A bell on my bike

DEFoW - week 1

2017-03-19T18:39:00.001+00:00

So if you read my last post you'd know what DEFoW was...the Don't Eat FOr Winter method of weight management. I hate using the word diet as it now has connotations to weight loss and points and calories, etc.

So week 1 was eventful. The first few days were fine...no problems and managed to stay on track. Thursday was always the hard day for me as this was the stage where previous efforts came to a halt as your body depleted in reserves. There was a slight feeling of that this time but that only goes to show firstly that it isn't a Ketosis method of weight monitoring and second that I must be doing OK.

Friday...the first day of exercise so I went 16 miles on my bike...5th time out this year. Windy and cold but short enough to go with. I went with the suggested carb-first switch on the day. It's not pleasant and I discovered my body doesn't work that way. I need to load the previous night...not load that morning...lesson #1. So I switched around that evening and went on the carb-biased feed that evening. One of the UKs best ever cycling climbers, Robert Miller, said that your performance tomorrow is based on what you eat today. And he's right. The next day was equally windy, if not stronger winds, but I went 22 miles. All good, if not less restricted in the gut region by a lighter feed, and only had a protein/fat based breakfast. Some top pro cyclists do this for weight loss - a plain omelette then 5 hours up in the mountains...albeit with energy bars and gels to keep them company. I had the trusty bananas and energy gels if required.

So if I'd have been on another method, I may say...this doesn't work for endurance sports. But the "why" lets you experiment with what works for you with the understanding of what it is that you want to achieve.

But then the inevitable occurred. Got up Sunday morning...wasted. Not enough fuel from Saturday. How? Well, 2 reasons as it happens. Firstly, I didn't plan the days feed after the breakfast. Home-made soup and brown seed roll at lunch time which was inadequate considering the efforts earlier with lasagne in the evening followed by a small portion of yesterdays cabbage and potato. Considering I had, if you believe these things on Strava, burned 700 calories, I probably didn't have the base calorie intake as it was this depletion left me wanting. Secondly, I have an intolerance to potatoes but I had taken them for 2 days running. Plug = pulled.

So the learning curve, and lessons for this week:

Plan the day

Avoid the spud

Weight-wise - no change but I'm not concerned these being brutally honest. I feel like I've more energy because I'm eating more, if not still insufficient for the requirements on some days. But that's the joy. Learning. I also feel lighter - in the regions where it is typical not to feel light...the gut.

Below is a screenshot of the plan and list which I'll monitor for this week. Any alterations will be made and we'll take it from there. Here's to next week.

Back again...different bell focus

2017-03-19T18:19:00.001+00:00

It's been a while. Too long. If you've read my recent post (recent...huh!!) you'd know why. But all seems OK again.

So...back to doing something more useful again...something less stressful, less competitive, less constructed and defined...the bike!! Let the wind blow through my hair while it still exists.

But wait...I've been here before. And it isn't pleasant starting out again. OK, not strictly starting out again but kicking off with regular miles. But there was always something missing with the bike. And that was the weight. I'll never be small. I'll never be light but it would be good to be lighter. It helps...boy does it help!

I've tried all of the diets - no carbs = no energy. No breakfast before going on a bike = dangerous ground. Stay away from refined sugar = yeah, OK, but what if you needed it? You're a protein or carb type person...spare me with the americanism on what is how you live. Where do these people get their ideas. Paleo - OK, has merits but is grossly unsustainable. Go calorie deficient and you will lose weight...only 5 Mars bars a day allowed...no, that doesn't work either. I wanted to eat, not be a part-time mathematician. Try this "food substitute"...you know the one...nothing to do with herbs at all. It's hardly what you'd call natural and in reality is one step away from a pyramid scheme. Nope...I completely failed.

But then there's something different. Someone, finally, describes how your body works. And describes it like a person, not a chemistry graduate. And shows that it can be done...and doesn't say do what I do without showing you what happens first...and doesn't give you a diet plan to follow because we're all different but gives you the information you need...and doesn't give you ingredients that are difficult to come by...and doesn't want you to be come a mathematician. That there is DEFoW, or Don't Eat FOr Winter.

http://www.donteatforwinter.com/

Cian Foley...someone I met while Kettlebell lifting. A quiet sort of a fella. Unassuming. But determined. As with most sports it's now obligatory to connect on Facebook and other social media outlets. Cian seemed to be up to something. Yeah, kettlebells...but he was telling everyone what he was doing. Nothing new there...but he was telling before he did it. And how it worked/didn't work. Then we started to see the six-pack. Urgghhhh! Please.

But he was doing everything...running, social responsibilities, working, family life, competing...where was that energy coming from? Ah, he must have a high metabolism. I asked him about what he was doing.

I messaged him on FB Messenger in January 2017...I couldn't keep up with his messaging about the discoveries he was making on his path to fulfilment...the best way to get the benefit out of his fuel. He was enthusiastic. I wondered if he'd ever put it in writing...I now have his book on my desk. It's also available for the Kindle at Amazon. For the first time I understood why your body works the way it does. How it retains weight...we're all primitive. Once you understand, you can achieve.

So I started out on this journey. It's not a one-size-fits-all diet plan...in fact it's not a plan at all. It's the "why" of weight loss control. But the "Why" is important. It's now down to the how. And each person is different. I'll give a progress report in the next post.

Sometimes the hand you're dealt includes the Joker

2014-02-08T12:35:00.002+00:00

I'll start by saying this may not be a pleasant read for some. Life sometimes isn't pleasant.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

June-ish 2013. Going for a run on the well beaten path of Wexford Racecourse. Lap 1 done. Lap 2 became uncomfortable. Lap 3 was started but quickly aborted. Straight to the car, home fast, tense. Made it inside the door and to the toilet. Just made it. Phew. Bad curry or something.

