Wednesday, August 31, 2016

8/31/16 Wednesday August 31, 2016 (TGUs, pressing ladders, 2H SW)

6:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

7:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:30am- Training session - TGUs, pressing ladders, 2H SW

24kg TGU, 1/1
28kg TGU, 1/1
32kg TGU, 1/1

3x:
24kg PR, 5/5
28kg PR, 3/3
32kg PR, 2/2

24kg 2H SW, 20, x 5

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 3 sets per hand

8:15am - Complete

Notes - Took some time to warm up, but overall, solid effort today.  Body is feeling better as I write this in the afternoon than I did on Monday after training.  Just got to ease into things.  Using a narrower stance to press, really trying to get under the bell, use the glutes and lats.  This seems to be working well, something I picked up at SFG2.  Getting some doubles on the 32kg is a confidence booster, my pressing strength is there.  Just need to rehab all of this nicks and nacks.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

8/30/16 Tuesday August 30, 2016 (24kg TGUs, kickstand DLs)

6:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

7:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

Break

9:30am- Training session - 24kg TGUs, 24kg SLDLs

24kg full TGUs, 1/1
24kg kickstand DL, 8/8

9:40am - Complete

Notes - Interesting day.  Feeling it in the right forearm, elbow.  Did a bunch of wrist extension work as advised by Kevin.  Need to balance out the antagonistic muscles to pressing.

Monday, August 29, 2016

8/29/16 Monday August 29, 2016 (TGUs, pressing ladders, 2H SW)

6:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes (some extra work needed)

7:00am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:15am- Training session - TGUs, pressing ladders, 2H SW

24kg TGU, 1/1
28kg TGU, 1/1
32kg TGU, 1/1

3x:
24kg PR, 3/3
28kg PR, 2/2
32kg PR, 1/1

32kg 2H SW, 10, x 10

8:00am - Complete

Notes - Solid day back to ramping up training a bit.  First time getting into heavier loads above a 24kg and first time pressing at all since SFGII back in the first week of August.  Everything felt good during the session. Writing this later in the day, noticing a few hot spots, lower left back same spot a bit tender, and right elbow a bit tight.  Just going to take this slow, not overdo anything, and focus on the mobility work and other prehab / rehab movements a lot on off days and when preparing to train.

8/27/16 Saturday August 25, 2016 (body weight circuit)

In Bozeman MT for a wedding

9:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 30 minutes

10:00am- Training session - Body weight circuit

5x:
Push-ups, 5
Crawling
Indian Clubs, 5 mins

10:30am - Complete

Notes - Did a bit of training on Saturday morning while in Montana for a wedding.  Felt really good. Things continuing to improve.  Going to start ramping up next week.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

8/25/16 Thursday August 25, 2016 (KB circuit)

6:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 15 minutes

6:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:00am- Training session - KB circuit

16kg TGU, 1/1
20kg TGU, 1/1
24kg TGU, 1/1

5x:
32kg HSP, 1, x 5
32kg 2H SW, 10
24kg 1H SW 5, CL 5, switch hands

7:30am - Complete

Notes - Good training session, body is feeling good.  Time to take the training wheels back off slowly here and start ramping it up.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

8/24/16 Wednesday August 24, 2016 (KB circuit)

7:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 30 minutes

7:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:00am- Training session - KB circuit

4x:
20kg TGU, 1/1
32kg HSP, 1, x 5
24kg GSq, 5
DB 24kg kick stand DL, 3

8:30am - Complete

Notes - Another solid day.  Noticed that the insertion point for my hamstrings into the glutes was a little tight during the day, just need to continue to be vigilant amount the hamstring stretches, abductors, etc.  Can't do too much of that work, I think this is just an issue of mine.  Some of this is a lack of sleep the last couple of nights.  Went to bed at 130am due to work, as I am taking off tomorrow and Friday to go to Bozeman MT for a wedding.  Lot going on.  With that said, I think I am coming out of the woods now and we can step up the training regime as appropriate next week.

