12/12/12 came and went...

My second week of December is uneventful, with just the normal routines of work and home. We had a short blackout yesterday evening and while I liked the candle filled house, it wasn't bright enough. So I whipped out my flashlights, and lo and behold, the whole house was bright.

Being an active scouts back in the day (from early primary school to end of high school), certain principles stick on to you throughout your life. Always be helpful, think of others before yourself, and always be prepared for the unexpected.

The last one is what my training and flashlights have in common. My training evolves the idea of being physically fit to do daily chore, while still having energy to do other things. The idea is also to ensure that I am capable of doing physical feats at unexpected situations, be it holding on a bulky item from falling from an overhead storage, or pulling a door of a car wreckage, or even fighting off and surviving a zombie apocalypse.

Same thing for my every day carry items (EDC) and flashlights. I carry with me at all times a pocket knife and a small Fenix Flashlight to prepare myself should the need arises to use them. Being a QS requires me to open packages and documents on a weekly basis, thus the knife is handy. The flashlight is a must in Kuching; the place isn't as bright as Singapore so there's a lot of dark corners, inside and out of the house.

Anyways my training over the past few days hasn't been impressive. I find myself lacking the energy to complete my workouts in it's intended level, but I guess its mainly due to the fact I performed them at 10pm at night, due to the increased level of activities at home.

Workouts were based on classic 5x5 routines. What I wasn't impressed was the weight I utilised, but it was already forewarned that using sandbags is totally different from traditional weights, and therefore you will drop the level of weight you are used to.

10/12/12
Pull ups - 5x5
Shouldering - 6x4
Push jerks - 5x5
Zercher Squats - 5x5
Weight - 36kg

12/12/12
Bear hug Squats - 5x5
Extended dips - 5x5
Shouldering - 5x5
Weights - 56kg for first 2 rounds, then dropped to 36kg.

It was my first time trying a 56kg sandbag, which is the max the sandbag can handle, and more than I can personally handle. That's good to know, since it means it will take quite some time before I will need to utilise a larger sandbag.

Owh, as predicted, I got smaller sandbag for these workouts. Although big blue 300lbs sandbag is nice to have, it'll take a while before I can utilise it's full potential (for that size of a bag, it should only be filled with a minimum of 40kg, or else the extra space in the sandbag makes it unusable). I was given a Brute Force sandbag by my brother as a thank you gift (since I got him a heat rate monitor and a TRX kit previously).

4 words, I love this bag! The handles are nice to have (while I mainly use 4 of them), and it can handle quite a fair bit of weight. The dimensions are perfect for all kind of exercises, from shouldering to rotating high-pulls.

Its a lot larger than expected, but I still like it since it can handle up to 58~68kg of sand (depends how you pack it). I just hope the seams of the bag can handle the abuse I'm gonna trash onto the bag.

Weekly workout

Ok so I've been ranting on so many things I forgot to record the main items in this blog: my workouts.

01/12/12
Sandbag - 38kg
Rotational deadlifts (from left to right and vice versa) - 10 reps
Push press - 10 reps
Pull ups - max reps (9,7,7)
Shoulder lunges - 6
Total of 3 rounds

03/12/12
Sandbag - 38kg
Rotational Deadlifts - 20 reps
Clapping Push ups - 20 reps
Shouldering - 20 reps
Clean and press - 10 reps
Back squats - 10 reps
Total of 2 rounds (was very tired that day)

06/12/12
Sandbag - 38kg
5 pull ups
10 Zercher squats
10 push press
Total of 5 rounds

Next coming exercises will be increasing the weight by 4~5kg.

Why sandbag training

Back in 2009 when googling for TRX exercises, I came across something called sandbag training. I was intrigued and decided to give it a shot.

Being in Singapore, you don't have the luxury of land, so I had to run down to a local landscape company and bought 4 small bags of sand. I also went down to Beach Road to buy a medium army duffel bag to try it out.

The results? I liked the workouts, but the bag was limiting my exercises. It was too small, so not much sand can be placed inside it, and I couldn't grip onto the fabric well.

I researched on custom sandbag training equipments and found only the Ultimate Sandbag available online. I found it to be on the pricey side so I gave it a pass. Also, with no indication of the material of the product, I was very skeptical that it can withstand a lot of abuse.

Fast forward to 2012, moving back to Kuching provided me several obstacles. Everything is far (if you want to walk) and public transportation is scarce. I don't have a car, so I can't go to the gym on a regular basis. And even if I did, I don't like that most of the gyms I go to, I get bugged by resident muscle man, who keeps asking me "whatcha training", and giving their comments on why my training is not effective in size gains, why I should train with a partner, or always cutting queue on an equipment just because they've been going there longer or they "own" the place.

