Backsquats and Metcon

Wednesday and another focused and effective set. Similar in set up to the previous Thursday sets focusing on explosive heavylifts and finish with metcon.

WU:

Vrängningar, agility and 10 Burpess

Benchpress:

5 x 60 kg

3 x 70 kg

6 x 75 kg

Backsquats:

5 x 75 kg

3 x 85 kg

3 x 95 kg

Metcon: 21-15-9 reps:

Burpess

Kettlebell 24 kg

Jump Pullups

Time: 8:24 min

Towel Pullups and overall progress

Ready for a new week and new opportunities. Checked my weight this weekend and I am now at 70,5 kg -- going from 82kg in 2007! The food and exercise approach have showed amazing results. Training wise we've been doing quite a bit of shoulder exercises and heavy lifts lately mixed with effective metcons to get balance in strength + get all areas up to speed in combination with reaching perfect technique.

Today's workout:

WO routine with Vrängningar (shoulder dislocates), Agility, and Burpees, and sometimes mixed with Pushups and Situps. It's really the Burpees that get the blood flowing. Burpees are great but can also be a pain, it challenges you to be focused and just keep going rather than stop and feel.

Shoulder Presses: Pushing hard to exceed and the 7 on 42,5 was a +1

5 x 30 kg

3 x 30 kg

7 x 42,5 kg

Mixed with Towel Pullups: 5 + 10

Deadlifts: Moving forward and starting to reach the heavy weights.

5 x 100 kg

3 x 110 kg

1 x 125 kg

Circle: Happy with my performance on the metcons, showing good progress and attitude

2x 500 m rowing

2x 30 Burpees

Time: 10:58 min

Bench..

Thursday and I was a bit late again like last week, arriving from Stockholm South Side with Estelle and picking up Tünde on the way!

We went straight to the exercises matching last weeks set up:

Started with quick WO (Vrängningar/Shoulder dislocates, Agility etc),

Next up Bench Press. Reps of 3x5 (x, x, x kg) highlighting get the right technique and approach.

Next up Backsquats 3x5 (70, 80, 85 kg) mixed with Pullups (3x4).

Ended with a Circle:

Some of the details are a bit sketchy --will complete!

Shoulder by Shoulder

Started the week in good fashion-- switched to Monday vs the usual Tuesday set. Still felt the positive effects of Thursday's sets and were ready to get going. No extra weekend workout except morning exercises though.

Started out with various WU exercises (including Burpees).

Mainset: Deadlifts with highlights: 3x90 kg, 3x105 kg, 5x115 kg. As a side I've recognized that cool music really effects my performance (or better put #focus#), the last set at 115kg went pretty smooth as I locked in to Green Day's "Know Your Enemy". Next up: Shoulder presses at various weights--3x30 kg, 3x35 kg and 6x42,5 kg, mixed with tucked-pullups (3x5). Finished with Metcon circle: 21-15-9 OHS (started with 30kg but switched to 20kg end of 1st set) and Burpees. Time: 15:15 min. Really heavy focus on the shoulders, and with the burpees and OHS at the end after deadlifts etc. they got a run for their money.

Lunch and Dinner: Grilled Cornfed Chicken with different vegetables and sides. I'm also getting into mackerel!

Better Late Than Sorry!

I was a bit too optimistic time-wise and arrived a bit late cutting in about 15 min in to my training hour. The daily objective was quickly restored and we went for completing the assigned program in a faster tempo without excuses.

Started with quick WO (Vrängningar/Shoulder dislocates, Agility etc), and went straight to Bench Press. Reps of 3x5 (50, 60, 70 kg) and perfecting technique. It's not often I do bench, but it's always fun. Next up Backsquats 3x5 (70, 80, 85 kg) mixed with "slow-4-sec Pullups (3x4).

Circle: 30-20-10 Modified Jump-pullups and lunge walk with 10 kg OH. Time 13.32 Min. I did fine on the jump-pullups, but took a bit of time on the lunge walks including redoing some steps.

Great day food wise, Dinner: Salmon and Broccoli

Broccoli and Shoulderpresses

Exited about today's performance -- always great to start off the week with a good workout session.

