Days 94 - 100: One last good one

Day 100
I'm writing this after my day 100 only because I have been busy with book edits and life in general.  I incorporated another workout routine.  Frank Medrano has a great book that's easy to read called "Beginner Calisthenics:  Superhuman Origins".  This book covers an 8-week program that is strictly devoted to bodyweight exercises.  Part of that routine is an entire workout devoted to pull ups.  Part of his theory in muscle development is to use the negative motions to your advantage.  For example, I would do my best repetitions on a pull up.  Rather than resting, I could shoot for a few more reps, but focus on the negative motion.  So, I would pop up into the highest position (whether stepping up onto a chair or jumping into position) then gradually allow my body to lower.  Then, I would do the same thing again for every rep thereafter.  In due time, this builds muscle and strength endurance.  This would, in theory, increase my pull-up maximum repetitions.  Which is what I'm shooting for.

Another great resource I stumbled on was T-Nation.com.  This is an excellent fitness resource and really established what I was shooting for in dead hang pull-ups.  T-Nation goes further in depth, discussing the kipping method and the butterfly kipping method.  The butterfly method is used primarily in CrossFit competitions with the objective of getting the chin above bar.  The dead hang form is sacrificed to get more repetitions in less time.  As I thought it would be, this form is a bit more dangerous especially if you do not have proper shoulder development or the mechanics of this exercise mastered.  The kipping method was encouraged as a last resort to improve the dead hang pull up, but not at the expense of the shoulders.  In other words, use the kipping method for a few reps after you have died out from your dead hangs.  Read more here:  T-Nation.  You will find the link to the article on butterfly pull-ups in the previous link.  Great read, have a look at it.

T-nation has a lot of great reads, so take your time and browse through it.

Day 100 saw me make an attempt of 15 straight pull ups on my first attempt.  The subsequent attempts were about 10 reps for 3 sets.  I'm not upset that I didn't make my goal.  Re-evaluating things, I could've had a stronger finish had I:

Researched more on:

1. -proper form
2. -improving max repetitions
3. -what made others successful in their max reps
4. -set a rock solid plan prior to jumping in
5. -rehabbing my neck issue before I started this program

Thanks for joining me.  Stay tuned here for the latest developments.  I plan to do full research on this idea, develop a game plan and implement it for another attempt at 100 pull-ups in 100 days.  For now, I'm going to continue my normal training program and work on improving my neck so that I'm able to attack this goal a bit better.  

In the meantime, whatever you do, shoot big, do your best and if you fail, fail forward.

-Dale

Days 89 - 93: Still on track

I am still truckin' forward with one week left on the program.

Yesterday, Day 92 I did a pull workout with a little legs:
10 minute warm up with rope
30 seconds skip
30 seconds rest
Then,
Pull ups - 2 minute rest between each attempt
15, 12, 12, 12
TRX Inverted Rows - 2 minute rest between each attempt
15, 16, 16, 15
(This movement aggravated my right shoulder.  I have been doing some research lately and have found a few experts stating that upright rows can be damaging to the shoulder.  Normally, if a TRX is suspended from a bar, inverted rows would be on par.  But, the TRX I use is suspended from the wall, so the movement is more like an upright row.  Part way into my second set, I was feeling it, but I didn't listen to my body.  After the workout was done and this morning was possibly the worst. I iced my right shoulder and it is feeling better later in the day now.  No more TRX "inverted rows" when the suspension is from the wall.  Not good.)
Close grip pull ups - 2 minute rest between each attempt
10, 10, 10, 10

Finished with legs -
Lunges - 2 minute rest between each attempt
50, 52, 54, 60
Squats - 2 minute rest between each attempt
20, 30, 40, 50

Cooldown on the treadmill for 10 minutes

Day 85 - 88: Train Hard on Pulls Every Other Day

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

February 3, 2015

Hey, just popping in ever so briefly to catch up.  I've still kept on track with pull up training every other day.  The two workouts I enjoy most are:

50 pull ups workout
15 straight on the first attempt
10 straight on the second attempt
15 straight on the third attempt
10 straight on the fourth attempt
I rest roughly 1 minute between sets
-----------
50 pull ups workout
10 straight on the first attempt
5 straight every attempt after
Very little rest between sets.  I took about 3 slow and deep breathes, then jumped right back into it.

