Excuse me, there’s something wrong with this rowing machine November 9, 2007
Posted by hardly Dumbbell, Flexibility, Kettlebell, Row, Run, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
I like Friday workouts. In part because you feel like you can cut loose because of 2 down days, and in part because we always do fun stuff.
Today, during warmup, my trainer asked me to see what I could do for my lowest split for a given stroke on the rowing machine (the split is an estimate of how long it would take you to cover 500 m at the same rate as your last stroke). I dig the rowing machines, and am always up for a challenge on them. So, I pushed for this, and on my last time on the stupid machine, I pushed hard enough to lift myself off the seat for long enough that when my butt came back down, there was no seat beneath me. Frick! Fortunately, it was my last stroke, one way or the other. At a new low of 1:24 (lower is better). WOOHOO!
Warmup:
- 300 M row
- 30 American Swings w/20 kg kettlebell
- 300 M row
- 30 Front Squats w/20 kg kettlebell
- 300 M row
- 50 pushups
Workout:
- 3x of (w/a 24 kg kettlebell)
- 40 American Swings
- 20 Front Squats
- 21-15-9 of
- Dips
- While hanging from the bar, raising toes to hands
- 600 M run (sorta slow because the leaves made things too slick)
- Dumbbell Snatches
- 50 lbs: 10 on ea. arm
- 55 lbs: 10 on ea. arm
- 60 lbs: 10 on ea. arm
- 50 lbs: 6 on ea. arm
So, how do you keep your butt on the seat AND exert max effort? Something to think about for later.
Health:
- Date: 11/09/2007
- Weight: 182
- Mood: Normal
- Resting Heart rate: 48
- Sleep Hours: 8
- Sleep Pattern: Disturbed
50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50… if only U.S. Grant was in the picture October 31, 2007
Posted by hardly 6 Minutes of..., Bar, Flexibility, Kettlebell, Medicine Ball, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Today, our trainer had to leave early, so he gave us a mission. Complete 6 movements of 50 ea, and you have 5 minutes per movement. All I gotta say is that it’s weird to type and feel your upper arms twitch with each keystroke!
Warmup:
2x of
- 30 body-weight squats
- 30 push-ups
- 60 kettlebell snatches @ 20 kg
- 60 sit-ups
Workout:
- 6 minutes of Thrusters @ 65 lbs: 67 (PB!)
- 50 ea of:
- Deadlifts @ 95 lbs
- Pull-ups
- Overhead Squats @ 45 lbs
- Dips
- Push-ups
- Wall-ball @ 18 kg medicine ball
Love the personal best in Thrusters! I’m starting to get that one down. Can’t wait to hit 100!
Health:
- Date: 10/31/2007
- Weight: 182
- Mood: Normal
- Sleep Hours: 7
- Sleep Pattern: Insomnia
I am Samuel Samuelson of Norway! October 26, 2007
Posted by hardly Dumbbell, Kettlebell, Row, Run, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Gosh it was a gorgeous fall day today. Just the kind of day our coach decides we should go outside and have fun. You know, the part where you get to do the Farmer’s Carry!
Fess up, you’ve seen people do these on the MetRX World’s Strongest Man competition. They are HUGE! They carry ENORMOUS loads! And they definitely do the Farmer’s Carry better than yours truly!
Warmup:
- 30 Kettlebell Snatch & Cleans w/16 kg
- 500 M row
Workout:
- 4x of 15 Pull-ups & 21 Kettlebell Swings w/a 24 kg ‘bell
- 2K Row: 8:17.9 (definitely not a PB)
- Go outside and do the following:
- 30 Bodyweight Squats
- 300 M Farmer’s Carry w/two 35 lbs dumbbells
- 30 Bodyweight Squats
- 300 M Run
- 50 Swedish Ball Sit-ups
I think the pull-ups sealed my fate on a couple of the following events. The basic problem is that I switch back and forth between overhand and underhand pullups, and the underhand pullup really works some key muscles needed in both the row and the Farmer’s Carry.
Still, it was fun to do some new moves. And, it’s Friday, so I get 2 days of much-needed rest!
Ugh, Bad Sleep October 24, 2007
Posted by hardly 100 of... for time, Dumbbell, Kettlebell, Row, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Last night was a night of little sleep, what w/a child coughing for the first half of the night, a wife that was also restless, and that frickin’ moon! I think it had a negative effect on my workout today. Oh well, they all can’t be great!
