Becoming an Athlete

I've been working on the ability to hold a front lever. I'm still not there yet.  This picture is a still frame from a video of me getting there. I can pull to a nice parallel position, but the hold is just a millisecond. How I got here: Planks, especially side planks I've noticed side planks really get deep into the abdonimal connection (insertion?) at my pelvic bone. Holding a side plank for a minute is becoming routine, if not completely easy. Parallel bar pikes These are much harder than leg raises, as they require total body tension. I've learned a great deal of body control. Toes to Bar I remember when I could OCCASIONALLY get 1 rep. These have become routine also, and I can bang out 10 or more now. The pikes really built my weak links and now I'm able to engage my abs much more. Dragon flys / Dragon flags I do a normal leg raise off the bench and then thrust my torso into the air so I'm supported on just my shoulders.  I accentuate the lowering...

Monday 13 FEB 2017 I have to say, all the focus on stability and mobility is paying HUGE dividends. I can almost perform a front lever, but I'm a few months away from holding it solidly. side planks: 1 minute per side Toes to bar, a few sets of 5 easy reps, then a few sets of front lever attempts a. chinup: bw x 3,3,3,2,1 b. pushup x 5,5,5,5,5 Clean: 125x5; 145x3; 165x2; 185x1,1,1 Bench press: warmup up to 245 for an easy single, then 205x4,4,4,5; 155x20 (rest pause set) 1-arm dumbbell row: 70 x 10,10,10,10 per hand Tonight: 2 mile run for time. Gonna be some serious suckiness.  

Man, it's barely Wednesday and I feel great.  Soreness everywhere, but feeling strong, mobile, and motivated.  Here's a snapshot of the training week Monday AM: side planks, wood choppers chinups / pushups Cleans: 5,3,2,1,1,1,1,1 bench press / 1-arm row: 4x6 / 4x12 bench press: 1 rest pause set face pulls: 3-50 method incline dumbbell press: 3-50 method Monday PM : 2 mile jog Tuesday AM: side planks, hollow body rock chinups / wall ball Overhead press / pullup: 4x6 / 4 x max Overhead press: 1 rest pause set Dips / barbell curl: 5x5 / 5x5 Dumbbell skull crusher / hammer curl: 5x10 / 5x10 Tuesday PM: 1 mile for time Wednesday AM: side planks, pike trap bar deadlift: 4x6 squat: 4x15 Leg extension / leg curl: 4x12 / 4x12 Leg press calves: 4x20 Wednesday PM: 4x100, 1 mile walk Thursday AM: side planks, wood choppers chinups / pushups Cleans: 5,3,2,1,1,1,1,1 Chest triset:     Incline db press- flat db press- db fly: 4 x 12-12-12 Back tri-set:     Snat...

I've just started on block II, and its going great.  I'm mastering the stability movements, increasing range of motion / mobility, and starting to add in a bit of evening running to prep for Spartan Super and Tough Mudder. So what's the additional athleticism component?  Well.... 1. Running 2. Power Cleans Running: Nothing sexy here.  Just following a REALLY simple 14 week running plan. I have more than 14 weeks till the races, but may as well build capacity now. Power Cleans: I'm just walking it up SLOWLY every Monday and Thursday e.g. Wk1 Monday: 95x5; 115x3; 135x2; 155x1; 165x1; 175x1 Thursday 115x5; 135x3; 155x2; 165x1; 175x1; 185x1 The volume here is low, and I'm doing it on Chest & Back day, but starting with an explosive movement fires up the CNS and makes moving heavier weights more fluid and efficient. These weights are REALLY easy.  I won't miss a rep