Update on progress.
This being the last session in this block, I weighed myself and did a photo update. I weighed in at 169.6 lbs, which is on the low end for me. I’ve focused on fruits, seeds, eggs, meat/fish, and usually rice or potatoes with dinner. Also adding in Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I’ve cut out whey protein, and train fasted. I still take 10g of creatine each morning, fish oil, and a multivitamin. Averaging about 12.5K steps per day.
4/18/2026
4 rounds:
10 Burpees
30 calories Airdyne
10 KB swings, 36 kg KB
Rest 60 sec between rounds
35:00 Weight vest walk, 30# weight vest
Notes: I had planned on doing a Hyrox class, but it was full so did this. I modified a Tactical Barbell conditioning work (I think called Buffalo Laps?, or at least Buffalo something), subbing in the Airdyne for a 400m run. It worked great. I did light trampoline bounces for 1:00 between rounds. I threw on the vest and took a neighborhood walk with the dogs and wife.
Tonight: Brazilian Steakhouse! I’ll be sure to be extra hungry when I go.
Tomorrow: likely an off day, with the chance of a shorter LISS run if I do anything at all. Also, I have a concert I’m going to tomorrow night in Santa Cruz.
I love those places! Enjoy!!!
4/19/2026
10:00 Original Strength mobility work
2 mile walk
Hang holds, squat holds, banded work, light trampoline bouncing.
Notes: Busy day. I’m going to hit a Farmer’s Market, stop in a coffee shop to get some work done for tomorrow, hit a bike shop to get my tire repaired. Then heading over the mountain to Santa Cruz to try a new pizza spot before catching a concert in the Santa Cruz mountains.
This week I’ll start my Quick and Dead focused training. I’m thinking of running a break-in week for the first week, and essentially do 4 days of Q&D, and only add the Fighter Pull up progression, ab wheel, and carries. After that, mix in Iron Cardio and assess how it’s going. That will give me a bit of a deload week while I also acclimate to the program:
Monday: 1-arm swings + banded power push ups. Done in sets of 10
Tuesday: Snatches. Done in sets of 5.
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 1-arm swings + weight-vested push ups. Done in sets of 5.
Friday: Snatches. Done in sets of 10.
4/21/2026
_________
Fighter pull ups: 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 -2 strict ring pullu ps
Ab wheel: 2 x 12
Farmer’s Carries: 2 x
Notes: On the Q&D work: you do 10 swings right, at the top of the next minute do 10 swings left. Hardstyle, powerful swings. Then let the top of the next minute pass, then do 10 power push ups; at the top of the next minute do 10 more power push ups. Let the top of the next minute pass, then start again. So, each “round” is 6 minutes, with 20 swings and 20 power push ups done. Never shorten the rest periods, according to Pavel. It seems like a long time, but the idea is to never lose power during the workout.
This week, as a break-in, I’ll just run Q&D sessions. The second option is to do snatches, which I’ll do a couple times this week as well. It’s supposed to compliment the work done for the AXE training. We’ll see.
Next week, I’ll add in Iron Cardio sessions for more strength-focused work.
4/22/2026
3 x 5 prying goblet squats
3 x 5 KB halos
3 x 5 bridges
Variety of other movements, but done quickly (trying to cut down my warm up time)
80 KB snatches, 22 kg KB. Done as 2 x 10 per arm for 4 rounds.
20 KB snatches (10R/10L) done as a sprint
_________
Fighter pull ups: 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 -4 strict ring pullu ps
Push ups: 20 - 16 - 12 - 8 - 8
_______________
Notes: The snatches are performed like this:
0:00 - 10 snatches R
1:00 - 10 snatches R
4:00 - 10 snatches L
5:00 - 10 snatches L
(repeat this two more times)
The second set of 10 does start to add up. I don’t feel like my snatching form is the best, and I’m using too much upper body most likely. I’ll try to keep improving on these. My swings, especially 1-handed swings, have gotten much more powerful and the bells feel much lighter, so I’m hoping to see the same thing with snatches.
Decided to round it out with good o’ pull ups and push ups. I’m also trying to cut down my warm up time. I’m pressed for time in the morning, and while I love the leisurely mobility work, I just don’t have the time. Keeping with the Simple and Sinister warm up, which also gives me the squat movement pattern since the program doesn’t have any.
Next week, though, I’ll introduce Iron Cardio which does have the squat movement.
My single sided swings, cleans, and snatches are a big work in progress. I think I am going to go back to some lighter bells when I finish the ABCs and work on these. I found this video, curious your thoughts on it.
What he’s saying sounds legit. My bells are not the competition style, though, so the handle is different which affects my hand placement. For me, I’ve become good enough to avoid the wrist smash. I think I need to get more lower body into the snatch, and less upper body pull. I got pretty good at DB snatches, which are used in CF, but the movement is different. Every rep comes from the floor with the DB, and it’s more of a straight-up movement compared to the KB, which starts between the legs with some upper body hinge.
Yeah I tried his hand grip with a standard KB and it’s not nearly as easy as a comp style. I like the ease in which he moves with bells and you can tell he has a ton of time with them. I started with Pavel’s YouTube videos and will probably continue to do them more hard style as I think it suits me better. I do wish I could move like Leb does though. He makes it seem effortless.
4/23/2026
3 x 5 prying goblet squats
3 x 5 KB halos
3 x 5 bridges
100 1- arm swings, 28 kg KB (done as 20 x 5)
100 weight vested (30#) power pushups (done as 20 x 5)
Done as 5 rounds of: 4 x 5 swings (alternating arms each set) and 4 x 5 power push ups, using the prescribed time intervals
_________
Fighter pull ups: 10 - 8 - 8 - 6 -4 strict ring pullu ps
Ab wheel: 2 x 15
Farmer’s Carries: 2 x
15:00 walk
______________
Notes: This workout feels almost too easy, despite Pavel describing it as an advanced KB system. The reason, which does make sense, is that each rep has to have a lot of power behind it. Maximal effort push ups, with the first one starting completely from the floor and complete extension for each. I’m pretty good at push ups, so it’s not overly challenging but the volume does creep up.
