30 January 2010

20 kg snatch:
max set
60 left/50 right in 6:45

Left side was limited by the grip, the right one by cardio endurance. I got quite deconditioned while nursing my back. I also seem to be mentally limited by round numbers, funny.

20 kg overhead holds:
1min left/1 min right/ 30 sec left/ 30 sec right

Apparetnly AKC methods don't include static holds. It always amazes me how "other" methods get dismissed by them. If the replies were not so spiteful the argument would be rather entertaining. It's like someone saying: "I tried to drive from New York to Singapore, got stuck in the water. So I am telling you, cars are not good for getting to places. I am speaking from experience." Talk about context...

Fuck it, whatever the experience of AKC, I am not going to dismiss recommendations of Russian GS coaches. I do not feel very relaxed either in snatch or jerk in overhead position, neither do I have good shoulder and back flexibility. So I am going to try develop these qualities and find the best position overhead in both lifts with static work and then worry about getting there from movement. I can also the actual lifts while working on the overall technique.

Now, that I am pretty well conditioned by volume I am getting the hang of max sets. They are definitely kinder to the hands. The reason is simple, of course, with multiple switches I did close to 200 reps, now it is slightly above 100. Even though one poster on Rybinsk forum recommended doing such sets only once a week. I guess with heavier weights snatches are still taxing on the calluses. I should start doing one armed swings too.

Shit, January is already gone, it is actually not funny. I wish I had more time for fun and training...

23 January 2010 - careful comeback

First session after back injury, oviously trying to be very careful. Hence the children's weight.

12 kg snatch:
10 minute set, one arm switch
88 left/100 right

12 kg feels very easy - of course. Surprisingly, even though I could continue with the left hand the grip was fairly fatigued and I wouldn't be able to last longer than another minute. Right was ok though. Heart rate was about 160 right at the end but plummeted within a minute to 120-130 range, so cardio wise this weight is no big deal either. It's good to train again though. When you are injured it seems at times that this is it, the pain is forever. I am glad to be wron in that feeling.

Yevstratov's school of running

I came across a gem, the book by Alexander Polunin entitled “Vyacheslav Yevstratov’s School of Running. As it follow from the name, the book is the summary of training methods and philosophies of an outstanding Soviet athletics coach, Vyacheslav Yevstratov, whose experience spans for fifty years, and who coached some outstanding runners during his time. His ideas are indeed unconventional and seem to contradict the mainstream methods.

GS is predominantly an endurance sport, and I think it is safe to say that training methodologies of other cyclical activities, such as running, may be extrapolated to lifting kettlebells, to a degree of course. In this post I want to present a brief summary of Evstratov’s method. I believe it will be self-explanatory whyit could be interesting to gireviks.

According to Yevstratov, before the Second World War there was no actual training methodology in running and every runner trained intuitively, trying various approaches. First “revolutionary” athlkete was Emil Zatopek, who proved the efficiency of intermittent running methods in practice while abandoning long slow runs and walks. The proof of the efficiency was Zatopek’s Olympic achievements and his sport longevity: he was an active athlete for 16 years.

Looking retrospectively Yevstratov believes that Zatopek’s method had two major drawbacks. First, the lack of specificity for long distance training, as his running intervals were 200-400 m long, while rest intervals were filled by very slow jogging, 200 m in 60 seconds. Second, lack of variations, as intermittent running was the only method Zatopek used.

At the end of 50-s and the beginning of 60-s long distance running began to be dominated by Soviet athletes. Yevstratov believes that the coach who should be given most of the credit for this fact was Nikiforov, who:

• Increased the intensity by considerably increasing the speed of running during intervals


• Increased the length of intervals and reduced rest intervals


• Introduced variability, both by rotating training methods and changing the conditions of running: outdoors, indoors etc.


• Introduced altitude training


• Modified fartlek by eliminating walking from it and by using faster runs during rest


• Increased the role of control runs which previously were used only during competition period. Nikiforov started doing competition distance runs every month and during some periods even every week.


