Gas Tank

I said I'd talk about Hurricanes, so here I am.
2 weeks ago I started Martin Rooney's Training for Warriors centrepiece. They are called Hurricanes, and are an endurance/cardio exercise regime for fighters. Now I thought I was at an OK level of fitness, but these have put me to shame.
They are split into 5 categories, just like a real Hurricane. Each one gets progressively worse until Cat5 where it is, from what I've read, practically hell on Earth.
I started the system 2 weeks ago, on Category 1. Category 1 is sprints on a treadmill, slowing down to a gentle walk till your heart rate hits 120bpm, then sprinting again. Rinse and repeat 10 times.
Category 2 replaces the rest down with body weight exercises. Today I attempted the Cat2 and wow, I love it. It is the closest thing I've felt in the gym that replicates an actual tournament fight. Being utterly exhausted but having to continue. No matter how much your legs are shaking or how high your heart is, because you know without complete focus, you'll be farted out of the back. Just like in a fight, any lapse and you'll be annihilated.
I cannot recommend the TFW system enough. It is exactly what I've been searching for, and for the next few weeks I know I am just going to be getting fitter and fitter.
PS, resting heart rate of 41bpm, hell yeah.

What a Difference, A Year Makes

Back when I started this blog, I hoped it would detail my rise from slightly chubby geek to chiselled athlete. It did become more than that, to the point where I forgot to really detail what I was actually doing. Well I've learnt a lot in the past year I've learnt new gym techniques, forgotten others. Who knows, this time next year things could be completely different. So, for future reference, here is a rough list of what I'm currently doing down the gym.

Strength
Chin Ups
Pull Ups w/ weight in between ankles
Reverse Crunches
Dragonflags
Chest Flies @ Various Inclines
Dumbbell Bench Presses
Barbell Bench Presses
Inverted Rows
Barbell Rows
Squats
Front Squats to Overhead Presses
Plate Halo's
Plate Bus Drivers
Plate Slashes
Plate Tricep Curls
Plate Shoulder Lifts
2 Plate Grips
Med Ball Figure 8s

Cardio
Cross Trainer
Hurricanes (moving onto Category 2 next week)
Road Work

Hello EPOC, where should I begin?

Today is the last day of Hurricane Category 1. Kind of excited for it really. I've been doing it 3 times a week for 2 weeks and I've already noticed HUGE differences in endurance.
The feeling it creates for the rest of the day is COMPLETELY different to regular jogging/cardio. Every now and then I take a deep breath, like a sigh. Read into EPOC, or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, and AMPK (there's a lot to explain).
Next week I start Category 2. I'll do a brief description soon, including how it feels once I've done my first day.
Also, really crushing on Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3 XD

QFT - On The Loser's Mantra

Mia Hamm: "The person that said winning isn't everything, never won anything."

Welcome to competitive sports. My medals smell all medally.

Inspired by the fact I would have rather fallen asleep than tap out to Jakes triangle yesterday. Still turned it around and submitted him though =]

Bump

I love that little bump, and the girl who wears it so proudly =] Only 13 more weeks. 13 more weeks till I'm a Dad =]

Abrupt Review!

I use Shock Doctor Compression Shorts with Bioflex Cup and just took a blow to the plums. It moved. It didn't save them.

Evolution Revolution: My Manifesto

Evolution Revolution: My Manifesto

Blogging for future reference. A brilliant article =]

Kinda Saw That One Coming

I KNOWWWWWWW I said I wouldn't be going the gym today. But I lied. I lied to the internet. I won't be doing any weights or anything (these muscles aren't going to heal otherwise), so I'm going to spend my lunch doing cardio.
Reading those M.Rooney books, he talks about something called Hurricane training. So far, I've tried Category 1, and wow. Once I've stopped wheezing from that, I might move on to Category 2 =]

Backle Shmackle

I tried doing an exercises courtesy of somewhere or another (plate slasher), and pulled my lower back. OOPS.
Maybe I should just stick to those books. I could tell, with this smarter training regime over the past couple of months, it has improved my fitness so much. I rolled with one of the larger, tougher lads earlier, and still won the submission! Just proves I'm on the right path. Now, with those books, not only am I on the right path, I have a little scooter too.
Although, with the injuries (and lack of rest), tomorrow will be my day of rest, and a good time to re-evaluate what I want to do and how I'm going to accomplish it. Exciting!

Book Plug (lol)

Quickly, before I go to bed, I'm just going to plug Martin Rooney and his books, Training for Warriors, and Ultimate Warrior Workouts. I've just taken delivery of the latter, to add to my collection of the former. I tried the exercises down the gym earlier, and all I can say is wow. Obviously I'm not in this whole exercise thing for aesthetics. I'm in it to get a hell of a lot stronger and fitter, and become the best athlete and fighter I can. Training for Warriors separates all exercises into different body areas, whilst Ultimate Warrior Workouts has exercises for each individual martial art.
I'll go into more depth tomorrow, but wow. If you are trying to become a better fighter, you need these on your bed side table.