8/23/16 Tuesday August 23, 2016 (KB circuit)

8:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

9:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:30am- Training session - KB circuit

16kg TGU, 1/1
20kg TGU, 1/1
24kg TGU, 1/1

5x:
32kg HSP, 1, x 5
32kg 2H SW, 10
24kg 1H SW 5, CL 5, switch hands

10:00am - Complete

Notes - Another very solid day,  Things are coming together strongly.  Continuing to feel better all around.  Very pleased.  

Monday, August 22, 2016

8/22/16 Monday August 22, 2016 (KB circuit)

6:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

7:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:30am- Training session - KB circuit

4x:
20kg TGU, 1/1
32kg HSP, 1, x 5
24kg GSq, 5
DB 24kg kick stand DL, 3

8:00am - Complete

Notes - Excellent training day.  Really felt good, so much left in the tank.  Things are really coming around.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

8/20/16 Saturday August 20, 2016 (24kg 1H SW, CL)

5:00pm - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 30 minutes

5:30pm - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

5:45pm- Training session - 24kg 1H SW, CL

24kg TGU, 1/1
24kg GSq, 5

5x:
24kg 1H SW 5, CL 5, set down, switch hands

6:15pm - Complete

Notes - Enjoyed this today.  Was in very hot weather yesterday afternoon, and worked in my yard for several hours before this training session to get everything cleaned up.  I played in a series of kickball games yesterday and I knew my hips and hamstrings would probably be very very tight after the games, and they were / are.  Did a ton of running the bases etc. and honestly I surprised myself a bit with how fast I was moving, with a lot of athleticism.  Felt great.  I am certain I have dropped some weight too from even taking the SFG II two weeks ago, at least several pounds, enough to really notice.  Even though I am sore today there are some good things to note here.  I am working hard on mobility work and just loosening up those hips and hamstrings.  The swings and the cleans felt good today and getting some hinging I think helps.

8/19/16 Friday August 19, 2016 (training with Kevin)

6:20am - Training with Kevin

Good training day with Kevin.  We worked through the Primal Move series again in full, and I picked up a few things through that process that I had forgotten about.  We also did work on the hamstrings with Perform Better bands.  Did some TGUs, some kick stand dead lifts (single and double bell with the 24s - really like the double bells, that was a legit strength lift).  Got into some back and forth with hike swing parks, 2, 3, 5 with the 32kg, sandwiched around 10 reps of 24kg swings.  Lot of swings, this was good.  Did pick up a blister on the right pinkie finger which was extremely odd.  I think I had and unusual grip on the bells and perhaps a bell with a rough edge.  Not a huge deal.  Finished with various work on bands for the forearm / elbow to focus on alleviating issues with the right elbow.  All of that work was great.  Am going to buy a couple of these bands from Perform Better.  Kevin also wants me to get a sledge hammer, which can be used to work the forearm.  These antagonistic muscles to those on the underside of the arm, used for pressing, need some attention to balance things out.  Going to stay focused.  This should all be very good.

7:55am - Finished

8/18/16 Thursday August 18, 2016 (24kg TGUs, kickstand DLs)

8:00am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

8:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:00am- Training session - 24kg TGUs, 24kg SLDLs

24kg full TGUs, 1/1
24kg kickstand DL, 8/8

9:10am - Complete

Notes - Good day, pleased to see I reasonably recovered from the training session the day before.  Moving in the right direction.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

8/17/16 Wednesday August 17, 2016 (24kg 1H SW, TGUs, DB 24kgs CL & FSQ)

7:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 60 minutes

8:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 24g with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:30am- Training session - 24kg 1H SW, TGUs, DB 24kgs CL & FSQ

5x:
24kg 1H SW, 10/10

100 swings

2x:
24kg TGU, 1/1

2x:
DB 24kgs CL, 2, FSQ 2
DB 24kgs CL, 3, FSQ 3
DB 24kgs CL, 5, FSQ 5

20 DB CL, DB FSQ

Crawling, 2 minutes  (going to keep this as a finisher - I think this can be a great reset for the hips and shoulders and I should be doing more of this)

