2008 Olympic Gold Medalists

2008 Olympic Gold Medalists
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Friday, November 28, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

We had a nice mellow one here in Cali. Like it that way.

Sorry but my blogging is kind of sporadic these days. Volleyball news is slow in developing right now and there isn't much to talk about. If something pops I will let you all know.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Track Workout

I just started working out in the weight room yesterday, November 3rd which made me think that it was time to Blog on my track and beach workouts with our trainer Sandy Combs. Something I started last year was getting in the weight room a little earlier than in years past. I found that when I ease into my workouts my body responds much better than when I just jump in. If I start in December and we jump in hard I am sore all over. Yesterdays workout was about trying to get the muscles accustomed to lifting again. I can feel it today but not to the point where it is painful. I also got in a surf on my new quad fin at a place I call sticks and rocks. Fun little chest high or so skate park.

This year and the last 2 years I will be starting up on the track with Sandy in the beginning of December. Much like my weight lifting, I used to start come the new year, but I have found that I am much better off when I ease into it a little more. Phil has started the last 3 years in January as he is visiting family in Florida over the Holidays.

The track workout is the single hardest workout I do or have ever done for that matter. It is hard on the body and the mind. For this workout it is essential that I warm up really good. I usually jog a half of a mile then do a light stretch. Then I stride the field (100 yards) a minimum of 4 times. A strider as we call them is basically an elongated stride for 100 yards. It is faster than a jog but not a full sprint. Probably about 75% of a full sprint. I will usually do a little more stretching before getting into the track workout.

The workout in December will start off with 3 or 4 400's. I usually start off at 80 seconds per 400 with a 2 minute rest in between. We will up the 400's to 5 a couple of weeks in. Depending on how fast I am doing them, Sandy will slowly bring the time down to 75 seconds per 400. A couple of months down the road the 400's turn into 300's with faster times but an extra minute rest.

From there we go to a jump circuit. We do a bunch of jumps of which some of the are one legged hops, side jumps, forward frog jumps, bounding, sprint the stadium stairs and then do two legged rebound jumps up the stadium stairs. We also throw in ab work without a med ball and then add a med ball as we get into the workout. This workout changes as we get closer to the season. Basically we start out with quantity and and narrow it down to quality jumps. We end the track workouts usually around the end of April or into May and go to the beach to do a similar type of workout.

On a side note, everyone remember to vote today or don't complain about your politicians!