Friday, April 27, 2012

DE Cleans-N-Snatches

DE Lower. I got home late-ish from work and tried to blow through this. Took 45 minutes. I was tired afterwards.

A1. Clean

2 x 8 x 45#
5 x 65#
3 x 85#
3 x 105#
3 x 3 x 125#

I fat-fingered the video on the second set, yet again. Which suck because I am pretty sure it was my best one.

B1. Snatch

2 x 8 x 45#
5 x 65#
3 x 3 x 95# 

Snatches felt great. I'm starting to get the hang of them, methinks...
 
C1. SSB Squat w/ 2 20#Chains

3 x 8 x 215# 
 
D1. Blast Strap Ab Fallouts

3 x 8 x bw

Video! In which I wear an animation nerd shirt.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

OMG I Jumped Rope

You heard me. I jumped rope. For FIFTEEN. WHOLE. MINUTES. I also did some other stuff before that.

A1. Squat

2 x 8 x 45#
8 x 135#
5 x 185#
3 x 225#
2 x 275#
1 x 315#
2 x 1 x 340 second one didn't get caught on video. I must have fat-fingered it.
0 x 340#

340# is 85% of 1RM. Stupid third singe didn't want to move. I was playing with moving my stance a bit narrower. I think it helped, but not on the third one... 

B1. 1-Arm DB Row

5 x 5 x 120# per hand 
 
C1. Straight Leg Deadlift

3 x 8 x 225# 
 
D1. Jump Rope

Intervals, 20s on, 40s off for 15 minutes.

Working more cardio in on a regular basis. 'Cause I lose my breath warming up. :P

Video!







           

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Events Day PR-a-thon!

Strongman Event day! The past few days, my left hand has been aching a lot and my grip strength has been affected by it, so I wasn't sure how today would go. Jessica wanted to train with me, so I was coaching her between my sets- she kicked some ass, too!

A1.Circus DB Clean & Press

2 x 8 x 10#
8 x 30#
5 x 40#
2 x 60#
2 x 1 x 70#
1 x 80#
1 x 90#
1 x 100# PR!

First time trying the elbow sleeves for these- they didn't seem to do much until I got up to 90#. I definitely felt them help at 100#, which was a PR! Being able to 2-hand the clean on the thicker grip helps a ton, as well.

B1. Swiss Bar Log Clean & Press

5 x 55#
4 x 65#
2 x 85#
1 x 95#
2 x 1 x 105#
2 x 115#
1 x 135# I think this is a PR, too!
0 x 155# No gas left, methinks. I need to get to 180#...

I think after the Circus DB and this, I will skip my ME Upper this week :) I wanted to get them both in since one of the comps I am thinking of doing has a Clean & Press medley with Circus DB, Axle, Keg and Log. I think the 135# is either a PR or matches my PR.

C1. Farmer Walk

80 feet x 205#/hand in 19.3s - PR! Gotta get faster though.
50 feet x 205#/hand. Dropped twice, couldn't finish
30 feet x 125#/hand - unloaded from the previous walk to the weight Jessica was using and walked them back to the start.
160 feet x 125#/hand - walked back up to the house to put them away

The first set was a PR! Nice. The walk back didn't go so great- my left hand pain finally caught up to me, and after the second drop I couldn't re-grip. The other sets are not on video- the last one was me walking the handles back up the hill to the house.

Overall it was a good day, and I didn't have to use my AK... Though I do have to go to QFC later, so it could still happen :)

Video!


Saturday, April 21, 2012

Rock Climbing

It's really amazing how important exercise is... it really puts everything in perspective... which is IMPORTANT! Nothing matters when you're hanging off a 20 ft. drop by your fingertips. Which leads me into a CRAZY cool new climbing gym that just opened up in my neck of the woods.
I started climbing difficulty level 5-9, and over the next two hours, progressed until I was finally defeated by a 5-10 D. I'm really excited to try it next time when I'm a little less tired. Makes me realize how much I miss fabric dancing. I had just begun to fall in love when I had to leave, but despite the newness, hanging from a warehouse ceiling by ropes feels like the most natural thing in the world. I feel like good dance schools are as hard to find as good dojos.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Strongman Training Day 3: ME Push Presses

Clever thing here. I'm too tired to do more tonight :)

A1. Push Press

2 x 8 x 45#
1 x 95#
3 x 135#
2 x 165#
1 x 185#
3 x 1 x 205#

The 205# is about 85% of my 1RM. Felt pretty good. Had trouble locking them out, but I got them all.
 
