Nice work on the dips buddy.
You will be feeling and looking your best in no time.
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Thanks a lot birdie.
[b] Week 9: Cardio Day
Swimming [/b]
30lengths: 40min
Bodyweight: 95.6kg
I was very tired when I got home due to hayfever/heat so I had a fair amount of cider and fell asleep. Then I got pissed off at myself for being such a bitch and went to the pool and got a decent amount of work done.
Haven’t checked in on you in a while! Glad to see training and everything else is going pretty well for you. Nice to see you got some decent work even though you felt crappy. I try to highlight on my spreadsheet days that I felt like crap and still hit some decent lifts. Sort of call them crappy day PR’s.
I feel your pain when it comes to not being as enthusiastic about training. Right now I’m really enjoying barbell lifting and KB Swings after lower body sessions but just have not been in the mood to get back to doing Long Cycle and Snatches. A new favorite KB movement (that I don’t log) of mine lately has been the 1 Legged Deadlift with my 80# KB. Really hits my hamstrings and core pretty hard when keeping it slow and controlled through the whole movement.
Seems like it would go well with the 1 Armed KB Rowing that you have been doing. Keep up the good work buddy!!!
[quote]jblues85 wrote:
Haven’t checked in on you in a while! Glad to see training and everything else is going pretty well for you. Nice to see you got some decent work even though you felt crappy. I try to highlight on my spreadsheet days that I felt like crap and still hit some decent lifts. Sort of call them crappy day PR’s.
I feel your pain when it comes to not being as enthusiastic about training. Right now I’m really enjoying barbell lifting and KB Swings after lower body sessions but just have not been in the mood to get back to doing Long Cycle and Snatches. A new favorite KB movement (that I don’t log) of mine lately has been the 1 Legged Deadlift with my 80# KB. Really hits my hamstrings and core pretty hard when keeping it slow and controlled through the whole movement.
Seems like it would go well with the 1 Armed KB Rowing that you have been doing. Keep up the good work buddy!!! [/quote]
Thanks jblues! Yeah I went through a phase where I was less motivated, I think because I got out of the swing of it a bit and my frequency dropped. I’m feeling pretty good about it now though. Although I’m toying with the idea of changing things right up and maybe following a bodybuilding routine. I’ve always fancied the idea of doing a high volume push/pull/lower split, but never got round to it. We shall see.
I’ve tried that exercise before, it’s a really good one! I feel it particularly hits your core/lower back in a different way to swings, as well as blasting the hamstrings.
[b] Week 9: Lower Body Day
Warm-Up [/b]
Hip circles and goblet squats
Kettlebell Swings/Front Squats
28kg: 300 total
2x28kg: 18 total
Time: 37:55
Bodyweight: 95.3kg
My bodyweight is still in the 95s, but I at least seem to have stopped it from rising further. Just need to start chipping away at it now. This session got off to a slow start, and the 28kg felt especially heavy, but it picked up speed and I ended up with a solid improvement over the previous time (although I had to split all 50 rep sets in two).
As above, I am seriously considering switching over to a bodybuilding split. I really fancy the idea of training in a gym again and hitting the “show” muscles more. I’d probably do a push/pull/lower split (each bodypart just once a week) alongside low volume, frequent swings (I could never give my swings up!). In August I’m moving to the big city so a 24 hour gym membership would be really handy. Also I’m going to live a 30min walk from work so that will keep me active too!
Hi Furo,
This bodybuilding split sounds like it could be fun. I must admit, I follow your log mostly because I love seeing what other minimalists and kettlebellers are doing. But I’m also curious to see what would happen if you went from the simple and solid base you’ve got working for you, to a bodybuilding focus.
It might even be something I want to try for myself. But like your current situation, I lack the gym. I think a solid gym really helps with those kind of programs. Whenever I consider doing some cool programs like that I find I need to change 50 percent of the exercises since all I have are a few kettlebells, a barbell, and a floor.
What big city are you moving to?
Oh, and walking to work is awesome. I’m lucky enough to do it every day, and I think it does wonders for my recovery and overall fitness. I think walking is one of the most underrated things out there. Take a backpack so you can swing by the store for food and then get a loaded walk out of it. And if you want to go heavier, just buy a bunch of beer!
[quote]booksbikesbeer wrote:
This bodybuilding split sounds like it could be fun. I must admit, I follow your log mostly because I love seeing what other minimalists and kettlebellers are doing. But I’m also curious to see what would happen if you went from the simple and solid base you’ve got working for you, to a bodybuilding focus.
