Strong mobility

[jef]

Monday 12th February
Morning mobility routine.

Easy strength
BB press: 45kg x 5, 5
Bench press: 60kg x 5, 5
1/2 hanging leg raise: 5, 5, 5
Light and easy on the press. I will emphasize standing press over bench press, because I never had much success in improving the bench, and I don't like the lift. So I will keep the bench fairly light, focusing on technical details and pushing the press up. The goal is a bodyweight overhead press in 2018.
Time to work on one weakness: abzzzz. Working the lower part of HLR for the time.

SFG practice
Getup: 28kg, 1+1, 32kg, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1
I felt like I could do more sets at 32kg. I ended up doing 2 reps at 28kg and 8 at 32kg, playing it safe (i.e. no rushing), and performing in a little less than 15 minutes. Not Simple yet, but it is not that far for a lift I have not practiced heavy for a loooong time.
Double cleans: (24kg x 2), 5, 5, 5
Press: 24kg, 5+5
Double front squat: (24kg x 2), 5
Snatch: 24kg, 5+5
I pushed the volume on cleans today, but left the other ones at only one set. It felt like enough for a practice. I want to keep energy for the swing session.

Swings session. Dice 1, 2, 4, 4 (1 set@28kg, 2 sets@40kg, 8 sets@32kg)
1H swing, EMOM: 28kg x (5+5), 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 32kg x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Happy to have a not too long session today...

There will be a slight increase in kettlebell volume this week, and then a a few days of rest leading to the Paris SFG.

 

[jef]

Tuesday 13th February
Morning mobility routine.

Weight check: 67,2kg all dressed.
Ok, I had a fast day yesterday after having one, no, two cheat days, but I did not expect it to be that effective. Let's just focus on maintaining now. I don't know from where I can lose more weight anyway...

Easy strength
BB press: 47,5kg x 5, 3, 2
1/2 hanging leg raise: 5, 5, 5
No bench today. I will reduce frequency of the bench and keep energy for the rest.

SFG practice. Getup alla S&S. Today: heavy cleans.
Getup: 28kg x 1+1, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1
Lighter than yesterday. Done within 10 min. No rush, no extra rest either. Technically satisfying, and all with real floor press at the beginning.
Double clean: (28kg x 2), 5, 5, 5
Taking my time between sets... Last set was not that good.
Press: 24kg, 5+5
Double front squat: (24kg x 2), 5
Short pause at the bottom.
Snatch: 24kg, 5+5

 

[jef]

Wednesday 14th February
Morning mobility routine.

Then, mid-day mobility routine. Again. I had to wait to get a free barbell, so one more round for the joints.
Easy strength
BB press: 40kg x 5, 45kg x 3, 50kg x 2
I wanted to try a single at 55kg, but decided to be smart and not try a sort of max when it is not the focus of the training.
Bench press: 60kg x 5, 5
Technique work. Second set had a better setup and, not surprisingly, felt a lot easier.

The gym bought a 32kg that is as good as the 28kg they already had after new year. Excellent. I may be able to do all my training in one place. I wish they would go all the way to 48... with doubles...

SFG practice
Getup: 28kg, 1+1, 32kg, 1+1, 28kg, 1+1
Enough for today. I still need energy for the heavy (for me) snatches.

Snatch, EMOM@28kg: 7+7, 7+7, 0, 7+8, 7+6
First minute: "OK, no problem, it is only one rep more than Sunday."
Second minute: "Uff, not so easy, maybe I will do only two minutes today."
Third minute, rest: "Breathe... Well, I can try and see how it goes for a few more reps when the counter bips?"
Fourth minute: "Ok, that minute of rest was useful, I can do it. 5, 6, 7, no, don't put it down, swing, to the left, uff, 1, 2, 3, uff, 4, 5, uff, 6,uff, 7, uff, 8... Hey! What are you doing, you must stop at 7 reps, you idiot!"
Fifth Minute: "Ok, it is the last minute. Just do it. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, swing, change, 1, 2, 3, ouch, no, not on the knee, between the knees, 4, 5, re-ouch, I told you not on the knee, 6, down. Ok, breathe and go home!"

Apparently, I have troubles to count properly and stop at 7, when I reach over 40 reps with a 28kg. I also have troubles to keep the bell in the middle on the way down with my left hand.
Still, 56 reps@28kg within 5 min, while not dying with a bell that is 2 sizes above my test bell, and that I had never snatched until 10 days ago, leaves a good feeling.

Lot of walking around, breathing hard and relaxing stretches.
Weight check: 67,8kg all dressed. Good.

 

[jef]

Thursday 16th February
Morning mobility routine.

