My comments seem to have disabled themselves! Despite my efforts I cannot seem to re-enable the comments link. My tech team* will try to sort it out.
*erm, that will be me!
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Friday, 13 March 2009
Volume Session
Today's gym session was partly indoors and partly outdoors. Then, in the evening I went for a hardcore finger strength session. In each case, I aimed for about 60%RM and tried to build a little volume. I broadly aimed for around four or five sets, but in truth as long as I hit all prescribed exercises the main control on volume was in ensuring that each workout was over in 30 minutes!
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (20 mins)
1a) Pillar Jumps (4x8)
1b) Medicine Ball Throws (4x8 per side)
2a) Headstand Leg Raise (4x4)
2b) Handstand Walk (4x10 steps)
2c) Wall walk (4x2)
2d) Frog Planche (4x15s)
2e) Cuts (3x30s LHS)
3a) Rows (4x8)
3b) Body Lever
3c)Cuts (3x30s RHS)
Volume in the jumps and throws really kicked in on the final reps for the final sets. My knee feels fine after the recent injury - but I still need to be mindful and moderate the running given the amount of jumping I do.
Wall Walks hit back flexibility, shoulders and your abs. The are a cruel exercise but strangely addictive. As with many of my exercises, they target chains of muscles and one feels satisfied after a set!
The cuts are actually an excuse to rest for an additional 30s between the hard stuff! The rows are usually done on a Smith Machine with bar set low and feet elevated on a bench. I varied it with some dumbell bent over rowing and even did some one arm lowers from the pull up bar by hooking my feet on to additional equipment (prompting one gym-goer to suggest I get a prize for Most Innovative Form of Self-Torture).
In the evening....the emphasis was on finger strength and so the following laddering was spread over 7 sets. In each set I worked each of the three main grips up and down the rungs, mixing the order of the grip.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (20 mins)
1a) Ring Routine (starting and ending with a Muscle Up)
1b) Ring Splits (4x8reps)
The laddering was liberally spread in and around the exercise-pair above. The fingers feel very strong at the moment. I am mad-keen to get on real rock.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (20 mins)
1a) Pillar Jumps (4x8)
1b) Medicine Ball Throws (4x8 per side)
2a) Headstand Leg Raise (4x4)
2b) Handstand Walk (4x10 steps)
2c) Wall walk (4x2)
2d) Frog Planche (4x15s)
2e) Cuts (3x30s LHS)
3a) Rows (4x8)
3b) Body Lever
3c)Cuts (3x30s RHS)
Volume in the jumps and throws really kicked in on the final reps for the final sets. My knee feels fine after the recent injury - but I still need to be mindful and moderate the running given the amount of jumping I do.
Wall Walks hit back flexibility, shoulders and your abs. The are a cruel exercise but strangely addictive. As with many of my exercises, they target chains of muscles and one feels satisfied after a set!
The cuts are actually an excuse to rest for an additional 30s between the hard stuff! The rows are usually done on a Smith Machine with bar set low and feet elevated on a bench. I varied it with some dumbell bent over rowing and even did some one arm lowers from the pull up bar by hooking my feet on to additional equipment (prompting one gym-goer to suggest I get a prize for Most Innovative Form of Self-Torture).
In the evening....the emphasis was on finger strength and so the following laddering was spread over 7 sets. In each set I worked each of the three main grips up and down the rungs, mixing the order of the grip.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (20 mins)
1a) Ring Routine (starting and ending with a Muscle Up)
1b) Ring Splits (4x8reps)
The laddering was liberally spread in and around the exercise-pair above. The fingers feel very strong at the moment. I am mad-keen to get on real rock.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
As a kid I used to have a fear of dying. I am not sure if this was rooted in the concept of Hell or simply a dread of dying 'before my time'. The latter is nicely parallelled by a fear of living forever. The notion of being the last of one's peers seems rather frightening - even though time has brought me new friends and relations.
Age has mellowed me and an innings of 'three score and ten' seems fitting. But there's the rub. Seventy is not a badge to collect nor a box to tick. Getting to 70, 80 90 or 100 is more than feasible with modern medicine but what is important to me HOW I get there!
This is something that DOES still trouble me. I don't fear getting old, I fear 'losing it' and being forced to live beyond my health. This is what drives me even today - and ensures that idleness nor chronic exercise hasten my demise.
