The New Plan

The new plan is under way but still working out the kinks, meaning putting together the schedule and plan of attack. So, with that in mind I had a light day today in terms of total workload but a good workout regardless

Morning Yoga for 20 minutes with some joint mobility.

Rifstonian Institute for Higher Learning

Military Press
28/5/5 x5

Key point! Use the lats to pull the bell into the body and to launch the bell overhead and Tense the whole body!

Pull-ups (bodyweight, tactical style)
10x3

Normallly there will also be deadlifts on this day but next week will begin that process.

Feels good to be heading in a new direction and building off the last program! I want to capitalize on the strength gains and really improve my swings, pistols and presses as well as the snatch, deadlift and pull-up! Day 1 of this program of many!

Starting the 40kg Journey

Well truth is it started long ago back on day 1 of the Kettlebells in december of 2004. Yesterday I did do

Military Press
40k/1/1x5

Singles, the deadlift approach or more appropriately the powerlifitng approach

Pistols
40/1/1x3

Left side is shaky, right side is solid!


Today was the first big workout day. I just wanted to 'play' around and feel the 40kg in my hands. I figure the more I handle it, even on a low level the stronger and more 'comfortable' I will become. So, this was a step forward in that process.

Windmill
24/5/5x3

Nice warm-up

Snatches
24/3/3x1
32/3/3x1
40/3/3x3

Ok, this is a good start and great for the confidence. I choose to bring the bell to the shoulder after each snatch as I did not want to overload my body on the downswing. First things first, get comfortable with the bell overhead and solid! Right side is a little short of the lefts capabilities due to grip strength. Overall, 5 and 5 is near

Cleans
40/5/5x3

No issues here, still just a great exercise. Cannot wait to do doubles.

Squats
40/3/3x3

Great and this was ass to the grass style. Again, right a little behind due to stabilizing the bell but no worries. 5 and 5 is near

Renegade Rows
40/3/3x3

Just playing around here. stabilized on a 24kg and really focused on minimal rotation as I pulled to fully engage the core! Mission successful

Janda
24/5x3

Crunch and Toe Touch
24/5x3

Seated Rotation (modified hot potato)
24/5/5x3

YOGA
25 minutes of good yoga!

Heart was pumping, muscles working, sweat beading sounds like a great workout! A new path along my journey begins in my continued evolution! I look forward to all that lies in front of me and thank you for joining along with me as I take this path. Please feel free to contribute and much success on your journeys

New Goals

The main goal is to begin working with the 40kg

New GOALS
Snatch: 40kg for 5 reps/side and 5 sets

Military Press: 40kg for 5 reps/side and 5 sets

Pistol: 40kg: for 5 reps/side 5 sets

Swings: 40kg for sets of 20 and 20 with 1 arm and a total of 5 sets or 200 1 arm swings/100/arm

Pull-up: 40kg for 5 reps in one set (total workout volume of 15/workout)

Deadlift: 600

Bodyfat 8%

Bodyweight: 165 to 168

Date to accomplsih by Feb RKC in San Jose (except deadlift, I will have to confer with Rif on this goal just to be sure, 50lbs is a lot as Rif would say)

546 Photo's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9B6zc9a9Zo
video of 524 (546 did not get footage, battery died, lol)

This sure is cool! I love pushing myself, challenging myself to bigger and better things. The journey is always worth it and the outcome is what it is. This has been an invaluable experience, one in which I am proud of myself! Just look at the strain, pain and suffering are a part of any journey to being your best. You must willing to face that pain, that suffering if you desire to be your best and challenge yourself to new heights. I can speak from experience and my face, my body, my muscles and that bar bending with 546 pounds of iron tell the story! What are you doing to challenge yourself?

TSC

What more can I say than this was my day for my Tactical Strength Challenge!

Deadlift (rif knows better than I, I already forgot from all the lack of blood flow...lol)
attempt 1
491

attempt 2
524

attempt 3
546

This i know for a fact, 546 is my new PR and I love it. This too me and for me was the number I wanted the most, the deadlift. I have already accomplished (although outside of competition day) my snatch goal so this one was the big one and I nailed it! I am so proud of Rif and I for working together to get this number.

Pull-ups (with 10kg)
15 reps

Snatch (32kg in 5 minutes)
61 reps

disappointing but 2 PR's makes up for it. Keeping it all in true perspective I set out to accomplish a goal and as Rif said, there was a day, a time, a place and the rules in place and I went on this wonderful journey, learning and improving!

A big thank you to Rif and all those who shared theur support!

Great day at the gym, great workout!

Snatch, Swings, and taking'er easy

Snatch
24/3/3x1
32/3/3x3

1 Arm Swing
24/8/8x1
32/8/8x3

Pull-up
10x1

Nice sweat and good to feel the weight in the hands. Tapering is no fun let me just say that. For me, I just really enjoy working out and doing movement so limited or restricted movement is boring. I will be ready come Saturday for a hard workout!

3 P's

A light version. Sticking to the plan just a little something today

Military Press
28/5/5x5

Pistol
24/1/1x3

Pull-ups
8, 5, 5

What can I say more than I can do light loads in terms of volume (weight, reps, sets, %) and this is a good version. As my friend Franz said this concept would make a great article and it is in fact a part of the RKC weekend in a challenge known as the Tame the Beast! Well, in February of 2008 I will do so here in San Jose and these little practice workouts help. Plus I love the combination with an upper body push/pull and a lower body push/pull (which truly is what the pistol is). I feel GOOD and that is a goal worthy of achieving

Consumption

As a fitness pro and coach I have the great oppotunity to educate, share, teach, encourage, show, explain, support, and so much more many wonderful people. I am in a powerful position as I see it because I truly am a factor in peoples lives (or at least as much as they allow). This is an honor and one which I take seriously and with a great sense of humility and humble respect and gratitude.

So, as I evolve so do the lessons I have learned, the knowledge I have gained and my way of expressing and sharing with people in general. On of the main topics I discuss with my clients in the concept of nutrition. Now, I am fully aware and understand that a number of different philosophies exist in this area and many which are sound and successful. So, I have taken what I have learned through education and experience to develop my own philosophy.No particular order

* I only eat what I need
* Aim to eat all natural (organic if possible) foods that have no processing or modification
* Buy local produce, etc. if and when feasible
* Eat clean and lean
* Fasting is a good thing
* Drink water
* Have tea and make it a ceremony (enjoy the process and if possible talk with your loved ones over a nice cup)
* Eat Veggies
* Eat Fruits
* Buy cage free, no hormone, no anti-botic foods. Afterall, I prefer to respect my environment and that means the animals who are being sacrificed for our health. Plus, when I eat these healthier sources my body desires much less.

So this is just some of what I believe and aim for on a daily basis. I am limiting my consumption and appreciating all the factors that go into the production of food, etc. I realize I am fortunate to have the means to purchase these products at will and therefore have a healthier lifestyle.

By consuming less as a principle in life I feel I can contribute more back to the society. How so you may ask? Well, if I drive a car that gets better gas mileage, is better for the environment , buy only what I need to live a good life , walk when I can, use less energy in the house , take shorter showers, flush only after I pee 3 or 4 times , and so on I feel I can leave a small foot print. Do I have bigger goals? Yes! I am working daily on ways to share and the most important thing is I have to lead by example.

Is this the answer, well I cannot answer this for anyone but myself. I have found that I feel better eating less; I do not need many material things to have a great life since I am so fortunate to have love and a loving supportive partner, health, peace of mind and spirit, a successful business which I love and do with passion, good friends, family and clients, and a love for life that I experience everyday; I am working on selling my truck to buy a more fuel efficient, cleaner car; I am working on moving closer to my business so I can drive less and hope to walk more; etc. Point is that for myself I feel great and I feel peace as I strive daily to make an impact/difference and live my life to the fullest with the goal of leaving this place a better place then when I came here. I am excited to be going back to school again to continue my evolution and bring my life experiences and skills and share with the good people of this world. In time I will be doing more on a global level in an effort to help other societies thrive and prosper.

As my friend Franz said, "swing for the fences" what the best that can happen? I hit a grand slam and I love the sound of that!

Tapering Down

A nice workout today with Rif. He is preparing for the RKC and I am getting ready for the big contest day or as I like to put it my day to shine and test myself on all the hardwork and preparation. truly this is nothing more than an opportunity to challenge myself and I could not be more excited.

Snatch (1 arm at a time)
24/12/arm for a total of 5 sets or 120 total reps.

In the process of today's training I believe RIf and I helped me improve my snatch. The conclusion is I was too much on my heals performing more of a true olympic snatch style. Because of this my time on the back swing to snatch were off coming out of the shoot (bell swinging back and me pulling up against that force which put undue stress on my hands and subsequently my low back). Therefore an emphasis on placing more pressure on the ball of the foot as well as the heal keeps me more balanced and allows the bell to flow more smoothly and we are in sync making me more explosive and efficient.

