RKC II a success.......

I just got back from my RKC level II instructor course, and I'm happy that I came on top. It was a very difficult class with higher standards and constant testing. Pavel, MRKC Kenneth Jay, SRKC Jeff O'Connor and SRKC David Whitley presented some amazing information. I met a lot of interesting people at the cert and made good friends. I am proud of myself for the dedication and the hard work it took me to get ready for this; I'm really happy for the new material that I have gathered and will definitely make some training changes only to keep improving my performance and those of my clients. I would like to thank my clients as well for being behind me one hundred percent.

RKC II

I have arrived today in Minnesota for my RKC level II course. Dragon Door just had a little get together and I've met some interesting people from all different walks of life. There were some foreigners as well, which tells me that this is a very special course. Pavel and the rest of the RKC instructors were very welcoming, little do we know we are going to get our asses kicked tomorrow. I might not be able to blog in the next few days, because I would probably be utterly tired. I'm ready for the punishment.

Workout: Strength

Pull-ups BW x 5 /2/ +16kg x 3 /2/ + 24kg x 2

Pistol Squat +16kg x 3 /2/ + 24kg x 2 /2/

Clean & Press 32kg x 5/ 36kg x 4/ 40kg x 3/ 48kg x 1 R, L / 48kg x 1 R

*Final workout prior to RKC II, I was very tired today and had a long day at work. The clean & press felt easier today than it did on Sunday; my technique definitely improved on that lift.

I'm really pleased with my progress, I really worked very hard since finishing my RKC level I course last October. I gave myself  tough but reacheable goals, I could barely press the 40kg, I had very little flexebility so I  couldn't do the pistol squat; and as far as my snatch test goes I was dying at rep 70 and couldn't last 5 minutes. I stayed focused on this journey, I knew since finishing up level I, I wanted to do the level II; once I signed up I had no choice but to stay committed and grew into it. 

June 22, 2009
Workout: RKC 5 min Snatch Test
PR 162 snacthes
Then: rest 5 min
3 mile run: completed in 25 min
* I don't think I can repeat this task again, my best number prior to this was between 115-120 reps and my best overall was 128 reps. I changed my approach, I usually do 50 reps per side, then 20 reps then all out. Today I did 40 per side, then 25 reps and then 15-20 reps all out. It worked better I didn't slow down one bit and my grip felt great. I'm sure that implementing the VO2 Max in my workouts definitely help. I'm hoping to repeat this at RKC II.

Workout: Strength
*Dynamic Warm-up, TGU
Clean & Press 32kg x 5/ 36kg x 4/ 40kg x 3/ 40kg x 2/ 48kg x 1/ 48 kg x 1
Tactical Pull-up BW x 5/ BW x 4/ + 16kg x 3/ + 24kg x 2/ + 32kg x 1/ + 36kg x 1
Pistol SQ 16kg x 5/ 16kg x 4/ 24kg x 2/ 32kg x 1/ 32kg x 1
*today workout was to focus on the strength challenge for RKC II, I hit all my requirements, I really worked on my form for the clean & press, I really wanted to be consistent in every lift that is why I attempted to lift. As far as my tactical pull-up I'm solid and I just wanted to see if I can go heavier; with the 36kg I added 79 lbs to my BW making it a 300 lbs pull-up. Same with the pistol sq. I'm ready for RKC II.

Food Inc.
If you care at all about what food you are putting into your body, you must run to see the movie Food, Inc. as soon as possible. All this time I thought I was eating healthfully by sticking to chicken and the occasional burger. Turns out I was incredibly wrong, though innocently so, because I learned that the food manufacturers (especially the poultry and meat industry) hide what really happens before you find that plastic wrapped chicken breast on your supermarket shelf. Not only are the conditions incredibly cruel, but they are also not healthy for human consumption. Most people don't get sick right away (though some have died from E Coli in the food supply), but over time, this type of food does much more harm than good. From now on, if I eat poultry, meat or dairy, I promise myself that it will be organic.

Workout: VO2 Max

Snatch VO2

36:36

24 kg

20 Sets of 18

360 Snatches

19,080 lbs

Workout: Circuit

4 rounds

-10 Double Snatches @ 16 kg

-10 Double Vicking Press @ 16 kg

-10 Double Squat @ 16 kg

-10 Double Swings @ 16 kg

-10 TRX Atomic Push-ups

-10 Pull-ups

*This was a quick workout, it took about 16 min, I'm getting ready to lift heavy for the next few days and then taking two days off prior to RKC II.

Workout on June 17

Workout: GPP Test (General Physical Preperation)

Max Strict Pull-ups- 16

Max Push-ups- 57

Max distance in 12 min- 1.82 mile

Long Standing long jump-95"

*This was an interesting test done at the gym I work from. If it was up to me, I would have done the Tactical Athlete Challenge. max deadlift, 5 min kb snatches, max pull-ups, and I would have done the 12 min run as well. I was happy with the pull-ups weigh in at 220 lbs, I counted 18 but only 16 were passed. I was surprised on my push-ups, I should have done more, but I was really happy on my run, being that I do a long run once in a while I almost ran a 2 mile in 12 min. The VO2 max workouts with the kb are really working; I'm glad cause I really hate running.

Workout: VO2 MAX

Snatch VO2 

15:15

24 kg

50 Sets of 8 

400 Snatches

21,200 lbs

*50 sets of 8 Max VO2: I have never tried to go this many sets on the VO2, I have always implemented the VO2 Max at the end of my workout as a finisher for no more than 20 sets. This felt great considering I was using a 24 kg kettlebell and the prescribe weight is 16 kg. Now I have to try the 80 sets of 8 done by Olympic athlete Mark O Madsens; and I have to be honest my grip felt fine. Now it's crunch time I have about about 10 days left for RKC II, I have completed all the requirements but need to get solid on the clean & press specially pressing the 48 kg. My focus will be touching up some skill work, strength, strength and strength. I feel pretty confident in my conditioning specially after today's workout. I will take a few days off before the cert to help me recover. I'm really exited because I know there will be a high quality of individuals there; and I know that the information we will receive it's priceless.

Workout: Complex

5 min row @ easy pace

6 Way BB Complex (DL, Row, Hang Clean, Front Squat, Push Press, Back Squat, Push-ups)

*6 reps for each movement

warm-up set @ 75#

SET 1 @ 95#

SET 2 @ 115#

SET 3 @ 125#

SET 4 @ 135#

*Today I did a quick workout, wanted to try a new complex, very similar to the bear complex, but instead of doing one of each exercise to count as one round, I did 6 reps of each movement then moving to the next.

Workout: Open Circuit

A1) Burpee Pull-up 10 x 10 /3/

A2) Snatches 16kg x 25 /3/

B1) 16" Bench Jump  x 15 /3/

B2) Bottoms up KB C&P 16kg x 15 /3/

C1) Rev threaded lunges w/ upper cut 16kg x 15 /3/

C2) KB Row with high plank 16kg x 15 /3/

D1) Mountain Climbers x 50 /3/

D2) KTE x 10 /3/

E1) Curls with 2.5" band x 12 /3/

E2) Dips x 25 /3/

* today I worked out in the park with a client, I biked with a 16kg and a 20# kb on my back pack, that was a workout on it's own. It was a great day to workout outside; I also had a fun bootcamp class, I felt sorry for my victims it was pretty humid out and the workout was tough. Here is the workout they did.

