Some Ladder work

Todays Effort -

Double Kettlebell Clean & Press Ladders
7/8/9
Snatch Ladders
14/16/18

:30 Work
1/2 Bicycles
Slam Ball
Planks
V- Ups w/kbell
Figure 8 to a clean
Slingshot

You do the :30 work after each rung of the ladders...

The Need to Swing

The swing is arguably the best exercise I know. It sometimes gets lost in the thousand other things you can do with a kettlebell.

I'm using the swing as a means to get my body back in the training groove. There is nothing better for my body than to pound out some swings and strengthen from the middle out.

The core gets smoked, the hip snap is established and my hands,wrist & arms all get a heck of a workout. It makes sense for me to strengthen my weak links and move on from there!

Todays Effort -

One Hand Swing :15 On/:15 Off
R/L
20 Kg
10 Sets

30 Bicycles
30 V-Ups w/15Lb Med Ball

Two Hand Swing :20 On/:10 Off
24 Kg
8 Reps

Trying to pound the swings out and get my left wrist back up to speed. Its gonna be awhile before it's back to normal...

Practice Day

I've had a couple solid workouts in a row so now I have to get in some much needed practice. Its not always workload, one has to get some practice in.

Todays effort - The Turkish Get Up

This is one of the more demanding moves. I have some weak linkage in my lower body (Knees) that makes this very difficult when I get to the lunge position. You can't get good at something if you don't practice it.

This "practice" concept is something that gets overlooked and underused by myself. I tend to focus more on my effort or output more than my form.

However, with kettlebells this is not a good thing. You can get into a poor movement pattern and end up with a variety of injuries or worse - a body that is conditioned to do things incorrectly.

1/2 Get Up Ladders
R/L
5,4,3,2,1
Without weight

1/2 Get Up Ladders
R/L
5,4,3,2,1
With weight

Haven't done these in months and it felt like it. Poor form, but it got better...

Here is a version of the Get Up - I didn't/can't do this one!

Griffin?

A good effort today, for sure the toughest workout in months. This one will be saved for future enjoyment.

Tabata Protocol
20 Seconds On, 10 Seconds Off
4 Stations
1 Minute rest between

1) Heavy kbell swings
28 Kb
14 Reps per :20 sec
8 Sets
2) Slam Ball
15 Lb
13 Reps per :20 sec
8 Sets
3) Kettlebell Overhead Pulls (to a sit up)
16 Kg
Only 4 per :20 sec
8 Sets
4) Wall Ball Shots
12 Lb
10 Reps per :20 sec
8 Sets

I had to lay on the floor for a good 5 minutes to collect myself when I was done with this workout. Kinda like Bikrim Yoga - savanahstas or whatever its called.

I was a good/only way to finish this workout!

Max Vo2 Day

I don't have the condition or the strength yet but you can't get there without trying.

Todays effort:

Max Vo2 15 Sec On - 15 Sec Off

2 Hand Swings
24 Kg
30 Sets
- The left wrist is at a beginning workload!

Finished with some ab work
Bicycles
Sit Ups
Woodchops

New Tool!

Well it's actually a heavier tool. I ordered a 15lb slam ball and it arrived today. I oped the package and promptly put it to work.


Today effort -

20 Swings R
40 Slam Balls
20 Swings L
40 Slam Balls

20 Swings R
30 Slam Balls
20 Swings L
30 Slam Balls

20 Swings R
20 Slam Balls
20 Swings L
20 Slam Balls

For Time -
Mine - 19:17

Finished with some light stretching/yoga stuff.

I have to bring along the left hand/arm slowly so this workout was just right. I'm using just a 16 kg until my strength in the hand/arm improves...

Listen to what your body is telling you!

Can you be certain that your body AND mind are in the same groove?

To prove this point I wrote a workout that I wanted to do today -

Here it is:
50 Swings
50 Slam Balls
50 Bicycles
50 Kettlebell Squats
50 Clean & Press
50 Get Up Sit Ups
50 Around the World
50 Figure 8 to a clean
50 Halo's
50 Snatches


Is this a good workout for me? Today?

I'm just getting back in it and I'm still writing workouts like I'm in decent shape..

Like I wrote before - "Listen to your body...

Here is what I did today.

As many sets in 20 minutes of this:
50 Swings
50 Slam Balls
50 Sit Ups
50 Kettlebell Squats

I was able to complete one set before my body spoke to me -

It told me to take it easy and enjoy the journey back.

I got the message.

Gotta do Something...

The Doctor took the pin out of the wrist and now I have clearance to move the wrist more aggressively. Mobility is not there but at least it moves more than it did with the pin in the bone.

I can start casual exercise so here it starts - Officially. I was cheating before.

4 Stations
1 Minute each

2 Hand Swings
Slam Ball
Russian Twists
Squats

3 Sets

I got my wife in on this one and she did great! We will see how she feels tomorrow...

My Status...

Here's what I've been dealing with for 4 months now. A bone that doesn't like to heal in my wrist and how to workout around it.

To be honest, I was a lazy bum the first month in part to a badly bruised left foot. I used these ailments to back away from my physical fitness. Not a good idea but you do what you do sometimes.

I found the light and have been training for the last couple months although not at intense as I would like. I now commit myself to more comprehensive training even with my physical issue.

The Doctors say I may get my mobility back in my wrist and I may not. No worry, I can alter my routines around the wrist.

The next 2 months will be regular training with conditions. I excited about what I will come up with and what ideas I can get from the people I run across during my journey back!

WOD Beginner #1

Here is a simple workout that can be scaled depending on your fitness level. I did a version of this once a while back at crossfit and loved it.

I changed a couple exercises...

Warm Up

4 Stations
1 Minute Each
:30 Rest between Stations if you need it?
Count your Reps
3 sets

Station # 1
Kettlebell Swings

Station # 2
Sit Ups

Station # 3
Push Ups (Knees or planks if you need to)

Station # 4
Squats with a kbell

Never compromise your form.

Enjoy!

What if you have only 15 Minutes to Train?

Summer is especially hard to create time for training...

Here's you answer -

1 or 2 kettlebells

5 front squats
10 Push Ups - Or plank position for :30-:60 - or 5 Pull Ups
5 Push Press

Repeat as many rounds as you can in 15 Minutes

Form is the key. Keep track of how many rounds you complete.

Vacation

I went back home for a short Holiday vacation and fit in a Kettlebell Workshop for a group of High School Athletes with a friend of mine at NE Kettlebells in Mpls.

These were kids between the ages of 13 and 17. All were in relatively good shape, or so I thought. They started a weight training program with a local high school.

After watching them with the kettlebells they have no business in a weight room. Why? Because they lack the base strength to perform a lot of the exercises they are required to do.

Hence the kettlebell workshop. I thought it a good idea to show them the benefits of body weight and kettlebell training. We taught the swing, squat, row and push up position mainly.

It was in the push up position that a lot of the athletes failed miserably. They lacked the body strength to hold their bodies in this position. This floored me.

A Weak core in an athlete is not so good, Eh?