World's Strongest Librarian

New site is live!

2009-04-12T22:30:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone. worldsstrongestlibrarian.com is now live. Please come over and check out the video, the free e-book, the book reviews, and the slew of articles that are coming down the pipeline.

thanks!
Josh

Enter the Librarian (video)

2009-04-10T06:49:00.002-06:00

Here's the video teaser for the new site on Monday. www.worldsstrongestlibrarian.com (just in case you can't read the perverse font in the video at the end. Enjoy!

Website is moving! Free ebook @ launch

2009-04-07T07:26:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone. Sorry it's been a while. Just a quick announcement--the response to WSL has been enough that I've been encouraged to upgrade the site. Later this week, (Saturday, I hope), I'll be moving to worldsstrongestlibrarian.com. The site is already there, so you can go look at it and sign up if you like, but there's no content on it yet. Actually, do go there, because the banner with the kettlebells and books is just too cool and I'm a vulture for compliments.

I'll no longer be posting my workouts in the blog, but will be keeping them at the Dragondoor forum under "blogs." My member name over there is jhanagarne.

The new site is going to be about three things:

1. Getting stronger
2. Getting smarter
3. Living better (by doing 1 and 2).

Any article you see there is going to be about one (or all) of these things. If you want to write for WSL, you'll be able to send me guest posts. Muscles, memory improvement, songs you have to have at the gym, songs you have to leave at home when you go to the gym, nutrition articles--whatever will help is going to be fair game and you'll find it there.

If you want to be sure to get the first content when it posts, just go over and hit that big orange RSS button. Then whatever shows up on the new site will be put in your inbox when it hits.

I'll be launching the site with a free ebook I've been writing called "Getting Stronger at Work When Your Boss Isn't Looking." It's full of ideas for people trying to sneak in some extra work while they're at "work."

Thanks for all the support! I'm really excited about the move.

A Million and Two snatches, give or take nearly a million

2009-03-28T15:08:00.003-06:00

Wanted to do something with a light weight today, and also to prepare for the June RKC, so I just decided to do a bunch of snatches with the 16kg and see what happened.

Here's what happened, and it was harder than I'd expected:

15:15 (15 seconds snatching, 15 resting) with 6 snatches per round for 35 rounds. Total of 210. Then my form and breathing got ugly. This was a really interesting practice--not a brutal workout, but hard. Almost more of a mental hard than physical. I'll definitely be coming back to this at least once a week until June's RKC.

In other news, I just finished reading a horrific teen book called Living Dead Girl. I can't remember who it's by and don't want to look it up. If any librarians happen to be reading this, this is the book to force on all those morbid teens who are always asking for A Child Called It and The Burn Journals. HP Lovecraft was no laugh riot, but tentacles and gibbering fishmen are nowhere near as depressing as abuse.

H.P. Lovecraft day

2009-03-28T08:10:00.005-06:00

I have decided that today is officially HP Lovecraft day. If you don't know good old HP, he was a miserable wretch of an author who died too young and was very concerned about things like Gods living at the bottom of the ocean, people breeding with giant white monkeys, tentacles galore, and other terrible things. He is also possibly the greatest short story writer of all time.

If you have never heard of him, now you have. If you don't know where to start, read the story "The Outsider" or "The Call of Cthulhu" (also a less-great Metallica instrumental).

If nothing else, you will surely agree that he is a handsome devil, offspring of giant white apes or no.

Last couple of days

2009-03-27T16:38:00.001-06:00

Wednesday:

1 arm beast swings
5/armx3 = 30 total

Friday: Grip

COC#1
R:6,4
L: 6,2

Pinching 2 25s for reps
R: 6,6
L:2,2

Lots of bar twirls with 4 foot thin bar (each hand)

Some 8lb levers from front

Towel roll ups= 10/arm

Explosive hand opens/closes in 90 seconds
Right: 186 (20 fewer than last time)
Left: 195 (20 better than last time)

A few Snatches

2009-03-24T17:49:00.001-06:00

Just did 5/5 on the minute with the 24kg

5 sets for 25/arm. Shoulder felt okay. I'm going to start working in at least one snatch workout a week for RKC prep.

Dinosaur Training

2009-03-24T06:46:00.002-06:00

Just finished reading Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik. Can't recommend it enough. You can get a copy off of the Dinosaur Training website for cheap. It's an easy read but a lot of fun, with a ton of great information about old-time training methods. Brooks is a brilliant guy who is also incredibly strong. His comments about the mullets and the gym bunnies made me laugh on every page.

