Training Surprises

Several things took me by surprise during my training today. Let me make a list.

1. My left knee gave out on my first round of TGUs. WTH??? I almost had a cast iron hat. I didn't hurt my knee, so I don't understand why it kept giving out. So, I Z'd the knee. Well, actually I Z Healthed my right elbow for my left knee. Then I did some ATG squats. It felt much better, but I didn't want to press my luck. Time to edit the training program for the day.

2. I did 5 rounds of 4 push presses L, R with the 16 kg. After the third round, I was feeling very strong, so I picked up the 20 kg and did 3 rounds of 2 L, R with that bell. I don't think I've ever done a push press with the 20 kg. Surprise!!

3. While doing my push presses, I noticed a couple of college students playing around with my kbs. They were touching my bells without permission. Panic! Panic! I heard one say "Those things are Russian. I've seen those in a movie." Another one was swinging my Russian Red 16 kg. Pardon me. I'm a certified kettlebell trainer. If you would like, I could show you how to swing that to get maximum results. BTW, my name is Amy. Do you want to bring that kettlebell into the Tae Kwon Do room and have me get you started?

Two scurried away, but one curious cat hung around. "Okay. I'm supposed to do some cleans and snatches," he says as he opens his issue of Muscle and Fitness. He follows me into the TKD room. I talk about hip thrust and force generation. He picks up the 12 kg and snatches it, bent armed with a thud to his wrist. That's pretty good hip thrust. Now, lock out your arm at the top. Two reps later, he's pretty darn good. He's done snatches with a barbell, but never a kb. He's intrigued. He played football and has lifted weights for many years. Now he's in the powerline program. He's a naturally physical guy.

He returns to the TKD room four more times to snatch the 20 kg. While he does that, I do the following:

Snatch - 16 kg, 12 L then 12 kg, 10 L
rest 20 seconds
Snatch 16 kg, 12 R then 12 kg, 10 R
Rest 1:30
4 rounds

The guy can't quit asking about kb training. His friends wander in and out giving him shit. He ignores them. I like him already. He wants to know when I'll be back, when he can use the kbs again. Wednesday. That'll work. He's got to do triceps and biceps on Tuesday anyway. Uhggggg! Okay, baby steps. Rome wasn't built blah blah blah.

It was still a surprise to find a young man eager to pick up the kb and learn more, even if his friends gave him a hard time.

3. Third surprise - I did windmills to end up my training. 3 rounds of 5 reps L, R with the 16 kg. That was shocking that I could do that many with such ease with the 16 kg considering it's been months since I've done a windmill.

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Tomorrow I'm presenting at a Lunch and Learn at my college. My pickup is loaded down with every kb I could get my hands on. I'm going to get a workout just hauling all of those puppies into the college!

Thanks Julie and Katie for loaning me your kbs. I will bring them back safe and sound!