January 2014 Cumulative Totals

As much as I am averse to change, I'm going to try something new this month.  Instead of training long cycle, I'm going to practice jerks and swings, with long cycle maybe once a week.  I love long cycle training, and my goal for the end of the month is 50 reps with 2x24k, which would be a PR.  But it's time to switch it up.  In December, I did 16 long cycle sessions that were 5 minutes or longer.  One was 10 minutes.  I did 17 long cycle sets over 5m in November. 5 long sets the last of October.  That's 38 sets of 5m or longer in just over 2 months.  In these 38 sessions, I totaled 1,051 reps of long cycle with 2x24k, in addition to my other training. 

Like Dan John says, change it up before it stops working. 

My plan for January is to train jerks with 2x24k, working up to 10 minutes at a 6 rpm pace, faster if I can.  By dropping cleans, I can get more jerks.  Replacing cleans with swings will allow me to do more explosive pulling with the same weight (49k), increase volume by saving my hands, and get more intense cardio.  A month of high rep jerks and swings with 49k should leave me stronger, more explosive, and with better endurance.  If I can consistently hit 60+ jerks, and triple digit swings in 10 minutes, then I can come back to long cycle training with more of the physical attributes I need to push my numbers up.

Upon reflection, I'll include chin ups to balance out the jerks, for my shoulder and elbow health.  I'll use Pavel's fighter pullup program, starting with 6 reps. A quick calculation shows that starting with 6,5,4,3,2 and doing the program for a month will take me to about 689 chin ups for the month.

I'll still hit at least one long cycle set per week to keep my groove.  We'll see how it goes.

This post is also a convenient place to keep a running total of chins, jerks and swings for the month.

Jerks, 2x24k or heavier: 676

Swings/Cleans, 48k or heavier: 724

Chin ups: 658

Long Cycle, 2x18k: 612

I'm also expecting some body composition changes with this many chins, heavy swings and jerks, so I'll track weight and body fat as well.

January 2: 182.5 lb., 18.6% body fat.  34 pounds of fat, 148.5 pounds of lean mass.

January 31: ?

Edit, January 15: 

I've given up on heavy swings and jerks for a while.  The logic behind heavy swings and jerks is sound but I'm not ready for the volume.  My hands are bruised and bleeding, my knees hurt, and I'm sore all over.  Too much, too soon.  Spending some time on lighter, high rep sets of long cycle.  Keeping the chin ups.




 

January 2014 Training Log

Jan. 31- 179 lb.  Chin ups: 10,8,8,6,4=36..  Dips: 10,8,8,6,4= 36.  Pistol squats: 5,4,4,3,2=18 per leg.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x20k: 1m @ 6rpm; 4m @ 6rpm. 30 reps total.  Cold in the gym, so got in and out.

Jan. 30- 181 lb.  Chin ups: 10,8,6,6,4 = 34 reps.  Dips: 10,8,6,6,4 = 34 reps. Pistol squats: 5,4,3,3,2 = 17 per leg. 

Jan. 29- 180 lb.   Chin ups: 10,8,6,4,4 = 32. Dips: 10,8,6,4,4 = 32. Pistol squats: 5,4,3,2,2 per leg = 16.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 10m @ 6rpm= 60 reps. Hang from pullup bar- 1m.  Shoveled snow for about 30m.  In the last twelve days this makes seven 10m sets, one 8m set, one 12m set, and one 5m set with 2x18k @ 6rpm.  That's 95 minutes, and 570 reps!

Jan. 28- 180.25 lb.  Chin ups: 10,8,6,4,2= 30.  Pistol squats: 5,4,3,2,1 per leg = 15. Dips: 10,8,6,4,2.

Jan. 27- 182 lb.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 1m @ 6rpm; 12m @ 6rpm = 72.  Total reps: 78. Dips: 1 set of 20.  Pistols: 1 set of 10 per leg.  PR's in dips and pistols! Came back later and did a set of 15 dips.

Jan. 26- 181.5 lb. Chin ups: 9,9,8,7,6= 39.

Jan. 25- 179.5 lb. Chin ups: 9,8,8,7,6 =38.  Long Cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 1m @ 6rpm warm up; 10m @ 6 rpm = 60 reps. Suitcase hold: 2x18k: 3m.  Press, 18k: 3m @ 12 rpm, 1 hand switch = 18 reps per arm.

