Topic: Training Journal (HIIT throughout summer)

[boogaloo_48]

  Hey everyone I'm a 16 year old from Canada and I've been on this site for a couple weeks, but loved parkour for years. I've always marvelled at the control that some traceurs have and imagined how fun it would be to have that power. With that said, my goals aren't necessarily to become a great traceur, at least not at this point. Right now, I want to condition my body, see what I'm capable of and work from there to see where I can improve.

  About a week ago I began to eat healthier; less cookies and ice cream, and more yogurt and fruit. I felt the difference almost immediately, and started working from there. Since then I have started a HIIT program of 8 100m sprints with appropriate rests in between (usually 10-20 seconds depending on my recovery). It's been great so far. Aside from that I've done some upper body work with weights and bodyweight. I'll illustrate those in more detail following.

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight - 175
Height - 6'2"
Vertical - 50cm last time I tested
Strength - able to do 8 reps of bicep curls with 30lbs

GOALS
-Maintain my HIIT workout throughout the rest of the summer (at least)
-Be able to do 8 sprints with the highest rest period only being 10 seconds (strong sprints)
-Gain 10 cm in my vertical
-Be able to do 8 reps of bicep curls with 40lbs
-Be able to do 30 push ups comfortably
-Be able to do 10 pull ups (palms turned away) comfortably

  So my HIIT routine began 7 days ago when I woke up at 5am and went to my old elementary school park. There's a field there and I have a frame of reference as to what 100m is thanks to track and field from back in the day. Day one was tough but within my limits, doing 6 sprints in total with a rest period of about 14 seconds in between each. I almost threw up but managed to hold it down. I went home feeling great. My chest was burning in a good way and I guzzled some water. The whole thing only took a few minutes (4-6) and after the initial burn I wasn't too tired which I found surprising.

  Day two was two days later in the morning but this time I went at 6am as opposed to 5. It was brighter outside, less mosquitoes and the grass had dew which felt great when I kicked my heels up. This time I did 6 sprints with a rest period of about 10 seconds (a tad longer as I went on) then after a somewhat long rest of about 20 seconds I did another sprint. with my chest burning I walked around the field to avoid vomiting and ended up doing one last sprint tallying up to 8 sprints in total.

  Day three was two days later (yesterday). I had a terrible sleep, only sleeping from 12am to 3:30am. I couldn't fall back asleep and the clock was ticking. I ended up staying awake until 6am when I went for my run. This day was good despite my lack of sleep, I was able to cut down my rest period a bit and went for 7 strong sprints. I did the same thing as the previous HIIT day and walked a bit before completing my 8th sprint. I went home happy.

  So tomorrow will be my fourth day. Four days feels like hump for starting a routine, once I'm past it I feel I'll be more in the swing of things. Surprisingly I'm really enjoying it. Though its nauseating during the session, I like how my body feels afterwards. Breaths feel fuller, and its like my belly's warm. On top of that I've felt good about my ability to stick to my plan, at least so far. I've got to keep this in mind throughout the summer.

  As far as weight training/ conditioning I've done ankle/leg exercises consistently at least every other day for a couple weeks and seen a significant improvement in my vertical (at least I think) and leg stability when going downhill. Also running up the stairs in my house has become a lot more fun, feeling a spring in my step with every bound  

  I've been doing a pull up every time I go up or down the stairs on the edge of my upstairs floor. Its not a bar, so it forces me to do the with palms facing away. I've noticed improvements in my explosiveness and fatigue levels recently.

  I did 40 pushups yesterday (sets of 10) each time I let the survivors die in the video game Dead Rising (damn zombies), and 3 sets of 8 reps of bicep curls with 30lbs. My arms are feeling strong today, especially since I did some yardwork for my grandparents (climbing trees to clip branches).



  Thanks to anyone who has read this, I understand It's a long post but I'm making up for lost time (about a week's worth). Any and all advice or input is very welcome. I'm interested to hear from those who have followed a similar routine and from the experts who know how I can get the best out of my workout.

[David M.]

First, welcome to APK!

Looks pretty good. I don't know why a goal of yours is to curl 40 lbs for a set of 8 though. It doesn't translate really into parkour. Are you getting any organised weight training in?

[boogaloo_48]

First off

  Day four was great I could definitely see an improvement. It was really hard to get up this morning but once I did it was amazing outside. Crisp air, cool, very pleasant. I met a woman at my training spot walking her dog which was nice, it was a bit odd running for an audience though. The run itself was quite strong today, my first sprint being really explosive, but the next following two were on the weaker side. I made up for it overall with some strong finishing sprints, and was able to cut out my long rest period before the 8th sprint down to only 15 seconds. My longest rest was before my 7th sprint with 20 seconds. Overall I feel like my recovery times are faster without sacrificing form, so it's really cool to see my first significant improvement so soon!

