Strongman Challenge Weekend

I felt like a proud mother as Nursyazwani walked up the stage to receive her 3rd position medal. She's done good for herself. Only 3 months of training and she's 3rd. Wonder what a year training would turn her into???
 
As for me, I just had a lot of fun heaving and shouting and pushing on others. It was an honour to go side by side Feng Yi, top Asian CrossFitter. So cool, calm and composed. How's that for a pocket rocket?

 

Cheryl got so strong and so quick, I'm equally proud of this baby girl. This energizer bunny is always happy and laughing and cracking silly jokes, I'm not surprise if this woman will go on to bigger accomplishments in life. Sophia's strength is amazing and I hope she keeps doing this sport and as for Shi Qi, watch out for this bada$$, I'm sure she'll be back for more.

Its been a great weekend, especially when I see my family and newly-founded extended family through AlphaFit come to give us support. That really means a lot to me. Support and Cheers.

  
Goh Yeow Hui. He is an angel in the form of a ... a ...  shouting monster. He's there supporting everyone regardless of where they came from. He helped Shi Qi (from team iron behemoths) and Sophia (Genesis) with their jeep pull technique during training, he gave me and Wani ample advices and encouragement, I saw him give words of advice to Feng. Don't even get me started with Cheryl, his prodigy :-) This man. He has a HUGE heart. One of the biggest heart I ever seen. Make that one of the biggest heart I have ever FELT. So thank you, Sir. Its been an honour to have trained under you.

 Sulaiman did extremely well, despite dropping weight, changing jobs (which required longer hours 9am-8pm and bigger projects) helping me with the gym business and all other errands as well as handling his first love, SGTitans. This man. He never gives up. Even in the lowest of times, he never gives up. The reporter asked "Do you guys ever fight?" My reply was "every other day." He went "what was it about?" .... And then it dawned on me. The most little, simplest, unimportant matter. That's what we fought about. Its silly, really. But like my car pull event, we fall and then we get up and keep going. Our bond is definitely stronger. He has helped me so much, he's my strength and pillar when everything is not going the way I want it to be. And so all the fights, big or small, that we had? Well, like what The Rock would say "IT Doesn't Matter."

 Next Up - Belgorod, Russia. Here I come, Sergey Merkulin.

www.hayatinuffus.com

AlphaFit

Roof leaking? Buy pails.

Fan spoilt, can't afford electrician/renovation? Buy fans.

Mosquitoes? Buy coils.

I wonder what else I have to overcome. This month, beside the mosquitoes, its a quiet less havoc month. But what's the storm after the calm?
www.hayatinuffus.com

Russia and some

So I booked and paid my flight to Moscow in May for a Kettlebell Competition organized by Sergey Merkulin in Belgorod. Am I crazy? Just last year I told Andyn I won't go to Russia. "I love the sport but not that much" my exact words. .... I am taking it back.

So my crazy Thursday training partner, Ian, Muk from HK and myself are heading to Moscow. I am anxious and nervous about the weather and my performance but I think it will be one hell of an experience.

I have this deep desire to be with people who just train because they love it, who trains others because they are passionate, who help others because they sincerely want to see others improve,who bitch about tough training programs but still complete it and very very transparent and honest like-minded individuals.

I want to come back stronger mentally, take no shit from others, be firm but yet humble. (I don't really have to fly halfway across the world for this but yeah....)

Strongman Finals March 24th

I seriously have no clue how I'm going to pull a jeep, (bicep) flip a low 150kg tyre and log walk 50kgx2 over 20metres twice.
I don't even remember how I got into the finals. What was different in the prelims than the training sessions?
I have to find the mojo. I hate disappointing myself and the team. The Alpha Team. And Mann.
whatever it is, i'll give my best on the finals. m a sucker. i will find that zone where i block out everything else but me and the task. till then ........

Strongman Prelims

I didn't know I would make the top 6 finalists for the strongwoman challenge.

And so I did. 4 more weeks to the finals in Toa Payoh Hub. But I'm more worried about 4 more months to Hong Kong. So I started training KB. I thought "I just did 2 exercises yesterday less than a minute each so I can do the KB training." Of course I thought wrong. I should have known better. I had to wait for someone to come in and push me on. And so I did it.

My thoughts on Strongman Prelims? So much camaraderie and sportsmanship in the team. Except for some whose brown belachan asses were too heavy, whose ego and pride were bigger than their pectorals and who let politics get a hold of them.

I'm proud of Hui and my strongman and their bond. So what if they didn't wear the same tshirts? They still cheered each other on. And they always respect that there's always others stronger and faster.

Reminds me of the Russians again. No air. No ego. No pride. Just get out there and do what they love. Together.

That's what sportsmanship is about.

Here we go

Training has resumed, even with slight stiff back and chesty cough. I just have to WILL it away. And stretch and roll.

