4/12/13 Friday April 12, 2013 (TGUs)

6:30am - Joint mobility drills - 30 minutes

7:00am - 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

7:15am - Training session - Focus on TGUs, but warm up with Windmills to get feel

Warm up -
Tall kneeling 1H press with 16 kg (Again, press seems to be improving, less noticeable with left shoulder/elbow)
Windmills with 16 kg, 3X L/R

TGUs (all done with each arm back to back with no rest between arms):

16 kg, 2 L/R
20 kg, 1 L/R
24 kg, 1 L/R

7:35am - Complete

Notes - Better than the Wed session, and I was moving quickly.  Things are going in the right direction for certain.  Looking to try and get multiple reps with the 20 and 24 next week.

4/11/13 Thursday April 11, 2013 (DB SW)

5:45am - Joint mobility drills - 30 minutes

6:15am - 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

6:30am - Training session -DB SW, 16s, 20s, alternating sets of 10

Warm up -
GSq, 20kg, 5
GSq, 32kg , 5 (again this felt good and strong)
DB DLs 32 kg, 5, ALT 1H DL, 5 each arm
DB TK PR with 16kgs, 5 (noticed continued improvement in the press on the left side - this is very good)

SW session 6X for the following combo:

DB SW 16s, 10
DB SW 20s, 10

A total of 120 reps.

7:15am - Complete

Notes - This was good.  I wanted to get in 150-160 reps total, but got interrupted several times by kids waking up and eventually called it good with 120 reps.  Everything felt strong, lots of good reps, really focused on exploding the hips, keeping the arms close to my body at the top of the swing, getting a float, and then throwing the bells down.  I did repeatedly note the tendency on my right foot to point out slightly vs staying straight - that wandering has caused some slight right knee soreness in the past. I don't do it with 1 KB but on doubles with the wide stance my right foot wanders, I think looking to create more room for the bells between the legs.  Just something to be very aware of and keep watching.  Regardless I was pleased with the session and really felt a lot of work after several of these sets.

4/10/13 Wednesday April 10, 2013 (DB CL to SQ complex)

8:00am - Joint mobility drills - 45 minutes (took some extra time)

8:45am - 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

9:00am - Training session - Doing a complex, DB CL, DB SQ using 16s, 20s

Warm up -

GSq, 20kg , 5, 32 kg, 5 (these felt really good actually - heaviest I have done with this in some time)
DB DLs 32 kg, 5, ALT 1H DL, 5 each arm (dead lifts feeling really good lately, no impact at all on elbows)
DB TK SS PR with 16kg, 5 (have not done DBs in this warm up in some time - also felt very good, stronger presses, I think things are coming back here slowly)

3X in sequence, 60 total reps, 30 of each movement:

DB CL, 16s, 5
DB SQ, 16s, 5
DB CL, 20s, 5
DB SQ, 20s, 5

9:30am - Complete

Notes -
Was thinking about what I wanted to do on this one variety day for the week, and I settled on seeing how CLs would feel given the elbow issues.  I wanted to do a minimal amount and was SUPER focused on keeping the bells extremely close to my body, really snapping the hips to get the bells up - making this a hip movement, which it HAS to be, not pulling with the arms to get the bells to the rack.  Going to lighter bells is a stark reminder to me about technique and how important it is - it is easier for me to maintain better technique.  I have to work these bells for awhile so that when I am dealing with 24s, it feels like this.
I went through the complex quickly as I didn't have much time - felt good to be moving quickly and get in just the right amount of work on a variety day in the circumstances (don't push it given what I am focusing on right now through with the body work etc. to get all the parts moving again).

4/9/13 Tuesday April 10, 2013 (TGUs)

6:30am - Joint mobility drills - 15 minutes (very abbreviated - rushed for time due to oversleeping)

6:45am - 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

7:00am - Training session - Focus on TGUs, but warm up with Windmills to get feel

Warm up -
Tall kneeling 1H press with 16 kg - significant emphasis on firing lats and slow negatives (noticed the left elbow was feeling much better, solid press, less clicking in shoulder that I had been experiencing - all the body work is helping)
Windmills with 16 kg, 3X L/R

TGUs (all done with each arm back to back with no rest between arms):

16 kg, 2 L/R
20 kg, 1 L/R
24 kg, 1 L/R

7:30am - Complete

Notes - Body felt pretty good actually all around, noticed that during joint mobility.  Lots of lacrosse ball work the night before helped I think.  TGUs felt pretty good.  The 24 felt much heavier that it has in a long time - just indicates the overall state of my body and that I have backed off heavy TGUs to focus on the movement and not weight.  I will make that 24 feel light as a feather in a few weeks.

