Day 27 - FREELETICS - APOLLON Exercise

Tuesday 18th March 2014

Today it was workout three for me.
As usual I started with a good slow release carb breakfast. I had:

• 50 g Porridge oats
• 200 g 1% milk
• handful of green seedless grapes

...................................................................................................................................................................

1. Stretching - This is similar every day and I cannot express enough how important this is to aid movement and diminish the probability of injury.

90/90 hamstring stretches - holding for seconds on each leg x 2

Ankle circles - 10 clockwise, 10 anti-clockwise

All four quad stretches, 10 seconds on each side

Arm curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse, 10 large rotations as left

Wrist curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse

Shoulder rolls - 10 backwards, 10 forwards

Dynamic chest stretch 3 x 15 second holds

Elbows stretch; 1 x 10 second hold

Abs - overhead stretch 1 x 10 second hold

Cat stretch - 3 x 10 seconds
Calf stretch hands against a wall - 10 seconds each foot

Seated floor hamstring stretch 2 x 10 second holds

Standing hip flexors - 2 x 10 each leg

Overhead stretch - 1 x 10 seconds

Shoulder stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Tricep Stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

I did not do all my stretches as the following exercise incorporated some of them.

...................................................................................................................................................................
2. FREELETICS - APOLLON.


Now that I have completed it, I know it was tough . . .

So this is what FREELETICS have suggested I do.

I thought at the beginning'

"This would be easier".

Yes well, perhaps not, although I am finding the burpees less painful.

I managed to complete the entire three rounds, my goal was to do this in under one hour. This is slow in comparison to many other FREELETICS members, but I am only in a competition with myself, no one else (at least for now). The target was set, all I had to do was to get through it and smile on the other side.

This was my result.

Happy. Cannot wait to do more . . . I truly have the bug now.

I have to confess though that I have reservations regarding the pull-ups and later the press up head stands . . these might take a while before I am better a them or can do them at all.

See you tomorrow.

...................................................................................................................................................................

Day 26 - Freeletics Day 6

Sunday 16th March

...................................................................................................................................................................
Monday 17th March - Gym workout

One thing I wish to mention is the recovery time. Although I still ache, I only really ache on my Gastrocnemius (see image)

It feels better than last week when I found it difficult to move around.

...................................................................................................................................................................

1. Stretching - This is similar every day and I cannot express enough how important this is to aid movement and diminish the probability of injury.

90/90 hamstring stretches - holding for seconds on each leg x 2

Ankle circles - 10 clockwise, 10 anti-clockwise

All four quad stretches, 10 seconds on each side

Arm curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse, 10 large rotations as left

Wrist curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse

Shoulder rolls - 10 backwards, 10 forwards

Dynamic chest stretch 3 x 15 second holds

Elbows stretch; 1 x 10 second hold

Abs - overhead stretch 1 x 10 second hold

Cat stretch - 3 x 10 seconds
Calf stretch hands against a wall - 10 seconds each foot

Seated floor hamstring stretch 2 x 10 second holds

Standing hip flexors - 2 x 10 each leg

Overhead stretch - 1 x 10 seconds

Shoulder stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Tricep Stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Lunges - 2 x 10 each leg

Pelvic lift into bridge – 1 x 20 lifts

Plank - 3 x 20 seconds (I am now able to perform this easier - The first time I tried it I lasted under 10 seconds), pathetic, but we all start somewhere.

...................................................................................................................................................................
2. Gym workouts

Today I want to focus on my abs, shoulders, biceps, chest and arms.

Shoulders
1. Arnold dumbbell press            -  3 sets, 10 reps, 10 kgs
2. Two armed row                      -  3, 10, 27 kgs
3. Chin assists                             -  6, 10, 59 kgs assist

Forearms
1. Finger curls                             -  3, 10, 6 kgs
2. Seated wrist curl                     -  3, 10, 12 kgs

Biceps
1. Concentration curls                 -  3, 8, 12 kgs
2. Dip assists                              -  6, 10, 59 kgs assist

Chest
1. Incline dumbbell press             -  3, 10, 15 kgs
2. Bent arm pull over                   -  3, 10, 12.5 kgs
3.  Incline Barbell bench press     -  3, 10, 15 kgs + bar

Abs
1. 3/4 sit-up - 2 x 20
2. Bent knee hip raise - 1 x 10
3. Dumbbell side bend - 2 x 10 x 16 kgs
4. Flat leg lying raise - 2 x 15
5. Standard sit-up - 2 x 25

...................................................................................................................................................................
Updated image of me.
17/03/14

I believe I can now start to see a glimmer of some abs . . . just a note to add. A member of the gym staff of a well known local leisure centre told me that i am too old to get abs . . . Is he correct?

