Movement Jam.

Musicians always steal licks. They work them over and over until it becomes theirs, adding a little here, taking away a little there. We can do the same thing with movements. Learning a series of movements and then combining them into a warm up or a whole work out. We can do a jello jam where all the movements are done in slo-mo. I am working on Chip Conrad's warm up now and tweaking it as I go to address areas where I am deficient. This process allows us to continually move forward as our mobility and skills increase.
Give it a go.
Today starts the last 4 days of the 5,000 KB swing thing.

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
5 rounds/RAN
10 KB swings
1 Press @ 85
15 KB swings
2 press @ 85
25 KB swings
3 press @ 85
It took 20:00. I have recorded a time of 19:32 and this may have been closer to that than I know because I forgot my stopwatch today and just had to use a clock with no second hand.

The Holistic Athlete

I drove out to Palm Desert last Saturday to attend a workshop at Desert Crossfit. The presentation was being given by Chip Conrad of Bodytribe Fitness.
I have been aware of Chip and his Bodytribe for a while now and have always wanted to attend one of his workshops. I went expecting amazing and got so much more.
This event was like the fitness version of My Dinner With Andre. I left with a whole new outlook. Everything around me had changed.
Chip has managed to mix a perfect cocktail, a blend of the physical and metaphysical that becomes more than the sum of the parts.
If Chip is coming to your area then you need to go see him. Just drop what you are doing. Pack a tasty lunch. Get in the car and go. You won't regret it.
Below is a clip from the bodytribe you tube page.

Civilization. Fail.

My father was a sail boater. Most of the time we would putter around calm little inland lakes but every now and then he would take us out on the ocean. Most parents today would be appalled at the idea of taking a couple of 5 and 6 year old kids out on the ocean with nothing but a life jacket between them and drowning.
My Father lived for these moments. Once we got past the harbor and break water he would start to light up. His eyes would take on an unearthly glow as though there were a fire burning inside. The rougher the water got the hotter he would burn. He would whoop like an insane person every time we dropped off a big swell or hit a wave head on. It was in these moments that I began to see, at a very early age, the effects of the prison like confinement of life in the modern age and the freedom that was offered by embracing the more primal side of one's nature. Coming back, soaked in sea water and shivering from the cold he would get progressively more compacted the closer we got to the landing spot. As he climbed off the boat you could see the crushing weight of  civilized life resettling itself on his shoulders.
I have never forgotten that lesson.

It's That Important

Last night I went to bed at 7:30 and woke up this morning at 3:30. A full 8 hours of sleep. I can not remember the last time I got an uninterrupted 8 hrs of sleep. I also dropped 5 minutes off my fastest time in the Swing/Dip workout.
Maybe there is something to this sleep thing.

SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
W/U
W/O
5 rounds/RAN
KB swings x 10
Press x 1 @ 85
KB sings x 15
Press x 2 @ 85
KB swings x 25
Press x 3 @ 85
Finished this in 19:32. 3 minutes faster than the best time to date

MONDAY'S WORKOUT
W/U
W/O
5 rounds/RAN
KB swings x 10
Dips x 2
KB swings x 15
Dips x 3
KB swings x 25
Dips x 5
Finished this in 15:52. 5 minutes faster than the best time to date.
I only rested between rounds for as long as it took to mark off the round and get a sip of water.

I think the next time I do this I will add an extra set of 25 at the end which will bring it up to 7500 total swings and then the next time I will go for the full 10,000.
I am a gradual guy.

Whine, Whine, Whine

I was going to say bitch, bitch, bitch but some folks don't like swearing. Andrew Read posted an article titled "Who Cares About Your Snatch" on the Breaking Muscle site this morning and, for trying to point out that people may not need to snatch, came in for all sorts of abuse. Mostly this abuse came from people who didn't understand the article and took it as a personal attack.
Really?
No where in the article did he say don't play sports or try to master them he merely pointed out that the real estate occupied by truly elite, olympic level athletes is very small. That you don't stand a chance at the highest level of athletic performance doesn't mean don't do it, it just means you don't stand a chance to compete at a world class level.
General Physical Preparation is just that. It is not preparation for high level athletics it is preparation for pick up games of basketball, the odd 5K run/walk, a hike or a bike ride.
You are not Elite, despite what it says on your t-shirt so get over it and quitchurbitchen'.

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
W/U

W/O
10 x 20 KB swings on 1:00
Finished last set at 9:34

Now up to 3,000 KB swings and will be down with 5,000 in two weeks unless I get ambitious.