Vacation, getting my cross crawl back and KBs...

So the training was rolling along there pretty good and I was enjoying the bending and squatting
BUT
My wrists/hands got a bit bruised up and sore when I started going after the Grade 8 bolts and I lost my cross crawl/hard roll and some movement freedom.

I think this is in part due to squeezing training in instead of making time for a more complete session and just being a bit "greedy" with the progress.

So I took a weeks vacation with my wife and didn't train and the week before and after vacation were quite crazy so I didn't get anything of note in there.

Yesterday I decided to move a bit and found my cross crawl/hard roll had returned.  This is an important movement for me since it "ties in" my mesh core and my hip mobility. When I lose this it usually means I am getting "stiff" and losing a bit of hip mobility and motor control.  So the big lesson - don't lose it.

Yesterday

prep - Ground based work + cross crawl and hard roll
24 kg Snatch
15 sets of 5+5 (reps at the top of each minute density style)
30 min on exercise bike - Hill program

Today

prep - ground based work + cross crawl and hard roll
Double 24 kg Jerk
10 min x 5 jerks
5 min x 3 jerks
Density style
Mow yard etc....

Continuing on...

7-27-2014
LifeFitness cycle x 60 min
random level 8-10
5 min cool down

Today:

Prep - Foam roller, Brettzel, ASLR

24 kg Get-up x 1+1
arm bar + crooked arm bar + bridge at elbow and hand
24 kg Goblet squat x 1, 24 kg Alt swing x 10

28 kg Get-up x 1+1, goblet squat x 1, alt swing x 10
32 kg Get-up x 1+1, goblet squat x 1, alt swing x 10
36 kg Get-up x 1+1, goblet squat x 1, alt swing x 10

Squat
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 2 x 5 sets

Bending
yellow x 1, Blue x 1, Grade 5 x 1, Grade 8 x 2, Blue x 1
yellow x 1

going to be working in some bike and some swing sessions
feeling better but still recovering from overreaching

Always learning...
Or
Step down before you fall down...


So I had a great week of training last week - improvements in squatting and bending but I knew by Friday that I was pushing a bit into my recovery ability.
On Monday I decided to squeeze in a workout...

Note to self:  If it has to be forced it might be best not to do it.

7/21/2014
Prep - ASLR and Brettzel
24 kg Get-up x 1+1 (+ armbar and crooked arm bar and bridge at the elbow and hand)
24 kg Goblet Sq x 1
24 kg Alt swing x 10

Squat -
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 2 x 5 sets

Bending -
60d x 2
Grade 5 bolt x 1
Grade 8 bolt x 1 and a partial
60d x 1

I knew after the first Grade 8 bolt that I had not fully recovered from bending on Thursday and I couldn't finish the second G8.
Squatting didn't feel bad but I "felt" 315 more than usual.

So the big lessons:
If it has to be forced it might not be a good time to do it.
Step down before you fall down - always have to walk the line between maintaining a training momentum and over-reaching.

More Bending and Squatting...

Prep - foam roller, ASLR (active leg lower), Brettzel

24 kg Get-up x 1+1 (+arm bar, crooked arm bar + bridge at elbow and hand)
24 kg Goblet squat x 1
24 kg Alt swing x 10

28 kg Get-up x 1+1 + Goblet squat x 1 + Alt swing x 10
32 kg Get-up x 1+1 + Goblet squat x 1 + Alt swing x 10
36 kg Get-up x 1+1 + Goblet squat x 1 + Alt swing x 10

Squat
135 x 5
245 x 5 x 5 sets

Bending and Coc #2.5 between sets of squats

Coc 2.5 x 5 attempts (may have been 6)

60d x 2
Grade 5 bolt x 1
Grade 8 bolt x 3
Grade 5 bolt x 1
60d x 3

Squats - nice and easy working on driving my traps into the bar to initiate the way up
Bending - Grade 8s were a nice step up/challenge from the G5 bolts
Third G8 was a battle
Coc 2.5 is getting closer with right hand (around a 1/16th" )

Squats and Grip = Chocolate and Peanut butter??

combo workout

Prep - foam roller
24 kg Get-up x 1+1 (arm bar + crooked arm bar + bridge at elbow and hand)

Squat
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 4 x 5 sets
225 x 5

Nail bending & gripper work - between sets of squats
Coc #2.5 x 8 attempts
60d x 2
Grade 5 bolt x 5
60d x 3

RPE on the Grade 5 bolts is down 2-3 pegs of effort and getting the crush much stronger
315 is feeling good

Love to Hate Easy Days

Easysquat day

prep - foam roller, ASLR, T-spine
24 kg Get-up x 1+1
arm bar + crooked arm bar + bridge at elbow and hand
Goblet Squat x 3
Alt swing x 10

225 x 5 x 5 sets

stretch

Bending...

Training today:

Prep - not much - CoC #2 x 3+3

Bending -
60d x 5
Grade 5 x 5
60d x 5

between the first 10 bends - CoC #2 x 1+1, Jump Rope x 30 sec
Last 5 bends (60d) were with minimal rest (as long as it took me to unwrap the bent nail and wrap the new one)

Bending is progressing - felt stronger on the Grade 5 bolts double overhand but double under is still on the 60d
Hands are toughening back up to handle the pressure of bending
Gotta get my hands on some Grade 8s

Light squats tomorrow

Who knew blogging would be so hard??

Seems this is the first thing to slide when I get busy but I'll have to work on that.

couple of good questions from the last blog post I want to answer here:

sherlock asked about over-speed swings and snatches and if they can be used with armor building or strength work
Over-speed swings and snatches involve an accelerated eccentric where you actively "pull" the arms back to the ribs instead of letting gravity do the work for you.
Using this technique I can produce over 3.5 x bodyweight eccentric load at the bottom of a KB swing with a 24 kg KB - not a bad ROI (return on investment).
Over-speed eccentrics are like a spice where a little enhances the flavor of a dish but too much kills the dish.  So I like over-speed eccentrics best with a light weight for snatches or a moderate weight for swings.  Use this technique for skill practice or on the first couple of sets of a workout to "set the stage" for the sets to follow.
Combining it with armor building - use during light snatches at the finish of your armor building work.
Combining it with Strength work - again use it on the first couple of sets of swings or finish your movement prep with a set of over-speed swings to "prime the system".

Mark A. Rice asked about interpreting the workout listed on the last blog.
The last blog was a Grease the Groove style day where I had 5 circuits spread throughout a day.
Goblet squat, get-up, one-arm one leg push-up, pistol, chins and swings in an easy rep scheme.  This is a great way to accumulate volume without building fatigue.
Please ping me here again if this doesn't answer your question Mark.

Training 

I am back to my two most obsessional activities - bending nails and squatting.
Trying to squat 2 x a week and bend 2 x a week
Squats are low bar more PL style - feeling good

June 29th I had a good bending session
17 total bends - 12 60d nails and 5 Grade 5 bolts with some #2 CoC closes between bends

June 28 -
Prep - foam roller, stretch

Squat
315 x 3 x 5 sets

June 30
Prep - foam roller
Get-ups
24 kg x 1+1
28 kg x 1+1
32 kg x 1+1
36 kg x 1+1

Squats
225 x 6 reps x 6 sets

July 3
prep - foam roller
Get-up 24 kg 1+1 (+ arm bar, crooked arm bar)
Get-up 36 kg x 1+1

Squat
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 2 x 6 sets

July 5
Bending
12 total bends - 7 60d nails and 5 Grade 5 bolts
with #2.5 CoC attempts between bends

July 7
Prep - foam roller

Get-up
24 kg x 1+1 (+arm bar and crooked arm bar) + 1 goblet squat + 10 alt swings
28 kg x 1+1 + 1 goblet squat + 10 alt swings
32 kg x 1+1 + 1 goblet squat + 10 alt swings
36 kg x 1+1 + 1 goblet squat + 10 alt swings

Squat
135 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 5
315 x 2
325 x 2
335 x 2
345 x 2
315 x 2

Still GTGing....

