My press is BACK!

 I was hopeful that my shoulder would allow me to press again, after a break of course, and that is exactly what's happened. A different approach to the technique, a decent rest, some solid muscle and corrective work and it looks like I will be able to train my press again without my shoulder  subluxing.

Nice.
More than nice.

Reallly digging out the knots in the elbow flexors made a huge difference as did the band distractions I got from Starrett. It really seems that as I balance out my body, and search for square, plumb and neutral, as I push one part that's "out" IN, some other part goes, "out".

So it wasn't really a surprise to me that as my right shoulder squared up enough to press my left got pushed out a bit and rebelled. But it's just a matter of time before it is all where it should be and everything IS square and plumb.

At least that's the plan

6-7 am

Full stretchout including
 60 TKEs
60 straight leg calf raises
60 100 ups

Really working on rotating the left femur internally A LOT and this has made a big difference in my knee and hip orientation. It's good but very different and will take even more getting used to. But at least my knee is pointing in the right direction for the first time in years. Duh ..

1 pm
One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5/5 transfers x 3 sets


Military press
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5


24 kg x 3/3
          x 4/4
          x5/5 x 3 sets

Nice! I really focused on using the scapula muscles and not just the lats, to pull the bell down and hold it in the rack position. Definitely worked and I had just a few "clunks" in the rack or the press. The weight felt like a joke .

One arm swings
24 kg x 10/10 x 3 sets
28 kg x 5/5 x 3 sets

I hate the handle on this 28kg , fat and slippery. Good for the grip but I don't need too much grip stress as it always radiates up to my shoulder.Time to trade up to the military grade kb I have at noxcuses.

The swings, however, felt strong and easy and I didn't hear a peep out of the groin. All these little tweaks are just signs that I am not in the optimal position and a tap on the head to figure it out fast.


Two hand CB Capt America Arm casts
15 x 10
25 x 10
35 x 10 x 3 sets


wow these were heavy today! They got better each set but that cruiser ain't no joke!


Band rear delts
3 x 20 


Purple band tri extensions
4 sets of  20

this went well. I am liking all the bodybuilding assistance work,I need it.

datsit
Sisu/Never Quit

The revised, revised schedule

With Glenn's help I switched some things up for the schedule. It looks like Saturday AND Tuesday will be the heaviest, toughest days,with Thursdays decidedly lighter. We have two off days between Sat and Tues and only one between Tues and Thurs so it makes sense.

At least on paper :))

Stones Gym is my Cave, my Courage Corner, my Fortress of Solitude. Going inward to see outward.

Saturday
24 kg Snatches  100+ reps
Barbell Deads
Two CB swipes
DB laterals
Triceps / Pbar handstands




Tuesday
KB Mil Press
Swings ( one arm, two hand, H2H, two kb)
Two hand CB Casts/Swipes
DB Rear Delts
Triceps
Floor handstands




Thursdays
16 kg snatches ( 100+ reps)
One Arm CB shield casts
Rack walks
P bar handstands
triceps
DB laterals

24 kg snatches,deads and swipes

What a difference a couple of days makes. Not to mention un-tweaking yourself, finding what you've been searching for in the process AND having a killer workout can do :))

Early this week I tweaked my groin, was aghast when I saw how bowed my knee was and had to deal with a NEW injury and was unsure how it happened or what to do to get it right.
And this is the reason I tape my workouts, it gives you the real feedback of what you are doing whether you want to see it or not.At least if you know what you are doing, technically or mechanically, and it's not working for you, you have a chance to fix it

Many times what you feel or think you're doing is not what is really going on. Now, finding the fix, well that can be a different story.

The groin tweak and the knee rotation were linked, that I knew but how to right it? I've been trying to figure THAT out for years. Literally.

When you have a knee that doesn't track correctly you compensate quite a bit onto stronger side, mostly unconcsiously( that's where the support it) and then it's easy to forget WHERE exactly your real center of balance is.or was.

