I know many of you just spewed protein shake across the counter as you read that thinking, “Rich really has gone sissy and is doing those DVD’s.” Wrong! Many more of you were not thinking anything of it perhaps muttering, “What else is new?” as you clicked on the link. But really this post is to laugh about my first two days on the Ewoldsen Insanity Program. (I know he didn’t name it that but that is an apt description of it.)
Day one is bench press. Wonderful protocol here.
Bench Press 8 sets of 5 with 1 minute rest. I used a massive 200# and barely finished all the reps.
No more than a minute later begin auxiliary work, 5×5 with 30-45 seconds rest between each. Change exercises each workout.
Incline Fly (Flies? I haven’t done flies since before Bill met Monica!) I used 35′s and thought my shoulder was going to pop out.
Low Incline Barbell Press with a macho weight of 155 again contemplating how I was going to get out from under it if I couldn’t make the racks.
Low Cable Row 230 pounds, not so bad. Dead hang chins again not horrible. Yes, I was kipping. No, it’s not cheating. I am still 275!
Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions 150#. This is the whole stack so next time I will switch machines. No, I didn’t cut the stretch short on the last few reps. Not too much anyway.
Close Grip Bench with 150# was easy. That is, if you mean not as hard as heavy deadlifts, then yes it was easy.
I barely finished all the reps. It drove my heart rate up to the same zone it is when I run and would only drop 20-25bpm when I rested.
Yesterday, I got after deadlifts. Opens up with one set of deep breathing squats. I used 240 and should have gone heavier. I will next time. However, today my legs are crying. Interesting about this, I can tell you which quads work the most doing GS and which ones don’t by the soreness in my legs. Rectus Femoris and Vastus Intermedius, yes. Vastus Lateralis and Vastus Medialis, NO! Makes sense with the RF because it is the only head to cover both the knee and the hip joint. Tremendous work on jerks and long cycle in the rack position. Intermedius also because of the linear motion of the jerk without a great knee bend. Compare that to the deep squat position and the great knee bend and lateral stability required. Both of those stress the VMO and lateralis more. This combined with the greater load and longer time under tension…
Sorry, geeked out on you there. But trust me the empirical feeling in my legs matches the theoretical explanation. Plus, all the muscles in the groin are big time upset with me. Must have been the squats because conventional deadlift is easy on the groin. Speaking of deadlift, I hit two sets of five with 340 then dropped to 300 because I was shaking so much parts were flying off. I did get every set, no extra rest. I haven’t done fives on deadlift in the last five years at least. My memory gets a little fuzzy after that. Forty deadlifts in under nine minutes? I usually don’t do 40 deadlifts in two workouts! As Mike put it, if you still want to do auxiliary work at this point go ahead. Nah, I’ll pass. I did run around 2 miles though. Weights don’t slow me down on my runs. Not that that is possible without calling it walking.
Anyway, campers, that is my fun for the past two days. I’ve got some kettlebells to lift.
If you need me, I’ll be around.
I feel your pain Rich. After the dead routine I actually crawled over the bench to sit. Insanity is correct… I will put it to the rest in Jan. Later