My journey to lean, strong, athletic and fit through the miracle of progressive Kettlebell Swing Combination training. My food strategies to deal with weight loss, and compulsive overeating, after losing more than 100lbs., and maintaining such a tremendous weightloss for more than 4 years....
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday Snatches
Snatches
12/12 w/12kg, 1 min work, 30 sec rest (120 points)
8/8 w/16kg, 45 sec. work, 45 sec rest (160 points)
I rotated these two sets 5 x each.
280 points + 9028 = 9308 total
Monday, April 28, 2008
300 12 kg snatch reps in 12 minutes
Snatch uphill / downhill ladder
15/15, 14/14, 13/13, 12/12, 11/11, 10/10, 10/10, 11/11, 12/12, 13/13, 14/14, 15/15= 300 reps
12 min work, 3 minute rest x 2 = 27 minutes
4 min swing combination sets w/12kg (160 reps), 1 minute rest x 5 sets = 25 min. 800 swings (see 4 minute video posted on food and Thought)
Total workout 52 minutes
600 snatch points Total points 9028
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Yoga Chick
It took alot of courage for me to go to a 90 minute 104 degree class, after less than a year from weighing over 250 lbs. I was afraid of all the "skinny chicks" in their cute yoga clothes, (I wore a t-shirt and long pants to my first class), judging me because of my size (still 145lbs.), or because I didn't know what I was doing...yet. But everyone has to start somewhere, and if I want to do something, I want to do it well, and I'll show up every stinkin' day to make that happen! And as Mark always says, " The only way to not get it, (what you want), is to quit.", and I wasn't going to quit.
You have to show up! And whatever talent you may not have you can make up for in discipline and willpower...another one of Mark's core training philosophies. But the fitness level I was able to build up, with my style of high volume swing combinations, gave me more strength on some of the poses than most of the students that had been coming for years! Really the hardest pose for me in the first months was simply dropping my head all the way back....I couldn't believe how painful that was, or how I could get past it.
And the muscle tone I got from swinging KB's, in my opinion, was much more noticeable too! I wouldn't have chosen to trade bodies with anyone else in class! Can you imagine being able to say that after just coming off of a 100lbs weight loss and being 43 years old?
My yoga practice was much harder to get back, after 8 weeks time off for post op recovery, than my KB practice. In fact, the intense backward bends still feel weird, but not painful, on my abdominal muscles. But probably the hardest poses to get back were the ones where you have to keep your arms up over your head for minutes at a time, those are the poses I credit for some of my shoulder muscularity....that's hard stuff...try it, lol! Yoga forces me to stretch on a regular basis, something that is so important for my shoulder health. Yoga has definitely made me stronger and more flexible, but now I can wear those cute yoga clothes too!
Swing squat ladder 1-4 for demo.
Friday snatches
10/10 x 5 w/12kg x 2 sets = 200 points
8/8, 8/8, 9/9 w/16kg x 2 sets = 200 points
10/10 w/16kg x 5 sets = 200 points
Total 600 points
Saturday snatches
60 R, 40 L, 20 R, 20 L, 20 R, 20 L, 10/10 (x 5) w/12kg = 280
5/5 x 6 w/16kg x 3 sets = 360 points
Total 640 +20 = 660
The first snatch set was supposed to be 15 minutes long. I started out with my R snatching 60 continuous reps for 3 minutes, switching L, snatching for, what I thought was 3 minutes, but after finishing and looking at the Gym Boss I was short by 1 minute, I concluded the missing minute was at that point, so I add the 20 snatches L at the end of the workout.
So the first long continuous set w/12kg was for 14 minutes long. 3 min. R, 2 min. L, 1 min. R, 1 min. L, 1 min. R, 1 min. L, 30/30 sec. for 5 minutes.
Snatch point total to date (if my math is right, lol)
7168 + 1260 = 8428
Friday, April 25, 2008
Swing, Clean / Press Ladder
7:15 Bikram yoga
9:30 KB
Warm up 40 2 hand swings 1 min. work, 1 min rest x 3 sets = 6 min.
Work sets
8 dbl clean/press w/12kg's, 30 sec. work, 30 sec, rest x 10 set = 10 min.
Swing/clean/ press ladder, 2 min work, 1 min rest, x 5 sets = 15 min. (see video)
12/12 one hand swings, 3 min work, 1 min rest x 3 sets
10/10 one hand swings, 3 min work, 1 min rest x 1 set
16 min.
Total workout 47 minutes
Well, after doing double cleans today I realized that I messed up my shoulder last week because of double cleans, not snatches!
Wednesday AM weight 134.6
11:00am 45 min walk
1:00 KB snatch
I alternated 100 reps swing combination sets (1 w/12kg, & 4 w/16kg, Marla's Combo), with snatch sets
100 rep swing sets 2.5 min work, 1 min rest x 5 = 17.5 min
Snatches
10/10 x 5 x 2 sets w/12kg (100 reps), 5 min. work, 200 snatches (200 points)
8/8, 8/8, 9/9 x 2 sets w/16kg (50 reps), 3 min work, 100 snatches (200 points)
10/10 x 5 sets w/ 16kg (100 reps), 5 min work, 100 snatches (200 points)
All sets done w/1 min rest periods 30 min total (600 points)
Total workout 48 min.
Snatch points to date, 6568 + 600 = 7168 total
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
36 with the 36
Work sets w/16kg (36lbs.)
#1
30 2 hand swings, 45 sec work, 15 sec. rest
#2
20 2 hand swings, 30 sec. work, 30 sec rest
I did set #1 5 times before I realized I would not be able to keep up that pace for the 36 minute duration of the workout, so I dropped the set down to #2. I alternated these 2 sets, sometimes everyother, sometimes 2 to 1 (#1, #1, #2, #1, #1, #2, etc.). I ended up with 22 sets of #1, and 14 sets of #2 for a total of 36 sets in 36 minutes.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Me and Marla (Marla's combination)
So when one of my clients, Marla D, from Albuquerque NM, e-mailed me and told me she would be here in San Jose for a week on a business trip, I told her, "Marla, you are so stinkin' lucky! You just hit the jackpot! We can train together, walk together, cook together, go to the beach, and I'll even drag you to yoga! I'm going to send you back home in better shape than you came here in!" And did I? Well you would have to ask her that, but I gave it my best shot, and boy did we have some fun!
Marla has been training with kettlebells for about a year, at Firebellz NM, (much more about Firebellz to come!), and called me for the first time about a few months ago. She has an amazing weight loss story of her own, currently she has lost 100lbs. and is in the second part of her transformation,(I'd like to think, with my help!), with the last 50-70 lbs to go. She had always been athletic, playing sports in high shool and college, so with her background, once she found kettlebells, she just took off! Combined with a commitment to change her eating habits, Marla had changed her body and her lifestyle. After meeting her, I know there's nothing this woman can't do!
One of the changes I suggested to Marla was to add in high volume combination swings to her already busy workout schedule, and because she was here...in 'Stones Gym'....I got to show her in person! Man, she was sweating up a storm! And after our first KB workout together (one of three!), she could see exactly how I train, and why I have developed the style of training that I do for fat loss and 'crazy' conditioning!
During our first training session together I came up with 'Marla's combination'. It's a 100 rep swing combination in this order,
20 2 hand swings (I messed this up in the video, and Marla corrected me, lol)
20 transfers
10 1 swing, 1 transfer combos (20 reps)
5/5/5/5 one hand swings (20 reps)
20 2 hand swings
Marla's homework is to end each KB workout with this combination 5 times. This chick is strong! She had no problem blasting this combo out, at the end of our workout...I think we did it 3 x, the first time. We also did a double KB workout together on Wednesday, when we did double swings and double cleans with the 16kg's! It was the first time in a long, long time I was actually sore the next day! (so was Marla!) But she went toe to toe with me evey step!
Here's what all we did,
Sunday we met, talked and went on a shopping trip to Whole Foods together.
Monday, 7:30am KB's
Tuesday, 5:30pm cooking lesson/dinner, and a 45 min. walk
Wednesday 7:30am KB's (doubles)
Friday, she came over to my kitchen, we made lunch for the beach from Tuesday night's leftovers and walked, did yoga poses and ate, on my favorite beach....on my favorite day!
Saturday, 30 min. KB swing class, and Bikram yoga (90 minutes, 104 degrees!)
Woo Hoo! She was such a good sport for lettting me drag her around with me all week! But of all the things we did together, I would have to say that I'm most proud that she did Bikram yoga with me. Bikram yoga is no joke, especially the first class, and as a beginner to yoga.
