16.10.2015 AM ii
STRENGTH
Warmup
Foam Rolling & Mobility
Bulgarian Split Squat
Bounding
Assisted Jumps
Plyo Pushups
Med Ball Throws
Plyo Press
Chins
Landmine
Russian Twist
Rotational Pulls
Stretching
RPE: 8
Good session, intensity increasing and increasing.
21.10.15 am
Up and about at 5.30am. I went to the gym to coach my cousin.
I’d anticipated that we’d be lifting, but he had training scheduled later on, so we went for a mobility session.
Roughly it went;
Foam Rolling;
Calves, Glutes, IT bands, adductors, Quads, T Spine,
Mobility;
Squat Mobility, 90/90s, Bearcrawls, Spiderman Crawls, Rolls, Deadbugs, Birddogs, Hump/Hollows
Headstands
Handstand Pushups
Core Circuits 3x;
Ab Rollouts
KB W’mills
Leg Raises
TRX Side Plank
Aquaman
Some more core bits and pieces.
Foam Rolling
RPE: 5
The day at work was ok. I got in an omlette at around 9.30am and some meat and carbs at about 5.00pm
I was feeling pretty rough so I took 2 No. dioralytes, quite a bit of water and some BCAA’s at 6.30pm.
I was visiting another gym where a couple of guys were getting ready for some championship fights
I got into the boxing gym at 7.00pm. It was bitterly cold, so I began to loosen up.
My first 3 rounds weren’t fantastic. I moved well, but timing on the attack was out and I just wasnt feeling it.
Rounds 4 and 5 I concentrated on moving and trying to time shots so that I was keeping safe.
I got tagged hard at the end of the 5th and had the black lights impair my vision for the rest of the night and the drive home.
Strangely this seemed to kick my instincts and I stepped up a gear. Attack was more sharp and aggressive, movements more coherent and defense a lot more reliable. Closing out the session I was much the happier. Timing and distance was coming back.
Unfortunately one of my buddies and I butted heads. Thankfully he wasn’t cut, but he got a nasty rattle, we were just fortunate not to have any blood work.
Negatives;
Timing and Distance were very poor early.
Handspeed needs work.
More explosive attacks.
Positives;
Aerobic base was very strong
Corework has my body very solid.
Reflexes are very good even in a tired state.
RPE:7; Technical work required
22.10.15
Up early, didn’t eat an awful lot before hitting the gym. I was aching from the night before - the shower I had planned on taking never transpired so my right arm ached and I just felt stiff generally.
In the gym just got stuck in;
Foam Rolling; top to toe generally.
Power Cleans to Push Press 2 x 5, 4 x 3, 5 x 1s
Deadlift 5 x 1’s
Benchpress 5 x 1’s
Chins
Back Ext
Nordics
RPE: 7
Really enjoyable session, switched me on for the day.
Ordinary day at work. I ate well, but was sore and tired throughout.
Desire to train is often a good indication of fatigue or over training. I always love to train, but my desire to live life was low yesterday!
That evening I took a break. No training, but I did cover two training sessions for my strength coach was away.
The first was a strength and fitness class for ladies and men, minimum age 28 maximum age 55.
The second was a white collar boxing class; minimum age 23 maximum age 55.
Fitness Class; 1 hours
Warmup;
Worked all joints and major muscle groups through their ROM.
Mobility;
Inchwork, Renegade Row, Foot March Plank, Glute Bridge, Reverse Plank.
Cardio Warmup;
3 Mins Dynamic Movement
Working Rounds;
1.0 (i) Bagwork 20 secs. (ii) Med Ball Throws 20 secs. ( x 3 Repeats)
2.0 (i) 2 x Bounds, Jog Back 20 secs (ii) Plyo. Pushup 20 secs. (x 3 Repeats)
3.0 (i) Tyre Jumps 20 secs (ii) KB Squat Thrust
KB Finisher;
5 Mins “i do, you do.”
3 Swings, 2 Squats, 1 Berpee.
Cooldown & Stretching
White Collar Boxing - 1 hour
Warmup; Joints & Muscles
3 Mins Dynamic Movements
5 Mins Technique works
4 x 2’s “Sparring”
Confined space, change partners every 30 secs, no power, all skills, defense & speed.
