Entry #454

My wrist is nearly healed, but not enough to warrant lifting today.

Entry #453

I did another double session, to the high school and back. It was much more difficult during the day, with the heat and the humidity in full swing. Still, I persevered.

The same could not be said for powerlifting. My aim was to bench 295 lbs. for three. I had to stop at 265, when I noticed my right arm shooting up much faster than my left; my wrist couldn't take the pressure. I reracked for the day and, luckily, it felt better on the way out. I just need a few more days for it.

From there, I ran all the way home, able to breathe through my nose the whole way. My ankles and knees were fine. It was taxing on my cardio, but when I got home, I immediately did rounds on the standing bag without rest. Finally, I went for a swim after that. I felt like fainting by the end.

I'd been watching boxing videos the prior night, like I do every night before I go to sleep, and during all of the running, I kept remembering Bundini Brown yelling to Ali during the first Liston fight, when everyone was booing him, "THEY CAN'T BRING YOU DOWN, CHAMP! FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE!"

Entry #452

I'm in the process of renewing my driving legalities so that I can go to the boxing gym. It'll be later than I expected, but if the outcome is the same, it's no burden. On the contrary, I can finish up my conditioning with the extra time so that I can whup everyone faster and be out in time for dinner.

Speaking of conditioning, I've been running every other day to the high school and back. Last week, I was out of breath with one go of that. Tonight, I easily ran two, with a sprint in for the final span.

I'm also contemplating about training in Muay Thai and BJJ at AKA alongside boxing. There's a gym right across the street from there, so that would be of use in lieu of a weight room. I'm applying for a job as an English tutor for high school students, so my full schedule will be flexible.

Entry #451

Feh. That bag pole killed my wrists. They were in pain all day today. It's my fault for palming my hooks, more than anything. I'll take a break from bag work in the next two off-days and focus on shadowboxing and cardio. They should be prime for the next lifting day.

ME lower-body was indentical to last week, but with two more sets of box squats and a full five sets of 135 lb. good mornings. I also did the squats sans shoes.

Entry #450

DE upper-body

Heavy bag warm-up

Speed bench:
10 X 3
185 lbs.

Barbell skullcrushers:
3 X 8     1 X 6
135 lbs.
This was with the Olympic bar and two 45's. All of the front seats were taken, so I resorted to the bench press set-up. I had to clean the weight to my chest, scoot forward to position my legs over the metal support bar, lie and do the set, sit-up with the weight, and curl it back onto the handles. One positive from this was that my elbows were iron-clad, despite the heavier weight and extra required stability for the lenghtier bar. It must be that cursed EZ bar responsible for my past tendonitis. Straight is the way to go.

Chin-ups:
5 X 6
Those involuntary 135 lb. curls left me in poor condition for these. I only managed six instead of the usual eight.

Hise shrugs:
2 X 15
245 lbs.
This saw a much better ROM than last week.

Heavy bag cool-down: very extensive work. I'm leaning into hooks much better. Still, remember not to push the bag. Snap back. I think this could have been blamed on the actual equipment itself. Untended to and forgotten, the bag is practically deflated. The covering offers thin protection for where your hand is really hitting: the support beam within. It's on a stand, so that's how it's kept upright. Consequently, I had an automatic tendency to connect with my palm more than I would have liked to prevent pointless damage to my knuckles. I don't fight poles.

Just work on jabs and straights, if that garbage is going to be used.

Entry #449

To update, a few hours later, my side feels completely fine now. My wrist is a little sore, but it's non-training related; I twisted it while sleeping (I was dreaming about fighting somebody) and the weights aggravated it slightly, but I expect it to heal by tomorrow morning.

In more serious matters, the gym is closing on the 31st. I've been going to it since I was five years old, and lifting there since nine. I'm going to see if I can score free stuff, like the molten rocks in the sauna that I burned my hand on when I was a little kid.

There's one other gym in this town. It's right by the high school, which means that it probably doesn't have a squat rack. I'll check it out this week. Ideally, I would have access to a weight room underground in a Russian cemetery, like Alexander Fedorov.

Entry #448

I suffered a minor injury today that cut my session short. Every lift prior to that saw gains, however.

ME upper-body

Shadowboxing warm-up

Bench press warm-up:
2 X 15     45 lbs.

Floor press:
5 X 3       135, 185, 225, 275, 315 lbs.

Military press:
1 X 12     45 lbs.
1 X 6       155 lbs.
1 X 5       155 lbs.
1 X 4       155 lbs.

T-bar rows:
1 X 10     207.5 lbs.
Upon the second set, I felt a pop near my rib cage and I immediately lowered the load. It appears that I pulled a muscle (serratus anterior).

It hurts a little to breathe, but it's not serious. I expect it to clear up in a matter of days. Still, I was smart to stop when I did. This happened from a lack of focus. I wasn't tensed up like I should have been.

Entry #447

I forgot a factor on yesterday's weigh-in. I've been off of creatine for a number of months, so I must have gained weight to still be at 230.

"ME" lower-body

Speed bag warm-up

Box squats:
2 X 3       135 lbs.
8 X 3       225 lbs.
Additionally, I removed one plate from the stack for a total of three plates and the box. My old amount was two plates.

Dumbell lunges:
3 X 10     75 lb. dumbbells

Good mornings:
1 X 10     95 lbs.
1 X 10     115 lbs.
2 X 8       135 lbs.

Cable crunches:
5 X 10

CoC grip work

Entry #446

Weigh-in: still at 230 lbs. There's still plenty to do with my diet, so this is to no frustration.

DE upper-body

Heavy bag warm-up:
Excellent jab, again. I'm throwing it in conjunction with better footwork, and the result is a much more powerful shot. Even while circling, I make subtle changes in weight distribution  when I throw.

Speed bench:
8 X 3
185 lbs.

Barbell skullcrushers:
4 X 8
100 lbs.
Somebody swiped the bar from my bench while I was getting a drink, so I used the heaviest pre-constructed barbell they had. It was much too light.

Chin-ups:
4 X 8   1 X 5
I was strict on time here, and the shorter rests fatigued me. I stopped before absolute failure on the final set.

Hise shrugs:
2 X 15
245 lbs.
With this, I'm using as a tool to become more and more accustomed to the squat position. I'll continue to incrementally increase the weight week by week, even through cycles. This has a long-term place in my routine.


George and I went out to spar, under boxing rules. Because of his implied reluctance, I made the criteria so that he could hit me full-contact, but I could not do anything except work defense and throw pulled punches at him. I only included the latter to exercise capitalizing on openings in the opponent's guard. It should be noted that, although he's a trained martial artist fully able to throw a punch, he isn't a boxer, and none of this is to his discredit.

I mostly kept my hands low (intentionally) and simply dodged him with effective head movement, but I also did some excellent parries that he never found an answer for. Out of twenty minutes, his glove only fully made contact with my face on one occasion, and square in the jaw, no less. It was a right-hand lead, which breaks the pattern of setting up with a jab. I can't be drawn in to what I perceive as predictability. Anticipate, but don't predict. Simply react.

On occasion, I would throw some combinations, pulling back at the last minute, but they clearly would have gone through. It was very unsatisfying to restrict myself like that, but it was an example of my progress in technique.

There are no complaints with form that I can note, however limited a session that may have been. The biggest problem were my legs. They began to feel like lead after a few minutes. Granted, I've just gotten serious with lower-body lifting these past weeks, but it feels like I need to condition them for better staying-power. It may also be a factor of simply being too tense with them. I'll work on this.

Entry #445

DE lower-body

Shadowboxing warm-up

Hindu squats:
3 X 25
2 X 12

Padded-bar Romanian deadlifts:
4 X 10

Ab circuit

CoC gripper:
3 X 10

Entry #444

ME upper-body

I completed this in an hour, my shortest session for this day yet.

Heavy bag warm-up (good flicking jab today)

Bench press warm-up:
2 X 15
45 lbs.

Floor press:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 275, 310 lbs.
I was in a mental rut again, going through the motions half-asleep, so 275 felt heavier than expected. I punched myself in the face and cleared 310 with much less difficulty.

Military press:
1 X 15
45 lbs.
2 X 6
145 lbs.
There's no pain, but my spine feels dangerously compressed when standing under this. I'll practice the form this week and focus on keeping a straighter posture. It might just be normal pressure, but this would be of benefit either way.

T-bar rows:
5 X 10
90, 185, 195, 195, 195 lbs.

Lateral raises:
3 X 8
35 lb. dumbbells

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, v-ups, leg raises
triple-setted

Entry #443

I could barely shadowbox properly because my legs were so sore. I fought through it and did some light punching on the flimsy standing-bag, more for the stretch than any actual fighting application. I went swimming later at night. Squats underwater are perfect for leg-recovery. I can get a good stretch and increase my flexibility without any stress.

