Month: April 2013

Avoiding Conflict

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Best fights are the ones we avoid.

– Mr. Han (Jackie Chan, the 2010 remake of “The Karate Kid”)

Whenever people dole out self-defense tips, it tends to be under the guise of you being in the fight. The fight has started, or the fight is inevitable, and how can you manage the fight. Granted, sometimes this is how it goes. But what might be better is if we could avoid the fight in the first place.

There are good techniques for this, like SouthNarc’s Managing Unknown Contacts (MUC) techniques, or just following the Insights Training ABC: Always Be Cool. Marc MacYoung knows a lot about the subject too, and when he posted this article I thought it was one worth sharing.

The article is titled “Eight Self-Defense Tips for Men to Avoid Violent Conflicts“. I would argue these are good self-defense tips for everyone to follow, but I can see the author’s point towards men because I get reminded of LowTechCombat‘s examination of Alpha vs. Predatory.

Here are the 8 points, without elaboration (you can find that in the article):

  1. Forget what you see on the screen
  2. Live, love and be happy
  3. Know yourself
  4. He’s human too
  5. Get over yourself
  6. Leave
  7. Peyton Quinn’s rules
  8. Stick to the mission

Notice there’s no tips on how to punch him just right, how to shoot more effectively, none of that. It’s about mindset, it’s about mental approach and tactics for situations — before they become situations. This is more important.

It’s also about humility. There’s so much bravado, so much macho about fighting and self-defense. I recently saw a posting on Facebook, of a picture of a bank holdup scene and captioned basically “and what would you do”. The comment thread was full of big talk, heroics, fantasy, and few posters acknowledged realities involved (tho it was cool to see Rog mention the Beer & TV Maxim; one of the few rational comments on the picture). I think about #8 of “stick to the mission” which is basically:

Every time I leave the house, my mission is to return to it and my loved ones safely and unharmed so I can live a long and happy life with them.

So does your macho, your bravado, your fantasy, your heroics, do they permit you to fulfill your mission? Granted, your mission may be different, but then at least you know your mission. You do clearly know your mission, right? If you don’t, if you cannot stop right now and state it clearly aloud, then perhaps you should take a moment to define what your mission is. It will guide you and your decisions, which may be critically important when the flag flies.

Give the whole article a read. It’s quite good. In fact, most of these tips will apply beyond “violent encounters”. I mean, we have conflict on the job or in other interactions in our daily life. Tips like Peyton Quinn’s rules will help you manage those just fine too.

2013-04-29 training log

/ hsoi

Leaving more in the tank

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 19, week 2

  • Work Set – Deadlift (working max: 385#)
    • 1x5x155 (warmup)
    • 1x5x195
    • 1x3x235
    • 1x3x275 (work)
    • 1x3x310
    • 1x4x350
  • Assistance – Deadlifts
    • 5 x 10/10/8/8/8 x 185
  • Assistance – Side Bends
    • 3 x 25 x 40

Physically I felt good. Nevertheless, when I finished that 4th rep and set up for #5 my body said “stop”. I’ve been pushing further, where that “leaving 1 in the tank” might actually be a real struggle of a rep, instead of a good 1-2 reps. That’s not the right way to do things. So today I truly left some in the tank and opted to make sure I got some good assistance work in. So I dropped the assistance weight to 185 and made sure I got more reps. My lower back hates me. 🙂 But that’s good. Given more reading, analysis of my form and technique, I’m pretty sure abs and lower back are weak. So I gotta do more assistance deadlifting with strict form, lighter weight, higher reps, build that up. And yeah, abs twice a “week” in some fashion. Stick with it, see what happens.

Evolution

/ hsoi / 1 Comment

Paula Bolyard writes:

As I listened to the police scanner during the Boston manhunt, I wasn’t thinking about “police all over the place” in the “personal security guard” sense that Feinstein seemed to be implying.

Instead, I imagined a mother huddled in the nursery with her baby. Her husband is out of town and she is also listening to the police scanner, praying the terrorist doesn’t burst through her back door.

I imagined an 85-year-old World War II veteran living alone. He fought the Nazis on foot across Europe and his government just instructed him to “shelter-in-place.” He turns out the lights in his home and hunches over his radio waiting for updates though the long night.

I wondered if they could protect themselves if the worst happened.

In the middle of that night listening to the Boston police scanner, I evolved.

