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Good Days

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Waryrenn

Level 5 Valued Member
"stack up enough good days to find the treasure" Dan John

Intro / background
34 yo male
Previously very active (predominantly water sports ie windsurfing and general active life / job).
6 years ago got a desk job, plus a long commute. 4.5 years ago gained a daughter, but her birth sparked a long bout of depression, which I failed to recognise until about a year ago.

November 2016 began trying to regain my fitness.
Took a number of approaches, all of which led to over-training injuries so I spent about 2-3 months training and 2-3 months recovering. This was predominantly due to my lack of conditioning, as opposed to hitting it too hard, every time I thought I was taking a sensible approach but still got set-back.

Dec 2017 purchased S&S and a traditional set of kettlebells as a Christmas gift to myself.

Jan 2018 began a very gentle S&S on-ramp, also began fasting and walking/rucking.

March 2018 visited James Beeson SFG I

July 2018 - beginning training log with the aim of this making my training more consistent.
 
"a good day begins the day before" Dan John

16/7
Bed 22:00 sleep circa 23:30
Sleep quality - light
Awake 6:30

17/7
S&S full warm up (16kg)
5*10 s/h swing (16kg)
1*1 get-up (20kg)
2*1 get-up (16kg)

Short Rest

2* Rack hold 30 seconds stood on each leg (16+24)

1*10 d/h swing (20kg)

Fast 16:30 - 14:30
Busy work day - didn't hydrate might have fasted longer if drank better.

2* 30 min ruck (to/from rail station)
 
Phase I is "half measures" as currently I can manage about half S&S sequence (5*10 swings and 3*1 get ups) before fatigue threatens form / quality.
 
18/7

Bed 23:30 sleep circa 01:00
Awake 07:45. Sleep quality: moderate.

S&S warm up (16kg) only 2 rounds
5*10 s/h swings (16kg)
3*1 get ups (16kg)

Fasting from 22:00 - 12:00
 
Welcome to the forum! You have chosen well, to follow S&S. Just remember to be patient, the WTH moments are still to come.

Phase I is "half measures" as currently I can manage about half S&S sequence (5*10 swings and 3*1 get ups) before fatigue threatens form / quality.
 
19/7

Bed 22:30 sleep circa 23:00
Awake 06:00. Sleep quality: high.
Nap 6:00-9:30 because house to myself :)

S&S warm up (16kg) only 2 rounds
1*10 d/h swings 4*10 s/h swings (16kg)
3*1 get ups (16kg)

Fasting from 20:30 - 13:00
 
20/7

Bed 23:30 sleep circa 00:30
Awake 06:00

S&S warm up (16kg, 2 rounds only)
5*10 s/h swings (16kg)
3*1 get ups (16kg)

12 mile walk (5 hours, unladen)

Fast 22:30 - 13:00

Query
Focus on driving hips further back in swings to load hamstring. Felt posterior load more than usual, however lost a lot of 'pop' which in turn robbed power from the lock out. Is this just a case of simply readjusting to different pattern, or is there a trade off?
 
Weekend.
Disappointing not to train, busy busy schedule with lots to do. Set some training windows but missed those opportunities.

21/7

No training. No fasting either.

Bed 02:00 sleep circa 02:30
Awake 07:30. Sleep moderate

22/7
Into bed 21:00. Asleep circa 22:00 awake 06:30. Strong sleep.

Fast 19:00 - 15:30
 
23/3

Bed 22:30 sleep circa 23:30 awake 06:00

1 hour walk (3 miles with light rucksack)

Cook carry sequence: 30 seconds per position x2. (16kg)

S&S warm up (2 rounds only)
6*10 s/h swings
3*1 get ups

30 min walk

Fast 22:00 - 16:00

Notes
Swings
Need more focus on the Lock-out as per this video (esp lats being wide and spine correct!). Keep driving hips back to load hamstrings and hope form adjusts.
Get up
Smooth out breathing, less breath holding!

Query
Any advantages of doing halos one rotation clockwise one rotation anti-clockwise *5 as opposed to doing 5 circles clockwise followed by 5 circles anti...?
 
That is how I do my halos, clockwise, then counterclockwise......for sets of ten in total...I don't think it really matters which way you perform them, as long as you are doing them before every session.

23/3
Query
Any advantages of doing halos one rotation clockwise one rotation anti-clockwise *5 as opposed to doing 5 circles clockwise followed by 5 circles anti...?
 
24/7

Bed 00:15 sleep circa 00:45
Awake 06:30

No fasting today.

