At Sea Day

The journey from Italy to Greece was a very long venture, too long to arrive in Mykonos by the next morning. By about 5am we were traveling through the Straights of Massena. It was way too dark to take pictures, but the lighted shore was so beautiful, you will just have to take my word for it! The shore was lit up in all different colors and the land seemed to stretch forever as we plowed through the sea. But in the end I retired back to my bed to rest before the morning really got underway.

By 9am I was up and ready in the fitness center. My aunt had some how convinced me to participate in the spin class (biking) with her. I had never done a spin class before so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. For an hour we continually replicated the experience of biking up a mountain using standing bikes. Every couple of minutes we had to increase the resistance on the bike and keep pedaling at around 80-90 percent of our fastest speed we could pedal. I do not think that I have ever worked my legs so hard! The resistance training was tough, but the speed sprints were even harder!

We would do sprints and then increase resistance again to “climb the mountain” again and then sprint even harder and faster. It was really something else. But in the end it was a great workout that really worked my sprints and endurance training.

Immediately following the spin class I worked out in the fitness center for another hour. I worked my legs muscles by far the most as well as abs and some arms before the morning was finished. (Below is the workout) It felt good to get in a nice long workout for once. I had been traveling and touring so many great places that it was difficult to get in a long workout. But this sea day gave me the perfect excuse to hit the gym for a big session. Up next, Mykonos and Delos Greece!

1)   Clean and Press-10lbs

2)   Squat Thrusts

3)   Half Man Makers-(modified on knees)-10lbs

4)   Static Front Raise + Squat-10lbs

(Set 1-16reps, Set 2-14reps, Set 3-12reps, Set 4-10reps, Set 5-8reps, Set 6-6reps. No break between sets after set 4.) 

Abdominal Workout:

1)   Crossover Crunch with arm+leg extended

2)   Reverse situps

3)   Toe Reaches-(extend legs upwards and keep the back on the ground. Extend arms to the toes in pulses.)

4)   Crossover crunch legs in the air and bringing the opposite elbow to the opposite knee

(4 sets of 20 reps)

Courtney Dumas

To the Ruins of Pompeii

As I entered the ancient city of Pompeii, I was in awe of how well structured and organized the town was. The city was literally frozen in time. We explored the city and saw their amazing engineering feats and organizational skills. They utilized aqueducts to transport water to the city. Not only this, but the villagers of Pompeii had built water heaters to heat the water from the aqueducts to create spas without the assistance of natural heated springs!

The columns and buildings were mostly made of bricks with mortar to hold them together as well as lava rock. But the really interesting thing was that all of the buildings, both inside and out, were covered in stucco over the brick and painted with bright colors that have since faded due to sun exposer and polluted rainfall.

The mosaic patterns were also so detailed and extensive. I could not believe how the citizens of Pompeii could have created such beautiful works of art solely by hand! This city was just so different from anything else I had ever seen. There were literally complete skeletons that had been taken out from the compressed ash with the help of a plaster to preserve the shape and integrity of the find. You could see the teeth on some of them they were so detailed!

After 2 hours spent scurrying all over Pompeii, we moved on to the Amalfi Coast. We ate lunch in Sorrento at a great pizza place in the middle of town. From there we drove around the city and Positano. The coast was beautiful and then we even saw some Italian movie being filmed in the area. The city was very pretty and was nice and quiet-a nice change of pace from some of the other cities we have ventured into.

By 4pm it was time to head back to the boat. We came back and relaxed before we went out to the deck for a nice buffet dinner looking out at the sunset.

Courtney Dumas

Welcome to Rome

Hello Rome! What an amazing city! I spent the entire day with my family traveling the ancient city by motorcar, visiting all of the historic sites. Everything was so beautiful and so cultured. Rome was such an ancient city and such a contrast from the architecture in the US. And I was surprised and happy to see how green the city was. There were trees everywhere and it created a beautiful atmosphere for the already breathtaking Italian capital.

Our guide took us through the city chronologically, beginning with the ancient times and our first stop, the Circus Maximus. Not much is left to show of this once great arena, but the shape and some of the land markers are still there. I felt as though I had travelled back in time to the age of the Roman Kings and Emperors.

From there we travelled to the huge Coliseum. I could not believe how much of it was still intact after all of this time and after so many had pillaged it for its stone and metal throughout the years. It really was a sight to be seen. I could just imagine the entire structure covered in marble and the stadium filled will energized people screaming and cheering for the gladiators or for the beasts. It was something else.

As we travelled throughout the rest of Rome, the same thought kept coming to me. I was just in awe of how well each building was made and the craftsmanship and care that was put into every single structure. The attention to detail was amazing! The paintings, the sculptures, the murals, the churches, the ruins, the fountains, the list goes on and on. But they all were like a time warp and they all had such detail that I could not imagine how long each project must have taken!

The most amazing and painstakingly beautiful attention to detail that I saw was by far the Vatican Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The sculptures and paintings by Michael Angelo were breathtaking. The ceilings were painted with a 3D effect, the domes painted with such feeling and emotion, and the sculptures were so lifelike. I have never seen a more ostentatious building in my life, but boy was it a site to be seen!

By the end of the day I felt like I had learned a lot, but I still felt a little sad and discontent. Rome was such a great city and it is one of those places that you really need to spend three days there at least to truly explore the entire city. I loved Rome and would live there in a heartbeat. The city was just so pretty and historic. I really hope that some day I get the chance to come back and visit this beautiful destination again!

By the time we got back to the boat and got settled in our cabins it was dinnertime. Everyone was very tired from the hustle and bustle of moving quickly from location to location, so we took our time at dinner. I wanted to make sure I got in my cross training before the gym closed so I hustled back to the room to change. I had a pretty good workout, focusing mostly on weightlifting for the night. I made sure to work my arms, legs, and abs all in the half hour before the gym closed for the night. Below is the workout, Ciao from Rome!

1)   Bicep curls-15lbs  (6 sets of 12reps)

2)   Tricep extentions-10lbs  (6 sets of 12reps)

3)   Walking lunges-40lbs in each hand  (6 sets of 12-each leg)

4)   Shoulder press-15lbs  (6 sets of 12reps)

5)   Sit ups-50  (2 sets)

6)   Push ups-15  (2 sets)

7)   Medicine ball squat ab twists-15lbs  (2 sets of 50reps)

Courtney Dumas

Destination Italy!

We had an early start on Monday this week. The cruise docked at about 6 and we were off the boat and on the busses for the tours around Italy by 7am.  I went on the tour around the Cinque Terre region in the Italian Riviera. I got the opportunity to visit the Italian countryside and learn all about its amazing culture!

It was a blazing hot, but great fun. We hit the shops and toured the quaint little towns. I had to use some of my Spanish to try and communicate with some of the locals, but I got around all right.

We toured the Riviera and learned all about the special wineries that were terraced on the mountainsides by the ocean. All of the work had to be done by hand. The local farmers couldn’t use machinery since heavy machinery would damage the grapes. Now that’s tough labor and a good workout! One of the types of wine they made even takes 2 years before it is ready to be put on the shelves.  

By the end of the day I was exhausted, it was over 95 degrees with 90 percent humidity. The tour had taken us around the different towns and we visited the “lovers lane” that connected two of the towns that otherwise would have taken 1 hour and a half to get between. The site seeing was fantastic and Italy is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen! The waters were clear and the surroundings amazing!

We finished the day with a dinner on the porch with a great view of the sunset as we left port. Our next stop, Rome, should be fantastic! I will be visiting all of the usual sites and much more! I will make sure to take plenty of pictures!

Courtney Dumas

Adios Cleveland, Hola Barcelona!

Today was great! I made the long venture from Cleveland to Barcelona, over 7 hours, but in the end it was worth it. I survived the flight running on 1 hour of sleep due to the chatty stewardesses and the noisy man that sat behind me. But the endless episodes of the Office during the flight made up for the lack of sleep as well as the fact that I made it to Spain!

Once we reached the Palace Hotel at around 10:30 am, my family and myself found that we would not be able to get into the room until 3pm. Luckily the room was ready before expected and we were able to get settled and freshen up by 2:30pm. With a basic idea of where we were and where we wanted to end up, we headed out to take Barcelona by storm. Taking many of the side streets, we were able to gain a greater idea of the true Barcelona and not just the one seen in travel guides.

I had the opportunity to explore the city and get an idea of where everything was before our in depth tour tomorrow. We saw the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Roman Wall, as well as Main Street. The architecture was amazing and the weather was fantastic! I had a blast getting to know the sites and sounds of this city.

   There were mopeds left and right and Gaudi inspired buildings everywhere you looked. The tiny stores were quaint and unique in their own way. On top of it, I got the chance to practice my rusty Spanish!

After a few more hours of exploring, we were ready to kick our feet up and rest a bit before dinner.

For dinner we went out to a tapas restaurant, something Spain is known for. Dinner was great and I even tried some fried small fish…

After dinner I had this delicious brownie and ice cream for desert! Once we finished we headed back to the hotel to get some rest so we would be all set for our 4-hour tour around Barcelona the next day.

 

Courtney Dumas

Cross Training

This summer has been great, but I am so excited for the end of August. Especially since the end of August means my vacation to Europe for two weeks. I leave tomorrow! I am so excited! My trip begins in Barcelona, Spain. After a few days there, I leave Spain on a Mediterranean cruise. I travel to various parts of Turkey, Greece, and Italy before I head back home. I will be posting pictures and descriptions of my travels throughout my adventure!

In order to keep in shape I will also be cross training throughout my trip. Today I did a lighter load (no weights or running) in preparation for my travels and to prevent sourness and injury before my trip. Below I listed my workout for the day.

1) sit ups-50

2) six inch leg throws-50

3) lunges right leg-50

4) sit ups-50

5) lunges left leg-50

6) squats-20

7) engarde squats-15

8) fire feet squat jumps-10

9) lunge jumps-15

10) high knee fire feet-10

11) engarde jumps-15

12) double engarde jumps-15

13) engird jump lunges-15

14) forward crawls-5

15) caterpillars-5

16) push up hops-5

17) clap push ups-5

18) sit ups-50

Alliance Camp Footwork, Day 2/Week 2

Today was great, lots of intense fencing the entire morning! I got a lesson from Andre today as well during lunch. After some intense blade work (1 hour long), we moved on to super intense footwork. We spent 45 minutes drilling our legs and calf muscles.

Drills:

1) Squats-get into the engarde position and slowly lower your body down into a squat. X 10

2) Fire Feet Squats-get into engarde and pick up your feet quickly, making sure to keep good form. Drop into a squat every couple of seconds. X 10

3) Fire Feet Squat Jumps-get into engarde and pick up your feet quickly, make sure to keep good form during the exercise. Drop down into a squat, varying the time difference between squats. Once in squat, propel yourself upward in a jump and land softly back in engarde on the toes. X 10 

4) Lunge Jumps-get into a lunge and while staying low to the ground hop in and out of the lunge into the engarde. Make sure knee in the lunge is at a 90 degree angle.  X 15

5) High Knee Fire Feet-get into engarde and start alternating feet in fire feet workout. Every so often pick up your knees alternating knees 4 times then continue fire feet. Make sure to keep the back straight. X 10

6) Engarde Jumps-get into engarde and jump forward as far as you can, landing softly on your front foot. Keeping your back foot in the air, push back as far as you can. This is one rep. X 15

7) Double Engarde Jumps-get into engarde and jump forward as far as you can just like before, except this time when you land hop in place once on your front foot before you hop back. On the back hop when you land also do another small in place hop on the toe. This is one rep. X 15

8) Engarde Jump Lunges-get into engarde and continue the exercise like above. This time though after the second back hop lunge forward then reset into engarde. X 15

9) Reaction Lunges-Find a partner and a tennis ball. Have your partner extend their arm with tennis ball in hand, when they drop the tennis ball lunge as quickly as possible. The point is to finish the lunge with clean form before the ball hits the ground. 1-2 minutes

10) Short/Long Reaction Lunge-Set up the exercise just like before, except your partner has two tennis balls. When they drop the ball in their left hand you are to do a double lunge before the ball hits the ground. When they drop the ball in the right hand just do a regular lunge. 1-2 minutes

11) Short/Long Hand Target Lunge-Find a partner and have them stand with one hand closer to you than the other. Have them randomly open one hand at a time and you must react quickly to lunge and hit it. The closer hand for the short lunge and the farther hand for the long lunge. X 20

12) Fencing Suicides-get into engarde and start at the very back of the strip. Go as quickly as possibly and keeping good form go to the 2 meter line and back, the engarde line and back, and so on.   