A few years ago my grandfather was sent to a home. This place was pretty grim and like many care homes, despite whatever the marketing blurb says, had the feeling of a departure lounge for 'Air-Reaper'.
I knew that my grandfather was due for 'check out' and with each weekend I went to see him, the number of empty chairs was testament to turnover of this place. Sure they had entertainment (books, TV, radio etc...), and home cooked food but there was little 'movement' amongst the residents unless it involved a box that was 6ft by 3ft.
One visit in particular stuck in my mind. I was in the lounge and a nurse burst in to the room asking for my help lifting one of the residents who had fallen over. I was lead to a bedroom where 'Tom' was sitting on the ground looking up at me. His eyes were wide with fear.
I smiled to ease him but he was terrified. My hands reached for his torso but found lots of clothes and then, finally some bones. It kind of felt like picking up an old deckchair - all canvas and frame. I lifted him up with ease and although his face relaxed a bit, I could see the helplessness in his eyes. I can still picture him today. This is someone I never knew, met once and will never see again - but he has had a massive impact on my life....
I knew then that I NEVER wanted to get to that stage of ill health and general helplessness. Sure the pills and the care kept him alive (the table next to his bed was crammed with medicine), but he struck me as someone too weak to protest and fight the torment that his life had become. He was trapped alive.
On reflection how could Tom or anyone in that home ever hope to become anything other than helpless? The residents were seldom encouraged to go outdoors or move about. Their meals were brought to them. The TV was controlled by remote. Residents where wheeled or zimmered from A to B. More importantly in Tom's position, the simple skill of getting up off the ground - that first complex balancing skill we learn as an infant, had become lost. The flexibility left him and the muscles in his legs and arms had atrophied. The strength he worked upon in that first year of life had now deserted him.
Since that time I have regularly sat on the floor at home rather than sitting on a chair. I usually sit cross legged but will lean back against the furniture which seems to have developed pelvic mobility. Standing up demands a pressing action in the arms and can also be an excuse for a pistol.
My new found perspective on life is good in many ways. Seated, I am at head height with Flash standing, and both she and Captain Kid like to sit in the 'crook' of my crossed legs to watch TV or read a book.
Sitting on the floor (and for that matter squatting down), feels comfortable surprisingly quickly. It works your body through a significant range of motion. It is a credible test of a child's development so why not that of a pensioner's demise?
For me this is a personal indicator of when I need to make one last fight. This then is my benchmark and one skill that I work on EVERY day.
Age has mellowed me and an innings of 'three score and ten' seems fitting. But there's the rub. Seventy is not a badge to collect nor a box to tick. Getting to 70, 80 90 or 100 is more than feasible with modern medicine but what is important to me HOW I get there!
This is something that DOES still trouble me. I don't fear getting old, I fear 'losing it' and being forced to live beyond my health. This is what drives me even today - and ensures that idleness nor chronic exercise hasten my demise.
A few years ago my grandfather was sent to a home. This place was pretty grim and like many care homes, despite whatever the marketing blurb says, had the feeling of a departure lounge for 'Air-Reaper'.
I knew that my grandfather was due for 'check out' and with each weekend I went to see him, the number of empty chairs was testament to turnover of this place. Sure they had entertainment (books, TV, radio etc...), and home cooked food but there was little 'movement' amongst the residents unless it involved a box that was 6ft by 3ft.
One visit in particular stuck in my mind. I was in the lounge and a nurse burst in to the room asking for my help lifting one of the residents who had fallen over. I was lead to a bedroom where 'Tom' was sitting on the ground looking up at me. His eyes were wide with fear.
I smiled to ease him but he was terrified. My hands reached for his torso but found lots of clothes and then, finally some bones. It kind of felt like picking up an old deckchair - all canvas and frame. I lifted him up with ease and although his face relaxed a bit, I could see the helplessness in his eyes. I can still picture him today. This is someone I never knew, met once and will never see again - but he has had a massive impact on my life....
I knew then that I NEVER wanted to get to that stage of ill health and general helplessness. Sure the pills and the care kept him alive (the table next to his bed was crammed with medicine), but he struck me as someone too weak to protest and fight the torment that his life had become. He was trapped alive.
