Well, funny you should ask, really, because I've not been anywhere. I have, though, moved house (again... the amount of crap I have is almost literally unbearable. I need to throw more stuff in the bin.) And... well, life has been, in many ways, shit. I mean, really. I thought last year was bad. So updating this... hasn't really been a priority!
I have still been training, though just in the gym, not on the bike. My poor, neglected track bike. I don't even have a racing licence - hopefully I'll be in a position to get one come 1 October. And do a bit of rolling around Brunswick before then (closer than BBN.)
In the gym, I'm up to a 180kg squat and a 210kg deadlift. Squat's paused momentarily due to a niggling knee injury, but that's cleared now so it'll be going up again. Deadlift is just shooting along nicely, and I see no particular reason it should stop any time soon. I won't bother setting targets, just that I'm aiming for 10kg every three weeks or so.
My programming at the moment is a variation on TM - though mostly I'm only getting to the gym twice a week, not three times. Volume Thursday, Intensity Monday. Light day, when I do it, on Saturday. Volume is 5x5 squats @ ~70% 1RM (just below 1RM*0.85*0.85) and 5x5 Deadlift @ ~62% 1RM (just below 1RM*0.8*0.8) though the precise figures vary. Typically you're not 'meant' to do so much deadlift volume, but I find it works for me. I've also started doing Pendlay rows on a 3x5 basis, around 70kg at the moment, and these I do on volume days. Bench and OHP alternate following much the same pattern.
Intensity days are programmed to be 1RM attempt in squats and deads, next week AMRAP (2-5) at previous 1RM, then AMRAP (2-3) at current 1RM, then new 1RM attempt. So, if I just set my 210 1RM, the next week would see me attempt 2-5reps at 200 (and, especially for deads, that would typically be singles, or possibly one or two doubles. Don't bother with sets of 5 anymore except for volume day) before attempting 2-3 the following week at 210. Then we're set for another 1RM attempt at 220! Squats are basically the same, except that the sets are more likely to be 2+ reps, and I've been off recently because of my knee.
So that's about where I am at the moment!
14 May 2013
11 March 2013
Front!
Whatever. So, it appears I've been a bit distracted lately - what else is new? I think there's been a workout or two in there, and a bit of riding, but nothing very interesting. Off to the gym today for... as much as I could manage, really, mixing in some heavy attempts (note: not successful ones) and a bit of fairly light volume. Exercising, basically, rather than training.
I'm considering entering a powerlifting meet or two for a bit of structure, and to ensure I train rather than exercise. Not that I'd be competitive, but it'd be a lark. I'd have to pay for memberships and silly singlets though, so possibly not. We'll see. And then I'll turn back in to a bike rider again (presumably magically, I haven't worked out the details.)
S: 1x1x160, 1x1x185 (failed), 3x5x120
P: 5x5x50, 1x1x60 (failed)
D: 1x2x140, 1x1x180 (failed), 3x5x120
I'm considering entering a powerlifting meet or two for a bit of structure, and to ensure I train rather than exercise. Not that I'd be competitive, but it'd be a lark. I'd have to pay for memberships and silly singlets though, so possibly not. We'll see. And then I'll turn back in to a bike rider again (presumably magically, I haven't worked out the details.)
S: 1x1x160, 1x1x185 (failed), 3x5x120
P: 5x5x50, 1x1x60 (failed)
D: 1x2x140, 1x1x180 (failed), 3x5x120
27 February 2013
Back!
Okay, so couldn't get to the gym on Monday. But did today!
First though, a quick note - someone made the hills steeper. All of them. I did not appreciate this. Also, I need to rebuild my bike. Haven't even lubed the chain for mo... never mind. I got some SRAM red brifters off ebay, so I can strip my bike, put the 'borrowed' bits back on Melanie's bike, and clean, lube, grease, rebuild rear wheel... all that sort of stuff. In a minute. When I have time.
Anyway, back in the gym, and did a 'light' session to regrease my own wheels before going back in a couple of days for a volume session, then heavy again on Monday.
And then I realised that I thought today was Tuesday, and I'd do volume on Thursday. But it's Wednesday. And I can't get to the gym on Friday.
Stay tuned for whinging tomorrow about doing volume the day after even a 'light' session. Mental toughness. Or something.
