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Honest Effort

Double KB swings nicely challenging - have never done these in a routine.

Working Hacksquats back in after over a year off - feels good.

warmup:
slingshots 20 each, and figure 8s 40 with 35lb KB

double KB swing 40/35lbsx16, 40/35lbsx20, 40/50lbs x 20
Hobo Uppercuts 40 lbs Rx 10,Yx8, Y/R x6/4 dropset

above three sets with 1 minute between

Hacksquat, 28kg x10 3 sets
Hobo paddles 50lbs R10,Y6, Y/R x 6/6 dropset


above three times with 1 minute between

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8
 
warmup:
slingshots 20 each, and figure 8s 40 with 35lb KB

staggered front squat
110 x 10, 110 x10, 130 x8
Pushup 36, 29, 22

above three sets with 1 minute between

1 hand counterbalanced swing 50lbs x 15, 28kg x 10 x 2sets
1Hand row 28kg x17, 32kg x 15, 90lbs/32kg 6/7 dropset

above three times with 1 minute between

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8

Counterbalanced swing:
 
warmup:
slingshots 20 each, and figure 8s 40 with 35lb KB

SLDL 110x10, 140x10, 140x8
Hobo Uppercuts 40 lbs Rx 10,Rx10, Y/R x6/4 dropset

above three sets with 1 minute between

Hacksquat, 28kg x10 3 sets
Hobo paddles 40lbs R10,Y8, B/R x 6/4 dropset


above three times with 1 minute between

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8
 
Am going to bite the bullet on a manufactured sandbag that I should be able to swap loads fairly easily with. Eros, carried at my local Dick's. Or maybe not. It has three compartments that are billed as holding 20lbs of sand per.

It looks like I should be able to load a mix of sand and steel shot to get me from 0-90. I might load two of my other sandbags into a single carpet wrap to give me a heavy load for legs at 120 lbs or so plus the smaller one for upper body.

warmup:
slingshots 20 each, and figure 8s 40 with 35lb KB

Staggered front squat 110x10 130 x10 x 2
Sandbag front loaders 60 lbs x 8, 10, 8/4 rest pause

above three sets with 1 minute between

1 Arm swing 50lbs x 20, 28kg x 15, 32kg x 10
Hobo Laterals 40lbs Rx10, Yx8, B/Rx 5/5 dropset


above three times with 1 minute between

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8
 
No training, but did some sandbag shouldering with 120 lbs and a few sets of squats, to get a feel for different bag configurations.

The commercial ones can be lashed together at the midpoint handles and ends to make a heavier single load bag squat and hinge work. Also doing some noodling to apply as many Hobo Strong principles to sandbag work- came up with a cool bent row variation to go with the stuff I'm already doing.

Gasp, I am seriously considering selling my heavier KBs and switching over to sandbag. The used price of my 28kg easily covers one of the better commercial sandbags, two of them partially loaded with a mix of steel shot and sand really seems ideal for me at the moment.

Going back to a heavy diet of lifts with loads that are tough to shift variety is 180° from the bundle work, I'll have to start using clusters, rest/pause in place of drop sets.
 
@North Coast Miller I won't sell my heavier kettlebells for a sandbag cos sandbag is less than ideal implement for pressing which I seem to be obsessed with. I also like heavy swings from time to time.

Other than that, one can do a lot with sandbag.
 
@North Coast Miller I won't sell my heavier kettlebells for a sandbag cos sandbag is less than ideal implement for pressing which I seem to be obsessed with. I also like heavy swings from time to time.

Other than that, one can do a lot with sandbag.

I'm at a point where I do little or no overhead pressing anymore, and I've maxed out my KBs when it comes to legwork and swings without getting heavier KB. I can swap out for forms that target the core - double front squat, double swings etc, but then I can always sub those out for Zircher, Good Mornings.

I don't want to spend any more $ on heavier KBs, so I'm thinking it would be easier for me to lateral into sandbags.

Plus, I recently paid down all my credit cards and don't want to push my balance back up.
 
Hi @North Coast Miller , can I ask why you don't do overhead pressing, and do you think that it is causing any issues or imbalance?

(I only do S&S, adding squats & carries occasionally, and cannot press overhead due to a wonky shoulder.)

Degenerative cervical disks really do not like a lot of pressing or even static overhead - TGU, Bent Press. I can do them periodically as a test or in actual life application, but not with frequency. As a side note I do almost zero straight overhead exertion - usually wiring or some such that doesn't require a lot of physical strength.

To top it off I recently improved my pressing numbers without doing any actual pressing, and that includes the years before my disks went symptomatic. When I was doing a lot of overhead work my pushup and row numbers didn't really improve - for some people they seem to get strong carryover, for me not so much. Sacrilege I know but I don't view it as functional movement anymore.
 
Degenerative cervical disks really do not like a lot of pressing or even static overhead - TGU, Bent Press. I can do them periodically as a test or in actual life application, but not with frequency. As a side note I do almost zero straight overhead exertion - usually wiring or some such that doesn't require a lot of physical strength.

To top it off I recently improved my pressing numbers without doing any actual pressing, and that includes the years before my disks went symptomatic. When I was doing a lot of overhead work my pushup and row numbers didn't really improve - for some people they seem to get strong carryover, for me not so much. Sacrilege I know but I don't view it as functional movement anymore.
So, how did your pressing ability improve? Any suggestions for alternative exercises?