I realized right then that if I were holed up in my house while a cold-blooded terrorist roamed my neighborhood, I wouldn’t want to be a sitting duck with only a deadbolt lock between me and an armed intruder. There are not enough police and they cannot come to my rescue quickly enough. They carry guns to protect themselves, not me. I knew at that instant if Dzhokhar Tsarnaev showed up at my door while I was “sheltered-in-place” and aimed a gun at my head and only one of us would live, I could pull the trigger.

You can read her complete story here.

Her story resonates with me because I too evolved. I was never against guns and wanting to ban them on the whole, but I didn’t see why anyone needed “a machine gun to hunt Bambi”. Then, Wife was sexually assaulted while taking Oldest (then an infant) out for a walk/push in his stroller. That was my evolutionary moment. It still took me a number of years to come around to owning a gun and carrying a gun, but that moment opened my eyes to many realities about life and the world. That moment set in motion my quest for knowledge, education, and enlightenment about personal safety, crime prevention, etc.. To then own and carry a gun became a logical conclusion, because when you strip away your ignorance, your bias, you emotions and all you have left is fact and harsh realities about the world? Things become pretty clear on their own.

 

2013-04-26 training log

/ hsoi

To paraphrase Mark Bell “Fuck you, and fuck your shoulder.”

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 19, week 2

  • Work Set – Bench Press (working max: 240#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x95
    • 1x5x120
    • 1x3x145
    • 1x3x170 (work)
    • 1x3x195
    • 1x5x220
  • Assistance – Bench Press
    • 5 x 10 x 125
  • Assistance – DB Rows
    • 5 x 15 x 50
  • 100 rep JM presses and Face Pulls

My left shoulder was hurting… still hurts as I write this. Something in the joint area. It sucks. But, I press anyways. Why?

Just happened to see that before going to the gym.

It was discomfort, but not major pain. So, press on.

220 for 5? I’ll take it. I did 215 for 5 this time last cycle. It’s all good. In fact, apart from my shoulder, this felt really good.

I also read on the Cube Method Facebook Group, someone posted about foot placement while benching for tall guys, keeping your butt on the bench. There were some tips there that I tried. The biggest one? Go ahead and let your feet go out, be wide. But when you arch, instead of trying to plant the upper part of your butt on the bench, put the part of your butt where the hamstrings come in. Or as another guy put it, put your balls on the bench. The wording of cues can make all the difference. A subtle difference, a subtle approach, but it can suddenly make it all clear. So I tried it, and it helped a lot. I felt a lot more stable and more push-through with my legs. It will take time to get it, but so far it feels like the best approach towards solving that problem.

I also realized another problem… which might be the cause of my shoulder pain.

I ended up realizing that my bar path is not “riding on rails”. Rippetoe teaches to not look at the bar, but many powerlifters say to watch the bar. I’m going to start watching the bar more. It’s all good at the top, but as the bar approaches my chest — you know, out of visual perception — the bar was shifting to the right. I didn’t realize I was doing that until today, when I just happened to catch it. So between that and the shoulder stuff, I went lighter on the assistance benching, moved slower, and really watched my bar path. Yeah…. when I went straighter? It felt very different. I let myself do what felt normal, and I shifted. Wow… and when I went straight, suddenly some things felt very weak, but it explains some um… imbalance? power? drive? I don’t know how to describe it but it explains a lot.

So today was not only good from a pure physical standpoint, but a VERY enlightening one in other ways too.

And yes… fuck you and fuck your shoulder. 🙂

Review – Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun

/ hsoi / 6 Comments

Back when the book Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun first came out, I was contacted by the author and/or publisher about reviewing it. They would send me a free copy of the book in exchange for a review on my blog. I wasn’t interested. First, I’m not a Glock guy. Second, my blog isn’t a place for pimping and promoting stuff — if I do mention a product or service, it’s because I want to, it’s because I have a personal interest, and generally I spent my own personal money to obtain it. I really don’t want to shill for things because then you can only wonder if my motives are true or if someone’s paying me. I mean, look at most any magazine that promotes some product or lifestyle (it doesn’t matter: guns, fitness, fashion, guitars, home improvement, etc.). Notice they have advertisers all over the pages? Then notice what the magazine must also review? Do you think bad reviews are going to sell ad space? So how honest can those reviews really be?

That said, the Glock book came out in paperback back in January 2013, and they asked me again if I wanted to review.

About a month later I responded and agreed.

