Results matching “Bird”

Biphasic sleep : Day 17 - Test articles

Biphasic sleep : Day 17Another great night's sleep. Despite napping just after the workout, I ran out of steam about an hour earlier than usual; catching up with a luxurious 4.5 hours. Topping it off is the fact that I woke naturally, perhaps 30 seconds before the alarm. Perfect.

I'm still pondering this 3 vs 4.5 thing. The fact that the weather's turning hot (regularly over 30°C/86°F - warm for this time of year) and dry here is pushing me toward a regular 4.5; perhaps a week's trial is in order. If the first couple of nights are anything like last night, 4.5 wins easily.

Following nap

Hmm. Once again I tried a brief workout to tire me out a little - which it certainly did, perhaps a little too much - with the idea of napping straight afterward. However, it was about 90 minutes before I could actually head for the sheets and I, well, overslept. I don't actually recall the alarm going off (or setting it, for that matter); only waking a ridiculous 7.5 hours later with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

On the positive side, at least it supports the 90 minute theory.

The difficulty comes in deciding how long the next sleep should be : my current feeling is just to wait until I'm tired once again (probably around 0500 - 0600) and to sleep without an alarm for as long as deemed necessary. No more late-morning naps.

Carlos Bradley interview - Test articles

50There's an interesting interview on the Dragon Door site with former linebacker and super-heavyweight bodybuilder Carlos Bradley. Good stuff.

Another Marathon fatality - Test articles

Another 40-something runner has died whilst running a marathon (or in this case the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon) in Toronto. It highlights the need for serious training for an event like this, rather than simply relying on ego.

Biphasic sleep : Day 16 - Test articles

Biphasic sleep : Day 16A blackout last night (and with the number of local bushfires it wasn't all that surprising) meant that I was without an alarm, so a natural sleep was called for. I woke up after a little less than 4 hours. What? How about the 90 minute cycles?

Firstly, I don't exactly feel refreshed. My hairstyle indicates that I've been rolling around a lot (and no, I'm not going to post photographs of it); I woke up lying on my side, which is extremely unusual for me; and it's already hot. My mouth feels dry despite the bottle of water beside my bed. In short, it wasn't a particularly good night's sleep.

Following nap

That was a good one. Despite it being a little cooler today (it's all relative - the pool still looked enticing), I held the scheduled workout until 18:00; and napped straight afterward. No problem at all in falling asleep.

I'm still trying to work out just how long my typical sleep cycle is (the 90 minute average still sounds about right), and tonight's 'What's that noise?' reaction to the alarm suggests that I'd already started into the second cycle when I was woken up. Knowing this will directly impact one variable - the time allowed to get to sleep. Currently it's up to 30 minutes, but long-term I'd be happy with no more than 10. For any style of sleeping.

Heavy front squatJeff Fiss continues his great series Squat 101: The King of Lifts over on the Iron Sport site. Here's part 2 (basic squat types), and part 3 (bars and gear).

Biphasic sleep : Day 15 - Test articles

Biphasic sleep : Day 15Whew. I was a little concerned yesterday about the possible length of time it'd take to re-adapt to the routine. However, having allowed a luxurious 4.5 hours last night (and this feels like 8 or 9 hours previously) I woke naturally about 5 minutes before the alarm. Felt refreshed and very well rested. Beautiful.

Following nap

Today was a hot, windy, smoke-filled (local bushfires) day; and I slept accordingly. Unfortunately there was no dream recall - just heavy, heavy sleep (the amount of 'bedhead' is usually a good indicator here). Looking forward to another bout shortly.

Wall squat - Test articles

Wall squatThe wall squat is a bodyweight exercise that I'd laregely overlooked until I noticed Marc Bartley recommending it to someone trying to improve his wide stance squat depth. If you're in the same boat, here's a look at this deceptively simple bodyweight movement.

Performing the Wall (aka Ski) Squat
This is the straightforward part. If you're just getting into training, don't currently have any equipment at your disposal, or simply fancy something a bit different - try this.

Stand with your back against a wall - preferably a smooth surface (a mirror is ideal). Put your feet slightly out from the wall (about 30cm/1' is a good starting point - this will change according to your build and goals), and cross your arms across your chest.

Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. If you're used to squatting with a bar, adopt the same width and ducking (feet turned slightly outwards). If not, just use a stance that feels comfortable.

Now the fun part. Keeping abs tight, slowly slide down the wall until you can feel it in your quads, then squeeze your glutes and slowly push back up. Look straight ahead as you slide, and keep your chin slightly tucked. Repeat.

