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09-25-2023, 11:34 AM
#6481
Since my last powerlifting meet I've been struggling with a decision. After some real difficulty, I've decided I am done competing. At least for now.
When I retired in 2016 I managed to qualify for Drug Tested Nationals and took away a gold medal for that. Having been to the Worlds the first time and won the California State Championships twice, I decided I had nothing else to accomplish. So I stepped back from competing then and went back to training just to stay fit.
After deciding to coach powerlifting for Special Olympics I got fired up for competing again after getting addicted again to the atmosphere from a couple of doses of it at the Illinois state Qualifier and then Summer Games. I also thought that competing might possibly promote Special Olympics. So I started training intensely again and pushing my limits to the near edge of injury. I had to travel from Illinois to Oklahoma and Indiana to find USPA Drug Tested meets, since Illinois didn't have any. Not even the pandemic stopped me, although Dearly Beloved and I caught covid after the meet in Indiana. But I qualified for IPL Drug Tested Worlds in California. Also during the pandemic. The last medal I wanted to win was the Drug Tested North American Championships.
None of this brought any attention to Special Olympics. It was great for my ego though, having been ranked internationally and across all federations in the top ten on Powerlifting Watch for the last four years. But my main reason for starting competing again wasn't about my self esteem. So I'm stepping back once again. None of this changes my ongoing lifting OR continuing to coach Special Olympics though.
Maybe because I'm tired so much now too. Along with a perpetually sore lower back from pushing myself to my limits in squats and deadlifts. Possibly I might start competing again after some relative rest and respite. But not for now.
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09-25-2023, 05:47 PM
#6482
Coaching the Special Olympians tonight at Legacy Gym. Sheridan crushed the squats tonight getting 5 reps on the last set instead of the prescribed minimum of 3. Lena, Kaydee, and Sheridan have mastered the form of the bench press, and some extra reps got squeezed out on the last set there as well. They were all chatting excitedly about the upcoming Night to Shine, a Special Olympics dance event held in February. It was fun hearing them talk about their nails, among other things, in preparation for looking good on the dance floor. Everyone's deadlift form is continuing to improve, with all of them managing to keep the bar in closer to their shins as they raise and lower the bar.
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09-26-2023, 07:23 PM
#6483
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Working with Sammy tonight in Jujitsu. I recommended that some upper body strength would be important and that 10 pushups several times a week would be a good idea. When I teach, I tailor it to what I think the needs of the student are. Sammy is bright and happy and seemingly trusting. This could be bad if some boys decide they don't like the way Sammy identifies. Twelve year old boys can be ruthless and brutal, The Lord of the Flies comes to mind. So I spent some more time working on how to punch and block than I usually would tonight.
Ken showed up the last 10 minutes to observe and after the class I worked on a new variation of entry for applying a neck/chin lock.
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09-30-2023, 03:22 PM
#6484
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It's been a challenging week. After Monday's lifting, I'd been conserving my energy for the Special Olympians and Jujitsu. No lifting or conditioning, obviously, from my lack of posts on the subjects. Often as not after a meet I get a down energy phase and this one was more pronounced than usual despite trying to power through it. So lots of sleep and some rest were the order of the week remaining.
Even so, I had an obligation to teach Ken, the green belt in some of the more advanced techniques of Jujitsu. I've been seeing some other techniques that reminded me of something my own teacher said more than once, but that I had forgotten in letting my focus on my own students become too narrow. That concept being the commonality and repetition of some fundamental movements that can recur in applying other techniques. This got driven home to me while watching a video of a variant entry for applying a chin and neck lock from a rear wrist grab. I had only been teaching that lock from the perspective of countering a roundhouse punch, but spent Friday night working with other possible entries finishing in that particular technique. I interspersed this with the basic choking and strangling techniques of green belt with some other recurring techniques that can be used in more than just the technique they are taught with in the course. It's like using the same tools for different purposes and I told Ken that he (and I) needed to not let focus get so narrow as to overlook other possibilities for their use.
