Savage GS Log

[Brock Savage]

Howdy to y'all that care to read such a thing as this.

I'm keeping this log to stay motivated - mostly through the fear of public shame :D Hey, it works...

For those that know me, I've been hit hard with illness earlier in the year.

After a short general preparedness phase, I completed a four week strength phase focusing on the Deadlift and Squat, and now I feel ready to get back into more specific kettlebell training, with a GS focus of course.

As a general rule I'm not going to take up space logging my warm-up's and down's, but rest assured that I do them and that I largely use stretching and mobility exercises from the Evil Russian and/or Matt Furey.

Comments and discussion are always appreciated, but please stay on topic.

[Brock Savage]

I'll be using the 16's for this cycle, and my goal for the end of this year is to move the 24's around a little without hurting or otherwise making an arse of myself.

So, I'm starting with a 'mini-cycle' - with the aim being to gradually reintroduce myself to KB specific training and then have a test to assess where I'm at and program my further training.

The outline of upcoming training is:

1. Strength Phase - 4 weeks (min 3 sessions a week)
2. Endurance Phase - 3 weeks (min 4 sessions a week)
3. Taper Week - 1 week (only 2 sessions this week)
4. Test day - Traditional Biathlon with 16kg KB's

Also, the goal was to wrap this mini-cycle up by June so I can free up a couple of weeks to travel - including getting to Sydney for the GSAA AGM.

Some stats:

Male; 27 y/o; Height 175cm
BW 72.9kg; BF 15.8%

[Brock Savage]

Sun 6 Apr 08

Duration 40 mins

1KB Clean @ 16kg
2 sets 5L/5R
1 set 5minL/5minR - 65L/61R

5 min rest

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 30sec Rack hold / 30sec Overhead hold. 4 mins total.

5 min rest

1KB swing @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 20L/20R

[Brock Savage]

Tue 8 Apr 08

Duration 35 mins

1KB Swing @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 10:00 min (change as necessary, rest in hang) - 264 reps

5 min rest

1KB Swing @ 16kg
1 set 2:00 min 32L/31R

5 min rest

2KB Squat/Push Press
3 sets 5 reps

[Brock Savage]

Thu 10 Apr 08

Duration 40 mins

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets of 5
1 set 5:00 @ 6rpm (30 reps)
5 min rest
1 set 2:30 @ 12rpm (30 reps)

5 min rest

2KB Rack Squat @ 16kg
5 sets of 10; 30sec rest between sets

I just gotta say that my GS training time-keeping has been so much easier since I got my gymboss interval timer (This is not a paid endorsement)

[Brock Savage]

Sun 13 Apr 08

Duration 40 mins

1KB Clean @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 5minL/5minR - 71L/70R

5 min rest

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 30sec Rack hold / 30sec Overhead hold. 3 mins total.

5 min rest

1KB Swing @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 50L/50R (2:57 min)

Assessment
Forearms pumped-up heavily during Cleans - likely cause being deterioration rack position once fatigued (I found it hard to keep my wrists straight after about the 30th rep), and probably tightening the grip more than necessary during the upward movment. This impacted heavily on the overhead holds, but not on the swings. My wind has improved, so I need to focus more on forearm endurance and Clean technique.

Stats
BW 72.9kg; BF 15.8% (exactly the same as last week - kind of odd...)

[Brock Savage]

Tue 15 Apr 08

Duration 30 mins

1KB Swing @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 3minL/3minR - 91L/86R
5 min rest
1 set 30L/30R/20L/20R/10L/10R (3:16min)

5 min rest

2KB Rack Squat to Push Press @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 12

[Brock Savage]

Thu 17 Apr 08

Duration 35 mins

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 6:00 @ 6rpm (36 reps)
5 min rest
1 set 3:00 @ 12rpm (36 reps)

5 min rest

2KB Rack Squat @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 3:00 @ 10rpm (30 reps)

[Brock Savage]

Sun 20 Apr 08

Duration 35 mins

1KB Clean @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 3minL/3minR - 59L/52R
2 min rest
1 set 3minL/3minR - 51L/52R

5 min rest

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
1 set 20sec Rack Hold / 20sec Overhead Hold. 4 mins total.

5 mins rest

2KB Clean @ 16kg
3 sets 10

Stats
BW 72.7kg; BF 15.6%

[Brock Savage]

Tue 22 Apr 08

Duration 30 mins

1KB Swing @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 3:30minL/3:30minR - 96L/90R
5 min rest
1 set 30L/30R/20L/20R/10L/10R - (3:06min)

5 min rest

2KB Rack Squat to Push Press @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 16

[Brock Savage]

Thu 24 Apr 08

Duration 25 mins

Hindu Squat
5 sets of 100 reps (timed); 2 mins rest between sets
Set 1 - 2:43
Set 2 - 3:19
Set 3 - 3:46
Set 4 - 3:15
Set 5 - 3:20

Assessment
My forearms have not recovered fully since Sunday's workout. When I picked up the bells I knew I had no business lifting them today. So, to give my grip some extra rest, I did this mini lung-and-leg buster.

[Brock Savage]

Sun 27 Apr 08

Duration 20 mins

1KB Clean @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 3minL/3minR - 63L/55R
2 min rest
1 set 3minL/3minR - 45L/32R

Assessment
Today's practice suggests that over the last couple of weeks I've overtrained my forearms. I chose to cut this session short. I'll be backing off significantly for the next week, avoiding my forearms and grip altogether. My wind has improved a great deal over the last three weeks, so I'll be applying it to some trailrunning.