WU: 2x 10 Vrängningar/shoulder dislocators, 2x10 agility movements, 2x10 squats, 10 burpees,

Mainset focused on deadlifts. Various weights in 5 reps sets, leading up to 2x5 100kg and 1x10 100kg. The 10 reps went smooth and an idéa that crossed my mind is why not become a bricklayer or something physical and get paid moving heavy weights around instead of the other way around!

Then on to shoulderpresses in various weights 5x 20, 25, 30kg and finally 7x40kg -the goal was to achive 10 but went all out to 7!

Finshed with a Circle 21-15-9 resp of burpees and kettlebell swings (24kg). Time 6.37 min.

Made som great food today: Breakfast: Kvarg and berries, Lunch: Beef and broccoli, Dinner: Honey Glazed Corn Chicken and Broccoli.

Friday at Sickla

Moved the second workout of the week from Thursday to Friday and went to Sickla to do crossfit inspired training!

Warmups consisted of vrängningar/shoulder dislocators etc.

Mainset was working with dumbbells, been a while since doing exercises with them and it was quite fun to use them again. The movement was first lifting clean - and then doing thruster (to be corrected..). Tried out with different weights up to 20 kg on each dumbbell, but settled for 16kg to do the sets. Did 7 sets with 5 reps in each and in between each set running two times back and fort in the gym--wall to wall to address speed training. The complete set took 18 min.

Finished with Tabata situps. 4 min 20 sec on, 10 sec off. In average 11 situps per 20 sec.

Tuesday Chipper and OHS!

Still felt a bit sore, but in a good way after Sundays's workout at the obstacle course. Tuesday's set included the following highlights:

Overhead squats 5x45kg, 1x50kg (PR). Aimed for 5 on 50 kg but worked on getting "comfortable" with the 50kg and getting into position to achive 5 next time. Really cool as the OHS's are starting to go really good, and it also provides a great challenge as the weights get heavier and total control has to be maintained all thorough the squats.

Finished with a dynamic Chipper: 75 pushups, 50 kettle-bell swings (24kg), 50 dips, 30 pullups. 24.04 min!

Plugs: Went to see the rock band Black Stone Cherry live @ Görta Källare on Monday, and the Stand Up talent Pablo Francisco on Tuesday. Check them both out for great music and fun!

Food: Been crazy with Mexican food lately and use it as my weekly guilty pleasure. I am working on various variations of Taco, Enchilada and Burritos.

Sunday Morning at Karlberg

Me and a good friend scheduled to meet Sunday 10.30 at Karlberg to workout at the Obstacle course. Luckily it turned out to be a beautiful October Sunday morning, and we had perfect timing as the rain started to hit hard in the afternoon.

It was great to get back and run the Obstacle course -- it provides a fun and varied challenge. We ran four regular laps, and one backwards for variation after the first (although I did not do the high wall on the backwards run). Time wise my best was the 3rd run and hit approx. 5 min 30 sec (my PR). We tried to use the momentum after each run and used fairly short breaks in between to get the cardio-going.

We'll see if we manage to get out to the track again as the fall/cold weather is starting to hit Stockholm. Feels good to complete three training sessions this week, and in combination with eating well, it's been a perfect recipe for feeling good and having a great time this week!

Sunday morning : On my way to drink my daily morning Portland Espresso, before heading to Karlberg!

Food: Breakfast: Kvarg/Curd and Berries and lot's of water, Lunch: Cornfed Chicken and a few roasted potatoes (at Mocco), Dinner: "My Special Taco-Tortilla" and Sallad

Honey roasted Cornfed Chicken from Saturday

Deadlifts and "Superfoods"!

Wednesday's set continued where Tuesday left off!! Although being intense two days the workouts complemented each other very well and gave excellent results. My ambition is to follow up with a weekend set preferably the obstacle course on Sunday.

WO: Shoulder dislocates/(Vrängningar), warm-up OHS.

Main: Deadlifts 4x5 100 kg

Chipper: 20 Knees to elbows, 30 Situps, 40 Pushups, 50 Kettlebell swings (24 kg), 60 squats (and +10 situps). Time 14 min 54 sec.

Food: Breakfast: Eggs and Ham, Lunch: Corn-Fed Chicken Tortilla + entrecote, Dinner: Veal-meatballs and mashed potatoes.

