Too fat to be a cyclist. Too skinny to be a weightlifter.

[Big Good Wolf]

100kg deadlift x 12
32kg chassis jack overhead press x 6

I've loaded up another ammo box to 40kg and I'm working on my "technique". Hips to chest is no good, it's got to be hips to overhead in one swing, then press it up from there.

40kg ammo box overhead press x 2
40 press ups
35kg Land Rover wheel & tyre overhead press x 2
30kg post rammer overhead press x 7


Short term achievable goals are the way to go. In the near future I would like to be able to overhead press half my body weight, lets round that up to 50kg, and do 50 press ups or sit ups in one hit.

[bronco]

I've loaded up another ammo box to 40kg and I'm working on my "technique". Hips to chest is no good, it's got to be hips to overhead in one swing, then press it up from there.

40kg ammobox powersnatch, sounds like a hardcore exercise .

[Big Good Wolf]

Powersnatch. I like the sound of that, it makes it sound like I know what I'm doing.

170 press ups in 10 minutes
100 sit ups in 10 minutes
Various overhead presses with different odd objects including two with the 40kg ammo box.
100kg dead lift x 6
30 press ups

Another short term achievable goal I have come up with is to do 200 press ups every day before work when I'm on late shift.

[Big Good Wolf]

I just realised I'm in danger of dropping off page one of this forum.
Just because I'm not keeping this log up to date doesn't mean I'm not doing anything.

I finally managed 50 press ups non stop today for the first time in my life.
I've got some heavier dumbells, 9kg each, and I'm still lifting the ammo box and other stuff overhead.
The 4km run is getting easier as well.

I'm surprised at how slow my progress is though with the weights.
I know from experience that my cycling quickly improves over the spring after a winter rest, but 40kg overhead or 10x 100kg deadlift seems to be my limit and I'm finding it very hard to get past it.

[Big Good Wolf]

I've bought a barbell & weights to get some more lifting practice.
I've had a go at the Olympic lifts mentioned on this thread and so far got to;

Clean & press 50kg
Power snatch 45kg
Power clean 55kg
Front squat 30kg

So that's half my body weight overhead with the clean & press, one of the goals I set myself.
I looked at Power snatch here and I'm not doing it quite like that. I haven't got the confidence to duck under the bar that way. I live on my own and if it all goes wrong I could be here for days before anyone wonders why I'm not answering the phone and comes looking for me.
I don't know what went wrong with the squat, I thought that would be my best lift. I've never had any problem getting heavy loads on to my shoulder and standing up with them, but once I got down with both knees bent and only 30kg on the bar it felt like such an awkward, unnatural position to be in I could hardly stand up. I'll have to work on that one.

I did 31 hard km on the mountain bike yesterday and another gentle 13 km today. The brake blocks are lasting a lot better now the weathers drying up a bit. The mud round here seems to be very abrasive and shreds brake blocks in no time when I'm riding through the deep, wet stuff all the time.

So now that I have achieved 50 press ups and 50kg overhead, I suppose my next goal had better be to do them both regularly, not just as a one off, and preferably both on the same day. As it is, I concentrate on either press up or weights each day. if I push myself to the limit with one, I've got nothing left for the other.

[Veganitaliana]

he's my bloke

Oi ! I am a free human being, not an object to be owned.

Anyway, shouldn't you be on that rowing machine and starting your own training log.
I've warned you before, I'm not shagging a fat bird.

Gee, now I really take back wanting to be the Jane to your Tarzan

What good to me would you be if I couldn't own you???!!!

[ninearms]

I don't know what went wrong with the squat, I thought that would be my best lift. I've never had any problem getting heavy loads on to my shoulder and standing up with them, but once I got down with both knees bent and only 30kg on the bar it felt like such an awkward, unnatural position to be in I could hardly stand up. I'll have to work on that one.

Squatting is one of the hardest lifts to learn, which is why you see so many people doing horrendous things...Here's a suggestion which should help you get into the right groove - goblet squats. They're really good for learning the correct movement because they pretty much force you into the correct position. Watch this video and you'll pick up some great tips: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6529481301858251744. Once you nail the goblet squat you can then move onto box squats first with just the bar then with added weight, then full squats with the bar, then add weight.

[Big Good Wolf]

Thanks for the link Ninearms.
I haven't watched it all yet, I've tried downloading it, but I can't seem to save it to watch later. I'll probably watch it on Friday as I should be around home all day so I can download it and watch it all in one go.
I tried the goblet squats this morning and have come up against a bit of a problem.
I had an operation on the cartilage in my right knee when I was about 20 which has made it difficult for me to fully bend that knee ever since.
It's not something I normally think about, I have just got in the habit of always kneeling on my left knee. I have to kneel down quite often at work and I will always sit down on my left heel with my right foot alonside my left knee. Never the other way round and never both knees down.
Cycling is no problem, even with the saddle set low on the mountain bike to make stepping on and off easier and SPD pedals which some people find can aggravate knee problems, I get no pain after two hours riding.
However, a couple of dozen deep squats this morning with a light weight and I've been feeling it all day.
I've spent over 20 years avoiding getting in a position where I need to straighten my right knee under load from fully bent. No wonder I'm finding it hard now.
I'll keep trying, but I'll be careful to only go down as far as thighs parallel to the floor and no lower.

