Monday - Sept. 29

KB Jerks @ 20kg, 2-arm
- 10 minutes @ 10 rpm

KB Snatch @ 20kg
- 8 minutes @ 12 rpm

Swings @ 32kg - 25/25

I had to lift with a glove on my left hand, due to some bad blisters. It really missed with my overhead lockout on the snatches which is why I only did 4 minutes on each arm. Other than my hand, everything felt solid.

Saturday - Sept. 27

Dynamic Warm-Up

Power Snatch
3 x 50 kg
3 x 60
2 x 70
2 x 80
1 x 80

1-arm KB Jerk @ 32kg
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 10 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 12 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 12 rpm

Wednesday - Sept. 24

Jump Rope - 2 minutes

Conventional Deadlift
135# x 10
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
455 x 5
495 x 3
495 x 3
495 x 3

Log Clean + Jerk
120# x 5
164 x 5
186 x 3
208 x 3
208 x 3
208 x 3
230 x 1

Stone lifting
160# x 5
240# x 4 singles

Tuesday - Sept. 23

20 minute Cate Imes challenge @ 24kg
- 10 minutes snatch - 20 rpm, switch arms every minute
- 10 minutes clean + jerk - 12 rpm, switch arms every minute

Monday - Sept. 22

10K run with client - 1 hour 10 minutes

Barbell Snatch
3 x 40 kg
3 x 50
2 x 55
2 x 60
2 x 65

15 minutes (EDT)
Handstand Pushup
1 set of 3
3 sets of 2
2 sets of 1
Single Leg Deadlift @ 40kg
6 sets of 5

Indoor Rock Climbing

Thursday - Sept. 18

Barbell Snatch
30 kg x 3
40 x 3
50 x 2, 2
60 x 2, 2

Clean + Jerk
60 kg x 2
80 x 2
95 x 2
110 x 2, 2, 2, 2

KB Jerk @ 20kg
- 3 minutes @ 12 rpm
4 minutes rest
- 3 minutes @ 12 rpm

Conditioning:
21-15-9
Overhead Squat @ 75#
Renegade Row @ 32kg
1/4 mile run between
Total Time: 16:15

Wednesday - Sept. 17

Concept 2 rower
15 minutes
3869 meters
222.5 watts
266 calories
1:56.3 /500m

I just wanted to break a sweat and get some blood flowing. Overall a nice easy pace.

Tuesday - Sept. 16

Lots going on at the gym these days; a new owner, I physically moved locations in the gym (which meant physically moving every piece of gym equipment in the place). All of the above are good things and I will be excited when the electricity comes back on in the next few days. The remnants of Ike came through and knock out half the town. So all my training of clients and myself has taken place outside this week.

Barbell Snatch practice
25kg x 3, 3, 3
30kg x 3, 3, 3,
40kg x 3, 3, 3, 3

Tire Flip circuit x 1
300# tire flipped 20 yds
500# tire flipped 20 yds
1000# tire flipped 20 yds (1000# tire is 2 500# tractor tires bolted together)

1000# tire flipped down and back 20 yds x 2

5 Rounds of the following
20 jerks w/ 2-24kg kbells
20 box jumps @ 24"
300 yds run

Overall, just a good conditioning day. I didn't have the mental energy to tackle a heavy workout so I went the CrossFit way and just trained for improved conditioning. I was able to get some light technique work in with my barbell snatches. I'll probably do more of the same on Thursday.

Saturday - 9/13

Barbell Clean + Jerk
3 x 40 kg
3 x 50
2 x 70
2 x 90
2 x 105
2 x 110

20 minute, Cate Imes Challenge @ 20kg
Snatch - 20 rpm, switched every minute
Clean + Jerk - 12 rpm, switched every minute

Grippers - MMS
sport - 10
trainer - 10
#1 - 5
#2 - 1
#2.5 - 1
#3 - 1
heavy filed #3 - within 4mm

Sept. 11 - Thursday

Barbell Snatch
2 x 40 kg
2 x 50
2 x 60
2 x 60
2 x 65

1-arm Jerk @ 32kg
- 6 minutes @ 8 rpm
- 6 minutes @ 8 rpm

Swings @ 32kg
- 30/30

Tuesday - Sept. 9

Dynamic Sprint Warm-Up
Barbell Snatch
2 x 40 kg
2 x 50
2 x 60
2 x 65
2 x 65
2 x 65

KB 2-arm Jerk @ 20kg
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 10 rpm

1-arm Jerk @ 32kg
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm

15 minutes (EDT)
Handstand Pushup
10 sets of 1
hangboard Pullups
10 sets of 5

Break for dinner - Hour and a half

Dynamic Sprint Warm-up
Multi-directional 6" Hurdle Jumps to Sprint x 8
Side step to sprint x 8

KB Snatch @ 20 kg
- 10 minutes @ 12 rpm

Swings @ 32kg
- 20/20
- 20/20

Grippers
sport x 5
trainer x 3
#1 x 2
#2 x 2
#3 x 1, 1, 1 (all credit card sets) i failed on a 4th attempt.

My body is feeling good and I like the progression that I am taking to get back to the 32kg competition bells. Using the oly lifting just prior to the KBs really fired up my CNS and made for some crisp jerks. Also a big thank you to Catherine Imes, I have been reading her IGx postings on technique and really found the sweetspot on my snatches and swings today. Its all about the correct timing of the hip pop, much like the second pull in oly lifting, to get the job done.

You will also notice that I am training every other day. I have found this to work best for me when training for kettlebell competition. I do about an hour of stretching on the off days to stay loose.

