tuesday, July 31, 2012
Muay Thai kicks
Twist situps body + 10lbs X Left elbow5,right elbow5 X 5,5 X 5,5 x 5,4fail
DB hammer curls 2 X 37.5lbs X L8,R8 X 8,8 x 4,4
Before kicking, I warmed up by shuffling around in boxing stance, I should do this often outside of actual bag sessions to get the rhythm going.
I think I did better with the right leg kicking during the first 5 minutes, the left seemed off kilter totally. I am doing better at pivot foot placement and it is showing in improved fluidity of motion.
Why my situp work has regressed might be to do with core use during bag drill, I wonder if I should cut down to just one day per week, also deadlifting gets it a bit.
Heavy bag drill. Today I tried to get into a rhythm of stepping in, jabbing, stepping back. I did 2 rounds and decided I had greater confidence southpaw stance, so what I post here is a 3rd round that includes crossjab.
What I still admit is that I lose the stability of having the hind foot maintaining floor contact, and maybe I am still leaning forward too much. I ignored bringing the hands back to guard, a future priority as now I still need to work on rhythming in the stance and maintaining stability as I execute the punches.
Edit: I can’t resist asking. Does anyone doubt that I am giving the bag a good spanking?
Edit again: I actually thought this was 3 minute round, I must pay greater attention to my clock.
I did 15 minutes of Muay Thai kick drill, although I don’t think I made discernible improvement over tuesday, and need not post anything. what I notice is not being on the balls of my feet enough. Also, too much backward lean although I am gradually getting better at balancing back to the starting position. Maybe I need to do this later in the day when maybe i might focus more.
I rewatched the Russ Anber video of jab, and realize that when I have done drill of late I push off too many times with the back foot instead of leading with the lead foot. I will shadow practice this in front of a mirror several times before next bag work on Monday, maybe even post a short video to confirm form with people. The reason for my mistake is likely not wanting to feel as though I am doing the splits when I try to go in for the jab, also wanting to get momentum into the punch, which of course imbalances me and leaves the hind foot dangling in the air.
Yesterday I did skipping rope work. this time instead of going all out in intensity I have started to do one foot at a time skipping. After the first set I could transition from side to side without stopping, and I will keep this routine up until I can smoothly alternate each skip, and then work on intensity.
fuck it pisses me off! My new heavy bag has already had the metal D ring for tie down almost totally rip through the the strap that secures it to the bag. I grant that it isn’t a thai bag and I have been using it as one, but shit I soon will have a bouncing around bag. I guess this forces me to find the target, which is more realistic.
Friday, August 3, 2012
BB shoulder press 105lbs X 7 x 7 x 7 x 4
dips body (206lbs) X 7 x 7 x 7 X 6
chinups body X 5 X 3 X 3 X 3
situps body + 40lbs x 5 35lbs x 5 X 5 X 5
Very pleased with today. It is a definite jump above last week, and better in terms of overall force times distance than back in June when I did another day like this. Then I gave up.
Punnyguy was saying he thinks that this upper body day detracts from my boxing power, I hope that it really comoplements it. Anyone thoughts?
Edit: come to think of it, I am at the same place I was on May 18, just about. I need to break through this plateau, next week will be crucial in determining that.
Edit again: OK, so if I progress with shoulder press and dips next week, I will stay the course, otherwise I will cut out shoulder press, any agreement or otherwise?
Personally, if I had to choose one pressing exercise to keep, it would be a (super) strict overhead press. Again, my own personal preference.
My recollection is you were complaining about your lack of progress in your overhead press. I thought what I said was that punching a heavy bag is equivalent to doing a pressing workout, and would detract from your overhead pressing strength; in other words, I think I said the opposite.
Since you’re not training to fight, I actually recommended you do the bag work after the overhead pressing on your pressing days.
More rear delt stuff, band pull aparts between rounds, band dislocates etc. to maintain your shoulder mobility and balance between anterior/posterior is what I’d recommend. It has taken me years to start to overcome the imbalances and issues I have from over a decade of punching/pushups/pressing (sound familiar?).
Punny, yes thanks for your answer, but even though I am not planning to join an amateur boxing league I am actually working towards skills development as well as the fitness side to it.
