7/16/13 Tuesday July 16, 2013 (TGUs)

6:45am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

7:15am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg
Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

7:30am - Training session - Focus on TGUs

Warm up -
Tall kneeling 1H press with 16 kg, 5 L/R

16kg, roll to elbow 3+3 L, R

24kg, 2 L, 2 R - 2X (4 reps each side)

7:45am - Complete

Notes -  Nice, 2 sets of 2 reps without setting the bell down to switch.  I could have grabbed the 5th rep which then will lead me to start doing these with the 28, but no need to progress overly fast.  I really like the feeling of "owning" this with the 24.  I think it will make the 28 feel pretty light with no huge change in difficulty for the lift.

7/15/13 Monday July 15, 2013 (DB Sq, SN)

7:00am - Original Strength, Primal Move drills - 35 minutes

7:35am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg
Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm 16 kg

7:50am - Training session -DB Sq 20 kgs, SN 16kg - timed session 7 minutes

Warm up -
TGU 24kg, 2+2
GSq 24 kg, 10
2H SW 24 kg, 10

DB SQ 20 kgs, ladders 2, 3, 5 x 4 (40 total reps, up from 30 last week) - took about 16 minutes.

SN 16 kg Timed set - 7 minutes

15 L, 15 R (set bell down)
15 L, 15 R (set bell down)
15 L, 15 R (set bell down)
5 L, 5 R done

Total reps in 7 minutes - 50 per arm or 100 reps total, this is up from 90 last week.

8:30am - Complete

Notes -  Squats felt outstanding.  Focused on drilling the elbows down and staying tight, and it really helped.  Even on the ladders of 5, I was feeling very strong.  My plan was to jump to 24 kgs this Friday since I will have a limited number of bells with me in Spokane.  I don't think this will be an issue after today's session.

Snatching - his is the most I have ever snatched.  I feel like 10 more reps in a week is a solid gain.  With that said I felt the reps were stronger and better this week, but I was more gassed.  Hitting 3 sets of 15/15 just killed me.  This is unusual to be going high in reps for me and it takes a lot to really concentrate and nail the reps and also not completely lose it from the drain on the body.  It demands efficient technique.  

7/12/13 Friday July 12, 2013 (DB PR 24s, 1H SW 28)

6:30am - Original Strength resets and Primal Move - 40 minutes

7:10am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg

Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

7:25am - Training session - DB PR with the 24 ladders, and then 1H SW with the 28 timed

Warm up -
TGUs 16 kg, 3+3 

G Sq 24 kg, 10
DB DLs 32 kg, 5, ALT 1H DL, 5 each arm
2H SW 24 kg, 10

DB PR ladders 1, 2, 3 with the 24s, cleaning before each ladder -5X (30 total PR reps, 15 cleans, up from 18/9 on Monday)

This was NOT HARD and took 16 minutes.

Timed set - 6 minutes, same as Monday, but adding 1 rep each arm on each minute

1H SW 28 kg 7 L/R X 6 (42 reps each arm, 7L, 7 R on the minute for 6 minutes)

8:00am - Complete

Notes - Well I had a choice today and since I was mentally thinking of Monday as a "light" day based on how it felt, I made this a "heavy" day and thus went two sets above Monday and jumped to 5 sets for ladders on the DB PR.  Honestly, it was not hard.  I am noticing that this round of pressing, compared to several months ago, has significant differences in feel. My feet are more rooted to the ground.  I have a firmer seat to press from on my glutes.  My grip is stronger - I am crushing the bells to the overhead position and back down, maintaining tension through every rep.  This is freaking awesome.  I attribute this to - swings, period.  The swing is amazing.  On that note the 1H swings with the 28 were tough after the press workout, but I was fine, maintained form, just was gassed at the end.  Great stuff.  Looking forward to that 28 feeling light when swinging it.

Goals are to go ladders of 1,2,3,4 next Wed and keep at 5 sets.  It is a jump, but I think I am ready.  Also need to get to 8 minutes of 8 L, 8 R on the minute with the heavy 1H SW with the 28, so going to jump up to 6 minutes of 8/8 and see how that goes.

