5 pounds (that was pretty much right on target and one more rep than last time).

Inclined Hammer Curl (both arms at the same time): 13 x 25 pd (same).

Concentration Curls: 9 x 25 pd (left), 9 x 25 pd (right). Increased by one

DB Triceps Extension: 12 x 45 pd (that's more like it)

Definitely happy with the workout and improvement. I'll keep on keeping on.....*


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## King Silverback (Apr 10, 2007)

Awesome improvements my Friend, solid w/o!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 10, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Awesome improvements my Friend, solid w/o!!!


 
Thanks Sir Arch.....trying my best....


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## DOMS (Apr 10, 2007)

I know were suppose to be supportive, but this is too funny not to post.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 10, 2007)

DOMS said:


> I know were suppose to be supportive, but this is too funny not to post.


 
DOMS, please be funny, I like funny, that's supportive....


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## JerseyDevil (Apr 11, 2007)

I have been MIA lately and just now saw the bad news. Sorry to hear of your familys' loss Tony.

See you are keeping on, just the way she would have wanted it  .


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## King Silverback (Apr 11, 2007)

Droppin in BRother Tony!!!


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## Fitgirl70 (Apr 12, 2007)

Tone, wasn't it you who read/saw The Secret?  I saw it last night and LOVED IT!!!!

I totally recommend it to you Sir Arch.  It's amazing!

Hope you're doing good Tony!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 12, 2007)

Hey JD, thanks for the thoughts...

Hey Arch, Fitty.....Don't recall seeing the Secret. What is it about?  in a nutshell of course, I may want to read it....

No WO yesterday....was very sleepy and tired.  Back on the horse again.....

Talk to ya'll later....


Chao


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## Fitgirl70 (Apr 12, 2007)

It's really great.  Try to look it up on Google.  I'd give you the gist of it, but it's really long to explain.   It's basically about the law of attraction.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 13, 2007)

Fitgirl70 said:


> It's really great. Try to look it up on Google. I'd give you the gist of it, but it's really long to explain. It's basically about the law of attraction.


 
Interesting...I'll look it up....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 13, 2007)

So I took two forced days off. Got back from work wednesday and thursday after 10:00 pm, so I just rested.

Anyway, today was a special workout. I did something I hadn't done yet.

Split: 3 minutes per round, 1/2 minute rest, no water throughout the workout, hardcore football style...
Shadow boxing w/o dumbbells was done with 16 oz gloves, rather than the 12 oz gloves I use for the heavy bag.

** 5 rounds heavy bag: *I went at it pretty hard and my arms were weary when I finshed the 5th round.

**1 round of shadow boxing with a 10 pound dumbbell per hand: *I am putting together more combinations and throwing more punches. Doing much better...

**6 ROUNDS SHADOW BOXING (P.R.): *I said, what the hell, what's the worse that could happen? When I finished my arms were worn out and I was breathing harder than usual, but 7 total rounds of shadow boxing is a personal record for me and it's another goal of mine, to increase the shadow time.

**1 round speed bag: *I had to sacrifice 1 round of speed bag for 2 more rounds of shadow boxing. I was literally worthless during this last round. I could barely lift my arms and my shoulders were simply not responding. Still, when I could lift the arms, I did pretty well.

All in all, very, very excited about the workout. It's showing me that my endurance is as I expected, very good and my body is acclimating to the workouts. I am thinking of running a mile on sunday as my day off.....I may chicken out, who knows...


Good night...


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## King Silverback (Apr 14, 2007)

Excellent my Friend, keep setting the bar higher for yourself and you just keep blowin that away!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 14, 2007)

Archangel said:


> Excellent my Friend, keep setting the bar higher for yourself and you just keep blowin that away!!!


 
Thanks Arch, your words always help me keep going.  In fact, I was in a bit of pain (wrist) and tired and didn't want to lift anything today.

But I did....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 15, 2007)

Yesterday's workout:

*DB Chest Press: 7 x 50 pds.  Right on target (Last w/o it was 15 x 40)

DB Flyes: 14 x 22.5 pounds (11 x 22.5 last time).

Inclined Hammer Curl (both arms at the same time): 11 x 25 pd (meh, did 13 reps last time).  I may be switching from this one so my body doesn't get bored...

Concentration Curls: 10 x 25 pd (left), 10 x 25 pd (right). Increased by one again. 

DB Triceps Extension: 15 x 45 pd (12 reps last time).  I am going to be switching from this to another as I don't think I am isolating the tri's because my shoulders seem to be wanting to lock up on me.

*


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## fantasma62 (Apr 15, 2007)

No time to go jogging today, however, I improvised with a different boxing workout, however this time there was no bag work.

