Done for now....

I started this to give you a look inside what I do.  I didn't intend for it to last long.  Really didn't intend on making so many youtube videos.  Now, I believe its time for me to shut it down again.

We all have goals.  We all are created different making our goals different. What training has taught me the most is there is no time table on accomplishing goals.  Goals should be personal, they should mean something to you.  Your goals should be apart of who you are. Your goal might seem stupid to others, or people might tell you they're impossible. Just smile, say thank you, and remember those words.  It seems like I hear people today talking about what they wish they had done, or what they want to do.  So, whats stoping you? Is it the work?  Is it the time? Is it a ligitimate reason, or an something for you to hide behind. We will never have enough time or money.  We will always have an obstacle in the way, and then another one after you clear that one.  What are you afraid of? Nobody ever looked back and said I regret working hard.  Its supposed to be hard, thats why it means so much to you when you accomplish it. 

Two years ago I started training with Cody.  Before we began training together I power cleaned a little.  Shortly after we started training together I did something I've wanted to do for a long time. I power cleaned 300lbs. I felt good about myself, but quickly moved past that goal for the next.  I wanted to move to over 300lbs.  I could not reach this goal, no matter how much I tried, or worked.  I told myself I was over it and moved on, only come back again and fail.  Fed up with not being able to reach my goal I said forget it.  Not reaching this goal has eaten at me, and I couldn't let it go.  I take pride in being able to say I've never quit anything in my life.  I tell my baby boy, "We're Holder's we don't quit." With that being said I took a look at why I was failing, and worked on that issue.  Yesterday, Cody and I got together to train.  He told me we wanted to clean 335lbs for 3 reps. I knew if he was going to try to accomplish his goal, I owed it to him to try to reach mine.  So, I loaded 305lb on the bar. Yes, its only 5lbs over my personal best, but its heading in the direction of my goal of clean over 300lbs. Finally after 2 years of trying multiple times I did it. I power cleaned 305 lbs and it felt great.  Now, time to move on to 305+lbs. Cody then proceeded to show me up by cleaning 335lb for 3 reps. It takes a lot to impress me in the weight room, I've seen a lot.  I've been an an SEC football summer program, I've seen people squat 1,000lbs with out any gear, but Cody repping out 335 and maxing out with 375 still impresess me.

Don't ever look back on your life and say what if.

1) Power Clean
   1x5  135
   1x5  185
   1x3  225
   1x2  275
   1x1  305

2a) DL
  4x5 405
  1x5 455

2b)  Bench
   4x5 315
   1x3 365

3a) Dips with 45lbs of chains
   3x15

3b)Pullups
  3x10

Barbell TGU 115

Since last time it was such a big hit, more than I was expecting, I decided to go at the barbell TGU again today.  I wanted to see if I could get 115.  My right side felt great, smooth, no problems.  Left side didn't feel as strong.  It took me three tries before I got down with it.  I was on my way down the first try when baby boy decided he needed to tell me he has to go pee.  Second attempt I was just off centered in the bar. Third attempt made it down, but reached up for the bar at the bottom with my right hand.  Kristy says it counts, but I'm not accepting it.


The second link is of my third attempt on my left hand.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Riqh5ECLhc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55NHksJeT9M

Max Effort Squat Day

Its been several weeks since I've been under heavy weight.  Even then that was with a regular bar and for multiple sets of 4 reps, not max singles. So, today's plan was work up to a max single with the Safety Squat Yoke Bar.  If some of you are wondering why I use this bar its because it forces you to stay up right due to the fact it wants to pull you forward.  Basically its the same as performing front squats, but no stress on your wrist. 

The point of doing max effort work is to start with 3 reps and work your way up to 1 single max rep.  If your head doesn't feel like its goin to explode your not doing it right. Max effort work helps you figure out your sticking/weak points as well.  When you reach that last rep were you begin to fail, you can look at the lift and figure out caused you to fail.  At what point in the lift did your form break down.  Once you know this you know what your supplemental and accessory work needs to focus on.  I worked up to 475 for my single rep, the worked that followed focused on my posterior chain and low back.  I made the lift with good strength in my legs, but I wasn't very stable/strong in my center.

1) SSB
   1x10 bar
     x8   105
     x5   155
     x5   205
     x3   245
     x3   295
     x3   315
     x3   335
     x3   385
     x3   405
     x3   425  put knee wraps on here.
     x1   475  should've made smaller jumps after 425 to get more single reps in, but baby boy was with me and getting restless.

2) RDL
   3x12   225

3) SSB Good Mornings
   5x10   135
    

Family fun Monday

Today I got some work in before Kristy got home from work.  Did some light TGU's, practiced my DBL snathces and DBL cleans, Swiss Bar Curl.  Kristy's current goal is to get lean by adding some lean muscle mass.  No, girls this does not mean she is getting bulky.  Today we did our regular conditioning work for 20 mins. Starting at the top of each minuet.  We did presses and one arm swings.  She can press the 12kg bell for 3 reps, but strugles as she moves up in the sets. So, today she alternated between the 12 kg and 10 kg bell for the 20 mins. If we can get her moving heavy weight for small reps, her volume will come from more sets.  Again, short rest periods to keep her HR up. Build muscle and burn fat with out the disshonor of aerobics.

