3.1

     I witnessed most of what Drew wrote and what you are about to read. I have read it about four times and haven't teared up every time, almost. 

      I was in the stands during men's Event 1 in 2011 and saw what Drew writes about here. I then coached him and the CFOKC 5th place Regional Team in 2012. I knew (or thought I knew) what Event 1 in 2011 had done to Drew's confidence. I hated it because I knew he was a "Regional podium athlete". I told him this often. I wanted him to know what everyone else saw. His good friend J Muse and I talked about this. Muse said something that became my Mantra for Drew. Muse said "Drew would be unstoppable if he would just get out of his own way". Muse was there in 2011. He saw what I saw, what we all saw.

     I had written programming for a fews years before I started doing Black Horse. BHT began as a result of multiple phone conversations Drew and I had in October 2012. It was started to support all our athletes, but especially Drew and GK as they chased the regional podium. 

     Drew's Regional training schedule was interrupted 11 days before NC Regional. He spent the afternoon of May 20, 2013 and the following morning on a search and rescue mission clearing the rubble of a well known elementary school that was hit hard by a well known tornado. I cannot imagine the personal strength that it takes to press on with life after being so close to a tragedy likes that. I am still amazed that he was able to compete just days later, after what must have been a physically and mentally draining time. 

     Drew is a hero and a warrior. He is a Humble Hulk of a man. He knows about defeat. He knows about struggle. He knows about victory. 

  

Determination and Redemption

Getting Out of Your Own Way

Drew Hymer

     Well first off, I am super excited to follow two collegiate athletes’ posts. I'm a product of home school sports and community college, WHAT?!! I digress. GK and KD are amazing. They push me, they inspire, they laugh, and they make me want to dance on a daily basis.

     I would like to talk to you guys about a few things with my post-DETERMINATION, GETTING OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY, and HAVING FUN!

    I started my "CF chase for fitness and abs" back in Jan of 2007. When the butterfly pull up hadn’t been invented yet, and 135# snatch was really heavy for a WOD, and when you could just compete at the CF Games if you had the money to fly there.

  

   I remember a friend of mine, who I was doing Jiu-Jitsu with at the time, telling me about a gym where he was going to work on his cardio (lolz) and grip strength. My first workout with Jason was a half Cindy, I don’t remember how many rounds I got or even if any of my reps would have counted, but I knew I was hooked and loved they way I felt after. (Note-no abs were gained that day.)

    I consistently continued for the next few years to attend CF classes and do any extra work I could. I'd just mess around and I thought I was getting better at stuff. I would work on these things, well you know, they are called strengths! Heavy movements like DLs, Back Squats, Bench Press and flipping tires. That’s what I thought I needed to do to get better and to be the best.

     At this time, and where I was at, I hadn’t even thought about more gymnastics movements. The sport hadn’t evolved that far yet: BUT IT WAS COMING 

     ::scary music plays::

     Fast forward to May of 2011. The Open had just ended and, if I remember right, I had finished 4^th in the region. I was pretty pumped. I had really surprised myself with where I had finished, and now the only thing left to do was accept my invitation to compete at regionals as an individual. 

     ::more scary music plays::

    Then, the workouts were released. The very first workout was:

            1000 m Run

            30 HSPUs

            1000m row 

                  Time cap 15 Minutes

     Needless to say I was crushed. Why was a crushed? I was crushed because I had neglected to work on things I couldn’t do or things I was really bad at. I couldn’t do a strict HSPU and I had never taken the time to learn kipping ones.

     So, I watched a bunch of videos and prayed a lot. About 5 days before the Regional, I learned the kip. I tested the WOD twice before I left and let me tell you it wasn’t pretty, but I felt that I could get through the HSPUs and get to the rower.

    Day 1 at regionals and I was in the warm up area before my heat. I was so worried and scared about the HSPUs that I feel like I probably did 70 kipping HSPUs warming up just so I didn’t forget how to do them-IDIOT.

     3,2,1 go… We head out on, and then finish, the 1000m run. I was next to last on the run because I was trying to conserve my energy for the HSPUs. I get to the wall, take a breath, and kick up. 1 rep, 2 rep, kick down. After I kicked down I looked and saw some guys were already done with 30 UB HSPU. I think "well better get back to it", so I kick back up.  I do 1, then 2, then go for a 3rd and fail. This process of fails and no reps (because my judge didn’t think I locked out my elbow enough) went on for the remainder of the workout.  At the end I had completed 17 good reps and what was probably around 40 no reps. It was the first workout of regionals and I finished DEAD last.