So the idea of a home gym came back into play. I have the space, I have *scarcely* the time, and the backing of my father-in-law (he was Aikido master and mid-weight boxing champ back in the day), so why not? While having my suspension trainers works very well for me over the past years, I still wanted to to train with something heavy (not my own heavy ass).

So I looked back into sandbag training. I had an old duffel bag made of cordura that I knew can take some abuse, and started training. Being larger in size compared to my first sandbag, it truly allowed me to feel the benefits of sandbag training. Imagine, I can do 48kg of shoulder presses, but could barely lift 30kg on my first attempt.

I wouldn't go into details on why sandbag training is beneficial. There's a lot of website where these info can be found. All I can say is that, for me and my goals, it meets my current expectations. I want to be strong enough to carry large and heavy objects, or even throw an adult, with not much muscle to show.

Sure, I do wanna be big(ger), me and my wife are more or less the same height, and with her slender frame, she looks taller. So I wanna be bigger so my children can remember me as "my well built father". Nothing can protect my children better than a "my dad can beat up your dad" statement. But with limited time and transportation to go to the gym, I guess a real heavy sandbag can suffice.

Notes on Suspension Trainers

Suspension trainers has taken the world by storm over the past 6 year ever since the TRX was featured in "The Biggest Loser". Since then, every gym has one, every average gym goer wants to use one, and every seller tried to mimic or replicate (i.e. rip offs) them.

I've been using suspension trainers for a while as my most go-to work outs. I own three types, actually; The TRX Force Tactical, The Jungle Gym XT and a pair of EXR gymnastic rings.

My TRX Force Tactical is my second TRX actually. I bought the first generation around 6 years ago. It held up pretty well despite the abuse I've put it thru. I've trained at home, outdoors, anchored it to doors, trees, pull up bars and beams. I went on to give it to my brother (to incorporate into his circuit training regime) and bought the TRX Force Tactical. This is the most current version and am very very happy with it. Sure, it costs a bomb but the whole kit is worth it. It comes with the upgraded version (using D-links instead of buckles, rubber handles instead of foam, and is army green instead of the dumb yellow) of the kit, as well as an anchor extender, a rip proof bag, and a full tactical program for a full 3 months training.

Then I went on to buy the Lifeline USA's Jungle Gym XT. I have previously bought the TNT cable from the company and was very pleased with the quality (despite looking a bit flimsy). I bought it coz I felt slightly limited with the V design the TRX gave (i.e. 1 anchor point) and wanted a split design.

So the Jungle Gym came and I trained with it. The handles and buckle are ABS plastic and are very durable. The split design allowed me to do more with the suspension trainer, allowing me to do pull ups / chin ups (even against the door you can do it), dips or make single use with 1 handle.

Being in Singapore, I came home a lot, and I didn't want my trainers to fill in the space of my luggage during my usual weekend stay. That's why I bought EXR Olympic Rings and installed them (permanently) on the beam at home. I couldn't do leg exercises, but they do allow me do a full range of upper body and core workouts.

Each has their pros and cons, and each has their own value in different situations. I'd like to draw this one out to ease people in deciding which to buy, as I believe all are good products and has their place in the world.

Construction

TRX
Very well built, especially the force kit. With no moving parts I can say they're indestructible (unless you but it on fire or wrap a bomb onto it). The handles are soft rubber and are very very durable. The kit was meant to be used by US Army during deployment, so its meant to last under harsh condition and abuse.

XT
The webbing is softer than the TRX, but just are indestructible. The handles, foot rests, buckle and built in door anchor are ABS plastic, which is the tough and light weight. My only worries are the handles which creaks under stress, and the buckles with loses it's springiness after much use.

EXF
The material of the handles are that is used in riot shields. Webbing is soft, and the buckle and S link are solid steel (not stainless). Problem is that my country has a high humidity level, with highest rainfall in the country (4,200mm of rainfall yearly). My S link started to rust a bit, but apart from that its no problem.

Ease of use during training

TRX
Extremely easy. Just push up the D-link, adjust the length of the webbing, and you're done. The V-design allows some errors during adjustment, allowing you to slide and align the handle's height if the length of adjustment isn't equal. The foot pegs are large and moldable enough to quickly get your foot thru them.

XT
A bit fiddly compared to the TRX. You push down the cam buckle, adjust the handle on the webbing, and since it's a split design, you will have to ensure both lengths of adjustment are equal, or else it'll be uneven. You will have to adjust and test it a few times (you'd feel it once you do a row or push up) before getting it perfect.

EXF
The most fiddly of the three. Like the XT, you will have to ensure both lengths of adjustment are equal, or else it'll be uneven, and this depends on the set up. If you're using the old school method of set up, you'd have to climb onto a chair or ladder to adjust the buckle. The EXF is meant to be fixed at a fixed height with minimum adjustment, so it's understandable that the design allows minimum adjustments.

