Club Swinging and Barbells etc...

Prep - Foam Roller, Primal Move

24 kg Get-up + arm bar + bridge at elbow and hand x 1+1

1 arm 1 leg Push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

DL x 335 x 3, 355 x 3, 365 x 3

Bench x 235 x 3, 245 x 3, 3

20 kg Pull-up x 4, 4, 4
(neutral grip)

Ab wheel x 3, 3

Headed off to Portland to teach the CICS

Going to uncork a lot of new info at this workshop!

Outside in the sunshine 

It has been tooooo long.....

Quick prep - foam roller and primal move
40 min of KB work =
24 kg Snatches 10 at the top of each minute (switch hands each set) x 20 sets
24 kg One arm Jerk at top of  each minute (switch hands each set) x 5-6 reps each set x 20 sets

total of 200 snatches and 100 Jerks

Just had to be out in the sunshine for a while

Also - here is an interesting link to a pretty cool article about Pittsburgh:
http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/May-2010/Pittsburgh-was-the-Coffee-Capital-of-America/

Keeping the barbell moving...

prep - Foam Roller and Primal move

24 kg Get-up + arm bar and bridge at elbow and hand x 1+1

1 arm 1 leg Push-up x 1+1
pistol x 1+1

Deadlift x 335 x 3, 3, 3
Bench 235 x 3, 3, 3
Neutral grip pull-up + 24kg x 3, 3, 3
(12 kg kb on each foot)

Airdyne x 15 min
(40 sec easy/20 sec sprint x 14 = 1 min recovery)

stretch

Really felt the abs and hollow during the pull-ups

I will not be back squatting again but will likely give zerchers a try soon.

5/50 challenge and some squats

Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

5/50 challenge
50 reps each in best time
Prisoner squats + Jumping Jacks + Push-ups + Mountain Climber + Crunches
my time 3:40.67

Jumpstretch Band squats
doubled Monster Mini bands + 185 x 3, 3, 3, 3

Stretch

Finding depth (notice these are quite a bit deeper than last weeks)
but need to hold Lower back position better (eliminate the tuck at the bottom) - third rep looked pretty good for that.

Back from the San Jose RKC

Still a little jet lagged but off we go

Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

DL x 315 x 3, 3, 3, 3
Bench x 225 x 3, 3, 3, 3
Parallel grip pull-up +32 kg x 2, 2, 2, 2

Stretch

the 32 kg for the pull-ups was a 16 kg on each foot

Back under the barbell...

Prep - Foam roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

Jumpstretch Band Barbell squats
Doubled over Monster Mini bands
135 x 3
225 x 3, 3, 3
135 x 3

24 kg Get-up + armbar + bridge at elbow and hand x 1+1

Stir the pot x 1 min

The doubled over monster mini bands were held down by 85 pound DBs and if I even touched them they "levitated" due to the pull of the band so I would say an easy 80# or so of pull at the top.

Back from the Strong First Leadership meeting in Salt Lake City

A great weakend (get it....) capped off by getting to meet Dr. Judd Biasiotto and hear him speak for a couple of hours - Excellent speaker, great man and just what I needed to hear.
(more on that soon)

Training today:

Prep - Foam Roller, Primal Move

Get-up 24kg + arm bar x 1+1
Get-up 24 kg x 3+3

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

DL x 315 x 3, 3, 3
Bench x 225 x 3, 3, 3
Neutral grip pull-up + 20 kg (on foot) x 3, 3, 3

Ab Wheel x 5, 5 (nose to floor from knees)

20 min Stationary Bike - random program (70-80% HR)

Toying with the idea of a PL meet of sorts this year....see what KBs will do for you

Blowing off a little steam...

Took my NATA exam today - glad to be done but we will see what the results are in a couple of weeks

Prep - foam roller and primal move

1 a 1 L push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

GU
24kg x 1+1
44 kg x 1+1 x 3 sets

Chins x 15
HSPU x 7

40 kg MP x 1+1

44 kg two arm swings
X 15 x 4 sets
+ 2 more sets of 10
Top of minute

Progress continues...

Monday I just hit some Primal Move and handstands

Today:

prep - Foam roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg Push-up x 1+1
Pistols x 1+1

Get-up ladder
24 kg x 1+1
44 kg x 1+1
32 kg x 1+1
40 kg x 1+1

40 kg MP x 1+1 x 2 sets

Double 24 kg FS x 5

Snatch work
alternating sets of 32 kg 3+3 with sets of 24 kg 10+10 x 10 total sets at top of minute (density style

Stretch etc...

