Last real workout before the knee replacement: Double 24 kg swings.

I remember when this weight for 10 reps was my goal. I remember it very well because it was not that long ago at all. I only recently took up double bell swings early this year and when I did double 16's kicked my ass and double 24's seemed only a dream. Today they were easy and a light day's workout.

I love being able to see progress again like I used to. Do the work, see the result. That used to be the template. For so many years I couldn't even do the work so I didn't expect much progress and I didn't get it! But moving at all was a blessing and I was happy. Now I'm even more happy.

Knee felt good all day and walking was not a problem. Didn't have to wear the brace or the sleeve and that's a change. I'm ready to go for this thing and I have another 6 days to go. I know it will be here before I know it but it feels like it used to feel getting ready for  a meet and having to taper that last week.

You're ready, strong, peaked motivated and you get to do - NOTHING. Until the meet. and you can't even get excited about it or you will overspill adrenaline and not have it when you need it. So I need to stay calm, in the present moment and lets things happen. It will be here soon enough and all will be different forever.

Two bell swings
2 16's x 8 x 2
2 20's x 8 
2 24's x 8 x 11 sets
88 reps
9328 lbs

these started well and went better. The last set ( 10) wasn't perfect so I did another as I needed to finish on  a high note.

Sled drag
60 lbs x 200 ft x 6 - 1200 ft
          x 400 = 1600 feet total

these went well. I stole a technique from one of the PT's at work vis a vis gait mechanics and it works very well.Basically just hold your arms by your side and walk using T spine rotation with no arm drive. It's amazing at how well it activates the leg hip action completely naturally. I incorporated this into my sled work and it was amazing. SO much more power and drive. and i also got to realize just how little torso rotation I actually get when I am walking.

SO much more work to do on gait mechanics and patterning coming up VERY soon ,lol

barbell curls
45 lbs x 10 x 4 sets

light easy day. perfect.

Rickey Dale Crain, one of the best powerlifters of all time, six weeks after total hip replacement on the top of a 14,000 peak. :) All I have to do is fly to Croatia and teach a bit in 9 weeks. :)

24 kg Long Cycle Clean and press

This could be my alltime favorite move. It covers it all; it has the ballistic action of the clean, the grind of the press, upper and lower body and it can be serious workloads if one wants to go that direction OR one VERY heavy max effort grind.

My favorite used to be the snatch but that has changed. Too many tweaks in both my biceps and back has left me gunshy and always holding back. My overhead position isn't stellar at all and I can't rest in lockout like I can with the press. And after watching Tracy and her gs friends really show what can be done in the snatch I realize that our techniques, while great for generating power, explosion and speed are not that great for the endurance side of the snatch and I can't tolerate the GS techniques anyway.

And I can finally clean and press again and I didn't realize how much I missed it!Being able to turn out as I press really allows for me to legitimately compensate for my shoulder and t spine immobilites.

So it is the Swing,Clean and press and -coming soon- the Squat as my key foundation moves.And the barbell curl, of course :)

One arm swing warmup
16 kg x 5/5/ x 3 stiff as a board despite it being pretty dang hot today.

Clean and press,long cycle
16 x 5/5
     x 3/3
20 x 3/3
24 kg x 3/3
         x 4/4
         x 5/5 x 3 rounds
72 reps
3816 lbs

This felt light and easy.My body is finally getting that the shoulders don't 'adjust' anymore on the cleans or the presses. That took awhile. On both counts
It was nice that the 24 kg felt so  light again.It was also nice to be able to painlessly, get in some decent volume to be able to really groove my groove again.
Singles are great when that's all you can do but reps are important too.

Snatch holds
16 kg x 30 sec
18 kg x 20 sec x 3 rounds

Haven't done these in forever. Surprisingly good overhead position as well

Belt squats
44 kg x 20
         x 30 x 2

these felt awesome and got a very solid leg pump and fatigue in both quads.Just tired at this point.Done

datsit.
Sisu/

Beast Mode, Big Pr

This is my last heavy Saturday before the TKR. Next week I'm up with Tracy for her GS meet then three days later everything changes :) So I was thinking I wanted to do something grand, kind a last hurrah for this knee, that although is damaged beyond repair, still has served me beyond the call of duty for the last 39+ years.
But after Wednesday's bail out and gimping around for the last two days to be honest, I didn't think I had anything grand in me at all.
But I wanted to take a shot at the 48 kg again and since I did 7 sets last time I played with it the only logical thing would be do go for 10 sets. 100 reps.
My all time goal with this bell.

Could I do it? I had no idea until I picked it up and even then I wasn't sure as the first few sets felt pretty bad on my left hand grip. But I knew the first set would be the worst and once I got that over it was just a matter of hanging in and doing one rep and one set at a time. In retrospect it wasn't that bad at all.

