Monday was a nice mix of back and chest. Machines, free weights, cables, bodyweight. I used some good functional movements such as finger tip push ups as well as some ‘vanity’ movements such as cable crossovers. A nice solid workout at a different pace after Sunday’s Crossfit style beatdown.
For me, variety is greatly needed. I cannot do 20 minutes of puke inducing work everyday, just as I cannot do muscle isolation everyday. Exercise must be fun and interesting….
Which moves us on to today…
Peter and I met up at the local sausage party gym spot and worked out on cables, free weights and more, mixing in dips, curls, pushes, etc. We then took it to the upstairs floor and worked on deck squats, some ball pushes, more bicep curls and finished it all with the Panos4Time drill. It was my first time through it and this is a real killer. If you are not familiar with the protocol, scroll down a few posts and check it out. I hit it in 1:35, setting a new mark. The jacks are no problem, the burpees hit you, the kb swings almost knock you out and the lateral drills finish you to the floor. It felt a lot like racing a half mile. Fast and painful but full of benefit and a good measure of mental toughness.
Modified Fight Gone Bad (My fathers day gift to myself)…
5 rounds for rep total.
Do all exercises consecutively for one minute each, resting exactly one minute in between rounds for a total of 25 lactic acid filled, on the edge of puking fun filled minutes.
1. 75 lb. sumo dead lift with high pull (weight goes to floor, dead lift up and pull weight to chin) 2. 24″ bench jump (get a solid 2 foot object, jump up to it, hop down, repeat) 3. 75 lb. overhead push press (bar goes from chest straight up over head and back down) 4. Burpees (yes, really…)
(The full version of this starts with an exercise called ‘Wall Ball’ where you take a 2o lb. and toss it up to a mark at a height of 10′ on a wall, catch, squat, stand and throw. The gym didn’t have either a good wall spot nor a 20 lb. ball. Also, in place of burpees, Crossfit uses one minute on a rowing machine. I think burpees kick the behind a bit more and since I only included four exercises, I opted to kick the tukus.)
I had the idea going into this that I was going to do ‘a little more’ after I was done…funny one tough guy. Legs were shaking, lunch was begging to come up, and I was doing the trademark waving off motion that happens involuntarily when things get ugly (usually a side effect of burpees).
It’s almost an hour gone and I’m still high off of it, still shaking a bit. My walk through the grocery store was veeeeery mellow as the endorphine rush kept right on going. Chugged down a Naked protein juice smoothie in less than 5 seconds. Time to relax and enjoy game five of the NBA finals.
Here is a link to my favorite new protein. Jay Robb Whey Protein I had cut whey out of my diet for a while as almost all of it contains some sort of artificial sweetener. Acesesulfame Potassium sounds like something that might be good for you. It is in fact an under tested artificial sweetener that has led to cancer in mice. Check your protein, you are more than likely getting this or sucralose in your product. FRIDAY
ONE
29 lb. weighted back pack pull ups x5 rest one minute 29 lb. weighted back pack chin ups x5 rest one minute 29 lb. weighted back pack mixed grip pull ups x5 rest one minute 29 lb. weighted back pack mixed grip pull ups x5 (mixed grip is one hand palm facing away, the other palm facing toward)
TWO “Five Rounds with Baggy Boy”
Rounds are 3:30, whatever time you don’t use is rest. Total time 17:30
You will need a 100 lb. object. We use a heavy bag.
-Bag flip to wall is the first movement. The heavy bag rests about one foot from the wall. Trainee grabs the bag and flips it with a squat up and push out motion, bag hits wall, trainee grabs bag and flips if back to the ground, repeat x10
-Bag squat is the second movement. Bear hug the bag and sumo squat to thighs parallel position. repeat x10
-Bag hop are the third action. Get up and over the bag with feet facing parallel to the bag. x20 double leg x10 right leg x10 left leg
-Knees is the next action. Hands and elbows on the bag, drive knees into bag at full force x20.
-Last, quickly mount the bag and drive forearm blows into it as hard as you can x20
My times ranged between 2:20 and 2:30, will shoot for 2:10 next time and cut it to 3:00 minute rounds.
