Ratchet Spanner 4x7

[shadow]

So I decided to take my exercise selection, simplify it and put it into a 4x7.

I can now see the bigger picture of where I am going and how this fits into a greater THP.

The aim of this is to stabilise the muscles in my leg, particularly around the knee, and to begin working with force generation, and to a lesser extent absorption, through the hips and legs.

All Clubbell exercises using my 13kg (28lb) club.

Circuit A

- Supinate pullups (palms facing towards me) x 10
- trinity squats x10
- 2 hand front pendulums x 7 each side
- 2 hand side swings x 7 each side
- quad press x 10


Circuit B

- pronate pullups (kipping) x 10
- assisted pistols x 5 each leg
- 2 hand armpit casts x 7 each side
- 2 hand side guard to back position x 7 each side
- quad switch x 5 each direction.


Circuit C

- commandos x 5 each side
- unassisted pistols (hopefully, perhaps with holding a miniclub for stability) x 5 each leg
- 2 handed front swipe x 7 each grip
- 2 handed side swipe x 7 each grip
- quad switch + press x 5 each direction


No intensity days will be Ageless Mobility®, either the full session or if pressed for time, just the standing portion.

Low intensity will be continuing working with the current prasara body-flows:

- seal walk
- side sunset flow
- modified cricket flow (without the hand balancing)
and a basic flow of childs pose -> plough -> reverse long arm roll -> modified camel (head not thrown back) and working to lean back to putting the head on the ground.

I will use the time compression outlined in "Magic in the Mundane".

[shadow]

Thursday 29/11 – Moderate Intensity day

AM: Morning Intu-Flow® and ‘pulping’ (light prasara body-flow) session.

PM:

Warm up
- A few Intu-Flow® exercises and mountain pose.

Start: 5:39pm (??? After writing the finish time I am unsure if it was 39 or 49)

Circuit A

5 rounds.

Total RPE: 6
Total RPT: 8
Total RPD: 1

Rest time between rounds: 3 minutes 30 seconds.

Finish 6:12pm

Cool down
- Standing forward bend
- Standing straddle forward bend
- 4 corner stair stretch
- One legged wind removing poses.


Thoughts:

I was unsure of this 4x7 but now I feel really happy and certain I did the right thing. It was an adequate RPE day for moderate, not too intense but stimulating.

I didn’t fail on the pulls, actually it was really easy and I felt I could have kept on going beyond 10 reps, even on round 5 (perhaps there is an imbalance in my arm muscles? Will have to see with tomorrows pronate/ palms facing out pull-ups).

On round 3 of the trinity squats I realized my knees would flare out to the side slightly (I have been doing this forever but this is the first time I realized that it was poor technique as a memory from Coach Hurst’s Trinity Squat article surfaced in my brain). So from then on I worked on pressing them in. This caused a slight raise in RPE and RPD but I felt my hips were much more balanced in their engagement and the ‘pulping’ effect is what I need.

The quad presses right at the end were a great little addition as I was fatigued from the previous exercises I could not muscle my way through and instead bounced in a way I never have before when doing this exercise. It felt entirely effortless and really fun.

I seemed to pick up momentum throughout the cycle and every exercise became smoother and easier. For round five I was actually jumpy to start and wanting to get into it. I finished feeling strong and super-charged, my body feeling connected, integrated and really wonderful!!!

[Coach Gostnell]

This is sounding great, Damien! Good self-correction on the "knee flare".

instead bounced in a way I never have before when doing this exercise. It felt entirely effortless and really fun.

:jump:

[shadow]

Thanks Jeanne :)

Friday 30/11 - High Intensity

AM:
Morning Intu-flow and pulping session (various open and closed chain movements, as well as some body-flow).

PM:

Warm up
- 1 round of extension.
There is discomfort in the hammer swings, I think I will use the shoulder prehab as a warm up from now on.

Circuit B

Start: 5:56pm

5 rounds, 3 minutes 30 seconds rest between each round.

RPE: 8.5
RPT: 8
RPD: 2

Finish: 6:29pm = 23 minutes (which minutes it was likely 5:49pm yesterday and also 23 minutes).

Cool down:
- standing forward bend
- standing straddle forward bend
- 4 corner stair stretch
- single leg wind removing poses.


Thoughts:
Much more intense than yesterday, as it should be. Forearm and shoulder fatigue yet I completed every rep till the very end with only my last pullup of round 5 dropping in form (muscle up instead of efficient movement).

I concentrated, in all exercises, in really driving from the legs and recruiting hip snap and core activation and could really feel how these three things felt in each exercise.

Felt tired and a little shaky after.


Saturday 1/12 - No intensity

Middle of day:
Went for another treatment. Felt really loosened in my hips afterwards and the therapists mentioned that they were getting a lot of releases, which I also felt. Booked in in another 4 weeks.

PM:
80 minute ageless mobility session.

[shadow]

Sunday 2/12 - Low Intensity

Continuous yoga flow

- seal walk -> side sunset -> ploughing pigeon.

approx 30 minutes.

[shadow]

Monday 3/12 - Moderate Intensity

AM:
Intu-flow and pulping session.

PM:
- Warm up: Shoulder pre-hab

start: 6:05pm

5 rounds Circuit A with 2 minutes rest between rounds.

RPE: 7
RPT: 8
RPD: 1

Finish 6:31 pm
= 26 min

Cool down:
- standing forward bend
- straddle forward bend
- 4 corner stair stretch
- one legged wind removing poses

Thoughts:

Harder than last time, higher RPE but not cardiovascular distress but instead muscle fatigue.
I think I ate too many calories/carbs today which affected my energy levels.

Am going continuously deeper in my cool-down stretches which I am happy about.

[shadow]

Tuesday 4/12 - High Intensity

AM:
Intu-flow and pulping session.

PM:
warm-up - shoulder pre-hab.

Start: 5:33pm

5 rounds circuit B with 2 minutes rest between.

RPE: 8.5
RPT: 8
RPD: 2

Finish: 6:00pm = 27 minutes.


Thoughts:
More intense than last time and again I find myself confronted with just wanting to stop and dreading the next session.
After such a fantastic start to the cycle I am disappointed to find myself fearing my workouts so much again.
Nevertheless I finished to the end and once again only the very last rep of the last round of pullups was where any kind of form diminished.

[shadow]

Wednesday 5/12

AM:
2 hour Thai massage.

PM:
Standing portion of Ageless Mobility (30 minutes).


Thoughts:
I am getting some residual dull ache in my left knee... it's not something I have been concerned about because it is no different from when I am not working out. If anything the ache is more pronounced the days after exercise, but less painful.

My therapists are working on this, but it seems as if it is a long path back to full health for it.

[shadow]

Thursday 6/12 - Low Intensity

PM:
continuous yoga flow

seal walk -> side sunset -> ploughing pigeon.

approx 30 minutes


Friday 7/12

Had to wake up early for a field trip and my girlfriend and I kept each other up a little too late last night so I was quite tired.

I decided to forgo todays training and instead do some intu-flow and pulping.

I discovered that a lot of the lack of the mobility in my hip region was actually coming from limited mobility in the right ankle!!

So I really worked hard on that area and felt looser.

[shadow]

Sat 8/12 - Moderate

AM: Intu-flow and pulping session.

Circuit A
Start: 1:17pm

3 rounds with 1 min rest between.

RPE: 7
RPT: 8
RPD: 5

Just after I finished the trinity squats on round 3 my left knee had some acute pain that caused me to stop. I couldn't just walk it off, it was sharp and inside the joint.

But it didn't feel like I had damaged anything, more like something in the structure of it changed... regardless I didn't feel I could continue.

Perhaps all the pulping has loosened it up plus the therapies or something. I dunno.


That afternoon we drove to go camping.

For the first time in years I sat for several hours in the car without my knee having any of the usual kind of chronic aching I used to.

Interesting.

[shadow]

Sun 9/12 - Moderate Intensity

PM:
Warm up - Intu-flow.

Start: 4:40pm

5 rounds of circuit A with 1 minute rest between rounds.

RPE: 7
RPT: 8
RPD: 2

Cool down:
- standing forward bend
- standing forward straddle bend
- 4 corner stretch
- light ankle/shin pulping session

Thoughts:
As my knee was no longer hurting and if anything felt better, I decided to do this session again, the full version this time.

The left knee feels stronger and more stable somehow, now the right knee and hip feel kind of loose, more than before. At this moment there is a stark contrast, from the hips down, between the two sides of the body. The left knee feels that chunky density again.... which became released after the pulping.

The discomfort level was from poor diet of late and me wanting to lose my oily lunch.

[shadow]

Monday 10/12 - High Intensity (Day 10)

AM:
Intu-flow

PM:
warm up - shoulder pre-hab.

Start: 5:30pm

5 rounds of Circuit B with 1 minute rest between rounds.

RPE: 9
RPT: 8
RPD: 2

Finish 5:52pm = 22 minutes.

Cool down:
- standing forward bend
- standing straddle forward bend
- 4 corner stair stretch
- ankle releases
- one legged wind removing poses.

Thoughts:
Intense. Hot, muscles aching... everything inside screaming out to quit, or at least rest for an extra minute or two.

Will I ever get used to or enjoy this intensity?

Round 4 I stopped at 8 pullups, 1 or 2 short of what would have been failure.
Round 5 stopped at 7.

Left knee a little bit tender at the bottom of the squat, so I reduced the depth slightly.

After exercising I feel a little nauseous, eating being the last thing I could possible want even though I was so hungry before starting. Sweaty and a little bit dizzy or light-headed.

[Coach Gostnell]

After exercising I feel a little nauseous, eating being the last thing I could possible want even though I was so hungry before starting. Sweaty and a little bit dizzy or light-headed.

So what are the heat & humidity like for you at this time of year, Damien? (Maybe you're already factoring that in, along with the extra hydration required.) I've found those are variables that have to be considered, especially when going for higher intensity. They tend to get you there faster, if nothing else.

[shadow]

Winter here right now....

which means very low humidity, actually dryness.

Not very cold, but only hot right in the middle of the day. It wouldn't be a big factor....


anyways...

Tue 11/12 - No Intensity

Woke up with pain and stiffness in left knee and hip.
Did Intu-flow in the morning and sat in meditation, knee was quite painful during meditation but pain dissipated after that. Hip felt stiffer than usual sitting on the motorbike on the way to school but at work felt no problems.

PM:
Standing portion of Ageless Mobility, approx 30 minutes.


What I am currently thinking is that loading my knees with squats and pistols, despite how much I want to be smooth at these movements, is not the right thing to be doing. I have this feeling that perhaps the opposite end of that movement should be practiced, i.e. movements with hip extension and straight legs.

I am thinking of changing the trinity squats and pistols in the cycle to a 4 corner balance drill with a heel raise, thus to extend the calf further and work deeper on ankle strength.

The feeling in my left knee has been changing, the pain is a little sharper, but not the same feeling of denseness as before. As it has changed I'm not really sure if it's for the better or for the worse. It doesn't feel particularly better or worse, just different.

Nevertheless I am feeling like that change might be a good idea. Any suggestions/comments welcome.

[shadow]

the other option for a replacement I have been considering is a one handed 15lb forward pendulum with front and rear lunge (separate for moderate/high and then combined for circuit C).

It's pretty late in the cycle to be changing the exercises but I just feel like I should not continue with the squatting motion for now.... but the rest of the exercises are good.

hmm which exercise to utilise?

[shadow]

the other option for a replacement I have been considering is a one handed 15lb forward pendulum with front and rear lunge (separate for moderate/high and then combined for circuit C).

It's pretty late in the cycle to be changing the exercises but I just feel like I should not continue with the squatting motion for now.... but the rest of the exercises are good.

hmm which exercise to utilise?

[shadow]

Wed 12/12 - Low Intensity

PM:

Continuous yoga flow:

Seal walk -> side sunset -> ploughing pigeon.

I felt pretty lousy emotionally when starting but felt great when finished.

