I picked a really shitty summer to decide to train for a 24hr relay race. I don’t think I’ve gotten out for a run that wasn’t similar temp/humidity conditions yet, and I friggin hate running. So, I feel ya man.
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Yeah man, you’re nuts, haha. It’s gonna be a test of willpower for sure.
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So that’s 60m run, 60m walk?
I have to try this. Treadmills suck for short intervals because it takes so much time to accelerate/deccelerate and also I like running outside ahahah
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Haha yeah, it will probably be the most challenging thing I’ve done in my life physically. I doubt I’ll walk correctly for days afterwards.
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18/08/2021
STRENGTH
Start time: 1115
Med ball slams, clapping push-ups, standing high jumps
- 2x5 each
Good morning (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 2x12 @ 170
B. Squat (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 3x8 @ 240
- SS W/ 3x400m run
P. C&P
- 95x5
- 110x5
- 125x5
Bench
- 145x5
- 170x5
- 185x5
Chins (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 2x12 @ BW
Wrist roller
- 2x3 rotations/direction @ 15
Notes:
- Squat-and-run continues to be tough, but I love the combination. Just superb.
- Gonna commit to the wrist roller for at least 6 months and see what I can get out of it. Forearm/grip training is so important for martial arts and my profession. I already train my core, hips and shoulders like crazy, so grip is kind of the only piece I’m missing.
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Yessir: jog for X meters, then sprint, then walk. I was using the distance between lampposts around the local park as my distance markers.
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18/08/2021
ENDURANCE — MUSCULAR
Start time: 2030
Double DB C&J
- 5x90 sec, 2.5 min rest @ 50
Push-ups
- 100 total reps
- 60 sec chest/shoulder stretch
Cyclist squats
- 100 total reps @ BW
- 60 sec quad stretch
Notes:
- C&Js were much easier this week. Not that they’ve ever been especially hard, per se, but they were practically flying off the ground.
- Once again, following high reps with a deep stretch burns like hell, but adds that finishing touch on pumping the crap out of a muscle. Love it.
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20/08/2021
ENDURANCE — CARDIO
Start time: 2030
Running
- 2km out
- 2km jog-run-walk intervals
- 2km back
HLR
- 2x12
Notes:
- Same as earlier in the week, just the lower intensity version. This is basically just steady state but less boring; the running is just fast enough to start pushing to a higher HR, then the walking brings it back down to “stage 2” levels, and the jog keeps it there.
- I’m gonna knowledge flex here and offer up the “bro science” version of why I think these two methods — the sprint version, and then this run version — are ideal for all your endurance needs. The sprint version trains endurance on a cellular or “mitochondrial” level, by pushing you to the lactate threshold. This isn’t ideal for cardiovascular training, because your heart beats too quickly and just starts twitching, basically. The slower version gets your heart pumping enough that it can fully stretch, and thus grow, like any muscle, which makes it stronger. Combined, you end up with a pretty well-rounded endurance protocol, in my opinion. It’s also a MUCH less boring way of doing cardio; just pick a route around tour neighbourhood, and use the distance between lampposts or houses as your measure.
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21/08/2021
STRENGTH
Start time: 1345
Med ball slams, clap push-ups, high knee skipping
- 2x5 each
P. Snatch
- 3x5 @ 105
P. C&J
- 140x5
- 160x5
- 180x5
P. C&P (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 3x15 @ 95
Weighted chins
- +25x7
- “ x6
- “ x5
- “ x4
- “ x3
EZ bar strict curl (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 3x8 @ 85
Wrist roller
- 2x1 rotation/direction @ 25
Notes:
- Nothing exciting of note.
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21/08/2021
TECHNIQUE
ENDURANCE — MUSCULAR
Start time: 2040
Solo throwing drills (band uchikomi w/ followthrough), boxing combos, silat forms
- 10 min each
Alternating DB snatch
- 3x2 min, 3 min rest @ 50
Band dislocations
- 100 total reps
Band ham curls
- 100 total reps
- 60 sec ham stretch
Notes:
- This was… very cathartic. I haven’t done solo drills in ages, because after I moved and was too broke to train, solo drills eventually just became frustrating. I’m a lot more settled now, but don’t plan to return to in-person training until COVID is, by and large, under control; I don’t believe it is at the moment, and don’t trust other humans.
