The Open Boat

Training
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Thank you print.
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So, training. Yesterday, I did gymnastics. I was still sore from DLs, but I did ok and the hour and half went by faster than I wanted it to.

I was very pleased to do several backwalkovers on a floor beam, but a poorly placed video camera left this moment uncaptured. My back and shoulder flexibility is improving!

Then, lots of back handspring work. I need to make my legs springy–worked some on tramp (removing gravity and/or weakness from the equation to pay attention to technique) and worked some on floor (up on to a partially folded panel mat because I need to jump back and up higher if I have any hope of seeing the beam and getting my hands on it).

See video.

Today. 4 mile run. Hit the “are we there yet?” feeling at 3.5 miles, but held my pace. Meh. I have a 5k race this weekend that fell off my radar. Uckfay.

Press handstand work.
Handstands x10 (these are getting better)
Negative to straddle sit x5 (not controlled enough)
Straddle stand to handstand x5 with assistance and x5 attempts=w/out assistance=misses.
Oh drat, I didn’t do the Lsit holds. Will do later. x5.

Leg explosivity work.
box jumps x10
long jumps x10
froggie jumps x10

hippity hop boing.

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Springy legs! I see them already. For some of us, there is no hope for either spring (the season) or springy legs. I’m happy to watch you, though. :slight_smile:

BTW, I had meant a few months back to work on straddle sit holds. Never did. Just tried one and still can’t even get my heels off the floor. I can sort of push my butt up though…for a second. Hard!

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[quote]Nadia Comeandeat wrote:

hippity hop boing. [/quote]

Im starting to think you are part kangaroo :slight_smile: /<3ed your deadlifts!

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you are such a wonderful addition to the compound - you bring the gracefulness along with the strength. I’m kinda jealous really :slight_smile:

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oh yeah. wish i had me some springy legs :slight_smile:

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Hi I am visiting your log. Gymnastics and pling cool!
I think your lifting has defiantly improved from the beginning of your log. Close to dling 2xbw? Awesome!

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Good news on the flexibility.
And running today.

If anyone could’ve made the gymnast-distance runner-PL’er program work, of course it’ll be you.

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Kimba: Ahh spring, I long for it too–both in season and in my step. And those straddle l-sits are tough. I regress pretty quickly if I don’t train them regularly.

Bre aka the perfect drug: Kangaroo? Yep, that’s what I am. I’m a jumper or more like a wanna be jumper. Love the pic. Look at the height those roos can get. I’m so inspired!

Frenchie: I’ve never really considered myself graceful, but I certainly like the label. Really, what I’m striving for with the gymnastics skill training is that feeling of automation–you know where your body rules and you just move through the skill. Right now I’m all sit back, (not too low), and jump (no, no higher than that). Someday, when I get up on that balance beam, I won’t be thinking at all (or I won’t do it). It will be a climb up, breathe, and go for it moment.

Alexus: Jumping is a skill for sure. You’re pretty explosive with your olympic lifts though, I bet you could jump well (once you get your feet rehabbed?).

Charlie: Hi, thanks for reading. Yes, I’ve made some good improvements since November when I started logging here. Like you, I started a journal to help keep myself on track and accountable. The support and feedback I’ve received by logging here has been invaluable—hope your experience proves to be the same.

Nikki: I’m really stoked about the flexibility. I’ve been stretching nearly everyday for the past 6 weeks and finally my back is starting to bend again. Consistency and frequency have been the keys for me.

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Henry got through his surgery without any trouble. He’s home and hungry. I thought I might do some MPs and pullups today. But, while my body feels good (I’m finally not sore), my spirit is unwilling. It was a long day today, and I’m tired. Maybe I’ll stretch and do some handstands later.

Here’s a pic of my little monsters at seaworld this past spring break. We paid extra so they could feed the dolphins–that was by far the best part of the day there.

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1764×1495 1.15 MB

Here’s the pic.

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Your hand placement is so solid on those springs. Very nice.
Good luck in your 5K. Nice short race - you’ll be fine.

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[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:

If anyone could’ve made the gymnast-distance runner-PL’er program work, of course it’ll be you.[/quote]

This!!

And yes, your gymnastics vids are absolutely breathtaking. If only i could be that lithe and graceful…sigh. I’m glad you (and Cal!) have made gymnastics part of the compound. Its such a pleasure to watch these boundless feats.

Nice Dling too. Not only do you make it look easy, but you look super hot in pink and those boots…like a ski bunny gone bad!

Glad to hear the lil’un is doing well :slight_smile: You deserve the rest day - and a bubble bath, foot rub, chocolate…um, pretty much overall pampering.

