Good Posture

Part of my goal in kettlebell training was to help correct some postural issues that make sitting at the computer kind of a pain (slumping, twisted pelvis, etc.).  I found an interesting video from Denis Kanygin's site that gives a good rundown of how to assess proper posture.  He's running a cool contest this month to give away a free month of coaching, so definitely check that out. 

Hi and No

2/4: Skipped

2/5: Hi
Mag Mob warmup
4 x 35 Hard Style 16kg swings / 1 min rest
12 rounds FlowFit level 3 at 1.08 a round (skipped one round in the middle to rest)

2/6: intuflow only

Hi, No, Low, Med

1/31: Mag Mob warm up
FlowFit level 3.  12 rounds at 1:10 per round.  Doing these at 1:00 with about 10s rest
Hard style 2 handed swings: 50s work / 1:30 rest
IntuFlow cool down

2/1: Intu Flow only

2/2: Jill Miller's Hip Helpers yoga DVD

2/3: Mag Mob warm up
3 x 5 RL OALC 12kg
3 x 5 RL OALC 16kg
10 2AJ 12kg
2 rounds of 10 16kg SLDL RL and 10 one leg squats RL
Forward Pressure: 4 x 1:25 work / 1:30 rest
Kettlebell Foundation compensation yoga / FP compensation yoga

Med Day 1/30

Magnificent Mobility Warm up
10 SLDL 16kg
OALC: 5 12kg, 2x5 16kg
OAPP: 10 16kg
2AJ: 10 12kg
Forward Pressure: 3 x 1:50 work/1:50 rest
KF Compensatory Yoga with some forward pressure compensations (wrist/neck)

Hi, No, and Low days

High: 1/27

Magnificent Mobility Warmup
FlowFit: 12 rounds, 1:12 a round
Hard Style swings, 16kg: 5 x 1:00 work, 40s rest
Intu-Flow Intermediate for cool-down

No: 1/28

Intu flow

Low: 1/29

Ageless Mobility

Tuesday 1/26 - Med

Magnificent Mobility warm up
10 SLDL 16kg R/L
OALC: 5 12kg / 2 x 5 16kg
OAPP: 10 16kg
two arm PP: 5 12kg
Forward Pressure: 3 times through beginner, 3mins each.  (14 mins total)
KF Compensatory Yoga

Starting a new 4x7 cycle today.  Basically, just practicing some of the movements and getting the body used to the bells again and easing the wrists into the forward pressure flow.

EDIT: After reviewing Forward Pressure this evening for the compensations, it looks like I made the beginner flow too hard.  I stayed on my feet (rather than my knees) for all of the ellipses, and I did the swinging plank off my knees too.  Should get easier next time just by doing it right!

Monday 1/25

Yoga day.  Still sore in the legs from the lunge workout Sat, so I opted for a leg yoga rather than Ageless Mobility (my standard "light" day workout).  55 mins of "hip helpers" from Jill Miller's DVD of the same name.

Sat/Sun Jan 23-4

Did a nice clubbell workout with Todd on Saturday, from the Clubbell Black Book.  Basically alternating between shield cast with a lunge for a minute, and alternating cossack stretches for 90 seconds.  We did that back and forth several times (I think, 3 times per arm).

Sunday is busy, so only doing Intu-Flow.  Which is for the best, as I've got some serious DOMS in my legs from Sat!

Misc. Ski Prep

With end-of-semester grading and other duties, my workouts are getting randomly fit in where I can.  Additionally, I'm going skiing in early Jan, so I've put kettlebell training on hold to focus on that.  Basically, I'm switching between strength days (KB goblet squats, assisted pistols, 16kg KB swings) and conditioning days (TRX metcon and Flowfit), with some yoga days fit in here and there. 

Will resume the regular journal in mid-Jan when I return from skiing.  I will likely start up the AKC Fitness program to get practice with the basics to build a good foundation.  My cleans still aren't landing perfect every time.

Medium day

11/17:
Intuflow warmup
5 x 1 min 12kg two arm Jerk
5 OAJ 24kg L/R
3 x 1 min 16kg OALC L/R
SLDL 16kg 10/10
TRX-assisted pistols 10/10
Pike pushups 2x10
KF compensatory yoga

Yoga day

11/12 and 11/13 off days.  Things are going to be crazy until after Thanksgiving, so workouts will be fit in when there is time.

11/14: Two rounds of TRX Metcon B.  Wanted to go 3, but pretty gassed after the second round

11/15: Intuflow.

