NO MORE EXCUSES!!! Total beginner in this thread...

[TSH_Chris]

Hello and welcome to my training blog...

I am a TOTAL beginner to strength training.

I am 47 years old.

I get confused VERY easily.

The reason I have come to StrongFirst is that I listened to Mr. Pavel Tsatsouline's interview on Tim Ferriss's blog here and found that he did NOT confuse me so much as other experts do.

Today I bought the book "Kettlebell - Simple & Sinister" on Audible (but not listened yet - start tonight).

I have also emailed one of the certified coaches that I found on this website to get some help.

I foresee a lot of work ahead and would not be surprised if I don't even pick up a kettlebell for some time yet while getting myself into some decent shape! In fact I have never even seen a real kettlebell!!!

I will keep this blog informed of my progress...

 

[offwidth]

Welcome...
You have made a good first step

 

[Antti]

Welcome! You've come to a good place and started on a good path. Now you can rest easy. All you have to do is keep on it.

 

[Shahaf Levin]

Welcome!
Congrats on your first step!

 

[mikhael]

Every journey starts from the first step, and you have already done it. From now on everything will be hard, difficult and you will have to learn all of it, but you will love it. Congrats, and welcome in the Strong First Family.

 

[TSH_Chris]

Wow! Thank you for the kind welcome messages, very much appreciated.

Yesterday I did 10 minutes of skipping. I "crash" into the rope quite often so have to re-start many times! But I could not do 10 minutes without stopping anyway so it is a good job!

The certified coach did contact me back but is getting somebody else (also certified here) to call me. For this reason I did not do any strength related training. I want to do it right.

Actually that is just excuses! I will start listening to S+S today and see if there is something I can get on with until I hear from the coach.

Amazing how proficient I am at making excuses! Is it a worldwide dilemma!?

On the other hand I did get up at 06.15 to do my skip so I am not a total pushover!!!

Have a good day. Be strong - mind and body!

 

[Michael Scott]

Welcome! Your first step has gone in the right direction. Simple & Sinister will provide you some real, quality exercise with one kettlebell. Make sure you ask questions, we have all had them, and there are many knowledgeable practitioners & coaches on here that will answer your questions.

 

[TSH_Chris]

Thank you Michael!

I listened to Chapter 9 of Simple & Sinister yesterday. It seems to be very good but I am going to really struggle to do the exercises just from listening. I have information overload issues so I need to really break it down etc.

No news from the qualified coach yet so will email reminder this weekend.

Did 10 minutes of skipping again and my feet, ankles and hips are not impressed!!!

 

[TSH_Chris]

Nothing from Certified coach yet.

Went back to the beginning of Simple & Sinister and started again in an attempt to understand more. I also spent some hours on the interweb looking for videos that might help me.

Found this one...



I think it already helped me understand some things.

Anyway, I am still complete noob to this. I had hoped a coach might put me on the path. What I will do now is try to write out the different things I need to do and get moving!

I guess I should buy some kettlebells now too!? I have no idea really what to go for. I would definitely be in the "weak male" category (or lower ). Anyone from UK could point me where to buy from will be really appreciated.

So until then I will try to write out a training plan and try to do some of the movements. Flexibility is TERRIBLE!!! I need to do some squats and hip hinge thingumiwotsits...

I will hit barriers so might try posting videos of me getting it all wrong!

 

[TSH_Chris]

Heard from Coach! Nothing much but contact is made! I really just want a session to show me what to do and get advice etc.

Yesterday I jumped rope 10 minutes before breakfast and went to Wing Chun Kung Fu class after work.

I watched @Anna C Youtube video (above post) again and wrote it all out to make it easier for me to follow. Listened again to first few chapters of S & S and now I am ready to try to perform some of the movements.

No KB's yet though so I will just focus on form. I think the warm-up WITHOUT weights will test me!!!

I was hoping to do this before work today but unfortunately my 6 year old son had to go to hospital in the night. He was in agony down his left side (above hip). They think it is muscular OR something wrong with his kidney. We are waiting for results on his urine. He is actually fine in himself now but a bit shattered!

Hopefully I can try to perform the exercises (without weights) tonight after work. Depends how son gets along. Fingers crossed!

 

[Anna C]

Found this one...

Hi @TSH_Chris , that's me! Let me know if you have any questions.

The main things to know about that relative to getting started are 1) in your daily practice you will take much more rest between sets of swings, and also get-ups if needed, and 2) before doing 1-hand swings you will do kettlebell deadlifts until that feels solid, then 2H swings in smaller sets, working up to 10 x 10, then 1H swings when 2H swing is really solid.

16kg and 24kg kettelbells are good ones to buy. You can do goblet squats and halos with the 16kg (as I am in the video, and BTW the kettlebell can be held either way for goblet squats), and do kettlebell deadlifts with 24kg. Soon you will do 2H swings with 16kg, then 24kg.