Comfort during use

TRX
Its a mixed bag for the TRX. The handles, while made of rubber, is comfortable and provides excellent grip. The foot pegs are very comfortable, making abs and leg exercises a breeze. The problem is the webbing that connects to the handles. You see, the webbing is designed to be vertical to the handle, making the webbing dig into your arms when you hold the handles during push up or tricep exercises. Its a little annoying.

XT
Unlike the TRX, the webbing is on the same horizontal plane as the handles, so its very comfortable during push ups, tricep extensions, even dips. The handles are solid enough, though I do question if they break if I dropped them from the 2nd storey. The foot pegs, however, are a pain. They're made of rigid silicone (I think), so you can't adjust or mold them. Also, I like workout out using sandals or barefoot, and rubbing against this gives me quite a bit of rashes.

EXF
Olympic rings are olympic rings. While some say you can use them for foot work, I highly doubt that you can without having to readjust all the time. The EXF has a tri-texture handle / ring. The ring are divided into three parts: smooth, textured and rubberised. Each have their uses during different exercises, like the smooth is good during muscle ups (I can't do one yet but I know it'll help).

Portability and ease of set up

TRX
The TRX is made to be used on the go. Its packs down the smallest of all 3, and that's the most important part. You can buy something that weighs close to nothing but if it's still too bulky to pack, I don't see the point.

One gripe I have is that there are too many parts in the package. The TRX is made of 1 main webbing with handles, a connection webbing to wrap around the anchor point, a door attachment, and an extension webbing if the connection is too short. You can easily lose the parts if you don't pack them into one place.

Set up is easy enough; if you're using an overhead bar or a pole/tree, wrap the connection webbing or the extension webbing to make your anchor. If it's a door, replace it with the door attachment instead.

XT
I enjoy the XT's design. The handle is attached to a webbing long enough to be used on an anchor point 8 feet high. On the end it has a big plastic anchor that you either loop your webbing into (the webbing splits there) or use the anchor as a built in door anchor. I love the length, at 8 feet @ 2.6m you can use it without an extender (they do sell these too). And if you want to make it into a V design, it comes with a connector to hold both ends of the webbing together, so you can just throw the XT over a tree branch.

EXF
Its a training ring. Period. Its set up is easier enough (from what I read) compared to other training rings. And it's not meant for portability. Its meant to be fixed onto a beam or ceiling, and left there at a height that you can do pull ups, muscle ups, and all those acrobatic moves you wanna try.

Total Score

TRX = 5/5
I love the TRX. Its durable with an extremely nice design, packs up small and comfortable to use. Apart from the way the webbing may dig into your arms during upper body exercises, its perfect. If you're not picky on having a split design (which allows you to do more types of exercises), this is perfect for you. Its my go-to suspension trainer if I'm out and about. Its less fiddly to set up and it can readjust itself if you have the length adjusted unevenly.

Its the perfect trainer if you have to constantly have to setup and dismantle your trainer(especially on doors) or if you're constantly on the go.

XT = 5/5
The XT is my home set up trainer. I have an overhead beam which I just fix it onto and forget about it the rest of the day. The split design allows me to practice muscle ups and chin ups/pull ups, so thats a huge plus. Due to the foot peg design, it isn't as portable as the TRX (say, if you have to pack it into your luggage bag), but it is still portable enough and easy to set up. Its a bit more fiddly to set up though, compared to the TRX, as you will have to readjust a few times to the the length equal on both handles.

Another huge plus is the price. Its half the price of the TRX, so its perfect if you're on a budget.

EXF = 4/5
First off, this shouldn't be compared to the TRX or XT, since it's in a different league altogether. Olympic rings are meant for upper body / acrobatic workouts only, and set up on a fixed length without readjusting. The webbing is soft, and with the tri-texture handles, it will allow newbies to progress accordingly to their grip capability.

The price is the cheapest amongst the three.

So again, while all three are good products, they all are perfect, depending on your needs:-

TRX: If you're always on the go or don't have a lot of space, or want a more hassle free setting up. US Marines uses this, so you can be assured of its quality and portability.

XT: If you can just fix and leave it there at home, or if you want a larger range of workouts.

EXF: If you have your own gym with tonnes of equipment, or a very high head space.

Since I have all three I use:-

The TRX when I'm working out with my brothers outside (not at home) or to carry with me while travelling.

The XT when I'm at home.

The EXF when I'm at home (I periodically switch between the XT and EXF).

