The Ultimate Training Tool.

Last night was just like the old days, going to bed knowing,dreaming and almost dreading the task I had set before myself for today.It almost seems like it was in another life that I couldn't press two kettlebells overhead(actually press at all!) without my right shoulder locking up for days.

I finally had to accept it and gave up all pressing work for almost three years and did just rehab work instead of the "real" training. Also, since pressing is my cradle gift,polished with almost as many years of practice and training it as I am alive, it was quite a shock when I could no longer do it at all.

But after jacking up the rotator cuff on my already injured right shoulder I knew pushing the pressing was foolish. Besides with snatching I wouldn't miss pressing, right?

Not really but beggars couldn't be choosers and I just sucked it up. Sisu.

I never knew how much I had done it nor how strong I was at it.Or how much I would miss it( and the resulting musculature as well) when it was gone.

So when I got back to the place where I could train the one arm kb military press I was overjoyed, although I kept harboring thoughts that perhaps one day I might be able to do double presses ( which I have never done, all my overhead work was either bodyweight, barbell or dumbells and very little of it at all since I retired from gymnastics).

If I could progress to double presses then why not to double push presses and finally double jerks? Why not indeed?

But I didn't think they would come back so fast when I first did them three weeks ago. Last workout with double 24's felt, dare I say it?, easy. But I was not so silly to think that adding just ten pounds to each bell would be anything like easy. I know better and those damn 28's are big.

And my legs are short. Doing the long cycle thumbs up makes it possible but I still had to press them and that got me up at 2:30 this morning getting ready way too early. Just like the old days,lol. But now I went back to sleep knowing rest is way more important than psych.

6-7 am stretchout

double focus of opening up abductors and hips to get ready for the wide stance and then shoulder work to get ready for the presses. everything opened up well. Basic r phase z mobility drills to start off the day for Tracy's swing class.

8:30

one arm swings

16 kg x5/5/5/5x3

two kb cleans

2 14's x 5 x 2

2 16's x 5

long cycle clean and press

2 16s x 5

2 20's x 5

2 24's x 2

2 28's x2 x 4 sets

The video above is of the first set and the first real life weight PR I've had in quite a while. No asterisk for age or weight, pre or post injury or if the Moon was in Pisces. This was the first time since I quit powerlifting that I felt that " moment of confrontation" that I got so much in powerlifting.The inevitability of what you have set in motion.

You know what you did last cycle. You know what you should be able to do. You know that you've done the training for the weight on the bar, but you have never done it. And now it's time. No where to run, no where to hide. It's like stepping off a cliff, knowing you should be able to fly but never having done so.And you have no choice but to take that step.

Not really.

A leap of faith indeed.

You don't need a barbell, you don't need a kettlebell. You just need You, the Body. The Ultimate Training Tool.

Short cycle press

2 24's x 5 x 2 sets

man these felt tiny after the 28's and felt seriously light! Exactly what I was hoping for. I could have pressed the 24s for eights no problem. And it feels so great to be able to push again and walk away like an athlete and not a basket case, waiting for another axe to fall and lop a bodypat off.

Two Hand Arm Casts

20 x 10/10

25 x8/8

35 x8/8 x 3

wow, the 35 was seriously heavy and my upper body was seriously tired but it was great to have this as a regular workout weight for multiple sets no matter what. You have to own the weight.

One Arm Shield Cast

10 x 10/10

15 x10/10 x 3

Nice change of pace from two hands and elbows were fine.

Tactical pullups

4 sets of 4 chin to bar now, a marked improvement. Each set had 2 reps to throat as well. first time for that.

Great day. Love it.

Datsit. Sisu.