Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 276

Day 276 After the badminton tournament this weekend, my body was still pretty sore in some very specific spots. My left heel and calf, right thigh and right arm from my fingers to my shoulders. I didn't feel like spending any more time on the bike today and I felt running would be a bad idea with my heel still recovering from the weekend, so I decided to work on some deadlifts. I've done a few deadlift like movements lately with the olympic lifts over the last couple weeks, but I haven't spent any significant time working on just deadlifts. As I mentioned a few posts back I'm hoping to improve my olympic lifts. I think improving my deadlift will be a step in the right direction.

Today's Workout:

Warm-up:

A) Glute Raise x 20 reps B) Marching Glute Raise x 10 reps per side C) Bent-Knee Hamstring Stretch x 10 reps per side D) Leg Lowering Progression (1 leg up) x 10 reps per side

Exercise 1: Kettlebell Swings 2 sets / 15 reps / 30 seconds / 16 kg

Exercise 2: Deadlift 6 sets / 5 - 8 reps / 3 min rest Set 1: 135 lbs x 8 Set 2: 185 lbs x 8 Set 3: 235 lbs x 5 Set 4: 235 lbs x 5 Set 5: 235 lbs x 5 Set 6: 235 lbs x 5

Exercise 3: Wide Grip Pull-ups 4 sets / 6 - 8 reps / 2 min rest Set 1: body weight x 8 Set 2: body weight x 8 Set 3: 25 lbs + body weight x 6 Set 4: 25 lbs + body weight x 6

I was quite happy with how this workout went. I haven't pushed the weights with deadlifts for quite a while. I've been hesitant to load up my lower back, because it has been a bit dodgey in the past. However, I've been feeling really strong lately, and have been virtually low back pain free for months. I didn't lift anything massive but the weight was definitely significant enough to cause damage. Thankfully, everything was good and I was able to get a good deadlift workout.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 274 and 275

Day 274 Yesterday, was my second day of playing in the badminton tournament. When I woke up in the morning I could hardly walk. My left heel was killing me. I wasn't sure what I did but something definitely didn't feel right. Other than my heel nothing else was sore. My body held up from the badminton pretty well. I think being fit really helped, unfortunately the fact that I was doing things poorly was the reason for my heel injury.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to play my doubles with my brother Emmet later in the afternoon. I didn't want to miss out on playing but I also didn't want to risk injuring myself more seriously. I iced my heel for a good chunk of the morning before our doubles match in the afternoon. It felt a little bit better and after awhile I was able to walk around pretty well but I still wasn't sure if I'd be able to play.

I went to the club to get ready for my match. I was hanging out in the locker room with a couple guys from the tournament when I ran into my friend Anil Bhambhani. I mentioned that my heel was pretty sore and that I wasn't sure how I was going to play. Anil who works as a physiotherapist and yoga instructor at his clinic the Physiyogis, asked me if I wanted him to fix it for me. I said sure, can you do it now? He said sure, lie down. I lay down on a bench, he grabbed my heel and performed some sort of voodoo magic. I stood and about 90% of my pain was gone. I asked him what he did. He said that my sub-talur joint was out of place and that he put it back for me. I was really stoked. I could now go play my match virtually pain free.

Today's Workout:

2 Badminton Doubles Matches

- We won our first in 2 games (Can't remember the scores. It was relatively close) - We got smoked in our second game (The other team was just too good)

Emmet and I had fun. We've only played together twice, including this weekend. The last time we played together was over 10 years ago. We actually play quite well together. However, I think we were both relieved we didn't have to play any more games. I think we were both pretty tired. Emmet had a pretty intense singles match last night, and had narrowly escaped injury, so there was no need to push things any further. In the end we had fun and that was the point.

Day 275

Today I had to quickly stop by the club to pick up my car. Last night at the tournament banquet I had a few drinks, so I decided to leave my car behind and get a ride home with Emmet. When I got to the club I popped up to the gym quickly to get a light workout in. I had to drive back to Calgary today, so I wanted to make sure I got something in before hitting the highway.

Today's Workout

20 minutes of light cardio (Spin Bike Gear 14 (85 - 90 rpm)

When I got to Calgary:

10 minutes of light cardio (Spin Bike Gear 12 (85-90 rpm)

Foam Rolling - Upper Spine - Lats - Glutes - Quads / IT Bands

Strength Band Distraction Stretches - Hip Flexor / Psoas - External Hip Rotators - Adductors

I decided to do a lot of stretching and soft tissue work when I got to Calgary. I was feeling pretty stiff from the drive, and from the tournament. I thought a good amount of restorative work would be a good idea to help me get back into training for the week coming.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 273

Day 273 Yesterday, I drove up to Edmonton to play in a badminton tournament. My coach Wang had rounded up a bunch of the guys from our training group way back in the day to come play. I hadn't been playing at all so my expectations were low. I had a feeling that my body would hold up but my skills would be more than rusty.

Today's Workout:

3 matches of Badminton

- 1st match (Lost) 21-6 / 21 - 15 - 2nd match (Won) 21-11 / 21-13 - 3rd match (Lost) 21-16 / 21-19

My first round opponent was a no show, so I got a walkover. In the next round my opponent was a very solid player. He pushed the pace beyond what my current level could handle. Footwork, timing, shot selection, everything was very off. The second game was better but overall I still got thumped. However, as I said I didn't expect much and did have fun.

My next two matches were better. My opponents weren't nearly as good as Alan. My first consolation match went pretty well. I played much better, which is always more enjoyable. My second consolation was quite close. I lost but it was a good match. However, the one thing that was a concern was that my left heel was very sore. The courts were a bit slippery, and with my footwork being off I think I may have pull something. Hopefully it won't be too bad for me to play doubles tomorrow.

I guess you can be as fit as you want but if you do your exercises ineffectively and poorly it doesn't matter, you're still flirting with injuring yourself.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 272

Day 272 Having caught the Olympic lifting bug, I decided today would be another day on the lifting platform. On Tuesday I focused on the snatch, today I decided to work on the clean. The last time I went heavy with this movement I hurt my back. However, I'm feeling really confident in my technique and in my back, so I wasn't worried about re-injuring myself.

Today's Workout

Set 1: Hang Pull / 95lbs x 5 (60 sec rest) Set 2: Hang Pull / 95lbs x 5 (60 sec rest)

Set 3: Clean Pull / 115lbs x 5 (90 sec rest) Set 4: Clean Pull / 115lbs x 5 (90 sec rest)

Set 5: Hang Clean / 115lbs x 5 (90 sec rest) Set 6: Hang Clean / 135lbs x 5 (2 min rest)

Set 7: Power Clean / 155lbs x 4 (3 min rest) Set 8: Power Clean / 155lbs x 4 (3 min rest)

Set 9: Squat Clean / 175lbs x 4 (3 min rest) Set 10: Squat Clean / 195lbs x 2 (5 min rest) Set 11: Squat Clean / 215lbs x 1 (Unsuccessful)

I didn't set a personal best (granted my personal best was set over 10 years ago), but I did manage to get under some reasonably heavy weight. My back wasn't an issue either which I'm really happy about. Being able to train without having to work around an injuries is much more satisfying.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 271

Day 271 This morning I went to visit my chiropractor, Helena for some active release. My left shoulder had been bothering me quite a bit during pressing movements at the gym. I had been meaning to get into see her earlier but I just couldn't find the time. My morning opened up so I was able to get into see her at the last minute.

After about 20 minutes of Helena tearing at my shoulders, pecs and lats I felt good as new. It was really painful. I don't typically bruise but I think tomorrow maybe I will have one or two. Either way it was worth it. When I got back to work I decided to test out the shoulder with a chest focused workout.

Today's Workout:

Part 1:

Upper Body Strength

Exercise 1: Db Twisting Chest Press 4 sets / 10 - 12 reps / 60 sec rest Set 1: 45lbs x 12 Set 2: 50lbs x 12 Set 3: 60lbs x 12 Set 4: 60lbs x 12

Exercise 2: Inclined Db Press 3 sets / 10 - 12 reps / 60 sec rest Set 1: 50lbs x 12 Set 2: 50lbs x 12 Set 3: 50lbs x 12

Exercise 3: Db Pull-Over 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest Set 1: 60lbs x 15 Set 2: 60lbs x 15 Set 3: 60lbs x 15

Exercise 4: Downward Cable Chest Fly (Keiser Functional Trainer) 3 sets / 15 - 20 reps / 60 sec rest Set 1: 30lbs x 20 Set 2: 30lbs x 20 Set 3: 30lbs x 20

I kept the loads relatively light. My shoulder felt really good but I didn't want to push it to far. The fact that I had my full range of motion back without pain was good enough for me. I'll push the weights a little more next time.

