by Bob Garon on August 4, 2008
Max VO2 Returns Today
Training is going awesome! I’ve been focusing A LOT on the timed sets in both snatch and jerks ever since the IKFF certification. My strength is going up a great deal and so is my endurance. I’m really getting to be much more aware of my body in these movements.
Today I had the crazy idea to try to get 80 sets of MaxVO2 15/15 Snatch Protocol with the 16kg. For those of you who don’t know what that is I will explain.
15sec Snatching and 15sec resting and repeat for a pre-determined number of sets switching hands every other set. My goal was to maintain at least 7 reps per interval.
I got to set 62 when my hand tears were just getting too much in the way. My minimum goal was 60 sets anyway. I haven’t trained MaxVo2 for about 2 months or so cause I wanted to focus on the timed stuff so I was proficient in it especially around the IKFF cert. Afterward I have continued training that way so that I could get better. I missed the 15/15 and had to do it today. I woke up feeling amazing and knew today was the day. I called one of my clients(Sean) who can hang and we went for it. We both tore callouses around the midpoint and pushed as far as we could so that we can get past our minimum goal and not far enough to do great hand damage. We don’t want this workout to set us back for too long.
As for the cardio and the rest of the body goes all was very good. That’s just it we both felt great! We both could have easily gone to the 80+ set range, but it was the darn hands that got in the way. All in all it was a great 30+ min. of straight Snatching.
So until next week it’s gonna be swings and presses/jerks until the hands heal. 
by Bob Garon on August 2, 2008
Today was a great day! I had a perfect night’s sleep and felt energized all day.
My workout was also exciting as well. I hit a new PR today with my jerks doubling that of last time from a week ago.
Workout:
6 min Jerk set @ 2x 16kg kettlebells
I maintained at least 10 reps per minute(rpm) and last week I only had 5 or 6 rpm. This is a great PR and I only see it getting better week by week. I want to stay at a 6 min. set until I can successfully complete at least 20rpm.
Then:
2 Rounds-
15x SB Pullovers @ 50lbs. DB
20x DB SDHP @ 25 lbs.
25x Hanging Knee Raises
Then:
3 Rounds- Sprint Sets
1 min. Swing Set @ 28kg
1 min. Snatch Set @ 16kg
by Bob Garon on July 31, 2008
This was my first class in over 2 weeks and I was VERY nervous going into it for that reason. Also even though I got about 8 hours of sleep last night I woke up feeling tired still and a little weird. That definitely played into my nervousness even more.
I went to the 12pm class and made sure I had hydrated very well over the morning. I also ate my usual organic banana 40 min. prior to class.
I made sure I used a purple mat because purple is an energizing color. That probably had a lot to do with how awesome this class was.
I was the most heat tolerant that I’ve ever been to date. I wasn’t the most flexible, but wasn’t too far off. My balancing was causing problems today, but overall everything else went great. I didn’t feel nauseous or light headed one bit.
Bikram Rocks!
by Bob Garon on July 31, 2008
Quick One Today
I didn’t have really any time to practice today so I had to make it really quick.
Workout:
6 min. Snatch set @ 16kg
90 total(45 per hand)- 15rpm average, but the first min. was 20 rpm. I focused again on the lock out. I’m getting much better at it and feeling stronger. Once I can hold 20rpm at 10min. I’ll go up to the 20kg. That should be within 2 months I’m guessing.
Then:
1 min. Jerk sprint @ 2x 16kg
All in all I felt great and had a long, but very productive day.
by Bob Garon on July 28, 2008
I’ve had some great workouts lately and they’ve been centered around timed sets.
Here’s how it went.
072408
Workout:
1 Arm Swings @ 16kg
4min Snatch Set @ 16kg
I maintained about 8 reps per minute because I really wanted to focus on my lockout and the shoulder stability.
Short rest
2min. Double Front Squats @ 2 16kgs
Short rest
30x 1 Two-Arm Swings @ 28kg
This was a great workout with a lot of emphasis on the shoulder stability.
072608
6 Min. Snatch Set @ 16kg
I maintained about 15/16 reps per minute.
30x Pushups
30x Squats
30x Pullups
30x Situps
4 Min. Double Swings @ 16kg
I felt a lot stronger during these snatches than I did just 2 days prior. I am loving the timed sets more and more because I can quickly see my muscular endurance as well as strength increase quickly.
072808
4 Min. 1 Arm KB Push Press
Then:
5x Turkish Get-up @ 16kg
2 Sets of-
5x High Windmills @ 16kg
1 Set of High Windmills @ 16kg and picking up a 24kg KB with the bottom hand.
Then:
Stretch
I felt really tired and drained today so I had to cut my workout short. I wanted to perform some HIIT training on the treadmill, but will do that later this week.
by Bob Garon on July 23, 2008
I have been performing a lot of timed sets. I did my best to prepare for the cert with them, but at the cert found out real fast I had a lot of work ahead of me. We did A LOT of timed sets there and so I took 2 days off afterward to let my body heal.
Today was the first workout I performed since and it went VERY well.
072308
Warm-up:
Dynamic warmup with skips, shuffles, lunges and joint mobility
Workout:
6 Min. set of Jerks @ 2/16kg
I maintained a rep range of 5-6per min. The first 2 min. was 6rpm and the last 4 were at 5rpm.
I have a good buffer between where I am and where I need to be so I love to watch my progress now that I have a great protocol to work with based on what I learned at the IKFF cert.
Then:
Lunges around the circumference of the gym both forward and back.
5x Get-up Situps @ 2/16kg & 5x empty handed
Then:
6 Min. 1-Arm Swing Set @ 16kg
Then:
Stretches
by Bob Garon on July 23, 2008
I had the extreme pleasure of attending the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation CKT(certified kettlebell trainer) certification this past weekend. The instructors are Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn. Both men are the utmost in leadership, professionalism, intelligence, and sincere passion for the industry. It was one of the absolute best experiences in my life to be mentored and trained by these 2 men. Alongside them were guest instructors: Jason Dolby and Susanna Baxter. They two displayed nothing but the best in kettlebell fitness instruction.
I was so impressed by Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn that I want to provide all who I can the opportunity to both meet them and become certified with the IKFF. I am planning on hosting a CKT Level One cert in the Phoenix area in the beginning of the year- January or February. I need at least 10-12 people to show interest for this so that Steve and Ken will officially announce it.
I am the Director of Training Operations for Anytime Fitness in Arizona and so we will be holding it at one of our locations.
Anyone in the Phoenix vicinity or those willing to come out please contact me the following ways:
Phone: 480-634-3250
Email: alwaysbelieve1@gmail.com
If you are interested I look forward to speaking to you and meeting you.
The weekend was truly an amazing experience that I would love to do again so I, personally, will be going to the CKT Level 2 as soon as I financially am able.