Day 24 - FREELETICS day 3

Saturday 15th March

Okay so today was very difficult and realistically I probably should have rested, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

I wanted to go somewhere open and easy to be able to carry out the workout so I went to a nice open space at Leatherhead Leisure Centre; Fusion Leisure adjacent to the tennis courts and in front of the football changing block.

I rode. This was the distance covered:

It was a great sunny day.

...................................................................................................................................................................

When I arrived I immediately got straight into it.

Stretching

Firstly as always I carried out some stretching

90/90 hamstring stretches - holding for seconds on each leg x 2

Ankle circles - 10 clockwise, 10 anti-clockwise

All four quad stretches, 10 seconds on each side

Arm curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse, 10 large rotations as left

Wrist curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse

Shoulder rolls - 10 backwards, 10 forwards

Dynamic chest stretch 3 x 15 second holds

Elbows stretch; 1 x 10 second hold

Cat stretch - 3 x 10 seconds

Lower back curl - 3 x 10 seconds

Calf stretch hands against a wall - 10 seconds each foot

Seated floor hamstring stretch 2 x 10 second holds

Standing hip flexors - 2 x 10 each leg

Overhead stretch - 1 x 10 seconds

Shoulder stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Tricep Stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

I did not do abs today as ATLAS consists of Abs and Legs exercises.

...................................................................................................................................................................

FREELETICS - Day 3

When I opened my downloaded App (IOS and ANDROID available) for the FREELETICS session I was faced with the task of carrying out this:

Undeterred and motivated to complete every workout session regardless of time I set out and completed my run. This was the result:

Then, one by one I completed the other five exercises; they were not pretty, it was bloody hard, but I managed to do it. See the video that I have posted after this post.

..............................................................................................................................................................

Cycling

After the exercises, I ate:

• Banana
• 500 ml of Lucozade
• 200 g of assorted nuts, raisons and Thai mix

After twenty minutes rest (and a shower at the leisure centre) I rode back home.

This is the result:

FREELETICS Day 3 Atlas you tube

Day 23 - Golf, yes golf

Friday 14th March

After my second FREELETICS session, I felt that I should rest for a day, but then got a phone call asking me to play golf. Telling my friend that I would need a buggy to drive around in, I agreed.

Still very stiff, I arrived and immediately ate some poor food, burger and chips (yes I know, but as I said before, I am no martyr). In my defence the burger was very meaty and came with vegetables.

I was then told by the club house that there were no buggies yet due to the ground being too soft . . . hmmm, this was going to be fun.

The course, an 18 hole, par 72, 6000 yard (5486 metres) was not too hilly and expansive. An average course. It looks like this:



Okay so, with my previous knowledge of course calorie loss for a round of golf I set off.

As I am an occasional golfer, I was never going to hit the ball straight every time so the course for me played about 7500 yards (6858 metres) zig-zagging my way through it.

The total loss of calories for this 5 hour walk with swinging movements thrown in every five minutes or so totalled 1023, which I was very pleased with. My legs felt extremely sore an stiff towards the end and I have to say after the hour-or-so drive back to my home I wished that I had rested.

On the bright side, I did exercise, I was outdoors getting fresh air, I was building up my metabolism, I was increasing my HDL cholesterol, I did reduce my LDL (bad) cholesterol, I was stretching, I was improving my blood flow, I was improving my over all fitness and I was happier, due to the endorphines being relesed.

Overall the madness of not resting, boosted my fitness just a little bit more.

Have a nice day guys, speak soon after my next session; not sure if I will cycle, go to the gym to workout or do another FREELETICS session . . . hmmm.

Day 21 and 22 - FREELETICS and cycling

Day 21

Wednesday 12th March was a day of rest after the punishing FREELETICS workout.

I have to confess I found it very difficult to move afterwards as my legs just became sore and almost unbearable. Every time I sat and worked the pain disappeared, but the opposite happened; my muscles kept locking in the seated position. Once I stood up again, the pain was incredible.