Drilling Technique
Partner Drills
Bodyweight Exercises - Just my stuff, I made them sufffer a little.
Cooldown & Stretching.
Went home and got into bed, had a great sleep but woke at 4.27 am and that was my resting done!
Having finished my day, I decided to watch a movie.
I enjoy history, have a particular interest in war times and a very close relationship with Netflix.
With this in mind, I am surprised that tonight was my first time experiencing “The boy in the striped pajamas.”
The plot was obvious to me. Over the years I have studied this shameful segment of world history and have held a morbid infatuation with the holocaust and its victims. It was my feeling, that perhaps I was about to sit through another predictable spin on the most publicised genocide in modern history.
But…
This film hurt me. It injured my soul.
In school we performed a comparative analysis using one film, one novel and one play.
The texts I used were A view from the Bridge by Miller, Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck and the film Witness.
I also studied in detail Shakesperes Hamlet, which I actually enjoyed.
The common theme that I pursued was the loss of childhood innocence through suffering and trauma.
Perhaps that I why this film was so difficult for me.
I sat engrossed for the duration, just under two hours. As a piece of cinematic production it was wonderful.
If you haven’t seen this film, I cannot recommend that you take the time to watch it. Given the choice, I would have preferred not to have seen this at all.
I do not want to ruin the plot, but the focus Is on aWW2 concentration camp in Germany, designed to imprison and exterminate Ex citizens, stripped of their identities simply because of their one common flaw; their religion.
Portrayed through the eyes of a child, the evil acts of a misguided nation appear all the more senseless and malevolent.
Perhaps the monsters under our childhood beds were only ever the true accounts of our most terrible histories.
This post seems pretty irrelevant - and it is.
The opinions of a twenty seven year old, Irish, Roman Catholic; on the subject of the holocaust are worth less than nothing.
But appreciating the suffering of those before us, might give us the strength to move forward and be brave in our endeavours.
“This post seems pretty irrelevant - and it is.” No, it isn’t, it is one of the best.
“But appreciating the suffering of those before us, might give us the strength to move forward and be brave in our endeavors”
==I feel like the suffering and death before us, will pale in comparison to the war we are fighting now against Islamist extremists. There is no doubt in my mind, if they had access to WMD’s, and a means to deliver them, they would. This planet (IMO) is facing its gravest crisis, at a time when society is at its weakest. American society as a whole, only knows about the horrors of WW2 through their carefully written history books. I know from personal experience training Americans in the 21 to 25 year old bracket, their knowledge of history is laughable, their grasp of the extremist movement naive. I hope its different on your side of the pond. Excellent post, Donny.
Excellent log! Will definitely pay more attention to it…along with others.
Big_Boss,
I come back and start searching for the old crew. Track down donnydarko’s log to see what is going on, and I see your post. I hope you are well and that everything is great with the family. I think there was a new baby around the last time I saw your posts. Could be mistaken though. I have slept since then.
Regards,
Robert A
I note that this log has been inactive since Nov of 2015. Not that I can criticize but I hope all is well with you.
Hey Robert- great to see you, a belated Happy new year…
Training as always, haven’t been logging much though as I’ve no fight scheduled!
Good to hear you are still at it. I do owe you a few belated congratulations for for your most recent win.
Just out of curiosity, how different is your between fights training from the pre-fight wind up? Do you try it emphasize anything different (new combinations or tactics, less conditioning more prehab/rehab, etc.?) You seem very methodical in your training so I was just looking for a data point.
Regards,
Robert A
Thats a really good question.
In the run in to a fight obviously concentration of skills is to the forefront.
Training is a lot more streamlined; almost in line with traditional martial arts philosophy the excess; the non-essential elements are discarded and focus on the pure sport is key.
Training generally is more robust; time is not confined. Nor are calories, so I find it much easier to train strength and think outside of the box in so much as I experiement with new techniques and styles.
I always try to train twice a day… I’ll post a chart and it may help contrast the run up to a fight vs. general training.
Week 5 and those below are those getting nearer to a fight.