THREE
Pull Work
10 Tennis ball pull ups
10 side pulls (grab bar like a baseball bat, with body perpendicular to bar pull up, bringing inside shoulder to bar)
10 rounds, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for a five minute total. 50 burpees total.
FEEL THE BURN!!!
Jumped in the car and went to Legion Park and played three games two on two, managing to sprain my right big toe in the process when the slow guy defending me stuck his foot right in front of mine as my foot landed in a full blown sprint. As Peter says, “Basketball is a dangerous game.” I think he means that in a bad way?
Perform these in order until done. Rest for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for 5 revolutions. Record your time.
50 jumping jacks 10 burpees* (*modify if needed to complete due to stiffness in the back half of your body. You could do this by performing a double knee tuck from a plank position followed by a double leg extension followed by a push up for 15 reps. Perform in a smooth manner combining moves.) 20 KB swingswith 30lb kettle bell. A dumbbell may be substituted. 10 lateral cone touches. Cones are set at 8′ apart. Use any 12″ object as substitute. ( 1 rep is a completion of 2 cone touches)
Posted client times ranged from under 2 minutes to just over 3 minutes. Experienced clients should be able to score under 2 minutes. This can be used as a warm up or as an early a.m. client noted, an “I am awake now” workout. She had planned on going to nap after our 8am session. She did not follow through with that after our session. Who needs coffee?
95 lb close grip bench x25 135lb. bench press x15 rest for Pete’s set 135 lb. bench press x15 rest for Pete’s set 185 lb. bench press x7 rest for Pete’s set 185 lb. bench press x6 rest for Pete’s set
Ring push up with full flexion (drawing hands together at bottom of motion) x10
This shake will satiate and provide energy. Definitely not for the late night hours if you are trying to lose weight but good for an earlier daytime boost, perhaps for your pre workout meal.
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 1 1/2 cup soy milk 1 cup orange juice 1 scoop protein powder
Place all ingredients in a blender, blend well and enjoy.
calories:399 total carbs: 57.5 g fiber: 5.5. g sugars: 47 g fat: 7g protein: 24 g sodium: 497 mg potassium: 959 mg
Wednesday
Last night I did my pre shower routine that I use every time I take a shower that is not directly after a workout…
For time: 10 push ups/10 squats x10=200 reps 3:45 Personal record for the Shower 100 is 2:53, done in 20’s.
Finished with… One arm push up x3 each arm followed by negatives (one arm down, two arm up) x3
rest two minutes
Negatives x6 each arm
Wednesday…. Sticky hot out. Did our class…Sprints, push ups, jumps, ladder drills, long jumping, more sprints, pushing the picnic table, and a good long stretch. Sweat drippin’ off.
One game hustle, one game two on two, one game three on three.
Got in the car and drove to another court and did 10 suicides (Sprint to free throw, return to baseline, sprint to half court, return, sprint to far free-throw, return, sprint to far baseline, finish) and worked on dunks. Legs were dead but got up over a double rim with force.
Suicides:
1.Forward
2.Forward/backward
3.Forward
4.Defense shuffle
5.Karaoke (foot behind, then in front)
6.Forward
7.Forward/backward
8.Defense shuffle
9.Forward
10.Forward
The last two were done double style, hitting each line two times.
Rest for ten long deep breaths between each repetition.
Your legs will be heavy, your lungs will burn but you will never be beat to a loose ball due to lack of hustle. Stretch quads, hamstrings, hips, calves.
I find more and more that most people will get their mind in shape faster than their bodies. It is easier to make the decision that you are going to work more than it is to lay out a plan, do the work day in and day out, stick to it and indulge in the results of a long period of serious and intense exertion. One day of hard work will not do it. Nor will one week or one month. What is a true fitness goal? Is it to look better? While that is a start, I feel one of the best goals to have is to strive to be the best, feel great and to be able to do things with your mind and body that you never thought reachable until you did your first pull up, muscle up, back flip, rope climb, 10 mile run, 100 burpees or all of them in a row. But why, why are you doing this? There always has to be an answer to that question, a reason to go back to that place, push through lactic burn and meet your goals no matter the challenge, physical or mental. Physical appearance will not be the answer you need, it will eventually betray you, whether before you reach ‘ripped’ or after, it will fail you and your goals. Physical appearance should be a side effect of fitness, not the main goal.
Fitness is much more than ‘getting ripped’. It is the ability to swing your grand kids around, to pick up all of the groceries in one trip, walk around the city all day, or play the sport that you love all day the same way you played as a child…free of pain, worry or fear of injury.
Take a look at professional athletes…how many of them are ‘ripped’ according to modern standards? Basketball players? Not usually, yet the best of them run the court for forty minutes and maintain the ability to shoot, jump and sprint. Marathon runners? Certainly not. With huge amounts of slow twitch muscles these athletes are thin and gangly, yet world class marathoners can run for 26.2 miles at a sub five minute per mile pace. Mixed martial artists? Certainly some of them are in tip top shape visually, yet the athlete many consider to be the best in the world (heavyweight Victor Emalianinko) carries a gut and is not the usual picture of fitness, yet has the ability to fight continuously for several five minute rounds. Tennis players? While many of them have stepped up their physical regiments to include weight lifting and other resistance movements, they are not bulging with muscle, and because of that can play matches that last for hours. Golfers? Well, the best has embraced a weight program and is reaping the benefits, but the elite carry many shapes and sizes.What does this tell you? It tells me that while training for hypertrophy may allow you to look in the mirror and flex and enjoy the narcissism, the real life benefits of a well balanced fitness plan do not need to contain lifting for shaping or hypertrophy unless your goal is only physical appearance, in which case I can almost universally guarantee burn out and drop out.
Saturday
20 pushups, 20 squats, 20 sit up warm up
5 single arm dumbbell swings, 5 single arm dumbbell clean and press, 10 burpees
Three and a half minute sets (2:20 working, 1:10 off)
Set one=40lb.
Set two=55lb.
Set 3, 4, 5=60 lb.
17:30 total.
Last two sets of burpees should really burn.
And then…
Jump Squats (same as a regular squat, upon reaching bottom of movement explode upward jumping as high as possible)
85 lb. x10
105 lb. x10
125 lb. x10
Protein, stretch, water.
Sunday-REST
Monday
circuit three rounds:
Dumbbell Lat rows x10 each side 40lb/60lb/70lb
Bodyweight rows on rings x20, x19, x15
Beer Barrel Rows x15, x15, x15
Slow drop pull ups on rings (3 seconds up, 5 seconds down) x5, x5, x5
Lateral shoulder raise x10 full range, x10 short range 15 lb. two sets Front deltoid raise x10 full range, x10 short range 15 lb . two sets Rear deltoid flies x10 25 lb two sets Shrugs x10 70 lb two sets
bicep curls with barbell wide grip x7 natural grip x7 close grip x7 twice with 75 lb.
Squat 185 lbs x 20 reps Bench 185×20 Dead lift (Russian-bent knees) 185×20 One arm DB row-Left arm 70×20 -Right arm 70×20 Walking lunge (70lb DB) 140×20 Overhead standing Bar press 115×20
We did the bodyweight 500 today and the competition drove it to a new PR. Peter flew in at 12:28, I came in just behind at 12:32. I’m pretty confident that now that we’ve done it that way it can be pushed below 10 minutes. The goal of this routine is to be able to move through all of the movements with no stopping, no breaking up sets. Right now the trouble is with pull ups and rows. I complete the first set but get stuck at 10 pulls and 15 rows the second time around. I’m almost tempted to make this a daily ritual…
Anyway… BEHOLD! THE POWER OF THE BURPEE!!!
TAKE THE 100 BURPEE CHALLENGE AND WIN AT LIFE.
Your form will invariably suffer,I’ve found the stretch of 30-70 to really not be fun. The first 30 is all optimistic “I’m going to get a PR” territory… Then the “Oh, this…I forgot about this…” in the 30-50 session, Followed by “Why am I doing this again?” in the 50-70 range. 70-100 is all lactic build up, mental toughness and seeing the finish line on the horizon.
