Snatch Vo2 Taper week

Teaching at certs are my competitions these days, the time when I have to be rested and ready to perform; even if that performing means standing walking and teaching for 12 hours a day for three days. This weekend's BodyWeight Workshop in MSP with is different, it's going to be HARDER as it's only Pavel Max and me teaching for the full three days!

So even though I needed to keep my condition up with some snatch vo2 today I also knew I needed to back off the volume and intensity a bit and leave a lot in the tank for the weekend

6-7 a,

Full stretchout focused again mainly on leg work, calves, hammies hips splits Right glute was weirdly tight today for no damn good reason other than I have to go on a trip this weekend and didn't have enough to concentrate on it seems :))

What it does tell me is that I've been too lazy with my serious stretch practice and need to get back to it asap. Will be good mental prep for the weekend's emphasis on just bodyweight anyway.

8:30

snatch vo2

15:15

16 kg

40 sets of 7

280 reps

10.080 lbs

these were very easy but my right glute/ham tie in was talking to me so I backed off even more than expected. I was planning on 50 sets but didn't want this to tighten up so 40 it was.

Two Hand arm casts

20 lbs x 10/10 x 2

25 lbs x 10/10 x 2

Handstands

5 sets for 5-10 seconds

definitely not as easy after all those snatches :))

Bodyblade laterals

3 x10/10

datsit, out of time

Sisu

28 kg long cycle PR

Woke up this morning thinking I was going to do alternating clean and presses with the 24 kg. Keep it light and safe as I have to travel to MSP next Thursday and teach for three very interactive days. But I felt very good today and the 24 was just going to be too light, so the 28 kg it was.

Had a great 60 minute stretchout at 7 am and that was a tell. Got back to doing hurdle step drills with my left leg only with the stick at the squat rack position as well as the overhead snatch position. CAN'T forget these as they are crucial to me for a variety of reasons.

They build my lagging left hip flexor, pattern the left leg gait pattern, pattern a strong hip, ankle dorsi flexion position which helps keep me square.This, as well as stretching in these positions has got to get back into the daily mix.

Also back into the mix was serious left quad stretching which has to go to the top of the que. It sucks to do but pays off big dividends in gait ease and less knee pain.

left shoulder was IN, which was great and I didn't push it at all with over head hangs at all. That helped a lot when it was pressing time

8 AM Long cycle clean and press

warmup

3 sets of 5/5/5 one arm swings and transers

C/P

16 kg x 5/5

20 kg x5/5

24 kg x3/3

28 kg x3/3 x 8 sets PR

I'm too lazy to look back for it but I do think this is an all time pr or ties it. Either way it rocks because it was way easy( could have done 5's), felt light and, most importantly, my left shoulders stayed in place every set and got more stable with each set as well.

One arm swings

24 kg x 10/10 x 10 sets

15 minutes

200 reps

10,600 lbs/nice

this was very good. My need to go heavier than 24 was slaked with the presses so high reps and fast pace was in the mix. This is a very good sign that my condition is getting to a peak, perfect timing. The bell felt light, the rep speed was fast and the power was high. What more could I ask for/ ( that it felt that way with the 40 kg but don't be greedy :))

Triceps extensions ( black band)

20,20, 15, 15

Bench Pistols

grease the groove. A whole bunch throughout the workout.

I realized this week that I dropped pistols from my schedule and decided today to put them back in the mix; BUT only doing bench pistols and doing them grease the groove style. Whenever I was sitting down, either on a bench or a stability ball, I have to get UP from the bench with a left leg pistol! It worked great and I did a lot of concentric followed by a negative pistol and then back up again. This should work very well for really solidifying this move.

datsit. Sisu

Double CB swipes and free handstands.

Good energy today and I even got to do a full stretchout as my first client overslept and I got paid to stretch. Nice.

Left bicep tendon and shoulder has been behaving so that is a great change from the last couple of months.

One CB torch swing

10 lbs x 5/5

15 lb x 5/5

20 lbs x 5/5

25 lbs x 2/2 pr

15lbs x 5/5

These get tough real real fast. The 15's were very strong and the 20's were much stronger than last week (hence the attempt at 25's) but the 25's,even with a healthy choke up, were TOUGH! especially on the left side. But at least I got some reps in.

Just swinging that club with one arm is no joke.

2 CB Swipes

10's x 10

15's x 10 x 13 sets

x 20 x 1 set ( video)

150 reps.

Nice. This form and groove is coming along very well. Much stronger all the way around. SO cool to get to train this with Tracy too. She did great.

Handstands

8 sets of 5-8 seconds

5 sets Free Hands

this went very well too. the first eight sets were with a one tap touch against the wall and then into a free HS. The last five were free. the first 2 took 2 attempts to get to the hs. The last 3 were all done on first attempts.

This is key. If you can't do it three times in a row without missing you don''t own it. Today I owned it. Hand strength is key and is coming along very well, as well as delt strength, Crucial for a strong HS.

Can't WAIT to go to MSP next week and teach this bodyweight seminar with Pavel and Max. I've seen lots of data on the participants and almost everybody's main interest in the handstand. Perfect :))

Triceps extension, black band

2 sets of 20

datsit. Sisu

24 kg snatch 140 rep workout

Today was the heavy day in my snatch microcycle progression. First SnatchVo2 with 16 kg, the snatch Vo2 with 20kg then a total volume day with the 24kg. Each workout should ride off the last one and make the next one that much easier.

Seems to be working, today's snatch workout with the 24, which I haven't trained for sets and reps in weeks was easy.

6-7 am full stretchout. Left bicep tendon still continues to slip in and out the groove so finally gave in and just kinesiotaped the pec pec tie in and the brachialis and bicep insertion and voila' it felt stable almost instantly. I don't know why I just didn't do this earlier.it almost always works :))

Stretchout mobs went very well and spent a ton of time on teres major with the pain ball as well as mobilizing first ribs. the rest was on lower body and splits. Doing all my split work on fingertips.

This ONE tip alone has really made the forearm flexors release a lot. the perfect balancer to all my grip work.

8:30 Snatch

one arm swing warmup

16 kg x5/5/5/5 x 3

16 kg x 5/5

x 6/6

x7/7

x8/8

x9/9 ( slight palm tear on this one)

x 10/10 ( video above)

x5/5/ x 5

140 total reps

7560 lbs

The set looked easier and faster than it felt but it was nice to see I can throw the 24 around like I do the 16 . I wanted somewhere between 120 and 150 reps, this was perfect. So cool to train with Tracy at my side as she crushed the 16 kg for volume as well :)) And of course this was after 2 hours of training classes before hand,

Capt America CB Arm casts

20 x10

25 x 10

35 x 8

x9

x10

these were strong but still very hard! SO much grip work it's amazing. Very interesting as the clubs in this move wouldn't seem to have such a high grip requirement but it does.

CB Shield Casts, two hand

20 lbs x10/10

25 x10/10 x 2

easy breezy.

Bodyblade laterals

3 x 10/10

did these VERY deliberately, making sure to take each rep ALL the way to the top and bottom without losing ANY tension at any part of the rep .Man they are tough. but it's such a good shoulder stabilizer.

Datsit. Sisu

Double 24 long cycle and high pulls

Was definitely not interested in pressing the 32 kg again today so it meant 24's. Since I did single long cycle last week I thought double long cycle clean and press would be a good choice. Double bells are always a tough one for me since my legs are short and I have to take a pretty wide stance to do the swings/clean well.

It's ironic that my best competition squats were done with a super wide stance but now with kb's my stance is pretty narrow and I feel so uncomfortable wide.taking off the suit bottom, belt and not squatting to a box changed more than a few leverages :))

Warmup/stretchout/ mobility was going great til I did some hangs from the TAP bar and felt my bicep tendon slip out in my left shoulder. Now this thing can sublux from doing side planks as I do bodywork on my roller and it's not a big deal except the shoulder is JUST not in the right position and all the accompanying muscles have to spasm up a bit stabilize it and it's instantly tight and I lose ROM.