Return of a lifestyle program

Back in end 2009, I was at the peak of my physical fitness; I had 10-12% body fat, BMI was 23.3, weight at 68kg. It was the first time in my life I actually saw my six pack of abs (it didn't bulge though.. It just showed). I was strong, energetic and happy. I trained almost everyday and ate right.

Over the years I tried to make a comeback.. I did almost everything the same.. Save one important thing that I never realised till now, which is why I've gain back the weight prior to that (and then some).

You see, I achieved all that I described above within one month.. A month before that I was 73kg. I couldn't run more than 3km at a time without the feeling of vomiting.

Come the Ramadhan month (fasting month) of 2009, I kept to my training regime, with the addition of fasting during the daytime and my religion required me to do. During breaking fast, I would eat a normal sized portion meal. I would then train with my then 2 sets of 20kg kettlebells for almost an hour, splitting my upper body and my lower body workouts on alternate days. I would take my protein shake after the workout, then before bed I would eat another meal to prepare me for the next day's fast. I would take 1 day off every 2 days. Then on weekends I would rest for both days. Once in a while I would run/jog on the weekends, adding to my mileage to 4~5km per session.

This was the peak of my leanness. My traps showed and my abs popped out. I no longer had a thing called double chin (or even 1 1/2 chin).

After the fasting month, I kept to the regime, but my kilo's were slowly adding back over the years. I know it wasn't muscle as I saw my abs disappear. I hit a plateau on my training as I couldn't get additional reps or weight to increase my strength.

So I changed my training. I did suspension training, and conventional weight training. While both added very well to my physical and functional strength overall, I never got back the leanness I had.

Of course the deficit of calories played a huge role that time, it wasn't without its drawbacks. Fighting hunger pangs in the late afternoon was painful for me, especially when I was also watching my calories and was recovering from workouts. And being a guy who drinks a lot of liquids on a daily basis, fasting Ramadhan style isn't fun, especially in a hot climate like Singapore or Malaysia.

Recently, I came across several lifestyle articles that emphasizes on intermittent fasting. I was intrigued and decided to give it a shot.


What is intermittent fasting (IF)?

This style of fasting is like Ramadhan fasting, only that you set the rules of when to eat and when to fast, so long it's anywhere between a 12 to 24 hour period. Also, unlike Ramadhan fasting, it encourages you to take liquid to quell hunger pangs and promote natural detox of the body, so long these drinks are carbonate and sugar free. Meaning to say Kopi-O Kosong (black coffee with no sugar), green tea and plain water are encouraged.


How does one benefit from it?

Fasting is well known to "give your stomach a break", making your digestive system better. But apart that this, the benefits are:-

a) "give your stomach a break" is a metaphor for allowing your digestive system to recover. With no food, your digestive tract can heal itself better without any distractions. Your enzymes can replenish. Your bacterias (which aid the breakdown of food) in your colon can recover and increase in numbers. This means better food absorption when it's mealtime.

b) Digestion draws energy from the body to operate and maintain the digestive system. Being the main "entry port" of the body, it has to expend a lot of cells maintain your tract free from harmful bacteria, as well as to recover from harmful food. Giving it a break will allow your body to focus it's energy to repair other parts of your body, drawing free radicals and toxins from your cells. Its like Germany during WWII vs. Germany now. It has more resources to build the country better, rather than building it's military power that draws resources from other sectors, bringing poverty to the people.

Okay, so that's the layman's term. Now to the more technical part:-

a) It is proven that muscle breakdown only occur after 36 hours of fasting.

b) Your body will start to utilise your fat reserves for energy after 12 hours of fasting, when the glycogen reserves in your cells are depleted.

c) When your glycogen reserves are depleted, your insulin sensitivity increases. Meaning to say, insulin level will drop low during this period, allowing the levels to replenish (in your liver), and will be able to increase a lot when glucose is detected in your system (via eating meals). Its a huge plus for diabetic people, as it means there is enough insulin to react to the food you eat, keeping blood sugar levels low. Also, for fat loss, low insulin in your blood during this period of time means that no extra glucose will be converted to fat (mainly due to the fact that there is none to convert).

d) Fasting for more than 8 hours allows HGH to increase. HGH and testosterone are the two hormones that body builder and strength trainers strive for. These two hormones are responsible for the amount of muscle mass and strength you gain during / after workouts. If protein is the brick, HGH is its bricklayer and testosterone is its mortar. Without it, you will not gain muscle strength or mass, no matter how much protein you take (coz without it being utilised, protein will then break down into glucose and stored as fat).

Many people actually reported that they manage to cut fat AND increase muscle mass while fasting, when not even doing any training!