B1. DB Bench Press

3 x 10 x 70#

This is the first time I've benched in... 5 months? New program, I figured I should work on it a bit even if strongman doesn't have any bench events.
 
C1. JM Press

3 x 10 x 55# 
 
While doing these, I thought to myself, "this feels redundant." Gonna change it to pullups probably for the rest of this training...

D1. Complexes (Row, Straight-Leg DL, Clean, Front Squat, Good Morning, Squat)

3 x 95#
2 x 95#
1 x 95#

Gotta get my cardio in, right?

Video- it exists, but youtube is being a copyright douche at the moment and wont let me direct link, so check it out here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNjnFe6mr2o

it's time to see the sun

        Everytime I do a grappling class, it gives a bit more credence to the idea that strong people are just harder to kill than weak people, because honestly, I have no idea how else I make it through some of those grappling sessions.  Seriously, if I ever get any semblance of technique back, I'll be a pretty decent grappler, altho I really need to get back under the bar at some point too.  Tribull does offer kettlebell classes during the summer, maybe I'll hit those up.  I dunno, i'll figure something out, right now my training is just random.  Kinda lame, I know, but yeah...

        Lots of 93% Guard training tonight and probably the most horrid double arm bar I could possibly imagine, it makes me happy to know that people are out there thinking things like that up.  Look, i'm not a violent person, but I...yeah ok, I'm not gonna win that argument.

        I do so love training, it's been a while since i've been a regular training martial arts practicioner and I'm happy about what's happening now.  Not to fanboy too much, but Kaju is really the style i've been looking for and man I hope i can stick around and train for a bit.  You don't get much closer to the source than Tribull...

Today's TrainingTune: Speed - Atari Teenage Riot

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

ME Deadlifty

Not Me Deadlifty, but Max Effort Deadlifty! Guffaw.

A1. Deadlift

2 x 8 x 135#
5 x 225#
2 x 315#
1 x 365#
3 x 1 x 385#

85% of my 1RM for a few singles. No complaints.

B1. 1-Arm Rows

4 x 6 x110#

C1. Front Squat

3 x 8 x 185#

Was gonna do some complexes for cardio but man, my lower back was fried and I was HUNGRY. No deep thoughts tonight. I just lifted things...

Videos!








Saturday, April 14, 2012

Strongman Training Day 1: Events

I started a new program today after taking the week off due to just flat out being too busy and carrying a lot of stress around. I figured, what better way to start a new program than to do some events and see where I stand! 2 hours, many neighbor inquiries and one mailman calling me crazy later, I am done.


A1. Circus DB Clean & Press Medley

2 x 8 x 20#
5 x 40#
2 x 60#
2 x 1 x 70#
2 x 1 x 80#
4 x 1 x 70# 

I did 2 of these as an event, first the 2 x 1 x 70# and 2 x 1 x 80#, which was a terrible set, and then the 4 x 1 x 70#. These are really hard give that it's about a 3" grip to clean. I need to find out if I can use 2 hands to clean, otherwise I am in trouble for competition...

B1. Farmer Walk

2 x 80ft x 180#/hand 

As I was setting up, multiple neighbors came to ask me what the hell I was doing, and the mailman stopped to call me crazy. Twice. Did the second run in 16 seconds- not bad. I think I could get 200# per hand next weekend.
 
C1. Wheeled Sled Drag

2 x 200ft x 360# (downhill, uphil)

I wasn't going to count this until Jessica saw me dragging the farmer handles and weights back up the hill, and she said I should. It was not fun, and it was hard work, so it counts dammit.
 
