Wednesday, November 21, 2007
back in the saddle
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Cleaning up with Kettlebells.
"The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction we give it."
Ayn Rand.
WOD Power cleans:
Kettlebell Power cleans: 12kg., 14,16,18,20,24,28,32,36,&40kg for three reps each(the 40kg were done unilateral unlike the rest were performed bilateral. no rest between sets and one ladder.
Then performed 145lb barbell power cleans for three reps. 10 sets.
three sets of 20 reps of ab rollers. Traps had a good workout and it only took 16min.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sunday delight
" The first step in getting the things you want out of life is this: DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT."
Ben Stein
WOD
50 box jumps on 20" box
50 jumping pullups
50 Kettlebell swings with 16Kg.
50walking lunges
50KTE
50 push press 25 with 2-10Kg kettlebells and 25 with OL bar.
50back extensions
50 wall balls: 25 with 10Kg. Kettlebell, 25 with leather ball
50 burpies
50double unders.
(500 reps and they think the 300 workout is hard.)
34:20 sec time.
I don't know who thought this session up, but they have a sick sense of humor.....or just demented. I had to really did down to get this done. The KTE and the burpies are hardest for at least me anyway.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Hell of a bell
" Don't be timid about your actions. Life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
WOD "Hells Bells"
3 rounds of duel Kettlebells using a kettlebell that you can press for 10 on each of 12 exercises, like swings, snatches, dead lifts, getup sit up, cleans, presses, and rowing. Each exercise is performed for 10 reps with no rest until all 12 exercises are competed.

Time will take 20 minutes.
Its a good practice of all the lifts and movements, but should be done prior to a rest day as it is very taxing. because of the may exercises, selection of the bell is contingent on the most difficult exercise, which varies on each person.
The picture shows Trish racking and pressing 2-16kg bells which is a significant amount of weight for even a fit male.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Kettebell Linda
" The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide the problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, ecology or the President. You realize that you control your own destiny."
Albert Ellis
WOD
Kettlebell Linda:
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, reps for time (186reps)
2-40Kg Kettebell dead lift
2-28Kg kettlebell floor press
2-24 kg Kettlebell Klean.
16mins.
I did not fell like using barbells as I would be obligated to use heavy barbell sets and did not feel up to it. however, the kettlebell alternate was no kake walk either. It not real cardio except for the cleans, but you do get pumped up from the total body effect of heavy resistance. No, I am not buying new shirts!
Kettlebell man makers
" Energy and persistence conquer all things."
Ben Franklin.
WOD
Kb. Man makers 14Kg sets of 5.
L-pull ups
for 20 minutes.
The "man makers"are real killers even in sets of 5. That's thrust, push up, prone rowing, deadlift, clean and press and back. This is not to say ladies can't do this exercise, but it just sounds more impressive when there is a male touch to it...I guess. Anyway is a great cardio workout a long as you don't loose your lunch.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
New Kettlebells
ality is the best of all the kettlebells I have or seen. I hate to paint them as the finish is like glass, but I like mine with color. I think it is better for eye recognition but I have no scientific proof of this, it just works for me. Muscle driver has Kettlebell sizes from 4Kg to 60Kg. Friday, November 09, 2007
Shifting gears for winter.
" no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning ones self"
F. Nietzsche
WOD
Dead lifts 3,3,3,3,3,3,3 with 300# Barbell.
15- 50 yard sprints.

Got a new pair of running racing flats to break in for the fall and winter running season. Its always been my favorite to run in the fall as it keeps the body weight in check for the reduction of outside activities that tend to decline in the winter. The air always smells sharp and fresh and makes training a pleasure regardless of the terrain.
Nov. 9th
"Hope is a walking dream"
Aristotle
WOD
150 wall balls- 75 with 12Kg kettkebell, 75 with medicine ball.
Now that the leaves are falling, its time to change to winter time training until spring. What does that mean? Well it mean that there is less out side activities such as biking and shorter daylight. So its time to displace some of the biking with running and have to spend more time in the gym instead of my outside play yard. No big deal, as its good to make big changes in routines so you don't plateaus.
Nov. 10th
George s Patton
WOD Cindy with a swing.
5 Pull ups
10 floor push ups
15 squats
Nov. 11 Veteran's day
WOD
1000 meter rowing
This is the first rowing I have done in 2 years and feels good to be back. I lost my concept 2 rower in a fire some time ago so its been close to 2 years without rowing. I did compete in the Ergs years back and how can you forget the pain that inflicts!

Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Kettlebells to the rescue
"Let me tell you of my secret that has lead me to my goal, my strength lies solely in my tenacity"
Louis Pasteur
WOD
20 single rep squats 205
20 pullup with 18lbs to waist.
I hear a lot fr0m gym club members lamenting about how they are not getting the results they think they should be getting from their training. Well the first thing that you have to ask your self is, did you establish a fitness goals in regards to body composition, weight and performance?You would also have to consult a fitness professional to help your in this process so you have realistic goal parameters that fit your lifestyle and current condition. What happen most often They try to go it alone, work with a minimal knowledge of fitness or not have a experience base to know what can be accomplished.
90% of most people who train in a gym just want to have a general level of fitness and appearance, Although they might fantasize to a much higher level, most are not willing to put in the time and effort it requires. It just take some good old fashion relentless effort to make progress, which may be slow coming but it will happen.

Now If you use a kettlebell program, you have a simple fitness method, that does not take hours of training. You will get your strength, cardio, balance, and flexibility training in 30-45 min. 3-4 days a week. Therefore with a minimalist effort you can have your modest fitness goal and get measurable results..........that's no dream.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
the bells are ringing.
"Ask advice of only of your equals"
Danish Proverb.
WOD
3 rounds for time.
10 pullups
20 box jumps
20 KB wall balls
20 double unders
20 thrusters DB
20 landmine twists.
28 min. and one hell of a session. (I must have made this up for someone else)
Sometimes I am often asked to were to purchase Kettlebells for ones self. Well I have samples of most of all the brands out there so I can provide some guidance on the acquisition process. When you first decide to get your own Kettlebells, you should evaluate your strength and usage so you can determine what size to purchase. Size does m
Cost will give you "sticker shock" as they are two to three time more expensive then a dumbbell. The to top that off is the absorbent shipping cost. The shipping cost is usually one third of the base price of the kettlebell. After knowing all that you may wonder it its worth it and just buy dumbbells. I not going to compare the difference or similarities of kettlebell VS dumbbells, all I know I never took a dumbell on vacation, to the park or to the gym, but I always carry a kettlebell to practice.
I have my personal preferences in regards to kettlebells and that is no so much manufacturer but quality of the handle and sizing which has to have a constant size diameter from the smallest to the largest. I could care less of the paint color as I paint my own as they get scratched fast when you use them aggressively.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
turn back time.
today and the supplements we ingest. It was not about the club or facilities, truth is, you need very little in equipment to become fit and strong. As time goes on I will show you lots of options used in the past successfully.Friday, November 02, 2007
KB and Barbell mix.

Thursday, November 01, 2007
outside training.
" Freedom is just chaos with better lighting."
Allen dean foster.

WOD
Snatch grip dead lift. 10 sets of 3
weighted pull ups 10 set of 3
KB floor press 10 sets of 3
I believe that you will never reach your fitness potential by training in the confines of a gym all the time. I know most gym owners don't really want to hear that, but they need not fear as we are just talking about occasional venture in the wide open spaces for variety. Now there are sports that really require the majority of activities to be participated in outside, like rowing, running track, bike road racing, skiing, and they in reverse having to spend more time in the gym to get stronger. So get outside a smell the fresh crisp fall air before the snow flies.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
BOOOOOOOO
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Fast and Furious

Monday, October 29, 2007
NYS Powerlifting chanpionships


ill and shows that they are as serious as the men when it comes to competing as the men. Thursday, October 25, 2007
the war on fire
"adopt or perish, now as ever, is natures inexorable imperative."
H.G. Wells.