Entry #442

Today was a milestone as far as lower-body training is concerned. Everything was done light, but it's a jump in progress compared to what I was previously capable of post-back trauma.

ME upper-body (though not actually max effort)

Heavy bag warm-up - I had to work in with the old man. He was a beast on it today.

Box squats:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 225, 225 lbs.

Dumbell lunges:
3 X 8
75 lb. dumbbells

Good mornings:
5 X 8
95 lbs.

Chop crunches:
3 X 20

CoC grip work

A good precursor to what the following weeks will bring.

My knuckles were so sore from all of the bag work I've been doing that I could barely close the gripper. I'll spend the next few days shadowboxing and focusing on kicks to give them a break. You're next, shins.

Entry #441

My jabs are becoming much stronger, and, consequently, I'm tiring on the bag quicker. I would have drilled for longer rounds today, but I wanted to save some stamina for lifting later in the evening.

Hooks on the bag need to not be extended so far. Step in and throw; don't reach out and arm-punch. The feet were kept planted where it mattered, however.

DE upper-body

The speed bag is gone. I'm using the gym's heavy bag to warm-up now.

Speed bench:
10 X 3
185 lbs.

Barbell skullcrushers:
4 X 8
115 lbs.

Chin-ups:
5 X 8

Hise shrugs:
2 X 15
225 lbs.

Entry #440

I started off today with rounds on the new bag. The material isn't as brittle as the stiff leather on my old one, so I think this should be less prone to getting tears. The hardness comes from the compacted material more than the prior one; although it's heavier, it's actually skinnier in circumference.

My right hand lead has become more proficient. Even with the added anchor of the unused bag, the entire station shifts from it. I'm facing more towards the center than before now, so less has to go into getting my right across and out.

Effort needs to go into keeping my feet firmly planted with hooks. I have a Joe Frazier habit of leaping into them. When I'm careless, my back foot comes off the ground. I'll make them a focus.

Later, at night, I walked to the track and did a short jump-rope session. After that, I went swimming. I expected it to be harder with the weight I'm at now compared to the last time I went, but it felt no different.

Entry #439

I purchased a new bag from Big 5 today. The heaviest they had was 100 lbs., 25 lbs. more than my old one. That bag is serving as an anchor for the stand; I shoved it in between the supporting beams and it prevents the entire thing from shifting. Rocky Marciano used to work a 300 lb. bag so that he would be trained to apply more power into every punch just to get the thing to move. I'll have to go carcass hunting one of these days.

DE lower-body

This was done at home. No quantitative recording.

Shadowboxing warm-up

Hindu squats:
2 X 25
2 X 12
I was being cautious with my knee, hence the drop. It held up perfectly.

Good mornings:
4 X 10

Crunches:
3 X 12
I held position for a few seconds and threw punches at the climax of each contraction.

CoC gripper:
3 X 10

Entry #438

ME upper-body

Heavy bag warm-up

Floor press:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 275, 305 lbs.
This was surprisingly easy after some precarious form adjustment. At 305, I took off my hooded sweatshirt to gain more traction on the floor. It was also a less automatic set. I made more of a conscious effort to will my arms to explode up faster, and 305 felt as easy as 275. I need to stay sharp throughout training, despite the monotony of long rests between sets. The bar level has also been set too low in the power rack. I nearly did a half rep just at lift-off, which wasn't that big a deal, but especially problematic was reracking the load; at full extension, the barbell would clip the top of the handle edges, causing hesitation upon that portion that would carry-over to much of my final set, killing all possibility of complete force-output without worry of where the bar is in relation to the handles. I raised the height and it made all the difference.

Military press:
1 X 15
45 lbs.
2 X 6
145 lbs.

T-bar rows:
5 X 10
90, 130, 185, 185, 185 lbs.
This was done old-school with a barbell, not a T-bar station, so I began the movement cautiously.

Lateral raises:
2 X 8
35 lb. dumbbells

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, v-ups, leg raises
triple-setted

Heavy bag session

Entry #437

Training has become so routine that I've felt little incentive to make record in the last week. From here on out, I'll have to take a more particular, scientific approach in analysis. I've become comfortable with my style of moving and have done little to alter it. Now, the focus is on becoming more adept with utilizing the maximum amount of force output. In blunt: I'm going to hit harder.

I turned my bag upside down to gain comfortable access to the harder portion. It worked too well. As I was hitting it today, the supporting ring broke off. That makes both sides. I have to buy a new one.

