slept too much.

relaxing weekend. Friday was a good simple workout:
kb get-up with a snatch:
5/5 at 44

single leg squat at bw use trx for stability.
(AMAP while someone else does get-ups)

rest
(AMAP while yet someone else does get-ups)
x5

done and done.

Saturday went to class, worked on.. something.. damn. I forget.
I try to document each move and go over it in my head a few times till the next class, but I'm having car troubles and it's got me distracted.
I rolled with Yuki. Had a great roll with him. I used the crucifix for the first time, I couldn't finish, but mostly due to indecisiveness. Tried to keep the pressure on him and not let him off the hook. Felt pretty good, still need to be more expansive. More dangerous off my back, higher pressure game. I gassed out too soon. Yuki moves and moves and moves. He's hard to pin down. I rested for a while and thought through a few things, asked Stephen how to finish the choke from the crucifix. He helped a lot.
From there I rolled with B. I was moving pretty well. Got him in an armbar, but he successfully hid his hand. I should have used the opposite elbow to break his grip. Didn't think of it at the time. I started cramping up and called that a day.

I started to watch Superbad on Saturday night.. It sucked something aweful. I'm no prude, but it was not funny. Didn't Laugh.

The weather is starting to turn here in Seattle. It'll be time to take the friday fun outside.
Mahalo.

The beat goes on..

Tuesday wrestling was good. Got some good work in, but also bruised the crap out of my knee.
It doesn't hurt to move, but I can't shoot off of it.
Didn't keep me away from class last night, but it's going to keep me away from wrestling today.
I'll head to the gym and do some conditioning after.
This schedule is good for me, but I need to manage the pounding I take..
we'll see how I do that.
Mahalo.

Double duty.

Started new schedule today:
M: Bjj at night
T: lift during the day, wrestling at night
W: Bjj
Th: lift during the day, wrestling at night
F: Friday fun
S: Bjj in the morning, then light accessory lifting at night.
Su: off.

last night: worked on the scissor sweep and a defense to it. Didn't spar.

Today:
warm up: swings and snatches at 53 lb KB.. couple sets each hand.

A) chin-ups 5 at bw
B) deads worked up to 3 at 405.
moderate rest between. 5 total sets of each.

dips: 40 total at bw.
Quick and dirty.
Keeping the volume low and the work high.
I'll need to bring more food to work as I was starving earlier.
Mahalo.

Company.

I am a lucky guy. I don't really want for much. I have a job I like, a wife I love, and a good few friends. So the wife had a hard time purchasing something for my birthday.. so she bought something for someone else. She bought a plane ticket for a good friend to come and visit for the weekend, fortunately he was willing and able to come out for the weekend.
Friday we did some touristy stuff during the day, and Friday night he got in on the Friday fun:

5x 60 sec on 30 off x each work station:

kb snatch
erg
prowler push (+180)
rope hand over hand

the erg to prowler transition was a monster.
From there suspended plank for max time:
I made it to 2:30 everyone else was just short of pr.

Saturday we both went to class. I showed him a couple of arm bars. I did a little sparring and spent a lot of time pinned by a black belt. Good learning experience.

After that we went to see an old teammate of both of ours coach rugby. He just happened to be up from So. Cal. that same weekend. The home side won which I was conflicted about. Some of my old teammates are playing for the winning side, but under the name and in the jerseys of our old rivals, it was even harder for the friend who was coaching as that's a long way to travel to get beat.
The weekend itself was great. CES and I have been friends quite literally for ever. We were roommates in college. Best men at each others weddings, and email and talk quite often, but the past few years we haven't been able to spend alot of time.
He's only been out here once, for my wedding. I get back to St.L. about once a year, but being a child of divorced parents who live several hours away from each other, it's difficult to find time during those hectic weekends when I am in St. Louis, to do more than have a meal and catch up quickly before I have to move on to the next batch of family.
It was good to be able to hang out and not have to spend the whole time just catching up.
Hope you all had a good weekend too.
Mahalo.

12,419.

Today, I am 12,419 days old.
34 years.
That's a pretty good amount of time.
Don't feel 'old'
I've got a few miles on me, but upkeep has been good.
As a friend of mine said "I'm still getting better."

Tuesday, I spent St. Pats relaxing with the wife. I had some potatoes, corned beef and cabbage.
last night went to class, worked on arm-bars from guard. Rolled a bit, and called it a night.
Tonight I'm going to go to the gym, and do some weight work.. I don't know what's going on after that... "It's a surprise."
Mahalo.

