Back off workout.

( 32 kg bottoms up cleans. Not bad but not perfect. Got them into position but didn't hold them. BUT it's 32 kg and I haven't even tried this in over a year and half! Felt strong too)

Both Glenn and I have wondered when the escalator ride to more strength and increased work capacity would end and we got our answer today. Today. :))
Nothing bad happened but we were both beat. After Saturday's stellar workout ( in both workload and energy) we both kind of crashed a bit and came into today's workout just a bit tuckered. Perfect. We were waiting for a sign we should back down and today was it.

Still got in a great workout ( and the above B/u cleans are recent bests) but we both knew it was time to start over a bit and ramp back up from the  bottom

6 am:

Full Rifga stretchout  upper and lower body. much needed.

1 pm

High pulls
16 kg x 5x5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 8/8 x 8 sets
128 reps
6784 lbs

this was not easy,even though it should have been. smooth strong and fluid but it was work. groove and arc was very solid though.

Bottoms up cleans
18 kg x 3/3
22 kg x 3/3
24 kg x 2/2
28 kg x 2/2
32 kg  x 2/2

strange day to go for this but I knew I could make it. Will hold these solid very soon.

Belt squats
32 kg x 15 x 4 sets

not bad but nothing special

Pushups
P bars 1 x 5
Floor pushups 3 x 5!!! yes first full floor pushups in forever!


have to get my head up more. my old gymnastics habit are STILL in there! but it was awesome to regain this strength and pattern after all this time!
Sisu! Never Quit! The only way you won't get what you want is if you quit trying!

datsit.
Sisu/

Gettin' close

It's been awhile since I was able to do 200 snatches in a workout with the 24kg. Too long. Don't even want to look back to see when the last time was. But I'm close now. This cycling of weights on Saturday has been working out great. The same principle, basically, as WSB  method. I put more force and acceleration into the 24 kg  now because I'm used to doing it with the 20 and the 22 kg.
When it's time to throw the 24 around I am tending to do it like I do the lighter bells. Just like bench speed day carries over to Max effort day and vice versa.

We did 17 sets of 5/5 today and my last set was 10/10 with the same bell speed as the early sets! This is exactly the goal and we could have done the 200 today easy but that is not the point. No hurry. It will be there and I'll be that much stronger when I do.

Left shoulder is really behaving and I did full pbar pushups today!! Yeah!!!! crazy happy about this. I will not quit.:))

Snatches
16 kg x 5/5/x3
20 kg x 3/3

24 kg x 5/5 x 15 sets
         x 10/10 x 1 sets
170 reps
9010 lbs

was  a set behind Glenn and Nick and they did 20 rep sets on the end so I decided to go for 10/10 on the last set and it was STRONG!

Clubbell shield casts
15 lbs x 10/10
          x 15/15
          x 20/20

this was tough but strong. left lat/shoulder is getting stronger and more stable every workout.

Pbar pushups
5 sets of 5 
woo hoo! feet on bench and shoulder behaved fine! FINALLY!

BB laterals/ Cable lateral
4 sets of 15/15 and 10/10

was a slow start this morning after spending 4 and half hours on the phone with Dell yesterday after my hardrive crashed but I got it together sooner rather than later. Felt physically strong just didn't come into my body for awhile:)) better late than never.

datsit.
Sisu/

"Having Guts"

The definition, it seems, of SISU :
Sisu is a Finnish term loosely translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity. However, the word is widely considered to lack a proper translation into any other language. Sisu has been described as being integral to understanding Finnish culture. The literal meaning is equivalent in English to "having guts".




I firmly believe that the only way you won't get what you want, if you are willing to do what it takes, or at least get as close as realistically possible, is if you quit. It doesn't matter how long it takes, it doesn't matter how many road blocks pop up. All that matters is trendline, direction/

You are either getting stronger or weaker. Recovering or dissipating. Figuring it out or not. Going backwards or forwards. How fast this happens really doesn't matter imo, because as soon as you reach whatever goal you set out to get, the next one is on the horizon and off you go. It's the same state of mind, of being so don't be in a hurry to get there.

But be in a hurry to be going in the right direction. Because that path, that journey is the key. Being in that flow as much as you can is what feels so perfect to me.To having figured it out and knowing it is just a matter of when, not if, that you get what you want .

And so I did full  pushups again today as I have been training for for months now. I thought it was the overhead press I needed to recover first but it is the  lowly floor pushup pattern and today I did them without my shoulder de stabilizing at all and it was grand!

One thing I do know how to do naturally is press and I can honestly say I've pressed more things for more time than almost anyone! From years of gymnastics dips, and handstands and HS pushups and every variation you can think of to bodybuilding and incline and decline and barbell and db and smith machine and nautilus chest presses,  and on and on.

And then 13 years of bench pressing and all that stuff.
And then nothing. ack
But when the joints cooperate I can press and now I can again. Slowly, for sure, but for sure.:))

I promise not to be greedy, either:))

but first the real work:

Power swings
16 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
         x 6
         x 7
         x 8 x 2 rounds
         x 5 x 2 rounds
82 reps
5986 lbs

these went great! felt very strong and fast and all positions felt solid. I still can't get over I can do these now. Such a great power and strength position and move.

