Heavy bag. I don't have anywhere to hang it from the ceiling so I had to have it mounted outside which is a pain. The problem is the bricks we drilled them into aren't the best density (they're more for show than anything) so there wasn't much for the bracket to grip into. So absolutely no big bag in future. I do have a free standing bag but the little critters round here were playing around with it and the stopper has been pulled out. I'd tried loading it with sand but every time I went for a hard punch combo or solid kicks I kept knocking it over. Which is why it's currently being relegated to sitting in the sidelines, looking miserable.
24/08/14: "I wish we could be sloths. Then I could tell you secrets...like I'm going to set you on fire." - Gnome, Fable 3 Still sulking from yesterday about the bag so no kickboxing or anything. I have ordered a new set of stronger resistance bands so I can start re-doing resistance band kicking and punching to get some of my old speed back. My form and power are a huge amount better than they used to be but my kicks and punches are feeling a touch sluggish at the moment. Gym time: Weighted walk: 25 minutes to and from the gym, +25kg. Didn't feel like putting on the extra backpack for the extra 5kg. Overhead press: w/ bar @ 1 x 10 w/ 30kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 45kg @ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 4 w/ 60kg @ 1 x 5 (Rep PR) w/ 65kg @ 1 x 3 (Rep PR, Weight PR) w/ 70kg @ 1 x 1 (PR) Overhead Push Press: w/ 75kg @ 1 x 3 (Rep PR) w/ 80kg @ 1 x 1 (PR) w/ 85kg @ 1 x 1 (PR) So, yeah...that happened. :wow: Good amount of volume (for me) and broke a few PRs to boot. *Beats chest like a gorilla* I'm buzzing because at the end of January (around the time I joined the gym), I set myself a goal to press 80kg overhead by the end of the year. I've already broken it with push presses and am creeping up with strict presses too, so I am very happy. Barbell Deadlift: w/ 60kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 70kg @ 1 x 5 w/ 80kg @ 1 x 5 w/ 90kg @ 1 x 5 w/ 100kg @ 1 x 5 w/ 110kg @ 1 x 3 w/ 120kg @ 1 x 3 w/ 130kg @ 1 x 3* w/ 140kg @ 1 x 2 (Rep PR - lol) w/ 150kg @ 1 x 1, ** w/ 160kg @ 1 x 1, ** w/ 170kg @ 1 x 1 (PR) * Straps from 130kg onward. Hands got sweaty. ** Mixed grip. So yeah...then that happened. With a stiff knee. And 170kg was done DOH with straps rather than mixed grip. Gentle stretches before and after. Yeah...left it there. Felt like I could have done more, didn't want to get cocky. Missed the 90kg OHPP by a fair amount, so definitely something to work to. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!
Do you happen to know a good welder/metal worker? Someone with those skills could build you something to hang your heavy bag from. (those guys can make frames that hold up triton trucks with relative ease! :hat
I mean something like this. I have 50kg of weights keeping mine down, and it stays in place pretty well.
This just occurred to me-You could buy a swing set designed to support a lot of people, take the swings off, and hang your heavy bag from that. Cheers!
Thanks guys Paying for it today though. Having the day off to let myself rest and feast on protein goodness. No muscle soreness which is great, just utterly wiped out. I think Team Squat is feeling left out though, must pay my respects to them soon . Can I get to multi-repping my current PR before Christmas, I wonder? Ye Gadz man, that is ugly! That's an interesting idea though, I hadn't thought about that. I'd have to clear it with the wife and see how she feels before I do anything rash like buy it. Worth considering though. That's true actually. Again, logistics and wife issues to consider and I'd have to do some shopping round, but it's something to think about. Thanks .
