Tracy Reifkind's Overhead Swing Progressions (and a quick squat/overhead swing workout!)

I can't believe it's been a month since my trip to Vancouver!  Probably because the week I got back I came down with the worst flu I've ever had, ever!  The most notable symptom was that I had ZERO energy, I couldn't move.  A raging sore throat I could dismiss, some congestion, stuffy nose, no problem, but I couldn't get out of bed for a solid 7 days.  I tried, oh yes, I tried!  For the first time ever I had to completely cancel training appointments, but I managed to make it to a couple of classes only to be left even more zapped of my energy :(  It took me down for over 2 weeks!  (super sad face)  THEN....last Wednesday I broke my toe.  Things just seem to be going my way, huh? lol

By the time I broke my toe I just had to laugh about it!  And the good news, well there's two things positive about it, is that I can still do kettlebells with a broken toe, and I broke it doing something that I've been loving....cleaning out all the clutter in my house!  I was tackling the laundry room when it tackled me back!  A 40lb box of kitty litter was sticking out into my path and I caught my second little toe on it, ouch.  When I looked down at my left foot my toe was pointing 90 degrees to the left!  Kind of an indicator something was not quite right!  Seriously, I wish I could have taken a picture of it because it was so darn funny :)  What hasn't been all that funny is missing my ruck walks with Mark on Thursday, and you know, the swelling and bruising is kind of a drag....but compared that that flu I had?  Easy peasy.  But enough already...moving on....

Sunday was a challenging workout. Not because of my toe/foot, but because my regular training partners were out for the "second and third" part of my Sunday workout.  Gosh, I'm not going to lie, motivation to really push myself felt harder than usual.  And to be perfectly honest, if it weren't for Matt who I know was coming over from 7:15-8:00 (heavy presses and half snatches) I contemplated taking the day off...oh no I didn't say that :(  But I pulled my head out of where it shouldn't have been and managed to continue on for another hour practicing double jerks with competition bells and this 30 minute "squat / overhead swing" workout.

I've neglected squats mostly because no one else likes doing them, but I've got to do them more regularly so no excuse when nobody else is there but me, huh?  Gosh, if I can't make myself do them then I have no business asking others to do them either.  So I started out with a set of 15 goblet squats, which took one minute.  Argh!  I certainly did not want to do another set right away, so I did a set of 20 overheard swings....not so bad, especially with my squat weight of 16kg.  I prefer to do overhead swings with a 20kg, but there was no way I was squatting with one and I knew the 3rd set I would alternate both the goblet squat with the overhead swing....maybe I'll repeat it with the 20kg this weekend :)

Since I've never posted anything about the overhead swing I thought I would video tape a quick tutorial about my own teaching/learning progressions for this movement.  The most IMPORTANT thing about practicing the overhead swing is that you DO NOT let the bell flop over, so if you are going to try it please maintain a firm grip!  The other important part of this movement, how I train it and practice it, is that you pull the bell in towards your body as the bell swing out and up in front of you.  I demonstrate and explain this in my video tutorial (above).  Personally I enjoy the overhead swings, and I've been teaching it in my groups for many years, but only recently have I been including it regularly into my own workouts.  Enjoy, but practice it cautiously please.

The usual Sunday workout is a "three parter"
7:15-8:00 warm up, heavy presses, double complexes
8:00-8:45 GS practice, both jerks and snatches
8:45-9:15/9:30 swings! ending with some kind of "finisher"

This past Sunday because it was just me for part 2 and 3, I only spent 30 minutes on GS, still limited by my foot, and 30 minutes on this "Squat/Overhead Swing" workout;

Set #1
15 goblet squats = 1 min work/1 min rest



Set #2
20 overhead swings = 1 min work/1 min rest



Set #3
10 goblet squat/overhead swing = 1 min work/ 1 minute rest



I especially like the last set where I combine both movements!  And in fact, Mark came into the gym when I was finishing one of these sets and commented on how much he liked it too :)  I love it when he likes something that I design :) .....I hope you do too!

Enjoy.