My challenge days are coming to a close.  On my last day, I will give my best effort.  The whole training approach changed when I could honestly evaluate how well I was performing each pull up.  I like to stick the hang clean style, using zero momentum from my body and pulling all with the back and a little with the arms.

My form should be:

1. Shoulder blades pulled back at all times
2. Elbows pointed out to the sides of the body and not forward (as this is closer to a chin up and requires less back power)
3. Grip just shoulder-width apart on the bar
4. Pull all the way up till the chest meets the bar
5. Go down and come up with equal pacing

Catch up with me again soon.  I should have a video post rather soon, however, I have been tied up re-writing/editing my first publication "The 3 Keys to Health & Happiness:  Unlock Your Greater Life" (first version available here).  Stay tuned.

Day 80 - 84: Still pushing, further clarification and a new practice

By Dale L. Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC
January 30, 2015

The days are starting to close in on my goal to complete 100 pull ups in 100 days.  Have I been successful so far?  Mmmm...yes.  However, have I met my goal?  Not by a long shot!  It has been tougher than I thought and I believe that I do need to take time and do a bit more research on how the successful people have achieved this goal.

It was quite funny that in my pursuit I found this video --->>> HILARIOUS

Okay, so I'm not shooting for the form that this gentleman shows in this video.  He's using quite a bit of kipping and I really cannot differentiate between one rep and the next.  His pull ups are closer to incomplete muscle ups (see this exercise here), almost as if he gets just about at the pressing point, but then drops back down.

No disrespect is intended toward the gentleman in the pull up video.  He is displaying great endurance, speed and strength.  My point is that his form is NOT what I'm shooting for and I believe that during my journey to 100 pull ups that I was starting to look a lot like this gentleman.  I do NOT want that in my end result.

I want 100 solid pull ups that are paced evenly with no momentum as in this video.  You may get a laugh out of the Stephen Hawking voice over in the video.  The form I am shooting for his called a "dead hang" (decent video with a great description)

Over the past 4 days, I have alternated days on and off for pulling up.  I'm sticking to performing 10-15 pull ups straight followed by a brief rest until I reach 50 reps.  Generally this takes me about 6-7 minutes to complete.

Last night, however, I did something completely different.  I loaded and unloaded with each repetition.  First, I reached up and grabbed the bar, pulled myself up off the ground, brought my chest to the bar, then slowly released myself back to the ground and let go of the bar.  I did 15 reps on my first attempt, 10 reps on my second attempt, 15 reps on my third attempt and 10 reps on my last attempt.  Whew!   This was a lot harder and I felt a bit more challenge in gripping this time.

Check back with me again soon as I close in on my 100 day mark.

Days 74 - 79: Writing books, pull ups and knowing my priorities

By Dale L Roberts, One Jacked Monkey, LLC

January 25, 2015

This is a blog that's been a long time in the making.  I was going to go on a rather detailed accounting of the past week, however, this post would become a novel.  So, I'm just going to highlight what I did since staying super busy with travel, writing 2 new books and rewriting 1 old book.

1. I did 2 priority pull up training routines over the past week.  It consisted of 5 sets of 10 pull ups in under 7 minutes and 30 seconds
2. I stretched a lot and continued my neck work using the Denneroll
3. I added rope skipping to my routine and my calves have hated me for it
4. I added bridging to my routine to aid in neck development and spinal decompression

That's my synopsis thus far.  I will get back on here a bit more frequent now that I have 2 of my books off to the editor.  Stay tuned!

Day 66 - 73: Vacation days, a low ceiling and plenty of rest

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

January 19, 2015

I realize it has been awhile since the last post, but I had to check in and leave my thoughts on the past week, my progress (or lack thereof) and my on-going pursuit to performing 100 pull ups straight.  

Day 66 & 67 were two days I took off with my usual morning cardio, stretch and increased time on the Denneroll from 4-5 minutes up to the 10 minutes.  Thankfully I had vacation coming up to get a little time respite time away from the usual routine.  Though I travel frequently, I still keep active as possible and hit the gym when I am able.  