I spent a little less time in each pose than usual, but the transitions are getting smoother and it all feels better.

My body felt really light and nice afterwards.

[shadow]

Thu 13/12 - Moderate Intensity

AM:
- Intu-flow and light yoga session.

PM:

Warm up: Shoulder pre-hab.

Substitute Trinity Squats x 10 for One hand forward pendulum with front lung, 15lb club x 5 each side.

Start: 5:52pm

Circuit A x 5 rounds with 30 seconds rest between rounds.

Finish: 6:13pm = 21 minutes.

RPE = 7
RPT = 8
RPD = 2


Thoughts:

I have my morning mobility sessions really smooth now, transitions from standing to the ground and back up and seamlessly moving from each mobility exercise or yoga pose without any redundant or extra movements. I finish feel energized and loose!


In the afternoon practice, round 4 I had some minor discomfort by a liver cramp, but not enough to stop me.

Removing the squats brought the intensity down as well as the lunges feeling like a much better movement to me for right now.

Right knee is flaring to the outside a little on the 2 hand front pendulums. It feels like a weakness on the groin area or a tightness on the outside of the hip... not sure which, or is it both?

Overall a good session. Invigorating... I was actually looking forward to the training and enjoyed it.

[shadow]

Fri 14/12 - High Intensity (day 14)

AM:
Intu-flow and pulping session.

PM:
Warm-up: Shoulder pre-hab.

Start time: 6:22pm

5 rounds of Circuit B with 30 seconds rest between rounds.

RPE: 8
RPT: 8
RPD: 2

Thoughts:
Changing from pistols to pendulum rear lunges dropped the intensity as well and also reduced discomfort in the knee.

I changed from quad switches to just quad presses as per Circ A as RPT on the switch is consistently too low, it's something I will have to work on later.

On the quad presses I noticed a difference in how the two legs/hips absorb the weight and as I tried to correct it I experienced a little discomfort (max RPD = 3) in the left knee. I'm pretty sure it's the outside of the hip area that is impeding movement.

[shadow]

Sat 15/12 - No intensity

PM: 80 minute ageless mobility session


Sun 16/12 - Low intensity

PM: Continuous yoga flow
Seal walk -> side sunset -> ploughing pigeon.

approx 30 minutes.

RPE: 4
RPT: 7
RPD: 2

The movements were a little more clunky today than they have been. Perhaps partly by my girlfriends 3 year old playing beside me, and also perhaps because the ageless mobility session opened a few things up.

[shadow]

I completed the last 4 days as planned.

Except, as I knew I was going away this weekend, I decided to do two handed forward pendulum lunges instead so I only had to take one club.

I ended up irritating my knee again somehow.... which has led me to feel that this current training cycle is not really having much effect or usefulness on what I am really trying to achieve.... which is freedom from the pain in my knee.


I have identified that it is definitely "heaving" with the legs where my problem lies along with "swaying".

Anytime I add any kind of load to my knees, the right one flares up.

So I have decided to stop this cycle and not take my club with me. Instead just work on intu-flow and maybe play with a little prasara for a week or so.


I'm not really sure how to tackle the knee issue though, I know I need to make my legs stronger, but I need to do so "under the radar" without causing the flaring to my knee.

It's a challenge because the warning during training is so quiet that it's difficult to know I crossed that point until the next day when it is painful.

For anyone who reads this, yes I am seeking therapy. I have had several people look at it in the past and no one has ever dismissed me from doing any kind of exercises.


I'm going to have a play with be breathed pikes and down-dog -> up-dog presses to lengthen both the front and back chains (I think?) as well as a few other bits and pieces just to try and find out what will work.

Also I will look to add "awkward chair pose" to my yoga as a beginning for strengthening the legs without loading the knees.


I was thinking about the next cycle involving 'mini' density cycles of rockits and side-rockits. Working up to say 50 reps of each (25/25 for side rockits) as other ways of strengthening the legs without loading weight directly down onto the knee.

I don't think I will be able to go any further in my CST until I can engage and disengage the ground without discomfort and delayed onset of pain.

:(