Han's CST w/ a 10 & 15 pounder

[hanutaustin]

My dad has been practicing the basic arm swing with the 10 for the last two weeks or so. He's in his 50s. He has noticed the carry over to tennis. He feels an increase in his "smooth-strength" during his stroke. Last night, I showed him the clean to order, a move he could not do at first. I think he'll be adding that to his daily morning warm-up.

I'm also teaching my little brother how to use the clubbell. He's 13 years old. He saw me doing the "bruiser-swipe" with the 15 (I think that's what you call it: a two handed swipe that looks like a golf swing). Well he thinks that one "looks cool" and wants to learn it. I've showed him clean to order, BCAS, and a two-handed version of the arm cast. For safety, I'm making him take it very slow, but he catches on very fast.

I'll keep you posted on their progress.

As for myself, I've been using this summer as an experiment. I believe CST is a wholistic training system so I've decided to do only CST: no deadlifts, power cleans, kettlebells, abdominal exercises, nothing. I want to see how far CST will take me.

My bull-whip density cycle got interrupted. I've been working for a contractor in construction, which is physically demanding. I think the clubbell work helped. I had to carry the kitchen cabinets and throw them into a dumpster. The motion of throwing the peices over the dumpster were similar to the mechanics of using momentum when doing the clubbell. If it hadn't been for CST, my grip probably wouldn't have been strong enough to last the day. Anyways, I'm mostly too tired when I come home so I use a 10lber to do what I'd normally do with a 15.

I really like the bruiser swipe and two-handed bullwhip. You can't do either with any other peice of equipment and they have a rotational component.

[hanutaustin]

After watching the Clubbell video again, I realized I had been performing the Hammer Throw and misnaming it the Bullwhip.

Well now, I can sort of perform the "real" Bullwhip decently, but I'm setting my efforts towards performing the Flippin' Mill.

Today I was able to do the mill-flip'n-catch w/ the 15. I think I might try a flip'n-catch-mill-flip'n-catch next before I try to do one rep fluidly (right and left).

I've also been doing some *Hammer Throws with 25 lbs (I attached a 10lb ankle weight to my 15).

[hanutaustin]

Well, I ordered a 5lb one. This may be the last one I order. I've been practicing with only the 5 and 10 because when I leave to college in three weeks, I'll be taking only the 15.

My experience with the 5 has been a good one. I can do all the one handed exercises with ease. I've been able to fix my mill a bit so that I can go quite fast while still keeping the clubbell flowing smoothly.

I still like the side swipe and (2H) hammer throw a lot but with the lighter clubbells I have had the chance to tackle many one-haned exercises that I wouldnt've been able to with the 15 such as the slash, flippin-mill, bullwhips, and other combo-routines.

I've been trying to cut down the club swinging. I think I'm overtraining. It takes a lot of self control not to pick it up everytime you see it.

[Connie Brown]

It takes a lot of self control not to pick it up everytime you see it.
Quotable quote of the day.

thanks Han!

[hanutaustin]

I used this summer as a fitness experiment: I used only clubbells and body weight exercises. I did not get the results I wanted, but I've learned quite a few things. I learned that the three laws of outcome, adaptation, and progress are true.
My friend told me that he could run 4 miles but became winded when playing a full court basketball game. He asked me why, and after this summer I can answer him. It's the specificity of the training. His 4 mile runs put a different stress on his body than a basketball game.
When I came back to school, everyone told me I got skinnier over summer. When I thought about it, it made sense. The clubbell exercises of +50 reps game me a different type of strength. Instead of packing on muscle, I was becoming leaner and gaining endurance. My body weight exercises added to this effect making me more efficient, and in turn, lighter.
I've always thought there was a golden path to strength but this summer has opened my mind. i can understand now why my body composition was different in the winter when i was on Pavel's Power-to-People program to now, after using only body weight and clubbells.

I want to play tennis better, and I've decided to do some GPP training. I am doing:
power cleans to improve my serve
wood choppers (cable) to develop some rotational strength

Those to exercises should take care of the bulk of my physical training. On the side, I'm doing some misc. body weight exercises and misc. clubbell exercises.

I did some one legged clubbell snatches from the floor + armpit casts.
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