Brent has aquired a new toy… I use that term lightly (pun intended).
Not satisfied with his mere 680lb tire, his new 900lb tire has been giving him a challenge. In the next little while we will post some video of tire flips not merely for your amusement but to illustrate sound technique to get you flipping….
Walter
First off, take a moment to remember the emergency services personnel and all those who died on 9/11.
Med. heavy squat day today, 2 sets 135×15, 2 sets 225×6, 315 for sets of 7,6,6 then 225×20. Zercher squats 225×10 for 2 sets, good mornings 135×10 for 3 sets, 2 sets of 15 hyperextensions. Warm-up was 2 sets box jumps, 700lb tire flipX5, 900lb tire flipX2 (all I could do anyways…). Ab wheel afterwards, 3 sets x 12.
Great article here by Paul from Ultimate Fitness in Renfrew: http://theathletesite.com/defrancoseminar.html
Time for a powerball war with Walter soon…
Doing….
100 pushups is better than 50
50 pushups is better than 25
25 pushups is better than 10
10 pushups is better than 1 pushup
1 pushup is better than nothing
Nothing gets you nowhere…..
Did quite a few contests this summer, heavy training in between too. Starting to feel strains and soreness, so I’ve been going to a good massage therapist. Very painful, but works wonders with the knees, lower back and shoulders. Went today and had the knee worked on, felt good. Hands are starting to have constant pain from the grip training and weird events, but the powerball keeps them moving. Med-heavy deadlift today, 135X10, 225X6, 315X3, then singles with 365, 385, 405, 425 and 465. Then 315X10 and off to the 700 lb tire for some cardio. 30 flips in sets of 10, 6,8 and 6. Finished with pullups, pull downs, hyperextensions and abs. Cool ab exercise that I got from Paul at Ultimate Fitness in Renfrew. He has a little wheel with a handle out each side, you kneel and roll the thing out till you are flat, then back again. Killer on the abs. I have one my brother gave me but I can’t find it. Instead, I just used the olympic bar with a pair of 45s and rolled myself out with that. Went home and ate like a pig and I’m taking a couple of days off since I haven’t really stopped since the last competition.
Many people “fall off the wagon” because of one slip. I’ve done it… you do SO well with regards to a particular goal, say diet, and then you have a bad day. You feel sorry for yourself and POOF there goes a large pizza. Or tub of Ben & Jerry’s. Or both…
It may help to think of achieving a goal like an airplane flying from New York to London. It would be impossible for the pilots (or the computer) to keep the plane on course the entire time. Winds blow it off course. Thunderstorms cause detours. Visibility causes ascent/descent. There are constant, minute course corrections happening all the time. The plane appears to be flying straight but is actually zigging and zagging to it’s destination.
Same for achieving your goal. You likely will require some course corrections but you will ultimately get there if you persevere. Get flying!
I’ll do my best to post updates on my latest motivational pursuit: strongman competitions. At 41 years old, there are a number of perceived hurdles to overcome when undertaking the training necessary for this sport. Old injuries, career, family (time constraints) etc. Worst one is the common notion that people over a certain age should just grow up and realize that they are too old for competitive physicial activity. This notion is perpetuated by some of my peers and acquaintences who cite their own horror stories: ” I bent over to pick up (whatever) and now my back is shot forever”…. or medical advice: “you naturally just start getting weaker after age 30″. So, as is my skeptical, defiant way, I’ll continue to push myself and find out for myself what it is that I can accomplish.
Yesterday was a light shoulder/pressing workout after competition on the weekend (finished 6th out of 13 competitors. Tonight will be medium heavy deadlift/tire flip/back assistance exercises
Motivation? take a look at the first youtube video on this link: http://dieselcrew.blogspot.com/
Dustin Carter is this kids name and he is incredible. Just when you think you have it bad??
I’ll continue posting my progress.
…when I was 20. This is the most common complaint heard from adult students who want to take up practicing a martial art. They feel that their bodies will not be able to perform and execute the movements at an acceptable level. Of course they just finished watching the latest Jackie Chan movie and are comparing themselves to an unrealistic standard.
Realistically, the aim or goal of martial arts is not to make you “the best” in the class or your town or the world. You can only compare yourself to you and measure your improvement over time.
I ask people what they would have given up to have started training back then. Often they were excellent athletes in other sports or spent the better part of a decade studying and now have great careers. Every choice has it’s cost and flip side.
Instead of imagining how great you could be now had you started earlier, ask better questions…. Have I improved my fitness over the last month of training? Am I more flexible now? Did I relieve some stress tonight?
Oh, and one more thing…. If you don’t start today, in five years from now you’ll be saying “why didn’t I start five years ago… imagine where I would be now!”
The last time you went shopping at the mall, a big box store or for groceries where did you park? I recently caught myself driving around and around the mall parking lot trying to get a spot close to the doors. Why? I have no injuries, no disabilities and I wasn’t planning on buying a fridge. This is one example where I would not only increase my foot traffic for the day burning a few more calories but probably save a ding on my paint job from parking in a less dense area.
I welcome other simple examples that require a little extra effort on a daily basis but make good sense from a fitness and fortitude perspective.
Huzzah! Welcome and congratulations on finding The Forge….
The Fortitude Forge is a website dedicated to ideas, activities and discussions to develop fortitude.
William Faulkner wrote: “People need trouble — a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. I don’t mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.”
My motivation in creating this site comes partly from the inspiration of my brother (of whom will be a regular contributor) and in part, a personal need to cultivate my own fortitude.
Is building fortitude a complicated process? Let’s see… Right now do 5 more pushups than you are comfortable with. If you go through with it, you will have increased your fortitude. Congratulations. Or not. Fortitude: It’s up to you.
Walter