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The Simple Road Begins

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May 10

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel this evening, as I slept in this morning.

5 goblet squats 16kg, just patterning the movement, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16kg, prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

One-handed swings - 1 x 10 x 32 kg, 9 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU - 3 x 16 kg, 2 x 20 kg

Good workout tonight. Thank you @Anna C for the warm up routine. I was surprised that the 24 kg kettlebell didn't feel as heavy as it does one handed....

Swinging the 32 kg felt better tonight, but I am not sure I am ready for a second set, not yet. The 24 kg feels better every session. My get ups were pretty good, better than Monday's session, but still not great. I will not be adding a third set with the 20 kg kettlebell next week, unless my get ups feel as good with the 20 as they do with the 16.
 
Michael Scott said:
Swinging the 32 kg felt better tonight, but I am not sure I am ready for a second set, not yet.
Click to expand...

Although it's not officially in the S&S program, I like sets of 5 swings. That's how I got to swinging the 32kg (using Al Ciampa's S+S swing protocols). So if you were to work it in this way for S&S you might do something like this:
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg

And then work it in more and more, maybe up to 20 sets of 5 swings with the 32kg, and then sets of 7 or 8 swings, etc. working towards 10 x 10.... or any other progression of mixing the weights and swings per set towards the 10 x 10. Just an idea...
 
Ok, quick question @Anna C, are the swings supposed to be done 10L/10R and that is one set? Or 5L/5R as one set? I ask because I am doing the latter as a set of 10, and doing 10 sets that way.

Anna C said:
Although it's not officially in the S&S program, I like sets of 5 swings. That's how I got to swinging the 32kg (using Al Ciampa's S+S swing protocols). So if you were to work it in this way for S&S you might do something like this:
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
5 swings R 32kg
5 swings L 32kg
10 swings R 24kg
10 swings L 24kg

And then work it in more and more, maybe up to 20 sets of 5 swings with the 32kg, and then sets of 7 or 8 swings, etc. working towards 10 x 10.... or any other progression of mixing the weights and swings per set towards the 10 x 10. Just an idea...
Click to expand...
 
Always just one hand per set.

Normal S&S is 10 swings with one hand, rest. Next set is 10 swings with the other hand, rest. Continue to 10 sets total, 100 swings, 50 with each hand.

What I'm proposing, let's say you did it all the way through the session (which is fine, too), would be 5 swings with one hand, rest. 5 swings with the other hand, rest. To 20 sets total, 100 swings, 50 with each hand.

What I outlined above is some of each. Still to 100 swings total, 50 with each hand.

The rest between each set is important. Every minute on the minute (EMOM) is a good way to go if you're not sure how long to wait, but even better is monitoring your breathing and recovery and going when you feel recovered, re-settled, and ready. This is what A+A is about. It's a great way to progress without stressing yourself out too much.

Make sense?
 
Ok, I have been doing them wrong for a while then. I guess I will be changing to the correct form tonight. :oops: :(

Thank you for the clarification. I was sort of doing them as you are proposing. I was doing 5L, set the bell down, pick it up with my right hand, hiking it back & doing 5R for one set, with no rest between other than switching hands. After a couple of weeks of swinging correctly, I may incorporate your format as outlined above.

Anna C said:
Always just one hand per set.

Normal S&S is 10 swings with one hand, rest. Next set is 10 swings with the other hand, rest. Continue to 10 sets total, 100 swings, 50 with each hand.

What I'm proposing, let's say you did it all the way through the session (which is fine, too), would be 5 swings with one hand, rest. 5 swings with the other hand, rest. To 20 sets total, 100 swings, 50 with each hand.

What I outlined above is some of each. Still to 100 swings total, 50 with each hand.

The rest between each set is important. Every minute on the minute (EMOM) is a good way to go if you're not sure how long to wait, but even better is monitoring your breathing and recovery and going when you feel recovered, re-settled, and ready. This is what A+A is about. It's a great way to progress without stressing yourself out too much.

Make sense?
Click to expand...
 
May 11

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel this morning.

I did stretch and foam roll my back & legs before starting my workout. It felt good to stretch beforehand, I got myself ready to go.

5 goblet squats 16kg
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16kg, prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

One-handed swings - 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU - 3 x 16 kg, 2 x 20 kg

Good workout tonight. Thank you @Anna C for clarifying how to do the 1HS. Completely different workout tonight. A set of 10, 1 minute rest, then another set. That didn't last for all ten sets, maybe six. I cannot complain, because they felt good. The get ups were good, still not great. I think doing the swings in sets of ten with one arm, then resting, may have had an impact on them. Oh well, doing the swings correctly is important. So, I may drop back to 4 sets with the 16kg, and 1 set with the 20kg, or all five with the 16kg until I get used to doing the swings this way.

No big deal, I want to be sure that I can do all five sets of my get ups properly first. The weight will progress as long as my form is done correctly.
 
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May 13

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel

5 goblet squats 16kg
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16kg, prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

I dropped back down to the 16 kg kettlebell to ensure I perform my get ups correctly. Good session today, had to get it in before our rugby game today.
 