Monday 20 push ups, 20 squats, 20 full range sit ups
185 lb. bench press x2, x2, x2, x2, x2 x2, x2, x3, x3 with 15 seconds between each set total of 20 followed immediately by… feet elevated 24″ push ups to failure x25 followed immediately by… regular push ups to failure x10 followed immediately by… hands elevated 24″ push ups to failure x10
one minute rest
feet elevated 24″ push ups to failure x20 followed immediately by… regular push ups to failure x9 followed immediately by… hands elevated 24″ push ups to failure x9
40 lb. kettle bell swing x8 each arm 2 sets 40 lb. kettle bell clean and press x8 each arm 40 lb. kettle bell assisted curl x6 each arm
One minute on, thirty seconds off. Twenty 90 second repititions.
1.Bear (see last post) 2. Bear 3. Lunges 4. Burpees 5. Stairs 6. Full range sit up on hyper extension station 7. 35 lb. plate twist 8. Line jumps (pick a line, jump over it fast, then high, then on one leg, then the other x20 each) 9. “riverdance” (feet up to 36″ height, straight legged) 10. Jumping jacks 11.Stairs w/ 45 lb. plate 12. pull up x5, push up x10, pull up x10, push up x10 13.Bear 14.Rocky sit up on hyper extension station (full trunk rotation, upper cut at the top) 15.45 lb. Plate twists 16.Burpees 17. Jumping jacks 30, high knee running 15, sprint in place 15 18. Squat jumps (10, rest, 1o) 19. Jumping jacks 30, high knee running 15, sprint in place 15 20. Burpees
Water, conversation, stretch, ride home, protein (a good one with soy milk, egg protein, maple syrup, ovaltine, oatmeal and water).
circuit (all rounds 45 seconds, 15 seconds to move to next)
two ten minute rounds with two minutes rest…
30 lb single arm kettle bell swing x10 each arm, x2 catch and throw each arm 36″ cone tuck jump bosu plank around the world ball push up (one hand on, both hands on, other hand on) bodyweight shoulder press elevated bench full range sit up dips (5, rest, 5, rest, 5 for a total of 15) knee raises (ten straight leg, 15 tucked to each side, finish with tucks to the middle) 5 lb. weighted jacks ball slams
Found out that the gym closes early on Saturday in the middle of the first set of Crossfit bears (front clean, front squat, shoulder press, back squat, shoulder press, repeat). Will get to these tomorrow.
Ezekiel cereal with black berries and unsweetened soy milk 16oz Vitamin Water energy drink
Started the day with an outdoor training session at Legion park…
Starbucks big old Iced coffee and banana, H2O.
…and moved on to Morningside park for our group class. A fun one of moving through the whole park with exercises including picnic table jumps, bar flips, stone turns, basketball court running and one arm push up practice.
After that, went to the gym and we hit legs….
squat 135lb x10 concentrating on maximum depth super setted with 25 lb. dumbbell lunges x20 3 sets
85lb clean/front squat x10 super setted with 25 lb. balance step downs from platform x10 each leg 3 sets
barbell good mornings x15 (did a set of deadlifts with 135, i’ve decided that deadlifting is only once a month) 3 sets hamstring drops x10 3 sets
225 lb calf raises on leg press machine x30 3 sets followed by…
seated calf raises 135 x20 160 x12 185 x12 185 x12 drop set x25 (peter was pulling plates off…thanks dude)
Clif bar, two cups coffee, bite of vegan cupcake from Sweat Records.
Went to Legion park and played one game of hustle (21-?-? W), two games of three on three with Bink and Jeremy against the park youngins (7-0 shut out W, 18-16 comeback W) and another game of three man hustle (19-21-? L)
Spinach, broccoli, chicken, left over veggie curry. Lots of H2O.
Sunday I spent the day walking around Detroit, looking at its decaying infrastructure. A depressing city. Monday traveled, no workout.
