Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Tempo Style

After reading my friend and strength coach franz Snidemans workout blog I decided I would implement some tempo runs... i.e. run 100 yards at 70% (approximately) walk ten and then run again and repeat a number of times, an old sprint recovery/form running day.

So, I mixed pull-ups with barefoot tempo runs
Pull-ups
10
Run
100x2
P-U
10
Run
100x2
P-U
8
Run
100x2
P-U
8
Run
100x2
P-U
6
Run
100x2

Oh boy do I forget what it is like to run and run at a good clip with nice relaxed hands and a good arm swing, eyes and head down, knees pumping, lungs a burning....what a great feeling and a nice mix with all the strength stuff. I really enjoyed the conditioning and was quite surprised with my pull-ups considering I was mixing in the runs. The body feels good and I feel revitalized...now it is time to eat a good meal, protein, veggies, and fats, yummy!

Be Well

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Beginning of a new Deadlift cycle

Start of the Deadlift cycle...how I long this exercise! :-)

8 a.m.
Deadlift
135/3
185/3
225/3
275/2
315/2x4

These felt great. Found a good groove on the 2nd rep of the first set uusing the 315 (mixed grip), no belt!
Feels good to do this and glad to have found a way to implement into my cycle.

12:45pm
Snatch
32/5/5x5

these were powerful and strong and I applied the lessons from Saturday...took me about 5 minutes to complete


6:00pm
Windmill
32/5/5x1

Clean, Press, Windmill
32/5/5x1

Clean and press
32/5/5x4

Awesome move getting much stronger and more explosive with the 32kg. the clean feels easy and thee press is starting to move into a great groove for me

Bottoms uup Clean
32/3/3x2


! arm swing
32/10/10x5

Really focused on tight abs, glutes and legs...makiing sure I had pillars of strength and focusing on technique

great workout day all in all and I loved mixing it up throughout the day, just seemed to be how the day worked itself out!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

40 'keys'

Ok, after the seminar I realize I have to start using the bigger bells more reguularly as well as the lighter bells (24kg) for the explosive fast moves I love so much!

So here is how it went

Windmill
32/3/3x1
32/5/5x3

These felt great....really strong connection between my arm and shoulder so excellent tension and I have to get the 40 out.

Snatch
40/2/2x1
40/1/1x3

Ok, I had no intention to do these but it was staring me down and I had to try it. This is one heck of a big weight and demands a lot of focus and respect. So, with each rep I got better and found my groove on the last set...I will practice more and get up to 3x3 and then 5x5

Clean and Push Press
40/3/3x3

These were awesome. I love the power and strength!

Pistol
40/1/1x3

As always I get strong once I get my groove

Great workout day and I feel energized!

Joint Mobility

So, I took out my copy of Steve Maxwells Joint Mobility (www.stevemaxwell.com). I thought it would be a great idea to do a review of the exercises and get a feel for what his DVD felt like. I forgot how much of a workout it was and just how great I felt afterward...loose, warm, and energized. I am a big fan of the foam roller for relieving and repairing scar tissue and adhesions (especially if you do not have access to a deep tissue massage), I love the PNF or active partner stretching but I really love the active and flexibility aspects of the Joint Mobility

All the above techniques are lost on people. We forget how important it is to manage our body through recovery and regeneration. A key component to a health body long term is combinding methods such as these mentioned above with, strength and conditioning (via the Kettlebell), and good nutrition and supplementation. It does not take hours a day just a daily commitment to yourself and you can do it 30 minutes a day or less. It has been said by many, sometimes in life you have to make sacrfices to achieve a health body and mind!...what is most important?

I do my joint mobility daily eventhough I do not blog it and I always feel better. I would encourage you to do the same or at least 2 to 3 days a week (even if it is a modified version of Steves workout or what you learn working with me).

More to come...rest for a bit and then do some KBs..

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Piriformis Syndrome

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/piriformis-syndrome.htm

Great article!

Monday, May 22, 2006

Testosterone...are you depleted

http://www.mikemahler.com/testosterone.html

Mike Mahler is a student of the human body and has done his homework. This is an excellent article, take some time to read it!

For the ladies

http://stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=132

great article for women interested/curious about Kettlebells

The workout

Not a lot of volume but some great work on my technique/skill

Cleans
32/8/8x3

Snatch
32/5/5x3

Military Press
32/5/5x3

Ring Pull-ups
8, 8, 5

Love it and feel energized!

Anti Aging Articles

http://www.alsears.com/downloads/youthsecrets.pdf

Take some time and checkout this Doctors (Al Sears.com) website. Very informative and his book is worth reading. This is a great article


http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/371/

This article is for the ladies. Another great article that will bring to light some very informative information for the ladies.

Keep your eyes out for more information

Day 2 and weekend reflection

Well this had to be the best seminar I have been too and in my opinion was as good if not better than the April 2006 RKC. Having Mike and Pavel and then 5 other great assistant instructors as well as eager and great students made this a first class experience.

I have to say I walked out a better man as Pavel would say and a better strength coach. So, I plan on taking the info I learned and passing it on.

One thing that is clear is the fact that a number of great coaches exist and this weekend there was 8 of us together for a total of 30 people. To have the opportunity to learn and share with these people is just amazing. I realize that I am only as good as the people I surrouund myself with and my contingent of folks is incredible. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to be surrounded with some many great coaches and first class people. I plan to take their knowledge and share it with all the people I touch. Together everyone does achieve more and there is so much abundance.

So, keep your eyes on the website more is to come including more articles from these folks.

Plan to do a light workout today in terms of volume. Did not get much rest so want to get myself a nap and then do some good work

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Day 1 of Mahler/Pavel Seminar

So, a great day full of review, generation of ideas, and learning. Worked with a lot of eager, strong bodies and good students. Mike has really grown into an excellent instructor in settings such as these. This is not easy to do large seminars of varying groups but he has taken to this format and did very well. And then there is Pavel, who is Pavel...full of tips and tricks to make anyone strong and flexible. What a great opportunity.

Then I got the chance to reconnect with Franz and Yoana, two top notch people and instructors, got to meet Ken Black another great instructor/talent in the field.

At the end of the day did

1 pistol and press with the 40kg, nothing I have not done before, but had to show off to Franz and Yoana...lol

The most impressive thing for me was I did the double overhead Pistol with 2, 12kgs. I have done this once before with the 8kgs, back about 1 year ago so this was a great accomplishment for me.

Another day tomorrow with the focus on Ballastics and I believe strength stretching.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Heavy weight, light workload

Warm-up with swings 2 arm and 1 hand

Clean and Press
32/3/3
32/4/4
32/5/5
32/3/3
32/4/4

Just a good ladder and nice down week with the presses. Getting a lot of good pressing action and just wanted to take it easy and build a good strong base

Snatch
32/3/3 x5

Good work, again just wanted to do a light approach and work on technique with this weight and my breathing. Felt strong but that is a heavy weight...a lot of respect for the weight

That is all, not much to say except I am off to assist with Mahler and Pavel seminar in Santa Monica which means I could be doing some work over the weekend! :-)

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Cleans, Squats, Presses and the various combinations

So this is not a workout I did perform today. Instead this is an opportunity for me to show you how versitale the Kettlebell is whether you have 1 bell or 2 of the same size and if you only had three exercise; cleans, squats, and presses.

One Kettlebell
1. Clean
2. Squat
3. Press
4. Clean and Squat
5. Clean and Press
6. Squat and Press
7. Clean, Squat and Press
8. Clean and Jerk
9. Clean and Push-Press
10. Push-Press
11. Jerk

Two Kettlebells of the same size
1. Clean
2. Squat
3. Press
4. Clean and Squat
5. Clean and Press
6. Squat and Press
7. Clean, Squat and Press
8. Clean and Jerk
9. Clean and Push-Press
10. Push-Press
11. Jerk
12. See-Saw Press
13. Clean and See-Saw Press
14. Squat and See-Saw Press

Ok, so if you add that up you get 25 potential exercises with 2 bells of the same size using three moves and their variations.
What more is there to say :-). Add the swings and there variations and you are set!

Enjoy the fun of playing and training with Kettlebells

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Active Recovery, Heavy style

Just a little active recovery and strength building. A little fatigue but not to bad.

Chin-ups
10x3 good push today

Windmill
32/5/5x3

Military Press
40/2/2
40/1/1x2

tough today, just tired but my last set was by far the best when I really used my KB principles. Overall feel good since I saved the best for last

Pistol
40/1/1x3

Same as the press but my last 2 sets were solid. I am really solid at the bottom and able to hold tension really well and if I lose my balance I can stabilize. Great stuff!

Big Snatch day tomorrow..reps with the 24kg

Monday, May 15, 2006

Yikes! that was brutal

Ok, so I forgot too add that I did 25 pull-ups and 100 push-ups yesterday just for fun while playing at the park with the dog.

Today, though was a whole different kind of animal. I decided to take my 2 20kg line myself up on the warning track of the baseball field where I was training and proceed to crawl, row, push-up, snatch, clean, squat and press my way to home plate.
I am not always the sharpest tool in the shed...lol so here is how it went

Bear Crawl 20kg/5/5
Push-up off the 20 kg/1
Renegade row 20/1/1
Double Swing 20/1
Double Snatch 20/1
Double Clean 20/1
Double Squat 20/1
Double Press 20/1

First three rounds were in blocks of 5 reps per and the 4th round I reached home plate after only 2 reps

So, I did a total of 17 reps in 18:30 with as little rest as possible. This was just brutal.

Next up is Yoga at 12pm...Vinyasa and then rest!

WOW, I feel great

Friday, May 12, 2006

Strength Endurance and Strength and Endurance

Beautiful day out in the sun on an early Friday morning. Huge field, completely empty except for me my 32kg and 2, 20 kg. Best of all I was on a true Rugby field

Snatch
32/5/5x5

Nice feeling using this big baby. It has been a while and had to put my new bell to use. Felt strong and took 5 minutes and 45 seconds to complete...not my intention just felt ready and went

Clean and Press
32/5/5x5

Another good push. Shoulders a little tight in general but no issues

Bear Crawl to deck sqauts
(2) 20kg/50 total steps x2
DS: 20kg/5x2

A good finish and a total of 20 minutes

A great day

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Golf

It is great to be athletic. Had a great day on the course with some great guys. My Client and friend Rick Ripplinger and I played together and had plenty of shits and giggles. It was a tough dayon the course scorewise but at least we got to explore all the nooks and crannys of the course. Great day out on a beautiful course with great people and good times.

Body feels great!

Monday, May 08, 2006

The 40kg has arrived

I came home to a giant surprise and I mean GIANT! Wow, the 40 kg is a big hunk of cast iron! So, I had in mind a workout thinking I would not have the 40 and just 2, 24kgs but plan changed

Windmill warm-up
24/5/5x3

Nice and easy, good rhythm, great technique and a nice stretch

Snatch
24kg
8, 9, 10, 11, 12

A necessary progression as I build up my total volume, which with this weight I am aiming for 200 total. I plan to mix this with the 32 (strength) and eventually the 40kg. These felt good and I could feel the heart beat which is a great feeling. Need to continue to work the technique.

Military Press
40/2/2x3

Yeah baby, these felt good and got better with each rep and each set. I have some work to do but I expect 5x5 in the next 3 weeks

Pistol
40/1/1x3

Ok, know we are talking. I love it, really focused on pressurization and tension to make these go with the third set being the best. Surprisingly this was the first time I have EVER attempted this weight. Yes I did try the 43.5 at Stones once and I did complete, right side only at the RKC in April! I am looking forwrad to doing 3x3.

Renegade Row and push-ups
24/5/5x3 & 20 repsx3

This is a great start. I have a 4 mile hike coming up in the next few hours

Friday, May 05, 2006

Circuits

Went to Stanford to do some training and the Division I Rugby Championships were going on. So,safe to say I had a little extra motivation. Only had 25 minutes so had to move strong and quick.

Circuit
Renegade row
24/5/5

Clean and Press (2 kb)
24/5

Pistol
24/2/2

Repeated the Circuit 5 times in under 20 minutes

Finished with 5 sets of 20 push-ups off the 24's

Good, strong, quick

Like the short, intense bouts of exercise

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Another short outdoor training session

A short circuit of 6 exercises, 3 rounds...15 minutes

1 arm swing
24/10/10

Chin-ups
8x3

Swing Squats
24/8

Clean and Press
24/5/5

Push-ups
20

Snatch
24/5/5

Good workout, quick and fun and a good sweat

Monday, May 01, 2006

Another Great day in the Sun

Well another sunny day,another great KB, sandbag, and bodyweight workout at the Park.

Warm-up
Pull-ups
5x4

superset

Push-ups
40. 30. 20. 10 Ladder

Snatch
24/10/10x5 (100)

Clean and Press
24/8/8x3

Deck Squat
(3 bag sandbag)
5x3

Farmers Walk (Sandbag on Shoulder, 24kg in hand by leg)
1 rep per shoulder walking to and from car, about 50 yards each way).

A good workout, about 25 minutes total time and I felt strong but I need the bigger weights and should receive them late this week. I'd like to start mixing them with the 24 (heavy, moderate/heavy, and moderate weight strength and conditioning workouts.

More of the same tomorrow, just change in exercises