Snatch Holds
16 kg x 30
20 kg x 30
24 kg x 30 x 2 sets

these keep getting better but are always hard. Don't get real bone lock on the right so it's a big muscular effort

Ring pushups( ring slow feet on floor about 40 deg ring angle)
2 x 10!
P bar pushup ( feet on floor)
3 x 8
1 x 5!!!

these were so solid! . took the bars in closer and elbows tucked tight ( should have gotten video of this but it seemed so wimpy)  and shoulder didn't move around at all.

after all this time rehabbing and re patterning this is finally moving, quickly, in the right direction. I know it's not the speed that counts but it's nice to not be going at a snails pace either.

BB Laterals
3 x 10/10

datsit.
Sisu/

Heavy hi pulls

Right on schedule. Did the 28 kg last week and wanted to use the 32 for today's hi pulls and it worked out just fine. How nice of the body to cooperate for a change.
Got a good stretchout and primal move work in with my first client and it was a light day workwise so I was ready to go when Glenn showed up.

High Pulls
16 kg x 5/5 x 3
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 3/3
32 kg x 5/5
         x 6/6
         x 7/7 x 2 round
28 kg x 10/10

these were solid but tough. Left hand grip was tougher than right ( shoulder good but not  perfect,elbow flexors a bit tight). Used the right hand grip  squeeze which strengthened the grip.
Since taking my contacts out my balance on swings and snatches is SO much better I can't believe it.

Also, haven't tweaked my swing or snatch form in weeks, which for me is some kind of record.But it's working and I am thinking about it less and going by feel more and it's very strong and powerful

Bottoms up cleans
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 3/3
28 kg x 2/2
28 kg x 3/3 !!

wow, this is coming back very fast how cool! My Pr on this is the 40 kg for 3/3 and I don't know if I'll get there or more but I'm very happy with this. I know the 32kg will be there for sure and that's enough, really.

Belt squats
40 kg x 15 x  4 sets

How cool I can do these with no warmup! The key focus for me on these is keeping the torque in my feet and especially keeping the big toe down. In fact, that's pretty much all I thought about during each set, just rooting through the left big toe. worked great. :))

KB floor extensions
18 kg x 10 x 4 sets

this was a great jump and the form and shoulder felt good. A bit tired of pushups so I gave them a break,

BB laterals

3x 10/10

pre hab here. just do it.

Another great workout and so happy to have such a solid training partner and student in Glenn. He kicks ass every workout and is making crazy good progress, Easy 6 sets of 3 in the  32 kg long cycle press. and easy too.

datsit.
Sisu/

Mo' Betta snatches

Things are starting to settle in very well. When my body cooperates a bit I can actually plan things a little and start using the progressive cycling that I know works so well; WHEN my body can handle it.

Seems to be doing alright. Another early morning start when I felt the need for movement not correctives or stretching and I got right into the workout. Strange as this is only happening on Saturdays, not during the week. I'll take it.

Alternating the different bell sizes each week and getting different current pr levels on each gives me a solid number to improve on in some way each week. Just a little different in each way. Same but different, as Pavel says.

So week one is the 20 and sets of 12/12, week two the 22 kg and sets of 8/8, three the 24 kg and sets of 5/5. Try to ramp up the total volume of sets as I can and when I hit 200 reps across the board, I'll bump the reps up on each weight and start over.

Today was the 22 kg

warmup swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 3

Snatch 16 kg x 5/5 x 2
            20 kg x 5/5
             24 kg x 8/8 x 10 sets
160 reps
7840 lbs

these were solid although not easy. The handle on this new bell is a bit slippery which actually helps. I can't overgrip it or pull too much or my grip feels it. Good feedback. And a good tell about my form which is getting better and more fluid all the time

One arm shield casts
10lbs x 10/10
15 lbs x 10/10
          x 15/15
          x 20/20 (pr)

the 20 reps were a serious challenge to my left side but definitely doable. Way better than even a month ago. Good sign of progress in strength and stability.

Pushup against bench
2 sets of 10
Pushups on Pbar handle ( horizontal)
2 sets of 8
Eccentric only floor pushup
1 x 10

this was good but not perfect. Shoulder moved around a bit on the full reps but didn't sublux. Have to find that sweet spot but way fast progress in the last two weeks.

BB laterals
2 x 10/10

cooked, that's all. We went fast ( for the three of us ) in the snatches and it was definitely tougher. Great to be able to work hard, that's for sure.

datsit.
Sisu/

When what was heavy now feels light

This always feels good. When weights that you one approached with trepidation you know approach with confidence. Weights and work loads you once hoped you would survive you know feel you can push a bit. Again, with confidence.

That's also the nice thing about having simple workouts and metrics to measure. You can measure them and compare to what you did at any time in the past. Easy to tell whether you are gaining ground or losing it.

Lord knows I have a lot of ground to make up but it's going in the right direction.I remember many times powerlifting when I would put 135 on my back and it felt like 315. Not a good start or indicator.

Or, just the opposite. When 135 felt less than an empty bar. You could pretty much bet on a good day that day :))

Today the bell was light and that was good.


Two Hand Swings
16 kg x 10
20 kg x 10
24 kg x 10
28 kg x 10
32 kg x5

36 kg x 10 x 16 sets
160 reps
12,800 lbs

these felt so solid and we went pretty quickly. I go you go with Glenn. the nice part was also that we kept it a practice. Focusing on form on each and every rep with great coaching in both directions. This always makes it better.I remember not too long ago that a few sets of 5 with this weight was cause for celebration now it's a relatively light bell for lots of sets and reps.

Snatch holds
16 kg x 30 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
         x 40 sec
         x 50 sec

this was TOUGH! I thought to make it easier by going lighter but longer was tough!!This is making all the difference in my shoulder stability and I'm getting stronger every week now.

