Client opens jars with glutes and other "feets"

"Knee caps up,hip snap, finish with the glutes,tight,tight,tight," I say as I encourage students to seal up energy leaks. One client admits mid- set of military presses that she uses her glutes for "opening jars." The class roars with laughter. "No, really,she says, I have use them for everything: closing car doors, opening cabinets,carrying groceries." It is just too much and the class dissolves in a heap of giddiness. She claims that it is her relatively weak arms that force the glutes into action!

The sisters from down the pike who make the trip into Louisville to uncover the "secrets of" moving better and to get stronger. That's Catherine on the left and Marie on the right. Happy comrades!

I'll post the "feets" tomorrow...some tremendous party approved footwear.

Equity for all,The Golden Rule

Do unto a light bell as you would a heavy bell. It is a gift to work with clients who do not rush things and allow the bell to be part of the feedback loop. The wall squat sometimes is the teacher. Not a popular teacher, but the body is gaining good things. The teachers you remember are the ones that didn't hand it to you, rather they provided the platform for you to discover and experience something new. I can see expressions of satisfaction as a clean clean replaces a bicep curl clean. Double cleans and alternating presses today; awesome,powerful!
These ladies practice the corrective strategies on their own time and ask great questions. I love it when students participate beyond the mechanical component of class. Mastering new patterns can be frustrating, but actually you are loosening up the tangle we sometimes get into with the grey matter. What's that mean? It means let go of it already, put your hands on your hips and "laugh out loud,fling out your arms and cry out for your pathetic,whining self." Get over it, get on with it and grab the bell. And have fun!

Thank you Catherine, Marie, and Laura! You made my Saturday great!!

More indulging

11/3/08 Long time spent in sauna. Quiet.
11/4 kgbells: 20,16,12,12,8 20 2Hsw w/each top of the minute,+20 w/12 kg to finish off on time.
rest :30, 2x12kg farmer's carry 1 minute :15 rest,1mincarry
more 2HSw 50 1x12kg,50 1x8kg
10 face the wall squats
20 bw push-ups,Brettzel L/R,20 pu,thoracic stuff,10/10 pu child's pose,10/10 pu cobra

Got a practice in!

10/30/08
jm,stick work gastroc-soleus,worked on hip extensors per SOS.
5mins 20 2Hsw top of the minute 5(20) 12kg
:60 rest
5mins jump rope 20 at top of min
4 mins c&p once OH Hold 2x12 kg bw squats btwn sets of 30 secs
4mins walking alt press jog room at end of length or at fatigue finish w/standing alt press 2x12kg
4mins Dbl kb frsq 3 (10) 2x12kg handstand hold btwn sets

Screened two 12 yr olds today. Most bizarre contortions I have seen yet to do the Hurdle Step. Knocked kit over twice,cleared in on 3rd but on 2nd side actually he crouch, hopped on one foot to launch his leg over. In line-lunge same guy does a serious pelvic thrust to remain (somewhat) vertical. More creative problem solving ensued when second candidate struggles to position feet on kit for ILL. Begins by placing the front foot first and then taking back foot to position. Revealed static and dynamic single leg stance issues. Never succeeded. But a functioning brain was apparent.

yoga am+kbs pm

8 am yoga Just Surya Namaskar a & b 5x each. Then Pranayama.
7 pm Snatch test 16kg GymBoss @5mins: 15/15,rest in OH lock,15/15.Done. Exactly 2 minutes remain on timer. Hardstyle only,no freaky styley. 3(5/5) Cleans 16kg.

Who could it be now?

Locally someone, not an RKC, was on TV demonstrating the fine art of kettlebells. I did not see the spot. I can comment that it has brought me some business! Folks know they need reliable support when taking on the iron ball.

New RKC snatch rules...no doubt this was well thought out and discussed by those who have observed many,many people testing at the RKC. I think it will be deceptive to candidates (1st timers) as they may view the snatch test as the "icing on the cake" and think that if they nail their numbers then they are good to go. Oh boy, that could be a painful lesson. I think the old rules are a superior indicator of preparation,fatigue/anxiety management, shoulder stability and grip endurance. Are the new rules suggestive of less emphasis on the snatch test as an indicator of preparedness for the RKC? That is not such a bad idea.

Just to see how it flew, I grabbed the 16kg at 9am before my classes to see if there was anything weird about the 60 reps for my weight class.I set the gymboss for 5 minutes, and hit it. I rested in lockout after 10 reps per side x3. I had about 90 seconds left over. Bell did not touch the ground.

In less than a decade I'll be able to test in Master's Class.

You fill up my senses

...like a night night in the forest, like a walk in the rain. Ah! It finally rained here. I think we had 1/16" in August. Very parched. Walked for an hour and smelled the bundled trees felled by the storm. I love weather and being out in it. It's a challenge for me to be contained in a city and the kettlebell is one way to cope with sensory overload.
Post walk I did Ramanand Patel's "yoga for pain." So, that was all about the feet. From there I did Ardha Chandrasana against the wall. I'll say it again, I don't find any comfort or steadfastness in this asana, so I held it for awhile and checked it out. It's a walkin',talkin' question mark for me. The bottom foot is not firmly rooted as the hip is not settled and I don't like having my trunk open the way the posture demands. Torso stability figures in. Having the chest open and heart exposed is a threat to the whole deal. Maybe I can try it in body armor or a weight vest.

I'm not in my fat pants yet...

though I am a little behind on blogging. Here's the deal: No blogging from the workplace. So, no inspirational moments can be piped into my day in the form of my blog friends, and readers, who probably don't read for my "workouts" anyway, don't know what's up. The last I felt, it was heart wrenching to even see the John Denver and George Jones videos posted on Aaron's blog. John Denver was one of my childhood heros and I don''t think I have forgiven him for being a drunk ( or was he?) and crashing his plane. I DID grow up in the country singing his songs at the top of my lungs with my sister in the back of a red Datsun pick-up, the bed rusted out from salted deer hides, my dad playing the clutch and gas pedal to give us the most "giddies" as we drove the rolling hills to get soft ice cream. I was not a boy,but people who could not see me thought I was until I was maybe 11. I wore mostly Billy the Kid brand clothes,Lees,Levis and harness boots or my swell Tigers.. I was either on the XL 75 Honda bike my dad got me in 1978 or ballet class -yes,point shoes too. An absolute blast and I have not "outgrown" any of it. I will save my rant on suburban life for another day.

For regularity in practices, Tuesday's I get in kb work,Wednesday Ashtanga, Thursday kb work and Friday some straight bar stuff. Yearly PRs will only happen in Minnesota, as it is a total pain to load a bar for deadlifts by myself,or maybe I am missing the obvious. KBs is basics,can be heavy,can be grinds. Lately,exploring windmills. Also overhead holds and negative press with 24kg. I've snatched it. Ken Froese saw it at RKC II. No big deal, you just have to be ready to receive it. Pressing it must be earned though, so I'm surveying to see what's ready and what needs more work. Also pull ups and leg raises. Ladders from 5.

One recent yoga practice I did the hardest asana for a Westerner-Savasana. I intended to do much more but once I got on my mat I pretty much melted to it and stuck there. Oh happy day when my nothing is enough!

Client wise-busy! Picked up 6 new clients since July. Made progress with one fellow who always asked after class, "Can you make it so I am more tired after class?", insisting that fatigue is a sign of a "good workout and progress." Patience and a heavy bell,my friend. Now that we are communicating better there is an understanding that knowing when your body is fatigued is a sign to stop and certainly indicates energy leakages, he is perhaps rowing the same boat as the rest of the class. He found a paddle anyway and we'll take him if he decides to return.

Food wise- doing better on fruits and veggies at school. Not so good on after school pastry and coffee. Weight stays the same 2lbs + or -,strength and endurance same though recovery varies with my inconsistent practices. Waking up earlier than I used makes for a smoother transition to the classroom stage.

Gutsy winds

The winds here in Louisville were gusting at 75 mph last Sunday! Yahoo!~I watched it all go down,literally,from the front porch swing. Our home did not sustain any damage. We don't have any power,which to me is a dream come true. The weather since then has been gorgeous and perfect for sleeping outside, which I have been doing every night since the storm. Pretend camping! I did not have school at all last week and did a great deal of reading,walking,mountain biking and some kettlebells and yoga. I ate a ton too:) Storing it up for the long,cold winter ahead!

New Class!

9/11/08
This evening's new class drew a very good crowd! It is also a good time for me to get a little practice in as most of the students have an established practice. For me it was just suitcase deadlift w/ a 20kg in one hand a 24kg in the other 3x5, then 1 burpee 1 sumo up to 5 w/the 20kg, and various planks.

Prior to class was Primary series up to the Marichyasanas. Felt great to get in a yoga practice. Last Thursday this time I was catching a cold. All better!

A bit of practice

9/10/08
Slow walking/stepping,assorted jm,toe touch w/ball of feet on Nissen mat.
2Hsw 16 kg 4 (25) halo w/ 8kg btwn sets
1Hsw 12kg 25/25
Stride work and ankle flexion
Strict MP 16kg 3(5/5)
Press handstands: 3 where hands two hand's lengths from toes, then 2 presses one hand's length from toes. My hands are not in front of my toes, rather btwn legs.

