Grippers

COC #1 1x1
COC #2 3x1 (didn't close it with either hand)
COC #2.5 3x1 overcrush

I have gotten weaker, I used to be able to close the #2 with my right hand pretty easily. Oh well, I will work back up to it. I did get a stripe on my blue belt and I have been focusing on BJJ so that is nice.

Workout 122708

Squat 135 1x5
185 3x3

Weighted Chinup (in winter gloves) 25 3x1,2,3

C&P 32kg 3x1,2,3

Ab circuit

Update

I took a few days off and my elbows are feeling better. I had to re-evaluate my training program and goals because it wasn't working. High volume gripper work is not for me, I will be switching to some low volume work once or twice a week.

One arm pullup will be on the backburner for a while. It would be nice to achieve this eventually but I will not magically become a better athlete once I can do a OAC.

Grappling is my sport and everything else is just supplementary so I will be training more for GPP then specific feats of strength. That being said, grip training is a fun hobby so I would like to continue to pursue grip training goals.

Workout 121508

5 minutes TGU

Started off first 3 minutes with 32 kg but side was flaring up so switched to 16 kg for last 2 minutes.

Grippers

Grippers for the week...

5x1 COC #3 Negatives
5x1 COC #1 7 second Overcrush
1x7 Thumb Pinch

Workout 121108

Strained an oblique muscle trying to do a OAC the other day so had to work around that. My elbows have also been tender from all of the grippers but I am making very good progress on them. May have to put the OAC training on hold for a bit.

Hindu Pushups 10 on top of every minute for 10 min

Inward Pendulums 3x5 25lbs
Outward Pendulums 3x5 25lbs

Hack Squats
16kg x 5
32kg 3x2

Swings 32kg 5x5

Ab wheel leg curls 3x10

Hoping the clubbell stuff will help the elbows. Scott Sonnon says it is supposed to lengthen the tendons which would counteract all of the gripper work. Tried to do weighted pullups but my oblique was not having it. Swings were as hardstyle as possible.

Grippers for the week

Did same workout as yesterday, I will be doing this all week so I will not repost it each day

3x1 COC # 3 negatives
3x1 COC # 1 Overcrush
1x5 Thumb Pinch

Grippers

BJJ Open Mat

3x1 COC #3 negatives
3x1 COC #1 overcrush
5x1 Thumb pinch

Stack wood

Workout 120308

One Arm Comedowns 5x1L/R
One Arm Hangs 1 x 15 sec L/R
1 x 20 sec L/R
1 x 30 sec L/R
Frenchies 3x3

TGU 32 kg 5 minutes

Bear Hug Sandbag Squat 3x6 ~100lbs

Swings 16 kg 1x20L/20R/15L/15R/10L/10R/5L/5R

Ab circuit


Comedowns were much improved. Hangs are killer on the grip. TGU were pretty slow, I think I only did 3 on each side.

Need to make a new sandbag as an animal chewed a hole in the bottom of mine.

Workout 113008

Thursday did some grippers and a few assisted one arm chins

Today
Assisted one arm chin x1 7 fist length
x2 8 fist length
Frenchies 3x1 +25lbs

Stacked wood

Workout 112408

One Arm Comedowns 5x1L,R
Weighted Chinups 3x1 80lbs
Frenchies 3x1

TGU 32kg 5 minutes
Pistol 5x1 12kg

Swings 32kg 12 minutes

Janda 3x3
Pinch Grip 30lbs x30

Comedowns are very hard. My right arm was OK but I about ripped my shoulder out of the socket on the left. Pullups were a little weak, barely got chin to bar. Frenchies are great, just do a pullup and do isometric holds at various points on the way down.

Swings were nice and easy;sets of 10-15 just to get heart rate up. Solid workout.

