Friday, April 24, 2015

Get Out Of Here And Get Me Some Meters Too

Tuesday

Mom, I did it.

 WOD

5 rounds

  • 3 Muscle-ups
  • 400m Run
  • 15 Box Jumps
  • 25 Double-unders

I did muscle-ups on the rings, scaled with my feet on the ground.  It starts as a ring row, then the transition to over the rings.  The dip was with feet starting on the ground and ending in the air.  Next time I'll make the dips a little harder.

I did the first run, but rowed the other rounds.  The sore heels from last Fall are still with me.  I don't want them turning into planter fascists.  Too much standing in socks and driving put weight on my feet in one spot for long periods of time.

Box jumps were to an 18" box.  Double unders were scaled to 75 singles.  My time was 30:28.  I think I did alright, since the time cap was 35 minutes.

After the WOD, I worked on:

  • hollow rock: 3 x 20 seconds
  • Pull-ups with bands 1 red, 2 blue, 7 green

Wednesday

Warming the bench.

Strength

Bench Press

  • 5-5-5-5-5 @ 75%

Assistance

3 rounds, not for time

  • 10 Dips
  • 10 DB Pullovers
  • 10 Barbell Rows

My bench press was 105#, just about right.  Coach Jared came over and told me not to arch my back. From my own research, I learned to arch while bench pressing.  What we agreed on was that arching was useful for max efforts, but a flat back was better for sub-maximal training and real life.

Dips were with a green band, pullovers were with a 30# dumbbell and barbell rows were with 95#.

Friday

Milestone reached.

Indoor Rowing...outdoors

Today was a bit of a milestone.  5000 meters is the halfway point toward my goal.  In a head race, the first 5km would be the warmup while getting to the start, so I've been going slow and doing drills.  Well, today I caught myself pushing it.  Trying to go faster at a slower rate.  The feeling at the finish gets to feeling like I'm yanking on the handles.  I'd like to mostly keep the pull the same, but increase the rate to go faster.  That way, the transitions feel smoother.  

Starting with 5500 meters, the plan develops.  The first 5km will be the same, paddling with the rate under 20 strokes a minute and a pace of around 2:40.  After that the rate goes up; 22-24 spm for a start.  I'm thinking the pace will be around 2:20/500m.

Pulling too hard.



Monday, April 20, 2015

What A Weekend!

Friday

whew!

Strength


  • 1RM Standing lunge with bar in front rack


WOD 

EMOM 10'
3 rounds of:
  • Clean
  • Right Lunge
  • Left Lunge
  • Push Press


Kirsten has been wanting me to do this WOD from CFE for a while.  Her back was out of whack, so it was a perfect time for me to try it. The bar loaded lunge was unfamiliar.  The balance was different.  I tended to rise up into the split position, then move the leg back.  Perhaps I should consider my ability to generate enough momentum to return to the back leg as part of the correct form.

My 1RM was 105#.  I DNF'd the WOD, making 6 rounds before the clock caught up with me.  The bar was 45#.  I would have done better with 35#.


 Saturday

We found a deal on hats.

Shootim type stuff


After driving all day Friday to Madison WI, we spent Saturday at the Midwest Horse Fair.  There were 5 arenas with demonstrations, clinics and classes.  We also had a chance to shop for show stuff for Shootim and me.  Lance Treptow had several presentations on showmanship.  I'll be using that info with Shootim.  

My other most favorite classes were by two Austrailian guys, both named Dan.  They call themselves Double Dan.  They were showy and made the women swoon, but I liked the training techniques they had.  Their riding style might be different, but the techniques would apply to any riding situation.  I'm really looking forward to trying it out with Shootim.  

 Sunday

Stealing a look at Kirsten's lower bits.

Strength DE

EMOM 10
  • 2 x Deadlifts @ 65%


WOD

4 rounds
  • 400m Run (500m Row)
  • 1 Rope Climbs
  • 2 HSPU
  • 4 Front Squats
  • 5 Push Presses


Sunday was to be our day off.  We didn't make it all the way back to Ishpeming like we'd planned.  After stopping at midnight in Iron Mountain,  we got up for church the next morning, then drove to Ishpeming.  Once there, we took a half-hour nap that lasted three hours.  I guess we were pooped.

Once awake, we did the only thing I had planned that day, a trip to CF906.  I did deadlifts at 135#.  For the WOD, I rowed while Kirsten ran.  My heels still hurt from trail running last Fall.  Add to that driving a lot, and standing in socks for a couple hours at a time tuning pianos.  They're not as bad as they were, though.  My time was 19:15, Kirsten's was 19:25.

 Monday

No pictures of the rower, so here's one of our cat.

Indoor Rowing


I got in 4500 meters.  As usual, drills on the 500s.  The drills that made the best difference in smoothing out my technique this time were pause at arms and back away, and pauses at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 slide.  5km next time!


Wednesday, April 15, 2015

That Wasn't So Bad

Aboard our mighty steeds.

Indoor Rower

  • 4000m Row, with drills every 500 meters.

