4/14/15 Tuesday April 14, 2015 (24kg TGUs, SLDLs)

6:50am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 25 minutes

7:15am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

7:30am- Training session - 24kg TGU, 24kg GSq

2x:

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

7:45am - Complete

Notes -   Good day, this is really encouraging actually.  Feeling more mobile, good night's sleep.  No noticeable downside from snatching yesterday.  Good stuff.  Looking forward to DB FSQ ladders tomorrow, more sets with the DB 32kgs, exciting.

4/13/15 Monday April 13, 2015 (24kg SN 7/7 on the min 7 mins)

7:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 45 minutes (some extra mobility work)

7:45am - 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
16kg TK windmill drill, 4/4

8:00am- Training session - 24kg SN 7/7 on the min 7 mins

2x:
24kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2
24kg SLDL , 5/5
24kg 1H SW, 10/10

Lots of hanging from my balcony between the above - stretch shoulders and lats

24kg SN hold in lockout for 10 seconds, pump the arm a bit back and forth, 1/1

24kg SN 7/7 on the min, 7 mins (6/6 8 mins last week)
96 reps

24kg farmer carry, 1 minute, switch sides, 1 minute

More hanging from the balcony - stretch shoulders and lats

8:40am - Complete

Notes - Pretty interesting day.  I was damn exhausted this morning.  And I was pretty tight.  Did a lot of mobility work, really trying to work on opening up the shoulders, really the R shoulder, as I have been doing for several weeks.  I can tell even with arm bars etc. that getting into a good overhead position with a locked elbow on the R side continues to be more challenging than it should be.  Just have to keep at this and get through this challenge.  When I picked up the 24kg to get into the warm-ups and it felt "heavy" I was like "oh shit here we go."  I was winded even during the TGU warm up sets.  I think I crushed the snatches.  WTF.  I was really getting into my hips, really loading the bell up between the legs and it was popping up into lockout very nicely.  Good stuff here, not to be over using with my arms, pulling with the arm, etc. but instead really getting the hips into the technique.  I was very, very pleased with this.  With that said, the exertion level was noticeably higher than what I would have wanted.  It was not easy.  I was seriously winded after this and had to take several minutes to get my breathing under control and heart beat down.  I am not sure what to make of this.  I am writing this at night and I felt great all day, like the snatching was the best thing possible for my shoulders.  Who knows.  I did an excessive amount of hanging from the balcony as well to try and stretch out my shoulders and lats and I think that definitely is helpful as well.  I will keep at the mobility work.

4/11/15 Saturday April 11, 2015 (pull-ups, push-ups)

Good day.  Went to Greenlake with the kids and banged out pull-ups and push-ups late afternoon in the rain.

Hanging from bar

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

6 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 - 28,  same as last week, 25 push-ups, same as last week, though I did them all regular (no Lizard style) to limit stress on the R elbow.  Wanted to keep today very light, no KB work, just resting this weekend mainly particularly in light of some of the mobility work I am focused on trying to do.  I have increased volume a bit lately and it's possible I am touching on the far side of what I am capable of right now.  Better to back it off a little bit that overreach, for sure.

4/10/15 Friday April 10, 2015 (DB 24kgs Jerks - PR)

8:00am - Pain Free exercises, focusing on the hips and shoulders - 60 minutes

9:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 60 minutes, lots of mobility work, lacrosse ball work

10:00am - 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
16kg TK windmill drill, 4/4

10:15am- Training session - DB 24kgs Jerks - PR

2x:
20kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2
20kg Windmill x 3/3
20kg BU PR x 2/2

20kg 2H SW, 10

DB 24kgs Jerks, on the minute, 9 minutes

5 reps x 3 mins
4 reps x 3 mins
3 reps x 3 mins

36 reps - PR

DB 24kgs farmer carry, 1 minute

10:45am - Complete

5:30pm - Chiro adjustments

Notes - Writing this late Saturday night.  Been a fascinating couple of days.  First off, I have known that there are mobility issues going on I have been really trying to improve.  Spent several days focusing on exercises from my Pain Free book, trying to open up the hips, mainly R, and shoulders, mainly R.  The R shoulder I know has been internally rotated, an old stress pattern, causing some issues on my thoracic mobility on that side, and putting undue stress on by tricep, elbow, and forearm on that right side.  Frustrating for sure but some of the things I have been doing have been helping things.  I know this all really emanates from the shoulder being off.  I have been going hard, tons and tons of driving this week with the kids for their spring break, and am just wound up and body is tight.  Deep tissue massage Wed evening was helpful, did all of this mobility work, but took forever to get going on Friday morning.  I was feeling way less than my best but knew that I could press on, get the work in, and had a chiropractic adjustment planned for Friday afternoon.  My chiro is really exceptional and also is very helpful - can adjust anything, and we do a number of drills etc. that help flush out issues that he then addresses.  I know my CNS is just a bit off given all of the imbalances on my R side so wanted to set out to getting this going in the right direction.  As to my actual training on Friday, it did go well.  Noticed that the oblique strain on my L side was quite a bit better, windmills were fine and so were the double jerks.  Doing jerks on the minute was interesting and very challenging.  Just love this movement.  I am really looking forward to more practice as I improve my mobility and work through these issues.  The chiro work Friday evening was exactly as I hoped for - immediate relief for my shoulder, below, forearm.  Almost shocked really but like I said I have been seeing Jason for years and he is outstanding.  I feel fortunate to know professionals that can help me with stuff like this so I can get the most out of my training, and in turn really benefit my overall health.  Today was a good day as I have noted on my separate blog post.

