Crawl to your exercise

So, Monica wanted to do our workout tomorrow, Sunday...this being the Snatch workout. Well I really wanted to do soemthing so I went to the park for a light day workout

Here is how it went

Crawl, Row, Clean, Squat, Press and repeat

Crawl 10 steps, Row lt, Row rt, Clean, Squat, Press
24kg/5 reps x 3 sets

Light, yes in terms of total work, load, etc. but not easy. Good strong workout, tough but nice!

Then followed with 9 hole short course!

TRIKE Part Due

Friday late afternoon decided to do a run along the way, after about a 1/2 mile warm-up I foud this great hill, gradual and looong. Inspired I decided to take the hill and it was reallllly loong and I mixed run/hike. At the top and along the way the views were spectacular, I could see the whole Bay Area. The road ended but the trail continued. SO I ran, hiked, crawled, etc my through the bushes, trees, steep hillsides, up and down. I felt like I was on an adventure and just had a blast a great workout to boot.

Just fun, playing around like a kid hiking, running, moving, sliding, hands dirty, ankles dirty with spurs, thistle etc in my shoes.

unexpected workout and some revelations

So, planned on doing Snatches today but will wait till tomorrow.

A buddy and I hooked up randomly today and he wanted to do some sled work and sandbags. So we went at for only 20 minutes or so but intense.

100+ yard pulls x2

I do not what I hit on the grass but there were at least a couple occassions both ways where the grass bascially stopped me in my tracks and I had to dig hard. the legs were burning (especially the hammies)

I supersetted with
Sandbag deck squats 5 reps x 1 ( at this point I realized I was a little tired from the pulls...lol)

Set 2
Overhead TGU with the Sandbag 4 reps

This is a humbling exercise but one where you can feel the strength necessary to keep the bell pressed up, shoulders stable, core tense, and legs driving deep off the floor....what a fantastic exercise. I was pleased.

Set 3
Overhead Deck Squat

I made 1 out of 5 reps clean. the others I missed, actually standing, yet stumbling on 2. Still the first time I have EVER achieved an overhead deck squat and to do it with an odd load, tired and a substantial weight I am really pleased. this is one of the hardest exercises I have ever done.

Also, attempted and completed 1 pistol, with the sandbag on my right leg. WOW, holy smokes is this rough. I am really pleased with my strength

I realize, and at the same time am not surprised by this that there is a huge carryover in strength with the Kettlebell in general. Much of this is due to the concepts and principles that lie behind what "strength" truly is and then there is the kettlebell what the heck effect. Scientifically this may be hard to argue, that the KB does indeed have a what the heck effect but if you were to ask me, and I believe I have decent knowledge and strength I am a believer.

Only if I practiced the same routine for a long period. I do the same exercises but with varying loads, set, reps, time, rest, and methods. I am making progress and truly beginning to understand what true strength and conditioning is.

Hey Bulldog

Played a nice round of 18 today. Felt good, with a real nice whip to the club but have to learn how to control that speed/power.

Came home and felt the need for some real work. So, I decided to pick up the 40kg and play a bit...did not want to do too much because i have Friday and Saturday workouts (kettlebells) planned so kept it to a minimum

2 hand swing (warm-up)
40/10x5

Nice and easy, good snap, reformed technique was much better and no stress on the back (that is a nice feeling).

Cleans
40/3/3x5

Nice a powerful. Good technique getting into and holding the rack position. felt really linked.

Push Press
40/3/3x5

Not much hips but just enough. My shoulder (rt) has been a little tender due to a technical glitch last week with the Get-up sit up and the 32kg. Nothing major just keeping my eyes open.

Surprisingly I did some real quality lockout reps and even did just a straight press in the last 3 sets.

Good strong work, but tomorrow is the real deal with my mixed snatch workout

Feeling strong

Deadlift day....feeling strong again

135/2x1
185/2x1
225/2x1
275/2x1
315/1x1
365/1x1
385/1x3

Strong lifts and I definitely saved the best for last, that is the last 3 lifts. I was feeling it today and could have upped the weight but decided to stick with the 385 and do some reps with that weight. Should be a down week next week, probably 315 x 10 reps, 1 rep at a time 30 seconds rest.

Pull-ups
5, 6, 7

This is the first part of the workout more to come....

Dashing through the grass...

Sled pulls and sandbags...a real dousy!

So here is how it goes

Sled pull 80 yards or so

superset

Sandbag Thrusters 8reps

Did this circuit for 5 sets and took about 25 minutes.

Good leg work, good core work and a heart rate riser! Fun, and passed on the bells today with a workout for tomorrow, early with the heat!

Plus, I golfed 18 yesterday and 9 today!

Oh, how quickly one remembers

Hot, muggy, no shade and a big, long hill....add a Mountain Bike and a deconditioned (for Mountain Biking) person, me to the mix and how quickly I remember the difficulty of riding and just how demanding it is on the cardiovascular system.

Great ride, a real lung burner, non-stop relentless climb for 25 minutes. Awesome and I just remember how easy this was (relatively speaking) when I was riding 3 times a week...in 2004. Remember all sports and the conditioning are specific!

Fun downhill though...lol

Power Lift Strong

Nice workout this morning. Feeling good and alive followed up my clients with a Deadlifting session

Deadlift
135/3x1
185/3x1
225/3x1
275/3x1
315/2x1
335/2x1
350/2x2

Excellent workout! Strong, good tension, wedged well, shoulders and bell aligned, positon felt balanced and easy lift! I like the feel of the weight in my hands.

Pull-up
15 reps

Decided to just do one set all out effort. Good Numbers!

Afternoon Workout

Snatch (decided to go heavy and stick with this pattern on deadfilt day)
32/8/8x4

Used the down to the rack method and what an Awesome whip effect and I can see what Rif means by the comparison to the Olymipc Snatch. Tons of power which equates to an explosive upward motion...like a 24kg

Pistol
32/2/2x3

Strong

Get-up sit up (no legs)
32/3/3x3

Awesome core work and serious shoulder strength/stability

Nice to split the work, kept me fresh and strong

Bells and Odd Lifts

Today I went and added a couple of tools to my training collection. Ken Black was kind enough to build a sled for me so today I bought the harness ($7), a carbinger, 25 feet of chain, and 32 feet of 1.5 inch thick rope.

Morning
2 hand swing (Pavels tip part of the focus)
40/10x5

Solid swings really focused on syncing the body and created strong core tension mixed with a strong root, glute and legs.
More about practice than anything else. Just want to become better with my technique and an increase over last weeks reps.

Presses
40/2/2x1
40/5/5x2 (Push Press)

The strict presses were tough today, for some reason I just did not have it. Part of it focus, part of it time of day (anhour after I woke up) and just plain and simply put I was off.

Decided to stop at that point and go get the other tools and practice these exercises

Sled (sandbags for weight approx 75lbs)
50 yard run/2 reps x 3 sets

mixed with

Ropes
1 Arm Wave/20reps/side x 3 sets
2 Arm wave/100reps x 3 sets

Also did 1 set of alternating 2 arm wave for 60 total reps

Good combo. the sled had a slight pull up hill and I could feel the legs driving. The core worked hard to stabilize and the fact that sometimes it felt easy and then out of the blue got really hard (felt like I was going nowhere fast) made these pretty awesome. Will need more weight eventually but really good for hips, legs, abs.

The waves were awesome and did not feel that difficult. This could be due to the shortness of the rope but at $2 per foot I did not want to go to crazy..lol Nonetheless, just do more reps and the shoulders will burn. Once I established a rhythm I found them quite a nice addition. I will need to do more practice with them before having a true sense of the whats, hows, whys.

Fun day but I am looking forward to my KB workout tomorrow!

Mutant Desires

Ok, I have some many conversations with clients and the like about the 'core' and functional training. Now, I think crunches have their place but truly developing a strong, functional core one needs to do some real training with some real loads, that tax the body, the whole body.

Began today's workout with a morning deadlift session. Now, after training with Mark Reifkind in a real hard "core" gym environment with real coaching, real motivation, and real weights doing them at Cisco is truly not the feel one desires, especially me. However, this is the card I am dealt and therefore I am playing this hand!

warm-ups and form/technique focus
135/2x1
185/2x1
225/2x1
275/2x1

Real workloads
315/2x4

Awesome, could have done more. In fact, did the first set with a double over grip and then went to a mixed grip but really strong and could have easily hit 365 today.


Afternoon
After talking with Rif and discussing MMA training and more importantly the down stroke of the Snatch I was pumped to do another session. I had planned on a Snatch workout but I had tried an couple hours before our conversation and it just did not feel right so I put the bell down. What a good conversation with your old coach will do for you

So, Rif mentioned how he used the method of pulling the bell into the rack then swinging between his legs rather than throwing the bell in a reverse arc to get the bell down from lockout. I like this idea and have used it with clients but I thought it to be kind of taboo or for the weaker or less technically skilled person (beginners or those taking on a heavier weight). I was wrong.

Inspired Snatch workout
32/5/5x1
32/6/6x1
32/7/7x1
32/8/8x1

total time 8 minutes

I have to say I had much better hip and leg drive and much less stress on the shoulders and loading of the spine. I could do a lot more reps this way and i think I can get 100 in 10 minutes and from there we will have to see. that does include setting the bell down. In time I think it is feasible to get 50 to 70 in 5 minutes. time is not of the essence but I like pushing myself to accomplish things that other great, strong athletes have and do do with the KB, like Steve Cotter. Call it Mutant Desires.

