Short Shopping List

A couple of weeks ago I realized I had too much food in my house!  I had too many choices, although good choices, and I've been trying to buy less and less until I get in the habit of having "just enough".  I love to cook and prepare food, but I don't need near as much as I think I do.  In fact, this was the point of a discussion Mark and I had one evening.  He said exactly that!

"I don't think people realize how little food they actually need!  Do you know how long it would take you to die from starvation?  Weeks!"  And that's with no food, literally no food.

This part of our conversation stuck with me.  I knew I've been eating more than I need to for months now.  How did I know?  Because I weigh more than I say I want to!  It's not a mystery why.  I had been eating more food because I have so much in my house to chose from!  I think I'm like a lot of people that don't like the idea of throwing perfectly good food away.  And the best way to avoid that is to not have extra in the first place.  Seriously, those of you with pantries full of snacky foods like chips, cereals, crackers, granola bars, cookies, etc, I don't know how you live like that!  Even though I think I have a lot of food in my fridge, it's not that much compared, and I know I have very little in my pantry, but it's still too much, it's a fraction of what the average household has.

I found myself taking advantage of this years summer crops and overbuying fruit especially.  Life is good!  So much good foods available...but really, there's always something as good coming along no matter what time of year it is, and where you live these days is also of little matter.  So I stopped buying pounds and pounds of fresh fruits.  And to be honest, sometimes I feel sad leaving  them at the store!  Big piles of summer melons, peaches, nectarines, grapes!  I've only bought grapes one time this year!  For real!  (but I made up for it with other things, for sure!).

These past two weeks I practically willed myself to not go to the market!  Every time I wanted to stop and pick up a few things I reminded myself that I still had plenty, and if I wanted more I just had to finish the foods I had at home first.....I'm still working on it!

Overbuying may lead to overeating, and personally it had that affect on me more than once!  But I'm reigning it in!  And what a relief!  And here's a real change....ready?  I now leave the house without my lunch!  That's a different subject for another time, but it's related to "over preparing".

I've got a salad for the entire week made.  I've got beef, chicken wings, eggs for proteins this week.  I've got plenty of yogurt, cheese, oats, beans, nuts, avo, salad greens, a melon, figs, and there is absolutely nothing else I need to eat!  I even bought one Big Hunk candy bar in case I feel like chewy sweet nutty treat!

My shopping list was so short this afternoon and it felt great!

Sinister Double Bell Progression

I just posted a couple of advanced versions of Sinister, using double bells.  If you are new to double bell swings, then here is another, more progressive routine. warning...this video is R rated (I drop the "F" bomb about half way through...fyi)



5 dbl sw, 10 sngl sw, 15 singl sw, 20 singl sw
5 sgl sw, 10 dbl sw, 15 sngl sw, 20 sngl sw
5 sngl sw, 10 snfl sw, 15 dbl sw, 20 sngl sw
5 sngl sw, 10 sngle sw, 15 sngl sw, 20 dbl sw

I've been training this routine for 2 weeks now and I have yet to get to the 32kg!  I'm getting there! Until then, here is enough for everybody to find a challenging workout!  Oh, and if all else fails?  Get the 32kg!

PS  This is the 3rd of 4 rotations (200 reps each).  This was taped during my first, 90 minute,  7:00 am Advanced class.  We warmed up with 200 reps done 40 rep sets x 5 (1 min work to rest).  We then went on to 30 minutes of dble snatch training (soon to be posted), and finished up with this version of Sinister.  Although you may hear me talk about abandoning this routine after this (3rd) rotation in favor of some other way of finishing another 200 reps (1000 in total for this class), Meg made me "Lady up" and finish the last and 4th rotation.  I did not tape it, but I laddered down, starting with 20 dbls in the first group of 4 sets, 15 in the 2nd, 10 in the 3rd and 5 in the last...much easier!  Not that I wanted for it to be easy, or anything!

Real Quick...Double Sinister!