Usual split 3 : 1/2

**2 rounds shadow boxing with 10 pound dumbbells: *I thought it would be different if I did no bag and started out with db's first. In the first round I was throwing lots of combinations and punches. In the second round I threw a few less and knew for a fact I would not have been able to do more than two rounds. Had I done a third, I am sure there would have been a trip to the emergency room...nah, just kidding, my stamina was Ok, it was my arms that couldn't do much more...

** 2 rounds skipping around: *sounds funny, but it isn't. I started off the wrong way when I started by carrying two 45 pound dumbbells the first 30 seconds. My shoulders began hurting and I dropped them ipso facto. Finished two rounds of skipping around. Very tired as skipping around for 6 minutes with a 1/2 minute break isn't exactly the easiest thing to do. My calves and hammies were on fire as I didn't stop skipping. Good idea for this type of no bag workout.

** 7 rounds shadow boxing (last two rounds had a bit of a twist): *for the fist five rounds I did my usual. Throw a lot of punches, when I am not throwing any, skip around for a second or two and then continue. However, in the last two rounds I added a twist both to my brain and the workout. I made believe that I was fighting someone with a chin of steel and that I had no punching power. So what I did was I cornered my imaginary oponent and started whaling away as if I wanted to kill someone. I threw punches with very bad intentions for two full rounds (almost, no human can just do that and not have the arms fall off). I literally got mad as I was throwing the punches (great for relieving tension, which I did as I had a pretty crappy evening yesterday) and I was near exhaustion at the end of the two rounds.

** 1 round of speed bag: *I am crazy and went ahead and tried speed bag. It wasn't god-aweful but it wasn't my best either. The workout took so much out of me that I couldn't actually lift my arms to hit the bag well. Actually, I could lift them but they were worthless, so as I started catching fire on the bag, my arms would simply quit on me and would stop functioning...

Great workout for a day like today where I had lifted weights yesterday and have a boxing workout with bag tomorrow...

Adios....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 16, 2007)

Not too good a day:

** 5 rounds heavy bag*

**7 rounds shadow boxing*

*BROKE MY SPEED BAG.....*

Not actually the speed bag itself, but the frame that holds it.......too much punishment I guess....piece of garbage..


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## King Silverback (Apr 16, 2007)

AWESOME w/o's BRother Tony!!!
Broke it huh??? Good Stuff!!!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 17, 2007)

Archangel said:


> AWESOME w/o's BRother Tony!!!
> Broke it huh??? Good Stuff!!!


 

Hi Arch, thanks....yes, I broke my bag...well, not the bag, but you know....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 17, 2007)

Today I went back to the drawing board and made some changes in my exercises and broke down my workouts to see why I didn't feel right after working out.  After figuring out that my form was wrong  in every exercise that I did, I went online, my books, and my friends and was able to get my head straight and do things the right way.

This is todays new and improved workout:

*DB Chest Press: 6 x 50 pds.  *Things didn't start quite as well, but I caught on form-wise and did the 6 reps.  Good enough for me.

*DB Flyes: 17 x 22.5 pounds *(maybe I should go up to 25 pds)*.*

*Inclined Hammer Curl (both arms at the same time): 9 x 30 pd (*Nice*).*

*45 Degree Incline Reverse Gurl: 8 x 25 pd (left), 8 x 25 pd (right).* (Tough little exercise to replace the Concentration Curls until my wrist stops bothering me.)

*Back DB Rows:  14 x30 both arms *(Latissimus exercise and a major place of need for me)


*Lying DB Triceps Extension:* I know it was 25 pounds, but I forgot to write down the reps.  


All in all, these exercises worked out well for me as I really feel each part I worked out today.  I feel soreness where it is supposed to be.

Good all in all...  I'll pay more attention on thursday...


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## Double D (Apr 17, 2007)

I just skimmed through here again. Do you ever do any power work? Ex: Medicine ball chest press, Soccer Throws, Cleans, Snatches, etc...? You may have and maybe I missed it?


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## JerseyDevil (Apr 17, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> *BROKE MY SPEED BAG.....*


 
I like that


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## fantasma62 (Apr 17, 2007)

Double D said:


> I just skimmed through here again. Do you ever do any power work? Ex: Medicine ball chest press, Soccer Throws, Cleans, Snatches, etc...? You may have and maybe I missed it?


 
Hey DD, I am ashamed to say it, this being a body building forum, but nop, not really, don't have the capabilities right now to do that.  I may purchase the Medicine ball, but as of now I have dumbbells and a boxing gym. 

Used to do some power work.  Did P/RR/S and did pretty well until the shoulder accident, gained weight, got fat and decided to lose weight after selling my weights, etc.

