Stones GymI purposely have not tested myself, with either kettlebells or barbells, in about two years. I decided that it is in the heat of the competitive moment, when I am working towards a number or weight goal ignoring fatigue,that I tend to hurt myself and I have had enough of that.At least that has been the case. So I have focused on increasing my work loads and work capacity and have not taken the SSST in either five or ten minutes version or really pushed myself into any real fatigued states.
But the max Vo2 work has given my a lot of confidence in my snatch form and work capacity so I thought it relatively safe to give it a try.I have already snatched twice this week but Saturday is always meet day so today it was.I decided that 80 reps was a decent starting point and should be no trouble so 80 was the goal.
I decided to do groups of 5/5/6 reps per arm with a 15 sec rest bout each minute.I didn't know how low the 16 reps would take me but I thought no more than 45 sec.Turned out be be 4o so I got even more rest.
But the max Vo2 work has given my a lot of confidence in my snatch form and work capacity so I thought it relatively safe to give it a try.I have already snatched twice this week but Saturday is always meet day so today it was.I decided that 80 reps was a decent starting point and should be no trouble so 80 was the goal.
I decided to do groups of 5/5/6 reps per arm with a 15 sec rest bout each minute.I didn't know how low the 16 reps would take me but I thought no more than 45 sec.Turned out be be 4o so I got even more rest.
warmup:
10 mins Z and rifga
16kgx5/5/5x3
20kgx3/3
24kgx3/3x2
pretty cold morning for Cali so I took my time and warmed up slowly.
Five Min SSST with 24 kg
5/5/6x 5 rounds
80 reps in 5 min.
4240 lbs
This was fine although I realized on the last set I should do the 6 rep on the first hand instead of the last,lol. 6/6/6 will give me 90 reps and that will be the next goal.Each rep was done fast and explosively with a solid lockout at the top . With only 5's to do I didn't have to pace at all.As expected this felt just like the MaxVo2 training;only the last 5 sets of a 50 set workout,lol.
The real good news is that I removed the stigma of pushing myself a bit now and gained a ton of confidence in my shoulder and back's ability to run a little hotter than 80% effort.
On to the next test.
2 Clubbell Swipes.
Last time I did these I knew I could do 100 reps, so I figured I would stay on the testing track and give this a whirl.I really have a feel for this exercise and have no fear for my shoulder back or knee so I really wanted to push it a bit.
2 10lb CBs x 100 continuous reps, no choke /PR
5 total minutes
This went great. Very steady pace for the first 70(old PR was 60) and then picked up the pace considerably once I realized that I would make 100 no problem. Strong sprint the last ten. I have always done well with negative split racing and this is no exception.The kbs not so much but the cbs for sure.
I have good leverage here and by just squatting down a bit more I get tons more ballistic force going.Sonnon's Trial by Fire challenge involves 130 swipes, 130 mills EACH ARM! and 130 Hammer swings. I just wanted to nail 100 reps but I might have been able to eek out another 30.Time to alternate the 15's into the mix now and build up to 100 with those.
One arm CB Mills
1 10 lb x50/50 PR
This was tough.Sonnon's Trial by Fire has them doing 130 of these with each arm with the 25's. Thats serious and I have a long ways to go but its another very good move for me and my shoulders love it.50 was just about it for me.These were continuous although I think you can rest the bell in the shoulder park position before continuing and the still count the reps.
I also only took five minutes between the swipes and the mills as well.I will stay with the 10's for the most part till I can do 100 each arm back to back.A little work with the 15 for low reps will make the 10's much easier.
The letting go.
My good friend Doc Rob Muelenberg came to Stones gym today to pick up most of the last of my powerlifting equipment that I have left there.I gave him my 20 year old original glute ham raise, competition bench press,Ivanko 250kg calibrated competition weight set, Crain squat racks,Simons Reverse hyper,safety squat bar, 70# fat olympic, trap bar,dip bar and a bunch of heavy db's.
Nick is only training the barbell squat now and I just don't need to have this stuff collecting dust anymore. So all I need is the power cage and one moveable bench.I also kept 2 texas power bars, an old york olympic bar, 400 lbs of machined york 45 lb plates and 4 45 lb york bumper plates.I would rather make more platfoms whereI can do more kbs and cbs than have these unused items as museum pieces only.I always loved this stuff as it was the last remaining equipment from the World Gym power room . I had so many great training sessions there; the original power dungeon as well as such fond memories of all the great strength athletes that I got to train with and who passed though it. They all left a piece of themselves forever embedded in the steel and iron.
So I was happy to give to someone like Doc Rob who I knew would use and cherish it and appreciate it's history as much as me.