About a week later - same thing. Just on lap 2 this time. Didn't have curry this time. Training hard...maybe my sleep patterns were acting in storing energy then releasing. Maybe it was the pounding moving things along.

Then it happened again. Was it something I'd eaten? Was it the potatoes that I'd had stomach difficulty with previously? I cut them out.

August. It was happening every time. I said to the wife that I can't go running anymore. And I'd just started to enjoy running too. About this time I started to see streaks of blood too. That's nothing new...it was a pile I told myself. I've had blood streaks on and off for a few years. Hindsight tells me that I should have taken note back then.

September. It had escalated. By now it was happening anytime. Still not too put off. Still training.

October - the blood increased dramatically. It became scary to look down and think that there was enough for a blood donation. And this was every time up to 20 times a day. And the fatigue from the blood loss just wears you out daily. And it's still happening that way. What was wrong? Was there something "more serious" going on? Being the condition and where it was you obviously have a tendency to leave it alone and it'll get better. But it wasn't. So I went to the doctor asking about hemorrhoids. Nope...none there but I got treatment for it in case it was internal. I'd arranged to have a specialist have a look. In the meantime it became more regular...several times before breakfast, work was fun. At work only going, going back to the office, going back again. Quickly.

I got a scope done and finally an answer...Colitis. I had a bloody disease. My son had Crohns which is related. But me, someone, who in my head, was is still grasping at youth had something that I would possibly have for the rest of my life. I was getting old?

So medication, steroids. That's what I was on. And it improved somewhat...but colitis doesn't go away. You may get relief but there's no guarantee. That relief lasted 1 week at best. I'd gone to the gym in the meantime. Once. But not since.

Current status is the same. I have to plan a journey. I'm not talking a plane flight...I'm talking, for example, to the barbers. When is it safe to go out of the house?

A trip to Dublin to bring our youngest to Crumlin was scary. I nearly shit meself (humour, I didn't). But the journey to me was the scariest thing I'd done. Where do you stop on the M50? I had to basically stop eating the previous evening and hope for the best and eat the minimum when I got there. We got home and I was OK but as soon as I got home it was back...another night warning the kids not to spend too long in the toilet.

Luckily I have a job that allows me to answer natures calls. If I was a bus driver or worked on a site or a traffic warden I'd be unemployed by now.

And the internet is awash with "fixes". There is no fix. There is no step 1 to 10 and you're cured. There is no medication to stop it. You need to find out yourself what works and what doesn't. There is a popular SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) which is supposed to help. Think Paleo diet, but stricter.

There's conflicting information.

Use Aloe Vera...don't use Aloe Vera. Use Chlorella...don't use Chlorella. Peas are OK...don't eat peas, etc, etc, and so on.

Thankfully Stephen Bourke of Westport put me in contact with a US friend of his in a similar situation. And also there is another Wexford Kettlebell Club member who has similar who was in contact, both of which I appreciate and thank. There's times when you think that this is never going to end. A recent trip out and I saw a guy in a wheelchair and I thought..."I'd nearly prefer to be in a wheelchair. At least he can get around". And the symptoms of my condition are not as bad as other sufferers. And I feel their pain.

Hopefully over time it will go into remission and I'll get back to living a normal life.

But reality says that this maybe is the new normal. And the Joker isn't funny.

Glass half empty or glass half full?

2013-09-08T19:25:00.001+01:00

A well known dilemma - is the glass half empty or is the glass half full. Or in other words are you an optimist or a pessimist? Well, there's a third option...are you a realist.

I recall a film many years ago where, I'm almost sure, starred Jean Claude Van Damme. He was asked this question by a Sensei (my knowledge of martial arts is limited...a Sensei might be a Japanese make of car!!). The Sensei preceded to pour water into this glass of milk but was stopped. The point was that if this Sensei was to provide Van Damme with his knowledge he first needs to empty the glass, or empty his knowledge to accommodate what he is to be shown. Understand?

The Jason Kelly Cup of Ireland was me half empty/half full moment. I had used 28's in the Leinster Open in Meath earlier in July. The following 2 weeks I could not hit 2 minutes jerk with 24's. But I changed my diet quite substantially and things came around. I could do 6 minutes quite easily. I could do 10 minutes of both jerk and snatch in a controlled method. I could hit high scores in the minute. I would walk the Cup of Ireland and that glass was half full.

The days leading to the competition I was confident. Diet-wise I had made another alteration. But I began to weaken a little...didn't matter though. I had this in the bag.

The competition was a disaster...for me. Others have said I did well but not in my world. As a comparison to others I had come second to a strong athlete and was 1/2 point...yes, 1 snatch, ahead of third place to a good soul who hadn't done 10 minutes before. But I didn't do me justice...my aim was to go better than I had before. Time to analyse and time to empty.

Firstly, why had I weakened in those few days. This is still in an experimental stage but I reckon I have this area cracked...more to tell in the future. But I knew that if I could only last 7 minutes in a snatch competition I would need to work on that. Back to the coach.

So for an assessment on where to go next I would need to do a few tests. 10 minutes snatch on 16's and 10 minutes on 20's. 16's were fine - controlled and comfortable but only 209. Only 209? One of the things that I had realised after the competition is that I don't do enough 10 minute routines. So how can I pace myself for 10 minutes when I don't do it? I had more than 209 in me and I have to do more 10 minute sets.

The 20's were a different ball game. That 7 minute barrier came in. Heavier weights need technique to pull you through. But the video showed me that I was sacrificing form for numbers and hitting my grip hard. 133 reps...1 less than the 134 reps in the Cup of Ireland last year. That's not progress. And that gut isn't a pleasant addition either...time to move it!

So this is all part of the emptying of the glass and to repeat a phrase I used elsewhere "If at first you don't succeed...do what the coach tells you". So I have 6 months to the nationals where I have to make every day between now and then count and to do that I have to go back to the basics and learn - technique, fitness, strength. So that after that competition I can do me proud and I can fill a glass of my own...preferably pint-sized.

