Pool Swimming

Came in quite late in the middle of a set of long repeats with 30secs RI.

150m easy

200m
3:58
4x 100m
2:00 / 1:57 / 1:54 / 1:53 [finally started relaxing and getting faster here]
400m
7:54

2x 200m
3:45 / 4:03 [no idea how this discrepancy happened, but the clock doesn't lie]

4x 50m ascending, R 0:20
0:50 / 0:53 / 0:57 / 1:00

--Distance: 1,750m
--Duration: 50mins

X-Country Skiing Lesson - Flats

It's two weeks before the Stars WAR, and CB and I thought we could use a tune-up of skills. We took an intermediate lesson at Hardwood Hills in between training sessions.

Our lovely instructor Martina took us to the flat track training area and had us do a series of laps focusing on various aspects of technique. Here is the good and the bad:

- Had to work more on subtle weight transfer from foot to foot, keeping head over the relevant ski
- Kick forward more to slide into the snow with the boot in line or just ahead of the other boot
- Avoid flopping the ski down and making noise
- I have good lift from the back foot and am not afraid to get a little airborne
- My gliding forward is pretty good
- I was planting my pole "late", when it should be in time with the lead foot
- My front arm was not extended enough, and my pole was going in straight, putting on the breaks
- My rear arm was following through pretty well, but we were to add a final push against the strap of the pole, hands loose
- Generally my poles were all over the place, flailing about dangerously - I have to keep them in line with my body for max efficiency (and safety to others??)
- The big breakthrough came when Martina had us roll our shoulders slightly (like in swimming!), which not only extended our pole reach, but also greatly improved the weight transfer!
- We should always have a slight lean forward to carry the momentum
Double-poling: for when regular skiing would slow you down:
- lean forward and fall onto your poles
- use an ab crunch to complete the movement

This was a great lesson because it's so helpful to have a good eye watching all your mistakes you would not otherwise even know about. And we both finally got the straight dope on classic technique.

When we went back out to practise, it was the shoulder roll that really got me moving. I found that I had a hard time concentrating on all the leg techniques, but the poling basically took care of the legs, which fell in line. I did find that I could either extend my arm and get a good "catch", or start short and have that nice strap finish, but not usually both. I think I'm still starting the pole late, so I don't have much time to complete a nice full motion. So much like swimming.

Will be back for more next week. Need hill work.

--Duration: 45mins

X-Country Skiing

Route Link

A most beautiful day for skiing! Needed the practise for the Stars W.A.R. in a couple of weeks, so booked a technique lesson in addition to free time on the trails.

CB and I started out with a nice warm-up loop of the 12km Sochi loop. It didn't take long to get into the groove, especially since we were finally on groomed tracks, so much easier to try gliding on one foot. I was actually able to lead for a while. We finished loop one just in time for our lesson in 1:24.

The lesson was pretty awesome and worth every penny.

We had some limited time due to another talk I had scheduled from the tri club, so after a carb-loaded lunch we went out on the same intermediate Sochi loop. The poling technique that our instructor showed us did wonders for my efficiency. The shoulder rolling was the easiest part and immediately stabilized me. I realized after a while that I would either dig in with my pole nice and early on an outstretched arm and then finish short, or start short on a relaxed arm but use the strap-pushing motion to finish the push. I had to consciously dig in my pole at the correct time to be able to start far and finish all the way through.\

I'm sure I was more tired on the second time around, but I finished the 12km loop in 1:29, but most importantly, it didn't feel like a fight. I also got better at cornering and downhilling.

Wonderful day!

--Distance: 24.25km
--Duration: 2:53

Bodyweight Workout

One of my obstacle friends' other obstacle friend posted this thing on FB called the 365 Days of Fitness Challenge, which has a short list of typical "wod" exercises, and since I didn't have much time after the recovery run, I decided to throw it in right at home, in the order that I felt like.

Run/Walk 1 mile (done by virtue of 5km run)
25 burpees
25 sit-ups
25 push-ups
60 second wall sit
25 squats
20 lunges (10 per leg)
90secs plank
75 jumping jacks
60 second wall sit
30sec plank


--Duration: a bunch of minutes

Recovery Run

Under doctor's orders, I did a precisely 5km easy run to test out my damaged ass muscles. I focused heavily on proper running form, and I don't believe my heels ever touched the ground. Didn't really feel anything at the time, but maybe some glimmers of soreness afterwards. My calves were definitely dead at the end of it though.

