Rest and Z

Since I was "rained out" I finished my rest period with some more RIFGA and Z Drills. Things are coming along on both fronts. My flexibility is improving slowly and with consistent practice, I may even be able to walk properly.

"We were able to get both of his glutes to fire (via Z Health ankle work) and both hamstrings (ankle and elbow work) and I did some hands on work on a scar on his left ankle..." Mike T. Nelson

I've also been reading my RKC II instructor manual. There are some hidden training gems in the manual that didn't get covered at the cert and they aren't in any other book. In addition, I've been reading Marty Gallagher's book, "The Purposeful Primitive." Stay tuned for more information from both books and a review of Mr. Gallagher's book.

Speaking of Z Health, Mike Nelson put my testimonial on his blog. He also describes what we did...er what he did for me.

Z Health is amazing and so simple to do. It takes very little time out of the day. Maybe I should not tell anyone about it; I can have a competitive advantage. Actually I really want to have full mobility and I don't want to take any NSAIDs because I have pain due to immobility.

There is one caveat of Z Health and now that I think of it, everything else. In order for a system or a plan to work effectively, you have to do it consistently. Nothing works without consistent practice. The rewards are great for those that are consistent in practice.

July 4 & 5 Training Update

Quick note:

The smoke has been pretty thick so no bike for me. Perhaps I should check out a gas mask from the CIF, dawn - clear - ride! This would get me on the road. I do know from experience that running with the gas mask is NOT too comfortable. I don't think riding 2-3 hrs on a bicycle with it on would be too much fun. It is tempting though!


Both days -

assigned Z drills x 4
RIFGA
Z 10 min warm up

Z Session last week

Last Thursday shortly after I checked into the hotel in St Paul, I headed up to White Bear Lake to work with University of Minnesota PhD candidate, RKC and Z Health practictioner Mike Nelson on some Z Health. My goal was to ensure that I was doing the drills correctly.

We discussed my injury history (all of it) and Mike watched me walk back and forth across the room about a dozen times. This assessment told Mike several things that were confirmed with some other tests. I have several problems, some were simple others were unknown to me.

I had a hammie not firing, an ankle locked, an elbow with less than full ROM and I could go on. After a few drills, my ankle and hammie were unlocked. Just what I needed after spending the day on an airplane. As an added bonus, my back was pain free for the first time in a month.

This was all fixed with some ankle tilts, toe pulls, wrist rotations and elbow rotations. I will be doing prescribed movements several times per day for the next month or so. Then I will get assessed again.

If you haven't tried Z health you owe it to yourself to try.

Recovery D-3

I am calling this week the recovery week. Not that I'm tired or even sore. The fact is my hands are done and need the time off to heal. It goes back to the mantra take care of your hands! Keep the callous in check and there will be no worries. I attempted to do this and failed so went through 2 days of RKC II with torn callous and blisters. I must say, it makes lifting kettlebells and doing pull ups very difficult!


Z 10 min warm up
Ride 30 miles
Practice Z drills 4 times
RIFGA

It was nice to get back on the bike today. I'd only ridden a few times in the past few weeks. It was a great ride but tiring.

Train Your Weakness - Fix the basics

It is easy to say and harder to do. I often tell people to practice the stuff they suck at. It is also one important lesson from this past weekend. TRAIN YOUR WEAKNESS. The other lesson that was drilled was the basics.

It is difficult to improve and have balance in all areas if you only work on the things you are already good at. This goes for anything and it goes for everything. In music, it is essential to practice the most basic things attacks, long tones and scales. In kettlebell training, the basic thing is the swing. It is the basis for all other movements and techniques.

In the RKC II Instructor's Manual Mark Rifkind writes,

"Chek's progression of training went like this:
1. Mobility/flexibility
2. Stability
3. Strength
4. Endurance
5. Power.
Skipping any of these steps or being deficient in one and trying to jump ahead would result in problems or deficiencies eventually."

I am focusing on the first two in the coming weeks.
AM
Z 10 min warm up
other perscribed Z drills 3 times today.

PM
RIFGA
Foam Roller

RKC II

I completed the RKC II certification this weekend. It was a great time and I learned so much that my head is spinning. Not such a bad thing. I am sore phsically at all. My ability to recover keeps improving!

The course covered the basic level I skills including swings, clean, press, snatch, TGU and squat. We spend most of Friday reviewing these skills as some participants clearly did not spend any time honing these skills. It was disappointing.

Pavel taught in depth classes on the pull up, pistol, bent press and windmill. These skills are very challenging! In fact they are nearly impossible to do without basic strength and mobility in all joints.

Other classes were given in the FMS (functional movement screen), muscle length and tension, working with special popluations and of course Kenneth Jay's VO2 max protocol and boost program. Of course we went through first day of the protocol. TOO FUN.

You can read more about the cert from these blogs:
Kenneth Jay
Brett Jones
Rif

What's next for me? I am working on the plan for the 2nd half of the year.

A Week of Testing

The past week has been spent doing some light training and some testing. I've been steadily adding volume to the snatch. I did 2 different physical tests in the past 5 days.

Saturday I did a physical assessment the measured BF, HR stress test, strength (push up and situp) and flexibility. It turns out I am very fit. I should work on flexibility and lowering BF. I could have diagnosed those results without the testing. At least I have a baseline.

This morning was the semi-annual physical fitness test. I am pleased to say I improved again. It was even more pleasing because my GPP has not been tailored to the test at all.

I look back at the test from 1 year ago and while I dropped 2 pull ups, I ran more than 3 minutes faster and +2 min faster from the December test.
Run: 24:08
Crunch: 100
Pull up: 15
Score: 238