"I've always been afraid of twelve step crowds; they laugh too much and they talk too loud like they all know, how everyone should be . . ."
Todd Snider, Long Year . . .
Tuesday
Nothing, working dog.
Wednesday
In late for:
Five long cycle double 24kg clean & press
3 double 28
1+1x2 32
8 double 24kg front squats
5 plus 3 assisted pull ups, 16lb assist
20 tactical lunges, 24kg
x3
5-1 descending 1 arm swing ladder 24kg to 20 alternating
x4.
Thursday
Ericka at noon, great class.
Friday
Supposed day off, Hah !
Expert witness prep and client meet, quick workout
20 28 kg swings to 1 28kg tgu x5
20 28kg swings x 5
Berkeley shopping
Saturday
Clean up in anticipation of pork roast oh yes.
Sunday
To Mg for kettlebell/movement fun. Total blast felt like a kid.
Monday
75 min yoga with Evan; chaturanga city.
Tuesday
CT late:
5-1+ 5-1 snatch ladder 24kg, to mobility voo doo to 5 20kg GS
x6
In between, juggling the usual holiday dysfunction with year end client crises. Friday brought the expert witness prep in am in 5mm case headed on a rail line to trial, then on Telegraph, bailing to sit in Noah's and close out seven figure settlement deal which is first piece in chain which needs to be cleared out before year and while simultaneously structuring sale of world famous artisan business in fashion which satisfies creditors and leaves client reputation intact. Pretty much left alone Saturday and Sunday to think about prior week and plot for the next one; Monday more of the same. Tuesday brought five hours of witness prep with nationally known law professor nervous about being a paid expert which makes him perfect but he does not know it yet. I am his lifeline and he practically begs me to go to dinner but it is not necessary and we both have work to do. His is reviewing 573 pages of accounting documents and mine is snatching a 24kg bell 180 times, in between CT's outstanding fine motor work and goblet squats with no sagittal extension, maintain neutral spine, relax, move your eyes not your head.
I enjoy social media and reading all the young folks' plans and goals and determination; road maps of lives just starting and recent prs. The resume of the day; how you got all the shit done and more that you said you would and ate clean, worked out and are psyched to get up and do it again. I like seeing them so dedicated, so committed to what you think you want.
But what will really impress is to see recuperation with grace when something happens to that will leave all that in shambles. Can they broaden the map so it includes enough other people (outside of the gym) to guarantee disappointment, stir up bad juju one must ultimately forgive and dig deeper than ever thought possible to do so because its not about the individual or that bar with the weight on it but those who depend their survival and what you carry for them. Not something that happens to someone close, but to you. The birth of a child not perfect, the loss of a job, the cosmic blindside which tears your road map to shreds. Recuperate from that and stay strong. Recognize how little you really need, because what really matters takes up no space at all except in the center of your chest the capacity of which is infinite.
Yes, yoga will be good tomorrow. After the four hours of deposition, and before the three hours of settlement negotiations. Breathe.
"Top of the mat; pose of the Mountain . . ."
PT, often
That's where it starts. Feeling the weight in the feet, gonna do this . . .
Sunday
Yoga with B. Before class he is sitting in full lotus, backs of hands on knees with forefinger circled to thumb. Sonorous trance music, eyes shut; pretty sure he fell asleep. Home to football and make awesome roast pork dinner, Brigid whips up best Brussels sprouts ever.
Monday
In early for headstands, twin 40 farmers walk, bu fool around. Just gtg and practicing. Nada mas but rest day is ok.
Tuesday
In early again for bu fool around. Try out Saturday' complex with double 16s then 20s. Think we'll start with 16's and see if we can make it up in volume.
Back in pm for:
60 16kg warm up
5 double 16 swings
5 double clean and press
5 double front squats
5 double snatches
1 28kg tgu
x 10.
Blow through the desire to stop at five. Three more then two. Old man:
No. 7 on Kenneth Jay's ten days of kettlebell mistakes here, neck extension on downswing, move the eyes, not head.
Wednesday
Headed to mh 5:15; catch cjd heading to Marin. Can save ten bucks and head home instead and hang with Brigid.
Thursday
Hit gym by 6:00 after busy day.
4-1+4-1 short cycle 28kg press ladders; 4 is a pr, hit fours all three circuits, no breaks Np; overdue.
Front squats, 8, twin 24, very good
10+10 28kg renegade rows
10 figure 8 to hold 20 to 10 24
x3
Alternating single arm swing ladder 10 20, 24, 28 x 5. Could have gone 8-10 but need gas for Pradeep tomorrow.
Felt sooo good after that. Great presses and good ballistics, Rock n roll helps.
Friday
5:00 Pradeep. After brief (but not perfunctory) warm up he has us on one foot, knee bent, other leg up, opposite hand on down foot with downside hand on hip. "no, this is not a yoga pose, just hard." Then hinge up on one foot, knee to chest on raised side, breathe. Four lengthy slow reps each side, sweat pouring: "hey, we're 14 minutes in!"
You'd want to kill him if he was not having so much fun. Happy hour endorphin rush. Hamstrings loose again after Kbells day before and a day behind a desk.
Why would anyone want to skip this ?
Saturday
15/15 16kg snatches 7 rep pace x 70
At 35 tempted to call it a week; Clapton from 1970; Got To Get Better In A Little While, push through, you can do anything for 35 minutes.
Sunday
To John's for Brigids birthday Tri tip.
Outstanding, guy can cook. Rest day.
Up to bed at 10pm something pst and see @JasonIsbell has tweeted Warren Hellman has died. Sadness, have over a decade of photos of Brigid and Barry at HSB. My kids grew up at your picnic. Giant heart. No words.
Monday. Distracted. WH tears just below the surface. Lay it out for 60 with Pradeep. Opening with his Foot thing. Closing with bridge to wheel. Sweat fest.
Love you Warren, you gave me this, and much much more:
Late long conference call scheduled, get out at noon for:
60 16kg swing warm-up
1-3+1-3 28kg press
Kbell front squats, ten twin 20's
5 pullups,16lb assist
Sls 5+5 then 5+5 with 16kg bu.
X3
Mixed bu/snatch fuckaround
Tuesday
Sixty min yoga, good class mh.
Wednesday
To la for mediation and back. No workout. Judge liked the brief from Sunday's rest day; it's good when you get to set the tone and drive.
Thursday
Need to hit it
60 16kg swing warmup.
5+5 alternating 24kg op, straight to 5 doubles
1 min farmers walk, two 28
10 reverse pushups off of smith
5,4,4 trap bar deads, 245.
x3
5-1+5-1 24kg single arm swing ladder to
55lb oly bar tgu. X 5
Good. Hours later posterior from knees to neck humming.
Friday
Why is it I think my back is going to crater on deadlifts and swings. I wake up feeling awesome.
Felt like a very long day but it really wasn't. To Jon Isaacs 90 min class subbing for Pradeep. Slow. Is. Hard.
Stay away late to pick up Ian. Cruisin the Vault in Marin Brewing Co., find Rick Derringer from 1981 and cast of thousands benefit. Last two, Rick and Dr. John with RD just blowing it out on Right Place Wrong Time, then into Hang On Sloopy. Single beer.
