5/3/1 day 1.

things are crazy busy at work. I'm trying to keep my training levels up, It's been an experience.. so of course I'm starting the 5/3/1 program this week, why the hell not. Remember folks, as always: I am an idiot.
My training maxes for this 4 week cycle are:
Military: 160
dead: 415
bench: 225
squat: 275

You will note that these are pretty exceedingly light, that is one of the implorations of the book/program. Underestimate your max, and multiply it by .9 that is your training max. Check your ego and you will make progress. Placate your ego, and stall.
1 main movement per training session, 1-4 assistance exercises per session. Main movement is done in building sets with the last set being "all out" aka "failure-1."
All others done higher reps depending.

Today's lifting:
warm-up (medicine ball throws, some movement/mobility work)
Military:
10x45
8x95
5x105
5x120
7x140
my shoulders poop out quickly.

super set:
dumbbell rows 10/10 at 80
dips 10 at bw
dumbbell rows 10/10 at 80
dips 10 at bw
dumbbell rows 10/10 at 80
dips 15 at bw

next time will go for 11/11
and 12,12,20

face pulls:
2x20 at 90

chins:
1 set max reps at bw:
5 (lame.. my upper back and arms were toast by then)

Monday Jitz:
worked lots of control from side control, worked on taking the back if your opponent rolls away, and worked a choke and an arm bar. I really need these submissions. I get to side control very easily and need to be able to finish a fight from there.
Mahalo!

Work, 5/3/1 and CDB

Work is going to be crazy hectic the next week, so don't expect a lot of updates.
I just bought Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 training manual. It's simple, and to the point. I will be using it for the next several months. More on that later.

and CDB:

Dana White is a jerk.

There has been much back and forth between Sherdog.com (a if not 'the' website for MMA news) mostly because Dana White (the head of the UFC) lashed out against one of their reporters. He included in his insults but did not limit himself to referencing an old english word that once meant 'a bundle of sticks.'
Well, gentle reader, I am in no way surprised. When it comes to all things business Mr. White has a lot in common with Mr. Blonde. He's a shark, cut throat. It's made him, and by extension the UFC very successful, but it's not terribly endearing to more educated fans of MMA. Considering the success and lack of credible competition for the UFC/WEC juggernaut it's not about to change. Fans of fights and fighting want the UFC to succeed. We want a blue collar everyman at the helm, but intimidating reporters, and excluding certain business managers from back stage at shows? Cutting fighters who refuse to release their likeness in perpituidy? Seems beyond the pale of running a successful business to me, but it's not my business. What's more Mr. White does not pretend to be a nice guy when it comes to his business. I have a feeling if asked directly "When it comes to the nuts and bolts of your business, are you a nice guy, or are you a jerk?" He would admit to being a jerk. So why all the surprise over a sherdog? I don't really know.

Training this week:
Monday: jiu-jitsu had a roll with Griff no-gi. Went ok. He's still very difficult to handle. We worked on a very cool move to take the back when your opponent tries to roll away from you.
Then I had a light roll with Paul, and called it a night.

Yesterday: Day time conditioning:
45 sec jump rope
10/10 kb snatch at 53
5 pull-ups
10 dips
rest
x3

night lifting:
deadlifts (from a 4" advantage)
worked up to 1 at 475
then 3 at 405

bent rows:
worked up to 5 at 175

elbows are still sore, so no pressing today.
Mahalo.

Redbelt.

Watched Redbelt Thursday night. It was terrible. This is not the opinion of a jiu-jitsu practitioner who is nit picking the details. The jiu-jitsu in the movie was of varying quality (some of it quite good), but the plot of the movie was convoluted, the characters grand stand and never develop. The ending is abrupt and doesn't resolve anything. It's a bad movie.

I took thursday off because with the wife out of town Sunday will be pretty boring if I don't get some exercise.

Friday I was in Portland all day for work. 12 hours and no real break to get food. I was beat going into the Friday fun training session.
Good work by every one, especially Joe.
My work:
10x deadlift at 275
push the prowler down and back (plate and a quarter each side)
x5 no rest.
Just brutal.

Today got to class early and rolled no-gi with Paul for about 30 minutes.
We worked on a cool half guard sweep. I need to work on it more, but I think it will help me a lot.
I talked to Micah a bit about some philosophy of jiu-jitsu, and a couple of attacks from side control. A choke, and an arm-bar transition that I keep missing. I rolled with erik for a good while. I felt pretty good about it. I got some positions on him, but he caught me in a triangle, and a knee bar. It happens.
I feel pretty good about my game. The game is simplifying. It used to be that there were positions, separate boxes: side control, guard, half-guard, mount. Even at first each type of guard was a different box: spider guard, butterfly guard, X guard.. whatever. Then I put them all in one box: guard. Slowly those other positions are melding into bigger boxes: defending, attacking, tie. The idea is that those boxes will eventually merge into one: jiu-jitsu. I don't know how long that will take, but I'm looking forward to the journey.
Tomorrow I am going to do some conditioning and having a bbq.
let me know if you want to come.
Mahalo.

Spring Break...

It's spring break at the school that hosts the Seattle wrestling club.. so no wrestling this week.
Monday night BJJ:
I had a couple light rolls with B and Griff... they were good. I figured out a shot set-up from watching Demian Maia and Marcelo Garcia's match at the Brasileiro's from 06.


We then worked on a half-guard pass from bottom that is the proverbial sweetness.
Quoth the Miagi:
"If do right no can defense."

Yesterday, I had to come in to work at 0500. The good news is that it gave me the whole afternoon off to clean the house a little and relax. I got to the gym about 2 and did this:
Deads:
sets of 5 until I can't hit 5.
starting a 225 (very very light)
and going quarter, plate, quarter...
it looks like this:
225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 365x5, 405x3.. stop.

then I did some floor press:
4x5 at 185
(elbows are still healing so I'm keeping this light)

kneeling 1a cable rows (same protocol as deads)
110 x5/5
120x5/5
130x5/5
140x5/5
150x5/5.. sorta the last 2 each side my thumb did not touch my ribs, so those are a failure.

that was it.
Started to do some pull-ups, but my elbows complained mightily.