Strength Circuit (Sat)

(2 minutes rest between each set)

• Pull Ups: 3 x 2 sets
• Calf Raises (dumb bell and bucket): 10 x 3 sets
• Decline Push Ups: 10 x 3 sets
• Chin Ups: 3 (just for the hell of it!)
• Core…
  • Sit Ups: 10 (5 sec hold)
  • Plank: 1:30

Strength Circuit (Sun Morning/Afternoon)

• Forearms…
  • Dumb Bell Wrist Curl: 10 x 3 sets
  • Wrist Roller: 2 x 3 sets
  • Wrist Twists (sledge): 8 x 3 sets
• 1-Legged Squat (to table): 5 x 3 sets
• Chin Ups: 3 x 3 sets
• Wide Grip Pull Ups: 1

Core Workout (Sun Evening)

• Core Workout…
  • Sit Ups: 10 x 3 sets (3 sec hold)
  • Hanging Leg Raises: 5 x 3 sets (3 sec hold)
  • Side Bends (Sand Bucket): 10 x 3 sets
• Core Circuit…
  • Side Plank (Right): 30 secs
  • Side Plank (Left): 30 secs
  • Plank: 1 min
  • …2 min rest…
  • Side Plank (Right): 30 secs
  • Side Plank (Left): 30 secs
  • Plank: 30 secs

Conditioning Circuit (Sun Evening)

• 15 Burpees
• 3 x 3 minute rounds of the All Round Fighting Audio.
• 15 Burpees
• 20 Chinnies

But I hit todays strength goals with extreme vigour and my morning routine was upgraded with a mini circuit of pull ups, chin ups and push ups.

The Main Strength Circuit (3 times)

• Pull Ups: 2
• Ankle Raises: 12
• Decline Diamond Push Ups: 2
• One-Legged Squat (to table): 5
• Wide Grip Pull Up: 1 (needed boost on last set then sloooow on the negative)
• Wrist Twists (sledge): 8 each hand

Core Workout (3 times)

• Sit Ups: 5 (5 sec pause going up & 3 secs down)
• Sand Bucket Side Bends: 10
  
• Turkish Get Up (using dumb bell): 5
• Sand Bucket Lift: 10

• 10 Burpees.
• 10 Chinnies
• 10 Squats
• 10 Push Ups

Repeat until 20 mins is up.  My arms packed up part way through so my burpees became squat thrusts.  Not long after my quads died and I had to do grass hoppers instead.

Either way this makes an important point:  Just because a muscle packs up doesn’t mean you cancel the entire circuit.  Adapt to the change in your body and carry on.

There’s no shame in switching from burpees to squat-thrusts because your legs are giving way.  There IS shame if you give up half-way through.

Having said that I’d started to notice a general feeling of well being, more agility and mobility.  A bit of a spring in my step and I started the ICT workout with passion.  Here it is:

• Burpees: 60 secs
• Chinnies: 60 secs
• Hindu Push Ups: 60 secs
• Lunges: 60 secs
• Star Jumps (aka. Jumping Jacks): 60 secs
• Rest: 60 secs

All of this was repeated 3 times.

The great thing is that although my burpees degenerated into squat thrusts and my arms were packing up I wanted keep going!!  It really pumped me up and I can see a time when these ICT workouts will be nothing more than a warm up!

So after all that I did 60 secs of shadow sparring.

NOTE: Unfortunately I didn’t do myself any favours by having a curry 3hrs before the workout.  I thoguht 3hrs would be enough but it wasn’t. A lthough I resisted being sick my stomach was seriously displeased.  Heartburn, nausea and pain lasted a good 2hrs afterwards.  Avoid food for at least 4-5hrs before a workout

Anyway – to the EIT workout.  Having had a light day yesterday I went headlong into this to do 4 circuits of the following:

• 12 Burpees.
• 24 Pushups.
• 36 Squats.
• 50 Star Jumps*.

In the book he says do a 400m run instead of the star jumps but considering how much I overestimated my work capcity last time I thought I’d aim a little lower.

The Score

It was a good job I aimed lower!

After just SIX burpees my legs went to lead and I was having to drag them back to the starting position to stand up.  I powered on though and got to the push ups which went a bit better.  Squats were a huge challenge because although I thoguht having the day of core and isometrics had let my legs rest enough – they hadn’t and they were refusing to work at any useful level.

Powering on though!!

I must admit I contemplated giving up and the little voice kept on and on at me.

“Why the hell was I doing this to myself.  I’m clearly not built for this.  I’ve run a half marathon before – what else do I need to prove?”

I got over that though by my other voice saying:

“One more circuit – its not much.  Besides you can take a huge 3 day break after this – you deserve it.”

… I knew full well though that at the end of this – if I accomplished it I wouldn’t be taking a break!  But it shut the voices of doubt up and on the fourth set having been reduced to squats, knee pushups and very slow, painful squats I went for an extra circuit:

“MORE MORE MORE MORE – the pain is good.  One more and you’ve beaten the plan.  Beaten the world!!”

When the end of circuit 5 came I hit the deck like a sack of shit.  I’d done one extra circuit when earlier on I wanted to quit after a few burpees.

I may not have done the workout exactly as planned but I like to dwell on the success and learn from the mistakes:

• I shut the negative voices up and pushed anyway.
• I did better than I thoguht I could even when my legs were giving way.
• A 5 day split may be a bit ambitious and there’s no shame in slowing down a bit just as long as you keep pushing.  Rome wasn’t built in a day and nor is my optimum fitness.

So I start with the Integrated Circuit Training…

…and I end up in the bath ready to puke!!!

What caused it – this:

• 60 secs burpees.
• 60 secs standing band overhead press
• 60 secs squats
• 60 secs pushups (after the burpess and band press this was a killer)

NO BREAK!!

• 45 secs burpees.
• 45 secs standing band overhead press
• 45 secs squats
• 45 secs pushups (okay – my arms are collapsing at this point and I’m reduced to putting my knees down and doing half pushups!!)

NO BREAK – straight onto…

• 30 secs burpees & squat thrusts & falling over.
• 30 secs standing band overhead press
• 30 secs squats (getting a lot slower now)
• 30 secs push ups ( I want to die and I realise I’m doing seal-like moves)

final circuit…

• 15 secs of squat thrusts & squats (forgot what I was doing)
• 10 secs of squats
• 20 secs of band press
• 15 secs of pushing the floor

And its a wrap.  The times above should have been 15secs but I was getting confused by this point.

I never thought this could be that hard.  I’ve run half marathons, competed in fights but I’ve clearly not even touched the surface of physical fitness.