Here's the last set:


One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5
48 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets! PR
100 reps
10,600 lbs
Bodyweight: 155 


Each set got better and more confident.I took big jumps in the warmups instead of sneaking up on it and I like that now.
Just like in powerlifting the heavier you lift the less energy you can spend getting to the work weight and have to learn how to make big(er) jumps.
It's mostly in the head and if you didn't have the intermediate weights you wouldn't miss them at all. If you want to just build the volume they work great but when the top end is far away you don't want to waste too much time getting there.
 The swings were faster, higher and less hesitant.My mind was solid and didn't go off wandering into fear or doubt. No thought,really. Glenn went, then I went, then Glenn went,etc. I stopped thinking " this is heavy" and just swung the damn thing. :) Better late than never.

I don't know how long til I get to swing it again. Perfect timing,actually.

Two Hand Swings


 sets of 5,6,7, 8,9, 10

Beastmode indeed. No warmups just went. It was easy and strong.

Barbell curls
45 x 10
65 x 5
75 x 5
80 x 5 pr



this was PR as well and felt really solid too.

Back press
 double red strands x 8 x 4 sets

just strong today.:) good timing.

Even though I am loathe to go into surgery now when I am at the peak of strength that I have been at in more years than I want to count it really is the best time. I am fit, lean, strong, healthy and have reserves that I will need in the coming months. I will just be back much better and much stronger than this.
A good jumping off place. Much better than going into this surgery and recovery weak or sick or in bad health.

One more workout on Monday and then off to the races!

datsit.
Sisu/

Stepping back

Really, falling off. My left knee locked up, again for no damn good reason, an hour an half before the end of work.So weird. The entire  morning was great, no pain. no gait issues, stretched out etc. Then BAM.
Good thing I'm cutting this one off and getting a new one or I'd rip it off myself as frustrated as I am with it lately.

Thought that training would help re set it but not today. Been having a slew of great sessions, I guess I was due.

Two kb swing
2 16 x 5 x 3

no go. My knee did not like the wide stance today. Glenn worked on the hamstring and origins of the inner hammies were LIGHTING up! Ok I  know where to work tonight

Two Hand swing
16 kg x 10
20 kg x  10
24 kg x 10 x 10
          x 12, 14, 16, 18 ,20.
180 reps
9540 lbs

ack. that sucked. Light and boring.Narrowing the stance helped a lot. brace on, brace off, brace on brace off. Nothing worked

Sled drag
2 x 200 ft

No go. Need no likey.

barbell curl
55 x 8 x 4

back press
black mini band x 4 x 15

need to do some serious roller work tonight.

datsit
Sisu/

32 kg Press first in two years.

I looked back to when I last pressed this bell and was a bit shocked to realize it was in September of 2011! That's a long time away from a weight I don't consider heavy :) But I guess it is now because I don't press it a lot. Good reasons to not do so but there are the facts.

But the shoulders are staying in the right place, recovering from the workouts and doing very well. Last weeks foray into 5's with the 24 was very encouraging as well as the previous weeks work with multiple sets of 2's with the 28 kg.It wasn't very long ago at all that I was happy to do some singles with the 24 kg again :) Hey, a press. ANYTHING :)

Since I only have a few more workouts to get in before I head into surgery and who knows how long before I can train heavy again I thought it might be nice to play with this puppy today.If I could :)

KB Press
16 x 5/5 
     x 3/3
20 x 4/4
24 x 2/2
28 x 1/1
32 x L miss/ R
     x 1/1 x 4

5 sets with the 32! nice. the first rep miss was just a mind tweak. I didn't get or stay tight and did exactly what I tell students that amateurs do when they try to press heavy: PUSH the weight up , instead of pushing away from the weight. So the bell spun out, I cleaned and tried again but the same thing happened. I transfered over and  the right side went up without a hitch.

Second sets was much better as I got my head focused and corrected the tension mistakes. Had to root harder and really get my lat tight to launch it.

It wasn't strict but it was solid. And I didn't break anything. Very important.

Snatch
16 x 5/5
20 x 5/5
24 x 5/5
     x 6/6
     x 7/7
     x 8/8
     x 9/9
     x 5/5 x 2
90 reps
4770 lbs

These felt light, but it was hard cardio. Haven't snatched the 24 hardly at all lately and certainly not for volume after pressing . but I needed it


Belt squats
40 kg x 20 x 4 

these finally felt strong and good again and knee felt as solid as it has in weeks on these.Can't wait to be able do these much deeper in the coming year!

datsit.
Sisu/

The Magic of the Kettlebell

When I found the kettlebell I had been playing with barbells for well over 20 years. After a short stint as an endurance athlete I used the barbell extensively with my 8+ years as a bodybuilder and then another 13 years as a powerlifter. Because, if you make a lift,especially a PR there seems no logical reason NOT to put more weight on and try again. You made it didn't you? And one will continue to add weight, until they can't. Which usually means one gets injured or your progress gets stalled.