Still greasing the groove on Get-ups and other exercises as time allows

Today

GTG on
36 kg Goblet Squat x 4
36 kg Get-up x 1+1
36 kg One arm swing x 5+5
1 arm 1 leg PU x 1+1
Pistol + 12 kg x 1+1
Chins x 3
X 5 "circuits" during the day

GTG - when time is not on your side...

Grease the Groove is basically frequent but not to failure sets through a day or period of time and is an excellent solution for those that can only grab exercise "snacks" during the day.

Last week training was thin but yesterday and today:

4/4

GTG -
36 kg Get-up x 1+1
36 kg One arm swing x 5+5
x 5 sets through the day

Today
GTG
36 kg Get-up x 2+2
36 kg One arm swing x 5+5
x should be 5 + sets by end of day

Skill of Strength in Mass

While traveling to teach an FMS combo course in Saco, ME at Orthopeadic Associates I had to chance to hit Mike Perry's gym - Skill of Strength on Thursday 3/27 for a training session.

Mike also assisted me at the workshop along with Jeff Falkowski and Peter Clark - Huge thank you to those guys for helping out and making it a great weekend.

At Skill of Strength

Prep - foam roller and movement prep

Get-up weight ladder
32 kg x 1+1
40 kg x 1+1
48 kg x 1+1
x 2 ladders

Deadlift
405 x 1 x 3 sets
315 x 2

Sled work

I had never pushed sleds before and it was enlightening!

DL felt good and get-ups were solid

Recent training and new recordings for MovementLectures.com

So a week went by 3/16 - 3/21 with no formal training - getting up at 4 am etc... puts training low on the list by the end of the day

3/22
prep - foam roller and movement prep

20 kg Get-up work
5+5 with 5 swings at the top of each rep
4+4 with 3 Front Squats at the top of each rep
3+3 with a Windmill at the top of each rep
2+2 with a Press at each step on the way up of each rep
1+1 with an Arm bar and bridges

stationary bike x 25 min

3/23
prep - foam roller and movement prep

alternating sets of:
32 kg Get-up x 2+2
32 kg Alternating swings x 20
X 5 sets of each

Bike - 20 min

3/24
Bike 20 min
32 kg Get-up 1+1 x 5 sets
5 swings at the top of each rep

stretch


Recorded a new talk for MovementLectures.com on Indian Clubs: A historical perspective
will record again tomorrow for Common Mistakes in running/using the FMS

any other suggestions?

Training 

Wed. 3/12

Prep - foam roller, primal move

Stationary Bike - 30 min

20 kg Get-up x 5+5

Thursday and Friday - off

Today - 

Prep - very quick foam roller and "stretch"

GTG 36 kg work - each hour

36 kg Get-up x 1+1

36 kg Swings x 10 (some two arm, most single arm 5+5)

X ?? should be 10 sets by end of day

And it was 10 sets BTW 

Training

Prep - foam roller, primal move

24 kg Get-up - (arm bar + 2 get-ups) x 2 sets

Circuit:
36 kg MP x 1+1
RFESS 36 kg x 3+3
24 kg Pull-up x 2
36 kg SLDL x 3+3
X 5 circuits
last two sets of Pull-ups were chin ups

Precor AMT - interval x 20 min (25 min total)

Not bad...

Time flies...

So it's been 3+ months since I posted anything and my Mom didn't even call!
I can only assume my absence from the "blogsphere" was unnoticed.

Why has it been 3 months?  Busy - very busy
In late October I took a full time position on the Management of the club that I train people out of in Pittsburgh.  And I maintained my personal training schedule so I ended up putting 70+ hours in a week + my on-line clients etc....
As a result my blogging, my own training, my eating etc... took a distant 10th place to everything else.

