1/11/14 Saturday January 11, 2014 (4 mile interval run / pull-ups)

Second week of interval running, timed 10 minute run (about 1 mile for me), 5 strict pull-ups on rings, repeat 3 more times for a total of 40 minutes (4 miles) and 20 pull-ups.  A few observations.  Last week I ran on Sunday and had one extra day of recovery compared with today as I did a pretty hard TGU / 24kg snatch training session yesterday.  Today I was playing with my kids and also went bowling so when embarking on the first set of pull-ups I noticed I was a bit tired and my R forearm was pretty tight (the bowling).  Nothing too dramatic, just something I noticed.  I focused on really strict form on all pull-ups and though the final rep on the last 3 sets was a little tougher than the previous 4 reps, I didn't feel like I was pushing up to failure, had plenty in the tank.  So mission accomplished.  As for the running I did not feel my glutes as much as I have lately, not sure why, but my feet and ankles felt better than last week.  It was an odd run because it has poured rain today so I was actually dodging all over the place avoiding puddles, so not a "linear" run at all.  All I all I thought this was good and I am liking this kind of training quite a bit. It will be nice to have Sunday to rest before Monday's kettlebell work as I am going to be trying to push some sets of 5 on the seesaw press, and I really want to be fresh for that.

1/10/14 Friday January 10, 2014 (32 kg TGUs, SN 24kg 7/7 8 mins)

5:35am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

6:05am - 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

6:20am - Training session - Focus on 32kg TGUs, SN 24 kg 7/7 8 mins / 112 reps

TGU 16kg, 1+1
TGU 24kg, 1+1
TGU 32 kg, 1+1, 3X

GSq 32 kg, 10

DL DB 32kg, 5

SN 24 kg for 7/7 for 8 minutes - 112 reps (last week 6/6, on the minute, 9 minutes - 108 reps)

6:50am - Complete

Notes -  This was a really good training session all around.  Had a good active rest day yesterday, which I needed.  I did not get a ton of sleep last night though it was pretty sound sleep and I felt good, having to get started training a little bit earlier than usual for me of late as I had a 7am work phone call and needed to be done and completed before then.  I will say I loved getting the training done before 7am, this has been my intended goal for a long time (probably slipped up on my sleeping now for about 6 months, causing me to finish closer to 7:30am many mornings or even closer to 8am).  So the the last couple of days of getting myself up earlier felt good, was a real stark reminder to me of where I need to get back to.  It really comes down to tightening up my nighttime routine which means reading less etc. etc.  I have to do it.  Anyway, as to training, I did learn (re-learn really) one thing with the 32kg TGUs today.  Got a fairly shitty rep on rep no. 2 of 3 today with the bell in the L hand on the roll to elbow, again, that is my weakest movement on either side - L foot keeps coming off the ground and I cannot get rooted.  I remembered that the elbow movement should feel like a "pull" with you arm on the ground you really "pull" yourself into the elbow position, keeping the lat really tight.  I had been trying to focus on that lat engagement but had forgotten about the feeling of the "pull".  Strangely after the shitty rep this came back to me and I pulled hard on my last couple of reps, and they felt really good and strong getting the bell overhead, and as a side note my foot seemed more rooted.  So I have something to focus on.  For the snatches, great stuff, really getting more comfortable with this move and particularly being very snappy on the ascent, pulling the bell up and keeping it very close to the body, same thing on the descent.  I did find I wasn't that happy with my L arm lockout on some reps, seems to be something to concentrate on.  With that said, 7/7 is a gasser but I stayed on the minute for the first 6 rounds, took about 10 seconds extra rest on round 7, about 15 seconds extra rest on the 8th and final round and finished with 10 seconds left. Not bad given that I feel I maintained power and good form on nearly every single rep today.  Looking forward to testing myself with 8/8 for 7 mins next week.

1/9/14 Thursday January 9, 2014 (OS, PM, SL DLs 16kg)

5:55am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

6:25am - 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

6:40am - SL DLs 16kg, 5/5

6:45am - Complete

Notes - As intended this was just an active recovery day, with a few SL DLs thrown in just to pattern the motion with a little load.  They felt a little off, as I have not been doing the movement as much the past several weeks.  I will try to find some time to work in more of these, with just body weight, or with some load.

1/8/14 Wednesday January 8, 2014 (DB 24kg complex, SN 20kg 5 mins / 100 reps)

6:25am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 30 minutes

6:55am - 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

7:10am - Training session - Focus on DB CL / PR / Sq 24 kgs complex, SN 20 kg for 5 mins / 100 reps

TGU 24kg, 2+2

GSq 24 kg, 10

DB 24 kgs "armor building" complex - CL 2, PR 1, SQ 3 for 15 minutes, AMRAP

Started, did 1 full set, my kids woke up, so I got them settled then decided to re-start the clock fresh for 15 mins.

