I've been working on this project for a few months now....
Problems? How to teach Kettlebells for a group....for free (!)....at a Lululemon Retail Store.
How many bells?
How many people?
Do you know what kind of time and effort goes into teaching beginners? The most amount of time you'll spend as a trainer goes into teaching beginners. Here's what I came up with, and my proposal to Lululemon, Palo Alto....
Lulu....give me 4 employees willing to commit to 2 workouts a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays, for only 30 minutes, (a total of 4 beginning lessons), and I will bring the bells, I will teach them how to swing, and within 2 weeks time they will see, and feel, a visible difference in their physical apperance, in their cardio conditioning, and overall level of fitness.....be ready to commit though, no missing, no excuses..... There is no other more qualified Kettlebell Swing Instructor that you will find in this area, period. Kettlebells are THE hottest "new" training tool, and I know how to teach it!
Woo Hoo! Today was the first day I got my hands on 4 Lululemon employees! Good Lord are they going to be feeling the hurt tomorrow! But they have no choice but to meet with me again this Saturday for the 2nd installment....1 hand swings! I only ask for the commitment of consistency.
Here is a short video Mark took of my Lululemon Debut! I'm working with Christine and Sara, my second pair of Lulu's "victims", lol, in the Palo Alto location. If you are local, then come by and see us train again Saturday from 11:30am-12:30pm.
(the audio is kind of trippy! Mark was trying to tape it and another Lulu employee was trying to have a conversation with him....but you'll get the idea)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday Workout (s)
6-7am All Level Swing Group Training @ Girya
warm up w/12kg
10 2 hand sw x 3
10 tr x3
60 swings ( 3 min.)
1st block of work sets 45 work/15 sec rest (30 reps per set) w/12kg
10 2 hd sw, 10 tr, 5/5 (1 hand sw) x 2
10 2 hd sw, 8 tr, 6/6 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 6 tr, 7/7 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 4 tr, 8/8 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 2 tr, 9/9 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 10/10 x 2
30 2 hd sw x 2
420 swings (14 min.)
In preparation for the 1000 continous swings w/16kg challenge, I'm making my class train alongside, as I hope we'll all be able to do it together!
2nd block of work sets w/12kg & 14kg
5 minutes of roundabouts w/12kg = 200 swings
1 min. rest
5 minutes of roundabouts w/14kg = 200 swings
1 min. rest
3 minutes 5/5 (1 hd sw) w/12kg = 120 swings
1 min. rest
3 minutes 5/5 (1 hd sw) w/14kg = 120 swings
1 min. rest
20 minutes work = 640 swings
total so far.....38 minutes = 1120 swings
now for a few snatches...oh, and a few more swings
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 12 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (this a moderate pace)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 14 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (same combination, but a bit faster)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 16 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (same combination, but as fast as you can go)
These three sets were done in an uphill pacing ladder with rest inbetween sets. The last set was a 3 minute set, combining all three, done in opposite order (downhill pacing ladder).
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 16 = 1 min. (same combination, but as fast as you can go)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 14 = 1 min. (same combination, but a bit slower)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 12 = 1 min. (slowing down again to this moderate pace)
46 minute workout
7:15-8:15am Equinox Max based Workout
Quick warm up of swings and a few snatches. At this point who's counting warm up swings? On to 36:36......
16 sn R, rest, 16 sn L, rest
17 sn R, rest, 17 sn L, rest
18 sn R, rest, 18 sn L, rest
19 sn R, rest, 19 sn L, rest
20 sn, R, rest, 20 sn L, rest
10 sets down.....
20 sn R, rest, 20 sn L, rest x 10
20 sets down.....let's switch it up to 36:36:36
20 sn R, 20 sn L, rest
19 sn R, 19 sn L, rest
18 sn R, 18 sn L, rest
17 sn R, 17 sn L, rest
16 sn R, 16 sn L, done.... (I forgot to mention that this was freakin hard! The last three sets my grip was about to give up on the last 2-3 reps on each side...seriously! I'm surprised there wasn't a flying bell in the air a couple of times!)
560 snatches
After about 1 or 2 minutes, now swings. Let's stay with the time on the Gymboss, 36 sec. intervals.
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20 kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20kg
250 swings.
On to Level 2 skills practice
pull up
hanging leg raise
windmill
bentpress
pistol
misc stuff....
30 minutes Spinning
Shower, and off to Lululemon Palo Alto to demo and teach the Swing!
PS If anyone actually reads this and cares, I'd be amazed!
warm up w/12kg
10 2 hand sw x 3
10 tr x3
60 swings ( 3 min.)
1st block of work sets 45 work/15 sec rest (30 reps per set) w/12kg
10 2 hd sw, 10 tr, 5/5 (1 hand sw) x 2
10 2 hd sw, 8 tr, 6/6 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 6 tr, 7/7 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 4 tr, 8/8 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 2 tr, 9/9 x 2
10 2 hd sw, 10/10 x 2
30 2 hd sw x 2
420 swings (14 min.)
In preparation for the 1000 continous swings w/16kg challenge, I'm making my class train alongside, as I hope we'll all be able to do it together!
2nd block of work sets w/12kg & 14kg
5 minutes of roundabouts w/12kg = 200 swings
1 min. rest
5 minutes of roundabouts w/14kg = 200 swings
1 min. rest
3 minutes 5/5 (1 hd sw) w/12kg = 120 swings
1 min. rest
3 minutes 5/5 (1 hd sw) w/14kg = 120 swings
1 min. rest
20 minutes work = 640 swings
total so far.....38 minutes = 1120 swings
now for a few snatches...oh, and a few more swings
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 12 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (this a moderate pace)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 14 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (same combination, but a bit faster)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 16 = 1 min. / 30 sec rest (same combination, but as fast as you can go)
These three sets were done in an uphill pacing ladder with rest inbetween sets. The last set was a 3 minute set, combining all three, done in opposite order (downhill pacing ladder).
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 16 = 1 min. (same combination, but as fast as you can go)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 14 = 1 min. (same combination, but a bit slower)
1 sw, 1 sn, 1 tr x 12 = 1 min. (slowing down again to this moderate pace)
46 minute workout
7:15-8:15am Equinox Max based Workout
Quick warm up of swings and a few snatches. At this point who's counting warm up swings? On to 36:36......
16 sn R, rest, 16 sn L, rest
17 sn R, rest, 17 sn L, rest
18 sn R, rest, 18 sn L, rest
19 sn R, rest, 19 sn L, rest
20 sn, R, rest, 20 sn L, rest
10 sets down.....
20 sn R, rest, 20 sn L, rest x 10
20 sets down.....let's switch it up to 36:36:36
20 sn R, 20 sn L, rest
19 sn R, 19 sn L, rest
18 sn R, 18 sn L, rest
17 sn R, 17 sn L, rest
16 sn R, 16 sn L, done.... (I forgot to mention that this was freakin hard! The last three sets my grip was about to give up on the last 2-3 reps on each side...seriously! I'm surprised there wasn't a flying bell in the air a couple of times!)
560 snatches
After about 1 or 2 minutes, now swings. Let's stay with the time on the Gymboss, 36 sec. intervals.
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20 kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/14kg
25 2 hand swings w/16kg
25 2 hand swings w/20kg
250 swings.
On to Level 2 skills practice
pull up
hanging leg raise
windmill
bentpress
pistol
misc stuff....
30 minutes Spinning
Shower, and off to Lululemon Palo Alto to demo and teach the Swing!
PS If anyone actually reads this and cares, I'd be amazed!
Back in the Gym
One of Mark's phrases about training...... "Win, lose or draw, it's always back to the gym the next day." It's Tuesday morning and I've got a couple of Swing classes to lead, and then? Pull-ups!
I have so much more information about training this lift, now that the Level 2 weekend is over, but more importantly I have a different kind of motivation, which I'll write about when I have more time. (lots of thoughts to write about!)
Monday, July 12, 2010
skinny and pretty...is that all that matters?
As a woman, is that all that matters? skinny and pretty?
no matter how old we are.
no matter what kind of person, mother, or wife we are.
no matter how much we "lift", or how heavy, or long, we swing a kettlebell.
no matter how many miles walk ,or run......
make-up, no make-up.
designer purses.......high heels.
is the "goal" to be the "hottest"?
what the "F" is "hot"? is the measure of "hot" gauged on who, or how many men want to have sex with us? I'm guessing...if we want to "give it up" there will be some man willing to take us up on it....so what! good lord.
who do you, we, want to impress?
is the goal to be the "hottest" 20-30-40-50-60-70-80-90-100 year old? How ridiculous does this start to become?
these days young girls want to become strippers! really? yep, really..... not just young girls, but old girls too! just go into the shoe dept of any major department store.....stripper shoes! is ther no other choice but stripper shoes?
all I need is my husbands love. all I need is to know that I am with someone who loved me when I weighed 250lbs, and wanted me as much then as he wants me now...how lucky am I?
