Assuming you are a non-senior male, these seem like challenging goals, but quite possible – a good long term target.
For me the easiest one is 12 pull-ups. My usual warmup set for pull-ups is >12, before doing working sets with weighted backpack. I tried bench pressing body weight last night for my warmup set and made it to 25 reps, in spite of never training in this rep range before.
The one than I know I cannot do is 20 min 5K. People do 20 min 5Ks all the time. In my local 5K, 20 min would be top ~10% finish for 40+ males. However, I haven’t trained for this distance and have a non-optimal body type for distance running. I suspect I’d currently get a better time by repeatedly doing sprints and brisk walks, like my HIIT workouts, rather than running at constant pace. Neither strategy would result in a time under 20 min, without a lot of work.
Of all the major lifts (snatch, clean & jerk, squat, deadlift and bench press), bench press is one that I don’t do more than once a week, if that. Laying down and pressing up is the least functional lift, unless you’re trying to get a sibling off your chest.
So, 25 reps at bodyweight ain’t gonna happen for me. Maybe if I focused on it, but I won’t.
True, but “in shape” can take many forms. Say like a 500 lb deadlift and then run a 5 minute mile. Lots of ways to define “in shape.” Or that infamous CF workout called The Murph.
I’m still struggling to get to one unassisted pull up at the gym…whew
I have improved from needing 50 lbs of assist down to 15 (but only manage to get to 7 reps). Try not to look at the 20 year old guys easily cranking out 15 pull-ups next to me (although folks on this thread could definitely keep up with them!).
So, I had squats and a HIIT on my program tonight, but since It’s been at least a week since I benched, I decided to discover how many reps at bodyweight I could get.
Any guesses? …eleven (11). #11 was a real struggle, but I had people “yelling” at me.
Now, the one variable is I went full comp. No bouncing off the chest, no momentum was used. I paused the bar at the chest and went to full lockout of the elbows. And some part of the buttocks must always keep touching the bench. The buttocks cannot fully leave the pad.
Obviously, shorter arms and arched backs (elevates chest) do help a A LOT.
I then squatted, got to 96+% of my PR and then moved on to the HIIT, which was a 7-minute AMRAP of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, etc. of lateral burpees and front squats. Seven minutes is a LOOOONG time.
Thursdays, I’ve been running 7-8 miles along the Bay. So, run tomorrow. This week is a deload week. New cycle starts Monday.
Less an update then a whine. I was all set to play soccer on Tuesday night but instead had to spend the evening at my local County Board meeting urging approval for part of of the funding for large project that will convert a large set of grass fields to artificial turf.
I am a little stressed on the exercise front.
We signed up for an “intermediate/avid” bike trip through some of the Utah NPs, and it’s coming up in 2 weeks. We told ourselves it was towards the end of the biking season, and we’d be in shape and ready for it. We got a call from one of the trip leaders last week, and one thing he told us is day one has a 3 mile hill. He also said 4-5 of 9 riders are going to be on e-bikes. Unfortunately, we have not done many long rides this year, and haven’t done a lot of hills work. I’m blaming my husband a little, but of course I could do them on my own, or ride my indoor bike for lots of miles. We have done a couple of rides with some hill work, but not as many as we should have. Usually on our group bike trips we are towards the top. We fear we will be way towards the bottom on this trip. I will be worse off than my husband, because as a lifetime “long distance” runner (as in miler/runs 4-6 miles multiple days a week, NOT a marathoner), he can always find a little more in his tank.
PLUS, I am very disappointed in this vendor. One of the main reasons we picked the company was they stayed in nicer hotels than other vendors. However, late in the game they changed the hotel I was really looking forward to staying in, to a lesser hotel (and the owner of the company argued with me about it, saying it was NOT lesser quality, despite me confirming it with the hotel brand AND the original hotel being $250 more per night). They were also supposed to be doing some “extra” things because they billed our trip a part of their 20th anniversary celebration. They’ve backed out of doing those things too.
I continue to exercise and continue to gain weight since my mom died. I am bordering on full-on self-loathing right now. But I will keep on exercising and hope to correct my diet.
Just got back from my last vacay of the year. That will help. I got in 20k steps one day with lots of hills. Felt great.
Good suggestion - We could have gotten e-bikes as part of the trip (probably too late now), but we aren’t ready to “admit defeat” yet. We actually got new road bikes earlier this year to help train for the trip. We have been riding a fair amount, just not doing the distance and/or the hills we should have been. We will have van support if we need it (they will pick you up wherever is safe close to when you call it quits), and they have multiple distances most every day. It’s just feeling scary right now, because we realize we wanted to be in a better place.
@1214mom that is annoying with the company. I hope you are still able to enjoy it. Just keep thinking how jealous I am! Getting to the Utah parks is on my bucket list. And just do what you can and don’t sweat it. You are doing way more than most Americans - and note I didn’t even say “for your age” (wink).
