Today, I have discovered that I am the 9th highest individual fund-raiser for the Gold Challenge. That's right, my ridiculous (and apparently unique) attempt at every single Olympic sport has me in the Top Ten... Moreover, I'm also the highest fund-raiser for Action for Children in the entire Gold ...
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First off, don't panic - this is an old X-ray. It was taken after a gig I played at the Hoxton Underbelly last year. I punched the stage at the end of the second song of the set and broke my knuckle. I couldn't really get a good photo of it, but you can see where the end of the 5th metacar...
Continue reading ...On Saturday, I decided against my usual gym routine of heavy weights and, instead, did just 2 sets of not-brilliant bench presses. I spent the rest of the time doing press-ups (etc), punching and kicking the punch bag and generally exhausting myself through body weight exercise. Today I am in agon...
Continue reading ...I have received a written report following my check-up with a Gold Medalist physician. It turns out he recommends I stop doing everything that makes me who I am, including drinking beer and lifting things. I response, I went to the gym...and deadlifted the biggest thing I have ever lifted. It weigh...
Continue reading ...At long last, I have deadlifted 200kg! It's not the greatest achievement ever, but it's the next big milestone along my way to attempting to deadlift three times my own body weight (225kg). [youtube height="350" width="425"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c7J0IsyavM[/youtube] You'll notice ...
Continue reading ...I have hit something of a wall. It turns out that people are very keen to offer their help and training services, in the name of charity. When it comes to it, however, nearly everybody drops out at the last minute. Although I entirely understand their situation, it is also starting to get rathe...
Continue reading ...I was lucky enough to have a nice chat on BBC Three Counties Radio this evening, with Olympic Silver Medalist, Gail Emms. Check it out at 46 minutes here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00k88j4/Gail_Emms_26_09_2011/...
Continue reading ...Excitingly, I have been invited to head into London this week, for extended testing as part of the UK Sport Power2Podium project. Power2Podium is a search for athletes who could potentially train to be medallists at the Rio 2016 summer Olympics or Pyeongchang winter Olympics in 2018. Needless to s...
Continue reading ...I have finally picked up the road bike, upon which I shall cycle 100 miles. I have so far cycled 200 metres. It wasn't easy. This is not going to be an enjoyable challenge... In other training news, I am back at the gym and lifting the biggest things I possibly can. I have been very slack in re...
Continue reading ...Having been ill for a couple of days, I went back to the gym with one thing on my mind - lifting the biggest possible thing I could. In other words, deadlifting again. After a short warm-up (too short) and a few lifts at 60, 80 and 100kg, I loaded the bar heavier than I had ever loaded it before. ...
Continue reading ...Having spent last night deadlifting, I had no intention of returning to the gym today. However, by a strange series of events, I wound up back at the gym anyway. I decided to spend my time hitting a punching bag, then doing various kinds of biceps curl, in an attempt to avoid working anything I ha...
Continue reading ...Today, I went deadlifting. "Deadlifting?" you ask, confused and scared. Yes, deadlifting - the KING of exercises for many, many reasons. Allow me to explain just a few of those reasons. What the Hell is a Deadlift? Deadlifting involves lifting a loaded barbell off the ground from a stable, be...
Continue reading ...Having done very little training recently, I have to get back to the gym and the various sports I need to complete. Last week, I managed to fit in a couple of days of training. Tuesday 23rd Legs day: squats at 90kg and front squats at 60kg Wednesday 24th Back: pull-ups, chin-ups with 20kg and b...
Continue reading ...We have two goals for my final day in Poland: 1. Visit Memento Park to see statues from communist Budapest. 2. Pilgrimage to the statue of a man punching a hydra. We get up early, ten litres of beer from the night before still sloshing around in our bodies. Matt has damaged his toe by stubbing ...
Continue reading ...The heat is ridiculous. Sweat pours down our bodies as we traipse across Budapest to our new hostel. By the time we arrive, we are sodden and exhausted. The hostel man greets us. What's that? The room we're staying is on the other side of the city? By the train station? Where we just walked...
Continue reading ...We leave Hostel Relax three hours earlier than the day before and head straight for the baths. The underground changing rooms are a teeming, squirming mass of humanity. We deposit our things in one of the rows upon row of lockers, linked by slippery walkways, and push our way up the stairs. Summo...
Continue reading ...We wake up late, groggy from dreams. Damn this shaman tobacco! Hostel Relax is deserted, apart from the owner. She gives us a tour - all the way to the local shop and back. We need to get to the city, urgently. First, however, we must cross the White Bridge. Rusting and unloved, the white ...
Continue reading ...Our bus pulls into Budapest at 23:00. The bus station is a sea of blue and red lights. Riot police are everywhere. We have no money, no map and no idea where our hostel is. Football fans flood the streets. Gods, what have we done? We abandoned Simon in Krakow, as he flies home tomorr...
Continue reading ...We awake in linen shirts, our heads pounding from wine and song. We break out fast on preaches, plums and pastries. Yoghurt with honey compliments strong coffee. We mope and despair. We are bohemians. Heading to the park, we read and continue to criticise one another's artwork. Before long, ...
Continue reading ...Breakfast involves a waffle covered in jam and punching the machine. I still fail to break 900. My wrist feels shattered. Arriving back in Krakow, we make a big decision. To be bohemians. Lunch involves 2 litres of red wine and lots of cigarettes. We criticise one another's operas. Especi...
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