Check it out if you're looking to shake up your program or make it harder.

Tried a homemade thick bar, The Suicide Collectors

2009-03-23T07:06:00.006-06:00

Saturday I bought some pipe insulation and snapped it over the bar this morning for deadlift. It increases the diameter of the bar by a little more than an inch. It made the exercise much harder and my focus completely shifted from lifting it with my legs to holding onto it with my hands. I also switched to a double-overhand grip.

Sumo DL: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 245x5x2

Lots of arm bars and half get ups with 16 kg.

In other news, I'm about halfway through The Suicide Collectors, a new book that is surprisingly good and pretty creepy. If you're looking for something to read, you could do worse.

TGUs and hands

2009-03-20T19:53:00.004-06:00

16kg TGUs= 5/side

towel rolls: 10/hand
plate levers with all five fingers, wrist on table: 30/arm
Same lift but with extensors: 12/arm
lots of weaver stick holds for 10 seconds, forward and reverse
extensor opens with opposite hand resistance: 30/hand

explosive hand opens/closes in 90 seconds
right: 206
Left: 175

Ouch!

Great night

225 Beast swings, holy crap that is hard

2009-03-19T20:04:00.002-06:00

Not sure what got into me, but tonight I did a ladder with the 48kg, two hand swings from 1-15 and back down again for a total of 225. Must have been more annoyed at work than I realized, but I think I got it all out of my system. Took enough rest to get every rep perfect. I feel good, but also feel like if I lie down to go to sleep I may never wake up.

Then I did a ton of back bends and hamstring stretches to loosen up. If you're got a heavy bell and aren't swinging it, do it.

PInch day

2009-03-18T09:20:00.003-06:00

thumbless ez bar reverse curls: 45x3x8
plate curls: Left--20x5
Right--20x5
Left--25x4
Right--25x6

Two-hand wrist curls: 50x2x6

two-hand pinch for time: 90x3x10 seconds

sledge rotations

high pull crimp grip with a board and bands: 2x10
for time: 20 seconds

wrecked diet in NBA box seats, TGUs

2009-03-17T21:52:00.002-06:00

My brother got box seats to a Jazz game tonight, so I pigged out on ice cream and tacos and Cokes in the suite. The game was a blowout, the TGUs didn't go that much better. I started with the 24kg and that was too much for my healing shoulder and 9:30 PM, so I switched to the 16kg.

Swings, grip, American vs. foreign films

2009-03-16T19:18:00.004-06:00

Arm Bars

16kg swings, alternating left, right, two hand whenever needed:
150x1, 50x1 in 8 minutes. 200 total. Stopped when my back tightened up slightly.

COC#1: 4 closes left, held last rep for 17 seconds.
8 closes right, held for 14 seconds

Lots of sledge levers from every angle
I took two leaves out of our kitchen table and did some isometric pinches, holding them together.
3x10 seconds.

This weekend, I watched a Swedish movie, Let The Right One In. It's not a lot of fun, but it was very affecting.

I've gotten pretty tired of Hollywood--even many of the best American films are still predictable because they're all made by the same machine. Too many remakes, too much lowest common denominator plots, too many special effects masquerading as plots.

A mediocre foreign film can still surprise me by being better than some great American films, simply because they're made by a different engine that isn't tied to our expectations or dollars. Unnerving but beautiful--can't recommend highly enough if you're looking for something different that will stick with you for a while.

Egoscue book, Max's first steps

2009-03-14T18:14:00.003-06:00

I've spent the last couple of months doing a joint mobility routine from Pete Egoscue's book The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion. I've really enjoyed it and have noticed definite improvements in my duck-walk feet and brittle knees. I'd recommend it to anyone who's aching or looking to move a little better.

I went through the routine again today, and that was it. I've been pretty achy and this weekend of nothing has felt great, so I'm going to rest tomorrow as well.

In other news, Max took his first steps tonight. He barely even knows he did it, but our whole world just changed.

grip night

2009-03-13T19:10:00.002-06:00

joint mobility, shoulder work with bands

lots of pinch block curls, sledge levers, and beast holds for time.

I get distracted easily during March--I love the NCAA tournament. I did most of the workout tonight staring at the TV with my mouth open.

Just a few swings

2009-03-12T19:52:00.002-06:00

Didn't sleep well last night. This evening I just did some two hand 24kg swings at an easy pace, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off for a total of 108.