Back from a teaching weekend

Got a training session in on Friday with some new friends and some old friends

I usually workout on my own so getting to train with other like minded individuals is a great time for me.

Started with a little Foam Roller and Primal Move
One arm One leg push-up x 1+1, 1+1
Pistols x 1+1, 1+1

HSPU with 8" elevation x 2, with 12" elevation 1, 1, 1, 1

Deadlift x 315 x 1, 1  x 365 x 1,  x 405 x 1, 1 (video of first rep above)

KB Snatch 24kg x 8+8 x 5 sets (80% snatch test)

Stretch etc....

I have not touched a bar since July 23 so to hit 405 for a couple of singles is not bad.

My foot position has gone back to my old stance (more on this in an upcoming article).

More progress...

Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

24 kg get-up + arm bar and bridge at elbow and hand x 1+1

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1, 1+1
Pistols x 1+1, 1+1

Chins + 16 kg on foot x 5 , 5
Stacked press 24 kg + 16 kg x 1 right + 1 Push-press Left
HSPU + 6" range x 2

20 kg One arm swing Pyramid x
5+5 10+10 15+15 20+20 15+15 10+10 5+5
= 160 reps continuous

PM cool down

more reps and less stress than the 16 kg set last week

Progress...


Prep  - foam roller and primal Move

1arm 1Leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

Get-up
24 x 1+1
44 x 1+1
32 x 1+1
40 x 1+1

32 kg Snatch x 5+5
X 6 min
45% easier that last week

Ab wheel x 3, 3

IC 1 pound x #3 x 25+25

Nice progress on the 32 kg snatch work

I am in study mode getting LOTS of studying done for taking my NATA exam next week

Mixed bag...

Prep - Foam Roller, Primal move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

24 kg Get-up + arm bar and bridge @elbow and hand x 1+1

Pull-ups + 12 kg on Both feet (24 kg total) x 3, 3
Stacked Press - 24 kg + 12 kg = 36 kg x 3+3, 3+3
RFESS - double 24 kg x 6+6, 6+6

Double 24 kg
swing x 10
Clean x 10
Snatch x 10
Press x 10
Squat x 10

16 kg One arm swing x continuous
25+25 - 20+20 - 15+15 - 10+10 - 5+5
(+ 10 or so extra)

Little Primal move to finish

Quick and effective...

Training today:

Prep - Foam Roller, Primal Move
1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1+1
Pistol x 1+1

24 KG Snatch test x 100 reps in 4:50
10+10 x 5 sets (15 seconds or so between sets)

Stretch etc...

I have my head  under a rock right now banging out my studying for the NATA exam - fun times!

Almost a repeat...

Training today:
Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1 x 2 sets
Pistols x 1+1 x 2 sets
superset

Get-up weight ladder
24 kg x 1+1
44 kg x 1+1
32 kg x 1+1
40 kg x 1+1

Pull-ups x 10, 10
HSPU x 6, 5

32 kg snatch x 5 min
5+5 at the top of each minute - density style

Ab Wheel (face to floor from knees) x 3, 3

2# Indian Clubs x #1 x 10 , #2 x 10, #3 x 10+10

the last workout was so much fun I had to have a "repeat" with some variety of course
32 kg Snatches - fun

If you are going to do a lot, you have to do a little...

Which I am sure will result a similar look to what one of my cats gives me all the time - HUH?

Basically if you are going to do a variety of movements you can only do a little of each one - hopefully that helps remove the head tilt.

Training today:
Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

1 arm 1 leg push-up x 1 x 3 sets
Pistols x 1+1 x 3 sets
superset

Get-up weight ladder
24 kg x 1+1
44 kg x 1+1
32 kg x 1+1
40 kg x 1+1

Chins x 10, 10
HSPU x 6, 6

16 kg snatch x 6 min
25 L + 25 R +25 L + 25 R + 20 L + 20 R = 140 total

Ab Wheel (face to floor from knees) x 3, 3

Indian Clubs x 10 of each movement (each direction)
#1 x 10 , #2 x 10, #3 x 10+10, #4 x 20, #5 x 20, #6 x 20

1 arm 1 leg push-ups and pistols felt great but so did the chins and HSPU and the Get-ups felt solid etc....
a good training day

My final HKC is in the books....

Got busy last week with travel and work so I haven't posted in a few days

I taught my final HKC this past Saturday - bittersweet.

I did train between Mon the 14th and Wednesday
Tuesday was about 45 minutes of Primal Move and I am always working on Handstands etc...
but then travel Friday and teaching Saturday.

