Several people in the kettlebell class have decided to work together on a goal to be able to do one or more pull-ups by the time this class is over. I'm excited for them and so glad when people are interested in what else there is to do in the gym. I showed them how to practice kip swings and how to work on pulling strength by putting their feet in the big rubberbands that hang down from the bar and pulling up with its assistance. I've been working on this with my 4 PM CrossFit classes as well. I hope that by practicing both kip swings and sheer pulling, that the pulling strength will develop and the kip will be ready to use.
Training: January 2009 Archives
Today, front squats, 5 x 5 at 70 kg. Recently my 1 RM was 90.
My partially disabled right triceps is unable to lift a 10-lb dumbbell from down behind my neck with my elbow pointing straight up ("triceps extensions"). I can complete a push-up with difficulty and can feel the left side doing most of the work. I still have a little bit of nerve ache; today it was in the biceps just above the elbow. It keeps changing and getting slightly better. I hope the muscle recruitment does too.
My partially disabled right triceps is unable to lift a 10-lb dumbbell from down behind my neck with my elbow pointing straight up ("triceps extensions"). I can complete a push-up with difficulty and can feel the left side doing most of the work. I still have a little bit of nerve ache; today it was in the biceps just above the elbow. It keeps changing and getting slightly better. I hope the muscle recruitment does too.
... includes kettlebell swings.
I used Dave's heavy but short farmer walk idea on a friend in my basement. He's carrying 32 kg in each hand. I think carrying heavy stuff in between picking it up and putting it down has got to be good for deadlifting.
On Friday night we did a bunch of skin-the-cats, then with a partner, alternated on 3 single kettlebell clean and jerks for 10 minutes. Emily and I did (I think) 11 rounds (both people going through 3 reps on both hands). We used a 16-kg kettlebell. I liked this workout because it was hard without making me stop to rest. I should have used an 18 or 20 probably. I was impressed with Emily going with the 16 all the way through, because originally she intended to use a 12.
After that we all did a one-lap farmer walk inside the gym carrying the heaviest combination of kettlebells that we could. I ended up carrying a pair of 32 kg's with a pair of 12's. (Reach through the 12's to grasp the 32's with a thumbless grip in order to carry them all together.) Together this is almost one and a half times my body weight. It wiped me out like a max deadlift workout would. The great thing about it was that if you didn't do the math, it didn't seem that hard--a short distance, though heavy. But then when you think about how deadlifts are not normally carried but just picked up and put down, while this was walked one foot at a time and balanced, it's easier to see why it was so tiring. The guys went a lot heavier.
This made my elbow sore, but it seems to have recovered to its now-normal low-level achiness.
Late this week I'll do a deadlift workout and see if I can do better than my recent 3 reps at 105.
After that we all did a one-lap farmer walk inside the gym carrying the heaviest combination of kettlebells that we could. I ended up carrying a pair of 32 kg's with a pair of 12's. (Reach through the 12's to grasp the 32's with a thumbless grip in order to carry them all together.) Together this is almost one and a half times my body weight. It wiped me out like a max deadlift workout would. The great thing about it was that if you didn't do the math, it didn't seem that hard--a short distance, though heavy. But then when you think about how deadlifts are not normally carried but just picked up and put down, while this was walked one foot at a time and balanced, it's easier to see why it was so tiring. The guys went a lot heavier.
This made my elbow sore, but it seems to have recovered to its now-normal low-level achiness.
Late this week I'll do a deadlift workout and see if I can do better than my recent 3 reps at 105.
