Yeah, that's right. I'm taking some bells to OzzFest this year. For those of you who don't know me very well, or Kori for that matter as well. We love Metal.
I have told many people, "If it doesn't make me want to break something, probably won't listen to it."
So every year we pack up my parents RV, and yes my dad come with us he digs Ozzy, and head to OzzFest.
This year the bells are coming with, just for fun and something to while people watching. We arrive at 8AM, cook some breakfast, and the fun begins.
OzzFest falls on Augest 12th at Alpine Valley Music Theatre.
If you haven't heard, it's free this year, so you have no excuse not to go.
So for all of you who would like to get away, here's an open invitation to come listen to some music, and swing some bells with us.
Hope to see you there.
Training Blog to come later.
BJ
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Who thought 14oz could be that heavy...
Well last night I returned to one of my favorite past times, Muay Thai.
I have taken short hiatus from it due to business and other commitments. As may of you know Kori and have been working on IMPACT fitness, LLC up and running and taking our fitness coaching biz from a side project to our full time income. This has eating a lot of time, all worth it. Who knows if all goes as planned I can get my Muay Thai training in private lessons.
But anyway.
My 14oz gloves have never been so heavy. Three rounds on the pads, 3 on the mitts, and 6 on the bag did me in. My conditioning was fine, thanks to the KB training. But the local muscular endurance in regards to the specific skills like, the ever important, keeping your hands up killed me. Couple that with the Ketogenic Diet I have been following and it get tough pretty early in the round, more on the diet in another post.
So I'll just have to practice. It should come back pretty quickly.
I was hoping to get some sparring in, but it was a small session. One other girl and a beginner. There are two girls I'll spar, my wife (no I'm not kidding) and a young lady named Vanessa. Both are not afraid to hit you or get hit by you.
Tonight's workout will include, you guessed it...Ladders.
I'll admit, I have thought of scrapping this because the thought of pressing the 16kg is rough on the ego. But, this is something I have, no, need to follow this through for the health of my shoulders.
I'll be purchasing Brett Jones' and Grey Cook's new shoulder health DVD later today. Brett was my Senior Instructor when I went through the RKC. He worked out some nasty knots and worked some trigger point stuff on my upper back and it was amazing, so I'm hoping some of that is n the DVD. I'll post a review of it after watching.
So my pressing ladders for the day are pretty straight forward.
4 sets of 1,2 w/ pull ups in between
Dead lift 5x5 @ 135, yeah it's light but I need to find my groove before bumping this up
20 minutes of swings with the 16kg w/ Jump rope for active recovery.
Going with the lighter bell for my conditioning has made all the difference in my quest for leanness.
Thanks for reading...
BJ
I have taken short hiatus from it due to business and other commitments. As may of you know Kori and have been working on IMPACT fitness, LLC up and running and taking our fitness coaching biz from a side project to our full time income. This has eating a lot of time, all worth it. Who knows if all goes as planned I can get my Muay Thai training in private lessons.
But anyway.
My 14oz gloves have never been so heavy. Three rounds on the pads, 3 on the mitts, and 6 on the bag did me in. My conditioning was fine, thanks to the KB training. But the local muscular endurance in regards to the specific skills like, the ever important, keeping your hands up killed me. Couple that with the Ketogenic Diet I have been following and it get tough pretty early in the round, more on the diet in another post.
So I'll just have to practice. It should come back pretty quickly.
I was hoping to get some sparring in, but it was a small session. One other girl and a beginner. There are two girls I'll spar, my wife (no I'm not kidding) and a young lady named Vanessa. Both are not afraid to hit you or get hit by you.
Tonight's workout will include, you guessed it...Ladders.
I'll admit, I have thought of scrapping this because the thought of pressing the 16kg is rough on the ego. But, this is something I have, no, need to follow this through for the health of my shoulders.
I'll be purchasing Brett Jones' and Grey Cook's new shoulder health DVD later today. Brett was my Senior Instructor when I went through the RKC. He worked out some nasty knots and worked some trigger point stuff on my upper back and it was amazing, so I'm hoping some of that is n the DVD. I'll post a review of it after watching.
So my pressing ladders for the day are pretty straight forward.
4 sets of 1,2 w/ pull ups in between
Dead lift 5x5 @ 135, yeah it's light but I need to find my groove before bumping this up
20 minutes of swings with the 16kg w/ Jump rope for active recovery.
Going with the lighter bell for my conditioning has made all the difference in my quest for leanness.
Thanks for reading...
BJ
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Climbing the ladder...
