2026 Training Log Part 8

On the Stereo today- The Doors, L.A. Woman.

Back on track… ish

June 23rd I’ll be competing again. This time in the US Nationals in Las Vegas. Seems like a while off but these things have a habit of creeping up on you.

Biggest thing to be worried about is momentum. When you’re a Master, unless you’re one of those lads who either doesn’t have a family or hates your children, you don’t get to compete all that much. I get about once a year, maybe twice. So it’s a little like starting from zero every time.

Monday

Jiu Jitsu. Still a bit tentative on my knee, so I took it carefully. Even so, got 4 or 5 rounds in and a bit pof positional sparring.

Wednesday

Upper Body Push Day

1. Bike 10mins
2. Dumbbell Bench w/u to 5 at 35kgs
3. Single arm bench 5×10
4. Jammer press 3×15 each arm
5. Weighted crunch 3×20
6. Flutter kicks 3×100
7. Tricep pushdown 3×12
8. Single arm cable kickback 3×20

No Jiu Jitsu. Knee sore.

Thursday

Upper Body Pull

1. 10min bike
2. Cable Neutral row 3×15
3. Face Pulls 5×10
4. Lat Pulldown 5×10
5. Plank 3x60s
6. Bent over raise 3×15
7. Concentration curls 3×15

Saturday

Great session. 10x5min rounds. Pretty rough going for some of it as I protected the knee but a lot of fun. The knee is literally just painful rather than non-functional. I think it’s just irritated.

Training Thoughts of the Week

I am just going to get through each session effectively for the next week. A great saying when you’re coming back from a break is “You can’t build on failure.” So I’ll just operate in 3rd gear for a little while until I get into the swong of things again. It’s nice to be back training for something though, with a target in mind and a date in my head.

Non-Training Thoughts of the Week

I had an end of an era moment this Saturday. This one is for the older folks reading this- I got rid of the trampoline and slide from our back garden. We had a trampoline since we moved in here 17 years ago, and my sons (I like to joke) learned how to fight on it. Anyway, no one is using it anymore. I looked out at the garden and thought, well now, that’s out of the way, look how clear the place looks. And then I thought, damn, what’s next? Grandkids!

So you’d better believe I’m back on the mat tonight!!!

See you on the mat,

Barry