HSPU/Weighted Pull-ups

Foam Roll
Static Stretching
Movement Prep A 5@
KB complex 35lbs bell

5,4,3*,2,1

HSPU on paralletes
Pull-ups +70lbs

*-Failed on 3rd rep, set of 3s. HSPU, against wall, head touch all reps, no kip.

Still feeling the back. First time doing KB swings in a few weeks and I felt the 35lbs swings. Will continue to go slow on pulls, KB swings. This was a good strength session. I did not keep time, goal was to do all sets unbroken.

Tempo Run

Foam Roll
Static Stretching

Ran 22min 90% Tempo. Ran 8min on road, 14min on trails.

Foam Roll
Static Stretching

Later:

Deadhang Pull-ups: 15,10,5 (1min rest b/t sets)

Snatch-60%

JR 100 singles
Foam Roll
Static Stretching
Movement Prep B,A 3@

Snatch (in lbs):
65x1
85x1
105x1
125-Got it about an inch off the ground, did not like the feeling in my hips/low back
120(60%)x1x3

Foam Roll
Static Stretch

Still nursing the back/hips. They are beginning to feel better. I really had the ideal to do 60%x1x4. I put 125 on, got it a little up and it felt too much. 120x1x3 was good. All snatches were received high (power) and ridden down.

Run/Pull/Push

Foam Roll
Static Stretch
Movement Prep B 5@

Run 400M
30 Kipping Pull-ups (not BFK)
Run 400M
60 Push-ups
Run 400M
20 Kipping Pull-ups
Run 400M
40 Push-ups

Immediately Post workout: 39gms CHO, 22gm PRO
60min later: 20gm PRO (turkey), 20gm CHO (pear)

I really felt this session afterwards. It affected me hard. I did my post workout cocktail of orange gatorade and whey protein immediately after training, then had some turkey and a pear about an hour later. I am doing this to see how PWO CHO/PRO helps my nervous system recover as much as my muscular/cardio-respiratory.

BW Rows/Ring Dips

Foam Roll
Static Stretching
Movement Prep A 5@

10,9,...1

BW Rows
Ring Dips

Did not keep time, but all sets unbroken. For the rows, I set the bar to the height I use for the bench press, placed feet on bench and pulled chest to bar on all the rows. This is how Mike Boyle describes doing BW rows in his book.

I did not take a PWO shake or eat after WOD. I will see how my appetite is this evening. I am wondering about the effects of PWO PRO/CHO on late night junk food cravings.

Back getting a little better.

Running VFF

JR 100x
Samson Stretch 15s@
OHS w/ PVC 10x
Back Extensions 10x
Hallow Rock 10x
Kipping Pull-ups 10x
Push-ups 10x
Movement Prep B 5@

Ran 20min in VFF, half on trails

Post Deadhangs:
14-9-5, rst 1min b/t sets

Static Stretching

We will see how much pain the back is tomorrow/tonight. Now it just feels tight. It felt okay on the run, felt it twice, but was able to quickly adjust posture and it went away. It is annoying.

Back Squats

JR 200 singles
Movement Prep A 5@
Foam Roll 10@
Olift PVC Stretching 5@

Back Squat:
135x3
165x3
135x3
165x3
135x3

Shoulder Prehab 10@
Hip Prehab 10@
Static Stretching

Pre Workout: 26gm CHO, 10gm PRO
Post Workout 26gm CHO, 23gm PRO

Well, it is that time of year, time for my annual low back injury. I hurt it pretty bad in 2008 and it took about 8 month to get stronger in the deadlift. I hurt it in 2009 worse, it took about 6 weeks to recover. Last weekend's pull/push press set it off. I am currently not pushing it, today's session was about working the muscle, but not pushing through the pain.

Looking back, it seems to have been caused by too much of too many different things and not checking my ego when the problem first started. The plan now, lift light once a week, light run once a week, 2 conditioning circuits 2x/week. I just do not want to make it worse. I am sure I will ride this wave through it.

