12/2/19 Monday December 2, 2019 (BB Squat, DL)

6:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, Original Strength resets  - 45 minutes

7:00am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar + Crooked Arm bar 20kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:15am- Training session -  BB Squat, DL

24kg TGU x 1/1
20kg BU PR x 2 BU FSQ x 2
48kg DL x 5
24kg 2H SW x 10


48kg DL x 5
32kg 2H SW x 10

BB Squat:

warm up
45 bar x 5
135 x 5
225 x 4

work sets
255 x 5 x 3 sets (80% of 315)

BB DL:

warm up
135 x 5 hook
225 x 3 hook
315 x 2 hook

top work set
355 x 5 hook grip went well somewhat surprised

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

8:15am - Complete

Notes - Legs seriously beaten from the squat camp on Saturday, so I knew going into this I was going to back off on the squat. I went with about 80% of my recent work sets, same weight as paused squats from Saturday.  Video indicated I was hitting much better depth than before I went to the camp, so that is good.  I know that is what I have to concentrate on. I will admit it was tough to get down there, I am hoping things feel better on Friday the next time I squat and try to move up to 320 for the work sets.  As far as the deadlift goes I was pleasantly surprised - no issues and 355 went up 5 times, with the hook grip, PR.  That was great.

11/30/19 Saturday November 30, 2019 (Squat Camp review Next Level Barbell Milwaukee OR)

10am - Start of Squat Camp at a Starting Strength affiliated gym Next Level Barbell in Milwaukee, OR owned by Jordan Stanton

Had an amazing time at this Squat Camp and I would do another one of these in a heartbeat. Following the Starting Strength method, Jordan and his guys took about 9 of us through the paces for 5 hours until 3pm.  We did a section on bio-mechanics, technique on the squat, and had some long sessions at the end on Programming and an open Q&A for over an hour which I thought was awesome.

For work sets I worked up to 4 sets of 315lbs x 5 reps.  Never squatted this weight for even one rep.  Proud of that effort. 

We backed off with 2 sets of "paused" squats at 80% which for me was 255lbs, x 5 reps.

Bottom line the biggest technique takeaway for me was less about technique and more about just knowing know where "depth" is.  I was not hitting depth in training on many of my squats, and I realize that now.  I was going to parallel but need to get below it.  I know where that is now and I was getting drilled on it during the session. 

The other piece was breathing through the mouth, not just nose, and taking in way more air.  That was a big learning point as well. 

Watching some of the other lifters was helpful too.

Other than that, I have definitely already fixed the bar and wrist positions coming into the training, those were not an issue whatsoever, so that is encouraging.

We worked hard.  I now know what it is like to truly work hard in a squat, and I can take this with me into my own training sessions.  I definitely realize there is another level I need to get myself into when entering that garage and putting the plates on the bar.

3pm - End

11/29/19 Friday November 29, 2019 (DB 24kgs CL+PPR, Jerks)

Training in Portland, OR over the Thanksgiving break

8:15am- Training session - DB 24kgs CL+Push Press, CL+Jerk

24kg OH hold x 1/1
24kg PR x 1/1
24kg Sq x 1/1
DB 24kg OH hold x 1
DB 24kg PR x 1
DB 24kg SQ x 1
DB 24kg BU CL x 1
24kg SW x 10
DB 24kg SW x 5

5x:
DB 24kgs CL x 5 Push press x 5

3x:
DB 24kgs Jerk x 10

got in 8 sets, plus 3 x 2, and 2 x 1, for a total of 40 DB CL+Jerk up from 35 last week

rolling

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand

9:15am - Complete

Notes - Got some training in outside the hotel Leah and I stayed in at Lloyd Center while visiting my family over Thanksgiving.  Good, fun session with the bells, just being creative and focusing on overhead work and conditioning given the Squat Camp planned for tomorrow.

11/27/19 Wednesday November 27, 2019 (DB 32kgs CL+Jerk)

6:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, Original Strength resets  - 45 minutes

7:00am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar + Crooked Arm bar 20kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:15am- Training session - DB 32kgs CL+Jerk

24kg TGU x 1/1
20kg BU FSQ x 3 BU PR x 3
48kg DL x 5
24kg 2H SW x 10

32kg TGU x 1/1
24kg BU BU FSQ x 1 BU PR x 1
48kg DL x 5
32kg 2H SW x 10
40kg 2H SW x 10

DB 24kgs CL+Jerk x 5

20 minutes:
DB 32kgs CL+Jerk x 4

got in 8 sets, plus 3 x 2, and 2 x 1, for a total of 40 DB CL+Jerk up from 35 last week

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

8:00am - Complete

Notes - Very solid work, pleased with this overall.  Pretty tough, the last sets were hard for sure. Good going into the break.