Chocolate and a spoon

While others fret over precise nutrition,my body's cycle pretty much rules and is precise. Warm pan of brownies right out of the oven,two spoons and a big glass of milk. Between my husband and I, the pan is finished in two days,mostly while the pan was still warm. From there it is several days of light eating,deep resting,less lifting and more walking,emphasis on flat and downhill. I enjoy my lady's holiday! It's a built in time to renew and re-group.

I added two more KB classes this month. One for new students and one for students with an established practice. Some highlights for me have been watching students decide that it is time to pick up a heavier bell for swings and rows. Go Carrick!!

Brynn showed us a flawless double sots last week. Nothing to it!

There are surprises for me on the Screening front, particularly on the ALSR. The idea is not to assume or interpret the screen until all the data is in. However, I still am surprised by the 3s I thought would be 1s or 2s and the 2s I thought would be 3s. No one dislikes the hurdle step more than I do. I speculate it is the standing leg stance. My left foot is kind of dead. I have a dim memory of injuring it in college. So, my body is playing favorites, to the dismay of efficient movement.

Last Friday I ended up with a stomach ache and a low grade fever. Monday night fever was 100.9 and broke with a restful night's sleep. Today I practiced kbs with class to feel back in the land of the living. Foam roller over the weekend made me sweat. Maybe contraindicated for flu.

This is normal for me. The season is changing and my body performs a pre-season re-boot. Cool temps tonight feel right to absorb the evening fever flare up.

Back at it

Saturday- taught two classes. All attending had been screened and have their corrective strategies woven into practice. Will re-screen in several weeks. Each student has homework, with one exception and she will run "maintenance" via yoga. No one batted an eye in early August when I indicated the coming shift in practices. They said I was "stuck with them."
It is a great bunch to be "stuck" with. Each student screened differently. That will keep me busy.
Sunday-AOS Newport. I had forgotten how much fun that practice is,when it is over! Afterwards I did ultra slow asana for 15 minutes and then 5 press handstand holds. Goal is to have feet and hands on the same line for the press up. I've done it, just not for a few months.

Remove a negative

Tired and happy. Fit in a little lifting this week. I keep a log on paper, which may be more interesting to readers than what I post and for sure has more details and accurate info about what I do in my own training/practice. I've shuffled around some responsibilities for this Fall with the goal to bring consistency to my own practices.
Couple snatch ladders this week. Tuesday 16 kg 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1/,teach yoga-classes are 75 mins.
Thursday snatch ladder 16kg 14/13/12/11/10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1
Throughout the week chop and lift from tall kneeling. BW pull ups,Rrows off 16 kgs 3(5/5). Today 1leg dl w/12kg contra lateral to instep.
Worked with women's soccer team in weight room. They do a 45 sec. circuit-weeha. Some machines and bw. Hmm. Several of them enjoy lifting which is cool. Worst machine they "do" is the seated leg extension. Their fav is the incline squat.
Did light dl work w/ straight bar and pinch grip,wrist/forearm stuff w/ various small plates.

A teacher extends the hand of possibility

I can't take credit for the phrase,but no matter. Take a moment to consider all the factors that make it possible for you to share your knowledge with others as well as the factors that come together to make your practice happen. What amazing opportunities exist to make healthy connections among people and with yourself. In visiting blogs of new kb friends, I love to see the care people take in teaching their clients and providing them with the best at every class. The best feedback for how you are doing is your students!

Today I woke up at 6:30 am, which is quite early for me. I accomplished chores and headed out to prepare for the day's kb classes and got in a snatch ladder with the 16kg. 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 (L/R) My warm up was Surya Namaskar A (x2) and B(x2).

At the Level II Heidi Rothenberg of Firebellz indicated a back swing-swing issue in that I was hitting myself in the butt. ADC and Brett encouraged me to send more power out to the bell and take slack out of the elbows. At the CK-FMS when I completed my snatch test for Senior RKC Jeff O'Conner, he noticed that on my right side I was sluggish with the hip snap until I picked up the pace to cook through the last 10 reps. Yep- got lazy butt/gut on that side. Ken Froese saw an opportunity to point out hand placement on a 24kg snatch. Jury is still out on that though it gets the thumb headed back efficiently on the backswing. With gratitude to my teachers past and future!

Back to school practices!

8/18/08
Stride work
2Hsw 1x12kg 50
Dead Cln/fsq/press 2x12 2(5)
2Hsw 1x12 25
cln/fsq/press 2x12 2(5)
Alt ren rows 2x12 2(5/5)
gusu 1x12 5/5, 2x12 3
seated (pike ) press 2x12 5
tgu screen 1x12 5/5, 1x16 3/3
Then kb class

8/20 teach yoga

8/21 First day of school:)
external hip rotation work+rotation in stride
2hsw 8kg 50, 12kg 25,25 1hsw 8kg 25/25
snatch 1x16 5/5 10/10

8/22
jm
2Hsw 1x24kg 5(20) Halos 12kg 10/10 btwn sets
hinge and hold 1x24 kg per rkc II ADC's "special populations" 2(30 secs)
dead clean 1x12 5/5, 2x12kg 4(5),2x16kg 2(5)
farmer's carry 2x16 2mins per boss timer
flexibility work
Alt ren rows 2x16 3(5/5)
Pull-ups 1/2/3/4/5

I dream of screening

Tomorrow is the first day of school. The new Strength and Conditioning position began Monday and that is fantastic. I love it! Quick snatches 12kg 2(25/25),screening and off to teach yoga. If you are Cali, be sure to attend Brett Jones, Master RKC at
ironcorekettlebells.com

Practices 8/12-14/08

8/12
arm bar hold 12 kg 30 secs 2(l/r)
1Hsw 12kg 20/20
2Hsw 16kg 20
2Hsw20kg 20
2Hsw 24kg 20
8/13
Sauna
Taught yoga; snuck some movement screen in. Followed up with rotational stability correctives and presented asanas which brought awareness to the core. Students tend to see the placement arms and legs in the final expressions of an asana. What needs to happen is to feel where the anchor is in the body so that they can enjoy both the lightness and the strength of the postures. Often I will find "other jobs" for the hands, such as holding a block or curling the thumb inside the fist in an effort to integrate the core and get students feeling how the posture feels from the center rather than having them make it look like what they think they see as the final expression as illustrated on the cover of a yoga magazine.
Deadlift 40kg 2(20)
Suitcase DL 40 kg 2(3/3)
8/14
Warm up "Romanian complex" a collection of stepping,striding and extension that I used to do on the balance beam. Involves arms and head as well. Then it was about pressing:
arm bar hold 12kg 30 secs 2(l/r)
slingshot 8kg 10/10, 12 kg 10/10
primitive pattern rollings-point was to recall the various rolls from last weekend as well to instruct out loud.
2Hsw 1x12kg 50
Sw 2x12kg 5(10)
OH squat w/dowel 2(3)
1sldl w/ dowel 2(3/3) remembering Rolando's suggestion about the eyes, which actually applies to the rolls, but I needed to call it up for this today, for whatever reason.
Swing clean 12kg 5/5
Sw+cln pause in rack 2x12kg 5
MilPress 12kg 3/3
Clean and hold in rack 16kg 30secs r/l to study where breath goes/stays/pauses
arm bar 12kg
Clean & Press 16kg 3/3 jump rope 30 hops 2 feet, 10/10 1 foot
Milpress 1x16kg 5/5
MP 1x20kg 3/3 overhead hold 15 secs last rep
MP 12kg+20kg 2(2/2) meaning I had a 12 in one hand and a 20 in the other
grip work in the form of hauling,folding and stacking gym mats in closet, re-racked weights in weight room
MP 1x20kg 2(2/2)
BU c&p 12kg 2/2
Walking 2hsw the 12 kg back to storage closet.

Fridays: Everyone's favorites

At the BBQ with Vicki and Jodie hosted by Fawn & Aaron.
BBQ at the Fridays! Best fun ever and I did not want to leave. I am sure there are some entertaining pictures in the blogosphere!
Friday's schedule included background and philosophy of The Functional Movement Screen,tests,scoring and labs. Man, this is good stuff. Except for the Rotary Stability. Os and Heidi head up to the front for screening. Danielle Cook and Doc Cheng are there to help. With the screen to "protect us from our opinions" we observe the process and the experts at work. We see the value of being consistent and methodical on the front end. We move to the auditorium for more learning. No disco ball, it is Brett and we are proud to see him before us as we build the bridge between the RKC system and the Functional Movement Screen. Frequent reminders not to assume anything keeps us alert and engaged.

A Tremendous Weekend at CK-FMS

This gathering of RKCs at the first ever CK-FMS put on by Dragon Door was out of this world! This morning I boarded my plane, took my seat and waited to get sealed in for take-off. I closed my eyes and visions of the events of the past weekend filled my mind. I was full to overflowing with passion for the work I will be doing with my clients as a result of the top notch presentations by Master RKC, Brett Jones-MS,CSCS and Gray Cook-MS,PT,OCS,CSCS,RKC. My heart was feeling full too as I reflected on the time spent with comrades and comrade ladies. We focused on the day's tasks at the workshop; screenings, labs,lectures, case studies, Q&A, and discussions. At the day's end we found ourselves together again, pinching ourselves to see if this was really happening. Faces came together with names and we began to understand the significance of the weekend.

Surely the plane should have taken off by now, I thought. It seemed like maybe 20 minutes had passed. A glance out the window revealed that we were well into cruising altitude and very obviously had achieved lift off! How did I miss that?!
It is one thing to walk through the airport after these convergences in Minnesota and be processing the event, but to be so deep in flow to not notice take off was sweet.

Thursday
Early arrival allowed me to spend time with wonderful Fawn Friday, yogini, kettlebell,strength athlete and friend. While Fawn met with a client, I enjoyed breakfast at Little Scandanavia. A Lefse (potato tortilla) wrapped omlette provided a much needed boost. Fawn coached me through squats and deadlifts over at The Press Gym, where she trains for powerlifting. Fawn is a record setter and her favorite lift is the squat. Get over to her blog or hit YouTube to see for yourself the feats she has achieved!
On to the hotel for check in. Gabi is there but not in the room. Quick chill time and then a forced march up Grand Ave and Summit to check out the lovely homes, the Cathedral and lofty views of the area. Perfect weather. Dry,clear and a cleansing breeze. I sit on the steps of the cathedral to people watch,reflect and also anticipate the workshop. I get back to hotel and meet up with Gabi! We go walking and purchase chocolate for the AM/PM/PMS Boost protocol. This is healthy!

Then Franklin finds us! This is getting better and better! RKCs pour into The Liffey. Phil, "eat all day,"Scarito suggests the steak spinach salad. Franz joins us, more RKCs continue to bounce, broad shouldered, around the wooden tall tables like we are jumbled in a living pinball machine! RKC,Is,IIs,TL,Masters,Seniors,Chief it is happy mayhem at the meet and greet! Mike Z Health Nelson and Jodie swing by.

Cool fun in St. Louis

Morris and I made an impromptu trip to St. Louis to see the Botanical Gardens and thought we might surprise Fawn and friends-which we did but we did not actually see them. We met John and Angela from The Press and checked out the PL scene. The last time I was in St.Louis was when I drove my lemon yellow '75 VW Westy to Moab,Utah from PA. That was in 1993. On that trip I kept the hazard lights on through flat Kansas as there was a 'Vette meet and they greased by the fuel injected Lemon Pop as if we were standing still. Safety first and a spare 10 gallons of gas!

Practices for last week of July

7/28/08
Earlier start today. Nice easy jm starting with feet and ankles to work out the kinks from road trip to St. Louis. Squats, Cossack, halos (8kg), slingshot (12kg). Spinal rotation w/dowel.
2Hsw 16kg 20
walkover push-ups 5/5
matrix
L-sit leg raise (sit in a pike, press fingertips into floor in front of knees and lift legs together10 times).
Hinge and hold for pain (similar to Ardha Uttkatasana, but my version)
Arm bars 5/5 8kg
Gusu 5/5 8kg
Windmill+ OH Squat 3(5/5) 12 kg
Sing.legdl 2x12 2(5)
OH hold and walk 2(45secs) 2x12kg
End of warm up phase
Snatch 30/30 12kg
Rows off 20 w/16kg 2(5/5)
Flexibility stuff
Kneeling leg curl (machine) 10lbs slow negs 2(5/5) ,hammie stretch

7/29/08
Walk 2 hrs. Hills
Inchworm across studio. Superman plank 3(15 sec hold)
Addhomukhsvan. w/one foot hooked over other foot as foot/ankle/calf and on up stretch
Drop and pry, addhomukh, lunge l/r, catarunga dand, jump to stand
Cossack, additional mobility work for ankles
Halos 8kg
Armbar 8kg
Tgu 16kg 3/3
Armbar 12kg 3/3
Rock and roll pistol to stand alt l/r across studio
End of warm up on to quality control
2Hsw 16kg 5(10), 2(20)
Snatches 10/10 8kg, 10/10 12kg, 10/10 16kg and repeat all again
30/30 8kg, 30/30 8kg
Shrugs/Tilt 2x12 kg 2(10/10)
“Ab” stuff
Taught kbs

7/30/08
ABIB: Deep squat, hurdle, in line lunge, ASLR, Seated rotation.
Made comment in other log for all.
Explored hurdle work and tabletop stride, quad then glute w/hip extension then flexion.
Elevated dip cycle did it and did NOT like it.
½ kneeling dowel twist really did not like it.
In line lunge-most excellent.
Leg lower progression w/pylo.box.some fatigue
Taught yoga

7/31/08
Walked 1hr.

8/1/08
Sauna

Congratulations Fawn & Maura!

Although I am not at the locale of the Powerlifting Raw Nationals (yet;) first reports show Fawn placing second! Awesome news! Way to go Fawn!! I wish I could have been there today to see the lifts for the women, as the schedule reflects tomorrow the men's comp finishes up the event. Well, Kentucky just may show up to cheer on the The Press team. Maura did well with a first place. Yahooo!

7/23-7/25

Spent some time straightening up the weight room this week. Decided we need another for plates as well as something to contain agility gear,belts,straps,collars,jump ropes,pins and so forth. The dance studio is always a surprise especially during summer camp.
Tuesday
Hiked for an hour around a local city park, kept to the trails to take advantage of the shade. The Park Champions have rid many areas of invasive species and reintroduced native plants and trees. That evening I taught yoga and we explored a "rejuvenation" sequence by Patricia Walden.
Wednesday I hiked for about 2 1/2 hours and added the bird watching trail to my tour. I need to take my binocs next time. I varied hiking fast up hills and medium to slow on the flat as well as being still when birding.
Thursday This was a 4 hour urban hike that took me off trail for a portion of time as well. I packed a lunch,my spare boots that I love in case my feet tired of my other shoes and Gray Cook's Athletic Body in Balance.
Friday * as my friend Fawn is in St. Louis this weekend at Raw Nats, I figured squats would be a good way to honor her and The Press Gym team. I did not have the special pants though!
Squats
45 5x2
55 5x3
65x2
95x2
100x2
And into the sauna,sweet!

07/22/08

2hsw/1hsw 2min30secs1x16
dead cleans 5/4/3/2/1 2mins30secs 1x16
floor press 2x16 3x5
dead double cleans+ fsq 2x16 3x5
sldl 2x16 3x5
wmill+oh squat 1x12 3x5 spent some time on technique and corrective strategies for both wm and ohsq
we took a break and went over to the weight room to check progress on pull ups. Finding the lats,hollowing the arm pits,hardening the body all in the hang.
to finish it up option was snatch ladder from 10 down or "ab complex"
then we did rows 1x16 1x5 since we are talking lats all the time
throughout planks lifting different limbs

If you missed practice today...

For those of you following along at home...
Warm-ups w/ focus on single leg balance and stability
30 secs: 3x (1Hsw-L,Fsq,1Hsw-R,Fsq,2Hsw)
30 secs: 3x (Snatch L,Goblet sq,Snatch L, Goblet sq)
Hi-pulls 3x3(5/5)
30 secs: 3x (Snatch L/R,scorpion 5/5,hi plank/low plank, dive bombers 5)
No weight single leg balance like Ardha Chandrasana and on to
Single leg DL 3(5/5)
Rows 2 (5/4/3/2/1)
"ab" complex w/ focus on laughing! Find those abs,dig in.
Rest in Sphinx
CK-FMS is coming up and I do look forward to the benefits this should have for my students. With that said, I have some specific goals and questions to "take with." JT has what I perceive as patterning issues which are NOT being addressed in his football S&C sessions. There is little focus on durability, it seems. The good thing is that he is concerned about how to improve his technique,balance and so forth. He's about 6'4" =200lbs. Gots lots to work with.
I'll be the weight room assistant this year at school and this will be a fantastic opportunity to work with athletes and coaches. I'm psyched about this position:)

7/18/08

Ashtanga up to Navasana as jm/prep to kb. Thera band stuff for shoulders and lat act. Dowel rod for single leg deads and shoulder pull a parts.On to kbs:
2(5/5) windmills
1Hsw 4 (15/15)
2Hsw 2 (50),6 (25)
C&P 2 (5/4/3/2/1)* left side slop.
Flexibility stuff.

Visiting the folks

I was able to slip in a quick trip up to PA to visit with family and recharge a bit in the country. City life can be numbafying and not all that stimulating. I spent a considerable amount of time and effort on the breezeway couch observing birds feeding,flying and scolding. The usual jays,cardinals,jenny wrens (and her hatchlings nested on the garage door wreath),chickadees,woodpeckers, and bluebirds. My mom takes great care of the bluebirds and carries them wax worms and other worms for their gourmet treats. There is a small,flat cup attached to a post where they congregate to snack. Along the creek I saw an indigo bunting and was so happy to see its electric blue flight among the tall brush.
Besides birds there were plenty o' rabbits,woodchucks,snakes and frogs,and skunks. Saw all specimens alive and dead. Country roads are hell for cats, apparently. My dad and I took the better part of a day and went canoeing on the "Con." Despite a bit of rain the previous night, we did have to haul it a bit through the shallows but did enjoy the mellow slide downstream with several sweet rapids. A short drive of one of the VW campers took the edge off-a camper van fix-I love how my arms pretty much lay across the steering wheel like driving a tractor and me groovin' along, rowing through the vague gearing. Of course, everyone wanted to pass me as I was hauling 45mph...so I pulled off at my old elementary school and let those with a destination get there.
I walked an hour or two each day either around the farm or out the back roads. Plenty of black and red raspberry patches-yum!! Lots more poison ivy, but I avoided it,for the most part.
As always, I read. Currently,Neil Peart's Ghost Rider, The Healing Road. Bummer premise for a story, but a great read and he references several authors I already read and some I'll check into. I am enjoying the book immensely. Also in the pipe is Gibson's All Tomorrow's Parties. Cold compared to Neil's journey on motorcycle.

Straight up Ashtanga

07/11/08
Full Primary Mysore tyw (tell you what) the warm weather is most awesome for Padagusthasana. My favorite asanas in the series: Kukkatasana and Urdvha Padmasana. I find them very comical,always. If you were to walk into a room and see anyone getting into Kukkutasana, you would or should laugh. One day I walked into Mysore class and someone was getting into Kukk. I had to leave the room and burst out laughing. Urdvha Pad. is like flying upside down, on autopilot. To me, it is restful-always.
Asanas in the series which I don't enjoy: Supta Kurmasana. Here the hamstrings are hating it.
Besides that, Ardha Chandrasana is a posture I enjoy being terrible at:)

and I have this to say about magical thinking...

A decision to attend a professional development opportunity or workshop, to me, indicates you are serious about what you are doing in your own personal practice and/or fitness biz and interested in improving and learning more. You will be assessed on several key lifts and exercises. You know this in advance. You are aware of your current skill,the time you have to prepare and your resources. You don't believe in the Easter Bunny, but expect some minor miracle to get you up over the bar or under the bell, or off the floor. Maybe a contact buzz off the mish-mash of people will give you the extra umph to dial in that skill come test time. If you have to pick a sketchy skill that needs tuned-do NOT pick the pistol or the pull-up. Also have your level 1 skills in very good order.

07/10/08

Slept poorly last night. Woke up well though! I went to the pool, did a few laps,read and took a sauna. New sauna! Clean! Info on this particular heat unit discussed why it is superior to rock( "electric rocks"). Better to detox,etc,etc. Sunburst is the brand. What made the experience even better is all new wood-no more splinters, exposed nails and a new floor with drain so it can be cleaned. On the down side, the old steam room is gone.
Late night surfing last night in blogland hooked me up to Jordan V. preparing Cindy G. for L1. Looked like a good one for today.
1st I did 5,4 pull-ups. Then on to Cindy's YouTube practice:*btw her dive bombers are really smooth and strong.
1minute snatches 12 kg
scorpion alt side 5/5
elbow plank explode to high plank 5
dive bombers 5
L-sit btwn 2 kbs
2 mins. snatches-repeat all the stuff above
3 mins. snatches-repeat
4 mins. snatches-repeat
My L-sits were sucking so I did HLR as 5/4/3/2/1.
The whole deal took about 25 minutes. I took some rest after L-sit. Need to knock a bit more RKC into the snatches and get them sharper. With fatigue in shoulder or grip I tended to snatch otw/the loose way.

7/09/09

2Hsw 12kg 50, 2(25)
Seated (pike) press 1x12kg 2(5/5),wide angle 5/5
Over to the bench press: 45x5,95x3,95x3
Flexibility stuff
Taught class. Did walking lunges with them, fig 8s,planks,push ups, russ. twist.

Dull, not shiny

07/05/08
Clean up weight room-20 +mins. Spent time re-racking plates galore. Unsafe to walk through, let alone lift in this condition.
Class-had some new folks who are personal trainers. Went over safety,picking up/putting down the bell,wall squat,bridge,tough love, swing, cheat curl,walking in rack, single press to OH carry/walk,MP,FSquat, Single leg deadlift and loading bell from supine as if for gu/tgu. Breathing part of practice. Nothing shiny except our sweat. Good work all!
Class #2- Presented Kim with her own 12kg carried in fresh from the cert. Put Morris through drop sets of swings, Kim worked at her own pace as she has been bell-less for several weeks.
7/06/08
12:50pm
2Hsw 12kg 3(20),5(10)
Flip+Squat 12kg 2mins
Windmill 12kg 3(5/5)
VPPress 12kg 3/3,5/5,7/7 this has settled in and I am not having to force heels down. I do see tendency that arm wants to go off vertical in rack,as noted by KJ.
5 minutes snatches 12kg switch every 10 reps.
7/07/08
Ashtanga "Rock&Roll Style" Door btwn rooms open so I enjoyed some hard rock. Up to Maricyasana C+Navasana.
On to kbs: All 16 kg
30secs work FSq.
1/2/3/4/5 belly push up
plank
30 secs 2HSw
30 secs each low plank,high plank, low,hi
farmer's carry
snatch 6 (11/11) *more hip snap,reach back and hike pass it!
Pull-ups 5/4/3
HLR 5
Handstand holds
2HSw 12kg 3(20)

Friends

Taikei and me, after the L2 Core Skills Testing. Don't we look glad?
If you did not know, Taikei and I were both members of Team Rif '07 and have kept in touch since. He is a kindred soul and I think is homesick for his brother Aaron,as well as Fawn and Elsa. It is the time spent with the Fridays and company that made this such a great trip. Fun is where you find it!

Puh-leeze...

So, yesterday evening I am registering two new students at the yoga studio and they see kettlebells mentioned on the schedule. They have seen kbs in stores and on T.V. and say," Yeah, I wonder if they work?" I let it go and let it go... but I have to ask,"What do you mean, do they work?" The lady responds, "You know, for your abs?" Aghhhh. I think of a dozen responses. Mainly I decide not to scare them. I have on The Press Gym tee with Monster Man Ray on the back. I smile and say, "Yes, I think they work but only if you do." Then I turn away and Monster Man Ray glowers...

BBQ pics

Taikei, Aaron, and Jim Ryan.











Gathering around the table.












Taikei and Elsa. Best of friends.

We do not apologize for our strengths!

There is joy and strength in each of these women. They will inspire you to find yours. The benefits of an active life will spill out in to all you do. Pictured to my left are Tracy, Lauren,Fawn and Christine.
Fawn and Aaron Friday hosted a fabulous BBQ for the Bloggers on their deck oasis. It is no illusion-good times were shared as we sailed along,protected by Elsa. Fawn, thank you very much for sharing your kettlebell class, yoga class,amazing culinary skills and the team work you and Aaron display in creating a lovely home. Just being in your presence was restorative to me. Being in the good company of other joyful, strong women and men reinforces what "it's all about."

Testing 1,2

Grazie to Maurizio Maddaloni's companion for snapping the pictures.

Here is a pre-test shot of Kenneth Jay and me as he offers some support on the Push Press. This was the trickiest skill for me. Add that to the time spent on our stomachs listening,observing,trouble shooting and practicing Core Skills, to the Burpees and earned swings, well, there was neuro-muscular confusion.
I tested in this order: Pistol,Pull-up,Windmill,Push Press, Bent Press. All practices for push press with 16kg. Needed to feel the push of the bell and to keep the heels down. I test it with a 20 kg. I'm asked to demonstrate it with the 12kg too, since I had carried it along. Pass- and on to the Bent Press. Lat and tri-ceps squeezing the sponge-pass. More experience with this may reveal why so many folks like this lift. Nothing against it, just not something I practice with regularity.

Comrades, on your stomachs!

The Level II manual weighs .5 pounds. I weigh an additional 3.5 pounds on return indicating that the rice and beans consumed in Costa Rica caught up just in time for weigh in. I had no intention of snatch testing-and I did not. This task,left to do,will build some excitement for August's CK-FMS. Also, I will meet Gabi and Franklin, two individuals known to be rabid kettlebell enthusiasts. This is going to be very fun.

More than once I stated that being in a room of kettlebellers was like being in a room of lone wolves. Not sure what I mean by this exactly. Many train on their own and arrive with a notion that the Level 1 moves are perfectly dialed in-"Not so!"say Pavel, Kenneth, and Brett. Andrea is kinder and meticulously puts us through the paces . Rif is hardcore too,yet super chill and does not make too public a demonstration of our shortcomings. We know. We are not sure who is dragging the hind quarter and about to get chomped. There is blood on the field and we come inside for the protection of the pack after spending most of the first day on level one drills. Pavel maybe disappears to get sick. Who knows. He is not happy. I assume nothing about my skills and regard all incoming interactions with respect and obedience. My tail is not down; I am relaxed and make some lasting fixes.

Day one I do not think we reviewed teaching skills for level II skills,hell,some could not swing a bell. Hm. It was a long day. There were two more after that. Level II core skills: Tgu,windmill,push press, bent press, pistol and pull-up. The breakdown of tgu and windmill were particularly valuable to me in terms of clients and my own shoulder health.
Push press and bent press I never practice,except to prepare for the cert. Now I will add those to my weight moving activities.

The Morning Recharge with John worked well to get my mind and body in the game. Exposure to Z- Health through Fawn and Andrea indicates good stuff.

6/24/08

AOS Newport with an 8kg.
Pull-ups: 5,4,3,2.
Handstands.
Stay tuned;)

Into the clouds

6/20/08
I looked forward to yoga all day,then I took a power nap and from that point my brain felt as if packed in cotton. I was relaxed but my thoughts were muffled. It was no struggle to get to class or physically be present on the mat. Sun Salutations A and B,forward bending,triangles and the rest of standing felt great from my toes to crown of my head. Virabhadrasana was empowering and I felt alert, but my mind was in deep chill mode. Still, I was content to witness the practice and be on the mat. If had been "forcing it" I would stop and take rest. Then on to seated....as I completed Janu Sirsasana C I realized I had skipped Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimattanasana and Tiriangmukhaikapada Paschimattanasana (1/2 bound lotus forward bend and 1 leg folded back forward bend). The Sanskrit totally makes sense if you study the words and is how I learned the postures. Postures are not as complicated as they look spelled out.
I knew it was time to stop so I took my mat to the next room, re-did what I skipped+ the janus again and then to finishing sequence. Savasana was easy today. Corpse pose is said to be difficult for Westerners. Today my monkey mind was in its mental hammock and my body seemed to fall through the floor. Other students came and went through the studio doors and I played cemetery.
6/21/08
Taught classes and did my practice:
2Hsw 12 kg 100 no stop
1Hsw 16kg L/R: 3(10/10),2Hsw 20, H2H 20 no stop
Snatches 16kg 2(5/5/5/5) 20 sec active recovery jog,2(5/5/5/5) jog, 2(5/5/5/5)jog
Snatch+ Windmill 12 kg 10/10

6/22/08
Dogs are keeping me awake at night with their active dreaming feet.
Did a little dancing to rockabilly free concert ;) Little side project to not be such a square about dancing. So many smooth and passionate dancers in CR.
Last Sunday I was on The Pacuare River rafting like a mad woman. Sometimes I am scared when rafting but this year I was eating it up. Doubles as pulling exercise as well as rotational torso. I was in front right spot and had left foot tucked in pocket dealie which temporarily relieved sore heel. Rafting was a blast, and I kept all my fingernails.

Went out to do chores and just drove into the cumulo-nimbus clouds for awhile. Beautiful. One student on CR trip had never flown in a plane before and I asked him how he felt about it afterwards. He said he kept thinking he could step out into the clouds and walk. Remember that feeling?!

6/23/08
New private client today. He is not new to kbs and is coachable and strong. We went over swings,cheat curl,clean (hang,dead and swing),pressing,front squats. Overhead hold and walk reveals good stability and flexibility in the position. Opened the can of works that is TGU and I feel confident that next session we will work on this! He noted that literature and info often simply states: "Lay down and stand up with the weight fixed overhead." Hmmm...nothing about the tangle of feet or the weight yawing in front of sight line. The session was a great start to an action packed week!!

Full Primary

6/18/08
It is great to be back on my mat/in the studio. Kim P led an inspired class! Kim was my first Ashtanga teacher, first yoga teacher really, so beginners mind is "what it is" when I attend her led or Mysore style classes.I did do asana while in Costa Rica-I took my mat and a Thera-band along. There were places along the way for pull ups. The first 5 nights we walked 4miles per night on patrol/working with Leatherbacks, when they came up on shore. Now is the end of the nesting season for them so there were not so many though each patrol group had the opportunity to work with at least one Baula (the name for Leatherbacks in CR). I think it is the Greens that arrive next.
For grip work I wrung out my laundry. Hiking in primary and secondary rain forest was lots of fresh air for the lungs. Three ample,delicious meals prepared for us each day. I felt like we ate constantly.
We played the locals in soccer and even though we mixed Ticos and Americans we toally got crushed. They also out danced us on more than one occasion, but now at least we can work on salsa and cumbia and maybe not look like total squares on the dance floor.
6/19/08
This time next week I'll be in Minnesota. I'll arrive early, catch a yoga class with Fawn and perhaps her kettlebell class. I can use some coaching on my bent press. I really don't know what to expect for Level II as far as endurance and strength demands. I'll be selective in my choice of bells. Last June I went with a 20,16 and 12 kg. That was peachy and worked out fine,except when I had to run to the rec hall restroom. Live and learn:) I'd love to attend her kb class even if to observe.
Today's bells:
3*20 reps(20kg,16kg,12kg,8kg) = 240 2hswings
2(5/5) windmill
Bent press 2/2 worked on these with rocks in CR to keep a groove. We'll see soon enough.
8 minutes tgu+windmill 12 kg

Powering up

6/17/08
Glad to be back w/my kbs. Got in at 3am. To get going again:
5 min swings: 2h,1h/1h,h2h
cleans 2 mins switch every 30 secs
clean squat press 3 mins switch every 30 secs
chest press 2mins switch every 30 secs
snatch 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1
tactical lunge 2mins
plank 30 secs each: elbows,straight arms,side/side,elbows
rows 2(5/4/3/2/1)
rest, if at all, 15-30 secs.

School's out!

Yahoo:) Celebrated with Ashtanga Led 1-2. Solid. Gotta love the chaturangas...part of my game plan to arrive in some sort of (strong) condition for RKC II is daily Ashtanga while in Costa Rica as well as bw stuff. There will be plenty of sand so perhaps I'll experiment and fill a ditty bag and go to w/tgu and so forth. Main thing is to do it and not day dream the time away or feel "weird" for training during the trip. Pistols and pull-ups are good to go. Need to do heavy swings and I will commence tomorrow like a maniac. I can hardly wait!

Good to go!

I had a cold last week but now I am good to go again. It is reassuring to read that I don't have to do snatch test in June. My goal is to arrive in decent condition to enjoy and learn as much as possible from RKC II experience and be able to put the lessons into practice. Also, to contribute my energy and enthusiasm for the RKC system while I am there! The opportunity to compare notes, reflect on teaching and students' progress will be valuable. Just hanging with people who like to lift stuff will be cool.
5/24/08
We practiced outside and my "kids" got some exposure to juggling, open palm cleans and other "let'r go" kb drills. Also walking swings and see-saw press.
5/26/08
I taught Ashtanga Led 1-2. Ashtanga is the style of yoga in my personal practice but not the style of yoga I normally teach. The reason is that at my studio you must study in India with Pattabhi Jois to teach Ashtanga. Kettlebell teachers also must be RKC's! I sweated out the last of my cold during this class.
5/27/08
30 secs each 2hsw,1 hsw/1hsw,alt swing =2 mins. Rest 30 secs and repeat. Then 5 minutes swing staring at the top of minute w/20 reps.
2x12 kg MPs 30 secs on 30 secs off x3
2x12kg Frsquats 30 secs on 30 secs of burpees x4
Took a look at jerks and talked about what they aren't-a push press
Snatches 3(11/11) 12kg I felt good and strong during the practice and look forward to more solid practices.

push coming to shove

5/20/08
2:45-3:30 pm
JM
2hsw 20 kg 6 (15) =90
1hsw 16kg 3(10/10)=60
2hsw 16kg 30,20 =50
2hsw 12kg 50 GT= 250 swings which really isn't much and needs to be more.
C&P 2x12kg 2(5) swing clean
yoga 1/2 moon variation for stability/integration/flex. 5/5
walking see-saw 2x12kg 15/15 more or less
bw pistols 5r,3l,2l
OH squat 1x12kg 5/5
snatch 16kg 2(5/5),12kg 25/25
flexi:split,straddle,figure 4,rajakapotanasana
snatch 12kg 2 (5/5)
Pull-ups 5/4/3/2/1

gtg Russian dinner

5/19/08
Saturday kb classes outside. Practiced with class for swings,squats,c&p,mp. Did lots of yardwork Saturday and Sunday. Mow,trim,edge,mulch,weed,haul stuff. Went on a full moon hike Saturday night at an undisclosed location with my spouse.
Last post entitled "Momentum" because we all need a little push now and then to pop over the bumps. Recently some friends have experienced life changing issues. It's heavy and it has an impact. Brings focus to my work and quietude to my practices. So momentum, to encourage everyone to keep on keeping on with whatever it is they should or need to do.

Sunday a.m. took 2 hour walk with the dogs (old hound and dynamic terrier). Terrier spotted and scrunched 1 mole and 1 baby rabbit. Just squeezed them to get a squeak. He also dialed in on a skink or lizard. Sunday evening gtg barbeque with Russian friends: Lamb,grilled pears,stuffed mushrooms,bread. We left before the second meat; London Broil. Insert copious vodka if you wish.

I continue to gtg pull-ups,pistols. Hammered out 40 push ups. In yoga class we examined how obedient our downward dog is. Practiced variations with blocks to relieve wrist strain. Blanket under heels to lenghten back of legs. Standing forward bends lightly squeezing block for internal rotation and spinal release. Discussed placement of strap on foot for seated forward bends so that heel stays in contact with floor and hammies don't get tweaked.

Our dinner: Made Keema with Ky Bison.

Momentum

5/16/08
Ashtanga practice in the pm,self-practice. Full Primary. Forward bends felt great from the 1st one on and Janu Sirsasana C (aka toe-crunch asana) felt oddly refreshing to the tops of my feet and ankles for a change. After finishing sequence, sat with breath for some time.

