Overweight since childhood,I spent most of my 30's tipping the scales around 250lbs. At age 41 I took charge of feeding myself by preparing all of my own meals, no more fast foods! I created a way to use my love of cooking, food, and eating to permanently lose over 100lbs. During this time I discovered kettlebells and my own style of training The Kettlebell Swing, bringing out my inner athlete and erasing all signs of former lifelong obesity. It's never too late, YOU CAN DO IT!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Experimenting with 40 rep sets....
A couple things.....
As "hard" as it was to pull back on my training the week before, in anticipation for, the 3 hour DVD video shoot this past weekend, it was equally "hard" to let myself properly recover! I did in fact video tape quite a bit of training this morning, but after reviewing the footage it was obvious to me how tired I was. I apologize, but I did manage to salvage a bit of video I'm not completely embarrassed about, lol!
I haven't posted workouts in a few weeks as I was practicing, practicing and practicing the routines for two DVD's that will be available for the Holiday season. I do plan on posting "companion" workouts to the DVD's and let's start here. The next new DVD to be released is titled "Top 40". The idea behind the progressive training is to work up to swinging sets of 40 reps. You may or may not be at that point already, but here is a short "experiment" to keep you busy along the way.
Surprising to me I had no idea how this "experiment" would turn out until I did it! I was reminded real quick why and how I program my progressions! If you are not at the point of swinging 40 consecutive reps this may be the first time you do it, OR, if you are, please share with me what combinations you find more "difficult" (ie, fun!).
On your own do a fairly quick warm up of maybe:
2 sets of 10 2 hd swings
1 set of 20 2 hand swing
Here is what you will find demonstrated in the video:
10/10 one hand swings x 1 set (30 sec/30 sec)
5/5 x 2 one hand swings (30/30)
20 2 hd swings (30/30)
20 2 hand swings + 10/10 on hand swings (1 min/1 min)
10/10 on hand swings + 5/5 x 2 one hand swings ( 1 min/1 min)
5/5 x 2 one hand swings + 20 2 hand swings (1 min/1 min)
9 minutes, 180 swings
Repeat or not! Or repeat the set you enjoyed the least! lol Enjoy!
PS...."Hard" is a feeling, not a fact! -Tracy Reifkind ( I love this phrase and you will hear it/read it often!)
I developed KB elbow (aka tennis elbow) on my weaker arm - Doc said no KBs for 2 weeks. Hoping to get back to swinging soon!
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteI've got to have Mark do some short videos about the importance of stretching! He is always telling me how lucky I am that I have a regular yoga practice (ie, stretching) because if I didn't I would probably be a beg old mess from all of the high volume I do!
Imbalances become magnified if we never practice opposite movements....and that needs to be addressed!
Thank you for your comment!
I have been thinking of taking up yoga, but right now I work 2 jobs. I have to add,that doing loaded carries on mon, wed, and fri has helped me alot, in addition to TS sw practices on tue, Thurs, & Sat.
ReplyDeleteGuy,
ReplyDeleteThe biggest value I have found in a regular yoga practice is that #1 I like it! #2...that's a good thing because I'm still motivated to go to class!
I may be able to do it on my own at this point, but, swings? No problem, stretching? maybe a problem!
The older I get the more I realize how important regular stretching is. Everyday I get out of bed stiff as a board and I think "What?" lol
Good God, what would life be like if I didn't have my health AND I was stiff as a board?
Priorities. I train kettlebells, I have a regular yoga practice, I walk....so wonder I can't do a pull up! Who has freakin' time?
(I also would love to train to run a marathon. Return to my Tae Kwon Do practice. Certify in Primal Move. Do a handstand. etc, etc....)
I like doing 5/5 1-arm swings versus 10/10 when using the bigger bells. I'm not a fan of 1-arms, but that's why I'm trying to do more of them. I can 2-hand all day, but 1-arm just drive me nuts. They feel fine, I'm not out of form or anything, I just don't like 'em....
ReplyDelete2-hand x 40 reps? Can do that ALL day long!
BTW....did I see "I also would love to train to run a marathon" in the last comment?????
You won't even come close to guessing what I have in store for 2014!
dear tracy,
ReplyDelete2comments.first is the new dvd going to be the followup book/dvd to the fabulous swing book. ill be finishing it in about may and looking forward to the sequel!
2ndly although not the same as stretch/yoga. my elastic bands used to rehabilitate my shoulder seems to be helping. it does involve some semistretching lik bent over one arm "elephant" swings and circles.
thanks as always
fred from nashville
dear tracy,
ReplyDelete2comments.first is the new dvd going to be the followup book/dvd to the fabulous swing book. ill be finishing it in about may and looking forward to the sequel!
2ndly although not the same as stretch/yoga. my elastic bands used to rehabilitate my shoulder seems to be helping. it does involve some semistretching lik bent over one arm "elephant" swings and circles.
thanks as always
fred from nashville
Diana,
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the 10/10! I purposely design training cycles around more and more one hand swings.
The first time I attempted 1000 continuous swings w/16kg I knew I couldn't do them all with two hands....of course!
(Although I may make it to 200 with little trouble. The last time I did 200 16kg continuous 2 hand swings continuing on with one hand swings was such a shock to my system...it was alomost like I was "locked" into the 2 hd sw!)
Anyway, the first time I attempted 1000 continuous 16kg reps I started out with 10/10...Good God! It killed my lower back something fierce! I did complete it, but with swing/transfers. To me completing it doing 10/10 would really take some deliberate training, and something I will take into consideration some day...
Diana,
ReplyDeleteOh, and yes, you did read that running a marathon would be on my list of something I would love to do...but so is the Hawaiian IronMan...but I'd have to learn how to swim! So would be climb Machu Picchu. So would getting back on a bike again. So would bench pressing at least my bodyweight! Lots of stuff!
Let's see...what might you have in store for 2014? An Ultra? Or two marathons...back to back? LOL
fred from Nash,
ReplyDeleteI need to do a follow up of the workouts in The Swing...BUT, we did produce a really good 30 minute beginners DVD with Mark leading us through a joint mobility warm up and then I go on to demonstrate, with two partners an "OTM" workout applicable to all levels of kettlebell athletes that will be a complimentary copy to be included in all of my future DVD's!
If you get through all of the workouts in the book you will most definitely be able to do either one of the new workouts (same with one I already have an Amazon, "Give and Take")
IM-Hawaii would be awesome, but not in my lifetime....too damn hot over there for me!
ReplyDeleteYou need to get on a bike....you know you want to, it's fun. Heck, if I can get hit by a car while out running, get up, dust off the road rash and continue on....one must not let a fear get to us!