Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Quick training today:

Prep work - Z, Brettzel, ASLR
Indian Club and Jump Rope
Get-up 32kg x 3+3
32kg Windmill x 3+3
Snatch VO2Max 20 kg x 8 reps per 15 sec x 10 sets 
+ 20kg x 7 reps x 10 sets
Inversion to finish

Yesterdays first session turned out to be the only session - which is fine.

Inversion feels great.

Monday, March 30, 2009

First session of the day...

Prep - Z and ASLR
28kg Get-up x 3+3 - with high bridge
2 x 28kg SeeSaw Press x 6, 6, 6
2 x 28kg SLDL x 3+3, 3+3, 3+3
2 x 28kg Renegade Row x 6, 6, 6
2 x 28kg Front Squat x 3, 3, 3
2 x 28kg Snatch x 3, 3, 3

Brettzel, ASLR and Hip flexor stretch to finish

Havent' hit any 2 KB work in a while and wanted to knock the dust off - fun stuff.
Should hit another session later today.

Saturday, March 28, 2009



Some old Grip video - back from the early days of Iron Core circa 2004 or early 2005
45# hub lift in each hand and a #3 close

Ah - the good old days.... ;-)
A days destruction...

Card tearing x 9 decks (one double layer duct tape, one behind the back, the rest normal)
and I quartered 5 of the halves.
Nail bending - 1 x 60d nail reverse style, 1 x grade 5 bolt overhand, 1 x 60d nail underhand

40 KG KB Bent Press x 10 singles each arm
some reps I added a Military press before the Bent press and I worked on dropping into a bit of a squat at the bottom on some reps.

Just needed to work some angst out of the system - card tearing and bending is good for that.

Headed to Copenhagen this coming Thursday to teach a one day FMS.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Good training today...

Prep work - Z, ASLR, Brettzel, Indian Clubs
Get-up 24 kg x 4+4
Swing Weight ladder - 32kg - 16kg - 24kg
One arm swings x 10 alternating weights and arms
(R 32kg x 10, L 16kg x 10, R 24kg x 10, L 32kg x 10, R 16kg x 10, L 24kg x 10) x 2 ladders
Goblet Squat weight ladder with Hip Flexor Stretch between sets
(32kg x 5, 16kg x 5, 24kg x 5)
Single Leg Deadlift weight ladder
(32kg x 5+5, 16kg x 5+5, 24kg x 5+5
ASLR and Brettzel to finish

My hips were toast by the end of this workout - swings were snappy and everything felt good. 

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Check this out...

Running Video

Found this on Aaron's Blog - Great analysis of the impact of running shoes and the "braking action" they encourage.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Couple days of training and recovery from the road...

Training today:
Prep work - Z, 32 KG Get-up x 3+3, Brettzel, ASLR
24 KG Viking Push Press VO2Max - 6 reps per 15 sec x 20 sets
Rest 2 min
20 KG Snatch VO2Max - 7 reps per 15 sec x 20 sets
ASLR and stretch to finish

Card Tearing - one Casino Deck +10 cards, one easy Casino Deck

Indian Club practice yesterday and today 

Yesterday was just stretch, mobility and Indian Clubs - a recovery day.

The Casino Deck +10 was a rough tear.  It was a deck from "Vegas Club" and the cards are thick and tough.  Adding 10 cards to make a 62 card deck out of an already touch deck was fun.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Two days of learning from one of the Masters...

I just spent the past two days learning from Dr. Ed Thomas.  Dr. Thomas does not speak publicly often but when he does you would be very wise to take the time to listen.  Dr. Thomas is an exercise historian, Physical education teacher/historian and a wealth of fitness wisdom and knowledge.
Gray Cook arranged for the FMS team to have this opportunity and we all learned a great deal during the two days.  We studied breathing, Indian Clubs, Inversion, the ergonomics of sitting and the history of physical education and the switch over to sport and games.  In short it was a crash course through history and exercise.  I will be digesting this information and seeking mastery in some of the techniques for a lifetime.  

Thank you Dr. Thomas for taking the time to share your knowledge.

So over the past few days I have practiced my breathing, learned the beginning of Indian Club swinging, Been turned upside down and had a great deal of mental exercise.  That is my training over the past few days.
I also tore several decks of cards - 2 behind the back, several quartered halves, couple of regular tears, and one duct tape tear.
Now I am off to West Virginia to teach a day and half FMS and a half day of KBs.
Home Sunday night and off to work for 6 am client on Monday ;-)

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

First Viking Push Press VO2Max workout...

Prep work - Z, Brettzel, Rolling pattern, ASLR
Viking Push Press VO2 Max x 8 reps per 15 seconds with 24 kg x 22 sets, 20 kg x 8 sets x 7 reps per 15 seconds
24 Kg Swing ladder One arm swings x 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
(reps equal on right and left arms)
Small amount of Z to finish
One Deck of Casino Cards tear and quartered one half of the deck.

The Viking push press (this was my first time using it) was shockingly difficult and I will be hitting this once a week.

Monday, March 16, 2009

KB Training today...

Prep work - Z, Brettzel, ASLR
Get-up 24 kg x 5+5
Goblet Squat 24 kg x 3
SLDL 24 kg x 5+5
24 kg Swing Pyramid - 
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
on the reps up I was performing "side stepping" swing where each step to the side was considered a rep (so hike back and then on the hip extension you also "step" up on the right leg and then step apart for the hike and then step up on the left leg) so all the reps are doubled 1+1, 2+2 etc...
Then on the way down I performed one arm swings 1+1, 2+2 etc...
Little bit of Z to finish

So 220 total swings unless my math is really that bad...Focus on the breathing and hike and pop so every rep is snappy and crisp.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Card Tearing is fun!