Things Wot I Learned in Cork

2013-04-07T17:39:00.000+01:00

No camera this time in Cork...but that doesn't stop the powers of observation. These are some of the things I learned in Cork...

During a relay wearing a pants is optional
Before sending out a search party for your wallet make sure it isn't in your arse pocket
As a Captain you must perform a dance before peeing
All that glitters is not gold
When a woman shows her teeth at you in a smile...it isn't always a smile
People look taller on Facebook
8.30am is early for some
You cannot stand between Kian and a TV
Martin hasn't retired
There's a female version of Keith.
You CAN warm up in an area barely 2deg Centigrade
Incense will kill any bodily after-scents
Corks heating isn't as fuel efficient as Wexfords
Coach doesn't like the "Romanian Milkshake"
There is more than one woman from Galway
Signing up to the last event with the heaviest Kettlebell allows for plenty of shopping time after weigh-in
When you're the Captain injuries are secondary to competing
You can't video someone on a camera that doesn't have video capabilities
The European Championship medals would make great manhole covers...huge!!
It is advisable to remove all fish tanks from the competing area prior to a competition.
Telling your team mates that you may wet the platform during the relay is a little disconcerting
Women who say they can't run only say so when a McDonalds isn't in sight
The Coach came second in that race
Nobody went for the salad option
Somebody was very good - 1 chip?
That's all that was left...eh Paul?

It's been a while...

The Coach

2012-05-11T12:46:00.000+01:00

The Coach, aka Famous Irish Athlete Mick Kelly.

Coach has taught us a lot of things.

He's shown us proper technique.

He's shown us breathing techniques.

He's shown us how to train.

He's introduced us to world champions.

He's encouraged us when we thought we weren't progressing.

He's shown us that failure is an opportunity to learn.

He's advised us on how we should compete.

He's made the pain seem like fun.

He has selflessly promoted the sport we have all come to love.

He's made some of us into World Class athletes.

But there's something that the coach didn't show us. We compete with the tools that he has given us. But the coach never showed us how to lose. He's never shown us how to accept second best. He's never shown us how to give up.

We're on the last spell of our training. All that we can do and all that Coach has given us, we've done. On May 19th & 20th we complete. We compete for the club, we compete for the coach and we compete for ourselves.

Wexford Kettlebell Club...let's go make some noise!!

I am 1

2012-05-10T18:53:00.000+01:00

Yep. One year ago I started Kettlebell training. One year on May 9th to be precise. I mentioned it here and likened the process of recognising competitive cycling wasn't for me to childbirth. You'd forget that you weren't Sean Kelly and keep going back to world dominance but get dropped on a local tour. A cruel sport where it never gets easier, you just go faster.

It's been an eventful year. Painful at times (those first 15 press-ups that John requested and caused my eyesight to go all funny) to the skin loss...oh the skin loss. To dropping a 20Kg kettlebell on your foot (just last week!!) to bursting your shorts 5 minutes into your 1 hour session. It's been fun.

I'm not going to go over old posts like the Secrets Revealed: Chapter 1 & Chapter 2 but I can recall these things:

Igors Shorts
Collettes wig
Micks Chinese takeaway numbers
Darth Vaders boot
The Force being strong
Secret training with a vacuum cleaner
A woman on the left side of the gym
Indoor snow angels
New, shiny shoes
Training that requires lying down
Inistioge and the guy with 20 packs of crisps down his coat
The horny prawns
The ICA meetings on the right side of the gym
The longer ICA meetings on the left side of the gym
The comment "Which is handier?" when choosing LC or Biathalon training on the night
Heavy breathing at the racecourse
Medals, medals, _ _ _ _ _ _, medals (oops!)
Problems with starting your 10 minute competition at the right time (oops x 2!)
Upstairs out-numbering downstairs

Here's to the next year!!

I got a puncture

2012-04-30T22:14:00.003+01:00

I got a puncture...I'll explain. It's called deflation. It's called an unexpected but always anticipated event. It's something that buggers up your plans...a little prick in your world, as it were.

Let me take you back a bit...back to July 2011. I'm sitting in a bus. Inistiogue isn't far away. We've just come from the Irish Kettlebell Sport Championships. Wexford Kettlebell Club did well...very well. A phone rings. Mick says that Kilkenny are suggesting using the National Championships next year (2012) as a means of selection for a national team. "Ah, you'll have to use 24's for that" says Mick. The chicken just laid an egg that was to hatch in mid 2012.

There, in the span of a phone call, was my goal. Qualify for a National team. I'd represented my country before, and won, but that wasn't physical. That didn't demand sweat, commitment, sacrifice and pain. It didn't require mental toughness. It didn't require failure. Age didn't matter...I was on a plan to become an international.

Now, lets put our feet back on planet earth. I was only using 12Kg kettlebells back then. I'd only touched a 16 at home but not for long. I hadn't competed. I had bought 2 x 20Kg kettlebells but they were going nowhere. SO was I capable of 24Kg within a year? I thought so.

So the winter passed. 16's became 20Kg. An RGSF rank of Level 1 was the gate to open to 24Kgs...my aim. They were/are heavy buggers. They move differently to 20s...there was a lot to learn about proper technique that brute force and ignorance would get you by with on 20Kgs.

The AIKLF had announced that on May 19th/20th the potential selection for a national team would take place...the time had come. Plans for the Biathalon took place. Increases in reps and time snowballed. But we had to know was it feasible...10 minutes with 2 x 24Kg kettlebells in the jerk then another 10 minutes in the snatch.

The first test lasted 7 minutes 40 seconds. Not to worry - a fail is a point where you understand what went wrong and put them right. A stomach bug put off the second planned recompensing test. Monday 30th April...the day before the deadline for signing up for the competition was to be that day.