S: 2x5x110
P: 3x5x45
D: 2x5x120
First though, a quick note - someone made the hills steeper. All of them. I did not appreciate this. Also, I need to rebuild my bike. Haven't even lubed the chain for mo... never mind. I got some SRAM red brifters off ebay, so I can strip my bike, put the 'borrowed' bits back on Melanie's bike, and clean, lube, grease, rebuild rear wheel... all that sort of stuff. In a minute. When I have time.
Anyway, back in the gym, and did a 'light' session to regrease my own wheels before going back in a couple of days for a volume session, then heavy again on Monday.
And then I realised that I thought today was Tuesday, and I'd do volume on Thursday. But it's Wednesday. And I can't get to the gym on Friday.
Stay tuned for whinging tomorrow about doing volume the day after even a 'light' session. Mental toughness. Or something.
S: 2x5x110
P: 3x5x45
D: 2x5x120
18 February 2013
Dipthong
6 days of full-day seminaring coming up, so probably no gym until next Monday. Hoped to go out with a bang today, lots of volume, but it was just too hot. And smoky from nearby grassfire!
S: 5x5x140
P: 3x5x55, 1x4x55, 1x3x55
B: 1x1x75 (Was supposed to be 5x5, but... nup. Too tired and slippy bar from prodigious sweating.)
D: 1x5x120
Planning on riding most of the week except tomorrow, but not going to bother talking about that unless something particularly interesting happens.
S: 5x5x140
P: 3x5x55, 1x4x55, 1x3x55
B: 1x1x75 (Was supposed to be 5x5, but... nup. Too tired and slippy bar from prodigious sweating.)
D: 1x5x120
Planning on riding most of the week except tomorrow, but not going to bother talking about that unless something particularly interesting happens.
11 February 2013
Atonement
What better way to atone for a crappy session, than with 1RMs? There is none, absolutely correct!
So squats I was aiming for 180 - a 15kg PR. Well, actually, I amended that to 182.5, just because that would officially get me over the 400lb mark, for precisely as much as that matters!
So I worked my way up, singles at 140, 160, 170 before attempting 182.5kg. First attempt I rose maybe three inches out of the hole. Second attempt...
Better, if not exactly pretty. But I felt sure I could lift the weight, just had to control and stabilise. Not exactly minor issues, but I wasn't going to give in. But I took the 1.25kg plates off the end - even if just for the mental feeling that it was that tiny bit lighter (all of 1.4%!) and went at it again:
Again, not entirely pretty. But by Gads it went up, and produced a happy chappy at the end!
Bench... meh. 90kg again, felt heavy. Have to nail down my technique. Who cares, they're only chesticles!
Deadlift... goal here was 200kg, a 20kg PR. I'm nothing if not ambitious. Coming in to my final 'warmup' at 160kg, I thought 'unrealistic' as well. Went for double overhand, no chalk, no belt, and could hardly move it. Of course I'd had no rest, either. Switched to hook, got it above the knees but lost the grip. Ah well, continue on!
The next obvious step was to skip straight to my previous 1RM of 180kg. Belted up, chalked etc. got set... and it went up really fairly easily! I wasn't shocked - only 10kg more than my 5RM of a week ago. Still, it was pleasant.
So 190kg was the next cab to depart from the rank, only the first time, it didn't depart! Got it about an inch off the ground, just wouldn't come. I realised as I stood back up that I hadn't really done a valsalva - just a general sort of tightening. So I reapplied some chalk, got myself set, and ripped it up - felt damn good, nice speed, and locked it out solidly. Grip slipped a little on the left hand as I started setting it back down, and tore a little hole, a tiny speck of blood. I had been intending to leave it at that, partly because I was running a bit late, but the lure of 200kg was just too strong!
So I whacked a couple of 'half' plates to go with the 4 plates on each end, and took a quick breather. In the end, perhaps slightly too quick - but I couldn't hang around too long. I grabbed the bar, set myself, big breath, and pulled - damn solid. Sliding up the legs. Barely felt heavy (this may be a lie.) But then as I passed the knees, my left hand began to slip. I kept pulling... closer, closer... an inch or so from the top, just about to lock the knees out, and my left hand started giving way, and I had to take it back down so as not to completely drop it from the top (no bumpers, no platform!) Damnit! So close to a 200kg pull, but not quite any cigars on offer for this chappy. Just a ragged hole on my left thumb where the knurling had chewed away a bit of flesh as the bar slipped.
