Fun in the Sun!

Decided to play some Beach Tennis, with those small rackets. My wife and I love doing this during the summer. Great workout for the legs, cardio as well as phemonenal REFLEX training. 25 minute of this is plenty.

Prior to that, Yoana and I did a couple sets of deadlifts, totally random. It always seems like we respond better to deadlifting when we just instinctively throw it in, almost like a game. We don't even consider it training, more PRACTICE, which is what I like. When you think of practining a SKILL rather than training, much more rewarding.

Warm up:

185 x1,205 x 1, 225 x 1, 240 x 1, 315 x 1

365 x 1 That's it!

Yoana got a PR - and she hasn't been deadlifting too much. She was WAY strong today, bar just flew up. My belief is that her nervous system was fresh. She beat her previous PR of 235 and today she pulled an easy, and I mean EASY 240.

Bring on the summer baby!!!!!

Man I love the sun!

Thursday Training

Mentally I am very tired so energy has not been too great. I am very sore in the upper back and traps from the Snatch test on Tuesday, although it feels like I needed it. There is a very unique type of conditioning you can only get from high rep kettlebell work. Pavel talks about it in the Russian Kettlebell Challenge how the Russians abandoned the low rep maximal strength work for the higher rep work which gave them "staying" power for the brutal and often harsh realities of Russian Life. Bottom line - why do not both - the higher rep ballistic work and the lower rep GRIND work.

Double Clean and Press

53kg x 2 10 sets x 2 reps

Weighted Pulls Ups

48kg x 3 negatives (8-10 seconds holds) - very tough

I tried a couple of full reps and came up a little short. Can't quite get my Chin to the bar. Yoana says I'm only a couple of inches away. Hopefully soon I will be able to do a full chin with the beast.

That it for today. Stretching later tonight.

RKC Snatch Requirements

Yoana and I are going to assist in June at the RKC, so I wanted to test myself and make sure I could pass the sntach test. Requirements for my weight (170 pounds) are to perform a total of 52 reps, both arms combined.

Today I did the following:

Left arm = 30 reps
Right arm - 33 reps

Overall it was not too taxing. What fatigued the most was my right wrist and forearm. Started to lose control of my right hand so I stopped. For sure could have gotten 40 with my right. I need to start foam rolling my right forearm and getting some NMT on all flexors, extensors, sub-scap, pecs and lats.

Ready for the June RKC!

Also, I tested future Revolution Trainer John Vandenbrink. At 6 foot 8, he brings some interesting technique modifications into the picture. He will be going to the JUNE RKC as well to get certified, requirement for all trainers working out of Revolution.

He got 40 on his left arm, and 21 on his right. He mistakenly forgot that he could only switch hands once, so I had to stop him after he returned to his left hand. The good news is that he totally could have reached 72 reps (what he needs to snatch in order to pass the test). Next time for sure. Exciting to see him right on target to reach his goal. You'll be hearing alot more about John in the upcoming months.

That's it for now! Blessings!

Motivated to Sprint

After Saturday laughable meet and feeling somewhat discouraged and dejected, ready to get my head out of my butt and start training. Witht that being said, a tempo workout was more than appropriate today. Tempo runs are great for skill training. They are also RECOVERY days to help with circulation and conditionin. Tempo runs leave your nervous system in tact, and really do not stress the CNS at all. The runs are done at 60% effort and feel very good, especially if you are sore.

TEMPO DAY

15 minute warm up: Joint Mobility for hips / shoulders / feet

10 x 100 yards on the Turf at La Jolla High School Track
walk the end zones, sprint the straight away's.

Felt great. Attitude adjustment was necessary after Saturday. Today is a gret day!!!

track meet

had a track meet today. Results were very bad. never got out well, start was horrible. If the start sucks, it's hard to get back in the race without over-tensing the muscles.

Damn it!!! Just proves that you can't fake being in shape for sprinting - you have to actually get out there and sprint.

This was a GREAT wake up call. I need to get off my butt and start training and use the god given talent that God has given me. Not gettting any younger so need to take advantage of my age and start cranking up the training. Failure can be a great motivator!!!!!!

SORE!!!

Wow,the sprinting I did on Sunday smoked my nervous system. I forgot how sore the obliques ge from sprinting the curve, holy moly!!!!! Looking forward to the track meet this Saturday!

TUESDAY CIRCUIT

Circuit 1
Tire Flips 6
Rope Waves 30
Band Sprints 20 seconds
Farmers Walks 2 x 24kg

completed 2 circuits

Circuit 2
Standing Single Arm Tire Bench Press in lunge position 8/8
Assisted Band sprints w/partner 1 city block
MB Toss and Run 1 city block
Power Wheel 30 seconds

Completed 1 circuit

Station Training

KEG Shouldering 70lb. Keg 3/3 x 2
KEG Snatch and Press 5 x 1
Fitter Lateral 2 x 30 seconds

That's it. Felt good, but my body is tired.

Sunday Sprint

Track meet coming up next weekend - so I needed to get at least one workout in before the meet. Have sprinted in a couple of months.

20 min warm up

4 acceleration sprints (gradually increasing the speed)

10 meters x 2

30 meters x 1

60 meters x 1

150 meters x 1

the back of my left knee was feeling goofy, so I couldn't turn on the burners like I wanted to. Overall it was not bad considering the long lay off and knee issue. The 150 was killer. I need alot more overdistant work like that. my weakness is not my first 60 meters in the 100, it's the last 40. Definitely need to do alot more quality 150's.

Friday Training

busy week - needed a good training session.

Walking Lunges

2 x 36lb KB's 4 sets x 8 reps

Double KB military Press

2 x 44lb KB' 5 sets x 5 reps

Single KB Bent Over Row

70lb KB 5 x 5/5

Rope Waves

4 x 30 waves

Felt Great. Glutes and hamstrings were torched from the walking lunges.

Deadlifting Sumo Style

I have been deadlifting only once per week and with very light weights.This has worked well for me with my bulging lumbar disk from 1.5 years ago. The challenge has been that I have been using a conventional style for the last month, and it just never feels solid, or strong. A trainer named Aaron was watching my technique with the conventional stance and told me that my lumbar erectors were not really engaging. I showed him my SUMO stance and he said the erectors just popped out. Sumo has always fel WAY BETTER so I am moving back to SUMO style, enough said.

SUMO Deadlift

warm up
135 x 5 x 1
225 x 4 x 1

275 x 3 x 1
315 x 3 x 2

Felt Great!

Incline / Pull Us / Snatches

Incline Bench Press

165 x 3 x 3 sets

Weighted Pull Ups

60lbs. x 3 x 3 sets

Snatches

warm up:
53 x 5/5

62 x 5/5 x 5sets

Snatches felt good. Need to keep KB pulled in close to the body during the descent. If not my elbows go TWING.

I Just felt GROSS!

Have you ever eaten so much at one meal that it literally makes you feel horrible for a couple of days. Well that's what happened. I ate the largest lunch I had eaten in years on Friday and it made feel like the michelin man, or better yet, the state puffed MARSMELLOW Man from the movie Ghostbusters. So I decided to get a brutal workout in to burn off the sluggish feeling. lately I have been doing less circuits and focusing more on one exercise at a time. Today the body was in need of some challenging circuits.

Circuit One EDT Style 15 minutes

Swings 10 reps w/ 53lb KB
Double KB Front Squat 5 reps w/2 x 36lb. KB's
Keg Military Press 5 reps w/ 50lb. Keg
Rope Waves 20 reps

*Was able to complete 6 full circuits in 15 minutes. Challenging but just what the Doctor ordered.

Circuit Two EDT Style 15 minutes

Sledgehammer Chops on Tire 10/10
Tire Flips 4
Double Clean w/ 20kg KB's 5

Again, was able to complete 6 full rounds. Burned alot of calories. I felt worked!!!!!


Sunday morning

90 minute bike ride by the ocean with my lovel wife. I can tell how much quads don't like the bike :)

Friday Fun!

Overhead Squats

unweighted barbell 5 x 3 sets

Barbell Bent over Row

145 x 6 x 6 sets

Walking Lunges

2 x 36lb KB's 6/6 x 4 sets

Rope Waves

30 second intervals x 4 sets

tough workout! Felt pretty good. The only things where the quality didn't fee as high were the walking lunges. My quads were very fatigued. Overall I feel much better with these shorter workouts.

Deadlift 3 x 3

Training the Deadlift again feels great - although I must admit I have some fear of hurting my low back again. 2 disc herniations later. Enough of the wining. Back feels good - using very light loads thanks to Mark Rifkeind's advice. Quality over quantity - no pain is a good thing!

Deadlift (conventional stance)

135 x 5 warm up
225 x 3 warm up

255 x 3 x 3 sets

Clean and Military Press

36 x5/5 warm up
53 x 3/3 warm up

63 x 3/3 x 3
63 x 1(L) 3(r)
Left arm could not complete the 2nd set - had to drop the weight
53 x 3 (left)

TGU

32kg x 2/2
24kg x 2/2

Windshield Wipers

3 sets x 4 reps/side

that's it!

3 x 3 day again!

Starting to really enjoy this 3 x 3 program that Mike Mahler wrote about. Mike in my oppinion is one of the best no-nonsense coaches out there. His program and information are rock solid, very effective, and get results.

Incline Bench Press

160 3 x 3

Weighted Pull ups

53 lb. KB + 5 pound weight plate 3 x 3

Snatches
warm up 36lb x 5/5 53lb. x 3/3

62lb KB 3 x 3/3

Power Rope Training

3 sets x 30 seconds (this stuff is awesome - really feel my abdominals)

Great Session. Quick, short, focused and fun! My Energy is much better in late morning.

Saturday Workout

Okay. Energy is much better today than two days ago. My energy is much better if I can get my training in before noon. Late afternoon and evening workout rarely work for me. I am finding that I am getting tired earlier probably due to increased work schedule. 6 to 8 training appointments every day picking up weight, stretching people and just being on my feet takes its toll. Lower volume, higher quality workouts are the goal right now. That's what I love about Pavel's approach -simplicity. Do more by doing LESS. Keep it simple, couple of exercises, stick with the basics. It's what Dan John calls "punch the clock" workouts. He notes that most champion athletes are built one workout at a time. If you can't sustain the intensity of the workouts , back off, and focus on quality. Full range of motion, technique and focus -I must remember these qualities.

Warm up:

Barbell overhead squats (felt really tight in the shoulders from not doing these in a while)

3 sets x 5 reps

Barbell Bent Over Row

135 x 6 reps x 6 sets (felt easy - could have gone much heavier - but glad stuck with this load)

Walking Lunges

2 x 36lb KB's in hands x 6 reps x 4 sets (very sore two days later - perfect weight)

Rope Waves (my new rope - I love it - this truly is an amazing exercise -very sore in my abs)

4 sets x 30 seconds

Thursday 3 x 3

I've been recovering from a two week sinus infection, lots of fun. My workout today was lighter than I wanted to go, just not feeling too strong. Energy has been down this week considerably, perhaps because I am having trouble breathing efficiently.

Barbell Deadlift

135 x 5 Conventional stance - warm up
225 x 5 Conventionall stance - cont.. warm up

245 3 x 3

KB Military Press

36lb KB x 5 reps
53lb KB x 3 reps

62lb KB

3 x 3 reps