I had to spend my weekday morning workout time shoveling snow instead of doing a Giant session with double kettlebells as originally planned. I paid extra attention to never lifting the snow-filled shovel without moving my knees, in hopes of preventing low back DOMS, which had hit me after both previous snow shoveling sessions this year. I did a bastardized version of the pole shaking technique I'd learned at a Mike Sigman workshop - start with the front knee bent, then quickly straighten the front leg while tossing the snow with the shovel. The toss should be to the left if the front leg is the left leg, otherwise to the right. By the end of the shoveling motion, the weight should be on the back leg with the back knee bent.
After shoveling was done, I tested my 20kg clean+pressn rep max with each arm. Rep max was still 3. I've only completed 2 full weeks of Giant style training so I wasn't expecting great gains from The Giant anyway.
I then did a P3 (Sore Joint Solution) session in hopes of relaxing the low back.
Governor Silver - From the Possible to the Impossible
How a regular person, with no special talent in anything, pursues goals in music, etc. Some tangential or completely off-topic posts will appear as well.
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Saturday, February 08, 2025
Giant 2.0: Week 2 completed and doing bar chin ups again
Last week I started Giant 2.0. This is one of the 4 programs that come with The Giant by Geoff Neupert. This one incorporates repetition ladders.
For the Monday session, I focused on the press portion of the double KB Clean + Press. I took the time to practice the zip-up with the racked kettlebells.
For the Wednesday and Friday sessions, I went back to focusing on the overall C+P movement, in which the KBs are cleaned into rack position, then pressed almost immediately. There is a store-and-release kind of action that happens - the cleaned KBs settling into the rack adds extra tension to the body, which is then released with the press, adding a little extra power to the press. The store-and-release action is one of the reasons KB practitioners can typically do more C+P reps than strict press reps.
My left shoulder started to bother me a bit. By Friday I realized that in my effort to improve my overhead lockout positioning, I was allowing my scapula to rise. So for Friday I focused on keeping my shoulders in their sockets
On my training days, I've been practicing chin ups, sort of in grease the groove fashion, in the afternoons after my Giant 2.0 sessions, as inspired by Geoff Neupert's video. When I first read his arguments about too much pronation leading to elbow tendonitis (golfer's elbow or tennis elbow), I felt dismissive at first, but upon further reflection, I thought this Davis's law that he mentions might be legit - maybe by doing a bit of chin up training I could get my elbow tendons to remodel themselves to tolerate chin ups. I used rings for chin up training on Monday and Wednesday. Rings allow me to start with hands in neutral grip, then pull into supinated hands at the top of the chin up. Then, later in the week, I tried chin ups on the pull up bar and was pleasantly surprised to find the concentric portion fel fine, using the spiraling technique. The eccentric portion irritated my right elbow, but not my left elbow. I finished each set with hanging for time with the supinated grip. Neupert says elbow pain from chin ups could be caused by not allowing the elbows to fully extend at the bottom position. Thus, hanging for time will hopefully lead to Davis' Law doing its work on my tendons, allowing chin ups to feel more and more comfortable; as well as providing a stretch for the lats
For the Monday session, I focused on the press portion of the double KB Clean + Press. I took the time to practice the zip-up with the racked kettlebells.
For the Wednesday and Friday sessions, I went back to focusing on the overall C+P movement, in which the KBs are cleaned into rack position, then pressed almost immediately. There is a store-and-release kind of action that happens - the cleaned KBs settling into the rack adds extra tension to the body, which is then released with the press, adding a little extra power to the press. The store-and-release action is one of the reasons KB practitioners can typically do more C+P reps than strict press reps.
