0 Kettlebells: The Busy Athlete's Guide

I have to admit, I don't really like working out in the gym.  There's something about the repetitive, mechanical nature of gym equipment that just doesn't sit right with me.  I would much rather be outdoors, running or riding my bike, or even (in warmer weather) swimming.  I really enjoy the freedom or running a trail or riding a quiet road, and find that I have to really psych myself up to go to the gym.

If I'm honest with myself, I probably don't like the gym because I suck at lifting weights.  I've neglected the strength elements of my training for too long, in favour of building cardiovascular fitness and endurance.  I recently had a fairly critical self-evaluation though and realised that I need to drastically increase my core and upper body strength before the next racing season, or I won't be able to perform at the level that I want to reach.

As a busy guy, I often find it hard to juggle my work, family and training commitments, so I'm always looking for workouts that give me the maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time.  I love high-intensity cardio training, with hill sprints and fartlek runs also forming a big part of my regimen, so it was natural that I would be attracted to a gym workout that combines high intensity, core, back, chest and shoulder strength and a cardio burn as well. Kettlebells have been a revelation to me.

You've probably seen people working with Kettlebells in your gym, or at least heard them mentioned.  This big chunks of iron with a handle attached are one of the biggest trends in modern fitness.  As you can see from the picture of Lance Armstrong above, I'm certainly not the first triathlete to "discover" the benefits of this type of training.

Your best off finding a trainer who is familiar with Kettlebell training to start you off, but once you have been shown the basic techniques, it is really easy to put together an effective and brief workout that will give you the extra strength and endurance that a normal gym workout probably won't give you.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm by no means an expert when it comes to either Kettlebells or gym workouts in general, but my trainer showed me a great workout that has already started to give me noticeable improvements in my strength and general fitness and has carried these improvements across to my running and cycling.

It's as simple as this (talk to your trainer about number of reps, rest periods etc):

• Two handed Kettlebell swings
• Step back lunges (with overhead dumbbells on alternating arms)
• Burpees (with a push up at the bottom)
• Pull ups
• Crunches and twists with a medicine ball
• Decline push ups

The trick with this workout is to start at a high number of reps, and reduce them with each set.  You need to make sure that you are moving between exercises with little or no rest period.  You will find that you are working your cardiovascular system just as hard as if you were doing a high intensity track workout, whilst still getting the strength benefits of these exercises.  30 to 40 minutes of this will feel like a Grade A Sufferfest at first, but you will never go back to boring weights again.  The beauty of this workout is that with a minimal outlay for your own Kettlebell, you can do this workout almost anywhere.  Your local park, backyard or living room.

As my core strength has improved, my running efficiency and style has improved as my stabilisers hold me in a more upright and secure position.  My cycling has improved through my ability again to stabilise my body and hold proper form for longer rides.

If you are looking  to incorporate a quick, fat burning strenght workout into your week.  Give this a try.

2 Ironman?? Why everyday people put themselves through hell.

I didn't just wake up one day and decide to do an Ironman.  My journey to that decision was a more subtle and slow evolution that began in my late twenties.  I was your stereotypical office worker.  A few kilos overweight, mainly sedentary, drinking a lot and smoking too.  I felt heavy, slow and uncomfortable.  One day I realised that I had man boobs and my disgust at the state of my body was the initial spark that led to the burning passion that I now have for endurance sports.  I began to focus on getting myself healthy, losing weight, getting active, and starting to participate in a more active lifestyle. I initially focused on getting fitter, but as I got faster and stronger, I began to set more lofty goals for myself.  It was hard work, I lost my way several times, but I feel that I'm on the right track to achieve my eventual goal of becoming an Ironman.

The 2013 Melbourne Ironman event recently sold out completely in five minutes.  This is a striking demonstration of the growing popularity of endurance sports, all the more surprising because the bulk of the entrants are "middle-aged" people in their thirties and forties.  A very high percentage of these entrants are drawn from the ranks of the professional world.  Accountants, lawyers, doctors and other corporate high flyers are flocking to endurance events in unprecedented numbers.

But why are we seeing so many professionals, long regarded as desk bound softies, putting themselves through the intense preparation required to race these extreme events?  I have a theory that it comes down to our basic, primal need to compete.  To test ones strength and endurance against that of others, or in most cases in Triathlon and other endurance events, against oneself.  I think that most of the people that I race against probably have that same voice in their head asking "Are you tough enough?".  The ability to answer that most basic of internal questions is what drives me to train hard, put myself through pain, early mornings and long hours on the road.  When people ask me why, I usually just answer "because I want to know if I can".

