Rank 5 One Arm Long Cycle

I recently earned rank V in the one arm long cycle. I have not been practicing the one arm long cycle at all lately, but it really is a great movement. Nico Rithner, Adam Glass, Scott Sonnon, and Steve Cotter have all said words to the effect that if you only do one kettlebell lift, make it this one. This is a great assistance lift, and a good workout in itself. USA Kettlebell Lifting uses the one arm clean and jerk as a competition and ranking lift, and a quick look at the ranking records indicates that this is one of the most popular lifts for beginners. No wonder. With this lift you can train the pulling muscles, the pushing muscles, the rack and lockout positions, hip and ankle extension, grip, and cardio endurance. All the basic kettlebell skills are present in the clean and jerk. Why have I been overlooking this lift?

I think I'll use this as an assistance lift for the snatch, since the clean is a pull similar to the first stage of the snatch, and the lockout is the same as in the snatch. My next rank attempt will require 43 reps per arm. Hopefully, it will come soon!



As always, Nico Rithner sends out a very classy rank certificate. 



January Training Log

January 26- 32k snatch: 2 min. @ 12 rpm x 2.  32k cleans: 2 min. @ 12 rpm.  16k double jerk: 1 min. @ 12 rpm.  16k snatch: 25/25/25/25. 7 single pistols per leg.

January 25- Chin Ups: 8,8,7,6,5.  Dips: 8,8,7,6,5.  Pistol squats: grease the groove 7 times throughout the day..

January 24- 32k snatch: 2 min. @ 12 rpm.  Chin ups: 8,7,7,6,5.  Dips: 8,7,7,6,5.  GTG pistols.

January 23- 32k snatch: 2 min. @ 12 rpm.  Chin ups: 8,7,6,6,5.  Dips: 8,7,6,6,5.

January 22- Chin ups: 8,7,6,5,5.  GTG pistols

January 18- a little lower back stiffness, so I did 1 arm long cycle.  Warm up: 2 minutes with the 20k, switching hands every rep.  50/50 @ 16k.  Farmer's hold, 2x24k @ 2 minutes.  Chin ups: 7,7,6,5,4.

January 17- Chin ups: 7,6,6,5,4;  VWC snatches, 24k- 4 minutes.  boxing circuit: 2 minutes jump rope, 2 minutes heavy bag, 1 minute rest x 3.  Ab wheel: 5,4,3,2,1

January 16- Chin ups: 7,6,5,5,4;

January 15- Chin ups: 7,6,5,4,4

January 14- Chin ups: 7,6,5,4,3

January 12- did VWC 15:15 snatch intervals again with the 24k.  6 reps per 15 second interval, with 15 seconds rest.  20 sets left (120 snatches in 10 minutes- 5 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest).  Rested about 10 minutes, then did the same with the right arm.  Very intense and difficult.  Felt some pain in my right elbow afterward.  Several studies suggest that snatching the 24k kettlebell at this pace, using this protocol, burns in the neighborhood of 15 calories per minute (30 calories per minute of work).  Based on this, I estimate a calorie burn of about 600 calories. Very fatigued afterward.

January 11- Chin ups: 6,5,5,4,3.  Snatches: a variation of Viking Warrior Conditioning.  I used a 24k kettlebell, snatching at a cadence of 6 reps in 15 seconds, with 15 seconds rest.  VWC calls for switching hands every set, but I did 10 sets left, then 10 right, for a total of 60 snatches per arm in 10 minutes. Very difficult, but could have done more.

January 10- Chin ups: 6,5,4,4,3: GTG pistols and one arm pushups every 20 minutes for a few hours- a total of ten per arm/leg.   Alternated 32k clean and jerk with 32k snatch: 5/5 clean and jerk, 5/5 snatch.  Did not time rest periods.  Total of 30/30 clean and jerk, 30/30 snatch.

January 9- Chin ups: 6,5,4,3,3; GTG pistols and one arm pushups- just a few.   Single clean and jerk, 32k.  Did 1 minute on, 1 minute off, alternating hands @ 6 rpm for 40 minutes.  60 clean and jerks per arm.  This is the most work I have ever done with the 32k kettlebell.  No soreness the next day.  I'll be spending more time on the 32k single clean and jerk for sure!

January 8- Chin ups: 6,5,4,3,2;  Single clean and jerk (one arm long cycle), 20k.  8 sets of 1 min. @ 10 rpm. with 50 seconds rest per arm.  80 reps per arm.

January 7- rest day.

January 6- Chin Ups: 5,5,4,3,2; Greased the Groove pistols and one arm pushups throughout the day; 24k snatches: 5 sets of 1 min @ 12 rpm with 50 seconds rest per arm, then alternating sets of 1 min @ max reps per arm (13-17) for three more sets per arm.  I used a Polar heart rate monitor.  I had a max of 182, with an average of 148 for 30 minutes.  According to an online calorie calculator, I burned 438 calories in this 30 minute session.   Yesterday I estimated my average heart rate based on occasionally, before or after a set, holding my fingers to my jugular for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4, then averaging them in my head.  Today's workout was about the same in terms of perceived effort, and my estimated average was about equal to the Polar. That's good to know.   I also practiced three of my Taekwondo Poomse: Il Jang, E Jang, and Sam Jang.  Always refine the basics!

January 5- Chin ups: 5,4,4,3,2; practiced pistols and one arm pushups throughout the day; One arm long cycle clean and jerk, 20k.  8 sets of 1 m @ 12 rpm per arm with 55 seconds rest.  96 clean and jerks per arm.  Estimate heart rate of 140-145 bpm (based on average of periodic manual tests) for 30 minutes- a little more than 400 calories burned.   Also spent a little time hitting the heavy bag.

January 4- Chin Ups: 5,4,3,3,2; 24k snatches: 8 sets of 1 m @ 12 rpm per arm with 55 seconds rest.  96 reps per arm.

January 3- Practiced pistols and one arm pushups throughout the day.   One arm clean and jerk, 20k: 8 sets of 1 m @ 10 rpm with 1m rest per arm.  80 reps per arm.  Chin ups: 5,4,3,2,2, later did it again: 5,4,3,2,2

January 2- Chin ups: 5,4,3,2,1; Snatch, 24k:  8 sets of 1 m @ 12 rpm per arm with 1m rest.  96 snatches per arm.  Practiced pistols and one arm pushups throughout the day.

January 1- Die Kette with 16k, 20k, 24k, 32k.  First one arm clean and jerk: 10 times through each arm.  Then snatch, 10 times through each arm.  20k one arm long cycle: 20/20 for practice.