Easy ruck start back

Neck and t spine were pretty tight after yesterdays training and all that plane sitting. Got through and surprisingly strong 4 laps in the ruck with 45 lbs and my legs felt loose and strong. strange.
After the ruck i spent 30 + minutes doing serious super nova ball body maintenance and lots of front panel release. Pulling me into flexion big time

I didn't want to do the ruck my neck and upper back were that tight but I thought it would be better after and it was

45 lb ruck
6 laps
42 minutes
8 min per lap average

BW 63
BF 10.9
W 58.?

this will be interesting as real training resumes
No creatine  yet

datsit
DFQ

Back to work

Back from a wild, short and hard trip to Israel and the SFG cert. Overall things went great; we got upgraded twice to business class and that made the travel easier but it's still a 15 hour travel time not counting to and from the airport and layover time. Basically we were traveling  26 continuous hours or so before we got to Israel
Then of course the jetlag.
But it's not easy at all working 12 hours in what essentially was the middle of the night just a few days ago!

It went great, though. Fabio Ronen and Benny treated me so well and with so much respect it made me feel right at home again.
And I learned a tons of new, subtle but crucial skills from Fabio for the get up and the kb press. really cool stuff.

AND I lost the five pounds I've been trying to.

When I left for Israel I was 167 or so and 11.2 % BF. This morning I was
BW 164.8
BF 9,1
W 59.3!!!

So pre Israel
167 with 148 lb lean and 19 kbs fats
post israel
 164.8 with 150 lbs lean 15 lbs fat

that's just weird as I thought the loss was muscle! definitely smaller

Slept all night last night and felt pretty good today'

Speed swings
22 kg x 15;15
10 reps per arm
12 min
240 reps
11.616

wasn't hard but not easy either. good to go the first five minutes then it got tough. last 2 min were hard energy wise

Walking lunges
3 sets of 40 feet.
knees stiff from not enough stretch and so much standing

Parallel pushups
3 sets of 25
strong

Side delts
3 sets of 12 with 12 lbs
nice and light felt good on the muscle

ruck up tomorrow

datsit
DFQ

130 lb Military Press 8x3,32 kg Belt squat,floor pushups,crawls,side laterals

This was about as good as my press can get. Everything went well, and easy. Using the torque setup with my grip makes a HUGE HUGE difference. I feel like I can leave my fingerprints on the bar!! and that makes the drive phase so much stronger

this was as strong and easy as I have ever done this weight

Military Press
stick x 5
45 x 5
65 x 5
85 x 3
115 x 3
130 x 3 x 8 sets!

32 kg belt squats
4 sets of 15  strong and deep!

Floor pushups
3 sets of 35

solid but not easy

Crawls
3 sets of 70 ft  fast!

Side laterals
3 sets of 12 with 15s

Off to Israel tomorrow to assist at the SFG. First cert back since I left 3 years ago, right after the Israel SFG. ironic a bit :)

datsit
DFQ

Steady ruck , getting back to strong

Very happy to feel my legs loose and strong this morning when I started my ruck. Quite the difference than just on Thursday. And they stayed that way until the 9th lap when they, and I started getting tired. Finished fine though and it capped a good week; I'm on the comeback strength and endurance wise.
Two full weeks after the swing test, not too bad

Definitely took it slow, and I finished up at 2:05 total time. I stopped and chatted a bit and didn't rush at all, these small breaks really let my legs loosen up and stay loose. No timed laps at all

Probably an 8:10 pace

50 lb Ruck
12 laps
11 iso squats
2:05

Finished feeling relatively fresh

BW 167
BF 11.2
W 57 %

so strange still

130 lb presses tomorrow
datsit
DFQ

44 kg One Arm swings, 24 kg snatch practice, bar hacks, weighted pushups, rear laterals

Finally a very strong day! Warmups felt light and powerful and when I got to the first set with the 44 kg it felt very light in my grip. Always a good sign!
Fives are so just the perfect rep count for me; I can be strong and powerful and not have to hold back at all. And the multiple sets give me a "background" of endurance. this is what built the foundation for all those five minute tests and I'm glad to be back to it. It's the base.

One Arm Swing
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
36 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5
44 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets
100 reps
9700 lbs tonnage

KB snatch


The last time I was heavily into snatching I never swung anything heavier than the 32 kg and so the 24 always felt like a big weight to me. Now, after doing 200 rep workouts with the 48 on a regular basis the 24 feels like a toy.
That's nice for a change

16 kg x 5/5
20kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5 x 7 sets

easy. over head position has already gotten better than last week

barbell hacks
65 x 10
85 x 8
115 x 6
135 x 5
145 x 5
strong too!

Sandbag pushups
bw x 12
32 x 12 x 3 sets

strong too!!

rear delts
20 lbs x 3 sets of 12

BW 168.8 WTF!!!
BF 9.5 ( after bath)
W 59.1  ( highest in forever)

I have no idea what's going on, Ate 2500 cals at the most yesterday. 99% clean ( 2 cookies and 1 piece of toffee) and gained 1.3 lbs overnight? Also haven't had creatine for 4 days.
This is officially weird now

long ruck tomorrow.  The plan is to just keep doing what I've been doing and see where this plane lands

datsit
DFQ

Just Ruck

Still not easy. Felt fine getting started but legs are still not light and strong. Definitely got better each lap and speed was good ( 7:45 average or so) but I definitely didn't feel strong

But it got done

45 lb ruck
6 laps
ave time 7:45
55 min total

BW 168 !!! WTF?
BF 11.2
W 57.5

ok both creatine and red meat are out for awhile. they are the only things that have changed I'm not liking this. I don't want to be over 165

datsit
DFQ

Snatch Vo2 30 sets, walking lunges, parallel pushups, side laterals

Back to the world of snatch Vo2. Started out easy with just six rep sets for the first ten minutes, then finished up with sevens for the last five. No problem form felt great. First time, really, in my oly shoes and I was focused on being as efficient on the lift as possible, not going for the deepest hinge, etc,. Performance efficiency, not max power.
Hands felt great as did shoulders.
Back to sitting on the stability ball at my desk and my back feels normal again. Those damn chairs aren't stiff enough seat lately.

Snatch Vo2
15:15
10 min 6 reps per set = 120 reps
5 min 7 reps per set = 70 reps
total = 190 reps
6840 lbs

RPE 6

walking lunges
4 laps of 40 steps
unbroken
strong and easy

Parallel bar pushups
3 sets of 27
strong also

side laterals
3 sets of 12 with 15 lbs

no problem

BW 167.1
BF 11.2
W ?

this seems to be my new range . Not happy but don't want to eat less. I'm eating cleaner than usual too

ruck up tomorrow

datsit
DFQ

video from 2008, very close to my PR of 80 sets of 8 in this 15:15 thing
I love the kb snatch

125 lb Military press 8x3, Goblet squat,floor pushups,crawls, rear laterals

This was so solid. easily the best I've done this weight and probably my best press technique and form yet.This is definitely a better main press for me than the kb

It's all coming together

Military Press
stick x 5
bar x 5
65 x 5
85 x 3
105 x 3
125 x 8 x 3

very strict and easy

A few things; one I REALLY  set my grip; an angled Rippetoe grip and applied my torque to it and didn't have even ONE little bicep tendon twinge the whole workout! that's a first! weight felt light, bar path felt great and man I love triples

Goblet squat
20 x 3
24 x 3
32 x 3 x 2 sets

this is still not the move. felt my biceps way more than anything. Oh well. Back to belt squats. the move was easy enough though

Floor pushups
3 sets of 32

easy and fast

Crawls
3 sets of 70 ft

strong here too

rear laterals
3 sets of 12 with 20 lbs

BW 167
BF 11.2
W 57.3

definitely hydrated. Feel lean and hard.
Back on track

datsit
DFQ

Very slow long ruck

It must be an adrenaline dump aftershock. Everything has been heavy this week and I've been extra stiff and sore.

Today was no exception and the first laps of the ruck let me know it was going to be a hard slow slog. If I made the full 12 laps

Which was in question from the start. And I was ok with that. I'm easing back in and I'm not stressed at all. But I was waiting, and waiting and waiting to loosen up.

And I finally did.
90 minutes into the walk :)

THEN I felt good and picked up pace

Lots of stopping and just letting my legs shake out. during laps and no timed laps at all

50 lb Ruck
12 laps
11 iso assisted squat stretches
2:05 min

BW 167
BF 11.1
W 57.8

Back to the bar tomorrow and 125 lb presses

datsit
DFQ

40 kg One Arm Swings 10x5/5, 24 kg snatches 5 x 5/5, hacks, pushups, side laterals

Ok this felt heavy. Actually I was just sore and stiff. Even at low volumes my body is taking time getting back to this. It's fine, just the price of admission.
Good sleep and stretchoug, Just had to go slow

One arm swing
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets

Good power height and groove. Just stiff

Snatches


these went well too. My hands a bit sore already from Wednesday. Will ease back in slowly here
Good news is overhead position is as good as it's ever been! Way way better than how it was when I decided to stop forcing it and work on flexibility and mobility. Only better from here on too

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

Hacks
65 x 10
85 x 8
105 x 6
115 x 5
125 x 5

easy

Sandbag pushups
bw x 10
32 x 10 x 3

strong

side laterals
3 x 12 with 15

good ROM at top

BW 166.2
BF 10.0
W 57.9
( after bath)

that's back on track. Have no idea is it matters but cutting out the oatmeal seems to have helped ?
Weird

ok long ass ruck tomorrow.

datsit
DFQ

Ruck back

Wow, that was hard Just an hour with just 45 lbs but it felt like I haven't done it in eons. Legs just didn't get into it at all for 30 minutes then loosened up enough to finish.
Yeesh, condition doesn't stay for long does it?

But man it shows you how much work you were actually doing ,lol

45lbs
6 laps
60 min
3 iso squats ( just to stretch the legs!)

BW 166.6
BF 12.7
W 56.3

who knows? 5 gm creatine today

day off then 40 kg swings on Sat

datsit
DFQ

20 kg Speed Swings 12 min, 24 kg Snatch, walking lunges, parallel pushups,rear laterals

Seriously sore from a lot handstand work yesterday, walking INTO the mirror and playing on the TRX. Waay too many attempts and my FOREARMS of all things are cooked. Have to remember my own advice: 1) don't be greedy and 2) make haste slowly.

After all these years of being seriously confined to my workout for my swing goal I have to be very very carreful about introducing too many new moves into the schedule. Especially too fast.
Already guilty of that but I am backing off as we speak.

In fact I probably will stay with the barbell press instead of adding the kb as the bar just works so well. My fear about the handstand is about my lower back, not my shoulders. That serious lumbar curve I've developed is, I realized , in result of my attempts to fix my old back injury. And it did, indeed fix my back.

I was flat back and flexion dominant and I worked HARD to develop a decent lumbar curve which I now have and is reflexive. That rib down, hollow position ( where I lived for most of my life) is not good for my discs and one thing I never want to re experience again is low back injury and the accompanying pain! Not for ANY move or lift

But I think the snatch is probably good to go so I will play mostly with that and the kb press occasionally

Sore overall from Monday too so I went light today

Speed swings
20kg x 12 min
240 reps
10,560 lbs

this felt like the perfect weight and time for breaking back in

KB snatch
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5 x 2
24 kg x 5/5 x2
20 kg x 5/5
16 kg x 5/5

best overhead position  I've had in ages. Probably as good as the best I've done before my shoulders went nuts after my TKR
And plenty to work from too, this is just the start.
very pleased with my overhead mobility progress!

Walking lunges
3 laps of 40 steps

felt like I've never done these before! legs tight and sore from the kb squats ( which I am also not adding in. Going to switch out belt squats with Goblet squats done flat footed AS a squat mobility move

Parallel bar pushups
3 sets of 25
feel solid

Rear laterals
3 x 15 with 15s

4 am BW 168.4!!!!!
         BF 12.9
         W 56.3 !!!!??
1 pm after morning fasting and just green tea and one handful almonds

BW 166.4
BF 10.0
W 57.8

ok this is crazy! no creatine since Friday AND eating super clean all week, and lightly.

ruck up tomorrow, haven't done this in a week + should be interesting

datsit
DFQ

Back to work: KB Press, KB front squat, floor pushups, crawls, side laterals

Took off from rucking yesterday. I had fantasies about 60 lb ruck for 6 miles but I was still in the glow sunday morning when it was wet cold and nasty out and I just decided to stay comfy and enjoy my victory and celebration a bit longer

Today was the start of new things though, finally done with this three year quest. Now onto new( old things) and the KB press is one of them

Started playing with the Cashin clean, Ed Cashin technique of catching the clean with a very vertical forearm , as if in a bottom's up clean position. First try at it for real but it felt very good. Video looks like I have to lower my fist a bit to get it under the chin but it's a great start and the press felt STRONG!
Shoulder too

better angle of it here on this work set with the 24 kg


KB press
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 3/3
24 kg x 2/2
28 kg x 2/2
32 kg x 2/2
24 kg x 3/3 x 6 sets

KB front squat


Wow, the last time I did these my knee didn't bend near as much as it does now yet the technique I used today was from them and it didn't fit. Have to toe out a little more and open the stance up too. I was feeling a little hammy tightness from the handstand kickups ( of all things after that!) but I was being cautious and it shows in the video.
these will alternate with goblet squats too in the future

 2 KB front squat
2 16s x 5 x 2
2 24s x 5 x 2

Floor pushups
2 x 35
1 x 21!!

serious arm death- no creatine for three days ,lol

Crawls
3 sets of 70 ft

Side laterals
3 x 12 with 15's

BW 167
BF 12.8
W 56.3

feel bloated and full :)  time to get to work again

New Monday Schedule
Week A                             Week B
barbell press                      KB Press
goblet squat                       2 KB Front squat
floor pushup                      Floor pushup

good start back

datsit
DFQ

48 kg 5 min Swing test 60th Birthday Challenge COMPLETED

I tested my spirit and it shone through even better than I had hoped! This test was really getting to me the last two weeks. I was getting scared and I couldn't find a calm space in my head about it. It was the culmination of three years of training and preparing; for a goal I really wasn't sure I ever would achieve.

But now it was at hand and I was nervous. The last test with the 44 kg was stinking hard. Very hard and I wasn't sure how the last few sets of this one would go. Especially since I had just change my technique a few months ago. Sure, it felt better in practice but would it hold up? I wasn't sure. Plus I hadn't tapered at all for those other tests, would the taper help or hurt.

Then there was the creatine. It should help my cardio but I would worry it would also cause me to pump up too fast and or cause cramping. Another unknown. Sure this was my first attempt but, to be honest, I don't wan't to do this again :) SO I had to make it this time

I was nutting up pretty hard behind this until I saw an old video my first test with the 36 kg and the headline "preparing to test my spirit with the 36 kg"

YES! This is what it's all about! Testing my spirit. NOT being attached to the result but the effort and the experience. As soon as I got my mind wrapped around that I calmed down and the last two days were amazing.

I was in the zone, calm and relaxed and yet with a very pinpoint focus. As the day proceeded all else faded into the background but the test itself did not take center stage. Just a centered focus on readiness. Mushin. Exactly what I was searching for.

I slept well. My body felt great. My weight was a few pounds heavier than desire but still light. My back shoulders and muscles felt ready.My mind was clear.

I wanted to go into this calm and cool and here it was.

The last speed day workout gave me such confidence and I know I needed to focus on that and not the bell. Just the technique. I wrote this yesteday morning and  this was also key to staying calm. Just focus on the 'launch' technique and nothing else. Do it JUST like a Wednesday speed day.

So I did. Five minutes is so short but it can seem like an eternity at the same time.

Stupid phone ran out of storage after the sixth set but Joe got the whole thing on his which is on facebook if anyone's interested.

It went so well. The first five sets were seriously strong and my wind was perfect. I didn't even have to take off my shirt ( a sure sign I am working very hard as I overheat) . The sixth set was strong but I could feel "it" coming on; the shortness of O2, the buildup of lactic acid in the glutes. The mental doubt.
Seven was strong, and even eight but set nine was very tough, I was double breathing now and I didn't care, I just needed more oxygen. Set ten was sketchy, especially the last few reps but IT GOT DONE!

Three years in the making!
 What a relief and pride!

then I did some handstands and although the overhead wasn't great I could hold myself up no problem with a spot- waaay better than my last attempts when I couldn't even support my weight! this will come back I know it and the military press is the reason.

Swing test
48 kg
10 reps per arm per 15 seconds
10 sets
100 reps!

Mission accomplished and my 60th Birthday challenge completed.

Handstands with spot
about 6 sets of holds

Hack squats
65 x 8
85 x 8
105 x 6
115 x 6

BW 166.8
BF 11.1
W 57.4

ok tomorrow is my Birthday Ruck 60 lbs for  6 miles!

datsit
DFQ

24 kg speed swings 5 min, pyramid to 48 kg swing 1x5, walking lunge, parallel pushups, rear delts

Last workout before the test. It went very well although the creatine has my weight up to 167.6!! this morning despite eating as clean as I have in awhile. Skipped it today but will take some tomorrow but not Friday.
Don't want to worry much about my weight as the test is enough but I would love to wake up at 165 on Saturday morning. If not, no worries.
I also don't want to contract too hard, and pump too early during the test as that will slow me down. Don't laugh, it happens and it's not good for strength endurance stuff like this
I do want to top off the ATP - CP stores for the test but I think between SOME creatine, lots of red meat I've been having and the taper I should be good to go.

I have to keep remembering that this test is a test of my training spirit, and that's all. I would love to get through this strong with room to spare but the most important things are that I get through it uninjured and that I finish.

Everything else is icing on the cake.

Training felt great today and the 5 minutes went through so fast I couldn't believe it. And I went through each set and rep as hard and powerfully as I could. I know it's half the weight but it was a solid mental rehearsal for me

Speed swings
24 kg
10 sets of 10
100 reps in five minutes
5300 lbs

32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 3/3
44 kg x 5/5
48 kg x 5/5

no transfers; parked the bell and re started.
This was just what I needed. Some crisp tight reps with some heavy bells but nothing that tapped my reserves

Walking lunges
4 sets of 20 feet, slow and deep

again, a perfect choice of workloads.

Parallel pushups
3 sets of 15

Rear delt laterals
3 sets of 10 with 15s

BW 167.6
BF 12.1
W 56.8

what I don't get is that if the creatine is holding water why isn't my water percentage higher? strange. But I have never gained any mass from creatine ever before. this stuff is the real thing if increased muscle size strength and power is what you are looking for. Crazy I have to moderate it :)

datsit
DFQ