A Revolutionary Ranger's Training Log in the Age of Zombie Capitalism

[Al Raven]

Today's Workout

1. Pushup pyramid 5-1 with deep squat hold (1/2 while holding a kettlebell) in btw sets
2. Lunge matrix
3. Single-leg elevated glute bridges
4. Double-kettlebell single-leg deadlifts
5. Pullup hangs/holds/training

 

[Al Raven]

Monday workout

1. Warmup: jumping jacks, multi-directional lunges, step ups
2. Pushups 3 sets to failure + write down reps (<1min rest)
   1. Reps: 10, 3, 3.
3. [Anterior leg rehab:
   1. 3 sets of seated leg curls (36kg)
   2. 3 sets: bulgarian split squats w/ rear leg elevated (~10 per leg, two kettlebells) + SLEGB’s
4. Upper back and pullup training:
   1. isometric underhand holds: 1) top hold 15”, 2) 90° hold 10”, 3) 135° hold 10”
   2. 3 x 10+ lat pulldowns @ 32kg, 39kg, 39kg
   3. isometric overhand holds: 1) top hold 10”, 2) 90° hold 10”, 3) 135° hold 5”(?)
   4. 3 x 10 seated rows @ 45kg
   5. isometric underhand holds: 1) top hold ~8”, 2) 90° hold ~7”, 3) 135° hold 7”
5. Barbell Lifts:
   1. overhead press 3 x amap @ manageable/light weight -> 30 kg
   2. Squats 5 x 5 @ 87.5
   3. Deadlifts 1x5 @ 100

"SLEGB's" = "single-leg elevated glute bridges", which is the main exercise that has helped me deal with my knee pain. At home I have a large swiss ball so that's what I use, at the gym I use a box because the swiss balls are smaller (description: back is on the floor like for a regular glute bridge, heel of one leg is on the ball/box, and then you just raise your butt/hips using that one leg).
For pullup training I'm following this basic framework which I found years ago but it's kinda common sense/basic stuff!

 

[Al Raven]

My pushup and pullup goals for 2024/2025:

• 20 pushups comfortably, then just do lots of pushups throughout the week/the workouts. Once I've reached 20 I don't care about increasing single-set reps, rather I want to reach 5 x 20 = 100 reps in one workout.
• 10-15 pullups, both/all grips. Likewise, after that I don't care about increasing reps as an end/goal in itself, rather to keep practicing pullups and upper/back/arm strength on a weekly basis.

I don't really have other fixed "benchmark" goals for other exercises, I just want to keep training to be generally fit, strong, resilient, etc, I don't care about "big numbers" if you know what I mean... The only two other exercises I have "benchmarks" for is the barbell squats and deadlifts: for both my main goal is pretty "easy", namely just being able to squat and deadlift at or over 100kg, I haven't checked my own bodyweight but that's probably around 10-15kg above it (i.e. 10-15kg more than my own bdw). I can already deadlift 100kg pretty comfortably, for squats I'm at 87.5kg, so it's pretty close. My two best PRs in the past (always with sets of 5 reps, 3 for squats and 1 for deadlifts) were 120kg for deadlifts and 100kg for squats

 

[GentleOx]

Pushups used to be my jam! And then I got into powerlifting and they kind of fell by the wayside.

Used to be able to do 15ish straight arm pullups. I haven't come across this yet, but it always felt to me that unlike with pushups, the secret sauce for deadlifts is bodyweight. The lighter you are, the easier the movement. That combined with weight training (eg pulling movements like dumbbell rows).

You seem to be making solid progress with the weights, so keep at it!

Good luck in reaching your goals!

 

[Al Raven]

Pushups used to be my jam! And then I got into powerlifting and they kind of fell by the wayside.

Used to be able to do 15ish straight arm pullups. I haven't come across this yet, but it always felt to me that unlike with pushups, the secret sauce for deadlifts is bodyweight. The lighter you are, the easier the movement. That combined with weight training (eg pulling movements like dumbbell rows).