First full deck of cards torn, some phone books

2009-03-10T14:10:00.001-06:00

Today at lunch I tore a full deck of cards in half. They were cheap cards and it took about 20 seconds. Ugly as hell, but I did it. Time to start working on the much harder bicycle decks.

Tore five 2 inch phone books. They won't stop showing up at work, so rather than stick them in the recycling bin, I tear them and then put them in the recycling bin.

New article

2009-03-09T20:50:00.001-06:00

New article is up over on straight to the bar. Check it out here:

http://www.straighttothebar.com/2009/03/jungles_12_steppers_and_ufos_j.html

thanks for reading!

C&P ladders and beast swings

2009-03-09T18:37:00.000-06:00

24kg C&P ladders (left hand): 5x(1,2,3)
16kg C&P ladders (right, rehab shoulder): 3x(1,2,3)
No pain in weak shoulder.

Two hand swings with The Beast in 5 minutes: 63

stretching and contrast bath

Great night.

COC#1

2009-03-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

Got 12 gripper closes per hand tonight.

Card practice at lunch

2009-03-06T12:36:00.002-07:00

I tried a new method of card tearing today and had better luck. Here's how it went:

1x20 (cards) heels of palms facing each other
1x25
1x20 overhand
1x30 heels of palms facing each other
1x35 heels of palms facing each other (PR)

UFOs!

2009-03-06T10:35:00.002-07:00

I was looking in the classified ads yesterday and noticed a blurb for a support group. If you've been waking up bowlegged and aren't sure why, there is help for you.

The post-alien-abduction readjustment support group will get you back on your feet. This is for people who have been, or suspect they have been, kidnapped by aliens and then returned to planet Earth, but with something missing...something different.

You are not alone and you now have a bunch of weird shoulders to cry on. Help is on the way!

Presses and swings and very tired...

2009-03-05T19:48:00.002-07:00

My right shoulder felt great all day. Never started aching, never needed to be stretched, although I stretched it anyways. I tested two presses tonight with a 16kg and didn't have any pain, but laid off quick. I'm still not going to do even a light press workout with that arm until the 15th.

here was tonight, made a little more difficult by a one year old who's increasingly interested in kbs.

24kg C&P ladders Left arm: 5x(1,2,3,4)
24kg left-hand swings: 1x30,1x15, 1x11, 1x10 for a total of 81.
Took 15 seconds rest in between sets.

i can't believe how much harder these are than two-hand swings. Was going to do some gripper work tonight, but after fumbling and failing to open the peanut butter jar with my left hand, I am done. It was a good night.

Icy shower, bands

2009-03-05T07:59:00.004-07:00

I have to say I'm coming around on the contrast baths. It snowed last night so it took some psyching up to get into a freezing shower at 6 AM, but I'm glad I did. I start and end with cold, alternating in 30 second bursts.

The first time is the worst. Going from hot back to cold is not bad if you can remember to breath. But that first time---ugh.

I do have to say I feel way more alert and energized. Maybe it's all psychological. It if helps, I don't care.

My shoulder is doing much better. I got up and did a PT routine with a band, moving up to a heavier resistance than before. I've still got a week left of no other activity with the right shoulder, though.

Tonight will be more kettlebells.

Grip work , Contrast bath experiment

2009-03-03T19:15:00.003-07:00

Tonight I just did a bunch of curls with the pinch lever block and 10 lbs. Then some sledge levering from every angle with an 8lb hammer.

Earlier, someone suggested that contrast baths might help my shoulder. The idea is basically you jump from a cold shower into a hot tub if you've got one, alternating between cold and hot for a few minutes. It's supposed to reduce inflammation. There are plenty of theories out there about why it works, and why it's a stupid idea. I think it's worth a try, as I'll do anything to speed up the healing.

I did this in the shower every 30 seconds, going from freezing to as hot as I could take. It wasn't fun, but wasn't as bad as I'd feared. It woke me up, that's for sure.

And I had my right arm in a sling for most of the day--lots of ice, rest, and trigger point work.

rehab, joint mobility, evening workout

2009-03-02T19:44:00.002-07:00

Joint mobility and bandwork for right shoulder in the morning.

Stretching shoulder at lunch.

Tonight: 24kg C&P ladders with left hand: 5x(1,2,3,4)
24kg left-hand swings: 54 in 3 minutes

felt great. should sleep well. Haven't touched the bad arm in three days now.