25/08/14: Bluebottle: Me and Eccles know where it's gone, Sloth. Eccles: Yeah. We know. Seagoon: Splendid, lads. Tell me where it is and I'll reduce your sentence from two years to four. Bluebottle: Well, it, er, went, um- Thinks: Where did it went? It wented- Eccles? Eccles: Yeah? Bluebottle: Do you remember, Eccles? Eccles: Oh yeah, I remember Eccles. Bluebottle: Well, does he know where it wented? Eccles: I'll ask him: Do you know where it wented? Bluebottle: What does he say, Eccles? Eccles: He hasn't answered yet, I think he's out. The Goon Show, Tales of Old Sloth. Rest day as mentioned before. My pretend heroics in the gym left me knackered the next day. ===== 26/08/14: Henry: Here, Minnie, hold my Sloth gun. Minnie: I don't know what you brought it for. You can't shoot elephants in England, you know. Henry: And why not? Minnie: They're out of season. Henry: Does this mean we shall have to have pelican for dinner again? Minnie: I fear so, I fear so. Henry: Then I'll risk it. I'll shoot an elephant out of season. The Goon Show, The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-On-Sloth Weighted walk: +30kg 1 mile, +49kg 1 mile. Kigu Undo: Tyre stuff: 4 minutes flipping into 1 minute sledge hammer swings x 4 Grappling bar: Grappler's twists w/ 40kg @ 1 x 10, 3 x 5 Kickboxing stuff: Shadow sparring @ 4 x 2 minutes on, 1 minutes off Gentle stretches. Yeesh. Got very little sleep last night so I am absolutely shattered today. That's all I have the energy for.
27/08/14: Seagoon: Don't move, Signor Gonzales Mess, née Moriarty - hands up. Moriarty: Seagoon, put that banana down! Seagoon: And leave myself defenceless? Moriarty: Sapristi Bompet! Seagoon: One step nearer and I fire! Moriarty: Ha ha, you fool - you can't fire bananas! It's - FX: [Two shots] Moriarty: You Sloth - it was loaded! Seagoon: Of course! You don't think I'd threaten you with an unloaded banana, do you? The Goon Show, The Affair of the Sloth Banana. Kigu Undo: Barbell sexiness, or OHP: w/ 45kg @ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 Pendlay Rows: w/ 45kg @ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 Press ups (military style, wide press) @ 7 & 7 Ab wheel roll outs x 7 Plank @ 50secs. Figured I might as well start logging my press ups and what not, hilariously small as they are. Again, slow build up, get some decent volume over a period of time. No rush. Kickboxing stuff: Drilling upper body techniques and combinations. No idea how long I went for, didn't time it. Gentle stretches. That's it. Ridiculously fatigued today because I forgot to eat for most of the day which was dumb. Still, got confirmation I should be kickboxing tomorrow but no Aikido. Ah well, it's a start.
"First rule of Sloth Club-don't talk about Sloth Club. Second rule of Sloth Club-DON'T TALK ABOUT SLOTH CLUB." -Tyler Sloth
28/08/14: Bloodnok: Ohhhhhh, Ohhhh, oh, oh, Sloth, how dare you come here to my H.Q. with such a ridiculous... Seagoon: I tell you, Major Bloodnok, I must ask you to parade your men. Bloodnok: Why? Seagoon: I'm looking for a criminal. Bloodnok: You find your own, it took me years to get this lot! The Goon Show, the Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sloth...Revisited. Kigu Undo: Barbell sexiness: OHP w/ 45kg @ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 Pendlay Rows w/ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 CoC #1 @ 1 x 5 Press ups (military style, wide press) @ 7 & 7 Ab wheel roll outs x 7 Plank @ 50secs. Eh, my grip has still crapped out so the CoC is still horrible to use. On the plus side though, pressing 55kg has never felt so easy. See? If in doubt, just ignore every bit of sensible lifting advice out there and do your own thing . Kickboxing: 1 hour. Yeah, that was fun. I struggled to keep up and thought I was flagging compared to everyone else until I realised everyone else was doing as badly as me . I got a promotion and was asked to spar with the club champ to help him prepare for a comp he's going to in a few months in Geneva. He gave me a lovely black eye for the privilege, looks very dramatic and Gothic . Bad knee held up pretty well as well and considering I haven't been able to do much kicking practice lately my kicks were finding their mark pretty well. Was a bit too timid though, have to work on that. So yeah...that was fun. Definitely going to compete with the club on the 4th October rather than go to the Aikido meet. They're hoping to have a strike & grapple bit for the few people like me who want to roll with other sweaty young men so I'll definitely do that at least. Probably have a go at light continuous as well. Also, resistance bands turned up today. Plus I got my makiwara semi-permanently mounted up so I can use that for striking practice again until I get the bag mount sorted out.