Day 68 I arrived in Las Vegas at the New York New York Casino/Resort and checked in long enough to see the gym and spend the rest of the day walking the strip.  

Day 69 I got up, threw down some food and a pre-workout then hit the gym.  I focused on a quick, intense push/pull workout:

------

-Pull Ups x10

-Push Ups x10

-1 minute rest

5 sets

------

-Lat Pulldowns x10 (170, 175, 180, 185, 190)

-Machine Chest Press x10 (90, 110, 130, 150, 185)

-1 minute rest

5 sets

------

Dumbbell Curls dropset 10 reps each

35s, 30s, 25s, 20s, 15s, 10s, 5s

------

About 4 inches between the pull up bar and the ceiling

Day 70 - 72

Other than walking a ton and resting little, I was in full vacation mode.  No excuses, I just cut loose.  Rest and relaxation.  On Day 71 I flew home then slept all the way through 72.

Day 73

I was feeling great today and hit the gym for a quick pull up routine.  My focus was quality pull ups.  If you watched last week's video post (here) you will hear my commentary on the quality of my pull ups.  One of the criticisms I share on my pull ups is the fact that I was not opening up all the way at the elbows and shoulders AND on every first rep, I was jumping up grasping the pull up bar with my elbows already bent.  Therefore the reps I was pushing out were not as good as I THOUGHT.  With a little less than 30 days left in my challenge, this is going to be a hard correction.

BUT, today, I got in, reached up without the jump and pulled up without the jump.  Then, I watched my form on every rep in the mirror across from the pull up bars.  I was able to do 10 quality reps for 5 sets.  The fifth set was most difficult as the last 2 reps were a struggle.  I did this routine in 8 minutes and 15 seconds.  I only had 1 minute rest between each set.  

I'm going to go back into the gym later tonight and repeat this routine.  

That's all I have for now.  Hit me up in a couple of days with the update...for sure this time.

Days 61 - 65: Busy days, staying active

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

January 11, 2015

Woo!  It's been a long time since I last posted and it was not my intentions to get this far off track.  I will cover each day very briefly.

Day 61 - This was an off day and I focused just on a little extra cardio (30 minutes on treadmill, elliptical & bike) and 2 stretch sessions.  A tool that I have reintroduced to my arsenal is something called a denneroll (that I never knew how to spell until now).  My chiropractor turned me onto this tool that is used for traction at home.  I find when I am diligent with using it everyday, I feel better and have less tension in my neck.  Long story short - my spine is all kinds of jacked up and I have to exercise, stretch and take corrective measures to keep my quality of life at it's best.  

     If you want more info on the denneroll, click on the link below the picture.

Link to the info

     Essentially, I place the (gray) denneroll just below my shoulders on the spine and I lay on my back.  Slowly, my head tilts back and my neck begins to relax.  It is super awkward, but man, does it feel good after I have finished.  With all that said, if I reference the denneroll, now you know.

Day 62 - This was my secondary priority training day and I usually record my video right after my workouts, but this time I just didn't have it in me.  I did 100 pull ups straight on the assisted pull up machine at -85 pounds on the wide grips.  Whew!  Once again, it was not too bad till I got past 50 repetitions.  Then, my forearms and back were screaming to stop.  But I pushed through!  

      Right after, I got into a great leg workout.  After I was complete, I was a glutton for punishment and hit the assisted pull up machine and cranked out an additional 100 pull ups on the assisted pull up machine at -100 pounds on the narrow grips.  I was dead tired after that and headed home for a quick protein shake then sleep.

Day 63 & 64 - Literally, all I did on these 2 days was 30 minutes of cardio/15 minutes of stretch/5 minutes of denneroll each.  My neck was doing everything in it's power to slow me down.  I was going to tough it out and squeeze in my normal Saturday priority training routine, but I wanted to test out a morning routine for a change and pushed it to Sunday morning.  More about that below.