Strength Work

Strength work is very important for athlete's muscles. Strength work helps to prevent injuries as well as improve muscle capabilities. Today at the Alliance International Fencing Camp after our massive bladework and long day of epee fencing, we took 15-20 minutes to work on muscle strengthening activities. Below I have listed the exercises we worked on and their descriptions.

1) Squat Forward Jumps  X 15 (reps)
Go into a squat and jump forward and land softly on the heels. Slowly go back into a squat and immediately continue to the next hop forward.

2) Squat Backward Jumps X 15
Go into a squat and jump backward and land softly on your toes. Slowly go back into the squat and immediately continue to the next hop.

*After these two exercises you should feel really sore in your legs*


3) Wall Jumps 1 minute
Find a spot on the wall that is challenging to jump to and reach with your fingers. Jump up continuously, landing on your toes, for 1 minute straight. This exercise works the calf muscles.

4) Forward Crawls X 5
Start from bending to reach your toes with feet a little less than shoulder length apart. Crawl out to the push up distance and crawl backward staying low to the ground. Keep your legs straight during this exercise.

5) Caterpillars X 5
Start from bending to reach the toes position with the feet a little less than shoulder length apart. Hop forward on the hands 4 times to push up length distance and then hop back 4 times.

6) Push up Hops X 5
Get into the push up position with arms extended and feet a little less than shoulder length apart. Hop on hands and toes to the right 3 times, then back to the left 3 times.

7) Push up Circles 1 clockwise, 1 counter clockwise
With feet together, get into the push up position with extended arms. Walk your body with your hands clockwise in a full circle with the back straight. Then do the same counter clockwise.

8) Kick Turns 1 minute
Start by picking the right leg up into the air and kick up with the left leg so that you are now balanced on your right leg. Hop turn counter clockwise so that you are now balanced on the left leg. Continue the hopping and switching of legs. Works balance and coordination.

Alliance International Fencing Camp Week 1

Well week one is in the books. The Alliance International Fencing Camp has been fantastic! There was over 40 fencers, men and women, this first week and I have been fencing non-stop. This whole week was inconstant motion, everyone was always on the go doing things. Whether it be fencing at camp or going to the movies, shopping mall, frozen yogurt, we were always moving both during practice and afterwards.

I met all new people too. The Russian and Israel National teams are here as well as some French fencers. It has been a little difficult communicating with them, but still fun as well.

Almost every day we began with warm ups and stretching. One day we even learned this funny train dance that worked our coordination skills. We had to kick right twice, kick left twice, hop forward, hop backwards, then forward forward forward. Then the next time we would do the three hops backwards instead of forwards and so on. It was a bit confusing and difficult to coordinate with over 40 people to say the least :P

Every day the camp was divided into two groups, one would do footwork while the other fenced in a giant pool and we would switch at lunch time. Oh and speaking of lunch-we didn't let a day go by without playing an epic game of Egyptian Rat Screw (if you don't know the card game finish reading then IMMEDIATELY google it! best game ever!).

By the end of the week everyone was sore and tired, but pressed on. We held a giant mixed tournament on Friday. It was tough. The tournament was mixed and took all day in the unforgiving heat. Pools were in the morning and we had a shortened lunch in order to have enough time to finish the direct elimination bouts. (I finished 17th).

All in all the week was great. I learned some new great footwork, part of which I included in the footwork page of the blog, and focused on my game's week points while competing with top-notch fencers. We had great bonding activities after practice with camp parties, movies, and shopping nights. I got to know some of the Russian fencers pretty well-Tanya and Nastia. They would teach me some Russian and I taught them some English-there definitely some stumbles on the parts of both parties hahaha. For instance I could not for the life of me pronounce the word for the number 4. It was impossible! I really truly can't wait for the fun to continue this upcoming week!