Joint mobility, stupid movie

2009-03-01T18:04:00.006-07:00

Today I just did a ton of joint mobility and some light band work for the weak shoulder. Feels pretty good today. Had it in the sling all day otherwise.

I was going to get to bed early last night. Instead I watched You Got Served. If you're wondering what it's like, it's like this.

KB circuit, more rehab

2009-02-28T19:53:00.002-07:00

I'm going to put my right arm in a sling for the next two weeks and let it be. If anyone reads that I've done anything with my right arm, other than some grip stuff, call me on it. It's just not getting better because I'm not leaving it completely alone.

Here's tonight--

Joint mobility:

One circuit, all exercises with left arm only:

24kg C&P: 6
half get up: 24kgx2, 16kgx4
24kg C&P: 5
24kg C& Front Squat: 5
24kg One-hand swing: 15
16kg C&P: 5
24kg snatch: 14
16kg C&P: 5

Evening practice, RKC prep

2009-02-27T17:44:00.003-07:00

Tried the farmer's walk with 106 lbs in each hand, wearing oven mitts. 2 53s in my right and the 106 beast in my right. Only made it 190 feet. I'm going to try this again on Tuesday.

Then did 5 push presses, left hand only, with the 88lb kb.

The April RKC is right around the corner. I'm going to start performing circuits on the weekends according to Brett Jones' template. Here's what tonight looked like:

All swings are with a 24kg:
swings: 11
24kg C&P: 5/arm
swings: 10
C& Front Squat with double 16kgs: 5
swings: 10
16kg TGU: 3 left, 2 right
swings: 10
snatch with 16kg: 18

felt great. My shoulder didn't bug me. Probably because I warmed up so well.

Deadlifts, Marty's blog

2009-02-27T10:59:00.003-07:00

Feeling a little sick, so I had a light workout. Just got a sweat going.

Sumo deads: 135x7, 185x4, 235x5x5

two hand thumbless plate curls: 45x7, 45x5, 35x10, 35x6. these are my new favorite. They make tearing phonebooks a lot easier.

Shoulder feels okay. It hurts the worst in the morning. Can't figure out the best way to sleep yet.

If you're looking for a cool story, check out Marty's blog at Fighting with Myself. I've got a link to it over in the sidebar. He's a man on a mission who's already had some great success. Inspiring stuff. Look him up!

First Article on Straight to the Bar

2009-02-25T18:49:00.003-07:00

Hey everyone. I submitted my first article to Straight to the Bar. Read it here:

http://www.straighttothebar.com/2009...victories.html

Pressing, Variety Day

2009-02-25T13:50:00.001-07:00

joint mobility
arm bars

Left arm only: 32kg C&P 10x2 with one minutes rest
Left arm only: 24k BUPs: 3x2

my right shoulder is feeling better now that I've been able to leave it alone.

Finished Drood

2009-02-24T10:10:00.004-07:00

After reading The Kite Runner and a Thousand Splendid Suns in one week, I was dying to read something light. Enter Drood, by Dan Simmons, which turned out to be the least light-hearted book of all time. It was a so-so 800 page book that would have been a great 300 page book.

Simmons' other big fat horror book The Terror is still one of the greatest things I've ever read.

If the Taliban show up at your door, shoo them away--you shouldn't have to read The Kite Runner to know this.

shoulder rehab

2009-02-24T10:10:00.001-07:00

Arm bars, joint mobility

24kg ladders, MPs
4x(1,2,3) Left side only
24kg one-hand swings, left arm:
76 in 5 minutes

stretches and foam roller

Shoulder rehab and Rows

2009-02-23T16:05:00.001-07:00

A bunch of arm bars and half get-ups

2 circuits of 12-15 reps:
db protractions, retractions, and posterior capsule stretches

DB rows, left arm only:
105x4x2, resetting after each rep, went slow

25lb plate curl:
Right: 10, 4
Left: 4,5

pinch 3 10s for time: Right = 30 seconds, left = 28

Wrist curls with bar: 1x25

Deadlifts and wrists

2009-02-21T09:32:00.001-07:00

Sumo DL: 135x6, 185x5, 225x5x5

35lb plate pinch row 4/arm (the plates at the gym are horrible for this, I'll need to buy some smooth ones)

35 lb two-hand thumb less plate curls
1x4, 1x7, 1x6

isometric plate pinches with 2 10s: 3x8-10 seconds/arm, really digging fingertips into plates.

