Another 40 kg TGU and a workout 5/29/11

Ok, so I did it again.  Turns out this might be an improving skill and not just a fluke!  Another TGU with the Bulldog I like to call George.

On this day, I warmed up with Super Joints, Jumped rope for 5 minutes, did 3 sets of Overhead Squats and Pump Stretches and then settled into another set of Turkish Get Ups with an 88 pound Kettlebell.

How did it go this time?  Well I filmed it, as you can see.  This was stronger than the last one for a couple reasons.  First, I didn't rest between sides.  Last time I rested about a minute.  Next time I will do the same.  It's important to note that next time I will also pay closer attention to the decent on left side as the final portion was rushed.  In retrospect, I think my mind got in the way.  Meaning I realized what I was doing!  It's important to own each movement of the Get Up.

Next time I will also drive more from the heal in the beginning.  I feel like I have a solid grip and handle on the bell so I will devote a little more attention to the drive and get my arms more at a 45 degree angle in the beginning of the movement.  This will help with control.  I rolled up instead of drove up. 

So I got a few things to work on, but am still quite proud of this achievement.  I am looking forward to fully owning the Bulldog TGU.

The rest of the session included some Goblet squats, Windmills, Club Swings and 1 descending ladder of 24kg Snatches.  14/12/10/8/6.

Training Session from Friday 5/27

A successful session with a little minimal variety!

After a brief warm up, I launched into Double 24's.  Squat+Press+Pull Up.  20 minutes on the Gymboss.  4 Ladders up to 3 reps.  Next time, I'll shoot for all 5 ladders.  I've reduced the time by 10 minutes as I am looking to bump intensity and density.

Finished with Bulldog Swings and Push Ups.  For the pushups, I use Elite Rings and lowered them close to the ground then put my feet on a step.  This was also in an attempt to increase density and intensity.  15 minutes.  I kept the Swings at sets of 12 and for the push ups, worked to almost failure each time.  Some times I'd go slow, others at a higher pace.  It was a good 15 minutes.

How To Perform A Turkish Get With A Very Heavy Kettlebell

Wednesday 5/25/11 marked the first time this Girevik successfully handled a Turkish Get Up with The Bulldog, a 40 kg (88 pound) Kettlebell.  Mine is affectionately named George.

Oh, I have tried in the past, mind you but the last time I attempted this it seemed as if it left the actual bone in my forearm sore.  I quickly felt like I did not have enough static strength or control to manage this burden.  This was about a year or so ago and the image of my ulna and radius snapping in half under the weight enabled me to "shelve" the Bulldog TGU for a while.

So...  What's happened since?

How To TGU with a Bulldog

The answer is the same as any good "I need directions" joke.  Excuse me, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?

PRACTICE!

Step #1:  Swings, Swings, and more Swings.  Get as comfortable with this weight as humanly possible.  Until one fully owns the Swing with a given weight any other KB drill should just stay on the shelf.

Step #2:  The last several months have involved TGU practice with a 24kg bell 2 to 3 times a week.  This practice was textbook Kalos Sthenos.  From "Kettlebells From The Ground Up," I would spend the early portion of my workout practicing each progression of the TGU and doing Goblet Squats as an active rest.

Step #3:  TGU "as if."  Lift the 24 as if its 40 and see what that does.

Step #4:  Every once in a while, when you're feeling good sub in a 32 for the 24 when doing your Get Up practice.

Step #5:  GTG With COC. (Translation:  Grease the Groove with Captains of Crush Trainer)  You gotta be able to grip the snot and a few other excretions out of the horn to full command this heavy burden.  This step 5 was something of a bonus WTH effect for me.  I realized yesterday at work that working this gripper periodically through out the day has more than likely not only improved grip strength but over all strength as my "irradiation" skills improved too. 

FINAL THOUGHT:  Mind you, this was not a "perfect" TGU.  It was a bit wobbly, the high hip bridge was more of a mid-range hip bridge and backing through the last few steps was a bit rushed.  That being said, I elevated an 88 pound Kettlebell over head from a lying position, stood up and got back down under complete control because I can do a perfect TGU with a lighter weight and have treated that lighter weight with the utmost respect.  So the WTH effect is in...  effect!

This also required total concentration and certain muscles that don't normally fire, fired and fired hard.

The actual workout for that day looked like this:

• Jump Rope 5 minutes (this skill is also improving)
• Overhead Squats and Pumps 3 sets of 5
• 1+1 TGU with George
• 16kg Windmills 1+1 x 3 alternated with Club Swings movements 1-3
• Snatches 5 minutes on the Gymboss 24 kg bell.  Descending ladder 16/14/12 = 84 reps

So now what?

Well this is part of the progression of the press for me.  One of my goals this year is to press George.  I will continue to practice and perfect the TGU with the Bulldog.  I am also incorporating Bulldog Cleans into  another part of my workout so I am progressing towards a glorious press and on Wednesday, I felt closer than ever!

Training Journal for May 23

Monday 5/23 marks the day I re-introduce The Bulldog into RKC Drills other than Swings.

Super Joints to warm up
Practice Bulldog Cleans and Low Box Pistols 5 minutes on the Gymboss and 3 singles
32kg MP + Pull Ups + Box Pistols.  Ladders up to 3.  20 minutes on the Gymboss.  3 complete ladders plus 1.
Swings and Push Ups 15 minutes sets of 12 and 8 respectively, got 8 rounds.

This session was one of those sessions where I truly finished stronger!

Personal Trainers: How To Get More Clients

Personal Trainers: How To Get More Clients

Here's another good one and might be challenging for some!  With many a year of professional selling under my belt, it's high time I start contributing to my other passion.

