OASiS Workout #4

Was surprised that I got through this workout considering the amount of time I have missed. Halfway through the 1.5pood set my stomach started rumbling and I thought I was going to hurl. Didn’t happen though and I believe that I actually made better time than the last workout. Felt good though and I am happy to be keeping up with the plan.

OASiS>MP>Windmill
@ 2pd.: 1>2>3>3 (TT: 9min 48sec)
rest 2
@ 1.5pd.: 1>2>3>4>3 (TT: 11min 27sec)
rest 2
@ 1pd.: 1>2>3>4>5>3 (TT: 12min 15sec)

TT: 38min

Notes:
I am still loving OASiS>MP>Windmill sequence. I am also still loving the structure of this workout. I get a good warmup, a good strength portion, and by the end I am hacking a lung and have worked up a good sweat.

Filed under: My Journal

Progress with the Blob

A beautiful Saturday here in Dallas; 75 degree and all sunshine. I am happy to be back from miserable NOLA, but I will post about that later. I didn’t have a written game plan for this Grip workout – just have fun and breathe some fresh air.

All with 3 min rest between sets and same on right and left:
Blob 30# H2H X 10
30# H2H X 5
35# X 1
37.5# X 1 (easy)
40# X 1 (1 ft up – PR)
#3 X 1 (right – this sucked) / #1 X 1 (left)
40# X 1 (2 ft up on right, 1 ft on left)
SM X 1 (missed by a hair) / #1 X 1
#T X 3 (right & left)
# 3 X Hold (much better) / SM X Hold
40# X 1 (3 ft up on right, 1 ft on the left)
#1 X Hold (very intense) / #T X Hold
50# lifted with 2 hands X 2
45# lifted with 2 hands X Hold
40# lifted with 2 hands X Hold
30# X 1
#T X 3

This was a very fun grip workout. I am very pleased with the progress I have made on the 40# blob. On all my attempts, but most especially on the 40# attempt, I really focused on using Pavel’s Naked Warrior and tension techniques- I clenched everything up and imagined that my hand was a magnet crane and my fingers were just digging into the iron.

Must have done something right, because the last time I attempted the 40# blob was 2 weeks ago and Icould only barely make it budge. I dominated it today. Lifting those blobs is really damn fun for some reason.

I screwed up on the first #3 attempt. But the second one I got right and closed the #3 to within a centimeter. This is a brand new #3, so I think it will give a little more with some seasoning. I am still developing my technique on the grippers. I am now dominating the SuperMaster.

Anyways, any progress is good progress, right? I hope that I didn’t overdue it with this grip workout – I want to have a nice KB workout tomorrow.

In other news, as of last night I am teaching myself to whistle. You know how some people can stick their fingers in their mouths and whistle super freaking loud? Well, for several good reasons, I really want to be able to do that. So while procastinating on a business paper last night I googled it and found instructions on how to whistle loudly. So, I’m going to practice and practice until I get it. My lips are now swollen like a water balloon.

Filed under: My Journal

OASiS Workout #3

Again, felt sour and did not want to workout. The hour and a half drive to and from work everyday is absolutely killing me. In my book, 8:00PM is way too late to be working out. Got my ass into the workout and kind of lumbered through it. Tomorrow is Friday. That would be great, but Tuesday I go back to NOLA and things are already hectic because of that.

OASiS>MP>Windmill
@ 2pd.: 1>2>3>2 (TT: 9min 45sec)
rest 2
@ 1.5 pd.: 1>2>3>4>2 (TT: 13min 23sec)
rest 2
@ 1pd.: 1>2>3>4>5>2 (TT:13min 01sec)

TT: 40min

Like I said, I kind of lumbered through this. However, now that I look at the times it actually wasn’t that bad of a workout. The last set with the 1 pood I really tried to push it too make up for some time. I didn’t realize that I actually beat my 1.5pd. set. I concentrated a lot on protecting the hand callouses in the snatches during this workout. I have made progress, but my for is still not great.

Hopefully I’ll have time to have a nice long workout on Saturday.

Filed under: My Journal

OASiS Workout #2

Late in the day, felt poopy and really didn’t want to work out. I felt great once I got the blood flowin’ though.

