School's Out for Summer

Been really busy lately. Have done zero on trying to put together a Lincoln affiliate. 3 kids are keeping me hopping, lucky to get in my work, my training, their training, and now with school ending and summer beginning- the camps and tournaments begin. That is what summer is about when you have kids and run sport camps- If you are lucky! Here are is how the training is going, maybe you can find a workout that you can try or tweak to make work for yourself or your clients.

5/30

12mins Lifecycle L-8 (118 calories)

Bench Press
95/10 135/10 185/10 205/5 x 5 with 2minutes rest between (inretrospect, this load was too light)

1mile run for time- old, 7:20:43 new 7:06:03....next run I will break that old 7 minute mark.

12mins Lifecycle L-8 (118 calories)

5/28

Airdyne warm up 6mins (101 calories)

DL 225 x 10
KB uni-lateral press ladder 70lb KB 1,2,3,4,5,5,4,3,2,1

10 rounds, Time 22:47 (?)

* This workout felt great while doing it, and next time I will crank on the time a little, but wow...kicked my tail for the next couple of days!

5/25

# of rounds in 20 minutes

1 min Jump rope
7 chins
7 elevate ring PU's
7 step ups (per leg) 135lbs
* done wearing a 20lb vest

5 rounds

5/23

15 minutes Airdyne 290 calories

Power Clean from floor
95/10
135/5
185/5
205/5

3 rounds of
GHR situps with 10lb dynamax x 14
Pendlay BB rows 225 x 5

5/22

12mins Lifecycle Hill L-7

Standing Presss
95/10 135/5 155/5 175/1 x 6 sets (did one press every minute until fail)

Helen-
Old time 10:37...New PR 10:22

* Ran 800m before realizing it, rest 2-3 minutes and then did Helen.

5/20

12 mins Lifecycle Hill L-7

3 rounds of
Back extension with 40lb MB x 15
KTE's x 15

BB Squats with 40lbs of chain on each end/total 80lbs at top

95/10
135/5
225/3
245/3
265/3
285/3
305/3

Dropped to 135 plus and perform 2 sets of front squats for 5 reps

Real Deal

Dr. Ken Leistner is the real deal when it comes to strength coaching legends. I am proud that I met Dr. Ken, flying to St. Louis to attend one of his seminars and own 8 York barbell 45lb plates from his garage gym. (Yeah, I know....some people collect stamps..) Dr. Ken is the tell it like it is, no bullshit, work till your eyeballs fallout before many of today's strength coaches even began training or developing programs. Ken is also a selfless individual who has adopted children in need and given freely of his time and gifts in order to help others. The most outstanding thing about Ken is that he is still training hard! A few years back weighing maybe 165, Ken squatted 405 for 23 straight reps! These were ground out! Not one was a piece of cake after the first dozen. Unbelievable. Google and read some of his stuff, you will not be disappointed.

Chain'd to D'bench

Last night hit bench press pin press with 2 20lb chains on each side. Alternated this with a row utilizing a thick bar handle. Alternated this with watch the game between the Hornets and Spurs.

A. BP with chains- 45/20 95/10 135/5 190/5 200/5 210/5
B. Row with TB- 90/20 140/10 190/5 200/5 220/5 240/5

Finished up with a quick metcon consisting of 400m runs and handstand push up (15) x 5 rounds.

Then...

Worked with a volleball player and did a quick non-specific warm-up followed by 20 GHR situps and Back extensions for 2 rounds. Went outside for this workout-

Wall ball (10lb dynamax and 10 foot target)
Pressing overhead KB walking lunge (10lb kb's)
Ball slans (6lb non bouncing mb)

20
15
10

She finished in 6:57- not bad for just getting back in shape.

What's your excuse?

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=4eb5a3845723b97fb26203f691884cacfcffd5d0

Congratulations to Team USA!

aturday, May 17, 2008
After eight-year wait, Roach locks up spot on Olympic weightlifting team
ESPN.com news services

