Fri 13th 

Corona Virus lockdown starting today, gym still open but slightly modified classes. Slightly higher stress and poor sleep right now over it. Anyway...

PM - Skierg

4 x 1250m; 4min rest

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Sneaky conditioning on the #skierg this evening 👀 My chicken legs are still in bits from the #bikeerg last night 🐓 . Thanks to @nealisdeadly for not letting me sack off after 2 rounds 🙈

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:59pm PDT

Thu 12th

Noon - went to Alex. He did a light bit of work on the right knee. Reckons it there is a 10% improvement in things from last week then I don't need an MRI...

PM - Bikeerg

4 x 2500; 4min rest

1:52.9 avg

Tue 10th Mar 

A. Hip Thrusters 4 x 6 100kg 
(stir the pots in between sets)
B. Press 4 x 6 45kg
C1. 1 arm db bench w glute bridge 3 x 12/12 17.5kg 
C2. Incline DB Row 3 x 12 17.5kgs

Mon 9th 

noon - Box Squat 4 x 8 - 70,80,90,90kg
(right knee wobbled a bit when I took the first set of 90 out, the 90s felt like bit of work on the knee)

pm - Skierg 30r42

7551m

Mon 2nd Mar 

Did an ergathlon workout
Ski / Bike / Row
3 x 500m / 1000m / 500m

Tried a 5 k row later in the day but wasn't feeling it - tried working on my catch and keeping heels down to get more leg drive - I think this was better but my right hip started acting up (freaked its a hernia!) and just general fatigue / aches going on.

Sun 1st Mar 

Travelled to London to watch Spurs, no training

After the flight back, my right hip flexor / groin got really sore. My stomach was bad from something I ate too - inflammation?? Back was still a bit off from yesterday ...

Sat 29th

As Im writing this , my right knee went funky a minute ago! Didn't lock but it was that nervy pay that stopped me in my tracks.


11am - 10,000m / 39:41.1 - my time sucked yesterday and I wanted to get a sub 40min effort. The gloves helped a lot this time - the lack of food and early start was a struggle though, had to silence the voices in my head a few times.

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Mind games 🤯 . I was pissed off with my 10k time yesterday so I needed another shot at it this morning, 27 seconds faster, a little happier. . #tourdeskierg done for this year 👌🏻 #ergathlon in Wales in 8 weeks 👀

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 29, 2020 at 4:58am PST

Afterwards I did...
A. 4 x 5 Staggered Stance Zercher Goodmornings 50,50,60,60kg 
B. RNT KB Split Squat (16kg) 3 x 10/10

I must have tweaked my back with the zerchers, I didn't feel it at the time but it was sore afterwards.

Fri 28th

10k Skierg - I was a sweaty mess with about 3000m to go and my grip went to shit - need gloves next time! 40:08

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I forgot to set the Garmin for the start of the workout 🤦‍♂️ too many apps and widgets to remember...

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 27, 2020 at 5:09am PST

Later in the evening I did...
A. Front Squat 3 x 5 80kg

* Knee felt ok - the left was as twingy. I haven't done any squats in a while so I was a little nervous with these, I kind of wanted to pressure test the right knee a small bit and see where I am at.

Thu 27th

Skierg 4 x 1250; 4min rest
1:53.9 avg split - down a split from the last time I did this !

Wed 26th

9:30 pm - 30min skierg , trying to sit around 42-44spm (44avg in the end) - 7500m

Right forearm started to go into spasm with about 5 mins left!

Tue 25th 

Went to Alex. I was talking about the medial to anterior pain I get when I perform tibial external rotation. He went to town on my adductor Magnus - he couldn't quite replicate the pain in the front of the knee and I am not sure it is all down to a soft tissue injury (the session was agony). 

Afterwards I got roped into a Team Tuesday on the assault bike. Probably not the best idea but survived...

Noon

Did a bit of volume with JB 

3 rounds of 

Hip Thrusters x 10 (50kg)

1/2 Kneeling Press x 10/10 (12.5kg)

Stir the Pots

Split Squat x 10/10 16kg kb

Chins x 8

Static Deadbug

Mon 24th

Assaultbike 45mins

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Cardiac Output. Boring but gotta be done. . 45 mins #assaultbike , trying to cap the HR at 145.

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 24, 2020 at 7:00am PST

tried to cap HR at 145 -
cals 397.3
avg rpm 52


* I also did some glute iso work with JB and I think it helped my right knee a small bit - I tried that yoga pose again and it wasn't as bad...

I did a few walking lunges with 15kg also


Late afternoon...

5 x 250m; 1min rest w/ Kev

Sun 23rd 

10 x 1000m Skierg with Kev

Sat 22nd

30mins skierg -7407m - trying to work on Force Curve.

About halfway though, Neal bumped the damper down to 1 (df 60ish) and at first my split went up but then I started getting snappier at the catch and it dropped. Towards the end he bumped the drag factor back up and my split fell a little. I think I will experiment with the lower drag for technical work for now...

Fri 21st

Had another shot at the 2k skierg

7'12.2 - PR 

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Anotha one. . The lads calling me out in the gym this week. A small PR again on the 2k for the Tour de Skierg (7’12.2). On to the 10k now...

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 21, 2020 at 5:01am PST

Wed 19th 

Skierg 2K PR - 7'15.4

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2k PR on the #skierg . This wasn’t meant to be a time trial but more of a pace tester, I might bank it for week 3 of the #tourdeskierg 🤔

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 19, 2020 at 7:48am PST

Had a bit of a plan going into this - ALTHOUGH I wasn't intending on going for a PR today, I was going to play with the race strategy and things were going ok, so...

I actually was having the mind games around 1250 - 1000m on the monitor but dug in, head was tired but body could keep going.