I've been trying to square my under my hip when I realized, with Glenn's eye and experience, that I had been centering off my foot instead of my knee. If I turn the entire femur internally so that the knee tracks straight ahead( like my right one) then it was easy to find my center.

knee directly under my hip, what a concept. So easy until you can't do it:))But I have to internally rotate the entire femur, not just the knee,to make it happen. All kinds of good things happen then, almost automatically, the best thing is feeling way more square. Nice.

7-7:30 stretchout
 hammies are tight! more hamstring strap work.


7:30


one arm swings
16 kg x 5/5/5 x3


snatches
16 kg x 5/5 x2
20 kg x 4/4


24 kg x 5/5 x 7 sets
          x 8/8 x 1
86 reps
4558 lbs


was being very cautious here; I was just so damn happy to be able to swing the 24 much less snatch it that I didn't mind the low volume. Don't be greedy. Glenn is already kicking my ass and did 7 sets of 8/8. Not bad for a guy that could barely stand up straight seven months ago :))

Deads
135 x3 x2
179 x 2 ( nice jump!)
205 x1
220x 1 x 5 sets

these went great! totally changed my form and set the double overgrip hands first, THEN pull myself down and wedge myself between the bar and the floor with my lats.I feel a lot more leg/ hip start and less back. Much more of an Olympic lifters pull than a powerlifter and that's fine.
 And the internally rotated leg and foot position works perfectly here too.

One of the lessons I learned looking back on my powerlifting career is that I should have listened to my gut and gone to a  closer stance higher bar squat wearing the olympic shoes.I should have used my strong position instead of what was deemed theoretically 'Correct;.
I won't make that mistake again:))

Two Clubbell Swipes
15's x 10
        x15
        x 20
        x 25

these felt great so strong and everything held together perfectly. Glenn noted that this was the only move were my feet stayed perfectly planted.; it's the closest stance move I do :))

Triceps extensions
4 x 20
Bent laterals
12 lbs x 3 x15 reps

these went well and felt very necessary.I need the rear delt work for sure.

100 ups 60
TKE purple band 60 reps
floor calf raises,straight knees 60 reps

feels good to feel good again

datsit.
Sisu/ Never Quit

Light snatch, heavy clubs and rack walks

The adductor/sartorius has been weird and after watching my knee position on the video from Tuesday I have no doubt why it pulled. All the Thai squats I have been doing have been great for my ankle mobility and ROM but my left knee already  externally rotates TOO much and  I guess this all put me over the edge.I HAVE to get and keep my knee directly under my hip.

That, and going way past my knee's ability during this last weekend. I only have so many steps each day in that knee and when I go past that, and keep going , my body compensates in strange ways and this was one of them.

I have to really concentrate on internally rotating my femur and lining up the legs evenly. When I do the 100 ups this happens and when I walk as if marching, but I have to set up for swings ,cleans and snatches that way as well.
I did that today and it worked well. I'm just overjoyed that I could actually train today with no pain. My injuries of late seem to be signs that I am on the wrong path and need to re boot and re direct my thought and or movement patterns. I listen big time these days to the little things as I really don't want any big things anymore.

Done with that.

SO this morning really resetting my hinge pattern, the full stretch out, terminal knee extensions with purple band, calf raises through out the day and  my old hip opening squat instead of the thai squat. Of course lots of foam roller :))

 One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5/5 x 3  ( no pain!)


Snatches
16 kg x 10/10 x 5 sets  easy breezy , no pain.


Two hand CB shield casts
15 lbs x 10/10
25 lbs x 10/10
35 lbs x5/5 x 3 sets

these were way hard but doable and necessary. Needed to handle something heavy to get the strength mode switched back on. I take a week off and all my grooves go to shit.

Rack waks
16 kg x 200 feet per hand x 4
          x 200 feet per each hand x 1
Think March on these, Life is so about walking, lifting things and carrying them.these are the most fundamental things we need to be strong in. Oh yea and putting carry ons overhead:))

Reverse grip band pushdowns
4 sets of 25 superset with 


P bar handstands. 4 sets of 10 seconds

its great to do these in here as my feet touch the ceiling so I can self spot :))

Db laterals
3 x 15 with 10 lbs

these are in. as well as db rear delts . I know they will help stabilize the shoulder plush I like the pump and want more size :))
 Shoulder stayed in the socket for the most part :))

Datsit
Sisu/Never Quit

Back to Practice and Presses.

I was very excited to be able to train again today after last weeks "taper" for this weekends RKC in San Jose. The cert went well but as usual 14-16 hour days on my feet standing, walking, demo'ing and hauling kbs around took it's toll on my knee but I thought I held up pretty well overall. It really comes down to being able to walk well and carry stuff. That's basically the most important function of all ;lift carry and walk :))

Not having to fly made a huge difference but I was still pretty beat up when I got back to work early Monday morning.

Got a good hour long stretch out this morning and set up training with Glenn at 12:30. Perfect.

I even wanted to try out some presses as it seems not pressing really hasn't helped stabilize my shoulder much, although, truth be told. it was the most stable it's been in eons this weekend. Weird.

I've had the kinesio tape off for the last four days or so and the sartorius and adductor felt fine.

But it tweaked again on my last set of clean and press today and it pisses me off. I was really ready to dive head in again. at least on my swings! I taped it up and started over with light swings and it wasn't that bad but I was/ am not ready for rehab mode again .

One arm swings
16 kg x5/5/5 transfer x 3


Clean and press
16 kg x5/5 x2
20 kg x 3
24 kg x 2 x 5 sets ( tweaked on last set !)

 these went better than expected. I really have to activate the press from the scapula to avoid the instability in the AC joint on the left side.right side felt super strong and I had to stop myself from doing way more reps. first press workout in two months so go slowly

One arm swings
10 kg x5/5Ok
16 kg x 10/10 x 2
20 kg x 10/10 x 5 sets

these felt ok ( I taped the adductor and sartorius first) if I really concentrated on sitting back and being square. have to re check my form more now.

Two hand Cb arm casts
15 lb x 10/10
25 lb x 10/10 x 3
Two Hand CB Swipe
25 x 10/10 x 2

just change to swipes to get some more conditioning in. really felt like I didn't do anything in the swings to get my HR up .These did it:))

Triceps extensions
black band x 25 x 4  ouch !


Floor Handstands
4 sets of 10 seconds. strong


ok, I have to figure this adductor thing out now. will play with stance and use the video from the front.

Hey, at least I got a press workout in:))

datsit.
Sisu/Never Quit.

Light week

I always hated the week before competitions. You always had to taper back the workouts which made the waiting for the "peak" even harder as you couldn't dissipate the energy through hard training. For me Certs are competitions as they require a great physical effort for me, 15-16 hour days for four days straight with lots of demos, teaching, schlepping kbs and just ALOT of movement.

So I always try to NOT get tweaked the week out; just not enough time to heal up.SO why I decided to get on the eliptical runner yesterday to see if I could tolerate it I don't know. I know better than to try anything new the week before a cert and specifically the eliptical. Usually it's my back that yells. Today it was my sartorius.

I spent about 5 minutes on the damn thing and it felt great. Easy and strong, FInally I found something my knee would bend enough to tolerate and perhaps I could get some real endurance training in for my legs but I forgot that bilateral stuff just won't work for me.

I have to find something to build up the left leg by itself until it's ALOT stronger before I try too much bilateral work( 100 ups seems to be fine) or my stronger right side just takes over, STILL, and I get out of balance. Doesn't take much; which sucks, but that's how it is.

Felt fine yesterday. Felt fine this morning BUT I had a new 6 am client and didn't have time to do my full stretchout this morning. Or yesterday ( that's just being lazy) and I paid the price. Nothing bad but seriously irritating.The mobility is more important than the loading.