May 14

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel

5 goblet squats 16kg
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16kg, prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

Training for recovery session today. Felt good from start to finish. After almost 60 minutes of playing touch rugby, and another 30 or so minutes playing a kicking game with the team, I felt surprisingly good this morning. I was a little stiff yesterday evening, but pretty good today. Stretching today felt real good.
 
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I forgot to add on May 13 that I also ran with my rugby team in our scrimmage for a little over 2 hours. It wasn't constant running, don't get me wrong. But it was more cardio work than I have done in a couple of years. I was stiff Saturday evening, but Sunday I felt good. Not stiff, and only a little sore. I guess I experienced another WTH moment yesterday morning. o_O
 
May 15

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel
T-Spine Mobility - 1

5 goblet squats 16kg
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16kg, prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 StrongFirst hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

Training for recovery session today. I incorporated the T-Spine Mobility 1 drills that @The Nail shared here:
The Nail said:
Up 5:15, training 6:30

Training day: 3.1

Warm up: TSM1, D.D, Gob sq x 3, SF Hip Bridge x 2, Halo x 2
Click to expand...

Wow, did those feel good to add to my war up routine. My OHS & TGUs were trained again for recovery. Everything felt strong, and my get ups are feeling stronger. Overall, good session tonight.
 
Excellent! The t-spine work doesn't look like a lot. While you're doing it, it doesn't feel like a lot. But as soon as you grab a weight "Ohhhh, I get it!"
 
May 16

4 weeks to Flexible Steel
T-Spine Mobility - 1

I got up this morning to get my stretching in, and it was a great start to my day. Since I have softball right after work, no kettlebells for me tonight.

The Nail said:
Excellent! The t-spine work doesn't look like a lot. While you're doing it, it doesn't feel like a lot. But as soon as you grab a weight "Ohhhh, I get it!"
Click to expand...

This is so accurate. I thought, those look easy enough, but man do they stretch the body. I am doing them without weights, as I am not nearly as flexible as @Anna C. Over time I will become far more flexible than I am at the moment, which is a good thing.
 
May 17

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel
T-Spine Mobility - 1

5 goblet squats 16 kg
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16 kg, prying
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

I trained again tonight for recovery. The stretching felt great tonight. My workout was solid from start to finish.
 
May 18

I took the day off from my kettlebells due to work and coaching commitments. I got my stretching in, flexibility is a must. Just basic stretching today, both before & after moving around the pitch getting the team ready for Saturday's match.
 
May 20

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel
T-Spine Mobility - 1

5 goblet squats 16 kg
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16 kg, prying
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

Friday was an unplanned day off. My body just needed to rest I suppose. I was all over the pitch Thursday evening during practice. I listened and had an extra day off. Every now and then rest is needed, so I enjoyed a great meal with my wife & daughter.

I trained again today for recovery. The stretching felt great, and I am starting to see progress in my upper-body flexibility. Another workout that felt solid from start to finish.
 
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May 21

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel
T-Spine Mobility - 1

5 goblet squats 16 kg
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16 kg, prying
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 4 x 10 x 32 kg, 6 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

I added two more sets with the 32 kg kettlebell today. I may have to re-think doing them again this week. My get-ups were unsteady at the end. While it felt great to do two sets with each arm, I am not sure I am ready to fully incorporate a second set with each arm, not quite yet. I will go back to one set with each arm for the rest of this week. Saturday, as long as I am feeling up to it, will see another set, maybe. I want to be sure my foundation is strong enough to incorporate another set with the 32 kg kettlebell.

Other than being gassed at the end of my get ups, my session felt strong. My warm up routine is starting to show results. I know the title is 4 weeks to flexible steel, but I am enjoying the stretches I am currently doing. I did try the frog stretch, and it did feel good. But, a couple more weeks with this plan and I should start seeing real results in my flexibility. Just like with the kettlebells, slow & steady will provide results.
 
May 22

Warmup:
4 weeks to Flexible Steel
4 sets each of Kettlebell Good Mornings, Lunge Stretches, Arm Bars, & Kettlebell Pullovers
3 sets of Tactical Frogs

T-Spine Mobility - 1
2 sets on each side

5 goblet squats 16 kg
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 16 kg, prying
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

5 goblet squats 24 kg, no prying.
5 hip bridges
5 halos each way

1HS 2 x 10 x 32 kg, 8 x 10 x 24 kg
TGU 5 x 2 x 16 kg

I went back to one set with each arm with the 32 kg kettlebell. My get ups were sharper, and my workout went better all around. I feel great after working out tonight, I trained for recovery and I feel great. Tomorrow may be a day off, weather dependent. My stretching is really starting to pay off. I feel better after my stretching and working out than I did going downstairs to begin my workout.
 
Two days sick, and nothing to report on my workouts. Other than losing weight from not eating and sweating to death for two days, I wasn't even close to grabbing a kettlebell. I will start up again on Saturday.
 
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