5kgLifter's Log

[5kgLifter]

Today I rewrote my training schedule, since I have wanted to take up a particular sport for years, so my weight training and cardio is now geared toward the sport of freediving...dangerous if I'm not responsible, but I'm not inclined to push it and at present I am in the preliminary stages of just getting fitter for it. I've been busy researching and joined a forum specifically aimed at freediving so that I can ask questions of those in the know, and in that manner stay safe while I train...I've always wanted to swim with dolphins, so who knows, maybe one day...it's also a good incentive to keep me on track, and allows me still to enjoy weight training thankfully becasue I didn't want to give that up at all.

So mornings are dedicated to stretching/loosening exercises (chest and back areas) and apnea training of which I'm going to be doing 8 apneas which will start at around 50% of my max breath-hold...which is very pathetic at present , but apparently it increases quite quickly in the beginning.

Evening routines are:

Weight training Mon/Wed/Fri; all based around freediving, so I need to include more reps than I've been doing as I should be using 40% max weight for around 40 reps (this month and next).

Cardio Tues/Thurs/Sat; based around freediving again, so HIIT is the most sensible one to follow. HIIT will only be twice a week for now, and then I intend to try the 45" at 40% max with a 15" rest for the duration of 45 mins - 1 hour on the remaining cardio day of the week. This will alter in June where I will drop the HIIT and focus on the other form of cardio, because June should focus on apnea based training entirely, and I feel HIIT won't be suitable for that.

I will adjust apnea times and training to suit as I learn from experience, hopefully safe experience...time to be a tortoise...be slow, be safe

[5kgLifter]

Training has been intermittent at best, due to headaches and other annoying trivial things getting in the way. So, I've taken some of the time to research some contradictory information about what percentage of weight load a freediver works with, some say 40%, others say build muscle...I prefer the latter idea, so I'm adapting the routine I've always enjoyed

My 100% Max apnea hold is longer than I thought initially, so I'm having to also adjust my apnea training tables to suit the new times; my nose-clips have arrived, I had to send for nose-clips, cannot buy them for love nor money here , but I can now start in earnest tomorrow...I'm raring to go.

I appear to have gained 1.5 lbs in weight, but no other measurements have altered, so I'm assuming this is muscle gain, even though I haven't been good with diet or exercise for a 'while', yesterday I even had a chocolate-covered, cream-filled ring doughnut, plus an apple turnover, and a Cadbury's creame egg...as extras, and enjoyed them all . I think I'll ask Doug to recalculate my bodyfat % to see where I am now.

Today's waist/hip ratio works out to 0.82. Not too bad at all, need to improve that ratio by 0.03 points...it's looking good

Current:
BF 25%
W/H ratio 0.82

[WolfLady]

Yeah, baby!!

.... we need a cheerleader smiley....

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by WolfLady

Yeah, baby!!

.... we need a cheerleader smiley....

I agree, some more feminine smilies please Damien...well a cheerleader with pom poms at least

Going to log changes here to keep track of it fully:

12 Sep 2008:
Bodyfat: 26.9%
Total fat mass: 36.53 lbs
Total fat free mass: 99.27 lbs

25 Jan 2009:
Bodyfat: 25%
Total fat mass: 34.33 lbs
Total fat free mass: 102.97 lbs

All headed the right direction so far

[5kgLifter]

This week's exercise didn't go to plan, although I have to say that I did manage to do 3 sessions of apnea, which is at least something. And I think I did my cardio just by cycling to college...the wind was so strong on Thursday that by the time I managed to get home my ears hurt soooo much. I think it was all the cold air breathed in through the mouth trying to fight the winds. At times I felt like I was at a complete standstill (which in all truthfulness, I probably was ), but I persevered and stayed on the bike, apart from on one section which I normally walk, 'cos it is a difficult uphill anyway at the best of times...on good note, I wasn't gasping for breath when I got off at that point, or when I eventually got home...so that's a good sign.

Really hoping exercise goes to plan next week. I was on such a high after my apnea training, it was great, and am hoping that carries over into the weight training area as well...I even managed to increase what I thought was my initial maximum hold by 30 seconds...being asthmatic that's really encouraging.

[5kgLifter]

Apnea tables went well last week, but I have just realised that I will make better progress if I use both CO2 and O2 based tables; this is something I learned only a couple of days back. So, I need to sit and work out the times required for the O2 tables, the CO2 being fine at present.

We have snow, and it's freezing, a good reason to move a round a lot, just to keep warm.

[5kgLifter]

I wrote out my CO2 and O2 tables yesterday, and then had a nice internet site work out my start and finish times which saved me some calculations . The CO2 table went well today, although the last hold was more difficult with only a 15 sec recovery period before the hold, anyway, still good. O2 is tomorrow morning, and hopefully back to the weights and cardio again...although first I need to sit and transcribe a manuscript. The tables are only 12 to 14 minutes in length, which is half the time for a few apneaists, but being asthmatic I think the hold times of 1:20 secs is extremely good for a complete novice...last week I thought my max hold was 40 seconds, so either I was wrong or there has been improvement. If I get to 3 minutes this year, I'll be really happy, considering where I started from at 40 seconds

I wanted to incorporate a different style of weights this year, but alas, I don't have heavy enough weights, so I will stick with my 45 minute session...which has never let me down yet, so I can't complain about it. Will keep you informed on the sloooow apnea progress, but I want to remain safe, so slow it has to be.

[5kgLifter]

Actually managed to work in my first session of apnea-cardio today, and it went well, tiring, but good. This morning's apnea table indicated to me that my max hold has increased, I even managed to hit the target for entrance in to some freedive courses, since you're not allowed to attend some until you can hold the breath for 1:30 secs...well my hold was actually more around 1:34 seconds (and boy can 4 extra seconds seem like an eternity, but they didn't) considering I'm asthmatic, that's good progress so far. The O2 table was good this morning, except for when I mis-timed my last breath before the 45 sec hold, however, it was not a struggle either, so I need to recalculate and update both tables on Sunday ready for an increase next week.

All exercise is on line at the moment, so I'm more than happy to be back in training.

Didn't lose/gain weight last week, but with very little exercise at the time, so I will have to watch this week's scale reading, due to the full program of exercise being done...the last thing I want is to end up losing 4 lb+. a good reason to eat lots of scrummy food.

[5kgLifter]

This morning's apnea tables went well again, and this evening was the first attempt at incorporating apnea in to the weight training. Both sessions went well, although really tiring, which I think is a good thing because that means the body has room for improvement. Crunches were not so easy with apnea, so I may do those minus the apnea, or I may just alter them altogether by resuming with the gymnasts abs exercise plan, but all the other exercises were okay with the incorporation of the apnea in it. And I'm still alive and kicking

[5kgLifter]

Today was good, almost as good, but mistimed a breathe up again, and had a contraction or two in the O2 table performance, but nothing major, and it didn't follow on in to the next hold so that indicates the timing was off; I now realise I need at least 8 seconds for the final breath before a hold and things run smooth. This evening was odd, because the 20 minute HIIT was too easy, and it was at a higher tempo than before, with 88 steps in 20 seconds, so I'm going to have to revise that; I'm actually wondering whether the apnea training is helping with the cardio exercise intensity levels and whether it has increased the capacity to train harder at cardio...I'll check it out somehow next week...Maybe I just had too long a warm-up session and didn't do as well during the intense phase, although that doesn't account for the higher step ratio, very confusing.