5k run today (3.1 miles). Time: 28:34:83. Not as fast as last time, but still much faster than 30 minutes. Much nicer weather, too, it was party cloudy skies and 58 degrees. Could spring be around the corner? So with the 28 1/2 minute run, plus the 15 minute cooldown walk back to work, I burned 485 calories.

Today starts the last two weeks of the 16-week Men's Health Total Body Plan. It's actually my second time through, but I'll be starting a new plan once this is done.

And once again, the workout kicked my butt! Here it is:

A circuit of:
Bench press, 3 sets of
- Set 1: 1 set of 6 reps @ 6RM (105lbs)
- Set 2: N sets of 6 reps @ 6RM-15% (95lbs), where N is failure
- Set 3: 1 set of N reps @ 6RM-40% (80lbs), where N is failure
Static Curl, hold dumbbell @ 20-degree angle for 40 seconds, 35lb dumbbell
Static Lying Triceps Extension, hold barbell back behind head 40 seconds, 55lbs

In the end I did 3 circuits. Set 2 of bench presses were 2 sets of 6 per circuit; the last circuit, I was only able to do 5 reps. Set 3 of bench presses were 20 reps apiece except for the last, which was 10. Heh.

50 minutes total, 359 calories burned

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to jog because of the rain. It was pouring down rain by the time lunch rolled around, and it kept up right on through the day. Yes, I could have jogged at home, but have you ever tried 5 miles on a treadmill? Even watching TV or listening to music, an hour on the treadmill gets mighty boring. So I skipped it.

Today, however, is a different story. Here's the workout:

Warmup, 3 sets of 5 reps, w/45lb bar
* Overhead Squat
* Squat
* Good Morning
* Barbell Lunge
* Romanian Deadlift
* Bent-Over Row

Workout
First 3 exercises are in a circuit, repeat until technical failure
* Incline Dumbbell Bench Press w/Pause, 35lb dumbbells, 6 6 6
* Incline Lower Trap Raise, 20lb dumbbells, 10 10 10
* Dumbbell Bench Press, 35lb dumbbells, 15 15 10

Last 2 exercises are in a circuit, repeat until technical failure
* Telle Curl, 80lbs on bar, 6 6 6
* Incline Barbell Triceps Extension, 55lbs, 8 8 8

35 minutes, 216 calories burned

Next week the workouts change for two weeks. It's the last two of the Men's Fitness workouts, after that I'm heading into Jillian Michaels' Making the Cut!

While perusing the web and reading about ways to improve pullup performance, I stumbled on a marvelous thing: assisted pullups using resistance bands! I have a resistance band, so I decided to give it a try, since my pullup capability isn't what I'd like. They certainly made a difference today, but not only that, but I hit a personal record for pullups. Here's today's workout:


Warmup, Circuit of 30 seconds each exercise, 3 sets
* Jumping Jack
* Split Jack
* Prisoner Squat
* Alternating Lunge
* Mountain Climber

Workout
Squat, 165lbs, sets: 8 8 8 8 8 8
Close-Grip Chin-Up, 5 (yup, FIVE) 2 (unassisted), 3 4 2 2 (assisted)
Lean-away lateral Raise, left/right, 20/12 20/12
Hanging Leg Raise, 7 5

The last time I did pullups I could only do 4. It's taken a long time, but I've gone from not being able to complete ANY to doing 5 in a row, and that's great. Hopefully the assisted pullup thing will improve my unassisted numbers as well.

41 minutes, 294 calories burned