Oh Wow!

It's been since Sept. '11 to journal sessions. Heading back down to the ocean and having the grass under your feet with the waves and sunshine as the setting makes for a solid session. Strong group of fellas joined in - Dusan, Rocco, Pablo & Thor.

Thinking that the blog/journal is a nice way to go back and gauge progress, here it goes:

*32 kg TGU's - really taking the time in the different postures of the get up, including looking up and down when in the high bridge and holding/sticking the landing/end for a 5 count, made for good warm up. After 2 runs each side, worked on specifically the high bridge and the up/down look bell - base hand x2, helped for noticing some "leakage" points.

*40 kg Swings - 1st run 20/2nd -15 - warm up.

*Dble 16 kg Snatch to OH Squat to racked front squat x 3 (came back around for 2nd set)

More swings w/40

*32/20 kg cleans to pressing 20 while "solidifying" 32 side - 5 reps per.

*10 lb sledgehammer halos to full extension of elbow - 5 per

*20 kg Snatch to inline lunge, keeping strong focus on having hip square throughout - 4 per.

More swings w/40

*16 lb sledgehammer lateral extension for scapular stabilization 1 per side for 10 second hold (short of rubber around handle's end)

16 lb Iaido 'men' (head strikes) with sledgehammer - 5 per

*32 kg Bear crawls (as finisher) @ 6/7 steps per side - into low push up/pull thru to L-sit hold x5 - into farmer walks back.

*Stretching included 16 kg press while in splits (x4), scorpions, upward dogs and full bridge.

Ok

I bowed out of the 40 day program around day 30. Not from the fact it is a bad/poor protocol to follow, but that I picked incorrect movements to perform. The combination of a single legged squat (pistol), a single arm press, and single arm snatch for the ballistic, really seemed to disrupt the balance of left/right and torque me out a bit. I will try the 40 day at another point and add Deadlifts in to help "pull the line straight" from the single side movements. I've also made another attempt at the 36 press and although failed in the attempt, discovered (I believe) that the weakness lies in the clean, and the inability for the left side of the body to make itself solid enough for the right (pressing side) to "push off" of it.

The prior week I had a bit of a bug that made me weaker and more fatigued, but it also made me revert back to the basic pressing protocol in ETK. So this past Monday, I took a 32 kg to the Y w/me for 2 sets of 2 L/R and 4 sets of 1 per in combination w/some strict pulls, HLR's and dips. The mid week session was a 24 kg for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ladder of single clean to press x 4 rungs.

Sunday's focus went w/a 32 kg (previous week was heavier w/36/40) TGU after a 20 kg warm up of flip catch/swing/clean, and then effort put into various cleans. After an initial set w/the 2 24's, the remaining (staggered) sets were with the 32's for 4 cleans - 10 second static hold x 4 sets - followed by swings - then back to the get up for repeat. After the 4 set run - 2x24 kg cleans to front squat for 5 reps x 2 set - L-sits to spider push ups - 20 kg gtg (greasing the groove) presses and double 16 kg gtg presses.

Will attempt the ETK protocol for a few more sessions, and focus on the cleans and perhaps throw a 36 kg attempt in again soon on a good energy day.....

I cheated...

Ok...came off game plan a touch today. And the other day, added Deads (DL) in for two sets of 5 @ 245 lb lift. Just really felt the need to stand up tall and work the posterior chain well. Other than the addition, still on course...except today....

The excuse is/was, we were at the ocean front - so no high bar. Instead of pistoling/pulling and HLR, the session went:

*Various loaded carries for a total of around 6 sets (outside of lugging them out of the club to the car etc) complimented with

*TGU's warm up was w/32 kg, other 4 with 36 kg...in addition to

*Play with 20 kg for swings, flip catches, 2-hand flips, snatches, single arm switches for about the length of a song (x2)...later tried the 28 and the 36 kg for 2 hand swings and flips for 10-15 reps per. Intertwined with:

*32 kg single arm press 2 per x 4 sets

*Two of the stronger loaded carries (trying OH, one cleaned, etc) was squeezing the 20/36 kg together in one hand and the 24/32 kg in the other (x2 runs - 2nd run dumped @ 3/4 thru)

*On to varied load presses - 28 kg & 24 kg for double presses - alternating heavy/light loaded sides for 2 reps per x 2 sets

*Finished with some L-sit play to pull back to low push up between 2 bells & plyo push ups w/one hand switch on top of bell (flat) side to side.

Nice to note my 2 workout partners Ralph & Trig had some good PR's - Ralph w/a dble C&P of 32/36 with the 36 on L (strong side compared to stronger side :) into overhead (OH) walk!

Trig did multiple sets of a 28 kg MP (military press), as well as broke thru some ground on high volume snatching!

Great morning turned into good day!!

Progress

Been quite some time since last blogging! Attended the level II cert. in St. Paul the first weekend in July, and have come to realize that getting a ton of information and working it there really does a number on the nervous system. BUT once getting back to routines, the information is fantastic and extremely beneficial. Outside of some playing around trying to get some videos going on the YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheArtOfKettlebells?feature=mhee#p/u) I've had for a couple of years, the workouts have been following Dan John's 40 day plan.