PS if you are interested on purchasing the shoes pictured above, just fo to zappos.com!
Home again, home again, jiggity jig....
I'm home from my Level 2 RKC and to put everyone out of suspense, I nailed all of my Level 2 skills, except for the pull-up....almost got cha, huh? I'm way too tired to blog about it all now, but here are a few pictures from my awesome weekend and I'll be posting much much more about this amazing experience over the next week or two.What made this experience even more memorable was that my BFF Fawn Friday (the strongest woman ever) earned her Level 2 this same weekend. Fawn threw the dbl 16kg's around like they were 8kg's...I mean what's 72lbs to a woman that deadlifts, squats and benches hundreds of pounds?
Fawn inspires me everytime I spend time with her, in many ways. I'm lucky to have her in my life, and although Mark and I stayed with Fawn and Aaron we didn't get near enough time together over the past 4 days.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
RKC Level 2 Pistol, no problem. Pullup...pending!
Here's what Mark has to say about my descision to train and participate in getting my RKC Level 2 Certification;"What I think is the most impressive thing that you've done is that you've taken on a challenge based soley on your weak ponts, when you could have easily coasted on your 'swing volume training' which is your strong suite. But you chose to embrace that which your are not naturally strong at....and you followed through these past 3-4 months. That's what athletes do. Challenge your weak points to become a better athlete."
When you keep doing the stuff you know your good at, then what, or where's the challenge?
I leave in the morning for my Level 2 RKC in St Paul.....ready or not. Here's what I'm ready for. I'm ready to have a whole lotta fun, learn a whole lotta stuff, get stronger, learn to teach others how to get stronger, have my brilliant husband and personal coach by my side, and my best friend Fawn getting Certed alongside of me. What more could I ask for? Well....
Level 2 skills to be tested
1/4 bodyweight Strict Military Press...check
Pistol....check
Windmill.....check
Bent Press....check
Double KB Jerk....check
Viking Push Press....check
Tactical Pullup (1 )....pending....
Oh I have alot of theories that may explain what may or may not happen in two days time....but today, right now, none of anything matters.
Did I train as hard I could have? I'm not going to make any kind of excuses. I did the best I could, and on Sunday at the end of the day I will know, without a doubt, that my Level 2 experience will be one I won't soon forget. I will pass all of my skills. I will earn a Level 2 RKC. I will have the time of my kettlebell life with my closest of friends.....shit, I still have to pack!
My horoscope today...."I am a crafty and compassionate Warrior who finds amusement in every challenge"....yep, that's me!"
Sunday, July 4, 2010
36:36:36! 994 Snatches
If you do any kind of Max Vo2 training at some point you finish 15:15, and then you have no choice but to switch it up to 36:36 (even though the original protocol starts with 36:36, most start with 15:15...why? see note*). Although my own personal Max training veers off from the original protocols because I've been training Max for so many years, I've been able to build my conditioning to exceed equal work to rest w/12kg. So, for at least the past year, I've been adding much more work to change the w/r ratio to better suite my abilities.
The obvious progression, once someone has completed 80 x 8 (15:15), and 16-20 x 35 (36:36) is to increase the weight of the bell and start all over. But, in my opinion, the increase from 12kg-16kg for women is a big jump......80 sets of 8 is no joke! Here's my Max PR w/16kg (15:15).
5/5 x 4
6/6 x 6
7/7 x 10
8/8 x 42
7/7 x 8
total 518 snatches w/16kg
35 minutes
Now that we have a 14kg available, sure we'll go back to some of the original protocol, we'll even go back to the challenge of the 16kg, but we have the rest of our lives to train, so let's mix it up a bit, lol! But don't think for one second I think I can come close to using the 16kg for any of these longer "Max-based" workouts!
36:36 equal work to equal rest
16/16 x1
17/17 x2
18/18 x 17
20 sets total
1 minute rest
36:36:36 2 work intervals to 1 rest interval
#1
18 R, 18 L x 5
1 minute rest
#2
8 R, 8 L, 8 R, 8 L x 5
1 minute rest
#3
4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L x 5
In other words, all snatches were done taking 72 seconds, and then we rested for 36 seconds before repeating the above snatch rep combinations 5 times each. (#1 36 snatches 1 tr, #2 32 snatches 3 tr, #3 32 snatches 7 tr)
Since I almost always design our training routines moments before, and sometimes during each workout I had no idea how much work we were doing, and afterwards I mentioned to Meg, "I wonder how many snatches we did?" knowing she would count them because she's doing the 50,000 rep snatch challenge. She emailed me later in the morning....994 snatches! What? Only 6 away from 1000!