But I got a puncture. I had failed before I set foot on the premises. The failure of the 10 minutes had grown roots in my head and they wouldn't shake off. 5 minutes into the test and that was that. 1 year of a plan collapsed. I'm not one for lovely sayings like failure is just a hurdle or failure is a problem to solve. It makes as much sense as gift wrapping a dead puppy. Failure leads you to reassess your aims, your values and your plan.

I'm not dismissing 24Kgs as a competitive option. For now I need to be real - 20Kgs are now my competitive strength. 24Kgs will take a little longer.

But one saying that does connect is - "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." On May 19th I will be using 20Kg kettlebells. And on that date I will be as competitive as I can be. A puncture never stopped me before...it just delayed my progress. But it does give you time to catch breath, to review your situation and plan a new route. Here's to May...and August...punctures permitting.

Here, is the news...

2012-03-11T10:35:00.014+00:00

HEADLINES :: HEADLINES :: HEADLINES :: HEADLINES

Competitor in Kettlebell Sport Competition in Cork, Ireland questioned in relation to her "Robot-like" abilities. Sparks fly among the competitors.

Boy, 11, displays his supernatural ability to be able to lift kettlebells with his shadow. Scientists are baffled at the phenomenon.

Girl passes 20KG Kettlebell - "I didn't know what was happening then there it was...a kettlebell"

Catholic Church to release a statement shortly in response to what is believed to be the first credible sighting of the "Mark of the Beast".

Caught on camera:
A man with a deadly physical condition reveals the symptoms of his affliction. As seen in the captured photos his minders distance themselves from his contagious condition.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS :: ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Wexford Kettlebell Club receive a lot of interest from Hollywood in the remaking of classic Hollywood films.

Charlies Angels is to be remade but following the advice of a Health & Safety Consultant it was deemed dangerous to only have 3 angels. The remake will have 7.

Oceans 13 will be remade with a greater level of equality involved so 7 female actresses are included. It will be known as "Oceans 13, like".

The Golden Girls comedy series is also to get a makeover. The actresses have been selected but as the previous version ran with ladies beyond retirement age, filming will not commence until 2062.

Amy Kehoe wins the Oscar for her portrayal of Dirty Harry:

I know what you're thinking. "Did she fire 6 jerks or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a 10Kg kettlebell, the most powerful kettlebell in the world, and would blow your head off, you've got to ask yourself the question: Do you fell lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

One "Dirty Harry" fan takes the quote literally and examines a 10Kg bell for it's "most powerful kettlebell" properties.

In the remake of the A-Team producers have decided to take a risk and employ a female BA Baracus. Producers say that she has a head-start on all other contenders.

Auditions for Murdock, "the crazy fool" will take place shortly given the high level of compatibility within the Kettlebell club.

AND FINALLY...

You can take the girl from Wexford but you can't take Wexford from the girl.

A competitor with the Kilkenny team, who happens to be daughter of former Mayor of Wexford, Gus Byrne, shows her genetic makeup with her natural aversion to wearing Kilkenny clothing.

Secrets revealed - Chapter 2

2012-02-16T21:51:00.003+00:00

It took some time to put together the "secrets" of Kettlebell Sport...people don't want to divulge secrets. Rather like trying to take a lolly from a child in some cases. But here are some secrets that have been noted.

1. If you can chalk your bell, your "in"
2. To an MSWC "in" means something else (a Russian sub-secret, yet to be understood)
3. 4 minutes on a digital clock can be assumed to be the same as 5 minutes on an analogue clock
4. Russians don't like you putting a foot near a Kettlebell. They will find you...and they will kill you.
5. The greater the contortions in the face, the nearer to letting a bell down...and needing trigger point work.
6. MS means Master of Sport in Russia...but it means "famous Irish athlete" in Ireland
7. To practice getting up on your toes in the Jerk just stand in front of a weightlifter...that'll keep you on them...and very conscious.
8. MSWC allows you to be so late for a session that it isn't even described as early for the next session
9. Guinness goes through Russians like castor oil through a cat
10. Russians go through Guinness in a similar manner
11. Don't...start...early!!
12. A Galway mans leg isn't as big as a Russian mans leg...not even in lycra
13. The threat of a coach wearing lycra helps to boost numbers attending a session
14. The fact that the coach doesn't wear lycra, just helps!
15. Music during a training session helps focus the attention.
16. The theme tune to "The Apprentice", doesn't.
17. A little known secret to boost strength is to try doing "Snow Angels" on the dance floor at a party
18. A well known secret is that one can fall coming from a party - be careful.
19. Don't try to break the balance of male -v- female on either side of the gym. Coach doesn't like distractions during a session.
20. Calling a male by a female name isn't classed as a distraction and is acceptable
21. Wearing new, white, clean, shiny, attention-drawing shoes will draw attention...regularly. Get them dirty.
22. Google doesn't know how to translate text speech - it's a great method of passing information between fellow kettlebellers, doe. {>.<}
23. The benefits of the move called the "Ice Cream Man S**t" must be kept a secret...even to those doing it.

To be continued...

"The Family"

2012-01-24T19:58:00.001+00:00

Image courtesy of Kostas Simutis

21st & 22nd January was a date I was waiting for since the middle of 2011. Why... Igor Morozov of the RGSF was coming along with Elena Yurysheva. A 12 times world champion is not something you come across often but he was coming...to Wexford...to give a coaching seminar in a sport that I'd become addicted to. Literally & metaphorically speaking Christmas was delayed!!

17 individuals attended the seminar on a cold and looong first Saturday. The morning was about technique and theory, the afternoon similar. But the cold day and the standing around drained most of us...well, me anyway.

In the back of our minds we were all concerned about the ranking competition the following morning. Waking on the Sunday, still with Man-Flu gripping (yes, it does exist) I just felt like getting back in the bed. I'm sure others did too. We started, we exerted, we brought several months of training and varying sacrifices to this one or two 10-minute sessions. And this was where the same atmosphere that I'd witnessed in Kilkenny last July when I first saw competition taking place was to repeat itself. People who had their own lives, from other parts of the country, came together in support for each other. It was a group of individuals fighting their own limitations but with the unifying support of the whole group. It was as if we were bonding by our challenge.

One individual said that they "constantly meet new friends" at these types of gatherings. Another observation was that the sport doesn't allow for egos, it doesn't allow for elite-ism only helps to bond a friendship. A later observation of our own Wexford Kettlebell Club was that we're "like one big family". And so it is.

This came very evident when one of our gathering fell. Various factors led to disappointment. But not for disappointment for the individual but for the group. But like anybody in a close family falling they were picked up and with their own individual strength they started again. Nothing, but nothing could explain the joy and delight that we all felt when the second attempt was successful. The inner strength of that individual to stand up again and repeat her performance was nothing short of inspiring. And the shared joy - a display of the sharing nature that this sport brings.

We came away from the seminar with knowledge and experience but also with an ever growing "family". The saying goes - you can choose your friends but not your family...sometimes you can be lucky enough to do both.

We are all equal.

2011-09-24T09:24:00.010+01:00

It seems to me that there's a divide in competitive sport. Like there's a shock. There's those at the top of their game and those that aspire to reaching that level. In between is a divide that not many can get through. I read a phrase on another blog yesterday relating to cycling:

"Ability is what you are capable of, motivation determines what you do, attitude determines how well you do it."

Ability...a difficult trait to gauge. Ability is relative to your activity. What Sean Kelly achieved on a bike would not relate to an ability at soccer. What these guys can do with a kettlebell doesn't mean that they could win a marathon. So we're born to be able to apply our body's structure to an activity...sometimes to our chosen one. So if it's Kettlebells that you find easy to apply to...well done, tick box one and move on to box two. If you don't have the ability of others...move to box two anyway...it may help.

Motivation...what a can of worms to open. So, what motivates you. It's as personal a trait as ability, as motivation to do what you do is based on your own wants, needs & desires. If you want to be as fit as you can be, if you want to walk feeling a spring in your step comes as equal as wanting to be a world champion. It takes drive and determination. If you want to present yourselves at a kettlebell class for the social aspect...that's your motivation. The outcome is relative! Motivation, as such, doesn't mean you've failed because you don't match the aspirations of others. Motivation is personal...it determines what you do, and it can be a greater driver than ability.

Attitude...ha! How serious are you? That is determined by your level of motivation and the goals you have. Your attitude towards a social gathering at a kettlebell club doesn't seem like a requirement for a strength in attitude but you need to free your time. You need to commit your time and energy to fulfilling your need. Becoming a world champion takes attitude too, to meet with the level you have set for yourself and committing to those aims. Again attitude, and it's application, is relative.

Wonderful...a lovely little one-liner saying has been dissected. But the one-liner, and how it applies is down to you. Watching the ability, motivation and attitude of leaders and winners can be a help or a hindrance. It may boost your motivation...it may crush it. The reality is inside you. Look at what you want, what you need and what you can commit to. That way you will achieve the level of contention that all others achieve. You don't need a world title to know that you've achieved greatness. You just need to know that you have reached your level...your world title.

I'm not right in the head

2011-08-20T11:42:00.002+01:00

Friday 19th August. I haul my sorry ass to the Kettlebell Club. I say my sorry ass because I was tired...again. Yeah, another tough week at work. Wednesdays evening session at home was shortened...a little tired and just wasn't doing what I wanted. But Friday...I wasn't going to stay at home. I had to do something to maintain form. I started with the 16s which now seem casual...straight forward routines until you rip your hands. Then to 20's for the relay. I came home wrecked.

This has been a common cycle of late. Good week...then tired. Almost not recovering. I had a great 2 weeks holidays where the 16's quickly became light. I was sleeping 9-11 hours per day. Great!

But that wasn't the problem. On and off for the last 4 years I'd be nodding off asleep and suddenly jump up gasping for air...almost as if I was forgetting to breathe. The first time it happened was frightening and I even took one of the young lads inhalers for asthma. So it continued. Cathy would say "are you forgetting to breathe again?" And that's how it seemed. Friday morning I woke at 3am. Nodding off the same thing happened. Eventually I went off but woke at 6am...same thing. So I Googled "Forget to breathe" and "sleep". The page lit up with Sleep Apnoea.

Sleep Apnoea is where your body stops breathing for one of 2 reasons. Reading symptoms and accounts they all say "Get to a Doctor" and "It can be fatal"...rather a rude awakening for a Friday morning. A visit to the doctor and he confirms, to his best knowledge, that it is Sleep Apnoea. An appointment with a professor in Dublin next Tuesday should clarify this.

The two reasons for Sleep Apnoea are either nasal or throat blockages such as what causes snoring. But I don't snore and I don't have any restrictions. The second reason is that the part of the brain that controls the respiratory system goes asleep when you do. It's the presence of CO2 or absence of Oxygen that force the body to breathe again. And so the cycle continues all night so that you don't get to REM sleep (deep, restful sleep) and your heart rate rises to compensate for the on/off breathing. This leaves you tired all of the time. I only notice it if I gasp for air as I sleep but it's a but more subtle during the night that a partner may notice it but you don't.

I'll see on Tuesday what course of action I need to take...so if I'm a grumpy fart or I fall asleep in mid conversation you'll have an idea why...it's not you!

Secrets revealed, Chapter 1!