Floor Eccentric pushups
4 x 10,10,8,8

ACTUALLY DID A FEW REAL FULL PUSHUPS!  Woo freaking hoo. I pushed it a bit too far towards the end so I backed off and went back to the negative into a kneeling pushup but it's SOOO close.
Have to drop the reps/set when I commit to doing them though. Five is good.

band laterals

3 x15/15

datsit.
Sisu/

Strong again.

And strong feels good.Strength is a choice, as I wrote in my favorite blog post ever , and I've been trying to regain my real strength for the last 4 years or so and it's finally coming back. Feels like forever but I don't quit, no matter how slowly it comes.

Today it arrived. Just a little few somethings that really showed me I'm on the right path. Not traveling for the last few months and getting some serious forward momentum has helped tremendously. I can plan workloads much better given that I know how much real downtime I can count on. Makes it much easier to recover.

And my herbal adaptogen program is working beyond belief.I can really feel my recovery levels soaring as well as my energy. Again, it's been a long four years of rehab :))



Seems so simple, a basic bottoms up clean with a pretty light weight-24 kg.( my best is 40 kg for 3's) but I haven't been able to do it for 1.5 years as my left shoulder was too unstable to support it and would sublux at the top.
Crawled my way back to it and today was glorious! SO nice to feel strong again and not just in survival mode.

PLUS I did full pushups today on the floor ( off my knees again) for sets of 10 and the shoulder held fine . Had to REALLY stay tight with elbows in and glutes tight but it was no issue. Next stop full reps. People don't appreciate the simple things until they are taken away and THEN they realize how great just the basics are.

Not me. I appreciate every pain free, strong step.

Training is a privilege. Movement is a gift.I am aghast at all the able bodied people who do nothing with the amazing machines they are given. Tragic.

I have this beat up, bent frame to use and I love and appreciate every single little thing it can do. Mostly I appreciate that it can still adapt and get stronger and better from just the power of my mind. That's the greatest gift of all.

If you can't imagine it, you can't do it. So many suffer from lack of imagination and curiosity. Too bad for them.

High Pulls
16kg x 5/5 x 3
20 kg  5/5
24 kg x 5/5

28 kg x 5/5
         x 6/6
         x 7/7
         x 8/8 x 2 rounds
104 reps
6552 lbs

these went awesome. the groove was smooth and powerful and the shoulder was not an issue at all.

Floor Pushups/ kneeling
 4 sets of 10

NICE!!! this is back for real

Belt squats
36 kg x 15 x 4 sets

easy.

bodyblade laterals

3x10/10

datisit
Sisu/

Don't think, just do.

The  upward spiral continues :)) Woke up feeling so good today I didn't wan't to stretchout or rollout or do anything but move around a bit before I trained. I didn't want to wreck anything. I don't this has ever happened in recent memory! I ALWAYS seem to need to mobilize, or roll or stretch something to feel like I can train safely but not today.

My daily work is finally carrying over. Wow. I honestly didn't know if it would ever happen, really. If I would ever experience it. So  I knew it would be a great workout and it was. I looked back on my log and saw that the last 20 kg workout was  7 sets of 10/10 ( 140 reps) so I set the goal at 12/12 and as many sets felt right. I wanted to do close to the same number of total reps if possible.

It was chilly in the gym at first but it( I ) warmed up fast;another good sign.

20 kg Snatch
one arm swing warmup :16 kg x 5/5 x 3 sets

16 kg snatch x 5/5, 3/3
20 kg x 12/12 x 6 sets
144 reps
6360 lbs

Wow, this was awesome. My shoulder, knee and back felt almost perfectly normal; and being able to snatch without my main focus being keeping my left shoulder from ripping out saves a LOT of energy.

Besides making sure to take my stance out a bit wider than normal and to set the torque in my feet I just totally went by feel. I've been thinking too much about my groove and not just going by what feels strong, what feels right. Just let it swing and find the most powerful arc I could, at that time.

The sets felt very easy and my HR barely went up. I worked on staying calm and relaxed and just doing one rep at a time.Definitely want to work these sets of to 30 reps per arm for multiple sets. should be no problem if this keeps up.
The second set:



this was good too it just always takes my lungs a bit to open up. always has. no problems.
So cool to feel fully recovered from all those Beast swings on thursday no problem either! Wow. Could barely have imagined it and now it's really. Doing more work than ever and barely feeling it the next day; one of my longstanding training goals and metric of how my work capacity training is coming along. woo frakin' hoo.

Both Glenn and Nick kicked ass too, Glenn hanging with me set for set and rep for rep looking like he's getting younger every day too. Crazy. Sometimes it takes more than people would like for the consistency aspect of regular practice and eating right to kick in but it always does. And it's on the Bullet train for Glenn.

Nick played with the Bulldog for some easy sets and reps and is back from his back tweak as well. The only thing better than having a good workout is both your training partners hitting their stride at the same time.

One arm shield casts
10lbs x10/10
15 lbs x 10/10
          x 15/15
          x 20/20

best in quite  awhile.left shoulder felt VERY solid on this, 90 % of right side and it wasn't too long ago I couldn't do the 10 lber with it.

Kneeling Ring Pushups
4 x 10, 9, 8, 8

Well well well. I thought I might be able to do full range pushups soon but didn't think it would be today. used the rings as I thought it would give my shoulders more available ROM for it's safest groove and they did. I was still kneeling but I haven't been able to do a full "push" movement in this plane without my shoulder subluxing. Yes!