Time to right the ship and get back on track

Recent training:

PRI based breathing work - daily

3/8
prep - Foam roller, Primal Move
20 kg Get-up
5+5 - with 5 swings at the top of each rep
4+4 - with 3 Front squats at the top of each rep
3+3 - with 2 Windmills at the top of each rep
2+2 - with a press at each step on the way up
1+1 - with an armbar and bridge at elbow and hand

Stationary Bike on "cardio" setting x 25 min (+5 min cool down)

3/9
prep - foam roller and primal move
alternating sets of
32 kg Get-up x 1+1
32 kg One arm swings x 5+5
X 5 sets of each

Stationary Bike on "cardio" setting x 20 min (+5 min cool down)

3/10
prep - foam roller and primal move
Get-up weight ladder
24 kg x 1+1
36 kg x 1+1
28 kg x 1+1
32 kg x 1+1
36 kg x 1+1

Snatch ladder
24 kg x 5+5
36 kg x 5+5
28 kg x 5+5
32 kg x 5+5
36 kg x 5+5

Precor AMT (adaptive motion trainer)
20 min on "interval" setting (+5 min cool down)
avg. HR around 160

Dietary work - too much sugar!
The single hardest thing for me to avoid in my diet is sugar.
But it needs to be kept in check so this will be my main dietary focus for now.

That's it for now

if you have any specific questions etc... please leave them here or on facebook

S&S Jerks

prep - Foam roller, Primal Move
24 kg Goblet squat x 5
24 kg Halo x 6

Double 24 kg Jerks x 10 x 5 sets

24 kg Alternating Swings x 10 x 5 sets

24 kg Get-up x 1+1 x 2 sets
arm bar + GU
GU with bridge at elbow

Stretch

With Level 2 SFG coming up in January I need to get a bit of double KB work in but wanted to stick to the S&S programming and "minimal effective dose" etc.... so jerks and swings

S&S day 2

prep - primal move, 32 kg Goblet squat x 5, 32 kg halo x 6

32 kg One arm swings alternating sets of left x 10 and right x 10 x 10 sets total (5 left 5 right)

32 kg Get-up x 1+1 x 4 sets

stretch

Surprises from the first couple of days
Soreness - hands, forearms and abs - some lower body
Snappy - 32 kg bell is moving very well

Simple and Sinister workout....

With a press emphasis

Prep - foam roller, primal move
32 kg goblet squat x 5
Bridge x 6
32 kg halo x 6

32 kg one arm swings x 5+5 x 10 sets

32 kg bottom up press x
1+1
1+ 1 (regular press on left)
1+1 (regular press on left)
1+1
1+1

32 kg Get-up x 1+1 x 5 sets
(Press at half kneeling on the way down)

90/90 stretch

Forgot this was going to end up in Pavel's new book....

Click here to check out Pavel's new book
Simple and Sinister

Can You Adjust Your "Volume"?

Brett Jones CSCS, Master RKC

March 17, 2008

Anyone with an IPod, TV, or stereo is familiar with the volume control. You can blast your ears out or take it down to a whisper - but you are in control. What does this have to do with kettlebell training? It is the missing link in most people's application of kettlebell training.

The analogy I would like to provide is the use of your internal "volume knob". Dialing in the volume can make the music sound sweeter, or make the music painful, or make it ineffective. Most people are only familiar with the top end of the volume - Louder is better. Others can't turn the knob past 1. Where should the knob be? That "is what we will try to "discover."

First a bit of background, the basic concepts for this flow from Pavel and the RKC principles but have roots in Boxing and Martial Arts. Boxers and Martial Artists have discovered that there is an optimal level of "effort" (read - volume) for striking. And it isn't 100%. That is correct - you eyes are not deceiving you - 100% effort will very rarely be optimal in a speed and power situation. Powerlifting and reaching the top end of the strength curve will visit the 100% range of effort but in the quest of optimal speed, power and efficiency we have to adjust the effort - ie. volume - to a different level.

