I just finished reading an article on David Webster OBE from Beyond Strong.

I was fortunate to meet DPW in 2007.

via Beyond Strong. here is a short video of his life and accomplishments.

One of the members of my crossfit gym has started his own blog. As both a scientist and committed athlete he has a unique insight. I recommend his blog to every one.

Brown and Loud

The following is an article I wrote for my Karate club news letter. I have posted for future reference and to high light the universal nature of development.

Dan Newsletter June 2008

Our June seminar went well after some minor hiccups. There is just no substitute to actually getting out on the floor and training. I have already seen major advances in the members that attended.

I am of the strong belief that there is a need for a class specifically designed for the senior members of the school. On several occasions during the June seminar, I referenced Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore, two conditioning coaches I had the privilege of training with on my last trip to the United States. During my time with them, I learnt a great deal about what it takes to be a good instructor, but the number one lesson I took away was the need to develop programs that ensure continued improvement. In their book 'Practical Programming for Strength Training', Rippetoe and Kilgore discuss at great length the differences between training novices and elite athletes. Of course I realise that Soo Bahk Do is somewhat removed from strength training, I believe the beneficial programming concept can very easily be applied to martial arts.



The image above reproduced from page 17 of 'Practical Programming for Strength Training' illustrates the change in a student's adaptation (improvement) over the length of time they have trained. We can see this best demonstrated by the white belt and orange belt beginners, although improvement can be witnessed across all levels. But the improvement index is a logarithmic curve: the longer we train, the smaller our improvements will be. As an instructor, it is my job to make sure that each student continues to improve and that they do not plateau or, worse, regress in their development. To prevent this from happening, I feel we do not need to increase class time, but rather to increase exercise intensity and complexity; complexity, here, referring to analysis and refinement of movement.

Rippetoe and Kilgore divide athletes into four categories - Beginner: zero to 6 months training; Intermediate: 6 months to 2 years; Advanced: 2 to 3 years; and, Elite: over 4 years. Translating this scale to Soo Bahk Do, this would correspond as the following:

Beginner = Orange Belt
Intermediate = Green Belt
Advanced = Red Belt
Elite = Dan

I am currently working on programs for all belt groups to ensure we continue in our individual development. Training with other members with approximately the same experience is both challenging and beneficial. However, to ensure the highest benefit from our training programs, I feel we need to have specialised classes for each developmental level. Students with 3 years experience obviously need a different program to members with 3 months experience in order for all students to improve their skills.

Last night we had 4 in the shed and everyone set some new PR's. Yesterdays HQ WOD was push press so we sub that in for press. I managed to get 100kg over head. Other PR were Nick doing 5x105kg deadlift, this put some pressure on Sharon who meet the challenge with 5x100kg deadlift.

We must be doing something right in 'the shed.'

Doug (another trainer at the gym) believes that the 3x5 session we run is not the best way forward and we should have a stricter adherence to the crossfit program. I know there is a lot of good reasons for this but I also believe that there is benefits in still having designated strength days.

What crossfit program has in its favour is it randomness, this helps produce a well rounded athlete, strong in all domains but master of none. There is nothing wrong this. But I also want to be strong, 600 pound tire flipping strong. Can these both sit side by side? I cant see why not. And later on when if I decide to go completely HQ WOD, I know that the strength training I have been doing will give me a great foundation.

In Rippetoe and Kilgore's 'Practical Programming for Strength Training' they talk about a training continuum. At one end you have strength. Strength takes years to develop but fortunately will stay with the athlete longer. At the other end you have endurance. Endurance befits come fast but the average athlete will loose these gains just as quick if they stop training.

I have taken this on board with my own training. I have never really been a strong person. I really did nothing to improve my fitness for many years. When looking at what I want to achieve and after training with Rippetoe and Kilgore I decided the best plan of action was to get strong and then move on to the more metcom workout.

Will I get to point were I think that I am strong enough and stick to just the WOD's?

My original goal from strength training was to deadlift and squat my own body weight and that has happened. Was this enough to make me change? No, I am just having to much fun with the three major lifts. But how strong does one need to be? I dont know, but I am going to have fun working it out.

I will discus with other people doing the strength training and see if they would like to incorporate more WOD's.

When working on this post I did not have 'Practical Programming for Strength Training' with me so I went searching the web. I came across this blog. Might be worth having a read.

Squat: 3x5 150kg
P Press: 80, 90, 100x, 100
Deadlift: 1x5 150kg

I have not owned a set of scales for many years. I got rid of the last set when I got sick of having to use addition due to the fact i would lap the read out. I know that one of the important things to remember when measuring something like weight is to use a consistent set of scales. The scales i like to run with are at my local doctor. My visits to the GP are roughly ever six months so sometime I am tempted to jump on others. While on holidays I used a set at a chemist, I should have know better to use a set of scales some where they make a lot of money selling weight loss products.

White Goodman "Hey Michelle, add five pounds to the scales in the womans locker room."

On the chemist scales I was back up to the 140kg mark. But to day while visiting my GP I was pleasantly surprised with 136kg.

This morning we did the work out as rx'd by HQ 090223 and it was brutal.

For time:
Row 500 meters
50kg Push press, 21 reps
Row 500 meters
50kg pound Push press, 18 reps
Row 500 meters
50kg pound Push press, 15 reps
Row 500 meters
50kg pound Push press, 12 reps

I have to admit that I took the rowing a little easy to start with, my legs are thanking me now. I would like to say that I was thinking ahead and pacing my self. But no, i was just being lazy. But by the end of it both my legs and shoulders were completely cooked. I didn't get a time but I am hoping that this work up comes up again soon.

I am currently reading How We Decide by  Jonah Lehrer. So far i have found the book very readable and thought provoking. The main question I am getting from the book is am i a junkie?

The book deals with how we make our day to day decisions mundane or life threatening. In the book Jonah goes in to detail of how chemicals like dopamine help determine how we make a decision. This leads me to the question am I a junkie? Do i really make decisions in life because i want to feel the bliss resulting from the release of dopamine? I will continue with book and write a more complete review when i am finished.

Sundays workout.
Only had time for two of three exercises.

Squat: 140kg

B. Press: this went well. I recently changed my 3x5 program and removed bench press from regular rotation. But for shiggles and to work in with some other gym members this weekend I did Bench. Everything went well and I am glad to say that I had no problem going up 5kg to a neat 100kg.

On Sunday i was training with a new recruit, Nick. It was Nick that requested we do bench. The main reason for this he was worried that he would loose all previous progress. Well on Sunday he added 7.5kg to his previous work set, or to make it sound even more impressive, 11%.

For a long time the fitness industry has been influenced by body building. One concept I often come across in the gym is people wanting to target specific body parts. For woman it is abs and thighs and for men it is their chest and biceps. Targeting these specific areas will lead to some improvement. But if we really want to improve on these areas we need to do the core lifts to stimulate adaptation. This is what Nick has experienced on the weekend, though we had not done much bench work we have been hitting the core lifts of squat and dead lifts. Also we have been doing associated lifts like the press. The adaptation that results from this has increase in his overall strength. Now, if nick wanted to be a champion power lifter i would work in more bench sets, but for now I believe rotating them in ever couple of sessions.