Much More Doc Says

Recent Sessions - Preparing for a change

2009-03-26T08:54:00.004-05:00

Hello again,
I have really fallen off in my posting now that I'm keeping a separate online journal (private) of my training. I plan to continue posting the occasional session after this but will focus my posts on other health related topics in the future.

Personally, I am making gradual progress in my training and have not been pushing things too fast. This is a big change for me and I am learning to train without the threat level being so high all the time, thanks to my deepening understanding of Z health. (I neglected to post that I attended T-phase in February).

My current training goals are to:

Work up to 400 rep sessions with my new 20kg bell

Work up to bodyweight pullups via the lat pulldown

Refine my movement quality and ability to use a heavy bell in the TGU

Get back to Military Press Ladders! I have a new 28kg bell waiting for me!

My left deltoid has been causing me pain in mid military press for quite some time and I have not yet resolved this issue so I have laid off of them for quite a while. I'm not happy about this, as they are one of my favorite movements, but I have replaced them with Turkish Get-Ups (TGU) and have worked at refining and improving my skill with these. It's an interesting turn of events as after reading Dragon Door articles by Gray Cook about Primitive Patterns and Gray Cook & Brett Jones article promoting Kettlebells from the Ground Up I am quite curious about using them as a rehab tool.

Here is the last month of my training (edited for the blogosphere). I am posting much more personal (and often boring to the reader) stuff that I'd like to track and recall later. Enjoy!

3/24/09

PM - 10 min Z-Health warm-up - 90% R-phase - did 9 position toe pulls & 3 posit lat. ankle tilts

Working Sets w/20kg - 4 laps between sets - Cross crawl drills and 9 posit. toe pulls several times
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (10 x 5) = 50 reps = 250 reps total - Moderate/Hard - done in ~17min - 85% pulse rt

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong
Swing 1 - 36 reps
Swing 2 - 36 reps
Swing 3 - 16 reps

3/23/09

PM - Z Health - 5 min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase - just a few cross-crawl drills

Working Sets w/20kg
TGU - 5 x 4 L,R - getting easier, both overall and at my tough spot
Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 4 @ 160 lbs - 'opposite' focus - extra rep could not get bar to chest (but almost)

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/21/09
a 3 hr walk in woods (off trail for much of it) on Saturday

3/20/09
PM - short demo of KB techniques: TGU, Swing, Snatch, BUP, CoC grippers

10 min Z-Health warm-up - 90% R-phase - did 9 position toe pulls

Working Sets w/20kg - 4 laps between sets
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (10 x 5) = 50 reps = 250 reps total - Moderate/Hard - did it fast too ~12min - 85% pulse rt

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/19/09

PM - Z Health
5 min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase - just a few cross-crawl drills

Working Sets w/20kg
TGU - 5 x 4 L,R - getting easier, both overall and at my tough spot
Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 4 @ 160 lbs - 'opposite' focus - extra rep could not get bar to chest (but almost)

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/17/09

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase

Working Sets w/20kg - 4 laps between sets
Swings - (8 L,R x2) x 5 = 160 reps

Hindu Squats (8 x 5) = 40 reps = 200 reps total - Easy -Moderate - did it fast too

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong
Cloud Hands - 2 min
Swing 1 - 2 min
Swing 2 - 2 min

3/16/09
very fatigued today - limited sleep last night

PM -Z-Health
spent lots of time going through all R drills carefully

Dao Zou - about 10 laps

Qigong
Cloud Hands - 60 secs
Swing 1 - 60 secs
Swing 2 - 60 secs
Swing 3 - 60 secs

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds -extra time on R side to ^ ROM

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/15
1 hr walk, moderate pace -some Z to reduce sacral px

3/14
1 hr walk, moderate pace, plenty of Z to reduce sacral px

3/13/09

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase - again - toe pulls, K27/cross-crawl drills - getting easier to do at speed

Working Sets w/16kg - not enough sleep last night - tired all day - need a light cardio workout today - 16 kg got the call
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 6 = 240 reps

Hindu Squats (10 x 6) = 60 reps = 300 reps total - easy-moderate

Did all 5 sets with minimal rest - done in about 15 minutes

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/12/09
AM- most of Acu-pts routine

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase - again K27/cross-crawl drills - getting easier to do at speed

Working Sets w/20kg
TGU - 5 x 4 L,R - see notes below
Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 3 @ 160 lbs - 'opposite' focus - extra rep no prob until last set, then only slightly

Re: TGU - read Gray Cook/Brett Jone's Dragon Door article on TGUs and primitive movement patterns. Realized that I probably have an issue here because I have so much trouble rotating and flexing my torso, which is related to my cross-crawl/switching issue. Focus on crisp form, good control of bell at all times - esp. at middle to end of first 'pushoff' to 'position 2' as well as that spot on the way down.

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/10/09

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase - again K27/cross-crawl drills - getting easier to do at speed

Working Sets w/16kg - need a 'pure' cardio workout today to blow off steam - 16 kg is light enough for that
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 6 = 240 reps

Hindu Squats (10 x 6) = 60 reps = 300 reps total - moderate

Did all 5 sets with minimal rest - done in about 15 minutes

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong
Cloud Hands - 60 secs
Swing 1 - 60 secs
Swing 2 - 60 secs
Swing 3 - 60 secs

3/9/09

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase

Dao Zou -
several laps

Working Sets w/20kg - 3 toe pulls, lat. ankle tilts
Military Clean & Press -experimental - my L shoulder was acting extra weird since yesterday but for some reason, I could actually do presses with almost no pain 3 x 5 -

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong
Cloud Hands - 60 secs
Swing 1 - 60 secs
Swing 2 - 60 secs
Swing 3 - 60 secs

3/6/09

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase

Working Sets w/20kg - 3 toe pulls, lat. ankle tilts and cross-crawl work before & between all sets
Swings - (8 L,R x2) x 5 = 160 reps

Hindu Squats (10 x 5) = 50 reps = 210 reps total - Moderate - pulse to 85% of max

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong
Cloud Hands - 60 secs
Swing 1 - 60 secs
Swing 2 - 60 secs

3/5/09
AM - not enough sleep last night, somewhat restless as well: 6/10 - 10 being a perfect night's sleep (fall asleep very quickly, stay deeply asleep all night long, awake refreshed after enough hours - 7 for me)

PM-Z-Health - quick R based warm up - 3 toe pulls, lat. ankle tilts and cross-crawl work before & between all sets

Working Sets w/20kg
TGU - 5 x 3 L,R - focus on crisp form, good control of bell at all times - need forceful 'pushoff' and good focus to arrive at '2nd position' w/bell fully under control - same for last position
Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 4 @ 150 lbs - 'opposite' focus - extra rep no prob until last set, then only slightly

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/4/09
AM- partial Acu-pts

PM - Z-Health - 5 min R/I warmup - many drills in 'hike pass' position

Working Sets w/16kg lots of toe pulls (all 3) and lat ankle tilts seem to smooth out the SI fxn very nicely
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (12 x 5) = 60 reps = 260 reps total - easy

Did all 5 sets with minimal rest - done in about 12 minutes as opposed to normally 17 min!

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 1 rd -

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/3/09
AM - 2/3 main acu pts
snow shoveling ~ 20 min

PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 90% R-phase, 10% I-phase (toe waves - have been including these for months) - include Cranials & Cross-Crawl moves/K27

Working Sets w/20kg - Moderate strength session today
TGU - 5 x 3 L,R -
Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 3 @ 150 lbs - focus on pulling myself up to the bar instead of pulling the bar down to me

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

3/2/09
PM - Z Health
10min warm up - 100% R-phase, & include Cranials, Cross-Crawl moves/K27 between many sets

sleeping better - Myocalm PM & massages helping! - but need to do very easy cardio session AGAIN today to make sure my back is OK -

Working Sets w/16kg lots of toe pulls (all 3) and ankle tilts seem to smooth out the SI fxn very nicely
Swings - (10 L,R x2) x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (12 x 5) = 60 reps = 260 reps total - easy

Neck Bridging - feet flat x 5 (10 "rocks')

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 1 rd -

Sun Salute - 1 rd

One Big-assed long & boring post

2009-01-24T17:54:00.002-06:00

Hello! It's been so long since I posted. Can't come up with anything fancy, just a huge download of what I've been up to in the last 6 weeks. As you'll see with a quick glance, I have been working out, just 'punching the clock' and nothing special to say. I finally got myself a real girlfriend and my priorities have shifted a bit.

Bottom line is the Holidays, relationship and staving off illness caused me to step back a bit from my training progression. Now I am covering old ground with a few new twists: regular qigong training and my lat pulls are steadily improving. In a few months I expect to be able to do bodyweight pullups, my real goal with these.

1/23/09
PM - Z Health
10 min warm up - FBS - 90% R-phase

Working Sets w/16kg

Swings - (12 L,R x 2)x 5 = 240 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps = 340 reps total

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 150 lbs - hard to get last rep down to chest in last set

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

All 3 swings - 30 secs ea.

1/22/09
PM - Z Health
10 min warm up - FBS - R-phase

Working Sets- w/24kg

Military Press Ladder -5 x (1,2,3) L,R- easy except L delt hurts in mid-press

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 150 lbs - pretty easy except for the last rep of last set
Dao Zou - many laps around room as recovery time between working sets - many variations used

Yoga

Polarity Squat - L,R, & F,B & circles CW, CCW

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Qigong

Cloud Hands - 1 minute

1st & 2nd swing - 1 minute

1/20/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Cloud Hands - 1 minute

1st & 2nd swing - 1 minute

Working Sets w/16kg

Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (10 L,R x 5) 1 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps = 300 reps total

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 150 lbs - hard to get last rep down to chest in last 2 sets

1/19/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - mostly R drills - whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Cloud Hands - 1 minute

1st & 2nd swing - 1 minute

Swings - (10 L,R x 2)x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (15 x 5) = 75 reps = 275 reps total

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 4 x 5 @ 150 lbs - hard to get last 2 reps down to chest in last 3 sets

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

1/16/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - mostly R drills - whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Cloud Hands - several minutes

1st & 2nd swing - several minutes

Swings - (10 L,R x 2)x 5 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (15 x 5) = 75 reps = 275 reps total

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 4 x 5 @ 150 lbs - hard to get last rep down to chest in last 3 sets

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Dao Zou

6-8 laps, some w/hand on middle burner ~ 400 steps?

1/15/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - mostly R drills - whole body

Working Sets-

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Cloud Hands - several minutes

1st & 2nd swing - several minutes

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 4 x 5 @ 150 lbs - hard to get last reps down to chest

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

1/13/09

1/12/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - mostly R drills - whole body

Working Sets- w/24kg

Snatch - 10 L,R on the minute 3x (takes 40 sec) - many minutes betweeen sets

Military Press Ladder -5 x (1,2,3) L,R

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 140 lbs

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

1/9/09

PM - Z health - FBS

Working Sets- w/24kg

Dao Zou - several laps around the gym

Cloud Hands - several minutes

1st & 2nd swing - several minutes

Snatch - 10 L,R on the minute 2x -experimental (takes 40 sec)

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 140 lbs

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

1/8/09

Felt sick today - no workout at all

1/7/09

Patient after work & Carb load day - no exercise time

1/6/09

AM - watched Dao Zou DVDs - good stuff! Look forward to adding it into my day. This is Matt Furey's 'backwards training' info

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - mostly R drills - whole body

Working Sets- w/24kg

Snatch - 5 x 5 L,R

Military Press Ladder -5 x (1,2,3) L,R

Lat pulldown - wide front grip - 5 x 5 @ 130 lbs (was too easy - will switch to 140 next time)

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

1/5/09

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (10 L,R x 5) 1 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (15 x 5) = 75 reps = 275 reps total

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

12/30/08

PM -

Acu pts-

Z-Health - 15 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Qigong

Cloud Hands ~ 2 min

All 3 swings ~ 2 min ea.

Heaven & Earth - 5 rds

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Long layoff over Holidays- plan to use it as a wave and re-start training

12/23/08

AM - Long Life Acu-pts (all up to face/head)

Shovel snow -yeah, I consider this a workout!

Bad indigestion - can't do anything too taxing w/o making it worse or puking

this is a recurring habit of late (last month or so) My body tells me I need to do qigong regularly remedy this problem

PM -

Z-Health - 15 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Qigong

Cloud Hands ~ 2 min

All 3 swings ~ 2 min ea.

Heaven & Earth - 5 rds

Working Sets

Lat pulldown - wide grip - front - worked in between yoga exercises
5 x 5 @130 lbs

Yoga

Polarity Squat - 36 L,R, 16 F,B and 5 circles in both directions

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds - focus on evenness L & R - need more wt. in back leg when facing R. Also L shoulder ROM not as good when doing R side

Sun Salute - 1 rd

12/22/08

AM - 2/3 main pts

Not feeling strong or ready for a hard workout (again) - whip up something not too hard:

PM -

Z-Health - 10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets

Lat pulldown - wide grip - front
3 x 5, 1 x 10 @120 lbs

TGU - w/24kg

2 x 3 L, R

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

12/19/08

AM - Long life Acu-pts

PM -

Wanted an easy strength-based session today - this fit the bill

Z-Health - 10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets

Lat pulldown - wide grip - front
2 x 5 @110 lbs, 3 x 5 @ 130 lbs (110 was too easy)

1-arm Bent Row - 70 lb dumbell

5 x 5 L,R

Military Press Ladder - w/24kg
5 x (1,2,3) L,R

Yoga

Neck Bridge - 10 rocks

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - use 'warrior stance' to get more hip flexor stretch, hands & feet closer in down dog posit.

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles ~ 2 min

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'
Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Neck Bridge -10 'rocks'
Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'

12/18/08

AM - main 3 pts

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (10 L,R x 5) 1 = 200 reps - some sets done with eyes closed - swings easy, snatches take more focus

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps = 300 reps total

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds -

12/16/08

AM- Long Life Acu-pts

Shovel walk & driveway

Demo KB drills w/Calvin - Clean, press, swing, snatch, TGU, BUP w/24 & 16kg

1 x 3 L,R w/32kg

PM - Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Snatches - (10 L, R x 4) + Swings - (10 L,R x 4) 1 = 160 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 80 reps = 240 reps total

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds -

12/15/08

AM- partial Long life pts

feeling way off today - Z health session - 30 min I & R phase

Qigong

Cloud Hands

All 3 swings

Yoga

Polarity Squat - usual

Sun Salute - 1 rd

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Sun Salute - 1 rd

12/12/08

AM - long life Acu-pts

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets

Lat pulldown - wide grip - behind neck - hurts neck/shoulders - won't do behind neck again
5 x 5 @100 lbs

Lat pulldown - w/pullup grip (thumbless)

5 x 3 @ 150 lbs

1-arm Bent Row - 70 lb dumbell

5 x 5

Military Press Ladder - w/24kg
5 x (1,2,3) L,R

Yoga

Neck Bridge - 10 rocks

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'
Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Neck Bridge -10 'rocks'
Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Neck Bridge - 10 'rocks'

12/11/08

AM - long life Acu-pts

PM -

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets w/16kg

Snatches - (12 L, R x 5) + Swings - (12 L,R x 5) 1 = 240 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps = 340 reps total

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds -

PR Tonight!

