1 in 40

Posted on October 23, 2013 by tosabarbell

Vilnius 055

There was a lot going on during the warm ups of the SCL Log Lift World Championships on Saturday in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Zydrunas classic had arm wrestling, figure competitions, wrestling, and tons of other things going on that I didn’t even get to see. I was a bit in Lithuanian overload when I heard the warms ups going on in the back. Ohhhhhh, the nerves set in (see, I get nervous even when I’m NOT competing. Handy.)

As I was watching the first few 1st attempts go without a white light, I started getting even more nervous. This was a beastly log and everyone walking away was shaking their heads at it. An opener of 180kg for Matt should have been a cake walk and though Matt had a smooth lift, even he was a little surprised at how hard the log was.

Here it is…

Watching Vidas Blekaitas, Krzysztof Radzikowski, and of course Big Z come up was quite amazing. Zydrunas is total rock star in Lithuania and he had the crowd waiting at the edge of their seats on his final and new World Record 222.5kg third attempt. Of course I didn’t get video, just the above picture. Honestly, I just wanted to take it in, enjoy the moment.

The clean reminded me of Rezazadeh’s 263.5kg clean in Athens. Effortless, a walk in the park. Z has an amazing clean, snappy. Yes, he makes a 490# beastly log look snappy. His press was no nonsense, get it up, get ‘er done. It was beautiful. The crowd went absolutely crazy, I glanced over at the other competitors and not one didn’t have a look of awe on their face and then it hit me. Out of the few thousand people in the arena at this moment, there were probably about 40 that understood the magnitude of what Z keeps doing with this Log Lift event. And I was one of them. Wow. One in Forty. It was truly the most amazing feat of strength and sport accomplishment that I’ve ever witnessed and I am so thankful for having the opportunity to be in that arena at that moment.

Our Chaperone for the weekend was an adorable, tiny blonde who’s name is Vaida who looked at me and said, ‘is good, ya?’ Yes. Iz very good!

More to come later on Vaida, but when I say tiny…

I mean tiny. Her whole body is one of Bigg or Thor’s leg’s. Heh.

I am so thankful to be present at this event that my head is still swimming a bit (yes, the amount of Lithuanian booze consumed could have something to do with that;) Matt’s 5th place finish was very respectable and I’m proud of him. He missed his second and third attempts at 190kg and in hindsight, I wish we would have made a game time adjustment of going to 185 instead of 190 on the second. Live and learn. He’s worked a long time for this and with a few tweaks to his clean (LEGs! Use your GD LEGssss!!!!;) and hopefully another opportunity, he’ll kick arse again.

He absolutely hates to lose. There is no lose in him.

Marcel on Big Z

Training Log

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

End Cap Packing

Posted on October 16, 2013 by tosabarbell

We all know there is a specific stratergery that retail uses to entice shoppers to stray from their lists and believe they need the junk on those pesky end caps. I usually do ok. October in Target means Monster cereal on the end caps and I’m always a sucker for Monster cereal. Oz likes the $5 movies that he’s already watched 4000 times on AMC but for some reason having the movie would be so much better. I can remember giving my mom a side glance of hope when I was a wee girl (or at least young, I really was never wee) for a pack of Fruit Stripe gum. Come on! How can you NOT give your kid Fruit Stripe gum!!!

I thought of this while packing this morning. See, I had my daily outfits laid out with one extra shirt for post contest party fun; a suit; undies; socks, ya know, the usual. But I picked up a new suitcase Sunday to replace my weekender bag I’d been using and now there’s lots more room! Soooo, grab my training gear; an extra pair of tennis shoes; a couple more shirts? Uh oh, I have even MORE room left over.

And this is where my end cap packing kicked in. My compact mirror; an umbrella; another sweater; my rubba slippas. I finally had to walk away. I literally was going to start adding a 1/2 eaten dark chocolate bar and my 8th tube of lip shit. WALK AWAY!

