75 lb Military Press,handstands,barbell hack squats, floor pushups, hip sled

VERY solid press workout today. Best yet. I backed off the weight to 75 lbs and really focused on a better position in the rack as well as the overhead.Went slower and really worked the press instead of just trying to 'make' it :)
Definitely had the effect I was looking for much more solid overall.
Shoulder held up fine from the weekend, it had to be the pullups that yanked it last time.

Military press
stick x 10 x 3 + rack stretches overhead
45 x 5 x 2
65 x 5
75 x 5 x 8 sets

 got the bar to actually touch my chest on some of these, that's huge. Looking at this and all these videos, and how good my shoulders feel pressing like this versus with the kettlbell it really stood out to me that the arch has a big thing to do with it.
In these, as well as my powerlifting  bench press I always need a big arch to feel strong and packed in the shoulders. If I don't have that my shoulders KILL< just like when I was benching,
If I lost my arch I could press nothing.
Interesting.
This is almost a like a standing bench press to me and things are really opening up from it.
also got my wrist straighter in the rack position as well. felt much stronger and easier on my left tricep. Haven't been able to do this til now :)

Handstands
5 sets
3 against the wall
2 free

used bosu ball to kick off of. spotted
Now it seems the floor handstand is easier to obtain than against the wall. the bosu ball really helps as well at least for now.Forcing my legs onto the way pushes me into a ROM that I don't have right now.
good to know
Also, note to self, do more stability ball walkouts and pike ups during the work day.

Barbell hack squat
55 x 15 x 2
75 x 8 x 1 ( WOW this was hard on the lower quads!)
55 x 15

solid work here quads especially lower and frontal are growing very well!

Floor pushups
15, 15, 12, 12
medium grip

these went GREAT. Triceps are really showing up too. Feels good to have this muscle back again I've missed it.

Hip Sled
112 lbs x  250 ft x 4 laps

this was strong today. felt a lot of glute work

very very happy with the start of this new buildup. have made solid progress in technique, mobility flexibility,loads and muscle size.
excellent

datsit
neverquit

Sunday Ruck

 Solid ruck today. Upped the pack weight by 2.5 pounds to bring it to 42.7. That's still a long ways off the 55 I will need to carry for the GoRuck Ft Bragg challenge but I have nothing but time :)
Didn't feel heavy at all though and I think I will go up another 2.5 next week and even it out at 45lbs.
Definitely feeling stronger in my rucking these days.
BUT after two hours it's hard to imagine another 2 hours at the same pace,lol.
Little bits at a time, little bits.

I will stay at 2 hours of rucking until I get the pack weight up to 55 lbs, then start increasing the time.
Once I get to a 3 hours of walking then I would start to diversify the long ruck, the overload portion of the process. Just like one does in marathon or ultra training

I could see one workout of 3 hours at 65 lbs ( overload of weight) , one of 4 hours at 55 lbs( flat or terrain) and one at 5 hours ( overdistance/flat ) with a 40 lb load. this is of course a long ways off but having a dream goal like this is exactly what sets these creative training wheels in motion.
Just like the old days

so
two hours
42.5 lbs
13,803 steps
timed the 6th and the 12th lap both around 8 min. perfect
10 sets of iso hold squats 45 sec/set ( deeper than usual and strong.) mixed stances.

solid. tomorrow I back off the mil press to 75 lbs and 6 sets of 6 with pauses at bottom and top position

datsit
neverquit

36 kg One arm swings, handstand practice, 36 kg goblet squat, pushups

Very, very solid practice today. Shoulder has been the best it's been in months since the snatch workout on Wednesday, much enjoying it!
Since  I missed the 32 kg one arms on last weeks schedule I decided to split the difference and go to the 36 kg bell. It was the right move and the bell felt light and I felt strong.  38 degrees in the meat locker, I mean gym this morning but we warmed up fast
Just Glenn Joe and me so it was a fast pace but conditioning keeps getting better all the time so no problem
Felt like I could have done 8's or more no problem after I warmed up ( 5th set)

6 am full stretch and roll

8am
One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 3
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 7/7 x 10 sets
140 reps
11,120 lbs

Handstand practice


this felt better than it looks in the video but it was much much better than even last week. All the restriction is in the serratus and lats but it's opening up. Now, to just get more than one practice a week,lol. BUT I don't want to push too fast.

Goblet squat
20 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
32 kg x 3
36 kg x 3 x 3


these felt the best ever at this weight, and the hop up felt solid. Arms were tired though or I would have done 5's lol depth was solid.