Strength

  • Max Back Squat


Kirsten has a well-earned dread of rowers.  I made it fun with an easy pace for practicing technique and enough drills that the meters just flew by.  I decided that only meters above 5000 will be at a fast pace.

Kirsten did light bar back squats just to work her wonky shoulder on position.  I got up to 2 x 175#.

Shootim

I didn't get to the barn, but Kirsten did and I wanted to share this video of Shootim with you.  It's his first time outside this year.  The square pen has been mostly drained.  Shootim seemed to enjoy the puddles.  Kirsten's horse wouldn't go near them.

My mud puppy.


Sunday, April 12, 2015

A Warm, Fine Day

A well earned roll.

 Shootim


Today was a warm day, with temperatures around 71F.  It was also quite windy.  Off to the barn.  Shootim was challenged by all the noises in the arena.  Kirsten Lunged him until she was dizzy, Shootim taking off from any noise.  Then I took a turn.  Shootim calmed down quite a bit then.  It was as if he calmed from working with me; of course it was the time Kirsten spent with him.

Once he was relaxed, he had a good time looking our the arena door, open for the first time this year.  He worked up a bit of a sweat, so I let him loose in the arena.  Shootim promptly found a spot to roll and get filthy.  Twice.  I love to see a horse that rolls all the way over to his other side.

Shootim needs a long exercise after time off before he is ready to go to work.  I'll have to be patient.

Trainer Susan relaxing outside with the dogs.

Road biking


Posing on a bit of snow bank.

With the day so lovely, we went for a five mile road bike ride.  This time we climbed the Paradise Road hill that we skipped last time.  We also took out our road bikes for the first time this year.  It was funny riding through the wooded lane; it was warm when the wind came from up the road, but cold when the wind came through the woods where the snow was still deep.

The hill was a lung-burner.  I made it all the way without stopping, though.  Another time, we'll ride the other way up the Pilgrim Road hill.


Here's the map.


Friday, April 10, 2015

A Pretty Good Miss

Tuesday

3500m Row

A mighty good row.

Wednesday

Hey, it went up!

WOD

1-1-1-1-1-1-1
  • Snatch

Assistance
3 rounds
  • 5 Snatch Grip Deadlifts
  • 3 Snatch Balances
  • 5 Overhead Squats
  • 30" Overhead Hold


My weights were:  45-65-75-85-(95)-(95)-(95)
I missed 3 times at 95#.  The second was from arms to early.  The first and third went overhead, but I did not stay under them.  It will take some time to figure out why.  I think that more snatch balances will help.  

Deadlift weight was 165#.  OHS was 65#.  Good choices, I think.

Friday

Road biking

We took mountain bikes out on the road for a wee spin.  A half hour was just right for the first ride of the season.  At 43F it was a bit too cold, though we did dress for it.


Here's the map.




Sunday, April 5, 2015

Easter Sunday

Just who is lunging whom?

Shootim


We tried for the same as yesterday, lunging, driving and then riding.  Shootim was good for lunging, and until the canter he was good at driving. Something was really bugging him about the canter though, he was getting mad and bucking.  Not used to the bit? Sore from the day before?  Just in one of those moods?  There was no telling, but since he did seem well settled at the other gaits, I got on and we walked and trotted.  He was ok with turns on the haunches, not so good on the forehand.  He even did a bit of side passing.  All ended well and we put him back up and fed.  We'll see how he is at the canter next week.


Indoor Rower


This time with Kirsten.


3005 meters in 16:05. Drills at 500 and 1500 meters.  I suppose that sometime I'll have to concern myself with speed.  Fast split times were around 2:20 - 2:30, so that's not bad.  Perhaps workouts can vary more after I get to 5000.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

The Week In Review

Wednesday

Post-strength WOD at CF906

WOD

1-1-1-1-1-1-1
  • Hang Power Clean
  • Split Jerk
  • Hang Power Snatch

Followed by assistance:
3 rounds of
  • 8 Deadlifts
  • 5 Clean Pulls
  • 3 Front Squats
  • 1 Push Press

CW: 85# for the WOD, 75# for the assistance.  The WOD was supposed to be different, with a squat clean instead of the snatch, but this is what we got.  I had a little trouble with the snatches until I resolved to get all the way under it.  

The clean pulls were new for me.  I found a video, then went to work, performing a reasonable facsimile of the movement.

Thursday


WOD

2500m Row
Not for time, I just wanted to up the meters another 500.  I was happy to row outside at the house in Houghton.  It was nice to row the indoor rower outdoors!

Friday

He's up!

Shootim


Today was the day, Callooh, Callay!  I was in a good frame of mind, rested and ready.  Determined to see how far I would get, first we lunged, then drove, and finally rode.  Kirsten was there to take pictures and Susan was there to coach and advise.  It felt like we finally have made a start.  Walk, trot and even canter.  Turns on the haunches were good, turns on the forehand less so.  Practice will certainly help, so might spurs.  His canter felt out of whack.  I got a good feel for what I've been seeing on the lunge line.  Hopefully I can ride again tomorrow.  Oh, frabjous day!