Kettlebell Stacking and Updates

Injury update, all is well.  No pain in my left shoulder, right shoulder has been a little cranky.  That's my throwing shoulder, so I know for sure that will probably need cap replacement eventually as well. They both crack. Foot has held up fine.  I have not done any running whatsoever, nor plan to.  Only issue was when I decided to walk the beach and it was really sore the next day.  800 mg of Advil and ice alleviated it. I don't even know if I can hike.  The bride wanted to book a few days in Bar Harbor, ME and hike Acadia again, but I would hate to be shut down on day 1.  My podiatrist told me only 3 cortisone shots a year, so it's been less than 3 months need to keep it healthy for another couple of months.

Kettlebell update: Yes, I still use them a couple of times a week.  I had this grand illusion of doing 10,000 swings in 10 days.  Did the first 3 days no problem, actually did 500 on day 3 with a 32kg/70 lb.  Day 4, I had the "you're going to get hurt if this continues.." hunch and stopped.  

Let's discuss what I CAN'T do.  Jerks, I believe it assisted in causing the neuroma in the ball of my foot.  Snatches, I don't need to hear my shoulders go rice krispies on the downswing. Turkish Getups.  Surprisingly, presses do not bother them.  At the gym, no more pullups or dips. I've been doing machines, light sets of 10 and the StairMaster with no hands and the seated bike.  The bike routines are the longest 30 minutes of my life.  Still doing Yoga With Kassandra once or twice a week.  Good can opener for the hips and hamstrings.

It took until this week, but I found what works with kettlebells without the wear and tear.  An oldie but a goodie....STACKING.  Using a 45 lb. bell. 30 seconds each exercise

Two hand swing x :30 seconds (about 19-20 reps)

Rest :30

Goblet Squat x :30 seconds(about 9 or 10 reps)

Two hand swing x :30

Rest :30

Slingshot :30 seconds (around the body pass)

Goblet Squat x :30

Two hand swing x :30

Rest :30

Clean and Press L x :30 (6 reps)

Clean and Press R x :30

Slingshot x :30

Goblet Squat x :30

Two Hand Swing x :30

Rest :30

One Arm Row L x :30 (16-17 reps)

One Arm Row R x :30 

Clean and Press L x :30

Clean and Press R x :30

Slingshot x :30

Goblet Squat x :30

Two Hand Swing x :30

Rest 90 seconds, repeat 2 more times.

A tremendous MetCon of 36 minutes.  It felt good to open up the throttle.  You can do this for reps or lower the time of each exercise and go heavier.  

I've been traveling a lot for work.  Twice to Chicago already.  Again, in a month, then Toronto and NYC late may and early June.  The great dilemma is fly or drive to Toronto. I've surprisingly had some decent equipment in the hotels that I've stayed.  Also did 10 days in Florida and went to a couple of different Planet Fitness franchises.  I like working out in different gyms.  The funny part was I ran into a couple I used to see in my hometown gym 15 years ago, 1600 miles away.  

Been fasting once or twice a week depending on the length.  40 hours twice in the last month and 21+ twice this week.  Whenever I travel, I usually do it.  Coming home from 88 degree Florida, into 37 degree windy Boston, I figured, I'm going to be miserable anyway, might as well be REAL miserable.  

This is 53

Setting:  Honey Dew Doughnut Shop.  Me: Sitting with a medium cup of black coffee and stuffing my face with a butternut doughnut as well as dew drop stick, wallowing in my misery.

Visit to the orthopedist yesterday to have him look at my achy, but not debilitating left shoulder, after I got it X-rayed in December.  Prognosis: "If I just looked at this X-ray and didn't test your range of motion, I would be suggesting to you that we need to schedule joint replacement surgery."  No cartilage left in the ball of the joint, bone on bone movement, arthritis and spurring.  He told me we can do nothing until it's intolerable, shoot it with cortisone, but once that starts, you're getting one step closer to surgery.  I said, shoot it to kill the inflammation.  He said, once you have cortisone, you can't have the surgery for 3 months.  I laughed, said, "it doesn't matter, I just got a shot in my foot last week."  What's 14 weeks instead of 13?