Saturday
All day, plowing through bank docs, sending out what I hope are incisive emails to the rest of the team; feed back positive. It's getting later and later and it's cold outside and last email is sent in the dark.
Not feeling it, go upstairs, B is listening to Bowie on the bed. I curl up next to him, he puts his head on me knee and gets heavy. Force it up, stream Derringer all stars during @giryagirl simple six workout:
Right
5 one hand swing
5 clean and press, long cycle
5 squats, bell in rack
5 snatches
Left
repeat above
TGU
x 5 with 24kg.
hit stride during circuit 3; switch to Little Feat, heavy heavy slide to kick off Rock 'n Roll Dr. B bounces back in the door. He loves Lowell. Arms flailing wildly and heavy breathing he's overtaken, and bed dancing. Last three circuits just pound 'em out.
Yoga with B tomorrow.
"three degrees in be-bop, phd in swing he's a master of rythm, he's a rock n' roll king . . ."
"kicked by the wind,
dropped by the sleet. Got my head stove in but I'm still on my feet and I'm still, willin'"
Lowell George, Willin'
Sunday
Take B in for 90 min yoga. He rocks it and class is sweet.
Monday
Read @michaeltaylor tweets this morning and he is down on us sweaters in the class. Look, I like to sweat. It feels good and feels like the right thing to do; I don't feel out of touch with my breath or practice, quite the contrary. So it's perfect for me, problem Mr.Harvard strala yogi man ?
Long ass day. Appreciate all the fitness inspiration stuff; helps get me to the gym after all that work, stress and problems.
In and feeling strong. Gym is packed:
10+10 16kg single arm swing x 3
Forearms feel a bit baked and don't know where that's coming from. Move to first circuit
Short cycle press:
5+5 20
4+4 24
3+3 28
1+1 32x2
Front squats twin 20s
20 24kg renegade rows
Suitcase deads, twin 32x 10
x3.
Best 28 presses ever, could have had fours easy and maybe fives, revisit Saturday. 32's going up smooth, maybe doubles.
30/30 20 swings alternate 28/24 x 10, or that was the plan. At 8 knew I was in big trouble re grip and stopped last set of 28 at 11. Waited 30 seconds and picked up 24 for last 20 but grip was shot, done gone and dusted. Stop and live to come back another day. 30 short of 200 sucks but not as bad as hurting myself or someone else in the crowded gym.
Tuesday
Planned down day. Deja vu meeting in San Rafael; weird.
Wednesday
Force it up for 1:00 Pradeep. Extended side series from chair to prayer twist to side angle to warrior two to brief relief in triangle has quads screaming; breathe through it. Side plank with top leg up really strong, laid out at the end. Dinner, 9:35 boat, and in lot picking up Ian at 11:00. Thrashed.
Thursday
Start at 6:30. 2:00 meeting stretches to 7:30, unplanned down day. Tired. Six hours of sleep and 13 hours of work billing at 425 per. Not proud, just shows client expectation. You don't meet, you are toast. Fried.
Wind leaves stuff and outdoor furniture all over back yard. Bay is flat and smooth and opt for last three songs on Blood On The Tracks. I need to double down today and do some kettlebells at noon and follow up with Pradeep happy hour. Pulls at noon, swings and tgu, cause it'll be plank push city with Pradeep later.
Need good breakfast for all of that. Roll off boat and into Frog Hollow with packed lit bag and binder full of trouble. (lawyer joke) They're cranking Little Feat, Lowell George's raw slide echoing out over the concrete on Time Lives A Hero. Thanks, I'll eat the oatmeal here but ya'll really need to get bacon on the menu . . .
Bail at 12:30 for a tight 45 minutes
20 28kg swings to 1 tgu
x 10
Back for a productive two hours, then back to gym for 90 minute Pradeep.
When it starts out in Savahsana we know it's gonna be a drencher. Come put and up to happy baby he jokes and says we'll be coming back here in 90 minutes, but in between, Strong.
Complete blowout, three side plank progressions, bunch of time in tree, extended warrior triangle reverse side angle variation progressions, crow, lizard, etc. 70 minutes in in plank there is just a running stream from my shirt; it's not even dripping sweat.
It feels so good, could feel this way forever.
Saturday
Get up feeling awesome, sit down for five hours writing brief. Ian comes out and gets me up on Burdell with Rose, good walk with some good elevation gain.
"Thanks for the joy that you're given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Your rythym and rhyme and harmony
You've helped me along
Makin' me strong.
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll
And drift away . . ."
Mentor Williams, Drift Away
Monday AM, liked JR's Facebook page last night so, after scanning the awesome @girlsgoneSTRONG photos and reading CT's wry and gentle post re Stanford loss from a Marina bar, enjoyed a morning commute listening to Tom Rush and scanning JR's work, answering the intermittent email and sketching out the course of the day. Rush going from No Regrets to Rockport Sunday in 1972 from the Lenox lounge. Rush is still touring and sounds great and is funny as hell to boot. Will never forget concert in 1976 with the unbelievably beautiful DD; she'd asked me to go, Rush opened for Kenny Rankin. Sixteen and terrified but relaxed after a couple of Rush tunes, at least enough to steal sideways glances at DD's lovely profile before youth and nerves cost any other opportunities.
Monday included 30 minutes on elliptical in am,
Then Pradeep, killer. Sweating too much next to model buddy.
Tuesday
Scramble all day. Late meeting with opposing counsel on a dog case. Let's settle the dog so we can really work together. Late to CT, could have rolled north much easier, fuck that let's do this instead:
20 28kg swings to descending 10-1 squat ladder, 24. Sweatfest, voodoo sandwich between swings and squats. Very fond of CT, she just rocks in her completely odd way.
Wednesday. Boatload of work; planned rest, you did it, yay !
Thursday
Another boatload of work day. Bail at 3:15 for haircut and illusory client meeting after. The client was a 28kg bell. I'd feel bad, except practice has stayed fully intact and grown quite nicely since I started this drill after the dog was dumped on me seven years ago. Practice intact, body transformed, nothing wrong with this picture:
Saturday
Get up, sit down and don't move until 5:30. DOMS at shoulders and triceps posterior chain. Actually feels pretty good. Squat to press and pushups and double snatch lingering. Rest day, planned only in the back of the mind, but probably the right thing to do . . .
"Strap them kids in
Give 'em a little bit of vodka in a cherry coke
We're going to Oklahoma to the family reunion for the first time in years
It's up at uncle Slayton's cause he's getting on in years
You know he no longer travels but he's still pretty spry
He's not much on talking and he's just too mean to die
And they'll be comin' down from Kansas
and from west Arkansas
It'll be one great big old party like you never saw."
James McMurtry, Choctaw Bingo
Really; he is. @jasonisbell is touring with him and tweets a lot; recently my favorite line from Hurricane Party: "I don't want another drink I only want the last one again." We are headed to the holidays. Need to place family gatherings in proper perspective and James can help with that.
Good sub for Pradeep Friday. 90 minutes of only the second class of the week, it's strong.