And cute pic! I bet you their fingers smelled fishy for days…

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aw, what adorable kids. trust me, i don’t say that often about kids.

yeah, the jumping thing is weird… the dude who was offering me some coaching was trying to get me to adopt a ‘jump stance’ once and i was like ‘oh no, i can’t jump on these feet’ and he looked at me very strangely. it was some time after that that i learned that Oly Lifters have the highest two feet standing vertical jump of all athletes. Oh… Oly lifting is (kinda sorta) jumping with the bar. lucky i didn’t know that or i never would have tried. that was why i got interested in learning how to jump… rehab toes, yup. lots of people do oly liflting in order to get better at sprinting or jumping or throwing… i wonder how much getting better at running or jumping or throwing might help me get better at Oly lifting :slight_smile:

your legs are definitely springier than mine, though.

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I seem to really struggle with some of the neurological connections, particularly on my posterior chain. It seems like gymnastics would soo compliment the weights in that regard.

About puberty - I was always wearing some XL T-shirt to hide in. Painfully self-conscious. Of course, this was the 1980’s and everybody was wearing some enormous clothes back then.

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Cal: Thanks–actually my hands are all wrong on my back handspring–if I want to do them on the beam. But, right now I don’t have the shoulder flexibility or the spring to get them close together. I’ve got a long way to go.

Masch: “Ski bunny gone bad” made me laugh. I’m enjoying playing at the gymnastics again. On the one hand it is like riding a bike–on the other hand, I’m not riding the same bike anymore.

Alexus: I know the lifting has improved my running, I’m not sure it goes the other way though–especially since I tend to log mostly LSD (long slow distance) type runs. Sprinting and jumping is probably more helpful for lifters. Maybe? Ok I don’t know.

Powerpuff: I don’t know if gymnastics is helpful with neurological connections. I can tell you that the video camera has become my best friend at gymnastics. I think I have tight, straight legs and then the camera says no. Correcting bent legs when they don’t feel bent is incredibly challenging. You need to give yourself constant feed back.

And the 80s, big hair, puffy sleeves… these were not good looks for me either.
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Training

Not much to report. I ran my 5k today. I don’t have my time yet. I doubt I’m going to pleased.

Since, my hip really kept me from training for this race, I told myself I would just “participate.” But, once there, I couldn’t do that. For whatever it is worth, I tried to race the distance. And it was a struggle. I hit the wall hard at the last uphill shortly before the finish. I wish I had run a little tougher and pushed that uphill harder. Instead, I gave in to the discomfort and slowed down. I need to toughen up in races and learn to compartmentalize the pain rather than allowing it to overwhelm me. High rep dls have nothing on the last half mile of a 5k.

But, my hip didn’t hurt and still feels pretty solid right now. And this less than stellar showing has left me hungry for a do over.

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Sounds like you pushed through that 5K. Its all good. I remember those days all too well. Hip pain was what ended my running ‘career.’ I know what you mean about the racing bit too. I can’t turn off that competitive streak either. Even if I’m only competing with myself.

On another note, the gymnastics vid was awesome - but too short! Oh my, does that look fun. I think I’m gonna convince my sister that we should find a gym to go play in once in a while. Would be more fun with her. Just like the old days, and we can spot each other.

Glad to hear that your little trooper, Henry, is doing well. Very cute kids.

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Veggie: Doing gymnastics with your sister sounds fun. And having someone around for spotting and critiquing would be hugely valuable. It’s really hard to self-coach. Things feel different than they look. I just learned that one of the gyms I sometimes go to now limits the adult open gym to floor (no equipment or tramp) because of insurance reasons. Uggh. That is such a bummer. And the other gym that I’ve been going to has only had two or three people attending lately–I worry they will cancel it. The HS cheerleaders have disappeared. If you can find a gym–I encourage you to go!

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Okay. Got my race time–25:57, which is a per mile pace of 8:21. My pace through my last 5k (in Feb) was 7:57. So, I was quite a bit slower today. Based on my lack of mileage and training, no suprise.

I have a 10k to run in late May–this is all part of the running challenge my sister and I are engaged in. I’m hoping to train for it. Come on body!

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I know you’ll be able to get the training in for the next race Nadia

I think you’re pretty swift for someone who DLs 200+ pounds like it was warm-up ;D

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Good job showing up for that race and pushing it to the limits of your ability at that moment. I sure understand the compulsion to compete rather than simply participate.

So, YAY for your hip not hurting! That is major league great news!

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glad your hip is doing okay.

80’s… oh my… leg warmers? hypercolor t-shirts? flourescent socks?

vids are the same for oly lifting as they are for gymnastics, by the sounds of it. strange how what you are doing is so different from what you think you are doing. really hard to know how to go about putting something right that doesn’t feel wrong, as you say.

hope your hip holds up well so you get some good training in for your next race!

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whoohoo!! gymnastic vid! :)!