X would be general training with C; the conditioning element being a much lower intensity
Thank you. I appreciate the answer. I find the run up vs general training interesting both because so many fights seem to have turned on someone being “flat” vs “on” and also because it just isn’t talked about nearly as much. I think someone decided if you aren’t talking/writing about blood and guts training it isn’t interesting. I know you are very calculated and intelligent in your approach so I wanted to get your input.
I also remember Bernard Hopkins giving an interview/rant about how he isn’t just recovering from what happened on fight night, but in training after a fight.
Regards,
Robert A
It’s ironic, I watched that Bernard Hopkins segment the morning that you posted this.
Recovery has become important for me.
As a younger guy II took it for granted that I could train/compete and be all good after.
I don’t have any problems now, but I am aware that I worked out this morning: if I let this accumulate I could see how I could en up (as you said) flat.
I’ve been paying attention to warm-ups and ‘engagement’ exercises recently.
The Alll Blacks rugby team were reported to visit the gym the morning of a game and perform 6 to 8 singles or doubles in the power clean, to switch the CNS on.
I believe in this and as you said it can make the difference.
The day of the tentative first round and settling in for round three or four are now gone.
1st February 2016
Boxing: Olympic Boxing Club
Have had some damage to my foot, but was anxious to get back training.
I was in the gym early.
Warmup:
Joints & Muscle-groups
Mobility
Cardio System
Bagwork: 4 x 3’s
Shadowboxing : 4 x 3’s
Bagwork: 4 x 3’s
Body-weight Exercises:
3 sets, circuit fashion.
Pull ups
Bicycle Crunch
Pushups
Renegade Row
Bird Dogs
Running:
3 miles
Cooldown:
10 minutes skipping
Mobility.
RPE: 7/8
Stiffness in the groin to both legs afterwards: I’m carrying too much weight, but this is to be expected having addressing only strength only for the past months.
Aerobic cardio is good as usual. Running the hills was murder, but I was never going to stop.
Foot was extremely sore afterwards; bathed in Epsom salts on returning home.
Boxing has a few deficiencies; small things i need to address. Overall I’m very happy with that for a first session back.
2nd February 2016
I feel my body ageing today. I’m not shaking off sessions the way I once did. It’s satisfying having the worked feeling though.
I was out of bed early and hit the gym for a light session.
Warmup:
Joints & Muscles
Bagwork:
4x3’s Open; good pace
Schooling:
3x3’s light sparring; working primarily defense with a novice
Finisher:
Russian Military Test with double 20kgs
Cooldown & Light Stretching
RPE: 4/5
Nice morning session. Boxing has a long way to come back. A LOT of attention to detail needed, but still proving very difficult to catch clean.
Trying to line up some sparring for later this evening.
I shouldn’t.
But I will.
3rd February 2016
Delightful aches & pains this morning.
Nutrition has been sparse this past week and the CNS is taking time to come to terms with it.
Warmup:
Foam Rolling & Mobility
Squat 531
Press 531
Bent Over Row 3 x 10’s
Snatch Test
RPE: 6
Brief little session - First set of squats was more difficult than the last. Military press was an especially conservative weight.
Boxing later this evening; will be a rough session.
Is this a kettlebell thing? Or does it have something to do with drinking plastic bottled vodka and chain smoking cigarettes? Because that seems counter productive.
Glad to see you posting again. I am sure you will get your form back.
Regards,
Robert A
Kettle-balls???
I thought the vodka put the fight in me pretty-good?
Yeah: 3 Cleans, 1 press, 2 Squats - pass to partner and continue for time or till one breaks.
The disclosure here is I am not a good person. I am going to hell, but at least I will know some people.
It is 2012 and Katie Taylor has just won gold in London. I remark to my friends that “they” better test her for PEDs. One of my friends asks why since she is still very feminine looking and not the least bit unattractive did I immediately go there. I reply “not steroids, whiskey. A snort or two of Jameson and an Irish girl gains superhuman abilities at two things. Both start with F.(not sure where I heard that line, but my friends hadn’t)”
So, yeah. I am a bad person. But I laughed at your post and it made me remember the story.
Regards,
Robert A
HaHa, I like that - when the other half gets home from work I’m going to lead with that
It’s the weekend… I have time to get back out of trouble!