I know how to knock it out but I haven't figured out how to put it back in just yet. Working on it.

So that meant my presses could be sketchy but many times just doing the moves and alternating sets with overhead stick shrugs resets what I assume is the first/rib/clavicle linkage.

7-8 am: full warmup( splits are really coming along now that I support upper body with rumble rollers to get a more upright torso position as I work the splits. Everything was opening up nicely til the bicep tendon went south.

8-9 Long cycle clean and press/doubles

warmup : one arm swings 16 kg x5/5 + 5 trns x 3 seets

double bell swings 2/16 kgs cx 8 x 2

Long cycle clean and press

16's x 5x2

20's x 5

24's x 5 x 8 sets

We could have easily done ten but we had heavy one arm high pulls to do.

KB High pulls

since we went light with the presses I wanted to amp it up a bit for the one arm swings but was worried my left shoulder wouldn't like the long arm of the swing so I settled on one arm high pulls. It was a good choice as the movement felt solid and strong and actually helped re position things.

24 kg x10/10

28 kg x8/8

32 kg x5/5 x 5 sets

Band dyna band triceps extensions

4 x20

1x 19!!!

so close but felt right triceps ready to lockup on the 19th rep after having to do some serious rest pause( in the fully stretched position of course :)) to get the last 9 reps. The first three sets were positively EASY and I had to work a bit to get the right amount of fatigue for the set by holding the lockout position, really working the stretch and generally squeezing the crap outa my triceps.

Then, tricep death occured, as it always does, suddenly and without warning. The best part is is that with 3 workouts a week I get another chance very soon.

datsit. I have razors to sharpen :))

Sisu.

Light clubs and handstands

Tuesday's snatch workout kicked my butt a bit and for some reason sleep has been poor the last two days so today's late afternoon clubbell training had to be light and short. Last weeks two clubbell swing a thon had my right SI a bit tight so I figured I would give one arm clubs a go today.

Good time to experiment as I knew volume would be low.

Haven't done one arm swipes in forever so it would be interesting.

1 pm

One arm swipes

10 lbs x10/10 x 2

15 lbs x8/8x2

20 lbs x 5/5

x 10/10

x 8/8

this was good! the movement felt very natural and smooth to me, just as the one arm kb work does as compared to two hand or two kb versions. I guess it's my imbalances helping me out :))

I have never done 20 lb swipes before and they were solid.

The back swing was even shorter and more efficient than the two club version. But, we'll see how everything feels in the AM>

One arm Torch swings

10 lbs x 5/5

15 lb x5/5

20 lb x 5/5 x2

this was pretty amazing as the ROM was so much better and the move so much easier than the last time I did them. Of course the last time I tried I still wasn't able to do kb military presses or really anything overhead but snatch holds for time.

Handstands/wall/ free

ten sets again and this is getting to the point where I believe my HS might actually be back. Pretty soon start adding in stack ups to free hands in the mix and take the volume up a bit. each HS was held for at least 5 seconds free and many much longer.

Black mini band extensions, narrow hand space

30,25,

18, 10

lol, triceps death, they fall off fast. serious pump too; which I have missed.Love to feel like I have some triceps mass again. My favorite muscle in the arm.

Black dyna band reverse grip pushdowns

3 sets of 10.8, 8

finishing touch.

datsit.quick and dirty. but it got did.

Sisu

Snatch Vo2: 60 sets of 7

It seems like my training cycle for snatches is working. Going to just one day a week of snatching instead of two, and cycling the loads with a 16 kg snatch vo2 workout one week, a 20 kg snatch vo2 workout the next and followed up with a 24 kg snatch workout that focuses just on total volume and not time.

Doing the 20 kg for last weeks workload made the 16 kg feel like, well, a 16 kg( at least what it should feel like :)) My main problem with max vo2 training is not the volume, or the short rest periods or having my heart rate so high it feels my heart is going to jump out of my chest but the speed.

Eight reps per 15 seconds just require so much more 'accuracy' in the movement with NO MISTAKES in form, to keep up that pace.Seven rep sets now just feel like I am almost cruising and could keep up that pace for a lot longer.

SO that's what I did today; kept the pace at 7 per 15 sec and did 60 sets. It's been two plus years since I did 60 sets of max. and it was strong up until the last ten sets, lol.

I actually was snatching at an 8 rep pace after the first ten sets warmed me up but as I wrote about before there is a world of difference between eight rep pace and eight reps per set :))

I actually did some nine rep pace but that just left me more time to rest at the end of the interval in the overhead hold.

6-7 am full stretchout

For a change I actually did the full 60 minutes in stretchout getting everything from toes to nose including my overheads and the overhead in split snatch ( barbell style) position. This is a keeper. ANother global stretch that I love.

Floor splits are coming along very well and found that if I prop the arms up on rumble rollers I get more upright much more easily( which I knew) but also get a better hip flexor loading( which I didn't).

I have been doing all floor split and stretches on fingertips ala Convict Conditioning 2 advice and it is helping my flexor forearm muscles release tension and strengthening the hell out of my extensors. It's also making my fingers seriously gymnastics strong again.

8:30

Snatch Vo2

16 kg

15:15

7 reps per interval

60 sets

420 reps

15,120 !! nice most I've done in ages

Two hand arm casts

20 lbs x10/10

25 lbs x 10/10 x 3 sets

Shield Cast

25 lbs x 8/8 x 3 sets

Bodyblade laterals

3 x8/8

One arm band triceps extensions

4 x 20/20

x 15/15

x10/10 x 2

I like doing these one arm at a time as well

AS always, having my Queen of Swings and KB Snatches train alongside of me is the best. Watching the video it's way cool how synchronized we get in our pace without even trying.Of course tracy was doing double sets with the same rest period but really, would we expect any less? lol Of course not.

datsit.Sisu.

28 kg Long cycle cl/press and 28 kg one arm swings

It's so nice to sleep well but especially so before my heavy Saturday workouts. Also good before my 28 kg clean and press day. I actually looked back at my last 28 kg workout and saw that I did 6 sets of 2( which was a conservative load) so I knew triples were on the menu.

How many, I didn't know but I 6 sets of 3 sounded good, 6 more total reps than last time, but when done in triples much harder by way more than 6 reps worth. AS always I never really know what's going to happen til I place hands on bell.

That's part of the fun and now, at my place in my training journey a good place to be. I don't HAVE to make any numbers to make sure I get my REAL number at a comp because I don't do that anymore and it's fine.

Actually way more than fine. I don't need that stress anymore. Been there, done that, tore shit up. Now its' time to just build not break. Training not testing.

7-8 am stretchout.

Got caught up with printer issues at the studio and only had time for 40 real minutes and paid most attention to the legs. Right SI was a little weird after all those swipes and rockits ( thanks for jinxing me Ramon! :)) so I started there. Didn't get much overhead stretching or mobilizing done but left shoulder has been feeling normal of late so I wasn't worried.

Plus I FELT strong and my mind was right, the MOST important thing of all.

Clean and press

one arm swing warmup

16 lg x 5/5/5/5 x 3

16 kg c/p x 5/5

20 kg x5/5

24 kg x3/3

28 kg x 3/3 x 6 sets

36 total reps /18 per side

Nick kept bugging me to do 7 sets but I wasn't greedy and 6 was the TOP end of my plan so I stuck with it and finished strong. Like I COULD have done 7 and that was the point. Leave some in the tank for the next workout.

Left shoulder was 90 % perfect( no adjustments) and I was more confident on each set. Right side was VERY strong and easy.

One arm swings

28 kg x 8/8 x 8 sets

x 8/8/8/8 x 1 set

160 reps

these went really well too and I could have easily done sets of 10 but decided this workload was perfect for today. Nice to feel strong and untweaked! I decided to do both of the last sets back to back as much out of laziness than bravado. I knew I had one good effort in me but not sure about two.