Part 2: Metabolic Conditioning

Spin Bikes: 45 seconds / High Rpm / Gear 20+ / 2 min rest 5 sets

Circuit: 2 rounds no rest

• Jam Ball Slams x 20 (30lbs)
• Burpees x 20
• TRX Body Saw x 10
• Standing Cable Twist x 20 / side (60lbs)
• Rowing Machine: 300 metres
• Push-ups: 30 reps

I joined my group a little later on to sweat it out. The shoulder held up really well. The bike sprints were tough but they didn't crush me. Things are going really well. I've got 94 days left. If I can manage to stay healthy I don't see myself not making it. In the summer with traveling I felt my focused waned a bit but at the moment I feel really dialed in. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go over the next 3 months.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 270

Day 270 For my workout today I decided to do some Olympic weight lifting, focused on the snatch. Relatively speaking I've never moved any loads worth bragging about in Olympic lifting. I've managed to power clean 100 kilos but that was a long time ago. In the snatch I've never been able to get under a plate a side, 135lbs or 60 kilos. For some reason I've just had this mental block with getting under that weight. I've been able to snatch weights close to 60 kilos for multiples but for some reason just couldn't commit to going under a full 60 kilos. However, today I was determined to snatch a plate a side over my head.

Today's Workout:

Set 1: Hang Snatch / 90 lbs x 5 Set 2: Hang Snatch / 90 lbs x 5 Set 3: Hang Snatch / 90 lbs x 5

Set 4: Snatch (Floor) / 115 lbs x 4 Set 5: Snatch (Floor) / 115 lbs x 4 Set 6: Snatch (Floor) / 125 lbs x 4

Set 7: Snatch (Floor) / 135 lbs x 2 (made 1) Set 8: Snatch (Floor) / 135 lbs x 2 (made 1)

Set 9: Squat Snatch / 115 lbs x 3 Set 10: Squat Snatch x 1 + Overhead Squat x 4 / 115 lbs

Great success!! I managed to Snatch 60 kilos. it took me a couple attempts but I got it done. It felt great. I knew I had some technical things that were holding me back. I had been working on cleaning things up a bit lately, so I had a feeling that things were going to go well today. I'm pretty confident now that I will be able to get under 60 kilos every time I go to perform a snatch. I decided that my goal now is to be able to snatch my body weight (175lbs). I may need to commit to doing Olympic lifts a little more full time but I think I'd just be so stoked to be able to put that much weight over my head in one motion. We'll see.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 269

Day 269 Today was a monster day at work, starting at 7:00 am and ending at 7:30 am. I had a window blocked off in the afternoon where I would join my client Ryan for his workout. Although my day was really long I woke up feeling a lot better today and was looking forward to working out. Unfortunately, Ryan was running late, so we got started a little bit late.

Today's Workout

Superset 1

Exercise 1: Knees Up Chin-up 4 sets / 8 - 10 reps / no rest (Body Weight all sets)

Exercise 2: Kettlebell Front Squats 4 sets / 8 - 10 reps / 2 min rest (24 kg x 2 all sets)

Superset 2

Exercise 3: Single Leg Single Arm Db Row (Contra-lateral) 3 sets / 10 reps per side / no rest (50 lbs all sets)

Exercise 4: Kettlebell Walking Lunge 3 sets / 10 reps per side / 60 sec rest (16 kg x 2 all sets)

I was hoping to a little more in this workout than I accomplished but I felt good about the work I did complete. For a 40 minute workout I managed to work my body quite thoroughly. I felt pretty much 100% today, something I haven't been able to say for almost a week and a half. The chin-up with the knees up combined with the kettlebell front squats was particularly challenging, especially on the core. I don't think I'll be too sore tomorrow, but my body will know it worked hard today.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 268

Day 268 Today was a very busy Sunday. I've been setting up a lot of new training programs lately, which means a lot of time on the computer. On top of writing programs today I also had a long list of things to do around the house. So all in all my I was a busy guy today.