  Thanks a lot David! I will be starting some organized weight training as well, decidedly on my days off from HIIT. That way I can get a day of rest between each. I guess I'll start tomorrow seeing as I won't be running. As for the goal of 40lbs for 8 reps its not really a parkour based goal more for vanity (hypertrophy) and to see if I can break past my previous plateau of 35lbs. As for a plan I'll start with this. If you have any suggestions of weight training that would make more sense with my HIIT routine by all means let me know.

by the way I have adjustable dumbells (sadly only one at the moment) a bar for deadlifts/bench press as well as a bench, a resistance band and some spring loaded squeezing tools for forearms (don't know the name). Also a tree branch and stair case ledge for pull ups.

WEIGHT TRAINING
- Three sets of 8 reps bicep curls (30lbs)
- Three sets of 10 reps push ups (I'll see how I feel)
- Three sets of 3 reps pull ups on staircase

I'll start with that at least, I'll test the waters with some other exercises that I've learned over the years. I'll incorporate dead lifts and squats into this but right now I don't know what weight I should use. Again input is welcome, thanks!

[boogaloo_48]

I did my weight lifting this evening and I'm going to bed. My push ups have improved, and more noticeably my pull ups! I knocked down more than I planned just for fun today.

[boogaloo_48]

Day five went well with a couple noticeable improvements my only rest periods longer than 10 seconds were the ones before my 7th and 8th sprint at 15 seconds each. My sprints themselves were a bit on the weaker side, though I started strong. I think its because my body's pretty beaten up from going to Wonderland a couple days ago. It was another beautiful morning, a bit on the cold side though, but that was appreciated after I ran. The cool down was comfortable and refreshing. I ended up running jogging around the field a couple times and ended up sprinting a 9th time. Overall great day, my rest has improved and I can go for longer.

[boogaloo_48]

just a side note I'm officially down to 173 pounds consistently. Only 5 days of sprinting and I can already see and feel the difference.

[jay_22_15]

congrats on the 173 dood.

I don't know if you are or not but make sure you stretch really well.
Preferably after every workout.

[boogaloo_48]

Thanks a lot Jay, I do stretch my legs before every run but I'll be sure to put more of an emphasis on it and start to stretch more afterwards.

[boogaloo_48]

Day six, wow. After a terrible "sleep" of only a few hours I woke up sweating with my lower left abdomen in pain. I stumbled out of bed dehydrated and tired, and got ready for the run. I figured the stomach pain was indigestion from the abundance of delicious corn I had the night before. That or I was bloated from the mini-wheats I had before bed. Either way, I was feeling like crap, but it was time to run. Once I got out there I was feeling better, but I had a bit of acid reflux. The run itself was great! I felt powerful for longer, with my first two sprints being especially strong. The amazing thing though, was that despite feeling like ass, I reached a major milestone.... All of my rest periods were only 10 seconds!!!!!! What a cardio improvement! Not only that but after my sprints my breathing pattern was able to return back to normal after a very short time. After that was done, I just sat in the park. It was another beautiful morning and I took it in. I ended up playing around in the park and worked on some vaults and other random movements. It was a lot of fun, but I kept the danger to a minimum considering I was alone.

Overall it was an incredible morning, and I reached a major milestone. My legs are much stronger (also thanks to Dogen's Titanium Ankles) and my cardio has improved vastly!

Just a side note, does anyone know how to effectively train to increase one's vertical jump? I've been doing calf raises but I want my jumps to become more explosive.

[boogaloo_48]

Day seven was good. It was really humid outside, so breathing was harder and I definitely noticed. I became fatigued much earlier in my sprints. I still upheld my standard of 10 second rest periods so it's nice to know day six wasn't an anomaly. Not really much to speak of about the sprints, there were eight of them, and they were tiring. I felt a bit nauseas but that was probably a bit of dehydration. After the sprints i stretched and rested on a bench when a man walked into the park with his two golden retrievers. They rushed ahead to meet me, and later on knocked me over when I was stretching. It was nice to have some company. The humidity brought mosquitoes and sweat so it wasn't so comfortable but I feel good now that I've done my day's work.

YES Second Go by Lights just came on the TV. I love Canada!

[boogaloo_48]

Day eight was another good day. Running eight sprints with 10 second rests was a lot easier today, so I'm definitely over that hurdle. My sprints were strong, I had a lot of spring in my step. I had a really odd sleep so I'll cut this short to go back to bed. It was humid, but kinda cool. There were lots of mosquitoes, so I rushed home soon after. The air smelled amazing for some reason.

[boogaloo_48]

 Pretty poor diet recently, had a lot of pumpkin pie and cookies from a trip to Mennonite country yesterday. Much harder to resist than processed desserts, nothing like pure ingredients, but I'll be back on track. Starting doing 5 reps of 35 pounds for bicep curls so I can build strength. This minor relapse in eating shows me how much better I feel when I eat right, going to drink lots of water to clear myself out.

[boogaloo_48]

Day nine was another good day. It was really cold so I jogged to the park to warm up. The sprints themselves were strong, and I had a fast recovery. Once I had done my eight sprints, I rested a while then did a couple more that were really explosive. I was surprised at how my body could recover within minutes to the same power as my first sprint. I'm going to need to change something up because I'm getting too comfortable in my routine. maybe I'll start 10 sprints or QM or something. Anyway, another good day, albeit cold.

