Me

2012-12-24 training log

/ hsoi

All I want for Christmas is to increase my Press. 🙂

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16, week 1

  • Work Set – Press (working max: 145#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x60
    • 1x5x75
    • 1x3x90
    • 1x5x95 (work)
    • 1x5x110
    • 1x8x125
  • Asst. #1 – Press
    • 1 x 6 x 125
    • 1 x 6 x 110
    • 1 x 8 x 95
    • 1 x 10 x 75
    • 1 x 10 x 65
  • Asst. #2 – Pull-ups (band assisted)
    • 5 x 5 x BW
  • Asst. #3 – Stuff
    • Upright rows
    • Flared-arm DB Extensions
    • Cheat Curls
    • 3 sets, 8-15 reps, enough weight to make it hard; on 3rd set immediately drop weight and keep going to failure
  • Sled drag
    • 8 trips, 75 yards each trip
    • 75# on the sled
    • 30 seconds rest, after every second trip
    • sled straps around the waist, walking forward

I do hate that my Press is feeling so weak. I drop down the weight, the compare it against past performance I feel like I’ve stepped back too much. *sigh* But I know I’m working to improve technique. Case in point, today I was fiddling with wrist position, which caused me to take a different bar path. My arms and such moved through the same range, but with “straighter wrists” that put the bar further from me and so leverages were different. I probably don’t need THAT straight a wrist during the Press, but I’m playing with wrist positions to correct that aspect, so it was useful to experiment. As well, I notice my lock-outs are maybe 98%. I’m at full extension, but I’m not locked out and squeezing everything at the top of the movement. So, add that in, make it certain, and work things harder. On paper it looks worse, but in reality it’s pushing me to my limits so….

I am happy to have cranked out 5 reps across with the band-assisted pull-ups. I’ll now go 6 across and just keep working my way up.

On the last stuff, I thought to try flared-arm DB extensions instead of the pushdowns. Pushdowns were causing me some elbow discomfort so let’s try this instead. Well…. it felt worse. *sigh* But in a way, it also felt like if I did these they may actually be better for me. I dropped the weight down, more reps, and it was a lot better, so well… I’ll keep trying them and see how it goes. One session is not enough.

And yes, I dragged the sled. I do think it’ll be good for me to drag it moderately after every workout. I went up to 75# today (from 50# last session). Finally I felt like I was dragging something! I felt some resistence. 8 trips was enough, especially with only 30 seconds of rest every other trip. It didn’t tax me much, but my heart rate was in the “target zone” and it was some effort. I reckon doing this exact same routine after deadlifting or squatting would be a LOT more taxing, so I’ll stay here and see how it goes on Wednesday (squat #2). I’ll just keep working my way up until I have enough “reps” and weight that I’m getting a good work. I don’t want to overdo the conditioning work, but I do need to do some. The sled makes me happy.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra, 2012 Winter Tour Review

/ hsoi / 5 Comments

Yesterday afternoon the family went to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This is our fourth time seeing them in concert, and it’s always an enjoyable experience.

But this time was a lot more enjoyable — especially for Youngest.

Like all TSO shows, it’s a giant rock concert with loads of class, music blending classical and rock (hey, all the guys behind TSO are heavy metal guys), lights, lasers, smoke, pyrotechnics… just a great time. This year was different from years past in that their 3rd album, The Lost Christmas Eve, was the focus of the first half of the show. It was a great choice and welcome change. Still, the storytelling was awesome, and overall production top-notch, as always.

We did notice some differences, like the show was tighter. A little less banter and talk, a little less improv, and the second half “rock concert” didn’t have any noticeable covers or jams. But that’s all good because again, it made for a nice change in the show. We stopped going to see them for a little bit because it was “the same thing” over and over, which was OK but you know… you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it again, and why spend all that money again? So we really liked the change. We do hope as they put out more non-Christmas albums to try to catch them on one of their non-winter tours.

I am a member of the TSO Fan Club, and because of that I’m able to get early tickets and good seats at the shows. This was no exception, and I chose some nice floor seats. Not too close, not too far back, but close enough to really see everything yet far enough back to be able to take in the whole of the show. Well… I think because we had such good placement, we got a treat.

Before the show started, while we were just sitting and waiting, a member of the road crew came up to us and pointed at Youngest and asked if he’d like to come on stage at the end of the show and receive a present from the band. Whoa! Of course we said yes. He asked a few questions (e.g. first time seeing the band? no, fourth), we discussed the logistics, and that was settled. He would come over to us during the last song to get us, then walk us over to the end/side of the stage where there are steps, and then Youngest would go on stage with the band and receive a gift.

