Day 26 of the 40 day program

13 workouts left!!

I am excited to be almost finished with the journey. It has taught me so much about listening to my body. I am learning when to take it easy and go hard with my big 3 lifts. I have found the weight and volume that my body likes and to me that's important.

Prep- TGU variations, BP practice, 2x10 deadlift and 2x10 back squat with 135 again. This gets my body ready for battle.

Press

24k x5, 28k x5 and 32k x5

Pull-up- all 16k

3x4

Pistol

12k x3 L and R, 16k x3 L and R and 28k x3 L and R

Snatches-20 minutes of 40/20 with the 16k. I would guess that the total snatches performed were 180 or so.

Roll-outs with the akro wheel

Day 25 of the 40 day program and some thoughts about goal setting

Today I had to change it up a bit. I was feeling as if these workouts were getting tedious. I have committed to the 40 day plan but sometimes it's tough to do the same lifts every day.

Sticking to a plan is essential to reach your goals but sometimes you need to trick yourself into finishing the task at hand. My prep was very different today so I figured that I would post what I did differently:

Prep:

Ankle mobility

kneeling hip flexor stretch

30 hip hinge

lunge with kb overhead a'la TGU style

2x10 135 back squat

2x10 135 deadlift

I have no trouble at all getting my joints mobile and moving well but sometimes I need to just get a good sweat in to really get my body feeling good. Joint mobility is good and it works but a good sweat feels great. I wish I had a sauna....I will check with the wife on this and see how it goes :)

All my lifts were sets of 10 today

Press 2x10 with the 24k...shoulders felt great

Pull-up 2x10 BW

Pistol 1x10 - L and R with the 12k

snatches 100 reps with the 20k....4:40 was my time

planks

Day 24 of the 40 day program

Felt OK today....I have been dealing with a small stomach bug do my training didn't go amazing.

All 6x 1 rep scheme

Press-28k, 32k, 36k, 40k, 40k, 40k all L and R

Pull-up- 32k, 32k, 32k, 32k, 36k, 36k

Pistol- 16k, 16k, 20k, 20k, 24k, 28k

Snatches- 80 straight with the 16k

Core- ab roll outs 1x15

My ah-ha moment

I am in the process of learning the level II skills and I had a ah-ha moment the other day and I figured that I would share.

About a month ago I was lucky to spend some time with Brett Jones and he taught me the basics of the windmill and bent press. I had a basic understanding of these lifts before but I wanted to learn and understand the finer points before diving in. I have had low back injuries in the past and the bent press seemed a bit overwhelming.

The first thing that I noticed was the foot position in both the BP and windmill. The 45 degree toe out helped guide me in the right direction to achieving what I call the "lateral hip hinge" This was not lateral flexion at all but a safe/correct way to move while learning the BP and windmill.

Once I began practicing I noticed a few things:

1. Asymmetries in my t-spine jumped out like ninja at a wedding

2. Hip asymmetries were apparent in my " lateral hip hinge " especially external rotators

3. The BP, windmill and bottom portion of the TGU "after windshield wiper" all had this " lateral hip hinge" pattern that I need to practice.


Just attempting these new movements allowed me to find imbalances that I didn't realize were issues and I am grateful that these newly learned skills are teaching me so much about movement. It's pretty cool when you can learn a new exercise and learn something hands on about your own movement patterns and how to address them.

I started working on my T-spine, mainly from the TGU position mentioned. Instead of having bottom hand ( no bell ) near my knee I moved it forward almost towards my front foot and opened up my t-spine with a light bell, diaphragmatic breathing and light rocking into the " lateral hinge"

This has worked wonders and it feels sooo good

I am practicing both sides quite a bit and I have had amazing success opening up my t-spine and hips while learning the pattern for level II.

Another crazy thing that happened way what this did to my DS score. I am normally 2 and sometimes a 3 when I work at it. Yesterday I had to demo a DS for a screen and I dropped down better than ever. I have never felt so in the DS so I was pumped. My client didn't care but I was happy ..I was a damn proud 3 on that day


For those of you learning level II skills I hope this helps, I am moving better than ever and my low back hasn't felt this good in a year or so.

Day 23 of the 40 day workout

All 2x5 rep scheme

Press 32k...L/R

***side note- my 2x5 32k press is slowly becoming my marker for how I feel that day. If the 32k presses feel really easy then I know my body nervous system is not shot and that I did not overdo it on the previous workout

Pull-up- 16k, 20k

Pistol- 10k, 10k

Swings- I did swings today instead of snatches, I feel as if I need to really practice my swings before I improve on my snatches.

Ab wheel- 10 roll-outs

Day 22 of the 40 day program

All 2x5 rep scheme

Press 28k x5....36kx5 L and R...these are PR's for me

Pull-up 2x5 bodyweight super slow, roughly 7 seconds for the eccentric/concentric part of the pull-up

Pistols- 5 BW L and R and 5 L and R with the 10k...takin it easy today

Snatches 7 minutes of 30/30 with the 20k

Plank and reach.... 2 sets of 1 minute

days 20 and 21 of the 40 day program

Half way through!!!

