Schwinners' Training Log

[schwinners]

Happy new year folks!

I think this year I will aim to post a trog update at the weekend, so here is the first of the year.

A lot of focus over January will be to prepare for my first winter Tough Guy (www.toughguy.co.uk). Have done 2 summer ones before but winter is a different animal, especially with the weather as cold as it is now! So went for a 3.67mile run today in the snow which was fun, followed by a very cold shower!

Aside from weights goals for the year (BW overhead press and 2xBW deadlift), this year I want to get back into (trying to learn) breakdancing! Given the weather outside and lack of space in my flat, coupled with no local classes, I have found a local gymnastics centre and have now been to 2 lessons! I mainly went to sort out my handstands (pretty important in breakdancing) and generally learn how to control my body in motion. Been doing a bit of work on the basics of tumbling, and I have also been getting tips to help on my muscle up... The coach was British Junior Champion on the rings for 5 consecutive years, so pretty sure if anyone can help me get a muscle up, he can!

Train hard everyone.
Tom

[tick88]

Hey mate, good to see you here...good luck with toughguy.

Re Breakdancing, have you seen Planet B-Boy...awesome break dancing film...one of the best things I watched last year.

[schwinners]

Hey Thong - not seen Planet B-Boy yet but definitely on the list!


Probably about time for a catch up! Since my last post, I completed Winter Tough Guy! Great day and really enjoyed it, although it was freeeeeeeezing cold, muddy, 1" thick ice, etc!

Still learning Gymnastics once or twice a week (depends on the week) and enjoying it and progressing.

Will try to keep my trog more upto date now



14 February

Workout of the Week #3, 2010

5 rounds + 5 pull ups + 6 swings
Pull ups on bar, dips on rings, squats/swings with 20kg kettlebell

Finisher:
AMRAP in 5 minutes 32kg DB clean + (non-strict) press with 2 inch thick handle - 14 reps

Video of first round



15 February

Part 1

Took my mate Dave on another run today - about 1.75 miles today. Didn't time but Dave kept up a good pace.

Part 2

Gymnastics. Split the lesson into 3 today:
1) Usual 30 minute warm up. Lots of animal walking which was quite fun!
2) Spent 30 minutes working on some muscle up drills. I'm soooooooooooooooo close so reckon I'll get it in the next few lessons.
3) Spent 30 minutes working on back flics. When I began I was being fully assisted but now I am barely being assisted with one (teacher's) hand, so hopefully I'll get it soon.

[jules]

YO Tom

Nice one ;D

[matthewh]

Wow, that Tough Guy thing looks mad.

Where do you do your gymnastics? That sounds like fun.

[schwinners]

YO Jules... Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

Matt - cheers dude! Tough Guy was pretty tough but thankfully I had done 2 summer tough guys before and had more of an idea what I was letting myself in for! I live in Essex (know the Reading lot through Warriortraining and FK.UK) and train at a gymnasium close to where I work - it has two floors (one sprung), rings, parellel bars, vault, trampoline, bars, ropes, etc. The class is a recreational one, so you use whatever equipment you like and learn whatever you want to, and the teachers help. Not bad for £6 a session.

[schwinners]

16 February

Lighter day today. Want to start getting into a habit of doing short bodyweight stuff more often, so did some:

Pull ups
Ring dips
Muscle up drills
Rolling pistols
Bridges



17 February

Rest + Fajitas



18 February

Gymnastics…

Soooooooooo close to getting a muscle up. However something clicked towards the end of my practice, and I was beginning to tire, so hopefully I'll make some progress when fresh next week. Also worked on back flics, front sommersaults and handstands. Good lesson



19 February

Lunchtime
Went out training with my boss Anne. Helped her with a lot of drills to work on her burpee/squat thrust technique. In between, did some plyometrics like:

Broad (long) jump
Squat jump
Upward jump to broad jump
Ladder jumps

Evening
Finally tried out the Homemade Kettlebell Handles Damien made for me.

5 x 10 swings, 30kg + 3.2kg (handle weight)

30kg was about all I could get on as I still have 2x10kg standard plates at my family home I need to collect, then it should take 40kg of my plates. Handle is a little small for 2 handed swings (can't fit little fingers in) but I don't find that a huge issue. Did the swings using only the spinlock collar and it felt tight and the plates did not move at all. Have hose clips available in future if the spinlock collars loosen.



20 February

Out all day seeing our Godson. But did 20 pull ups and 10 ring dips whilst making breakfast.