I am so lucky! I know that Marla and I will be friends for a long time....in fact, I'm going to New Mexico in October....Woo Hoo!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Swing/Snatch Workout
5:30am Bikram yoga
7:30 KB
Swings and Snatches w/12kg
15 min set #1 w/2 min rest
40 transfers x 5 = 200 swings, 5 min work
10/10 x 5 = 100 snatches
10/10 x 10 = 200 swings
400 swings, 100 snatches
15 min set #2 w/2 min rest
10/10/10/10 one hand swings x 8 sets, alternating w/
10/10 snatches, x 7 sets,
320 swings, 140 snatches
15 min set #3 w/ 3 min rest
1 swing, 1 snatch, transfer x 12 combinations per min. x 5 set, and then dropped down to 10 combinations per minute x 10
320 swings, 160 snatches
10 min set #4 w/3 minrest
snatch/transfer, 16 per minute x 10 = 160 swings, 160 snatches
Total workout 65 min. (55 min work/10 min rest)
Total swings 1200 (not including transfers between snatches in sets 1, 2, 3)
Total snatches 560
Video to follow this afternoon. (I'm having trouble uploading)
Wednesday snatches, 6R/6L x 5 x 1 = 60, 10R/10L x 5 x 2 = 200
Total 260
Snatch point total to date 6568
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Russian River Kettlebells
'I go, you go' style.
10 reps x 6 sets = 3 min.
20 reps x 10 sets = 10 min.
30 reps x 6 sets = 9 min.
40 reps x 4 sets = 8 min.
Total workout 30 min.
I fooled around with some bottoms up cleans and snatches afterwards.
Snatches, 10/10 x 2 x 1 = 40 snatches, 10/10 x 5 x 2 = 200 snatches
240 snatch points
Monday, April 14, 2008
KB Getaway
Friday, April 11, 2008
Friday, more long sets w/12kg
Warm up
60 2hd swings, 1.5 min work, 1 min rest
80 2hd swings, 2 min work, 1 min rest
Total warm up 5 min.
Work sets, 1 hand swings w/12kg
20/20 x 5 (200 reps), 5 min work x 5 sets = 1000, 1 hand swings
I took only one minute rest between sets, except for a 3 min rest, between the 3rd and 4th set, so total swing time = 31 min.
12/12/12/12 snatch w/12kg, 2 min work, 1 min rest x 4 sets, = 12 min.,
192 snatches
Total workout 48 min.
This workout was a little shorter than usual, but not any less intense! I chose 20, one hand swings per arm before switching, and then repeating that 5 times R, and L. It's been a while since I did 20 reps per arm, and I thought I might do 6 sets, but after 5 I had enough!
And even though I took one longer rest period during the rotations, I always find it easier to either keep going, nonstop, or stick with the short rest....it's always harder to pick that damn thing back up after too long of a rest.
I threw some snatch sets in at the end, even though Iwas already sweating my ass off...I had to get some snatch points in. lol.....and again my intention was to do 5 snatch sets, but after 4, I was done! I wasn't even interested in trying shorter sets.
Snatch total 5316 +192 = 5508
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Yoga, 7 days a week
I weighed around 138lbs. the day I started my practice, and I could see right away two things, I wanted to have a really good practice and get good at the poses quickly, (gee, me in a hurry to get good at something? lol), and I knew if I lost a little more weight it would beneficial to accomplish those things. And with my kind of luck, this happened a few months before my RKC, perfect timing to meet a new bodyweight goal for the snatch test portion of the Certification.
So in usual Tracy fashion, I threw myself into Bikram yoga (but not before my kettlebell training, which will always take priority), buying a monthly unlimited membership and going to class as much as possible, probably attending class 6 days out of 7. That was in late November 2005. In January, 06, my yoga studio has a "60 day challenge". 60 classes in 60 days.....no problem, I love to be challenged! So, for 60 days, the challenge was to not miss a day. Well, sometimes you just couldn't get to class, so another option was to double up in one day. Wow! Try doing 2 classes back to back!
That was over 2 years ago, and since then I continued to practice regularly for that first year, at least 3-5 classes a week, until I switched yoga studios. I switched to a studio that offered fewer than 1/2 the class times as the previous studio, and that greatly affected my practice. No excuses....I guess I let the fewer classes, combined with less convenient class times, affect my yoga practice and the last few months before my December '07 surgery I was only getting to class 2 times a week, if I forced myself!
