Whether a 400 pound Chewbacca that Red Lefty sees me becoming, or some endangered sea mammal that Mahler mistook me for as I flopped into the lake is a more accurate description; I ought to do something to make some significant changes.
I haven't spent any consistent time in the gym for quite a while now. I keep busy and active, but I need to add some specific lifting and training to keep from sliding onto the endangered species list.
For now there will not be any set program or specific goals, just dedicated workout effort. My foundation will start off centered around kettlebell work, but I will inevitably add in O-lifting, plyos, conditioning, and perhaps even traditional weight lifting.
KB Snatch(each hand)
Single 24Kg KB x 10
Single 24Kg KB x 10
Single 24Kg KB x 10
KB Push Press
Double 16Kg KB x 10
Double 16Kg KB x 10
Double 16Kg KB x 10
I did a very short workout today, no need to jump in too fast. I have a soccer game tomorrow that I don't need to be sore for. And with the amount of time I have had off, it probably isn't too hard for a workout to give me the DOMS. But everything felt good, and the Push Presses even seemed easy.
__________________ 'I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. ' ~Frank Sinatra
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher,
smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
Good for you, Craig! It looks like a Steve Cotter inspired start. I must have missed some good stuff at the Summit if it got you back into the gym!
Thanks for checking in Lisa~
It may have more been the ridicule and humiliation that inspired a start than anything I really like kettlebell work; and that is what I was doing last, before I was doing nothing.
Bill if you had been there, you could have seen that I am in fact still hanging on, not quite yet the way of the dodo. And you could have even taken part in the ridicule. Perhaps best comment was from Mahler when I took my shirt off on the boat; something along the lines of, "See, that is why I work out." It is precisely one of the reasons I should be working out regularly too.
The Summit's always a great place to find inspiration... even if it ends up being dished out as public humiliation.
Very cool that you have access to kettlebells and can put into practice what we learned. I found them fun to use but none of the gyms around here have any.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Dude, seriously, have you EVER seen anyone pound so much Dr. Pepper?
(Note: I deliberately refrained from saying "DP" in place of Dr. Pepper, especially with my choice of verbage above. You'll thank me later. Rob knows the consequences of my lacking restraint )
__________________ No Magic Pill (the log)
My Movember page (yes, I'm slacking on pictures)
Craig, I think Terry's right. With your history, you're gonna show us all up next year. Good to have you back working out, man.
Ben ...
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Thanks guys, I will do my best to make everyone proud.
Unfortunatelly, Saturday's soccer game got canceled due to weather. Next game is scheduled for Tuesday. I watched our opponents play this weekend, and I think they are going to destroy us.
Snatch Test - 16Kg
50 Right
50 Left
-------------------------
Score = 50
Jerk Test - 2 x 16Kg
30
I used my 16Kg kettlebells today to test my Snatch and Jerk scores. These are the two lifts done in competition, and I think make a good benchmark - so it is good to test them out early. The snatch is done switching hands only once, and resting is only allowed in the overhead position. I take a decent rest, about 10 minutes before the jerk to give my forearms a small rest. I don't want pushing too hard in the snatch to kill my jerk performance. Also I did these a few times back in September when I was doing a little bit of working out when I first got my kettlebells. This performance just about mirrors what I was doing back then. Now it is time to improve upon this and make thses numbers laughable - and also bring my weight down quite a bit.
4 ROUNDS - 10 reps each
20 x Single 16Kg KB Snatch(each hand)
12 x Double 16Kg KB Jerk
Not a great first week getting my workouts in, but I kept very busy with soccer and volleyball throughout the week. This workout was just an attempt to get more volume in on the snatch and jerk than I can do during single max effort sets. Totals for the workout were 80 snatches per hand and 48 jerks compared to the 50 and 30 I scored last weekend: 60% more on each lift. My grip(forearm fatigue) is clearly my weakness at this point. The last few reps of the snatch were killing me, the jerks weren't quite as bad.