Jan. 24- 180.5 lb.  Chin ups: 9,8,7,7,6 = 37. Dips: 2x10.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 5m @ 6rpm = 30 reps. 2x20k: 1m @ 6 rpm.  Very cold in the garage- 10 degrees outside, and I can see my breath in the garage.  Kettlebells were frozen, so I just got in a half set.  Pistols: 5 singles per leg.

Jan. 23- 181 lb. Chin ups: 9,8,7,6,6 = 36. 

Jan. 22- 181.5 lb.   Chin ups: 9,8,7,6,5 = 35.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 3m @ 6rpm = 18 reps. Jerk, 2x18k: 3m @ 8rpm = 24 reps.  A really low energy day.  Came back after lunch and did long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18: 10m @ 6 rpm = 60. 78 reps total today.  Press, 20k: 2m @ 12 rpm, one hand switch = 12 reps per arm.  Half snatch, 24k, 2m @ 12 rpm = 12 per arm.

Jan. 21- 181.5 lb.  Chin ups: 9.  Had way more training planned for today, but work got out of hand.  There is always tomorrow.

Jan. 20.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 10m @ 6rpm = 60 reps.  Press, 16k: 5m @ 12 rpm, 1  hand switch = 30 reps per arm.  Black cleans, 2x18: 2m @ 16 rpm.

Jan. 19- 182 lb.  Chin ups: 8,8,7,6,5 = 34.

Jan. 18- 182 lb.  Chin up: 8,7,7,6,5 = 33. Dips: 2 sets of 10.  Pistols: 5 singles per leg. Long Cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 10m @ 6rpm = 60 reps.  Dimel deadlift, 49k: 2 sets of 20.  Swings, 24k: 10 sets of 10 in 5m = 100 swings.

Jan. 17- 181 lb. Chin ups: 8,7,6,6,5 = 32. Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 10m @ 6 rpm = 60 reps.  Pistol squats: 5 singles per leg.  Dips: 2 sets of 10.

Jan. 16- 182 lb. Chin ups: 8,7,6,5,5 = 31.

Jan. 15- 183 lb.  Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x18k: 8m @ 6rpm = 48 reps.  2m @ 6 rpm = 12 reps.  60 reps total.  Press, 20k: 2m @ 12 rpm, 1 hand switch = 12 reps per arm.  Chin ups: 8,7,6,5,4 = 30 reps. Press: 16k: 5m @ 12 rpm, 1 hand switch = 30 reps per arm.  Snatch, 18k: 3m @ 12 rpm, 1 hand switch = 18 reps per arm.

Jan. 14- 183.5 lb. Long cycle clean and jerk, 2x16k: 10m @ 6rpm = 60 reps.  Dimel deadlifts, 49k: 2 sets of 20.  Roman Chair- 2x10 reps front and back raise.

Jan. 13- 183 lb. Chin ups: 7,7,6,5,4 = 29 reps. Long cycle: 2x28: 3m @ 4rpm = 12 reps.  2x16k: 10m @ 6rpm = 60 reps.  Short, heavy set for strength; long, light set for conditioning and technique practice.  I had forgotten how nice these long sets can make me feel. Came back later and did dips, Roman chair front raise, Roman chair back raise: 3 sets of 10.

Jan. 12- 182 lb. Chin ups: 7,6,6,5,4 = 28 reps. Dimel deadlifts with a 49k kettlebell: 2 x 20= 40.  Long cycle: 2x28k: 4 @ 4rpm. 2x24k: 14 @ 5 rpm. 2x20k: 11, 12 @ 8 rpm.

Jan. 11- 183 lb.  Long cycle, 2x24k: 1m @ 6rpm. 4m @ 5rpm = 20 reps.  Rested a little, then long cycle: 2x28k: 1m @ 4rpm; 2x24k: 12 reps @ 5rpm pace; 2x20k: 10, 11 reps @ 8rpm pace.

Jan. 10- 183 lb.  Chin ups: 7,6,5,5,4 = 27.  Jerks, 2x24k: 1m @ 6rpm x2 warm up, 3m @ 5rpm.  27 reps.  Long cycle, 2x20k: 3m @ 6,8,6 rpm = 22.  3m @ 8rpm = 24. Jerks, 2x28k: 2m @ 6rpm. 7 extra reps to make 600 jerks 2x24k or heavier for the month so far.  Hands bleeding.  No extra cleans or swings.

Jan. 9- 183 lb.  Chin ups: 7,6,5,4,4 = 26.  Just chin ups today.  Hands are really taking a beating from high rep kettlebell work, so took a day off.

Jan. 8- 184.5 lb.  Time for some corrective dieting.  Swings and jerks make me hungry, but apparently I'm eating too much.  Chins, 7,6,5,4,3 = 25.  Tested my 32k press, and got 3 reps per arm.  Did swings a little differently today.  1 set of 10 two hand cleans @ 49k.  Then did 12 sets of 1m of "black cleans" with 2x24k: 2 swings followed by 1 clean, resting in the rack.  Did them every 15 seconds, for 12 pulls per minute.  Counting this as 154 swings, since the clean is simply a swing with a catch on top.  Same load, but slightly different movement pattern.  More applicable to long cycle than hardstyle swings, and using two bells forces me to work in a wide stance.

Jan.7- 184 lb.  Jerk, 2x24k: 1m @ 6rpm to warm up, then 7m @ 6rpm = 42 reps.  This is a new PR for time and reps at this weight.  2m @ 6rpm, then 4 sets of :50 @ 12 rpm (10 reps).  Total jerks today: 100.  Swings, 49: 50 in 5m.  Ended with 100 sissy dips for triceps endurance.

Jan. 6- 183 lb.  Chin ups: 6,6,5,4,3 = 24.  Worked on long cycle today.  2x24k: 1m for warm up at 6rpm.  2m @ 8rpm.  1m @ 6rpm.   28 clean and jerks.  Did a few shorts sets of heavy jerks: 2x32k: 5, 2.  2x28k: 5,5.  Total jerks: 45.

Jan. 5- 183 lb.  Chin ups: 6,5,5,4,3 = 23.  Jerks, 2x24k: 10 rep warm up, 6 reps on the minute for 15 minutes = 100 reps. Rest 5m, then swings, 49k: 10 per minute (5 on the :00 and :30) for 10m = 100 swings.  Average HR: 180.  About 200 calories burned on swings alone.

Jan. 4- 182 lb. Chin ups: 6,5,4,4,3 = 22. Jerks, 2x24k: 1m @ 5rpm warm up.  4.5m @ 5 rpm = 22 reps.  5 reps on the minute for 15 minutes = 75 reps.  Total jerks: 102.  Swings, 49k: 5 sets of 20 over a period of about three hours.  No rush, just getting my reps in, adjusting to the workload. 100 swings.

Jan. 3- 182 lb. Surprisingly, not sore from yesterday's session. Chin ups: 6,5,4,3,3 = 21.  Jerk, 2x24k: 10 sets of 10, with several minutes rest between sets.  100 jerks total.  Swings, 49k: 10 sets of 10, resting until heart rate comes down between sets.  No hurry.  I don't have much endurance today, so I'm doing short sets and getting my volume in.  100 swings.

Jan. 2- 182.5 lb.  Chin ups: 6,5,4,3,2 = 20.  Jerk, 2x24k: 1m @ 6 rpm for warm up; 6:30 @ 6rpm for the first 6 minutes, then a sprint of 5 reps in :30 for a set of 41, breaking my previous PR of 40.  Rested two minutes, then 2 sets of 1m @ 12 rpm, 1m rest.  Total jerks: 71.  Rested 3m, then swings, 49k: 60 swings in 5m (6 on the :00 and :30).  The swings were tough after the jerks.  Roman chair: 10 reps forward and backward, nice and slow.  Came back later and did 4 sets of 10 swings with 49k, bringing today's total to 100.

Jan. 1- 183 lb.  Jerk, 2x24k: 1m @ 6rpm to warm up, then 5m @ 6rpm = 36 reps.  Not much of a challenge for legs or cardio, but quite a burn in the triceps, not like long cycle.  As they catch up, the volume should increase quickly.  Swings, 49k: 50 in 5m (5 on the :00 and :30).  Overall, a pretty easy day.  Nice to deload a little after lots of long cycle sets the last two months.