Kettlebells for longevity

April 13th.









" We are made to persist. That is how we find out who we really are."


Tobias Wolff

WO du Jour:
warmup: foam roller, bands, joint mobility, Jump rope for 2 min. 100 admats.

TGU: 5 sets on each side.
Windmill 2 set each side.
KB "Griptastic" 12kg for 16 min. without setting the KB down.
for speed:
BB deadlifts: 225# 8 sets of three reps
BB standing press: 8sets of three reps
total session: 1:12:00

later in the day: bike sprints for 35 min. mostly on flat road.
longevity in regards to maintaining fitness regiment, takes a few considerations as one ages.

First you must have goals to focus on in short and long term, even if you are just maintaining a moderate level of fitness. By having a focused goal of some degree, you can keep to a continuous program instead of haphazard, or freelance workouts. I write them down, review them often, and alter them if they are working or not. A simple goal would be to do a long cycle with 2-24kg Kettlebells for 50 reps. The goal is a measurable performance, just like running a 5K in 20 min. Just don't put the goals too far away from reality.

The most important consideration when training after many years, is consistency. You would think you would just get into a grind and never stop, but more often the training has lost some of its shine. There is a tendency to slack off or go into an comfortable level of complacency. After some time, you start to have more and more time off, or breaks in training,therefore unless you are consistent regardless of age you will unlikely achieved "all you can". Maintain the effort rain or shine, day in day out, year round. Even a short session keeps your mind and body in the game.

Train to prevent injury all the time. As you age you don't recoup or heal as fast, so you have to keep in you plan some level of body maintenance, such as joint mobility, flexibility, body weight control, rest. If you don't maintain joint health especially, any thing you do will be have limitations.

Tai Chi and yoga can add balance to any ones training. They are not as physical, but they have a unique body mind connection. when you do hardcore strength training your body can become rigid and joints tight. By adding tai chi,yoga or qi gong you concentrate on the much needed joint health and mobility without the body trauma.

Adding more verity to your training will keep interest high and provide a much needed balance that mostly was not used when training for sports or specialized events in the past. There are so many ways to add cardio, strength, endurance components to your fitness training. Crossfit and kettlebells are to good examples of activities that would take a several life times to become stale.
Lastly as we age we need to concentrate on maintaining muscle balance to body fat ratio. To accomplish this, all exercise should have a strength component and intensity levels to generate growth hormone. So as you train, you should spend more time on shorter more intense training sessions and less on longer low energy session of greater than one hour in duration.

crank up the miles along with the reps

April 10th

" We actually have in our body and its muscles to allow us to be under our own power"

Allegra Kent.

WO du jour:

warmup: abmat, bands, pushups,jump rope, air squats ,Battling ropes.

10 sets of 10 reps of the following for time:

dumbell squat cleans: 25#x10 x5 sets

kettlebell squat cleans: 14kg x10x5 sets

clapping pushups: 10 sets of 10

15:45

Stiff session after a couple of days off. split the squat cleans with dumbells and kettlebells. The dumbells are hard on the wrists, and the kettlebells are easier on wrist, but effect the legs the better. The weight used was light and will use more the next time, but the pushups need some work as I don't normally do plyo pushups in thoes numbers. I did put a pad under the chest as I lost strength toward the end and my chest slammed into the ground due to slow timing on the pushup return.

Started a plan for getting back to my biking to some level of consistency with has been lacking since the start of winter. This means the sight seeing trips are over except on the weekends. My quads are killing me already.

Did a 15 mile loop in interval form but at a moderate heart rate and started to pick up the stress on hills. I am real lucky to have lots of hills be make my life uncomfortable.

How much work is needed

April 6th.

" Work capacity is the general ability of the body as a machine to produce work at different intensities and duration using appropriate energy systems of the body"

Mel Siff

WO. du jour

Warm up: bands, jump rope, 5 min. on heavy bag, Kettlebell joint mobility, abs and deck squats.

5 min. H2H with 12kg KB

2min. swings with 16kg. KB

1min. snatch with 16kg KB

2min snatch with 16kg KB

3 min snatch with 16kg. KB

2 min. bottoms up clean with 16kg KB.

2 min. clean with 2-20 kg. KB

2 min clean with 2-20 kg. KB

1min press with 1-20 kg KB

2 min. Press with 1-20 kg KB

2 min. press with 1-20kg. KB

One min rest between sets.

How much work is too much or too little will be debated forever

It always been a debate on how much work or exercise stimulation is required for training effect. The text books, organizations and magazines will tell you to get power, you use 1-3 reps, strength use 5-8 reps, Hypertrophy you need 8-12reps and muscle endurance is reps 15-25 reps. Dr. Mel siff stated in his " Facts and Fallacies of fitness" that any rep volume can do any one of the same end results depending on a number of training and physical factors. So when a trainer tells you will have to do x amount of reps to build muscle, so my use low reps and others may use dozens. Fitness and strength is not a pure science nor predictable.

HIT kettlebell routine

April 3rd.

" I never think of the future, as it come fast enough"

Albert Einstein

WO du jour:

warmup: 5 min. of 2" battleing ropes", 50 situps, 50 pushups, 20 pullups.

8x3reps: 2-20Kg box squats 12"box

8x3reps: 2-20 Kg clean and press from the floor.

8x3reps: 2-32kg renegade rowing

8x3reps: 32kg swings

8x3reps: 2-16kg snatches

18:10

only took about 10 breaths between each set as rest to keep intensity high. all reps performed at max speed-strength.

Note this routine is not for beginners as you must select the proper weight, concentrate on each rep for max velocity and be able to recuperate from such a intense session.

Took my Ropes out for a good test ride outside. Makes a good warmup as long as you keep the time to a few minutes on each set. You could make a complete workout but it more fun to just add to a routine with mixed exercises.

Please, no Kettlebell aerobics classes.

April: fools day.

" Everyone is entitled to be stupid, except some abuse that privilege."

Unknown.

WO du jour:

warmup: foam roller, heavy bag and burpie couplet for 10 min.

Power cleans: barbell 10 sets of 10 with 115#

wall balls: 20# ball for 10sets of 10reps.

floor extensions: barbell 5 sets of 5 125#

I have been seen as of late some aerobic class trainers, using kettlebells like a dumbell, such as curls and other basic body building exercises. Why I am not surprised that its like a threadmill, you jump on a method and your body goes into auto pilot. Yes you can perform curls with a kettlebell but there are much better "full body" exercises that are more beneficial then isolation exercises which the kettlebell was intended to be used as.

In my limited 4 years of using kettlebells and attended many training sessions, exercising with kettlebells in a aerobic class format( lasting 45min to 1hr) is not in the cards for all but a few very fit individuals. You see if you are using full body exercises like swings, clean and jerks, snatches, I doubt you can last more than 15mins to 30 at most. Few can even perform continuous snatch like the 10 min. SSST without falling apart.

