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Quality, Patience, Quiet, Strength - Shahaf's Training Log

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24.11.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
PHK stance training x 30 breaths
OS roll-Hindu PUP-Hindu squat sequence
Some club swinging

Morning - beach volleyball
Good weather. About 5 sets of low-med level play.

Evening - Gada session
Prep
Lifting the sky
Some club swings

Practice
4 min Gada swing @5.5kg
360 x 4 x 30 : 30​

Evening - Awing session
Prep
Neck banded rocking
Side circle club swings
Long push press @20kg+16kg x 2 x 3
Push press @20kg+16kg x 2 x 5

Practice
12 min of
Dead-stop OHS@24kg x 2 + 2
OHS @24kg x 2 x 5​
 
25.11.2018
Morning - Gada session (beach)
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
PHK stance training x 30 breaths
OS resets
OH hack squats x 5
Club swings

Practice
4 min of Gada @5.5kg
360 x 4 x 30 sec : 30 sec - stop-start : non-stop
​
Need to get accustomed to stop-start swinging. It has a different feel and I sometime switch to the wrong move. 360s with the heavier wight is a different beast. Stopping the Gada on the center line while properly applying swaying has some intricate timing. But I remember from the 2.5kg that mastering the 360 makes the 10-2 much smoother.

Afternoon - Swing session
Prep
Rocking
Club swings
Bent press @28kg x 2 x 1
Long push press @24kg x 2 x 3
BB armbar @12kg x 3 - L only
Push press @24kg x 2 x 5

Practice
15 minutes of
Dead-stop THS @40kg x 3
THS @40kg x 2 x 7​

Notes
  • Bent press: I thought to add it to the prep to keep it greased. Felt a little rustier than the first rep of a session. Should put some more focus into the lift.
  • Push press: One handed with the 24kg, did some of the reps as drive only to get the feel and timing. I used it before and do it every weight increase to make sure I drive-and-align properly. Like the swing, the one handed version is different enough to be worthy of it's own spot.

EDIT:
Couldn't control myself and did some freestyle stop-start 360 and some 10-2
 
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26.11.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
PHK stance training x 32 breaths - one of the most effortless training I had
Club swings

Noon - bouldering
Prep
V0s and V1s

Practice - back to the basics
4 x 4 @ V3 and 3 V2
Red V2 failed twice at the 3rd step - need to learn the steps better before putting it in a set.​

Evening - Full swing session
Prep
Lifting the sky - seated
Club swing - rather long
Ex. 1 - 10 from Indian Clubs and how to Use Them By Ferdinand Lemaire. Ex. 10 was kind of brain melting. 4 was no picnic either - asynchronous moves are a bitch, but probably makes me smarter.​

Practice
4 min of Gada swing @5.5kg
360 x 4 x 30sec : 30sec​

15 min of alternating
OHS @24kg x 2 x 5
OHS @24kg x 2 x 7​

Notes
  • Bouldering: Back to the basics approach. Like any practice, start collecting flawless (or as close as possible) volume at easy level and go up.
  • Gada: Swung along to Paul Wolkownski's Drum Beats for Training With Clubs. Purchased it as support in the man and his work, used it today to test. While I prefer to practice in silence (track 1), Gada swinging with good rhythm was the best session I had with the 5.5kg. Especially giving rhythm to the stop-start section was helpful. Though the track name is Stop 'n' Start so expected :)
  • Dead-stop KB swing: It did its thing and corrected my form on the left side. My arm feels connected to my body well, resulting in more explosiveness and no shoulder pull from the hole. I will keep it in the rotation to keep ingraining the lessons. Like today, I will do also standard swing sessions.
  • General note about timed sessions: Gada sessions, unless otherwise mentioned, are continues. A "set" is one direction/hand position in the movement. The Gada is kept swinging between sets and there is only a direction/hand position change. In KB sessions the time is total session times and set are done fresh & flawless - each rep is with full focus and intent, resting as needed between sets.
 