Time constraints, I had to do all my training at once at the gym between 17:15 and 18:00...
Easy strength
BB press: 40kg x 5, 5
Focus on technical details (feed forward tension, irradiation, dominanta). Good to warm up, as it is very light. I clean the bar before each set, applying Pavel's advice from Power to the people professional. This book is not often quoted, but it is a goldmine for barbell training!

Shortened SFG practice
Getup: 28kg x 1, 1, 32 kg x 1, 1, 28kg x 1, 1, 32kg x 1, 1, 28kg x 1, 1
Being somehow in a hurry, I found it smarter to do a few lighter sets at 28kg than trying all with 32kg. I am still convinced that I will get back very soon at simple standard, as it gets better every time. March will be the right month for that, there is no reason to hurry.
1H Swing: 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 10, 10, 28kg x 10, 10
Recovery session. Not too many sets, and not too heavy (anyway, they have nothing heavier than 32kg at the gym).

 

[jef]

Friday 16th February
Morning mobility routine.

Had a meeting yesterday. Some of the wine was very good and I ended up tasting a bit too much...
Not much time and energy for training today. :/

1H swing, EMOM: 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 32 kg x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 5+5
40kg swings were high and powerful. No sweat at the end of the session, despite the number of reps and the load. Conditioning is improving.
May the heavy snatches have had some carry-over to my swings?

 

[jef]

Saturday 17th February
Rest.

Sunday 18th February
Morning mobility routine.

Early evening, all at the gym (I am more comfortable snatching the 28kg at the gym where I am less afraid to drop it).
Easy strength.
Bench press: 60kg x 5, 5
Technical and light.
BB press: 40kg x 3, 45kg x 3, 50kg x 3, 55kg x 1
I had reserve at 50kg to do more (probably good for 5 reps) but wanted to keep some juice for a try at 55kg. I probably did not have a double at 55kg, and the single was not easy, but t was very clean. I should reach 60kg relatively fast once I can resume a BB press centered training.

SFG practice.
Getup: 32kg, 1+1, 28kg, 1+1
Just those 4 reps. I needed to keep energy for the snatches.
Last heavy snatch session before SFG testing on Thursday.
Snatch, EMOM: 28kg, 8+8, 8+8, 0, 7+7, 7+7
I probably had enough energy for 8+8 in the last 2 minutes, but the form was breaking a little, so I played safe and stayed at 7+7. I had to put down the bell between hands in the last minute, and I was quite tired at the end. It is still 60 snatches within 5 minutes with a 28kg bell! I feel confident for the snatch test.

To cool down: Cossack squat with 28kg, then 32kg, cheeck to ground.

 

[jef]

Monday 19th February
Morning mobility routine.

Last few days until SFG weekend, so everything easy and light.

SFG practice
Getup: 24kg, 1+1
1H Swing: 24kg, 10+10
Double clean: (24kg x 2), 5
Press: 24kg, 5+5
Double front squat: (24kg x 2), 5 - long pause
Snatch: 24kg, 5+5
One more easy practice like that tomorrow, and then on Wednesday, direction Paris and the SFG weekend.

Easy strength:
BB press: 45kg x 5, 5
Again paying attention to clean it without a knee bend, as in a kettlebell clean. As long as it is light, it is very doable.

Swing session.
1H swing: 32kg x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
EMOM, it is not a test, so I took a full 10 minutes. Powerful and easy, not even a sweat. I like that.

 

[jef]

Tuesday 20th February

Mobility routine.
Easy strength
Bench press: 60kg x 5, 5
Staying fairly light, technique work.
BB press: 42,5 kg x 1, 45kg x 1, 47,5kg x 1, 50kg x 1, 52,5kg x 1, 55kg x 1
Weight ladder with singles. 55kg was a bit slow around the sticking point, but well controlled and proper. I decided not to go for 57,5kg and risk a fail. Not the time for that.
I was also happy with the cleans. Light, for sure, but also with no knee bend.

Some mobility fun afterward: cossack squat, cheeck to groung and curl at the bottom with 28kg (3 sets), Z-press with a 16kg, 3 reps for 3 sets, increasing leg spreading each set, and then front split work.

Later on.
SFG practice
Getup: 24kg, 1+1
1H Swing: 24kg, 10+10
Double clean: (24kg x 2), 5
Press: 24kg, 5+5
Double front squat: (24kg x 2), 5 - long pause
Snatch: 24kg, 5+5
Keeping it light in both load and volume for the last session before travelling. As little rest as possible between exercises. Focusing on technical details (looking at the checklist of the SFG standard).

Swing session
1H swing, EMOM: 28kg x (5+5), 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 32kg x 10, 10
This is the last training this week.

Tomorrow, I fly to Paris for assisting at the first ever SFG certification in France.

