New routine for Grace

Consistent training will get you there!

Grace has been on the same routine for more than 2 months which makes it time to mix things up.    The basic idea stays the same, we practice  a small handful of full-body exercises with our eyes on the prize, strength gains! The first time doing each routine we will test her strength level in all the new exercises.  This will allow me to write up a set and rep scheme for her to follow the next couple of months. 

Day #1

Straight out of the Strongfirst methodologies this first exercise is the foundation the Rite of Passage. It will  be a nice break from grinding straight Military Presses.  I know Grace can press the 12 kg bell for 8-10 strict reps so that will make it a good bell for her to do this entire day with.   I am unsure of how much the cleans will take out of her pressing strength

1 clean + 1 press right side, swing switch sides, 1 clean + 1 press left side.
Put bell down and rest up to 2 minutes.
1 clean + 1 press 2x right side, swing switch, 1 clean + 1 press 2x left side.
Put bell down and rest.
1 clean + 1 press 3x right side, swing switch, 1 clean + 1 press 3x left side.

The goal is to do  5 rounds of  5 reps with the 12 kg bell.  We will add a rep

1,2,3,4,5
2,2,3,4,5
Day #3 - 2,3,3,4,5
3,3,3,4,5
3,3,4,4,5
3,4,4,4,5
4,4,4,4,5
4,4,4,5,5
4,4,5,5,5,
4,5,5,5,5
5,5,5,5,5

Hi-pulls - 5 rounds on the 2nd minute for strength
                5 rounds on the minute for conditioning

Day #2

Pistol Squat progressions:
Feet-together squats
Chair pistol squats
Kettlebell supported pistol squats

Windmills
Getups

Day #3

Pullups - Grace is going to continue the  ladder she recently started using the 40 lb pullup strap.  Her next round is 8, 7, 6, 6, 5 and the long term goal is 5 sets of 8.  I am hoping she should be able to do a couple of unassisted pullups when she is able to do 5x8 with the band.  

1-arm pushup progressions:
Grace wrote this part of the routine herself.   It will be interesting watching her progress through these exercises. 

45 degree 1-arm pushup
One hand on kettlebell pushup
1-hand goes south pushup

1-arm swings

Program Minimum - The Swing

From the methodologies of StrongFirst, The Program Minimum (PM) burns bodyfat and builds lean muscle like no other program.   The base of the PM is the 2-hand Kettlebell Swing and the Kettlebell Getup.  This blog post is about the Kettlebell Swing, I have a post about the getup coming soon.

The 2-Hand Swing  the best fat-burning exercise in existence.   The difference between the swing and other conditioning exercise like running, biking and swimming is that these exercises have a very low point of diminishing returns and high rate of injury.  A novice runner will burn a tremendous amount of energy when they first start running.  As a novice runner becomes more experienced their body becomes efficient at running as exercise.  While efficiency is generally a good thing the problem that arises is that the runner needs to run for longer and longer times to burn the same amount of energy.    Every wonder why you see so many slightly overweight but well-conditioned runners?  There is an epidemic of them running around my local park!

The 2-Hand Swing is different than any other conditioning exercise.    As we become efficient in this exercise we do not train for longer and longer periods of time.  Instead we swing for the same amount of time but use a bigger weight.  This will turn you into an authentic fat-burning machine.  Even though you will burn a tremendous amount of energy while doing the swing the benefits go way beyond this momentary burn.  Progressive 2-handed swinging will increase your resting metabolism like no other exercise because it builds lean muscle throughout the entire body.  Every ounce of muscle you gain is like a little fat-burning machine you carry around with you all day.  The more lean muscle mass you gain the more energy you will burn even at rest.  THAT IS THE SECRET!

How long do we do the 2-hand swing for?  12 minutes,  2-3x a week.   By focusing on getting stronger instead of training longer we build fat-burning muscle, minimize injuries and finish our workouts feeling fresh and strong instead of burned out and exhausted.

