Ho Ho Ho

Sorry Autrailia.

Monday I did my intor Medium Rite of Passage (ROP) with the 32 kg.
3 ladders of 2 rungs. I only cheated on 4 Left hand presses.
My middle ladder was a true ROP 2 rung ladder. (Two long cycle left hand presses baby!)

I'm waiting for my breakfast to settle before doing my HEAVY DAY!

Transition

I think I am pretty much done with the 24 kg Rite of Passage (ROP).
Today I played around with the 32 kg.

In the morning: Get up right, 1/2 get up left.

In the afternoon, I did 2 full ladders three rungs (of presses) on the right
and did 3 of about 8 attempts of presses on the left. (plus a couple push presses)

So now I either transition into program minimum with the 32kg or solidify my presses on the left with the 32kg

Lite Day Heavy Evening

Lite ROP day.
Should have really went for form on snatches, but mostly watched the clock.

At night I pressed the 32kg with my left again on about the 4th try.

About 1:6 tries tonight.

1/2 Heavy

Almost completed a full 5 Ladders of 5 Rungs.
It took an hour, and I needed to push press the last two rungs on the left side.

The 4th Ladder was the strongest!

I didn't have time for swings. I'll have to do them tonight

Press Test Failed

Espresso
* 1 shot

Tibetan 5
* 5 count

Get Ups
24kg right, left
32 kg right, left -- descent strongest (most controlled) to date w/32

Press
24kg rung ladder warmup
32kg right easy
32kg left popped but stalled
32kg left popped but stalled
32kg right easy
32kg left popped but stalled (right hand help) -- negative
32kg left popped but stalled (right hand help) -- negative

the 28kg Press on the Left was easy on Sunday, perhaps I should borrow a 28kg

Compromise

Last night my sinuses were pretty awful. I took a Benydryl so I wouldn't drown in my sleep.

That plus going to bed at 12:20 AM, I was still tired even sleeping in an hour.

Medium day:
Espresso:
* 1 shot

Tibetan 5:
5 count

Military Press:
24kg 5 ladders, 4 rungs -- even more compressed than last Thursday's Heavy Day

Swings: 30 sec On; 30 sec off
32 kg x 2 rounds
24 kg x 2 rounds

That was my compromise. Yesterday was snatch test day after all. I cut my swings short.

Snatch Test Variety Day

Not your typical variety day, but @ 150 pounds I came one short!
Left 22, Right 25 = 47

Last try on left was too pressed so a no count (would have been 23).
Last try on right flew out of hand.

ROP Lite

2nd Light Day

Espresso
*1 shot

Tibetan 5
* 7

Ladders
* 2 Rungs x 5

Snatches
24 kg 20 seconds ON; 40 secons Off; x 7
* 5 right, 2 left
* 7 left
* 8 right
* 7 left
* 8 right
* 7 left
* 8 right

Settling in on ROP

First, I warmed up with the Tibetan 5 @ 5

This was my 2nd Heavy Day at 24kg, 4 Rungs
My goal was to do all5 ladders of 4 rung in the morning.
I did it but it took 38 minutes. Thats plenty of recovery time.
I think the 4th ladder was the hardest.

On swings I did 30 sec ON, 30 sec. off.
32 kg x 3
24 kg x 4
Almost exactly 20 swings per 30 seconds.

Variety as Planed

I'm gaining weight! I am back up to 149 pounds
on a scale that is likely reporting light.

I may have to get the Bulldog to meet my weight ratio goals.

Espresso
* single shot

Tibetan 5
* 7 count

Get Ups
* 24 kg r
* 24 kg l
* 32 kg r
* 32 kg l

Juanda Situps
* 20

Arm Bar
* 24 kg r, l

ROP week 2

Yesterday at the Beach Dr Cheng was "Sick as a Dog".
Actually dogs usually aren't that sick.

He had Mateo and me coach two new guy at the swings.
One guy was realatively easy for me,
but the other had some fundamental movement issues
that I just could not begin to understand.
At least his swings started to look like swings.

Anyways, we ended the day with 10 4 plays on each arm.
(4 Play, swing, clean, high pull, snatch)
I chose descending ladders with the 24kg
4R, 4L, 3R, 3L, 2R, 2L, 1R, 1L
That's 80 reps without putting the bell down.


Today was Medium day
I've been starting my home work outs with the Tibetan 5,
at 5-7 reps for a warm up. (That is after my shot of espresso)

I stayed with Heavy target of 4 Rungs so today was 3 rungs.
I want to be able to compress my 5 Ladders of 4 Rungs into one workout.
We will see on Thursday.

