Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Kettlebell and the Front squat

As I said before, I'm doing this KB challenge on T-nation.  It's a really good workout, but if you're prone to being distracted by shiny objects, it's probably not the right workout for you.  The reason I chose it is that there is a goal in mind.  TEN THOUSAND SWINGS with a 53lb. KB.  That's a lot of work over the course of four weeks.

Today I decided to sub the goblet squat with the front squat.  I used 135, because I was unsure of how I would tolerate the rep scheme between KB swings and I guessed wrong.  I should have used a heavier weight.  I did manage to go unbroken (no missed reps) but I practiced a little mantra to keep me going.  Chris Spealler of CF fame talked about it on his blog... it's just a little motivation to keep you going.  Tonight for me the mantra was "It doesn't own me".  Sounds lame, but it worked.  I gave myself micro-goals when I was getting tired, too.  Spealler also mentions this in a mental toughness blog he did.  Just tell yourself, "three more reps... ok another three... ok two more..." so on and so forth.  The mental trick is actually handy.

A few random thoughts throughout the day-

Nutrition is key.  I ordinarily eat like crap, but I've got an amazing wife who cooks dinner nightly, which affords me the opportunity to take leftovers to work.  Healthy meals give me fuel.  Water- I've been drinking about 160 oz. of water a day.  I think that's a little over a gallon a day.  That's just what I monitor.  I have a few glasses at night and in the morning, as well.

Be patient and use kind words.  I'm in a business of directing people, giving orders and just being militant, in general.  It's hard to turn that off at home.  I've been working on this because I have a young girl at home that looks up to me and a loving wife that supports me.  I have a long commute home and it helps with the process.  I'm not perfect, but I'm working on it.  Just be nice.  It pays back in the end and makes your life easier.

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