Friday, August 29, 2008

It is not the critic who counts!


It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

One of my most favorite quotes of all time. In fact I had this engraved onto a beautiful piece of wood that I hung in my hallway in my house. Every time I read it I remember how important it is to take action and forget about people's approval or disapproval of you. In the end all that matters is what and how you act upon the dreams inside of your heart.

There is a saying that the talents and potential we have is a gift from God. Our gift back to God is what we do with those talents!I


Friday Training


Clean and Press Ladders (High Volume day)
28kg 1,2,3,4 x 1 (PR)
28kg 1,2,3 x 4

Weighted Pull ups
28kg 5,3,4,4,4,4 = 24 reps

13 comments:

Jason Marshall said...

Excellent post, Franz! I couldn't agree more! I've been thinking about that a lot lately, insofar as the uniqueness that everyone brings to the table.

Nice work on the pull ups! I've got to get on that. We're building a big apparatus right now and almost finished. Should hold 5-6 people at one time.

Franz Snideman said...

Thanks Jason! Great minds think alike :)

Yeah the pull ups are a favorite of mine...one of the staples in my program.

Should be fun when your get you apparatus set up. Keep me posted!

Yoana Teran Snideman said...

Wow Flaquito!!! Great Workout!!

By the way.... Are you trying to tell me something with that picture?

I Love You!!!!

Aaron Friday said...

Man, you got some serious pullup reppage with that big bell attached. That's just outstanding.

You keep at the presses, and they'll get better. 32kg ladders for you, soon. Heavy barbell press ought to help, too.

Max Shank said...

Nice work! I might add a few heavy singles with a heavier bell at the beginning, it worked well for me. Ladders rock, but we often forget about the advantages of the tension of a near max effort lift.

Franklin said...

Great photo of you Yoana and you! I'm looking forward to meeting both of you together.

If I may join the chorus of my RKC breathren's accolades, the press / pull up work is VERY strong!

I especially envy you pull up work as I miss my mine but understand my elbow rehab takes a higher priority regardless of the upcoming TSC in two weeks.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Franz Snideman said...

Max,

thanks man. Although I don't have your type of strength, I oddly enough respond much better to heavier loads, similar to you. If I don't get much stronger from these ladders I will add in your tip of starting off each workout with a couple of heavy single to over-stimulate the Fast Twitch fibers!

Franz Snideman said...

Thanks Aaron. I have a long way to go before I can rep out the Beast for a couple of reps..but I'm getting there.

I guess I need to shock my body every know and then by performing a series of Barbell MP phases.

It obviously worked well for you so I should give it a whirl. Let me get to the 32kg for reps and then explain me the best methods of how to throw in the barbell, deal?

Franz Snideman said...

Franklin,

Thanks! Yoana will meet you in person hopefully next year in San Diego! And you'll stay with us, cool?

The presses are slowly coming along...it'll take me time as the MP is not a "natural" lift for me. Pull ups are a better fit for me anatomically but for some reason MP's just aggrivate me a bit....

I'll get there....just gotta stay consistent, right?

Gabi said...

Wow, you're pretty serious about those presses, and the pullup job is awesome, too!
A long way for me, too, but I'll get there, consistency is the key, you're so right.
Hope to see you (and meet Yoana, too, maybe?) next year!

Franz Snideman said...

Gabi,

Thanks! I am very determined to get my pressing better. I have a lot of work to do...but I am up for the challenge. I hope we can see you next year as well and that you can meet my better half (and my daughter too)!

Gabi said...

...and her sister/brother, maybe...? :)

Unknown said...

Hey Franz! It was cool to finally meet you and Yoana! Nice to see the authors in action of one of my favorite fitness texts to recommend! Hope to see you soon! And that is also one of my favorite quotes. Good times, take care, my best to you and your family, now and for the future! zzzzzzzzzz