I have hit a couple press PR's thus far so I am pretty pumped. I am still adjusting to the high volume of pistols per week. Some days my back gets a bit sore so I am always cautious about that.

Pull-ups are pretty easy, I am pretty sure I can hit a 48k pull-up on any given day which is nice. If I had to guess I am at a 40k pistol at this point, on my next day of singles I will see.

Some PR's so far

44k press L and R

40k for 2 L and R

Day 20 all 2x5

Press 32k, 32k

Pull-up- 20k, 20

Pistol 16k, 16k

Snatches 6 min of 30/30 with the 16k

ab roll outs

Day 21- 5, 3, 2 rep scheme....my favorite :)

Press 32k x5....36k x3....40k x2

Pull-up 20k x5....32k x3....40k x2

Pistol 16k x5, 3 and 2 were body weight pistols...I need to start doing more of these. They require better mobility are easier on my joints

Things are going well and I feel like I am back in my groove. The beast is mine ;)

The Importance of a Mentor

Patient, passionate, kind, encouraging, caring, non-judgemental, loving, nurturing, a good listener, accountable, professional, sense of humor, honest, humble, always willing to learn.

To me, these are just some of the traits of the mentors in my life. I am grateful to have met these people. They have always listened patiently when I have a question. They gave me the right answer even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. They shared their knowledge gracefully understanding fully that I just wanted to learn.

There are many types of mentors, some are spiritual, some are career oriented and others share the same interests and passion.

There are some people in my life that are my mentors and they have no clue. They are just willing to teach, listen and learn. It's an amazing gift.

If you don't have a mentor I would encourage you to link up with someone who is willing to share their time with you. You don't have to ask " Will you mentor me" it will just start to happen once the relationship is developed.

I also encourage you to be a mentor. You may be one and not even know it. Mentorship is often started by a friendly hello or the asking or answering of a simple question.

The idea of mentorship is a gift and a blessing. Regardless of what side you are on, these relationships will help build you to be the person or coach that you strive to be.

Take the time, listen more, talk less and take the time to "just show up" even when you don't want to. I promise you it will be worth the time invested.

Days 18 and 19 of the 40 day program

Day 18

All 2x5 rep scheme

Press 32k

pull-up 16k, 20k

Pistol- assisted w/TRX...very cranky back

30/30 10 minutes of swings with the 28k

1x10 ab roll outs

Day 19

5, 3,2 rep scheme

Press- 32k x5 L and R, 36k x3 L and R, 40k x2 with R and 2x1 with L

Pull-up- 20k x5, 28k x3 and 32k x2

Pistol- 16k x5 L/R...24k x3 L/R...28k x2 L/R

snatches 3 min straight with the 24k, 64 reps

Core- valslide bodysaw

Days 16 and 17 of the 40 day program

Both days are a 2x5 rep scheme. My body is feeling pretty good now. The soccer tournament I played in last saturday was a terrible idea. My numbers are where they should be once again :)

Day 16

Press- 32k, L and R

Pull-up- 20k and 24k

Pistol- 16k and 20k L and R

Hanging Leg raise 1x15

snatches 4 min with the 20k, 81 reps

Day 17

Press 32k, L and R

Pull-up 20k and 20k

Pistol 20k, 20k L and R

Snatches 9 min of 40/20 with the 14k

Ab roll-outs 1x10

Day 15 of the 40 day program

All 2x5

Press, 28k

Pull-up, 16k

Pistol- 8k

Snatches- 16k for 10 minutes 30/30

Ab wheel.

Felt terrible again today, soccer was a bad choice...I am not smaaaaaaat

Pattern practice for strength gains

There has been lots of talk about the Dan John/Pavel 40 day training program lately and quite a few people are having a tough time understanding how you can perform the same movements every day. I understand that this method may be tough in large groups or with high school athletes but the principles behind it are amazingly simple.

Here I will outline a easy template on how to practice a movement every day without feeling like that's all you are doing.

I will focus on 4 patterns so you can get the idea. They are:

Hip Hinge

Squat

upper body push

upper body pull

Yes, there are many more but I want to make this clear as mud. There will be 3 components that are practiced in this program and they are:

Movement Preparation or MP- you will practice the patterns as part on your warm-up once asymmetries and imbalances are addressed.

Deliberate Pattern Practice or DPP- you will focus on 1 or 2 patterns with a relatively low weight for 1 to 2 sets done at the beginning of your workout but after the prep.

Core Lift or CL- this is one of the lifts that you have a primary focus on. If you are focusing on deadlifts and pull-ups that day then these are your Core lifts

Here is how you can lay this out in a 4 day strength training program. I will use a MP, DPP and CL every day and practice one of these patterns via of those. I will address a squat, hip hinge, upper body push and upper body pull on each of these.