Last Saturday, I helped George out with powerlifting at the gym. It was productive. I saw the old man there again. He was shadowboxing. His punches hit the heavy bag harder and the speed-bag faster than anyone else I've seen there.

Entry #436

DE upper-body

I trained too soon after a big lunch. I was struggling not to throw up between sets.

Speed bag/heavy bag warm-up (bare knuckle)

Clean and press:
6 X 3
135 lbs.
This weight felt very light, but the full-body movement and short rest periods proved taxing on my cardio. Form was excellent. I actually positioned my feet in the standard snatch stance this time, as opposed to parallel.
Note: Deadlifting 135 posed zero pain. It's time to reintroduce the deadlift.

Barbell skullcrushers:
4 X 8
115 lbs.

Pull-ups:
3 X 8     1 X 5
These were the best pull-ups I've ever done. I felt like a feather on the first set, able to hold each rep at the top with ease, chin well over the bar, before returning to a complete hang.

Hise shrugs:
3 X 15
225 lbs.
And again, this weight felt fine on my knees and back. I won't jump right in at a heavy weight, but this is a good week.

The gym was packed with high school aquaintances that I did well in ignoring, but Jeff was among the horde, and he expressed further interest in "stand-up training", as he put it. He got my number (again). I won't expect much to come out of this, but let it be said.

Entry #435

I went on a long trek with George up to Lexington and back on Friday (he wasn't up for training). Afterwards, we stood outside his house and argued for two hours straight over philosophy. My legs got a good pump, and my ankles and knees held up completely. I may have full squat capability, at this point.

Studying has occupied my weekend (for leisure, not school). I'm also rereading Professor McGill's publication on lower-back loading effects and consequences. Physical training resumes tomorrow.

Entry #434

With the advent of the California weather rising up into triple digits, I've made sure to add on an extra shirt to my usual double layer of a t-shirt and sweatshirt, hood pulled up and all. Anything less would be letting the heat win.

Training brings an uncomfortable element, which is apt for my purposes. What isn't is how much softer the bag becomes. Mewing weakling. I started off by waiting until the hottest part of the day to work the heavy bag, but the patio prevents ample sunlight from filtering in, unfortunately.

Notes:

> Strive for longer rounds. I'm getting better and better at working through fatigue. My strikes never lose snap. Form must be payed attention to the more it sets in, however.

> Utilize more head movement.

> Roll the shoulders more. They should be thrusted out in conjunction with the hips. Don't think of the body as having separate compartments. Everything must work together.

The latter is the focus of critique. All in all, there needs to be less arm punching.

Later, at night, I walked to the track and did a DE session almost exclusively with bodyweight exercises. The exception were front raises. These were done with track hurdles. I would have used an actual human track runner, but they were nowhere to be found.

Entry #433

I added more weight plates onto the bag stand, and it still tips over slightly when I throw hooks. The only thing left is to buy a heavier bag. There's a hole at the bottom of this one, patched up with duct tape, so that was in order anyways.

To evaluate, my form continues to improve. My hands only drop when I want them to, and my footwork is much more stable, with the feet kept firmly planted for better utilization of power. Initially, I thought that my fists should be kept less compressed, if today was any indication. In basic 1-2's, one hand would clip the other returning to its spot. All that really needs to be done is to adopt a more parallel path and to face the opponent accordingly to accomodate. This will also produce more power, with less angles being present to work around. I can do this without being overly linear in my movement.

Entry #432

I wrote a poem tonight.

He's the most renowned in the world today,
To such a degree that no one can say.
It's his destiny to become so great,
And to make people realize the nature of fate.
The critics will scoff,
Pining for proof,
And when he delivers,
They'll be red from their goof.
With his charisma, desire and will,
There's nothing impossible, failure at nill.
This kid is the one at the mountaintop,
When he climbs, the rest rise up.
Criminals will hear and take to better cause,
Wars will be interrupted and placed on pause.
His talent, technique, charm and dilligence
Will inspire politicians to put forth some intelligence.
The world will wake up at the impact made,
And the stars in the heavens will turn dim and fade,
For he is the sun among the rest in the sky,
And when he shines, all other lights die.
But who can be this talented unknown?
None other than the author of a prophetic tone.
For I am the man that this poem is about,
The next champ of the world, there isn't a doubt.

Entry #431

ME upper-body

Speed/heavy bag warm-up

Floor press:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 275 lbs.
1 X 2
305 lbs.
On this, the barbell clipped the edge of the hanger, and all momentum was lost. I was lying too far north underneath. The load felt relatively light, however. I'll return to it next week.