9:10am - Complete

Notes - Great training session.  Took a very long time to get warmed up, just felt like I needed to give the body that time.  Can't be rushing anything these days.  Lots of time trying to open the thoracic spine, loosen the hamstrings, etc.  I can definitely see improvement again today.  I designed the training plan to focus on some lifts that I felt would not be problematic with what I have been feeling particularly in the right elbow as it continues to get better.  Overhead work is out right now as it has not felt quite right since SFG II (not surprising given the better part of 7 months going overhead a LOT).  Elbow is getting better for sure, another acupuncture session on Friday should bring further recovery assistance.  No issues today from swings, focused on keeping a straight arm, no issue on cleans, focused on staying tight to the body, and no issues with the bells in the rack for front squats.  Right knee not bothered by the lifts either, it seems to continue to improve as the hamstrings and abductors improve.  I think the way forward for now may be a combination of these lifts, both 1H and 2H varieties, to maintain and stay strong.  Front squats could actually be helpful to drill for a bit as I think they could help me once I get back to pressing, snatching etc.  For Friday I am considering "same but different" with some heavier swings with 2H, or perhaps I will go light on the 2H SW and go a little heavier on 1H KB aerobics with swings, cleans, front squats.  Haven't decided yet.  Would either be 32kg 2H SW with 24kg for KB aerobics, or 24kg 2H SW and 28kg for KB aerobics.  Will see what Kevin thinks, he may have other ideas.

8/16/16 Tuesday August 16, 2016 (24kg TGUs, kickstand DLs)

8:00am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

8:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:00am- Training session - 24kg TGUs, 24kg SLDLs

24kg full TGUs, 1/1
24kg kickstand DL, 8/8

9:10am - Complete

Notes - My 39th birthday:)  Good day, body is progressing.  Felt better than yesterday.  Had a nice time playing at Greenlake with my kids and going to the Woodland Park zoo with them.  Dinner and a surprise appearance by several friends, organized by my girlfriend, which was really cool.  A very memorable birthday indeed.

Monday, August 15, 2016

8/15/16 Monday August 15, 2016 (24kg KSDLs, 2H SW, TGUs)

8:00am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

8:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 24g with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:00am- Training session - 24kg Kickstand DLs, 2H SW, TGUs

3x:
24kg kickstand DLs, 8/8
24kg 2H SW, 20
24kg full TGUs, 1/1

9:30am - Complete

10-11am - Acupuncture

Notes - Good day and absolutely making progress here which is very encouraging.  Body felt better, did some very targeted hamstring work, and that is improving.  Didn't want to push hard on the weights today, it doesn't feel quite right yet, so stuck with the 24kg and just did some kick stand DLs, 2H SW, and TGUs.  Nothing seemed to bother anything, which is good.  Right elbow I did notice a bit, it felt very good in the TGUs in all aspects of the movement with the except of the final lowering of the bell to the ground.  Felt great in lockout.  An interesting thing.  I was able to see my longtime acupuncturist Dave later in the morning and he did some great releases using needles in my left knee and right ankle which are trigger points for the right elbow. He also did a manual release on the right elbow.  Really, really helped.  He also did some other work to release the hamstrings a bit, and my shoulders were dropped down into place nicely too, and the thoracic opening up.  I have another session with him this Friday.  This has really been helpful.  I feel like I am headed back in in the right direction.  I am going to just stick with the 24kg this week, no pressing yet until I feel really out of the woods on the right elbow.  Will probably test some 1H SW, and possibly some cleans and squats, just to see how those feel, again staying light.

Sunday, August 14, 2016

8/12/16 Friday August 12, 2016 (BU work, 24kg KB aerobics)

At my parent's house in Hockinson, WA

5:00pm - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 15 minutes

5:15pm - Training session - BU work, 24kg KB aerobics

24kg kickstand DL, 8/8
12kg BU CL, 1/1 with walking
16kg BU CL, 1/1 with walking
24kg BU CL, 1/1 with walking

24kg kickstand DL, 8/8
12kg BU PR, 1/1
16kg BU PR, 1/1
24kg BU PR, 1/1

24kg kickstand DL, 8/8
12kg BU FSQ, 1/1 
16kg BU FSQ, 1/1
24kg BU FSQ, 1/1

24kg 2H SW, 20

20 mins KB aerobics:

24kg CL 2, PR 2, FSQ 2, SW 2, SN 2, set down, switch hands

24kg 2H SW, 15

6:00pm - Complete

Notes - Writing this late Sunday night after getting back from a long 4 days.  Left for camping trip with the kids and Leah on Thursday morning, going to the Olympic Peninsula and staying at Lake Cushman Thursday night.  Then drove to my parents house near Battleground WA on Friday.  Did KB work Friday evening before dinner.  Started feeling shitty pretty much right away that evening.  It was hot - 95 degrees - and my right knee was barking, my right elbow was barking hard.  I thought "just a 24kg" was going to be fine, but clearly it was not.  Biggest thing I noticed throughout the weekend was the relief on the knee from the hamstring work, which is clearly helping a lot, and as far as the elbow goes, this is from a tight right pec and shoulder - not in the elbow.  I loosened up that right pec and shoulder on Saturday at the part, elbow immediately started feeling better.  Had to do a lot of driving this weekend, a shitload actually, for this trip, so good to get out of the car.  Going to re-focus on this hamstring work, and I have two acupuncture sessions this week with my longtime acupuncturist to focus on these matters and really try to kick the recovery into overdrive.  Overhead work is out this week until I get the right shoulder and pec under control and get the elbow relieved.  Pressing does not feel good as I feel it inside the right elbow, so that is dropped until I can work out this situation.  Hamstrings are going to continue to get attacked until I can get those feeling much more symmetrical (R side is the issue from the FMS screen last week).

8/11/16 Thursday August 11, 2016 (24kg TGUs, kickstand DLs)

8:00am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release, hamstring work  - 45 minutes

8:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 24g with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:00am- Training session - 24kg TGUs, 24kg SLDLs

3x:
24kg full TGUs, 1/1
24kg kickstand DL, 8/8

9:20am - Complete

Notes - Felt ok.  First time I have touched a kettlebell since Sunday.  Trying to focus on getting those hamstrings loosened up.

8/10/16 Wednesday August 10, 2016 (training with Kevin)

6:15am - Training with Kevin

Did a full movement screen (FMS) which highlighted two things that I knew.

Right pec / shoulder is incredibly tight, and the test for putting hands behind the back was effectively a 1 with the right hand on top of the left hand - fail.  Needs major work,  This is clearly the reason why the right elbow is sensitive particularly on pressing - it's a shoulder issue.  Need to open it up.

Hanging leg raise a 1 on the R side, - fail, and noted asymmetry with the left side.  Again I knew this.  Needs a ton of attention.  Hamstring is crazy tight.

We immediately began working various mobility drills to address these issues.  Mainly consisting of rolling out the feet, quads, moving to band drills to introduce more hamstring flexibility, and then load with "kick stand" deadlifts.  Going to focus on this for the near term.  A ton of heavy load to get ready for SFGII has taken a toll.

7:15am - End.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

8/9/16 Tuesday August 9, 2016 (Primal Move)

6:30am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release  - 45 minutes

Notes - More recovery practice.  Felt good waking up.  Writing this in the evening, left hip / left low back has been barking.  Hamstrings and aductors are really tight.

8/8/16 Monday August 8, 2016 (long walk)

Resting this week. Did a 70 minute walk at Greenlake in the morning.  Had a Kinetics appt in the afternoon, and my girlfriend bought me an hour in the float tank at Float Seattle.  Just trying to do a lot of recovery from the weekend.  Got to work on the abductors, left hip, low back.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

8/6 and 7/16 Sat / Sunday August 6 and 7, 2016 (Dallas - SFGII)

This weekend was the culmination of 4 1/2 years of kettlebell training - SFGII in Dallas, TX.  I arrived mid day Friday after taking an early morning flight out of Seattle.  It's been a struggle of late - hip and outside low back on the L side, inside of the right knee, inner right elbow - all hot spots that have cropped up in the last few weeks.  Did the best I could to rest the week leading up to this, got Kinetics, got a massage, got here early etc.  All of that was smart.  I spent hours in the hotel on Friday mobilizing, and focusing on the Pain Free exercises designed to try and release tight adductor muscles which is the likely source of both the L lower back and inner right knee troubles.  All of that prep work definitely helped leading into Saturday.

