Full Circle

Of course I always listen to my body, and usually before it yells at me.  Recently I have discussed the deconditioning that takes place when training is curtailed or emphasis is switched to other areas.  Because I have been vaulting more, I had curtailed some of my other training in an effort to "maintain" fitness.  Then I got a little hamstring strain and proceeded to find out just how much I had lost as far as conditioning.

Like it or not, these little dings are great equalizers in that they help bring balance to the program during the ramp up stage.  Something is always hurting or aching so rotating to other areas of emphasis give these a chance to subside.  For example, my training yesterday was so hard for me that I have had to break it into three parts over three days.  To add insult to lack of fitness, it was 58 degrees this morning so I couldn't even blame it on the heat.  I'm just flat out of shape.  I came out of the championship season deconditioned and then chose to vault a lot rather than resume fitness.  So now my hammy ding is making me address this deficit.  The goal is of course balance; training and vaulting and September should put me back in that position.

So you train hard and don't vault and you lose technique and consistency.  Vault and don't train and you slide backwards physically and can't even get in on smaller poles.  Just another challenge in our daily routines.

Today I was able to easily run my 50m hill/sleds at 30-40% with no sign of the hamstring weakness.  I felt it creeping up a little if I exceeded 40% so I brought it back down quickly.  This is amazing progress for only six days out.  The plan is to start jumping low level again a week from today.  I think I'm probably better to jump at a lower level and keep my fitness up than I am to push my vault level and suffer lack of physical improvement.  It is and endless cycle of change.

Have a great day and thanks for being here!  Bubba

"Amazing" from Aerosmith - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmOvYzSeaQ