Assisted, single-arm-bent-arm hang (ASABAH)

The Assisted (with two fingers), Single-Arm, Bent Arm Hang-try saying that ten times- is the latest evolution of my OACU training. I've got one of my Rock Rings mounted on the bar for the two finger assist. Pull-up with one arm (with assistance) then hold for 10 seconds. No negatives at this point, so put your feet down and stand between reps.

12-2-11
-20 tuck lever rows (close grip today)
-11 inverted pike push-ups
-6x10 sec tuck planche
-bent arm, dip hold (2x30 secs)
-2x6x(1+10 sec hold) ASABAH

rethinking the OACU

I've often advised those seeking to increase their pull-up performance to use bent arm hangs and negatives. The strategy worked for me in getting from 10 bodyweight pull-ups to 20. Ironically, in my attempt at the OACU, I've completely forgotten this advice. Instead, I've pursued a path of increasing resistance with weighted and assisted one armed work and it seems to be taking forever. Back to square one.

What I'm going to do is work towards a one armed bent arm hang, then the one armed negative and see how it goes from there. A one armed bent arm hang is just outside my grasp, so I supplemented my purchase on the bar with two fingers of the free hand. This is what I did today.

11-30-11
-20 advanced tuck lever rows
-2x5x6 single-arm db C&P (back is still wonky)
-2x6x10 second, assisted one arm bent arm hang (2 finger assist)

Litvi sprints

A friend of mine just reminded me that the squat and sprint T-Nation article looks very much like Litvi Sprints, described by Dan John (click title). Thanks for the heads-up Fred. Call it what you want, but I like 'em. I can't wait to give them a thorough going over. Just not now.

The doctor confirmed a partial tear of the MCL in my right knee. I'm stuck with a hinged brace for six weeks. At least I can walk around and do KB swings.

8-19-11
-200 kb swings
-2x10, heavy push press, 2x10 light OHP

8-18-11
-200 kb swings
-20 bw pull-ups w/off-set negs
-3x10 bw dips, 2x10 weighted dips (30 lbs)

The off-set negatives spice up bodyweight pull-ups like a hit of cayenne pepper. I can imagine progressing from off-set negs to off-set concentric to OACU.

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PUP:
170 bw
43 weighted (24 kgs)
10 weighted (40.8 kgs)

Shut-up and pull

In the back of my mind is the goal of the one-armed chin(pull) up, in the front is pulling for Judo, Sambo, rowing, you name it. On Friday I did six singles of weighted pull-ups (90 lbs.) and two additional weighted negatives.

7-30-11
-100 kb swings
-2x10 db c&p (2x50 lbs)
-10 kneeling to standing rollouts

7-31-11
-wrist levers with shinai and iato

8-1-11
-100 kb swings
-3x3 1.5 weighted pull-ups, 24kgs, (click on the title for the link)
-Tabata row

The wrist is getting ever so broken down. The db C&P's hurt like hell. KB swings and pulling, hardly any pain at all. The T-Nation article referenced above is very interesting. I tried the 1.5 pull-ups, and liked them. The 1.5 consists of a pull-up, descend half-way, pull-up again and descend fully for one rep.

A journey of 10,000 burpees

A journey of 10,000 burpees starts with one jump. A challenge was issued by my friend Chris,10,000 push-ups was his goal. Sounds good, I thought. Might as well join in and go for the trifecta, tendonitis in the knees, elbows and shoulders, by adding a squat thrust and jump (burpee=squat thrust, push-up, jump). Sounds crazy, no?

Actually,the burpee is a super-efficient conditioning exercise. Four summers ago, I was on a diet of 50 burpees a day (VB50). In one month I whittled my 100 burpee time, around the 8 minute mark, down to 6 and a half minutes. It works out to about 3 minutes of conditioning per day. Even if you have a busy schedule, it's not hard to find a slot for three minutes.

These days, I'm a little older and a little thicker in the middle, and my VB50 time is around 3 and a half minutes. I've taken up the challenge, but dang, looking forward to 50 burpees a day makes you want to stay in bed. One week into the challenge and I've only done 320. Time to get grinding.

While I'm on the subject of training challenges, I'm working on several others concurrently:

-One Armed chin-up (OACU), This one was inspired by my daughter, who asked me innocently last night,"You can do one of those, right daddy?" Curse you, YouTube! "Not yet," I responded. I can do regular sets of 5 with a 24 kg KB. A bit of a way to go and I'm stuck at 5 reps with 24 kg on the belt. Argh!

-Sub 7 minute 2K on the Concept II. About the same time I was on the daily VB50 plan, I rowed 2k in about 6 and a half minutes. These days, it's a wheezy 7'45." I'd like to get that time down.

-Secret service snatch test (200 KB snatches in 10 minutes). This one is really daunting. Single arm swings and high-pulls are no problem with 24 kgs, but snatches?! We don't need no steenkin' snatches!

Stay tuned or train along with me. Today's workout will be VB50, a KB breathing pyramid, and assisted OACU negatives.