11/16: AM: Intuflow    PM: Ageless Mobility (full program)

Medium day

6AM Intu-flow

3:30PM:

Magnificent Mobility warmup

16kg OAJ 10min 6RPM 1min L/R

Double swipes: 3 min 20/10s work/rest.  Had to stop due to some weird right forearm pain.  Maybe cramp?  Cleared up as soon as I stopped.

SLDL 16kg  10/10

spinal rocks 5x1min each

Kettlebell Foundation  yoga routine.

Since the jerks aren't getting my heart rate up, I decided to move them to the strength day.  Will do TRX and swings on the "high" day.

Low and Medium days

11/9:  Intu-Flow Intermediate / Advanced (legs)

11/10: Ageless Mobility.  Full Routine.  Really great work today--lots of tension melted away.

Decided that I need to keep practicing with the kettlebells for this 4x7, but keep the TRX metabolic workouts as my main heart-rate raiser on high days.  I'm going skiing in January, and want to get in shape.  The KBs will strengthen my legs for sure, but I need to get my heart rate higher than I was able to last week with jerks.

Not quite high intensity

7AM Intu-flow

4PM
Magnificent Mobility Warmup
16kg OAJ 6RPM 10 min  switch R/L on the minute
2 handed swipes / 7 min  20 sec work / 10 sec rest
Mills / 4 min / 30s switch R/L
3 rounds untimed FlowFit
KF Yoga compensation, full routine

Both Jerk and swipes taxed my grip and leg strength before my heart rate and conditioning.  Will try OALC next session to see the difference, but suspect that will tax the grip even more.  It is likely that until my strength improves with these specific moves I will need to do a full FlowFit routine at the end in order to achieve the upper-level heart rate requirement of a "high" day in the 4x7 protocol.

Medium day

11/6: 30 min Ageless Mobility yoga. Really gassed--stayed up too late the night before.
11/7:
7AM: Intu-Flow
4PM:Magnificent Mobility warmup
16kg swings: 9 min, 20L/20R/1 min active rest. My grip was really taxed by these.
SLDL, 16kg 10/10
6 pullups
10 pike pushups
TRX-assisted pistols: 10/10
Kettelbell Foundation compensatory yoga (full routine).

Fully rested today--much better workout.

Busy week, but good workouts

I've decided to join the ranks of training bloggers at Todd's nudging, but also to be a little more accountable to making specific goals. It's mostly been cocktailing lately--picking a few specific moves or tools based on wavering interests. Although I've been following the 4x7 approach, it's not been building toward anything specific. I'll give it some thought this weekend, and build a proper 4x7 with specific goals.

Anyway, here's what it's looked like this week:

Monday 11/2: 1 hour yoga. Worked through Jill Miller's Yoga Link: Core Integration. First time I've done this, just got the DVD. Really like Miller's approach, but tough! Will be a few months before I can comfortably get through the routine.

Tuesday 11/3:
Warmup: Intu-Flow followed by a few exercises from Magnificent Mobility (great short routines to wake up the posterior chain).

12 minutes 16kg Kettlebell (KB) swings. 35 swings/1 min active rest
3x4 pullup ladders
2x8 16kg single leg dead lifts
2x10 TRX-assisted pistols

Yoga series from Sonnon's Kettlebell Foundation. Sonnon says it takes 5 minutes, which may be technically true because each pose is 20 seconds. It takes me about 20 min though, because I can't move from pose to pose instantaneously and I'm not timing the poses with a stopwatch. Some folks might see this compensatory work as not worth the time or not having too much benefit. But, since one of my main goals is to increase my yoga skill and strength/flexibility, I see it as worthwhile.

Wednesday 11/4:
5AM: Intu-Flow

Afternoon workout:
Magnificent Mobility warmup
1 minute 24kg One Arm Jerk (OAJ) 5RPM L/R
2 minutes 16kg, OAJ 6RPM L/R
Practice with cleans with 16kg
5 mins double swipes with 8lb homemade clubbells (plumber's special) on Tabata (20s work / 10s rest)
4 mins mills, 30s L / 30s R

Kettlebell Foundation compensatory yoga

The jerks are mostly still experimentation. The 12kg and 16kg are almost too easy, the KB pops up and bounces around. The 24kg, though, is pretty heavy and hurts my wrist and hand pretty quickly. The swipes killed my grip--need to continue this work. I'm not quite able to get my heart rate up as high as I'd like to work the conditioning because my grip's not strong enough. Will come with time.

Rest day tomorrow (just Intu-Flow).