TGUs and swings

2009-02-20T10:11:00.001-07:00

TGU 24kg 3/arm

2-hand swings in 12 minutes= 165 Felt good.

2-17-2009 Evening ETK light day

2009-02-17T22:09:00.001-07:00

C&P ladders: 24kg left hand, 16kg right (shoulder felt a little iffy)
4x(1,2,3) (no pulls because of GTG pull-ups this afternoon)

24kg snatches: 4x10/arm in 7 minutes = 80

Wrists/grip

2009-02-17T11:12:00.003-07:00

back is tender from deadlifts yesterday, so no snatches or C&Ps today.

pinch block: 5 lbs at full extension
right: 20,15
Left: 15,11

8lb sledge levers
front to nose: 5/arm. Couldn't do crap after the pinch block
2 minutes farmers walk with 24kg kbs

Early variety day, PRs on rows and Bent press

2009-02-16T09:23:00.001-07:00

I'm still trying to give my shoulder a break from MPs, so I'm taking a variety day early this week.

DC warmup
Deadlifts: 135x6, 185x3, 225x3, 275x1, 315x3x2

DB rows: 100x4/arm, 100x5/arm (PR)

Bent press: 16kgx3/arm, 24kgx3/arm, 32kgx 2/right, 1/left. (PR)

Shoulder stuff

2009-02-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

Lots of arm bars and bands. Feels better today. Will probably only do snatches with left arm tomorrow.

ETK heavy day

2009-02-14T19:29:00.002-07:00

15 minute warmup (arm bars, bands, halos, itbs stretches)

24kg C&P ladders 3x(1,2,3)
24kg swings in 4 minutes = 115 (all one-hand, switching whenever necessary)

2 15-card tears overhand--this is a first for overhand tearing (the correct way, with a clean tear) A small step, but encouraging

mobility and rehab

2009-02-13T16:42:00.001-07:00

Joint mobility
foam roller
5 minutes arm bars
3 half get ups/side
band work
ITBS stretches

ETK Variety Day

2009-02-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

DC warm up and ITBS stretches
DL (conventional): 135x6, 185x3, 225x2, 275x1
Work sets: 305x3
245x3x3 (speed)

DB rows: 95x5 (PR), 95x4

32kg C&P:
Left: 1x4, 1x3
Right: 1x1--shoulder still not ready for this weight

ETK medium day

2009-02-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

12 minute warm up, arm bars, halos, band work for shoulders

24 kg C&P ladders with pull-ups
Still no shoulder pain. Very happy about this.

24kg Swings in 6 minutes--did 25 then rested for 10 seconds. Right hand, left hand, then two-handed for 6 sets. Total of 125 swings.

Immediately iced knee and elevated it. Felt great during the workout. We'll see how it is in about 3 hours.

Variety day: grip and BUPs

2009-02-10T19:35:00.002-07:00

COC #1
right: 6, 6,6
left:6, 4,2

pinch block:
10 lbs at full extension: Right: 5,5 Left:5,3
10 lbs at mid extension: Right: 7, 11 Left: 6, 10

BUP 16 kg
Right: 8, 10
Left: 6, 8

Really focused on keeping shoulder down

ETK Week 5 light day

2009-02-09T13:18:00.002-07:00

I've finally decided to do ETK the right way. I've finished the PM and started ROP today. This will be the core of my prep for April's RKC.

C&P ladders with pull-ups, 24kg
3x(1,2,3)

Snatches
3x10/arm = 60

No shoulder pain in the presses. Very encouraging

Good heavy day

2009-02-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

BW pull-ups: 10, 5,4
DB Rows: 110x3 sets x1
Plate curls: 25x4/arm
KB C&P Ladders, 16kg right, 24kg left:
5x(1,2,3)

24kg two-hand swings in 3 minutes (dice)
91

ITBS rehab day 9

2009-02-07T08:22:00.002-07:00

stretching throughout day
Session 1: 8 AM
Session 2 3 PM

SLC phone book

2009-02-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

Tore one easily at work. Easiest yet. Tried one more and it wasn't even close.

ITBS day 8

2009-02-06T07:52:00.003-07:00

Hurt this morning but loosened up fine with stretching. Not sure if I'll keep deadlifting.

Stretches throughout day:
Session 1: 7:30 AM
Session 2: 12:00
Session 3: 7:30

ITBS rehab day 7

2009-02-05T07:02:00.002-07:00

2 stretching sessions:

1: 6:30 AM
2: 6 PM

Deadlifts

2009-02-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

warmup 135x4, 185x3, 225x2, 275x1,
Work set: 300x3

Speed DL 225x3x3
No knee pain, stretched before and after.

February 4, 2009

2009-02-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

KB C&P ladders w/pull-ups
Left arm: 24kg, Right: 16kg

4x(1,2,3)

24kg one-arm swings
right:19
Left: 20

My conditioning is weak!

ITBS Rehab day 6

2009-02-04T10:05:00.005-07:00

Felt very tight this morning, but loosened up well once I got through the stretches.

Session 1: 9 AM
foam roller at 1:15 for 5 minutes
Session 2: 2:30
Egoscue E-cises
Session 3: 7:30

ITBS rehab day 5

2009-02-03T07:35:00.006-07:00

It's loosening up quicker in the morning.

Session 1: 7 Am
Session 2: 2 PM
Session3: 7:30

February 3, 2009

2009-02-03T07:35:00.001-07:00

DC shoulder warmup
weighed pull-ups: 25x1, 35 x 3,2,1,1
DB Rows: 95x3/arm
32kg C&P singles, left side only: 10
Right shoulder is feeling better, but not ready for 32kg yet

pinch block curls, strict and slow:
15 lbs mid-extension: right: 2x7, left 6x1, 5x1
10 lbs mid-extension: right: 1x11, Left: 1x11

ITBS Rehab day 4

2009-02-02T07:31:00.003-07:00

Felt a lot better this morning.

Stretching sessions throughout day:
1. 5:30 AM
2. 2 PM
3. 7 PM

And lots of miscellaneous mobility patterns and ITBS stretches during downtime at work.

February 2, 2009- pull-ups, ladders, snatches

2009-02-02T07:30:00.002-07:00

DC shoulder warmup
Weighted pull-ups:
bw+35: 3,2,1,1, 3 minutes of rest between
Adductor: 175x1x9, 190x1x9, 205x1x7
Abductor: 175x1x7, 175x1x3, 160x1x9

Arm bars: 4 minutes
C&P ladders, 16kg right, 24kg left:3x(1,2,3)
No pain in right shoulder

24kg snatches on minute: 5/5 for 10 rounds = 100
getting easier. Conditioning starting to come back.

ITBS Rehab Day 3

2009-02-01T11:46:00.004-07:00

it's tight when I wake up, loosens up after stretching, then quickly gets uncomfortable again.

3 stretching sessions throughout day
1: 8 AM
2: 12:30 PM
3: 6 PM

January 31 Evening BUPs

2009-01-31T19:34:00.001-07:00

24kg BUP singles = 5/arm
Missed the 32kg with both arms.
32kg BU Cleans: 3/arm

Weighted pull ups and Plate Curls, ITBS Day 2-

2009-01-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

3 Sessions of ITBS stretches throughout day
1. 5:30 AM-

DC warmup
weighted pull ups:
25lbsx4x3
Barbell MP: 115x1x2

Plate curls: 25x1x3/arm, 25x1x3 left/ 4 right. these are getting much easier to do strictly

5 min arm bars
24kg KB C&P ladder
1x(1,2,3) right shoulder hurt. Stopped.

KB snatches, Red Pinch Block

2009-01-30T13:15:00.004-07:00

24kg snatches, 5/5 on the minute = 7 rounds

24kg bent press 5/arm
24kg hold overhead while walking
1 min/arm, 30 sec/arm

pinch block holds for time with 15lbs
right = 63 seconds
left = 57 seconds

Some 8lb sledge levers, side and front

My Strongergrip Pinch block came in the mail yesterday. Fantastic. I'm able to do a fair bit of work with a 10lb plate all the way out to the end, but it'll be a while before I'm able to do 15. I could not be happier with this. The only problem is going to be knowing what to buy from Ryan Pitts next.

Visit to the doctor-discouraging, but could have been worse

2009-01-30T13:12:00.003-07:00

I finally saw a doctor today for my slowly worsening knee pain. She said I've got ITBS, which makes sense. The annoying is that I may have caused the injury in a way I never would have suspected. I've been trying for a couple of months to slowly correct an everted foot. So when I walk, I've been placing it in line, toe straight forward, or nearly so. I made sure the heel struck first, then the middle, then the toe.

Apparently trying to walk more normally--according to my doctor--has screwed things up worse than if I'd ignored the eversion in the first place. Blah.

