Cylon357's Super Cool Covid 2020 Weight loss comp log!

[wango]

Really nice sounding workout Cylon!

Got to ask, are you busting out Kermit to sing any Christmas carols to sound like Slayer? If so, please record/tape!

[Cylon357]

Really nice sounding workout Cylon!

Got to ask, are you busting out Kermit to sing any Christmas carols to sound like Slayer? If so, please record/tape!

LOL!

I like to use the juxtaposition of the typically serene with typically violent for 'humorous' effect. Like Kermit singing Angel of Death. On the other end, you might find Megadeth doing Jingle Bells. Or possibly my rendition of the theme to 'The Beverly Hillbillies', in the style of gangster rap / death metal. That is most definitely NSFW, unless you work in the gangster rap or death metal industries. Even then though, the lyrics might seem... interesting.

But more often than not, these things just come to me in the moment, and I can try to contain them (50 / 50 odds there) or just let them out and hope I can write them down or record it or something. Mind you, there is a lot and I mean a LOT of stuff that misses...

[wango]

LOL!

I like to use the juxtaposition of the typically serene with typically violent for 'humorous' effect. Like Kermit singing Angel of Death. On the other end, you might find Megadeth doing Jingle Bells. Or possibly my rendition of the theme to 'The Beverly Hillbillies', in the style of gangster rap / death metal. That is most definitely NSFW, unless you work in the gangster rap or death metal industries. Even then though, the lyrics might seem... interesting.

But more often than not, these things just come to me in the moment, and I can try to contain them (50 / 50 odds there) or just let them out and hope I can write them down or record it or something. Mind you, there is a lot and I mean a LOT of stuff that misses...

Pleases disregard the band name. Seriously, not intended to shock or offend. With that said they actually do have some decent “shockabilly” songs. Thought you’d dig this combo . . .

[Cylon357]

OMG didn't that come up in a Cheech and Chong movie? Like they played it on stage in their 'band'? Or maybe Michael Winslow (the voice effects guy from 'Police Academy') did it?

That's going to drive me batty.

[wango]

OMG didn't that come up in a Cheech and Chong movie? Like they played it on stage in their 'band'? Or maybe Michael Winslow (the voice effects guy from 'Police Academy') did it?

That's going to drive me batty.

Not sure, but Elvis Hitler really is a band and I had their first C.D. They had some legit songs that I liked. I don’t know if they were racist & don’t believe any songs on that CD were. Shockabilly is a form of rockabilly and their are more than a few really good bands. I love actual rockabilly too.

[Cylon357]

Happy Boxing Day!

Today's workout was deadlifts. First time I have done them in about 3 weeks due to the angry spirits of Planet Ass-Pain (aka the home world of Hemi-Roid). They got aggravated some but were already being dicks because of yesterday's food fest. A bit more obnoxious than they have been this week, but not as bad as they were a couple of weeks back.

ANYWAY, I did deadlifts and followed them up with barbell rows. Man, I love that combo. Followed that up with chins, then curls with the ez-curl bar. I did goblet squats (a first for me, kind of neat) and one legged calf raises with the kettle bell. That was a fun combo.

And since it IS Boxing Day, my HIIT finisher was:
3 minute rounds with the heavy bag
15 kettle bell swings
3 rounds total

I took about a minute fifteen seconds between ending one round with the bag and starting the next. That included getting the gloves off, doing the kettle bell swings, getting some water and putting the gloves back on. I need to figure out a routine that DOESN'T involve taking the gloves on and off. But it was fun and a huffy puffy way to finish the workout, so it's all good.

[Cylon357]

Today was overhead press / shoulder day. I almost just did the OH presses, but decided to truck on. Glad I did.

I did dips, then shrugs tri-setted with laterals and rear laterals. Finished off with skull crushers for the weights.

No HIIT today - 4x a week is too much for me right now. I did however, do both a 1 mile walk to warm up and a 2 mile walk to finish. This is as close to an easy day as I have at the moment.

[Cylon357]

Holy crap, my brothers and sisters! I had an awesome lunch time workout today! Actually, I woke up feeling pretty damn good and the feeling has continued all day. I'll take it!

Started with a mile walk to warm up - it was about 76 and sunny here when I did that. Felt nice!