De La Riva

this is badass

Workout 112208

20 Minutes-
7 Rounds of
5 Chinups
10 Hindu Pushups
10L/10R 16kg Snatch

This was tougher than expected because I rolled fairly hard at BJJ earlier

Workout 111808

TGU 5 min 32 kg

Workout 111508

Bas Rutten All-around Workout

This is a 28 minute workout that is on a cd. It is a combination of shadowboxing and bodyweight exercises (but it is very easy to sub other implements as well). Bas yells out various boxing combos and mixes in calisthenics as well. It's tough

Workout 111308

Swings 32kg 5 minutes

Clean to Order 3x5 25lbs
Rock its 3 sets
Shield Cast 3x10L/R 25lbs

Ab wheel 2x10

Missed BJJ so decided to do a quick workout

Workout 111108

3 x
1A. Hindu Pushups +~20lbs x5,10,15
2A. Hindu Squats +~20lbs.x5,10,15

Swings 24kg 3x25

Ab circuit

Workout 110908

This whole workout was a clusterfuck.

Chinups +70lbs 1x2
+80lbs 5x1
C&P 32kg 4x4L,R

Swings 24kg 8 min

Clubbell Clean to Order 3x5 25lbs
Hindu Squats x25
Hindu Pushups x25
Ab circuit

I was going to do the C&P with the 88 but couldn't get it. My shoulders take a beating from BJJ so I am contemplating dropping C&P. The second half of the workout was great and I would like focus more on those exercises. Seems like I am heading back to program minimum plus bodyweight exercises.

I also ordered a 2.5 COC and a 3 COC. I have been GTG bending and grippers at work.

Workout 110508

Swings 24kg 2x20L,R
2x15L,R
3x10L,R
Inward Pendulum 25lbs 3x6
Outward Pendulum 25lbs 3x6

Janda 3x3
Kneeling ab wheel 3x10
Side Bends 32kg 3x5

Was going to do snatches but shoulders are a little tender. Nice easy workout but got heart rate up. Haven't done much ab training in a long time, felt good. Watched Flowfit but really don't like it as much as ginastica natural, I'll have to see how it goes.

Workout 110208

3 Rounds

1 25 ft. No legs rope climb
15 2x24kg Swings
5 2x24kg Snatches
5 2x24kg Thrusters

Workout 103108

Pinch Grip 2 25lb plates x1 L,R (just tried for fun, 35 lb plates are ridiculous)
Chinups +100lb x 3 attempts ( I can get chin about 2 inches from bar)
+70 lb 5x1
Jerks 40 kg 3x3L,R
Snatches 40 Kg 5x2L,R

Bent 2 60 D Timber Ties
Attempted Red but barely dented it

Felt pretty good. I like lifting heavy kettlebells.

Workout 102808

Snatch 24kg x15,13,11,9,7,5,3,1
Clubbell Inward Pendulum 25lb 3x5L,R
Clubbell Outward Pendulum 25lb 3x5L,R
Hindu Squats 4x16
Double Overhand bend 10x 60 D Timber Ties
COC #1 5x1
#2 2x1 (not all the way)

Felt Good Afterwards. The Power Putty has improved the grippers a lot. Timber ties were one after another and easy;I am waiting for my fat bastard bag to come.

I pulled out the old RKC book and remembered how much I liked the freedom of the old RKC. I am thinking I will do some snatches, jerks, and mix in bodyweight movements and grip stuff. No need to come up with an elaborate plan.

Tournament

Won a grappling tournament today. Won my division and then lost in the absolute. Pretty good showing. My guard is sick but I need to work on wrestling. In one of the matches I won, I armbarred the guy but he slammed me and my knee is a little banged up.

Quick Post

I was out of town last weekend and have been training a lot of BJJ. I have been doing some grip work (putty, COC, bending nails) but nothing serious. Kind of a back off week. I feel good though. I still don't have a plan but will be back at it next week.

Workout 101208

20 Minutes
5x5 C&P 32 kg
5x5 Tactical Pullups +~20lbs

4x15 Hindu Squats

3x Pinch Grip 20lbs walk around basement

3x1 COC #1 (full)
2x1 COC #2 (about 3/4 left and very close on right)


I hit my goal of 5x5 today. I thought this would be a little harder than it was because when I started EDT, I was doing 10-12 singles. But it took me about a month and a half to hit it. Not sure where I want to go from here... I may continue the program with the 40kg, or I may switch to a more conditioning-based routine, I will have to think this over. Suggestions welcome...

Force Recon Workout

This is one of my favorite workout templates so I thought I would post it. It is one of Pavel's old routines...

Monday
-Weighted pullups -5x5
-Alternate the pullups with cleans and presses (military, not push presses!) -2x24kg kettlebells, also 5x5
-Rock bottom front squats with a one second pause -2x32kg kettlebells -5x5
-Snatch with a 32kg kettlebell -5 sets, hard but not to failure
-Alternate the snatches with strict hanging leg raises -5 sets

Wednesday
-One arm C&Js with a 32kg kettlebell -10 min, play it by ear
-Heavy abs -5x5
-Pullups -100 total
-Alternate the pullups with front squats, sets of 10 with 2x24kg kettlebells
-Snatches or swings with a 24kg kettlebell -alternate sets of 10-20 with 100 yd jogs (not sprints! the jog is for recovery) for as long as you can handle it -Cough up a hairball!

Friday
Same as Monday

Next Monday
Same as Wednesday

Go hard for 3 weeks and then back off for 1

Snatch Challenge

I found this in one of Pavel's old newsletters. It is a 1 minute snatch challenge from a Russian paratrooper.

In 1 minute do as many snatches as you can with one arm with a 24 kg KB (12kg for women, I'm assuming)

18 reps=satisfactory
24 reps=Good
28+ reps= Excellent

Great day

Met with Todd Pigram to hang out. We did a few presses, couple pistols, talked about how political the kettlebell community is and some other bullshit.

Then I went to the best BJJ seminar I have ever been to. It was almost too much info but I definitely have a few new moves in my arsenal

Workout 100608

Backoff week

3x3 32kg C&P
3x3 ~20lbs tactical pullups

2x1 #1 COC
2x1 #2 COC overcrushes

Bent 3 60 D nails
Dented a Red Nail (PR)

Clubbell Clean to Order holds 3x30sec

Ab wheel
x1 standing (about 3 inches away)
3x10 kneeling

I have stuck to my plan for a little over a month and I have seen progress in pretty much everything. It is tough not to try out all the fun conditioning circuits I see online but I need to get stronger. Once I reach my goals, I might have a little bit of fun...

Workout 100508

About an hour of bouldering.

Squat 1x5 205lbs
1x5 215 lbs
3x3 225lbs

Swings 40kg 5x5
Pistol 3x1 L,R
Windmill 16kg 2x3

This Week

Tues-BJJ
Weds-BJJ
Thurs-No gi
Sat-BJJ
Sun- Bouldering

Workout 092908

20 minutes
7x3, 1x1 C&P 32kg
7x3,1x1 ~20lbs Tactical Pullup

COC #1 1x2L,R
#2 overcrushes x2 L,R Right was pretty much closed, Left 3/4

Bent 2 White nails
1 green nail
1 blue nail
failed on Gr5

Ab circuit

Bending felt great for not doing it for months. Grippers need work. C&P and pullups PR again and had 30 seconds left so I cranked out 1 more.

Workout 092708

Took a long nap and decided against rock climbing. So I decided to squat; I don't want to rush into it so I kept it fairly light. I like to touch my ass to the ground on the pistols as it keeps my knee close to vertical; but I keep tension throughout so it isn't quite a rolling deck squat. Shoulder has been a little sore so threw in some windmills and a slow TGU.