2008-12-10T20:15:00.002-06:00

AM - long life Acu pts

PM
Z health - warm up ~ 10 min

Experimental swing weight ladder - 3 x 1 L,R w/ 16, 24, 32kg bells - I decided to save them for another time

Working Sets
Pullups - bodyweight (220lbs)
5 x 1

1-arm Bent Row -w/32kg KB
5 x 5

Military Press Ladder - w/32kg
5 x (1,2,3) - this is a PR for me! I was really grinding these out -several seconds to finish the reps in the last sets of each ladder. Very tough but the power was there, so I did it! I really felt it in my lower back and obliques and of course delts, triceps and grip.

Janda Sit-ups - on Pavelizer II w/35lbs - getting a bit easier - L calf & both hamstrings cramping
5 x 5 w/mini-bands

Wow! I actually impressed myself tonight. I did 30 reps Military Press L & R w/a 32kg bell! That is a PR for me! Yeah!

Training Update

2008-12-10T20:06:00.004-06:00

12/9/08

AM - main 3 Acu-pts

Feeling on the edge of a cold or something - decide to take it very easy today

Z-Health - full body session w/ knees @8 foot positions, 6 ankle drills, 9posit. foot drills, etc. - spent over 20 minutes on Z- only. It's been a while since I did this much focused Z. It left me feeling pretty good.

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds - extra focus on mobilization in triangle pose to improve shoulder position as well as depth

Qigong - (this is all taught by B.K. Frantzis and highly recommended)

Cloud Hands - correct R knee position when 'full' (too far forward)

1st, 2nd & 3rd swings - getting better at 3rd swing

Heaven & Earth - 3 rds

12/8/08

AM - Long life Acu-pts

PM -

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Not feeling real strong today - go for an easy cardio-type workout with those lats thrown in

Working Sets w16kg

Swings - (10 L,R x 5) + Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) = 200 reps - reversed the order of the drills for a little variety

Hindu Squats (15 x 5) = 75 reps - total 275 work reps

Lat pulldown - w/pullup grip (thumbless)

5 x 3 @ 150 lbs

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

12/7/08

Review standing dissolving meditation and 3 swings - see above (B.K.Frantzis)

10 min dissolving

3 swings - ~1 min each

12/6/08

AM - partial Long life pts

Very long walk - 1.5 hrs, at gentle pace

The latest

2008-12-04T18:14:00.000-06:00

12/4/08

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets
Neck Bridge -
5 x 10 'rocks'

Military Press Ladder - w/24kg
5 x (1,2,3,4) L,R

Lat pulldown - w/pullup grip (thumbless)

5 x 3 @ 150 lbs

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Stair climbing -
11 flights up & down 1x

12/2/08

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets

Military Press Ladder - w/24kg - wanted it to be easy today (and it was)
5 x (1,2,3) L,R

Dumbell Row - 1-arm - w/70lb - not too hard

5 x 5

Lat pulldown - w/pullup grip (thumbless)

5 x 4 @ 120 lbs.

Yoga

Neck bridge - 10 rocks - all done flatfooted - focus on hip thrust & 'chest forward' - getting to hairline now
Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Neck bridge - 10 rocks
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Neck bridge - 10 rocks
Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Neck bridge - 10 rocks
Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Neck bridge - 10 rocks

12/1/08

Took semi-intentional/spontaneous layoff over long weekend -a wave cycling reduction to re-peak on my Military press ladder and overall.

I realized my lats are pitiful (and I used to have some little wings when I was younger) so I am going to regularly work them from now on. My 1st goal is 5 legit bodyweight pullups. I expect that to take several months.

Improvised workout to day - wanted to get lat sets in but was planning on doing mod. BMF: Not a good combo - need to rethink this one.

Z-Health

10 min warm up - R & I drills whole body

Working Sets

Pullups - on lat pulldown machine

1 x 5, 4 x 3 @ 140lbs - pullup grip - able to get below chin but not quite to sternum - maybe the lack of ROM is purely a strength issue

Dumbell row - 1arm - w/70lb
4 x 5 L,R

Hindu Squats - 5 x 15

Snatch & Swing combo -

1 x (10 + 10 L,R), 4 x (5 + 5 L,R)

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Neck Bridge -flat footed
3 x 10 'rocks' (rocking back & forth from crown of head to forehead - 30 sec.)

11/27/08
AM - Long Life pts w/Furey Qigong

PM -
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Sets -
KB row - w/24kg
2 x 6 L,R

Pullups - w/2 monster mini band assist - very hard to get full ROM- getting stuck at face level - feels like a mobility/upperback strength issue
5 x 3

Military Press Ladder - w/32kg
5 x (1,2) L,R - liberal rest breaks between ladders

KB row - w/32kg
3 x 6

Neck Bridge -flat footed
3 x 10 'rocks' (rocking back & forth from crown of head to forhead - 30 sec.)

Janda Situps - w/ 1mini-band assist (on Pavelizer II w/30lbs.)
5 x 5

11/25/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (12 L,R x 5) 1 = 220 reps

Hindu Squats (25 x 5) = 125 reps - 345 work reps

Took extra time between sets - about 5 laps around the room instead of 4 - 6 before the last set

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/24/08

AM -long life pts w/Furey Qigong

Review Secrets of the core & Secrets of Hip & knee

PM -

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 15 min

Working Sets:
Military Press Ladder: 5x(1,2,3,4) L,R = 100reps - tougher than i wanted it to be today, esp. delts

Hindu Squats - 5 x 20 = 100 reps

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Update

2008-11-23T17:20:00.003-06:00

11/23/08
AM Long life Acupoints
Shooting with Aaron - lots of fun but I need more practice! Aaron gave me a good tip and I will practice it at home to improve my smoothness between shots, which should increase my precision significantly.

Oh yeah, I pressed Aaron's bulldog again! (R only) 2 attempts at L was not quite there. The R side was actually EASY! I came home and did 2 reps with my 32kg on the L, which was also easy. 8 kilos is a BIG jump to make with something like this.

11/22/08
AM: Partial only -Long Life Acu-points

PM: I walked for an hour on the trail near my house in the late afternoon. Chilly but relaxing. I saw 11 species of birds including 2 bald eagles. Nice.

11/21/08

AM: Partial only -Long Life Acu-points

PM:
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Sets:
Military Press Ladder: 5x(1,2,3) L,R = 60reps - tougher than i wanted it to be today

Hindu Squats - 5 x 20 = 100 reps

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Active rest: 10 min - dice roll today: 3 - Snatch (24kg) - 10 L,R - big difference from using 16kg!

11/20/08

AM: Long Life Acu-points w/Furey Qigong

PM:
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (10 L,R x 5) 1 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (25 x 5) = 125 reps - after yesterday's session, I was really sucking wind today. Had to take extra time between sets

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

More Training

2008-11-19T21:07:00.001-06:00

11/19/08
AM: Long Life Acu-points w/Furey Qigong

PM:
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working Sets:
Military Press Ladder: 4x(1,2,3,4,5) + 1x(1,2,3,4,4) - 2 reps short of a full Ladder! Yeah!!

Active rest: 10 min - dice roll today: 8

Swings - using 15:15 format (mostly) - 144 reps! - pretty tough. Realized the wisdom of on the minute snatching and will use that protocol for upcoming test practice.

11/18/08

Skipped Acu-points this morning

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min - lots of belching!

Bad indigestion today (Burger King for lunch & ate too much! Double Whopper & Double bacon cheeseburger - I guess I was craving (ya think?) - could not do planned workout without puking, so I improvised: Had recently rewatched Furey's Combat conditioning DVDs so experimented with:

Back bridge 2 x 10 'rocks'

Table Maker - 1 x 5 reps - really stretches biceps/shoulders, esp. R

Hindu jumper squats ~ 12 - tough to get the hang of - will need to re-view the DVD on this- really felt it in the lateral calves too

Hindu pushups w/wide stance - 10 - also felt in lateral calves, esp R

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/17/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Snatches - (10 L, R x 5) + Swings - (10 L,R x 5) 1 = 200 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps - needed to ease back into things after 3 days off (but in brutal winds, which was very demanding physically, mentally and emotionally)

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/14/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3,4) x 5 L,R - fairly tough at the end

Hindu Squats - (5 x 15) = 75 reps

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/13/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps - a moderate session today

I did the entire superset in 15 minutes! I'm thinking I will a round and work up to 8-10 for a cardio-style workouts

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 2 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - extra time spent in hamstring & hip flexor stretch

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Training update

2008-11-12T22:14:00.005-06:00

I keep my training log in a Google doc so I can update it quickly while I'm at work - (I'm taking an hour off my day to use the aerobics room- usually alone - for my KB work)

It's so un-sexy but I don't always have time to post so here's another lump of training data:

11/11/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3) x 5 L,R - still taking it easy

Hindu Squats - (5 x 15) = 75 reps

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/10/08
Day 1 of 7 on NHE induction - less than 20 grams of carbs for entire day - had funky head today - body shifting already?

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 15 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Snatches - (10 L, R x 5 = 50 reps

Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps - needed to ease back into things after 3 days off (but in brutal winds, which was very demanding physically, mentally and emotionally)

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/8 - 11/9/08

Deer hunting - moderate amounts of walking - lots of sitting in 25-35 mph winds in 25-30 degree temps - brutal

11/6/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - [(1,2,3,4,5) x 3 L,R] + [(1,2,3,4, 3) x 2 L,R] - pushing it today. Only 4 reps from a full 5x5 ladder! Brutal today.
Hindu Squats - (1 x 30) = 30 reps

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

11/4/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Snatches - (15 L, R x 2) x 1 = 60 reps

Swings (15 L, R x 2) x 2 = 120 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 3) = 90 reps - this was a brief but tough workout - the snatches were draining and the few extra reps made a difference!

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rds

Recent training update

2008-11-03T16:10:00.007-06:00

11/3/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - [(1,2,3,) x 4 L,R] + [(1,2,3,4) x 1 L,R] - need to ease back into things
Hindu Squats - (5 x 15) = 75 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Triangle Pose - 1 rd

10/30/08 - Yes, it's been this long since I have trained - went to Florida very early on the 25th and didn't return until mid-day on the 28th - no real excuse but that's my story

Another Note: I've been doing the Chinese Long-Life acu-points every morning since I returned from Florida

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats (20 x 5) = 100 reps - easing back into things

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Triangle Pose - 2 rds

10/24/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Swings (12 L, R x 2) x 5 = 240 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 5) = 150 reps - then 10 more at the end of the workout = 160 = 400 reps!

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Triangle Pose -

10/23/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - [(1,2,3,4,5) x 2 L,R] + [(1,2,3,4) x 3 L,R] - kind of tough today
Hindu Squats - (1 x 40) = 40 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Triangle Pose

10/21/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 5) = 150 reps - this was not too hard today

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd. Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills for thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee
Cossack - 1 rep L, R

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T22:28:00.003-05:00

I don't know what got into me, but many of us at Health Fitness got into the Halloween spirit and wore costumes: I got into my character and the angel on my right could barely control me - the she-devil on my left was running the show for much of the day...

I got a little too into my character, I guess - I was genuinely scaring people all day

More Training

2008-10-20T16:03:00.000-05:00

10/20/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w 24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3) x 5 L,R
Hindu Squats - (15 x 5) = 75 reps

Back was off this morning - got adjusted so decided to take it easy today

10/17/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w16kg
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 5) = 150 reps - this was hard today!

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills for thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee
Cossack - 1 rep L, R

10/16/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Sets w/24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3,4,5) x 1 + (1,2,3,4) x 4, - L,R - did each ladder nonstop & took long (2-3min) walk breaks in between ladders

Yoga
Sun Salute - 2 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Triangle Pose - 1 rep L, R - Z drills before
Cossack - 1 rd

Training Progress

2008-10-15T19:36:00.008-05:00

10/15/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Supersets w16kg

Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 3 + (12 L, R x 2) x 2 = 216 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 5) = 150 reps

At 366 reps, this is a tough workout, but I have a plan: I will hold at 150 reps in Hindu Squats for a while and work up to 5 sets of 12 x 4 (L,R) with the 16kg. That will be total 390 reps! I will add 10 more Squats to make it an even 400.

Next I may try moving up to the 24kg with the same format or switch to something else for a change.

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - extra time spent in downward dog & Lunge positions
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - done at faster pace - almost coordinated w/breathing

Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills for thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee

10/14/08

Z -Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Supersets w/24kg

Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3) x 4, (1,2,3,4,5) x 1 - L,R - did each ladder nonstop & took walk breaks in between ladders

Hindu Squats - 35 x 1 = 35 reps

I definitely will be working up to 5 x 5 ladders with the 1.5p. Then what's next? Hmmmm. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Polarity Squat- F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Triangle Pose - 1 rep L, R - Z drills before

Cossack - 1 rd.

10/13/08

very tired, sleepy & depressed at workout time - nap instead

10/12/08
walking on logging roads & ATV trails ~ 3 hrs - ditto yesterday

10/11/08
Up north scouting and preparing for deer hunting season. Did a little grouse hunting too

walking on logging roads & ATV trails ~ 2 hrs - hanging deer stands. Occasional heavy carrying and lifting involved.

For those of you unacquainted with walking in the Minnesota north woods, it's not like your stroll in the mall or walk on a treadmill. These trails are very uneven, muddy and often laced with fallen tree limbs and large rocks. Once you get off the trail, it's a real workout and test of agility just walking, with all the rocks, deadfalls and thick brush, it burns some serious calories getting around! High boots are highly recommended to keep stuff out off your feet and limit twisted ankles.

10/10/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working Supersets w/16kg

Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats (30 x 4) + (20 x 1) = 140 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd. - extra time spent in downward dog & Lunge positions
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - done at faster pace - almost coordinated w/breathing

Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills for thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee

Training update

2008-10-09T15:58:00.003-05:00

10/9/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w/24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3,4) x 5 L,R - did each ladder nonstop & took walk breaks in between ladders - Pretty tough today
Hindu Squats - 30 x 1 = 35 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 2 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Triangle Pose - 1 rep L, R - Z drills pre-asana- still helping!