Warm-up, 2x through:
- 50 Kettlebell Swings @ 24 kg
- 50 pushups
Workout:
- 21-15-9 of the following:
- Box Jumps (w/a 2″ raise for each progressive set)
- Sit-ups w/a dumbell (30# for the first 2 sets, and then 2 30# dumbells for the last set)
- Dumbell Thrusters @ 2 30# dumbells
- 100 Bodyweight Squats for time: 2:21
- 500K row: 1:39.5
- 100K row, looking for your best split time: 1:28
- Walking lunges w/12 kg kettlebell held above your head, switching arms half-way through the lap
I’ve been focusing on two things for the last several workouts: 1) Retaining my form on all movements, no matter how tired I am; 2) Getting the most non-stop reps possible. The downside on this focus is that it’s easier to get myself to the nausea stage, which is what happened right after the 500K row. The result was that I only did 1 of the 2 100K rows, and 1 lap of walking lunges. Like I said, today is done. Friday, I’ll do better!
Health:
- Date: 10/24/2007
- Mood: Normal
- Sleep Hours: 4
- Sleep Pattern: Insufficient
He’s not heavy… October 22, 2007
Posted by hardly 100 of... for time, Bar, Flexibility, Kettlebell, Row, Strength Training, Tabata
Digg! this story.
, 3comments
…he’s my kettlebell.
Today was my first workout using the largest kettlebell we have at the gym, @ 28 kg. At first, no problem, I was handling it fine. And then, at the end of the workout, when we were doing thrusters, the magnitude of the workout began to sink in when I couldn’t complete 10 reps of thrusters @ 32kg w/o stopping. I simply couldn’t get enough acceleration on the up stroke to get them off my chest/arm!
My coach loves these moments as he WANTS us to work to the point that we can’t lift anymore. That’s when he knows that we have given it our max effort.
Warmup
- 2x of 12 reps of 90 lbs Plate Lifts + walk around the gym once
- 60 Kettlebell Swings @ 24 kg
- Jump rope (got lots of doubles in today, which was pretty cool).
Workout
- Rowing 20/10 s: 99 M (think tabata row, 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, w/the lowest output of any given set being your score)
- 25 Turkish Getups @ 33 lbs bar
- 100 Pushups for time: 3:38 (pretty sure this is a PB!)
- Kettlebell Cleans @ 28 kg:
- 30 w/a no-load rep between each loaded rep
- 20, all loaded
- Kettlebell Thrusters @ 32 kg (two 16 kg ‘bells)
- 10 reps with a 3-second pause at the bottom, and a 3-second pause at the top (as counted out by the trainer)
- 10 reps at your own pace
- 10 reps w/the counted-out pauses at the top & bottom
- 20 reps at your own pace
- Stretch
During my shower, I noticed that I had some light bruises on my upper arm from the cleans. I suppose this will teach me how to ‘catch’ the big ‘bells better!
One Thousand-One, One Thousand-Two… October 17, 2007
Posted by hardly 6 Minutes of..., Bar, General Cardio, Kettlebell, Medicine Ball, Row, Strength Training, Tabata
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Imagine doing the standard body-weight squat. It’s just a squat movement, your body goes down, you keep your back straight, stick the butt out, bend your knee needs to at least 90 degrees, a bit more than that is better, and then you come back up. O.K., that’s one. Now, do 20 of those. Now, do 20 of those in 20 seconds. Now, do eight sets of those with 10 seconds rest. You get the idea… that’s what my Tabata Squats were like today.
Warm-up:
- 2x 300K row (about a minute for each)
- 40 Push-presses @ 45 lbs
- 40 Push-ups
Workout:
- Tabata Squats: 20 (PB!!!!)
- 100 Kettlebell Snatches @ 20 kg for time: 7:18
- 6 minutes of pull-ups: 41
- Team Wall-ball: 120 reps between two people w/10 kg medicine ball (80 reps for me)
- 3 minutes of:
- Push-presses @ 65 lbs
- Kettlebell Swings @ 20 kg
- Box-jumps
- Total rep count: 60
- 60 continuous sit-ups
I’m pretty danged excited about the new PB for Tabata Squats. I’m definitely getting better at this stuff, I think my first time around on this was 13 late last winter, and approaching the rarefied air (at my gym at least) of the top scores in this category. One amazing lady has hit 23… or was it 24? Gives me something to shoot for!
Health:
- Date: 10/17/2007
- Weight: 180
- Mood: Normal
- Resting Heart rate: 50
- Sleep Hours: 8
- Sleep Pattern: Normal
Loving your Kettlebell, one hour at a time October 15, 2007
Posted by hardly Dumbbell, Flexibility, Kettlebell, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
I dunno what was up w/our trainer today, but he seemed to have a serious kettlebell fixation. I think the only thing we didn’t do with them today was to clean ‘em and fry ‘em.
Warmup:
- 2x of: 1 lap of walking lunges, 30 kettlebell swings @ 16 kg, 20 body-weight squats.
