So... 1600m training...

[-Ross Hunt]

How's it going, Patrick?

Keep it up...

[Patrick Donnelly]

I'm starting tomorrow, actually!

I had my final Cross Country race yesterday... It was... Well... It had rained hard for three days straight prior to the race... Yeah... It was... Muddy...

Here's the entry from my log:
http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/i...78655#msg78655

I'll keep updating in that log, but post any significant progress here too.

[-Ross Hunt]

Cool; good luck.

LOL @ 'White Ninja,' ... sorry, couldn't help it.

[Patrick Donnelly]

Yeah, I started using that username a long time ago, though I've stopped reading the comics since.

Here was today:

Monday, 10/29/07

Warm-up:
- 10 knees to elbows
- 10 dumbbell overhead squats, 1x35#
- 10 GHD sit-ups, 35#
- mobility drills

Workout:
Track:
- 2x(200m:200m)
- 1x400m
Jump Squat:
- 1x6, 115#
- 1x6, 145#
- 1x6, 185#
Front Squat:
- 3x8, 115#
- 1x8, 125#
- 1x4, 135# (terminated the set)
Bench Press:
- 1x6, 115#
- 2x6, 135#
- 1x4+F, 135#

- 3x25 sumo-deadlift high pull, 60# (10 breaths rest)
- stretch


Notes:
- The 400m was timed at about 1:08 using my analogue watch. Bleh. The cross-wind definitely didn't help either. I need to focus more on getting short, quick paces. My form fell apart in the cold.
- The jump squats were easy... Really easy. It was the first time I had done then, so I didn't know what weight to start at.
- My digital watch battery died yesterday, leaving me unable to time a Tabata (or accurately time my 400m). Instead, I did 3x25 with 10 long breaths of rest in between each 25. It had a similar feeling. It also seems that it'd be good to do the pull Tabata on push-days and vice versa because of fatigue already built up from the lifting.

How heavy should jump squats be? I had no idea what weight to start at, but I probably could have gone to 225+. (I was doing them as shown here , not full squats.)


And I sincerely apologize for being able to bench more than I can front squat! I'm sure as I get more used to front squats, that'll change.

[-Ross Hunt]

Is white ninja a comic?

Anyhow; I don't know much about jump squats; I've never done them. I work the top of the olympic lifts mostly with hang and power variations, with occasional box work. I'm about to start doing some heavy partials, but that's more of a strength assistance exercise. If you posted a question on the exercises forum I'm sure somebody will have something to say.

FSQs go up fast as you get used to the rack.

[Patrick Donnelly]

www.whiteninjacomics.com
It's just full of absurdly retarded comics which chronicle the story of a poorly drawn ninja, who does absolutely nothing ninja-like. Here's an example:



Updates:
- Friday: I ran a 1200m in 4:10 (was trying to pace for 4:00). I know there are another 400m hiding in there somewhere. Now I just gotta find them!
- Saturday: In doing warm-up running drills to work on running technique before a 1600m, I stepped in a hole in the grass, fell, and rolled my ankle. I'm going pretty good now, and I'll be back to running on Wednesday.
- Monday (today): After seeing a Dan John video posted somewhere here recently, I fixed the way I squat. I was always squatting "on top of the legs" rather than "slung between the legs." So, now I can go deeper and with better form, but it also cut my lift by something between 20-35 pounds. 150# for an 8RM; that really needs improvement. Most of the load was felt in my glutes and hip flexors.

[-Ross Hunt]

Good stuff; keep it up.

Squatting right is good and will pay off in the long run; ~5:30 mile pace is not a bad place to start at all.

[Patrick Donnelly]

First 1600m today, on a cement bikepath. 5:32. It felt great.
- Running form was very nice.
- Pace was good, though it felt almost like coasting.
- Hamstrings/calves held off soreness until the last ~300m sprint, where I thought my legs were going to fall off.
- The main hold up was cardiovascular weakness, rather than muscular.
- I know what I want for my birthday this year... http://www.injinji.com/
Two pairs of those socks. It's cold wearing Vibrams!

[Patrick Donnelly]

I've chosen a solid list of lifts to perform now.



Snatches are being subbed for the original clean because my snatch form is better.
Psuedo-planche push-ups (on rings) are being subbed for the original ring dips because the PPPU has a better sense of full-body tension.


However, I do need to step back and examine my deadlifts. They were awfully weak today (couldn't even pull 8x225), and I'm feeling inflexible at the start position. Time to stretch...

[Steven Low]

Thought you guys might want to read up on this thread we're having a discussion on similar topics on APK:

http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/i...p?topic=7311.0