I am just a bit concerned that my strict press is very light compared to my S&S weight (16 kg max vs. 40 kg), which may lead to, or indicate a deficit of some sort...
 
So, how did your pressing ability improve? Any suggestions for alternative exercises?

I am just a bit concerned that my strict press is very light compared to my S&S weight (16 kg max vs. 40 kg), which may lead to, or indicate a deficit of some sort...


I really started to hammer on my pushups and bent rows. Also worked in one arm chest press using some sandbags as a bench.

And then I had been doing a few months of my kettlebell Hobo stick exercises and I believe that really put it over the top.
Ultimately I was surprised to see I'd gone from 4-5 reps with the 32 to 8 reps and that following a fairly heavy session.

But end of day I just stopped even thinking about my overhead pressing as long as all my other weights are good and I express solid strength going about my business. Really for me, the overhead press is not a functional movement.
 
thoughts for today -
Zirchers are tough and I need to get up on 'em
The demo'd row variation is nasty and will work with most cylinder commercial bags - not sure about the blockier ones.

warmup:
slingshots 20 each, and figure 8s 40 with 35lb KB


Three times through with 1 minute rest between
Single leg deadlift 60#sandbag x 15reps x 3 sets
Sandbag uppercuts 60# x10, x8, x8+3 forced eccentric

3 minutes rest
Zircher squats 60# x15, 120# x6, 90# x10
sandbag rows video variation 60# x11, x8, x8


unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8

 
All sandbags today - on the road at a park near the kid's day camp.
Those one arm shoulderings are great!

Warmups - burpees with 60 lb sandbag DL on the stand-up, 3 minutes easy pace.

circuits -
Good Mornings 60lb sandbag 15 x 3
60lb sandbag 1 arm rows - 18, 16, 16
One arm shouldering, 60 lbs x 12 reps x3

2:56 in this video:


circuits -
Sandbag jumping squats
10, 9, 10
Sandbag halo 50lbs 8, 10, 8


unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 10 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 50lbs x 8
 
Thoughts - sandbag SLDL harder than KB due to the bag being further out in front. Was able to simply rest an extra 30lbs of steel shot on top of the bag - no need for tie-offs or opening the bag to stuff em.

Shouldering 120lbs is my upper limit and maybe I need to dial it back or set them on a table at mid thigh height. They felt reckless coming from the floor. Of course my technique stinks as I have done precious few of these.

My extra sacks of steel shot (say that five times fast) can be slung like saddlebags through the extra handles on my commercial sandbag, making it quick and easy to change loads up to a point.

warmup:
Burpee/DL with 60lb sandbag x 25

SLDL sandbag 80 x10, 80 x10, 90 x8
Sandbag Front loaders 60 x10, 70 x6, 70/60 5/4 dropset

3x through

Offset shoulder squat 120lb x10, 10, 10
Shoulder laterals 25 lbs x12, 30 x8, 30/20 x6/6 dropset

3x through

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 8 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 60lbs x 5
 
Jumping backsquats really focused on driving off the ball of my foot
Yesterday's workout, full-on sandbags. Have two of the Cerus bags available on Amazon, seem to be a pretty good unit.
Experimented doing Hobo Bundle moves by lashing a 2" pole to the handles and it works well enough. Will compare how it feels to just working with the bag over the course of a few workouts. Not sure its worth the extra hardware for the two lifts I can't dial in using just the bag, but I am very into combined push/pull now.



vid below of the diagonal loaders

warmup: Burpees w/ deadlift 60lbs x 2 minutes (about 25 reps)

Sandbag Good Mornings 80lbs x 15, 15, 15
Diagonal Loaders/Uppercuts 60lbs x 10, 10, 8

3x through 1 minute rest

Jumping backsquat 60lb sandbag x 10, 10, 10
Sandbag/Hobo paddling 60lbs x 8, 8, 8

3x through 90 second rest

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 8 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 60lbs x 5

 
Jumping backsquats really focused on driving off the ball of my foot
Yesterday's workout, full-on sandbags. Have two of the Cerus bags available on Amazon, seem to be a pretty good unit.
Experimented doing Hobo Bundle moves by lashing a 2" pole to the handles and it works well enough. Will compare how it feels to just working with the bag over the course of a few workouts. Not sure its worth the extra hardware for the two lifts I can't dial in using just the bag, but I am very into combined push/pull now.



vid below of the diagonal loaders

warmup: Burpees w/ deadlift 60lbs x 2 minutes (about 25 reps)

Sandbag Good Mornings 80lbs x 15, 15, 15
Diagonal Loaders/Uppercuts 60lbs x 10, 10, 8

3x through 1 minute rest

Jumping backsquat 60lb sandbag x 10, 10, 10
Sandbag/Hobo paddling 60lbs x 8, 8, 8

3x through 90 second rest

unloaded decksquats 8 reps
Cossack stretch
Tricep press 60lbs x 8 towel hangs
downward dog
unloaded decksquats 8 reps
seated twist
Tricep press 60lbs x 5



I really like that you post videos man! keep it up!
 
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