Beast Challenge Training Starts Now.
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High Volume Pull Ups
Not as high volume as it should have been due to time constraints.
10 sets of 4 reps with 20 lbs.
Normally I'll be doing some TGU to warm up and some heavy swings, but my right forearm is still a little tweaked. All in all these felt good, and I stayed strong throughout. Did a lot of work on my form, focused on firing the lats hard and keeping the shoulders plugged in.
I'm typing up the first five weeks of the training program and will be posting a link in the links section to the right where anyone can download it. It's based off of Kenneth Jay's training for maximal strength with the kettlebell. I'm always open to suggestions and constructive criticism.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Summing up the week
I've been remiss this week. Mostly I've just been working on technique issues in the 32 kg. snatch, and some deadlift stuff. Managed to tweak my right forearm pretty good doing a 44 kg. TGU monday, but it'll be fine for Saturday. Not any form issue on the TGU, the bell's just damn heavy.
Military presses with the 32 kg. have been getting easier, which means my pressing schedule works.
I pulled some deads today at Equinox to hone in on form and test my baselines. I worked up to a single pull of 385 lbs., just two pounds below my max at the last TSC. It went up hard, but I can tell I can pull more, so my goal is to break 400. Hip drive is much better, and I can feel that I'm a lot tighter than I used to be. Tomorrow I'm going to do a little snatching, and then take Friday off.
Military presses with the 32 kg. have been getting easier, which means my pressing schedule works.
I pulled some deads today at Equinox to hone in on form and test my baselines. I worked up to a single pull of 385 lbs., just two pounds below my max at the last TSC. It went up hard, but I can tell I can pull more, so my goal is to break 400. Hip drive is much better, and I can feel that I'm a lot tighter than I used to be. Tomorrow I'm going to do a little snatching, and then take Friday off.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
20080907
Pressing matters.
Ha ha. Okay, I'm tired.
Did a bunch of presses today.
10x3/3 on the 24 kg.
Fooled around with my bottoms up press with the 24 kg. as well. Right hand no problem, left hand big problem. I'm going to start working seriously on evening those out, as I thing a deficit in my left side will inhibit my ability to press the beast.
Decided today I'm going to do the elite division for the TSC. I really think I can hit 70-80 snatches on the 32 kg. which is good. I've pretty much just lost interest in snatching the 24 kg. at hyper speed, and feel I've aquitted myself of my previous defeat in said category. It doesn't make sense to take everything to a certain strength level and have one area left behind. Just my thoughts on the matter.
Friday, September 5, 2008
20080905
I'm not going to get into much detail with today as it was a blend of everything. I'm still smoked from the first three days of the new cycle, so I took yesterday off and backed it off a bit today.
Get Ups- Started with the 28kg 3/3
Then moved it up to the 32 kg. for singles. These went up easily. Then I bumped up to the 40 kg. and was surprised to find these also went up easy, at least on the left. I was stopped cold on my right, which is weird as my right is stronger. I'm doing something form wise on my left that is working better.
Snatches- Sets of 10/10 on the 28 kg. Went for about 5 total sets= 100 snatches. I haven't been filing like I should and I felt it.
Bent Press and Windmills- Fooled around with form, only went up to the 28 kg. on both.
Finished up with some presses- Singles on the 28 kg.
Then I went out to the soccer field to run my RKC candidates through their prep course. Good times.
Get Ups- Started with the 28kg 3/3
Then moved it up to the 32 kg. for singles. These went up easily. Then I bumped up to the 40 kg. and was surprised to find these also went up easy, at least on the left. I was stopped cold on my right, which is weird as my right is stronger. I'm doing something form wise on my left that is working better.
Snatches- Sets of 10/10 on the 28 kg. Went for about 5 total sets= 100 snatches. I haven't been filing like I should and I felt it.
Bent Press and Windmills- Fooled around with form, only went up to the 28 kg. on both.
Finished up with some presses- Singles on the 28 kg.
Then I went out to the soccer field to run my RKC candidates through their prep course. Good times.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Training for the beast challenge
So there's the big non-secret. I wanted to really hash out if I could achieve this on the necessary timeline, and I can. I spoke with Joe Sarti today about his run at the Beast Challenge, and his opinions re-enforced that this is very do-able. I'm going to do it at the San Jose RKC in February. In the future I'll lay out the overall plan, for now here are the bullet points.
1. High/low volume days focusing on the three lifts for 4-5 weeks. Pistols, pull ups, and military press.
2. Alternated with Squat and Deadlift specific cycles to increase strength and prep for Elite TSC Competition in April.
3. Weight increase to a solid 175-180. Previously set marker will take me to 170 easily.
Current Event Schedule
February 2009- Beast Challenge
April 2009- TSC Elite
June 2009- RKC II
Most of the Beast specific training right now is based on Kenneth Jay's protocols, which seem sound. The volume training is kicking my ass right now, but in a good way. I've also started using his pressing protocol of on the minute presses.
Today, 20080903
Presses
20 kg.
Minutes 1-3: 5/5
Minutes 4-15: 3/3
Minutes 16-18: Waiter's Press 16 kg. 5/5
Swings
28 kg.
5x20
24 kg.
3x20
1. High/low volume days focusing on the three lifts for 4-5 weeks. Pistols, pull ups, and military press.
2. Alternated with Squat and Deadlift specific cycles to increase strength and prep for Elite TSC Competition in April.
3. Weight increase to a solid 175-180. Previously set marker will take me to 170 easily.
Current Event Schedule
February 2009- Beast Challenge
April 2009- TSC Elite
June 2009- RKC II
Most of the Beast specific training right now is based on Kenneth Jay's protocols, which seem sound. The volume training is kicking my ass right now, but in a good way. I've also started using his pressing protocol of on the minute presses.
