Special Snowflake’s

Posted on February 5, 2015 by tosabarbell

snowflake

Or…it doesn’t matter if you are a special snowflake if there are a hundred tons of other special snowflakes around you.

It seems there is no end in sight for folks posting their training video’s and as I’ve always said, ‘you post it,  you own it.’ Now, training video’s can be very cool. Most of us have already seen Hafthor’s historic log walk from last weekend’s World Strongest Viking, Strongman Champion League’s season kick-off. But in the event that you live under a rock, here ya go…

…pretty cool, eh? Also cool is how Hafthor gives honor to the former record holder, and how cold Marcel looks. Heh.

That, my friends, is a special snowflake.

Us? Meh, not so much. But our PR’s are ours to own and if they make us happy, then by all means post it. The lift may be ugly, it’s a PR after all. We may get excited enough to be a douche to our bar after but hopefully we grow out of that silliness. But PR’s are worth celebrating if you’ve been working hard for it (no, a 30# PR for someone training for a few weeks or even a couple months is not a PR. It’s progress. JHMFC, how is that not recognized by your coach?)

Anyways.

If your PR is a 100kg power clean and it makes you happy, then by all means post it. If your PR is 130kg clean and jerk, by all means, celebrate. But what gets lost in the “the world is all about me and look how strong I am” youtube’s, is that actually…your PR isn’t really all that strong. I get it, it’s STRONGEST for you. But when you start looking around the rest of the strength world, especially competition numbers, you get a little splash of reality right in the face.

Oh well. Such is life. This week I hit a PR strict (I say strict because people don’t understand the term “press.” Many believe that a knee bounce is not a push press if it’s just a slight dip. If you do, you’re wrong) press of 60kg. This has been a goal for a year and a half. Why so long? Well, because the training window is short. To press big, you need to press and there is only a 6-8 week training period I have in a year to hit that. Once I get out of volume training, I’m off to throwing drills and practice and no longer have the time to work on a heavy press without under recovering. But I need to be far enough out of my volume training to have recovered from it, it’s tricky for this ‘ol gal. In fact the last time I tried it, it was almost a year ago from the day.

But this time I got it and got it well. A minor sticking point when I started up and the rest was ‘no worries.’ It was a good PR for me (no, I didn’t get video.) It was probably one of the most satisfying PR’s for me in my training life. Why? Because I love the press. It’s rarely done anymore. Oh sure, the push press’ are all over the place. There’s the Strongman press which is almost like a standing bench press and those numbers are fun too. But they don’t lock out and I tell ya what, that last inch and a half of lockout could be all the difference between success and failure. (I get it, putting 300# or more overhead without a push off the floor is a feat of strength. I agree. Now lock it out. I’m just sayin’.)

Anyways, I love the press. It’s hard. It’s rarely done anymore. It is a feat of strength, especially for women.  I think I’ve seen Kristin Rhodes post some amazing press video’s but, ya know, she’s World’s Strongest Woman. Sooooo…

For some reason, a throwing friend took the time to throw a little shade on my PR and hint around that a 135# press would look cooler than a 60kg press. Whatever. People need to nitpik I guess. But when you no longer see me posting on my log, you can figure out why. Fuck it. This is exactly why I’ve never kept an on-line training log in the first place which I explained when I started it. 40kg plus a 45# bar comes out to roughly 133 pounds (for those who train in pounds.) I guess my two pound less than 135# lift wasn’t as cool looking because it didn’t have an iron plate on each side?? I’ve also seen this person nitpik his wife into tears at Games so I shouldn’t be surprised. Whatev.

But even with that, I’m not a special snowflake. Nor do I need to be. Look, lift. Just train and lift. PR’s will come and please celebrate them. But know this, there are very few special snowflakes in the world and you’re probably not one of them. Be okay with that. If you have some natural talent and your DNA allows you to build more strength than the next guy, then find a good coach and exploit that shit. Because you may actually become a special snowflake.

Cool, eh?

If your ego starts out, “I am big. I am special” you’re in for some disappointments when you look around at what we’ve discovered about the universe. No, you’re not big. No, you’re not. You’re small in time and space. And you have this frail vessel called the human body that’s limited on Earth.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

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Monday Bacon: Cleaning Up

Posted on February 2, 2015 by tosabarbell

bacon

As much as I’m not one to set New Year’s resolutions, I guess I have one. I don’t know how it happened, I have just noticed a trend these past few weeks and I’m going with it. And that is to clean up my computer time (no, this has nothing to do with porn, is nothing sacred?)