First thing we did Saturday is weigh in.  I was definitely dissapointed to see 218 lbs on the scale.  I never weigh myself.  That's more than I need to weigh by about 10 lbs, if I am going to justify 218 I would need to be leaner and I would sure as hell need to be pressing the beast.  I have gained a lot of size and muscle this year for sure, strongest I have ever been, but I have not watched my diet closely at all and basically just eat when I want (I have maintained quality foods and stayed with my GF / DF / SF diet that I have maintained for over 5 years).  This is ok, it's a good realistic view of my weight (I never ever weigh myself so this is part of the issue - don't even have a scale in my house) and tells me where I am at.  I can start making adjustments immediately, which I actually did during the weekend.  I'd like to see this come in around 208 lbs or so in a few months, that is a good weight for my size and the amount of muscle I have on me.

Saturday we started at 8:00am and finished at 6:00pm.  Hell of a long day.  Did a ton of stuff, almost too much to even try and summarize here.  We started the day with the Strength Test aka pressing 1/2 your bodyweight.  I warmed up the press with 3/3 with the 24kg, 2/2 with the 32kg, and then went for the 40kg.  Started with the R side, which up until this point I had not successfully pressed in training.  Got the 40kg with the L side 3 different times, but not the right yet.  I am pleased to say that the 40kg press went up and through the sticking point on the R side, and I got it.  It was a good lift.  I surprised myself a little bit with that.  I then did the L and that went up easier than the R.  I had to press a 48kg to pass this test, and I knew in the back of my mind that was unrealistic.  I need to get that weight in training, and even before that, I need to get a 44kg.  I did grab a 44kg to try, and cleaned on the L, but didn't get a good clean, and set the bell down.  We were being pressed for time so I just let it go, knowing that even if I pressed the 44kg, that was not going to pass the test.

Relatively quickly thereafter we did the Snatch test - 5 minutes, 100 reps with the 24kg.  We were not messing around, that is for damn sure.  I executed the rep scheme I had planned on 15/15 10/10 rest (50 reps), 10/10 rest (70 reps), 10/10 rest (90 reps), 5/5.  I got it with under 10 seconds to spare, so it was pretty close, and it was damn hard.  However, less than an hour into the day, I had a PR on my press on the right side and I had passed the snatch test, two completely different things, so that was a big positive and got me feeling pretty optimistic.  Throughout the morning we practiced and tested the Level 1 lifts - 1H SW, double cleans, double front squats, press, get up with the 32kg.  Everything went well, passed all of those lifts without issue, including the TGUs as my lockout can be an issue, but it went well.  One point of advice I received on swings is that my feet were too wide apart.  I have been having issues with foot placement on various lifts, both too narrow and too wide, so this is something for me to pay attention to.

As far as by body was going, was not noticing the left hip or lower back at all, but my right knee was pretty hot.  I will come back to this.

During the afternoon we practiced the Push Press and the Jerk, as well as the Double Snatch.  Got a huge tip out of that practice, which was basically that my glutes were not properly engaging.  That is a huge problem in various phases of each lift, particularly on catching the bells after getting them overhead.  I was not pleased to realize this, after getting some cues and seeing an immediate improvement in both lifts and each lift being easier.  I would strongly suspect it is this issue that is cropping up the tight adductors and related things (I pretty much had deduced a glute issue earlier last week which is why Kevin and I trained this, but to see it come up in this setting was frustrating and just pissed me off that I was not doing my body any favors in these lifts). After some early practice on these lifts, I started noticing my left lower back and hip a bit, as well as my right elbow.  We did a partner Double Long Cycle workout that was hell on earth, but at least at that point I had been cued up and had improved technique there.

Finished the day, went back to the hotel, iced up my elbows, did some Pain Free stretching for an hour, and then hit dinner with everyone which was a lot of fun.  Went back to my hotel at 9:30 and did more mobility and Pain Free work until bed.  Told myself that I seriously hoped that Sunday would not be as hard as Saturday.  We did a fuckload of work on Saturday.