Today, 20080903
Presses
20 kg.
Minutes 1-3: 5/5
Minutes 4-15: 3/3
Minutes 16-18: Waiter's Press 16 kg. 5/5
Swings
28 kg.
5x20
24 kg.
3x20
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
20080902
Low volume pistols.
I forgot my notebook so I'm not sure of the exact sets and reps.
4 sets of 1/1 12 kg.
4 sets of 1/1 16 kg.
1/1 24 kg. (2x12kg.) to a low box. About 6 inches off the floor.
4 sets of 1/1 12 kg.
These went well. I know I can pistol a 24 kg. right now, it's just a matter of technique. I've been following Kenneth Jay's admonitions to treat this as a 'practice' and really drive in the movements.
A big problem is unloading too much tension at the bottom. When I've seen people fail a pistol at the bottom I can see that they're unloading in the bottom position, and then they're screwed. I understand the temptation, because you can rest in that position, but you most likely won't be able to crank enough power back up to get out of it.
Finished up with some swings to keep my cardio in check.
7 sets of 20 with the 28 kg.
3 sets of 10 with the 40 kg.
These workouts are a much different animal than my crazy snatching schedule. I don't feel as smoked during them, but I can definitely feel them eating away at me. My whole back is sore from yesterday and my legs are already sore (3 hours later) from today. :)
I forgot my notebook so I'm not sure of the exact sets and reps.
4 sets of 1/1 12 kg.
4 sets of 1/1 16 kg.
1/1 24 kg. (2x12kg.) to a low box. About 6 inches off the floor.
4 sets of 1/1 12 kg.
These went well. I know I can pistol a 24 kg. right now, it's just a matter of technique. I've been following Kenneth Jay's admonitions to treat this as a 'practice' and really drive in the movements.
A big problem is unloading too much tension at the bottom. When I've seen people fail a pistol at the bottom I can see that they're unloading in the bottom position, and then they're screwed. I understand the temptation, because you can rest in that position, but you most likely won't be able to crank enough power back up to get out of it.
Finished up with some swings to keep my cardio in check.
7 sets of 20 with the 28 kg.
3 sets of 10 with the 40 kg.
These workouts are a much different animal than my crazy snatching schedule. I don't feel as smoked during them, but I can definitely feel them eating away at me. My whole back is sore from yesterday and my legs are already sore (3 hours later) from today. :)
Monday, September 1, 2008
20080901- Starting the new cycle
Two weeks out from the TSC I know nothing is going to change, and the numbers I have now are most likely the ones I will have then. Knowing this, I am now shifting into a new training cycle and using the lower intensity to gear down for the competition.
Forgot to post it, but I ran a 5 minute test on the 32 kg. this Sunday. I hit 68 reps in 5 minutes. I know I can get 80 if I just gut it out, but I didn't feel like killing myself. After this I considered entering the elite division this year, but I want to accomplish two things first.
1. Pack some weight on my deadlift. I believe I can pull 405 right now, but I want to get it higher. This will require an actual deadlift training cycle.
2. I want to get 100 reps with the 32 kg. in 5 minutes. It can be done.
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Today I hit the pull ups hard. Low weight, high volume.
4 sets of 4 10 kg.
4 sets of 3 10 kg.
4 sets of 3 12 kg.
3 sets of 6 bodyweight
I stopped early as my forearms were really getting tight. I'll get more volume on these, but it's wise to ease into the high volume stuff. Ultimately I'll hit about 100 pull ups per workout.
Tomorrow is low volume pistols and some snatching.
I'll give you three guesses what this new training cycle is for, and the first two don't count. I'm keeping it under wraps until I get a good idea of whether or not I can actually pull this off.
The warrior diet is also getting suspended for the moment to bring my weight up to the 175-180 range. I need more mass to move heavier bells. The key here is to keep it healthy. Last time I suspended it and crashed it was partially because I was not keeping it healthy. Lesson learned.
Forgot to post it, but I ran a 5 minute test on the 32 kg. this Sunday. I hit 68 reps in 5 minutes. I know I can get 80 if I just gut it out, but I didn't feel like killing myself. After this I considered entering the elite division this year, but I want to accomplish two things first.
1. Pack some weight on my deadlift. I believe I can pull 405 right now, but I want to get it higher. This will require an actual deadlift training cycle.
2. I want to get 100 reps with the 32 kg. in 5 minutes. It can be done.
---
Today I hit the pull ups hard. Low weight, high volume.
4 sets of 4 10 kg.
4 sets of 3 10 kg.
4 sets of 3 12 kg.
3 sets of 6 bodyweight
I stopped early as my forearms were really getting tight. I'll get more volume on these, but it's wise to ease into the high volume stuff. Ultimately I'll hit about 100 pull ups per workout.
Tomorrow is low volume pistols and some snatching.
I'll give you three guesses what this new training cycle is for, and the first two don't count. I'm keeping it under wraps until I get a good idea of whether or not I can actually pull this off.
The warrior diet is also getting suspended for the moment to bring my weight up to the 175-180 range. I need more mass to move heavier bells. The key here is to keep it healthy. Last time I suspended it and crashed it was partially because I was not keeping it healthy. Lesson learned.
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