2011-08-16T21:10:00.003+01:00

All sports have their secrets and tips...whether it be training or performance. Kettlebell sport is similar. Here's a few I've picked up along the last 3 months...you can decide on what's for you, or not! ;-)

Never use Fairy Liquid before a snatch session...it softens the hand
Wet your tee-shirt before a jerk competition to help grip...unless you're female which makes it a different type of competition
Warm-ups are for wimps
Stretching is for bendy wimps
Opening the gym door can be considered a substitute for the warm-up
Don't chalk your kettlebell in the chalk bucket...it snows on your first fixation
Don't chalk your kettlebell in the chalk bucket...coaches don't like chalk on the shopfloor
Limp and whine and complain...the coach will chalk the bell for you
Listen to your coach carefully...sometimes it can half your workload on a session
You can find your balance in the 2 handed jerk if you practice with 2 glasses of Jameson
If you're consistently late...get the t-shirt to divert the attention that you were, well, late!
You can tell the 10 time world champion to "Shaa-up" when he offers advice (female only, yet to be proven effective for the slow moving male).
Placing a 28Kg kettlebell on the floor in front of you immediately sees all other practitioners demoralised (usage of the same said 28Kg kettlebell is optional)
Coaches don't like the placement of a 28Kg kettlebell on the floor - proceed with caution
If the coach spots the placement of the 28Kg kettlebell on the floor you'd better be prepared to put it back or use it
Rain and sweat are not the same thing
Sweat bands are only useful if you sweat
Running is only good if you're a thief or a victim
If your knees sound like Rubik Cubes after running it's probably time to re-assess that element of your fitness regime
If your coach invites you upstairs...it's probably going to hurt
If your coach likes ice cream swirls doesn't mean it's the coaches advice
Don't call a coach an assistant coach
Wear loose shorts - a burst shorts within the first 5 minutes of a 1 hour session is difficult to hide (personal experience...a secret revealed!)
Suggesting certification and ranking certificates were bought on Ebay really pisses off an ~~assistant~~ coach.
Fish is an excellent addition to your diet...assuming it isn't accompanied by chips.
Hitting your head on the way down from a jerk fixation may cause an international incident...or disqualify you from competition...or even hurt. It isn't recommended.
Telling a guy who competed with 2 x 32Kg kettlebells that it looked easy may result in him walking away. Again, not recommended.
It is not a good idea to be kept awake by 2 ladies for 39 hours before a ranking session...seriously?
Practice your clean against a wall - if you scrape your knuckles you're cleaning the wrong way
The word "Start" spoken in a Russian accent means "Start"

To be continued...

There's no "I" in TEAM

2011-08-06T15:19:00.004+01:00

Yeah, you've heard it before...there's no I in TEAM. It's the common motivational sermon of the team manager to aid cohesion. There ain't no individuals worth more than the team. And it's true in some cases...where would Mark Cavendish be without team HTC Highroad? Or indeed could Wayne Rooney cope without 10 other skilled players?

A couple of conversations recently set me thinking on this subject - there's no I in TEAM. One individual explained how he left a team sport in favour of boxing - an individual sport because he was putting in the effort to be fit while others were out drinking the night before a match. He was making up for their lack of fitness. Where was the fun in that! And I can understand where he was coming from and wanted his input to be rewarded, not withheld by the lack of effort from others. Another individual reminded me of the times past when as part of a cycling team we used to celebrate together after each weekend race...win, lose or draw...yet cycling is more or less an individual sport. I mean, nobody says Team BMC won the Tour de France, Cadel Evans did.

So is there an "I" in "TEAM"? Yes there certainly can be. Reflect back on an earlier comment...where would Manchester United be without Wayne Rooney? Still certainly successful...but as much so? Would HTC Highroad have won so many races without the ability of Mark Cavendish in a sprint?

So we come to the sport of Kettlebells. It is most certainly an individual sport. Once you're on your platform and the clock starts...it's all you. Nobody can assist you or support your efforts. Nobody can train you as hard as you train yourself...it's down to your ability. So on the face of it, it isn't a team sport.

But what if an individual could be a member of a team of people who appreciate your, and their aims as a common goal? Cycling being an individual sport still requires the help of your team mates to win. Kettlebells...well, not really in the same manner. But if it wasn't for the support of your club members, the banter, the pushing of each other to excel, the coaching, the direction, the camaraderie, the challenge, the appreciation...would that individual still be as good if they were on their own? Nah...don't think so. I couldn't push myself on my own and it takes a special breed of person to be able to do that.

Certainly there's no I in Team in a literal sense but there is scope for individuals to aid a team to success. But in the sport of Kettlebells without a team...there is no I.

Plateaus are not good, right?

2011-07-30T16:13:00.006+01:00

In sporting terms a plateau is deemed to be a bad thing if you want to progress. Comments are common such as "If you follow the same training plan repetitively you'll reach a plateau and not improve". To a sense I agree, to another I don't. Yes, if your training plan isn't progressive or periodic you're just getting your body to get used to a constant workload and not improving...it's a given fact. You'll get bored and eventually fall away disillusioned.

But a plateau can be a good thing. If you reach a plateau it's important to recognise it. If you find yourself capable of achieving your target you need to drive that level of ability home. That then becomes a foundation for the next level.

OK, why am I giving my thoughts on this? I'll explain. When I started with Kettlebells I went with 12Kg bells. The first test I did I failed to complete the duration of the test in both disciplines of the Biathlon, namely the jerk & the snatch. The second test I did I averaged over 15 jerks per minute and over 21 for the snatch. That was my plateau. Beating my body with 12s was now not an option. The important thing was to progress either with volume or weight and considering volume was going to be difficult to achieve much more then weight is the option. So my next level was for 16Kg kettlebells. My first test was as successful as my first test on the 12Kg kettlebells. 78 reps completed but failed to meet the full time allocated in the jerk and not much more success in the snatch. This gave me a new target as endurance and correct technique now had to kick in - not strength in the shoulders. I soon discovered to achieve both of these that flexibility had to be paramount before I could rely on endurance or technique.

