Topic: Ryan's Training Journal

[Ryan Danks]

I haven't had much success with consistency, but I'll try the online journal method. Maybe having this up will keep me motivated just by knowing that others may be watching.

I'm 27 yrs. old and am new to parkour (actually I've been a groupie for quite a while, but I'm giving it a go now). For those of you unfamiliar with my "Newbie Needs Help" thread, I'm starting from scratch here. My body is conditioned well enough to handle the very basic moves of martial arts. I have extensive knowledge and experience in that area, but for the last couple of years I have been focusing on theories, letting my conditioning and skill go to the wayside, which, by the way, I'm ending here and now.

So now that I've established that I'm starting from rock bottom, I'll lay out my goals. For my first stage, I'm going to use the Animal Workouts from Urban Freeflow. The goals outlined there are very similar to my own, and they have a very good structure to go about attaining them. This choice came about from the comparisons made with suggestions for my other thread, and a few additional sources, as well as a complete evaluation of my goals.

My overall goals are to:
- Obtain the physical fitness necessary to perform the APK and CF WoDs as prescribed.
- Be able to perform the basic parkour movements (everything in the tutorial video).
- Be able to run a mile in 6 min (my best was 5:30 in highschool).
- Be able to touch my toes and do the splits both ways (never been able to do either).

I have other goals, but they are unrelated to either fitness or parkour so I'll not list them to save on space .

Here is the link to the workouts I'll be performing: http://www.urbanfreeflow.com/2009/02/04/animal-workouts

The first stage (Gibbon) has this listed as the goals:
6+Pull-ups.
10+ Inverted Rows.
4+ Pistol Squats each leg.
30 push ups in a minute.

As of right now, I measure up as:
3 Pull-ups
14 Inverted Rows
1 Pistol Squats each leg.
35 Push-ups in a minute.

A few are above, some are below.

To make my goals SMART (acronym), I'll place a time restraint of 1 month. I'll take the test (try to hit all of the values above) on Oct 10th.

[Spencer B]

My overall goals are to:
- Obtain the physical fitness necessary to perform the APK and CF WoDs as prescribed.
- Be able to perform the basic parkour movements (everything in the tutorial video).
- Be able to run a mile in 6 min (my best was 5:30 in highschool).
- Be able to touch my toes and do the splits both ways (never been able to do either).

Ummm... Sorry... Splits will take more than a month unless you're already really flexible.

The mile is definately possible, especially with a lot of metcon.

Number two is definately possible too. But that's all skill work, and to get skill with a technique, you must practise that technique.

You will get better at performing the CF and APK WOD's by scaling them for your level and actually doing the CF and APK wods. 

[Ryan Danks]

Ummm... Sorry... Splits will take more than a month unless you're already really flexible.

The month limit was to meet the Gibbon goals. The others are my end goals. Part of the overall process.

Once I'm done with the Animal Workouts, its on to trying the WoDs.

[Spencer B]

Ummm... Sorry... Splits will take more than a month unless you're already really flexible.

The month limit was to meet the Gibbon goals. The others are my end goals. Part of the overall process.

Once I'm done with the Animal Workouts, its on to trying the WoDs.

Ohhh... Well what are you going for with those animal workouts?

[Ryan Danks]

An increase in basic strength and muscle density. The Chimp also has a metcon workout that I assume is performed on off days. Kind of a crash course to boost my mental confidence as much as my physical ability. I'm not concerned with moving quickly, only in moving.

[Spencer B]

Well... It's just that i read that, and some of the stuff on there is pretty ineffectual, and some of it is dubious...

Like, how does increasing your endurance with pushups help increase your overall strength? Answer? It really doesn't.

But hey, you seem to like this program, and if it's something you can stick too, then more power to you. 

[Ryan Danks]

For the last few years, I have been plagued with "Analysis Paralysis." Wanting to make entirely sure that my next step is utterly perfect. I've changed the focus and the routine so many times, often before doing anything.

Now, I'm doing something. Is path A better than B? I'm picking one and taking it. By action I'll find what works best and what doesn't. Theories and "scientific data" have perpetuated the problem for too long.

I'm getting out of my rut. I'm going to gather enough energy from physical activity to provoke a semblance of life from myself. Then, once I'm actually doing something, I'll worry about whether or not I'm doing it right.

Hopefully that makes sense to anyone besides me.

[Spencer B]

For the last few years, I have been plagued with "Analysis Paralysis." Wanting to make entirely sure that my next step is utterly perfect. I've changed the focus and the routine so many times, often before doing anything.

Now, I'm doing something. Is path A better than B? I'm picking one and taking it. By action I'll find what works best and what doesn't. Theories and "scientific data" have perpetuated the problem for too long.

I'm getting out of my rut. I'm going to gather enough energy from physical activity to provoke a semblance of life from myself. Then, once I'm actually doing something, I'll worry about whether or not I'm doing it right.

Hopefully that makes sense to anyone besides me.

It makes plenty of sense, but at the same time it is horribly illogical. I too took every step slowly, ensuring my form was nigh-perfect and I was doing it right. It lead to constant frustration and sorrow, but I have realised that it was not all for naught. I understand this. But what I don't understand is why you had to change your workout so much and so often... My goals stayed the same all-throughout, even as I was constantly changing my approach to ensure everything was going right, it was still the same. And as for theories and "scientific data", how about anecdotel evidence? If you've read extensively in the general fitness forums, then you would see what I'm talking about... But again... If you can stick with this plan, then all the better... It's more beneficial to have something than nothing.