Mid-May practices & next adventure

The DLs on Tuesday had me right tuckered out.
5/7 Taught yoga for school's All Children Exercising Simultaneously Day (A.C.E.S. should be A.P.E.S. b/c grown-up people practiced too!)
5/8 12kg 6(30) 2Hsw. Taught "Kettlebells for Yoga" at E.Ky St.
5/10 We practiced outside this morning, what a pleasure!
5/11 Long,slow walk.
5/12 In honor of Gabi and others participating in RKC last weekend, hoisted the 24kg! Cheers to all!! 2 (2/2) more a jerk than push press.
5/13 GTG Pullups throughout the day 4(3). Taught KB class and practiced a bit with class. 30 second work/30 sec. rest. Plenty of push-ups. Was a modified Smokin' Ladders. 2x16kg OH hold 40 secs x2. At the RKC II we will spend some time on windmills and jerks so I want shoulders to be reminded to prepare for stable overhead holds. Handstands.5 hspus. Carrick,Brynn and Anne and I headed over to the weight room to "hang" in preparation for pull-ups. Brynn easily cranked out a couple and as soon as Carrick's visualizations become a reality, she'll be up too! My pull-ups: 4 wait several minutes,then 5.
In early June I'll be traveling to Costa Rica w/students again for Spanish immersion,ecology field studies centered around Leatherback sea turtles and cultural exchange at a high school. This will be my 4th trip to CR and 3rd with EPI (see links) so I am really looking forward to returning to the Pacuare Reserve and working with the tortugas and seeing everyone. The trip will be a challenge for the students. Change of food,shelter,hygiene,sleep patterns and work habits will give them a great opportunity to learn how strong and adaptable they are. Locations are remote with no technology and in some cases, no electricity. Social constructs,such as time, become apparent. It is cool to watch some kids go with the new flow of things and sometimes frustrating when others really want to hang on to the "way things are." Each person has a certain comfort level and will stretch it beyond what they may initially be prepared for. I've seen all manner all of tantrums as participants struggle to cope and grow. It's good stuff. My stretch will be my stomach. We eat rice and bean 3 times a day. Prepare to bloat like a frog. If you've ever put a gummi bear in a cup of water overnight and seen how it absorbs the water? That is how my stomach will feel.

...and in the pm

5/5/08
12 kg snatch 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1
5/6/08
Smokin'Ladders time to go through twice. Used just the 8kgs.
DL 4x 95lbs
DL 2x 165lbs
opps. I was thinking it was 120lbs but forgot to add the bar. No wonder.

Lunch break

5/05/08
2Hsw 20 kg 30 secs on 30 secs off total work 3 mins
Dead cleans 2x16kg 2(5)
Swing/clean/press 20kg 2(1/1,2/2)
halos 5/5 w/12kg
Bent press,working on it technique wise 12kg (4/4)
Back to work!

WTH Deadlift

12kg rows off knee 3*(5/4/3/2/1)
12kg snatches 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1
12kg flip squat 2mins.
Steve chose to DL after class so I jumped in. I pulled 135 lbs twice. It didn't feel like anything much. Being short there is not very far to pull it.

Kentucky Derby time

Lots of festivities these last few days. More frequent sightings of the "Party Wagon." An old converted fire truck with a hot tub in it and a bar, apparently, and loud music. Classy.
5/2/08
Ashtanga Full Primary Series. Home practice felt very strong and light which is a relief after riding in a coach and eating road food for 3 days. I realize that when I travel, I tend to hoard food. I packed "spare protein," nuts, wheat crackers, and fruit. Having done this trip to Chicago many times, the habit to bring food takes on new meaning. I know we are going to eat, so what's the big deal? I guess having alternative to MacVomald's is why because I pay for eating it for over a week. Not this year as I actually ate the food I packed.
A note about yoga,and Fawn may have mentioned this as she practices "Mysore style" too. In Ashtanga practice, you may attend lead classes or practice on your own in a room of other people doing the same series. The teacher is available for adjustments or to remind you what posture is next. In a led class, the count is in Sanskrit,and asanas too, of course. Where I practice, lead classes can either stop at the standing postures+ beginner's finishing or Full Primary+ finishing.

So many good things happening!

4/28 Monday
6:30 am depart for Chicago
4/30 Wednesday
7:00 pm Arrive in Louisville
5/01/08
The kids were pleasant and I always love to visit the Shedd, Art Institute and Field. Architectural boat tour is my favorite though the weather conditions were cold (and always windy) on Lake Michigan.
Did 3/3 Pistols at rest stops to and from Chicago. Oddly, I say a guy at an Indiana stop doing toe hold pistols. Maybe they were on drive back from RKC. I would ask, but the kids think it is weird to talk to strangers. Of course, they think its odd to put your hands on the "dirty ground" for push ups so I keep shoes on and do pistols. What can they say about that? Fit some asana in at the hotel and swam too. Just to kick the kinks out. Pushups, hammie rehab and bracing work.
At home this afternoon (after a full day at school):
2Hsw 12 kg 30 secs work 10 secs rest for 5 minutes swing time.
Surya Namaskar A 5x,Utt. Trikon., lunges from Urdvha Muk. Sun Salut. A again... and Urdvha Dhanurasana.Lingered here until comfort settled in.
In English: Sun Salutation A,Triangle,lunges from down dog, Sun Salut. A and Backbend.
Jerks 2x12 kg I wanted to get my legs,lungs and heart coordinated but the dbl jerks felt too sloppy for safety after contortions getting "comfortable" on 5 hour bus ride. So went to singles.
4(10/10) jerks.Elbow finds hip immediately though I don't get in to any groove on this today, I enjoy the experience to practice and wonder if I am resting the elbow on my skeleton soon enough or do I muscle the movement slightly on the descent? I know the more reps the better the groove (for me,it seems) and conservation of energy and movement, but this afternoon is not the time to tax it. Bringing CNS out of slight slumber...
Splits (good improvement here on tighter left side. Hips square, right hip flexor and joint more generous).
Rows since my lats are awake 3 5/5 12kg
What the heck, I feel the need to have both bells so 2x12 kg Sots press. 5 double sots press with rest of 1 minute between.
I think last one I did not fully lock out from bottom, but locked it at top.
Lots of notes in my written log for "need to do this, do that, and revisit some lifts."
I was able to get to Internet from hotel in Chicago though it was very slow to load. It was very inspiring to me to read positive news for the RKC community with new appointment of Senior RKC Sara Cheatham and the excitement of new RKCs from the Cert. Nice momentum to carry us into May and June:)

Masala tea training

4/24
Carpool duty afterschool all week,hop to ruck kbs to car from school to yoga studio for afternoon kb class. No time to change or coffee beverage of chumps...surf skirt make it work clear the road I'm home. Load the dogs and walk. Don't tangle with the Rat Terrier. Parkside people trying hard to relax...
Guy knows my voice by phone and sends masala tea with the Indian carry me home...sweet sweet tea. Farmer's carry 2x12 kg 7 minutes, no breaks,no set downs,park them run alley down-back,pick up bells upstairs,down,park.
Kb class 20 kg OH hold 45 secs 3x (L/R).
Best quote from Becky, one of my senior kb students, "This is what I am giving myself for my 80th birthday...yoga and kettlebells;not to be in a wheelchair when I am 80 years old."
Becky began yoga at age 50 and I don' t know how long she has been praticing, doesn't matter. She learns to find her strength and balance in her practices. She is darling and honestly looks younger than when I first met her.

Training 4/19-4/22

4/19
2Hsw 24 kg 3x(15,15,15)
2Hsw 16kg 3x (15,15,15)
2Hsw 12 kg 3x (15,15,15)
Dead clean 16 kg 5/5
C&P 2x16kg 3(5)
Jump rope btwn sets of c&p
Tail draggers length of weight room
4/20
walked to the gym and worked on hammie rehab,obliques as advised by Physical Therapist.
KBs
2Hsw 12kg 2 (50),1(25)
1Hsw 2(10/10),5/5
1Hsw 5(10/10)
Work at bent press 8kg 2(5/5), 12kg 2 (5/5) hmmm not sure if I'm doing this perfectly
Slingshot 12 kg 10/10 to feel bracing as advised by PhyTherp
Forward bends for hammie
Press handstand
Hanumanasana-they're just splits! Hanuman is the monkey god.
4/21
5min snatch 12kg 35L/35R,10/10,20/20 did with no warm up so took a breather at the 10/10s
Did pt stuff and cleaned up weight room,racked a bunch of plates.
Thoracic spine feels great. Having mobility there again esp on left is adding a new dimension back to training.
Later this day did what pt calls windmills for hammie and stability. Similar to yoga Half Moon/Ardha Chandrasana which is typically not stable and not "fun" in the way I like my yoga to be. Obviously need to work on this!!
4/22
9 am-9:45 am
JM,lunges eyes closed,jump rope to get going...
5min snatch 12 kg 25/25,25/25,15/15,5/5,5/5
Rehab stuff-heel slide for bracing alt left/right
Windmill 12 kg 2(5/5)
Handstands,Y Stands,Hanumanasana(splits)
In the p.m. Practiced some w/ my class
2Hsw 12kg 30 secs work 30 secs rest: 10 Rounds work
Flip squat 12kg 30 secs on 30 secs off for 2 mins total of work
Chest press 20 kg 5/4/3/2/1(L/R),16 kg 5/4/3/2/1
We jumped rope too. I'm a 1 trick pony on this. Carrick has skills.
Tail draggers across weight room w/5 lb plate.
As a class, we take a look at where everyone is with pullups. Discuss various grips and history. Everyone has a story to tell on these. Talk about tension,abs,pulling shoulders in to socket before initiating pull up versus "cartoon cat" hanging from a bar looking stranded.
Walk dogs as usual.

