dreadedmonkeygod . net

Got out after work to explore some new (to me) trails. The Edison road between Kanan Rd. and Zuma Ridge Mtwy features some of the best scenery I've seen anywhere.

Zuma Ridge Loop

Anything works for three weeks. Nothing works after six weeks. - Dan John

I've posted before about sport-specific training, and squat mechanics. Rippetoe & Killgore call out the squat specifically, saying that a full squat is more "cycling specific" than the shallow squat/leg curl combination often used.

So I was surprised to see Nikola Banishki, a very strong cyclist, doing exactly what R&K say is misguided:

The Back Squat and the Leg Curl are performed as a "superset": You do a set of back squats and imemdiately do the leg curl. Take a short break. Repeat.

Nikola knows what he's doing. So I knew something in my understanding was wrong. I'd misread R&K, or misunderstood Nikola's workout, or there was some constraint (injury, flexibility, muscle imbalance, etc.) that led Nikola to choose a squat/leg curl superset over a traditional deep squat.

So I posted a comment, and Nikola was kind enough to enlighten me.

The answer: the adaptation principle. Or, as some workout systems call it, muscle confusion. If you do the same movements long enough, your body gets used to it, and strength/power gains slow down, and eventually stop.

Nikola is varying his workout to make sure his body never acclimates to a set routine. Adding variations is extremely smart, and easy to forget.

So, once again, it comes back to trade-offs. Squats are awesome, but if you do them too much, the awesome wears off. So it's smart to have a handful of squat variations in your back pocket, and use them judiciously.

A couple weekends ago I set a new PR on Johnson Fire Rd: 31:22, putting me just 1:22 off my goal of 30:00 by June 1.

Last Monday, I got a micro-sized home gym together, and started doing a few goblet squats during the week. Net result: I felt really fast, but beat a five-month-old PR by just three seconds. I should be crushing times that old.

I believe I know what slowed me down. That's a (somewhat technical) post for another day. The upshot is: Nothing will torpedo my "30:00 on Johnson by June 1" goal faster than starting weight training right now.

I've got about two weeks until my goal date. The training I've been doing has been working, so it's time to just let it work. The plan is to hit the 30:00 goal if I can, and then start the weights.

We'll see how it shakes out. I might not be strong enough. Summer heat (temps are in the 90's today) might prevent any attempt at a fast time on Johnson. Life may intercede and make it impossible for me to get on a mountain bike for the next couple of weeks.

But I like my chances.

The Holes

Nearly all my training is on my bike. No weights, no plyometrics, no core work. And I haven't been stretching, which is showing up as a growing tightness in my knees and hips.

What to do? I'm pulling together a lot of what I've learned over the last few years to fix this is about 30 minutes a week.

Dan John

Dan John says that a large portion of his coaching sessions amount to telling the trainee what he/she already knows. I don't have the cash for a session with Dan John, so I'm going to run through the stuff I know I should be doing, and then give myself a plan to do it.

4-Hour Body

I can squeeze in an extra 20-40 minutes twice a week. No more. So it's time to apply some 4-Hour Body-style thinking, and maximize the benefit I can reap for the time I have.

Rippetoe & Kilgore

I need to introduce different types of work (to maximize the effectiveness of the stimulus) at high intensity and low volume (to target strength gains and maximize recovery so I stay fresh for my bike rides).

Synthesis

Here's the result:

• two circuits:
  • Goblet Squats: 3-5 reps
  • Jump Rope: 90 seconds
  • Push-ups: 5 reps, fast
  • Rotator Cuff pulls: 3-5 each side
  • One-Arm Rows: 3 reps each side
  • Torture Twist: 5 seconds each side, 3 reps (total: 45-60 seconds)
• Stretch (focus on ITB, quads, hams, hip flexors) (~5 min.)

Some bursty, load-bearing full-body movement, something for my shoulders, some bouncy stuff to strengthen my achilles tendon and plantar facia and introduce some light impact, some core work, and stretching to keep me limber.

And 5 min. is not a lot of stretching, but I'll be doing that after every workout I do.

Getting Things Done

How does this translate to "next actions"?

• Get weight plates for T-handle from used sporting goods shop. (I actually did this already, but wanted to leave it here.)

Me

Ridgid workout schedules don't work for me. So I'll do this when I get the chance. I always have at least two half-hour blocks each week when I can go out to the patio and do this. No problem. Doing this short workout every three or four days will do wonders for my general fitness.