Quick Post-Thanksgiving Day Workout

I threw in a quick workout today. My plan worked yesterday, where I focused my eating on turkey and not a lot of carbs. So I wasn't too full or feeling sick at the end of the day.

My back held up pretty well from yesterday's session so I decided to throw in a quick session today.

Jerk: 2 x 12kg - 5 minutes @ 6 rpm

Double Clean: 2 x 12kg - 2 minutes @ 10 rpm

That's it and that's all! Just enough to keep things loose.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I hope that everyone reading this entry has a great day and is able to be thankful for something truly wonderful in their life. As difficult as life is, I still wouldn't pass it up. I am extremely thankful for my health and my beautiful family. I am also thankful that I stumbled across the American Kettlebell Club earlier this year which changed the way I look at my lovely kettlebells. I am also thankful for them and the joy (and pain) that they give me.

So before I head over to visit family today, I squeezed in a short workout that looked like this...

Swing: 12kg - 10/10; 16kg - 10/10

Snatch: 12kg - 6 minutes @ 16 rpm - total of 96 reps

Jerk: 2 x 12kg - 3 minutes @ 6 rpm - total of 18 reps

I was very happy with today's session. I dropped back in time on the Snatches so that I could increase my pace from my previous workouts. I could definitely feel the difference but it wasn't anything that was too overwhelming.

I was almost ready to quit after the Snatches, but after reading Scott Helsley's blog post yesterday about improving your rack, I decided to keep the reps low back work on my flexibility a bit.

This worked out rather well. I learned that I am not flexible enough (yet) to reach my elbows to my hips without unlocking my knees. I decided to allow the knee bend for now since the bells are light enough that my legs can handle it. Hopefully, my flexibility will improve so that this won't be an issue when I start moving up to the bigger bells.

I think it's time to get ready to eat now and give thanks. Thanks!

First Session with (Mini) Clubbells

I woke up this morning to happily be in one piece.  I'm sure you'd agree that we all feel happy when awakening this way.  In my case, it was especially nice considering yesterday's workout.  I was afraid that it might have been too intense, but with only a few muscular twinges during the day I was half way expecting not to be unpleasantly surprised.  Of course, after sitting in the car for over 2 hours on my commute home (Thanksgiving traffic started early) my back and legs were a bit tighter than usual as I prepared to end the day.

Rather than push things, I decided (as planned) to explore some more with the 5lb mini clubbells that I got when I ordered my Intu-Flow package.  Included with Intu-Flow was the Xtension DVD which demonstrates a few movements intended for one to utilize the mini clubbells as an extension of one's body while getting into the "flow".

Of the movements covered, I left out the first one, the Front Swipe, as it is too similar to the kettlebell swing, and my intent for using these clubbells is to provide my body with something different from kettlebell movements.  

I did practice the following:  Side Swipe, Hammer Swing, Split Swipe, Alternating Mill and Alternating Back Stroke.  

I was amazed at how heavy these little clubbells feel.  They are definitely a different animal from kettlebells.  I'm sure after a little practice they will become more comfortable.  I do need to practice now in front of a mirror.  Today's session was me watching on my laptop, then practicing on the rug in my living room.

One thing that jumped out at me was how my left shoulder pulled up when performing the Alternating Mill.  My right side stayed packed down as it should without any thought.  But my left shoulder was another story.  Not until I consciously focused on keeping it down did it stay down.  Something for me to focus on.

I also like the Hammer Swing.  It requires A LOT of thoracic mobility which will help me develop my rack.  This will be a good one for direct kettlebell assistance.  

The Side Swipe and Alternating Mills should provide a good amount of cross-body movement which I am looking for to help balance my movement patterns and strengthen my core.  

Before starting all of this, I also held one of the clubbells horizontally with one hand on each end and had it mimic a medicine ball.  I warmed up with a few Big Circles and Standing Russian Twists.

That's it for today.  I hope to squeeze in some bells tomorrow before filling my belly with Turkey.  Tomorrow's goal is to drop back down to a 6 minute Snatch set, increasing the rpm's to 16.  Jerk 'em up y'all!

I Killed It!

My workout that is.  I may be a Dexter fan.  And I might be sad that there are only 3 episodes left this season.  But the only thing I am killing these days are my workouts.

Giving myself two days off and allowing my back to rest up, I was planning all day yesterday on how to ratchet up today's session.  I had decided for sure to increase my Snatch set to 8 minutes.  I also knew that I wanted to start out with a Jerk set, but wasn't sure how long to make it, particularly since I was planning on Snatching right after.