No crappy lifting videos. None. You want to post one? Fine. Don’t care. But don’t tag me in it to watch. Especially if I’ve coached you in the past and you decide to forego that and start lifting shitty and then later complain that your lifts aren’t going anywhere or that you’re injured. I don’t want anyone to know that I ever had anything to do with you. Just, no. Post a crappy lifting video and we’re no longer FB friends. In real life? Sure. Then we can talk about interesting things and but not about how your training has taken a Godzilla sized dump and you can’t figure it out. No.

No weightlifting or, god forbid, Press videos with thrown bars from overhead. Boom, you are e-dead to me. It makes me angry, like, over the top angry to see some douchey lifter PR an overhead lift and take more dedication and thought to slam the bar down ‘Outlaw’ style. If you don’t want to respect your lifting equipment, fine. But I’m not going to watch it. The energy that you’ve just put into the bar is that you don’t give a shit about it and I don’t want any part of it. It’s probably pretty kooky, I’ll blame it on the Hawaiian in me. Objects contain energy, energy that we put into it and that we hope to receive from it. A PR is to be celebrated. Happy dance; fist pump; drop on your knees and hulk tear your shirt off (make sure to have a sport’s bra on underneath please ladies if you’re in public), or PR hugs. PR hugs are my favorite. But to slam a bar down, even if it’s yours, makes me not like you. Probably not in real life either. To take joy in slamming a barbell down on the floor (yes, I’ve seen people do this in a press too. I wanted to smash their face into the wall. Ragemuch?) means that there is a fundamental difference in how we go through life. I’m not saying my way is right, god no. But I’m saying I don’t want anything to do with a person who does that. Byebye (stewardess style.)

Calling names. This is one of the biggest grievances I have with the internet. When in the world did it make it okay as an adult to call another adult a name? When? For those that know us, we have had problems with our neighbors since the 2nd day they moved in a year and a half ago. When one issue is seemingly resolved (or the police have told them they can’t complain about it anymore because they’re lying) they move on to another issue. It is my opinion that there will always be something because that’s the type of people they seem to be. Fine. Whatev dude. The recent issue is that they have requested, through a note they taped on their window facing our house, that we not snow blow onto their brick or windows (including their basement windows.) Well, the Snow Gods were good to us this weekend and gave us about a foot or more of snow. Thank you Snow Gods. While Matt and I were taking a shoveling/snow blowing coffee break yesterday morning outside (it was really quite beautiful out) the neighbor stopped and started yelling at us. I just yelled back (we were in the back of our driveway) to have a good walk; be safe; watch out for cars that I’d already noticed were blowing through the stop sign. See, this was my time. My coffee-peaceful-yeah it finally snowed, time. So I’ll drown out your crazy but only with good thoughts. Have a nice walk.

He called me a bitch (or a prick but that seems really weird for a man to call a woman a prick.)

Now, it is beyond me as to what kind of human being you are to call a grown woman a bitch as a grown man. Right in front of her husband. Who does that? I honestly cannot wrap my head around it. It’s just not done. That’s not who we are. That’s just not how we walk through life. It’s weird. It’s hostile. And it’s not okay. It’s just not okay. There is some gene of civility and honor missing from your DNA. (This guy is an elementary school teacher too. Goody.)

Same goes for the internet. There have been people I honestly like it real life who have chosen to go after others on the Facebook and call them names. I dunno, maybe it was uncomfortably lulz in the past? But not now. Now it’s sad. It’s sad that this is the pathetic society we’ve become. That we call someone we don’t know a ‘cunt’ because they disagree with a stand we’ve taken. God. What has happened to us? There is no amount of good, or funny, or sarcastic (which everyone knows I LOVE) that can make up for calling another human being a name. I can’t excuse it. I don’t want any part of it or your energy. Because no matter what else is there that is good, I’ll always know that you will resort to 9 year old playground bullying tactics and I don’t trust you. It honestly makes me sad. The only thing I can do is “unfriend” someone so that the energy doesn’t enter my feed anymore but I guess that’ll have to be enough.

At the rate I’m going, I’ll have about 40 friends on the Facebook and only follow five of them cuz they post funny puppy and panda videos..and Strongman Champions League. That’s it.

Look, I don’t need sunshine and walks on the beach all day every day. Real life happens and that nice thing about the Facebook is that we can connect with those we otherwise wouldn’t and send them some energy that contains healing, or fun, or congratulations, or just silly. We’ll celebrate with you when you kick butt at a Strongman contest and win the whole dang thing (TEBOW!!!) or send e-hugs when your dog is sick and celebrate when he’s back home safe and sound. Stuff like that. There is a lot of good to the whole internet thing. But this ugly that is there too, I don’t want any part of it.