Battle to the Final 8 and a Podium Spot Reno 2011

With memories from my dismal finish at previous Division 1A Summer Nationals in mind, I marched on into the venue. This year was going to be different. I had trained myself better both physically and mentally. The adrenaline was high and my heart was pounding as I heard the clashes of weapons, yells of victory and defeat, and the screeching of the scoreboxes as the fencers scored.

I came out of Juniors with my worst finish of the year 17th a few days earlier, which in retrospect was not horrible, but at the same time I had the potential to do so much more damage. I was hungry for a medal and redemption. I felt that it was my time to shine.

Pools started off shaky again with a priority victory. I told myself that I wanted to be more aggressive today than I had been in Juniors, that was no the case the whole day....

Pools were going well to some extent-I was 3-0, but the footwork again just was not flowing in that same great rhythm that made every fencer feel as though they were an Olympian. Suddenly I found myself losing two bouts back to back. 3-2 with one match left, I was determined to get out of my slump. I was tired of sleep fencing-fencing like a robot with all the right moves, but without the passion or the cognition to ignite the spark in one's step that led to victory.

I wanted this back and in my next bout I used my determination to win 5-0in a swift victory. Now I was rolling, or so I thought...

The DEs came about and my fencing was still struggling. I was fighting from behind in almost every match-leaving myself exhausted come the end of the bout. I was draining my fuel storage early and I would unfortunately pay for this later.

My best bout of the day, which ironically was the bout that probably cost me my chance at the final four and possibly the finals, was my round of 16 bout against Floyd. I was down 7-2 and was losing control of the bout until I finally found an answer to her forceful fleches and infighting. I would pressure her with plans to run away swiftly and score a counter attack or continue in the 8 line to the leg. It worked like magic!

With 30 seconds left in the second of three periods, I found myself up 13-12. Unfortunately I decided to be a little more daring then was called for and after two poorly setup leg attacks I was down 14-13 with 17 seconds left in the period.

Kill the clock time with the goal of reaching the one minute break before the third period. I had been incredibly naive and stupid not to set up the distance and I had to pay for it with the loss of the lead in a 15 touch bout! I needed horribly to get out of the period, but my opponent had other plans-she decided to push and attack me with only 17 seconds left!!! Her bread and butter move against me!!!!

Now was clutch fencing time and I needed to focus all my energy towards this touch! It was ultimate fencing time-Olympic touch time. Floyd pushed and pushed and finally gave me what I was looking for-the blade!!! I made a swift blade take and slammed my point into her body as fast as I possibly could.

One light came on-MINE. That brilliant, bright, shiny green light! I could not believe it!!! I scored with 1 second remaining in the period!!!! the score was now even at 14-14.

The next period was wrought with constant movement and adrenaline pounding actions. The time passed and the pressure was on for one of us to score. This was no time to fence scared-it was time to be the fencer I had trained to be- Courtney Dumas. I was in awe of no one. I was myself and confident in my actions.

I pushed and pushed Floyd down the strip and pressured her blade, creeping ever closer to my goal. I finally broke distance and dropped to the leg-this time with distance. I hit the hip with one light on, my light. The bout was over and I was victorious.

But I was to pay the ultimate price of such an exciting victory. My fuel was all but spent and I had my best friend left to fence to reach the final four.

Amanda Sirico was on fire that day- she went 6-0 with a plus 24 indicator and she had not tired herself the way I had in the DEs. And we were to fence.

I pulled myself together, ready for the challenge. But the footwork was just not there. I followed my plan as detailed before the bout. I pushed Amanda down the strip, but once I got her into the last meter line I remained flat footed. This resulted in her attack nailing me and when I did attack her leg like I had planned-she was ready. She unfortunately remembered I had a deadly leg touch from our last encounter at Junior Olympics.

My failure to pull the distance and run away after I pushed the distance combined with attacking into her trap led directly to an 8-2 deficit. And I was exhausted, but not done quite yet.