Started with front squats, then did stiff legged dead lifts, calf work and Bulgarian split squats. It seems like there was another exercise in there, but can't remember what right now.

Then it was time for HIIT.

3 rounds of the following:
5-7 chinups
3 minutes on the climber (1 15 to 30 second interval per minute)
15 kettlbell swings (went up from 40 to 50 pounds today)
10 reverse hypers
10 regular hypers
rest period of 30 to 45 seconds

Holy fack! I got through two rounds reasonably well, but man that third.... It was a beast! I had to slow down the transitions and actually did the kettlebells last for that round. I swear there were a couple of times when I was like "damn, I'm fixing to pass out." It was cool.

Followed that up with a 1/2 mile walk and some yoga stretches to cool down, shower and back to work. The Wife had made some homemade sourdough bread, and we have a ham for this weekend. She was kind enough to cut me enough ham for a sandwich with that bread. Holy shit, it was good. I included a pic for the foodies:



What, the "after" isn't good enough? Isn't the "after" pic the one we always look for?

Sorry, no before pic. Damn, it was good though.

[wango]

Great workout & so happy that you’re feeling great - congrats! Nice way to end this year!!!

Oh heck yes to that sandwich. Love coincidences, my wife was just saying yesterday while I watched her prep dinner, that she’s trying to make bread as her next cooking goal!

Still thinking of that nice ham on fresh sourdough.

[Cylon357]

Great workout & so happy that you’re feeling great - congrats! Nice way to end this year!!!

Oh heck yes to that sandwich. Love coincidences, my wife was just saying yesterday while I watched her prep dinner, that she’s trying to make bread as her next cooking goal!

Still thinking of that nice ham on fresh sourdough.

I guess I know what I'm having for dinner!

[Cylon357]

Good bench workout on New Years Eve.

I did dumbbell bench press, followed up with incline flyes, keeping the flyes super light. I'm almost certain there was another chest exercise in there, but damned if I can remember what now.

Went on to skull crushers, super setted with dumbbell curls. Then did front raises, side and rear laterals to toast the delts.

No HIIT this day, but I did open with a 1 mile walk outside and about 1.5 miles after to cool down and get in some LISS.

I do back tomorrow and will almost certainly work the bag as part of the HIIT finisher.

Happy 2021!

[SampsonandDelilah]

Just caught up, happy to see you still crushing it. Happy New Year Cylon!

[Cylon357]

Just caught up, happy to see you still crushing it. Happy New Year Cylon!

Same to you, brother!

[Cylon357]

Oh my brothers and sisters, testify!

Had an awesome back workout today. You remember somewhere in all the madness that is this log, I talked about having cables and pulleys and loading pin, oh my!? You don't? It's OK. I have cables and pulleys and loading pin (oh my) and put them to good use today. Note that these are general purpose pulleys and cables, not dedicated workout equipment. That might make them better in a way as they may be heavier duty. They were damn sure and I mean DAMN sure less expensive than any specialized equipment for my rack, IF I could even find it in stock.

Anyhow, I did some light pulldowns to warm up the back, then proceeded to like 8 sets of pullups (and chinups when I got tired), of various widths and hand positions. I did not add weight to any of them, maybe I should have but there it is. Moved on to a couple of sets of wide grip pulldowns, then single arm pulldowns to really nail the lats. I followed that up with seated low pulley rows. And by seated, I mean on the floor. But its all good. Three sets of one arm dumbbell rows with the 60s to wipe me out but in good way. I used the heavy bag as my bench for these, more on the bag shortly.

I was going to do biceps tomorrow with the triceps, but decided to be efficient. So, as I was putting up the weights and pulleys and such, I worked in bicep curls, really kind of like hammer curls. Since I had to put up my 45s, I just used one, gripped it on the side, did 8-12 curls, then racked the weight properly. Two birds, one stone and all. I finished off the weights with calf work, holding the kettlebells in either hand and just doing calf raises off a block.

And now for HIIT....

I needed a break, so I took 5 then asked The Wife to help me hang the heavy bag. Got it going and dialed in the kettle bells, moved the Spotify playlist from 'Your Time Capsule' to 'Old School Metal' and went to town.