I personally did no warm up snatches as I had been swinging in my previous class, but we did plenty more snatches in my next Intermediate Class (along with at least 800-1000 swings)..... Meg shared her 4th of July weekend snatch goal with me....1776 snatches by the end of the weekend! Hopefully she'll take today off and finish up tomorrow....who wants to bet she'll do more than 1776....maybe 2010!
Here is video of me training 36:36 back Sept 2007. I was snatching 20 reps per set....looks like Meg and I have some stepping up to do!
note* Mark was the first to take this type of training past the 6-8 week protocol Kenneth designed it for, and as we all know many, many, many have followed. Here, in his own words is the reason he started with the 15:15 version
When Kenneth Jay first gave his presentation on his Advanced Strength Strategies at the July 2007 Level 2 cert, the research he presented centered around the 36:36 protocol. This is where he unveiled the research about Max Vo2 training using the KB snatch as the tool. While it was interesting to me, because of my wonky shoulders and forearms that pumped up at the sight of high rep anything I wasn't all that interested in trying it.
When I found out there was a second protocol one could do;one which involved only 15 seconds of work I knew it was for me. I can either go long distance with low intensity or use high intensity for short work periods. Trying to go high intensity for long periods isn't for me. After all, I'm not Tracy.
The obvious progression, once someone has completed 80 x 8 (15:15), and 16-20 x 35 (36:36) is to increase the weight of the bell and start all over. But, in my opinion, the increase from 12kg-16kg for women is a big jump......80 sets of 8 is no joke! Here's my Max PR w/16kg (15:15).
5/5 x 4
6/6 x 6
7/7 x 10
8/8 x 42
7/7 x 8
total 518 snatches w/16kg
35 minutes
Now that we have a 14kg available, sure we'll go back to some of the original protocol, we'll even go back to the challenge of the 16kg, but we have the rest of our lives to train, so let's mix it up a bit, lol! But don't think for one second I think I can come close to using the 16kg for any of these longer "Max-based" workouts!
36:36 equal work to equal rest
16/16 x1
17/17 x2
18/18 x 17
20 sets total
1 minute rest
36:36:36 2 work intervals to 1 rest interval
#1
18 R, 18 L x 5
1 minute rest
#2
8 R, 8 L, 8 R, 8 L x 5
1 minute rest
#3
4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L, 4 R, 4 L x 5
In other words, all snatches were done taking 72 seconds, and then we rested for 36 seconds before repeating the above snatch rep combinations 5 times each. (#1 36 snatches 1 tr, #2 32 snatches 3 tr, #3 32 snatches 7 tr)
Since I almost always design our training routines moments before, and sometimes during each workout I had no idea how much work we were doing, and afterwards I mentioned to Meg, "I wonder how many snatches we did?" knowing she would count them because she's doing the 50,000 rep snatch challenge. She emailed me later in the morning....994 snatches! What? Only 6 away from 1000!
I personally did no warm up snatches as I had been swinging in my previous class, but we did plenty more snatches in my next Intermediate Class (along with at least 800-1000 swings)..... Meg shared her 4th of July weekend snatch goal with me....1776 snatches by the end of the weekend! Hopefully she'll take today off and finish up tomorrow....who wants to bet she'll do more than 1776....maybe 2010!
Here is video of me training 36:36 back Sept 2007. I was snatching 20 reps per set....looks like Meg and I have some stepping up to do!
note* Mark was the first to take this type of training past the 6-8 week protocol Kenneth designed it for, and as we all know many, many, many have followed. Here, in his own words is the reason he started with the 15:15 version
When Kenneth Jay first gave his presentation on his Advanced Strength Strategies at the July 2007 Level 2 cert, the research he presented centered around the 36:36 protocol. This is where he unveiled the research about Max Vo2 training using the KB snatch as the tool. While it was interesting to me, because of my wonky shoulders and forearms that pumped up at the sight of high rep anything I wasn't all that interested in trying it.
When I found out there was a second protocol one could do;one which involved only 15 seconds of work I knew it was for me. I can either go long distance with low intensity or use high intensity for short work periods. Trying to go high intensity for long periods isn't for me. After all, I'm not Tracy.
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