Saturday
Long dog walk with two teenagers. Should have done bells but back not good so lay back.
Sunday
B and I head in for Ericka's class. B is totally pumped and rocks it out in his barryness way. It's 90 minutes and a really good class; he loves the one foot stuff and I love the weight of him in assisting, working to get him square; dropping the hip, turning the shoulder. Doing the scrub and shave thing after, Barry strutting about the @equinox locker room in his towel, drying the hair, rockin' the gel.
Monday
I am so fucking busy. Spend the day scrambling to close, to keep up, to catch up.
Bail to gym. Want to try @giryagirl's double workout. Have not eaten well, push:
20's except for clean and press and rows, up to 24's. Want to do 4; front squats drop to 3. Planks. 45 rkc front, same sides x 2.
Home to dog farts and coconut curry.
Tuesday
Nothing but work
Wednesday
Bad back last two days. Head to mh 5:15 and realize my hamstrings are so tight it's nuts. We do an hour of hamstring work and walk out a new person.
Barry, Robert Plant and I are fan photo of the day on HSB. By end of it we have 100 likes and some nice comments. Robert is fucking awesome; Choctaw Bingo is epic and I roll off the boat while James sings and I fantasize about RuthAnn and Lynn. No one should know anything about the mind of a man wearing earbuds and listening to James McMurtry.
Thursday
Another off day. Hamstring releases helped but back still hinky. Day of rolling disappointments, no EH at noon, want to get to CT for like the first time in two months at 6:45 but no, work and conference calls until 7:00; fucking race to the ferry to listen to Just Us Kids and We Can't Make It Here and home where I go upstairs immediately because I don't want to watch Close Encounters for the 47th time. Rose hops on the bed and I curse fucking Vista cause the sound is dead and I can't stream Freeway View and it really sucks. The @girlsgoneSTRONG crew are together in Baltimore and looking forward to awesomeness on social media; those ladies are seriously bad ass.
Friday
Back much better. Rose looks hopeful as I pull on the jeans but her hopes are dashed as I gotta roll out and be special master starting at at 8:45; fortunately the folks who've hired me won't see me at 8:45 in old turtleneck and ragged levis. Listen to Memorial Day, and then Choctaw Bingo once again . . .
Write off lunch kbells just to give back a little more time and opt for 38 minutes on elliptical. There is no cell service in the dungeon gym and listen to to Europe 72, hitting 180 strides per minute for some time as Jerry streams molten silver on I Know You Rider and the gang flies along like that northbound train in the song.
100 minutes of Pradeep starting at 5:00, which is the best way ever to end the week. He runs us through a plank series, 30 seconds on forearms and then up and hold it. lift one leg, then the other, then one arm, other, and finishes it off with bird dog in plank. CT has helped here and I lock down the lats and delts, draw in the tricep and its rock solid. Yeah I'm old but . . .
Saturday
Long dog walk, back tight. Leave it at that. Take Ian to BATS 25th anniversary and giggle with him.
Sunday
Football and plotting for major clean up next weekend. Go out at half:
10+10 16kg one arm swings x 3
1-5+1-5 press ladder, 24kg
10 24kg goblet squats
5+5 36kg rows to same, 32
5-1+5-1 25kg single arm swing ladder
X 5
Nice circuit, 75 each side, more than 28k in volume in about 40 minutes.
"Bought a SKS rifle and a couple a full cases of that steel core ammo
With the berdan primers from some East bloc nation that no longer needs 'em
And a Desert Eagle that's one great big ol' pistol
I mean .50 caliber made by badass Hebrews
And some surplus tracers for that old BAR of Slayton's
Soon as it gets dark we're gonna have us a time "
I guess that's the way you write when Dad is a Pulitzer prize winner; Ian's pretty good anyway . . .
"You have to pick the places you don't walk away from." Joan Didion
I have not always picked well; need to work on that . . .
Monday
Lunch with Lauren S who is smart and quick and starting out well. Busy busy busy from the minute I sit down at 8:30 and it's brutal. Not feeling it; feeling shitty in fact. Come within a hairs width of bagging it. Heading to gym-actually turned away and headed east, forced the turn around. You are strong, you are beautiful, give it a go.
And so goes like:
10+10 x 5 16kg warm-up
To:
10 alternating 24kg press to 5 doubles
15+15 Bulgarian split squats, body weight
10 reverse pullups off of Smith machine
Suitcase deads with bar, 170lbs
x5
That was a boatload of volume for feeling shitty; back did not feel like ballistics but the deads felt really good.
Was about 35,000 pounds moved in an hour which is quite a bit for an old guy. Felt the split squats for two days.
IST put up his pictures last night. Threw everything up there good or bad. He has far to go with his camera technique but got some awesome shots; technique kinda drops away when an African Elephant is filling the frame.
He has seen much in his 18 years. He has been on boats surrounded by hundreds of dolphins around. He has seen Rissos, northern right whale dolphins and Dahl's porpoises in numbers. He has seen bottle nose from the beach and from a boat. He has seen Orcas, Humpbacks and Blue Whales in large concentrations.
He often said he hated those trips but then chose to go halfway across the globe to count primates, see elephants, wildebeest, cape buffalo, zebra, impala, dik dik, ostrich, lion, baboons and what else I don't want to think about in the streets of Mombasa.
He is interested in travels and that he is fortunate to have family that will support him. Nothing about such interest strikes me as remarkable, but others seem to think it is.
Much better by Tuesday am but long day with loan docs and more office bullshit kills any thought of late yoga and it becomes an off day by default. I hate and resent those but I should probably grow up.
Wednesday
Wasted time dealing with client past. Leave late to blow off steam with @giryagirl Monday Mayhem circuit on Wednesday. Great ballistics and fun like this:
10+10 x 3 single arm swing 16kg warmup, then
15 double swings, 20kg's
5 clean and press, twin 24
5+5 renegade rows 24kg to 5 push ups
5 front squats, twin 20
3x
3 tgu, 24
10+10 tactical lunge, 20 kg
10 20kg slingshots
10 24kg figure 8 to hold
20 28 KG swings
x3
The 28 has been the tgu bell for a bit now and the 24 felt like a toy. I can remember when it was shaky. Pretty happy with the double 20 swings, felt good and yeah with the big sport bells the doubles look badass. But lost the grip on the 24 figure 8's last circuit and nearly crushed the phone. Good times, good sweat.
Walk in the door and house exploding with the smell of roast chicken and thyme. Brigid is home and on a mission and in addition to the roast bird and veggies and stuffing it's homemade apple pie (all organic). B sits down to his full plate and smiles; his eyebrows go up: "ok ! Yummy."
Could not love it more.
Thursday
Morning brings email streams starting at 6:50 with Gillian and Dave's Newport set streaming as we skim across the flat bay returning again to concrete, steel and problems. Back ok after last evenings 88lb swings.
Sit down at 8:30 after straight calls since walking off the boat and do not look up until 1:15 when it occurs to me that if I don't eat I'm toast. Grab spider roll and silk swathed korean beauty buddy slips freebees in the to go bag and smiles broadly. Whatever the impulse I'll take it and dash back.
