20080324

Some Kind Of Monster

Build a steam engine in your gut and a v8 in your pelvis. Big block bastard with lots of kick and the smarts to manage itself. Begin with some joint mobility. . .
http://www.dragondoor.com/b16.html?kbid=2633

20080311

0311, for every intent and purpose

The tribute, on their day, to a band that was very important to me in my youth, and still entertains me to this day, from Omaha, Nebraska, 311.

"The Hive"
11 Pull Ups. If you scoff at 11 reps, strap a KB on your foot. They shouldn't be a joke to you.
20 Swings R
20 Jerks L
20 Jerks R
20 Swings L
10 Tsnatches R
10 Tsnatches L [111 reps]
Once you affirm that initial swing, you should only set the bell down when you have performed all 100 reps. Yes, you.

S&M Fast 100 Snatches
20 LR 15 LR 10 LR 5 LR [50 each arm, again, one set, and time yourself [211 reps]

Long, long have I been wanting to say this.
100 squat thrusts. Done in a time no more than one and one-half the time of your snatches. If you busted 100 snatches in 5:00, SQTH in under 7:30.

311 reps.

OK, so just launching an arbitrary high rep assault has fallen into the hands of Crossfit affiliates and other sick buggers everywhere, myself proud to be included. But this is an interesting composition I believe. And it is an all access workout. One bell and a bar is all you need. If you read my previous post you will know already that after a week-plus layoff and a cranky hip, the positive vibe has prevailed and in the spirit of my 15 year old self who exalted the name of this band, I will train 311 on 311. I plan on blaring the first few tracks from "Music", their 1992 debut. A brutal stew of Ivory flow in homage to ebony greats, and some harder tunes with a youthy balls.

Oscar Uniform Tango

20080224

Integration Module


Today's brutally tough workout is brought to you courtesy of Starbucks, and by The Cure's 1989 album Disintegration, which I have been listening to since, well, 1989. The two go great together!

Mission Essential Gear
1 Russian Kettlebell, a Pull Up bar tall enough that you can hang fully extended from it, flat shoes or barefoot!

Pick one pull up variation and apply it for the duration: Close grip, wide grip, palms parallel to each other, or a jumping pull up.

Pull Up + Hanging Knee Raise x 3 sets of 3-5, resting 1:00 between [e.g. one pull up, one HKR, repeat for 3-5]

Staggered: [e.g. lunge, pull ups, rest :30, repeat]
Alternating Tactical Lunge x 3 sets of 10 each leg
Pull Up x 3 sets of 3

Alt. Tac. Lunge x :30, 2 Handed Hot Potato x :30, Pull Ups x :30, rest :30 ACTIVE, repeat for rounds in 10 minutes.

Hanging Knee raises 5 sets of 3 or 3 sets of 5, resting big between.

Follow these tips from Pavel for the Tactical Lunge:
Actively pull yourself down with your hip flexors
rather than yield to gravity. Use the enabling drill-
The KB knee lift. Put your foot inside a kettlebell’s
handle and lift the KB off the deck by pulling up
your knee. Place your hand on top of your thigh
and become aware of the working muscle, the
hip flexor.
If you have a bad back perform the drill lying
down: drag the kettlebell towards you.
Actively pull yourself down with the hip flexor of
the forward leg when stepping back.

Follow my tips for the hanging knee raise [HKR].
When hanging on the bar, before you yank yourself up to meet the rep standards, remember that you are performing a Hard Style HKR. You will not simply fold your hips and squeeze your abdomen. Here, you must generate tension, unreal tension, and squeeze the bar with your hands as hard as you squeeze your abdomen as you flex to complete the movement.

Your HKR Checklist:
Close grip, closer than your shoulder width.
Hanging fully extended, and tightened up, legs together, no momentum, no swinging.
SLOWLY and steadily, squeeze your whole body and round your back maximally, tighten the abs furtter and bring your knees as high as you may in a slow, controlled, SAFE fashion.
Imagine that, though your arms stay straight as you hang, you are pulling on the bar as you curl.
Keep a tight a grip and exhale MOST, but not all, of your air while raising the knees.
Keep the reps clean and the numbers low. Perfect practice brothers and sisters. . .