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The Little Engine That Could

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2018.01.29

Resting HR: 49
Heart Rate Variability: 58
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: In bed 7.5 hours. Deep sleep for 5. Awake and alert after that. Struggled to get back to fitful sleep. Probably 6.5 hours of sleep total.

Feeling: A little more tired than I'd like (I slept terribly this weekend - a combination of staying up later than I should and having difficulty staying asleep). I went bowling yesterday and my right grip/forearm is a little sore - which I find surprising in light of my recent training! Other than that I wanted to get an S&S workout in this morning - I was able to do that (though I had to shorten the warm-up). I did some shoulder PT and elastic band stretching before.

Warm-up Circuit (1x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat 16kg (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) 5x
Hip Bridge (squeezing yoga block between knees) 3 seconds - 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 10 x 10 (16kg 20kg 20kg 20kg 20kg)
Turkish Get Ups 10 (16kg 20kg 20kg 20kg 16kg)

Cool Down
Hurdler Stretch
Frogger Stretch
Straddle Stretch
Jefferson Curls
Shoulder Dislocates (w/ Elastic Band)

Duration: 42 minutes
Average Heart Rate: 107
Max Heart Rate: 140

Thoughts: I decided to push a little harder with more 20kg sets. It felt strong and like the right decision at the time. At work I'm a little more tired than I was expecting, I'm not certain if that's because I "pushed" myself in training or because of my poor sleep lately. I will be taking S&S off tomorrow (and sleeping in) and going climbing in the evening, so I feel good about my decision to push a little harder today. I'm curious what Wednesday's practice will look like after climbing (but I'm getting ahead of myself).
 
2018.01.30

Resting HR: 50
Heart Rate Variability: 59
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: 7.5 hours of sleep right through the night with no wake ups! This thread led me down the path to realize I need some carbs before bed (I was avoiding carbs in the evening and getting my allowance in the morning/after workout when we're supposed to have best insulin response). This thread (on Mark's Daily Apple) helped as well.

Feeling: I feel great. I have the day off from work. I'm spending some time this morning with my daughter and going climbing this evening - so no S&S this morning. Hybrid rest/play day.

*******
I went climbing at Inner Peaks with my wife tonight. As we were checking in someone fell off a high wall where they were free-climbing (they shouldn't have been). We've never seen that before, but were quite shaken. Point being that for most of the evening I climbed down in addition to climbing up (as opposed to belaying down) . Even with all the extra work I felt fresh with minimal grip fatigue (and I was worried because bowling on Sunday really made my forearms sore). I also knocked out a few pull-ups between climbing sessions - and they felt easy! My Grease the Groove pull-up work (which precedes this record by about a month) and S&S practice really made a noticeable difference. I'm super happy - and a little curious about how I'll feel tomorrow morning...

And another side note. I bought a pumice stone over the weekend and used it tonight. My callus had cracked while climbing. It rubbed right down and shouldn't be a problem.
 
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2018.01.31

Resting HR: 54
Heart Rate Variability: 57
Elite HRV Score: 7S (Green)

Sleep: I forgot to turn my alarm clock back on after taking the day off yesterday. So I slept a little longer than I otherwise would have, but didn't train S&S this morning. I got around 6.5 hours of sleep last night (1 wake up, 7 hours in bed).

Feeling: I felt pretty good, but I could tell I was active yesterday! I had to forego S&S practice, but managed to do my full shoulder PT workout. I'll see how I feel this evening and decide if I do any GtG or yoga tonight - or if I just make a proper rest day of it.
 
2018.02.01

Resting HR: 49
Heart Rate Variability: 59
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: Right at 7 hours. I set my alarm clock a little later to allow me to make it over the 7 hour mark (instead of settling for 6.5). Though that technically cut into my training time, I think it was the right decision. I tend to not emphasize recorvery enough.

Feeling: I felt regularish. Possibly a little stiff after a rest day and two days with no mobility work. I was determined to do most of S&S today though. For the sake of time I reduced the warm up and TGU. I also decided to use the 20kg for all of the swings and TGUs.