There is a major war being waged on our soil call the wild fires of California. We are about successful with that war on wild fires as we are on the wars on drugs or terrorism. We are not doing well on all fronts. Why, the rules, magnitude or paradigm has changed. We have to change to meet a new enemy.
As a fireman myself , I can speak with some authority on what it takes to fight fires in wild land setting. Its a special job if you do it as a profession. You need to have skills and physical attributes to operate in woodland setting as opposed to the city or even suburban you see on the nightly news or in your neighborhood. When you decide to be a wild land fireman, you must take what is known as a "pack test".That is where you don a 45lb pack and walk-hike for three miles at a 4min mile pace. If you are a smoke jumper(and crazy to be one) you have to don a 100lb pack for 3 miles. It has been criticized as being too difficult but it saves lives, as few wild land fire fighters ever die of heart problems like there city brothers. I can count on one hand the number of wild land fire I have been in, but they are in no way the level they have experienced in California as of this week. You are looking a mega fires with minor past experience base to combat such a disaster. It like the Katrina floods. A new book has to be written. Before this is over, thousands of citizens will be homeless and the earth will be scorched at close to a million acres.

What you physically experience when working the fire line is just hot hard labor. Cutting trees, working a hoe or carrying a water pak(water weighs 8lbs per gal.) to put out small areas. While you are working your ass off, you have to content with smoke, heat and the potential of the fire shifting quickly and entrapping you so you can not escape. Unlike the local firemen who will be back in the station, in an hour or so after a fire, in wild land they last for days and you carry on until relieve. I have the utmost respect for those who do it as a profession or even to volunteer their time to save lives and property. One thing I liked about the testing for wild land fireman, it is done under real environmental conditions, outside and not on some treadmill.

Training for today: rest day
RPE Rate of perceived exertion
scales which is a subjective scale of effort you believe you are putting into the exercises by verbal expression. RPE is also used for cardiac rehabilitation and exercise perceptions. There are two scales,6-20 and 1-10. The low number is low applied effort, the mid and higher numbers will result in significant discomfort or even physical failure if not conditioned. 
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Wheel of fortune

Training for Today:
Double Kettlebell front squats: 16kg, 20kg, 24kg, 28kg. 5 reps each, 32kg 3x3 reps
Renegade Rowing: same weight and reps as the squats
Ab roller: 3 sets of 10.
Note: the two -32Kg kettlebells were easy to clean, but holding them in low squat made me almost cry.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
No! I am not a hanging bat.


Monday, October 22, 2007
Getting it up
"Nothing great in this world has never been accomplished without passion"
George Wilhelm.
How do you get up(emotional) for a hard training session? Here is a crossfit type session:
Pain storm;
Kettlebell 2-24Kg dead lift, push ups, and 2-12Kg Kettlebell cleans

20,19,18,17,16,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (630 reps)
Well I never did this session prior so I did not know how long it would take so my plan of attack was to start a 20 reps and work down. I also knew I would not push the time too hard as I was not too sure the legs were going to hold up for 200 reps on the dead lift, however I was determined to get as far a possible without injury. Unlike people who go to a gym and look at TV to disassociate their pain and boredom, I focus on ever detail of the session so I know when I am falling apart or getting to sloppy to continue. The time when by so fast that 29 minutes seem like 5. However, I don't recommend this session for a beginner.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Drink to your health

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Oldies but goodies

Friday, October 19, 2007
Give them enought rope and they will hang themselves
it will burn off about 1000 kcal per hour when done at good intensity. Now I know no one jumps for one hour, but if you use one min. or 2, 5 or 10 minute interval you can knock off a bunch of calories in less time then it takes during a aerobic class. Thursday, October 18, 2007
Alpha Female
"Courage is being scared to death.....but saddling up anyway."
John Wayne