1) TGU
    1x5   20kg R/L
    1x4  24kg  R/L

2) Snatch and DBL Snatch
     2x5 24kg  R/L
     3x4  DBL 24's

3) Clean and DBL Clean
      2x5  32kg  R/L
      3x5  DBL 24's

4) Swiss Bar Curl
    5x10  95#

20min conditioning
1a) KB Press
        x3 R/L  Me 32kg   Kristy 12kg and 10kg
1b) 1-arm swing
        x8 R/L  Me 24kg    Kristy 24kg (Yes, we are swinging the same size bell. Don't read to much into it.)

Kristy followed her work work up with a 1.25 mile run in 6:50.
I finished with seated Trunk Twist w/ 35#pl for 120 reps.

Kristy Snatches 12kg bell 100 times

 For those of you who don't know kettelbell snatches are not easy. They are not for the faint of heart.  Snatching a kettelbell for this many reps takes guts, mental toughness, focus, unstoppable will, heart, determination, and all the other words you want to throw in there.  I got a lot of respect for her, and its not from her ability to train the way she does.  When she told me she wanted to try this I knew she would make it.  She's not the type of person to back down from a challenge, nor quit when life gets hard. I'm proud of you sunshine. Not to many women (or men) want to get out in a dirty, hot, garage and try to make their lungs explode. 

After I told Kristy I wanted to see if I could snatch my bell 50 times on each hand, and only switching hands one time.  She decided today was her day to give this a try.  So here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaX-XQ5Xw3w

Don't know what to call this?

After spending about 6 hrs studying yesterday for my final on Thursday I needed to get out in the garage and try to kill myself.  Actually, the killing my self wasn't apart of the plan, but quickly developed along the way.  If anybody is truly interested in losing weight do this: lock your self in your garage late in the afternoon, and start moving. Doesn't matter what you do; lift something, jump rope, you can probably even stand there and sweat off some pounds.  I really do need to make a DVD along with my own infomercial. Who ever can come up with a creative name for my DVD I will put you in the infomercial.

I have this routine that I like to follow on days I just want to move around by doing several different things.  It consist of 12 movements, mostly body weight, you can do what ever you want.  When I use all body weight movements it takes me 30mins.  So, I figured lets change it today and add some variations, thinking it will take me at the most 45mins.  An hour later I was done, and for the first time in a long time I thought I was going to overheat, dehydrate, and kill over in a puddle of my sweat. Fortunately, Hunter was home and could notify the friendliest neighborhood EMT across the street to save my life, if needed. 

This is how it goes.  Pick 12 exercises number them from 1-12.  Each number represents the number of reps for that movement.  Each time you move to the next number and work your way back down to one. Start at (#1) 1 rep. Next, perform (#2) 2 reps, (#1) 1 rep. Then (#3) 3reps, (#2) 2reps, (#1) 1 rep. Get the picture? Continue this until you reach (#12).  The last time through is #12 down to #1 and your finished.  There are no predetermined rest intervals.  Take the breaths you need between lifts, but try to keep it minimal. I noticed when editing the video my rest breaks were all around :20secs.

1. V-ups
2. Dive Bomber Push ups
3. Pull ups- added 12kg KB for variation yesterday
4. Push ups- Changed this to Wall Walks for yesterday
5. Burpee's
6. Leg Raises
7. Jump Squats
8. BW Squats- Changed to 20kg KB Goblet Squat yesterday
9. Inverted Rows- Changed to Plate Raise
10. KB Swings 24kg
11. Ring Dips- Changed to 1 arm row 24kg KB 11 each arm R/L
12. Split Squat Jump- 12 each leg R/L

Finally figured out how to make one video, problem is it can only be 5mins in length, so I cut a lot of the rest time to get it all under 5mins.  The video is my 12-1 so you can see what all the exercises are and the look of death on my face. This was a lot easier before I was 220+ lbs. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=covTjdHhhfQ

Do you know uncomfortable?

Kristy wasn't feel well, so I got some quick kettbell work in on my own. 

1) Snatches
  4x25 R/L 24kg total of 100.
My goal is 100 snatches, 50 on the right 50 on the left, only switching hands once and not setting the bell down. This was more challenging than I was expecting, but I do love a challenge.  I think thats why people don't reach their potential, or stick with any type of training.  They don't love a challenge. At some point everything should be difficult and reguire gut busting effort.  If its easy are you really getting better?  Are you improving?  The only way to improve in any aspect of life you have to get out of you comfort zone.  You have to find out what it feels like to be uncomfortable.  This feels better than you think...after the pain has passed.

2) Fig 8
  3x10   24kg

These were just because I've been wanting to do some for past few weeks, so today I did.