Force it up and head to EH. Chatting beforehand she'd heard about Pradeep's stunning class Friday; her 5:00 is mostly middle aged men like me and it's dialed back appropriately.
Just breathe, can be the hardest part and without it the rest is shit. Oh yeah, whatever it is it's perfect. I forgot.
Friday
Deja Vu breakfast with mf.
In for multiple serial calls with one insane and one crazed client.
Split to 5:00 Pradeep; it's so so great, roll out toasted and drenched down market in vff past occupysf and skim back to suburbs.
Saturday
Walk the dog with Brigid and watch her chase lizards. Brigid, not dog.
I gotta get three and Cal sucks so out back for;
15/15 7 rep pace with 16kg x 60.
Boils down to 30 min of speed snatch work. Been pimping @girlsgoneStrong in cyberspace and the awesome @kathrynbudig replied; seven rep pace too comfortable, time to escalate.
Sunday
On phone by 6:00 with clients on Mumbai. My day is quickly fucked and I am fried by 12:00 pst. Rest day.
Monday
Halloween. Flying from 7:00 am to 4:00. Get up and leave. Hah. Steal into gym for 45 for this 28kg fest:
10+10x3 16 KG warmup
20 and 24 KG warmup press sets, to keep shoulder happy, then
3+3 28 short cycle c&p
10 28 GS
10+10 28 KG rows
5-1 28kg single arm swing ladder
28kg tgu
X5.
Tear two way too high callouses on left hand on first set of swings; get through.
Trick or Treat with b, love it so.
Tuesday. Wake up to 18 emails, fuck me.
MH at 5:00, good.
Wednesday
Spend the day bringing it. Plan on late pm blowout, the plan is set. Leave Oakland meeting at 3:45 and head to gym. Sitting on steps in the sun, productive calls and emails. But then incoming oh fuck.
My achilles heel is that I give a shit, I do. When someone deploys the nuclear option, I care about the fallout. So sitting there on the steps in the sun the oh fuck holds the narrative hostage. Its chemical, I wish it was not so. I would like to compartmentalize. But cortisol kicks in and I'm getting freaked out calls from another time zone. Bag it, cost of wearing heart on sleeve. Play it as it lays.
Thursday
Another nutso start. Break away at lunch:
10+10x 3 16kg single arm swing warm-up
Burpees to 3 push-up to twin 32 suitcase deads x 5
10+10 step back lunge, 24 in rack
10+10 32 kg rows
10 squat to press, 90lb barbell
x3
Smoked after 35 minutes, want to do snatch work
15 + 15 swing to snatch combo, 24kg
set off to do 25+25 with 20, but hit wall at 15. You're done dude, should have eaten at 10:00.
"Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind . . ."
Gillian Welch
Tuesday, nutty day. Grinding all day and spill out onto the sidewalk at 5:40, could so easily skip. But head north and west instead of north and east for gym time. It's packed and I don't want to miss 7:20 boat so this'll be short:
Double clean & press
5x20
4x24
3x28
1x32x2
20+20 step back lunges, bodyweight
10 20kg figure 8 to hold, to 10 24kg figure 8 to hold.
10 front squats, twin 20.
3x through, that's all. Heavy presses not very good.
Wednesday
More nutty but bail for noon Pradeep. Weighing in at four pounds heavier than usual but don't really feel it, who knows. Smoking class.
Joy gets sucked out of that very fast back in office and it's back to grinding well into the evening. The to do list is growing longer and longer while accounts shrink smaller and smaller and feel like a rat on a wheel. Cooking dinner and returning emails while the dog looks on longingly.
Thursday
Long long day
In late for:
10+10 x 3 16kg single arm swing warm up.
Burpees to 3 pushups to twin 32 suitcase deads x 5
10 double snatches, 16kg
5+5 slsx2, 16kgbu second round
20 renegade rows, 24kg
X3
Double snatches fun and 16 light so bump to 20 last set;
10 double 20 swing/snatch to 28kg tgu
X5
Fun.
Friday
Streaming Gillian and Dave on way in; feels like fall.
Long unproductive day; I do not do lunch well, particularly when gotta drive to walnut creek for it. Back just long enough to screw around, then to 5:00 Pradeep.
Toughest yoga class I've ever done. Boat load of plank variations and core work as well as one foot work, yes my favorite. He knows and gives me the big fist bump in hte locker room, smiling broadly.
Saturday
Planned rest day; walk with Ian in the Marsh, dinner at Anne's and watch him smile.
Sunday
Up at 6:30 to get Amy into sf. Drop her at ucsf and spend an hour before 9:30 class with feet up the wall. It's Alley and she is pretty good and its a fairly tough class for her which is fine; full blown sweatfest, then back up, another dog walk with Ian. That's all and was enough, iron tomorrow.
“Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God.”
Kurt Vonnegut
No more Interrupted, back to this
Saturday:
10+10 x 5 16kg single arm swing warm-up
short cycle 24kg press 1-5+1-5 press ladder
suitcase deads, 10 32/36
figure 8 to hold, 10 20kg to 10 24kg
clean and hold five count, 5+5 36kg
x5
Buckley training,
40+40 16kg snatch
15+15 swing/snatch drill, 24kg
2 16kg insertion drill
Sunday:
Dog walk. 10/9, her seventh birthday. We both are at least middle aged. Good. Brigid threw the old ball she'd found way out and it sank, leading to one very confused labrador.
Monday
3+3 x 10 16kg single arm swing
20 28kg swings to 1 28 kg TGU x 10
GS snatch, 50 + 50 16kg in five minutes. Pretty shaky. Supposed to do 22 insertion drill with the 24, but sapped due to the TGU's. Later.
Excellent texts from IST on safari seeing ostrich, lions, and elephants. Oh my. Really nice guy running the trip. Super responsive and IST is clearly having a ball.
Tuesday
Brutal day, followed by 60 min mh stiff guy. Run in late and kill it. Good class, all hips.
Wednesday
In late for not much
8+8 28kg floor press to 10 push-ups
10 double 20 kg front squats
10+10 28kg rows
10 steps ups on to low box, 24 in rack
3x. No time for more.
Thursday, EH class, good.
Friday, LPS retreat, nothing
Saturday
Run around planning for IST return. Rebuild his bed. Shop. No exercise.
We are late to airport but not very and he looks like himself except fitter and darker. Hair is longer and more of it, which I would have thought impossible. Fun to listen to him talk and go off on baboons. Brigid does an awesome job on dinner which is ready to go when we get home and he sits down and starts slamming ham.
Sunday
Up to watch football and reconnect. We go on a long dog walk and I toss up softballs and he spits it out. He has a very good eye and describes the intersection of wildlife, tourism, and poverty. He is funny and shy and worried about his future. He has made many friends and learned how to handle himself in foreign places. He is missed. I listen and am struck by how little I can do at this point. He needs to figure out what he wants to do and do it.
It's late, go out for:
10+10 x 3 16kg swing warmup
20 push-ups, one foot up, switch at 10.
