Yoga and Kettlebells

Since I wasn't too sore today, I decided to restart my Simple and Sinister training today. I messed around and didn't train until early evening. I warmed up with Brian Friedman's yoga flow for kettlebells. Then got right into the kettlebell training.


Simple and Sinister

• Two Hand Kettlebell Swings 10 x 10 x 44 lbs
• Turkish Get Ups L, R, L, R, L, R, L, R, L, R x 1 x 44 lbs

I did the swings EMOM fashion. After not doing swings for a month or better, doing 10 swings in 15

seconds and taking 45 seconds rest got me me breathing hard and got a good sweat going. Felt good overall. Then on to the get ups after a full minute of rest.

I had to remind myself that I don't need to make the time requirements for Simple and Sinister every workout. For swings that is 100 swings in five minutes. I clearly didn't do that since I did 10 swings every minute. But I usually push myself to complete the 10 total get ups in 10 minutes as required. Today I let myself breathe more between reps so it took me 11:23 to complete the get ups. Warm up time was 10:49 to go through the yoga flow three times. Total kettlebell time 22:23.

Armor Building Grease the Groove

After I finished 21 days of get ups, I took a couple of days off which turned into a week. As I've been watching the Crossfit Games Regional competitions this weekend I figured I should get back to my own fitness and not just watch other people displaying their fitness. So, yesterday, as I was grilling I decided to do a version of Dan John's Armor Building kettlebell complex. Basically every time I walked out to the grill to check on the meat I was smoking I did one or two rounds of the following with a pair of 35 pound kettlebells.

• 2 reps Clean
• 1 rep Press
• 3 reps Front Squat

By the time I finished grilling I had accumulated 20 rounds! That's a total of 40 cleans, 20 presses and 60 squats. Pretty good considering I had never done this complex before. I figured I would be extremely sore today since I haven't done those movements in forever. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I was hardly sore at all. I attribute the lack of soreness to those 21 days of get ups.

The Grease the Groove part is that I did all this work in little segments spread over many hours. I got this concept from Pavel Tsatsouline. The next time I do Armor Building I think I'll do it Every Minute On the Minute (EMOM) for 15 or 20 minutes. If I can do 20 minutes with good form, I think I'll then try to see how many rounds I can do without putting the kettlebell down at all. 

21 Days of Turkish Get Ups with Rdella Training

One of my favorite podcasts is the Rdella Training Podcast by Scott Iardella. Back in April he announced a 21 day training program consisting of daily Turkish Get Ups. I signed up and began the program on 1 May 2017 along w/ Scott and many of his other listeners.

Everyday for 21 straight days I did the prescribed number of getups. I usually did them in the morning after five minutes of mobility work ala Max Shank's 5 Minute Flow. Occasionally I did my get ups in the evening but probably only 3 or 4 times out of twenty one days. Oh sometimes I warmed up with a Yoga Flow by Brian Friedman. My other go to morning mobility was inspired by either Scott Sonnon's Intu-Flow or Original Strength Resets.

The first week I used a 25 pound kettlebell. Total reps for the week were 36. The second week I used a 35 pound bell. Total reps for the week were 44. On the third and final week I used a 44 pound bell, which I hadn't used for getups since last summer. The rep total for the week was 52. I also successfully tested with the 53 pound kettlebell on the last day! So every week I increased both volume and weight. Good stuff.

I regained strength and improved both technique and mobility. Soreness was minimal. I'm proud of myself for finishing the program without skipping a day even though I was tempted to skip a day or do "naked get ups" instead of using a weight. Overall a great challenge to get me ready for taking on Simple and Sinister again.

The Best Intentions

Last time I worked out I was getting over what felt like a mild case of the flu. But I got back at it too soon and really got the flu. It has taken me a month to really feel like training again. Today I intended to do my normal warm up and then Simple and Sinister.

But first I needed to sweep out the carport. By the time I finished that simple task my hip was hurting. I decided to just do my performance preparation then decide whether I should continue with my kettlebell practice or not.

Performance Preparation

Original Strength Reset

• Cross Crawl - 20 per side 
• Crocodile Breathing - 2 minutes
• Head Nods - 20 reps
• Rolling - 4 reps left and right first leading w/ arms then legs
• Rocking - 20 reps
• Crawling - 3 minutes

Wide Leg Founder 1

1 Arm Bar per side, 1 minute each w/ 25 lbs.

After I finished the above prep my hip was still hurting, maybe even a little more than before I began warming up. So, discretion being the better part of valor, I did not go forward with the kettlebell practice. I'll try again tomorrow.

Warm Humid Evening Simple and Sinister

Warm Up Original Strength Reset

• Cross Crawl - 20 per side
• Crocodile Breathing - 2 minutes
• Head Nods - 20 reps
• Rolling - 3 reps left and right first leading w/ legs then arms
• Rocking - 20 reps
• Crawling - 4 minutes

Simple and Sinister 

• Kettlebell Swings 5 x 10 x 44 lbs.
• Kettlebell Swings 4 x 10 x 53 lbs.
• Kettlebell Swings 1 x 10 x 44 lbs.
• Turkish Get Ups 5 x 1 x 35 lbs. per side

I didn't want to work out. My hips have been pretty achy the last couple of days. But then again I haven't done an OS Rest for a couple of days, nor done my kettlebell practice. I've got to remember that Movement Is Medicine! I feel better now, left hip still hurts some but right one feels good.

I ended up crawling four minutes. I crawled slowly because as I said my hips were aching but I wanted to cover my normal distance. It just took twice as long. Total warm up time 14 minutes.

I wasn't sure I was going to do my kettlebell practice, but I started listening to the Strength Matters Podcast as I was leaving work to help get me in the mood for training. By the time my warm up was done I had listened to an inspiring episode and started in on the interview of Pat Flynn. There was no way I could not train. Plus the OS Reset had loosened me up pretty well.

I did one more set of two hand swings at 53 lbs. than last time. I slowed down on the Get Ups. Maybe it was the heat. The whole kettlebell routine took me 20:05, which was really on 25 seconds longer than Monday but it felt like a struggle during the last 2 or 3 sets of get ups.

I've also gotten nearly 9k steps today as well as doing 52 push ups in Grease the Groove fashion of 13 sets of 4 reps spread through the day.

Woke Up Feeling Very Good

I woke up feeling very good this morning. Drank some water and had a couple or three cups of coffee.  During that time I ran the dishwasher, put away some dishes that had been hand washed and hand washed some more dishes. I also washed dried and folded a couple of loads of clothes. Nic eand productive.

Got dressed and did the Original Strength reset I did yesterday. Did a little more laundry and dishes. Then I went outside and did the Simple and Sinister routine.

Warm Up 3 circuits 5 reps each exercise

• Deep, assisted, prying squats
• Hip Bridges
• Light Kettlebell Halo
• Bird dogs

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5 x 10 x 35#, 35#, 53#, 53#, 35#
• Turkish Get Ups 5 x 1 x 35# (per side)

I did the prying squats assisting myself by grasping the pole of our basketball goal while in the bottom position. I braced my knees inside my thighs and pressed out to increase the stretch. I also subtly shifted positions working on hip and pelvic mobility. All the rest of the warm up was pretty standard stuff.

The kettlebell swings were fairly easy until the first set at 53 pounds. I was not properly braced and positioned on the first swing at 53#. I almost lost my balance with the heavier weight. I guess I had gotten too used to the 35 pounder which I can easily "muscle" now. I immediately focused and tightened up my form and bracing. This made for two good sets at the heavier weight.

I'm getting better at doing Turkish Get Ups with the 35 pounder. Once again I momentarily lost focus in the fourth set, wobbled a bit going from the post to kneeling and had to catch my balance. Overall though I felt better. My arms and shoulders feel pretty smoked on the fifth set though. I completed the session in the prescribed 16 minutes: 5 minutes for swings, 1 minute rest, 10 minutes for get ups.

After a glass of water I stayed outside and swept and raked leaves for an hour. Man it's a beautiful day. Bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky if a little cool for Greenville, SC at 55°F and just breezy enough to feel like 52°F. 

Overall a nice morning and early afternoon. The relatively low volume of daily exercise provided by Simple and Sinister leaves me plenty of gas in the tank to do other things. It also doesn't make me super sore though I can feel how well my muscles worked.