Great day at Rifs! What else is new, :-)!

Just want to express my gratitude and appreciation to Mark for taking time out of his life to work with me. Anytime you have someone willing to mentor/coach you on their dime/time you have to be thankful!

3 P's

One of my favorite workouts bar none, the 3 P's; Pistols, Presses and Pull-ups!

Presses
24/3/3x1
32/5/5x5

super set with Pullups
5x5

Pistols
24/1x1
32/1x4

These were amazing strong! I was able to hold the bottom position and that was a great sign of my progress. It is amazing how the deadlift help my pistols

Supeset with Pullups
5x5

Great small workout. headed to Mt Shasta tonight for the 3 day and will do the 16kg Max VO2 workout tomorrow. I will record on Monday. Have a happy and safe labor Day

Snatches

Last BIG snatch workout and a good test! I am ready mentally and physically to push toward the contest and the prior goals. I know I have prepared myself well and in doing so have no reason I should not accomplish or be right where I want come contest day, and let me tell you how GREAT that feels. A big thanks to Rif for his coaching and guidance through the process, not done but close.

Snatch
warm-up
16/5/5
20/5/5
24/5/5
32/3/3

Round 1
32/8/8 (30 total seconds followed by 30 seconds rest) x3

Round 2
24/8/8 (same protocol) x3

Round 3
20/8/8 (same protocol x3
note 3rd set was a swing set of 10/10

WOW my heart was beating fast and I could feel the lungs burning up. What a fantastic workout and great for mental fortitude and awareness heading into the contest.

deadlifts and Pull-ups

Last big DL/PUP day and it was a great day!

Deadlifts
typical warm-up

405/1x1
455/1x1
477/1x1
495/1x1

315/1x8 for speed (less than 30 sec rest)

Feeling strong, and READY for a new PR

Pull-ups
10kg/14 (maxed out)
10kg/7x1
BW/7x1

Great day at Stones! Great to see all this preparation and I am looking forward to my big day on the 15th. Fun to prep and see a goal through the end!

VO2 Max snatch workout & more

Today was my first attempt at the VO2 max snatch workout with the 16kg. Goal one arm for 15 seconds followed by a 15 sec rest and then the other arm for 20 to 25 minutes.

Snatch
16/7 x30 (or 15 minutes)

Max hr at the end of the 30th set was 138, yes 138 and I have to say if it was not for my low back tightening on set 18 or so I could have done 25 minutes worth. But, first time and my limiting factor at this point is the low back. I am not used to this volume, intensity and therefore I am pleased with the effort for today. I really like the workout and can see that 8 is more than reasonable per set. Nice to know my cardio is feeling strong, at least with 16kg :)

Snatch Hold
32kg/55sec/side x 2 sets

Mindful breathing, meditation, focus are the keys. my right shoulder toward the end of the 2nd set was feeling the fatigue

Military Press
32/5/5x5

Great, first time in some time!

Pull-ups
12
10

Great day!

Snatches

Breaking down! time is fleeting in terms of contest prep and with a 10day break my body feels well rested butnaturally a little weak in the areas of strength anc conditioning. Therefore, it takes a little more to warm-up and move the weight.

Snatch
32/3/3x1
32/5/5x1
32/7/7x1
32/9/9x1
32/11/11x1

total 70

And no tears! Yes! This was work but hey I can do anything I want...be mindful, be focues, be present and believe in yourself, a motto!

24/10/10x3

total 60

Low back is a bit fatigued and sore but after Monday and today combined with the layoff I am cool with it and it is nothing but a thing!

Deadlifts and Pull-ups

Ok, so first day back from a 10 day holiday and no I did not do my typical workouts or spend time blogging ;-). but I did have a nice vacation!

So feel a little flat but nice to have some heavy weight in my hands.

Deadlifts
followed my typical warm-up scheme thru 405 then the big work sets (PS: do not let me downplay the importance of the warm-up, that is for sure not the case. This helps me to focus my chi and get my kinks worked thru finding my correct form, VERY important).

405/1x1
427/1x1
438/1x2
449/1x2

315/1x10 with no more than 30 seconds between rest....ps my favorite part of the workout ;-)

What can I say. My technique was rusty and I was not perfect but I did have some solid pulls. Need to lock down my body more so i finish properly, by lockdown I mean remove the 'slack' and compact my shoulders to hips , this will help me to avoid the extra inch I tend to lift the bell and make the motion more intact so I move as one.

Pull-ups
10kg/5x5

These were awesome. Could not believe how strong I felt and how relatively easy the pulls were considering the layoff.

I am back and ready to train hard for the contest and the journey of life! Day 1 and how you miss something when it is not around!

Snatches & Swings

Well, big day today for me. With my big 10 day trip coming up I had to have astrong workout with my snatches with the TSC only a month away. Because I was short on time I did not have the pleasure of training with Rif, an opportunity you do not want to pass up but circumstances being what they are I had no choice. But I still hit and I had theinsipration of Mia with me, doing her KB workout

Snatches
16/5/5
24/5/5
32/5/5x8 = 80 total

First time in some time I have snatched the 32. Initially just holding it the weight felt heavy but once I got going it was on and I felt super strong and the bell whipped up with power, speed, grace a like a man on a mission. My hands held strong and I used a method I saw Rif doing over the last few where the downward stroke did not pull so fiercly on hands. YES!!!!!! I am very pleased

1 Arm Swings
32/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5 = 60 total x1
32/10/10/10/10 = 40 total ( giving out now but I have one set left, fatigue is setting in)
32/10/10x1

These were great, the first set really pushed me but I was strong heading into the second set and my back held strong. At the end of the swings I felt some mild low fatigue but overall I am pleased with the volume and loads. This is some strong work for me.

Plan to do Pull-ups tonight when I am fresh.

Presses and Pistols

Recovery workout day with Mia. She is getting into the Kb's so she asked me help evaluate her form. I joined in with some of my own strength work, focus on submax loads

Presses
32/5/5x5

Pistols
24/3/3x3

I feel good, still feeling my CNS fatigue but overall my body is healthy and strong just a bit tired.

Mia is destined for greatness with the bells, she is a mutant workhorse. Once she really 'gets it' which she just needs some time with the bells she is going to have fun challenging herself and she has a great reference in Tracy.

Have a great Tuesday

Deadlifts and Pull-ups

Nice recovery workout day. LIghtening the load on the deads after a big week. Here is how it went

Deadlift
warm-up sequence as usual followed by my workload

405/1x7

A nice workload for how I was feeling. Feels good to have 405 be my light day workload for multiple reps.

Pull-ups
10kg, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 x2 =40

This was a nice ladder workout. I worked off of percieved exertion and I maintained my strength well and even could have done at least a 2, 3, 4 for a third ladder.

Really pleased with the program, the journey and the outcomes. Also, really enjoy the energy that Rif and Tracy bring to the gym. Having Tracy, who is a friggin work horse and a mutant really inspires.

Snatches & Swings

First day back on the snatches and here is how it went

Snatches
16/5/5x1
20/5/5x1
24/30 (switching every 5 reps) x4

total snatches with the 24kg = 120

I just doing this exercise. It is beautfiul to watch, and the feel is so smooth and athletic. And, to top it off it just kicks your arse from a strength and conditioning perspective. My hands made it through thanks to Rifs tape job and Tracys sock idea.

Swings 1 arm
32/20 left
32/20 right
32/15 lt
32/15 rt
32/10/10

90 additional 1 arm swings with the 32

felt a real strong hip snap and Rifs cue to push into the floor was super helpful. Used a hook grip so felt no pressure on the hands.

Overall this was a very good workout. I could feel residual CNS fatigue from Monday and my legs felt heavy and sluggish but I am stoked and feel really good with the training

have a beautiful day

Recovery Day

Well, I feel frickin great from yesterday. I want to thank all of you for your feedback both given to me and Rif. We are lucky, it is special and I am grateful.

So, today Mia, Jaz and I went out for a afternoon hike in the hot summer sun and got a good sweat. We did the trail in back of the LG house which is a 3.5 mile hike (the route we choose) which enabled us to take Jaz to swim. Then we came back to the casa and did a nice 25 minute Yoga session and I have to say I feel great. I wanted to have gas in the tank for tomorrows snatch session and just let my back, hips, legs, shoulders rest from heavy loads. This is how I felt today and this is what I did, listened to my body but I still got some active movement in and did some good regeneration/recovery work. Now, tomorrow physically I will be ready, I am just keeping the fingers crossed that the hands hold up, if not tough luck I will push on through and figure a way to get my work in.

Enjoy your evening and happy hump day!