Training Update....

After torching my shoulder in March, I recently began snatching again. It feels pretty good - recently got:
Max VO2:
24kg x 20 x 8 (:15on/:15off)
24kg x 20 x 7 (:15on/:15off)
==> Not near the elite, but getting there. Looking to do the TSC/Elite in Sept.
==> I am able to do overhead squats below parallel with 155lb.

I was able to do close grip benches again with minimal pain (195 x 5). I will not do regular benches anymore. For chest, I am doing a lot more fly (horizontal adduction) movements.

My legs are really coming together. I am leg pressing 10 plates/side pretty easily and box squatting to parallel with 285. My legs are starting to get cut. Need to start deadlifting again. Would like to get 515 at the TSC, but 480 is more realistic.

Before work, I often do 10 minutes of TGUs, or 20 minutes of DDR, or 10 minutes of top of the minutes swings. All are great for people on the go. With the TGU, since my gym does not allow kettlebells in have done:
* TGUs and armbars with the 75lb short barbell
* TGUs and armbars with and 80lb dumbell
* armbar presses up to 60lb (good lat activation teacher)

Personal training business is taking off. Adding more private clients and my schedule as Family Fitness lets me leave by 2:00 PM everyday. I am going to make this business happen.

One of my online clients finished in 5th place in the TSC. Only the winner beat him in all three events. Jamie improved his deadlift by 60lb and is looking for another 40lb improvement for the Sept TSC elite. If you want to know how he did it, without gaining weight or sacrificing performance the other events = it was product of his effort and the design of the training program. I love performance-based training.

I will tell you things that I did NOT do:

* I did not have him deadlift more than 6 times during the 13 week cycle (i.e., no PttP). PttP is not bad, but it is a low volume protocol and we were doing high volume baby.

* I did not have him do a single 5 minute snatch session. What we did do was (*Proprietary Information Alert*)...

* I did not have him max out pullups ever....

==> If you are looking for similar improvements in your TSC scores, contact me. I warn you, I am easy but I am certainly not cheap.


Another trainer where I work was instructing a spin class and she asked me to take up a free spot. I did and finished the class. I would love to quote the "What the Hell Effect" of KBs and say it was a piece of cake, but it was not. I did make it trough (and this was after LEG day) and was even able to bowl a 630 afterwards, but it was not easy. I can this: My training allow me to do your workout, does your training allow you to do mine? I don't think so. Try DL 2+ times bodyweight, flipping tires 3x your bodyweight, etc.

I see a lot of people that feel they have to do everything on a bosu ball (thankfully not Family Fitness). I have two things to say about this:

* If you really want to work your core, lift something heavy. BTW, the black 14lb exercise ball is not heavy.

* Balancing on soft objects works by muting the strength of your muscles. Good for balance, sucks for everything else. Instead, try wobble boards or even asymmetrical exercise like the Renegade Row if you really want to work balance/core without weakening you body.

I recently taught my last two Kettlebell clients how to snatch in about 10 minutes. I did this using building blocks (i.e. teach clients sub-moves and put them together into the full movement). Here were the building blocks:
- Swing (the power source)
- The punch through (i.e. hold the kettlebell bottoms up, the punch through).
- The high pull (as an extension of the swings). I know the SOP is to teach the "high swing" (in fact that is how I learned it, but not how I learned to teach it), but I am going with what works. I am about 8 for 8 so far.

I am setting up two boot camps in the Tampa area. Hopefully, I can get these big enough so that I can make it my primary source of income.