So if you are exercising in a group format with kettlebells( latest fitness fad), and you are not on the verge of heaving you guts out, you are not getting the best out of your kettlebell fitness.

HIT has always been the way.

March 31th

" younger women,faster airplanes, bigger crocodiles"

Authur Jones motto.

WO du jour:

warmup: dips, back extensions, situps, KB joint mobility.

"bad Fran"

For time 21-21-21-21reps

KB 2-20kg thrusters

Pullups:

16:22 Not and easy session. last two sets of thrusters make you want to cry.

I could write endless stories about Arthur Jones, known for his Nautilus fitness equipment. A high school drop out who never made it past 9th grade, but was making 300 millions dollars a year selling has Nautilus machines. Bush Pilot in Africa, carried a .45 pistol all the time, had one of the largest Private exotic animal farms in the county. Arthur Jones was one of the first to promote HIT or low rep, heavy weight, high intense resistance training.

Prior to the 1970, you never saw a machine in any YMCA or gym in the US, the only fitness equipment was free weights and maybe a pulley arrangement. Arthur Jones is almost single handed changed the way we train in fitness clubs with his 30 min. circuit of machines still in vogue.

All you have to do is meet the guy once and you will walk away always remembering the encounter. I first met Arthur Jones through the exotic animal business, but later become involved in the Nautilus club business as one of the trainers. I did not stay with it long even though high intense training was the way to go, just not with machines.

He died rich in Aug 2007 at the age of 81.

So the next time you are using a fitness machine in a club, like Nautilus or Hammer Strength( owned by Jones' son) it is the brain child of a high school dropout, who smoked cigarettes, lived on coffee and scrambled eggs, hunted wild animals in Africa,flew big jets for fun, walks around with a .45 in his belt, and married 6 women ages 16-21 you can thank Mr. Jones.

Powerlifting or how the other haft lives.

March 29th sat.

"verity is the spice of life, as long as you don't get caught"

WO du jour:

100 abmats

100 20kg KB swings

100 pushups

100 snatches;

100 squats

16:18 for a short session first thing in the morning.

Worked at a local powerlifting meet. This was a Small meet as it is one of the first to the year for USA Powerlifting, featuring a bench and deadlift combo. A meet like that goes real fast, because when you leave out the squat, it save 50 percent of the time. Powerlifting as well as Olympic weight lifting has a very small following for such a large county with prides its self on being strong. If you truly want to be strong, then you need to work in some powerlifts and OL lifts into your routine.

New kettlebell exercise.

March 27th
" Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
R. Collier



WO du Jour:
warmup: bands, KB light passes and swings, helos, renegade rowing 30 reps of 45#, 100 abmats, goblet squats 50 reps 14kg.


for time: three rounds AFAP

• 500 meters rowing
• 30 reps each hand KB floor press with 28kg.
• 30 reps barbell sumo high pull #85 lbs.
• 16:54 time.

Found a new exercise with the Kettlebells, but I am not sure if I seen some one else do it before or maybe I just got creative all of a sudden. Anyway it is a two hand swing into a squat on the up swing of a basic two hand swing. It adds some more effort to the swing especially when you make it an overhead type. This combo is also a good hamstring burner. Now do we need another Kettlebell exercise? No but if you can get more variety in your training, why not.

The Girevoy sport people say you don't need any other exercise other than clean and jerk and snatch done is long numbers. They are right to some extent, and you can also get basically fit running on a threadmill, but if you use kettlebells for general exercise and fitness, then you will need to expend on your techniques, depending on you fitness goals.

back from vacation

March, 26th

" Take calculated risks. That is not like being rash you know.

George Patton.

WO du jour:

warmup: abmats 100,pushpushs50, squats: 100 pullup 20. bands warmup for shoulders.

14kg swings: 100 reps.

barbell: power cleans 95# 4x10 reps.

Its good to be back at the grind.

15 mile bike ride: not an easy ride with all the rest, plus having a cold, however it was good weather for a ride, so you just suck it up.

I had a conversation with a young lady that was trying to find out what the best way to loose the fat around her abs and get in better physical condition for summer. Her current fitness program consisted of 1.5 hours on a treadmill and some ab machine crunches. I asked just how long she expected the continue this program without getting borded or injured.Well she was already frustrated for lack of progress as she had been at this for a month and making no progress. I asked her about what she was doing in regards to diet. She was trying to eat better, but she was having some trouble purchasing good food as it cost too much money on a limited budget. fast food is cheap compared to good fruits, veggies, and good meat. Yes, there is some financial sacrifice to eating good clean food or you can end up like a lot to residents that are obese or just plan fat. Eating low grade food is mostly a chose of selection and not always cost, but uneducated people tend to eat poorly do to lack of knowledge of what is good eating.

One lift at a time.

March 16th.
" About the only thing that comes to us with little effort is old age"
G. Pitzer.


WO du jour.
30 min. on the bike roller....snowing out.


Barbell Dead lift: 250lbs doubles, overhand grip, AFAP
Olympic Dumbell press 60#, one arm, standing unsupported, pronated grip, AFAP/.
Keep going from DL to Press without stopping for 20 min.

Kettlebell bottom up press: 14,16,20,24,Kg. Missed the 28kg.

It not effective to do high reps all the time as you need to train typeIIB muscles, with low reps and speed.

Why be dumb, use smart exercise.

March 15th.

"The two most common elements in nature is hydrogen and stupidity."

Harlan Ellison

WO du jour:

Warmup joint mobility and foam roller.

Cross fit "Barbra" rounds for time.

time: 17:14 great time as I did not rest between sets, but did slow on the pullups.

40-5 reps, 32kg-10 reps, 24 kg-20 reps........ ladder rowing, then floor press
3 continous sets.

The reason why people join health clubs is to get fit and look good. However, the success rate in achieving those goals is poor, especially retaining members long term. Majority of club members, are bord or lack energy to train after only a few months of membership. You will see a new members join, attend day after day and slowly the frequency diminished as the months go by to where they are not showing up at all. Most will tell you as they come in to quit, when asked why they are leaving, you hear basically the same reply, " I am board, I don't use it that much and need to do something else. " The picture at the right is a "dumb lift"

Well I would be bord out of my scull too if I did the same dumb exercises they were doing. Hell I would not last a week! whats dumb about exercise? simple arm curl, or seated press.