Well, all of that has changed! I got off of my "high horse" and went back to my original yoga studio....I decided to take the good with the bad (I'll explain another time!) and I've been able to get my practice back to at least 5 days a week.
So, I've started a new goal that won't stop at 60 days....yoga, 7 days a week! And that can mean I have to 'double up' some days, like yesterday! Really, the hardest part is spending the time away from home! Two 90 minute classes with a 30 min. break in between, travel time included adds up to 4 hours of my day!
I'll write more about my yoga on Food and Thought.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
600 snatches, 30 min straight
My pace was key. I had snatched the 12kg, 12/12 for 20 minutes last time I did my 1000 snatch workout, before dropping down to 10/10. (I think) I want to do this, minimum, at least once a week, increasing the set by an additonal 10/10 until I eventually get to 60 sets of 10/10....60 minutes straight. I'll vary my workouts inbetween, by increasing the number of reps per set, 12/12, 15/15, one minute each side, etc...
Although I'm getting more efficient at snatching the 12kg, it still will build strength to carry over to snatching the heavier bells.
12kg
10/10 x 30 = 600 points
16kg
5/5 x 3 = 30 snatches, 60 points
Running snatch total 4656 + 660 = 5316
OH yes...and that was after 2, back to back, Bikram yoga classes this morning! (90 minutes each class, 104 degrees).
Tuesday KB speed swings
9:30 am KB w/12kg
48 2 hand swings, 1 min work, 30 sec rest
12/12/12/12 one hand swings, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
48 transfers, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
22 alternating sets = 33 min. 1056 swings
40 2 hand swings w/16kg, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
10/10/10/10 one hand swings w/12kg, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
11 alternating sets = 15 min. 444 swings (I added 4 reps on the last set to total 1500 swings)
I did this last set by slowing down, extending the arc further back (deeper) and floating the bell higher, (shoulder level). More details about this on my 'Food and Thought' Blog.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Monday Snatch work-in
To make it harder to snatch the 12kg, I snatched for a full minute on each arm, before switching, 24/24 reps. I then alternated 16kg, for only 30 seconds, 6/6 reps, and 30 sec. double clean/presses, 5 rotations. Total time 25 min. 360 12kg snatch points (I meant 240!). 120 16kg snatch points
The rest of my work out was not consistent. I did misc. swings, clean, presses and snatches with the 12kg, and the 16kg. After 5:30am Bikram yoga and trying diet off of Saturday's high calorie day, I just was not feeling it. I'll go for my 1000 swing workout tomorrow after yoga. Snatch w/12kg 36 reps, 36 points
Total snatch points, Monday 396
Friday workout
12kg
40 2 hand swing, 1 min work, 30 sec rest,
40 transfers, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
12/12 snatch, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
16kg
40 2 hand swings, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
40 transfers, 1 min. work, 30 sec. rest
20 kg
40 2 hand swings, 1 min work, 30 sec. rest
9 minute rotation x 5 = 45 min. 120 snatches
10/10 snatch x 7, no rest, 140 snatches
Total snatch points, Friday 260
Running Snatch total 4656
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sugar, OK, but Coffee, NO WAY!
But first, the subject of coffee has been brought up numerous times, hmmn...sugar and caffeine....two substances that "get us going" energy wise....or do they? At some point do they work against you? Well, I have no desire to give up my coffee! And I didn't always feel that way, in fact just a few weeks ago I decided to give up my late morning, early afternoon cup. But then I had to question myself, why?
This is why I thought I should.
Isn't it bad for me? No. Coffee has been studied to death and it's never been shown to have a negative effect, in fact it's been shown to have many positive effects. It's as high in natural antioxidants as dark chocolate and green tea.
I didn't want to use coffee as an appetite suppressant....which it can be for me. I wanted to learn to 'not snack' naturally, instead of reaching for that cup of coffee. But, so what! Why worry, why stress? I'm over it. I just refuse to feel bad about an afternoon cup of coffee.
But, I love cream in my coffee, and that just added in another 60-100 fat calories....I know, I know, this is the ridiculous thinking of a crazy calorie counter. Guess what....60-100 calories is not going to make or break me, lol!
The key is that one cup, two cups, doesn't turn into 4 ,5, 6, etc.. People start drinking coffee like water! And what's up with the quadruple esspresso shots? Jeez! And, I guess, what you put in your coffee.....artificial sweetners, artificial fats (Cremora).
