I'm getting packed up to go on holiday to head up the coast for a week to Northumberland.
So will be offline for a week - probably!!
Taking a 24kg and 32kg bell with me so I can work on VWC training and my AdamTGlass 32kg kettlebell challenge.
Adam has challenged me to 50 reps left hand snatch and 50 reps right hand snatch with only 1 hand change (GS Style).
So far I've had one training session at this style, worked upto 25:25 with 5:5, 10:10, 15:15, 20:20 before it. The one hand switch style is a test of true grit. But will be fun.
Also, on my agenda is Viking Warrior VO2max training. So, far this week I've had 2 sessions 20 mins and 25 mins at 15:15 kb snatch (still heading for 40 mins), but not had time to give a proper update due to work constraints. So, 30 mins is my next target.
Andrew Durnait: Andrew is a C.S.C.S and the owner of Optimal Performance Training. Andrew is an international kettlebell competitor and current American record holder for the single arm snatch (147 reps, 32kg). He is known for his combining Kettlebell lifting with the Olympic and Power lifts to create the ultimate in athletic potential.
His training has led him to be able to perform many famous strength feats and compete in ultra-endurance events. Andrew has served as an assistant lacrosse coach at the College of Wooster and was an All-American Defenseman in lacrosse at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Andrew is a regular instructor for world champion Valery Federenko's AKC certification course. He is another in the trenches instructor that has a great deal of experience as an athlete, as a trainer, and is very well researched.
When you meet Andrew in person and see his abilities in action as well as his outstanding instruction, you know that he is destined for great things as a trainer and as a strength athlete. Not only does Andrew compete in kettlebell sport competitions, he competes in strongman competitions and does very well at both. While he is well versed in kettlebell training for sport, Andrew also uses a variety of kettlebell exercises with his clients such as Renegade Rows, Turkish-get-ups, and kettlebell squat thrusts. He is an opened minded trainer that is always looking for methods to improve his own training and that of his clients. Andrew is going to cover a variety of kettlebell juggling moves, incredible kettlebell feats of strength, getting the most out of the Kettlebell snatch, and barbell juggling. Andrew is also going to give a presentation on how he effectively combines kettlebells with other training tool for the best of all worlds. His clients have been benefiting for years from his expertise and now it is your turn.
As I'm battling everything at the moment, work (very busy), moving house and a pregnant wife, my training has been suffering a bit so I've just been doing bare minimum training and training when I can.
Plan to do another 15:15 vo2max VWC session tomorrow but did a simple workout tonight.
I wouldn't call it a training sesssion, just a workout!
100 (non stop) x 360's with 40lb macebell
5 x 10 left/right jori/clubbell one handed swings with a lovely piece of 2" steel (15kg)
50 hindu squats
16lb hammer finger walking for 5 mins
3 x 15kg plate curls right hand
1 x 15kg plate curl left hand
Took around 20 mins, got me sweating and my hands exploding and legs pumped!
My Viking Warrior Conditioning Book arrived finally today, hooray!
So, I decided I would start my VWC/Vo2max training when it arrived by doing the snatch cadence test.(it's a bit like a smoker stopping smoking after they've smoked the last pack, I was just waiting to start this when the book arrived as a spur on!!)
The test in the book is very similar to that put on the Dragondoor forum by Kenneth Jay which I found a while back on RIF's blog
I found my snatch cadence to be 30 reps in the last minute with a 24kg kettlebell.
So, here we go into the land of vo2 max, again.
Firstly, 15:15 until I can do 80 sets (20min snatching/20 mins rest) So that's 8 reps per 15 seconds.
The last time I did intervals was about 6 years ago when I competed at Concept2 Indoor rowing (nasty nasty sport - because that really hurts), with some success (3rd in North England time for 2000m - 6:07)
As I haven't read the full book I will post my full review later this week
Dick Hartzell Lower Back Stretching - Stretch Band Resource
I often use stretch bands (in my case Ironwoody) for training with. I quite often use ideas from Westside Barbell and also some of my own such as hanging weights from a barbell etc to make the weight unstable.
However, I have found a great resource for stretching the body in a very effective way (thanks to Pat Hodgson for this gem) by using stretch bands.
Dick Harzell is the founder of Jumpstretch
If you have stretch bands (or even the surgical tubing type) then I think you'll love these videos.
