KB Press PR and 3 in a row.

I must be on some kind of roll; the kind where you feel completely unsure of what's going on but end with a pr or an quantum jump in performance from where you've been in the last group of workouts.

Saturday's snatches were like that as were today's presses. Crazy stuff.

Not that I didn't feel good going in today, I did. I got in my hour of stretching at 6 am and everything opened up fine. I've been including barbell power snatch patterning( using a stick) in with my overhead and behind back stick stretch work and it's a blast. I've done a 70 kg barbell power snatch back in the day and I have a good groove for that move.

Now squat snatch, that's another story but this still feels good.

Felt good also warming up for the presses. Had it in the back of my mind to do ladders with the 28kg thinking a five rep top set was possible.As far as I can recall my best ever effort with the 28 kg was for triples a few months or so but I don't think I've ever done more than that.

Last weeks 5/5x5 long cycle clean and presses were so easy I thought it was a 16 kg and that's exactly how I want to feel before upping the weights and reps so I had some confidence. But at 8:30 am I am not always really warmed up and I only have 55 minutes to train; have to choose between rushed or tired ( end of workday training).Rushed is better but I have to be careful.

But today felt good. I started with two hand swings with the 16 to warmup as our fake summer has turned pretty quickly to fall and it's cold in the am now. Then some one arm swings, into rep cleans, and a few sets of cleans themselves before starting the ladder.

Short cycle clean and press

16 kg x5/5

20 kg x4/4

24 kg x3/3

28 kg x1/1

x2/2

x3/3

x4/4

x5/5 PR!

Nice. I've never done more than 3's here and these were easy. Very easy.Now the clean almost killed me but that's another story in a bit. I've got my groove in the press pretty well dialed in now and today's little detail really put the finishing touches on it.

Normally I flex my lat right before the start of the press, then I push back on the contact point between the bell and my wrist as I drive up and out similtaneously. works great. but today I reaally concentrated on lifting my chest AS I did both of the above and the bell just flew up.

Very much like my start in the barbell bench press where I could really get some acceleration off the chest.A real key point to me to insure a strong lockout. Part of the lats function, with the origin( spinal area) fixed is to create lumbar/ thoracic extension and this helped my pressing tremendously,as well as put the final piece into my puzzle about the timing of my start.

Just think GS tempo press without the tempo.

But the clean tweaked me a bit.Everything up to the 28 felt perfect. Then I must have let my knees drift forward a bit on the first rep and felt my left adductor say hi! a bit. Knowing never to push things I put the bell down after the left arm single and assesed things. As usual the site is not the source and I did some work on my left hip rotators when calmed down the adductor but I was not happy.

I've been trying to 'squat' my cleans a bit of late as the other technique was irritating my left shoulder a bit, lol. Can't seem to win here! things went fine for the rest of the five sets but I did not have my full attention on the presses praying that I didn't wreck anything trying these.

I never know when something is just going to say NO WAY.Not today son.

But it made the press PR just a bit brighter.

As did Tracy when she asked me after my presses " do you have a weak side ?" LOL. well actually I have a strong side and a stronger side. It's the only thing on my body I can say that about. I've been pressing something consistently for the past 40 years and it's the most natural thing my body does.

Three in a Row.

Handstands. To a gymnast, in order to really say you can do a move, you must be able to do it at least three times in a row without a miss. One time, well, that's just luck. Being able to do it two times in a row is close to "owning " it but three times is the number.

At least it was for me growing up in my gymnastics practice and with handstands this is harder than it seems. I've been practicing my handstands more and more of late but I reverted to using the wall to find my center of balance as my groove was nowhere to be found.

Last weeks attempts to kick up freely in the center of the mat felt short, I could get there but it took 2-3 shots at finding the center. SO I started on the wall today

Wall touch handstands

3 sets 10 seconds

just a quick foot touch for proprioception than onto the free handstand. Easy

Free handstands

THREE IN A ROW, 10 seconds each.

Nice! easy too. My upper body mojo continues.Could really feel the strength in my shoulders and all the overhead flexibility work is really paying off. right shoulder ROM is the best it's been in 15 years or more.

KB Lunges( bell in left hand)

16 kg x8 x 3

20 kg x8

24 kg x8

these really felt solid. adductor felt fine too. thank God.

Datsit. 55 minutes. Tomorrow is Swings and Carry's my new mid week workout. All kinds of variations of swings ( two hand, one arm, transfers, high pulls, walking swings) interspersed with all kinds of kb carrys( farmers one arm farmers two hands, rack one arm, overhead)

Of course I've decided to train outside a bit, just in time for winter.