Birkam Day

This was my first class in over 2 weeks and I was VERY nervous going into it for that reason. Also even though I got about 8 hours of sleep last night I woke up feeling tired still and a little weird. That definitely played into my nervousness even more.

I went to the 12pm class and made sure I had hydrated very well over the morning. I also ate my usual organic banana 40 min. prior to class.

I made sure I used a purple mat because purple is an energizing color. That probably had a lot to do with how awesome this class was.

I was the most heat tolerant that I've ever been to date. I wasn't the most flexible, but wasn't too far off. My balancing was causing problems today, but overall everything else went great. I didn't feel nauseous or light headed one bit.

Bikram Rocks!

073008

Quick One Today

I didn't have really any time to practice today so I had to make it really quick.

Workout:

6 min. Snatch set @ 16kg

90 total(45 per hand)- 15rpm average, but the first min. was 20 rpm. I focused again on the lock out. I'm getting much better at it and feeling stronger. Once I can hold 20rpm at 10min. I'll go up to the 20kg. That should be within 2 months I'm guessing.

Then:

1 min. Jerk sprint @ 2x 16kg

All in all I felt great and had a long, but very productive day.

Weekend Workout Recap

I've had some great workouts lately and they've been centered around timed sets.

Here's how it went.

072408

Workout:
1 Arm Swings @ 16kg

4min Snatch Set @ 16kg
I maintained about 8 reps per minute because I really wanted to focus on my lockout and the shoulder stability.

Short rest

2min. Double Front Squats @ 2 16kgs

Short rest

30x 1 Two-Arm Swings @ 28kg

This was a great workout with a lot of emphasis on the shoulder stability.


072608

6 Min. Snatch Set @ 16kg
I maintained about 15/16 reps per minute.

30x Pushups
30x Squats
30x Pullups
30x Situps

4 Min. Double Swings @ 16kg

I felt a lot stronger during these snatches than I did just 2 days prior. I am loving the timed sets more and more because I can quickly see my muscular endurance as well as strength increase quickly.


072808

4 Min. 1 Arm KB Push Press

Then:

5x Turkish Get-up @ 16kg

2 Sets of-
5x High Windmills @ 16kg

1 Set of High Windmills @ 16kg and picking up a 24kg KB with the bottom hand.

Then:
Stretch

I felt really tired and drained today so I had to cut my workout short. I wanted to perform some HIIT training on the treadmill, but will do that later this week.

Training As Of Late...

I have been performing a lot of timed sets. I did my best to prepare for the cert with them, but at the cert found out real fast I had a lot of work ahead of me. We did A LOT of timed sets there and so I took 2 days off afterward to let my body heal.

Today was the first workout I performed since and it went VERY well.

072308

Warm-up:
Dynamic warmup with skips, shuffles, lunges and joint mobility

Workout:

6 Min. set of Jerks @ 2/16kg
I maintained a rep range of 5-6per min. The first 2 min. was 6rpm and the last 4 were at 5rpm.
I have a good buffer between where I am and where I need to be so I love to watch my progress now that I have a great protocol to work with based on what I learned at the IKFF cert.

Then:
Lunges around the circumference of the gym both forward and back.
5x Get-up Situps @ 2/16kg & 5x empty handed

Then:
6 Min. 1-Arm Swing Set @ 16kg

Then:
Stretches

Certified IKFF Kettlebell Trainer

I had the extreme pleasure of attending the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation CKT(certified kettlebell trainer) certification this past weekend. The instructors are Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn. Both men are the utmost in leadership, professionalism, intelligence, and sincere passion for the industry. It was one of the absolute best experiences in my life to be mentored and trained by these 2 men. Alongside them were guest instructors: Jason Dolby and Susanna Baxter. They two displayed nothing but the best in kettlebell fitness instruction.

I was so impressed by Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn that I want to provide all who I can the opportunity to both meet them and become certified with the IKFF. I am planning on hosting a CKT Level One cert in the Phoenix area in the beginning of the year- January or February. I need at least 10-12 people to show interest for this so that Steve and Ken will officially announce it.

I am the Director of Training Operations for Anytime Fitness in Arizona and so we will be holding it at one of our locations.

Anyone in the Phoenix vicinity or those willing to come out please contact me the following ways:

Phone: 480-634-3250
Email: alwaysbelieve1@gmail.com

If you are interested I look forward to speaking to you and meeting you.