Here's the lower back video but make sure you check out the first video in the series too, here.
I went for reps overhead. Did 20 reps, it's the first time i've done this so now have a target to beat next time.
As you can see from the video I start to fail a bit on the technique in the latter half, but this can be put straight with training and possibly some static holds, as GS athletes do as part of their training.
Static holds are an element I will be adding into my training. I first learnt about them from girevoysportafter40 blog
Still waiting, waiting! Yes I'm still waiting with baited breath for my Viking Warrior conditioning book by Kenneth Jay to arrive from Dragondoor
The book will be a much more detailed extension of his VO2max Protocol training 36/36 and 15/15
Heart of elastic steel!
To get started with VO2 Max Training workouts with the kettlebell snatch in the style of Kenneth Jay RKC Viking Conditioning read this article previously on Dragondoor via RIFSBLOG
Also, check out Dan John's Review of Viking Conditioning
Finally, clarity
I have been looking forward to this book for a long time. I admit it: I was clueless about what we were doing at the San Jose RKC when I did the workout. I kept thinking I was just missing something. So, I read the articles and asked questions, but couldn't get a handle on it.
In other words, how can 16k tear me apart like this? Kenneth's book is like "Kalos Sthenos," it will change the way you approach one of our basic six movements forever. Ignore the notion that you "know" what the book is about (insert image of me waving hands around) because almost certainly you don't.
If the kbell snatch is the "Tsar" of our movements, this approach to training it is beyond anything I have considered. The workouts will improve your snatch technique while also teaching your heart and lungs a thing or two about conditioning.
I read the book cover to cover in one sitting. I am not good at math, but I understood the insights that Kenneth is driving at throughout the text. We continue to evolve as a kbell community in our understanding of techniques, but this is a book loaded with the method behind our madness. Great job here... Dan John - Murray, Utah
Loving the macebell at the minute, did some work with my new mace at the weekend.
Made up my new piece of kit from an old barbell I cut down along with some 5 kg weight discs and old collars.
Thanks to Scott Bird from Straighttothebar.com I now know what the real names are for the Hindu training exercises.... I already new about the Gada
Dands (Hindu Push-ups), Bathiaks (Hindu Squats), and Gada (Mace)
Dands and Bathiaks, yeah!
Here's my vid. Found the new 50lb'er a real challenge. Absolutely destroyed my grip, triceps, abs and back not to mention a little tweak on my inner thigh :)
I would highly recommend trying this out as it's also great fun. Careful though as there is an element of risk involved so be warned.
Check out the Hindu Pushups, macebell swinging and hindu squats.
I guess these things have always been done, for centuries.
Old is now new and everything is coming around again.
Press ups, squats and swinging heavy stuff around whether it's a kettlebell,a macebell or a sandbag.
Keeping fit and strong doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming.
Also, don't let strength and fitness be a craze or a 'latest thing' for you, make it part of your daily life. Just do something and you'll reap the benefits
If there's anyone around that could beat John Brookfields SSST score of over 300 then Pavlos Giorgiadis is probably the man. 180 reps with 1 hand (no change) in 9 minutes....... insane.
The grip endurance and fitness to do this is immense.
Amazing work, totally amazing. Well done Pavlos!
22 year old Master of Sport, Pavlos Giorgiadis, completes 180 reps Snatch (in just over 9 minutes), 32kg/70lb with 1 hand at the World Kettlebell Club Kettlebell Sport Camp in Greece 2009. World Kettlebell Club has a "Feats of Strength/Endurance" Category of Kettlebell Lifting, with this being considered a spectacular Grip Feat. As with all Feats, WKC recommends you not try this at home. Pavlos is a trained Professional.
Took the kettlebells outside yesterday as it was such a nice day.
Played around with the 24kg trying out some new stuff after watching Jeff Martones H2H Kettlebell DVD. Which I must say is very good and brought about a lot of new stuf to me.
So, I put together a high pull to open hand catch into a throw and bottoms up catch into a Tower of Terror (there may be names for these moves, but right now I don't know what their proper names are)
This drill really worked the grip and pumped up the shoulders, felt great for the co-ordination too.
German Volume Training is a relatively simple method for muscle and strength development.
The aim is to complete 10 sets of 10 reps with 1 minute rest between sets.
The starting weight should be approx. 50-60% of your 1 rep max
To maximise the effect of German Volume Training (GVT) then compound exercises should be used.
What is a compound exercise?
A Compound exercise is a multi-joint movement that works more than one muscle simultaneously. The opposite of isolation exercises.
Generally, all kettlebell training exercises are compound exercises as they involve the large muscle groups all together.
What exercises to use with German Volume Training?
As you should be using compound movements then the following exercises will reap most benefit:
Legs - Squat Chest - Bench Press Shoulders - Standing press Back - Deadlift, bent row
Attention to other areas of the body can be addressed after a GTV workout. i.e. Bicep curls etc last (3x10)
A simple German Volume Training session could be:
Monday Squat 10x10 Bench Press 10x10
Thursday
Deadlift 10x10 Shoulder Press 10x10
Ok so as a kettlebell trainer I would suggest that this type of training can be modified to suit kettlebells. Although, generally kettlebells are not adjustable unless you own a kettlestack or something similar then progression would be a little more difficult.
But, the exercises above can certainly be subbed for kettlebell equivelants. Use your imagination. Kettlebells can be used to squat with, bench press with them deadlift (deficit deadlift is a great one) and of course shoulder press.
German Volum Training with kettlebells is certainly an option and possibly the one you need to push yourself to another level. Also, don't forget that this routine is only 2 days a week but can be 3 and you can do vo2max on other days as well as your staple swinging sessions. The sky is the limit
If you've never heard of Timothy Ferris, he's famous for basically doing everything in less time and taking shortcuts to improve his life so he can spend more time dong the stuff he wants.
Pretty cool stuff! There is a distinct connection between Timothy Ferris's philosophies and kettlebell training as I feel I can get a lot out of Kettlebells in a short space of time.
As Timothy says in this interview "I can get a great workout doing 150 kettlebell swings!
Maybe I can write my own book called the The 4 minute kettlebell workout
Hold one maybe this is an old workout - tabata training!
Chain Training Bands and Logs Synergy Athletics by Joe Hashey
I found this superb video put up on Youtube by Joe Hashey author of Bull Strength
This video shows what goes on at Synergy Athletics and looks fantastic.
I'm in love with the use of the chains here. This is a set up I can use as I have the handles and the chains which are gathering dust at the moment.
Also, log clean and press for time is great too (also got a log but needs dragging outside to use) and often used by Defrancos gym.
Right near the end of the video you'll see sandbag loading by 3 athletes onto a platform where one of the sandbags has a band attached. Wow, makes youm wonder why you hadn't thought of it yourself!
This is awesome stuff and something I will be putting into my training once I get moved house where I will able to make great use of a big garage for my new gym.
Irontamer TGU Instruction from Dave Whitley Turkish Get Up
Dave Whitley has a great way of making kettlebell training techniques simple and here's one of them - TGU
Here Dave runs through the exact technique used to do the TGU the RKC way
Here a few notes I made about the 'Turkish Get The RKC way" video by Dave Whitley to help with technique
- Lay on side - pull kettlebell into belly - get kettlebell into the "firing range position" - opposite hand out 45 degrees away from the body - engage the leg on the same side as kettlebell (get foot near butt) - punch kettlebell up and support with opposite arm - keep shoulder blades back and out and look towards the kettlebell - raise the hip and lift butt off floor into a 3 point cradle position - Bring opposite foot across and under the body and knee directly under the kettlebell - stand up from lunge position pushing off the lead foot - keep arm locked out abs tight and stable
Second Half of Turkish Get Up (return to start position)
- step back into lunge position with none active side(leg on opposite side to kettlebell) - begin crouch and reach out with free arm to floor - lower hips to the ground and return to horizontal position - bring kettlebell to belly and rotate to same side and place kettlebell on floor
Jimmy has been training his heavy 60kg kettlebell again and has put up this video of what he calls 'Weird kettlebell press'
This looks very impressive to me with the initial clean and half flip (so the ball is resting in the palm of your hand) and then the press with the flip at the top.
Which takes a lot of co-ordination.
Exciting stuff, as I know how difficult this is with a much lighter kettlebell.
Pressing the kettlebell with the ball in the palm of your hand opens the hand out dramatically and brings about a new dimension which I believe can aid all round pressing ability as it forces the use of different muscles out of the groove and also adds instability.
I also think this method of pressing a kettlebell could be of particular use to Shot putters as it mimics the open hand.
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