Back to Square One

Posted on January 6, 2012 by t00r

Going straight to 32 kg today after 20 months with 16 kg (last 2 months doing TGUs with 24kg) got my arse kicked properly.

I feel like I’m starting anew. I originally planned on doing the GtG routine I do lately then throw in a 10 minute 40-20 swing session to kill me off for good.

Well, I only managed 10 TGUs (5L-5R), 10 Pistol Squats (5L-5R), barely did the 40-20 for two minutes and I was done. Sitting on the floor… barely, because I had to work my thighs like I haven’t in a looong time. After doing 5 inclined pushups I called it a day.

I might consider going back to the Easy 20 Kettlebell Workout to get things rolling again with the 32 kg.

Never look back, never back down, stay alert and act sensibly.

What I am up to lately? Turkish Getups :)

Posted on November 1, 2011 by t00r

Two months have passed since my last post.

I have slowed things down a bit since then, exercise-wise.

With more focus on the Turkish Getup and complementary body weight movements doing them SLOW!

Yes, you heard me, slow. I realized I was rushing the moves lately, resulting in sloppy style not utilizing the core muscles properly. For some moves slower is better if you are not opting for cardio and/or endurance. Well you kinda get the endurance bit with slow.

Last time around I mentioned doing TGUs with the 36-36 HIIT protocol and I did. I was able to squeeze (literally) 4 TGUs inside 36 seconds. I thought I was super, I thought “Well this has gotten easy with the 16 kg kettlebell, I definitely need to move up to 24 kg”.

While I still should get the 24 kg for the ballistic moves (swings snatches etc.) I couldn’t be more wrong about my mastery of the TGU using the 16 kg bell.

I took it the other way around, stretching a single full TGU cycle over 40-50 seconds, doing proper footwork, stance and the bridge.

Turned out that 5 reps on each side at this pace was a complete workout on its own. Really working all the muscles that should get involved… properly! 🙂

Now I am taking the slow path for non-ballistic kettlebell moves to improve form, stability and balance. I also slowed down the cardio moves like for example the squat thrust.

This way I revisited the 300 Meltdown Kettlebel workout. Taking it slower to improve and emphasize proper form instead of rushing the moves trying to beat the time made a world of difference as how my muscles feel and look 😉

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM

36-36 20 Sets of Kettlebell Turkish Getups & Windmills!

Posted on September 14, 2011 by t00r

So on Monday i managed to form some nasty calluses on both of my hands doing the 15-15 50 Set Kettlebell Snatches workout. Still I liked this cardio-strength-endurance combo style and wondered if I could be doing Turkish Getups this way and to take it easier combine them with Windmills.

The 15-15 would be to short (so I thought) as the full TGU takes more time then a Snatch. I decided to do the following:

36 seconds doing 2 TGU’s and 2 Windmills with a 16 kg Kettlebell

36 seconds of rest

20 sets like this.

Turned out I was actually able to do 4 TGU’s and 2 Windmills in each set. So after the first 5-6 sets that’s what I did. I did my share of sweating, I was not fatigue at the end so this was a nice workout, given the fact that the TGU is pretty much a whole body workout.

In the end I did 71 TGUs and 40 Windmills in 26 minutes 🙂

15-15 Kettlebell Snatch Interval Training 50 Sets!

Posted on September 12, 2011 by t00r

I came across this article while searching for some links to use in my previous post:

Kettlebell Snatching on a Warrior Diet!

I lately tried to use more weight with less repetitions to improve my strength and this article is a bit on the other side of the spectrum. It makes you do Kettlebell Snatches in 15 second work 15 second rest fashion for 25 minutes! Thats 50 sets but hey 15 seconds doesn’t sound like much work right?

Wrong! After a couple of sets the forced rest makes each consecutive set a tiny bit more challenging and depending on your current form you start sweating like a pig half way through.

I paced myself at 6 snatches per set and kept this rhythm throughout the workout. Thats 300 snatches in total, not bad. I could go faster but with the cheap*ss vinyl kettlebell of mine, I would have ripped away everything inside my hands. Even at this pace I managed to get calluses immediately, one even filled with blood then popped open and I had to use my training towel to clean the handle.

I kind of liked this 15-15 HIIT thing and I started to wonder how it would be to use this 15-15 50 sets thing and to Turkish Getups?

I used the Tabata Clock from Hans-Christian Sperker (its Beerware so if you like the tool buy him a beer 🙂 ) and recorded that with Audacity as a MP3 file. Audacity can use several files and mix them together so you can put some music behind the metallic voice of the Tabata Clock but I didn’t have time for that and also, since its a 15-15 interval, that metallic voice was almost always there 🙂

I started with a 16 kg Kettlebell one year ago still use it and …

Posted on August 24, 2011 by t00r

Well I finally realized that despite my intention to stay with it and increase the difficulty of the moves that I have reached a plato in my progress.

Ballistic moves, most notably the swing, are not effective anymore and what is even more important, since I am not challenged by the weight, my technique has suffered severely. I have lost my form.

After doing 150 2H swings, 150 mountain climbers and 20 clean presses (10 on each side), I decided to tried the Turkish Get Up with 24 kg dumbbells and 2H swings with both 24 kg and 32 kg. Tough job, especially the TGU.

Hence I decided to get myself both the 24 kg and the 32 kg, for strength moves and ballistic moves in that order 🙂

Half 300 Kettlebell Workout

Posted on August 12, 2011 by t00r

Well on Wednesday, stubborn as I act lately, I decided to keep working out, and did a half 300 Kettlebell Workout despite the blood filled calluses on both my hands.

Needless to say, one of them blew up on me early in the exercises and to my surprise it wasn’t painful at all (just a bit messy).

Anyway, the half 300 Kettlebell workout is as follows:

25 Snatches (5 Left hand then blood 10 right hand 10 left hand)

25 Plank to Push-up position

25 Alternating One Handed Kettlebell Swings (Starting on the left)

25 Burpees (just plank and jump no push-up)

5 Turkish Get-ups (Left)

5 Windmills (Right)

5 Windmills (Left)

5 Turkish Get-ups (Right)

30 Mountain Climbers

Back from a 4 week break

Posted on August 8, 2011 by t00r

We went on vacation for 11 days and then I had a track day on the Istanbul Park circuit. A whole day, seven sessions of 20 minutes from 9 am to 4 pm a very hot day.

17 years after I bought this 1994 Aprilia RS125 we made it onto the intended race track 🙂

I alternated the sessions with my friends Honda CB600F, stings like a hornet 😀

Even though I must have drunk around 6 liters of water and no need to go the toilet I was apparently still dehydrated at the end of the day which took its toll on the rest of the week. I decided to skip workouts until fully recovered and then some.

So today I was back behind my kettlebell doing the last exercise routine in a 40-20 interval fashion for to sets and I was breathless. 🙂

I won’t rush back into pace and pick it up slowly.

60-15 HIIT Kettlebell Bodyweight Workout

Posted on July 7, 2011 by t00r

Inspired by the original Spartacus Workout I have put together another 10 exercise 60-15 interval workout of two rounds:

1. Kettlebell Goblet Squat

2. Mountain Climber

3. Alternating One Handed Kettlebell Swing

4. Plank Walk to Push-Up Position

5. Split Jump

6. Kettlebell Row (8 on each side)

7. Kettlebell Side Lunge and Touch

8. Windmill

9. Kettlebell Lunge and Rotation

10. Turkish Get-Up (3 on each side)

This makes one round, rest for 2 minutes and repeat one (or if you feel like it two) more time.

My Sweetheart Wife is Back in Kettlebell Action!

Posted on June 27, 2011 by t00r

Yes! After a lengthy break my wife is back working out with Kettlebells. I am very excited for her and will do my best to share my experience and passion on her journey! 🙂

She got on the Kettlebell Train last year after seeing the results that started to show on me (especially the belly area hehe). We had our first child two years ago and our boy is keeping her really busy so she has little time to go to the Gym to workout (which she loves) and responsibilities added up etc.

Anyways she is now back in the game and is swinging with Lauren Brooks joining her on the Videos we downloaded (The Ultimate Body Sculpt Volumes I & II) and is really enjoying feeling her muscles once again.

Although the Videos might look to be geared towards the female Kettlebell audience, I can assure you they are very effective for everyone as every muscle is utilized during the exercises. Use the above link or the box on the side to see for yourself. I’m sure you too will be impressed and motivated as we are 🙂

Changing back to more Kettlebell