Lee's Training Log: SFG1 Training

[Lee Hunt]

@Lee Hunt If 76 kg is much lower than 70% of your 1-RM, would there be better value in doing a single-leg deadlift instead? (I'm asking this question not knowing the answer. Perhaps @Anna C will have to weigh in.)

That's a great idea! That will definitely help add more tension to my hinge!

 

[Anna C]

I like the idea of SLDLs. I don't think it will be as effective in building absolute strength as the barbell deadlift, but you may not need that. And the SLDL has lots of wonderful carry-over to other things.

I'm not sure if there's a translation between heavy kettlbell deadlift and barbell, but I feel like I'd get more of a strength challenge doing 3 x 5 DL with a 68kg kettleell as compared with a 155lb on the barbell. So there's that -- the 76kg might be enough to get benefit if you stay with the regular KBDL.

Bottom line -- it's your choice! I think either one will be good.

 

[Michael Scott]

Best of luck to you in your pursuit of SFG I!

Ok so I don't usually change programs before finishing the cycle, and I do feel bad about this. However I've changed my short term goals. I've signed up for SFG 1 in October! For this reason I have 7 months to prepare. While I can prepare via ROP I will be following the 8 week preparation program below...

How to Prepare for and Pass Your SFG Level I

This will give me a baseline of what can be achieved in the 8 weeks so that I can use the same program Aug/Sep with confidence.

I will be posting my first session shortly!

 

[Lee Hunt]

Hi All, I've done some snatches today to post on here . After reviewing them I know that my left arm snatches I'm gripping more to the side of the handle, and I'm twirling the kettlebell around rather than flipping it over the hand on that side. Anyway here's the video, any suggestions or comments that will help me improve welcome







@Anna C looking forward to your video- critique

 

[Swann 1]

Awesome to hear that you're going for the SFG 1 cert! You'll nail it!
Nice vids; I'm going to wait to see what @Anna C and others better at the Snatch than me have to say about it, but I did notice that you were controlled and stable, which always looks good to me!

 

[Anna C]

I think the snatches look very good, Lee! You have a nice pace and everything looks pretty solid. Your right hand looks more correct than left; the left rolls to the outside a bit on the way up. A hardstyle snatch has no corkscrew or roll, it's straight up and over as you do with the right, and same thing but opposite on the way down. Hinge is good but you might try a bit more knee bend. You're not getting quite the hip power you need, and it looks like the arm is having to do some pulling. I see the shoulder shrug up some, just keep a eye on that... thinking "elbow back" as it's on the way up might help. Pop it up with the hips, tame the arc with the elbow pulling back then guide it up to lockout. But all these are minor, you are definitely on the right track. Keep snatching!

What was the weight on these?

 

[Lee Hunt]

Thank you for your feedback @Anna C

I'll focus on the left side flip of the bell instead of roll, and getting the hip drive in. I imagine improving the hip drive will have a nock on effect with keeping the shoulder down as I won't be compensating with my upper body.

I will take these steps on board and post again as I feel I've developed further

This is with the 24kg

 

[Anna C]

Yes exactly... sounds good. All in all looks great for the 24kg.

One teaching tool we learned at SFG II is somewhat of a "new" drill to teach the snatch. They called it a "subtle high pull." I'm not sure I can describe it without a video, but I'll try. Starting with a 1-arm swing; the arm is straight out at the top of the swing, right? Now start to do a swing with the arm bent, like T-rex, pulling the elbow back as the bell comes up, almost as if you are going to do a clean. Use the hips to pop the bell up without pulling or raising it with the arm at all. Do not bring the elbow out to the side as you would with an "elbow-strike" high pull (if you've ever done that). Keep the elbow low, and pulled in near your ribcage, and use the hip drive to pop the bell up higher and higher. Chest height, shoulder height, head height, a little higher than head height... and then do a snatch. Only difference is you raise your arm straight up through that last high pull, into lockout. The idea is you're focusing on the hip drive, directing the energy of the bell up (as opposed to forward, as you do with the swing), but producing enough hip drive to make the last part of the snatch easy. Give it a try and let me know how it works... If this doesn't make sense I can try to make a video for you.

 

[Swann 1]

That's a cool method, @Anna C. Now I'm wanting to Snatch too, just to see how it feels...

 

[Lee Hunt]

Yes exactly... sounds good. All in all looks great for the 24kg.

One teaching tool we learned at SFG II is somewhat of a "new" drill to teach the snatch. They called it a "subtle high pull." I'm not sure I can describe it without a video, but I'll try. Starting with a 1-arm swing; the arm is straight out at the top of the swing, right? Now start to do a swing with the arm bent, like T-rex, pulling the elbow back as the bell comes up, almost as if you are going to do a clean. Use the hips to pop the bell up without pulling or raising it with the arm at all. Do not bring the elbow out to the side as you would with an "elbow-strike" high pull (if you've ever done that). Keep the elbow low, and pulled in near your ribcage, and use the hip drive to pop the bell up higher and higher. Chest height, shoulder height, head height, a little higher than head height... and then do a snatch. Only difference is you raise your arm straight up through that last high pull, into lockout. The idea is you're focusing on the hip drive, directing the energy of the bell up (as opposed to forward, as you do with the swing), but producing enough hip drive to make the last part of the snatch easy. Give it a try and let me know how it works... If this doesn't make sense I can try to make a video for you.

