Had the same issue and tried to fix it with boxing bandages I had left from my stint to fitnessboxing, but they never quite stayed in place or at least it felt like that. Gave in and got those fingerless gloves (cheap from amazon), they look and make me feel ridiculous, but it's worth it.

The last time I was trying to get through swings and snatches after pullups I gave up and searched out some gardening gloves. Looked and felt beyond ridiculous and they didn't help. Finished out the set wearing my winter gloves (fairly thin, good for driving). Looked and felt even more ridiculous but they actually worked. Pavel whathisface from the RKC kettlebell stuff recommends cutting a sock and just using an inch+ or so of that over the base of the fingers/pad of the hand. I dunno, all of the options kind of suck in some manner. I will try chalk next and if that doesn't do the trick I will have to choose between bleeding and/or looking like an idiot.

How I now picture floppyj

lol
mspaint a kettlebell into his hand, give him a goatee and you got me to a T.

April 16 – 153.0 lbs

Cardio – Rower – Workout #5 from the concept site suggested first workouts - 20 min at 20-24 spm alternating between 1min hard and 1min easy. Did a 2min warmup and cool down on either end. 5,030m over the 24 min total.

1679 cal/87 carb/78 fat/167 protein/38 fibre



April 17 – 152.0 lbs

Mobility work and stretching done between exercises.

Alternated between pushups and squats:
Pushups target– 18/22/16/16/25+ (repeat)
Pushups done – 18/21/16/16/25

Goblet Squats (16kg KB) – 17/17/17/17/16

Alternated between pullups and single leg rdl’s:
Pullups target – 5/7/5/5/6+ (rererepeat)
Pullups done – 5/7/5/5/6 (used a different grip for each set, pullup/chin/neutral)
Last rep was sketchy on a couple sets but this was best showing at this level so far.

Single leg rdl’s (2x12kg KB) – 2x 7/7/7/6/6

1711 cal/128 carb/60 fat/174 protein/37 fibre

My mspaint skills suck and my photoshop skills are non-existant but this is as close as I can get it:

hahahahaha, woke my gf up to show her that picture

omg

hahaha!

April 18 – 151.9 lbs

Cardio – Rower – Benchmark 30min. Managed 6306 metres.

It was almost 9pm before I got home and I was super tired so I just went at an easy pace but that easy pace very quickly became difficult. Maintained the pace for the most part but backed off now and then to prevent my heart from exploding in my chest. Noticed this morning that my heart rate was up to 165 by the 5min mark, 175 by 10min, 180 by 12 min, slowly rose to 185 by 25min and did a steady climb to 196 over the last few mins. At my age 180 is my max heart rate so I am now officially dead. Fortunately it doesn’t work that way I guess.

My goals fluctuated during this quite a bit 1) Let’s just row nice and easy for 30 min, 2) Get over 6K m, 3) Get over 6.3K m, 4) Get over 6.2K m, 5) Get over 6K m, 6) Do NOT die, 7) Get 6.3K m and do not die

My fitness level is still complete ****. But better than it was and improving!

1770 cal/126 carb/62 fat/187 protein/36 fibre

April 19 – 152.6 lbs

Rest day. Rested.

1810 cal/106 carb/92 fat/131 protein/32 fibre

April 20 – 151.6 lbs

2min warmup on rower. Mobility work and stretching done between exercises.

Alternated between pushups and squats:
Pushups target– 16/21/15/15/21+ (repeat)
Pushups done – 16/21/15/15/21

Goblet Squats (16kg KB) – 17/17/17/17/17

Alternated between pullups and single leg rdl’s:
Pullups target – 4/6/4/4/6+ (repeat)
Pullups done – 4/6/4/4/6 (used a different grip for each set, pullup/chin/neutral)


Single leg rdl’s (2x12kg KB) – 2x 7/7/7/7/7

1794 cal/160 carb/58 fat/167 protein/39 fibre

April 21 – 152.4 lbs

13 min mobility and stretching.

Cardio – Rower – short WOD was a single 500m, so I figured I’d do five of those and I was aiming for 2min or under on each. I was on track for the first 60 seconds or so then hit a big wall. Took about 3 mins of rest between each row. 1:59.1, 2:00.3, 2:06.3, 2:03.1, 2:01.0

Can’t say I enjoyed this.

Heart rate topped 180bpm on last two attempts but does seem to drop back down fairly quickly afterwards. Paying a bit more attention to this than normal as an old work colleague just died of a heart attack at his desk last week at only 50 years old.

1715 cal/133 carb/58 fat/171 protein/36 fibre

April 22 – 152.1 lbs

2min warmup on rower. Mobility work and stretching done between exercises.