I managed to get most of my tasks done but I ended up running out of time for the workout I had planned. I wanted to get to the gym and ride the bike and maybe do a little core but Nicole and I had to be at her Dad's house for dinner in less than an hr. I still needed to get to the club to use the printer in the office, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Instead of driving to work, I decided I ride my bike. It's not very far away but I figured if I really pushed it I could get a good workout out of the bike ride.

Today's Workout

Bike Ride to Work and Back (Fast as I could)

I managed to get to work, print off my files and back home in less than 30 minutes. My lungs were fired up and my legs were really tired, so although it wasn't what I had originally planned it was still really productive. It was also a lot more enjoyable than riding a stationary bike and not going anywhere.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 267

Day 267 For my workout today, I decided to escape to Heaven's Fitness instead of the Glencoe, so that I could enjoy some anonymity. The gym there is especially quiet on weekends and the only people that know me for the most part are other instructors that pop in from time to time. I enjoy being around people but sometimes it's nice to have some time to yourself.

Today's Workout:

Auxiliary Strength Circuit: 3 sets / no rest between exercises

1. Prone Y's (1 arm at a time) x 10 each
2. Prone T's x 10
3. Prone W's x 10
4. Tricep Rope Pulldowns x 15
5. Db Split Squat (Front Foot on Lifting Platform) x 12 each
6. Single Arm Cable Chest Press x 12 each
7. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl x 15
8. Single Arm Cable Row x 12 each
9. 1/2 Kneeling Downward Cable Chop x 10 each
10. Db Zottman Curls x 12 (5 second negatives)

This workout took less than 40 minutes. I guess when there's no one to talk to you get things done a little quicker. It wasn't a huge calorie burner but as I tend to say a lot, it got my sweating, which was good as Nicole and I were going to our neighbors later on to feast on Indian food. My conscience will be a little less troubled as I dig into the nan bread.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 266

Day 266 Well it had been a while but I finally got to another Yoga class. My friend Kim Wiebe had been bugging about not getting to her Yoga class this year amongst all my workouts. I had really wanted to but either my schedule didn't work or something would get in the way of me making it. Today, I finished work a bit earlier and so did Nicole. So Nicole and I and her sister Clare went to Kim's class tonight.

Today's Workout:

90 minutes of Yoga (Strength and Soul Yoga with Kim Wiebe)

I had a great time tonight at Kim's yoga class. I had heard many great things about her class from a few clients of mine and was eager to try it out. I was told to be ready for a very challenging workout and Kim definitely lived up to her reputation. I was originally planning on doing some weights earlier in the day then going to yoga later on. I skipped the weights because I was too hungry and I was happy I did. Kim crushed me.

Everything from my feet, to my quads, my hips, my core, and my shoulders at one point if not all at once were on fire. I've mentioned in the past how I've under estimated how strenuous yoga can be. It had been a while since my last yoga class, so tonight was a very strong reminder of what a great workout it can be.

On top of the physical side I really appreciated the more spiritual or meditative component of the class. I've been working quite a bit, with a lot on my plate, so taking the time to just focus on my breathing and slow things down a bit was a nice change of pace. Kim's class schedule doesn't typically work that well for me but I'd really like to make it on Fridays when possible. I think it would be really good for me.

