My Progress

Well, it's been another week of Power to the People. I've been waving down 10 lbs at the start of each week for my dead lifts and side/bent presses. Instead of going through each day, I thought i'd just post how the week ended. The progression has been steady and surprising.

Friday:
DL w/ 285 lbs x 5 - felt easier than 275 lbs did the other day!
DL w/ 260 lbs x 5
Bent Press w/ 80 lbs x 5/5 - this is great! I only got it 3 times last week and probably should have waved the weight down lower at the start of the week.
Bent Press w/ 70 lbs x 5/5

Also, still been practicing snatches and Long Cycle Clean and Jerks. I really enjoy these practices. I feel the movements are crisp and I'm staying fresh.

So that's it. This week has stayed on track. I plan on continuing w/ PTTP for another 3 weeks, then taking a break. That's the plan...

Today, I just did some very focused Z and windmills w/ 16kg. Trying to stay loose and flexible.

Oh, I'm in the mountains on a small vacation and it snowed! In NC, it was snowing. Just 2 days ago it was 78 degrees! I love this state.

Have a good one!

Second Verse, Same as the First!

As you might imagine, this week's routines look pretty much like last week's. That's kind of how this works. Nothing fancy or flashy, just a steady pace. Yes, it's the KISS principle. I'm keeping it simple, thanks to Pavel...

Monday:
DL w/ 255 lbs x 5
DL w/ 230 lbs x 5
Side press w/ 65 lbs x 5
Side press w/ 60 lbs x 5
Followed up with snatches again (just for practice, less I forget...)
16kg x 25/25, 25/25, 25/25

Tuesday:
DL w/ 260 lbs x 5
DL w/ 235 lbs x 5
Bent press w/ 70 lbs x 5
Bent press w/ 65 lbs x 5
Pull ups b/w sets: 5,5,5,5

Wednesday:
DL w/ 265 lbs x 5
DL w/ 240 lbs x 5
Side press w/ 75 lbs x 5
Side press w/ 65 lbs x 5
NW leg raise b/w sets: 5,5,5,5

Thursday:
DL w/ 270lbs x 5
DL w/ 245 lbs x 5
Side press w/ 80 lbs x 1! - No go bro. Just got one rep each side. Unexpected...
Side press w/ 70 lbs x 5 - No problem here. 10 lbs makes a big difference.
Followed up with Long Cycle C&J (for practice)
w/ 2(16kgs) x 15,15,15,10

Tomorrow was to be another go at the bent press with 85 lbs. However, I may need to rethink that one. I may need to set 'er down. We shall see, I may have had an off day today!

________________________________

Friday Morning...
DL w/ 275 lbs x 5 - this felt so heavy :(
DL w/ 245 lbs x 5
Bent Press w/ 80 lbs x 3 each side. I had to try...
Bent Press w/ 70 lbs x 5

Now I will rest a couple of days and evaluate.
Have a good weekend.

The Road I'm On

Nothing exciting to report, staying with the Power to the People Plan. I like it. I'm not tired and feel pretty fresh throughout the day. Here is the rest of the week's story:

Wednesday:
DL w/ 255 lbs x 5 reps
DL w/ 230 lbs x 5 reps
Side Press w/ 65 lbs x 5 reps
Side Press w/ 60 lbs x 5 reps
Naked Warrior Hanging Leg raises b/w sets = 4 sets of 5

Thursday:
DL w/ 260 lbs x 5 reps
DL w/ 235 lbs x 5 reps
Side Press w/ 70 lbs x 5 reps
Side Press w/ 60 lbs x 5 reps

Then PRACTICED long cycle clean and jerks with 2(16 kgs) x 15, 15, 15
these felt good, but they did get me a little winded...

Friday:
DL w/ 265 lbs x 5 reps
DL w/ 240 lbs x 5 reps
Bent Press w/ 75 lbs x 5 reps
Bent Press w/ 65 lbs x 5 reps
(i think the bent presses felt heavier than i thought they should...)

Now, I rest for a couple of days. Well, i'm sure i'll keep practicing my Z drills...

The Plan So Far...