Pretty frustrating.  I had originally had a slight separation 25 years ago that healed after a shot.  Horizontal movements, "band pull-aparts," "pec dec," swinging a golf club sometimes hurt it.  I'm sure all the kettlebell lifting and pressing wore it done a bit.  I never hurt it doing kettlebells, vertical pressing does not bother it, but alas, wear and tear.  It was a good run.  

What now?  First, I can't do ANYTHING.  No yoga because of my shoulder AND my foot.  Walking is limited.  I did 3.5 miles with my dog and my new insoles and I could feel the Morton's Neuroma later on. So, need to limit that.  Need to keep the weight off it.  Lifting, sure, leg extensions and leg curls, some ab work.  I'm basically going to take the rest of the month off and let the inflammation go away.  Throw in the $1200 I just spent this week at the optometrist for new scleral lenses with the comment, "there's toxicity on your corneas."  Have my colonoscopy next month, let's see how many polyps they find, and I'm a PHYSICAL WRECK. 

Hopefully, in March I can do swings and squats with kettlebells and light machine weights at the gym.  I've decided to get the surgery done in the fall after golf season and summer are over.  October is usually a slow month in my industry so that would be a good time.  6 week recovery, as good as new. I've started brushing my teeth and shaving with my right hand in preparation.  I look terrible with a beard. 

Need to lock the diet down and cut the calories.  

The Calm Before The Storm

That's right!  We are getting a BLIZZARD here in the lovely Commonwealth of Massachusetts starting off at 11 PM Friday night.  Who is going to need a workout after shoveling the deck, the path to the fire hydrant and mailbox?  Ran my snowblower 2 weeks ago when we had a foot, topped of the tank this afternoon and it fired right up!  The greater Milford region, according to Accuweather which has a residential station around the corner from my house is forecasting.....DRUM ROLL....27.1 inches. Wind gusts Saturday to 46 mph and Saturday night 66 mph.  Good times, stocked up on a 12 pack of Perpetual IPA and a handle of John Barr scotch. 2 more years of this and I'll be in FL My brother mentioned that it will be a low of 35 in Beautiful Sunny Naples FL on Saturday.  He has never turned on the heat.  It's a source of pride, not let's face facts, he's a skinflint.  Not me, if I'm cold, I turn up the heat.  

The foot is taken care of.  I received a cortisone shot in the top of my foot near ring and middle toe.  I let out a nice Ric Flair like WOOOOOOOOO when the podiatrist stuck it right in the middle of the sore spot.  Not the first time I've enjoyed being poked.  Coming Up (like a flower), a week from today, is the shoulder. Just a black and blue bruise on my foot and a little numbness in my ring toe, which is normal.  Have to wear inserts for my high arches from now on.

Took 4 days completely off.  Because of the shot, I couldn't do yoga and any one legged stuff, or jerks because of pushing up on my toes. Decided to keep my feet flat and do The Giant 2.0.  First workout of 3,4,5 was great. 5 rounds, 60 reps. Yesterday, did the 3,5,7 ladder.  Got to the 4th ladder and my back started getting balky near but not on my SI joint.  Quit at 53 reps.  Woke up this morning, still tight, decided to do day 25 of the 2019 Yoga with Time 30 day challenge.  43 minutes later I felt good.  With an empty nest, I'm going to need it to do shoveling. 

My plan as of right now is to go out 3 times. In the morning after coffee. Around 4 PM and then Sunday AM.  Playing couples cribbage in the afternoon and watching the NFL games.  Go Bengals and 49ers. As a Patriots fan, I was glad to see the Bucs lose in spite of the fact that my siblings have season tickets to Tampa Bay. I sent them the I Love LA video by Randy Newman.  Great tune.

Bills should have fired their defensive coordinator and special teams coach right after the game.  Why not squib kick it and make them return it and burn off clock?  Why are the safeties so deep on 1st and 10 with 8 seconds left?  They were on their 30.  One of the best games I've ever seen and one of the best weekends of football. I'm satisfied with the Patriots season.  They finished the season in kind of a dud, but they played well and improved from last year.

Good day to empty the drawer of my opinions.  You may agree with them or not.  That's fine, I like debate and what people think. Been a strange 2022 so far.

1. I'm ambivalent in regard to COVID.  If you want to get a vaccine and boosters, terrific, that's your prerogative.  If you don't, that's great too.  But we should not be segregating people and showing proof.  If you don't have to show an ID to vote, why should you break HIPAA laws and show vaccine status?  For the record, I did get the JnJ last May.  I was forced to by my mother who wouldn't allow me to visit her if I didn't.  Complete go through the motions.  Yes, Mommy still does tell her soon to be 53 year old eldest son what to do sometimes. There will NOT be any booster shots.  She is aware of this and currently we are agreeing to disagree as the bride and I are going down to visit in March. My pal Darren told me last June when I was down, I'm always welcome to stay at his place.  MRNA does not work against Omicron. No more big pharma juice for me.

2. Finally the stock market went up today.  Been getting treated like a baby treats a diaper. I have gotten hammered this year, but all my holdings are quality.  Fed printed too much money, Brandon shut the Keystone Pipeline down. When gas is more expensive, logistics become more expensive which leads to higher prices with a weak dollar.  Rates are going to have to go up, and this will kill the real estate market.  Commercial Real Estate is going to crash due to remote work.  Why pay for office space?  When leases expire, it's going to get REALLY UGLY.

3. More people voted, dead or alive in the 2020 election than ever in the history of the United States.  The only voting laws we need are: Show your ID at the poll, and absentee ballots. None of this mail-in stuff. 

4. Why are we so worried about Ukraine's sovereignty but not our own at the Southern border? 

5. Winter sports are awful to watch.  The NBA is garbage.  Nothing but a 3 point shooting contest, everything you've ever been taught on how to play basketball is thrown out the window.  Celtics need to trade Jayson Tatum yesterday.  Guy is more interested in All Star teams than banners.  A complete stat padder.  And don't get me started on hockey.  I saw the puck better in 1979 on a snowy UHF TV-38.  They pan so far away from the action.  I can't see the numbers, the helmets hide the players' faces.  It looks like the Ice Capades with sticks.  We SHOULD NOT be sending a team to China as well.

6. I got the Disney Plus channel after Thanksgiving.  The Beatles Get Back movie was PHENOMENAL.  I watched all 8 hours twice.  The second time to study it. I didn't see a band that hated each other.  They got along great.  Paul McCartney ate, slept and drank songwriting.  Watching him figure out the riff of Get Back the song in 5 minutes was amazing.  Also, figuring out lyrics.  At first it was an immigrant protest song, talking about Pakistanis getting back to where they once belong but it changed.  Ringo was the glue of the band and dependable.  John had full on ADHD but was supportive and brought a couple of songs to the table.  George had a bunch of songs just percolating and stood up for his opinions well.  It inspired me to start playing the piano again. Since the New Years, I've taken the Beatles easy piano book that my wife has an been playing 20-30 minutes a day.  So far, I've aced We Can Work It Out and Nowhere Man.  Here's proof.

I'm currently working on I've Just Seen A Face and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da which is difficult trying to keep the reggae groove with the left hand.  It's fun and keeps the mind sharp.  

7.  I finally made the break. I'm completely off social media.  Deleted my 14 year old, 1300 + contact LinkedIn account in December. Don't need it, going to use SalesIntel to develop my network.  The virtue signaling, good bye messages, and pronouns got to be too much.  I wanted to use Bro, Bruh, Brah, but it wouldn't be good for my career. If you're SO sad to leave your company, then why are you leaving?   It's basically the want-ads for those looking for a job.  I have a great headhunter and a better network.  Quit Twitter in 2020, Fakebook in 2010, never been on Instagram. (Imagine a narcissistic 52 year old taking pictures of himself.)  Never going to happen. 

8. Here's a great hack.  Pretend it's 1985 once every week or 2.  Do not turn on your phone or your computer.  Just TV.  Or take an information fast.  Read books, lots of them.  Your brain will thank you.  

