Control: Thank You Conditioning

Since adding in a bit of conditioning and a tighter diet, my blood sugars have been great. My numbers have been hanging around 70-140. It is amazing how much better I feel when my numbers are consistent.

5/29/13 Training:
Split Jerk work working on quick feet and hips
5/3/1 Bench with 295 pounds with a 2 second pause on the bottom

Conditioning:
3 Rounds
10 body weight dips
10 body weight pull ups
10 40 pound dumb bell shoulder press
200 yard run

This wasn't for time or anything measurable. I have just been focusing on properly moving and not getting totally gassed. The rest of the evening I didn't really need to bolus for my food at all. I ate a clean chicken salad and a turkey burger afterwards with a coconut ice cream bar.

Reflecting about the last few months of training, I probably should have kept up with the conditioning. I have spent more time lifting and neglecting the conditioning.  My lesson has been learned. I am curious how this will affect me at my power-lifting meet next weekend.

Strongman Blood Sugar Levels

I have started to add in some conditioning with my lifting of weights. I keep the movements simple and on the heavier side. This has helped control the diabetes a bit, but more importantly has made me feel like an athlete.

Feeling athletic is one if the major reasons why I enjoy exercise. Having a target or training for something is a huge help. My primary goal is good health, but I like to see how far I can push myself.

Once I have the June 8th powerlifting meet behind me, my focus will be strongman training. There is a competition in early August that I am signing up for. It should be fun. I will posting more details about it as it gets closer.

Training from 5/27/13:
Squat - 5/3/1 rep scheme with 435 pounds for the last set.
Squat cleans - worked up to 255. I attempted 295, but did not commit like I should have. Since I haven't been spending time on any oly lifting recently, my form has suffered.

Conditioning:
5 rounds of
1 yoke carry x 30 yards
I stone carry x 30 yards
5 kettlebell snatches per side with 70 pounds

This was challenging, but very fun. I am not trying to look to far ahead, but I am looking forward to the strongman transition. The major difference that will occur is that I will do more Olympic lifting, more pressing in replace of bench pressing, and picking up the level of conditioning. It will be interesting  how this will require me to alter the diet and diabetes care.

www.strongmanwod.com - Great strongman workouts!

Training from Monday 5/20

The last few weeks I have limited any kind of conditioning and have focused on mobility and form. Monday was a 3x3 squat day.

3x3 back squat with 385
3x3 front squat with 295
5x10 pull-ups with bodyweight
5x10 kettlebell swings with 70 pounds

After the 3x3 back squats, I attempted a heavy single at 485 pounds. I failed with the lift. My target for the meet is to hit a personal record. My current best is 480 pounds.

I wrote a while back about trying to cut weight, so I could lift in the 198 pound class. After feeling run down and not feeling good, I have decided to stay with the 220 pound class. I don't need to cut weight at all and I have some room if I gain weight. I am floating around 212 pounds to 218 pounds.

State of Mind

With three weeks left of training for my meet on June 8th it is time to focus on a number of things. Rest, nutrition and building a plan of action for the meet. The meet I did in March, my blood sugars were running real high all day. This time around, I am going to disconnect from the insulin pump and give myself a shot of Lantus to cover me for 24 hours. I will have to give shots for highs with my humalog. I haven't done this in almost ten years. I can't believe I have been using my pump for so long.

The thing about the meet that has been a big hurdle are the weights to choose to lift. I feel good about my opening selections, but not so sure for my second and third attempts. I guess I will just go by feel.

Here is something my dad emailed to me today. He doesn't know the great timing of it!

State of Mind

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEATEN, YOU ARE.

IF YOU THINK YOU DARE NOT, YOU DON’T.

IF YOU LIKE TO WIN BUT THINK YOU CAN’T,

IT’S ALMOST A CINCH YOU WON’T.

IF YOU THINK YOU’LL LOSE, YOUR LOST.

FOR OUT IN THE WORLD WE FIND

SUCCESS BEGINS WITH A FELLOWS WILL.

IT’S ALL IN THE STATE OF MIND.

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE OUT CLASSED, YOU ARE.

YOU’VE GOT TO THINK HIGH TO RISE.

YOU’VE GOT TO BE SURE OF YOURSELF BEFORE 

YOU CAN EVER WIN A PRIZE.

LIFE’S BATTLES DON’T ALWAYS GO

TO THE STRONGER OR FASTER MAN.

BUT SOONER OR LATER, THE MAN WHO WINS IS THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN

Fun vs Fitness

What is the difference between fitness and fun? This is a question that always messes with me. I enjoy and have fun working out. When the idea of competition is thrown into the mix, fun normally escapes quickly for me. I have always enjoyed the training aspect of things. Self doubt is an ugly monster.

Bench and Blood Sugars

This old diabetes was rather tough today. For some crazy reason it just won't disappear. The self control was tough to over come while at work today with junk food. It's Teacher Appreciation Week and it seems the thing to do is provide us teachers with junk food. I am very appreciative that people are thankful for what teachers do, but I would prefer vrrbal thank you rather than a donut. I ate a handful of donut holes and paid for it.

The blood sugars were elevated for two hours, but were normalized by insulin use. The rest of the day my knees an ankles were swollen maybe because of gluten. I try my best to stay away from all gluten. My stomach and limbs give me issues when I don't eat clean.

Since my blood sugar levels were messed with my attitude went south and seemed to stay there all day. I was tired and grumpy. This attitude carried over to my training. My two friends that train with me have great attitudes and I aspire to be as positive as they are.

Training-
Bench 5/3/1-205, 245, 275
Front Squat 5x1- 225, 245, 275, 295, 315
3 rounds:
30 yard yoke walk
10 40# ball slams
10 pull-ups
20 yd sprint

It felt good to move around in an athletic manner this evening. As the meet on June 8th approaches, the more difficult it is for me to stay focused on my goals. There's nothing better than some self doubt.

No Good Title

On Saturday, I trained at the CrossFit gym that I coach classes at. The workout lasted almost 30 minutes and destroyed me. I spent the rest of the day chasing blood sugars. There was a lesson taken from this, I shouldn't do CrossFit. For me health wise and what my goals are its just not for me anymore.

Yesterday I squatted, did power cleans and pull-ups. With squatting, I am trying to improve my form so my upper body is more vertical. I tend to want to bend over a bit much when things get heavier.

On the diabetes side of things, my control has been pretty decent. As long as I keep the carbs below 100 grams, my control is fairly tight. The only problem with that is my energy lags. The thing that I have to remember is what is important.

The most important thing is my family. If I am not healthy, I take away from them.

Control and the Bench

It looks like keeping the carbs low has really paid off the last few days. Blood sugar levels have stayed below 140 and overall health seems well. I am down 4 pounds as well. I have been drinking a ton of water daily and eating very clean.

Today's training was a 3x3 bench session with some accessory work.

Bench-3x3-last set was 275#
315#x1 with a pause at the bottom
Sling shot bench 1x3 at 315#
3x3 weighted dips 80#
3x3 weighted pull ups 80#
10 20 yard sprints
Shoulder and hip mobility for 20 minutes

Great video-http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FK_LQtc0ALQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_embedded%26v%3DFK_LQtc0ALQ