10/8/08
Walk - 50 min

BMF - my way

2008-10-07T15:49:00.003-05:00

10/7/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps (16kg)
Hindu Squats (30 x2) + (25 x 2) + (20 x 1) = 130 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 1 rd. - extra time spent in downward dog & Lunge positions
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd. - done at faster pace - almost coordinated w/breathing
Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills for thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee

The Hindu squats are tough. I could only do 2 sets of 30 and had to back off to sets of 25, then 20. The burn is intense and catching up the breathing is too, especially when trying to go right to a set of swings! Getting to a set of 50 in a row will be a challenge. How those dudes do sets of 100s & 100s nonstop is crazy stuff!

I did realize however, that I am doing a version of Iron Tamer's Brutal Minimalist Fitness (BMF) and as for rep totals, it is more volume! So I'm in better shape than I thought. The BMF is a total of 300 reps, 150 each of Swings and Hindu Squats.

Today I did a total of 330 reps; 200 swings & 130 Hindu Squats. It is an interesting combo of exercises and is a great cardio and lower body/drive chain workout.

The learning continues

2008-10-06T16:55:00.007-05:00

10/6/08
I stayed up too late a lot this weekend so needed to take it easy today:

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w/ 24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3) x 5 L,R - did each ladder nonstop & took walk breaks in between ladders
Hindu Squats - 30 x 1 = 30 reps - prepping for BMF - when I can do a set of 50 reps nonstop I will be ready for the real thing. In the meantime, I'll keep doing some combo of swings & Hsquats

Yoga
Sun Salute - 2 rd.
Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills in beginning & middle postion - Thoracics, hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee- ^ ROM even more adding Thoracics! I easily touched the floor on my R side doing the Z drills before attempting the move. This is a PR for me! Awesome!

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 2 min

10/4/08
Walk 30 min

10/3/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets w/ 24kg
Military Press Ladder - (1,2,3,4) x 4 - walk breaks in between
Hindu Squats - 30 x 1 = 30 reps

Yoga
Sun Salute - 2 rd.
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Triangle Pose - 1rep L, R - Z drills in beginning & middle postion - hips, pelvis, lumbar & knee- ^ ROM even more adding knee!

Training continues...progress noted

2008-10-02T11:31:00.014-05:00

Note: I am getting in the habit of using the term Training Session, or just 'training' instead of 'workout'. To me, a workout implies a rather mindless iteration of the same old same old. A cookie cutter repetition that can be done with little or no focus or attention. (I know others have introduced me to and use this concept already [Master RKC Mark Riefkind] but my thanks to Dr. Eric Cobb and Z-health for getting this concept deep enough into my cranium to actually make the shift.)

I think the term Training Session connotes focused awareness and implies a progression of some kind. Definitely not a 'hamster on a wheel' type approach. What to you think? Is it just semantics?

I also noticed that aside from the recent step up to work with the 24kg (Yay!) I was unconsciously building toward the Brutal Minimalist Fitness (BMF) routine. So I decided to get conscious about it. I looked up Sr. RKC David 'IronTamer' Whitley's training regimen and now plan to work up to accomplishing it this fall.

After using the 1.5p yesterday, I also want to redo the full 5x5 press ladder with the 24 now (I love the clean! And the Military press w/ a bell!) It's probably too much to try to do both at the same time, eh? I am wondering here if I should just continue to play with the 24kg as a strength tool (low reps/volume) while using the 16kg as an endurance/GPP tool. Ah, decisions, decisions...

The upshot is that I now feel sufficiently able to control my startle reflex AKA fight, flight or freeze reflex (thanks to cutting way back , getting lots of bodywork and doing lots of Z health) to actually have a more intensive training goal! Along with my step up to using the 24kg, this feels like significant progress in my rebuilding program! I am pretty happy about it.

What follows is a summary of my training since the last post. I have included almost all of my activities (the walking) as it was of significant duration.

10/01/08
45 min walk

9/30/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working SuperSets -USED 24kg for full training session! I haven't done this since March!

Military Press Ladder - 1,2,3,4 x 3 - walk breaks in between
Hindu Squats - 15 x 4 = 60 reps - walk breaks in between
Swings - 10 L, R = 20 reps
Snatches -5 L,R
TGU 1 rep L, R - spinal extension afterwards

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 2 min
Sun Salute - 1 partial rd.
Triangle Pose - 1 rd
spinal extension afterwards

9/29/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min

Working SuperSets (16 kg)
Swings (10 L, R x 2) x 5 = 200 reps
Hindu Squats 20 x 5 = 100 reps

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 3 min - too much flexion - irritated lumbar spine
Sun Salute - 1 partial rd.

Hunting Trip:
9/28/08
Walking on woodland ATV trails and logging roads, also through the woods some. ~4 hrs

9/27/08
Walking on woodland ATV trails and logging roads, also through the woods some. ~5 hrs

9/26/08
Walking on woodland ATV trails and logging roads, also through the woods some. ~5 hrs

9/25/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 5 min (phone call)

Working SuperSets (16 kg)
Swings 10 L, R x 1 = 20 reps - felt shift in R ilium- mm test said DO NOT continue
Hindu Squats 20 x 2 = 40 reps

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min
Sun Salute - 1 rd.
Triangle Pose - 1 rd - Z drills in beginning postion - went easy on R side d/t ilium

Carry & Lift water cans - (2-7 gallons each = 16-56lbs!)
carried ~50 ft and hoisted onto a trailer ~ 12 of 'em

Update on my Training

2008-09-24T15:13:00.005-05:00

Hello out there,
I have been too lazy and busy to post but I have been keeping track of my training. What follows is a long dump of almost all my work since the last post. I have mostly been doing Z-health, limited Kettlebell work (swings, snatches, TGU), bodyweight exercises (hindu PU & squats) and yoga. This list is way too long so feel free to skim it or ignore it altogether. I understand.

NOTE: All Kettlebell work has been with the 16kg only, unless otherwise noted

9/24/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets
Snatches 15 L, R x 3 = 90 reps
Hindu Squats 20 x 3 =60 reps

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd - Z drills in beginning postion - hips, pelvis & lumbar -helps increase ROM!

Hindu Pushup 1 x 7

9/22/08

Pilates session w/Marty Gallagher - focus on correct ab tension/patterning - not Rectus Abdominus dominant

Practice swings & snatches - tweaked form: more hip snap and keeping head erect at lock out

I actually used the 24kg for a short set of snatches!

PM

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets
Swings 10 L, R x 1 - 15 L,R x 2
Hindu Squats 20 x 3

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd - Z drills in beginning postion - hips, pelvis & lumbar -helps increase ROM!

Hindu Pushup 1 x 7

9/20/08
Walking outdoors and standing most of the day - many miles logged
Day#6 of NHE induction

9/19/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets
Snatch 15 L, R x 4 - definitely harder this way!
Hindu Squats 20 x 4

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd - Z drills in beginning postion - hips, pelvis & lumbar -helps increase ROM!

Hindu Pushup 1 x 7

9/17/08
Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - 10 min

Working SuperSets
Swing (10 L, R x 2)x 4 = 160 reps
Hindu Squats 15 x 4 = 60 reps

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd

Wallk outdoors - 45 min PM

9/16/08
Walk outdoors 20 min AM

9/15/08

feeling funky today - day 1 of NHE induction

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - very limited

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd

Working SuperSets

KB Snatch - 10 L,R x 4

Hindu Squats - 15 x 4

Hindu PU - 1 x 7

9/14/08

Walk 45 min - moderate pace

9/12/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - limited

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 2 min

Sun Salute - 2 rd.

Triangle Pose - 2 rd

Working SuperSets

KB Snatch - 10 L,R x 4

Hindu Squats - 15 x 4

TGU - 3 L,R x 1

9/11/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - limited

Yoga

Sun Salute - 1 rd.

Triangle Pose - 1 rd

Working SuperSets:

KB 1A swings - 10 L, R x 3 (16 kg)

Hindu Squats - 15 x 3

TGU - 2 L,R x 3 (16kg)

Hindu Pushup - 7 x 2

9/9/08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup - limited

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min - tested AVG - sl. decrease in ROM?

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - test OK

Triangle Pose - 1 rd - test OK

Cossack - 2 reps L, R

Hindu Squats - 15 reps x 3

Hindu Pushups - 10 reps x 3

Kettlebells - 16kg only

Snatches - 10L, R x 3 - OK!

TGU - 5(2,3) L, R

Did Circuit style today: Snatch/Squat/PU x 3

Yoga, then TGU as a finisher

9/5 08

Z-Health - combo R & I warmup

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min - tested AVG - sl. decrease in ROM?

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - test OK

Triangle Pose - 1 rd - test OK

Hindu Squats - 15 reps x 4

Hindu Pushups - 5 reps x 3

Kettlebells - 16kg only

Swings - 10L, R - sl. decrease in ROM

Snatches - 5L, R x 3 - OK!

9/4/08

Z-Health - Combo R & I warm up

- tested: Lat heel (+), OUtside and middle toe pull (+)

ankle circles (-), Both knees (-)

9/2/08

Z - Health warm up - combo of I & R phase moves for whole body. Monitored how helpful each move was via Shoulder ROM. Thoracic moves - AP, Lat. Circles and Torso rotation all DECREASE ROM.

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - 1 min - tested AVG - sl. decrease in ROM?

Sun Salute - 1 rd. - test OK

Triangle Pose - 1 rd - test OK

Hindu Squats - 10 reps - test OK

Hindu Pushups - 5 reps - test OK

Take long weekend off of all movement training

Week of 8/28 & 8/29

back was bothering me all week long - various Z moves, got adjusted by Dr. Joe on Tuesday and had Cranial work from Holly on Friday AM - both helped a lot. Massage and Emot. Clearing from Emmy helped too. Saturday was first pain free day in quite a while. Sunday in car most of day with Steve Weston (birding) was OK too.

8/25/08

Catch up notes:

8/26/08

Back/Sacrum still dysfunctional w/quite a bit of pain - Saw Dr. Joe this morning: C1 & L5

Z - began lying down again - toes, ankles, fingers, wrists, neck, pelvis

Standing toes, foot, ankle, knees, hips, pelvis

Almost standing straight - area of pain reduced -sitting at desk less painful

8/25/08

Z - began lying down - toes, ankles, fingers, wrists, neck, pelvis, hips

Standing toes, foot, ankle, knees, hips, pelvis

Psoas in spasm along w/Glut med and occas. obliques

using shoulder & neck in extension w/success to relieve px

Sitting very hard on my back!

Attended Z-Health I-phase Certification 8.21 - 8.24

8/7/08
AM - NWU2

PM:

Z-health - R-phase & I phase combo I can't describe - i just did it, didn't plan it or try to figure it out (NWU2 + R-phase)

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles - several minutes

Sun Salute - 1 rd. w/focus on combo of original & new methods

Superset CC & KBs
1A swings 10 L, R x 2 = 40 reps x 3 = 120 total reps

Hindu Squats - 20 reps x 3 = 60 reps

TGU - 2 L, R x 3 = 12 reps
Hindu Pushups - 5 reps x 3 = 15 reps

More Yoga
Cossack - 2 reps L, R
Triangle Pose 2 reps L, R - focus on opening 'front' leg hip joint to create space for lower side of torso, so I can keep it straight.

8/6/08
AM - NWU2

8/5/08
AM - NWU2

PM:

Z-health - R-phase FBS minus 6 posit. ankle & 4 posit hip. Replace with: I phase supinated wrists & fingers, All 8 lunge posit pelvic drills

Yoga

Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles

Cossack - 2 reps L, R

Sun Salute - 1 rd. w/focus on combo of original & new methods

Triangle Pose 2 reps L, R - focus on opening 'front' leg hip joint to create space for lower side of torso, so I can keep it straight.

Superset CC & KBs

Hindu Squats - 10 reps
Hindu Pushups - 5 reps

Kettlebells - w/16 kg

1A swings 10 L, R = 20 reps

This week's training sessions

2008-07-31T15:54:00.003-05:00

Pretty straightforward. Just slowly rebuilding my healthy work capacity and tolerance for load without seizing up anything or going into a 'fight, flight or freeze' mode AKA 'startle' for you Z people. Much more focus on warming up for now and building volume slowly while keeping weights modest. Humble, yes but it's working. My body isn't freaking out like it was this winter.

7/31/08

AM - NWU2

PM: Z-health - R-phase FBS minus 6 posit. ankle Replace with: I phase supinated wrists

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles
Cossack - 2 reps L, R
Sun Salute - 1 rd. w/focus combo of original & new methods

Kettlebells - w/16 kg
1A swings 5x 10 L, R = 100 reps nonstop (switch hands every 10 reps)

Superset CC & KBs
Hindu Squats - 3 x 20 = 60 reps w/ ~1 min rest between
TGU - 1 x 5 L, R = 10 reps
Hindu Pushups - 1 x 5 = 5 reps

7/30/08

CoC grip work (at my desk, GTG style, using #T for my L hand (finger injuries) and a #1 for the R.

Assisted Pullups (w/2 mini bands under my knees)
3 x 4 @ bodyweight (~210lbs currently)

These are tough - I can't get my chest (or event the base of my neck) to the bar and it feels like a flexibility issue (??) Not sure how to remedy this one

7/29/08
Z-health - R-phase FBS minus 6 posit. ankle & 4 posit hip. Replace with: I phase supinated wrists, lunge posit pelvic drills, ankle box figure 8s

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles
Cossack - 1 rep L, R
Sun Salute - 1 rd. w/focus on original method from TM
Triangle Pose - focus on opening 'front' leg hip joint to create space for lower side of torso, so I
can keep it straight.

Superset CC & KBs
Hindu Squats - 2 x 25 = 50 reps w/ 1 min rest between
Hindu Pushups - 1 x 12, 1 x 13 = 25 reps

Kettlebells - w/16 kg
1A swings 2x 1x 25 L, R = 50 reps nonstop twice w/ 1 min rest between

7/28/08
Z-health - R-phase FBS minus pelvic drills (forgot!) plus I-phase supinated wrist drills

Yoga
Polarity Squat - F & B, L & R, circles
Sun Salute - 1 rd. w/focus on variations learned from Fawn
Triangle Pose - focus on opening 'front' leg hip joint to create space for lower side of torso, so I
can keep it straight.