29/08/14: Moriarty: I warn you. I shall Sloth up to a highly skilled forty thousand, and then I'll shoot! Seagoon: Forty thousand? Moriarty: Yes, I've got to go home for my gun. Seagoon: When I saw that he was a dwarf, I was all for attacking him right away, but Bloodnok stopped me. Bloodnok: No, wait till he gets older. Seagoon: Finally, on his ninety-third birthday, we sprang! The Goon Show, The Whistling Sloth Enigma. Swimming: 1k, 500m breast stroke, 500m alternating front crawl/breast stroke. Kickboxing stuff: Resistance band work: 10 mins continuous, alternating between punches (13lbs) and kicking (19lbs). Makiwara: 10 mins, alternating strikes and what-not. Short amount of time riding my bicycle, increased the distance and introduced obstacles (I'm literally starting from scratch again). Gentle stretches. Gave the resistance bands a quick try out, they're really good. Should be fun. Makiwara stands up to a good beating and doesn't hurt to use which is great. Would like to find someone to teach me to do butterfly stroke in the pool as I have a feeling I'd get on with that pretty well. Front crawl's coming along nicely though.
30/08/14: Bloodnok: What's the matter with you this morning, Sloth? Why have you got such a long face? Seagoon: Heavy dentures, sir. Bloodnok: I see. Well, have you seen a doctor? Seagoon: Yes, I just saw one walking down the road. The Goon Show, The Sloth Fort. Rest day. Just completely wiped out. Decided to call it an early night and get some more rest. ===== 31/08/14: Seagoon: Sloth, I've sawn off all four legs. German 1: Strange. The first time I've known of a piano with four legs. Eccles: Hey! I keep falling down! The Goon Show, Napoleon's Sloth. Kigu Undo: Barbell sexiness: OHP w/ 45kg @ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 Pendlay Rows w/ 3 x 10 w/ 50kg @ 1 x 10 w/ 55kg @ 1 x 6 Press ups (strict & wide) @ 7 & 7 Ab wheel reps @ 1 x 7 Plank @ 50secs Yeesh. Still tired, those 45kg presses were ghastly. They went up fine but felt pretty slow. Bicycle ride: 1 mile. Pretty damn slow and still very hesitant, need to sort out the rear brakes. But my confidence is growing which is something. Kickboxing stuff: Resistance band work: 20 mins continuous, 19lbs for legs, 13lbs for arms. Alternate between arms and legs every minute, right & left every 2. Regular technique work: 10 minutes continuous, just to get a feel for the techniques without resistance. Gentle stretches.
01/09/14: Rugby, posh man's sport of course, fifteen Sloths on a team, because posh people can afford to have more friends. - Sloth Murray. Kickboxing stuff: 4 x 2 minutes, alternate between bob & weave and shadow sparring. 10 minutes continuous technique work, switching between arms and legs. 4 x 2 minutes, alternate between bob & weave and shadow sparring. Crapped out after the first four rounds for some reason, so switched to technique drilling for a change of pace before doing the same number of rounds again. Good side? It might be psychosomatic but I feel a bit faster again already. Bad side? I ripped my trousers in half. Makiwara: 10 minutes continuous strikes. Few hundred strikes just 'cos. Kigu Undo: 20 minutes working with the chi ishi and the makiage kigu, just 'cos. Gentle stretches. Settling down with my first attempt at a nutribullet. It's thick enough you could lay pavement with it but it tastes good.