At the end of Kim's Classes she likes to read a little excerpt from various stories to get people thinking their day to day lives and how their yoga practice relates to what they're doing. I found the story today really quite beautiful. I don't think she'd mind so below is the part of the story she read:

Story that was read in Strength & Soul yoga this week: I recall as a child bringing bouquets of brilliant yellow flowers to my mother. It didn't matter that the stems felt sticky or that my parents cursed the presence of these flowers in the lawn. I thought they were beautiful. I spent hours picking the flowers and popping the blossoms off. But the supply of dandelions never ran out. My father would chop off all their heads with the lawn mower, but that didn't stop these hardy wonders. Nowadays, chemicals have managed to kill what human persistence couldn't. As I worked in my garden last week, I marvelled at the flower that some call a weed. And I thought if only I had the staying power of a dandelion! If only I could stretch my roots so deep and strong that something tugging at my stem couldn't separate me completely from the source that feeds me life. If only I could come back to face the world with a bright, sunshiny face after someone has run me over with a lawn owner or purposely attacked me in an attempt to destroy me. If only I could spread love and encouragement as freely and fully as this flower spreads seeds of itself. I hope that we can stretch our roots deep enough that the strongest poison can't reach our souls. I hope that we can overcome the poisons of anger, fear, hate, and competitiveness. I hope that we can see flowers in a world that sees weeds. After someone has mowed you over, can you come back with a bright sunshiny face? I'm gonna try.

If you're looking for a great Yoga class I highly recommend checking out Strength and Soul Yoga with Kim Wiebe. For her teaching schedule visit strengthandsoulyoga.com

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 265

Day 265 My workout today was pretty light. After pushing really hard last night I decided to take it easier today. Nothing was overly sore but I certainly didn't feel like doing any burpees. My shoulder is still giving me grief, so taking a little bit of time for rehab and a little less beating up is probably warranted. I decided today would be a good time to do a little skipping followed by some corrective shoulder work.

Today's Workout:

Skipping: 25 minutes

Shoulder Stability Series

• Theraband Ts x 15 reps
• Theraband External Shoulder Rotation x 15 reps per side
• Theraband Internal Shoulder Rotation x 15 reps per side
• Theraband Shoulder Extension x 15 reps

The skipping went ok. My calves and ankles were actually pretty sore from yesterday. I bought these minimalist soled shoes called Inov8 that I really love but you really end up thrashing your feet and calves if your not used to them. I also could have done a little more shoulder work but I had a class to teach

Well I officially have 100 days left until I'm finished my goal of 365 days. I'm actually feeling really confident now that I can get this done. So far I've had a few obstacles. Injuries, travelling, illnesses and so far I haven't missed a day. Sometimes compromises had to be made and dialing things back was necessary but I've still managed to get things done.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 264

Day 264 I felt pretty much good as new this morning. I really wanted to get my momentum back and start working hard again. I had avoided doing anything cardio intensive over the last few days because I couldn't breath very well, so I had focused mostly on strength. My hope was that today I could do a little of both.

For my workout today I did a did a strength workout with my client Ryan then joined my conditioning group for a some metabolic circuit work in the evening. The strength work was pretty straight forward, although my shoulder was a little sore. The cardio stuff would be a bit of a surprise.

Today's Workout:

Exercise 1: Kettlebell Swing 2 sets / 50 reps / 60 seconds rest (16 kg)

Exercise 2: Bench Press 5 sets / 8 - 10 reps / 2 min rest Set 1: 135 lbs x 10 Set 2: 165 lbs x 10 Set 3: 205 lbs x 4 (Shoulder didn't like this) Set 4: 165 lbs x 10 Set 5: 185 lbs x 8

Exercise 3: Seated Cable Row 5 sets / 8 - 10 reps / 2 min rest Set 1: 140 lbs x 10 Set 2: 160 lbs x 10 Set 3: 180 lbs x 8 Set 4: 180 lbs x 8 Set 5: 180 lbs x 8

Exercise 4: Dumbbell Shoulder Complex (Forward Db Raise, Lateral Db Raise, Reverse Db Fly) 3 sets / 10 reps per side / 60 seconds rest (17.5 lbs)

Conditioning Group:

Part 1:Treadmill Partner Sprints: 1 mile Total / Partner switches off every 10th of a mile Interval 1: 10 mph Interval 2: 12 mph Interval 3: 13 mph Interval 4: 14.5 mph Interval 5: 15 mph

Part 2: Partner Circuit 1. Barbell Push Press x 50 (65lbs) / Box Jumps x 30 2. Chin-ups x 30 / Kettlebell Front Squat x 40 (16kg x 2) 3. Rowing Machine 300 metres / Burpees x 20 4. Push-ups x 50 / Squat Jumps x 75

The conditioning workout actually went really well. I paired up with my client Dave, who happens to be a professional squash player. This meant the pace was going to be quite high. Dave is really fit so I had my work cut out for me keeping up with him.