Day 65 - Priority training day - I got up, ate 1.5 cups of oats, threw back some BCAAs and Spark and read for 30 minutes before I headed into the gym.  My wife came along to capture the footage that I have posted on YouTube.  I didn't time myself this workout, because I just forgot in the process of getting someone to video the workout.  My first attempt only saw 25 pull ups straight on the inner grips.  Not a good start to me.  That's a bit of a back step from last week, so my theory of early morning workout did not payoff today and I'm okay with this development.  My body certainly needed the rest.  The subsequent attempts ranged from 10-15 repetitions.  I would rest for exactly 2 minutes between each attempt.

     I love videoing the process, because now I can evaluate form and see what I need to work on next.  As of this post, I haven't edited the video yet, so I'm not sure how it turned out.  The video should be up by late afternoon on Monday, January 12th.  I will not have another post again until next Saturday's routine as I will be knee deep in finishing up the upcoming books I will be releasing by spring 2015.  

     Thanks for tuning in.  Would love to hear from you, so please feel free to comment, subscribe and share this blog post.

Day 58, 59 & 60: Day Off, Chiropractic Care & Secondary Training Day

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

January 7, 2015

It's funny every now and then I have to record and post the video the day after my workout because I hit it so hard that all I can think about is getting my shake in me, showering and hitting the sack.  I was whooped last night.  But, before I get to that, I'll give a brief overview of the days before day 60.

Day 58 was my day off and I focused on cardio, stretching (primarily upper body) and a great legs workout.  I was thankful that Day 59 was just cardio and stretching.  My body was beginning to feel a bit rundown and the old neck was giving me issues.  So, thankfully, day 60 I was already booked to see my chiropractor and get a much needed adjustment.  An instant fix and I could feel a ton of tension release from my left shoulder blade and neck area.

The neck adjustment was just the fix I was needing going into my day 60 workout.  I hit the treadmill for a great warm-up for 10 minutes and immediately attacked the assisted pull up machine.  Wide grips at -100 pounds for 100 repetitions came with...ease. I say that cautiously, because I don't want to jinx myself.  Next:

Superset 1:
Inverted rows 4 sets @ 25 reps
Dumbbell standing straight arm kickbacks (rear delts) 4 sets @ 25 reps (15s, 20s, 25s, 30s)
Superset 2:
Machine Lat Pulldowns 4 sets @ 25reps (130 pounds)
Machine Reverse Flys 4 sets @ 25 reps (85 pounds)
Superset 3:
Lateral/Rear Delt Cable Raise 4 sets @ 15 reps (17.5 pounds)
Dumbbell Zottman Curls 4 sets @ 25 reps (10s, 15s, 20s, 25s)
Set 4:
Assisted Pull Up Machine (inside grips) -100 pounds @ 50 reps

And, I was cashed in!  So, I hit the treadmill for 10 minutes then stretched for an additional 10 minutes right after.  I didn't want this workout to adversely affect my Saturday priority training day.

Catch me in 2 days!

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

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Day 56 & 57: Off Day & Priority Training Day

Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

January 4, 2015

     Day 56 was a day off from my pull training with just cardio and stretch training in the morning.  Admittedly I have some spinal issues stemming from my years in professional wrestling and I should have had surgery a number of years ago.  Thankfully, decompression therapy helped stave off surgery and ongoing exercises kept up my quality of life.  Every now and then my neck or low back will come rearing it's ugly head to let me know that I haven't been diligent enough on my corrective exercises and chiropractic maintenance.
     The issues I'm having are neck related as I'm having some left shoulder blade pain and discomfort sleeping.  All this to share that you should ALWAYS pay attention to your body and seek medical attention before an issue becomes a full-blown problem.  So, I'm back into see my favorite chiropractic clinic (InTouch Wellness in Phoenix) and I'm already feeling better after one treatment.  Now, I just have to stick with it and stay to the exercises I'm prescribed by the good doctor (Angelo Pissano, DC).  I'm super excited to get back in on Monday and continue treatment with them since I slept like a baby the first few nights after treatment this past Monday.
     Day 57 was priority training day and I felt like a million bucks.
     I performed 100 (inside grip) pull ups in 15 minutes (on the mark) with 30 pull ups straight on my first attempt followed by 15 repetitions for four attempts and 10 repetitions on the last attempt.  I'm not sure if it was the rest or the pre-workout (2 scoops of SuperPump Max Fruit Punch), but I was real happy with my efforts.  Then, I did the following:

-Assisted Pull Up Machine @ -100 lbs. for 100 repetitions - wide grip (this killed me)

-Machine Lat Pulldowns - drop set 5 lbs. @ 10 repetitions each set - start at 100 lbs.

