Training and Hitting the Road...

Training today:

20kg VO2 Max Snatches

7 reps per 15 seconds x 40 sets

Lots of Z, Brettzel and ASLR through the day and needed to have an easy workout so knocked  a rep off of the VO2 Max snatches - worked out very well.

Hitting the Road....again.....

Off to Budapest, Hungary tomorrow and will blog when I can but should be a fun trip and a great experience.

Training today...9/27/08

Prep work: Z, Brettzel, ASLR

40 kg Get-up x 10 singles R+L

40 kg Alternating Swing - 10 reps x 10 sets

Stretch

A good heavy day workout - simple but effective.

Variety of Stuff....

Here is a great post by Dr. Mark Cheng of KBLA re: the FMS and Secrets of...series:
http://kettlebellslosangeles.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-do-i-get-if.html

Congrats!!
A belated Congratulations to all those that received the promotion to Senior RKC status:
Shaun Cairns, Jon Engum, Brad Nelson, Doug Nepodal, and Will Williams
And new Team Leader -
Cortez Hull, Dan John, Peter Lakatos, and Jeremy Layport
I look forward to working with at future RKCs.

Revisiting Lighter KBs...
A question on the forum and my recent training has me using "lighter" KBs and loving it.
I used to be of the mind of heavier and heavier work with the KBs - go heavy with a single bell and then progress on to the double bells and keep going heavier - no wonder Powerlifting appealed to me ;-)
But along came Kenneth Jay's VO2 Max protocol and I was reintroduced to the 16kg KB and learned a lot about what "heavy" means. Actively accelerating the Kettlebell with the Lat and the Hike pass and the very quick "turn around" after the hike is nothing short of magic. My hips are quicker and more powerful than ever and my conditioning is on the way up.
Now I make it a point to have a regular rotation from the 16kg up to the 32kg (sometimes the 40kg).
Now to put this in some perspective - I have completed the Beast Challenge, won the first Tactical Strength Challenge, have belt only competition bests of 518 in the Squat and 573 in the deadlift, and I am on the RED nail roster with various other grip feats "under my belt" and I find the 16kg KB to be a very useful tool. The 24kg is what I would call the "sweet spot" for me and the 32 and 40 work my strength just fine.
Light is relative of course and these numbers will need to be adjusted for the individual but don't be afraid to go "light".

Training today...
Prep work - Z, Brettzel, ASLR
16kg Get-ups x 5+5, 5+5, 5+5, 5+5
16kg Goblet Squat x 10
Hip Flexor stretch

Performed a variety of Get-up variations - high bridge, overhead squat, 3/4 Get-up with a half-kneeling press etc.... Feeling good.

Go one post lower and check out upcoming workshops....

VO2 Max training and Workshops...

Quick training today with one of my clients

VO2 Max 15 sec on/15 sec off - 8 reps per 15 sec

20 kg x 20 sets 

16 kg x 20 sets

40 sets total - 320 snatches total

The 20 kg was "fun" for the first twenty sets and stepping back to the 16 kg just kept the burn going.  Good workout.

Workshops

November 15 - 

Kettlebell Basics workshop with Brett Jones Master RKC and Kerry Swick RKC in Pittsburgh, Pa - Location is the iscenter.com - the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center 

from 9 am - 1 pm.  

Email - appliedstrength@gmail.com for registration etc...

Cost - $197 before 11/5 - $250 after that date

November 22-23 - Functional Movement Screen workshop Minneapolis, MN

Jason Green and Corrective Exercise Specialists will be hosting this FMS workshop - details on www.functionalmovement.com and Registration at This Link

Travel Schedule...

Sept. 30 - Oct. 6 RKC Hungary

Oct. 9 - Oct. 12 RKC MSP

Oct. 17 - Oct.19 World Golf Fitness Summit 

Oct. 20 SLEEPPPPPPP

9/22/08

Squeezing in the training and coming soon...

Squeezed in the training today -hitting some Get-ups between clients and finishing with some swings but the overall effect was very good.

24 kg Get-up x 5+5

28 kg Get-up x 5+5

32 kg Get-up x 5+5

24 kg one arm Swings {20+20-15+15-10+10-5+5}

Just grooving on the Get-ups and Swings.