ATLANTA -- Melanie Roach was supposed to make her first Olympic team in 2000.
Eight years later, she could truly appreciate the thrill.
The 33-year-old mother of three finally fulfilled her Olympic dream Saturday, having overcome the back injury that ruined her expected trip to Sydney.
Roach was the top-rated lifter at the U.S. weightlifting trials, claiming one of four female spots allotted to the Americans. She'll be joined in Beijing by Carissa Gump, Natalie Woolfolk and Cheryl Haworth.
This will be the third Olympics for Haworth, who claimed a bronze medal in her first appearance at the 2000 Sydney Games.
In the men's competition, Kendrick Farris, Chad Vaughn and Casey Burgener earned Olympic spots for the American Olympic team.
Farris was the top-rated lifter during Saturday's trials, while Vaughn finished second. Burgener claimed the final spot with a clean and jerk of 493 pounds on his next-to-last attempt. He fell over backward on the stage in jubilation, having joined his fiancee, Woolfolk, on the seven-member team.
Burgener's spot in not yet official, but U.S. officials were told this week they would be able to take a third man because of doping cases involving other countries.
Roach's comeback was even more remarkable considering she quit the sport for five years to start a family. When she decided to start lifting again, the pain returned, too, forcing her to undergo surgery in the fall of 2006 shortly after she claimed her sixth national title.
She hooked up with Dr. Robert Bray in Los Angeles, who was performing a procedure known as microdiscectomy that reduced the recovery time. He removed three fingernail-size fragments from her spine, and Roach was up and walking as soon as the anesthesia wore off.
"I knew right away that I was better," she remembered.
Bray surprised Roach by flying across the country to see her lock up a spot on the Olympic team. He walked up from behind and tapped her on the shoulder while she was celebrating in the warmup area.
"Thank you so much, Dr. Bray. You did an amazing job," said John Thrush, Roach's one and only coach since the former gymnast began lifting in 1994.
"When you're working with someone who has that much heart, it makes it easy," Bray replied.
Roach made all three of her lifts in the snatch, the heaviest at just over 178 pounds. As she held the bar above her head, she screamed in delight. After dropping it to the podium, she clapped her chalk-covered hands, threw both arms in the air and bounced off the stage.
She went to the clean and jerk merely having to avoid a total meltdown, and it quickly became apparent Roach wasn't going to let this opportunity get away. She lifted nearly 229 pounds with ease, then locked up her spot by hoisting just under 240 pounds on her second attempt.
Roach let out a yell while posing with the bar above her ahead, realizing this wouldn't be a repeat of 2000. She failed on her final attempt at 244 pounds, but it didn't matter.
She was heading for the Olympics.
"This is far better than anything I expected," Roach said. "If I made the team in 2000, I wouldn't appreciate it nearly as much as I do now."
Haworth, who was the face of American weightlifting when the sport made its Olympic debut at Sydney, has gone through her own trials over the last eight years. She underwent major surgery in 2003 after blowing out her elbow, and she failed to medal in Athens after re-injuring herself on the first snatch attempt.
She also had to fight through a slipped disc in her back, endured the embarrassment of a drunken-driving arrest in her hometown of Savannah, Ga., and went through a couple of coaching changes.
Haworth claimed the final spot on the U.S. team, but she's planning to make a run at a medal in Beijing.
"I'm ranked No. 4 but it doesn't matter at this point," she said. "We're all going to China."
The 25-year-old Haworth easily made all three of her snatches, and needed only one clean and jerk attempt to secure her place on the team.
"I'm really sort of getting my vengeance now," she said with a smile. "I'm ready to get really strong and go compete the way I know how. The last two years, I didn't because I was so injured. My goal is to stay healthy and go get a medal. If I stay healthy, I won't have any trouble at all."
For Roach, the hard part is over. She would love to win an Olympic medal, but just making it to Beijing was her main goal.
Afterward, she savored the moment with her husband and their three young children, including 5-year-old Drew, who is autistic. They all made the trip from Bonney Lake, Wash.
"I'm really proud of my mom for making the Olympics," said 7-year-old Ethan, who will accompany her to China.
Three-year-old Camille jumped into the conversation.
"I am going to the Olympics, too," she said.
Actually, she's not, which Ethan was quick to point out.
"Yes I am," insisted Camille, who then gave her big brother a punch to the chest.
Get ready, Olympics. Team Roach is heading your way -- eight years behind schedule.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Maximum Strength

Is the title of a new book by Eric Cressey. Eric is a performance and conditioning specialist who has published multiple articles for many strength and fitness sites, especially T-Nation. His articles are always very informative and usually backed up by scientific research and personal anecdotes. I tried to go out and get the book tonight, but as of yet is not being stocked at our local Barnes and Noble....so much for tonight's idea of going out and getting the book and a Starbucks! It is available through Barnesandnoble.com and through Eric's site www.ericcressey.com, so I will order soon and give it a read. Looks like some solid info. Even though I have been training for 30 plus years, there is always a tibid or a review of information out there- always keep an open mind.

STRONG!

