February 2009
41 posts
2 tags
Lion Dance Performances
Long, exhausting day today. Spent the entire morning and afternoon in 8th Ave in Brooklyn, going into every single store in Chinatown. Since it was only about 20 degrees, sweat was only a factor when we spent a half hour in a huge restaurant going to every single table.
Tonight we drove to Westport, CT for a private lion dance gig. Lots of hard work and lots of sweat this time. It was especially...
January 2009
53 posts
3 tags
Day 5, Texas Method Intermediate Strength Program
Recovery day today:
Front Squat
3 x 3 x 195lb
Press
2 x 5 x 105lb
Hang Power Clean
3 x 3 x 105lb
Overhead Squats
3 x 3 x 80lb
What a nice, quick visit to the good old 5th Ave Gym today. I only rested about 1:15 between sets since the weights are light and I was short on time. The overhead squats felt very solid today. I hope I can keep it up as the weight...
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Kung Fu class
Ran the final foundations class of the month today and really worked the guys. Also worked the second class pretty hard and got a good sweat going. After all that we worked on the kung fu demo for next week and practiced for the upcoming lion dance gig.
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Kung Fu class
I had to do my strength session right before class today. Luckily, it was a low-key night at the school. We mainly worked on preparing for upcoming gigs tonight. Some lion dance practice and worked out a fight set that we have to do for a kung fu demo.
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Day 4, Texas Method Intermediate Strength Program
Volume day today:
Squat
5 x 5 x 255lb
Push Press
6 x 3 x 140lb
Power Clean
6 x 3 x 140lb
Weighted Pullups
3 x 5 x 80lb
Weighted Dips
3 x 5 x 80lb
Felt good today. Tried to keep to 2 min rest between the 5 rep sets and about 1:20 rest between the 3 rep sets. Power cleans started feeling really good when I focused on keeping my arms slack. Total gym time:...
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“Should you desire the great tranquility, prepare to sweat.”
– Hakuin
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Kung Fu class
Another solid foundation class today - just one more to go. Afterwards, I took the Level I guys through lots of line basics - moving up and down the school drilling different stances and techniques. Probably my favorite kind of torture. After that we drilled some of the element fists, focusing on water.
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Day 3, Texas Method Intermediate Strength Program
Intensity day today:
Squat
1 x 5 x 290lb
Push Press
1 x 1 x 150lb
Deadlift
1 x 1 x 345lb
Turkish Get Ups
1 x 1 x 80lb
No problems today - everything felt solid and maybe a little too easy. Of course I didn’t just do one set of every exercise, as with the stronglifts 5x5 program, there are several warmup sets for each exercise. I’m loving the variety of...
1 tag
“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not...”
– Alfred A. Montapert
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Bon Anniversaire, TWBS
Just looking through the archive and I realized that I just missed the one year anniversary of posting. I’ve had google analytics installed since Feb 08, so here’s some superficial data on year one:
Posts
First post: Jan 20, 2008
Total posts: 669
Average posts/day: 1.8
Average posts/month: 55.75
Month with most posts: February, 2008 (64)
Traffic and Visitors
...
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Frozen Track Workout
10 Pushups
Sprint 50m
10 V-ups
Jog backwards to start
AMRAP in 20 minutes.
I finished 16 full rounds…I think (I’m a terrible counter). The v-ups were the toughest part here - felt really good on the pushups and the sprints.
Did this at the track at McCarren Park because I was encouraged by the talk of this being the warmest day of the year. The original plan was to do the...
3 tags
Day 2, Texas Method Intermediate Strength Program
Recovery day today:
Front Squat
3 x 3 x 190lb
Press
2 x 5 x 100lb
Hang Power Clean
3 x 3 x 100lb
Overhead Squats
3 x 3 x 75lb
Gosh I love recovery day. The low rep/low intensity load is supposed to promote recovery in preparation for the big heavy day coming up. Total gym time: 35 mins.
Weighed in at 188lb today.
Spreadsheet of my entire program »
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Review: Everlast Leather Jump Rope
This is a good leather speed rope for a good price - I paid about $15 for mine at my local sporting goods store. It comes in two sizes: 8 feet (for the shorties) or 9.5 feet (if you’re over 6 ft tall) and weighted and unweighted versions. I use the longer unweighted rope (for speed) and tie a knot near each handle to shorten it a tad. The rope seems durable and never gets out of whack....
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Kung Fu class
Today was “partner training” day in the foundations class - lots of 2 man drills. Everyone got into it and we had fun. After reviewing the basics, we worked on the chin ji sau application for a bit. Everyone’s coming along nicely.
