December 24 – December 31, 2007

Monday    12-24-2007    BW 185.0
Warm-up and mobility drills
A – Turkey squat (2×16kg) – 4×10. Each set followed by one of the following:
B1 – Fig8 and 4-pass (20kg) – 2m
B2 – 1ACl16kg + burpee – 2m
B3 – Forgot – 2m
B4 – Burpee + push-pull(2×20kg) – 2m
C – 1ASw16kg – 5 + 1ACl16kg – 5 + 1ASn16kg – 5 + Get up (BW), switch sides – 6m
D – 1ALC16kg – 8m. 20/20.

Tuesday    12-25-2007    BW 186.4
Planned rest day

Wednesday    12-26-2007    BW 189.0
A – Jump rope – 4×1m work, 4×1m rest.
B1 – 2ALC16kg – 55 in 10 sets.
B2 – Burpees – 55 in 10 sets.
22m3s duration.

Thursday    12-27-2007    BW 186.0
A – Jump rope – 4×1m work, 4×1m rest.
B – 1ALC24kg – 7m. (5m 12/12; 2m 5/5)
C – 1ASw24kg – 30/30, 20/20
D1 – Pullups (Medium band assist) – 3×4
D2 – Pushups – 3×8
D3 – 1/2Getup24kg – 3×2/2

Friday    12-28-2007    BW 186.4
Planned rest day

Saturday    12-29-2007    BW 185.2
A – Jump rope – 4×1m work, 4×1m rest.
B – 1ALC24kg – 7m. (5m 12/12; 2m 5/5).
C – 1ASw24kg – 30/30, 20/20, 15/15.
D –GetupSitup16kg – 10/10.

Sunday    12-30-2007    BW 184.6
A – Jump rope – 2×1m work, 1m rest.
B1 – Burpees – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.
B2 – 2ALC16kg – 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.
C – Jump rope – 2×1m work, 1m rest.

Monday    12-31-2007    BW 184.0
A – Jump rope – 2m.
B1 – BW Squats – 10,15,20.
B2 – Divebomber pushups – 4,6,6.
C – 1ALC24kg – 8m. (6m 15/15; 2m 5/5).
D – 1ASw24kg – 35/35,23/23,17/17
E – Plank – 1m.
F – Jump rope – 2m.

As the year closes and a new one begins

Everyone seems to make a New Year’s resolution, and a lot of us (myself included) have given up in the past after a few weeks of vigorous activity. In 2007, I actually trained consistently for a full 12 months. Projecting the next three days of training, I will have completed 202 training sessions for 2007. Keeping a training log was key. For example, I learned that if I train more than three days in a row that I am more likely to develop an infection of some sort. Going forward, I will try a 3-1, 2-1 work rest template and evaluate accordingly.

I’ve also accomplished a one hand switch, 10m set of snatches with the 16kg kettlebell, and knocked out a 20m set of long cycle clean and jerk with the 24kg kettlebell. My weight started out at about 194 and will end the year at about 186, with a low of 175. Although sloppy eating during the fall and holiday season contributed to an upward tick at the end of the year, I now know how to effectively lose weight.

The most important accomplishment of 2007 for me is that I can set goals and systematically meet them. With renewed confidence that the past year brought me, here is what I plan to accomplish by December 31, 2008.

1. Train at least 250 days during 2008.
2. Gradually decrease my weight to below 170lbs.
3. With one hand switch, snatch  the 24kg kettlebell 100 times.
4. Jerk two 24kg kettlebells 50 times in 10 minutes.
5. Long cycle clean and jerk two 24kg kettlebells 40 times in 10 minutes.
6. Perform 100 burpees in less than 8 minutes.

Unfortunately, the months of January and February are tremendously busy for me professionally. As such, I need to keep my workouts simple, intense, and efficient from a time perspective. My short term goal is to maintain or increase my conditioning during my busy season, and my planned routine for January and February will be as follows:

Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
Jump rope
1ALC24kg
1ASw24kg – 3 sets
Core

Wednesday and alternating Sundays
Jump rope
Alternating sets of 2ALC16kg and burpees

Alternating Sundays
100 burpees

Tuesdays and Fridays
Rest

In March, I will resume a traditional timed set protocol of jerks and snatches.