And so it happened.

Youngest, taking a bow with Trans-Siberian Orchestra… with his autographed guitar!

He came up on stage, they gave him a guitar, autographed by the band. They gave him a chance to say something, but he didn’t — he told us later he was just in shock and giddy from it all, had no idea what to say being up there with them in front of 5000 people. 🙂

But he really enjoyed it and it was such a cool moment for him and our family. I know it’s a moment we’ll never forget.

If you’ve never seen TSO live, you’re missing out on a great experience. Go see them if you get the chance.

2012-12-21 training log

/ hsoi

Break with your knees first.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16, week 1

  • Work Set – Deadlift (working max: 355#)
    • 1x5x145 (warmup)
    • 1x5x180
    • 1x3x215
    • 1x5x215 (work)
    • 1x5x270
    • 1x8x305
  • Asst. #1 – Good Mornings
    • 3 x 12 x 105
  • Asst. #2 – Pulldown Abs (kneeling)
    • 5 x 15 x 130
  • Asst. #3 – Sled drags
    • 8 trips (75 yards each), 50# on the sled

I’ve been re-reading “Starting Strength” by Mark Rippetoe. Yeah, all the powerlifting reading I’ve been doing is useful and good, but I’m not out to powerlift, I’m out to get strong. So returning to Rip’s fundamentals is good. I’ll still take lots of information from the powerlifting guys tho because they know what they’re talking about. Anyways, in talking about the deadlift, Rip mentions to “break with your knees first”. I put conscious effort into ensuring that. Yes, the bar path is much better, everything is better… but it does tax me more, because no question my back is stronger than my glutes and hams — which is why I’m focusing on them in my assistance work. So I didn’t get as many reps as I wanted to with 305, but they were all very good and taxing reps. I could have gotten 9, maybe 10… but leave some in the tank.

Interestingly, I didn’t do 5 sets of Good Mornings because I could feel my lower back was pooped… more of those could have been bad.

And then, back to the sled! Again, just buckled the strap around my waist and walked. This time tho I only took maybe 20-30 seconds break, and then only between every other trip… so up and back, then rest. Went up and back 4 times (8, 75 yard runs total). Just walk, and think about not just walking, but actually pulling back with the glues and hams with each step. It doesn’t tax me heavily yet, but I’m working my way up to it. I haven’t yet but need to go back to some books I have with suggestions for good sled routines and work myself up to it all. Huzzah.

2012-12-19 training log

/ hsoi

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16, week 1

  • Work Set – Bench Press (working max: 225#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x95
    • 1x5x115
    • 1x3x135
    • 1x5x150 (work)
    • 1x5x170
    • 1x7x195
  • Asst. #1 – Bench Press
    • 1 x 6 x 185
    • 1 x 8 x 165
    • 1 x 7 x 145
    • 1 x 5 x 135
    • 1 x 10 x 95
  • Asst. #2 – Pullups (band assisted)
    • 5 x 5/5/5/4/4 x BW
  • Asst. #3 – Stuff
    • Flat Bench DB Flies
    • JM Press
    • Hammer Cheat Curls
    • 3 sets, 8-15 reps, enough weight to make it hard; on 3rd set immediately drop weight and keep going to failure

I feel so weak. But I know it’s because of a technique change. I am wearing the wrist wraps so I can get a better feel for the straight wrists — made a difference when I went to the assistance benching because I did that without the wraps and I was much more aware of my wrist position. This is just what I wanted — use ’em to help me learn. But I did notice because of that preoccupation I then lost a lot of body tightness and leg drive. Well, one can only focus on so much. It’ll all come back. Oh, the other thing I really focused on was elbow tuck on the way down. I have to tuck a lot more than I think to get the right amount of tuck.

But hey… if I get improved technique, less shoulder issues, great.

Speaking of the shoulder, I did opt to try pull-ups instead of chinups. I think the supination is just too much “twist” down my arms to my shoulders. But the pull-ups with a moderate grip width was actually quite comfortable. And yes, using bands helps… and I’ll just slowly work my way up with it all. Work to get 5 across, then 6 across, and so on.

Pulling back so I can move forward

/ hsoi

I had written this long post that basically wound up being me sorting out my thoughts.

I opted not to post it since it was just endless rambling. But because of what I sorted out, I figure I might as well post about it because 1. it’s less rambly, 2. it actually might be directly relevant to some of you.