You can add much more volume to these as they are examples and not full workouts

Day 1

MP-pushups, 2 sets of 10-15 reps- upper body push

DPP- 2x10 goblet squats-squat

CL #1 Deadlift- covers the hip hinge

Cl #2 bent rows- upper body pull

Day 2

MP-naked hip hinge- this is a patterning drill with no weight. I normally have my athletes tap their butts on the wall- hinges

DPP- 2X10 DB rows- upper body pull

CL #1 front squat- squat

CL #2 Bench press- upper body push

Day 3

MP- Body weight squats- squats

DPP 2x10 light DB press- upper body push

CL#1 Pull-up- upper body pull

CL #2 RDL- hip hinge

Day 4

MP- 2x15 band rows- upper body pull

DPP- 2x25 kettlebell swings- hip hinge

CL#1 Back squat- squat

CL #2 Incline bench press- upper body push

There are hundreds of variations on this but I hope you get the idea. I would rather have my athletes own 4-8 exercises in 12 weeks instead of stinking at 16 in 12 weeks.

My point is that you are giving the athlete a basic skill set and understanding of how to move properly instead of confusing them and their CNS. If I am teaching someone how to build a shed I am going to start with a hammer, screwdriver, saw and a wrench. I would not give them a hilti gun, dremel tool, chainsaw and power drill and expect them how to use it.

Teaching proper movement is a gift. This gift can keep you moving better, feeling better and performing better. It can also keep you from injuring yourself.

Movement is a process and proper steps must be taken to move well and to move often.

Days 13 and 14 of the 40 day program and a minor setback

Day 13 3/3

5-3-2 rep scheme

Press 24k, 28, 32k

Pull-up 16k, 24k, 24k

Pistol- 12k, 16k, 16k

6 minutes straight with the 16k

ab roll outs 2x5

felt good

Day 14 3/4

2x5 rep scheme

My back was a bit cranky so I skipped snatches and did swings. I also substituted pistols for airborne lunges

Press 32k

airborne lunge- 2x5

pull-up 12k

1 handed swings 30/30 for 5 min with the 20k

hardstyle plank 2x:45

The things we do :)

Yesterday I went to my old college and played in a futsal tournament. The best part was hanging out with my two good friends Tommy and Jamo. We didn't win this year but had fun.

We played 5 games on a hardwood basketball court. This is always a bad idea. We regret it after the tourney and we suffer the ride home. We are all sore as hell for a few days. Today my back is not happy and I needed a day off. I am hoping to get a solid training day in tomorrow.

Yes I am an idiot, when I train smart and do the right things I always feel good. When I drive 2.5 hrs, play 5 soccer games and drive another 2.5 hrs back home, I feel like rubbish. I wonder why.

10 week conditional protocol for elite soccer players/athletes

***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WAS USED FOR PRO SOCCER PLAYERS, IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS PROTOCOL PLEASE DON'T BE AN IDIOT

In the past 7 years I have trained several pro soccer players. There has been much trial and error along this journey that is for sure. Hundreds on hours in the trenches helped me develop this program. I don't have fancy VO2 masks, access to doctors or labs but I do have 7 years on the floor getting my athletes pretty damn fit. Everyone of my players was top 3 on their pro teams in their fitness tests so I will let that speak for itself.

Simple yet effective

This program is simple, progressive and it works. Will you bust your butt? Yup. Will you be tired? Yup. Will you be one of the fittest on the field? Yup...if you finish this.

The program consists of 2 exercises, sled pushes and interval work. You will train sled pushes 2 days a weeks and run intervals 2 days a week. Follow this for 10 weeks and see how you do :)

**you will most likely need 50 yds of space for this

Sled Pushes- run these all out, my athletes started with 100 lbs loaded

Intervals- when I say that you will run a 45/15 interval, here is what I mean:

45 seconds is a light jog, a nice easy pace

15 seconds is when you are getting chased by a rabid pitbull...you are flying

The first number in the interval refers to the "easy" part of the interval and the second number is the "go like hell" number

Week 1

Day 1 and 3 Interval 45/15 for 5 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 5 second push, rest for 20 seconds and repeat for 5 reps

Week 2

Day 1 and 3 interval 45/15 for 6 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 5 second push, rest for 20 and repeat for 6 reps

Week 3

Day 1 and 3 interval 45/15 for 7 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 5 second push, rest for 20 repeat for 7 reps

Week 4

Day 1 and 3 interval 45/15 for 8 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 5 second push, rest for 20 and repeat 8 reps

***Add 15lbs lbs to sled after week 4..your choice

Week 5

Day 1 and 3 interval 40/20 for 5 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 7 second push, rest for 20 and repeat for 5

Week 6

Day 1 and 3 interval- 40/20 for 6 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 7 second push, rest for 20 and repeat for 6 reps

Week 7

Day 1 and 3 interval 40/20 for 7 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 7 second push, rest for 20 and repeat for 7 reps

Week 8

Day 1 and 3 interval 40/20 for 8 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 7 second push, rest for 20 and repeat for 8 reps

Week 9

Day 1 and 3 interval 35/25 for 6 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled - 9 second push rest for 20 repeat for 5

Week 10

Day 1 and 3 interval 35/25 for 8 minutes

Day 2 and 4 sled- 9 second push, rest for 20 repeat for 6

Enjoy