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Kung Fu class
Quick circuit-style warmup of pushups, situps, and squats, then onto some pad work. We worked some basic hand combinations in 1 minute rounds to get nice and loose. Then helped the guys work on forms. I was a bit pooped from lifting right before class - not a very good idea, but my schedule left me no options this week.
The Mic'd Instructor - The Kipping Pullup →
I finally GET kipping pullups. Tried this at the gym today and I was able to string em together pretty well.
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Day 1, Texas Method Intermediate Strength Program
Volume day today:
Squat
5 x 5 x 250lb
Push Press
6 x 3 x 135lb
Power Clean
6 x 3 x 135lb
Weighted Pullups
3 x 5 x 75lb
Weighted Dips
3 x 5 x 75lb
Started my intermediate strength training program today. I originally read about this in Practical Programming for Strength Training, but it’s also covered on Stronglifts.com as an idea for progression...
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Review: Stronglifts 5x5 Beginner Strength Program
It’s hard to nitpick an amazing, free resource like the Stronglifts.com program and web site, so I’ll just share my thoughts. All 5x5 strength programs (even Rippetoe’s 3x5 program) are all derived from Bill Starr’s original work and they all use the same basic principles. I personally don’t think there’s anything revolutionary in the program itself, but the Stronglifts presentation stands...
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Kung Fu class
Another excellent foundations class at 7pm. Lots of stance work and drilling the basic kicks and hand techniques. Worked out briefly with the 8pm class, but couldn’t stick around too long tonight.
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Ending the StrongLifts 5x5 Beginner Strength...
I guess I’m no longer a beginner in the strength training game because simple linear programming just isn’t working for me anymore. I’m not able to fully recover from my previous workouts to keep up with the demanding 3x/week lifting schedule. I’m starting on the Texas Method tomorrow. I’ll post my thoughts on the stronglifts program soon.
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Sour 16
Like the Sweet 16, but less sweet.
Tabata Jump Rope (high-knee sprint-in-place)
Tabata Mountain Climbers
Tabata Jump Rope (high-knee sprint-in-place)
Tabata Grasshoppers
Tabata intervals of each exercise, max intensity for the 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Each exercise lasts 8 tabata rounds or four minutes. Torturous after today’s core workout.
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Core Training
Overhead Squat
5 x 85lb
5 x 105lb
3 x 105lb *FAIL*
5 x 85lb
5 x 85lb
Turkish Get Ups
5 x 30lb
3 x 65lb
3 x 65lb
3 x 65lb
Then onto the main circuit:
Flags x 5
Saxon Side Bends (5lb dumbbells) x 10
Supermans x 10
Repeat 3x
Finisher: L-Pullups x 10
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Kung Fu Seminar
Attended the junior seminar at the Clifton branch today. Spent most of the time working on the techniques that Sigung outlined and practicing with a partner. Lots of explanation and rest between the techniques, so didn’t get a big sweat going.
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“This simple program is probably the most productive routine in existence for...”
– Rippetoe & Kilgore on the Texas Method, Practical Programming for Strength Training
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Day 22, StrongLifts 5x5 Beginner Strength Training...
Squat
5 x 5 x 275lb
Press
1 x 5 x 135lb *FAIL* (4)
4 x 5 x 95lb
Deadlift
1 x 5 x 335lb
Weighted Pullups
3 x 5 x 110lb *FAIL* (4, 3, 2)
Yay squats and deadlift! Boooooo press and pullups! Well, I don’t know what happened with the presses today, they just weren’t going up. Squats were tough, but I hit 5x5 no problem. Deadlifts felt really easy. I think...
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Kung Fu class
Ran the foundations class and spent more time coaching and correcting than sweating, so Sifu made sure I had a good workout at the next class. Also reviewed the bench form after class a bit.
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Review: Crossfit NYC - The Black Box
I went through the elements workshop at Crossfit NYC’s original location (Black Box 1.0) in August of 2007. The facility wasn’t ideal, (they’ve since moved to a bigger, better location) but the instruction was top-notch. It’s hard to explain to the appeal of a gym where the workouts leave you lying on the floor gasping for air like a guppy, but the the truth is that it’s just not for...
5 tags
Density Blocks
I’ve been meaning to do this for a while - setting blocks of time and seeing how many reps of a particular exercise in in that time period. Here’s what we did today:
5 min Burpees (85)
5 min Double Unders (160)
5 min Dips (78)
I rested 2 minutes between blocks. I was pissed at my burpee score, but now that I look at it it seems like I was on pace for 100 in under 6 minutes. I...
