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

[Mark E. Hurling]

Ball Cap.jpg

Jujitsu on Zoom today. We learned some variants to counter wrist grabs that were new to me. One involved a counter-grab with the free hand and applying the thumb to a pressure point on the attacker's wrist that weakens their grip and results in what feels like a moderate electric current running from the wrist to the shoulder. The attacker can be drawn down to their face with a simple step backward and a drop of the defender's knees. They can also be struck in the head, neck or face with a backfist, knife hand, or lateral elbow strike.

A second counter used the same pressure point with a step inside the attacker's range and a pull of their attacking arm up and across the defender's body with the defender's arm levered under the attacker's arm and across their torso. A very painful and effective arm bar.

Finally, there was the deflection of a strike or attempted grab with the back of the defender's opposite hand. The defender then turns their hand over and grips the attacker's hand and twists it clockwise into a right angle hold (Sankyo). Then it is handed off to the defender's other hand and he performs what looks like fly casting with a fishing rod on the attacker's hand and arm. Rips out the wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Squat: 220, 1-1-1-1-1. 180-5 for a backoff set.

Reverse Hyperextension: 75, 8-8-8.

Music: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Immigrant Song, Eye of the Tiger, Mississippi Queen, Welcome to the Jungle, Ramblin Gamblin Man, Volga Boatmen, Folsom Prison Blues, Four Seasons, The Boys Are Back in Town, Respect, Fortunate Son, Tush.

Average HR of 132 bpm @ 88% of MHR for 51 minutes.

[Mark E. Hurling]

The Special Olympians of Team Ohana have had a busy couple of months with other sports so training for powerlifting was on hold for a while. But they were back and raring to go tonight. All of them are multi-sport athletes and balancing their practice sessions for those, along with games and championships took center stage.

I was giving them all a shot at an easy first break in session although a couple of them wanted to push that envelope back to where they had left off. I was pleased that they remembered most of the form cues and setups for the lifts. Not all of them perfectly, but generally quite well and the few breaks with form got back on track and corrected quickly. Sometimes on their own and sometimes with some gentle hints from the coach. The bench press was a particular standout for all them.

Once again, they exceeded my expectations.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Bench Press: 45-5, 95-5, 135-3, 185-1, 205-1, 225-1. 160-5 for a backoff set. it finally again! 225, which my tendinitis ravaged shoulder denied me at the Worlds.

Push Press: 110, 1-1-1-1-1. 90-5 for a backoff set.

Hammer High Row: 250, 1-1-1-1-1. 210-5 for a backoff set.

Music: Running With the Devil, The Good/Bad/Ugly, Stars and Stripes Forever, Flight of the Bumblebee, Peter Gunn, Danger Zone, Shipping Up to Boston, Mission Impossible, Marseillaise, British Grenadiers, Tusk, White Rabbit, Gimme Shelter, Ring of Fire, Relax, Dragonstone.

Average HR of 123 bpm @ 82% of MHR for 60 minutes.

[fiftyfit]

Hey Mark, it's good to see your bench coming around again, wish mine would! Anyway, I have a couple suggestions you may want to consider giving a go. First, for your shoulder, there's a great book by John M Kirsch that I used to successfully rehab my bad shoulder a couple years ago. It's called "Shoulder Pain? The Solution and Prevention." My shoulders have been great ever since...the program is simple, and the hanging involved did wonders, both for me and my mom.

Second, for your joints in general. I've been taking this drink first thing in the morning, for a few months now. It consists of anywhere from 1/2 C to 1 C of warm water. In this I mix 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp raw honey, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Years ago, I was told by my doctor at the VA that I had bone spurs on my knees, and they ached pretty much most of the time. Whenever I drove for long stretches, it was absolute torture! Since starting this drink, my knees are practically pain-free, and I can drive for hours without a problem. Both of my parents have also been taking the drink, and are seeing improvement.

As an extra bonus, my squats have been improving quickly since my last meet in August. I had a minor hamstring strain there, and only squatted 280, but since that time I've gotten my squat back up to 330, done on Nov. 14. I'm planning to compete next March, and the way my training is going, I'm pretty confident I could hit a 350 squat by then. Now, if I could only figure out a way to improve my bench HAHA! Hope to see you competing and improving in the New Year Mark, keep at it!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Hey thanks ff. My shoulder problem is gone at this point. It only acts up now and again, and this time it rolled snake eyes for the meet. But I'll give your recommendations a try.

As for 2022, I'll be in two USPA drug tested meets. One in May in Murfreesboro, TN and the IPL North American Championships in St. Louis come November. Possibly an unaffiliated local meet this Winter sometime and somewhere once I get more info.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Conditioning this chilly morning with rounds of plate halos, speed bag, elliptical, medicine ball toss, air assault bike, and handball.

Average HR of 129 bpm @ 86% of MHR for 34minutes.

[Mark E. Hurling]

90% 1RM for singles and 75% for backoff set.

Deadlift: 315, 1-1-1-1-1. 255, 5. A plate math error had the first two singles at 335. No wonder they felt so unexpectedly damn difficult. But after those two, the rest felt hard too.

Music: Locomotive Breath, Run Like Hell, Death of Siegfried, Copperhead Road, Shaft Theme, Chariots of Fire, Miami Vice, Dirty Laundry, Tuff Enuff, I Got a Line on You, Horse Marine jody call, Angel of Verdun.

Average HR of 127 bpm @ 85% of MHR for 63 minutes.

[Mark E. Hurling]

90% 1RM for singles and 75% for backoff set.

Seated Press: 160, 1-1-1-1-1. 135, 5.

Pin Press: 190, 1-1-1-1-1. 150, 5.

Hammer Low Row: : 260, 1-1-1-1-1. 215, 5.

Music: Dream On, Keep Your Hans to Yourself, Bad Moon Rising, Tainted Love, Under Pressure, War, Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher, Simply Irresistible, Thunderstruck, Living in America, Hot Rod Lincoln, Here I Go Again.

[Mark E. Hurling]

90% 1RM for singles and 75% for backoff set.

Squat: 220, 1-1-1-1-1. 180-5 for a backoff set.

Reverse Hyperextension: 77, 8-8-8.

Music: When the Bullet Hits the Bone, Purple Haze, Hot Blooded, Beethoven's 5th, Bad to the Bone, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Pines of the Appian Way, Flashdance, Fire on High, Amazing Grace, Foggy Bottom Breakdown, Under Pressure, Too Much Time on My Hands.