Triskaidekaphobia - Joshua's Training

[Joshua]

All the games happening around now are already filled up. :-/

Dunedin is probably my favorite games.

[Alan H]

All the games happening around now are already filled up. :-/

Dunedin is probably my favorite games.

Seriously? The other two I listed are "full"?

That's strange to me. Here, our Games take all comers, though they might not let people "walk on" with a last minute entry if the field is crowded. If you get an application in two weeks ahead of time the AD makes sure there are enough judges to handle the groups.

[o1d_dude]

Unfortunately for the throwers back East, it's all about being "in" with the games owners. If you're new, you sit and wait for someone to take a chance on you.

As they used to say in NYC back in the days of Boss Tweed, "Who's your rabbi?"

[Alan H]

Unfortunately for the throwers back East, it's all about being "in" with the games owners. If you're new, you sit and wait for someone to take a chance on you.

As they used to say in NYC back in the days of Boss Tweed, "Who's your rabbi?"

You gotta be kidding.

That's insane. I can see deciding that you only have the budget for three judges, so ten people on a trig, 30 people, max. That's fine. But at the very least, just throw a couple of boards down, have the guys sign some waivers and let 'em throw. If the Games organizer doesn't have enough gear, then everybody brings their own. So what if it all doesn't weigh in exactly right?

But to my way of thinking...if somebody wants to throw, as long as it's not dangerous on the field, then THEY THROW, and it's my job as AD to facilitate making that happen. If I've only got room for 30 throwers this year, and I have 50 that want to come, then as AD, I go back to my organizing committee and fight for more space for next year... or a second throwing day..or SOME-thing.

[Joshua]

Like I said, unfortunately the sheepdog trials, dancing, and of course the crappy food vendors and tat shops tend to be more important to the planning committees than the actual heavy events. There have been times we have butted heads because we are told we only have 4 hours for heavy events, and we have to share the field with a pipe and drum corp, or sheepdogs.

Because of this, there is usually a cutoff of 15-20 per division, and many times the smallest division will get cut and any remaining athletes will be forced to throw in a class up (B's to A's, and C's to B's, etc...). Certain athletes that train with the AD's, pay to join the HG organizations, etc, tend to get preferential treatment, but I've not experienced that very often, just been made aware that it does happen.

If there are multiple fields, the A's alone will take the "main" field, and the women, B's, and masters are forced to take little pockets of space around the games, no audience, basically a practice session with medals at the end.

[Detroitpete]

My own personal opinion.....anything out of the ordinary, counts. Did you go for a five mile bike ride? Log it. Whenever I go on a hike around here, I log it. It might not make it here on the "Off Season Training" thread, but I log it at NASGA.

There isn't a special "off season" forum, just an ongoing thread here in the Athletics forum. It's a pretty good cross=section. Yeah, we don't have pro's logging 600 pound deadlifts, but between o1d_dude and myself, you have two pretty good Masters (and 01d_dude has been at this for a while, now). eclarkhg is new, but comes from a very athletic background including some shot put. If we could get GGGP to log, that'd be cool too. Newbie chick logs workouts. I know what her general workout routine is, but she could tell us more. DetroitPete is pretty good at this stuff....we need to get him to log, too!

Can you believe I JUST saw this?

Josh, sorry you're having trouble getting into games. My first year was like that. If you can come up north, we usually have room. Besides, with solid B numbers like yours, I can't understand why there's a problem getting in.

Ugh--to Alan's prod of my workouts--They are starting back in earnest right now. March is a pain: Squats, deadlifts, dumbell presses, more squats, box work on the bad knee, kettle bells for the shoulders. The 'fun' part is hammer swings. Cardio (eliptical, heavy bag) and NO laughing--yoga. I'm 46.

April--all about total confusion: Squats, dumbell presses, deadlifts but adding tire flips, boulder carries for time and distance, stone practice, I also have a HUGE hill at my park which I climb up and back with half a caber carried across my shoulders, heavy bag, cardio, yoga.

May--more practice less lifting. I still keep squats, deadlifts and shoulder work, tire filps and boulder carries, yoga. But now it's all about throwing. Games for me start in May.

I'm not a hardcore lifter or trainer by any means. At my age and size, my goals are to finish the year with limited injuries and a LOT of fun. Because of blood pressure and glucose issues I can't eat to gain and kill myself moving iron around. I have to find a balance.

[Joshua]

Today was fun, but I'm already feeling it... seeing as I rarely squat anymore, I'm going to feel this tomorrow real good, even if I did jump into a cold pool for 10 minutes afterwards.

Powersnatch/Hang Power Snatch
2x40kg
2x50kg
2x55kg
2x57.5kg
2x60kg
2x65kg
2x1x67.5kg (148.5lbs)
2x1x70kg (154lbs)
2x1x75kg (165lbs)

Military Press (clean first rep)
5x40kg (88lbs)
5x50kg (110lbs)
5x55kg (121lbs)
5x60kg (132lbs)

Push Press
5x65kg (143lbs)

Backsquat
2x70kg
2x90kg
2x100kg
2x120kg (264lbs)

[Alan H]

Today was fun, but I'm already feeling it... seeing as I rarely squat anymore, I'm going to feel this tomorrow real good, even if I did jump into a cold pool for 10 minutes afterwards.

My friend Bill Gray, who lives in Georgia, I believe, SWEARS by ice baths after workouts to beat the soreness and speed recovery. I don't think I'm brave enough!!!

[Joshua]

My friend Bill Gray, who lives in Georgia, I believe, SWEARS by ice baths after workouts to beat the soreness and speed recovery. I don't think I'm brave enough!!!

I know Bill from the SSAAA forums - although he probably doesn't know me. Ice baths are awesome, but frankly overkill... a pool under 65* is plenty cold, at least to this floridiot. Anything that pulls the blood from your extremities right after a training session, will prevent lactic acid buildup in the muscles. Following it up with a hot tub is even better. Contrast showers are nice but hard to commit to, I usually lather up, then turn the dial to cold to rinse (it keeps me from cheating and jumping out).

I was only minimally sore btw. I'm just grumpy because our cold weather is going to come to a close now, and I'm just realizing how effective a cold pool is after a workout.

[Joshua]

Last night I spent 4-5 hours spotting and setting up for a strongman demo we held at the local bike night. I didn't really do anything besides stand there, besides fixing a harness to an athlete for a truck pull, moving some of the equipment into place (circus dumbbell, 200lb keg), and rolling a 1155lbs and 750lbs tire out of the way of spectators that wanted to get too close.

Still, it's more than I would have managed normally, sitting on my duff reading George R.R. Martin's books.


It was also enough to tell me I need to step up my game. I'm pretty frustrated at what 2 years of being gymless has done to my strength, and being around all these "new guys" has really motivated me. Expect to see a bit more squatting and pressing from my camp in the near future... now HULK is ANGRY.