Warm-up Circuit (2x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) 16kg - 5x
Hip Bridge (squeezing yoga block between knees) 3 seconds - 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 20kg - 10 x 10
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 6

Cool Down
Hurdler Stretch
Frogger Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
Straddle Stretch

Duration: 37 minutes
Average Heart Rate: 108
Max Heart Rate: 139

Thoughts: My squats were really tight this morning - the first one felt super awkward and I was nowhere near ATG. By the second set things were feeling better - but not my best hip mobility day. I'm finding that keeping my swings "snappy" requires a fair bit of concentration. I need to keep from checking out and just counting reps. I was really happy about my TGU work today. I feel confident I could do all 10 with the 20kg bell, though that would be very fatiguing. I'm startled by the rapid improvement with this new weight. I know all my transitions won't be so easy, so I'll take the early gains as they come. But mostly I'm happy to be back to my S&S routine - it's funny how a few days off makes me feel weird!

*******

PM - Grease the Groove (x 2)
5 Chin-ups or Pull-ups*
30s Hollow Body Hold
14 Push-ups (Elbows tight against body)
*Alternate sets between close grip chin-ups and pull-ups with band assistance (Rogue Monster Band - Green - 65 lbs assistance)

I've adjusted the band I use for pull-ups and the number of push-ups that I do. The green band doesn't seem to give 65 lbs of assistance at all. Perhaps because I'm still just looping my knee through? Either way - chin-ups were still easy but pull-ups were a bit tougher. I got through all 5, but had to fight just a little for the last one. I might reduce number of reps and increase number of sets? I don't know - I'm still toying with my evening work load.
 
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2018.02.02

Resting HR: 54
Heart Rate Variability: 57
Elite HRV Score: 7S (Green)

Sleep: Right at 7 hours. One wake up after 5 hours, but able to fall asleep again easily.

Feeling: Generally good. Tight hamstrings as always. I've been focusing on them a good while now with only minimal improvement. I wonder if I need to adjust my mobility routine? I've been considering Flexible Steel, but I just don't know. Perhaps I just need to really go all in with Focused Flexibility from GMB (which I already own).

Warm-up
Jefferson Curls 10lbs - 5
Shoulder Dislocates (Band) - 5

Practice
Two Hand Kettlebell Swings 24kg - 4 x 10
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 4

Strength Aerobics
(Clean, Press, Squat, Park) - 16kg
About 15 minutes (lost count of reps)

Cool Down
Hurdler Stretch
Frogger Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
Straddle Stretch

Thoughts: This was a weird one. My daughter woke up really early this morning so I had to adjust on the fly. My heart rate monitor also didn't pause correctly when I went to get her up, so I don't know my usual metrics - which is a bit of a shame because I was curious about my first time really completing a solid Strength Aerobics workout. I liked that by the end I was able to consistently keep my heart rate close to were I like it (as opposed to waiting for it to plummet before starting a new set of swings, etc.). And even though I never felt it was difficult I'm definitely feeling a little sore in my shoulders at work this morning! I'm definitely glad I didn't go any longer and I probably could have stopped after 10 minutes on this first outing!

*******

PM Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 2

PM - Grease the Groove (x 2)
5 Chin-ups or Pull-ups*
30s Hollow Body Hold
14 Push-ups (Elbows tight against body)
*Alternate sets between close grip chin-ups and pull-ups with band assistance (Rogue Monster Band - Green - 65 lbs assistance)

I'm capable of getting the 5 pull-ups, but wonder if I'm pushing too early too soon. I'm fine with gradual improvement that ensures the safety of my joints, so maybe I need to dial back to the black band and do more sets? Or maybe my shoulders are just sore from all of the (admittedly light) pressing I did this morning. I'm very much considering Flexible Steel - and Original Strength also.
 
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2018.02.03

Resting HR: 56
Heart Rate Variability: 55
Elite HRV Score: 5S (Yellow)

Sleep: Terrible sleep last night. I didn't eat my carbs close enough to bed so they didn't last me through the night. I woke up after 4 hours and every hour after that for a total of about 6.5 hours of sleep. I still felt refreshed when I finally got out of bed though.

