32kg TGUs

To bed at 11:30pm and up at 6:30am. Sleep was marginal .. up several times but at least able to eventually go back to sleep each time. Weight: 178.5 lbs. I put on a 1.5 lbs since my low but I'm not going to sweat it .. I've have been really hungry of late and have had to increase my intake a bit.

This was an easy day with joint mobility drills, pull-ups and TGUs the main focus:

Joint Mobility:
Z-Health R-Phase with extra left arm circles through the different planes
QiGong: "Opening the World" elbow and shoulder flows

Russian 3RM Fighter Pull-up Plan
Day 2: (Day 8 of plan) 4,3,2,2,1 neutral grip pull-ups with 2 mins rest between rungs

Wow, I can really feel my lats pumped after doing these. The Russian Fighter Plan as written calls for using a thumb-less pro-nated grip (palms facing away) but these cause to much elbow discomfort for me whereas neutral grip seems to be fine. I will continue to only train with neutral grip .. when I eventually enter my first TSC I will just go for it with the required tactical grip.

24kg 3 x 4/4, 2 x 3/3, 1 x 2/2 TGU with one min rest between arms
20 reps per arm .. new PR

The TGUs are the closest thing to a grind I perform. Given where my left shoulder and elbows are, I am pleased to be able to do these pain free. Today was the 1st day that my left shoulder was very stable .. no wobbling at all. While starting my last left arm set in the bottom position of the TGU I did do one floor press and there was some discomfort .. confirming my decision to continue to hold off on grinds for now. I rested for another 10 minutes and decided to see if I could still do 32kg TGU singles:

32kg 1 x 3r/2l TGU

Surprisingly I could do reps with both arms, PRs for both. The two TGU's with my left arm were very strong and stable, previously only on a very good day would I have been able to perform a single with the left. This is another example of the "pyramid lifting principle" that Gabi of "A Hungarian Courage Corner" (this blog is a must for anyone, man or women, wanting to see and learn how a very strong, fit and hard working woman trains with KBs) shared with me:

I was able to raise the height of my TGU lift pyramid by increasing the width of its base, i.e., the increased volume (width) with the 24kg has allowed me to increase my performance with the 32kg (height).

Later in the day, I had an opportunity to demonstrate some KB exercises to 5 high school kids at an Easter pot luck at a friends house. One of the boys, a football half-back and safety at 155 lbs was very strong as was able to a TGU with his right arm with the 24kg. The other boys were all able to perform a single with the 16kg. They all had turns to swing the 16kg for reps and all got gassed quickly from one set .. I remember I too was so humbled when I first started sets of high rep swings.

Three of the boys were so psyched that they plan on pooling their funds and purchase a 16kg and 24kg .. I really hope they follow up. I think I actually got more out of the demo than they did as it was a sheer joy to be around the high level of intense energy these boys generated. The boys helped load my car with the bells .. I took care of the 2 pood:

32kg 100 yard walk in the racked position with one hand to hand transfer midway

Yow! I forgot how incredibly demanding racked walks are!

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Diet and Nutrition Log

Breakfast:
1 bowl of Kitchari with a little sweet potato and Toor Dal
2 cups of coffee with tbs of 1/2 and 1/2
2 dates

Morning Snack:
1 small bowl of Gujarati green beans with Basmati white rice

Easter Lunch Potluck: (We brought the Gujarati beans)
2 helpings of breakfast casserole
1 helping of Gujarati beans with Chili
1 large helping of juicy oven roasted turkey
1 large helping of two kinds of ham
1 small helping of wild boar pulled pork
1 large helping of beets, carrots, butternut squash
1 mixed greens salad
1 large sampling of four different chocolate deserts
4 oz Jamison Irish whiskey on the rocks
6 oz of OJ with Champaign
4 oz of OJ with vodka

I consumed all of this over the course of five and half hours. Its the most food and drink I've consumed in one day in a year. Back to a normal regime tomorrow.