D1. 16" Atlas Stones

9 x 175# in 1:20 

Meh. I wanted 10 in a minute. I think I'd have had it if I had cleaned the stone off- it was covered in sawdust. I've been building a bench in the garage and just forgot. On top of that, the battery died on rep 7. So for al you know, I could be lying about this rep PR :)

Video!



Unfortunately, it's become a problem that the stones scare the crap out of the dog. I need to devise a soft-landing pad for the stone that I can still roll it off of fast enough for reps. Or I need to build a platform wide enough for 5 stones... and then make 5 stones. I gotta get my 18" stone made soon.

Overall, it was a good training day. Food and wine are in the cards tonight.

CHANGE UP!!!

Long time no post...I'm sorry for not being as active as I'd like here but well, a lot has happened in the last 6 weeks (however I have not missed a single workout)!!!

So back on Monday February 27th I made the 2 hour drive into work, worked a 6 hour day and then was called into the conference room by the studio art director.  Sitting there was the HR director...well I've been told I have the most upbeat and positive attitude of anyone by numerous peoples, and I don't wantonly run around violating HR policies, this could mean only one thing.  Separation.  With THQ cancelling 3 of our projects it was deemed that the work we did have could get wrangled by our animation outsourcing director and the couple of outsourcing teams we use.  I was sent home.  Now I'm very grateful to Pipeworks Software, for not only believing in me to tackle a job that I didn't have enough industry experience for (they brought me in as an animation lead and my first project was art lead on uDraw: Instant Artist) but for also giving me a huge opportunity to contribute to the games industry and increase my skills as an artist and team collaborator.  I will be forever thankful to the art team and leadership there.

So that meant it was time to start cracking on my reel, well from the discussions I've had it seems to be all too common that an animator who works in a smaller studio for a year and a half leaves with pretty much nothing but resume accomplishments to show for it.  Having worked on eight titles plus being responsible for completely designing and rebuilding the internal animation library means that I definitely had a quantity over quality requirement to fill.  Being the sole in house animator meant I was always extremely busy.  So this led to not having anything concrete to put on my reel from the last year and a half of work I did...I'd definitely use pieces from the internal library I built but sadly I am not allowed to, nor do I have access to the scene files I did  that with a little polish would be reel worth - so back to my own personal work!!!

For the first 3 weeks of my 'time off' I only left my computer to eat, sleep and go to the gym.  Then the wife took a job to pick up my slack and I found myself being a full time chauffeur to my three beautiful daughter - they all have different school schedules, one has track twice a week, the other track everyday plus soccer twice a week and on weekends.  Reel work gets interrupted a bit more now. :D

If y'all know anyone looking for an animator - hit me up! :P  Ideally in Seattle area!

Big changes at home...now for changes at the gym!!!

Three weeks ago was the last week of our drop set rotation - saw some good gains and actually did some flat bench pressing, first time in about a year, shoulders still a bit sore, but it doesn't hurt like it used to, however not  going to push that exercise too much - BUT here's the kicker, I suffered my first real in gym injury.

On my second rep of said flat bench my finger got in the way of a meeting between a 60lb and 75lb dumbbell - I thought I had just smashed my finger...shook it out for a quick second and picked up the 50's to finish my set.  When I was done, my wife asked where the blood was coming from.  Hmmm blood, not much a couple spots on my hand, but more than this little cut under my nail...turn my hand over and I completely split the finger down into the dermis - didn't look to see if it went into the subq fat as I'm not all that strong of stomach when it comes to my own injuries.  :D  I hit the locker room washed it out best I could, hit the front desk for a first aid kit.  They didn't have one.  A 24HR fitness super sport with no first aid kit...found that odd.  How bout an old towel and some duct tape than?  Maintenance got me squared with that.  So this is what I did to finish up my workout, after all this was only the first exercise, couldn't waste the day!