- Getting back to these drills though, it was like a switch was turned back on inside of me. My nerves lit up, the rust started falling away, and I became hyper focused — but serenely calm at the same time. This is who I am: I am a martial artist. I have been since my youth, and I will be until the day I die. Combat and the fighting arts are interwoven with my soul, and nothing can change that. From now on, evening training will begin with a minimum of 30 minutes of drilling.
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Awesome clarity, my man. Very freeing.
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I am not a martial artist, by any means, but I had a weird feeling tonight.
I went to the county fair, and it was first large gathering I’ve been to in basically 2 years. I haven’t gone anywhere besides school, work and the store since COVID started, but since I’m vaccinated and it was outside, I convinced myself that it was okay. It probably was, I’ve just been overly cautious since this all began.
Anyway, I just felt like I wanted to fight someone. I wasn’t anxious, or angry, I just felt this aggression and focus inside of me, and found myself subconsciously sizing guys up, haha. I’m absolutely not t kind of guy who starts fights but something about the “return to civilization” had me pretty amped up.
Not really related to your epiphany but it reminded me of it for some reason.
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My suspicion would be that they’re linked. Despite saying you didn’t feel anxious, this sounds like your body trying to find a way to deal with mild anxiety, and it manifested in the “fight” response of the “fight, flight, freeze” trio. Which, honestly, is totally justified if you’ve been semi-isolated for the last while; suddenly placing yourself in a space with far more people than you’re used to can totally trigger an adrenal response in your body.
I know you didn’t ask for a psychoanalysis, but I didn’t want to just leave your comment hanging there, or respond with a “cool story, bro.”
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22/08/2021
STRENGTH
Start time: 1430
Med ball slams, pitching (L & R), standing triple jump
- 2x5 each
P. Snatch
- 120x5
- 135x5
- 150x5
P. C&J
- 3x5 @ 160
B. Squat
- 240x5
- 270x5
- 305x5
Bench
- worked up to 250x1 (sad face)
EZ bar strict curl
- 75x5
- 85x5
- 95x5
Wrist roller
- 2x3 rotations/directions @ 15
Notes:
- I’m very glad this is the last week of this block, because I am really feeling beat up. I’m also pretty sure I hurt myself on that last set of triple jumps. One of my feet slipped out on landing and I crashed hard on my other leg. Sent a sharp pain all the way from my foot to my knee, and now my foot and shin have this dull ache. Despite that, I’m enjoying the jumps and throws. If I had gotten more into track & field in school, I probably would’ve done the throwing sports.
- Disappointed with the bench. I had hoped to push higher than that, but it just wasn’t there today. Means my bench hasn’t improved that much, as I did 240x3 two blocks back.
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23/08/2021
STRENGTH
Start time: 1100
Med ball slams, pitching (L&R), standing high jump
- 2x5 each
G. Morning (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 2x12 @ 170
B. Squat
- worked up to 375x1 (PR, video below)
Hang C&P
- 110x5
- 125x5
- 135x5
Bench
- 160x5
- 185x5
- 210x5
Chins (2020 tempo, constant tension)
- 2x12 @ BW
Wrist roller
- 2x1 rotation/direction @ 25
Notes:
- Another big squat win. I know to those to whom I compare myself to, this is chump change. For me though, it’s a massive victory. I’ve wrestled with lower body work for the majority of my physical activity career, because of a really bad skateboarding accident when I was a teen. Bailed on a hill, shredded my knee down to the bone, and had a long and painful recovery. Excessive knee bending really aggravated it for ages. To now be sniffing at 4 wheels is something I’d never dreamed of.
- Additionally, this is a big lesson in visualization theory. I knew this session was coming up, and I thought “I want 350x1”. Everyday I would let the thought pop into my head, “I want 350. I’m going to squat 350. I can do 350.” Well, when I was doing my warm-ups and plyos, those ball slams felt STRONG and fast, and I KNEW I was gonna squat 350 today. 350 came and absolutely flew up, so then I thought, “I can do 375. I want 375.” So I did.
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A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! Congratulations, dude.
Oh, and I love the emotion at the end—caps off the great lift just right!
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Awesome squat man, 375 flew up
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By looking at how smooth that went up, you’re practically there!
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Hell yeah man, nicely done.
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Yes mate, awesome Squat.
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