strap carry: the best worst idea

Today post press focused armor building formula day i ended with waiter walks. 

First set I used a kettlebell. The pressure against my wrist was the limiting factor.

Second set i used a dumbbell. The dumbbell rotated too much and I bailed to prevent getting beefcaked.

Third set, I fucked up real good. I attached a trx knockoff strap to a kettlebell and took it for a walk. What. Have. I. Done???

This addresses the pressure and safety issues of sets 1 and 2, but adds crazy instability the entire set. My shoulder was STRUGGLING to keep the weight still. This was amazing and im glad I found it. Also I hate it. 

light > rest, and about walking away

This weekend something amazing happened. I went to a blade rave and danced full intensity for 5 hrs. DONT WALK AWAY THAT ISNT THE COOL PART. The cool part is barring some tightness in my right (injured) leg, I walked away Scott free. When I've had to temper myself or expect injuries for the price of having fun for the last....decade...this is some mother fucking progress my dude.

The first 2 days back, I still trained. This brings us to the main topic of today- light days beat rest days and walking away is a learned skill I wish I had forever ago.

Day1 

Working off of no sleep and no food. Right leg still feeling tight.

My usual mobility day of sled and rope did not feel great. Instead of resting, I did 4 quick rounds of rope flow up and down my lawn. Probably not more than 10min total. Got some decent core contractions. Then, foam rolling tight lights. Walk away. Ill tell ya, light being a gradient isn't something I would have entertained even last year and now it is a core fucking value. 

Day2

Armor building formula ABC kettlebell work and backoff upper  bodybuilding. Right knee feeling better but still tight. Because my issues seem to be more rooted in volume than weight, I actually went up to the next poundage (20kg). It still feels very easy, but i quit after 2 sets at that weight.

And then

Walk

Away

I lost nothing and gained so much. My body is ready for the next weight up. Im not injured and dont have to take more time off. 

Extra: The mother fucking magic

Up until my week off on the cruise this month, I had been doing my ABC kettlebell work for a month. During the time on the cruise, all I did was 10min of rope flow + pushup EMOMs followed back light leg and hips mobility. When I came back, my kettlebell work was stronger not weaker. I credit the consistent motion over rest, and the fact that im not brow beating myself into fatigue like times past. I see value in the times where im not struggling to make progress. 

abf balanced approach

This mornings workout was an upper 20% day. Felt strong and locked the fuck in. Lessons from today will ECHO through the remainder of this training cycle and the END OF TIME. I AM THE MIGHTY THOR FJFJENDNFNRJRJFNSNS.

how we do, AM workouts 

1)ABC, 1xcarry, 3-5x rounds of calisthenics and rdls, 1xarms

2)Mobility and rope

3)Press, same as ABC

4)Mobility and rope

ABC

- work up to top weight. Get.1-5 rounds adding 1 round per workout.

- back off to medium weight. 2 sets at double ABC reps (4/2/6).

- back off to light weight. 1 set at triple reps (6/3/9).

Press

- aim for rep goals at top weight. No specific reps per set but stop 1-2 before failure. Increase reps goal every workout by 5-10.

- back off to medium weight and perform 2 sets.

- back off to light weight and person 1 set.

- every set ends with goblet squats.

Carry can be whatever implement. Just take it for a walk.

Calisthenics 

- Press (archer pu, pseudo pu, ring pu, ring dip, rto pushup)

- Pull (all ring rows)

- rdl (landmine, kb, whatever)

Mobility

- focus on hips and Hamstrings.

- include light pump work for all body parts.

- coassack training.

PM

- rope flow

you dont need to game the system

Despite what im about to write, I've truly enjoyed running keto in the past. But when i ran it I kept looking to it as the thing that would get me lean and mean. And...maybe it could have too. But the takeaway here is i didnt have to. My largest fault has always been doing way too much shit. High volume and conditioning is 100% something possible...IF you work up to it. If instead you decide you are going to do 300 pushups a day while learning to juggle knives you are likely proper fucked.

Here's the deal. Unless you are training for a purpose, you don't need a training or eating strategy. 

Summarizing the keys

- eat whole foods.

- consistent effort trumps intermittent intensity.

- add volume and weight SLOWLY. 

The most common infraction im guilty of is adding. More. Shit. In. And it isn't like there is no place for MORE. But does more fit into your program? 

Low frequency and high intensity seems to work well with more. If you are training 2x/week then going to failure is probably a great idea. Conversely if you are training 3-5x a week? Maybe and maybe not. Adding more at some point is just more.

abf: minor tweaks

Abc

- one kettlebell 

- when lower back or Hamstrings tap out, switch to 3x15 calisthenics movements

- ring arm work

Press

- one kettlebell

- every round ended by 3-5 goblet squats (can use heavier bell)

Keg carry days  or sets intermittently sprinkled in.

Off days are OFF for heavy work.

- high rep bands and mobility 

- mace swings

- sled drags