5/30 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
3 x 4 min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
All three sets were 8L / 6L / 8R / 8R. My legs were sore from doing legs and kettlebells in the same day yesterday. It's probably mostly if not all from doing the leg workout. I was conservative on the left side to make sure that none of the reps got away from me. One rep twisted on the right, but I was able to control it.

6 min Cleans @ 20kg (8rpm)
Stopped at 5 minutes. Left: 8 / 8 / 7 and Right: 8 / 8. The hot spots on my hands were bothering me.

Optional 24kg OAJ
5R / 5L. This set was pretty cool. I think that the painstaking work with the 20kg is paying off some. The 24kg did not feel as heavy (read intimidating) as it has in the past.

5/29 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
2 x 6 MIN OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
Did this workout after doing legs this morning. Both sets were good.

6 MIN Cleans @ 20kg (8rpm)
Decided to try 10rpm instead of 8rpm. Did ok.

5/29 Leg Training

Squat
2 sets x 5 reps @ 70kg
3 x 5 @ @ 75kg
1 x 3 @ 75kg
3 x 3 @ 80kg

Jump Squat
3 x 30 @ 70kg
1 x 50 @ 70kg

SLDL
2 x 8L/8R @ 12kg
1 x 8L/8R @ 16kg

5/27 Kettlebell Training

Workout #4
6 Min OALC @ 20kg (6rpm)
Left: 6 /6 / 6 Right: 6 / 6 / 6
Pace felt slow, but still a decently hard set for me. It was probably more length of set vs pace that I was feeling. I need to put more time in with the 20kg overall.

4 Min OALC @ 20kg (6rpm)
Left: 6 / 6 Right: 6 / 6

6 Min Cleans @ 20kg (10rpm)
I was definitely feeling it on the last minute of each hand. I like these sets because it allows me to work on my technique. I worked on how the kettlebell lands in the rack. Sometimes, I could almost lay it up there. Other times, I whacked myself. Either way, it was good practice. I am having difficulty with any type of finger lock with this weight so my palms are developing hot spots. I suppose heat and humidity could be playing a part in that though.

Optional Jerk Set with 16kg - 6 min - 10rpm
Good set.

5/25 Kettlebell Training

Workout #3
3 X 4 MIN OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
Made 8rpm for all three sets. Left hand was more difficult in the third set, but made it through.

6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
10L / 10L / 9L / 1L+10R / 10R / 10R
The 20kg sets took a lot out of me, but I made it through this set as well.

5/23 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
Optional 24kg work
Five reps with right arm.

8 Min OALC @ 16kg (6rpm)
Decided to count my set from the MMKI meet for this one.

8 Min Cleans @ 20kg (8rpm)
Good set. Nice to work the 20kg for a little longer set.

6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (10rpm)
Good set.

Added 10 Min Snatch @ 12kg switching every minute (12rpm)
Decided to work on some snatching. I set the bell down at 2 minutes to wrap my right arm. The bruise is better, but the arm is still sore. If nothing else, this set gave me an opportunity to work on my technique.

Mid Michigan Kettlebell Invitational

Time for the MMKI once again. I couldn't help but remember that last year I competed with the 12kg for all three events: OAJ, Snatch and OALC. What a difference a year makes in this sport. This year I competed with the 16kg in one event: OALC. My total reps was 105. I could probably have gone slightly faster, but I was worried about starting out too fast. My goal was to make at least 100 reps which I did. This set qualifies as a Level 1 OALC set for the IKFF and is a competition PR for me.

Mr. Sherman weighed in at just under 78kg. Nice job making weight. He made 172 snatches and around 70 jerks with the 24kg. Unfortunately, he also tore a nice chunk out of his palm during a three minute set snatching the 32kg which occurred at the end of the competition. He snatched it for 50 reps during that time.

Here are his jerk and snatch sets on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFsV2NjT7BQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1NOuPYEopc

5/18 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
6 Min OALC @ 16kg (8rpm)
rest 90 seconds
6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (10rpm)
rest 90 Seconds
6 Min Cleans @ 16kg (10-12rpm)

Accidentally rested an additional 10 to 15 sec between OALC and OAJ. Did 12rpm on the cleans which winded me. Overall, this workout went well.

5/17 Kettlebell Training

Workout #4
Practice OAJ if you would like with 24kg
Skipped this again. Will probably do at least right arm next time.

6 Min OALC @ 20kg (6rpm)
4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
Did all three sets with required rpm. Started feeling my elbow in between the first and second OALC sets, but not enough to stop. Still need to work on the timing of straightening my knees on the clean. I would like to clean the kettlebell UP to the rack position vs. OUT and IN to the rack position.

5/16 Leg Training

Squats
3 sets x 5 reps @ 55kg
6 x 3 @ 65kg

Box Squat
3 x 5 @ 35kg
3 x 5 @ 45kg

SLDL
3 x 8/8 @ 16kg kettlebell

20min Elliptical

5/15 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2 revisited
Optional 24kg work. Do as many reps as you can safely.
Skipped the 24kg for today. Will come back to them when I have more confidence in my elbow.

2 X 4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
First set: Left 7 / 6 Right 8 / 8
Second set: Left: 7 / 7 Right 8 / 8
On the second set, I really focused on having my left elbow firmly rooted on my hip prior to the jerk. I felt the difference both in terms of the kettlebell’s trajectory and the how much power that I was conveying on the bump. I had considered dropping down to the 16kg for these sets, but decided to use the 20kg as written. Instead, I just used a little slower rpm on the left vs. the right side.

1 X 6 Min Cleans @ 20kg (10rpm)
The set wasn’t hard physically, but I was tired mentally. Good practice, though and elbow did all right.

6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (10rpm) - just for jerk practice
Good set.

My wrists are sore from deconditioning. I need to be more consistent as far as kettlebell workouts. My plan is to finish out my current set of workouts by doing workout #4 on Monday. Feeling good about how the elbow held up today.

5/13 Kettlebell Training

Workout #3
6 Min OALC @ 16kg (8rpm)
rest 2 Min
6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (8-10rpm)
rest 2 Min
6 Min Cleans @ 16kg (10rpm)
Looks like I am moving from the 12kg to the 16kg for my Fitness Protocol type workouts. I think that it is a good move. Would love it if I could snatch the 16kg with my left, but that is an old story which is best left for another post. Felt my elbow, but did ok with this workout.

6-8 min Snatch Practice @ 8kg (16rpm)
Didn’t want to chance snatching on my left so I did five minutes at 16rpm on my right. I am also considering that my left arm may never be up to snatching heavier weights for any length of time. It's a depressing thought.

Naturally my back felt weird so I tried two sets of 25 swings on my left with the 8kg. Back still feels out of whack.

5/5 Kettlebell Training

Workout #2
Optional 24kg work. Do as many reps as you can safely.
Did 5R / 5L

2 X 4 Min OALC @ 20kg (8rpm)
I was about two and half minutes into the left hand on the first set when I hurt my elbow. My elbow slid down when I was performing the jerk motion so the jerk came off to the side. I think that I hurt it when I tried to control the kettlebell. I switched early and did three minutes on my right at 8rpm if my memory is correct. I tried to jerk a 12kg a couple times, but felt my elbow so ended up bagging the workout.

1 X 6 Min Cleans @ 20kg (10rpm) – not done
6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (10rpm) - just for jerk practice – not done

5/9 Leg Training

Squats
2 sets x 5 reps @ 55kg
6 x 3 @ 65kg

Jump Squats
1 x 40 @ 65kg
1 x 60 @ 65kg
1 x 70 @ 65kg
1 x 80 @ 65kg

SLDL
2 x 8/8 @ 12kg kettlebell

5/3 Kettlebell Training

Workout #1
6 Min OALC @ 20kg (6rpm)
Left: 6 / 6 / 6 Right: 6 / 6 / 6
Felt good to actually complete a 20kg set. I still feel like I am missing something from the first bump, but maybe it has to do with acclimating to a heavier kettlebell.

2 X 6 Min OALC @ 16kg (10rpm)
Both sets were 10rpm. Had over an hour break between the 20kg set and these two sets. Not used to the speed so I was behind a little from how I like to pace a set. A couple minutes may have had 9 reps while the next minute had 11 reps, if that makes sense.

6 Min Snatch @ 8kg (16rpm) - optional and practice if there is time.
This set was around 15 to 16rpm. I played around with different pieces such as straightening the knees, finger lock etc. I am still looking for a groove.

5/2 Leg Training

Squats
2 sets x 5 reps @ 45kg
5 x 3 @ 55kg

Jump Squats
1 x 30 @ 45kg
2 x 40 @ 45kg
1 x 60 @ 45kg

Elliptical
20 min

5/1 Kettlebell Training

Workout #4
8 Min OALC @ 20kg (7-8rpm)
Left: 8 / 8 / 5 Right: 8 / 8 / 8 / 8
My plan was to go 8 rpm and slow down to 7 or less if I needed to do so. Unfortunately, the last four or five reps on the left side required so much effort that I switched at 3 minutes to the right hand. I was not getting the first bump so I was having to dip really low to catch the bell. The dojo was very humid so that affected my performance as well.

4 Min Cleans @ 20kg (10rpm)
There are some days when I am happy that CI is my coach. I worked on straightening the knees on the upswing of the clean. Wow, what a difference. The bell swings up vs. out more.

6 Min OAJ @ 16kg (10rpm)
Very short rest period between the cleans and this set. This set went fairly decently.