Simple and Sinister Day 2 - 20151204

This morning before leaving for work I pressed reset on my body with the Original Strength program. I also did two "shoe" turkish get ups, unloaded except for balance a shoe on the knuckles of the fist of my upraised arm.

This evening I pressed reset again as a warmup before doing Simple and Sinister.

Pressing Reset consists of

• Cross Crawl 20 reps
• Diaphragmatic Breathing 2 minutes
• Head Nods 20 reps
• Segmented rolls 3 reps each direction led by each limb
• Rocking 20 reps
• Baby Crawl 2 minutes

Simple and Sinister

• Kettlebell Swings 5 x 10 x 35#, 35#, 53#, 35#, 35#
• Turkish Get Ups 5 x 1 x 35# (per side)

That's it. A lot less volume than 300 swings a day but I'm gong to work on using the 53# kettlebell for all 5 sets. I could feel a big difference between the 35# and the 53#. I'm also still getting used to doing the get ups with the 35#. I'm also going to focus on cleaning up my diet. That is all for today.

300 Kettlebell Swings Daily for 30 Days Done

I haven't posted in just over a month. However, I diligently pursued and completed the challenge of doing 300 kettlebell swings every day for 30 days and finished the 30 days on November 29th. It was tough, especially the first week or so even though I was only using a 16 kg kettlebell. My body got used to it. I generally knocked them out in blocks in 50 or 100. By the end of the month it was a bit of a mental grind more so than a physical one.

I have ordered some heavier kettlebells.  I'm going to start integrating a 24 kg into my swing sets. During the 30 days I progressed from using a 12 kg to the 16 kg for my turkish get ups. Progress all around. Also, though I didn't measure strictly I noticed that my jeans have gotten looser and I have had to pull my belt tighter. I posted a picture on Facebook yesterday and a number of people remarked that I had lost weight! I also feel like my back is stronger and my posture is better.

My plan for the next several weeks is to follow Pavel Tsatsouline's Simple and Sinister program. I know in my last post I said I would go back to doing Tracy Reifkind's workouts but I found that I really liked the daily practice of the 30 day challenge. Now that I've had a couple of days off and time to think S&S is the way to go for me for now.

I also stumbled across the Original Strength program during the last month via the Rdella Strength Training podcast in which Scott Iardella interviewed one of the author's Geoff Neupert. I bought the book Pressing Reset, Original Strength Reloaded. I've started doing a 10 minute reset from the book daily and I can already feel the difference. My hips (I've been having trouble with my left hip) and bum right shoulder feel better and so does my lower back. I highly recommend the resets they only take 10 minutes or so!

I'll be posting more often again, but probably not everyday. Actually I might at least post my daily numbers if not much narrative.

Today

Original Strength 10 minuter reset before leaving the house for the office.

1 Mile walk after lunch.

After work:

• OS Reset
• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# in 5 minutes
• 1 minute break
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x35# per side in 10 minutes

Nice Weather for an Evening Kettlebell Session

I slept in a bit today. Got up at 0830. Around 0930 I put on my workout clothes. What time did I start working out? Oh about 1727. HA! As it turned out, due to the crazy storm we had last night the weather was pleasant instead of oppressively hot as it usually is this time of day in September in South Carolina. It's only 82°F and feels like 83°F and the humidity is only 54%! There's a slight breeze blowing, too.

Warm up walk 0.54 miles in 10:57 for an average of 3.0 mph.

Warm up calisthenic circuits 5 reps per exercise,  (per side or direction if a unilateral type exercise) 11:46 minutes.

• Prying Goblet Squat w/ 25# kettlebell
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo  w/ 15# kettlebell
• Flying Dog

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,14x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x14x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 10x1x25# (per side)

Warm ups were good. Proud of the 3.0 mph walking speed. Completed my calisthenics a little faster, too. Increased my reps a bit on swings by doing 14 reps on the last two sets of the second group of 5 sets, and then sticking with 14 reps during the final 5 sets. Monday I'll step up to 15 reps and do Tracy Reifkind's full Workout #2. The swings are done one set every minute on the minute so it took 15 minutes to complete them.