Tracy Reifkind is the Queen of the Swing.  She lost over 100 lbs and kept if off through kettlebell swinging.  Check out her blog, it has some great tips on nutrition too. 

http://tracysfoodandthought.blogspot.com/

Kettlebell Hi-pulls and getups

Every 4th week I back off on my overall intensity and workload.  This is my 8th week working the 1-arm swing and getup progressions so it is time to pull back a little.  This week I plan on doing hi-pulls instead of 1-arm swings.  I'm also going to make it a point to only do a few getups instead of the usual 5-7.  I also plan on using smaller weights than usual.  That's fine by me because my lower back feels a little tight.  I have a feeling that I have had this sensation in my back just before I hurt it badly about 1 1/2 year ago.  I'm not going to ignore this sign and there is a good chance I may even skip my next kettlebell workout. 

I did Kettlebell Hi-Pulls for 5 rounds on the minute for 7/7 reps using the following weights: 12kg, 16, 18, 24 x 2.  I followed that with 5 rounds on-the-minute for 7/7 reps using the exact same weights.

I demonstrated a few 24 kg getups this weekend, both at my bootcamp and while teaching an impromptu class to a few students at VMAC (my friends karate and bjj school).  I have a feeling I pulled something in my back while showing off.  Either that or hauling the bells from place fucked me up a little bit.  I only did 3 rounds of Kettlebell Getups.  I used the 12 kg bell, the 16 and finished with the 24 kg bell. 

18 kg hi-pulls

 

24 kg hi-pulls

Restart fighter pullup program

Completed my goal of doing 5 sets of 5 pullups with a shoulder width grip, palms towards me.  New goal is 5 sets of 5 with a wide-grip palms facing out, much more difficult!

 

1-arm swings and stacked kettlebell 70 lb getup PR

Feels good to stick with a training plan and reach all my goals.  I think it is important to set short-term goals when it comes to training and life.  It is one of the keys to my happiness.

The goal was to do 200 1-arm swings with the 24 kg bell as well as banging out 5 getups with the 24 kg bell on both arms.  Today I did  1-arm swings for 10 rounds of 10/10.  First 5 rounds I did on the 2nd minute and the next 5 rounds I did on-the-minute.  Felt moderately easy and I really got my heartrate up in the last 5 sets.  The plan for the next 3-4 weeks is to add in some high-pulls so I can start working a larger range of motion.    I think I will stick with my goal of 200 swings/hi-pulls with the 24 kg bell and continue to increase the weights I use for getups.

I also did 5 rounds of getups, not including the 12 kg and 16 kg rounds which are my current warmup weights.  I did 3 rounds both sides with the 24 kg bell, the final 2 rounds I did a stacked getup with the 24+8 on my right side and 18+8 on my left side.  A solid  70 lb getup for another PR :)  There are plenty of 'little' guys out there doing getups with huge weights but I'm not inclined to compare myself to other people.  A year ago my shoulders were so damaged from a lifetime of training that I thought I would never put anything heavy overhead again.  Stabilizing and moving around with 70 lbs locked overhead felt fucking awesome :)

 

 

 

My non-secrets to getting the body you always wanted.

Non-secrets to being healthy, ripped and strong! 

1) Consistent full body training.  No more dumbbell curls, side shoulder laterals or leg raises. No more stairmaster, treadmill or elliptical machine.   We use kettlebells, the most efficient bodyweight  exercises, hiking and a touch of Yoga.   Each person gets an individualized program catered to  their specific goals. 

2) 85% / 15% Nutrition - This means 85% clean and 15% whatever you crave.    I have programs for meat-eaters and vegetarians.  I am not sure if I can help you if you are vegan.

3) We do not do "cardio".  We do conditioning work.  We don't burn calories through exercise, we increase our muscle mass and digestive powers so we can  burn more calories while at rest.  You can not jog off a cheeseburger and ice cream sundae but you can make your body so strong and efficient that you will be able to occasionally enjoy these foods guilt-free!

4) No more fucking excuses.  You're going to blog your diet (alternative is messaging me what you eat daily)  This will help you create some sense of accountability.  Even if this accountability is totally contrived it still helps to keep a person on track. 