26 & 6

It's St. Pats again. A good number of my friends back home are going to dogtown to the parade. I'm a bit jealous. It's always a good time.
If you're celebrating today I hope you're drinking to those who tried during the Easter Rising or at least raise a glass to the 26 & 6.

Friday training was good.

medicine ball throw and chase (12 lb ball, across the parking lot and back)
tire tosses (discus style, 5/side)
push prowler (+180 50 ft)
rope pull (prowler + 180, 50 ft)
kb snatch (#44, 20/20)
suspended push-ups (20)
pull-ups (10)
3x
rest: work
around 1.5-2:1

Saturday:
Jitz and sparring. I forget the technique of the day. Sparred 3x: one light roll with michelle, one hard roll with Shawn who has been training BJJ pretty enthusiasticly, and is going to be good, and one other.. I forget who.

Sunday was a nice relaxing day at home.

My elbow is still bugging me. It was getting better, but I whacked it on the towel rack monday morning. So pissed. Hopefully next week it'll be good enough to hit the gym.
Otherwise I am feeling good.

Mahalo.

the living daylights.

every year daylight savings kicks my butt.
this year is no exception
sunday night: 5 hours
monday:7
tues: 6
wed: 8
thru: 5
average: 6.2 hours per night (and that's just the last time I looked at the clock, I probably got 20-40 minutes less actual sleep).
This morning my emotions were just under the surface, I feel like a moody teenager.
8 shots of espresso have things under control for now, but I need some sleep.
Training this week has been all on the mat:
wednesday more triangles, and some sparring. Felt good, but was working with a bigger but less experienced player.
thursday: wrestling: I went through the warm-ups, and without anyone in my weight class to work with one of the coaches took pity on me and drilled with me a bit. We worked some semi-live takedowns . He's much better than me on the feet (no surprise). Good dude even if he is a jayhawker. He's signed up for jiu-jitsu and is into it. We talked about translating some of the wrestling stand-up to bjj. I could tell that the head coach was a little annoyed at all the chatting, so I decided to leave a little early before I got un-invited to return.
Got a good amount of work in... I need a lot more. For a bjj guy I'm a good wrestler, for a wrestler I've got good jitz... but that's never been good enough for me.
I want to be good.
Sometimes I worry that I've never been exceptional at any thing. Sometimes I wonder if I stand in my own way.. sometimes I wonder if my standards are too high, and my patience is not enough.
How good would be good enough?
Am I the only one who constantly questions their own efforts in every area of their life?
Is it warrented?
is it a good thing?
Bad?
indifferent?
I guess it doesn't matter, because I don't know any other way to think of myself.
I have to be better..
One of my favorite books growing up was The Jungle. It's an ugly tale of working class Chicago. The lead male protagonist's mantra has been mine since I read that book:
"I will work harder."
Mahalo.

J.R.

“Sometimes at night. When I hear the wind. I wish I was crazy again.”
-John R. Cash.

Great article on the avclub.com today about the man in black.

Jitz on monday:
technique of the day: Triangle, opponent defends by stepping around the head, re-roll to top mount triangle. Finish triangle/armbar/wristlock/shoulder lock.
Rolled No-gi with someone who outweighs me considerably. I had control of the stand-up, but should have done more.. still a little sloppy on the feet.
Had some moments on the ground, but took a beating on the bottom of half guard. I just can't stay up on my side with this guy. I just get smashed. Need to work on that.

Wrestling last night:
worked low single and lots of footwork. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: my coach in high school sucked. He got away with it because the feeder program was great. I learned a lot about how NOT to coach from him.
did some pull-ups after practice, and talked a little jiu-jitsu/catch wrestling with the other coaches after practice. Lots of fun.
mahalo.

Cisco.. not crisco.

I was in cisco school all last week. For those of you who don't know, I have a full time day job as a packet plumber. I like my day job and it affords me the ability to only train and train with those who I choose (motivated athletes). However, I am getting to the point that I need some letters after my name in order to progress professionally. Hence, cisco school.
training last week was very basic:
Monday: Bjj
Tuesday: hills
wednesday: bjj
thursday: wrestling
Friday:
everyone else did partner ladders:
man makers
1-10
My elbow is still being a whiny baby:
kb clean and press:
1/1-10/10
kb snatch:
1/1-10/10
then prowler pushes:
lots at 140 4:1 (rest:work)

saturday: Bjj lots of sparring.
watched the fights:
Shane Carwin is a beast.
Lots of guys were told win or you're out of the UFC.
Most of those guys won.
the striking in the UFC is getting better, but the striking defense is still way behind.

hope you had a good week.
Mahalo.

Forgot..

Back in cisco school this week.
posts will be sporadic at best.
mahalo.