This Saturday 20th September will Kettlebell NZ's last workshop for 2008.

If you want to learn how to correctly perform the foundation kettlebell exercises  so that you can maximise your kettlebell training and get fit and lean for summer,  well register now by following this link ... Kettlebell NZ workshop

As an added bonus, all workshop attendees will go inton the draw to win a free kettlebell valued up to $150.

As our workshop class size is typically resricted to 10 -20 you have great odds of walking away with a brand new kettlebell.

Also, even if you don't win you can buy your next sized kettlebell at a fantastic discounted price

So go to www.kettlebellsnz.com/workshop for all the details

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After achieving 5 ladders of 5 rungs on continuous Clean & Press & Pull/Chin ladders I have increased from using the 20kg kettlebell up to the 24 kg kettlebell      i of course dropped the resp back to only 3 runngs and have started with 3 ladders.

 Cont C&P ladders 24kg/1-2-3-4/1-2-3/1-2-3
Pullups                        BW/1-2-3 /1-2/1
Chins                            BW/-4   /-3 / 2-3

For the pullups once the reps almost got to failure i swapped to close grip underhand chinups to complete the rung

Time 11 minutes

Rest 5-6 minutes

Swing/Snatch/Burpee combo - from Ross Enamait

Swing 24kg/ 5/5    /5/5    /5/5
Snatch 24kg/ 5/5   /5/5    5/5
Burpess              10        10       10

First 2 sets obly 1 minute between then increased to 2 minutes for last set.  really blowing after Burpees (jump at end)

Started with swing straight into snatch on same arm but on last set converted over to R swing then L swing r snatch then l snatch as its supposed to be.

The first method was harder.  Was blowing at end 

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For today's workout I dropped back from my previous total on this day of 210 reps of snatches at 7/min and increased the pace to 10/min

I found the increased pace definitely harder as eached set of 10 took about 45 seconds to complete therefore only leaving 15 secs for recovery.

Started the build up with only ten sets on the minute.

GS Snatches 24kg/10 sets x 10 reps = 100 reps in 10 minutes

For mext GS snatch intercal workout keep the same pace for 10-11 minutes but then add further time at a reduced pace to recover enough to add some more volume back up to 200 reps

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When I first started doing Clean & Press ladders I did them more in a continuous manner ie, resting only in between ladders.  I thought this was how they were done and coulrn't understand why I found 5 ladders of  5 reps difficult compared to others.  However it seems most people do ladders for strength with rest in between the rungs of the ladder.  This makes them ideal when training with partners.  So a 3 rung ladder would go

1 rep C&P right
partner turn
1 rep C&P left
partner turn
1 chin
partner turn

2 rep C&P right
partner turn
2 rep C&P left
partner turn
2 chin
partner turn

 Up to 3 reps and then a couple of minutes rest or 5 reps if doing 5 rung ladders

This way of doing ladders is good for building strenght as you get in a lot of reps without burning out and the effect of starting back on the bottom rung and doing 1 rep back up means that there is recovery built in.

However, this can take a long time and it isn't exactly great for conditioning, so I now alternate these traditional strength ladders with contiinuous ladders.  Basically I just carry on instead of letting a partner have his turn adn the only rest is at the top of the ladder.

If you limit rest at the top of the ladder to 60 seconds or less then 5 ladders or 5 rungs is a very tough workout, especially if you are doing pullups or chins as well.

Todays' workout - Continuous Clean & press & Pull/Chin ladders

 20kg/ 5 ladders of 5 rungs with 1 min rest btw ladders

This equates to 75 reps per arm ie, 5 ladders of 15 reps ie, 1-2-3-4-5
and a total tonnage per arm of 1,500kg or 3,306lb

Time taken 27 minutes, resting time 4 minutes duringworkout

Unfortuately my pullup/ chin endurance is not very good so I only got 53 reps and I had to swap from wide grip pullups to close grip chins or parallel chins in the later stages of the ladder as I fatigued.

Finished with some ring pressups & ring rows for about 3 sets of 3 reps.  This wasn't planned I was just trying out my new rings, so probabaly best to do them fresh. 

So give it a go and post how you went 

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My shoulders were still feeling a little beat up from all the C&P ladders on Tuesday so thankfully I was going to do a GS Snatch session for time.

 I actually didn't have alot of time to train so just did continuous snatches with a 16kg Girevoy Sport Kettlebell .  Now I know 16 kg is pretty light but for this workout the aim is to continuously snatch the kettlebell and fine tune snatching technique.  I swapped hands every minute on the minute and went 12 minutes straight.

I tried to concentrate on getting the drop correct on my left side as it wasn't rolling around the wrist properly.  By the end of the session my technique was definitely better ... and when the only place to rest is with the kettlebell overhead that 16kg soon starts to feel a lot heavier.

 Although it is quite light this workout has a completely different feel so it is good to put it after my big C&P day

 Workout 16kg / Snatch for 12 min continuously, alternate arms each minute

This weeks training has overall been a bit light as I have backed off so i am looking forward to ramping it back up in June 

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Today was heavy volume Clean & Press & Pullup day.

For those unfamiliar with ladders they are a great way to build strength by building up a high volume of low reps without burninging out by doing too many reps & fatigueing.

Ladders are ideal when working out with a partner because by alternating reps you build in escalating rest periods as the reps increase.

Today I did 10 sets of 3 rung ladders, ie,

1 rep right side Clean & Press (C&P) ... rest for partner to do the rep (imagine training with partner)

1 rep left side C&P then rest

1 Pullup -then rest

2 rep right side C&P then rest

2 rep left side C&P then rest

2 Pullups then rest

3 rep right side C&P then rest

3 rep left side C&P then rest

3 Pullups then bigger rest of 1 minute between rungs

Start back at 1 rep and build to 3 again.

I did this 10 times in about 50 minutes and therefore did 60 reps pressing the 24kg kettlebell with each arm and 60 pullups

Next week I will increase to the 28kg kettlebell and cut back the sets and maybe some of the rungs off the later sets .

From about the 5th set onwards I started having slightly more rest before the pullups as they are a weak movement for me.

I am not used to doing such a high volume of pressing and after injuring my shoulders last year it will be interesting to see how they handle the volume

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After our highly successful first kettlebell workshop in April we have scheduled another workshop for 28th June.

At the workshop we will take you through the foundation kettlebell drills and show you how to fix up your technique and maximise your kettlebell training.

For all the details click here kettlebell workshop

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