Upon Further Review!!

My plan is going to be no different than the hamstring.  Hit it in the face everyday to the level I can without reinjuring.  It didn't bother me much at all today and leg lifts went great.  Step in the right direction.  I can be a lot more motivated to rehab it than to rest it.  As we found out with the hamstring, rehab is far better than rest.  Thanks for your support!  Bubba

Megadeth - "99 Ways to Die" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyNaFkRscSI  Not any statement on guns intended.  Just like training to the song and playing it on guitar.

Back to the Drawing Board?!

Long story short, I couldn't jump today.  On my 5th and final bleacher ramp before I went to get my poles I felt the cramp on the inside of my leg again and stopped.  Pisses me off but not that unexpected.

I did this same thing in the early spring of 2009, got a strain in this seemingly innocuous place.  I kept screwing with it and turned it into an injury.  Because of that I'm cutting my odds right now by not challenging it at all for probably four weeks.  Considering that this is week six, and my plan was 12 weeks to great fitness, I'm still within my target area as long as I pay attention now.

So this weird type of little injury feels like nothing.  In fact you can't even remember what leg it's on and then suddenly, it's like a little "Click" and it goes off and the healing clock starts over.  Fortunately I stopped after one step of feeling it this morning so it's pretty good.

So was this a good move or was I playing with fire this morning?  WELL, last Thursday I felt it yet I could jump Sunday, only two days later, but it flared on my strides afterwards.  So I'm thinking if it felt fine to jump after two days then why not give it four?  Obviously not enough.

The plan is to go back to sleds tomorrow, even if I have to walk all 10.  I will slowly build up from there and when I can sprint with no limitation I will vault. 

I have a lot more to say here but I'm going to hold it and see how I feel tomorrow.  As always, thanks for being here.  YES it's frustrating but all I know is I keep cranking away at my other training, and therefore I keep getting stronger and faster even when I can't run or jump.  At some point the balance will return and I will be ready for big jumps. Thanks again!  Bubba

Aerosmith - "Eat the Rich" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-0lAhnoDlU - One of my favorite Aerosmith songs and fun to play on guitar as well.

Hint at Maturity!!

This is a rare week home without travel, and the week I'm supposed to blast my body.  But I can't.  Well I can but I shouldn't.  I'm in that ramp up phase where I sometimes just overstep the boundaries of what my body is ready to take. 

Last week I had a little cramp brewing in my upper right lat from powering through bars with straight legs and locked hips.  YAY - I'm strong enough to do that.  BOO - I shouldn't have done so many.  On Friday I got a very small strain in my right side around my lower ribs from too much starting weight on my overhead straight arm reverse lat pull.  Nothing major but it's there.  Still don't know what the heck is the deal with this left inside of leg thing that would let me vault but not run three steps on a stride afterwards.  I'm stronger than my body is ready to accept so more ramp up is in order. This is only the beginning of week six of my 12 week "conditioning".

It doesn't matter what any of these things are because they are all manageable.  But one thing is for certain; they will do better with rest rather than me slamming them just because I'm home this week.  So I will do my abs and get in several extended stretch and recovery days and give jumping a go again on Friday.  Thanks again for all of your support and continued interest!!  Bubba

PS - I jump in World Masters Athletics on August 14, 2015 in Lyon, France.  Final World Rankings had me finish 4th in the M55 and 2nd in the M60 outdoors for 2013, and 2nd in the M60 indoors for 2014.  Schedule/Rankings just posted.  Have a great day!

Robert Cray - "Smoking Gun" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQEDwjhaDE

Moving Forward?!

As planned I took it super easy on my bleacher ramps so I could at least try to do some jogging plants on the ground before anything flared up.  As I went to get the pit and shed open, I just had a feeling I might be OK to try to vault on a really low level.  I got my first new pole, a UST/Essx Recoil 12'4/3.75m/160 and started at two steps (one stride) or 11'/3.35m for my run length.  That seemed to go OK as nothing flared or jumped out at me.  I moved back a stride to four steps/two strides and moved the grip up a little each jump for a few vaults. 

Still being super careful I decided to put a bar up at 8'6/2.60m for the heck of it. I made it but didn't get in very well so I moved back to 31'/six steps/three strides and made 9'6/2.90m.  At this point I'm not liking that I have to try and run hard at all so I moved back to 42'/eight steps/four strides so I could just jog in and still have pole speed.  Made 10'/3.05, 10'6/3.20m and 11'/3.35m all on first jumps and stopped.

Here's the contrast.  I took five jumps and cleared five bars, the last being a foot higher than I jumped in Colorado Springs.  Then three steps into my 50m stride afterwards I felt that inside leg cramp and stopped.  Went to the gym and lifted regular medium/heavy weight load and had no issues.  Whatever it is I can vault and it will certainly go away.

My plan now is to try and jump Friday.  I figure I had only two days between my initial cramp and today's jumping and that will give me four days off it.  After that I have eight days until the next vault session, so progressively it will get better as I continue to ramp up my vaulting.

Finally, the new pole is OUSTANDING!! It is so thin and light it feels like a toy, but when it comes back it means business.  I love my Essx Recoil poles but this may be my favorite one right off the bat.  I shouldn't be able to make 11' on a 12'4/160 but this pole is so smooth to bend and responsive.  Can't wait to be healthy enough to jump on it from closer runs, and then move to the next two bigger poles!  I really think I can jump on the first one from 2L/4 steps and the last from 3L/6 steps and that will give me some serious blow.  Thanks Bruce Caldwell and UST/Essx!!  Bubba

Guns & Roses - "Rocket Queen" live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmQOLc4LW6o

Tomorrow?

Yes it will come, but will I be able to run, jump and/ore lift legs?  One of the three?  None of the three, Two of the three?  I don't know but at least I'm optimistic enough to suggest jumping.  My leg cramp thing is much better so I have a shot.

There's a local masters meet today and I would love to go but obviously I can't.  I was thinking earlier in the week that I typically don't go to meets unless I think I'm in striking distance of jumping high. I don't like to go for practice or a subpar performance.  I I'm not ready I think I do far better by practicing.  Have a great day and I will let you know what happens!  Bubba

B52s - "Love Shack" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SOryJvTAGs

Better?

Still have no idea what this leg thing is except that it's a lot better today.  Of course my lifting didn't really involve it, and it wasn't a real problem stretching either.  I'll go ahead with my regular Saturday lift but add some stride/skips tomorrow.  If things feel good on my stadium ramps on Sunday I will go ahead and try to get a few easy take offs.  If not I will just wait until the day it does feel good.  My guess is three days to two weeks, and though that sucks, it's livable.

Again, this was some type of cramp and not any injury.  I couldn't have been going more than 30% when I felt it cramping.  I distinctly remember that I got this a few years ago from heavier seated leg curls.  On my Sunday lift session those were too light so I moved them up.  Now I will drop them completely.  That's it for today.  Thanks so much for being here!  Bubba

Hoobastank - "Crawling in the Dark" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHxtOLfvIo

A Pound of Flesh!!

Beautiful day and I'm off to vault.  Easy 1st stadium ramp and I think I'm going to feel pretty good.  Number two I feel something light on the inside of my left leg.  Halfway through number 3 and I have a cramp and have to stop.  No injury, just a cramp in the long tendon that goes from the groin to the inside of the knee.  Then I remembered why I quit doing heavy seated leg curls - THIS cramping strain feeling.  Will skip today's rotation and try again Sunday, which will be five weeks since the injury.  That said, new poles look great.  Have a fantastic day and thanks for your support!  Bubba

Billy Idol - "Flesh For Fantasy" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw1oM7LBbxE