Quest for RKC-Week 1 of 16

Just wanted to let everyone know that it is official. Nikki and I have signed up for the Level 1 Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor Certification on August 28-30th in San Diego, CA. If you are not familiar with Kettlebells or the RKC, click on the links to find out more information.

We decided that we would take the time to shoot some video and pictures of our training every week as we build up for San Diego. Feel welcome to comment on our status and ask questions or if you are training for the RKC yourself, let us know what you are doing. Would love to share training ideas with all of you out there. Here are the Instructor Certification Requirements for RKC Level I.

We are very fortunate enough to have Dave Whitley, Senior RKC instructor working with us 3 times a week at our bootcamp we attend to make sure our technique improves and that we are on the right track for San Diego.

This past week at bootcamp we concentrated on swings (of course) but David threw in some special twists for Nikki, Jay and myself. We worked a lot of double swings this week which gave the swing a interesting twist and really pushed us harder than we expected. Dave also had us perform a 10 minute snatch test this week. Nikki did a wonderful job and got to 200 with a 16kg. I made it to 163. Good start but needs improvement, and I was pretty much smoked by minute 8.

Our training on our own we decided to work towards improving our strength in the press and the turkish get up. We always perform TGU's on Mondays and have decided to perform press ladders 3 rounds of 3 rungs each side with a light weight to see where we are at. We felt very good this past week so we are going to move up in weight and perform the 3 rounds of 3/3 again.

100th POST! Workout Tuesday 4/14

Nikki and I woke up early again this morning at 5am to get our workout in. There was a good chance that both Nik and myself will work late and not be in the mood to kick our butts, so we rolled out of bed and got to work for 30 minutes. Here is the workout we did Right of Passage style for Pavel and the RKC.

Circuit 1 - 10 minutes
-Clean and press ladder heavy 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 (means 1 rep Right, 1 rep Left, then 2 and 2, then 3 and 3).
-Followed immediately by clean and squat ladder 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
Repeat circuit as many times in ten minutes, concentrate on beautiful form!

Circuit 2 - 10 minutes
-Single leg deadlift light 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
-1 arm row light 1/1, 2/2, 3/3
Same rules as above

Circuit 3 - 10 minutes
-1 arm partner swings: 5 L arm/ 5 R arm then partner goes, 10/10, 15/15, 20/20
Perform as many rounds within 10 minutes.

Great workout!

Kettlebell Bootcamp #20 (Week 7)

Sorry I have missed a couple of workouts. Nik made 2 workouts last week and I made only 1 and we had a short week due to Thanksgiving.

• Warmup including spinal wave and the pump.
• Split into 2 groups and did alternating ladders of goblet squats with the other group resting in the bottom of the squat, and push ups with other group resting in the top push up position (plank like hold) - did about 5 rounds
• Stayed in groups and performed clean to press ladders with other group resting
• Again stayed in the 2 groups and performed kettlebell swings for 30 seconds while other group rested. I believe it was 10 rounds
• 40 minutes later and 513 calories we were finished and exhausted. Great workout

Kettlebell Bootcamp #16

Great workout today.  Did only two foundational exercises but Matt (subbing for Dave who is out of town) put a unique spin on one of them.

• Warm up including "the pump"
• Partner Get Ups 1 rep each side, then partner goes 1 rep each side (10 minutes)
• Kettlebell swings 30 sec on/30 sec off - 1st 5 rounds of swings were performed with a kettlebell in each hand! I used 16kgs, Nik did 12kgs.  Once my technique got a bit sloppy moved to regular swings with a 24kg (Nik did 16kg) for another 5 rounds

Sorry I don't have a calorie count, I was a bit sleepy this AM and forgot to wear my heart rate monitor.  Starting to see some cool changes in the past 6 weeks.  Performing swings with at least 24kg kettlebell, where I could only do that for 1-2 rounds the first week.  Nik is kicking ass with a 16kg on swings and her get ups are getting much crisper.  Won't be long and she will be doing swings with a 24kg on a regular basis.

Dave was nice enough to allow us to loan out some kettlebells this week to practice at home until our order gets in.  He didn't have to do it, but chose to cause he is not only a great instructor, but a great person.  THANKS DAVE!

Kettlebell Bootcamp #15

You would not believe it but I am squatting much better since KBBC #14 where we worked on improving Nik and I's squatting pattern. Too cool.

Great bootcamp today. Hit the strength in a circuit set and then followed by an "ass kicking" with swings.

• Warm up 5 minutes including spinal wave and the pump
• Circuit in groups of 2 people, 30 seconds on and 20 seconds rest while changing stations: station 1: push ups, station 2: v-ups, station 3: renegade row, station 4: deep body weight squats. Performed 3 rounds
• Kettlebell swing ladder w/partners: Each alternates performing swings: 10 swings, then 15, then 20 and repeat. Do as many ladders as you can in 12 minutes. I believe Nik and I did 5 rounds total. That is 225 swings in 12 minutes for each of us. A new achievement for us: Nik performed the ladder with a 16kg KB the whole time while I did 24kg KB. A new personal best for each of us.

Everyone have a terrific weekend and stay active!

KB Bootcamp #13 (week 5)

Great class again today.  Today was more of a technique component which I agree is essential to make sure that everyone reviews the very basics of kettlebell exercises.  I was surprised to see that my Turkish Get Up and Swing could still use some work.  This tells me that I should not be practicing other "sexy"  kettlebell tricks until I can get these two movements down.  If I can't perfect these first, then I will be unable to perform the more demanding lifts later on.  

Today in class:

• Warm up for 5 minutes including "the pump"
• Get up practice 1 rep each side
• Partner Turkish Get Ups 1 rep each side then partner goes for 10 minutes
• Kettlebell Swings that ended up turning into the "carousel of pain"  30 seconds swings with 20 seconds rest for 11 rounds

40 minutes & 400 calories later we were done.  Also on another fun note, Nikki and I ordered our first set of actual kettlebells!  I can't wait for them to arrive so I can perfect my Turkish Get Ups and Swings.