So there you have it. This is why my regime back in 2009 was so effective, and that is why I am reverting back to it. I am not doing Ramadhan style fasting, though. I am fasting only 16 hours a day, from 8~9pm to 12~1pm of the next day (16 hours) with plenty of water, tea and maybe coffee. Depriving my body of glucose will allow some fat burning and more importantly, increase my HGH. I will also continue to use my magnesium spray to regulate my bodily functions that will help increase my HGH (based on Mike Mahler's own study).

It is said that people who does both IF and high intensity training (HIT) will increase HGH levels by 2000% (WTF?!?!?!)!! I'm so gonna do Spartacus and 300 style workout for the next week or two!

I encourage people to follow suit.. If not for training (body building, strength training, fat loss, etc) purposes, at least for health purposes. It'll help keep your insulin levels in check, freeing you from worry of diabetes. After dinner, don't eat anymore.. Skip breakfast the next day. Then pig out during lunch (it is actually encouraged).

Just one word of caution: Do not eat high quantities of carbohydrates when you break fast. This is counter-productive as you are trying to lower sugar levels, not increase them. This type of lifestyle does not work on a high carbohydrate diet.

Mid week blues...

Ok so it isn't even mid week yet.. Maybe I'm getting the blues early coz I know I'd be very busy till the end of next week. I have a Project Law class throughout this weekend and I know I'd be burnt out.

On another note, I finally did use the sandbag, but being a very large one (capacity of 136kg), I only filled it with 40kg. I had a hard time moving it coz of the extra space inside, so I double folded the top. The result? I large, rounded solid bag of sand.

Not really what I was looking for, though. I was hoping that the bag would be longish with a lot of room for the sand to move in (too much room.. Imagine trying to grab the collar of a guy whose wearing an oversized shirt). Unfortunately, due to the diametre of the bag, it kinda all fell at the bottom, making it look like a round stone.

I have no complaints, though. For real sandbag workouts, like shoulderings, sumo squats, push press (haven't reach there yet. I can push press two 20kg kettlebells but can't do it with a 40kg sandbag.. Its all in technique), etc, it fits the bill. However seeing that I am really struggling with only 40kg of sand (which is 1/3 of the bags' intended weight), I should've gone for a Brute Force sandbag instead, since with the longish yet smaller diametre can handle lower weights like this better. But then again, I'd probably say the same thing of wanting an Ironmind sandbag for the extra weight capacity if I had a BF sandbag, lols..

So my training on Saturday was simple as I was trying to get my technique right:-

a) Shouldering - 2 x 6
b) Shoulder squats - 5 x 4
c) Zercher squat - 5 x 1 (NOTE: This IS hard if you don't have adequate ab strength, like me.. I can squat a 90kg barbell but can't do loads of this).

As mentioned, I tried push presses a few times, but couldn't nail it yet as the grip is totally different (having to compress and push the bag activates a whole loads of different muscles).

Monday training was full body weight, using my rings for the pulling exercise.
a) Pull ups - 6 x 5
b) Elevated push ups - 10 x 5
c) False grip rows - 10 x 5
d) Deep dips - 4~5 x 5

Didn't do well on the dips, maybe because I already fatigued my arms on the push ups. Do note that all of my body weight exercise are done at a very slow tempo (2 sec up, 1 sec hold, 2 sec down) to maximise strength building via time over tension.

New workout, new equipment..

So I took down my Jungle Gym XT and installed my Gym Rings from the outdoor patio girder. The Rings isn't easily adjustable as the XT, as I will need a chair to reach the adjuster's height, but might as well since I don't want to abuse my XT any further.

Did some ring exercises yesterday:-

25 pull ups
25 dips
25 false grip rows
30 plache push ups
40 knee tucks
5 x 10 sec hold tucked manna's

Why the manna's? I learned that one good exercise for the abs and hips (to achieve the required ability to do more rings exercises) is the manna. You will have to contract your abs and hold up your legs via your hips to hold the position. Plus its mean towards your triceps too (since the force loaded is slightly diagonal).

The false grip rows is to strengthen my wrists (I have fairly weak wrists) to prepare myself to the muscle up, since it uses the false grip to transition the pull up (pulling) to a dip (pushing). Most websites and videos said this is the most vital part for an olympic rings muscle up (bars might be easier, as the bars stay in place and you can use momentum to ease the transition).

All in all a sore workout. I hardly place any emphasis on pull ups (usually chin ups, but they recruit the biceps more) and now my upper back is slightly sore.

On another note, my sandbag arrived today, and I'm still thinking of ways to fill it up.

I went home during lunch (to collect my slippers for Friday prayers) and the postman was just outside the house. I quickly opened the package at the back porch, and lo and behold, a large blue bag, with nicely soft cordura and a few inner filler bags (they, too, are huge! Should've gotten more of the smaller ones rather than 2 large and 2 small ones).