Horizontal rows on rings
4 sets of 5

feet on box. this was interesting. not sure if it will stay in the mix or not but we'll see. I thought it might be a good transition to real pullups.

bodyblade laterals
1 x 10/10


datsit.
Sisu/

Power 2 Hand Swings and pushups

Another good but long tough day. Thursday's is my longest work day before I train and it's never easy to go into my eighth straight hour of work with my own butt kicking. Thank god for Glenn being there or it would never be as good as it is. He's there waiting to go and I don't have time to think or bitch or stall. Plus the sooner I get started the sooner I get to eat:))

Been experimenting with eating early on the training days ( tue/thur) as even though I can make it to and through the workout in a fasted state it's definitely not optimal to try to hard on an empty tank of blood sugar.

A solid protein drink with minimum carbs at 10 and a protein bar ( again min carbs) at 12 really made the difference at 2 when it was go time. I need to make better choices than the commercial drink and bar I'm getting but they work. They digest easily,don't make me bloated or gassy or crash my blood sugar and they fill me up just enough.

6am Full stretchout and PM

got a very late cancellation so I had the whole hour to unwind, Went through my usual Rifga stretch session and then did some distance crawling, about 200 feet in sets of 50. I did it again with a client later and did half the distance backwards as well.
It's really coming along well and did a short PM session with my 9 am client as well.

2 pm
Power Swings
16 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
28 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
36 kg x 5
40 kg x 5
44 kg x 5
48 kg x 5 x 2
40 kg x 5
32 kg x 5

55 power swings! they were solid and this was the first time I used the Beast for power swings. I could definitely tell the second set was not as , well, powerful as the first but man , as we went down the rack the weights felt like toys!

2Hand Swing
24 kg x 10,15, 20

this felt silly easy as far as weight. my HR still went up though :))

Eccentric Pushups
5 sets of 10, 10, 9,8,8

WAAAY stronger and the closest yet to full pushups. I found that I have to really keep the lower hacf locked in as I shift to the ascent or my shoulder destabilizes! talk about a linked, interconnected system. Full pushups are just around the corner.

Snatch Holds
16 kg x 30 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
         x 45 secs

wow. much much harder AFTER pushups than before but a much smarter way to do them; this will help stabilize the shoulder after the pushing move.

Band laterals
4 sets of 15/15

these are also getting much stronger on the left side.A clear indication things are stabilizing.

datsit.
Sisu/

Groove of the day.

After Saturday's unbelievable day there had to be a step back and there was. A conscious one but not done without a bit of regret. Once you hit a new height there is always the fantasy that you can live there, or at least hang out more regularly.

To be able to play with that type of power, endurance, strength and freedom of movement at will, but it never seems to be the case. Today's workout a case in point.

Not that it was bad at all, excellent in fact, but just that it didn't have that ease, that grace "flo" that Saturday's had. Plus my groove was all over the place, lol. My training is, and always will be an experiment. An experiment with the possibility of perfect movement. Not to own it, I'm not that egoistic, but to touch it. Every so often is just fine.

So I tend to 'tinker' with things perhaps more than I should but it's how I am. I always want to make it better. OR at least be able to duplicate that which WAS better.

But my jacked up bent frame always seems to make me aware that what worked yesterday might not, hell, PROBABLY WON'T work today.

Since I have given up playing with any GS aspirations again for this year I thought I should widen my stance a bit in the swing,hi pull and snatch to work my hips more. I did it Saturday with spectacular results and today too. With less than spectacular results.

But I did do 200 hi pulls with the 24 kg at a pretty fast pace  and I haven't done that many reps in a while. But I haven't done enough mob and flex work and my shoulder was tight and didn't loosen up til the last 8 sets or so. Nor did I find my groove for the day. I simply have to make even more time to get on the floor and open things up but sometimes it's more difficult than others.

And sometimes 30 minutes is enough and others 60 isn't.

The wider stance, setting foot torque early and not letting it go really makes a difference in my hip power and snap and that was evident by the end of the workload when I really 'got' it dialed in.

High Pulls
16 kg  5/5/x3

24 kg x 10/10 x 10 sets
200 reps
10,600 lbs

Cleans
20 kg  x 5/5 x 3

Just some form practice


Belt squat
32 kg x 15 x 5 sets

these felt great. they have to be in the mix. takes load off hammies. the weight felt so light.

floor kb extensions
16 kg x 12 x 4 sets

time to go up to 20 kg and cut the reps and build back up

bodyblade laterals
3 x 10/10

datsit.
Sisu

Square, plumb and neutral.

Didn't really know what to expect with today's 24 kg snatch workout. I haven't snatch the 24 for more than one or two reps the last two weeks for my snatch holds. I used the 18 two weeks ago and the 20 kg last week so would it feel heavy or light today?

My long term training goal ,since I got saved by the kettlebell ,was to get myself as close to square,plumb and neutral as I could. After all those injuries and years of training I was pretty far away from it when I started on this path but I have always thought I could do pretty much anything I set my mind to do. Not that it would be fast, but that I would accomplish it to the absolute best of my ability and desire.
I'm slow but I'm stubborn as Geoff Neupert says and that's true.

SISU.

Not just a word or motto for me but my way of life. Enduring tenacity. I literally know no other way and that's just fine.

And things have just been falling into place lately and I couldn't be happier. My shoulder is as stable as it's been in years. My back too. My knee is coming along and I realized that I've been avoiding the most painful part of my lack of knee extension- the inner calf- and that has made a big difference.