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Kung Fu class
Warmed up with some lion dance practice because ‘tis the season! After running through things a few times, worked on the tower with Frank. He’s light as a mosquito, so it’s really just a matter of building up his confidence so he can climb up for the shoulder stand. After that, worked on the first section of Tiet Sien Kuen with the guys - reviewing what we learned in last...
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Review: McCarren Park Track - Willamsburg,...
This track almost makes me envious of people who live in Williamsburg. Almost. Then I remember how much Williamsburg sucks. Great track though. There’s even a bunch of pullup bars next to the track so you can cook up some marvelous interval-based workouts here. I plan on using this track much more once the weather warms up. You know, now that I’m a Brooklyn resident and all.
Warning:...
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Review: Ab Wheel by Champion
A solid ab wheel that costs $7.49 on Amazon. I’ve used other ab wheels and haven’t noticed any major difference between any of them, so I went for the cheapest option I could find. It’s held up just fine, thanks.
Buy the ab wheel on Amazon »
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Review: Infinite Intensity
by Ross Enamait
This book is my fitness bible. Infinite Intensity is a 250 page training manual that covers dumbbell training, bodyweight exercises, sandbag training, and a whole lot more to create a comprehensive strength and conditioning program for martial artists and combat athletes. The information is well-organized, easy to understand, and presented in a durable spiral-bound format....
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Ending the Burpee Challenge
Since I hurt/overworked my elbow in December, I’ve been on a break from the 90 Day Burpee Challenge. I was originally pausing the challenge with every intention of resuming it once my elbow felt good, but I’ve decided to throw in the towel. It was dumb to try the burpee concurrently with the demanding stronglifts 5x5 program and my rigorous kung fu and conditioning schedule. It was...
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Kung Fu class
Another good foundation class at 7pm, then a tough forearm/hand training session with the Level I class - did lots of bridge training and some levering with the heavy 6’ poles. After all those guys cleared out, Sifu worked us on the bench form.
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Day 21, StrongLifts 5x5 Beginner Strength Training...
Squat
5 x 5 x 270lb
Bench Press
5 x 5 x 215lb
Power Clean
5 x 5 x 45lb
Weighted Dips
3 x 5 x 85lb
Increased my rest to 3 minutes between sets today because it’s the only way I could hit the numbers. Just used the bar for the power cleans because I’m trying to improve my form. I’m approaching 1.5x bodyweight (280lb) for the squat and once I hit...
3 tags
Kung Fu Seminars
Full day of testing and seminars at the Clifton branch today. The morning was reserved for the Tiet Sien Kuen tune-up, which is always great. Then, after junior testing we had to cut the day short and head home to try to beat the snow. We’ll make up the junior seminar, which is the one where I’ll be doing the sweating, next weekend.
“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.”
– Wayne Gretzky
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Kung Fu class
Worked the foundation class at 7pm and things went really well. Very structured and orderly, but still lots of hard work. Then Sifu put us through the paces at the 8pm class - lots of more advanced stance drills and then some application practice and power generation drills. Ali and I stuck around after class to run through Tiet Sien Kuen. For some reason I really wasn’t feeling it today....
Retune The Body With A Partial Fast →
“You re-tune the body, suppress insulin secretion, reduce the taste for sugar, so sugar becomes something you’re less fond of taking.”
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Kung Fu class
Basic circuit (30, 20, 10 tiger rolling pushups, situps, squats) and the heavy bag intervals as the warmup today. Then we did Fu Hok as a group and discussed some of the finer points. Also brushed up on the sword a bit and practiced some application.
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Heavy Bag Intervals
Working the heavy bag with combinations - punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. Max intensity.
16 x 45 sec (15 sec rest)
Total work time: 12 minutes. Rotated between the big heavy bag (mainly punches and elbows) and a smaller, lighter bag (punch/kick combos).
“We get in trouble when we forget the basics.
We get out of trouble when we...”
– Tom Peters
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Kung Fu practice
In the basement to work on the junior-level forms. I ran through Gung Ji, Fuk Fu, and Fu Hok a few times each. I went slowly and mainly focused on the intent and how I would apply the techniques.
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First Quarter 2009 Fitness Goals
I never go in for New Year’s resolutions and usually mock people who make them. But recently I realized that New Year’s resolutions are really just long-term goals that people set for themselves with the promise of a fresh start for the new year. Since I’m determined to meet my goals, I’m making them shorter-term and manageable and I’m publishing them here so I’ll be accountable. Most of these...
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Kung Fu class
Helped out with the inaugural kung fu foundations class and worked out with the level 1 class afterwards. Mostly stance drills and the basic forms tonight. I plan on reviewing all of the junior-level forms this week in anticipation for weekend seminars with Sigung.
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“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in...”
– Benjamin Mays
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