9.  Speaking of books it is amazing how relevant Atlas Shrugged! is today.  

10. My role has changed at my company. I'm going to be doing a lot of traveling, especially to the Midwest.  Chicago, at least three times in 4 months. New York twice and Dallas.  Going to be craziness. 

11. Metabolic syndrome is the greatest risk from a health standpoint that the US has today.  Gaps in care, high BMI, high H1C, large belly circumference, low HDL and hypertension are wreaking havoc on health.  Type 2 diabetes is an ugly disease that must be reversed.  It is an ugly way to go.  

12. Congratulations to the greatest Red Sox player of all time making the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.  David Ortiz!  Everyone swear it is Ted Williams, but the Splendid Splinter hit .200 in his only World Series appearance with 0 HR and 1 RBI.  Never knocked in 100 RBI after 1950.  I made friends with Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy at a golf tournament last September, he told me to look at Williams' OPS.  They're ridiculous statistics.  However, Papi ended the 82 years of losing to the Yankees, has 3 rings and hit .688 in 2013 World Series.  It would have been .700 had Carlos Beltran not reached into the bullpen and caught a sacrifice fly.  My ballot:

Ortiz, Clemens, Bonds, Schilling, Kent, Sheffield, Ramirez, Visquel and A-Rod.  Bagwell, Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Piazza were rumored to be on the bean.  Put them all in and Pete Rose.  

Adjusting Into Middle Age...Yoga anyone?

 Greetings from the injury couch.  

I need to stay off my foot until Monday when I see the podiatrist.  A case of Morton's Neuroma with a side dish of bursitis in the top of my middle and ring toes on my right foot.  I originally injured the foot jumping rope 10 or 11 years ago.  Since then, a little numbness once in a while, but it reared its ugly head in November from running.  I've stopped running and noticed it was getting better the last 2 weeks.  Yesterday, for some reason it was sorer than usual and I popped 800 mg of Advil that my son had from getting his wisdom teeth out.  When I got up to go to bed last night after watching TV and sitting for couple of hours, I couldn't put ANY weight on it.  It was throbbing.  Today it is about 75% but I made the appointment.  Add that to the arthritis/spacing/spurs in my left shoulder and you would think that I'm a physical wreck.  Hopefully I'll get cortisone shots for both and we'll evaluate.

Working around the shoulder has been easy enough.  I stopped doing pull-ups and strict presses.  Running a kettlebell chain program called Herky Jerky. It is keeping the conditioning up.  More importantly, I've been doing daily yoga for over a month.  Every day, except today, of course Yoga With Tim on YouTube has a 30 day challenge.  I'm doing the 2019 one and have completed 24 days. The best part is when he has the Orange County Yoga bunnies as his students.  

I can honestly say when I'm doing it, I count the minutes until it's over. BUT!!!! it works wonders.  My back feels bulletproof,  my shoulders, hips and hamstrings are completely loosened up.  I can do a crow pose for 2 seconds and my balance is significantly better.  It is exhausting and really a challenge.  Something I will definitely stick with.

My son was home from college where he started lifting.  19 years old, 6'2" and a long, lean 195 lb. While home on semester break he joined a gym with barbells.  Full of testosterone, he's making GAINZZZ all over the place and was chugging 2 protein shakes a day.  To be young and know what I know now.

Went as a guest his last day home before he went back.  I haven't lifted barbells in 5 years, so decided to peck around and see what felt good.  First the ugly: Threw 135 on the bench laid down did 3 sets of 5.  Form good, weight felt light, but both shoulders were like Rice Krispies. Especially my GOOD one!  Then squat rack.  Did a warm up set and my shoulder ACHED from reaching back and trying to grip the bar on my back.  Did a couple of sets of 225 for 5 after they stretched out.  But I figured with the yoga I wouldn't have had the issue of gripping the bar on my back

Now the good.  I did a standing military press for 3 at 115 lb. and just missed 135. As in if I wanted to shake and grind I might have gotten it, but what would be the point?  Then we went to the deadlift.  I ended up ripping 275 off the floor, no problem perfect form.  I had 315, easy but was too lazy to switch out the plates. 

