My Journey to RKC II — Part 1: My Training

How I prepared for RKC II

A special Thank you to Master RKC, David Whitley for your instruction and encouragement in my preparation for RKC Level II!

Training Started –January 2011
1. Kettlebll trainng – 3 days per week, focusing on all level I drills
2. Sntach Test – 16kg or 20kg – performed 1x per week
3. 15:15 heavy swings for 10 minutes (20 rounds), started using 24kg, worked up to 36kg and tapered back to using 28kg.
4. 15:15 Snatches – started with 20 rounds, worked up to 80 rounds with 16kg and tapered off the last month of training

January 2011: I started learning technique on Pistol, C&J, Windmill and Bent Press

The Pistol

Performed high rep drills using TRX and agility boxes for assistance. I performed ladders 10-1 for 3 weeks. Once I was comfortable with the skill and pistol technique, I would do pistol ladders mixed with my Press / Pull training.

Bent Press , Windmill & Clean & Jerk

Learning these techniques were a little challenging and out of the box for me, but Master Level instruction from Dave Whitley, MRKC on these skills got me on the right track. I continued to practice these performing 2-3 rounds of 3-5 reps every week.

THE PULL UP & MP

March 2011 – June 2011: I continued to practice Pistol, C&J, Windmil and Bent press with a few reps per week, while my main focus was to get comfortable with a bodyweight pull up. The pull up seemed to be my biggest challenge to passing RKC Level II.

One of my goals since completing RKC Level I was to be able to perform a solid 20kg MP. Although a 20kg was not required for my bodyweight to pass level II it was personal goal for me to achieve prior to attending level II. Following the already established ETK and RTK program design, I am now able to press the 20kg. Patience to allow the program work was the hardest part!

I started my work on the Pull Up and MP in March 2011 adding a day 4 to my weekly practice. I spent two hours every Saturday following Enter The Kettlebell type program design with Press / Pull ladders. My press work consisted of 16kg single presses, 16kg double presses, 12-14kg bottoms up presses.

In between ladders I focused on FMS stability drills. I incorporated ladders of leg lowering drills with core engagement during my Press/ Pull practice.

During my last month I started to supplement my practice with a few Heavy (28kg-32kg) Get-ups / Cleans (24kg-28kg) every week.

Final Training week:

Monday – Final Press/ Pull ladders
Tuesday – 25 minutes ropes and Kettlebell Deadlifts – 30:15
Wednesday – 16 – 16kg, 4- 20kg, 2- 24kg TGU
Thursday – REST
Friday – Sunday – RKC Level II

Now it’s go time…..Stay tuned for weekend updates!

Weekly Practice

Pull up – do your rep max (body weight or assisted)

Heavy Get up to Standing
OH Walk
Get down
(repeat 2x per side)

Pull up – do your rep max (body weight or assisted)

Heavy hand to hand swings – 15 – 20 reps
(repeat 3x)

Double Clean & Jerk x5 (you can sub push press or military press)
Following last C&J, do 5 Front Squats (do not put bells down b/w jerks and Front Squats)

Repeat the entire sequence 3x

Enjoy, Let me know what you think!
~hd

A Cup of Java

I do love my morning coffee. afternoon coffee. Well, maybe not so much a nightly cup of coffee, a girl’s gotta get her beauty rest! I am sharing thie exceprt below from a post by Paula Owens because I have often wondered myslef, how healthy is this yummy beverage or when is the best time to drink my coffee. If you have not heard of Paula, she is a fantastic resource for Nutrition and Fitness. Her book the Power of Four is a must read for anyone interested in holistic nutrition and natural health.