--Distance: 5km
--Duration: 28:54

Kyoshin Ryu Jiu-Jitsu

triple kick, low, medium, high
speed practise: chamber leg quickly over and over, then kick

okuri: double oi-zuki before the defense, breaks up rhythm
kaeshi: counter attack, no defense, step forward with oi-zuki

kihon chi - uke grabs rear leg, which I don't agree with

kata gatame - kesa variation with more control of the neck and less likelihood that they can get their arm through the loop; also variation up on one knee as with the tanto defense

belt as flexible weapon
- slashing attacks, pinwheel, helicopter...

--Duration: 45mins

Pool Swimming

200m kick w/ fins
200m pull w/ paddles
4x 50m swim w/ fins and paddles, descending, 0:20 R
0:40 / 0:41 / 0:39 / 0:38
4x 50m swim, descending, 0:20 R
0:54 / 0:53 / 0:51 / 0:49

2x
4x 100m on 2:05
1x 400m on 8:40
200m easy pull (second was 150m)
1:50 / 1:54 / 1:56 / 1:58 / 8:17
1:55 / 1:58 / 2:02 / 2:03 / 8:14
The first round nearly killed me. I finished the 400 totally delirious and out of breath. I decided to treat the second round like an endurance set, which is what it was, and only gave myself a few seconds of rest after easier reps. Et voila - a faster swim on the 400!

--Distance: 2,750m
--Duration: 65mins

Gym Workout

(reps) 1st set / 2nd set / 3rd set

(10) DB Row @ Bench Plank: 25lbs / 30lbs (8, Bench) / 25lbs
(10) DB Bench Press: 2x 25lbs / 2x 30lbs / 2x 30lbs
(10) BB Deadlift: 110lbs / 120lbs / 125lbs
(10) DB Bent Lateral fly w/ external rotation: 7.5lbs x2 / 10lbs x2 / 10lbs x2

(10) Leg Press: 280lbs / 300lbs / 320lbs
(10) Ball Figure-8: BW / BW / BW 
(10) DB Bent-over Lateral Raise: 5lbs x2 / 7.5lbs x2 / 7.5lbs x2
(10/side) Diagonal Squat Press: 25lbs plate / 25lbs plate / 25lbs plate

(10) DB Curls: 2x 15lbs / 2x 20lbs (6) / 2x 15lbs
(10) Front Squat: 60lbs / 70lbs / 70lbs
(10/side) Low Box Walk-overs: BW / BW / BW
(10/side) Calf Raises: BW / BW / BW [pretty awesome when the heart rate is through the roof!]

--Duration: 65mins

Pool Swimming

200m kick w/ fins
200m pull w/ paddles
200m swim w/ fins and paddles

6x 100m on 2:10, trying to hold 1:55
1:44 / 1:51 / 1:52 / 1:54 / 1:56 / 1:55

50m easy

3x 200m on 4:20, trying to hold 4:00
3:51 / 3:52 / 3:55
These felt quite easy

50m easy

4x 50m on 1:00
3x 50m on 0:55
2x 50m on 0:50
1x 50m on 0:45
At least that was the plan!
Swam most at 0:55, but then just dropped closer to 1:00 just to finish

50m windmill (to show us how hard it is to swim while thrashing around) - tough on the shoulders and slow
50m 3Rs - Reach, Rhythm, Relaxation

--Distance: 2,500m
--Duration: 65mins

Gym Workout

(reps) 1st set / 2nd set / 3rd set / 4th set


(10) DB Row: 25lbs / 30lbs / 30lbs (8)
(10) DB Bench Press: 2x 25lbs / 2x 30lbs / 2x 30lbs
(10) Front Squat: 60lbs / 70lbs / 70lbs
(10/side) Alt. DB Straight Arm Raise: 10lbs / 10lbs / 10lbs

(10) Leg Press: 280lbs / 300lbs / 320lbs / 320lbs
(10/side) DB Anti-Rotation Chops: 20lbs / 20lbs / 20lbs / 20lbs
(10) BB Deadlift: 110lbs / 110lbs / 115lbs / 120lbs [went higher after finally giving up on pronated grip and switched to over-under]

(10) Push-ups: BW / BW
(10) Inverted Rows: BW / BW

--Duration: 57mins