Kettlebells for Autism

[Catrin]

Tomorrow morning I and my 2 competition training partners will participate in a 1-hour long Long Cycle (kettlebell clean and press) for a solid hour to raise both funds and awareness for Autism research. 100% of funds raised go for research, and there are kettlebells lifters in 33 countries (last I heard) who are participating in this grass-roots effort. Donations of any amount help!

I am looking forward to the challenge, it will my longest endurance kettlebell lifting effort to date, the goal is to lift for a solid hour without setting the kettlebell down. Thankfully we can switch hands whenever we want, and my targeted pace will be 8-10 reps a minute. My coach is insisting I use a very light weight as this is about endurance, not strength. Even the lightest weight will become a challenge after a certain point :-) I will learn good lessons tomorrow morning!

My Fundly One Hour Long Cycle for Autism fundraising page (https://fundly.com/catherine-kostyn-asat-2014)

Charity website (http://www.kettlebells4autism.com/) for more information.

[Catrin]

Done and done :-) 60 minutes of the Kettlebell Long Cycle - which is the KB Clean and JERK, not press as I just noticed I typed yesterday. I estimate that I completed at least 480 reps, using a 6KG kettlebell means that I put about 6,336 pounds over my head in 60 minutes! I had wanted to use a heavier KB, but my coach insisted I use the 6 kilogram to be kind to my shoulders. 60 minutes is a LONG time to lift anything over your head, especially with a known shoulder problem.

Next year we will put more of a group effort in fundraising, this was a new charity to everyone this year. It WAS fun, but then again, we are strange people to be enjoying such an activity :-) I feel fine, my quads were tight from almost 500 double-dips from the the jerk portion of the movement, but I feel great now!

[Pax]

Impressive, congrats!!

Now, be sure to put everything you'll need tomorrow within close reach... I'm pretty sure you won't be able to lift your arms in the morning. :D

[Catrin]

Impressive, congrats!!

Now, be sure to put everything you'll need tomorrow within close reach... I'm pretty sure you won't be able to lift your arms in the morning. :D

This made me laugh out loud - and that is probably good advice. Thankfully there IS an 11:15 service I can attend tomorrow if I am not moving smoothly enough to make the 9am :rolleyes: I am actually curious to see how I will feel, I've yet to be what I could call SORE from my kettlebell work. I won't be surprised to see this change tomorrow morning...

[Pax]

This made me laugh out loud - and that is probably good advice. Thankfully there IS an 11:15 service I can attend tomorrow if I am not moving smoothly enough to make the 9am :rolleyes: I am actually curious to see how I will feel, I've yet to be what I could call SORE from my kettlebell work. I won't be surprised to see this change tomorrow morning...

I'm remembering the times in high school when they had us work out until we were so fatigued we could barely move during spring training for softball, waking up the next morning and being so sore I couldnt actually sit up in bed and having to roll out onto all fours, and we're a bit older than high school. LOL

[Catrin]

Yes we are! I've been feeling all energetic and awesome - started about 2 hours after we stopped, but I suspect if ANY kettlebell work is going to leave me sore in the morning, it will be this one. That is actually what's gotten me in trouble in the past with over-use injuries. Regardless of how hard I work out, it is quite rare that I actually get sore. I was a bookworm during my high school years, so I've only the last 5 years to put this in context. I've been focusing on hydrating this afternoon, and eating good things. A bit of great Port tonight will help in my recovery. Yeah, that's it ;-)

[Pax]

It's an absolute requirement! Enjoy.

[emily_in_nc]

Congratulations, Catrin, and good job! I can't imagine doing that for an hour, even with light weights.

[Catrin]

Oh, and did I mention that I turn 55 on October 23? Being ABLE to do this on the verge of my 55th birthday is just plain awesome ;-)

[Crankin]

Congratulations, Catrin. Now enjoy your port.

[Catrin]

I am :)

[Pax]

So... how do you like port, and more importantly, can you lift your arms today? :D

[Catrin]

So... how do you like port, and more importantly, can you lift your arms today? :D

I LIKE PORT, much better than Sherry. I hadn't expected it to be so different, but it really is! Also glad to see that it is possible to find good port for a decent price.

I can lift my arms just fine this morning :cool: My right bicep and trap are complaining a little, and my back twinges a bit when I bend in a certain direction. Considering what I asked of my body yesterday I think that is reasonable - I didn't think I would escape without SOMETHING :-) I normally go hiking or go to my gym to hit the rowing machine on Sundays after our comp training on Saturday - but today is a rest day! Indeed I turned off all my alarms (I usually have 3 set), and slept as late as I could. Even without an alarm I rarely sleep after 6:30, but dragged myself out of bed at 8:15 - so later church service for me today!

Here is a brief video taken during the last 40 seconds. I am the one in the purple t-shirt. At this point we had been lifting for 59 minutes and 40 seconds. The blonde on the end wasn't there for the event, but we persuaded her to jump in for the last 10 minutes with us ;)

There is a story behind the purple t-shirt. It is from the "KB Fun Club" in Norway, and on the back is an outline from behind of a man and a woman in the top position of the kettlebell snatch. I liked it so much that, yes, I ordered it from Norway - and I am still surprised that a local kettlebell club in Norway would have lettering in English :-) It is just a little more snug than I might like, but it is very comfortable, great color, and hasn't shrunk. I've also paid more shipping to get something from California!


http://youtu.be/3BaI0knSx94

[Pax]

Wow, just wow! So impressive, Catrin, you are one disciplined and dedicated individual.

Glad you liked the port, I was so surprised at how good it was when I tried it the first time, everything about it from the color to the smell to the smooth taste... just yummy!

Hope you have a wonderful day.

[OakLeaf]

Very nice Catrin! I'm seriously impressed. You're going to ace that competition!

[Catrin]

Thanks Pax and Oak!

The only problem is my dysfunctional shoulder. I can do all of the lifts, but as my chiro says, my physiology is "altered". This is making it much more difficult to gain sheer strength, which is hard enough at 55 when you haven't been doing for much of your life. This also causes a mechanical problem when I am jerking with my left arm, my hip must do strange things for me to get proper lockout - but I CAN do it! I am not doing this to become a high level professional competitor however. Competing is a goal to keep my interest, and it is fun. I am looking forward to our platform party at the end of January in Louisville :cool:

My goal next year is to do this same event, with the 8 KG - which is what I wanted to do this year but I was overruled :o

[Catrin]

A little follow-up. While I wasn't nearly as sore as I anticipated, as it turned out my muscles were far more fatigued after that 1-hour Long Cycle than I knew. I showed up at my usual Tuesday evening kettlebell training session, and our coach gave me and my training partner one of our usual competition training sets (multiple timed sets of jerks, and then snatches). While I had been somewhat aware that I was a LITTLE sore that day, I had no idea just how tired I was. It took a good deal of perseverance to complete my sets - but I did, and I did complete them. I DID have the option of stopping the timed work and joining in with a more general KB training session (not all of us are training for competition), but I got stubborn, I know, that is a surprise :cool: NEXT year I am skipping that first class after the event :-) We do need more recovery time as we get older.

So tonight is another training session, and I feel much closer to normal now. We will see how it goes! Crossing my fingers that he will have us doing my favorite lift for my birthday :cool: