It's a New Year!

...And, a new you, right? After all, New Years is a time for resolutions. My definition of a New Year's Resolution is that its just a well intentioned idea that last any where from a week to a month. Do we really need to make resolutions? What's wrong with the way we are? Sure, we could all stand to change every now and then to become a better us. But why make resolutions at the New Year? Do we have to wait a year to try and change ourselves? If we really want to make a change, can't we start changing at any time? I think we all hope that a New Year will bring a little better life than we had in the previous year.

Maybe though, we should look at each day the way we look at a new year. What if we hoped that each day would be better than the last? Better yet, what if we actually tried to make each day better? We can't control everything that happens to us in a day, certainly not in a year. But we can control how we react to what happens to us. And in many instances we can choose and make decisions that will give us a great shot at making a great day. If we tackled each day one at a time and tried to become a better us each day, in 365 days we would've had and made a great year. Just a thought. By an inch its a cinch, by a yard its hard. Right?

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. Christmas brings the hope of a better today, a better tomorrow and a better forever. So having said all of that, Happy New Year! Or, New Day...

Training has been going okay. Still enjoying practicing my S-phase drills.

12/29/08
TGU to Windmill w/ 24kg: 4/4 x 3 sets
DBL Presses w/ 2*32kg: 4, 4, 4, 4
Pull-ups w/ 24kg: 4, 4, 4, 4
Bent Presses w/ 36kg: 3/3 x 3 sets
Pegboards w/ bands

12/30/08
R-phase w/ more than usual concentration
S-phase drills: plyosteps and vision work

12/31/08
A1 - Snatches w/ 16kg: 10/10 x 8
A2 - Jump rope: 1 minute x 8 sets
B1 - Swing/flip/catch/squat w/ 24kg: 10 x 6 sets
B2 - Evil wheel roll outs: 5 x 6 sets

I am moble

And I'm getting more moble each day. If anyone wants to catch a little glimpse at what Z-health can do, check out Katie Bigelow's blog at http://student-athlete4life.blogspot.com/2008/12/before-after-photos-power-of-precise.html. She helped me with an issue I was having...

I've been doing a good deal of agility training since S-phase and I really like it. In fact, I may love it. A long time ago, in a town far, far away I used to be a sprinter. I loved sprinting; as I was kinda good at it. Anyway, somewhere down the road of time I let my love slip away. S-phase has rekindled that flame and it feels good. So, I've been practicing...

My training has been going well, especially since I am peppering it so much with my S-phase drills. This week has been a "medium" week for me as far as my training weights go. I'm still learning that it's not good to be full throttle all the time, even when it's me...

12/15/08
Eye drills: saccade charts and convergence exercise
Jump rope for 2 minutes
A1 - Windmills w/ 24kg: 5/5 x 3
A2 - Plyosteps: 5L/5R x 3
B1 - Double Presses w/ 2*16kg: 5 x 6 sets
B2 - Pull-ups w/ 16kg: 5 x 6 sets
B3 - Hip turn Plyo: 3L/3R x 6
Pegboard practice w/ medicine ball

12/16/08
Eye drills: saccade charts, convergence drills
A1 - Snatches w/ 16kg: 24/24 x 5 sets
A2 - Jump rope for 2 minutes x 5 sets (ave 140 jumps per minute)
Rest 45 seconds b/w rounds
B1 - Evil Wheel: 5 x 4 sets
B2 - on belly to 4 point stance: 5 x 4 sets

12/17/08
R-phase in am followed by lots of plyostep work

12/18/08
Saccade Chart and Left eye tracking drlls
TGU to Windmill w/ 24kg: 3/3 x 3
B1 - Double Presses w/ 2*32kg: 3 x 6 sets
B2 - Pull-ups w/ 24kg: 3 x 6 sets
B3 - On belly to 4 point stance: 6, 6, 5L, 5R, 5L, 5R
Pegboard work w/ elastic bands

That's it. nothing fancy. Just enjoying training.

If I don't see you, write you or hear from you before next week,
Have a Good Christmas!

S-phase

...Was simply awesome. I was in Phoenix last week attending the S-phase cert with a lot of other Z-healthers. It was a blast. I learned so much and had even more fun. It was 4 days of serious sport training. What sport was the training for? Life.

I can not say enough how amazing the body is and how wonderfully we are made. Learning is cool...

Anyway, yesterday's training was easy
DBL snatches w/ 2*16kg: 10 x 5
LCCJ w/ 2*16kg: 15 x 5

Today's training also pretty low key:
Buttoms Up TGU w/ 16kg: 3/3, 3/3, 3/3
DBL Presses w/ 2*16kg: 6 x 6
Pull-ups w/ bw: 6 x 6
Practiced plyosteps, athletic ready stance and springing from the ground to 4 point stance. Good stuff...

That is all for now!

No Blog Award

So, I haven't posted in a while and I have no good excuse other than I have been really busy. Well, busy for me... Anyway, I know I will not win Blogger of the Year.
If anyone reads this blog, I apologize for my absence and writing neglect.

I've still been training and things are going okay. I've had some familiar glute and groin pains come back that I had a year ago. I can't be 100% positive, but I think it is related to doing S-phase eye drills. That, or old memories from the past created old pains from the past. I think both are plausible...