After pulling this off to properly clean and wrap it this is what it looked like:


It bled for about 4 hours - go go gadget gauze wrap!!!  So the cut was about 5/8" long and again deep enough into the dermis to warrant continued urging from the wife to go get it stitched up.  Well it's on a knuckle and without my studio position no benefits...so um...no, it can heal on it's own, I'll keep it clean and just wrap it twice a day.  Looks pretty good now, almost completely healed and I can almost roll a complete fist with zero pain.

OK - enough of the long sob story (sorry guys and gals) on with the real CHANGE UP - went from 3 drops to 20's and 5's - this is a great way to get some growth.  2 set exercises, first set medium weight, medium speed 20 reps - second set, heavy weight, slow speed, 5 reps (sometimes I end up gauging too low and have to do 8 or even 12 if I didn't give myself enough credit OR the machine does not have enough weight on the stack).

Yesterday was back -

Seated freeweight rows (this is a machine that uses plates, weight is per arm)
70 x 20
180 x 5

Iso freeweight pulldowns
70 x 20
135 x 5

Stiff arm pulldown or Notorious pulldown
80 x 20
140 x 5

Widegrip standing cable rows
80 x 20
200 x 5

Cable christmas trees or hyperback extention
60 x 20
180 x 5

Solid workout - music was overhead and bad.  :D




Thursday, April 12, 2012

Summer Break

Summer break meant that class was empty, and it was alll for meee. Sifu nagged Antonio into joining so it wouldn't be a one person effort.

On a side note, a lot of balsamic vinaigrette and garlic makes for Mediterranean. A little bit with nuts makes it a subtle... "que?" of awesome.


{
1 minute of bag, fists
1 minute of bag, kicks
1 minute of floor attacks on a bag
1 minute of 20 lb. medicine ball burpees, (that's stand up, hold it over your head, drop to the ground, do a push up) except when we stood up we had to throw it to sifu and then catch it.
1 minute of 35 lb ... I don't know what they're called. You squat, swing it between your legs, and then bring it up in the air as you stand up.
1 minute jump rope
}
x3

1 minute sit ups
1 minute sit ups in guard (legs around a bag)
1 minute leg lifts
1 minute sit up to stand ups

Saturday, April 7, 2012

San Fran to San Jose




Yesterday at 8 am, I arrived on the Golden Gate Bridge, with the intention of walking back home, to San Jose. The event was with my gym, Tribull, and it was a fundraising gig. Half the money to make a wish foundation, half to the school.

The coolest thing I saw was dolphins swimming under the bridge as I walked over it. The sky (as you can see) was still bathing everything in a pink morning sunrise. San Francisco is so beautiful and unique, I loved walking through it.

The way down was rough, but not bad. I got heat stroke, and a wicked sunburn. Seriously, apparently Tyler likes it when I make ugly faces, he'd love me now. I look like a red blowfish. (But then again, Tyler does like his jobs like he likes his women, butter-personality) We passed through one town which was NOTHING but funeral supplies, mortuaries, and graveyards. That was interesting... ::cough zombies cough::

Around 5 in the evening, everyone but Sifu and I dropped off and grabbed a ride home. I was INTENT on making it the whole way. Partially because I'm masochistic and like pushing myself, but mostly because I just didn't want to leave Sifu alone to walk the whole way. Only 5 people showed up? Come on, dissapoint!

I made it until about 11:30, before my foot started acting up. I broke my big toe about 3 weeks ago doing kicking drills on the bag. It's not a big deal, just a toe, but combine that with a day of walking and it started getting bad. By 1 am ish it was so bad that I was crying against my will in public. I told Sifu what was going on, and he told me that since it was getting worse, it would probably be best for me to take transportation home while there still was some, because I didn't want to go lame at 4 AM when all the bus lines were inactive. It was a fair point and I argued, but in the end agreed. Lame!!

30 miles.

Friday, April 6, 2012

840 Pounds of Awesome

Light work today, since I missed my stones workout this week and need to deadlift this weekend. We got 260# of bumper plates delivered this week (bringing the gym total up to 840#- I think we'll be good for a while!), so I broke a few of them in with some speedy snatches.

