1/23/14 Thursday January 23, 2014 (24kg SW variations 10 min)

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 24kg SW combos for 10 minutes

TGU 16kg, 3+3

10 minutes, 20 reps on the minute of the following:

3X:
H2H SW 24 kg, 10/10
1H SW 24kg, 10/10
2H SW 24kg, 20

H2H SW 24 kg, 10/10

200 total reps, 10 minutes

7:40am - Complete

Notes -  Felt really good, nearly the same as Tuesday but just changed the order of the variations.  Great grip workout particularly the H2H.  I can imagine being able to do that with a 32kg would be pretty badass.

1/22/14 Wednesday January 22, 2014 (training with Kevin)

Checked my training log and I last trained with Kevin on Friday December 27 - about a month ago.

Slept in more than I intended, didn't warm up enough, but did warm up some.

6:40am - Training session with Kevin.  We did some primal move but focused some time on some neck drills using Z Health - neck nods, rotations, and the chicken.  All were good and I have to say I am definitely on the up and up compared with a week ago with the stuff that was going on in my neck and shoulder/trap.  Getting back to chiropractic work was a really good move on my part and the added neck drills are good.  We spent a lot of time today training get-ups, going from the 16kg all the way up to the 32kg, and doing a number of reps to the elbow with the 32kg, just practicing tension techniques by locking down the shoulders, tightening the ground leg quad and foot, and pulling with the ground arm to the elbow.  All of the cues were really good and helpful and the bell was just popping up, much easier than it had been during my recent training sessions.  Kevin did comment that my get up was looking the best it every has, and that I am getting a better straight arm in lockout at the top of the movement.  All good things.  We intermixed this work with some sets of swings with the 24kg.  At the end we also practiced some renegade rows using a box - really, really liked this quite a bit and looking forward to incorporating some rows into my training.  This should help with the postural patterns as well to keep my shoulders back and down.  We also talked various ideas on programming and training for the next cycle of work.  3 weeks on, then a 4th back off week, which seems like a good cycle for me.  Lastly we talked SFG and I told Kevin I was leaning towards Vancouver BC in November because there is no flight required, I could sleep at the Rubys I would guess, probably the cheapest option for me easily.

7:45am - Didn't really seem like a lot of "work" got done but that has not really been the point of recent training sessions with Kevin.  The work gets done primarily in between sessions.  The in person time with Kevin is one to reflect on training, talk about little cues that are actually a big deal, some mobility tips, etc. It is working well for me when I consider I pay $110 per session but ultimately get the knowledge of Kevin for an entire month until the next session.  And - I keep making real progress.  I am excited to see what the next month holds.  

1/21/14 Tuesday January 21, 2014 (24kg SW 10 mins)

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 24kg SW combos for 10 minutes

TGU 16kg, 3+3

10 minutes, 20 reps on the minute of the following:

3X:
2H SW 24kg, 20
1H SW 24kg, 10/10
H2H SW 24 kg, 10/10

2H SW 24kg, 20

200 total reps, 10 minutes

7:40am - Complete

Notes -  Another light day, this actually felt great.  Hand to hand swinging is cool, I like it, have not done much of it.  Seems pretty awesome for grip work as well as just athletic balance. 

1/20/14 Monday January 14, 2014 (DB SS PR 16 kgs, 1H SW 24kg)

6:35am - Original Strength and Primal Move - 50 minutes (lots of extra time on lacrosse ball for neck, traps, forearms, quads)

7:25am - 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

7:40am - Training session - Focus on DB SS PR 16 kgs, 1H SW 24 kgs

TGU 16kg, 5+5

DB SS PR 16 kgs, 5/5 x 5 (25 reps each arm)

DB DL 24kgs, 5 2X

1H SW 24 kg, 10/10 5X (100 reps)

8:10am - Complete

Notes -  This was a day to dial it back, the 4th week in a 4 week cycle and this is the back off week.  Also due to working through the tight neck and trap from last week.  As it turned out this was perfect, like a tonic to use the lighter weights, and also not focusing on time which can be a bit of pressure.  Reps felt good and truly the presses were just super light, I focused on trying to make the light bells feel heavy by really squeezing the glutes and pressing into the ground.  Don't like the overhead lockout on the L right now but I know that is completely a function of what is going on with the neck and trap.  I worked the lacrosse ball and foam roll as well as lots of mobility damn hard the last few days.  Have another chiropractic appt as well this evening and that is going to be a consistency now for the time being, really going to work on getting things re-set here after what has been a long period of very hard training, plenty of stress in my personal life, and I got a little lack on the soft tissue and chiropractic work which I have long known I need to be regularly consistent with as it keeps me healthy and more vital.  

