all posts post new thread

Kettlebell Reflecting on 2018 Goals

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
2018:
- started to train exclusively S&S style
- after running protocol 996, managed the 24kg OASW and TGU within the S&S time standard.
- bought a 28kg and 32kg bell
- after being humbled by the 32kg bell in the TGU, decided to work to Simple via the 28kg route, both in swing and TGU
- got OS I certified
- started teaching dance classes together with my wife, six days a week in the evening

2019:
- work up to Simple
- OS Pro (level II) in May
- setting up a complete business plan with my wife on the dance teaching project.
- setting up a business plan for OS in my area (apparently, I am the only certified OS coach in Belgium)
 
spicykaiju said:
I'm South African, and so I was born with a fistfull of biltong when I was born. Eating meat in South Africa is very much a social occassion (we have braais) which seems to be the same for @Oscar in Argentina, and so I ate it my entire life. I've always been bothered with meat production, and have never been comfortable with how animals are farmed and cared for. Fortunately here in Switzerland, farming and butchering is of high quality with the animals treated as humanely as can be. Around 2 years ago I considered going meat-free and initially dropped my meat consumption to once per week. After a short while my digestive system seemed to be working better, I didn't feel as lethargic as I normally did after eating, and surprisingly I felt less "mind-fog" and slept better. I then consciously made the decision to drop meat completely, and here we are today. My daughter eats meat, and my partner does not.



I try and eat a Whole-Food-Plant-Based diet as much as I can. The issue is when one gets invited out for dinner at a friend's house, or similar situation. Catering for someone who does not eat meat is much easier than also trying to ommit all dairy and cheese. In these situations I'll rather go with the dairy/cheese and not be too complicated to cater for. :)



Thanks @Chrisdavisjr ! It seems that I haven't been getting enough protein in and so I've recently started using a Vegan Protein Blend which is getting me up to where I should be. Other than than I'm trying to follow the Daily Dozen and going with portion sizes. I'm not counting macros and calories and prefer taking eat-when-hungry-until-full approach. I'll definitely PM you about this topic.
Click to expand...
Plant based for years, hence the screen name. I couldn’t train consistently enough to do anything until I kicked the animal foods to the curb. You can PM me with questions as well. Or rants, comments or whatever.

Much respect for making the effort. It’s very difficult in this world. I’ve traveled in CH several times, so I have an idea of what you’re up against.

The James Cameron and James Wilks film Game Changers will be out soon, so that should be really inspiring!
 
Last edited:
Did pretty much no running this year.
Used C2 Rower most weeks
Run KB Strong with 32kg in Feb/March
Restarted BJJ and M T from Summer. Realised that I need to do some of marital arts at least once a week
Was pretty consistent with soft practice like OS
Trained the Double Jerk both HS and GS. GS was very different to the HS approach but enjoyable
Moved to management in work so time is precious. When time was squeezed I reverted back to double bell work.
I have increased scale weight by 12 lbs and look noticeably bigger. Chins dips and double press/FSQ has done this along with a loose approach to diet.
Reading at least 2 books a month
Considering dropping social media for 2019..
Health is good and as they say your health is your wealth...
 
2018:
Saw me working my way through the year towards simplicity and minimalism.
I knew what I wanted to achieve but took some time to get there.
I train almost exclusively with OS and load this when I need/want to.

In June I stopped pushing the long crawls (as I hit 50 minute forwards crawls, it was starting to eat into recovery ability)....and decided to explore more minimalism loading my crawling with bands and focusing on backwards (without going into it, I am flexion intolerant and this suits me better).
After a while of working on this I retested some movements and achieved the following without ever practicing the movements (old numbers....new numbers):
Wide grip pullups 18 .... 22
Diamond Pushups 32 .... 36
Pistols 1 .... 10
Shrimp squat couldn't .... 10
Kosak squat ....improved depth
One arm push up 0 .... 1 each side
Backwards crawl 38 minutes .... 50 minutes.
Elevated rocking 2 minutes .... 6 minutes.

Improvements in strength and endurance so very happy.

Happiest of all with more and more time spent without back pain.

All whilst focusing on purely OS and loading my backwards crawling.

2019:
Continue to not 'train' but 'move' daily.
I have already changed to more simplicity, but performing loaded short crawls daily - my version of the minimum effective dose.
No plans for scheduled tests - just do them when I feel curious like I did this last year.
Complete long crawl challenge and hit the mile crawl.

Good luck everyone.

Richard
 
Jeremykots said:
Been vegan since 2003

2019 goals:
Work up to C&J sets with DB 24’s
Get better at pull-ups

My 2018 was kinda wacky, had a 102 fever for two weeks and it took a while to recover from
Click to expand...

Wow, quite a few vegans here. I’ve been vegan for more than 5 years myself. Ethical reasons foremost, but I’ve seen great unintended health benefits too.
 
Last edited:
My goal this year was to have a functional set of legs for the whole year. The last two years have had separate, odd, knee dysfunctions which have meant that for at least half of the year, I have been limping or recuperating in some way. Solution? Strengthening via Kettlebells! Result: operational legs throughout 2018!

2018 has been the first year in all of my 49 that I have had a regular fitness practice throughout the year. Starting in January I followed some old workouts from my KB instructor with my 14Kg bell. I came across Strongfirst and S&S in spring and worked up to passing the S&S test with 20Kg in August. The autumn and winter have been a bit more injury-prone. Odd strains - each one a lesson. Completed a Soju & Tuba for presses with the 20Kg. Currently plugging away at growing into my 24Kg and stacking away 32Kg two-handed swings for the spring.

2019 - 'Simple' is the horizon. Continuing regular practice is the route. We'll see how far we go.
 
2018
Gave up drinking as well
Completed simple goal
Completed dry fighting weight with 28kg bells
Completed dry fighting weight with 32 kg bells
Completed total tension with 32kg bells

2019 goals
Continue with no alcohol
Stick to low carb diet all year
Finish kettlebell burn extreme in 3 weeks
Complete hybrid total tension dfw with 32 kg
Complete dry fighting weight with 36kg bells
Complete the wolf
Own s&s with 40kg
Lose 25 pounds while gaining strength
 
Provx said:
2018
Gave up drinking as well
Completed simple goal
Completed dry fighting weight with 28kg bells
Completed dry fighting weight with 32 kg bells
Completed total tension with 32kg bells

2019 goals
Continue with no alcohol
Stick to low carb diet all year
Finish kettlebell burn extreme in 3 weeks
Complete hybrid total tension dfw with 32 kg
Complete dry fighting weight with 36kg bells
Complete the wolf
Own s&s with 40kg
Lose 25 pounds while gaining strength
Click to expand...

Great work this year....here's to continued momentum and success next year.

Richard
 
My year started with kB sport and I competed in ikmf 30min oalc Marathon. After that I started prepping for sfg1 while losing weight. I did that 4 months. Prep went very well, but they had to cancel that cert. I went back to gs and competed twice in gs. I made 23 reps with dbl 24kg long cycle and 35 reps with dbl 20. I also tried powerlifting and weightlifting. I did those 23 reps in same event with Power lifting and weight lifting. It was pretty rough day.
It was nice to notice that kB training may give you decent strength and skill levels for those events too. Most of my training was with dbl 20s and still I pulled 150kg pretty "easy". Working with dbl 32kg propably can get you to 200kg pretty easily. It's not elite, but strong enough.

Not bad year, but cancelling that cert made that thing that I did not achieve any goals in 2018.

Next year I press my 44kg kettlebell and compete in gs and shot put. I decided to use dbl 24s in long cycle because my results are much better with those.(basically)

Happy new year everybody.
 
2018:
Started S&S.
Started A+A work in Al Ciampa’s group.

Learned a lot from the experienced members of this forum regarding running and breathing.

Started running after several years without any significant cardio work.

Hit the Simple time standard as a WTH effect of Al’s program.

Goals for 2019:
Snatch consistently.
Run consistently.
Learn and practice more Buteyko.
Drop the unnecessary stuff.
Keep ego in check.
 
spicykaiju said:
@Guy Adini - How does one get invited into this group? :) The reason I ask is that I've started A+A work myself with S&S using information and guidelines that I've found in a few places on the forum and SF blog posts. If there's an actual A+A program that I could participate in that would be awesome.
Click to expand...

@Sean M organized a group of interested people some four months ago, and @Al Ciampa guided us through a three months program.
I don’t know if he’s going to do it again, but very highly recommend it if he is (everyone’s experience was extremely positive).

In the meanwhile, this stuff is really no secret. Look at the articles by Al, Harald Motz’s A+A log, etc.
 
spicykaiju said:
After a short while my digestive system seemed to be working better, I didn't feel as lethargic as I normally did after eating, and surprisingly I felt less "mind-fog" and slept better. I then consciously made the decision to drop meat completely, and here we are today. My daughter eats meat, and my partner does not.
Click to expand...