I still have a couple of hours, I’m going to have to remain strong. As I type, I’m picturing all kinds of shit up there that can still go in the suitcase. OH, and by the way, here is a heartfelt letter to my new suitcase…

“Dear beautiful new Samsonite suitcase. It’s very exciting that so shortly after coming home with me, you get to travel all the way to Lithuania. You’re very lucky. I have filled you with everything I deem absolutely necessary (please don’t read the above) and leave you space to bring home goodies from abroad. I’m sure you acknowledged the care and organization as I loaded my stuff into your belly. I apologize now for that bag I snuck into your front pocket. I know, it smells; it’s stuffy; and the fabric softener sheets I put inside with it’s contents just form some type of outdoor ass smell. See, they’re called KNEE SLEEVES. They’re bad. I know. It’s why they’re not allowed in the main compartment.  Please know that I give my utmost respect to the sacrifice your front pocket is giving to hold these Rehband holders of stink all the way to foreign lands. Hugs and kisses, jules.”

Poor suitcase.

You know, there’s nothing damnable about being a strong woman. The world needs strong women. There are a lot of strong women who you do not see who are guiding, helping, mothering strong men. They want to remain unseen. It’s kind of nice to be able to play a strong woman who is seen.

Ginger Rogers

Training Log

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Eye on the Prize

Posted on October 15, 2013 by tosabarbell

I’ve seen a lot of hullabaloo in different venues of the webz lately by competitors of various strength sport talking about training for upcoming events. First off, it’s kinda cool that I have so many contacts that train and compete. Second off, it occurs to me that lots of peeps I know over compete. Ya know, those who are talking about their next competition in 8 or so weeks the very night that they’ve just PR’d all their lifts on the platform earlier in the day? Look people, you beating your body into the ground for a chance of glory every eight weeks will take you just so far. When I see that the nagging shoulder pain is worse and worse but you just “train through it” for the next comp I want to give you a V8 smack to the forehead. But that’s not my beef today. You silly people are on your own…for now.

My beef today are for those of you who are looking too FAR into the future. I’ve seen a lot of comments by throwers who are training NOW for the Master’s World Championships next September in Scotland. SEPTEMBER! 2014!!! Uhhhhhhh, that’s 11 months away and the season is just now coming to an end. We just got out of a 6-8 month season and you’re training now for 11 months away? I’ve seen comments about meets or Strongman events that are 6 months away and people are dialing in their tapers now. SRSLY? How about you CF’rs who begin training for next year’s games the day you got booted out of Regionals.

Look, I’m all for looking into the future. Ya know, here’s what worked for me last time; here’s what didn’t; here’s what drove me into the ground; here’s what didn’t; etc. and take those pointers into the next year. It’s called reflection and we’ve already talked about it. I’m all for researching other programs that have worked for people in similar circumstances and figuring out how to fit that in your life. It’s called preparation and should absolutely be part of your life if you’re a competing athlete.

But to say, “I’m training now for 11 months down the road” is silly. We’re not Olympians, we wear kilts and kick off our events day with a shot of scotch. Let’s take it down a notch, eh? Your golden egg is recovery, especially as a Masters competitors. Rest. Why are we so panicked to rest and recover. As if replenishing our bodies is time lost? Listen to those who’ve come before us who drove their bodies into the ground and have fought long and hard to find their way (usually post surgeries) back to training. Recover. Rest.

Eye on the prize people is not that competition, it’s a healthy and strong body ALLOWING us to kick arse in that competition. Focus!

I’m eagerly anticipating laying out next year’s throwing season…next year. There are some amazing opportunities for those of us in this fringe sport and I absolutely hope to be as prepared as possible for each and every one I’m lucky enough to be a part of. But now? Now I recover; condition; go to Lithuania; take walks; focus some time on the Snatch and Clean and Jerk which makes training fun. Stuff like that. Not everything has to be do or die in the gym today. It’s ok. We’ll all be ok.

Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.

Athenaeus

Training Log

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 Comments

Friday Jams

Posted on October 11, 2013 by tosabarbell

A woman and a microphone. Strong, simple, sexy, and gifted enough to stand on a stage and rock that shit. A country singer? I dun think so but it could be blues and country crossed paths more than they do now. In reality, country music is so pop music now that even hearing an Alabama song makes you remember when country was country.

Anyways.

I loved Linda Ronstadt when I was growing up and this song was played so often on my record player that I’m shocked my mom didn’t hide it at some point. This video is particularly awesome with the jam session included. See children (under 30), that’s called music. You don’t have that now on your radio. I’m sorry you missed it.

Linda Ronstadt You’re No Good.

Enjoy your weekend.

In the United State, we spend millions of dollars on sports because it promotes teamwork, discipline, and the experience of learning to make great progress in small increments. Learning to play music does all this and more.

Linda Ronstadt

Training Log

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment