Saturday at The Club

Today it was Jay in front of the class. You never know what to expect so you have to be prepared for everything.

It turned out to be part training session and part workout. We had a new student who had to learn the basics. 50 minutes workout then a 50 minutes training session.

It was a very rewarding day. I seem to learn more about kettlebells everytime I teach the fundamentals with another trainer. I never hear everything, in fact I believe you don't hear anything until your ready to learn it.

I know the fundamentals pretty good, but I learn more everytime I dive back into the them...hip snap, rythym, tension-release, breathing, timing, grip - all play critical roles in kettlebell training, especially when you start playing with heavier kettlebells!

I came out of the session with a better snatch than I had before, and I was

Fun with Doubles

Class at the Kettlebell Club....David Cogswell ran us through what he called "Fun with Doubles".

Most every exercise used double kettlebells. Twice the load, twice the workout!
I was tired....
The great thing about doubles is that you have use the whole body in a more deliberate way. Try swinging double 24's and snatching double 16's....You have to make space for the 24's and really snap your hips to get 2 16's overhead. A very good change of pace!

28 Kg Time

I had a limited amount of time today, so I just grabbed a heavier kettlebell than I normally work with....

28 Kg Workout
2 Hand Swings
100
One Arm Jerk
10/10
Extreme Cleans
10/10
Push Ups
10
Pull Ups
10
Plank
2.5 Minutes

Fast Paced and effective. I never had swung the 28Kg a 100 times without setting it down. I huffed and puffed at the end, just like I did with the 16 Kg when I started way back when...It felt great!

4 Way Combo # 1

The weather is geting nicer. Open the garage door and breath the air...and get some funny looks from passerbys!

Warm Up -
- Swings
20 - 2 Hand
10 - 1 Hand L
10 - 1 Hand R
10 - Darcy
10 - Sumo DL
5/5 Press
10 Push Ups
10/10 Front Squats
Rest
- 4 Way Combo
1,2,3,4 R/L
Swing, Clean, High Pull, Snatch
Rest
- 10 Push Ups
10 - Circle Drill (L/R)
10 - Overhead Squats (5/5)
10 - Windmills (5/5)
10 - Bottoms Ups Press (5/5)
10 - Push Ups
20 - Russian Twists
15 - Pull Ups (5,5,5)
Rest
20 - Halo's (10/10)
20 - Renengade Rows (10/10)
10 - Push Ups
20 - Limbo Lunge (10/10)
10 - Swing,Squat & Hold ( Try and Hold for 5-10 Seconds)
20 - 1 KB Jerk (10/10)
Rest
50 - Heavy Kettlebell Swings
50 - Heavy Kettlebell Swings

Last Few Days

Things I've learned the past few days.

1. Practice the Snatch more often for REPS, RKC style!
Nothing will prepare you more for Snatches, than...Snatches!
2. Have a work out plan, and follow it.
3. Set a goal or 2. Short term and long term, something that is attainable.
4. Train with a group and on your own.
5. Look to others for ideas and attitudes that are positive and encouraging.
6. Wear gloves and shoes when removing palm leaves and branches from palm trees. They have these sharp teeth that can't cut unprotected hands and feet. OUCH!
7. Write you own full body workout then do it!

Surprise Snatch Test

Class at the Kettlebell Club today, surprise snatch test - Great...

I have not really focused on snatching for reps RKC style. So its good to get tested once in a while to keep ya honest. It was not a good showing.

Today at the Club -
Snatch test

Warm Up
20 Swings and a couple of snatches -
Test - 24 Kg
28/28
I had a number in my head of 28 and you know what - I made it to 28. I set my sights low and I made the number. Good and Bad. Why?
Good that I set a goal that I could reach and bad that I set it too low. I seem to fail at the number I shoot for, so I should have set my number at 36. I may not have reached 36 but I would have done more than 28 a side....anyway I will get re-tested periodically to keep my numbers increasing.

Today's Workout
Already warmed up
2 Hand Swings 20 reps
Turkish Get Up 2 a side
Low Windmill 3 a side

Repeat Twice
Bottoms Up Clean 10 a side
1/2 figure 8 to a waiters press 10 a side
Push/Pull 10 reps
Circle Drill to a squat 5 reps
KB curls 10 reps
Clean & Press Reverse TGU 3 a side
Sumo DL 10 Reps
See-Saw Press 5 a side

2 Hand Swing Finisher

Just Swings

A little tired from yesterdays Indy 500. Never want to follow up a tough workout with another tough one. Sooo...

Warm Up
Swings 24 Kg
20 2 Arm
10 1 Arm
10 1 Arm
10 Darcy

One Arm Swings 24 Kg
25/25
4 Sets

2 Arm Swings 28 Kg
30 extreme

Plank to Finish

Simple yet effective. I feel better than before the workout!

Indy 500

Tried this at the Kettlebell Club. I thought I'd try it at home...

Warm Up-

1st 100
Swings - 30 Reps
1/2 Turkish Get Up - 5 reps a side
Snatch - 10 reps a side
Racked Lunge - 5 reps a side
Bottoms-Up Clean 10 reps a side
Military Press 5 reps a side
2nd 100
1 KB 1 Led DL - reps a side
Swings 30 reps
Sumo DL 20 reps
Push Ups 10 reps
Front Squats 10 reps a side
1/2 Figure 8 to a clean
3rd 100
Bottoms Up Presses 5 reps a side
Push Ups 10 reps
1 Leg Military Press 5 reps a side
Circle Drill 10 reps each way
Snatch 20 reps a side
1 KB Jerk -10 reps a side
4th 100
Push Ups 10 reps
Limbo Lunge 10 reps a side
Mahler Lying Press 10 reps a side
Renegade Rows 10 reps a side
Ball Press 5 reps
Halos 10 reps each way
Push Ups 15 reps
5th 100
50-Thingy ( SW,CL,C&J,SN,SW)
repeat

I'm beat. A great complete workout!
Thanks Jay!

A Little Workout

Todays So Called Workout...

Warm Up
-30 Seconds On/Off
High Pull to a Snatch
5 Sets
-15 Seconds On/Off
Snatch
5 Sets

AOS Practice

Trying to get through the AOS Essestials Test...Everytime my grip on the left hand fails. So I'm going to break down the exercises and practice them to improve my confidence and grip.
Here is what I started today:

Warmup
- 30 Seconds Each Exercise
Right Hand
High Pull then a Snatch
Press
Squat
Clean
One Arm Swing
Left Hand
Swing
Clean
Squat
Press
High Pull then Snatch

Grip Failed 20 seconds into left hand High Pull. Improvement, it used to fail at 2 seconds...


High Pull to a Snatch
30 Seconds On/Off
I like this exercise. Gonna do these tomorrow!

Class at The Kettlebell Club

Class today consisted on of 3 people and myself. Plan was to do a few round the horn exercises and finish with some simple two handed swings...with very heavy kettlebells.

Here is what we did.
Warm Up
-50 Swings 24Kg 20,10,10,10
-3 Sizes of Kettlebells - Heavy Med Light
Snatches 5/5,10/10,15/15
-Lunges
5/5, 10/10
-Pistols
-Bottoms Up Presses
5/5,5/5
- Windmills High & Low Position
5/5
-28 Kg Jerk
5/5
-Floor Presses
5/5
-Circle Drill/Halo's
5/5 20 Kg
-One Leg Deadlift
5 reps 24 Kg
Finisher
24 Kg, 28 Kg, 32 Kg, 40 Kg, 48 Kg
Two Hand Swings
7/7/7/7/7/7
x2
Plank to Finish

Students here have some very good strength, form and commitment. It fun to workout with no real plan....just decide what's next and do it.
Next time we'll follow a planned workout......it's just nice sometimes to make it up as you go....

Simple Workout

Today was a transition day form Yoga to Kettlebells. Nothing too heavy, that is tomorrow.

Warm Up
-24Kg One Hand Swing
50/50
-16 Kg's Jerks
20/20
-16 Kg Bottoms Up Press
5/5
(I got real weak at these...I used to do the 24 Kg's)
-24 Kg Bottoms Up Cleans
10/10
-Plank to finish
Swim to Cool Down

Two in a Row

Monday and Tuesday...Bikram Yoga.
This is a great compliment to Kettlebells. Good stretching, great breathing exercises and a tremendous workout.

Very different than kettlebells but the same goal...Health.

I am getting better with the breathing aspect of the class. In and out through the nose. Heart rate goes up, bring it down with your breath. Controling your body and mind is as simple as breathing in and out.

During Bikram Yoga there are several times to relax. Scan the body for tension, breath in and out through the nose... relax the body, release all tension and ready the body for the next series.

From is the key!

Taught a couple new students today. They had trained on their own for awhile and decided to get some instruction...Good Thing!
They were both strong, but lacked proper form on the most basic technique - The Swing and its hip snap.
I had them show me their swings and sure enough, the hip snap, and timing were nowhere to be found. A couple pointers, a few tricks and plenty of swings later, they understood the fundamental nature of the swing.
I told them to go home and practice what they have learned until it is second nature. Then move on in your training.
The key is to master the swing first!

Todays Workout -

24 Kg One Arm Swing
50/50
2:00 16 Kg Jerk Set
3:00 16 Kg Jerk Set
(Interupted at the 2:00 Mark)
4:00 Snatches
2:00 Manmakers

Feeling stronger!

Kettlebell Club

At the Club today.

The Workout - Jay Armstrong's Indy 500
1st 100
One Arm Swing 30 Reps
1/2 Turkish Get Ups 5/5
Snatch 10/10
Racked Lunge 5/5
Bottoms Up Cleans 10/10
2nd 100
1-KB 1-Leg DL 5/5
One Arm Swings 30 Reps
Sumo DL 20 Reps
Push Ups 10 Reps
Front Squats 10/10
Fig 8 to a Clean 5/5
3rd 100
Bottoms Up Press 5/5
Push Ups 10 Reps
1-Leg Military Press 5/5
Circle Drill 10 Reps
Snatch 20/20
1-KB Jerk 10/10
4th 100
Push Ups 10 Reps
Limbo Lunge 10/10
Mahler Lying Press 10/10
Renegade Rows 10/10
Ball Press 5/5
Halos 10/10
Push Ups 15 reps
5th 100 - Endurance
50-Thingy (Sw, CL,C&J,SN,SW) 50 Reps
50-Thingy (SW,CL,C&J,SN,SW) 50 Reps


Good total body effort.

Back to Bikram

Today was Bikram Yoga Day
90 Minutes
Breathing Better

Snatches...

Today I wanted to improve on my snatch technique, get more from the lower half of my body....More legs, less arms.

Warm Up
-24 Kg Snatch and hold
10/10
5 sets
- 16 Kg Jerk Set
3:00 6,6,6
- Renegade Rows 16 Kg
10/10
3 Sets
- Kettlebell Push Ups
15/15
3 Sets

My best Snatches in weeks. I guess you have to keep doing them to be good at them...

Re-Focused

Back to Business
"Overhead # 1"
Jay Armstrong - Kettlebell Club

Warmup Stuff
- 2 Hand Swing 20 reps
- Turkish Get 2/2
- Renegade Rows 10/10
- Push Ups 10 reps
- 1 Kettlebell Clean 10/10
- Low Position Windmill 5/5

Strength
- Dead Lift - Sumo Style10 reps
- Bottoms Up Clean & Press 5/5
- 1 KB Snatch 10/10
- Dead Lift - Siutcase Style 5/5
- Press - 2 Up/1 Down 5/5
- 1 KB Clean & Jerk 5/5
- Deadlift 1 leg (2 KB's) 5/5
- 1 Leg Military Press 5/5
- Bottoms Up Snatch 5/5
- Clean & Squat 5/5
- 2 KB Military Press 5 reps
- 1 KB snatch 10/10
- Lunges 5/5
- See-saw Military Press 5/5
- 1 KB Clean & Jerk 10/10

Finsher
28 Kg Kettlebell Extreme 2 Hand Swings
30/30

AOS Essential Test

One more Try
Right Arm
1/2 Get Up
30 Seconds High Pull/Snatch
30 Seconds Press
30 Seconds Squat
30 Seconds Clean
30 Seconds Swing
Transition - Figure 8 to a Clean
Left Arm
30 Seconds Swing
30 Seconds Clean
30 Seconds Squat
30 Seconds Press
30 Seconds High Pull to a snatch
Bell flew Out of my left hand. I picked it up and continued.
1/2 Get Up to down position

Fail - Kettlebell flew out of my left hand at the start of the High Pull and Snatch 30 second segment.

This proves that I'm not in good shape. A slap in the face!
Get to work and improve my strength, grip and stamina.
Re-take test in 2 weeks.

Basic Swings

Today's 1/2 workout. Its like a 1/2 marathon or a 1/2 triathalon. Hey, it counts!

Warm Up

-28 Kg 2 Handed Swings
50/50
2 Sets
Gonna make it to 100/100.
- Kettlebell Shoot Throughs to Push Up
Didn't Count
- Kettlebell Planks
Till I failed.