I also stepped up on the Turkish Get Ups. I did a full 10 sets per side after taking only about a 1.5 minute break once I completed my swings. So it took me about 20 minutes to do all the get ups. That feels like too long. I am going to try to shave some time off of that. Total kettlebell time 36:38.

Fell Off My Program But Got Back On

The last couple of weeks have been very difficult. I've been working 10+ hour days. I had been getting home late, eating dinner and basically vegging out and going to sleep. I had gotten my weight as low as 249. Put a couple of pounds back on over the last 10 days. Got to work again today with my kettlebells.

Warm Up Walk 0.53 miles in 11:50 for average speed of 2.7 mph.

Calisthenic Circuits 15 minutes.

• Prying Goblet Squat w/ 25# kettlebell
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction) w/ 15# kettlebell
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 15x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

Since I hadn't worked out in about 10 days I decided to scale back to Tracy Reifkind's Workout #1. I also decided to revert back to my simplest warm up routine. I had limited time but wanted to get in a good training session and also ease my body back into the routine.

The swings were pretty easy only doing 10 reps per set EMOM but I can still feel them hours later. I also reduced the sets of Turkish Get Ups back to 5. I plan to train again on Monday. Since this was relatively easy, I'll do Workout #2 in which 1 rep is added in each of the 2nd group of 5 sets topping out at 15 reps. Then sticking at 15 reps for the third group of 5 sets. I might even add a set or two of getups as well.

Too Sore for Kettlebell Training

Yesterday's hike left me too sore today for kettlebell training. My feet and calves are SORE! My back and hip flexors a little less so. I decided to take it easy today.

I did my FMS corrective exercises. Took me about 23 minutes. I also did extra rolling of my calves and hip flexors. I used some PVC pipe (was reminded about using PVC pipe for fascia release by a video about releasing the rectus femoris muscles) I picked up at home depot instead of a traditional foam roller. The foam roller I have isn't really strong enough to support my weight and deforms when I'm really getting into it.

Once I was all warmed up and stretched out I went for a short walk. Just 25 minutes and about 1.1 miles. Legs still sore but they'll be better tomorrow. Glad I got it in.

Kettlebells in the Park

My youngest son had lacrosse practice this evening. I could have relaxed in my chair and watched practice like many parents. Instead I chose to train while the boys were practicing.

Warm Up

Walk 10:00, 0.4 miles for an average of 2.4 mph.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Goblet Squat w/ 15# kettlebell
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction) w/ 15# kettlebell
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,14x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x14x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

Normal warm up. After the walk the calisthenics took about 12 minutes. Then on to the main training. As noted I was doing this at the park. Footing was not even which probably is good. It was hot today, which is also good.

I upped the reps on swings like I planned. Seven more reps than last time. Then on to the get ups. The 25 pounder is feeling light. I should really go on and buy a 30 pounder. Or should I try the 35 pounder again? This was a great training session. I really felt good after it was done, as if I could have done a lot more. I think that is how it's supposed to be, finish up with a few more reps in the tank. Total kettlebell time 27 minutes.

Good Kettlebell Training After a Hectic Week

I haven't trained since Sunday. It was a hectic week. I considered not training this evening but better to start the month on a good note.

Warm Up

Walk 13:00, 0.56 miles for an average of 2.5 mph.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Goblet Squat w/ 15# kettlebell
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction) w/ 15# kettlebell
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,13,13x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x13x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

I thought I was walking faster than I actually was during the warm up. I need to focus a bit more on the goblet squats to really get low and pry my hips open.

Swings were as usual in the first five sets. I toyed with doing the same reps as last time in the 2nd and 3rd groups of 5 sets. But I strengthened my resolve and went up as I had planned, doing 13 reps in each of the last 3 sets of the 2nd group, and 13 reps in all 5 sets of the last group. Total reps 192.

Turkish get ups felt smooth and powerful. I wobbled on one rep but the rest were solid. I also had a twinge in my right ankle on one rep when I kinda' over extended it. I must thank Tracy Reifkind and Pavel Tsatsouline as this inspiration for this combination of their workouts. My whole body feels quite thoroughly worked.

Soakin' Wet With Sweat!

I actually got up from my desk and took a walk outside today! It's been weeks. I've either convinced myself I was too busy, or too engaged or it was raining. No excuses today. I walked 1.69 miles in 35 minutes. That's not too shabby, 2.9 mph.

