Its usually this time of year that I get a kick out of cruising the mall on the weekend and looking at all the stressed out guys... You can always tell the ones who are desperate to get that last second gift that has to be just right, not too much and definitely not too little. Sometimes I can even tell by looking which guys have been in the doghouse. I know these thing, because I used to be in their shoes... and now, I am as excited as ever to celebrate tomorrow's holiday! My holiday is a bit different however, I celebrate, what some call "Singles Awareness Day" but I just refer to it as the celebration of... FREEDOM!
If I may present...a great gathering of happy men, celebrating their FREEDOM! ;)
Training is going uber fantashtic! I'm going on the 3rd week of a 4 week training block and this is the week that I usually feel the worst, but so far so good. My coach and I are looking at upcoming meets and getting workouts ready for the season that should start the end of April. My training partner Kara Patterson is looking scary good and I'm having to do everything I can to keep up with her. She is a totally different athlete from last year, and I honestly have no idea how far she may throw this year. I'm trying to negotiate a "training partner" bonus clause in her contract ;)
In the community service arena, I have dialed down a bit of my services in order to devote more time to my training and recovery, but will be in touch with my High Tech High crew throughout the Spring and will do what I can to get them ready for more school records. Until next time, have a great "Freedom" day.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Same 'Ol ...
Not much new to report since my last blog update. I am still enjoying the amazing San Diego weather and really feel blessed to live in this city! I just happened to catch a funny joke on tv the other day... A guy who lives in the O-C (Orange County) was talking to some people who live in the Midwest and the Midwest folk where saying how they could never live in Southern California. They said "I could never live in SoCal, I need to live in a place that has seasons..." the reply was, "me too, I love seasons, that's why I moved to a place that skips the crappy ones!" That pretty much hits the nail on the head. Anyways, enough rubbing it in ;)
Training has continued to go well, and I'm starting a new block this week and am looking forward to doing a bit more quality throwing sessions. However, coming off a rest week, well...half of a rest week, I suddenly found myself bored crazy. See previous blog entry "Balance" http://in-the-arena-mike.blogspot.com/2010/07/balance.html
I have been doing alot more gymnastic work and much less weightlifting and it looks as if its paying off. Heres a quick video from some new ring "tricks" and a big thanks to my training partner Kara Patterson's crazy camera skills!
Until next time...M++
Training has continued to go well, and I'm starting a new block this week and am looking forward to doing a bit more quality throwing sessions. However, coming off a rest week, well...half of a rest week, I suddenly found myself bored crazy. See previous blog entry "Balance" http://in-the-arena-mike.blogspot.com/2010/07/balance.html
I have been doing alot more gymnastic work and much less weightlifting and it looks as if its paying off. Heres a quick video from some new ring "tricks" and a big thanks to my training partner Kara Patterson's crazy camera skills!
Until next time...M++
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Back in the Mix...again...
The last few weeks in San Diego have been great. Unlike much of the USA, we have been blessed with better than average weather in the high 70's and low 80's. That kind of weather usually just makes being outside, much less training, very enjoyable. The entire month of January has been one of the most pleasant training months that I can remember. My volume is extremely high and the intensity is getting higher each week, yet I'm holding together fairly well, minus the normal aches and pains. As January rolls on and we get into February, the volume will continue to climb and if my calculations are correct, this is what I will have in store over the next few weeks:
Squat 44,160 kilos (97,152 lbs)
Power Clean 19,840 kilos (43,648 lbs)
Throw 2,400 medballs
Take 800 javelin throws
Throw 1,600 weighted ball throws
I'm throwing heavy javelins at the moment, and am really liking the new technical changes as well as being able to train full time with my training partner Kara Patterson and my old buddy Andreas Thorkildsen is here as well until early February.
In other news, today was a very frustrating day for me as BOTH of my NFL teams lost today...and yesterday the team that I hate the worst in the entire world, the Steelers, won...It just about ruined a perfect weekend for me, then add to that a Tom Brady and Wes Welker loss to the 2nd worst team in the world, the J-E-T-S .... I feel sick right now....yup, just threw up in my mouth. Oh well, my lone hope for any redemption of this season is in the hands of the Green Bay Packers...here is me crossing my fingers.
I am waiting on the start of the High Tech High Bruins season. I have not heard back from the principle and head track coach on when the kids are allowed to resume practice, but I'm assuming it will be any day now and I am on stand by until further notice. Until next time,
GO PACK!
M++
Here is a 1k jav throw with the new technique....cheers!
Squat 44,160 kilos (97,152 lbs)
Power Clean 19,840 kilos (43,648 lbs)
Throw 2,400 medballs
Take 800 javelin throws
Throw 1,600 weighted ball throws
I'm throwing heavy javelins at the moment, and am really liking the new technical changes as well as being able to train full time with my training partner Kara Patterson and my old buddy Andreas Thorkildsen is here as well until early February.
In other news, today was a very frustrating day for me as BOTH of my NFL teams lost today...and yesterday the team that I hate the worst in the entire world, the Steelers, won...It just about ruined a perfect weekend for me, then add to that a Tom Brady and Wes Welker loss to the 2nd worst team in the world, the J-E-T-S .... I feel sick right now....yup, just threw up in my mouth. Oh well, my lone hope for any redemption of this season is in the hands of the Green Bay Packers...here is me crossing my fingers.