My left shoulder started to bother me a bit. By Friday I realized that in my effort to improve my overhead lockout positioning, I was allowing my scapula to rise. So for Friday I focused on keeping my shoulders in their sockets
On my training days, I've been practicing chin ups, sort of in grease the groove fashion, in the afternoons after my Giant 2.0 sessions, as inspired by Geoff Neupert's video. When I first read his arguments about too much pronation leading to elbow tendonitis (golfer's elbow or tennis elbow), I felt dismissive at first, but upon further reflection, I thought this Davis's law that he mentions might be legit - maybe by doing a bit of chin up training I could get my elbow tendons to remodel themselves to tolerate chin ups. I used rings for chin up training on Monday and Wednesday. Rings allow me to start with hands in neutral grip, then pull into supinated hands at the top of the chin up. Then, later in the week, I tried chin ups on the pull up bar and was pleasantly surprised to find the concentric portion fel fine, using the spiraling technique. The eccentric portion irritated my right elbow, but not my left elbow. I finished each set with hanging for time with the supinated grip. Neupert says elbow pain from chin ups could be caused by not allowing the elbows to fully extend at the bottom position. Thus, hanging for time will hopefully lead to Davis' Law doing its work on my tendons, allowing chin ups to feel more and more comfortable; as well as providing a stretch for the lats
Sunday, February 02, 2025
Switched from single 20kg Kettlebell Clean + Press back to double 16kg Clean + Press
I closed out my 2024 fitness training with double 16kg kettlebell Clean + Press under the Easy Muscle A program. This resulted in the ability to C+P a single 20kg for 3 repetitions, being able to press it only half way on the 4th attempt.
I decided to do another Geoff Neupert program, Kettlebell Burn 2.0, with a single 20kg KB. In order to do it productively and safely, I need to be able to strict press the 20kg at least 4 reps. I tested my strict press rep max with the 20kg and was able to do one rep, only being able to press it partially on the attempted 2nd rep.
Until the beginning of this week, I was doing 20 minute C+P sessions with the single 20kg to try to improve my strict press performance. I can do more slightly more C+P reps than strict press reps with the 20kg, thus I can do more total reps (higher volume) of C+P than strict press in a 20 min. session. Some coaches, including Neupert, advise practicing strict press instead of C+P to improve strict press technique. So a question to ponder here is which approach will be more efficient for achieving my goal of 4 strict press reps with the 20kg? My hypothesis here is C+P would be more efficient because of the higher volume. More total reps means more practice pressing the KB, which should lead to faster progress.
Then on Wednesday morning, I woke up with the idea of switching back to double 16kg C+P training to help improve my strict press of the 20kg. I'm capable of C+P training at much higher volume (weight x sets x reps in one session) with double 16kgs compared to single 20kg. I've found that high volume training works very well for stimulating muscle growth as well as strength gains. Here "strength" is understood to be the amount of muscle force that can be generated. Single 20kg C+P training should in theory improve my 20kg press performance because 20kg is heavy enough to force my CNS (central nervous system) to recruit more motor units, and to repeatedly practice motor unit recruitment. This training would focus more on strength gain as opposed to muscle gain. By comparison double 16kg C+P training could stimulate more muscle mass gains in a 4-week period because of the higher volume. Then when I switch back to single 20kg training, progress towards the 4-6 rep strict press should be faster because my CNS would have more muscle to work with. There
The choice of training routine with the double 16kg comes from another Geoff Neupert program called The Giant, which focuses on C+P. The Giant comes with 5 different training routines, each meant do be done for 4 weeks: Giant 1.0, Giant 1.1, Giant 1.2, Giant 2.0, and Giant 3.0. Giant 1.0 and 1.1 are meant to be done in order and are similar in design and promised results to Easy Muscle A. Giant 1.2 or 2.0 are recommended after 1.1. Giant 2.0 incorporates ladder repetitions for potentially higher volume (more overall reps) than Giant 1.2. Having completed Easy Muscle A recently, I figured I could do 1.2 or 2.0. I decided on 2.0 for the higher volume potential.
Thus I ended up doing Giant 2.0 sessions on Wednesday and Friday. The Wednesday session went pretty well. I was able to do 3 rounds of the prescribed ladder, plus 2 more sets for a total of 53 reps. I felt pretty good the rest of the day and the following day, though that night I got crazy hunger pangs shortly after dinner. I ended up devouring a cup of blueberries, a protein bar, and quite a bit of trail mix. The Friday session prescribed one more rep per rung of the ladder. I managed to complete only one full round on Friday. The highest rung was for the Friday ladder was 8 reps, which I barely completed, and needed more time to rest afterwards
I decided to do another Geoff Neupert program, Kettlebell Burn 2.0, with a single 20kg KB. In order to do it productively and safely, I need to be able to strict press the 20kg at least 4 reps. I tested my strict press rep max with the 20kg and was able to do one rep, only being able to press it partially on the attempted 2nd rep.
Until the beginning of this week, I was doing 20 minute C+P sessions with the single 20kg to try to improve my strict press performance. I can do more slightly more C+P reps than strict press reps with the 20kg, thus I can do more total reps (higher volume) of C+P than strict press in a 20 min. session. Some coaches, including Neupert, advise practicing strict press instead of C+P to improve strict press technique. So a question to ponder here is which approach will be more efficient for achieving my goal of 4 strict press reps with the 20kg? My hypothesis here is C+P would be more efficient because of the higher volume. More total reps means more practice pressing the KB, which should lead to faster progress.
Then on Wednesday morning, I woke up with the idea of switching back to double 16kg C+P training to help improve my strict press of the 20kg. I'm capable of C+P training at much higher volume (weight x sets x reps in one session) with double 16kgs compared to single 20kg. I've found that high volume training works very well for stimulating muscle growth as well as strength gains. Here "strength" is understood to be the amount of muscle force that can be generated. Single 20kg C+P training should in theory improve my 20kg press performance because 20kg is heavy enough to force my CNS (central nervous system) to recruit more motor units, and to repeatedly practice motor unit recruitment. This training would focus more on strength gain as opposed to muscle gain. By comparison double 16kg C+P training could stimulate more muscle mass gains in a 4-week period because of the higher volume. Then when I switch back to single 20kg training, progress towards the 4-6 rep strict press should be faster because my CNS would have more muscle to work with. There
The choice of training routine with the double 16kg comes from another Geoff Neupert program called The Giant, which focuses on C+P. The Giant comes with 5 different training routines, each meant do be done for 4 weeks: Giant 1.0, Giant 1.1, Giant 1.2, Giant 2.0, and Giant 3.0. Giant 1.0 and 1.1 are meant to be done in order and are similar in design and promised results to Easy Muscle A. Giant 1.2 or 2.0 are recommended after 1.1. Giant 2.0 incorporates ladder repetitions for potentially higher volume (more overall reps) than Giant 1.2. Having completed Easy Muscle A recently, I figured I could do 1.2 or 2.0. I decided on 2.0 for the higher volume potential.
Thus I ended up doing Giant 2.0 sessions on Wednesday and Friday. The Wednesday session went pretty well. I was able to do 3 rounds of the prescribed ladder, plus 2 more sets for a total of 53 reps. I felt pretty good the rest of the day and the following day, though that night I got crazy hunger pangs shortly after dinner. I ended up devouring a cup of blueberries, a protein bar, and quite a bit of trail mix. The Friday session prescribed one more rep per rung of the ladder. I managed to complete only one full round on Friday. The highest rung was for the Friday ladder was 8 reps, which I barely completed, and needed more time to rest afterwards
Labels:
Hypertrophy,
Kettlebell,
Strength Training
Friday, January 24, 2025
Working towards Kettlebell Burn 2.0 instead of Maximorum Master
When I recently completed Easy Muscle A with double 16kg kettlebells, I was thinking of doing Maximorum Master next with double 20kg KBs for the Clean+Press and Double Front Squat and 16kg KB for the Snatch. Maximorum Master schedules double KB C+P and DFSQ with heavy weight 2 days a week for strength training, then eventually building muscle. Snatch is scheduled on the other 2 days for power training and conditioning. It looks like a great program for improving my double 20kg C+P rep max from close to zero to 10. With my double 20kg C+P max up to 10, I would be ready to take on The Giant, Giant X, or Easy Muscle A and thus take the next step towards achieving double 24kg C+P.
Maximorum Master recommends a 5RM (rep max) weight for the double C+P and DFSQ. After finishing Easy Muscle A, I tried to assess my double 20kg C+P rep max, did not feel comfortable double-cleaning 20kg KBs, so I assessed my single 20kg C+P rep max and found it to be 3. So obviously my body was not ready for Maximorum Master. To prepare for that program, I thought I would spend some time increasing my single 20kg C+P rep max and also improving my 20kg single front squat, eventually working towards DFSQ.
I then did some more research and realized Maximorum Master is a Level 4 program in Geoff Neupert's 5-level pyramid of kettlebell skills. My struggle with the single KB front squat made me realize my Level 1 and 2 skills may not be as good as I thought. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 is a program that Neupert recommends for working Level 1 and 2 skills and improving performance of the more difficult Level 2 skills such as the Snatch. Like Maximorum Master, it promises strength gains as well as conditioning gains, but at Level 1/2 going to 3 rather than Level 4.
With all this in mind, I tested my single 16kg strict press rep max and got 9 reps with my left arm and 8 reps with my right. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 recommends a weight that can be strict pressed in good form for 4-6 reps. So I could start it now with the 16kg, or I could wait until I improve my 20kg strict press from a rep max of 1 to the 4-6 range, then do the program with the 20kg. I decided to do Giant 3.0 with the single 20kg to accomplish this strict press goal.
So, today I did a Giant 3.0 preview workout - 1 rep of single C+P on each arm, with rest determined by autoregulation, for 20 min. I got into a decent rhythm, but somehow pushed myself hard enough so that my very last C+P attempt on my left arm, I barely managed to complete the press.
Maximorum Master recommends a 5RM (rep max) weight for the double C+P and DFSQ. After finishing Easy Muscle A, I tried to assess my double 20kg C+P rep max, did not feel comfortable double-cleaning 20kg KBs, so I assessed my single 20kg C+P rep max and found it to be 3. So obviously my body was not ready for Maximorum Master. To prepare for that program, I thought I would spend some time increasing my single 20kg C+P rep max and also improving my 20kg single front squat, eventually working towards DFSQ.
I then did some more research and realized Maximorum Master is a Level 4 program in Geoff Neupert's 5-level pyramid of kettlebell skills. My struggle with the single KB front squat made me realize my Level 1 and 2 skills may not be as good as I thought. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 is a program that Neupert recommends for working Level 1 and 2 skills and improving performance of the more difficult Level 2 skills such as the Snatch. Like Maximorum Master, it promises strength gains as well as conditioning gains, but at Level 1/2 going to 3 rather than Level 4.
With all this in mind, I tested my single 16kg strict press rep max and got 9 reps with my left arm and 8 reps with my right. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 recommends a weight that can be strict pressed in good form for 4-6 reps. So I could start it now with the 16kg, or I could wait until I improve my 20kg strict press from a rep max of 1 to the 4-6 range, then do the program with the 20kg. I decided to do Giant 3.0 with the single 20kg to accomplish this strict press goal.
So, today I did a Giant 3.0 preview workout - 1 rep of single C+P on each arm, with rest determined by autoregulation, for 20 min. I got into a decent rhythm, but somehow pushed myself hard enough so that my very last C+P attempt on my left arm, I barely managed to complete the press.
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Kettlebell Clean + Press vs Strict Press
Geoff Neupert recently posted a good explanation of the relative merits of Clean + Press compared to the Strict Press.
The advantages of the Clean + Press over the Strict Press are as follows:
The reason I tested my strict press rep max is Geoff's Kettlebell Burn 2.0 program recommends a weight that can be easily pressed for 4-6 reps in good form. If I had pressed the 20kg for at least 4 reps with relative ease, I might have started preparing for Kettlebell Burn 2.0 instead of Maximorum Master for my next training block. The reason is practicing the single front squat has made me aware of possible deficiencies in what Geoff classifies as Level 1 and 2 kettlebell skills.
Having just gained the strength and muscle to press a 20kg KB, it seems like soon a good time to improve my Level 1 and 2 skills by working through Kettlebell Burn 2.0 - a single KB program - with the 20kg. I had been thinking of doing Kettlebell Maximorum Master with double 20kg KBs for the C+P and double front squat but double KB training is at Levels 4 and 5. Towards the end of last year, I got through Level 4/5 training - which is what Easy Muscle A with double KBs was - without injury but maybe I was just lucky. Having been injured before by rushing into training that my body was not ready for, I'm easily sold on the idea of taking the time and effort to improve my skills at Levels 1-3 (all single KB levels) before taking on a Level 4 program with double 20kg KBs. On the one hand, I'd love to add muscle at a higher rate sooner rather than later, by working through Maximorum Master sooner. On the other hand, there's no telling what injury might happen by going for that program sooner while being deficient in single KB skills. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 promises gains in its own right - mainly conditioning, strength, and fat loss.
With my 20kg strict press rep max being only 1 and my 20kg C+P rep max being 3, I might as well continue doing C+P instead of strict press. At this stage, the more total presses I can do in one session, the more I can progress towards the goal of 4 strict press reps; and as Geoff explained I can do quite a bit more total presses, as part of C+P, in one session than strict presses.
The advantages of the Clean + Press over the Strict Press are as follows:
- Greater systemic demand (compound lift vs. compound exercise), and therefore greater nervous system stimulus for change
- Less localized upper body fatigue, so usually, but not always, you can get more Presses in a set of Clean + Press vs. a set of Presses
- Use “ground reaction force” or “force wave” from the Clean to increase power output in the Press. This too often decreases upper body fatigue and increases the number of Presses you can do
- Improved conditioning effect from alternating between Cleans and Presses
- Train the posterior chain (hips, hamstrings, erectors, calves)
- If you’re focused on increasing your Press Max, then do repeat Presses
- If you want to “just” focus on pure localized muscle building, then do “just” Presses
- If you’re learning how to Press, you need to focus on your technique - sets of unbroken Presses are the way to do
The reason I tested my strict press rep max is Geoff's Kettlebell Burn 2.0 program recommends a weight that can be easily pressed for 4-6 reps in good form. If I had pressed the 20kg for at least 4 reps with relative ease, I might have started preparing for Kettlebell Burn 2.0 instead of Maximorum Master for my next training block. The reason is practicing the single front squat has made me aware of possible deficiencies in what Geoff classifies as Level 1 and 2 kettlebell skills.
Having just gained the strength and muscle to press a 20kg KB, it seems like soon a good time to improve my Level 1 and 2 skills by working through Kettlebell Burn 2.0 - a single KB program - with the 20kg. I had been thinking of doing Kettlebell Maximorum Master with double 20kg KBs for the C+P and double front squat but double KB training is at Levels 4 and 5. Towards the end of last year, I got through Level 4/5 training - which is what Easy Muscle A with double KBs was - without injury but maybe I was just lucky. Having been injured before by rushing into training that my body was not ready for, I'm easily sold on the idea of taking the time and effort to improve my skills at Levels 1-3 (all single KB levels) before taking on a Level 4 program with double 20kg KBs. On the one hand, I'd love to add muscle at a higher rate sooner rather than later, by working through Maximorum Master sooner. On the other hand, there's no telling what injury might happen by going for that program sooner while being deficient in single KB skills. Kettlebell Burn 2.0 promises gains in its own right - mainly conditioning, strength, and fat loss.
With my 20kg strict press rep max being only 1 and my 20kg C+P rep max being 3, I might as well continue doing C+P instead of strict press. At this stage, the more total presses I can do in one session, the more I can progress towards the goal of 4 strict press reps; and as Geoff explained I can do quite a bit more total presses, as part of C+P, in one session than strict presses.
Monday, January 20, 2025
Kettlebell Maximorum Master readiness plan
Today my low back finally felt good enough, after recovery from snow shoveling, to do some exercise and assessment with a 20kg kettlebell. I did a modified version of the recommended warmup from Maximorum Master, subsituting the supine position exercises from P3 protocol for the first 2 warmup drills. I then suitcase carried the 20kg KB for a very short distance to the workout spot and got into position for a KB clean. Unlike last week, the low back still felt good in this position.
Like other Geoff Neupert programs, choice of kettlebell weights for Maximorum Master is determined by repetition max - the heaviest weight that you can lift for a particular number of reps with good technique. In Maximorum Master, the recommended weight for the 2 double kettlebell exercises - the clean and press and the front squat - is a 5RM (rep max) weight. Having completed Easy Muscle A just a few weeks ago, my rep max with double 16kg KBs is closer to 10 than 5. My rep max is with single 20kg KBs is 3. I could do this program with double 16kg KBs now, or try training towards 5RM with double 20kg KBs. I decided on the 2nd option.
Maximorum Master prescribes a 10RM weight for the single KB snatch. I already meet this requirement with a 16kg KB, so I don't need to do much prep for this exercise other than some TGU practice to improve the overhead lockout position.
The first activity of was 15 minutes of single KB C+P, with rest determined by autoregulation. I started with 1 rep sets. Then I started trying sets of 2 reps. I allowed myself a generous amount of rest between sets, coming off of the low back strain and several weeks of no exercise.
I then rested 5 min. with some Fast and Loose style body shakinng. Then I did the 2nd activity which was 15 minutes of front squat exercise/assessment. The first assessment was single KB front squat rep max, which turned out to be 6. Next assessment was goblet squat rep max with the KB in horn grip, which turned out to be at least 10 with relative ease. Just as Geoff Neupert described in his video, the KB feels like it wants to peel itself out of the rack when I attempt single KB front squats. He also describes asymmetries - in my case, the right leg or hip seems to work harder and I might be getting more range of motion on one side though I'm not sure which.
