HEAVY PRESS AND PULL DAY

WARM UP

Joint Mobility
10/10 Halos
10 Goblet Squats w/ 16kg
3 Pumps

STRENGTH (w/in 35min)

C&P w/ 24kg - 1,2,3,4,5
                         1,2,3,4,5
                         1,2,3,4,5
                         1,2,3,4

Ring Pull Ups - 1,2,3,4,5
                        1,2,3,4,5
                        1,2,3,4,5
                        1,2,3

CONDITIONING

VWC - w/ 16kg 7/7 in 30 sets

COMMENTS

*I felt much stronger today than last week's heavy day, and I was able to complete more work in the given time. My form seems to be improving as well. I am staying tight throughout the clean and all the way through the press. My body was a little more resistant to fatigue this go round. I monitored my rest making sure not to get too mush or too little. I'm looking forward to next week's pressing days b/c I will try and top what I did this week.

* I'm really liking the ring pull ups. My rt thumb is no longer hurting. I think I need to install a better pull up bar. the one attached to the power rack SUCKS! I'm getting a higher volume of pull ups per session w/ the ladder pull ups than I did with the 'Fighter Pull Up' program, however I am completing fewer reps per week. I think this will help me get stronger with my pull ups w/o over training, which I feel like what was happening with the FP.
* Got 30 sets of 15/15 7/7 reps with the 16kg. My goal for next week is 35 sets. Today, I really concentrated on my over speed eccentrics and punching through the bell at the top of the snatch. both felt very good and I felt very fresh during this whole session.

Active Rest And Recovery...Plus A Little Fun Too.

[Even the "Big Guy" needs some rest...ok he THINKS he needs a lot of rest.]











Beating Inanimate Objects...Now That's My Idea Of Fun.

ROUND 1: 5 Min warm up consisting of foot work, stretch kicks, and dynamic stretching

ROUND 2: Heavy Bag Work
                   60 sec Punches
                   60 sec Kicks
                 120 sec Combos
                   30 sec Burpees
                   30 sec Jumping Jacks

ROUND 3: UFC Ground & Pound Bag
                   60 sec Ground and Pound
                   90 sec Shoulder Carry Run
                   60 sec Ground and Pound
                   90 sec Shoulder Carry Run

ROUND 4: Active Recovery Circuit x 2 Rounds
                  30 sec Pumps
                  30 sec Overhead Sqt w/ 45lb bar
                  30 sec Windmill w/ 16kg Lt.
                  30 sec Windmill w/ 16kg Rt.
                  30 sec Fire Hose Waves w/ 1.75"
                  30 sec Push Up Plus
                  30 sec Jumping Jacks

COMMENTS

* I am feeling great today so I decided to focus that energy towards a fun A.R. routine. I will start implementing these on my active recovery days depending on how I feel. I really miss being in my MMA class, so I figured there's a lot I can do on my own and still reap some of the same benefits, like improved conditioning, working technique, letting out aggression, burning some calories, etc.


* Afterwards, I felt alive. So, yes, this will be a part of my weekly routine. I'm still feeling the surge so I'm gonna take Jack to the dog park and let him let off some steam. Peace.

HEAVY TGU DAY

WARM UP:
Indian Club Drill
Pumps

STRENGTH:
Three 5 min Rounds of TGU w/ 32kg x 1/1 = 18 total for today

GRIP TRAINING:
COCT Warm Up - 5,3,2 LR
COC #1 - 3x2 LR
Hammer Lever - 3x3 w/ 8lb hammer
KB Crush Curls - 10,6,4 w/ 16kg

COMMENTS:
My goal for next week is 20 in 15 min w/ the 32kg.

MEDIUM PRESS AND PULL DAY 090209

WARM UP: 3 Rounds

10 Goblet Squats w/ 16kg
5 Push Ups Plus
3 Pumps

STRENGTH: W/ 24kg

C&P's 1,2,3,4
           1,2,3,4
           1,2,3,4
           1,2,3,4
           1,2,3

Ring Pull Ups 1,2,3,4
                     1,2,3,4
                     1,2,3,4
                     1,2,3,4
                     1,2,3

CONDITIONING - "Swing And Rescue Suicides" (Dice Rolled 2 Rounds Today)

* 30 KBS w/ 16kg  - Sprint to the 24kg
* 20 KBS w/ 24 kg - Sprint back to the 16kg
* 30 KBS w/ 16kg - Sprint to the 32kg
* 10 KBS w/ 32 kg - Sprint back to the 16 kg
* 30 KBS w/ 16 kg

COMMENTS

* I got it the gym a little later than I wanted to b/c I didn't wake up till around 2pm and I was too hungry and groggy to workout right away.

* Still feeling a lot stronger w/ c&p the 24kg. today was a medium day, but I set the gymboss to 25:00. I wanted to see if I could get 5(1,2,3,4) w/in 25min. I started getting tired and my form was shaky around the 3rd rung of the 5th ladder so I stopped in hopes of conserving my energy for the Heavy Day on Saturday. The 24kg felt like the 32kg does to me now, when I first started using it. It is starting to feel lighter and lighter everyday. This give me hope in using the 32kg in my ladders someday.
* I'm taking a break from the 'Fighter Pull Ups' by going back to the ladder pull ups. I'll have to really pay attention to how I feel and gage program will help me increase my pull up numbers faster. I also did ring pull ups today to change it up a bit.
* I came up with "Swing And Rescue Suicides" earlier today. I liked it, but would much rather do it on football field or track. The driveway didn't give me enough room to get a good sprint going. I only did 2 rounds of this today, but will add a few more rounds the next time I do it. It's going to be a lung-buster. I watched the video a while ago and noticed that I need to develop a better hip snap and focus on flaring my lats and pulling my shoulder down.
* Tomorrow is heavy TGU day.

TGU DAY 090109

WARM UP: Indian Clubs

10 Kali Chamber Drills L/R
10 Sword Draws L/R
10 Y Squats

ARAP IN 10 MIN OF

TGU x 1/1 L/R w/ 27.4kg

- Got 12 today

LIGHT PRESS & PULL DAY

[Humility]

WARUM UP: 3 RDS

• 
  
  Halos x 10
• 
  
  Goblet Squats x 10 (16KG)
• 
  
  Pumps x 3

PRESS & PULL UPS

• 
  
  C&P - 5(1,2,3) LR w/ 24KG
• 
  
  Pull Ups - 7,6,5,4,3 w/ BW

LOWER BODY PULLS

• 
  
  KB Snatch x 100 in 6:10 w/ 20.4KG

CORE 30/10 x 3 RDS

• 
  
  Spiderman Plank
• 
  
  M.C. Flex
• 
  
  Side Plank Lt.
• 
  
  Side Plank Rt.
• 
  
  Super Plank

COMMENTS

• 
  
  I felt really good with my presses today. I started to really focus on my power breathing by taking a quick inhale prior to the clean and forceful exhale after it, then another inhale before the press making sure that I am tight ( abs braced, shoulders packed, glutes pinched)before I press the bell over head. I felt a lot stronger today than last week. Reading ETK for a third time has really helped. There's a lot of things I either missed or got a better understanding of once I read it again. Note: never read something once and put it down. I guess our minds can only process so much at one time. I am still having issues with "pressing with the lat." I'll feel it every now and then, but I don't have it down yet.
• 
  
  I've been doing the fighter pull system (outlined by Pavel here) for a while now. I'll take a break from it every now and then and have noticed a significant increase in my pull up numbers. Recently though, I haven't felt as strong. I'm not to sure why, but I ended one session w/ 10,9,8,8,7 and the next day I could only get 8 to start out. So I will be taking a break from this for a few weeks and will just be doing the pull ups on my Press and Pull days, instead of in 5 consecutive days.
  I have noticed that my lats have grown a bit.
  
• 
  
  I choose that picture up top because it is titled "Humility", and I felt very humbled today after doing my snatches. I wanted to see how long it took me to get 100 reps with the 20.4kg. It took me 6min 10 sec. Not really what I expected, but it does show where I need to improve. My conditioning sucked, to put it simple. We made a lot of runs after midnight this morning. I came home at 730am ate, and slept from 830-100pm. If felt that I had a lot of energy for my training session, but my body felt otherwise during the snatches. It's a starting point, I guess. It can only get better, from here on out, as long as I stay focused, make sure that my technique is solid, and stay mentally tough.

Embrace The Kettlebell Part II

[ They say that a box of tissue left in you car can kill you, if you get in a wreck. I would hate to see what this thing would do to me!]









I got an "A", but that doesn't mean I got a job. (083009)
So, a 93% isn't bad when you look at it from just a "test taking" point of view, but considering it was a promotional test, it's a whole different story. There were people walking out of the test with 100s, 101s, and 102s. I'll find out where I stand when I get to work on Sunday. By then, they should have a tentative list showing me my ranking and giving me a better idea if I will get promoted to Engineer/Operator. Did I want to do better? Damn right I did. I wanted to walk out with at least a 100. Am I upset with a 93%? Not at all. I felt that the test was easy and that I knew the material...,obviously 93% of it. If I have to take it again in 2 yrs, then I will be better prepared for it. This experience reminds me of my 1st approach in preparing for the RKC (not seeing any progress), and how I am currently preparing for it, which I am already seeing a lot of improvement in my form and how I feel. Recognizing your mistakes is one thing, but knowing how to fix them is even better. The moral of the story; the road to your goals is not a paved straight line with a bunch of rest stops on the way.
Here are some of  the destinations and the map I am bringing with me.
1) I will start a family with my love. She will be such a great mother that it will bring a great father out of me. There is just something about creating a little person(s) to take care of, watch grow, and be proud of that I want us to experience together. How are we going to get there? That's between her, me, and God. So keep praying for us and we'll keep doing our part.

2) I will stay on a righteous path. We all have the potential to to good, but we also have the potential to do evil things. Mike Mahler wrote a thought provoking article about that here. Every day, I will strive to be a better person. How will I get there? I will think of others over myself, lend a hand to those in need, not judge people for things they can't control ( ..really at all), and I will not pull somebody down just so I can rise above them.

3) I will bust my ass, everyday, to provide for my family. This is the path that I chose. I want to be a fire fighter. I want to be a paramedic. I want to be a fitness coach. Whether or not I feel more strong about one over the other is irrelevant at this point. How will I get there? I will wake up everyday and be the best I can be at the particular role I am filling that day. Most of all, I will be the best husband, son, brother, and friend that I can be, everyday.

4) I will ATTEND and PASS the Russian Kettlebell Certification. By now, you should know that one of the reasons I started this blog was to track my progress, thoughts, and feelings concerning my journey to the RKC. Obviously, I have strayed away from that in the last few posts, but not anymore. How will I get there?  For starters, I will use this blog to track my daily training sessions. The daily entries will focus on what I did in the gym as well as the kitchen, how I felt before and afterwards, my strengths, my weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and anything else I feel like commenting on that will hold me accountable for my progress. I have roughly 6 months to prepare for the Feb. RKC in San Jose; that's if I feel ready. Enter The Kettlebell will be my bible. I recently purchased Jordan Vezina's, RKC, The Corrections. in order to help me clean up my technique. I also have a thick stack of articles printed off the Dragon Door website concerning the RKC cert. and how to prepare for it. One in particular, titled How to Prepare for and Pass the RKC by Brett Jones, Master RKC, will play an integral role. I stronger with my presses and TGU's and more conditioned with the swing and snatch. Quality over quantity will be my mantra during my sessions. My form must be solid and sharp so a few training sessions with local RKC are a must. There are a ton of other things I would like to mention here, but to sum it up, I will pass the RKC with perfect form and by being as strong and conditioned as I possibly can.

5) Rule # 13

6) Rule #14

Heavy Day: 082909
Warm up - 3 Rounds Of: 10/10 Halos, 10 Goblet Squats (16kg), 3 Pumps
Strength - w/ 24kg
Clean and Press  1,2,3,4,5
                           1,2,3,4,5
                           1,2,3,4,5
Pull Ups              7,6,5
Conditioning - w/ 24kg     
10 Rounds Of:
30 sec KBS
30 sec 1.5lb Indain Club Kali Drill
Comments: I felt a lot stronger today and a lot more solid with my technique than I had the week before. I recently gave up coffee so that might have something to do with it. I really enjoyed pairing the swings with the Kali drills. The Kali drills were a great form of active recovery from the C&P's. I am going to work up to 20 rounds of that in the next few sessions. Diet not so good today because we are still celebrating my hard work and the resulting grade. Gonna kick it into high gear today and the rest of the week.