Nov. 26th.
Warmup: Indian Clubs, pully and light dumbbell for shoulders and jump rope for 10 min. for legs.
10,9,8,7,5,4,3,2,1,reps AFAP (no rest between sets) WHAT?
Kettlebell trusters 20kg.
Pullups (pronated)
TACFIT Kettlebell crunches. 4x20 with 20kg. kettlebell.
The simple concept of a Small vs large fish bowl I leaned early in life. Simple, I had two gold fish as a kid in a basic 1 quart fish bowel and I noticed the fish did not grow. My father, said if you want your fish to grow you need more room. Sounds simple. So I got this large fish Tank that required 100 gals(huge change in water volume) and put my two pet gold fish in their new home. You guess it! They increased in size before my eyes from 2 in. to 6 in in one year. Great observation!
Now relate this to your fitness training. If you train in a small environment you elevate to meet that environment. If you train in a large or outside environment, you never reach an end point,at least in regards to your conceptual environment. I may be all fucked up on this all too simple concept, but it worked for me!
This spring I set up an outside training platform outside my small box gym at home. All summer I trained outside even when it rained(I have a roof). Guess what? I increased in size and strength so much that, I needed a new wardrobe and my body wt. when from 190 to 218lbs in a few months. Did the change result from training outside totally? I can’t answer that as there is too many variables, but I know one thing, even discounting the Crossfit type training and Kettlebells, I never changed much in a year like I did this year! Go figure!
Nov.22
Warm-up: Indian clubs, stretch bands joint mobility.
10 min jump rope.
1000meter rowing-5x”Cindy”
800meters rowing-4x”Cindy”
600 meters rowing-3x”Cindy”
400mters rowing-2x”Cindy”
200 meter rowing-1x”cindy”
31:50
I was reading in the a fitness club trade journal that there should be a much larger percentage of “Baby-Boomers” going to fitness clubs or gyms. This is based on the demographics of the age group born between 1946-72 Who are into retirement age and sufficient number to constitute 40% of the club member. We all know that this is not happening as, the percentages are more like 10-20%. There may be some clubs that have a larger percentages in the area, but even those areas are not performing that well when it comes to attracting “boomers” or the impact of the recession that has hit the boomers hard and no longer have the disposal income. When you go to the next group; seniors, For-get-about-it! They are not inclined and fitness facilities are not senior friendly for the most part , except for “Y” s.
If I was a commercial gym owner, I would have a lot of sleepless nights trying to determine what age group or latest fitness craze will bring people to the door. However, the biggest problem facing a gym owner is retention of current members, which requires you go do constant recruitment and it related advertizing costs when you lose your annual contracted members. With only a small percentage of the American public actually training consistently is so small, why go into a business that has a low margin of profit and its labor to keep the doors open in the first place. Remember largest fitness organizations are in Chapter 11, illustrates just how this business is doing.
My suggestion, if you are serious about being fit, invest in your own personal equipment and set up a “box” of your own. Or you can go find a small group of similar interest where you all can train, without all the endless drama of the fitness business, and above all the crappy music and TV sets.
Nov. 21
3 mile run in the early morning. Steady pace last haft mile was a little but its getting better in regards to maintain pace for the time.
Back to the house for some Kettlebell swings to cool down.
Nov.18th.
Skills review: take a large number of exercises both Kettlebell and body weight and review the technique by performing each with 10 reps with various weights with concentration on the movement. Basically it programming so when the daily workout is performed it is done with good form. Spent an hour and used about 30 exercises but did not hit all the list I developed. We all tend to get sloppy over time unless you have a trainer standing over your head every so often. I not a form Nazis, but you have do the process as an effective body form exercise, based on your limitations.
Actually it was a good session even with just 10 reps each technique. It also looks at exercises you don’t normally do because you don’t use exercises you suck at. That human nature.
Nov. 17th.
2 mile run at home on my hilly road. Its been a long time since I did a run on my road as it a one mile up hill finish
Friday, November 26, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Try some TACTFIT kettlebell exercises.
November 14th.
3 mile run in park in early morning with my routine par course body weight exercise. Run was a stiffer pace but now not where I want to be, however, when my weight drops down I can pick the pace up without trashing my joints.
KB Swings to loosing up after run and worked on some TACFIT kettebell techniques.
I have not got heavy into Scott Sonnon’s TACFIT Kettlebell workout, but I have been adding some of his special Kettlebell program to my basic Crossfit WODs since it came out three weeks ago. Really, I don’t have to follow his complete program or be into tactical training, but many of the exercises and body weight techniques can bring some movement variation you don’t get with GS, powerlifting or Oly lifting. ITS ALL GOOD! However, I think Scott designed it to be an add on anyway and not a complete fitness program.
So far the biggest benefit is going to be the mobility aspect to the exercises as most of them are designed for fighting type movements especially ground to traversal changes. All are full body-non isolation. It going to take some time to get to all the movements working and some I will not be able to perform, especially with a 32kg pro KB, due to some biomechanical deficiencies…..inflexible you know.
I have most of Scott’s DVD’s as well as all the other major Kettlebell trainers. Each has its own strengths none is better that the other, they all have something you can apply. Like the late Bruce Lee would say; “absorb what is useful and discard the rest”. I have always believed in that.
Nov.13th.
Warm-up; Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pullys, and body weight and joint mobility.
Jump rope 10 min.( harder with the 25lb.Xvet.)
Crossfit WOD from SEAL Fit.
5 rounds (bench mark rep level is a lot higher.
5 burpees
10 Crossfit pushups( hands come off the ground at chest contact)
20 pullups (modified with no kepping)
30 squats
10 sets of 20 reps 20kg Kettlebell cleans.
Second session:
Heavy bag for 30 min. hands, legs knees….you get the idea.
Great session outside as the weather was like spring in November
3 mile run in park in early morning with my routine par course body weight exercise. Run was a stiffer pace but now not where I want to be, however, when my weight drops down I can pick the pace up without trashing my joints.
KB Swings to loosing up after run and worked on some TACFIT kettebell techniques.
I have not got heavy into Scott Sonnon’s TACFIT Kettlebell workout, but I have been adding some of his special Kettlebell program to my basic Crossfit WODs since it came out three weeks ago. Really, I don’t have to follow his complete program or be into tactical training, but many of the exercises and body weight techniques can bring some movement variation you don’t get with GS, powerlifting or Oly lifting. ITS ALL GOOD! However, I think Scott designed it to be an add on anyway and not a complete fitness program.
So far the biggest benefit is going to be the mobility aspect to the exercises as most of them are designed for fighting type movements especially ground to traversal changes. All are full body-non isolation. It going to take some time to get to all the movements working and some I will not be able to perform, especially with a 32kg pro KB, due to some biomechanical deficiencies…..inflexible you know.
I have most of Scott’s DVD’s as well as all the other major Kettlebell trainers. Each has its own strengths none is better that the other, they all have something you can apply. Like the late Bruce Lee would say; “absorb what is useful and discard the rest”. I have always believed in that.
Nov.13th.
Warm-up; Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pullys, and body weight and joint mobility.
Jump rope 10 min.( harder with the 25lb.Xvet.)
Crossfit WOD from SEAL Fit.
5 rounds (bench mark rep level is a lot higher.
5 burpees
10 Crossfit pushups( hands come off the ground at chest contact)
20 pullups (modified with no kepping)
30 squats
10 sets of 20 reps 20kg Kettlebell cleans.
Second session:
Heavy bag for 30 min. hands, legs knees….you get the idea.
Great session outside as the weather was like spring in November
Friday, November 12, 2010
Battling ropes and kettlebell Fran.
Nov.10th.
Warm-up; Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pulleys, and body weight and joint mobility.
Battling ropes : 10 sets of 1 min sets to warmup. This is a great warmup for any routine unless you are a beginner as it can be a workout into its self.
Kettlebell Fran:
21-15-9
20 kg kettlebells(2)
Pronated pull-ups no kipping. (took a lot longer)
“Battling Ropes” can sneak up on you in regards to exercise stress, as it ballistic and resistive when done aggressively. There is also a enormous change when using 1.5 to a 2.0 inch rope. A real story as I finished my training for today, a couple walked in and asked about seeing if they wanted to train in “Fair Oaks” Sic
It was a “40 something” couple visiting me this morning to see what else they can do to be fit. WOW! This is going to take some time. The couple told me they belong to a world class gym that cost them less than 20 dollars a month. They asked me how do your training with no machines! No, we just have a big piles plates dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, slam balls, kegs, you get the idea. Anyway yes, long lengths of heavy rope. They ask what you do with them things(ropes) laying on floor? I made the lady grab the 1.5in. and the male 2in 50ft length of “battling ropes”. Well to make the story short, after only 5 mins. They never want to handle a ropes again. They were amazed that effect the ropes would do this without a machines, as they were told by a trainer, who was probably making 10 dollars an hour, in a world class gym, that machines are far superior to any other fitness equipment. He also told them the Kettlebells were bad for you.(I took a instant dislike to that punk ass) I guess that what you expect from a 10 dollar and hour trainer who spends a whole 30 min showing them how to get fit using machines. Yes, he showed them how to get a great workout in 30 min!
I ask the couple if they did any strength training like barbell deadlifts or squats. They said that if you drop the weighs in their gym you get thrown out or make a lot of noise, so we don’t lift the iron weights. I am not bullshiting you, that was the conversation. At that point I gave them some free advice, don’t look at fitness magazines, don’t watch fitness programs like fit TV or Biggest loser, and find a professional strength gym that has lots of weights that encourages you to do strength training along with some body weight exercises. Since they were not fat but smoked, I suggested that they look into a performance diet so tthey have more energy to train. I did not tell them to quit smoking as it bad for you sermen. If you don't know by now, you are brain dead.
Will this young couple be converted to my Idea of fitness? Most lightly not, especially when I told them what they were now doing was not a complete waste of time, but its damn close to it. The feed back I was getting, was that all the shit that I do is just to much to consider, as they are not accustomed to thinking about what they are doing so they can read and watch FOX news on a wide screen TV. Its just to complicated for their taste. So what so complicated about shaking a rope up and down? Was I offended. F#@K no! after training for over 40 years “it is what it is”. No sense in the hardsell. My whole area is fill with citizens with very low expectations in regards to fitness and the good gyms have to fight out for the 10-15% serious members crumbs.
That young couple were very nice people but like a lot of America’s have been programmed by hawkers, and media fitness experts in thinking you can get 6 min. abs and look like models they use. Beyond that, few want to go the extra mile to get good results, as it requires hard work and concentration. So what we have in an epidemic of obesity and hundreds thousands of gym members still growing fat and weak. That’s sounds like our federal government.
Warm-up; Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pulleys, and body weight and joint mobility.
Battling ropes : 10 sets of 1 min sets to warmup. This is a great warmup for any routine unless you are a beginner as it can be a workout into its self.
Kettlebell Fran:
21-15-9
20 kg kettlebells(2)
Pronated pull-ups no kipping. (took a lot longer)
“Battling Ropes” can sneak up on you in regards to exercise stress, as it ballistic and resistive when done aggressively. There is also a enormous change when using 1.5 to a 2.0 inch rope. A real story as I finished my training for today, a couple walked in and asked about seeing if they wanted to train in “Fair Oaks” Sic
It was a “40 something” couple visiting me this morning to see what else they can do to be fit. WOW! This is going to take some time. The couple told me they belong to a world class gym that cost them less than 20 dollars a month. They asked me how do your training with no machines! No, we just have a big piles plates dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, slam balls, kegs, you get the idea. Anyway yes, long lengths of heavy rope. They ask what you do with them things(ropes) laying on floor? I made the lady grab the 1.5in. and the male 2in 50ft length of “battling ropes”. Well to make the story short, after only 5 mins. They never want to handle a ropes again. They were amazed that effect the ropes would do this without a machines, as they were told by a trainer, who was probably making 10 dollars an hour, in a world class gym, that machines are far superior to any other fitness equipment. He also told them the Kettlebells were bad for you.(I took a instant dislike to that punk ass) I guess that what you expect from a 10 dollar and hour trainer who spends a whole 30 min showing them how to get fit using machines. Yes, he showed them how to get a great workout in 30 min!
I ask the couple if they did any strength training like barbell deadlifts or squats. They said that if you drop the weighs in their gym you get thrown out or make a lot of noise, so we don’t lift the iron weights. I am not bullshiting you, that was the conversation. At that point I gave them some free advice, don’t look at fitness magazines, don’t watch fitness programs like fit TV or Biggest loser, and find a professional strength gym that has lots of weights that encourages you to do strength training along with some body weight exercises. Since they were not fat but smoked, I suggested that they look into a performance diet so tthey have more energy to train. I did not tell them to quit smoking as it bad for you sermen. If you don't know by now, you are brain dead.
Will this young couple be converted to my Idea of fitness? Most lightly not, especially when I told them what they were now doing was not a complete waste of time, but its damn close to it. The feed back I was getting, was that all the shit that I do is just to much to consider, as they are not accustomed to thinking about what they are doing so they can read and watch FOX news on a wide screen TV. Its just to complicated for their taste. So what so complicated about shaking a rope up and down? Was I offended. F#@K no! after training for over 40 years “it is what it is”. No sense in the hardsell. My whole area is fill with citizens with very low expectations in regards to fitness and the good gyms have to fight out for the 10-15% serious members crumbs.
That young couple were very nice people but like a lot of America’s have been programmed by hawkers, and media fitness experts in thinking you can get 6 min. abs and look like models they use. Beyond that, few want to go the extra mile to get good results, as it requires hard work and concentration. So what we have in an epidemic of obesity and hundreds thousands of gym members still growing fat and weak. That’s sounds like our federal government.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Xvest ruck to start the day.
Nov.9th.
1 hour "ruck" with the Xvest at 20lbs. some running but mostly fast walking. Did some pull-ups and pushups on Par course area on each 1 mile set in the park.
Later in the afternoon at home: this is the money shot.
Warmu up: Indian Clubs, bands, joint mobility.
10 min jump rope: off and on as needed.
20 min. on heavy bag legs and hands.
10 sets of kettebell box squat 2x16kg 10 reps
10 reps hammer curls.
1 hour "ruck" with the Xvest at 20lbs. some running but mostly fast walking. Did some pull-ups and pushups on Par course area on each 1 mile set in the park.
Later in the afternoon at home: this is the money shot.
Warmu up: Indian Clubs, bands, joint mobility.
10 min jump rope: off and on as needed.
20 min. on heavy bag legs and hands.
10 sets of kettebell box squat 2x16kg 10 reps
10 reps hammer curls.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
back to Fair Oaks for training.
Nov.8th.
Warm-up; Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pullys, and body weight and joint mobility.
10 sets of 5 reps each: continuous.
Fat bar bench press: 2.5 in. bar
Barbell dead lift.
Kettlebell snatch.
Triceps press down.
I did my training at the world famous “Fair Oaks” training center made now famous in Justin Lopez’s book “The Man Traineth” Its where you go to get strong without the distractions of most gyms, and I never saw anyone that did not get a lot stronger if he or she spent quality time on the lifting platform. Our alumni is spread all over the USA and for the most part keep in contact for the last 20 years. Anyway I could spend a lot of time discriping training our training but over time we can visit that. Sunday, November 07, 2010
Run a marathon and be seen.
Nov.7th.
Ran this morning for 3.5 miles. Slow but steady. Legs felt good so Its all good. My run was interrupted to do some Par course upper body exercises on each loop of the park. There is a now defunct official par course that was set up on 50% of the park, however, it was never used that much and fell in disrepair over the years and has the assholes of the area trashed the remaining sets. Now my version of par course is using the kids play ground as it has dip bars, over head ladders and some unever platforms for all types of upper body exercise if you know what to do. I also have a big stone to use for fronts squats. It also kind of low class Parkour for us senior citizens and BFF.
Today was the running of the New York City Marathon, which is a side show for fitness and brings out the best and all kinds freakos. It’s a big deal in my area being 60 miles from the city and accommodates over 45 thousand runners and BFF. There is so many running that they are set off in waves depending on ability and get into the race starting line in a reasonable time, and prevent slower runners from getting in the way of those who can really run.
