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.

ETK prep

Swings x 20 w/ 24kg KB
10 Hack Squats w/ 16kg KB
Swings x 20
9 Hack Squats w/ 16kg KB
Swings x 20
7 Hack Squats w/ 16kg KB
Swings x 20
7 Hack squats w/ 16kg KB

Post vacation week training day 1

Bench Press:

30kg x 5
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
56kg x 5

Chest Supported Rows:

56kg x 10r x 2S

NOTES:

-Felt kind of tired. Had a late night party at the end of my vacation. Need to catch
up on some sleep.

Intense Training Week Day 5

Bench Press:

30kg x 5
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
56kg x 5
58kg x 5
60kg x 5

Ample rest between the last couple of sets (3 minutes)

[16kg KB Single Arm Bench Press x 3s x 8r
60 seconds rest]

[Chest Supported Row w/ 50kg x 4s x 10r
90 seconds rest]

NOTES:
-Chest Supported Rows felt crisp, am increasing the rep count next time around.

Intense Training Week Day 4

Barbell Back Squat:

30kg x 5
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
86kg x 5
88kg x 5

Intense Training Week Day 3

[Bench Press w/ 40kg x 22, 8, 3
60 seconds rest]

[Skull Crushers w/ 20kg x 6 x 4
60 seconds rest]

Pull-ups x 4s x 9 reps (last 2 sets included some partial reps)

1 16kg KB MP x 2s x 10 reps + 4L & 4R

BB Curl w/ 26kg x 8, 5, 3

Intense Training Week Day 2

Bench Press:

30kg x 5
50kg x 5
56kg x 5
58kg x 5
60kg x 3

1 arm 16kg KB Bench Press x 3s x 7r

Barbell Chest Supported Rows w/ 50kg x 3s x 10r

Seated Power Cleans with 12kg DB's x 3s x 5r

NOTES:
- Have the night shift this week and am taking advantage of the regularity of my work
schedule to get a lot of workouts in.
- Workout template = Westside for Skinny Bastards.

1 week of intense training

Back Squat:

30kg x 5
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
90kg x 4

Single leg Speed Skater squat with 2 x 12kg Dumbbells

3s x 8r

Back Squats (low bar powerlifting style)

30kg x 3
50kg x 3
70kg x 2
90kg x 3
100kg x 1
106kg x 1

NOTES:

-Will be working on the low bar back squat more, as my preference has been with the high bar olympic style back squat for the past years. It's about time to squat some serious weight. Long overdue. Next PR goal: 120kg x 1.

Bodybuilding Day 2

[FSQ x 5s x 10r x 56kg
60 sec rest
Reverse Crunch x 10r x 5s
60 sec rest
Calf Raise (standing) x 10r x 5s
60 sec rest]

Holle-It Up Dumbbell 20kg Holds for time:

Crossfit - Attempt # 3

3x
[Deadlift 80kg x 5
Burpees (with pushups) x 10]

Time: 5min33sec

NOTES:
- This workout was inspired by the 2008 Crossfit Games.
I should have done 5 rounds, but I am quite out of shape lately and WILL make
the full 5 rounds next time I attempt this workout.

Virtual Meet Powerlifting Day

Back Squat:

46kg x 4
46kg x 4
66kg x 3
82kg x 2
90kg x 1
94kg x 1
100kg x 1 (I)
102kg x 1 Fail (II)
102kg x 1 Fail (III)

Bench Press:

30kg x 4
30kg x 4
46kg x 3
56kg x 2
60kg x 1
66kg x 1
68kg x 1 (I)
72kg x 1 (II)
76kg x 1 Fail (III)

Deadlift:

66kg x 4
66kg x 4
96kg x 3
120kg x 2
128kg x 1
136kg x 1
142kg x 1 (I)
150kg x 1 (II)
154kg x 1 (III)

NOTES:
-Footage will be available in about 1-2 weeks on virtualmeet.net
-BW= 71.4 kg
-My nervous system is exhausted. Quite tired. Used Scott Sonnon's Kettlebell Foundation Warm-up and Compensatory Cool down before and after my performance.
I highly recommend this DVD set for increasing your mobility and release any tightness in the (sometimes improperly) used muscles in kettlebell lifting and weightlifting in general as well. This DVD is worth it's weight in gold for the detailed technique break down for kettebell lifting, add a detailed explanation (not just the how, but the why) to that and you've got yourself a must have series.