I'm going to join that gym in the summer.  Monday and Tuesday I had soreness in places I didn't know existed.  

Add running and jumping rope to the "No More, You Can't Do" list.  I'm so glad that I didn't do 75 Hard, I would have had to quit today and start over 1/2 way through. 

The Greatest Single Kettlebell Program

 Did the title hook you to click?  

My experience with running the The Giant is over.  Using double 55 lb./25 kg kettlebells, I completed all 5 programs of 4 weeks apiece. What I loved about it, was set the clock from 20-30 minutes and do cleans and presses.  No timed rest periods, just auto-regulate and do the work. On days that, I didn't have it, all I had to do was get through the 30 minutes.

The issue, I have, is it is a minimalist approach.  Do one exercise for 20 weeks.  I like variety.  What I loved about the Rite of Passage program, is it also involves swings, snatches and 2 variety days.  As if the author is saying, "I know you're not going to do the program as written, so here are 2 days to do other work."

I freely admit that I was doing pullups, dips, chest presses and running on off days from The Giant.  So what now? 

Well, I combined the things I liked about both of the programs above combined them and added an exercise.

1. Use a single kettlebell

I like changing up between singles and doubles.  ROP is a single kettlebell program and The Giant can be done using a single bell.

2. Set the clock for 30 minutes and do clean and press on each side

I'll pass on doing 5 ladders, 75 repetitions per side and taking over an hour to complete heavy day.  Sweet spot for me is between 25 and 50 repetitions. 

3. ADD A SQUAT

Here is where I am traveling off the reservation.  My biggest complaint with both programs is the lack of squatting.  You can do them on variety days with the ROP, but it's never stated in the program.  I'm also a fan of single kettlebell squats in the rack.  One of the most UNDERRATED exercises. You need to stay tight so the bell doesn't fall out of the rack and it works the side abdominal wall as well.  This is not to be confused with a goblet squat, which you hold with both hands.  

It looks like this.  Medium day is sets of 2.  Clean and Press, Clean and Press, lower bell back to rack, squat 2 times, switch hands and repeat.

4. Swings and Snatches after completing 30 minutes.

I always loved this addition to the ROP for conditioning.  Using a dice roll, from 2-12, calculate the number of minutes to do ballistics.  On medium days, one hand swings, heavy days two hand swings, light days, snatches.  Depending how you feel effort level should be 75-100%.

Perform this program 3 days a week for 4 weeks. On off days, yoga, walk, do a 2-3 mile run, some pullups and dips. Walk on all off days.  I don't see walking as a workout.  I look at it as movement for your heart and to burn calories. 

Putting it all together, it looks like this, I'm using a 61.6 lb./28 kg bell for everything except snatches.  For snatches a 55 lb./25 kg bell.

BELL SIZE 5-6 REP MAX.  

SUNDAY MEDIUM DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 2 Clean and Press/Squat left, then a set of 2 Clean and Press/Squat right

One hand swings

Roll a pair of dice or go to RANDOM.ORG and press the button for a dice roll.  Take sum of roll and do sets of 10 left then 10 right of one hand swings as many sets as possible.  For example, dice roll is 10.  For 10 minutes, do sets of one hand swings, rest as necessary.  No rest between left and right hand.  Park bell once 20 swings are completed.

MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY/SATURDAY VARIETY OR REST DAY

Walk, do some YouTube yoga for 30-45 minutes, go to gym and do a light workout or run. Walk EVERYDAY, but at LEAST one day week, do nothing more than walk. 

TUESDAY HEAVY DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 3 Clean and Press/Squat left then a set of 3 Clean and Press/Squat right

Two hand swings

Same instructions as above with the dice roll.  I like doing a set of 10 ever 30 seconds.  So 15 seconds swings, 15 seconds rest. 

THURSDAY EASY DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 1 Clean and Press/Squat left, then a set of 1 Clean and Press/Squat right

One arm snatches

Same instructions as above with the dice roll.  Snatch left, snatch right, park bell. I like either doing a set of 5L, 5R and rest to the top of each minute. Or, a set of 10L, 10R, then rest a minute. Make sure to use impeccable form and take care of your hands to avoid blisters.

Do this for 4 weeks and test clean and press rep max. If the rep max is 7/8, try it using a 3, 4, 5 rep scheme.  If 9/10, do 4, 5, 6 rep scheme.

Happy New Year!

Enter the Kettlebell vs The Giant

 I wanted to right a comparison of Enter the Kettlebell's Rite of Passage vs. The Giant.  Having had experience running both programs, I will tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly of both.  How they are alike and how they are different.  

First, let's state the obvious:  Both are kettlebell programs in which you do the clean and press for 3 days a week. Both use auto-regulation for rest periods.  Both can be done with one kettlebell. The Rite of Passage and The Giant 2.0 both use a ladders repetition scheme. You will get strong doing either, guaranteed.  Both wave the reps schemes weekly; easy, medium, hard.

Now let's state the differences.

Goals:

The Rite of Passage (ROP) goal is twofold: 

1. To press half of your bodyweight with a kettlebell on each side.

2. Be able to snatch the 24 kg for men 200 times in 10 minutes. 

The Giant is a 5 program set running 20 weeks where you start with either your 5 or 10 rep max and run through 4 or 5 of the sub-programs and advance the repetition scheme of each sub-program. Ideally each week, perform one more set than the previous week.

Number of kettlebells used during workout:

ROP is a single kettlebell clean and press. program, but you may use a heavier kettlebell for your swings or snatches.

The Giant is a single OR double kettlebell clean and press. 

Time:

ROP is to be run until you reach 1/2 bodyweight press and achieve 200 snatches.  The time of each workout is as long as necessary to finish your 5 ladders of cleans and presses and the number of minutes for the dice roll for snatches and swings.

The Giant is a 20 week program.  Each workout is 20-30 minutes long.  

Rep Scheme:

ROP 3 days, Easy, Medium, Heavy, 5 ladders of (1,2,3), (1,2,3,4), (1,2,3,4,5) 310 total reps per week.

The Giant 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 3.0 Reps run from 1-9.  Straight sets.  Meaning, as many sets of 1 or 9 in the 20-30 minutes you set.  The Giant 2.0, ladders run 3-8 reps.

Rest Days:

ROP recommends 2 full rest days and 2 "variety days" where you can practice other movements.  Squats, snatches, getups.  Basically Pavel is saying, "I know you're not going to rest like I'm telling you so have at it two other days."

The Giant recommends take 4 days off, recover and enjoy life.  If you must, 3 x 3 schemes on off days.  Or walk, yoga, just take it easy.

Extras:

ROP recommends doing pullups in between sets of ladders.  I don't have a pullup bar at home so I do one arm rows. Plus snatches and swings.  Number of minutes by rolling 2 dice.  I like the latter part.  The former is tough when doing pullups.  Especially when doing pullups in the 4th and 5th ladder.

The Giant, did I mention all you do is clean and press?  Just clean and press.

My take: Both are awesome programs. I've run both for over 20 weeks now or in the past.  I love the finisher of doing swings and snatches of the ROP.  It is truly a strength and conditioning program that covers a lot of bases.  The variety days are great for doing some squats, 5 x 5 will do, and practicing snatching.  I don't believe snatching once a week at 50-60% capacity is going to get you to pass the snatch test. 

It's a younger man's program if you have your sights set on the goals.  At 52, I'm not getting to 200 with a 24 kg bell.  I don't have the cardiovascular capacity.  That doesn't mean you can't run the program for 3 months, just it's not likely to happen.  I've also accepted the 1/2 body press is out of reach.  I have push pressed the 40 kg for reps, but never strict pressed.  

My all time best at 185-190 lb.

Clean and press 36 kg for ladders of (1,2,3) on each side.  160-165 snatches with a 25 kg bell in 10 minutes.  I have passed the 5 minute test of a 100 reps with a 25 kg bell.

