CONDITIONING IS BETTER

Here's what I did:

Snatch - 24kg
5/5 at top of minute for 10 minutes
10 right at top,
10 left at top/ 6 minutes

Push ups
34x3

Swiss Ball Sit-Ups
25x3

Pull Up Ladder
1 - 6
1- 4
1-3
1-3
DONE

Followed with a cold water douse and some meatballs:) I was feeling better than I have been while doing the high rep snatches. I've been transitioning to a low-carb diet over the past few weeks...and I feel it. I think that if I were eating normally, my aerobic system would be a little bit better, and I could probably get in some better workouts. Not that the food would have a direct affect on my aerobic system, but I would be better "prepared" to exercise with some full carb stores. This is what happens though. I'll give it another week or two of consistent low-carb eating before I start to feel somewhat normal. This "pain" is worth it though, because I know that once I become fat adapted, my performance will skyrocket, my leanness will increase, and I won't feel like my life revolves around food. I know this because I lived the low-carb for about 10 months last year, and man was it awesome! I can't wait.

Good Strength Workout

HSPU
5x5

KB Front Squat
2x24kg/5x3

Shifty Pull Up
5x5

Deadlift off 3 inch Platform
225lbs/5x3

SLOW Hanging Leg Raise
2x3

Followed up with a big glass of milk and some cheese slices...after a good cold water douse:)
I've decided that the only strength movements that I will focus on using an external weight will be the Deadlift or Snatch Grip Deadlift and the KB Military press or C+P. The rest will be bodyweight movements and their variations. My reasoning is that I believe these two moves present a great carryover into the daily activities that one participates in. Also, they are two of my favorite exercises. I would love to incorporate the Overhead Squat, but I do not have access to Olympic platforms and bumper plates on a regular basis. Although, when I do get access I will surely do the Overhead Squat, as it is a FANTASTIC exercise. For now, the Deadlifts and the Presses serve my needs. I love to be strong with my body, and this is the only way that I can do so without getting too heavy. I like to maintain SOME climbing fitness when I lack climbing time, so...
Also, I will focus more on conditioning, adding an additional session to my week. I think this will help reduce my body fat and overall weight, as well as provide for the "heart of a racehorse" that I SOOOO desire.

VO2 Max Workout

I tried this for the first time:

Snatch
16kg, 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off for 40 sets

Minutes 1 - 10
7/7

Minutes 11 - 20
6/6

Push ups

32x3

SLOW Hanging Leg Raises

2x2

Thats it:)

More Conditioning

Snatch
24kg/5/5 at top of minute x 9
1 minute rest x 3
1 minute rest x 2

Pull ups
9x3

Push ups
32x3

Kind of disappointing...I think, actually, I know that I need to work more on my conditioning. My strength has always been easy to improve on, but my conditioning...I guess thats why I tend to really look forward to STRENGTH training, but not so much when it comes to high rep or aerobic stuff. I think that I will try to add another day, or at least another session of aerobic/high rep work during the week. When I do pay attention to training my endurance, it really skyrockets. Only when I TRY though. Strength is a different story. It seems that no matter what I do my strength in a skill will increase with minimal training. I have a goal of at least 200 snatches in the SSST. As it stands right now, all out balls to the wall, I am probably at around 120-125 range. I'll set a tentative goal of 200 by my 23rd birthday on February 28. That gives me about 4 months to train for it. Let's do it:)

SOLID Strength Workout

Double C+P
24kg/5x2
/4x3

Hack Squat
32kg/3x3

Shifty Pull ups
5x5

Snatch Grip Deadlift
195lbs/5x3
/4x2

Hanging Leg Raise
3x3

Despite not making the full sets of five in the Deadlift and the C+P, I still felt extremely solid during this entire workout. I've been trying a new style of eating. I do a semi-fast/under eat during the day and then have one large meal at night. I've been doing this for a few days now, and today was the first time I really felt good during my workout. I worked out at about 2:00 in the afternoon, and I had been awake since 6:00am. I followed the workout up with a cold water douse and a glass of milk and about 2 ounces of macedamia nuts (mmmmm:)).

Good Strength Workout

Parallel Bar Push ups- 5x5

alternated with:

"Shifty" Pull ups with feet parallel to ground- 5x5

Snatch Grip Deadlift- 195lbs/4x4

Front Squat- 2x24kg/5x5

TGU- 32kg/2x2

This felt like a really productive session. The P-Bar push ups were not as hard as I thought. I leaned as far forward as I could, so that my back was parallel to the ground. My knees were bent, but my back was flat. Overall I think that it was a pretty solid movement. The "Shifty" Pull ups are when you do a pull up, but to one side or the other. When you get your chin over the bar, you then hold the lockout while shifting your weight to the other side, and then lowering. I added the extended legs for a little bit of extra work all around. The snatch grip deadlift is easily becoming one of my favorite exercises. After only a few weeks of regularly performing this, I can already see the improvement in my strength and overall body mass. While gaining size is not one of my goals, a few extra pounds won't hurt my climbing too much. Plus, there is nothing like the look of a solid deadlifter...traps coming from your ears, forearms like a t-rex, spinal erectors that look like two pythons shooting up either side of your spine...:)

I followed all of this with a contrast shower, rather than a douse, simply because I was in a rush, and the douse typically adds about 5-7 minutes to my routine. Although not as beneficial from my point of view, the shower still felt good and aided with the recovery. I slammed a protein shake afterward- 2 scoops vanilla whey, 1 tbsp PB, 3 tsp of heavy cream, 1 cup of milk, blend and enjoy the goodness:)

Going for More Conditioning...

Snatch
24kg/5/5 at top of minute
8 minutes
1 min rest
5 minutes
1 min rest
4 minutes

Push up
30x3

Pull up
8x3

I'm always amazed at the impact that fatigue has on my numbers. Normally I can crank out a good 16 dead hang pull ups. At the end of this workout though, 3 sets of 8 was all I was able to do. The last set was rough...I ended up resting in order to get the last two reps. When I rest during a pull up set, I mimic what I would do while climbing and hang from one arm while I shake the other out, and then I switch.
I followed all of this up with a cold water douse and two cheeseburgers, no bun.
Good Stuff:)

Back to the Blog...

It's been awhile for this blog thing... but, such is life:)
Here's my training for 10/15:

Strength Day

Pistols: BW/4/4x4

Hand Stand Pushup: BW/5/5x5

Renegade Row: 24kg/4/4x4

Snatch-Grip DL off a 3-inch platform: 195lb/5x5

Hanging Leg Raise: BW/3x2

Followed all this with an outdoor cold water douse and some meatloaf:)
The dousing is getting more and more mental, as it is getting colder each day. I started when it was about 90 degrees outside and today when I doused it was 42 degrees. Once I am actually dousing it is not bad at all, its the anticipation. When I stand there watching the 5-gallon bucket fill with cold water, I check the thermometer...:) Once all is said and done, I am reminded why I douse in the first place. There is almost nothing that compares to the rejuvenation and clarity you feel after an effective session.