Day 2 / Week 5: 29-01-2010

Squats
95 lbs x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5


Press
50 lbs x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5


Deadlift
130 lbs x 5
160 x 5
185 x 5
210 x 5 <--- oh crap.... dog heavy


Power Cleans
60 lbs x 5
70 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
110 x 3 <--- argh.... my limit for the day perhaps
100 x 3


Reverse Crunch
BW x 14 x 3


Pullups
BW x 5
BW x 4
BW x 5
BW x 3
BW x 4
BW x 3


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins + Power Cleans pact


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 54mins

Notes:
- today i felt extremely tired.... went to gym during day time.... really bad experience.. 40 mins to find a car park... meH!
-barely have any energy to squat 140lbs... z-ness has strike again... ZZZ

Day 1 / Week 5: 27-01-2010

Cardio: 15mins HIIT <-- no choice...someone was hogging the squat rack to do pullups...


Squats
95 lbs x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5


Bench Press
60 lbs x 5
75 x 5
90 x 5
105 x 5
120 x 5


Barbell Row
45 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5


Weighted Hyperextensions
20 lbs x 12
30 x 12
25 x 12


Weighted Situps
10 lbs x 15
20 x 15
10 x 15
20 x 15




Duration of training: 36mins

Notes:
- Starts t-o feel weeeeaker!

Day 3 / Week 4: 25-01-2010

Squats
95 lbs x 5
115 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 5
190 x 3
140 x 8


Bench Press
60 lbs x 5
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 3
85 x 8


Barbell Rows
45 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 3
65 x 8


Dips
BW x 9 x 3


Preacher's curl(each arm)
25 lbs x 10
30 x 10
30 x 7 + 25 x 3


One arm triceps extensions
20 lbs x 9
15 x 9
25 x 3 + 20 x 5


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins + Power Cleans pact


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 41 mins

Notes:
- No idea why I went in turbo mode today lol, probably because been listening to mp3 throughout the whole workout

A Song For Malaysians

Focus & Lift couldn't sit still and let all the commotion pass through, silently. While reading Malaysia Today recently, I can't help but to tell myself how naive I have been. I never bothered anything about politics. But as more negative headlines of Malaysia reaching the international bay, I couldn't keep quiet anymore.

I'm an irresponsible citizen. I did not practice my rights and duty as to register to vote and vote. I thought Malaysia would slowly heal and times would improve, but in fact the opposite is happening and I deeply regret as to I being one of the cause to this result. I'm going to register myself to vote, and hell yes I'm voting for PR. Thank you RPK for giving a hard kick on my face to wake me up. I can't stand the crap that our government is slowly eating up our money for the development of this country. Look at Singapore? Enough said indeed.

As to the song, its basically an old song by Robbie Williams named "No Regrets". Below is basically the altered lyrics for Malaysians!


Tell me a story
Where we all change
And we'd live our lives together
And not enstranged

I didn't lose my mind it was
Mine to give away
Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You didn't have the time
So I softly slip away...

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

I know from the outside
We looked good for each other
Felt things were going wrong
When you guys took over

I don't want to hate but that's
All you've left me with
A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of
How we all could live

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
(We've been told you all are corrupted)
I know they're still talking
(You're far too "short" to lead this country)
The demons in your head
(Return the money that you've all taken)
If I could just stop hating you
(Goodbye)
I'd feel sorry for all of us instead

Remember the photographs (insane)
The ones where we all laugh (so lame)
We were having the time of our lives
Well thank you it was a real blast

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Write me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

Everything I wanted to be every
Time I walked away
Everytime you all propose a new project
I just felt so broke
Every time you looked at us and
Everytime you smiled
I felt so offended as you treat us like fools
I loved the way Malaysia used to be
I loved the way we used to smile
Often we mix around and think of our future
For a while
Then it passes by me and I think of
The current government holding Malaysia hostage
I guess the trust we once had is
Officially dead!

Day 2 / Week 4: 22-01-2010

Squats
95 lbs x 5
115 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5


Press
50 lbs x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5


Deadlift
130 lbs x 5
155 x 5
180 x 5
205 x 5


Power Cleans
55 lbs x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
90 x 5
105 x 5 <-- went quite alright despite my wrist pain


Reverse Crunch
BW x 13 x 3


Pullups
BW x 7
BW x 4
BW x 3
BW x 3
BW x 3


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 49mins

Notes:
- need to pump up on pullups

Day 1 / Week 4: 20-01-2010

Squats
95 lbs x 5
115 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 5
185 x 5


Bench Press
60 lbs x 5
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5


Barbell Row
45 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5


Weighted Hyperextensions
20 lbs x 12
25 x 12
20 x 12


Weighted Situps
20 lbs x 15
30 x 15
20 lbs x 15
10 x 15


Cardio: 15mins HIIT

Duration of training: 36mins

Notes:
- Time seems shorterrr, but squats at 185 seems dreadful...damn damn damn!

