"Double Sets" fast snatch, heavy swings

Until I come up with a better title to this series of training fast snatches alternating heavy swings I'll simply refer to them as "Double Set" training.  In these workouts (more variations to come) I use what I call a "double set".  A double set consists of two separate alternating exercises that "count" as "one double set".  This snatch/swing workout would also qualify as a "Beyond Max" workout as it uses Max pace snatches, so if you have not yet done a complete cycle of 80 sets of 8 (or 7 reps. or 6 reps) then I would suggest that you do the ground work of that training before this one.



I taped a short intro to explain in more detail, but I miscalculated the double set intervals.  Instead of 2 minutes per dbl set, it actually only takes 1.5 min per dbl set.  The advanced version shortens the 2nd rest period from 30 sec to 15 sec making each dbl set only 1.25 min per.  So, 15 dbl sets = 22.5 min. instead of 30.  I would suggest that you practice the four sets I demo in the workout video along with me and then decide whether you want to snatch R and L within the same 30 sec interval, or if you want to snatch separately R from L.  Personally I chose to finish the workout switching within the same interval working a little more cardio element as there are two additional swing transfers. If you choose to not switch, you still get a hell of a cardio element, but work more strength snatch endurance.  Slight differences, all good!

There is only one double set repeated throughout the entire workout, adding on sets per week as in Max Vo2 training.  Start out with 15-20 sets adding on 4-6 sets, working up to about 30 sets total (45 min).  And then switch it up by using a different heavy swing weight, changing your snatch strategy, or reducing the 2nd rest period.  I will be posting many more variations to this workout, so get started!



Double Sets
Fast Snatch, Heavy Swings


variation #1


8 R/ 8 L snatch (30/15)
10 2 hd sw (15/30)
x 15-20 double sets


variation #2


16 R snatch (30/15)
10 hvy 2 hd sw (15/30)
16 L snatch (30/15)
10 hvy 2 hd sw (15/30)
x 16-20 double sets

The speed at which you snatch is individual.  My own "Max" pace is 8 reps per 15 sec., yours may be different, especially taking into account snatch weight.  This is not a workout that suggests heavy snatches, keep them on the lighter side, with speed as the intention.

Yoga vs. Stretching

I really do miss my double yoga practice. "Double yoga" is doing two, back to back, 90 minute Bikrams classes on the same day.  The reason why I like it so much is that I only practice every other day to begin with, and I get so tight and stiff that my first practice is basically a warm up!  And that's part of the reason why I practice at 10:00am.  Any earlier and I feel cold and stiff, which is why I try and take a walk beforehand for 30 minutes.

When I got to yoga last Friday my Instructor Myrna said to me, "I saw the picture in your book of your standing bow pose, and I expect it to look like that this morning!  You are almost in full splits!". To which I had to remind her that that picture was taken after a dbl yoga practice and I was as loose as I could possibly get!  I also had to remind her that my 6-7 day a week practice had fallen off to 2-3 times a week...yikes! (partially due to the increase in new kettlebell classes and privates!)

But that gave me a few thoughts about how to improve my practice, and that doesn't mean more Bikrams yoga!  Like most sport or physical activities you can improve your performance by practicing other "supportive" exercises....this is the basis of "crosstraining".

You can only do so much of the same exercise before it may become counter productive.  I train the kettlebell ballistics more than anybody I know, yet I'm not skinny as a stick, burning a bazillion calories every workout.  I've acclimated to my own workloads to a certain degree, and if I wanted to be skinny as a stick I would have to look elsewhere...and we all know where that is, right?  (yep, diet!)  And if I wanted to press the 20kg I would have to change my training to accommodate building more absolute strength, abandoning some of the ballistics.

Back to cross training, and my Instructors comment about almost being in full splits.  I could practice getting into splits outside of yoga.  In fact I could practice splits a few times a day, along with other important stretches that would only improve everything else I do, including simply being able to move my body easier and overall feel better!  So why don't I do it?  If I practiced stretching, including splits while hanging out at home it would help my standing bow pose.  If I can do the splits on the floor then most likely I could do them standing up so much easier!

Basic regular stretching is so underrated and the only person I know that does it is Mark!  I could join him...we have plenty of room...yet I don't!  Stretching isn't fun....there I said it!  I think maybe an attitude adjustment is in order!  I have plenty of time to stretch.  I have a need to stretch.  Being married to Mark, a former elite level gymnast (and coach to other elite level gymanasts), I have the best "stretching" teacher anyone could ask for....man, am I a baby or what?

How much do I really want to improve my yoga practice, overall flexibility and health of my muscles?  We shall see!

Enjoy some time off to catch up.

Well, it's Monday morning and I just spent the last 36 hours in bed
with some of the worst bodyaches and an upset tummy, and I'm still not 100%.  I literally could not move and slept all through Mothers Day having to cancel my plans to visit my granddaughter Sophi :(  I think it's best if I take today off so I can get back in the gym for tomorrow workout.  I've got lots of stuff to catch up on, including some blog posts I've been wanting to write.  As much as my obsessive mind wants to go out and do something it's best to enjoy some time off...I think I may make another pot of coffee!

Make an Appointment with Your Best Self....and keep it!

I train kettlbells on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays....without fail. I train on Tuesdays starting at 6:15am, Thursdays, starting at 5:30am and Saturdays starting at 6:45...without fail. I practice yoga on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays....whoops...do I?  Am I consistent?  What time do I schedule my yoga?  Oh, that's where the problem lies!  I have too many choices, I mean, I give myself too many choices as to which yoga class time fits best into my morning.  Giving myself too many choices to "put it off" lets procrastination set in, and then I "get busy" doing other things.  But in my defense I almost always make it to the last class my schedule will allow...I'm hating it because it's late and I'm hungry, but I can usually force myself to go, because at that point I have no choice.

Lately though I've had to make a few other appointments, like the eye doctor, a haircut, etc and I scheduled them in the morning. Why would I do that?  Because with the best of intention I figured I could make it to an earlier yoga class still giving me enough time to get to these additional appointments.  I'm 50% successful.  The other 50%?  It seems as if I've let my priorities slip, or I'm not planning enough in advance to be successful at keeping my promise to myself.  The promise of being my best self.  There truly is enough time because we can make time.

I know a lot of people have kids involved in sports, and those kids have to show up for practice, or they don't get to play in the game, right?  Parents are usually really good at getting those kids to practice and where they need to be, and when they need to be there.  As adults our training, our exercise, is our practice!  Pick a day (s) and a time (s), and without fail get your ass to practice!  We want for our kids to be superstar athletes, and we know practicing a sport or skill is key to improvement, but maybe we forget, or think it's too late for, our own wanting to feel like a superstar.

As a Kettlebell Instructor I teach a number of classes as well as meet with a number of private appointments.  When I ask my clients/students whether or not they made time to train during the week I don't see them more times than not the answer is no!  Nope.  They didn't make time to train, to exercise, or to practice not one other time.  Really?  Why not?  So I started to think about the answer to that question.

They didn't do it for the same reason my yoga practice is slipping.  They probably gave themselves too many choices until it was too late!  Procrastination.  Procrastination is intention without action.  We've talked about this before, haven't we?

Make time.  Schedule it.  No choices.  No forgetting. Write it down as if it were an appointment and keep it.

OK, so what is your new schedule?

Why do we make things so freakin' complicated?

Good freakin' Lord!  Everybody is always trying to prove why "their method" is better than someone else's. Why "strong" is better than "skinny". Why "lean" is the "ideal".  Why one kind of exercise is better, one kind of yoga is better that another, why some foods are better than others.  Good God, really?

In my book, "The Swing" (in case you forgot the title, lol), I wrote about "uncommon, common sense"....where have we gone wrong? I believe we go wrong when we look for validation.  Validation that we are, in fact, RIGHT! I know the truth, not you!  I know the "real" truth, not you!  Seriously...when did we forget to have some fun?

