Topic: CptBongue's training log

[David Glass]

Thanks, BTay

As the day progresses, I'm starting to realize that with the exception of some minor shoulder issues, I'm feeling fine.

I hope in tomorrow's gym trip, I'll have more energy. If so, I'll call my problems over.

I'm even going to practice some vaults tonight. That's gotta be an indication of something.

BTW... I'm planning on furthering my transition to crossfit. It just seems more intense and less time consuming, which is what I really need (more time to do parkour)

[David Glass]

I've failed to mention in the past that I also do about 30 minutes of stretching every morning while I'm drinking coffee.

I only do about 4 stretching movements, but I'm looking to expand. Here's what I do:

- 1 foot toe touching while on the floor. I grab the base of my foot to the point where I'm stretching calves, hamstrings, glutes and maybe lower back
- Butterflies: I'm almost able to bring my chest to my feet while my knees are on the floor.
- Kneel cuadricep stretches: I don't know what these are called, but I get on my knees and lean back until I am resting on my elbows and my hands are grabbing my feet. I also rest my neck so that I am looking in opposite direction to where my knees are pointing.

I sustain all of these, no jerking, until I find the pain unbearable. Then I switch to another stretch and do the same. I'll iterate through all these until it's time to hit the gym.

If you guys can help with the names, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, if you'd like to recommend some stretching exercizes, maybe some you like to do, that would be great too.

I'm having some trouble with splits. I can only open my legs in about a 90 degree angle (yes I know that's terrible). I haven't insisted too much because of some hip problems I had a couple of weeks back, but I think it's time. If you want to recommend something to help attain a wider split, I'm all ears!

[David Glass]

I tried some lazies on the barrier I built tonight.

I have been overly anxious to get my PK into gear, to the extent that I have been reluctant to make the modifications deep down inside, I know have to be made.

Today I learned the hard way that a barrier that's too high is good for practicing vault on, not for learning. The barrier is in essence too high, about a foot over my waist. To make matters worse, I am following Ozzi's tutorial on Lazy vaults. I still think his method is the best, but the barrier is not suited for it without modifications.

In essence, learning the Lazy Vault consists of kicking your leading leg over the barrier, while sostaining your body weight on one arm until the trailing leg follows. Because for starters you'll probably have difficulty getting the trailing leg over, the tutorial calls for leaning the trailing leg and gradually moving it higher until you eventually make it over.

My barrier only has a low base you can lean the trailing foot on, so, you will eventually have to go all the way, so when I tried, the trailing leg didn't make it and swung below the border I was holding on do. In essence I fell back.

I am glad I have been working so hard on my shoulders, because my right shoulder landed on the 6'' high barrier foundation (as I fell I actually thought 'not the neck, please'), and the rest of my body on the floor. I contribute the fact that I didn't really hurt myself because by contracting the shoulder, I was able to absorb the impact. I feel no pain whatsoever, but there will probably be some bruising

I'm probably going to keep my current barrier for when I'm more skilled and build another one that's lower, has no gaps so it's more like a wall structure, and make it wider. I might even go for a full 8 foot width.

After the fall, I tried another couple of times, mostly out of frustration, realizing it's only monday, I've already gone a week without training, and will have to wait until saturday until I'm able to build the other barrier. Bleh!

I went to training on the paralettes I built, trying to transition into a handstand. That'll take a while, but it was to be expected. That was also cut short: time to unpack the suitcase

[David Glass]

Summary:

- I'm back in action
- For those of you who think your advice has fallen onto deaf ears *caugh* Steve *caugh*  I've finally substituted bicep curls for cleans

Today's workout:

4 rounds of
Bench press with 210 lbs, sets of 10
Cleans with 95 lbs, sets of 4
Declined situps, sets of 15

4 rounds of
Inclined bench press with 135 lbs, sets of 6
Cleans with 75 lbs, sets of 6 (yes I did 8 sets total)
Leg raises

3 rounds of
Declined bench press with 135 lbs, sets of 10
Crunches

My stamina is back with me, so I'm over the cold I guess. Left shoulder gave me some trouble through the first sets of bench presses, but I was fine afterwards

[David Glass]

Exciting night for me!

Since my fall on the obstacle I built, I have been keeping away from it as I thought it needed some modifications to make it safer. So I spent some time working on my parallettes, trying to transition into a handstand.

Although I did make some progress, this was by no means the highlite of the evening. At one point, a light bulb turned on. I thought of placing one paralette in front of the other, rather than side by side. If it could sustain my weight, I might be able to learn to cat balance. It did, and I did. After about 4 or 5 tries, I began separating the parallettes further and further, and began to feel comfortable enough to begin lifting my center of gravity.

I'll practice this for a week, then I'll actually do some cat balance walking on a real rale!

[David Glass]

Today I went for a jog. Usually 4 miles is an easy task for me, but I found my legs were weak after mondays squats and yesterday's cleans. I just didn't have it in me after about 2.5 miles, so instead, I walked a bit and did about 2 full speed sprints of about 250 feet.

