No Progress Yesterday

I didn't do anything toward my website building goal yesterday, Friday 04 March 2022. I'll pick it up again today.

I Decided to Use Hugo

After a little research yesterday, I decided to use the Hugo static site generator for now. It was simple to install on my Linux box. It is a single binary with no dependencies.

Today after many years I re-registered charleshbaker.com but have not yet pointed it at anything. I also bought the book, Build Websites with Hugo.

I also had a coaching call with a friend who does business and career coaching and counseling. Not much but a little progress. Trying to figure out what to do with my career going forward.

Wow! Two Years without a Post!

I'm not going to write about workouts this time but my job. For the last 23 years I've been a programmer and sysadmin. The last few years with no conscious decision on my part I became a team lead, a manager and now a senior manager. What I do now is not what I got into computers for. I'm not enjoying and the demands of my job leave little time to do the things I enjoyed, writing code and running servers (servers being shorthand for servers, networks, storage, websites, mail, dns, etc.). I also feel like my skills have atrophied.

So, to get my skills back in line I'm going to work on a few little projects. The first will be to choose a static website generator and host a simple website in AWS S3. I'm going to document what I do here. Maybe this little journey will lead me back to being an individual contributor or embark on the consulting path. We'll see.

Direction Shift

I've spent the last few months again focusing on Original Strength and walking in order to get my hip in order. As most of you will know, we've almost all been practicing physical distancing and isolation to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus which cause COVID-19. The last couple of weeks my wife, sons and I have been gathering in our carport 2 or 3 times a week to work out. We call it Pandemic Family Weight Training.

The first few times I did relatively random sessions rather than Simple and Sinister, though I did do a 60% S&S once. I decided I need to do something different, so I pulled out the manual I got when I attended a Strong First Kettlebell Course a couple of years ago. Read it over and decided to follow the following program for a few weeks, or maybe months. Gave it a first go yesterday, 20200403.

6 Minutes of Pressing

3 x (2, 3, 5) x 35lbs => 30 reps

8 Minutes 2 Squats + 10 Two Hand Swings

4 x 44lbs => 40 reps

6 Minutes of Pressing

1 x (2, 3, 5) x 35lbs
3 x (2, 3) x 35lbs => 25 reps

This is a heavy (volume) day. My next session should be light, about 50 percent volume in the same time windows. The time windows was chosen by picking a number between 6 and 10 inclusive out of a hat. The second sequence of pressing is done for the same amount of time as the first. The next practice day will be 15 reps in 6 minutes, 20 reps in 8 minutes, and 12 reps in 6 minutes.

Today, I'll just walk, do original strength resets, practice jump rope, some really light get ups, single leg deadlifts and stretch. Just light stuff to keep moving.

Simple Quest Session Three

Another cool sunny day for my third session on my renewed quest to attain the StrongFirst Simple goals.

• Original Strength
• Giant Set 3 rounds 5 reps each exercise
• Assisted Air Squats
• Hip Bridges
• Halo (26lb kettlebell)

Simple

• One Hand Swings 10x10x35lb
• Get Ups 10x1x35lb

Felt really good. Tried to maintain nasal breathing at all times except for the prescribed "power breathing" technique for swings. A couple of times I lost tightness on swings but I felt it and got myself tight on the next rep. Same happened once on get ups. I feel like my hips are opening up a little more. As I write this I can feel slight soreness all up and down my posterior chain as well as in my forearms and biceps. I'll do my stretching while we watch the Furman basketball on television tonight.

S&S 20191218

Second session of my reset on my journey towards kettlebell Simple.

• Original Strength
• Giant Set 3 rounds 5 reps each exercise
• Assisted Air Squats
• Hip Bridges
• Halo (26lb kettlebell)

Simple

• One Hand Swings 10x10x35lb
• Get Ups 10x1x35lb

Not a lot to say. Felt good on 

a cool sunny day. I never got around to the post practice stretching.

Simple and Sinister Revised

Over the summer and fall I was having lots of issues with my back and hip. Kettlebells have been sitting unused, at least by me. I would occasionally pick up a pair to do a short farmers walk, but that was about it.

Over the last 64 days I've done an Original Strength routine 48 days. I feel better. Yes, my hip still bothers me, but I don't think anything but surgery is going to fix that. Today I decided to resume my kettlebell practice.

A couple of weeks ago I bought the revised and updated edition of Simple and Sinister. One thing I never really understood from the first edition that this one makes clear is that when you're starting on this quest, at first you should not be racing the clock. Only on after a long period of master the weights to meet the Simple, for men 32kg kettlebell for 100 swings and 10 get ups, should you begin to test for time completing the swings in 5 minutes, rest a minute then 10 get ups in 10 minutes.

I'm really going to take my time with this practice. Here's what I did today.

Warm Up

• Original Strength
• Giant Set 3 rounds 5 reps each exercise
• Assisted Air Squats
• Hip Bridges
• Halo (26lb kettlebell)

Simple

• Two Hand Swings 10x10x35lb
• Get Ups 10x1x35lb

Cool Down

• Super Set 3 rounds 30 secs each side each exercise
• 90/90 Stretch
• QL Straddle

I really took my time resting between rounds on the swings and get ups. Probably could have gone a bit faster using such a light weight. Felt pretty good. Didn't cause too much hip pain. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Warm Up was 22 minutes, Simple was 73 minutes, Cool Down was 8 minutes.

Armor Building

I haven't trained since Tuesday 28 May 2019. I meant to train on Thursday 30 May 2019 but started having muscle spasms where my right lat attaches down in the lower back area. Super painful. No way I could train. Friday felt better but decided I should wait another day and that brings us to today.

Started out with my normal movement prep.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Goblet Squats 3x5x35lbs
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Forgot to do my planks as part of the giant set. Did three sets with 2 minute break in between. Total time for prep and planks 18 minutes.

Plank 3x30 seconds

Then l did the armor building routine outlined in the picture above. However, instead of AMRAP 15 I did EMOM 15 and barely was able to keep pace. I used a pair of 16kg (35lb) kettlebells. Also I squated to a box that was just below parallel as I'm still working on strength and mobility for full squats. During my first couple of rounds the cleans were GARBAGE! I need to spend some more time practicing them and snatches.

Cool Down Stretching 

• Super Sets
• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• Bretzel 1 minute per side
• Bretzel 2.0 1 minute per side

Total cool down time 14:08. If all goes well and my body doesn't rebel, on Monday I'll resume my simple and sinister practice and up my sets of swings and getups from 8 to 10.

Grunt Work Re-test

Nineteen days ago I tested a Grunt Work AMRAP session of double kettlebell deadlifts and farmers carries. Back then I made it through the round of 12 deadlifts and a final 50 foot farmer carry w/ a pair of 20kg (44lb) kettlebells.

Today I tried it again. Same weights. Differences, today I did it in the early afternoon instead of after work. It was much hotter today (94F vs 80F). I trained in a fasted state. I did the same movement prep I usually do for my Simple and Sinister training whereas I did no warm up last time.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.
4. Plank 3x30 secs

In the movement prep I did the planks as a movement in the giant set instead of as a stand alone exercise after the completion of the giant set. I think this allowed me to get more time in the planks as compared to the last few training sessions. Total time was 15:02

Following the formula in the included image I made it up to and completed the round of 16 reps of deadlifts and a final 50 foot farmers carry. Again, I was blasted when I finished. I resisted the urge to collapse on the ground and instead slowly walked around shaking my arms and legs until I got my breathing back under control. 

Finished w/ my normal S&S cool down stretches. I figured that would work as deadlifts and kettlebell swings are both working the hinge pattern.

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Cool down time was 8:23.

Memorial Day Original Strength and Short Walks

We were travelling Monday to return home from our holiday weekend visits. I got in some Original Strength resets before we got on the road. Walked around at a rest stop and then many short walks throughout the afternoon and evening after we got home. Got nearly 120% of my step goal.

Sunday Test Day

Saturday we had a family work day at my father-in-law's house in Aiken, SC. It was the hottest day

of the year to that point! Did lots of outdoor work.  Expected to be sore and tired on Sunday, but I wasn't! I chalk that up to the last month of Simple and Sinister training on average every other day. Since I wasn't sore or tired I went forward with my planned test: 80 one handed swings in 4 minutes or less, 1 minute break, 8 get ups in 8 minutes or less.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 15 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 8x10x16kg
• Get Ups 8x1x16kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Movement prep went fine. Got deep in the squats and held it. All the rest was fine. I still need to practice planks more often so I can get to a minute straight with ease. Total prep time 14:31.

On to the test. I used the 16kg kettlebell throughout. I did the swings 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off. It was HARD! I got it done though, 4 minutes 80 swings. One minute rest. Then 8 get ups in less than 8 minutes. Total time 12:47.  I was pretty well smoked after that. Plus it was HOT!

Did my normal cool down stretches. They felt good and took 7:56. Tomorrow I'm going to retest the Grunt Work session I did a couple of weeks ago, deadlifts and farmers carries.  I'll use the 20kg kettlebells again. Last time I completed 12 rounds. Wish me luck for a better score.

