Birthday Blues

Well it happened. I had the birthday I didn't want. I turned 50 a couple of weeks ago. I don't know what it was, but man, it hit me hard. It was almost like a switch was flipped. I started moving slower. I felt sore. I started reducing my workouts. I just seemed a little off. I fell in a hole. I guess I had the Birthday Blues!

The other day, my buddy Roy gave me a call. Roy and I have been friends since Kindergarten or First Grade. We have been through a lot together, including ending up, upside down at the bottom of a ravine in his Mom's Mercedes and running his Dad's Porsche into the back side of a Chevelle. Ahh the dumb stuff you do when you're 16.

Roy, his Wife and Daughter all live on the East Coast, but once a year they come to the left coast to visit Roy's folks and extended family. During this yearly trip, we get together, hang out, watch some UFC and do some kind of a workout. This year we went hiking at the Elkhorn Slough (http://www.elkhornslough.org/). When we got back, I introduced him to my heavy-bag routine. My heavy-bag routine is a vigorous strength and cardio workout. It consist of 10, 3 minute rounds, with a 1 minute rest period between rounds. Not only did he survive it, he actually liked it, and is incorporating it into his workout as well. Here it is.....

Round 1 - Jab Pyramid
Begin with a left jab, followed by a straight right. This is the basic 1-2.
Now do 2 jabs, followed by a right.
Now do 3 jabs, followed by a right,
Continue up to 10 jabs, followed by a right.
Now work your way back down the pyramid.
9 jabs, followed by a right.
8 jabs, followed by a right
Continue all the way back down to 1 jab, followed by a right.
For the rest of this round, do 1 and 1, reset and repeat, until time expires

Round 2 - Straight Right Pyramid
Begin with 1 right, followed by 1 jab.
Now do 2 rights, followed by a jab.
Now do 3 rights, followed by a jab.
Continue up to 10 rights, followed by a jab.
Now work your way back down the pyramid.
9 rights, followed by a jab.
8 rights, followed by a jab.
Continue all the way back down to 1 right, followed by a jab.
For the rest of this round, do 1 and 1, reset and repeat, until time expires

Round 3 - Hook Work
For the first 1 minute of this round, alternate left hook and right hook.
Deliver as many blows as possible.
For the remaining 2 minutes:
50 left hooks - no resting or stopping.
50 right hooks - no resting or stopping.
20 left hooks - no resting or stopping.
20 right hooks - no resting or stopping.
For the rest of the round, alternate left and right hooks - no resting or stopping.

Round 4 - 4 Strike Combo
Engage the bag.
Strike left jab, right straight, left hook, right hook.
Disengage, reset and repeat.
All strikes should be quick, and as hard as possible.

Round 5 - 4 Strike Combo Pyramid
Engage the bag.
Strike left jab, right straight, left hook, right hook.
Count each strike. 1-2-3-4.
Disengage and reset.
Repeat the 4 strikes, but add an additional left hook and a right hook.
This would count out as 1-2-3-4-5-6.
Disengage and reset.
Repeat the previous set, but add an additional left and right hook.
This would count out as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.
Repeat this process until you count out at 20.
Work your way down the pyramid until you get back to your original 4 strike combo.
For the rest of this round, repeat the 4 strike combo.

Round 6 - Speed/Cardio Round
This one takes a little getting used to....
Stand a little closer to the bag than normal.
You want to strike it 6 times in quick sequence, alternating left and right, almost like a speed bag. Make sure and turn your fists over as you strike. The bag will be moving away as you strike. After the 6th punch, the bag should be swinging back for you to restart. This is a timing exercise, combining speed and coordination, and do not worry how hard you hit the bag. It takes a little getting used to, and is harder with boxing gloves, but easier with MMA gloves.

Round 7-10 are all about Power Strikes.

Round 7 - 4 Strike Combo
Same as Round 4 - Let leather fly for the entire 3 minute round

Round 8 - 2 Strike Combo
Left Jab, followed by a straight right - Again keep repeating for the entire round.

Round 9 - 4 Strike Combo
Same as Rounds 4 and 7

Round 10 - 2 Strike Combo
Same as Round 8.

That is a guaranteed tough workout, especially if you do it after your normal strength training or cardio workout.

So Roy called me the other day. He wanted to talk about the bag routine, check on what's up, but mostly, ride me about turning 50. I guess he could sense I was down because he started telling me to get back to the gym, and to get back to my heavy-bag routine. He kind of ragged on me for a bit. He didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but I guess I just needed to hear it.

I'm happy to say that I took it to heart, and went back to the gym that afternoon. I also increased my intake of my EFA's, Protein, and Greens.

Well after all that, I'm back and feeling better. You know they say that 50 is the new 20!