The weekend was truly an amazing experience that I would love to do again so I, personally, will be going to the CKT Level 2 as soon as I financially am able.

071708

I've been wearing my Vibram Five Fingers since January. I absolutely LOVE them and all of my clients get a kick out of them. Everyone asks about them and they ALWAYS turn heads when I'm out. Some of my clients and co-workers call them my "Spiderman Shoes". They say it looks like I can walk up a wall with them. Go figure. I even have a client who makes a weird slurping sound when I walk as a sound effect for them. :)

They have truly changed my training for the better. I am flat footed and now never get shin splints when I sprint as well as can truly feel how I grip the ground in my KB work. I wear them almost everywhere. Your feet, ankles, and calves get so strong from them.

I recently bought my wife a pair too. I have the classics and she has a pair of the sprints.

Workout:
10x KB Snatches each arm @ 12kg
.25 Treadmill Sprint @ 12.0mph
20x Heavy KB Swings @ 28kg
.50 Mile Stairmaster Sprint @ level 20
30x Hindu Pushups
3/4 mile on elliptical @ above 9.0 speed
30x Pullups
1 mile Bike Sprint @ above 100rpm and 10 resistance
20x KTE(knees to elbows)
.25 Treadmill Sprint @ 12.0mph
10x HSPU(handstand pushup)

Then:
TGU Prep Work

071608

Bikram Day

Today's class was by far the hottest. There were about 30 bodies packed into the small studio and that was the most people I've seen in class yet. Everyone's body heat made it HOT!
The last 20 min were the absolute worst, BUT I never give up and had to convince myself of many things. One of which was that in order to get taken out they would have to drag my carcass out.

Needless to say that did not happen. I made it and felt great the rest of the day. :)

As you can see I haven't posted my workouts in 10 days. I have had a lot going on at work, BUT of course still have been training. I've had some really great progress in a few areas. I've been working on my pistols(one legged squats), GS style snatches, and heavy Turkish Get-Ups. I have a goal to put up 100lbs. in the Turkish Get-Up by the end of the year and am getting really close.

I've been practicing my GS(girevoy sport) style or fluid style in swings and snatches as my IKFF(International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation) certification nears this weekend. I want to be in my prime shape by the weekend and be able to give my absolute best. It is definitely working.

I will post a couple workouts I've done recently below as well as some PRs.

This one was performed on: 071208

Workout:
3 Rounds-

swing 10 reps l, r
LC C & P, 5 reps, l, r
Swing, 10 reps, l,r
Racked squat, 5 reps, l,r
swing, 10 reps, l,r
TGU, 2 reps, l,r
swing 10 reps, l,r
snatch, 10 reps, l,r
swing, 10 reps, l,r

Then:
TGU practice-
1x 70lbs.

This one was performed today- 071508

Workout:

Swing transfer combination with 24 kg
1 swing, 1 transfer
2 swings 1 transfer
3 swings 1 transfer
4 swings 1 transfer
5 swings 1 transfer

5 sets

Then:

H2H transfers with 24 kg
30 rep sets x 5 sets
150 reps

Then:

One arm swings with 24 kg
10/10x 5 sets
100 reps

Then:
TGU practice- worked w/ 20kg & 24kg kettlebells for a couple sets and then went onto the 80#
1x 80lbs.


I did a 70# Turkish Get-Up (on both sides) this past Saturday and it felt easy. Well ok it wasn't easy, but I mean I feel confident I could have done more weight. I just didn't want to get overzealous and hurt myself so I stopped there since it was after my workout.

About a month ago I believe I tore some part of my rotator in my right shoulder trying to drive the 28kg KB(62lbs) up into the get-up. I think I tweaked it while holding it up. That too was also right after my workout and I wanted to give it a shot.

Saturday was just one of those days that I was both confident and feeling super strong.

My goal is to nail 100# by year's end. I feel VERY confident that will happen no problem. :)
Today I had another one of those days and put up the 80# dumbbell. Getting closer baby!!!

I think I'll reach my goal by the end of September if not sooner. I will surely video tape that one.

071008

I have been working out since I last posted, but have just been SUPER busy to add specifics. I'll be updating everything in the next day or two.