I truly believe it's important to build baseline strength with the kettlebell FIRST, and then the barbell. Maybe. Depends on one's goals but even then it has to be used as a tool to help your primary goal OR it can sneak up on you and exact all kinds of vengence on one's knee's, back, shoulders and neck.. No fun. Especially if you are just an regular person, not a competitive athlete whose main goal is basic fitness; tone, fat loss, body comp changes and basic strength for life.

So for most people I think the kettlebell has the true magic, and just ONE kettlebell at that. I was never happy with the foray from single kettlebell work into double bells for beginners.Part of the magic of the kettlebell is in using it one at a time, asymmetrically which BUILD stability and symmetry into the system. Without having to try.

Plus you don't need that heavy of a bell, either. If the 24 kg was enough for the Russian Army it should be enough for most of us, especially after age 50.

Now I'm a knuckledragger at heart so if I can I like to play with the bigger bells(especially since I haven't been able to for forever) but they ARE'NT NECESSARY for basic fitness, which is what hardstyle kettlebell training will give the average and above average person.

I just got off the phone with Geoff Neupert and he agrees and thinks much of the magic lies in it's ability to challenge the vestibular system. Every time we hinge we learn forward and activate our bodies righting reflex.This makes us much stronger, more balanced and with a more stable core with every swing, clean or snatch rep.You can't get that in the same way with the more linear barbell movements.

Plus add in the unbelievable hand/grip work with it's direct link to the rotator cuff, shoulder hip and abs. So many great things from one simple piece of iron.

Since we went so heavy last week it was time to step it down a bit so I chose the 36 kg for sets and reps and it was the perfect choice. PLUS, usually this bell challenges my left hand grip like almost no other. But not today! big grip breakthrough.

The kettlebell is my future, the barbell my past. Can't wait to see what new things I will be able to do with the bell once my knew knee is healed.

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5  x2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
36 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets
          x 10/10 x 1 sets
120 reps
9600 lbs

these felt the best ever and bell speed and height were solid. Not a pr but I've never done 10/10 with this weight.

Dead Stop Swings
52 kg x 5/5

wow these were a bit tough being tired. I donated a unit of blood yesterday for my upcoming surgery and that didn't help endurance today :)

Barbell curls
45 x 8
55 x 8 x 4 sets

Back Press
 knotted black mini band
5 x 12-15

these worked great. just the right amount of tension

datsit
Sisu/

My knee replacement

It's official. On Aug 21 I will get a completely new left knee. My knee got destroyed in a tumbling accident in 1974 and reconstructed right after. Rehab and strength training in those days was non existent so my knee never got beyond 90 degree of ROM.Add in 39 years of high intensity training and it became the arthritic non functioning piece of shit that it is today.

I was told I should have had it done in 2000 but I just wasn't ready to believe that I couldn't find a way, without major surgery, to get it work well. Now I am. It's not me it's the joint and it's just broke down and no rehab or mobility regime is going to fix that.

I can't wait to be able to walk without thinking of every freaking step, climb up AND down stairs like a normal person, train my legs, ride a bike, squat down with both legs. And the list goes on. This will not only be a game changer but a LIFE changer for me. Can't wait.

And I still plan on travelling to Croatia to teach the SFG cert nine weeks later.

Let's Rock.

Double 36 kg swings. low swings :)

Well this was a serious PR. Of sorts. A definite personal best in the sense I have never held two 36 kg bells in my hands and tried to swing them but they are pretty LOW swings, lol. And that's quite ok. Better than ok; especially how shitty I felt on Monday.I didn't tweak anything, they actually felt pretty solid in my hands and I probably should have done a few more reps to gain more momentum and get a bit more swing height.

But it doesn't matter. I will next time and this time will make me stronger for the next. and the next,etc.Even if the form isn't perfect just handling the weight makes me stronger. It is, after all, MORE than my bodyweight. By just a few pounds but it is. That ain't nothing.

Two kb swings
2 16's x 5 x 3( slow warmup)
2 20's x 5
2 24's x 5
2 28's x 5
2 32's x 5
2 36's x 5 x  3sets Pr!
2 32's x 5
2 28's x 6
2 24's x 8
2 20's x 10
2 16's x 12

this was a GREAT practice!

Sled drag
60 lbs x 200 ft x 7 laps
1400 ft no problem 

this felt better each set. Just a strong day.