I find this fascinating...I did the opposite and dropped all non-meat (in other words, I'm a carnivore) and had similar results (better digestion, brain fog, inflammation, recovery, etc). We are a pretty complicated critters and I'm glad you are finding what works for you.

2018 - made HUGE progress on a 6 year old back injury
2019 - get under 20% BF and get SFG I in Boston
 
Ricky01 said:
2018:
Saw me working my way through the year towards simplicity and minimalism.
I knew what I wanted to achieve but took some time to get there.
I train almost exclusively with OS and load this when I need/want to.

In June I stopped pushing the long crawls (as I hit 50 minute forwards crawls, it was starting to eat into recovery ability)....and decided to explore more minimalism loading my crawling with bands and focusing on backwards (without going into it, I am flexion intolerant and this suits me better).
After a while of working on this I retested some movements and achieved the following without ever practicing the movements (old numbers....new numbers):
Wide grip pullups 18 .... 22
Diamond Pushups 32 .... 36
Pistols 1 .... 10
Shrimp squat couldn't .... 10
Kosak squat ....improved depth
One arm push up 0 .... 1 each side
Backwards crawl 38 minutes .... 50 minutes.
Elevated rocking 2 minutes .... 6 minutes.

Improvements in strength and endurance so very happy.

Happiest of all with more and more time spent without back pain.

All whilst focusing on purely OS and loading my backwards crawling.

2019:
Continue to not 'train' but 'move' daily.
I have already changed to more simplicity, but performing loaded short crawls daily - my version of the minimum effective dose.
No plans for scheduled tests - just do them when I feel curious like I did this last year.
Complete long crawl challenge and hit the mile crawl.

Good luck everyone.

Richard
Click to expand...
Amazing progress. I forgot to add to my post that I discovered OS this year, actually through my first thread on this forum.

It has DRAMATICALLY improved my posture and movement and did so very quickly! I do resets every day, usually AM and PM, typically before and during SS and before or after a run/ ride. I find the crawling to be the most "potent" reset for me personally. How about you?
 
Dayz said:
Amazing progress. I forgot to add to my post that I discovered OS this year, actually through my first thread on this forum.

It has DRAMATICALLY improved my posture and movement and did so very quickly! I do resets every day, usually AM and PM, typically before and during SS and before or after a run/ ride. I find the crawling to be the most "potent" reset for me personally. How about you?
Click to expand...

What is OS?
 
2018:
+Established kettlebells as my only training tool after years of gym training
+Reached Simple
+Finished ROP with 24kg
+10k swing challenge finished 28kg
+Pat Flynn´s 30 day swing challenge finished
+Certification as CMAS dive instructor
+Moved in with my girl (and two gerbils...)
- Injured my left shoulder (not through KB) and still rehabing
- Couldn´t attend the first SF kettlebell course in germany due to shoulder and a bad stomach :(
- Tried running again since I ruptured my achilles tendon a few years ago, but getting inflammations to quickly. Need to go start more slowly.
- not enough time riding my MTB

2019 Goals:
Simple standard with 40kg (Solid)
ROP 28kg, maybe 32kg
Moving towards A+A in general
Maybe visit the 2nd kettlebell course in germany @SvenRieger ;)
Injuryfree return to running
Focus on breathing
Change jobs since my company closes in september
Start cave diving (Florida, France or Mexico?)
Long bike trip to france or italy

@Harald Motz , @Provx :
Good job guys! Welcome to the club. Stay strong and permanent. The habit to stay sober will build up and get easier (but will always be a fragile little thing so stay alert).

@Harald Motz :
I would like to hear from your approach to Zen someday. I attended 10-day courses of Vipassana meditation (dhamma.org) and they were lifechanging. I feel your attitude is already very zenlike. ;)

@spicykaiju
I´m also vegetarian since around two years, due to mainly ecological reasons. I was nearly a 100% carnivore my whole life and tried to focus on good quality meat from ethical breeding. But you get fooled to often and in germany you had to much scandals regarding meat to trust any sources (also local farmers which bought from big wholesalers and sold it as their own...). The simple reason was to quit it completely. Most of the times I feel good enough without it. A great read is "Eating animals" from Jonathan Safran Foer, which is also a good read for conscious carnivores. Doesn´t mean I don´t miss a really good prime beef but with my background knowledge it now feels simply wrong to me. Only REAL negative is I gained nearly 10 kilos fluff since I rely to much on processed foods...
 
i think the only goal i have achived last year is half bodyweight press. But i have learnt lots of leasons on the road
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom