The Road to 2000 - A Forced Detour

The road to 2000 pts in the pentathlon has taken a detour.  One was under my control the other was not. While training cleans with the 88lb bell I felt a stabbing pain in my ribs.  Stupidly I kept training and completed a real heavy workout. I was able to push some big weights.  The next day breathing was hard and it felt like someone was turning a knife in my rigs at random moments.  After a few days the pain went away and I went back to training.  That was a bad idea as I again recreated the pain.  The lesson learned was that I need to do more of what I tell everyone else to do: horizontal push and pull and balance out the vertical nature of sport.  I should of also gradually built up to heavy cleans. Oh and I didn't warm up - all poor choices on my part.  A lot of people think I have all of the opportunity in the world to train and actually the opposite is true.  I tend to squeeze workouts in and I cut corners and focus on what my strengths are.  I should do the opposite.  I am learning the coach needs a coach.

In digging around I felt a lump in my armpit that has been there for a while. Yes stoopid.  The wife also observed said lump and ordered me to the doctor.  I showed the lump to the doc and the doc ordered me to his office. In a matter of days I was getting an ultrasound and talking to a surgeon.  Fortunately it was benign and they recommended its removal.  I chose to do it as soon as reasonably possible (2 weeks before the competition) and therefore taking myself out of the pentathlon competition.  This gives me the opportunity to focus on getting balanced for a few months and once the surgery is done there will be a lot of sled pushing in the future.  

Lessons learned are progression, balance, and proactivity with lumps.

Pittsburgh Passion Ticket Giveaway

This season we are a proud sponsor of the Pittsburgh Passion Women's Football team! We have 3 sets of tickets to give away for the games, and so for the next three weeks we will be having a competition!

Here's how it will work: each week there will be an event, and whoever has the highest score at the end of the week wins the tickets, and of course the glory!  You can participate on any day from Monday to Friday after any class time.  If you don't like your score on Monday, you can give it another shot on Tuesday (1 attempt per day allowed, you can only win one set of tickets).  

Events:

Week 1: April 15-19

Event: 5min on Rower.  Max distance wins.

Ticket Date: April 27^th

Week 2: April 22-26

Event: Farmers hold for time.  Women use 2x16kg, men use 2x24kg.  Longest hold time wins.

Ticket Date: May 11^th

Week 3: April 29 – May 3

Event: Plank for time.  We will place a stick on your back, and you must maintain 2 points of contacts (shoulder blades and butt) for the entire time.  Max time wins.

Ticket Date: June 8^th

The Road to 2000 - Part 4

4/5/13

My workout

Cleans

   10ea @ 36kg
   10ea @ 40kg
   10ea @ 44kg

Clean and Press
   5ea @ 32kg x 2sets (no rest between)
   4ea @ 36kg x 1 set

Jerks
   5ea @ 40kg
   5ea @ 44kg
   15ea @ 32kg

Half snatch
   7ea @ 40kg
   9ea @ 36kg
   9ea @ 36kg

Push press
   10ea @ 28kg x 1
   10ea @ 28kg x2 (no rest between)

My goal was to move heavier weights for fewer reps.  I picked the weights based on how I was feeling, and the rep ranges were based on my desired number before a switch for the actual event.  My rest was close to maximal between sets unless otherwise noted.

Problems
My hands were screaming, especially the skin under my pinkie fingers. I really need to work on catching on the back swing.  My lats were also hurting after the cleans.  Power and strength were where they need to be.  Now I need to add some endurance.

My total workout time was 60 minutes plus warm up time.  My warm up wasn't very effective and may explain the tightness in my lats.

Time to eat!

The Road to 2000 - Part 3

3/27/2013

I am in a gym all day, and yes trying to find time to workout by myself is tough. It really boils down to a time energy continuum when the time is there I am tired when its not there is energy. I have started to fuel my body more since the amount of physical activity  I do on a regular basis leaves me hungry.  I need to eat more in relation to an increased level of work. This is where a resting Metabolic rate of 2800 calories is a curse.  So I have discovered that I need to take opportunity where I see it. Wednesdays class workout involved some sled sprinting and in order to keep the flow going I decided to jump in on a few sessions. I would guess I demoed about 15 pull-ups through out the evening as well.   It wasn't perfect but it was better than nothing. 

The only real work I did:

Dead lifts trap bar 

301x3

330x3

375x3

I was pretty pumped up because Wednesday night was a PR filled evening for all of the classes. I love watching people progress and "I love it when a plan comes together." Col. John "Hannibal" Smith. 

So I covered the more important strength work, but I have to hit some of the other stuff as well.  Split squats push ups roll outs and heavy carries. 

I attribute an increase in strength work to improved Kettlebell Sport performance so in these early stages I need to make sure I get some solid work in. 



3/28/2013

In attempt to truly tire out Bella before the wedding I took her on 6 miles of nature bound locomotion in Wingfield Pines and Boyce Mayview Park.  We jogged for about 4 of those miles, and walked the rest.  This also included some breaks while Bella played with the other dogs we met along the way.