Happy New Year!

Mind 

Reflections on the past year might lead to good and bad thoughts.  It is beneficial to reflect on the trials, tribulations, and hopefully lots of successes, but the past is…the past.  Use each moment to gain experience and fill your bag of tricks to succeed in the New Year.  Fighter pilots spend about 1 hour a day flying, but often 3-4 hours after the mission to learn everything they can about how they executed the mission they just flew.  They do that to fill their “bag-of-tricks” for the bad guys.  A “bag of tricks” is really just experience of what worked and what didn’t. You can apply that to everything you do.  Reflect on the past, draw your lessons learned, then attack the New Year with a new game plan based on what you have learned. Here is to an awesome 2013!

Goals—Who is with me on the Spartan 2013?

———————————————————————-

Body

We begin the New Year by first explaining our system for setting up the workouts.  We will expound on things as we go throughout the year.  The workouts are usually going to be setup in four categories: Wingman, Flight Leads, Instructors, and Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) Graduates.  The categories go from least experienced to most, and least difficult to most.  The categories are named as such because even though it takes a couple of years to be a fully combat certified wingman, wingman don’t have the skill or proficiency to lead large formations in combat. Through training and experience they eventually become instructors. Working out is the same way, if you attempt too much too early…somebody is going to get hurt.

I am also often asked about what is the best training program.  My response is one you enjoy and will do.  Sometimes that means just taking a short walk for the day. You must enjoy what you do or you will not do it for life.  Finally, we will try to incorporate several types of workouts each week. The basis for this idea was from a program called the Horsemen given to me by General Neubauer.  The Horsemen is a hardcore 4 month program and one that is a worthy goal, however, we adapt and use many concepts from many different programs.  Essentially we use what we like and discard the rest.  That’s how fighter pilots roll.  Use what works, get rid of what doesn’t.

The workouts during the week will usually fall into one of these categories: strength, power, endurance, mission specific training tasks, active recovery, pure fun, and finally rest. Rest is important and cannot be overlooked.

Today’s work out is a quick active recovery day because I have my Ballisto Brother in town. Here is the Ballisto and Mack.

Wingman

20 minute brisk walk

Flight Leads

1.5 mile run at 8-minute mile pace

Instructors

3.0 mile run at 7-minute mile pace

Weapons Instructor Course 

4.0 mile run at 6-minute mile pace

Last nights meal got audibled because my 12 sandwich eating Ballisto brother wanted nothing to do with a Salad I had planned so I made hot wings for the football game.  He gave me a 4 on the wings.  Recipe at a later date.

Asian Barbecue Chicken 

Adapted from Dinner a Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach

6 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1/8 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 garlic clove, halved

1/2 medium onion, in large chunks

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 dried chile pepper

hot pepper paste or a squeeze of Sriracha (about 1/4 teaspoon)

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

4-5 lime wedges

In a small saucepan, whisk all ingredients, except for chicken and lime, over low heat and heat until everything has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from stovetop and let cool. (You can keep the onions and garlic in there.) Once it’s cool, pour into a small bowl. (Any extra keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator.)

Prepare grill. Drizzle chicken pieces with a little oil (canola is fine) salt, and pepper. When the grill is hot, grill the chicken (no sauce yet) for a total of 8 to 10 minutes, turning all the while. Brush the chicken with the barbecue sauce and cook another 3 minutes, basting with the sauce the entire time, and turning pieces frequently so they don’t burn. Serve with lime wedges.

We served this with basic sushi rice and a shredded kale salad that had been tossed with tarragon vinegar, olive oil, avocado, and scallions.

 ———————————————————————-

Spirit

2 Corinthians 4:8 “So we fix our eyes not what is seen, but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Saturday, 29 December – The Weather Backup Plan

Mind 

Today when I woke up it was cold and sleeting; not the kind of day that motivates you to work out.  So for those of us not so fortunate to live in Arizona or San Diego, staying on the workout train means it is important to have a weather back up plan.  Having a weather backup plan goes toward the preparation that we talked about yesterday.  Being prepared means you can adapt and flex to the environment.  An essential attitude to think like a fighter pilot.

