Sorinex Summer Strong

This past weekend I traveled down to Columbia, South Carolina to take part in the Sorinex Summer Strong celebration. This was the second year for the event, a first for me, in celebration of Richard Sorin's birthday. I left Wooster, OH Thursday night at 9:30pm, drove through the night in order to arrive Friday morning at 7am to teach an American Kettlebell Club Kettlebell Fitness Trainers certification. I am proud to announce Bert Sorin, Jeff Georgon, Elise Matthews and Ray Anderson are all now AKC certified kettlebell trainers. After the course it was time to find a hotel and get some rest.

Saturday morning started off with a nice tour of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football weightroom. A nice room with power racks and platforms. Everything you need and nothing you don't. We than made it back to the Sorinex Showroom for a weightlifting demonstration and for some to take part in a Crossfit WOD (workout of the day).

Lunch followed and then I was up to battle the Captains of Crush #3.5. And battle we did, numerous attempts and many down to under 1/8 inch, but those handles would not touch for me. Not to worry, we will meet again soon. I then went on to play with some other grip toys and became the 6th person in history to lift the 202# circus dumbbell (3" handle) and 2nd to lift it with both right and left hands.

From here numerous individual deadlift challenges were put forth and I stepped up and set a new PR with a lift of 605#. It wasn't 30 minutes later that the final WOD (a strategic WOD) was set; who could do the most work in 5 minutes via conventional deadlift no wraps. One Crossfit hero choose 135# and did 144 reps, very impressive. Myself and Jason Lawson choose 275#, we knew it would come down to the two of us and he is a deadlift machine, I've seen him do 10 reps at 700#. Anyway, 5 minutes up and I had completed 74 reps, over 20,000 lbs. of work done. Unfortunately for me Jason completed 94 reps.

With work done it was time to fill our stomachs and Cadillac grilled his but off to feed us all. I don't know him and his partner by any other name, but it was amazing. After feasting and a few beers I talked Bert into showing me what highland games are all about and I got to toss my first caber. It might have been a smaller one, but it got me hooked. Then came a little fun in weight over bar with an empty keg.

Here is a small highlight video.

June 24 - Wednesday

2-arm Jerk @ 32kg
- 6 minutes @ 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 10

Standing Press
5 x 40 kg
5 x 45
3 x 57
3 x 65
6 x 73

Viking Jerks @ #4 Band
- 2.5 minutes @ 12 rpm

Bent Over Row
8 x 110 kg
8 x 115
8 x 115
8 x 115

1-arm Jerk @ 40 kg, single arm switch
- 6 minutes @ 6 rpm

Next competition is in Latvia, August 1-3. Lots of kettlebell work to come.

June 23 - Tuesday

2-arm Jerk @ 24kg,
- 6 minutes @ 6 rpm

Back Squat
5 x 135 #
5 x 225
3 x 255
3 x 295
10 x 320

Step-Ups @ 24"
- 3 x 8 (r/l) @ 20kg kettlebells

KB Rack Hold @ 36kg
- 6 minutes

You will see me doing kb rack holds. Standing in the rack is my biggest weakness and I really find my jerk numbers increase when I get more comfortable in the rack position.

Chad Woodall Grip Competition

Well the dust is beginning to settle from the past weekends grip competition in Athens, GA. Chad was able to conquer all, followed closely by Steve Gardener from Great Britain and then myself in 3rd place.

It was the biggest grip competition to date anywhere in the world. The level of competition in one room was truly amazing. I will give you some of the highlights.

Grippers were first and Steve dominated all with terrific closing of a #4. Chad was close behind while Aaron Corcoran and myself tied with a gripper just a bit stronger than a 3.5.

Next up, was the 2 hand pinch, my worst event by the way, but I am correcting that and have just purchased a 2HP devise that I will pick up this weekend. I pulled a measly 205# while the top guys(Steve, Chad and Jedd Johnson) were bunched up at 240-245#.

The Third event is my favorite, Double Overhand Axle Deadlift. I was focused the whole way; opened with an easy 401# then pulled 441 to tie Steve and Chad. They were out of lifts and I still had two to go. The bar felt good so I called up 461# to beat my previous WR of 455 in competition. EASY and I let out a primal scream at the top just for effect. I had one more attempt and with a croud of 100 on hand I wasn't going to pass. I asked for 476 and pulled it to just above my knees before lossing my grip. Oh well, we will meet again.

Next up was the Rolling Thunder on a very seasoned handle, good weights were going to be pulled on this handle. I was playing the points game well and beat the guys I needed to to solidify 3rd place heading into the final event. My official weight was 250# and then I broke 280 off the ground but didn't lock it out.

The last event was the medley and the list of objects is enough to scare most away:
1. 2HP - 215# (full dead lift)
2. 2-45's Pinch (full dead lift)
3. 6-10's welded together (full dead lift)
4. Blob 50 (full dead lift)
5. Fat Hex 50 (full dead lift)
6. 100# Anvil from top (about 4") (full dead lift)
7. Wide Hub 45 (full dead lift)
8. 3-25's (full dead lift)
9. Inch DB (full dead lift)
10. 2" DB - 210# range (full dead lift)
11. 3" DB - 135# (full dead lift)
12. IM Apollon's Axel - 375# (full dead lift)
13. (2) 7" IM Red Nails(back to back)
14. Phone Book (vertical tear)
15. RT (it will be the new IM handle) – 182 # (full dead lift)
16. IM Little Big Horn on IM loading pin - 205 # (full dead lift)
17. 2" V Bar (full dead lift) - 250 #
18. 411# Dinnie Replica (full dead lift) - it will be an actual stone...VERY cool buttrock.gif
19. Narrow Hub 45 one in each hand (full dead lift)
20. 3" Axel (DO) Dead Lift - 275#

I came in 2nd with 15 objects total, I missed the 2 - 45s, 3 - 25s, wide hub 45, the anvil and the red nails. I didn't even attempt the red nails with my hand injury 6 weeks earlier I new they were not going to be bent.