On reflection how could Tom or anyone in that home ever hope to become anything other than helpless? The residents were seldom encouraged to go outdoors or move about. Their meals were brought to them. The TV was controlled by remote. Residents where wheeled or zimmered from A to B. More importantly in Tom's position, the simple skill of getting up off the ground - that first complex balancing skill we learn as an infant, had become lost. The flexibility left him and the muscles in his legs and arms had atrophied. The strength he worked upon in that first year of life had now deserted him.
Since that time I have regularly sat on the floor at home rather than sitting on a chair. I usually sit cross legged but will lean back against the furniture which seems to have developed pelvic mobility. Standing up demands a pressing action in the arms and can also be an excuse for a pistol.
My new found perspective on life is good in many ways. Seated, I am at head height with Flash standing, and both she and Captain Kid like to sit in the 'crook' of my crossed legs to watch TV or read a book.
Sitting on the floor (and for that matter squatting down), feels comfortable surprisingly quickly. It works your body through a significant range of motion. It is a credible test of a child's development so why not that of a pensioner's demise?
For me this is a personal indicator of when I need to make one last fight. This then is my benchmark and one skill that I work on EVERY day.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Deadhang
I put in a bit of deadhanging after tonight's Lau Gar session. I was warmed up from the sparring and so went straight in to the fingerwork:
1) Open Handed Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
2) Closed Crimp Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
3) Half Crimp Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
The way this works is 7s under tension, then three seconds rest - repeated seven times. All this was done on a sturdy door frame in between cooking and watching TV. (Classic isometric training).
The hangs were two-handed and I assisted as necessary. I rested about 5 minutes between each grip type.
1) Open Handed Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
2) Closed Crimp Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
3) Half Crimp Hang (7s x 3s x 1m10s)
The way this works is 7s under tension, then three seconds rest - repeated seven times. All this was done on a sturdy door frame in between cooking and watching TV. (Classic isometric training).
The hangs were two-handed and I assisted as necessary. I rested about 5 minutes between each grip type.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Tuesday Workout
So this was my first gymnastic workout after the tonsilitis. Mrs A is off work with what appears to be the same virus I had which hopefully has put paid to the "Your immune system is weak - it must be your diet" comments that have recently come my way. Karma!
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (30 mins)*
1a) Assisted Pistols (4, 4, 2, 2)
1b) Frog Planche (4x15s)
1c) Cuts (30s per side x 4)
1d) Kneel to HeS Raises (4x4)
1e) Assisted HeSPUs/HeS Lowers (4, 4, 2, 2)
1f) BackBridge (4x15s)
2a) Tuck Body Lever (4x15s)
2b) One Arm Lock Off to Lower (4x5s)
So I did 4 sets of the 1a-f and then 4 sets of the 2a-b. I had to add a long rest in between sets of 2a-b, but the sun was out so it was easy. It was cloudy and wet for 1a-f so that was indoors :(
I felt pretty good on most exercises. The pistols were a struggle and required assistance but the planch and especially the levers felt good.
* I kept going outside in to the sunshine to rest for several minutes between sets of the last two exercises. Thus I could have finished quicker but was enjoying the rays.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (30 mins)*
1a) Assisted Pistols (4, 4, 2, 2)
1b) Frog Planche (4x15s)
1c) Cuts (30s per side x 4)
1d) Kneel to HeS Raises (4x4)
1e) Assisted HeSPUs/HeS Lowers (4, 4, 2, 2)
1f) BackBridge (4x15s)
2a) Tuck Body Lever (4x15s)
2b) One Arm Lock Off to Lower (4x5s)
So I did 4 sets of the 1a-f and then 4 sets of the 2a-b. I had to add a long rest in between sets of 2a-b, but the sun was out so it was easy. It was cloudy and wet for 1a-f so that was indoors :(
I felt pretty good on most exercises. The pistols were a struggle and required assistance but the planch and especially the levers felt good.
* I kept going outside in to the sunshine to rest for several minutes between sets of the last two exercises. Thus I could have finished quicker but was enjoying the rays.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Back
So as you guessed from my absence, the Tonsilitis has been pretty horrendous. Regular 24 hour fasts and lots of low level activity have ensued and I am on the home straight to health now!