Came home after work and cooked dinner. Then I put on my workout clothes and headed out the door.

Warm Up

Walk 17:32, 0.55 miles for an average of 1.9 mph. This was kinda' bogus. I stopped for about 5 minutes talking to my neighbor in the middle of this walk but apparently my phone didn't detect the lack of movement and pause my walk tracking app. Grrrr....should have been more like 12 minutes or so. Then I followed on with my normal warm up circuit.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 15x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

This was a good workout. I stuck to 10 reps every minute on the minute for 15 minutes. I think I'll keep with that set/rep pattern through Friday then start increasing reps again on Sunday or Monday. Even with only doing 150 reps I was still pretty winded and sweating profusely once I completed my swings. 

On to the Turkish Get Ups. By the end of the second set I was sweating so much that I had to stop and wipe the sweat out of my eyes. My right ankle was giving me a little pain. Felt tighter than normal, of course it's the one I tore up so badly that I couldn't go to West Point. All in all a good workout. I finished the warm up circuits in 11 minutes. I finished the kettlebell practice in 27 minutes. 

Inspired Kettlebell Training

I was tempted to skip training today. I had already missed training on Monday. We traveled to Winston-Salem, NC on Sunday to visit Wake Forest University with my son. I slept terribly Sunday night and didn't get up early enough Monday to train and was too tired by the time we got home Monday night. Yesterday evening I went to my son's lacrosse game so training was again out.

Today as I was surfing Facebook I saw a video of Daniel Casey. I said to myself if that guy can work out, so can I. Unfortunately I can't find a direct link to the video. If you're on Facebook to the Crossfit Games page and you'll find it. I'm not doing Crossfit right now, just my same old mixture of Tracy Reifkind's kettlebell swing workouts and Pavel Tsatsouline's Simple and Sinister. I swing using Tracy's pattern and follow it up with Turkish Get Ups as per Pavel. So without further ado...

Warm Up

Walk 12:15, 0.55 miles for an average of 2.7 mph.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x10,15,10,15,15x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x35# (per side)

I pushed hard on my last group of 5 sets of swings. I got 8 more total reps in the same amount of time. Total reps 180 versus 172 last training session. I finished up with the turkish get ups as normal but I continued with the 35# bell like my last session. It is really hard to keep the arm holding the kettlebell stable especially in the phase of returning to the ground from the sorta' half side plank position. Hard, hard, hard. But that's what will make my shoulders stronger and more stable in the long run. Total time 30 minutes.

You might not believe it but my calves were almost cramping up when I came up the steps into the house once I was done. I do my training either barefoot or in my Vibram Five Fingers, like tonight. When keeping myself stable in the swings I really grip the ground with my feet. These two simple moves really work almost every muscle in the body.

35 Pound Turkish Get Ups

It was unseasonably cool today. I didn't get started on my training until 11:20. But I got it in!

Warm Up Walk 11:34 minutes, 0.56 miles. That's 2.9 mph.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x8,15,8,15,11x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x35# (per side)

I didn't have time for a cool down walk as I had promised to take my younger son, Miles, to the local lacrosse store before my older son's lacrosse game at 2pm. I'm proud of my training today. I'm working on getting solid on Tracy Reifkind's Workout #2. I again waved the reps during the 3rd group of 5 sets and got one more rep on the final set that last time. I should have pushed and gotten 15 on that last set. Maybe next time.

After that I felt strong. The 25# kettlebell had been feeling too light on my get ups, so I decided to go for it with 35#. I did it. It really challenged me. It was a lot hard to keep my shoulders stable, particularly my right one which has been giving me some problems. But I did it! I can really feel it all across my scapular region.

Kettlebell Swings Waving Reps

So, I figured I still wasn't quite ready for Tracy Reifkind's complete Workout #2. I decided to take a bit of her advice and wave up and down on the reps in the last group of 5 sets.

Warm Up walk 12:25 minutes, 0.56 miles. That's 2.7 mph.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x8,15,8,15,10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

Cool down walk 22:03 minutes, 0.87 miles. That was 2.4 mph.