Double Sinister.  Goodness!  the first time I applied double bells to the Sinister workout I alternated the single 24kg with dble 12kg's.  Really?  I don't know how I did it...pure torture!  (last video demos a short warm up followed by this workout done last year in Sept, but I never posted it)  This time I laddered up the dble bell sets (two 12's) and I think I used either a 16 or 20kg...don't remember now...kinda looks like a 20, but I may have switched them out! It's been a couple of weeks since I trained it)



Sinister, in case you forgot!  All sets start on the "30 seconds", followed by one last 30 sec rest period.

5 reps
10 reps
15 reps
20 reps
30 sec rest

2.5 minutes, 50 swings

5 dbl bell, 10 sngl bell, 15 sngl bell, 20 sngl bell rest

5 dbl bell, 10 dbl, 15 sngl, 20 sngl, rest

5 dbl bell, 10 dbl, 15 dbl, 20 sngl, rest

5 dbl, 10 dbl, 15 dbl, 20 dbl.

4 rotations, 10 minutes, (100 reps w/dbl bells, 100 reps w/sngle bell....I love how that works out!)

Repeat as much as time, energy, will or desire permits!



PS, In the first video I repeat the first four rotations for a complete 20 minute, 400 swing rep workout.  Half way through you will hear me talking with my  training partner who showed up just as I was finishing...I made her swing with me!

1000 swings "Progressive Rest" strikes again

Warning!  This blog post has too much training information!  Just sayin'

I did not take any video of Saturdays workout because it was the same old boring stuff...well, boring to anybody watching, not boring to anybody doing!  I posted "Sinister" last week, and to my delight and surprise a few people actually jumped on the Sinister bandwagon and took their own challenges.  Some big ole heavy bells came out to play!

I post my routines so other people, if interested, can see how much fun and variety there is using this one single movement of the swing.  One routine can be changed up in infinite ways as you have seen in many of my workouts/posts, and as you will see as I post 2 other Sinister variations this week.  But for now I want to share how a Sinister workout done by Karen Rossler, using the 32kg, inspired this weekends 1000 swing workout! (Sept. 20 post on The Swing FB page if you want to watch her video!)

As I mentioned, I don't post my workouts/routines as a challenge to anybody, but if someone gets inspired to challenge themselves that is a great compliment to me.  After Karen did Sinister with the 32kg I didn't feel challenged, but I did feel inspired, and that's really what training, consistent, life long training, should be about, in my opinion.  Constantly trying to look for, or tackle "PR challenges" weekly should not be the goal.  Your regular training is your "study", your homework!  "Challenges" are tests!  Do your homework first!

On to my workout....  Karen did 200 swing reps, 4 rotations of Sinister (50 reps each).  Sure, I was thinking that I would just get to the gym Sat, do my 200 32 kg swings and go on to the rest of my training.  But I wasn't feelin' it!  I had taped multiple Sinister variations last week, all of them heavy, the most grueling (aka, fun) with double bells, I was tired!  Well, I was tired of moving tons of heavy weights, but I was inspired with this "200" rep idea.

First thoughts were of course, since I swung heavy and low reps, I would train 200 swing rep sets, but talk about boring!  How should I design this?  Well, I really didn't know how it would turn out, but what I did know was the first set was going to be 200 reps (5 min), and the rest would come to me as we went along....yep "we"....me and my 3 training partners!  My instruction to them was simply that the first set was going to be 200 reps, done in any kind of swing combination, or combinations they wanted to, and my suggestion was to switch combinations every 40 reps (every  min), that was my original plan. (10/10, 5/5/, 2/1, 1/1, 2 hd)  But knowing all 2 hd swings would be the most challenging I chose to do all two hand swings.  Oh, and I used the 14kg.

I used the 14kg, even though I'm pretty sure I could have done it with the 16kg because as I just wrote, the point is not to test yourself every workout.  When you do something for the first time especially, it should be to get a baseline idea of where your strength and conditioning stands. Not to pound your body into the ground, and risk injury or burn out/over train. (also, we just finished 40 minutes of dble press training)

During the first set of 200 it came to me out of the suggestion to switch up swing combinations every 40 reps.  We would swing 5 sets of 40 rep sets ("200"!), after the first set, with progressive rest periods.  After the first set of 200, which is 5 sets of 40 without any rest, the next rotation of 5 sets of 40 would have only 15 sec rest in between, with one minute rest period before the next 5 sets of 40.  The third rotation of 5 sets of 40 would have 30 sec rest in between sets, with another minute of rest before the next rotation.  The forth rotation of 5 sets of 40 would have, yes, you guessed it, 45 seconds between each set....and the last?  Well, I'm betting you are not going to guess!

During the fourth rotation of 5 sets of 40 w/45 sec rest I realized this was a very luxurious break!  Sure the original intent was to take 1 min rest between the last 5 sets of 40, keeping with the order of longer and longer rest periods....and this was the end of the workout, a great time to "cool down". but I know my girls!  (and if you are inspired to try this workout/method, then by all means, start with the original intent!  1 minute rest periods at the end)

Last rotation of 5 sets of 40 I went back to PRP, 15/30/45/1 min!  I was also really digging the fact that the rep count of this workout was easy to count/journal.  5 sets of 40 = 200 reps.  200 reps x 5 = 1000.  Couldn't be any easier.  Here it is written out.


200 2 hd sw w/14kg, 5 min/1 min rest (6 min.)

(200 reps) 40 reps x 5 sets, 1 min/15 sec, x 4 with 1 min rest after the last set(7 min)

(200 reps) 40 reps x 5 sets 1 min/30 sec x 4, 1 min rest after the last set (8 min)

(200 reps) 40 reps x 5 sets, 1 min/45 sec x 4 with 1 min rest after last set (9 min)

last rotation, progressive rest ladder

(200 reps) 40 reps x 5 sets, 1 min/15-30-45-1 min rest (7.5 min)

Argh!

37.5 min.

Really?  It took us that long?  Didn't seem like it!  1000 reps done at EWR calculated out to 50 minutes.  So shaving 12.5 minutes off is pretty good work!  Basically we did it in 3/4 of the time.

A couple of side notes;  This workout follows many of this past months routines I designed around my method of using progressive rest periods.  Here is the link to the original 
http://tracysfoodandthought.blogspot.com/2011/08/progressive-rest-ladder-my-new-favorite.html
I ended up training all two hand swings!  My form and technique changed quite a bit from the first set to the last!  I definitely had to give myself (the bell) more "floating time".  It had nothing to do with my cardio, it had to do with back fatique of the two hand swings.  Not grip or forearm fatigue.  Also, maybe if Meg reads this she will chime in which bells she used.  I'm pretty sure she used the 16kg for part of this and maybe even the 18 or 20kg, not sure.  Also, Maribel and Deepika found their own way through, and maybe they will offer up what their strategy was as well!

Bring Joy to Your Practice (smile!)

I really think I used to have a great Bikram's yoga practice!  Better than it has been for the past year or so.  I could blame lots of things, but one thing I know, I simply do not practice as much as I used to.  My schedule has changed, or should I say, my priorities have changed?  As always I still practice, without fail, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with Sunday always being optional (but rarely missed!).  BUT, I used to have a double practice on those three days, which meant that my regular practice consisted of 6-7, 90 minute classes a week.  This past year it's been half of what it was previous, if I'm lucky....oh, but wait, I am lucky!  High quality problem huh?  I only practice yoga 4 1/2 - 6 hours a week instead of 10+ hours a week!  Cry me a river!  Anyway...

I'm driving to class Wednesday morning, in all honesty I was not looking forward to it.  I hear the thoughts in my head...."God this is going to be torture!", "this is going to suck!", "argh!", "maybe if traffic is bad I'll miss, and then I'll just go shopping! Yes, shopping is fun!!", or, "this is going to be so painful"....and the "painful" part is really my ego.  Physically, it's just yoga!  But facing how my life has changed, how I've changed my life, leaves only me to blame.