“Do you love your morning cup of coffee? If you’re going to drink coffee, it’s great before exercise (pre-training), however the worst thing you can ingest after exercise (post training) unless you want a “cortisol fest” and added belly fat. You want high cortisol when you train, NOT after. Add organic heavy cream & a pinch of cinnamon to slow down the insulin spike from the coffee. Need a sweetener?Stevia Plus is the optimal choice. Pass on the sweetened syrups which are loaded in calories, and definitely stay away from sugar-free syrups which are full of high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Opt for organic coffee versus non-organic coffee due to the high pesticide content in non-organic coffee. Consumer Reports magazine cautioned readers last year about the potential negative health effects of pesticides. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group urges consumers “to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.”…

Follow this link, Paula Owens – Coffee & Fat Loss, to read more on Coffee & Fat Loss as well as other interesting topics to boost your metabolism.”

Enjoy
~ hd

Weekly Practice – Travel Time

The past two weeks I have been traveling during the week and did not want to break my weekly routine and practice in both nutrition and exercise. Although travel can be dificult with changes in time zones, late night dinners, this does not give you a free for all to ignore your goals. It can even be more dificult when you are away from your “safe zone” or what I like to call my own kitchen. You may have to be a little more flexible with your eating schedules and this is ok, but remember it is your decision the foods you choose to eat. There are acceptable choices when traveling and, remember you can always schedule one of your cheat meals around your travel schedule as I did this week. This did not exempt me however from my weekly practice. The hotel did have a fitness center with free weights so here’s a quick snapshot of what I did this week.

Joint Mobility Warm up – tall and 1/2 kneeling halos – cossacks – hip stretches

35lb free weight – Single Leg Deadlift – 10 per side
25 Burpees
25 V-Ups
25 35lb Squats
35lb free weight – Single Leg Deadlift – 10 per side
20 Burpees
20 V-Ups
20 35lb Squats
35lb free weight – Single Leg Deadlift – 10 per side
15 Burpees
15 V-Ups
15 35lb Squats
35lb free weight – Single Leg Deadlift – 10 per side
10 Burpees
10 V-Ups
10 35lb Squats
35lb free weight – Single Leg Deadlift – 10 per side
5 Burpees
5 V-Ups
5 35lb Squats

Set timer on phone for 30sec work and 15 sec rest – Performed 3 rounds
– Russian Twist – 35lb free weight
– Push ups
– Double Dead Lift – 2 40lb free weights
– Plank

The final round I worked on practicing my Pistol for my RKC Level II training and mixed with some Rows
8 – 35lb rows per side
2-3 full / half pistols per side
6 – 35 lb rows per side
2-3 full / half pistols per side
4 – 35 lb rows per side
2-3 full / half pistols per side
2 – 35 lb rows per side
2-3 full / half pistols per side

Dragon Door TV – Why Kettlebells Rock!

Congrats to my fellow Iron Tamer Peeps for making DD TV! Way to go guys —
Orlando RKC Graduates- Jenni Baker and Drew Massey
HardStyle Cribs – Mark & Nikki Snow at SG Human Performnace

“Why Get Ups” an article by David Whitley, Master RKC

Do you enjoy doing get ups? Check out this great artile by Master RKC David Whitley to answer your quesiton “Why Get Ups?”

Click Here to read the article.

Weekly Practice from the Hardstyle Diva

How can you progress to do a get up with a heavier size kettlebell?
I did this progression on myself to get back up to doing multiple get ups with a 24 kg kettlebell. I had not been practicing heavy get ups and realized I missed being able to just pick up a 24kg and feel 100% confident in the movement. I also tried this progression with our group training class recently and all of the students were able to perform a get up with a kettlebell they had not previously.

** If you are trying a new size kettlebell for the first time, be sure to have a partner to spot when you make your heavy bell attempt.

Choose a your normal size Kettlebell for a Get-up -then select one smaller and one lager. You should now have three kettlebells of varying sizes.
1) Begin using your smallest size bell and perform 3 get ups in a row per side.
2) Now switch to your medium bell and perform 2 get ups in a row per side
3) Lastly switch to your heaviest bell and perform 1 get up per side



I will stress again, if you are lifting your heavy bell for the first time, be sure you have someone to spot you on your attempt.

Perform the above progression 2 -3x. Not only will you find you may be able to lift a heavier bell, but you also got a nice 15-20 minute practice.