——————————————————————————-

Body 

What is a good weather backup plan?  One that is simple and easy to execute.  For my son Mack who is setting his sights on being a SEAL, he might agree, but say embrace the suck, remove your shirt and go running.  I’ll stick with warmer indoor plan.

Today I am going to introduce a continuous running clock of 30 seconds for each set.  Use 20 seconds to exercise and 10 seconds to transition to the next exercise.  You will work in triplets of an exercise, exercise, then stretching/yoga or rest if needed. We always try to pair opposite muscles.  So for example you may go, barbell curl, cable tricep pull down, warrior pose. Then repeat those three movements for three sets before going to the next triplet.

Wingman

3 sets of the following 30 second triplets, as many reps in 20 seconds for each.

Power Band curls/pushups/arm stretching (wind mills)

PVC pipe push press/dips on a chair/leg stretching (calves, thighs, hamstrings)

Burpees/situps/back stretching (waist bending, good morning, arches)

Mountain climbers/chin-ups/neck stretching

Flight Leads

3 sets of the following 30 second triplets, as many reps in 20 seconds for each.

45lb barbell clean and press/45lb barbell curls/mountain pose with good breathing

25lb dumbbell push press/25lb cable tricep extensions/standing forward bend

25lb dumbbell seated press/15lb dumbbell curl/downward facing dog

15lb dumbbell upright row/5lb dumbbell shoulder raise/warrior pose

Instructors

3 sets of the following 30 second triplets, as many reps in 20 seconds for each.

65lb barbell clean and press/65lb barbell curls/mountain pose with good breathing

45lb dumbbell push press/45lb cable tricep extensions/standing forward bend

45lb dumbbell seated press/30lb dumbbell curl/downward facing dog

65lb barbell upright row/15lb dumbbell shoulder raise/warrior pose

135lb narrow grip bench/25 lb cable forearm curls/tree pose

WIC

20 minutes of hard machine cardio (rowing, stair climber, treadmill), then

3 sets of the following 30 second triplets, as many reps in 20 seconds for each.

95lb barbell clean and press/65lb barbell curls/mountain pose with good breathing

55lb dumbbell push press/55lb cable tricep extensions/standing forward bend

55lb dumbbell seated press/40lb dumbbell curl/downward facing dog

95lb barbell upright row/25lb dumbbell shoulder raise/warrior pose

155lb narrow grip bench/45 lb cable forearm curls/tree pose

Burpees/Mountain Climbers/55lb Kettlebell swings

Post your reps and  level in comments for bragging rights

Meal of the Day – Go out, you earned it!  The Afterburner chili earned a 3 from MackNBee. AJAX gives it a 4!

————————————————————————

Spirit

Call a friend today and ask them how they are doing.

Flight Suit Friday! 28 December 2012

Mind – Attached is a link to an article about mental preparation for sports. http://www.sportpsychologytoday.com/youth-sports-psychology/common-mental-game-challenges-for-athletes/

The key to being mentally tough and mentally ready, is proper and repetitive training that builds muscle memory and reaction.  Confidence comes not only through experience, but it also comes from knowing that you have prepared. Being prepared enables you to take risks that others may not, this is what will give you an advantage.  With those risks may come failure, but failure builds experience, and experience will bring future success.