I wish I had video, but I someone was in the rack so I had to go elsewhere to dead, and there were no convenient camera-propping locations.
Still, quite pleased with the session - a total of 460kg - over 1000lb - and a bit of work on my bench would bring that to 500kg pretty easily. And there's still a ways to go on my squat and dead, without question.
And we won't mention my lack of racing at SSS R5. I'll be back! Much stronger, hopefully leaner, and with some of my bike-handling skills returned...
So squats I was aiming for 180 - a 15kg PR. Well, actually, I amended that to 182.5, just because that would officially get me over the 400lb mark, for precisely as much as that matters!
So I worked my way up, singles at 140, 160, 170 before attempting 182.5kg. First attempt I rose maybe three inches out of the hole. Second attempt...
Better, if not exactly pretty. But I felt sure I could lift the weight, just had to control and stabilise. Not exactly minor issues, but I wasn't going to give in. But I took the 1.25kg plates off the end - even if just for the mental feeling that it was that tiny bit lighter (all of 1.4%!) and went at it again:
Again, not entirely pretty. But by Gads it went up, and produced a happy chappy at the end!
Bench... meh. 90kg again, felt heavy. Have to nail down my technique. Who cares, they're only chesticles!
Deadlift... goal here was 200kg, a 20kg PR. I'm nothing if not ambitious. Coming in to my final 'warmup' at 160kg, I thought 'unrealistic' as well. Went for double overhand, no chalk, no belt, and could hardly move it. Of course I'd had no rest, either. Switched to hook, got it above the knees but lost the grip. Ah well, continue on!
The next obvious step was to skip straight to my previous 1RM of 180kg. Belted up, chalked etc. got set... and it went up really fairly easily! I wasn't shocked - only 10kg more than my 5RM of a week ago. Still, it was pleasant.
So 190kg was the next cab to depart from the rank, only the first time, it didn't depart! Got it about an inch off the ground, just wouldn't come. I realised as I stood back up that I hadn't really done a valsalva - just a general sort of tightening. So I reapplied some chalk, got myself set, and ripped it up - felt damn good, nice speed, and locked it out solidly. Grip slipped a little on the left hand as I started setting it back down, and tore a little hole, a tiny speck of blood. I had been intending to leave it at that, partly because I was running a bit late, but the lure of 200kg was just too strong!
So I whacked a couple of 'half' plates to go with the 4 plates on each end, and took a quick breather. In the end, perhaps slightly too quick - but I couldn't hang around too long. I grabbed the bar, set myself, big breath, and pulled - damn solid. Sliding up the legs. Barely felt heavy (this may be a lie.) But then as I passed the knees, my left hand began to slip. I kept pulling... closer, closer... an inch or so from the top, just about to lock the knees out, and my left hand started giving way, and I had to take it back down so as not to completely drop it from the top (no bumpers, no platform!) Damnit! So close to a 200kg pull, but not quite any cigars on offer for this chappy. Just a ragged hole on my left thumb where the knurling had chewed away a bit of flesh as the bar slipped.
I wish I had video, but I someone was in the rack so I had to go elsewhere to dead, and there were no convenient camera-propping locations.
Still, quite pleased with the session - a total of 460kg - over 1000lb - and a bit of work on my bench would bring that to 500kg pretty easily. And there's still a ways to go on my squat and dead, without question.
And we won't mention my lack of racing at SSS R5. I'll be back! Much stronger, hopefully leaner, and with some of my bike-handling skills returned...
08 February 2013
Tawdry volume
Sometimes you go to the gym and it doesn't work. Don't even really have any worksets to mention! Just didn't happen. Oh well.
04 February 2013
Grass
Took the camera to the gym today to video my squats and deads. Sadly the memory card ran out of space before I actually got to the deads (though it faithfully recorded for a minute and a half while I walked back to the rack, put the belt on, chalked up and so on.) Aside from general form, I wanted to recalibrate my depth perception; I felt sure that I was getting down below parallel, but it's sensible to check every now and then when you don't have a coach to keep an eye on such things.
Yeah, I reckon I about managed to get down below parallel there.
Good session except for bench - I even asked for a spot so that I could push for the second at 90kg - and needed the spotter. Bit annoying, that. Perhaps a legacy of the fact that my coach never really focussed on bench and I've not hit upon better form since? Or perhaps just not my strongest point and I've never really focussed on it either. It's getting to the point though where it's almost an imbalance, and imbalances are bad, mkay?