However, I rested, ate well and tried to stretch as much as I could. I knew that the only reason I was under this amount of pain is that my body had not worked out this hard for a long time. It was a good wake-up call and one which inspires me to keep going . . . reading and listening to many of  the other FREELETICS inspired users, there were an awful lot that had similar aching limbs. The advice I honed from them and which I fervently pass onto you is one in the same;

THE PAIN WILL GO, THE EXERCISES WILL BECOME EASIER, YOU WILL SEE THE BENEFITS

...................................................................................................................................................................

Day 22

Despite the pain I wanted to keep going as that is what FLATter© is all about. It is important that I show that regardless how difficult something is in the beginning, it can and does get easier and better.

...................................................................................................................................................................

Breakfast

I always like to eat a minimum of one hour before any workout using a carb, slow release energy that will help sustain my workouts. Today I ate:

• 50 g porridge oats
• 190 ml 1% milk

...................................................................................................................................................................
Sustenance at the gym:

1 x medium banana
600 ml water
500 ml Lucozade Revive (a little fizzy actually - might try something new next week; does bloat you a little)
1 x high protein power bar

...................................................................................................................................................................

Sustenance within 30 minutes of last exercise:

200 g of mixed raisins, nuts, crackers, Thai mix (really good)
glass of water

...................................................................................................................................................................

1. Stretching - This is similar every day and I cannot express enough how important this is to aid movement and diminish the probability of injury.

90/90 hamstring stretches - holding for seconds on each leg x 2

Ankle circles - 10 clockwise, 10 anti-clockwise

All four quad stretches, 10 seconds on each side

Arm curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse, 10 large rotations as left

Wrist curls - 10 small rotations, clockwise and reverse

Shoulder rolls - 10 backwards, 10 forwards

Dynamic chest stretch 3 x 15 second holds

Elbows stretch; 1 x 10 second hold

Abs - overhead stretch 1 x 10 second hold
Abs - half crunches 2 x 20

Cat stretch - 3 x 10 seconds

Lower back curl - 3 x 10 seconds

Calf stretch hands against a wall - 10 seconds each foot

Seated floor hamstring stretch 2 x 10 second holds

Standing hip flexors - 2 x 10 each leg

Overhead stretch - 1 x 10 seconds

Shoulder stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Tricep Stretch - 1 x 10 seconds each arm

Lunges - 2 x 10 each leg

Air Bike – 2 x 30 seconds each leg

Pelvic lift into bridge – 1 x 20 lifts

Plank - 3 x 20 seconds (I am now able to perform this easier - The first time I tried it I lasted under 10 seconds), pathetic, but we all start somewhere.

This stretching is pretty much the same before any exercise now.
...................................................................................................................................................................

FREELETICS training

If you decide to enlist the use of the FREELETICS coaches, as I have, you are thrown straight in the deep end as they want to know what type of person you are; understandably. Therefore, right at the beginning they require that you carry out MAX exercises. This is their explanation:

WORKOUTS AND MAX

FREELETICS contains two types of training: Workouts and MAX. Workouts are a given set of exercises. The exercises have to be completed in the exact same order and number as stated. All workouts are for time. Complete them as fast as possible. Your workout time is the performance measure.

At MAX, you will get a certain amount of time to complete as many repetitions of one exercise as possible. Here, your number of repetitions is your performance measure.

The combination of these two types of training is ideal for maximum progress. The high intensity allows for impressive results despite significantly reduced workout times. Sessions take only between 5 and 45 minutes on average and you only need your bodyweight.

Okay so now that you understand that they have your best interests at heart; no really, and yes it might just tear your body apart for a number of sessions, but according to ALL the testimony's that I have listened to and read; it gets better.

So to me:
Today I had to carry out the following:

• Burpee Max 300 in seconds
• Jumps in 300 seconds
• Pull-up Max in 100 seconds
• Sit-up Max in 300 seconds
• Squat Max in 300 seconds

You might think that this is fairly easy, but the point here is a personal one. As you are against the clock and you know that they have data on over 500,000 other users, you kind-of feel that you do not want to be at the bottom of that pile; at least I did not want to be. So of course I pushed myself. I did discover though three things;

1. Doing sit-ups at that speed for the first time can cause a burn of the top of your buttocks [either side of your cheeks]. My advice would be to put a towel or soft mat beneath you for this exercise.
2. And being against the clock and knowing you are against the clock has a tiring, but very positive impact on your outcome.
3. Pull-ups is my weakness. I was dreadful! 

