Enter The Kettlebell, The Rite of Passage

After having excellent success with the 10,000 swing workout, I decided to change things up.  One thing that I really liked about the program was using a single kettlebell.  I've been mostly doing doubles for a long time.  Single kettlebell work can be tougher because the time under tension is longer.  For example, do a set of 5 presses with double bells.  Once you hit 5, you're done.  Now with singles, you have to switch hands and do 5 on the other side. The set takes longer.  So I decided to go back to an oldie but a goody.  The Rite of Passage from the book Enter The Kettlebell.

This is one of best kettlebell books ever written. The goal is to snatch a 24kg kettlebell 200 times in 10 minutes and clean and press 1/2 your bodyweight.  Two lofty goals indeed.  Which is harder?  Easy answer, both.  If I was a betting man, I figure that the press would be easier.  Not that's it's easy.  But if you really wanted to eat like a horse, really work on your technique, and if your shoulders can take it, press, press and press some more you'd get there.  Of course, gaining weight means making the press even heavier.  The snatch test?  Too many variables. I think when you get to a certain age, there is a limit on the type of condition you can be in. A month or so ago, I did something that jacked my heart rate up to 210.  I was bragging to my cousin until he told me I was an idiot and that was too fast for my age. Second, hand care, one bad rep, blister, shelf.  Third, grip strength, 100 in 5 minutes? Done it, give me 6 weeks and I'll get it again, now do 100 more?  A noble goal.  My all time best was 151, and in hindsight, had probably 160, but not much more.  I've done 200 with a 16 kg in sets of 10 in 9 minutes, and it was fatiguing.  Now add 20 lbs to each rep.  Just remember it's the journey not the result, or so I'm saying as I start this.  I'm going to stick with it for at least 12 weeks and see what happens. 

The Workouts
5 per week
Easy day, 5 ladders of 1,2,3 cleans and presses alternated with Pullups, Roll dice, do the sum for x minutes snatches, nice and easy about 50-60% effort

Variety Day

Medium Day, 5 ladders, of 1,2,3,4 cleans and presses alternated with Pullups, Roll dice do swings for sum of minutes 75% effort

Variety Day

Heavy Day, 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 of cleans and press alternated with Pullups, Swings at 85-90% effort

Days off before and after heavy day. 

One change, I don't have a pullup bar.  The one I had wasn't wide enough to fit the doorways in the house I moved into 2 years ago, so we're going to do one arm rows in place.

What should I do on a variety day?  Anything you want as long as it isn't too strenuous and affects your pressing.  See it as a practice.  Or if you want to go for a run, do that. 

This book, in my opinion does have it's weaknesses  It's vague and also doesn't account for any type of squatting.  So my suggestion is do some squatting of variety days if you like.  I also don't believe you can get to 200 snatches on an easy day of snatching and under 12 minutes of swings alone, but we'll get to that later.

I'm through week 1 of the pressing, here's how it looked

9/30/16
Medium Day, 32kg/70 lb. kettlebell 
5 ladders of 1,2,3,4  left then right cleans and presses supersetted
with 5 ladders of one arm rows 40kg/88 lb. bell (1,2,3,4)

Used random.org website to roll dice......Snake eyes!  2 minutes
2 x 30 with a 40 kg/88lb. bell  60 swings

10/1/16
Variety Day 
Single kettlebell squat in the rack
40 kg/88 lb.  5 ladders of 1,2,3,4 Left and right
Two hand swings
40 kg/88 lb.
20 sets of 15 reps, 300 total. Rest until the top of each minute

I like these squats better than goblet squats.  Not only do you get to practice a clean with a heavier weight, it hits your oblique and forces you to STAY TIGHT.  If not, the bell will fall out of the rack.
Swings felt good.  The 10,000 in 10 days made this a breeze

10/2/16
Easy Day 32kg/70 lb. kettlebell
5 ladders of one clean then presses (1,2,3) Left, Right supersetted with
5 ladders of one arm rows 40kg/88 lb. bell (1,2,3)

Rolled a 9 for snatches
55 lb. bell,  10 sets of 5L, 5R, one set of 4 L, 4 R 108 reps. Did them in a nice pace, didn't really open it up.  Did my set, walk a lap around my basement, did another set.  The bell felt light.

