Fight or flight

A Case of the Mondays

8 pax circled up on the first Monday of 2021 for the launch of a new kettlebell program at Swole. If you want to read up on it, please check out this link.

After a thorough disclaimer and a quick description of what we’d be doing, we got down to business.

Warm-up:

• SSH x 20 IC
• Sharon Towers/Windmill x 10 IC
• Prying squat x 2

Main Event:

Neupert: Double clean + double military press (DCL+DMP): 10 sets of 1 rep with a weight that you can press with good form for 4-5 challenging reps

Complex: 15:00 AMRAP or Armor Building: 2 DCL, 1 DMP, 3 double front squat (DFS)

Easy Strength (use single or double bells where applicable, weight should be heavy since reps are low):

• Romanian deadlift: 2 x 5 reps
• Decline merkins (on the curb or your bells if you’re Madison and don’t like your teeth): 2 x 5 reps
• Lawnmower rows: 2 x 5 per side
• Double swings (DSW): 6 sets of 5 reps (can do heavy single arm swings instead, alternating sides by set)

Carries: Pick up 2 bells any way you want and carry until told to put them down. These were supposed to be 3 sets of 1:00, but the timer was tough to hear.

Mary: 1:00 elbow plank, box cutters x 30 IC, 1:00 glute bridge

Fin

COT: Thanks to Madison for the takeout this morning.

Announcements:

• 2 blood drives are scheduled for the next 2 months – 1 with Waxhaw in late January and 1 with SOB on 2/19. Since you have to wait 6 weeks between donations, you can only do one. I hear Mighty Mite is offering homemade beer to any pax that show up to the 2/19 drive. #unconfirmed

Moleskine:

• Thanks to the pax for coming out this morning and trying the new program. While there will certainly be some repetition in exercises, the Q has discretion to come up with his own complex each week. I’ve included some samples in the Google Sheets document linked in the original pre-blast, but these are just guidelines. If the idea of repeating exercises makes your eyes roll, try to think of this as practice rather than a workout. You’re putting in the reps to learn the movements. The strength gains will follow and before you know it, you’ll be moving more weight than before.
• As mentioned in the pre-blast and above, please try to challenge yourself with the weights. The idea of doubles is to get you comfortable with heavier weights. I know sharing bells during a pandemic isn’t ideal, so I will continue to bring out extra bells that the pax can borrow for the workout. If you have the ability to buy a second bell and can afford to, I’d definitely recommend something in the 20-24 kg (45-53 lb.) range. It might seem like a lot of weight, but I think you’ll find that you will grow into them.
• Ickey was proudly sporting his Bama shirt this morning. I’m not sure if he was giddier about Clemson’s loss or the opportunity for a rematch against Ohio State. Speaking of Clemson, we’ve missed Frehley’s at the 2 bell workouts since Clemson’s loss. I was getting worried, but then I spotted him in this morning’s picture from Firestarter. #proofoflife
• It was great to have The Worm back out there this morning. He joined us a few times in 2020 and hopefully will become a regular in 2021. Wild Turkey was pre-jump roping and mixed in some rucking with his bells this morning. As usual, he put in strong work out there. Mighty Mite continues to toss around 60+# bells like helium balloons, which is always inspiring when I feel like I’m getting crushed under lesser weights. Uncle Leo upsized his bell last year and I look forward to him getting a matching pair now that he’s a kettlebell regular. It was good to have Madison back out there again this week. He put in strong work on the doubles and was moving quickly through the AMRAP.
• With the new year, please think of pax you haven’t seen in a while or guys that can use F3. Reach out and invite them to a workout. Offer to post with them and then do it. Lots of men are thinking about their resolutions, so let’s get them hooked before that feeling fades.