Reeling back a few years, there was an Olympic weightlifter named Norm Schemansky who won 4 metals in his 25 year lifting career. After lifting to a gold metal in 1956, he came back to the US where no one met him at the airport, so he took a bus home. Thats a true story. That is also why OL lifting was never a strong sport in the US.....no support. Anyway the man was well over 220 lbs and ripped hard muscle , so when he was being interviewed just prior to his retirement, a mullet from a body building magazine asked him what kind of curls he did to get his 20" biceps. His answer, was simply, " I have never did curls, and don't know if they would help my lifting any. You see up until 1968 Olympic weightlifting was a three lift event, Press, snatch, and clean and jerk. To train for the press you did a lot of heavy rack presses so naturally your arms were engaged to the max. Most OL lifters in that era had big arms, unlike the 2 lift competition we have today.

So what your point besides asking dumb questions? The curl like many of the body building exercises are body dumb......or lacking functional challenge for total development. Without constantly increasing challenge or complexity, we stop growing. what that happen next, we just stop trying, quit, do something else. Now I not totally righting off a simple exercise like the curl, However if I was bodybuilding, I would be doing more "complexes". A complex takes several exercises, sometimes as many as 6 or 8 in a string of continuous movements without setting down the weight, however mostly compound exercises, standing close chain. Example would be a highpull, deadlift, clean, push press, and front squat, then a scots press as one set. The complex can be done as singles or double for beginers and up to 6 each for advanced.

The pricture at the right is of Vickor Sots who invented the "sots press", that is going into a full squat clean,press the weight overhead then stand. That's is what is called a very "smart lift"

One of my favorite simple complex exercise is the "Manmaker". That is performing a deadlift with a dumbell or kettlebell, clean, push jerk, squat, squat thrust, pushups and back up to a deadlift. Its a real killer cardio beside working every muscle in you body.

Being bored is an unnecessary affliction with all the exercises, and tools available. Train smart, change exercises and combinations often. Make your routines challenging by always training to add power, speed, endurance and volume. Make it a goal to lean one new exercise each week to add to your tool box of workouts. It going to take a life time to learn them all.

no I am not "dirty harry"

March 13: Thursday

"Man is so made that he can only find relaxation by one kind of labor by taking up another."

Unknown.

WO du jour:

warm up: Joint mobility:

Grip-taskic kettlebell routine for 10 min.

#1 "crusher gripper" 10 reps each hand

at the range:

100 rounds of reload .44mag shooting at 50'

100 rounds of .22 Olympic style target.

I focused on one of the basic fitness components and that is accuracy. When shooting a gun especially a pistol requires a combination of eye control, endurance, grip strength and low pulse rate. I Ideal shooter is one that has no pulse, total concentration, and muscle control of one finger you can hit any target. As we all now, we have a pulse that constantly moves your body no matter how well you relax. Therefore the fitter you are the lower you pulse rate.

There is a endurance issue in shooting so that you can hold the weapon for long periods of time in a relaxed state. This is difficult in an experienced shooter and and even a 30oz pistol become like a lead weight after a few minutes of shooting. This is where work capacity comes in. Remember doing 100 push ups? There the gun will not feel that heavy in the long term.

Anyway, I have not been to the range in some time, but since my pulse rate is lower than the last year my score was improved without shooting practice.

My .22 shooting was right on. and my .44 mag shooting was solid and did not have the hand fatigue as in the past with all the kettlebell work.

The high cost of oil and sex

March 12 wed.

" Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place."

Billy Crystal

WO du jour:

warmup: heavy bag for 10 min. and foam roller.

500 meter c2 rowing: AFAP ......much better starting pull.

25 ring pushups

25 abmats

for 20 min.

Its hard to determine which price is going up faster, oil or hookers. Our now New York State x-Governor was alleged to have paid $5K for a hooker services, which to me sounds a little extravagant even for a very rich man. However, that is the my point with our current cast of political leaders. they are all rich and can afford the excesses of life what ever they desire,therefore have no reason to campaign to bring price in line. On the other hand the average Joe has to mortgage his kids college fund to pay for gas to go to work, because our leaders are spending their lives making themselves feel good at our expense.

we are loosing too many

March 10th. monday

" an emeny is anyone who will get you killed, no matter what side he is on"

Joe Heller.

WO du jour:
warm up: bands, foam roller, 100 abmats, 100 pushups,
grip-tastic for 5 minutes.
Kettlebell rowing: 32kg, 36kg, 40 kg.
floor press: 16kg, 20kg, 24kg, 28 kg.


Yesterday we lost 5 solders in Iraq to a IUD. It was setup to be a safer operation with no car traffic as the men combed the area. However, some nut-job strapped on explosives and blew himself up in the name of religion. When is this madness going to end.

when is it going to end! gobal warming my ass.

March 9th. Sunday.

"Rich bachelors should be heavily taxed. Why should some men have more fun than others."

Oscar Wilde

WO du jour:

Warm up: foam roller, bands, abmat,push ups and heavy bag for 10 min.

3x10 reps rope around the body passing with 16kg. kettlebell

4x2min 16kg swings.

4x2min. 16kg. snatches

2x2min 16kg. long cycle press.

3 reps bottoms up press. 12,14,16,20,24kg. for speed.

5x20 reps reverse ring rowing.

The weather sucks. you can't even walk the dog unless you wear every thing you own. Yesterday it rained all day while others in the nation were pelted with heavy snow up to 2 feet. Where is this global warming the sentinels of your environment been, not where I reside? Its been cold since the first of November and show no signs of changing. today's temperature is in the low 20's but at least the sun is out and the rain has stopped. Anyway its at least good sleeping weather.

The problem of global warming is not the environment, but the many agencies, educational institutions and think tanks, that the government and Private industry will be handing out money to determine the scope of the problem. Until the money runs out, we will be inundated with concepts of how our earth will survive only a few more years unless, we stop driving our cars, eat less, and shutdown all the power plants. North Korea has already did this so you have some idea what life will be like if our planners have their way. Marvelous simply marvelous.

How many kettlebells do you need?

March 8th.

"Mankind can not stand much more reality."

T.S. Eliot.

WO du Jour:

400 meters run:

100 air squats

400 meter run

75 air squats;

400 meter run

50 air squats

400 meter run

25 air squats.

14:10 cold and raining. suck it up.

How many kettlebells do you really need? It depends on you fitness level, type of lifting you will be doing, age, sex and disposable income. If you are going to lift in Girevoy sport, you need special kettlebells made for that activity at a 100 dollars or more each standard kettlebell. depending on weight, age and sex you may need 12kg, 16kg for woman, 24,and 32kg. for men. you may want two of each weight when performing the "long cycle".

However, if you use the hard style kettlebell(RKC) training,that performs all types of exercises, you may want more weights, also depending on your fitness level and disposable income. However, most get more than they really need but if you can afford it its no big deal. If you have limited funds then 12,16, 24, 32kg will be sufficient to get a good workout any day. If you are real strong, then you can go to the 40 to 48 kg for mutants. Or if you are doing fitness classes, then you may want to stay on the lower end of 4,8,10kg.

Once again the number of bells you will need is contingent on the exercise you will be doing and you fitness level. Example, if you can press a 16kg 15-20 times, then you can go to a 24kg. however the change in weight is 20 pound jump and you may have to jerk it of assist it up until you have the strength to press the 24kg by itself. or if you only have a 16kg, you can add, bands or chains to increase resistance.

How many do I have? I lost count at 30 and thinking of my next acquisitions. It like ladies having a shoe fetish, you can never have enough kettlebells.

3000 years of training science.

March 6th.

" let each man exercise the art he knows"

Aristophanes

WO du jour:

"grip-tastic" for 10 min. 12kg KB

Bike ride:

20 miles easy pace on my hill ride. Its early but there is hope. Snow is melting away but lots of sand on the roads. watch the turns.

I was discussing with one of my clients yesterday the difference in western VS Asian fitness training. Like Yoga and many of the martial arts date back over 3000 years of history and development, unlike US fitness sports which not even 300 years has yet to survived the test of time . Take Kettlebells as an example, there are pictures dating back two thousand years in India and China of kettlebell like implements used to strengthen the body. Most any art or physical study in Asia was a total physical/mental process to make the body healthy and above all functional. There was always a life's skills conponent as an end result of your training.

n

When I was studying Tang Soo Do in the early 60's, it was not just to be able to kick someone ass, but to be healthy and strong in mind, spirit and body. In those days you never saw a black belt that was fat or over weight regardless of age, unlike what you see today in US schools. Our daily training activities included, running outside regardless of weather, basic body weight exercise for strength(something like crossfit in work volume only more) joint mobility, skills instruction, speed training, core work, mediation and stretching. If you maintained the training constantly for at least one year, you were well on you way to becoming a black belt and fit has hell. Few Americana's survived or continued the training when they saw how intense and hard, even for military personal. However, any one who continued to train found that belt awards did not mean that much as you finally realized what was really important, and that is the physical benifits you were gaining as a result of such total training. You also found by working with others students that had gained black belt status, that it was really the beginning of a long journey that never ends. It was not unusual to see 40,50 year old black belts you did not really want to fight as you were usually about to get a ass whipping from them.

Now when I stated to training in US schools, the training was dumbed down physically and mentally so you can assembly line people to a black belt AFAP, make money and not get sued for physical abuse. Basically you could buy your black belt or any color belt as long as you stayed with the time and payed your fees. It was like a navy SEAL trying to stay fit doing step aerobics classes. I did start up a school in the in the 70s during the era that Bruce Lee made martial arts famous, but after I begin to see that all people were interested in getting a black belts so they can show there friends how bad they were. I eventually shut my down my school and never put my Tobak back on again. That was also during the time of 20 year old 10th degree black belts and 30 year old masters, who now invented their own art with their vast experience.

So whats remains today is a mixed bag of fighting systems called Mixed Martial arts, which is not art at all, but a sporting event, featuring a bunch of young white males, with a lot of anger to quell on each other, and who show who is the cock of the rock. Basically bloodsport. Yes, those who find this kind of sport to their liking are usually in good physical condition, but it seems to be limited to young males. Its not lightly you will ever see females, mature or senior citizens participating in cage fighting. The end result once again, is to pervert a method of physical development into some form of ego boosting activity which has limited benefits for the few.

jump down and give me 50.

March 4th,

" Evil to him evil thinks"

King Richard the III

WO Du jour:

50 abmats: great for back.

50 box jumps: 18" too early for 24"

50 jumping pull ups: they may be fast but not that easy.

50 16kg snatches:

50 lunges with 2-10 kg kettlegbells. Not that easy as well

50 KTE kettlebell style

50 push press: 2-12 kg kettlebells (52 lbs) I did 30 then 20 reps. Punked out.

50 good mornings with 24kg kettlebell.

50 wall balls with 14 kg kettlebell (30#) that was fun.

50 burpies: save the best for last.

When I was in the military and later studying Tang Soo do from the Koreans, we were told to drop to the floor and pound out 10 or 20 pushups for not doing the right thing. I look back now, if I was in change of this discipline that number would be a lot higher. There is not usually a day goes by that I don't drop down today and punch out 25-50 pushups, 75 when I feel good, and a 100 when showing off. However, that's the standard pushup, but we all know that if you can do more than 20 pushups you need to do another variation to get more training effect, like a handstand pushup. Anyway for those who can not do at least 20 good pushups; in plank position, full extension from floor, there is really no need to use weights until you can.

Nothing more pitifull seeing a healthy male or female doing light DB presses who can't do one good pushup.

Workout, say what?

March 3rd.



" The sign of a celeberity is that their name is worth more than their services."
Dan Boorstin.





WO du jour:



"Linda:" using barbells today for a change.


10,9,8,7,.............1 reps for time.


Dead lift:


bench press:


power clean;


15:10



2nd session:
15 mile bike ride on the roads. Weather was great! 15MPH pace. 1st ride on the roads in a month.


Last weekend I found out they are having a third season of the reality show, "Workout" which features a Beverly Hills, ultra high end fitness spa owner Jackie Warner and her marry band of personal trainers. Yak and double Yak! Now Jackie Warner owns this one of a kind spa over looking some of the most exclusive real estate in the country. Jackie is a hot looking chick, with great abs, but forget about her guys, she likes girls. She should be saying" I don't know which is giving me more problems, my cheating lesbian girl friends or my gym of dysfunctional trainers".


As for the trainers, they all have real backgrounds in some form of fitness, but only trainer Doug looks the part of a fit trainer who believes in what he is instructing. However, during the last season, he really did died at a fit age of 44. His boy friend was devastated.


I watched the show to see what a personal trainer does to earn over a 100+ dollars an hour to make his or her clients look good. If that all it takes by what they push their clients to do, every one who has ever jumped on a treadmill, will be signing up for the profession ASAP. One show had a young lady client who was at least 100 lbs over weight on a fit ball doing light dumbbell curls to loose weight. At the rates she is most lightly paying, she should be bankrupt before she can get into her first bikini.


Real celebrity personel trainers, are expected to get their famous clients fit quickly. They pay well, but their famous clients are busy people that want real results with no BS, as their stock in trade is their looks. Therefore to service celebrity clients, you have to be very effective with no non sense training sessions, something the show "Workout" does not do.

Hybrid kettlebell training.

March 1. (march already? where does the time go?)





" Do something. If it does not work try something else. No idea is too crazy.

Jim Hightower.





Session1: warmup with bands and joint mobility.


" kettlebell Angie"


100 pushups:

100 situps: abmats

100 air squats:

100 kettlebell 24kg. America swing.

100 pullups: band assisted no kipping. ( I REALLY NEED TO IMPROVE MY PULLS UPS)

time: 14;52

session 2: 100 air squats then jump on the rollers for 30 min. at 100 RPM.




