Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Some TGUs and a Little Grip

32kg KB TGU: 8 minutes
COC#1: 9 closes left, 8 closes right

The get-ups went really good, but I wasn't feeling the grip. My left hand started cramping after every close towards the end. I'm not sure what that is about. I thought I warmed up enough, but I guess not.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Pullup Ladders and a New Snatch PR

Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 4
24 kg KB Snatch: 102 in 5 minutes (PR)

No matter how many times I snatch, it never feels any easier. I was a pussy and put the KB down twice for a total of about 40 seconds and so was only able to get 102 total. I know I could do better, but it is a PR. I'll take it.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Just some swings and TGUs

I just wanted to do a little something to get me going this morning. Here it is:

24kg KB TGU: 7 minutes
24kg KB Swings: 7 minutes of 5L, 5R, 5twohand, resting whenever I needed for a few seconds.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Deads, Pullups, and some Snatch Experiments

Today is probably my last day of deadlifts before the TSC. I have read from a few sources that it is best to stop heavy deads two weeks out from a competition and just work on form during those last few days. I'm going to give that a try. Here's what I did:

Deadlift Warmup: 135x6, 225x3, 315x2
Deadlift Workset: 355x1

The 355 came up a little easier than I had expected. I think I am going to start with 360 at the competition and then go from there depending on how it feels.

Then I did:

Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 3
Snatches: 60 to 70

Once again I didn't count the snatches. Today I just wanted to work on a couple of techniques that I have read about or seen to see how they feel. I tried a couple of breathing techniques and slowing down the reps. I also tried throwing the KB down towards my stomach instead of just letting it drop. That works really well I think. It adds a lot of momentum and makes it easier to bring it up again.

That's it. Pretty okay day.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

TGUs and Swings with the 32

32kg KB TGU: 5 minutes
32kg KB Swings: 120 total w/ 5-L 5-R 5-2Hand

That's tough. I can't believe how much harder the 1handed swings are compared to the 2handed ones. I do really like working with the 32. I wish I was a little more comfortable with it. It still kind of scares me sometimes. I am thinking that after the TSC I am going to try the RKC Minimum Program with the 32 to build some strength and confidence. I think my joints could use the break from snatches.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Grip night etc.

I had a long day at work. Lots of people wanting their snow tires taken off because winter's over. Lots of stupid, dense people. Sometimes I can't wait until I don't have to do that job anymore.

I surprised myself tonight by getting 17 good closes per hand with the COC#1. I switched hands after every rep, but didn't rest at all other than that. After that I did lots of pinch block work.

I then did a bunch of windmills, planks, and deck-squats just for kicks.

Really good night.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Pullups and Snatches

Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 4
24kg KB Snatch: 5 minutes

My goal with the snatches today was to do them for as long as I could without stopping for a total of 5 minutes. I made it to 3.5 minutes and then put it down for 30 sec and then finished out the last minute. I didn't count because I find that to be really distracting and counter productive. I assume that I got between 90 and 100 at the pace that I was doing but I don't know. My goal at the TSC is to never put the kettlebell down. I don't care how many I get, I just don't want to put the thing down. Judging by today, I should be able to do that with people screaming in my face.

Pretty good day.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Damn XBOX

I did not want to get out of bed this morning. It's my own fault really. I stayed up pretty late playing Dead Space. Holy crap that game is scary. I've never played a game where I absolutely DID NOT want to enter a room because I didn't know what was going to jump out at me or when.

Anyway, here was the workout today:

Deadlift Warmup: 135x5, 225x3, 295x2
Deadlift Work Set: 340x2x1
Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4,5x2 and 1,2,3x2
24kg KB Snatch: 70 to 80 total

I forgot my gymboss today so I couldn't time my sets and then as I was doing them I lost count. I did as many as fast as I could while still maintaining good form. Whenever it seemed to slip I would switch hands or put it down for a bit. Not my best performance or effort, but I was pretty tired. All in all, not too happy with todays work.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Some TGUs and Swings

The stiffness in my hip is almost gone but I didn't want to do anything that might make it worse. I just did some TGUs and swings.

24kg KB TGU: 8 minutes
24kg KB 2Hand Swings: 30 sec on/15 sec off for 10 rounds

Felt good. My hip still feels great after the workout so I think I'm almost back to normal.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Pretty Light Day

My hip is still pretty stiff so I didn't go all out on the snatches today. I'm still pretty happy with how it went though.

Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4,5 x 1 & 1,2,3,4 x 3
24kg KB Snatch: 84 in 5 minutes

Gripwork:
COC#1: 6 closes per hand
Lots of pinch block work

I had a really hard time with the grip stuff today. All the pullups and snatches had a bigger effect on my grip than I thought they would.

All in all, pretty good day.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Nothin...

Well, today would normally be deadlifts and snatches, but I woke up not feeling too great. I haven't slept very well the last two nights and my joints ache a bit AND I just feel tired. Systemic fatigue. I'm not sure if I'm getting sick or not, but I am pretty sure I'm starting to overtrain a little. So, I am going to scale it back some and not do anything but grip until monday. Here's hoping that works.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

TGUs and Grip

I love Spring Break. I could get used to not going to school or work, sleeping until I feel like waking up, training without any time constraints, and then doing whatever else I feel like doing. Too bad today is my last day of that.

24kg KB TGU: 8 minutes
24kg KB C&P Ladders: 1,2,3 x 2

Gripwork
COC#1: 13 closes per hand, alternating hands after each rep.
Pinch block: 3 set of 5/arm with 7.5lbs on the end

I am loving Get-ups lately. I would rather do them than almost anything else. I am also really pleased with the COC closes today. Chalk helps a lot. My hands are so small (thanks a lot, Mom) that it's hard to set it in my hand without it slipping. That's where the chalk comes in.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Pullups, Chins, and Dips

I decided to take it easy today and not do any swings or really anything that involves the hips because since yesterdays swings with the 32, my left hip is really tight and sore. I can't figure out how to stretch it either. It's really frustrating.

Pullups @ BW+35lbs: 4x1, 3x3
Chin Ladders @ BW: 1,2,3 x 3
Dips @ BW+35lbs: 6x3

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

TGUs and Swings

I wanted to work a little bit with the 32kg so I did some TGUs and swings. Everything seems a whole lot harder with the 32.

32kg KB TGU: 5 minutes
32kg KB 2hand Swings: 30 sec on/15 sec off for 10 rounds

That's it. Felt great.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Snatch#1 and Grip work

Morning

Pullup ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises: 10x3
Snatch: 5/5 on the min for 11 rounds

I am going to do snatches twice a week from now until the TSC and the first of which will be an easier one. I focused on form and nice crisp reps and stopped before my form got even close to breaking down.

Night

Tried out my new pinch block from Stronger Grip. I love it.
Right 5x1 with 10lbs on the end, Left 3x1 with 10lbs on the end
Right 10x2 with 5lbs on the end, left 10x2 with 5lbs on the end

COC#1: 5 closes with each hand

Windmills with 24kg KB just for fun: 5x3/side

Friday, March 6, 2009

Friday Heavy Workout

Deadlift Warmup: 135x5, 225x3, 275x2
Dead Workset: 330x3x1
Pullup Ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 4
24kg KB Snatch: 16/16, 15/15, 15/15, 15/15 for a total of 122 with 4 minute rest period between each set.

I read an article on Dragondoor by an RKC (I forget his name) about preparing for the RKC Snatch Test. He suggested that once your snatch max per arm is between 20 and 25 in a single set, you should do multiple sets at 70-80% of that max with 3-5 minute rest periods between. He also suggested you do snatches 2-3 times a week. So even though I am not preparing for the RKC as of yet, the TSC is pretty similar so I thought I would give it a try. I'm going to mix this type of workout with the minute on/minute off type as well as some others. Today felt good so I'm hoping this will work out for me.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Grip Work etc.

I got my Captains of Crush #1 in the mail last night. That thing is serious. I was super excited to work with it today. Before I did, I did a couple warm-up sets with a little crappy plastic gripper like the Ironmind people suggest. After that I did 2 sets of 4 with each hand (I could barely close it towards the end with my left hand) and then I did 2 sets of holding it closed for a count of 5.

It's a little strange that my left hand's grip is a little weaker than my right's when my left hand/arm is generally my strongest. I don't know why that should be the case.

I also have done a bunch of Face-the-Wall Squats, pry the pump streches, and arm-bars today and will continue to do so throughout the night. Hopefully these stretches and exercises will help me fine tune my KB technique.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Kind of a light day

Morning

Pullups @ BW+25lbs: 4 sets of 5
Dips @ BW: 3 sets of 10
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10

Night

24kg KB C&P Ladders: 1,2,3,4 x 2
24kg KB 2hand Swing: 5 minutes

Thats it for today.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Pullups and TGUs

Pullups: to failure = 14
Pullup ladders: 1,2,3 x 3
24kg KB TGU: 10 minutes switching arms with every rep. Lost count of how many I did.
"Clocks" : 3 sets of 8 rounds
V-ups: 3 sets of 10

I had a really restful weekend so today I felt great. My pullup max is slowly getting better. The ladders are really helping.