My Fitness Journal: One Week To Go

By Keith Boykin, in sports
Saturday, July 8 2006, 1:07AM

The New York Times ran a story this week about ex-athletes who are no longer in the best of shape. "The dirty secret among former high school and college jocks is that many don't remain active as adults. In their glory days they were the fittest among their peers. But as adults many are overtaken by nonjocks who embrace fitness as a commitment to health, forget the varsity letter."

The Times explains that former elite athletes often don't do as well in their later years because of burnout from years of training or because the idea of exercise doesn't thrill them without the reward of athletic success. "Running on a treadmill in a sea of anonymous gym-goers doesn't compare to the thrill of being an m.v.p. on campus," the story says. I agree. I think that explains why I have rarely been excited about working out since I graduated from college.

One Week To Go

With one week to go before I compete in the Gay Games in Chicago, I decided to do something different this week. After working out with Chris-Leo a few weeks ago, he convinced me that I need to keep an actual written journal of my exercises in the gym so I can monitor my progress. Now why didn't I think of that? So I'm taking his advice and I'm presenting every exercise I did every day of the week. And last week was the first week in recent memory when I actually worked out every single day.

I also decided to list the songs I listened to while I was in the gym. If the "workout soundtrack" seems a bit ecletic, it's not entirely intentional. I just turned on a playlist (usually my exercise playlist) and let the Ipod shuffle through and pick the songs. Although some songs (like India Arie's CD) I purposefully played, most of the songs were selected randomly. The songs listed here are not intended to be an endorsement of any of the music. It's just presented for information. Here now are the notes from my journal.

Saturday, July 1, 3 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Triceps & Shoulders

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 125th Street
Powerade Lemon Lime
Watched Brazil v. France in World Cup on Univision TV as I did cardio

Workout Details
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Dips 3 sets of 10
Single Arm Tricep Pushdowns (70/10)(70/10)(70/10)
Tricep Rope Pullovers (110/12)(110/10)(110/10)
Tricep Rope Push Downs (110/10)(110/10)(110/10)
Flat Bench Tricep Pullovers (75/10)(75/10)(75/10)
Close Grip Bench Press (75/10)(75/10)(75/10)
Reverse Dips 4 sets of 12
Four-In-One Shoulder Exercise (20/44)(20/40)(20/40)
Ab Crunches (10/18)(20/10)(20/10)

Workout Soundtrack
Van Hunt, Being A Girl
Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dani California
Christina Aguilera, Ain't No Other Man
Corrine Bailey Rae, Put Your Records On
Elvis Presley, Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Sean Paul, Temperature
Gnarls Barkley, Crazy
Brian Stokes Mitchell, Something's Coming
Dixie Chicks, Not Ready To Make Nice

Sunday, July 2, 6:15 p.m.-7:10 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Chest

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 16th Street and 8th Avenue
Watched the news as I did cardio

Workout Details
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Bench Press (135/12)(185/10)(185/10)(185/6)
Decline Bench (135/12)(185/8)(185/7)
Cable Flys (60/10)(60/10)(60/9)
Dips 3 sets of 10
Nautilus Seated Ab Crunches (110/10)(110/10)(110/12)

Workout Soundtrack
Dixie Chicks, Not Ready To Make Nice
India.Arie, I Choose
India.Arie, I Am Not My Hair
India.Arie, There's Hope
Nelly Furtado, Promiscuous
Christina Aguilera, Ain't No Other Man
Gnarls Barkley, Crazy
Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dani California
The Fray, How To Save A Life
Sean Paul, Temperature

Monday, July 3, 5-6:15 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Back & Legs

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 125th Street
Drank PowerAde Lemon Lime and Bottle of Water
Ate A Clif Bar right before workout

Workout Details
Dips 3 sets of 10
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Pullups 3 sets of 10
Lat Pulldown (130/10)(130/9)(120/9)
Seated Row (110/10)(110/10)(110/10)
Lower Back Machine (110/10)(110/10)(110/10)
Crunches (25/10)(25/10)(25/10)
Leg Extensions (105/10)(120/15)(120/14)
Leg Curl (80/20)(100/10)(100/10)
Seated Leg Press (190/18)(230/10)(230/10)
Seated Calf Raises (45/10)(90/10)(90/15)

Workout Soundtrack
Dixie Chicks, Not Ready To Make Nice
India.Arie, I Am Not My Hair
India.Arie, There's Hope
India.Arie, I Choose
India.Arie, This Too Shall Pass
India.Arie, These Eyes

Tuesday, July 4, 3:15 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Chest & Triceps