10/3/16
Off
I did run 4.7 miles.  On Saturday I was driving to pick my son up from work on this crappy road that is pothole mired.  An 18 wheeler came at me, I moved to the right, BOOM, hit a crater. Bent my rim.  When I miraculously made it home, there was 4 PSI in my tire.  Allstate Auto came to change it and the rim was bent. Took it to my mechanic on Monday, $172 and a used rim later, I ripped off a letter to the next town's DPW asking for reimbursement.  On Sunday there was a cone in the crater which I mentioned in the letter along with a picture of my rim and my paid invoice. It's the principle of the matter. It's the beginning of October not the end of March and winter. How about having a little pride and fixing your roads?  I dropped the car off and ran from the mechanic's garage around a pond and home.  Hadn't run in 2 weeks. Made it without stopping.

10/4/16
Heavy day 32kg/70. kettlebell
5 ladders of clean and presses (1,2,3,4,5) supersetted
with 5 ladders of one arm rows 40 kg/88 lb. bell (1,2,3,4,5)
 I got all the reps, nothing got stuck. It was tiring, and took about 63 minutes. Some of the press were great, punching the bell from the rack overhead. Others, went up slower. 150 press is a lot.

Two hand swings, Rolled a 6
Did 6 x 20 and 1 x 12 with a 40 kg/88 lb. bell.  Could really feel the grip in my foreams toward the end.

I like two hand swings better than one hand.  I am of the opinion for endurance, it tests your grip better because the hands don't get a rest as when doing one hand.  Easier on the hands as well.

Tomorrow will be an off day. I might go for a walk, but other than that, recover from this morning's beating

For variety day on Thursday, I'm going to do the squat workout but only ladders of 1,2,3. Either swings or hill sprints and maybe some loaded cleans and getups.

Tips on the Rite of Passage

As having moved from 55 lbs. to successfully completing 70 lbs. presses here are some tips.

1. Don't kill yourself on variety days.  You should feel good when you're done, not peeled off the floor.  50-60% exertion is good.

2. Always go hard on your swing days with good form.  85-90%, also use a bell heavier than the snatch bell.

3. Before jumping up to the next kettlebell, own the bell you are using.  If you can complete heavy day with the bell you are working with, keep using it.  This will build a pattern of success and help you lock in your form. 8-12 sessions should do it.

4. If you miss a set or 2, put the bell down, shake it out, finish the reps.  1,2,3,4,3,2 still equals 15.  You're still getting the volume in, it's just taking an extra couple of sets. 

5. The clean is the key to a good press. If your clean isn't crisp and you don't get tight, you're press will stink too.

6. When you press, extend your alternate arm and make a fist to keep tension throughout the body. It works.

7. Have the bell deep in your palm and squeeze the handle tight.  If you get stuck, squeeze harder, the bell will move.

8.  Flex your lats and pack your shoulder.  This will protect your shoulder and you will have a stronger press.

9.  Get an intermediate bell.  Seriously, invest the money.  Going from a 24 to a 32 is 17.6 lbs.  A 62 will cost $100 or 3 months of a membership at a real gym.  You'll get at least 3 months out of it.  Most people quit because they either get bored, or try to make too big of a jump.  I still use my 62.  It's good for snatches and swings.  I'm going to invest in a 36 kg around Christmas time myself.  I've tried to press the 88.  I can't press the 88.  Push press, sure, turkish get up, absolutely.  Strict press, no.  I can press a 79 and have done it this year at a gym in San Francisco.  Did 3 reps each side actually. 

All for now, stay tuned for updates.