Tuesday Training

Tried a new snatch ladder today. Pretty damn hard. Don't like the 10 rep stuff.

Snatches

53 5/5, 10/10, 5/5, 10/10, 5/5, 10/10, 5/5, 10/10 = 120 reps

Pull Ups

10,9,8

short workout. Felt pretty good. Thanks to coaches like Rif, Mike Mahler and Pavel, I am starting to see and feel the benefit in concentrating on less movements. The challenge with my personality is that I get bored so easily. But after having a talk with Mike Mahler a couple of weeks ago, people only getting bored when they are not making progress. WOW! That hit home big time. When you're making progress, getting stronger and more powerful, that's never boring. Sometimes less is more!!!!!

Monday - Speed day again!

Today was another speed day. Must admit that my upper body is very sore from the DVD we filmed over the weekend & mentally I am very tires. Either way, still want to keep the sprint progression moving forward.

WARM UP
Track drills
Dynamic Hip Mobiity
Multi-directional drills

2 x 20 meters (100%)
2 x 40 meters (100%)

1 x 100 meters (stopped at 80 meters because my right hamstings started tightening. I static stretched for 30 minutes two hour before the workout. I definitely do not sprint fast after static stretching - no surprise there. The static stretches were long holds to - 2 minute holds on most stretches. I usually do not do this and now I know why. The fatigue from the weekend was obviously a factor as well. Stopped the sprints there, took off the spikes and headed for the stadiums)

Stadium Sprints (focusing on arm action = these are quickly becoming one of my favorite drills. I can absolutely feel the carryover of the arm swing into my sprinting. Have never really focused on arm swing like I am now. I like it! these did not hurt my hamsting at all.)

Tempo Day ...feels go good!

I am very much enjoying the tempo running. Tempo running for those of you who are not familiar with the term is recovery sprints done at 60 to 70% effort. You are running "RELAXED" and loose. Overall it aids recovery and enhances circulation. It also helps improve technique issues as well. All world class sprinters perform TEMPO days. I think it's some of the most phenomenal GPP work availalbe. Between runs I do a set of push ups, jumping jacks, shuffles, twisters, jumping lunges, etc.. just something to further enhance my fitness levels.

NOTE: ANYONE WANTING TO LOSE BODYFAT QUICKLY SHOULD ADD IN SOME TEMPO RUNNING.

That is another benefit of the tempo running, it sheds unwanted fat off the body very quickly. Don't believe me; try it for 4 weeks and let's talk.


10 x 100 yards Tempo sprints on Turf (70% effort)

Running into a slight wind today was a nice bonus. It makes me keep my head down which helps my speed. It also makes the CORE work alot more.

Thursday Training

Been doing GTG with KB Clean and Press this week. So far so good, really focusing on focus and being mentally present when I do these. The challenge with GTG is that sometimes you can kind of go through the motions without the necessary intensity and focus. I can tell that my pressing groove has improved allready in a very short time. Today was a more formal workout although the intensity and focus was high.

Double KB Clean and Press

32's x 2 x 2 sets
32's x 1 x 3 sets

Snatches

32kg 5/5 x 1
24kg 5/5 x 5 sets

Short and sweet.

Speed Day .....it's finally coming together

Someone once said that when you are really sprinting it feels like your floating, almost effortless. Therein lies the parodox; how do you get your body to perform a movement so ballistic and aggressive, yet at the same time totally relaxed? It's a difficult thing to do. Today was the first time in years that I actually felt the speed I used to have years ago. I felt like I was floating and almost airborne. Sprinters run in the air, barely making contact with the surface, and only briefly each stride. Contrast that with distance runners who run on the ground and make lots of contact with the surface. What I learned today about sprinting performance:

1) You only get better at sprinting by actually sprinting (duh!!!) The last 5 weeks of sprinting have made a HUGE difference and I can feel my body starting to get the GROOVE back.

2) Keeping my head down for the first 30 meters helps me focus on accleration, why,I'm not sure. I feel that the sooner I lift my head I lose my acceleration. Interesting!!!

3) Powerful arms and shoulders make a difference. KB Snatches, Swings, Cleans and Rows help alot. Loose, lightening quick arms help me explode out of the blocks. Running the stadium stairs has basically turned into an ARM SWING exercise for me. That is my focus on the stairs: Pump my arms as powerfully and quickly as possible. THIS HAS HELPED TONS!!!!