Anyway, still trying to progress with my training. And it has been looking like this:

11/19/08
Presses w/ 40kg: 1/1, 2/2, 2/2, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3!, 1/1, 2/2, 1/1
Pull-ups w/ 24kg: 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5
Goblet squats w/ 40kg: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

11/20/08
Lots of I-phase drills throughout the day w/ eyes left!

11/21/08
Snatches w/ 24kg: 10/10 x 10 = 200
LCCJ w/ 2*16kg: 15 x 5 --> Jerks x 20

11/22/08
I-phase in am, R-phase in pm. Both w/ eyes left. Practiced S-phase drills.

11/23/08
TGU w/ 24kg: 4/4 --> w/ 32kg: 3/3, 4/4, 4/4
Bent Press w/ 40kg: 3/3, 4/4, 3/3, 4/4
Romanian DL w/ 40kg: 5, 5, 5, 5
Good Mornings w/ 24kg on back: 3, 3, 3

So, training is going okay. I plan to taper it back after Thanksgiving. I've got S-phase the week after! Good times to come....

OMG, PR for Me

Well, my light week ended and I was back at it this week. (my week's are not necessarily the same as everyone elses...) Anyway, I hit a first time PR a few days ago, and another today; sorta.

10/30/08
Snatches w/ 24kg: 20/20/15/15/15/15/10/10 = 120 without ever putting the bell down or stopping! And, they felt solid. However, when I did put the bell down, i could feel it...
LCCJ w/ 2*16kg: 15 x 4 --> C&J x 15
I was whooped.

10/31/08
Z-day

11/1/08
TGU w/ 24kg: 3/3 --> w/ 32kg: 3/3, 3/3, 3/3
Bent Press w/ 40kg: 2/2 x 5
Pistols w/ 16kg: 2/2 x 5
DL w/ 165lbs: 5 x 4

11/2/08
R-phase w/ S-phase prep

11/3/08
VO2 max w/ 16kg: 30 sets of 8
LCCJ w/ 2*24kg: 10 x 5

11/4/08
R-phase w/ S-phase prep

11/5/08
C&P w/ 40kg: 1/1, 2/2, 1/1 x 3 rounds (never pressed more than 2 times in a session before. Today, i trained with it!)
Pull-ups w/ 24kg: 2, 3, 4 x 3 rounds
Windmills w/ 32kg: 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
DL w/ 170lbs: 5 x 4

Thats it. Training well and feeling good!

Taking it Easy

Last week I decided to take a "light" week. Since I've not done that in a while...
Thought It may be wise, it probably was wise. Though, I don't know that I have a clue what a "light" week looks like.
So, here it is...

10/22/08
I phase in the am.

10/23/08
Snatches w/ 24kg: 20/20, 20/20, 20/20
Took 30 sec rest b/w sets and it took about 5 and 1/2 minutes. Not bad for a light week. (I need serious help, i know)
LCCJ w/ 2*16kg: 15 x 5 sets

10/24/08
R-phase in am and pm.

10/25/08
Clean to Squat to Press w/ 2*24kg: 5 x 4 sets
Pull-ups w/ BW: 10 x 4 sets
Dead Lift w/ 160lbs: 5 x 4 sets

10/26/08
R and I phase combined

10/27/08
VO2 Max workout: 15 sec on/15 sec off w/ 16kg: 48 sets of 8
LCCJ w/ 2*24kg: 5 x 11 sets

10/28/08
I-phase in am. R-phase in pm.

10/29/08
A1 - C&P w/ 82.5lbs: 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 x 3 rounds (yes, the "light" week is over...)
A2 - Pull-ups w/ 24kg: 1, 2, 3 x 3 rounds
B1 - Front Squats w/ 2*32kg: 5 x 3 rounds
B2 - Windmills w/ 32kg: 4/4 x 3 rounds
Dead Lifts w/ 165lbs: 5 x 4 sets

That is all. Plan to really hit more S-phase this week as it is coming around the corner.

A Big Deal to me...

So, if you read this blog, you'll notice that it's been a while since I have posted. I'm sorry. It's funny how life just happens and time goes by; some things slip away.
I saw a great quote on Z-healths forum from a friend of Lou Mcgovern: "It always amazes me how the ocean can heal itself in one day...It makes me optimistic". I think this is an awesome quote. It makes me feel good. If you stop and think, no matter what, the sun always rises, Spring always follows Winter, every day is a new day; a new beginning. Every day is a gift. That makes me optimistic too.

As far as training goes, well, I've been saying my prayers and doing my Z. And I've got to report I think I'm doing quite well. Today I snatched the 24kg 100 times in 4 min and 30 seconds without ever putting it down. I've never done that before. The snatches felt solid, and right. It felt great.

I've started taping 2 1/2 lb plates to my 80lb kettlebell for clean and presses. I'm doing pull-ups with a 53lb kettlebell on my feet. I feel like everyday i'm improving and getting just a little stronger. Yes, for now, at this moment training is good; I am good. Today is my new day.

10/14/08
C&P w/ 82.5 lbs: 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 x 3
Pull-ups w/ 53lbs: 1, 2, 3 x 3
Windmills w/ 32kg: 4/4, 4/4, 4/4
Front Squats w/ 2*32kg: 4, 4, 4
Dead Lift w/ 155lbs: 5 x 4

10/15/08
I-phase in am.
Pelvis and foot drills throughout the day.

10/16/08
Snathces w/ 24kg: 20/20/15/15/15/15 = 100 in 4 min, 30 sec
C & J w/ 2*16kg: 10 x 10

That's it. Thanks for stopping by!