I am waiting on the start of the High Tech High Bruins season. I have not heard back from the principle and head track coach on when the kids are allowed to resume practice, but I'm assuming it will be any day now and I am on stand by until further notice. Until next time,
GO PACK!
M++
Here is a 1k jav throw with the new technique....cheers!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Ghosts of Christmas Past
I thought it might be fun to re-live a few of my past Christmas's and training experiences...so here goes.
This time last year, I was gearing up for working with the High Tech High School Track Team and just coming off shoulder surgery. December of 2009 was filled with a ton of bike workouts and some job searching to help knock off some surgery bills. December of 2008 looked like a fairly good month of training, given that all of November was basically a waste due to a rotated SI joint in my low back. I was also nominated for the December "Athlete of the Month" at the US Olympic Training Center, which was odd because there where no competitions going on at that time, I was told it was because I had the most community service hours ;)
December of 2007...actually December 17, 2007 was the 2nd coolest day of my life to date. December 17 was the day that I had the privilege of training with the Navy Seals. Its ironic, because as of that date this year, 3 years later...I met my neighbor, who happens to be a SEAL and found out that there are 3 other team members on my street. Good company to be around, and I'm sure they will be able to answer most of the questions that I have about my future when I'm done with throwing sticks.
Heres wishing happy holidays to everyone, until next time:
M++
This time last year, I was gearing up for working with the High Tech High School Track Team and just coming off shoulder surgery. December of 2009 was filled with a ton of bike workouts and some job searching to help knock off some surgery bills. December of 2008 looked like a fairly good month of training, given that all of November was basically a waste due to a rotated SI joint in my low back. I was also nominated for the December "Athlete of the Month" at the US Olympic Training Center, which was odd because there where no competitions going on at that time, I was told it was because I had the most community service hours ;)
December of 2007...actually December 17, 2007 was the 2nd coolest day of my life to date. December 17 was the day that I had the privilege of training with the Navy Seals. Its ironic, because as of that date this year, 3 years later...I met my neighbor, who happens to be a SEAL and found out that there are 3 other team members on my street. Good company to be around, and I'm sure they will be able to answer most of the questions that I have about my future when I'm done with throwing sticks.
Heres wishing happy holidays to everyone, until next time:
M++
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Déjà vu
... I have the feeling that I have done this before. Yesterday I had my knee scoped...again. I was just thinking shortly after my last blog entry, "maybe I shouldn't be talking so much about how healthy I am...I might jinx myself", oops!
Last Monday I twisted my knee in the weight room while spotting my training partner, Kara (http://karapatterson.blogspot.com/) I heard a pop and some cracking, but managed to continue lifting for about 10min before me knee went into lock-down. After the initial evaluations in the training room, I headed off to get x-rays the following morning and compared the x-rays to the images I had in September...there was 1 glaring difference, a piece of bone almost the size of a dime floating above my knee cap. The doctor said that that fragment was previously stuck in my ACL graph from the reconstruction in 1999 and they couldn't remove it because it would compromise the stability of the graph. It was bound to come out sooner or later, it could have come out in 10 years from now, or in the Olympic year, or this summer...but it was going to come out eventually and I feel blessed to have it out now. The surgery was a piece of cake and I got 12 hours of sleep last night and am in virtually no pain. All good news as far as I am concerned.
My thanksgiving weekend was pretty cool as my parents came out from Texas and we visited Catalina island. I think I can say that it was an experience but not a place we will visit again. The entire shuts down at 4pm and there is no transportation, so if your not where you want to be by then...good luck.
The High Tech High Chula Vista Bruins are still scheduled to resume practice for the 2011 season in January. Time will tell what kind of shape the kids show up in and I'm anxious to get started on Spring workouts with them.
In other news, In the Arena had its 1st couples hook up as Brain Gregg and Caitlin Compton got engadged this weekend. To see more details, photos and a super cool ring, check out his website at: http://xcskilife.com/
until next time: M++
(just some good memories from the past few upgrades ;)
(the infamous shoulder shots)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MifLldmqJLI
The Knee shots
Last Monday I twisted my knee in the weight room while spotting my training partner, Kara (http://karapatterson.blogspot.com/) I heard a pop and some cracking, but managed to continue lifting for about 10min before me knee went into lock-down. After the initial evaluations in the training room, I headed off to get x-rays the following morning and compared the x-rays to the images I had in September...there was 1 glaring difference, a piece of bone almost the size of a dime floating above my knee cap. The doctor said that that fragment was previously stuck in my ACL graph from the reconstruction in 1999 and they couldn't remove it because it would compromise the stability of the graph. It was bound to come out sooner or later, it could have come out in 10 years from now, or in the Olympic year, or this summer...but it was going to come out eventually and I feel blessed to have it out now. The surgery was a piece of cake and I got 12 hours of sleep last night and am in virtually no pain. All good news as far as I am concerned.
