For the Monday session, I decided to do a bridge hold between the Dead Bug and the Pump portions of my warmup. The bridge was a substitute for the kneeling lunge stretch which I did to stretch the hip flexors which were worked in the Dead Bug. The hip flexors also get a stretch in the bridge though not as intense. I figured that unlike the kneeling lunge, the bridge would also help me improve my shoulder flexion strength and flexibility. At my current skill/flexibilty level my bridge would be at what GMB would consider a low bridge. I did the bridge hold for about 20 seconds. When I proceeded to clean+press training, I was only able to do 3 reps/side once. On the other attempts to do 3 reps, I failed on the 3rd rep. On the failed reps, I paused for a few seconds, then did makeup singles. Last week I was able to do 3-rep sets but did not include the bridge in my warmup. My muscles did not feel unduly fatigued from the bridge hold. Maybe it was the CNS that was affected by it. Thus I decided to drop the bridge from my warmup.
For the Session A session I switched from the 16kg KB back to the 20kg for the Turkish Get Up. I suspected the switch from the 20kg to the 16kg for TGU was another possible factor in the loss of 20kg KB pressing strength. I had some extra time so I went well over the recommended training time to do 6 singles per side, resting for a generous amount of time after each single to ensure my CNS and muscles all felt as fresh as possible for the next single.
For the final Session BA workout of the week, I also had extra time to train so I went over the recommended training time to do 24 total reps of clean+press. I figured the increased volume would improve my performance of 3-rep sets. I did 3 ladders for 18 total reps. After that I wasn't confident I could do another 3-rep set so I did 3 doubles to arrive at 24 total reps. For the Session BB workout, I did the partial TGU with the 20kg. This exercise alone wasn't much more demanding with the 20kg than it was with the 16kg.
Phase 3 is when we start doing the KB Snatch and Single KB Front Squat. I'm thinking of switching programs instead of continuing on to Phase 3 of Kettlebell Burn Reloaded. The program I am thinking of switching to is Iron Cardio by Brett Jones. One reason is I want to stop doing the Turkish Get Up as a main strength exercise. Kettlebell Burn Phases 3 and 4 will have you continuing doing the TGU as a strength exercise, then as a metabolic conditioning exercise. I understand the benefits of TGU practice but I'm not sold on the TGU as a conditioning exercise as it seems dangerous to do when you're getting exhausted. Brett recommends practicing TGU as part of the warmup for Iron Cardio, but the TGU is not a featured exercise within the main Iron Cardio workout. I'd rather practice the Snatch and Single Front Squat within the context Iron Cardio rather than Kettlebell Burn.
Another reason I chose Iron Cardio is the AGT (anti-glycolitic training) aspect. Brett discusses AGT a bit in this interview. Kettlebell Burn in all its variations was created before StrongFirst coaches and associated coaches such as Geoff Neupert began releasing AGT programs. One of most obvious signs Kettlebell Burn is glycolitic is the persistent soreness I've been feeling for days on end, especially the glute and hip muscles. Other people seem to be pleased with the results of completing Kettlebell Burn, but to get there you're going feel the burn, and lots of it. I like avoiding the burn and multiple days of soreness, which is what AGT is about. Finally I always hated the feeling I got during metcon style training, like in Kettlebell Burn, where I'm gasping for air, feeling like I'm barely hanging on, and feeling a sense of dread when the timer beeps to let me know it's time to go back to work. If I were offered a role in a big time TV or movie production on the condition I cut my bodyfat dramatically in a month, then I'd put up with the discomfort of a program like Kettlebell Burn or Kettlebell ICT. Since I'm not actually required to cut my bodyfat to X percentage within a short timeframe, I'm fine with not subjecting myself to further torture of a rapid fat loss program.
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