Geezer's Long March Toward the Elite Sneaking Up On the Finish Line

[M-Squared]

Master Bellman got his 10th degree a couple of years ago. Although he won't refer to himself that way because of his humility, he's entitled to the appellation. I came up in the old school forms of respect for Sensei as a teen and I simply can't NOT give him his just due.

If I may, how is it this all hit your radar screen? You needn't respond given Marcinkus' background, but I am curious now. Only one other person here has mentioned Master Bellman and some of his connections.

It came up purely from my own curiosity. I saw the jujitsu stories, starting remembering the names like Bellman and Belzer from when I competed in college and from the kids class days at Penmar, and wondered if they were the same people still in the game all these years later. I think it is kind of amazing how many dojos were spun off of Marcinkus' effort at Penmar.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Master Bellman alone has promoted a number of black belts with their own dojos as far East as Phoenix just now, and a few more in the Bay Area.

He was promoted to 10th degree by Harold Brosius (I know, I know) as a prelude to him taking over the archipelago of Brosius' subordinate dojos when he retires soon. So that will ripple out the spin off still further.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I needed some more time to recover from my recent exploits. Man, do those heavy Dl's exact a toll from you. Plus my (ahem) lower GI problems are back deviling me again. But that tip from Jamie and Oldster about apple cider seems to be helping. One more day or so of recovery. I knew I was pushing my luck with another heavy session of singles so soon after the last one. But happily no injuries. Just a little crispy around the edges with singed eyebrows.

[Oldster]

But that tip from Jamie and Oldster about apple cider seems to be helping. One more day or so of recovery. I knew I was pushing my luck with another heavy session of singles so soon after the last one. But happily no injuries.

Hmmmm....... Apple juice, heavy singles...............I see problems arising!

But seriously, glad to see the apple juice is helping out.

[DPMuller]

Hmmmm....... Apple juice, heavy singles...............I see problems arising!. ...

One more reason to lift in the comfort and solitude of your own home.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 249.5

Jujitsu last night had the kids just at their wit's end with the holiday goosies. What a pack of little primates! Between one Asian kid who kept assuming some weird ass crane and mantis stance that we sure as Hell don't teach and another disco dancing between attack drills, I was ready to start punting them into a corner of the mat. Instead I started referring to the one as Bruce Lee and the other as dancing boy. Their mothers were less than amused.

The adult class had me teachnig the two white belts again. They both needed a lot of work on how to relax into a fall from a heel trip throw. Especially the teen girl. So I started them over from rolling side falls on the mat to try to get them to relax between the rib cage and knees and roll into a side fall. The girl got the wind knocked out of her and had to sit and recover for a while. Poor kid, I kept looking for some way to explain to her how to do it. I finally had her grab me and then told her to let go shake out her hands and grip my gi like she was holding an egg instead of the grab rail of a roller coaster. That seemed to help a little. Then I caught her doing a valsalva as I moved in for the throw. I stopped immediately, pulled her back to full upright balance, and told her to breathe normally. But exhale when her back hit the mat. It took about 20 minutes but I managed to get them loosened up. Then they went through the white belt course in 3 minutes. Even faster than last week. Very impressive. They got promoted to blue belt at the end of class.

Which was when I found that my glasses had gotten brokem. The kids always goof around getting lined up for the bow out and it looks like this time one them goofed right on to popping the lense out of my frames and bending the frames pretty thoroughly. Little shits. So it's off to the eye doc to get my frames and lenses mechanicked.

I did a GXP this morning and noticed another instance of having trouble getting my heart rate up to 85% at the usual settings. Taken together with the 48 VO2 max score and the DL's I've been pulling, I am beginning to wonder if the additional strength acquired has required a couple ticks of higher settings to tax my heart. Interesting side effect of the added strength if a valid premise.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 249

5 minutes warmup on the bike. (Week 3 @ 90%+ 6 singles)

Bench Press: 260, 5 singles. This was supposed to be 6 but I could tell at #5 that I was going to need some help from the guy who was spotting me to eke one more out. But my shoulder held up well because I moved my grip width in as you reminded me Oldster.

Power Snatch: 115, 6 singles. I can tell that this will be going up next week with a PR attempt. The form is finally coming together better.

[Oldster]

Weight: 249

5 minutes warmup on the bike. (Week 3 @ 90%+ 6 singles)

Bench Press: 260, 5 singles. This was supposed to be 6 but I could tell at #5 that I was going to need some help from the guy who was spotting me to eke one more out.

Nice!

But my shoulder held up well because I moved my grip width in as you reminded me Oldster.

(glancing around nodding with a satisfied look on my face)........yep.......

[Oldman]

Weight: 249

5 minutes warmup on the bike. (Week 3 @ 90%+ 6 singles)

Bench Press: 260, 5 singles. This was supposed to be 6 but I could tell at #5 that I was going to need some help from the guy who was spotting me to eke one more out. But my shoulder held up well because I moved my grip width in as you reminded me Oldster.

Power Snatch: 115, 6 singles. I can tell that this will be going up next week with a PR attempt. The form is finally coming together better.

Great bench, Mark. I can only hope that one day I'll get my lift up there.

[Mark E. Hurling]

(glancing around nodding with a satisfied look on my face)........yep.......

Yeah, yeah. Early onset Alzheimer's, what can I say?

Great bench, Mark. I can only hope that one day I'll get my lift up there.

Thank you. Persistence played and plays a big role in getting there.