May 2008
52 posts
3 tags
Tag Team: Evolution
Did another tag-team workout after class. The idea was that one guy does a crawl across the length (there and back) of the school while the other performs the static exercise until the crawler finishes. Once he’s done, you switch and then move on. Slug Crawl x 1 / Swiss Ball Plank Crab Walk x 2 / Down-and-hold-em Pushups Bear Crawl x 3 / Horse Stance AMRAP in 20 min. I teamed up with Frank, and...
2 tags
Kung Fu class
Sparring class today. Warmed up with some padwork and basic combos, then moved into some sticky hands / sensitivity training. Did some free sparring after that. Kept things light, but got a good workout.
April 2008
59 posts
2 tags
Core Training
Turkish Get Ups x 5/side - 50lb
Saxon Side Bends x 6/side - 10lb in each hand
V-Ups x 10, Knee-Hugs x 10, V-Ups x 5, Knee-Hugs x 5
Repeat 4x
Finisher: 20 Handstand Pushups
This is one of Ross’s toughest core circuits. Stopped at 4 circuits because I planned on heading to Pier 40 to run some sprints, but I felt some weirdness in my right calf so I reluctantly called it a night.
Team Sports and the 20m rule →
“I believe that the maximum distance a multi sprint sport athlete needs to run in one direction during conditioning training should be limited to 20metres.”
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Kung Fu class
Standard warmup followed by some really basic stance and forearm training. Did some shin rolling after three star block. Helped out with Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen during class and worked myself on Fu Hok and Ng Ying Kuen after class.
1 tag
5 tags
Hybrid Tabata Intervals
Follow the tabata interval protocol (20 seconds work/10 seconds rest) for the following 10 exercises:
Med ball slams
Pushups
Lateral Jumps (over med ball)
Grasshoppers
Jumping Jacks
Burps
Chinnies
Mountain Climbers
Squats
Burpees
Repeat circuit 4x for 20 minutes total.
Workout modified from Ross Enamait’s Full Throttle Conditioning.
1 tag
“Why do we squat, press, and deadlift? Because these lifts work all the muscles...”
– Mark Rippetoe
3 tags
Explosive Strength Training
Explosive strength day. Double DB Split Snatch 5 x 3/side x 45lb Barbell Punch Press 5 x 3/side (50lb [5], 75lb, 75lb, 75lb, 75lb) Complex Pair - repeat 4x (Rest 60 sec between B & C and D & A) Side-to-side Pullups x 4/side Explosive Pullups x 8 Lumberjack Squat x 8 x 100lb Knee Tucks x 10 Finisher: Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls 3 x 15 x 95lb
Moments of Clarity Part IV →
“Strength is the single greatest equalizer in sport and therefore strength training is the most important physical preparation quality.”
2 tags
Kung Fu class
Did a circuit of pushups, jumping jacks, squats, and v-ups for a warmup, then onto some forearm training: 2 minutes wrist roller 10 fingertip pushups 2 minutes tiger claw squeezing sandbag 10 fingertip pushups 2 minutes stick wrist flicks 10 fingertip pushups Three star block w/wooden post x 5 minWorked on some sticky/trapping drills before going into forms. I worked on Fu Hok Sueng Ying Kuen.
1 tag
“You never know a man until you have eaten a pood of salt with him.”
– Russian Proverb
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Kung Fu class
After the standard warmup, worked on breaking down the side kick and the back kick into 4 parts. Then went into the fundamentals of the basic crane techniques and worked on some basic applications.
3 tags
Work Capacity 101
Today was time for the much-dreaded Work Capacity 101 from Ross Enamait:
5 Pullups
10 Medicine Ball Slams
15 Burpees
20 Jumping Jacks
AMRAP in 20 minutes.
I finished 10 full rounds plus 5 pullups, which I was very happy with. This is my first time doing this as rxed (I subbed 10 burpees instead of 15 previously) and my first time completing more than 8 rounds.
1 tag
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
– Vince Lombardi
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Core Training
Went for a Primal core circuit today, based on Chek’s article: High-to-Low Cable Wood Chop x 8/side Single Arm Cable Push x 8/side Single Arm Cable Pull x 8/side Low-to-High Cable Wood Chop x 8/side Repeat 3x Finisher: 10 T-Pushups with two 30lb dumbbells. The sweat index of 7 is a result of doing this right after the interval training and taking very little rest between sets.