Maybe it's not as important to me anymore?  But it feels like it is!  I don't like how it feels to know I can do better, but yet not put into action what I need to make it better, or feel as it is as good as it once was, OR, at the very least, stop feeling bad and accept that it may be time to move onto something else. Something else that inspires me to be my best again.  My Bikram's yoga practice is not doing that!  Whoa.....!!!!!!  Was I blaming Bikram's again?

So, as I was driving to my 10:00am class on Wednesday, with all of my negative thoughts about the practice, my practice, the last one negative thought I had....the very last one was this;

I'm just not finding joy in my practice anymore.

Right after I had that thought, there was no denying how negative it was, and I had to stop.  What?  What was that you just said?  You are not finding joy in your practice?  Well!  When was the last time YOU brought joy to YOUR practice?  Busted!  I totally busted myself!

When was the last time I brought the joy?  How could I expect something else to be responsible for how I felt?  It's my responsibility to find the joy in my life, in all parts of my life, not just yoga.  This resonated so deeply that I immediately thought about all of the other parts of my life I could bring the joy, or more joy!  How lucky!  I love my life!  I love my yoga practice!  I really, really, really see now, again, that I am the one that decides my mood!  Amazing!

I see every part of my life as "my practice".  My relationships are a practice.  My eating, and food prep, a practice.  My training, definitely a practice.  My health, from brushing my teeth everyday to washing my hair, a practice.  Keeping a house/home, a practice.  Driving...a practice.  Balancing my money, a practice.  Writing, a practice.  Thinking in positive and grateful ways, a practice.  so much joy to have, and so much joy to bring.

Bring joy to your practice before you blame your practice for not giving you joy first. Smile!

"16 Squared" A Tracyrif No Brainer Snatch/Transfer workout

Sometimes my workouts evolve so perfectly I couldn't do it better if I tried to! I had no idea how this workout was going to go, much less end up until I heard myself talk to the camera.... "16 snatches and 16 swings.....(hey), with the 16kg....(hey), maybe I can get in 16 minutes of training?" Viola! "16 Squared"!



I've been liking "snatch/transfers" lately because for each snatch rep there is a swing rep!  That means I'm able to train both movements equally (almost...not including warm-ups).  And since it's no secret or surprise that I swing three times as much as I do anything else, sometimes it's nice to mix it up a bit more than usual.

Swing warm up (old school)


40 2 hd sw x 5 sets (10 min)

Snatch/transfer warm up w/12kg

sn/tr x 18 x 5 sets, 1 min work/30 sec rest = 90 snatches 7.5 minutes (15 intervals).

Work sets snatch/transfers w/16kg

1 min/1 min
2 min/1 min, 32 sn
3 min/1 min, 48 sn
1 min/1 min x 10 sets, 160 sn

32 min total, 256 snatches, 256 swings (not bad!  That's 512 reps with the 16kg in about 30 minutes!)

Sorry for the poor video, but sometimes a video "production" is not a priority.  I was expecting one of my training partners within 10 minutes or so and I wasn't sure I wanted to tape anything at all, so I just threw up the camera during my 5th set or so...no sure.  I ended up finishing with her snatch/transferring along with me!  Thanks Deepika!

The Original "Sinister"! And the workouts!

If you went through this years San Jose RKC, then you might recall a little swing workout Pavel let me take you through.....  OK, so a few months ago, maybe almost 1 year now, I walk into my Bikram's yoga studio, owned by our close friend, and HKC, Mike Mayle.  I asked, "So have you been training lately?"  He knew I meant kettlebells (of course!). His answer?  "Well, I've been doing some swings with the 24kg...5, 10, 15 and 20 reps every 30 seconds."