Overhead dumbbell press:
1 X 15
25 lb. dumbbells
1 X 8   1 X 7   1 X 5
85 lb. dumbbells

Bent-over barbell rows:
2 X 10   1 X 5
155 lbs.
This posed early fatigue. Marked for vengeance.

Lateral raises:
3 X 8
35 lb. dumbbells

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, v-ups, leg raises
triple-setted

Speed bag session

Entry #430

I stopped by Big 5 today to pick up a pair of hybrid bag/sparring gloves and some knee braces. George will have no excuse now with this extra pair.

Entry #429

My internet connection was down for the entirety of yesterday, so there was no entry.

DE upper-body

Push-presses:
8 X 3
155 lbs.

Barbell skull crushers:
4 X 8
110 lbs.

Pull-ups:
1 X 8
1 X 7
1 X 6
2 X 5

I didn't finish on time. A kid needed me to spot him, and I ended up spending twenty minutes giving him advice on how to powerlift. I'm content with the distraction if the time was spent productively in helping somebody.

A mere entry falls short of doing justice to the amount of training I've done the past two days.

Entry #428

I've hung the speed-bag, but a new problem arose. It doesn't bounce without the added stability of placing weight plates on the top of the platform, which fall off after a few seconds. I'll tighten the bolts tomorrow to see if that's the issue.

DE lower-body

Hindu squats:
5 X 10
These served as apt rehabilitation. My knee hurt upon the first set and felt better with the ensuing ones.

Good mornings:
4 X 12
These were done with plates. My barbell is still out of commission. Weakling.

Strike crunches:
3 X 12

CoC grip work:
3 X 10

Entry #427

I've lost strength. Excellent news. I welcome a challenge.

I've also lost weight. I'm down to 227. My diet will have to be stronger. I'll aim for eight meals a day. Despite that, only one lift suffered.

ME upper-body

Bench press:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 265, 285 lbs.
This was harder than usual. In particular, 225 felt heavier. I walked away from the noise to sit on a bench outside the gym, and then walked back in. My performance was improved after that (the rest period was no longer than the others). Next week, I'll cycle in floor presses for augmentation.

Military press:
1 X 15
45 lbs.
1 X 6
1 X 4
135 lbs.
1 X 10
45 lbs.
This suffered significantly. My muscles had sizzled by this time.

Seated dumbbell rows:
5 X 10
65 lb. dumbbells

Lying lateral raises:
2 X 8
30 lb. dumbbells

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, v-ups, leg raises
triple-setted

Speed bag + heavy bag session

I practiced bodyweight squats and deadlifts in between several sets, but my right knee proved problematic.

The applied technique on the bags post-session was extremely sharp and quick, despite fatigue.

Next week, I'll be at full power.

Entry #426

The day before yesterday, I wrenched my back while finishing on the hanger construction. I was put out of commision for the remainder of the day and yesterday. Today, I completed it. My back is much better now. This myriad of injuries is annoying, but I'm impressed by my body's resilience in recovering. 

I hung the heavy bag and the situation is worlds better than before. I can actually move around it and get in close now. The speed-bag swivel was shoddily designed, however. The hook is mechanically closed. Every speed bag that I have seen ends in a closed loop, and it's impossible to hang up the two that I already have. I'm going to disassemble the swivel mechanism from the other platform that I purchased a few years ago and apply it to the new one.

My knee almost gave out today mid-squat as I was lifting up the heavy bag to hang. I redeemed myself a few hours later by doing it with no pain, although I was careful not to shift as much weight on the problematic knee. My ankle on that same leg has also been in pain for the last couple of days for reasons unbeknownst to me. The road to redemption from here is long, but that's what makes greatness what it is.

Edit: my lingering ankle pain has completely subsided in a matter of hours. I know I'm great, but now I can't even control it.

Entry #425

I've finished the majority of the building process for the bag stand. It took nearly the entire day because the instructions labeled several steps out of order. I had to rescrew everything already in at one point. It was also a solo job so the task of holding up parts in one hand and tightening them with another involved some strategy. Now, it's looking very satisfiable. Rather than move it out in the open, exposed to the elements, I'm instead going to remove my useless weight bench to make space for it in the patio.

The construction involved a lot of squatting. My knees and back held up aptly.