A1. Snatch

2 x 6 x 45#
3 x 65#
2 x 85#
4 x 2 x 95#

The third set of the 95#, aside from losing my balance, are probably the most efficient snatches I've ever done.




B1. Pullups

4 x 6 x bw + medium band


B2. Blast Strap Ab Fallouts

3 x 8 x bw


C1. 2" Pinch Grip Holds

3 x 25# x 30s

Left hand grip was really weak today. Gotta work on grip more...




Video!



Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Of All The Days...

...for my camera to be dead, I really could have used it tonight.


Tonight I was borderline not going to train due to still being wrecked from Saturday. Even Jess admitted later that she thought I was going to bail. But I didn't! Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead, so no video. Sorry to disappoint, ladies and gentlemen.

A1. Clean

2 x 8 x 45#
5 x 65#
3 x 85#
2 x 105#
2 x 125#
1 x 145#
1 x 155#
3 x 1 x 165#

Not a bad session. I had to reset a few times on the 165# reps, which is why I wish I had the camera going to see what I did wrong. Jess tells me I couldn't get under the ones I missed fast enough. They all felt fast and explosive to that point, at least...


B1. Speed OH Swiss Bar Press

8 x 35#
6 x 85#
4 x 125#
6 x 2 x 175#

I did the 6 doubles of 175# on 30 seconds rest. It was basically 1) wrap wrists 2) do reps 3) unwrap wrists 4) sip shake 5) repeat.

C1. BB Row

4 x 6 x 185#

D1. Front Squat Hold

3 x 30s x 275#

AAAAAAAAAABdominals.


Overall a good session capped off my delicious pasta and buffalo/beef meatballs made by my lovely wife. She knows how I roll. Speaking of rolling, I have an 18" stone mold coming that will make me a 240# stone. That'll be something...

Monday, April 2, 2012

indeed there is

        Coming back a little slow still after test, I think i'm having some distant cousing of DOMs, that is, I'm just now feeling my hits from Friday.  I really have to get serious about this going to sleep before midnight thing, hell let's say before 11 even, because whatever I'm doing now, it's just not cutting it.  Class tonight wasn't anywhere near hard, but I couldn't focus on even the simple stuff.  I think I maybe snapped 1 in 8 punches decently, the rest of the time I might as well have been wiping sweat off the focus mitts.

        My head is still swimming with ideas about how I want/need to change up my training, it's funny, who knows if I'll be around in 10 years to test for my black belt at Tribull (well, i'm going to try my damndest, that's for sure), but i'll be ready for sure.  I'm not a big fan of running, but you know, I'm actually in good enough shape that short runs(<5 miles) don't kill me that much at all.  Of course, trying to do a 5 mile run followed by a 600 and 2 hours of drills and sparring ehhh...it's sorta like that Klingon ritual that's pretty much drinking, fighting, and sharing war stories.  Except you are the war story, and there's no drinking until you recover the next day...

bearhottub
...followed by at least a week in the hot tub, maybe more...

        Going into another busy time at work, so I may have to cut classes back a bit, but I'm going to try and stay on top of it as much as possible.  Maybe cut back to two-a-nights twice a week until this next milestone pass, which isn't too long, just two weeks.  Still gives me time to get back into it in time for the fights, I think?  Gotta say I'm still super nervous after my last sparring session, but i'm getting my practice in so that's good.  I like how sparring is treated as a drill and everyone has to do it instead of just sitting around waiting for your turn to go in.  You don't train to sit on the bench, yeah?

Warmup:
  • A1. Jumprope: 2x3min
  • A2. Shadowbox: 2x1min
Striking Combos:
  • L Jab, L Jab
  • L Jab, L Jab, R Cross
  • L Jab, R Cross, R Hook
  • L Weave, L Hook, R Cross, L Hook
  • R Weave, R Cross, L Hook, R Cross
Grappling:
  • Takedown defense
        Hopefully I'll be more awake for full-on grappling Wednesday, that's the big gap in my game right now, and since the fight's probably going to be to submission or points, I need to make sure I can end it when it comes down to it... 

Today's TrainingTune: Utopia - Astral Projection