When I was younger I skipped a chance to see the man in black in his waneing years, sometimes I regret it, but most times I am glad to remember him as the verile bad-ass of his younger days. Willie, is still Willie. So I'm going to see him.
The curtain has dropped on summer here in Seattle. There'll be a couple of encores, but the main show is over. I don't mind. I love the fall. I used to love riding around Kirksville in the fall smelling the leaves turning, just enjoying the solitude of the first days of fall. Everything is sharper, brighter when the weather turns cold.
Softball was fun. I played like.. well what I am: a reasonably fit, athletic guy who hasn't played organized ball since before puberty. I got to do something a little different and network with people here at work.. all of that was good. Playing 4 hours of softball and going 1-3 for the tourney.. not so great.
Saturday: gave the new bike a spin and went to class. I was sleepy as hell. Damn near fell asleep on the mat at open mat.
Sunday: rest.
I had a very social weekend this weekend. Friday night softball, saturday night was dinner with the wife's pair partner and her husband, and sunday was dinner with the boss-in-law. I made ceviche... it was tasty.
All of those social events make the weekend seem far too short, and not very restful. I am pooped. I think I'm just a little dehydrated. Oh and I left the friday guys with this workout:
A) push press: 90 or 135 B) squat C) kb swing D) erg
Went out last night for the wife’s birthday. We went to a nice little French restaurant, I ate so much rich food you could make pate d’fois gras out of my liver at this point. Workout before: RDL: Worked up to 6 @ 365
Pull-ups: 5x5 @ bw
1a DB bench: 3/3 @ 80, 90, 100
Face pulls: 15 @ 40 6 @ 60 6 @ 80 6 @ 80 15 @ 40
I’m having some issues with my neck/lower trap, hence the high volume face pulls. I’m trying to get some blood moving and work some of the soreness/scar tissue/bad stuff out.
If I get caught they're gonna kick my ass. My mommy's worried about the way I drink, My daddy can't figure out the way I think. They wake me up, tell me, "get to work," I slam the door, say, "shut up you jerk." I can't wait til the show tonite, When I'm with my friends every things alright... -Social D
Groggy this morning. No opinions, or waxing rhapsodic.. Here's yesterdays workouts: Lunch: kb snatch 10/10 @ 44 40m sprint walk back repeat full rest x4
Class: Learned a couple of sweeps from butterfly guard. Sparred a couple of times. Good stuff. My neck's a little cranky and my bum is sore from the sprints.
I was watching fencing Saturday, and I can appreciate that it is a great test of skill, I can dig on a sport that is single combat no matter what form that takes. I can't dig though; is the screaming in victory by both combatants every touch. If you're going to dress like robots, act like robots. Congratulations to Seattle athletes Mary Whipple, and Anna Cummins who won the woman's 8 this past weekend. I've met both of them and besides being very talented they're both nice folks. I still think gymnastics competitions should be conducted like a game of "horse" this whole judging thing is too subjective. In order to be an elite level competitor at Olympic lifting all I'd have to do is be able to clean and jerk my current max deadlift. There isn't enough suffering in the 100m and 200m sprints. That is the only reason I can think of that those athletes consistently show-boat. I am concerned about the U.S.A.s poor showing in Greco-roman wrestling. I am worried that all of the young talent is going for the paychecks in MMA. We'll have to see how freestyle goes before I officially push the panic button.
Weekend workouts: Friday was a monster: Two groups of two athletes: Group 1, A burpee ladder 5-10 with weight vest B burpee ladder 5-10 w/o vest
Group 2 A pistol B kb clean and lunge.
Group 1 alternate, work/rest group two switches exercises when group 1 switches people When group 1 finishes their ladder the groups switch. We go through both stations twice.
So my work out looked like this: Burpee ladder 5-10 without vest 5 sets of each pistols, and clean and lunge burpee ladder 5-10 with weighted vest 1 set of several, vomiting. I called it a day after that. My days of puking in the trashcan and finishing my workout are done.
Saturday I was pretty sore and tired, so I went to class and called it a day. Mahalo!
I love sports. Particularly simple contests of ability; grappling matches, races, contests of strenght and skill (shotput, weight lifting, etc) So I love the olympics. I could live without the rhythmic gymnastics, and shooting competitions, but really beggers can't be choosers. What I can't understand is why NBC thinks I tune into the Olympics to watch stories about panda bears, or the tallest man in the world.. here's the secret: I don't! Thank goodness for CBC who keeps the fluff to a minimum and shows athletic competition.