Combat Conditioning
Hindu Squats - 2 x 20
Hindu Pushups - 2 x 10

Kettlebells - w/16 kg
DARC swings 1x 15 L, R = 30 reps nonstop
TGU - 3 x 1, 2x 1 L, R (10 reps total)

I've been busy this week

2008-07-25T14:58:00.010-05:00

My son Calvin wrecked his car on Monday afternoon. Fortunately, he is OK. He has two PT jobs and is starting community college in the fall and needed wheels ASAP, so I decided to give him my car and get a newer one for myself. I had been contemplating it anyways at some point and this just pushed me into it. Here are some pics of his old car, my old car (his new one - the white one) and my new one (the silver one) :

Summary of recent workouts

2008-07-18T16:06:00.002-05:00

I finally feel like I'm training again!
After several months of doing next to nothing with my KBs, I am getting back on track. The Z-health sessions have opened me up sufficiently to where I feel able to withstanding moderate exercise without going into the startle reflex (aka fight-or-flight response)

I have been gradually rebuilding my tolerance for exercise without going into startle and have been progressing. I watched the H2H KB video from Jeff Martone last night. I think juggling bells is a lot of fun and it really works the core and the grip like mad. I had an experimental (practice) type session today and it was fun!

7-18-08 - Variety Day

12kg & 16kg
1-A release and catch - a couple of easy sets

1-A flip & catch - a couple of easy sets

round the body pass - a bunch

Under leg flip & catch (low) - a couple of easy sets

1-A clean catch - a couple of easy sets

w/ 24kg
TGU - 1 x 2 L, R, 1 x 1 L, R

Assisted pullups (2 mini-bands around 1 leg L, R)
3 x 2 - hard to get base of throat to bar - feel stiff

1 x 1 no band assist - can't get chin over bar - is it a flexibility issue or just weakness (or both?)

What follows below is a summary of most of my workouts from the last couple weeks. wooo-hooo.

7-17-08 - Easy day
Full Z warm-up
Sun Salute - 1 round
1-A Swings 20 L, R x 2, 10 L, R x 1 = 100 reps
Hindu PU - 15 reps
Hindu Sq - 30 reps
Triangle pose
Polarity Squat

7-15-08 Hard day
limited Z-warm up
Sun Salute

16kg KB:

1 A swings - 20 L, 20 R x 5 = 200 reps - 30-60 sec. rest btwn sets

Hindu PU 12 reps

Hindu Sq 20 reps x 2 - 30-60 sec. rest btwn sets
Hindu PU 6 reps
TGU - 3x2 L, R = 12 reps non-stop

7-14-08

Z warm up - I-phase lunge pelvis rolls & Thoracic glides & circles, Various R-phase drills, some at high speed

Sun Salute 1 round
Triangle pose - 1 rep L,R

16kg KB:

TGU - 3x2 L, R = 12 reps non-stop

1 A swings - 20 L, 20 R x 4 = 160 reps - 30-60 sec. rest btwn sets

Hindu PU 10 reps

Hindu Sq 20 reps x 2 - 30-60 sec. rest btwn sets
Hindu PU 5 reps

7/8/08

Z-R ph - eyes R most drills - getting easier

sun salute

triangle pose

cossack

KB w/16kg

1 A swings - 20 L, 20 R x 3 = 120 reps

TGU - 3x2L, R = 12 reps non-stop

Hindu PU 10 reps

Hindu Sq 20 reps x 2

7/7/08

Z-R ph w/ I-phase pelvic drills

eyes R for most drills

Sun Salute

triangle pose - focus on lengthening

cossack

hindu squat - 20 reps

std pushup - 10 reps

6/30/08

Adjustment from Cynthia Rieff - wow she did a lot of stuff! It felt like getting 20 adjustments in one session - lots of trauma processing - she whacked my butt and hit me in the face several times (maxilla, nasal, frontal) and chest too. It really seemed to loosen up my neck and upper back.

Today's session

Z-health R-phase w/ eyes R for most exercises - occasionally dizzy, definitely needed balance help for ankles, hips and even knees!

Did not do: open chain knee, 6 posit. ankle, only 1/2 of 4 posit hip (front & outside)

Sun salute, Triangle pose w/corrections from Fawn (keeping torso 'straight' and more flat, w/ less emphasis on touching floor)

KB swings w/ emphasis on 'hike pass' and deep enough knee bend - not a very big change for me - double checked elbow locked out at top and keeping head in line w/body on hike (per Fawn) ~ about 20 reps/side

6/27/08

workout

Z-health - FBS

Sun salute, Triangle pose

KB swings: 3 x 40 (20L,R)

TGU: 6 L,R non-stop

Hindu PU: 10 reps

Hindu Sq: 30 reps

6/26/08

Workout

Z-health - FBS

Sun salute, Triangle pose

KB swings: 3 x 40 (20L,R)

TGU: 6 L,R non-stop

Hindu PU: 6 reps

Hindu Sq: 30 reps

A moment of Silence for Bozo

2008-07-03T17:55:00.003-05:00

Bozo the Clown, dead

a Childhood icon, who alternately delighted and terrified children across the US in the 60s and 70s is dead.

Clowns are an oddity of American culture I don't fully understand. When they are at quite a distance, they can be amusing and entertaining but up close they are just plain weird.

I'm still here part 2

2008-07-01T07:56:00.006-05:00

Well, an update is in order. Sorry to have dropped off the radar screen for so long. I have been quite busy (for some details about some of what has kept me busy, see my other blog) but KB training has been off the menu since I took part 1 of the Z-health R-phase certification in late March and I didn't want to drone on about my discoveries and progress, but to summarize, I realized I was grinding in an alarm state ever deeper into my system by forcing forward in the manner I was using. My body wasn't really ready for what I was doing to it and my old injuries were letting me know that in no uncertain terms.

Since I am not a competitive athlete nor a trainer who may need to work hurt, I see no reason to push myself into injury or keep fighting through pain and injury only to make things worse... especially when there is a way out!

Now that I have completed R-phase, I know that I just need to practice the drills and find the right combination of moves to unlock the pain-free athlete inside that is waiting to come out! (I needed to go that far with it to realize this, others may not need to actually take the seminar to get it) In any case, this is a pretty cool realization to me...

I have said for a long time that kettlebells will reveal your weaknesses and they do...I also thought that they would strengthen them and do it alone, but that is not the case. I thought kettlebell lifting was the ultimate path to healing my back forever, as it has helped me tremendously in improving my back and overall physical health (as well as introducing me to a whole new world full of great people.)

But I now know that other approaches are often necessary to clear up problems in your system, eg, Chiropractic, Z-Health, FMS rehab, cranio-sacral work, etc. I realize this may be a great big "well duh!" for everyone and I should know this stuff, as I preach it to others. Well, applying things to oneself isn't always so easy and we tend to have blind spots about ourselves and this is one of mine.

My Experience at the Z-Health Seminar

I had a pretty powerful response to part 1 of R-phase. My palms sweat profusely for the entire weekend. That has never happened to me before - not that I can remember anyway. And it seemed even more unusual because there was no emotional sense of anxiety associated with the sweaty palms at all. And I got positively overwhelmed when we did the lumbar mobility movements. I was gone. Had to quit for the day even though it didn't hurt and I only did like 2 reps! Wild.

I also found out that I couldn't even move my pelvis while standing and my neck hardly moved either. I did not expect any of this so it was a bit of a surprise.

After part 1, I committed to working the R-phase drills to mastery and have put in 3-5 one hour sessions/week plus a few short focused sessions since March and the results are pretty good.

I have even got back to the bells last week, though I am using the 16kg and only doing

1 arm Swings: 6 X 20, (L, R)

and TGUs: 2x 6 L,R (12 reps) non-stop.

I have also realized the need for more general flexibility and have been adding some yoga postures to my routine with regularity. I will check in with the Yoganator for some technical tweaks on my form.

I will be attending the I-phase in Mpls in August and really look forward to that. I am ready to start focusing on the I-phase drills in preparation for that seminar. I expect to be able to move even better with no pain or fear in my body as a result.

I'm still here...

2008-04-11T21:22:00.005-05:00

I haven't really been training lately except for Z health so didn't know what to post.

This time it's a combination of things. I guess I was going at the snatches too hard...my body would be f^*#@d up for a couple days after each workout. Mostly muscle tightness in my neck and upper back (history of old injuries there). It was getting hard to turn my head and I was getting a lot of serious tension headaches! I will probably have to take high rep snatches off the menu for a while, contest not withstanding. Such is life.

As serendipity would have it, I went to the Z-health R-phase part 1 seminar. I really wanted to see what it was all about first hand. I knew something really good was there but I wasn't having any "AHAs!" after trying it on my own.

Well the seminar was excellent, right up my alley. I think I'm a convert. I have been to A LOT of seminars and trainings in my 17 years of practice and Dr. Cobb really does have something special here. And it really opened up a can of worms for me. Of course mine is not a simple case - I'm pretty sure it's some weird 'central pattern generator' issue or some such, from what I have learned so far.

For the moment, I have had to be careful with any intense workouts, as my body has been feeling all kinds of pretty odd stuff that makes the idea of swinging a KB scary. I don't want to break anything and just need to rebuild my system from the ground up. I think it will be good in the long run but right now it's humbling and trying my patience. I plan to take the I-phase as soon as finances permit.

On the bright side, I did somehow manage to PR at the TSC (as a spectator-not in the events) BTW - Great job everyone, especially the Fridays, who took 1sts in the Men's and Women's divisions. The Android division was amazing to watch. Joe Pavel and Brad Nelson are both animals and made it all look so easy.

So my PR; I couldn't resist trying to press the 36kg KB, since I don't have one and it was just sitting there egging me on. "When would I have the chance again?" I thought to myself, so when everyone was watching the pullup competition, I warmed up with a few reps on the 24, rested a minute, then bang! Up it went, L & R. PR #1. So then I had to try the 40...I struggled with the L for several seconds (kind of ugly) but locked it out. The R went up surprisingly easy...just a few months ago at the Friday's, I could not budge the 40. I guess a pair of bulldogs are in my future after all. I had not done any presses in weeks. Is it the Z? I dunno but I'll take it!

So back to my 'can of worms'. Some who have followed some of my DD posts etc. recall I was a HIT JEDI back in the 70s. I wanted to look like Arnold (and Mike Mentzer) so bad when I was 17-20 that I regularly blasted myself into oblivion and failure countless times and ate ungodly amounts of protein. It was 'the way' back then.

I also played football for 2 seasons, had numerous other (relatively minor) head injuries and did very hard labor many times - I was also a very ANGRY young man and used to take it out on myself in my workouts. So I guess now it's payback time. Z-health is revealing some of the trauma I still have locked in my system and it's gonna take a bit more time to iron some of it out enough to get functional again with any kind of serious workout.

I am guessing here as to why all this is happening to me. If my theory aint' right, I have no idea why my body feels like it might break or lock up lately. It is frustrating and humbling. I don't want to be stupid and ignore my body signals and really bust something but good. Not worth it! This is a hobby/avocation for me, not my direct livelihood or life & death situation.

Plus, I've been warding off (succesfully so far) the nasty colds & flus or whatever else has been going on around here lately. The instinct I have developed is to just go into low gear and conserve my energy and sleep a lot when my immune system goes on alert. I HATE being sick and would rather miss a week of workouts to avoid it than push through and pay for it with illness later. (I recall 'pushing through' many times in the past - as soon as I would get a break in my schedule BAM! "Down goes Frazier!")

Anyway, since it's been over a month now, I thought I better put something up here.

On the brighter horizon, I finally got smart and bought some mini bands. My plan is to use them to be able to do pullups - my quest last summer was derailed by my shoulder problems. A great big DUH! Why it didn't occur to me last summer, I have no idea.

Another workout

2008-03-07T21:47:00.002-06:00

I just read about Tracy Riefkind's superhuman feat (1000 swings w/24kg in 50 min) and Iron Tamer David Whitley's mucho macho efforts (1000 swings w/32kg in 50 min) 1000 reps each. Jeebus Freakin' Crisco! There are androids among us. Looking at my workout tonight, I feel very, very ordinary and quite human after all:

VO2 Max snatches, 15:15 style with the 24kg:

10 sets of 6 L, R

5 min rest

10 sets of 6 L, R

5 min rest

6 sets of 6, L, R

26 total sets, 156 reps = 8,268 lbs.

Just a warm-up for an android

Weird Shit happens...to me (sometimes)

2008-03-05T19:34:00.003-06:00

Well, I'm back again. This time it was my neck...it seized up on me 2 weeks ago out of nowhere (just kind of crept up on me til I could barely function one day) and was rather agonizing (although I'll take it in a heartbeat over the low-back incident at Christmas!!) I could barely move my head for several days and Advil was my friend (I haven't taken any pain meds in over 10 years!) because I couldn't sleep or work without it.

Working out was out of the question... the weird thing was - I don't really know what caused it aside from supernatural (spiritual) forces - no I'm not kidding, I said weird shit happens to me sometimes...I got adjusted by my chiropractor and got cranial work and they barely dented it...saw my psychic friend and viola! It really started to get better right on the spot. Too bad for you nonbelievers, it's what helped.

Mike Nelson, I think I need to see you - there's an upper rib cage issue here (I think) I'll be mighty curious to see what you see in me - apparently I'm too close to me to figure it out alone and my bestest healer buddies don't have much of a clue either.

So I kinda am starting over with my 24kg snatch progression. Tonight I'm back to VO2 Max style snatches, 15:15 style;

10 sets of 6 L,R

5 minutes rest

10 sets of 6 L,R again

For me breaking up the workout like this made it doable for now - I may do that to build volume and then condense the rest times as my conditioning improves. I like using the GYMBOSS to keep the pace for me, otherwise I get too random with my rest periods.

Today's Workout

2008-02-19T23:16:00.002-06:00

Did a little bit more:

VO2 Max Snatches 15:15 style w/24kg

24 sets @ 6 reps/set = 144 reps = 7632 lbs.

Yeah, it was tough.

For those who might care

2008-02-18T23:07:00.002-06:00

I had to start another blog. The birdwatcher, outdoor observer and photography buff in me is begging to get out, and since I just got my first real camera in about 30 years (cell phone doesn't count) I am going crazy:

http://www.naturalobservations.blogspot.com

BTW, I rode my bike last night and did
Military Press w/ 32kg - GTG style - about 4 reps/side

Feeling a bit ill today so I skipped working out. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be OK.

Repeat

2008-02-15T21:25:00.002-06:00

Did the same workout again tonight:

VO2 Max Snatches 15: 15 style w/24kg

20 sets @ 6 reps/set = 120 reps = 6,360 lbs.

Still really hard but not quite as bad as last time.

Carry On Our Wayward Son

2008-02-13T19:18:00.003-06:00

Beginning Stage 2 went as follows:

VO2 Max Snatches, 15:15 style with the 24kg:

20 sets @ 6 reps/set = 120 reps = 6,360 lbs.