OASiS>MP>Windmill
@ 2pd: 1>2>3>1 (TT: 6min 14sec)
rest 2
@ 1.5pd: 1>2>3>4>1 (TT: 9min 16sec)
rest 2
@ 1pd: 1>2>3>4>5>1 (TT: 12min 45sec)

TT:~32min

Notes:
At the end of this I was feeling really great. I was thinking that I might have to amend my ladder plan to add more reps. On second thought though, I need to keep in mind that this ladder is going to build up really quickly (that’s what ladders do, duh) so I think that I am just going to go with it. Could have done more work but I had to attend to the family. Good recharge workout.

Filed under: My Journal

Afternoon Grip Workout

2 min rests between all sets

Hex 25 H2H X 10
Blob 30 H2H X10
35 X 2
37.5 X 1
40 X no go
BBSM X 1 (closed) / #1 X 1
37.5 X 1
RB260N X 1 (killed it) / #1 X 1
40 X nope
BBGM X 1 (within 1 cm) / #2 X 2
40 X still a no go
37.5 X 1
30 H2H X 10
#1 X 10 / #T X 10
37.5 X 1 (to lockout)
#T X 5 & Hold / nothing on the left

Notes:
A strange grip workout. On the pinch, the right hand felt weak, but the left felt very strong. On the grippers, the right felt strong but the left felt weak. Who knows. I do know that I killed the BBSM on the right. That is awsome and a new PR. I really think it had more to do with setting the gripper than with an increase in strength. The more I work with the grippers, the more I realize that there is a lot of technique involved – and that makes me enjoy it all the more. I think I have come to a new level and understanding in setting the gripper. It is only a matter of time until the BBGM goes down – I’m thinking by Christmas if I train smart.

On the other hand, I really thought that I was going to have an easier time with the 40lb blob. The 37.5 blob goes up no problem, but the 40 just won’t budge. Not sure what the deal is, and I think I may ask the good folks at the gripboard. Either way, the 40lb blob is definately on the goal target radar. Maybe I should make that a goal for Christmas too.

Filed under: My Journal

A Puker

Do any of you out there have this problem? You sit there and plan out your workout. You look over past workouts. You access how you are feeling, what you feel like doing. You write something down. You erase it. You write something else down. Looks good. Not so much more than the last workout. Maybe a new personal record here or there, but nothing crazy.

Then you get halfway through the workout and say to yourself,”What the hell was I thinking? There is no way I am going to get through this workout!”

Well, it happens to me quite often, and today was no exception.

Bent Over Row @ 2pd.: 10 > 7
Squat @ 2pd.: 10 > 5
MP @ 1.5 pd.: 8 > 7
Rotational Deadlift @ 3pd.: 7 > 5

->Vertical Superset (First Set: 10m36sec / Second Set: 9min50sec)
TT: 20min

rest 5 min

2 Hand Swings
@ 3pd.: 20 > 15 > 10 (4min53sec)
rest 5 min
@ 2pd.: 20 > 15 > 10 (4min40sec)

TT:40min

Notes:
So, I got through the strength set just fine. In fact, I did a little more than what I had written down. It was after that very first set of swings with the Beast that killed me. Holy smokes, I had underestimated that thing. I had originally planned on doing the same sets of swings with the 1.5 and 1 pood. No sir. I knew that wasn’t happening. After the first set of 2 pood swings I was feeling light headed. After the second set I could feel the stomach quivering. After the third set I had my head in the sink dry heaving.

And it’s my fault too. My very first rule is if I miss a week of cardio work I have to go back 3 weeks in training. I thought I could just jump back in there. Well, I paid for it – yet again.

Filed under: My Journal

OASiS Workout #1

Got down and dirty with the KB’s again today and it felt great. While I was pleased to find that I had not lost much strength in the grip department, it was not the case in the strength endurance department. I guess that hefting a couple of coffee bags a day will just not get it done.

But I have come up with a new plan of attack for the next few weeks. I really like the structure of the last few workouts because it uses all the KB’s and coincidentally uses up all of my strength. So I am going to make a ladder out of it. I will add 1 rep a workout for 10 workouts. So, for example, the 2 pood set will look like this:
#1: 1>2>3
#2: 1>2>3>1
#3: 1>2>3>2
#4: 1>2>3>3
#5: 1>2>3>4
#6: 1>2>3>4>1
…and so on. I will do this “OASiS Workout” 10 times, and will try to have at least 2 each week. I will finish them off with some swings or strength work or whatever else seems to float my boat.