The plan was 3 rounds of the following:
3 minutes working the heavy bag
8-10 goblet squats
15 kettlebell swings
1 minute rest

I almost made it. Believe it or don't, it was NOT the cardio vascular system that failed me. It was the low back. On the third and final set of swings, the low back started saying "yo, dog maybe you should NOT do kettlebell swings twice in one week, m'k?" It was a little sore and getting twitchy, so I stopped the final set at 5 reps. I was still gassed but could have made it. It's all good, though, cause I found a limit (at least for that day).

Mile and a half walk to cool down, some yoga stretches, protein and a shower, and now I'm hear talking with you animals. That's OK, we are all animals and y'all are my type of critters, so life is good.

[Cylon357]

And as a celebration of an excellent workout week, here is a totally decadent dinner. No regrets! I've been good all week and we needed to get rid of leftovers #rationalization

@Wango, The Wife is on a bread making tear. This is a sourdough made with half whole wheat and half white flours. Still dang tasty.



PS - one of my life mottos is: when in doubt, choose tater tots - you won't be disappointed.

[SampsonandDelilah]

“You gonna eat your tots?”-Napoleon

[wango]

And as a celebration of an excellent workout week, here is a totally decadent dinner. No regrets! I've been good all week and we needed to get rid of leftovers #rationalization

@Wango, The Wife is on a bread making tear. This is a sourdough made with half whole wheat and half white flours. Still dang tasty.



PS - one of my life mottos is: when in doubt, choose tater tots - you won't be disappointed.

Damn fine meal. Fresh bread, awesome ham and the icing on the the cake . . . tater-tots! Your body had to have been carb depleted from this week, can’t call that a cheat meal, that was utter necessity!

And my keen eye picked up the plate is sitting next to the television remote control - now we are talking!!!

Because of you (and your wife), I am now watching yet another cooking show with my wife. It is a baking cook-off show from the UK.

Let’s kill this hear buddy!

[Cylon357]

“You gonna eat your tots?”-Napoleon

"Heck yeah!"

Man, that is a fun little, oddball movie!

[Cylon357]

Damn fine meal. Fresh bread, awesome ham and the icing on the the cake . . . tater-tots! Your body had to have been carb depleted from this week, can’t call that a cheat meal, that was utter necessity!

And my keen eye picked up the plate is sitting next to the television remote control - now we are talking!!!

Because of you (and your wife), I am now watching yet another cooking show with my wife. It is a baking cook-off show from the UK.

Let’s kill this hear buddy!

I'm trying lol!

I'm starting to think the switch from Clomid to Enclomiphene is already having an effect on my mood, workouts and general well being. I feel better... sharper, maybe a bit less patient, and I definitely seem to be getting better pumps in my workouts. And of course, when we get better pumps, we try a little harder to get that look. Chasin' the pump, man, it is a thing. I pull bloods in 6 weeks so we will see what that shows.

[Cylon357]

Good but short workout tonight. I think the great workouts I had this week had me gassed and just not enough left in the tank to do back one day, then shoulders the next.

I did get in barbell over head presses, dips, skull crushers and pushups with the handle. I was sore in enough places to know that sometimes you gotta go slow to go fast, life is a marathon, not a sprint, etc etc. Still was a good workout for what I did.

[Cylon357]

Had a good day off yesterday. I donated blood for the first time, not because I need to, but just to be a good citizen. Oh and also, I'm goddang 52 years old and don't know my blood type. I'm thinking that might be good to know....

Anyhow, I would normally be starting my weight workouts today, but I am finding that I really need an 8 day week, if I'm going to keep at the HIIT like I have been. Oh and if the Powers That Be are listening (hint: they are), that new week should be 5 days work, 3 days weekend. BTW, I don't want to offend anyone's beliefs so when I say "Powers That Be", just choose the one that fits your dogma. Your pick of either The Blue Cheese Committee or The Flying Spaghetti Monster, but I don't want to get pulled into that debate.

So, today, I'm likely just going to go LISS with a 2 mile walk, then start the weight workouts tomorrow. Since I typcially do 3 weeks and then a 1 week deload, I can resync my workouts until we get this whole 8 day week resolved.

[Cuz]

Had a good day off yesterday. I donated blood for the first time, not because I need to, but just to be a good citizen. Oh and also, I'm goddang 52 years old and don't know my blood type. I'm thinking that might be good to know....

