Christmas in England
Flew to England Friday night with my wife. This flight is always guaranteed to be "fun." Crying kids and coughing passengers do not for much sleep make. I didn't train this day because I knew I'd miss a night's worth of sleep. Nor did I train Saturday. Did join the local health club I used to frequent when I was a kid. Talk about going backwards in order to modernize. The old weight room was maybe 500 sq.ft but had everything I ever needed, including bumper plates. (They even had 2 x50kg plates!) But there was a fire in 2004 and they rebuilt the place. The new weight room is very technologically advanced--tons of cardio equipment, tons of Hammer Strength selectorized machines, a Smith machine, one Olympic bar, and a bench press. I kid you not. The good news is that they had the Olympic bar, a place to perform pull-ups, and 45 degree hyper bench. (I love these--they really make my hamstrings work.)
On Sunday, when I went to train, I asked the girl at the desk if she minded me "free" squatting near the bench press. She told me they had a "V-Squat." Nope, just "free" squat. "A Smith machine?" Nope--just a "free" squat next to the bench press. She didn't have a problem but didn't understand why I didn't want to use these new technological marvels.
My brain was still a little fuzzy from 2 hours of sleep on Friday night and 13 hours of sleep on Saturday night. Jetlag from the flight always kills me.
Sunday, 12.24.06
A. Power Snatch from below knee: 55%/2 x12 sets; 45s rest
This was supposed to be 70kg. But, like I said, my brain was a little fuzzy. I kept wondering why the weight felt so heavy and slow for only 70kg. (It wasn't that slow and that heavy--just comparatively.) Turns out I misloaded the bar with 80kg.
One kid came up and asked me what I was doing.
"Power Snatch."
"That looks hard," he replied.
"Only when you're tired."
He then went back to his 27th set of chest, all 6'0" and 145lbs of him. At least he's trying I guess.
B. Front Squat: 100kg/5x5; 2 minutes rest
No squat rack, I just needed something light. So, a power clean followed by 5 reps felt like just the ticket.
C1. 45 degree hypers w/ 20kg 4x6
C2. Chins 4x6, bodyweight; 60s rest.
Showered, went home ate.
CHRIST-Mass Day, 12.25.06
Got my Dad Enter the Kettlebell and a 12kg kettlebell and my Mom, Z-Health's "R-Phase." They both seemed to genuinely like their presents and my wife and I will be taking them thru R-Phase later this week. Then I'll be taking both of them thru the basic KB drills. 12kg is definitely the right weight for my dad. He was surprised at how heavy it felt. My mom walked right over and picked the bell up and said, "Oh, that's not that heavy--I can use that." Go Mom. It's good to see both my parents interested in their health and in exercise as they approach the Golden Years.
After an early Christmas dinner of Aberdeen Angus (yum!), Scottish black potatoes, and broccoli, I grabbed a quick GPP workout with my old DP plastic weight set out in the front yard. That's always fun at 32 degrees Farenheit. However, I didn't sleep last night, so 60kg felt heavier than it should:
A. 3 rounds of 5-6 reps each:
High Pull
Power Clean from above knee
Press
RDL
Row
This sucks the air right out of your lungs when it's cold out. So 3 rounds was enough.
B. Pistols, bodyweight only. L+R: 5+5, rest as needed.
These were great as I'd recently lost the ability to do these on the right side. Back now though.
C. Underhand barbell rows: 4x10, 60s rest
Used the same 60kg.
D. Pistols, again, right leg only: 2x5, rest as needed. Just wanted to do these again since it felt so good the first time. I just wanted to hit the right side again because this was the weaker, smaller leg with the really bad knee. Felt great.
I've had to do a lot of Z the past 3 days. My right hip started acting up just before we left. All the sitting we've been doing hasn't helped either. It'll be interesting to see if it cools off. I also wonder if another compensation pattern is rearing its ugly head. Man, I've got a lot of these things. No wonder my progress stalled. My body was doing the best it could to keep me from ripping it apart!
Off to my parents' friends' house for some Christmas cheer.
Flew to England Friday night with my wife. This flight is always guaranteed to be "fun." Crying kids and coughing passengers do not for much sleep make. I didn't train this day because I knew I'd miss a night's worth of sleep. Nor did I train Saturday. Did join the local health club I used to frequent when I was a kid. Talk about going backwards in order to modernize. The old weight room was maybe 500 sq.ft but had everything I ever needed, including bumper plates. (They even had 2 x50kg plates!) But there was a fire in 2004 and they rebuilt the place. The new weight room is very technologically advanced--tons of cardio equipment, tons of Hammer Strength selectorized machines, a Smith machine, one Olympic bar, and a bench press. I kid you not. The good news is that they had the Olympic bar, a place to perform pull-ups, and 45 degree hyper bench. (I love these--they really make my hamstrings work.)
