Ben becomes a Marine

[Phaedrus49er]

Yeah, not really. They (and every other branch of the military) won't accept me as a recruit (DQ'd for having laser surgery to repair torn retinas). Oh well, the next-best thing I can try is participating in a series of boot camp-style events put on by our local USMC coordinating council that also benefit various USMC-related charities. Personally, I'm in it for the physical challenges, but the philanthropy part is a bonus (not to mention that it's a tax write-off ).

I decided to enter the first event about a month before it was scheduled (this past Saturday, January 26). You can review the haphazard prep work I did leading up to this in the mini-log I kept on here. My comments ending the thread speak for themselves, hence this new log.

The next event is Saturday, May 3, at the US National Whitewater Center just west of Charlotte, and according to the council's website on the event series, this particular challenge "will encompass nearly every activity available at the whitewater center to include but not limited to: rock climbing, high & low ropes courses, mountain biking, off-road running, team brain games, white water time, etc." Awesome. I don't have a bicycle. I also need two additional people to make up the required four-person team. Without them, this event (and the one in August) won't be happening for me (if you're willing to travel, I have crash space ). I can't control the teammate situation, but I can control my own prep in case this actually does end up happening.

I have just under fourteen weeks (with a couple hiccups for travel) from the date of this post to prepare for the event. As I noted in my other log, my deficiencies are many, but particularly troublesome are: near-maximal output for extended time (read: energy system development), upper-body pressing, and (not noted) overall strength relative to bodyweight. I'm not interested in packing on muscle--I have a deep-seated aversion to excess size as my obese childhood would attest--but that doesn't mean I can't improve my strength and energy system capacities. So, here's the tentative plan, starting this week:

-----

Jan 29 - Feb 8 (2 weeks)
NROL - Break-In (no two-day rest between these two weeks so it'll fit the schedule)

Feb 11 - Mar 7 (4 weeks)
NROL - Strength I

off week - March 9-15 (Washington, DC)

Mar 18 - Apr 11? (4 weeks)
NROL - Strength II (beach trip planned at the end of the fourth week, so may have to tweak some rest periods along the way)

Apr 14 - May 2 (3 weeks)
event-specific prep (as close as I can guess; the final setup for the first event wasn't revealed until the day before)
--in general, I'm thinking cycling (stationary bike HIIT if I haven't gotten my own mountain bike yet, if needed), balance/stability/core work, rock climbing (maybe worth a couple day passes to a local climbing gym... or I could just go to the mountains ), various running and/or rowing (a la Saturdays as mentioned below), regeneration, and rest

post-race (? weeks)
NROL - Strength III (if optimal; otherwise perhaps a re-run of Core Performance)

-----

Given this schedule, I'm looking at gym time four days per week (usually Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri). Wednesdays will likely involve a similar "regeneration" routine to what I picked up doing Core Performance. With race season starting up, I'm sure a couple Saturdays will be devoted to 5Ks; otherwise, I'll try to make those "outside" days, meaning my own 5Ks, sprint sessions at a track, hill drill sessions, or if the weather sucks, rowing intervals at home (I <3 my Concept2). All this AND making sure I get plenty of saddle time--er, mental recovery on my Harley

I'm not going to log my nutrition, just my training. I obsessed over my FitDay log for years, so I have a good idea of what my needs are. If I feel like I'm slipping, I'll do my own FD tracking; however, I will say that I intend to consume more daily protein during this preparation than I have been the past two months or so. I haven't been eating horribly, but it certainly hasn't been optimal, and with the Cosgrove-inspired ass-kicking I'm sure is to come, I'll need the right fuel to survive. I appreciate any thoughts on supplementation, but my current regimen is fairly inclusive (multivitamin, fiber, flaxseed oil, fish oil, low-dose Greens+). PWO shakes are taken care of, but I may start adding creatine to them just for kicks. I also have a protein-only blend that goes into my morning oatmeal.

As always, I'm open to suggestions for tweaks, additions, subtractions, and complete overhauls. I promise that the rest of my posts here (save maybe for the final one) won't be as long, involved, or snarky as this one (okay, maybe I lied about not being snarky). Also, while it'd be awesomely entertaining, I'm refraining from putting up an Alpo challenge since it might encourage some to pull more for Alpo than "hoo-ah!"

"Next time" starts today.

[Mahler]

Okay, dirtbag. Front and center. Drop and give me 50.

And......


good luck.

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by Mahler

Okay, dirtbag. Front and center. Drop and give me 50.

And......


good luck.

Believe me, a straight set of 50 push-ups is definitely a goal, not just for this event but in general. I wonder if it'd be too much to do a max set or three first thing in the morning in addition to the rest. I'm thinking no, just do it.

And.......

Thanks.

[K-Court]

This is going to be SO fun to watch! When do you get the buzzcut?

[gregl515]

Ooooh Rah!!! You better get your nose in the dirt on those pushups Scrote!

[gobbla]

Wow...carry on

[kfisherx]

Semper Fi Ben.... You can do it!

-Karla (USMC 1987-1991)

[Phaedrus49er]

Thanks everyone. It'll be interesting to say the least. Rob, sorry, no true high-and-tight for me (I literally have a cartoon-esque lump on the top of my head from an early childhood swingset incident, so it's an oddball shape as it is and especially under less hair than I usually have ).