Wow that drill is gold! I've just grabbed the bell to do some swings to snatches and it feels great! My arms and body felt more connected and in unison! Thank you so much!

 

[Lee Hunt]

SFG 1 Prep wk1 s3

Warm up
Crawls
Bottoms up press
Goblet Squats

Single Press 10 x 5 @ 24kg
1h Swings 10 x OTM x 20 @ 32kg
Falmers walks 4 x 90secs @ 2 x 24kg

Notes:

•Clean on right was solid today compared to last session. The extra 4 sets of 5 today felt good, didn't start to feel the fatigue setting in until the last 2 sets

•Swings felt great, another pr on volume today with 200 swings with 32kg. Form felt solid, and I'm enjoying the OTM protocol

•Falmers walks I bumped up to all 4 sets @ 2 x 24kg today and will stay at that for the time being, I'm enjoying the grip benefits I get from these

I also spent some time on the snatch using the subtle high pull drill @Anna C mentioned earlier in my log. I'm doing these little and often to improve my form before they come into the program in week 4.

Have a strong day everyone!

 

[Lee Hunt]

SFG 1 Prep wk1 s4

Warm up
Crawls
Bottom up press
Goblet Squat

Kb deadlift 3x5 @ 80kg
TGU 5x1 @ 32kg
Double Clean 5x5 @ 2 x 24kg
Double Front Squat 5x5 @ 2 x 24kg

Notes:

•TGU's were really strong, floor to kneeling transition was the smoothest I've had them. I actually was gutted when I had completed all my sets, I wanted to do more! It was that smooth.

•Double Cleans felt great, I was really focusing on using the hips powerfully, and zipping up in the finish.

•Double Front Squats best session on these yet, finding my groove with these. I'm need to work on starting foot position as it's a bit wide on first rep, but once I bring the feet in a little they are good to go.

This concludes my first week on the 8 week prep plan. I've found that even though I felt I was training hard before, the volume is in a different level to what I'm used to. I've had more energy, my rest intervals haven't been very long naturally. I've had some great feedback that I can use to improve form. And I've used lifts that I haven't done in a long while/ not at all (dfsq/ farmers walks). Overall I'm feeling positive after the first week.

Have a strong day everyone!

 

[Anna C]

Great to hear! So glad you like the program. So nicely designed in how it covers a lot of ground, yet allows you to really focus on the day's tasks, right? You are doing very well with it, and looks like you are selecting the right weights for you right now.

When I was doing it, the only other training I did (besides the 4 weekly sessions outlined in the program) was a moderate bike ride on the weekend, and then usually a yoga class during the week. So some easy aerobic activity (walking/hiking would be great too) and some sort of flexibility work highly recommended from this corner.

 

[Steve Freides]

@Lee Hunt, have you posted in the I Achieved Simple thread? If not, please do so, and please also post a review of the book on amazon.com if you haven't already.

-S-

 

[Strong Rick]

@Lee Hunt your doing some solid work brother!
I'm no expert but to me those snatches look good!
I'm super excited to see how you come out at the end of this eight week block!

You are going to CRUSH the SFG I cert!

 

[Lee Hunt]

So glad you like the program

I love it!

So nicely designed in how it covers a lot of ground, yet allows you to really focus on the day's tasks, right?

I agree, it's got such great range. And yes everything is programmed in just the right place. I can't say enough about the first week!

So some easy aerobic activity (walking/hiking would be great too) and some sort of flexibility work highly recommended from this corner

I've started the 4 week flexible steel challenge at the beginning of the week, although I haven't been logging this, I will do moving forward

 

[Lee Hunt]

@Lee Hunt, have you posted in the I Achieved Simple thread? If not, please do so, and please also post a review of the book on amazon.com if you haven't already.

-S-

I haven't yet, I'll get this sorted shortly, thank you for the reminder

 

[Lee Hunt]

Awesome to hear that you're going for the SFG 1 cert! You'll nail it!
Nice vids; I'm going to wait to see what @Anna C and others better at the Snatch than me have to say about it, but I did notice that you were controlled and stable, which always looks good to me!

@Lee Hunt your doing some solid work brother!
I'm no expert but to me those snatches look good!
I'm super excited to see how you come out at the end of this eight week block!

You are going to CRUSH the SFG I cert!

Thanks guys! My left side was twirling rather than flipping but I'm pleased to say that by working on the drills above that's pretty much sorted
And a stronger hip hinge and snap is definitely feeling better! Still work to do, but onwards and upwards

 

[Lee Hunt]

SFG 1 Prep wk2 s2

Warmup
Crawls
Goblet Squats
Bottoms up press

Single Press 5x5 @ 28kg
1h Swing 10 x OTM x 24 @ 32kg
Falmers walks 4 x 90secs @ 2x24kg

Notes:

• Press felt good, went up 4kg. Focused on making sure I had no leaks in my tension on each press.

• Swings were good, longest session I've done, and the most reps too @ 240. I was doing well until I tore a callous on my left hand on the last rep.



• Falmers walks felt good. Apart from the left hand of course.

Have a strong day everyone!

 

[Strong Rick]

Ouch!