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27.11.2018
Morning prep (beach)
Lifting the sky
PHK stance training x 32 breath - felt easy
OS rolls-Hindu PUP-squats-long jump sequence - squats were mix of hack and standard
Club swinging - Ex 4 and 10 - checked!

Noon - Club swinging
Working on Ex 11. - asynchronous hearts - passable, maybe even sorta-fine. Focusing on the back circles and counting helps me allot

Swinging Gada & KB
Rest today. I haven't been bouldering today so I thought that a "true" rest day is a nice idea.

Evening - active rest session
OS static holds
Some more club swings - Asynchronous hearts (ex 11)
OH carries - bent press to OH position
@28kg x 2 x 15m + 5m rack
@32kg x 2 x 10m​

That was both to do some carries and grease the BtP.

Notes
  • Rest: I have been taking a rest day every 3-4 days this block. All rest days are when I feel I can train and not when I have to. This keeps me super-fresh and leads to a smooth swinging and progress.
  • Bent press groove and OH carry feel: That the second time I bent press in two and a half weeks. Feels good, the 32kg felt very good. I assume that both my experience with the lift and my happy body from swinging kept the groove. I did heavy OH carries in the past for some week here and there, this is the strongest my OH position felt ever. I assume the same reasons as for the BtP groove.
 
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28.11.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 34 breaths
Club swings, Ex 9, 10, 11
Hindu PUP > Hindu squat sequence x almost 7 min

Noon - Bouldering
Prep
V0s and V1s

Practice - back to the basics
4 x 4 @ 3 V2 and V3
Red V3 failed twice at the middle step (problem's crux) - this time the problem was at the end of the set rather than beginning. Yellow V2 felt to match the top on the last set - lost of focus and grip.​

Afternoon - Swinging stuff session
Movement prep
Lifting the sky
club swings

Practice
4 min of Gada swing @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 30 sec : 30 sec​

15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @28kg x 1 + 1
OHS @28kg x 2 x 5​

Notes
  • Drum beat for Gada: The drum beat timing sure make things easier, specially by preventing me from swinging to fast on the stop:start parts. Furthermore, if I have an imperfect swing on the non-stop part I just stop till the next swing beat instead of rushing back to proper swinging.
  • KB swing @28kg: Since my technique fault of not connecting the left arm seemed to be fine with the 24kg I thought I should check how it is in a more demanding environment. The first rep was so-so first. I noticed that when it is not so good my off- arm (right at this case) is doing a weird looking guard position. I than focused on off-arm movement and guard proper position and smooth sailing since than. Swings were fluid and relaxed, and tight in the plank. And effortlessly explosive. The dead-stop made it easy to spot, don't know if my attention to detail would have been enough in non-stop swings.
EDIT: Evening - Beach volleyball session
Med-high level play. Good movement, all set ended in 2 points, very good vibe. Some general miscommunication/game management with my partner cost us too many points, but it will be smoothed out with a few more sessions.
 
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29.11.2018
Late morning (actually noonish) prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 36 breaths - aimed for 34, suddenly heard myself counting 36...
OH wall squats
OH hack squats
Club swinging, Ex 10, 11, tried 12, miss-timed most front circles

Woke up hungry so did some lifting the sky and did the morning session early noon

Noon - Bouldering
My brother came for his first ever climbing. Taught him the basics, showed him stuff, did some V3. On-sited the yellow problem, the sloper filled blue problem took 3 tries finding the sweet spot on the first sloper, the rest was easy. Than did the cave V3 problem I did last week. Last week I couldn't connect everything and made it in two parts. Did it clean on the first try today. Probably mainly because one of the girls asked to show her what to do............

Evening session - swinging stuff
Prep
Lifting the sky
Club swinging

Practice
4 min Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 15 sec : 45 sec​

Yesterdays 30:30 was easy so decided to give 15:45 a try. Good session, although need to get used to the quicker change.

15 min of alternating
Dead-stop THS @40kg x 3
THS @40kg x 7​
 
30.11.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 36 breaths
OS resets
OH wall squats
OH hack squats
Club swings

Noon - club swings
Went through Lemaire's Order in which Exercises ought to be Learnt list. It is not exactly the order it is written, but it goes through all standard-reverse-combined (AKA outward-inward-parallel) variations of the movements. Checked all up to Ex. 12 - Asynchronous hearts doubled. At the end of the session I started to get a hang of it.

Afternoon - Gada session
Prep
Some club swings

Practice
4 min of Gada swing @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 15 sec : 45 sec​

Evening - KB session
Prep
Lifting the sky
Long push press @20kg + 16kg x 2 x 3
Push press @20kg + 16kg x 2 x 5

Practice
15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @28kg x 1 + 1
OHS @28kg x 2 x 5​
 
1.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 33 breaths
Squat->leopard crawl->Hindu push-up sequence
Club swings

Noon
Some club swings

Evening - carry active rest
OH carries - bent press to OH position
@28kg x 2 x 15m + 5m rack
@32kg x 10m , 15m(+5m rack) - R , L
​
2.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance straining x 33 breaths
Clubs swings
OS resets

Noon - Boudering
Prep
Some V0 and V1

Practice
3 series of
4 sets of two V3 back to back - first series was V3 and V2​

Rest periods: between sets - as needed-but-no-longer, between series -~10 min

Good practice session. I like this format better since I climb more volume fresher, therefore paying more attention to detail.

Evening - Swinging stuff
Prep
Lifting the sky
Club swings

Practice
>4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 2 x 15 sec : 45 sec
360s x 2 x 1 min - non-stop
10-2s - some​

Gada 10-2s @5.5kg x by feel to get some practice

15 min of alternating
OHS @28kg x 5
OHS @28kg x 7
OHS @28kg x 10​

Notes
  • Club swings: Need to cut down the volume a little and remember it is supplemental work. Might be also the bouldering part but felt some minor discomfort in my left shoulder/upper pectoralis mjr. It might be clubs because that is where I feel fatigued when doing to much. As I said, minor, but should be monitored at this stage. Shortening the morning part, or the sometimes long noon session... thinking of it I swung alllllot yesterday...
  • Gada 10-2s: Too early as part of the main session, should get an easy 4 min before I add those. Good quality when in separated practice.
  • KB swing: Played with ladders mainly to test my swing. Feels good on both sides. 10s were not much different than 7s. A little less explosiveness in the 10s, but that was constant through the set and not diminishing as the set progresses. Probably more of psychological inhibition of a "long" set than anything else. Can go to 7s on standard sessions.
 
3.12.2018
Morning prep -beach
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 35 breaths
OS resets
Roll->H-PUP->H-S->SLJ sequence
Club swings - Ex 12. (double asynch hearts) is almost there

Afternoon - Gada session
Movement prep
Lifting the sky
BB armbar->TGU+presses->SOS get down @12kg x 1 + 1
Club swings - Ex 12. - Did it without my brain melting out :)

Practice
4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min​

Forgot to wash my hands from the chalk, made the grip too sticky...

Evening - KB session
Movement prep
Some Gada 10-2s @5.5kg
Rocking, neck band
Bent press @28kg x 2 x 1
Long push press @20kg + 16kg x 2 x 3

Practice
15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @32kg x 1 + 1
OHS @32kg x 2 x 5​

Notes
  • Gada: First non-stop session with the 5.5kg. Still has some stops to reset on imperfect swings, the drum beat is a good guide to not rush into the next swing in these moments. Need to loose my grip more, it results in a smoother and faster swing.
  • Armbar, TGU, bent press: Added some to the prep section to keep some balance work. Since balance is the foundation of bounce it is important to make sure everything is checked over there.
  • KB swing @32kg: While I have been in a much better swing "conditioning" in the past I feel I am at my best technique of linkage and timing/force application. The relaxation part of the cycle feels longer and more relaxed with the tension part feels more concentrated. I actually have a quicker/sharper feeling turnaround at the bottom without trying to, just by being patient. My subjective reasoning is that I don't feel the turnaround, the bell floats long while I am rooted deep, and my left shoulder/neck don't feel dinged after a session if I don't expand 100% brain power of left lat engagement. And the left swing feels as powerful as the right, something I didn't really had with the 32kg. I need to find my Push band and test.
  • KB swing no. 2: Setting Ego aside and going back to 1+1 dead-stops with the 24kg and building up did its (obvious) thing. I think the lessons learnt from the Gada (and clubs) on breathing, timing and relaxation carried over allot.
 
