Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thursday Training.......lighter but good

Keeping true to objective of lifting semi-heavy only once per week, today I did not venture higher than the 20kg kettlebell. I added in some one arm swings for spinal endurance as per recommendations from Rif. The swings were very challenging, not on my strength levels, but on my conditioning levels. When I finished with the swings I could not believe how pumped with blood my glutes and adductors were, WOW! It was challenging to walk. I t feels so good to train without pain and to know that you are not damaging anything in your body. These lighter days are great in the middle of the week because as I start getting fatigued from a very hectic work schedule, the ligher day seems to be just what the Doctor ordered.

A-1 Clean and Press
20kg 5 x 5/5

B-1 Clean and Squat
16kg 5 x 3/3

C-1 Single Arm Swings
20kg 5 x 10/10 = 100 reps (I want to build up to 200 reps and then switch to the 24kg)

D-1 Single Arm Bent Over Rows
20kg 3 x 8/8

The workout took 26 minutes and 46 seconds. The blood flow from the swings felt great. It almost as if I am learning how to do the swing from scratch. Rather than being so worried about how explosive I am perfroming each swing, I am starting to feel how to get into a rhythm and be efficient. It has taken me 4 years of kettlebell training to arrive at the fact that I didn't really understand the swing to well.

"Most of us must learn a great deal every day in order to keep ahead of what we forget."

- Frank A. Clark

6 comments:

Mark Reifkind said...

there ya go!it is amazing how much work can be had from such a simple exercise eh? especially when you find the rythym as you say.

I liken it to jumping off a diving board. You have to wait for the board to start coming up before you jump or you dont get anywhere near the power you can if you time it right.

well done

Franz Snideman said...

thanks Rif. It really is amazing to me how I never figured this out. Timing, efficiency and learning how to use the whole body and hinge from the hips is the key for me. I also learned alot from watching your high pull technique.

Thanks brother!

Ken Black said...

Sometimes the most simple things are the deepest. It is great to see you back training with purpose and confidence!

David Garrett said...

The swing...I love it and hate it...it really is my nemesis right now. Soon it will be mine...even if it takes a lifetime!!!

Mark Reifkind said...

franz, so many people take the swing and its permutations way too lightly.

five minutes to learn and years to master.

Deep skill training really applies here.

The KB swings really remind me of the basic swings of gymnastics. Being able to do giant swings on rings or hi bar and do them perfectly are two different things.

glad the video helps. so many 'squat' their swing and it costs them mucho power.

Tim Dymmel said...

Franz,

I posted a couple videos on the blog. Check 'em out and let me know what you think. Feel free to critique. That's why I did them since I have no one else to train with. One is first up and the other is post-dated a couple days.

Later, Dymmel