Entry-level strong.

Finished the Rite of Passage with the 18 kg bell this past Friday.  5 sets of 5 reps each side and it felt easy!  Threw in a couple of getups with the 24 kg bell.  Taking the following week off (or at least until Thursday) and then re-starting the ROP with the 24 kg bell.  Entry-level strong here I come!

 

15 lbs

When I started to get myself back in shape a little over a year ago my goal weight was 155.  I was ripped at that weight and it took me about 5-6 months to go from a fat 188 down to 155.  I have been avoiding the scale as much as possible since I hit my goal weight.   I got on the scale this morning and I'm just under 172.  Is it possible I gained 15 lbs of muscle in the past 6 months from kettlebell swings, cleans, presses, getups and pullups?  Not only is it possible but I believe it to be fact.  15 lbs is ALOT of muscle to gain at my age in less than a year.  I can not wait to see what the next 12 months have in store for me. 

Face-the-wall squat video

Clean & Presses, Getups, Pullups

I did the C & P and Getups yesterday, banged out the pullups today.

Clean and Press w/18 kg bell -  5 sets, 4,5,5,5,5 reps
Getups with 24 kg bell - 2 sets each side
Pullups 5 sets wide-grip, palms out - 5,5,5,5,4 reps

getting close to the goal - Rite of Passage 5,5,4,4,4,

Kettlebell Clean and Press w/18 kg bell 5,5,4,4,4, reps. 

I started doing the ROP with the 18 kg bell (as opposed to the 24kg) because I wanted to make sure I improved my clean technique before going heavier. My goal was to work up to 5 sets of 5 (each side) in the C&P while also working on my form.   I'm satisfied with my progress and ready to start with the 24 kg bell soon! 

I feel like I am not activating all of the proper Hardstyle locks with the 18 kg bell but I am going to continue to work on it.  I'm trying to cultivate a deep backswing in the clean with the appropriate amount of knee-bend.  The way I am doing it today I think I need more knee bend.

pullups 5 X 5 coming soon...

I am going to buy a dipping belt to hang kettlebells from my waist once I hit 5 x 5 with this grip. 

5 sets total - 5,4,4,4,4 reps.

a little training in the park

Kettlebell Clean and Press 5 sets of 4,4,4,4,5 reps each side w/18 kg bell.

Clean & Press, pullups

Kettlebell Clean & Press 18 kg bell x 3,4,4,4,5 reps
Wide-grip palms-out pullups - 5,4,4,4,3 reps

Status of the body:  Unfortunately my left knee is about the same as my last blog.  Still sore but I can walk on it fine.  I'm wondering if I am hiking too much?  Shoulder, neck, lower upper-back all feel great at the moment. 

ROP, pullups, getups

Kettlebell Clean and Press - 18 kg bell - 3,3,4,4,5 reps each side 
Pullups - wide grip palms out 5,4,4,3,3 reps
Getups - 5 rounds each side - 12 kg bell, 18, 24, 24, 24

State of the Body:   Left knee is still a bit sore (for about 10 days now) from too much hiking/pistols but getting better.  Right elbow is improving but if I bang it into something as I am walking around it hurts.  Left elbow out of nowhere is starting to feel sore too.  I think this is from the cleans more than anything else and I expect the left elbow to get better in a few days.  Shoulders feel good, upper back feels great.

Not impressed with my clean form in this video.  Too shallow in the backswing on most reps.

 

There are at least a few reps in this clip that look good to me.  My best cleans are done when I get deep in the backswing and manage to keep the torso level through the entire movement.  Still working on it!

Soreless Programming

When you are living with the person you are training you get a fantastic insight into how they are doing with your program.  I've been casually training Grace for a few months.  She made great progress on the PM and recently started the Rite of Passage which has a largish volume of clean/presses and pullups.  Recently she has been sore way too often.  I feel like she is slightly overtrained.  I believe this overtrained state comes not from her kb training but from the effect her job has on her recovery ability.  Grace is a certified massage therapist and averages 20-25 massages a week.  This job is very hard on the body, the physical equivalent of digging ditches for a living.  Every massage she does draws on her body's  recovery ability and this needs to be taken into account when planning her workout. 

Taking all this into consideration I'm going to put Grace back on the Program Minimum  which is swings and getups only.  She has some concerns about missing out on clean and presses so I will give her a couple of variety days that she can practice anything she wants.  As long as she is willing to keep the intensity low and not go for PR's every time she trains she can do at least a little variety.   I want her to get extremely strong at the 2-handed swing which I believe will give her everything she wants out of her body. 

2 days a week - any 2 days with at least 2 days in between sessions.  If we miss a workout we will do it the next day and make sure to get at least 2 days rest before the next session.

Warmup - 5-10 minutes general movement, don't spend too much energy here.

2-hand  kettlebell swings 12 minutes - 30 seconds work/ 30 seconds rest

Goal is to swing the 24 kg bell for all 12 rounds.  This is the exact weight progression we are using.  When you can complete one progression comfortably, move on to the next.

12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 24
12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 24, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 24
12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24  18, 18, 18, 18, 24
12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 18, 18, 18, 24
12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 18, 18, 24
12kg, 18,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 24,  24,18, 24
12kg, 24,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24
18kg, 24,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24
24kg, 24,  24,  24,  24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24

Getups

5 getups each side with about 90 seconds rest in between reps

Goal is 5 rounds with the 18 kg bell
When you can complete one progression comfortably, move on to the next.

8 kg, 12, 12, 18, 18
8 kg, 12, 18, 18, 18
8 kg, 18, 18, 18, 18
18 kg, 18, 18, 18, 18

Variety Days

Double Clean & Press 1 day/week

2-3 sets of 5 reps 12 kg bell
2-3 sets of near max reps with 16 kg bell

Pullups and Pistol Squat - 2 days/week