Most people max out on this program with the 32 kg bell. Performing 75 reps of clean and press on each side with a 32 is no joke, and after running it for a little bit, I've found myself getting nicked up, injury-wise.  Best recommendation 3 months and switch.  You'll love the results, but for the mature kettlebeller, the chance of injury is increases as you progress.  

One last thing, the heavy day workouts are LONG, as in hitting it hard for 60-75 minutes.  25 sets each side + hard swings.

The Giant 

This program is a real winner.  Here's what I love about it.  Set the clock for 20-30 minutes, do the work.  If you're having a bad day and the bells feel heavy, just by showing up and doing 4-6 sets, you've finished your workout.  With the ROP, it's not done until the ladders are done.  It is recommended that you run it with doubles for best results.  You can even use mismatched bells (I don't)  You can run it with a single bell. 

I remember first starting it and using double 55's.  My rep max was 6.  Now in the 1.2 program where the heavy day is 9, I just blow right past 6 reps. I did 4 sets of 9 in 16 minutes and a set of 4 in 20 minutes.  By the time I finished 1.0, 10 reps clean and press with 55's. was no problem.  

The good news is, you get REALLY good at the clean and press. If you're using the right doubles weight, it's great for conditioning and with the correct diet, you'll trim down while packing on some muscle.  Bad news, is there is no variety. You can run other programs alongside it, but you'll stall, progression-wise as you get into weeks 9-20.

Right now, my off-days for 1.2 are 45 minutes of yoga and a 3 mile walk.  I'm not going to stray from this.  

I am looking forward to testing my rep max with double 32's when I'm done.

Conclusion:

You can't go wrong with either.  If you have the time to invest, are not high mileage, like variety and want to become a stud with a single kettlebell, than the ROP is for you.  If you want a minimalist, just do this for 60-90 minutes per week with time to recover and also use doubles, than go with The Giant. 

 

The Giant 1.1 and Thoughts on 75 Hard

Well it took me 6 weeks, but the Giant 1.1 program is in the books.  I did use the double 55's, but adjustments had to be made.  First, the timer.  I set it for 20 minutes instead of 30.  Secondly, I did not chase sets.  If I only did 5 sets, good enough. Third, I went on vacation for 8 days and did not have access to kettlebells.  I finally played my autoregulation card.  There is some real magic in 5 sets of 6-8.  It was hard and yes, I'm going to run 1.2.  The 9 rep days aren't going to be pretty, but I ran it with 45's so I know what I'm getting into.  Just going to go by feel, because 6 months from now, am I really going to care if I only got 45 reps vs 54?  The program was a success and didn't get injured.

Just after my last post, I finished the Ballistic Beatdown program.  One of my LEAST favorite from the More Kettlebell Muscle/Kettlebell Hard book. I dislike doing long sets of high pulls.  They are a grip killer and doing 10, followed by 10 double snatches is just not safe.  Especially for people who have just started using double kettlebells.  Days 2 and 3 are not fun in weeks 5 and 6.  Don't recommend.  

I will say the benefit of Ballistic Beatdown is the conditioning aspect, but I think there are better routes to take.  I was in Florida and running 5-6 miles at a clip.  Flat land and warm, but not hot weather.  Got 3 rounds of golf in and hit the ball great.  A good way to finish the season.

75 Hard is a program designed by Andy Frisella.  It's not a physical transformation challenge.  It's a "ironman" for the brain.  I have not finished it.  I have run it for 9 days twice and failed.  I chose to fail. When you fail, back to day 1.  Cue up the Price is Right, loss music....wha whu whu wa WAHHHHHHHH.

Here are the rules:

For 75 days,

1. Progress photo once a day.  

2. No alcohol

3. Follow a diet.  NO junk food or cheat meals

4. Two workouts per day, one MUST be outdoors 45 minutes each

5. Read 10 pages of a self development book

6. Drink one gallon of water a day.

No compromises, no excuses.

Sounds easy?  Let's evaluate:

Progress photo

I can't believe people fail on this.  Wake up, hit the head, wash your hands, grab your phone, shoot.  No one needs to see it.  We all look our age 1st thing. Laugh, delete.  Why do this?  So you can measure progress, but more importantly, it's about the details.  Simple tasks matter.