My nutrition  has been spot on and I'm leaner, bigger and stronger than of very recent past and I am recovering better than ever, too. Better late than never, eh? I'm back into my adaptogens and they have made a world of difference

I knew the lack of travel would allow me to get some momentum going in the right direction and I was correct.
Plus all the Primal Move stuff is really hooking things up well.

7-8 am full stretchout and PM warmup

8am
one arm swing warmup 16 kg x 5/5/5 x 3

Snatch
16 kg x 5/5
         x5/5
20 kg x 3/3
24 kg x 5/5 x 15 sets
 150 reps
7950 lbs

Nice. Recent volume PR and it was strong.One BIG thing I've done differently of late that has really helped my  balance when I snatch was to take out my contacts while training. I am nearsighted and my contacts adjust for that. When I snatch I don't look out, I look down about 3 feet in front of me.
I think the long vision created by my contacts was pulling me forward and making balance harder. This certainly feels better.

Plus I went back to straight hardstyle swing/snatch. GS, as it always turns out to be for me, is just too "spirally" for my body it seems. My knee and back were again not all that happy or stable feeling after. Hardstyle is what initially attracted me as I knew I could obtain these body angles safely. Just like my power squat:))

Plus it's SO nice to not have my left shoulder feel like it's constantly "out' or 'going out' of stability on each rep. that sucked.I feel like I am close to square, plumb and neutral than I have EVER been.

At least since my knee injury in 1974.

I've been playing 'whack a mole' with these asymmetries for what seems like forever and it's finally seems the pendulum might have stopped swaying. At least for the large oscillations. Now I just need a new knee:))

One clubbell arm cast
10lbs x 15/15
15 x 10/10
     x 12/12
     x 15/15

these are also coming along nicely and are vital for my left shoulder stability. The two hands served their purpose when the left was so wonky but it's time to re strengthen it.

Eccentric Pushups
4 x 10

these were strong again. and the pushup from prone to knee was a real pushup. not a full body 'up'. no tricep cramp.

bodyblade laterals
4 x 10/10

necessity.

datsit.
Sisu/

The most basic swing

My back was fine after Tuesdays GS style high pulls but my knee was not happy. Lots of toe raises during the pull made my already too tight left calf even tighter and I only got it partially worked out til Glenn  dug it out with a Bo stick.That was fun.

But the workout really was fun . 15 sets of 10 in the two hand swing with the 32 kg in "I go , you go" fashion with Glenn and we really blew through these sets,

This was amazing; a max vo2 speed two handed swing workout with a 32 kg bell. Who'd of thunk that was possible even a year ago? Not me the bell felt light, the swing felt strong and everything fell into place.

The two hand swing is the most basic of all the kettlebell ballistic moves. The easiest and the hardest. The easiest because it is the most stable and symmetrical position. The hardest because  when you start to get tired, there is literally no place to run or hide.

With one arm swings or transfers or snatches you can always switch hands and keep going; letting one side literally rest a bit while the whole body is still working. Not so with the two hand swing. Every thing works, ALL the time, while you are swinging  and that makes for some huge efforts but also some strong and powerful work as well.

Two hand swings make you strong in a way one arms can never. One arms make you strong and stable. Two hands just make you strong. Deadlift strong.

This is such a powerful move. I knew it even all those years that I could only demo it and not train it but it sure is. A deal changer for most people's lives. IF they have the guts to really work it. LOTS of practice with heavy loads and/ or high reps.

6 am
45 min rifga stretchout and roller

2 pm
Two hand swings
20 kg x 10
24 kg x 10

32kg x 10 x 15 sets
150 reps
10,560 lbs !!! Nice!
1 go you go pace

Snatch holds
16 kg x 30 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
24 kg x 45 sec x 2!

this was tough but good.this is SO key to my shoulder stability. that and crawling :))

Eccentric Pushups
3 x 10,8,8

ouch! left triceps cramp,lol. those snatches got me.

Supersets bodyblade and band laterals

2 sets of 10/10 each 
nonstop alternation

these also have been very helpful in stabilizing the shoulder

datsit.
Sisu/

GS style high pulls

Much like I've had with the two hand Hardstyle swing, I've had a flirtation with the GS snatch technique for many years. And, just like the two hand swing it has not worked for me.Specifically for my back.

Since my body seems to  have gotten cozy with the two hand swing now I thought it might be time to give the GS style swing/snatch a try again. Especially since my old form in the one arm swing has abandoned me for awhile.

I have always had the greatest respect and admiration for GS athletes and would have competed in this sport had my body allowed it. With my shoulder and T spine issues good overhead lockout is an impossiblity( even though it is much improved it is far from normal) and jerks, either single or double bells just don't work at all. For my knees, my back or my shoulders.

To me GS has the same allure as marathon or ultra training or powerlifting. A pure amateur sport where the competitors have to toil anonymously for years suffering greatly in the their training and the life sacrifices they make to progress a bit. And all for the glory of the sport. Their is no money involved. Another reason I like it.

Plus it's so completely objective. just like powerlifting or racing. A 501 squat is NOT a 503 squat is NOT a 513. Powerlifters, and I'm sure Gireviks are very serious about their numbers and I understand.

But Hardstyle techniques, with their straight lines and hard angles work so much better for my body and my spine. it's just safer and more effective for me but I thought I would play with this again.

