kettlebell "Fran"

Oct. 30 fri.
Today's training:

Morning: 45min walk/run

Afternoon:
Warm up with work on the heavy bag, Indian clubs, and light swings.
Barbell Deadlift: 5 sets of 5 reps 250lbs to warm up hips.

"Kettlebell Fran"
21,15,9 reps for time
2-20kg kettlebells thrusters( more like a box squat thruster)
pull ups: Did I ever tell you they suck.
7:38 my best time for Fran. I think I will go for 24kg next as I don't think i will be much faster anyway.

When I did my Kettlebell Crossfit cert. with Jeff Martone, we never did this routine. I guess he wanted to be somewhat human.

kettlebell sleep upset

Oct.29Th.
Today's training:
Morning; 15 mile bike ride just to flex the legs.

Night: warm up with heavy bag, Indian Clubs and jump rope

Kettlebell Long cycle: 2-12kg. 3 sets of 2 min.
2-16kg 4 sets of 1min. @ 6reps per min.
2-20kg. 2 sets of 1min. @ 6 reps per min.
1-24kg 2 sets of 5 reps per hand. in 1 min.
1-28kg 1 set of 5 reps per hand in 1 min.

The long cycle is still a long work in progress, especially the clean efficiency. I think the next session I will reduce the volume some and increase the duration.
I was real busy yesterday so I trained late after supper so when I went to bed, my sleep was not sound and got up early and hungry. Lesson learned.

You can steal my signs but not my fitness

Oct.27th.
today's training:
10 mins on the heavy Tai bag. Hard punches and kicks for power.
3 x 500 meter sets on C2 rower.
10 x 30/30 sec intervals on C2
3 sets of 20 reps back squats with 100 lbs.
5 rounds.

Dumbbell split clean 35lbs for 10 reps (not as easy as it looks but a great less use exercise)
jumping pull ups for 10 reps

At night: 12 and 16kg snatches for 1min/1min. at 20 reps per min.



The first session was great with a very good warm up. The "Erin" crossfit session was modified to provide a good but not balls out session. The primary workout was the snatch session in the afternoon.



A fellow fitness trainer I know told me of how other trainers steal the signs that she puts out as advertising and spying on the training to see the attendance and activity level. For the person at the receiving end of this negative activity,when all should promote a positive program to makes people fit and happy, it is a real downer. Yes, there is a lot of competition in the fitness business dollars, as there is just so many potential costumers available in a limited market, such as we have. Our area is a wash with all kinds of fitness programs, from spinning, Zumba,crossfit, globo gyms, martial arts, personal training and Yoga. Each fitness business thinks he or she has the best program, and most go out of their way to degrade or demonizing the other person's programs or competition. My answer to all this, is that if someone is criticizing you, or targeting you, then you are a threat, which makes you the chief completion. You have arrived and making progress. Stay the course on what you believe is the best way to serve you clients and that's all you can do. If you are making your clients happy and successful then they will come back that is all you can do.


Our American society evaluates a product by who has be best verbal execution to explain their product not on facts or real value numbers to base their promotion. We can flap our lips all day that our product is better than the next, but at the end of the day it is factual numbers or real performance is the way to evaluate a products worth. Its when you have perform at a high level and get Measueable results, that is where most fitness business don't make the grade. There are few before and after pictures to show.



Oct. 26th
Today's training:
warm up: Heavy bag, stretch bands, and light Kettlebells.
2-12kg 40 reps push press
2-16kg. 1min. at 12 reps per min for 5 sets
2-20kg 1min. at 10 reps per min for 5 sets
1-24kg. 5 reps per hand for 10 sets and 5 pull ups
Oct 25th.
today's training:
a nice bike ride on a windy day. around 25 miles.

mixed bag on a rainy day.

Oct.24Th.

Today's training:

Warm up: 5000 meters on C2. solid pace.

New circuit: 25 min AMRAP
One leg deadlift: 3 reps each leg with 24kg
kettlebell Long cycle 3 reps each arm with 24kg.
pull up/burpee: 3 reps
10 GHD sit ups:
Barbell rowing: 3 reps with 200#
sand bag front squat: 3 reps with 80 reps.

circuit was done for 25min. I can increase the weights but I had to start somewhere.
The one leg deadlift I have not done in some time but they really work the hamstrings.
I did the rowing a moderate pace as a warm up but that's a long warm up.

Haft snatch can help get more reps

Oct. 23rd.

Today's training: 3 mile walk-run in the morning


warm up with Indian Clubs, stretch bands and light kettlebells.
Kettlebell snatch: 12kg 70/70 in 7 mins.
16kg, 25/25 2 sets
20kg 15/15 4 sets of haft snatch.
3 sets of 10 pullups
2 sets of situps and back extentions on GHD

the art of war

Oct. 22 Thurs.
So you want to be a warrior

Today's training: Rest day.

3 mile walk in the morning.

20 mile bike ride. Great weather 70 deg.

Long ago I had the opportunity to see a Foreign Legion training center when I lived in France. It most austere facility with very basic equipment, with ropes, pull up bars, an obstacle coarse that really just a trail in the woods but with very difficult terrain. It was very primitive by all standards. These professional solders used rocks as resistance and did self defence on plan ground with no padding. Once they got out of basic program, they got to use the best equipment in the business. However, if the perspective solder of the legion checked out how they hard they trained prior to signing on the dotted line, they would had a lot fewer operators.

I was told that training in this rigid environment, using austere equipment has a more realistic physical connection for combat operations then that you would see in a modern gym with all those shinny machines. It must be working as they are the fittest recruits I have ever witnessed at that time.

Up grade the military fitness.

Oct: 21th.



Early outdoor fitness center. Notice no weights or treadmills.

Today's training:
warm up: 10 min. on heavy bag, Indian clubs. stretch bands

Long cycle 2-12kg. kettlebells for 3 min at 8 reps per min. 3-3min sets for 75 reps total
Long cycle 1-16 kg kettlebell for 12 min. switch on the min.
5 sets 5 reps pull ups and 20 sit ups.
Afternoon: a 15 mile bike ride. great weather.
I have seen several blogs articles discussion on the subject of military PT and testing. The consciences of trainers today that the fitness education within the military is somewhat irrelevant or deficient to prepare our military for today's operations. What has happen now in the present battlefield, military personnel are carrying a lot more equipment and age demographics has increased. I have also been told,especially form Marine corps recruits are less fit in general then ever before. Well we in the fitness business know all this as we see it each day. So what do we do?

Don't use officers and senior enlisted that don't have a least fitness trainer education to train recurits. You would not use a truck driver to cut your hair, would you? Next change the general exercises to enhance the work capacity and varied intensity. Then make the PT test more functional using several test routines so the solder will have to be total fit instead of fit to do push up, a short runs or a few sit ups. Lastly the test should be done in full gear and increased load, not in Nike's and jock straps. Even our police and fireman train and test in full gear they will be operating in.

Warfare is constantly changing as the target adopts and the war zone become more difficult. In Afghanistan, most of the country is at high altitude and requires opeators to traverse difficult mountains, with heavy gear, in a low oxygen atmosphere. To operate is such an environment a military will require higher fitness levels just to get to the fight.

Running can be hazardous to your health sometimes

Oct. 19th.

Today's training:

run in morning for three miles.

Second session:

Warm up with Indian clubs and stretch bands.

10 min 16kg snatch at 15 reps per min.

4 times 20kg snatch for 10 reps each hand 80 reps total.

5 sets of 220lbs barbell deadlift for 10 reps

5 sets of hand stand push up for 10 reps.

Over the weekend there were three deaths during the Detroit Marathon. Now that is most unusual even with the large numbers that run marathons. You hear about someone dies at some running race, mostly in the summer months but its still rare. The fact remains that most people who run are fit enough to become mostly "bullet proof" to cardiac problems it they training properly and have the appropriate physical assessment to allow them to participate safely. these three runners ranging in age from 26-60 years old all died of cardiac arrest.

I have run over 60 marathons and never had someone die during the race when I ran back in the 70 and 80's and even ran with people who had previous heart attacks without any more problems. Maybe its changed now and you have people running marathons that have not prepared themselves for the stress of this type of running. Back in the day you did not attempt to run a marathon only after you have scores of races of shorter distances of 5-to 20km under your belt.

Back in the day, I participated in close to a hundred road and track races before attempting a marathon. Also ran 50 miles a week at varied distances and speed during the week. So when I decided to run one, I ran it a 3:05 min first time with just a little leg soreness the next day. Just speculating as I don't know any of the three individuals that passed away doing what they like doing(or maybe not), but proper preparation may have played a part in their ultimate demise.

