Tuesday Training

Today was a great workout. I had a full morning of clients and then dropped right into my training. My hips are a little sore from Bikram's Yoga yesterday. The one thing I will say about Bikrams, other than the heat, is that the locust pose where you place you arms (palms down) underneath your body has completely alleviated my bilateral elbow pain. I have tried so many other techniques including massage and nothing has workred like that one pose. I am so happy I found a stretch that totally opens up my forearms. If you want to see what the pose looks like or if you have elbow pain, check out Yoana's blog in my blog links section. There you will find some pics of the Locust pose.

Monday

Bikram's Yoga

Tuesday

Forward Lunges
2 x 16kg's 4 x 5/5

Chin Ups (weighted)
32kg 2,2,2,2,2,2 = 12 reps

Snatches
24kg 12 x 5/5 = 120 reps

felt great!

Friday training......& seeking DEEPER things...

"True Godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it."

- William Penn (a Quaker)

I am reading a book called the "Celebration of Discipine: The Path to Spiritual Growth" by Richard J. Foster. This book is great for several reasons. One, it comes as a time when I am needing more discipline in my life, my training, lifestyle, nutrition and business. Two, learning from great Christian spiritual giants is so enjoyable and motivating for me.

The Basic premise of the book is that the great spiritual disciplines are not just for SPRITUTAL philosophers and gurus, they are intended to be readily available and applicable to all people. The Disciplines are best expressed in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors. The challenge we are all faced with in today's culture and society is the curse of superficiality. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The need today is not for greater numbers of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for DEEP PEOPLE!

The classic disciplines of the spiritual life invite and call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner chambers of the spiritual realm. We should not think of the spiritual disciplines as some dull drudgery aimed at killing laughter and exterminating joy from the face of the earth. The purpose of the disciplines is liberation from the stifling slavery to self interest and fear. When the inner spirit is liberated from all that weights it down, it can hardly be described as dull drudgery. Singing, dancing, even shouting characterize the disciplines of the spiritual life.

We would call the internal spiritual disciplines' meditation, prayer, study and fasting. The outward spiritual disciplines would be; simplicity, solitude, service, confession, worship, submission, guidance and celebration.

The book is fascinating and stimulating for anyone interested. I highly recommend it!

Here was my workout today:

TGU

24kg 3 x 2/2

See Saw Press

double 24kg 5 x 5/5

Single Arm Bent Over Row

32kg 5 x 5/5

Short and sweet!

Discovering how to do Snatches...

Lately my snatch technique has felt so weird. I can't really decide whether I want to do more of a hardstyle technique or more of a GS style. Right now I'm kind of in the middle, a little bit of both. Perhaps many of you have gone through this. I first started using KB's in 2002 and I still feel like I'm learning how to use them.
Either way the process of seeing what works for my body is fun and exciting. And we just got in a new 24kg from dragon door as I sold one of my older KB's around 4 years old. The newer gloss on the Dragon Door KB's is different and I'm not sure which ones I like more. For TSC comp's I prefer the rougher finish of the older DD kettlebells.

Front Squats (holding onto 1 KB in front of my body)
16kg 5 x 10 reps

* This really helped opened up my hips and made my snatches so much easier. If some of you have not tried this, do it. Grab a light KB and do anywhere from 4 to 5 sets of 10 reps of rock bottom squats. You will notice that by the time you get to snatches your legs and hips will feel great and warm.

Clean and Press
32kg 1 x 1/1
28kg 4 x 1/1

Snatches
24kg 11 x 5/5 = 110 reps

Chin Ups
24kg 4 x 4 reps

Getting out of the habit...

One of the great things about blogging for me is that is allows me to record my training and compare it to past worktouts, goals and perspectives. Not blogging too much these last couple of weeks has really derailed my training. I did train last week but have a difficult time even remembering what I did. Not Good! The obvious lesson for me is that disciplined structure is what works well for me and most people for that matter. Having a plan, writing it down, and having it some place where you can visually see it is so essential. The bottom line is that BLOGGING is fantastic as it allows you to be REAL with your self and with your objectives.

Saturday

Yoana and I assisted at Pavel's Stretching workshop (it was awesome as usual)
We gave a KB demo at the end where Yoana clean and pressed the 24kg easier than I have ever seen her do it. It went up like she was pressing the 16kg(it looked so effortless and smooth). Needless to day everyone in the crown could not believe their eyes.

After the workshop I decided to play around with the bulldog and managed a series of snatches with it. It's been along time since I've played with the 40kg and I could tell. Thank God I still have the power to snatch it for reps.

Friday

Bikrams Yoga (and then played a round of golf at the famous Bridges Golf Course with a client)

Thursday

A-1 See Saw Press
2 x 24kg 4 sets x 5/5

B-1 Weighted Chin Ups
12kg 4 x 4

Wednesday

Bikram's Yoga

Tuesday

A-1 Snatches
24kg 5 x 5/5

B-1 Gorsky Lunges
2x20kg 6/6 5/5
2 x 16kg 1 x 5/5

C-1 Pull Ups
24kg 3/3/3

Last Week's Training

My schedule has been so busy that blogging and internet surfing has become a luxury. I guess that is a good thing because that means I'm working. Although much like many of you who train as a profession, burn out can come quickly when you're waking up at 5am every morning and working to 7 or 8 at night. I definitely feel like my body is naturally wanting to train less, conserve energy and eat more. The goal for this year is to try and find ways to BALANCE out my life more. The older I get I realize that life is not just about making money or working your hardest (although both are very important), finding ways to spend more time with my family and friends, read, travel and just enjoy the beautiful city of San Diego seems more and more desirable.

