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Adam R Mundorf -- Training Log

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Variety Day
  • 3 x 5 32kg Prying Goblet Squats
  • 5 x 1 32kg Loaded Cleans SSw/ 5 x 1 32kg TGU
    • 5 min rest between these sets.
  • 3 x 5 32kg TH Kettlebell Swing
  • 3 x 1 24kg Kettlebell Snatch
 
Variety Day
  • 3 x 5 20kg Goblet Squats
  • A ton of mobility work and allot more walking than normal. Typically it's 14,000 steps a day but today it's around 20,000.
I'm considering switching to a callisthenics routine soon. The RoP works 100% but unfortunately I'm not lawyer and can't stick to a program. :p. I feel like following a calisthenics program would make me more well rounded but I would sacrifice some strength, back hypertrophy and kettlebell specific skills in the process. I think the risk to reward ratio of the goals of the Rite of Passage become somewhat dubious near the end. It seems people get rather beat up progressing through and past the 32 kg. My number one goal here is health and I'm not sure if going heavier and heavier is the answer. I can already tell that me progressing to the 32 kg would have a needle more towards risk than reward.

Is it worth it?

Will I pay the price down the line when I'm old for trying to achieve a certain numbers? It kinda concerns me how many experts have joint replacements. They may have lifted great weight but was it worth it?

Also, how strong do you really need to be?
Is a 32 kg press going to make your life drastically better than being able to press a 24?

Maybe I'm just making excuses?......




 
I would recommend two things: 1) commit to the remaining ~6 weeks until getting to 5 ladders of (1,2,3,4,5), and 2) consider dropping the chin-ups. They add a lot to the time, and if you’re emphasizing the negative you get a lot the same “pull” benefit.

I agree that after repping out the 24 (which would probably yield a few good reps with 32), the path from 1/3 to 1/2 bodyweight press is a “specialist path” that may not be desired by all. Certainly appropriate (required) if you want to attain SFG II, but the risk/investment to return equation probably does change around the 1/3 bodyweight press threshold.

As for health and wear and tear, I think if you are smart about it and use good technique, you are doing all you can. I think anyone with aches and pains could tell you phases of their life where they did not train smart (deviating from a proven program, or trying to do their own thing) - they probably would not point to a smart, proven program.
 
Light Day
  • 2(1,2) 24 kg MP SSw/ 3(1,2) Chin Up
  • 3(1) 24 kg MP SSw/ 3(1) Chin Up
  • 4 min 20kg Snatch 4L/4R e/minute
3 x 5 20kg Prying Goblet Squats
 
Medium Day
  • 2(1,2,3) 24 kg C&P SSw/ 2(1,2,3) Chin Up
  • 3(1,2) 24 kg C&P SSw/ 3(1,2) Chin Up
  • 6 min 24kg Swing
3 x 5 20kg Prying Goblet Squats

Note :
  • You know you're getting stronger because you have to check to make sure you didn't pick up a lighter bell.
  • Still considering moving to a calisthenics routine soon.
 
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Adam R Mundorf said:
Still considering moving to a calisthenics routine soon.
Click to expand...

If you're 6 weeks out from finishing the program and you dont feel a strain or other issue, then I would vote you finish it and move on. I tend to be a program hopper.

And perhaps as @Sean M said, drop the chins or swap them out for one of the exercises on your variety day. I'm not far enough down the path of fitness and strength to truly advise you but just stating what makes sense to me.
 
Ryan T said:
If you're 6 weeks out from finishing the program and you don't feel a strain or other issue, then I would vote you finish it and move on. I tend to be a program hopper.

And perhaps as @Sean M said, drop the chins or swap them out for one of the exercises on your variety day. I'm not far enough down the path of fitness and strength to truly advise you but just stating what makes sense to me.
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Thank you for the reply @Ryan T and @Sean M. It's honestly just lack of enthusiasm and energy for the sessions. This has allot to do with my eating style. As the ladders are getting longer it's getting harder to find the glycogen to lift. Especially, when I workout towards the evening.

It's a great skill to be able to stretch glycogen and perform when depleted BUT this is why I commented in the other thread that IF is optimal for resiliency and not strength building.
 
Adam R Mundorf said:
This has allot to do with my eating style. As the ladders are getting longer it's getting harder to find the glycogen to lift. Especially, when I workout towards the evening.

It's a great skill to be able to stretch glycogen and perform when depleted BUT this is why I commented in the other thread that IF is optimal for resiliency and not strength building.
Click to expand...

Maybe mix things up a bit with your eating style on training days and see how it goes? I used to only workout in the AM but recently I found that I had more strength in the afternoons for TGUs so I had to change my timing to support my training. Make a swap for a while and see how you do.
 
Adam R Mundorf said:
Thank you for the reply @Ryan T and @Sean M. It's honestly just lack of enthusiasm and energy for the sessions. This has allot to do with my eating style. As the ladders are getting longer it's getting harder to find the glycogen to lift. Especially, when I workout towards the evening.

It's a great skill to be able to stretch glycogen and perform when depleted BUT this is why I commented in the other thread that IF is optimal for resiliency and not strength building.
Click to expand...
When are you fasting and when are you training? This probably had a big role.

For example my strongest training is mid-morning after a hearty breakfast. But that isn’t possible during the week due to work schedule.

