Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Strong is good!



lol, is what I yelled at the finish of my second military press with the 32 kg this morning. I got to go to a place where I used to live and now only rarely get to visit. That place where all things strength is possible, where you can lift and not get weaker, run but not get tired, push your self and not get hurt, where control exists and bends to your will.

Make up your mind and accomplish what you set out to.Where what you see in your mind's eye you can make the body do.

If you watch closely( not that any one would want to,lol) you can see me smile after my first rep, KNOWING that although I had only planned on doing one, I could do two, or more, or more if I wanted to.

Again, known territory, unvisited for quite awhile but so glad to see still exists. In me too.

Tim Ferris in the Four Hour Body speaks about what I've known for most of my life; that one of the few things in life, in fact possibly the only thing that one can control to any degree at all is their body. And that's tough enough as it is but it's possible. Most everything and everyone else is mostly out of your control.

But not where you choose to go and what you choose to do.And today was one of those payoff days. How nice to arrive just when I really needed it.
I had almost given up on getting to play there again :))

6-7 am stretchout and joint mobility

8:30 am Short Cycle Clean and press

one arm swings 16kgx5/5/x3

Press
16 kg x5/5
20 kg x3/3
x1/1
24 kg x3/3
28 kg x3/3 x 3 sets
32 kg x1/1
x2/2
28 kg x 3/3 x3 sets

The 28 kg is my new 24 kg for presses. I am no longer scared of it at all and know I can do sets and reps with it safely. I had hoped it would be so today and had thought about even going up and playing with the 32 kg but thought that might be too much too ask.

But when the 28 felt like it did, after three sets I did my single rep and smiled my way through that as well. I didn't want to be greedy but everything felt so go I thought I should do at least another single before going back to work with the 28kg.

When the single felt so good I doubled it so easily it made me shout out at the top,lol.

I know, I'm a goof but hey, it's good to feel good once in awhile


Two Hand Clubbell Swipes

15 lbs x8/8
20 lbs x8/8
25 lbs x 5/5
x 6/6
x7/7
x8/8

man those got heavy fast lol. I like doing the full body swipe on short cycle days and will alternate those with just two hand arm casts on my long cycle press days.

One Clubbell Shield Cast

10 lbs x 10/10/10/10

light and fast these felt like nothing in my hands. nice

datsit.

8 comments:

Piers said...

Nice Job Mate!
So i had a crack at using your 'bend the knees' cue. It certainly didn't hurt. I think it is something i will employ particularly if i am swinging heavy or my swing feels off. It seems like a minor, minor adjustment that makes a significant difference to the feeling.
Thanks!

jockeRKC said...

It is good Mr Rif ;) (comment for what you said in the first clip)

We are going there, the place we like the power place ;)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark,

the 32er press looks realy good!!!
Great work :-)

You write:
Make up your mind and accomplish what you set out to.Where what you see in your mind's eye you can make the body do.

This comment will be very inspriring for me!Thanks!

Take care ;-)

Mark Reifkind said...

piers

thanks and so true. the more advanced one gets the more "minor" adjustments can make major differences.

Mark Reifkind said...

joakim

absolutely my friend, we are going there, and the power place is where we like.almost nothing better.

Mark Reifkind said...

bruce

thanks man, If I can't see it, I can't do it.

Juci SFG said...

Sir,
You made it look 16 kg :)
It looked so easy.
This post is so inspiring - the thoughts, the videos, the accomplishment, along with the smile :)
Thank you so much, and congratulations!

Mark Reifkind said...

Judit

thanks so much, glad it reached someone in the right way. Also glad I felt so strong, it's nice :))

155 x 3 x 5, 160 x 3 x 5, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, floor pushups 40, 35

 Thought about going back to 5x5 for a hot second then my left shoulder  reminded me why I stopped doing them before. It doesn't seem to...