2/1/15 Sunday February 1, 2015 (pull-ups, push-ups)

Got this work in before the Super Bowl where my Seattle Seahawks ended up losing a heart breaker to the Patriots.  Sports is a great metaphor for life - you are going to go through tough times, it's really about how you respond.

Hanging from bar
Hip mobility

6 pull-ups
5 push-ups (3 regular, 2 lizard for all)
Short walk

5 pull-ups
5 push-ups
Pistol squat - 1/1
Short walk

5 pull-ups
5 push-ups
Short walk

4 pull-ups
5 push-ups
Pistol squat - 1/1
Short walk

3 pull-ups
5 push-ups

Longer walk - 30 minutes

Total pull-ups - 23, down 2 from last week.  25 push-ups, same as last week.  This was intentional, last week I had build up to a first set of 7 pull-ups and just felt too close to failure on several reps.  I wanted to back off and focus most of the work today really on the walking, just to try and re-set my gait, connect my shoulders with my hips with a bit of brisk walking.  This went really well today and I was very pleased all around. I think I am in a good spot here for the last week in a 6-week cycle, going to be a tough week, 6 reps on every set with double 24s.  I am looking forward to testing myself and seeing how this goes.

1/30/15 Friday January 30, 2015 (24kgs complex for time DB CL, DB FSQ - PR)

6:30am - in Spokane, Original Strength (rolling, cross lateral, rocking, neck nods, crawling)

7:00am - Break

Back in Seattle

4:55pm - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 15 minutes

5:10pm - 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)

16kg Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

5:25pm - Training session - DB CL, DB FSQ 24kgs complex, 20 minutes

24kg TGU, 1/1 to the knee

24kg GSq, 5

24kg 2H SW, 10

DB CL, DB FSQ, 24kgs complex, 5 DB CL, 5 DB FSQ as many sets as possible, 20 minutes

13 sets

Totals 65 DB CL, 65 DB FSQ (up from 4/4 x 13, 52/52 total last week - PR)

24kg 2H SW, 10, x 2

5:55pm - Complete

Notes - Absolutely freaking crushed it today.  It probably did have something to do with getting this training done late evening, which is highly unusual, but that was the plan - get back from Spokane in the afternoon and get this done before picking up my kids.  I probably am stronger at that time of the day but will always be an early-morning training guy:)  In any event, 13 sets of 5/5, man, that was pretty cool.  A true PR and a an extremely strong one.  Grip strength is making massive gains with all of the time under tension, double bells, etc.  On the squats, really pulling down into the hole and pushing out, thinking up with through the traps.  Great stuff, really pleased.  Time for some recovery.

1/29/15 Thursday January 29, 2015 (24kg TGUs, SL DLs)

5:30am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 15 minutes

5:45:am - 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)

16kg Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

Arm bar 12 kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

6:00am - Training session - 24kg TGU, 24kg SLDLs

2x;

24kg TGU to the knee, 1/1
24kg SLDL, 3/3

6:15am - Complete

Notes - Good stuff.  Felt good, got up early, got this done before heading to an early morning meeting and then to the airport on a plane to Spokane.  Was pleased with showing some discipline this morning.

1/28/15 Wednesday January 28, 2015 (DB SW, FSQ 24kgs Complex for time - PR))

6:40am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

7:10am - 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)

16kg Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

Arm bar 12 kg, 1+1
Arm bar 16kg, 1+1
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:25am - Training session - DB FSQ, DB SW 24kgs complex, 20 minutes

24kg TGU, 1/1 to the knee

24kg GSq, 5

24kg 2H SW, 10

DB SW, DB FSQ, 24kgs complex, 5 DB SW, 5 DB FSQ as many sets as possible, 20 minutes

12 sets

Totals 60 DB SW, 60 DB FSQ (PR)

24kg 2H SW, 10, x 2

7:55am - Complete

Notes - Another PR.  Crushed it today.  Really helped to have the soft tissue work done yesterday, and a decent night's sleep.  Solid technique, good pace, was sweating and breathing pretty heavy near the end but worked to keep my breathing under control.  Time to rest and recuperate, a couple of days working in Spokane on the docket.

