I had a good outing last week, actually working out almost every day. The k-bell stuff is coming along, and I’m beginning to be able to introduce a certain amount of intensity into the workouts without having weird stiffness and general discomfort. I did a bit of traditional exercise, as well, and boy, my chest is out of shape. I’ll need to see to that, as a fairly low amount of work caused me to be sore for days.
Wish me luck.
At long last, I have come back around to using my kettlebell to get a little exercise and movement during my servitude in the cubicle. I had the habit of doing it most days, but then I wasn’t around the office much, then…well, laziness and inertia and fatness stood in the way.
I’m please to find that I haven’t lost whatever knack I had for the k-bell in my absence. I can still pull off bottoms-up static holds in the rack position and so on.
I’ve been swinging the bell all this week, and it’s finally come to the point that I am getting sore. Ah, well, I’ll work through it. A few notes: It’s still a 24 kilo ‘bell by Apollo. I am still old fat and lame.(hoping to remediate at least one of those conditions to some degree.)
It’s been a little while. A few minor interruptions have put me back a bit, but I’m still working forward with the plan.
Friday last week, I did the pressing segment at 8 reps and found it pretty easy. I then did clean and press from the floor, alternating hands. I did the clean and press a long time, but I wasn’t counting reps. I seem to get better clean form pulling from a dead stop than during a swing phase. Probably a control issue that I’ll be able to work on as my technique gets better.
I’ve been pretty busy at work this week, and so today was my first workout. I did the standard stuff, and found that 8 reps was fine with both exercises. My form started to get a little sketchy at the end with my left hand, but nothing serious.
More to come.
I’m up to seven reps on the kettlebell snatches and push presses this week. I missed on Monday, as we were slammed, and I had no time, so I made it up today. All’s well at this point. It breaks a good sweat, but I’m not feeling any pain. I’m actually getting better in terms of form (mostly). I’m hoping that the trip to ten reps on this first ‘bell will serve as a good technique practice. I’ll need to not be flailing around and spazzing out when the weight begins to go up. I think that I’m going to do one extra 7 rep day, so that I’m on a schedule to go up in weight on Mondays.
So, everything’s going according to plan at this point. I’ll be interested to see how it feels as I get into the highest swing of reps, then increase the weight. On paper, dropping down to 5 reps for a 4 kilo increase shouldn’t be very tough.
That’s the news at this hour.
For some time now, I’ve wanted to find a simple, effective way to get some exercise at work. While one could sacrifice lunch hours, try to squeeze showers in, and do other such shenanigans, I didn’t think this was a great solution. The harder it is to exercise, the easier it is to quit, and thereby remain flabby.
One could also bring in equipment and keep it nearby. The issue with this is that most exercise equipment is big, bulky, and not friendly to the cubicle spaces so many of us work in. For me, I have an open-backed cube that’s about the size of a prison cell, and is generally filled with computer bric-a-brac. I couldn’t really have a barbell in there.
I did, however, have a kettlebell kicking around. Hmm…
Kettlebells are very compact, and they have a flat bottom, so they don’t roll around. They’re a solid workout tool, and don’t require a lot of changing weights. You can just up the intensity by choosing harder exercises or doing longer sets.
Thus, I came to my current plan. I have the 24 kilo ‘bell. I’m going to be doing snatch, clean, and press exercises with it in the afternoons between telephone calls and projects.
To begin, I started with five sets of five reps on each exercise. Each week, I’ll increase one rep per set, until I get to 5 sets of ten for each hand in each exercise. If that feels comfortable, I’ll jump to the 28 kilo bell, going back to 5 reps per set. I figured this out, and if I can keep this ascending scale going, I’ll be doing 48 kilo lifts in less than a year.
Now, this doesn’t count in the minor injuries, sore joints, time away, and plain-old stick points, but it’ll be an interesting journey. I’m about to switch up to seven reps on Friday this week (three exercises a week is what I’m feeling comfortable with, as more tends to give me a sore elbow).
Anyhow, that’s what’s going on. Cannonball in the cube.
More details to follow.
I’ve been doing some more dynamic effort “twitch” stuff with the kettlebells. The exercise I’ve been fooling with recently is to snatch the ‘bell, lower it down to the rack position, then assume an opposed-leg stance. I dip into a quarter squat and jerk the ‘bell to extension, trying for maximum acceleration. According to the Westside Barbell method, I’m about where I need to be with a 53# bell, as I can put @100 overhead in a strict press (with one arm).
I’ve been doing sets of three jerk/push presses, holding at the top and with deliberate negative repetitions. When I recruit my hips and legs properly, the ‘bell goes up really fast. I think this would have been an amazing exercise when I was throwing the shotput, as it gets that sudden muscle activation and muscle-group interlock in almost the same movement that a shotputter needs.
Anyhow, hope everyone’s well.
So, I generally don’t do really “serious” stuff with kettlebells. I’m not trained. My form is…what it is. I tend to just play with them. For that, they prove to be great fun.
I did carousel turns, squats to press from the clean “rack” position, Push presses with staggered feet (for maximum velocity) and snatch to long holds while carrying the ‘bell around the gym.
It was a good play time.
Cheers!
Had fun with the kettlebell this evening. Cleans, snatches, bottoms-up work, a little juggling (until I almost smooshed my toe). Good stuff.
That is all.
Today, I did long holds and carousel turns with k-bells.
First I did long holds from bottoms-up clean “rack” position. I managed a minute on each hand.
I then did the same for the top position on bottoms-up snatch. I have to look at the k-bell, so no clocking (but shorter than above, though). I was happy that I at least matched, if not exceeded my right hand time with the left today.
From there, a little ballistic work, with doing carousel turns counterclockwise, then clockwise. Again, didn’t time it, but I kept on for a good little stretch going each way.
All this stuff is with my 53 pound k-bell.
Nice little workout. I’m feeling it.
Hey, Folks.
Just got a full minute hold in bottoms-up rack position with the 24k kettlebell with my left hand. Got the other hand last week. Woohoo!
Happy Lifting!
The Caveman Gym 