Fit Fight
I may not be up for his full iron-pumping, cooler-carrying regime, but J.D. Johannes is getting under my skin.
Today’s workout, short, sharp, focused. Targeted intensity with a goal of overload over time. 30 diamond pushups, to moderate burn, short of failure. 25 wide pushups, to burn. (Did 40 regular pushups yesterday, to burn, so this is mixing it up.) 30 flutterkicks, to burn. Two sets of full body leg-lift crunches, 15 and 7, to burn. (60 regular crunches yesterday, again, the mixup). Two sets of curls with the 20-pound dumbbells, 30 and 15, to burn. Ended the fast workout with a fast heart rate, a little breathing. Not much, those numbers, compared to what I was doing in my 30s, but I’m not in my 30s and I’ve been out of this a while. Then, something different. Where I’ve always built toward distance, now working on the short game: a 1.5 mile run, three hills, 20-30 degree inclines, 150 to 200 foot lengths. Usually, I go slow up the hills. This time, a stepped-up pace uphill, just short of a full sprint. Winding, but not that difficult, thanks to six months of buildup. Walked another quarter mile uphill for the cool down. Plus all the usual stretches before and after. A touch of patella femoral syndrome but nothing to write home about. Tomorrow, a long walk.
Six months in, I had slouched more than plateau’d, basically was doing a cycle of the same thing, not really pushing myself. Johannes’ crazy intense determination has inspired me and provided some pointers, though my goals and means are somewhat different than his. I’m interested in building up some speed and endurance more than major muscle strength, tone more than muscle mass, but share a goal of burning fat.
My goal is less Johannes’ Spartan “300″ Fit For Combat look and strength, than a rangy kind of hunter-gatherer objective … the ability to go long across the Serengeti, run like a bastard from lions when I need to, that kind of thing. What I like most about J.D.’s concept is its fundamental functional preparedness for extremes, with the benefit of enhanced life experience in the meantime. In any case, this kind of activity is highly addictive and I probably need to structure it a little better than I have been.
Previously, in the “Live Forever Or Die Trying” series:
Old? Fat? Feeling Death’s Icy Chill Down Your Neck? How To Live Forever Part 1, the Crittenden Workout for Middle-Aged Fat Bastards.
How To Live Forever Part 2 The Beer Workout. Drink and be healthy.
How to Live Forever Part 3 Israeli research finding: Advanced geezerdom no bar to exercise’s life-extending benefits.
How To Live Forever Part 4: Fit For Combat You think preparing for combat is healthy? Try combat. Hey, when’s someone going to market the Combat Weight Loss Program?
Run For Your Lives! Just got in that dirty little two-miler …
Danger Zone How to eat all you want this holiday season and not let something dumb like winter interfere with your workout program …
Hurt More You’ll feel better.
Ready to Hurt More Got pain? Learn from the pros.
Working Out On The Go! J.D. Johannes’ Iraqi Forward Operating Base workout.
RCAF Plan In which a 67-year-old makes me look lame, and offers some good, simple advice.
Fit for Combat? Hardly …
Topics: Live Forever Or Die Trying!
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 11:57 am Comments (3) on Tuesday, November 17, 2009
3 Responses to “Fit Fight”
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November 18th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Jules, are you also doing the no sugar, low carb, protein supplements as well?
November 18th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I’m doing the low-sugar, less carb … and almost entirely whole carb, plus selective elimination of bad habits such as, because I work late, eating when I get home, before bed. Not ready for extremes of diet and exercise, tho willing to incorporate elements. I eat mainly unprocessed real food … meat, veggies, brown rice … that I cook myself for prepared meals to take to work, so I have a high level of control of what goes in, gives me a bit of a leg up in the Johannes nutrition scheme of things. Not doing supplements, but I’m not looking to build bulk. Though I’m willing to consider the latter. May need to get a bledner and a protein supplement smoothie recipe.
How about you? Interested in people’s experience, adoption of this method.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Iam starting the program. I got the book last week, thanks to your profile. Read about half of it. I like the approach and the theory behind short intensive work to failure sessions. It jives well to our heritage as cavemen … long low intensity interspersed with brief periods of explosive exertion. My goal (like yours) is to drop the weight and build stamina, not necessarily to get ripped.
Meant to start Monday on a modification of the Rosenfeld (sp?) weight program … but work schedule intruded.
So I started last night with 50 flight sprints (more like fast jog -to ease in) at the local HS football field. 20 mins.
Tonight will be legs workout at the gym.
I am also trying to cut out late evening carbs and sugar to start off with on the diet side working counter clockwise (which means giving up the bowl of cold cereal for the 10pm -CST – O’Reilly re-run). And I will do the whey protein supplements. I used that during winter conditioning when I played baseball in college and it works well to augment lean muscle build which is the best fat burner.
Trying to do the healthy food thing is gonna be a challenge for me as I travel a lot for work (out of town, out of country) but I suppose it involves discipline when eating out. I also have high cholesterol so, I have to be picky about protein intake – less red meat, more fish, soy, etc.