Day 3 / Week 3: 17-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5
185 x 3
135 x 8


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 3
85 x 8


Barbell Rows
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 3
60 x 8


Dips
BW x 8 x 3 <------- wow..felt like peanuts now... would slowly add reps


Preacher's curl(each arm)
25 lbs x 8
30 x 8 x 2


One arm triceps extensions
20 lbs x 8
15 x 8
20 x 8


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 54 mins

Notes:
- Meh...3 mins extra compared to last week
- Hrm... now I start to feel weak with bench 115lbs, as though I bench 135lbs

Day 2 / Week 3: 15-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5


Press
50 lbs x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5


Deadlift
125 lbs x 5
150 x 5
175 x 5
200 x 5


Power Cleans
45 lbs x 5
60 x 5
75 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5 <--barely survived on the last few rep


Reverse Crunch
BW x 12 x 3


Pullups
BW x 8
BW x 5
BW x 4
BW x 2


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 48mins

Notes:
- hoho, able to pull down my training duration
- Squats.. 135lbs was peanuts for me 1 month back... today it felt quite heavy.... argh!
- While I was doing my power cleans, saw someone else doing it too... never seen that dude do power cleans before until I started doing it recently. Did I just influenced him to crank up the power cleans? lol... but seriously, power cleans is so fun to play with...
- When I was doing presses on the squat rack (yes I was lazy to transfer to the other rack which is more lousy), someone was using that lousy rack to squat. He squatted but the bar kept hitting on the stupid unadjustable squat rack. I offered him my workplace and we switched places because I'm doing press and I don't need any low side supporters. My point is,

ppl should offer their equipment that they are using if they know their workout could be done elsewhere when someone else needs the equipment more than you

Obviously I understand how he felt when I used it for presses lol.

Day 1 / Week 3: 13-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5
180 x 5


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5


Barbell Row
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5


Weighted Hyperextensions
10 lbs x 12
25 x 12
20 x 12


Weighted Situps
10 lbs x 15
20 x 15
10 lbs x 15
20 x 15


Cardio: 20mins of empty bar power cleans, reps of 5'5 and 10's

Duration of training: 39mins

Notes:
- Found a new song to motivate my power cleans... funny but only when it comes to power cleans, I put on my mp3 player. I never hook up songs with other lifts...I really wonder why lol.
- Seriously, squats is starting to get harder for me, 180lbs used to be ok to me... is that how the program goes? Let you lift light, then it gets harder because you were lifting light all these while? Really hope to improve on the coming weeks =) !

Day 3 / Week 2: 10-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5
155 x 5
180 x 3
135 x 8


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5
110 x 3
80 x 8


Barbell Rows
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 3
60 x 8


Dips
BW x 8 x 3 <------- hrmm seems that my elbows got used to my load now...


Preacher's curl(each arm)
15 lbs x 8
25 x 8 x 2


One arm triceps extensions
20 lbs x 8
15 x 8
20 x 6 + 15 x 2


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 51 mins

Notes:
- Meh starting to get weaker with tricep extensions...
- Ever thought of playing slamming the barbell bar to your face? I'm about to get there lol.

Day 2 / Week 2: 08-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5


Press
50 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5


Deadlift
120 lbs x 5
145 x 5
170 x 5
195 x 5


Power Cleans
45 lbs x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
90 x 5
95 x 5


Reverse Crunch
BW x 12 x 3


Pullups
BW x 7
BW x 5
BW x 4


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 54mins

Notes:
- felt so tired today, like i got hit like a bus... probably due to the whole day sleeping mode
- felt squats was heavy even at 130lbs... damn i wonder if i'll even progress on the next session... hrm..

A day at PushMore Fitness Centre

Unprepared, unknown to me was the workout by PushMore for new comers/those who decided to go for a free trial. I saw their WOD on their blog for the day, it seems alright to me: Kettlebells and walking lunges. Though, I was surprised by their newbie's WOD... and the unexpected has landed right on me when I was there.

Similar to circuit training but I feel it was more taxing lol. Oh yes I'm obviously lack of endurance. I admit it. Heck I only do stepping machine for cardio for at most 30 minutes. I know I can't expect much when it comes to workout that test my endurance.