4.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 35 breaths
Rocking
Hindu squat>leopard crawl>Hindu push-up
Club swings, started playing with Ex 13. - a mix of front circles and asynch hearts, better than my first attempts with double asynch hearts

Noon - bouldering
Some V0 - V4 work. Felt off today. Probably the combination of bad sleep last two nights, probably not enough food yesterday and the weather getting colder.

Early evening - Gada session
Prep
Lifting the sky, seated
Club swings, up to double asynch hearts

Practice
>4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
some 10-2s - by feel, finished far from fatigue​

Best session I had with the 5.5kg. At the begining of the session I counted with the drum beat, it helped ingrain the rhythm. I than focused on loosening the grip and breathing and it was smooth. Felt great at the end of the session.

KB swings
Taking the day off. Yesterday was a jump in weight with lots of volume and had an off-day bouldering so going conservative.

Lost some more weight o_O:confused::(
I need to shove in more food apparently. All this swinging is a real energy drainer. I don't feel weak, and actually feel great lately, but as a preventative measure I should stop this trend. My first-aid solution is peanut butter and jam sandwiches. More meat and probably some more rice and grains should be the long term solution... Or just even more meat...
 
5.12.2018
Morning prep - beach
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 37 breaths
OS resets
Roll>1/2 GU>Hindu PUP>Hindu squat>long jump>Squat>Hindu PUP sequence
Club swings

Throughout the day
Rest.

6.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 37 breaths - had a congested nose, made it hell. Should have inhaled some hot water/steam before
OS resets
OH wall squats
OH hack squats
Club swings

Noon - bouldering
~4 hrs. Preping up to V2, some V3, Playing on V4-5. It was rainy out side and I waited for a rain break, than a friend I haven't seen for a while came, and I stayed some more, did some freestyle traverses cause CNS fatigue took 2cm from every move I made on V4 problems.

Evening - Swinging stuff
Prep
Lifting the sky, seated, long
Rocking
BB armbar>TGU+presses>SOS GD @12kg x 1 + 1

Practice
Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x ~3 x 1 min - miss swung into my right knee at the end of min 3
360s x 1 x 1 min
10-2s x some​

15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @32kg x 1 + 1
OHS @32kg x 2 x 5​

Gada 10-2s @5.5kg x some

Notes
  • Nose: If I do my morning prep at home I must clear stuff up before.
  • Gada miss-swing: I think the pain was mostly of my stupidity and lapse of concentration. I took ~30--40 sec break, walked a few steps (everything felt fine) and went back swinging for the remaining minute and some more 10-2s to get it out of the system. Swings were fine after wards. My error was that I pushed the head of the Gada a little backwards instead of to the side, the pendulum motion took it, just like physics say, right into my knee. The extra 10-2s at the end of the session was, again, to make sure all is well. I did some squats before the KB swings to make sure I move painless and well. I will ice it a little just in case.
Sure glad I didn't build a nail Gada...
 
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7.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 39 breaths - no congestion, back to standard
OH wall squats
OH hack squats & Hindu PUP
Club swings

Noon - Club swings
Worked on wrist circles and asynch reverse hearts. Learning asynch patterns is challenging even if it "just" a reverse of a pattern that I own.

Some OH360 shouldering swings - the shallow push makes these take ton of energy on the recovery/pull.

