Lone Star Kettlebell Promo Video

HKC Reminder!

First, I'd like to get the business out of the way.

The first Texas HKC with Jeff O'Connor, Senior RKC is closing in. There's not much time left to register, so head on over to the link if you're going to be in or near Lubbock, Texas on the 23rd of January. Here's a link to the flyer for you to download.

Now the fun stuff.

I have been training for the upcoming Raw Unity Meet in Tampa Bay, Florida on January 30. I'm entered in the Deadlift Only portion of the meet and proudly representing the RKC community on the Power To The People Deadlift Team.

Since my last meet, I've modified a few things in my training that I feel were left out in my last training cycles and I think it's been working.

This week is 3 weeks away from the meet so I'm trying to figure the best way to peak my deadlift for the meet. Monday I pulled 3 sets of 3 at 95% of my 1RM (535 lbs). I pulled off of plates so my feet were elevated...without a belt. The reps felt easy, which means something is working.

After my session today, I also tried out my double overhand grip for my pulls since I was pulling a little lighter at 80%. I usually pull with this grip until I can't hold on any more, but I've progressively been able to increase the weight before I switch to my stronger alternating grip.

Here's a video of a PR pull (470 lbs) with a double overhand grip (not to be confused with a hook grip).

Not too long ago, I struggled with 315 lbs in this grip.

I also hit a big PR with the Double Bottoms Up Press and knocked down Double 32kgs! This has been a long-time coming, but I believe this exercise and the deadlift are distant cousins and have complimented each other very well during the last 10 weeks. The BUP with a 40kg is consistent on my right and I haven't hit it with my left yet. I need a 44kg because I'm not even close on The Beast.

All in all, a great session and training is going great! I was really worried after I got food poisoning on New Year's, but I guess my body welcomed the break. Plus, I don't have to cut hardly any weight now. ;-) I'm sitting at a healthy and strong 184. I'll lift in the 181 class in Tampa.

More to come on this training cycle. I've had quite a few A-Ha moments worth mentioning, but I want to wait til after the meet to elaborate.

Look Who's Kettlebellin'

I've talked to several endurance athletes since I've become a Kettlebell Instructor through RKC and they have relatively the same thing to say about kettlebells. Too much strength training. How do you get cardio out of that? I don't want to bulk up...etc. Well, here's a pic of arguably the best endurance athlete of all time with this magical ball of iron....so you tell me, is it for endurance athletes?

Training Week - 12/01/08 - 12/04/08

12/1/08 - Monday

Bottom's Up Press - 24kg

3x1,2,3,4,5

Superset w/ Barbell Bent Rows 225 - 3x1,2135 - 3x3,4,5

3x3 of the following:

Front Squat - Double 40kg

Pull Up - 20kg

Dead Lift - 275

Push Up - Elevated w/ 2-45lb Plates and 30lb Chain on neck

12/2/08 - Tuesday

Vo2 Max - 16kg - 40 sets of 8 - :15/:15

12/3/08 - Wednesday

Active Recovery

Progressive Complex - 12kg

3 Rounds both Left and Right

Swing

Swing, Snatch

Swing, Snatch, Press

Swing, Snatch, Press, Windmill

Swing, Snatch, Press, Windmill, Overhead Squat

Swing, Snatch, Press, Windmill, Overhead Squat, Half Kneeling Press

Swing, Snatch, Press, Windmill, Overhead Squat, Half Kneeling Press, Arm Bar Press x 3, TGU

25 Push Ups between each round

12/4/08 - Thursday

Barbell Front Squat

135 x 10

225 x 5

275 x 2

315 x 1

Tried box jumps again. Hit 61 inches 3 times, which is 3 of my tires stacked on each other. Mixed in Barbell Back Squats ~ 3x5 225

Worked the circuits with the late class.

No short bending this week. I still need to go to the store. I did buy some cards at the dollar store and started on card tearing 'cause I've ripped everything I had in the house with exception of 2 decks. Tearing cards is extremely tough for me. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, but when I watch vids of other guys do it, I can't seem to mimic it with the same grips. Plus it's pretty painful. I did get a full Lubbock Yellow pages phonebook yesterday the "right" way. It's about 1.5 inches thick. I was showing the guys how to do both techniques (parlor trick and strongman) and when showing the strength version the pages just popped apart...it looked as if I'd chopped the top of the book with a machete. Pretty cool! So I finished it off, which took me a little bit. I'll keep grinding at the card tearing. I'm at 30 or so cards now and the tears are ugly....very curvy and the cards are a mess when I'm done. What's crazy is my grip is stronger than it's ever been right now and this seems to be impossible to me right now. The tortoise wins the race with this I guess.