Unmotivated

Today's training session started so slow it was unreal. It has been a long time since I had to push to get things going, but it ended hard. I came up with a killer combo for Denmark. A I go you go style workout, that should push it hard while keeping form in check. I think sometimes in an effort to take it to the next level we often sacrifice form for numbers.

Oh yeah, you will have to wait until I get back from Denmark to get this one.

Top secret!!

I haven't posted my training for the last few days because they are top secret. I have been working on workouts for the Denmark cert. I have been trying them out on myself to make sure they are worthy of the RKC.

Everything else has been good. Class size is picking up and private sessions are picking up as well.

TRAINING!!!!!!

I have a rant that I need to go on, here we go. After having a conversation with a good friend of mine today it really made me think. Personal training is a very unique profession. Often people will take one class or watch one video and they are experts in that system, it doesn't matter if it's kettlebells, yoga or swiss balls.

I don't think that just because I'm married to a nurse that I could go do her job. I can't after having a father that is a engineer build a damn thing. I can't race a motocross bike like my brother. I can't make dinner like my mother who owned her own catering business. SO why do people think they know everything there is to know about a kettlebell by watching youtube?

And to my good friend I say, keep your head up and give it time bro!

Lots of beach training

The last few days Jen and I have been training a ton on the beach. The weather has been unreal. We have been doing a little bit of everything. Jen has been working on taming the arc to smooth out both her cleans and snatches. So we worked some H2H cleans and I threw in a open hand press in there as well. The H2H cleans are fun and they add some variety to the workout while reinforcing good technique. If you are going to attempt them practice outside and remember quick feet are happy feet.

California

California is it's own little world. We went to the beach today just to hang out, watch the waves and people. People seem to really enjoy life here! There were so many families grilling food, playing catch and just hanging out having a good time. It made Jen and I happy that we moved here, but also made us miss our own families. They are just one phone call away. 84 degrees and not a cloud in the sky,on Easter Sunday! I guess we will have to convince our families that it's time to move.

MP Ladders

Needed to get some heavy presses in so Jen and I hit the beach and do some things.

Jen worked swing and single leg dead lifts

I busted out MP ladders with 32kg 5 X 1,2,3,4,5 L/R
oh yeah started with 2x20 DRAC swings

Snatch ladder

Here is a nice easy way to get things done

Snatch ladder 24kg

10/10
15/15
20/20
25/25
20/20
15/15
10/10

Enough rest to catch your breath and your off to the next set

Grease the groove MP 5/5 x 24kg

Bust it out

Hit the park
Swings 1x20 24kg for me 12kg for Jen
TGU Me 24kg 5 minutes x2 Jen 8kg 5 minutes x 1

Today the BEACH

Yes it's tough out here, Jen and I hit the beach for a workout.

It went down like this.

Circuit
20 swings of choice
5/5 MP
10/10 Snatches
5/5 Front squat
Repeat three times through

Finish with 3/3x3 MP medium/ heavy

It was good, got a nice sweat going that was quickly dried up by the ocean breeze.
Jen also pressed the 12kg for the first time today.

Yesterday in the park

Jen and I hit the park yesterday for a workout. Upper 60's and sunny with a view of the ocean on one side and mountains on the other.

It was swingapalooza, not by the Rifs standards, more like Brett Jones standards. I'm a low rep guy also
Jen 12kg 6x30
Snatches 8kg 10/10 x3 15/15x1
Me 24kg 12x20 various styles

Then I go you go swings
each of us 12 sets of 10 reps

Then I demoed some stuff for people that were asking questions in the park.
Jen did some MP 2x10 while she waited for me.

Don't forget

Here is a list of all my kettlebells classes

Monday 6:00pm @ Hardcore 360, 209 Gray Ave Santa Barbara
Tuesday and Thursday mornings 7:00am @ Cemetery park in Ventura

More to come I will keep everybody informed.

DOUG
Classicironkb@gmail.com for questions

Getting things settled

Jen and I moved into our final house on Thursday. We have been very busy handling all that comes with that. I did manage to get two easy workouts in though. Friday 24kg MP 5/5x10 and Saturday snatches 24 kg 10/10x5.

One of the things we did before moved was to sell everything we had so we could travel as light as possible. I'm talking beds, dressers, TVs you name it we sold it. So we need new stuff out here. The coolest thing we ended up buying was a Bed in a Box
This thing rocks. They ship you a memory foam mattress in a box. The mattress has had all the air vacuumed out of it then the roll it up and stick it in a box. The FedEx guy dropped ours off and 15 min later we had a King size bed that was ready for a great nights sleep. The best part is they don't advertise much so we bought two beds for less then the price of our old mattress and box springs. The damn thing is comfortable as hell. So if you are in the market for a new bed check them out.

The weather has been great!! California weather people have it tough. The other night they were talking about how we needed to watch the news because there was a weather waring. What was it, IT WAS GOING TO BE WINDY! Oh no don't go outside your hair might get messed up. I wonder how long it's going to take before I turn into a candy ass?

Busy doing nothing!

I have California people figured out, they are real good at being busy doing nothing. Let me give you an example. Today Jen and I went to the beach to train. It was 1:00 pm and there were people all over the place walking, reading, tanning and just hanging out. At 1:00 in the afternoon! Then I started to think Jen and I have been in the same mode. Training is picking up but not even close to the pace it was before. Jen is waiting for the state to transfer her nursing license so I guess we too have been busy doing nothing.

So the nothing we did today.
Jen
12kg DARC 2x20
8kg MP 5/5x5
8kg Snatches 5/5x5 She just learned this one so we are working on form. She has them down so we are going to pick up the pace soon
8kg waiter's walk 50' L,R
8kg walking MP 6 reps and steps L then 15 swings/6 reps and steps R then 15 swings x 2

Me
24kg DARC 1 x20
Double kettlebell on arm MP with a 24kg and 16kg 3/3x3
One arm swings double KB 24kg+16kg 2x10
16kg H2H while Jen did snatches
24kg waiter's walk
24kg walking MP and swing

A couple of 24 kg overhead throws for fun

Both finished with active rest of a walk down the beach, like I said busy doing nothing.

Pinkie toe update. Thought all was well until two days ago when Max (150 pounds) stepped on it and there was a loud snap followed by intense pain, not good. Then today Peanut (115 pounds) stepped on it and rotated to change direction, followed again by searing pain. Now it is the second biggest toe on my foot. NOT GOOD!!! The cold Pacific ocean did fell quite good though.

Basics

I hit all the basics today.

24kg 10/10x2 for the following

swings
cleans
presses
front squat

then 24kg 20/20 snatches
and 5/5 TGU

done in about 15 minutes

off to teach class.

My brother rocks

There was a bit snow in Ohio. Here is my brother having fun. That is him singing with his band too!

Even the Rav Loves the Snow

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Jen and I

We hit the beach today for a little workout DW style.

We did a swing and hindu squat ladder

50 swing/10 squats
40/20
30/30
20/40
10 swings/ 50 squats
no rest between sets it took us about 10 minutes, I think it's so hard to concentrate on time when the ocean is roaring and the sun is in your face.

Followed by MP 3/3/x3 holding a 12kg and 24kg in one hand

First class

I had my first class last night, 12 people show up for a little pain. I took it kinda easy on them because they were all newbies to me. Everybody did a very good job and they will progress quickly. Feels good to get back in the saddle again.

I worked out before class

MP 32kg 5/5x5
Pull up ladder in between press sets 1,2,3,4,5
24kg bottom up press 2/2x3
Pistols in between press sets 3/3x3
16kg H2H stuff for about 5 minutes

PS I thought the toe was doing better then Maximus stepped on it and I almost went down, not healed yet.

Perspective

Perspective: b: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance perspective and to view your own task in a larger framework — W. J. Cohen>

Balance

Balance, a buzz word in the training arena lately, has been on my mind the last couple of days. The difference is my thoughts have been on balance in my life. In the last few years my life was what I thought was balanced. Wrong!!! Having time to get things going out here in California has let me figure things out. In the past I put training above all else in my life. Yes, in needed to make money, but often that came at a cost. If you have a client that is mentally draining is it really worth the money you made, if you are to spent to do something for yourself or others? I was getting better at turning down sessions that were not a good match or I knew were going to tap me out mentally before I left Ohio.

I have had time to recharge now and really look at the big picture. I need to be there more for my wife and myself. Yes, I still will bust my butt and work hard but just a bit smarter than I have in the past.

I never thought of this one with my GI JOE