I am not a nutritionist, I am just my own expert! Make decisions for yourself. Whatever decisions you make, feel good about it! I'm sure I'll get alot of opinions....these are just mine, based on my experience, for my life. My good life.
Friday, April 4, 2008
No Sugar "Win"
Last month, in support of a friend, Jessica, I gave up alcohol, and granola. When we decided to "give up" these things a, sort of, releif came over me. Wow! I don't have that option of alcohol or granola anymore, it's not a choice to make anymore, because I made a commitment to a friend. Why is it easier to do it for a friend than ourselves? It doesn't matter, lol, it's not the point. Because of the releif I felt of not having the option, not having the choice, for a months time, I started thinking that this might be a good idea. Choosing to "give up" something once a month. That lead to thinking about other things that could be beneficial to give up.
I suggested this could become a regular exercise of a "monthly win". Exercising our ability to have "wins". Working up to bigger and bigger "wins". Eventually something big like giving up sugar! Jessica and I joked about when that would be a good time to try....maybe the summer when fruit was at it's peak...maybe a month that only had 30 days, (instead of 31!), definitely a month with no birthdays, lol (cake), etc....
So when Jess called me, about 5 days before April 1st, and told me that she wanted to give up sugar sooner than later....like the next month...in only a few days.....after about 5 seconds, I was totally "down" for the possibility! Woo hoo, this could be fun! But it was going to take some planning.
I wasn't worried, for me, I already make most of my own food...in fact I make all of my own "non-sugar" foods, the food that I don't make myself are usually, always, sweets! But Jessica, on the other hand has a situation that most people have, which is that she's not in the habit of making, and preparing all of her own foods. Because of her schedule, her lifestyle, she has to rely on foods available to purchase that are healthy, nutritious and don't contain sugar. She can make some of her meals, but more importantly, planning is key!
So what do we mean when we say "no sugar"? Well, no processed sugar is obvious. No candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, white table sugar, etc. But it also includes every sugar, processed or not, including fake sugars like equal and nutrasweet and splenda, etc. We have agreed to make two acceptions, if we choose to exercise these options, we can have,
1 single serving of fruit per day, with the ability to "bank" our fruit servings to allow more or less. One serving of fruit means about 4oz.. NO BANANAS
1 tablespoon of honey per week. That can be split into teaspoons (3) for tea, salad dressings, yogurt, etc.
That's it.
I will be posting the details of this "monthly win", on my blog, Food and Thought, throughout this next month. It's so much more than just giving up sugar! And I'm excited to find out, all of health benefits, body compositon changes, disipline opportunities, strength and feelings of victory, that can come from this experience.
Life is good.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tracys All Day Lunch 4/3
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Willy, Nilly, Max Vo2 Snatches
12kg
10/7
7/10
Total 34 points
16kg
5/5/2
5/5/2
5/5/3
5/5/3
7/7
8/8( first video starts here)
8/10
10/8
8/10
10/8
8/10
10/8
10/10/12/12( second video ends here)
Total points 464 (232 reps)
498 total points
WHAT! 2 points away from 500...that's it, out to the garage...
2 reps w/12kg
Total points today 500
Grand total, now I'm @ 4000
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
720 snatches, 720 swings, 60 minutes w/12kg
Warm up
10 swing, snatch, transfers, 1 min.
Worksets
10/10 swing, 10/10 snatch, x 6 repeats,(60/60 swing, 60/60 snatch) 8 min work,
2 min rest
x 6 rotations = 60 min. (6 x 120 = 720 reps each)
In the second video I meant to say "delirious", not delusional! But once you start swinging for minutes at a time, it's hard to talk right, much less add and multiply! And keeping track of the second hand on the clock? Well forget it! (one of the drawbacks of training solo!)
Once I realized that it was taking me slightly longer than 1.25minutes to complete the first part 10/10 swings, 10/10 snatches, I the took the time to do the math and look at the clock.....I was in actuality taking 8 minutes, and 6 repeats per set. I was shooting for only 5 repeats, to make them 100 swing, 100 snatch sets, but my OCD wouldn't let me stop until I landed the second hand on the 12...and that took 6 repeats. (No denying I can't count!)
Add 720 points + 2770 = 3490 Whoops, I almost forgot my 10 warm up snatches,
Total 4000! Only 46,000 to go (says Mark!)
Update:
I've been corrected on my horrible addition! I said a person gets deliriuos doing long rep sets!
Total points 3500