In my zeal to become Spartan this year, I am adopting a new policy. I will do a "300" workout every day. At a minimum, I will do a series of movements using locally available supplies that entail doing 300 reps in the manner of a high-intensity interval training regimen. After looking on YouTube for some examples, I settled on a list of optional activities I might include and wrote myself one for today. They will evolve over time as I get stronger and lighter. I will also be running, biking and swimming as time allows, but I must complete a minimum daily requirement before going to bed.
Here was today's:
30 Kettlebell swings with the 45-pound KB.
20 Curl/Shoulder presses with 20-pound dumbbell, right arm
20 Curl/Shoulder presses with 20-pound dumbbell, left arm
30 Stump jump-ups. (I have big portions of a tree that I can set on the ground. I think today's was about 15 inches high.)
5 Kettlebell snatches, right arm
5 Kettlebell snatches, left arm
40 swings of the 12-pound sledgehammer.
Repeat that set.
I timed myself so I can do comparisons as I improve. This set took me 16 minutes to get through twice. When I was writing this out, it looked pretty easy. 20-pound curls? I can do those all day. Jumping up onto a stump? Big deal!
But as it turned out, it was a nice level of challenge for me. After the heavy snatches and KB swings, the shoulder presses became rather arduous. After blasting the quads likewise, the stump jumps became quite difficult. I had to focus and prepare for each leap. By the end of the hammer swings, my forearms were screaming for mercy. How wonderful!
By the week before the Bassman, I will be able to do 300 reps of each of these things, consecutively. I think I'll do 150 snatches with each arm, though. Forgive me for my weakness.
Should be a fun couple of months.
4 comments:
Guess I need to get Bassman on our Countdown!
Funny that the first things that come to mind is...
Early wakeup because it's about 2 hours away.
The Bridge of Pain (bike crashes)
Bee Sting Alley (Maija was stung on the head multiple times on the head during the run a few years back)
Sand in my shoes for bike and run.
It will be a blast!! Really!!!
I'm serious :-)
Nice program, Vash! I'm so impressed with your commitment to the 2009 season. Not that I had any doubts!
The "locally available supplies" (stumps & sledgehammers)bring to mind Rocky IV. The one when Rocky Balboa goes to train in Siberia to prepare for his fight with Ivan Drago, The Russian. And of course Rocky comes back totally ripped and focused - ready to bring down the giant (which of course he does...it's his movie after all).
Consider the next 16 weeks your "Siberia" - you will be so ready to kick some butt!
link to pic
Matt and I are ready to join you for Bassman. I figure it will be a good first race for me as a pre-cursor to the Mooseman. Plus it sounds like the race for you & me...short swim, long bike, short run. Can't ask for better than that!
Well, not that this would be a bad thing, but I will end up being the Drago in this scenario, always brought down by the little guy. Now, that said, I will not complain if I look like Dolph in that movie. I am willing to lose all my races if I look like that (minus the hair...uhh, and the good handsome Eastern-European bloodlines).
And yes, my backyard is starting to look like the barn where Rocky works out, with the addition of one large kettlebell...which was the secret of the Soviet Supermen after all, so I suppose it isn't that out of place. My next implement is going to involve tying a log to the end of a rope so I can swing it around over my head like a giant Morningstar. Practice for my next role as a cave troll. Good for the abs. And pretty much everything else too.
Now, I hope I am not pressuring you guys to do a tri you don't want to do. I thought it would be a good primer. I'm excited to hear Genine is going to give it a shot.
And I have to correct you, miss. My ideal triathlon would have a 3-mile swim in the crater of a volcano, a 25-mile bike descending the volcano in a spiral, finishing on the flats near the beach, and the run would be 200-meters long while pulling a boat anchor. Don't shortchange my swimming. Just because I almost died once, that's no reason to think I don't like swimming. I fully expect my swim to be my fastest split relative to the other racers in any half-iron I do this year. Watch your back, Swimming Bear!
Vash, sounds like Lavaman in Hawaii may be your perfect race! Lots of volcanoes there, my friend. If that somehow makes it on to your list, keep us posted. Always wanted to make a trip to The Big Island.
My intent was never to diminish your swimming skills. Actually, I hold your swim in very high regard. I could only hope to someday complete that 2.5mile swim in the tango without drowning!
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