A Better Me

I've been trying to juggle a hectic schedule around training clients, training myself, preschool, and being a dad, and being a husband. I just noticed the order I've listed these things, so I guess I can easily see where I am lacking. I don't think I'm that horrible, but I can see how my clients get the best presentation I have to offer and my family probably does not. SO, I have something to work on!

On the training side of things, I'm working on building a better me. So I've enlisted my friend Kevin Perrone to help me with that. I use my eyes and smallish brain to help other people, but I need someone else's eyes and larger brain to help me. Progress is bound to happen!

Training this week:

5/29/08

TGU's
Bottoms Up w/ 12kg: 2/2
Normal getup w/ 16kg: 2/2
Bottoms Up w/ 16kg: 1/1
Normal getup w/ 24kg: 2/2

B1 - Presses w/ 24kg: 1/1
B2 - Windmill w/ 16kg: 2/2
B3 - Pullups w/ BW: 5
Did 3 rounds

5/30/08

Swings w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 10
Pushups w/ BW: 5, 10 x 5
Farmers walks w/ 32kg: 30/30sec, 2(32kg): 30 sec, 1 min
Battling Ropes - Moving the Pile: 30 sec x 5
Battling Ropes - forward Pull: pulled 500 feet of rope w/ a double wrap

5/31/08
Z-health R-phase and I-phase drills

Oh, did I mention I love Z-health? I'm working with some young athletes and Z is really making a big difference in their mobility and ability. It's amazing to watch. I'm so fortunate to be able to help other people.

Anyway, I've relaxed my diet a bit and have gained about 10 lbs. Getting back to my fighting weight!

That's about it.

Oh My!

I attended a Battling Ropes certification with John Brookfield yesterday. All I can say is, "Whoa." I think John calls his system Battling Ropes because that's exactly what you do; battle. I think the ropes won. I can't remember the last time I have felt so "owned" by training. John told me most people find the ropes very humbling and he was right. I am humbled, but also excited. I have another great tool to use for my own training as well as my clients'. I'm excited to see what kind of body I can create with the use of kettlebells, ropes, and Z.

If you're interested, check out John at http://www.battlingropes.com/. He is a great instructor and his Battling Ropes system will deliver a body capable of doing anything.

A week in review

It's been a busy week. I had to work at the fire department a bit more than usual. We were holding agility tests for hopeful candidates to join our fire department. Several days of this will tucker a fellow out. I still found time to train, but I've been drained.

5/11/08
I-phase hip and pelvis
Swings w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 5
Snatches w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 5
Swings w/ 32kg: 5/5 x 5
Jump rope for 5 min @ 150 rpm

5/12/08
I-phase hip and pelvis drills throughout day...
Buttom Up TGU w/ 16kg: 2/2, 2/2 (yep, I've got a new challenge)
TGU w/ 24kg: 3/3, 3/3
Front Squats w/ 2(24kg): 5, 5, 5, 5
Pull-ups w/ BW: 5, 5, 5, 5
SLDL w/ 24kg: 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
Side Press w/ 24kg: 3/3, 3/3

5/13/08
I-phase hip and pelvis drills throughout day...
Snatch w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 10
Pushups: 5 x 5 sets
Roll outs: 5 x 5 sets

5/14/08
I-phase hip and pelvis drills throughout day...
Front Squats w/ 2(32kg): 3, 3, 3, 3
Pull-ups w/ BW: 5, 5, 5, 5
Buttom Up TGU w/ 16kg: 2/2
SLDL w/ 32kg: 3/3, 3/3, 3/3
Bent Press w/ 32kg: 3/3, 3/3, 3/3

5/15/08
R-phase

5/16/08
I-phase feet and ankle drills
Swings to Snatches w/ 16kg: 5 & 5/5 & 5 x 10 sets
Pushups w/ feet on blocks: 5 x 10 sets
Jump Rope for 5 minutes @ 140 rpm

That's it. My body doesn't feel as good as it did a week ago. Hopefully that will change soon.

On with the show

Latest update on my training. Not real exciting, but it keeps me sane.

5/6/08
R-phase w/ I-phase foot/scriptnkle/knee drills

5/7/08
I-phase foot/scriptnkle/knee throughout the day.
TGU w/ 24kg: 3/3 x 4 sets
Swings w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 5 sets
Swings w/ 24kg: 5/5 x 5 sets
Jump Rope for 6 minutes @ 150 rpm

5/8/08
R-phase w/ I-phase foot/scriptnkle/knee drills
Evil Wheel roll outs: 10 x 3 sets

5/9/08
I-phsse feet/scriptnkle drills
Cross-body pistols w/ 16kg: 3/3, 2/3, 3/2
Halos w/ 16kg: 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
DL w/ 175 lbs: 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
Bent Press w/ 24kg: 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
Overhead carry w/ 24kg: 40 sec/40 sec
Farmer's walk w/ 32kg: 40 sec/40 sec
Farmer's walk w/ 2(32kgs): 40 sec, 40 sec

I just didn't have it with the pistols today. Something was off, so I cut those short. Trying to ease my way back into dead lifts. So far so good, my hips have not been hurting over the last 2 weeks. I will continue on as long as I can stay pain free. I've switched to the bent press instead of regular presses as my shoulders are starting to get agitated. The bent presses feel good; of course they are light. But I like those anyway.

I through in walks and carries today b/c something feels off and walking seems to be easy for me to do!!

That's about it. I've got a week of agility test for hopeful recruits at the fire department this week. Should be fun.

Strength

My friend Brett Jones like to say that "Strength is a choice." I think that he is absolutely right. Strength is a choice, but this applies to more than just physical strength. My family participated in a Race for the Cure walk today. We did this because my mother-in-law has breast cancer.

Well, she did have it; 23 years ago. She survived, then she got it again; 3 years ago. She is a tough lady, or stubborn. I know she is stronger than I am. If I get an ache, it consumes my every thought. I can't imagine what it must be like to have something as relentless as cancer. It doesn't care who you are, or who your family is. It has no heart. It just wants to destroy you.

But, Kat, my mother-in-law, doesn't care who cancer is either. She fights back. She chooses to live life. It's amazing to witness someone so courageous and full of life when "life" is being turned upside down. I'm glad she fights. She is the peanut butter in our family of a sandwich. She holds everything together. Her daughter (my wife) loves her, my children adore her, I can't help but admire her. She is the embodyment of strength.

I am here to tell you bad things do happen to good people. Things that make the stuff I worry about from day to day seem so stupid. Some of us WORRY about storms, viruses, bacteria, bills, the price of gas, the price of food, American Idol, getting laid off, or whatever. Many of us never really have a true tornado rip through our lives. What I've learned from Kat is that it is not the tornado (cancer) that defines your life, it's how you choose to live after the tornado hits. She chooses to fight. And because she fights, our lives are blessed. I HATE her cancer, but I LOVE how she lives.