Pre Race Training - Gym

Clipper Crew Mate in the News!!!

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Read all about my friend and crew mate Elaine Kirton in her hometown paper: http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/4231833./ Way to go Elaine!!!Her blog: http://neptunecalling.blog.com/

Pub Crawl Training . . . and More!

Monday, March 16th, 2009

We have been working on Tabata intervals and Interval/Lactic training.  Also, the Kettlebell exercises have now moved on to Phase III (uses a lot of combinations of exercises). 

•                    
•             
• 

 

More Clipper Fitness Training

Monday, March 9th, 2009

Here are some additional photos of some of the exercises I have been doing.  This morning, it really didn’t help that I am suffering from some Post-Yellow-Fever-Vaccination-itis and just want to crawl back into bed - but I went to the gym anyway.  

•  
•               
•                    
•             
•                 

 

First You Must Row A Little Boat (or Row Like Roz!)

Monday, March 9th, 2009

• Well, this really has nothing to do with the Clipper Race, but it was in a boat and on the water!  Last Sunday, I took a rowing clinic at the South End Rowing Club ( a really cool place!) in SF.  My friend and club member Karsten (we have known each other almost our whole lives!) took me out in a single that was over 100 years old.  Somehow, I wasn’t too terrible and didn’t sink or hit anything!  It was a lot of fun — but I certainly won’t be rowing across the Pacific (like Roz Savage) anytime soon.
•                

 

NO QUARTER (certainly a violation of Article 23 of the Hague Conventions)

Friday, February 27th, 2009

•                            

•  I am in week 6 of no alcohol, sugar (I rarely eat sugar anyway), and bread, and week 5 of Clipper fitness training with SuperDave.   After many early morning visits to the gym, I am still not a morning person.   I  am now very aware that such a drastic change will never occur in my lifetime!  I will temporarily fall off the wagon for a short period of time when my Clipper mates arrive next week for more Race recruiting.  Please forgive me, in advance, for this unavoidable detour.  I may just have to have a grass fed hamburger, too.

•  Attached are a few photos of this morning’s session.  We have upgraded to kettlebells ON the Bosu Ball.  Why do I have the feeling that I need a helmet to do some of these exercises or that SuperDave is really trying to kill me?  

• I still need to post a photo of the squats —  with elastic bands (West Side Barbell Club style: www.westside-barbell.com) and, once again, ON a Bosu Ball.

•  I feel great.  I am definitely stronger and even faster (which is hard to believe as I always feel like I only have two speeds: on and off).   Now, if I could only figure out how to sleep at night, that would be great.  But, I guess that is part of my training, too — because we really won’t sleep much on the boat.    I don’t, however, ever want to stop dreaming about sailing.  What a nice replacement (even if still a bit strange) from my previous random, way too detailed anxiety dreams.

• I send my best wishes to Charles Willson, a Clipper Leg 7 companion, who starts his Part A and Part B training this weekend.  I am so jealous that he is starting before I am.  Stay dry, Buddy!!!!!

“They choose the path where no one goes.  They hold no quarter.  They hold no quarter.”  - Led Zeppelin

It’s Hailing Pea Gravel! and My Fitness Training Programme

Friday, February 6th, 2009

I am glad that I wasn’t fooled by the patches of blue skies to hit the pool this morning - hail the size of pea gravel has just started flying out of the sky!!!! Week 3 - I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning - due to muscle soreness in places I didn’t know there were muscles.  That is what happens when I double up my workouts in one day.  But it will all be worth it.  

• I have made it through the Super Bowl and several Fridays without beer.  I have reduced my meat intake but have added other forms of protein (cottage cheese, soybeans, quinoa, Just Protein Powder from my old strongman friends at IronMind ( http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/justprotein.html ) ).   I am still not back to being able to do a one-armed push up, but it will happen.  The Bosu Ball and I are still fighting and, currently, I think it is winning.  But not for long. 

• IRONIC MOMENT: While doing “explosive” push ups on the Bosu Ball (you do a push up and then pop the ball off of the ground), as my face was close to the flat part, I read a very amusing disclaimer: STANDING ON PLATFORM NOT ADVISED.  If you have ever used one of these contraptions, many of the exercises require you to stand on the platform.  There must have been personal injury defense lawyers involved with that advisory! I should know, as I am a recovered PIDL.

• While the exercises on my Mon and Thurs mornings with Super Dave change every week ( so I don’t plateau), my two days of gym “homework” and my cardio is as follows: Mon. evening: spin class; Tues evening:  Legs, abs, pushups; Wednesday morning or evening:  Kettlebells (a combination of Phase I and II) ; and  Fri, Sat, or Sun (depending on the status of the sunshine):  Run for at least and hour and/or Swim at least one mile, keep going until I have been in there for an hour.   When the trails dry out, I will do some hill running.  Saturday mornings when I am not in some kind of sailing race or rigging/electrical/boat maintenance course: Yoga for an hour.   

EXAMPLES of my “homework” workouts (they are always evolving):

#1 (Strength & Endurance) 

Jump Rope 1 minute (keep increasing speed)

KETTLEBELLS:  Choose at least 9 from Phase I and Phase II and Repeat 3X

* PHASE I (all are x 20  per side with 20#  unless otherwise noted): Both arm swing

KB push up

KB lunge walk
KB single arm swing

Upright dynamic row

Bent over dynamic row

KB dynamic alternate arm swing

Sumo squat

Chest press

 

*PHASE II (all are x 20  per side with 20#  unless otherwise noted):

one-arm high lifts (above head level)

pushups on kettlebells

lunges with one-arm press

jumping jacks with KBs

disco dips (windmills)

turkish get ups (I really hate these)

one-arm high lifts

squat and press up

samuarais

 

CORE

 

#2  (Lower & Core): REPEAT EACH GROUP x 3

Hack squat x15 w/ 90#

Dumbbell lunges w/ 20#

Wall sit on bosu ball for 1 minute or more (with  25-45# weight)

Plyo box – step up, step down with russian twist roation 25# 

      dumbbells  (or 45#plate) x 10 each side

 

Leg curl

Ball bridge

Leg extension

 

Medicine Ball toss 10 left, 10 right (or Russian twists if I cannot find a

    victim to throw me the ball)

Balance Pad push up outside, pop up to pad push up, pop up to floor 

    OR do Push ups on Medicine Balls

Cable tricep kickback on Balance Pad, prone (”Supermans”)

Cable back row on Balance Pad, with plank stance