Here I am staring at one of the lousiest 3mins of form I display. I have my weaknesses and I have my goal. Let's watch this space in a month or four. Let's see if it gets any better. I sure as hell want it to be better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l061iM3oFYM&feature=g-upl&context=G23f30f4AUAAAAAAADAA

Some friends don't understand the sport. They asked the same questions - don't you find it boring to do the same thing at the same spot for 10mins. I used to defend it with a 30mins explanation. Now, I simply say "Just try it for 10mins."

Whenever I lifted, nothing else in the world matters. Right from day 1 of kettlebell introduction into my life. Its almost as if my worries disappear and nothing else is more important than to lift graceful, efficiently, safely and to stay grounded. Its like LIFE itself. Stay grounded to your belief, get through life gracefully and honestly, find a way for the body to be efficient and keep it safe and sound throughout your living years.

Everyone have their own sports. Let's give some respect.

And now can someone find me a Russian language teacher?

Хаяти

Rest Week

After a one week hiatus, I'm ready to start training again.

It just dawned on me that I'm getting too worked up about not hitting my budget.

I need to channel this energy into positive vibe by keeping the training schedule in tact.

That's the plan.
www.hayatinuffus.com

KB Competition and IKSFA Training Camp

Singapore's first Kettlebell Championships - 11th Feb 2012
Singapore IKSFA Kettlebell Elite Training Camp - 12th - 13th Feb 2012

7 days before, I had back spasms and found out I had inflammed ligament at L3. It caused excruciating pain whenever I did a jerk and when the bell dropped into the rack. I was angry, furious and upset. To top it off, I had a cold, sore throat and fever. As a trainer I would recommend someone in this condition not to compete/train. Its good advice right? ................ But, there's no way I'm not competing in this history-making championship in Singapore. Sergei Merkulin kept telling me I need to take it easy, pace myself and watch my breathing.

Yes. So I did it. (Not the pacing part but the competing part against my own advice.) My aim was 98 reps of the Long Cycle on 16kg to achieve Rank 1(I did 96 before during training, never 98) but I ended up with 78 reps and Rank 2. The first rep was so painful, the second was horrible, the third loosen me up abit and I went on to complete 40 reps on the injured side. And 38 on the non injured side! Adrenalin really does wonders.(You can see on video how much grimacing the first 5 reps brought me and at the 5th minute, I had nothing left and was even coughing!)

I ended up getting the best female lifter for long cycle and overall best female lifter. 2 trophies. I'm proud of the achievements but I wished I wasn't injured or sick. I have seen myself done better. I am very proud of my sister/good friend/client(we crossed this line long time ago) Jennifer tan. Her hardwork paid off when they praised her techniques.

The IKSFA Training Camp Level 1 came after the competition. I have never met such passionate and dedicated coaches. They just keep teaching and teaching and teaching and they sometimes forget to give us breaks.If they could teach us 20 years worth of knowledge there and then they probably would have.

Another thing that nags at me is this; How can they, world champions, be so humble? I really want to know. They are so down to earth, ready to share knowledge and tips, and always ready to teach and they were not once annoyed at the fact that it was very difficult to communicate with us. There's absolutely no air of arrogance in them. I always know the difference when someone teaches from the heart and when someone teaches because of the money. They teach from their heart, mind and soul.

I will miss them. No more "Hayadi!" No more funny jokes and animated moves. No more ""Rras Dva Thres Shytri". I wish I can go to St Petersburg and breathe the air they breathe, live the way they live and find out what makes them who they are. They did not only teach me kettlebells, they taught me a lot more than that. Humility.
 

34 Burpees

34 Burpees => 2:32
(stopped a few times to check forms and SCOLD PEOPLE haha)

What a long day. Make it two long days.

2 Lesson learnt:
If they do not respect my time, why should I? The one who loses at the end of the day is me. Because I did not manage my time.

What's done cannot be undone. I regretted bringing up the past and dragging the poor boy into the fight. I should have been the better one and let it go.

After that's said and done, I know you are reading this Mr Tang, thank you very much for the help with the equipments. And I really appreciate the help given by everyone the past few days. Its been a heart warming 2 days. My gym is almost complete.

That aside, obstacles and setbacks will never stop coming. If I settle one thing, another would come. When I settled 10, another 100 will turn up. I just have to manage everything in my stride. Yes I may set myself a goal too high that I get too stressed out by it but I am in this too deep now. There's no turning back. I jsut have to manage everything better now.

John Burroughs

For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice -- no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.

www.hayatinuffus.com

NY Wod

20mins AMRAP

3 HSPU
3 Ring Pull Ups
3 Box Jumps 20"
3 P. Cleans 30kg
3 Overhead Swings 24kg
3 Sledgehammer 8#
=> 8rds + 3HSPU

(Man 7rds + 2HSPU)

www.hayatinuffus.com