Afternoon - Gada session
Prep
Lifting the sky
BB armbar>TGU+presses>SOS GD @12kg x 1 + 1
Some club swings

Practice
4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
​
lost rhythm in the last minute or minute and a half, instead of pausing for a beat I continued, probably too fast, made the session more tiring than it should have been. I might just overdid it with OH360s earlier today...

~2 min rest

Gada 10-2s @5.5kg x ~2 min - Started with ~2 min left in the drum track. Better than the end of the 360s

Early evening - KB swings
Practice
15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @32kg x 2 + 2
OHS @32kg x 2 x 5​

These 2+2 dead-stop swing are energy draining. My recovery took looong. Should keep at 1+1 for now.
 
Next block
I am finishing week 4 of the Gada & KB swing block. At the start of it I wanted to get at least 4 weeks. The reason I will continue more is that I think I need to get some balance/strength work back in. I both dropped some weight and since strength is the foundation of power I want to make sure the base is not eroding.
I have not done the loaded gait since I started swinging clubs in the mornings. In a pure ballistic (long) block that wasn't the best call.

I will go back to a conjugate block doing Gada swings daily and alternating KB swings and bent press. Gada and KB swing will continue with the current programming, for the bent press I will choose between timed sessions and doing the modified McIlroy in a every other day format (I take the license to do it since McIlroy writes in Easy Strength that for a non-lifters that lift that is a good option).
 
8.12.2018
Morning prep
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 36 breaths
OS resets
OH wall squats
OH hack squats > Hindu PUP
Club swings. Focus - reverse asynch hearts

Evening - Gada swinging
Club swings (about 15 min before I started the session)

Prep
Lifting the sky
Some club swings - mostly ceremonial

Practice
>4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
10-2s x some - porbably ~ 1 min​
Kept rhythm. Much better than yesterday, back to par.

~3 min rest

Gada 10-2s @5.5kg x ~2 min

~4 min rest

Shouldering OH360s @5.5kg x 2 x (5 + 5 , 6 + 6)

Gada 10-2s @5.5kg x some period of time - I was out of touch with anything that is not my breath or grip

Feel good, but felt it is smarter to not KB swing today. My trunk worked allot on those OH360s.

Notes
  • 360s vs 10-2s: 360s sure takes more. Bringing the Gada to the front position is more demanding technically and physically. It also causes more local fatigue since the direction does not change every swing. It also very educational and leads to a better 10-2s. The 10-2s allow for faster swings with more explosion. The difference is very pronounced in the OH swings.
  • Shouldering OH360s: Shouldering (resting the Gada pole on the shoulder between swings) is technically different than regular swings. The lower drop make timing or recovery/pull phase even more subtle (good!). Either way the pull is much more demanding physically. I think the best way I can correlate to the KB world is dead-stop variations.
  • Oiling the shoulders: After I felt my skin burn the first set I oiled my shoulders and thing become...well... smoother. Not thinking of scraping my back let me concentrate on the actual swing.
  • Chalk: Up until today I didn't like chalking for Gada. I felt the dry skin is limiting my grip loose/tight mechanics and tire my grip too much. As the winter is arriving my grip felt too wet in the 360s, I chalked slightly for the 10-2s and it felt much better. Oiling the shoulders made for somewhat oily Gada and made chalk a good friend.
 
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09.12.2018
Morning prep - beach
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 36 breaths
Squats & Hindu PUP sequence
Club swings

Noon - bouldering
Wanted to train but got there late, did some unfocused V3/4 work. Not a good session. Thinking of the time took away too much mental energy.

Afternoon - Bent press & Gada
Movement prep
Lifting the sky
BB armbar @12kg x 3 + 3
Some club swings

Practice
Bent press @28kg x 2 x 1 , 2 x 2

>4 min of Gada swing @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
10-2s x some - I would guess around 2 min​

Shouldering OH360s @5.5kg x ~2 min of sets of 5

Turned the drum beat, did the main part, some rest, and than SOH360s till the end of the track. Actually drifted to the next track.