 

[jef]

Wednesday 21st February.
Travel.

Thursday 22nd February.
Weight: 66,3kg.
Snatch test and technical test passed. Now begins the hardest part: support my team leader and the candidates to make this first SFG in France a great experience.

 

[Kiacek]

Good luck!!

 

[jef]

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 23-25th February

Paris SFG certification!
Of course not as strenuous for me as it was for the candidates. Still quite a few (a lot) of swings, observations, corrections, coaching, learning, etc.
My "training" was mostly mobility and recovery during the lunch break: Flexible steel Program minimum (switch splits, light bent arm bar with a 16kg), sot presses with 2x16kg, cossack with a 28kg.
It was a great weekend and I feel blessed to have seen a community grow during those three days.
It was also great to meet in person my strong French colleagues @Serge and @Pierre Martini

Monday 26th February
Travel. Chocolate, cheese, pizza, wine (recovery day...).

Tuesday 27th February
Morning mobility routine.
Quick travel to the gym for some easy work.
Bench press: 60kg x 5, 3, 2
Deadlift: 100kg x 5, 120 kg x 3, 140kg x 2
Did not feel the 140kg with a double overhand, so I went for a safer alternate grip. I will build the DOH later, in April.

Weight check: 67,2kg (still under 68kg! )

I am going for a short vacation tomorrow with the family. No barbell, no kettlebell. Good time to focus on bodyweight.

 

[Serge]

So nice to have met you in person my friend. Looking forward to meeting you again soon.
Enjoy your holidays and ... Rest !!

 

[jef]

I have been slightly sick on Wednesday, more on Thursday, a bit better on Friday, worse on Saturday, relatively ok on Sunday, so-so today. I expect to be back healthy by the end of the week, but it is a strange feeling. I have not been sick for more than a day in a looooong time. Perfect timing with our holidays in Italy...
Of course no training those days. I had planned to deload. I just did not expect such a dramatic deload.

It might impair my preparation for the half marathon. I probably have to give up on getting a good time. No big deal, I managed the Paris SFG, this was the important part!

 

[jef]

Saturday 10th March
Feeling a lot better. The sickness had me up and down for more than a week. I guess I got the flu... I have not in years, so I am not used anymore to be down so long.

Today was ok, so I went for a test run, exactly 4 weeks before the half marathon.

First half was purposefully slow, keeping HR under 150. Tough job, I had to force myself to slow down more than once. Second half (the way back, actually), was to run a comfortable easy pace without worrying about HR. First half was run at about 8km/h (very very slow), and second half around 10-11 km/h (quite pace). HR 1st half just under 150, second half just under 170. Both stable. No exhaustion, I could have gone much longer (but bored).
Total run was about 55 min for a little more than 8,2km. Not too bad for someone who has not run in years!

I took the opportunity to test my running technique with a new pair a minimalist shoes (Chuck Taylor like). The feeling was good, no issue, except the giant blisters I now have. I should have walked a lot with those shoes before running with them... One blister is 4cm large! No big deal anyway, I treated them, and will prepare the shoes by walking with them. As I do not intend to more than one run per week, I have time to recover.

 

[jef]

Monday 12th March
Back to training.
Morning mobility routine.

Updated 2018 goals, now that I recertified for the SFG:
- barbell bodyweight press (I am aiming at 75kg, as I also intend to grow some muscles. I don't feel good being under 68kg). Primary goal. Very ambitious, but hey, I need an impossible to reach target.
- practice other presses as specialized variety and technical work (KB press@24kg, bench press@BW, KB floor press, Z-press, OAPU, OAOLPU, sot presses, etc). Light and by feeling.

- increase deadlift. Secondary goal. It would be nice to reach 4 wheels in 2018, and at least own the DOH double BW deadlift.

- snatch 32kg for reps, to make the snatch test with a 24kg as easy as it was with the 20kg. Keep swinging often.
- squat pattern: goblet squat, double KB front squat, cossack squat, pistols, etc. By feeling.


So I started light and easy:
Deadlift: 120kg x 3, 110kg x 4, 120kg x 3
First set with only one rep DOH, other two alternate grip. I focused more for the remaining lifts and did them all with a double overhand grip. I am lacking a bit of energy today, and grip strength is the first to go.
BB press: 40kg x 6, 45kg x 3, 4
Bench press: 60kg x 3

Later that day, swing session, EMOM:
1H swing: 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 28kg x 10, 10, 5+5
Not as crisp as they should be. No 40kg today. I need to rebuild a little after two weeks without swinging.

 

[jef]

Tuesday 13th March
Morning mobility routine.