Joe DeFranco's documentary Strong is almost ready for release. From this trailer it looks great. Joe is a highly motivating trainer/coach from Jersey who has really done a great job developing athletes as well as imparting the lessons he has learned onto other trainers/coaches. He has produced a couple of excellent dvds that are available from elitefts and his own site www.defrancotraining.com

Da Bear!

Not what I intended to do today, well not completely. My plan was to do one sequence of the bear complex (PC+FS+PP+BS+PP x 7, without letting go of the bar) and then follow that with a set distance of Prowler pushing. Weather did not cooperate. By the time I got back from a "fun run" with my wife- then dark clouds had set in, and the rain had begun. Kept me inside, and instead of keeping a static load on the complexes, I opted to increase load on each succeeding set. This was tough. By the time I hit 135- I knew I was at my limit for this night. Give da bear a try!

2.21 mile fun run with wife

Bear Complex

Rd 1- 65lbs
Rd 2- 85lbs
Rd 3- 105lbs
Rd 4- 125lbs
Rd 5- 135lbs

Here we go again...

Another pervert (alledged) is in the news. Last year it was a local powerlifting coach taking pictures of kids as the dressed in a private room while they changed into their powerlifting gear in his basement gym. He is gone for a long time in the pen. Now a local soccer guru has been charged with binding and gagging kids, then suspending them in the air in his garage. This was done for his sexual gratification. I knew of, and had met both of these guys. If my son was still playing soccer, he probably would have played for the soccer coach in question. In each case, these horrors were committed when the child was alone. Never, Never, Never leave your child alone with a coach, trainer, etc... either be with the child, or make sure there will be a team or group in attendance. This is not meant to slight all coaches/trainers, but to the small minority of creeps- you have to protect your child. One slip could cost that child his or her innocence for the rest of their lives. How normal of a life will these kids who were tied up, gagged, and raised to the ceiling while "coach" got his rocks off be? Be vigilant. When it comes to your child- DTA, "don't trust anyone".

Pullin' and Hoppin'

Did some pulls and box jumps today. Nothing to fancy or heavy. Went like this:

Lifecycle 12mins/ Hill/ L-8

Deadlift warm-up 245/15

DL- 325/5

Box jumps (30" box) x 5

DL-345/5

Box Jump x 5

DL-365/5

Box Jump x 5

Lifecycle 12mins/ Hill/L-8

Pulls were easy, jumps surprisingly easy. I know that this is the highest box attempted in a long while and I know that this was not max height....that's a good thing.

My A#% is beat-up!

Knees are sore. Left elbow- bursa sac swollen. Got some kind of cervical issue that is causing discomfort and pain to right shoulder. Left shoulder screwed up. Yikes. Hopefully I can figure out a way to train- make gains- and get my body pain free (relatively) again. Took off yesterday, but still ended up doing a parent child soccer game and then coming home to some one on one bball out in the driveway. Today I stole a workout from Anthony Dugilio(sp?) site www.theartofstrength.com. Anthony has a very inspirational story and has really become a marketing genius with his kettlebell series and now branching out into strongman training. He sent out his newsletter that had a workout done by a former Husker Kyle Vandenbosh. This guy was ripped up as a Husker and physically has not changed. I added some 400M runs to the workout and some posterior delt stuff (trying to get healthy)- but it is a basic "push" type workout.

400m run

Side chest press with DB (70lb) x 5
Floor pullover with Barbell (65lbs) x 10
Elevate ring push ups x 10
Alternating ring flyes x 10
Scarecrows x 10 (100lbs)

x 5 rounds

The side chest press is a variation of the floor press, but you cross your leg/hip over your opposite leg in the same way that you would perform a "hip stretch". This elevates your shoulder off the ground creating more range of motion when pressing the bell. Alternating ring flyes sounds kind of "fu-fu" bodybuildingish, but I kid you not....watch out- these are tough if you are not a gymnast. From the ring push up position you will move one ring out laterally, then bring it back to your start position while repeating the movement on the opposite side.

This was a fun "different from what I have been doing" workout that really felt good, even though my structure feels like crap. Tomorrow I think it is time for Deadlifts and box jumps.

Happy Mother's Day!

I am blessed to have found such a wonderful wife and mother to our children. I hope on this day, you are able to spend some time either in person or via the phone or web with a "special" mother in your life. I lost my mom when I was 12 to cancer, yet to this day can see her face and will never forget her. Don't forget to contact your mom today and tell her how much she means to you.

FRAN!

