Unwinding

For the first time in a very long time my lower back locked up on me on the plane coming back from a great FMS Advanced Corrective Exercise course in Minneapolis.

Just nice even muscle spasm across the lower back that had me hobbling yesterday but I am unwinding from it today.

Lots of Club Swinging, half-kneeling stretches and movement to unlock the hip flexors and get rid of the lower back spasm. Amazing how effective the Clubs and half kneeling work are for unlocking the body.

I am currently working on regaining some ranges of motion that have always been challenging for me (lower back and thorocolumbar fascia stuff) and sitting in a small seat shifted around reading etc... got me.

My lower back history is an interesting one (at least to me) - injured in high school (sophomore year), periodic back pain following that, ruptured disc 2003 (bad back squat attempt) with microlaminectomy later that year, but have been really successful since then. My back did spasm on me a bit during my hospital stay in early December 2009 (nothing like sleeping in a hospital bed to get those hip flexors to lock down) but that was just a couple of days. This is just a reminder that I have a history there and it can on occasion jump up and bite me a bit.

Feeling better by the hour and will be back to some bodyweight and light KB work this week.

Presses and such...

Movement prep - some stretch, ASLR and Brettzel 1.0 and 2.0

32 kg Windmill x 4 + 1 bent press (r+l)

32 kg Military Press Ladders

ladder of {1, 2, 3} x 5 ladders

32 kg Single Leg Deadlift alternating legs x 6 reps x 5 reps

32 kg One Arm Swings 5+5 x 5 sets

First rung of each ladder (1+1) was a Bottoms up Press - sometimes requiring two to three attempts for the left arm.

Swings were popping and powerful.

Off to MSP tomorrow

Very quick training

A very brief "stretch/prep"

4 Hill Runs in VFFs

stretch and cool down

I tried to ramp up the run a little each time up the hill and hit a really nice stride on the 4th hill.

Feels good to run well. Calves should be sore tomorrow.

KB Snatches - getting my groove back...

Movement prep - stretch, ASLR, Brettzel

24 kg Windmill x 4 + 1 bent press (r+l)

24 kg alternating swing x 10 + 1 goblet squat

24 kg Density training Snatches

5+5 x 20 sets in 19:24

2# Club Swinging

Will stretch and move a bit more later - it was a long day on the computer and boy did I need this bit of training.

My groove on my snatches is returning quickly and doing quite well - steady improvement each session.

Training Today...

Movement Prep - ASLR, Brettzel
16kg Hip opener, armbar, shoulder openers
16 kg Get-up x 3+3
1# Club Swinging
24 kg Military press ladders
{1, 2, 3, 4} x 5 ladders
24 kg SLDL x 10 alternating legs x 4 sets
24 kg Alternating swing x 10 x 5 sets
Pavelizer x 5, 5
HLR floor progressions x 3, 3

Taxes and training...

I have spent the majority of the day gathering my tax information (Fun, Fun, Fun) but did sneak in some training...

Club Swinging 2# clubs

32 kg Bent Press x 5+5

32 kg One Arm Swings 10+10 x 5 sets

I will stretch and relax a bit later for now I am on to finish the tax thing so I can get those submitted.

More outdoor training!

More sunshine and great weather so more outdoor training and even some running in the Vibram Five Fingers

Club Swinging #1

28 kg Windmill x 4 + 1 Bent Press

28 kg Military Press Ladders

Ladder of {1, 2, 3} x 5 ladders

Rest in between ladders was 28 kg SLDL x 6 reps alternating legs

28 kg Alternating swings x 10 x 5 sets

Hill runs x 3

Walk for cool down

First rep of the ladders was a Bottoms Up Press then standard MPs after that.

SLDLs felt good and the running in the VFFs was the best it has felt.

Sunshine and Outdoor training...

A beautiful day here in the 'Burgh (and yesterday for that matter) so I have been getting outside for my training sessions - feels great to be outside in the fresh air after a long cold winter!

All with the 24 kg KB

Windmill x 4 + 1 Bent Press (r+l)

Goblet Squat x 5

Alternating swing x 10

Density Training 24 kg Snatch x 4+4 x 25 sets

in 24:19

Windmill x 4 + 1 Bent Press (r+l)

Nice progress on the Density training (only 15 sets last time with some hand stress) - this session felt easy and smooth.

Some stretching and movement later (probably Club swinging)

Attention Southern California!

Kettlebell Basics Workshop

Where:

Menifee Valley Athletic Club

29700 Bradley Road

Menifee, Ca

92586

www.mvacelite.com

When:

Saturday April 10, 2010

9 am - 1 pm

Cost:

$239 Before April 3, 2010

$289 Before April 3, 2010

To Register:

Call - 951-246-3530

Email - kellyr@mcavelite.com

Presses and SLDLs...