Will I do it later?  Once I drop to about 190-195 pounds, then I'll start over.  Right now it's just a sissy weight workout and hardcore boxing (at least in my view, hardcore) training...


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## fantasma62 (Apr 17, 2007)

JerseyDevil said:


> I like that


 
THanks JD...

The funny thing is that I was genuinely mad, after I wrote it and a day passed, I simply can't stop laughing....


----------



## Double D (Apr 17, 2007)

Nah dont be ashamed. Try doing some plyo's. Like box jumps, clap pushups, etc....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 18, 2007)

Double D said:


> Nah dont be ashamed. Try doing some plyo's. Like box jumps, clap pushups, etc....


 
That's something that I have been looking at, but of course, I had no idea it was called plyo's.  I thought that had to do with resistance equipment, or something... 

I am definitely going to look into it simply to change things around from week to week.

My boxing training will be the same.  Well, that won't be until I buy a new frame for my speed bag.  However, I will try to jazz things up a bit (it I may use that term...) on the non boxing days....

I have to be sure I can manage time with exercises.  Not as easy to work out as it used to be with my two kids, but I am finding a way, crazy enough....

Thanks for the suggestion DD, I am definitely going to look into that and see what I can gather...


----------



## fantasma62 (Apr 19, 2007)

Took the day off yesterday...

Today:

* 6 rounds heavy bag:  really attacked the bag this time and did an extra round since I have no speed bag yet.  That last round was grueling.

*6 rounds shadow boxing:  very dynamic and strong 6 rounds.


Not much else to say.  I tired as the dickens (again, how old am I, 80? The dickens?)

Good night...


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## Double D (Apr 19, 2007)

Hey buddy check out my journal I have been using some power techniques without the use of things like cleans and snatches right now. I have a bum hand and its not going to work for me right now. But I have been doing agility drills, sprints, box jumps, landings, double jumps, plyo pushups, exploding supine rows, iso-supine rows, etc..... Just take a look, I will help ya with whatever you need!


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## fantasma62 (Apr 20, 2007)

Double D said:


> Hey buddy check out my journal I have been using some power techniques without the use of things like cleans and snatches right now. I have a bum hand and its not going to work for me right now. But I have been doing agility drills, sprints, box jumps, landings, double jumps, plyo pushups, exploding supine rows, iso-supine rows, etc..... Just take a look, I will help ya with whatever you need!


 
I am glad you mentioned your journal because I was going to start exploring plyos on my own, but if you already did the leg work for me....I'll be reading soon

Thanks for all the information and I have a bit of a wrist thing but that is part of playing the "boxer" in my gym.  It'll go away.  I have stopped concentration curls altogether because of the pain that I have the day after the boxing routine...


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## Double D (Apr 20, 2007)

I would be careful doing plyo pushups in that case. Along with power movements like cleans and snatches.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 20, 2007)

Double D said:


> I would be careful doing plyo pushups in that case. Along with power movements like cleans and snatches.


 
My thoughts exactly....I am really interested in adding a plyo routine to this comedy that is my training method of HIHT.....


----------



## fantasma62 (Apr 20, 2007)

Today's workout:

DB Chest Press:  12 x 45pd

DB Flyes:  15 x 22.5pd

Inclined Hammer Curl:  7 x 30pd

Inclined Reverse Curl:  8 x 25pd

Back DB Row:  16 x 30pd

Lying DB Tri's Extension (a db in each hand):  12 x 20pd


Like I said DD, while a go to Colombia next week I will be resting from the boxing workout, thus my wrist will take a rest.  I will probably lift a bit there, but not much since I will be gone tue - Fri.  I usually take Wednesday off, but I will probably lift Mo - We - Fr..

Anyway, tomorrow is boxing day and I am pretty tired....


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## Double D (Apr 20, 2007)

A good ole rest would probably suit you good at this point. 

What is the pd stand for at the end of your weights?


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## Pylon (Apr 20, 2007)

fantasma62 said:


> Anyway, tomorrow is boxing day and I am pretty tired....



No, I'm pretty sure that's December 26th....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 20, 2007)

Double D said:


> A good ole rest would probably suit you good at this point.
> 
> What is the pd stand for at the end of your weights?


 
That would be Pound..


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## fantasma62 (Apr 20, 2007)

Pylon said:


> No, I'm pretty sure that's December 26th....


      Got me there.....no snappy comebacks from me tonight....


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## Double D (Apr 20, 2007)

Thank you.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 21, 2007)

Double D said:


> Thank you.


 
Any time....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 21, 2007)

Hey Patrick....

I was going to post this in your journal but decided that it would be best for me to leave it here. I guess I would call it forum "etiquette". 

Anyway, You were wodering why I had thought of Plyos as an alternative part of my workout.

First off, my workout is mostly boxing and (toning) weights. The reason why DD recommended Plyos is that I don't actually have the weight training equipment I used to have. Long story short, sold my old equipment, bought wife a new Lexus, Lexus goes in garage, I have space for the boxing equipment and a couple of Bowflex DB's, the end. He thought I could use some of the plyo exercises to replace some of the weights that I don't have.

Regarding Plyos, I had looked yesterday at doing the low intensity ones like tuck jumps, zigzag jumps. Mostly I was really looking at doing some leg exercises that I have not done while doing the boxing and db exercises. I was even thinking of letting my wrist rest this week and concentrate on maybe doing the clap push ups rather than the DB Chest Press. Especially with that exercise, I find myself unsteady and losing form toward the end and it scares me that I may tear something because of that.

I am in the process of burning fat and have been pretty successful so far , but I wanted to "jazz" up my workout (yes, I used "jazz up", you can take away my man card now) and change up a few things to make it more effective. I thought that adding some Plyos later like using the medicine ball (later because I first have to buy a medicine ball) and doing a couple of low intensity plyos for my legs would do the trick.

You can see my normal workouts here in my journal, nothing out of this world and nothing that could cause me injury (other than my hands and wrists). I am doing nothing for my legs and all jumping the rope did was give me great left knee pains.

I also want to take up jogging. When I get back from Colombia, my plan is to go to my parents' cadiologist to do a stress test to see about jogging. Family history of heart problems, need to be sure I can do it without another fat guy dropping dead by being stupid.

Anyway, that's my plan for now. I hope I haven't bored and confused you with all the mumbo jumbo....


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## P-funk (Apr 21, 2007)

tuck jumps and zig zag hops are not low level!  Those are pretty advanced plyo's.

start with basic hops, single leg hops, jump rope, med. ball work, etc....that is more low level.  You might want to by an agility ladder and work on foot work too.


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## Double D (Apr 21, 2007)

Box drill works wonders as well.


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## fantasma62 (Apr 21, 2007)

P-funk said:


> tuck jumps and zig zag hops are not low level! Those are pretty advanced plyo's.
> 
> start with basic hops, single leg hops, jump rope, med. ball work, etc....that is more low level. You might want to by an agility ladder and work on foot work too.


 
Thanks P, I actually did some hopping around today.  It may not be Plyo, but what I do whenever I don't do bag work, I do two rounds of hopping around.  Don't throw any punches, just hop around, as if I was jumping a rope, then dance around as if I were in a ring (not my garage) and then just continue with shadow and speed bag work....


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## fantasma62 (Apr 21, 2007)

Double D said:


> Box drill works wonders as well.


 
I like the way box drills look.  I will look into it a bit more as I get into better shape...thanks DD, really...


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## fantasma62 (Apr 21, 2007)

Today's workout:

* 2 rounds hopping around

* 4 rounds shadow boxing with 5 pound db's: gruelling little change

* 6 rounds Shadow box

* 1 round speed bag (yeap, I fixed the damn thing...)


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## Pylon (Apr 21, 2007)

Congrats on getting the speed bag up.  I popped mine about 5 years ago and never replaced it.


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## fantasma62 (May 4, 2007)

Hi Ya'll


I have taken a couple of weeks off to rest my wrist so that I can come back stronger.
I also just got back from Colombia yesterday from what was a gruelling week and a couple of days of work, so I am now at my office catching up with my work and my emails, so I decided to have a look see at ya'll....

I'll restart next monday and hopefully my hand will be totally healed...

Chao


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## Double D (May 4, 2007)

Sounds like a good idea to me.


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## Pylon (May 5, 2007)

Happy Cinco De Mayo, Tony!


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## JerseyDevil (May 5, 2007)

Yo Tony.  Whaddup brotha?


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## King Silverback (May 6, 2007)

Hope the hand is on the mend my Friend!!! (a Poet and I didn't even know it) LOL!!!

Hope all is well for you and yours Brother Tony!!!


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## fantasma62 (May 9, 2007)

DD. Py, JD and Arch, thanks for the thoughts and the Happy 5 de Mayo.....

Been very busy this week with work.  Even worse, I wanted to go out jogging, but there is a major fire burning on the west coast of Florida and the smoke is all here in Miami.  In the news they are saying that if you don't need to be outside, to not do so.  I am not taking any chances.  I can't even do my boxing training since all my equipment is in the garage...and oh, yeah, my hand is a little hurt, not so bad really.

Either way folks, I am traveling to South America again next tuesday and will be back on Saturday, we'll see what happens....

G-night....


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