It's always harder to put the bells down and pick them up again than to keep going. BUT it was a good rep count anyway.

Black Band Triceps extension

5 sets of 20 GOAL!!!

I've been doing these 3 x a week trying to get all five sets and got it done today, and it was strong too. Hey, when it's a good day it's a good day. I like having triceps again, too :))

Much thanks to Fabio Zonin RKC TL for the great Pure Power t shirt! See you soon man.

datsit. Sisu

Clubbell and handstands. Density work

I really look forward to clubbell day now. Instead of feeling guilty I'm not doing more kettlebells my arms and shoulders are happy for the break, and the counterbalancing effect the clubbells have on them.

It's a particularly tough day as well as I have to train at the end of a 7 client day and it starts early. Clubs are easier for me to get up for though that kbs and that helps.

Last weeks order worked well so it was the same today

torch swings

swipes

handstands

rockits

triceps

Torch swings

2 10's x 5 + 5 swings x 2 sets

2 15's x 5 x 2 + 5 swings x 2 sets

20's x5 x 3 sets

Wow, these were both much easier and harder at the same time. The lighter sets were much stronger and more stable,as was the first set with the 20's but then the second set got very wonky on my left side grip.Just lost my thumb and the whole thing felt like it would crash. Got it locked down on the third set but it was weird.

Clubs have HUGE and very different grip requirement but it's very good. a weakness and a good solution.

Two clubbell swipes

2 10's x20 x 2

2 15s x 20 x 5

this was great! These finally felt strong again and my groove just kept getting better each set although I don't think I could have done another set of 20. But WAY better than last week.

This is the type of density training I need to do to get back to being able to do 100+ reps in one set again. I have been thinking that my PR in this with this weight was 150 non stop reps but I checked and it's only 110. I did 50 a month or so ago and it was hard but 100 seems doable- 150 did not and was freakin me out how I could have lost SO much in this move.

Turns out I didn't :))

Need to do some one arm work here too and work up to the 25 lber and eventually the 35 lber in the one arm swipe.

Handstands( wall start)

10 sets of 10-15 sec and these were even stronger than last week. Felt I could have stayed up as long as I wanted to! Did few that started without touching the wall and on the others tapped off in just a second but the next level is no wall. Not quite yet but soon.

Rockits / Black mini band extensions

2 15's x 20 x 4 sets

ext x 20 x 4 sets

these went great and I got a second wind that made things cruise. Could have done another set each but it was enough. Leave some for next time.

datsit. Sisu.

20Kg Snatch Vo2

After last weeks 16 kg , 50 set workout the 20 kg was back on the plate and I knew it would not be easy. I did 20 sets of 5 last time with overhead holds for the rest of the 15 sec and then 5 sets of 6. I had NO idea where my strength or endurance would be today but I slept well and was moving well this morning so I sensed trouble in paradise :))

I was wrong and things went great. I did 20 sets of 5 rep sets and the 9 sets of 6 and finished with a set of 7 just to see what it would feel like. I was fine for one set :))

My heartrate was pretty high even with the low reps. 15 seconds rest is never very much time no matter what the work bout :))

snatch vo2

15:15

20 kg

20 sets of 5

9 sets of 6

1 set of 7

161 reps

7,084 lbs of work

24 kg snatch

3 sets of 5/5

Just needed to touch this. its been awhile. Next week I'll snatch the 24 kg for total volume reps shooting for between 100+ and 200 ( eventual goal) with no time constraints on rest periods.

Week one : 16 kg snatch Vo2

Week two: 20 kg snatch Vo2

Week three: 24 snatch volume work

Week four: repeat cycle

I think this will work for my body and my head.

Capt America Arm cast

25 lbs x 10 x 2

35 lbs x 8 x 4 sets

these were strong today! I love the slide and glide of this arm cast.

Bodyblade laterals

3 set of 10/10

I always can't believe how hard these are! but they are necessary.

triceps extensions

one arms with black mini band doubled

3 sets of 15//15

two arm extension with mini band

3 sets of ?

pushdowns

2 sets of 15

wow. serious serious tricep pump. I remember this. I like this :))

datsit.Sisu

Double presses/ swings

Time to get back to work on my double presses after figuring out how to keep my left shoulder stable as I pressed by , duh, using the lat correctly. So nice to press and not have my shoulder subluxing every other rep.

7 am stretchout: 60 minutes focusing on overhead work as well as the usual leg stretching.

8 am Short cycle press

16 kg x 5

20 kg x 5

x 3

24 kg x 5 x 8 sets

this was very strong and stable for a change. Made a small technique adjustment as I pressed- REALLY keeping my glutes engaged and the hips just a bit more forward. Much more stable.

One arm swings

24 kg x10/10 x 10 sets

200 reps

Nice! Haven't done this much volume,especially in sets of 20 in forever. Bell swing was very good. Good break after last weeks heavy stuff with the 32 kg.

Band triceps extensions

4 x20

1x10

SO CLOSE, but suffered serious triceps death on the last set. No worries, I'm getting the hypertrophy response I'm after and that's really what counts.

datsit.Sisu.

Clubbells and Handstands

I already like the way I've changed my Thursday training. A complete day off from KB work with a very different type of loading on my arms, elbows and grip.Clubbells, as difficult as they are, seem much easier to me than Kbs and really traction my already overloaded wrist and elbow flexors.

Since my elbows hyperextend,and you don't get much, if any, joint capsule stabilization when a joint is hyperextended, I always have to keep some tension in the elbow flexors, especially with kb swings. This adds up in a negative way, but the CB swings really work the arms in the exact opposite way providing a great counterbalance of tension and distraction to the joint.

Not to mention the ability to really create super torque in the shoulder and elbow and work the elbow in extension. Much like the KB swing does for the hip extensors. Resistance in the fully extended position.

Hard to come by.

I've been re reading Convict Conditioning 2 lately and can't believe how much incredible, real world, real deal information there is in this book. Presented just the way I like, straight and to the point. Like or not he just throws his truth out there and I couldn't agree more. And his progressions are incredible rational and logical. Simple but DEFINTELY not easy. With VERY definite goals to achieve so you know when to go to the next level.

His take on hand strength and forearm training is completely original and revolutionary( in the fitness world anyway)and one of the core moves he emphasizes is a vertical hang from thick towels or ropes. The grip is used amazingly in long bar hangs but not so much the thumb muscles.They really are in the vertical towel hang and as well in clubbell work

I couldn't really grok why the grip was so taxed from the CB training and now I get it. Again, it is the perfect compliment and counterbalance to all the horizontal grip training I get with KBs

Torch Swings:

heres the 15 lb second set.

I did 20 reps with the tens and then went to these. Rotation and overhead hold felt fine

3 sets of 5-6with an emphasis on holds at the top and packing the shoulders.

20 lb torch swings 3 sets of 5 as well

these were the best I've ever done with the 20's but were very squirrelly at the top of the rep. I always imagine I'm swinging to a handstand on the parallel bars when I practice these

Handstand Holds

10 sets of between 5 and 20 seconds! this was the best handstand workout I've had yet and gives me great hope for the future. I felt like I could hold this as long as I wanted and my hand and finger strength reminded me of the old days. Pretty soon back to no wall starts

This video is of the tenth set and around 24 seconds without touching the wall. Nice.

Clubbell rockits supersets with Band triceps extensions

cb rockits 15 lbs x 20, 20, 15, 10

extensions x 20, 20, 20 , 20

very close to my goal of 5x20 and the rockits felt great in the quads.

great workout, starting an hour early, at 12 instead of 1pm helped as well.

datsit. Sisu

One rep at a time. One set at a time.

This is what I kept telling myself this morning as I ground through 50 sets of snatch vo2 training with my beautiful training partner who also happens to be my bride of almost 24 years. This was especially true at set 25 and I knew I was not only only half way through, but easy street was over and now I had to step up the pace to 8 reps per 15 seconds.

