Becoming an Athlete

Just an easy jog today, with my problem-child dog.  Simon is a cathoula / black cur mix and he was bred to find and catch wild boars.  He's quite an impressive machine, but boy is he needy.  He's like me.  When there is no challenge to conquer, to opportunity to push past your limits, he gets antsy - ill-at-ease.  I have plenty of outlets, but Simon only has 1: running. I'm no runner, but it does us both good.  And he behaves so much better after a good day on the trail. The only downside is that my 10 year old boxer Kodi stays  at home for the big outings since he can't do it anymore. But poor Kodi doesn't understand that.  He just wants to be with me out on the road or trail.  So now I have to walk the dogs together so Kodi still feels like a pack member, and then run the shit out of Simon so he doesn't self destruct.  All in all, its a good problem to have. Today was a nice mid-day run:  10 rounds of: - 2 minute run - 1 minute walk He look

Warm-up  was just sitting in the sauna.  Nice change of pace.  :) Box pistols:  10/10, 10/10, 15/15  - Ready to start the low box after Thanksgiving Between every set, I did either 10 swings with the 80# KB, or 10 goblet squats with same a. Incline DB press:  45x10, 55x10; 65x6,10,8; 50x10 b. 80# KB swing or squat:  10,10,10,10,10,10 Between every set, I did either 10 swings with the 80# KB, or 10 goblet squats with same a. Lateral raise:  12x10; 15x10; 17.5x10,10,10,10 b. 80# KB swing or squat:  10,10,10,10,10,10 Between every set, I did either 10 swings with the 80# KB, or 10 goblet squats with same a. Smith machine row+ shrug: 155x8-8, 5-8, 8,12 b. 80# KB swing or squat:  10,10,10

warm-up:  3 rounds of jump rope:  2min on  / 1 min off Box pistols:  10/10, 10/10, 10/10 neutral grip pullups:  BW x 6,5,4,3,3 deadlifts: warm-up: 135x5; 185x5; 225x5; 275x3; 315x1; 335x1 work sets: 275 x 3,3,3,3,3 Klokov complex : 135 x 1,1,1,1,1; 145x1; 155x1; 165x1; 175x1; 185x1,1,1,1,1,1,1 Extended complex:    bar x 5; 65x5; 75x5; 80x5 (40 reps total per set) a. Close grip muscle snatch b. Snatch grip high pull c. bent row d. Romanian Deadlift e. Clean f. Push press g. Flat back goodmorning h. Squat

Sunday afternoon at the skatepark.  Great chance to change the pace and work goofy stuff and really tax my work capacity, but the session got  cut short when my son wrecked and gave himself a concussion.  Thankfully I buy him top quality protective gear.  Had he not been wearing his helmet, this would have been a tragedy. 5 rounds of jump roope:  2min on / 1min off 5 rounds of a. 80# KB swing x 5 b. 80# goblet squat x 5 c. pushup x 5 3 rounds of a. 35# alt dumbbell curls x 10 ea b. pushups x 10 c. 50# KB swing x 10 5 rounds of a. 35# alt dumbbell curls x 5 ea b. 50# KB snatch x 5 ea c. 50# KB high pull x 5 ea d. 80# KB swing x 10 e. squat jump x 10 I had plenty more energy in me, but I had to drop everything and help my son.  The thing that matters is he's great today.  Darkened the house, administered ice packs & tylenol, sitting upright for hours, light conversation....  Long night but we made the most of it.  My daughter really shined.  Such a compassionate human.

Solid progress all the way around.  Normal warm-up, then: Box pistols: 10/10, 10/10, 6/6 NG pullup: BW x 6,5,4,3,2 Squat: 115 x 15, 15, 15, 15, 15 Skipped OHP and rows.  Gassed a. EZ-bar curls:  60 x 10,10,10,10,10,10,10 b. Straight bar pushdown: 90 x 10,10,10,10,10,10,10

Simple low intensity intervals today.  I'm gonna build my knee till its structural soundness would make Gibraltar and the pyramids seem like paper mache. After my usual warm-up and stomach vacuums..... 10 rounds of: 30 sec run @ 5.2mph / 3.5 degree incline 2 min walk @ 3mph / 3.5 degree incline My calves are feeling the new stimulus of running.  I follow the POSE running method, so it always takes a couple months for my shins, feet, and calves to acclimate. 