Hybrid or sometimes called MET( metabolic enhancement training) , is the basic system I follow most of the time since I stopped competing in a sport. it allows me to do the following: Therefore I use any tool or method necessary to make life a little unconfortable.

• more work capacity with less time. more time to enjoy pain.



• more blood flow to all muscle groups all the time.



• no mental or physical staleness, always ready.



• more changing of movements from pushing and pulling variations, each routine.



• power, speed and movement concentration all the time. However speed is prime.



• more joint range development. Big concentration this year.
  


• full body exercise most of the time. who the hell wants a haft a body working!



• functional movements most of the time. walk and chew gum too.



• Hormone activation. No sex change however.



• intense protocol all the time. What else.



• Use of many types of fitness tools(including hammers) for functional movement.



• Higher level of fitness. Why be normal.



• Ever changing program. Boredom sucks.



• look at fitness in a more global instead of the aerobic or bodybuilding modes.


• better body compostition. Look good naked.

Man with the plan

Feb28th.

" Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.

Peter Drucker

Session:

warmup: foam roller, bands, air squats, heavy bag, and light KB joint mobility.'

Dumbell clean and press warmup: 35#x12reps, 45#x10 reps ( goal is the Sig Klien standard of 75# clean and PRESS for 12 reps from floor to overhead)

Kettlebell presses: 20Kg,1,2,3, reps,24kg 1,2,3 reps, 32kg,1,2,3 reps, 36kg, 1,1,1,

Kettlebell rowing: 40kg, 3reps after each set of presses or 12 sets.

100 ab mats cool down.

Peter Drucker was a high priced management consultant to organizations and author of many books on planning and getting the job done in business. I had the pleasure of attending two of his seminars, complements of the organization I was employed by, to provide us with the best education on managing our objectives. ( we were responsble for postive results on our objectives)

Planning can be as simple as set of objectives laid out in your daily planner, 3x5 card, white board or it can be a complex time line project management program, taking days to prepare. However, without a plan laid out, it is unlikely you will fulfill your job assignment efficiently, if at all.

When it comes to fitness, going into the gym without a plan is like going to the prom naked, you got there, but you got little nothing else. A simple plan can be; set the days you will be training each week, allot the time each training day, the type of exercise you will be doing, and how much time spent on that exercise. Now that is what the vast majority of club members do to fulfill their fitness objectives. It's alright, but you can't expect to stick with this program unless there is more defined objectives and feed back systems to insure progress.

You don't need a real complex, mind draining system, like a 52 week periodzation plan the the so called professionals use. That is too hard to follow and may even lead to over training, if you can't keep up. However, you do need to at least write down some basic training plan of what kind of work load you will on doing each session, what kind of fitness level you expect from that training and at the completion of each session, note what was accomplished in a training log. Then review the training log weekly and adjust the work load based on the feed back from previous training. That way you can keep on track and at the some time have a work in progress system that can be adjusted based on growth and life style changes. Sounds simple, but few ever do this type of planning, and therefore get the results that lead to little progress.

who is your daddy?

feb 26th.

" Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation, for ti's better to be alone then in bad company".

George Washington.

session:

warm up, foam roller, abmat 100 reps, heavy bag. 10 mins.

5 rounds; no rest please; just suck it up.

500 meters rowing on c-2

30 box jumps:

30 40kg kettlebell sumo dead lift.

30 ab rollers: larger wheel and the most difficult of the routine. back got a little stressed.

30 kettlebell hack squats. ( KB in back of neck- 16kg not recommended for people with knee issues.)

32min.

2nd session: tabata on rollers5 min warm up and tabata protocol and 5 min cool down. Legs are fried.

Unlike many of the fitness experts of today who finally found that kettlebells, are not some obscure door stop, I knew what they were and how they can applied to any fitness regiment are far back as 1962. That was when I met Sig Klein of NYC who ran a body building gym, that used just basic weights, including kettlebells. Sig had a fine selection of classic kettlebells and always included in his training and promotion of his gym. Now I am glad that finally people are coming back to the real frictional world of basic strength training. However some of us know this trend to most of these fitness experts, is just a way of marketing the latest fitness mouse trap to bring in the public, regardless of weather they believe in the product or not. The picture of Sig Klien was at the age of 59. (ABOUT 1960)

HERE IS A NEWS FLASH: THERE IS NOTHING NEW THAT HAS BEEN INVENTED IN FITNESS WORLD IN MANY YEARS, SO WHEN GYM OR TRAINER SAY THEY HAVE A NEW SYSTEM, IT JUST THE SAME OLD BASIC RESISTANCE EXERCISES,PACKAGED DIFFERENTLY.

My first set of weights I purchased from York barbell co. in 1959 as a youngster wishing to be strong like John Gimmick. I received a set of weights which contained a set of kettlebell handles and exercise program to show how to use them, which was standard at the time. Note,kettlebells have been around long before that so they are nothing new, just maintained like some WWII battleship when things need some solid aggressiveness. Just look at my picture of my blog which is a turn of the century gym continuing......What! Kettlebells. who put them there?

I am happy to see the Kettlebells used by our self anointed fitness experts, which seem to grow by the hour. I have no problem with someone trying to make a buck in the fickle fitness business, but please stick with it after the party is over. Making a living in the fitness business today, is noting but smoking mirrors and deception. If the fitness business was doing its job, or meeting its objectives, we would have thousands of people fit and looking good as a force multiplyer. Instead we have people who show little progress nor results along with a country with and huge obesity problem.

After I left the military, I would travel frequently to York Pa. to the York Barbell co. where the Olympic weightlifting team would be training. that was when Bob Hoffman supported the US Olympic weightlifting team, because our government would not. Oh yes, they have a museum of weight lifting featuring old time dumbells and Kettlebells. Although, Kettlebells were not the primary fitness tool of that era, it was always present and used a part of training programs.

fast forward to the late 1990's when the strongman competition came in to the lime light. That type of training required the functional strength training, that required you to be able to lift uneven, off balance objects. That is when kettlebells started to be utilized more often to gain functional strength. Then this Russian by the name of Pavel Tsatsouline, came to the US to show what he had learned from training special forces in Russian, using kettlebells. Yes the Russians did use kettlebells for over a 100 years, and part of their history, but it was on a very basic level of activity or adjunct fitness. What Pavel did was bring it to a level, that can be utilized for basic fitness, or an Olympic contender. So it continues to be a work in process! So therefore none of us is an expert yet.

There are a few names that promoted kettlebells when everyone else was on fit balls and doing step aerobics. Mike Mahler, Pavel, Steve Maxwell, Steve Cotter, Jeff Mortone, David Ganulin to name a few who were at the fore front when kettlebells were being advanced to the public, by using their fitness backgrounds to show how fit you can become. these are most of the prime movers of the kettlebell industry who are continue to improve and advance themselves without the title of expert.

There is not a day goes by that I don't learn something new or improve on when using kettlebells. I guess I will never become and expert.

So you want results;then kettlebells

Feb. 25. Monday:

" Any transition that alters the definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of thinking, but a full-on metamorphosis."

session:

warm-up: joint mobility, jump rope, and foam roller.

for time 5 sets:

400 meter run; good striding.

15 pull ups:

15KTE

2 p00d kettlebell swing.

25:10

Yes, you can go to Ballys or Curves for a quick workout and feel like you have accomplish something toward your fitness mission, but it you want the kind of results, when you walk into a room, and everyone knows you are fit by your physical presence, you will need what they don't have. If you want the results the models they use to advertise their product, you will need to bare down and submit to some serious discomfort.

Spring cleaning

Feb 23 sat.

" One does not accumulate but eliminate"

Bruce Lee.

Today's Practice:

warm up: sit ups, push ups, OH squats, jump rope, joint mobility, foam roller.

Light barbell "Grace" for speed: 30 reps no leg dip

KB press ladders: 16,20,24, 28 Kg: 1,2,3, reps each

Pull up ladders: wide grip: follow each press

45 min.

As Bruce lee would do, find what is useful and discard the rest. He was always trying to achieve perfection in what ever he did and we will never know what he would have accomplished if he was still alive today. His short but full life will always be remembered.

Yesterday was rest day in regards to training, however, it was a good time to do some house cleaning in my gym with the snow storm. It needed some serious cleaning anyway, plus it was time to hang things up and provide a place for each piece of equipment. After I installed brackets and hung up most of the equipment, got rid of unnecessary crap, the place grew by several feet.(what a surprise) Well, its continuous work in process since I am always getting new equipment, just in case I might use it.

As I was cleaning I got more ideas for this years changes, especially planning the new outdoor area. Pull bars have to improve, an area for sled pulling, and lifting platform, if it is out of the sun, and climbing rope.

Kettlebell SSST

Feb 21st. thurs.

" When people are free to do as they please, they imatate each other."

Eric Hoffer.

WOD: SSST

warmup:

100 abmats

100 land mine rotations.

10 min on heavy bag.

150 reps of 12Kg kettlebell snatch warmup

10 min SSST with 16kg.

341 reps.

That was the first time for 10 minutes on any kettlebell. Now the task is to increase the weight up to at least 24kg. as that is the standard. I was suprised that the time when fast as you tend to concentrate on form and making sure you don't over stress any one muscle group that would cause you to abort early. Based on that, I will work the ladders for awhile at higher weight and retest next month.

what is enough?

Feb 20th. wed.

" Make it happen"

my ex-boss.

WOD:

warmup: 100 yard sprints

KTE

2 min swings 16 kg.

120# BB power cleans- 10 sets of 3.

35 min. sprinting on rollers

200 pushups

100 dumbell cleans with 60lbs.

all done in three short session of less tha 30 min.

Work capacity is a difficult thing to get a grasp of, so you are constantly wordering if you trashed yourself or you were slacking to get the training effect. This is especially true when you use such a varied number of exercises and routines. I guess there is no real answer until you fall apart.

Spring is coming

Feb. 19th.Tues.

" Spring is when you feel like whistling when you shoe is filled with slush."

Doug Larson.

WOD

warmup

2min jump rope

joint mobility

2 min swing with 16kg.

30KTE.

5 set of 5 reps Dumbell rowing 70# fast pull.

5 sets of 5 reps KB speed press 24Kg.

I saw a fully mature bald eagle yesterday circling overhead this morning. Spring is on its way.

Eat to perform.

Feb 18th


" Exercise is king, and nutrition is queen"


Jack LaLanne



WOD "Annie"



50-40-30-20-10 reps for time: situps and double unders


Time: 8:28( blister formed on butt from the friction of the abmats)

Not much of a workout if that all it is. Need more.
45 min. on rollers

Old Jack Lalanne at 93 years old, has some good validation when it comes to fitness and living the part. Invented many of the gym equipment we have today, like the "Smith machine" leg extention, and pully machines. Jack once owned 200 health clubs then was sold and is now the Bally's total fitness organization.

Jack has always been fit most of his life, but over the years he also spent a great deal of time and devotion to proper eating. He did not promote and special diet, that crops up by the week, he just promoted the injestion of just plan real food. It was just that simple. If it was in a box, package, can, or frozen he did not eat it. He did promote the use of juicers to make drinks out of fresh vegtables and fruits, Jack would say," if man made it, don't eat it" " if it tastes real good, spit it out" .

What I use for a diet has always been based on what was required to perform at the level of physical tasks at the time. When I was running long distance races, some lasting, 12 hours or more, I ate mostly carbs or high density foods. There was not a lot of data out there as to a proper diet for that type of physical activity so it was trial and mostly error to get the right food so you did not fall apart. Now running or exercising for hours each day allows you to eat any kind of diet you wanted and never get fat. Some days I ate a bag of choclate chip cookies as a snack. Now was that good nutrition? Hell no! If I had followed a solid diet based on natural foods I believe my performance would had been better, but more over, my recovery would have been much faster. However, like most runners in the 70-90's , we all believed we eat anything we wanted as our exercise would insulate us for the health problems, like type 2 diabetis, high blood pressure and high cholisterol. Well we all now, we where dead wrong in some cases.

When I got into weight lifting and discontinued the excessive cardio, started to gain weight( what a suprise!). I realized I had to drasticly alter my eating habits and maintain a defined body fat and weight standards I never had to do before. I must have read scores of books on diets and nutrition that was out at the time. Even today, I still read the latest diet book, even just for a laught. Here is what found in regard to diets and eating for performance;

• Over 10% body fat male and 15% body fat female.......you are heading for fatness.


• No sugar if you can avoid it! biggest effect in developing diabetis and instant weight gain. however they put sugar in almost every thing that is processed, packaged or prepared for you. Kill them with kindness. Hidden sugar such as mannitol, are passed over as sugar that is used in precess foods. You want to be lean, get rid of all the sugar in all your diet.


• the more you force your body to produce insulin, the faster you age.


• Don't start a crash or one of the speical application diets like Atkins, or South Beach warrior diets and in most cases you will only follow it for short time periods. They are all based on the same outlook; restriction of food based on some catchy discipline. Just eat real food.


• You don't need a lot of expensive worthless supplements. Maybe a multi vitamin and some whey protein.


• Weight loss systems such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig will work for a short time and those systems have gotten a little smarter and developed to look at managing eating habits, eating volume, and body fat compostion. But they want you as a long term or repeat costomer, as that is how they stay in business. They sell food and advise so you have to be in bed with them forever. Just recently Christy Ally, who was the poster girl for Jenny Craig celeb weigh loss of 75 lbs, has put the old feed bag back on and has gained a bunch of weigh back on her fat ass. She was fired from her contract, as it is not good for their diet business, but its just an up glaring example of the success of that busines.
  