[Big Good Wolf]

I've been working on my squats, trying different techniques with lighter weights.
Did about 12 with a 25kg rucksack, lost count. Also did a couple of singles with a 50kg rucksack.
20 with a 25kg bar. I'm finding it easier with my arms crossed, each hand near its opposite shoulder, palms down.
I've got a short, thick log on end behind me as an emergency seat for these. I'm not touching it, but it's nice to know it's there if I need it.

100kg deadlift x 20. I'm still using the four 56lb weights tied to a jack handle for my deadlifts which means there's no easy way to increase the weight other than using the proper bar and buying a load more discs.

Edited to add:
After a bit of a rest I had another go and squatted 50kg. I felt like I could do more, but I haven't got a rack, I'm going from the floor every time and I couldn't quite repeat the 55kg power clean to get myself in the start position.

[Big Good Wolf]

A short 3km ride with the dog yesterday, then back out on the mountain bike on my own for another 43km at an average 16.3km/h. Doesn't sound very fast, but that's everything from a 52km/h downhill blast to several get off and walk hills.
Overtook every other biker I met. I saw two lads on a hill ahead of me at one point, so obviously I had to chase after them and overtake them. They were both well under half my age so I gave them a cheery "Hello" as I stormed past. It's times like this I really want a big "Vegan" logo on my shirt.
Summer's here now, I'll be out on the bike as much as I can. Didn't see any deer, although I think I heard them. Lots of squirrells, a few ducks and tens of millions of wood ants. They've really woken up over the last week or so and are getting stuck in to building their nests.

Managed 45kg overhead press and 31 press ups amongst other things. I can't even repeat the 50kg and 50 press ups once, never mind do it consistantly.
I'll get there eventually, it's just going to take longer than I originally hoped for.

[Big Good Wolf]

Had another go at the high rep squat challenge and did 50x25kg. I'm sure I can do more.
Had a go go at doing proper sets and reps today. Well, not really a proper go, more like experimenting to see what sort of weights I can manage.
Trouble is, I didn't write the weights down as I did them, now I'm not sure what I did.
This is what I think I did:
Bench press 3x12x35kg. Too easy.
Dead lift 3x10x100kg. On the limit.
Overhead press 8+7+6x35kg. On the limit.
Bicep curl 3x10x25kg. Comfortable.
Upright row 3x10x25kg. Comfortable.
Bent over row 3x10x25kg. Too easy so went for speed.
Lying tricep extension 3x10x25kg. Comfortable.

[Big Good Wolf]

Got up to 50 x 45kg for the high rep squat challenge yesterday.
I'm giving my legs a chance to recover today and I might have a go at improving my 1RM tomorrow. Time to move up a place or two on the strength table.

5x5x35kg lying tricep extensions. I'm all over the place with these, I'm sure my technique is nothing like it should be, arms straight, arms bent, wide grip, narrow grip, but I'm getting the bar from behind my head to over my stomach and back so it must be doing me some good.

5x5x45kg bench press. I'm using two car ramps as an improvised rack for these. After doing the last one I realised how close I was to missing one of them and dropping the bar on my head. I think I'll stick with low weights/high reps until I sort something better out.

5 x 5 x 35kg upright row. Although looking at the pictures on my York exercise programme poster, I'm not going high enough so I don't think I should count these.

5 x 5 x 35kg bent over row. Still too easy.

[Big Good Wolf]

Squat 85kg
I'm getting the hang of this now. Only 15kg off a place at the bottom of the Highest reps at bodyweight squat table.

[Big Good Wolf]

Overhead press 5 x 5 x 35kg
Upright row 5 x 5 x 25kg All the way up this time.
Bent over row 5 x 5 x 45kg
Press ups - 40
Sit ups - 30
Chin ups - 3

[Big Good Wolf]

Tried doing press ups this morning and my shoulders wouldn't have it. Got to 10 and that was it.
Thought I'd give my arms a rest and do sit ups instead, still only 30, but at least I don't feel sick afterwards any more.
Had my dinner, Tesco Basmati rice and vegetable curry in the microwave. Part of my general fitness/health/self discipline training is to improve my eating. No, I don't mean just trying to avoid getting it all down the front of my shirt, but to cut down on processed or pre packaged food. I haven't got very far with it yet.
Had another go at the high reps squat challenge; 50 x 50kg, that's half my bodyweight.
Felt really good afterwards so had another go at the press ups, got to 40 no problem. I think I am going to have to improve my warm ups. A little bit of walking and stretching doesn't seem to do it. Really getting my heart and lungs working first does.
Been having a go at the brick clamp/lift as well.
Stand a load of bricks on end on a table and pick them up by clamping the end ones. I'm using semi-engineering bricks, at 3.2kg each they're a bit heavier than common bricks and a bit smoother as well.
11 is my limit so far.

Just had another go at the press ups and got to 50. Thats an =PB just 5 hours after collapsing at 10.