[boogaloo_48]

Day ten was once again another good day. I really pushed myself and realized that I can still improve within my 8 sprints by going harder. It was humid once again, so I got my ass out of there after running because the mosquitoes started swarming. I feel good now, but like always, it's never fun to wake up on a Monday.

[boogaloo_48]

Day eleven was good, very foggy. My shorts were in the wash so I wore sweat pants. They were comfortable until I ran, then they got kinda hot. Oh well. This was my first time running with music, I got my ipod up and running so I decided to try it out. It was a lot of fun, almost surreal. I almost threw up after my 7th sprint, but pushed through and didn't dip below my standards. Good day.

[boogaloo_48]

Day twelve proved to be difficult in terms of getting my ass out of bed. I went to the park and did my runs regardless. It was fine, kinda blah day though. Oh well i can go back to bed now.

[boogaloo_48]

Day thirteen, my oh my! I thought I wouldn't be able to run today because there were thunderstorms the night before that I thought would carry into the morning. Luckily it was clear at 6am this morning so I was able to go. I had eaten before running (trouble getting to sleep) having two eggs, blueberries and a pickle. I didn't really sleep much at all, my house was way too hot, so I went on the run with barely any sleep. The sprints were fantastic, I truly felt like all my sprints were very powerful, and I pushed hard through all of them. It was a great day, I was surprised because I hadn't felt any significant improvements in a little while until this morning.


On a side note, this week I'll be cutting out a lot of carbs and I won't eat anything I know is unhealthy. I'm  going to Aruba this coming Saturday and I want to be ready for the beach.

[boogaloo_48]

Day fourteen YUS! Another great day! A beautiful morning with dew on the ground and crisp air, day fourteen was yet again fantastic. I was nervous because I had pulled a muscle in my leg pitching on Sunday in a baseball game, but I made sure to stretch and I managed to loosen up. During the sprints a Jack Russel Terrier girl named Ruby ran at my ankles. I ended up talking to the owner who was a really nice guy. It was not only a successful morning athletically, but pleasantly as well.

[boogaloo_48]

Day fifteen was another good day, I've been focusing on stretching and I'm feeling better throughout my runs and after. I pushed myself hard today. I've been listening to music for my past few runs and I think it's helping my focus.

I just want to say that I'm so happy and proud with myself. I've stuck with this for about a month, not to shabby for a guy who would otherwise sleep in until 2pm. I've really improved, I'm looking better, I'm feeling better. The other night I pitched amazingly in my baseball game, and I swear I had an extra 10-15 mph on my fastball. I didn't realize how much sprinting strengthens one's abdominals, especially obliques. I've never felt so fit overall in my life, and the amazing thing is, It was all based on my free will. I didn't have any coach barking down my neck or a trainer, yet I'm getting real results.

To anyone who wants to get into something like this, DO IT. I can't explain it, but just know that especially if your a relative fitness beginner, you will get results that will make you want to keep going. A couple days of kicking your own ass will generate your own motivation.

On a side note I'm 172 pounds consistently, sometimes even  down to 171. I weighed myself last night at 171.2 after a dinner of pasta, and lots of muffins during the day. I think my metabolism is bolstering its forces (thank god) which is one of the reasons why I wanted to start this routine.

On another sidenote I'm going to Aruba on Saturday (I'll still be able to run that morning) and I'm staying there for a week. Although I won't be able to maintain my HIIT while I'm there, there's 26 miles of beach to run along, I can't wait!

[boogaloo_48]

I'M BACK!
Aruba was amazing but its good to be home. Running about 4k on the beach one time was enough to effectively destroy my calves for the week (in a good way), and the fitness room at the hotel was great. I only got in a couple times but I was able to maintain some of my workout. By the way, there was a squat machine in the gym and I tried them for the first time. My legs feel so strong because of it, and I feel extra balanced today. I hope I can get into a gym soon so I can continue.

Alright, down to business. I got home on Saturday night, and technically the next morning should have been a HIIT day, but I had just got off my flight and thought it best to sleep through the morning. Instead, my first run day back was today. How did it go you ask?

Day sixteen, the first day after my vacation was quite subpar, but I'm not surprised. You see, food in Aruba is just too damn good. Seriously, I didn't have a bad meal, not even an average one. All were delicious, and some were massive portions. This led to lots of eating, and these damn things http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroopwafel were the death of me. Being a Dutch colony, Aruba has Dutch foods in the stores, and we found these things for dirt cheap. After about 10 packs, I'm not feeling as good as I did a week ago.

The run itself was weak and slow, but necessary. I didn't want to go all out, half because I'm afraid of disappointing myself if I can't do it. I know this isn't the best attitude, but I'm sure others have felt the same way at some point. Anyway, my sprints were barely that, though I maintained a good pace and ended strong on my last two. Just that was enough to put me down for the count. Oh well, I'm glad I got out, lord knows it wasn't easy to drag myself out of bed this morning, but I'm very glad to be back in my routine. It'll only get easier from here, and I'm sure I can get back to my previous fitness level soon enough. I figure diet has been my main fault as I kept very active over the course of the trip. I'll have to clean it up this week, but hey; nothing I haven't done before right?