I would now follow this up with Swings – heavy of course. Set your timer for 10 – 15 minutes and again choose 3 bells. Using the protocol below, enjoy!
1) Light Bell – 20 swings – perform 3 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds
2) Medium Bell – 15 swings – perform 3 rounds with 30 sec rest between rounds
3) Heavy Bell – 10 swings – perform 3 rounds with 15 sec rest between rounds


I also added the short video below by Dave Whitley, Master RKC (aka Irontamer), with some pointers on performing his “Furnace” workout.

Enjoy and let me know your feedback!
~hd

Weekly Practice from the Hardstyle Diva

I tried something new in class this past Saturday with circuit training. I set up a series of kettlebell and bodyweight stations. These stations consited of the following:
Rows
Overhead Reverse Lunges
Hot Potato
Squat-Curl
Mountain Climbers
Russian Twist
Plank / Push up
Seated Ropes
Swings
Squat-Curl-Raise
Push Press
The final station was a Turkish Get up. Here the kicker, the person performing the get up was your timer or “pace car”. The Get-up Station would do one per side while the rest of the class did their stations.

If this all sounds fun, now its time to turn up the heat. Before switching stations, we would perform what I called a speed round. The time on this was 1 minute. We perfomed 3 exercises for 20 seconds each with no rest.

Push up
Jump Squats
Swings

Here’s how the workout went
Station
Rest – 40 seconds
Speed Round
Rest 40 seconds
Station
Rest 40 seconds
Speed Round
Rest 40 seconds
Station
Repeat until each student has compelted all stations.

A Whole Grain Krispy Kreme Donut?

I wanted to share this awesome article on Whole Grains by John M. Berardi. It is really sad the marketing that goes behind keeping America unhealthy. I cannot tell you how many time I have heard, “I eat whole grains, I have switched to cooking with whole wheat pasta”. Really, people truly believe they are eating healthier by switching to whole wheate pasta! A few highlights as mentioned in the article below I feel are very important to remember. (1) What are Unprocessed Whole Grains, do you research and know what these are! (2) Eating Whole Grains does not give you a lisence to over eat on these carbohydrates (3) Please do not fall for the marketing messages of these mega food companies, I cannot think of a better analogy than a Whole Grain Krispy Kreme donut or Whole Grain Frosted Flakes. (4) Just because these carbs are “safe”, doesn’t mean that you can eat them anytime.

Enjoy the artile, it’s a good one!

The Safe Carbs – Whole Grains
by John M Berardi, March 11th, 2009.

The Whole Grain Survey
A few weeks back I gave a nutrition workshop and during the event I asked the attendees to come up with a list of unprocessed, whole grain carbohydrates they consume on a regular basis. Now, at this point, I’d like you to do the same.

Get out a piece of paper, take a minute, and write down 6 unprocessed whole grain carbs that you have in your house right now and eat on a regular basis. Seriously, go ahead. Put ‘em down. And be specific.

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #1-

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #2 –

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #3 –

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #4 –

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #5 –

Unprocessed, Whole Grain Food #6 –

Ok now, let’s talk whole grains.

What’s A Whole Grain?
Interestingly, during the workshop discussed above, I learned something very important. And the lesson was this. Most people have no idea what experts are talking about when they recommend unprocessed, whole grain carb sources.

This was particularly eye-opening for me because I regularly encourage folks to do just that. In seminars. In articles. And in a few spots in Precision Nutrition V3.

This is because whole grain, unprocessed carbs offer the following benefits:

They’re high in fiber, helping us maintain a healthy GI tract
They’re slow to digest, helping us control blood sugar
They’re loaded with vitamins and minerals, improving our nutrient density
They’re satisfying, helping us control appetite
As a result of these benefits above, whole grain, unprocessed carbohydrate sources tend to be much better handled, even by those with naturally poor carbohydrate tolerance, than the more heavily processed starchy carbohydrate sources like breads, pastas, rices, crackers, and cereals.