4/8/13 Monday April 8, 2013 (2H SW)

5:30am - Joint mobility drills - 45 minutes (extra time to try and open up shoulders with the PVC pipe)

6:15am - 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

6:30am - Training session -2H SW, ETK PM style

Warm up -
GSq, 16kg, 5

GSq, 24kg , 5
DB DLs 32 kg, 5, ALT 1H DL, 5 each arm
TK PR with 16kg, 5


SW session:

SW 16 kg, 10 L, 10 R
2H SW 24 kg, 10
2H SW 28 kg, 10
2H SW, 32 kg, 3X (10)
2H SW 28 kg, 10
SW 16 kg, 10 L, 10 R
2H SW 24 kg, 10
2H SW 28 kg, 10
2H SW, 32 kg, 3X (10)

Took about 23 minutes, total reps about 150 or so.

7:00am - Complete

Notes - This was good.  I was really watching my elbows / forearms on the warm up and the SWs to see how things felt.  I noticed the left elbow the most on the catch in the GSq, and also noticed it on the TK PR though this is hugely better than it was last week, so there is progress.  The feeling is on the inner part of the elbow - trigger point for the Scap / Subscap as realized through my massage last week. Have to really keep working the lacrosse ball on those trigger points, as well as applying ice/heat a couple of times a day (which I did).  Swings felt outstanding, really powerful, very good hip snaps, finishing locking out the knees, no elbow issues noticed at all.  Right forearm seemed to tighten up - interesting.  I have noticed a little bit there as well as tightness in that tricep while doing lacrosse ball work.  Going to stay on top of it.  I think moving into a couple of weeks concentrating on just Swings and Getups while I work through the body stuff will be very appropriate and beneficial to get my programming back on track.

4/5/2013 Friday April 5, 2013 (TGUs)

9:45am - Joint mobility drills - 30 minutes

10:00am - 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

10:15am - Training session - Focus on TGUs, but warm up with Windmills to get feel

Warm up -
Tall kneeling 1H press with 16 kg - significant emphasis on firing lats and slow negatives
Windmills with 16 kg, 3X L/R

TGUs (all done with each arm back to back with no rest between arms):

16 kg, 2 L/R
20 kg, 1 L/R

10:40am - Complete

Notes - Pretty rushed for time as I intentionally slept in on my last day of vacation to try and keep resting and working through these body issues.  I was headed a massage therapy appointment to figure out more about what is going on with what I believe are various trigger points going on with my old injuries sustained to the left shoulder from falling on stairs several years ago.  It seems as if the old injury pains have cropped up (due to excessive stress).

Update from massage session - yes, confirmed my thesis - trigger points in Scapula and Sub scap on the left side were lighting up various trigger points in the left shoulder, left elbow, forearm, back of forearm, and wrist.  I learned a lot and the massage was tremendously helpful.  I need to work dilgently on lacrosse ball techniques to keep blood flowing to these trigger point spots.  Cold/heat on the elbow area.  I think I am on my way back.  Going to go light on my KB workouts, really drop the weight, and focus on primarily I think 2H SW for at least a week, possibly more, as well as continuing 2 days of TGU focus to keep opening up and stabilizing the shoulders, primarily the left.  Overhead pressing is going to get shelfed for some time, which is ok.  I need to think harder about how to program as I went way to overboard on presses, as well as CL, to the detriment of SW, TGUs.

It may be the case for me that snatching with my left just really brings up the old injury patterns.  I have to think about this.  Double snatch seems fine for me, probably because of bringing the bells into the rack on the  descent vs going into the clean position in the single snatch.  Regardless snatching is out for now as the rotation definitely exacerbates the trigger points in the Scap and sub scap, at least for now, causing the elbow and forearm issues to crop up.

Update from chiropractic session - also did chiro today.  Jason totally confirmed the trigger point / old injury theory - stress enters the body in our weak spots.  It makes sense.  Got some major adjustments in my neck (both sides, into middle back) and adjusted the left shoulder and elbow again.  Elbow again externally rotated - pattern that has set in that I am going to break by really focusing on joint mobility, lacrosse ball, more intelligent programming until I work this trigger point issue through the system.  I feel a hell of a lot more educated today and have a plan.

4/4/2013 Thursday April 4, 2013 (TGUs)

Different training day - at Cannon Beach, OR with my kids and brought some bells with me (12 kg, 16 kg, 20 kg, 24 kg)

8:00am - Joint mobility drills - 30 minutes

8:30 - Kettlebell warm up (modified "Standard")
1/2K halos - 12kg, 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

8:45am - Training session - TGUs


TGUs (all done with each arm back to back with no rest between arms):

12 kg, 2 L/R
16 kg, 2 L/R
20 kg, 1 L/R


9:00am - Complete

Notes - Body definitely did not feel good but was not worse in the morning that it had been Wed, and in some ways a bit better because I did about 60 minutes of lacrosse ball work after my kids went to bed Wed night.  This work did not cause anything to get worse.  TGUs done carefully and not heavy (focus on the movement only for now, light KBs) are fine and in fact I think a very good idea to improve shoulder mobility.  Laying some foundation for heavier TGUs in the future and bringing this movement back into a core focus in my programming, eventually to help with heavy pressing once I get things sorted and back on track to start back on the strength track.