Tore a deck yesterday and quartered both halves.

Today - tore two decks and quartered three of the halves and then just for giggles I put a single layer of Duct tape around a deck and completed my first successful duct tape deck tear!

I have been working on Adam's advice to be more upright and I have been focused on using the right amount of tension and positioning of my left hand.  It seems to be working ;-)

I'll post a video when I can break out the actual camera and get a good film.

BTW - Adam didn't make a big deal of it when he did it but if I saw the video correctly he reached his goal of tearing TWO decks of Bicycles at once!  Congrats Adam!

Friday, March 13, 2009

VO2 Max Training today...

Prep work - Z, Rolling Pattern work, Goblet Squat x 3
VO2 Max 16kg x 7 reps per 15 seconds x 60 sets
Z and ASLR to finish

Really focused on the breathing pattern during the VO2Max - strong sniff in at the bottom and air forced out at the top and ensuring a good lockout at the top of snatch.  I emphasize being quick out of the bottom of the snatch - an aggressive hike and pop - then I get to take my time at the top.

Also tore 3 decks of Casino Cards and quartered 4 of those halves.  Card tearing is feeling stronger and stronger.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Been busy...

I've been pretty busy so a couple days lag on the blog but they have been productive days...

Quick training today:
Prep - Z, Brettzel
24 kg Get-up x 5+5
24 kg One arm swing Pyramid 1-10 and back down
Z and stretch to end

Been tearing cards and demoing a lot so I'v been getting my work in.


Monday, March 09, 2009

KB training today:

Prep - Rolling pattern work
Card Tearing x 3 casino decks and Quartering 3 of those halves
Continued Prep work - Z, Brettzel, ASLR
Get-up 12 kg working through the first three steps of the Get-up with neck rotations, shoulder rotations and thoracic waves (and the leg raise and knee to chest stretch)
32 kg Get-up x 3+3 (to half kneeling)
32 kg MP x 3+3, 3+3, 3+3
32 kg SLDL x 3+3, 3+3, 3+3
32 kg One arm swings 10+10 x 3 sets
Z and ASLR to finish

Worked on body position during card tearing as Adam recommended (felt better but still wanted to go into flexion). My tears are now straight across but still "high" on the deck. However, my feel for the card tearing is improving every time.
My knee is about 95% -minor swelling but full ROM.

Saturday, March 07, 2009


A quick Card Tearing video for the curious - the video jumps a bit (using a camera with video function instead of an actual video camera).
If you really want to see what this should look like go over to Adam Glass' blog.

It's funny filming things like this because all of the sudden I am self conscious about how it will look and having a successful tear.  And it's not like I am not used to being on camera.
Another interesting find...

Browsing some blogs and came across a reference to an archeological discovery:
In the article they are estimating that the site is between 12,000 - 13,000 years old.

Stop and think on that for a moment - that predates - well... everything.  Providing us with a deeper history that we previously thought.  Especially for us as a communal species that created society.

This makes me think of a special I saw a few years back on the Sphinx - where through analysis of the wear patterns on the rock it is made from (which is thought to be water based not wind based) they estimate the age of the Sphinx to be over 10,000 years old (which would be the last time there was rain in the area to cause water wear patterns on the rock).

Removing all other "aspects" (religious or other) from these discoveries (if correct) - WOW what will we discover as we find out more about this site?

Quantum entanglement, evidence of thousands of years of additional history - What's next?

Friday, March 06, 2009

Really Cool Science article from NY Times On-line...


"Quantum teleportation depends on entanglement, one of the strangest of the many strange aspects of quantum mechanics.  Two particles can become "entangled" into a single entity, and a change in one instantaneously changes the other even if it is far away."  

How freaky is that?  Pretty cool if you ask me - we are just starting to grasp quantum and particle physics so what will we learn in the future?

Just a random scientific bit of information...

Recent training...

Tuesday I tore some cards (two or three decks) and decided I needed a couple of days off from the card tearing but will get back to it today.

Wednesday 
Prep work - Z, ASLR , Brettzel
24kg Get-ups to Half Kneeling x 5+5 (actually turned into 6+6 because I cannot count)
24 Kg Swings x 50, 40

Thursday 
Prep - Z
24 kg Get-ups x 5+5 to the Hip Lift or Bridge position then back down
24 KG Swing Ladders - reps were 1 through 5 (on each arm) x 5 ladders rest and then repeated the 5 ladders
Z to finish

Today - probably tear some cards and do a little grip work probably some GU and SW

Monday, March 02, 2009

Training today...

Card tearing x 5 casino decks - then I quartered 5 of those halves

32 kg KB
1/2 Get-up x 3+3
Seated MP x 3+ 2 singles Left
1/2 Get-up x 3+3

The seated MP was in the straddle sit position on the floor - you must maintain a neutral spine and have the hamstring mobility to sit in the straddle.  Again - another indication that my left arm is lagging behind my Right.  The MP is about to become a focus of my training.
Card tearing felt good - these were the aristocrat decks and might be the most card tearing I have done in one day (especially with the casino decks).

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Upcoming Interview on Sportsrehabexpert.com...

Joe Heiler of Sportrehabexpert.com interviewed me for his site and it will be released on Tuesday night - check the links provided here for details...

Sportsrehabexpert.com sign up


Joe has a great site with lots of informative interviews etc... Check it out.

He does credit me with using a 60 kg KB in the bottom video from the Danish RKC but it is a 48 kg KB.