S: 1x5x157.5
B: 1x1x90
D: 1x4x170, 1x1x170 (Did 5 reps, but just missed locking out the 5th, so paused, re-chalked, and did an extra rep and held it at the top for a few seconds.)
Yeah, I reckon I about managed to get down below parallel there.
Good session except for bench - I even asked for a spot so that I could push for the second at 90kg - and needed the spotter. Bit annoying, that. Perhaps a legacy of the fact that my coach never really focussed on bench and I've not hit upon better form since? Or perhaps just not my strongest point and I've never really focussed on it either. It's getting to the point though where it's almost an imbalance, and imbalances are bad, mkay?
S: 1x5x157.5
B: 1x1x90
D: 1x4x170, 1x1x170 (Did 5 reps, but just missed locking out the 5th, so paused, re-chalked, and did an extra rep and held it at the top for a few seconds.)
01 February 2013
11 Tonnes
There's a reason they call this 'volume' day. Especially when you do more than you're supposed to do...
Squats at 137.5... hmm. They didn't feel too heavy, but my form wasn't quite dialled in. Again, it took until the third set or so before they really got in there. I think it's a matter of mental focus and engagement, rather than actual motor patterning, because I only do one set on 'heavy' day and I've been finding that usually, I can find the right form straight off - or at least, closer to it. I shouldn't need to go at it with full beast mode engaged at 88% of my 5RM. And to do so would be counter-productive; I'd probably burn out before rep 25. But clearly I need better focus.
Bench at 75... again, felt harder than they 'should' have, 83% of my 1RM. But bench is something that I've never perfected, form-wise, and I'm still working on it. So I'm not concerned, and I got through them. And of course it's the presses that I tend to skimp on volume-wise, because I haven't been doing the light day often enough. So hopefully improvement will continue...
Deads again, trying to get more volume in, partly for the mus-cles, mostly for form. It does feel like it's working, getting better at keeping my back flat and dragging the bar up the legs; not getting the shoulders too far in front is the main facet of that work.
And then I decided to do some rack pulls as a bit of grip work, since I feel that that's been lacking a bit lately, too. I couldn't quite remember how you were meant to do them, and started them too high, above the knees. The ROM was probably about right, but the starting position was quite poor. So I'll give these a bit more thought, investigate other ways of working on it. Needs to be something a bit more 'accessory'-ish, since 64% of 1RM for 25 reps is not going to do the job!
S: 5x5x137.5
B: 5x5x75
D: 5x5x115
Rack Pulls: 1x1x200
Squats at 137.5... hmm. They didn't feel too heavy, but my form wasn't quite dialled in. Again, it took until the third set or so before they really got in there. I think it's a matter of mental focus and engagement, rather than actual motor patterning, because I only do one set on 'heavy' day and I've been finding that usually, I can find the right form straight off - or at least, closer to it. I shouldn't need to go at it with full beast mode engaged at 88% of my 5RM. And to do so would be counter-productive; I'd probably burn out before rep 25. But clearly I need better focus.
Bench at 75... again, felt harder than they 'should' have, 83% of my 1RM. But bench is something that I've never perfected, form-wise, and I'm still working on it. So I'm not concerned, and I got through them. And of course it's the presses that I tend to skimp on volume-wise, because I haven't been doing the light day often enough. So hopefully improvement will continue...
Deads again, trying to get more volume in, partly for the mus-cles, mostly for form. It does feel like it's working, getting better at keeping my back flat and dragging the bar up the legs; not getting the shoulders too far in front is the main facet of that work.
And then I decided to do some rack pulls as a bit of grip work, since I feel that that's been lacking a bit lately, too. I couldn't quite remember how you were meant to do them, and started them too high, above the knees. The ROM was probably about right, but the starting position was quite poor. So I'll give these a bit more thought, investigate other ways of working on it. Needs to be something a bit more 'accessory'-ish, since 64% of 1RM for 25 reps is not going to do the job!
