'Wild for Wilderness" and the Active Rest Day

Yesterday all of the in-town staff at NOLS Southwest volunteered at an activity called 'Wild for Wilderness'. Lots of folks came out to Sabino Canyon for their weekly hike and there were organizations and people there to let them know about area wilderness areas that they could take advantage of.

It was unique in this world that 50 years ago the United States recognized the value of setting aside remote wild places and chose to protect them. This gave American citizens the ability to go out and experience places that are managed to protect them in the state that they are in. We can go on foot or horseback to places where man has no permanent impact and is just a visitor. Get out there, find wilderness and see its beauty and value yourself!

Active Rest Day:
My co-worker and I spent the day filling five gallon water coolers for visitors to Sabino Canyon yesterday. The trails covered a one mile stretch. Throughout the day we traveled back and forth making sure that the coolers stayed filled, walking over 6 miles.

Have a Great Day!

Banging this Out EARLY! Chest and Biceps

We had a fantastic chest and biceps workout this morning. Three of us started a bit later: some of our folks went to a concert last night. I am not sure if the extra hour was helpful or the fact that the weather here in Tucson is approaching damn near perfect. After the session with the morning folks, I wrapped up with a bit of other work.

Today's quote is from Nick Cave:

"I look around, complacency is the great disease of our autumn years, and I work hard to prevent that."

Workout: Chest and Biceps
Warm-Up:
400m Run
Trunk Twists, 20 repetitions
Push-Ups, 30 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Bench Press, 5 sets of 1-8 repetitions
Dips (+60lbs.), 5 sets of 8-20 repetitions
TRX Flies, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Barbell Curls, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions

Supplemental weight training: After working out with the morning crew, I went back and wrapped up a few other exercises.
Dumbbell Bench Press, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Dumbbell Flies, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Dumbbell Hammer Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions

Have a Great Day!

Quick Post on Leg Day

Despite having a day off from work I find myself barely getting the time to write this post. Nothing fancy today, just the workout!

Workout: Legs
Warm-Up:
Jump Rope, 100 repetitions
50m Walking High Leg Kicks
50m High Knee Marching
Step-Ups, 30 repetitions
Weight Training:
Back Squats, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
GHD, 5 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Superset: 3 sets
50m Weighted Sled Drag (220lbs.)
Air Squats, continuous until training partner is done with the sled drag
Superset: 3 sets
25m Weighted Sled Push (500lbs.)
Air Squats, continuous until training partner is done with the sled push
Standing Weighted Calf Raises, 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions

Have a Great Day! I will do a better job of writing tomorrow.

Go Where the Wild Things Are, Shoulders and Triceps

We spent part of our day today preparing for a local celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964. I am going to encourage everyone out there to get out this weekend and go to your public lands, go to a local wilderness area, find the places where the wild things in your area hang out!

Today's quote is from Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are:

"Let the wild rumpus start!"

Workout: Shoulders and Triceps
Morning Session:
Warm-Up: Perform each exercise in order to complete a set. Three sets total with no breaks between sets.
Jumping Jacks, 50 repetitions
15m Shuttle Run, 5 repetitions
TRX Reverse Flies, 15 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Barbell Push Press, 5 sets of 2-8 repetitions
Shoulder Shrugs, 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions
Landmine Lateral Jammers, 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions
Superset:
Diamond Triceps Push-Ups, 3 sets of 20 repetitions
Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions

Evening Session: With a lightweight dumbbell perform each exercise in order to complete a set. Three sets total with no breaks between sets.
Side Dumbbell Raise, 10 repetitions
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise, 10 repetitions
Overhead Dumbbell Press, 10 repetitions
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs, 10 repetitions

Have a Great Day!

Election Night and Back Exercises

Today is the day of the mid-term elections. I am not going to post who I voted for here in Arizona or what ballot measures I supported. I will say that I do love election day. Every time that there is an election in this country and power shifts back and forth peacefully I am thankful to be here. America is flawed, we don't always do the right thing in the world.... but mostly we are good and this experiment that started 238 years ago is doing all right.

Today's quote is from Franklin D. Roosevelt:

"No one will ever deprive the American people of their right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting."

Workout: Back
Morning Session:
Warm-Up: Perform each exercise in order to complete a set. Three sets total with no breaks between sets.
400m Run
TRX Rows, 15 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Upright Rows, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Landmine Rows, 3 sets of 5-8 repetitions
Deadlift, 5 sets of 1-2 repetitions
5m Rope Climb, 5 repetitions

Evening Session:
Dumbbell Pullovers, 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions
Superset:
Weight Pull-Ups (+35lbs.), 3 sets of 5-8 repetitions
Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows, 3 sets of 5 repetitions

Have a Great Day!

So I Missed the Rest Day.... Today was Back to Chest and Biceps

I truly took yesterday off. Off from lifting, off from blogging, off from a lot of things. I went out to have a very nice lunch, relaxed and recharged. This morning temperatures dipped way down into the 40s and it took a bit more than normal to warm up. With the rest and cool air, I was able to hit the weights again with a greater purpose and energy. We had three folks at the morning session and two of us for a quick evening workout.

Today's quote is from John F. Kennedy:

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."

Workout: Chest and Biceps
Morning Session:
Warm-Up: Perform each exercise in order to complete a set. Three sets total with no break at the end of a set.
Jumping Jacks, 50 repetitions
Push-ups, 20 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Bench Press, 5 sets of 5-10 repetitions
Dips (Bodyweight +50lbs.), 5 sets of 8-10 repetitions
Barbell 21s Curls, 3 sets
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers between each of the above sets.

Evening Session:
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Dumbbell Flies, 3 sets of 10
Hammer Curls, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Bench Press, 5 sets of 10
Dips, 5 sets of 15

Have a Great Day!

Dark Beers and Legs

I am personally a fan of dark beers, specifically Imperial Stouts. Tonight we had a great beer called Squatter's Outer Darkness Imperial Stout. Smooth and a bit chocolaty while packing a punch of 10.5% alcohol. It was a really nice way to wrap up a Saturday on which I had to work but reveled in a Notre Dame Fighting Irish victory!

Today's quote is from Plato:

"He was a wise man who invented beer."

Workout: Legs
Morning Session:
Warm-up:
Jump Rope, 100 repetitions
Step-Ups, 30 repetitions
Wall Sit, 50 count
Abdominal Crunches, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Back Squat, 5 sets of 6-10 repetitions
Barbell Reverse Lunges, 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions
GHD, 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Weighted Standing Calf Raises, 3 sets of 15-25 repetitions

Evening Session: Superset both exercises for a total of 5 sets each.
25m Weighted Sled Push (400lbs.)
50m Farmer's Carry (120lbs. per hand)

Have a Great Day!