4/9/15 Thursday April 9, 2015 (16kg TGUs, SLDL)

9:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

9:30am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:45am - Training session - 16kg TGU, 16kg SLDL

16kg TGU with hip bridges x 2, 1/1
16kg SLDL, 5/5

10:00am - Complete

Notes -  Got a lot of sleep last night, day off from work, knew I needed the rest.  Very light day here intentionally with training as my plan was to take the entire day to paint my basement living room, which I accomplished (writing this late at night right before bed).  Very happy about it.  Looking forward to training the double KB jerk tomorrow.

4/8/15 Wednesday April 8, 2015 (DB FSQ ladder - PR)

8:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

8:30am - 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
16kg TK windmill drill, 4/4

2x:
24kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2
24kg SLDL , 3/3

BREAK - driving back to Seattle

4:30pm - some mobility work, focused on the hips

5:00pm- Training session - DB FSQ ladder - PR

2x:
16kg TGU with high bridges x 2/2
16kg windmill practice, 3/3 (done very cautiously due to oblique strain)
20kg BU SQ, 1/1

20kg 2H SW, 10

3x:
24kg DB FSQ, 5
32kg DB FSQ, 2
28kg DB FSQ, 3

30 reps - PR on DB 32kgs, awesome

DB 28kgs farmer carry, 1 minute
DB 32kgs farmer carry, 1 minute
DB 24kgs farmer carry, 1 minute

5;40pm - Complete

7:15pm - deep tissue massage

Notes - All in all, very good here.  Woke up feeling good after a night's rest, and the mobility and light KB work in the morning felt very good.  Feel like the minor oblique strain is definitely getting better, and am just focused on stretching it appropriately, but definitely not overdoing it.  Drove back to Seattle from Portland mid day, and then got to work in the afternoon on the main training for the day.  Went very cautiously on the windmills, and I have to say, it just doesn't feel quite right.  I really focused on getting into my hip and glute and that helped.  Obviously feeling this in the lower back would be wrong, and so I was very vigilant about keeping a straight let under the bell and getting into the hip, but still, it just doesn't feel quite right.  I need to revisit this with Kevin.  Could be over concern given the minor strain I think I picked up when I practiced these for the first time last week.  I also think my hamstrings are too damn tight, and inner quads as well, which is inhibiting my ability to do this correctly.  I am frustrated but will continue to try and work on those areas to improve flexibility and mobility for this lift.  In any event, I didn't do anything stupid.  A win there.   Got into the DB FSQs and noticed that my traps were lighting up, which I did not like.  I should have been feeling this more in the lats and glutes.  I think all of the driving in the car and then trying to jump into this training session was a major challenge on the body.  Also, snatching on Monday which is tough on the traps could have an impact.  Or hell it could be the oblique thing which is throwing stuff off.  In any event damn it I was getting pissed but re-focused, really focused, on the glutes and lats, zipping up at the top of each rep, and staying tight in the rack.  I was able to take the pressure off the traps I felt in the first set, but never felt totally right.  I decided that 3 rounds was good, you take what you can get sometimes and live to train another day.  Did not want to do something stupid here.  A bonus is that I definitely have not done DB FSQs with 32kgs and I nailed 6 reps with those babies, including the DB CL into the rack which honestly were all very smooth, I was not jerking the bells, was not banging them into my shoulders, it was all pretty good I think.  Ending with some DB farmers felt great on the shoulders actually.  I also intermixed a lot of hanging from my balcony during this session to try and stretch out those lats and get some pressure off the traps that I felt in the first set, and that was good too.  Ended the day by going to my massage therapist for a deep tissue massage which I sure as hell needed.  That was excellent. We'll see how we go the next few days.  I am off from work so that helps.  

4/7/15 Tuesday April 7, 2015 (24kg TGUs, GSq)

9:00am - FMS drills (belly breathing, soft tissue work, t-spine, 1/2 kneeling) - 30 minutes

9:30am - 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 16kg, 1+1, x 2
Crooked Arm bar 16kg with 3 presses and rotations, 1/1

9:45am - Training session - 24kg TGU, 24kg GSq

2x:

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

10:00am - Complete

Notes -   Good day, feeling very good actually.  Surprising  a little as yesterday was a bit of a struggle working through a tweak on the L oblique etc. as I mentioned in my training notes.  Did a ton of mobility work, lots of hamstring stretches, using the wall, etc. which really helped a lot.  Got a good night's sleep as well.  Relaxed hanging out with my kids at the Oregon Coast, enjoying the time together.  Great stuff.