Day ONE!!

Hit the track just before sunup for my running.  Being my first day of the 2014 season I didn't want anything to make me start running late and rushing.  We have a football game at our stadium tonight so I couldn't get to the sleds as the entrance to that shed was blocked off.  Nonetheless is was good running - 3X30; 2X40+1X40; 40,30,20.

The gym was a bit of a nice surprise lifting legs.  Though I didn't push the weights I have not lost all of the strength I though I might have with no leg lifting for six months.  All in all it was a good first day.

I may be unrealistic but my goal is to be back on my 14'7"/4.45m poles by Reno.  I know from experience it takes me about two months to change levels on strength and power and I'm starting at a pretty good place already.  IF I jump in San Diego on 12/7 it will probably be on my 13'7"/4.15m series.  By Belton, Texas (north of Austin) I should be on my 14'1"/4.30m and then on to my 14'7" three weeks later at Reno.  Fortunately my poles overlap so I can be on a big 13'7" that is weaker than my first 14'1" and otherwise. 

You have to start somewhere and for me that was today.  Onward and upward.  Thanks for being here!  Bubba

Van Halen - "Bottoms UP" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8fYlqqg-pQ

Back Home!!

Just got back from a few days in Denver on business and enjoying the last day of my season break.  After 12 days off tomorrow the big grind starts and I can't wait.  Of course I'm afraid of the crippling soreness of leg lifting but I need that more than anything. 

Did some bars at the gym by the hotel in Denver yesterday just to make sure my little ab ding earlier this year was not a hernia.  It's not, thankfully.  SO, I quit lifting legs in January and dropped bars in mid March; I desperately need to get back to reality on these things and tomorrow is the day.  Of course I have other concerns but nothing major and we will address those as they arise.  Have a great evening and thanks for your support!  Bubba

AC/DC - "Whole Lotta Rosie" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aXU-FtaTOc

The Plan!! BEAST MODE!!

I'm sure there will be small changes but here is my 14 day outline.  I travel to Denver on business at minimum the 1st and 3rd M-W per month so this works around that.  It gives me 11 days on and a three day break.  Therefore the rotation begins on Thursday.

Thursday - Speed (http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm) set #1 with ankle weights and sled, #2 with ankle weights no sled, #3 no sled or weights.  Big pole plant/take off drills then vault.  Gym - lift legs #1, bars and secondary arms. Hack squat 8,6,4, 10,6 X leg press, leg extension/curl, seated leg curl, seated/standing calf, adductor/abductor, preacher curls, tricep extension. High bar front levers, low P-bar Bubkas 2 X to max.
Friday - Lift garage #1 - Bench/Lat Superset, Incline/Hang Cleans X 8,6,4.  Lat row - 10,6.
Saturday - Lift garage #2 - Power Sets 8,8,6,6 (standing curl, upright row, overhead press, lateral fly=1 set), 10,6 X concentration curl/lying tricep extension, incline alternate dumbbell curl/standing tricep pushdown.
Sunday - Speed (http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm) set #1 with ankle weights and sled, #2 with ankle weights no sled, #3 no sled or weights.  Big pole plant/take off drills then vault.  Gym - lift legs #1, bars and secondary arms. Hack squat 8,6,4, 10,6 X leg press, leg extension/curl, seated leg curl, seated/standing calf, adductor/abductor, preacher curls, tricep extension. High bar front levers, low P-bar Bubkas 2 X to max.
Monday - Lift garage legs - 8,6,4 X deep squat, bench squat; 8,6 X lunge, bench step up.
Tuesday - Lift garage #1 - Bench/Lat Superset, Incline/Hang Cleans X 8,6,4.  Lat row - 10,6.
Wednesday - Lift garage #2 - Power Sets 8,8,6,6 (standing curl, upright row, overhead press, lateral fly=1 set), 10,6 X concentration curl/lying tricep extension, incline alternate dumbbell curl/standing tricep pushdown.
Thursday - Speed (http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm) set #1 with ankle weights and sled, #2 with ankle weights no sled, #3 no sled or weights.  Big pole plant/take off drills then vault.  Gym - lift legs #1, bars and secondary arms. Hack squat 8,6,4, 10,6 X leg press, leg extension/curl, seated leg curl, seated/standing calf, adductor/abductor, preacher curls, tricep extension. High bar front levers, low P-bar Bubkas 2 X to max.Friday - Lift garage #1 - Bench/Lat Superset, Incline/Hang Cleans X 8,6,4.  Lat row - 10,6.
Saturday - Lift garage #2 - Power Sets 8,8,6,6 (standing curl, upright row, overhead press, lateral fly=1 set), 10,6 X concentration curl/lying tricep extension, incline alternate dumbbell curl/standing tricep pushdown.
Sunday - Speed (http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm) set #1 with ankle weights and sled, #2 with ankle weights no sled, #3 no sled or weights.  Big pole plant/take off drills then vault.  Gym - lift legs #1, bars and secondary arms. Hack squat 8,6,4, 10,6 X leg press, leg extension/curl, seated leg curl, seated/standing calf, adductor/abductor, preacher curls, tricep extension. High bar front levers, low P-bar Bubkas 2 X to max.

Music Note - If you're new to the blog I usually post a song I heard during my workout that got me through a tough part.  I have a broad taste in music than has far more to do with the beat than the message.  Too often I want to quit and this gets me through.

TODAY - Metallica - "Master of Puppets" from their 2009 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall f Fame - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EeUiqqHHJg

More Planning Refinement!!