Woke up on Sunday feeling ok.  Definitely sore, but manageable.  Right elbow had calmed down a lot.  Did some mobility work, some lacrosse ball, and then got to the gym.  We started again at 8am.  We decided to skip lunch to finish early, so the plan was to finish at 2pm, including all Level II testing completed.  We did some very interesting things on Sunday.  We practiced the Windmill and Bent Press, with a bunch of progressions for each lift.  I found this extremely useful, and I really improved both of those lifts quite a bit from what I had been doing in practice.  I have been a little fearful of these lifts, but I don't believe they are my real issue necessarily, and I want to try and intelligently incorporate them into training, including some progressions.  Frankly I think both lifts helped up my R knee.  I did not notice it at all after all of the work we did.  We then did some athletic lifts which included moving swings, split cleans, cleans with lunges, snatches with lunges, etc.  All in all that was fine but that's nothing I plan on incorporating into my training right at this moment.  In fact I didn't really want to be using the 24kg for them, it might have gone a little bit better if I had been practicing with something lighter.

We then tested all Level 2 skills.  Windmill, Brent Press, Double Jerks, Double Push Press, Double Snatch (20kgs).  I felt very confident and solid in all lifts.  I found out that I had passed all the skill tests, and was awarded my SFGII certificate, with the acknowledgment that at my current weight I would need to press the Beast within 6 months to fully complete all testing.

This was a tremendous weekend, and I will gain a lot of value in my future practice from this experience.  I am very proud to have been able to achieve this personal accomplishment, which I intend to cap by pressing that 48kg kettlebell, as I know I am capable of doing it.  I watched 2 men and 2 women complete the Beast Tamer and Iron Maiden challenges on Saturday, which was awesome to see in person.  It certainly shows you what is possible.  I am really grateful to Kevin for helping me get to this point and excited about the future and what it will bring.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

8/3/16 Wednesday August 3, 2016 (training with Kevin)

6:25am - Training with Kevin

A focus on mobility today, trying to get better with some rest and relaxation before SFGII this weekend.

Belly breathing
Tissue work
Hip Flexor stretch
Half kneeling work - rotations (arms crossed) (arms up)
Halos
SLDLs with the wall
Swings and Get-ups

Did some 16kg arm bars, get-ups, 20kg get-ups, finished with 5 sets of 20 swings with the 24kg.

7:55am - Finish

Had an appointment with Kinetics this afternoon, really got into the abductors, hip, that was helpful.  Massage tomorrow.  Just trying to focus on soft tissue work and getting ready for Saturday in Dallas.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

8/2/16 Tuesday August 2, 2016 (24kg TGU and SLDL)

8:00am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, lacrosse ball release  - 15 minutes

8:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 24g with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:30am- Training session - 24kg TGUs, 24kg SLDLs

24kg full TGUs, 1/1
24kg SLDL, 3/3

8:40am - Complete

Notes - Writing this in the evening.  Left hamstring, abductor, low back on the left side where hip attaches crazy tight and a bit painful all day. Surprised.  This thing is definitely requiring a significant amount of attention.  Back to the drawing board, requires mobilization every morning and evening it seems.

Monday, August 1, 2016

8/1/16 Monday August 1, 2016 (32kg CL&PR (PR), 48kg 2H SW)

6:55am - belly breathing, lacrosse ball, Primal Move practice - 90 minutes (lots of resting, mobilizing, lots of abductor work)

8:35am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:50am- Training session - 32kgs CL&PR (PR), 48kg 2H SW

3x:
24kg TGU, 1/1
48kg DL, 5

15 minutes:
32kg CL&PR, 4/4, x 6, 3/3 (PR)

27/27 CL&PR

48kg 2H SW, 10, x 10
100 swings

9:30am - Complete

Notes - Took a very, very long time to warm up today.  Mostly, I was just resting with my eyes closed, and then doing some mobilization work on my abductors, which are incredibly tight and causing issues again.  Ultimately, I was feeling pretty good coming out of the warm-up but it took a long time.  Hip flexors and abductors needing a lot of attention, quads as well. Ultimately I ended up with a PR for the 32kg CL&PR, getting in 6 full sets of 4/4 and 1 set of 3/3 in a timed 15 minute training session.  That's a lot of reps for 15 minutes and I am pleased.  Narrowed up the stance slightly, tried to use the off hand to squeeze and generate some tension to help through the sticking points.  I have not been using my left hand in particular when pressing with the right hand, and I think that little extra focused tension can help me particularly with the bigger bells.  Heavy 2H SW with the beast to finish felt good and strong.  Important to get a lot of sleep and recovery going into SFGII in Dallas this weekend.