Parallel  grip pushups
4 sets 14, 14, 13, 10

very solid and feeling it mostly in the triceps, where I want to.

ok solid solid day. Adding 2.5 lbs to ruck tomorrow to bring it up to 19 kg 42.5 lbs

datsit.
nevequit

Snatch Vo2 35 sets, walking lunges, horiz pushups, leopard crawls

Tough but interesting day today. Slept well, felt good upon awakening then got to work with a serious headache, Weird. I thought neck strain from Monday's weird workout so I got to work on it but it felt like I was coming down with the flu at one point. A little more green tea more stretching but can only do a bit when I'm working.
Then my shoulder tightened up a bunch and I'm figuring today's snatch workout is a bust and make a mental note to take the pullups out for sure.
One comeback at a time and the handstands and snatches are plenty for now.Don't be greedy.

I always have a wait and see attitude about workouts because usually how I feel going in is NOT a good indicator of how the workout will end up and today was the same,

I also had planned to experiment with the snatches today. I've been studying my old videos and saw that at my best in terms of performance everything was very different then how I've been snatching for a long time.
My stance was closer, my knee movement almost non existant. my arm pretty straight, my head down and I'm leaning over from the start. LOL pretty much totally NON standard according to RKC or SFG but  not so much if you think GS, in particular Valery Federenko

Now I am not comparing myself to him in anyway shape or form EXCEPT that he has a very un orthodox style. Pretty much the same as I described above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avf-7r642H8

and when he's snatching with no fixation ( as I have to do now) it looks even more dramatic


And I put my Oly shoes on, just because they are working so well in my press and I love to wear them.:)
And the shoulder warmed up much nicer than I expected! This felt like a very natural groove for me and it also felt just like the older days.

I had to stop before because it was bothering my back but back then everything bothered my back- I as SO asymmetrical
But this is how I snatched 80 sets of 8 in Maxvo2 style and did my snatch tests. I wasn't thinking about it back then as much, I had to get the numbers done.

It went great and my overhead was better than expected AND my shoulder feels much better now.

Snatch Vo2
35 sets of 7
2 sets of 7 and 1 x 7/7 or the video

very happy with this although I was sucking wind. Definitely at an 8 rep pace  but we were going off the clock, I go, you go so it was fast paced. it felt easy to go fast. Tomorrow will be the tell, how much back is in the AM
I think the heels worked very well as well as the closer than normal stance.It made it much easier to just lean over and still maintain balance. My knees look straight but in reality they are bent about 15 degree- all I need to get the glutes involved.
This is basically my barbell deadlift form

I have a hard time locking my knees out and holding them like that if I want to :)

Walking Lunges
4 laps of 40 steps

these actually felt good, like a good antagonist to the stiff leg snatches.

Horiz pushups
4 x 12, 12, 13, 11

solid. med grip shoulder started a bit achey but as soon as the movement started working it felt fin,

leopard crawls
3 laps of 60 ft

DONE, kicked my ass. the day caught up with me. went right to a nap without eating a thing! lol.

really needed it. Feel normal now as I write this, no flu-ish symptoms and the shoulder feels best it has in two days.

Truth is, I really decide which direction to go, which exercises to try by "thinking" of it and then seeing the physical reaction from my body. When I've made a bad choice the body hurts , sometimes, almost IN ADVANCE!
And, when I've made the right change ( like I feel like I did today) the body feels better, different, almost instantly.

Things keep moving on me which means I have to keep paying attention but I trust that more than anything else these days.
The body is talking to us, we just have to listen

ok

datsit
neverquit.

95 lb Military press pr 5x5, band pullups, barbell hacks, floor pushups, sled

That I made this was a shock. It was a tough training weekend with all the snatches, handstands pullups on Saturday and a strong but hard ruck yesterday. Felt pretty beat up today but the energy was good. Shoulders and traps were pretty tired and sore so I really had no idea how this press day would go.

I was hoping to take 95 lb for a ride and hoping a little more I could get 5 x 5 with it but as soon as I started to warm up I had my doubts. Shoulders were TIRED and tight. So I really took my time and did a lot of light warmup sets and just went one set at a time.
Turned out pretty well :)

A decent roll and stretchout this AM and even got some stack up work with my feet on a high box and holding the hip over position for 10 seconds or so.Really like this drill and will do it more often


Barbell press
stick x 15 x 3
bar x 5 x 2
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 3
85 x 2
95 x 5 x 5! PR
these were really tough.especially the first rep of each set. Once I got that the rest were pretty easy but it felt heavy today. After the first set I thought I'd be lucky to get 3 sets of 5. After the third I though the same and was planning on 3 rep for the 4th set. But it got better and if I did 4 sets I HAD to try 5 ,lol
I go it but it was hard.
Definitely time to back off and rebuild.Plus I travel in two weeks and I need to taper for that too.probably 70 lbs for next week and work on a better rack and overhead lockout hold
But I'm happy.