Damn! This was hard. Thankfully, it was brief. I did decide to jump up to 6 reps/set instead of 5 because it kept my rhythm going better during the 15 second set. I know I will be able to do 7 reps/set eventually but my conditioning is going to need to improve a lot. This was taxing to my strength, unlike the 16kg.

I can really feel it a lot in my grip right now as well as my back and arms. I also realized it is the most snatches I have ever done with the 24 in one workout: PR!

I pretty much gave 24kg snatches a rest after passing the RKC back in April.

Stop here if you don't want to do math.

If my math is right, this represents a 23% increase in effort over my 7 rep efforts with the 16 kg.

12 reps/min x 53lbs = 636lbs./min. 636-490= 146lbs more than lifting the 35lber for 7 reps/set (14 reps/min). 146/636 = .2295

Stage 1 completed

2008-02-11T10:23:00.000-06:00

Today's workout:

VO2 Max Snatches 15:15 style w/16kg:

50 sets @ 7 reps/set = 350 reps = 12,250 lbs.

This was tough but not a killer~ 80% effort. Able to maintain good form all the way to the end.

Stage 2 is to move on to my 24kg, which seems a bit daunting at the moment. I think I'll aim for 20-30 sets of 5 reps/set for my first workout with the 1.5p and see how that feels, ultimately building to 50 sets of 7 reps/set however long that takes.

Yesterday: (aside from discovering a NEW WORLD OF FITNESS)

I reviewed Pavel's RESILIENT DVD and did some

Some Chicken - 2 x 5 reps A & P (front and back)
P. A. Neck rolls- 2 x 10 A & P
Russian Karate Twists w/2-12kg(my little blue bells above)-2 x 10
Beyond the French Press w/1- 12 kg - 2 x 10
Kneeling Lunges w/12 kg bell

Exercise ball - various core stability drills - all low reps

Stationary bike: (resistance 2/5, gear 6/7, chainring 2/3)

30 min @ 58-62 rpm - a nice easy ride

A NEW WORLD OF FITNESS

2008-02-10T11:50:00.000-06:00

Sorry Giryas, I have found a new path...This new system is SOO Superior to anything out there it will just blow you away. Forget barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, clubbells - all a waste. Just watch and you'll see. Get Your credit cards ready. My eternal gratitude to Kenneth Jay for enlightening me.

More Snatches, More Progress

2008-02-08T21:33:00.000-06:00

Keepin' it bone simple but moving forward; tonight's workout:

VO2 Max Snatches, 15:15 style w/ 16kg

40 sets @ 7 reps/set = 280 reps = 9800 lbs.

Last night:

20 min. on my bike trainer @ 80 rpm ( trainer resistance level 2/5, gear 6/7 & chainring 2/3) - a pretty tough ride ~ 80% effort

Torsion Deadlifts w/ 18lb. KB 2 sets of 10 reps (5 L,R)
RKC arm bar w/26lb KB - 1 x 5 L, R
RKC shoulder rotator w/26lb KB - 1 x 3 L,R

The Doc does math?

2008-02-06T19:12:00.000-06:00

I continued to progress in tonight's Snatch workout (VO2 Max, 15:15 style w/ 16kg)

30 sets of 7, (L,R) = 210 reps = 7,350 lbs.

This workout felt much harder than yesterday's, even though my poundage total was less. That's because I did more work in less time. (Duh, I know) but my feeble math brain said, "Hey, there's gotta be a way to quantify how much harder I was working, because just comparing poundage totals without factoring in the workout time doesn't show me just how hard (or intense) a given workout is."

So here's my calculation and please correct me if I'm wrong on this one - math is far from my strong point - that's why I became a Chiro and a science nerd, not an engineer - good with concepts and facts, not too good with formulas and equations. I just needed to quantify what I was feeling, cause tonight I was definitely feeling it!

doing 6 reps in 15 seconds w/a 16kg bell = 420 lbs. lifted/min. (6reps x 30sets x 35lbs/15min = 420. The same number, 420 results for 30, 40 or 50 sets)

doing 7 reps in 15 seconds w/a 16kg bell = 490 lbs/min. (7reps x 30 sets x 35 lbs/15 min = 490. I arrived at the same number, whatever # of sets I chose for a given weight and # of reps)

Comparing results, 420/490 = 0.857 or an ~14% increase in work volume per minute by adding 1 rep/set! (Is this too geeky for Giryas? Am I not thinking this through correctly?)

I haven't done the math going from 7 to 8 reps, but I assume it would be the same or similar and if someone else wants to calculate and share, that would be great.

Somehow it helps to put numbers on these feelings (of effort expended), so I can gauge the intensity of various workouts, and I'm thinking it might help me to structure future workouts without overtraining, because I was staring at my 24 and I know it's going to hurt a lot more when I start doing the VO2 snatch protocol with that!

I also wondered what it would be like when (yup I said when, not if) I move to 30 second sets. Thoughts of extreme pain and agony flashed across my mind when I considered doubling my work time, even with the 16! In time my man, in time...

Moving right along

2008-02-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

Today's workout:

Snatches, VO2 15:15 style, 6 reps/set (L,R) w/ 16kg kettlebell

50 sets = 300 reps = 10,500 lbs

Not so good on the grip today, despite wearing the deerskin fingerless gloves. A bit of pinching on my left hand between the base of middle and ring fingers and some irritation on the right hand between index and middle fingers. Nuthin' serious but I noticed it well before I was done, meaning my grip improvements noted last time were not so easy to replicate today. Hmmm, part of the learning curve I guess.

Now it's time to shift to 7 reps/set. I will really have to move to get 7 reps in per work period.

Yesterday's workout: Progress

2008-02-04T22:04:00.000-06:00

Too busy to record my workout the day I did it but it was a good one:

VO2 Max style snatches, 15:15 mode, 6 reps/set (L,R)

40 sets = 240 reps = 8400 lbs.

Not too bad. Moving along gently. I will aim for 50 sets of 6 in my next workout.

Finally getting back on track

2008-01-30T18:58:00.000-06:00

Well, I have been riding my bike (indoors on a trainer 20 min @7o-75 rpm, resistance level 2/5, gear 6/7 & chainring 2/3) 1-2 x wk (which was pretty taxing for the CV) and fooling around with my 24kg, doing 4-6 sets of swings or snatches, 10 reps per set every other day or so. I was still a bit fearful about my back but I miss working with the bells, I really do. So it was time to get back on the volume train. Tonight it was:

Snatches 15: 15 style, with the 16kg; (L,R)

30 sets, 6 reps/set = 180 reps = 6300 lbs.

This did not tax my cardio system much at all. I was just starting to feel it in the last 5 sets or so. About 60% effort on that level. I guess there are benefits to having such a stubborn body after all!

I could definitely feel my obliques working, esp. the L one and my back feels just fine.

Current goal is to carefully work back up to 50 sets of 6, which doesn't look like it's gonna take too long, then jump to 7 reps/set up to 50 sets. Then back to the 24.

On another note, I felt tonight I was finally getting the hang of the weight transfer from fingers to palm, sparing the usual area of the grip that is beaten to a pulp by high rep snatches. My fingerless deerskin gloves are essential right now

What a long, strange trip it's been...

2008-01-16T22:15:00.000-06:00

Hey Hi to all of you checking in on me. I'm still here but things have been a bit rough this last month. Sorry to have disappeared.

I have been down and out. Literally. I'm just getting back in some kind of place to post and workout. It's kind of a long story and may bore some of you. If so, come back another day but if you like to peer in on someone's fear and suffering, read on...

It started on Saturday, December 22nd, birdwatching of all things, which I do for relaxation and enjoyment. I was in someone else's truck and was twisting way too much, way too many times in the passenger seat with too many clothes on and a seat belt to boot - trying to get a better look at the damn birds, you know.

All that twisting caused my low back to spasm somewhat alarmingly on me several times. But I got out of the vehicle several times that day and seemed fine. We walked for a bit through the woods and everything seemed OK. Hey, after all, I'm a girya, my back is iron now, so shrug it off.

I went home, carried on as usual and got up early the next morning, Sunday December 23rd. I ran to the grocery store to get a few things before Christmas about 8am. I stopped to gas up my vehicle and exiting my vehicle my low back (SPINE) squawked at me quite loudly in a sickeningly familiar way. My lumbar vertebrae were warning me all was not well in the kingdom. Concerned, I tried to 'extend it off' and headed to the store. Just some tired muscles from yesterday's twisting is all. I'm a girya now and my back is iron.

Well, getting out of the car at the store, my spine actually 'went out' and I began my descent into an unfortunately familiar antalgia (that means I was bent over crooked, like an old man)

Being macho, I supported myself on my grocery cart through the store and somehow managed to get my groceries in the house while trying to look normal. Stupid, I know. Most of them actually got into the fridge and freezer. The rest I had to end up throwing away several days later when I could actually stand up again. I just couldn't deal with them.

Lying on my back on my kitchen floor, I called my bestest Chiropractic Saviour, who was unavailable. I called another friend, who does energy work, who said she could come over in the evening. It was just before 9am and I was in a lot of pain and a lot of fear and a bit of denial; I knew I had a long day ahead of me.

First the denial: Hey, I'm a girya, right? How the hell could this be happening to me? I lifted 20 tons in 25 minutes a few weeks ago. My back felt great then. Now crawling on my hands and knees was agonizing. Standing up, let alone walking, was absolutely out of the question until I got some serious help.

If you've never been in this kind of pain, from a bad disc AND a torqued sacrum, it's hard to describe or explain. Some who've seen me thought I was faking (in particular, a certain ex-girlfriend comes to mind) There is no position that is comfortable as the muscle spasm is severe and constant, and many positions or seemingly small movements feel as if they may lead to paraplegia - great fun. So resting and relaxing becomes an amazingly 'relative' experience. One thing is for sure, it keeps you living in the moment.

Another thing is it gives you compassion and steel nerves when a patient visits you in this kind of shape (I had one patient a few years back carried in to see me on a sheet of plywood and I've done housecalls for a few who were simply unable to get out of the house.)

As for my own body, I'd been here before, many, many times actually in the last 20 some years, so I knew what was happening, but I really thought and believed I was over this pattern and would never have such a humbling experience ever again. The last time was in the fall of 2004. Hell, I practically bragged about it last month on this blog and Rif's too. Shit.

This wasn't supposed to happen to me ever again! I lift kettlebells several times a week. I do ab exercises every day. I do a bit of yoga almost every day. I was even meditating and doing qigong. So what the hell? My sense of certainty and trust in my newly built body was gone. But I was sure I was going to get out of this as fast as possible - as soon as I could get some help.

When trying to crawl on all fours in itty bitty 'steps' is amazingly painful, and even getting 'up' on all fours is a major feat, just going from one side of a room to another is a task requiring major contemplation - Do I really need to go ALL THE WAY across the room, or can I just forgo it and lay here on the floor for a while longer? It certainly was a major reminder about not taking anything for granted. Just being able to walk around my apartment was something I obviously took for granted but not anymore! It is a major joy being able to move, feeling strong, balanced and comfortable in my body! But right thenI was dealing with: "Is the pain of laying on the floor bad enough to warrant the attempt to crawl ALL THE WAY to the bathroom or bedroom and somehow crawl up on the toilet or the bed? Hmmm, I think I'll just lay here a bit longer and consider it."

Such was the manner in which I spent my Sunday. Merry frickin' Christmas, eh?

Well, a friend came over later that day (about 6pm) and did some energy work on me, which amazingly enough, allowed me to stand up (albeit very, very bent over and barely able to move) at one very long days end. Thank-you Dorothy!

I made it through the night and managed to get into my chiropractic saviour's office on Christmas Eve morning and he helped me get a little straighter and able to walk at half normal speed. My sacrum and L5 needed the most work. Thank you (again) Dr. Joe Donahoe!

Christmas Day, another friend worked on me and straightened out my sacrum some more in a more soothing way, so my cramping muscles would calm down a bit. Thank you Holly!

I saw Dr. Joe again on Wednesday the 26th and could almost stand straight after that visit and was walking nearly normally. He was impressed that I had pulled out of this wreck so quickly - maybe the bells and all my daily exercise had really helped. I think so.

But let me tell you, this experience really took some wind out of my sails. When your back is out like that you feel weak as a kitten. I can hardly imagine having any real strength without a solid core.

I got back to my standing meditation practice and qigong within a few days. I resumed my morning ab exercises (which I have not been reporting on the blog before) too and eventually resumed my morning sun salutation as well. Getting back to the bells however, frightened me - I mean more than they usually do.

I admit being scared before a workout I know is going to kick my ass. I get anxious and somewhat dread the pain I am about to put myself in, but this different. And worse. I never thought the bells might hurt me unless I did something stupid, but now I don't trust my body and I certainly don't want to find out the hard way and set myself back God knows how long by blowing my L5 out again, so I avoided them for a couple of weeks. I didn't even get on my bike for cardio or anything for two weeks, I mostly just did the ab exercises (gently) and yoga (extra carefully) and got a few more adjustments.

Anyways, I finally tried some 1-arm swings with the 16kg last week - a few sets of 10, and that seemed OK. I did a few more last night and even swung the 24 a few times. It was OK too.

Tonight, I rode my bike for 20 minutes straight and then did

1-arm swings
3 x 10 L,R w/ the 24kg.

they felt good. I think I'm OK. I will slowly get back in the saddle here and rebuild my conditioning and my stability.

I got Brett & Gray's SECRETS of the HIP & KNEE and am reviewing it now. I think it is perfect timing because I definitely have some impingement in my hips, and my sacrum is not staying put either. My one-legged stances feel a bit wobbly too, so I look forward to correcting these weaknesses in hopes of further strengthening my low back area and possibly even helping out my neck and shoulders, which of course have been nearly irrelevant, compared to my core going out on me.

So I felt I had to tell you all my story because I just dropped off the map for a while and feel a bit guilty for doing so. I don't feel sorry for myself and don't want you to either. I just have had a major blow to my confidence in my body. Additionally, I think I have a bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) again as well; the mild version, Winter Blues has affected me for the last 10 years or so and I just don't have the drive I do in the summer to stay super active all day long. Once it's dark I just want to chill out, so I've been sleeping a lot more and the surfing the net and keeping up with the blogs has fallen by the wayside for the time being.

Hell, it doesn't help either that my corporate coaching job has been busier than ever either - balls to the wall all day, every day since early November. It won't let up until March.

Thanks for listening.

Jim

Hair of the Dog

2007-12-19T18:36:00.000-06:00

Well, my shoulder is actually better after Wednesday's workout so it was time to go back to the 24 kg. I was a bit tenative and ready to change plans if the snatches messed up my shoulder but they didn't! My shoulder is still not good, but it is better than before the this weeks workouts. Hmmm.

VO2 Max 15:15 style with Snatches & Swings:

30 sets

10 Snatches @ 6 reps/set

10 Swings @ 8 reps/set

10 Snatches @ 6 reps/set* (2 sets of 7 reps/set)

202 total reps 10, 700 lbs.

I can now see doing 7 reps/set technically but conditioning-wise it's a big jump. Hands (palms) and shoulder feels OK right now but Snatches in this protocol are definitely more taxing to do than swings (more muscles overall and more taxing on the Cardio system). The swings don't involve quite as many muscle groups but the ones they use, they use very hard. Snatches use the arms and upper back a lot more and still use the lower body, just not in quite the same way.

My new conditioning goal will be to work up to 50 sets of snatches with the 24 in the 15:15 style at 7 reps/set. Maybe someday I'll be able to do 8 reps/set, but that remains to be seen.

Oh yeah, it kicked my ass again. Pulse was about 160 as I finished - same last time I used the 24 this way. For the 16 workout, I think it was about 130 and there is a big difference between those two even though the total poundage was less for the 24 workout!

VO2 Hybrid

2007-12-16T18:39:00.000-06:00

Well my shoulder isn't perfect but after two days of mostly sittin' on my butt chasing birds for the Christmas Bird Count hosted by the National Audubon Society, I needed some real exercise. Not sure it could handle lots of the 24kg, I opted to use the 16kg.

Using the 15:15 protocol yet again, I did a roughly 60/40 combo of Snatches & Swings:
(OK, 53/47)

Snatches:
5 L, R - 10 sets of 6 reps each = 60

Swings:
5 L,R - 10 sets of 9 reps each = 90

Snatches:
5 L,R - 10 sets of 7 reps each = 70

Swings:
5 L,R - 10 sets of 9 reps each = 90

Snatches:
5 L,R - 10 sets of 7 reps each = 70

380 total reps = 13,300 lbs

Shoulder feels OK - about the same as it did before the workout. My technique is getting better because my hands are OK (deerskin gloves help a lot!) and I was able to get 7 reps/set with the snatches rather easily.

Catching up

2007-12-13T19:54:00.001-06:00

I've been too busy to blog - and I certainly haven't been keeping up with other's blogs either. Darn. Getting my workouts, meditation and qigong sets in daily takes precedence over posting and perusing.

I am also realizing I do not wish to capture ALL of my fitness & health activities on my blog. Kinda boring for you all and a tad too personal for me. I am going to start my personal fitness log again but I wanted to let the world know I have been working out again. And honestly, I need the group support and comraderie to keep me moving forward in some of my training. Thanks to all of you out there doin' your thing with bells, fitness, etc. I am so glad you post what you are doing. It is part of what keeps me inspired and moving forward with my own goals. All the personal diversions you include are also much appreciated - it adds the unique human touch that is you!

OK, back to the facts;

Wednesday, December 12th
After the 16kg proved too easy to challenge my muscles or my heart to the max (but great for a light day workout), I went back to the 24kg and the 15:15 again. I really like that form of using the Kbell for conditioning. It just works for me. Simple and effective and I am learning some fun variations: I did an unmeasured combo of swings and snatches for 30 sets with the 1.5p. It kicked my ass.

All swing sets were 8 reps/set, all snatch sets were 6 reps/set. Just can't go any faster than that without my form falling apart.

I feel like I did roughly half and half or 60/40 swings/snatches. Snatches are tougher for me and they kinda messed up my R shoulder again in a different place though I did NOT feel it during or immediately after the workout - only after I woke up this morning. Something is not right with my R clavicle. Damn! I like snatches but doing them that fast is really hard on my body. Rif, Tracy et. al, I don't know how you do it.

The fingerless deerskin gloves are saving my hands and snatches with the 24 were noticeably easier on my hands than with the 16. Seems counter intuitive but that's what happened.

I have also been doing 10 x 1 L, R sets of Military Presses on my non-cardio days with the 2 pood. It does not seem to be bothering my shoulder but those damn snatches do.

Using the Pavelizer II too. The mini-band is really helping me get my reps: It feels really easy when I use the band but as soon as I drop it I can't get a rep! I am flexing my hammies as hard as i can to make the assisted reps harder but even relaxing without the band I stall. I wonder how long it will take before I can get positive reps with no assistance on the P-II?? Weeks? Months? Longer? Time will tell.

5 x 5 of Janda sit-ups

I have been using my rim-trainer for my mountain bike and taking 30 minute rides 1-2 x week with a 60 or 80 RPM cadence for an easy or moderately hard workout respectively.

Back at it

2007-12-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

Finally time to get going again. I realized I gotta keep it simple - really simple, so I used the 15:15 again, cuz I just like it.

Swings & Snatches w/16kg:

50 sets

Roughly 1/2 & 1/2, I didn't keep precise track of the proportions, though 7 reps/set was all I could manage for snatches, while it was easy to get 9 reps/set with swings.

Getting better managing hand shredding (used fingerless deerskin gloves), especially with the right hand, which I find kind of odd since I'm a lefty.

This was a nice moderate way to resume, though I may be a bit sore tomorrow, which is strength day.

Relax

2007-11-30T22:01:00.000-06:00

The Thanksgiving Holiday gave me a chance to really slow down and my body and spirit took full advantage, detouring me in to a meditation retreat like existence I am only now coming out of. The introspective time helped me realize my recent hectic work pace and all the intensity of my KB workouts have caused a pendulum swing in my life.

My inner workout guidance system lost interest in KB practice about two weeks ago for the most part and it's not burnout - more like 3 steps back so I can move forward better and faster. Let me explain:

When I was training for the RKC the previous winter and this spring I was also doing a lot of standing meditation and some qigong and stretching to keep me in balance. Well after the RKC I was peaking and had to come down. That, my shoulder dysfunction and the energy of summer got me out of my training groove with all the new things I was exploring whilst I figured out my shoulder issue and the meditation and qigong dropped off the menu.

I really got into the swing version of the VO2 Max this fall - it was helping me get leaner and didn't bug my shoulder but I wasn't including any meditation, qigong or stretching and that pattern reached it's limit.

It was time for a return to balance and return it did with an exclamation point! I have been meditating (Taoist Standing style) and doing a very nice qigong set twice a day for over a week now. I feel the KBells starting to call me again, but I'm not quite ready yet. I think Sunday I'll resume from a base level with the 16 & 24, alternating swing/snatch workouts and the strength regime I began before my 'pendulum' reversed motion.

Take home message: make sure you are including some soft motions and stillness* into your regimen for better balance. I am shifting and opening up all kinds of bound places in my body. My posture, muscle awareness and energy are really changing and I am very curious and excited to see how I take the Girya training and reconfigure this time around.

*Sleep, vegetation in front of a TV or computer screen, or drug-induced immobility DON'T COUNT!

Strength Workout: Slow Progress

2007-11-15T19:21:00.000-06:00

Military Clean & Press: Ladder Style w/32kg

2 x (1,2,3)
3 x (1,2)

an increase from 15 reps to 21 total reps over last workout!

Pistols (partial ROM - add 2-3/4" plywood sheets under foot w/same chair as last time - almost to parallel now.

5 x 5 L, R

Janda Sit-ups on Pavelizer II (w/band assist - finding ways to make it slightly harder by adding weight from 10 to 25 lbs. and flexing hamstrings more - I could not do positive reps when flexing hams hard before.

Bent Rows - 1 arm w/ 32+ 8 kg

4 x 6 L, R

VO2 Max - Snatch Style

2007-11-14T20:58:00.000-06:00

Taking Rif's advice, I started the VO2 max again with snatches:

Snatch, 15:15 w/16kg - 6 reps/set - this was a comfortable pace.

50 sets, 300 reps

10,500 lbs.

Not too hard - kind of experimental tonight. Wind definitely not taxed too much. The problem is the grip. Even with fingerless cotton gloves on I got two new blisters that both popped open to the raw skin. Damn! They are right in the center of my palm. I have never gotten blisters there from snatching before. Weird. At least they are both really small.

Today's Workout - in 2 Parts

2007-11-12T20:48:00.000-06:00

Morning:

Military Clean & Press: w/32kg

5 x (1,2) - clean before each press

Partial ROM Pistols: - a couple inches deeper than last time but still above parallel.

5 x 5 L, R

Janda Sit-ups on the Pavelizer II - stretch band assist - barely engaging hamstrings - that's how weak my abs are! Lots of work to do here.

5 x 5

Bent Rows - 1 arm w/32+8kg

4 x 6

Evening:

1-arm Swings w/32kg

4 x 5,5,5,5 (L, R)

80 reps, 56oo lbs.

Bike ride (on rim trainer)

20 minutes

Walked about 5 miles yesterday a good pace.

Tonight's Workout

2007-11-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

Military Clean & Press, Ladder Style:

5 x (1, 2) L, R w/ 32kg

Box Pistols: (descend almost to parallel)

5 x 5 L, R

Janda Sit-ups: (on Pavelizer II) w/ mini band assist (looped around weight)

5 x 5

Bent Rows, 1-arm: (using 2 bells - 32kg + 8kg)

4 x 8 L, R

The focus was on basic strength building tonight. Laying the foundation for achieving my goals of:

Full 5 x (1,2,3,4,5) MCP Ladder with the 2pood

Rock bottom pistol w/ both legs

No-assist Janda sit-ups on the P-II

Body weight pull-ups for reps

Maybe this is a lot to go for all at once, but my plan is to do some variation of this strength workout 2 x wk and a swing or snatch based workout 2x wk for the winter cycle.

VO2 Max Goal Achieved!

2007-11-07T19:24:00.000-06:00

I did it! 50 sets of 8 with a 24kg bell. Damn! I'm proud of myself!

1-arm Swing, 15:15 style

400 reps

21200 lbs. !!!

This is a PR for work volume too.

in 12.5 minutes of working time! That is some power output!

And there's more. I was actually counting out my sets tonight and accidentally did 2 sets of 9 in there because I figured out something very important to all users of the GYMBOSS.

It is your little friend. Follow me here - I set it up for 2 timed periods, 15 and 15. I begin swinging with the first beep - bang 1 set done and it still says zero sets. Then I rest and it beeps again so I do my second set, BUT THE BOSS SAYS 1.

Get it?! I've been counting wrong all this time! Up 'til today I've actually done 2 more sets than I thought I was doing because to count 40 sets I would go 'til the BOSS said 41 when 40 was actually at 39!

I counted all my sets out loud this time (shouting as I sucked wind was more like it at the end) and I got to 50 sets while the BOSS still said 49.

So I'm more of a Man than I thought! And probably so are you! Unless you wait for the second beep to start working (and use the first interval for rest) the BOSS count will be 1 less than your work sets, not one more.

OK, that's about as good at math as I get. LOL. At least it counts for something worthwhile!

Onwards. What next? I think I'll bask a bit in the satisfaction of my goal acheived for a bit before 'tightening my chin strap', as the Samurai used to say. (the whole saying was; "After the battle, tighten your helmet strap")

500 the easy way

2007-11-06T22:49:00.000-06:00

Easing back into things after not working out for almost a week I thought I'd give the 16kg a try with the good old VO2.

1-arm swings, 15:15 style, 9 reps/set *corrected #s - see Nov. 7 post - I've been counting wrong!

55 sets, plus 6 more reps for about (57 sets)*

500 reps! (519 reps)*

17,500lbs. (18,165)*

Wow! This wasn't even hard. I initially thought I would do 50 sets of 8 but quickly realized it was a chance to give 9 reps/set a go. I did a few catch up sets to equal out to 9 per and stuck with 9 all the way to the end. I really had to move, but the 16 feels so light that it wasn't really a problem. Once I got close to 50 I realized I had plenty of gas in the tank so why not make it an even 500 reps?!

The funniest part was me trying to do the math in my head during the 15 second rest periods of those last few sets. I am so bad at it it took me a while to calculate how many more sets I needed to do as I was doing them. Yikes! Lol!

The 24 is where I need to focus on the cardio side of Kettlebells, it still is a challenge at 8 reps/set but I know 50 sets will happen - this month!

Well, Bambi is safe for another year...

2007-11-06T22:30:00.000-06:00

But his Dad isn't. My friend Mike shot him on opening morning. A nice 8-point buck whose picture may appear here later.

I had lots of fun deer hunting with the guys, but did not get a chance to pull the trigger. The hunt is a ritual that has deep roots in the human soul, especially a man's. Modern city men have found other avenues to channel that urge or buried it completely with metro-sexuality, but I am drawn to the old-fashioned and elemental. My Dad hunted and that sparked something in me that has not gone away. It's one of those things many don't understand.

Entering the woods in the battle of wits, skill and life and death is not a game or a sport. It goes well beyond that and generally the more skilled a hunter the harder he makes it for himself, not easier. I am definitely what is considered a mature hunter (in my philosophy but not my skill), because big trophy size animals hold little allure for me. And I am not hungry for the kill. I certainly don't enjoy it, the killing, but it is a part of how things are on this planet. The living must deprive other beings of life so that they may continue to exist. A harsh reality, but unavoidably true if you have the courage to face it. Even plants want to live so killing them for your salad is still death too.

My attitude is, I embrace the reality of death and life, so I am willing to take life consciously with my own hands to accept the responsibility that I feel too many are only dimly aware of and try to avoid thinking about: Hamburger does not come from the supermarket. It comes from a dead cow. Yup. Enjoy it, the cow gave it's life for you to put mustard and ketchup on it.

OK, enough proselytizing.

Hunting provides a lot of quiet time too. Do you know what a Raven's wings sound like? It's one of my favorite sounds. I got to hear that sound again and a new one for me: The sound of a Pileated woodpecker's wings - Wow! it was trippy.

What is this Z-Health stuff?

2007-11-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

By request, I will explain my understanding of Z-Health, a joint mobility-based re-education system for the whole body. It's gonna take a while.

Let me first say that I am far from an expert on this subject and I welcome any corrections or additions especially from those who have more direct instructional experience with it than I have.

My qualifications: I have the R-phase materials and I have studied them some and practiced them some since this summer. I have read the stuff written by folks I respect and trust who have taken the seminars and implemented it with themselves and their client base. (Geoff Nuepert, Rif, Brett Jones, Mike Nelson in particular)

The foundation of my understanding is built on the fact that I am also a Chiropractor (as is Dr. Cobb - the developer) and I have used Applied Kinesiology (a muscle energy based system of diagnosing and treating the body for a vast array of dysfunctions) for 10 years clinically. My impression is Dr. Cobb uses some version of this system as well.

Additionally, I have studied many other energy based systems of therapy including Cranio-sacral work, Sacro-Occipital Technique, Touch for Health, Qigong and Polarity Therapy to name most. I also studied the energy based martial art of Aikido intensely for 7 years and was an assistant instructor. This spring I became an RKC.

The relationship between energy arts and the nervous system is very intimate, to say the least. Some who may not believe in the reality of the energy-based world (billiard ball atoms instead of sub-atomic mysteries) would say it IS the nervous system (and the nervous system alone), but I beg to differ - another conversation at perhaps another time.

Anyway, the human being is a whole thing, a system, a unit. Affect one small part of that system and the entire organism responds. Add to this the biologic principle that an organism is always doing the best it can to maintain a healthy, happy state within itself with the hopes of maintaining it as long as possible, [known as homeostasis] so it can reproduce itself- this drive rules us all far more than we may care to admit, at least until we are in our forties, but I digress.

The optimal state of balance for this organism (to maintain maximum adaptability) is neutral plus whatever effects the S.A.I.D. principle and the individuals conditioned experience yields. The system does experience distress and falls into dysfunctions from various insults over the years and clears them as best it can, but it is not perfect and junk does collect in us all on all levels.

Z-Health intervenes in the system by re-patterning normal, neutral positioning in the Neuro-Musculo-Skelatal system (NMS) which can have global effects on the NMS, and even the visceral system and other body systems, since everything is connected. This would explain the seemingly mysterious non-direct, non-local positive effects it can produce.

So a simple, focused, relaxed movement done locally, optimally and slowly, re-calibrates that area and impacts the entire system so it can resume optimal neutral positioning locally and move towards alleviating systemic dysfunctions of all kinds. The domino effect can ensue and result in a cascade of improvements from even small but well aimed corrections (hittin' the right spot).

Eventually, movements can be done at 'normal' speed and then 'sport' speed. If you go too fast, you will miss the deepest benefits of the recalibration. Slower is better for a long time.

My educated guess is that many of the reasons why Z-health does not work in a given situation has more to do with how the person is doing it or where they are doing it (wrong) instead of that it "doesn't work".

I believe it was Jack Reape who coined the phrase, "Squats aren't bad for your knees, how YOU squat is bad for your knees". Same idea here.

I am also under the impression in the advanced stuff that sequences of movements are taught to have a magnified effect on the system in restoring primal patterns of healthy movement.

This differs somewhat from Pavel's Super Joints program, whose main intent is to restore and increase full ROM in the NMS by 'waking it up' and also promoting conditioning and healing via movement of fluids, etc. via repetition.

I could probably ramble on, but this is long enough. I await any comments, with an open mind.

Another VO2 Session

2007-10-31T20:10:00.000-05:00

Aiming towards 50 sets of 8 with the 24kg bell:

1-arm swings, 15:15 style;

42 sets (44)* *corrected #s - see Nov. 7 post - I've been counting wrong!

336 reps (352)*

17,808 lbs. (18,656)*

Tonight's session was tough. I was fighting off cramps in my obliques again from about set 22 and feeling nauseous as well. I was initially thinking I could bump up to 45 sets tonight before I began, but settled for besting my last workout by 2 sets. There is no race. I will get to 50 sets of 8 within a month.

Birds: Win some, Lose some

2007-10-30T22:53:00.000-05:00

I have added a few more to my years list. My latest was on Sunday, a type of duck called a Northern Pintail. I'm now at 198 for 2007.

Today, I chased a rather rare bird in Minnesota, another duck called a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. It was discovered on Sunday in Eden Prairie.

Many were present when I showed up and quite a few have seen it. I was not among them. I waited for 1/2 an hour (which was all the time I could spare) but it never reappeared. I struck out. That's how it goes sometimes. Still fun to get out. I saw some other nice birds and chatted with some friendly folks while we awaited the vagrant duck's return.

2 Pood Press Ladder

2007-10-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

Military Clean & Press: (32kg)
3 x (1,2)

1-arm Bent Row:

3 x 8

Janda Sit-up: (10 lb. plate on the Pavelizer II)

2 x 5 - getting do-able. Positive reps are still really hard. Negatives manageable but hard.

A few Z moves to loosen up beforehand. Neck & Shoulders. Right shoulder not great but OK. I got some cranio-sacral work and muscle work on my neck and upper back yesterday that opened things up a bit. Less pain and stiffness in the neck. A nice improvement!

I just keep getting better, healthier and more comfortable in my body. Just a few years ago my low back was questionable to say the least. For over 20 years I had several debilitating episodes of low back pain EVERY YEAR that required days on my back and multiple visits to my Chiro friends to get functional again. All the great and esoteric work I can do would help me out of my predicaments, but would not prevent them.

Enter the kettlebell: my lower back has felt great structurally speaking for years now. The last crippling episode I had was in October, 2004. I credit most of this to kettlebell and abdominal training. Thank you Pavel and the RKC!

Thank you Sir, May I have another?

2007-10-27T18:12:00.001-05:00

VO2 Max protocol, 15:15 style, 8 reps/work set

1-arm swing:

40 sets

320 reps (plus 2)

17066 lbs. - I did 2 nine rep sets in there

Wow! My body was actually craving this workout. It felt fairly easy for the first 15 sets or so. I am definitely getting faster. When I started this cycle with 8 reps, the beeper was going off with my 8th rep at the top. Last workout I noticed I was consistently finishing my sets with it at the bottom. Tonight I often had set the bell down at or before the beeper, hence the couple of 9 rep sets I threw in kind of by mistake (just got carried away). So I can definitely see doing a 9 rep cycle is possible but man I would be moving very fast the whole time.

My weak spot shifted to my abs, particularly my (R) obliques. I was fighting off a cramp for the last 10 sets or so. Not too bad but a bit of a distraction.

I have also been doing Military Press all day, GTG style, 1 rep/side with the 2p.

Last night I was goofing around with it and did a few sets, one time I did 3 reps L,R!

I have to keep doing the Z moves to keep my shoulder feeling at its best, but I definitely want to master the press ladder with the 32. The 24 just feels light in general now, especially for presses. I guess thats progress. Even this spring the 24 was quite a lot to handle, now its comfortable. A couple years ago when got my first 16, I remember how much it kicked my ass! Now the 32 is demanding my attention and mastering it is my next challenge.

Quick & Simple

2007-10-25T22:41:00.000-05:00

Pressed for time again. I really want to start pressing again but better make sure it's OK, so last night was Z time. Did most of the torso, neck and shoulder moves. Something weird and painful happened to my L Quadratus Lumborum (QL) and it was spasming most of the night. Interestingly, I don't know exactly what I did to bring it on. I worked it out today and its better now.

Tonight I had to do some presses:

strict Military Press w/ 24kg: (1 clean per set/side only)

3x10, L,R

Felt good! Shoulder is fine! I will be continuing with the Z moves and switching to the 2pood soon! Yeah! Goal: 5 x (1,2,3,4,5)

20 minute easy ride on my rim trainer. I need to get a pulse monitor on me. It's hard to tell how hard I'm working. I am definitely sweating but not breathing too hard even though my cadence is about 70rpm. I think those VO2 sessions have helped a lot because it seems easy. Maybe I'll get out on the trail this weekend. That is familiar ground and I can test my old pace on a familiar route to see how much carryover I've gotten from all those swings.

Progress w/ VO2

2007-10-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

Tonights workout:

1-arm swing, 24kg, V02 style, 15:15, 8 reps/set. (L,R)

36 sets

288 reps

15,264 lbs.

Keepin' it bone simple for now(apropos for a Chiro?) though am startin' to itch for some presses and it feels like I will be able to get back to them...I think that damn Z stuff is helping in my sleep or something!

More evidence: I got a massage today and we were supposed to pick up where we left off weeks ago (on my upper back) but she said it was really good! It felt good (before the massage) even better after! She dug in my neck (the front part - ouch!) and ended up reproducing the pain I get in my acromion area. AHA! It's referred pain from the neck! That is good to know. I can feel my ribs changing too. More Z ought to get it even better. Then I will own my 2 pood. That is my desire for the winter. That and doing a pistol! I think that will be my next goal after I get 50x8 with 24. Not quite a commitment yet but it sounds good right now.

Really gotta get back to qigong practice as well. I have let that slip off my menu for too long now...

Milestone

2007-10-21T20:30:00.000-05:00

Today is a day of celebration. It is my son's 18th birthday. I got to spend time with him, which was a great joy and a not too common occurrence lately. I am awaiting his senior pictures and I will post one when I get it.

Calvin is growing into a young man I am proud of and I told him so. We definitely enjoy each others' company now, but it wasn't always that way. Power struggles between us since I separated from his mom when he was 4 made raising him a real challenge and culminated in his decision to live with his mom full time at age 14 after 10 years living with me half time. Though painful and expensive, I now see it was for the best.

This milestone is kind of wild for me as well. Hard for me to believe my son is becoming a man. I don't feel old and I think in part it is because old isn't what it used to be. When I was 18 I think 45 year olds were older, more run down, less fit in general than lots of folks I know today who are even older than that and very active and healthy! Despite all the whining and moaning and decrepitude among many Americans, many others are healthier and more vibrant into their 60s and beyond than 30 years ago, in my view. Maybe not, but it sure seems that way.

Catching up and Ramblings

2007-10-20T21:11:00.000-05:00

Back in the saddle. Fall is such a busy time I have gotten pulled away from my workouts on Wednesday and Thursday. No excuse, I know but work and social engagements called.

I did get a rim-trainer for my mountain bike and used that on Monday and Tuesday just to try it out and 'cause I just wasn't up for a KB workout. Just a couple of mild-moderate 20 minute spins.

Friday I was busy too and was too tired to do much but after 5 days with no swings my back was demanding I do some! It really does feel better when I do them, but I am falling in to my old trap of having to outdo my last workout, especially now that I am making them public.

A retrospective:
I'm still a recovering, apparently not fully recovered, HIT JEDI. Mike Mentzer was my bodybuilding idol when I was in H.S. and first year of college. I bought his HEAVY DUTY training manuals and would have them to this day except an old roommate stole them from me.

I was trying to become a competitive bodybuilder until he got screwed out of the Mr. Olympia back in 1980 in a very controversial situation. Politics is always disgusting to me and I realized bodybuilding was not for me because of judges and drugs. All the top competitors were using them and I knew I would not do them and so my dreams of being a bodybuilder died back in 1980.

I kept lifting until I discovered Aikido in 1983 but my goals were just to get big and be really strong. I constantly over-trained back then and was always getting sick or having nagging little injuries that would set me back. Looking back over my old workout journals I see I would be walking around during the day with a pulse in the 80s but I didn't get it and couldn't stop training harder and harder all the time. Nuts, but that's probably another story.

Anyway, I had to work through that crap in my head and tell myself it was OK if I just did a little bit. That has been one of the best parts for me about learning the ETK and RKC system is it gave me a way to train that was progressive and kept me from my bad habit!

So Friday night I cranked out a few sets of 1-arm swings w/my 24kg:

5x 8 L, R and

1x 10 L,R

to come out to an even 100 reps. I think it took about 10-15 minutes and it made my back feel better and I realized it was basically pretty easy! My heart rate barely got over 100 because I checked it a few minutes after finishing and it was 92. I was barely huffing and didn't break a sweat! I guess all those V02 max sets are paying off. Cool.

Last year a work out like that with my 24 would have kicked my ass, now it's just a light warm-up. Not bad.

Today I was ready to resume the V02 max, 15:15 style, this time with 8 reps/set.

1-arm swings w/24kg: L,R

30 sets, 8 reps/set

240 reps, 12,720 lbs.

Not bad for a 15 minute total workout time! 8 reps definitely felt do-able. I can even imagine 9 but that would really be crankin'.

Snatches are another story. I'm gonna have to polish my form or something. I think I just like to do them slow, pausing at the top. 7 reps/set with the 16 last week was really hard to get into a rhythm with. The 24 seems like a bear right now at that pace. Maybe I'll just stick to non-interval work with snatches for now.

Neat Birds

2007-10-15T22:33:00.000-05:00

Still on my quest for at least 200 species in Minnesota for the year, I went out Saturday morning to a known haunt for a strikingly beautiful bird, which is unfortunately dwindling in population because it's habitat is slowly being wiped out, The Red-headed woodpecker.

Woodpeckers like dead trees. A lot. Humans do not. We cut them down. Dead trees serve a useful function as nest sites for birds and a lot of insects, which spares more of the healthy trees from attack. Many birds like to perch in dead trees too so it's always a good idea to check them out if the weather is decent. Most birds head for cover when it's windy and/or rainy, just like most people do. This year the Red-head was #194 on my list.

I also saw some other neat birds. I noticed a bunch of Blue Jays harrassing a vicious bird eating predator called a Sharp-shinned Hawk:

Goal Achieved: VO2 w/24kg

2007-10-14T22:27:00.000-05:00

I have to admit being a bit intimidated by this workout, but I finally got back to it and reached one of my goals:

50 sets of swings with the 24kg! 350reps! 15:15, seven reps per set. 18,550 lbs!

That is a PR workout volume total for me.

Interesting fatigue curve on this one. In the workouts building up to this total, I noticed getting more and more fatigued as I progressed through the sessions, but tonight I got tired sooner, around the halfway mark then settled into a place that would have allowed me to go past 50 if I decided to really push it. I think that is a good sign. Maybe someone with more experience can comment (Rif?)

Next goal is working up to 50 sets of 8 reps/set. Not sure if I should push right on to that or back off and focus on strength for a while. That would be 400 reps and 21200 lbs, or a 40% increase, if my math it right. A big increase!

I did get a cycle trainer to put my mountain bike on and want to use that 1-2 x week for easy cardio. Will do so tomorrow.

Life & Beer

2007-10-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

I was digging around in my inspirational file because I found a good quote to add to my pile (I have a big pile). I found this and felt compelled to share. I do not know who the author is or I would give them credit.

Thought for today, perhaps for tomorrow too

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get health checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

Variety night

2007-10-11T19:05:00.001-05:00

Wanted to get some kind of strength based variety work in before the next VO2 swing assault with the 24kg.

Hands were pretty beat up from all the snatches last night. Gloves on.

Seesaw Press w/2-24kg: 3 x 10 (5L,R) - 60% effort, R shoulder feels fine. Yay!

Bent Row - 1 arm w/32kg: 3 x 8 L, R - 70% effort

Sledge work: 30 sec work, 15 sec. rest x 3 (about 15 hits Alt. L, R each hit per set) felt it in grip at the end.

Round the body pass: w/32kg, 10 L, R

Figure 8 (under leg pass): w/32kg, 10 L, R

V02 Snatches

2007-10-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

It's been too long since my last workout. I wanted to do something challenging but not too, so I tried the VO2 protocol with a 16kg and some snatches:

Warm-up: Z moves for neck and shoulders - quite slowly

Snatches (16kg): 15:15 - 40 sets. 7 reps per set.