Barbell curls
45 lbs x 10 x 3 sets

Back press
single strand x 15
double strand x 8 x 2
black strand x 10

single is too easy and double too hard, really. used the black monster mini band, knotted it and jerry rigged it. Just right.

seriously good day for a change

datsit
Sisu/

ack.

One of those days. The new brace is doing it's job and pushing the valgus knee inward but it's also putting things in positions they haven't been in in years, if ever and my ankle and soleus ain't liking it. So I went braceless today and went back to the rolling, stretching routine I've been doing for the last year + that let me walk so well up to now :)

It will take some time to adjust to all these changes but today was just tough.Still not sure if the pain I knew is better or worse than the pain I don't know. To wear the brace or not to wear the brace, that is the question.

Well let the surgeon I see tomorrow decide. First consult to see who get to surgerize my left knee and give me the bionic replacement :)  But today was  no brace at work or the workout although I almost didn't make it through the session. Left ankle would just not cooperate for the first 40 minutes or so, then it settled down and things felt normal again. Well, my old normal weird.
What can I say?

KB Press
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 3/3
          x 4/4
          x 5/5 x 3 rounds
72 reps
3816 lbs

the presses were better than easy but I had no base. My ankle/knee wouldn't  settle down for most of the work and it was just not comfortable. Good news was that the shoulder was fine and the presses were nothing. Wanted to do some heavy cleans after, which will be the new second lift but today was not the dya to start it.

Snatch
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5
          x 6/6
          x 7/7
          x 8/8
          x 5/5
          x 6/6
          x 7/7
88 reps
3872 lbs

Everything felt easy and hard at the same time. Hard to stabilize and find my glutes,which were not at home at all in this, but the weight felt like nothing. Just get through this one.

Belt squats
40 kg x 20 x 3 sets

just dead now. Knee ok, hoping this would push re boot, and it did to a large extent but just beat now.

datsit
Sisu/

live to fight another day. Can't wait to see the Doc tomorrow. I don't think I've ever thought or said that in my entire life. But it's true now.

48 kg One arm swings , more pr's

Wanted to go back to the 48 kg today for multiple one arm swing sets but wasn't sure I could grip the bell well enough and I didn't want to strap it up again. That didn't work that well as my grip was actually too loose and I overloaded the elbow flexors too much. Didn't want that happening with the Beast.

The finger is healing very well and I didn't chunk out as much as I thought but I haven't worked that hand fully closed, really and that finger is my main pull line of force. So it would either work or  I would have to go lighter. Either was ok.

One arm Swings
16 kg x 5/5 x2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5 ( big jumps again :)
48 kg x 3/5 ( grip a bit shaky
         x 5/5
         x 5/5
         x 5/5
         x 5/5
         x 5/5
         x 5/5
68 reps! 
40 kg x 10/10 x 2 Pr
10,728 lbs

I've only done 30 reps max in the past so this is humongous pr! had my hand been normal ten sets would have gone no problem but we were all pretty  beat by the 7 sets! My grip kept getting stronger each set as well. This was a quantum leap forward. Once you break a barrier you thought you couldn't do lift a certain weight, run or ride or swim a certain distance it changes everything and from then on it's a different challenge. You KNOW you can do it. That and more and the challenge becomes building from there up. Sweet. Haven't gotten to experience this in SO long.

The guys finished up with 2 sets more with the Beast doing 10/10 so I kept up with the volume with a slightly lighter weight although this too was a Pr. I've never done more than a 5 rep set :)

Two Hand swings
40kg x 10 x 3
        x 20


I did twenty on the last set instead of two sets of 10/10 for two reasons: 1) because Joe and Nick did sets of twenty and 2) I was BEAT and didn't want to do two sets of 10's. that would have been harder.
Didn't know Joe was taping it; I tend to get noisy when it's hard but it's a good set.

Barbell curls
45 x 10
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 3 Pr!

Love this move!

Awesome freakin' workout!

datsit.
Sisu/

Any port in a storm.

After doing my best to lop off the tip of my middle finger last night while cutting veg for my stir fry it was  not exactly certain that I would make my workout at all today. It took forever to get the wound to stop bleeding( it was a nice chunk, not a slice) and when we did ( thank you my bride for helping me :) It was wrapped up like a sausage most of the day.

I schlepped kbs all morning as part of work so I knew I could hook grip the thing and get some kind of training in but I had no idea how heavy I could go, or SHOULD go :) I didn't want the thing to start spurting blood again!

I considered just doing right arm swing work but thought I could get some double work in, as scheduled.

Things went great on the warmups, up until double 24's when I realized I just couldn't get that middle finger to grip the bell enough to hold. Then I realized I had a pair of lifting straps hanging around and thought why not?

I actually have been toying with the idea of using straps in my workout to take the grip out of the equation and be able to handle more weight for more reps and sets and not have my grip be the limiting factor. Perfect oppportunity to test it out.