10 suitcase deads, 32/36
Rows, 5+5 36 to 5+5 32. One way to make a 32kg feel light: pull a 36kg beforehand.
10 24kg Goblet Squats
3x
Want to do heavy swings but nasty tear at base of right hand little finger and cut on index figure screw up grip. It'd be ok on the 24 and probably the 32, but the 36 allows for no hinky grip stuff and I shut that down after 20.
50+50 16kg gs snatches, 4:45.
Do about half the insertion drills I'm supposed to with the 24, can't complete more than 12 on each side, though JWB wants 22
Monday
Pradeep class, really smoking. Have missed him and the drenching 60 minutes that ensues. Getting better, right hand firmly outside left foot in reverse triangle, other side better.
"Music can change the world because it can change people."
Bono
The best weekend of the year for the past decade has been the first weekend in October when Warren Hellman's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass takes over GGP, surrounding environs snd the aural narrative. We become gluttons, cannot get enough of the banquet though it's far too large to be consumed in its entirety.
This year it was full day Friday. Took day off, into SF at 4:14 a.m. Drop tarp at Banjo, looking forward to Seldom Scene et al. Parking spot at 26th and Fulton, curl up in van and sleep for three hours. Take the 5 Fulton downtown. Transfer to Civic Center underground. At Ferry Plaza by 8:40 to catch 9:10 boat back to Larkspur to pick up B.
Incoming text from IST 10,000 miles away needing cash. Cannot get on internet for 15 minutes for transfer cause Peets network is fucked up. Worried immediately, thoughts of middle manchild getting roughed up in an alley in Shimoni (which is all alleys) cause he can't pay his bar bill. This is silly, but not at the banquet yet.
Snarky useless telephone calls on way up. Collect B and head back. He is all smiles as he will be all weekend. This is his favorite thing ever, and his face is pressed up against glass, watching the bay slide by.
Back to FP and now had too much coffee. We are back by 10:15, but need to get Ian his dollars and deal with client needs. Spend the next two hours messing with a completely fucked up Bank website and protecting my staff from a mentally disturbed client. We miss Seldom Scene completely, but catch most of Bromberg.
In the Fall of 1977 I started what would devolve into a three year stint at Humboldt State University before transferring to the University of California at Berkeley, the finest public education institution in the country; superior to many many private institutions but particulalry the one in Palo Alto. I am pretty proud of the academic success that would eventually unfold, but in 1977 the ability to sneak into the scorekeeper's box in the HSU gym was the extent of my academic prowess. From there I saw what remains one of the best shows I have ever seen, the David Bromberg Band blowing it out. From rags to reels to pure art pieces like Lower Left Hand Corner of The Night, Bromberg blew it out that night like nothing I'd heard.
Lower Left Hand remains one of the best Telecaster ballads ever.
David was on stage when B and I arrived by 1 plus. David has lost chops over the years, he just has. But B went apeshit over Will Not Be Your Fool, and far be it from me to deny the young man the angry man influence or at least amusement.
From there it was John Prine which means an hour of bawling; he does not tug at the hearstings, he moves in slow from the side puts up a mirror sets up a narrative and pretty you feel it in your spine. Hello in there, ya'll look Pretty Good. There is no finer American songwriter and he killed it.
John gave way to Robert Plant and Band of Joy. Elder statesman rock gods are frequently not what they once were, Robert is better. Don't know if he can scream all night like he used to (he let loose a few, glancing over at Patty Griffin and rolling his eyes), but he doesn't need to. His material is superior and the re-worked zep tunes awesome. Darryl Scott can play anything with strings and they roll in to Ramble On with Darryl pounding out the acoustic rythym and it's just nuts.
Saturday Anne and Brigid are coming and it's blue placard section. Only way can talk Anne into it; we set up for an all day stint at Rooster. Wronglers are great and then its british cult guy Robyn Hitchcock. The only very slight downer this day is that we gotta choose between Gillian Welch and Punch Brothers. We'd already decided on Punch after not missing Gillian ever. So Robyn calls out Abigail Washburn to play on his second tune and Gillian and Dave saunter in from stage left and hang out the rest of the set as the band. It's great.
From there its Guy Clark who cant remember the words to maybe a quarter of his tunes, which is amusing, but . . .
Patty Griffin comes out with Buddy Miller. They slam into her material and Lorraine just kills. I see Robert hanging out back stage and he sidles out and stands right in back of us. I collar B and approach, at first he shakes his head; sees B, kneels down and shakes his hand. His assistant offers to take a picture and we get it. Very nice of him, considering he must be beseiged.
They give way to Punch Brothers and it's all young men and pyrotechnics. There is no more progressive string ensemble in the folk/americana/bluegrass universe. Asked Anne what she thought: "a group of extraordinarily talented well-educated young men who have found their way in the world." Works.
We hang for half of Robert Earl Keen, Barry getting up and getting down to Dreadful Selfish Crime.
Sunday
That's two days with no exercise so B and I get in for 60 min youga with Alley Ramon at 9:30 to kick it off; good to sweat. Head back up for half of Laurie Lewis, then to Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussein and Edger Meyer. We are in the blue placard section in from of Banjo, eight feet from the stage. Bela et al are great but subtle and B's guys are gently dancing.
Subtle goes out the window with the Blind Boys of Alabama. Tight tight set:
Norman Greenbaum never sounded like this.
Have not hung at Banjo on a Sunday in four years. In recent times it's been Gandalf Murphy, OCMS, and the Avett's at either Rooster or Arrow, Arrow in particular has been great. But Emmylou's current band The Red Dirt Boy's is full of young and not quite so young gunslingers and their set from Newport has been streaming on NPR and it is something else. Was not going to miss it. So Ralph Stanley was before. Straight up bluegrass, had to get some in over the weekend. Not into the evangelical elvis grandson, but the band was good and it got B going.
Emmylou comes on. She'd be beautiful standing on a sidewalk in the pouring rain. She sings Kern River, she talks about stray dogs, writes loves songs to them and leads her band with a look; yeah, guys can't hang with her. So we listen in rapt adoration eight feet away while she sings those sad songs and makes skin crawl.
Big final number with the world on stage: Jim Lauderdale, Gillian and Dave, Steve Earle, Buddy, and the Band, et al. Warren Hellman in the middle where he belongs.
This is the best weekend of the year. We keep it with us, as with the blowouts on the mat, the walks with the dog, the iron in the hand. It makes us better all year just knowing it'll come around, and if it stopped tomorrow, we'd still be better for it forever. It's what art does.
Oh yeah, got two yoga classes and two good kettlebell workouts. Four days: training interrupted.
Monday. Glow gone immediately upon arising and see that client has once again in hospital with more bad bad stuff. Gotta build a buffer here, I know walking away from her would be devastating to her but this is becoming unhealthy. Get in Monday late for this:
short cycle clean and press:
5+5 20kg
4+4 24
3+3 28
1+1 x 2 32
10+10 step back lunge, 24kg in rack.
5+3 assisted pullups, 16lbs
5+5 sls x 2m 16kg in rack second through
x3
Nothing at end, no time.
Tuesday Wednesday. Brutal, difficult stuff. Training interrupted.