S: 5x5x137.5
B: 5x5x75
D: 5x5x115
Rack Pulls: 1x1x200
28 January 2013
Got 'em (mostly)
Squats felt lovely, what can I say. Just hit that groove and went back up smooth as you like. Press... well, couldn't manage the second at 65kg. Not really doing the whole hip wiggle thingy that Rip reckons you should do, more just a straight military press with a bit of layback. Maybe I should give it more of a go. Deads... well, I got them up. One at a time. If this were still SS, that would count as a 'fail', but perhaps that's the way I'm headed for intensity day now, 5 singles rather than a set of 5. I'll aim still for 5 next time, but better to keep increasing the weight so long as I can get them than insisting upon sub-30 second breaks between each rep...
S: 1x5x155
P: 1x1x65
D: 5x1x167.5
S: 1x5x155
P: 1x1x65
D: 5x1x167.5
25 January 2013
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Nothing very exciting today. Just a 'light' session, but it was good to actually get to the gym to do such a thing. It's easy for these to feel pointless, but it's a good way of working out any stiffness after volume day, and it's imperative for actually progressing my presses I suspect.
S: 2x5x115
B: 3x5x60
PC: 5x3x60
P: 1x1x60
BE: 3x10
CU: 1x2
S: 2x5x115
B: 3x5x60
PC: 5x3x60
P: 1x1x60
BE: 3x10
CU: 1x2
23 January 2013
Widdowed
I'd say I'll start wearing black to commemorate the occasion, but I pretty much always do anyway...
So after a lazy ride with my daughter to a friend's house (and a not-so-lazy ride back) it was off to the gym for some volume - rearranging days in anticipation of the change in schedule required for school.
This time I managed 5 sets at 135kg, so I was happy with that. I really noticed today the difference in good form, and in just dropping down. When I didn't make enough of an effort to really push my hips back, I'd end up in basically a high-bar position, with no hip-drive. When I did... well, it was much easier and smoother. Something to really keep in mind, because when it gets heavy on intensity day, the temptation is to just go straight down...
So I was so excited about that I decided to give a 'widowmaker' a go - 20 reps at, in this case, a bit over half bodyweight (60kgs). I'm... glad, in a way, that I did it straight after my 5th set, only resting long enough to reset the weight. Form felt good, and I only paused for 5-10sec in between reps... 3 times. But I could hardly feel my legs, which made it easier to do. Not that they would have hurt that much, I don't think - it's only 60kg after all. But because I started off not being able to feel my legs, I didn't get the mental hit of starting to not be able to feel my legs come rep 12 or so.
Anyway, done. Was kinda fun. Even if it meant that when I got to cleans, my legs said: No. You want to do cleans, you're going to have to reverse-curl those suckers up. So... I didn't.
S: 5x5x135, 1x20x60
P: 5x5x50
PC: 1x3x70 (Last warmup)
So after a lazy ride with my daughter to a friend's house (and a not-so-lazy ride back) it was off to the gym for some volume - rearranging days in anticipation of the change in schedule required for school.
This time I managed 5 sets at 135kg, so I was happy with that. I really noticed today the difference in good form, and in just dropping down. When I didn't make enough of an effort to really push my hips back, I'd end up in basically a high-bar position, with no hip-drive. When I did... well, it was much easier and smoother. Something to really keep in mind, because when it gets heavy on intensity day, the temptation is to just go straight down...
So I was so excited about that I decided to give a 'widowmaker' a go - 20 reps at, in this case, a bit over half bodyweight (60kgs). I'm... glad, in a way, that I did it straight after my 5th set, only resting long enough to reset the weight. Form felt good, and I only paused for 5-10sec in between reps... 3 times. But I could hardly feel my legs, which made it easier to do. Not that they would have hurt that much, I don't think - it's only 60kg after all. But because I started off not being able to feel my legs, I didn't get the mental hit of starting to not be able to feel my legs come rep 12 or so.
Anyway, done. Was kinda fun. Even if it meant that when I got to cleans, my legs said: No. You want to do cleans, you're going to have to reverse-curl those suckers up. So... I didn't.
S: 5x5x135, 1x20x60
P: 5x5x50
PC: 1x3x70 (Last warmup)
20 January 2013
Kinglake
Wait, what? What was I thinking?? Or not thinking. Anyway, I rode up Kinglake. I know, for the average cyclist, nothing special. Perhaps something you'd do on a lark to wile away a lazy 15 minutes. But I've not ridden up any sort of mountain for... oh, a couple of years, probably. Steep hills, yes, but not kilometres-long constant climbs. And... well, I'm 114kg of non-slow-twitch fibres. My time fell in the 4th Strava percentile. I'm sure it's good for me, or something. Except perhaps my right quad, just above the knee - the vastus medialis, to be more precise. Bit sore, needed ice. But I'll live.