How and where you find motivation to be your best you is irrelevant.  I know what I know based on my own experience.  I've been fat, really, really fat, AND therefore really, really unhealthy.  I never realized how bad it had been until I reversed it!  I had a clue (s) how bad it was getting because I was starting to feel as if I was going to die!  Seriously die...dead...gone.  Did "getting lean", or "getting strong", or become symmetrically balanced mean anything to me?  No, "living" was at the top of my priority list!  The rest is just icing on the cake (maybe we should all find another analogy that relates to something other than food?)

Here I post a video that resonated with me so deeply that it's taken a few days for me to post.  I came across it on facebook, and while I was playing it on my computer Mark came over to take a look see what I was watching.....  Mark posted the link to this video in his facebook page right away....me?  Well, I needed a couple, a few days before I could write the words to accompany my feelings about it.

I truly believe that "success" and maybe "hope" is THE great motivator.  When I feel successful I want more.  When I feel hopeful, I want more!  Failure and depression does not motivate me. Hearing about others struggles and doubts does not motivate me.

I have no struggle and I have no doubt. No one will ever tell me what is possible because now I know better.  And so does Arthur.  The kettlebell ballistics answered my prayers and I believe it can do the same for many, many others, like me (and I believe even Arthur would benefit!).  But the answer is success and hope.  How that comes to you is irrelevant.....but training kettlebells will support any other exercise or sport you chose do practice....FYI!  Don't make the answer more complicated and don't look for the reasons why it can't or shouldn't work.  Let go. Open yourself up to simplicity.  The simplicity of moving in the direction of feeling your best.  If you look for excuses they will find you!

BCBE full version

I had a nice swing / press workout this morning, taking it easy so I can go into the weekend, as Mark would say, "hungry"!  I practiced some of the routines I'll be teaching on Sunday and I'll practice more this Saturday in all three of my classes....although I do have something lined up for all of you Snatchaholics after the weekend!

Here is the workout I did in Plymouth MN two weeks ago, only all rest periods, all rest periods, were only 15 seconds long!  I took them through a short 10 minute warm up first...(the warm up routine is coming, as it's part of this weekends classes)




10 2 hd sw, 10 tr,  1/2 sw ld, 5/5, 10 R, 10 L, 5/5, 2/1 sw ld, 10 tr, 10 2 hd sw (15/15 sec rest between all 10 rep sets, 5 min) (video)

10 2 hd sw + 10 tr (30 sec rest) 1/2 sw ld, 5/5, 10 R, 10 L 5/5, 2/1 sw ld, 10 tr + 10 2 hd sw (30) (5 min)

10 2 hd sw + 10 tr + 1/2 sw ld (45 sec rest) 5/5, 10 R 10 L, 5/5, 2/1 sw ld + 10 tr + 10 2 hd sw (45) (5 min)

10 2 hd sw + 10 tr + 1/2 sw ld + 5/5 (1 min rest) 10 R,  10 L  5/5 + 2/1 sw ld + 10 tr + 10 2 hd sw (1)

10 2 hd sw + 10 tr + 1/2 sw ld + 5/5 + 10 R (1 min) 10 L + 5/5 + 2/1 sw ld + 10 tr + 10 2 hd sw (1 min)(4.5)

10 2 hd sw + 10 tr + 1/2 sw ld + 5/5 + 10 R + 10 L + 5/5 + 2/1 sw ld + 10 tr + 10 2 hd sw (2.5 min) (video)

23.5 min
600 swings

"Adding Muscle" is not about losing weight! Book signing, Programming the Kettlebell Swing 2 workshop, Intermediate and Beginners level Swing Classes

In Timothy Feriss's 4-Hour Body "Adding Muscle" is the title of the section where you will find my story.  My 100lb plus weight loss is not in the losing fat section, my physical transformation is as much, if not more, about building and adding muscle.  There is a misconception about what having muscle is, as well as building muscle.

