Ironbog, February 22

This lay off was too long. It really affected me. The lay off has been for a number of reasons: concussion, shoulder injury, mostly there was a malaise about the SCA. I was just bummed out over the reaction to crown. The result was, I managed to get in armor three times since crown before today. Basically once a month. I've been pretty active, but it hasn't helped. My shield arm tired out right away. I was more winded than I ever remember being. I'm on the fourth day of a vegan liquid diet (first week of lent) which I think also had a lot to do with it. Regardless, endurance has been my strongest trait, I need to get it back. 

WORKOUTS

I'm averaging about 10,000 steps and doing 50 push ups daily, plus yoga a couple times a week. Also shoulder rehab with the Indian clubs. I did a killer WOD two weeks ago: 5x3 of power cleans, front squat, and squat cleans. But I hurt my shoulder. Then I got sick for two weeks and didn't get back to the gym. 

I need to start a workout program. 

TECHNIQUE

None. This was just about helmet time. 3/4 of the time I was fighting an a frame, but that's all. 

FIGHTING

I fought like ass. I fought Ron three different sets. I also fought Harold and three other unbelted fighters. 

Against Ron, especially our first set, I hit him three or four times with no power. That was a lack of practice plus a light sword. My second set of fights I did better. I killed him with a stutter wrap and--no kidding--a wavy rising snap. I faked him out so good his shield was around his knees and his head was wide open. Our third set he just calmly and surgically kicked my ass. Like completely embarrassed. 

My other fights were good. They were all hard hitting energetic unbelted fighters who would make you pay if you made a mistake. Two of them I was able to surgically dissect myself. All of them hit me hard at least once. Three things stand out. 

First, was my endurance. It was terrible. I was gasping for air after the first couple bouts of every set. This was also my shield arm, which is weak, and my power, which is low. 

Secondly, I was not in the early fights mentally. I did not have any focus, and my mind was wandering. 

Worst part, I was getting in my own way. I caught my forearm on my shield edge. I totally missed a couple of shots off of fakes. 

It's a lot of rust to be knocked off. 

It is 63 days until crown. My next time in armor will be Thursday at Wantagh. 

Training for Crown

Crown Tourney is exactly 13 weeks from today. That's 91 days to get ready. I hVe not been practicing or even working out as much as I'd like. I have only fought three times since last crown--100 Minutes, Birka, and one Nutley. I've been injured, tired, and turned 50. My schedule isn't quite as good as last semester for working out-I'm busy during spin and yoga classes at school. But I have a lot of flex time Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons. 

Exactly how much to train at 50--and how much I can reasonably expect to train--is a tough question. But I don't expect it to be that much different than I trained at 49, which was hard. I think that once you pass 45 or so you need to train more, not less. Yes, recovery is longer, there are lots of nagging injuries, and you are just a bit more tired that you used to be. On the other hand, you become brittle, and if you don't work out regularly I believe you will atrophy at a quicker rate. And, if you don't work out fairly hard you are wasting your time. The last two years I've been working in some Crossfit WODs to my workouts, but I've found that, at my current injury level (chronic bad back, occasional elbow tendinitis, knees and shoulders that make a lot of noise) I can't do a lot of the workouts. But I do find that it is better to mix things up than try to keep tot he exact workout routine over a weeks time (legs one day, arms another, etc). I'm not working out to build my body, I'm working out to increase strength, endurance, and flexibility, but most to prevent injury. 

I'm a firm believer in explosive training workouts: kettle bells, tabata training, snatch, clean & jerk. The big problem is speed work. I find it next to impossible to sprint. I can jog, which is painful enough, but after blowing both Achilles' tendons a couple years ago, plus my back and hips, that's about it. My usual distance is 5 k, and I'm pretty slow. 

What I really need is a dance class. 

I don't want to over do it. Push-ups every morning and either yoga or cardio on days when I don't fight, is probably enough. As I recall, some of the best shape I've every been in was when I was doing three spin classes a week and yoga most mornings. But I also love working out. I love lifting, dragging the sled, throwing boulders, farmers carries and calisthenics.  I love weird found objects workouts and obstacle runs. That stuff I like almost as much as fighting. 

WORKOUTS

I've done 50 push-ups every day this year. I also had two gym workouts this week. 

FIGHTING

None

TRAINING PLAN/GOALS

I want to be in armor 20 times, which is a lot in 13 weeks in NYC, but not impossible. 

Push-ups every day

25 gym workouts

130 total miles

Fight in Two Beau Gestes, Mudthaw, and at least one other event. 

This week my plan is:

Fight tomorrow

Gym workout Monday

Class on Thursday

Nutley Wednesday 

Run on Thursday

Rest Friday

Not sure Saturday--depends. 

Training for Crown, fall 13

Counting this one, there are ten weeks until Crown. That is not a lot of time. I lost out on Pennsic, which usually jump starts my fall training. Plus I binged a lot this month hanging we family and stressing over my step father. My weight is as high as it has been (226) since I lost all that weight on the Atkins diet eight years ago. (I know how to take cared of that part, I just have to do it). 

But it is time to lay out my training regimen. 

In ten weeks (including this one) I plan the following: 

15 times in armor. That is a tough haul (I am counting last Sunday).

200 miles on my bicycle. That's only 20 miles a week, but by November that might be tough. 

Run eight times

Total of 50 logged workouts (that should be easy).

My general plan is warmups every morning. Yoga on Monday, cardio Tuesday and Thursday, fight or weights on Wednesday, rest Friday if I'm fighting Saturday, weights on Friday and rest Saturday if I'm fighting Sunday. We will see how that works out. 

New twist: try to fight Ron, Omega, Ice, Gregor, Stephan, and Lucan in that time frame. 

Other twist, diet: I think I am sticking with eating meat only at night. Maybe dairy at night, maybe none at all. 

And, of course, there is deer season to work in around all of this....