All of the sets of swings were done every minute on the minute. As you can see above I did the normal first five sets at 10 reps each. Then in the second group of 5 sets I added one rep each set. Last time in the final group of 5 sets I only did 10 reps per set, 50 reps. This time I waved the reps 8, 15, 8,15,10 for 56 reps total. Total reps last training session was 165 in 15 minutes, this session 171 reps in 15 minutes. That makes for higher intensity, if only slightly. The goal is to get to 5x15 reps in the last group of 5 sets.

I took about a two minute break and then got on with the get ups.  I finished them in roughly another 10 minutes. That made for a total time of 29 minutes one minute less than last time. Again, more work in less time. Cooled down with another relatively short and slow walk.

Tried Tracy Reifkind #2 Again Same Result

I tried to move on to Tracy Reifkind's Kettlebell Workout #2. I just felt like I could do it, but once again I wasn't quite ready. But let me put down the details and then I'll talk about my performance.

Warm Up

Walking 12:39 minutes, 0.56 miles. That's 2.67 mph, I want to be able to consistently walk at 3.0 mph or better.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

I didn't have time for a finishing walk. I needed to finish cooking dinner. After the warmup walk, the warm up circuits took just over another 12 minutes. Then on to the kettlebell training.

I felt so good, so in control after the first five sets of kettlebell swings that I was sure I could handle workout #2. However, by the sets 9 and 10 my lower back was tightening up some and I didn't have enough time to catch my breath. I dropped back down to 10 reps for the final 5 sets. All of these sets are done on the minute, so I only have rest from the end of one set to the beginning of the next minute.

After the swings I moved on as usual to turkish get ups. By the middle of the third set I was on the verge of nausea but I kept going. I took deep breaths and was able to suppress that feeling. I completed the kettlebell training in 30 minutes. 

By the way I was training outside in the carport. It was a nice, warm sunny day. By the time I walked back in the house I could feel muscular exhaustion all the way from my feet up to my traps. I could hardly believe how pumped my calves felt. My abs, my whole core, was feeling super tight. It's crazy how two simple exercises can have such an almost total body effect.

Got to Do Better Than Once a Week

A week without training except for mirco-sets of push ups just about every time I returned to my desk from a meeting, the restroom or the like. Today is beautiful weather. After going to my youngest son's first lacrosse game of the day this morning at 1000 we returned home. My priority was to get in some training.

Warm Up

Walking 12:01 minutes, 0.56 miles. Pretty darn slow.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 15x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

Finishing Walk 23:16 minutes, 0.95 miles.

Not much to say. I got after it. The swings were every minute on the minute for 15 minutes. Took about a 2 minute break then completed the getups in about 13 minutes. Total time 30 minutes. Finished up with a short walk. Not to certain of the time and distance as I paused my time for a bit and forgot to turn it back on.

Tried to Move on to Tracy Reifkind Kettlebell Workout Two

I tried to move on to Tracy Reifkind's Kettlebell Workout #2. But I wasn't quite ready. But let me put down the details and then I'll talk about my performance.

Warm Up

Walking 13:31 minutes, 0.55 miles. Pretty darn slow.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

Finishing Walk 27:40 minutes, 1.25 miles.

OK, so those are the details. I had no idea I was walking so slowly in my warm up. Oh well. I followed that walk with my normal warm up circuit and felt good. The deep squats even felt good during the 2nd and third circuits. The warm up circuit was also slow clocking in at 13::29 minutes.

I started the main part of the session with 5 sets of 10 reps of two handed swings with a 35# kettlebell. That felt easy enough that I decided to progress to TracyRif's workout 2 like I mentioned earlier. That called for adding one rep per set for sets 6-10 and then staying at 15 reps a set for sets 11-15. You can see the progression above. However, I felt too winded and dropped back to 10 reps per set for sets 11-15. Oh, and let me note that the swings are done every minute on the minute for 15 minutes.

By the time I finished that 10th set I was too winded to stay at 15 reps. I heeded Tracy's advice and dropped back down to 10 reps for the remainder of my swing training. I then went on to do my Turkish Get Ups. The 25# bell feels light but my form is not perfect on each rep so I'll stick with it for a few more sessions. Total kettlebell time 30:37 minutes. I finished up with a longer, speedier walk.