5/6/15 Wednesday May 6, 2015 (DB 24kgs Long Cycle 20 mins)

9:00am - Original Strength resets - 30 minutes
10:00am - walking in downtown LA for an hour or so

Fly back to Seattle from LA

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

8:15pm - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:30pm- Training session - DB 24kgs Long Cycle 20 mins


16kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2, x 2

hanging from balcony

DB 24kgs DL, 5
20kg Windmill x 3/3
20kg BU PR x 1/1
DB 24kgs Long Cycle, 2 (practice movement)

DB 24kgs DL, 5
20kg Windmill x 3/3
20kg BU PR x 1/1

hanging from balcony

Main training - DB 24kgs Long Cycle, 2, 3, 5 -20 minutes

5 ladder sets of 2, 3, 5 - 50 total reps (clean between every jerk)
1 set of 2 - 2 total reps

52 total reps in 20 minutes (DB CL/JK) (down from 55 last week)

24kg farmer carry, 1 minute, 1/1

hanging from balcony

9:10pm - Complete

Notes - Was in LA yesterday afternoon and today, flew back late afternoon and thus training was at a very unusual time for me, 7:30pm at night, finished just after 9pm.  I don't like doing that but the alternative was tomorrow morning, and then again Friday for heaving snatching and DB FSQ.  I opted to get two nights of sleep recovery before that Friday workout.  Today was just about getting the work in.  My L oblique and low back above my L glute are tender again, same thing that cropped up several weeks ago when learning the windmill and jerk.  My hamstrings and hips are tight, and I think that is the real issue here.  In fact I think it's the R side being tight that is causing the tenderness on the L side.  I plan to work hard on some Pain Free exercises for the hips and get this sorted out.  Not a huge deal, and no need to freak out (you are going to have some niggles here and there, it's just life) but certainly vigilance and attention to detail is important here.  I tried to use some DB DL to get the glutes to fire (they feel "sleepy" in particular the L glute).  Sitting all day on airplanes is just brutal and I absolutely hate it. Training after flying on airplanes is a challenge.  I was actually feeling pretty good but the end result of the training session certainly wasn't overwhelming, slightly less work than last week.  I was disappointed for about 2 seconds and then I was like "come on man get some perspective" and moved on mentally and otherwise.  Sometimes you just need to be grateful for the opportunity to train, period, and look at the big picture and the process.  I was really dialed into each rep today, focusing on strong cleans, smooth, crisp, resting in the overhead position in the jerk, pacing myself and keeping the bells tight to my body on everything.  I was very focused on the drop from overhead on absorbing the bells with my quads and glutes, and NOT the low back.  No lean back.  I felt good about the technique.  It really matters.  You cannot be sloppy with the Long Cycle, man it will punish you.

5/5/15 Tuesday May 5, 2015 (24kg TGUs, SLDLs)

6:35am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

7:05am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:20am- Training session - 24kg TGU, 24kg GSq

24kg TGU with hip bridges x 2, 1/1
24kg SLDLs, 3/3
24kg TGU with hip bridges x 2, 1/1
24kg SLDLs, 3/3

7:30am - Complete

Notes - Writing this in the evening.  Feeling good and solid today.  Flew to LA for work.   Took a couple of walks around downtown LA in the afternoon and evening near the hotel I am staying at.  Not particularly impressed to be honest.  I should have taken an Uber out to Santa Monica or something:)

5/4/15 Monday May 4, 2015 (Simple and Sinister Ladder)

6:20am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 40 minutes

7:00am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2

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

7:15am- Training session - Simple and Sinister Ladder

2H SW 24kg, 10

1Hand Swings(no time pressure)
24kg x 10/10
28kg x 10/10
32kg x 10/10
32kg x 10/10 (up from 28kg)
24kg x 10/10

TGU(no time pressure)
24kg x 1/1
28kg x 1/1
32kg x 1/1
32kg x 1/1 (up from 28kg)
24kg x 1/1

7:45am - Complete

Notes -  This went well.  Bumped up the ladders as planned to get multiple reps with the 32kg.  That weight is not "easy" but I continue to work with it and I eventually want to make this weight feel "easy."  I think I am there with the 28kg on many lifts, and with the 24kg, I feel at times like I can really dominant and own that weight. 

5/2/15 Saturday May 2, 2015 (pull-ups, push-ups, KB aerobics)

Writing this on Sunday.

Busy and very good day. Went to Greenlake with the kids and in the early afternoon and banged out pull-ups and push-ups.