My strategy was the one Kev was going through with me...

First 10/15 strokes hard (get 100m gone quick)

For the first 250m , keep it well below race pace - ~ 1'40
Next 1000m - hold race pace (next time keep it to 1'50. 1'51 NOT 1'52)
750m to go, drop a split (1'49)
500m to go, drop a split (1'48/1'47)
400 turn the screw (1'45)
200 fly and die



Tue 18th 

Went to Alex again for the right knee. I mentioned the compression feeling when deadlifting in December. He reckons it may be that and not MCL. He was saying that the hamstring insertion and the muscles around the inside of the leg may have tightened up as a result of the trauma to the knee and that may be causing the pain (sartorious is the only one I can recall him mentioning). He seems to thing it isn't as bad - no hamstring work or rowing until the end of the week, maybe get on the Solar 7 again.

Mon 17th Feb

Skierg 8 x 500m; 1min rest

Felt pretty strong here and feel like I have a decent PR for the 2k coming up...

Noon - 

A. Pause Squat 3 x 5 100kg
B1. Weighed Chins 3 x 5 15,17.5, 17.5kg
B2. Tall Kneeling Press 3 x 12 15, 17.5, 17.5kg

tried a GHR but the right knee didn't feel good

Did some barbell hip thrusters 3 x 10 50,70,70kg

Sun 16th 

Skierg with Kev

3 x 1000m; 3min rest
1:57.2 / 1:54.9 / 1:50.4

easy enough pace

Fri 14th 

Tour de Skierg 500m

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I tried to game this 500m a little bit. A small improvement on yesterday but still off a PR 🤦‍♂️ . Stronger / braver start needed but I think yesterday’s stroke rates were too high, a combo of both efforts next time maybe 🤔 (or grow a foot and add 20kg of size). . #tourdeskierg

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 14, 2020 at 6:33am PST

1:30.8 -  I think I just psyched myself up too much - I should really have a sub 1'30...

My stroke rate was too high previously but I really need to dig a little deeper for the first 100m - maybe see a 1'22 split. The last 100m is just on fumes and you have to mentally get yourself ready for that. Trying to stay tall and relaxed into the catch...


.....

Mon 11th 

Skierg 3 x 2000m/ 5min rest
1:59.5 / 1:56.1 / 1:51.8

last round was a PR! - 7:27.3

.....

7th Feb

Skierg 5k for Tour de Skierg (PR)

19:19.2 

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I said I’d bank the last 5k but I lied. Just off a 2 hour car drive and gamed this a little 🤦‍♂️ 19’19.2 for the #tourdeskierg . Kev got 17’07 😂😂😂😂🔥🔥🔥 . On to the 500m (and erg flu) next week 💨

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 7, 2020 at 5:32am PST

Maybe had a bit more in the tank here but I'll take the PR

Another Injury Timeline... (Right Knee)

I'm a little jaded with it at this point (bing in pain and injured). First time I have felt that doing bjj might not be worth it anymore. As I get a bit older, my resilience towards pain or patience for being in pain all the time is diminishing...


Since the physio visit, me knee feels worse. I am guessing its meniscus too. It doesn't really feel unstable but weird sensations again, not quite locking but I need to flex / extend a few times before quitting to feel comfortable. I squatted 100kg with it but it still doesn't feel right. I can feel it when I turn in bed.

I noticed on Sunday (16th) that when I tried to curl my leg, I was getting a bit of pain / nerve sensation running medially to under my knee cap....

Tue 11th
Went to Alex. I felt like the knee was settling. He did a scan on it and said there was damage on the MCL but above the joint line - so that is probably why it didn't really feel unstable.

Wed 22nd Jan 
I hurt my right knee when going for a take down. Knee buckled a bit but I kept going, definitely felt a bit off afterwards. A specific point on the MCL.

I seemed to have full range but could feel the knee.


Up to this point I was getting some weird joint sensations in my knee when I twisted / turned. Did I do it squatting or heavy deadlifting? I don't know.

Mon 3rd

Noon

Skierg
6 x 1000m/ 1min rest
@ 1:55 - tough! Hit the high heart rates on the last round (189)

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Kev trying to kill me today. 189 max hr, trying to get back into the 190s. I love it up there ✈️🙈😂💀💀

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 3, 2020 at 8:16am PST

9pm did some sprints with Kev and Niall Martin

5 x 250/ 1:30 rest

found I was breaking at the arms a lot, managed a 1:29 avg all negative splits except for the last one

Feb 2nd 

noon - Skierg 5k for tour de skierg

19:40.0

Typically did this one cold, no warm up, struggled at the start. Turned the screw with about 500m to go, it was tough but do-able.

A. Squat 4 x 2 120,130,130,130kg
B. KB Lateral Lunge 3 x 10/10 10kg

Sat 1st 

Lucas Leite Seminar - I was careful with the knee torque drills. Right knee felt a bit dodge on the first one, I find it tough to stay engaged or satisfied with it when I know I can operate at a decent level / intensity ...

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Half guard refresher today with @lucasleitebjj 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 . Thanks to @royalgrapplingacademy for organising and the hospitality 👍🏻

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Feb 1, 2020 at 7:15am PST

Fri 31st Jan 

noon 

Cardia Output - 1 hour row

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1 hour cardiac output ❤️

A post shared by David McConkey (@david_mcconkey) on Jan 31, 2020 at 5:10am PST

evening 

Skierg 3 x 750m; 3min rest

This was tough!!

Thu 30th 

noon 

5 x 1250m Skierg; 3min rest

Another rough one!!

after lunch

Row 5 x 250m; 1min rest skipped a round and did 4 more at 1:42ish pace