Nope.

Leave bullying to bulls. Be human.

Training Log

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Friday Jams: Athletes Don’t Quit

Posted on January 30, 2015 by tosabarbell

Last night while watching the Big Fat Loser finale they were showing clips from the season. One contest was that the constestant’s had to push a bosu ball up a hill on the beach. Yes, I too felt like snickering as I typed that but these people have done nothing but get fatter in the last 20 years so to their credit, it was hard.

One woman was having a hard time and doing the “one step forward, three steps back” dealio when Bob the “Trainer Personality” screamed, “ATHLETES DON’T QUIT!!!!” Both Matt and I said quickly, “yes they do.” 

Yes. They. Do.

Here’s why. An ATHLETE is someone who has been training for a goal for quite some time. They have made their mistakes and learned from them. I.E. Not quitting when they should have. They have been conditioned to listen to their bodies and know fairly well when to push through and when to call it a day. ATHLETES listen to their coaches and if their coaches continue to present a program that results in failure or injury, they find new coaches. Why? Cuz ATHLETES ain’t got no time for that.

ATHLETES know when to go all out and when to save their strength. I remember reading a post a few years back from an up and coming Brit Strongman. He stated he was going try do a max effort yoke walk a week and a half out from a major contest. The best of the best (Terry and Loz) spoke up quickly, ‘don’t do it mate. You won’t recover for the contest.’ Smart guy didn’t. Well done.

See, Loz and Terry Hollands are ATHLETES. They are not out of shape maniac exercisers that have found a way out of obesity/weakness/whatever you’re looking for.

Please, can we stop throwing around the term ATHLETE to appease some sense of self that needs to be better than we actually are? If you are taking your life and health more seriously, you are doing great! GREAT JOB!! Your life will be better. Keep working. But you are not an athlete, you’re a dude losing weight. Now, of course, ATHLETE may come later. That’s awesome. But for now?

No. Just no. How many of you have seen those who have tried to get stronger and healthier give up because they have “failed” in their endeavor to become yet another stupid American “athlete?” Just be better. Be proud of your work to be better.

Gawd.

Call a jack a jack. Call a spade a spade. But always call a whore a lady. Their lives are hard enough, and it never hurts to be polite. 

Patrick Rothfuss

Training Log

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Monday Bacon: Just Doin’ Work

Posted on January 19, 2015 by tosabarbell

steelwork

The other day, one of my clients asked me how my training was going and if there was anything specific I was training for these days. I actually had to give this some thought and after a minute I finally said, ‘my training is just training right now. Just doin’ work.’ 

It’s different for me this year. Last year I was dialed in with the Arnold Highland Games looming ahead. I’d watch weather reports much closer hoping I could find a day to go throw out in the snow without freezing in single digits temps. I’d find stones and throw them in a nearby parking lot for practice and when they’d break, I’d go find some more. I’d practice the weight over bar into snow banks and I can remember the slightly panicked feeling I’d have when I couldn’t find the weight. Yes, I knew it was there…somewhere. Butthe first time I had to dig and dig with my hand, I brought a small shovel after that just in case.

This year? This year I eased out of my 10×10’s in December without fanfare as hot yoga has kept me moving much better. I fit my Olympic lifts in once a week when I can as usual but my numbers have taken a dive compared to what I lifted in my early December meet. Totally normal considering the training load I’ve been under for the last two months.

I’ve gone twice out to Winner’s Edge in Pewaukee to drill the throws whereas last year I was doing this in early December on a weekly basis. In all honesty, my training right now is just very ‘meh.’ And I’m okay with that.

This is the time foundations are laid. It’s not sexy, it’s not exciting. It’s just work. Get your reps in. Do your practice. Don’t worry about an immediate payoff. The payoff comes later, much later. Late summer. Early fall. Some people are already throwing (well done Katie and the East team!!!) But not me.

I’m still hoping for a late Christmas miracle in that I get the nod to get my qualifying total and be able to lift at The Arnold. If I do, my weightlifting will become the focus of my training. I don’t know if it will happen or not, I hope so. I’d really love to lift at the Masters PanAmericans. But that’s out of my control right now so I just put in the work.

A little bit boring. A lotta bit ‘meh.’ But that’s okay. I’m not a child who needs constant stimulation or can’t focus on something longer than it takes to throw a bar down after a PR. Adults train. Sometimes for the future. Sometimes for a specific event. Sometimes just to stay as strong as possible for as long as possible. Just do the work. It’ll payoff when you need it. True story.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Training Log

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