Morning strength session
BB press: 45kg x 3, 4, 3, 50kg x 2, 45kg x 4, 50kg x 2
After yesterday's not so easy session, I was a bit anxious while going to 50kg. I should not have. It went up easily, with many more reps in reserve.
Sequence: power breathe, grab the bar, power clean it (with no or minimal knee bend, it is a light weight to clean), pressurize the abdomen, press - looking straight ahead.

Bench press: 60kg x 3, 3, 2
Keeping it light and technical.

1/2 HLR: 5, 5, 5
Still working on the first half of the movement.

Another video has been published from the Paris SFG


Evening swing session:
1H swing: 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 40kg x 7, 7, 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10
The grip was the limiting factor today. 28kg was flying, but 40kg was hard, as was the last set at 32kg.

 

[jef]

Wednesday 14th March
Rest.
I had in mind to do some snatches, but my hands are not well recovered from heavy swings yet, so better to postpone those.

Thursday 15th March
Morning mobility routine
Weight check: 67,1kg. Still not back to a normal weight.

Strength session
Deadlift: 120kg x 4, 130kg x 3, 4, 140kg x 2, 120kg x 3
Weak grip today, I switched to alternate grip from the 3rd rep at 120kg. I need to build it back.
The double at 140kg could have been better. I felt some low back rounding. Not enough wedging.

KB floor press: 28kg x (3+3)
Variety for the press. Strict on the right side, but some left cheek lifting on the left side. Need to improve.

Hanging leg raise: 5, 5, 5
Now doing the full movement. Straight legs up to half the movement, then some bending up to the bar, then straightening again and controled negative.
I felt how puling with the lats was vital for initiating properly the second half of the movement. That was a AH moment!
I have a good feeling that I will be able to perform a proper full HLR soon.

Later today, I will do an easy swing session: 8 sets of 1H-swings@28kg, EMOM. Taking care of my hands.

 

[jef]

Friday 16th March
Mobility routine.
Strength session
BB press: 45kg x 3, 4, 5, 50kg x 2, 45kg x 3, 4, 3
Power breathing prior to each set to pressurize abdomen, and power clean with no knee bend. Felt good today. I noticed that I let the bar go a bit in front at 45kg, because it is light, so I corrected it. Light weights should be the time to have perfect practice and bar path.

Deadlift: 120kg x 3, 4, 3, 130kg x 4, 120kg x 3, 5
Transitioning from DOH to alternate grip at the third set already. Grip is still weak. I am focusing again on wedging, keeping the bar close. 130kg felt good. At 66kg today, this is almost a double BW deadlift for 4 easy reps. Today, it is cheese, pizza and wine. I am way too light.

No specific abs work today, as I didn't want to fatigue them too much before running.

Running session, fundamental endurance: 9,68km in 1h02
It was raining, but it s the only day this week when I could go for my weekly run, so I did it under some water. A quiet and steady pace for just above one hour. I am a bit disappointed that I still was under 10km. I guess I cannot expect to run very fast for my second run in years! I am definitely not going to break a record at the half-marathon...

 

[jef]

Saturday 17th March
Morning mobility routine.

No swings today, my lower back is still slightly annoyed, so I let it rest.

I took the opportunity to work on tension techniques, a domain where I need to work a lot.
The chosen exercise was One leg KB press with a 24kg, for singles, GTG style.
Grab a kettlebell you can press for several reps, clean it, then lift the leg from the other side off the floor. Not high, it is not a balance exercise.
Press.
Impossible to do without getting -and staying- tight!
I will keep doing it for a few weeks, and then change the exercise.

 

[jef]

Monday 19th March
Morning mobility routine.

Strength session
Deadlift: 110kg x 4, 5, 120kg x 3
All DOH. I really need to refocus on my setup and wedge properly. When the weight is relatively light, I have the very bad tendency to stop respecting it as much. Something to change, and fast.
BB Press: 40kg x 6, 45kg x 4
Another light session. Again, it is light, and I let the bar go too much in front. It is going to be the focus this week. Vertical bar path!
Hanging leg raise: 5, 5, 5
I surprised my self to be able to do the full movement! Just following the regression/progression proves again to be much more effective than trying the full exercise in bad form from day 1. It is still far from perfect, but I got the feeling of it, so now, it will only get better.

Swing session
Right after, as I am pressed by time (I usually prefer to practice at a different time of the day).
1H swing: 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10, 28kg x 10, 10, 32kg x 10, 10

Mobility work (focus side split) combined with press variety
Cossack squat @28kg (with "prying" at the bottom)
Tall kneeling press @20kg, 3+3
Cossack squat @32kg (with "prying" at the bottom)
Tall kneeling press @20kg, 3+3
Z press@16kg (3+3) for 4 sets, with leg spreading increasing between each set
End of session with Flexible steel frog progression