Firstly in order to raise the profile of the causes I am supporting I had some t-shirts made which point people towards the summary website www.mainsersmatterhorn.com which is a simple way to see how to sponsor me.
First up to model them was my eldest daughter Lily who proudly wore it for her senior team debut for our squash club, Luton and Dunstable.
However, I think she would concede that she was trumped with the awesome support of my favourite Australian squash player Cameron Pilley who wore it during his warm up in the semi-final of the Canary Wharf Classic, broadcast live on TV
I was in the audience cheering him on, but my wife Debbie managed to catch this screenshot, I cannot thank him enough for his support and kind words.
As for my preparations I am continuing to work with Gary Nisbet My current weekly routine is as follows:
Warm-up - Round the clock lunges one without weight, other with 20Kg, 2 sets
Squats 6 Reps at 70Kg 3 sets
Single Leg Deadlift 6 Reps each leg at 40Kg 3 sets
Turkish get up 6 each arm 9Kg
Bench Press 8 x 18Kg, followed by low row pulley 8 x 30Kg 4 sets
Then alternate to the following 48 hours later
Same warm up
Squat press 6 reps at 40Kg 3 sets
Deadlift 6 reps at 80kg 3 sets
Glute ham raises 6 reps 3 sets
and finish with an attempt to do 8 pull-ups followed immediately by 20 press ups, 4 sets (I haven't managed a complete set of pull ups yet in all honesty.
Then back to the original.
This weekend sees my final progression with Gary so I await with slight nervousness for what's in store.
For a long time I was quite dispirited by my lack of ability at pull-ups, however, recently I saw a well sculpted man in the gym doing narrow pull-ups with a weight between his ankles and felt suitably inadequate until I asked if he could do wide ones with no weight as I do, I cannot begin to explain the feeling tantamount to adulation I felt when he barely managed 4, certainly gave me a boost to keep pushing.
In addition to the S&C work I have been doing some extra CV work in addition to my squash, principally bike intervals kindly supplied by Nick Matthew - they certainly work up a sweat.
I will finish for now on a blog piece written on the BBC which highlights graphically why defibrillators are so important and why I want to raise enough funds to buy one for the club
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zc2fg82
Thanks for reading.