Notes
  • Bent press: Started the modified McIlroy from week 2 - alternating singles and doubles. Why week 2? I built a large base on the previous block and feel that my base is good enough, just need some rust removal. Also, since I am in a day on/off BtP I think I can tolerate a little more strenuous sessions with the same biological cost.
  • Oiled shoulders: I looked at my shoulders after the swings and they were red (feel fine), don't want to think how they looked after the unoiled set yesterday.
 
9.12.2018 - Addition (forgot to log it yesterday)
Evening - beach volleyball
Low-med level matches. Cold.

10.12.2018
Morning prep - rushed, had to go
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 38 breaths

Afternoon session - Gada - beach
Movement prep
Lifting the sky - long
OS resets
Club swings

Practice
4 min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min​

Forgot to chalk, my grip was oily and 4 min of death-griping was hard, so no 10-2s tail

Let grip recover, chalked my hands

10-2s x ~2 min - Last 2 min of the drum beat, switch by feel

Shouldering OH360s x ~ 10+10+10+10 - stop:start, ~ cause didn't really count on all sets

Evening - KB swing session
Prep
Rocking
Long push press @20kg+16kg x 2 x 3

Practice
15 min of alternating
Dead-stop OHS @32kg x 1 + 1
OHS @32kg x 2 x 5​
 
11.12.2018
Morning prep - beach
Lifting the sky
Stance training x 38 breaths
OS resets
Clubs swings

Noon - club swings
Started working on double asynch reverse hearts

Afternoon - Bent press session
Prep
Qigong - Tiger stretches it's back, One arm raising, Two hands push the sky
BB armbar @12kg x 3 + 3
Gada SOH360s, stop:start @5.5kg x by feel
Long push press @20kg+16kg x 2 x 3

Practice
Bent press @28kg x 2 x 1 , 2 x 2 , 2 x 1 - Last L added 10m OH carry

Notes
  • Qigong: Inspired by PHK's Both hands lift the sky I started reading Qigong: Foundation Practices by John Munro. Exercises from the book.
 
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12.12.2018
Morning prep - beach
Qigong - One arm raising, Two hands push the sky, Tiger stretches it's back
OS resets
Super windy so no club swings

Late morning
Club swings - focus - double asynch reverse hearts. worked well.

Noon - bouldering
Started at 2 x 4 Purple V4/yellow V3
Than allot of V4 work on the green problems. Should probably be done without training session before, even if short one.

Evening - Gada
Movement prep
Qigong - Two hands push the sky, Tiger stretches it's back, One arm raising
Club swings

Practice
>4 (~6) min of Gada swings @5.5kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
10-2s x 2 x ~1 min - timed by drum beat changes​

Flow.

Shouldering OH360s, stop:start x >3 min - missed the change to switch sides, so went into the next track

The drum tracks change pattern every minute so if I follow it I can switch sides using it. I use a timer for the "official" part of the session and the patterns for the rest
 
13.12.2018
Morning prep - beach
Qigong
Stance training x 37 breaths
OS resets

Late morning
Club swings - double asynch reverse hearts

Noon - bouldering
Just general work. Nature sports climbing course in the weekend.

Evening - Gada
Prep
Lifting the sky
Some club swings

Practice
~5:30 min of
10-2s
SOH360s
10-2s​

Timed by drum beat

14-15.12.2018
Nature sports climbing course.Two full days. Enjoying, scary. More enjoying.
It was allot, mostly mentally. Just some Qigong/OS/clubs in the evenings for restoration.

16.12.2018
Morning prep
Qigong
Stance training x 37 breaths
Clubs swings

Late noon
Clubs swings

Evening - Gada & KB swing session
Prep
Qigong
OS resets

Practice
6 min of Gada swings @5.5 kg
360s x 4 x 1 min
10-2s x 2 x 1 min
​
Hand switch 10-2s practice, ~ 2 min, some stop:start some non-stop.

15 min of alternating
OHS @32kg x 2 x {5 , 7 , 5 , 10}
​
 
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