Last workout: Deads: worked up to 6x1 @ 425
Chins: 3, 3, 2 @ bw+35 5 @ bw (no rest from the last weighted to the last set)
yesterdays workouts: lunch: medicine balls tosses, kb snatches: sets of 10/10 for 20 minutes or so at easy pace. jump rope sprints 4x30 sec.
evening: Jitz learned a couple moves: a choke that apparently doesn't work on me, a butterfly sweep that would be fine if I was comfortable with butterfly guard, and a butterfly pass that I liked ok. couple good sparing sessions, a punch-the-clock workout.
today at lunch: pull ups 1 hand on towel, 1 on the bar: 3/3 x 4
bench: worked up to 1 @ 245 Had more gas, but no spotter.
1a row: 8/8 6/6 x3 @ 95
tonight: some good mornings 6-8 sets of 2-3 Then Jitz.
This weekend I went out to Sequim, Wa for my anniversary. The wife and I stayed in a caboose of all things. Thursday after class the wife picked me up and we went out for Pho, and then to the place where we got our wedding (cup)cake to have a mini in celebration of our anniversary. Thursday night was lifting and packing. Friday I went to class during the day, and we headed out to the peninsula. We took the ferry from down town and went out to a nice dinner in Sequim. Saturday we got up early.. too early.. Damn early.. Hopped the ferry to Victoria, BC. We walked around, I had a milkshake. We went to the Undersea gardens. We went to the Royal BC Museum (very cool, interesting to see a corresponding history, with a slightly different perspective). Then we went to the Maritime Museum of BC. This was very cool. I am a total pirate nut and they have a couple cool exhibits on them. They also have some pretty boring exhibits on ferries and stuff. Still the pirates were well worth it. Finally, I put my Sunday goin' to meetin' clothes and we had high tea at the Empress. Now those who know me know that: I love tasty food, but I hate tiny food. I love tea, but generally prefer it iced. I hate to dress up, but I like to people watch where rich folks are. Needless to say I was conflicted going into this, but it was well worth it. First off we get seated and look over at the table next to us, and my cousin Flora is there with her dad. Bizarre. We're in another country for Christ’s sake, and we get seated next to my cousin. So we pull the tables together, and start to chat. Second the food is good, beyond good. Rich little sandwiches, scones and butter, all manner of sweets. Not exactly the nutritive ideal, but phenomenally tasty. We got back on the ferry after tea. On the ferry I finished reading Paddy Whacked: the untold story of the Irish-American mob. This is a great book, violence, history, Shakespearian betrayal, and my cultural heritage. Good times. As the ferry steamed towards the Washington coast it made me think a lot about what it must have been like to flee Ireland in desperation, and try to make your way in the U.S. I thought of my wife, and I imagined having kids to feed. Spending weeks in the hold of a ship, sea-sick and hungry. I don't blame those guys for making their way any way they could. It's a great book, I recommend it to any paddy, or crime buff. EC linked my review of his products on his blog. Sweet! I like to make it a point to email folks (if possible) when I review their products. To do otherwise seems dishonest. Fortunately I generally just post reviews of things that I find helpful. This week the OLYMPICS!! Mahalo.
Today is my third wedding anniversary. The anniversary of a wild, crazy, fun weekend. Where my best friend, my whole family came out and spent time in the city and with the woman I love. The weekend where my brother and my brother-in-law began to wonder if they were separated at birth. That was a great weekend. One that marked a wake for a good number of my demons, and the true beginning of MY life. Happy anniversary. Funny story from that weekend. After the wedding was over, Sunday morning, my father held a brunch for the wedding party and all of the immediate family of my blushing bride and me. We were at a very posh hotel (how we managed that is a story.. perhaps for next year). The wedding coordinator for the posh hotel is a very proper southern woman. Always in a crisp suit, always with her portfolio in hand, never a hair out of place. She walks into our brunch with sort of a worried countenance. Looks hurriedly around, and makes a b-line for the wife and me. She saddles up between us and whispers: "Um.. Did a mehmber of your weddin' party... um.. phoop in the hallway?" We look at each other, and then each of us look at our respective brothers. My brother-in-law throws up his hands; "Don't look at me, it wasn't me!" One of our bridesmaids shouts in shock, horror, and disgust "I stepped in it.. ugh!!" Apparently another wedding, held in the same posh hotel, was to blame. The brother of the bride got completely housed before the wedding. Made a huge scene, got thrown out of the reception. After he got back to his room zigged when he should have zagged. Instead of the bathroom, he went into the hallway, and then when he went back into his room (perhaps after realizing his mistake.. maybe not) he swung the door over his.. "mess." Which turned a landmine into a huge problem. I imagine 3 years later, he's still in big trouble. Happy anniversary!
No training last night, the wife surprised me with king crab and scallops, and we had a nice dinner at home. Tonight, Jitz. Tomorrow, there'll be some lifting. This weekend, hopefully I'll be riding my bike alot.
quick post to catch you guys up on training the past few days. Friday fun: farmer's carry 4 trips of 100 yards @ 2x95
Truck push 5 trips 50 yards @ 1xford ranger.
Saturday: went to class, rolled a few times. I am burning out at class. I need to take some time away from the school. I got caught in side-control, and just didn't care. Low BJJ volume this week.
Monday: Lunch: medicine ball toss 4 lengths of the basketball court. kb clean/press/pull up ladder 1-4 @ 53 kb swings 4x 10/10 @ 53 kb snatch 2x 10/10 @ 44
BJJ: early class only. Bruised my knee pretty good. Not injured, just annoying. sparred twice.
Maximum strength is a solid manual for progressing the average gym rat into the realm of the truly strong. It is well written and very accessible, and as a stand alone program it’s great. Eric Cressey is a great coach and his program is a well designed 16 week plan with lots of variablity, but still focuses on the basic movements that make people strong. Once I can re-organize my schedule and get through it, I’ll do a full review of the program, and not just the book. The section of the book that made it a must-have for me was the dynamic warm-up. I have enough background and time under the bar to get people (particularly the rowers, and fighters I deal with) stronger than their competition, and even know enough to correct imbalances and prevent a number injuries, but I find it particularly difficult to take my own medicine. I have a problem, I’m impatient. I will spend hours designing periods and training cycles, but when it comes to warm-ups I don’t spend nearly enough time (especially when I’m not squatting or pulling) planning or doing my mobility work and it shows. Now I don’t have to. This program contains two full dynamic warm-ups, and I can stop thinking about it and just do them. Much like this article by Dan John... I know what I need to do, but I don’t spend the time or energy planning it because it’s not fun. With the Maximum strength warm-ups I don’t have to use the energy coming up with the warm-ups and I can focus on making sure I DO the warm-ups. This section alone is more than worth the price of the book. The art of the deload eBook is a little less accessible, It is written for a higher level of user/lifter; those who design their own programs (and or the programs of others). For those lifters, it is well worth the $10 price tag. Most of us know a couple methods of deload, but tend to stagnate, using the same deload over and over. This book breaks down 10 methods and their merits in great detail. Which is about 9-10 more than most people use. This is particularly important resource for trainers designing programs for females and endurance athletes. These demographics tend to have the attitude that a lot is good, more is better, and most is best. There are several deload methods in this book that are subtle enough to get these folks to rest while allowing them to feel like they’re not “slacking.” It was well worth the low price and the small effort of downloading it. In short both of these products are great. The Maximum strength book is a great stand alone for just about anyone with questions about how to move to the next level. The art of the deload is cheap, easy (gotta love the instant gratification of eBooks) and full of information (all be it more specialized).
No lunch workout, so I had to do upper and lower in the same workout. Speed pulls: 12 x 1 @ 315 + MM bands
Chins (neutral grip): 3x5 @ bw 3 @ bw
Bench (speed): 6x2 @ 185 (30 sec)
1A rows: 4x 4/4 @ 105
I dig the pulls against the bands. I will revisit these with more bar weight. I have been working on my technique a bit, so I wanted to get a lot of reps in. One thing that is annoying is that I really can’t do multi-rep sets in the deadlift. My head gets all screwy, and I have to reset myself between reps, and it ends up taking too long. The good news is that I am getting better at keeping my hips back, pulling myself to the bar, and levering it up. I had been getting too far in front, and well bad things.
A bjj black belt, a self professed 'muscle nerd," computer geek, book snob, father of two, former vegetarian, and smoked meat aficionado. As Walt Whitman said:
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am vast, I contain multitudes.)
I welcome your opinions, input, commiseration, or disdain.
jbzero at msn dot com.