Last Weeks Practice Training In Detail + Major Catch Up

Training for the last couple weeks has been sporadic at best.  With that in mind, sometimes the extended rest periods allow for greater recovery.

Weds 5/4/11

Jumped rope for 5 minutes
O/H Squats + Pumps 3 x 5
Goblet Squats + TGU's 3 x 5
Club Swings + Windmills 3x 15/1+1

Snatch 10+10 x 5 at  :50 work / :60 rest

Saturday 5/7/11

Warm Up with SuperJoints
Dbl Sqt + Press + Ring Pull Up  30 minutes 34 reps/rounds in ladder fassion
Push Ups and Bulldog Swings 15 minutes of 6/12 got 6 rounds

Monday 5/9/11

same warm up and prep work as 5/4
Snatch with same protocol but 7 rounds.

Wednesday 5/11/11

SuperJoints to warm up
Jumped rope for 5 minutes
1 Arm MP @ 32kg + Pullups + F2GSqts 30 minutes 72 reps, 2304 kgs pressed!
Bulldog Swings + Pushups 12/6 7 rounds in 15 minutes.

Tuesday 5/17/11

same warm up as 5/9
Snatch change of pace...
18 minutes on the clock and go...  176 reps.  Did a descending ladders 12/10/8/6/4 the headed back up...

Thursday 5/19/11

same drills just a little EDT to keep it interesting...
Dbl 24 Squat+Press+Pull Up 20 minutes 25 reps
Push Ups and Swings (40kg) 6/12 15 minutes 6 rounds

Saturday 5/21/11

same warm up and prep work
18 minutes on the clock again sideways ladders (???)
rounds:
1. 14+14 (right/left)
2. 14+14
3. 12+12
4. 12+12
5. 10+10
6. 8+8
7. 6+6
8. 6+6

Total:  164
next time will stick to the plan of 2 descending ladders starting at 14/12/10/8/6 and repeat.  get that in 18 minutes and start over with 17 on the clock...

Back at ya Monday!

Official Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout

Official Chris Hemsworth Thor workout

Guess who used a Kettlebell or two to get ripped?

God Like Conditioning:  How To Workout Like Thor's Chris Hemsworth

Sunday Morning Snatchfest Followed By Monday Night Kettlebell Smackdown

Sunday morning was May First.  5 months into the new year.  WOW.  Climbing the ladder to 200 in 10 is proving to be some work.  100 in 5 is one thing.  Double that is something entirely different all together.

Sunday:  Warm Up with Qi Gong Recharge
              O/H Squats with 35# bar and Pump Stretch 3 x 5
              Goblet Squats @ 16kg and TGUs with 24kg KBs 3 x5/1+1
              Club Swings 15+15 with Movements 1-3 plus Windmills @ 16kg KB 1+1
              Snatch @ 24kg KB 10+10 x 8 :50work/:60 rest

Still a little windy but not nearly as bad as the dust bowl that was Saturday morning.  Wednesday I will hit this 10+10x10 mark. 

Monday:  Warm Up with Super Joints
                32kg MP+Pull Ups+F2G* Squats  30 minutes of as many ladders as possible
                (1-5 rep on the MPs and Pull Ups & 2-10 on Squats). Worked up to 2 ladders up to 5/10
                and 1 ladder up to 2 before timer went off. 
                Push Ups(6)+Pull Overs(6)+Bulldog Swings(12)  Timer at 15 minutes.  6 rounds.

Finished Stronger.  Will work for 3 ladders up to 5 in 30 minutes and then expand the clock to add volume  on the first trio and shoot for 7 on the second trio.


*Feet Together Squats

Introducing Rich Man's Gym...

Rich Man's Gym.  I've mentioned it briefly, but now here's the real deal, follow the link here:

Introducing Rich Man's Gym - Not To Be Confused With A Poor Man's Gym

This is the article I've posted on Hub Pages detailing where the work gets done, the blood, the sweat and the tears all pour, and the spirit soars!

Please check it out good people and share your thoughts and feelings.

Training Journal for 4/30 Rich Man's Gym Gets Blown Away

OK, so Rich Man's Gym is open when it's hot and when it's cold.  If it rains, there's a big ass tree to keep me and my Kettlebells 85% - 95% relatively dry.  When it's night time, there are street lamps and the lights of the park to light my way.  Basically, Rich Man's Gym is very similar to the Postal Service in the fact that weather will not prevent training...  until it gets windy.  Either way, there will be no shooting.

Here in lies the down side of out door training during a wind advisory.  Rich Man's Gym get's dusty as hell.  Plus all kinds of pollen and crap gets stirred up.  Last time I trained in the wind, I had to finish early because my chest and lungs started to feel like they did pre-2002 and remind me of nights spent drinkin' and smokin' too much.  The good news there is I learned how to stop smoking without killing anyone and haven't smoked since '02. 

However, a heavy snatch workout should not leave you coughing and feeling like you just smoked a pack and half of Camels in one night.  Slightly exaggerated to emphasize a point.  Bottom line, when I hit Balboa park on Saturday morning, there was a haze of dust and pollen hanging in the air that just said, "Well, Dave, perhaps you'll fair better just going back home and trying that workout you saw last week on T-Nation."

Or at least one drill...  so here's how Saturday went down.  Was supposed to Snatch but instead...

Triceps Push Ups with Feet Elevated On A Swissball like so:

That is not me by the way...

I did 6 reps of that alternated with 6 Feet Together Squats (FTGS) working to get as low as possible and still stay on my heals.

20 minutes of that followed up by another 15 minutes of Hanging Leg Raises (6) and Home Made Single Leg Donkey Calf Raises on the stairs (6+6)

In a few minutes, I'm going to go try this Snatch workout again...