Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bowling, Kettlebells

Let us get some of the day to day stuff out of the way:

Today's workout:
Double Clean&Press:
24 kg x 1 x 1,3,5
32 kg x 5 x 1,3,5
==> These felt pretty good

Single Leg Deadlift: 32kg x 1 x 10; 40kg x 3 x 10 (40kg is not much harder than 32kg)

Ballistics

Snatches: 24kg x 1 x 20,15; 32kg x 1 x 10
High Pulls: 40kg x 6 x 5 (not pretty) -- even got a snatch with each arm for the hell of it.

Bowling: 233-213-253-699
* Did not have first open until 10th frame of second game
* Had front 7 in last game
* Needed three strikes in 10th for 700 series. Left four pin on the last ball (tugged)
* Good to have another big series.

All the renegade rows are giving me a big gut. Gotta lose some weight. Countdown starts now.


Tuesday's Stuff

Today's Workout:
* TGU: 24kg x 12:00 (light stuff, good tonic for the shoulders)
* Renegade Rows: 24kg x 3 x 5; 24kg x 8 x 10 (really learning to bury the shoulders)
* Guard Presses: 3 x 10
(floor presses with shoulder bridge, raise pressing shoulder off of the ground - exellent core strengthener)


Bowling:
221(had pocket 7-10 break w/in 7 strikes)-
176 (started S7- X S7-) -
244 (after 4 spares, got a 6 bagger to save series)-644
==> Average is up to 211
==> Really solid at the line

Random Restuarants Thought:
Chateau Soho (never ate there) became...
Soho Cafe (at there once - not bad, but expensive and they tried to sell me fake scallops) became....
Manny's Bistro
==> Who is Manny, and why does he keep changing the name of his restaurants. The waiter last time said that they were deFrenchifying the menu.

Pita Pit has just opened. There food is good value for the spend, but....
==> Even though they are set up like Subway, they don't get people out of there anywhere near as quickly.
==> Their Pita don't seem like they are packaged in quantity or made fresh.
==> They don't have a lot of parking.
==> It is decent food -- hopefully they stick around. It is a chain, so they can absorb a loss while they figure it out.




Saturday, April 26, 2008

Bowling, New PRs and some general thoughts....

As many of you know -- my sport is bowling. There are not many bowlers in the Kettlebell community. I have been bowling for about 10 years - while the sport can frustrate me, I can't imagine living w/o it. There are a number of accomplished powerlifters, martial artists, MMA fighters, first responders, military that are RKCs. There are some people that bowl, but not many bowlers.

Over the last three years, my average has been just below the Mendoza line (between 197-199). After two years of using kettlebells, my averages are are now 205 and 210, and lately I have even been blowing those numbers away.

I had a new record series last Wednesday: 237-266-248 -- 751 series (old record - 747). While records in "finesse" sport are not completely attributable to conditioning and training (and rely a lot on some luck), I will say that kettlebells have helped the following attributes of my bowling:

* Rooting -- In bowling, you need to be "solid at the line." In order to be solid, you need to be perfectly rooted on your "balance" side. If you are not balanced, you can't consistently deliver good shots with the same direction, speed, and rotation. With consistent releases, you cannot score consistently. Exercises used: Single leg deadlifts/rows. Most ballistics. Also, to improve foot proprioception, I have taken to bowling w/o socks or with thin socks.
==> My bowling teammate (who averages 220) said that I was "overpowering" a tough lane condition.

* Mobility -- I have had multiple shoulder separations/dislocations. My shoulders have been shot. Kettlebells have given me increased shoulder mobility. In looking at old and new video, my arm angle has increased from about 165 degrees to about 190 degrees. While that may not seem like a lot - strike ball speed has increased from about 15.25-15.5 MPH to 16.5 to 17.2 MPH. Since E(translation) = 1/2mv^2, this is huge energy increase. Exercises: RKC Armbar, Turkish Get Up (TGU), Snatches.

* Hand strength -- It is common knowledge that kettlebells work the grip (both finger and forearms) in a way that tradition weightlifting does not. In bowling, there is not only power that comes from speed, but power that comes from rotation. Stonger forearms let you cup the ball somewhat, giving you leverage to really rotate the ball. Stronger fingers let you really rev up the ball as well. Since E(rotation) = 1/2Iw^2, this added energy is huge in getting optimal pin carry. Exercises: Farmers walks, snatches, high pulls, towel swings.

* General Conditioning -- I will not go into this too much, since you don't need fantastic conditioning to be a bowler. I will say that professional bowlers in general are improving their conditioning and losing weight. Since bowling you are putting near maximal effort repeated over a number of games (typically 3 -9), I would migrate toward HIIT rather than LSD. Exercises: Top of the minutes ballistics, HoC cardio.

Even though kettlebells will help bowlers with their conditioning, you still need to bowl to get better at bowling. In my case:
* GPP: Kettlebells, powerlifting
* SPP: Bowling Practice
==> Also, I have been teaching a couple of beginners to bowl. Why I enjoy seeing them get better (one got his first 200 game), I feel that I learn more by teaching.

Some other kettlebells PR set recently (in the last month):
* 10:00 minute snatch test with the 32kg: 106 (I feel that I have 120 in me)
* 5:00 minute snatch test with the 24kg: 130, I never set the bell down during the five minutes. Set progression: 20/20, 15/15, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10. My friend (and boss) Jamie was doing the TSC and I did this to give Jamie a number to compete against and help determine his strategy. I have been doing a lot of work with hang/dead snatches with the 32kg, and I am convinced that this help me more than snatching the 24kg bell for 5 minutes with every workout.
* C&P: 40kg x 7 reps with left hand
* Snatch: 40kg x 4 reps, I did this surrepticiously after doing some work with high pulls.

I am looking to do some powerlifting (weight about 193, probably would compete at 181). I need to find a contest that will give me enough time to lose the weight (try to get to a "walking around" weight of 185) and enough time to work at improving squat depth.

Till next time.....

Thursday, April 17, 2008

If you need a 20 Minute Workout

If you are limited for time, try the following workout:

* Turkish Get-Ups: 32kg x 10:00
* Tabata Protocol Swings: 32kg x 8 x 14 (:20 swinging/:10 rest)

14 minutes workout time -- you should easily be able to do this and shower in 1/2 hour. The get ups work every muscle in the body. And try to tell me kettlebells aren't cardio after tabata swings after you are sweating profusely, your heart is beating through your chest, and you are gasping for air. Plus, since you are doing less volume, it's easier to keep mass on.

Bowling: Simply put -- "head-up-my-ass bowling"
Early League (sub): 224-181-191 - 596
Late League: 215-195-180 - 590 (missed too many spares and had too many strikes to score this low)
Combined with my 601 on Tuesday, this is inexcusable mediocrity at its best. I hope to bring it together before States.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

I am on the Blog highway now. Let me introduce myself!

Just like a lot of other kettlebell comrades have done, I have created a blog space here.

Just so you know a little more about me.

Just some of the topics that I will be posting on:
* Kettlebell workouts
* Debunking fitness myths, misconceptions, and misapplications
* Tampa life
* Personal diatribes
* Bowling