1/27/15 Tuesday January 27, 2015 (16kg TGUs, SL DLs)

7:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

7:30am - 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)

16kg Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

Arm bar 12 kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

Break

8:45am - Training session - 16kg TGU, 16kg SLDLs

16kg TGU to the knee, 2/2
16kg SLDL, 5/5

8:55am - Complete

Notes - Good stuff.  Main thing is that I got some bodywork and some massage done, which was extremely helpful given how challenging the loads are during this cycle.  Very good for the shoulders and forearms in particular.  

1/26/15 Monday January 26, 2015 (DB CL, DB PR 24kgs complex)

7:45am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 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)

16kg Roll to press (TGU start) - shoulder cam shafts, each arm

Arm bar 12 kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg, 1/1
Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:30am -Training session - DB CL, DB PR 24kgs complex, 20 minutes

24kg TGU, 1/1 to the knee

24kg GSq, 5

24kg 2H SW, 10

16kg BUP, 1/1

12kg tempo presses, 5/5

16kg BUP, 1/1

DB CL, DB PR 24kgs complex, 5 DB CL, 5 DB PR, as many sets as possible, 20 minutes

9 sets, then 1 set with 5 CL, 4 PR, then 1 set with 1 CL, 1 PR

Totals 50 DB CL, 50 DB PR (52/52 using 4 reps sets last week, 46/45 using 5 rep sets 2 weeks ago)

2H SW 24kg, 20, x 2

9:00am - Complete

Notes - Interesting day.  Studied my logs from the last two pressing sessions, the last two Mondays, to help put this in perspective and it confirmed that I am making progress.  When doing 5 rep sets 2 weeks ago, I got 8 full sets but then hit a major wall, dropping to a set of 3, then a final set of 2, to get 45 reps in 20 minutes.  Today, I got 9 full sets and damn near got 10 but elected not to push the last rep, set the bells down, shook it out, and got the last and final 50th rep.  That's a good improvement for 5 rep sets.  Last week using 4 rep sets I nailed 13 full sets so 52 reps, but 5 rep sets are undoubtedly harder, and more taxing for me.  Doing 6 next week is going to be very interesting indeed.  I am going to have to think about a strategy going into it that will ensure I don't burn out too fast.  I think a reasonable goal would be to try and get 8 full sets of 6 reps.  There is going to need to be some rest in between those sets for sure.  Also, I feel I am leaking tension in the abs on some of the later sets, too much lean back on some of the last reps.  Feel like I am pushing into the ground, and squeezing the bells hard, which is good, but the loss of tension in the abs is holding me back performance wise.  I need to get better on that.  Pretty good stuff today all around though.

1/24/15 Saturday January 24, 2015 (pull-ups, push-ups)

Writing this on Sunday night.  Went on Sat afternoon to the lake with the kids.  Pressed for time, just wanted to bang out pull-ups and push-ups.

Hanging from bar
Hip mobility

7 pull-ups
5 push-ups (3 regular, 2 lizard for all)

6 pull-ups
5 push-ups

5 pull-ups
5 push-ups

4 pull-ups
5 push-ups

3 pull-ups
5 push-ups


Total pull-ups - 25, one up from last week.  25 push-ups, same as last week.

Some of these reps were tough if I am being honest.  Lats felt tired for sure - lots of KB work, I wasn't fully recovered I would say.  Also I didn't have really an rest between these sets as I would normally with short walking between each set, and I think that had an impact.  L shoulder has been a little tight and cranky lately, noticed it today.  Did some foam rolling work, lacrosse ball work, trying to get into the lat, armpit, release some of that tight stuff and am getting a good response.  Need to watch this and I think it may be time for another massage to try and help with recovery during the last  part of this cycle - 2 weeks left.  That and more sleep.