ETK Week1-Day 2 TGU

Warm up - repeated 3.67 times in 10 mins.

• Goblet Squats (16kg) 10 reps
• Halos (16kg) 10 reps
• Pumps 10 reps

Work, total time = 5 minutes

• alternate TGU 16kg singles (left/right)

Results: 8sets per side

Notes: So I made a point of tensing glutes, quads, abs, tliting pelvis, pushing thru heels while going goblet quats. This is to help retrain my swing form. so far so go.

ETK Week 1 Day 1 [Swings]

Re-started ETK workbook from ArtofStrength.com

Warm up - repeated 4 times in 10 mins.

• Goblet Squats (16kg) 10 reps
• Halos (16kg) 10 reps
• Pumps 10 reps

Work(12 mins)

• Swings
• Jumping Jacks (1 min)
• Swings
• Running in place (1 min)
• Swings
• Jumping Jacks (1 min)
• Swings
• Running in place (1 min)
• Swings
• Jumping Jacks (1 min)

Rest day...sorta

Took today off to recuperate. I went for a killer bike ride yesterday after my session. (I picked up a nice kona mountain bike on sale. w00t!) My hams and my arse are tender!

I'll get back into the SWING of things tomorrow.
Keira did mention that there is some chatter amongst the RKC professionals about the new vo2max protocol and how it is actually making people loose form as they focus on speed.

Well, off to do some more riding...

My session w/ Keira

Wow....

My form sucks! Ok, maybe not as bad as that, but my technique has slipped. I have had 1 prior RKC lesson over 2 years ago. I regret not touching base w/ another one sooner.

Keira immediately pinned my hip snap as bad; we went back to basics.

• Swings!!!

It was amazing how little I snapped and locked my hips, knees, buttcheeks (even though I thought I was) and how much I relied on leaning back slightly while swinging (and snatching and pressing....)

I spent an hour alternating between 10 reps, a little chit-chat about form, followed by more 10 rep sets. Though I did very little volume (compared to my normal workouts) I was gassed! Full body tension is a kick in the pants.

I'm going back to basics, bringing swings back in to my routine. My vo2max work is on hold till I get this under control.

Time off

My low back was really sore during a VWC workout a few days back. I decided to hold off until I get my form figured out.

I'm off to see Keira over at dkbfitness tomorrow for a tune up. Hopefully she can sort this out for me!

VWC Today

Low back was really tweaking. Only made it to 33sets.

EDT Numbers

Started w/ Double 53# Front Squat Superset w/ 2H 96# Swings

About the 4th set I needed to drop the double front squat to a single kb front squat (70#)

A little off today, so I made it to about 10 sets....

VWC Numbers

Broke even yesterday on my VWC, 35 sets

Guitar Hero

Just bought myself a new toy. Guitar Hero: World Tour & the new Metallica disc for my Wii.

I think I even managed to get my wife hooked on it, which is huge because she's one of those "I don't like to play video games" type of people!

Even threw the 5 y/o on drums (beginner mode where all you have to do is hit any drum pad.)

I'm working on my 'gravel-ly' voice right now for all those cool

By far, the drums are the hardest to learn... Now I just need to think up a band name.

Heavy Kettlebell work

Decided to focus on some heavy KB work today. Priamrily High Pulls.

High Pulls (l/r) 10 reps w/ 70# (No rest)
1H Swings (l/r) 10 reps w/ 70# (No rest)
High Pulls (l/r) 6 reps w/ 53# (1 min rest)

1H Swings (l) 10 reps w/ 70# (No rest)
1H Swings (r) 10 reps w/ 70# (1 min rest)

High Pulls (l/r) 6 reps w/ 53# (No rest)
High Pulls (l/r) 6 reps w/ 53# (1 min rest)

50' 1H overhead KB Walk (l) w/ 70# (no rest)
50' 1H overhead KB Walk (r) w/ 70# (1 min rest)

10 Snatches (l) w/ 53# (1 min rest)
10 Snatches (r) w/ 53# (1 min rest)

50' 1H overhead KB Walk (l) w/ 70# (no rest)
50' 1H overhead KB Walk (r) w/ 70# (2 min rest)

10 Slow and Controlled Sit-ups*
10 Sidebends (l/r) w/ 70#
10 Slow and Controlled Sit-ups*
10 Sidebends (l/r) w/ 70#

*Slow and controlled sit-ups: Place two KB's on their side, horns facing your butt with you feet tucked up against the bell side. Perform a sit-up. It should take 4 seconds up and 4 seconds down. If you need to, engage your feet/hams against the bell to maintain this slow pace. You should really feel the burn before the 5th rep.

