New time, new goals

The past couple of months (let's make that a solid year, shall we ;-) I have not been doing a lot (exercise wise) A lot of real life stuff happened (I got engaged)...
Sometimes one has to set priorities. A lot of logistical stuff had to happen, still of course no reason not to exercise. But, I was quite fatigued as well lately, working an average of 60 hrs of week, even though I got a week of holidays in.
To make a long story short, I decided to get my ass back in the driver's seat and get myself back into shape. Both strength and cardio-wise.

So here are my goals for the next couple of months:

- Alternating MP (with one kettlebell in the rack while pressing the other one) with 2x24kg x 10 or pressing a 32kg x 5 easily.
I can do 3 reps left and right in the rack now. Will work my way up to 6 or 7, then start ETKing.
- Getting in better cardio-wise/better GPP: finishing 80 sets in the described 15:15 protocol by Kenneth Jay.
- Increase Barbell Power Snatch from current max of 56kg to previous max of 70kg.


How will I be implenting this practically ?
- VO2Max Protocol: once a week.
- Heavy Power Snatches: Once a week.
- Military Pressing/Pull-ups as a stand alone or after VO2Max/Power Snatching.
- Add in some hack squats as seen on Steve Maxwell's web site for leg development and knee stability.

In practice, it would look like this:

Tuesday: VO2Max, followed by Military Pressing/Pullups
Thursday: 20/30/40 or 50 swings followed by hack squats w/ 16kg for 1 minute. Followed by MP/Pull-ups.
I would increase swing volume every week
Saturday: Power Snatch singles followed by MP/Pull-ups (or rows)

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Here's what I did today:

VO2Max Protocol
15:15
7 snatches, 18 sets w/16kg kettlebell(only 9 minutes of actual work !)

NOTES:

-Snatches went fine, left arm feels a bit rusty with the snatch groove.
-Felt really good after. Am curious to see how this will affect the other areas of my training.

Good Morning & ETK Holle DB Row Day 10

Power Snatch w/ 30kg x 1
Power Snatch w/ 50kg x 1 x 3
Power Snatch w/ 56kg x 1 x 3
Power Snatch w/ 58kg x 1 x 2
Power Snatch w/ 60kg x 1
Power Snatch w/ 62kg x F

[Good mornings w/ 66kg x (1,2,3) x 4
BOR w/ 20kg Holle DB x (1,2,3)x 4
1 minute rest]

[Bench Press w/ 56kg x (1,2,3) x 4
Pull-ups w/ 10kg x (1,2,3) x 4
1 minute rest]

Good Morning & ETK Holle DB Row Day 9

Power Snatch:
30kg x 1 x 2
50kg x 1 x 3
56kg x HP x 3

[Good Morning w/ 66kg x (1,2,3) x 1 +(1,2) x 1
BOR w/ 20kg Holle x (1,2,3)+ (1,2)
60 seconds rest]

[Bench Press w/ 56kg x (1,2,3) + (1,2)
Pull-up w/ 10kg x (1,2,3) + (1,2)
60 seconds rest]

Good Morning & DB Row ETK Cycle Day 7 + Power Snatch Day 3

Power Snatch:

30kg x 1 x 2
50kg x 1 x 3
56kg x 1 x 2
58kg x 1

[60kg x 1 x 4 + 3 High Pulls * **
60 seconds rest]

[Good Mornings w/ 60kg x x (1,2,3) x 2 + (1,2) x 1
Holle DB BOR w/ 16kg x x (1,2,3) x 2 + (1,2) x 1
1 minute rest]

NOTES:
*: Used my new weightlifting shoes for the first time. The transition between
first and second pull is more apparent as one pushes the knees 'out' (different shin angle caused by the elevated heel makes this more pronounced)to let the bar pass smoothly and maximize the leverage for the posterior chain. The pull certainly feels more efficient.
**: CNS fatigue was certainly an issue after rep #4. Next week is a back off week, so no worries here.

Good Morning & DB Row ETK Cycle Day 4 + Power Snatch Day 2

[Power Snatch w/ 58kg x 1 x 10* **
1 minute rest between sets]


[Good Morning w/ 60kg x (1,2,3) x 2
Holle DB Rows w/ 16kg x (1,2,3) x 2
1 minute rest between ladders]

NOTES:
*: Power Snatch is key to athletic development, as noted again
today by Charles Poliquin in his most recent 'Question of Strength' on T-Nation . If I can make it to snatching 70kg x 1 x 15,
I will be sure to perform well on the deadlift.
**: Form in the last 5 reps was poor due to CNS fatigue because of Monday's training
and insufficient sleep.

Good Morning & DB Row ETK cycle 1 Day 2

[ETD Power Snatch w/ 57kg x 14 x 1*
1 minute rest between sets]

[Arched Back Good Mornings w/ 60kg x (1,2)x3 + 1
Holle DB Row w/ 16kg x (1,2)x3 + 1
1 minute rest between ladders]

[Push Press w/ 54kg x 5,4,3,3,4
2 minutes rest between sets]

NOTES:
*: These sets are pretty taxing to the CNS. I will continue doing them until
progress stalls. I think a lot of the progress here depends on grip strength.
I will consider implementing Prilepins recommendations here and Nov 02 'Deadlift on the rise' on this in the future though.
I noticed that a couple of days of working with the Holle DB already strengthed my
fingers noticeably.

Performance Menu Day 4

[Power Snatch w/ 42kg x 2r x 3s
supersetted with
Holle DB snatches w/ 10kg x 10 (L&R)]

Good Mornings:

50kg x 5
1 minute rest
60kg x 5
30 sec
70kg x 3 (form was not good)

NOTES:
-Will see how I can incorporate the good mornings in my routine soon.

Snatches + Jump Rope

4 rounds:

[3 Power Snatches x 50kg
100 x jump rope]



NOTES:
-Felt a bit weak today, hence the tapered workout.

Power Snatch + Upper body work

[Power Snatch from hang w/ 50kg x 1 x 21 *
+/- 30 seconds rest between sets]

[16kg KB cheat curls x 3 x 8
50kg Close grip BB Bench Press lockout x 3 x 8]

[Bent-over Row w/ 50kg x 8 x 3
60 sec rest]

25 swings w/ 32kg KB

NOTES:
*:Alternated between sets of 1 and 2 reps

EDT Power Snatch Day 3

PS w/ 50kg x 1
PS w/ 60kg x 1

NOTES:
-Tired, party last night. Hit the sack at 2.30 am. Didn't really
have any strength to do a solid routine today.
-Did come across a very interesting way of testing CNS recovery. I stil have a 200lb Heavy Gripper lying around. Will use this instead of the dynamometer.

EDT Power Snatch Day 2+ ETK Phase II Day 3

PS w/ 30kg x 1
PS w/ 50kg x 1
PS w/ 60kg x 1

[PS w/ 66kg x 1 x 11
1 minute rest]

[Clean + Press w/ 46kg x (1,2,3)x3
PU w/ 24kg x (1,2,3)x3
2 minutes rest]

Back Squat w/ 90kg x 2
3 minute rest
Back Squat w/ 100kg x 1
4 minute rest
Back Squat w/ 110kg x 1

NOTES:
-Back Squats were done dead start. Squatted the weight up from the pins, then did 1 full rep (concentric + eccentric).

EDT Power Snatch + ETK Phase II Day 2

PS w/ 30kg x 1
PS w/ 50kg x 1
PS w/ 60kg x 1

[Power Snatch w/ 62kg x 1 x 15
1 minute rest]

[Good Morning w/ 70kg x (1,2,3)+(1,2)
56kg (32kg+24kg) swing x (1,2,3)+(1,2)
2 minutes rest]

[Barbell MP w/ 46kg x (1,2,3)x2
PU w/ 24kg x (1,2,3)x2
2 minutes rest]

3x
[16+24kg hold x 20sec
1 minute rest]

Power Snatch Day 1, ETK MP/PU Day 7

MP w/ 32kg x 1
PU w/ 24kg x 5 (PR)
MP w/ 32kg x 1
PU w/ 24kg x 3
5 minutes rest
MP w/ 32kg x 5 (L&R) (PR !)

PS w/ 50kg x 3
PS w/ 52kg x 2
PS w/ 54kg x 1
2 minutes rest
PS w/ 52kg x 3
PS w/ 54kg x 2
PS w/ 56kg x 1

NOTES:
-Finally passed the rite of passage of 5 Military Presses left and right with the 32kg kettlebell ! Now onto the same thing with 40kg.
-Stuck to the wave loading protocol with snatches too, seems to work well right now.

OL Day + BOR & MP/PU, Pistols

Power Snatch w/ 30kg x 1
Power Snatch w/ 50kg x 1
Power Snatch w/ 60kg x 1

[Power Snatch w/ 66kg x 1 x 2
1 minute rest]

PC+PJ w/ 66kg x 1
PC+PC w/ 76kg x 1
3 minutes rest
PC w/ 90kg x 1F

[Bent-Over Row w/ 76kg x (1,2,3)+(1,1,2)
2 minutes rest]

[MP w/ 26kg x (1,2,3)x3
PU w/ 24kg x (1,2,3)x3
2 minutes rest]

[Pistols w/ 32kg x (1,2,3)x1
2 minutes rest]

NOTES:
-7 hours of sleep
-Pull-ups w/ 24kg were hard. We'll see how things workout next time.