21 February

Finally made my 2nd homemade ab wheel so just messing about with some progressions using 2 ab wheels. Good fun!



22 February

Part 1
Another run with Dave. We did 2.21 miles today in 24:33 (approx 11 min mile pace). Also a lot more hilly route. Dave did really well.

Part 2
Gymnastics. Good session again today. Warm up was fun, did a lot of team games/races involving bear crawl, crab walk, running on knees, etc etc etc.
In the session I did a bit of work on my back flics, some attempts on freestanding HSPU (need to work more on my balance) and spent time on the muscle up. On the rings I am sooooooo nearly there. However, I did manage to do muscle ups using parallel bars I'll try to get someone to film that on Thursday.



24 February

10 kneeling 2 wheel roll outs
10 rolling pistols (5 per leg)

15 second L-sit on parallettes
6 x 12kg pistols (3 per side)

10 kneeling 1 arm assisted roll out (5 per side)
6 x 12kg pistols (3 per side)

10 parallette press ups
6 x 12kg pistols (3 per side)

15 second L-sit on parallettes
10 rolling pistols (5 per leg)

Some low homemade parallettes I made:



Cost about £7.50 to make. They are the same height as the ones we have at gymnastics so going to give them a go. If too low I can just add some more wood to the bottom. Feel quite strong thus far but won't post a guide until I've tested the strength some more, and seen how the height feels.

For info, the handles are 2 feet long, and sat on 4" of timber. The bar is about 40-45mm thick at a guess.

[jules]

Hey Tom...

these are fantastic!!
looking forward to a vid on what you can do on them ;D (add the back flip on it too!!)

[schwinners]

Thanks Jules - will see what I can do

25 February

Gymnastics

Got my first muscle up Finally, at last I got it! Granted there was leg swing but nailed it, and it actually felt quite easy. Did about 5 over the session.

Also worked on handstands, kip ups and rope climbing (no legs).

[jules]

Duuuuuuuuuuuuude...you must be wrapped...thats awesome work ;D
gonna start aiming towards doing one now you have given me inspiration!!

[schwinners]

GO JULES! I'm looking forward to having another go at gymnastics tomorrow night.


26/27 February

Rest days.


28 February

A few sessions today.

Part 1 - Balance Training
Was reading back through Ross' "Underground Guide to Warrior Fitness" and the section on balance training caught my eye. I think now I am doing gymnastics and breakdancing, balance will be a key strength to have. So I am going to try and fit in some balance training every now and again.

Each drill done for left leg then right leg:

30 secs x stand on one leg (left, then right)
30 secs x stand on one leg, eyes shut (left, then right)

30 secs x stand on one leg, moving head side to side and backwards (left, then right)
30 secs x stand on one leg, moving head side to side and backwards with eyes shut (left, then right)

30 secs x stand on one leg, with head rotations (left, then right)
30 secs x stand on one leg, with head rotations and eyes shut (left, then right)

10 squats on toes standing on 2x4 piece of wood

5 single leg romanian deadlift standing on 2x4 piece of wood (left, then right)


Part 2 - "The Worm"
"The Worm" keeps coming up in our warm ups at gymnastics at I had no idea on the mechanics of the movement. So spent some time learning it and can now do it


Part 3 - Posture Work
I found this link after Chet posted a link to an article which I enjoyed, so spent some time working on the exercises within - the goblet squat (using kettlebell), face pull (using a band attached to my pull up bar) and the multidirectional lunge. Also chucked in some bridges.


Also been doing some stretches today.

[tick88]

Nice work on teh muscle up mate...even better work on the Parlettes....I like them.

[markt]

Well done on the muscle up Tom.

[paulo]

Hi Tom - sorry it's take me so long to post on your Trog.

Nice work on the muscle up!!!! Made up for you but also extremely jealous!!!!

Nice one on doing the Tough Guy - I did it about 3 years ago - MAN it was cold.

Cheers

Paul

[schwinners]

Mar 2, 2010 23:34:39 GMT paulo said:

Hi Tom - sorry it's take me so long to post on your Trog.

Nice work on the muscle up!!!! Made up for you but also extremely jealous!!!!

Nice one on doing the Tough Guy - I did it about 3 years ago - MAN it was cold.

Cheers

Paul

No problem Paul! I'm still trying to find time to really get stuck in here - with my forum, FK.UK, Rosstraining, here, and life, there is not enough time lol.

TG was awesome and really cold. Shame it got a lot of press this year, as it's pushed the price up quite a lot