7/11/13 Thursday July 11, 2013 (2H SW)

8:15am - Original Strength, Primal Move drills - 30 minutes

8:45am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg
Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

9:00am - Training session -2H SW

Warm up -

TGU 24 kg, starting from top, single L, R
GSq 24 kg, 10
DB DL 32 kg, 5, 1H alternating 5
2H SW 24 kg, 10

Timed set - 15 minutes, got 230!! reps PR - previous best was 209) total of the following:
2H SW 24 kg, 10 - 6X
2H SW 28 kg, 10 - 6X
2H SW 32 kg, 10 - 6X
2H SW 36 kg, 10 - 5X

I then finished off with the following:
2H SW 36 kg, 10

9:30am - Complete

Notes - 240 reps total in just over 15 minutes.  Wow, that is up from 220 from a week or so ago.  Awesome, that was my best swing effort ever for both reps and density. I have more in the tank, but this needs to be a consistent progression, and then probably step back to go forward.  I like the idea of hitting 300 swings in 15 minutes - that is 10X every 30 seconds.  Something to shoot for.

I was extremely tired and slept in today, and fortunately I had time to do that.  I need more sleep.  This is getting ridiculous.  The training sessions are getting tougher, and I need to sleep more to recover better.

7/10/13 Wednesday July 10, 2013 (DB Sq 20s, SN 16)

7:00am - Original Strength, Primal Move drills - 35 minutes

7:35am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg
Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm 16 kg

7:50am - Training session -DB Sq 20 kgs, SN 16kg - timed session 7 minutes

Warm up -
TGU 24kg, 2+2
GSq 24 kg, 10
2H SW 24 kg, 10

DB SQ 20 kgs, ladders 2, 3, 5 x 3 (30 total reps)

SN 16 kg Timed set - 7 minutes

7 L, 7 R
8 L, 8 R (set bell down)
10 L, 10 R (set bell down)
10 L, 10 R (set bell down)
10 L, 10 R done

Total reps in 7 minutes - 45 per arm or 90 reps total.

8:20am - Complete

Notes -  Felt good with the squats.  I will be moving up each training session with volume so going to add a 4th set on Monday.  After that I will have my 24s with me in Spokane and I will give this a shot with the 24s next Friday, so about a week.  We will see how that goes - should be fine I think.  The sets of 5 will be tough.

This is the most snatching I have ever done if you an believe that.  I actually felt really good about getting close to 100 reps.  This is a start.  Some reps felt great, really just a tough movement for me and particularly with the left side I just really, really have to watch the technique.  Key seems to be letting the bell almost hit me on the descent and then get out of the way to load the hips for the next rep, which helps eliminate pulling up with the arm and make everything easier.  I will keep working at it.

7/9/13 Tuesday July 9, 2013 (TGUs)

7:00am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

7:30am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg
Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

7:45am - Training session - Focus on TGUs

Warm up -
Tall kneeling 1H press with 16 kg, 5 L/R

16kg, roll to elbow 3+3 L, R

24kg, 3X L/R (alternating full getups)

8:00am - Complete

Notes -  Very, very solid with the 24 today.  I am getting very close to moving up a bell here for TGUs.  The 24 is feeling light.

7/8/13 Monday July 8, 2013 (DB PR 24s, 1H SW 28)

5:50am - Original Strength resets and Primal Move - 40 minutes

6:30am - Kettlebell warm up ("Standard")

1/2K halos - 8kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 12 kg, 5X each leg

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)

1/2K pullover - 16 kg, 5X each leg

Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

6:45am - Training session - DB PR with the 24 ladders, and then 1H SW with the 28 timed

Warm up -
TGUs 16 kg, 3+3 

G Sq 24 kg, 10
DB DLs 32 kg, 5, ALT 1H DL, 5 each arm
2H SW 24 kg, 10

DB PR ladders 1, 2, 3 with the 24s, cleaning before each ladder -3X (18 total PR reps, 9 cleans)

This was frankly easy and took very little time, maybe 10 minutes or so.

Timed set - 6 minutes

1H SW 28 kg 6 L/R X 6 (36 reps each arm, 6 L, 6R on the minute for 6 minutes)

Finisher - a few loaded carries putting all of the bells away, also did an overhead walk with DB 24s which felt awesome.  I was really pleased with how solid this felt and how much space I felt in my thoracic spine - very cool.  This bodes well in the future for snatching and ultimately I hope jerks.

7:15am - Complete

Notes - This was a pretty easy training day.  After doing so much work lately, the urge is to press onward and upward but I like that this is waving back a bit, and then I can hopefully add to it over the next several weeks until Kevin and I meet on Friday 7/26.  The plan is to get up to 1,2,3 x 5X for DB PR which I think honestly is not going to be an issue at all.  Previously back in the winter I had worked up to DB C&P 28s for 1,2,3,4,5 x 5 sets (75 reps with 75 cleans!) when I was working pressing like 3 times a week.  My programming was poor and no surprise I ended up straining muscles, was not strong enough in all the right places, etc.  I don't know how long it will take to get back to that level, but I can guarantee when I do, I will be massively stronger and much more prepared for that type of volume no doubt about it.  One day at a time.