Coming soon as promised - i will have details about the Nov. 15 Pittsburgh KB Workshop and an updated travel schedule.

9/17/08 - Training etc...

Prep work - Z, ASLR, Bretzzel
32 kg 3-step Get-up x 1+1
32 kg Get-up x 5 singles R+L

32 kg Snatches 5+5 x 10 sets
Stretch

An updated Workshop and Travel schedule coming tomorrow -
will include details on the upcoming KB workshop in Pittsburgh!

9/15/08...
Prep course and quick training

Quick training today -
24 kg KB Get-up x 5 + 5
24 kg One arm swings x 20 + 20 - 15 + 15 - 10 + 10 - 5 + 5 (continuous)

Back from San Diego and the RKC prep course at Iron Core and it was a great weekend. Congrats to all the attendees and I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming RKC!

Quick training and....

More Travel!!

Prep work - Z drills, ASLR, Brettzel

32 kg KB Get-ups x 10 singles R + L

And away we go - again - Off to San Diego Tomorrow to teach an RKC Prep course at Iron Core in La Jolla.

Training 9/3/08...And off to Jolly Old England...

Quick training today -
16kg VO2Max Protocol -
8 reps per 15 seconds x 40 sets (2o minutes total)

See I told you it was quick ;-)
but effective - I am constantly amazed at how well the VO2Max protocol works.

Off to Jolly Old England in a few hours....

Training 9/2/08...and Updated Travel Schedule...

Prep work - Z drills, Brettzel, ASLR

All with 32kg - (RKC prep workout #2)
MP x 3+3 (1st circuit), x 3+3 (2nd circuit)
Get-up x 3+3 (1st circuit), x 2+2 (2nd circuit)
MP x 3+3 (1st Circuit), x 3+3 (2nd circuit)
Swing (2 arm) x 20 (1st circuit), x 20 (2nd circuit)
MP x 3+3 (1st circuit), x 2+2 (2nd circuit)
Clean and Front Squat x 5+5 (1st circuit), 5+5 (2nd circuit)
MP x 3+3 (1st circuit), x 2+2 (2nd circuit)
Snatch x 10+10 (1st circuit), One arm swing x 10+10 (2nd circuit)
MP x 3+3 (1st circuit), x 2+2 (2nd circuit)
Alternating Swing x 20 (1st circuit), x 20 (2nd circuit)

completed in 35 minutes (or so...)

My left arm pressing has been a weak spot for quite some time and having to drop to 2 reps per MP set shows it - right arm was ready to keep on chugging but had to hold back for the left - but it will catch up.

Questions? Thoughts? Comments?

Updated Travel Schedule:
9/3 - 9/6- Liverpool, England - FMS workshop
9/11- 9/14 - San Diego, CA - RKC prep course
9/30 - Oct. 6 - RKC Hungary - Budapest, Hungary
10/9 - 10/12 - RKC MSP - MSP
10/17 - 10/19 - World Golf Fitness Summit presentation, CA

Those include some travel days etc... but it should be a great round of trips!

Trainng 9/1/08

Pulled a page from my own play book and used my RKC prep workout
All with 24kg KB x 2 circuits:
2 arm Swing x 20
Get-up x 5+5
One arm Swing x 10+10
MP x 6+6
Alternating Swing x 20
Clean and Front Squat x 6+6
2 arm Swing x 20
Snatch x 10+10
Alternating Swing x 20

Stretching

Enjoy Labor Day!!

Training today 8/25/08...

Prep work:
Lots of brettzel, ASLR and mobility work

24kg Get-ups x 6 singles each side, more brettzel..., then 4+4 continous

24kg Alternating swings x 30, 30 (concentrating on overspeed eccentric)

Hip flexor streching etc...

I was in Dayton, OH this weekend teaching the FMS to a group of trainers there - but the driving and teaching left me a bit stiff so lots of mobility work today. On the Get-up singles I was using the overhead squat to begin the negative and then the 4+4 were just high-bridge and lunge style.
Simple...

Quick training for yesterday 8/15/08

Prep work: Z, ASLR, T-spine rotation
40kg Get-up x 5 singles each side
40kg Alternating swings x 5 sets of 10 reps

Snatched the 40 kg and got 5 reps each arm easily but my left thumb is still not up to that type of weight and stress so alternating swings instead.