Feeling: My hip is a little out of sorts. I watched a Cross Fit instructor video talking about hip placement in the bottom of a squat and avoiding the dreaded "butt wink". I did one squat before bed (nbd, I do squats all the time) with the cues in mind and tweaked my right hip. This is all just adding to my thoughts that I need to improve my daily mobility routines with Flexible Steel, Original Strength, or a combination of both.

Warm-up Circuit (3x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) - 5x [16kg 16kg 20kg]
Hip Bridge (squeezing yoga block between knees) 3 seconds - 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 20kg - 10 x 10
Turkish Get Ups - 10 [16kg 20kg 20kg 20kg 20kg]

Cool Down
Jefferson Curls 10lb - 5
Shoulder Dislocates (w/ band) - 5
Hurdler Stretch
Frogger Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
Straddle Stretch

Duration: 59 minutes
Average Heart Rate: 107
Max Heart Rate: 146

Thoughts: My squats felt good and got really deep by the end. Doing the curls with the heavier bell seems problematic though. My wrists really start to hurt holding the kettlebell by the horns while curling. I'm not certain if that just means I need to adapt - or if I'm doing something biomechanically unsound. But most importantly, I felt really great at the end of practice - energized and not fatigued. I love the days I'm able to do the whole S&S routine.
 
2018.02.04

Yesterday I ordered a book and a DVD from both Original Strength and Flexible Steel. I also tried out a few of the exercises from Flexible Steel (I got the kindle edition and was able to start reading immediately). I think I overdid it because this morning my right hip and right shoulder were pretty sore/tense with radiating pain down my leg and arm. Of note - I did the arm bar with a 16kg kettlebell because it's the lightest one I own. I do not recommend this course of action.

So today I spent a few hours really working on mobility and flexibility. I foam rolled my legs and back, I used a lacrosse ball on my traps and feet, and I used a peanut on my upper back. I did a slow full body Tai Chi style warm-up to loosen all my muscles. I used GMB's Focused Flexibility protocol on my hips and shoulders (2 exercises/stretches from each section). Then I did some of the work from Flexible Steel including a long Tactical Frog Section. Finally I closed with some Jefferson Curls, Shoulder Dislocates, and arm bars (this time with a lighter dumbbell that I had on hand).

We'll see if I get enough rest tonight (Super Bowl Sunday...) and feel solid in the morning for a day of practice. Or if my mobility work bleeds into tomorrow. All in all I'm glad to be paying more attention to my mobility/flexibility. I was starting to get a little tight just from my short run of strength training.
 
2018.02.06

Resting HR: 54
Heart Rate Variability: 56
Elite HRV Score: 6S (Yellow)

Sleep: In bed 7.25 hours. Deep sleep for 5. Woke up burning hot with desert-dry mouth. Woke up at least twice after that. I'm guessing a total of about 6.5 hours of sleep.

Feeling: A little stiff but good upon waking. Very tired, groggy and slow moving. I wanted to try out some of the Original Strength Resets after paging through the book last night.

Mobility Work*
Original Strength Resets
Some Flexible Steel Stretches
Pigeon Pose
Banded Shoulder Mobility
*This was an extended session while I'm trying to learn the movements and experiment with what works for me. This time is not included in "Duration" below.

Warm-up Circuit (1x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat 16kg (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) 5x
Hip Bridge (squeezing yoga block between knees) 3 seconds - 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 16kg - 6 x 10
Turkish Get Ups 16kg - 4

Cool Down
Hurdler Stretch
Frogger Stretch
Straddle Stretch

Duration: 19 minutes
Average Heart Rate: 97
Max Heart Rate: 133

Thoughts: My hips felt pretty good after getting up this morning, but started to hurt again after doing the Tactical Frog. I'm wondering if my foot placement is wrong or if I'm missing some other important cue. Last night the DVD for Flexible Steel got here, so I'm hoping that that will be more helpful than the book. I might also pull up some youtube videos today and see if I'm doing anything glaringly wrong. I really want to get this mobility stuff figured out! I was able to keep my swings extra crisp and snappy today with the light bell. :)

*******

I LEARNED SOME VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TONIGHT

Tonight I watched most of the Flexible Steel DVD - especially the Escape Routine - which I plan to follow. I learned that I was doing the arm bar in a completely incorrect and likely damaging way. When I rolled I tried to get my shoulder (the same one holding the kettlebell) to the floor. I don't know why I thought this was part of the exercise. Probably because I'm an anatomical idiot. Or I saw a really bad demonstration. Or something. But I will focus on "lengthening my collarbone" and gently moving my HIP to the floor. I didn't quite understand before how this movement aids T-spine mobility - especially when paired with the Bretzel. I also noticed that in the Tactical Frog demonstration the woman demonstrating the move didn't start with her feet splayed to the side and only moved into that position after she was further into the progression. I think this minor adjustment will also be tremendously helpful for me.

Tomorrow will likely be another morning spent primarly on flexibility and mobility. I'll take is slow until I undo all my stupidity of trying to rush into a program with minimal information...

Don't do what I did!
 
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2018.02.07

Resting HR: 54
Heart Rate Variability: 58
Elite HRV Score: 9S (Green)

Sleep: In bed 7.25 hours. Deep sleep for 5. Woke up burning hot with desert-dry mouth. Woke up at least twice after that. I'm guessing a total of about 6.5 hours of sleep. (Two nights in a row! What is going on?)

Feeling: Felt pretty good getting up. Maybe all this rest and mobility is doing me well. I was excited to do the Flexible Steel drills with my newfound understanding of form cues. I also decided to do the same volume as yesterday - but with the 20kg kettlebell.

Mobility Work
Original Strength Resets
Some Flexible Steel Stretches
Pigeon Pose
Banded Shoulder Mobility

Warm-up Circuit (1x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat 16kg (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 20kg - 6 x 10
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 4

Duration: 12 minutes
Average Heart Rate: 108
Max Heart Rate: 139
*This is now ONLY recording the practice portion. I think I'll be switching to this format now. The graph and metrics are much more useful I think than when I include the full warm-up and cool down.

Thoughts: I'm liking my new morning flow. The OS Reset first thing (after HRV) is pretty great. Then the "deeper" mobility work of Flexible Steel gets me ready for practice - and replaces the typical S&S warm-up. Everything felt MUCH better this morning with my new understanding of stretches/pairings/etc. I've felt pretty good after as well, though my shoulder is still bothering me a little at work today. I might still avoid my pull-up work this evening until everything feels a bit better.
 
2018.02.08

Resting HR: 53
Heart Rate Variability: 58
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: In bed 7 hours. Asleep for 6 straight. Was able to go back to sleep quickly and get about one more hour. Probably around 6.75 hours total sleep.

Feeling: My shoulder felt pretty bad this morning. Perhaps I slept on it wrong? Perhaps my new-found love of carbs before bedtime (which has stopped helping me sleep anyways) is increasing inflamation? And maybe I'm just not recovering well because my sleep is generally crap. I was worried about what I'm be able to do today beyond mobility work.

Mobility Work
Original Strength Resets
Flexible Steel Escape Series
Banded Shoulder Mobility

Warm-up Circuit (1x)
Halos 16kg 5x each direction
Prying goblet squat 16kg (including 3 bicep curls at bottom) 5x

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 20kg - 8 x 10
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 6

Duration: 15:35
Average Heart Rate: 114
Max Heart Rate: 141

Thoughts: After OS Reset and even Flexible Steel my shoulder felt pretty good. I did some lat band pull aparts (palms facing up and alternating height of pull apart between belly, chest and head). The pull aparts seemed to aggravate my shoulder again. I think the high pull aparts are another case of me trying things that aren't necessarily in my best interest... However, once I started doing the S&S practice everything felt pretty good so I decided to increase over what I did yesterday to 8 sets of swings and 6 get ups (I felt like I could do the full number of sets, but wanted to be cautious). Now at work my shoulder is aching a little. In general though it feels like it's on the mend. The really tight trigger point I felt in my trap this morning has loosened somewhat. Most importantly - I'm really happy to still be practicing while working through this. Add that to the list of things I love about the long-term low-intensity ethic of Simple and Sinister.
 
2018.02.09

Resting HR: 51
Heart Rate Variability: 59
Elite HRV Score: 8P (Green)

Sleep: Great sleep (for me) last night! One 3 hour chunk followed by another 4 hour chunk. Both with dreaming REM sleep. My alarm went off during a REM cycle, but hey - I won't complain. I ditched the plantain strips and just had some (decaf) tea with a little bit of honey before bed.

Feeling: I still have some soreness in my right glute. Probably from going whole hog after hamstring stretches for the early part of this week. But it has persisted - I tried rolling it out with a lacrosse ball, but it's hard to find the right spot. Hopefully it feels better after my rest day on Sunday. My shoulder felt much better this morning.

Mobility Work
GMB Wrist Warmup (from Elements)
Original Strength Resets
Flexible Steel Escape Series

Practice
Single Hand Kettlebell Swings 20kg - 10 x 10

Duration: 11:06
Average Heart Rate: 117
Max Heart Rate: 138

Thoughts: My lower back hurt some after doing the Brettzel. I need to review the form cues and make certain I'm not doing something incorrectly. The arm bar has been much better since I focused on keeping my shoulders stacked and "elongating" my collarbone. My daughter woke up early. Probably on my fourth set. But I finished all ten sets of swings before getting her because I'm a terrible person. I thought I could knock out my TGUs after I made her breakfast, but my dog made a bloody mess in the living room (literal blood - I'm not trying to sound British here). So my practice got cut short. Perhaps I'll try to get some TGUs in tonight. Of note - some of my swings felt super awkward today. Like I was uncoordinated and trying them for the first time. I might be focused so much on avoiding back things (potential back and/or glute pain) that I'm not focusing on the good form cues that should be at the forefront of my mind. It's probably time to rehearse a few unloaded swings before each set again.

*******

I LEARNED SOME VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TONIGHT

I looked online for advice on doing the Brettzel (and to see if other where experiencing back pain with it). The multiple videos I found all suggested bringing the leg on the floor PAST 90 degrees (100 seemed to be a common suggestion). On of the exceptional videos was from FMS and went into some depth on the Brettzel and Brettzel 2.0. While I'm very nervous about trying the Brettzel again due to the lower back pain it has caused me - I will absolutely use this new cue next time to see if it helps.
 
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2018.02.10

Resting HR: 56
Heart Rate Variability: 57
Elite HRV Score: 8P (Green)

Sleep: In bed for 8 hours. Woke up alert after 5. Took 2 Sleep Remedy pills. No effect. Probably got another 1.5 hours of sleep.

Feeling: Very stiff. Tight glute. Lower back pain. Shoulder achy.

Mobility Work
Foam Roller and Trigger Point Therapy
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Duration: 13:24
Average Heart Rate: 104
Max Heart Rate: 134

Thoughts: I didn't do my TGUs until much later in the day. In the morning I did the OS Resets. I tried the Brettzel with new form cues to see if it would make my back hurt any more. It was foolish of me to try, but bringing the leg on the floor past 90 degrees is immensely helpful and relieved the lower back pain I felt during the stretch. I might also use a strap when stretching. I was happy to get the TGUs in today and happy to see it didn't exacerbate my hamstring, lower back, or shoulder discomfort. I might dial back to focussing on OS Resets and TGUs until I loosen up a little bit. I am continuing to refrain at present from my evening Grease the Groove routine.
 
2018.02.12

Resting HR: 52
Heart Rate Variability: 58
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: In bed for 7 hours. Woke up after 5 hours sleep. Intermittent sleep for remainder of night. Estimated total about 6 hours and 20 minutes of sleep.

Feeling: Groggy and slow starting. I knew I was starting a "lighter" training program today so I wasn't too worried about getting ready to go. My back felt significantly better this morning and my glute seems to be on the mend too.