What does not change, however, is the basic technique. You may not "see" the difference between an optimal punch/kick but you will FEEL the difference. To go back to our stereo analogy - When the volume knob is set to 1 you may barely hear the music but the stereo system will look and be the same - there is just less noise coming out. When the volume knob is at 10 the walls are shaking and ears are bleeding - but the stereo system will look the same and be the same. So the stereo system doesn't change but you will hear the difference. This applies to how a punch/kick would look at these ends of the spectrum AND it applies to how a Kettlebell Swing or Snatch would look at these ends of the spectrum.

Watch me swing an 8 kg KB and watch me swing a 48 kg KB and you will be hard pressed to find a difference in the technique. Clean an 8kg KB or clean a 32kg KB - again no difference in technique. I still load my hips and sit back and then use my hips to provide the energy for the clean - but my volume knob is at a very different setting.

Our internal volume knob will run from Zero up to 10. Why 0-10? It makes using percentages easier and I don't feel like counting any higher or dealing with the explanation of what a 17.2 looks like on the volume knob. Now boxers and martial artists have found that the hardest strikes occur somewhere between the 6-8 setting - this will vary according to the individual. Therefore we need to experiment with dialing our volume knob in on the desired settings to find our own individual "optimal" setting.

How are we going to do that? During a set of two armed swings you will start swinging and after a couple of reps begin to think of a "volume"/effort setting. Call out in your mind - Number 2 and try to hit an effort/volume level of 2 during that swing. Next rep call out Number 9 and try to hit that effort/volume level. Next rep hit a 4 and then an 8 and then back to a 3 etc...(wide variations work best for this type of drill - the difference between a 5 and 5.5 might not be readily evident). Hit all the settings on the volume knob and pay attention to what setting provided the optimal result. Optimal result being defined as a "perfect" swing - crisp, powerful yet efficient.

Repeat several times to "confirm" the results and go through the test again for one arm swings and snatches.

This doesn't apply well to the grinding lifts - for those we are going to hit the high tension techniques and focus on the upper end of the strength curve. Adjusting your volume knob should allow you to optimize your swings and snatches.

Why find the optimal level? Because we should be able to have the control and mastery of a movement that allows us to adjust the effort but not change the movement. Your skill is also speed and effort dependent. You don't see drag racing cars on the highway because they are built for only one thing but a great sports car will handle the road and be able to win a lot of races. Not being a "one trick pony" is a very useful skill athletically. I want to be able to dial in whatever level I want at will - not be restricted to one speed.

Efficiency is an athletic skill. But efficiency is not soft (or doesn't have to be). A boxer who throws punches at the optimal level will deliver all the force needed but be able to go the distance because they can regulate their efforts and not wear out by throwing max effort after max effort. Although the max effort is available it is held in its proper place to be used when needed. Swings are no different. I can dial up a 10 or a 2 but I still sniff in and brace at the bottom of the swing as I load my hips, and I am still rooting and projecting energy up to a crisp hip finish. This is the essence of balancing tension and relaxation in an athletic sense.

One more drill to help drive this home is to perform a KB complex of one arm swing + a clean + a snatch. This complex (or chain) of exercises will force you to dial in your efforts to the correct level. It is self correcting because if you try to use the same volume setting for your clean as you did for your swing you will bang yourself pretty hard. And if you try to use your clean "setting" for your snatch you will fall short of completing the rep. Enjoy.

---

Brett Jones, CSCS, Master RKC Instructor is a Pittsburgh, Pa based strength and conditioning professional and can be reached by email at appliedstrength@gmail.com Brett is author of "Corrective Strategies" DVD set and is also co-author of several DVDs — "the Secrets of..." series with Gray Cook, "Kettlebell Basics for Strength Coaches and Personal Trainers" 

WOW has it been that long???

Training has been occasional at best - Primal Move and movement always but training has been rare

Back to the barbell

Prep - Foam roller, 24 kg Get-up x 1+1 x 3 sets (1st-high bridge, 2nd-press each step, 3rd-windmill)

Zercher squat x 185 x 3, 3, 3, 3

Bench x 185 x 3, 3, 3, 3

between sets - single leg calf raises +35# DB x 10+10 x 3 sets

Stir the pot x 3 sets (20-30 second sets)