It might even be something I want to try for myself. But like your current situation, I lack the gym. I think a solid gym really helps with those kind of programs. Whenever I consider doing some cool programs like that I find I need to change 50 percent of the exercises since all I have are a few kettlebells, a barbell, and a floor. [/quote]
Hey bud! To be honest I think I’d use a lot of the minimalist principles and lessons I’ve learnt in my bodybuilding approach. I’d certainly keep exercise selection to a real minimum. And I’d definitely keep the high frequency swings going, because they are just too effective! I see minimalist kettlebell training as my main staple but experimenting will be fun and interesting.
[quote]booksbikesbeer wrote:
What big city are you moving to? [/quote]
I’m moving to Glasgow 
[quote]booksbikesbeer wrote:
Oh, and walking to work is awesome. I’m lucky enough to do it every day, and I think it does wonders for my recovery and overall fitness. I think walking is one of the most underrated things out there. Take a backpack so you can swing by the store for food and then get a loaded walk out of it. And if you want to go heavier, just buy a bunch of beer![/quote]
Yeah I think it will be a great way to subtly add quite a lot of work! It probably won’t feel like I’m doing much, but I’m sure it will add up! Haha good idea!
[b] Week 9: Upper Body Day
Warm-Up [/b]
Machine chest press and front raises
Dips
BW: 5-10-15
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
BW: 10-8-6
Barbell Rows
60kg: 3x10
Bodyweight: 95.9kg
This session felt good, and I was particularly happy with the pull-ups.
[b] Week 9 Summary
Bodyweight: [/b] 95.5kg - dire!
Training: Excellent, 6 sessions with some extra cardio.
Nutrition: Reasonable, but obviously not enough to undo the damage of the previous weeks
This was an interesting week. My bodyweight is the highest it’s been since probably February, but on the flip side I’ve felt great and had some great training sessions. I’m not too fussed about it for this week, but I need to get it back down now!
Hey buddy,
My condolences to you and your family. Everything happens for a reason and I’m sure she is in a better place.
Congrats on getting the work in even with not the best conditions.
Keep it going, slowly but surely.
Thanks Sam, I really appreciate it.
[b] Week 10: Upper Body Day
Bench Press [/b]
Built up to 85kg x16
Barbell Row
50kg: 4x15
Bodyweight: 96.5kg
Bodyweight is seriously out of control now, it’s almost back to pre-cut level (although I definitely don’t look as bad as I did then). Next weekend I have a family party, then I’m going to France for 4 days and then I’m going to a wedding so it’s critical that I keep calories minimal this week and put the brakes on this, or I’ll end up back over 100kgs.
Rough diet plan for this week is:
Meal 1 - 13:00 - moderate protein, moderate carbs (big chicken sandwich)
Meal 2 - 17:00 - zero calorie rockstar
Meal 3 - 19:00 - moderate protein, moderate fat (salad Lyonnais - bacon, eggs, salad)
This should be a really convenient way to do it. I find the Rockstar drinks pretty good for boosting metabolism and the salad Lyonnais is great post-workout with pretty much zero carbs.
Also I should mention that my neck has been really playing up recently, and I’ve had a lot of tension headaches. I think it was all started by the kettlebell cleans a while back, and it just hasn’t cleared. I think I’ll head to the physio in a couple of weeks and see if they can sort it. Possibly postural stuff underlies it?
[quote]furo wrote:
And I’d definitely keep the high frequency swings going, because they are just too effective![/quote]
Effective for/at what?
That might be too terse of a question. If I were to add them into my own routine, what could I reasonably expect to get out of them? (I mean, I’m not planning right now, but depending on your answer, I may actually consider it.)
[quote]furo wrote:
[b] Week 10: Upper Body Day
Bench Press [/b]
Built up to 85kg x16
Barbell Row
50kg: 4x15
Bodyweight: 96.5kg
Bodyweight is seriously out of control now, it’s almost back to pre-cut level (although I definitely don’t look as bad as I did then). Next weekend I have a family party, then I’m going to France for 4 days and then I’m going to a wedding so it’s critical that I keep calories minimal this week and put the brakes on this, or I’ll end up back over 100kgs.
