"Ten" for all you Snatchaholics!

You all know how few snatch workouts I post and the reason is the same as why I don't teach the snatch until my students put in the "groundwork", the "foundation" training which is?  The swing of course!  The snatch is just a big ole swing....with alot more technique!  If you don't have the foundation, the support, of the swing you cannot expect to build the "roof of the swing"...the snatch.

This blogpost is not about how to learn the snatch, although that may come someday, it's a basic workout, some may call it boring!  But it's the boring stuff that athletes are made of! At least that's what I think!

Only two sets alternated as many times as you can stand!  A few weeks ago I posted a snatch workout that I did when I had a very short amount of time but wanted to get in as many reps as I could, without practicing Max, or a Max based workout.  I chose to snatch 10/10 (R/L) starting every work set "on the minute".  It took about 40 seconds to snatch 20 reps (10/10) leaving me with 20 seconds rest.  Two to one work/rest ratio.  Here I use it again, but alternate with a slower and longer paced set with the same amount of reps.  I loved it!  So much so that I already have the two variations I will be practicing the rest of next week.  Go ahead and train it and I'll lead you through the other two!  Hint....it's similar to the "Ten" swing workout I just posted....gee, funny how that works out, lol!

workset #1

10/10 paced inside of 1 min.  30 sec rest

workset #2

10/10 fast paced, work and rest inside of 1 minute. (40 sec/20 sec)

It takes 2.5 minutes to complete both sets.  Alternate both sets as many times as you want, or need, the workout to last.  80 snatch reps per 5 minutes.  In this workout I prescribe alternating these two sets 10 times each = 25 minutes 400 snatches. Wow!  A quick workout huh?

30 min = 11 sets each, 480 sn
35 min = 12 sets each, 560 sn
40 min = 13 sets each, 640 sn

just sayin'

Saturday "Turnip Fest" postponed!

Out of my favorite seven days of the week Saturday tops the list!  Saturday is by far my longest and hardest training day, and what not to love about long and hard training? And afterwards the rewards of the week.....cooking, eating and relaxing (wine, lol).  Saturday is the day I take off from eating my regular weekday meals (which I love by the way), but the real treat is cooking, not eating!

It was my intention to have a turnip fest tomorrow!  I got so many great ideas on how to cook and prepare turnips that I was going to try a few, not one or two, but a few, ways of preparing them.  But I've got too much food already in my fridge!  And still more veggies that need attending to before I start to cook more.

It's fine, in fact it's more than fine!  I'll get creative and "clean" out and cook what needs attention and then I'll be set for the first part of next week.  I don't even need to roast a chicken!  What's up with that?  But when I do, it's pan roasted turnips and root veggies alongside!

Beginner / Intermediate Swing Routine "Ten" (under 20 minutes)

Ten at a time...two swing combinations only, 10 reps done with a 2 hand swing, and 10 R/ 10 L one hand swings (20 rep set).  This workout is designed to use only one bell, although in the video I use two I explain why.  "Ten" has two rotations, the second slightly more difficult in length of work sets but the total rep counts are the same, as are the rest periods.  In other words both variations are "equal work to equal rest".

I suggest repeating only the first rotation twice if you have only been practicing the swing for less that 2-3 months (consisently!), and then when you are ready to move onto 1 minute + work sets, train the second rotation.

But really the bottom line is even if you consider yourself at an advanced level, especially if you consider yourself at an advanced level, you should still be able to use this template with the appropriate bell, rest intervals, and technique, to make this an advanced routine....I did!


1st rotation

10 2 hd sw (15/15 = 30 sec)
10 R / 10 L one hand sw (30/30 = 1 min)


10 2 hd sw x 2 (15/15 x 2 = 1 min)
10 R / 10 L one hand sw x 2 (30/30 x 2 = 2 min)


10 2 hd sw x 3 (15/15 x 3 = 1.5 min)
10 R / 10 L one hand sw x 3 (30/30 x 3 = 3 min)

180 total swings 9 minutes per rotation


2nd rotation

10 2 hd sw (15/15)
10 R / 10 L one hand sw (30/30)


10 2 hd sw x 2 (15/15 x 2 = 1 min) OR 20 2 hd sw x 1 (30/30 = 1 min)
10 R / 10 L / 10 R / 10 L one hand sw (40 reps, 1 min/1 min)


10 2 hd sw x 3 (15/15 x 3 = 1.5 min) OR 30 2 hd sw (45 sec/45 sec)
10 R / 10 L, /10 R / 10 L, / 10 R / 10 L one hand sw (60 reps! 1.5 min/1.5 min)

180 total swings 9 minutes per rotation


Advanced super secret variation!

10 2 hd sw x 1
10/10 x 2 1 hd sw x 1 (40 reps 1 min work, 30 sec rest)
10 2 hd sw x 2
10/10 x 4 1 hd sw x 1 (80 reps 2 min work, 1 min rest)
10 2 hd sw x 3
10/10 x 6 x 1 (120 reps 3 min work/1.5 min rest)
10 2 hd sw x 4
10/10 x 8 1 hd sw x 1 (160 reps 4 min work/2 min rest)
super duper variation
10 2 hd sw x 5
10/10 x 10 1 hd swing (200 reps, 5 min work)
750 swings 27.5 minutes

Oh, and don't forget to like my facebook fan page!  I posted another training tip this afternoon related to this workout!

http://www.facebook.com/TracyReifkindTheSwing

Turnip "Crusted" Collard and Bacon Quitatta

Wow!  On my facebook fan page I posted the question of what to do with some turnips I got in my CSA box.....who knew so many people cook and eat turnips!  Seriously I have never once had anyone tell me "Oh yes, we had turnips last night."  Or "I brought leftover turnips for lunch"!






I got a ton of great cooking ideas for my turnips, and I'm actually excited to try them out this weekend, but I had one bunch of collard greens that never made it into soup this past week, so armed with some bacon I thought with the combination I could kill 2 birds with one quitatta! Since I've been in "Quitatta" mode I went ahead and used 3 of my 5 turnips as a "crust" for my last dish this morning by simple slicing them thinly on a mandoline and layering them on the bottom of my dish like scalloped potatoes.






Saute 4 oz bacon (600) in hot skillet, when crisp move to the side pour off all but 1 tbl fat and add
one bunch sliced scallions, or spring onions (white part) 2 min, add 1 bunch collard greens, sliced into thin strips and then cut across.  Saute until wilted, season with salt (and pepper), turn off heat and add the green part of scallions, thinly sliced.

Lightly (!) grease the bottom of your dish with bacon dripping (nice way of saying fat!) and layer 3 med turnips sliced thin on a mandoline on the bottom.

5-6 eggs (420) (beat lightly, optional), add
2 tbl cream (100)
2 tbl whole milk (20)
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese (85)

add egg mixture to veg and bacon saute.  pour into turnip lined dish bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until center is set and no longer wet or runny.  Personally I turn the oven off at 30 minutes and let it stay in the warm oven for about 10 minutes longer.

1265 calories of non veg ingredients

I can't say that I could really taste "turnip", although I'm not sure what that tastes like!  It's going to be a root vegetable kind of weekend though!  Can't wait!

"The Swing" facebook fan page

Just a reminder for my blog readers to please "like" my facebook fan page "The Swing".

http://www.facebook.com/TracyReifkindTheSwing

I post something almost everyday, including short videos training tips to help improve your swing technique. Here is the latest one I posted today. Thanks guys!

"Intention", not Perfection!

Over the last few weeks my Bikram's practice has been at an all time low.  When you stop practicing anything regularly you have to expect that your skill is going to decrease to some level.  This can be hazardous to the ego!  So many times when we feel as if we've gotten really good at something, and then we let it go to S#!+, it's embarrassing!  If we let it be!


The longer you put something off the longer it gets put off!  How could one ever expect any improvement without practice.  We have all heard this phrase:

"Practice makes perfect."

But this didn't seem good enough, so then it became:

"Perfect practice makes perfect!"

No doubt it was a perfectionist that changed it!

So much emphasis on being perfect in our culture, in our families, inside ourselves....whew, I'm tired!


As I was getting ready to start my Bikram's class this morning I was worried that my practice was going to suck.  When I feel that way, as I have a few more times than I like to admit, I remind myself that I'm the one putting the pressure on myself.  No one else could give a care whether or not I can hold "standing bow pulling pose" for an entire minute!  I remind myself of the reason I'm there.  I'm there to "practice" getting into and holding the poses to the best of my ability that day, not to judge my poses as Olympic events!  What is the purpose of practice afterall?  The purpose of practice is for improvement towards ease.  For ease at the skill and strength of balance, stability and flexibility, and the improvement of ease into my meditation, my focus, and my relaxation.....and the stress of perfectionism is the opposite of ease!



It's not a competition, there is no finish line.  This week, next week, next year, the day I turn 85, I'm going to be practicing....God willing.  My intention is for improvement, not perfection. Physical improvement that day with the body and mind that shows up for my sport and skills.  Improvement everyday in my living conditions and relationships with my family, friends, people I meet and work with.....and even the people I share the road with, lol!


But let's not confuse intention with action to intention with NO action!  You have to show up!  Improvements in life, in yoga, in your training, any kind of training, depend on you showing up! But be easy with the judgements of having to be perfect.  At the end of the day there's another day waiting for us...if we are lucky!


Can you tell the difference of the three pictures above?  There is no difference!  In all three pictures my intention was the same, to do and be the best I could...and I was!

Calling all Kettlebell Athletes in the St. Paul Area!

Practically every year I get to travel to St Paul with Mark for some sort of RKC or Dragon door event and of course I have to train while I'm there.  Lucky me my BFF Fawn Friday let's me try and take a piece out of her "kettlebellers"!  Each year the group grows bigger and bigger and last time we had probably over 20 kettlebell athletes all swinging in unison at the Athlete Lab in Little Canada.

This year is only different because I'm having an informal book signing at the same time...well, after the swings of course!

I'm also going to be hosted by Linda Mertens RKC for a similar event in Plymouth on Friday morning at http://www.fusionfitnessmn.com/  Linda came to the Bay Area last year and after swinging with me and my "kettlebellers" let me drag her around the next day to a local track at 6:00am to walk with me, and a 1 hour Iyengar yoga class.  Here is Linda's facebook link with more information if you are in the area and would like to attend:

http://www.facebook.com/lemertens/posts/320292678029829?comment_id=3238103

Here is the information about Saturday mornings swing class and book signing event hosted by Fawn Friday

Class will be at The Athlete Lab in Little Canada on Saturday April 14 at 9:15am. Cost will be $25. 

Tracy will post a Pay Pal link on her blog or website. Space is limited to about 30 people. Registration will be payment via pay pal. 

If you have any questions please feel free to comment, or get in touch with either Fawn or Linda directly.