I'm now happy that I'm approaching the next plateau of 16Kg kettlebells. What this means is different than what it meant in the 12Kg plateau. It means that I can probably compete in the 16Kg range shortly and "probably" last the full length. As I say - I'm approaching it...there's a bit of time to go. So progression can be subtle but as per a previous post you need to listen to your body to see what you are capable of. I know I'm progressing as I completed a good week of training which I wouldn't have been able for previously - not world class but my class. This weeks training consisted of:

1 hour on bike & 20 mins flexibility in the morning followed by 1 hour at the club with another 20 minutes flexibility on Monday evening
Tuesday was 1 hour assistance training at home with another 20 minutes flexibility
Wednesday was 1.75 hours on the bike hard riding with 20 minutes flexibility
Thursday just flexibility
Friday I was in good form to try single 20's & 24Kg bells on various exercises at the club.
By Saturday I'm feeling strong if not initially suffering from a peculiar, temporary muscle pain in the shoulderblade.

But at this stage I'm looking at using 20Kg and occasionally 24Kg to assist in reaching this plateau. If the weather is fine maybe this plateau may be the last but I'd doubt it. I prefer to look at each plateau as a foothill to the mountain that needs to be climbed.

Please note - I'm not qualified in sports technique. The above blog entry is based on personal opinion and not on expert learnings.

A slideshow from Saturday

2011-07-28T21:37:00.001+01:00

I had the backing music in my head for about 1 month. Played it over & over & over so that I could piece together a slideshow of images to put to it. The problem was that I didn't have the images. As it turned out this was the best approach because I knew what to look for.

Again congrats to the folks of Wexford Kettlebell Club. Hope you enjoy it!

Nobody said it was easy

2011-07-26T20:55:00.001+01:00

I've said it already but I'll say it again. It was a humbling experience to attend the 2011 Irish Kettlebell Sports Biathalon Championships in Kilkenny on 23rd July. My expectations were mixed to be honest. I knew the efforts that the guys were putting in and I had seen the previous years results so I knew they were going to do well. But I was warned that everyone from last year would improve.

Arriving at the O'Loughlin Gaels GAA Club I saw for the first time the platforms that the competition would take place on. Well set up, monitors for the competitors to see their counts, a clock projected on to a screen to time their efforts. The event started and I was thinking in the back of my mind that this might be a long day. Lisa and Siobhan were the first flight to get going. By 7 minutes all previous anticipations were blown out of the water. Support for all competitors was deafening. Battlers were supported, high number competitors were applauded...those who struggled were given new energy from the genuine and impartial following. I had not experienced anything like this in sport before...cycling, hurling, athletics...nothing. The efforts were visible across the faces of all the competitors and with a strong heart they battled to the 10 minutes with pride.

By the end of the day the Wexford Kettlebell Club had amassed 18 medals and 1 cup. Being a non-competitor at this event did prevent me from experiencing the euphoria at first hand but I was certainly proud to be part of a club where efforts and performances like this were rewarded so well. To the competitors of Wexford Kettlebell Club...I salute you.

Tell me why I don't like Mondays...seriously, tell me!

2011-07-12T09:11:00.004+01:00

I don't mind Mondays really. Not having as much freedom to "act the young lad" or to "party" with 3 sons at home makes Mondays that little bit easier. No. Mondays are fine. It's when it comes to the Kettlebell Club that I have just a little difficulty on Monday. 11th July damn near killed me.

The previous Friday was great - 32 minutes of 1min on/1 min off jerks on 16Kg kettlebells. 15 reps per minute with good form and plenty left in the tank. Then 16 minutes snatch with a 12Kg kettlebell with, granted, quite a lot of alternating hands near the end. But all was well and the spring was in my step going home.

Saturday was quite casual then 2 hours on a bike at quite big gears (top gear for a lot of it) on Sunday. Then come Monday and in the first minute I knew this wasn't going to be a good one. Micks telephone number for the Chinese 2-4-7-4-2 looked challenging but not a hurdle. But no. Minute 1 and my form had slipped. By the 7 minute spell I had dropped the kettlebells. By the end I had dropped it 3 times...it's a habit I don't want to allow in. Stats showed still an even 10 reps per minute though.

So, what's going wrong? Is anything going wrong? It could be said that after 2 months at the sport on 16Kg kettlebells that this is quite an advancement...I don't buy that philosophy. It's challenging but by some peoples reckoning if you can do 6 reps per minute you should advance to the next level. That's a bit extreme but maybe there's some merit in it. I reckon the Sunday spins are too heavy going on the legs to allow for progression on the Monday. If you can't correctly elevate the kettlebells using the legs after the Sunday spin then you use your arms more, fatigue sets in and you loose form quickly. I don't have this issue on Friday. Doing a 2 hour spin on a Saturday might be the answer although after the Friday night fun-fest this may compromise correct cycling technique. For the moment the kettlebell comes first so this may be a solution. Only time and experimentation will tell. Otherwise the bike will be left out in the snow like the young lads below!

It's not exactly tennis, is it?

2011-07-06T13:19:00.003+01:00

I'm not a fan of tennis. I'm not a fan of many sports where the primal reason for its existence doesn't exist. Let me explain - running...it's mans method of getting from A to B fast. It's about developing your ability to make you the fastest and the primal reasoning being running after prey, or running away from being prey. Javelin - similar story where you are practicing the primal urge to get your spear the furthest...maybe kill an 'ol antelope in the process. Discus, cycling, weight lifting...all have the fundamentals in the primal need to develop the person for a reason.

But tennis...where did that evolve from? I mean, in a primal sense? Did man develop their skills to beat an object across a row of foliage to another man and hope that they couldn't hit it back?