I’m not going to be teaching as much in 2013.

I still love teaching. I’ve met so many great people, helped so many people overcome fears and take those initial steps towards greater personal responsibility and safety. I also learn a tremendous amount (how does the saying go? when one teaches, two learn.) I will still be helping out at KR Training as much as I can, but with finite time and resources, especially on weekends, pulling back on my assisting there is what had to be sacrificed.

So what will I be doing to move forward?

I’m making the commitment to participate in competition.

I’ve been treading water. My skills have stagnated, and I’m just fooling myself in trying to find ways to get better without doing the core thing: shooting. If you want to get better at X you must do X. Dry fire only takes you so far. Even using that Airsoft is helpful, but only takes you so far. My friend Tim, who is a master-ranked IDPA shooter, has been very helpful, supportive, and encouraging in this area… listening to me, helping me sort through it all. If I want to progress, I need to get out and shoot more.

I’ve tried to do competition in the past, and I even made it a goal that in 2012 I’d shoot at least one competition match. But I didn’t. It comes down to lack of time, and that I didn’t make time for competition. Simply put, I can only allocate so much time and effort in my life to “gun stuff”, and I preferred to spend it at KR Training helping with classes. Looking back, that was the right decision on a number of levels. Going forward, now is a time I can do this.

Why IDPA? Looking at the types of matches available in my area well… 3-Gun, Carbine, and other long-gun types of matches are out because those aren’t really my thing nor my emphasis (tho maybe later). So that pretty much leaves ISPC/USPSA, IDPA, or Steel Challenge. Some time ago I steered away from IDPA because I didn’t want to get bothered by the folks that shoot it like it’s tactical training and deny that it’s just a game, that it can be gamed, and it can be an equipment race just like any other game. I just didn’t want to be around the element. But I look at what I need to focus on in my own skills, and what I need right now is actually to slow down and get more accurate. I need to focus more on accuracy, and when it gets down it it, IDPA is a game of accuracy first and speed second. Steel? That’s all about speed. Given my needs right now, IDPA actually seems most fitting.

I don’t consider this “training”. It’s a game. But I know it will help me perform better because it’s new situations, pressure, and a break from the stagnation. And if I’m just better at the core task, that will carry over regardless of context. I’ll admit I’m unsure about the level to which I’ll take it. Will I totally game it out? Or will I stick with habits? For example, dropping the slide by grabbing the slide over the top (horseshoe grip), pulling back, and releasing is probably the better general approach to working the slide. But there’s no question it takes time to do and isn’t as fast as hitting the slide lock button. I’m sure I’ll fall back to established habits at first, the question being if I’ll replace those habits with the gaming element. Just have to see how it goes.

I think what’s also helped is all my lifting. Staying dedicated there has really made a difference to me. Writing about it is part of that dedication. And so, it’s part of why I am writing about this change here — an intent to follow through and commit.

This isn’t some “new years resolution”. It just happens to fall around that time because schedules are being determined. But it is a change, and I do need strong resolve to go forward. Thanx for riding along with me.

 

2012-12-17 training log

/ hsoi

Little welcome surprises!

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16, week 1

  • Work Set – Squat (working max: 285#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 1x5x115
    • 1x5x145
    • 1x3x175
    • 1x5x190 (work)
    • 1x5x215
    • 1x7x245 (rep PR of sorts)
  • Asst. #1 – Squat
    • 1 x 225 x 5
    • 1 x 185 x 10
    • 1 x 185 x 5
    • 1 x 135 x 10
    • 1 x 135 x 6
  • Asst. #2 – Sled Drags!
    • 2 trips @ 75 yards and 25#
    • 4 trips @ 75 yards and 50#
    • about 30 seconds rest between trips

I am trying to NOT set any expectations before I lift. So that’s things like knowing my top-end work weight is X and NOT looking back through logs to see how many reps I need to hit or what I need to do in order to do better than I did before. Just know here’s the weight, go in, do what you can, strive to kick ass, and it’ll be what it’ll be. It’s really a better way to be, here in the moment instead of other places.

So that said, hitting 7 reps with 245 is a rep PR of sorts. Never did 7 reps with that weight, and some rough calculations to compare 1RM’s shows that as an improvement. Heck, last cycle’s week 1 was 240 for 6 reps, so 1 more rep and 5# more? That works.