• Fasting, no carb diets and lap band, will make you loose a ton of weight fast, but you just loose too much good muscle in the process. Those are drastic measures to loose a lot of weight, in some cases to save your life, and that should be the only reason to go that way.


• You don't need to eat too much prior to training but you must injest something to balance blood sugar especially if you are training first thing in the morning. However, the post meal is the prime time to eat to recover. Lots of protein.


• We eat too many grains and starches in our diets. Now that the prices of wheat is up, you have reason to cut back. Well they taste good as carbs convert to simple sugars when eaten and they are pushed on us by Agro-business via the food pyramid. Your friendly goverment, who sleeps with big businss, wants you to eat more corn, wheat, soy, rice to help out the farmer and the food processing business. I don't eliminate them from my diet, I just eat good quality, non precess grains, and moderate volumes consistant with my calorie requirements that day.
  
• I eat a very high protein diet mostly all day, starting with breakfast. The first meal is whey protein drink made with water. As I train with high intency most of the time, muscle breakdown being the end result, requires good protein for repair. Something I failed to do in the past. ( I was thin-fat at 150 lbs) . once again, the volume is based on work capacity of that day...work hard, eat hard. No work only eat to your resting metabolism.


• We eat too much period. Eat for performance based on output of energy. Work hard-eat hard. start to measure and weigh what you are eating and you will be shocked as to how much calories each day you are taking in. We tend to gage our intake by the containment area such as plates, and bowels.


• Drink water based also on energy output losses. cold conditions require just as much water intake as summer if not more.


• If you can't prononce it don't eat it
  
  

make mine hard all the time.

Feb. `17th sunday.
" go heavy or go home"

unknown,

The quote " go heavy or go home" ; I don't know who first said it but it been voiced by my many serious trainers and even mullets. There is a lot to that simple statement, when you know that the best results to strength training, comes from using max weights and stress most of the time. Qualifying that, you can't train heavy every time you workout, so you have to recoup and rest sometimes. In the past I usually followed a heavy workout, and a light workout as part to the rest/recoup cycle, however I found that the "light day" was really a waste of time, doing low intency work thinking I was somewhat resting. Lately, I take the so called "light day" off and do nothing, and then go back to the hard training. This not only rests my body, but my mine as well.

WOD:
First session:
5 min of air squats: 392 squats
250 abmats
30 min. on roller at 120 RPMs

Second session:
50 reps 2-12kg front squats
50 reps 2-12kg swing and release
50 reps 2- 12kg renagade rowing
50 reps 2- 14kg cleans
50 reps 2- 12kg snatches
50 reps 2- 12kg long cycle clean a press.
11:14 min. at 15,000 lbs lifted. ( and it feels it so don't try this at home)
I only dropped the weigh or stopped three time, one on the snatch and two time for the long cycle. If I only did on or two of these I could use a lot more weight, but I would not have the volume.

valentines day massacure

Feb. 14th. Valentine's day

"Passion makes the world go round, but love just makes it a safer place."

Ice Tea

WOD: Its a heart breaker.

Warmup: Myo roller, bands stretching, joint mobility. TGU, 20 mins.

5x500 meter rowing.

2min. Battling ropes

50 globet overhead squats with Kettlebell.

50 "burples" squat trust, pushup, pull complex.

2 min abmats

23 min.

2nd session:

5 min swings with 16kg. KB

6 min. press with 16kg KB

waging war on the streets of America.

Feb.13th. wed.

" It is well the war is so terrible, otherwise we would grow fond of it all."

Robert e. Lee.




WOD "Randy" LAPD SWAT operator killed in the line of duty Feb 6th 2006





for time 75 reps power snatch with 75 lbs.

7:56 min. (5625 lbs total)
did the first 40 reps without dropping the weight. I could have done it faster like my kettlebells but I want to get that full extention over head for joint mobility. It was not the muscle failure, it was cardio at rep 40. Muscle stamina is great from all the kettlebell work.




That reminds me of a book I just reviewed that I got for X-Mas on SWAT training. The book is SWAT fitness, by Matt Brzycki & Stuart Meyers. Don't get me wrong, the book is very complete in regards to covering all aspects of fitness for anyone really. Its a little to heavy on the good old big box gym, bodybuilding, strength training. That in its self is OK but most departments don't have a complete body building gym and all the machines to have the officers train in. We all now that bodybuilding also is take more time and is too segmented. OL lifts are not use as well, espeically for authors who have a solid strength backgrounds. The up side is that joint mobility and stretching is covered in detail for injury prevention, but not enought of the training is on the functional type, like using X-vests and functional items, like tires, sand bags, kettlebells exercising in full gear, etc. One of the exercises I would like to have SWAT do,is Parkour. This would be a excellent exercise for the type of acitvites what a SWAT operator would be confronted with, maybe not at the level of french street kids, some of the continous running and obstacle trasversing.

Put new tires on my old standby bike, and hit the roller for 3o min.

Pump up the volume.

Feb 12th. tues.
" Man is the cruelist aminal"
F. Nietzsche



WOD " Nate" SOF who was killed 2/4/08 in Iraq.

For 20 mins.

4 pullups

4dips

8 handstand pushup

16 24 kg swings

50 abmats.

Added extra reps on all for lack of muscle ups.

Kettlebells means less things more.

Feb. 11th. Monday.

" Have no fear of perfection, as you will never reach it.

S. Dali.

WOD speed Deadlifting or a little westside.

Deadlift 245# 2 reps 10 sets as fast as you can get your ass in gear.

Later in the day : Kettlebell swing pratice. 14kg 630 reps. in 2 min segments.

One hour and bike rollers: Need new tires sometime soon as I am down to the threads.

For awhile I will try to focus on the Kettlebell swing and snatch movements to become more fluid and relaxed when not under tention. I also would like to experiment on some breathing techinques also to improve the performance of those lifts.


I counted the number of swings and average them to 48-52 rep per min regardless of speed or weight. therefore you can't really swing fast or slow by effort to get more or less reps. High reps, lets say 100 or more starts to hit the lower back and hamstrings, however most people stop before they get to this level of endurance. Going for 5 minutes really makes you understand what parts of the body is effected by this lift. Grip and lower back become limiting factors, when it should be the cardio.
Now when using the Crossfit style of swing that places the bell overhead, the speed and loading will be different as there is a lag at the top, and can even be held there like the snatch. At this point I will try to concentrate on the russian version, which maintains a continous motion.

Don't hang yourself

Feb 10 sunday:

WOD

Rowing for 1 hour. What! I think about 12K

Cabin fever is setting in due to weather or else why would I sit an row for an hour.