4) Maintaining stiffness in the TORSO / CORE is essential for speed. Get too loose in the mid-section and bad things happen. Sprinting is one of the BEST CORE MOVEMENTS you can do. Don't believe me, get out on the track and run 5 x 50 meters sprints focusing on keeping the CORE still while sprinting. Of course it won't stay totally still but that focus of keeping slight stiffness in your torso and spine will allow you to sprint much more efficiently


Training:

Warm up
Track Drills
Dynamic Hip mobility

2 x 20 meters (100 %)
2 x 50 meters (100 %)

1 x 100 meters (felt good)

That's it. Great weather today. Nice and sunny, & warm. Thank you God for today!!!

Middle of the night SCARE!

Yoana and I got back from an amazing weekend in LA. Mike Mahler and Pavel put on a SUPER Seminar and Yoana and I felt blessed to be able to assist. Mike and Pavel are two of the best coaches on the planet, period!!! Hanging out with the other assistant instructors Ken Black and Joe Sarti is always a blast. Overall it was a long but fun weekend. We have been hitting it hard at work for months now, especially with the finishing of the book, the filming of the DVD this weekend and clients. We are both smoked!

Well last night at about 2:45am I hear Yoana coughing loudly and wheezing. She is clearly having trouble breathing. I listen to her lungs and heart and can immediately tell that she is having some type of asthmatic attack. So after waiting around for 30 minutes to see if she improves, she gets worse. Off to the EMERGENCY ROOM. They diagnosed with allergy induced bronchitis and gave her some type of steroid to open up her airways. It worked like a charm. The moral of the story is that even as health coaches and trainers, we too have allowed the business of life and work pressures to take precedent over a balanced healthy lifestyle. I honestly think this was the wake up call that Yoana needed to realize that she does not have to be superwoman all the time, even though she's a total mutant (most of you know what I mean).

Thank God she's okay.

Friday May 19

TEMPO WORKOUT @ the TRACK

Joint Mobility
Sprint Drills
Dynamic Hip mobility

10 x 100 yard sprints - 60% effort - very relaxed.

Sprinting is starting to feel normal once again.

100-meter record could be taken away from former Vol Justin Gatlin

Gatlin record could be taken away

Tuesday workout

Focus = Pressing

pressing strength has really gone done as of lately. But of course, how can I be great at pressing if I only do it once in a while. I have stayed away from alot of pressing because my LEFT shoulder feels so unstable. HMMMMM? Maybe that I why I need to press more. After about 2 or 3 reps it almost as if my nervous system just shots off neural drive to all the shoulder muscles. It's not a gradual fatigue, it's instantaneous. 1 rep I'm find, the next I can hardly press it more than 2 inches. Something is going on, could it be just instability? Is the brain trying to protect my shoulder by shutting off the prime movers? This has been going on for a while, just haven't really done anyting about it.

Thoughts anyone?

KB Military Press
warm up: 16kg 5/5 x 1

24kg x 5/5 4/4 3/3 x 2 sets

(2nd set had a very diificult time on my left side - reps got ugly)

MB TGU

100lb x 1/1 x 1 sets
50lb x 2/2 x 2 sets

MB Shouldering

100lb MB 3/3 x 3 sets

Short workout. Energy was not as high probably because I trained at night. Night training for me is not ideal. I'm on my feet all day and by the end of the day I'm smoked. Late morning is the best for me as my energy is peaking.

GTG for left military press - I start this week.

Sprinting out of the blocks

Very similar speed day like I've been doing the last couple of weeks. The only difference was that today I used the Starting Blocks. Felt very awkard in the blocks. Been many years that I've worked on block starts. I am not pushing off the blocks, am not using the blocks. Need to learn how to EXPLODE out of the blocks!!!

BTW - American Justin Gatlin broke the world record in the 100 meter dash last Friday.
The previous WR was held by Jamaican Asafa Powell at 9.97. Gatlin ran a 9.96 - that is blazing!!! Look for that record to be beaten once again this year.

Warm Ups:
Various sprinting drills
joint mobility
high speed hip mobility

From the blocks:
2 x 20 meter @ 100%

2 x 40 meter @ 100%

2 x 60 meter @ 100%


Stadium sprints: 12 reps
* Focused on arm swing and powerful shoulders.

1 hour - that was it!

Easy upper body workout

it's been an extremely busy week and I'm still recovering from the sprint workout earlier in the week. But need to get some mild workout it that doesn't involve alot of legs.

Bench Press
135 x 5 warm up

155 x 4 reps x 10 sets

Bent Over Rows (barbell)
135 x 8 reps x 3 sets

Hanging leg raises
2 sets x 6 reps

That felt great. little more challenging than I had expected.

Snatches with 32kg

Legs are sore from sprinting - but I like it! Today is Snatch day - woo hoo!

