Jim vs. Play

I kept putting off today’s workout because  honestly, I didn’t want to do anything structured. I sort of just wanted to play with the kettlebell.

(Not a euphemism, people.)

So, that’s what I ended up doing. I also incorporated things like my sandbags, and the ab-roller I got for Christmas. I did movements I haven’t tried in a while (kettlebell clean, squat, and press; kettlebell 1-legged deadlift), movements I’d never tried (sandbag step-ups onto my box jump platform, 1- and 2-handed inverted kettlebell presses), and stuff I’d done but with more weight (swinging the 53lb bell around my body was tough).

Good work, and good fun.

Jim vs. Yoga

Went to a yoga class tonight, my first in many years. It’s pretty much the opposite of all the CrossFit and CrossFit-esque stuff I tend to do, and that was a very good thing for me.

We may go every week. I like that idea.

Jim vs. Snow

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but the first major snowstorm of the year and a broken snowblower changed that up. I shoveled for two and a half hours, so that damn well counts as a workout.

Rest day tomorrow, though. And a massage, which is very much needed right now.

Jim vs. A return to kettlebells

Between fighting off a cold and dealing with Thanksgiving, this is the first time I’ve worked out in a week. And I felt that week, and that cold, and most assuredly that Thanksgiving.

Double KB clean, squat, and press, 5 x 5

Renegade row & push-up combo, 4 x 5

Superset x 3 of:
Double KB overhead walk x 100ft
Double KB farmers walk x 100ft 

This is, of course, a portion of one of the kettlebell/bodyweight workouts. The big difference is that I did all these moves with two bells: the 35lb kettlebell and a 35lb dumbbell. It made this all a lot rougher (and the gusting winds and snow didn’t make the outdoor portion fun, either).

I felt increasingly crappy as things progressed, so I didn’t do the final two portions. I’m not pleased with that, but I also didn’t feel like throwing up, so there we are.

Jim vs. Kettlebell/Bodyweight Weekend

Back again.

Superset x 4 of:
Jump squats x 10
Lunge jumps x 5/5

Superset x 3 of:
Double KB push press x 6-8 (8-8-8)
Double KB row x 6-8 (8-8-8)

Superset x 3 of:
KB farmers walk x 100ft
KB rack walk x 100ft 

Superset x 2 of:
KTEs x 5-10 (10-10)
Plank x 30s
Side plank x 30s/30s
Jump rope x 250

This one wrecked me. It was good to try the second supersets with the 35lb kettlebell and a 35lb dumbbell, and overall things felt good until the planks. Those were just ugly, and the whole final superset thing was highly unpleasant.

But it’s done.

Jim vs. Kettlebells and Sandbags

Another revisit of the KB/BW hybrid workout, with some substitutions. The place where I usually do box jumps was slippery with rain, and I kinda wanted to bring the 50lb sandbag back out.

Supersets of:
1-arm KB snatch; 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 each hand
Standing broad jumps; 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 

Supersets of:
Goblet squats; 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 
50lb sandbag clean; 10, 8, 6, 4, 2

3 sets of:
Knees-to-elbows; max reps (8-5-5)

This one was miserable, start to finish. I hurt all over.

Jim vs. Kettlebell/Bodyweight Weekend Workout #1

Yes, this is the first workout of the program I just finished. I’m not restarting, though; it’s just that the program provided 12 very cool workouts with a lot of movements I don’t tend to do. So I figure, one per weekend will be a solid complement to the mainly barbell workouts I do during the week.

Superset x 4 of:
1-arm KB clean and press, 5 per hand
Max pull-ups, changing grip each round (9-7-7-5)

Superset x 3 of:
Walking KB lunges, 12 each hand
Max push-ups (23-21-20)

3 sets of:
Hand-to-hand KB swings x 20

Run for 5 minutes

Odd: my pull-up reps went down, but my push-up reps went up. Overall, I felt more comfortable with the exercises. So, that’s that.

Jim vs. Kettlebell Workout, Week 8 Day 3

I didn’t want to do this, but I damn sure wanted to be done.

1/2 mile run

Turkish get-up + windmill, 5 x 1/1

KB goblet squats, 5 x 8

For time:
Push-ups x 100
Recline ring rows x 100

1/2 mile run

I noticed that nothing in this workout’s write-up required that I do all the push-ups in the fourth part prior to doing any of the ring rows. So I broke them each up 40-30-20-10, and finished the whole thing in 9:08. It did not feel like cheating, and I got some cardiovascular fatigue in with the muscle fatigue.

And so, that’s it. The eight-week kettlebell/bodyweight hybrid program is done. I really enjoyed it, and if nothing else I’m much more comfortable with the kettlebell movements than I was two months ago.

Now to get re-acquainted with the barbells.

Jim vs. Kettlebell Workout, Week 8 Day 2

Normally, the second time I do one of these workouts, it’s as Rx’d. But then, normally I’m able to finished the scaled-back version the first time. That didn’t happen last week, so this week’s goal was to just get through said scaled-back version.

For time:
Burpees x 40
Squats x 40
Pull-ups x 40
Push-up x 40
Walking lunges x 40
KB swings x 40
Sit-ups x 40

And that modest goal, I achieved. I was somewhat conservative in my pacing in service of that goal, but still wrapped this up in 15:46.

Jim vs. Kettlebell Workout, Week 8 Day 1

The final week of this program got off to a good start.

Five rounds for time of:
1-arm KB shoulder press 5/5
1-arm KB row 10/10
KB reverse lunges 5/5
1-leg KB deadlifts 5/5
Run 100m

Knocked this out in 13:14, faster than last week’s time and I did all Rx’d reps. I credit some of that to treating this as a complex and not setting the kettlebell down until I had to run, and some to alternating which hand I started with between exercises so I had to switch hands less frequently, but still: I am very pleased.