Went with the CrossFit mainsite WOD yesterday.....FRAN- the brutal couplet of barbell thrusters and pullups for time. I wanted to break the 5 minute mark, but it was not meant to be. I probably did not leave enough in the tank after my "pre" workout just to get psyched/warmed up enough to do Fran.

12min Lifecycle level 8

3 rounds of 20 abmat situps with 25lb plate
20 kb swings with 52lber
45 second handstand hold

Fran- time, 5:23......old pr 5:25, done at GSX my time was 5:45, but I do not believe the time was accurate on that.

12 min Lifecycle level 6.......this was brutally hard. Instead of lying on the floor or walking around- jumped back on the bike.

May start to do this work by moving the weight up on the thruster....it is not the pullups, those are fairly easy and do not seem to be as taxing as the thrusters in the later rounds....or I could just become more FIT! Hey what a concept.

Just Squats

Went with some back squats today. Had alot of training appointments and busy tonight so in between 4:15-5:00pm, it was squats for sets of 5.

45/20
135/10
185/10

245/5
295/5
345/5

singles with 365 and 385...fairly easy, working my way back up to where I was before the weeks leading up to the cert back in March. Stick with 5's for awhile and then switch to a 3 x 5, and 5 x 3 routine on alternating weeks.

Kind of went off the reservation....

Decided to go back to my own programming for awhile. This does not mean that I will not do the CrossFit mainsite WOD once in awhile- but for now, I will do what I feel is best for me. That includes more precise programming, trying to maintain a high level of strength while not completely ignoring my met-con workouts.

At 46 with 30+ years of training, I know that squatting singles every few weeks will not increase my RM. Same with overhead pressing. I also cannot perform squatting, running, OHS, and single leg squats (pistols) at maximum intensity in the same week.....my knees will be lit up with tendonitis.

You have to take past training history and injuries into account when programming. The latest issue of the CrossFit journal has an excellent article on this by Lon Kilgore. Buy the issue or better yet, pick up a subscription. Even if you are not sipping the "kool-aid", there are some great articles and interviews in each issue.

Here are some recent entries into my workout log-

5/8

Incline chest supported DB rows (scapula retraction to stabilize weak shoulder)
50'sx 10x2
60'sx 8x2
75'sx 6x2

MetCon
1000M airdyne
21 pullups
21 Ball Slam
1000M airdyne
15 pullups
15 Ball Slam
1000M airdyne
9 pullups
9 Ball Slams
* gotta give a nod to Coach Rut from CrossFit KC for inspiration on this metcon. He has a great blog with lots of good info.

5/7/08

Lifecycle 12 mins L-6

Reverse Hypers- 90/20x2

Box Snatch
45/6 65/6 95/3 115/3 135/3 140/3 145/3

Reverse Hypers- 90/20x2

Lifecycle 12 mins L-7


5/6/08

400 M (1:52:93)

Tabata Mash-up

Jump rope/MB push-up variations

1. Jump rope/ crossover push up- 12,13,12,13
2. Jump rope/hands on,hands off- 15,12,13,13
3. Jump rope/single arm right- 6,5,4,4
4. Jump rope/single arm left- 3,4,3,3

400 M (1:52:33)

5/5/08

12 mins Airdyne 69rpm ave...(get this over 70!)....4.29 miles

Coupling of DL with chains and GHR situps using the dynamax ball with a chest pass at the top!

*Did not time this- should have, went fairly fast.

DL- warm-up, 245/10
DL- 325 plus 40lbs of chain at the top x 2, 4, 6, 8
GHR situps with a chest pass with 20lb dynamax x 10 done after every set of DL's

5/3

CrossFit mainsite WOD

OHP 165/1 175/1 185/1 190/X dropped to 90% for 5 singles with 170
PP 175/3 180/3 185/3 195/3 205/3
PJ 180/5 185/5 195/5 205/5...quit...workout called for 5 set of 5 here.

5/2 Ran in Mayors run

5/1 Ran with kids in training for Mayors run!

4/30

Airdyne 6 mins/ 2.40 miles 147 calories

Neck work- flexion and extension

# of rounds in 15 minutes

5 pistols to 18" box
5 pullups
5 dips

All done with 40lb vest on.

6 rounds plus 5+5 pistols and 5 chins

Ran 1 mile on treadmill 7:20:43...goal is to get this under 7, Hey- have to start somewhere!

This workout was brutal. Not necessarily while doing it, but my body was sore for the next 3-4 days- especially in the glutes and legs. This was surprising as I had to modify the pistols, using a box and cutting the depth- it still kicked my ass.