In the end I did really well. My lungs didn't feel too bad and my energy levels lasted through out the workout. I was a little worried I may have pushed too hard too soon but I feel great. I'll back off a little bit tomorrow to make sure I recover.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 263

Day 263 After a really solid night's sleep I woke up feeling much better today. I still had a some junk in my sinuses but I could breath a lot easier and my energy levels seemed to have come back to normal. I had really full day of work today, so even though I was feeling better, sneaking in a workout was going to be tricky. With no breaks until I finished at 6, I'd have to wait until after work to workout. However, at 4 o'clock my client showed up looking worse than I did yesterday. She said she wouldn't be able to do much today, and I said you're right and sent her home. I didn't do it for my benefit but it did leave me a small window to sneak in some exercise.

Today's Workout

Exercise 1: Clean (Squat) and Jerk (Split)

Set 1: 115 lbs x 4 Set 2: 135 lbs x 4 Set 3: 145 lbs x 4 Set 4: 145 lbs x 4 Set 5: 145 lbs x 4

I managed to get in these sets before my 5:00 showed up, then went back to squat rack after and finished up with some squats.

Exercise 2: Back Squats (Last minute sets after work)

Set 1: 135 lbs x 5 Set 2: 185 lbs x 5 Set 3: 225 lbs x 5

It was really satisfying to get back to a decent intensity level. I hope is that tomorrow will be even better and that I can get the ball rolling again after the past weekends little hiccup

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 262

Day 262 My cold continued to get worse today. I woke up this morning feeling really unwell. I cancelled my first 3 appointments. I wasn't going to be any good to anyone today. I slept in until 9. Not a huge sleep in, I know, but when you normally wake at 5, an extra 4 hrs is a big difference. I felt a lot better. Still not great but it was a big improvement. I took some cold medication and decided to go to work. I managed to do a couple sessions but it wasn't long until I realized I really needed to go back home. I cancelled the rest of my clients but unfortunately I couldn't get a sub for my last two sessions which were classes. I went home for a couple hrs and got some rest, then came back to work to finish up.

The first group was only 30 minutes, so that wasn't too big a deal. The second group was conditioning group. I had them run 1/2 a gut buster on the stairs. 5 sets in 10 minutes, instead of 10 sets in 20 minutes. Then we went inside and did a circuit. I hadn't done my workout yet. I wasn't sure what I could do but I decided to try joining them in the circuit. I avoided the exercises that were more cardio focused to give my lungs a break, but I managed to get through all the other ones.

Today's Workout: 50 reps each

• Kettlebell Swings (16kg)
• Push-ups
• Chin-ups (21, 15, 14)
• V-sits
• Squat Jacks
• Lunges (25 per side)
• Burpees - I didn't do this one
• Spin Bike (50 calories) - I didn't do this one

It might not have been the best idea to have done the workout, but I did feel better while I was doing it. Also it just had to be done. Hopefully tomorrow, I be on the upswing and can start to feel better soon.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 261

Day 261 I felt pretty much just as crappy today. With the Nicole and I driving home from Edmonton, I thought getting a workout in before the drive would be a good idea. However, because I felt like garbage I held off, electing to take it easy and hopefully feel a little better when we got back into Calgary. I didn't feel a whole lot better but I still managed to put together a workout.

My favorite show on TV right now is Breaking Bad, and with it coming to the end of it's final season I have to admit I spend a lot of my week waiting for the next episode to come out. With that I came across of Breaking Bad Drinking Game.

http://www.thecampuscompanion.com/party-lab/2012/09/05/the-breaking-bad-drinking-game/#.Uj_SnoX6Dwg

I decided that I could do something similar and combine my workout with watching my favorite show. obviously I didn't do shots of tequila. Instead I used used push-ups, v-sits and squats for my tasks of things to do whenever certain things happened in the show.

The Breaking Bad Workout Game:

Jesse Says Yo or Bitch = 20 push-ups (1 time) Money Appears on Screen = 20 v-sits (3 times) Jesse Freaks Out = 20 push-ups (1 time) Walt Stares At Something With His Mouth Open = 20 push-ups (1 time)

Someone Dies: 50 Squats (1 time) Someone Cries: 50 Squats (2 times) Someone Says Heisenberg: 50 squats (1 time)

Total Push-ups: 60 reps Total V-Sits: 60 reps Total Squats: 200 reps

This particular exercise didn't involve as much craziness, save for 1 death, as some of the other episodes. Last week I would have been on the hook for a lot of squats, and I think Jesse's entire dialog consisted of the word bitch. Anyway, it was a fun way to get my workout in and watch my TV show.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 260

Day 260 I woke up at my parents place this morning feeling pretty crumby. I pretty much had a full blown head cold. nothing had made it's way into my lungs but my head felt like it was in a vice. Not a great way to feel when working out. The good thing however, is that visiting my parents is pretty relaxing. We don't have to get anything done, just relax, hang out and eat. We visited a bit with some friends and bummed around Edmonton, before making our way to the gym. I wasn't sure what I'd be able to do.

I've mentioned before that I enjoy doing some Olympic lifting at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton when I come to visit. I enjoy the fact that I can lift with very few distractions and drop the weights if I need to. Olympic lifting was my plan today but I wasn't sure how I'd manage to get through my sets.

Today's Workout:

Olympic Lifting:

Set 1: Kettlebell Swing: 20 reps / 20 kg Set 2: Kettlebell Swing: 20 reps / 20 kg Set 3: Hang Snatch: 5 reps / 40 kg Set 3: Hang Snatch: 5 reps / 40 kg Set 5: Hang Snatch: 5 reps / 40 kg Set 6: Squat Snatch: 5 reps / 40 kg Set 7: Squat Snatch: 5 reps / 40 kg Set 8: Overhead Squat: 4 reps / 60 kg Set 9: Overhead Squat: 4 reps / 60 kg Set 10: Squat Clean: 6 reps / 60 kg Set 11: Squat Clean: 6 reps / 60 kg

In the end I managed to get through a good amount of sets. It took me forever to get going. You don't really need to breath to do Olympic lifts but you definitely need energy, of which I had none. I got into some relatively heavy overhead squats but my shoulder wasn't feeling very stable during them and my focus wasn't it's best, so I abandoned that exercise and replaced them with some squat cleans. All in all not a bad workout for a sick guy.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 259

Day 259 Nicole has been fighting a pretty nasty chest cold all week. I thought I was doing a really good job of staying healthy, but when I woke up this morning I really didn't feel very good. I don't think I caught Nicole's bug but I have picked up a fairly yucky head cold. I don't think it will be too debilitating. Tylenol cold and sinus seems to clear things up pretty well, but I'm certainly not firing on all cylinders.

I got off work a little earlier today, which was nice. I went home and took a short nap to try and recoup some energy. Nicole and I had planned on driving up to see my parents in Edmonton in the evening and had to get a workout in before left, so any extra energy would be helpful.

Today's Workout

15 minute run (Moderate Pace)

I thought initially about heading back to the gym and doing some Olympic lifting but I ended up napping a bit longer than I had planned. Instead I went for a run. It's not a lot of fun running when you can't breath through your nose. I didn't run very far but it was enough to feel like I did something. At least I got the run in before we left for Edmonton, meaning that I wouldn't have to workout towards the end of the day when I would certainly be extra tired.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 258

Day 258 The workout yesterday with my group worked me over really well. The stiffness started to accumulate this morning and built up over the rest of the day. By the time I got to my last couple training sessions, I wasn't moving very fast around the gym. I haven't had that kind of post-workout soreness for a while. It was very satisfying.

For my workout today, I decided to do a shoulders and arms strength session. As I mentioned, my legs were pretty toast from yesterdays training session, so I figured something light and more focused on auxiliary muscle groups would be a good idea. Plus, as I've mentioned before sometimes a straight forward bicep / tricep workout is fun.