Thursday:
In late:
5 manmakers, three pushups, twin 32 on suitcase deads
10 + 10 stepback lunges, 60lb dumbells
10+10 rows, no bench, 65lb dumbbell
5+5 single leg dead GTG practice, 24kg
x3
GS Buckley training
5+5 16kg insertion drill
3 min snatches, 10+10 no breaks, 16
10+1- swing/snatch combo, 24 kg, no breaks
Insertion drill repeat.
I need to do some get ups.
Friday:
Text comes in from Ian at 5:46 am. Announcing he is making his way from city center in Mombasa to hostel. Another text at 8:30, he still has not gotten there, they have been lost for three hours. Ok, its four miles from City Center to the hostel. Immediately convinced he is about to be sold into white slavery. At 9:10, he announces he has arrived and Backpackers Nirvana Hostel. Pheww. He posts on facebook how awesome the place is great.
At noon receive an email from Backpackers Nirvana; he has not shown up. Shit. He is at some hostel, but quick google search reveals wide range of safety, one we are pretty sure is in has good reviews but multiple reports of robberies at knife point in from of it. Really bad for the head. I send him text and he gets on Facebook at 3 am his time. He still thinks he is where he is supposed to be. He figures it out and we figure it out, and by midday following he is where he should be after 20 hours: "enjoying it tremendously." That not resolved until really late and that plus full day of bad bad client drama has cortisol levels off the charts. Two kbell workouts and ONE yoga class, worst week for yoga in probably a year.
But over all that, hangs this:
He was an artist. Art can changes the world because it can change people. He made the world an better place not by spreading money around but by empowering people. So make art.
"Each little snail here
Know how to wail here
That’s why it’s hotter under the water
Ya' we in luck here
Down in the muck here under the sea"
Ashman/Menken, Under The Sea
Monday long good day and in for gentle EH at 5:30. Good class.
Tuesday
Email comes in from client 4:50 am; it is a six page suicide note in which I figure prominently as the savior. Estranged family members have already called pd. Get in car not knowing where to go. Pull over at ferry terminal numb, should not be driving. Have an opposition due Wednesday but will be in mediation all that day and I need to focus. Learn at 10:00 she is still alive and in hospital. Try to squeeze one week continuance. No dice. Day spent spinning, but got opposition out and and started to get mischief managed. Training out of the question. There are some really evil people in the world.
Wednesday
Good result at long mediation. Tired and fried but gotta go do something. It's late, so quick snatches
15/15 16kg seven rep pace x 60. It is hot, humid and sticky which leads to bad callous rip on right hand, very late in the training so can finish. Calls re family snarling as I'm pulling in, Brigid almost in tears. Do not take sides; just take care and do not really settle in until 9:15.
Thursday
Working from home cause B is sick which means dog gets good early morning walk. Busy, almost frantic day that does not calm down until, after 5:00, collect Brigid at 6:45 from cross-country meet, she'd done very well, fourth on her team, quite good for someone who has been doing this for three weeks. Ongoing re distressed client. Talk to family law counsel who confirms serious evil. Back myself off the ledge and start getting focused; plan starts to emerge and this can start to be dealt with. Nothing but the dog walk.
Friday
Calls starting up early but break for good but ridiculously expensive breakfast. Pretty light day which is fine. I need it. 4:30 Pradeep and stay for additional 50 min of 5:30 class. He is running it slow but really hard and drenched at end. Leave to catch 7:20 to pick Brigid up from parkour.
She is not there. Texts and voicemails reveal a very distressed Brigid fighting with her mom, pretty ,uch constant from Tuesday. She is at friend's house, post yoga glow evaporates. Go home, collect her, and take her down to grandma's. C explains how she feels and she is right in a few respects but way off imho on others. Rose senses unhappiness and tries to curl up in my lap, 80 pounds of Labrador love.
Saturday
Up early to pick up Brigid and get her to school for tech. Pick her up from tech at 1:00 and try to glue her together. She is very clear, not interested in gray areas. Shop: costco, blockbuster (for Bridesmaids), wf, and TJ's. Four stops in 150 minutes, get home and jam in dog walk. Emotionally spent, do not skip.
Find @giryagirl double complex for inspiration:
60 16 kg swing warmup
10 double 20kg swings
5 double 20kg clean to press
5 double 20 front squats
5+5 20kg snatch
x4. Gotta rest between presses and squats, sorry Adrienne.
Sunday
Yoga with B squared, 90 min. EH rocks.
Good Thai and office for 90 min. Up for kbells with CT, Brigid and Barry thick as thieves.
Peel off for Sing along Little Mermaid. Best fun ever. Folsom Street fair has dumped into Castro. Disney on the inside and leather out. Big big fun; Barry and Brigid ecstatic and there so am moi.
Monday. Rest day. Just do it. Pounding Pradeep Friday, doubles workout Sat, yoga and kettlebells Sunday. Yeah, just do it. Just figure out how you'll testify at the competency hearing tomorrow for your client who tried to off herself a week ago, with all the rest of it in tow.
"Can't tell the bad from the good, I'm out in the woods."
Leon Russell, from Carney
Monday. Planned rest day and frankly needed after heavy work sat and 90 min with B Sunday.
Tuesday
Up and there are a bunch of shots from Ian's group and he looks good, a bit off to the side and aloof but good.
Up to CT for late goodness and it's a boatload of push press work topped off with 60 swings straight at end and gassed. Ooze out into the night and pick up Patxi's for the masses.
Wednesday
Busier and busier as the day goes on and just can't get to it.
Thursday
Noon yoga, client meeting and 60 min with JWB. He has me swinging the 32 for warm up and I should have called foul. I need at least 60 with the 16 to get it going, 100 is better. After a couple of rounds of full wheel earlier and then sitting for three hours and up again; it ain't good. I stop bell work after 40 and watch and listen to John talk finer points which is quite good.
Friday
Sit down at 9:16 and do not stop talking on the phone until 12:35. Constant barrage but staying up. Bolt to Sushi It's Ok. Comment on the morning to the beautiful Korean woman who smiles a lot and she brings me salad, miso and smiles and a warm press gratis. She is dressed in silk, smells awesome and disappears with a faint rustle. Finish out the day pretty damn well. I'll be working all weekend anyway so bolt to 4:30 Pradeep. He starts off real slow. It stays slow but gets harder and harder JB is in back of me and can't help but notice those shoulders in downward canine. She looks like she weighs nothing standing up but in that position she looks like a linebacker.
Gonna be a long, hard, busy weekend.
Take the 7:20 and pick up Brigid who is at Parkour. She is having a ball. At least two of my kids are exactly where they should be, and those are two very different places.
Saturday
Short dog walk, and four hours of shopping with Brigid. Long day, want to get bells in but no way.
Sunday
Client meeting at 2:00 that I know will be rough. Too late for yoga but it needs to be iron anyway.
60 16kg swing warmup
Long cycle double press
5 20
4 24
3 28
1+1 32x2
10 front squats, double 20
8 assisted pull-ups, 16 lb
20 tactical lunges 20kg
x3
20 28 kg swings to oly bar tgu
x5
100 24 kg swings
"It's beefsteak when I'm working, whiskey when I'm dry, and sweet heaven when I die."
