16kg Presses

No trap/neck pain after the light snatches yesterday.  I decided to give the light pressing a try today:

16kg MP 15L/15R x 3 sets

Bodyweight Pullups 5 reps x 3 sets

24kg MP 5L/5R x 3 sets - 3 second overhead hold at lockout on each rep

24kg Goblet Squat 5 reps x 3 sets

16kg One Leg Deadlift 5L/5R x 3 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

This felt very good.  Pressing the 16kg really allowed me to focus on keeping my shoulder in the socket, firing my lat, and working on my overhead position.  I think this new routine is going to work well for me for the next few weeks.  I am also planning to start some grip work with the Captains of Crush Grippers.  According to Grey Cook and Pavel, a strong grip will benefit one's pressing.  I am about to find out.

Change in Plans

After my light RoP day, once again the left trap/neck flared up.  I am convinced that the pressing is causing this pain.  I am also convinced that doing heavy C&P ladders with the 32kg is my problem.  Although I was making good progress, I don't think my shoulders were prepared for the assault.  Today, I had a very interesting telephone conversation with Fireman Tom.  He is a believer in higher rep/lower weight pressing in order to prepare the muscles of the shoulders and to prepare the CNS (ie. grease the groove).  Like me, he has experienced people moving too quickly with their pressing ladders only to suffer injury.  The technique suffers when one is attempting to push too much weight and this leads to problems, especially in those whose shoulders are not properly prepared for such volume with heavy weight.  Tom feels that you should not progress to a heavier weight until you can military press your current weight for 3 sets of 15 reps with good technique.  

He also feels that long sets of snatches with 1 hand change are more beneficial than heavier, shorter, timed intervals (ie. 24kg 10L/10R x 10 sets).  His recommendation is once again to drop down to lighter weights (16kg) and slowly work your way up to 100L/100R snatches with 1 hand change prior to moving up in weight.  This will once again allow your shoulders to be strengthened and your CNS to be grooved prior to heading to the higher shoulder stress associated with heavier weights.

I think I am going to give this approach a try.  I will try to come up with some kind of program over the next few days.

Todays Workout:

16kg snatches 40L/40R x 3 sets

24kg 2 Arm Swings 20 reps on 1 minute x 5 sets.

The snatches were a challenge especially on the grip.  However, I definitely could feel the burn/pump in my shoulders letting me know I have some work to do.  

Easy RoP

Still trying to slowly ramp my workload back up after my back off week.  It is hard not to just jump right back in.  I had to really remind myself to take it easy today.

24kg TGU x 10 minutes (planned 5 minutes but didn't hear the gymboss go off...music too loud)

24kg Kneeling MP Ladder 3(1,2,3)

Bodyweight Pushups 10 reps x 3 sets

Double 24kg Squats 5 reps x 3 sets

Finished with Z Neural Warmup Level 1

I Am Back.....Sort Of

Today was finally the first day that I even thought of kettlebells.  Thurday/Friday/Saturday were the worst of my cold.....and of course I was on call this weekend.  Today, however, I am feeling better.  Still a bit congested, but at least the fever is gone.  My wife actually convinced me to work out today as I was planning to restart tomorrow.  My neck is feeling much better, but I think I will still plan to lay off the heavy presses for a bit longer.

24kg 2 Arm Swing 20 reps on 1 minute x 12 sets

Wife: 16kg 2 Arm Swing 20 reps on 1 minute x 12 sets

Nice to hit the bells again.  Time to ramp things up again and keep focused on my goals.

Pulled muscle in Neck/Sick/Back Off Week

Feeling run down, got the viral crud from the kids, woke up this morning with stiff muscle left neck/trap.......I think my body is telling me something.......time to back off for a few days.  I will plan to take the next 5-7 days off and try to refresh and recharge.  I am sure I will be ready to hit the bells in a few days.

Grinds

Still with persistent muscle tightness in the left upper trap/neck.  I still think it is related to my heavy C&P work with the 32kg.  In order to get it to settle down, I think I am going to have to stop pressing for a while.  Will need to come up with some other things to work on with my grind days.  Might have to give the jerk a try for a while.  Today's non pressing workout:

24kg TGU 5 minutes

16kg 1 leg deadlift x 10L/10R x 3 sets

Double 24kg Renegade Row 10L/10R x 3 sets

32kg Goblet Squat x 10 reps x 3 sets

Received Z Neural Warm Up 1 and I-Phase as B-day presents.  Did the Neural Warm Up today.  Essentially an abbreviated version of R-Phase with some new eye work (which is interesting).  Only takes 10 minutes to complete.  It could easily be done daily.

New PR in the SSST

Today was the last day of my 37th year and I was scheduled for a test day in the SSST.  It went down like this:

20L/20R/20L/20R - 15 sec rest

15L/15R/15L/15R - 15 sec rest

10L/10R/10L/10R/10L/20R

Total Reps: 210 in 10 minutes

Feels great to break the 200 barrier, but it was still an extremely painful experience.  My listed goal by Thanksgiving is to hit 220.  I think it is doable with a bit more conditioning work.  My grip held in there pretty well, although I couldn't hold a pencil for about 10 minutes after finishing!!

Thanksgiving Goals - per motivation by David Whitley's Blog:

VO2 Max 15:15 80 sets (8 reps) - Done

SSST 220 reps - Not done

40kg C&P - Have not attempted yet, but making good progress on RoP with the 32kg