The 40 day program calls for a posterior chain movement, a push, a pull, a ballistic and abdominal movement. I chose a pistol squat, military press, pull up, hanging leg raise (HLR) and snatch. One solid week into the program and am already setting new PR's for myself. Sunday pulled off 5 strict military presses (one clean) per side x 2 sets with the 28 kg. Then on Monday night at the Y (no k-bells) hit for the 1st time 5 bottoms up military presses per side with a 45 lb 'iron grip' plate. The abs are definitely doing well as I was able to get 2 fairly nice full front levers outside the HLRs, and have been varying pistols naked, to 24 kg bell, to the 45 lb plate. PR and now somewhat standard is 50 24 kg snatches switching hands only once (this should continue to improve with comfortability. All in all, jamming along. Just need to see about journaling more often, although the routine is the same for another 5 more weeks! So not really much to blog!

Snatches

Sweet & simple training for Sunday session. Earlier in week skipped all training coming off last heavy load. Monday did some mobility/BW nothing thru week.

After a closed eyed/blind warm up of 20 kg TGU to gladiator (top foot elevated - known as star side plank in yoga) to windmill & OH squat at top - back down (1 per side) the snatch workout went:

20 kg 10/10

24 kg 10/10

28 kg 10/10

32 kg 10/10

36 kg 5/5 5/5

These were performed on a I go/you go basis w/training partner Dusan - thanks D!

Then:

36 kg 5 rest 5 x 2 (R ring finger callus tore...grrr)

32 kg 10/10 callus touch worse...

28 kg 10/10 ....ah well...no 24-20.....

...but did get in 100 snatch volume w/bell larger than 24 kg....

Finish w/some double 20 kg jerks (only) for 10.

Will do light mobility & bodyweight work with probably some acupuncture and massage before heading to St Paul for RKC II on Thursday.

Recap

Few weeks out before a trip to St. Paul for level II course, and feeling comfortable with the majority of the criteria. Except still yet the 36 kg press. However did have a nice pressing session after receiving course outline and being referred to the ETK schedule in order to achieve such. So although the order is a bit scattered for what days compromised what workout. Some of the 'better' sessions this past week have been:

Friars Rd Y (Friday) - 1st time for workout here. Can't say I like it to go to all that much. Tons of pin select equipment on top of each other, a 'cross fit' area w/more isolation pieces by hammer strength and some basic free weights. What I did find though was a pull up bar different from what I usually use, and a nice mason wall to kick into some handstand push ups. I was able to dial in some alignment issues by using the lines in the tile floor for the HPU's, and did several pulls, HLR, front lever tucks & variations/progressions, etc - the usual.

8EW (Sunday) - Father's day led to a short 45 session of V-straddle pulls/sits on P-bars, 10' 4" slosh pipe work, Double 24 cleans for runs of 10, power wheel rollouts & skin the cats on rings.

Hazard Center Y (Monday) - Getting out late and traffic put me right at class time for the bodyweight S & C class - so it was quite fun :) lot of wall shoulder mobility work, combined with shuffles, alligator push ups, sliders, squat thrust, burpees, lunges, etc etc.

JCC (Wednesday) Like the various pull up bars available here along with battling ropes, good rebounder, etc. Simple session - 8 sets of 5 pulls, 5 korean styled dips, and HS holds - all with 20 lb weight vest.

8EW (Friday) - nice midday session due to light work load, led way to some pressing discoveries. Lined up multiple bells and attempted to mimic Mark Reifkind's pressing model.

And does it work! Most comfortable I've felt pressing and was just a touch shy of getting up the 36. The session was: 6 per 16 kg, 5 per 20, 4 x 24, 3 x 28, 2 x 32 & halves on the 36. Went back to the 32 x 2, 28 x 3, 24 x 4, 20 x 5. My suspicion is I was shocked at how smooth the pressing was feeling, and should have attempted the 36 after the 20's. 68 total press volume. Ah well...see soon enough...

Hospital's Break (Sunday) - Felt good today training with Ralph and Dusan - both of whom are making good progression. Session went:

20 kg TGU x 2 alt. followed by 10/10/10 - R/L/center swings...then went to...

40 kg TGU - 1 per, followed by same swing pattern

36 kg TGU x 2 alt. followed by swings

32 kg " " "

28 kg " " "

Finished with Bulgarian Bag halos 10 per (2nd - 8) immediately followed into "O-goshi" throws 10 per (8 - round 2) followed by center line snatch/pull overs 10 (12).

228 swing volume - 18 TGU volume. - good day!

Change of plan

Finally a nice sunny San Diego morning down at hospitals break. Originally the thought was a snatching ladder single arm w/the 32 kg for 1, 3, 5 - followed by a double 24 kg clean & jerk, maintaining the rack after the last jerk for front squats for 2, 4, 6. Started out w/the first 32 snatch and felt so comfortable and strong went for 5/5 R/L. Moved on the the C&J's w/the 24's and decided working 5 reps for 5 sets in each movement would be a better route to go for the day. The first 2 C&J's had the squat immediately following. The latter 3 sets, rest was taken after the c&j's before the squat.

Went back to the club for ring play and power wheel work to finish the morning (outside of cleaning the pool thoroughly :)

The previous day (Saturday) snuck into the weight room at the Y while Lia was in her gymnastics class, and grabbed a couple of 16 kg. Worked in three sets of double snatches for 20. Along with 10 flip catches (singles) L & R, and alternated back to 5 flip catch presses per.

Earlier in the week after the last blog, snuck in 3 sets of 50 kg barbell military presses for 1 clean 5 MP's before a client and 3 more after the client; and then an additional set of double 24's MP's for 5 and singles for 5 per after 3 client :)