Alternated between pushups and squats:
Pushups target– 18/22/16/16/25+ (repeat)
Pushups done – 18/22/16/16/25

Goblet Squats (16kg KB) – 18/17/17/17/17

Alternated between pullups and single leg rdl’s:
Pullups target – 5/7/5/5/6+ (repeat)
Pullups done – 5/7/5/5/6 (used a different grip for each set, pullup/chin/neutral)

Single leg rdl’s (2x12kg KB) – 2x 8/7/7/7/7

1969 cal/155 carb/68 fat/191 protein/40 fibre

for hitting a wall those numbers look pretty good for your goal

What damper setting do you use? Have you checked the drag? Some cursory googling/talking to rowers I know seems to indicate you should be shooting for 110-130; when I first started I was pulling around a 90, which meant I had to increase the damper setting so I wasn't burning myself out pulling so quickly:

http://www.concept2.com/service/moni...ng-drag-factor
http://www.concept2.co.uk/indoor-row...er-setting-101

I was on track to smash my goal and then did a big fade. Still wasn't bad compared to that initial goal of course. Should be able to get those all sub 2 min in the not too distant future.

Thanks Monte. I haven't checked the drag at all, I'll check that out. I use a damper setting of 4 and haven't tried anything else yet. Fairly certain my problem is just being way out of shape but I'll read up and try some different settings to see if that helps.

April 23 – 152.3 lbs

13 min mobility and stretching.

Cardio – Elliptical – 40min including a few mins warmup and cool down. Went pretty easy alternating between mostly 130-150 strides per min and 170-180 spm for few minute chunks. No TV set up with the rower and I wanted to watch UFC prelims so the rower didn’t get a chance to kill me tonight.

1814 cal/150 carb/60 fat/162 protein/35 fibre – including a delicious scotch. Might be a month or more since I’ve had a drink.

Pretty excited for the co-main/main, who were you watching the prelims for? East?

Wasn't watching the prelims for any of the fights in particular with the possible exception of Pettis Junior. Missed the East fight but will circle back and catch it later. Looking forward to the main and was looking forward to Pettis/Barboza. Pettis has a nasty case of hamburger leg now.

And maybe I should have been looking forward to the MM fight a little more than I was. Impressive.

MM is a monster

Yeah, he is. I was kind of expecting a five round slightly boring domination-fest. What was delivered was significantly more lively. The main kind of went the way I was expecting the co-main to go.

April 24 – 151.6 lbs

2min warmup. Mobility work and stretching done between exercises.

Alternated between pushups and squats:
Pushups target– 20/25/20/20/28+ (First crack at this level)
Pushups done – 20/25/20/20/21 (Swing and a miss)

Goblet Squats (16kg KB) – 18/18/17/17/17

Alternated between pullups and single leg rdl’s:
Pullups target – 5/7/5/5/6+ (repeat)
Pullups done – 4/7/5/5/6 (used a different grip for each set, pullup/chin/neutral)

Single leg rdl’s (2x12kg KB) – 2x 8/8/7/7/7

1915 cal/164 carb/62 fat/181 protein/38 fibre

April 25 – 151.8 lbs

Cardio - Rower Short WOD – 5K m at 26, 24, 22, 24, 26 strokes per min for each 1K. Finished in 22:19 and only hated the last 4.3K m or so. Played around with the damper setting and drag factor beforehand on the advice of Monte. Initially was at a damper setting of 4 which worked out to a drag factor of 100. Adjusted damper down and drag factor dropped to 80, set it at 5.5 or 6 and drag factor was just under 120. Left it there for now. The last time I rowed 5K m it took 24min so this was an improvement but I found the row very difficult. Haven’t checked heart rate on fitbit yet but I did check twice during the row and it was over 180 on first check and over 190 on last check. I lost a lot of intensity after the first 1K m but did keep the stroke rate up with planned for the most part.

Did 15 mins of mobility work and stretching after the row.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day and I am pretty sure I will pass on even the lightest of cardio.

I am nearing the end of a brutal period at the office. I worked over 250 hours in March and I have already worked over 250 hours so far in April with a really ugly week yet to go. I had kind of planned to take this week off on the exercise front just to get through the final push on this project but I fear that if I skip a workout or two I may never start again. So instead I might just scale everything back and make it a super easy week. I am amazed that I have managed to keep up the exercise schedule through this. Basically been working 8am to 8pm, go home, change, exercise, shower, cook, eat, go to bed, repeat for six plus weeks. I start a little later and leave a little earlier on weekends for a nice break. The exercise schedule and healthier eating has very likely helped with my energy levels through this. I am tired but don’t feel like a truck has hit me which is how I have felt in the past during periods like this. Another big May project coming up and then a few smaller ones in June and then I will check out for a good chunk of July and August.


1828 cal/139 carb/70 fat/178 protein/50 fibre

How are you checking your HR? 190 seems incredibly high, to the point where I would be far more inclined to believe it's an error on the measuring device rather than your actual HR. I know max HR is variable for different people, but for a 45yo to be hitting 190 when not even doing a max HR type workout is pretty out there.

Fitbit Blaze wrist device. No clue on the accuracy and have wondered the same - I don't think these things are known for their super accurate HR readings. Nothing gets my heart pumping like the rower though, so I believe my heart rate is plenty high but exactly how high, no idea. Doing intervals on the elliptical it is rare for the fitbit to read over 160 with the sprints at 250 or 260 strides per min which is about as fast as I can push it. I think you are quite likely correct though.