Anyhow, I would normally be starting my weight workouts today, but I am finding that I really need an 8 day week, if I'm going to keep at the HIIT like I have been. Oh and if the Powers That Be are listening (hint: they are), that new week should be 5 days work, 3 days weekend. BTW, I don't want to offend anyone's beliefs so when I say "Powers That Be", just choose the one that fits your dogma. Your pick of either The Blue Cheese Committee or The Flying Spaghetti Monster, but I don't want to get pulled into that debate.

So, today, I'm likely just going to go LISS with a 2 mile walk, then start the weight workouts tomorrow. Since I typcially do 3 weeks and then a 1 week deload, I can resync my workouts until we get this whole 8 day week resolved.

First time donating blood. Good stuff. Did they check your iron levels? im usually borderline when i donate.

[Cylon357]

First time donating blood. Good stuff. Did they check your iron levels? im usually borderline when i donate.

They did, but I don't have the results (yet) and didn't even think to ask. I was in one of those buses with two attractive, well shaped, young ladies (the phlebotomists) and I might have started hearing "brown chicken brown cow" in my head.

[wango]

And for being such a caring citizen, here’s your treat after you hydrate . . . .

[Cylon357]

And for being such a caring citizen, here’s your treat after you hydrate . . . .

Me to her: "Baby, I don't care how hot you are, YOU ain't sticking ME"

And then I would likely need to use my hydration goodies to get the mace out of my eyes...

[Cylon357]

Got my blood donation results back. @Cuz, evidently I should have asked about iron levels though I'm assuming they were within range. Or maybe they weren't and they were just like "this is the first person we have seen all week so take. His. Blood!"

I'm not going to lie: there was a part of me that was hoping that I had already had Covid-19 and it just didn't affect me...

[Cuz]

Got my blood donation results back. @Cuz, evidently I should have asked about iron levels though I'm assuming they were within range. Or maybe they weren't and they were just like "this is the first person we have seen all week so take. His. Blood!"

I'm not going to lie: there was a part of me that was hoping that I had already had Covid-19 and it just didn't affect me...

Its when they stick your finger and collect the sample, obviously yours was ok i normally always ask for my readings. Everything looks good, my cholesterol was 180 last time, but im blasting gear like a madman, its normally 140s lol

[Cylon357]

Its when they stick your finger and collect the sample, obviously yours was ok i normally always ask for my readings. Everything looks good, my cholesterol was 180 last time, but im blasting gear like a madman, its normally 140s lol

They put a collar on my thumb to measure the iron. Kind of like the pulse oximeter they use to measure blood oxygen but where that is usually like a clamp, this was definitely like a collar or ring.

[Cylon357]

Good squat workout today. Actually, the squat portion was just OK. I did squats, leg curls and calf raises. I think I'm sort of not quite but almost burning out in the 2nd week of my 3 week cycles. This is week 3 and I am sensing the sweet bliss of deload time.

But then I did my finisher....

I did 3 rounds of the following:
3 minute jog / run on treadmill (10 minute mile pace)
3 minutes on the climber with intervals
6 pullups
about 45 seconds rest.

I'm hesitant to call this HIIT, though I did transition pretty much straight from one exercise to the next, taking just enough time to get some water. Finished in about 24 minutes, so kept it pretty short but intense. There were a couple of times when I was like "damn, I'm just ready to be done. I'm stopping now" but I just powered through.

And I have that sweet deload coming up, starting Tuesday.

[wango]

I love the HIIT circuits that you post! Great set up at home!

Way to bring in 2021!

[Cylon357]

Man, I have NOT got this timing in the 3 weeks down quite right. I was exhausted today and still a bit sore from Thursday's squat workout. I decided to just liss today and did a two mile walk. I'll double up the workouts in the next couple of days to finish week 3 strong.

To be honest, I have a hard time working out on Saturday and Sundays. I frequently mis-time my meals and end up with less than stellar workouts. But I'll figure it out.

Today, other than the walk, has been mostly watching playoff football, though The Wife did put together an excellent, fairly easy meal. Because I know posts are always better with pics, here you go.

[wango]

Nice meal! Nice games today.

Sat & Sun are hard to workout on, agreed.

[Cylon357]

So I have made this my deload week. Still had a good workout tonight, but kept it super simple with no HIIT.

I think my switch to Enclomiphene is driving down my estrogen. I'm switching back to Clomid for now (cause there is a conversation coming with the doc about the needle).