4 tags
Jump Rope Intervals
Jump rope intervals:
10 x 60 sec (rest 30 sec)
10 x 30 sec (rest 15 sec)
Mixed it up between high-knees-sprint-in-place, double unders, and basic skipping. Only 15 minutes of work, but this was tough.
1 tag
“Listen to me. Learn from me. I was not the best because I killed quickly. I was...”
– Proximo
2 tags
Kung Fu class
Worked primarily on pole drills tonight. We chose some basic movements from Ng Lung Ba Gwa Gwan and drilled the hell out of them. Also reviewed the beginning part of the form.
The Overhead Squat →
More evangelical than informational, but interesting nonetheless.
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Kingston Classic 10k Race 2008
Ran the Kingston Classic 10k with dear, slow Zach. Lovely day for a run - nice and cool and breezy throughout but I still managed to sweat through my shirt down to my shorts. (photos)
Total time: 48:57. Took her slow and easy, cause that’s what Zach demands.
4 tags
Max Strength / Core Training
Heavy strength day. Turkish Get Ups 5 x 35lb 3 x 60lb 2 x 75lb (PR) 1 Arm DB Clean and Press (from floor) 3 x 85lb 3 x 90lb 3 x 90lb 3 x 100lb (ties PR) 1 Arm DB Snatch 3 x 90lb 3 x 100lb (ties PR) 3 x 90lb Simple pair, repeat 4x: Weighted Pullups - 5 x 90lb, 3 x 135lb, 3 x 90lb, 5 x 90lb Weighted Dips - 10 x 45lb, 6 x 90lb, 4 x 90lb, 5 x 90lb Overhead Squats 10 x 45lb 8 x 100lb 4 x 100lb...
3 tags
Joint Locking Seminar
Sensei Ismael Franco of Tora Dojo held another amazing chin na seminar at our school. We reviewed a lot of the basic locks and went into detail with some really devastating techniques. It’s one thing to know how to pummel someone with Hung Ga, but the feeling of turning people into an unwilling marionette with some joint locks is really cool in a different way.
3 tags
Swim Intervals
Went for a midday swim because I’ve been cooped up working all night and all day. 425m warm up 200 kick (100 front, 50 left, 50 right) Intervals - repeat 20x 25m freestyle sprint 25m slow breaststroke 375m cool down Total time: 50 minutes. Total distance: 2000m. So much for easing back into swimming. I thought the pool would be empty in the middle of the day, but it sure wasn’t.
2 tags
Kung Fu class
Did some forearm training after the warmup: 100 reps of wrist levering with 6’ (heavy) pole (alternating front and side) 4 min wrist roller 4 min tiger claw squeezing sandbag 6 min three star block Worked on Fuk Fu Kuen a bit before we got into sparring. Worked extra slow and concentrated on positioning. The we sparred a bit, didn’t go too hard or heavy. Ran through Tiet Sien Kuen after...
Hierarchy Of Fat Loss →
Excellent general training approach here. Dispells a lot of training myths for people unfamiliar with metabolic resistance and interval training.
3 tags
Jogging
Took a nice, slow recovery run to get the blood pumping and to make sure my sneakers are up to snuff for this weekend’s 10k. I ran about 5k down the Hudson River Park. Lovely evening for a trot.
2 tags
Core Training
Flag x 5 Deadlift Twist (80lb) x 6/side Knees-to-Elbows x10 DB Twist (30lb) x 10/side Supermans x 15 Repeat 3x Finisher: Cable Woodchop x 20/side
1 tag
Introducing the Sweat Index
In an attempt to track the difficulty of my workouts, I’ll be tagging them with a Sweat Index number going forward. This isn’t a measure of intensity, since the shorter, more intense workouts will often have a lower rating than less intense, longer workouts. It’s just about the sweat, alright?
This is similar to the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, but different. Here’s...
3 tags
GPP Circuit
Burpees x 30 sec Jumping Jacks x 30 sec Mountain Climbers x 30 sec Split Jumps x 30 sec Burpees x 30 sec Grasshoppers x 30 secRepeat 5x, 60 sec of rest between sets
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Kung Fu class
Standard warmup of pushups, core work, stance drills, and bridge training. Worked on forms after that. Helped with Gung Ji and the pole, but didn’t get much work myself.