—————————————————————————-

Body – It’s a leg day, take it slow or you will feel the pain on day 2

Wingman

3 Rounds for time

10x Good mornings

10x 5lb Kettle Bell Swings

10x Air Squats

10x Body Weight (BW) Lunges

10x BW Standing Calf Raise

10x 24” Box Jumps

Flight Leads/Instructors – Scale as required

3 Sets of

10x 45lb Good mornings

10x 45lb Kettle Bell Swings

10x 135/225/225lb Squats

10x 70lb Leg Curls

10x 135lb Lunges

10x 45lb Dumbell Standing Calf Raise

10x 135lb Straight Leg Deadlifts

WIC

Run 3 Miles for time <21:00 minutes, then

3 rounds for time, supersets of paired exercises

10x 45lb Good mornings

10x 45lb Kettle Bell Swings

10x 135/225/315lb Squats

10x 95lb Leg Curls

10x 135lb Lunges

10x 135lb Barbell Standing Calf Raise

10x 135lb Straight Leg Deadlifts

————————————————————-

Afterburner Bacon and Steak Chili

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

6 Slices of thick Hickory bacon chopped 1/2″ section

2 pounds , 1/4 inch diced sirloin

1 large onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, such as Gerhardt’s brand

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons hot sauce

One can tomato sauce (14 ounces)

1 cups beef stock

Sour cream, for topping

In a large chili pot or Dutch oven, heat the EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high to high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder, a little salt and lots of pepper.

In a bowl, stir together the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and tomato sauce. Stir into the chili. Stir in the beef stock and bring to boil, then lower the heat and cook until thickened, 6-7 minutes.

Serve shallow bowls of chili with lots of sour cream and parsley on top.

———————————————————————————

Spirit

Be good people…to yourself, to others. Robin Olds said it best,  “Fighter pilot is an attitude. It is cockiness. It is aggressiveness. It is self-confidence. It is a streak of rebelliousness, and it is competitiveness. But there’s something else – there’s a spark. There’s a desire to be good. To do well; in the eyes of your peers, and in your own mind.”

Thursday, 27 December

Welcome back from vacation

Time to get serious and work off some of the slacking.  We are going to focus on flexibility, mobility, and then strength.  If you are new to joining us, I cannot emphasize enough about starting slow.  In other words, if you are still in new guy training mode, make sure you can stay visual and in formation before you start learning how to work the radar.

Mind – It is important to rest the mind just like the body.  Over the Christmas break I used the time to rest, relax, enjoy time with my family, and to reflect.  We in America have been given so many blessings, it is easy to forget that in this land of plenty.

————————————————————————————————–

Body – Today we are working on flexibility and mobility.  For those of you who scoff yoga as I once did, all I can say is try it.  And if you think you are too tough for that girly yoga stuff, give hot yoga a shot.  My first attempt all I could do is pray not to collapse from pure heat exhaustion, and the only reason I did not leave the room was because all the girls were kicking my a$$ and I was not about to be the first person to leave the room.  Remember the fighter pilot defensive mantra…never quit!

Wingman/Flight Leads/Instructors – 30/60/90 minutes of Yoga

WIC course – 90 minute of hot yoga

Recipe for the Day- Angel Hair Pasta with Mussels and Tomato Sauce

Pernoddry white wine
About 2lbs of mussels
2 Tbs. olive oil1 medium onion, chopped1 small bulb fennel,chopped

2 Tbs. Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur

5 threads saffron, crushed and soaked in 1 Tbs. warm water

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp. dried

3/4 cup crisp, dry white wine

One 28-oz. can whole plum tomatoes with liquid

1-1/2 lb. medium mussels, cleaned and sorted

3/4 lb. angel hair pasta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet (with a lid) or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fennel and cook until the onion is translucent, another 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the Pernod, saffron, garlic, and thyme. After 1 minute, stir in the white wine and boil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring to break up the tomatoes.

Meanwhile, put water on to boil for the pasta. When the tomato sauce has cooked for about 20 minutes, scatter the mussels over the tomato sauce and cover the pot. Steam until the shells are open, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any that won’t open. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and keep it warm while you boil the pasta in salted water. Divide the pasta and sauce among four serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Calories (kcal): 590; Fat (g): 12; Fat Calories (kcal): 18; Saturated Fat (g): 2; Protein (g): 31; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6; Carbohydrates (g): 87; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 580; Cholesterol (mg): 40; Fiber (g): 7;

——————————————————————————————————–

Spirit –  “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

Fights On!

First set, 3K guns defense.  Ok I can only wish.  Just trying to get the site up and running.