Run/C2B/Push-Ups

4 Circuits, not for time

Run 400M
10 C2B kipping pull-ups
25 Push-Ups

Pre workout fuel: 2 Pints of Guiness and a Rueben sandwhich. I have enjoyed corned beef everday for the last 6 days. Happy St. Pat's.

Clean Pull, Push Press

Movement Prep B 5@
CFish Warm-Up 10@
PVC Olift Warm-up 5@

Halting Clean Deadlift-Halting Clean Deadlift-Clean Pull Complex
155
185
215
245
265

Push Press
115x3
155x3
185x3
205x1,F-2 Got distracted, set it back on rack
205x3-Solid, but took effort
210-F, was done, should have stopped at 205

Post: Did about 12 deadhang muscle-ups

Yesterday was our annual St Pat's party. I had a lot of Guiness, a lot of Corned Beef, a lot of Bailey's, a few brownies and a great time. The need for a feast is truly a universal human need. A few more days of celebrating, then back to fasting.

Running/Pull-Ups

Movment Prep A 5@
CFish Warm-Up 10@

Run/Swinging Kipping Pull-ups (not BFK)
800M/22
600M/18
400M/14
200M/10

Did not keep time, goal was to be fast and smooth. Tried to run with Chi Running technique. All pull-ups unbroken.

Eating for Pat's Wiry Strong Program

The eating plan is based around a shake made up of carbohydrate (CHO) and protein (PRO). The entire point of the plan is to strategically spike insulin levels in both the workout and post-workout period (PWO) to improve nutrient uptake by the muscles. The nutrients we want to uptake are glucose for fuel during exercise and to replenish glycogen and nervous system recovery post training and amino acids to provide the substrate for muscles to repair themselves. The ideal form of CHO is one that maximizes insulin release. This includes sucrose (note it is glucose and fructose, glucose and maltodextrin. The ideal protein is the one take is absorbed the fastest, giving us free amino acids. Our best bet is whey. So, this shake would be composed of CHO(from sucrose, glucose or maltodextrin) and whey protein. A shake is taken because the entire point is to get nutrient to muscles fast.

There are many, many post-workout cocktails out there. However, I put my money on Orange Gatorade, primary CHOs sucrose(75%) and glucose (25%) and cheap vanilla whey protein. This shake is homemade, cost about 50 cents Here is the schedule based on an afternoon lift, but the schedule centers around the lift, not the afternoon.

Breakfast: Paleo, low carb
Lunch: Paleo, low carb
Pre-Workout (30min) 2 scoops Gatorade, 1/2 scoop Protein in 16oz water sipped up to session, during session. This should give you 26gms CHO, 12gm PRO Please use judgement if you think you will throw this up, skip it. If interested add 5gms Creatine (1tsp).
Post Workout (within 15min of training): 4-6 Scoops gatorade, 1 scoop PRO. This will give you 52-78gms CHO and 22gm PRO (1:2.5-4 ratio)
60min after the shake: Meal, with food, meat and statchy carb, little fat (paleo sourced)
All additional meals, paleo low carb, higher fat.

This is not coming out of my ass. This is a sound program based on the same information everyone else (think Robb Wolf, OPT) is giving. The research shows the utility of nutrient timing is to supply the muscles with both amino acids and glucose so it can rebuild as soon as possible. These shakes work and nothing that costs more will work that much better.

Anyone interested in gaining strength, consider trying this. I did, put on 15lbs (from 170-185lbs), and benched 305 (@185lbs) following this in 2005.

KB Snatch

Tight this morning

Jump Rope singles
Movement Prep A 5@
Foam roll
KB Warm-Up Complex
-9 2 handed swings
-6/6 1 handed swing
-3/3 KB Snatch
x1@35lbs, x1@45lbs

53lbs KB Snatch
20 L arm
Rest 1min
14 L arm
Rest 1min
20 R arm
Rest 1min
14 R arm

Total time 22min

Run

Movement Prep B 5@

Static Stretching

20min run in VFF around the neighborhood.

Post Deadhangs:
14-8-4, rest 1min b/t sets

Static Stretching

Continue to work on Chi Running drills. Felt all right. I need to remember to level my pelvis and lean. Ran with metronome set at 90. Cadence seemed to be about 90.