On Sunday, when I went to train, I asked the girl at the desk if she minded me "free" squatting near the bench press. She told me they had a "V-Squat." Nope, just "free" squat. "A Smith machine?" Nope--just a "free" squat next to the bench press. She didn't have a problem but didn't understand why I didn't want to use these new technological marvels.
My brain was still a little fuzzy from 2 hours of sleep on Friday night and 13 hours of sleep on Saturday night. Jetlag from the flight always kills me.
Sunday, 12.24.06
A. Power Snatch from below knee: 55%/2 x12 sets; 45s rest
This was supposed to be 70kg. But, like I said, my brain was a little fuzzy. I kept wondering why the weight felt so heavy and slow for only 70kg. (It wasn't that slow and that heavy--just comparatively.) Turns out I misloaded the bar with 80kg.
One kid came up and asked me what I was doing.
"Power Snatch."
"That looks hard," he replied.
"Only when you're tired."
He then went back to his 27th set of chest, all 6'0" and 145lbs of him. At least he's trying I guess.
B. Front Squat: 100kg/5x5; 2 minutes rest
No squat rack, I just needed something light. So, a power clean followed by 5 reps felt like just the ticket.
C1. 45 degree hypers w/ 20kg 4x6
C2. Chins 4x6, bodyweight; 60s rest.
Showered, went home ate.
CHRIST-Mass Day, 12.25.06
Got my Dad Enter the Kettlebell and a 12kg kettlebell and my Mom, Z-Health's "R-Phase." They both seemed to genuinely like their presents and my wife and I will be taking them thru R-Phase later this week. Then I'll be taking both of them thru the basic KB drills. 12kg is definitely the right weight for my dad. He was surprised at how heavy it felt. My mom walked right over and picked the bell up and said, "Oh, that's not that heavy--I can use that." Go Mom. It's good to see both my parents interested in their health and in exercise as they approach the Golden Years.
After an early Christmas dinner of Aberdeen Angus (yum!), Scottish black potatoes, and broccoli, I grabbed a quick GPP workout with my old DP plastic weight set out in the front yard. That's always fun at 32 degrees Farenheit. However, I didn't sleep last night, so 60kg felt heavier than it should:
A. 3 rounds of 5-6 reps each:
High Pull
Power Clean from above knee
Press
RDL
Row
This sucks the air right out of your lungs when it's cold out. So 3 rounds was enough.
B. Pistols, bodyweight only. L+R: 5+5, rest as needed.
These were great as I'd recently lost the ability to do these on the right side. Back now though.
C. Underhand barbell rows: 4x10, 60s rest
Used the same 60kg.
D. Pistols, again, right leg only: 2x5, rest as needed. Just wanted to do these again since it felt so good the first time. I just wanted to hit the right side again because this was the weaker, smaller leg with the really bad knee. Felt great.
I've had to do a lot of Z the past 3 days. My right hip started acting up just before we left. All the sitting we've been doing hasn't helped either. It'll be interesting to see if it cools off. I also wonder if another compensation pattern is rearing its ugly head. Man, I've got a lot of these things. No wonder my progress stalled. My body was doing the best it could to keep me from ripping it apart!
Off to my parents' friends' house for some Christmas cheer.
posted by Geoff Neupert at
5:46 AM
3 Comments:
the only thing I hate more than traveling is having to train when I travel. Just never feels good. was particularly hard when powerlifting. I am a total creature of habit and I like it that way,lol. Just getting REAL old I think.
way to sack up and get er dun big guy.
Merry Christmas to you and yours Geoff. I'm in Tennessee and Alabama for the week in my childhood digs...no WL but I brought a KB. I'm still hacking away at Z. I do it almost everyday and sometimes multiple times a day...instinctively I seem to work my neck and ankles and shoulders the most. I like the shoulder camshafts especially...they feel good and seem to be loosening up something...I don't know what. Have a Safe, Happy and Proseprous New Year. Have some bangers and mash for me.
Randy Hauer
Rif--I TOTALLY agree. It has always been that way for me. Traveling is more about maintenance now versus performance.
Randy--glad you like the Z. Try wrist before ankles, pelvis before neck, and hips before shoulders and see how the latter of each pairing feels after. Good thinking with the KB and thanks for the kind wishes.
Happy New Year to you both.
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