Here's an article from Life Extension highlighting 10 Superfoods That Can Improve Your Life. It's not science and shouldn't be taken literaly-but can be fun for a read..

10 Superfoods That Can Improve Your Life

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

09-29-09

Not all foods were created equal - some are so packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other beneficial substances that they've been deemed "superfoods." Superfoods have incredible health benefits, packing a powerful nutritional punch that helps protect against cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, protect the organs from toxins and improve digestive health. Some nutritionists even say superfoods can help you live longer.

Here are 10 superfoods that can supercharge your diet, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, legumes, grains and fish.

- Acai: This exotic berry from the Amazon has been the subject of intense hype, but there's a good reason why it's so trendy. Named by famed nutritionist Dr. Nicholas Perricone as his No. 1 superfood and one of the most powerful foods in the world, acai (ah-sigh-ee) contains a remarkable concentration of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. It's considered one of nature's best offerings to combat premature aging thanks to its high monounsaturated oleic acid content. Oleic acid helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate cell membranes, making them more supple.

- Yogurt: It's alive! Yogurt contains active cultures known as "friendly bacteria" that restore healthy balance in the digestive system. Among the most well-known cultures is Lactobacillus acidophilus, which passes through the stomach and populates the intestines, helping the body fight off infection. One cup contains 50 percent more calcium than the same size serving of milk, and it's also full of potassium, riboflavin, magnesium and phosphate.

- Broccoli: This cruciferous vegetable is loaded with vitamin C, folic acid and carotenoids, which are packed with vitamin A and can protect your cells from the damage of free radicals, enhance immune system function and improve reproductive health. Just one serving (1 medium stalk) provides 175 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin K, which helps build strong bones and plays an important role in blood clotting. Just half a cup of broccoli per day is also said to help prevent a number of cancers, particularly cancers of the lung, colon, rectum and stomach.

- Lentils: Among the most nutritious legumes, lentils are a great source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and lean protein. They contain lots of iron and B vitamins and are very filling, yet low in calories. Folate and magnesium also contribute to heart heath and improve the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

- Sweet potatoes: They'll satisfy your craving for starches but are far healthier than their white, nutritionally lacking cousins. Carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and fiber are just a few of the benefits of eating this savory-sweet veggie, which is ranked among the highest vegetables on the nutrition scale. Sweet potatoes can help stabilize blood sugar, making them a great choice for diabetics, and are relatively low in calories.

- Blueberries: Hidden within the juicy, deep blue-purple flesh of this tasty fruit is cancer-fighting ellagic acid, an antioxidant that has been proven in laboratory research to slow the growth of some cancerous tumors. Blueberry extracts have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and help prevent infectious bacteria from clinging to the walls of the gut, bladder and urethra.

- Wild salmon: Packed with omega-3 fats, wild salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks and contains lots of vitamin D and selenium for healthy hair, skin, nails and bones. Wild salmon can be eaten with little fear of mercury or excess contaminants and is more nutritionally rich than farmed salmon. Wild salmon also has a smaller environmental impact. Consume two to four four-ounce servings a week for optimal benefits.

- Goji berries: They've been called the most nutritionally dense food on Earth, and they taste something like salty raisins. Lycium barbarum, commonly known as goji berries, contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta carotene than carrots and more iron than steak. The dried Himalayan fruit is also a great source of B vitamins and antioxidants and contains 15 amino acids. Goji has been used medicinally in China for centuries to improve blood circulation, strengthen the limbs, improve eyesight, protect the liver, increase libido and boost immune function.

- Kale: A dark, leafy green in the same vegetable family as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, kale contains high amounts of beta carotene, iron and folate. It's also a low-calorie, low-carb source of protein that's packed with fiber, which improves digestive health and helps you feel full. A small cupful of cooked kale provides more than half the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

- Barley: This low-glycemic grain is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which help the body metabolize fats and promote a healthy digestive tract, respectively. Eating hulled barley on a regular basis is said to lower blood cholesterol levels, protect against cancer and keep blood-sugar levels stable. Barley is rich in niacin, vitamin E, lignans and phytochemicals that function as antioxidants.