Training is not an option.

The thing I hate most about frequent travel is that it messes up my training . It's really impossible for anyone to follow a consistent, progressive training program when they are constantly getting on an off a plane, changing time zones, sleeping in strange beds and eating different foods.

This is not to say one cannot maintain their training, in some fashion or another, but real training, where one pushes their workloads and intensity to their max levels, recovers and does it again, over and over and over is almost impossible. At least for me. I must be a delicate flower but traveling kicks my butt.

Olympic athletes don't follow such regimented training schedules, which includes serious accomodations for rest and recovery, not to mention recovery modalities such as hydro therapy and message for nothing. One can only adapt to that which they can recover from and one can only recover if they have some sort of stability in their life. How many times do you hear about Olympic athletes choosing NOT to stay in the Olympic Village as their are just so many variables beyond the coaches, and the athletes control that they don't want to take the risk of messing up the process.

Now I am no longer training anywhere near that level, and so much of the last few years my training has been way more about rehab than traditional "training" but it matters not. Not to me. I take my rehab training as seriously as I do my classic training for whatever skill or sport I am trying to improve. Always have. It's my main tool to improve. And to learn.

One of my own favorite phrases is : "training is the source".And to me that's absolutely true. It's the source of my knowledge about so many things; the wisdom of the body and perfection of movement just a small percentage of the gifts that consistent, progressive, conscious training will bring to you. Or at least to me.

All I know about the body and how to train myself and others has really come from that field. In the field, working out the problems and roadblocks that life and orthopedics throw at me.

And I don't mind at all. What I do mind is the constant interruptions that leave me feeling like I am Sisyphus, constantly pushing the boulder up to the top of the hill only to have it roll down before I have to start over. Hell, I would love to get the damn thing up to the top of the hill once in awhile,lol, before starting over.

I LOVE the feeling of ever growing strength and endurance.Of confidence in my body and ability and intimate knowledge of exactly where I am at the time physically, because my training has told me so. Things can be predicted, and controlled. At least as much as they ever can be.

This consistency is also necessary for me to experience that 'flow state' where one is not separate from the experience. One is completely and totally immersed in their activity and energy, and strength seemingly have no limits.

I have felt that space many, many ,many times and I love it. Crave it. But it has to be earned and one never knows where or where it is going to show up. But I know, from my experience, that it never shows up when my training is inconsistent or haphazard or a cacophony of starting over noise.One has to be physically and mentally ready for it to show up as well as be worthy to accept it. You have to be ready to receive Grace.

It's been a great start of the year for my teaching but really rough for my training. And today was no exception.I understand why people don't keep their training going when they start and stop all the time; they feel weak and unmotivated and incapable of doing what they previously did easily. It sucks.

But the only way to overcome it is to go right through it and hang tough til you feel human again, a bit,and start to feel your strength, and your will, return.

I would have loved to have trained heavy today, done some 32kg and above KB presses and really start back on my travels to press personal bests but uncommon sense and plain fear told me to start slow, again, and take my time building my strength back. Ugh.

6 am stretchout

Joint mobility followed by

foam roll

straddle stretch work

SSLR with strap( static straight leg raise)

bretzells

Overhead should stretches with stick
FMS shoulder mobility test position stretch

behind back stick stretch

squat stretch

inline lunge stretch

downdog/up dog

50 minutes total

8:30 am

One arm swings( warmup)

16 kg x10/10 x4 sets

Long Cycle Clean and Strict Press

16 kg x5/5 x 3

20 kg x 5/5x2

24 kg x3/3

x4/4

x5/5

28 kg x 1/1 x 2 sets

Tactical Pullups

I did these alternating with a press set

2 rounds of 1,2,3

Man the presses felt heavy, weak and awkward and those were just the 16 kgs! Lol. Lovely. Yet the beauty of having trained, consistently, for 39 years, is that I KNEW I would feel better if I just didnt stop. If I just didn't quit I would feel my strength and my coordination return.

Hell, My Body return.

And it did. Again. Thank God.

I knew my strength and endurance would be off and I knew I wouldn't have much left for presses if I swung first and vice versa so I decided to do long cycles and combine them. MAN these are hard. Way hard but so efficient!

But I felt myself getting stronger by the minute.

One arm Cleans

28 kg x 3x5

These were nice. I want to clean the weights I want to press the next workout; let my body "feel" it a bit. Can't wait to be cleaning the Bulldog,lol.

Weighted Floor Pushups

bw x10

15 lb x8

20 lb x5

25 lbs x 5

bw x10

These felt very solid<. I just need heavier weights now. Maybe two clubs on my back.

Clubbell Shield cast

10 lbs x 10/10

15lb x5/5 x 2

Was finally starting to warmup when my hour was up and my client arrived. Good stopping point, when I felt human again. Ahh.

Many demons were killed during the session.

Am bodyweight 159.

Datsit.