Topic: Lo Juinn Cherng's Training Journal (comments and advice requested)

[Leland]

I think doing pull ups on a rather slippery surface is considerably hard then on a bar. In any case all I can manage is one in this condition. Whatever, will train pull ups when I have access to a proper bar.

Dips 8 x 5 (probably can do like 10 in a row)
HSPU negatives, like 5 or 6? Incredibly taxing still, but manage to push up when half way down
L-sits -  10 x 6 seconds. Progressing slower then i like but at least there's progress
Downstairs Squat landings + up stairs jump 5 or 6 sets

Shins finally feel like they can do something. Felt bit of twinge though after training, finally ready to go out and do some real parkour.

[Leland]

Real parkour messed up my left shin. Not being patient sucks.

Conditioned the last couple of days, but I really don't feel like logging it cause I'm not feeling very well and they didn't went particularly well.

[Leland]

Tired from traveling 4 hours. Did a quick conditioning session cause I feel my body getting restless from the lack of exercise for the last 5 days or so.
Left shin feels better, despite my frequent aggravation of it, it seems to be recovering in less time. Hopefully if I keep myself from jumping another week it'll heal up completely and I can do some real parkour.

dips 8 x 5 , almost perfect
L-sit, tuck (form upgrade) 5-6 seconds x 5
right leg hop up stairs, 4 sets, down stairs, 2 sets
Like, 5 pull ups? on a ledge, most are bad

I should log that my right forearm feels pretty bad when doing pull ups. I think it needs some time to get strong enough to support my considerable bodyweight. Gonna do chins when I have access to them until I can do ten, then work on pull ups.

Too sleepy to do more for now, will stop slacking when I get back to the USA.

[Leland]

10 days since last update! First session since back in the states yesterday. Went doing some kongs and speeds and rolls since the grass was so soft.
Dips 10 x 2
Pulls + Chins 4+5+3+5+4
then i got interrupted and skipped the rest of the strength training
also did my first dash vault. I didn't really plan on it, it just sort of happened, was just trying to jump on it like on a vid I saw. Butt scracthed the end of the table though.

I feel I'm much stronger then when I just begun, but to be honest I think I could have improved MUCH more during these 4 months. Anyways, back now, going back to my campus tomorrow night, I remember a lot of spots that I wasn't good enough to train at yet, excited.

[Leland]

went out today n yesterday already. yesterday was more of a scouting trip since i just got back to campus. did conditioning today. wanted to work on a lot if things but shin splints coming back cause I took some bad drops. Probably going swimming or something for the next couple of days.

Pulls + Chins, 3x5 ish, cause i played around on monkey bars, which for me is still really taxing (god i suck)
Dips 10+10+9
lotsa vaults and rolls, despite trying not to do that many
also like 50 seconds of L-sit (progression)

[Leland]

nice day out today, went out despite slight shin splint, but my Onitsuka Tigers arrived and i just had to try them out

Wall climb > cat leap > climb-ups (bad form) on a really nice place, did negative proper climb ups on the way down, only problem is i can't seem to get in the cat position, instead my legs drop then i go into it.

Plan to do 180 cats when going down the walls next time.

Tried out turn vaults for real later. Did like 5, getting the feeling down. Probably gonna be good enough to drill em soon.

L-sits and negative HSPUs after. getting better at the HSPUs.

[Leland]

First day of lifting hoho, followed the Practical Programming Novice Program
which is for reference, this:

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Followed the first day instructions from the starting strength wiki, figured out my starting weight for Squats and bench
Squat: 85
Bench: 65
Chin ups: 6, 5, 3

did a bit of vaulting after that on the way back, also trained L sits for a bit, realized I've been cheating so I'm gonna start doing them on bars

[Leland]

Squats, 95 lbs
Press, 65 lbs
Dead Lift, 85 lbs

Presses were kinda hard, wondering if I took too heavy weights as a starting point, might not increase it for next sess

Played badminton after that, wondering if I did too much to my shin splints, didn't push myself but there was the occasional jump.

[Leland]

Squats 105 pounds
bench 70 lbs
pull ups 4, 3, 2.