But today I see a video where the primal basis makes a return...it certainly sounds pre-historic:

So, where is this blog coming from? Oh, I don't know. Maybe with the proliferation of sweat bands around the Kettlebell Club and the grunts & groans at the end of 6 minutes Jerk may have reminded me of it. But whatever the reasoning - Kettlebells and the sport isn't exactly tennis, is it? It's more primal than that.

I wonder what the legal length of the sweat band is in tennis anyway ;-)

Steve Maxwells 300 Kettlebell Challenge - Tick!

2011-06-29T20:30:00.002+01:00

I mentioned earlier about the "300 Kettlebell Challenge" from a guy called Steve Maxwell. I got a hold of this routine when I first got interested in the Kettlebell waaaay back in April I and mentioned the 300 Challenge and how I tried it with the intention of making it the 150 Challenge but didn't stand a chance. I had trouble doing the techniques on DVD #1 let alone reps of this routine.

Well tonight I was anticipating the delivery of the second 16Kg cast iron Kettlebell but I anticipated it too early so I was stuck with the 1 bell or the 2 20Kg bells. So I said I'd have a go at Steves Challenge again. Wondering what's in it? Well, it's 18 routines with a total of 300 reps...but the Kettlebell never leaves your hands. If you follow DVD #2 with Steve it takes 26 minutes. Here's the list of exercises. Tonight I flew through the exercises bar one...the Deck Squat which is an inhuman exercise. So I had to make do with regular squats for now.

But 8 weeks ago I couldn't have anticipated this routine at all let alone with ease and in total (apart from the aforementioned deck squat). I shall consider another box ticked in my head.

Second Reading from the Prophet Michael

2011-06-28T13:00:00.001+01:00

Beware those who have not worshiped the sacred bell. Let it here be known that the Gods fall foul of those who do not follow the sacred plan. Those who don't follow shall be banished to a life of torment and temptation.

For there's is a life of pain and excess. They shall be treated as lepers and treated with scorn. One such peasant has succumbed to the ways of the dark side and fallen into temptation. Alas, a lifetime on the Group of C will await her.

The flake looks nice though!

First Reading of the Prophet Michael

2011-06-27T20:27:00.002+01:00

And on that fateful night the Prophet Michael spoke.

"Thou shalt not consume pints of the Devils urine"

"Thou shalt not partake in the feast of the beef wrapped in unleavened bread"

"For I am the barer of doom...thou shalt suffer soon. The fury of the Gods cometh and thou shalt feel it's pain"

And so it was. The two wise men, Alan of Blue Peugeot & Jason of Yellow Falcon spoke of learnings of the Gods. Numerical conundrums bounded the fearful tales...tales of 2-4-6-4-2...the mark of the beast. The followers bowed to the temple to find the markings of the beast were indeed true and adorned the Tablet of Prophecy.

And the followers did suffer. 2-4-6-4-2 forever to be recalled through the generations as foretold by the Prophet & the two wise men. But the true followers survived what the Prophet Michael unleashed. But it is written that the Gods will get stronger. The followers will be challenged in their faith, but be warned, the doom shall darken the skies and punish those who do not follow their path to destiny. Those who falter shall be placed in the group known only to the few as "The Group of C". Adams & Eves who break the foretold commandment to forsake the devils urine & beef in unleavened bread shall be banished to the depths of the "The Group of C". Those who present themselves to the following past the time of the 6 bells will need to repent to avoid "The Group of C". Pray brethren that the faith can be strong and good will indeed come.

Sweet Jesus!!!

The power of the bell on yer bike

2011-06-26T21:16:00.004+01:00

Last April/May 2010 Slaney Cycling Club ran a league race for A4's, beginners and novices. All was run on a flat circuit with generous handicaps devised to make the A4s work hard and improve fitness and make the beginners/novices get some thrill of competing with a realistic chance of winning. On the first night Keith Cullen was in the group with myself and Damian Heffernan. Many had gone up the road ahead of us after the A4s caught us on the third lap. Now we contemplated in our own heads what to do - race to try in some vain attempt to catch them or sit up and just ride in. We collectively, but silently decided to do something in between and ride hard but never enough to blow up.

What struck me that night was the strength of Keith Cullen. He rode at the front of our group at a fast, steady pace. Damian, in his infancy of racing like my latest return, had enough and let Keith ride away. I couldn't catch him. So, curious on where Keith had learned this ability from, he told me of the strength training of Total Fitness Systems on a Wednesday night.

Today I realised that benefit too. Riding on my favourite Kilmore Quay-and-Back route I put on a 50x15 gear and steadily rode at 18-20mph into the wind. More like 19-22mph in a tail wind. I didn't have the fitness or miles to hit a 95rpm 34x15/14 ratio but had plenty of power to just sit and turn a gear with little effort. The kettlebell work had strengthened the core, back & hips to put the strength of the legs to the pedals. All previous ailments like the neck spasms & shoulder tightness were non-existent.

The combination of bell & bike certainly proves positives for both sports.

One step forward but still 1 step behind

2011-06-25T15:35:00.001+01:00

Another beautiful Summers day in Wexford and the drains are flowing with the rain of a month that fell in a day. The now usual Friday evening session in Westpoint looked on the face of it to be a nice uncomplicated and peaceful schedule. Initially jerks, then some casual snatches, some hold & swings and that was that. "An easy night lads" says Mick before he apologises for next weeks routines. The ideal night to progress to 16Kg bells.

Yes...20lbs extra per jerk was pleasant. Delighted to be honest...then noticed Paul had gone to 24Kgs (much to the dismay of Mick), George was on 20s as was Jason. So progress by me didn't match the others...just kept up with my own progress. Still, progress is progress.

An observation was made though...or was made for me and confirmed. When warming up, Mick swings his arms twice as long with the right arm than the left. That's because he talks when swinging the right arm, not the left. There has to be some medical explanation to it...

And one can only assume that after that session some individuals monitored the balanced diet of 2 quarter pounders with chips. I'm liking this Kettlebell sport!