Squat 1x5 135lbs
2x5 205 lbs
1x3 210 lbs
1x3 215 lbs

Pistol 5x1
TGU 16kg x1L/R
Windmill 16kg 3x3
Pinch grip 3x30lbs
1x40lbs only got the left a few inches off the ground but last week I couldn't move it
Clubbell Cleans? (I don't know the names of the moves)
3x5 25lbs
Finger Hangs x3

This week

Tues- BJJ
Weds-BJJ
Thurs-No gi BJJ

Pulled out my Ironmind grippers this week. I come within millimeters of closing the #2 with my right hand and not even close with my left. I can still close the #1 with both hands with a "no set". I will be messing around with these at work. Grip training is fun.

I am amazed at how much stronger I feel from doing EDT once a week with C&P and weighted pullups. I do feel the need to add some squats to the routine, so I may do 5x5 once a week. I have always been a weak squatter and would like to improve my leg strength. Once I hit my C&P goal I may "reward" myself with an Ironmind grip tool.

I might go bouldering today but I will see how I feel later. Tabata sprints, the single most grueling workout I have ever done, may be in the mix this weekend as well.

Workout 092208

Had a great day.

20 minutes
10 x 2 32 kg C&P
10 x 2 ~20lbs Tactical Pullups

3x3 Janda Negatives
2x10 kneeling ab wheel

Postworkout: MuscleMilk Protein Shake and piece of peach pie.

Workout 092108

Moved some stuff in the garage and decided to crank out a couple deadlifts.

Deadlift 245lbs 3x3
295 1x1

Finger hangs 3x30sec
Plate pinch 2x30sec 20 lbs L/R
1x30sec 30lbs L/R
1x 40 lbs R/failed L
10 Hill Sprints

Felt great. I didn't plan on it but I followed the Warrior Diet today and feel very good. I would like to give it a try again but I train BJJ late at night so I have trouble with when to feast. I could feast before training which is not good, or I could feast after training which would be around 10pm when I get home. 10pm is awfully late...

Catching Up

Haven't been on the computer much lately. Here's how last week went...

Tuesday- Top-rope rock climbing
Weds-BJJ
Thurs-No-gi BJJ
Sat-BJJ and then some bouldering

Workout 091508

20 minutes 15x1L/R C&P 32 kg
15x3 Chinups
3x3 Janda negatives
3x10 kneeling ab wheel
Softball grip x3
tore 2 phone books

Rock Climbing

Today I went rock climbing at www.clevelandrockgym.com . It was fun and I did alright for my first time. It takes mad finger strength and quite a bit of core strength to keep tight to the wall. I had zero technique and my legs were dangling off the wall a lot but I used my strength to ascend to the top. They only let you go on the 10 ft "boulders" until you have taken the class but they were much harder than expected. I will be taking the class in the near future and I would like to get out there once a week.

Afterwards I practiced some BJJ with my sister, lots of rubber guard, a half guard pass and some of Eddie Bravo's top game. A lot of people talk down on the rubber guard but I think it is a lot of fun and pretty effective.

I did a quick workout later:

5 minutes TGU 24 kg
3x3 windmills 16 kg
3x15 ab wheel knees to elbows
4x6 ab wheel leg curls

Workout 090808

BJJ w/ Paul

5 minutes 100 snatches 16kg. Easing back into it.

Return of blog

I created this blog because I have not been making progress for the last couple months and I am hoping it will keep me accountable to my training. I have been training a lot of BJJ and it has been my excuse for not training. I am weak and my conditioning sucks. Not anymore. I am going back to a simple format that has yielded results in the past; EDT. Each workout is the same weight and same amount of time but you do more and more reps each workout. Clean and press, pullups, some ring training, and ab wheel for strength; swings/snatches/sprints for conditioning. No more random acts of training.

I saw my friend Todd Pigram the other day and he inspired me to get back into training. He has made great progress in the past year, visit him at http://pigram86.blogspot.com.

Workout 090708

20 minutes- 13x1L/1R C&P 32 kg
13x 3 Ring Pullups
4 x "10 second" ring pushups
4 x "10 second" ring rows
3x10 kneeling ab wheel