Damn sad on the pull ups
Went for a light swim after, then some balance practice cause I WON'T DO ANY VAULTS UNTIL MY SHINS ARE HEALED D:<

[Brian O'Neil]

Are you icing your shins on a regular basis? Or are you just letting them heal as is? Good technique I learned in college was filling a dixie cup and freezing it, then ripping off about an inch or two so you could hold the ice, but rub open ice on your shins. Worked great when we did dry land.

Try that out for quicker, and maybe a more substantial length of non-aggravation if you haven't been doing that already.

[Leland]

No, I gave up icing them long ago, didn't feel like they do anything.. And I don't have Ice nowadays since i just moved in a new apartment..

But if you say it works I'd do it again cause I'm desperate

[Leland]

went out for some balance training. (1 hour~) not sure if it's wise cause I took like a lot of small drops (3 feet?). I hate shin splints.

[Leland]

Squats 115
Press 70
Chin ups 6, 5, 4 (last one was kinda shit)

Did like 5 vaults outside the gym after that
stopped cause I had shitty form and I knew i'd want to practice for an hour if i continue

[Leland]

Squats 125
Bench 80 (oh no 10 lb leap!)
Dead Lifts 105
Pull ups max 4 (still.)

shins feel better. Gonna train this weekend! (light for sure, terrified of aggravation.)

[Greeeg the squiiirrel]

Good luck in the recovery process.

[Leland]

they feel worst today. I don't know whats happening anymore. Made an appointment to see a doc on Wednesday, hopefully it'll heal up by then.

O yea I should note that I achieved the L-sit. Not a pretty one, but when you look at it you go like :" Yea.. That's a pretty decent L-sit.. i guess." (shins a bit lower then thighs, and butt brushes against the floor sometimes.)

But it's still an L-sit and i'm pleased that I'm able to hold it for almost 10 seconds

I hate my shins.

[Leland]

Squats 135 lbs
Press 75 lbs (failed on last rep wtf)
Pull ups 5 + 5 +3 (improvement woot!)

The press really pissed me off though, according to what I read I shouldn't be failing anytime soon. Probably has something to do with sleeping 3 hours last night.

Will increase +5 as usual on next press workout. Any advice/ideas on this?

[Brian O'Neil]

Squats 135 lbs
Press 75 lbs (failed on last rep wtf)
Pull ups 5 + 5 +3 (improvement woot!)

The press really pissed me off though, according to what I read I shouldn't be failing anytime soon. Probably has something to do with sleeping 3 hours last night.

Will increase +5 as usual on next press workout. Any advice/ideas on this?

Do you have a spotter?

To increase your bench, you could try doing DB press for a week, then getting back at it. Just note, a DB press you might not be able to put up the same weight. If you're doing 75lbs, try starting with 30s and see how that feels, than adjust from there. Hit flat, incline and decline. If you interchange this once a month or two for a chest workout, you can see quicker improvement, helping increase lifting before hitting your plateau.

I personally used DB press for a month, (4 chest workouts) and then do my next workout on bench, then back to db (for about 8 months). I saw a great strength increase when I was lifting, starting off at 115lbs and ending at 185lbs, on my bench, in probably 6 months before plateauing. I got up to 75lbs db presses for 6 (was lifting 5x5).

But interchanging chest workouts (sorry for getting off track), will keep off a plateau, and can help with strength too! Also, use a spotter, and bust out a few more reps after you start to think you will fail, with them spotting, but not lifting 100% of your weight.

[Leland]

Whew, just had an awesome session with the UW gang, the first group of people who thought me parkour!

I think I improved a lot! I'm actually not the worst guy in the group and seems like all the conditioning paid off. Did vaults, tried tic tacs, precisions, wall runs, cat leaps and stuff.
Was a fun day, but it kicked my ass, hope i sleep well tonight so i can lift tomorrow

shin splints felt really good today, a bit sore after training. hopefully the recovery process isn't TOO f#cked up.. made sure to ice them and stretch a lot. Will see.

[European Ninja]

Nice. Mind if I steal some of your goals? I really need to get back at conditioning... I think that I'll try pilates or yoga. Flexibility should be quite handy.