11/18/13 Monday November 18, 2013 (PR 32kg, CL 36kg, 2H SW 44kg)

7:00am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 40 minutes (some extra time, some tightness in the traps, particularly the R, lats, right glute, used the lacrosse ball)

7:40am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

7:55am - Training session - Focus on PR 32 kg, 2H SW 44 kg

TGU 16kg, 3/3

TK PR 16 kg, 5/5, 2X

PR 24 kg, 3/3
PR 28 kg, 2/2
PR 32 kg, 1/1 - 5X

PR 36 kg, 1 L - fail, 1 R - fail

CL 36 kg, 1/1, 3X

8:20am interruption - phone call.  Resume 8:45am

 2H SW 44kg, 10, 10X (on the minute, 10 minutes) - 100 total reps (up from 8X, 80 reps last week)

9:00am - Complete

Notes -  Interesting session.  Didn't sleep all that well, couldn't fall asleep and then work up at 4:30, didn't fall back asleep fully.  I went to bed pretty late both Friday and Saturday night and my body clock is off.  My sleeping habits are the biggest problem with my training by far.  My diet is on point, my programming is on point, motivation to train is very good - sleep is not. I am tired of talking about it and I actually need to do something about it.  OK well enough of the rant.  After getting warmed up the presses went up pretty good, particularly L, I was feeling pretty tight in the top part of my R pec, front side of the trap, and neck and should have spent some time on the lacrosse ball working on those trigger points before pressing.  Made the R presses a little harder than necessary due to a little bit of resticted mobility.  I had brought the 36kg outside and after getting 5 singles up with the 32, decided to see if I could clean and press the 36.  A little disappointed to have a fail on both sides, though I did get the bell off the rack, which I have not been able to do before.  Hit a sticking point about 4-5 inches out of the rack into the press, and had to abandon the lift.  I also feel like I was not tight enough and leaked tension in some places, which did not help the lifts.   After experiencing that I decided a better way to go here was to clean and hold the 36 in the rack for 5 seconds, which I did 3X on each side.  That was pretty good and something to talk to Kevin about as it seems that would be a helpful lift to try and build up to pressing the 36.  After an interruption I did bang out 100 reps with the 44kg, all of which were good solid swings.  

11/15/13 Friday November 15, 2013 (DB CL, DB PR, DB SW 24s, SN 24 for 10 mins)

7:45am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

8:15am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

8:30am - Training session - Focus on DB CL, DB PR, DB SW with 24s, finish with 24 kg SN ladder for time (10 mins)

TGU 24kg, 1/1

TK PR 16kg, 5/5

GSq 24 kg, 5

DB DL 24 kgs, 5, 5/5 1H alt

2X:
DB CL 24 kgs, 5
DB PR 24 kgs, 5
DB SW 24 kgs, 10

Took about 8 minutes, 2 minute rest between each set.  Set the bells down between each movement, shook out tension, resumed.  Shaved about 90 seconds off of the time from last week.

24 kg SN for time, 6/6  on the minute for 10 minutes - 120 total reps.  Finished with 20 seconds to spare - this is a PR, and it felt great.

9:05am - Complete

Notes - Three things about today.  First, I was well-rested.  Second, I crushed the snatching.  Very powerful snatches, punch up to lockouts was snappy.  I snatched "quicker" and it went better than it has been.  Still, tried to maintain good form.  I was finishing with 25 seconds of rest before starting the next set on the minutes.  So 35 seconds of work, 25 seconds of rest.  The "quicker" snatching I think is just the result of practice and getting a better groove with the movement.  I think I am ready for 7/7 on the minute for 10 minutes - which is great. Third and lastly, on the DB PR, I again tried to re-groove these by not bringing the bells together in the rack after each press, but kept the bells vertical with a pretty wide rack.  I really felt the presses from the lats.  This is something I have been doing on single presses, with very good results.  However, maybe it is because this is re-grooving, but I do not feel as strong in this position with the doubles.  Bringing the bells together to touch in the rack before each press is something I have been doing for a long time and not sure exactly now what is the "best" way to press on the double bells.  To discuss with Kevin.

11/14/13 Thursday November 14, 2013 (TGU, SL DL)

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

7:00am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

7:15am - Training session - Focus on TGUs, bodyweight SL DL

TGU 24kg, 2+2

SL DL bodyweight, 5/5

7:30am - Complete

Notes -  Basically a rest day.  I spent some time on mobility and really just trying to open up some tight spots on my R trap, lat, glute, hamstring.  This was after quite a bit of lacrosse ball work last night as well, focusing on the forearms, which got very taxed by the training session yesterday.  Overall, I slept a little bit better last night, felt a little bit better today.  Another good night of rest before tomorrow's double bell work followed by snatches for time is in order.

11/13/13 Wednesday November 13, 2013 (DB FSQ 24kg, 1H SW 32kg, SN 24 kg ladder)

8:30am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 45 minutes (extra time, very tight in the glutes, right hamstring, calf)

9:15am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

9:30am - Training session - Focus on DB FSQ 24 kgs, superset 1H SW 32 kg, finish with 24 kg SN ladder

TGU 20kg, 3/3

DB DL 32 kgs, 5, 5/5 1H alt

5X superset:

DB FSQ 24 kgs, 5
1H SW 32 kgs, 10/10

Took about 16 minutes.  This was up from 4 sets last week in 12 minutes.