Well, I decided to stick with a 4 minute Jerk set, which I had gotten through in a prior session, and if I felt good I would extend it depending on my form and comfort level.  (These have a way of putting a stretch right into the injured part of my back.  Good or bad, I'm not sure.)  So anyway, this is what it looked like...

Swing:  12kg - 10/10,  16kg - 10/10

Jerk:  2 x 12kg - 6 minutes @ 6 rpm - total of 36 reps

Snatch:  12kg - 8 minutes @ 14 rpm - total of 112 reps

Cooldown consisted of some hip flexor stretches and some Kettlebell Foundation Compensatory Movements.

I was very happy with how the Jerks felt.  I absolutely need to work on my flexibility and need some pointers on my form.  When the set was over my delts were fried.  I think it's a combination of my rack as well as actual jerk technique.  For now I will continue to work it as best as I can.  But when the AKC Coaches' Cert comes to NY, look out!  That's it for today, Jerk 'em up y'all!

Monday Morning Quarterback

Well, I just might have overdone it a bit on Saturday.  Following my workout, I could tell that my back was not overly happy about things.  There was a bit of throbbing going on throughout the remainder of the day.  I had planned to help ease things with some Aleve, but for whatever reason, never did.

I then expected the worst on Sunday (yesterday), but was surprised that I felt as well as I did.  I decided to lay low and stay away from anything metal that had a handle.  This even counted for frying pans.  There was a bit of stretching occurring throughout the day, but not even much of that.

I received an email from Lorna Kleidman, who is an International Master of Sport, residing just south of my in NYC.  We have exchanged a few emails regarding my condition and she suggested I pick up a stability ball and work my core in some movements outside the sagittal plane, which is where all the kettlebell work is done.

Needless to say, one is now on order.  In addition, I decided to make this morning something of an easy, experiment/learning morning.  I started watching Scott Sonnon's Xtension DVD once again which is a mini-clubbell course.  There are a few movements within that specifically work in the lateral dimensions, specifically what I might need. 

I also picked up my 6 lb squishy ball and performed a few medicine ball movements including "Big Circles" and "Standing Russian Twists".  In the seated position I also used both the 12kg and 8kg bell to perform "Seated Russian Twists" - with these I placed the bell down on the floor for each rep rather than make it one continuous motion.

Hopefully, these types of movements will help me once and for all get over this last hump and get me strong again.  I know it is still going to take a while.  I'm continuing to try to be patient...

Some Saturday Snatches

With a bit of an ache in my back today, not sure what instigated it since yesterday was an off day, I was itching to work another set of snatches in this week.

I had been debating with myself on how to proceed after the last session.  I could either keep my pace of 12 rpm and increase the time to 8 minutes, or stick with a 6 minute set and up my pace a bit.

After much thought and deliberation and given that my back wasn't feeling as good as it should, I decided to keep the set length constant and increase my pace.  Of course, after my set I was feeling my oats and decided to finish off with a heavier set of one arm jerks.

This is what it looked like...

Swing:  12kg - 10/10;  16kg - 10/10;  20kg - 5/5

Snatch:  12kg - 6 minutes @ 14 rpm - total of 84 reps

One Arm Jerk:  16kg - 2 minutes @ 16 rpm - total of 32 reps

I then cooled down with a selection of Kettlebell Foundation Compensatory Movements.  And tomorrow I rest.

Jerks & Snatches

My back has been in an 'ok' state for a little while now. I have eased up on some of the lateral movements in the Intu-Flow program as well as the Compensatory Movements and it is making a noticeable difference in the positive direction. I appears that my back issue is dependent not just on my spinal twist but also on hip/pelvis movement as well. I think I will be making a purchase shortly - Gray Cook & Brett Jones' Secrets of the Hip & Knee DVD. Maybe there's something in there that might shed some more light on my condition.

Anyway, since I have been playing around with the 12kg bells again this past week, I decided to return to them now as my working weight. I was happily surprised at how well my back handled not only the heavier bell, but also the one-arm work, such as cleans and push presses. I was afraid the unilateral work would aggravate my back but things are feeling as good as they have been for quite a while now. So this is what today's session looked like...

Swing:
12kg - 10/10
16kg - 10/10
20kg - 5/5

Jerk: 2 x 12kg - 4 minutes @ 6 rpm - total of 24 reps

Snatch: 12kg - 6 minutes @ 12 rpm - total of 72 reps

I felt a bit of tightness in my back following the Jerks, but nothing above a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the worst pain, 1 being barely noticeable). So now we wait and see! =)