I agreed because I decided I wanted to read the book, and if I can get a free copy to read, why not? If the price to pay is a review on my blog, then so be it… because I’m not sure they’ll want me to review things again. 🙂

No, this isn’t a very favorable review. If I am going to review things here, I’m going to give my straight opinion on it, even if that’s saying it sucks. It’s my “no bullshit” rule in life, and I won’t set that aside for anyone.

I didn’t care much for the book.

It took me a couple months to finish reading it. I had other things going on in life and the book was low priority, but it was relegated to the bathroom for reading. So I’d read a few pages here and there, and eventually got through it.

At first, I was very turned off by the book. I was mistaken in my expectations for the book. I thought it was a biography of Gaston Glock. It started off that way, but didn’t keep going that way. It annoyed me because I thought either the author, Paul M. Barrett, was a shitty writer, or that I was duped. But it was just my own misconception, and, frankly, once I realized it was more a “biography” of the Glock gun itself, that made things clearer. Then looking back over the chapters already read, it made more sense. So if you keep that in mind — that it’s a “biography” of the gun itself, it’s not so bad.

And truly, the Glock handgun did a lot to change the face of firearms, police, personal defense, the firearms industry, music, Hollywood, etc.. So I agree that there’s an interesting and compelling story to tell here.

But I didn’t care for the telling of the story.

I guess I’m getting old and tired of drama.

Even as a kid I preferred non-fiction over fiction. Oh sure, some fiction is good and enjoyable. But I remember as a kid in elementary school when every other kid was reading stuff like The Phantom Tollbooth I was checking and rechecking out these books on “how to play chess” from the school library. Even today when people talk about their reading lists and have all this fiction, be it Harry Potter or 50 Shades or whatever, I’m reading books on how to program in Ruby. I’m not a total stick in the mud, but that’s just my preference.

So perhaps that’s why the Glock book turned me off. Sure it had some “just the facts, ma’am” stuff in there, but a lot of the book came off as an attempt to make some sort of “reality TV dramatic thriller” out of the book. All the sex, lies, and dirty politics… and let’s throw in a little more sex and intrigue. A bunch of “he said, she said” anecdotes, etc..  Really, it felt like Barrett was writing with the hopes of making it into a screenplay, or at least a reality TV show.

Maybe that’s the way to write today to appeal to today’s audience? I don’t know. But it just wasn’t my thing. If it’s your thing, great.

I did appreciate getting some level of insight into the Glock gun’s history. I did like reading some of the stories, like Barrett’s time with Mas Ayoob to help gain some experiences for writing the book. But I guess I would have preferred a straight history book instead of a dramatic regaling, at least for this subject matter.

I was also annoyed by the end of the book, since it had advocations of “See? This is how evil guns are, thanks in part to Glock… so we need to increase gun control”. Yeah… not the sort of book or author I’d like to support. So I guess I’m glad I got to read the book for free.

Best I can say is the book was a way to pass the time while sitting on the toilet.

2013-04-24 training log

/ hsoi

Leave something in the tank…

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle X, week X

  • Work Set – Squat (working max: 305#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x125
    • 1x5x155
    • 1x3x185
    • 1x3x215 (work)
    • 1x3x245
    • 1x4x280
  • Assistance – Squat
    • 5 x 20/15/10 x 135
  • Assistance – Pulldown abs
    • 3 x 25 x 60
  • Foam Rolling

I got under the bar and told myself “4 reps”. I was going to get at least the 3 prescribed, and I figure 1 more is “good enough” because I wanted to leave something in the tank. I’ve been pushing myself and not leaving something in the tank (or a doubtful 1 in the tank) and I didn’t want to do that today. In part for the sake of not beating myself to death, but also I have to report for jury duty today and I didn’t want to walk around the courthouse all cramped up or looking really strange and calling attention to myself — people are too jumpy these days, y’know?

And while “only 4”, I look at last cycle. This time last cycle was 4 reps @ 270 and that was pushing it. I then PR’d 4 @ 285. So hey, today is fine.

The higher rep assistance squatting… ooph. Good stuff.

I hate pulldown abs, but I hate my weak abs even more. Do what you hate until you don’t hate it any more. Squatting is like that…. and I still don’t love squatting, but I certainly don’t hate it any more.