Break-In phase, Workout A-1

Warm-up - CP1 (note: these will all come straight from Core Performance (some of which is similar to NROL) and will alternate each gym session):
--forearm-to-instep lunge with rockback heel stretch, 5 reps each leg
--backward lunge with twist, 5 reps each leg
--calf stretch, 10 reps (2sec hold)
--forward inchworm, 5 reps
--inverted hamstring touches, 5 reps each leg

Work:
--back squat (2x15, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ 95lbs, 15 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--static lunge (2x15 each leg, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW
--2-point DB row (2x15 each arm, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ 40lbs, 15 @ 40lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--push-up (2x15+, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW
--Swiss ball crunch (2x20, normal tempo, 60RI) - 20 @ BW, 20 @ BW



Notes:
--It's obvious that (a) I haven't been on a planned weight training program in over a month, (b) I'm still a little gassed from Saturday's challenge course, and (c) the higher reps in this phase are going to kill me, at least at first.
--Had a bit of a headache (probably because I had my coffee later than usual and because I lowered my carb intake today) and am still battling a three-week-old cold, so truly restful sleep has been a commodity.
--This was the first time I've tried wearing my wrestling shoes in the gym, and I loved the feelings of both MORE stability (being lower to the ground?) and just the rush I used to get every time I put them on, like it was seriously time to get to work. Hey, I'll take whatever advantages I can get.
--I'm not sure if I'll continue to be this detailed in my posts over the long haul, but for now, I'm just trying to get a feel for logging a prescribed program online. It's cake to do with pen and paper in my own log, but it's been a LONG time since I've tracked any formal training on here.

[RedLefty]

Not bad, maggot.

[Phaedrus49er]

Dirtbag, scrote, and maggot. I'm off to a good start

I should make up some kinda contest for the best insult I get on here...

[Phaedrus49er]

Break-In phase, Workout B-1

Warm-up - CP2:
--hip crossover (Alwyn calls it "lower-body Russian twist"), 5 reps each side
--scorpion twist, 5 reps each side
--lateral lunge, 5 reps each leg
--crossover lunge, 5 reps each leg
--sumo squat-to-stand, 5 reps

Work:
--deadlift (2x15, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ 95lbs, 15 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--step-up (2x15 each leg, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW
--alternating DB shoulder press (2x15 each arm, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ 20lbs, 15 @ 25lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--neutral-grip lat pulldown (2x15+, normal tempo, 60RI) - 15 @ 70lbs, 15 @ 85lbs
--reverse crunch (2x20, normal tempo, 60RI) - 20 @ BW, 20 @ BW



Notes:
--I'm officially pissed off. Why? I just suck, plain and simple. I should not feel like I'm pushing through these workouts, but the high reps and tempo are killing me (caught myself cheating on tempo a few times yesterday and today; subsequent adherence to the prescribed tempos made me feel like a little girl with the amount of trouble I was having). It also didn't help that the gym was insanely crowded for that early in the afternoon, even for a Wednesday. I hate people (but I love gatherings).
--Step-up balance was a huge issue today, I'm guessing due to two converging factors: wrestling shoes (read: no built-in platform for stability) and a cushiony flat bench pad. It was almost like trying to do the exercise on one of those stability pads I saw in my physical therapy sessions. Just holding the top position was a challenge; attempting a three-second eccentric phase was laughable, but I may keep this combination in hopes of getting a jump on addressing unilateral balance.
--Sometimes, there just isn't enough beer.

[K-Court]

Ben, I wouldn't beat myself up too much if I were you. 15-rep schemes are insanely difficult and very humbling. I know each time I've done one, I'm amazed at how little weight I can actually move.

[RacerBill]

I agree with Rob -- 15 rep sets are tough. There seems to be this little barrier -- if you get ten reps, you can probably grind out 12. But then getting from 12 to 15 seems like it requires dropping half as much weight to get all the reps.

Oh, wait... this is the corps. No sympathy, dogbreath!

[Phaedrus49er]

Regeneration day:

Work:
--2 rounds of front/left/right planks, 30sec each, 60RI btwn rounds

SMR work (10 reps each)
--foam roller - back, glutes
--Stick (original version) - hamstrings, calves, quads (inner, outer), IT band
--tennis balls (2 taped together) - spine

Stretching (Core Performance protocol using rope for assistance)
--calves, 15sec each
--hamstrings, 15sec each
--adductors, 15sec each
--IT band, 15sec each
--quads, 15sec each
--triceps, 15sec each
--up-and-over chest stretch, 10reps
--side-lying internal shoulder rotation, 15sec each
--90/90 core twist, 15sec each
--quadruped rocking, 10reps



Notes:
--Why is it that when I have the opportunity to sleep with no alarm, and I even stay out late drinking and dancing because of said opportunity, I can never sleep more than 30-60 minutes later than I normally would? For some reason, I just can't seem to sleep long after sun-up.
--RacerBill has it right: no sympathy! Ditto on the rep ranges. More fun and games tomorrow!

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Phaedrus49er

I should make up some kinda contest for the best insult I get on here...

Ninja!

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Ninja!

Contest over



Break-In phase, Workout A-2

Warm-up - CP1:
--forearm-to-instep lunge with rockback heel stretch, 5 reps each leg
--backward lunge with twist, 5 reps each leg
--calf stretch, 10 reps (2sec hold)
--forward inchworm, 5 reps
--inverted hamstring touches, 5 reps each leg

Work:
--back squat (2x15, 311, 60RI) - 15 @ 95lbs, 15 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--static lunge (2x15 each leg, 311, 60RI) - 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW
--2-point DB row (2x15 each arm, 311, 60RI) - 15 @ 40lbs, 15 @ 40lbs

SUPERSET (60RI btwn each set)
--push-up (2x15+, 311, 60RI) - 15 @ BW, 15 @ BW
--Swiss ball crunch (2x20, 311, 60RI) - 20 @ BW, 20 @ BW



Notes:
--I didn't mention this during the first two workouts, but in order to hit my rep targets, I've h