Nothing to write home about, but I guess as my legs become more accostumed to the drilling, I'll get back to my usual distances

[Nom]

Grats on the cat balance thing! That one's tough for me; I always end up just tipping over to one side or another after a while. Sounds like your conditioning is going well, glad those cleans gave you a workout. Keep it up Cpt'.

[David Glass]

Grats on the cat balance thing! That one's tough for me; I always end up just tipping over to one side or another after a while. Sounds like your conditioning is going well, glad those cleans gave you a workout. Keep it up Cpt'.

Thanks, Nom!

Well now you know what to do if you want to practice in front of the TV or something: Build yourself a couple of parallettes, put them in front of eachother, and work on it there 

[Nom]

Sounds like a plan, you have any plans for them? I suppose I could look them up on the internet, but I think I'd like to use the same ones as you.

[Kevin Davies]

Do the parellets flex at all under your weight?  I have been thinking about building some, but I have had some unfortunate experiences with pvc  breaking and slicing my hand before, so I am a little scared (I am assuming you made these ones using the description on the American Parkour site).

[David Glass]

Tacoman,

Not at all! There is a trick, and that is not to make them too long. I think the longest part of PVC is only abuot 1.5 feet long, this is the portion I put my hands on. The others, which make up the T Shape of the base, are about 0.5 feet long. In retrospect, I should have probably douled up the height.

When doing the cat balance, I could hear an eventual tic. I'm guessing this is a bit of the cement giving way for my 225 lbs, most of which are an a single parallette (the one I have my feet on) when I'm doing the cat balance.

[David Glass]

One step forward, two steps back


This is becoming a theme now. I have to admit I'm feeling frustrated today. Yesterday I incorporated roll drills into my evening practice. When I went to bed, I noticed my shoulder, which has been improving throughout the week, was sore again, maybe even worse than before.

I thought to myself "What did I do now, that I wasn't doing in the past two weeks". You guessed it: rolls.

When at the gym this morning, I asked if they had a sports doctor. They did, and I mimicked the move I do when I do a roll, applying pressure on a table as if it we the ground... "POP!"

I did it again "POP" again.

Tomorrow I'm seeing a doctor, but most likely, I'll have to lay off of any upper body stuff for a couple of weeks. I'll probably going back to isolated biceps and triceps for my upper body (I'll be limited to that), and all lower and core... Hopefully not for long. BUt no rolls, no vaults, maybe only precisions

[Nom]

Oh man!
I'm sorry to hear that Cpt, let us know how it goes.

[Kevin Davies]

That stinks Cpt.  It is good thing you have the wisdom to know when to lay off.  It so tempting to want to push through these thing.  Don't give up hope.

[David Glass]

Thanks!

Too bad I didn't have that wisedome before. I thought I could tough out of it, but last night it got worse, so I took a step back

It was only getting better until last night.

Update: It seems it is my Supraspinatus

No idea what to expect in terms of recovery or treatment.

[David Glass]

Wooooooooooooot!!!!

Diagnosis: Ibuprofen is my friend (for a week)

Lay off upper body and pop 9 ibuprofen for a week and I should be fine. Whew!!! Close one!

My shoulder is much better today, in fact, doctor said I should be fine in a couple of days, but advised me to lay off upper body for a week, just to keep it safe, and BOY do I plan to!

Today I was feeling kind of down before my diagnosis, so I decided to pamper myself with a cheese bagel, some fried eggs, turkey and swiss cheese, topped off with lots of orange juice and a couple of cookies (I decided I wanted something to make me feel good). Heck, now that I think of it, I should have had chocolate milk... maybe later 

I'm going to need advice on working my rear shoulders when all this is over. Evidently there is a huge disparity in strength between my rear shoulder and my lateral and front shoulder (the difference is noticeable even from far away).

Doctor gave me advice on a couple of isolated movements, but since I have begun the trend to keep away from isolated movements, I wanted to here from you guys.

So, what do you do to work the rear shoulder?

I am really grateful to all of you for your support!

[Nom]

Wahooo!

Behind the neck pullups are your friend if you can do them. Obviously not for a week, glad to hear it's nothing serious. I'd say for this week work on leg conditioning. By the sounds of your vault troubles I think a good remedy will just be some extra leg strength.

[David Glass]

Jogged 7, almost 8 miles today

Since I was decomissioned by my shoulder, I've been really misbehaving. Having beer, hamburgers, ice cream. I think I made up for it a bit, but tomorrow it's back to dieting.

I'll probably hit the gym tomorrow and do some legs... Although my shoulder doesn't hurt me, it is still cracking every now and then, so I'll hold off any upper body until next week

[David Glass]

Nothing big today

Did 15 minutes of elliptical, then some leg presses, situps and biceps (on machine to prevent weight on my shoulders)

Shoulder has literally no pain, just a pop every now and then... 6 days to go!

[Nom]

That elliptical stuff is pretty wild, my mother got one and uses it all the time. How does it compare to a stationary cycle?