Squat Clean Max Day

Squat Clean:

30kg x 1 x 3
50kg x 1 x 3
60kg x 1 x 3
64kg x 1
68kg x 1
72kg x 1
76kg x 1
80kg x 1 (PR)
82kg x 1F

Seated Press w/ 30kg x 9

BW= 72kg

Helen

3 rounds for time:
400 run
21 swings (santa cruz style)
12 Pull-ups

NOTES:
-Didn't time it, but I know my time was better than last time I did it (in 2005)
as my sets of pull-ups started with 6-8 solid reps instead of broken sets of 3.
-Bodyweight today: 72.3kg (ate some pizza yesterday)

Maximum Effort Day Week 1

Max Bench:

Bar x 5
30kg x 5
40kg x 5
50kg x 3
2 minutes rest
56kg x 3
3 minutes rest
60kg x 1
66kg x 1
4 minutes rest
70kg x 1 (PR)
4 minutes rest
72kg x 1 (PR)

Max Deadlift:

66kg x 4
10 seconds rest
66kg x 4
10 seconds rest
96kg x 3
30 seconds rest
120kg x 2
60 seconds rest
128kg x 1
120 seconds rest
136kg x 1
240 seconds rest
142kg x 1 (felt slow coming off the floor, but solid)

NOTES:
-Felt a bit weak today, decided to get buy a bathroom scale. Weighed in at precisely 71kg. Will keep weighing myself in the morning every day. I know that my normal weight is supposed to be between 73-74kg, so I need to eat a bit more.
-Plan to keep this hybrid plan going and will incorporate other max effort movements to instead of the regular deadlift (standing on blocks, good mornings, ...)

Dynamic Effort Day Week 1

Speed Bench
[36kg w/ light band wrapped behind my back x 3 x 8
1 minute rest between sets]
18 Kipping Pull-ups (PR!)

Squat Clean:
30kg x 1
50kg x 1
60kg x 1
70kg x 1
72kg x 1
74kg x 1
76kg x 1 (PR!)
Ample rest (2-4 minutes) between sets

NOTES:
-Set several PR's on pull-ups and squat clean. My body seems to be getting into 'go' mode. Hope to get some good results deadlifting and max benching tomorrow.

Crossfit/Westside Hybrid

As I'm closing in on the competition. I have decided to adapt
a more hybrid approach. So 2 days a week I'll do crossfit workouts
and 2 days a week I'll do a one Maximum Effort and Dynamic Effort day.

So today I did:

Bench Press:
50kg x 3
12 Pull-ups
60kg x 1
64kg x 1
12 Pull-ups
68kg x 1
70kg x 1 Fail

Crossfit Workout # 4

Max possible rounds in 15 mins:

[Squat Hang Clean w/ 40kg x 12
Ring dips x 15]

NOTES:
-Recorded the time, but - in retrospect- forgot tot record it in my log.
-Squat cleans for high reps and relatively low weight helped my squat clean
technique a lot. Feel like I could do some 1RM full cleans soon.

Crossfit Workout # 3

3 rounds of:

[18" Box jumps x 25
5 muscle ups]


NOTES:
-Didn't time it. Should have.
-Box jumps were broken into sets of 10 at first, then sets of 5.
Used the bench as a box.

Bench Press, Pull-ups, Swings

Bench Press w/ 50kg x 1

3x
[Bench Press w/ 60kg x 3
90 seconds rest
Pull-ups w/ 10kg x (1,2,3)
Swings w/ 32kg x 10]