Double bell swings
2 14's x 5
2 16's x 5
2 20's x 5
2 24's x 5
2 28's x 5 x 10 sets

this worked pretty damn well, all things considered The straps helped for sure but I could still feel the lack of grip working it's way up to the shoulder and that's no good. The hand is the direct connect to the shoulder and the stabilizing force of the rotator cuff ; take it out of the equation with caution.

My original plan for today was double 36 kgs but that was definitely out of the question but this was a solid compromise. Any port in a storm indeed

Sled drags
60 lbs x 200ft x 6 laps

these were good but I actually felt better without the brace, and gait was better than with it! With no load the brace helps tremendously but with the sled it didn't! What's that about? it was a balmy 90+ degrees and muggy as hell so there was plenty of work done. decent pace too.

Back press
double strands
3 sets of 10!

these went well, so much stronger and am close to getting them in position myself. SOMuch better than when we first got them!

of, that's it. time to change the bandage and get some chow.

Sisu/

Good but different: Adapting to neutral

It's been a strange few days since I got the brace. Good and not so bad. Lots of physical changes occurred very quickly after I put the brace on and their is some quick adaptation happening. Virtually overnight, the resting and working positions of my left foot, ankle, knee and hip are VERY different.
The support I get in stance and gait patterns is VERY different. Good yes but very different and certainly parts are saying 'hi'.
Like my left ankle for instance which is now not everting and supinating like it used to be and the medial part is working way harder than it has in years. No pain but a very different loading pattern.


And my CNS is getting overloaded in a strange way as well and even though I feel very strong I'm tired. Which makes sense but has to be dealt with. All this from just a brace! What will happen when the knee is replaced? Muscles and patterns that haven't worked well for years are turning on now and it's upsetting the apple cart!

As I said, good, but different.
Plus the brace doesn't fit my ,ahem, 'uniquely' shaped left leg perfectly so I have to play with it to get it to work optimally.Not bad but I did something wrong last night and knocked my fibula out of place for more than a few hours. Lovely :)

But I feel strong and THAT'S good!

KB press
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 3/3
24 kg x 1/1
28 kg x 2/2 x 7 sets !

Each set felt better than the last, more grooved and faster  but it was a slog, that's for sure. Just going on will and momentum.

KB Snatch


missed my  24 kg snatch workout last week as I didn't want to push it that much after the knee locked up so I had to do it today, and was open to NOT doing it if warmups didn't feel good. But they felt great so it was a go

snatch
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5 x 5
50 reps

after spending all this time watching Tracy do her incredible snatch numbers I thought it might be fun to try to at least minimize my ROM in my snatch technique. Still squared up hardstyle but try to shorten the stroke as much as possible and still keep enough power and speed on the bell.

This worked very well; basically a stiff legged affair you see in the video but I can already feel that my back doesn't like it. Too much of a hinging just off that , with little or no shock absorbtion from the legs hips and glutes.
Just like Hardstyle in general; more ROM but safer with more power. More work for me but oh well:)

Belt squats
36 kg x 20 x 3 sets

very interested to see how the knee felt here. Wow. SO stable and easy. Plus I could actually lock out at the top and FEEL the quad keep working!normally I do a 3/4 lockout to keep tension on the quads and because the knee did not like locking out on it with weight. So much different but stronger and better.

datsit. I'm tired.
Sisu though. Sisu.

The Bionic Knee, the Start

Got my brace on Friday and took it off to sleep grudgingly :)
This thing fits like a glove and immediately gave me a level of support that I haven't felt in that leg in forever. I only wore it three hours the first day as I thought it better not to push it too much ( knowing me) and was still a bit worried that I would wake up jacked up for no good reason today but it wasn't the case.
My leg after three hours in the brace felt straighter and stronger than before and held it through the night and into this morning!

The only down side is I cannot foam roll in it :) Hopefully I won't need that as much now anyway. It's called an unloader brace and that's exactly what it does; unload the medial side of my knee where the arthritis mainly is  by pushing my valgus( bowing) knee inward.The outer brace provides the support my knee is supposed to and wow, what a difference!

The upper and lower cuffs link up with each other and provide the structural support the knee just doesn't have. This is great news. I can feel immediate pain relief as well as better gait and knee mechanics already. It also provides support when I'm standing with the knee locked out which I also haven't felt in eons.

Of course I had to swing in it and it worked great there as well. Heavy day today again, 44 kg for sets and reps!

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5( big jumps now!)
44 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets ! Pr
100 reps
9700 lbs

these were tough. I was distracted this morning in a lot of ways, not only the knee and the brace but felt very strong. that's how I got through these, just strength but the knee and everything else held together well.
this was way more swings than I have ever done with this weight and I was a bit concerned about the aftermath but things feel great now.