Oh, and I picked up a chin-up bar - the kind that hangs on your doorway. Seems okay so far. And, well, so long as it breaks in preference to breaking the house, however long it lasts will be good - only cost me $2.25!
Oh, and I picked up a chin-up bar - the kind that hangs on your doorway. Seems okay so far. And, well, so long as it breaks in preference to breaking the house, however long it lasts will be good - only cost me $2.25!
18 January 2013
Almost...
A day of... not quite. But in a good way.
TM Intensity, trying to get back just to expressing the strength that I have, in preparation for actually increasing it. Couldn't find my 1.25kg plates, so squat and deadlift were 2.5kg higher than planned. Got 4 reps on the squat, but the 4th was so ugly it didn't feel safe to do a 5th, so reracked. On to bench, worked up to 90, hoping for a double, but could just manage the one - and that, rather ugly and uneven. So forward to deads, and made it through, though it was a set of 3 and two singles, rather than a set of 5. No problems. In a run of good workouts, this would be disappointing; as a culmination of working back to where I should have been if I'd not been sick/injured/overly Christmassed, I'm happy with that, sets the stage for a good week.
S: 1x5x155
B: 1x1x90
DL: 1x3x165, 2x1x165
TM Intensity, trying to get back just to expressing the strength that I have, in preparation for actually increasing it. Couldn't find my 1.25kg plates, so squat and deadlift were 2.5kg higher than planned. Got 4 reps on the squat, but the 4th was so ugly it didn't feel safe to do a 5th, so reracked. On to bench, worked up to 90, hoping for a double, but could just manage the one - and that, rather ugly and uneven. So forward to deads, and made it through, though it was a set of 3 and two singles, rather than a set of 5. No problems. In a run of good workouts, this would be disappointing; as a culmination of working back to where I should have been if I'd not been sick/injured/overly Christmassed, I'm happy with that, sets the stage for a good week.
S: 1x5x155
B: 1x1x90
DL: 1x3x165, 2x1x165
14 January 2013
Back in the gym. Regularly. No, really. Stop laughing!
Was determined to get in a good workout today, without going too far given how ratty my lifting was over Christmas/New Years. Felt pretty good in the end.
S: 1x2x150, 3x5x135, 2x6x120
B: 5x5x70
DL: 1x5x120
Double felt fairly good - a bit of a struggle, but not excessively so, and form, while not perfect of course, was fairly solid. Aimed to do 5x5x135, but after the first 3 sets I'd run out of endurance in the sets, and the last couple of reps were not so good. So decided to drop back to 120 to preserve the form, upping the reps slightly to preserve the volume. Bench felt okay, though bar path was a bit wonky. Not surprising, and strength-wise it was okay.
Deadlift I was planning on doing 3x5 at whatever weight I could manage, but the volume got to me in the end. Even at just 120, with a hook grip, I couldn't hold on to the bar solidly. It was slipping as I got up past the knees, so I locked out each rep with the bar in my fingertips. Which wasn't a problem, but it was a clear sign that I'd had enough for the day. Which is probably good really, in giving me something to grease the groove without wearing me out, leaving something for Friday.
S: 1x2x150, 3x5x135, 2x6x120
B: 5x5x70
DL: 1x5x120
Double felt fairly good - a bit of a struggle, but not excessively so, and form, while not perfect of course, was fairly solid. Aimed to do 5x5x135, but after the first 3 sets I'd run out of endurance in the sets, and the last couple of reps were not so good. So decided to drop back to 120 to preserve the form, upping the reps slightly to preserve the volume. Bench felt okay, though bar path was a bit wonky. Not surprising, and strength-wise it was okay.
Deadlift I was planning on doing 3x5 at whatever weight I could manage, but the volume got to me in the end. Even at just 120, with a hook grip, I couldn't hold on to the bar solidly. It was slipping as I got up past the knees, so I locked out each rep with the bar in my fingertips. Which wasn't a problem, but it was a clear sign that I'd had enough for the day. Which is probably good really, in giving me something to grease the groove without wearing me out, leaving something for Friday.
