Wednesday, July 27, 2011

A Change in Kettlebell Class Format: A Weekly Experiment


 Most people seem to love my teaching style and kettlebell class format.  So normally, I would not change a thing, as some would consider this a “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke” scenario.  However, in an effort to provide greater variety and structure, as well as some competition and personal investment, I will be starting a new experiment.  That experiment will manifest in the following way:

One class a week (probably every Saturday), I will be posting a workout of the day (WOD) on my blog.  That WOD will vary each week, and I will cycle through the same WODs every two months or so.  Every person who participates in that WOD will have their performance logged.  I will post the results from each class in the “comments” section under the blog post.  This will serve two purposes.  It will permanently record a participant’s performance so that person can refer to it when we repeat the WOD, and compare results.  The second reason is that, for those interested in competing with other participants, it will provide a log and motivation for that competition.

In class, the WOD will be written on a dry erase board. The WOD format will stay consistent.  Class will start with a warmup, followed by some “skill work.”  This means performing a few exercises to improve the technique or performance of those exercises, and this is not intended to be strenuous.  After the skill work, we will perform the main WOD for that day, which will generally last about 20 minutes.  Some WODs will emphasize minimal rest and constant movement, whereas other will focus on maximal strength and weight or interval training.  After we perform the WOD, I will record everyone’s performance, which usually means the weight used, rounds completed, and time taken to completion. I will then post the results from each class under the comments section of my WOD blog post.  

It is important to note that you can enter comments through the blog as well.  Should you choose to complete the WOD at home or the gym, please feel free to post your results in the comment section, being sure to include your name.  This will allow people who can’t come to class to be competitive with their classmates, and provide a permanent record of their performance to compare to a later date when the WOD is repeated.

Please feel free to provide feedback about this experiment.  I expect most people will enjoy it, but there are bound to be complaints.  It is likely that I can address those concerns as the class evolves into a certain format.  I encourage you all to voice your opinion, whether through email or in person.

             I hope to see you all in class.  Please refer to www.marylandkettlebells.com for up to date class information and scheduling.

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