But the cool part of the workout? Someone brought in a sled and left it there for others to use. Awesome! So I skiped the pulldown abs and pullthroughs, figuring the sled would be enough. The back parking lot is about 75 yards long, so I started with 25# on the sled, pulled it down, rest 30 seconds, pull it back, rest 30 seconds. 25# was too light, so another guy was nice enough to bring out another quarter for me and 50# was enough to start with. Did another 4 trips down and back, and that felt good. Oh, I should say I just strapped the sled harness around my waist, walk working to pull with my hams and glutes. I certainly felt it and it was a nice way to finish things off. Heart rate was working well too after the assistance squats and this. I need to look up some specifics on how I want to work sled drags in here (e.g. do it every workout? just on certain days?) but yes… with this sled available at the gym and thus not disturbing to anyone (unlike going up and down my neighborhood street) I’m so there and will pull for for a while. Awesome!

on rudeness

/ hsoi / 9 Comments

I need to vent. I normally don’t post other things on Sundays, but I had to get this off my chest.

Today Youngest had his first piano recital. He did just fine, and I’m more proud of him for learning to deal with nervousness and performing under pressure than for the music itself (tho that’s still cool). The music school once again demonstrated they are a fine group of folks that run a good ship and care about their students. My beef isn’t with them.

It’s with the audience.

Or more specifically… the parents.

I was floored at the number of parents that left as soon as their child finished playing. By the time the recital was over, I looked back and saw the room was almost empty. That was sad and terrible. The students performing at the end of the recital deserved just as much respect and audience for their hard work and performance as did YOUR child at the start of the recital.

But no.

You came for your child, and didn’t care about anyone else. Oh sure, I wouldn’t have been there either if my child wasn’t performing, but my child wasn’t the only child performing. You could see on every child’s face, some more than others, how nervous they were. But you didn’t care. You didn’t think how the sight of you getting up and walking out as they started performing would impact the child. You didn’t think that sitting there and texting or Facebooking would matter… when instead showing these nervous children a smiling and supportive face could mean all the world to them. You didn’t think that as you stood in the lobby area, how loud your voices were and how much it disturbed, interrupted, and distracted the performing child.

No… you didn’t care. Your rudeness never occurred to you.

I came so close to jumping out of my seat and storming into the lobby area and scolding these inconsiderate individuals for their behavior. But I didn’t. First, if I did, they wouldn’t accept it; they’d just get defensive and consider me the rude asshole (can’t see past the log in their own eye). Second, if I got up, I knew the child performing would have no idea why I was getting up — I’d just be another adult getting up and leaving. I was not going to do that to any child.

After the recital was over, I expressed my disappointment to one of the school’s owners, and she agreed that it was rude (and said she’s going to change recital policy to say if you come, you stay, else don’t bother signing up at all… and I hope she does, and I hope she enforces it). She told me she asked some of them why they were leaving and they gave excuses like “it’s Christmas… we’re busy”. Busy? You’re too busy for a 2 hour recital? You’re too busy to give something of yourself to others? You’re too busy to be polite and considerate of others? And don’t even give me this “it’s Christmas” line, because the level of selfishness you displayed shows me you know fuck-all about what Christmas is about.

But, there’s always a teachable moment.

Before we left, I took my family aside and spoke with the Kiddos. We talked about what happened, and they agreed it was rude and they felt terrible for the kids performing. Even Youngest commented how he felt a little awkward that as he walked in to start, he saw all these people getting up and leaving. Kiddos also said how wonderful it was for them to have stayed. They saw many great performances, had many smiles and joyful moments, and just saw some really talented people perform. So they got to see something few did — and that was a precious thing. Others could have seen it too, but they chose not to. Maybe they had a legit reason, but they still didn’t have to be rude about it. So at least my Kiddos got to learn and grow in some unexpectedly welcome ways.

But the best part was Youngest… who can’t wait for the Spring recital and perform again. 🙂   Hopefully the parents will be better behaved by then.

 

2012-12-13 training log

/ hsoi

Here ends another cycle.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 15, week 4

  • Deload – Press (working max: 140#)
    • 2x5x45 (warmup)
    • 2x5x55
    • 2x5x70
    • 2x5x85
  • Asst. #1 – Chin-ups, band-assisted
    • 4 x 7/7/4/3 x BW
  • Pump superset
    • Upright rows
    • Triceps Pressdown
    • Scott Curls
    • 3 sets, 8-15 reps, enough weight to make it hard; on 3rd set immediately drop weight and keep going to failure

Nothing really to say. Just go in and do things. I did work on keeping a tight deathgrip while pressing — that helps everything like you wouldn’t believe. I just have to remember to do it — and keep doing it while the set progresses.