Don't worry, I am going to avoid becoming that Chewbacca, and your harpoon is going to miss; aimed at my trimmer, more agile figure.
As for competitions, I looked the other day and didn't find anything good upcoming. But when I searched last fall, I found a few that were within a reasonable distance; so I think they are hit and miss, and will likely become more popular.
I do know of one challenge that incorporates kettlebells, the Tactical Strength Challenge. Twice a year challenge held at 15 or so locations across the country that includes a max deadlift, pull-ups for reps, and kettlebell snatch test. The next one is September 13th, not sure if I am going to get there this time around, but next spring might be a good goal to shoot for.
4 ROUNDS
20 x Single 16Kg KB Snatch(each hand)
15 x Double 16Kg KB Jerk
I have to stop trying to plan my workouts around my soccer games, especially if they are going to keep getting rained out. This was almost a clone of my last workout, just added 25% more jerks. I also tried to get the density a little higher by decreasing my rests between sets. My grip/forearms are still the weakest link in this workout, so I am going to have to start adding additional exercises to increase the total work I can do as my forearms develop.
My grip/forearms are still the weakest link in this workout, so I am going to have to start adding additional exercises to increase the total work I can do as my forearms develop.
Oh, this is waaaaay too easy. Must.... resist..... urge.... to.... make.... joke......
I have to stop trying to plan my workouts around my soccer games, especially if they are going to keep getting rained out.
I had a similar issue long ago when I was doing concert work. Even though the day was blocked out, sometimes load-in would be shorter than expected, or the whole show would get rained out, etc, so I gave up on a planned week and just kept my next workout ready to go for whenever my next trip to the gym happened to be. Sometimes, I'd go a few days in a row getting in workouts; sometimes, I'd have a three- or four-day "rest." Didn't seem to affect my training since I was ALWAYS on the go in some fashion.
__________________ No Magic Pill (the log)
My Movember page (yes, I'm slacking on pictures)
I'm on the go a lot too, but I still need to be getting my workouts in, which I have been failing to do during the week, to counteract my calorie consumption. Next week will be better, I promise!
4 ROUNDS
20 x Single 16Kg KB Snatch(each hand)
15 x Double 16Kg KB Jerk
10 x Single 16Kg KB Overhead Squat(each hand)
I added a lot more volume today. When I started I wasn't sure if I was going to do 4 rounds or drop to 3. Obviously not all reps are the same, but I added in a total of 80 single-arm overhead squats to take my workout from 220 to 300 reps. If I had only done 3 rounds, I would have totaled 225 reps - glad I did all 4, especially since I was adding exercises to increase the total work since my grip was my single point of failure before. The squats increased my leg fatigue significantly, giving me a more balanced workout; instead of just hammering my forearms.
Single KB Snatch(each hand)
21 x 24Kg
15 x 24Kg
9 x 24Kg
The good thing about being fat and out of shape is that it doesn't take much to do a workout that will wear you out. I wanted to avoid squats and do something quick today, so I upped the weight to increase the intensity. A total of 90 snatches with the 24Kg bell was enough to do me in. I kept the rests between rounds short and was happy with my output, but when I repeat this workout I need to time it.
The backs of the forearms are doing just fine. I've never had any problems with any kettlebell exercises doing anything other than wear me out and make me feel weak.
4 ROUNDS
20 x Single 16Kg KB Snatch(each hand)
15 x Double 16Kg KB Jerk
10 x Single 16Kg KB Overhead Squat(each hand)
Repeat of my most typical workout with nothing new added, but I did limit my breaks to be only between rounds, I moved exercise to exercise within a round with a minimal amount of time. I felt strong throughout this workout, but the squats still feel harder than I think they should - I am only holding 35 pounds overhead.
Keeping Buk off the endangered species list
I really like kettlebell work; and that is what I was doing last, before I was doing nothing.
Linear Mode