Training Monday

Prep - Foam Roller and Primal Move

28 kg Get-up + bridge at elbow and Hand x 1+1

28 kg MP ladders
(R+L) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5  x 3 ladders

16 kg KB on Foot Pull-ups x 5 x 3 sets

100# (50# DB in each hand) RFESS x 5+5 x 3 sets

28 kg one arm swings - density style
x 4 min (20 L + 20 R + 20 L + 20 R)

Since then I have been cranking away practicing Handstands etc... and will get some pressing in today or tomorrow

ETK easy day...

prep - Foam Roller, Primal Move

28 kg Get-up + arm bar and bridge at elbow and hand x 1+1

28 kg MP laddders
(R+L) 1 - 2 - 3  x 5 ladders

pull-up + 24 kg Kb on foot x 4 x three sets (x2 for one set) = 4 sets

RFESS + 28 kg contralateral x 8+8 x 3 sets

28 kg One Arm Swing Density style x 6 min
20 L - 20 R - 20 L - 20 R - 20 L - 20 R
(reps at top of the minute - rest till start of next minute)

Stretch and PM

A training tip and today's training....

Training
prep - primal move
28 kg MP ladders
(R+L) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 x 3 ladders
(R+L) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4  x 2 ladders

28 kg Goblet Squats x 10 x 4 sets (between ladders)

Primal move finish


This training tip appeared in the Strong First newsletter:

What does porridge have to do with training?
or
Don’t set Minimums

Brett Jones Master SFG, CSCS, CK-FMS

   
    “Too hot, too cold and then just right...” or so goes the bowls of porridge from the children’s story Goldilocks.  Now what exactly this has to do with training will become clear in a bit but just roll that around in your head for a minute and try to put your training volume, and intensity (whether total volume of reps or % of 1 rm volume”) into those categories.

    I’ll give you minute....

“Too Hot” might indicate days where the high volume of work left you “trashed or destroyed” on a snatch session or a pressing session where you actually failed on a few sets (failing to hit the goal reps or technical failure)

“Too Cold” might indicate training days that were easy maybe due to limited training time or different equipment etc... but the training was “easily” accomplished with minimal fatigue.

“Just Right” might indicate training days where everything fell into place with great technical execution and hitting the goal reps on each set with a couple left in the tank and after the session you actually felt better than when you started.

    So now go back through your training logs and see which training days were too hot, too cold or just right.

    I am willing to bet that the Too Hot column is winning out with hardly any Too Cold days and a smattering of Just Right days in there.

    Guess what?  Most of your training days should fall into the Too Cold or Just Right categories.  I’ll pause for a moment to let you digest this....

    While digesting let me ask you a couple of questions.  Have you used the ROP from ETK or the programming from RTK?  (If you have to ask what those abbreviations mean than you haven’t and you have some reading to do)  Did you listen to the programming for the “easy” days and the rest days?  You know those 50% or so volume and intensity days.  I am willing to bet that the idea of doing “less than” you are capable of didn’t “seem” right so you added a bit of volume.  After all who wants to do “less than”???

    Unfortunately those days where you failed to do the “less than” are also days where you consciously or subconsciously set a MINIMUM. 
You know where you thought you were “honoring” some imagined level you will not allow yourself to go under.  “I am capable of doing 5 ladders of presses with X weight or hitting ____ snatches in 7 minutes with X weight so I will not do less than that because that is my new “baseline”, my new minimum.”

    Don’t set minimums!  And be careful setting “maximums” unless you have peaked for the event. 

    Now can you see how those conscious or subconscious minimums lead to having too many “too hot” training days?

    Your training should live in the “too cold” or “just right” categories because this is where you will recover best, where you will have the best technical execution and (dare I say it) where you will have the most fun training.  That’s right training is supposed to be fun.

    Required reading to get your head wrapped around this is:
Power to the People (info on cycling your intensity)
Enter the Kettlebell
Return of the Kettlebell
and finally Easy Strength
(ES is the best guide to programming your training around and the Easy strength program will make the porridge analogy make even more sense)

    So there you have it a training tip designed to adjust your thinking to your programming.  Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Right and looking out for those conscious or subconscious minimums.

Quick but heavy training today:

Prep - foam roller, primal move

44 kg Get-up x 1+1 x 2 sets

44 kg 2 arm swing x 6 min - Density Training (reps at top of minute - rest till start of next minute)
20 - 20 - 15 - 15 - 10 - 10
90 total reps

Primal move finish