• Introduced means for developing running speed, such as repetitive 100-150 m sprints


• Introduced methods modeling competitive conditions: “prikidki”, control runs, peaking competitions

The principles above are the backbone of Yevstratov’s training methodology. According to him modern runners combine the best methods from various schools.

• British: crosscountry comps during winter


• New Zealand : marathon training and road running


• Australian: running on the sand


• Swedish: fartlek


• Soviet: intensity and focus during interval and repetitive training in middle and long distances


• Portuguese: long distance running at racing speed during the year


• Spanish: using competition method throughout the year

According to Yevstratov there are several determinants of success in running:

• Well developed of special endurance


• Strong mental endurance


• Well developed speed-strength qualities


• Effective technique


• Ability to adjust the tactics

All these qualities are interlaced. Without mental toughness it is impossible to withstand long and intensive training sessions. Tactical skill is impossible without technical perfection. Low endurance limits the speed. And so on.

There is no mention of general endurance among the determinants of running success, the quality that was considered the most important for middle distance runners. Why? Because this quality should be developed to a certain acceptable, sufficient level. When training running elite endurance needs to be maintained at that level, and training efforts developed at specific endurance and other qualities.

Books written by Russian coaches, especially those involved in training high level elite are somewhat different from Western works, mainly by the absence of the cookbook format. Evstratov’s approach to every athlete is highly individual.

It is impossible, of course, to summarize the whole book. For those interested and being prepared to deal with the Google Translator I recommend to download it from http://wholesport.ru/

If methods of athletics are applicable to GS the all of the above is relevant for our sport. What can be extrapolated from the summary above?

Variability of training. This has been mentioned on this blog a few times. Girevik needs specific endurance, speed, power, technique, and it makes sense to use appropriate methods to develop these qualities. Long sets, short sets, various KB weights, varying tempo, all of it is useful.

Something new for me to consider would be more frequent use of control sets, akin to more emphasis on control runs in athletics. This is has always been advocated by AKC and apparently has been working well for many. My only objection is the exclusive use of this method at exclusion of everything else.

In any case, as Alexander Balaganov wrote on IGx, training methods in GS are at their early stages of development, and they are often intuitive and empirical rather than scientific. The more methods and their combinations are tried, the more experience will be accumulated, and more conclusions will be possible to draw.

Good training until then.

A week later

I am grateful to everyone who commented on the last post and wishet me to get better. It's a week since injury, and I am getting better, albeit slowly. Luckily my wife is - among other trades - a professional medical messeus and is working full time on my back.

I only hope that this is a ono time setback that can be avoided in the future by improving the technique, and not a chronic problem that can potentially stop me from doing this sport.

Thanks again everyone!

Back trouble. Again!

On Thursday I started another workout with 24 kg jerks. The assigm=nment was to do pyramid sets. When I cleaned the bells for the third set I felt sharp pain in the lower back. Yesterday I could hardly walk, today it's getting better.

I now think it is something to do with the technique of my cleans. I had similar problem before and that was the reason I started Russian EDT sequence with long cycle with 16 kg bells. I also should spend more time warming up.

When I recover this time I am planning to do a lot of cleans, progressing from light to heavier bells. For the next week though I am - as English say - out of commission.

12 January 2010 - Unauthorised workout

Wanted to test the max 20 kg snatch:
50L/53R

Limiting factor - unquestionably - the grip. Otherwise it didn't even feel that heavy after working out with 24s.

9 January 2009

2 x 24 kg jerks:
5 sets: 20, 18, 10, 10, 11 reps.
Rest 2 minutes.

The assignment from Denis was 5 x 20 reps. Out of my reach presently.

After that I could manage only two sets of assistance drills.
2 x 24 kg bumps: 30 reps
2 x 24kg chest bumps: 20 reps