February Recap.

Ten workouts – three ballistic, five grinds, and two variety. That’s an average of one workout every 2.8 days. Well that’s consistent anyway. Checking off the calendar I see one lengthy gap. Timed work sets totaled 193 minutes – just shy of 3 and one third hours. Less than last month, but remember that’s ‘timed’ work sets. I experimented with pyramids this month and didn’t time everything. The total weight lifted was 76,438 pounds. A lot less than last month. It’s easy to see that I only swung the beast once in February and with only three ballistic workouts in February I missed a lot of swing volume. I really didn’t feel like I was dialing it in during February. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was work, maybe because I’m primarily focusing on squat technique – whatever, I didn’t really feel like I made much progress. Certainly a huge weakness with February’s practice time was the number of workouts, especially the ballistics. With only three ballistic workouts in February I’m not boosting my conditioning they way I should. Something to be conscious of during March.

I recorded 16 personal records in 10 work rounds:

Goblet Squat – 2(Volume PR), 2(Rep PR), 1(Volume Density PR)
Clean and Press – 1(VPR), 3 (RD PR), 3(VD PR)
Double Clean and Press – 2(V PR), 1 (VD PR)
Long Cycle Clean and Jerk – 1(V PR)

Types of PR’s I’m keeping track of:

Volume = total weight lifted per lift or overall
Volume Density = total weight lifted per minute
Reps = number of lifts with a given weight
Rep Density = number of lifts per minute

PR elements others keep track of are volume, intensity, density, and fatigue index. Intensity and fatigue index rely on knowing your 1 rep max. Although not impossible I think it’s impractical to track intensity and fatigue index with my kettlebell work. I do think that tracking overall reps (for endurance) and rep density (how much I really own a bell or a lift) are valuable for me. If I want to ‘turn it up a notch’ I can plan accordingly. But that’s just what works for me.

February 28, 2011

Should have been a ballistic day, but turned into a variety day. I wanted to focus on Goblet Squats first since that is my primary objective right now. After 11 sets I was ready to cramp up and decided that long cycle and swings weren’t in the cards for today.

Goblet Squats
20kg
11 minutes
11 x 6
66

Bridges
15 lb sandbag
3 x 15
45

Bottom up cleans with a walk for 30’
16kg
4/4

February 27, 2011

Grind Day

C&P
36kg
11 minutes
6 x 3/3

Goblet Squats
20kg
10 minutes
6 x 5

Heavy Swings
48kg
5 minutes
5 x 12

C&P
24kg/24kg
3 minutes
3 x 5

Beat.

February 24, 2011

Ballistic Day

I just wanted to test my LCCJ. Maybe not the best of ideas right after a heavy grind session, but I wanted to see how long 5 ladders of (2, 4, 6) would take.

LCCJ
20kg/20kg;
5 x (2, 4, 6)
18 minutes
60/60
Volume PR for 20’s

I completed the first three ladders in 10 minutes for an average of 3.6 reps a minute. The final tally was 3.3 reps per minute. I’d like to get that down to 6.9 reps per minute.

February 23, 2011

Grind Day

C&P
36kg;
6 x 2/2 minutes
in 7 minutes
12/12
Rep PR for 36kg

Goblet squats
20kg;
2, 4, 6, 6, 4, 2
9 minutes
24

Double C&P
28kg/28kg;
7 x 3
8 minutes
21/21
First time

All about the tool?

I saw this kettlebell in Men's Journal. I had to laugh. Everyone is trying to milk the Kettlebell Invasion. It is a contoured kettlebell so you won’t hurt your arm. If your technique is good you won’t hurt your arm either.

But then I thought about tools. The kettlebell is just a tool. The barbell is another tool. There's lots of debate about which tool is best. In my mind it's all about personal preference. Kettlebells aren’t the end all, but they can do things barbells and dumbbells don’t do as well. Maybe a better way to put it is horses for courses. I had a specific reason for choosing kettlebells for my primary tool, but I don’t intend to limit myself to 106 lbs.

I remember when my future ex-wife and I were dating. She bought a Suaro dresser. Lots of parts. She wanted me to put it together. OK, I was trying to be a good guy. I asked her if she had a screwdriver and she said that she did. Then she brought out the green handle which housed different bits. It was a piece of shit and it turned a nice evening into a long ordeal. But that tool was fine for her.

I can remember when I got my first weight set. It was from Sears and it had a cheap hollow bar and plastic covered cement plates - 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 pounders. It was red, white, and blue. I think my dad bought it in 1975. There is no way I would lift with that set now. But it was my first set and it got the job done. Not the job of making me strong, the job of introducing me to lifting.

Now in addition to my kettlebells I have several 'iron pills' and bars. They are not Elko's they’re from Sears, Walmart, and Sports Authority. Far from the top of the line, but they are getting the job done for what I need.

Who knows maybe a contoured kettlebell that some soccer mom buys will set some kid on the right path. Maybe they would be the right tool for the right person in the right time and place.

It’s not for me to judge.

Then again...

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