One thought that crossed my mind… not sure when/if I’ll do it, but it’s a fresh thought that hit me during squats. I know getting out of the hole as a whole is weak for me. It’s one reason I’m working on my abs, and my cue for today was “press back” to get me to drive my head/neck back into the bar first thing after reversing in the hole. In addition to the Paul Carter I’ve been reading, I’ve been reading more Brandon Lilly too. Pause squats may find their way into my routine sooner or later. Jury’s still out.

KR Training April 2013 Newsletter

/ hsoi

The KR Training April 2013 Newsletter is posted.

Schedule updated through the summer, with all sorts of cool things on tap. I’m looking forward to the return of DPS-BUG.

Oh, and remember all my recent talk about getting medical training? Lone Star Medics is returning in September for Med-X EDC. You do not want to miss it. There’s no other class like it (that I’m aware of). You will learn practical and important field medical skills, and apply them in practical and live/pressure situations.

Hipsters – the new face of hunting

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

 “A few people roll up in monster trucks, but others ride over on their bikes,” [hunting instructor Dylan Eyers] laughed. “That seems to be a new thing.”

Anti-gun and anti-hunting groups are going to have to find a new group to stereotype and demonize, because the growing trend isn’t to the redneck bubbas but rather to the young hipsters that understand:

“Hunting makes sense as part of a DIY foodie lifestyle. There’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from being able to grow or prepare your own food, and you end up with something that tastes great and I know it’s a lot better for me.”

Full story.

Look at the trends as of late. To think global but act local. To be a locavore. Organic and sustainable farming. Ethical farming. Reactionary to industrial ranching, “pink slime”, ingredient labels you can’t read, and so on.

Folks, that’s what hunting is. (or is supposed to be… yes I’m sure, we all know of some exception).

You don’t get more “free-range organic” than a deer that’s been tromping around the woods all its life, eating acorns and leaves.

There’s a trend of returning to our roots. Yeah, globalism isn’t working out, so while young folk appreciate being connected globally, they’re living more locally and trying to embrace what once was. I mean, it wasn’t too long ago people tended to grow their own food, hunt their own food, make their own clothes — life wasn’t solely obtained at Wal-Mart. So a return to hunting is just a logical next step for folks.

It also speaks to current hunters and gun folk: these people are your future. Please look past their skinny jeans, tattoos, piercings, and other appearances to see they are trying to embrace and learn about something you hold dear. Be loving and open, accepting, understanding, patient, and happily recruit these people into the fold by teaching and sharing your passion. You know… bring us together.

2013-04-22 training log

/ hsoi

100 reps… I’m liking it.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 19, week 1

  • Work Set – Press (working max: 160#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x65
    • 1x5x80
    • 1x3x95
    • 1x5x115 (work)
    • 1x5x120
    • 1x7x140
  • Assistance – Press
    • 5 x 10 x 90/80/80/80/80
  • Assistance – Pull-ups (band assisted)
    • 5 x 10/10/6/5/4 x BW
  • 100 rep stuff – front plate raises, rope triceps pushdowns, hammer curls

Today was a fail of plate math 🙂 First work set was to be 105, I put on 115. That actually was because I had “week 2” stuff already entered into my iPhone tracker app and was accidentally looking at it instead of today’s session. But it felt really light, so cool. Just keep cranking. Then on my assistance pressing, should have been 80# but that was plate math fail and I put on 90. Oh well, no harm done.

Overall tho, I’m working on trying to push through barriers more. I think the 100 rep stuff is actually helping me there on the mental level. I mean, it’s not that heavy a weight, but when you move it that many times, oh yeah, your brain and muscles scream to stop. But the thing is, they want you to stop well short of when you can stop, and it’s easier to keep pushing here than with a heavier weight. So I just keep pushing until I physically couldn’t lift any more. I do think you have to work up to the 100 reps because I’ve been using the same weights for the past few workouts and am only just starting to actually hit 100 reps now. You really have to push through it.

It’s carrying over into the other assistance work. I mean, on the chins, I kept going until I truly couldn’t hold myself up any more. Yeah, probably not wise to always go for broke like this, but I’m feeling good. I have wondered if maybe a 3/5/1 split (like in the Powerlifting book) might be more useful for me to try so I can go heavy on the 3 and 1 weeks, but then on the 5 week just take it easy, hit prescribed reps, don’t kill it on assistance work, make sure it’s a work week but somewhat restful. We’ll see.

Meantime tho, jury is still out on the 100 rep stuff, but so far I’m enjoying it.