Training this winter

Have a kid. I've just spent the best part of an hour assembling Playmobil stuff, including the 'child has bicycle accident and paramedics rush to the scene' scenario.

Im just about to set up a Nintendo Wii and kick the wifes butt at some selected sports. I have consumed over 4000 calories and 3 bottles of red today and feel like a hero

Two hrs on the road this morning, a weeks worth of food this afternoon, being a hero and beating all chalengers on the Wii, now a cuddle with the Mrs and an episode of gossip girl....lovely

I'm doing a few hours recovery on the road tomorrow. I'll be round my mother-in-law's place for lunch, and I already know that the menu includes copious amounts of macaroni cheese, chips, salad and a multiple cheesecake fest.

This year's nutroast was a cashew nut, chestnut purée and lemon affair. Delicious, and it's always nice having the leftovers cold. It set me up nicely for a quick trip to a football pitch/basketball court - mostly a kickabout, but Tynan ended up wanting to shoot some hoops using me as a launch pad. It was a bit like doing power snatches with a preschooler rather than a barbell :S

I'm going to have some more roasted red peppers (sort of pickled in brine), jalapeno pretzel bites, stuffed olives, and exotic cheese before bed… and red wine, you know, for the anti-oxidants.

I've had a rather nice non alcoholic ginger wine. Not sure about anti oxidants, maybe I'm deficient in them.

Mmm, ginger wine. Perhaps a whisky mac for the metaphorical road…

^^^

I'm on target (or, er, track) for completing my goal of increasing my bodyweight by 10% between mid-October and mid-January. Nice and steady, putting on a stone in 3 months. Still on the same belt hole though :)

All the training has paid off - mission accomplished. That's me done for 2010. Time for a well-deserved 2 months off the bike.

Fancy scales. Is that your BMI they are showing?

he's heavier than me the fat fuck.

Fancy scales. Is that your BMI they are showing?

They're quite cheap - perfect for the terminally myopic like me.

@ MrSmyth - yes, I'm no longer somewhere between 'climber' and 'all-rounder' for my height. Proper broomwagon material now :(

First 2 training rides this week. 40 hilly miles in 2 hours each, felt fine.

But Christmas took its tole. 95kg ! and 15.4% body fat :-(

Time to start serious training!

[sorry about the bare feet, needed to do the body fat measure thingy]

[and before you ask andy, £12 from Aldi]

hmmm, good scales! I need to get some of those.
Guy, you are a fat git, get on the rollers and sweat some of that off!

Meh.. I'm 95kg and 30% body fat and I'm an official hill climb champ*.

Eat more pies you weaklings.

*almost better than beating BMMF over that hill that time.

^^^

White Kids Can't Jump?

I know, i'm borderline obese apparently.

I am technically obese. How awesome is that.
The thing is, BMI is designed only for inactive people, it doesn't take into account greater muscle mass of people who actually move under their own power.

I am technically obese. How awesome is that.
The thing is, BMI is designed only for inactive people, it doesn't take into account greater muscle mass of people who actually move under their own power.

yes but we're not talking about BMI, I'm considered overweight according to BMI, not sure how much body fat I have though, until I get a machine like Gizmond's . I suspect it's lower than 30% !

I suspect so too.

Bought it a couple of years ago, so I guess they won't have them any more. Less than £20 on ebay though I think.

similar to some salter ones from argos £15..
they are all supposed to be a bit wayward at times, obviously the one hippy is using is supplying some wild readings.

Wildy awesome.

Does anyone here have experience of rep and a half / 1 & 1/2 squats i.e. each rep involves going past parallel, back up half way, then back below again, before all the way up - with some people advocating a brief pause at each direction change, maintaining tension in all the relevant places throughout?

• Any health reasons why you shouldn't do them?

• Any particular benefits to doing them compared to regular squats?

I tried doing my 3x5s as 1 & 1/2s on Friday (and also for another compound exercise), and my legs and lower back felt trashed on Saturday. There's a lot more of a 'lactic' feel to the workout, weight has to be reduced, and maintaining tension/form is tough.

Maybe they're more grief than they're worth?

I suppose I tried them because my non-gym/non-rack set-up means I'm working with an approx 1xbodyweight max, and looking at variations for the Spring that don't involve upping the weight.

Lifting's not really a key part of my training - it was there to gain muscle mass and improve core strength. I've achieved those things for the most part, and am looking at a reduced maintenance program for the coming months.

Sorry to ramble.

I used to do 1 & 1/2 or variations of when doing hand stand pressups for capoeira, but I think that was mainly for balance and control, so you could stop at any position before re-extending. So I don't really know if it has benefit or not.

If you're low on weight, why not do http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Perform-Single-Leg-Bench-Squat-23479099?

I don't like unilateral stuff. I've done my fair share of one-legged pedal drills, single leg squats, blah blah over the years, and it's always seemed to provoke more pain and less gain.