I found that I wanted to do just five more, all the time, just five more, I kept saying it all the time.

These were my results. Please remember that this was only my second exercise day:

• Burpee Max - 50
• Jump Max - 80
• Pull-up Max - 8 (very disappointed, but will get better)
• Sit-up Max - 89
• Squat Max - 100

Overall I was happy, but as you see my Achilles heel was the Pull-ups. I discovered that this is my nemesis and one I must overcome.

...................................................................................................................................................................

Cycling

I was understandably tired after these exercises; legs feeling very wobbly and shoulders feeling drained of energy so I decided to cycle for 30 minutes. I carried out my regular routine:

4 minutes - level 3 maintaining 90 - 100 rpm minimum constantly

1 minute - level 18

This is consecutive until the 30 minute time period has been achieved.

Day 20 - The first day of FREELETICS training

FREELETICS

This is a newish sport that is taking the Western world by storm. It is a an endurance, speed orientated exercise that challenges your ability to keep going with the promise of huge rewards at the end of the 15 week, four-times-a-week sessions.

The way it works is beautifully simple; by purchasing the extremely reasonable exercise plans, just over a couple of Euros a week, you get access to their exercise plans. There will be a large list in alphabetical presentation that needs to be followed one after the other (not in alphabetical order). They are also scrupulous in that they offer what they have termed 'Max' which you must achieve before you are allowed to proceed to the following week.

Now as I have now completed my first workout, and oh my God it is tough, I would suggest that you get the coach that they offer. Not only are they thorough and want you to achieve your goals [just like any good coach] they also, from the outset, understand that not everyone is a fit 25 year old person in the prime of their lives. I, for example, am 45 years old and have not been fit for many years; although I did work outside as I head gardener until one year ago when I had to undergo an operation that took me out of any physical activity for six months. This was a difficult time.

I would also say that when you start your first session, be aware that after each part of each set of workouts (burpees, squats and sit-ups) you press next on your app. When I first started, I was unaware of this and had already completed the first three exercises clearing my first of five sets before I realised it was there. I am not as yet sure if this makes a difference to your performance data that FREELETICS collect, but it probably does.

I mentioned it above and I do recommend that you download their free app to be used on your phone of tablet as you are more likely to either be outside, or in a gym carrying out the exercises.

Okay so to the exercises.

Firstly, I had never carried out these type of exercises since I was training at football practice 30 years ago, and I woke this morning seriously with butterflies; I was both excited and terrified at not being able to do it. The feelings I had in my stomach was exhilarating and nervy. What I did find refreshing is that although you as an individual want to finish, the coaches and staff at FREELETICS are understanding enough to recognise that you may not achieve all the exercises on day 1. I have something to prove to myself and although I physically felt sick for the majority of the session, at least three occasions thinking I might just about faint, I was not going to fail, no way. I am a winner [now] and I will not give up . . . Wow that sounds tough and slightly arrogant and I have to be honest [as you deserve that] about halfway through, I did feel like I was not going to make it, even though deep down I knew I would finish. Bit of a cliché but there you are, this was how I felt.

It is difficult not to give too much away as I believe that FREELETICS do a great job with the support and infrastructure that they have, but I do want to share my quick genuine clip of me carrying out my first session; see below:

You might also be interested in the following videos of people who have already carried out FREELETICS and the body transformation is extremely impressive.

and this . . .

and for the girls . . .

In 105 days I hope to achieve this.

I am writing this over two days. Today, I feel absolutely sorer than I have felt in years. My muscles have stiffened up so much; I cannot walk very well and it is impossible to get up without an aiding arm to assist me . . . I am not winging as I know this is the process and I understand and know first hand that this will get easier and I will look back on this moment with pleasure, especially when I look in the mirror.

Fingers crossed for me . . . show your support by liking this and maybe joining me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/FLATterUK I currently have 19,000 followers. Please join me so I can inspire other over-weight people to start their journey and lose weight.

A statistic. . .  unless we as a global species do not motivate each other it has been recorded that by 2030 (only 16 years):

• 60% of men
• 50% of women
• 25% of children . . . the most alarming fact

will be OBESE. Please help me, help someone by starting our domino effect. With small steps giant leaps can be achieved!