PART OF ANY NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST

  Well, maybe I was a little bored. The kids got a kick out of it this morning. 

  A new session begins Tuesday. I think we have a great thing going with the community center with one exception...sometimes we just can't use the space. I would like to have at least 4 days available to us for the same price. Nobody in this city has done what we have done so far. A lot of the credit goes to Joady (Cont. Ed. Director) for being so flexible but I also think we can do better. We have an instant training facility any where we pull the trailer. Meanwhile I will try to stike a deal with some shelter for the winter. Great training last night! Good crowd. Great effort. Friday will be nonstop beat-down so people can get out as soon as they want for the the party night. Class will not end early but feel free to cut out as soon as you have had enough. I will have an  I go/You go session for the hour. Time to pour some water.

AMENDED SNATCH TEST...Already?

One quick change to the amount of reps required. It is simple and fair. Everyone does one rep per kg of their own body weight...rounded up...of course. Weigh in at 65 kg, you will need to do 65 reps in 5 min. Same for men and women. Max reps is 100 no matter how much you weigh (100kg body weight=100 reps. 120 kg body weight=100 reps). This will be interesting.

CHA-CHA-CHANGES !! SNATCH RULES.

  Just when you thought it was safe...The rules change. The  Feb. RKC ushers in a new era. The new snatch test rules are as follows. 

-The free hand can be on the hip or the waist...NOT the thigh.

-5 min to complete the test.

-As many hand switches as you wish.

-The sum of both arms is scored.

-You may set the bell down and rest.

-You may make multiple back swings.

-Chalk is allowed. NO belts, gloves, wrist wraps or other supportive equipment.

-You may DROP the bell twice. The snatch will not be counted.

-Third DROP your disqualified.

MEN

Weight class (kg/lbs) = Snatches (total L+R)

60/132=60

90/198=80

90+/198+= 100

0-49 years of age uses 24 kg kettlebell

50+ years of age uses 20 kg kettlebell

WOMEN

Weight class(kg/lbs)=Snatches (total L+R)/Bell size

50/110=80/12 kg

60/132=60/16 kg

75/165=80/16 kg

75+/165+=100/16 kg

WOMEN OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE

60/132=60/12 kg

75/165=80/12 kg

75+/165+=100/12 kg

  So what is the difference? At first blush I would say this is a approx. half the Secret Service Snatch Test (SSST) for the guys and modified for men of lesser body weight. For the ladies things just got tougher all around following the same model. Quick note, if you can set the bell down and rest then it should never be 'dropped' due to fatigue. Be aware of your abilities and act on them! I think some people will be 'pushing up daisies' at the next  Russian Kettlebell Certification.

FRIDAY SHOCKER !!!!

  Well, maybe not a great shocker but a big surprise to be sure. I was stiff after the mild training on Friday outside community center. I think it was the double press overhead walking that got things fired-up. Either way it was just the six of us in the cool breeze talkin' smart and training light. The large groups are fun and great for the program, but small groups are more personal and allow for some specific training. Thanks to everyone that made it and for contributing to the selection of lifts we performed. I was looking at the VERTICAL ENDEAVORS website today thinking we should put some of our strength to the test and climb some walls. This would be a FPKB sponsored event (no cost to you) and I would need a commitment in order to reserve the space and instructor. I have never climbed the boulder walls before so I would set up a group lesson for everyone. Then, we climb at will. Tuesday is a snatch day...BRING GLOVES. I hope your weekend is a good one.

YOU ASKED FOR IT !!!!

  WHAT'S THE OLD LINE? CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR?

  Today I came up with the slightly modified '300 workout' for our training pleasure. Instead of pull-ups we will substitute pull-overs. Instead of box jumps, we will be doing 'bend and thrusts' (burpees). Same muscle groups just a slight variation due to the lack of availability of 24" boxes and pull-up bars. I did the training today. The transitions must be quick. The movement patterns are more gross motor so a high level of skill is not needed. This does not mean we get sloppy. No non-contact injuries tonight. This will make you a believer. A believer of what? When your finished you will understand when I tell you how great you are...I mean it. We have a very strong and conditioned group and NOT JUST FOR OUR AGE. The name of the game is Hard-Style and we are the Hard-Core practitioners. YOU WILL LOVE THIS !!! TONIGHT WE GO-HARD...AND THEN GO HOME!!!

PULL-UPS, ANYONE ?

  Yesterday I had a great KB meeting/discussion that lasted all morning. By the time I got home it was time to pick up the kids. It was such a beautiful day they wanted to go to the parks...so we did. I saw some classmates delivering a beat down to each other at the Community Center and taking full advantage of the weather. Very cool. Some people just won't take a day off. When I got home that night it was time for my training. On the menu was pull-ups. Tactical pull-ups. Body weight only. One perfect pull-up...then walk over to the counter..'click'....one perfect pull-up...walk over to the counter...'click'...and so one. It took 50 minutes to get in 150 pull-ups. I never broke a sweat. I did each one perfect/strict. I didn't breathe heavy. I felt a slight "pump" in my forearms from crush gripping the bar but that's it. It was a very mellow training cycle. Grabbed a little ice cream and went to bed. I remember rolling over around 4:00 am and seeing that I still had a couple hours so I went back to sleep. When my alarm went off I reached for it and it was at this time someone either stabbed me in the side with a long knife or hit me in the ribs with a sledge hammer breaking my ribs. The pain shot from my arm pit to my waist. When I tried to roll off to the side my abs connected with my spine and cut off my breathing for a moment. I felt like I had been beaten, dragged and left for dead. My point? All work is cumulative. I have not done this type of a drill in maybe 6-8 months....and my body knew it. It has been a long day but I am finally feeling pretty good. The headache is gone and I am going to drink a beer.

  Moral of the story: I don't think there is one...just be careful out there.

FOCUS...GOTTA' HAVE IT !!!

  Boy, I sure can tell when my 'other' life becomes a little more demanding. I lose all sense of time.

  Saturday was another eye-opener for me. I gave a presentation on kettlebells to some people that have never touched them. They did well but I was reminded of the frailty of the general public. The only bells I brought were a pair of 1's, 2's, and 3's. Dat'zit. They were smoked. The movement was stiff with many, many, compensations. They would do well if they continued their training. 

  B0dy and situational awareness...I cannot say enough about this topic. YA' GOTTA HAVE IT !!! Nobody can do this for you. You must see a movement pattern and put yourself in the users place. Where are the arms? Where are they looking? Do they stand straight? Where is the static or rest position. Are my glutes tight? Am I tensing and relaxing in the right places? Everything MUST be perfect . This is why we don't do 10-12 reps and just knock them out and go home. Five.....perfect. You train the way you practice so practice the way you train. Strict. Effective. Strong.