I did notice that my "groove" for pressing was different today.
It may be from a hard workout yesterday, but the groove was more
forward today, and didn't rest against my rear range of motion.

For swings instead of doing 30 sec. Work, 30 sec. Rest with the 24 kg,
I used the 32 kg and did 22.5 sec Work, 37.5 sec. Rest with the 32 kg.
It's the same "work" in weight * secs. per min but more concentrated.
I also don't want to loose the power requirements of the swinging the 32 kg.

It turned out to be 14-15 swings per minute for 7 minutes. Or about 100 swings.
That is pretty medium (hard).

Tomorrow I plan to do Arm Bars and Get ups with the 32 kg.

1st ROP Heavy Day

I did 3 or 4 ladders of 4 Rungs this morning. (I lost count)
And did one more ladder of 4 at work.

5 minutes of swings at 40 sec work, and 20 rest.
That definately is a heavy pace for me.

I'm feeling good with the ROP. The enthusiasm is back,
and I'm feeling physically better. I wasn't pushing myself
hard enough just trying to press the 32kg.

The "groove" is ingraining in my press with the ladders.
There is something to be said about volume and skill.

Tomorrow I will do 7 minutes of 20 sec. work, 40 sec. rest.

ROP

I started the Right Of Passage (ROP) discribe in Enter the Kettlebell (ETK)
I kind of skipped ahead a few week.
Since I can short cycle Military Press (MP) the 24 kg over ten times on my weak arm,
yet I can't consistently MP the 32 with the weak arm, I thought it would be
a good idea to use a proven protocol.

I choose the rotation where a variety day falls on Sunday so that it fits with
Dr. Cheng's Beach class.

So Monday becomes a Medium day (ladders minus 1 rung). It was essentially a testing day,
as I underestimated the difficulty of the protocol. The first two ladders of 4 rungs were great.
I felt stronger each rund and each ladder. The third ladder was starting to tire me.
And the fourth ladder if *failed* the fourth rung on my left (weak) side. I may not have rested enough before the last rung, but I was not recovering as fast either.

For the swings I used a Java based internet timer.
I figured there is a natural rhythm based in pendulum length.
so to ballance hard, medium swings for a random number of minutes I would
ballance the ratio of work and rest in a minute.
Hard would be 40 sec work, 20 sec rest.
Medium 35 sec work, 25 sec rest.

Until I find my dice I am using 7 minutes.
The first five round were fun, mixing up numbers,
Low-Medium-High, etc.
The last two rounds were tough.
L-M-H became L-M-H-M-L and LLLLL

These swings also smoked me.
So what was supposed to be medium,
turned out to be Heavy.

• 5 Ladders of 3 Rungs is too low, but 4 rungs is too high
• 7 round of 35 sec work, 25 sec rest is tough.
• These should be the numbers for my Heavy days
• 3 ladders in the morning, one at work, one when I get back
• For Now, Medium: 30 work, 30 rest; Light: 20 work, 40 rest.
  

A Little Pressing

Tibetan 5
11 count

Swings
32 kg 10 two handed
32 kg 10 two handed

Get Ups
32 kg, 1 Each Side. Left side felt really heavy didn't go down

Clean And Press
32 kg 1 Right
32 kg 1 Left attempt
32 kg 1 Left attempt
32 kg 1 Left Push Press
32 kg 1 Right
32 kg 1 Left attempt
32 kg 1 Right

Swings
32 kg 7 right, 7 Left, 7 two handed

Catch up Blogging

When I started training in July I asked Dr. Cheng what my ideal weight shoudl be.
He said that it is hard to say but the kettlebells usually find it for you (or something like that).

I'm down to 146 pounds! For two days (Sat and Sun) in a row I weighed in
at the lowest I have in a long time.
Five more (or is that less) pounds and I'm at an even 4 pood.
Of course the holidays are coming up so who knows.

Monday I was back to 147.5 but my trend is downward.

Friday and Saturday
Light work outs. A few swing, presses and pistols.

