Monday, August 24, 2009

Taking Leave....

In 2006 I started this blog. At the time, there was not alot of familiarization on a wide scale basis regarding kettlebell training in law enforcement circles. I recently attended a law enforcement workshop with other PT instructors, and they ALL knew about kettlebell training and many had incorporated it into their training. Needless to say I was stoked! There was a lot of talk about Crossfit, I brought in Velocity Sports Performance as another approach that was beneficial as cops are definitely "occupational athletes" (not my phrasing, but I heard it from Carl Bialorucki, Placerville Police Sgt and Pursuit Performance Training owner).

At any rate, I am reminded of this saying when I look back on the last three years. "First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they persecute you, then you win." I am sure many of you had the peculiar looks in the beginning when you told them about kettlebells....cattleballs, kettleballs....achyballs...whatever...and now it's a different story.

As it stands right now, my agency is the largest in the nation to have paid workout time for their rank and file. (only two hours a week, but it is a start. LAPD, LASO, SFPF, and other large agencies in the state do not have this.)There are kettlebells in each station gym. There is even an intradepartment tutorial on safe kettlebell lifting done by yours truly.

Now it's time for me to focus on something else. Alot of rambling, and I apologize. The next focus for me will be more personal. Two things....the Sacramento Kettlebell Sport Club, and secondly (and much more important) a new addition to the family. Another warrior princess. I am truly blessed.

Thank you to the people who have visited and posted, or ghosted. It was fun to be a part of introducing kettlebells to my agency, and I will continue to enjoy meeting people interested in this funny piece of iron called a kettlebell.

The Sacramento Kettlebell Sport Club

A new beginning.www.sackettlebellsportclub.blogspot.com

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Homemade pre-workout Fuel

I recently got this book called the Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier No, I am not following it in the traditional sense, however it has some great recipes for workouts using whole foods-no chemicals.

I use this one prior to a workout. Think homemade powerbars, or gels.

Direct Fuel Bites:

5 Dates (i use a whole handful, but the recipes says 5)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
Sea Salt to taste

(i just use a quarter to half a lemon instead of squeezing juice and scraping zest)
Put all ingredients into a food processor/Cusinart and blend until it is a paste similar to a melted powerbar.

Put it in a tupperware container, and refrigerate. keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. You can also wrap bite size chunks in cellophane for use on the run or on A run, instead of carrying packets of Gu. Tastes a lot better with no chemicals.

I originally got this from another AKC coach on a post regarding pre-workout nutrition. It works great before a run, KBs or any kind of exercise.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

training updates

Mon:

Exercises: Clean, Snatch, Press

min. on min. rest- 3 rounds

16kg.

Total Cleans: 67
Snatch: 96
Press: 76

Worked on proper technique, breathing, and getting a good rack position

Wed. LCCJ (2-12kg), Snatch, Bottoms Up Press w/16 kg

min on. min off- 3 rounds

Totals: LCCJ- 35
Snatch- 100
BUP- 53

Fri- 12 kg LCCJ- 6 mins 47
Snatch- 200 (10 mins.)
LCCJ 6 mins- 49.

Saturday. Ran 1.5 miles- easy pace with slower recruits. Then lifted stuff at Ken's garage with the cast of characters... John Wild, Denis Kanygin, C-Dogg/Dog brother aka Iron Punk, Firefighter Dwight, and Velocity Evan. Good Times!

Excellent article translated by Denis Kanygin

Movement and Breathing While Performing Girevoy Sport Exercise Jerk
Wed, 04/15/2009 - 21:18 — dkanygin
Mishin S. N. Master of Sports and Head Coach of Russian Team and Tihonov, V. F. State University of Chuvashks (Cheboksary) translated from Russian by Denis Kanygin

Translation by Denis Kanygin, Master Trainer and Founder of Workout IQ
www.workoutiq.com www.girevoysport.us

In 2005 new rule have been implemented, forcing to hold kettlebells for longer duration at lock out position. The change lead to improvements in techniques of Girevoy Sport (GS) athletes. Improved quality and time of lock out position. These changes led to changes in breathing pattern of GS athletes.

Beginners to GS and even some Masters of Sport in Kettlebell Lifting tend to hold their breath and flex breathing muscles while holding kettlebells at lock out position. It takes 6-8 breathing cycles to recover from such needless exertion and get ready to next kettlebell jerk (S. Mishin, V. Tixonov 2009).

Diversion of breathing and movement patterns lead to extra movement of arms, legs and torso, which lead to early onset of fatique and poor performance (A. Votorinzev 2002).

Since January of 2005, breathing patterns of GS male athletes of various qualifications were analyzed.

The study revealed:

* Majority of Girevoy Sport athletes practice breathing into chest
* 24.3% of adult athletes practiced diaphragmatic breathing
* 35.5% of young adult athletes practices diaphragmatic breathing

While holding kettlebells at the lock out position these numbers changed to:

* 8.6% of adult athletes practiced diaphragmatic breathing
* 15.5% of young adult athletes practices diaphragmatic breathing

It should also be noted that breathing frequency is dependent on frequency of lifting of kettlebells and ranking of athlete

While performing Kettlebell Jerk in competition, athletes with ranking I and KMS, at the rack position, before performing another lift, took 6-8 breathing cycles only 3 minutes into the competition.

Athletes of higher qualifications (MS or higher) took between 1-3 breathing cycles in initial (rack) position.

Through out the whole exercise, number of breathing cycles varied from 1.5 (breath out, breath in, breath out) to 3.5 (4 breaths in, 3 breaths out), depending on the breathing pattern used.

Breathing patterns can be separated into main four different categories:

1. Undersquat – inhale; movement to lock out position – exhale; holding at lock out position – holding breath; lowering of kettlebells and shock absorption – loud forceful exhale (1.5 breathing cycles)

2. Undersquat – exhale; movement to lock out position – inhale; lock out position – exhale; lowering kettlebells – inhale; shock absorption – exhale (2.5 breathing cycles)

3. Rack position – exhale; kettlebell bump – inhale; undersquat – exhale; moving to lock out position – inhale; lock out position – exhale; lowering of kettlebells – inhale; shock absorption – exhale (3.5 breathing cycles)

4. Undersquat – exhale; kettlebell bump – inhale; movement to lock out position – exhale; while in lock out position – inhale+exhale (diaphragmatic breathing); lowering – inhale; shock absorption – exhale (3.5 breathing cycles)

First breathing pattern was detected in athletes of low ranking.

Second breathing pattern was detected in athletes with high ranking.

Third breathing pattern was detected in athletes who spend more time in underquat and moving out of it to lock out position (0.56 sec to 0.64 sec), MSWC S. Merkulin is an example of such technique.

Fourth breathing pattern was detected in athletes who spend the most time in the lock out position (0.6 sec to 1.5 seconds). S. Mishin is an example of that technique.

In Girevoy Sport literature (V. A. Polyakov, V. I. Voropaev, 1988; Y. M. Zaecev, Y. I. Ivanov, V. K. Pertrov 1991; A. I. Vorotinzev 2002; etc) there are many descriptions of various breathing patterns. Unfortunately authors do not look into types of breathing and so we are told “when” to breathe but are not told “with what” should we breathe (chest or diaphragm) or “how” (deeply or shallowly, slowly or rapidly) to breathe when kettlebells with total weight of 64kg pressing down on upper body.

If in rack (initial) position elbows are against stomach muscles and kettlebells are positions on chest, breathing becomes difficult. In rack position, in those new to Girevoy Sport, kettlebells often rise and fall, as athlete inhales or exhales. Such extra movement provides early onset of fatigue of rib cage and breathing muscles.

Conclusion:

* Results show the diaphragmatic breathing in initial (rack) position before the lift of two kettlebells and while in lock out position is more frequently encountered in athletes of high rankings
* There approximately four breathing patterns while performing Kettlebell Jerks. I type of breathing encountered in athletes of low ranking; II type of breathing encountered in athletes with high ranking Master of Sports); III and IV type of breathing are encountered in athletes of highest rankings
* Answer to questions “with what should we breathe” and “how to breathe” could be answered with an additional study
* There is enough evidence to show that diaphragmatic breathing is superior when applied to Girevoy Sport



References:

* Воротынцев, А.И. Гири. Спорт сильных и здоровых. – М.: Советский спорт, 2002. – 272 с.: ил.
* Поляков, В.А., Воропаев, В.И. Гиревой спорт: Метод. пособие. – М.: ФиС, 1988. – 80 с.
* Зайцев, Ю.М. и др. Занимайтесь гиревым спортом/Ю.М. Зайцев, Ю.И. Иванов, В.К. Петров. – М.: Советский спорт, 1991. – 48 с.
* Дембо, А.Г., Земцовский, Э.В. Спортивная кардиология: Руководство для врачей. – Л.: Медицина, 1989. – 464 с.: ил.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Timed Sets

Getting my groove back.
12kg KB

Double KB Jerk- 37 (5 minutes)

Snatch L- 95 (5 mins.)
short rest
R- 95 (5 mins)

short rest

Double Jerk- 44 (5 mins)

Snatch full 10 mins.- L-96, R 92

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Inspiration!




Ken and I attended the 2006 RKC. I am amazed at his lift, and his dedication to kettlebell lifting. If you read his AKC blog entry, he wrote that he only trains timed sets with the 16kg kettlebell. This has reignited my desire for kettlebell lifting/timed sets (GS).

I have started a GS lifting day on saturdays for the department. Let's see who shows up.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Sac PD gets workout Time for its rank and file!

It's true! The Sacramento Bee published that SPD will get workout time (along with some other little acquiesces) for foregoing our contractual raise. This is HUGE, even if it only for 2 hours a week. This will undoubtedly benefit those that need it the most.