- Dynamic Warm-up/ Jumping Jax/ Swings/ Run

3 Rounds for time.

- Run 400m

-15 Snatches

-15 Push-ups

-25 Swings

-15 Burpees

-15 C&P

-25 Mountain Climbers

THEN (rest 5 min)

3 rounds

-Rope undulation 30 sec

-Russian twist 30 sec

-V-ups 30 sec

 

Workout: Strength (Volume)

Warm-up 5 min row, Joint Mobility Drills, TGU, Swings

Then:

POWER

KB Snatch 32kg x 5/ 40kg x 5/ 48kg - 4 x 5

Then:

A1) Weighed Pistol Sq on 1.5" platform 16kg - 4 x 5

A2) Weighed Pull-ups 16kg - 4 x 5

B1) Double KB SLD (single leg deadlift) 32kg - 4 x 5

B2) Clean & Press 36kg - 4 x 5

C1) Windmill 24kg - 3 x 5

C2) KTE BW - 3 x 10

Then:

Cool down, 1 mile run

* completed 155 reps

* volume 23,530 lbs

- Very tough workout today, I wanted to go heavier on some lift but I wanted to complete 4 sets of 5 of everything, next week I will start doing more max lift and singles.

REST DAY....

"An individual dies...when, instead of taking risk and hurling himself toward being, he cowers within, and takes refuge there."

E.M. Cioran

Workout: "Tabata"

Warm-up: Joint mobility and TGU 

"Tabata" 20 sec on, 10 sec off 

A1) Double KB Swings @ 16kg

A2) Double KB Vicking Press @ 16kg

A3) Double Front Sq @ 16kg

A4) Double Unders (double rope skip)

A5) Burpee Dead Snatch @ 16kg

A6) Doulbe Racked KB Rev Lunge @ 16kg

A7) TRX Atomic Push-ups

A8) Renegade rows @ 16kg

*8 Rounds

*(A Tabata workout is an interval training cycle, ex. 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for total of four minutes for one cycle or round. Credit for this simple and powerful training method belongs to its namesake, Dr. Izumi Tabata from Tokyo, Japan. Just how intense can 4 minutes of exercise be?.....very! Once the clock starts, you are to complete the workout with a strict 10 sec of rest - including just 10 seconds to transition to the next exercise. 8 exerxises, 4 minutes per round equals a strict training time of 32 minutes. Remember, you'r only working for 20 seconds, so choose challenging weight.)

Workout: Endurance
Jump Rope 3 intervals of 3:00 min work / 30 sec rest
Shadow Boxing 6 rounds of 3:00 min work/ 30 sec rest
Then:
3 mile run for time (completed in 22:56)
Rest 5 min
Then:
2000 m row (completed in 7:08)
* I wanted to throw boxing in for my conditioning days since I haven't practice in a while. I felt pretty loose, I practice jabs, crosses, left hook, and uppercuts.

June 9, 2009
Workout: Task
5 Rounds for time:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 Pistol Squats
15 Pull-ups
Then:
5 min RKC snatch test wth 24kg
Completed 115 reps
*Completed in 24:35, felt pretty weak today, the Handstand push-up was the hardest of these triplets.

Workout: Strength

Warm-up 5 min light row/ Dynamic ROM/ Swings

Then:

KB Snatches 40kg - 5 x 5

Then:

A1) Sumo DL 315 x 5/ 365 x 5/ 365 x 4/ 375 x 4

A2) KB C&P 40kg x 5/ 40kg x 4/ 40kg x 4/ 40kg x 4

B1) Pistol Sq  1.5 inches of the floor 2 x 5/ then on the floor 2 x4 w/25 lb counter weight

B2) Weighed pull-ups 16kg - 4 x 5

FINISHER:

KB Swings 48kg - 3 x 15/ 30 sec rest btwn sets

* High volume workout today, decided to stay light on the snatches, the clean & press felt good, as well as the pistol, got to them parallel on the floor, so I met the RKC II certification requirements. Only thing left is to clean & press the 48kg consistently and I will be good to go.

REST DAY......

* We had a great turnout for our weekly kettlebell bootcamp class. We added a new toy to our repetoire the TAPS (tactical athletic pull-up system) created by the armed forces. We wanted to add a more difficult body weight exercise, and nothing is better than good old pull-ups. Way to go for the our clients, for some reason they enjoy the abuse.