I got in two solid sessions on Wednesday. AM Session: normal warm-up including stomach vacuums Box pistols:  BW x 5/5, 5/5, 5/5 (felt kinda weak) Pullups, BW x 5, 3, 5, 2, 5 (weak) Bench press:  warm-up to 225 x 2, then 165 x 5,5,5,5 Bent row: 115 x 10,10,10,10 Deadlift: warm-up to 315 x 1, then 245 x 5,5,5,5 a. EZ-bar curl: 60 x 10,10,10,10,10,10 b. Straight bar cable pressdown: 90 x 10,10,10,10,10,10 PM session: 10 rounds of A. 30 sec run @ 5mph / 3.5 degrees B. 15 kettlebell swings @ 50# C. 3min walk @ 2.9mph / 3.5 degrees

12 rounds of: a. 30 sec run @ 3.5deg incline / 5mph b. 15 KB swings @ 50# c. 3 min walk @ 3.5deg incline / 2.8mph (swings were done during this time, so roughly 2.5min walk) Swim x 10 laps

Warm-up as per usual:  Agile-8, back bridges, stomach vacuums Box pistols (working consecutive now; not altenating):  10/10, 10/10, 5/5 (50 total) Neutral grip pullups:  BW x 5,5,5,5,5 a. Overhead press: 125 x 5,5,5,5 b. Bent row: 115 x 10,10,10,10 Squat: 115 x 12,12,12,12,12 a. EZ-bar curl: 60 x 10,10,10,10,10 b. straight bar cable pushdown: 80 x 10,10,10,10,10

Time to get serious folks.  I have been consistent and training three days a week (Sun, Tue, Thu) with the occasional parkour session on Wednesday, which for me excludes a lot of jumping at the moment. I've stepped up my lifting intensity, and have started doing Cardio MetCons on the days between lifting.  Here's hoping I stay consistent and on the road the knee recovery.

I've matured more than I ever planned to this last year.  This latest knee injury has resulted in me taking a long term (decades?  lifelong?) view of recovery and progress.  I've been training whole body three times per week, adding a few reps each day.  I need to hit these goals before I start working my usual Power Lifter style Percentage-based strength training.   My goals: squat: 5 x 30 @ 185 chin up:  5 x 10 @ BW Pistols:  This is going to take some time, so I have intermediate goals: 30 per leg, consecutive, on the medium box 30 per leg,consecutive, on the low box 30 per leg,consecutive, on a pair of airex pads 15 consecuutive full Pistols per leg Overhead press: 3 x 15 @ 135 Bench press:  3 x 15 @ 185 deadlift:  5 x 10 @ 315 These are some silly little weights and are well below my pre-injury maxes, but I seldom focus on goals outside of 1 rep max.  This change in focus / perspective has forced me to think more about form, safety, long-term progress,

My left knee is zombified.   I took 2 weeks off after re-injuring it at the Austin Celtic Festival, and now I'm starting the humbling process of rehabbing and rebuilding.  We have the technology. For the next 3 months I'm committed to whole body training, doing simple meat and potato  functional movements to address any structural imbalances I have to make sure I'm as strong and healthy as can be the rest of my life. week 1 is a single workout on Sun, Tue, Thu: After my warm-up of Agile-8, Back bridges, neck bridges, stomach vacuums, and wood choppers: Alternating box pistols (rehab work to get my knee stronger.  Goal is to work up to full pistols) Neutral Grip pullup plan (Pavel's 5 Rep Max plan) Hang Clean & Jerk: 1 x 5; 2 x 5 singles Squat: work up to 5x30 with a really light weight before adding 20 pounds; e.g. 95, 115, 135.... Overhead press:  depends on the week - either 3x5, 3x3, or 5,4,3,2,1 Bent row:   5x10 After a few weeks, I'll add k