Todays Viking Warrior Conditioning Numbers

Put on some Marine corp running cadences and did this today:
35 Sets, oh yea!

My lower back was a bit sore from Weds workout. My guess is that my form got sloppy towards the end (rounded back at the bottom??).
I was a little worried when I went to sleep Weds night and my back was already sore. At my advanced age (37) going to sleep sore might mean you'll wake up and not be able to move! BUT, I was fine.
I'm on my way to being a Man Among Men.

%CHANGE = 16.6667

Escalating Density Training Day

Just cranked a good EDT workout at lunch today.

In 25 minutes time I did 16 sets of the following

• 53# Double KB Clean & Press 5 reps (rest 30secs) then
• 70# Double Ballistic KB Rows 5 reps (rest 30secs) then repeat

Works out to 80 C&P (total weight moved: 8480#'s )
80 Rows (total weight moved: 21,000#'s )
Yea, I'm a manly man, lifting 29,480# during my lunch hour.

Hooah!

RED LETTER DAY

I did it!

I broke a significant snatch barrier today!
As you may have seen from my prev posts, I was adding 1 set every time I did the VO2 training.

Well today, after a late start I nailed 30sets! I feel fantastic.
so what was different?

For one, I ended up eating a hotdog about an hour before my workout (Company event, so I was sorta required to eat one).

Second, I think I nailed the form. I really made a whipping motion with my body when bending at the hips. The whole action was way more aggressive than before. I think this actually increased my energy efficiency (took a lot longer to get tired)

So, I think I will add a small amount of protein and carbs an hour before my meal, and I will make a point to really crank on the hipflex.

So, yay me!

Right Shoulder feeling tweaky

Shoulder is feeling a little tweaky.

I think I have not been holding my scapula back when I drop the kettlebell forward.

On weds I will make more of an effort to focus on my form during the drop phase of the snatch.

VWC Session 4

Warm up:

• Halos
• Pumps
• Goblet Squats
  

VWC:

• Managed to squeak out 18 sets. 126 snatches, not too bad, but I have a long way to go.
  

One target at a time.

I am still fighting with breathing and form, but its slowly getting better. I am increasing at around 5% per session... I'm hoping things will click and I will soon be able to get some larger numbers.

I have noticed that on VWC days, I have A LOT more energy during the day. I must say, i really like that!

VWC is very much a mental game.

I am also knocking around the idea of doing VWC on M,W,F and various Strength routines on the other days. We'll see how that plays out.

My 96# KB should be here weds, tiem for soem heavy swings, hooah!

Working on Viking Warrior Conditioning from Kenneth Jay.

Just finished my third VWC workout and I am gassed.

Having done the cMOV2 test, I know the following:

• Suggestion: 1 (Maintain Strength while working on Conditioning)
• Protocol: 15:15
• Reps: 7 reps per set.
• Kettlebell: 16kg

My first workout yielded 21 sets. Not a bad start. I was hoping to increase my numbers by 10% each session.

Second session resulted in only 16 sets. Bummer, but maybe I am feeling the strain from my strength conditioning. I decided to take a day off to see what my number looked like.

Today I managed to do 17 sets before my cadence slipped. I was really hoping to nail 20 today.

I think I am not as in as good of shape as I thought.
Oh well, ya gotta start somewhere.

Ultimately I need to do 80 sets before I can progress to the next level. UGH!

After a few minutes rest I decided to do a dual session and do some strength work.

I found a new routine called EDT (Escalating Density Training) from Mike Mahlers aggressive Strength eBook.

Upper Body
A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 53#, rest 30 seconds
A-2: Double Bent-over Row 70#, rest 30 seconds

Later this week I will do a Lower Body routine like this:
A-1: Double Front Squat 53#, rest 30 seconds
A-2: Double Swing 70#, rest 30 seconds

I did about 15 minutes worth of this. Aiming for 25 minutes.

Tomorrow is another day!