Sunday - Sept. 7

Dynamic Warm-up - Sprint Drills
Multi-directional 6" Hurdle Jumps to Sprint x 6

2-arm Jerk @ 16kg
- 10 minutes @ 8 rpm

7 minutes rest

Snatch @ 16kg
- 10 minutes @ 20 rpm

7 minutes rest

1-arm Jerk @ 32kg
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm
Rest 4 minutes
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm

Back Squats - 10 sets of 10 on the 3 minutes
@ 215#

Grippers
sport - 2 x 15
trainer - 2 x 15
#1 - 2 x 15

Friday - Sept. 5

Jump Rope Warm-up

2-arm Jerk @ 16kg
- 4 minutes @ 4 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 6 rpm
- 4 minutes @ 8 rpm

4 minutes rest between sets

Snatch @ 16kg
- 10 minutes @ 12 rpm, 1-arm switch

Again I used the lighter weights to gain confidence in my technique and neck. Stretching my shoulders is going to be vital in obtaining a solid overhead rest position. I will be hanging from a pullup bar and assuming the downward dog position to achieve this.

The Road to 200

My next competition I will be competing in will be the Kettlebell World Championships just outside of Turin, Italy the weekend of November 15-16. It is here that I have set the goal for myself to complete 80 jerks and 200 snatches. Its the 200 snatches that make this one interesting because the best that we can find is only 5 other individuals that have ever completed that task in competition. So this is the start of my journey to 200 snatches.

It would not be an exciting journey if there wasn't a little adversity to get things started. This Tuesday morning at 3:55am I rolled over in bed to a loud pop and excruciating pain in the right rear of my neck. I new immediately that I had shifted vertebra in my neck and tried immediately to hang my head off the bed into traction to try and reset myself. No luck, so I fought sharp shooting pains til 11:30am when I was able to get to the chiropractor. He was able to get me realigned and now I just needed to massage the neck muscles from cramping up. Still it would delay any training til at least Thursday, Sept. 4.

To steal a line from Randy Pausch, 'Roadblocks to our goals are put there not to stop us, but to see just how bad we want something.' If you have never listened to Randy Pausch's last lecture, please do immediately, just youtube his name.

Training Day - Thursday - Sept. 4

KB Snatch
- 10 minutes @ 12kg, 12 rpm
- 10 minutes @ 12kg, 15 rpm
- 10 minutes @ 12kg, 20 rpm

Snatch sets were done with 5 minutes rest between. I stayed with the 12kg because I wanted to make sure my neck was going to stay in place. Interestingly, the hardest set of all was the 12 rpm set, you will see me doing lots of slow sets. A weakness of mine is the overhead lockout and the slow sets really seem to help me.

I was able to get some training in later as well.

1-arm Jerk
- 6 minutes @ 24kg, 8rpm
- 6 minutes @ 24kg, 10 rpm
- 6 minutes @ 24kg, 10 rpm

I stayed with 1-arm Jerks again to keep overall louding down on my neck muscles. I only used one arm switch at the 3 minute mark. I really concentrated on be quick back under the bells at lockout. By being quicker under the bells I will ultimately save more energy. The 1-arm Jerks will also help me develop my shoulder flexibility for a better rack position.

Global Grip Challenge

I competed in the Global Grip Challenge (US National Grip Championships) this past Saturday in Towanda, Pennsylvania. I took 3rd place in what was a star studded field of competitors; Jedd Johnson, Chad Woodall, John Eaton, Rex Hubbard, Paul Knight, Brent Barbe, Bob Sundin, Brendan Dwyer, Nick Rosendaul, Chris Rice, Zach Coulter and Josh McCann.

Chad Woodall was the winner for the 3rd straight year in a row, Jedd Johnson won previously. So it was no disappointment to come in 3rd to these animals of the grip world. I will touch on some of the highlights of the competition.

The first event was IronMind grippers. Myself, Chad Woodall, Jedd Johnson and Paul Knight were able to mash the handles of a #3.5 gripper together from a parallel set. We all tried for the wider credit card set, but to no avail. This also came to be a highlight for the day, because in my very close attempt at CCS #3.5 I came to within 1-2mm closing. That is wonderful, but the effort cost me my consciousness. I vaguely remember placing the gripper back on the table, but then it was lights out and the next I remember is Lorraine holding me from behind on the ground asking if I was alright. I sat for a bit, laughed for a bit and then worked my way back to standing. If you think grip training is not intense, think again.

After a successful recovery, I went on to lift 206.78 lbs. in the 2-hand pinch. Chad Woodall and Jedd Johnson add a tie for first with 242.16#. The third event is easily my best, Apollon Axle Deadlift. I pulled 455.81# for an official, in competition World Record, I pulled 462# while in Hamburg, Germany for a grip demonstration. I tried 465# on Saturday but it was not to be.

Next up was the Medley event. This event was interesting because all competitors were asked to bring 3 items to be lifted on the plateform. Everyone catered to their strengths and brought objects that pushed there own limits. 21 objects in all were setup and we had 3 minutes to lift as many objects onto a 27" platform as possible. You had to lift your objects first was the only stipulation. Chad also came out on top with 18 objects, Jedd lifted 16 and myself 14.

The last event was Reverse Style Steel Bending. Chad and myself were capable of getting a 1/4" x 6" grade 8 bolt rated 485#) to bend past 40 degrees. Jedd went bigger with a 505# rated 6" length and Paul Kniight took top honors with a 585# piece.

A great event put on by Jedd and Smitty of the Diesel Crew.