My rate is $60/session at my home studio. This includes private garaged parking,  private bathroom and optional protein shake on your way out.  Sessions can last anywhere form 45-90 minutes but will usually last an hour. 

How to get started with kettlebell training.

This post is derived mostly from the ideas I get from following the experts at StrongFirst.    If I deviate from SFG standards it is because I am interpreting something wrong or my own training agenda is sneaking out.  Either way I think this is a good primer for a student with no kettlebell experience interested in learning the methods of Pavel Tsatsouline and his  StrongFirst training programs.  It may be the first step towards achieving all of your strength, conditioning and body composition goals! 
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The best place to start is the with the Program Minimum. You should read Enter the Kettlebell which describes it in detail but it is very simple. I got my ETK on Kindle but I think you can find it in hard copy online. If you're a strong man you will use a 24 kg kettlebell.   If you are less than strong you will use a 16 kg bell.  Strong women can start with a 16 kg bell and less than strong woman will use a  12 kg bell.   What do I mean by strong?  There are many ways to define strength but in this case it specifically means you are strong in at least 2 of the following 4 exercises:  overhead press, bench press,  back or front squat and deadlift.  If you don't do these exercises or you do them with less than your bodyweight for reps you are not considered strong by this standard.

The PM is 2-3 days a week of only swings and getups. If you focused all of your energy on getting strong in these 2 exercises (and ate properly) you will achieve all of your strength, conditioning and body composition goals. You will also become strong from head to toe and have better conditioning than most endurance athletes.

The 2-hand swing is the center of the kettlebell universe. You will need to become competent at the 2-hand swing before you move to 1-arm swings, cleans and snatches.  The 2-hand swing is considered so extremely important because every Strongfirst movement  we practice is hip driven. The 2 hand swing teaches the student how to properly load their hips and drive them forward with explosive force.   Every athlete should include the 2-hand swing in their S&C programs since nearly every athletic movement is hip driven. You could spend probably 6-12 months teaching yourself this exercise and still not be happy with your form. If you can afford to  spend the money on a few lessons with an SFG it will most likely save you that 6-12 months.
  
2 hand swings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfCm4focxQY

Your short-term goal with the 2-hand swing is to be able to work 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off for 12 consecutive minutes with the properly sized bell.  Much harder than it sounds!

The Getup is good for building strength throughout the entire body. It is particularly good for  increasing shoulder and hip stabilization. I can tell you from personal experience that the kettlebell getup is a rehabilitative movement known for healing damaged shoulders.  I dislocated my shoulder when I was 20 which caused me chronic pain for the next 20 years.  I credit getups with healing the shoulder almost 100% in less than 6 months.  You should not underestimate the power of this exercise as I did. The general rule of StrongFirst kettlebell training is that you would never do a military press or a snatch with a weight that you couldn't first comfortably do a getup with.

Getups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoXqiTW2Uss

Your short-term goal with the Getups is to be able to do 3-5 rounds with little to no rest in between using a properly sized bell. 

As far as reps and sets and timing and all that stuff - it varies from person to person depending on any other training they do and how clean their diet is.   Guys that are doing jiujitsu and weight-lifting all day should do as little as possible. The could get away with doing 6 minutes of swings and 3 full getups 2x a week. Guys that are sitting around at a desk job will want to do a little more. They can do as much as 12 minutes of swings and 3-5 full getups 2-3 days a week.  If you are not eating at least 3 protein rich meals a day you will have trouble progressing.  Vegetarians need to know how to properly combine food sources to create complete protein sources.

These routines are not about teeth-clenching intensity. They are about slowly and safely making progress. It's all about setting personal records as often as possible while maintaining proper form.

9/9 swings and my first stacked getups

Found myself well rested after a busy weekend and felt strong today!

I'm in the 2nd week of a 3 week cycle - todays workout was 10 rounds of 9/9 1-arm swings with the 24 kg bell.  As usual I did the first 5 sets on the 2nd minute and the next 5 sets on-the-minute.  My conditioning is still outpacing my strength so this all felt easy.  I was doing more volume in my last 3 week cycle of swings and getups but in an effort to clean up my technique I backed off a little bit.  These swings felt easy and light!

I also did 7 rounds of getups including my first stacked getups.  My biggest bell is 24 kg and now that I can do a few rounds on each side semi-comfortably with it I figured it's time to add some weight.  The video is not very good and neither is my form but I'm happy to set another PR.

Getup and Swing

Not the easiest thing in the world getting in these workouts when outside forces are fucking with you.  I'm not gonna slow down, it's better just to grind through the workouts and keep my mind on the movement of the bell.  I do not know how people go an entire lifetime without being committed to some sort of regular workout routine.  It's a lifesaver for me.

Today I was working on 8's.  10 rounds of 8 left side / 8 right side in the one-arm swing and 8 Getups.

I did one-arm swings for 5 rounds of 8/8 on the 2nd minute for strength and 5 rounds of 8/8 on the minute for conditioning.  I used the 24 kg bell for all of these sets and it's finally feeling manageable.  Even the rounds done on-the-minute felt easy and I'm looking forward to finishing off 9/9 and 10/10 next week.

I also did 8 rounds of kettlebell getups.  My strength level is going through the roof on this exercise.  6 weeks ago there is no way I would of considered doing a 24 kg getup on my left side but today I hit a PR of 4 rounds with the 24 kg, BOTH SIDES :).  I used the following weights:  12 kg x 2 rounds, 16 x 1, 18 x 1, 24 x 4. 

There are people out there who claim to have gained a ton of muscle doing just kettlebell getups and I no longer doubt these stories.  My triceps are showing in spots they never did before and all of the little connector muscles are popping out of some amazing spots on my body.  It's like my muscles are growing muscles.

 

Pullups, no hiking.

After so many years of hiking Runyon Canyon I'm backing off a little bit on my hiking volume.  It's starting to feel like it is working against my goals of getting stronger and bigger.  I eventually want to start sprinting but right now I'm happy to continue working my swings, getups, pullups and pushups.

Today I did another round of the Fighter Pullup Program.  I was on track to do 5,5,5,5,4 reps but I felt strong on the last set and squeezed out 5 sets of 5.  Now I have to decide what I am going to do to up the challenge on the pullups.  I could simply change the goal to 5 sets of 6 but I can also stick with 5x5 and change my grip.  The grip I am using currently is considered one of the easier techniques.  If I change to a wider grip with palms facing out I can probably reset the goal to 5 sets of 5.

Here's a couple of sets from todays PR :)

last thing I wanted to do was train today

Dealing with personal issues on top of the Boston Marathon tragedy.  But I did it anyway.  It basically sucked and everything felt heavy.

1-arm swings 5 rounds on the 2nd minute of 7/7 reps and 5 rounds on the minute of 7/7 reps.  I started practicing hi-pulls and they were so ugly I'm not posting the videos.

Kettlebell Getups 7 rounds with the following weights:  12 kg, 16, 18, 24, 24, 24, 24 right side and 18 left side.

Before and After Snatches

Looking through the old vids on my facebook page.  Pretty big improvement in my snatch technique.  In this first vid (you can see it even without a facebook page) I am basically taking my life in my own hands because this 24 kg bell is way too heavy for me.  Clearly I didn't know what it meant to load my hips or do anything else properly.  And that corkscrew dropdown I will save if I ever get into GS.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151106344047626&l=2041226064824043344

Here's a few snatches with the same bell after 4 weeks of concentrating on 1-arm swings and getups.  I do no snatch practice at all but by following the Program Minimum my snatch technique keeps getting better.  The bell is still big for me but at least its manageable.  This vid is from a month ago.  I've been on the same program and will post a new snatch vid when I have a moment. 

Grace training Week #1, Day 2/3

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The amount of getups we do is not as important as the quality of reps and staying as fresh as possible as we get to the higher weights.  The last time we did Getups I think Grace was a little overtrained.   I had her take it easy her last couple of sessions so I expected her to be strong today and she was!

Grace is a Certified Massage Therapist and her job is a workout in itself which draws from her recovery ability. .  I could tell she was physically strong but a little bit  mentally tired from finishing a long day at work.  I paid close attention to  her form as well as her emotional state   She ultimately decided on how many reps we were going to do.  On this type of program Pavel recommends doing about 5 solid getups.  Not including her warmups that's pretty much what she did. 

The last time she tried the 16 kg bell she got stuck on the ground.   I think that was because she was in an overtrained state.   She just flew off the ground with the 16 kg today and got a PR with the 18 on her right side :)

Kettlebell Getups Bodweight x 2 reps, 8 kg bell x 2 reps, 12 kg bell x 3 reps, 16 kg bell x 1 rep, 18 kg bell for a PR on the right side finishing with another 16 kg rep. 


As predicted the Front Squats were tough!  She was light-heartedly cursing me through most of the session :)  I wanted her to do 50 reps total in 10 minutes or less but I let her decide on what weight to use as we reached the real hard working sets.   We trained on the 2nd minute which gave her enough time to recover but still kept her body warm.  I also wanted her to Clean the kettlebells herself.  I got into the habit of handing her the 16 kg bells which I decided is not a great idea.  If you can't clean the kettlebell  yourself you probably should not be working with it!

Front Squats  - BW x 10 reps, 15 lb bells x 10 reps,  8 kg bells x 10, 12 kg x 10, 16 kg x 10 reps for a PR :)

some hiking and pullups

Hiked the easy path at Runyon today, up the paved road.  It's sometimes called the Fire Road.  I assume this is because g-d forbid there is a fire at Runyon this is the only road that can carry fire trucks.  It's an easy path but I hike it as quickly as I can and do not stop to bs with people.  I am backing off on my more rigorous ridge hikes so I can put my limited recovery energy into strength work.

I also did another day of Pavels Fighter Pullup Program.  I'm working on getting my elbows fully locked out before initiating each rep as well as getting the L-sit portion as sharp as I can.   Today it was 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, reps and it felt pretty easy.  Only 2 more sessions and I hope I can do 5 sets of 5!  Next ladder will start at 6,5,4,3,2 and I will reset the goal to 5 sets of 6.  It's simple stuff but it definitely works.

Training Grace

Training my girlfriend Grace today, it's day 2 of a 3 day routine.  I wanted to set some set/rep goals for the day.  Grace trains this home routine 3 days a week.  If she wants to catch a Crossfit class I told her she can do it any time but MUST take the following day off before resuming training at home.  The CF workouts are taxing on your CNS if anything else and I don't want her to find herself in an overtrained state.  As a matter of fact, as a full time massage therapist I believe she is better off working programs similar to Pavels Program Minimum.  She only has so much recovery ability.  She should finish her workouts feeling fresh, not totally smoked as you find yourself at the end of a typical CF class. 

 In addition to working with as little volume as necessary Grace also cycles her home workouts.  I have her training 3 weeks forward, 1 week slightly back.  Cycling your workout intensity minimizes the chance of overtraining/injury and speeds up strength gains. 

Kettlebell Getups - 1-2 rounds with no weight, 8kg x 2 rounds, 12 kg x 2 rounds, 1 round with 16 kg, if successful we'll try a 2nd and maybe a 3rd round with the 16 kg.  If we don't feel strong with the 16 kg bell we'll go back down to the 12 kg bell and maybe do some extra reps in the opening movement of the getup. 

Kettlebell Front or Goblet Squats 5x10 - We'll be warm from the getups . If Graces body feels 100% we'll start pushing the Front Squats but if she has any issue with her lower back or neck we'll do Goblet squats which use less overall weight.  These squats will not be fun and I'm glad I will be watching her do it and not doing it myself.   Goal will be 5 sets of 10 using the 8 kg bells, 12, 16, 12-16, 8-12 depending on energy levels.  Grace can decide for herself as we are training which bell to use when there is a choice but we are still striving for 50 total reps. 

I think this is the 5th or 6th week of Grace following my routine in lieu of her Crossfit classes and she keeps growing and growing.  She's a perfect of example of how you can get as lean as you want so long as your make strength your priority.  We do not eat perfectly clean all the time but train as regularly as we brush out teeth. 

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Here's some notes on the workout and her actual numbers.

The amount of getups we do is not as important as the quality of reps and staying as fresh as possible as we get to the higher weights.  The last time we did Getups I think Grace was a little overtrained.   had her take it easy her last couple of session so I expected her to be strong today. Grace is a Certified Massage Therapist and her job is a workout in itself which draws from her recovery ability.  I paid close attention to how her form  as well as her emotional state.  I could tell she was physically strong today but feeling a little mentally tired from finishing a long day at work.  She ultimately decided on how many reps we were going to do.

Kettlebell Getups Bodweight x 2 reps, 8 kg bell 2 reps, 12 kg bell 3 reps, 16 kg bell x 1 rep, 18 kg bell for a PR on the right side finishing with another 16 kg rep. 


As predicted the Front Squats were tough!  She was light-heartedly cursing me through most of the session :)  I wanted her to do 50 reps total in 10 minutes or less but I let her decide on what weight to use as we reached the real hard working sets.   We trained on the 2nd minute which gave her enough time to recover but still kept her body warm.  I also wanted her to Clean the kettlebells herself.  I got into the habit of handing her the 16 kg bells which I decided is not a great idea.  If you can't clean the kettlebell  yourself you probably should not be working with it!

Front Squats  - BW x 10 reps, 15 lb bells x 10 reps,  8 kg bells x 10, 12 kg x 10, 16 kg x 10 reps for a PR :)

1-arm swings and a Getup PR

1-arm swings with 24 kg bell - 5 sets of 6/6 on-the-2nd minute + 5 sets on-the-minute.  Hopefully after this 3 week cycle I can start turning some of those swings into snatches :).  I am definitely getting more used to having the 24 kg bell locked out overhead now that I can do a couple of getups with it.

Getups - I did 6 rounds with a moderate rest in between each.  12kg bell, 16, 18, 24, 24, finishing with 24 on my right side and the 18 with my left.  I got in a little trouble at the end of my 2nd round with the 24 kg.  The 2nd attempt with the 24 kg on my left side was probably unnecessary but I'm calling it a PR anyway.  First time doing 2 rounds on the left side with the 24 kg bell.  I was holding the bell poorly on the 2nd pass and crushing my forearm...I moan like a baby at the end of the video lol.

Here's the first round of swings.  I was feeling very strong today for whatever reason. 

 

Here's the round of getups where I get in just a little trouble at the end

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiFPs5wAczI

 

 

How to get the most out of your Yoga practice

You should have 1 instructor whose classes you attend regularly. I am amazed at how few people have an actual yoga teacher nowadays.  Sure, you may attend yoga classes regularly but if you are not following an individual Yoga teacher for a period of time you are not getting the most out of your practice.  Of course you can occasionally step out of your regular Yoga teachers class and try out other teachers but ultimately 90%+ of your classroom training should take place with your regular teacher.  The longer you train the more variety of teachers you can have but the average student would benefit from spending 2-3 years with 1 individual teacher. When I chose my teachers I chose people who were way ahead of me in the practice so I could have something to aspire to.   

You will take classes with this teacher on a very fixed schedule.  You should go to class whether you feel like it or not.

 "Moods are for cattle and love-play, not for fighting." something like that from Dune

Nearly everybody who goes to yoga classes is in some sort of fight.  If you're trying to lose weight/get in shape you are fighting your body and its tendencies that got you fat and unfit in the first place.  If you are attending yoga classes for the emotional or spiritual release it offers you are in a fight with your lower self.  If an overweight person attended his/her yoga classes only when they felt perfectly up to it they would be overweight for the rest of their life.  If a student with depression only attended classes when they felt depressed they would suffer from depression for the rest of their life.  This is the equivalent of using Yoga classes as a drug.  Yoga should not be used as a drug which only offers temporary relief. Yoga is a progressive system that is capable of helping you with all of  your emotional ailments.  This will only work if you attend classes whether you feel like it or not!

