This Week's Routine

It's important to have a plan for your weekly exercise routine.  Planning ahead increases the chance that you will actually complete your exercise.  And of course, staying consistent with exercise is the most important behavior for a healthy, active lifestyle.  For those who need a little guidance in their weekly kettlebell plans, I will try to post a routine each week for you.  Here is this week's plan:

10 Minute Warmup: 5 Minutes calisthenics or aerobic exercise, and 5 minutes joint mobility drills
5 Turkish Getups on each side
30 Snatches on each side
50 Hand to hand swings

Try to complete the 3 exercises after the warmup in 30 minutes or less.  Good luck!

Sometimes I Amaze Myself...Can you?

 So here is the story.  No one showed up for the 8am kettlebell class this morning, so I was bored.  I decided to try to outdo my last record of a 116lbs pistol.  I didn't know what exactly would happen.  I knew I could use a little more weight, but I was not prepared for the end result.  After warming up performing single reps with (2) 8, 12, 16, and 24 kg bells...I had a problem.  How was I going to get more weight in my hands for my attempt?  So I decided to put a 24kg bell in my left hand, and a 32kg bell in my right.  I went down in the hole, and surprisingly, up I came.  That was a total of 124 lbs, and it was pretty easy! So I said to myself, "F**K it!, Lets try (2) 32kg bells!"  Honestly, I doubted I could do it. I thought for sure I wouldn't come up, but damn if I didn't!  Not only did I shatter my previous record by 25 lbs, but I was reminded of the psychology for success.  Believe in yourself.  I challenge you to do the same in your fitness goals....

The Other Side of the Coin

 I figured it would only be fair to show you Dr. Horwitz's 110lbs pistol, both because it is impressive, and to document his performance prior to his recent surgery.  Soon to follow is my 116lbs pistol on BOTH LEGS.  I have no doubt that Dr. H will use this as motivation to a faster recovery, just so he can beat my record too!

Progress on my Pistol

 The chiropractor, Dr. Steve Horwitz,  I work with performed a 110lbs pistol during February 2009. He has been hounding me for the last 6 months about how I can't beat his record.  I plan on proving him wrong.  So about a month ago, I recorded my first pistol PR, a 98 lbs pistol (shown below) on both sides.  Oh, it should be noted that Dr. Horwitz was only able to perform his 110 lbs pistol on one leg, not both, so I have him already on that.  For the last 3-4 weeks, I have been drilling pistols with the 32kg and 40kg bells, for multiple sets of 3-5 reps.  In the next 2 weeks, I plan on beating his 110lb pistol.  Wait for the video for proof...

Meetup Works!

For over a year, I have tried multiple different marketing methods.  One of those has been using online social networking sites, such as facebook and twitter, to educate the public on kettlebell training.  While they are useful for spreading information, most of the people who visit the sites regularly are not in the local area, and thus, can not physically meetup to learn techniques.  Meetup.com changed that.  This is a site specifically used by people who live locally and wish to meet at a physical location to learn as a group.  Three weeks ago, I created my meetup page, and it has already generated a lot of interest.  In fact, 3 new people have come in to begin training.  So, those of you who can help me promote our kettlebell classes, here is my meetup page: http://www.meetup.com/MarylandKettlebells/  And of course, thanks for your help!

Rowing, Renegade Style...

            Rowing is a great exercise, one of the best for strengthening the major muscles of the back.  In fact, if your average weekend warrior invested as much time in rowing as they do with bench pressing, we'd see far fewer shoulder and rotator cuff injuries.  But that is a rant for another time.  Rowing exercises develop the traps, rhomboids, lat, and erector spinae muscles of the back (just to name a few).
            Most people who start kettlebell training do so in part to strengthen their core.  Performing renegade rows are a great way to incorporate the super stiffness needed to strengthen the core.  When attempting them, here are a few tips:

1) Do them early on in your routine before you are tired
2) Use a bell with a large bottom (at least a 16kg) so that they remain stable
3) Be certain to keep your wrist straight, otherwise you will do a face plant
4) Be sure to put your weight directly through the supportive bell when you row, and not on an angle to the handle.  Again, doing so will cause you to head face first in the floor and possibly break your wrist.

A Clean Variation

 Circular cleans are a great exercise to improve your core stiffness and full body tension. However, it is certainly an advanced drill.  The idea behind the movement is to force the kettlebell outward away from the body along the frontal plane, and then cleanly redirect the bell back toward your rack position in a downward arcing motion.  The difficulty will be in staying tight through your abdominal brace and staying grounded with your feet.  Even a modest size bell will pull your center of gravity away from you, and fighting to stay still, tight, and fluid is where the major benefit comes from.

As If Your Swings Weren't Hard Enough

 So we all know there are a lot of variations of kettlebell swings. You can swing with two hands, one hand, switching hand to hand, etc.  Most variations have you change with your hands are doing.  The traveling swings do the opposite.  The focus is on moving your feet, rather than your hands, which makes them great for athletes who need to improve explosive power and agility.  Traveling swings can be performed in any direction, whether it be forward, backward, or laterally.  Be sure that when you try them, you completely extend your hips before you move your feet.  The tempo and chant to yourself should be, "Swing! Step! Step!" 

Overhead Lunges For Awesome Abs!

 Everyone is always arguing over the "best" abdominal exercises.  Some stick with situps and crunches, others go with planks, and still others get fancy specialized equipment involved.  Me? I say learn to squat, deadlift, lunge, etc.  Nothing engages your abdominal muscles better than a heavy deadlift, squat, or lunge.  Why? Because our abdominal muscles are not meant to primarily bend, flex, and twist our torso.  Like Dr. Stuart McGill has proven, our abdominal muscles are primarily responsible for transfering energy from the ground, up...through utilization of "super stiffness." 

The overhead lunge is a great variation of a lunge that significantly activates the core musculature, as well as improves shoulder girdle strength and stability.  As you will see once you try it, the lunge portion is not usually that difficult.  Rather, the difficulty lies in maintaining a stable, erect spinal column and preventing your arms from moving at the shoulder.  Try using no weight at first, and then progress to very light weight next.  Don't even think about trying a weight anywhere close to what you can press, unless your are He-Man of course!

Press Variations: Static Hold and Press

One of my previous posts showcased a pressing variation called a seesaw press. This one is about the static hold and press.  This variation requires an isometric contraction in one arm, while actively pressing with the opposite arm.  The higher the repetitions,  the longer the isometric contraction.  Much like your turkish getups that require maintenance of a static press position, this pressing variation improves the stability of the entire shoulder girdle.  This improvement in shoulder girdle function and stability directly improves your other upper body strength movements, as well as significantly lowers your risk of shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff tears, impingements, etc.