These boots were made for walking

in a swamp or the woods or sitting up in a tree stand. That's right, Mossy-Oak patterned, knee-high, rubber hunting boots are now mine. What's a city boy like me going to do with these things? Well, the plan was to wear them when walking my kids to school or walking the dog (haven't got one yet ) during inclement weather. Of course, now that I have my footwear sorted for the next tropical storm or hurricane, weather patterns will shift and we'll go through a prolonged dry spell the duration of which is certain to last until the rubber on these fine boots is cracked. I guess I can always go hunting.

8-31-11
-20x1 weighted pull-ups (42 kgs)
-3x10 kneeling roll-outs w/10 secs holds

Well, the pull-up project continued today with some heavy singles. I threaded the smallest plate on the dip belt before hanging the db on the loop. I rested 30 secs between each rep. No problem.


---------------------
PUP:
420 bw
68 weighted (24 kgs)
30 weighted (40.8 kgs)
20 weighted (42 kgs)

Dodging a bullet

New York City dodged a bullet named Hurricane Irene. A worst case scenario predicted blown out windows and flying debris acting like shrapnel. My family was prepared to sit out the tempest in our building's stairwell, the only space shielded on 4 sides by concrete. As it turned out, the winds never reached hurricane proportions. We spent the weekend parked in front of the television watching a stack of dvd's which we expected would be interrupted by a power outage that never came. Letters from Iwo Jima, Jennifer's Body were two standout films. Less well received were Old Dogs and Kandahar. We also caught up on past episodes of the TV series Bones. No, I did not work-out.

8-29-11
-10x10 bw pull-ups w/ off-set negs

Because the Rock Rings cause my body to hang so low from the pull-up bar, I have to do these pull-ups with my knees raised into what looks like a bad L-sit. It ends up being somewhat of a core workout.

8-30-11
-140 kb swings
-2x10 heavy, 2x10 light presses

---------------------
PUP:
420 bw
68 weighted (24 kgs)
30 weighted (40.8 kgs)

Hunkering down for Irene

The calm before the storm is quite calm. If it weren't for the news, you wouldn't believe that a major atmospheric disturbance was in the works. When Mayor Bloomberg announced mandatory evacuation for low lying area of New York and the shutting down of mass transit (the first ever), people started behaving a little erratically. There was a line outside Trader Joe's Wine Shop as if it were Superbowl Sunday Eve. Wine? Supermarkets, drug stores, hardware stores and sporting goods stores (camping and outdoor wear) were mobbed. SIze D batteries disappeared off shop shelves, and a local shop tried to sell me a roll of duct tape for $30!

On the streets, people are walking with set jaws and bags of groceries. Naturally, joggers are putting in their mileage before the worst hits. I thought pigeons, the city's own canary in a coal mine, would have flown the coop. Intrepid New Yorkers that they are, I witnessed them scratching around for grub, one even plopped down in the middle of the street. Yeah, it sat there as if it were nesting over some eggs, in the middle of the street. I wondered if it was bird chutzpah or surrender.

My fear is the wind and flooding. I'm not sure if my buildings windows can withstand the gusts. The atrium is goner for sure. Once the glass goes, and the storm drains back-up (as they do with every rainfall), the koi in the lobby fish pond may find themselves in the mail room or plying the waters of First Avenue. In case our windows are blown in, I'm taking down whatever hangs on the walls: pictures; mirrors; whatever can be turned into a decapitating missile.

8-27-11
-hurricane preparation

Getting on with the MCL tear

I'd like to say that the MCL tear isn't impacting my training, but that would be a lie. I'm off Sambo, which I don't like one bit. I'm also cautious about the things I do. I haven't rowed. Forget about squats and burpees. I have been able to continue with kettlebell swings and overhead pressing hasn't been impacted too much. The pull-up project hasn't suffered.

8-22-11
-10x10 bw pull-ups w/ off-set negs

Started off the week with a lot of pull-ups. I've done this many before (100 burpees and pull-ups) but the off-set negs set these apart.

8-23-11
-200 kb swings
-2x10 heavy db push press, 2x10 light db OHP

I started mixing up the grips, doubles as well as singles on the swings. With the singles, I place my thumb over my index finger so as not to fatigue the grip and send the kb soaring.

8-24-11
-20 bw pull-ups
-20x1 weighted pull-ups (40.8 kgs)

8-25-11
-200 kb swings
-2x10 heavy db push press, 2x10 light db OHP

8-26-11
-5x5 weighted chin-ups (24 kgs)
-3x10 bw pull-ups on the Rock Rings w/off-set negs
-100 kb swings
-3x10 kneeling roll-outs w/10 secs holds/rep

Didn't have 200 kb swings in me today. I'm pleased the 5x5 chin-ups with my KB felt easier than previous workouts. I'll try doubles with 40.8 kgs next time. I stuck with kneeling roll-outs as I wasn't sure how the MCL tear would deal with my kneeling to standing variation.

---------------------
PUP:
320 bw
68 weighted (24 kgs)
30 weighted (40.8 kgs)

Litvi sprints

A friend of mine just reminded me that the squat and sprint T-Nation article looks very much like Litvi Sprints, described by Dan John (click title). Thanks for the heads-up Fred. Call it what you want, but I like 'em. I can't wait to give them a thorough going over. Just not now.

The doctor confirmed a partial tear of the MCL in my right knee. I'm stuck with a hinged brace for six weeks. At least I can walk around and do KB swings.

8-19-11
-200 kb swings
-2x10, heavy push press, 2x10 light OHP

8-18-11
-200 kb swings
-20 bw pull-ups w/off-set negs
-3x10 bw dips, 2x10 weighted dips (30 lbs)

The off-set negatives spice up bodyweight pull-ups like a hit of cayenne pepper. I can imagine progressing from off-set negs to off-set concentric to OACU.

---------------------
PUP:
170 bw
43 weighted (24 kgs)
10 weighted (40.8 kgs)

Squat & Sprint: food for thought

I read yet another interesting article on T-Nation (click title) on the topic of mass and strength. It cites the example of Ben Johnson, pre-doping scandal, where one of his workouts comprised heavy squats followed immediately by sprints. The performance gains, as related by the article are impressive. It got me thinking.

I won't be squatting anytime soon. I'll know more about the condition of my knee after visiting with the doc. The pull-up project might benefit from this protocol: eg. weighted pull-ups followed by unweighted. Heck, why not everything else, presses, roll-outs, and eventually squats?

8-17-11
Dr.'s visit

8-16-11
-20 bw pull-ups
-weighted pull-ups (10x1, 90 lbs)
-20 bw pull-ups
-open grip (three fingers), supported hang, 1 min
-push-press (3x10, 50); OHP (3x10,30)

8-14-11
-200 kb swings


---------------------
PUP:
150 bw
43 weighted (24 kgs)
10 weighted (40.8 kgs)

PUP: Day 3

8-12-11
-20 bw pull-ups
-5x4, 1x3, weighted RR pull-ups (24 kgs)
-10 bw w/ off-set negatives
-20 sec open grip RR hang (3 fingers)

First time doing weighted pull-ups on the RR using a crimp grip, basically 4 fingers of each hand curled over the top. Three finger tip, open grip hang was ridiculously difficult.

8-11-11
-40 knees to bar (on the Rock Rings)
-1 minute dead hang

8-10-11
-40 bw RR pull-ups
-weighted pull-ups with off-set negatives (5x4, 24 kgs)
---------------------
PUP:
110 bw
43 weighted (24 kgs)