Sunday
Swings
32 kg 10 two hand
32 kg 10 left, 10 right
32 kg 20 switches

Cleans
32 kg 3 right, 3 left
32 kg 3 right, 3 left
32 kg 3 right, 3 left

Snatches
28 kg 5 right, 5 left
28 kg 5 right, 5 left

Snatch and lock-out lock out and walk 20m switch walk back 20m
24 kg
24 kg

Swing two catch clean two hand shot put ~25m, return
28 kg

Swing back cast (like scottish stone hurling) ~25m, return
24 kg

Circuit
snatch, Pistols, deadlift, squat press, bear crawls, hot potatoes
walk recovery
snatch, Pistols, deadlift, squat press, bear crawls, hot potatoes



Monday
Swings
32 kg 20 two-hand
32 kg 20 two-hand
32 kg 20 two-hand
32 kg 20 two-hand
32 kg 7 left, 7 right, 7 two-hand

101 swings 3232 kg

Pood for Pood Challenge

The Beast Challenge is an impressive accomplishment.

But for some of us it is either not a reasonable goal, or it is significantly more difficult goal than for other successful Beast Challengers.


Pood for Pood Challenge
1) Military Press each hand
-- (A weighted handstand push-up would fit the curve better,
---- but I don't know how to do that safely)
2) Pistol each leg with kettlebell
3) Pull up with kettlebell

Notice each hand needs to press, and each leg needs to pistol.
Symmetrical development is important.

Like a storm I ranked different levels in Categories.
Each 10% of body weight represents a step up in Category.

see chart:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pieysBJtsdc7QRlKi4xVldQ&output=html


Weighing in at under 4.25 pood, I would be about Category 3 (Cat3) (30% of body weight).
I haven't tested the pull up so I don't know for sure.
With the 1.5 pood, the Press is easy and Pistol is not too hard.
I can reliably press the 2 pood with the right, but I've ony done it on two separate occasions with my left. If I fully tame the 2 pood, I will should be Cat 5

My guess is that most Beast Tamers are Cat 4 or Cat 5 (using over 40% or 50% of body weight).

Joe Sarti is unofficially a Cat6 (60% of body weight)!

At my current weight (if by some magical bite of a genetically engineered radioactive spider),
I passed the Beast Challenge, that would put me at Cat 7.

The inside of my middle knuckles are sore (callouses). Otherwise I would have done snatched today.

Swings
32 kg 10 two-handed
32 kg 10 two-handed

Presses
32kg 1 Right
32kg 1 Left, MP failed -> Push Press ok
32kg 1 Right
32kg 1 Left, MP failed -> Push Press ok
32kg 1 Right
32kg 1 Left, MP failed -> Push Press ok

Swings
32 kg 20 two-handed
32 kg 20 two-handed

Tibetan 5

I did the Tibetan 5 at a 7 count.
It really was just a day off.
Explosive Presses with the 24 kg. I'm trying to get my left arm to fire at 100%

Centurion

Sunday School Teacher: Who was the smallest person in the Bible?
Girl 1: Zachius?
Boy: Knee High Mia?
Girl 2: No! It was the Centurion who slept on his watch!

My Centurion was 32 kg.
100 Swings:
10 2-handed
10 Left, 10 Right, 10 2-handed
10 Left, 10 Right, 10 2-handed
5 Left, 5 Right, 10 2-handed
10 2-handed

KB Lite

Today was a light day coming after Sunday's smoker.

Swings
32 kg 10 2-handed

Turkish Get Up
32 kg 1 Right, 1 Left
32 kg 1/2 Right, 1/4 Left

10 Janda situps

Clean and Press (no ladders yet)
24 kg 1 Right, 1 Left
32 kg 1 Right, fail Left
32 kg 1 Right, fail Left
32 kg 1 Right, Push Press Left

I found my "Indo board" roller. I used it as a substitute for a foam roller.
Glutes, Hamstring, and calve fine. "Released" hot spots on right later leg and quad.
Ran out of time on left leg, but it actually needs more work than the right.

I will try to get to it at work with the carpet core tube or will get to it tonight

New Team Leader

Dr. Mark Cheng just announced that he was invited to become a new RKC Team Leader. Congratulations Doc!

What I remember of the Beach Work out

Swings
32 kg 10 two handed
32 kg 10 right
32 kg 10 left
32 kg 20 switches (DARC)

Cleans
32 kg 3 Right
32 kg 3 Left
32 kg 3 Right
32 kg 3 Left
32 kg 3 Right
32 kg 3 Left

Get Ups
24 kg 1 right
24 kg 1 left
24 kg half get up 3 right
24 kg half get up 3 left

Snatches
24 kg 3 Right
24 kg 3 Left

24 kg 3 Right (reviewed by RKC II, Dr. Courtney M. Cheng)
24 kg 3 Left

24 kg 3 Right (reviewed by RKC, Anton Summers)
24 kg 3 Left

Circuit 2x
Lunge, Hot Potatoes, Snatch, swings, bear crawls

Trifecta
16 kg (Snatch 30 Left, 30 sec Right; Cleans 30 sec Left, 30 sec Right; swings 1 minute)


and then jsut for fun,
clean and press pair of 12 kg, lock out hold into cossacks

Day of Rest (NP)

Blasted Ladders

Last night I took my first dose of ZMA at the recommended dosage (3 tablets)
I had a lot of dreams but they weren't unusual for dreams, nor particularly vivid.


Swings
32 kg 2-handed

Get Ups
24 kg 6 minutes (2 each side)

Clean and Press Ladders
24 kg 3rd rung of 1st ladder **!#$!
tweaked my back on the way down

My back was feeling a little sensitive since waking up. Perhaps I was "treating a lighter weight, as if it was a light weight". Maybe I'm not strength coordinated first thing in the morning.
What-ever, that stopped my workout for the morning.

Swing Shift

Mainly swings today. I am still experiencing early grip fatigue in the morning.

Swings
32 kg x 10 right, 10 x left
32 kg x 10 right, 10 x left
32 kg x 5 right, 5 x left

Deadlifts
32 kg about 10 at various stance widths

Swings
32 kg x 5 right, 5 x left
32 kg x 5 right, 5 x left, 10 2-handed
32 x 10 2-handed
32 x 10 2-handed

Let's Roll

Swings
24 kg 10 left, 10 right
32 kg 5 left, 5 right, 5 both
(960 kg)

Arm Bar
24 kg 1 Right, 1 Left, 1 right, 1 left

Janda Situps
10, 4 alt sides

Presses -- Miltary (MP), Push (PP )
24 kg 1 MP Right, 1 MP Left
24 kg 1 MP Right, 1 MP Left
24 kg 1 MP Right, 1 MP Left
32 kg 1 MP Right, 1 attempt MP Left, 1 PP Left
32 kg 1 MP Right, 1 attempt MP Left, 1 PP Left
32 kg 1 MP Right, 1 attempt MP Left, 1 PP Left

Locked Walks
32 kg Snatch Hold Right walk 10 meters, Push Press Hold Left walk 10 meters
32 kg Snatch Hold Right walk 20 meters, Push Press Hold Left walk 20 meters
(1920 kg*meters of walks)

Swings
32 kg 7 left, 7 right, 7 both
32 kg 7 left, 7 right, 7 both
32 kg 7 left, 7 right, 7 both
32 kg 4 left, 4 right, 4 both
(75 total 2400 kg)

3360 kg of swings

Sunday
Mark Toomey Led us through Lat Activation drills and Military Press advice.
We did circuits and ended with the trifecta

Monday
Just Presses and other small stuff at the office.

What Did I do Again?

Such a non-descript workout I'm not sure I remember.
Swings
24 kg 10 left, 10 right, 10 - 2 handed
32 kg 6 left, 6 right

I know I did more (not much more) but I can't remember

Restart Lighter

Being conscious of my right trapezius I used the 24 kg today.
10 x 2 hand swings
4 x Turkish Get up (alternating hands)
1 Arm bar each side
5 cleans each side
5 snatches each side
20 swings each hand

Ouch!

Tuesday
Right after a brief swing warmup (10 2 handed with the 32kg)
I was going to do Clean and Press ladder. On the 2nd rung of my first ladder I tweaked my right
trapezoid. That was the end of my work-out. It was really stiff all day.

Today Wednesday it was a little better and I did a a few presses and the left with the 24kg.
It felt light and 6 weeks ago I cound't press it!

Tomorrow I hope I'm up for a swing day with the 24 kg.

I Pressed the 32 kg

After three weeks of push presses and Turkish Getups with the 32 kg,
And Sots presses and windmills with 24 kg
I strict pressed the 32 on the Left.
My first try I popped the bell about head level... I was so close
Next try it sent smoothly but slowly up.

Today I couldn't. But it has been done.
That put me where I was about 2 months ago with the 24 kg.

Just Swings

Grip felt weak again this morning. Is it a morning thing? or an over training thing?
Scott Sonnon mentions in his LCCJ article

(and if you don’t periodize, then don’t touch the 32s because they don’t give submission fighting and high volume striking the chance to fully heal connective tissue fraying.)

