Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Plan So Far...

Well, so far the plan is good. That is to say, I like it. I am not any where near tired after my training, I actually feel fresh. Who new? Anyway, here is how it is going:

Monday:
DL with 245 lbs x 5 reps
DL with 225 lbs x 5 reps ( i don't have any 2 1/2 lb plates so it's not quite 10% less than the first set.)

Side Press with 55 lbs (on bar) x 5 reps
Side Press with 55 lbs (on bar) x 5 reps (it was so easy, i just kept the same wt.)

Snatches w/ 16kg: 25/25 x 3 sets.
This was slow and easy, just practicing. Don't even think my heart rate went up...

I felt great.

Tuesday:
DL w/ 250 lbs x 5 reps ( i don't have any 2 1/2 lb plates so the bar was unbalanced by 5 lbs - not noticable)
DL w/ 225 lbs x 5 reps

Side press w/ 60 lbs x 5 reps ( the bar was unbalanced by 5 lbs - not too noticable - but i'll bet it's good for me!)
Side press w/ 55 lbs x 5 reps

Did Tactical Pull ups between all sets: 4 sets of 5 reps

Felt great!

That's it. Steady the pace wins the race.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Power to Me.

Still sticking with my plan, but it is now modified. Change is good, right?
Friday, i went the Power to the People route on my training. I'm going to try and give this a clean go. It may rejuvenate me, at least that is my hope.

Friday:
DL w/ 255 x 5 reps
DL w/ 230 x 5 reps

Bent Press w/ 70lb (on bar) x 5 reps
Bent Press w 65lb (on bar) x 5 reps

I thought i'd use fridays for bent presses...

Saturday and Sunday:
Z-health and that's all.

That's the new plan. Mondays i'll wave down the loads and build up to fridays.
Again, that's the plan...


Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Infection

It's fun to infect people with kettlebells. I did a workshop last week at my local health club and the attendees are showing all of their friends. They look so excited and happy. It's amazing to see people on fire about exercising. I love it. The kettlebell has power. A dumbbell could never light someone's wick the way a kettlebell can. I'm not against dumbbells, mind you. I'm just so passionate about kettlebells. I think that passion is spilling out to other people and infecting them. Not all infections are bad.



For me this week, i'm continuing on with my plan. Still dead lifting, still doing pull ups and side presses.



Monday

DL w/ 245: 4 sets x 3 reps

Pull ups w/ bw: 4 sets x 5 reps

Side Press w/ 24kg: 4 sets x 4 reps



Doing my best to create total body tension on each rep. This is exhausting. But i feel great after i'm done. It's a very short and sweet workout.



Tuesday

Just practicing DBL jerks and snatches w/ the 16's. Trying not to do too much or get a "workout". Also did some windmills. My right hamstring is suddenly tight as a tick. A tick with a big knot in it.

Anyway, tomorrow more dead lifts. Up to the big 255lb! Not much i know, but i'm practicing and regrooving. And I have a plan i must stick with.

See ya.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

It's dead, I'm not.

Monday I ended up training. I started dead lifting again. But, I'm going to ease into it like a warm bath and not dive into it like an ice cold pool. It's time I start applying all this knowledge I'm collecting on myself and not just other people...

Monday's dead lift was light, just trying to see if my body remembered it.

A1: 225lbs for 4 sets x 3 reps. Ah yes, it feels familiar.
A2: Pull ups w/ body weight for 4 sets x 5 reps. Elbows have no problems!
I really focused on tension. Tension is Strength, but tension is also tiring.
Then I got dumb and did double snatches w/ the 24 kgs for
5 sets of 5. Too much after dead lifts...

Wednesday, back for more.

A1-Dead lift w/ 235lbs for 4 sets x 3 reps
A2-Pull ups w/ 16kg for 4 sets x 3 reps
feeling good
Side press while holding a bell in each hand, staying tight.
16kgs 4/4, 4/4 --> 24kgs 3/3 -->
16kg(hold),24kg (press) 3/3
This was challenging on the old obliques.

Anyway, I'm going to ease into the dead lift and practice strength.
My plan is 3 times a week. Going to keep the reps LOW and wave the load down every 2 weeks. On the inbetween days I'm kbellin' for cardio and beauty!


Sunday, October 14, 2007

Time Out

Tried something new today. I did nothing. I did this yesterday too. Can't remember the last time i just decided not to train 2 days in a row. I'm tired. Don't know why, but I'm tired. So, i took a break. May even take one tomorrow. Guess i'll wait and see. The way my body feels, i'm sure i need the rest.

Anyway, had a pretty good week. Training has been good. Tried pull ups again for the first time in about 3 months. They felt good. I actually bought the Tactical Strength Pull-up bar/stand in July and never even got to use it because my elbows were so angry. Well now i can finally say i've used it. Only did 4 sets of 5 with my body weight, but hey i did pull-ups and they didn't hurt...

Yesterday I had another Kettlebell Workshop at a friend of mine's studio. It went well. The victims had prior kbell experience so it was pretty smooth. One of them has sighned up for the RKC cert in April. She'll definately be ready.

I've taken a side job of managing personal trainers at the local health club where i live. This should be a fun/interesting experience for me. I'm trying to infect the club with kettlebells. I'm also having a kbell workshop there tomorrow. May the infection begin...

Over the last few days i've been thinking about changing the way i train. I think i want to focus more on pure animal strength. I even went to the sporting good store the other day to buy some 45lb plates for doing dead lifts. Just incase i needed them. It's been so long... I've been practicing heavy one legged dead lifts with my kbells lately. They don't bother my elbows or my shoulders. Having said that, i think i am almost out of the "Pain Woods." The body is feeling pretty good pain-wise. But it is just flat out exhausted...

Anyway, I'm excited and greatful to be able to do kbell workshops. It's so awesome to teach others about something I love to do so much. I really can't believe I get to live this life sometimes. I am blessed.

So are you.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Stumbling Blocks or Launch Pads?

Kind of a neat weak. I've been working with double kb lifts/exercises this week. Just mostly with the 16kgs; once in a while the 24kgs. My shoulder is still jacked up. Well, jacked up when it comes to any kind of pressing movement. Infact, Tuesday my shoulder said it didn't even like the push-up position. It just plain hurt. Funny thing though, it doesn't mind swings, or snatches, or even jerks. So, i've been playing a lot with double snatches and jerks... Maybe not smart, but there is no pain whatsoever. The hips drive the bells up and I catch them with the arms straight beside the ears. I get a good stretch for a few seconds and then I lower them. With all the frustration I had with my elbows, I gotta say, it feels so good to snatch. Maybe I'll be able to press again soon, but for now (and again...) I will focus on what I can do. Oh yeah, LOTS OF Z DRILLS TOO.

By the way, I had an infected/swollen salava gland in my lip. (I need to learn to eat more carefully) It was Angelina Jolie huge. I got it CUT OUT Thursday. Now my lower lip is bigger than my whole head! And it hurts. Who needs botox? Anyway...

Tuesday:
Double Front Snatch w/ 16kgs
10,10,10,10,10
Double Snatch w/ 24kgs
5,5,5,5,5
Double Jerks w/ 16kgs
10,10,10,10,10
Double Snatch w/ 16kgs
10,10,10,10,10

Wednesday:
Swings - not many - 15 sec on/15 sec off

w/ 32kg (2 hands) x 10 reps of 10 sets = 100 reps
w/ 24kg (1 hand) x 10 reps of 10 sets = 100 reps
Really just focusing on flexing the lats and sucking the shoulders in.
Overhead Holds

w/ 16kg: 30 sec/30 sec, 30 sec/30 sec
w/ 2(16kgs): 60 sec, 60 sec

Thursday:

A1-Pistols w/16kgs
3/3,3/3,3/3,3/3
A2-One Legged Row w/ 24kgs
6/6,6/6,6/6,6/6
Double Front Snatch w/ 16kgs
10,10,10,10,10
Double Snatch w/ 16kgs
20,20,20,20,20 - WHOOOOO! Felt great and solid. Also Tiring...
Farmer's walks w/32kg: 30 sec / 30 sec x 3 sets
w/ 2(32kgs): 30 sec x 3 sets

Friday:

Swings 30sec on/30 sec off
w/ 16kg: 17 reps x 10 sets = 170 reps
w/ 24kg: 17 reps x 10 sets = 170 reps
Halos w/ 16kg

Todays workout:
A1- Front Squats w/ 24kg x 5,5 --> w/ 32kg x 5,5
A2- One legged rows w/ 24kg x 5/5, 5/5, 5/5, 5/5
DBL Jerks w/ 16's x 10,10,10,10,10
DBL Snatches w/ 16's x 10,10,10,10,10
DBL Jerks w/ 24's x 5,5,5,5,5
Farmers Walks w/ 24kg x 30 sec each arm x 4 sets

Well that's it. Just playing and learning. Happy to be snatching and jerking. Slightly bummed about the shoulder, but this could be another good learning opportunity. The elbows feel next to great and I'm still Kbellin'. Life is good. Have a good weekend.