I pulled myself together for one last go for the bout and managed to reclaim my footwork and bring the bout to 10-12 score with me just behind two.

But it was too little too late- Amanda rattled off two quick touches before the end of the second period and one right at the start of the third period to win 15-10. My run was over and I was defeated.

I had made the 8, but had paid the price of poor footwork at the start of each bout leading directly to my exhausted state that in large part led to my defeat. Amanda was the better fencer that day and went on to win the gold medal.

I finished 6th and was extremely happy for my friend, but at the same time I wanted more and still do. Footwork will be my prime goal as I move further into the summer. This was a painful learning experience, but a necessary one that is one more small step towards reaching my goal to become an Olympic fencer some day.

Until next time!


Courtney Dumas

Lessons Learned, Reno Summer Nationals 2011

So I'm finally back from Reno, Nevada. It was a lot of fun, although there was nothing but desert all around the hotel. This year I competed in Juniors and Division 1A. The competition was fierce and unrelenting.

There ended up being a total of 186 fencers in the Junior event. I blasted my way through the pools after a shaky opening bout that I won in priority, 3-2. The confidence was flowing and the actions were swift. My lunges and fleches flowed with ease and my mental game was sharp.

With the assistance of my tournament personalized playlist and the support of Amanda Sirico of DCFC and my Hooked on Fencing teammates, I pounded out a 6-0 record in the pools with a plus 18 indicator (touches scored minus touches received). Everything was working pretty well and I was confident moving into the direct elimination round.

By the DEs my fencing was strong, but not up to the caliber it was at Junior Olympics where I finished second. The footwork was just not as crisp and the distance was shaky. I struggled to put away my opponents, even though I won by 4 or more points. The flow just wasn't energetic or agile. I had to rely on my counter attack much more often than I felt comfortable with.

After fighting my way through to double elimination I finally lost a close bout to Signe Furguson, 15-14. We had doubled all the way from 10-10 to 14 all! The bout was intense and nerves were high. As she pushed  and pressed me, I finally took the initiative and fleched in the 8 line, but I missed the blade take! I ran right into her counter attack and lost a hard fought bout 15-14.

After a long wait for my second chance DE, I regretfully was nervous and jumpy. I doubted my skills as a fencer and was scared to lose. I had come all this way just to fence like I had 3 years ago. My bout against Jennifer Horowitz was dismal. I would close the distance or allow my self to be pushed around the strip as a result of my timid fencing. I didn't fully commit to actions and lunged half-heartedly. After all my hard work I lost 15-9 in a bout that I will never forget.

A fencer can never be timid. If you compete scared you will in all likelihood fail. That is what happened to me. I forgot my training and my mental preparation. I had no "general"-mental prowess, to lead my "army"-skill set and ability. Without a general your army is worthless. You could have the best army in the world, but without a leader to command their movements, they are an unorganized mess. This is why I lost the bout and it is a lesson learned and will not be easily forgotten.

May this be a lesson to all you out there not to be afraid to risk it all. In competition the worst you can do is lose, but if you are afraid to lose and compete in that manner then your opponent has ALREADY WON.


   Courtney Dumas

Sports Reads

Hey so I thought I would do a book review for all of you readers out there.

If you haven't already read or heard about Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code, then you are missing out. This is a great read for anyone out there and especially for kids and adults who want to build their skills in their passion-whether it be sports or the arts.

Coyle writes about talent and how to maximize the potential within every person. This groundbreaking work shows you how to grow talent by tapping into a recently discovered brain mechanism. He detail the steps needed to find the talent within you to succeed.

This work reminded me that if I put in the time and practice the right way, anything is possible. His book also reminded me that at some point everyone fails, but it's the people who get back up and dive back into the work without fear of failure that truly succeed. "The staggering babies embody the deepest truth about deep practice: to get good, it's helpful to be willing, or even enthusiastic, about being bad. Baby steps are the royal road to skill." (pg 94, The Talent Code).

In short, everyone should grab this book and on a quiet afternoon curl up and read it in the cool shade this summer! Happy reading!!!!

   -Courtney Dumas