24 kg SN ladder, 3/3, 6/6, 9/9, 12/12, then 3/3, 6/6 - 78 total reps.  Took 9 minutes.  This was up from 60 reps last week in 6 minutes.

10:10am - Complete

Notes - So I slept in this morning, got several extra hours of sleep.  Long day of work yesterday, and I just feel low on energy.  I woke up feeling refreshed, but the body was tight, particularly my right side.  I know the running for the Seattle half marathon is catching up to me.  I spent some extra time doing mobility work and then hit it.  I felt very strong today, on all the movements.  I was able to up the volume on the double squats and heavy swings, and maintained good form and pace throughout.  I got to the snatches, and I felt like I had a lot more in the tank than last week.  I got through the first set ok, the ladder of 12 is still pretty damn tough after all of the grip intensive work leading up to it, and determined at that point I would go 3/3, 6/6 into the 2nd set and then call it a day.  That is what I did and was able to maintain good form and pace to the end, just starting to feel on the last couple of reps that my grip was fading out.  I still feel a long way from being able to go 100 reps with the 24 snatching in 5 minutes (SFG test), but with that said, I know I am getting stronger slowing as the weeks go by looking at my logs and measuring the steady progress.  I am really enjoying my longer training days, the programming Kevin has set up is great.

11/12/13 Tuesday November 12, 2013 (SL DL 12kg, 1H SW 24kg)

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

7:00am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

7:15am - Training session - Focus on SL DL, SW with 24kg

TGU 24kg, 2+2

SL DL 12 kg, 3/3,
24 kg 1H SW, 10/10, 10/10, 5/5 (without setting down)

SL DL 12 kg, 3/3,
24 kg 1H SW, 10/10, 10/10, 5/5 (without setting down)

100 total reps on the 1H SW

7:30am - Complete

Notes -  A punch it type of day.  Felt tired, didn't sleep that well.  Actually got more done than I thought I would.  Considered stopping at the standard warm up and not even going outside.  I am glad I got some reps in.  The 12kg with the SL DLs was a lot better, but it also helped that I worked that movement with body weight yesterday I think.  I am going to keep doing these.  Swings felt fine, 50 reps without setting the bell down is something I have not done in some time.  You can definitely get a lot of work done that way in a short amount of time.

11/11/13 Monday November 11, 2013 (PR 32kg, 2H SW 44kg)

7:30am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 25 minutes

7:55am - 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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

8:10am - Training session - Focus on PR 32 kg, 2H SW 44 kg

TGU 16kg, 3/3

TK PR 16 kg, 5/5

Interruption - about 15 minutes as Jill dropped off the kids.  Resume:

PR 24 kg, 3/3
PR 28 kg, 2/2
PR 32 kg, 1/1 - 6X (PR for # of 32 kg reps, up from 5X last week)

In between the 32kg presses I did some body weight SL DLs, 3/3, after sets 1, 3, and 5 and then fast and loose between 2 and 4.  This seemed to help as well.

 2H SW 44kg, 10, 8X (on the minute, 8 minutes) - 80 total reps (up from 6X, 60 reps last week)

9:05am - Complete

Notes -  Interesting.  I slept in for a a bit extra as today is Veteran's Day and a holiday that I am taking off from work to hang out with the kids.  I had finished running 9 miles yesterday around 5pm and was pretty concerned about recovery from that.  The extra sleep was really critical.  Once I got going today I felt very strong.  The reps on the 32kg were very good technique-wise, I am starting to dial that in better and better.  The cue from Kevin to inhale on the swing and hold the breath through the rack and only exhale when starting to press has really improved my technique a lot.  The 44kg swings felt strong and easier than last week, even with 2 more sets this week.

11/10/13 Sunday November 10, 2013 (9 mile run)

I ran from about 3:20pm today to about 5:05pm, or about 1 hr and 45 minutes.  The Seattle 1/2 marathon is 3 weeks from today.  I made it three times around Greenlake just as it got dark, and I was not motivated to push it any further as I didn't feel all that great.  My arches and particularly this time the R arch started acting up about 45 minutes into the run.  Stopped twice to stretch which definitely helped for awhile.  The last couple of weeks now have been R arch, last week L, now R this time.  Partially I have to take some responsibility for lack of good warm-up today and during the week I did not push mobility and lacrosse ball on the arches as much as I should have frankly.  Started hitting the lacrosse ball this evening and will make more of a concerted effort to do so all week until my next run, which I hope will help.   Frankly I am well beyond the mileage I actually "enjoy" for running which is about 3 miles, and I am not really interested in this other than I have made it this far and can see that with a couple of ok weeks for running I will be fine and able to do the 1/2 marathon safely.  I am already looking forward to dropping the running out of my training and just continuing to focus on kettlebell skills and improving strength which is absolutely where I want to spend my training time.