Entry #424

I stopped by Big 5 today and purchased a heavy bag stand. It also includes a speed bag platform. I look forward to setting it up tomorrow. It'll be placed out of the patio and in the middle of the lawn to allow more dynamic movement when training with it.

Along with that, I also bought a pair of 12 oz. gloves, a pair of knee braces, and two training pants. All are far too small and must be returned. I should have chosen the 16 oz. ones from the start to match the pair that I already have, but I wanted to give George an advantage by using the thinner pair against me when we box.

Entry #423

I'm still in the midst of organizing everything. Sasquatch responded with this:

"I know a good beach area and a couple of motels where we can get a room away from everyone else"

I had no idea that they had fight rings in motel rooms.

I'm not accepting this person's terms. If he tried to pull something on me, I would have to physically resist, and I don't want a dead man on my hands.

If he does not wish to accept a public location, then the fight is off.

Entry #422

This is almost the end of a three-day lapse from training due to the final days of school for the semester and the assignments it brings. Mental training supplements physical, so no time is being wasted. I was planning on going to Big 5 to purchase a bag rack, but that will have to wait until next weekend.

One benefit derived from this situation is that I can drill low kicks on the downed bag, something that I could never optimally do.

Entry #421

Somebody smashed their car into my dad's garage door last night and drove off without leaving any acknowledgement. I didn't see who it was, but I found out by questioning various neighbors, getting an address from a witness, matching the dimensions of a notably-scathed car in the written neighborhood with the perimeter of the hole, overlaying a picture of each to reveal the match, forcing out a confession, and officiating a payment plan with the authorities, all in less than two hours, and without the aid of a single nunchaku.

The severity of this could have been worse had I been working near the door at the incident. Their car would have been totaled.

Entry #420

My dad wants to take down the heavy bag from the roof and buy a stand for it. He said that he was sleeping in his room on the third story of our house when his bed started shaking from me hitting it. I concurred. That would be a much better set-up; I'd be able to utilize actual footwork and movement with a different location.

DE lower-body

I used the unmarked weights in my backyard. I didn't care to estimate the pounds. I just used what felt right.

Everything was done barefoot.

Box-squats:
10 X 3
That's 10 sets of three, not vice-versa. Mid-set, I realized the short length of my barbell was forcing my hands too closely to one another, so I released my hold to move my grip beyond the plate and grab the end of the bar. As soon as I let go, the bar whipped back like a spring, beyond my reach. I was supporting it on one shoulder, so I whipped it over my head and onto the ground to reset my form. In doing so, two of the plates clamped down on a piece of my pinky finger. I'm certainly not one to fuss over a finger cut, but it was practically a blood bath. It was awesome. It didn't have any affect on my ability to grip the weights, so I was able to continue.
The barbell did not come out as unscathed, being of a much more frail being than myself. It was destroyed. I won, although there's a large chunk of my finger missing. I should go look for it.

Good mornings:
5 X 12
I had to do these with stacked plates because the barbell was M.I.A. What a weakling.

Crunches:
3 X 20
At the climax of each rep, I would hold the position and throw some combinations. This tired my midsection more than normal.

Grip work with the trainer:
3 X 5
My gushing finger made this more difficult. It's a great technique.

Entry #419

I received two more replies to my invitation. One is from a man about 80 lbs. lighter than I am and a few inches shorter, with very little experience. The other is a much bigger fellow, smaller than me, but with a claim of an extensive background in "Karate, Jujutsu, and Ninjutsu" (sic). Him and the first responder, who shall be named Sasquatch for now, George, Jeff, and Dan make a decent-sized group. I will invite the beginner if he feels comfortable, but, otherwise, some private drills and sparring would be apt with him. I have to organize the set-up and send back confirmations to everyone, but, whatever the case, I'm definitely going to fight Sasquatch above all.

ME upper-body

> Two factors stood against me. I've been cycled off of creatine for about two weeks now, and, more notably, rest-times were reduced by a drastic amount for today. To illustrate, this particular session usually takes 110 minutes. I completed it in about an hour, with little compensation.

Bench press:
5 X 3
135, 185, 225, 265, 285 lbs.

Overhead dumbbell press:
1 X 15
30 lb. dumbbells   
1 X 7
85 lb. dumbbells
1 X 3
85 lb. dumbbells

Seated dumbbell rows:
5 X 10
65 lb. dumbbells

Lateral raises:
3 X 8
35 lb. dumbbells

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, v-ups, leg raises
triple-setted

Speed bag session

Entry #418

I was browsing CraigsList.com last night to help me get bored enough to fall asleep (it was a school night), and I decided to post a personal of my own. I called to attention anybody willing to fight me. To my surprise, I got a response. According to the e-mail, he is in "know of a couple good places" to do it at. He's 6'1, 240 lbs., and 36 years old.

