Robert Mitchell Jr.

Take the Poll

We really want to the temple to be attractive to the general public.  So go straight to the bottom of this page and vote in the temple paint job poll.  You made time to take the “Which Jedi are you?” poll on Facebook, right?  So make time for ours, willya?

Set a goal

Stop futzing around — do you want to get somewhere or not?  Get yourself a planner, set some goals, and start making a plan to achieve them.  Need help?  Become a Patreon supporter and you’ll get access to my organizational method — a 20 -minute how-two video, a action plan worksheet, and detailed instructions.  Click here.  Why should you care about my method?  It’s been perfected over 30 years and it’s what’s allowed me to get so much done.  My resume here.

Ditch the folderol

There are only so many hours in the day.  Keep your martial arts training focused.  The Master says, “To find water, dig one well.”

This gets even more important with age.  The older you get, the shorter, more intense, and more focused your training needs to become.  As recovery times slow, trade volume for intensity to maintain performance.  Work harder and rest more.

As the 60+ bike riding phenom Ned Overend says, “Training with an emphasis on high-intensity intervals has been my preferred method of preparing for races throughout my career.  I’ve learned that by reducing volume, I’m more rested for high-intensity sessions, and by being rested I can push myself harder during the intervals.” (read more here)

And with all this in mind…

Training Involution #111

Tune up.  Remember doubling down?  I still recommend that once in a while.  But today, do the opposite.  Instead of doubling a lackluster training session to break through a plateau or stretch a limit, pick something you crushed — something that seemed rather easy — and make it harder by removing the dead wood or increasing the intensity.  Don’t lengthen it, tighten it.  Put it in a pressure cooker.  Example One: Let’s say this month’s constitutional is easy for you.  Try this — drop the two easiest exercises and see if you can cut your time by at least 33%.  Example Two: Let’s say you did Wrestling Conditioner #4 and just wasn’t that hard.  Try adding a #10 weighted vest.

June’s martial focus is Wrestling and the spiritual focus is the Hourglass.  I hope you’re ready, because I think this week’s involution is going to push you past your perceived limits — inside and out!

Bagged: Training Involution #110

• Heavy Bag Wrestling Half Pyramid (video below).  Put a heavy bag on your mat (or on a tarp out on the grass if you have no mat).  Get underneath your bag and and complete 1 of each: Shrimp, Buck, Reverse, Circle, and pop up into Shin Ride.  Then do 2 of each, 3 of each, 4, etc. up to 10 of each — that’s a total of 55 each.  Take as few 12-count breaks as you need to finish as fast as you can.  Finishing this with proper form is admirable.  In under 20 mins is solid, under 15 is good, and anybody who gets it done in under 10 mins is a beast.
• CR20E — Object Run.  Run for 20 minutes while carrying an object in one hand, such as a water bottle, walking stick, dumbbell, etc.
• Draw and explore the hourglass.  Sit down with your training journal and a pen.  Draw an hourglass — nothing fancy, just a quick sketch.  Then, as you sit and look at your drawing, list the first ten words that come to mind.  When you’re done, have an honest conversation with yourself regarding the drawing and the words you wrote.  Psychoanalyze yourself.  What did you learn about yourself from this exercise?  What did you learn about the hourglass symbol?  Record everything in your training journal of course.