Well Fall is in the air, or its already here, I think it really snuck up on us here in Indiana. The weather has been so nice for October, temps in the high 60's even this week. The one thing I love about this time of year is the amazing colors from the leaves changing on the trees. But the thing I look forward to most in the fall is preseason training! Thats right training for the 2011 season has begun! Im pretty excited because even tho fall training means pain, suffering, and hard work, it also means competition is soon to come, and i know all the hard work i put in now pays huge dividends in those comps. It also means we are one year closer to 2012 and the London Olympics! Now its easy for me to tell people that Im training for the Olympics, because most dont understand the concept of USA Championships or World Championships which happen every year. But in 2011 the World Championships in August is the main goal we are training towards. Ive never made a world champ team, i was one spot away in '09 and even tho i won USA nationals in 2010 there wasnt an outdoor championships, only indoor. Its crazy to think that Im training right now for a meet that is about 10 months away.
Now when i say fall training is just starting i mean the real work has just started this week. Ive been doing basic conditioning work to stay in shape since the meet in Japan. I had to take last week off because i was so privileged to be able to have LASIK surgery done, and i cant tell you enough how awesome it is! Boling Vision Center of Elkhart agreed to help me in my pursuit and I cant thank them enough!
We jumped right into it Monday, no messing around! This is what my workout looked like.
Warmup, stretching, running drills and dynamic stretching
8x30m sprints working on running mechanics
4x20m bounds
10min bike
Box Squat 4x7 @70%
Hang Clean 4x7 @70%
Lunge Squats 3x3@25%
Squat Spectrum 3x30secs You can see details here
Hurdle Mobility
Hamstring work on Yoga Ball 4x5
12min Core switching exercises every 30 sec
Ring holds 2x60sec
Handstands 1x60sec
Some Balance and Rehab work, and stretching
This is pretty close to what Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays look like for most of the Fall. Tuesdays and Thursdays are a little different but not any easier. Ill post Tuesdays workout a little later, but right now I gotta eat lunch and get over to school to workout at 1215.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
Hey Mark! I don't think that you'll remember me, but I'm Leanna Rose from Wisconsin and I went to Jan Johnson's vault camps at UWSP and in Chicago for the past 5 years. I've watched your vaulting at both of those camps and let me say that your technique is very graceful and very fun to watch! I'm now a freshman at Minnesota State- Mankato and vaulting on a scholarship. Although its division II, I really want to try for the Olympics as well some time in the future. What are some workouts that I can do?
ReplyDeleteLeanna Rose
Mark,
ReplyDeleteReading your enthusiasm and hard fall training regimen brings back memories. Great to see you "focused" all ready! Believe me when I say this...do EVERYTHING you can while you have this opportunity and give it your ALL...I was fortunate to have made a World Championship Team, but fell short of the Olympic team...it's the "journey" that you take with you in the end, so enjoy the ride! I hope I get to see you compete "live" again in the near future! Seeing and meeting you in Innsbrook, Austria was really incredible. That was a really fun night for me...thanks for including me in your warm-ups and the competition. Go get em!
Michael Holloway