I spoke with Tom Corrigan RKC. who is also an accomplised GS athlete and coach and he gave me some techniques to play with in the low swing( what I would call a high pull) and this is the result. VERY INTERESTING.

We''ll see tomorrow but after a whole bunch of sets these techniques started to feel very natural to me.

AM

Full stretchout and Primal Move training with Tracy.

part of the PM workout:


this is getting better every time out. Love this stuff

1 pm
High pull GS style
16 kg x 10/10 x 3
20 kg x 8/8 x 2
24 kg x 8/8
28 kg x 8/8 x 6
24 kg x 10/10 x 3


its much harder with my right arm, actually, as I am supposed to drive down through my left heel and my knee doesn't lock so the power is much lower than on my left side, where i can really use the right leg correctly.

But the  asymmetrical rocking motion, for the first time (I've tried this before:)) actually felt natural and solid this time. A testament to my recovery on all joints I should say.

Definitely going to play with this more.

Belt squat
32 kg  x12
40 kg x 12
48 kg x 12 x 3 sets

Floor KB extensions
16 kg x 12  x 4 sets

Bodyblade SS band laterals
2 sets each of 10/10

97 degrees today! Love it.:)) Better hot than cold.

we'll see how the back behaves tomorrow. New techniques, pretty good loads PLUS a LOT of Primal Move for me all in one day. Wish me luck :))

datsit.
Sisu/

Hybrid Snatch

Another great workout and a technique revelation. I decided to go with the 22 kg today despite my ego saying I should just jump to the 24kg so I don't get "weak" in the snatch. Well since Tuesdays are now Hi pull days and I get up to the 32 kg easily and Thursdays I will handle the 44 kg or Beast I shouldn't worry about not getting enough heavy stuff in.

My snatch technique needs the work, not my strength and last weeks 20 kg workout lead to some great revelations as well so I decided to stay with the plan.

Smart decision.

Using more of a hi pull style for the snatch, where the focus IS elevation rather than projection of force has really made it easier for me to find better timing and the exact time to exert max force. If  I go too early I am out of phase  or pull too much with my arm

Since my left knee is always bent at least 10 degree the kinematics are much different than with my right side and I have to take that into account.

I've been trying to find the "end range' position of my left arm snatch and it hasn't been working as well as I wanted. But today it did.

I decided to let the weight shift to my quads out of the bottom instead of just trying to drive with the hips and it made a HUGE difference in my timing, the stress on my grip and my shoulder. Felt great on the right side as well.

The above video is from my last set and I didn't decide to play with this technique until the last four sets but the difference was immediate. You can't tell that much from the video as it's very subtle but the reversal out of the back swing is more of a GS technique than a HS. My shins don't translate forward ( as they can't) but that is the intention  and I could feel my quads kicking in as I shifted.

This gives me a half beat longer in the backswing AND a way OUT of the backswing that isn't forced. This is what I've been looking for. Then, it's more HS as I try to accelerate the rest of the way on the ascent. It's easier too as I'm in a better position to jump "up". not forward.

In the RKC we say the swing is 'projection' of force. If we want to 'elevate' we say 'snatch it'. So I am. It's just a slight deviation from the classic HS swing but it makes a big difference.

Here's the third set where I hadn't decided to do this yet but my body was leaning in that direction by itself:


On this technique I am just trying to get a pure hip drive and the timing is just not optimal. It's the same, really, as when I was powerlifting and was trying to do a pure WSB wide stance squat; all hips and back.

The only problem: I am not a big hip guy. So there's not much power there. I would have been way better served by using more quads as well as hips. Same thing here. I need to let go of dogma and go with what is best for my body. I've known this for years but keep trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and I know better.

I have a feeling this is going to make a huge difference in my snatch training.

Snatch
16 kg hi pull 5/5 x 3
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5
22 kg x 8/8 x 8 sets
128 reps
6400 lbs

Very solid, calm and strong, More reps than last week with more weight. Nice.

One CB Shield cast
10 lbs x 10/10
          x 15/15
15 x 10/10
     x 12/12
     x 15/15

this was great and very good for the left arm/shoulder. Wasn't able to do this 2 weeks ago. Should is REALLY being stable!

Negative Pushups
4 sets of 10 

the concentric part , from my knees is getting way more solid.Getting to be a pushup from the knees rather than just a "get back to start position" movement. Real pushups and shoulder stability right around the corner!

Body blade/ band laterals supersets
2 sets of 10/10 each

 Great workout!Feeling strong and fit and recovering better all the time. Less myofascial release needed each day. Nice

datsit.
Sisu/

Heavy Power swings.

Longest day of the week today. Power swings were on the menu which made me happy. Less reps and more strength, much easier for me As Brett says," anything over three reps is cardio" and I agree. Power swings are just 2 reps more so I'll live.

And it's so cool that I can do two handers now and that they actually feel GOOD, as opposed to my one arms and snatches which feel much less stable these days than ever. The 32 kg today actually felt like the 24 for the first time (especially on the down sets). Now that's progress.

Two Hand swings
( ballistics)
16 kg x 10
20 kg x 10
24 kg  x 10

Power swings
28 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
36 kg x 5
40 kg x 5
44 kg x 5
40 kg x 5
36 kg x 5
32 kg x 5/5
         x 6/6
         x 7/7
         x 8/8 ( bell starts to slow down,done)
Ballistic 
24 kg x 20

This was a great workout. Every set felt solid and the weights felt light. Power was maintained all the way through to the last set and the 20 rep down set was crisp.