Two hand swing
44 kg x 10
52 kg x 10 x 5 set

WOW, that was hard,lol.  things moved well but it was a lot of work for me

Barbell Curl
45 x5
65 x 5 x 5

wanted to back off the weight a bit and do some volume. this was perfect. Need the extra wide grip of the barbell as well. The bands and dbs aren't in the right angle.

this was a great and important day for me. The first step to truly normal gait and my own real bionic knee. :) More to come

datsit
Sisu/

GPP

General Physical Preparation.

That's all I've got these days. Increasing basic work capacity. Widening the base. Building the foundation. Not to say that it isn't the most important thing I could be going given my big picture goal :" A back of Iron and Legs that never quit" but it's not performance training, that's for sure.

I've had my share of Specific Sports Preparation (SPP: peaking for competition). In fact it was the mainstay for most of my life. But the closer one gets to their edge the easier it is to fall over and at my age the risk/benefit reward is in the wrong direction.
So GPP it is and I'm glad to be able to keep increasing it, to keep pushing my overall work capacity up. To be able to work harder and longer and recover fast for my activities of daily living.But those pesky little things like damaged joints can mess so many things up so quickly.

Strange day. Calf and ankle were all over the place all morning but when it came time to train they settled down. Even more for the sled walks which was extra special strange.  Things seem to be in a new alignment, which is good, I think but new.

I've been thinking about this knee brace for some time and today bit the bullet and bought it.

That's some serious, high technology right  there and it's is supposed to 'unload' the knee, decompressing it above and below so more forces are borne by the brace and not the knee. I haven't had any support for this thing ever so I think it's time. I've got a LOT of walking to do in Europe very soon and I hope this helps as much as I've been told it will. Even if it helps a little that would be a lot.
More info here about braces for arthritic knees. One step away from the total knee replacement. I'm ready.Until then , though, work to do.

Double kb swings
2 16's x 5 x 2
2 20's x 8
2 24's x 8
2 28's x 5,6,7,8,9,10 x 2 ladders
90 reps!
11,340 lbs !!

again, double bell work always impresses with total tonnage. these felt solid and easy from the start although I can now see from the video I have to straighten my right elbow more. It's amazing, NO impingement in either shoulder for weeks now! the reverse grip overhead stick stretch did something very cool. and continues to do so.
BUT the swings were quick, strong and solid feeling and the volume was 30 or so reps higher than the last workout. Not bad progress.

Sled walks
60 lbs x 200 feet x 7 laps ( pr)
1400 feet.

These felt GREAT and my gait was the best it's been which makes absolutely no sense at all but I'll take it.Things are shifting around, in new places and I've just got to pay attention to where it's all going but it feels stronger, not weaker.

Back press
3 x 20 reps single red strand.

these are way better. time to got to two reds.the problem is getting it over the head and shoulders, not the press itself.:)

lots of stretching and myo ball work for the hammies and calf. Can't wait to get the brace.

datsit.
Sisu/

Reboot.

This was a weird weekend. Spectacularly strong workout on Saturday. Felt great all the rest of the day, nothing hurt at all.Wake up Sunday, A OK. Then, mid morning my left knee starts getting tighter and tighter and tighter until very soon it won't bend at all. NOT fun. Had no idea what it was from. Yes we did a ton of heavy one arms but that movement didn't hurt the knee at all and replicating it didn't either.

I DID play around with some heels elevated squats later Saturday night but that was only 3 sets of 3-4 reps so I didn't think it would do any damage. I was wrong. My knee wouldn't bend at all all Saturday night and I got about 2 hours of sleep before my 3:45 wakeup call . Ack

I had this before where the rectus femoris locked up after a double hot yoga session and wouldn't let the kneecap move or the knee bend.Not fun at all This was exactly what was happening except the soleus was locking up my ankle too so nothing bent.
Tracy worked on it for a long time, I iced, got out the alleve, etc, etc. etc.

I knew that once I got up and moved around it would feel better( at least I HOPED it would) but I wasn't sure . But I knew I had to reset my body. Try to act as normal movement wise as possible and my body would push the re boot button as it had before.

It was the toe out, heel up weird squat position NOT my normal  movements that did this so doing the normal ROM would help fix it. At least it usually did.
And this time too.

But I didn't think I would train. I had a full compliment of client, I hadn't eaten much Sunday as I was in too much pain and hadn't had time to eat this morning. So when I got to the workout I had hoped for just a few swings to help push the reset button and a long nap and a lot of food.

But the workout turned out great.

As my tag line on this blog says,:
"That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."

