2025 Training Log Part 20

On the stereo today- Marlena Shaw

Good training week last week, even if I’m exhausted with work. When I feel this way I usually reduce the training load correspondingly, but I’m just enjoying rolling too much right now to do that. So I’ve had a good week, but I’m bolloxed.

Monday

Run 3k. Last run for a while. My low back hates it too much.

Into the gym with you Barry!

1. Decline Bench- 5×5
2. Dumbell Row 5×5
3. Ring Push Ups 5×12
4. Prone Row 3×10
5. Decline weighted crunch 3×15
6. Knee Raises 3×20
7. Pushdowns 3×12
8. Cable Hammer Curls 3×10

Strength is about 80% there again at most angles. I’m fairly happy with the progress.

Monday night was rounds. I did some positional sparring in which I was terrible, and then went in to 3x7min rounds. A decent session. I felt my back in the middle of it and stopped for a few minutes but actually it was fine. I’m just extra cautious at the moment. All well, but a 4/10 session.

Wednesday

Lower body and cardio.

Wait… did you say cardio?

Well look, 5 rounds on the bag.

1 boxing
1 Kicking only Taekwondo style
1 Kicks and knees Thai style
2 Hands and feet

Evening rounds. I think I did 6×5 min, but I was just enjoying myself so didn’t keep track.

Friday

Pump Club

1. Decline bench 5×8
2. Ring Push Up/Fly 5×15
3. Dumbbell Bench 3×10
4. Machine row 3×15
5. Ab work
6. Lateral Raises 3×12
7. Cable press 3×15
8. Overhead cable extensions 3×20
9. Ez Curl 3×15

Saturday

Hard training.

20 minutes Kimura style warm up.

3×3 person sparring, non stop for 50 minutes.

A great session. Got both beaten up and did some beating, so perfect. I had 2 good black belts to train with, so all was well with the world.

8/10 session!

Training Thoughts of the Week

Great week. Diet was terrible. Hydration was terrible. Sleep was terrible. But the training was so much fun. I feel a bit tired but there’s just so many rounds to do and enjoy. Looking froward to this week.

Non-Training Thoughts of the Week

Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend
With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.
Why do sinners’ ways prosper? and why must
Disappointment all I endeavour end?

Right here me out now.

That’s from Thou art indeed just Lord, if I contend by Hopkins. I read it first in school and then later when I came across him in my 30s. Hopkins, it’s said, probably suffered from depression. He lived in Dublin for 5 years, so that’s probably why. Joking aside, the reason I quote it here is because for years I thought the line was “Why do fools prosper?”, until I read it 15 or so years later and went, “Oh, I remembered that wrong from school”. BUT WAIT!

Last week I met a fella I did not go to school with, and (in context, we didn’t just sit around quoting poetry) he said “Ah, why do fools prosper?” And I looked at him and told him that the line was “sinners’ ways”. He said nah he remembers it from school, it’s “fools”. So we looked it up and it is, of course, “sinners’ ways”.

I googled, and nowhere can I find “Why do fools prosper?” as a common saying. So my question is how did two guys who went to 2 different schools and learn the same poem both come out of it remembering the same line incorrectly in the same wrong way 30 years later?

See you on the mat!

Barry