Snatch Holds
16 kg x 30 sec
         x 60 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
24 kg x 30 sec

these are getting better all the time, Really helping strength and lockout position. Left shoulder hasn't felt this stable in almost 2 years. :)) About freakin' time :)) Never should have taken this out.

Negative Pushups
4 sets of 10 

Crawling: 3 laps around the gym forward and back

Band laterals 3 x 10/10

solid day

datsit.
Sisu/

"..and the next step off a peak"

Is always down. No, I didn't fall off and , actually, didn't even step back as I should have but as I have said repeatedly, you WILL cycle your training, even if you just make nature do it for you. I felt great going in to today's hi pull session but when the weights got in my hands there was just no 'zip' .
Not surprising, considering how zippy I was on Saturday( I was hoping it would last longer) but it took a bit more out of my power than expected. Totally ok, it was just a surprise although it shouldn't have been.

Sixth set up the ladder of 5/5-10/10 with the 28 kg:



It went well and I was trying to get my left shoulder back( instead of up) earlier but it only went so well:))

5:30 am
full stretchout focus on legs. Crawling a lot these last days got my hammy pretty tight .lots of stretching to do. calf too.
Shoulder doing VERY well. almost normal.

1 pm
High pulls
16 kg x 5/5/ x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
         x 6/6
         x7/7
         x8/8
         x9/9
         x10/10
22 kg x 10/10 x 3 sets
150 reps

They weren't as bad as I originally thought and I have to remember than my left side is never going to look, or work exactly like my right. I just have to make it feel right. What is great is that I can do much higher reps with the hi pull than I can with the one arm swings AND get more upper body work at the same time. This is the most natural way for me to pull with one arm.
Pure one arm swings are mostly hips and my hips just ain't that strong ,lol. The two hand swings will now take over that duty :))


here' some video of the 24 kg pulls


the good news is that I could do a very decent amount of volume AND reps per set with a pretty heavy for me weight! The down sets helped a lot and I really got the groove even more settled in.

Belt squats
36 kg x 10
44 kg x 10
         x 12
         x 15

felt good. brought my stance back in, straight feet with foot torque to start and not trying to lock out at top. lots of quads and deloaded the hammies immediately

Negative Pushups( on slight decline)
4 sets of 10

these went better than ever and the shift from the bottom prone position, to knee with toes dorsiflexed and not shifting was solid. closer every day to solid pushups!

datsit.
Sisu/

"...when Grace lays it down in front of you."

You have to be ready to grab it. To be honest, it's been so long since it's happened I truly wondered if it would again, or I was just destined to toil relentlessly with no joy, no pay off, just fighting against a bent frame and the forces of gravity.

Especially today as yesterday DOMS kicked my ass from Thursday's workout. I was even sore all night, with my legs, shoulders and upper back tight and sore. Same this morning but it fell off quickly with my stretchout and for some reason I felt great walking into Stones.



I had decided to start alternating snatch weights each Saturday, since I'm doing high pulls on Tuesdays instead of Snatch Vo2 and I can go super heavy there. Today seemed like a good day to step down and play with the 20 kg intead of the 24. I'll alternate the 20, 22 and 24 kg bells adjusting the rep scheme and the total number of reps done each week accordingly. I can keep track of each weights PR for reps and volume and cycle each as well.

So today was the 20 kg and I was hoping my high pull technique would carry over to the snatch and it did! My shoulder stayed in place and was painless the entire time and the technique was easy and consistent! Yes. Energy was high,strength was good and everything just fell into place.

The Flow. The reason I do this in the first place and what keeps me coming back for more week in and week out. Just remembering this zone exists makes me want to come back looking for it, no matter how few and far between the visits seem to get.

Snatch
High pull warmup: 16 kg x 5/5/ x 3
Snatch
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 10/10 x 7 sets
140 reps
6160 lbs

wow this was easy. I could have done more than a few more sets but discretion made it's case and I listened. More volume than last week in total reps and work reps but the ease of the groove was what really got me going. LOVE IT:))

CB Capt America Arm casts
15lb x 20
25 lb 20
35 x 12
     x 14

these felt strong and this version of the arm cast, where I dont have to lead with the left hand makes my left shoulder much happier.


Felt very strong. So nice.

Negative only pushups
4 sets of 10

solid and shoulder was totally ok. More aggressive on the pushup from the knees ( after the eccentric was solid as well. an actual concentric pushup from the knee- full pushups are right around the corner. My pecs , tri's and delts like this.

Bodyblade laterals SS Band laterals

3 sets of 10 each

easy breezy. When you're strong and healthy you can do more work in a session than of late and feel like you did nothing. That's one of my main goals, as well as to wake up not feeling like you have done anything strenuous the day before( still working on that)..

AWESOME DAY.

Datsit.
Sisu/

Some basic work

Nothing too special or hard. Just a bunch of two handed swings with the 32 kg. So nice to be able to even say that now. I worked long and hard and waited  years to be able to do this move and it's as satisfying as I thought it would be.

Pretty sore  though from the high pulls, all in the right places though( upper back, legs and hips) and that looks like it's a keeper.

6 am
Full rifga stretchout and Primal Move free style routine. mostly crawls, getups and turns. lots of foam rolling too.

1 pm
two hand swings
20 kg x 10
24 kg x 10
32 kg x 10 x 12 sets

this went fast as Glenn was feeling spry and it was over before we knew it. I was thinking 15 sets but my legs and hips were getting tired at 10 so I split the difference. they are not used to this work although they are getting there.
The thai squat foot torque technique worked perfectly again and my groove on these is becoming apparent and solid. Took the stance out a bit too and that helped but also why the thighs said hi earlier than expected.

