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Practice, practice, practice

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My name is Yannick Hallas and I’m from Austria.
I’m 27, 175cm (5’9”), 82kg (180lbs), approx. 21 percent body fat.



My training background

Until my early twenties, I played soccer five times a week. When I quit, I turned to running as my main form of exercise.

Nevertheless, I was weak and skinny fat. As massive as my soccer legs were, as pitiful was my upper body. Visually I used to be the exact opposite of a leg day skipping gym bro—with substantially more fat.

One year ago, at the age of twenty-six, I discovered Pavel and StrongFirst and fell in love with strength training. I hopped on Simple & Sinister and reached the Timeless Simple standard within six months. Due to shiny object syndrome, I suspended my S&S practice. As Dan John says: “It worked so well, I stopped doing it”. Instead, I switched to barbell-focussed training without adhering to a specific plan. As you might have guessed, my progress stalled.



My training nowadays

I’m back on S&S and dedicated to reach the Timeless Simple standard once again. I supplement my S&S sessions with some bodyweight exercises. Occasionally, I practice other kettlebell moves like the clean and the press.

Outside of strength training, I run multiple times a week and play soccer twice a week. Soccer is intense, so glycolysis can’t be avoided. Therefore, I train aerobically during my strength and running sessions.



My goals

1. Reach the Timeless Simple standard
2. Cut down to ten percent body fat
3. Get SFG-certified
4. Run a sub-1:25 half-marathon



After this long preamble, let’s get to the training log:

Thursday, July 28, 2022

I’m currently on holiday and can afford to dedicate more time to training.

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up as prescribed
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg

Single kettlebell complex: Clean, squat, thruster
One set every thirty seconds for a total of twenty sets (ten per side)

Various forms of carries
Farmer’s walk, waiter’s walk, rack carries

Sets of three or four pull-ups throughout the session
 
Friday, July 29, 2022

Morning: Simple and Sinister
Warm-up as prescribed
Two-arm swings: 10x10 with 24kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg

Afternoon: 8km (5mi) run in 45 minutes

One thing I forgot to mention in my inaugural post: Prepare to see lots of mistakes. I’m still relatively new to the strength training game and would be grateful for any advice from more experienced lifters. Thanks!
 
Welcome, and good luck with the goals.
Thank you, mikhael! Judging by your training log, you're striving for absolute domination. Crazy dedication and discipline.

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up as prescribed
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 2x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg

Single kettlebell complex: Clean, squat, thruster
With 24kg: One set every thirty seconds for a total of twelve sets (six per side)
Had to switch to a lighter bell because an old injury on my left wrist gave me trouble.
With 20kg: One set every 25 seconds for a total of 24 sets (12 per side)

Push-ups on kettlebells
3x8 reps

Sets of one to five pull-ups throughout the session
 
Thank you, mikhael! Judging by your training log, you're striving for absolute domination. Crazy dedication and discipline.
Thanks, but nothing special, just moving forward and not let my weaknesses get the vote. Getting after it, as Jocko said.
 
Sunday, July 31, 2022

It was my uncle's bachelor party yesterday so I had a couple of drinks and didn't get adequate rest overnight. Nevertheless, I punched the clock today.

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up as prescribed
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg
Two-arm swings: 4x10 with 32kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg
 
Monday, August 1, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Short warm-up
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg

Single kettlebell complex: Clean, squat, thruster, clean, squat
One set every 30 seconds for a total of 20 sets (10 per side) using a 20kg bell

Sets of three pull-ups throughout the session
 
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Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Morning: Run
9,47km (5,88mi) in 50:15. Average pace: 5:18min/km
Stayed around my MAF 180 pulse of 153bpm for the entirety of the run.

Evening: Simple & Sinister
Short warm-up
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg
Various forms of one-sided kettlebell carries (suitcase, rack, overhead)
Three minutes of crawling
Sets of three pull-ups throughout the session
 
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Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Felt the fatigue creeping up on me so I took a rest day. Lots of walking and protein.
 
Thursday, August 4, 2022

Soccer
My first training session after a few smaller injuries. Physically, I could more than keep up. I've been lifting bells while I was injured, after all. I wasn't comfortable on the ball, though, which is normal. The feel for the ball will return in time.
 
Friday, August 5, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Short warm-up
One-arm swings: 10x10 with 24kg
Turkish get-ups: 2x1 with 24kg, 3x1 with 32kg

Took it easier today as I was a bit sore from yesterday's soccer practice. Good session, nevertheless.
 
Saturday, August 6, 2022

Morning: Run
10.30km (6.4mi) in 57:07. Average pace: 5:33min/km
This was meant as a super easy run but I was having fun so I pushed a little harder than planned. Most of the time my heart rate was around 147.