I even have been talking to someone I know in my neighbourhood who knows someone into fitness and I floated the idea of being each other’s sparring partners. That is still in the exploratory stage, but I am not just going to do bag drill one day a week.
As I said, if my shoulder press doesn’t go in the right direction next time, I will cut it out and see how I do with just dips and chinups, maybe do a 3rd drill session after that. I had thought people doing fight training might do limited weight work that complements their specific training.
Anyhoo, I have here this video. I am actually on a rest day, this is just a skills drill, limited sweat. I am shuffling in stance into jab position, jabbing and shuffling back still in stance. Despite having worn my bag gloves to have that ‘feel’, I admit my unopposed jabs look namby pamby. I am just looking for stance, leaning forward, leading in with the lead foot, snapping out the jab as soon as the back foot is in place, reversing.
Monday, August 5, 2012
deadlift 315lbs x 5 X 5 X 4 X 3 X 3
heavy bag drill, 2 rounds
I stayed up late Saturday, and felt glum about something Sunday sufficiently I had wiped out feeling and left deadlift until today. I used my intended target weight, but expect I will kill off the target reps next time.
Bag drill was sufficiently dismal I won’t think to post the video of it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
3 rounds heavy bag drill
10 minutes muay thai kicks, 5 minutes each side.
Twist situps body +20lbs X Left elbow - right knee 5,RL5 X 5.5 X 5.4 X 3.3
Db hammer curls 2 X 37.5lbs X L8,R8 X 8.8 X 5fail,6
I was still a bit low energy today,and my bag drill technique suffered. I made a video but I only marginally improved, so I didn’t post it. Kicks same thing.
I did improve with the lifts though, so that is some comfort. I will do skipping rope work tomorrow.
So, I did a lifting day today, and I made a 1 rep improvement with shoulder press, 2 rep dropoff with dips afterward, at twice the weight. I have made slight negative progress since the middle of May, so I need to shake up my lifting. Likely a week off.
then I want to do a higher intensity, supersetted thing like I did a year ago.
fine, I suppose I will feel good after all. I just need a week off, sometimes these things catch up to me before I realize from a journal review.
Next back at it a week from Sunday.
So, back onto the first page. work got very physical for a couple of days last week, and thus skewed my time off. I am maybe going to do heavy bag drill tomorrow, at least I am itching to, but I don’t know how wise that would really be.
Definitely no deads today. As to what program I am going back to, I am thinking the program at the beginning of this journal, modified for boxing and kicking sessions, is how I will make a variation. I suggest this:
Day 1
supersets
dips 5 sets of 3
shoulder press 5 sets of 3, 1 minute between.
chinups 4 sets of up to 5, 2 minutes between
situps 4 sets of 5, 90 seconds between.
off day
day 2
deadlifts 5 sets of 5, 3 minutes between.
Day 3
heavy bag drill, several 3 minute rounds, 1 minute between.
speed rope, 3 3 minute rounds, 1 minute between.
Day 4
Muay thai kicks, up to 20 minutes
twist situps 4 sets of 5 each side, 90 seconds
day 5
same as day 3
day 6
muay thai kicks.
I might run this for 3 or 4 weeks, and then maybe drop the intensity on day 1.
Monday, August 20, 2012 Week 1, day 4
Heavy bag drill. I am still a little low energy, but was keen on doing this today. I did a 3 minute round, and recorded the next 2. I need to hit the other side of my bag, it is getting a dimple.
I bothered posting this because I am I think gradually improving, although fatigue set in earlier than I hoped. I am just looking for movement in stance, jab/crossjab, balancing when hitting, maintaining back foot contact while twisting my left side into the cross jab and more consistently keeping my hands up.
second round better/worse in different ways.
Self critiques include not getting the ranging right all the time, but the tie down ring broke off so that I will have to live with. Not consistent enough with torso twisting. Others as I review and think of them.
Friday, August 24, 2012 week 1, day 1
Hope I get my log numbering right from now on.
