Training: Day One
Tonight I conducted my first evening of training. I don’t know why you would be interested but, in case you are…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMOsqZtue0I&hl=en&fs=1]
With the half marathon still 15-or-so weeks away, I decided it wasn’t worth starting my running training yet. After all, I hate running more than I hate… Hmm. Now this is a tricky one, because there are so few things I hate more than running that any comparison would seem ghastly; “I hate running more than I hate terrorism”, for example, is simply not the kind of thing one should joke about on a public blog… Bit late now… Never mind.
Suffice to say, I don’t enjoy running and intend to hold off jogging for as long as possible. Instead, with boxing training starting on Monday (hopefully) I decided to do strength workout that would harden my grip (so I can crush bricks in my hands like some kind of construction NINJA!), whilst developing the core strength required to withstand a pummelling. I therefore decided heavy deadlifts should be followed by weighted chin-ups and then bent barbell rows. Essentially, it was a back workout…for gripping things…with my back… Back-grip. Yes indeedy.
(Though many would recommend developing forearm strength for grip, I have to type all day at work tomorrow, so could do without being paralysed from the elbows down.)
Deadlifts went well. I took it steady and hit 180kg towards the end. Over time, that should help toughen me up for the coming weeks. I mean months… Oh Lord.
Chin-ups went fairly well. After a few warm up sets, I hung 30kg from a belt and did low-rep sets, to develop my grip and back strength. It is all a cunning plan so that, when I turn my back on my opponent, WHAM! I can… Alright, so the plan is so cunning that I haven’t quite figured it out for myself yet. It may or may not involve a porpoise – that is still to be decided.
Bent barbell rows didn’t go very well, as I was exhausted by that point and thinking of shepherd’s pie. (I was planning on having it for dinner – it doesn’t usually spring to mind at random). Not the best thing to have on your mind, shepherd’s pie… Not the best thing at all.
I then figured I should do some more specific training, so I did some hanging leg raises, to toughen up my abs for all the body shots I expect to ensure whilst boxing. I then finished my session with some ‘boxing’ (I hit a punch bag, without the foggiest idea of what I was doing). It was all about setting the mood…if you pardon the expression…
I have now had my shepherd’s pie and am heading shower-wards, to cleanse myself of agony.
Until next time…consider the birds.