1pm Today, did a push pull circuit of bosu push ups, rope climbs, elevated push ups, barrel rows, and kettle bell swings.
Later on did some strength/explosion work. 4:30pm Bodyweight chin ups x19 45 lb. weighted chin ups x4, 3, 3. I did these very slow with a three second pull and five second drop. Thinking about getting a weighted vest as having a 45 lb. plate hanging between my legs is more than a bit cumbersome.
Moved onto circuits of: 60 lb single arm dumbbell swing x5 each arm 60 lb single arm dumbbell snatch x5 each arm 10 burpees No rest between exercises, three sets with a minute between circuits.
7:30pm abs circuit with group class
8pm did 6 350 meter sprints at 56 seconds with 75 seconds rest. Knives in my stomach on the last two.
Played a couple of games one on one with Bink. I’m still feeling the dead lifts on my lower back so it’s a full day off from the weights, full day on with music. Finally getting hungry for real music again. It feels good.
Friday…. Did most of the morning boot camp class…pushes, pulls, squats, sprints, etc. It was hot and sticky, I was sweating before we even started. Finished up with clients, music work, nap time. Woke up, ate and back to the Garage for more. Finished with clients and started taking apart the beer barrel that Purdy Lounge donated to us (thanks!). After a few minutes, got it open and filled it half way with water. Lifting this thing is a whole new experience. Uneven weight provides a whole new challenge. Balance and strength have to work together and focus has to be 100%. I also tried out the weight belt that Joseph lent to me.
pull ups… bodyweight x 13 25. lb x8 35 lb x6 35 lb x6 45 lb x5 45 lb x4 bodyweight x 10 these last ten felt like I was floating…
This was supposed to be a full rest day, but after the pulls I did a few sets of overhead press/row with the barrel just to see how it felt.
Time for music, good organic berries and spinach, and the 11-5 shift on the decks at the Lounge.
36 minutes of doormouse cardio circuit One minute on, half minute off. I ate watermelon this morning for the first time in a long time. ENERGY!!! Love it. We went hard today with 45 lb weighted push ups/plank holds (put a plate on your back and go), push/pulls (5 pull ups, ten push ups, repeat), burpees, stairs, bar cleans, high knees, jumping lunges, etc. 24 sets. Finished with jump squats (normal squat, but jump up explosively at the bottom) 65 x10 85 x10 105 x10 125 x10 125 x10
Workin’ that vertical leap…this stuff works. I am 32 years old and I can dunk a basketball without question for the first time in my life. I also feel tiredness in my legs at the end of longer runs like never before. Give and take.
Stretch, protein, shower, salad, music and then on to the studio, the pool, outdoor class and another club guest spot before tomorrow starts.
Tuesday…. I learned what real dead lifting is. Warm up with cable lat pull downs, medium weight. Moved onto Smith machine rows with 95, 115, 135.
then…
Dead lift 135lb. x15 185×10 185×8 235×6 235×4
Not a lot of weight, but I’ve never dead lifted more than 135, ever, period. WOW. My whole lower back is sore, not bad sore but I’m more aware than ever how seriously involved the lower back is involved in everything. Everything. Moved on to some trapezius work and got finished with serious bicep work, all sets going 12, 10, 8.
Not my usual protocol but I’m working with an old-school trainer learning the body builder routines, soaking it in and seeing what it’s all about. He’s a well of knowledge and I’m enjoying his push. A whole different kind of pain, very quick and concentrated and it goes away as quickly as it comes. I’m used to endurance pain that comes, stays and fades only after time. This is intense, pointed struggle. Filling muscle with maximum force and seeing if you can push more. Running a mile at top speed certainly takes more mental focus and is, in my opinion, more grueling, but I can see the allure of the battle against heavy objects and I’m certainly not immune.
Today I did a good chunk of our morning class and rested the rest of the day outside of a few 55lb barbell jump squats and rear shoulder presses I did just because the bar was there.
We did a good full cleaning of the space today….swept, double mopped, vacuumed, polished, etc.