Rough diet plan for this week is:
Meal 1 - 13:00 - moderate protein, moderate carbs (big chicken sandwich)
Meal 2 - 17:00 - zero calorie rockstar
Meal 3 - 19:00 - moderate protein, moderate fat (salad Lyonnais - bacon, eggs, salad)
This should be a really convenient way to do it. I find the Rockstar drinks pretty good for boosting metabolism and the salad Lyonnais is great post-workout with pretty much zero carbs. [/quote]
I know your workouts are mostly minimalist, but seems like you pushed your reps here a bit.
Can I ask why you would want to go lower crabs post training, that is what you said/meant? Unless I understood it wrong.
Stay strong.
2 meals a day?
Are you sure your getting enough food in? It just sounds a little extreme.
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[quote]LoRez wrote:
Effective for/at what?
That might be too terse of a question. If I were to add them into my own routine, what could I reasonably expect to get out of them? (I mean, I’m not planning right now, but depending on your answer, I may actually consider it.)[/quote]
I think that heavy swings done for around 20 reps are unique in their efficiency. No other exercise that I’ve encountered does such an effective job of building power, strength and endurance at the same time. I don’t particularly have quantifiable evidence of this, but I feel it very strongly. I am fitter and I am faster as a direct consequence. They also hit my fragile lower back in a particularly friendly way. I must add that I think the real advantage of the kettlebell swing only come in when it’s done with a heavy weight. I think 20kg or 24kg swings have no advantage over the back extension when it comes to power or strength development (although undoubtedly better for endurance), but when the weight is heavy they really come into their own. A 40kg swing feels more like a heavy barbell lift in terms of the power demanded. I think that you could replicate the benefits of heavy swings with a combination of deadlifts, back extensions and sprinting, or you could just do swings.
[quote]sam_I_am wrote:
Can I ask why you would want to go lower crabs post training, that is what you said/meant? Unless I understood it wrong.
Stay strong. [/quote]
I’ve not done it deliberately post-training, I just find it easier to do all or nothing and either eat carbs with a meal or not. I find I have to eat carbs at lunch, so that I can keep up my energy at work, so I dropped the carbs from dinner. Having said that I don’t particularly subscribe to the whole importance of exact nutrient timing thing - I personally have never really noticed any benefit from it. I think total daily intake is infinitely more important than exact timing.
[quote]theBird wrote:
2 meals a day?
Are you sure your getting enough food in? It just sounds a little extreme.
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It is extreme intentionally. I’m only doing this for one week to try and reverse some of the weight gain from the preceding week, and to get me into good eating habits before I go on holiday. It would be unsustainable long-term, but that is not the goal.
[b] Week 10: Lower Body Day
Warm-Up [/b]
Hip circles and goblet squats
Kettlebell Front Squats
2x28kg: 5-5-5-3-3 EMOM
Kettlebell Swings
40kg: 20
Run
1 mile
Bodyweight: 95.6kg - solid improvement
This was a great session. I attempted 5x5 EMOM with the squats but had to drop the reps on the final 2 sets. It felt like a really good combination of strength, hypertrophy and endurance doing them that way. The swings felt powerful. My right knee was loose and “clunky” during the squats and running, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
The plan with running is to do 1 mile every day this week - it’s easy in terms of cardio, but I’ll need to do it this way to condition my calves to running. Then when I’m on holiday (with no kettlebells or gym) running will be my main form of exercise (as well as some bodyweight stuff).
[quote]furo wrote:
I must add that I think the real advantage of the kettlebell swing only come in when it’s done with a heavy weight. I think 20kg or 24kg swings have no advantage over the back extension when it comes to power or strength development (although undoubtedly better for endurance), but when the weight is heavy they really come into their own. A 40kg swing feels more like a heavy barbell lift in terms of the power demanded. I think that you could replicate the benefits of heavy swings with a combination of deadlifts, back extensions and sprinting, or you could just do swings. [/quote]
x2
Having worked with the 40 kg for awhile now, regular two-handed swings with a 20/24 kg bell feel extremely light, only suitable for warming up or finishing off a workout (not to say that the bells are too light, period; the bells are still plenty useful for other exercises, especially snatches. I mean that tey are light for me to get much out of regular two-handed swings with them unless I push the reps really high).
Of course exactly what “heavy” is will vary based on strength of the trainee - some people on here would find the 40 kg far too light and might need a 48 kg or more, and smaller trainees might find the 24 kg plenty heavy.
Point is, once I started swinging a 40 kg bell and got the groove with it, I started re-thinking what the swing was really supposed to feel like. My heart rate skyrockets quickly, and my body feels absolutely worked over by a few sets of swings with the 40 kg in a way that never happened doing swings with my lighter KB’s.