Pullups purple band
These were ok but I have to figure out where to put the band. On an individual leg seems to offset  my weight with its elastic pull and I think my back doesn't like that. Plus I shift at the top a bit too. Switched feet on the band and it helped a little but not enough.Both feet thru the band?
I also need to stop doing the tactical pullup and do my chest up lat pullup. it mimics my press plus,more importantly, it didn't bother my shoulders as much.
The bottom hang, though, felt great!

Barbell Hacks
4 sets 15 with 55 lbs

these felt great. Time to bump the weight soon.

Floor pushups, close hands
4 sets of 12

My shoulders were fried in the front lean and rest position but as soon as I got repping the triceps took the load and they felt better! Triceps are really coming up too and I like that.

Hip sled
112 lbs x 250 ft x 3 laps

NOW I'm tired. done!

that was a great weekend of training but I definitely need more stretch time

datsit
neverquit!

Sunday Ruck : Outside of time

I've been messing around with so many devices trying to discern exactly how far and fast I am rucking on Sundays that I really just wanted to 'go for a walk' instead of constantly taking measurements, and comparing and contrasting which device might actually be accurate.

So today that was just what I did. Got a solid 45 min stretch out in and then got the 40 lb ruck and went to walk. Just carried my phone that would track my steps. That and total distance for time was all I wanted.

I didn't even time my laps :)

I just wanted to get in the flow of it and I did and it was great. Nice cool slightly overcast morning, perfect for rucking.
Even did my laps walking in the opposite rotation of normal.That was actually weird at first, then better. I've been doing left hand loops forever. Today right hand :)

Without having to think about time I just got into my body and felt it. AND it felt faster, The pack actually felt light for a change. That's different. Especially after all I did to myself yesterday.
Slept a little rough( shoulder and neck) but I think I was a bit dehydrated too. But it all unwound quite nicely right after I got on the floor.

But the main thing was getting back to that mind space I used to feel when I ran, especially for long distances. Just getting "out" of the mind and letting the body go. Such a free feeling, that I could walk/run forever without getting tired.
 The reality is some parts of the lap are faster than others, or slower; some laps are faster or slower, depending ALL on how I feel.Trying to go too fast and not just key into what my body is at that moment is just asking for trouble.

Ruck
1:55 min
12 laps
40,2 lb pack.

11 30-45 sec iso squats one each lap

then , just for fun

pullups with purple band
4 sets of 5,5,3,3

didn't feel bad at all. This has be done as well as the handstands and snatches. I will get my pullup back , too.


BW 161.4


This wasn't that long ago



datsit
neverquit

24 kg Snatch, Handstands, Goblet squat pyramid,clubbell arm cast, leopard crawls

Had hoped to get more overhead stretch time in this morning before training but got caught up in the BodyMaintenance manual and time got away from me. Still I felt good going in but haven't snatched first thing in the morning in forever, so I  took my time warming up.

Was super tight as usual but I thought that things would open up as I got heavier and they did. Not even close to perfect,especially on the right but definitely better than I expected for my first time back with the 24.

One arm swing warmup
16 kg x 5/5 x 3

Snatch
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5 x 5
24 kg x 5/5 x 5 sets

not bad at all. experimented with head up, at first, then a few sets with head down ( old technique) and not quite sure it made that big a difference .head up for sure on the left, not decided on the right.

Handstands
Kickups with spot


this went SO much better than I expected! It gave me hope, a lot of it! I was planning on only doing stack ups at first but when I did the first few sets I realized I could do a spotted handstand and it worked. First time I felt weight full on the hand so I knew I was on the right track.

Then tried some against the wall. Not quite as good but hell, I REACHED it!


this gives me a lot of hope

Goblet squat
20 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
28 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
 strong and deep!

 One arm clubbell casts
10 lbs x 10/10 x 2
15 lb x 10/10 x 2

these went well. glad they are back in the mix

Crawling
2 laps of 70 feet ( pr for distance)

 these went well, was more tired than I expected from the snatches but all in one piece!
I think we might  alternate snatch vo2 with 24 kg snatches every other wednesday. that might be a strategy. definitely NOT going to snatch twice a week!

Ok ruck march tomorrow with 19 kg! No futzing around with the devices, just ruck!

datsit
NEVER quit.
NEVER>