Same as it ever was

Yesterday:
5 sets:
1. Clean Squat and Press 12kgX2/5
2 Sets:
2A. Windmill with Press at Top 12kgX2/5R/5L
2B. TGU 16kg 3R/3L
3. Snatches, 12kg continuous for 5 rounds of 10R/10L (about 4:15 min, slow)

Today:
2-2 minute sets of Push-me/Pull-me Suicides (quad burner!) with partner and 2-2 minute sets of Quick Steps on bench

This one is for Tim who asked what I was standing on for the top picture: Don't doubt me, fireman!

Back on the Rope

7/27/08
Sunday's Workout: 4 rounds
1. Sandbag Clean and Lunge, alternating shoulders 10 reps
2. Pushups 10
3. Sandbag Push Press alternating shoulders 6R/6L
4. Heavy Rope Velocity, variations 30 sec.

7/28/08
Monday's Workout: 4 Rounds of Tabata
Alternated between kb swings/snatches and rope variations.
Kicked my butt!

Sprint Baby

Yesterday:
Three Rounds of Tabata throughout the day when I had time.

Today:
10-20 sec. sprints (running) with 40 sec. rest

Basics

I am going back to the basics this week and doing the RKC Minimum to give my body a little rest.

Today:
Transfer Swings 12kg for 1 min work/10 sec rest for 12 min.
TGU 12kg for 5 minutes (8 per side)

Used my new Gymboss. Worked like a charm.

Gymboss is the Bomb

For those of you who have not ever used the Gymboss Interval Timer, I highly recommend it. I go so sick of trying to do Tabata Protocols using my Ironman watch that I finally broke down and got a Gymboss. Now I can do swings or snatch variations without ever having to look at my watch (which really gets in the way when snatching). The Gymboss allows you to set two different interval periods so your work/rest can be different. I thought it was going to be bigger but I was pysched to find out that it actually clips on your (fill in the blank, pants) so you can run, jump and boogie with it. So get your Gymboss today!

Practice this week:
7/17/08
A repeat of my Awesome workout at an earlier hour in the day. Much harder the second time.

7/18/08:
Tabata for three rounds:
First two rounds: Swing Variations
Third Round: Side Shuffles and In Place Hopscotch

Today: Off and Ice Cream

Grind that Stretch and 20kg Press

Ever since going through RKC in April, my squat has bothered me. It just gets me that I cannot go rock bottom without my pelvis tilting. In the technique challenge I had to stand wide and stop short just so I wouldn't tilt. I also have this hangup about stretching. Yes, it is something that I do for my clients; some of who see great strides and some of who (you know who you are Twisted Steel) have not changes in three years. I just can't seem to make it a big part of my program. I thought Z Drills would do the trick. They have helped a ton but I am still having issues. I want a rock bottom squat and a solid pistol. So I have started prying, grinding, wall squatting and working on my technique to get there. This will be an off day promise.

Other than that I did a few GTGs just to move a bit: Hanging leg raises, Full body roll outs (working on getting out without putting my knees down), and pistols (oh, pistols...Lefty is a bitch.)

Also had a PR today. Pressed the 20kg for 1R/L X 2! Doing it on the TGU really fired me up!

Adding this photo of my son. We had a spectacular trip in the mountains over July 4th. This is one that may get blown up.

Go away kettlebell (for a day)

Did a quick calisthenics/light equipment workout in Tabata fashion after work. Needed to lay off the kbs after snatching my hands to death yesterday. They are on the brink of blisters and are so tender that I can't even imagine swinging one today. My left knee has also been bugging me for the last few days. It started after doing a morning routine last week of jump rope, bench hop ups, hop overs, burpees and other fun bouncing moves. So of course in my "ignore it now, pay later" way, I went ahead and bothered it some more. Off to ice it.

Today:
4 rounds of Tabata calisthenics (20 sec. on/10 sec. off for 8 sets each round>4 minutes ea. round):
Round 1: Hindu squats and Pushups
Round 2: Front Lunges and Tube Rows
Round 3: Jump Squats and Bar Twists
Round 4: Mountain Climbers and Ball Slams
1 set of TGU's 20kg/2R/2L just because I can. Love that!

20kg TGU

I just had a awesome session yesterday. Could have been that I wasn't on a time limit or maybe that I was the only person in the gym but nevertheless, I just felt better and stronger than ever. Went like this:

Full Z warmup
4 sets:
1A. 1H Snatch to Overhead Squat 12kg/5L/5R
1B. Renegade Rows 20 lbs dbs X 2/ 5L/5R
3 Sets:
2A. Windmills with Press at top 12kg X 2 5R/5L
2B. Squat Catch (with full squat between) 20kg/5
3A. TGU 16kg 3R/3L (1 set), 20kg 1R/1L (2 sets)
3B. 1H Swings 20kg/10R/10L

This was my first attempt at the 20kg for TGUs. Felt stable and strong. I just can't get over how hard a TGU with a 12kg was when I first tried it. Now I am using the 20kg. Goes to show that practice pays off.

Today will be some intervals out back with the rope and snatches. I have been in the sun all day so it is going to take some motivation to get back out there.

HeadSTRONG Athletics is coming together quite nicely. I have some more pieces to the puzzle to get started with confidence but everything is working out great. I have set up an event at Pomegranate Bookstore for August 28th. This will be my first speaking engagement so I am a bit nervous. I am in the process of getting the format together now.

Adios!

Flow Drills

Tried something a little different today. I combined a few moves into one long drill. Some call them flow drills (AOS). Here is what it looked like...all done with 2 12kgs:

A. 4 sets, 1 minute rest between sets
1. Double Turkish Get-up X1
2. Double Swings X10
3. Double Clean and Squat and See Saw Press X5
4. Double Swings X10
5. Racked Turkish Get-Down X1
6. Lay there and wonder how to get up again. Just kidding, but it was hard!

B. 3 sets, , 30 sec. rest between sets
5 reps each side
1. Snatch to top
2. Windmill
3. Lower to racked position
4. Repeat
5. Plank 1 minute hard style after R/L sets