11 January 2013
Power Capacity?
No, sorry, don't have any of that! Something made me think that doing this might be a good idea. Getting only about halfway through... confirmed that. No surprises that I couldn't go any further in my third race last weekend, eh? Ah well. Onwards and upwards. Perhaps one spin a week will be enough for the moment until we get towards training for next season. We'll see!
Max RPM (39x23): 188
Max speed (39x12): 59.7km/hr
Oh, and thanks Kev - I've given up wondering why I can post blog entries, comment on the blogs of others, but not comment on my own, even anonymously!
Max RPM (39x23): 188
Max speed (39x12): 59.7km/hr
Oh, and thanks Kev - I've given up wondering why I can post blog entries, comment on the blogs of others, but not comment on my own, even anonymously!
06 January 2013
SSS Round 4
Well this was an odd day.
Tossing up what gear to ride in the morning, I ended up breaking my chain whip trying to take off the 14 to change up to a 13. Right you are then, I'll ride 95" then!
Got to the track slightly late and I think I assumed that I wouldn't have time for a warmup, and by the time I realised that I'd have plenty of time, I didn't anymore.
So I rolled out for the flying 200 not very ready, but still feeling okay - physically. Felt really uncomfortable on the bike though, and as soon as I went to jump it showed - really wobbly and was hardly transferring any power to the pedals. Rode a 14.087, slowest in B-grade - and I think there were some mutterings about putting me down in C, which would have been rather embarrassing. As it was I stayed at the tail of a 10-strong B-Grade.
I'm surmising that it's the absolute lack of training that left me not feeling comfortable on the bike. Of course, round 1 and 2 were the same, but round 1 I was riding 86" and spinning madly, whereas round 2 I was riding 102" for the flying 200, and able to just bludgeon the thing around the track. Trying to jump at 95", a nice middle gear, really showed me up. Of course that's what I raced on in round 2, but then, I didn't exactly race well then, either!
So anyway, not an auspicious start. But I'd already decided on my tactics - ride flying 200s. Okay, not quite precisely, but the general idea was to stuff all of this riding slowly and then jumping nonsense, because I'm really crap at that. And go from the front, whether I was drawn there or not, because if I get behind, I stay behind - at least, when I haven't been training, because I'm not comfortable enough on the bike to accelerate out of the saddle at speed. Anyone taking notes for the next round?
In my first race, against Paul Yeatman, I drew the lead and went for the aforementioned tactic, just winding it up and keeping him behind me. Coming out of turn 3 he came up to my hip a bit, which was good, let me keep a good eye on him and give me a chance to hook and drop in to 1. He managed to get back, but he stayed behind me and didn't jump underneath, so I just took the run through turn one and then very wobbily accelerated coming out of two. From there I just stayed ahead - watching the video Paul ran a bit wide out of 4 coming towards the line, but I had him by a good bike length. Excellent - my first 'sprint' victory in B.
Second race against Sam McCabe followed a similar script. I pushed the pace up a little higher though still not exactly TT pace, and kept Sam up towards the fence. He was sat beside me until turn three, when I pulled a little ahead and this time managed to keep him on my hip all the way back around to turn one. I gave a little hook, just enough to shy him off, but rather than dropping straight away I held him up a little to stop the natural drop in pursuit. My acceleration wasn't anything flashy, and he sat in my draft up the back straight before pulling around. This time it went right down to the line, but I managed to hold him off and won it on the throw. Two wins!
Third race up against Jarrod, who has changed so much in the last year he's (almost) unrecognisable. I had not much left for this one, but the plan was basically the same though I was nominally following. I knew he'd let me take the lead, and I did. Same idea, but not so good execution - I didn't keep a good enough eye on him, and I took too high a line in to turn 1. Too fatigued, not thinking so well. Watching the video is almost comical - took me a good couple of seconds to respond to his jump. I still managed to get down behind him just a couple of bike lengths back, but as soon as I went my quads were telling me that nothing was going to happen, and I abandoned the chase fairly early really. A win would have put me in to the 3v4 final... and to be honest, I don't think I wanted to be there. I had nothing left for the third race, the 4th would have been very embarrassing!
So that was the day - a couple of wins, and I had fun. Only one round left, and I'm going to do at least a couple of sessions to train for it, finish the season (in February??) on a high.
