I stopped training in mid-May for 10 days while sick and my workouts remain below earlier power and performance levels. My left elbow aches. I am getting more winded than I would expect after modest sets of swings. I have had a crick in my neck for the past 5 days. Some of it may be the heat in Georgia – I train outside – but I am not at my best. However, rather than pushing harder, I am focusing on technique and spending a little more time doing Original Strength resets in my house where it is cool.

I discovered an SFG just a few miles down the road from me – Marcus Adan at Core Matters. I spent the past two Saturday mornings in a workshop with him. My press and snatch looked good to Marcus and he has helped me improve my clean and get-up. Another 1000 reps and I should be where I need to be!

Ever since the weather got hot, I am training in two segments. I get outside as soon as possible in the morning to complete get-ups before it is too hot to be down on the ground. And then after breakfast, I complete a longer segment of work.

Today I warmed up with two sets of 1 x 10 halos and 1 x 5 prying goblet squats using a 12 kg kettlebell. When my elbow stops aching the way it has lately, I will shift to the 16 kg bell for halos and prying goblet squats. Next, I completed 10 get-ups with a 16 kg bell. I have been taking it easy using the 20 kg bell for a long time, but decided to use an even lighter bell while focusing my attention on hand placement and coming and going from my elbow during get-ups. I am not sure the lighter bell made much difference, so may go back to the 20 kg bell tomorrow. While I was on the ground, I did a set of 10 short bridges to complete my first session, which lasted around 15 minutes.

I ate 3 fried eggs and a serving of cold sauerkraut for breakfast and then went to my desk and worked for about 90 minutes. When my stomach was ready, I went outside into the hot morning sun to complete my second session, which lasted around 35 minutes.

I completed another two sets of 1 x 10 halos and 1 x 5 prying goblet squats using a 12 kg kettlebell to remind my body it was warm. I began doing 10 x 10 one-handed swings with a 20 kg bell. I took a break after each set of 20 swings and completed 2 dead-hang pull-ups. This gave me 100 swings and 10 pull-ups. Next it was time for clean and front squat practice with a 20 kg bell. I completed 20 singles, 10 on each side. I finished up with clean and press practice with a 16 kg bell. I completed 10 singles, 5 on each side.

You might wonder why it took so long to complete such a modest amount of work. Did I mention it was hot and I was training in full sun? I spent a bit of time walking around doing fast and loose drills. I spent some time wiping sweat off my face and arms with a towel. I spent a bit of time standing at the back of my car reading the newspaper spread out on the trunk and sipping water.

I moved a total of 9480 pounds in these two sessions if you count 1850 pounds for lifting my 185 pound self 10 times in pull-ups.