Chest, shoulders, triceps. Lots of isolation movement. Incline chest press@ 135 x10, 155 x8, 155×6, 155×6 supersetted with pliometric push ups to failure (10, 8, 8, 7) Seated dip machine….this one was funny. Last week I worked out with Zolton and put a bunch of weight on it. I guess I didn’t understand how much push he was putting on my negative movement. I had to take plates off twice before I could do it. Anyway, 3 sets with 160lb. Decline chest press 155 x10, 155×10, 175×6, 175×6 (thanks for the spot Mark). Smith machine shoulder press 65lbx10, 95lbx8, 115lbx8 supersetted with plate squeeze drop (grab a plate, squeeze it hard, lift your arms straight out, slowly drop arm to front, elbows locked) 25lbx12, 35lbx10, 35lbx10 shoulder sets seated lateral raise, seated front raise, 90 degree short shoulder raise all at 15lb each arm x10 each, immediately followed by rear deltoid lift 30lb each arm x10 repeat x2 lying medial deltoid raise 15lb x10 each arm, 2 sets triceps pushdown 100lbx10, 120lbx10, 110lbx10 supersetted with slow drop tricep pushups (drop to stomach, not chest, no thumb used for grip) to failure (8,7,6)
stretch, protein, shower, a little music work, more food, nap.
Twenty five hot miles in 90 degree weather in the heaven/hell that is Shark Valley Everglades Park. Learned that my back hates bikes (again) and that I need to a. see i chiropractor weekly if I want to get good at biking. b. spend about ten times more time on a bike if I want to get good at biking. Welp, I’m ready to get passed after the swim at the next race and have a healthy back. Amen.
I woke up this morning with a dream fresh in my mind. I was playing basketball one on one on a beaten down grass and dirt field with a beat up old ball shooting into a netless almost broken hoop, playing against a dread locked young black dude that kept calling me for traveling, carrying, sliding. I kept making beautiful shots but turning it back over to him, using the universal street ball rule of ‘respect the call no matter what’.
Flash back to six pm last night, I was jogging to the gym and stopped at the Lemon City courts to watch an ugly game of one on one between a tattooed up young black man with gold teeth and an over weight Hispanic teenager. It was a painful session of bricks and bad calls on both sides. The game eventually ended and of course I had to get in the mix with a quick ‘I got next’. I played the first game to 16 with Marco, the young black dude. His dread locked homeboy that I had been chatting with on the sidelines prior to my game stood and watched. “I’m gonna murder him” Marco exclaimed to his boy. I was pretty sure that he was talking about the basketball game, but thanks to the gunshot scars, gang tatoos and teardrops under his right eye, I wasn’t all THAT sure. I kept it cool, didn’t call obvious violations and walked it to a 16-3 win. “You’re tired now, you ready to play again?” Marco asked lackadaisically. “Okay, your ball, run it back.” I answered, feeling no tiredness. My cardiovascular respiratory system is at such a high level these days that I rarely tire in a game of basketball, whether it’s game ten or 15. I hit walls, get the gut burn, but a little push and I’m alright. I breathe hard, I sweat hard, I hustle my ass off but fatigue is not a factor. “Carry” Marco stated. I didn’t argue. “Your ball” I said, handing him the rock and getting ready to defend. His pure jump shot warmed up and it was 11-10 after a few hits form behind the line for him. “Travel”. “Carry”. “Charge.” “Offensive foul.” I gave it back every time, D’d up and got the ball back, concentrated on midrange jump shot work with minimal opportunity for calls and It was 20-14, my advantage. I thought I had won at 16-11, but after scoring that bucket Marco informed me that the game was to 21 and that I was getting tired. Okay, no problem. So, at 20-14 I rebounded Marco’s missed 18 footer and took it back behind the arch and finished with a layup…I thought. “Naw man, that ball went out of bounds” Marco stated matter of factly. Even though the ball had gone nowhere near the base or side lines, I coolly handed it back and got into a defensive stance. He missed, I hit, it was over. “I didn’t want to get my Timberlands dirty, ” Marco let me know after saying something in Haitian to the old man sitting under the tree drinking a beer watching us. Of course you didn’t, who would? Why play hard when you can look good and have an excuse for your lack of effort. “Good workout” Marco said. “Good warm up” I replied and jogged down the street to the gym for some work…I thought. Man, I never really go to they gym after three o’clock, as it starts to fill up and I can’t move around the way I like to. I figured it was Friday evening, people will not be in the sweat house. Wrong. The gym I frequent is primarily a gay gym, which doesn’t bother me usually, but Friday nights I’m staying away from now on. I’ve never felt stares so hard in my life. I did three sets of pull ups and left. Too much. I now know how a woman feels in a straight gym. I know why all womens gyms exist. Dude’s don’t even know they are staring hard, it’s just a part of the ‘lead with the penis’ nature of man. Add in weights, vanity, grunting and sweat and you have a fairly uncomfortable environment for a lot of people.