Warm-up
GMB Wrist Warm-up
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Duration: 12:29
Average Heart Rate: 103
Max Heart Rate: 130

Thoughts: I think I'm going to pare down a bit this week and avoid swings until my back and hamstrings feel better. I'm not entirely disappointing about this because it means I'll be focusing on my Turkish Get Ups which I have neglected some anyways. So I'm simplifying my morning routine to just OS Resets and Turkish Get Ups. In the evening I'd like to GtG again - I'm going to see tonight if chin-ups aggravate my shoulder or not (and just skip pull ups for now). I might also test to see if I can do any of the Flexible Steel work gently. The important thing is that I continue to practice while avoiding further injury. (Post practice - the area just below the base of my neck [traps/neck/tspine] - is a little sore/knotted at work today)

*******

Mobility
Brettzel
Arm Bar

PM - Grease the Groove (x 2)
5 Chin-ups or Pull-ups*
14 Push-ups (Elbows tight against body)
30s Hollow Body Hold
*Alternate sets between close grip chin-ups and pull-ups with band assistance (Rogue Monster Bands - Green - 65 lbs assistance on chin-up, Black - 100 lbs assistance on pull-up)

I wanted to see if I could handle an evening session. I went back up to the black band for pull-ups. I also did the Brettzel as gently as I could while feeling some, albeit possibly minor, benefit. My back hurt a little bit while I was walking my dog after doing chin-ups - but it recovered quickly. These movements definitely felt more difficult after having some time off - the grooves were definitely ungreased! ;P
 
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2018.02.13

Resting HR: 48
Heart Rate Variability: 65
Elite HRV Score: 3P (Red)

Sleep: In bed for 7 hours. Woke up after 6 hours sleep. Got a few winks in after that. Estimated total about 6 hours and 20 minutes of sleep.

Feeling: Pretty great actually - six hours of continual sleep is pretty unusual for me! Still short of where I'd like to be, but happy about the uninterrupted number. The weather was cooler last night and I turned the heat off. I sleep much better in cooler temperatures, but my wife doesn't like it. It might be time to look into a ChiliPad. Finally, I usually pay attention to Red HRV scores, but I was hell bent on getting this practice in (since it's already been cut down so low for the time being anyway). Who knows who smart that was or wasn't - I'll be curious to see what tomorrow's HRV score is.

Warm-up
GMB Wrist Warm-up
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Duration: 13:18
Average Heart Rate: 101
Max Heart Rate: 132

Thoughts: I'm just grinding through my week of TGUs only and hoping my hamstring/glute and lower back feel good enough for swings soon. My mother showed up during my last few reps and was gravely concerned with the amount of weight I was holding above my head (only 20kg!). She admonished me to be careful lest I pull something. It's true what they say - you never stop being a mom! Tonight I won't do any GtG because I'm working with RefugeeJitsu (though I guess that technically counts for something).
 
@Groove Greaser how are you tracking HRV and your HRV score?

I use the app Elite HRV. The app is free (unless you're a coach or health care provider collecting data from athletes/patients) and only requires a reliable heart rate monitor (I use the wahoo TICKR). Elite HRV also recently released a reliable finger monitor (CorSense) that is accurate enough for use and more convenient - but is more expensive.

The "score" I post each day is generated using HRV algorithms - those numbers don't necessarily correlate with the metrics from other HRV vendors - but Elite HRV also gives you all the raw numbers if you're into that sort of thing. I generally use it to gauge my rest/recovery needs. I'll sometimes push it a little bit, but will heed it's warnings if I'm planning on doing a particularly difficult workout.

Hopefully that wasn't too rambly - if I can clear anything up for you let me know!
 
2018.02.15

Resting HR: 50
Heart Rate Variability: 59
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: In bed for 7.25 hours. Woke up after 6.5 hours sleep. Stayed in bed and had a really hard time getting going when it was time to get up. My bedroom was cool again last night and I slept well (I did also have a high carb meal).

Feeling: VERY. SLOW. STARTING. This must be what non-morning people feel like in the morning. I just wanted to lay in bed and try to sleep forever. Once I got moving I was okay though. I think I just missed out on my final REM cycle. My shoulder was a little sore today - possibly from working arm bars yesterday? Bottom line - I need to figure out my sleep problems and focus on recovery.

