Focus on the PROGRAM.

Hey hey y'all!

Even though I have developed a gross icky cold, I am wicked pumped to start my final ramp-up to my next competition in 3 weeks.  I got up on the bright, blew my nose, and got some WERK done in the gym.  Squats and a met con!

Squats felt good.  The last set of 5 at 340 was around 82% of 410. So I was pleased with that.  I felt like I could have managed a set at 85% (350), but decided I better take it easy given the short window I'm working within, the cold issue (literal and figurative: it was around 35 degrees up in there!), and there was a little seam in the concrete where my feet were set so my technique was not the awesomest (Toe pitching a bit).  There was a severe cliff on my"wind" during the conditioning around my 7th rep of Hang Power Snatches; regardless of the wall I smacked into I was pretty pleased with my time/performance there.  A bit rough, but hey, I did it and I'm movin' on.

In other news: My Track and Field kids have been doing great things and really answering the call during our (rapidly ending) off-season conditioning program.  We are doing really basic, sound stuff (Back Squat, Hang Power Clean, Bench Press, Deadlift) with a handful of assistance work (Lunges, Box Jumps, Plyo Pushups). In just 4 weeks, all of my kids movement in the 4 basic lifts has improved to a point where I have started all of them on either a Linear Progression model (for my noobs) or a 4-week progressive load cycle (for my returners).  I'm excited to rub some tasty data in your faces in a few weeks!

Also: I've decided to put in one more season of semi-pro football.  I'll be playing either offensive or defensive line for the Golden State Giants.  I figure I want to put all this sport-strength I've developed over the last 2-3 years to good use before it starts to slide away.  I'll keep you posted on any exciting developments there.

Don't forget to punch your email address into the thingy on the upper left of the page so you can get email alerts when I post! That way you can read all my posts like RIGHT AWAY after I post them, which you know I know is incredibly important for you to lead the life you are trying to live.  And stuff.

(oh, also, using the zone diet has been working great so far! I'm still working on creating better habits and routines to get the right number of blocks per day but it's getting easier/smoother each week!)

earworm: