No expectations!

Walked in to the garage to practice a few exercises - came out with a nice little workout.

It's nice to have a plan and it's nice to not have a plan. My plan is to not worry about it or think about it too much. The workout will come if I sit back, relax and enjoy!

The Number 7 came to mind which started into:

Dead Clean & Press Ladders to 7 R/L
Snatch Ladders to 7 R/L
Row Ladders to 7 R/L
Limbo Lunge w/ 1 Kbell 7 each way
Forward Lunge w/2 Kbells 7 each leg
Forward Lunge w/1 Kbell 7 each leg

Plank to Finish

All done w/ 20 Kg Kbells
Today was a medium/light day!

Planned Failure

Knee PT day. 10 Minutes on the Cybex, quick step - touch drill, quad stretching, stability ball extensions & 1 Leg dead lifts with weight.
Total Time: 1.5 Hours

On to the Failure.
To pass the RKC requirements of certification you have to pass the snatch test. There are more requirements than just that, of course, but this is the one everyone stresses about. Today I attempted the snatch test.

I knew I was not going to make it. I haven't touched a 24 Kg for snatches in almost 2 months. I've just been playing with the 16 Kg trying to get back in shape. Sometimes you need a failure to gain more perspective.

I didn't make it, not even close. The 24 Kg felt real heavy, especially coming down. So whats the solution here?

Keep on track with the lighter kbells, but throw in more and more swings and snatches with the 24 Kg. The swings with help with grip strength and the pull portion of the snatch, and the snatches will put everything together. Some say that you can walk up the strength ladder with 16's, then 20's, then 24's.

You can, but you also need to use something heavy too. It throws the body a curve ball... Always be ready for the unexpected!

Today Kbell Work - All 24 Kg
Failed Snatch Test 13-13
2:30 Timed Set
5/5
12 Sets

Wipers
Overhead Pulls
Inverted V's

Kettlebell Club Workshop

I assisted with the Level 1 Kettlebell Club Workshop today and learned that there are more and more personal trainers learning how to use kettlebells.

That is a little good and a little bad. Good in that more people will have a better understanding of how to use them, so fewer injuries... which lead to bad experiences! Bad insense that it's nice being on the fringe of something.

Our workshop participants today were all personal trainers. They caught on pretty quick and by the end of it they understood how people could benefit from the bells.

We finished with a workout:

Pick Up the Kettlebell and don't set it down for 5 Minutes which led into a short round of follow the leader. I grabbed a heavy kettlebell - (I didn't know what we were going to do for the workout). It was hard!

Full Workout

Wednesday was a serious Knee PT day so I thought I would stay away from the bells.

I made up for that today!
My style (Lately) is to write up a workout on the dry erase board then follow it. It's that simple. I've learned that if you write things down they become more real and easier to follow through on.

I got to the 8 minute snatch set at the end...I wrote it down so I needed to do it. I'm glad I did....I think?

Warm Up

25/25 One Hand Swings
3/3 Bottoms Up Press

Push Ups 10
Alternating Walking Presses 8/8
Dead lifts 20
1/2 Get Ups 10/10
One Hand Swings 15/15
Repeat section 3 times

2:00 Hot Potatoe Press w/3 Bounces
2:00 Circle Drill/Halo
2:00 Swing, Catch, Squat & Thrust

Optional 8:00 Snatch Set

Incidental Cardio

I decided to focus on strength drills today. I haven't really touch anything over a 20 in a while.
Mike Mahler's protocol seems fitting - Opposing Muscle Groups!~

25/25 Single Arm Swings 24 Kg

Presses 5x5
Rows 5x5

Snatches
5 Heavy 28 Kg
10 Medium 24 Kg
15 Light 20 Kg
Repeat 2 X's

2:00 of Swing, Catch, Squat & Thrust

Wipers
Inverted V's
Stretch

This was not a Cardio Day but why did it seem like it was?

INCIDENTAL CARDIO!
Just one of the many benfits of Kettleblls

Knee PT

PT today was more intense than usual. It was the modified single leg dead lifts and the jumping drills that kicked my butt.
5 "Units" of PT and that was it.

- 10 Minutes on a Cybex 1/2 eliptical. It has a short range of motion.
- Quad Stretching
- Plyometrics: Forward and side to side 15 Minutes
- Heel Raises 3x15
- Hamstring Curls
- Single Leg Squats to Cones
- Stability Drills Single leg standing on a flat ball.

Practice Day

Today was one of those days that the workout seemed more of a practice day than a workout day, that is until the afternoon came...I had to take a nap!

25/25 Swings
5 Bottoms Up Presses a side
Repeat Twice

10 Push Ups
10 Limbo Lunges
10 Hanging Presses
10 Forward Lunges
10 1 Leg Deadlifts
Repeat 3 Times

2:00 Swing, Catch, Squat Thrust
2:00 1/2 Figure 8 4 Bounce
4:00 Jerk Set

Optional 8-10 Snatch Set

This workout took longer than normal, a few distractions and just a more focused approach to the drills. Form is what I was after, especially on the lunges and deadlifts.

Whoa, It's been this long?

It has been this long since my last post.

Here's what I've been up to:
Knee Rehabilitation 3 times a week -
This has been an eye opener for me. I have done nothing in a long time to actually strengthen the knee and it's surrounding muscles. I've learned that my quad has been under developed, my hamstring is too tight and my muscles don't work very well as a group.

This has caused a lot of strain to the knee joint. I have a couple good physical therapists who have taught me exercises to regain my flexibility, mobility and most of all strength. An off shoot of this is probably the most important - Confidence in the knee!

This knee stabilization will be a continuing theme in most workouts going forward.

Speaking of..

Here is one work out I've used, from Jay Armstrong -

25 Swings
3 Bottoms Up Press a side

10 Push Ups
5 Hanging Presses a side
:30 Lying Static Hold Press
5 Clean & Press a side
Repeat 3 times

2:00 Circle Drill
2:00 1/2 Figure with 4 Bounces (Hot Potatoe)
4:00 Jerk Set

60 Thingy
12 Swings,Cleans, Clean & Press, Snatch & Swing

Inverted V's
Stretching