I just read an article in the doctor's office about the " alpha female" emerging in our society. Where has everyone been? The Alpha female has been taking care of business for a long time and now just starting to recognize that the female can and is taking on a larger burden in our society. With the number of single mothers now the head of the family, or whats left after the male has moved on to spread his seed,it stands to reason that the female has come up on the radar scope as more that a house servant.
Alpha behavior denotes leadership in the animal world weather it is a male or female. Most of the time its the female that become the head of the family unit necessary for survival of the species. This basically what is occuring in the human world in greater numbers, therefore the female is now fast becoming the key element of the family unit.
Most of my clients have been females and many are single parents or unmarried. So I have had to learn how to deal with challenges they have of making a living, children, careers, trying to stay healthy and strong, as they are the sole provider of the family. They are really are the alpha females. Alpha females rock!
Today training consisted of 100 meter sprints on grass with 20 KB snatches after each interval.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The right stuff
" Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation,for ti's better to be alone than in bad company".
G. Washington
I have always tried to keep my personal relationships of quality especially when it comes to fitness. To me its all about doing it all for all the right reasons with the right people. When training for the various activities I have always sought out people who were serious and passionate about what we were trying to accomplish. It has made me successful at least in my mind, and at the same time picked up some good friends.
Morning:
chin ups
clean and press barbell. 65#
Renegade row. 24kg Kettlebell
box jumps 18"
ring push ups
get up sit up 12kg. Kettlebell.
The rowing was the hardest due to the weight. The presses were getting easier each set.
Three sets of 20 reps in 20:12
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Supersizing and the beat goes on
"Do something. If it don't work, do something else. No idea is every that crazy."
Jim Hightower.
The problem with today's fitness business, is that on one hand you have a lot of new-old ideas as just about everything has been tried or investigated, more of the same with a new spin. What is not addressed, is the efficiently or effectiveness of what is being promoted. Take aerobics classes. Ask any person who frequently attends the classes how much weight they have lost or what improvements it has made in their physical appearance. Some have gone to those classes for years and made little improvement. Now I am not blaming the instructors as most look and keep fit, what is lacking is accountability and measurement of effectiveness instead of some pictures to promote what you will look like if you attend this new and improved class. This is also why the fitness business or gyms are having problems with getting and above all, retaining memberships........there are very few real people success stories to validate the business.
Morning:
Kettlebells squats: 16kg,20kg,24,kg,28kg double sets of 5reps.
32kg double sets of 3 reps
Renegade rowing: 32kg 5 sets of 5.
afternoon: 15 mile bike ride. Fall is a great time to ride.
Oct 15th.
" Now in America overweight people out number the average weight people. It now means that overweight people are now the average, so you have met your new years resolutions".
Jay Leno
I just read an article on the new Hardies Burrito now being offered for your breakfast fast food enjoyment. 960 cals, and 60 gm. of fat. What a way to kick off your day at the office and a one hour commute. Then you can have lunch of the "Thickburger" which is a 1400 cal. delight. what is the fast food industry thinking? they just don't get or care how fat our asses get.
Morning: 225# dead lift
pull ups
ring dips 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 reps for time.
12min.30sec
afternoon: Kettlebell wall balls. 16Kg 50 reps.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
You are what you eat
All you hear today is, " I got to diet and loose some weight". What they really mean is that the person has amassed a lot of body fat, much more than they think, and all they have to do is cut out a few donuts and they will look like a fashion model. Not! Remembering that to loose one pound of body fat means metabolizing 3500 kcal. Not and easy task(unless you use Kettlebells and Crossfit) especially if you use normal exercise as a main method of this reduction process. Well you can bicycle for 4 hours, 4 aerobics sessions, run 16 miles, bowl for 10 hours and you will loose 1 lb of body by metabolism. Yes you can loose 5 lbs or gain in one day by water weight change as water weighs 8.3 gals and the human body is 70% water. So to loose fat content it going to take a serious adjustment in your lifestyle, especially what and above all, how much you eat.
As I get older I seem to require less food intake to maintain my activities. Therefore I adjust my eating habitsto activities each day. Lots of exercise I eat well, lay around I nibble. Simple.
We need not get involved in all the latest diets if we would only eat when we are truly hungry, and eat a volume of calories that is constant with our lifestyle.
A former friend had Lap-Band installed in his gut to loose weight. This is a drastic method of weight loss and can have profond side affects. After one year he lost 150 lbs, however, he began to regain his weight after going on second year. Why? because his eating style and habits were never adopted for the long haul of life. Diets as a process are mostly short term unless the lifestyle to accommodate the real diet needs is established and coupled with a compatible exercise program.
Today's training:
2-Kettlebell sessions with training clients.
later a single rep training:
power clean 135#
push press 75#
hammer curl 60#
performed in singles continuously for 30 min. time. or 28 sets. lots of speed on each rep. Not a cardio just ATP all the way.
As I said Monday, this week will have more OL lifts.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Crossfit kettlebell training
Today's training: 16 mile bike ride at 18mph pace. Hot for this time of year, but that's no problem. Like to keep my tan for at least a month or two more.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
what, no soda
I was on the HS track early this morning doing my interval sprinting when I could not help notice 5 young student hanging around waiting for summer school. Well if they are going to summer school they most lightly have some learning issues, but what I did take note of ,was there selection of refreshments. 3 of the 5 had quart bottles of regular soda which they were already working on a 7:00 in the morning. Just think of the empty calories they will be ingesting as they polish off their beverage of chose. And yes they exhibited the results of drinking such high carbohydrate dense liquids ,as all were over weight for the age. Big part of the youth obesity problem.
12 times 100 meter sprints with 20 16kg. KB snatches between each set.
and no soda
Sunday, August 05, 2007
I know how to go slow, been there, done that
For many years I subscribed to the training mentality that you have to put in a lot of slow, continuous, aerobic type exercise to perfect your sport such as running, biking and rowing which I competed in. If you really look at pragmatically, I already knew how to run, bike, and row, slow, so I should have been practicing how to run, bike and row fast. So that what we do from now on, besides it has less impact on overuse issues.
18 miles on the bike as interval tempo. not easy but feels good when you stop.
later:
10 reps pull up
10 135# deadlift
10 push ups
10 box jumps on 18" box
10 flag sit ups with 135# barbell
10 cleans with 2-2kg KB
10 push presses.
5 set with 1min rest between cycle.
31 minutes.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Marquis de Sade training
Its going to be hot so the bike ride was very early in the morning to avoid the 90+ temperatures later in the day. 20 miles at 19.1 mph pace. That's good because I have not been doing long mileage.
Afternoon practice:
24Kg. kettlebell two hand swing for 10 reps
2-12Kg kettlebell overhead squats for 10 reps
Ab roller for 10 reps
Barbell snatch 95# for 10reps
ring push ups 10 reps
barbell Power clean 125# for 10 reps
kept doing the above for 31 minutes without stopping.
Kb cleans: 36Kg, 40kg. 3 sets of 5.
all though the weights are on the low side, doing them as a circuit is not that easy. but its around 300 reps so it like a 300 training......maybe a great six pak in my future.
Sir can I have another!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
legs don't fail me know
Yesterday I was asked by one of the ladies attending my fitness class, how to "work the legs". I was not sure how to answer that question, as it is such a lengthy complex answer. So I demonstrated her and for the benefit of the rest of the class, an example of training the legs from warm up, stretching to power and ballistic movements. She will most lightly to cussing me this morning when she try to walk around today. I did not tell them I trained as a speed skater in my early years, and If any one with speed skating knowledge, the training is all legs and boarders on inhuman.
Today we are going to training the legs like the old days, and take back some the the pain I inflicted last night.
- Warm up on heavy bag, with light kicks and punches
- 50 KB swings with 16Kg.
- 50 figure 8 and catch.
- KB box squat 12" box 8kg, 12kg, 16kg. 20kg, 24kg, 28kg, ....10 reps each with 2 bells.
- 50 chin up in sets of 10
- 50 DB power cleans with 50#
- 50 tire jumps
Later in the day we did some bike intervals. I have not ventured in to that world for some time and had forgotten why I don't kick the watts up instead of steady state riding I normally do. after about 5 one haft mile intervals, I was inclined to keep this as an experiment. anyway it can't be a bad thing, as the ride back home allowed me to stay in the saddle all uphill.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Don't be a doper
the Tour DE Farce is ending today providing us with 2 weeks of coverage of pro cyclists who would like you to believe that you can push yourself 100+ miles a day without some help from the chemical industry. Fallen hero's, like pins in a bowling alley. Some of the worlds best could not even make the starting line, being disqualified long before its start for not passing their piss test. Now there is talk of not having he Tour any more for lack of finding a "clean winner". If all sports took that action what would all the couch potato's do on weekends?
But I was aware of all the substance abuse taking place in that sport , it just Fry's my ass to hear our mass media selectively chastise the sport of bicycling, then provide a pass, to football, baseball, and basketball stars, all having track records of using drugs. The media has a respectable name for dope........Performance enhancing drugs.
Well, I drank 3 cups of coffee which is sufficient to be called performance enhancing drug of chose, caffeine.
25 miles at 18 MPH pace on a overcast humid morning.
20 clean and press
20 ring pull ups
2o snatch grip dead lifts
20 get up sit ups
all times three.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
If you are fast you my last.
Track training. It is the purest form of running and the best environment for hard intervals. I am lucky to have a modern rubber surface track near me so I no excuse not to do my sprints at least once a week. Today its 100 meters x 15 sets with 10 push ups on each set. Times were not taken until I feel my legs are back to pushing them to the limit. Pulse rate never got above 120BPM but its still good cardio.
Every time I go on the track to do sprints I think of Ben Johnson, the star who was kicked out of the Olympics for doping. Lets just say he as the only one caught at the time, but the image that people saw as a highly muscles track star who was jacked up on drugs. He did appear to be large but in reality, he only weighed a buck -seven but looked like two bucks. That is what low body fat can do it you train fast and hard.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
sir can I have another ?
I just completed my third now world famous 300 workout. No I am not trying out for the sequel, I just like the circuit type of training that they used. It down to 22 minutes which is not bad for a for a ageing fitness junkie, but I use my own standards to judge my progress. Anyway it not a bad Work out of the day, using Crossfit's terminology of rep, set combos and I am for the first time seeing progress in my external obliques. There is a small down side, your shoulders take a real beating from the pull ups or the KB presses. Our maybe the volume. My shoulders are like stone and sticking out like never before, and that's from someone who trains with Kettlebells five days a week in high reps.
As I finished today I could not begin to wonder what the rest of the fitness world is doing. Maybe I should be in a mega gym, walking on a gerblemill, staring at a plasma screen TV, looking at CNN latest Iraqi bombing. Or maybe I should had joined one the the classes, that sits on the plastic balls and curls 5 lbs lime green dumbbells. NO F#@K ing way! Besides, unless I have my Ipod, with Slayer music, I would have to hang myself from the power rack hearing all that dance music. No I am home in my Garage Gym, with all the tools necessay to become fit, strong and above all; effective.
25 assisted pullups
50 reps of barbell deadlift
50 pushups
50 flags with 95# barbell
50 clean and press with 16Kg kettlebell
50 box jumps on 20" box
25 pullups.
22 minutes time. or 2 minutes less than last week.
sir can I have another.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
can you count to 300
I have been doing the now famous "300" workout that got the actors of the movie of the same name(or number) in condition. After doing it for the third week I can see improvement in endurance when pressing, but I still don't have the defined rectus abdominus you see in the movies. Well I did not expect that anyway but I just have to see if that type of crossfit type exercise will have that much effect. At least my pullups will improve as that has been stagnet for a long time. I did make one modification, on the routine as I found it more sholder friendly useing kettlebells for the flag movement in place of the barbell.
25 pullups: 12,8,5 ( I never could do a lot of pullups but its coming.)
50 deadlifts( 135# using rubber bumper plates so you don't make as much noise)
50 pushups ( I was aways good at pushups so this is not big deal)
50 box jumps( 20" approx concrete step- this is the most taxing you just have to suck this up)
50 Flags ( done with 20kg kettlebells in place of barbell. not easy no matter, to keep rotation)
50 16kg clean and press( since I can do a few with 40kg this is not that hard except on the sholders. I did lower the speed to keep technique in check.
25 pullups ( 10,10,5) It seems to get easier with a good walrmup.
Not bad for a quick 25 min. session.
21mile bike. 17.5 mph pace. weather is excellet. for riding.
Monday, June 18, 2007
No, it not a flack jacket