Based on the self-assessments and my goals of meeting Maximorum Master's double KB C+P and DFSQ (Double Front Squat) rep max requirements with 20kg KBs, I came up with a simple training program which will be done 3x a week. The workout will consist of 15 min. of single 20kg KB clean and press with autoregulation, 5 min. of rest, then 15 min. of single 20kg front squat with autregulation. This is the schedule for this week
This is the schedule for next week
Like other Geoff Neupert programs, choice of kettlebell weights for Maximorum Master is determined by repetition max - the heaviest weight that you can lift for a particular number of reps with good technique. In Maximorum Master, the recommended weight for the 2 double kettlebell exercises - the clean and press and the front squat - is a 5RM (rep max) weight. Having completed Easy Muscle A just a few weeks ago, my rep max with double 16kg KBs is closer to 10 than 5. My rep max is with single 20kg KBs is 3. I could do this program with double 16kg KBs now, or try training towards 5RM with double 20kg KBs. I decided on the 2nd option.
Maximorum Master prescribes a 10RM weight for the single KB snatch. I already meet this requirement with a 16kg KB, so I don't need to do much prep for this exercise other than some TGU practice to improve the overhead lockout position.
The first activity of was 15 minutes of single KB C+P, with rest determined by autoregulation. I started with 1 rep sets. Then I started trying sets of 2 reps. I allowed myself a generous amount of rest between sets, coming off of the low back strain and several weeks of no exercise.
I then rested 5 min. with some Fast and Loose style body shakinng. Then I did the 2nd activity which was 15 minutes of front squat exercise/assessment. The first assessment was single KB front squat rep max, which turned out to be 6. Next assessment was goblet squat rep max with the KB in horn grip, which turned out to be at least 10 with relative ease. Just as Geoff Neupert described in his video, the KB feels like it wants to peel itself out of the rack when I attempt single KB front squats. He also describes asymmetries - in my case, the right leg or hip seems to work harder and I might be getting more range of motion on one side though I'm not sure which.
Based on the self-assessments and my goals of meeting Maximorum Master's double KB C+P and DFSQ (Double Front Squat) rep max requirements with 20kg KBs, I came up with a simple training program which will be done 3x a week. The workout will consist of 15 min. of single 20kg KB clean and press with autoregulation, 5 min. of rest, then 15 min. of single 20kg front squat with autregulation. This is the schedule for this week
- Monday - Activity as noted in this article
- Wednesday - C+P in 2 rep sets. FSQ in 2 rep sets
- Friday - C+P in 1 rep sets. FSQ in 2 rep sets
This is the schedule for next week
- Monday - C+P in 2,3 rep ladder sets. FSQ in 3 rep sets
- Wednesday - C+P in 3 rep ladder sets. FSQ in 3 rep sets
- Monday - C+P in 2 rep sets. FSQ in 3 rep sets
Monday, January 13, 2025
Low back pain after snow shoveling
I was on vacation for the winter holidays, mostly just relaxing and not doing any serious fitness training. I returned home to find snow covering the sidewalk and driveway in front of my house. Thus my first workout of 2025 was shoveling snow.
The next day I had a dental appointment. I didn't notice any issue with my low back until it was time to get up from the chair that I was sitting and lying on for the dentaal cleaning and examination. At that very moment, the low back felt like even the slightest flex of the spine would cause pain. Getting up from the chair felt and looked awkward because I was going out of my way to not allow spinal flexion as I stood up. The low back gradually felt better as the day progressed.
The next day after that saw more snowfall, and thus more snow to shovel. My neighbor and I worked together to clear ice and snow from the previous snowstorm on the street, to make it easier to park in front of our houses. I made the classic mistake of shoveling blocks of ice that were too heavy to be safe for my low back. I eventually started picking up or even deadlifting the ice blocks but I think the damage to the low back was already done. I didn't feel much pain during the shoveling session itself. The low back soreness came the following day.
Today was supposed to be the start of my modified IsoMax 6x6 program. I did the Supine position exercises from P3 Protocol to warm up, then began IsoMax training. Zercher Lunge was more uncomfortable than normal due to the sore lower back, so I quickly gave up on it. Overhead Press was ok until I applied more force, then the low back started to feel irritated. Drag Curl was more forgiving but there was still risk of low back irritation. I finished with the remaining positions from my current level in P3 Protocol.
Thus, I don't feel comfortable working IsoMax 6x6 this week. How did this happen to my low back? I think it was the combination of not exercising during the couple of weeks I was on vacation; and the load imposed on the low back by lifting snow and ice with a shovel.d
Until my low back feels better, my fitness sessions will be from Geoff Neupert's Sore Joint Solution, which is his flagship program implementing P3 Protocol. Practcing P3 Protocol should restore the motor control for protecting my low back and preventing other injuries caused by movement compensations. The Side Lying exercises are particularly beneficial for low back rehab. The Dead Bug exercise should improve reflexive core stability for protecting the back.
After the low back starts feeling good again, I could try my IsoMax 6x6 program. Another option is to take up kettlebell training again, with emphasis on preparing for Maximorum Master training. If I take up this second option, I'll probably program my KB workout as 2 15-minute sessions with a 5-min. rest period between. The first session would be practicing single 20kg KB clean and press. The 2nd session would be squatting practice, starting with single 20kg front squat and progressing to double 20kg front squat. One goal would be to increase my single 20kg C+P rep max from the previously tested 3 reps to at least 5 reps, then achieving 5 reps of double 20kg C+P. By training with these 2 sessions per workout, I should be able to progress in my C+P and my squatting at the same time. Once I achieve double 20kg front squat, I should be ready to start working towards a 5-rep max in the double 20kg C+P
The next day I had a dental appointment. I didn't notice any issue with my low back until it was time to get up from the chair that I was sitting and lying on for the dentaal cleaning and examination. At that very moment, the low back felt like even the slightest flex of the spine would cause pain. Getting up from the chair felt and looked awkward because I was going out of my way to not allow spinal flexion as I stood up. The low back gradually felt better as the day progressed.
The next day after that saw more snowfall, and thus more snow to shovel. My neighbor and I worked together to clear ice and snow from the previous snowstorm on the street, to make it easier to park in front of our houses. I made the classic mistake of shoveling blocks of ice that were too heavy to be safe for my low back. I eventually started picking up or even deadlifting the ice blocks but I think the damage to the low back was already done. I didn't feel much pain during the shoveling session itself. The low back soreness came the following day.
Today was supposed to be the start of my modified IsoMax 6x6 program. I did the Supine position exercises from P3 Protocol to warm up, then began IsoMax training. Zercher Lunge was more uncomfortable than normal due to the sore lower back, so I quickly gave up on it. Overhead Press was ok until I applied more force, then the low back started to feel irritated. Drag Curl was more forgiving but there was still risk of low back irritation. I finished with the remaining positions from my current level in P3 Protocol.
Thus, I don't feel comfortable working IsoMax 6x6 this week. How did this happen to my low back? I think it was the combination of not exercising during the couple of weeks I was on vacation; and the load imposed on the low back by lifting snow and ice with a shovel.d
Until my low back feels better, my fitness sessions will be from Geoff Neupert's Sore Joint Solution, which is his flagship program implementing P3 Protocol. Practcing P3 Protocol should restore the motor control for protecting my low back and preventing other injuries caused by movement compensations. The Side Lying exercises are particularly beneficial for low back rehab. The Dead Bug exercise should improve reflexive core stability for protecting the back.
After the low back starts feeling good again, I could try my IsoMax 6x6 program. Another option is to take up kettlebell training again, with emphasis on preparing for Maximorum Master training. If I take up this second option, I'll probably program my KB workout as 2 15-minute sessions with a 5-min. rest period between. The first session would be practicing single 20kg KB clean and press. The 2nd session would be squatting practice, starting with single 20kg front squat and progressing to double 20kg front squat. One goal would be to increase my single 20kg C+P rep max from the previously tested 3 reps to at least 5 reps, then achieving 5 reps of double 20kg C+P. By training with these 2 sessions per workout, I should be able to progress in my C+P and my squatting at the same time. Once I achieve double 20kg front squat, I should be ready to start working towards a 5-rep max in the double 20kg C+P
Today's Music Discoveries
Akiko Yano concert with guest musicians NanĂ¡ Vasconcelos and Bill Frisell. One of the many pleasant surprises is a cover of "It's For You" from the As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls album by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, with Vasconcelos on percussion and vocals.
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