    The rest of the weekend was spent trying to play catch up and do my best in each WOD to salvage some sort of pride (NOTE-Still NO abs were obtained at this point).

     When the weekend was over, I promised myself that last place would never happen again, especially at the hands of  HSPUs.

     Over the next two years, with the help of Kody and GK's programming and encouragement and Megan's love and support, I attacked this weakness. In November 2012 Kody brought about the BHT programming. GK, the Rhinos, Brad, Dolf, and I started following.

    We each had our own weakness that was programmed for us, along with helpful videos. Over those months, which has turned into years, I worked every sort of rep scheme and assistance movement associated with HSPUs. Everything from strict shoulder press to seated DB press. 3 to 4 times a week I was also working on some sort of something upside down. I was focusing on kipping HSPUs and doing a certain amount of reps each set with as little rest as possible in between. I had really good days. I had REALLY bad days. I kept thinking about 2011 and how I never wanted that feeling again. I was DETERMINED to be better at this weakness. I knew that when the time came to prove to myself, my hard work and Determination would pay off. (Note-still no abs had been obtained)

   Now, fast forward to 2013. The open has just finished again and this time I had finished 8^th in the region. I felt good about it but still had this thought in the back of my mind “What if there are HSPUs again at regionals?” I continued to work on them. Then, the regional Events were announced. Yes, there were HSPUs.

     You would think I would be happy that this time that there was not 30 of them. I wasn’t, because this time there was 50. This workout would be on the 3^rd day of the regional and it was:

          100 DUs

          50 HSPUs

          40 T2B

          30 S2OHw/160# Axel bar

          90 foot walking lunge with Axel bar

                           Time cap of 14min.

     Needless to say I was depressed at first (because of the amount of HSPU), but I kept trying to remember the work I had put in to prove myself this time. We had about 5 weeks (I think) to practice the WODs. In that time I think I practiced this Event, or some variation of it, at least 20 times. Kody had gotten it down to a science for me and he knew how many sets and how many reps I could do at a time and how long to rest each time. I had made a goal to myself that I would be happy just to get through those 50 reps. 

     3^rd day of regionals and I am standing on the start mat about to face a WOD, with my nemesis, and I remembered that feeling I never wanted to feel again. 3,2,1 and here we go. DETERMINATION was what I kept telling myself through my DUs, I finished the DUs and climbed under the wall to start my HSPUs. I started with a set of 5 then 4 sets of 3 then 6 sets of 2 and the rest were singles. Toward the end of the singles I was so excited and thought to myself "I am going to do this, all my DETERMINATION has paid off". 

     I came down off my last rep and gave the "pistols firing" sign to everyone that was supporting me. I know that everyone there knew at the moment how happy I was that I conquered this hurdle. I went on to finish the WOD in under the time cap and finish 7^th at regionals, but there was no greater moment than when I finished those HSPUs and that WOD. My DETERMINATION had paid off! (Note-still no abs had been obtained)

   Everyone has a different weakness (or stage of that weakness). Currently, mine is strict HSPUs, KB OHS, and the constant pursuit of abs. Wherever we are in our fitness there will always be something to conquer: movements, ourselves, confidence or any number of other things. 

     As we go along trying to improve on these things lets remember that we are only as good as an athlete and person as we allow ourselves to be. GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY means: Do not take yourself or your fitness to serious, it is important to stay healthy and make your body a temple but not at the expense of FUN or FRIENDS or FAMILY.

     I challenge all of you to be DETERMINED to be not only the best athlete you can be, but to also be the best Friend, Father/Mother, Spouse and person you can be. And by all means, be DETERMINED to have ALL THE FUN! 

WEEK 3

3.1

OLY STRENGTH

1. 3-Position Snatch (floor, below knee, above knee)

60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, Heavy set

2. Snatch Pull

4x3 @ 110% (of SN)

3. Push Press

5 @ 70%, 5 @ 75%, 5RM

            4. EMOM for 6 Mins
                        6 Russian KBS (Heavy as Possible)

COMP WOD

4 Rounds for Time

8 Alternating 1-arm DB snatch (80/50)

8 C2B pull-ups
     12 Minute Time Cap