 

[Anna C]

Practicing without weights is good, yes.

Hope your son is OK!

 

[TSH_Chris]

Hi @TSH_Chris , that's me! Let me know if you have any questions.

The main things to know about that relative to getting started are 1) in your daily practice you will take much more rest between sets of swings, and also get-ups if needed, and 2) before doing 1-hand swings you will do kettlebell deadlifts until that feels solid, then 2H swings in smaller sets, working up to 10 x 10, then 1H swings when 2H swing is really solid.

16kg and 24kg kettelbells are good ones to buy. You can do goblet squats and halos with the 16kg (as I am in the video, and BTW the kettlebell can be held either way for goblet squats), and do kettlebell deadlifts with 24kg. Soon you will do 2H swings with 16kg, then 24kg.

Fantastic, thanks @Anna C . I will buy a set of KB's now with 16kg and 24kg. Really appreciate the advice, thank you.

Practicing without weights is good, yes.

Hope your son is OK!

Thank you so much!

 

[TSH_Chris]

Help please!!!!!!!!??????????

Going to buy 16kg and 24kg to start with...

These...

Or these...

Or these...

Or even these...

 

[Shahaf Levin]

I'd go with the cast iron. Maybe someone who knows Bodymax can comment about how good bells are they (handle size, comfort level, etc.)

 

[Anna C]

+1 for cast iron, the second one pictured.

The first ones pictured are competition style kettlebells, used in Girevoy Sport (GS), which is a competitive style of kettlebell lifting that differs in several ways from hardstyle, which is what we do in S&S and StrongFirst. You can still do hardstyle with a GS kettlebell, but they're not as well suited for it.

 

[TSH_Chris]

Never one to ignore expert advice...

I'd go with the cast iron.

+1 for cast iron, the second one pictured.

Hopefully they will be here in 4-5 days! Can't wait to see a kettlebell in the flesh finally!

Not much else got done unfortunately.

My son seems good in himself but we are still waiting for results from urine tests. He is not really complaining of pain much now so hopefully it will just subside.

Plan for tomorrow:-

Before work: 3 x 5 Goblet squat (no weight), 3 x 10 (5+5) Halo (no weight), 3 x 5 Hip bridge... 2 minutes 90/90 stretch and 2 mins straddle stretch.

After work: Wing Chun Kung Fu class.

If I have time: Try to do Turkish Get Up movement (I think balancing shoe on fist to keep good forearm position).

So basically I want to have tried and felt a lot of the movements by the time my kettlebells get here.

 

[Michael Scott]

Best wishes that everything is ok with your son. It always seems so much scarier when it is your child.

Nice prices on your new kettlebells. I am sure you will enjoy them once they arrive. Do your best to begin learning the TGU without the kettlebell. Also, since you are working with just your bodyweight, you might want to incorporate a few bodyweight single leg deadlifts. Here is a great demonstration by the master of bodyweight exercises, and Master Instructor, Karen Smith:

 

[TSH_Chris]

11 Oct 2017

Hallelujah! I did something at last!

06.30
3 x 5 Goblet squat (no weight),
3 x 10 (5+5) Halo (no weight),
3 x 5 Hip bridge
2 minutes 90/90 stretch
2 mins straddle stretch.

18.30:
Wing Chun Kung Fu class.

---

I had some work to attend to in the evening but just before bed I had a little mess around to get my head around the TGU movements. I can't over state how easily I get confused so it was kinda funny!

Also...

---

Plan for 12 Oct 2017

Same practice of the movements and stretches and include more emphasis on learning the TGU.

 

[TSH_Chris]

12 Oct 2017

Thighs were burning a bit (just above knees) from yesterday! Seems unbelievable as I only did 15 squats (no weight) but maybe it is normal for an older guy who hasn't moved much lately!? Anyway seemed sensible to miss those out today...

Doing the TGU was fun! Hard for me to follow along but think I have got something similar! As soon as I get a kettlebell and give them a proper go I will post a video and hopefully somebody will be kind enough to sort me out (please).

Not sure about the 90/90 stretch either. I am so non flexible I am probably not feeling the stretch in the right place. It is hard enough for me to even get down to the floor never mind any gymnastics!

There is a chance my kettlebells will arrive today! Won't be anybody home to sign for them but hopefully they will leave them somewhere for me!

Plan for 13 Oct 2017

If kettlebells arrive - have a play around with them and get "acquainted"!
If not:-
3 x 5+5 halos (no weight)
3 x 5 Hip bridge
---
5 x 1+1 TGU movement
---
2 x 1 minute 90/90 stretch
2 x 1 minute straddle stretch