Shaking in Kentucky

5:30 Friday morning my futon and house are shuddering and the lamp and windows rattling. I open my eyes and see it is dark out but the birds have started to chirp early and there is still the feel of everything shaking. Is the furnace about to blow up? Is there time to wrap the dogs in sheets and lower them out window somehow? Maybe I'm having a heart attack from the dream I hold two (red) competition bells in one hand and was doing jerk. I stay very still in hopes that neither the furnace will explode nor will my heart. A little sweat pools on my chest. Fight or flight? What was I thinking to jerk 2 32s? No wonder I am sweating and having heart attack. Small dog sleeps,older dog alert to rumbles. Birds cease chirping. Earthquake. 5.4 at source. 4 here in city. Return to sleep.

Mother Nature creaks. Now my adjustments...
Several years of hamstring irritation,instability,and general one-sided gimpyness I see trainer at work and make appointment for screening with PT,alphabet soup letters, spine/pelvis guy.Long wait. Go through screening and decide to get hands on work that day. 10 minutes on stationary bike and then the Son of a gun does pretzel with me and I can breathe in stereo again. Work on left hip joint. Learn some recruitment/patterning activities. Homework for me. Will go to practice early today to do hw. I am happy I finally went after this. Was afraid I'd be told not to do the stuff I love doing. He says absolutley not to stop any activities I do. Yeah.

Dinner with Russian friends

There were several birthdays in my circle of friends this month and the invitation to celebrate them with our Russian friends was a highlight of my spring break. The care taken to prepare delicious food and bring people together, to slow down and talk over a multi-course meal is an excellent way to recharge. An appropriate beverage accompanied each course. Salmon served on greens with a white wine followed cauliflower apple soup garnished with diced green onion and apples. Sparkling wine was served with the soup. The salmon was "for in between." The main course, with red wine, was rack of lamb and a sauce I'll call Drunken cherry sauce. Warm homemade bread was available. Then dessert was a tiramisu and hot, hot tea from the samovar with mandarin bourbon as an option. Vodka throughout was an option. I have to budget 6 or 7 hours for these events!

4/6/08 - Log + Video

morning practice
JM,slow walking lunges focus on ankle,knee,hip alignment and hip flexors,ardha uttkatasana,ankle mobility stuff. High skipping.
2HSw 20kg 25,25
2Hsw 16kg 25,25
2Hsw 12kg 25,25
Still working on zipping up mid-section.20kg drives home the idea.
Windmills 3(5/5) 8kg
Arm bar and bent presses w/8kg. Relearning this.
Jerks for technique w/8 and 12 kg.
Light grinds day. Kept practice under 45 minutes:)

4/4/08 Ashtanga

Spring Break, finally! We had tremendous lightning and thunder here last night. I love it.
Ashtanga Mysore style this p.m. I was able to generate heat today and felt more lively in the practice. Mobility in Maricyasana A-D felt good today. Thought I might go for Full Primary,however shoulders would not get to floor in Kurmasana indicating tight hammies and hips. Still working with oddity in left ham. Has been odd going on 4 years. Strength is not impacted at all though. Finishing sequence was sweet and topped off with an eye bag and a blanket in Savasana.

4/3/08

In the morning
16kg C&P 3 (1,2,3)
Between rungs serving tea cups w/ sm. ball
16kg Snatches 3 (5/5)
Pullups 5,4,3,later on off doorframe 2,1

4/01/08

Practice in the a.m.
10 minute SSST 12kg switch every 20 reps no parking bell 5(20/20) 200 reps
C/P ladder 16kg 3 (1/2/3)
In the p.m. taught class
3x(3) Pullups

Training 3/25-3/31

3/25 in the a.m.
Dbl snatch 2x10kg 3x15 connecting w/ feet but gut feeling too loose
hi-pull 2x10kg 3x5
OH hold 2x10kg 1:15 secs
3/26 off
3/27 Teach kbs for your yoga demo and so forth
3/28 in the a. m.
1 HSW 3 (20/20) 12 kg
Windmill 5/5
in the p.m. Ashtanga up to Maricyasana B + finishing series
3/29 Before class 5 minutes snatch 12kg switch every 20 reps=160 reps
Teach 2 kb classes
3/30 Went to training facility to clean the weight room and experiment with video...coming soon!
3/31 3x3 Pull ups Hanging L Hanging leg raises to "L" then straddle, close and lower.
Teach yoga Hip openers, trikon, virabhadrasana A,B, pavritti trikonasa, ardha badha parsvokonasa, virabhadrasana variation to ardha chandrasana. So much "easier" to take root in the wooden floor studio. I actually enjoyed the lightness of 1/2 moon this evening.

Gracias,Antonio

3/25/08
Today's class
AOS Providence
All rounds 12kg minus rnd 10 8kg
Great job everyone. They wanted to do it again...
Then Steve and I did some weighted pull-ups to see what's up with it. I used 8kg. No prob but I'm taking my time on this.
Sudamos la gota gorda!

Sunny Monday

3/25/08
Build work capacity
Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle) b/twn swing sets
Double swings
2x10kg 3(25)
One HSwings
12kg 2(25+25) no rest
rest 90 secs
12 kg 1(25+25)
2Hswing
24kg 1(25)
Explorations into why a windmill is not Utthita Trikonasana(triangle). More on this later.
one snatch to windmill 12 kg 5L/5R check alignment. Upper arm may be drifiting from vertical.
15 pushups
hipull+snatch+windmill 12 kg 2/2
windmill 2x10 kg 5/5
Hipull 5/5 12 kg
Fake chi-gung to rest
Double snatches 2x10kg 2(15) Leakages esp in torso abs check in w/feet and breath
OH hold+walk 2x10kg 90 secs.
Back to class!!

Push me,Pull you or 68/48

Thursday- farmer's walked 88lbs at once of bells out of training facility,down long hall and upstairs to parking lot. Checked watch on the way back- 1min 20 secs. Repeated w/62lbs of bells,then 53 lbs. Taught the Kettlebells for your Yoga class. After SJ,on to wall squats. Students tending to either 1) frog or 2) scoop. Did drills to bring awareness to pull into squat w/ hip flexors & taking weight into heels. In several cases it was a matter of "just because you can does not mean you should" squat way low in ballet 2nd! Encouraged them to find their own strength within the movements. Continued to fine tune the swing from the tips of the toes to the crown of the head. Again, culturally, we tend to think front body and neglect back body. Students see lifts as demonstrated and may again focus on the front. Bring their awareness to the links in back of body. I tell them to zip up their "strong suits." Worked on breathing behind the shield,pullovers, cheat curls,sumo dls. Now that they are familiar with grip (hook & crush) practiced loading the bell properly for chest press. Little do they know that get-up sit ups await. Two studios in use for the class: 1 for kbs and 2 so students can take some asana throughout the class.
It is a fantastic group of yogis! Lots of laughter and support for one another's efforts with this thing called kettlebells. Attendance a consistent 10+ men and women.

Friday- Dogs and I spent a couple hours at the park roaming. It was 68 degrees and we new it would not last...and Saturday's high topped out at 48.

Saturday's practice included tribute to temps
48 sec 2hsw,68 sec rest. Repeat 3 times.
Among lifts/exercises was the flip squat,to which people react with gleeful horror:) Close your mouth and guard your grill.
After second class I slipped in a Smashing Pumkins CD and did Ashtanga Primary series up to Maricyasana C and then finishing poses. So-Ashtanga on a Saturday,right after a moon day to SP...yikes.

Bam bam

Some doubles work during a short break.
Dbl sw 2x12 20
Dbl snatch 2x12 10
Dbl Farmer's walk 60 sec
active rest walking leg raises front and side
Repeat three times.bambambam. This was fun and contributed to a great frame of mind for the afternoon.

Several hours later: warm up w/class.Jm,agility and so forth.
3(10) dbl sw
shrug/tillt/farmer's walk
dbl snatch 1(10)
anchored clean 5/5 to alt clean 1(5/5) to demo
alt press 2 (10/10)
snatch 16 kg 5/4/3/2/1 just once but bell felt crazy light. Students completed 3 sets and were cooking!
1leg balancing
pistol 1l/1r unloaded,rack 12kg 1r. Easy. Do both sides next time.
rack 2x12 pistol down...but not back up. I've got it in me, needs grooved.

Time to get serious and some background

3/16/08
Worked on hammies, quads and standing balancing. Hip openers and pull aparts for shoulders. Mindful walking leg lifts front,side and walking backwards. Standing balancing. Goal to assess stability and confidence. Pistol specific.
Halos 8kg 2x10/10
Shrugs+tilt 10kg 2 10/10
Farmer's walk 2x12 kg 2 minutes no break
Windmill 12kg 3x 5/5
SSST 12kg switch every 10. I have an ineffective system for counting. I did at least 200 snatches. Grip excellent, form needs tightening. Speed snatch last 2 mins always feels freer than rest/breathe on OH lockout.