15 Snatches

Movement Prep B 5@

Olift warm-up 5@

Snatches (in lbs)
75x1
105x1
125x1
125x1
135x1
145x1
150x1
155x1
160x1
165x1
170xF-forward
170xF-forward
170x1
175x1
180x1

That is 15, stopped there. I am tight and do not know how I feel about hitting 180lbs. I am really feeling some soreness in my legs. No doubt it is due to my recent embrace of both running in the VFFs and trying to get better at DUs. Both are newer stimuli and need to introduced gradually. I am putting off improving DUs, instead focusing on running more and working on running technique (Chi Running).

KB Snatch/Cindy Benchmark

50 1.5 Pood KB Snatches
10 Rounds "Cindy"
-5 Pull-ups
-10 Push-Ups
-15 Air Squats
50 1.5 Pood KB Snatches

12:56

This is about 30s faster then last time. The first set of KB snatches were done without putting the bell down, the Cindy rounds all flowed together, but the last 50 KB Snatches hurt. I set the bell down a few times. I was going harder, as shown by not just being 30s faster, but having to set the bell down. This was a hard effort.

My lower back is not 100% after the running and DU practice. I skipped Sunday olifts to rest it. KB Snatches were down with pretty good form and I did not feel them in the back.

Run, Deadhangs

Ran 19min in VFF. About half on the sidewalk, the other half on trails. Felt good. I have been reading Chi Running and finished Born to Run, highly recommended. Chi Running is very, very similar to POSE. I am learning, slowly. A big thing I learned this week is VFF is not barefoot running. Bare feet can sense tactile stimulation from the road, this is lost with VFF on. These sensations are a key part of injury prevention with bare foot running. The true bare foot runners advise running in bare feet first, then adding in VFF. I will do that when it gets warmer.

Immediately Post Run Deadhangs
12, rest 1min, 8, rest 1min, 4

Also, working on DUs. I got a speed rope and yeah, the rope makes all the difference. I just did a lot of sets of 5, working on form. Last set did 20.

Weighted Vest=Playing Army, I do not play

I just saw the WODs for the midwest sectional for the CFGames and see one WOD has a 30lb weighted vest. The whole obession with weighted vest is just silly. It really is. If you want to train 30lbs heavier, eat more carbs, drink more milk and eat dessert and just gain the weight.

If you are an actually someone who will be going "through the door", by all means train as you fight. Train hard, fight hard. Train in your gear...your kevlar, your boots and your IBA. If this is not you, then you are not just playing when you strap on your "weighted vest".

I wish everyone who ever put on a weighted vest to do "Murph" would realize there are actually MEN out there, right now on point, who are going through doors, fighting for real. These guys are not playing, they are doing it for real. They aren't wearing an extra 30lbs to "embrace the suck", they are wearing an extra 30lbs to increase their odds of making it home...alive. This is a very, very real thing and it is going on right now. Wake up.

One time, in a land far away, we got this young man dropped on us. On his right wrist were 2 KIA bracelets. No doubt, they were his buddies who did not make it back from the last trip. We ripped open his IBA and started pushing on his chest, around his neck was a picture of a young woman and 2 small children. See on this day, he was first through the door, he got it in the head and chest. The IBA stopped the chest shots, but the range was too close and his Kevlar did not stop the head shot. These are the guys who need to train with their IBA on. Are you one of these guys?

Conditioning Circuit

Warm-up
Movement Prep B 5@
Foam Roll 10s @
Prehab
Core 60s/30s/30s
Shoulders 6@
Hips 10@

4 Circuits
10 45lbs KB Snatch L arm
10 45lbs KB Snatch R arm
10 GHD Sit-ups
10 Swinging, kipping pull-ups
100 Single skips

Post: Static Stretching

I am really feeling last Fri, Sat and Sun. My calves are still tight. I used too much of the ball of my foot and did not engage my whole foot enough running on Sat combined with the double under work Fri night. That is why the calves are still tight. Today's goal was get the body moving with an extended flexibilty warm-up and a circuit design to prime me more so then destroy me. The circuit was good, everything unbroken.