Author: hsoi

Let it serve as a reminder

/ hsoi / 4 Comments

The past few days, so people have been appalled at the Black Friday horror videos of the mobs, the tasers, the pepper spray, the trampling, the fighting… all over some merchandise.

Let it serve as a reminder that for as far as we’ve come (and we must have come pretty far when we have it so good we can fight over high-def TVs and not over where our next meal will come from), the veneer of civilization remains thin.

More fuel for the caliber wars

/ hsoi / 1 Comment

Since th3 int3rw3bz loves to endlessly debate about equipment and caliber, here’s some more fuel for the fire. Because we all know 9mm sucks and any caliber that doesn’t start with a “4” isn’t worth shit.

Greg Ellifritz writes about his experience shooting a very simple drill. You should click through to read the drill and Greg’s experiences, no point in reprinting it here (or click here to read just the drill).

Here’s the thing:

I found it interesting that I could shoot the same number of rounds in 2.5 seconds (and with better accuracy) with my 9mm as I could in 3 seconds with my .45. There isn’t that much stopping power difference between the 9mm and .45 (using good loads) that I’m willing to sacrifice the 3- 4 rounds per second difference in speed for a marginal difference is stopping power.

So shooting a 9, Greg could shoot faster and get more accurate hits.

Hrm.

For fun, Greg ran it with some other guns:

Just for fun, I then did the drill from the ready position with a 2″ snub .22 long rifle revolver (S&W 317). 3 rounds (from ready) in 1.8 seconds. Set the par time at 2 seconds and ran it 10 more times.

Results: consistently 6-7 shots. One time I hit all 8 shots in 1.99. No misses.

So what you’re telling me is, when there’s less recoil to manage, you can shoot the gun “better”. Whodathunkit?

Look, if you really want to shoot a handgun chambered in .40S&W or .45ACP or some other “manly” caliber, go ahead — I won’t stop you. But I would ask you to consider your goals and purpose. If it’s shooting for fun, go for it. If you are shooting in competition, you have to play by the rules of the game. If you are shooting a particular gun because you have no choice (it’s all you have and you can’t get anything else, department regulations, local laws, etc.), then you gotta do what you gotta do. If it’s about the ability to defend yourself and your loved ones, then wouldn’t you want to choose equipment that can best serve you towards that end? The fabled “stopping power” of .4x-caliber rounds isn’t what you think it is — all pistol calibers suck about the same. Ultimately there isn’t any meaningful “stopping power” difference between 9×19 Parabellum (Luger), .40S&W, and .45 ACP with modern self-defense ammunition. So where can differences be had? 9mm allows for greater capacity (who ever said they wanted less ammo in a gunfight?). 9mm is less expensive. 9mm has less recoil (both real and felt/perceived), and leads to results like Greg experienced above — ability to mange recoil more easily, allowing for faster and more accurate hits — and isn’t the ability to deliver accurate hits quickly what it’s all about? I fail to see the downside to 9mm, and I fail to see why some people continue to insist upon other calibers when they offer no measurable advantage.

Yes those other calibers work, but when your life is on the line, don’t you want to do everything you can to stack the deck in your favor?

2013-11-29 training log

/ hsoi

Glute activation for the win!

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 26, week 1

  • Work Set – Deadlift (working max: 410#)
    • 165 x 5
    • 210 x 5
    • 250 x 3
    • 270 x 5
    • 310 x 6
    • 355 x 6
    • 270 x 8
    • 270 x 6
    • 270 x 4
  • Standing Calf Raises
    • Don’t remember x 10 x 3
  • Foam Rolling

Have family obligations today, so it was in the gym and back out. Just work up, then do some “first-set-last-set”, and that was that. Well, I threw in some standing calf raises too… I’m going to start doing them because it’s evident the ratio of upper leg to lower leg is widening, and I need to bring up my calves before I start looking too funny. Might help with some foot issues I’ve been having too. I haven’t figured out exactly what I’ll do, but there’s both standing and seated machines at the gym, so I will probably do one on squat day and the other on deadlift day. Right now, just doing them light for not much, so I can get stretched and get my calves used to things so they won’t cramp up.

Anyways, the deadlifting went fine. Really working on glute activation. One thing that’s helping? I fixed my stance. I realized I had slowly widened my stance (I pull conventional). Nothing near sumo of course, but certainly wide enough that if you looked at me straight on you’d say my legs were at an angle. This then forced my arms to hang at an angle instead of straight down. This affected my pull. Narrow the stance, and my arms now go straight down. Makes a difference. It feels weird to me because I usually stand with a wider stance, so going this narrow feels unbalanced and like I’ll fall over at any moment, but it works better for pulling I can tell.