-Single Cable Pulldowns with Rope Attachment - 32.5 lbs. @ 100 reps

Superset
-Cable Front Pulldowns with Rope Attachment - 4 sets @ 25 reps each set - 32.5/35/37.5/40
-Dumbbell Biceps Curl - 4 sets @ 25 reps each set - 15s

-Behind the Back Barbell Shrugs - dropset for 4 sets at 25 reps each - 135/115/95/75

Then, as per usual, I did a 10 minute cooldown on the treadmill (please remember that I always do a 10 minute warm-up/cooldown without exception).

     That's all I have for today!

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

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Days 54 & 55: Rest and Flexibility Training Day

Day 54 was a day off from my pull workouts, but I did get into the gym for morning cardio and stretching then a later workout on my legs.  My back and shoulders were feeling a bit sore, so I really focused on primarily stretching my upper body.

Day 55 should have been my secondary priority training day for pull ups, but I was feeling REALLY sore in my shoulders.  So, I thought I would take it a bit easy.  I took the morning off and relaxed a bit.  A little later into the day I hit the gym for 15 minutes of cardio followed by 15 minutes of deep upper body stretches.  Sadly, my legs were tight, but my upper body was tighter.  I decided that the upper body deserved more of my attention.

Taking the day off was, in my mind, the best idea for a better priority training day on Saturday.  I believe that I will be able to push my personal best in pull ups to 30 repetitions.  We will see, so stay tuned.

-Dale L Roberts
One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

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Days 51, 52 & 53: Off, Massage Therapy & Secondary Priority Training Day

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

December 31, 2014

     Days 51 and 52 were my off days for pull up training and boy was I ever glad to have a massage appointment on day 52.  She literally grabbed large knots and my back and made me just about cry.  Thank goodness, after the massage session, I headed to my chiropractor and got an adjustment.

     I have had spinal issues for a number of years, so when I began having difficulty sleeping on my sides (my comfort zone) I knew I had to go back to see my chiropractor.  After a mild massage warm up, my doc came in and ZIP!  Done, I slept like a baby.

     Day 53 was secondary priority training day and I used the assisted pull up machine set at -90 pounds (a decrease of 5 pounds since the week before) and performed 100 repetitions.  The big victory came in that I boldly moved my grip to the outer grips.  It was smooth sailing up until I hit 50 repetitions.  Then my body started screaming with every repetition thereafter, but I dug down deep and mustered up the strength to get to 100 reps.

     After that I hit some push movements to finish out my workout.  Great times!  My off day will be a bit of cardio and leg training.  Hit me back in 2 days for the update.

  Stay tuned every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday to 100daysto100pullups.blogspot.com for updates on my progress.  Please remember to subscribe to this blog, voice your comments and share with your mother, your brother or anybody or another.  

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

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Day 49 & 50: Rest & Priority Training Day

Day 49 was an off day or rest day (if you will).  Make no mistake about it, the rest indicates taking time away from weight training, since I'm a big advocate for staying active EVERY day of the week.  I performed two sessions of 30 minutes cardio & 15 minutes upper body stretching.  As the day progressed, I felt my body begin to limber up and mentally prepared myself for the next day's onslaught.

Day 50 started out with 15 minutes cardio with 15 minutes of upper body stretching.  Later in the day I hit my priority training day.  On my first attempt at the pull ups (middle grips) I cranked out 26 repetitions straight and this is a new personal best in my journey so far.  After that I took a little extra time to rest between attempts at 2 minutes each.  I was then able to do a few more pull ups at about 15 repetitions per attempt.  I felt great!  This total routine took a little over 15 minutes.