More to develop.

Entry #417

I returned to the track slightly later than usual, but, luckily, the fence was unlocked. Shadowboxing was prime. My hands were practically glued to my face; they never dropped unbeknownst to me when I didn't want them to.

Review:

> Keep toes pointed in direction that head and shoulders are facing. I have a habit of standing them to the side. Twisting the torso thus creates harmful friction in the knees.

> Roll the non-lead shoulder more upon a strike.

> Keep hooks, and, to a less extent, upper-cuts, closer to the body. They should move as an extension of the torso, not as independent limbs.

I finished with a few sets of ATG hindu squats.

Water intake is much more satisfactory. I'm drinking well over a gallon a day. I need to drink two.

Entry #416

To recount from the last entry, I did not make it in time for track training that day. However, training of the mind is just as important as training of the body.

I've been taking Cytogainer for breakfast. The amount in the container isn't as good a deal as ON's product, but a change was needed.

My back got wrenched from skateboarding yesterday. I'll keep doing what I've been doing.

Entry #415

Tomorrow will be a day off due to the amount of homework I have to finish. I can use this to my advantage. I'm still sore from last week, and I most likely would not be able to provide my utmost potential. This can be considered as a deload week.

If I work efficiently, I should still be able to make it to track training by 2030 tomorrow.

Entry #414

Today was supposed to be squats, but I was able to tell that my knees were not up to the task merely from warming up with bodyweight sets. I walked home. The form practice was worthwhile in itself. In retrospect, I probably could have done light deadlifts without issue. That was completely beyond me at the time.

I have a number of policies to implement before I cut down to a more comfortable weight. First and foremost, I've been supplementing with Champion Nutrition's "ProFlex", which is simply an embarassing title for a glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin tablet.

I've been shadowboxing daily to the point that recording each session would be like writing everytime I eat.

Entry #413

RE upper-body

Lingering soreness from the prior session affected today's performance.

Push-ups:
2 X 20
Weighted:
2 X 10
1 X 8
25 lbs.

Skull crushers:
3 X 6
50 lb. dumbbells

Pull-ups:
1 X 10
1 X 8
1 X 6
2 X 4

Hise shrugs:
3 X 15
225 lbs.

I returned to the track later at night, but the fence was locked.

Entry #412

ME upper-body

Floor press:
X 20 - 135 lbs.
X 12 - 185 lbs.
X 8 - 225 lbs.
X 4 - 265 lbs.
X 3 - 300 lbs.
The weight was pyramided to increase the difficulty. Using this method makes triples on bench press seem like nothing.

Military press:
X 15 - 45 lbs.
3 X 6 - 135 lbs.

Seated cable row:
5 X 10
160 lbs.

Plate flyes:
3 X 10
25 lb. plates
This was a page out of Pudzianowski's book. Stabilizing the weight to be held straight out was hell on my forearms.

Abdominal circuit:
chop-crunches, reverse crunches, and leg raises

Afterwards, I went to the track to practice forms, as I have been doing everynight now.

Entry #411

Today was productive. I tried working the heavybag, but the more my footwork improves and the more mobile I become, the harder it is to train effectively on it. I need to find a better solution to its placement. I opted for shadowboxing.

At night, I walked to the high school for more shadowboxing, this time in the rain. There was a school dance in session, but it was of no conflict. I had the entire darkness of the track to myself.

Running home felt good. My joints and my back feel perfect. With this approach, I can bulk up to 240 and beyond. With that said, I'm going to take another week off from heavy deadlifts and squats to ensure no chance of injury repeating itself. In the meantime, practicing the movements will continue to be done daily.

I dedicate this kick to Cro Cop.

Entry #410

My knees felt painful. After a night walk, they felt perfect again. I shadowboxed the length of it, focusing on keeping proper balance.

More intensive cardio begins tomorrow. This will be a daily session. I want to have conditioning year round.

Entry #409

I opted for no assistance work today. There was a mild case of "tennis elbow" after benching. It'll be fixed by next week.

Bench press was at 285 lbs. for three reps. It was even easier than last time. I definitely could have done more, but this is the last week before everything is cycled through.

