Another Early Morning Training Session

I did walk yesterday. Got in 1.51 miles in 32:07. It was a lovely, sunny 64°F when I walked.

Today I got up 10 minutes earlier today, 0540, than yesterday. Got started on my training session a few minutes earlier, too. I was kinda sore, still stiff even though I had been up for 1.5 hours before I got started. However, by the time I finished my warm-up circuits I was feeling ready to tackle the real work of the session.

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
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x20# (Actually 1 rep per side then a short break before next set.)

This felt good. I got a little wobbly in the third set of getups but was able to recover. These two exercises are quite a challenge. They have me huffing and puffing. My glutes and hamstrings are fried. I feel a little more pain than normal in my right shoulder, my "bad" one. I'll ice it tonight. I finished up in about 40 minutes. Then went on to six minute abs.

6 Minute Abs 

• Myotatic Crunch 1x10
• CVE 1x10

I will walk during lunch time at work again today.

Early (For Me) Morning Workout

I woke up around 0430 this morning. I stayed in bed until 0550. I was hoping I would go back to sleep but no such luck. After making coffee, having a cup, meditating, reading 10 pages of The Power of Less, and washing some dishes I got started on my kettlebell training at 0738. I need to actually get up earlier and get started with my training sooner.

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
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x20# (Actually 1 rep per side then a short break before next set.)

This whole session took 42 minutes. I need to move a little more quickly and get this under 30 minutes. I kept my focus and braced my abs for each swing and squeezed my glutes at the top of each rep of the swings. I lost a little control during the 4th set of getups when doing the reverse lunge to go back to the floor. I'm glad I was on an exercise mat rather than the concrete as that would have made for a bruised left knee cap. 

I'll walk at lunch time. Tomorrow I'll tack on 6 minute abs. BTW, the deep squats, swings and getups really work the abdominals very hard if indirectly. Therefore, I don't think I need to do direct ab work daily.

I felt so very good after this mornings session, energized, loose and ready for the day. Thanks for Simple and Sinister, Pavel Tsatsouline!

Strong Lady Weights

Another day! Another kettlebell practice session. Another day of walking. Warm and sunny outside, 63°F in the middle of January! I picked up some heavier kettlebells yesterday a 35 pounder and a 25 pounder. I put the 35# to use today on swings and stepped up my getup with the 20# bell. According to Simple and Sinister I'm using weights that a strong woman should use (16kg for swings and 12kg for getups)! HAHAHA! I'll get stronger.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo

Flying dog 1x15 per side.

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x20# (Actually 1 rep per side then a short break before next set.)

6 Minute Abs 

• Myotatic Crunch 1x10
• CVE 1x10

Walking 1.62 miles in 34:34 minutes.

All in all a good workout. I was able to get nice and deep on the prying squats and work my hips open with my elbows and move a bit side to side. A very humbling exercise it is but it shows just how much I need to work on mobility.

Pavel Tsatsouline teaches that it is better to refer to a workout as training and/or practice. Especially since we general have such bad associations mentally with work. So, my practice today was very good. I got a little sloppy at the beginning of my second set of swings with the 35#. I had to remind myself to brace my abs, squeeze my glutes and "hip hinge". It takes a lot of core stability to do swings, more than one might think.

I was pretty solid on my get ups. It was a little challenging using the heavier weight but I was able to keep my shoulder stable. Getups are a whole body exercise and by the third set I was a little nauseous. Probably the cumulative effect of the heavier swings, too. I wonder how many days I can practice before I need a break? We are evolved to run, hunt, gather and walk for miles daily. I'll keep it up as long as I can.

Warm Sunny Outdoor Training

Got up late. Lazed around. I wasn't overly sore but I had that good, well worked feeling in my muscles. Put on my exercise gear. Lazed around some more. Finally got out and got to work. Simple and Sinister calls for daily practice with the kettlebells unless one is just too sore or are in a crunch for time.

Warm Up Circuit

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 
• 1x10x20# Two Handed
• 1x10x20# Right Handed
• 1x10x20# Left Handed
• 1x10x20# Two Handed
• 1x10x20# Two Handed
•  Turkish Get Ups 5x1x15# (Actually 1 rep per side then a short break before next set.)

Walking 2.3 miles in 42 minutes.

I used the basketball goal post to work on my deep squats. It was easier to use and I could get my elbows inside my thighs to work on prying open my hips. Nice warm up, but I meant to do some flying dogs, too. Next time.

During the swings I did a couple of sets one handed as noted above. Felt good but I think I should stick to two hands for a while longer. I upped the weight for the get ups from 10# to 15# as the 10 pounders was just too light yesterday. Then I went off for my walk. Felt good.

Simple and Sinister

I felt such resistance to exercising today. I put on some sweats and a tshirt but I just couldn't get to it. I did laundry. I made up our bed. I started cleaning the bathroom. Finally a little more than an hour ago I went out into the back yard and got down to it. Except for walking this is my first session since last Saturday.

I was searching for something about kettlebell training and came across Simple and Sinister by Pavel Tsatsouline. Actually I think I heard about it on Episode 3 of Tim Ferriss' podcast when he interviewed Kelly Starrett and Dr. Justin Mager. And what do you know, Ferriss interviewed Pavel Tsatsouline this week in Episode 55.

Anyway, I bought the book and decided to put it into practice. I had combined kettlebell swings and Turkish get ups into a workout before. They are a great combination. Simple and Sinister includes some key mobility exercises including the "prying goblet squat." That one kinda intimidates me, I know I need to increase my mobility and staying in a deep squat is a challenge. Anyway, here's the workout.

Warm Up Circuit

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x20#
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x10# (Actually 1 rep per side then a short break before next set.)

6 Minute Abs

• Myotatic Crunch 1x10
• CVE 1x10

Walked 1.61 miles in 33:00 minutes. 

All in all a good training session. I did the squats holding on to the fence gate so I could get my but to my heels and stay down there. I tried to move into it, side to side a bit, to work open my hips. Man it's tough! As I get more comfortable down there I'll start holding a kettlebell as recommended.

I bumped up my weight for the swings since I'm doing lower reps. I think I can use heavier kettlebells for both swings and get ups, but I don't have any heavier ones yet. The get ups were pretty easy but I could feel my abs tightening up by the time I finished. That just made the 6 minute ab routine more fun! I was going to skip walking but I'm on a roll of daily 30 minute walks so I got it in. I feel good.

Chill but Sunny Outdoor Workout

I walked yesterday at lunch as per normal. I covered 1.42 miles in 34:31. Decent but not as fast as I would like. My goal is to get consistent at a 3 mph walking speed.

Today I worked out in the afternoon and outside. I didn't go for a walk but I've still managed to walk for more than 40 minutes. Thanks for tracking that Google Fit.

• Two Leg Hip Extensions 20 reps
• Flying Dog 15 reps per side
• Kettlebell Swings 2x50,25 w/ 15# kettlebell
• Myotatic Crunches on Swissball 10 reps
• CVE 10 reps

I upped my reps on the first set of kettlebell swings from 40 (done on Thursday) to 50. Hooray! I can't believe how involved my calves become when doing high rep swings. I do wear Vibram Five Fingers, maybe I'm unconciously gripping the ground?

I need to slow down on the crunches. I need to count 4 on the way down and on the way back up. On the CVE's I should focus more on really pulling my belly button toward my spine. All in all it was a good workout. I can feel it. 

If I can hit 75 straight swings on Monday I'll move up to my 20# kettlebell. After that I reach 75 straight with that one, I'll need to purchase a new kettlebell. I'll probably get a 25# and a 30#.

Evening Workout

I didn't post yesterday but I walked 1.61 miles in 34:02. Today I walked at lunch time even though it was only 27°F. I covered 1.64 miles in 34:39. However, it was sunny and the howling winds of last night had abated. Noom Coach and Noom Walk are not tracking my steps accurately. Oh well.

Once I got home from work I sat around for about an hour and then got my workout on. I went up from a 10 pound to a 15 pound kettlebell for my swings.

• Two Leg Hip Extensions 20 reps
• Flying Dog 15 reps per side
• Kettlebell Swings 2x40,35 w/ 15# kettlebell
• Myotatic Crunches on Swissball 10 reps
• CVE 10 reps

I like this short, simple workout. A little dissapointed that I didn't get 75 reps like my previous workout but getting it done in two sets of 40 and 35 reps matches my first workout with 10 pound kettlebell. I look forward to continuing to use heavier and heavier kettlebells. It will be even better once I can get up and moving early enough to do this routine before breakfast in the morning.

75 Straight Kettlebell Swings

I walked 1.6 miles in 31 minutes at lunch time. I stopped at Wal-mart on the way home. Even though that made me later than usual getting home, I did not snack. I did a couple of chores then got straight to my brief workout.

• Two Leg Hip Extension 20 reps
• Flying Dog 15 reps per side
• 75 Kettlebell Swings Straight! 10#
• 10 Myotatic Crunches on Swissball
• Cat Vomit Exercise 10 reps

Proud of myself for powering through the swings. Even with such a light weight I could feel my thighs and calves burning. Now an hour or so later I can feel soreness in my back muscles. Thankfully my abs didn't cramp up like they did the last two workouts.

After my workout I had a nice slowcarb dinner of broiled salmon, cabbage, black eyed peas and water. 

Missed A Day

I missed a day but I'm back on track. There was just too much rain on Saturday. It finally let up today. Also, I was just lazy. I could have done my kettlebell swings and 6 minute abs yesterday but I didn't. Got it all in today.

• Walk 2.4 miles in 52 minutes.
• Kettlebell Swings 2x50,25 w/ 10# in 4 minutes.
• Myotatic Crunches on swiss ball 10 reps
• CVE 10 reps

My walking speed today, 2.8 mph, was faster than Friday's 2.7 mph and slower than Thursday's 2.9 mph. But look at that! The mean is 2.8 mph. LOL! Yes, I'm a nerd.

Just a Quick Walk Before the Rain

Got in a quick walk before the rain. Only 1.6 miles in 36 minutes. But enough to ease the soreness in my legs and abs from yesterday's workout. Might do a little mobility work throughout the day. My goal is to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. I plan to do kettlebell swings and the 6 minute ab routine every other day. BTW, my hip doesn't hurt or feel weak like it did yesterday. That is all.

Movement Is Medicine

First workout of the year. I'm so tired of being overweight. Tired of my joints hurting. I was just walking in the kitchen this morning and my hip almost gave out. My right shoulder is hurting even now. I can't lie on my right side for very long without my shoulder hurting. I even get tingling in the fingers of my right hand. Movement is medicine so I got moving.

• Walked 2.36 miles in 49:20.
• Kettlebell
• Deadlift from point A 5 reps with 10#
• Deadlift from point A 5 reps with 10#
• Swings 5 reps with 10#
• Swings 2x40, 35 with 10#
• 6 Minute Abs
• Myotatic crunches 10 reps on Swiss ball
• Cat Vomit Exercise 10 reps

After the crunches my abs cramped up so hard and painfully that I had to just stretch out on my yoga mat. I also tried to stretch them out with little success. Overall a good workout.