The rep schemes options are either sets of 10 or sets of 5. He recommends randomly shifting between them. While I am shifting between them, it’s not random for me, at least during this first week. He recommends 2-3x a week as the sweet spot, but with the ability to go up to 5x a week if done as a standalone program. Starting next week, I’ll be mixing in “semi grinds” of Iron Cardio/ABF type of work, and drop back the number of days focused on Q&D work.
Any plans on bringing in the mace halo’s too yet? Solid work in here as always sir. Coudos!!!
I have them on my radar. I’d love to grab some.
@shaneinga: Here’s a great video on KB snatches.
I have them on the docket for tomorrow, and will practice this progression. If need be, I’ll lower the weight to focus more on form than brute strength.
Great video. Thanks for the share. Idk about you but moving to lighter bells almost feels harder because they are almost too light and throw my timing off. I feel like I am tossing them around. Not so much on the snatch but for sure on cleans.
4/24/2026
3 x 5 prying goblet squats
3 x 5 KB halos
3 x 5 bridges
Snatch practice
80 KB snatches, 22 kg KB. Done as 4 x 5 per arm for 4 rounds.
20 KB snatches (2x5R/2x5L) done as a sprint
_________
Fighter pull ups: 10 - 8 - 8 - 6 -4 strict ring pullu ps
Push ups: 20 - 16 - 16 - 12 - 8
Walk: 20:00
_______________
Notes: I really focused on the snatch form and progression, using the video above. It felt great. Much like trying to learn a barbell snatch, it’s such a great feeling when it all comes together and the bell just pops up into place. Other times I could feel that I mistimed the pull or had my hands/elbow in the wrong place. The nice thing about KB work is that it’s much more forgiving than the barbell versions, so getting the lockout was always fine.
One more Q&D session tomorrow to round out the first week.
4/25/2026
Built from Broken mobility
10:00 walk
3 x 5 prying goblet squats
3 x 5 KB halos
3 x 5 bridges
60 1- arm swings, 44 kg KB (done as 6 x 10)
60 band-resisted power pushups (done as 6 x 10)
Performed as a circuit, rotating between the swings and push ups every 90s.
20:00 walk
Notes: Forced myself to do less than full 100 reps of each, and also forced myself to do some hard conditioning. I did the last of the rep/time intervals, which focused on rotating between the movements rather than alternating double sets. The airdyne sure gets tough after about 3 rounds, but hit it pretty hard.
This wraps up the first week of the Quick and the Dead. Good stuff overall. Next week I’ll incorporate some Iron Cardio sessions and drop back the number of Q&D sessions.
4/27/2026
Built from Broken mobility
10:00 walk
3 x 5 prying goblet squats
3 x 5 KB halos
3 x 5 bridges
100 1- arm swings, 28 kg KB (done as 10 x 10)
100 weight-vested power pushups (done as 10 x 10)
Following the order and time intervals of the program.
____
Strict ring pull ups: 10 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 (using Fighter pull up progression)
Ab wheel: 2 x 1 5
Farmer’s Carries: 2 x
______
Notes: No time for a post-workout walk. Had to rush off to the dentist and then to work. Looks like I’ll need a new tooth, though. Cracked on this weekend eating pumpkin seeds.
For this week’s training: 2 x Q/D sessions and 2x Iron Cardio is the plan. Also will get a run in this weekend.
4/28/2026
“Off day”
Notes: Focus today will be on steps and nutrition. I’ll get in an Iron Cardio workout tomorrow.
4/19/2026
Easy strength mobility
10:00 walk
Goblet squats, halos
Every 4 minutes for two rounds:
A1. Using double 22 kg KBs: Clean, press, press, squat + 2 strict ring pull ups.
A2. Using double 28 kg KBs: Clean, push press, squat, squat + 2 strict ring pull ups.
Got in 29 rounds (15 of A1, 14 of A2)
20:00 walk
Notes: The Iron Cardio work was nice and challenging. The sets with the double 28’s were no joke, but still easily within staying controlled. Again, the point is not an AMRAP; but rather go again when you’re fresh.
I’m still toying around with the best way to set everything up. The Q&D snatch workouts are so short, they make for a good warm up. I read that others are doing this as well. Especially for the snatches.
Well, I have to get oral surgery tomorrow morning to extract and replace a cracked tooth. I’m supposed to take it easy for 5 days, but we’ll see how things go. I’m hoping to start getting some light work in over the weekend, and then be back at it on Monday. I feel like the type of training I’m doing is scalable by design, and there are supposed to be “easy” days. I’ll start with those and go from there. That’s why today I chose what would be considered a “hard” Iron Cardio session (at least for me): double KBs and 30 minutes in duration. The base workouts use a single bell, which, as you would expect, is much easier. A single 28 just flies around, while the doubles are more of a grind to get through the work.
Good luck, and recover well!
5/01/2026
“Off day” - supposed to be taking it easy after yesterday’s oral surgery
Easy strength mobility work (10:00)
15:00 walk with the dog
Built from Broken Mobility work + Prying goblet squats (about 20:00)
20:00 walk
Notes: I actually feel pretty good. Not really any pain or swelling, but it’s still supposed to be a rest day and nothing strenuous. Tomorrow, assuming I continue to feel fine, I do a lighter Q&D session of swings and push ups.