Afternoon: Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 with 16kg, 2x5 with 24kg
• Haloes: 3x5 with 16kg
• Hip bridge: 3x5
Two-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 32kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 5x1 with 32kg, also started to get a feel for the 40kg bell by getting the bell in the starting position for the get-up
Suitcase carries with 24kg
Sets of three pull-ups throughout the session

Single kettlebell complex: Clean, squat, thruster
One set every 30 seconds for a total of 30 sets (15 per side) using a 24kg bell
 
Sunday, August 7, 2022

Morning: Run
6.11km (3.8mi) in 40:21. Average pace: 6:36min/km. Average heart rate: 125bpm.
My feet felt heavy so I took it easy.

Afternoon: Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 @ 16kg, 1x5 @ 24kg, 1x5 @ 32kg
• Haloes: 3x5 (first 2 reps @ 24kg, last 3 reps @ 16kg)
• Hip bridge: 3x5
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 5x1 with 32kg
Farmer's walk with 2x24kg
3 minutes of crawling
 
Monday, August 8, 2022

Morning: Run
12.09km (7.51mi) in 1:05:04. Average pace: 5:23min/km. Average heart rate: 150bpm.
My best friend and workout buddy was in town so we met up for a brisk morning run. He's an absolute beast. Strong, lean, conditioned, packing some serious muscle mass, and mentally tough. There are hardly any people like him around where I live.

Afternoon: Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 2x5 @ 16kg
• Haloes: 2x5 @ 16kg
• Hip bridge: 2x5
One-arm swings: 6x10 with 24kg, 4x10 with 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 with 24kg, 4x1 with 32kg
Skill practice: kettlebell cleans @ 24kg
Sets of three pull-ups throughout the session

What’s exciting is that today I guided a friend with no training experience through a Simple & Sinister session (does that make me a coach now? :) ). After our session together, I did S&S on my own, and let me tell you, my swings felt crisper than ever. There’s something about teaching that ingrains the subject even more deeply in you.
 
Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Rest day. If I want to keep running in the morning and strength training in the afternoon, I have to reduce the volume and/or intensity of my runs.
 
Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Morning: Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 @ 16kg, 1x5 @ 24kg, 1x5 @ 32kg
• Haloes: 3x5 (three reps @ 24kg, two reps @ 16kg)
• Hip bridge: 3x5
One-arm swings: 4x10 @ 24kg, 6x10 @ 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 @ 24kg, 5x1 @ 32kg
Sets of three pull-ups throughout the session

Do you know this feeling when you seemingly don't make any progress for weeks, and then suddenly, one day, you notice a significant increase in strength? That's what happened today. For the first time since restarting S&S, I did 6 sets of swings with 28kg. Regarding the Turkish get-up, the 32kg bell is starting to feel light. I'll keep doing five sets with the 32kg for a couple more days before introducing a heavier bell.

Evening: Soccer
 
Thursday, August 11, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 @ 16kg
• Haloes: 1x5 @ 16kg
• Hip bridge: 1x5
One-arm swings: 4x10 @ 24kg, 6x10 @ 28kg
Turkish get-ups: 6x1 @ 24kg

I slept in an awkward position which caused my left shoulder to hurt the whole day. Decided to do get-ups with a reduced load in order not to overly stress the shoulder.
 
Do you know this feeling when you seemingly don't make any progress for weeks, and then suddenly, one day, you notice a significant increase in strength? That's what happened today. For the first time since restarting S&S, I did 6 sets of swings with 28kg. Regarding the Turkish get-up, the 32kg bell is starting to feel light. I'll keep doing five sets with the 32kg for a couple more days before introducing a heavier bell.
The same feeling here, from time to time.
 
The same feeling here, from time to time.

Let's coin a term for this. How about Overnight Gains?

In the world of music, singers work on their craft for years without garnering much attention. Yet when they land their first number-one hit seemingly out of nowhere, people label them overnight successes. In strength training, you work your butt off for weeks without noticeable results until ... BAM—overnight gains.




Friday, August 12, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 @ 16kg, 1x5 @ 24kg, 1x5 @ 32kg
• Haloes: 3x5 @ 16kg
• Hip bridge: 3x5
Two-arm swings: 4x10 @ 24kg, 6x10 @ 32kg
Turkish get-ups: 5x1 @ 24kg back to back

Today my left shoulder hurt even worse than yesterday. One-arm swings were too painful so I performed two-arm swings instead. The get-ups were again done with the 24kg bell instead of the 32. The amount of damage one bad night's sleep can do.
 
Saturday, August 13, 2022

Simple & Sinister
Warm-up:
• Prying goblet squats: 1x5 @ 16kg, 1x5 @ 24kg, 1x5 @ 32kg
• Haloes: 3x5 @ 16kg
• Hip bridge: 3x5
Two-arm swings: 4x10 @ 24kg, 6x10 @ 32kg
Turkish get-ups: 1x1 @ 24kg, 5x1 @ 32kg

The shoulder pain won't stop. To my surprise, the pain affects the swings more than the get-ups.
 
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