4/28 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
6 Min Snatch @ 12kg(16rpm)
Rest 30s
6 Min OAJ @ 12kg (15rpm)
rest 30s
6 Min OALC @ 12kg( 8rpm)
Added in a 6 Min Snatch @ 8kg set

Somehow, I only did 5 min on the OAJ so I added a minute to the OALC set. The OAJ and OALC sets were fairly easy. The snatch set was difficult. I am trying to control it more at the top which wears my grip out, but seems to help my elbow.

I realized on the 8kg set that I was popping my hips too quickly out of the backswing which caused the bell to swing out too far on the upswing. By waiting, I was able to make the bell swing in more of an upward arc closer to my body.

4/25 Kettlebell Training

Workout #3 (Swapped with Workout #2)
1 X 5L/5R OAJ @ 24kg
5R / 4L Tried for the fifth rep on the left after setting the bell down, but did not happen.

6 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
Left: 8 / 8 Right: 8 / 8 / 8
Reps were becoming sloppy on the left so switched at two minutes. My legs were not engaging like I need for this weight at this rpm.

6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10-11rpm)
Left: 11 / 11 / 11 Right: 11 / 11 / 11
Made the rpm, but this was a hard set.

4/21 Kettlebell Training

Workout #3 (Forgot to write up for blog. Goes after 4/19 workout.)
4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm) - just a practice set for pace.
6 Min OALC @ 12kg (10rpm)
Rest 60 Seconds
6 Min OAJ @ 12kg (15rpm)
rest 60 Seconds6 Min OALC @ 12kg (8rpm)

Something is still tweaked in my arm from Workout 2 so I skipped the 20kg set. I swapped out the first 12kg oalc set for a 12kg snatch set at 15rpm. Funny thing is that my arm didn’t bother me as much for the snatch as it did cleans. Weird. I worked on aggressively stopping the kettlebell on the left side at lockout. Basically, went through the 12kg sets one time.

4/24 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
2 X 4L/4R OAJ @ 24kg
4R / 4L on both sets. They weren't the greatest looking OAJs, but it's a start.

3 X 4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm, 7rpm, 6rpm)
Made the required rpm on all three sets. What stood out again is the difference between the arms. The right side is definitely better than the left. I tend not to reach my elbow to my hip on the left side, where on the right my elbow goes right to my hip. I believe that I am losing some of the energy from the first bump because of this fact. I am tighter in the shoulder/trap area on the left so that may be part of the reason. I've noticed that I have a tendency to not reach my hip on the left with the 16kg bell as well.

4/19 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
2 X 6L/6R OAJ @ 24kg (Be safe on these and cut to one set if necessary)
First set: 6R / 2L (tried 6 times on left)
Second set: 6R / maybe 3L (tried about 6 times on left)
I didn't have the confidence on the left today. The 24kg was intimidating me. I tweaked a little something in my left hand while trying to control the bell which affected the 20kg oalc set.

6 Min OALC 20kg (8rpm)
Left: 8 / 8 Right: 8 / 8 / 8 Total time: 5 minutes
I switched after two minutes on the left hand. I was struggling enough that I didn't want to risk doing something stupid to my elbow.

6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
Decent set.

I think that the weekend took more out of me than I realized. It's a temporary setback.

Great Lakes Kettlebell Championships 4/17/2010

Results with 20kg: Left: 34 reps Right: 36 reps Time: 10 minutes

It was about a five hour drive up to Traverse City, but I had three days of rest before the competition. This was my first 20kg OALC set in competition and I am quite happy with it. There is room for improvement of course, but it gave me the opportunity to see where I am currently with this bell.

Interestingly, the 16kg and 20kg bell felt similar from a heaviness perspective. What I think helped me is that the fast pace 16kg OALC sets made this set at 7rpm feel slow by comparison.

4/13 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
1 X 5L/5R OAJ @ 24kg
5R / 5L One of reps on the left side went farther back than it should but I was able to control it.

8 Min OALC @ 20kg (6-8rpm) Basically start at 8rpm and slow down if needed.
Left: 8 / 8 / 8 / 5 Right: 8 / 8 / 8 / 7
I swung an extra time on one or two of the cleans on the left side. Main issue for both hands was losing my grip. Once the grip started to go on the left, the lockouts followed shortly thereafter.

4 Min Cleans @ 20kg (10rpm)
Worked on variations to find a good way to clean the 20kg. Haven’t quite found the groove yet.

4/11 Kettlebell Training

Workout #4
1 X 5L/5R OAJ @ 24kg
Started with right again: 5R / 5L

2 X 4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
Both sets were 8rpm. First set lockouts were very wobbly on the left side. Second set made an effort to drop quickly under the bell on that side. It made a difference both in terms of lockout and speed of the lift.

6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
Could have been better, but hit 10rpm. This was an early morning workout so that might have contributed to some tiredness in addition to the previous sets.

4/8 Kettlebell Training

Workout #3
6 Min Snatch @ 12kg (15rpm)
Rest 2 Min
6 min OAJ @ 12kg (15rpm)
rest 2 Min
6 Min OALC @ 12kg (10rpm)
Do this a 2nd time if time permits and slow down if needed (Or shorten to 4 min)

Went all the way through one time. Was tired and really not feeling it today, but decided to go ahead and repeat with 4 min sets. Unfortunately, my elbow loudly complained on the snatch set on the second time through so I decided to settle for four sets today.

I noticed a couple differences between the two arms at lockout during the two snatch sets though. On the right, it feels like I start to engage the lockout earlier. The bell seems more controlled and doesn’t seem to jar my arm as much at the final lockout. The bell also seems to maintain contact with my forearm during the process of locking out to a certain extent. It moves on the forearm of course, but I seem to maintain awareness of it. On the left, I don’t notice either of these things. It feels like it, I get to lockout and the bell jars as it falls into place. I lose contact with the forearm too. I think that the final positioning is ok, but it falls into place vs. rolling into it. Maybe I’m overanalyzing, but I want to move past this obstacle.

4/7 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
1-2 Sets of 5L/5R OAJ @ 24kg
First set: 5R / 5L Second set: 5L / 5R
Decided to start on my right to build confidence and muscle memory before trying my left this time. It worked. On the second set, I switched back to starting with my left.

3 X 4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm) Rest as needed
Left: 8 / 7 Right: 8 / 8
Left: 8 / 7 Right: 8 / 8
Left: 6 / 6 Right: 8 / 8

I have to admit that I thought my coach was expecting a lot when she asked me to do three sets of six minutes with the 20kg. Luckily, right before I started these sets, I realized that they were four minute sets not six. Never doubted you for a minute coach, lol.

I was pulling too much with my arm when cleaning the kettlebell on the first set. Need to initiate with the legs in order to save my grip and my elbow.

6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm) - This is optional and you can go slower if needed
Did not do this set. I was feeling my elbow after the second of the three sets on the 20kg OALC. Decided to go ahead with the last 20kg set and skip this one.

4/4 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
1 X 5L/5R OAJ @ 24kg
Left: 1 Right: 5
Started out on the left side which was a mistake. No reps. Set it down and tried with the right. Made 5 reps without a real issue. Set it down and tried again with the left. Made one rep, but dropped it on one of the next couple attempts.

6 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
Left: 8 / 8 / 8 Right: 8 / 8 / 8
Surprised myself by being able to complete this set with the requested rpm. I did feel it in the legs which is different from the 16kg sets usually.

4 Min OAJ @ 20kg (8rpm)
4 Min Clean @ 20kg (8rpm)
After the OALC set, both these sets were easy. Actually, I had been working to this pace with the 20kg OAJ and Clean sets that coach has given to me in previous workouts. I'm guessing that I should have held the lockout for a couple of seconds on the OAJs though?

4/3 Kettlebell Training

6 Min oalc @ 20kg (6 to 8 rpm)
Left: 6 / 7 / 5 Right: 7 / 14 / 21
The differences between my left and right sides really shows up when I use a heavier weight for a set. This pace is about where I am at for the 20kg. It was pretty cool to see what I could do with the 20kg for OALC.

6 min oalc @ 16kg (11rpm)
Left: 11 / 11 / 10 Right: 11 / 11 / 11
Feeling the after effects of the 20kg set. Almost made the numbers, but the set was not pretty.

4/1 Kettlebell Training

Workout #5
3 X 10L/10R OAJ @ 20kg
2:30 per set

6 Min Snatch @ 12kg (16rpm)
Winded, but elbow held up ok. Felt my shoulder from a couple days ago.

6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (12rpm)
Not as bad as I thought that it would be.