My own depression is what attracted me to yoga in the first place.  On my worse days I remember just sitting around all day waiting to take class with my teacher.  It was such a huge relief for me when class time rolled around.  Sure,  there were occasionally days where I did not feel like getting my ass to class but I would go anyway. By the time class was over I felt like a new person.  Attending classes regularly with 1 teacher for a long period of time had an amazing effect on me.

Day 1 of 4 week cycle

The plan is 3 weeks forward, 1 week backing-off.  I've doing pretty good planning my workouts like this.  I always start the new cycle feeling strong and today was no exception.

It's still 1-arm swings and getups.  I'm doing something of a ladder these next 3 weeks.  Today I did 5/5 reps (5 left,5 right) for 5 sets on the 2nd minute and 5 sets on the minute.  Total of 10 sets, 100 reps.  My plan is to do 6/6. 7/7, etc, the next few weeks and hope to be at 200 reps by the end of week 3. 

I also did 5 rounds of getups.  I plan on working up to 10 rounds in the same manner so long as nothing starts hurting.  I used the 12 kg, 16, 18, 18 left/24 right, 24 left and right :)  Hitting the 24 kg getup with the left side is a sweet PR.

 

  I also did another day of the fighter pullup program.  Today it was 5, 5, 4, 4,4 reps.

taking it easy

I decided to skip my Thursday kettlebell workout because my mom was visiting and I was enjoying relaxing with her.  It's a back-off week for me and I think the full day skipped is doing me good.  I did manage to do the next step in the fighter pullup program of 5,4,4,4,4 reps.   I also taught back to back yoga followed by bootcamp this morning and that always wipes me out so I'm just gonna lounge around until Mondays workout. 

I have not been paying much attention to the scale recently but today I'm 170.  I took some pictures today and realized I have never been so solid at this weight.   I've been 170 plenty of times before but it was definitely a fat 170.   I remember when 155 was what I would call my 'fighting weight'.   This full body style of training really is something else as it is filling in parts of my body that I didn't even realize I had.  I still feel like I'm barely above novice level when it comes to kettlebells and I'm excited to see how big and strong I can get.  Kettlebells are not necessarily the best gear for pure muscle mass gains but I am not interested in only getting bigger.  I'm finding that by doing full-body training I am gaining evenly distributed muscle from head to toe.  I'm still not doing any isolated core work and my midsection just keeps getting harder and more defined.   In all honesty my diet has not been that good for the past few months.  I think my saving grace is that I'm making a serious effort to get 4-5 meals high in protein and fiber before I start eating cheat-foods.  I think by putting the emphasis on protein and fiber my cheat-meals are getting naturally smaller. I am getting hooked on protein which I think is one of my greatest accomplishments.   I am nearly positive that by eating moderate (20-30 grams) portions of protein spaced out regularly I am speeding up my recovery times and decreasing my appetite for garbage foods.  I feel pretty fucking good at a solid 5 foot 9.5 inches tall and 170 pounds :)

Back-off Variety day

Every 4th week I back off on the intensity of my training and train instinctively.  I still write up a routine to do but I wait until just before I'm ready to train.  It's a nice break from doing the same exact routine for 3 weeks straight. 

I've been watching the Strongfirst vids of their 3 day cert process.  They do a ton of double kettlebell stuff which I am nearly 100% unfamiliar with.  I figure the best exercise to practice with 2 bells is the clean.  I need to be able to comfortably clean the bells for overhead pressing anyhow so I figure I will start with double cleans.

I did some wave-loading today.  Wave-loading is simply starting with a small weight and working up and down.  The big advantage of wave-loading is that after you do your biggest weight the next set is the light weights and the bells just fly.  Today it was 9 rounds on the 2nd minute of 4 power cleans + 4 presses.  I used the 12, 16 and 24 kg bells for 3 rounds of 3.

Next I did 5 getups using the 12, 16, 18kg bells on each side.  Finished with 2 rounds with the 24 kg on my right side and 2 more using the 18 kg on the left.  I feel like I am getting close to attempting a getup on my left side which is something of a small miracle.

I finished with 6 minutes of 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest of 2 hand kettlebell swings with the 24 kg bell.  Harder than it sounds!