No alcohol

This one can be tough for a lot of people.  I have failed because I went to my friend's new restaurant and bar and had a couple of beers.  A great habit to be in, and your workouts are incredible.  I did drink alcohol down in Florida because I was on vacation.  It's a choice. Is having that beer going to help you attain your goals?  No.  Pretty black and white.  After 14 days, this gets easy.  My suggestion would be start by designating 1 day a week to drink for about 3-4 weeks.  No alcohol on the other 6 days to get out of the habit.

Diet

This is the hardest one for everyone.  You can pick ANY diet you want.  This could be as simple as eating 3 square meals a day.  No junk food.  I have read blogs and opinions from "nutritionists" that  says it can cause an unhealthy relationship with food.  I call HORSE MANURE.  Eat healthy, what's unhealthy about eating clean and not drinking?  I picked one meal a day twice a week, which is basically fasting for 22-23 hours.  Again, is eating potato chips helping me reach my goals?  Eat, just make sure it's good food.

Two Workouts, 45 minutes each

This one can be a challenge especially with the weather getting cold and unpredictable up here in the northeast.  First the good news, I have an 18 month old golden retriever who is the apple of my eye and she needs exercise.  A 3 mile walk is a win/win.  Indoors, piece of cake I have kettlebells and after the Giant, can do some ab work, farmer carries and 5 x 5 squats and rows.  

Why outdoors?  Conditions aren't always perfect in life.  These workouts also can't be run back to back.  Two workouts is a little extreme.  I would say if you need to recover.  yoga for one session and a walk for another.  Last week, I hit tennis balls to my dog, (I live in the center of a cul-de-sac) and did some kettlebell swings, squats and carries in my driveway for 45 minutes. Be creative.

Read 10 pages of a self improvement book

A great habit to practice instead of scrolling your phone over morning coffee.  I work for a habit change company, so I'm reading Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg to improve my craft.  

Habits = Motivation + Ability + Prompt.  What people don't realize is motivation AKA willpower is finite.  Ability and prompt aren't  To be successful at making good habits, focus on your ability and what prompts you.

Drink a gallon of water a day.

Ok, this is extreme.  Especially for women.  128 oz. is a LOT of water.  Yes you will be hydrated.  But if you're drinking 3 quarts which should be your minimum and are peeing clear, that should be good enough.  Substituting water for PM coffee or wine/beer is the theory behind it.  Here is the issue:  The outdoor workout.  There is nothing worse than trudging home the last 15 minutes when your bladder is about to explode, OR drinking it all at night and waking up every 2 hours.  Drink as much as you can early and be strategic about your outdoor workout.  This is the worst step of the program, and when I do it, I drink the gallon. 

I think this is genius if you understand the psychology behind it.  It can be extreme.  It is NOT a check the tasks off.  The tasks should be done with INTENT.  Everyone compromises with themselves in life.  This program teaches you not to compromise, to be your best even on days you don't feel it. It teaches you in business or life that conditions aren't always going to be perfect, but you do the right thing anyway.  Sandy Koufax one time said he only had his best pitching stuff 20% of the time.  But look at his numbers, he performed without it.  

I'm 0 for 2 so far.  However I have lost about 6 lb-7 lb. from vacation and did power through a 39 hour fast Monday vs. fasting twice.  

Even if you're not running 75 Hard, and ran this below, it's a really good blueprint for health and discipline. 

1. Eat a healthy diet

2. No/limited alcohol 1 day a week limit 3 units

3. Drink 3 quarts of water

4. Read a chapter, self improvement, non-fiction, Bible.  

5. One workout one walk

6. Take a photo once a week. 

Don't count the days. Just win today.  

For the most of this blog, I DO NOT provide progress reports.  I don't write about it unless I finish it.  I really don't like when people post on forums, and blogs how after 30 days how they're life has changed, yet fail 3 days later and never complete the program. 

No one wants to see progress photos of a soon to be 53 year old man with bed head anyway.  

Happy Thanksgiving