Training Wrap Up 12/13/12

Posted by Steven on Dec 13, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

At the end of each training cycle I like to keep you updated with my progress or lack thereof.

Turkish Getup – HUGE PR AGAIN. It was hard, it was sloppy, it was a fight, but I put up the 44kg bell on both my left and right. I am pretty sure the businesses next door could hear my celebration. I really had to FIGHT my negative mind. As I was setting up I kept thinking “I can’t do this, I can’t do this”. Cleared that garbage out of my head, grabbed the bell like I meant it and dedicated my whole self to putting that bell overhead and standing up with it no matter what.

Success. The beast is going up next.

Front Squats – I started the 4 week training cycle of 5 rep countdowns with an easy 130lb single final rep. At the end of the cycle I put 185lb up for a single which was challenging but not sloppy or difficult.

I got MUCH better at Front Squats from a technical perspective. No more bruised collar bones or sore wrists/elbows. When I started this cycle I was not too happy about sticking to Front Squats but now I don’t want to stop…in fact I don’t think I will. I am enjoying this movement too much.

Swings – I have not really focused on these and it shows. Self doubt is a limiting factor here. For example one of my last sessions I set a timer for 5 minutes and put myself to the task of finishing 100 swings before time ran out. At 60 I decided I could not do it, slowed my pace, and accepted defeat.

After 80 Swings I took a look at the clock and saw I still had time and ended up finishing the 100 with time to spare. Why did I think I could not do it? I was folding under the pressure just like I did with the snatch test at my RKC cert. This is something I must overcome.

Double KB Clean and Press – I told myself I would not start pressing again until I did a TGU with the beast. I figured by that point my shoulder would be solid enough to not be bothered by the movement again. Well I couldn’t keep away.

I am staying light, just two 16kg bells. Doing 3 rung ladders, trying to add a ladder each training session then backing off once the volume is no longer “easy”. So far no shoulder issues, no elbow issues, and overall I feel good.

Week 10/29 Wrap Up

Posted by Steven on Nov 1, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

This was the end of my fourth week of training. I felt amazing on Saturday and knocked out some PRs that I am very happy with.

Back Squats – Ended the week with 175lb for 3 sets of 5. Started the training cycle at an admittedly very easy 65lb. After my back off week I will be changing up my linear progression to fit in a light – medium – heavy format. I noticed that my squats were starting to lean forward a little, so I think it will be better to back off the weight most of the week and get the best squats I can, rather than adding a flat 10lb every session.

Turkish Getups – Hit a lifetime PR on Saturday by doing a TGU with the 40kg bell on both sides. I had never gone over 36kg so to say I was happy would be an understatement. Once I got past the press up and getting to the elbow position it was smooth sailing. If I am smart I will add in heavy TGU to the elbow during my next cycle.

Sumo Deadlifts – Continue the trend of improving rapidly and being so much fun. Finished the week with a 1/2/3 set at 225lb. If only squats came along so simply. I do have to fight the urge to throw my hips up.

Single Arm Swings – Ended with 24kg swings done in 10/10 format for 80 total swings. Finished in 3:17. No back pain, which made me happy.

Farmers Walks – Moved up to 36kg + 40kg. The first few steps are always a little wobbly but after that I feel solid.

5/1/12

Posted by Steven on Jun 1, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

Spent the last week really nailing down my post RKC training. It has been all over the place but I feel like I finally have a good plan.

New schedule is Tracy Rif Swing training twice a week. Snatch training twice a week. With 100 swings on non-training days. Then just add in TGU and presses as comfortable. No plan just getting some reps in.

The progress with the plan has been great, with the snatch training I started with 16kg 15/15 intervals of 5 reps. Wednesday I finished 16kg 30/30 12 reps for 20 rounds. Will be moving back to 15/15 with the 20kg.

Tracy Rif Swing workouts are new this week. Completed the goals for sessions 1-2 and 3. So next week will be the start of 4. I will have a review here of the book in a couple weeks once I have it all read and further into the training. I can say so far this would have been an amazing addition to my RKC training. Just today finishing session 3 I did 305 swings with the 24kg. Can’t remember the last time I did that much volume with the 24kg. Felt good. Very different style of training than I have ever done. Enjoy it.

Weighed 178lb this morning. That is down from 193lb which I weighed before RKC. This is also my big cheat week, being halfway through the 12 week plan. Eating perfectly clean for 6 weeks was not difficult but sometimes a challenge. Good to take a break but I do feel TERRIBLE when eating sugar.

5/21/12

Posted by Steven on May 21, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

Home Training
Fasted

TGU
32kg
3 sets of 1/1
1:30 rest

First set was very awkward definitely out of practice with the 32KG, next set was better but still not great, third set was solid. Had planned on going for 5 sets but wanted to be sure I finished polished and not degrading back to how the first couple sets went.

Swings
32kg
15:15
Alternating 5/10 rep sets
2 clusters of 7 rounds with 3 minute rest
100 swings total.

Well I wanted to get through three clusters without going past about 85% effort but the last three rounds of the second cluster took that much effort so had to call off the last cluster. Felt pretty good, not as much grip strain as the last time I attempted this. Some low back tightness. Need to really work on holding the strong ab pressure. Feet may have been a little close too. Will have to play around a little to get everything right.

Fast has been very easy today. Mood is good. Training was good. Committed to spending 10 minutes stretching after training it’s not much but it’s 10 minutes more than I ever do.

5/19/2012

Posted by Steven on May 19, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

I got out of habit, logging my training for RKC. Time to get back in it.

Today was really just a play around day, my training since RKC has been a little up in the air. I have been working with some Tracey Rif swing workouts, some snatch training, and when Ari was in town bashing my head against the wall with RKC snatch tests. Then was I sick all last week. This day I pulled out my favorite training…

The Eagle
2x 20kg bells
6 sets
I set the bell down once. For shame.
It felt good considering I haven’t done an eagle in 2 or 3 weeks. Felt so good in fact I decided next up I would just see how many squats with two 16kg bells I could do in a row in 5 sets with a minute and thirty seconds between each set.

Set 1 – 15

Set 2 – 11

Set 3 – 10

Set 4 – 9

Then I went all out for set 5

Set 5 – 13

That was fun but I needed some deadlifts.

2x 24kg
5 sets of 5
1 minute rests.

Oh and I worked on my jerk recovery position with my new weightlifting shoes.

Fun day.

RKC Training: 3/3/12

Posted by Steven on Mar 5, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

After the double snatch test on Friday I developed my first ever snatch “injury” otherwise known as a blister. It was avoidable but I will get into that later. So training was focused on getting good work in while not causing any more damage that could slow down training more.

What I settled on was some modified Program Minimum work with the 16kg bell.

40 swings
5/5 TGU to elbow
40 swings
5/5 TGU to hand
30 swings
5/5 TGU to sweep
30 swings
5/5 TGU to kneeling
20 swings
3 TGU Left
20 swings
3 TGU Right
40 swings

Challenging but not difficult.

RKC Training: 3/2/12

Posted by Steven on Mar 5, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

Mock Snatch Test Day!!!!!!

20kg, 5 minutes

One of these days I may in fact just do one snatch test.

First test came out to 76 reps. I knew I could do better, again my pace is not right. Still plenty in the tank. So I took an hour off and went again. The joke of course is that I have no idea how I did on the second test. The cards I have at home are paper thin and tend to stick together. After the second test I counted the cards and came up with 130 reps. That did not happen. So I must have tossed out more than one card at times. How many times? Who knows.

Oops.

RKC Training: 3/1/12

Posted by Steven on Mar 1, 2012 in Training Log | 0 comments

Double Press 5-3-2 x2

5 – 24kg/20kg
3 – 24kg
2 – 24KG

Brought back that double 24kg press for 5 today. Went well. On the second run through I opted to drop down to 20kg  for the 5 rep set only. Good pressing.

Clean 5/5 x3

24kg

Wish Mark would have seen these cleans, either to tell me how much they sucked or how super amazing I am at cleaning.

Turkish Get Up 1/1×4

24kg

Hit 4 per side today which is a PR in terms of 24kg TGUs while on this program. Right shoulder noticeably more fatigued than left. Need to have Mark’s input.

Snatch Singles 10/10

Poor snatch singles they got dropped again, two “high” volume snatch days, plus the pressing, plus TGU made it smarter to just drop the snatch this go around.

Swing on the Minute x3

24kg – 10/10 reps

Realized I would be testing out with single arm swings and only had 1 day of single arm swings in the program…silly oversight. Going to work these harder.

Eagle

There are times I hate Dan John and those times are always when I am doing the eagle. Two 16kg bells today. Made it to the 3rd round without putting them down. Then I had to rest to bang out two more rounds, rest, single round, rest, and finish the last two. Brutal.

Thoughts

Curse Dan John.