Today was the 'no limit' day for my pressing ladders. But, I had the limiter on. Reason being, I have huge strength imbalances in my upper body, specifically around my shoulders. Too, much pressing when I was younger, and rarely balancing my routine with equal or greater pulling has left the posterior aspect of my shoulder girdle weak.
While I'm not too badly out of alignment, there is room for improvement.
Back to the subject, pressing. I know I could easily blast through 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 with th 16kg bell I have been using. But, that isn't why i went back tothe 16kg. I did it to re-groove my press, to practice staying tight, to practice pressing from the lat and to allow my vertical pulling to catch up to my pressing.
today worked out great, 4 ladders of 1,2,3 with pull up ladders in between. Just like it's outlined in 'Enter the Kettlebell' (ETK). The presses wern't hard, but they were challenging. It was a true practice session, and since strength is a skill, I accomplished just what I needed to do.
I then played around with some Clean grip deadlifts. Just 5 sets of 3 reps w/ 135lbs. Looking for my groove, been itching to do some pulling, so I did. I just need to figure out where to stick these in. I may take a go at the TSC in September.
Tomorrow will be a balls to the walls conditioning session, and next week I'll be back to speed with my Muay Thai training.
Business and other stuff has kept me out of the gym for about 6 weeks, it'll be good to get back and get hit a couple times. After that, the plan is to hit the other person more than they hit me, the first couple shot I take are just to wake me up.
Later...
While I'm not too badly out of alignment, there is room for improvement.
Back to the subject, pressing. I know I could easily blast through 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 with th 16kg bell I have been using. But, that isn't why i went back tothe 16kg. I did it to re-groove my press, to practice staying tight, to practice pressing from the lat and to allow my vertical pulling to catch up to my pressing.
today worked out great, 4 ladders of 1,2,3 with pull up ladders in between. Just like it's outlined in 'Enter the Kettlebell' (ETK). The presses wern't hard, but they were challenging. It was a true practice session, and since strength is a skill, I accomplished just what I needed to do.
I then played around with some Clean grip deadlifts. Just 5 sets of 3 reps w/ 135lbs. Looking for my groove, been itching to do some pulling, so I did. I just need to figure out where to stick these in. I may take a go at the TSC in September.
Tomorrow will be a balls to the walls conditioning session, and next week I'll be back to speed with my Muay Thai training.
Business and other stuff has kept me out of the gym for about 6 weeks, it'll be good to get back and get hit a couple times. After that, the plan is to hit the other person more than they hit me, the first couple shot I take are just to wake me up.
Later...
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Nothing Special Just Pressing
I had no planned training for Tuesday, but planned to both a "strength" and a "conditioning" session today (Wednesday).
So while at Franklin Wirth Park, promoting our Boot Camps I got my pressing ladder out of the way.
All done with the 16kg
3 sets of 1,2 I took a full minute between each rep, and each ladder. This just keeps it simple.
I didn't have anywhere to do pull up, Brookfield Park and Rec doesn't take to kindly to people hanging on there trees, and I doubt the taxpayers would appreciate it either.
After Camps tonight I'll hit some deadlifts, get my pull ups in and do a quick conditioning workout. Probably the BMF again. It's simple, but not easy, and I can get it done in about 15 minutes.
***EDIT***
Here's what I did:
25 one arm swings R/L (50 reps)
10 Hindu squats
20 one arm swings R/L
20 Hindu squats
15 one arm swings R/L
30 Hindu Squats
10 one arm swings R/L
40 Hundu Squats
5 one arm swings R/L
50 Hindu Squats
Not bad, a little diappointed the swings weren't more difficult. But, until I have no pain in my shoulder I vowed to rarely lift a heavier bell than the 16kg.
Thanks for reading.
BJ
So while at Franklin Wirth Park, promoting our Boot Camps I got my pressing ladder out of the way.
All done with the 16kg
3 sets of 1,2 I took a full minute between each rep, and each ladder. This just keeps it simple.
I didn't have anywhere to do pull up, Brookfield Park and Rec doesn't take to kindly to people hanging on there trees, and I doubt the taxpayers would appreciate it either.
After Camps tonight I'll hit some deadlifts, get my pull ups in and do a quick conditioning workout. Probably the BMF again. It's simple, but not easy, and I can get it done in about 15 minutes.
***EDIT***
Here's what I did:
25 one arm swings R/L (50 reps)
10 Hindu squats
20 one arm swings R/L
20 Hindu squats
15 one arm swings R/L
30 Hindu Squats
10 one arm swings R/L
40 Hundu Squats
5 one arm swings R/L
50 Hindu Squats
Not bad, a little diappointed the swings weren't more difficult. But, until I have no pain in my shoulder I vowed to rarely lift a heavier bell than the 16kg.
