masterstrack.com

I would throw 7 days a week if my body would let me— but it won't. I had several health setbacks this year that limited my throwing to 2-3 days per week. My right SI joint has been giving me fits since Riccioni. It only hurts when I throw the discus. In February, I attended a kettlebell instructor's course in San Jose. I exercised so hard that I destroyed some of my muscle tissue and ended up in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis, which shut down my kidneys and almost killed me.

Things have turned around. I have been doing core exercises with the TRX Suspension trainer, which made my back feel a lot better. I have been doing sprints (well, sprints for me), which has improved my fitness.

I think we have to be realistic about training volume. I find that I can throw reasonably far without doing heavy bench presses and squats. Instead, I do kettlebell swings, dumbbell presses, front squats, turn machine, and light snatches. I take only 30 hard throws a week (and a lot of technique work). My body won't tolerate more than that.

The famous sports medicine researcher Tim Noakes from South Africa wrote a book called the Lore of Running (all track and field athletes should read this). One of his basic principles was to get the most from the least amount of training. This is particularly true as we age. What works at age 30 or 40 will not work at age 60.

Arghh! Glad you're OK Thom. Rhabdo sure makes the urine look weird, hein? I think being "in tune" with your body is more important than going on simple numbers too,