Breathing
Don't try to hold your breath or do anything fancy here. Just exhale on the way down and inhale on the way back up.

Variations
Wall squat with fitness ballThe depth to which you slide, as well as how long you stay down there, the number of reps, rest breaks and stance are all variables that can be adjusted to suit your goals.

If your balance isn't all that great, try putting your palms against the wall (with arms straight down) as you slide. Once you feel comfortable with that, switch over to having arms folded across the chest.

Another possibility is to start adding weight. This is easily done by holding a plate across your chest or holding dumbbells by your sides.

A popular variation is to place a fitness ball behind your back. Whilst this helps stop your shirt from ending up tucked under your armpits, it increases the need to keep your abs and obliques tight; if you move in any direction other than vertical you'll know it in a hurry (usually as you chase the ball across the room).

How many?
The answer to that really depends on your goals. Somewhere around the 3-5 rep mark for 5-6 sets should be a good starting point. You should notice that you can squat a bit deeper over this time.

Considerations
Keep your heels on the ground throughout the movement. Squat depth will gradually improve with practice.

This excercise works quads, hamstrings, glutes and abs. Using a narrower stance shifts the emphasis slightly toward the quads; squatting deeper increases glute involvement.

Sources
Squat Alternatives
Dolfzine

EliteFTS Q & A
Marc Bartley

About.com

Personal Training on the Net

Thanks Jon. South Carolina Barbell's Marc Bartley has published the result (part 2) of an email exchange with superb Finnish deadlifter Sakari Selkainaho - a very interesting looking 16 week routine.

There are some great lifters mentioned in that article; here's a bit of a rundown.

Sakari Selkäinaho
Sakari SelkäinahoIf you've ever read the article Finnish Deadlift Secrets (and if you haven't, now's your chance) then you'll be all-too-aware of just how well this guy knows his stuff. If you need further convincing, anyone who's pulled 275/606 in the 75/165 class has been training pretty hard.


Marc Bartley
Marc BartleyMarc 'Spud' Bartley doesn't exactly have the perfect build for a great puller, but a combination of training wisdom and tenacity has certainly served him well. 387/850+ rack pulls are not exactly things to sneeze at.


Jarmo Virtanen
Jarmo VirtanenAn incredible nine time IPF world champion, Jarmo Virtanen dominated powerlifting throughout the '80s. As Marty Gallagher points out [1] 'Jarmo Virtanen, the fearsome Finn who took second place, would stay a light heavyweight [181 pounds] and rule the international roost for the next decade'. He did indeed.

Not to be outdone, Ari, Jarmo's brother, was also an exceptional deadlifter. According to Sakari [1] he had 'one of the best technique I have ever seen.'. Runs in the family.


Veli Kumpuniemi
Otherwise known simply as 'Mr Deadlift' [2]. Although he never fully recovered from a hamstring tear in 1981, he still pulled an incredible 880 at a bodyweight of only 220. The 'Mr Deadlift' moniker is well deserved.


Sami Nieminen
Sami NieminenFormer World Junior Champion and all-round dynamo. Having pulled 305/671 at a bodyweight of only around 75/165 [3] is certainly a great qualification.


References
1. COAN: The Man, The Myth, The Method (1999)
Marty Gallagher

2. Finnish Deadlift Secrets
Sakari Selkäinaho

3. Results table from 2005 World Powerlifting Championships, Florida
East Midlands Weight Lifters' Association
Ultimate Strength newsletter Dec 2005 [.pdf, 356kb]

Biphasic sleep : Day 14 - Test articles

Biphasic sleep : Day 14If my current zombie impersonation is anything to go by, last night's switching of the nap/main sleep failed. Miserably. Won't happen again.

Following nap

Still in zombie mode. Haven't really felt wide awake all day; although this evening's nap was full of deep sleep so I shouldn't be too bad by tomorrow.

The fact that I'm far more tired now than at any other point during this experiment suggests that my body has adapted to the idea of a nap + main sleep - in that order - and a change to that is particularly noticeable. Although the nap start times vary slightly, they are always within an hour or two; the main sleep times are even more consistent. It's pretty rare for me to stay up past about 02:30.

The only real deviation from this - or deviations, really - has been the short nap whilst travelling, which has been added to the usual quota. This doesn't appear to have caused a problem; the main offence seems to be switching the nap and main sleep period. After today, I am loath to do it again.

PattonI'm not quite sure what Glenn Buechlein is on, but I think I want some. This look at his ultimate collection of training partners is, well, a little unusual.

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