Exercise/Fitness Log

[Divandan]

I have been getting pretty bored with the KB workouts at home. I decided to create a budget version of the X3 Bar system with a metal rod and some resistance bands I bought online.

Tried it last night with the overhead press and a front squat with the lightest band in the set. It definitely fatigues your muscles. Easy enough also to store away and bring back again.

[theanimal]

Decided to do a murph a week. Today I got a full, all reps, non-weighted murph at 58:10 (and felt like I was gonna die). I also put a 1.5" box under my chest on the pushups (last week I was doing full depth). Non-kipping pullups.

That's hardcore! Nice improvement on last week's effort.

I used to do that years ago with The Devil's Mile. That's another fun ( ) one that can serve as a benchmark.

For time do the following:
1/4 mile lunges
30 pushups (or run 1/4 mile)
1/4 mile broad jumps (or burpees)
30 squats (or run 1/4 mile)
1/4 mile Overhead Carry
30 burpees (or run 1/4 mile)
1/4 mile bear crawl
30 4 count scissor kicks (or run 1/4 mile)

[mooretrees]

I have been getting pretty bored with the KB workouts at home. I decided to create a budget version of the X3 Bar system with a metal rod and some resistance bands I bought online.

Tried it last night with the overhead press and a front squat with the lightest band in the set. It definitely fatigues your muscles. Easy enough also to store away and bring back again.

Nice, I am curious about the bands you found. I’m starting to think about buying some but am in the research phase/ebay scouring phase. Would appreciate your feedback!

[Divandan]

Sure thing:

Here is the video that inspired it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mru0_Q-LLQ8&t=313s

Bands:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1823XB?ps ... ct_details

Bar: (I probably could have DIYed this)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDRZ698H?ps ... ct_details

I have not been using any platform yet; I just step on the bands. The bar itself seems to work really well for things like overhead presses, front squats, and bent-over rows, but you can probably just get by with the bands, honestly.

From what I read the main benefit is by going slow on the lifts and not locking out. I can confirm that they really tire out your muscles without that much weight. There also seems to be a lot of reports that say this type of lifting doesn't beat up your joints as much. I can write up my review after using this for a little bit of time.

[mooretrees]

Thanks Divandan! Appreciate the links, looks like the banks you linked are on sale right now too. I’m waiting a bit though, currently in a big purge so can’t justify buying them yet.

I do hope to hear how you like them after some time. And anyone else who regularly uses them.

[sodatrain]

Decided to do a murph a week. Today I got a full, all reps, non-weighted murph at 58:10 (and felt like I was gonna die). I also put a 1.5" box under my chest on the pushups (last week I was doing full depth). Non-kipping pullups.

wow dude, that's impressive. How many weeks? my fat ass (was less fat ass a few years ago) did a Murph and *barely* limped across the finish line. No idea on time. It wasn't impressive. Assisted pullups.

Just recently I started sitting on the floor again and working on getting up/down without using my hands. That was hard the first couple days. Easier now. Gotta stop this feeling that my body is slowly turning to stone from lack of use!

[AxelHeyst]

wow dude, that's impressive. How many weeks?

However many weeks it takes to catch @theanimal. Hopefully he has another kid soon and is crazy sleep deprived again for National Murph Day 2025 and I can claim victory then. Work smart *and* hard.

[jacob]

However many weeks it takes to catch @theanimal.

Around 5000. Just fuhgetaboutit... He's too short/compact/strong/fast. The only forumite to ever beat him was a one time Olympian and eventual special forces operator.

[theanimal]

Speaking of Olympians, Milo of Croton (540 BC) allegedly trained in the Olympic off years by carrying a newborn calf on his back everyday until the events took place. Four years later when the next games came around, he was carrying a full-grown cow. Like Milo, I have my own calf (baby animal) that I am carrying around, biding my time until the next Murph. A second kid sounds like double the gainz.

Around 5000. Just fuhgetaboutit... He's too short/compact/strong/fast. The only forumite to ever beat him was a one time Olympian and eventual special forces operator.

@JasonR! That guy is a monster.

I suppose most people are short compared to you If I'm remembering correctly, @AH and I are roughly the same height. I'm 6' 0"

[AxelHeyst]

I'm 5'10", watch out. And I do better with wildly unrealistic goals. I almost never actually hit them, but I go farther than than I would have if I picked a more milquetoast target. (e.g. MMM bounced off me but ERE stuck...). And I'm wired to be just fine with leaving a wake of "failures" that I had fun hucking myself at. Will I catch @theanimal? Nah, probably not. But I'm more likely to accidentally get a sub-45min weighted Murph time while chasing his dadbod ass...

Like Milo, I have my own calf (baby animal) that I am carrying around, biding my time until the next Murph. A second kid sounds like double the gainz.

Damn! They were right, the big V was a mistake!!

[loutfard]

I'm happy with my modest increase in fitness. I don't know how come. I had not trained burpees for almost two months, and recently still improved significantly in just a few days!

Two months ago, things were bad. I couldn't do 40 burpees in 10 minutes. Now 50 in 9 minutes is easy (4* 5 + 5*6).

[AxelHeyst]

Murph Progress:
| Date | Total Time | Style
| 2024.05.28 | 46:?? | DNF, failed at 12 sets of reps
| 2024.06.06 | 58:10 | Unweighted
| 2024.06.12 | 49:26 | Unweighted
| 2024.06.20 | 46:06 | Unweighted

I'm doing pullups on a 2x6 beam, not sure I'm getting apples-to-apples pullups. Would be a bummer to realize I'm training to miss last 10% rom. Will rig up a bar soon.

[sodatrain]

Dude! That's some serious progress. Well done.

[jennypenny]

Braggarts! I'm going to start posting my PT accomplishments ... 6/19 was able to touch opposing shoulder 5 times with rebuilt arm, tied shoes by myself for first time.

Take that Murph-ers!

[sodatrain]

Braggarts! I'm going to start posting my PT accomplishments ... 6/19 was able to touch opposing shoulder 5 times with rebuilt arm, tied shoes by myself for first time.

Take that Murph-ers!

PT is super important!! Well done! Show us your gains next week

You are working thru pain and forced adjustment! That takes grit too.

[suomalainen]

@jp glad to hear you're making progress

[jennypenny]

PT is super important!! Well done! Show us your gains next week

I was just teasing them. I'm jealous. All I can pick up right now is an empty paper cup -- a long way from a ruck sack. I'll get there though, hopefully by next summer.

[AxelHeyst]

6/19 was able to touch opposing shoulder 5 times with rebuilt arm, tied shoes by myself for first time.

Take that Murph-ers!

You're the hardcore one here, jp.

[jennypenny]

LOL, I am totally channeling Uma Thurman at PT today. Thx for that.

And thanks @Suo. IIRC you had a similar level of accident and can relate to where I'm at right now.

[7Wannabe5]

I finally had a day when I felt good enough to attempt my old 6X week daily habit of trail-walking again. Apparently, my new normal is that I am more than twice as slow as I was previously, Blood work results a few days later. Yup, anemic again. I feel like an old car with multiple leaky lines and clogged filters.