11/25/19 Monday November 25, 2019 (BB Squat - better bar position, DL - hook grip breakthrough)

6:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, Original Strength resets  - 45 minutes

7:00am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar + Crooked Arm bar 20kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:15am- Training session -  BB Squat, DL

24kg TGU x 1/1
20kg BU PR x 2 BU FSQ x 2
48kg DL x 5
24kg 2H SW x 10

32kg TGU x 1/1
24kg BU BU PR x 1 BU FSQ x 1
48kg DL x 5
32kg 2H SW x 10
40kg 2H SW x 10

BB Squat:

warm up
45 bar x 5
135 x 5 (improved bar position - not too low - immediate difference noted)
225 x 4
275 x 2

work sets
310 x 5 x 3 sets

BB DL:

warm up
135 x 5 hook
225 x 3 hook
315 x 2 hook

top work set
350 x 5 hook grip really excited about this

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

8:15am - Complete

Notes - Super pumped.  Read the SS blue book and watched videos the last several days, appreciating that I have felt too much pressure on my wrists and elbows in the squat, knew something was off. After studying video and re-reading the SS Blue Book, I realized that I have been carrying the bar too low, sort of the opposite problem of carrying too high and doing a high bar squat.  Putting the bar too low has resulted in the bar moving down my back on some reps, and putting way too much pressure on my wrists and elbows.  I knew I needed a change and really honed in on what was necessary. I was able to make adjustments today and noticed an immediate difference, could get my palms more on top of the bar, not even really gripping it, and had plenty of control of the bar on the squat.  I hooked grip every deadlift, which was absolutely no issue at all, felt significantly stronger through the mid pull and got every rep no issues, major improvement from last week.  Using the hook grip is going to be a game changer for me.  I think my hands are reasonably conditioned over the years from the kettlebell work, so this didn't cause me any discomfort on my thumbs at all, apparently for some people it does.  I'm excited about this, really encouraging results today in both of these lifts.

11/23/19 Saturday November 23, 2019 (Powercleans)

12:45pm - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, Original Strength resets  - 30 minutes

1:15pm- Training session - variety

20kg arm bar + bent arm bar x 1/1
24kg GSq x 5

3x:
Pull-up x 2
Push-up x 10

Powerclean practice - hook grip

75 x 3 x 2
135 x 3 x 5

Indian clubs x 2 minutes

rolling
hanging from the bar

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

1:45pm - Complete

Notes - More PC practice.  Felt good. I am enjoying this lift.  I feel like things are going well enough I can keep adding 5 lbs to the bar each week.

11/22/19 Friday November 22, 2019 (BB Squat, Powercleans)

6:15am - belly breathing, Primal Move practice, Original Strength resets  - 30 minutes

6:45am - Kettlebell warm up

1/2K halos - 12kg, 4X each side / each leg (total 16X)
Arm bar + Crooked Arm bar 20kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:00am- Training session -  BB Squat, Powercleans

24kg TGU x 1/1
20kg BU PR x 3 BU FSQ x 3
48kg DL x 5
24kg 2H SW x 10

32kg TGU x 1/1
24kg BU BU PR x 1 BU FSQ x 1
24kg GSq x 5
48kg DL x 5
32kg 2H SW x 10
40kg 2H SW x 10

BB Squat:

warm up
45 bar x 5
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2

work sets
305 x 5 x 3 sets

Powercleans:

75 x 3 x 2 sets
125 x 3 x 2 sets
135 x 3 x 5 sets

rolling
hanging from the bar

Indian clubs 2 minutes

Band wrist extensions, 10 x 2 sets per hand
6lb sledgehammer hammer rotations, 10/10
6lb sledgehammer finger walks, 1/1, x 2

8:15am - Complete

Notes - Pretty hard on the squats, too much pressure on my wrists.  I know there is some technique improvement that can be had and I am going to study video and re-read the SS blue book to identify options.  Honestly I don't think I should even feel anything at all on my wrists during this lift.  I will figure this out. Mostly good reps on the PC, a few were "off" but generally feeling ok about that lift, just have to keep the elbows straight through the thighs and into the jumping position so I am not pulling with the arms.