Time Flies...

I must be having some fun, or working my a$$ off - could be six on one hand and half a dozen on the other.

MY wife's work schedule changed again and I've landed another writing gig, which is keeping me BUSY. I'm still managing to maintain the same workload in training, but I am tired by the time that evening rolls around.

Sunday's workout was HEAVY squats and grip (it's Tuesday and my legs are still sore).

Grip went well, I absolutely manhandled my 35lb block weight. I've been able to lift it consistently for a while now, but this was the first time I've been able to pull it for multiples so easily and to move it + weight for reps.

Tonight I'll do some light bending and some grippers before I dive into my latest assignment.

Back to 100%

Everyone seems recovered from last weeks illness and yesterday's workout was a good one.

From the beginning everything was heavy: deadlifts, rows, v-bar and finger lifts. I finished up with some nice long farmers walks with 100lb dumbbells.

I've been working my tail off writing for the last week in addition to being sick, so getting down into the dungeon and moving some heavy iron felt particularly good.

Feel good enough tonight that I'll hit a little bending and if the weather holds up I might take the kids outback to sit around the fire pit and roast a few marshmallows.

Rough Weekend

My daughter is back to school and as some of you know that leads to rampant illnesses running through the house. She got sick the middle of last weekend, then subsequently passed it on to my son and me - who were both sick through the weekend.

She is totally fine and back to school and my son is perking up - I still feel a little like garbage, but managed to crank out a quick kettlebell workout tonight in spite of it all.

Cleans X 100 switching hands as necessary
Jerks X 100 switching hands as necessary
Snatches X 100 switching hands as necessary

Certainly not the most difficult or inspiring workout of my life, but it was quick and got the blood flowing after a weekend that was, for the most part, filled with inactivity.

Should be back to 100% by the time Thursday's workout rolls around!

Today's Workout

Felt good today!

Did some 1" V-bar working up in sets of ten (alternating hands) to 171lbs then hit some singles with a hold at 196 - even though I haven't played around with this in a while I didn't feel as though I as too far off my previous max.

After V-bar I moved onto bear hug deadlifts working up to singles with 200 lbs, I was way out of practice with this lift - my first couple pulls over 180 darn near tipped me over until I got back into a groove.

Finished up with some one-finger lifts - nothing too crazy, multiple singles working up to 160 in plates + the pin.

I haven't worked any of these lifts with any regularity for a while, so I was pretty happy with the volume and numbers I was capable of.

Conditioning and Bending

I've been blasting the conditioning work for the last few days, as well as hitting lots of mobility work. My joints are feeling loose and I feel as though I've got even more energy - actually had an overabundance of energy today, so in addition to my conditioing work I hit some bending.

I smashed quite a few 60d's in DO style, then played around with some 1/4 X 6 CRS from SteelWorks in a few different styles. I haven't been bending nearly as frequently as I had since recovering from a bending related hand injury, but today felt very strong - zero pain at any point.

Answers to Questions

I just had a great question from Terence on my last post regarding a sudden inability to tear cards with quite the same ability, despite the fact that a marked improvement in overall strength has occurred.

The solution to these problems could seriously depend on a number of things in each individual situation, but there is usually a reasonably simple solution to most problems at hand.

What I'd like to do, if it's alright with Terence, is to get some information via e-mail so I can sit down and think about things before answering. Once I have had a chance to look over the info, I'll put the best answer I have down in a new post that everyone can take a look at and that hopefully many will be able to benefit from.

So Terence, if you're game, shoot me an e-mail with your workload (both regular training and tearing, etc.) leading up to your initial success with the feat as well as what your workload looked like directly leading into the sudden loss in ability and we'll see if we can't help you through this frustrating problem.

My e-mail is : fitnessquest1@yahoo.com

Looking forward to hearing what you've been doing and hoping that I can help you get through this.

Jeff

The Great Pyramids

Well, not really, but today's workout did consist of push up pyramids from 1 to 15 and then back down - and it did seem pretty great. Nice upper body pump, and with only 20-30 seconds in between sets it took pretty much no time at all.

The back end of the workout consisted entirely of conditioning and mobility work - about twenty minutes of each.

I've got a lot of new things in the works - new articles, new challenges and new styles and methods of trying to reach new goals. Stick around, you won't be disappointed.

Mobility and Conditioning

Thankfully, the weather held off long enough yesterday for me to get out in the backyard for a workout.

I kept it exceedingly simple using nothing but a jump rope and my homemade macebell. I alternated a set of macebell swings with a bout of skipping, no break in between for five full circuits. I finished up the workout with some light stretching right before the skies opened up.

I haven't done any rope work in a little while, and this workout opened my eyes to one thing - my conditioning isn't nearly what it used to be, but now I'm aware of where I stand I'm aiming to do the work necessary to change that.

Mobility & Bodyweight

The last couple days I've spent a decent amount of time playing around with bodyweight movements. It's not as though this is uncharted waters for me, I've done plenty of bodyweight stuff in the past, I'm just trying to put some different moves together in order to develop a good routine for when I'm strapped for time or when I can't get down into the dungeon.

I've also upped my focus on mobility work because lately my right shoulder and my hips have been pretty stiff - good news is that after just two days I feel a good bit looser and feel like I have more energy because of it.

Spent some quality time with the grippers over the weekend as well - had some solid work on the Vulcan and a few decent attempts at the #3.

Hammer Time

Today's workout began with the macebell - 100 swings switching directions every twenty five, then I moved on to some light kettlebell snatching before getting into the meat of the workout...

250 swings (full force, not playing around) with an 18lb homemade hammer. Fifty swings per side then switch until I reached the 250 reps, by the end I was a sweaty mess. This workout was quick, but really worked my grip, back, arms and conditioning.

New Article up on TSB

There's a new piece up on TSB, a review of John Beatty's equipment from Fat Bastard Barbell Co.

FBBC Review

John is a stand up guy who does everything that he can to support his sports. If you are in need of any kind of strength equipment, I strongly recommend taking a trip to FBBC's website and taking a look around.

Today's Workout

I've submitted my "official entry" for the WSL card tearing contest - sort of. You see I tried in vain for a few days at the end of August to really put something special together, something that had never been done before, but I just wasn't ready to hit it yet. I'll get there, and when I do, this will be the place to see it - but for now I'm going to put tearing on the back burner for a minute and focus on a few other things...

Kettlebell Swings

24k X 200

Kettlebell Juggling w/ 16k

freestyle for fifteen minutes, lots of hand switches and several (failed) attempts at the elusive double flip

Macebell (of the home-made variety)

150 swings

I feel like my mobility is still lacking, particularly in my right shoulder, which has been affecting some of my heavier lifts, my bending and even my tearing to an extent so I'm going to try and incorporate a lot of circular movements for a few weeks and see how everything feels. On the plus side, all of the swings, twists and flips should give my conditioning a serious kick in the rear end!

New Article up on Brotherspeak

I have a new piece up on Brotherspeak Magazine, apparently they liked me enough to keep me around for a second month : ^ )

Simplicity Reigns Supreme

Hope you enjoy