The first 25 sets were actually not bad at all but speed and strength are two different things. The hardest part of training max vo2 for me is not the total sets but trying to go fast for a long time with little rest between sets. I ain't good at it and I don't like it

But nothing is as efficient for me for getting me into great cardio AND muscle endurance condition. Plus it teaches me to stand and deliver. To hold my ground and deal with it. To endure. Sisu.

When my speed goes it is really tough to keep the pace without breaking form, hence the mantra " one rep at a time, one set at a time"

It reminds me of when I trained for bike racing and had big hills to climb. You could never look towards the top as you were climbing, just at your wheel and the ground before you. A thousand miles one pedal stroke at a time. that's all you had to do. the next one.

I decided not to worry if I didn't make the 15 sec cutoff as my lungs were ok, just the ability to move the body and the bell very fast was hurting. But I didn't need to :))

I switched bells three times as the dripping sweat was making the grip tough and I didn't need anything else in my way.

I switched techniques towards the end( last 10 sets) going to "pop, pull, punch" instead of my normal swing snatch technique as those muscles were running out of speed and the hip snap high pull muscles were fresh.

That worked great.

Heartrate was in the 180's. perfect.

7 am stretchout was solid too, and lots of splits, overhead snatch receiving position stretches and standing lunges were in with the usual suspects. I need a serious 85 minutes stretchout,lol. Makes a huge difference.

snatch vo2

15:15

16 kg

25 sets of 7( 175)

25 sets of 8(200)

375 snatches ( !)

13,500 lbs

Tracy of course killed it doing one arm swings with the 16 kg for her third workout of the (early) morning_ after 500 snatches, 500 one arm swings with the 12 kg and then, with me, 500 one arm swings with the 16!

Two hand arm casts

20 lbs x 10/10

25 lbs x 10/10 x 2

Two hand shield casts

25 lbs x 6/6 x 3 sets

Bodyblade laterals

3x10/10

wow I was toast after all those snatches and didn't go near the 35 lb cruiser bell,lol.

Put a fork in me I was done. No band extensions today, ran out of time and energy

datsit.Sisu

24 kg clean and press pr

I've been spending more and more time pressing the 28kg as I've wanted that to be my "floor" as far as week in and week out pressing weight. But if one goes too heavy too often it's easy to lose the groove as you "fight" to make the heavier weight feel light enough to really focus and concentrate( practice anyone?) on every aspect of the lift.

I can do that with the 24 kg and it was the perfect day to do so after the last few weeks of heavy pressing. I still wanted to get the work in so I decided on a 5/5-10/10 rep ladder. I've done it before, well almost, as I skipped 9/9 and just went to 10/10 as I didn't think I could do both sets.

I was thinking about doing the same thing today but Nick kept me honest and the tape above is the last set of 10/10= 90 total presses with the 24 kg! A real life PR. I'll take it.

7 am stretchout

LOTS of focus on leg mobs and stretches as the shoulder is finally( and the first rib) back in place and feeling normal. Felt very loose this morning and splits actually felt like they are making progress! No issues from all the swipes and CB swings from Thursday.

Long cycle clean and press

16kg x 5/5

20 kg x 3/3

24 kg x5/5

x6/6

x7/7

x8/8

x9/9

x10/10

90 total presses

Made a specific change in technique on the left arm which really helped stabilize the shoulder. instead of just activating the lat on the setup and then forgetting about it, I conciously flexed it, then flexed it again as the bell went overhead,helping keep the shoulder in the socket as the bell finished. Again, it's so easy to forget the little pieces that make the whole work correctly.

One arm swings

24 kg x8/8

28 kg x8/8

32 kg x8/8 x 3

48 measely reps but it's a start. After working with so many people lately teaching them to swing, I have much more respect for just how hard heavy one arms are, and how strong I am ( was) at them! I have to practice more and get my numbers up. I think this change in schedule will work. Also going to do clubbells on thursdays now and leave two hand alone for awhile. It's a better balance.

Tact Pullups

3x5

solid, first time for fives in awhile. all throat above bar.

Band tri extensions

20, 20 , 15, 10

lol, triceps death. love it

datsit. Sisu.

Clubbell workout

Decided to mix things up a bit today after realizing the two hand swing is aggravating my left shoulder a bit tightening up my pecs, teres major and lat and just play with my clubbells a bit.It's certainly not my once a week swing workout that's doing it but all the demos of two hands I've been doing lately with new clients.

I haven't been doing enough basic clubbell swings, which really strengthens the shoulder IN external rotation as well developing the strength TO externally rotate under load and today was a good day to reverse that.

1 pm

two clubbell swings

10's x 20 x 2 sets

15's x20's x 2 sets

20's x 10's x 2 sets

these were,as they always are, harder than expected but such great work and such a great counterbalance and compliment to the kettlebell swing.Pretty much exactly the opposite.Surprisingly hard on my grip as I always find. Just not in shape for these.

Swipes

10's x 20 x 2

15's x 10

x 12

x 14

x 16

x 18

x 20 ( shown in video above)

Again these were surprisingly tough on the grip, have to work them back into the rotation on a more regular basis.But it is an inherently strong and natural movement for me.

One arm shield cast

10 lbs x 10/10 x 2

15 lbs x 10/10 x 3

left side was really wonky. Not stable enough in the one arm static hold position.

Handstands

10 sets of 5-8 second holds. Strong again, like last week but not AS strong.It is starting to feel like my old handstand where I could do anywhere, anytime for any length of time, lol.

Band triceps extensions

black band x 20

x 15

x 13

x 10

LOL! these kicked my ass! After the swipes, handstands and the extensions on Sat there was little left in the tri's .Perfect. Grow, they will :))

Bench pistols( left leg only)

4 sets of 4

These too, were surprisingly strong again as they were last week. I didn't do the right side as I need to let the left catch up quite a bit and I could feel what all the extra work on my right side did last week: took me TOO far out of balance.

But this week, unlike last, I remembered to keep the weight on the big toe/ball of the foot) in the descent( thanks Geoff!) and it really makes a difference. Held on a bit with right arm but I can see where I will be doing free bench pistols for reps soon and that will be a great day!

datsit.Sisu.

20 kg Snatch Vo2 and 35 Lb 2 Hand CB swipes

This week was scheduled as a back off week as I hit my goal number of 50 sets in the snatch vo2 last week.But the question was, HOW to back off? I could have just done 40 sets of 7 and be done with it, easy for sure, but I wasn't really in the mood to go fast at all so I thought about doing some heavier snatches instead.

I've done 80 sets of 8 with the 16 kg but I've never even played with the 20 kg in this protocol. Never thought I was ready for it.

But today I didn't care :)) I figured sets of 5 with a overhead hold for the remaining time on the 15 sec clock would be doable and much more accessible mentally.

6 am Stretchout:

This went very well with most accent on leg work, especially three sided splits and half kneeling stretches and standing lunge stretches. Shoulder was still wonky but going on the right direction and I know the extra overhead stretching I've been doing is helping. Stretching ain't easy and it isn't much fun but it HAS to be done.

At least for me.

8:30 am

Snatch vo2

15:15

20 kg x 20 sets of 5 with overhead hold at end

6 sets of 6 with overhead hold.

112 reps

4928 lbs

this was very interesting. It wasn't hard cardiovascularly or strength wise, just what I wanted. But it was tough in it's own way.I think I am going to turn tuesdays into snatch day and alternate the weights and loads, from 16 kg to 24 kg and go back to one arm swings after clean and press on Saturdays.

Right now I'm snatching two days a week and not doing any one arm swings of note at all. This will be a good change. Probably do Max vo2 with the 16 and 20 kg and just go for total volume of reps and sets with the 24 kg every 2nd week (i.e wk1 16 kg max, wk 2 24 kg for reps, wk 3 20 kg max, wk 4 24 kg etc)

Two hand CB swipes

20 lbs x 10/10

25 lbs x 8/8

35 lbs x 5/5

x 5/5

x 5/5

these were tough! the load on the grip is amazing, even on the long arm! haven't done them in awhile and they were a perfect change. As Pavel says, a "change is as good as a rest".

Agreed

Bodyblade laterals

3 x 10/10

man these are getting harder not easier,lol! each set of 10 per arm takes 80 seconds and that's a long time under tension. But they are crucial for my shoulder stability I'm convinced and they are easier on the joints.

Band triceps extensions

3 sets of 20

1 set of 10

dead. these killed the tri's perfectly . a bit closer to my goal of 5x20

datsit.Sisu

32 kg Long cycle press and 24 kg snatch

After last weeks strong 28 kg presses I knew I was ready to take the 32 kg out for a ride, even though my left shoulder has still been going in and out of neutral and pissing me off. I pain ball it, or overhead stretch it or stick shrug it and it settles down but just a little too much internal rotation and it's talking to me again.

Got in early, slept well, felt good and got a great full body stretchout before training.Surprisingly the workout was good lol.

One arm swing warmup

16 kg x 15 x 3 sets

One arm clean warmup

16 kg x5/5 x2

Long Cycle Clean and press

16 kg x5/5

20kg x 3/3

24 kg x2/2

28kg x1/1 ( when I feel strong I always do less warmups- I felt strong- I wanted to get to the 32)

32 kg x 2/2 x 4 sets

These went well. The video above is the second set. My shoulder was moving around a bit on each rep and I couldn't figure out why until the third set when I realized I was using my lat to get set but then didn't KEEP it on as I pressed.

I just went mentally to pushing the bell and the lat wasn't keeping the shoulder head down in the socket.

Once I figured that out the forth set was perfect- NO adjustments or instability at all. 'Bout time :((

Not sure how many total reps I've done in recent workouts with the 32 kg ( I should know this BEFORE each workout) but this has to be close. I'll check later.

Snatches

24 kg x5/5

x 6/6

x 7/7

x8/8

x9/9

x10/10

these felt great and I need to get my snatch reps up as well as my total number of reps per workout. Hands were perfect and so nice to see my right shoulder is coming along so well. Just wish that my left would cooperate as well :))

Pullups

5 sets of 4 with 5 scap pullups at the end of each set/ plus a 5 sec hang.

these are flying up. Really focused on maintaining a strong hollow position throughout each rep

Band tricep extension ( black band)

20 reps

20 reps

15 reps

12 reps

10 reps

lol, talked about deja vu! brought back my bodybuilding days very quickly-especially as my triceps went deep into fatigue very fast! I was planning on 100 reps- 5 sets of 20 but my tri's had different ideas. This is a great exercise for my tri's and my shoulders don't mind it at all so it's here to stay. First goal is 5 x 20.

Datsit. Sisu.

32 kg two hand swings and the Prodigal Son

Mikey playing on the ropes in 2006 Muscle Beach

I was still sore in the forearms and shoulders from Tuesdays snatch Vo2 workout and I want to press the 32 kg on Saturday so I re thought using the Beast today for my swing workout. Thursdays are always among my toughest workouts as I have to train alone and at the ass end of the day on an empty stomach so I never think in terms of volume but intensity and quality instead.

But had a very pleasant surprise today as my dear friend, who is literally like another son to me, Michael Castrogiovanni, was in town today from his world travels ( for just a few days before he heads off to India next week :)) and wanted to train with me. How cool!

Mike is a serious mutant in many, many ways( pretty much anything physical he sets his mind to) and I knew he was just back from Wilderness school and would be in some serious hard shape. And he was:)) Mike is the guy that brought Pavel and me together, talked me into getting my RKC, trained me for it and has always believed in me as much as anyone ever has.

I taught him how to lift traditional weights when he was just a 14 year wrestler at my gym in in his hometown of Campbell and then the Way of the Kettlebell back in 2003 when he had just graduated college. He of course took to it like a duck to water . The story is documented in Pavel's classic book Enter the Kettlebell.

He wanted to do my workout, which meant he wanted an easy day ( for him ,lol) and we started with two hand swings

Two Hand swings

24 kg x10

24 kg x5

28kg x10

32 kg x 10,12,14,16,18, 20

and easy 90 reps for Mikey but a seriously nice workout for me, I haven't been above ten reps in two hand swing with any weight let alone the 32kg and it was a breeze. Good power all the way, It was a good sign.

Supersetted with Pistols

6 sets of 4 reps on the right leg and the same but Bench Pistols for the left leg. This was mike's idea although I had been planning on doing one legged squats off a box for the left leg but this was a better idea. Surprisingly I could actually do them on my left leg, an amazing thing!

With my right side I used Mike a spot and actually was going rock bottom with just a two finger spot. I went so deep with more of my own bodyweight than ever that I cramped my right VMO! Crazy.

When I started training for the cert with Mike back in 2005 I could barely get out of a chair with two legs and using my arms my knee and back were so jacked.now bench pistols with that leg. The body can heal, we can always get stronger. Always. It just might be more slow than we want but to me it's only about direction, about trendline, not speed.

Soon. VERY soon, I will be able to do a full, bodyweight pistol on my right leg and then started strengthening it with progressive weights.Soon as well I will be able to do a body weight pistol on my left leg to at least parallel and THAT will be one serious miracle. :))

Those with healthy joints who do not maximize the potential of their body to at least SOME degree are so crazy! They have no idea of the gift they have been given that they are squandering! I would KILL to have functional knees and shoulders again.

But I will take getting better to whatever degree I get to. That will suffice. I remember where I was. I won't forget that.

Handstands

8 sets of ten second holds!!!!

Mike was doing them freestyle but I used to wall to kick up to but then found I was totally locked into the groove and could hold them effortlessly! I could even look between my arms and stay completely stable! I felt light upside down for the first time in forever and it was very very cool. A good omen for the body weight workshop coming up.

Clubbell swipes

2 10 lbs x10

2 15 lbs x 10 x 5 sets

haven't done these in awhile and they felt light. Mike showed me his latest crazy ass clubbell work with two arm mills in both directions and some amazing cb juggling! Not for me but great to see it done.

Datsit.Sisu.

Snatch Vo2 50 sets

It's been a long time since I've been in this territory. And true to form training max vo2 with snatches increases my cardio ability faster than anything else I've done with a kettlebell,possibly anything in general.

It seems I can take big jumps in total volume of sets AND reps for quite awhile with this protocol. It also helps, a lot, that my snatch form has been very very consistent and my body has behaved as well, not getting too wonky or imbalanced.

It's tough to go fast it you're even a little bit concerned about tearing a hamstring off the bone :)) But that's no longer the case it seems so my speed and efficiency is definitely up and that feels great too.

With my 7 rep sets I was finishing in 12 seconds and held the weight for the last 3 seconds. Even when I went to 8's I still had just over 1 second left in the interval. That's not bad for me at all. I've been ramping up from 30 sets a few months ago to today's 50 sets. This was the original goal of the original Snatch Vo2 protocol when it came out in 2007.

Then it got ramped up to 80 sets but I am fine with 50. At least until I can do all of them with8 rep sets. Soon.

Just as I did when I progressed from 30 sets of 7 to 80 sets of 8 last time I am working forwards and backwards at the same time, Forwards in that I am upping the total number of sets I do each workout for at least 3-4 weeks before backing off and rebuilding.

But backwards at the same time as I increase the number of 8 rep sets progressively downward, starting the the last 5 sets then getting to todays 20 sets. Next time I will still only do 50 total sets but will do 25 sets of 8 instead.

Once I work it down to 10 sets only of 7's I will jump to all 8 rep sets. Once I own that I will progressive it forward again up to 60 sets of 8 and that will be plenty.

Training with Tracy makes this possible as it's just too miserable to do by oneself unless you have a gun to your head. Tracy did her workout today alternating the 14 kg and the 16kg and I have to not get too upset as I remember she did 50+ sets of 8 with the 16kg not too long ago.

Kettlebell swing and snatch Maestro!

6 am

Full stretchout

8:30

snatch vo2

16 kg

15:15

30 sets of 7 ( 210)

20 sets of 8 (160)

370 total reps

13,320 lbs work ( now that's a great number!)

heart rate was up towards low 190's at the end and didn't come down for more than a few minutes. this kicked my butt!

Capt America Sliding arm casts

20 lbs x 10

25 lbs x 10

35 lbs x 8 x 3 sets

nice to get back to the big CB again.

Bodyblade laterals

3 sets of 10,8,6

wow these were tough today

Band Triceps extensions

3 x 20 with black band

Nice! I really need to get the triceps cooking again but everything I do ( pushups, dips, ring extensions) really jack up the shoulders. This seemed to work very well and really got the long head which is the key tricep muscle.

Datsit. Sisu

Hardcore Hardstyle Inspiration/Hungarian Style.

Inspiration is the Mother of Motivation which is the essence of action. THIS gets me inspired!

28 kg Long cycle clean and press 6x2

Seems like I haven't done single arm long cycle clean and presses heavy in forever so it's time to up the weight a bit. In keeping with my fondness for mutliple sets of low(er) reps in presses, and not knowing how my still funky left bicep tendon would behave I settle on sets of 2 reps with the 28.

Got a solid 60 min stretchout in today at 7 and that always helps.Lots of focus on releasing all the known suspects in biceps impingment such as pec minor and major, lats and teres major and the arm elbow flexors, that, in me at least seem to always make their way up the spider web of fascia and pull too hard on my shoulder capsule, taking it out of neutral and intro impingement

Getting to open up isn't the issue, it's keeping it in and sleeping on it doesn't help although I consciously try not too, most of the time I'm not conscious :)) and end on it too much. More overhead stretching and really getting the pain ball in the pec major,pronator teres, supinator and brachioradialis.

Lots of shoulder band distaction ala Kstar which helped, once I found the correct angle.then my normal stretchout routine, starting with back bends and ending in snatch grip lunge stretches.

Warmup

one arm swings

16 kg x5/5 + 5 transfers x 3 sets

Clean and press lc

16 kg x5/5

20 kg x 4/4

24 kg x3/3

28 kg x2/2 x 6 sets

these felt surprisingly light even on my left shoulder. No clunking in the rack position, as has been the case. So weird, for years it was my right shoulder giving me impingement pain.Once I go that cleared up the left side started talking to me! It's like I'm chasing the pain out of my body and it keeps running to a new place to hide til I find it again and it runs away again.

Soon I will chase it entirely out of my body and be square plump and neutral all day long.

Snatch

20 kg x5/5

24 kg x8/8

x 7/7

x6/6

x5/5

Just 52 reps with the 24 but it felt light and moved well. Will bump that up significantly next week. Into the high eighties or low hundreds. Felt strong this morning just cautious.

Pullups

5 sets of 4 with 5-8 sec of scap retractions at the end of each set.

these felt solid too and my collarbone was almost to the bar! I just leapt up on each rep to my utter amazement.Haven't done these in weeks and almost immediately after finishing the workout my left shoulder felt more solid that ever! crazy freakin' body of mine. It's such a puzzle.

Everything works but nothing works forever.

Datsit. Sisu

44 kg Power swings

Today was a tough one. Seven clients in a row and no Tracy teaching her class during my training time to spur me on. It's always tougher to train by oneself;especially at the end of a long workday but that is truly what separates those who have and will continue to make progress in their practice and those who won't. You HAVE to be able to train by yourself because even if you have great training partners now, there will be a time when you won't

Or they won't show up.The key to getting these workouts done is not asking yourself how you feel or if you feel like training, or whether this will be a good workout or not. You will never know until you are knee deep into it, training partners or not and it doesn't matter.

All that matters is that the workout is on the schedule and it's time to saddle up and do your best for that day. That's all we can ever do anyway so don't even think about it; Just Do It( props to Nike for that one)

Didn't have enough time this AM for a stretchout so eeked it out during the work day which is better than nothing but not really good either. I'll have to finish it up tonite.

Power swings

24 kg x10

28 kg x7

32 kg x7

36 kg x5

40 kg x 5

44 kg x5x5

these were hard but good. Just what I needed for a tough day: heavy weight and low reps. Something to make me concentrate but didn't depend on energy and endurance I had already spent.

I really love this movement and it's a great fallback position when I'm fatigued because it's so safe as well.Hard but safe.

Pistols

five sets of 4 each leg, alternated with the power swings after I got to the 46 kg. My left knee was stiff than last week and I think it's because I didn't really get the quad opened up this morning. It was by the end.

Handstand holds and partial pushups

back to using the double straight leg position against the wall and these very very light and strong. the pushups were good but my left shoulders started moving around too much when I desended lower than a 1/4 pushup so I stopped there.

Five total sets here.

Datsit , quick and dirty. about 35 minutes

Sisu

Snatch Vo2/ 45 sets

Got lots of sleep, good food and had an easy morning start so I knew this workout would be tough- and it was, lol. While almost back to US normal in terms of my daily routines the adrenaline pour off that occurred during my trip will take more than a few days to return my energy systems to full normal so I was a bit less than excited today about doing 45 sets of max.

And by set twelve I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had no excuses,my body didn't hurt, I had had a great stretchout earlier but my motivation to suffer wasn't very high so it was a slog.

Of course I manned up and got it done but it tweren't no fun, ;not at all and if Tracy hadn't been there cranking through her third workout of the morning I would have slacked off big time. But she was so I didn't.

Form felt good, speed was solid and I started out doing sevens at a nine rep pace, holding the overhead position for a 2-3 seconds at the end. Did this for 30 sets then moved onto eight rep sets and still having time to hold the overhead for a second before the damn gym boss went off :))

heart rate was 180 plus the last 15 sets and took a bit to come down afterward. Back off week next week.

6 am:

stretchout full routine with lots of snatch grip overhead lunge stretches on floor and with leg on boxes of various heights

Snatch vo2

15:15

16 kg

30 sets of 7 ( 210)

15 sets of 8(120)

total reps 330

total weight 11,880

right now the plan is to continue doing 7 reps for 30 sets and work the top number of sets, done in 8s, up to 60 sets , a solid 30 minutes of snatching. Once I get to 60 sets I will backtrack decreasing the number of 7 rep sets and increasing the 8s

Two hand clubbell arm casts

20lbs x 10/10

25 lbs x 10/10 x 3

no 35 lber for me today :))

One arm shield casts

15 lb cb x 5/5

x6/6

x10/10

these were good and the elbow,which has bothered me before with these at this weight was solid.

Bodyblade laterals

3 x10/10

very tough as usual. each set of 10 takes 40 seconds so it's three 80 second sets! no wonder they're hard.

taking in lots of proteins and fats and in positive caloric balance so weight is good and feeling anabolic again. nice.

Datsit. Sisu

24 kg double presses 5x5

There's almost nothing worse to me( in a training sense) then losing ground. It take so much work and effort to get in good condition, be that strength or work capacity, and it takes minutes( almost) to lose it.

Of course you don't lose it all, but the top 15-25 % comes off very quickly;and two weeks of international travel and no real "training"( as opposed to just working) and things fall off quickly.

Peter Lakatos says international travel is the equivalent to over training and I believe thats true. It's scary how fast one can lose muscle, strength and condition. But there is no alternative once one is back in the saddle to starting over( relatively) and getting back to work re building the base.

The bigger the base the taller the peak so I am always focused on widening the base foundation of my physical abilities. But it's no fun to come back to weights that feel heavy that very recently were very light and to get tired with such light workloads but such is life. Enough whining, time to work!

7-8 am stretchout

My left shoulder has been really wonky for a few weeks and all the normal correctives weren't helping. I knew it was out of position but I didn't know what was keeping it out. pec minor, brachialis and teres major were all "active" i.e. in spasm, but weren't the culprit.