This was tough in a very different way than swings. Lots of different muscles get used and man, my snatch form is weak right now. I had a very hard time getting 7 reps done in 15 seconds, all the way through!

My shoulders seem to be OK and my wind was taxed during the last 10 sets or so but recovered quite quickly when I finished. My grip (skin) and upper back got lots more work than swings give me and the legs, lower back and butt get hit seemingly less and in a very different way.

Another thing I learned is I can't do these workouts barefoot on the wood floors anymore. The sweat starts running down my ankles and I feel my connection to the floor getting compromised as the moisture gets under my feet. Back to shoes of some kind. Bummer!

Weekend Report

2007-10-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

First off, thanks to everyone wishing me well this weekend. I had a very good time, though not everything went as planned.

The weather was not particularly cooperative. Very foggy, windy and rainy and warmer than we liked - 50s on Saturday, 60s on Sunday. Too warm to wear raingear but we had to anyways.

But the deerstands are ready and I got several tours of most of the 280 acres, which includes an emergency airstrip, plus neighbors land and county land. The next time I see them it will be in the dark as I head out to one for opening morning. The land is beautiful but on the back of an ATV in the fog it becomes a bit of a blur, especially when your main focus is to HANG ON! Wow that is some rough country up there. So many rocks, boulders, mudholes, stumps and fallen logs. My arms didn't need a workout after that. I got a pretty bad shock sent up my spine all the way to my skull when we hit one boulder real hard and without warning. It took a while to shake that off.

But I didn't spend the whole time ridin' bitch. I got to drive one. Only the 2nd time I have had the chance and in that rugged terrain, it was a blast!

As for Grouse, they hate it when it's wet and the only one I saw was on Friday Afternoon as I drove in! No grouse for dinner for me.

Saturday night we attended a local chapter Minnesota Deer Hunters Association banquet and fundraiser. It was not my cup of tea. Lots of alcohol was consumed and raffles and gambling abounded, all for a good cause of course. It was tough to stay on my diet (but I did) and it was odd because my crew (4 other guys, all in their late 20s or early 30s) were among the skinniest guys in the room. If you have met me, you know that is amazing. I'm running about 220 right now at 5'11". There are way too many fat Americans and it was MAJOR inspiration for me to keep going until I weigh in at no more than 195!

Anyways, the whole thing dragged on way too long (4:30 til 11:30) and we only won a door prize, so we felt disappointed, to say the least. We spent so much time there that I didn't get to workout as planned. A bit of a prisoner. Aargh!

Sunday we sighted in our deer guns. Mine needs more work. I gotta go to the local range but at least I think I finally found a load that shoots with precision - the Federal Vital Shok - locally made and among the lower cost sabot slugs out there. Good deal!

Also got to shoot someone's Marlin #60 - a semi-auto .22 with a 15 shot magazine. That was fun! I may have to get myself a .22 same or similar to that!

Getting a bit tired of hanging with young and not so health conscious men, I bugged out early to stop in Duluth to indulge in my favorite outdoor pastime, birdwatching.

For the uninformed, Duluth, MN is an excellent spot to birdwatch. Lake Superior acts as a natural funnel so a lot of neat birds can be seen in a pretty small area. It was a very good afternoon for me. I got to bird for a bit with several of the very best birders in the state. 2 are guides, 1 is an author of the birding guide for Minnesota...and I saw 3 lifers! (First time I've ever seen these birds in the wild in my whole life anywhere) Pictures (not taken by me)

and 7 FOY (first of the year in MN) birds.

I have now beaten my previous best years (2002) total of 186 species by getting to 193 species seen this year so far in MN. Since it is only mid October, I have a good chance of seeing 200 species by years end! That is worth a bit more than an honorable mention in the ranks of the states most active birders. Really serious listers (birdwatchers love to keep lists of all they have seen and where, etc kind of like baseball fans) aim for 300 species in a year and a few exceed that!

Believe me, that takes a lot of hours in the field and a willingness to drive hundreds of miles around the state at the right times to achieve numbers like that. Not everyone's cup of tea. I would like to do it at least once but I have other priorities these days. Needless to say, birders of this caliber have birding spouses (or lonely ones) or enjoy being single and tend to have more mileage and gray hair than I do.

There. More than you wanted to know about birdwatching. I will probably post more bits about this in the future and if you want to know more about what I saw this weekend, I'll be glad to share more details.

Off for the Weekend

2007-10-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

I have the day off and I'm heading out of town early this afternoon. Gotta scout out the deer hunting grounds. I have not yet hunted this area though my hunting buddies all have. We will be getting things ready for opening weekend on November 3. If I'm lucky I may end up shooting a grouse (or two) while we work.

I am bringing some Kbells up to get in at least one workout and see if anyone is interested in learning how to use them. Report to come later.

V02 Max w/ 24kg

2007-10-03T19:21:00.000-05:00

Got straight to it:

Swings w/24kg, 15:15 - 44 sets, seven reps per set, except last two for 8 apiece.

310 total reps. 16,430lbs. Pretty good volume!

Lower back pumped and a little tweaky in the muscles around set 36. OK by the end and now. I notice my calves and feet want to cramp up a bit afterwards. Soreness from previous workout in upper thighs pretty much gone.

Still building up to 50 sets, I know I can get there within the next workout or two without pushing too hard. Then it's time to start doing 8 reps per set, working my way back up to 50 sets.

I will re-evaluate my routines after that. It's so damn easy to get seduced by all the variety, I really have to watch it. Keep it simple! I haven't been using my sledge at all and it's calling me. I built a sandbag - 120 lbs (6 x 20lb) and I don't quite know how to work that in either. Somehow focusing on strength over endurance during the winter seems like a good idea. And I have some rings I could use to start developing real pull up strength (and have some fun too)

And there is always the the ETK ROP swing/snatch routine until I make SSST numbers (200).

Lastly, if my shoulder is good, I could go after the Military Clean & Press [MCP] Ladder 5 x (1,2,3,4,5) with my 32kg. Hmmm, decisions, decisions!

Well, input is appreciated, though I'm not gonna make up my mind yet, just ponder the options while I get to 50 x 8 w/the 24.

The '400' workout

2007-09-30T20:21:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Aaron Friday's workout yesterday, I realized I needed something 'easy on the nerve' too. His workout from yesterday looked do-able so I gave my own version a try.

200 Swings (16kg): 10 x 10 - L,R

100 Snatches (16kg): 5 x 10 - L, R

100 Cleans (16kg): 5 x 10 - L,R

Pressed for time, I cut out the snatch holds and stick work and I compressed the rest to zero for some of the last sets of each exercise, going from a set of 10 L to R back to L then R several times. Makes for some good cardio. Done in about 23 minutes. More volume and less monotonous than 50 sets of swings with the 15:15 protocol and about the same overall time.

It felt good to do snatches again. I laid off them because they made my R shoulder feel weird (along with presses) after the cert but apparently some of the Z work and SOS work I have been doing is helping more than I thought because the experimental presses with the 2p on Friday left me feeling fine and it didn't hurt at all to snatch today either. I may end up going back to the ROP with press ladders later this fall. I really wanted to max out with that (5x 1,2,3,4,5) using the 32kg. I am going to make sure I get to 50 sets of swings on the 15:15 program with the 24kg first. Up to 36 sets so far, hopefully I'll get there in a few weeks.

Tonight's workout

2007-09-28T19:09:00.000-05:00

A repeat of last Friday. This time was a little easier.

Front Squats: 2-32's - 3 x 5

Immediately followed by (I don't even drop the bells to the ground, just lower and go)

Farmer's Walks: 3 x driveway w/2-32s. About 120 ft. round trip. It gives a fentaas-tic pohmp to de fore-ahms (as Arnold would say)

Bent Rows, 1-arm: 3 x 5 L,R

(OK, so this part is different)
Clean& Military Press: 1 x 2 L,R - easy Left, OK Right. My shoulder (deltoid actually) mumbled a bit but it was OK. Tomorrow will tell.

Not too bad, though it's hard to type right now because my forearms are so POHMPED!

Women and Kettlebells: Prejudice vs. Reality

2007-09-27T20:57:00.000-05:00

I said I may be controversial. Well here goes; I am humbled, embarrassed and a little angry inside at how damn strong and gutsy some female kettlebell practitioners are. Pound for pound, better than me! My inner cave man doesn't get it.

I know, I know I'm puttin' it out there. No offense intended actually. None at all. Respect. Awe, disbelief, wonder, and a newly developing view of the world and this man's place in it, actually. Maybe I'll get flamed, ignored or worse! Or maybe I'm not as alone in these lurking primitive thoughts as I imagine. Only one way to find out.

I just wanted to see what others, guys and gals, really think and feel about this topic. It just sort of surfaced in the last day since I started this damn blog. I never consciously thought this through before or talked about it with anyone. A confession of sorts, I guess. But I gotta have something to write about. Hmmm, topics, topics, topics.....Hey, I know! Something nice and safe...

I'm a modern, equality based guy and my history with women proves that - you'll have to take my word for that, I know. I taught girls in High School and College how to lift weights and I taught my sister and girlfriends how to change a tire because no one else did and I knew they could. I volunteered to teach women self defense because they needed it and knew they could do it. When I was cohabitating with my exes, I did the dishes, laundry, vacuumed and I've changed plenty of diapers, all without complaint. I' m all about women' s equality...except when it came to raw physical prowess. Strength and Strength/Stamina. That was a Mans domain! (Thanks, Dad - he STILL won't let my Mom drive him anywhere even though she drove herself to work daily for decades! My roots.)

The real, honest deep down truth in me is some old-fashioned, cave man part of me thinks, "They can't do that! That's better than I can do! I'm a MAN and men ALWAYS have more physical prowess than women." Yeah, right!

Facts speak for themselves. I first encountered it in High School when the varsity girls could beat my best times as a Sophomore. Us J.V. boys talked about it amongst ourselves, shaming ourselves into running harder and faster. Not fast enough, though, we couldn't catch 'em. So I forgot about it. How conveeenient!

I gave my life to Aikido for 7 years, body, mind and soul and many women I practiced with were excellent training partners and damn good Aikidoka. One was my instructor and she has my total respect. But, I told myself, that was more skill than raw physical guts: strength and stamina. That was a man's territory! Nice try!

Well I finally got interested in Kbells about 4 years ago, but was not serious until last year when I decided to do the RKC, mainly as a personal challenge. The manly, macho aspect of Kbell lifting was/is played up to the hilt, and I admit I like that. Male RKCs are rugged manly men. I expected that and am glad I can share their company.

But those women. They showed up. They kicked ass. They became RKCs! Impressive enough but now some of them are truly phenomenal. Of course there is Andrea Du Cane, Sr. RKC. A dynamo to be sure. But Fawn Friday, RKC and Tracy Riefkind come to mind because I have kept track of their efforts via their blogs and they embody those things my caveman brain tell me are the dominion of men. Raw strength and unyielding strength/stamina. (Forgive me if I neglect mentioning some other great gals, I only read so many blogs! I do remember how amazed I was with the women in my squad, Katie and Nana! Real guts!)

Fawn has strength. Awesome strength. She IS going to tame the She-beast! I'm sure of it, if she wants it, she can do it. I wonder if I'll ever tame the beast. I can barely do 1 bodyweight pullup right now and as of yet have not done a pistol. My inner caveman is dumbfounded.

"How can a WOMAN be so strong!" I say to myself.

Tracy has strength/stamina. Android Stamina. It scares me what she can do. "How the hell can she DO THAT with so damn much weight for her size? I don't think I could EVER do that!" I think to myself. And I can tell she isn't out to prove anything to anyone. Just being herself. Wow. My caveman brain is fearful. Am I manly enough? Am I wrong? Women aren't supposed to be able to do that stuff. But they did. No denying it. And the best part is, not one tiny bit is missing from their femininity either! How can that be!? My caveman brain struggles to grasp it like a soapy kettlebell.

Well I love the truth, and will not shy away from it because it's uncomfortable or trashes my pet beliefs about the world. Facing these facts has caused the cave man in me to have a meltdown (or is that Piltdown?) My inner world has shifted and Neanderthal Man has evolved into a Homo Sapien, skipping Cro-Magnon entirely. All this is still taking shape along with my Kbell muscles as I learn and take inspiration from the feats and daily exploits of my Kbell comrades, both male and female. Now I am exposing it to you all to see what you think. And I wouldn't want it to be any other way.

First Post

2007-09-26T18:13:00.000-05:00

Hello blogosphere!

I was inspired by Aaron Friday's blog today (nice post, Aaron!) plus we had a conversation at the recent RKC about me 'getting with the program' and starting my own blog. I have seen several others do it recently and I have been commenting on many other's blogs for months now, since I passed the RKC myself back in April. So it's time.

I admit some trepidation because although I love kettlebells and working out, I have MANY other interests that may bore some of you to tears. So be it. I have seen enough other blogs with posts having ZERO comments to know that it's OK and I can take it, and so can you! Besides, you might even learn something by accident.

Tonights Workout:

Swings: w/24kg, One-arm, L,R, 15sec. work, 15 sec. rest:
35 sets.

The Gymboss said 37 when I shut it off, so is that 35 or 36? I can't think right now, so anyone feel free to correct me if I got it wrong.

Bent Rows, 1-arm w/ 32kg: 3 x 5 L,R

Want to develop pull up strength as I baby my R shoulder back to pain free pressing.

I have been doing more Z health moves, but they don't seem to do that much for me. So many in the RKC world are Ga-ga about them there's gotta be something to it. I got the R-phase DVD and book a couple months ago but was not enlightened when I went through the material. I await Brett Jones and Rif's evaluation. Geoff Nupert has had some really impressive things to say about it, but so far for me there has yet to be a "EUREKA!" I remain open minded.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I think I will be converting my paper workout journal to this blog. Not entirely sure yet. But here are my previous two workouts:

9.23.07
Swings w/16kg, 15:15: 51 sets. This wasn't too hard. Recovered quite quickly. Kinda boring.

Round the Body Pass, w/32kg: 10 L, R

Figure 8 or Under Leg Pass w/32kg: 10 L, R

Hot Potato w/24kg: 40 reps

Needed an easier day because the last workout kicked my ass!

9.21.07:

Front Squats w/2-32kg bells: 3 x 5 This was tough! And I 'circuited' them with

Farmer Walks to the end of my driveway and back (3x) about 100 ft. round trip? I guess I'll have to measure it.

Bent Rows, 1-arm, w/32kg: 3 x 5 , L, R