24 kg Windmill x 5+5

24 kg Military Press ladders

{ladders of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} x 3 ladders

24 kg SLDL alternating legs x 10 reps x 3 sets

24 kg Alternating Swings x 10 reps x 5 sets

Club Swinging 1#

The ladders were without rest between rungs (rest between ladders though) until the third ladder, which is why I stopped at 3 ladders.

It appears the front squats brought up a bit of knee irritation (top of the patella) so those are tabled for a few days. Annoying but I need to listen to what my body is telling me.

Quick training before my trip to Seattle...

Movement prep - ASLR, Brettzel

32 kg Windmill x 5+5

32 kg Clean and Front squat 5+5 x 5 sets

(clean before each squat)

Club Swinging 1#

Off to Seattle tomorrow morning for three workshops in three days - an introductory Club swinging workshop, another large HKC, then a Kettlebells from the Center workshop.

Then the Red Eye back Sunday night.

Here is a quick peak at the Brettzel from my Get-up workshop in Alexandria, VA a couple of weeks ago...

Keeping on the path...

Yesterday was just some light shoulder and hip openers with a few get-ups and some stretching to try to shake off the soreness from my new training plan.

Today:

Movement prep - ASLR, Brettzel

16 kg Arm Bar and shoulder openers

16 kg Get-up x 2+2

24 kg Military Press ladders {1, 2, 3, 4} x 5 ladders

24 kg One arm swing 10+10 x 4 sets

2# Club swinging

One Kb MP ladders today (one clean per rung of the ladder) - on the second ladder I went in reverse (4, 3, 2, 1) without rest, On the 4th and 5th ladders rungs 1 and 2 were Bottoms up presses.

Feeling good

This how I used to train...

Feels good to be back at it.

Movement prep: ASLR, Brettzel

24 kg Arm bar and hip openers

24 kg Get-up x 2+2

2/24 kg Front Squat Ladders

ladders of {1, 2, 3, 4} x 5 ladders

24 kg Snatch Density Training

4+4 (at the top of each min) x 15 sets

1# Club Swinging

Pavelizer sit-up negatives at work later

A good session and a direction...

Movement Prep - ASLR, Brettzel

16kg Shoulder openers

16kg Get-up x 3+3

2/24kg Clean and Press Ladders (clean before each press)

ladders of {1, 2, 3} x 10 ladders

24 kg Alternating swing x 20 reps x 5 sets

Hanging leg raise Progressions x 3, 3, 2

Club swinging 1# clubs

Believe it or not I have never really focused on my Military press. A bit of work here or there but never any dedicated practice or volume. So the direction I have chosen for now is alternating days of Military press practice with days of Front squat practice mixing in single KB and double kb work. Swings on pressing days and snatches on front squat days. Simple not easy. Rehab time is over.

Interview with Gray Cook and Brett Jones on Iron Radio...

EVENT: Iron Radio With Guest Gray Cook and Brett Jones

TOPIC: The Get-up and listener questions

DATE & TIME: Friday, March 5th at 2:00pm Eastern

FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast -- it's your choice)

TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW...

http://attendthisevent.com/?eventid=11409897

As Well Visit http://IronRadio.org for past episodes and other great pod
casts.

Discussion on the Get-up and various other topics with Charles Staley and gang

http://attendthisevent.com/?eventid=11409897

Application...

In todays session I started to apply some of the lessons learned at the Level 2...

Prep - ASLR, Brettzel
16 kg Hip and Shoulder openers
16 kg Get-up w/ Windmill at top x 5 singles each side
Viking Push press
28 kg VPP x 9 reps per 15 sec x 6 sets
24 kg VPP x 9 reps per 15 sec x 10 sets
(last 2 sets of the Left arm dropped to 7 reps)
Super secret Ab exercise from the level 2 Hanging leg raise progressions x 2, 2, 2, 1, 1
Pavelizer x 5, 5

Based on the VPP performance today I need to back off to the 24 kg x 8 reps per 15 sec. (maybe even 7 reps) - the "sprinting" feels good at first but then the wheels come off because I haven't earned that speed yet. Just like snatches - if you don't keep an eye on the skill of the exercise you will sacrifice everything for reps and speed. And the Left arm asymmetry is very apparent in this exercise. (yes 7 reps for the next session)
Direct ab work in the form of Hanging leg raise progressions or pavelizer is back to stay.

Back from RKC Level 2 in San Jose...

This past weekends Level 2 RKC has to be one of the top 3 RKC events.

We set a new standard to hit as instructors. The format is finally set - a great schedule, great progressions, format, etc...