I'm often accused of being overly competitive, and truth be told, it's probably true.  I like winning, and I can't stand not being good at something.  When it comes to Triathlon however, or even long distance running, I don't really care where I place, as long as I know that I gave 100% the entire race.  I'm usually more concerned with beating a previous best time, than with trying to get on the podium (which realistically is never going to happen).

When I speak with other people that race endurance events, the themes are fairly constant.  They want to challenge themselves, to "push their limits", to be the best that they can possibly be.  The office environment is so structured, safe and free of physical challenge, that there seems to be a swing back towards a lifestyle where people are more in touch with their physicality.  It's OK to sweat, to hurt and to push yourself.  I think that's one of the main attractions for me, and for many others.  When you train hard, and compete, you feel electrified, alive and energised.  You're in the outdoors, surrounded by other similarily masochistic people, finding out exactly what "you're made of".  I know that when I am running into the finishing line of a race, where I've given my all, there's almost no other place I'd rather be.

0 Train Like You Mean It! Making The Most Of Your Workouts.

 I've got a confession to make.  In the past I often didn't work as hard as I could when I trained.  I backed off momentarily during a run, slowed down for a light that was still green, or tucked in behind another cyclist for a couple of kilometres to enjoy the free ride that drafting provides.  Now these are not sins that will condemn me to eternal damnation, but as someone with limited time to train, I can't afford to be wasting time by not giving 100%.  So I made a promise to myself that I will always make the most out of every minute of every workout.

Realistically, most people aren't worried about preparing for races, or running personal bests every week.  Most of us just want to be a bit fitter and more in shape.  The one unifying factor is that none of us have a lot of time to fit in exercise around our increasingly hectic work, social and family commitments.  That's why it makes sense to treat every workout as if it is an Olympic final.

 

Here are some of the ways I try to boost the value of my workouts:

Keep track of your progress:

I run at least three times a week, and use Nike+ GPS to keep track of my speed and distance as I run.  To ensure that I'm not slacking off and to minimise any chance of coasting, I always decide on an average speed or split time that I want to maintain, and use the Nike+ audio feedback to keep me on target.  I've found that since I started doing this, as obsessive as it sounds, my average run speed has increased, and I'm regularly going faster over every distance that I run up to Half Marathon.  As a pretty competitive guy, I often find myself pushing a lot harder towards the end of my runs in order to beat a previous best or to come in ahead of target. If you don't have or use Nike+, you could do something as simple as taking note of the time it takes you to reach certain landmarks on your regular run routes, and try and match or beat this each time you hit the road.

Don't let someone else do the work for you:

Every cyclist out there has used a fellow rider as a rolling windbreak at one time or another.  Closely drafting another cyclist can mean you use about 30% less energy/power than if you were riding out there in the wind alone.  Whilst tucking out of a brutal headwind can be a blissful experience, particularly on a long ride, if you're not actually racing, you're just shortchanging yourself.  When I train on my own, I try to treat each ride as if it is an individual time trial.  I imagine that the people in front of me are other competitors in a triathlon and resist the temptation to draft them regardless of how knackered I'm feeling.  I've been riding regularly for a few years now and had found that my average speed had plateaued.  I eventually realised that this way because I was soft pedalling behind other riders for about half of every ride I did.  Since I began to ride solo, my average speed in a triathlon has increased between 12-15%.  Not much when you see it written, but a big difference when you consider the time savings over a long course triathlon.  The added leg strength and endurance has also greatly aided my run leg too.

Pretend you're in a race:

I run a couple of times a week with one of the guys from my office, and he has often laughed at my over the top competitiveness.  We run The Tan before work and I have a very real aversion to having people pass me as I run.    Should someone pass me, I invariably find myself lifting my cadence and trying to catch and re-pass them.  Much to the amusement of Tim, who just shakes his head at my ego.  I also like to imagine that runners ahead of me are competitors in some imaginary race, and push myself to reel them in before we reach some equally imaginary finish line.  Writing this, I realise how silly all of this is, but I think that this sort of internal competition is a great way to increase the intensity of a workout.  When I look at my run times, I can always tell when I've tried to "beat" some unknowing jogger and 've got no doubt that "racing" has helped my fitness greatly.  It also helps to condition me to pushing harder over the last few kms of a race in order to pass as many other people as possible.  If you can finish strong, you will be amazed at how many places you can pick up in the closing miles as others begin to tire.

Now I know that this approach to training will only appeal to certain people, but using these tips can add some much needed zip to a training session, and help to take your mind off the pain you're feeling.  If you are time poor, training during your lunchbreak, or finding your workout getting stale, give this a try.