Rewind again to Friday morning. Peter and I conducted the morning class at Morningside and had a nice life chat before heading our separate ways. I was planning on heading to the Garage and getting in my workout. As I drove out I noticed the basketball court was active with a decent game of one on one. I stopped and quickly paired up with Stan to take on the two guys that were playing ones. It was 87 degrees, sun blaring. Stan quickly tired, hands on his knees. I moved, rebounded, scored. It was 9-5, our lead. I drove the ball, went up and got NAILED on the head with what I thought was an elbow. “What the F#%??!!” I spat. I turned around and saw the guy that had went up to defend me holding his jaw, mute. It was a hard hit, really hard. “You okay?” I asked. Nothing. “Spit” his partner told him. Nothing. Oh shit, my skull broke this guys jaw, I thought to myself. “Spit.” Nothing. Another minute for Stan to catch his breath. “Spit.” Nothing. “Check ball,” I heard him say. Okay, we’re back on. The young man that was guarding me had neatly arranged cornrows, two diamond earrings in each ear and a powerfully built 5′ 10″ frame, six pack and all. “You’re tired” he said to me. I drove on him, stopped, let him jump, scored from the left. Check ball. I drove on him, stopped, let him jump, scored from the right. A quick and painless finish. “You got tired there, huh?” he said loud enough for his friends to hear at the picnic table on the other side of the fence. “Let’s run some lines,” I suggested. “Lines?” he asked. “Free throw, touch, half court, touch, next free throw, touch, full court, all the way back,” I let him know. We started and I was five steps ahead before half court. I ran backwards and asked him where he was. He skipped the free throw line on the other side and quit. “Now you’re tired” he said. “Ones,” I replied. “Seven,” he said. “Best of seven?” I asked, knowing that he meant seven points. “Eleven” he answered. I gave him the ball, let him drive past, pinned his layup to the backboard from behind and told him not to do that again. When it was 10-0 my favor I let him drive past, told him to look out and watched as the lay up nearly rolled out of the hoop. A quick defensive stop and a midrange jumper and it was over. “Now you’re tired,” he repeated. “You wanna run a mile?” I asked. “I’m pretty fast, I did 5:56 in high school” he said. “Wow, that’s pretty fast”. He was in trouble from the first step. I talked to him, telling him about my 50k race the previous weekend. “All in one day?” he asked. “Yes, all at once, how you feeling?” I rebutted. “Fine, I used… to do…… this…. stuff in…. foot….ball all…. the…. time,” he huffed out. The general rule of distance running is that if you can’t get four words out in a row you’re working pretty hard. I casually asked him if he was ready to go, barely into the blacktop park loop that was our race course. “What?” he barely got out. I took two steps and was gone. The next time I saw T.J. he was cutting through the grass circle of the loop, barely holding form, looking not so good. I finished and waited, got water…and waited. Just when I was going to go check on him, he wobbled in and fell to his hands and knees. “Okay, what’s next?” I asked. Silence. “Wanna learn what a burpee is?” I inquired when he didn’t reply. “You…got…me”. he squeaked out. I gave him my card, invited him to come out and hear some music and told him to hold his tongue and let his performance dictate his mouth , not vice versa. An interesting day.