It layed down in front of me today and while I didn't 'grab it' with full force I did indeed go for it. Hitting some very clean and strong snatches presses and even belt squats! Every thing I did made the body feel more and more normal than it had yesterday.

I've done this many times before and it always works, to one degree or another but it is always scary to do. To try to swing and snatch on a knee that just a few hours ago you couldn't put any weight on seems mad but it worked. I knew it wasn't the swing position that damaged it but I thought it might re set it. It did. :)
thank G-d.
But I need a knee replacement and yesterday convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that sooner is better.
First of 2014 I will make this happen and stop wasting SO much time and energy trying to jerry rig this beat up , broken down arthritic joint still function. I just want to be able walk and hike with no thought or pain as well as go down stairs:)

Snatches
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5 x 5 s
         x 10/10

Clean and press
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 3/3 x 5 sets

these both felt spectacular. As good a good as I've felt, groove wise, in eons . Very very weird but I will take it.

belt squat
32 kg x 20
44 kg x 20 x 2

best not to push it :)

Cable curl
2 x 10

fatigue setting in now, and hunger. Cable handle is too narrow. I think I have to do barbell curls only, twice a week, heavy on saturday and light on wednesday.

dodged another bullet.

datsit.
Sisu/

150 40 kg One arm swings, big personal best.

This was a very nice surprise. My first thought was going back to the 40 and 48 kg for some really heavy sets but then I thought I would test myself with the 40kg. I've never done more than a few sets of 5/5 with it and wondered how my new strength would carryover to a very heavy bell for me in terms of endurance.

The answer: damn good! We were thinking ten sets at first, then twelve then I knew we could do fifteen without too much trouble so that's what we did. Bell speed stayed high and height actually improved as the sets went along and my old carcass got warmed up.

I pushed myself a bit at the end combining the last two sets and giving me an all time pr as well; never have done 10/10 with the 40 kg!

One arm swings
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
40 kg x 5/5 x 13 sets
         x 10/10 
150 reps
13,200 lbs!

to say I'm happy with this workout is a huge understatement!

Deadstop two hand swings
40 kg x 5
44 kg x 5
48 kg x 5
52 kg x 5

This was almost anticlimatic ,lol They were not that hard but I was tired :)

Barbell curls
45 x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 3 x 3
     x 5

these were excellent. I was going to just do another set of 3 til Glenn cranked out sets of 10 and I had to up it a little . no problem :)

Strand back press
single strand : 3 sets of 15  

I can get this into position behind me by myself which is a huge accomplishment :) I needed help up until now. says a lot about my shoulder strength in new ranges of motion.

datsit
Sisu/

Double 24 kg swings, sled walk

Recovered well from Monday's workout, surprisingly. Shoulders continued to behave and the overhead reverse stick work continues to work. Just as cool I might have found the same domino button to push to get me knee to stabilize as well.

No surprise, it's not the knee but the ankle.Story developing..

Two KB swing
2 16's x 10 x 2
2 20's x 8 
2 24's x 8 x 15 sets
120 reps
12,720 lbs

I love how quickly the weight loads on double add up! Started out pretty good and things just got better. Had more sets in me at the end which is the goal. Push yourself more than the last workout, if possible, but leave a little in the tank.
The very good news is that the bells felt light. Never thought I would feel that with double 24's :)

Sled walk
70 lbs x 200 feet x 6 trips
1200 feet total  ( most I've done recently)

my new found knee stability really got tested here and held up fine! another nice surprise. Used the sled belt around the waist, lower the weight 10lbs and tried to walk more upright instead of leaning into it. glutes immediately said hello ,in a good way. Knee ROM after the workout was as even as before, very strange!

Band curls
3 x 12 each arm single red band
Back press
1 strand x 10
2 strands x 8 x 2

these are getting better as well.I could set up the single band by myself, a first! shoulder ROM and stability continues to improve. sweet !

 datsit.
Sisu/

28 kg Press, 22 kg snatch

It's very strange to have my shoulders back. I am so used to not being able to use them, to having them move around and clunk themselves out of position all the time that NOT having it happen is actually strange.

As is being able to press without them destabilizing as well. I'm STILL waiting for that "clunk" after I clean the bell and start to press it that tells me the shoulder is not centered and things will suck for awhile after.:)
But it hasn't been happening and the new reverse grip overhead work is keeping things in check very well. Now, if I can find the same button for my knee life will truly be grand and my Restoration of Lost Physical function will be as complete as it can be. They still will be 56 year old damaged, arthritic joints but if they don't hurt when I move it will be glorious.

The pushups didn't make the shoulders ache but they did do something to my neck which gave me headache all day. Weird .I'd rather do the back press anyway. Still weird.

I think I can actually start playing with long cycle clean and press again as well. That will be very cool.