Thanks for reading.
BJ
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Everything David said it would be....
One of my favorite conditioning formats is David Whitley's Brutal Minimalist Fitness routine.
It's pretty basic and can be easily changed fo your level of fitness. I decided to it as David wrote it toady, less the TGUs.
I had meant to time it, but after my prep I was so ready to go I forgot to start the clock.
If you only have 15 or so minutes, this is for you.
50 2 Arm Swings w/16kg
10 Hindu Squats
40 2 Arm Swings
20 Hindu Squats
30 2 Arm Swings
30 Hindu Squats
20 2 Arms Swings
40 Hindu Squats
10 2 Arm Swings
50 Hindu Squats
and that's a wrap! Don't let the simplicity fool you.
Thanks for reading, now go train!
BJ
It's pretty basic and can be easily changed fo your level of fitness. I decided to it as David wrote it toady, less the TGUs.
I had meant to time it, but after my prep I was so ready to go I forgot to start the clock.
If you only have 15 or so minutes, this is for you.
50 2 Arm Swings w/16kg
10 Hindu Squats
40 2 Arm Swings
20 Hindu Squats
30 2 Arm Swings
30 Hindu Squats
20 2 Arms Swings
40 Hindu Squats
10 2 Arm Swings
50 Hindu Squats
and that's a wrap! Don't let the simplicity fool you.
Thanks for reading, now go train!
BJ
Checking the ego, my road to re-building my pressing power.
I have been battling an injured shoulder for a long while now. Overuse and huge amount of punching we do in Muay Thai can take its toll I you don't do enough compensatory work. So in an effort to rehab it and get back to pressing the Bulldog, I decide to check my ego and start form scratch.
I have told my myself I was going to do this for a while. But, even the thought of pressing the same bell as my wife made my testosterone levels plummet to prepubescent levels.
I haven't been doing a lot of strength work lately, the shoulder being the main reason. I seem the maintain strength very well just by doing basic ballistic Kettlebell exercises like swings, snatches and cleans plus their variations. But, there's something about having the Bulldog, and someday the Beast overhead.
So in sticking with my "even the coach needs a coach" theory" of the summer I decided to knock the weight back down to the 16kg bell and start ladders ETK style and slowly build back and re-groove my pressing. I plan to hit these twice a week, and still do to conditioning workouts per week as well. I will do the heavy day an the light day (this refers to volume, not load) and do pull ups with body weight. Pull ups are my worst lift, by adding them my goal is to even out the strength imbalances around the shoulder joint.
Once I complete this "cycle" I'll repeat it with the 20kg and so on.
So he's what Saturday's training looked like.
********Clarification*********
Since I have stated a specific goal, these sessions are no longer workouts.....THEY ARE TRAINING SESSION.
Quick 'warm up" ( I hate the term)
Intu-Flow beginner joint mobility
foam rolling: quads, rhomboids, IT band, piriformis and calves
low squat practice for a couple of reps
between each set I took 1 minute rest (I change this from the ETK format, I stay 'fresher" and therefore stronger)
Clean & Press (C&P) 1 R,L
Pull Up 1
C&P 2 R,L
Pull Up 2
C&P 3
Pull Ups 3
Repeat the ladder 3 times
2 arm swings with 32kg bell 5 sets of 10 reps
All and all, I felt satisfied. Not a 'knock your socks off, balls to the wall' session, but a starting point.
Thanks for reading, now go train!
BJ
I have told my myself I was going to do this for a while. But, even the thought of pressing the same bell as my wife made my testosterone levels plummet to prepubescent levels.
I haven't been doing a lot of strength work lately, the shoulder being the main reason. I seem the maintain strength very well just by doing basic ballistic Kettlebell exercises like swings, snatches and cleans plus their variations. But, there's something about having the Bulldog, and someday the Beast overhead.
So in sticking with my "even the coach needs a coach" theory" of the summer I decided to knock the weight back down to the 16kg bell and start ladders ETK style and slowly build back and re-groove my pressing. I plan to hit these twice a week, and still do to conditioning workouts per week as well. I will do the heavy day an the light day (this refers to volume, not load) and do pull ups with body weight. Pull ups are my worst lift, by adding them my goal is to even out the strength imbalances around the shoulder joint.
Once I complete this "cycle" I'll repeat it with the 20kg and so on.
So he's what Saturday's training looked like.
********Clarification*********
Since I have stated a specific goal, these sessions are no longer workouts.....THEY ARE TRAINING SESSION.