Losing weight, or even "getting lean", or "leaner", does not mean you will be left with much muscle mass if you don't have much to start with.  And you don't have much to start with if you are not doing anything to build muscle, much less "keep" muscle.  Building muscle requires at least two things....training and eating!  Keeping muscle and getting leaner, or losing only bodyfat requires that you first have muscle, and then it gets very, very scientific to learn how to train, what to eat and not eat while retaining as much muscle as you can.  Getting "lean" is not about losing weight because the more weight you lose, especially if you do it quickly, the more than likely a good portion of it will be that hard earned muscle you have been training and eating up for!

But this post is not about the science of getting lean, it's about building muscle!

As I get ready for a very exciting Swing Workshop and class schedule in Modesto at Full Force PT this weekend I wanted to remind people that the type of training I do, while helping to promote weightloss, is so much more than that.  How I train the kettlebell ballistics builds some incredible muscle while burning fat, increasing cardio endurance bringing out the human animal, the inner bad ass, and the athlete inside of so many of us in the process!  Which is why this, almost 50 year old, former fat girl can challenge any level of athlete with my programmed kettlebell swing workouts!  Training the kettlebell swing is not just for weightloss!  It can transform any size physique by adding more muscle.

So time to promote my "Programming the Kettlebell Swing 2" and Intermediate level, Beginning level high volume "TracyStyle" workshop and classes this Sunday 5/6 at Full Force PT in Modesto CA.  And I'll let you in on the little bonus now...of course Master Instructor Mark Reifkind (my sweetie!) will assist me in answering all questions about training and diet!  How freakin' lucky are all of us going to be?

"Programming the Kettlebell Swing 2"  is a 2 hour workshop designed for Instructors as well as kettlebell athletes interested in learning how to use this one foundational kettlebell movement, the swing, to teach clients and students (and themselves!) how to train for maximum effectiveness, and why you would want to!  It is a "hands on bells" workshop that will take you through all of my swing progressions as well as short routines demonstrating how to use them. I will be teaching;

OTM training (on the minute).
Pace and cadence training
Hardstyle swings
Power Swings
Swing progressions.
Teaching the one hand swing and the differences and benefits.
"Work into rest method"
"Give and Take method"
"Roundabout" and brand new never publicized variations of the Roundabout!
"Kettlebell Split" a double KB method created my me that will finish off the workshop as well as all attending!

And who know what else!  Seriously, you will not leave without having experienced all there is about the swing and you will be surprised at how much there is to know!  Can we get it all into 2 hours?  Maybe not, but we'll see who's left standing at the end!

And then....

I will happily lead two 30 minute swing classes designed for Intermediate level students and Beginning level students.

Intermediate level describes that you can swing at "equal work to equal rest" intervals.  You are proficient at the one hand swing and have been training for at least 8 weeks.  600 swings minimum.

Beginning level describes that you are not yet to "equal work to equal rest", and that's perfectly fine!  We all have to start somewhere, right?

Book signing to follow, and if anybody wants to listen to me talk, and talk, and talk about what a miracle this training has meant to my life and how it could do the same for you!


If you are within driving distance of this event you would be out of your mind to miss it!  BUT, if you own a Studio or Gym that trains kettlebells and are interested in hosting your own Book signing/Workshop/Swing class event leave a comment, message me on facebook, or email me and I will gladly help you promote it!  Let's get some swing parties started!

Pictures above:  Top left, a recent picture taken from a video showing how much muscle I've built in the past 5 years compared to picture on top right taken of me at the same body weight of approx 135-140lbs.  The top right picture was taken in Nov 2005, right at 100lb weight loss and 5 months before I earned my RKC.  At the time I was delighted with the amount of "muscle tone" I was able to get from minimal swing training compared to the picture on bottom right taken in front of the Colosseum on a trip Rome, Italy in Feb., 2002 weighing over 250lbs.

For more information on registration contact Full Force Pt in Modesto Ca.  You can find them here on facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001858123319