John's Ramblings » “rkc program minimum”

Workout: RKC Program Minimum, Week 1 Day 1

John — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:37:25 +0000

We had Goalus-Interruptus last week, so we’re starting week 1 again. I’ve also changed up the standard “active rest” periods with an exercise I can wrap my little brain around… Spinning!

Warmup:

Warmup	Target	# Cycles
wall squats	10 x 20 kg	4
Halos	10 x 12 kg
Pumps	10 x

Workout:

Workout	Target	Completed
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Stationary Bike @ 70 rpm	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Stationary Bike @ 75 rpm	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Stationary Bike @ 80 rpm	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Stationary Bike @ 75 rpm	1 min

I actually made it through 6 complete cycles, so I’m happy about that. That’s actually as many as you can do in the allotted 12 minutes. I can do them a lot prettier, but 6 is the maximum number of cycles. I think there was a psychological boost to doing the stationary bike rather than jumping jacks or the like.

Just so you know I’m really working, here is my HRM plot for my workout tonight. The first 4 blips are my warmup cycles, the next 6 are my KB Swing / Bicycle intervals:

Polar HRM Plot, Week 1 Day 1

I’m not going to do the Wednesday Group Kettebell/bodyweight training class that I did last week. I’m exploring options for more direct kettlebell work, with less travel time. There are a few instructors closer to my neck of the woods, so I’ll be following up with them to see if that might be a better alternative than driving to Seattle (with drive time, a 1 hour class costs me 3 hours).

Workout: RKC Program Minimum Week 1, Day 2

John — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:13:08 +0000

Warmup:

Warmup	Target	# Cycles
wall squats	10 x 20 kg	4
Halos	10 x 12 kg
Pumps	10 x

Workout:

Turkish Get-Ups, 16kg, 5 minutes alternating R and L

I managed 4 cycles. This is the first time I tried it higher than 12 kg, so I definitely felt it.

I also did some 1 handed swings to work on hand-switching and controlling my arc.

Tomorrow, group class.

Workout: RKC Program Minimum Week 1, Day 1

John — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:51:05 +0000

The plan is to go through Pavel’s Enter the Kettlebell program, with the assistance of Anthony DiLuglio’s ETK workbook. Four weeks of the “Program Minimum”, then the 8 week “Right of Passage”. The rough plan is to do this program Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. Saturday will be for cycling and getting base miles, either indoor or out. Depending on the workout intensity on any given day, I hope to supplement with some cycling intervals, like perhaps some Tabata intervals. I also have the option to go to a group Kettlebell class once a week in order to have someone kick my ass in person, rather than through the pages of a book. That would also be my opportunity to work on form, and learning new exercises. Here we go:

Warmup:

Warmup	Target	# Cycles
wall squats	10 x 20 kg	4
Halos	10 x 12 kg
Pumps	10 x

Workout:

Workout	Target	Completed
Swings 20 kg	20 x		18
Plyo Jumps – 1 step	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x		12
Plank	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Jog	1 min
Swings 20 kg	20 x
Mountain Climbers	1 min

Recap: I felt pretty good tonight, although the body weight exercises (jumps, the yoga pumps, and planks) are kicking my ass (for obvious reasons, which is why I’m working out in the first place, right?). I made it through six cycles after the warmup in the allotted 12 minutes.