I helped some other parents do some gardening at Captain Kid's school yesterday which was a nice opportunity to do some light carry work, wheel barrow pushing and spade work. Although our ancestors were unlikely to perform much of the work for which we bred beasts of burden, anything involving a bit of carrying and some digging (we foraged for tubers), must surely get the thumbs up.
It was nice to be doing something voluntarily and with a real community spirit. We shovelled soil and planted some vegetables. Anything that links kids to real food has to be good.
Getting back in to the swing of workouts gave me another opportunity reflect on how reviving I find 'paleo centric' workouts:
1) Sprinting is the 'daddy'. You lose your speed and evolution will weed you out. Be quick or be dead. Sooooo happy to be back to this work.
2) Rings - not paleo but our ancestors got it right when they headed for the trees. Pre-empting the fun of modern day climbing by several million years, the apes were also on to a winner when it came to developing upper body strength by lifting themselves off the ground. However the tables have turned and we have now stolen a march on the apes, for while the branch is a mighty training tool, gymnastic rings offer a superior range of movements. When you watched the old Tarzan films, did you ever see Cheetah do an iron cross or handstand on rings? That is because he couldn't. Probably.
3) Heavy Punch Bags are great. As a mechanism for stress release, kicking and punching one of these is unsurpassed. Fighting is in our DNA and best expressed on a heavy lump of suspended padding that cannot hit back. But the best thing I ever did with a heavy punchbag was to pick it up and carry it. This is something I still do. Who would have thought something developed to work our limbs can also be used so effectively to build a solid core.
Cheers now.
I helped some other parents do some gardening at Captain Kid's school yesterday which was a nice opportunity to do some light carry work, wheel barrow pushing and spade work. Although our ancestors were unlikely to perform much of the work for which we bred beasts of burden, anything involving a bit of carrying and some digging (we foraged for tubers), must surely get the thumbs up.
It was nice to be doing something voluntarily and with a real community spirit. We shovelled soil and planted some vegetables. Anything that links kids to real food has to be good.
Getting back in to the swing of workouts gave me another opportunity reflect on how reviving I find 'paleo centric' workouts:
1) Sprinting is the 'daddy'. You lose your speed and evolution will weed you out. Be quick or be dead. Sooooo happy to be back to this work.
2) Rings - not paleo but our ancestors got it right when they headed for the trees. Pre-empting the fun of modern day climbing by several million years, the apes were also on to a winner when it came to developing upper body strength by lifting themselves off the ground. However the tables have turned and we have now stolen a march on the apes, for while the branch is a mighty training tool, gymnastic rings offer a superior range of movements. When you watched the old Tarzan films, did you ever see Cheetah do an iron cross or handstand on rings? That is because he couldn't. Probably.
3) Heavy Punch Bags are great. As a mechanism for stress release, kicking and punching one of these is unsurpassed. Fighting is in our DNA and best expressed on a heavy lump of suspended padding that cannot hit back. But the best thing I ever did with a heavy punchbag was to pick it up and carry it. This is something I still do. Who would have thought something developed to work our limbs can also be used so effectively to build a solid core.
Cheers now.
Sunday - The Return
Happy days are here again! I bloody love this workout! This afternoon huge broken clouds blew in occasional hail in between brilliant shafts of sunlight. I train in my garage with the door open head outside for the sprint and KC work. The thrill of being emerging outdoors to be greeted by the elements was a real high.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (25 mins)
1a) Sprint (4x10s)
1b) Ring Routine (Emphasis on fast MUs and holding an L-Sit position at the top before continuing)
1c) Ring Splits
I cycled four times through 1a-c above and interspersed randomly with a total of about 7 fingerboard sequences working with each of the three main grip types.
I finished with a shortened and unweighted kill carry (so only the punchbag, no weight-vest) and some deadhanging to end with.
Warm Up (5 mins)
Main (25 mins)
1a) Sprint (4x10s)
1b) Ring Routine (Emphasis on fast MUs and holding an L-Sit position at the top before continuing)
1c) Ring Splits
I cycled four times through 1a-c above and interspersed randomly with a total of about 7 fingerboard sequences working with each of the three main grip types.
I finished with a shortened and unweighted kill carry (so only the punchbag, no weight-vest) and some deadhanging to end with.
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