Workout:
- 24 Dumbbell deadlifts @ 100 lbs (slowly w/extreme form focus)
- 10 Dumbbell deadlifts @ 100 lbs, with a body-weight squat interspersed between reps.
- 60 Kettlebell swings @ 20 kg
- 2x 10 Kettlebell lunges @ 20 kg
- 2x 6 Kettlebell figure-8 circuits @ 20 kk
- 2x Kettlebell Overhead Squats @ 12 kg, 4 reps per arm
- 20 Kettlebell Snatches @ 20 kg
- 3x 20 Kettlebell Snatches @ 16 kg (slowly, deliberately, w/extreme form focus)
- 3x 10 Kettlebell Squats w/40kg + 1 lap around the gym (without stopping, if possible)
- 30 pushups, just for fun, at the end.
Health:
- Date: 10/15/2007
- Weight: 181
- Mood: Normal
- Sleep Hours: 8
- Sleep Pattern: Normal
Deadlifts October 10, 2007
Posted by hardly Bar, Flexibility, Kettlebell, Row, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Today, we had the opportunity to learn how to do deadlifts w/a Olympic bars and a load.
Now, we’ve done deadlifts before, but it’s been w/kettleballs or barbells. And, these have been challenging, no doubt. However, there’s clear step up when you start doing this movement w/an Olympic bar. With the bar, you KNOW the weights are going to increase, and that’s exciting.
So, a fun day - new stuff!
Warmup:
- 60 kettlebell swings @ 16 kg
- 40 Swedish Ball Sittups
Workout:
- 100 kettleball swings @ 20 kg for time: 4:54
- 3x 100 M row for fastest time: 17 seconds
- Kettleball Thrusters @ 20 kg, 20 per arm
- Deadlifts! @ 95 lbs:
- 10 reps
- 15 reps
- Bar Cleans
- 5 reps
- 15 reps
- 10 reps
Health:
- Date: 10/10/2007
- Weight: 181
- Mood: Normal
- Sleep Hours: 8
- Sleep Pattern: Normal
Owning your Personal Best October 8, 2007
Posted by hardly 6 Minutes of..., Bar, Dumbbell, Flexibility, Row, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, 1 comment so far
There are workouts where I get a PB and it’s a squeaker - A second or one more rep. I’m happy about these, especially because they really feel like I’m right up against it, and the effort required is all-out just to get a hair ahead.
Today, I experienced the other kind. The kind where you leave your former self in the dust. The kind you’ve been really, urgently wanting to achieve but it always seems too far out of reach. The kind where you get to do a Happy Dance once you’ve recovered enough to stand up again. I LOVE IT!
Of course, it helps to attempt these things at the beginning of the workout. 
Best part is that I’m fairly sure that I had just a little more tank in the gas. I wonder what it would take to make a 3:00 1K row?
Warmup:
- 1K Run
Workout:
- 1K Row: 3:25.4 (PB!!!!!!!!!!! - shattering my last recorded score by 11 seconds)
- 12 Overhead Squats @ 15 kg
- 12 Sotz Presses @ 15 kg
- 100 Situps w/15 kg load for time: 5:32
- 1-Legged Stands, 3x @ 12 reps, 6 per leg
- 30 Dumbbell Cleans @ 30 lbs per arm
- 20 Dumbbell Push-presses @ 30 lbs per arm
- 20 Deep Dumbbell Cleans @ 30 lbs per arm
Health:
- Date: 10/08/2007
- Weight: 181
- Mood: Normal
- Sleep Hours: 6
- Sleep Pattern: Insufficient
199 October 5, 2007
Posted by hardly Bar, Dumbbell, General Cardio, Kettlebell, Medicine Ball, Row, Strength Training
Digg! this story.
, 1 comment so far
Warmup
- 1 Minute, or 30 reps, each of the following:
- Pushups
- KB Swings @ 20 kg
- Box Jumps
- Situps
- Wallball @ 18 kg
Workout:
- Situps: 3x 30 reps w/ a 30 lbs bar: 4:35
- 3x:
- 500M Row (BTW, it takes me 43 strokes to do this)
- 50 push-ups
- 60 Dumbbell Deadlifts @ 65 lbs (30 per arm)
- Kettlebell Cleans @ 24 kg:
- 15 per arm
- 10 per arm, from the floor
Today, I decided to wear my HR monitor and see what kind of craziness would be recorded. Boy was I right on that front: Max HR was 199. That’s 13 or so more BPM than that last time that I REALLY tried to max it out about 9 months or so ago. Hmm, I guess I’m getting into better shape - I can’t remember the last time I got my HR was that high.
Health:
- Date: 10/05/2007
- Weight: 182
- Mood: Normal
- Resting Heart rate: 48
- Sleep Hours: 8
- Sleep Pattern: Disturbed