3/17 "in the office"
MP 12 kg 5/5
C&P 16 kg 2x (1/2/3)
Background
June '07 I arrived to RKC very prepared and super psyched for three days of kbs and kb comrades. I mean I was PSYCHED. Like peel me off the ceiling. I had been practicing with kbs for about 3 years,participated in several workshops and knew I was ready to throw down with the big boys. Was keeping a decent balance with gentler stuff like Tai Chi and Ashtanga yoga. Training,nutrition,sleep were in good balance.
Had a blast at the RKC- learned a ton and was inspired by each instructor,assistant and teammate, improved techniques, put victims through a practice, ate what I could of a massive steak and had the leftovers for breakfast. At dinner I noted that Kenneth Jay's forearm is about the size of my thigh, and as Rif said, "you're rear quad dominant" so I said yeah kinda like Mary Lou Retton. That made sense to him.
I was so worried I'd be hungry or bonked out that I sent myself a package of food to the hotel ahead of time from KY...shared it and ate it.

Upon return I began teaching kbs, added classes and changed locations. I ruck some smaller kbs from new location to yoga studio for class I teach there. Teacher by day (4th,6th,7th grade), teacher by night. When to practice??
Whenever I can! I'm going to RKC II in June so it is high time to dig in. Inspired by many of your blogs out there. Always go to the "older possts" to see each person's journey. Really need to keep focus now plus meet other responsibilities.

3/12/08

2mile walk. At park: work on quad,ham,ankle and foot flexibility. Pull up on swing chains,4 pull ups on swing cross bar,dead hang/knee raises.Negative down swing chains till feet reach seat (I'm short). Work on shoulder mobility on swing uprights. At flagpole: standing balancing turning head,assisted pistol 1/1,pistols holding big toe 3L/3R. Front and back walkovers and handstands. Spring ahead caught up with me today.

Oddball

A normal weekly schedule for me is: M-F teach school all day. Mon teach yoga, Tues teach kbs,Thurs teach kb/yoga,Sat teach 2kb classes. Making time for my own practice is an intentional thing...and needs attention.

Saturday March 8, 2008
Louisville received 10"-12" snow

Saturday's practice
2Hsw 16kg 5 (20)
Halos 10kg 10/10
cossacks unloaded then 1:30 secs. 10kg
Cross snatch 10kg 1:30
c/p ladder 16kg 2 (1/2/3)
rows off knee 16kg 3(5/5)
MP 20kg 3(1/1)
handstands

Tues 3/11
Pistol-unloaded 1/1,Farmer's walk,dbl swings,hang clean/fsq/mp,burpees,tgu,sldl: basically all to keep moving & stay warm while I taught.5 pull-ups,handstands at end of practice.
One of my students brought an odd bell-simply labeled "50" no visible brand. Anyway, I pressed it 1L/1R. Spot just to help steer it a bit out of the rack. Left side was "weaker" and that was odd too. I identified where/when and will work those sticky spots.

Now they know...

Before I left for class this morning, I read a post on DD about the lady Beast Tamer Challenge.It prompted me to consider my current goals & the possibility of this feat for me. I sealed the deal when I told my class about the challenge. A brief discussion about formulating,refining,measuring progress and goals followed. Everyone bring your logs to the next class!

Today was about getting the groove of things at the new location.Solid attendance of 7 for Level 1.We kept to basics. JM, wall squats,swings, cheat curls,front squats,sumo dls, and mps. Finisher was intro to TGU or TGU depending. A couple of us jumped over to the weight room for pull ups. The space allows established students to get cranking while I work with new students.
Second class was small due to yoga workshop across town. I did snatches. Switching every 10 reps for 5 min,rest 2 minutes and go for another 5 minutes. Had to be about 200 snatches. 12 kg. Pull-ups earlier were 3 sets of 4. Great new space for practice. I am grateful.
Kentucky Derby is on the horizon. Boy Scouts were on campus for pine box derby. The running of 1st leg of the "Triple Crown" (road race) was this morning. And the sun was out today!

2/26/08

2/25 taught yoga. Good groove to tonight's practice.

2/26 Light to work out DOMS
1Hsw
FrSquat
Slingshot
C&P
Halos
Shrugs
30 seconds everything Repeat X 5

Peca-sore-us

2/24/08
...and traps too.
2mile walk/dogs @park.
Hit the sauna.

2/23/08

2HSW 50 20kg
1HSW 2(10+10) 20kg 3 (10+10) 16kg
Flip squat 2 mins. 12kg
Slingshot 10/10
Pullovers 3 (10) 16kg
Back on our feet for...
Gauntlet: Dbl. Deadcleans (done twice)
2x24 kg 1,1
2x20 kg 1,1
2X16 kg 5
2x12 kg 5
2x8 kg 5
Rack 1x24 kg walk 30 secs l/r
Off 2 benches Deadlift
24kg 3(10)
32kg 2(10)
TGU just 12kg for however long in took other person at the DL station
Snatches 16kg 2(10/10) 12kg 15/15 8kg 10/10 5/5
Halos
Double presses 2x12 1x5 groove 2x16 5/4/3/2/1
Taught yoga before and 1 KB class after.*last Saturday at this locale*

2/19/08

2/18 Teach yoga. Semi-restorative. Bolster,blocks,belts.
2/19/08
KB practice w/class
jm,walk side squat,various hip openers
50/50 done in sets of 10 w/an 8kg
24 minutes
Was easy. No pause. No ppress... strict mp instead. good opportunity to focus on scap. retraction w/light bell.
Other ladies completed in 35 mins. Awesome work!! Some were switching to 12 kg for dead cleans and jerks.
Everyone left practice refreshed and relaxed.

Cabin fever

Friday afternoon Mysore style Ashtanga: to Navasana+finishing sequence.
Saturday teach Yoga 1-2: Eased into practiice with chest/shoulder openers,some JM for ankles and wrists, then Utthita Trikonasana variations with chair. Focus on extending out through the crown of the head,creating length in the spine and rolling chest open. Create stable base with toes/feet/legs,etc. Finished with Vapariti Dandasana + counter pose (both w/chair) and on to resting asana of your choice. Legs on chair with sandbags a fav.

KB Class Level 1
Working out kinks from Tuesday's metcon
JM+Katie type warm ups
Slingshot
Halos
Arm bars
TGU 5 mins alt. sides *everyone's technique is super neat on these.solid.
dblclean 2bells to rack press to OH walk 15-30 secs. working on tight shoulders,chest as well as stability.
2HSw 20 Combo x3
1Hsw 5+5
Jerks refining technique
Snatches 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 everyone got as much time as needed
Rows of knee 5/4/3/2/1
TGU 5/5 alt sides
Rest in sphinx,fill in logs,talk about flexibility/mobility and challenges and improvements w/clients.

KB Class Level 2
Similar to above. No snatches or no second set tgu's.
Seated press
Single leg DLs
Negative presses looking for leaks.

Cold and crunchy

Monday taught yoga while the snow fell.Stayed out on X-C skis till midnight. Nice snow pack on roads and able to groom my own trail through the park to make a loop. It was relaxing to watch the ski tips punch through the powder. Snow day Tuesday. Yes! Taught Kbs and worked out the kinks from Saturday's 50/50.
Today I plowed through 50/50 with the 12kg again but this time as 10/10 through 5 times. Set the Boss for 40 minutes. Completed time: 36:42. By round 3 I felt warmed up and,of course, I had rushed up to that point, so round 4 I tried to slow down to pace the breathing. Bullied through 5th round. Push presses are...not. Still MP with a hop. Jerks are good and I like finishing off the rounds with those. Rode out the clock with overhead holds.Woof.
My impression is that the frequent transitions from lift to lift contribute to speeding and inefficient breathing,at least for me,today. Good practice.

Snow

2/11/08
Finally-real snow. Currently it is beyond perfect for X-C skiing. Taught yoga and slid home to get my gear on and slide some more. Quiet,white,bright. Have not seen snow like this for some time in Louisville and I intend to get out in it.

2008 February...the new October

2/7/08
50/50
8kg 28 minutes
50/50 reps all up to pushpress. Ppress more milpress & those and broke down as 20/15/15.
jerks 20/20/10. Jerks were great fun.

2/9/08
Taught yoga 1hr 15mins.

50/50
12kg 35 minutes
20/20/10

Okay-I'm keeping a log now. August was the start of a new school year so a couple months to dial in the schedule. Currently teaching 2 Yoga classes per week and 3 KB classes + private classes occasionally. September my Chesapeake Bay Retriever began his decline. He enjoyed a couple upswings but mostly I was doing 70+lb Zerchers from floor level to get him outside and then stabilizing him for the necessaries. He was a good old boy and stubborn as hell. October 20 morning he let go then I went to teach yoga,then KBs and on to David Swenson workshop. Guthrie was not my first dog ( I grew up on a farm) though the first I'd had/chosen since a puppy. He went backpacking with me and hated it when I climbed. He loved swimming and diving for bricks and rocks. I guess he could hold his breath as I clocked him 20 secs. head under water searching for the "right" rock. He also loved snow and cold weather as I do.
My KB students continue to inspire me! More posts and pics of them to follow! Thank you for checking in again.