Accomplishing Fitness Goals and Back-in-the-Saddle Strength Training

Well the clients from Team Rogue Kettlebell Fitness rocked the Heritage Half Marathon and 5K!  We had different people running--some who had never run and some looking to break PRs.  Everyone trained really hard both in-and-out of the gym.  We used kettlebell strength and conditioning in classes, and the clients ran and trained on their own following my programming.  The results were AWESOME: Not only did everyone finish, but everyone beat their goals.

Some members of the 1/2 Marathon Team before the race: O-Dark-30.

It is just a testament to the dedication and discipline that was exhibited during the last few months.  It goes to show that with proper training and coaching, ANYTHING is achievable.  ANYTHING!!!  It is also a testament to how kettlebell training can be used for any kind of protocol--from strength training to supplemental conditioning for races and such.  My clients all made major gains in their times and distances; kept up a base level of strength; and ran injury free for their training.

More members of the Team huddling to stay warm.

Me at the finish with some great clients.  They ROCKED!

For me, since it is getting cold, it is back to strength training and metacon.  If you're interested in this kind of training, you can follow the blog (and past posts) to see the programming, or check us out at our fitness studio.  What's really cool is I got some phone calls over the last few weeks from some Marines I used to train.  All are sold on the KBs, yet I am not at Quantico to train them anymore, or they are deployed.  So over the next few months and training cycle, I will be designing a total strength and conditioning program for myself and them, to propel them into awesome shape.  So stay tuned for some awesome WODs and programming.

Back-In-The-Saddle Training (I took Monday as a rest day!)

Tuesday: 10 Rounds / No Rest

15 Swings (32K)
10 Pushups
5 Pullups

Wednesday: Strength

WU: 5/5 TGUs (24K)

Strength Circuit: 6 Rounds of 5 Reps (moving up in weight by 2K increments each time)

Double KB Press (20K-30K)
1-Arm Rows (22K-32K)
Front Squats (22K-32K)

Finisher: 15/15 for 5 min snatches (24K)

Having Goals, Good Running Training, and Getting Ready for the 1/2 with Team Rogue KB Fitness

Well, I am at the end of a training cycle for the Heritage Half Marathon this weekend.  We have a solid team: Some are running their first event; others are going for PRs.  The main point is to have goals and strive to accomplish them.  Let your training have a focal point with and end result; otherwise, you can train in vain.  Also, many of my clients did the supplemental running on their own and trained as a team, so it was great to hear about their motivation and chart their progress.

Another major point is many of my clients ran less than a normal training program, and focused on the training in class--with circuits and strength training.  Similarly, I did the same and was able to get by on 2 runs per week, but still add distance and speed to each one without getting injured.  Further, none of my clients reported any major injuries that are typical when training for a long running race.

For programming, I recommend a long distance run once per week, and then some speed/tempo (hills or sprints) work.  This keeps the training fresh, plus allows one to still strength train with kettlebells or other fitness programs.  All-in-all, you want to keep everything fresh so you don't get bored.  During this period, I was also able to keep on strength training.

Here is my last training week for me--which my clients follow too--to show how I made gains on my running and still did strength and conditioning, although I backed of on serious weight the last week.  The circuits also keep your anaerobic conditioning up without too much extra impact on the legs.

Monday: Speed Workout

1-Mile Jogging Warmup
5x800m sprints with walking rest

Tuesday: Metacon

5 Rounds nonstop
1 Min. Rower
5/5 Push Press (32K)
200 Jump Ropes

Snatch Finisher (24K) Nonstop

10/10, 8/8, 6/6, 4/4, 2/2

Wednesday: Final Run

8-Mile Road/Trail Run (Race Pace, 7-8 Min. Mile)

* Friday I will hit on last low-impact metacon: AMRAP 15 Swings, 10 Pushups, 5 Pullups.
** Race is Sunday so will rest next few days.

More of My Favorite KB Lifts with Comp Bells and Hamstring Development for Running

Great training and conditioning so far for my half marathon.  I ran 12 miles this weekend in the mountains--I had not run over 6 in training--and was feeling great on Monday.  So I was still able to lift strong.  The strength training with the metacon is really paying off.  Since the race is in 2 weeks, I will cut back a little on maxing out, keep the legs fresh, and do a little more running.  Still, I feel that the strength days need to be the cornerstone of every workout.

I am training several other people for it, too, and I am noticing that they can add miles and increase time without injury.  Some of my clients are running their first half marathon--some had never run more than a 5K before--and they are all progressing well.  They make train hard 3-4 times a week in class, and then run on their own.

One main thing I have been training is the hamstrings.  I had noticed that people who were running a lot were injuring their knees and and lower backs quite a bit.  So this time around, I threw in a lot of KB work for the posterior chain, like cleans and double swings; heavy single swings; and deadlifts with the trap bar.  In addition, I train the upper body push-pull complex to get the upper body and core more developed and involved.  In particular, BW rows, pushups, floor press, and Renegade Rows.  These all aid in running by making the upper body stronger and getting the mass involved with forward momentum by moving your arms more.

Check out some scenes from Wednesday's Progression Workout:

First Strength Complex for Upper Body Push/Pull and Posterior Chain (3 Rounds)

Second Strength Complex for Upper Body Push/Pull and Posterior Chain (3 Rounds)

WODs

Sunday:

12-mile Trail Run

Monday: Recon Workout (An old Pavel Favorite)

TGUs 5/5 24K

Set 1: 5x5

5 Clean and Strict Press (24Ks)

5 Weighted Pullups (16K)

Set 2: 5x5 Front Squats (32Ks)

Set 3: 5x10/10 Snatch (24K)

Great Workout!