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

[Mark E. Hurling]

It was a full house at Legacy Gym last night.

We lead off with the bench press to get things moving quickly so the lifters and their parents wouldn't have a long session to get through.

Deadlifts were causing some hand and finger problems for a few lifters, but despite that, Sheridan and Lena's form in this lift continues to get better. Cueing them to not bend their knees so much has them on the road to keeping the bar in closer to their legs. Jacob and Kaydee hauled the iron smoothly as well.

Jacob and Sheridan were aces in hitting depth in the squat. In Sheridan's case now, the only thing I really need to keep on top of is clearing her pony tail out from under the bar when she sets up in the rack.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Conditioning rounds of speed bag, crunches, medicine ball toss, kettlebell swings, heavy bag, and rower with hip and knee flexor stretches.

FitBit being obstinate this morning, so no stats.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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The new kid showed up last night for Jujitsu. I'll be meeting with the Park District this evening to get clearance for a Friday advanced class for Ken. He got admitted to SIU grad school working on his Master's in education and can only make it on Fridays he informed me.

I have now been introduced to the brave new world of preferred pronouns by this 12 year old. He was at pains to show me the pin on buttons he had on his outer flannel shirt. Sigh. It was inevitable at some point I suppose. A good kid though, and a nearly nonstop chatterer. I took him through the warmup routine and told him that unlike many martial arts teachers, I wouldn't be using class time for push ups or sit ups and the like. Getting stronger and building endurance is on a student's own time and their dedication to taking care of that will tell me all I need to know about their character.

He was having a really hard time learning backfalls and sidefalls. I think mostly because he doesn't have much flexibility and strength to squat low so he can gradually ease into falling from a completely upright stance. Have to work on that with him. Amazingly, he aced front falls with very little trouble. These usually are a real scare for newbies, but he was an exception.

There was just time to teach him a couple of escapes from outside wrist grabs. It took some cueing and tuning up of his elbow movement and stepping, but he didn't do too badly at these either.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sets of 5-5-5. Deload.

Bench Press: 95@40%-5, 115@50%-5, 135@60%-5.

Hammer High Row: 120@40%-5, 155@50%-5, 185@60%-5.

Push Press: 50@75%-5, 65@85%-3, 80@95%-1.

Pendulum Curl: 75 for 3 sets of 5.

Music: When the Bullet Hits the Bone, O Fortuna, Fire Down Below, Bohemian Rhapsody, Folsom Prison Blues, Barracuda, The Boys Are Back in Town.

37minutes average HR 130 BPM @ 87% of MHR. Average resting HR of 62 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

This morning was rounds of speed bag, cable rotations, plate haloes, box jumps, medicine ball toss, heavy bag, and rower with hip and knee flexor stretches.

30 minutes average HR 151 BPM @ 102% of MHR. Average resting HR of 61 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sets of 5-5-5. Deload.

Seated Press: 70@40%-5, 85@50%-5, 100@60%-5.

Hammer Row: 140@40%-5, 175@50%-5, 205@60%-5.

Pin Press: 135 for 3 sets of 5.

Music: Fame,Smoke on the Water, Sharp Dressed Man, Four Seasons, Land of Confusion, Haka Ruaumoko, Proud Mary, Unchain my Heart.

42 average HR 137 BPM @ 92% of MHR. Average resting HR of 60 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Back to the routine after travel with rounds of speed bag, elliptical, cable rotations, scifit, crunch, medicine ball side throw, heavy bag, and rower with hip and knee flexor stretches.

31 minutes average HR 137 BPM @ 87% of MHR. Average resting HR of 61 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sets of 5-5-5. Deload.

Squats: 95@40%-5, 120@50%-5, 145@60%-5.

High Pulls: 75@40%-5, 95@50%-5, 110@60%-5.

Music: Highway to Hell, Danger Zone, Ride of the Rohirrim, Relax, The Final Countdown, A Team, Round and Round, Who Let the Dogs Out, Even It Up.

48 minutes average HR 122 BPM @ 82% of MHR. Average resting HR of 62 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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Last night teaching the newbie Sammy and their pronouns. I realized there had been no sign in to the attendance roster newly required by the Park District and helped out with it. At that point I discovered that Sammy's name was Samantha, because it was printed out at the top of the name field of the roster. As the class went on Sammy mentioned that she identifies as a boy. No particular surprise, since I was informed last week that her preferred pronouns were he/him/his. I has some doubts about just what reality was last week, but that's been cleared up now. At the age of 12. Small wonder Sammy's dad thought learning self defense was a good idea.

Sammy has a potentially fraught road ahead. I can see I will need to amp up my teaching methods once I get Sammy familiar with the basic execution of the techniques. This will be particularly important in how to deliver strikes with some real power and authority given the likelihood of some serious bullying and/or attacks by boys who may take exception as to how Sammy identifies. As opposed to the reality.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sets of 5-5-5.

Bench Press: 145@40%-5, 170@50%-5, 190@60%-4.

Hammer High Row: 200@40%-5, 230@50%-5, 260@60%-5.

Push Press: 85@75%-5, 100@85%-3, 110@95%-5.

Curl: 100, 12-12-8.

Music: 1812 Overture, Immigrant Song, We Will Rock You, Eye of the Tiger, Tusk, Madman Across the Water, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Tarzan, Hold on Loosely, Get Outta my Dreams and Into My Car, You've Got Another Think Coming.

52 minutes average HR 122 BPM @ 82% of MHR. Average resting HR of 63 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.