We are all sorry it happen, but it reminds us that some physical activity is not completely without hazard no matter how well the event is produced. But some kind of study should be lanched to determine if there is a common tread for the three runners demise.

Use the correct tools

Oct 14th.

today's training:
warm up with Indian clubs, jump rope( its really plastic) stretch bands.
100 pull ups
100 ring dips( first time and did them so my toes touches as I was not use to the depth.)
4x10 reps of belt squats off boxes.
50 GHD situps and back extensions


second session: 50 min walk-run.


I like using kettlebells myself for a lot of my training, but I think the general public tries to use kettlebells in all types of creative exercises which will yield marginal results, but would be better served by using the proper exercise tool. I see people deadlifting with kettlebells when they should be using heavy dumbells or a barbell instead. The heavy kettlebell you see in a gym is a 40kg and most people men an woman when instructed in deadlift can lift two times that much in a few sessions. Exercises like Turkish get up and windmill are strongmen type exercises and not really the function of kettlebells unless you are using extra heavy kettlebells like 50 and 60kgs. I routinely deadlift with 300-450 lbs so I don't use kettlebells for that exercise.



The kettlebell is designed to be a strength work capacity tool not an absolute strength tool like a heavy barbell can accomplish. Therefore if you can long cycle 2-32kg kettlebells for reps, then you should be using 200 to 300lbs barbell power cleans for a couple of reps for absolute strength development.

power cleans for pull speed

Oct 5th.

Today's training:

Jump rope, and stretch bands and stick movements.
2 min high pulls with 24kg kettlebells.
21,18,15,12,9,3. reps for time
barbell power cleans
GHD situps
GHD back extentions.
17:44 min. ( the situps suck but you can't like everything)

look at pain don't turn away.

Oct 4th.
Today's training:
warmup: jump rope, indian clubs, and stretch bands and reverse hypers.

2 min of swings with 16kg
5x2min long cycle with 2-16kg kettlebells at 7 reps per min.
20 min long cycle one 20 kg kettlebell. 6 reps per min.
3 sets of 10 ab roller.
hang pull ups to deload back

Great session!

I was reading an article on pain in exercise that can be tolerated more by group interaction then individual. Daaah! when you are working with someone else or in a group exercise session, you really disassociate the pain and therefore you don't feel as much of the truma resulting from the action taking place. That is also why they have big screen TV in Globo gyms are provided to members running on cardio-gerbil equipment so they can disassociate the boardum and discomfort.
However, there will be times when you have to be alone with your demons of pain and discomfort so you have do lean to focues on this so you know if it is fatgue pain or injury inducing pain. when I ran long distance races, even running in a group I always focus on my internal action in regards to heart rate and musle pain to optimize perfromance. Yes, you can ignore pain but it more benificual to focuse on it and most times it goes away in fear.

Crossfit to pre exhust for kettlebell GS

Oct. 2 Friday



WO du jour:
Warm up: some Buddy Lee jump roping but not like he can. You got to appreciate a 35 dollar jump rope.

100 tire slams for a little functional work.

Indian clubs: I did not hit my head today.

50 snatches with the 12kg. kettlebell


Crossfit "Cindy" 5 rounds of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups,15sit ups and 20 air squats.

6 min snatch set with 16kg one hand change@ 16 rep per min.

Crossfit Cindy for 5 more rounds faster.

4 min of 20 kg snatch@ 14 reps per min.

21 mins of good work.



Now the method to my madness today was to pre exhaust my body for the snatch part of the training By using Crossfit Cindy. I pre exhausted somewhat my system so I was fatigued going into the snatch sets. Normally I use the AKC protocol of timed intervals to prepare for the 10 min time lifts, increasing the numbers and time when possible. However, I have old shoulders that hang by a thread so by going with high rep sets to achieve the 10 min work capacity is not in my best interest all the time.

Now the purest in GS will argue that this won't work that well, but I have evidence that it will based on past training for endurance events, that it will. The object of developing work capacity is to fatigue the body before the extremities. In my case, my arms will fatigue long before my body will due to larger arms, chest, inefficient technique and minimal range of motion. Therefore I did the snatches in a fatigued condition that felt like I in a 10 min set instead of a 4 min sets thereby saving my shoulders.

When I was training for 50 and 100 mile road races, I did most of my running on hiking trails with lots of rocks and steep inclines and declines with weighted packs. By training on trails provided me with a large work capacity that I could not get by running a flat roads at a low pulse rate.