8/16/13 Friday August 16, 2013 (24kg SN training with Kevin)

First and most importantly - today was my 36th birthday.  I am in the best shape of my life today, and it feels great.  I am stronger and leaner than I have ever been due to meeting Ross Meyer at Kettlebility in November 2011, training with him until this March, and now training with Kevin Knapp at Kettlebility.  I have learned a ton by reading Pavel's books as well as other kettlebell stuff by Geoff Neupert and others, and reading the Strong First online forum and other internet forums / sites on strength.  I am grateful for all of this new-found knowledge and have to say my life has really been very positively impacted by these experiences.

Before meeting Kevin at 6:30am I did some OS rests and some primal move, a few kettlebell warmups with halos, arm bar etc. and headed out.

6:30am - Training session with Kevin.  We did some primal move, tried some new rocking / rolling moves which were going back on the shoulders/head and rocking front, and then doing the same side to side.  I really liked those resets and will start incorporating those.

We worked on some TGUs, with Kevin focusing on cuing me to keep the elbow locked.  That is something I need to work on - really have to fire the triceps hard.

We did some goblet squats and Kevin showed me a technique to flip the bell upside down vs. holding it by the horns, which felt good.  Was able to pry a bit easier that way, and it takes pressure off of the biceps.

We worked on some 2H swings, including with the 44 kg as Kevin knows I recently purchased that bell.  He liked what he saw, reps were really strong, and felt great.

We then did some pullups as I had not tested pullups in some time.  I was able to bang out some low rep sets of pullups and chins no problem (ladders 2, 3).  It has been months since I did pullups.  Kevin really wants to be to get in a few sets during the week GTG style.  I have to figure out how to get a pullup bar going at the house somehow.  No good ideas at this time.

We then did some 1H SW with the 24kg in anticipation of snatching, the main event of the day.

I did a warm up snatch set with the 20 kg, 5 and 5.  We then moved into several sets of the 24 kg, 5 and 5, with Kevin watching my technique.  Biggest cue was to throw the bell at my belt to start the descent, which helped.  That is always the most challenging part of the movement for me.

We then did about 5 sets of 4/4 on the minute with the 24kg, which will be part of the programming plan for the next couple of weeks.

7:30am - Finish

Great session, I continue to learn a lot from Kevin.  We are moving into a strength wave for the next 3 weeks, with snatching the 24 a focal point.

Other -

I want for a jog around Greenlake with a friend, about 3.2 miles, at 8am.  It was easy and felt good unlike the last time I went running which was about a month ago in Spokane.  Just have to keep working the foam roller and creating better quality movement in my right hip , ankle.

At 9:30am I got a massage for my birthday.  Felt great.  Good day all around.