You seem to be making solid progress with the weights, so keep at it!

Good luck in reaching your goals!

Yeah, bdw is definitely a (or the) huge factor for pullups. But that's the thing: I'm completely fine and happy with my bodyweight, I don't really wish to lose a significant amount of weight (I guess I just assume that based on my activity, and progressively doing more challenging stuff, I might lose a bit of belly fat, but it's not a goal to be frank).

So we'll see how far I can go based on training (rather than losing weight TO increase pullups, I don't think I'll ever do that)!

 

[Al Raven]

Heavy squats and deadlifts (even if not aiming for huge PRs, just as a way to practice absolute compound/full-body strength!) is something I'll probably keep doing for a long time. I think like with things like fighting/martial arts or running, there's a kind of primal psycho-somatic feeling of purpose and fulfillment when completing those... It's the polar opposite (for me) of machine-based muscle building (not even good strength training as far as I'm concerned lol; I think the best use is for rehab honestly!)

Not much of a bench or overhead press guy (because it's much harder to keep progressing, and I've always been pretty strong in terms of legs since I played football (soccer) as a kid), but I'm doing them for volume/reps (rather than maximizing weight) at the moment since I'm trying to build my upper body strength!

 

[Al Raven]

I've noticed that for pullup isometric holds, I'm alright (the benchmark being 15") for the top ("flexed") and 90° holds, but it's the >90° angles (e.g. 135°) that I really struggle with.
In other words it's that bottom/starting part of the pullup move/exercise that I'm not really handling well -> i.e. unlocking/getting out of the dead hang to start the rising process.
This should gradually improve (hopefully!), there's a reason pullups are such a good and compound strength exercise: they're really hard so it takes time to build up the strength!

 

[Al Raven]

This difficulty at the >90° angles is the same for either grip (underhand vs overhand), I guess as usual the overhand version is always more difficult though

 

[Al Raven]

There's definitely a core element ("core" as in midsection/abs) here for me (regarding pullup training): I rarely target/train core/abs specifically, but for pullups especially it's really challenging/hardcore (more so than other compound strength moves like barbell squats - who do work the core significantly because of bracing/tightening all back/spine/core muscles for each heavy rep - but not as intensely and "directly" as pulling yourself up on a bar -> where it's just 100% your body and muscles vs gravity!).
So I might need some additional/complementary core work, alas... (my general philosophy for core is "I'll get enough core work via the challenging exercises, workouts, and lifts that I do, I don't need to do "ab workouts" as such)

 

[Al Raven]

There's definitely a core element ("core" as in midsection/abs) here for me (regarding pullup training): I rarely target/train core/abs specifically, but for pullups especially it's really challenging/hardcore (more so than other compound strength moves like barbell squats - who do work the core significantly because of bracing/tightening all back/spine/core muscles for each heavy rep - but not as intensely and "directly" as pulling yourself up on a bar -> where it's just 100% your body and muscles vs gravity!).
So I might need some additional/complementary core work, alas... (my general philosophy for core is "I'll get enough core work via the challenging exercises, workouts, and lifts that I do, I don't need to do "ab workouts" as such)

I think I might just do some ab exercises on the pullup-bar which means I'm hitting two birds with one stone (i.e. it also trains grip strength and other things that are central for pullups), and otherwise just training isometric holds and especially negatives will also help building up the core strength needed for standard/"full" pullups...
I just dread planks and situps/crunches, what can I say! (they're "just" boring and painful, although I'm probably more open to yoga-type core/plank/abs exercises^^)

 

[Al Raven]

Had a little surgery to remove a (benign) cyst on my face, so I can't train intensely for about two weeks (surgery was on thursday) because the dressing/bandage shouldn't get wet.
So I'm just doing pushup and pullup training at home (+some knee/leg rehab stuff), that's fine for me!

 

[MadamMeow]

Hope everything heals up fast and glad it was benign.

 

[graoumia]

isn't it too much painfull?