Feb.9th.
"The only difference in a rut and a grave, is its dimentions."
E. Glasglow

WOD
warmup: Liz for two rounds

Battling ropes for 2 mins.

"Kettlebell Slight Disconfort"(" KB death" is some punk ass statement...only an asshole goes that far)
For time 10,9,8,7,6,...........1 reps

2-24 Kg floor press.

2-36Kg. deadlifts(40 Kg the next time)

2-24kg power cleans

2-16kg speed press. (concentrated on the press so I rested between reps.) 20kg the next time.

21;14 min.

2-24kg suitcase squat: 3 sets of 5 (new exercise)

2-24kg power snatch: 3 sets of 5

Later in the day: one hour on the bike rollers. snowing outside.

I received my order of manila ropes quick from the Knot and Rope Supply co. , No I am not going to hang myself, nor will I be making a racial statement by making hangman's nooses. , its to set up for climbing,various pullup and kettlebell exercises. Also I got a 50' length of 2" for battling ropes like I first saw them used in Gym Jones last year.

John Brookfield has a good DVD and training system on the subject of using long heavy ropes for functional training, especially the grip. He also does seminars and certifications for thoes in need for a 1000 bucks!
The 3 lengths of 6' I will use for pull variations and kettlebell swings and rotational exercises. I also have a 20' climbing rope for outside when the weather gets better. Well the quality was good and all the ends were wipped and spliced as ordered. You can't go wrong when you get what you asked for.

Now when I set up for the battling rope exercise, I want to try it for one min. However one min. I just made before my grip was fried. However it feels great for a shoulder warmup. It seem to make a good warm at least, but it does effect the cardio compoent when you start to use the whole body to facilitate the motion of the ropes.

Feb. 8th. Rest day.

with gyms its atmosphere

Feb. 7th.

"Drive thy business or it will drive thee".

Ben Franklin.

WOD: Multi tasking specical

400 meter run

30 pullups with some assistance

30 back extentions

30 swings with 40# kettlebell

400 meter run

30 tire jumps

30 floor wipers with 95#barbell

30 deadlifts with 135#

400 meter run

30 dips

30 double unders

30 ball slams

400 meter run

time 25:13min.

Where ever you train, part of your physical progress is based in part on your suroundings, people and conditions. The lighting, paint colors, types of equimpent, the order they are located, music, type of people who you are with, space, the time you train and any one of a number of factors can make or break your fitness efforts. I have seen people train for months and years in one location, and then change to a diffent training area, and make big progress. What caused the change was change its self. If you are not making progress, then its time to make some kind of revision in your enviornment, the equipment your are using, or go at a different time an meet new people. Even just using a new kind of training equipment will have a positive impact on your progress. You can't get different results doing the same thing all the time.

a gut check.

Feb.6th wed.

" I have been taught to respect my elders, now I have reached the age where I have no one to respect. "
Geroge Burns

WOD
warmup with Liz one round.
100 abmats.
500 meters rowing.
50box jumps
500 meters rowing
50 pushups
500 meters rowing
100 swings 16kg kettlebell
500 meter rowing
100 abmats.
24min. That will keep your heart rate up

I have to advise a lady on fitness who is 88 years old and has never worked out prior. Is it too late? they tell me that its never too late to start to exercise, but talk about getting a late start!

Pullup and vote

Feb. 5th. tuesday:

" The great thing about democracy is that everyone get a chance to do something stupid."

Art Spander

WOD:

21 reps of dumbell one arm snatch.

21 L pullups x2

Did 30 minutes of alternating DB snatch with singles and doubles of the "L" pullup

My L pullups are getting better as long as I keep the reps low. I did 40 good L pullups in the session so that was not that bad.

Today is to vote for your next candidate to become president. Why anyone would want the job is beyond me! Failing economy and the "R" word, a war sucking the life out of all, terriorst still doing what they do best, loosing market share of our goods we make........do we make anything any more anyway? The goverment is split by red and blue attitude, and our so called boarders which people can freely get in to become citizens even though they broke the law by first coming here. Well, it our right to get your vote in so you can be happy or sad depending on the out come, but at least you gave your best shot.

Powerlifting for basic strength.

Feb 4th. Monday. Snowing temp 32.

"Power never takes a back step, only in the face of more power."

Malcolm X

WOD:

Back squats: sets of 3.

225# for sets of three.

Kettlebell training: 50 reps each hand do not set down only in real pain. 20Kg kettlebell for each exercise.

50 reps swing

50 reps snatch

50 reps front squat

50 reps cleans

50 reps push press.

The back squats reminded me of my powerlifting days, then I remembered why I got away from it. Mostly it was because of the supportive gear you have to wear in competition, I did not like for a number of reasons. The bench shirt made you look lame and I never got more than 20 extra pounds over raw out of them. The squat suit was a bitch to put on expecially around the legs. It would leave red broken blood vessels when it was removed. You could not breath when the straps were up. I would expend more energy putting on the gear then making the lift. You could only use them a few times and they became "training suits" at 100 dollars a pop, it become an expensive sport.

Yes, there is now "raw meets" if you want to compete without the fashion statement of Inzer gear, however it came too late for me as I was on to other things and no longer interested in competing. The justification for this "who-has-the-best-tailor gear usage, was safety. Now no one wants to do anything unsafe, do we? My experience show me that It was not any safer for the lifter, if anything, you lift weights, your structure my not be able to accomidate. thats all it was about; get the BIG numbers, no matter how lame you look on the lifting platform. If powerlifting is to get into the olympics, the supportive gear has to go. Anyway, everyone should who uses weights, should learn the many techniques of the squat, bench, and deadlift to enhance you basic strength.

Superbowl sunday

feb 3rd.

" Good-by, I am leaving because I am bored."

G. Saunders

WOD

4 mile walk- run with 35lb X-Vest on.

45 min.

I am sure glad I did not watch the whole superbowl game yesterday as I don't enjoy any event that has the excitement level of paint drying. Yes, Other than a few commercials, I could only last until haft time without falling asleep. I know this can't be, someone who does not like football on superbowel sunday! Well the young lad in the picture agrees..............

Loneness of long distance

Feb 2nd.
" we are made to persist, that is how we find out who we are."
Tobias Wolff


WOD 10K for time.
10, 000 meter on concept 2.
48: 20

I did the 10K session on the C2 rower as the landscape outside was inundated with an ice storm so footing was life theating. It worked out well as if I had run the 10k, my leg would have been beaten to shit, as it was in the past. Crossfit has made some new justification for the 10K workout, but it is a taxing session if you are not a seasoned runner of mile intervals as I believe it takes more than running sprints every so often to be able to run for 6 miles, and recover for the next day training. If I am going to run for 30 mins or more, I perfer X-country or trail runs, where there is favorable footing and less shock to the legs. I never was injured running on trails except for a twist or two but never layed up as I was running the track or roads.