Their warmup is rather simple but intensive. Why? Take a look:

5 minutes rope skipping (just once)

The 10's:
10 body squats
10 sit ups
10 figure eights
10 push ups
10 jumping pullups

That was just 1 round for the 10's. Did 3 rounds of 10's in total...*Pant like nuts*

I'd say all the panting was contributed by the first 5 minutes of rope skipping. I've never done rope skipping for years... so 5 minutes of continuous skipping was really crazy... I keep breaking in between. I swear my lungs were coming out after that.

The 10's were ok, figure eights was relatively new to me, so I had trouble doing that too :x

Now.. comes the real workout. The workouts were easy in general, but its timed. In 10 minutes, I'm suppose to do as many rounds as the following:

5 inverted row using rings
10 push ups
15 body squats

Was able to do 6 rounds of that including the extra of 5 inverted row rings and 4 pushups. Initially she asked if I could do pullups. Then it hit my mind, I better not say yes since only recently I'm able to do them ROFL, hence the modification to inverted row rings.

How did I feel? SO FREAKING TIRED. Was sweating like a pig.

When the workout ended, I just sat there for 10-15 minutes drinking water, 2 bottles of water to be precise. Heck if Pey (the friendly PushMore staff who trained me for the day) didn't advice me to drink less water, I'd easily take 4 bottles in total lol. Yesh I'm a shui tong.

I have to say the way they train is totally different from what you see in commercial gyms. Commercial gyms are relatively low intensity as people just do their machines/dumbbells/barbells with their own pace. I'm referring to those without any personal trainers. You will then see obsessed gym goers working out the same bicep curl and triceps for bigger arms and keep staring at the mirror wondering did their biceps grow an inch =__=""

I guess I've finally found the kind of fitness center I've been looking for. Crossfit it is! I like the rush of blood to my brain while intensely going through the workout.

Theres just one problem, my gym membership is still on for about another year. My hands are really itchy to visit PushMore again. In fact, I'm looking forward to attend their foundation classes as I would be exposed to the correct lifting techniques. Perhaps after attending I could practice them well in my current gym for the meantime until I join PushMore for good.

Now I need to pin out which month I can fully commit to their starter package. Perhaps mid february, after CNY.

Day 1 / Week 2: 06-01-2010

Squats
90 lbs x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5
110 x 5


Barbell Row
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5


Weighted Hyperextensions
20 lbs x 12
25 x 12
10 x 12


Weighted Situps
10 lbs x 15 x 2
20 x 15 x 2

Casual Cardio, very light intensity - 10 mins

Duration of training: 39mins

Notes:
- again...played power cleans to practice on technique.... its actually a nice cardio too with the bar unloaded and do as many power cleans per song... sweat the hell out of me

Day 3 / Week 1: 03-01-2010

Squats
85 lbs x 5
105 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
175 x 5 <--- should have been 3's... dang
130 x 8


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
65 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5
110 x 3
80 x 8


Barbell Rows
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 3
60 x 8


Dips
BW x 8 x 3 <------- never do dips for quite sometime... find it a lil difficult for my elbows to suddenly receive my bodyweight's strain


Barbell curls
45 lbs x 8
65 x 8
55 x 8


One arm triceps extensions
20 lbs x 7
15 x 8 x 2


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 57 mins


Hands got itchy again, played some power cleans: Just unloaded bar for technique practice... Again people look at me like I'm crazy throwing the bar to my bones under my neck. Thats what they saw, but its not what happened. It just looked that way but it isn't. What you see can be deceiving indeed.

Day 2 / Week 1: 01-01-2010

Squats
85 lbs x 5
105 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5


Press
45 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5


Deadlift
120 lbs x 5
145 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5


Power Cleans
45 lbs x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5


Reverse Crunch
BW x 12 x 3


Pullups
BW x 5
BW x 4
BW x 3


Cardio HIIT for 15 mins


Duration of training (does not include cardio): 49mins


This day, day 2 is regarded as the easy day in the program... of course except deadlifts...which will keep increasing with time lol.

Of course with the addition of power cleans, this would spice up the workout on every day 2 of the week, hehe. The only problem I still face is my shitty power cleans form technique... if it continues this way, I'm afraid I will not progress any further, must fix it!

Day 1 / Week 1: 30-12-2009

Squats
85 lbs x 5
105 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5


Bench Press
55 lbs x 5
65 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 5


Barbell Row
40 lbs x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5


Weighted Hyperextensions
10 lbs x 12
20 x 12
25 x 12


Weighted Situps
10 lbs x 15 x 4


Duration of training: 40mins

Notes:
- ok... is it just me or the program lacks of volume?... very not used to it compared to doing Rippetoe's.... because this 5x5 includes the ramping sets...unlike Rippetoe's 3x5 + ramping sets.... How can I modify it to add more volume correctly? But it was kinda intensive lol... HELP!