Then got 12 sets total in 15 minutes - 24 DB CL, 12 DB PR, 36 DB SQ total (PR) (11 sets last week)

SN 20 kg 10/10 each minute for 5 minutes (100 reps total) without setting the bell down (PR)

7:45am - Complete

Notes -  This was tough, tough business today.  I did get PRs in both work sets, the armor building complex and the snatching, so in that sense, cool day.  But I had to push very hard for this and it was not easy.  Particularly with the snatching I determined going into it I was not going to set the damn bell down, and I didn't, so that was a major achievement.  I think it took me at least 10 minutes after the set to fully catch my breath.  I went pretty evenly, noting I did 10/10 in about 45 seconds and then would try and pause at lockout for several seconds, stalling time, in later sets I would take a few swings back and forth between hands or rest in lockout, and then resume.  I finished with about 15 seconds to spare.  Had I gone all out to get the 100 swings I think I would have done it in sub 4 minutes, possibly quite a bit below 4 minutes.  I was also being pretty careful with potential hand issues from a small blister I picked up yesterday on my ring finger on the R hand, down by the where the finger meets the hand. Covered it up and also decided to use the cut-off socks on the hands for snatching.  That seemed like a good idea, kept things ok with no further issues.  I prefer not to use those generally but I still felt like I had good control of the bell today.  Need a big day of recovery tomorrow before snatching the 24kg on Friday.

1/7/14 Tuesday January 7, 2013 (2H 48kg SW)

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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

7:25am - Training session - Focus on 2H SW 48kg

TGU 24kg, 2+2

2H SW 24kg, 15

2H SW 48 kg, 10 minutes, 10 on the minute (100 reps)

7:45am - Complete

Notes -  Tough going today.  I got it done though.  Probably a little lack of recovery from a big press day yesterday, pull-ups on Sunday, not great sleep in between.  Got a little blister/tear as well on my R hand, 3rd finger where finger meets the hand - weird spot, it was the result of trying to overspeed the bell and keep the power up.  That damn thing is heavy!  Pretty minor, don't think it will hold me up, going to cover with a little super glue and keep it under wraps.

1/6/14 Monday January 6, 2014 (DB SS PR 24kgs, 1H SW 32kg)

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

8:00am - 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

8:15am - Training session - Focus on DB SS PR 24 kgs, 1H SW 32 kgs

TGU 20kg, 3+3

DB DL 32kgs, 5 2X

DB SS PR 24 kgs, 15 minutes timed, AMRAP - did 4/4 x 8, 3/3 x 4, total of 44 reps per arm (last week 9 sets 4/4, total of 36 reps per arm)

Rest 5 full minutes.

1H SW 32 kg, 5 minutes, 10/10 on the minute (100 reps)

8:45am - Complete

Notes -  I was really pleased with the improvement today in one week on the DB SS PR, I increased the work capacity by almost 20% compared with last week.  I maintained very good form throughout the timed set of 15 minutes.  After 8 sets of 4/4, I was at the 10 minute mark, and decided to drop down to 3/3 to ensure I did not get close to failure and made all of the reps.  That was a good call and it allowed me to get good presses all the way to the end. I used my glutes more this week, which helped the presses, and also tried to squeeze the hell out of the handles on the press.  I really like the DB SS PR.  After completing the set, I could tell I was quite fatigued in my left arm, trap etc. - that is my less strong arm.  Certainly no pain, but probably after doing the pull-ups yesterday and then the focused pressing session, that was pretty hard work.  I thought I would do some active recovery before doing 1H SW with the 32kg, so I rested 5 full minutes, shaking out tension, and then hit the 5 minute sets of the 1H SW with the 32kg.  No problems whatsoever.  Great stuff.  

1/5/2014 Sunday January 5, 2014 (4 mile run, interval 4 sets of P/U x 5)

OK so I did my first "StrongFirst Roadwork" inspired training session today at Greenlake.  Ran 10 minutes, nasal breathing, stopped and did 5 pull ups on rings, dead hang full lockout at the bottom of each rep, and did this 4 times - 40 minutes of running, 4 sets of P/U x 5 for a total of 20 P/Us.  This was consistent with Kevin's suggestions to start.  I will say I had a few observations.  First going into the running I had been feeling really, really good in the ankles and arches but did notice a strange soreness in my R ankle Saturday morning, which carried over to Sunday.  I was racking my brain trying to figure out what that might be from and I suspect it was actually from dragging the kids up and down the tubing hill at Snoqualmie on Thursday.  I was in some snow boots, it was slippery and awkward.  I then snatched on Friday.  That R ankle has been the somewhat tender one in the past and I have had to work the mobility much more diligently than on my L ankle.  So with that said I tried to stretch it out a bit before the run, it felt ok and I went for it.  It never really "bothered me" significantly on the run today but I did notice it at times, whereas last week did not notice anything at all, ankles and feet felt the best they had in months.  Something to watch for and see if it gets better.  As to the pull-ups, frankly every single rep was easy until the very last rep on the last set - so I think that was about exactly the right amount of work to start with.  I will probably stay at this exertion level until Kevin suggests doing more, but I don't think that is really the point of this "roadwork".  Greasing the groove again just a bit with a pull-up motion, and on rings which I think is a little more challenging then with a bar, is all I am really looking for at this point, not trying to push the pull-up numbers per se.  Also I did not raise my legs at all on these, which I did last week, which made it very hard.  Decided just to do strict pull-ups today and see how recovery goes tomorrow which is a press day with the KBs.  One other interesting thing is that after doing the pull-ups when I went back to running again, I somehow felt lighter on my feet, it was a weird phenomenon and not what I was expecting.  Perhaps the stretching out of the pull-ups and releasing some tension on my spine etc. is the opposite of the effect of running, so it was a good tonic.  Kevin and I will discuss.  In any event it felt great and it was a lot of fun to get in some pull-ups again.