Heading back home

Sunday September 21, 2008

Weight: 180 1/2 lbs

Originally I was going to take off today however I realized I may not be able to get over to the gym in Petaluma on Monday so instead I did just my dead-lifts:

Morning:

Z-Health: Neural Warmup Level 2

Conventional Dead-lift (lbs):

210 x 1 x 5
190 x 1 x 5

No problem with either set. I'm now reaching down but looking upward when grabbing the bell as suggested from one of Fawn's power-lifting coaches.

Monday September 22, 2008

Weight: Unknown

After six hours in a cramped window seat my commercial flight landed in San Francisco at around noon. I then drove up to Petaluma for another hour to make to work. After settling in I went down to shipping and picked up my 24kg bell. Following that I gave a demonstration to three co-workers, one of whom, an ex-wrestler, was an extremely strong dude. Within in ten minutes I had him at first two-hand swinging, cleaning, pressing and then snatching with both arms. Considering he was well versed in Olympic lifts, its no surprise he took to the Kettlebell lifts quickly.

Noon:

24kg x 2 x 20 Two-hand swings
24kg x 2 x 10/10 One-hand swings
24kg x 1 x 8l(PR)/8r MP
24kg x 1 x 10/10 Snatch
24kg x 1 x 8/8 Snatch


In the evening I brought the bell to the fitness center in my hotel. A couple of guys working out there, Samuel and Abel, were both intrigued by this new tool and I proceeded to go through a fairly long demonstration. I taught Samuel, who was pretty fit to start with, how to two-hand swing. The 24kg bell was a bit much for him, but he managed five sets of 10 swings each. I then had him use a 10lb dumpbell to practice his TGUs. Abel was happy to look on and ask questions.

Evening:

Z-Health: Neural Warmup Level 2

24kg x 7 x 20 Two-hand swing
24kg x 4 x 1/1 TGU
24kg x 2 x 10/10 Snatch
24kg x 2 x 8/8 Snatch


Tuesday September 23, 2008

Weight: 181 lbs

Morning:

Z-Health: Neural Warmup Level 2

Late Evening:

24kg x 1 x 30 Two-hand swings
24kg x 1 x 15/15 One-hand swings
24kg x 1 x 10l/10b/10r/10b Roundabout swings

24kg Chain Circuit
A1 :1 x 1 Dead hand Snatch Right
A2: 1 x 1 Press Right
A3: 1 x 1 Front Squat Right
A4: 1 x 1 Push Press Right
A5: 1 x 1 Jerk Right
A6: 1 x 5 One hand swing Right
A7-A12: Repeat A1 - A6 with Left
Total: 5 Chains

24kg Chain Circuit
A1 :1 x 5 Snatch Right
A2: 1 x 1 Press Right
A3: 1 x 1 Front Squat Right
A4: 1 x 1 Push Press Right
A5: 1 x 1 Jerk Right
A6: 1 x 5 One hand swing Right
A7-A12: Repeat A1 - A6 with Left
Total: 5 Chains

24kg Circuit:
A1: 1 x 20 Two-hand swings
A2: 1 x 1/1 TGU
Total: 4 sets

24kg x 1 x 10/10 Snatch
24kgs x 1 x (1/1, 2/2, 3/3) Snatch ladder

After going threw this one of the gym members, Caleb Fields, a very fit looking young man in his early thirties, was very interested in learning about KBs. It turns out he was a HS wrestler, a competetive collegiate swimmer and after college a powerlifter. At 168lbs he Sumo-style pulled 505, quite an impressive in a meet netting him 3rd place. He told me it just came natural explaining he pulled four wheels conventional style the very first time he tried dead-lifting.

I will be giving him a complementary lesson tomorrow evening and he in turn will try to share some dead-lift pointers .. very cool!


Weight: 181 lbs

Morning:

Z-Health: Neural Warmup Level 2

Late Afternoon:

24kg x 10 x 20 Two-hand swings
24kg x 5 x 1/1 TGU

Today I gave my new West coast training partner, Caleb Fields, a complimentary Kettlebell training session including two-hand swings and TGUs. Caleb, a 168lb 5 wheel DL-er, was able to tough it out and did ten sets of fifteen two-hand swings. Starting with a 10 lb dumbell he worked up to a 35 lb dumbbell TGU with each arm.

Afterwards, we went over to the barbells and gave me some good DL tips. I worked up to 225 lb single and then went straight to 295 and failed. He felt my form was solid but that it will just take time to I train my nervous system. As one possibility to get me over my currrent 1RM of 285, he suggested using two 10 lb chains added to a 275. As the bar comes off the ground it gets heavier and heavier which will help me get used to the higher weight. Sounds like a small investment with a potentially big payoff.



Thursday September 25, 2008

Weight: 181 lbs

With the exception of a almond horn cookie everyday, I stayed compliant with my Precision Nutrition program. Having a Whole Foods and Trader Joes only a few miles from the Petaluma office made it easy to purchase high quality foods consistent with my program.

I also made great use of the 24kg bell I had sent out here by training every day.

Morning:

Z-Health: Neural Warmup Level 2

Late Afternoon:

24kg x 1 x 8l/10r MP
24kg x 1 x 8l/10r C&P
24kg x 1 x (1/1, 2/2, 3/3) MP Ladder

24kg Complex:
A1: 1 x 5/5 One-hand swing
A2: 1 x 5/5 Front Squat
A3: 1 x 5/5 Jerk
Total: 3 Complexes

24kg Complex
A1: 1 x 5/5 One-hand swing
A2: 1 x 5/5 Thruster
A3: 1 x 5/5 Jerk
Total: 3 Complexes

24kg x 2 x 20 Two-hand swings
24kg x 2 x 10/10 One-hand swings

24kg Snatch:
1 x 10/10
1 x 5/5/5/5
1 x 10/10
1 x 5/5
1 x 10/10
1 x 5/5

24kg Circuit:
1 x 1l Ascending TGU Left
1 x 1 Windmill
1 x 1 H2H Swing transfer
1 x 1 Snatch Right
1 x 1 Windmill
1 x 1 Descending TGU Right
1 x 1l Ascending TGU Rigth
1 x 1 Windmill
1 x 1 H2H Swing transfer
1 x 1 Snatch Left
1 x 1 Windmill
1 x 1 Descending TGU Left
Total: 2 Circuits

This was a great workout and took over 40 minutes. A great way to end the week out west.