Comfort Food For Some – Unhealthy For Most
That’s right, even if you don’t think you can “handle carbs”, you can probably eat a moderate amount of whole grain, unprocessed carbs. And not only can you “get away” with it. You’d probably benefit from including them.

Now that’s all good and fine. Yet, in my surveys of late, I’ve found that people don’t really understand what I mean when I recommend whole grain, unprocessed carbs. In fact, the top five foods listed in my workshop surveys were:

1) Store-bought whole wheat bread

2) Quaker quick oats

3) Whole wheat pasta

4) Whole grain crackers

5) Brown rice

In addition to these five staples, I also found that people regularly included white and sweet potatoes, “whole grain” breakfast cereals, and “whole grain” chips in their lists. Interesting.

The Whole Grain Farce
Now, I’m not here to say that things like whole grain breads, crackers, and pastas are “bad for you.” Indeed, people are regularly eating foods that are much, much worse than these. Yet, I do think it important to note that when I recommend whole grain, unprocessed carbs, most of these foods don’t fit in. And they certainly don’t behave the same way in the body that unprocessed whole grains behave.

Now I know you’re about to give me your best “what you talkin’ about JB?” But hear me out.

Tony’s Still Looking Good – Must be Because of those Whole Grains.
Just because a food package says “whole grain,” that doesn’t mean the product is a whole grain food. I know, seems confusing at first. But bear with me. With the lax nutritional labeling standards we have nowadays, even foods like Frosted Flakes can qualify for the “whole grain” label because they’re adding small amounts of “whole grain corn” and “whole grain wheat” to the product.

Of course, the cover image doesn’t mention anything about the heavily processed ingredients including: sugar, high fructose corn syrup, processed rice, processed wheat, and a host of other additives and preservatives. Nope, the cover simply mentions what a wonderful source of “whole grains” and fiber this cereal is.

Also, and potentially more disturbing, is the fact that Krispy Kreme is jumping on the “whole grain” bandwagon, further diluting the meaning of “whole grain.” That’s right, THE Krispy Kreme is now offering a whole wheat, glazed donut.

Now, their corporate position suggests that these are healthier than non-whole grain donuts. And that can’t be a bad thing, can it? But seriously, how insulting does something have to get before our intelligence fights back?

Sure, there are folks that will try to assuage the guilt they associate with their donut addiction by suggesting that their addiction of choice now contains some “healthy stuff.” But I hope the rest of us see these for what they are. Deep fried, sugar coated, nutritionally empty fake foods with a little whole wheat sprinkled on top.

Krispy Kreme – Full of Whole Grain Goodness! (Cough)
Did you know that according to today’s label allowances, many products making the “whole grain” claim contain as little as 1% whole grain? Cue up the Frosted Flakes ad.

Here’s another beauty. Many manufacturers color their breads, crackers, and snacks brown (often with molasses) so that their foods sorta look like whole grains. What an embarassment. And this just scratches the shady surface of the “whole grain” industry.

So, let’s be clear on one thing. When I recommend whole, unprocessed carb sources, I’m recommending unprocessed foods that, in their entirety, are comprised of whole grains. Not foods that are highly processed (like breads, cereals, crackers, snacks, etc.). And not foods that have a light sprinkling of processed grains – included for marketing purposes, not for health purposes.

What Qualifies As A Whole Grain?
As a result of all the whole grain confusion I’m seeing, in Precision Nutrition V3 we decided to include notes on what qualifies as a healthy, whole grain, unprocessed carb.

More whole grains – whole wheat kernels, organic quinoa, and organic red quinoa.

Here’s an abbreviated list from PN V3:

Plain full flake or steel cut oats
Plain amaranth
Plain quinoa
Plan millet
Plain wheat berries
Plain barley
Plain wild rice
Now, you’ve probably already cringed at the word “plain” prefacing each of these grains. Don’t fret. I use this because nowadays companies do their best to “spice up” these foods, usually to the detriment of the food’s natural health properties. So it’s important to do the “spicing up” at home.

