Neigungs Workout Thread

[neigung]

i figure i might as well make myself a thread since i'm posting to the trad stances muscle failure thread all the time. and also just because i think it'll be cool to get feedback on what i'm doing.

so here's my current workout times/reps:

1:50 (r/l get full time on each side)
rhino looks at the moon (r/l)
horse
cat (r/l)
bow and arrow (r/l)
twisting stance (r/l)
pointing to winner (r/l)
searchng for the sea(r/l)
dull sickle reaps the rice (r/l)
angel staring into mirror (r/l)
angel gazes at the moon

74 reps (add one rep per day until 100 reps)
snake turns over
3 planes
dragon sharpens its claws

174 reps (add one per day until 200 reps)
grabbing emptiness

[fa_jing]

Good going! I think as long as you're making gains, you should stick to it. But if you start to plateau, you may want to back off and do some different style of leg workouts for a little while, for instance pistols.

[neigung]

what are pistols?

[rubthebuddha]

one-legged squats. wonderful exercises for balance and strength. i'm working up ot them myself. :)

[neigung]

TonyM-

i add about 10 sec to each stance/side every week.
pointing to winner and searching for the sea are single legged stances.
my goal is 3 min in each stance/side. that's 46 min on stances alone.
i'm one step ahead!

[neigung]

2:00 stances today
81 reps of snake turns over, 3 planes and dragons claws.
181 reps of grabbing.

i've noticed my stances are more relaxed and meditative. the single leg stances are still difficult though.

[neigung]

2:30 stances, 96 snake turns over & 3 planes & dragon claws, 196 grabbing nothingness.
When I reach 100 reps, I have to take my stances to 3 min each/each side. My stances are pretty good, but hitting muscle failure in the single leg stances again. Oh well. I'm still taking them to 3 min and just going to work through it.

[IronFist]

Doesn't Snake Turns Over require you to be in a horse stance for the whole time? So is that in addition to the other stance training?

Snake Turns Over is tough. What benefits have you seen from it?

IronFist

[neigung]

Yeah, I do it in about a 45° (up from parallel) horse stance. STO is in addition to my other stances, so about 90 min total stance work. Tonight was the first time I actually fell out of a stance from muscle failure. Sort of, I was in left leg forward twisting stance and my muscles just said 'ah, f uck you, enough of this!' and uncoiled. Not too happy about that, but I guess it happens sometimes.

Benefits from STO: I'd say I'm about 3-4 times stronger than when I started and my stamina and focus are greatly increased as well. The biggest benefit however is a noticable increase in intent in pretty much all movements in my arms; I strike much harder and 'heavier', grab much harder and pull/push much harder. Not to mention my forearms are like lead pipes. I can't wait until the next 100 days are over.

[IronFist]

STO is 10 reps each side for starters, then add one rep to each side each day for 90 days until you're at 100, and then you do 100 reps for another 100 days, right? And then you're done.

And then what do you do? Stone Warrior or something?

IronFist

[neigung]

I've heard more than a few ways to do the STO program. One of them was start with 1, add 1 per day until 50 reps, then subtract 1 per day until 1 rep.
Then there's start with 10 reps for 10 days, then add 1 per day etc.
They way I was taught and have been doing it was start with 30 reps for 30 days, then add 1 per day until 100 reps for 100 days. I don't think it really matters, as long as you add 1 per day and get to 100 reps for 100 days. Then again, maybe it does matter.
I'm not sure what I'm doing after STO.

[IronFist]

I've heard more than a few ways to do the STO program. One of them was start with 1, add 1 per day until 50 reps, then subtract 1 per day until 1 rep.

Hmm. Crazy.

Someone told me (was it you?) that if you miss a day you're supposed to subtract 10 reps for the next day. ****, that's hardcore. Like, 28, 29, miss a day, 19, 20. :eek:

They way I was taught and have been doing it was start with 30 reps for 30 days, then add 1 per day until 100 reps for 100 days. I don't think it really matters, as long as you add 1 per day and get to 100 reps for 100 days. Then again, maybe it does matter.

30 reps for 30 days. Sounds tough for a beginner. When I did Stone Warrior you were supposed to start with 12 reps for the first three exercises for the first week. Haha, I had to start at 4 (I think that's what I did, maybe it was 6).

I'm not sure what I'm doing after STO.:eek:

I wonder how long you'll keep the muscular endurance you gained from it if you take a break?

IronFist

[neigung]

Originally posted by IronFist
[i]
Someone told me (was it you?) that if you miss a day you're supposed to subtract 10 reps for the next day. ****, that's hardcore. Like, 28, 29, miss a day, 19, 20. :eek:

I wonder how long you'll keep the muscular endurance you gained from it if you take a break?

IronFist

The way I was taught was that if you miss a day, you do both sets the following day. Example, if I miss day 90, I do a set of 90 and a set of 91 the next day. The day after, I go to 92 and continue like normal. You shouldn't miss a day, but sometimes things happen.

I would think it lasts about the same as any muscle? I've no idea. After the 100/100 days, I go back down to 30 reps as maintainence.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by neigung
The way I was taught was that if you miss a day, you do both sets the following day. Example, if I miss day 90, I do a set of 90 and a set of 91 the next day. The day after, I go to 92 and continue like normal. You shouldn't miss a day, but sometimes things happen.

Holy crap! So you're doing double the reps one day. Yeah right, that can't be good. Like this:

Day 89: 89 reps
Day 90: miss a day
Day 91: 90 reps and then 91 reps
Day 92: 92 reps

****!!

That's probably especially bad if you missed a day because you were sick. So when you're recovering you're doing a huge amount of work. That can't be good.

Besides, who gets sick for only one day?

You're hardcore if you finish that program.

IronFist

[SevenStar]

Someone describe how to do snake turns over.

[neigung]

Maybe if you ask nicely. :mad: :p

[neigung]

All stances at 3 min.
STO/3 Planes/Dragon Claws reps at 100
Grabbing Emptiness reps at 200

AND I got a kitten.

Stoked.

[IronFist]

What is 3 planes?

IronFist

[neigung]

feet and knees touching, lower your weight like a horse stance.
arms out in front with your hands in the single whip/crane beak/whatever position with the palms facing down. strain your wrists up and down.

[IronFist]

Do you squeeze your knees together, like pressing them against each other to create more tension?

IronFist

[neigung]

You can if you'd like. I don't know if it's necessary though.
One thing I've been told- the hardest way is usually the correct way.

[SevenStar]

Iron, have you heard of three flats? If so, it's the same thing.

neigong,

<asking_nicely>
Will you please describe STO?
</asking_nicely>

[Shaolin-Do]

Please describe Snake Turns over and stone warrior program please somebody...
:)

[IronFist]

SevenStar, no, I haven't heard of three flats.

Describe Stone Warrior? That would take forever!

IronFist

[Shaolin-Do]

Ive got plenty of time... :)
At least describe Snake turns over please....

3 flats is the same thing as the stance you described earlier.

[neigung]

In a half horse stance (knees bent about 45°)
Both arms pulled up and back, so your fist is basically in your armpit.
Push hand down to waist, then come forward and upwards, in an almost uppercut type motion. Curl arm in, like a typical bicep curl. Pull arm towards outside of body, so your fist is by your ear. Curl arm down and under, so it's back in the ****ed position. Push outwards in a palm strike, sideways or vertical doesn't matter. Vertical gives you the greater range of motion for the next movement. Turn hand and forearm until hand is upside down, grab and pull arm back into ****ed position.