Rob, in total WSB conjugate fashion, jumped in a power meet last month and squatted 925 and just missed 1020 despite not having power squatting in 8 months; just training his strongman panopoly of different exericses.All heavy and all hard.And still Drug free.
I will miss having those bits of my past around a little but letting go of them really just makes me see how much more room there is for the things I am really doing now; kettlebells, the clubs and my bodyweight drills. And how little I need to really have what I want.
Five Min SSST with 24 kg
5/5/6x 5 rounds
80 reps in 5 min.
4240 lbs
This was fine although I realized on the last set I should do the 6 rep on the first hand instead of the last,lol. 6/6/6 will give me 90 reps and that will be the next goal.Each rep was done fast and explosively with a solid lockout at the top . With only 5's to do I didn't have to pace at all.As expected this felt just like the MaxVo2 training;only the last 5 sets of a 50 set workout,lol.
The real good news is that I removed the stigma of pushing myself a bit now and gained a ton of confidence in my shoulder and back's ability to run a little hotter than 80% effort.
On to the next test.
2 Clubbell Swipes.
Last time I did these I knew I could do 100 reps, so I figured I would stay on the testing track and give this a whirl.I really have a feel for this exercise and have no fear for my shoulder back or knee so I really wanted to push it a bit.
2 10lb CBs x 100 continuous reps, no choke /PR
5 total minutes
This went great. Very steady pace for the first 70(old PR was 60) and then picked up the pace considerably once I realized that I would make 100 no problem. Strong sprint the last ten. I have always done well with negative split racing and this is no exception.The kbs not so much but the cbs for sure.
I have good leverage here and by just squatting down a bit more I get tons more ballistic force going.Sonnon's Trial by Fire challenge involves 130 swipes, 130 mills EACH ARM! and 130 Hammer swings. I just wanted to nail 100 reps but I might have been able to eek out another 30.Time to alternate the 15's into the mix now and build up to 100 with those.
One arm CB Mills
1 10 lb x50/50 PR
This was tough.Sonnon's Trial by Fire has them doing 130 of these with each arm with the 25's. Thats serious and I have a long ways to go but its another very good move for me and my shoulders love it.50 was just about it for me.These were continuous although I think you can rest the bell in the shoulder park position before continuing and the still count the reps.
I also only took five minutes between the swipes and the mills as well.I will stay with the 10's for the most part till I can do 100 each arm back to back.A little work with the 15 for low reps will make the 10's much easier.
The letting go.
My good friend Doc Rob Muelenberg came to Stones gym today to pick up most of the last of my powerlifting equipment that I have left there.I gave him my 20 year old original glute ham raise, competition bench press,Ivanko 250kg calibrated competition weight set, Crain squat racks,Simons Reverse hyper,safety squat bar, 70# fat olympic, trap bar,dip bar and a bunch of heavy db's.
Nick is only training the barbell squat now and I just don't need to have this stuff collecting dust anymore. So all I need is the power cage and one moveable bench.I also kept 2 texas power bars, an old york olympic bar, 400 lbs of machined york 45 lb plates and 4 45 lb york bumper plates.I would rather make more platfoms whereI can do more kbs and cbs than have these unused items as museum pieces only.I always loved this stuff as it was the last remaining equipment from the World Gym power room . I had so many great training sessions there; the original power dungeon as well as such fond memories of all the great strength athletes that I got to train with and who passed though it. They all left a piece of themselves forever embedded in the steel and iron.
So I was happy to give to someone like Doc Rob who I knew would use and cherish it and appreciate it's history as much as me.
Rob, in total WSB conjugate fashion, jumped in a power meet last month and squatted 925 and just missed 1020 despite not having power squatting in 8 months; just training his strongman panopoly of different exericses.All heavy and all hard.And still Drug free.
I will miss having those bits of my past around a little but letting go of them really just makes me see how much more room there is for the things I am really doing now; kettlebells, the clubs and my bodyweight drills. And how little I need to really have what I want.
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5 comments:
Rif, you're not letting go, you're just paving the way. Congrats on the test day numbers. Your shoulders seem solid.
thanks tim,I'm definitely ready to make space for new things and this seems a good sign.
Progress, evolution and change my friend - you have done what few have done and now you are progressing.
brett,
strangely enough it does feel like progess even though it involves less and less.going backwards to go forwards.
I am so happy to be able to have come this far and get back to not feeling I am made out of glass.When I first met you 3 plus years ago I truly couldnt have foreseen that this was possible.It's just the start too.
Nice job on the snatch test! I know you don't test yourself too often so it's nice to see you do it from time to time!
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