September Body Weight Only Training

When I returned from Colorado Springs on September 2nd, I had just completed a month long journey with the kettlebell snatch, although I didn't hit my goal number of 5000 snatches with a 20kg bell (only did 4000), I did learn a valuable lesson and I did feel like a vagina.

I decided my next training journey would consist of body weight only training and something brand new to me, "crawling."  I followed the 100 Push Up Program set and rep scheme.  Performing Push-Ups, Squats and AbMat Sit-Ups.  I would also train the Pull-up to a lower intensity.  My plan was to train body weight Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday do some active rest in the form of Crawling and a specific upper back program by Joe Defranco.  

I have read a lot about crawling and how it would help your body hit a reset in the way of physical and mental health.  This primitive movement pattern was difficult for me initially.  It had been so long since I crawled.  The movement pattern felt so foreign to me.

I had to "think" before moving, and I was crawling very slow at first.  On top of the physical/mental pattern challenge, crawling was damn exhausting.  I crawled for the first two weeks of my body weight training, and it made a huge difference.  The upper back program just seemed interesting to me and was a way to balance out the high volume push-ups.  Well I got through the month, hit all 12 training sessions and was able to maintain my sanity. 

 Here is a summary.

When I tested my initial push-up, squat and sit-up max reps I was shocked on how low they were.

Deep full (below parallel) high volume body weight squats expose a lot of hip mobility issues.

Not a fan of the traditional sit-up, so I used an AbMat and it worked very well for me.

The body weight training session averaged about 45 minutes in length, I took my time and made sure I did strict repetitions.

Over the 4 weeks I performed 1710 push-ups, 2302 squats, and 2565 AbMat sit-ups.

The longest crawling session was 4 x 100 yards, that was after starting with 2 x 50 yards.

Although I didn't specifically set out to train the Pull-Up, my form and strength in this movement improved.

Body weight stayed the same the entire month, even though my eating plan was anything but stellar.

Did not have a training day where I didn't feel like doing the session, I didn't feel "burnt" out.

The crawling sessions gave me a new perspective on the value of primitive human movement patterns, especially as we age.

I am going to take a few days and do some active rest training and then figure out my next challenge and journey.  I am thinking about another kettlebell swing challenge intermixed with barbell training.

And always remember.

Body weight only training is a good break from traditional weight training anyone can do the movements, you don't need a gym or any equipment, so you really have no excuse not to get stronger.

Stay Strong(er).  Al

5000 Kettlebell snatches in August.

After the month of July and and 11,000 one arm kettlebell swings,  I didn’t think I could look at a kettlebell again for a long time.  Then something possessed me on the morning of July 30, I decided that August would be a good month to do 5000 one arm snatches with a 20kg kettlebell.  

In the month of August I was taking a 12 day road trip from Western PA to Colorado Springs and back, I was driving through 12 states in 12 days.  Easy enough, bring along the kettlebell, it travels well.  You can do snatches along the roadside and at the hotel.  I also knew my month would be cut short since I was traveling back to Colorado Springs the last three days of the month.  I could have put the 20kg kettlebell in a bowling ball bag and checked it as luggage (paid for the extra bag) and taken it along.  I decided against that move as this was parents weekend at the Air Force Academy and the trip was meant to visit our son Cadet Viktor Rymniak. My wife Tanya may have had me committed to a mental institution plus I really needed the rest/recovery.

My sons room never looked like this when he lived at home

Proud Parents

Nothing is more motivating than a Parade 

The goal of 5000 KB snatches didn't seem that overwhelming.  Going in I figured I would need at least 6 complete rest days, so I had 25 training days ahead of me, so the average would have to be 200 snatches per training day.  Easy enough, right?  Well, easy but not simple.  This was a maiden voyage for me attempting this type of kettlebell snatch volume. One snatch at a time, became my new motto. Away we go.

The Snatch Statue, Buffalo Thunder, Santa Fe NM

Building up the volume.  The first 15 days of the month I was on the road and my intention was to build up the volume., slow and steady.  I missed too many training days during this time.  When I did snatch the ‘bell I hit decent numbers but I was still building up the volume and conditioning. So the overall total suffered.

On the road in the middle of America

Some of the places I did snatches were:

 

The parking lot of the Hampton Inn in Hays, KS, think Wizard of Oz. 8/3

The parking lot of a Laundry Mat in Colorado Springs, CO, interesting place. 8/7

The parking lot of a Cracker Barrel in Van Buren, Arkansas, got a lot of strange looks. 8/10

The gas pumps at a nasty gas station in Forest City, Arkansas, my wife had to go? 8/10

My room in the Hotel Peabody in Memphis, TN, ah, air conditioning. 8/11

A Love’s truck stop southwest of Nashville, TN, every trucker should have a KB. 8/12

A Love’s truck stop south of Elizabeth, Kentucky, interesting talk with a guy smoking cigarettes.  8/12

My friends drive way in Loveland, OH, felt almost like home.  8/14

Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs Co

I snatched when I could and when I felt like it during the trip.  I had some interesting conversations with people along the way that approached me when I was doing the snatches.  Not sure if I converted anyone to the lifestyle of kettlebells, but it was fun.

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo TX

I got back home on the 14^th woefully behind schedule on hitting the 5000.   I was at 1085. At first I was going to abort the mission, instead I stepped on the gas for the next few days hitting 300 reps. I tapered off to the 250 and came into the finish line on August 28 with 100 reps.

August 1 through 14 performed 1085 reps, majority were sets of 10/10, with rest.

August 15 through 28 performed 2915 reps, started doing sets of 15/15 and 25/25.

That is 90 tons snatched over 28 days.

I missed too many days while I was traveling and when I did the reps I didn’t hit the numbers I needed too at the time.  I did 4000 reps in 19 training sessions an average of 210 reps. I learned many training lessons on the way.  I wasted some training days early in the month while I was travelling.  Looking back I could have toughened up and did more reps on the road.  The trip was fantastic though.  I missed the last few days of the month, again travelling.  I am certain I could have hit the 5000 with a little less travel and slightly more discipline.

Here is a recap of the month:

The snatch takes a lot more out of me than the one arm swing.  For me the snatch is 2 times as taxing on my body as the one arm swing with the 20kg bell.  The first consecutive days that I did 300 snatches I was beat up needed a complete rest day to recover properly.  I was behind and might have pushed it a little too hard when I got back home.

My hands and grip took a beating.  There really isn’t anything you can do but condition your hands and strengthen your grip by snatching.  When I was traveling one of the main reasons why I didn’t do more snatches was my hands were not conditioned enough.  They were sore and I didn’t want to tear open my calluses.  Once I got back home I started using Anti-Monkey Butt powder and cut off socks to protect my hands on high volume days.

Once you get in the volume your technique starts to get sharper.  I always went for that perfect rep, one snatch at a time.  The 20kg bell is my RKC test bell.  That bell is pretty light for me so I was able to keep up the volume once I got going.  My hip drive and lock out became smooth.  The movement seemed to flow.

On the 25^th I did the RKC snatch test. Results: 100 reps in 4:08 without setting the ‘bell down, this was a PR and this was the first time I did the 100 reps straight through.  I felt good about that time, no world record but respectable.

The carry over effect to my golf game was outrageous.  I am now re-thinking the best movement to increase shot distance and control is the kettlebell snatch versus the kettlebell swing.  I am hitting the golf ball so much further with less effort.  My body control, balance, stability, and power have all increased from the snatch volume.

I also did 9 Easy Strength sessions during this journey.  The snatches helped my overall strength.  My dead lift and bench press numbers went up slightly.  My double kettlebell military press went up I am now using 28kg bells.  Dead Hang Pull Ups became easier for me.

My diet wasn’t all that strict during the month of August, travelling, anniversary, birthday and just general over all indulgence.  One thing that I found was doing high volume snatches seemed to suppress my appetite.   I’m not sure if it is the met-con effect or after you get done you just do not feel like eating anything for a while.  The downside was I discovered a taste for Memphis BBQ and a great Manhattan.

Memphis BBQ

Spencer Penrose Manhattan, The Broadmoor

The KB snatch is the Czar of the KB movements.  Mobility, Stability, Balance/Body Awareness, Strength, and Power, the KB Snatch builds them all.

Although I fell short of my volume goal, the journey was well worth the effort.

Cadet Viktor Rymniak, Acceptance Day 8/6/13

I will do this again, it was a challenge and I felt better for taking it on.

I LOVE the SNATCH!

On to the next challenge.  Stay Strong(er),

Al  al@ironsolid.com  724-456-7503 (mobile)

10,000 One Arm Kettlebell Swings in July, it's MAGIC

As we enter the second half of 2013, I made a decision to repeat the 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge that I did in January (I did 11,120 one arm swings with the 20kg bell).  Why?  Well the challenge is a re-boot of the entire system.  Life has been crazy lately, April, May and June have been complete scheduling chaos.  

It is, as AB the bag drop professional at the Dye Club in Myrtle Beach would say, "It's ALL GOOD, Al!"  "Be Thankful."  I love that guy and his attitude, and I always look forward to seeing AB.  

Well anyway, two graduations, my daughter Alexa from college, and my son Viktor from high school, started off the month of May.  A major change in plans in late May when Viktor received and accepted his Air Force Academy appointment, then travel on vacation for 10 days in Myrtle Beach, graduation parties and then travel to see Viktor off at USAFA in Colorado Springs.  Needless to say my schedule has been not very regimented, and my training and eating hasn't been the strictest.

Enter the Kettlebell one more time!  July is normal.  For the first time in many years we are not taking a two week vacation in July, I'm staying home the entire month.  So 10,000 kettlebell swings seems like a grand idea. 31 days to get the job done.

I started out on June the 29th and 30th by doing 250 swings each day with a 20kg bell just to get back in the groove, a warm up.  Then I started the journey July 1.  I switched to a 24kg bell at the half way point of 5000 swings, which was on July 10.  I'm ahead of schedule but I know there will be days where I just can't hit the volume needed, so it makes sense to have a few hundred swings in the bank.

I am doing one arm swings because the carry over to golf is better, with the anti-rotaitional component involved my golf swing feels so much more powerful . There is something magical about high volume KB swings. I do a session early in the morning 15 minutes after waking up.  The movement is therapeutic and get's my heart rate up to a good level, in fact it wakes me up.  I am a morning person (Marine training), so this works for me well.

What is the magic?


#1 having a BIG goal is always a good thing, the 10,000 number is so daunting that most people would not even try to attempt it.

#2 the BIG goal, forces you to make a plan. If you set a goal, the next step is to put a plan together on how to achieve the goal.  You may have to tweak the plan as you go along, but keep the goal in mind.

#3 the BIG goal gives you a purpose, I look forward to doing the swings, have a purpose.

#4 document the BIG goal and the progress, social media allows you to put yourself out there, who cares if no one responds, you know what you are doing and it makes you accountable.

#5 once you reach your BIG goal, you now have a baseline to go from, improving oneself is one of the joys of life.

#6 sense of accomplishment is a good thing, it is better when it is your own goal, not some made up sales goal by some big corporation (if you have ever been in corporate sales you can relate).

#7 there is no better exercise movement than the RKC kettlebell swing, so 10,000 of them means you are getting good exercise

#8 weight loss and muscle building, try it an you will see, don't take my word for it

#9 better sleep, is there anything that people want more than better sleep? (except more sex)

#10 it is just a BADASS goal, telling someone that you did 10,000 KB swings in the month, gets you crazy looks


OK, that's the magic for me. This will re-boot my entire system and my life. I had such a great experience in January that it makes sense to give it another go.  Moving from the 20kg to the 24kg means I am improving upon my previous experience.  I am also continuing to teach my KB class three times a week and started back lifting, using the Easy Strength program again.

As I progress and finish this goal, I will probably think of more "magic" to add to the list.

Stay Strong!  Set goals and achieve them.  As I tell my son Viktor, WAKE UP, KICK ASS, REPEAT!  Picking the right goals makes that process FUN!

Al   al@ironsolid.com

You have completed the 12 week Kettlebell Muscle Program......

I just finished the last training session of KB Muscle Program by Geoff Neupert. Now what do I do?

Friday June 7, 2013 –  The Grande Finale

Week 12 Heavy Day using 20kg ‘bells

5 rounds – rest between rounds is 120 seconds

5 x FSQ

5 x DSN

5 x DMP

5 x (DCL+DPP)

5 x FSQ

150 total reps, total session time 22 minutes

Summary: Absolutely the toughest session I have ever performed in my training life of 44 years.  No way to describe this one.  On the 4^th and 5^th rounds had to reset the bells between each movement I was so taxed.  I have been running and doing some body weight exercises with my son Viktor to get him ready for BCT at the Air Force Academy so I may be over trained a bit.  Still it feels great to have completed this 12 week program.

Next journey is a few weeks of de-loading - running, body weight, light kettlebells and golf.  Then I am going into a barbell program.  

My nutrition hasn't been the best over the past weeks and that plays a huge part in my performance and how I feel and ultimately look. 

I really recommend the KB Muscle program.  It is simple but not easy, but very effective.

Stay Strong!  Al