My thanksgiving weekend was pretty cool as my parents came out from Texas and we visited Catalina island. I think I can say that it was an experience but not a place we will visit again. The entire shuts down at 4pm and there is no transportation, so if your not where you want to be by then...good luck.
The High Tech High Chula Vista Bruins are still scheduled to resume practice for the 2011 season in January. Time will tell what kind of shape the kids show up in and I'm anxious to get started on Spring workouts with them.
In other news, In the Arena had its 1st couples hook up as Brain Gregg and Caitlin Compton got engadged this weekend. To see more details, photos and a super cool ring, check out his website at: http://xcskilife.com/
until next time: M++
(just some good memories from the past few upgrades ;)
(the infamous shoulder shots)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MifLldmqJLI
The Knee shots
Sunday, November 21, 2010
3 down ... 46 to go!
3 weeks down, 46 weeks left until the Daegu World Championships... I just finished my 1st 3 week block of the season, and this week is a much needed unload week. Good timing for an unload week because of the holidays and my parents are coming back to visit. We have a great weekend planned that includes trips up the Pacific Coast Highway and a trip to Catalina Island. The rest of this week includes meetings with the San Diego Free Divers Association and a few spearfishing sessions in the chilly San Diego water. I checked the surf forecast for this week and the water will be hovering around 58-60 degrees all week...yuk!
The last 3 week training block was very successful and I am enjoying my new schedule and program. The new schedule makes for a very long day, but plenty of time for me to double up on my therapy and rehab. My training partner, Kara Patterson, has been making great strides in her throwing technique even though we are only doing walking throws on the grass. She has a really great chance to be over 70m this year and make a push for a World and Olympic title the next few years. My coach, Ty Sevin, now only has 10 people he is coaching which is better than the last few years so we are enjoying some much needed one on one time. The unload week will be a nice rest but we are all back in the mix for a brand new 4 week training block after the holidays.
Here are a few pics of Mom and Dads last trip to San Diego...until next time! M++
The last 3 week training block was very successful and I am enjoying my new schedule and program. The new schedule makes for a very long day, but plenty of time for me to double up on my therapy and rehab. My training partner, Kara Patterson, has been making great strides in her throwing technique even though we are only doing walking throws on the grass. She has a really great chance to be over 70m this year and make a push for a World and Olympic title the next few years. My coach, Ty Sevin, now only has 10 people he is coaching which is better than the last few years so we are enjoying some much needed one on one time. The unload week will be a nice rest but we are all back in the mix for a brand new 4 week training block after the holidays.
Here are a few pics of Mom and Dads last trip to San Diego...until next time! M++
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Back in the Mix...
...this blog comes to you as the 1st week of fall training is completed. It was a hugely successful week as I made it through healthy! The knee seems to be holding up just fine and after 2 low intensity throwing sessions, the shoulder is in rockin' shape as well.
The week was filled with alot of "back to work" stuff such as testing and measurements and some extremely boring and useless meetings... I did do a new test that I have never done before, measured my resting metabolic rate, or RMR. My training partner, Kara Patterson (http://karapatterson.blogspot.com/) and I both had the test done with the new USOC nutritionist here at the center. Basically it measures how many calories you burn during the day at rest. In other words, if you where to wake up, and lay in bed all day, how many calories would you burn...doing nothing. I was stoked to find out that I burn almost 2,900 calories at rest. I'm guessing that's why I returned from Hawaii lighter than I have been since high school, a whopping 192lbs! That was on Monday and as of yesterday (Saturday) I was already back to 197 so I think it wont be hard to put it back on. My goal is to be at least 210lbs by the time the season starts and keep my current body fat percentage which is hovering around 6%.
I spoke with the High Tech High principle last week about resuming practices at the training center but it doesn't look like the kids will be released for Spring sports until January 2011. Therefore I have some time to get back in the mix of things and get into freak show shape before I start pounding away with the HTH Bruins.
I uploaded a free dive video from Maui that I shot...here it is, enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwmx8ayh708
M++
The week was filled with alot of "back to work" stuff such as testing and measurements and some extremely boring and useless meetings... I did do a new test that I have never done before, measured my resting metabolic rate, or RMR. My training partner, Kara Patterson (http://karapatterson.blogspot.com/) and I both had the test done with the new USOC nutritionist here at the center. Basically it measures how many calories you burn during the day at rest. In other words, if you where to wake up, and lay in bed all day, how many calories would you burn...doing nothing. I was stoked to find out that I burn almost 2,900 calories at rest. I'm guessing that's why I returned from Hawaii lighter than I have been since high school, a whopping 192lbs! That was on Monday and as of yesterday (Saturday) I was already back to 197 so I think it wont be hard to put it back on. My goal is to be at least 210lbs by the time the season starts and keep my current body fat percentage which is hovering around 6%.
I spoke with the High Tech High principle last week about resuming practices at the training center but it doesn't look like the kids will be released for Spring sports until January 2011. Therefore I have some time to get back in the mix of things and get into freak show shape before I start pounding away with the HTH Bruins.
I uploaded a free dive video from Maui that I shot...here it is, enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwmx8ayh708
M++
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