Tossing up what gear to ride in the morning, I ended up breaking my chain whip trying to take off the 14 to change up to a 13. Right you are then, I'll ride 95" then!
Got to the track slightly late and I think I assumed that I wouldn't have time for a warmup, and by the time I realised that I'd have plenty of time, I didn't anymore.
So I rolled out for the flying 200 not very ready, but still feeling okay - physically. Felt really uncomfortable on the bike though, and as soon as I went to jump it showed - really wobbly and was hardly transferring any power to the pedals. Rode a 14.087, slowest in B-grade - and I think there were some mutterings about putting me down in C, which would have been rather embarrassing. As it was I stayed at the tail of a 10-strong B-Grade.
I'm surmising that it's the absolute lack of training that left me not feeling comfortable on the bike. Of course, round 1 and 2 were the same, but round 1 I was riding 86" and spinning madly, whereas round 2 I was riding 102" for the flying 200, and able to just bludgeon the thing around the track. Trying to jump at 95", a nice middle gear, really showed me up. Of course that's what I raced on in round 2, but then, I didn't exactly race well then, either!
So anyway, not an auspicious start. But I'd already decided on my tactics - ride flying 200s. Okay, not quite precisely, but the general idea was to stuff all of this riding slowly and then jumping nonsense, because I'm really crap at that. And go from the front, whether I was drawn there or not, because if I get behind, I stay behind - at least, when I haven't been training, because I'm not comfortable enough on the bike to accelerate out of the saddle at speed. Anyone taking notes for the next round?
In my first race, against Paul Yeatman, I drew the lead and went for the aforementioned tactic, just winding it up and keeping him behind me. Coming out of turn 3 he came up to my hip a bit, which was good, let me keep a good eye on him and give me a chance to hook and drop in to 1. He managed to get back, but he stayed behind me and didn't jump underneath, so I just took the run through turn one and then very wobbily accelerated coming out of two. From there I just stayed ahead - watching the video Paul ran a bit wide out of 4 coming towards the line, but I had him by a good bike length. Excellent - my first 'sprint' victory in B.
Second race against Sam McCabe followed a similar script. I pushed the pace up a little higher though still not exactly TT pace, and kept Sam up towards the fence. He was sat beside me until turn three, when I pulled a little ahead and this time managed to keep him on my hip all the way back around to turn one. I gave a little hook, just enough to shy him off, but rather than dropping straight away I held him up a little to stop the natural drop in pursuit. My acceleration wasn't anything flashy, and he sat in my draft up the back straight before pulling around. This time it went right down to the line, but I managed to hold him off and won it on the throw. Two wins!
Third race up against Jarrod, who has changed so much in the last year he's (almost) unrecognisable. I had not much left for this one, but the plan was basically the same though I was nominally following. I knew he'd let me take the lead, and I did. Same idea, but not so good execution - I didn't keep a good enough eye on him, and I took too high a line in to turn 1. Too fatigued, not thinking so well. Watching the video is almost comical - took me a good couple of seconds to respond to his jump. I still managed to get down behind him just a couple of bike lengths back, but as soon as I went my quads were telling me that nothing was going to happen, and I abandoned the chase fairly early really. A win would have put me in to the 3v4 final... and to be honest, I don't think I wanted to be there. I had nothing left for the third race, the 4th would have been very embarrassing!
So that was the day - a couple of wins, and I had fun. Only one round left, and I'm going to do at least a couple of sessions to train for it, finish the season (in February??) on a high.
04 January 2013
Again with the kinda tapering...
...just the way it's worked out again with parenting and injuries. Back in the gym (where else? Though I did do some riding this week with my daughter. A total of 8.6km at 7km/hr. That's sprint training, right?) for a light session that felt decidedly non-light. Ah well. Racing Sunday...
S: 2x5x110
P: 3x5x50
BE: 3x10
Chins (negatives): 3x1
Yes, chins are rather sad. Haven't done them for months, which is bad. So now I'm back to doing controlled negatives. Sad. But they should only take a couple of weeks to come back, so that I can do actual chinups. Woo.
S: 2x5x110
P: 3x5x50
BE: 3x10
Chins (negatives): 3x1
Yes, chins are rather sad. Haven't done them for months, which is bad. So now I'm back to doing controlled negatives. Sad. But they should only take a couple of weeks to come back, so that I can do actual chinups. Woo.
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