Gillian Welch, Tennessee
Yeah, it's a great shot, Brigid and IST in the foreground, big sand in back . . . they were smaller then but'd make no difference now . . .
Sunday
Up late texting IST. Morning arrives with screwdriver through the skull type headache. Snooze and burn away most of the day. Force it in for Sunday with ct. Its just two of us so she has us on reformer and some good reverse pushups on the tables. Not too much kettlebell work which is great given my state. There are times at my advanced age when I do not need that compressed sphere of iron fighting me; they don't last long.
Monday
Into office and up for 90 minutes with Pradeep. Drenching hard hard class leaves me feeling seriously strong, just focus on breath, what it feels like, and bring it. As usual, 90 stretches to 105, but there is nothing better for you to do. Very hard, very strong, all good.
Tuesday
In early for Buckley type work. Run through multiple-level swings, insertion drills, cleans, 9/9 swing snatch combo with 24kg, 30/30 snatch drills three minute straight. 40 minutes of focused work.
Pm. MH stiff guy class, 60 minutes on hamstrings. Yup, there they are.
Wednesday
Working from home cause B's iep is at 2.
Leave at 7:30 for marsh walk, dog cannot believe her good fortune. It's as beautiful in the marsh as a place can be; deer in that cattails and birds everywhere; geese, ducks, multiple species of egrets and herons, white pelicans. Whole scene just unfolds it is quiet and could stay here for a long time.
There is mischief to be managed though. Work and then go for B's iep where receive the incredible good news that he has two years left rather than 1. Joy. That is it.
Thursday
Good billing day and in for training late. Goes like:
10+10 x 3 16kg swing warm up
10 spider pushups
10+10 24kg snatches
2 24kg tgu
24, 28, 32 swing hill, ten reps each.
x5
Good training.
Friday
Rare noon mh class. Good, hard, lay it down.
Saturday
Wake up to IST texts from the jungle. He is himself, what did you expect ? Busy day but not gonna skip and late head out for this:
100 16kg swing warm up
Presses
5+5 20-1+1 x 2 32. Hard, better as it went by, but hard.
3+3 36kg push press. Not too bad but that is one heavy fucking bell.
10 deads, 32/36 doubles
8+8 32kg rows
10 24kg gs
x3
thinking swings, but Buckley series seems more civilized and its hot, so 9 + 9 swing to snatch 24kg,
then 30/30 16kg snatch, 60 in 2:45 x 2.
"There ain't no time, for lengthy speeches . . . "
Rodney Crowell, Leaving Louisiana
"Are we strangers now, like the Ziegfield gals, and the vaudville shows, are we strangers now, like rock n' roll, and radio . . . "
Ray LaMontagne, Rock n' Roll and Radio.
And there ain't nothing like morning sun on peaches . . .
8/29, turn 52. Go for nothing less than 52 workout
After swing warm up.
52 pushups
52 24kg gs
156 24kg military press
52 swings each, 24, 28, 32
Smoked, delightfully so.
Older folk can still do work. Make it so; make it so . . .
pm, good easy class with Alley Ramon. Taught me to shoot to plank from crow, good day for an old dog to learn a new trick.
8/30
Up to CT for dense 40 minutes
5-1 swing ladder, single snatch each rung, 28 first two then 24.
8 deck squats
6 double snatches, 16's.
6x
8/31
Good hard slow MH class
9/1
JWB session. Good work. 32kg swings. insertion drills. cleans. swing/snatch drill with 24, and then 30x2 twice with 16. Good workout.
9/2
100 minutes of Pradeep late. Very very very hard. Pretty damn strong.
9/3 get around, run around. Barbque ribs and dinner at Anne's, sitting on the deck. IST text comes in.
Thank you for being there; thank you for writing home . . .
Launch IST into the jet stream. Long haired blonde off to points way off the beaten track.
Sunday
Rockin 90 minutes with B. EH stops and assists him, she is wading in. Very lucky to have her. Equinox is the best gym; I love those people. We get the big smiles and waved in each Sunday, never a charge for B. All levels of management are stoked to have him there. Nothing but good.
Into the office the up to CT. Dense 60 minutes and more ab work and I'm smoked.
IST planning Monday. In to pick up currency, 1:00 Pradeep class.
Best yoga class I've ever taken. Felt beastly strong, perfect pace (hard) and music rocked it. He knew it too, out later he clasps my hand, we were both sooo pumped. Uplifting energizing experience.
Tuesday, prepping Ian.
Drop him off at airport. He is snarly and terrified. Hands are shaking at checkout and starts the wrong way up people mover. Monitor his gate changes throughout night. He is on his 13 hour flight to Addis Ababa by 7:45am pst.
Wednesday, go in to work and workout, thrashed from little sleep. Decent billing day, but never get to train. Too busy and honestly too fried. I try to not look at IST's flight on FlightTrack every five minutes, not much luck there.
Texts from IST at 10:00. He is in Ethiopia. Can't believe he is so far away. Texts at 3:40 am, problem at Kenya customs, needs hard copy of itinerary. Hah. Offer to email to whoever, hear nothing for 20 min, during which I am convinced it's Midnight Express. He texts that he is on his way, meets driver and at Reef Hotel in Mombasa. A few incoherent messages, and he sleeps for 16 hours.
Thursday Into office. Tired, fried and cranky. No training for two days and bizarre partner meeting. I really want to sleep, but can't go three days.
Knock out 15/15 16kg 7rep pace x 60.
Friday Better. Incoming from IST, he is back among the living, high spirits and excited and posting on fb. Oh to be 18 again. Running around, good client lunch, in for work late, race out to catch 90 min Pradeep. Beautiful class. So hard. At 80 minutes in we are winding down in seated spinal twist and it feels like time has stopped. There is nothing but his voice, low thrum of music and breath. Class stretches to 100 minutes and roll out drenched, shower and down market reborn. Saturday, early firm picnic, nothing. Sunday Long slow dog walk. Want to throw metal, no time, it's Steve's 70th, Chuck and Steve's 40th year of being together, and third anniversary, they caught the window. Steve runs through his bio, the room is full of academics, politicos, judges, musicians. As eclectic group as one would find. Great event:
Pretty crappy week for training, two kettlebell classes, three yoga classes, and a do walk. S'ok. Few other things going on, make it up over next couple . . .
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
Mark Twain
I hope he is right. IST does not suffer from bigotry or prejudice. His narrow-mindedness is not borne of character flaws but lack of experience. He is about to get that in spades. He is about to get his mind blown. He flies off in four days to spend six weeks in a village in Kenya and trying not to come unglued. Dinner on Sunday and he is rude and unappreciative. Get that he is freaked out and nervous, but grow up. Come down on him hard all week and by Thursday he is getting it.
Sunday
Good class with EH and B, B rocking it. He shows no fear in launching into one-legged poses; I have to scoot over and assist before he craters. He has started hopping up from downward dog - he scoots his stubby feet up a foot or so. He was not done by the end of class and while everyone was rolling up and out, he was back in the corner practicing triangle. EH was cracking up - he is a heart breaker.
Fairly spectacular success Monday to settle RA's two year nightmare. Spent two years setting the table. Countless hours on the phone and six figures in fees all culminating in a meeting on the 48th floor of a LA office tower. Three on our side, three on theirs and in three hours we are done. Feels so good to be me. 90 miles an hour to Santa Ana and holding on for dear life, slam the first Big Mac in five years standing up in the John Wayne Airport, can't get out of So Cal fast enough. Back by 5:00, get into the gym and do this:
Short cycle clean and press:
5+5 20
4+4 24
3+3 28
1+1 x 2 32
Step back lunges 10+10, 50lb barbell
Renegade row 10+10 24kg
Suitcase deads, twin 32
3x through
Am baked from early start and long day, shut it down there.
Tuesday
Spend chunk of day making IST arrangements. Thinking too fried for anything, but force up to CT for tight hard ladder circuits:
1+1 to 3+3 press, 28
1-3 goblet squat
6+6 snatches 20kg
8+8 single arm swings, 20k
x3
5-1 descending snatch ladder, 20kg
A lot of work in 30 minutes; pleased that the presses went up easy, less so that the snatch swings left me so gassed. Running low on time and cutting out elliptical has hurt conditioning.
Wednesday
Insane telephone calls leave me exasperated with client whose fat I'd just pulled out of the fire. Some people just can't stay out of it. Leave to go to rare mid-day class with Pradeep and deal with currency exchange. It's 1:00 on Wednesday and class is packed and he brings the hammer down. Hang with though come up a bit short on full wheel at the end, his five breath holds are more like fifteen and drop down early which almost never happens, but oh well. GREAT class
Thursday
Still coming down down down from Monday. Get stuff out long overdue. Felt good and did not need to be rest day. Get out and do this:
100 single arm swing 16kg warm up
10 alternating 24kg press to 5 24 doubles
10 twin 20 front squats
12 120lb lat pulls, to 5 140; I can really isolate so its not a waste of time, arms are secondary.
10 20kg figure 8 to hold to 10 24
3x
5-1 single arm 24kg swing ladder to 28kg tgu x 5
Followed by awesome dinner with awesome company.
Friday
Can't get enough of Ferry Plaza and stop for Frog Hollow breakfast.
Skip out for 4:30 Pradeep, kill it.
Saturday
Final shopping for IST. Drop the last 300.00 and lay it out on the floor. He is traveling very light; that is good. Anti-malarials and a good water supply. Binoculars, camera, and VFF. Mosquito netting and a good hat. Money belt, and extra copies. Bug juice and sunscreen. Rock & Roll, and Radio.
"We can share what we've got of yours 'cause we done shared all of mine."
Jack Straw, Robert Hunter
Hunter's Notes, love the internet
Or as we have said fondly of more than one client: "what's mine is mine and what's your's is negotiable . . ."
Scrap the bulk of last week. Too much stress borne of being angry at people not pulling their weight. Under-performers who take a week off and not think about the bottom line. Could not walk into the woods with darling daughter without knowing we are going to be ok. Worry over disappointing her and draws and work creates a noxious chemical stew resulting in completely fucked up the yoga practice, some of the worst classes in years. MH looks a bit shocked when I can barely stand on one foot. Nothing good about this. I tried, kept up the gym routine but cortisol means crappy like Christmas means carnage. That's a Babe reference, duck to the pig you know.
Friday
Pradeep sub, slow easy class and that's fine.
Saturday
Running all over with all three, Brigid buys BMX bike of her dreams and we shop and walk the dog who comes up very gimpy.
About 6:00 go out for this:
10+10x5, 16kg single arm swings
20 total alternating press, 20 KG, to 3 doubles
3+3 24kg
1+1 32
cleans and hold 36 for 10
10 suitcase deads, 32/36
8+8 32kg rows
10 front squats, twin 20's
x3. Fail on the 32 press right second set, both sides third. Worst 32 press sessions in a very long time, and I don't know if the high reps with the 20's just had me laggard or if I am in a downward spiral or what. Pressing the 36 feels far far away.
30/30 24kg swings, 20 rep pace x 10.
Sunday. In to pick up work and 90 min EH. Lazy ass do not bring B and its a big mistake. Miss him terribly. Drenched. Home to five hours of work. C is listening to Dr. Horrible, The Commentary, and there is Mo's clear voice singing Nobody's Asian In The Movies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNmzegQUtFA and then to Joss' brilliant number. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VffJKKp2BrU Makes me grin and reflect on what matters, what Mo is putting out there and stop feeling angry and sorry for myself.
Monday. Have told myself its 3 on and 1 off to keep from getting too jacked up so this is off day.
Tuesday. Late throwdown for 60 with Buckley, his training is catching up with his writing ("I thought, if I could write a tight sonnet and bench press a Buick, some day some girl just might take her top off for me.") We do an hour of drills. This is not a workout. This is Zen and The Art of Kettlebells. Between this, CT's fine micro movement instruction, yoga, and my own beast sessions, I may have stumbled upon the perfect combo for this time. Walking out from the studio to the ferry, some really beautiful woman stopped me, called me sweetie, asked for directions and started chatting me up. Maybe it was the gun show and the VFF; at my age and status we take what we can get and still with adolescent delight. 52 going on 12.
Wednesday
Its late and fried from seven hours with interruptions every ten minutes from one client. He chops up my day like a seventh grader dissecting an earth worm and slowly becoming so fucked. Get one of the four agreements backed up on out after sending an email instructing him that he has to leave me alone for an hour. By 6:30 it's either me or him and I choose me and get into the gym to see if my press really has deteriorated as far as it seemed to have last Sat. Goes like:
10+10 16kg one arm swings x 3 Long cycle double C & P 5 20 4 24 3 28 1+1 x 2 32 singles 10 24kg Goblet squats 8 pull ups, 16 lb assist 10 front squats, twin 20's 3x 30/30 24kg swings, 20 reps x 10. Presses just fine, very good in fact.
Thursday Just nuts. Get in really early for some fooling around work. GS insertion drill, snatch motion practice, upstairs for inversions. Dan John two minute plank drill. There's a 25' rope tied to a 40kg bell and do quick Tabata circuit, 20 sec on 10 sec off x 8 with rope and high step drills. Very good 24kg bu presses and double clean and hold. Disneyland.
Late EH yoga, more than usual planks, good good class.
Friday Looking forward to Pradeep all day, no sign of sub online but walk in and it is my least favorite can't chant white boy sub. No. Impromptu circuit training session:
100 16kg single arm swing warm-up 20 decline push-ups, one foot up, switch at 10. 20 20kg tactical lunges 10+10 28kg rows 5+5 sls x 2, 16kg bu second time through x3. Worst sls since I can remember. My balance is all fucked up and I can't hold the 16kg bu on the left at all third circuit. Shake it out and go to Coach Dos complex, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rs0zxwX9HM but lose the handle on the figure 8's, and cleans feel bad and just shut it down and hope to be better tomorrow.