Pretty familiar with that feeling right now!

 

I've broken down my training into MUST HAVE hardcore components and #1 on that list is lifting legs.  Thinking I'm lifting them twice per rotation but need to figure out how the rest plays out.  I quit lifting legs last year because of the underleg thing.  Once I got it shot I was OK but I was afraid to resume.  I feel fast but I need more explosive power.  Some of that comes with being a little heavier but the rest is leg lifting.  It may require a double up LONG work out on one rotation day and a split up on my long phase.  I will post the entire thing when I'm done.  Have a great day!  Bubba

Alvin Lee & Ten Years After from Woodstock - "I'm Going Home" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW5M5xljdCI

In a Funk ... Kind Of!!

Tomorrow will be one week since Brazil.  I'm contemplating vaulting in our Halloween Vault but I'm not that sure I feel up to it.  I'm kind of in a bit of a funk as I near the finish of my plan for my training.  I have all the pieces in my head but they haven't come together yet enough to be assigned days. I'm getting closer but not quite there.

I went to a chiropractor about the little lower back catch I have had.  I will probably go for the next few weeks to see if it will settle out.  It feels a little better but my rib is sore where he pushed down.

All in all I'm optimistic about setting out on my new plan.  I'll feel a lot better over the next day or so when I have it finalized.  Hope you have a great weekend.  Thank you for stopping by!  Bubba

James Gang - "Funk #49 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_qHU_6Ofc0

Putting The Past Behind!!

Every vaulter fears the no height (nh).  Before last Saturday my last and only nh of my career was 1974.  That said, I've always done very well at big meets, so that made me really look deep into what happened in Brazil so I can move forward.  It wasn't the headwind, borrowed poles because mine didn't show up, a shallow box and deathtrap pit.  I was fine with all of that as I easily cleared 4"/10cm higher than the winning jump in warm up, and I'm the furthest thing from a head case.  So what was it?

I went to the bathroom at the wrong time.  Four vaulters had been jumping together for 45 minutes so I asked to go to the bathroom.  At big meets you have to be escorted on and off the field so I had to wait to go and wait to come back.  When I returned there was only one vaulter going and he had his 1st miss with two jumps left.  This means I had about five minutes to get my 60 year old body, which had been sitting for 90 minutes, warmed up enough to jump and it didn't happen.  My first jump I was predictably out.  Jump two I probably overran a bit and my leg kind of buckled at take off.  Jump three I cleared by 2'/60cm and my pole slowly came through and knocked the bar off.  DONE!  Day over.

Usually I would have spent 15-20 minutes getting ready and jump #3 would have been my jump #1.  Because I jump with the standards all of the way back, I cut the tops of all of my poles off so the pole falls underneath the bar and CAN'T knock it off if it comes through behind me.  I didn't have my poles and I didn't warm up properly so that is that.

I WANTED a medal at this meet!!  Sure I won the silver medal in Italy in August at our version of the Olympic Games where 30 sports are contested at the World Masters Games, but this was supposed to be the easier one.  A 10'6"/3.20m jump would have given me a total of four world championship medals on four continents, Africa, Australia, Europe and South America.  I start practice at 12'/3.66m.  It didn't happen, it's done, it's over.  I understand why and it won't happen again.  I needed to address it here so I can move on.  I was ready, healthy and jumping great.  I made a mistake in not being ready to jump when they called my name.  Nuff said.  Thanks for being here!  Bubba

Talking Heads - "Pyscho Killer" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNOfRzDysw

Life Goes On!!

As I return to my roots blog, I come with eyes wide open from a very long and challenging year.  For the first six months of the year I had weekly business travel yet somehow managed to progress with my vaulting and associated training. I had business expansion and challenges that had me questioning the time I did spend on vaulting. The goal of two medals at two world championships dissolved before my eyes when I failed to clear a height in Brazil. That all said, it's time to move forward. 

 

My most pressing mission is to get 13' indoors and out as only one person in history has presently done this. Since I went without any significant injury for most of the year I don't want to change too much of my training approach. It worked but I was too light. Regaining my muscle mass, more high bar and continued sleds should get me where I need to be. 

 

Jan Johnson told me that 1' can be gained by losing 10 lbs. Of course when he told me this I weighed 180. Dropping from 170 to 160 took me from 13'1" in February to 12'4" by June because I had lost the critical mass to hit big poles. Even though I was still strong I just couldn't move big poles and that became a real problem. My best vault weight my entire career has been 168-171 and that's where I'm heading. It shouldn't be that hard. Resuming my normal lifting patterns will play a big role and I won't be on such a restrictive diet. 

 

It's hard to explain the mental and emotional anguish that goes into shipping poles internationally. They arrived the night before the World Masters Games in Torino and never arrived in Brazil. Because my stated goal is to get an indoor and outdoor 13', which would make me only the 2nd 60 year old in history to accomplish this, I will skip all of the big meets and just go to ones that have good conditions. 

 

Finally, I recommit to you all and this blog. Because of my work schedule, and the depth of explanation needed to explain my plans, I failed you and me with very short blog entries. I'm going back to taking the time to let you know what I am planning, thinking and why. I owe that to you and me. So welcome back! Let's get to work! Bubba

 

My next big international meet is plan to attend at this moment is the World Masters Athletic Championships in Perth, Australia in 2016, though I may consider Lyon, France in 2014. Here is a great song for that goal by some men from down under. - Men at Work - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x102uc_men-at-work-land-down-under_music