Squat cleans for reps

I love me some db squat cleans! I mean, what's not to like? You develop explosiveness, a strong core, your traps, grip and will. I want to do these everyday.

3-19-12
-DB squat cleans (100 lbs; 10,8,5,5,5)

While we are on the subject of squatting, I thought I'd mention a quick fix for low back pain. The other day I woke up feeling some tightness in my lower back. I had been doing some kb swings and squats days before and slept funny. Anyway, I got out of bed feeling old like Fred Sanford. I guess I am pretty old if I'm using a Redd Foxx reference. Foam rolling, my usual go-to for muscle aches was ineffectual. Same with the lacrosse balls, my silver bullet of late for muscle pain.

What finally worked was just squatting down, heels to the ground and sitting this way for several minutes. Upon standing, I noticed that the tightness was gone. I could speculate that by squatting I corrected the hyper-lordosis in my spine, but I'm not qualified. I just know that I'm feeling much better. Next I'm going to work on my slouching shoulders. Poor posture and decreased shoulder mobility can contribute to lower back pain, so I've heard.

Torn TFCC follow-up

You may recall my first post on my torn TFCC injury back in November of 2011. Well, it has been more than a few weeks and I am happy to report that there has been some improvement. Some improvement is better than none. When pressed, my orthopedist wouldn't guarantee 100% return of function so I don't regret the conservative approach I've taken.

When I say "some" improvement, I mean I can do simple tasks like washing my face without my wrist complaining. On the bathroom scale test, I can support the same amount of body-weight with the right hand as well as the left with a little discomfort. And today, I did 30 handstand pushups without having the wrist wrapped in yards of tape. Improvements to be sure. I have also lost a little range of motion. Then there's the fear that if my wrist undergoes another impact trauma my wrist will explode like a glass jar full of marbles hitting the floor. Karate, Sambo and Judo? Hmmn, I don't know. How many chances do I get to bounce back?

3-12-12
-advanced tuck, front lever body rows (20)
-Bent arm grip transitions (3x10)
-HSPU (3x10)+(3x10) sec bent arm holds)
-kb swings, 2x100x24 kgs

Kicking with the Bulgarian Bag

You may recall mention of the Bulgarian training bag in my tool kit. This baby comprises 40 lbs of pea gravel wrapped up in a truck tire inner tube. It's the Vienna sausage from hell. Spin the bag around for ten minutes and you'll see. Today's workout utilized the bag in a less strenuous manner.

3-9-12
-advance tuck front lever rows (20)
-Bent arm grip transitions (4x10)
-10 HSPU (10 sec bent arm hold), 5 HSPU (10 sec), 5 HSPU (10 sec)
-straight arm isometrics on the Akro Wheels (4x30 secs)
-low stance foot work, 10 mins w/ 40lbs Bulgarian bag
-10 mins jumping hiza w/ Bulgarian bag

The curve in the bag conforms nicely to the neck and shoulders; perfect for today's exercises. For the first 10 minutes of BB work, I hoisted the bag to my shoulders and got into a wrestler's crouch. From there I walked in triangular patterns, all the time keeping the knees bent. Music would have complemented this exercise well. Alas, I had none. The next 10 minutes with the bag was spent throwing jumping knee kicks.

I tried one arm negatives from the chin-up bar. The dominant arm is nearly there. The other still needs work.

Push & Pull

So I skipped lunch for the past week. I'm not on a diet, just a little pre-occupied. Usually, I get cranky when I miss a meal. I haven't heard any complaints. Anyway, today I had lunch with a buddy of mine who popped into town from the 'burbs. We met at Katz's Deli downtown, and had identical orders: Dr. Brown's Cream Soda; pastrami on rye; pickles; fries. I figure, if you're breaking a fast (not that skipping lunch for a week is so onerous), you could do worse than pastrami from Katz's. The pastrami was moist and lean, but not too lean. The fries, eh, you won't miss anything by leaving it off the order.

3-7-12
-advanced tuck , front lever rows (20)
-Bent Arm Grip Transitions (4x10)
-12 HSPU (10 sec bent arm hold), 5 HSPU (10 sec hold), 5 HSPU (10 sec hold)
-DB front squats 25

3-6-12
-DB front squats 4x25x100lbs
-straight arm holds on the Akro Wheels (4x30 secs)

Unrecorded workouts comprised HSPU's and ACU progressions. Been ignoring the conditioning; the skipped lunches are probably to blame.

Follow me

Thanks for following along in my training. If the reading hasn't put you to sleep, I invite to follow my other blog, a better karate. You'll be out on your feet. Click on the title or take one Ambien.

Bodyweight training

I've been wondering how to get past the sticking point in my OACU progressions. I'm stuck at assisted, one arm bent arm hangs; you know, where I pinch the door frame with my free hand for support while I do a one-arm, bent-arm hang off the doorway pull-up bar. It doesn't seem to be helping me get to the one-arm hold, and the one armed negative, which I believe are important milestones to the OACU.

Anyway, I caught a video on youtube of an athlete doing amazing bodyweight exercises (one armed handstands and lots of pull-up variations) and it gave me renewed hope, and perhaps a different tack to approach the OACU. Instead of doing my usual reps of pull-ups or advanced tuck lever rows followed by the assisted one-armed bent-arm hangs, I thought I'd pull-up, and do grip transitions in the bent arm position for time. Simple right? Damn! The guy in the video made it look easy. He moved smoothly from one bar, to another placed about a foot higher and set-back.

For me, with a single doorway pull-up bar, it'll be a little different. Pull-up with a pronated grip, switch to commando grip, switch to supinated grip, continue switching grips. On this first outing I was good for about 12 grip transitions. I did 4 sets of those and finished with 20 advanced tuck, front lever rows.

So there you have my new (for me) exercise. I don't know whether this movement has a name. I'm calling it bent arm grip transitions.

3-1-12
-4x12 bent-arm grip transitions
-20 advanced tuck, front lever rows
-3 HSPU+ 1 min bent-arm hand stand hold, 3 HSPU +42 sec bent-arm hand stand hold