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 125th Street

Workout Details
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Dips 3 sets of 10
Bench Press (135/12)(185/10)(185/10)(185/6)
Decline Bench (135/12)(185/8)(185/7)
Seated Flys
Cable Flys (60/10)(60/10)(60/9)
Single Arm Tricep Pushdowns (70/10)(70/10)(70/10)
Tricep Rope Pullovers (110/12)(110/10)(110/10)
Tricep Rope Push Downs (110/10)(110/10)(110/10)
Flat Bench Tricep Pullovers (75/10)(75/10)(75/10)
Close Grip Bench Press (75/10)(75/10)(75/10)
Reverse Dips 4 sets of 12

Workout Soundtrack
Omarion, Touch
Gwen Stefani, Hollaback Girl
Everlast, The Greatest
Sugarhill Gang, Rapper's Delight
Gnarls Barkley, Crazy
James Brown, It's A Man's World
Kelly Clarkson, Miss Independent
Kanye West, Jesus Walks
Usher, I Can't Let You Go
Sean Paul, Gimme The Light
Blu Cantrell, Hit Em Up Style (Oops)
Sheila E., Glamorous Life
Grace Jones, Pull Up To My Bumper
Kelis, Milkshake
Dixie Chicks, Not Ready To Make Nice
Ciara, Goodies
Nas, Made You Look
N.E.R.D., She Likes To Move

Wrestling Practice
Tuesday is normally the night for wrestling practice, but today is Independence Day so practice is canceled. After the gym, I go to a barbecue on my block and eat a burger and some ribs.

Wednesday, July 5, 7-8:10 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Back & Biceps

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 125th Street (very crowded)

Workout Details
Dips 3 sets of 10, 15, 15
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Lat Pulldown (130/10)(120/10)(110/10)
Seated Row (120/8(110/9(10010)
Lower Back Machine (900)(10/12(110/12)
Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curl (30/15)(45/8)(45/10)
Double Cable Bicep Curl (50/10)(60/12)(60/10)
Ab Crunches Flat Bench (10/10)920/12)(25/10)

Workout Soundtrack
India.Arie, I Choose
India.Arie, Video
Will Smith, Switch
Amerie, 1 Thing
Mariah Carey, It's Like That
LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
Madonna, American Life
Fabolous, Young'N
Madonna, Hollywood

Thursday, July 6, 3:30 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Legs & Shoulders

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 16th Street

Workout Details
Dips 3 sets of 10
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine
Pullups 3 sets of 10, 15, 15
Leg Extensions (80/15)(100/12)(100/10)
Seated Leg Curl (90/15)(100/15)(100/15)
Standing Calf Raises (90/10)(140/16)(180/18)
Seated Calf Raises (90/10)(90/10)(90/15)
Icarian Power Squat (140/10)(180/10)(180/10)
Icarian Hack Squat (90/10)(90/15)(90/15)
Four-In-One Shoulder Exercise (25/38)(25/40)(25/35)

Workout Soundtrack
India.Arie, I Choose
India.Arie, There's Hope
Whitney Houston, Unashamed
George Benson, On Broadway
Barbara Streisand, I'm Still Here
Prince, Baby I'm A Star
Dianne Reeves, Endangered Species
Kina, Girl From The Gutter
Tony Bennett, The Best Is Yet To Come
Jill Scott, Golden

Wrestling Practice
Today is my first time wrestling in a week. I go to practice and get in a great workout. There are two new young guys at practice. They're both about my size and they're both black, which is cool since there aren't a lot of black wrestlers out there. I wrestle with each of them and I do very well. I also wrestle with two of the regulars at the club, and I end the night undefeated, a rare feat for me lately. I think it's a good sign that I'm peaking at the right point.

Friday, July 7, 6:15 p.m.

Body Parts Trained
Chest & Triceps

Workout Background
New York Sports Club, 125th Street

Workout Details
Dips 3 sets of 15, 10, 15 (started to feel sore in my right elbow)
Pull Ups 10, 10, 7
Bench Press (135/10)(185/8)(185/9)(185/6)
Decline Bench (135/10)(185/10)(185/10)
Seated Flys (120/10)(120/10)(120/10)
Single Arm Tricep Pushdowns (70/12)(70/15)(70/14)
Tricep Rope Pullovers (110/10)(110/9)(110/9)
Tricep Rope Push Downs (110/10)(110/10)(110/12)
Reverse Dips 3 sets of 15, 12, 14
15 minutes of cardio on elliptical machine

Workout Soundtrack
Young Leek, Jiggle It
Sean Paul, Get Busy
Will Smith, Switch
Missy Elliot, I'm Really Hot
Everlast, The Greatest
Snoop Dogg, Gin and Juice
Mary J. Blige, Gonna Breakthrough
Christina Aguilera, Fighter
Usher, Yeah
Shakira, Hips Don't Lie
Donnell Jones, U Know What's Up
Nas, Made You Look
Justin Timberlake, Cry Me A River
LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out

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