Quick 'warm up" ( I hate the term)
Intu-Flow beginner joint mobility
foam rolling: quads, rhomboids, IT band, piriformis and calves
low squat practice for a couple of reps
between each set I took 1 minute rest (I change this from the ETK format, I stay 'fresher" and therefore stronger)
Clean & Press (C&P) 1 R,L
Pull Up 1
C&P 2 R,L
Pull Up 2
C&P 3
Pull Ups 3
Repeat the ladder 3 times
2 arm swings with 32kg bell 5 sets of 10 reps
All and all, I felt satisfied. Not a 'knock your socks off, balls to the wall' session, but a starting point.
Thanks for reading, now go train!
BJ
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
17 minutes of Hell
Since we have been working on getting our IMPACT Fitness Bootcamps up and running, I have spent a lot of time in Franklin Wirth Park in Brookfield, WI.
I have little time to train and even less structure in my workouts, which I don't really mind, which is really odd for me. Usually my OCd tedancies have me second guessing my exercise selection, workout proressions form week to week and I constantly ask myself, "Is this what I should be doing?"
I have no problem with program design for others.
Kori's lead up to the RKC...no problem.
Kevin Shockley's progression to a national title in inline speedskating, no problem.
Preparing David Diaz for his final ameuter fight and helping cut weight from 142 to 125, no problem. Not fun for David, that was a huge cut.
So what the hell is wrong with me.
Nothing.
Even the coach needs a coach. So instead of obsessing over the lack of structure, I will embrace it and pick and choose workouts from other coaches for now adapt them to my abilities and move on to the next one.
My workouts are always more of a conditioning type workout. My sport (Muay Thai) does require some limit strength work, but strength/power endurance trumps limit strength when in the ring.
So while at the park today, while Kori timed me, this is what went down. I had taken an energy drink about 30 minutes prior so I was ready to go.
I can't take credit for the structure of this workout, I admit, I stole the timed ladder concept from Jason C. Brown of Crossfit Philly. I Now know why he uses it. It's pretty brutal.
All KB movements done with a 16kg bell (more on that in a later post), all movements done for 30 secs includingthe rest intervals.
2 arm swings
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat (slide hands to the horns and squat, return to a swing each time)
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to squat
around the body pass - 15 secs each direction
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass - 15 secs each way
2 arm swing (we do a ton of swings in our class and with clients)
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass
2 arm swing
BW squat
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass
2 arm swing
BW squat
burpees
that's it, total work time was just about 17 minutes.
Mixed and slammed my Post Workout Recovery Shake and contionued to sweat for about another ten minutes.
In the next couple of days I'll explain the "light" weight.
Thanks for reading.
BJ
IMPACT Fitness
I have little time to train and even less structure in my workouts, which I don't really mind, which is really odd for me. Usually my OCd tedancies have me second guessing my exercise selection, workout proressions form week to week and I constantly ask myself, "Is this what I should be doing?"
I have no problem with program design for others.
Kori's lead up to the RKC...no problem.
Kevin Shockley's progression to a national title in inline speedskating, no problem.
Preparing David Diaz for his final ameuter fight and helping cut weight from 142 to 125, no problem. Not fun for David, that was a huge cut.
So what the hell is wrong with me.
Nothing.
Even the coach needs a coach. So instead of obsessing over the lack of structure, I will embrace it and pick and choose workouts from other coaches for now adapt them to my abilities and move on to the next one.
My workouts are always more of a conditioning type workout. My sport (Muay Thai) does require some limit strength work, but strength/power endurance trumps limit strength when in the ring.
So while at the park today, while Kori timed me, this is what went down. I had taken an energy drink about 30 minutes prior so I was ready to go.
I can't take credit for the structure of this workout, I admit, I stole the timed ladder concept from Jason C. Brown of Crossfit Philly. I Now know why he uses it. It's pretty brutal.
All KB movements done with a 16kg bell (more on that in a later post), all movements done for 30 secs includingthe rest intervals.
2 arm swings
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat (slide hands to the horns and squat, return to a swing each time)
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to squat
around the body pass - 15 secs each direction
rest
2 arm swing
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass - 15 secs each way
2 arm swing (we do a ton of swings in our class and with clients)
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass
2 arm swing
BW squat
rest
2 arm swings
push ups
2 arm swing to a squat
around the body pass
2 arm swing
BW squat
burpees
that's it, total work time was just about 17 minutes.
Mixed and slammed my Post Workout Recovery Shake and contionued to sweat for about another ten minutes.
In the next couple of days I'll explain the "light" weight.
Thanks for reading.
BJ
IMPACT Fitness
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