Grip is failing me… that’s why I started losing reps on the f-s-l-s at the end… grip was the weak point. I was working hard on “clenching” the bar (my latest cue to focus on), but of course, it’s just going to take time to bring things up. But I wasn’t going to go mixed grip; I want to stick with double-over as much as possible to bring the grip back up.

Quote for today

/ hsoi

Any movement that uses cues ‘head up’ and ‘chest up’ is providing more positive reinforcement in ONE workout than most people get in a month. – Dave Tate, on squatting

You don’t realize how much heavy squats build character (more so than muscle) until you do them for a while.

I still don’t like squats, but I don’t dislike them so much any more.

2013-11-27 training log

/ hsoi

Grip and stance… hrm, I’ve heard that before in another context.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 26, week 1

  • Work Set – Bench Press (working max: 235#)
    • 45 x 5
    • 45 x 5
    • 95 x 5
    • 120 x 5
    • 145 x 3
    • 155 x 5
    • 180 x 5
    • 200 x 8
  • Face Pulls (superset with the bench press warm-up sets)
    • 35 x 15 x 5
  • Close-grip Bench Press
    • 125 x 10 x 4
    • 125 x 8
  • T-Bar Rows (superset with the close-grip bench press)
    • 95 X 12 X 4
    • 95 x 10
  • Seated cable rows
    • 95 x 10 x 3
  • A bunch of light rope-handle pressdowns, and bb curls
  • Foam Rolling

EliteFTS has been running a series of Friday Technique Videos. Recently they covered bench press grip and foot placement on bench press. Those have been rolling around in my head since I watched them, and they came into play today.

I’ve been struggling to find the right foot placement. While “out in front” feels comfortable and logical for me, and seems to give me some drive, it also becomes a fight to keep my butt on the bench. The “feet tucked” never felt right, but after watching the video well… just learn to live with uncomfortable. So I tried tucking like JL Holdsworth describes in his video, doing my setup that way. I did find “heel drive” wasn’t there… could be inexperience, but it also felt like the angle just didn’t allow for it. But, I could get drive. I also found I got more arch in my back, or at least it felt that way. Trouble was, I couldn’t keep it. I think that’s just inexperience — setup would be good, then I’d start pressing and eventually lose the arch, drive, and tightness. But I’m sure that will come with practice.

Really, while this felt odd, I do think it’s the route I should pursue. I certainly kept my butt on the bench, tho I did have to get a really good tuck to do so. But if I can do that, if I can keep tight and driving throughout, I should be really good to go.

I do know part of why I didn’t keep solid throughout was simply the novelty of the technique. But I also know it was because I was splitting my focus: 1. moving the weight, 2. the new foot position, 3. grip. I have noticed in my pressing that my hands are getting cocked back instead of straight wrists. JL had a good suggestion for setup, and I’ll keep playing with that approach. But regardless, I found myself still losing straightness. I think it was simply a matter of too many things to focus on and so I couldn’t focus on any.

But I am going to work on my grip — “clench” is the new cue. I have been slacking on my grip in all gripping activities. I’m not dangling by my fingertips, but think the difference between a closed-fist and a clenched-fist. I am closed, but I need to be clenched. This is on everything where gripping the bar matters… so squat, somewhat, but yes on bench, press, deadlift, rows, etc.. Two things. First, of course it should help my deadlift grip, which I think is becoming an issue. Second, this should help keep the wrists straight(er). What was interesting today was how clenching and forcing the straighter wrist during close-grips? Whoa… suddenly everything felt different. It was just a small change in angle, in muscle tension, whatever… but suddenly the close-grips felt tougher to do, and like my triceps were getting a lot more work. It was kinda cool.

Back to the stance. I did wonder how much my stroke was shortened by the improved arch. I mean, I worked up to 200 this time last cycle and ground out 6. Today it was 8 with some in the tank. Am I that much stronger? or was it due to a shorter stroke? I dunno, but there we go.

The t-bar rows continue to wow me. I just feel a pump in my back, I feel the back muscles tire before the arm muscles do. Really, I think t-bar rows are going to be quite useful for me for a while.

I am continuing to enjoy doing all my assistance work bodybuilder style: supersets, about 60 seconds between sets, stricter form, the eccentric takes at least as much time as the concentric did, etc.. I think it’s paying off, given some tape-measurements.

Anyways, pretty good day overall.

Quote for today – Certifications

/ hsoi

With certifications, we’re confusing education with expertise. There’s a difference between a NASCAR driver and a kid who just passed his driver’s-ed class. And certifications are on the driver’s-ed side of things.

All certifications show is basic competence that you won’t hurt someone. It doesn’t make you an expert. It just shows that you’re not an idiot.

Some people think that certifications are worthless. Yes, probably, but it’s hard to not pick them up on the way to becoming good. If you told me that you did martial arts for 30 years and you’re not a black belt, that’s kind of odd, right? You haven’t picked up any sort of third-party recognition of your ability.