32kg swings 5L, 5R, 20 2h
32kg swings 20 2h
32kg swings 5L, 5R, 10 2h
32kg swings 30 2h

Reset Expectations

The 32 kg felt heavier today than I expected.
(each line done w/o rest, refresh between line ~30 sec - 2 min depending on line)

swings
32kg swings 5 Left, 5 Right, 5 2-handed

Turkish Get Ups
32kg 2 Right, 1 Left
24 kg Turkish GU 2 L, 1 R

Snatches
32 kg 3 R, 1 L
24 kg 5 L

Swings
32 kg sw 5L, 5R, 5 2h, 3 L, 3 R, 3 2h

Clean
24 kg cl 15 L, 15 R

Swings
24 kg sw 18 L, 18 R

Renegade Rows
32 kg/24 kg 12 R, 12 L (switch sides at 6)
32 kg/24 kg 6 R, 6 L (switch sides at 3)

10 Janda situps
6 "Egyptian" situps (reach forward palm up while reaching back palm down - stretch)

Catching Up with Posts

Yesterday (Sunday Oct 21) Dr. Mark Cheng was back for beach classes.
We worked a lot of shoulder stability, KB Arm Bar, Snatch with 3 sec holds, etc.
Grip felt good--Rest helped

Circuits seemed easier than usual. Maybe the heaver bells at home are working.

Today no morning workout.
At work 2 ladder (step-stool) r,l (1,2) Sots Press with 24 Kg.
2 x right, 2 x left Pistol with 16 Kg. wanted to do more but kept getting distracted with work.

Tomorrow a Medium day.
I am thinking about 3 set of 5 right and left snatches with 32 kg.

Shabbat Shalom

Day of Rest.
Tomorrow is the Beach Class.

I have prioritized by priorities:

1. Stength
2. Flexibility
3. Muscular Endurance

So my mid term goas are

• Double Military Press the 32 kg Kettlebell.
• Splits and Back Cast.
• 38 snatch total with 32 kg Kettlebell.

Loosing My Grip

My grip was tiring early today. So I had trouble with swings.
(32 kg kettlebell)

• swings 5 x right , 5 x left swing
• 1 ladder 3 rungs right, l Clean & Press right, Clean & Push Press left
• 10 alternating right and left bent split rows
• swings (on right then left at same rep) 12,9,6,3 no stop between reps.
• 10 janda situps

Prima Ferrum

First Iron.

It has been four years since Ian O'Keefe introduced me to kettlebells at Pat Strong's group. It had been a long time since I had regularly had a serious worked out. Seeing the kettlebell at my niece Natalie's 1st birthday really got me going.

My first work out with Dr. Mark Cheng RKC II was on June 17, 2007. At that time I could do a Turkish Get Up (TGU) and Military Press (MP) the 24 kg on the right, but not the left. I weighed 152 Lbs. There was a two week break since the Sunday morning beach class took a week off.

I had about 4-5 private with Dr. Cheng starting July 10th and it really helped to get the basics down. I felt I made quick progress with Dr. Cheng. Kettlebell training had given me much more energy. I felt great and was getting my strength back.

On August 24 I was able to have a private with Mark Reifkin SRKC. He really helped me with the timing on my hip snap. I also got some good mobility exercises for my hips and shoulders. He said I had the best ankle (Achilles tendon) flexibility he's seen in a long time.

Once I can do 10 MP on the left w/24 kg, I can get myself a 32 kg.

Oct 5. I got my 32 kg. I remember when my 24 kg felt like this. At least my callouses are built up.

Oct 12. went for 50 x 1 swings with the 32 kg. Only got 15 left, 15 right, 10 two hands. At least they were shoulder high. Still can't MP the 32 kg on the left.

Oct 14 Sunday Beach work out. Dr Cheng still in Thailand. Leonard had us do a lot of heavy double work.

Oct 15, snatched the 32 kg on both sides! I don't remember my exact workout. But I'm getting more comfortable with my 2-pooder.

Oct 16, I TGU the 32 kg with my left hand for the first time. I think a lot of it was psychological. It is very distracting to have 70 pounds of iron over your head with your weak arm as the only support... I was not firing my lats enough. Once I realized that, the arm was steady.

Reading Mike Mahler's articles convinced me that I should journal my workouts.

Today's Workout was.

10 swings right, 10 swings left @ 32 kg
1 right, 1 left Turkish Get Ups @ 32 kg

2 x right Military Press @ 32 kg; 1 x left Push Press

swings:
8 x left, 8 x right , 4 x left, 4 x right @32 kg