Good news is, after 2-4 weeks of exercises and stretches, if it actually is ITBS, it should be on its way out.

deadlifts, rows and ladders

2009-01-29T07:51:00.001-07:00

Sumo DL
135x6, 185x3, 225x2, 275x5, 250x5
No pain in knee.

DB rows: 85x5, 90x3

Adductor: 175x8, 190x8, 205x6
Abductor: 160x7, 170x6

KB ladders
24kg 4x(1,2,3) Slight twinge in bad shoulder on final set. Slowed down and it stopped.

January 27, 2009

2009-01-27T09:32:00.001-07:00

10 Minutes of TGUs with 25lb DB. Still out of town making due with what I've got.

Phonebooks

2009-01-24T19:34:00.004-07:00

tore two 800 page phonebooks Grip N Rip without using the "popping" method at all. Tried to get one more but couldn't even get it started. Once the pinch starts giving out, there's no faking it.

January 24, 2009

2009-01-24T14:53:00.003-07:00

Handstand practice: 5x30 seconds, held against wall

20 shallow bw squats-some pain in right knee

First Bottoms up Press with 32kg

2009-01-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

I just got back from work and decided to try a BUP with the 32kg. In the past couple weeks, I've been able to get about halfway up before it dies.

Today it went up with my right arm. Wobbly and slow, but I locked it out. Left side is nowhere close--yet.

I'll try to get a video of it in the next couple of days.

January 22,2009

2009-01-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

DC warmup
Light sumo DL-1x13@135
Zercher Squats: 1x3@a35,1x4@135

Weighted pull ups
2x3@35lbs
Abductor Machine:
1x6@205, 1x9@175, 1x9@160. I'm finding that lighter is better, I get more range and feel muscles that I obviously never touch with other exercises.

24kg kb ladders (MP)
3x(1,2,3)

Elbows are kind of sore. I'm going out of town for 5 days tonight. I'm just going to rest while I'm away.

January 20, 2009 Suitcase DL and pinch grip

2009-01-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Suitcase DL:
135x3/arm
155x3/arm
165x3/arm
Left side is harder to keep level. Will increase weight very slowly.

plate curls: 2 10lb platesx1x5/arm
25x1x5/arm

25lb hex db pinch lifts up to table and down:
1x6/armx1, 4x5/arm
With just index and middle finger: 1x2/arm

8 lb sledge levers from front
2x5/arm these are getting much easier.

January 19, 2009 ETK, Pullup PR

2009-01-19T10:34:00.001-07:00

Weighted pull ups:
2x25lbs, 1x45lbs, 1x65lbs (PR), 1x55lbs

Abductor: 205x8x3
KB ladders with pull ups:
24kg 3x(1,2,3)

24kg snatches light:
Left: 13,3
Right: 15,3

January 17, 2009 15:15 snatches

2009-01-17T19:01:00.002-07:00

5 minutes arm bars
bent press
24kg x 3/arm

16kg KB snatches
6 reps in 15 seconds, then 15 seconds rest = 1 set
got 30 sets before my form started breaking down

Lots of 8 lb sledge levers
E-cises

January 16, 2009

2009-01-16T15:34:00.001-07:00

5 min arm bars
16kg bup 4/arm
24kg bup 2x1/arm

Long rep hold, clean, press and hold overhead-
held 2 24kgs for 30 seconds, held them in the rack for 30 seconds, held them overhead for 30 seconds, back to the rack for 30 seconds, then hold at arms' length for 30 seconds.

24kg swings--188 in 10 minutes

January 15, 2009 Knee Recovery

2009-01-15T07:13:00.002-07:00

5 minutes arm bars
5 minutes joint mobility

Weighted pullups supersetted with 5 pushups: 25lbsx5x3reps

DB rows: 2x3@80

Abductor: 3x8@190
24kg Snatches on the minute: 5/arm x 6 minutes. Now I remember why I got into KBs. These snatches kicked my butt. My conditioning is suddenly pathetic.

My right knee is bugging me if I go deep on lunges, DLs, or squats. I'm not going to do any of them until at least February. In the meantime, I'll focus on R.I.C.E.R and KB and pullup conditioning.

January 14 2009

2009-01-14T08:53:00.001-07:00

5 min Wall squats, halos, pumps
5 min arm bars

24kg kb ladders
2x(1,2,3)
1x(1,2) bad shoulder started hurting.