Getting Stronger

I almost skipped training today. Waited until late in the afternoon. I got it done.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 15 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 4x10x16kg
• One Hand Swings 4x10x20kg
• Get Ups 4x1x16kg
• Get Ups 4x1x20kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

I was stiff today. Movement prep was challenging especially squats. But I was warm and loose afterwards. Planks are not getting easier. Prep and planks took 13:00.

The heavier sets of swings and get ups are getting easier. I feel stronger. My shirts are feeling tighter around the arms, shoulders and chest even though I'm not specifically targeting those areas. Sunday is test day, 80 swings in 4 minutes or less followed by 1 minute rest and then 8 get ups in 8 minutes or less. Total time 26:35. Next cycle is 10 sets each, I'll also shave some rest time off for each set.

Normal cool down. Felt good. Was walking better afterwards. Felt really good overall. Cool down took 8:17.

Cool Cloudy Kettlebell Practice

I didn't get a longish walk in yesterday but I did hit my target goal of 7K+ steps. Today is a kettlebell practice day. It is cool and cloudy. Quite lovely for training.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 15 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 4x10x16kg
• One Hand Swings 4x10x20kg
• Get Ups 4x1x16kg
• Get Ups 4x1x20kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

First set of squats felt better today, especially considering my hip was bothering me by the end of the day yesterday. I think it was hurting because I was in the office yesterday where I have a standing desk. I've been working at home a lot lately where I do not have a standing desk, so my body is not conditioned for it anymore. Got to do better. Anyway, movement prep was good as usual. Followed it up with planks. I think I'm going to have to "grease the groove" daily to get better at planks and not just this every other day 1 minute accumulation. Total time for prep and planks 12:04.

I again did half of my swings and get ups with the 16kg bell and half with the 20kg bell. Still feel strong. No problems. On get ups I focused on rolling up, not crunching. Holding the bell with my left hand it is hard to go from kneeling to standing than while holding the bell with my right hand. In the former it looks like a left foot forward lunge and that is the hip that gives me trouble. It will get BETTER! Total time 26:13

Finished with normal cool down routine. Felt good. Really felt good walking around afterwards. Total time 8:20.

Heavier Kettlebell Simple and Sinister at Lunch

Yesterday, only got in about 6.1K steps which is 900 short of my 7K daily goal. Friday and Saturday were even worse. I didn't do any mobility, flexibility and stability work yesterday either.

Today, I felt good. Decided to go heavier on a few sets of swings and get ups.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 10 secs, 5 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 4x10x16kg
• One Hand Swings 4x10x20kg
• Get Ups 4x1x16kg
• Get Ups 4x1x20kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Movement prep and planks took 13:01. Set one of squats equals struggle bus. All the rest of movement prep was fine. I intended to accumulate 60 seconds of plank time in 1x30 seconds and 2x15 seconds. Had to break that last 15 into 10 seconds and 5 seconds. For some reason my shoulders just gave up. I'll do better next time.

As I wrote earlier I was feeling good and strong today so my initial thought was to do 1 set each on each side of swings and get ups at 20kg instead of the 16kg I have been using for the last few weeks. I ended up doing half of all my sets with the 20kg and it felt good. I'll try to repeat this on my next two training sessions. Time was 26:35, which is about twice as long as a test of 8 sets each of swings and gets up should take, 13 minutes.

Did my normal cool down routine. It took 8:01. Got to make sure I do an Original Strength reset at least on the days I don't do kettlebells. I've also been doing 30-60 seconds of the Bretzel 1.0 before bed on kettlebell days.

Lazy Saturday Kettlebell Practice

I had a hard week of work. Long hours and disrupted sleep patterns. I woke up this morning around 0400 and never really got back to sleep. Spent most of the day binge watching Game of Thrones. I did do a few minor chores around the house. Then finally got off my ass and got in my kettlebell practice. This was my first ketllebell session since Tuesday, but I did do an original strength reset on Wednesday along with a 30+ minute walk.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 15 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 8x10x16kg
• Get Ups 8x1x16kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Movement prep felt good. First set of squats is always a challenge, but by the end of the three giant sets I'm always loosened up and warm. Followed that with planks accumulating one minute total. All of that took 11:20.

Then with minimal rest and set up time I went into the simple and sinister routine. Swings were easy and even with the extended rest time I was breathing hard and feeling it by sixth set. Get ups felt particularly solid and fluid at the same time. My hips felt much better. Total kettlebell time 26;40.

Finished up with the recommended stretching. Again my hips felt much better than usual in the 90/90 stretch. Also I think I was able to part my legs a few extra degrees for the straddle stretch. Slow and steady wins the race. Consistency is key! Total time 8:00.

Original Strength and Walking

Today I did about five minutes of Original Strength resets then took a 30 minute walk. Hip is my limiting factor on walks. At least I got out there and did it. It was a nice day, cool and cloudy. I need to keep doing original strength type work to improve my mobility and flexibility. Not much else to say.

Cool Shirtless and Barefoot Kettlebell Practice

Working from home again today which let me get my kettlebell practice in around midday. It is unseasonably cool but sunny with a breeze. I almost always train barefoot or in one of my several pairs of Vibram FiveFingers. Today was barefoot. I also found a sunny spot and got shirtless to get a little extra vitamin D.

I was scheduled to do this training session yesterday, but was feeling unusually sluggish and sore still. Mostly my hip from the walk on Sunday. It pays to listen to my body, especially as I get older.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

Plank 30 secs, 15 secs, 15 secs

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 8x10x16kg
• Get Ups 8x1x16kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

I keep forgetting to do my planks after the kettlebell practice so I moved them to the end of movement prep. I was nice and warm after giant sets of movement prep. What was sore felt better. I was nice and loose. Ready to go. It took 11:48 including planks.

As noted I built more time into the sets of swings and get ups to make this more a practice than test. It was still enough work quickly enough to get my heart rate elevated and a good sweat. Swings felt good and powerful. Get ups were solid. Less pain in my hip. Kettlebell practice took 26:16.

Then the cooldown of S&S recommended stretches. These are the most difficult and obviously most needed part of the routine for me, these and squats. I'll start doing goblet squats soon. Need to work on ankle and hip mobility. Cool down took 8:00. Tomorrow I will do a longish walk.

80 Percent Simple and Sinister Practice One

I took two days off after the Gruntwork kettlebell deadlift and farmer carry session on May 8th. Really needed it as I was quite sore, especially my left hip and upper back. Back in the saddle today.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

8/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 8x10x16kg
• Get Ups 8x1x16kg

Cool Down Stretching Super Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Felt good after the movement prep. Warm, loose and ready to go. Prep took 10:05.

Upped sets of swings and get ups to 8, thus the 80% in the title. Took my time with swings with plenty of rest in between sets as this is practice not a test. Same for get ups. Still got my heart rate up and got a good sweat going. Focused on generating power on swings and really squeezing my glutes at the top. Focused on form during get ups, keeping kettlebell arm strait, getting square, etc. Kettlebell practice took 20:35.

I forgot to do my plank practice, bummer. Guess I'll go do one now. Cooled down w/ the recommended S&S stretches. Cool down was 8:30. Everything feels better now. Tomorrow will be a longish (for me) walk. I walked 21:20 this past Thursday.

Kettlebell Deadlifts and Farmer Carries

After seven simple and sinister sessions yesterday I decided to do something a little different. I tried the following workout from Grunt Work.

I used a pair of 20kg (44lb) kettlebells. I made it to through the round of 12. That means 42 deadlifts and 300 feet of farmers carries. Smoked my whole posterior chain, grip and the "corset" muscles. Had my heart racing. Today was a short walk. Tomorrow back on simple and sinister.

Oh and for those that don't know AMRAP 10 means As Many Rounds As Possible in 10 minutes.

I actually did this session on May 8, 2019.

60 Percent Simple and Sinister Test

Today is my seventh session doing 60 swings and 6 get ups with the 16kg kettlebell. So, as per my plan I'm testing today to see if I can get the swings done in 3 minutes or less, rest a minute, and then get 6 get ups done (alternating sides) in 6 minutes or less. The 60 percent is referring to the number of sets not the weight. The weight I'm using is 50% of the Simple Goal which is to be done with a 32kg, and 33% of the Sinister Goal which requires using a 48kg kettlebell.

Movement Prep Giant Sets

1. Assisted Squats 3x5
2. Hip Bridge(Raise) 3x5 
3. Kettlebell Halo 3x5 per direction 35lbs.

6/10 Simple and Sinister

• One Hand Swings 6x10x16kg
• Get Ups 6x1x16kg

Cool Down Stretching Giant Sets

• 90/90 Stretch 3x30 seconds per side
• QL Straddle Stretch 3x30 seconds per side

Hardstyle Plank 1x30 seconds

I DID IT! I was able to do my 60 swings in 3 minutes! I was sucking wind like crazy, but I did it. My glutes and hamstrings were on fire, but I did it! I also completed my get ups in the alloted 6 minutes. I'm used to doing 1 get up EMOM but not after doing swings in an 1:1 work to rest ratio. Even with the one minute break after the swings my breathing wasn't back to normal, but it was good enough to get the work done.

Next step is to increase to 8 sets each of swings and get ups. Then on my 7th session of that test again. If I can do that in under 13 minutes total, I'll go up to 10 sets of each. But let me not get too far ahead of myself. One training session at a time, grasshopper, one kettlebell practice at a time.