Cook carry sequence *2 (10kg)
Focus on "carrying the weight on the lats". A useful steer and I felt my lats for hours after.
My elbows were my limiting factor with the overhead carry. Could not maintain lock out, (not sure what this indicator of?)

Halo - 2x5 (16kg)
Squat curls 2x5 (16kg)
GSQ 2x5 (16kg)
Hip bridge 2x5
SLDL 5R 5L

2*10 s/h swings (10kg)
2*10 s/h swings (12kg)
4*10 s/h swings (16kg)
2*10 s/h swings (20kg)

3*1 get ups

Focus on slow breathing behind the shield for all except swings. Really increased awareness of the body and increased required effort. Hope this will therefore be useful for developing my skill.
SLDL quite taxing as new pattern. Great teacher for the lock out. Will incorporate for a while.

As @Michael Scott has been kind enough to comment on my log I have looked with interest at his training log (beginning at the start and read first few pages so far)
Realised I've not made my log very interesting
I've never heard of slingshots! Sounds like something I'd end my training career with!
Liked Michael's description of the benefits of naked SLDL in the warmup, which is why I tried them.
 
25/7

Bed 00:00 asleep circa 01:00
Awake 06:20

30 min walk

Halo 2x5 (16kg)
Squat curls 2x5 (16kg)
GSQ 2x5 (16kg)
Hip bridge 2x5
SLDL 5 (unloaded)

Stop and go swing 1x10 (20kg)
S/h swings 4x10 (16kg)

Get up 1 (20kg) 1 (16kg)

Added the 20kg not because thinking of going up in weight, but for the instructional aspect of using heavier weight.

Fasting 21:30 - 16:00

Really enjoying the GSQ.
Initially I really really struggled with form, now I love the sensation of control and my trunk lighting up.

Really pleased as yesterday I felt some 'space' in my hips when I was squatting down to talk with my daughter. Nice feeling!

Tomorrow we're going away as a family for 4 nights in our (smallish) camper van. Unlikely to be able to take my kettlebell, unless I sneakily unpack all my clothes to make room...
 
I am glad you liked adding the SLDL. It is a real challenging and eye-opening exercise.

SLDL quite taxing as new pattern. Great teacher for the lock out. Will incorporate for a while.

As @Michael Scott has been kind enough to comment on my log I have looked with interest at his training log (beginning at the start and read first few pages so far)
Realised I've not made my log very interesting
I've never heard of slingshots! Sounds like something I'd end my training career with!
Liked Michael's description of the benefits of naked SLDL in the warmup, which is why I tried them.
 
Agreed! SLDL very interesting.
Enjoying the hamstring loading and focusing on tensing hamstrings to rise, similar to Pavels instructions to contract glutes to rise from swing.
Am going to measure progess by amount of wobble involved! I plan to increase sets too, but just getting the movement patterned atm, and focusing on high quality, before adding volume.
Introduced KB deadlifts as well as realised not really done this step in my training, felt posterior load in a way I don't yet get in my swings, so keeping these too hoping to improve my swing technique.
 
26/7 - 29/7

Away at Camp Bestival. Had planned to rest and incorporate some bodyweight exercises. As it turns out we took a trolley/cart along to transpo our stuff and our daughter. The daily distances were significant, and the trolley provided enough load, so spent every day doing asymmetrical sled-drag style work out, which was plenty. As well as the dancing, and carrying daughter on shoulders.
I threw in some daughter-get-ups which were awesome, although I didn't get-down after, and had to do them when the Mrs had her back turned ;)
 
30/7

Bed 23:30
Sleep circa 00:00
Awake 08:00

Fasting 18:30 - 10:00

Halo 2*5 (16)
Squat curls 2*5 (16)
GSQ 2*5 (16)
KB deadlift 2*5 (16)
SF hip bridge 2*5
SLDL 5 (unladen)

Swing 5*10 (16)
Get-up 3 (16)

Swings felt awkward, increased focus needed. Recovery between initial sets noticeably improved!!
Get ups feeling light. Will increase sets to 5. Would have done so today but left shoulder very tight and discomfort in elbow. Hopefully this will dissipate now returning to S&S.
 
31/7

Bed 00:00 sleep circa 00:45
Awake 06:20

30 min walk

Halo 2*5 (16)
Squat curl 2*5 (16)
GSQ 2*5 (16)
SF hip bridge 2*5
SLDL 2*5

Stop and go 2/h swing 2*10 (20)
S/h swings 2*10 (16)

Get-up 2*1 (20)

60 min walk

Fast 23:00 - 17:30
 
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