SNATCHES
warm up16kg x 5/5

32kg x 5/5 x 10 sets

100 total reps in less than 12 minutes. Very Challenging. I'm not sure if I've ever done this before, but either way, it felt good. My left arm / shoulder has a little pain. I think the left shoulder is unstable and weak. Timing of the shoulder muscles is off. Need to start performing overhead farmers walk with KB.

Bodyweight Pull ups
10 / 8/ 4 - that's it!

Speed Day at La Jolla High School Track

I have to admit that the first couple of weeks back sprinting have been tough. My energy has not been too good and my speed has been slow to come back. Today, although not totally rested, felt really good. Finally I am starting to get some bounce back in my legs and I can feel a definite change in muscle quality in my legs. The high tension exercises I have been focusing on actually teach your muscles to co-contract, which is not what sprinting is at all. The co-contraction actually acts like car breaks and slows me down. Sprinting is a constant interplay between contraction of the agonist, relaxation of the antagonist, and vice versa. I feel like I have been running with so much TENSION in my body, but for a reason. What have I been doing for years and years? High Tension co-contraction exercises.


Warm Up:
Various Sprint Drills (high knees, A skips, etc.)
Karioka, lateral bounding
Skipping
dynamic joint mobility for shoulders/hips
Acceleration runs

20 meter sprints 3 @100%
40 meter sprints 3 @100%

Stadium sprints (more focusing on Arm swing / Shoulder power)
x 12

felt great. I can feel the speed in my legs, just need lots more sprinting. Pretty simple concept. Strength Coach for the Chicago Bulls says, "TRAIN SLOW, BE SLOW." And that's pretty much what I have done for the last 4 years. I have focused on High Tension exercise and not on speed. Well, I am a walking testimony to Al Vermeil's saying, I have trained slow, and I became slow. I am so much stronger that I have ever been and I'm slower. There was no immediate application of the strength I was gaining to my sprinting and therefore lost alot of the contraction speed potential, not too mention sprint specific conditioning. The goal is clear, the path is lit! Train for speed , maintain strength, get flexible.

sometimes I make it more complicated than I need to. It really is a simple solution!!!!

MB Training

30 minutes before the TSC I got in a quick workout. Pulled out the 100 pound MB, and thank God, hallelulia!!! It did not hurt my elbows like it has in the past. My elbows can finally tolerate the 100 pounder.

TGU with 100lb. MB on chest. This was done obviously holding onto the MB with both hands. Tremendous CORE workout. Alternated reps by lunging up with right leg and then left leg. Coming down I just bear hugged the MB and squatted down in to the supine position.

1oolb. x 1/1 x 3 sets

MB Shouldering (alternating sides)

100lb. 3/3 x 3 sets

Bench Press

Warm up: 135 x 5

185 x 3 x 2 sets
185 x 5 x 1 sets

Felt Awesome. Amazing how anabolic and PUMPED up I felt in my legs /arms / shoulders from the heavy MB Turkish Get Ups and MB shouldering. That heavy MB work was just what the doctor ordered!

Saturday TSC - awesome!

Saturday, May 6th

TSC was lots of fun. There were four competitors, two from Revolution and two from San Diego State University.

Erik Blekeberg from SDSU, one strong kid.

DL: 450 Pull ups: 18 Snatches :107

Charlie Reid from SDSU. This guy was WAY stronger than last time. He's got some fight in him!

DL: 425 Pull Ups:19 Snatches:125

Aaron Wilson from Revolution. Ex-college Wrestler. At 151 pounds, he is BRUTALY strong! I love this guys determination and effort.

DL: 420 Pull Ups:36 Snatches:121

Michelle Hackett from Revolution. Yoana trained her and created a new BEAST. She is talented!

DL: 225 Pull ups: 9 Snatches: 137 - are you kidding me? This girl is awesome!

Great spectator turnout as usual. These TSC's are so much fun. It truly brings out the best in everyone as the human spirit is pushed to the limit. Looking forward to the next one.

Snatch Day

Left adductor is feeling very weird from Sprinting. Need to have some NMT this week in legs.
Overall body is tolerating the increased sprint load quite well.

Double KB Clean and Press
20kg 4 reps
32kg 3 sets x 1 reps

Snatches
32kg 5/5 x 5 sets
24kg 5/5 x 5 sets

Single KB Bent Over Row
40kg 5/5 x 3 sets

Short and sweet. Energy was not too high today. Need to do alot more static stretching!!!!

Sunday Sprint

Feels so good to be back in training. Don't know why I ever stopped training. Sometimes life just sends you in a different direction. Anyway, glad to be sprinting again, what a privelage.

Warm Up:
Joint mobility
Track Drills
Hip Loosening - needs lots of that.

3 x 20 meter sprints (100%)
3 x 40 meters sprints (100 %)

12 Stadium Sprints (for the Drive)

Great Stuff!