I have to do my running when wearing an X-vest when no one is around. You get some very strange looks, or they ask why you are wearing a bullet proof vest. X-vest training is for some extra stress or resistance which I am still evaluating if its all that effective. I must say it will raise your heart rate a little more but one has to be careful that you don't overdo the addition of the little weights until your structure(old bones) gets use to the extra weight on your butt.
8-75yard sprints not for any time, just for some RPE.
Kettlebell snatches:
16kg 2x10
24Kg 10x5
28kg 10x5
light barbell snatches with the 95#
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Back to the grind
30 mile bike ride on back roads alone. 17.6mph not bad pace.
June 17th sunday Fathers day:
25 mile bike ride 16.2 mph pace.
Later a quick blitz session 10 rounds of
32kg kettlebell sumo deadlift 5 reps
ring pullups 5 reps
Pushups off box 10 reps
Situps 15 reps with 16kg kettlebell.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Rack it
They say a good lifter has to spend some quality time in the power rack. Its great tool especially in regards to safety if you are training alone, or even if you don't want to be a monster. I usually do Romanian Dead lifts in the rack to get the bar position just below the knees but you can do it off boxes, but you don't have the variability of positions. Now a days I superset my dead lifts with Kettlebell Goodmorinings, both in the low rep range.
One thing about power racks in most gyms or fitness centers, there is never a long waiting line.
Sometimes I will finish with some dead hang cleans with the bar and then the kettlebells, once again since they are lifts so the reps are low.
The Kettlebell "rack position" which has the KB handle in the center of the chest and unlike the barbell rack position, has the hips in an hyper extended position for support. It takes sometime to get accustomed to this position, but it is the only way you can do extended rep routines like the Long Cycle Clean and Jerk.
So in Kettlebell practice, it is proper to tell some one they have a great rack.
Today Practice
Romanian DL: 135-315# Sets of 2 reps for 15 sets with 1 min rest.
Kettlebell goodmorining. 20Kg 3 reps for sets of 15
Kettlebell High swings 20Kg, x10, 24kgx8
Kettlebell Russian twist with 12kg.
DB rowing. 55,65,75
20 mile bike ride. Weather is great for winter...... lots of riding this season.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
A pressing issue
This year I will include some bench pressing but I will not get crazy as in the past and just keep the weight a moderate level. Have not done any benching in over a year except for heavy floor pressing which is not really the same in regards to muscle grouping of the chest. Bench pressing is not that shoulder friendly so I will keep the reps and weight in mind. Last year I made some progress in Kettlebell pressing so at the same time I want to maintain that level without overloading my aging shoulder's.
pully warm up, joint mobility exercises.
Bench press: 95x20,135x20x
Kettlebell press: 16kgx20, 20kgx10x10
face extension: 75x20x2
bent lateral raise: 25x20x3
Russian twist with 16# ball
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
A leg up
One of my favorite leg exercises is the step up squat which in the past have used either a barbell or dumbbells as ballast. It somewhat like a Farmers walk exercise without going any place. The height of the box is key to the basic performance and the range of motion. 18-24 in box is best to get quad and glutis activation. As a bicyclist I prefer that exercise of off season leg work.
Box step ups. six sets of 10 with 70# super seted with free box squat at 20 reps.
Dumbbell curls: Six sets of 10 with 40# super seted with neutral grip pull ups.
12 mile bike ride with 6 hill repeats to start the season training off. That hurt and they were not long hills. Have to work up to 3-4 min repeats. two times per week for interval training.
Monday, January 01, 2007
New years resolutions-Kettlebell style
Well its the first day of a new year so it traditional to have some resolutions for the upcoming year as part of a personal improvement program. In the past I have been successful in accomplishing the resolutions I proposed as I would only attack a few issues at a time. Too many people try one of those "complete makeovers" and fail in the confusion of trying to correct every evil function in their lives
So this year I will be working on my Kettlebell training program for those who would like a little pain and discomfort in their lives. The main objective is to get the word out about the best exercise system ever devised. No, man (woman) does not live by kettlebells exclusively for training, it just should be your gateway to your fitness program. Hopefully, during the coming year I can maintain this blog to see if I can keep my resolution and provide some insight as to how I manage my fitness world. Let the evil begin!
Session
Stretch bands warm up. Joint mobility warm up with Kettlebells ( this has been taking more time as I lean more techniques and the need for flexability maintenance)
Tai Bag warm up. 10 minute. AHHH its fun to hit things! some BFT(blunt force truama
KB snatches: 12Kgx10, 20kgx10, 24kgx10x10, 28kgx10
Super set with push up on rings for sets of 20
Power wheel for abs 4 sets. and stretch.