Indeed, you can turn plain quinoa, wheat berries, barley, or amaranth into amazingly tasting dishes with these grains by using some of the tips, recipes, and flavor combinations shared in both Gourmet Nutrition V1 (part of the Precision Nutrition System) and Gourmet Nutrition V2.

Also note, the preparation of whole grains is usually no more difficult than preparing rice. You can either throw them in a rice cooker and let them cook while you’re gone. Or you can throw them in water and let them simmer away until the water is absorbed by the grain.

Finally, if you’re not sure where to pick up your whole grains, grocery stores and supermarkets with bulk food sections usually have a decent selection. Further, specialty bulk stores like The Bulk Barn and a variety of health food stores also offer good selections of whole grains.

Can I Eat All I Want?
In a word, no!

Just because I’m extolling the virtues of whole grains in this article, that doesn’t mean you can eat all you want. These foods are still carbohydrate dense. So, understanding the goodness of grains doesn’t give you license to overeat them, and by extension, overeat calories and carbohydrates.

Instead, the Precision Nutrition principles still apply. Even when including whole grains, make sure to eat according to your body type. Also make sure to use nutrient timing. And finally, pay attention to your food sensitivities.

Whole Grain Recipes
Now that you’re all excited about whole grains, I’d like to refer you to a few whole grain recipes we share in Gourmet Nutrition V1 (part of the Precision Nutrition System) and Gourmet Nutrition V2.

Gourmet Nutrition V2 – The Cookbook For The Fit Food Lover
Gourmet Nutrition V1
Reeses Oatmeal – page 58
Oatmeal Apple Pie – page 63
Protein Pancakes – page 65
Roasted Chicken with Wheat Berries – page 89
Toasted Quinoa Salad – page 153

Gourmet Nutrition V2
Banana Cream Pie Oatmeal – page 42
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal – page 44
Quinoa, Apple, and Walnut Salad with Turkey Sausage – page 146
Roasted Garlic Barley Risotto – page 206
Fruity Cashew Quinoa – 208
Chunky Tomato Spelt – page 210

If you’ve already got copies of GN V1 and GN V2, make sure to give these recipes some work. And if not, click here for GN V1 and here for GN V2.
PURCHASE COPIES OF YOUR GOURMET NUTRITION COOKBOOKS HERE

Weekly Practice from the Hardstyle Diva

What is your favorite Kettlebell exercise? Well, I know this is a hard decision, but just pick one! For example, take this exercise and pair it with bodyweight exercies and do it TABATA Style. Are you ready? Here’s an example of what you can do. Currently I am really enjoying Front Squats. So here is a how my workout would go…

Set the timer for one of the following settings (YOUR CHOICE).
1) 20 sec work 10 sec rest
2) 30 sec work 15 sec rest
3) 40 sec work 20 sec rest
4) 1 min work 30 sec rest
My Sample Workout is 40:20 – 10 rounds = 10 minutes REST & REPEAT
– Front Squats
– Mountain Climbers
– Front Squats
– Plank
– Front Squats
– Burpees
– Front Squats
– Hip Bridge
– Front Squats
– Push up
Rest 2-3 minuts b/w rounds

Here are some more examples of bodyweight exercises:
Burpees, Hip Bridge, Plank, Mountain Climbers, Jump Squats, Alternating Jumping Lunges, Alternating Reverse Lunges, Squat, Push up, V-Up

Here are some examples of Kettlebell Exercies:
Swing (1H, 2H Alt Hand), Goblet squat, TGU, Windmill, Sntach, Figure 8, Clean & Press, Military Press, Push Press, Front Squat, etc, etc, etc.

For proper instruction of Kettlebell exercies go to the RKC Instrucotr page on Dragon Door and find an RKC instructor near you. Before working with Kettlebells, PLEASE do your research and be sure that you are learning from a certified RKC instructor. There are many people out there that are teaching kettlebells, if you are not taught correctly your risk for injury will be high.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!
~ hd