Afterward I did 5 sets of 10 repetitions on the TRX inverted rows with ab exercises as active recovery.  Then, 5 sets of 10 repetitions on the machine lat pulldown (185 lbs.) with dumbbell biceps curls as active recovery (15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 35s) for the same number of sets and reps.  Lastly, I performed squatted cable rows with the rope attachment at 37.5 lbs. for 100 repetitions. Woo!  I was done and feel great about the workout.

Catch you back in another couple days!

-Dale L Roberts
One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

Day 47 & 48: Day off & Low Intensity Secondary Priority Day...another great day and video footage

Day 47 was an excellent day off with my day starting as it usually does with morning cardio and deep stretching.  In fact, I was ambitious and hit 30 minutes of cardio (10 minutes each on treadmill, elliptical & recumbent bike), then a relaxing 20 minute stretch session.  My stretch session was heavily focused on my tight lower body; primarily my hip flexors and hamstrings due to all the sitting I do at my office desk writing (these blogs and my books, but no complaints here, I love my work).

Day 48 was a fantastic low intensity secondary priority training day with work on the assisted pull up machine.  You will find the video attached above for the footage and accompanying commentary.   I placed the assist at 95 pounds and performed 100 alternating single arm pull ups.  This was tough and you may notice that my form begins to fail toward the end.  Oddly, I have had issues on my right side, but it was my left side that the range of motion begins to decrease as the exercise progresses.

I'm super thankful for my viewers on the YouTube channel suggesting a recording of a session.  This helped me evaluate my form and build on that for future sessions.  Though the exercise set was not impossible, I still accomplished it with only a few times that I braced my biceps on the pull up.

The day after tomorrow will be priority training day and I will shoot for as many bodyweight pull ups in a row as possible with the goal of completing 100 total in as little time as possible.  In the very near future I will have the priority training day recorded, since I don't have many people jumping at the "exciting" opportunity to record a pull up session (cough, cough).

I'll see you in a couple of days!

-Dale L Roberts
One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

Day 44, 45 & 46: Days Off & Low Intensity Priority Training Day

Day 44 was a wonderful change of pace and a much needed day off.  My body felt ROUGH and I just needed to get some quality nutrition, stretching and rest.  I got in 15 minutes of cardio followed by 15 minutes of total body stretching.  Every inch of my body was sore as hell, but I love that feeling.

Day 45 just happened to be a great day for massage therapy and my specialist did a great job and loosening up my super tight upper back and legs.  I really advice if you have the discretionary expenses and time, do afford a qualified massage therapist;  it is SO worth it.  I just go into a session, tell her what is aching me most, she works the hell outta that area, I silently scream and internally cry as she works it to near deep tissue levels.  But, afterward, I throw back lots of water, meditate then stretch and I feel like a million bucks!  Later in the day, I grabbed a cardio session for 20 minutes (on the recumbent bike) followed by stretching the lower body.  I'm happy to say that over the past 90 days, I have been incredibly diligent in my lower body stretches and I can now comfortably grab my feet from a seated (legs extended) position.  Woo!

Day 46 was the low intensity priority training day followed by leg training.  Warm up was on the treadmill at high inclines for 10 minutes.  Immediately, I hit the assisted pull up machine and duplicated last Tuesday's routine, but with the assist at 95 pounds (5 pounds less than last week).  I cranked out 100 reps...rather easily.  My emotions were at a high today and my confidence through the roof.  So, it came as no surprise.

The real test will come in 2 days when I attempt the same weight for 100 repetitions of alternating single arm pull ups.  I will have that documented on video and will share what I will be able to do.  Now, I share that the traditional pull up today was easy, but I will not let my ego dictate this next workout and drop the weight significantly.  Single arm pull ups, regardless of assist or no assist, are no joke and should be performed with caution.   Otherwise, injuries can happen and I'm not about to restart this routine a year or two from now because my ego decided that I could do this easily at a lower weight.

Hit me back next week.  Please take time to subscribe to this blog and my YouTube channel for the latest updates.  I'm putting the finishing touches on a website and anticipate a launch by February 1st.  The only way for you to stay abreast of all the cool stuff (yes, I will be launching with freebies and pre-sales of books and merchandise), you gotta subscribe to my blog and/or my YouTube channel.  Comment, like, share and subscribe!

