This weeks workout routine was the start of a new mini cycle, for last week was deload week. I hear within some private forums in GB that the workout(s) feels hard after deload week. It's not that it's hard, it's more a welcome back from taking some time from going easy on yourself. And I must say, it's good to be back.
Starting off with a little jogging to get the body energized. Energized being receiving a runners high. Reaching back inside, my grandmother was in the basement and fortunately I had my headset on to just go with the flow of the workout and work at hand. I think I should do that with my other works. Any way back to my workout routine of what I recently wrote in my notebook. Newly create titles for universal understanding:
1. core (FL/PE4)
Got into 4sets by 24 reps, it was not bad (although back to the drawing board with this one at block2). Plus I remember a breathing technique that I learned back in kung fu school, so that helped a lot through my whole routine. This routine is pretty much the same routine I’ve been going at for quite a few months now, for the max is 5 sets by 36 sets. The mobility side of it is pretty straight forward in movement and I managed to pick up some speed with it.
2. planche (sPL/SE1)
(this level seems to combo with hand stands, in a way with balancing. This routine is coming from foundation2. All other routines of mine is still in foundation1)
This is actually not handstands, but the routine is the planche. But this time its in a way similar to hand stands. The first part of the routine is called Frog stand which is different from ordinary frog stands, so I'm still getting used to it. But again, with my breathing routine that I incorporated from my old kung fu training, it has helped for now. The second half, is hella hard (but getting better movement into it) and I hear it took some over a year to get used to. I'm no way near elevating both of my legs off the ground, but I'm finding ways to get in, even with 1 leg up or both down (depending on my strength at the time). Anyway, I'm back in the beginning stage (block1) with this one @ 3 sets by 6 seconds holding for the first part and 10 seconds mobility.
3. obliques (SL/PE3)
NEW routine/level up. Just one of two new workouts within this training day (3 new ones, if you want to include next level for actual hand stands I'm getting into tomorrow (HS/PE5). Anyway, I'm a level up with my obliques, 3rd level where one side of my body is stationary, with arms straight, and working on my obliques on that side from the bottom up, feeling the TENSION throughout the movement. I managed to get 3-4 reps in on each side, and I'm going for 4 sets by 4 reps for this week (block2 level / week 5). I went up to 5 sets today just to go there.
4. crunches (MN/PE3)
Nothing new here. I'm still at the beginner stage of this level 3 routine, due to my legs are slightly bent after a few reps (must keep legs straight). I managed 4 sets by 6 reps. And the second part to it, the mobility was fairly easy now (great stretch for both back and hamstrings).
5. legs (SLS/PE3)
Another NEW routine/level up. I've decided to do some warm ups for this, as I would do some warmups during the Handstand training. I started off with both major and mobility of level 1 and 2 as a warmup, just for preparation for this level 3 leg routine. It was very interesting moving from left to right over and over again. It reminds me of kung fu in rotation of horse stance to bow&Arrow and back, from one side to the other (but of course in a much lower stance (or stretch) from side to side). Now the other part of the leg routine (although its a mobility), from what I hear from others, it seems like the main workout. I felt the outside of my legs getting in some work as well as my glutes in a different angle. Overall pretty intense. I made sure to go as the young man goes in the video, even with the arms and how the move from the bottom up, being from the side to the front (see the video to understand).
6. push (HS/PE2)
Same ol' movement, level 2, block 3. But focused and willing to go for the additional reps with less break in-between actual workout (I may go up to 9 reps take a few breaths and crank out the remaining 3 (that was the last 3 sets, first one was fairly easy). The mobility is getting much smoother and I'm not feeling like taking much time off to rest between the two (which is normally up to 10 seconds or less). I had thoughts of going faster, but it was messing with the 'hollow back' so I went at moderate speed (caught myself during the first 2 reps at the second set).
7. pull (RC/PE1)
Another same ol' movement, at level 1, block 3. But there is more focus with the actual "hinge" movement that I'm getting used to and my strength, in comparison to the pull, was stronger. I was cranking out rep after rep and started feeling some fatigue during the 3rd and final set. The second half of the routine, being the stretch wasn't too bad and I wasn't thinking at all about taking any time of breather before getting in the second set of the 'hinge' and so on with the remaining sets.
Afterwards, I did light jogging outside to cool down, and run an errand.