Put the pain ball in the sternal area of the pec MAJOR and finally, release and relief! Don't know how well the workout would have been if I hadn't figured this out. The site is not the source. Sometimes it's very far away from the site of the pain but almost always in the same "train track".Once the sternal pec tension was released the humerous went into neutral and all the peripheral tension released.

I did a lot of windmills in Hungary,which I haven't been doing at all and I think those really stimulated the pecs. Along with arms bars as well. Good to know this. I had forgotten about the pec major :))

8-9 am

Double press

2 16s x 5 x 2

2 20s x 5

2 20s x 3

2 24 x5x5

This took a bit to get going. The first sets felt heavy and awkward. By the time I taped the 4th set I was settling in;my shoulders were opening up a bit and I was feeling more grounded and stable.Ack indeed. These are the workouts that really count. Not the easy and strong ones.

Snatch

20 kg x 5/5

24 kg x 5/5 x 4 sets

wow this felt heavy overhead too.Since my shoulder has been "out" for so long just getting it in now didn't give it much time to readjust . No matter, by the fifth set I was feeling strong and stable again.

One arm swings

24 kg x5/5

32 kg x5/5 x 3 sets

this was a good choice. Needed to really re establish the swing base with a heavy load. Felt light, finally.

Serious protein breakfast( eggs, cheese and veg of course :)

Datsit. Sisu

Bulldog

My new ride.

2005 Mustang GT. The year they changed the Mustang from a "normal" looking car with a big ass engine to this retro American Muscle car look. I love this car. I feel like I'm going fast even when I'm going slow and it fits me to a "T".

Short, thick and all about muscle,lol

I love the short front end; it reminds of a bulldog and was the theme for today's two hand swing workout with the 40 kg bell: The Bulldog.

2 pm

Two Hand Swings

24 kg x 10

28 kg x8

32 kg x 6

40 kg x 5

x 6

x7

x8

x9

x10

This was heavier than it should have been and it took a few reps to get the balance down. then it was fine and it was exactly what I needed to spark even more anabolism and get my size and strength going in the right direction again. Heavy something and today, this definitely qualifed.

I SO LOVE that I can train two hand swings now. This is the most basic of basic swing patterns and it's one powerful move.

alternated with Assisted Pistols

3/3 x 2

4/4 x2

5/5 x1

these actually went well and I found a much better groove than last week. These seem to balance out the hamstring dominance of the swings very well. I usually never like to alternated exercises but I do in this case.

32 kg x10 x 5 sets

these went very well after the B dog, the weight felt light and flew up. good power and bell speed.

alternated with handstands

these felt surprisingly strong. most held for 8-10 seconds. Didn't do the pushups but still used the right leg bent to 90 degrees. this makes it much easier although I really don't know why.

Two Clubbell swings

15 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets

these were another good balancer for the two hand swings and really tractioned my elbows well. Swing went to 20 degree above parallel.

Datsit.Sisu

I love my car :))

Eight rep pace

It's taken a week but I'm finally feeling back to my old self again; at least in terms of my day's rhythms. Sleeping, eating( back to Warrior diet instead of eating breakfast) and feeling a wee bit stronger than the death warmed over I was last week.

Lots of calories to make me more anabolic and lots of good proteins as well really helped. Back to my full supplement regiment as well also is speeding up the process.

Didn't know how I would feel going into some real conditioning work today with Max Vo2 snatch training even though last week was strong ( before I got sick :)).

Got in my full 75 minute stretchout for the first time this last week which was also a good sign. I was just too freakin tired all last week to concentrate as much I need to to actually do the stretches right!

But when I got into the snatches and was at 8 rep pace right away ( holding the rep overhead until the full 15 sec was over) I knew it was going to be a good workout.

Now I know that doing 8 rep pace for 7 reps is NOT the same thing as a doing all 8's but it's a good sign. Last week was 30 sets so I was hoping for 40 this week. No problem.

Always good to train with the love of my life and the Queen of Kb conditioning as she does this stuff so effortlessly it inspires and embarrasses me to better performance.

5:45 -7 am Stretchout and mobility work.

the kit and kaboodle. from bretzells, through splits to overhead lunges. Felt great to finally open up again.

|Snatch Vo2

15:15

16 kg

30 sets of 7

10 sets of 8

290 reps

10,440 lbs

Definitely could have done more set of 8 but I want to work up to 60 total sets before I start really in on the 8's. The key thing is that my snatch groove and pace are ready for it. Just have get the heart and lungs conditioned.

Capt America Arm Casts

20 lbs x10

25 lbs 10

35 lbs x 8x 3 sets

One arm Shield casts

10 lbs x 10/10 x 3

Bodyblade laterals

3 sets of 10/10

I think that doing the laterals helped clear my left arm bicep impingement that has been nagging me for the last two weeks. this hits the very important rotator muscle the supraspinitus and I think it may have been overlooked of late. Either way it feels much better after these.

datsit. Sisu

5x5/5: The Foundation

I have always loved fives in my training. When I was a bodybuilder trying to build mass I understood I needed to build strength first and did tons of five sets of five in the basic movements.In fact, when I wrote my first book for Runner's World magazine on Developing the Chest, my editor asked me if I did anything but fives for my training!?!

I did but it was the foundation.

When I competed in powerlifting we did much lower reps for the classic lifts but fives were my mainstay for my assistance work; perhaps the best compromise between load and intensity for both size and strength. Real strength. Easily converted to Maximum Strength.

I've found myself using the same template in my kettlebell training, surprisingly even though it may just be a habit by now. I believe, as does MRKC Brett Jones that anything over 3 reps is cardio and I hate to be out of breath :))

Five is a good compromise.

This is especially true when I am starting over and building or re building my foundation, say after an injury or a layoff, such as I had when I went to Hungary.

Even though my work output was ten times higher than in my normal life, my actual training, or specific loading, was down. No biggie, that's what training is for, to prepare you for tests or competitions when you have to taper your training and actually peak.

I've always hated this part of the cycle and much prefer to keep training going but you have to test if you are an athlete and this is part of the cycle.

But starting over sucks and international travel, as Peter Lakotos says, is the equivalent to overtraining. I agree. Add in a nice 36 hour "vomit virus", 3 days of no sleep and car troubles this morning which meant a late start and no stretching I knew I was in "starting over" mode.

So it was fives with the 24s in the long cycle clean and press. My go to base move. I love this movement and it likes me ok too :))

One arm Swing warmup

16 kg x5/5 + 5 transfers x 3 sets

Long cycle C&P

16 kg x5/5

20 kg x4/4

24 kg x5/5 x 5 sets

man this is a lot of reps when you feel tired and weak:))

Snatch

20 kg x5/5 x 5

24 kg x5/5 x 3

these weren't much easier either. amazing how a few weeks ago multiple sets of 10 with the 24 were easy.Being able to maintain condition is equally as hard as obtaining it in the first place.

Pistols

3 sets of 3/3

obsessed with this move now. Noticed on the video that on my left leg I didn't hold the right leg locked out well.> easy fix. they felt strong although one thing that has really fallen off of late is my stretching.

I didn't realize how much energy it takes to do my hour plus full on stretchout and I've been too burnt to mess with it enough and I can feel the difference especially in my ankles. time to get back to work and really take my ankle mobility and leg strength to a new level.

datsit. Sisu

"A back of iron and legs that never quit"

The sentence in the title of this blog has been my goal ever since I read the quote in Pavel's first book. Of course at the time my back was ruined and I couldn't stand up out of a chair without using my arms so it was pretty much a pipe dream but I always have been a dreamer so I got started.

Let me say it has been even slower than I thought. Being able to train two hand swings has been almost a miracle. But when I realized I could do pretty much full pistols on my right leg( still assisted though) and a almost half pistol on my left in Hungary( without knee pain!) I knew something truly miraculous is up. My back was on it's way to being iron. Hell, at least stable.

It all really started with Kelley Starretts thai squat method and being able to start actually increasing my ankle mobility which lead to a solid 15 deg + increase in knee flexion as well as being able to work my squat pattern much much harder than I have been in years.

