It happened again – I wrote a workout for an advanced/intermediate-advanced client then really really wanted to do a version of it myself. Upped the weights here and there, but kept the rep ranges pretty much the same. Slight modification to work around the old school Pavel pull-up program I dusted off for the season (more about that in a few more weeks time when I will have news to report.)
Before beginning the actual workout, I did an abbreviated set of joint mobility exercises before beginning the assigned sets of pull-ups for the day (which were alternated with small chores) That particular day’s assignment was 9,8,7,7,6 dead hang pull-ups, “tactical” grip of course (no thumbs) and on the Dragon Door pull-up bar with its gnarly thick bar. Humbling if you’ve got smaller hands.
After completing the day’s pull-up sets I moved on to the rest of the joint mobility warm up, played with L-sits for a bit, then continued with a quick “warm up” set of intervals for a total of 4x through:
- 20 seconds two hand swings, 28kg kettlebell
- 10 seconds rest and transition
- 20 seconds sprawls*
- 10 seconds rest and transition
That was a nice little warmup that also knocked the chill out of the living room here, thankfully.
Used the 48kg and 40gk kettlebells for deadlifts, but use what you have (I’d love to have a pair of 48kg kettlebells, and ultimately a pair of 60kg would be even better. But I just have the 48kg and 40kg, so I do three deadlifts facing one direction, then turn around and do three more so both hands get to use each kettlebell)
- 6 kettlebell deadlifts using the heaviest kettlebells possible (if they’re lighter, do 10-15 reps instead, the 6 reps were appropriate for me as a submax set for a 48kg and 40kg)
- 10 alternating sitouts**
- 10 “Aussie pull-ups” (bodyweight rows) slow and low
- 10 goblet squats with a 28kg kettlebell
- Get-up with no weight on each side (this is for rest/mobility)
I went for 4 rounds, but may try 6 next time through. This was a lot of fun, and it was interesting to use the bodyweight rows essentially as “rest”/stretch after the strict “tactical” pull-ups earlier in the session.
Ended the session with a short mobility cooldown… Definitely going to do this one again.
ALSO!! Updated the “reading corner” to include a surprise new favorite. I’ve got about 4 hours or so left to listen, but Dan Harris’s book 10% Happier (read by the author on Audible) is a surprisingly engaging trip through his discovery of meditation. While that sentence still makes me kinda want to throw up a little, Dan Harris has a refreshing disdain for all things woo-woo in his book and frankly I appreciate that now more than ever. So, if you want the straight facts about meditiation without the “age of aquarius” goofiness, check it out. Even if you’re not so sure about meditation (the jury here is still out. A lot of what I do has it kind of “baked in” as a single minded pursuit of strength, balance etc. For example slackline or tai chi, or chopping vegetables or, etc.) it’s a good book. And I have to say I really love hearing him stick it to some of these overhyped pop-psych pseudo-zen gurus. He takes the criticism even farther than I would… let the healing begin.
Last night I also took a moment to replace the soldered in battery pack in my circa-2015 Skulpt AIM. A fresh pair of 850mAh 1.2v batteries has it working better than ever. Now, if I can get the thing to get consistent readings then we’re going to be in business. If you want to see me take it apart, void the warranty, then solder in a new home-made battery pack then watch below (fair warning: there is an obnoxious “dubstep” musical interlude during the speeded up part where I’m disconnecting the old batteries… that part took forever… turn the volume down on that part, YouTube mixed it badly…) Going to test it out on the semi-regular for the next two months and see if being properly powered makes the difference.
*Sprawls…
**Sitouts…
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