Finally back to training...

Due to the time on the road and various other excuses I have been consistant with my Z drills but missing my KB - so back to it today!

Prep work:
Z drills
ASLR
Bretzel

24 kg Get-Ups x 12 r+L (groups of 3 styles- High bridge + low sweep + Overhead squat)

24kg Swings x 10 sets of 10 (5 sets r and 5 sets L) in 5 minutes

felt good to be back in the swing of things ;)


In case you missed it or if you know of anyone prepping for the RKC - check out my coming RKC prep workshop in San Diego:
http://www.ironcorekettlebells.com/rkc.html

Back from CK-FMS....

The first ever CK-FMS certification workshop is in the books. Gray Cook and I were honored to have close to 70 RKC attendees - including Master instructors, Sr. Instructors and the Chief Instructor (Pavel) in attendance. RKCs from England and Hungary and all over the country made their way to MSP to see what the CK-FMS was going to be all about.

I am thrilled with how the workshop went and how it was received. The reviews and information will be up on dragondoor.com in the coming weeks.

A few words of reflection and thanks:

Teaching at a workshop vs. Being Responsible for running the workshop - I am emotionally and mentally drained from this weekend. Launching an entirely new certification and workshop is quite different than just showing up to teach!

Thank you to Pavel and Gray Cook - my mentors and friends.

Thank you to Dr. Mark Cheng and Danielle Cook - our assistants over the weekend and our "silent assasins" who made much of the weekend possible.

John DuCane and the dragondoor.com staff - it just wouldn't have been possible without you.

To my fellow Master RKCs and Sr. RKCs - your support and friendship honors me.

To all of the attendees - thank you for making the leap of faith to hop into a new program

Off to CK-FMS...

Leaving in the morning for the CK-FMS workshop in Minneapolis - Gray and I are keyed up and chomping at the bit to get this under way!!

Will blog if I can.

Announcing a special RKC Prep course...

RKC Prep Course with Brett Jones
Learn how to teach kettlebells and prepare for the RKC with Master RKC and CSCS - Brett Jones -
September 12th-14th, 2008
Some of what Brett will cover:
Discover how to teach kettlebells
Correct form and technique
Design programs for groups and individuals
Prepare to take and pass the RKC
Brett Jones is teaching a comprehensive RKC Prep Course at Iron Core that you don't want to miss.
Space is limited to 20 participants - See Details
http://www.ironcorekettlebells.com/rkc.html

This will be a unique opportunity to prepare for the RKC - don't miss it!

In LA for the RKC...

I am in LA for the RKC this weekend and then heading home on Monday - only to turn around and fly to MSP on that Thursday for the FMS - quite the exciting time!!

Will blog more if I can but don't get disheartened - I will be back soon!

Sorry for the gaps...

Just been very - very busy with travel and work but will get some informative stuff up soon.

Otherwise I have been letting my left thumb heal up and working on my I-phase drills - feeling really good!

Long time no Blog...

Sprained thumb, I-phase, video shooting, and back on the road tonight...

Lots to blog on and little time to do it but here is a recap of the "bright spots -

Sprained my Thumb on Thursday of last week holding a pad for a kick - blamo - sprained thumb but due to some Z health work I am healing quickly and feeling pretty good - just still have to be careful with it. These things happen. ;)

I-phase was great! Lots of information and progression for me and lots of new tools to use on my clients and with great success already! Zachariah Salazar and Dr. Cobb worked with using some T-phase work and I am doing my first successful lumbar circles and feeling really good!
Tremendous weekend with great friends - old and new - Thank you to Courtney and Geoff Neupert for putting up with me - I mean putting me up for the weekend. Thanks to Dr. Cobb, Kathy and the Z-Health gang and Zachariah and Leah for their friendship and help over the weekend.

Video shooting - After I-phase I made the drive up to Chatham, VA and the home of Gray Cook and family and after being up too late and up too early we put in a 10 hour filming day on our next project. I am very excited about this video and will have details as they become available.

Now I am headed back to the airport to fly to Boston to teach tomorrow...(cue music..."on the road again - just can't wait to be on the road again........)

So many things happening right now and very, very busy but will have more to blog this weekend and next week.