Hmnn...  In my head I thought, "What?  5, 10, 15, 20?  I've never thought about 5 reps, never thought about 15 reps (except in my "work into rest" method).  My whole swing world consisted of 10, 20 and 40 rep sets (and more, but in increments of 10)  I think I'll give it a go!"  Here is what I ended up naming "Sinister"!

"Sinister" was designed to use "The heaviest kettlebell you know you can swing for 20 reps, but you don't like to!"  (Tommy Blom complimented me on this description of how to chose your correct bell size at the SJ RKC this year!) I named it "Sinister" because it's deceiving in it's ease....it's only 20 reps max, right?  Mu-ah-ah-ah!

Every set is started on a 30 second interval. The first set is only 5 reps, the second set, 10 reps, the third, 15, and the fourth, 20 reps.  The last 30 second interval is a rest period, which you will need and be very grateful for!  It's a grip and forearm killer for sure because the deceit lies in the second minute.  The first minute you only swing a total of 15 reps (5, and 10), but the second minute you swing 35 reps, with only 7.5 seconds in between! (15 and 20)

The other beauty of this workout is that each rotation ("round") equals 50 reps, and lasts 2 and 1/2 minutes! In other words it is an "equal work to equal rest ratio, but done in an entirely different way!  Who said EW2R was easy?  I loved it!  And it's easy to add up reps at the end of a workout!

In this first video I invited Mike to train it with me, I wouldn't have had it any other way!  We do 4 rotations, 200 swing reps.  I'm using the 16kg because it was not a "training day" for me, and I wanted to be able to talk comfortably through the workout.  Mike uses a 24kg (his body weight btw is 140lbs!)  I also just finished a 90 minute Bikram's yoga class and the studio was still hot and humid...just sayin'

One more thing...IF the last two sets are still a challenge and you need more rest I demonstrate to you the option of starting the last set 15 seconds later, and 10 reps shorter.  It's all good!  Don't compare yourself to anybody else's workout!  You are your own best trainer and coach!  The important thing is that you show up for your next workout!

"Sinister", the workouts!



"Sinister"  Ladder Up, Ladder Down

This version of Sinister uses 4 progressive sizes of kettlebells, although you can chose two or three, or of course, you can use just one!  If you have the luxury of multiple bells then lucky you!  But if you don't, then lucky you too, because the beauty of training the kettlebell swing is that all you really, really need is one bell!  Ok, so on with the workout!

Arrange your bells in order from light to heavy.  Start the first two rotations with your medium weight bell to get used to the progression.  At this point you can chose whether you want to start the third rotation with your heaviest bell (laddering down), or your lightest bell (laddering up).  My bells were the 14kg, 16kg, 20kg, and 24kg.  I had to share the 20kg with my training partner Maribel, so that's why it's on the end (out of order!), otherwise I always like to line my bells up!

Pretty simple when you know the rep count, and in this version all swings are done, in the original intent, with two hands.  All sets start on a 30 sec interval.

5 reps
10 reps
15 reps
20 reps
rest

50 swings, 2.5 min per rotation


After our first two rotations, with a "medium weight bell", I ladder up.  We complete 6 rotations in total (3 up, 3 down) before finishing 4 more rotations only laddering up, AND getting rid of our lightest bell!  Get rid of it!  Start each new set with your heaviest bell, for 5 reps.  Then go on to 10 with your "new" lightest bell (which should be your 2nd lightest of the original 4).  My new bell order was 24kg, 16kg, 20 kg, 24kg.

I have posted the entire 40 minute video on Youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wEnLrdYB8w

It includes a bonus!  A bonus of 3 rotations of "Mini Sinister"!  Mini Sinister is a shorter, but not easier, version I designed to do in a class held in Minneapolis!  Get it?  "Mini-apolis"!

Enjoy!  Oh, and not to worry about your next workout!  I've got another, even better (aka harder) version "in the can"....get those double bells ready!

PS I love doing Sinister in city's that start with an "S".  Not sure if I did Sinister in San Clemente....oops, I'll have to get back there to do it if I forgot!  Look for Sinister in San Diego soon!