I did enjoy the football weekend though!

[Cylon357]

Good, easy deload back workout today.

Going back to the Clomid seems to be helping. I'm thinking Enclomiphene has too much AI action going on. I'll talk to the doc when I go back about switching to the needle, though I MIGHT add HGH to my regimen for a few months before switching. Just rando thoughts this evening...

[wango]

HGH, yes!

[Cylon357]

Good workout tonight to kick off the first week after my deload. I think I'm basically doing 531 with HIIT finishers 3 of the 4 days. As usual, I started with a one mile walk to warm up and get an Italian lesson in.

Tonight was squats, followed by calf raises with the barbell, supersetted over to kettlebell to get the last reps out of them. Did some leg curls and something else, I think, but maybe not. I'm still in the post workout feel goods.

The HIIT finisher tonight was
3 minutes on the treadmill
3 minutes on the climber
6 pullups
15 kettlebell swings
1 minute rest

I only did two rounds, but I did a bonus set of pullups. I like to work legs hard / back light and adding the pullups to the end of my squat workout fills the bill (at least for now). Finished with about a 1/3 mile walk, then some yoga stretches.

Had a protein blend, and ate some homemade sourdough bread with some ham. Damn that was good. This is why I can't lose weight, but I kept the portions down. Life's a marathon, not a sprint and all that lot.

[Cylon357]

Good bench workout at lunch today. Did my 3x5 for bench, then on to cable flyes for some isolation work. I'll post up my rigged up cable setup sometime. After that, I did some front side and lateral super sets, then moved on to skull crushers super setted with push downs, then ez curl bar bicep curls super setted with super light isolation curls. The word of the day, ladies and gentlemen, seems to have been 'supersets'. I was hurting but damn it was a good hurting.

My HIIT had been planned to be

87654321 continuous sets of dips and pushups. That is:
8 dips
8 pushups
7 dips
7 pushups
6 pushups, etc
all the way down to 1 of each
No or very minimal rest between sets.

There is probably a name for that type of pyramid / drop set / something because those terms aren't right.

I made it through 8 7 6 and on those last few reps of both dips and pushups I was shaking and the heart was thumping. I might could and maybe should have taken a break and pushed on through, but damn that pump was painful and I was getting gassed. But now I have a baseline and something to shoot for next week. Because evidently my head is broken or something. Don't judge me, ain't none of y'all slacking in the weight room, either. :P

[Cylon357]

BTW, I shot this pic when I finished my workout today. The pics you normally see of home gyms are all well organized, this is The Real. Once again, don't judge me. I can put my hands on anything I need within seconds. Seconds, I say!! :crazy:

Though I do admit that when I saw this I was like 'damn, I guess I need to put the theme from "Sanford and Son" in my playlist'.

Oh and yeah, that's a "waist bag" aka fanny pack on the heavy bag. I walk with it put my phone in it and listen to language lessons during warm up / cool down walks. Don't judg... ah, you know what? Judge away, jack. #iamwhatiam

[wango]

Great set up!

Lol, just bought a new “slim” fanny pack myself. There’s no gym lockers and don’t want to leave wallet/phone in the car. I still have my I-pod that is at least 15 years old and my earbuds are attached by a cord and not wireless. Yeah, I’m hip.

[Cylon357]

Great set up!

Lol, just bought a new “slim” fanny pack myself. There’s no gym lockers and don’t want to leave wallet/phone in the car. I still have my I-pod that is at least 15 years old and my earbuds are attached by a cord and not wireless. Yeah, I’m hip.

You know, some of us more... senior gentlemen get grief because of our 'fashion' choices. Listen, it's not that we (generally speaking) don't get it, it's just that we are SO over all the 'oh, I have to have X Brand shoes' or 'those super fancy earbuds from music guy' that it just ain't important to us. Nothing wrong with those things, but I have multiple pair of Sony corded earbuds that I use. I bought one set and was like 'damn, these are the best earbuds I have ever used', and bought a few more. The Wife's Apple ear buds (iBuds?) don't sound as good as these.

Really, I think for most of us older cats, we just don't care anymore about being hip or fashionable. No judging, just putting it out there.

I'm still a bit off from standing out on the porch and saying 'get off my lawn!' but I am starting to see the appeal