Next strongest is evening after dinner (near the end of the “eating window”). But that conflicts with family time, and evening functions/activities that have me away from home. Plus I want to unwind in the evening, not do hard training.

So I do 5:00 a.m. because it’s the only time period that is 100% up to me, I own it. It’s not as optimal from an energy stores viewpoint (fasting since 6-8 p.m. the night before), but I also think the body adapts. At this point I’m used to 3-4 mornings a week of training. I still get up early (not as early though) even if not training (rest day).

All that to say - if you can shake up the eating/fasting window and/or training time, try adjusting one and see how your body reacts.
 
Off Day
  • A ton of mobility work
Tomorrow, I'm beginning a calisthenics program. It's inspired/from Convict Conditioning and has allot of daily but sub-maximal work. The Rite of Passage worked wonderfully for me and is truly a fool proof program for excelling in the kettlebell press. I'll probably return to it at some point in the future if I feel like increasing my kettlebell press.

This is essentially the Good Behavior 2.0 from the Convict Conditioning Super FAQ w/ added work from CC2 and CC3 :
  • Monday
    • Explosive Push-Ups
    • Pushups
    • FT Push-Ups
    • Grip Work
    • Kip Up Work
    • Leg Raises
  • Tuesday
    • Pull Ups
    • Jump Work
    • Squats
    • Calf Work
  • Wednesday
    • Handstands
    • FT Pushups
    • Grip Work
    • Bridges
  • Thursday
    • Explosive Pushups
    • Pushup
    • FT Pushup
    • Grip Work
    • Kip up Work
    • Leg Raises
  • Friday
    • Pull Ups
    • Jump Work
    • Squats
    • Calf Work
  • Saturday
    • Handstands
    • FT Pushups
    • Grip Work
    • Bridges
  • Sunday
    • Off Day
Calisthenics are much more difficult for me compared to kettlebells. My strong points are pull ups, handstand wall holds, fingertip pushups and grip work. I struggle with any core work,squats, bridging and push-ups.

Every single day I do allot of mobility, walk often and do the Trifecta stretches. Nothing makes me feel more mobile than Trifecta work. The Trifecta is a bridge hold, l-sit hold and twist hold. I especially LOVE the twist. This program is going to be really joint and health focused. High reps of appropriate movements done with a smooth, steady and controlled cadence. Allot of crawling, joint circles and trifecta stretching to warm up, even in the middle of a practice.

The reason I chose to incorporate the explosive push-ups is because having explosive pushing power seems like a really important but overlooked skill. Being able to push up off the ground to stand up if lying on your stomach or to push someone away from you. For the kip up work, it seems important to be able to get up from lying on your back without the assistance of having to roll to your knee. Also, the regressions for the kip up work have allot of spinal rocking involved. Which is a favorite mobility drill of mine. You're only as young as your spine. For the jump work, being able to jump a fence or to catch a high Frisbee throw. A marker of somebody who's aging well are legs filled with vigor. While CC3 does have a system for front flips, back flips and muscle ups as well, I chose not to do them. As those are more party tricks and not really worth the risk to reward IMO. Maybe someday down the line I'll incorporate the muscle up, it seems pretty functional but tough on the joints.

For CC2 I chose the grip work for obvious reasons. Your grip strength dictates how much you can lift and is an important marker for overall physical condition. Having weak hands and forearms are a quick ticket to not reaching your full potential. The calf work I chose because they are so important for propulsion. The calf muscles also play an important part in circulation. I chose to skip the clutch flag and human flag as those are more party tricks in my book.

I was really debating following the Get Strong program by the Kavadlos but I settled on this program. While this program may seem like allot of work, I'm approaching it from a perspective of not maxing out and health. Keeping strength in the bank and pushing until I could do a couple more reps. If I need an extra rest day, so be it. Your body doesn't know the days of the week, it does know when you need rest. There is nothing inherently special about a 7 day week.

I've thought for the last few years that a perfect program for life would look like this. A base of calisthenics, some loaded carries with odd objects, a couple zercher/front squats and the trap bar deadlift. I hope to try this out in the future when my calisthenics get up to a decent level.

Thank you, Adam

 
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  • Explosive Push ups
    • Work Sets
      • 4 x 3 - 1 Clap Push-ups
  • Pushups
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 5 - Pushup
  • Finger Tip Pushup
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 5 - Finger Tip Pushups
  • Hanging Work
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 50 sec -- Two Handed Bar Hang
      • 2 x 45 sec -- Two Handed Bar Hang
  • Kip Up Work
    • 6 min -- Rolling Sit Up
  • Leg Raises
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 5 -- Flat Straight Leg Raises
Everything listed above are only my working sets. I do warm up and regression exercises often throughout the practice. Allot of mobility work as well. Crawling, trifecta stretches and joint circling.
 
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  • Chin Ups
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 5 -- Full Chin Ups
  • Jumping
    • Work Sets
      • 4 x 3 -- Vertical Leap
  • Squat
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 10 -- Full Squat
  • Calves
    • Work Sets
      • 2 x 20 -- Bent Leg Calf Raise
Everything listed above are only my working sets. I do warm up and regression exercises often throughout the practice. Allot of mobility work as well. Crawling, trifecta stretches and joint circling.
 
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