Entry #408

Notes for study (Dempsey, "Straight Punching From the Whirl"):

Muscles of the shoulders, back, stomach and legs cooperate in achieving
the whirl. Also, the process is assisted by shifting the weight from
one leg to the other. You need concern yourself only with the shoulder
motions. Nature will supervise the assisting muscles and movements.

You can best understand the
straight-punching whirl by feeling
it out-without using a target. Stand in the middle of a room with your
feet even (on sideways line) and comfortably separated. Place your
relaxed hands in easy guarding positions before each breast (Figure 18A).

Turn your shoulders easily to your own
left and, at the same
time, extend your right fist to the chin of an imaginary opponent. As
your right fist moves toward the opponent's chin, turn the fist so that
it will land palm-down. 

Meanwhile, your left shoulder is well back, and
your relaxed left hand is still in front of your left breast. Aim at left
hand at the spot occupied by your extended right fist.

Now, SUDDENLY WHIRL YOUR SHOULDERS TO
YOUR RIGHT, AND LET THE
SHOULDER-WHIRL SHOOT YOUR LEFT FIST STRAIGHT AT THE SPOT JUST OCCUPIED
BY YOUR RIGHT FIST.

Be sure you let the whirl shoot your
fist instead of letting
your projecting left arm pull your left shoulder around. As your left
fist shoots at the imaginary target, turn your hand so that the fist
lands palm-down. Meanwhile, your right hand returns to its relaxed
guarding position before your right breast.

Practice that shoulder whirl on the bag.
Shoot one fist, then
the other-bang!-bang!-bang!-bang!-until you are striking out with a
rhythmic motion of the shoulders. Your shoulders should be swinging
back and forth like the handle bars of a bicycle. Do not move the feet.
Be sure that you explode each punch, MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOUR SHOULDERS
ARE DRIVING THE PUNCHES; THAT THE PUNCHES ARE NOT PULLING THE SHOULDERS.

That position-with the feet on an even
line-is ideal for
throwing straight punches from the whirl.

Unfortunately, however, that ideal
position is not your normal
punching position. Consequently, we'll have to return to your normal
punching stance and try the whirling straight punches from that
position.

In the middle of the room, take your
normal stance, with your
hands in normal guarding positions. Practice the shoulder whirl easily
at first, without the bag. As your shoulders whip from side to side,
you'll note that your left leg acts as a pivot, above which your torso
and shoulders whirl (Figure 19A and B).

If you toe-in slightly with the left
foot, you'll get greater
freedom in the whirl from left to right-the whirl that shoots out your
left fist. And that particular whirl needs any assistance it can get.
When you're in normal position, your guarding left shoulder is so well
forward that you can't give it much whirl in shooting the left jab. You
can't unless you draw back the left shoulder. And if you do that you
may get your brains knocked out.

It's okay to use a slight toe-in with
the left foot; but keep
it slight. If you toe-in sharply, you may sprain or break your left
ankle when you do the falling step. Moreover, the more freedom you give
the whirl for your left jab with the toe-in, the less freedom you allow
the reverse whirl for your straight right. That's true despite the fact
that your left leg is serving as a pivot.

EACH SINGLE STRAIGHT PUNCH OF THE
WHIRLING TYPE WHETHER A LEAD
OR A COUNTER MUST BE DELIVERED FROM THE NORMAL PUNCHING POSITION.

Entry #407

I received the CoC trainer in the mail. Coincidentally, I seem to have lost the #1. I might have to rebuy it.

My diet consistency has wavered. I will be back on track tomorrow by sacrificing a meal to sleep early tonight.

Entry #406

Weigh-in: 228 lbs.

ME upper-body

I benched 285 lbs. for 3 reps. It was very easy. The rest of today's session was more or less identical to last week's.

Next week, all lifts will be cycled.

Entry #405

I started out on squats well, but at 185, my back began to feel stiff and my right knee started to ache, so I reracked for the day. Steady, smart progression like this is key. My knee is fine now, but my back is a bit sore, though nowhere near to the critical degree of what I've gone through in past weeks. When given thought, it isn't unusual. Squats have become an unaccustomed movement for my body. I'm going to practice them everyday with just the bar, along with deadlifts.

Instead, I worked the heavybag, bare-knuckle. My form was better, and there were no mistakes. The speed-bag was flat, but I found it worthwhile to hit it like a regular bag to practice aim. This felt even felt more productive than using it the way it's intended to be.

I also ordered the trainer CoC gripper. I'm not proficient enough with the #1.