070508

I was pissed and frustrated from how yesterday left me feeling. My hands are tore up and my back is not feeling the best.

Today I decided to take it out on my body. Muuuuuuaaaaaaahhh ah ah!!!

Workout:

3 Rounds-
30x Pullups
160meters(528ft) Walking Lunges

This was a great workout and I feel very good now. I took about 15-20 min. to stretch afterward as well.

070408

Today my energy levels weren't as I'd like them to be, but I decided to workout anyway.

I wanted to start snatching again today and in doing so performed Kenneth Jay's new Max VO2 protocol.

Warm-up:
50x Hand 2 Hand Swings @ 16kg

Workout:
3x 15/15s @ 16kg w/ 45s rest
(8 reps)

3x 30/30s @ 16kg w/ 2 min. rest
(16 reps)

My hands got beat up a bit. My left hand is okay, but my right split one callouse open and almost another. That wasn't fun.

Then:
50x swings- (25x R/L) @ 16kg

Then:
30 x 2 Two Handed Swings @ 32kg

Then:
3 x 3 Pistols @ 4kg

070208

Today I decided to work on swings again and condition my back and hip thrust to get back into the power shape I need it in to start my Max VO2 Snatch routines again. It felt strong and I'm looking forward to Snatching later this week. I hope my shoulder holds up. It's feeling a whole lot better although it's not 100% yet. Maybe a Snatch set will snap it back into shape! :) We'll see...


Workout:
Switch Hand Swings-

16 kg x 50
20kgx30
24kg x20
28 kg x20

2 min. rest and then perform again.

Bikram Day 4 & 5

I, yet again because I'm LOVING it, performed Bikram on the 28th and 30th. Each class is getting better and better. My flexibility is going way up at a fast rate and my back hasn't felt this good in over 2 years. I'm very glad I started this.

On the 30th I performed Bikram at 12pm and then also performed my first Kettlebell workout since the 18th. I wanted to take some time off to let my body heal.

When I arrived at my Bikram class I thought it would be good to get acclimated to the heat about 10 minutes before class as well as pre-stretch.

My instructor was very punctual, but she decided to do something that no other instructor has done in any prior class I've taken. She put a towel along the base of the door which prevented all cool refreshing draft to enter- not that I felt it anyway, but mentally I knew it had to be circulating somewhere. :)

This was my wife's first class as well and I silently laughed when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her take a few breaks throughout the class. I guess my silent laughter turned to extreme true understanding of self when I had to taken one(my first ever) around the Turtle pose. The compression and body position left me unable to breathe right for some reason. I normally don't do this, but at that time I had to look at the clock in the room(which is very, very small). I saw that there was only about 20 min. left in the class and there was NO WAY I was gonna quit or take another break.

I must have drank some water after each pose before Savasana. Physically I knew that my body desperately wanted to get up and head for the door. Mentally I decided that that was never going to happen and that if I passed out they would have to drag me out that door. I was finishing no matter what.

I did.

But instead of lying in Savasana for about 3-5min. after the class as usual I was one of the first to get up and out. I wasn't alone though because most everyone else was trailing right behind me saying that this was one of the hottest classes they've ever taken. I looked at the temp and it was 107 with almost 30% humidity. That's funny because the outdoor Arizona summer temp was almost the same- less the humidity- but it felt soooooooo good with the breeze.

Needless to say that after about 5 or so minutes I began to experience that usual Bikram great feeling afterward.

Later in the day I decided to work on some Kettlebell swings to get my rhythm back.
This workout felt strong, but winded me more than it normally would since it was my first one back. Even so I didn't take any breaks until the very last rep range going from 20 to 10. I literally set the bell down for 3 seconds to regroup and then blast off the finish.

Swing It Back

Warm-up:
Two Arm Swings-
16kg x20

Workout:
One Arm Swings-
16 kg x10/10 x2 sets

20 kg x5/5

24 kg
x8/8
10/10
12/12
14/14
16/16
18/18
20/20
10/10


All in all it was a very good past week. I feel strong and will be working very hard to prepare for my International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation certification on the 19th & 20th of July. After that I think I'm gonna continue working on what I learned for a week or so and then take a 30 day Bikram Challenge. This is where I take 1 Bikram yoga class a day for 30 days. I look forward to it and cannot wait to see what new challenges I can succeed at fitness wise.