1/19/14 Sunday January 19, 2014 (4.5 mile interval run / pull-ups)

My third week of the interval running mixed with pull-ups.  I end up running a bit further, closer to 4.5 miles, still doing 4 separate sets of 5 for 20 pull-ups, which feels "right".  Went on Sunday this time, I probably prefer Saturday to get Sunday off, but this is not too taxing that it really impacts training the next day so that is good, that is the point.  Running felt more powerful this time around, felt the glutes helping much more than last week.   Pull ups were fine, really was quite careful given the issues I am working through with my neck and trap (mainly L side).  Didn't notice anything on the pull ups except just a little bit of tightness in my R elbow, which I also noticed a bit last week.  Comes up sometimes.  I am going to work the lacrosse ball pretty good on the triceps and forearms for several days.  Snatching definitely tightens up my forearms but the lacrosse ball usually serves as a perfect anti dote.

1/17/14 Friday January 17, 2014 (32 kg TGUs, SN 24kg 8/8 7 mins)

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

(Issue - neck tightened up significantly when picking up this bell - had to take about 30 minutes to try and loosen it up)

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

8:50am - 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

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

9:20am - Complete

Notes -  What the fuck is going on.  I was feeling quite good waking up, even got some extra rest as I did not have a busy morning planned.  Mobility work felt good although I did notice as I started some of the kettlebell warm-ups with halos I was feeling a lack of energy.  May have been the drain on the last couple of days of having multiple treatments trying to deal with this neck and trap thing.  I went to pick up a 12kg bell for a halo and felt a sharp twinge in my neck, it really tightened up.  Just totally out of the blue.  I spent 30 minutes trying to work it out, lacrosse ball etc. with some benefit.  It felt tight but not painful.  Then I got pissed off and basically said F this, I am going to keep going and move my body instead of doing nothing this morning, and see if I can work this thing out.  As long as there was not pain I was planning on moving ahead.  Strangely enough I got through the entire training session as planned without pain but thing thing was damn tight.  I could not believe it as my reps on the 32 kg for TGUs are the best I have had yet, the practice the last several weeks paid off.  I did not have a problem getting to lockout with the L arm and though I could feel the neck and trap working, in some ways the load in the TGU at lockout standing up felt good on that shoulder, like it needed it.  I took a step back and said - am I going to snatch today - and after a warm up or two I felt fine and went for it.  Again, I could hardly believe it, this is the lightest the 24kg has ever felt even with the noticeable tightness in the L neck and trap.  My breathing was extremely controlled the entire time, reps very strong with technique good.  I was finishing with about 17 seconds left each minute until the next round, so pacing at 16 reps / 43 seconds which works out to about 22 or so reps a minute - I just need 20 for 5 minutes to pass the SFG.  I might be overstating but I honestly think the way I did today, I may have passed the snatch test if I had done that.  That is amazing to me.  Things are getting better with the snatch.  With all of that said I am just so frustrated with the neck and trap.  I am seeing my chiropractor today who I have not seen in 8 months.  He is good and helped me out a lot in the past, I saw him regularly for about 18 months and it was a huge benefit. I got out of the habit and this shit is the impetus to get me back in there, get some adjustments and posture work, get the CNS on track, and get through this thing.  I have not quite figured out what is going on but perhaps there is some accumulated stress building and I reached a point of my body telling me enough.  I did not see this one coming though as I honestly thought I was managing things well.  The new sleeping arrangement and new pillow this week that coincided with waking up stiff on Wed maybe really does have quite a bit to do with this, not sure.

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

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

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1

7:30am - SL DLs 16kg, 5/5

7:35am - Complete

10:30pm - SL DLs 16 kg, 5/5

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. I saw my acupuncturist / body work specialist as well in the afternoon to receive treatment on my neck and L trap that tightened up yesterday.  The massage last night helped quite a bit but I figured I would hit this thing guns blazing with plenty of treatment.  It definitely helped and I felt pretty good going to bed.