Warm-up
GMB Wrist Warm-up
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Cool Down
Hamstring Stretch

Duration: 13:20
Average Heart Rate: 99
Max Heart Rate: 126

Thoughts: I was determined to get this practice in today. I felt a twinge in my lower back on some of the bridges and leg sweeps. I'm careful to brace my back for these movements, but perhaps it's time to really crack down on form. When I have the time I really want to pour over Zack Henderson's Turkish Get-Ups Tips from the Pros Series (Part 1 & Part 2). I do wish I had done some more shoulder mobility work with these as I'm a little tight now at work. Related - I have yet to order my Indian Clubs (influenced my Harald Motz in this thread).
 
2018.02.16

Resting HR: 54
Heart Rate Variability: 57
Elite HRV Score: 9P (Green)

Sleep: In bed for 7 hours. Woke up after just under 6 hours sleep. I possibly got that 7th hour after. Woke up during a REM cycle.

Feeling: I felt dizzy and light headed this morning. It went away reasonably quickly though.

Warm-up
GMB Wrist Warm-up
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Duration: Error
Average Heart Rate: 102
Max Heart Rate: 133

Thoughts: Still have little nagging aches and pains from my too-aggressive mobility work problem. But on the whole I think I'm slowly getting better. The "pull-up" motion of the non-working arm was really difficult for me on the right side today. In technology news, I tried to pause my hear rate app when Ellie came down and I stopped my practice for a short while. It didn't exactly work (and never seems to), but the graph at the completion of practice seemed accurate. I might post on the forums and find out what apps people are using to monitor their heart rate (if any) - after searching first like a good forum member!

*******

PM - Grease the Groove (x 2)
5 Chin-ups or Pull-ups*
14 Push-ups (Elbows tight against body)
30s Hollow Body Hold
*Alternate sets between close grip chin-ups and pull-ups with band assistance (Rogue Monster Bands - Green - 65 lbs assistance on chin-up, Black - 100 lbs assistance on pull-up)

After reading this article I wanted to do some exercise tonight so that my back would feel better. I probably should have done exercises more focused on the back (like the ones listed in the article), but I did my usual GtG instead. I actually feel loosened up and better after. Still some twinges, but I'm happy. :)
 
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2018.02.17

Resting HR: 56
Heart Rate Variability: 60
Elite HRV Score: 10P (Green)

Sleep: Stayed up way to late with friends and my dog woke me up to go on a walk this morning. My sleep was also fitful. I'd clock it at a little over 5 hours of sleep.

Feeling: Not terrible - especially after getting up and moving around. My heart beat did feel (and was) a little high during my HRV reading.

Warm-up
GMB Wrist Warm-up
Original Strength Resets

Practice
Turkish Get Ups 20kg - 10

Duration: 14:31
Average Heart Rate: 107
Max Heart Rate: 137

Thoughts: This was a really tough session - it felt way more difficult than usual. I'm still noticing I'm weaker pulling up to my elbow on my right side. I "rehearsed" the movement unweighted a few times and I think it helped? I felt a little sick (just general cold/flu) later in the day and crashed hard this afternoon - I took about a 2 hour nap. Felt better after getting up but still a little tired. In fact, I need to go to bed now...
 
Interesting notes about HRV. I use Elite HRV too, for two and a half years now. On Thursday it came up with a "2" sympathetic for no apparent reason... Wednesday was not that hard of a training day, I ate and slept fine... didn't know what to make of it. Deleted the reading and did it again to see if it was some weird anomaly, but got the same thing. Friday, got a "6", still sympathetic. Did my training and a walk, but was starting to feel a little tickle in my throat. Woke up in the middle of the night Saturday, clearly coming down with a cold; felt lousy and felt it progressing Saturday. Now it's Sunday and I'm definitely sick, just a cold, but a definite one nonetheless. So... looks like the HRV was my early warning system! Might have been wiser to do less training on Friday, but then, you never know. Anyway just thought I'd pass that along.
 
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