Monday and Tuesdays Workouts

Forgot to post Monday's workout:

Double Jerk 16kg - 8 RPM x 5 minutes

Snatch 16kg - 20 RPM x 6 minutes

OAJ 24kg - 8 RPM 3 minutes R/3 minutes L

Swing 24kg 30L/30R x 2 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

Today, I did a short workout since my left shoulder was pretty sore following my flu shot earlier today: 

Double Jerk 16kg - 12 RPM x 2 minutes - 4 sets (2 minutes rest between sets)

Swing 24kg 20L/20R x 2 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

*My COC grippers arrived yesterday.  I received the Trainer and #1.  I was able to do several sets of 10 reps each hand with the trainer and could get 2-3 reps per hand with the #1.  I guess all that kettlebell work has payed dividends with my grip.  My forearms were sore this morning.  I will try to follow the training recs provided with the grippers and plan 2-3 workouts per week.  I will likely need to order the #1.5 soon.

A Morning in Wooster

Had a great day.  Drove to Wooster, OH (about 80 minutes) to receive some coaching from Andrew Durniat in GS technique.  Andrew is a great guy and has an impressive facility.  We spent a lot of time talking and then he helped me with my GS technique on the swing, clean, jerk (single and double) and snatch.  He then put me through some short timed sets of double jerk (16kg) - 3 minutes at 6 rpm and snatch (16kg) - 4 minutes at 20 rpm.  We also discussed general training templates for the GS lifts.  This was the first time I had the opportunity to use the competition bells which I found very nice.  The best part about them is that they are all the same size regardless of the weight.  So you can work your technique with the 12kg or 16kg and there will be no changes required when moving up to the 24kg or 32kg.  Last week I ordered 16kg and 20kg AKC comp bells which will hopefully be arriving this week.  I am excited to start working the program and perfecting my technique.

Jerks and Snatches

Continued to work my technique on the jerk.  I need a lot of work here.  I am heading down to Wooster this weekend to spend some time with Andrew Durniat.  Hopefully he will be able to give me some pointers on my GS techniques to make me more efficient.  I have also tracked down some beginner GS training templates that I will start to apply to my workouts:

Double 16kg Jerk: 6 RPM x 5 minutes

8 RPM x 3 minutes

16kg Snatch:   60L/60R

40L/40R

24kg 1 Arm Swing:  15L/15R

25L/25R

24kg 1 Arm Jerk: 15L/15R x 2 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

I am really feeling this in my grip.  My forearms are still pumped several hours after completing this workout.  I am also feeling these workouts in different places, it is going to take me a while to build up the strength and technique needed to move up in weight.

Presses and a Change in Plans

Bit sore today.  Not sure if from heavier snatches yesterday or from the jerks.  Decided to do some pressing as I still attempt to figure out my next plan of action.

24kg TGU 5 minutes

16kg MP 15L/15R x 3 sets

Bodyweight Pullups 5 reps x 3 sets

24kg MP 5L/5R x 3 sets with 5 second overhead hold with each rep

Box Pistols done on steps 5L/5R x 3 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

After working low rep, heavier weight exercises for the past 18 months, and making excellent progress with my SSST (220 reps with 24kg), VO2 Max protocol (80 sets of 15:15 with 16kg), and C&P Ladders (32kg 4(1,2,3,4,5) 1(1,2,3,4)), I feel like I have hit a plateau in my training.  I tweaked my shoulder attempting to C&P the 32kg probably because I am pushing too much weight too soon for my age and shoulder conditioning.  What are my next goals?  Is it really safe for me to continue to go up in weight?  Am I supposed to start snatching the 32kg for reps, press the bulldog or beast, and do the VO2 max with the 24kg?  These goals all sound like a giant recipe for injury.  Given this realization, I have become more interested in GS training.  I have had several conversations with Tom Corrigan (Fireman Tom) and have decided to focus the next several months on GS training (ie. long sets of snatches as well as the jerk).   I will be dropping my weight down to the 16kg as I start to work longer sets and attempt to master the technique.  I figure I have very little to loose at this point.....try something new or continue down my current path which is destined for another injury.  Stay tuned...............

Snatches and Jerks

Worked out with my wife today while the kids were sledding with the neighbors (yes, I did say sledding.  We received several inches of the white stuff over the past 24 hours).

Me: 

24kg snatches 10L/10R x 10 sets - 30 seconds rest between sets

16kg 1 arm jerk 12 reps/minute - changed arms every minute, no rest x 10 minutes total

Z Neural Warm Up 1

Wife:

8kg snatches 10L/10R x 10 sets - 30 seconds rest between sets (she needs more weight, too easy)

Jerks felt great.  I need more weight.  Will either play with double 16s or move up to single 24kg at a slower rate.

2nd Meeting of the CKC

We had a nice turn out today for our 2nd meeting of the Cleveland Kettlebell Club.  Renee, Todd, and myself plus 6 others.  We did some joint mobility warm up and then broke into groups of 2.  I worked on swings and TGU with my group.  We finished with a group workout put together by Renee:

Swings 20 reps on 1 minute x 3 sets (32kg)

Sumo Deadlifts (32kg)

Bent Rows 30 sec (32kg)/pushups 30 sec x 2 sets

Rack walk x 2 sets (32kg)

Walking lunges (32kg) 2 lengths of floor

While making dinner I did my 16kg MP 15L/15R x 3 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1 done as warm up for CKC meeting.

Long Sets of 16kg Snatches

Busy day for the social calendar today, but was able to get in a ballistics workout today:

16kg Snatch 50L/50R x 2 sets

32kg Swing x 10 reps, then 24kg Swing x 10 reps on the minute x 10 sets

Z Neural Warm Up 1

Long sets of light snatches are really helping me groove my snatch technique.  More so than doing the VO2 Max protocol because my pace is controlled and I am going to complete lock out.  I can really feel the fatigue in the muscles of my entire shoulder....anterior/posterior delts, traps, lats, rhomboids.  

.....and my neck pain is almost completely gone.