Sandbags
Overhead TGU
10 reps total, 5 with each leg

Oh my goodness are these a real challenge on the core strength and shoulder strength, flexibility and stability. This is an amazing move, I was grunting and moaning

Deck Squat
10 total reps

Great move, just a great core and cardio workout. Since I have incorporated a little 2 kb DS I did not find them with this weight to be as difficult, but when your core is fatigued, like mine was and is, the challenge increases.

Core the real way, Kettlebell style mixed with some try odd lifts (that are true KB exercises).

Mountain Biking and Kayaking

Cool day and reminds of days past. Got outside and truly enjoyed nature.

Mountain Biked for an hour and 15. Felt good after I warmed up but boy the skills were rusty.

Kayaked for about 20 minutes or so and did a couple of sprints and this felt awesome

Legs a little tight but overall awesome. Did show Shamrocks boys some cools moves so I always tend to get a little workout when I spend time with them.

Great day and plan is to do Snatches tomorrow

Also, today 30 pull-ups 3 sets of 8 and a set of 6...random while at the park with the dog!

Pistols Galore

Sunday I took the dog to the lake for some swimming. While kicking around with her I decided to bide my time by doing push-up and bodyweight pistols. BW Pistols are not something I practice often so I thought a perfect opp to do so.

First I did 6 per leg on the dirt surface and then I found a log that bowed in the middle and was a off balance, a challenge. So I practiced doing the pistols on the log, 8 reps per leg, including some pauses and negatives. I even hoped from one to the other (i.e. out of a pistol and into a pistol).

I waas pleased with my strength and my balance and the fact that I could hope. I saw Yoana do this recently at a Mike Mahler Seminar and knew that I had to take the challenge....I need to practice these.

One thing is for sure, my "core" strength is way up and coming along fast!

Setting it up

So, day 2 this week and a program design for the short term is in progress. Still have a goal of improving the Snatch reps with the 24 for 5 and 10 minutes numbers, pull-ups and Deadlifts (thursday).

Today
Windmill and various combos
24kg/5/5x2

High/low Windmill
24kg/5/5x1

Two Hands Anyhow
24/2/2x1


Double Snatch
24/5/5x5

Wow these were absolutely awesome and I was very strong and powerful! Very pleased!

2 KB Clean, Squat, Press
24/5/5x5

Not hard, need another 32kg! for doubles...Ordering this week!

Practiced
Double TGU
16kg/2/2x1

Double Deck Squat
16kg/2x1

Did some of these yesterday as well! My goal is to be able to do double overhead pistol and double racked pistol, double TGU with 24kgs, Double 24kgs deck squat.

wrist is still sore

Today, limited but strong

2 hand swing, 1 hand swing, clean combo
40kg, 5, 5, and 5 of each/side x 3 sets!

Military Press
40/3/3x2
40/5/5x1 Push Press

supersetted with 2 hand Swing
40kg/10x3

Good workout and gives me a chance to do more tomorrow and not overload the wrist!

Training trainers

Today myself and a couple of friends whom work as trainers with KBs and the sled. A lot of fun and some real creative gents.

I did my first ever double KB Deck squat with 2 16kg, a few double TGU's with the 16kg, Alternating Speed Snatches with 16kg (hard to coordinate...lol), ken blacks ribbons, dragon twist 2, 16s overhead, sled pulls, sled presses, sled rows. A great workout and I was sore in the core from the aker wheel (1 arm rollout), and the ring (in particular the plank version)

Fun stuff, but I still love the basic stuff the best.

Black Dayz

Today I had the great pleasure of spending some time with Ken Black (check my blog for a link to his site). We went over to a mutual friends gym to talk Kettlebells and Odd Lifts. Ken and I shared time educating a collague, Judd Xavier. So we played with KB exercises that Ken had in his arsenal, rings, clubbells, and other toys (i.e. akro wheel) that were quite fun. Ken is an innovative and creative thinker who understands the body and more important the concept that exercises are great but it is how the program design goes that is number 1.

Amazing day and so much learned and to be learned!

A scattered few

Ok, so the last few days have been sporadic to say the least. I have done a total of 120 pull-ups from Saturday till today, no less than 25 a workout and reps of 8 + per set. I have done push-ups, joint mobility, running, soccer, hiking, and even cleans and jPush Press with the 40kg

Monday
Cleans
40/5/5x3

Push Press
40/3/3x3

Both of these felt great.

So today, Wednesday was a real training day. Wanted to control the volume and total number of exercises since Ken Black is coming for a visit and I am thrilled to play around and learn some new stuff.

Snatch
24/10/10x7

Felt good and rest periods were short, had a little trouble staying linked but still felt strong.

Clean and Press
32/5/5x3

Felt weak, just did not have it but worked through

My wrist is really feeling healed up and that is big...was a little sore from the Kayaking spill.