I only ran New York marathon when It was run totally in Central Park in 4 loops. Anyone who has run in Central Park knows its hilly and you are running uphill or down hill. It was not until 1976 that they started to use the streets of New York as they do today. A world class time on the 4 loop course was about 2:30 due to the difficulty. However, the new route is faster, but it still has some hills to slow the pace so you will not get a world record. The other element to the change in race course, what brought about of a surge in running and the huge change of a few hundred to thousand runners in a few short years. The last thing I remember was the marathon running in the early 70’s runners wear cut off shorts, cheap flat rubber soled shoes, sweat cloths and looked the part with their lean physical appearance. There we no spectators, just family and friends.
Today the NYC Marathon is what they call a “happening” with thousand of spectators and runners, vendors and all that want to be seen at an important event, even though they can’t run to catch a bus. 150 dollar running shoes that insures you will have medical issues if you continue to run, 200 dollar designer warm-ups(for profiling or picking up chicks) and a 75 plus dollar race fee. My first marathon was run in a pair of 20 dollar track flats, running shorts and tee shirt and a race fee of 7 dollars. I can still run 40 years later except a little slower, so its all good.
Nov. 6th.
After a short rest I back to the salt mines to carry on where I left off.
This morning was a hodgepodge of exercises to cover all areas and see what training will have to be worked on as long as I plan on changing some of the old routines. I left off doing mainly 100 reps on most exercise, but then again most Crossfit and Kettlebell routines are high rep anyway.
Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pullys, and body weight. Kettlebell snatch
Kettlebell floor press
Pull-ups
Kettlebell cleans.
GHD back extentions
Kettlebell swings
SHOT on a wall.
Ran this morning for 3.5 miles. Slow but steady. Legs felt good so Its all good. My run was interrupted to do some Par course upper body exercises on each loop of the park. There is a now defunct official par course that was set up on 50% of the park, however, it was never used that much and fell in disrepair over the years and has the assholes of the area trashed the remaining sets. Now my version of par course is using the kids play ground as it has dip bars, over head ladders and some unever platforms for all types of upper body exercise if you know what to do. I also have a big stone to use for fronts squats. It also kind of low class Parkour for us senior citizens and BFF.
Today was the running of the New York City Marathon, which is a side show for fitness and brings out the best and all kinds freakos. It’s a big deal in my area being 60 miles from the city and accommodates over 45 thousand runners and BFF. There is so many running that they are set off in waves depending on ability and get into the race starting line in a reasonable time, and prevent slower runners from getting in the way of those who can really run.
I only ran New York marathon when It was run totally in Central Park in 4 loops. Anyone who has run in Central Park knows its hilly and you are running uphill or down hill. It was not until 1976 that they started to use the streets of New York as they do today. A world class time on the 4 loop course was about 2:30 due to the difficulty. However, the new route is faster, but it still has some hills to slow the pace so you will not get a world record. The other element to the change in race course, what brought about of a surge in running and the huge change of a few hundred to thousand runners in a few short years. The last thing I remember was the marathon running in the early 70’s runners wear cut off shorts, cheap flat rubber soled shoes, sweat cloths and looked the part with their lean physical appearance. There we no spectators, just family and friends.
Today the NYC Marathon is what they call a “happening” with thousand of spectators and runners, vendors and all that want to be seen at an important event, even though they can’t run to catch a bus. 150 dollar running shoes that insures you will have medical issues if you continue to run, 200 dollar designer warm-ups(for profiling or picking up chicks) and a 75 plus dollar race fee. My first marathon was run in a pair of 20 dollar track flats, running shorts and tee shirt and a race fee of 7 dollars. I can still run 40 years later except a little slower, so its all good.
Nov. 6th.
After a short rest I back to the salt mines to carry on where I left off.
This morning was a hodgepodge of exercises to cover all areas and see what training will have to be worked on as long as I plan on changing some of the old routines. I left off doing mainly 100 reps on most exercise, but then again most Crossfit and Kettlebell routines are high rep anyway.
Stretch bands, 1# Indian Clubs, jump rope, light dumbbells, pullys, and body weight. Kettlebell snatch
Kettlebell floor press
Pull-ups
Kettlebell cleans.
GHD back extentions
Kettlebell swings
SHOT on a wall.
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