I came in 3rd overall and am very excited about my performance.

June 17 - Wednesday

Barbell Snatch
- 5 x 3 @ 40 kg

Deadlift
5 x 135 #
5 x 225
5 x 320
5 x 370
5 x 420

June 16 - Tuesday

2- arm Jerk @ 24kg
- 5 minutes @ 12 rpm

Standing Press
5 x 40 kg
5 x 45
5 x 53
5 x 61
6 x 69

KB Row @ 48 kg
- 5 x 10 (r/l)

For those interested, the program that I am currently using is based on the EliteFTS 5/3/1 program. I'm liking the results a lot but you will see me utilizing more of the traditional kettlebell sets around the powerlifts.

June 15 - Monday

Barbell Clean + Jerk
3 x 50 kg
3 x 60
3 x 70
3 x 80
3 x 90

Back Squat
5 x 135 #
5 x 225
5 x 240
5 x 275
20 x 310

Lunges (r/l)
- 3 x 10 @ 40 kg
GH Raise
- 3 x 10
Seated Calf
- 3 x 15 @ 115 #

KB Snatch @ 24kg, single arm switch
- 8 minutes @ 15 rpm

Today was the first day I was able to rack a barbell since tearing my hand. I had to stretch my hand for about an hour beforehand to make it pain free but I was successful and now I just need to build calus.

Thursday - June 11

Axle Deadlift - Double Overhand
1 x 65 kg
1 x 105 kg
1 x 135 kg
1 x 387 #
1 x 437 #
1 x 457 # (video)



Deadlift
- 5 x 5 @ 100kg

KB Snatch @ 24 kg, single arm switch
- 10 minutes @ 15 rpm

The axle pulls felt great, i could have walked around with 437#. Next weekend is the BIG Chad Woodall Grip challenge and the axle lift is giving me some renewed confidence in my hand strength.

June 10 - Wednesday

2-arm Jerk @ 24kg, 10 minutes
- 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 10, 12 rpm

Standing Press
- 5 x 5 @ 45 kg

Blob play and Titan Telegraph Key for thumb strength

Monday - June 8

KB Snatch @ 20 kg, single arm switch
- 14 minutes @ 15 rpm

Back Squat
- 5 x 5 @ 90 kg

Swings @ 32kg, single arm switch
- 4 minutes @ 31 rpm

Hand is feeling good. I wil be competing in Latvia, August 1-2 and need to hit the kettlebells hard in order to be ready.

Hand Injury and Training Adjustments

I have had a few questions lately regarding my training. 3-4 weeks ago I was practicing for the Atomic Athletic Olde Time Strongman Picnic and injured my hand (pictured below). I did this while snatching two 32kg bells in one hand.

I suffered a similar injury in 2008 in Las Vegas doing the same feat of strength. At that time I had thought that skin on my hand was caught between the bells when they came back together, causing the lacerations. That is not the case.

This past time when I did the feat I felt my hand separating mid snatch on the way up, as the bells were coming apart so did my hand. This injury was worse than when in Vegas, this time a small vein also came out of my hand. Think eating a steak and what it looks like when you cut into it and find a vein, same thing except I was looking at my hand.

9 stitches and a few weeks later I'm now getting back into kettlebell training, slowly. My training lately has been geared around my injury and pain. My main thought was to maintain strength in as many areas as possible while I healed. Thick bars did not put as much pressure on the wound and I was still able to use my fingers in a static position.

As you have seen, I have started to slowly do kettlebell jerks again and will do the same with snatches. I will continue using the powerlifts and strongman training to do just that, stay as strong and powerful as possible.

Monday - June 1

My first day back snatching kettlebells since my injury.

Snatch @ 8 kg, single arm switch
- 10 minutes @ 20 rpm

Yes only an 8kg bell but I didn't feel like ripping my hand open again. There were a couple of reps that damn near brought tears to my eyes it hurt so bad. I still have some healing to go, but its getting better.

2-arm Jerk @ 20kg,
- 7 minutes @ 12 rpm

Jump Shrug
8 x 440 #
8 x 475 - straps
8 x 475 - straps

DB Bench
2 x 10 @ 70#
2 x 10 @ 80#

Grippers (right hand only)
#2 x 5 ccs
#2.5 5 sets of 5 ccs

Rolling Thunder
5 x 135# (r/l)
5 x 180 (r/l)
3 x 205 left only

Saturday - May 30

Snatch High Pull
4 sets of 5 @ 70 kg

Deadlift
5 x 315 #
5 x 405
3 x 495
3 x 495
3 x 495

Stones
2 x 5 @ 160 #
2 x 3 @ 240 #

Sandbag walk, 6 put downs
1/4 mile @ 200# - 19:50