I haven't trained squats in anyway shape or form for almost 6 years after I realized I was so out of balance that even training bodyweight squats messed up my back and knees even more and what I needed was flexibility and mobility not strength.

I used to be the most obsessive squatting fiend on the planet next to Tom Platz, and even with a knee that didn't bend well I treated leg training like my religion.

I had a broken knee and everybody said get your legs stronger to stabilize your knee so I tried as hard as I could. From INSANE leg workouts as a bodybuilder to almost equally nuts power squat training as a powerlifter.

It is not ironic at all, especially in retrospect, that my legs were never bigger, stronger or more functional and mobile than when I was racing bikes and riding up to 400 miles a week. NOT when I was lifting or squatting my heaviest.

ANd I was never so envious as I was after getting into the RKC and seeing everbody and their sister being able to do one legged squats and I could barely do a two legged one!

But I've been working my ankle knee and hip mobility and flexibility like a fiend as well lately and it's paying off. Working with Geoff Neupert last week on my pistol mechanics was the icing on the cake. Really focusing on starting with equal weight on all parts of the foot, REALLY weighting the big toe the entire way through as well as keep my head UP makes a big difference for me.

If I could end up being able to train pistols regularly and strongly and develop some decent quads again I would be one very happy camper.I don't need to do a pistol with a Beast. Some deep sets and reps would suit me just fine.

One thing I realized after doing some pistols in Hungary was that the quad activation really helped my( overly) tight hamstrings to relax so when I trained power swings today I alternated the swings with pistols.

It worked out perfectly. A great balance of opposites.

Power swings

20 kg x10

24 kg x 8

28 kg x6

32 kg x 5

36 kg x 5 x 5

alternated with

Pistols

5 sets of 3/3

that was all she wrote today. I slept well last night for the first time in 3 days and after getting some weird food poisoning or 24 hr flu on Tuesday. I ate no food yesterday as my stomach wouldn't allow it. So doing anything today was great.

Being able to do pistols and two hand swings in the same workout is so rich in symbolism of so many things for me it's not even funny.

A back of iron and legs that never quit.

Sisu

Snatch Vo2

Our good friend Judit and her outrageously cool kbs in Hungary.
It used to be I would come home from a one day cert in Minneapolis and not be able to train at all for a week. I would need so much stretching, rolling and correctives from all the travel, standing, walking and demo'ing during the weekend that any real training had to wait until the body calmed down.

I wouldn't have been able to imagine that I would be able to do 12 days in Hungary, two back to back certs and as much walking and standing as I have done and come back to my training on the scheduled day without missing a beat.

But I did just that today with almost no sleep for the last 36 hours on top of it( jet lag coming west is always tougher for me than going east.And although my body feels rough as hell the workout felt pretty strong, all things considered. I played it very safe just because I knew I should.

6-7 am

full stretchout: this I needed pretty badly. Focus was mainly on legs and hammies. Very tight. No surprise here.

8:30 snatch vo2

16 kg 15:15

30 sets of 7

210 reps

7560 lbs

these felt surprisingly easy and I could have done more no problem but I know the jet lag and the adrenaline wear off is just starting.

Arm Casts

20 lbs x 10/10

25 lbs x 10/10 x 3

no worries here but still started low and kept it simple.

Handstand pushups

3 sets of 3-5

these were weaker than I hoped. Not quite the same power as in Hungary.

Scap pullups

5 sets of 5

Just wanting to get a stretch going and activate the scap adductors.

Datsit. got to get some sleep now

Sisu.

A Hungarian Courage Corner

One day after Level 1 ended Tracy taught two swing classes for Judit Lantos RKC in her "dungeon" as she calls it. Tracy thought it was going to be two 30 minute sessions but it turned out to be two ONE HOUR classes! No problem for the swing clean.

The KB dungeon also did double duty as a martial arts dojo and was pretty small. I had to find a little corner in the back so I could get my workout in too. Not bad for the day after an interntional cert and four days straight of traveling and working!

It wasn't too long ago that I would be wrecked for a week after a cert in the states! Progress is good.

Snatches

16 kg one arm swing warmup

5/5/5 transfers x 3 sets

snatch

16 kg x5/5

20 kg x 5/5

x 6/6

x 7/7

x8/8

x9/9

x10/10

two hand swings

20 kg x 10

x 11

x12

x 13

x14

x 15

x 16

x 17

x 18

x 20

wanted to do 19 as well but my energy was going and I wanted to get the last set of 20 in

workout time: 40 minutes

stretchout: 40 minutes

definitely needed this as legs were like wood. much better after.I was soaked to the bone as the humidity was 100 percent ( full on rain) and it was hot as well. Felt like I was in a Bikram studio!

Off to teach s Super Lats seminar later today! Crazy busy but it's great fun.

Handstands in Hungary

The first two days in hungary have been non stop so little time to do anything but travel teach and sleep but got this in at the end of yesterday. Pavel wanted me to look at his handstand pushup technique that he had been playing with and I decided to give it a try and amazed myself that I could do handstand pushups again as well! crazy!

I haven't been able to do these in eons and they were very very easy at the end of two very long days of teaching and demonstrating as well as being a sweat ball all day as well ( Hungary is very humid ).

For some reason I can do things at certs (especially here) that I can't do at home. this was a nice surprise.

Back off Snatch Vo2

To me going to a cert is like going to a competition. I have to be at my best physically and mentally. And for me , three 15 hour days on my feet teaching,demo'ing testing and grading is a lot.Add in the travel and it's way more than I'm used to on a regular basis. And that's just a cert in the states. Traveling internationally is a whole lot more than that and one of things I am really bad at is sitting in one place for long hours.

So my fitness, endurance,mobility and flexibility and work capacity all have to be at their (recent) best when I get going and this cert is an exception to that in that it's two weekends back to back, which I've done before ( here in San Jose) but never in Europe.

My training and correctives have been going great of late with my strength, endurance,work capacity, mobility and pain levels at their recent bests in many many years. Still I get nervous before I big trip like this. Just like a comp. I NEVER not got nervous even though I competed very regularly for most of my life.

I'd be more nervous if I wasn't nervous. Nothing worse than being flat for a meet.

So after last week's peak of 50 sets of Max vo2 snatch training we planned on scaling it down to 40 with as many sets of 8 at the end that I thought were feasible and still stay on the easy end of training intensity.

AS per my usual belief that there is no worse indicator of a great workout than a good nights sleep and feeling good as you walk into the gym today was a good day. My lower back woke me up for the first time in eons at 12 midnight and I never really got back to sleep.It tool quite awhile to stretch it out this morning but it felt great as I got under the bell.

One of the best changes in my max vo2 snatch technique is really focusing on flipping the kb back into the descent as soon as possible after I hit the top position. The faster I throw it down the faster I come up and the better the pace is.Constant motion.

6-7 am stretchout

LOTS of two-three minute sets of downward dog as this opened up the hammies which opened up my lower back.Quads were tight too so lots of half kneeling stretches for right quad and box lunge stretch for left side.

Splits to all three sides as well and progressive squat downs from the middle split position.

8:30am

Snatch Vo2

16 kg

15:15

35 sets of 7

5 sets of 8

385 snatches

10,260 lbs

these were way easier than expected. I didn't expect to even be able to snatch today and I was repping at an 8 rep pace and holding at the top for the rest of the count. Even HR was low'ish( 160's as opposed to 180+)

Capt America Arm casts

20 lbs x 16 x 2

25 x 16 x1

Shield casts

20 lbs x 10/10 x 3

Body blade laterals 3 x10/10

these were all good but I was tired and knew I shouldn't push things so I didn't. No 35 lber today but the reps were up . The laterals have not been in the mix much lately and I think that's a mistake. the medial head of the delt and the supraspinitus need the work and that may be why my left shoulder has been impinging more of late. we'll see.

ten minutes more stretchout and

datsit.Sisu

off to Hungary and serious serious kettlebell training. what a life :))