Why sandbags? First and foremost, they are versatile.. Not as versatile as weights maybe, but having a home gym setup with tiled floors, you can't drop weights onto the floor without cracking the damn tiles.

Secondly, they are cheaper. I bought 2 bags of sand for RM8, with each bag being around 40kg each. Plus the bag, its around RM350 in total. Weights costs around RM7.50 per kg here, so to get a 80kg equivalent it'll cost RM600, and that doesn't include the handles. Normal dumbbell handles costs RM50 each! While other handles costs from RM150 (EZ bars) to RM1,000 (olympic bars). Still saves me a tonne of money!

The sandbag I got is a large Ironmind sandbag. Its just an empty cordura bag (huge bag btw.. Imagine Santa's bag) with a velcro wrap on top. Unlike other types of commercial sandbags, it has no handles, but who needs them? If I wanna do swings , I'd use kettlebells. If I wanna clean them to my chest or shoulders, I'll wrestle it there. It'll work my gripping power so it's proportion to the rest of my body (conventional training tend to lack that).

The best thing is, unlike other types of commercial sandbags, this can fill up up to 300 lbs!! That's 136kg! Of course I won't be able to clean (let alone grip or press) that weight... Yet.. But with some webbing I'd be able to tie around it and do my deadlifts, at home, under RM400!

So what can you do with it? Actually its for me to train my basics when I can't go to the gym (which nowadays is a lot). I can squat them, clean and press them, chest press them (now I need a bench....) do a bear hug and carry them..

Why I prompt this bag rather than the Ultimate Sandbag or Brute Force Sandbag:-
a) It holds more weight. It may not be relevant to me now (considering I'm not that strong), but means that in the future I can load it up more than other bags)

b) It'll work my grip. Ok so maybe having handles may be easier. But get this, besides from luggage bags, how many other heavy things have handles on them? Boxes, gas tanks, etc.. Nada.. Plus I really do need to work on grip power, like, now.. Got an arm wrestling competition coming up early next year and I just wanna beat the guy whose won it a few times..

c) Its cheaper. For the price, I can get 2 large Ironmind sandbags for 1 medium Ultimate Sandbag. Of course I was considering the Brute Force Sandbag too (nicer design, cheaper than Ultimate), but being Malaysian, the 3x conversion factor doesn't help much. At least I can still justify the price with the amount of sand I can fill in..

d) Durability. Having no handles means the bag isn't lifted from 2 (or 4) points only. You'd take your time to safely carry it. Say what you want, but handles sewn on (no matter how well its reinforced) will eventually rip, especially with handles you'd tend to do ballistic style exercises (you'd tend to pull and swing the bag like a kettlebell). Unless its welded or its one piece of iron, I'd say no thank you.

Old school

I guess my interest does not extend to old school training only. I have a certain love for vintage design and stuff that workouts manually without much need of electronic parts.

Long ago at a very very young age, I was introduced to fountain pens by the primary school I attended, which was trying to teach us cursive writing. Sure, I have lost the knack of cursive writing (since it's slow), but my love for fountain pens stayed, finding them practical, comfortable and easy to use. If I'm not mistaken the pen was a Shanghai Hero fountain pen.

It was only in university I started to use them seriously again. Having the habit to jot down a lot of notes, and having to re-write them again properly in a proper note books (it was my only way of learning; output of the knowledge I learned was my daily revision), I had to find a very comfortable pen. I remember walking around Parkson Grand and buying the then RM80 Pelikan pen.

I don't have that pen anymore, as it clogged up on one fine day in Australia, and I just couldn't be bothered to clean it up.

Again, for a while, I lost the need of using them.

It was some time in 2009 I started using them again. I picked up a Lamy Vista Demonstrator, coz I remembered seeing my dad using one. Thanks to Lamy's comfortable design, my love for fountain pens returned. I know own quite a fair few pens, but only use 4 exclusively (as I have 4 colors of ink).

The Vista (right) is my oldest pen, though not most used. That would fall onto the brown Lamy Al-Star (centre). This pen has seen better days, and I have brought it with me everywhere to do everything. It has dropped a couple of times on site, and is full of battle scars.

I have a dark brown Lamy Vista (not in picture), which I have changed the nib (EF) to a 1.1mm italic nib.

My latest acquirement is the TWSBI Mini (left). I ordered and received it just before coming back to Kuching, and it took some time for me to adapt to it (since I;m used to the Lamy's grip). I find it a good little pen, and wished they had retailers in our region (even in Singapore, I had to order from US). Eversince I've recently adapted to its gripping style, I've come to enjoy it more as my daily pen. I just hope it's as durable as my Lamy Al-Star.

Except for my brown Lamy Vista, I use extra fine nibs on all my pens, a size which (I found out) is not available from local retailers in Kuching.

A colleague of mine once commented that my use of fountain pens signifies wealth and class. I beg to differ. I'd rather think it signifies practicality. The fountain pen has been used centuries before the ball pen was invented. It is comfortable to use when writing long notes (since you cannot press hard on a fountain pen), plus you can clean and refill yourself without having to buy expensive cartridges.

To complement my note-taking habit, I have two main notebooks that I jot with. I have recently found the perfect system to fit my needs (must be customisable, vintage look, and does not scream "executive!"). I read about the Midori Traveller notebook while in Singapore and found a local reseller there. Upon having my passport sized notebook, I found its potential pleasing, but was frustrated to the limited writing space I had on the passport size. I then purchased the regular sized notebook, and it has been my daily notebook eversince.

The regular (middle) was originally the same colour and feel as the passport (right), but I foolishly applied some leather cream on it and it has been a very dark shade of brown eversince. My wife likes it though, as it flashes "neither executive nor artist.. Somewhere in between". I even got a pen pouch (left) that matches from a local Singaporean shop.

I've loaded a chronodex weekly planner (a highly visual planner courtesy of Patrick Ng; may my prayers reach your father), 1 Midori notebook (for work), and 1 DIY notebook (folded and cut from A4 paper). If thats not enough, I have a zipper folder, card holders, and sticker inserts, so I can put just about everything inside. I have my name cards, receipts, folded notes from work, airplane tickets, paper clips, and pictures. Put a handphone function into it and its a 3-in-1 device (it can double as a wallet).

The passport size is now my workout notebook, with me writing all workouts I perform within the day to keep track of my progress.

13/11/2012 attempt

I'd call it an attempt coz that's all I did.. Attempts..

So I had my Jungle Gym XT set up and did the following:-

Pyramid workout for pull ups

Pyramid workout for dips

Leg raises


My attempt was when I tried doing a front lever progression, by doing the tucked version. Even without extending my legs, I have found the attempt to be very taxing. I slowly and painfully did single leg extension while in the tucked position and even that for me was a gruesome task.

I have discovered the following and will take remedial actions to better my attempts:-

a) I lack in grip strength, making my forearms very sore even when hanging short periods of time. I will have to do dead hangs (and dips) to ensure my grip is sufficient (for my body weight).

b) I lack the necessary abdominal strength to fully extend my legs. Not just my abs, but core in total to hold that horizontal position. I will have to do leg raises, crunches, butterflies, planks, etc. I used to hate doing ab exercise, but it seems that to achieve my goal, I have no choice now. I will have to increase my ab strength to ensure I can properly perform these maneuvers.

Thinking back, I realised I have trained my abs via vertical loading, i.e. overhead presses, deadlifts, and did not place much emphasis on horizontal loading (except for the occasional planks). It seems that to fully master the rings, one must master both dimensions, lols..

Speaking of rings, I don't know whether I should keep my Jungle Gym XT fixed as it is, or replace it with my olympic rings. It was really out of impulse, really, getting the 3 main types of suspension training aids.. I had the TRX previously, then when I passed that one down to my brother, I got a new one (TRX force tactical). I then bought the Jungle Gym XT since I preferred the split design. Then, when I was thinking of installing a training aid in Kuching (I was in Singapore at that time), I got the EXF rings (bought it second hand).

Maybe I should put the rings on, since of the three, this has face to least usage time to date.

Goals

Been a hectic week, with business travels and seminars. Barely made thru the week with any exercise. Then on Saturday I finally had the time to do a KB / bodyweight workout.

72 reps of 20kg KB snatches
50 reps of KB squats
50 push ups
30 pull ups

I did it in a circuit manner (though I can't remember how exactly), which resulted me almost puking (very minimum rest as I was busy that day).

The next day was at the gym with the ratpack, training our usual 5x5 progression.

Olympic squats - 90kg
Overhead press - 35kg
Deadlift - 130kg

Being busy with the family and work, I have less and less time to go to the gym. At first I targeted to be extra strong (like Mehdi of 5x5), but with no time (and transport) to go to a suitable gym, I guess I have to lower my expectations of just being good and healthy.

I came across videos of street training that utilises calisthenic workouts and realised that I used to begin training for that (which I abandoned since I was in Singapore and had not chance to train due to space and time constraints). Since then I have started working out using kettlebells, sandbags, TNT cables, TRX (as well as the Jungle Gym) on a rotation basis. Sure, I am healthier than your average Kuchingite (below 20% body fat, good glucose level and BP, finished top 40 amongst 1,200 people in a 5km race), but I guess to motivate me even more I must achieve something.

Having said that so many constraints keeps me from going to the gym (and stopping me from realising my goal for reaching at least a bench press of 100kg and deadlifting 200kg), I now am determined to workout to achieve physical feats thru calisthenic training.

