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

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 236.

In pursuit of more singles.

Incline Press: 45-95-135-185-200-210.

Hammer High Row: 180-270-360-370.

Deadlift: 135-225-275-325-340 (nope).

Average HR was 120 bpm @ 78% of MHR.

I am noticing that the weight loss has also lowered my average HR while lifting and I am burning fewer calories. Which makes sense.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 240.

Woke up with the miseries of that failed rep with 340 afflicting my L4 and L5 along with the mysterious episodic pain in my left instep. Did I mention a cut sore finger from careless handling of a can lid? Lotta distractions that I dosed myself with Vitamin I to ward off with and got in later this morning with a good crack from the chiro, Doc Bird. Much better now.

I was sparing of my back with the aching going on so I did stuff like the SciFit, speed bag, medicine ball toss, rower, heavy bag, cable crunch, and finished off with a good stretch of all and sundry parts.

Doc Bird put back, neck, and my right shoulder (didn't even notice it was tweaked) back in proper working order and I feel renewed.

Average HR was 123 bpm @ 80% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 239.

The return to 5-3-1 begins.

1st Cycle, Week 1. 5 reps, 5 reps, as many reps as possible.

Bench Press: 150-175-195/5.

Hammer Row: 265-310-350/7.

Hammer Leg Press: 450-525-595/8.

Average HR was 118 bpm @ 77% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 239.

Braving the dreaded polar vortex, and into the gym. Rounds of handball, speed bag, clap push ups, elliptical, Jacob's Ladder, side bends, pull ups, and stretching.

Average HR was 130 bpm @ 85% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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Emma and Jacob showed tonight. I added a new drill for them to get them calibrated to hand and foot coordination along with timing. One partner steps toward the other reaching, and the other partner steps back and deflects the hand downward and inward. This alternates 3 times and then the partners reverse roles. It's a good preparation for straight punch or shove deflections and moving past the attacker to their rear for follow up counters or takedowns. They did better than I expected.

Then into the basic techniques. Jacob has real problems with stepping. He retains artifacts of stepping in circles from the Karate he has learned and does some other odd things like exaggerated lifting of his feet. Its going to take some time and effort to get him over this. We'll see.

Average HR was 112 bpm @ 73% of MHR.

[BrooklynJerry]

Hi Mark, don't hear much about global warming this week.
Nice how you mix up your workouts with the lifting and conditioning. Stay warm.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Hi Mark, don't hear much about global warming this week.

C'mon Jerry! Get with the new marketing and promotion language. NOW, it's climate change, a more inclusive term that covers the ass of the advocates of this nonsense.

Chicagoans, who used to and still like to style themselves as tough guy bad-asses, have been made into a bunch of whiny wimps by the progressives who run the place. Because their motto is Victims R' Us.

Nice how you mix up your workouts with the lifting and conditioning. Stay warm.

Thanks. I'm lucky to have the facility to work out in that I do. The weight loss has energized me and now I can and am tempted to do more different kinds of things. Turkish get ups are likely to be next.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 237.

Sets of 8.

Seated Press: 115-115-120.

Rope Handle Curl: 220-220-220.

Pullover and Press: 35-55-75-85.

Claw Curl: 130-140-150.

Claw Curl Grip: 130-40-150.

Average HR was 126 bpm @ 82% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 238.

I took an easy day with a hike on the Brush Hill Preserve Trail. It's a nice one, with a fair number of descents and ascents on the hill itself. There was some lingering snow on fallen leaves which made for a need with careful footing. My walking staff proved it's worth once again. Lots of sounds of Blue Jays squawking among the trees along with the SIU carillon in Pulliam Hall made for a pleasant sound track for the outing.

This youtube doesn't exactly do it justice given the speed and shaky camera on Joe the bike jock, but it does give you an idea of it.



Average HR was 102 bpm @ 67% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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I ran Ken and Ethan through the stepping deflection drill that the white belts got. They've done them before but were rusty. From there, I showed them some variations on deflections and modification of an ulna press takedown into a standing arm break. The latter being useful if their first attacker had a friend moving in on them. This move takes the first largely out of the fight immediately and allows them to engage with other(s) if need be.

From there, I drilled them on the three takedowns they are having trouble with. They are ready for promotion on their other techniques, but they need to master the inside leg sickle, the inside leg takedown, and the outside leg takedown. Both of them made some good progress on the last one, but are still struggling with getting their feet aligned so as to best deploy the power of their hips. Also the timing of the hands and feet and how to push/pull effectively. More work is needed. I need to think how best to cue them and teach them this.

Average HR was 105 bpm @ 69% of MHR.