Let’s say you come to me for a job and you’ve never had a certification in your life. It doesn’t look impressive. I would expect somebody who’s good to pick them up.

So I don’t put any faith in them at all, but I’ve learned something with every class I’ve been to and every book I’ve read. You’re not going to become dumber by going in and taking another class. You might learn one thing. So if you’re a professional and you’re trying to get better, you’re going to pick these things up. But in absolutely no way, shape, or form does a certification equal expertise.

– Alwyn Cosgrove

While Mr. Cosgrove was talking about fitness certifications, it really doesn’t matter what field it’s in: fitness, martial arts, handguns, computers, any field you’re in can and will have certifications.

You just have to remember it only means so much.

 

2013-11-25 training log

/ hsoi

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 26, week 1

  • Work Set – Squat (working max: 320#)
    • 45 x 5
    • 45 x 5
    • 135 x 5
    • 160 x 5
    • 195 x 3
    • 210 x 5
    • 245 x 5
    • 275 x 5
  • Leg Press
    • 135 x 10
    • 225 x 10
    • 315 x 10
    • 365 x 10
    • 125 x 15
  • Leg Curls
    • 50 x 12 x 4
  • Crunches (superset with leg curls)
    • BW x 8 x 4
  • Foam Rolling

Not too bad a day. Nothing great, but nothing too bad. I did want to go for 6 reps, but by rep 4 my hamstrings were screaming. Rep 5 went OK, but I had sown the seed in my head and I just racked it… would rather have the 5 than miss a 6th. I probably could have pushed my way through a bowling-shoe-ugly 6th rep, but meh.

I am pushing what I can tho. I feel good about attempting 3 wheels at the end of this cycle. I’m supposed to work up to 310, but it’s the end of the year so why not add the 5# and see if I can meet a goal, y’know?

Home Break-in – What can we learn

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

I read about a home that was broken into. As I read the details of the break-in, I got curious and went to Google Street View

Please understand, I’m not trying to scold or demean the homeowners. When I saw some other pictures of the result of the break-in, my heart sank. I can imagine the feelings of hurt, violation, anger, and then the realities of having to deal with the aftereffects. I wouldn’t wish that upon good people. What I wish to do is look at a few things and see what we can learn so we can all work to reduce our chances of being victims.

The essential details are that the break-in occurred during the day while the homeowners were at work. The burglars removed the window A/C unit, which then made for easy entry into the home. They ransacked the house. Unsure of exactly what they were looking for as “big ticket” typical theft items were not taken (one person suggested identity theft was the movie). So, at this point I don’t know what nor why things happened, but I’m not sure it matters much at this point. What we’re interested in here is what we can learn so we don’t become victims ourselves.

First, the break-in happened during the day on a weekday. While everyone talks about the breaking of glass in the middle of the night, that’s actually rare. Most break-ins happen during the day because that’s the most likely time 1. no one is home, 2. no neighbors are home.

Second, they pushed in the window A/C unit. I do not know the situation of this particular unit, but from what I can see in the picture, I’m not convinced the unit was secured. Having brackets not only support the weight of the unit, but they make it more difficult and cumbersome to remove the unit. Panels along the side, strong bars/dowels to keep the partially opened window from being slid further upwards. These are things that can make it more difficult.

Third, see in the foreground that power converter/transformer/box? I would not be surprised if that aided entry into the backyard. Hop on top of that, and it’s easy to hop over the fence. There’s nothing they can do about the box, nothing they can do to prevent access to the box. But, how about planting some big thorny holly bushes or cactus on the other side of the fence? Most people do look before they leap, and giving no clear and safe landing area can’t hurt you (but can hurt them).

It’s possible entry was gained into the backyard through the normal fence gate. I don’t know if the gate was padlocked in any way, but if not, padlocks are useful things.

Fourth, look in the backyard of the neighbor on the right. See the wide-open door on their shed? Granted, it’s possible when this picture was taken that homeowner was doing something and the doors are normally shut — it’s just a snapshot in time as the Google Streetview Car drove by. But still, consider the implications of sheds — which generally hold tools and other property that either can be directly used or easily sold for fair gain. Keep doors closed and locked.

It must be accepted that no home is truly secure. Our homes are made of sheetrock, wood, glass, and other easily broken materials. If someone wishes to gain access, the construction of our homes will not stop them. But consider most property crimes like this are crimes of convenience. The criminal doesn’t want to work hard (if they did, they probably wouldn’t be criminals in the first place). They want an easy target. The best you can do is work to make your home a difficult target. I mean, your home and the home next door both have tv’s, game consoles, jewelry, tools, and other desirable goods. If you make your home a more difficult target, if they’re going to have to work more or risk pain, problems, and hassle to get into your home, they’ll probably choose another home.