Bodyweight exercise has been my friend in the past, but now than I do have some spare time at home (I have 1 hour each day to do what I want, BUT it must be at home) and the equipment (the Jungle Gym XT is a split design suspension trainer), I might as well train for advance calisthenics to achieve progression like the muscle up, body levers, iron cross, and handstand.

Its going to be a slow and tedious climb (as advance calisthenic tends to be) but I guess it will be worth my time and effort.

In the meantime between the ring evercise days, I will still be doing my sandbag and kettlebell trainings to keep my endurance up.

Weekend warrior

Yup, I like to think myself as one. Not a strong man by profession or a bodybuilder who trains relentless hours in the gym, but just your Average Joe who would like to stay fit and health by a bit unconventional means.

At home I got:-

- a TRX tactical force kit
- a 45kg sandbag
- a Lifeline USA TNT cable set (with 3 cables of 60lbs).
- Running shoes

For me, that's enough to do the basic exercises that can train you for functional strength.

Being a husband and family man, I can only find bits and pieces of time to do my workouts. There is no schedule, but rather squeezing as much as I can into a workout, to get the best effort at minimal time. So, for this to happen, I look for metabolic workouts that can make my heart pumping, my breathing heavy, and muscles sore for days to come.

Amongst my favourite exercises are:-

TRX metabolic workouts
They are 2; workout A and B. I would suggest to alternate the two each time you do it so maximise the workout. Its great as it utilises only the TRX and gives a total body workout.

TRX tactical workouts
This came with my TRX force kit. Designed for response teams and US Navy, its goal is to train you for peak functional strength within 12 weeks. The workouts are tough, and the tests (which you will have to do every 4 weeks) are grueling. I haven't finished this as it takes more time than my other exercises (60 minutes), but it gives really good strength workout and burns a lot of calories.

The last time I did it, I was into week 4 (!!!), the workout took around 40 minutes and burnt around 470 kcal.

Spartacus Workouts
Of all the years reading Men's Health, I found this the most useful (or maybe only useful) workout from that magazine. The workout consists of 10 stations (workouts), which you will have to do for 1 minute each before moving to the next without any rests. When you finish, you rest for 2-3 minutes, and start again.

This workout is gut wrenching! The first two times I tried, I spewed my lunch / dinner out, so I had to modify it slightly to meet my physical demand. I've of course have improved and am slowly (yet painfully) moving back to the prescribed workout.

So far they have came out with 6 or 7 of these workouts, and are now charging for the newer ones (3 and above). I found the 2.0 the most usable; not because it's easy, but because you can substitute some of the workouts that uses dumbbells with sandbags (the 1.0 can't, however).

Its a bit cheesy that Men's Health has started to charge anyone who wants to use the newer workout. Veterans can easily study the workouts and create new ones.

300 Workout
This was inspired by the movie "300". It was said that after 3 months of gruesome training, only half of the movie cast did this gruesome workout as a test (Gerrard Butler was not one of them). The best time was 18 minutes. I could only finish mine in 29-30 minutes.


What I like about these workouts is that you only spend less than 40 minutes doing them (with exception of the TRX tactical workouts, which are more focused on strength training rather than endurance). Thats the length of time for a tv episode. The only comparison is that you're making yourself stronger, healthier and burn 300-500 kilo calories, in comparison with making yourself more sedentary, and only burning 45 kilo calories.

Enough of that rambling, now to report my weekend workout.

Saturday - TNT cables curl and press - 10 minutes - 100 kcal.

Sunday - 300 workout - 30 minutes - 300 calories (pure coincidence).

Saturday was a rest day for me, but I get restless if I sit down too long (was working half day and driving around plus a family reunion on my side of the family). Just needed to break a sweat.

Finally restarted again...

After 5 years of hectic living in Singapore, I've finally came back to my hometown to start "living". Not having enough time to record my life in Singapore, my previous training blog was put on hold, and subsequently deleted.


Here I would like to record not only my training activities, but also my daily thoughts, topics of interests, and my journey of becoming a better husband, future father, brother, and a better person overall.


To start off, yesterday was a quick yet gut wrenching workout. Yes, it was only less than 20 minutes, but it was intense enough for me to stop a few times on the third and final round to stop me from spilling my guts onto the floor.

Exercise:-
Spartacus 2.0 (modified to use a 20kg sandbag), metabolic type of exercise

Description:-
10 stations each set, 30 seconds each, 20 seconds rests after each station, 3 sets

Calories burnt - 270 kcal
time = 20 minutes (5 minutes per set with 2 minutes rest in between).

This is still far fetch from the original Spartacus 2.0, which utilises 1 minutes sets with only 10 second rests in between.. I still have a long way to go to reach this!