All week I've been fatigued and have been sleeping in to catch up on all the crummy sleep I've been suffering from for several months. Also. my right wrist got jacked up somehow, no idea what caused oit. Probably just old age and arthritis. I had to wrap my wrist tight for Friday's session and it only helped a little. Hopefully Monday i cam get back into my routine.
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10-03-2023, 06:48 PM
#6485
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The wrist problems have continued unabated. Along with persistent fatigue. Neither of which I can account for.
But all that said, I have a responsibility to my Jujitsu students. So tired and sore or not, hadda show up for class tonight. Sammy has greatly improved on the falling techniques. A lot of struggle in getting side falls right but some real progress on display in class. We finally got through all the techniques, falls, and drills tonight. Sammy managed to remember much of the first techniques I taught.
I didn't know that Sammy was also taking the Aikido class but I was informed that Jujitsu worked better, and was more interested, and that I was liked better. A nice tribute and something I have thought about Aikido for some time. It makes for some artful looking balletic demonstrations but looks sadly inadequate for protecting yourself.
Having started up reading Game of Thrones after having seen a bunch of random videos on my FB feed, I said Sammy reminded me of Arya Stark. A little puzzlement ensued, but Sammy's dad agreed.
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10-05-2023, 09:27 AM
#6486
Finally!
The wrist has healed up so this morning was rounds of speed bag, cable rotations, elliptical, supine medicine ball toss, prowler, heavy bag, and rower with hip and knee flexor stretches.
30 minutes average HR 139 BPM @ 93% of MHR. Average resting HR of 59 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.
So good to be back in my routine.
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10-06-2023, 09:21 AM
#6487
Sets of 3-3-3.
Seated Press: 120@70%-3, 135@80%-3, 155@90%-2.
Lateral Raise: 40-50-60, sets of 12.
Hammer Row: 240@70%-3, 270@80%-3, 305@90%-4.
Triceps Press Down: 80-100-120, sets of 12.
Music: Death of Siegfried, Up Around the Bend, Hot Blooded, Fire on High, Back in Black, San Quentin Blues, Discombobulate, Under Pressure, Living in America, My Granddaddy Was a Horse Marine.
48 minutes average HR 128 BPM @ 87% of MHR. Average resting HR of 59 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.
I added and substituted a couple of accessory moves now that my focus is not on competing.
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10-09-2023, 11:22 AM
#6488
Sets of 3-3-3.
Squats: 135-145-165. I'm retrenching my form and building up slowly to decent weights in this slowly.
High Pulls: 130@70%-3, 150@80%-3, 165@90%-4.
Leg Extensions: 60-80-100, sets of 12.
Calf Raise: 240-260-280, sets of 12.
Music: Mars the Bringer of War, Her Strut, Semper Fidelis, We Are the Champions, Radar Love, White Rabbit, Start Me Up, Canadian Railroad Trilogy, Dirty Laundry, Round and Round, Think.
62 minutes average HR 136 BPM @ 92% of MHR. Average resting HR of 61 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.
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10-10-2023, 08:23 AM
#6489
The heat broke a few days ago and this brisk morning had me warming up with rounds of speed bag, box jumps, supine medicine ball toss, crunch, scifit, and heavy bag.
30 minutes average HR 136 BPM @ 96% of MHR. Average resting HR of 61 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.
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10-10-2023, 12:50 PM
#6490
A little late, but better than not at all. Last night the Special Olympians were moving the iron at Legacy Gym in Marion.
Lena is developing into an expert bar loader and has pretty much figured out the plate math involved. She's a great help to her coach. Jacob hauled away on the iron, getting a 200 pound deadlift without too much trouble. Kaydee and Sheridan's lifts continue to improve. They both look likely to beat their 2023 Summer Games totals next year.
Along the way, I got caught up on who is dating who, and who will be accompanying who on the upcoming Special Olympics dance, A Night to Shine. Sometimes it almost seems as if the iron is secondary when I work with these athletes. They make it fun to be around them.
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