The mobility ALLOWS for the loading. I can't skip or skimp on it.

So half way through my light day of one arm swings with the 24 kg my left sartorius says "hi" to me in mid set with my left arm. SHIT!  And I'm out of kinesiotape! ACK.

I know it will be fine but I also know the workout will suck and I have rehab to do. great.


One arm swings
16 kg x5/5/5 transfers
20 kg x 5/5


24 kg x5/5
          x 6/6
          x 7/2 (tweak)
16 kg x 5/5 
20 kg x 5/5/
24 kg x 5/5 x 4 sets


it settled down but it's not happy.I always try to re establish a normal movement pattern as soon as possible after a tweak to "teach" the cns that's safe to do that movement and to stop spasming the muscle. This always seems to help and did today. didn't plan to use the 24 kg but I was still hoping for a workout.The strain wasn't that bad but it was new and I hate new injuries , they take way more time.

KB Mil Press
16 kg x5/5 x2
20 kg x5/5
25 kg x5/5 x 3

well if I can't swing I might as well press and test my wonky shoulder. what is up with me today? I survived but the left shoulder still doesn't like pressing. I have to play with the move with very light weights and find a new position.

Floor handstands ( no spot)
4 sets of 10 seconds

at least THESE were solid. Best in a long time.

Kinesio tape arrived. I look like a mummy

And I decided to train at home on Tuesdays in the garage after work with Glenn. I will stretch out at 8:30 with Tracy. It has to be
 5:30 PM; full stretchout

datsit.
Sisu/ Never Quit

Snatches and Deads

This new schedule IS going to work.!Excellent. The snatches warm me up perfectly for the deads and activate the same group of  muscles making the pulls even easier. I was a little nervous before hand( as I always am and probably always will be) before deadlifts, never really knowing if I push too far without knowing it and pay the price.
Of course that can happen to me sleeping to so there really is no other option. If I never trained and all and "took it easy" I could still be tweaked by the simplest life activity. I choose to keep trying to get better and stronger and let my body and gut be the guide.

And the gut felt good today.
7-8 am
Full stretchout. back to basics. this is a must as is proper concentration and focus. It's hard to be relaxed ,lol , and one must concentrate.
Spent some SERIOUS time on my left arm forearm flexors last night with the pain ball ( lacrosse) and didn't realize there were SO many locked up triggers in there that went RIGHT to my shoulder. I haven't been putting my time in on the forearms and they harbor so many knots for me and get worked to death in my training and my job.

This helped tremendously but I still have more work to do; as well as not forget that this IS the key starting point when I get bicep impingement in the left shoulder.

I also tested out some new training shoes I got from Rogue Fitness that I sorely need to stand on the concrete floor at my new place of work.The  VFF worked great at Girya and our 1 " hard foam marital arts mats but hard rubber on concrete ain't that and I needed something with a bit of padding.

These are better than expected: a minimalist barefoot type running shoe which also works well for lifting as well. It has a minimal (3mm) heel lift and that is good for me right now as I'm trying to walk and move more from my toes (100 ups) than from my heel.

They felt great for swings, snatches AND deads today. Plus they fit perfectly and I don't want to take them off. Always a good sign.

Snatches
one arm swing warmups as usual ;3 sets of 5/5/5/5 with 16


16 kg x5/5 x2
20 kg x 5/5


24 kg x 6/6 x7 sets
          x8/8 x 1 set
100 reps exactly

These felt great I can definitely see getting my 5 sets of 20 pretty quickly. that's plenty of snatch work for me these days.
The shoes really gripped the ground well and I felt even more stable.


Deads/double overgrip
135 x 3x2
165 x 2
195 x2
235x1 x 6 sets  pr

these felt solid,especially after I stopped trying to "do it right' and just deadifted . the double overgrip REALLY encourages me to crush grip the bar and this always makes one stronger. I also like how I can wedge myself between the bar and the floor with my lats  I feel SUPER locked in and connected to the bar. Nice.

It really is nice to be able to pull SOMETHING that resembles weight and not get hurt :)) It's light but heavy is relative. THAT I know for real, now.

Reverse grip Pushdowns Supersetted with Pbar Handstands
5 sets of 20
5 sets of 10 seconds

these went easily as well and didn't even have a spot for the last ones. bout time.

Super workout today and the right combination of exercises really helps too. bout time for that revelation as well :))

Datsit.
Sisu/ Never Quit

Two Club swipes, light snatches rack walks

I think this schedule is actually going to work and  take care of, FINALLY, after all these years, what to do with the wonky mid week training day.
Trying to balance intensity and recovery ability is always a tough task; actually THE tough task, the only one that really matters in regards to making progress. Too much loading and one goes backwards. Too little and one fails to proceed forward but so often you only know in retrospect how much was too much for that day, or not enough to stimulate progress.

In the end, developing that 'animal instinct' is the real key to treading that fine, and ever moving, line.

Long day, too. Bad sleep and 7 clients in a row. Pretty beat but I knew Glenn would be ready and he was.let the swipes begin!

Two CB Swipes
2 15's x 10
          x 12
          x 15
2 20s x 5
          x7
          x 10
          x 12
          x 15 PR! felt light, too
2 15s x 30!

nice to do these before deadlifting, instead of after. makes a big difference. Hell having a great training partner and being in my cave gym at the end of long work day makes the real difference.

Snatch
16 kg x 10/10 x 3 sets

I forgot these, actually. Glen reminded me that we were supposed to do these first, but I think it was a happy accident as such light weights should finish the workout not start it and we  have to start saturday with 24 kg snatches. was perfectly easy and light. good form refreshment.

Rack walks
20 kg x 200 feet per arm x 2

these are always hard, lol

Triceps bands ext
1 x 50!
1 x 20

datsit.


Sisu/Never Quit.

Swings,2 hand Swipes and some light presses

I think the new schedule/routine is going to workout. One arm swings are a good thing to do early Tuesday AM's when I just have 50 minutes to get all my training in. They don't require a lot of technical focus or mobility :))

6-7 am Full stretchout

man I needed this and lots of time in splits, which have been neglected these past two weeks.
100 ups as well and high strides too. Have to get these in every day no matter what, they really do re set my pelvis and left leg.

8:30 am
One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5/5/5 x 3
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
          x7/7
          x10/10 x 5 rounds
220 reps !

Not bad at all, at least volume wise and I was surprised when they added up to over 200.bout time. I had delusions  of 10 sets of 10/10 but was nowhere near warm enough for that out the gate. Did these on the Olympic Platform and that helped a lot. I hate training on concrete,even if it's covered in rubber. Wood rocks:))

Two hand CB Swipes
20 lbs x 5/5
25 lbs x 5/5
35 lbs x 5/5 x 3 sets

These went very well. I would have done more sets but I was running out of time and had to move on. Felt strong. and was surprised I wanted to do the full swipe instead of the arm cast and get more hip work. a good sign too.

Free Floor Handstands superset Bodyblade laterals
5 sets of 10 sec ( Tracy spotted first two sets for tap off and then on my own)
5 x 10/10 BB lats


DB side raises
1x15 with 15 lbs


KB Mil press
16 kg x 5/5 x 3 sets

shoulder stayed in well. Miss these :(( I will start adding them back in slowly, at the end of the workout.

Heavy Snatch day

Heavy not in a heavy weight but as in everything felt heavy today :))
Still feeling the effects of Thursdays deadlift/swipe workout. It would be ideal to do that one on Wednesday but I'm not sure I would be recovered from Tuesdays snatches either. Ack. Doesn't help that I'm only weighing 71 kg ( 157). I don't mind being this light but it doesn't help my strength.

Perhaps I can DL AFTER snatches on Saturday and do heavy swings on Tuesdays after light snatches? Have to think this out more and organize it better. The Deads aren't heavy per se but they are hard enough to take just that little bit out of my lower back that I need for 24 kg snatches and heavy one arms.

Also dropping my snatch volume to just 100 reps as if I push those too hard I don't have enough left for heavy one arms, which i also want to include. High quality problems though. Last week it hurt turning over in bed and I was freaked out about that, not about whether to do 100 or 200 snatches.

what about



Saturday:
24 kg Snatches
Barbell Deads
Handstands
Triceps


Tuesday
Heavy one arm swings
Two hand CBs
Handstands
Bodyblade laterals


Thursdays
16 kg snatches ( light volume)
Swipes
Rack Walks
Pushdowns/Handstands


that might actually work :))



7:30-8 am stretchout

still being lazy about this. Gotta get this back more seriously.

8-9:15
One arm swing warmup
16 kg x 5/5/5/5 x 3

Snatches
16 kg x5/5 x2
20 kg x 5/5


24 kg x5/5
          x6/6
          x7/7
          x8/8
          x9/9
          x10/10
          x 5/5
100 reps
5300 lbs

The goal for now is to get this to 5 sets of 10/10 reps. That way I will be in spitting range of the snatch test in terms of load and just have to decrease the time if someone holds a gun to my head and I have to take it again :))

One arm swings
28 kg  x5/5
           x6/6
           x 7/7
           x 8/8
           x9/9
           x10/10
90 reps
5670 lbs

hate the 28 kg I have at home, the grip is slippery and is always a bear to hold onto. But it works the hands well. Thank goodness those double overgrip deads didn't pre fatigue them:))

Left knee and hips have been wonky all week and I have to get my ass on the floor for longer times and get things squared away. I will. Have to. The move is over and time to settle in.


Floor Handstands and Triceps Extensions
superset
5 sets of 10 seconds ( one tap off wall) and 5 x 20 black band.


good combo. these felt solid. Finally warming up :)) a balmy 40 degrees again at Stones.


Datsit.
Sisu/ Never Quit

Double overgrip deadlifts and 20 lb swipes.

Decided to go back to the double overgrip deadlift technique to see if I could get  a better "locked in" start position.But this time no "hook" grip either. Just a normal double overhand grip.
That will certainly limited the total weight I can use, which is fine. It also will require a much stronger grip activation which should really help me link up the entire kinetic chain in the movement. Also fine.Better than fine.
 Thank goodness that my lower back has relaxed and feels normal again. It was just the stress of the move, turned inward. I didn't think I was stressing about it but I guess my subconcious knew better.

Stress can do anything and I knew I just had to relax and let the tension unwind and things would be fine and they are.But it is always a bit of terror when my back starts to lock up and surrounding areas do too. Too many horrific memories. When laying down is as painful as standing or sitting you know you are in for some trouble. No respite from the pain. Not fun.

But today I felt good and we started in straight away with the deads as well ( glenn and I) pulled at No Ex and they have great platform with bumpers! the bar was thicker than regulation powerlifting so that made the grip stress even more.

Good. I want my grip to give out before my back these days, :))

Deadlift double over grip no hook
 95 x5
115 x 3
135 x 3
165 x2
195 x1
235 x 1 x 4 singles  current Pr

these felt great. The double overgrip really allowed me to wedge myself under the bar and the floor and really use my lats to pull the bar in as I pushed through the floor and drove my hips.

Really, it's been so long since I pulled for real I can't remember my last, best technique but it doesn't matter anyway as I have to figure out what works for me now, with this body.

Two CB swipes
2 10's x 10 x2
2 15's x 10 x 2
2 20's x 10 x 5 sets!


Nice. I haven't done these in a long time and they were strong. Just as I thought doing the deads with almost double the load of everything else I usually pick up is making all those light things feel REALLY light, :)) Strong is good. But being pain free and able to move normal is better.

thats all the time I had , more tomorrow am.

Datsit.
Sisu/ Never Quit