Well, so far the plan is good. That is to say, I like it. I am not any where near tired after my training, I actually feel fresh. Who new? Anyway, here is how it is going:

Monday:
DL with 245 lbs x 5 reps
DL with 225 lbs x 5 reps ( i don't have any 2 1/2 lb plates so it's not quite 10% less than the first set.)

Side Press with 55 lbs (on bar) x 5 reps
Side Press with 55 lbs (on bar) x 5 reps (it was so easy, i just kept the same wt.)

Snatches w/ 16kg: 25/25 x 3 sets.
This was slow and easy, just practicing. Don't even think my heart rate went up...

I felt great.

Tuesday:
DL w/ 250 lbs x 5 reps ( i don't have any 2 1/2 lb plates so the bar was unbalanced by 5 lbs - not noticable)
DL w/ 225 lbs x 5 reps

Side press w/ 60 lbs x 5 reps ( the bar was unbalanced by 5 lbs - not too noticable - but i'll bet it's good for me!)
Side press w/ 55 lbs x 5 reps

Did Tactical Pull ups between all sets: 4 sets of 5 reps

Felt great!

That's it. Steady the pace wins the race.

Power to Me.

Still sticking with my plan, but it is now modified. Change is good, right?
Friday, i went the Power to the People route on my training. I'm going to try and give this a clean go. It may rejuvenate me, at least that is my hope.

Friday:
DL w/ 255 x 5 reps
DL w/ 230 x 5 reps

Bent Press w/ 70lb (on bar) x 5 reps
Bent Press w 65lb (on bar) x 5 reps

I thought i'd use fridays for bent presses...

Saturday and Sunday:
Z-health and that's all.

That's the new plan. Mondays i'll wave down the loads and build up to fridays.
Again, that's the plan...

Infection

It's fun to infect people with kettlebells. I did a workshop last week at my local health club and the attendees are showing all of their friends. They look so excited and happy. It's amazing to see people on fire about exercising. I love it. The kettlebell has power. A dumbbell could never light someone's wick the way a kettlebell can. I'm not against dumbbells, mind you. I'm just so passionate about kettlebells. I think that passion is spilling out to other people and infecting them. Not all infections are bad.



For me this week, i'm continuing on with my plan. Still dead lifting, still doing pull ups and side presses.



Monday

DL w/ 245: 4 sets x 3 reps

Pull ups w/ bw: 4 sets x 5 reps

Side Press w/ 24kg: 4 sets x 4 reps



Doing my best to create total body tension on each rep. This is exhausting. But i feel great after i'm done. It's a very short and sweet workout.



Tuesday

Just practicing DBL jerks and snatches w/ the 16's. Trying not to do too much or get a "workout". Also did some windmills. My right hamstring is suddenly tight as a tick. A tick with a big knot in it.

Anyway, tomorrow more dead lifts. Up to the big 255lb! Not much i know, but i'm practicing and regrooving. And I have a plan i must stick with.

See ya.

It's dead, I'm not.

Monday I ended up training. I started dead lifting again. But, I'm going to ease into it like a warm bath and not dive into it like an ice cold pool. It's time I start applying all this knowledge I'm collecting on myself and not just other people...

Monday's dead lift was light, just trying to see if my body remembered it.

A1: 225lbs for 4 sets x 3 reps. Ah yes, it feels familiar.
A2: Pull ups w/ body weight for 4 sets x 5 reps. Elbows have no problems!
I really focused on tension. Tension is Strength, but tension is also tiring.
Then I got dumb and did double snatches w/ the 24 kgs for
5 sets of 5. Too much after dead lifts...

Wednesday, back for more.

A1-Dead lift w/ 235lbs for 4 sets x 3 reps
A2-Pull ups w/ 16kg for 4 sets x 3 reps
feeling good
Side press while holding a bell in each hand, staying tight.
16kgs 4/4, 4/4 --> 24kgs 3/3 -->
16kg(hold),24kg (press) 3/3
This was challenging on the old obliques.

Anyway, I'm going to ease into the dead lift and practice strength.
My plan is 3 times a week. Going to keep the reps LOW and wave the load down every 2 weeks. On the inbetween days I'm kbellin' for cardio and beauty!