Today's Workout:

Superset 1

A1. Db External Rotation 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps per side / 60 sec rest A2. Rope Face Pull 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest

Superset 2

B1. Lateral Db Raise 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest B2. Reverse Cable Fly 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest

Superset 3

C1. Overhead Db Tricep Press 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest C2. Cable Bicep Curl 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest

Superset 4

D1. Tricep Pushdowns 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest D2. Db Bicep Curl 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 sec rest

Tomorrow's workout I think will be a game time decision based on a couple factors. If my legs are feeling better I may get into some Olympic lifts, if not I may just do some cardio. I feel I've been slacking a bit on the energy system, so I'm probably do for a run or some form of interval training. I'm also planning on driving up to Edmonton to see my parents. I may leave earlier in the day depending on Nicole's work day. If we do leave earlier I may wait until we get to Edmonton and just do a run around their neighborhood. Whatever happens, there will be a workout.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 257

Day 257 The workout today was a lot of fun. The weather wasn't very nice today, so I ran my conditioning group inside tonight. Earlier in the year this would have been too  difficult with the larger numbers, but right now the group is just small enough to run in the actual gym.

The workout tonight consisted off 3 components. Each component was done within a 12 minute time frame, with the goal being to perform as well as possible within that window.

Today's Workout

Component 1: Spin Bike Maximum Calories in 12 minutes - I managed 150. This guy Rod in my group almost cracked 200. Very impressive.

Component 2: Body Weight Circuit As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes - There was a 25 rep cap on all exercises per round.

• Chin-ups 17,12, 12, 9, 6
• Push-ups 25, 25, 25, 25, 25
• Air Squats 25, 25, 25, 25, 25
• Knee Grab V-Sits 25, 25, 25, 25, 3

- I didn't quite make 5 full rounds but I was close

Component 3: Tabata 8 Intervals: 20 sec on / 10 sec off

1. Squat Jumps
2. High Knees
3. Squat Jacks
4. Split Jumps
5. Squat Jumps
6. High Knees
7. Squat Jacks
8. Split Jumps

- We rested 2 minutes after the first Tabata series then completed another one. The second one hurt significantly more than the first.

As I said, I really enjoyed this workout. The best part was doing with the group. I can really see how some Crossfit enthusiasts look forward to working and suffering together. I've mentioned before that some of the crossfit principles and practices appeal to me. Workouts structured like today's would be an example of that. However, I'm not all the way there. Through snatches of clean and jerks into the mix with this kind of structure is not likely to happen in my workouts anytime soon.

Richard Gibney's 365 Days of Fitness: Day 256

Day 256 Today's Workout;

The September rush at work has hit. The last couple days at work have been really busy. In a few weeks, I'll probably be longing for some shorter days, but after a busy summer of travelling I'm keen to get back into the swing of things.

I thought I had a break today between 10 and 11 but it turned out the client I thought was away wasn't leaving until next week. This meant I had 10 sessions back to back without a break. As I mentioned I was keen to get back to work but I do need things like food. I managed to sneak away for a few minutes and get some snacks which helped me survive. However, by the time my last session was over I was famished and really wanted to get home for some dinner and time on the couch. However, I had to get my workout in, so although I really didn't want to I stuck it out and did some weights.

Superset 1:

Exercise 1: Low Inclined Db Chest Press 4 sets / 10 - 12 reps / no rest Exercise 2: Neutral Grip Pull-up with Knees Up 4 sets / 10 - 12 reps / 60 seconds rest

Superset 2:

Exercise 1: Neutral Grip Machine Chest Press 3 sets / 10 - 12 reps / no rest Exercise 2: Single Arm Dumbbell Row 3 sets / 12 reps per side / 60 seconds rest

Superset 3:

Exercise 1: Upwards Cable Chest Fly 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / no rest Exercise 2: Rope Face Pull 3 sets / 12 - 15 reps / 60 seconds rest

The workout started out pretty feebly, but as it went on and I got the blood pumping I got a little more into it. My left shoulder is feeling better, although It still has some room for improvement. Most of my upper body movements are relatively pain free but I still don't feel comfortable pushing anything heavy. I've been meaning to get in to see my Chiro for some active release. I tried the other day but Helena is out of town this week. I've booked myself in for next Wednesday. Hopefully with a little good pain I can get back to push hard without the bad pain.