Stats
BW 73.3kg; BF 16.1%

[Brock Savage]

Tue 6 May 08

Duration 25 mins

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 10
1 set 7:30min (36 reps)
2 min rest
2 sets 10

1KB Jerk @ 16kg
1 set 20L/20R

[Brock Savage]

Thu 8 May 08

Duration 30 mins

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 10 (@10rpm)
1 set 10:00min (41 reps)
2 min rest
2 sets 10 (@10rpm)

1KB Jerk @ 16kg
1 set 20L/20R

Assessment
First time going the whole 10 minutes under load with 2 kettlebells.

[Emily]

Nice work making it to 10 mins - you got there really quickly!

[Brock Savage]

Tue 13 May 08

Duration 30 mins

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 10 (@10rpm)
1 set 7:00min (39 reps)

5 min rest

1KB Snatch @ 16kg
2 sets 10L/10R
1 set 6:00min (37L/32R)

Assessment
The snatch set was done without chalk. I know I could have got way more if I had used it. The last time I used chalk was in January this year (before the dread chicken-pox), and I tore up my hands real bad. So, I have been hesitant about using it again. Gotta bite the bullet some time... next training session, definately.

--> Emily, I didn't plan on going the full 10 minutes till the next week, but decided to push through with the set I was doing, because I was feeling pretty good. I nearly met Mr Pukie. It was difficult but I'm glad I did it, because it made today's set feel really easy.

[Brock Savage]

Tue 20 May 08

Duration 15 min

1KB Snatch @ 16kg
3 sets 10L/10R
1 set of around 6:00min (40L/40R)

Assessment
I spent the last week snatching with a grease-the-groove type approach. Getting out sets of between 10-20 per side a couple of times each morning and evening, really focussing on smooth transition on the lowering portion, with the aim of not tearing my wuss hands open when I go the full 10 mins in about a week.

So, it worked - tonight was the second time I have used chalk. The first time I tore my hands up real bad. Tonight was good on my palms, but I tore open the side of my thumb instead :) I'll make sure to tape them both before the next effort. It cut my effort a little short (was aiming for 8 mins) - ridiculous amount of blood for such a tiny thing.

[Brock Savage]

Tue 27 May 08

Duration 25 min

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 10
1 set 7:00min (43 reps)
2 min rest
2 sets 15 reps

2 min rest

2KB Rack Squat @ 16kg
1 set 20 reps

[Brock Savage]

Mon 9 Jun 08

Traditional Biathlon
2KB Jerk @ 16kg - 55 reps
50 min rest
1KB Snatch @ 16kg - L54/R50

I include a break up of reps in each minute - mostly to demonstrate my poor pacing, but also so that I can show improvement in the future.

Each minute is separated by a slash (/)

2KB Jerk - 8/8/5/4/5/4/3/4/5/9 - total 55
1 KB Snatch - L:15/9/11/10/9 R:15/11/7/9/8 - total 104

Assessment
It's been a long time coming. I've been missing in action for around a fortnight - love me, love my insomnia. But I forced myself to get it done, with pleasing results - not bad for a couple of months training with a GS focus.

Not much to comment on with the jerks. The snatches were interesting - I had some stabilisation issues in raising the bell, with it having a tendancy to track to the outside during the lifting phase as I became fatigued.

Now to see what I can do for 26 July 08... And keep on aim for the 24's in the future

[Brock Savage]

Sat 28 Jun 08

Duration 15 min

2KB Jerk @ 16kg
2 sets 5
3 mins @ 8rpm
1 min rest
3 mins @ 8rpm
1 min rest
3 mins @ 8rpm

Back from my busy break. Three weeks till the next comp. I have some major paperwork to get done before then; I have a feeling that only prayer will get us operational. The AGM was great - made some new friends, was well cared for (many thanks Eugene & Yelena), but there's still a lot of work ahead.

Just a reminder to any readers about the upcoming Girevoy Sport competition on 26 July 08 - if you've been thinking about it, why not give it a shot? Use any weight of kettlebells you have (they don't have to be progrades), choose your event(s), go one arm, go two arm, just give it a go. It can give your training a new kind of focus, let you test where you're at, and give you a real sense of achievement. It'll impress your friends too (or make them afraid of you...) - send me a PM if you want some more info.

[Brock Savage]

Sun 29 Jun 08

Duration 15 min

1KB Snatch @ 16kg
2 sets 5L/5R
1 set 2min @ 15rpm (15L/15R)
1 min rest
1 set 4min @ 15rpm (30L/30R)
1 min rest
1 set 2min @ 15rpm (15L/1R)
1 min rest
1 set 2 min @ 15rpm (15L/15R)

So, working at the pacing. Will do some more GTG type work with the snatch - technique is a bit dodgey on my left side.

BW 73.3kg BF 22.3%

[Brock Savage]

Mon 30 June 08

Duration 15 min

2KB Rack Squat @ 16kg
2 sets 5
1 set 3min (37 reps)
2 min rest
1 set 2min (20 reps)
2 min rest

2KB Stepping Suitcase Lunge (Alt.) @ 16kg
3 sets 10 (5L/5R)