On chins, there’s no question that’s bugging my shoulders. I’m starting to wonder if I want to stay with chins with a narrow grip (e.g. thumbs almost touching) or just go to pull-ups (pronated grip) with a slightly wider grip. I could also do a neutral grip, but then the only neutral handles at the gym are of a single fixed width which may or may not help me. I played with these grips on the last 2 sets, but just didn’t have enough reps to see if it made a difference. I’ll keep playing with it.

Onwards to the next cycle!

Becoming a Firearms Instructor

/ hsoi / 1 Comment

I never set out to become a firearms instructor.

Heck, years ago I didn’t set out to ever own a gun either… but about 5 years ago that all changed. Well, it changed a lot earlier than that, but it was about 5 years ago that I bought my first firearm. If you go through life open to the possibilities, open to what flows, truly seeking Truth and not just confirming your own biases then well… it’s interesting where you wind up.

So as I took classes at KR Training, one day Tom Hogel takes me aside and suggests I get my NRA Instructor Certifications. I had no desire to teach, I was totally taken aback that he just came out of the blue to move me in that way, but he and Karl both encouraged me and well… here I am.

I am far from a master, but I have been travelling this Instructor road for about four years now. Kathy Jackson recently posted to her blog an article about “How to Become a Firearms Instructor“. It’s a good article, that contains valuable information for both instructors (current and prospective) and for students.

In fact, I think Kathy’s article speaks more towards students than instructors. Read on.

Kathy talks about how there are two roads: certification, apprenticeship. I’ve done both, and I can say that both are valuable. While having certifications are nice and they open doors and grant some level of immediately recognizable credentials, history, and understanding, I just don’t think they’re as valuable as apprenticeship. If you want to learn X you have to do X. So if you want to teach, you need to teach. But you can’t just go out there and teach — you need to learn how to teach, you need to be taught how to teach. And it’s not just how to be a teacher, but learning how to be a teacher in that particular topic area. I can attest to many things I’ve learned by being on the range, by being under Karl, watching Karl, seeing how HE does things (because Karl’s one of those few people that can both do the thing at a high level, and teach the thing at a high level — I’m fortunate). There’s just no substitute for experience, and doing it under the watchful eye of a mentor.

Still, certifications have a place. What I think is more important is to keep your binder of certificates growing. Kathy encourages this too: continuing education. I also am fortunate to have a mentor that acknowledges he doesn’t have all the answers and is willing to continually improve. Karl continues to attend classes himself and seek out training from other instructors. He encourages us to get better and grow. Granted, I haven’t done much to travel to other instructors, due in part to time and money, but as well, Karl brings some of the best instructors here: Tom Givens, Claude Werner, Caleb Causey, SouthNarc, amongst others (Ben Stoeger’s coming in 2013)… so if they’re coming here, great! I’ll finally be taking Rangemaster’s Instructor Certification course in 2013.

But what you must remember is, like Kathy points out, certifications usually just take a weekend to get.

I know what it takes to get NRA Instructor Basic Pistol certification — folks, it’s not much. I could probably take any KR Training Basic Pistol 2 graduate and get them their certification (ok, perhaps stretching it… but not by much). This isn’t to be a slight on the certification because it’s quite valuable and useful, but just realize that because someone has a piece of paper doesn’t mean they know what’s what. Just because someone is certified by Texas DPS to be a CHL Instructor doesn’t mean they actually know anything about shooting (and hitting the target).

It’s important for (prospective) students to look at the whole of the Instructor:

  • Who are they?
  • Do they put their name on their website? A picture isn’t needed, but is useful.
  • What credentials do they have?
    • Being ex- law enforcement or ex- military doesn’t mean they know how to shoot, or how to work things in a civilian context
  • Who have they trained with?
  • Are they still training? When was the last time they took a training course, and with whom?
  • Do they do other shooting activities, like IPSC/USPSA, IDPA, 3-Gun, or other competition? Hunt?
  • What’s their approach and attitude? If you Google search them, what are others saying about them? How does the instructor present themselves online?

And yes… shop around. There’s lots of people wanting to join the bandwagon. Just here in the Austin area there are more and more people setting up shop as firearms instructors, so look around and compare who and what’s available.

Kathy’s article contains a lot of wisdom for people wishing to be firearms instructors. I’d also say that it’s good guidance for (prospective) students about the sort of instructors you should seek.