Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"Another Day To Get Better"

The rain finally gave way so we could get back outside and do some serious kettlebell training. We started our session using the weighted jump ropes. Everyone in the group loves the weighted ropes, they are much more physically demanding on your hands, forearms and shoulders. The group started out with 100 revolutions using the three pound jump rope. The jump rope elevated our body temperatures and increased our heart rates for sure. We calmed our heart rates a bit with some active and static stretching. We elevated the heart rate again and fatigued our lower bodies with 50 prisoner squats.

Once we were all sufficiently warmed up and ready for more we turned our focus to a few upper body and core strengthening exercises using the the Slastix resistance bands. The following exercises were used.

*2x20 partner high rows
*2x20 rotational rows
*2x10 external rotation
*2x15 bicep curl
*2x15 tricep extension
*2x10 push-ups

The meat of the program consisted of 10 rounds of 2 minutes. Each series of exercise or super set started every 2 minutes. After the completion of the super set we had the remainder of the 2 minutes to rest. The faster you completed your work, the more rest you would have, and conversely the slower you worked the less rest you had between rounds. The exercises and repetitions used for each round were as follows:

*30 revolutions with the 1 pound jump rope
*10 KB push presses
*20 KB swings

Try this one at home or come by and join us, we would love to have you as a part of our team.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"The Gloria Special"

Another great day for Kettlebell Bootcamp! Wait a minute, everyday is a great day for Kettlebell Bootcamp! We started the session warming ourselves up with weighted jump ropes.
*60 revolutions with a 3 pound rope
*60 revolutions with a 2 pound rope
*60 revolutions with a 1 pound rope

From there we used a KB for chops and lifts.
*10 chops and lifts elbow to shoulder
*10 chops and lifts waist to shoulder and
*10 chops and lifts knee to shoulder
Each set of chops and lifts were performed from both sides, left to right and right to left.

We elevated our heart rates once again with
*60 KB swings

Onto the god father of all upper body strength development exercises the basic push-up. We split the team into 2 groups, 1st group worked while the 2nd group rest and then switch, 2nd group worked while the 1st group rest. Each group performed
*30 push-ups
*25 push-ups
*20 push-ups
*15 push-ups
*10 push-ups and
*5 Push-ups
To make this routine even more difficult while each group was resting they had to keep their hands in contact with the ground.

We elevated the heart rate once again with a series of lateral line hops.
*30 seconds of lateral line hops followed by 15 seconds of rest. We completed four sets.

It was time for a water break and a teaching sessions on how to properly complete exercises that were going to be used in the final minutes of this training session.

Each exercise was performed for one minute with 20 seconds rest between each work interval. The exercises we used were.
*KB dead lift with an upright row
*KB single arm alternating swing
*Sit-ups
*Fighting rope double arm and single arm swings
*KB figure 8's in a squat position

This session kept up a fast tempo from the first jump rope to the last figure 8. Everyone definitely took a huge step toward realizing their fitness goals.

If this sounds more interesting then spending 30 minutes on the elliptical, give me a call and we will get you started on one of our teams!

Friday, April 16, 2010

"John R."

I have a thirteen year old Kettlebell Bootcamp participant named John R. who gives me an outstanding effort everyday he shows up. Today was no different, after a warm-up with weighted jump ropes and kettlebell chops and lifts we started the beef of the program.

We used a 16 kg kettlebell and a 2 lb jump rope for our first series of exercises.
*60 kb swings 60 revolutions with jump rope
*40 kb swings 40 revolutions with jump rope
*20 kb swings 20 revolutions with jump rope
start to finish 7:12 seconds

After a short break with some fast foot ladder work we started our second series of exercises. Using 1 minute of work followed by 20 seconds of rest we did three circuits of the following exercises.

*12 inch lateral hurdle jump (20 jumps)
*Fast foot ladder exercise
*10 KB Push Presses
One time through each of the three exercises took the entire 60 seconds

After another water break we completed our third and final circuit of exercises. We used a work/rest interval of 60sec./10sec. for these movements. Each movements was performed for the entire 60 seconds. Exercises used were as follows

*Fighting rope combination single arm swing, double arm swing with jump and rotational throws
*KB combination RDL and front squat
*Pummeling and tug of war

After a cool down and stretch our session came to a close, just another day of Kettlebell Bootcamp.

Try these workout at home or come and join us, we would love to have you!

Friday, April 9, 2010

"Bootcamp Session"

The rain stopped and the temperature dropped in time to create a great outdoor training environment. Its Friday morning and we are prepared for a great workout knowing that the weekend is right around the corner.

We started our session with a combination easy jog, ball handling drills, and some active and static stretching. After a good warm up we started with some 6 inch hurdle work. We used 6 hurdles approximately a yard apart and performed 4 repetitions for each drill. The hurdle work started by running through putting one foot in between each hurdle. With each repetition we increased the speed of the drill. Ive always preferred to start slow to make sure the drills are done under control with good mechanics and proper form. The second drill completed was two feet between each hurdle the same proper mechanics were emphasized. We worked to reduce the amount of time the foot spends on the ground in order to develop foot speed. These hurdle drills are designed to teach you to manage your center of gravity over your base of support. The third drill we moved laterally through the hurdles making sure to keep our hips squared and our toes pointed straight ahead. Third we did bounds over the hurdles, again the emphasis was speed through the hurdles.

We moved to our resistance cables for some loaded and unloaded sprints. Five reps of 20 yard sprints followed by three reps of unloaded sprints. I like using the variation of loaded and unloaded sprints to develop speed and power. The loaded sprints help you to feel a proper body lean, as well as emphasize the amount of force you apply to the ground to propel you forward. The combination of ground force and proper body lean will translate into increased ground speed. I love unloading the sprint to allow the player to feel the same body lean and the same ground force without resistance. This is great positive reinforcement for proper running mechanics.

After a few minutes of rest and water we finished with a circuit using six exercises. The exercises used were Russian Twists, KB Deadlifts, Fighting Ropes, KB Push Press, KB Snatch and Tug Of War. We used 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest, we moved through this series of exercises twice. Awesome job with a great effort given by everyone.

If this sounds like fun, give C3I Sports Performance a call, we would love to have you be a part of our team.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

"Good Day To Be Alive"

Feels like summer again today in Ashburn. The temperature is rumored to rise to 90 degrees for the second day in a row. I love it hot; the hotter, the better. I am so glad to see winter in the rearview mirror.

Anyway...enough talk about the weather. It's time to get to work. Another great day for training. I absolutely believe that there is no better time to train than first thing in the morning, with the sun rising up over the trees.

We started our morning with an easy jog and some rugby ball handling drills. We completed three laps around the parking lot, using a lateral pass, ball on the ground pick up, and an overhead backward pass. The combination of running and an eye/hand coordination drill helps warm-up the body and the mind. In between each lap we did a series of active and static stretches. This is a great way to elevate your body temperature and prep your body for more challenging work.

We continued our prep work by adding a series of three exercises for three rounds. The exercises emphasized core development.
Our first exercise was a sit and reach with a single KB, 10 reps with the KB in the left hand and 10 reps with the KB in the right hand. The second exercise we used was the Russian twist with the KB for 10 reps, across and back counted as one. The third exercise in the series was a different style push up for each round completed. First round we added diamond push-ups. During our second round we did serpentine push-ups. And finally our third round consisted of your basic shoulder width push-ups.

We continued are training session with the use of our resistance cables. We used four exercises for this portion of the workout. The first exercise we completed were two 30 yard power walks with the harness vest. This exercise will push your heart rate through the ceiling. The second exercise used was power pull throughs. This exercise is tremendous for working the hamstrings, glutes and low back. The third exercise focused on core and shoulder stability; placing the resistance cable handle in the left hand and extending the arm away from the body. We walked against the resistance for 20 yards, switched hands, and walked another 20 yards. The final exercise with the resistance cable was lateral rotations for 20 repetitions on each side.

We finished the work portion of our session with 8 timed work/rest intervals: 30 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest. We used four exercises for our Grand Finale: 1)fighting rope swings, 2)KB dead lift, 3)cable squat with high pull, and 4)KB push press. We went through each exercise twice for 8 total work sets.

Our cool down was a nice easy walk around the parking lot, combined with static stretching.

I can't think of a better way to start the day, can you? Let me know When you are ready to give it a try.

Come and join us, we are always looking for new people to join our "Kettlebell Bootcamp Team" Call me 571.238.8111 or email hastingsj64@gmail.com

Monday, April 5, 2010

"Awesome Day For Training Outside"

What a great morning for getting out in the fresh air and doing some kettlebell training.You do realize that summer is just around the corner? It is definitely time to lose those additional pounds you put on during the winter months. Below is a description of what we did this morning that will help get you started shedding the winter weight.

We started out our training session with a nice easy jog and some simple rugby ball handling drills. Our goal was to use the drills to elevate the body temperature and loosen up for a full body workout. We used two drills to accomplish our warm-up; a lateral pass and burst, and a ball on the ground, scoop, and burst drill.

After the warm-up, we used an active stretch to further prep ourselves for the main body of work. Exercises included:
1)walking ground sweeps for the hamstrings
2)reverse lunges with a reach for the back and hip flexors
3)active groin stretch for the groin and hip complex
4)lunge with a twist for hip low back complex
We also used the resistance bands to prep our shoulders and back.

After the warm-up we did some core work. Exercises used for this were:
1)supine toe touches
2)leg lowerings
3)Russian twists using a kettlebell for added intensity

Time to get to work. We started by using a tool that I haven't used for years and was happy to bring this piece of equipment back into the fold. The OPTUM S.P.S. is a Resistance cable system used for a large assortment of movement exercises in all planes of motion. The resistance is created by a cable running through a cam system and can be adjusted with a simple turn of a knob. Simple is always better for strength coaches, especially this strength coach.

The OPTUM system is simple and tremendously effective. We started by hooking the cable to a vest harness and we did a series of power walks of 30 yards. The emphasis was on developing the posterior chain - muscles used include hamstrings, glutes and low back. From the power walk, we moved to VMO pulls. This exercise emphasizes quad development and core stability. We finished our cable work with a set of walking pull-throughs, an exercise that also emphasizes hip extension and the development of the muscles of the posterior chain, as well as enhanced core stability.

Time for some kettlebell (KB) work. We started with 60 kettlebell swings which definitely elevates the heart rate. After a minute rest, we moved into a combination KB deadlift and shoulder press. The exercise is performed by holding onto two KBs. One kettlebell is held hanging between the legs and the other is positioned at the shoulder. The combination exercise is performed by deadlifting the KB and immediately shoulder pressing the other. We performed 15 repetitions with each arm press and deadlift combination. Proper form is essential for each and every exercise used during our sessions. We followed with an alternating single arm swing and walk for 20 steps, followed by 20 walking lunges using the KB for additional resistance.

We continued our work for the morning with fighting ropes. Three exercises were used, each performed for 30 second work intervals, followed by a 15 second rest period. The exercises used in this session were the grapplers throw, double handed swing with a jump emphasizing hip extension and an alternating single arm swing.
We then finished off with a cool-down and stretch.

If this sounds like a fun and interesting way to get into shape for the summer, give me a call. We can set up a training session just for you and your friends.