Either way, I must thank God for the opportunities he has given me, an AMAZING wife, great business and good health. I guess I'm getting more sentimental in the aging process :)

Sunday

Bikrams Yoga

Saturday

A-1 Single Leg Deadlifts
28kg 3 x 5/5

B-1 See Saw Press
24kg 2 x 5/5
28kg 1 x 3/3

C-1 Pull ups
28kg 1,1
32kg 1
Friday Night

Bikrams Yoga

Last Wednesday

A-1 Step Ups
2 x 20kg 4 x 5/5


B-1 Double Snatches
2 x 20kg 2 x 5
2 x 24kg 2 x 5
2 x 28kg 2 x 3

C-1 Bent Over Rows
40kg 5 x 3/3

The Journey of Fitness

Sometimes I over think things that usually have simple solutions. With my body I am still learning how to listen to it and apply what I know to be right. And what is "right" has changed over the years. Becomming aware of my body's limitations and capibilities has and will continue to be a "journey", as it will be for you. The important quality of course is to start the journey in the first place. While taking a Bikram's Yoga class I thought of this Journey concept, and how important it is to challenge your body in many ways. The thing I liked about the class was that it really gets you in tune with your body (actually you have to crawl inside each joint, muscle and nerve) and see and feel your body. To take the time to really FEEL what is going on in your body is amazing. I loved it! I love the JOURNEY! Do you?

Tuesday

Bikram's Yoga

Monday Training

A-1 See Saw Press

Double 24kg 1 x 5/5
Double 24kg 4 x 5/5

B-1 Chin Ups

24kg 4 x 4

Short and Sweet

Focusing on "PRACTICE"

Today I really focused on the technique of the exercises I chose to do. Amazing how different the training session feels as you change the session into a technique session rather than a "stimulation" training session. I think we all get too caught up in training for the stimulation rather than training for skill improvement (at least I know I certainly do). I don't feel smoked nor do I feel drained. I feel invigorated and like I have been "studying" or "thinking" alot (not a bad thing).

The see saw press is my new favorite exercise as I feel it helps me focus on tension in my core yet helps be fluid as the KB's must continually be moving. The See Saw Press really is an effective exercise for full body stability, strength, tension, mobility and coordination.

Today's Training

A-1 Single leg Deadlifts
24kg 4 x 5/5

B-1 See Saw Press
28kg 2 x 3/3
24kg 2 x 5/5

C-1 Single Arm Bent Over Rows
32kg 2 x 5/5
25kg 2 x 8/8

D-1 KB Snatches
24kg 2 x 5/5

Wednesday Training

A-1 Barbell Step Ups
85lbs 4 x 6/6

B-1 Snatches
20kg 7 x 5/5

C-1 Chin Ups
20kg 4 x 4

Short and Sweet. That the ticket, keep training according to my workload and stay injury free.

New Year, New Goals, Renewed Optimism!

The new year is always a great time to comtemplate and analyze your life. 2006 for Yoana and me was an amazing year. Years of hard work and effot came to fruitiion and we saw many goals come to pass, thank GOD! From a professional stand point we grew our business to a new level. We were able to release our first book and two Exercise DVD's. The increase in income increased our lifestyle and allowed us to get our own home. All in all, I must say we have been truly blessed and perhaps the greatest blessing is me finally realizing that success can be boiled down to a few key qualities:

1) Having clear difinable goals and dreams

2) Becoming a person of action. Rather than talking a big game, actually doing what you say you are going to do. That is something that seems so obvious and Yoana has always told me. "TAKE ACTION!" If you take no action, nothing happens.

3)Focusing on changing what's on the inside of me. Things like honesty, integrity, patience, leadership, gratitude, forgiveness,humility, self confidence and as Jesus says, "Loving God with all your heart, mind, body and soul and loving others like you love yourself."

4) Timing. Not forcing doors open that God doesn't want open. It is amazing when you let doors open as God allows them to in his sovereign knowledge. Sometimes I want things now and do not want to wait but when I do wait God blows my minds beyond what I ever imagined. Learning to accept things I cannot change nor control is also important. Things I can change and do have control over should dominate any worry I might have. Letting things happen and develop in their own time is huge. Perhaps I call that my FLOW state, living in harmony with my deepest values and God's timetable. Why should life be that hard. Work hard, plant seeds and let God take care of the rest.

5)Attitude. Like in my previous two posts, attitude really is the difference maker in any challenging situation in my life.


I am an over-thinker by nature. Thinking is damn important in this life but when it makes you have paralysis by analysis it can be detrimental. Think, but just enough prompt you to take effcient life enhancing action. Okay, enough talk.

Training goal for 2007:
a) To continue healing and strengtheing my low back injury (disc herniation).
b) Increase full body mobility and flexibility
c) Learn to move with greater ease, fluidity and with less tension
d) Return to some consistent Sprint training (if my body allows me to).
e) Maintain strength levels and to have less or NO TRAINING INJURIES.


MONDAY TRAINING

A-1 See Saw Press
2 x 24kg 3 x 5/5

B-1 Mixed Grip Pull Ups
3 x 8

I am easing back into training after a couple of weeks off to let my elbows calm down. Happy New Year to all!