Snatch Holds
16 kg x 30 sec
         x 45 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
         x 45 sec
24 kg x 30 sec

this was tough! triceps tired from the pushups on Tuesday and this didn't help. But the position is feeling solid and the shoulder is as stable as it's been in the last 1.5 years! I also do a slow negative press at the end of each set to keep my press groove strong so that's five reps in the press as well. Enough for now.

Floor KB triceps  extensions ( with pause)
16 kg x 12  x 4 sets

haven't done this in awhile with all the pushups but it was harder than I remembered ,lol.

Bodyblade laterals
3 x 10/10

this is also really helping shoulder stability with the supraspinitus development.

want to get close to 150 snatches on Saturday. have to eat up a bit.

datsit.
Sisu/

The high pull groove

I used to love these but then they proved problematic for my elbow flexors and I haven't done them in ages. they were always a very strong groove for me as I have very long arms and in one arm swings the combined center of gravity is way out there.

Makes it much harder to stay in balance and on the hips. High pulls bring my CCoG in much closer over my base of support and let me use my upper body to help my hips drive the bell. These feel much more stable and strong IF my arms/shoulders let me do them.

Today's workout was a good indication that they will . The clavicle has been very stable of late and  I've had to do less snatch holds to set it of late. Lots of crawling and rifga stretching and my adaptogenic herbs and my recovery and strength have been the best they've been in ages.

It's about time I felt strong again, I almost forgot what it felt like.

Strong feels good.

8 am full stretchout and primal move
the full lower body upper body rifga session with mostly crawling and pushup position for my PM .

1 pm
High pulls
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg  x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5 x 2
32 kg  x 5/5 x 3 sets
28 kg x 8/8
24 kg x 10/10 x 2 sets
146 high pulls

not bad at all,especially since I haven't done them in so long. I've always liked these Kind of like the strongest part of the snatch and the swing combined. When the hips are done the upper back can continue the work  for a longer time than in the snatch. No float here. But the weight is in much closer and feels stronger and safer.
Plus I can go heavier and do higher reps easier. If my shoulders and elbows say yes than it will be great.

definitely more of an up and down motion in my swing than a tradtional hinger, which is what I've been looking for. Like my Bottoms up clean and press.

Belt squats/wide
32 kg x 10 x 5 sets

these were ok but I'm not sure the wider stance will work. Just didn't feel like it used to back in my PL days and the belt squat is not a PL squat. back to medium

Eccentric Pushups
4 sets of 10

tired. these are getting gassed. time to switch rep schemes to regenerate the movement. Had ONE rep where I didn't concentrate and the shoulder subluxed! Overhead hold re set it but it just shows me how fragile the positioning is. BUT the pushup groove is definitely coming along and my upper body mass is too.

Nice to have some pecs again. Triceps are growing and, strangely enough, biceps too. :)) All that eccentric loading.

bodyblade laterals
3x10/10

datsit.
Sisu/

Consistent progress

That's the goal. It's not a linear path and ,believe me, I know that, but it's great when the overall trendline is in the right direction and it has been. I was sore as hell yesterday am and midday but it cleared up nicely, right on time for this morning's workout.

The eccentric pushups really nailed my rhomboids showing me just how little work they have been doing. Shoulder was good throughout yesterday and was pretty solid this morning as well. Little bits of progress all the time add up.

I know most powerlifters despise them but I loved the 2.5 lb plates. You never even know they're on the bar but if you keep adding 2.5 on a semi regular basis next thing you know, without really noticing it, is that the extra load is now 25 lbs, not 2.5
Same here, an extra rep here and there, wave loading the total volume and up and down and what was 80 rep workouts are now 150 rep one's and you are that much stronger and fitter.

The daily routine is  key. So many have NO set routine and I can't fathom how they think they are going to make progress in physical training. I can't. I work, eat, train, sleep and rest as much the same everyday as possible.

Is it boring? Not to me. What's boring is getting weaker, of body, mind and will. Of being lazier and fatter and less dependable or useful. That's boring. Not having a schedule that allows me to make the most of myself that I can at the time.
To be as strong as I can at that time.
That's been my life and it's never been boring to me.

But that's just me .
6 am stretchout:
full body 45 minutes  No PM, just  Rifga and foam roll

8 am
one arm swing warmup 16 kg x 5/5/5 x3
Snatch
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5/
22 kg x 5/5

24 kg x 5/5
         x 7/7
         x 9/9
         x 5/5
         x 7/7
         x11/11
         x5/5
         x 6/6
         x 7/7
124 reps
6572 lbs

not that bad at all. want to turn those 11's into 15's.If my shoulder stays calm it will be no problem
Not going to do snatch vo2 for awhile. too hard to concentrate on shoulder stability AND go fast. So it's back to high rep sets for a few on tues.

Belt squat
32 kg x 10
40 kg x 10
48 kg x 10 x 3

easy.opened up the stance a bit and really used the thai squat foot torque on the descent and tried to lock in with VMO on lockout.
I think this day will be narrow and thursday will be wide stance squats.

One Club Shield casts
10 lbs x 10/10
          x 20/20 x 2

these felt great on the left scapula. stay here for awhile.

BB laterals
3 x 10/10

" I don't want it I just need it"
Yup.


datsit.
Sisu/