24kg swings with oven mitt
Right: 20,10
Left: 20,10

Therabands MPs, 3x10 holding for 3 seconds where it hurts during KB presses.

COC#1
Right:4,2
Left: 4,2

January 13, 2009 PTP Day 8 Cycle 2

2009-01-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Sumo DL: 275x5, 245x5

Didn't sleep well. Felt a little off. That's it for today.

PTTP Day 8 Cycle 2

2009-01-12T07:14:00.001-07:00

Sumo DL: 270x5, 240x5
GTG Calves throughout day sets of 10
24kg KB ladders 3x (1,2,3) No pain in right shoulder until the very end. Very encouraging.

COC#1 4/hand

Mobility and Arm Bars

2009-01-10T16:56:00.002-07:00

The April RKC is coming up through, so I'm going to start getting my conditioning back with snatches, cleans, etc. I've lost some shoulder flexibility and strength, so I've started doing RKC arm bars a few times/week. Check it out if the small parts in your shoulders, biceps, backs, or all of the above could use some strength and increased flexibility

Today: 5 minutes Arm bars
Egoscue mobility
Superjoints

PTTP Day 7, Cycle 2

2009-01-09T07:33:00.001-07:00

Sumo DL:
265x5
235x5

Felt weak when I woke up. Putting five more pounds on today would have killed me and ended the cycle. So I took 15 lbs off and felt really strong. After a weekend off, I'll be ready to go again on Monday.

Hip Adductor:
1x150x10, 1x170x10
Hip Abductor: 1x130x10, 1x170x10
I'm feeling the sumo DLs in my hips. These are helping me feel more stability at the lockout.

16kg BUP 5/arm
COC#1: 1x4/arm, 1x3/arm holding last rep for 5 seconds, 1x2/arm, holding last rep for 5-8 seconds.

PTTP, Sledge Work

2009-01-08T06:44:00.003-07:00

Restless night, didn't feel strong enough today, but turned in a pretty good workout once I got going.

Sumo DL
280x5
250x5

16kg bent press
Right/5, Left/5
I like the bent press a lot, but it sure feels weird. I've finally found the groove and hope to increase the weight soon.

24kg MP pain test (shoulder rehab)
3/right, 3 left. No pain if I go really slow on the right to find the groove and keep the bell supported from bottom to top of the movement.

8 lb Sledge grip work:
Pinches for time:
(seconds)
Left index: 50
middle: 32
ring: 13
Pinkie: 10

Right index: 60
Middle: 28
Ring: 20
Pinkie: 12

Side levers to nose:
5/arm

PTTP is the best

2009-01-07T08:28:00.004-07:00

Power to the People might be the best strength program ever created. I've deadlifted 5 of the last 7 days and I feel great. Not even close to overtraining. Switching to sumo style has made a big difference. It's almost all legs now. My back has no idea that I've been deadlifting so often.

My previous cycle ended at 280. That's where I'm at tomorrow and the door is wide open.

Check the book out if you're trying to get strong.

Hands are fried today from my first outing with the COC yesterday.

COC #1

2009-01-06T16:00:00.005-07:00

the Captains of Crush Gripper #1 showed up today. I was pretty surprised, but I was able to take it out of the package and close it 6 times with my right hand and 4 with my left. I'm sure it's from all the kettlebelling in the last few months.

Goal is to close the #2 by the end of the year. now I think it may be closer than I thought.

Enter the Bookworm

2009-01-03T19:57:00.011-07:00

My dream of becoming the World's Strongest Man ended the day I saw a big Polish guy on TV running down the street with a car strapped on his shoulders and his head sticking out of the sun roof. At the time, I would have struggled just to loosen the lug nuts on that car. I was 6'7" and weighed about 170. So I dove into a traditional (and traditionally ridiculous) and overwrought bodybuilding program for a few years, fizzled out and quit when not much happened. I didn't know what I was doing. Same old story.

Same old long story short, later I ran into Pavel, Dragondoor, and kettlebells. Now I'm a whole lot stronger with no end in sight, even though my legs still look like pencils. Strong pencils. And now it's time to become the World's Strongest Librarian...there can only be one:)

My profession is about doing research, being able to sift through mountains of irrelevant information to get to the good stuff. I can out-research just about anyone I know and I'll say that Pavel and Hard Style are for real--if you want to be strong, it's all there and it's all relevant.

I'll be doing constant updates with goals, videos, and pictures. I'd love to hear from anyone with ideas and a love for anything to do with strength. 2009 is going to be great!