Hanging from bar

7 pull-ups
5 push-ups (5 regular)

7 pull-ups
5 push-ups (5 regular)

6 pull-ups
5 push-ups (5 regular)

5 pull-ups
5 push-ups (5 regular)

4 pull-ups
5 push-ups (5 regular)

Total pull-ups - 29,  was able to bump up by 1 rep and start out 7/7 this week on the first two sets, 25 push-ups, same as last week, I did them all regular (no Lizard style) to limit stress on the R elbow. I thought I would be ready for the increase by a rep and I was, which was very good I thought.  First time to 29 pull-ups in this set/rep range and felt strong.  Will look to add one to next week and see how that feels.

Did 20 minutes of my KB aerobic work with a single 24kg bell.

Warm up
GSq, 5
2H SW, 10
H2H SW, 10
CL, 3/3
BU CL, 1/1, x 2
SN, 1/1

KB aerobics - 14 minutes, my hands were sweaty, and the snatches in particular didn't feel that great (partially due to not having good grip on the bell, but also due to snatching yesterday I think)

sets of

CL, PR, SQ, SN, shake out, switch hands

did 8 or so sets

Ended with 6 minutes of Jerks, and decided to go ladder style with higher reps just for a bit of conditioning work

10/10, 8/8, 6/6, 4/4

Total of 28 reps per side, 56 reps total

The Jerks felt great. I like this movement a lot, I like practicing it, and I think doing it with a lighter single bell like this, but with some higher reps, can be a very good conditioning tool.  I liked it and also felt like I was able to groove the movement better, especially the connection of the arm to the body, keeping the bell going up with a little push off the chest, tight to the body, and coming down in a straight line as well, no elbow flare or wasted movement.  This was good.

5/1/15 Friday May 1, 2015 (DB 24kgs FSQ, 24kg SN)

6:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

6:30am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

6:45am- Training session - DB 24kgs FSQ, 24kg 2N, 20 mins

hanging from balcony

20kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2, x 2

20kg BU SQ x 2/2
20kg snatch holding, walking overhead 1 min, switch hands
20kg BU SQ x 2/2
24kg SN, 2/2

DB 24kgs FSQ, 6, 24kg SN, 8/8 -20 minutes

6 ladder sets completed

36 DB FSQ, 96 snatches (48/48)

DB 24kgs farmer carry, 1 minute, switch hands

hanging from balcony

7:15am - Complete

Notes - This was truly outstanding.  What a badass training day.  Up early, felt very energized even though I didn't sleep a ton.  I was excited to try this training session, combining squatting with snatching.  I was under control the whole 20 minutes, though this was challenging.  I was sweating which I don't normally get too much of with KB training.  Focused on power every rep, great technique, never rushing.  Really excited about seeing this kind of progress / results.

4/30/15 Thursday April 30, 2015 (24kg TGUs, SLDLs)

6:35am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

7:05am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:20am- Training session - 24kg TGU, 24kg GSq

24kg TGU with hip bridges x 2, 1/1
24kg SLDLs, 3/3
24kg TGU with hip bridges x 2, 1/1
24kg SLDLs, 3/3

7:30am - Complete

Notes -   Feeling good and solid today.  Had been feeling a little under weather and good to see it turning around.  

4/29/15 Wednesday April 29, 2015 (DB 24kgs Long Cycle 20 mins)

7:15am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 60 minutes

8:15am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

8:30am- Training session - DB 24kgs Long Cycle 20 mins

hanging from balcony

20kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2, x 2

20kg BU PR x 2/2
20kg Windmill x 5/5
DB 24kgs Long Cycle, 2 (practice movement)
hanging from balcony
20kg BU PR x 2/2
20kg Windmill x 5/5

Main training - DB 24kgs Long Cycle, 2, 3, 5 -20 minutes

5 ladder sets of 2, 3, 5 - 50 total reps (clean between every jerk)
1 set of 2,3 - 5 total reps

55 total reps in 20 minutes (DB CL/JK)

DB 24kgs farmer carry, 1 minute, switch hands

hanging from balcony

9:10am - Complete

Notes - Well, I felt awful this morning so that certainly wasn't the best start of all time.  I wasn't surprised.  I was feeling under the weather yesterday, body was really fatigued, just going through that sick feeling.  I took a long time just doing breathing exercises and mobility just trying to warm slowly.  Eventually I did start coming around and as is usually the case, strange how this goes, I had a very strong training session.  You don't really want to go into doing Long Cycle for the first time ever not feeling well but that's what happened:)  I greatly enjoyed this training session.  I have read so much about Long Cycle and to actually get to the point where I am training this with DB 24kgs just feels like a major accomplishment.  I have no idea if 55 reps in 20 minutes is shitty or not (it probably is compared to what those GS guys do in their 10 minute sets, without setting bells down), but I thought it was good for my first time.  Pace was good, had a chance to work on technique with the cleans which was good.  A good clean is so critical to set up a good press / jerk that is for sure.  In any event this was really exciting and I am pumped.