Groovy Grease

GTG today with bent press.
Left is much easier than the right, don't know if this is shoulder flexibility or possibly a scoliosis thing.
singles R/L x 5

Corrective work:
Thoracic rotation, overhead work/ shoulders, hip flexor stretch and leg lowering

today's training

A1/2 - Bottoms up C&P 16kg
5 min - 13/13 ( +2 reps )

back was a little tired so I didn't do pullups,

5 min - pistols 8kg 1/1 x 3
2 kb Front Squat 24kg's 2 x 2

assorted chest expander and leverage block work.

Old Time Strength

Decided that I would like to get stronger at the bent press. Within 3 months I would like to be able to do at least 1/2 bw with this lift.
It will probably be done on T and TH since these are days off from my other training.

Today
45# Oly bar
4 singles each side, failed to get low enough to lock out the 3rd rep on the right.
I think a shorter bar would make this a little easier, but that should be resolved soon enough.
I think I can feel every muscle in my back doing this move.
Much respect to the guys that put up over 300# with this move at bw of 200#. I think bodyweight for me will be a nice accomplishment. Maybe by spring 2009.

Progress one rep at a time

warm up r phase,

PR zone 1
C&P 24kg , 5mins
8/8 , done with 1,2 ladders

PR zone 2
Pullups/ goblet squat 24kg
14/14 , done ladder 1,2,3,4

Assorted grip work, wrist extension, leverage block wrist curls and phonebook curls, isos on #00

Dark knight rocks!!!

Just saw the new Batman film and it did not disappoint. The mayor was the same actor who played the Bat-Manuel character (a mexican batman) from the Tic tv series. I thought that was a fun little tidbit.

also check out this interesting article about the message of hero status in the movie. This along with 300 are about, as David Whitley would say, "full grown men". People who are willing to do the things we don't like to talk about, so that we might enjoy the freedoms we have and sleep all cozy in our bed in our big fancy houses and bad-mouth politicians who aren't doing a good job. So thanks to those men and women in our military and police forces. God bless you.
Bush and Batman

Plus 2 of my favorite quotes from the movie that illustrate the above point.

Lt. James Gordon: Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now...and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight.

Bruce Wayne: People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do?
Alfred Pennyworth: Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it. But that's the point of Batman, he can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice.

Deadlift and bending again, yah!!

Decided to incorporate one day of DL, since this is one area I want to make some good gains in. Would like to hit 2.5x bw by end of the year.

DL (conventional style)
135# x 3
185# x 3 - DO
195# x 5 - DO
205# x 5 - mixed grip
155# x 5 - pinkies on power rings

did some iso's on the horseshoe, one of these days that thing is going to move.
bent 3 - 3/16" sq x 7" , 1 DO, 2 reverse, but used left hand as anchor hand. This is opposite my usual style but left index finger started to ache with Right as an anchor.
I felt pretty good with these and will continue to add volume before moving up to harder stock.

I intended to do some getups also but either form was bad or got carried away on the weight because low back felt a little weak after DL. So I just did a couple arm bars.

Also tried the hand over hand pullups from the Charles Staley newsletter. Felt good.

todays work

hip flexor stretching, z-health r-phase, a few corrective strategies and chest expander work.

Good to be back

A: PR zone - Bottoms up C&P 16kg r/l
11/11

B1/B2 : Pullups 25# / 2 KB Front Squat 16kg's

ladders 1,2
7/7 total

Some minor grip work with block weights and leverage block

Feels good to be doing pullups again, hand is fine.

Going to do the same basic moves with a density mentality and a variety of intensity, heavy low rep, higher rep lighter weight, less intensity but high tension, etc.

Hand is better

Since my hand is improving I am starting a new routine.

A1/A2 : C&P 24kg L/R ,
5 min - 7/7 total reps
done in ladders 1,2

B1/B2 : pullups/ 24kg goblet squat
5 min - 13/13 total reps
ladders 1,2,3,4

20# block weight - clean 3/3 x 3
25# block weight - hand 2 hand toss - 4-5 x 3

leverage block : thumbless wrist flexion 5/5 x 2( This is a great tool, check out the links for Strongergrip.com to the right. )

Plan B

I didn't feel like my regularly schedule routine tonight. I little tired through the shoulders from yesterday and the overhead stretching.
Decided to do some basics to work on form.

some quick Z and toe touch.

all with 16kg
Swings: 10/10
Cleans: 10/10
Snatches: 10/10
All done trying to keep the movements crisp.

Windmill: 2/2 - focused on driving the hip out and really folding, while keeping back leg straight.

Ring dips: 4
Pullups: 5

Shoulders

MP+ Windmill: 24kg x 1/1 x 3
Jerks: 5,5 x 1 x 24kg

minibell swings and mills

working on stretching out ribcage/ t-spine / and overhead reach.

Progress

PR zone A
20/20 - +4

PR Zone B
15/15 - +2

20# block weight: cleans 5/5 x 3
leverage block- wrist curls

Worked on overhead squat flexibility today.

Stuck

PR zone A
16/16 - no improvement over last time

PR zone B

13/13 - no improvement.

wrist extension and block weight training

Feeling like my old self again

Getting back to some consistent training again, keeping it short and sweet still. Had some Yuen work done on my hand last week and hope to be back to bending soon.

Yesterday: Some prep work of thoracic rotations with arm sweep, leg lowering, ankle circles.
Earlier in day:
MP- 24kg x 1/1, 2/2, 1/1 - rest time varied from a minute to several minutes. Just want to start getting my pressing strength up again. Maybe even hit 32kg by fall, at least the end of the year.

Later:
A1: Front Squat x 2-16kg
A2: Swings 2H x 16kg
PR zone - 5min - 16/16
rest 5min
B1: Curls x 2-25# kb
B2: Kneeling Ring Triceps Extensions
PR zone - 5min - 13/13

Grip:
Cleans - 3/3 x 3 - 20# block weight
Assorted DL with 25# block
wrist flexion with leverage block

I've been doing a better job preparing decent meals also. Far from perfect but better.