December 23, 2007

Sunday December 23, 2007 BW 185.2
Warm-up, JMD, and the like
A – 1AJ24kg – 6m. 15/15.
B – 1ASn16kg – 8m. 48R/48L. Did not feel like I was holding on for dear life on this set, which is good progress.
C – 1ASw24kg – 20/20.

December 22, 2007

Saturday December 22, 2007 BW 186.4
Warm-up
A – 1ALC16kg – 8/8.
B – 1ALC24kg – 4m. 32, switch every minute.
C – 1ASw24kg – 2×30/30, 1×25/25

December 21, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007, BW 185.2
Planned rest day – had to switch rest day with Friday due to two Christmas parties.

Friday, December 21, 2007, BW 187.2
Warm-up
A – 1AJ16kg – 6m. 30/30. 10 rpm.
B – 1ASn16kg – 6m. 48/48. 16 rpm.
C – 50 Burpees. 6m44s.
After today, I should be on a Sat-Sun-Mon- Wed-Thu train, Tue – Fri rest schedule. I will see how five days a week suits me, with no more than three days in a row (after this four day series).

December 19, 2007

Monday December 17, 2007 BW 183.8
Planned rest day

Tuesday December 18, 2007 BW 185.0
JMD and warm-up
A – 1AJ16kg – 10m. 40/40.
B – 1ASn16kg – 10m. 60L/@50R.
A lot of dead hanging on the right, which means I need to spend some time doing 8m sets for awhile.
C1 – 2ALC16kg – 5,5,5
C2 – Burpees – 5,5,5

Wednesday December 19, 2007 BW 183.4
Planned rest day to get to the following planned schedule:
M – Train or Rest (if Tuesday is a training day)
T – Rest or Train (if Monday is a rest day)
W – Train
Th – Train
Fri – Off
Sat – Train
Sun – Train

A careful review of my logs for 2007 revealed that the sweet spot for me is to take a day off after every two to three sessions. I think the cross fit practitioners train for three sessions and take one day off. Due to a regular morning commitment, Friday makes sense for a day off, and the second day off will be Monday or Tuesday.

Back at it tomorrow, and then a planned rest day on Friday

December 16, 2007

Sunday    December 16, 2007    BW  184.6
A – Deck squats – 20
B – 1ALC24kg – 6m. 15/15.
C – Chin ups – 3,3

December 15, 2007

Saturday    December 15, 2007    BW  184.2
Warm-up and JM
A – 2Asw24kg – 20, 1ASw24kg – 10/10, DARCSw24kg – 10/10
B1 –1ASw16kg –10/10
B2 –1ACl16kg – 10/10
B3 -1ALC16kg – 10/10
B4 –1ASn16kg – 10/10
B5 – 1ASw16kg – 10/10
C – Other circuit work
D – 1ALC24kg – 2m. 8/8.
E – 1ASn16kg – 2m. 20/20.

Interval work
F1 – Jump rope – 1m,1m,1m
F2 – 1ASw24kg – 20/20, 20/20, 20/20.
F3 – Rest – 1m,1m,1m

December 14, 2007

Friday    December 14, 2007    BW  184.2
Warm-up
A – 1AJ16kg – 10m. 30/30.
B – 1AJ16kgSn – 9m55s. 60L/57R. Grip gave out spectacularly right before the end on the right.
C – Chins – 2,3,2
D1 – 1Asw24kg – 5/5,  5/5, 5/5
D2 – 1Asn24kg – 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
D3 – Burpees – 5,5,5

The 10m 1AJ set was not too challenging, but the 1Asn set was something else. This is a PR by 2m I think. I also think I got it tonight – mentally, at least – about kettlebell sport with that long set.

There are several things that can give out on a long snatch set – the mind, wind, grip, strength and hand trauma. For most snatch sets prior to tonight, I am afraid to say that my mind gave up. Tonight, it was my grip.

I have been recently and will be intentional about conditioning. My wind was fine, even though I think my heart rate was above 190 BPM at the end.  I don’t ever want conditioning to be a reason I can’t finish a set –  a slow pace is fine, but running out of gas is largely preventable, in my opinion, by busting some ass.

December 12, 2007

Wednesday December 12, 2007 BW 184.8
Warm-up
A – 1AJ24kg – 4m. 8/8.
B – 1ASn16kg – 6m. 36/36.
C – Chinups – 4,3,3,2,1
D1 – Burpees – 10,10,10
D2 – Prisoner squat – 15,15,15
D3 – Superplank – 5,5,5
D4 – Rest 1m,1m,1m