-Dale L Roberts
One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

Day 42 & 43: "Off" Day & Priority Training Day

Day 42, I got up and immediately threw back some BCAAs and Spark to hit the gym for a brief cardio (15 minutes) session and stretch session (15 minutes).  I was feeling like a million bucks and and ready to destroy all my goals for the day.

So, (it goes without saying that) I decided to absolutely hit the gym with reckless abandon and my priority was legs.  Well...two hours later (not my normal amount of time!)...and on day 43 I got out of bed feeling wobbly and stiff-legged.  It was a great feeling, but...sadly I believe that it was my crux in my day 43 not working out to my advantage.

Day 43 was the beginning of week 7 in my 100 day challenge and I was feeling like a train ran over my legs and even my upper body was a bit sore from some of the weights I was grasping for the workout.  I'm proud of my efforts from day 42, but it was not directly helping my priority training day.

I re-routed my plans (originally set to perform as many pull ups without rest on the first attempt) to favor a more steady and consistent effort.  That plan proved to pay off (somewhat).

On the middle grips, I performed 10 reps for the first few sets (30 seconds rest between each attempt) and thereafter did about 5-6 pull ups with each subsequent attempt.  The 100 pull ups took me 12 minutes and 45 seconds to complete (see any similarities?).

Afterwards I did the following workout:

EXERCISE	WEIGHT	SETS	REPS
Bent Dumbbell Reverse Flys	15s/20s/25s	3	15
Smith Machine Bar Shrugs (rear0	135/185/205	3	15
Machine Reverse Flys	100/115/130	3	15
Single Cable Shrugs	62.5/72.5/77.5	3	15
Dumbbell Side Raises	15s/20s/25s	3	15
Seated Bent High Rows	20s/25s/30s	3	15

Warm up and cooldown are per usual;  10 minutes each.  

I'm looking forward to a Tuesday and Thursday workout with video updates on Wednesday and Friday (respectively).  Friday will be an "off'" day, so no more high intensity, no matter how much I feel the temptation.  The Tuesday/Thursday routines will be a lower intensity and quick routines.  This Thursday I will be recording the session and posting that for everyone to check out (sadly I don't have a camera crew and not too many people willing to follow me around).  

See you again on Wednesday with the updates.

-Dale L Roberts

One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.

Day 40 & 41: Rest & Low Intensity Priority Day

Day 40 started out (as most days) with some cardio and stretching.  I did about 20 minutes of cardio on the treadmill and elliptical followed up with some deep stretching for 15 minutes.  Great day!

So, it's no doubt that I attacked day 40 with a ton of vigor and vitality.  I crushed another morning cardio & stretch session.  Then, as I normally do, I went to the gym late at night (it's always empty in the gym and I just love the solitude and serenity).  I warmed up on the treadmill on some extreme inclines then jumped right into a hit and split.

I used the assisted pull up machine at -100lbs. and performed 100 alternating single arm pull ups on the middle grips.  Okay, this was not too bad (as Tuesday's routine was), but I got in around about 60 repetitions and my arms and back were just lit up!  But, I loved it.  At about the last 10 reps, I resorted to bracing my biceps on each pull up, but no brace on the descent.  I love the pump after these quick routines.

Tomorrow will be a day off from pulls and a priority on legs and abs.  I'm gonna give it my all and anticipate a BIG step forward on Saturday (the beginning of week 7).  I anticipate at least 25 pull ups straight on my first attempt.  After my 100 pull ups (timed), I plan to hit my shoulders (side/rear delts & traps) with a minor emphasis on biceps.

What are you currently doing in your upper body routine?  What have you been successful at and what have been some setbacks?  Please comment and thanks for tuning in.

-Dale L Roberts

One Jacked Monkey

You should consult a qualified medical professional before starting this or any other health & fitness program.  As with any exercise or diet program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, pain or duress of any sort, stop immediately and consult your physician.  The creators, producers, participants, advertisers and distributors of this program disclaim any liabilities or losses in connection with the exercises or advice herein.  Any equipment or workout area that is used should be thoroughly inspected as free of danger, flaw or compromise, ahead of use and the user assumes all responsibility when performing any movements contained in this blog.