Thanksgiving Week Catch-Up

Last week was rather busy with the holiday and all, so I fell a bit behind on my posting, though not on my training. Here’s what my workouts looked like for Thanksgiving week.

MONDAY

I hadn’t used my weight vest for a while, so I put the kettlebells aside for the day and headed to the park with my vest and Jungle Gym. I put enough weight in the vest to bring it up to about 20-lbs., or about 12 percent of my body weight (yes, I am rather slender).

Warmed-up swinging the Kali sticks. Next up, 10 sets of 3 weighted chin-ups followed by 10 sets of 3 weighted dips on the Jungle Gym. I rested about a minute in between each set.

I ended with some weighted sprints. I sprinted for 15-sec with 45-sec of rest a total of 10 times.

TUESDAY

Back to some 5×5 kettlebell work today. After warming-up swinging the Kali sticks, I did 5 sets of 5 each of Jungle Gym chin-ups and Double KB Clean & Jerks. Next, 3 sets of 8 each of Jungle Gym dips, body rows, and 1-Arm KB Military Presses.

I finished with a mix of KB Swings and sprints. I paced out 50m, and put a kettlebell on each end. I’d start on one end, do 10 KB Swings, sprint to the other end, do 9 KB Swings, etc. until I got down to 1 KB Swing.

WEDNESDAY

Single kettlebell work with the 44-lb kettlebell today. After warming-up swinging the Kali sticks, I did 5 sets each of Jungle Gym chin-ups and Single KB Clean & Jerks. Next, 3 sets of 8 each of Jungle Gym dips, body rows, and Military Presses with the TNT Cable.

To finish, I did a sprint/swing circuit:

• 5 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 10 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 15 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 20 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 25 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 20 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 15 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 10 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 5 KB Swings, 20-m sprint

Good Double Kettlebell Clean & Jerk Video

I’ve been working quite a bit on my Double Kettlebell Clean & Jerks (aka Long Cycle) lately. It’s truly a great exercise, though it is challenging. As Mike Mahler writes,

One of the most effective exercises for losing fat and gaining quality muscle is the high repetition clean and jerk. This exercise sends your growth hormone through the roof, which is critical for losing fat and preserving lean muscle. However, be warned this exercise is not for the faint of heart.

Before attempting the Double KB Clean & Jerk, I’d advise really getting your technique down for the Single Long Cycle Clean & Jerk. For those who feel they are ready to tackle the challenge of two kettlebells, here’s a short but useful video:

I have to say I’ve made some definite gains in strength from the Double Kettlebell Clean & Jerk, and I see it remaining a big part of my training regimen.

Active Rest Day, 11.15.11

Started off with about 10-min of Eischens Yoga, followed by some planks and other core work along with a few sets of Hindu Push-Ups and Squats. I continued warming-up by jumping rope, 30/30 for 5-min. Then it was on to Burpee/Boxing intervals for 12-min.

Monday Training, 11.14.11

In the morning I took some time to swing my Kali sticks and do a few quick sets of Hindu Push-Ups and Squats.

In the afternoon, I decided to mix things up a bit and take a break from the workouts I’ve been doing for a few weeks. Inspired by an article by Mike Mahler, I’ve opted to add more 5×5 routines to my regimen. Here’s what Mike had to say about 5x5s programs:

5×5 training is a standard protocol that has been around for many years. It is also an extremely effective way to pack on size and strength. It was a favorite of legendary bodybuilder Reg Park who just happened to be Arnold’s idol.

Here’s what I did:

Warm-Up: Swinging Kali sticks and Hindu Push-Ups and Squats

Circuit 1: Alternate between Jungle Gym Chins and Double Kettlebell Military Presses, 5×5

Circuit 2: Jungle Gym Dips and KB Renegade Rows, 5×5

Circuit 3: Single KB Windmills, 5×5

To finish, I did a sprint/swing circuit:

• 5 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 10 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 15 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 20 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 25 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 20 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 15 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 10 KB Swings, 20-m sprint
• 5 KB Swings, 20-m sprint

I cooled-down with a leisurely stroll through the park.

Fit Monkey Thought of the Day, 11.3.11

“Has not bravery itself its root in goodness of heart, and does it not proceed from sympathy? It is only when it cries from goodness that bravery is genuine.”—Old Japanese quote

Bruce Lee’s Top 7 Fundamentals for Getting Your Life in Shape

There’s a great post on The Positivity Blog entitled Bruce Lee’s Top 7 Fundamentals for Getting Your Life in Shape.  Here’s the list in a nutshell:

1. What are you really thinking about today?
“As you think, so shall you become.”

2. Simplify.
“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”
“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”

3. Learn about yourself in interactions.
“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.”

4. Do not divide.
“Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.”

5. Avoid a dependency on validation from others.
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
“Showing off is the fool’s idea of glory.”

6. Be proactive.
“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”

7. Be you.
“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”

As a Jeet Kun Do instructor, I of course love this. The above is just a highlight. I highly recommend reading the full post.

Catching Up on Training

It’s been a busy few weeks–clients, other projects, a brief cold–and I realize I’ve fallen a bit behind on posting. However, training-wise, it’s pretty easy to bring everyone up to speed on what I’ve been doing.

Normally, I like to do different workouts to really mix things up. However, there’s something to be said for choosing a program and sticking with it for a while. So lately, I’ve been doing the same circuit three times a week.

I start with the usual warm-up of Hindu Push-Ups and Squats, 15/15 for 10-min. Next up, Jungle Gym Chin-Ups and Double Kettlebell Clean & Jerks. I alternate between the two, and laddered up to 5 reps of each 3 times, for a total of 45 Chins and 45 KB Clean & Jerks.

Next, 3 sets of 8 each of Jungle Gym Dips and Single KB Military Presses.

I finish with a mix of KB Swings and sprints. I pace out 50m, and put a kettlebell on each end. I’ll start on one end, do 10 KB Swings, sprint to the other end, do 9 KB Swings, etc. until I get down to 1 KB Swing.

To cool down, it’s yoga and maybe a walk around the park.