KB press
16 kg x 5/5
         x 3/3
20 kg x 4/4
24 kg x 3/3
28 kg x 2/2 x 6 sets!

Nice! no problem but I did get a little fatigue on the 6th set and form fell off a bit but this is the most work I've done with it in a few months and I haven't done more than singles in quite awhile too. This is a good sign. weight felt light too.

My groove still looks too " long". it kind of 'waves' around instead of going straight up. My long arms don't help me here at all,especially if I can't lay back.

Snatch
16 kg x 5/5
22 kg x 5/5
         x 6/6
         x 7/7
         x 8/8
         x 9/9
         x 10/10
90 reps

these were almost, dare I say it? Easy.Definitely helps to have the shoulders so warmed up overhead before beginning these.

Belt squats
44 kg x 20 reps x 4 sets

these were solid too. knee feeling the best it's felt in ages too. I like this trend.

Db curls
20 lbs x 12 x 3 sets

I do like the straight bar better than easy. Perhaps two hand band curls on Mondays and single band curls on Wednesday. Or cable curls


datsit.
Sisu/

Strength Endurance.

"All this talk about strength endurance," Pavel said at the certification. "It's nonsense if you have no strength to endure"

Right to point, as usual.

I've been building back my strength so I would have something to endure and it's working. I've been hitting my biggest numbers ever in the one arm , two hand  and two kettlebell swing lately but those swings are HEAVY and slow and not that high in terms of elevation.

Necessary as it was more important to just be able to 'touch' the weight and handle it for whatever sets and reps were possible. My max effort work, if you will. High force was more important than acceleration  but today it was time to back off a bit and use some of my new gained strength to feel the power and acceleration and increase work capacity a bit.

I chose 32 kg one arm swings for 10 sets of 10/10. No small workload for me. My all time best, done in Summer 2008 was 400 one arm swings, 20 sets of 10/10 and I haven't been close since. That workload was done on a lark and I didn't realize how much work it really was.

Today was not that bad although not easy I am very please with my strength, grip, endurance and power


I am pleasantly surprised when I see the video of how fast and strong, and how high they float, the swings are. Definitely compared to my 40kg and up swings:) But that's precisely the point; those heavier, lower, slower but HIGH force swings made these much easier. By making me stronger.

Nice to see it in actions

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 10/10 x 10 sets
200 reps
14,000 lbs work!

I took video at set five just in case I didn't 'make' it but the above video is my last set.

Two hand swings
32 kg x 5
40 kg x 5
48 kg x 5,6,7,8,9,10

these went very well too. two hands are SO much easier after heavy one arms!

Barbell curls
45 x 8
65 x 5/5
getting used to these although they certainly were not "easy" or light. Just work

Pushups to single P bar
3 x 8, 10,10 !!!!!

haven't done these in awhile as it seemed they were making my shoulder ache worse but now that I've solved that problem i want to see if I can do them again. The sets and reps were easy and the shoulder felt perfectly stable. I did my reverse grip overhead work to make sure but I think it will be fine!

How nice to feel like I have normal shoulders again!

datsit.
Sisu/

Double Swings, deload week

I've been going heavy and heavier and heavier and we all know what happens on the next level of this " tough guy" cycle: injured! Well I've learned my lesson and this week was a back off. Not at all, actually because I think I'm on the verge of injury, of approaching my 'red line'  in terms of intensity or volume, but that I've been pushing the same button ( heavy) on these for quite awhile and now it's time to back off a bit and rebuild the quality.

I wanted to do some lighter swings with better float and height of the bells so I settled on the 20 kgs, It was the perfect choice ; the power was up and the acceleration better as well.

Still in the 90's so it was a sweaty one again and no fan either :) I love to sweat.

Double swings
2 16's x 10 x 2
2 20's x 10 x 15 sets
150 reps
13,200 lbs! 

wow that adds up fast in tonnage! nice. I really had to set the torque in my left foot more than I remember to keep the load  'out' of my knee. More internal rotation than I recall needing but you do what the body says is right; or pay the price .

Sled drags ( shoulder straps)
75 lbs x 200 ft  x 2 laps ( pr)
65 lbs x 200 ft x 5 laps

this was good but tough. VERY hot, the gas tank was now pretty low after swings and my left hammie was tight. Got it done and survived but it was just pure work and concentration.

Band curls ( black )
3 x 10

the shoulders continue to be pretty much painfree and in the 'right' place. It's a freakin' miracle.:) No joke.

Now to get this left calf to unlock and we're good to go.:)

datsit.
Sisu/

Happy Independence Day tomorrow. There is no place in the World like America, no place I would rather live or be part of. The Idea of America was something that gave the opportunity of Individual Freedom and Liberty and there is little more we all need if we don't have that. :)
We must be Strong to be Free.
And stay free. :)