WORKOUT: ACCUMULATION

A1) SLDL 2 x 15

A2) True Snatch pull 2 x 15

*active rest 15 swings, around the body pass.

B1) Split Jump Sq 2 x 10

B2) KB Row 2 x 15

*active rest 15 swings, around the body pass.

C1) Power bomb 2 x 20

C2) Burpee 2 x 10

*active rest 15 swings, around the body pass.

D1) Pull-ups 2 x max

D2) Rev lunge to a hold 2 x 20

*active rest 15 swings, around the body pass.

E1) Undulation 2 x 30 sec

E2) Snatches 2 x 30 sec per arm

*active rest 15 swings, around the body pass.

FINISHER

- 10 windmills

- 20 v-ups

- 20 russian twist

Workout: CrossFit Training

For time:

400 m run

50 American Swings @ 16kg

15 burpees

200 m run

50 American Swings @ 16kg

15 burpees

200 m run

50 American Swings @ 16kg

15 burpees

400 m run

*completed in 14:35

Then:

Rope Undulation

5 rounds of

60 sec of work/ 30 sec rest 

Then:

5 rounds of

H2H (hand to hand) drills or juggling

30 sec of work/ 30 sec rest

*I was going to rest this weekend, but when I went out in the park to train my client I couldn't resist. The weather was perfect so I did a quick circuit, and since I had my rope out too I had no excuses not to use it. I also did a little bit of kb juggling just for fun, but challenging as well.

Workout: Endurance

Row 5000m for time

*completed in 17:54

In the past 4 weeks I tweaked my diet, I decided I needed to gain a few extra pounds of muscle and to lower my body fat. I started following the Zone diet, which is high in protein. I went from 214 lbs and I weighed myself today @ 218 lbs. I increased my volume in my workouts adding endurance workouts. 

Workout: Strength
Dynamic warm-up
Then:
Power Cleans (burgener warm-up) 185 x 3/ 205 x 2/ 215 x 2/
225 x 1/ 225 x 1
Then:
A1) BB Front SQ 185 x 5/ 195 x 5/ 205 x 5
A2) KB Clean & Press 36kg x 5/ 36kg x 5/ 40kg x 4

B1) Weighed pull-up (kb on foot) 16kg - 3 x 5
B2) SLD 48kg - 3 x 10

C1) Windmill 24kg - 3 x 5
C2) Rotational KTE BW - 3 x 10
Then:
VO2 Max 24kg -8 reps x 15 sec/ 20 sets

Workout: Endurance
Run 4 miles
*completed in 30:15

Workout: Circuit

10 Double KB Snatches

10 Double KB Vicking Press

10 Double KB SQ

10 TRX atomic push-up

10 Chest to Bar pull-ups

4 rounds with 24kg kettlebell for time.

*completed in 23:15

rest 5 min then:

Row 2000m for time.

*completed in 7:12

Workout: Max Power, Strength

5 min row, dynamic ROM

Then:

TGU 16kg x 5/ 24kg x 3

Swings 32kg - 3 x 15

Then:

Snatches 36kg x 5/ 40kg x 5/ 48kg - 3 x 5

Then:

A1) Pistol SQ 16kg -  4 x 5

A2) Weighed Pull-ups 16kg - 2 x 5/ 20kg x 4/ 24kg x 3

B1) Clean & Press 36kg - 2 x 5/ 40kg - 2 x 4/ *PR  48kg x 1 

B2) SLD 40kg - 4 x 5

* I felt pretty tired today, so I made sure I warmed up for about 15 min before the workout. I wanted to see where I stand with the 48kg  on the clean & press because it's a must for RKC II, so even though it was at the end of the workout I still was able to press it once on the right, so I'm very pleased with that only 3 weeks left for the cert. The pistol keeps improving, I'm about 2 inches off the floor, next week I will be doing the pistol on the floor. Right on track.