Dips body (205lbs) + 50lbs X 3 x 3 X 3 X 3
BB shoulder press 135lbs X 3 X 2
chinups body X 5 X 4 X 2
situps body + 35lbs X 5 X 5 X 5 X 4
First day really back at it, I haven’t done a similar format in since a year ago, never exactly like it. I am obviously in need of change, so here is what I propose for next week:
Supersets
dips 5 sets of 3
upright rows 5 sets of 3 1 minute rest
supersets
chinups 5 sets of 3
Db shoulder press 5 sets of 3 1 minute
situps 4 sets of 5 90 seconds.
Wednesday I did bag drill, but I buggered my sleep before and I was sluggish. I think I am getting better at footwork in stance, but I will next time focus more again on my actual punching motion, it is getting sappy.
Sunday August 26, 2012 Week 1 day 2
deadlift 295lbs X 5 X 5 X 5 X 5 X 3
So, I messed up my day numbering last Monday, I wonder if some people read my journal because of clear writing and i am letting them down.
Back from the time off, lower weight than I hoped, but a bit more repped so not too bad. Work is going to get very busy over the next likely week and I will fit exercise in when I can. It then is the problem of claiming I am doing week this, day that when everything comes piecemeal.
Bag work and skipping rope tomorrow.
Friday, August 31, 2012 week 2 day 1
Dips body (207lbs) + 45lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
BB upright rows 115lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 135lbs X 3
Chinups body X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2
DB shoulder press 2 X 55lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2 X 1
Pleased with today. I only slept a partial night due to work, and my progress is fine. Actually, I will dip next week at at least 55lbs, if not 60lbs as it was fairly easy. Last week I dropped off because the supersetted move wore my triceps down. Now that I have it after a few minutes rest before the next exercise pairing I can handle it, although I will drop down to a pair of 45lbs.
Sunday, September 2, 2012 week 2, day 2
deadlift 315lbs X 5 X 5 X 4 stopped.
I should be in this league of weight, I just left a window open overnight thinking it was warm enough during the previous day I would get away with it. I also did afternoon shift this past week and I was enjoying the changed schedule but did a poor job of managing diet, so that too. I expect I will ace the 5 X 5 next week without lowering weight. Also, I don’t do squats anymore so maybe that is a factor. I don’t want to kill myself before a week of heavy bag work. I would have done muay thai kicks this past week but had a very bad scratch on my lower leg from work and knew not to aggravate it, so my leg work complement is missing.
Yesterday I skipped rope. I hadn’t done this during my time off, so it was slow going this time. I am doing one foot at a time, alternating sides every 15 seconds. I hope to get it down to every 5 seconds, then every skip, and finally drive up the intensity. Skipping again toorrow.
Monday, September 3, 2012 week 2, day 3
heavy bag drill, 3 3 minute rounds.
I saw a video on how to perform a hook, and came at it today with a new found enthusiasm for getting some combination work in, I had been sufficing with plodding 1 - 2. I did a first round to get into the groove,and the last 2 I post here.
I find I blew a lot of energy with combinations, and spent less effort shuffling around. I am better I think in the first video, I obviously started looking for reasons to take a break during the second. Still, I think I am improving with not lacking having the lead foot out enough, better at keeping my hands up, more consistently keeping my hind foot in contact with the floor (likely due to the hook delaying shuffling back, I suspect that has been the problem in the past).
I rested 10 minutes and tried to do rope work, but said fuck it. I tried again several hours later and said the same, I will do it tomorrow after Thai kicking.
Oh, and happy Labour Day! Take care driving your wives to hospital.
Friday, September 7, 2012 week 3 day 1
Dips body (205lbs) + 60lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 2
BB upright rows 125lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
chinups body X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
DB incline press 2 X 65lbs X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3
twist situps body + 20lbs x 5,5 x 5,4 stopped
I am pleased with today, even if just for dips. I somehow gave up exactly 1 rep short of quorum, and I wonder why that is. I was in fear of failure, so I will hope for 4 or 5 reps last set next time.
I suppose i will belt something on next chinup work. The thing with DB inclines was that I set up initially 75lbs but literally couldn’t get the dumbbells into the starting position. The way I always did this was to sit at the butt of the bench, swing the Dbs back, and then as they come forward I do a cheat bicep curl and throw my torso back so that the weights land in the starting, down position. My chest must have been already used, so it didn’t work, but I will be damned if I have the same problem next time.
I woke up with what I thought was a right triecp strain, I am amazed I was able to lift anything at all.