OASiS Workout #1 went down like this:

OASiS>MP>Windmill
@ 2pood: 1>2>3 (TT: 5min 44sec)
rest 2
@ 1.5pood: 1>2>3>4 (TT:8min 39sec)
rest 2
@ 1pood: 1>2>3>4>5 (TT:12min 38sec)

Notes:
I went quickly and I was actually quite pleased with my cardio levels. Strength went down quite a bit. The last couple of presses w/ the 2 pood I had to push press. I think I will catch up with the program though. I had planned to do some swings, but decided against since I have been out of the groove and I didn’t want to push it into injury. I was worried about my grip and forearms since I had worked them out earlier today, but they held up just fine. Fun workout and I was absolutely ka-put by the last set.

Filed under: My Journal

Afternoon Grip Workout

Got some new Blobs and a new gripper in the mail today and I couldn’t help but have a big afternoon serving of grip work. The blobs I recieved are a 35, 37.5 & 40 pounders. The gripper I recieved is a RB300 with brass handles and black spring. The gripper is a real beauty. It feels so solid in the hands.

Here is the fun that ensued:

Blob (All lifts are the same for right and left, and also a 2 min rest between all sets)
30 X 2
35 X 2
37.5 X 2
40 X 1 Attempt: wouldn’t budge
BBSM X 2 ( prob. 2-3mm) / #1 X 2 (left)
RB300 Attempt (holy smokes!)
40 X 1 (got it maybe 2-3 inches off the ground)
37.5 X 1
BBSM X 1 / #1 X 1 : both of these I held for long as possible
30 H2H X 10
#T X 5
#T X 5

Notes:
Man, that second attempt at the BBSM I wanted to close that sucker REALLY bad. Got it within litterally a hair – that last milimeter is that hardest. This means that I need to be doing some crush and beyond the range work. Maybe I will file down my #2 when I get to Dallas.
Well, I was happy to lift the new 35 & 37.5 blobs with relative ease, but that 40 pounder is the now the goal.

Holy smokes that RB300 is tuff. The good man I bought it from said he thought it was like a 3.2, but I have to disagree. I think it is more like a 3.6 – 3.7. Maybe it just needs some seasoning though.

Looking back in my notes it seems that my last real grip workout was more than 2 weeks ago. So considering that I actually have gotten stronger is awsome. Again, I think that working out with the Beast has something to do with this.

Filed under: My Journal

Recap from the Past Week

The last week has been an absolute whirlwind for me. Monday I slept on my right shoulder wrong and woke up in complete pain. Tuesday I got a call from work instructing me to go to New Orleans, and I arrived in NOLA the next day.

NOLA broke my heart. You see the pictures on the news, but it is not the same until you are actually there. The city is devastated, but the people are resolute. We got started working at 7:00 AM everyday and I went to Bourbon street until 4:00AM every morning. Bourbon street is alive! I had long conversations with some very interesting people; a camera man for WWL, a guy who cleaned up the Presidential Suite before Bush came, and plenty of search and rescue guys. They are all working very hard and I was honored to buy them a beer.

I told my wife the night before I left for New Orleans that I was scared about what I was going to see there. I was afraid of seeing and smelling a city full of death. The last day we went to the Bywater district and I smelled that death. We got out of the car and started throwing up because of the smell. I shutter to think about it and I know that smell will never leave my memory.

I got a chance to workout by lifting coffee bags. Coffee bags are big burlap sacks, a bit lager than a pillow, and they weigh 150lbs. I was able to clean and press a bag in front of all the warehouse men – they told me that the only other guy in the warehouse who could do that is a huge man named “Mad Lester”. The rest of the days I would sneak around a stack of coffee and lift a bag and press it for reps. At the bars at night we did a lot of arm wrestling. One night I beat 3 guys on both arms 2 times in a row – I was sore the next day from that.

The trip was exhausting – mentally and physically. I feel like I have been sleeping for the past 3 days trying to recover. My shoulder is finally starting to get back to normal and I am looking forward to getting back into my routine.

Filed under: My Journal

Back From NOLA…

Didn’t have time to post before I left, but I have been in New Orleans since Tuesday. Needless to say I didn’t have KB’s with me, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t get a few workouts in. Still in recovery mode and I will be posting more in the next few days.

Filed under: My Journal