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Kung Fu practice
Post-strength training Tiet Sien Kuen session to cool down, regulate the chi, and to clear my head as much as anything else. Gravy.
3 tags
Explosive Strength Training
After a long, sessile weekend driving to DC and back, I headed out to James J. Walker Park for Never Gymless workout. Did the following explosive mini-circuits:
4 x Circuit A
Jumping Muscle Ups x 8
Knee Tucks x 12
4 x Circuit B Full Body Plyometric Pushups x 8
Lunge Jumps x 12
4 x Circuit C Plyometric Pullups x 8
Ankle Hops x 20 (street to curb)
Power-Overs x 3 sets of 20
Minimal...
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Lots of core training and stance training after the warm up, then went into staff drills. Worked on some of the basics: circling, clearing, cutting, and poking, then did some partner drills and light sparring with the sticks.
Top Ten Training Tips for Athletic Conditioning... →
1 tag
Core Training
Started with the mystery weight dumbbell for Turkish Get Ups (probably about 35lb). 5 sets of 5 on each side, then moved on to the main circuit: V-Ups x 15 Med Ball Twist Throws x 10/side Bird-Dogs x 10/side Med Ball Slams x 20 Repeat circuit 4x Finisher: Alternating overhead band press x 60 sec
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Sparring class tonight, so we opted for a circuit-style warmup: Body Rows Tiger Rolling Pushups Burpees Squats Med Ball Shuttle Run 60 seconds at each station the first time through, 30 seconds second time. Decent warmup. We moved onto the close-quarters two-person ring of fire drill and worked on that for a while. We had two rings and five people. We rotated through everyone: 5 minute rounds the...
2 tags
“Making an animal of yourself relieves the pain of being a man.”
– Manciata
1 tag
“Now you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind...”
– Forrest Gump
3 tags
Sprint Intervals
Ran some wind sprints at Pier 40.
10 x 100m sprint (rest about 20 sec)
5 x 50m sprint (jog back to start)
Getting ready to blow Zach’s doors off for an upcoming race.
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Worked primarily on forms today - Gung Ji and Fu Hok. After running through the entire form, I concentrated on the ten tigers section and ran though it 10 times. Then went into some forearm/shin conditioning: 6 min tiger claw squeezing sand bag 6 min three star with wooden post 6 min toe taps 6 min rolling stick on the shins
2 tags
52 Card Throwdown
Back by popular demand, Frankie demanded another go at the Deck of Cards workout (probably because he thought he could beat me again) and also gave it a nifty name: 52 Card Throw Down. The card’s value determines the number of reps (Ace is 11, face cards are 10) and used the following exercises this time:
Hearts = Pushups
Diamonds = Knee Tucks
Spades = Body Rows
Clubs = V-Ups
Jokers =...
2 tags
“There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and guts between dreams and success.”
– Paul Bryant
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Core Training
One-Arm Kneeling Rollouts x 4/side / Standing Wheel Rollouts x 5 Abmat Situps x 20 Knee Hugs x 20 Lying Hip Swings x 10/side Bird-Dogs x 10/side Repeat 4x Finisher: Windshield Wipers x 10/side That was my first time trying the one arm wheel rollouts. Harder than I thought (I could only get 4 on each side) so I rotated with the regular standing wheel rollouts on even rounds.
2 tags
GPP Circuit
Burpees x 30 sec Jumping Jacks x 30 sec Mountain Climbers x 30 sec Chinnies x 30 sec Repeat 8x, 30 sec of rest between sets The Chinnies were ROUGH.
2 tags
Explosive Strength Training
Explosive strength day. Overhead Squat 10 x 45lb 8 x 65lb 6 x 85lb 5 x 100lb (PR) Double DB Split Snatch 5 x 3/side x 45lb Double DB Push Press 5 x 3 x 70lb Complex Pair - repeat 4x (Rest 60 sec between B & C and D & A) One Arm Bench Press - 5/arm x 85lb Power Overs x 8/side Wall Squat - 60 sec Squat Jumps x 10 Finisher: Double DB Swings 3 x 15 x 35lb (in each hand)I finally...