Time to Step Up

Several months ago, I earned Rank III from USA Kettlebell Lifting, by snatching a 20k/44lb. kettlebell 107 times. I set a goal for myself to earn Rank II by the end of September. I made this goal public on the USA Kettlebell Lifting forum. I started training toward this goal. At the time, my best snatch set with the 24k kettlebell was 25 reps per arm- less than half of the 106 reps I need to make rank.

Since then, I have dabbled in several different training methodologies, including long sets and intervals, snatches and assistance exercises (swings and presses), and bodyweight exercises. I have run the Warrior Dash twice in one day. All the while, with the goal in mind of hitting 53 snatches per arm.

So, today is the end of September, so it's time to put up. So today I turned on the camera, warmed up, and grabbed my kettlebell. Here it is:




95 reps. I got 46 with my left, and 49 with my right. This is a 5 rep PR, but still 11 reps short of my goal. In about three months, I've gone from a personal best of 47% of the required rank number, to 90%. That's great progress, and I'm proud of it, and thankful for it. But I still failed to meet my goal.

I read an interview with Ivan Denisov, the greatest kettlebell lifter in the history of the world. He said this:

"The question is how bad do you want it? What are you ready to do to reach your goal? And of course, you have to love what you do. To get a high results in this sport you have to have a passion. But, only systematically balanced training can help to reach a peak of sport. To get maximum results everyone should find the strongest and weakest sides, and discover the individual. You have got to find out what do you need to win. Only then, after you find out all these points, can you make the best training program. Do not forget that a Coach is very important."

So I have to ask myself: do I want it badly enough? Yes, I know I do. Do I love what I do? Oh, yeah! Do I have passion? Without a doubt. Have I been practicing "systematically balanced training?" No. I've been experimenting, playing around. Pavel Tsatsouline has a chapter in a book called "The Hazards of Variety and How to Dodge Them." The hazards of variety just cost me 11 reps, and cost my my next rank. I'm convinced that if my training had been more systematically and clearly focused, I'd have that rank right now.

What do you want to accomplish? What are you doing to get there? What "hazards of variety" are going to cost you what you want when the time comes to go for it?

Next week, I go to Denver, Colorado to attend a kettlebell instructor certification seminar with Nico Rithner of the Association of Tactical Strength and Conditioning Instructors. I hope that this weekend will help to narrow my focus, improve my technique, and strengthen my resolve to press forward. You need a coach to help you reach your fitness goals, so send me an email.

What about my goal? October 31 is going to be kettlebelloween in my garage. My goal is to make Rank II by the end of the month. Keep checking to see me make it!