Peter Bolsius, Author at Mojo Strength - Page 2 of 5

Master The Turkish Getup Kettlebell Exercise

I keep working on getting this right. Keep going.

Focus on your technique.

Practice makes permanent. Concentrate on your form in every rep.

Good Turkish Getup Routine to Practice:

  • Start left,
  • rest
  • right,
  • rest

Repeat x 3.

For personalised coaching get in touch.

Master This Simple Yet Great Kettlebell Warm Up Exercises

Prepare your body for a rigorous kettlebell session with this simple warm-up.

Focus on your technique.

Practice makes permanent. Concentrate on your form in every rep.

For personalised coaching get in touch.

Simple Yet Effective Kettlebell Training Routine to Get Started

Watch the video above to learn a great beginner’s kettlebell training routine.

Focus on your technique.

Remember, practice makes permanent. So bad form is ingrained with every rep. Practice proper form at all times.

If you want more in-depth coaching get in touch.

Stop Hurting Your Lower Back – Use Proper Kettlebell Swing Technique!

Quick-fix your kettlebell swing.

If your lower back hurts from swings, sorry, you are doing them wrong. Plain and simple.

Watch the video above to learn proper kettlebell swing technique.

Stop hurting your your lower back!

Keep practising and dominate this move.

If you’re after any help get in touch.

Hurdles are part and parcel.

2 weeks out from the Italian Cert and I hit a hurdle. I’m in France and I got the flu. The worst kind too….”Man Flu!!”  (dadadadaaaaa dramatic music) . 

I really thought I had dodged that bullet, however…..obviously not quite.

But, like any good journey, we need some sort of hurdle to make it interesting. What to do?

Well, I haven’t touched the bell since last Friday. It’s Wednesday today as I am writing. So that’s almost a week now. I felt my swing session last Friday morning to be really challenging and it was all down hill from there.

Even though I am on holidays till the Cert, I stayed home in bed for a full day. Rested really well the following day and now am on the mend. That was hard. Being on Cote’ D’Azur and staying in bed? Are you kidding? No, I came here for the Cert.

Am I worried? No, as long as I get my lungs clear, I know the work I have done over the last 17 weeks will get me over the line.

Will I be as strong as I could have been? Probably not. But it’s about getting over the line on the day, and I know I can do that.

Hurdles in life

What Now?

So, what’s the plan? Well I’m taking it easy again today and starting with some simple flows to get my body back moving freely again. I’ll hit the 28kg kettlebell (only kettlebell I have) on Friday again:

  • 100 kettlebell swings x 10 EMOM x 10 . StrongFirst Group
  • 5 Get Ups ea. side
  • 3 or 4 sets of Goblet Squats with a pause
  • 5 Presses ea. side.

Then every day up to the Cert, hit my 100 swings, slowly bringing the time down + 1 lift either a Get Up or a Press or Squat. I have 9 days. I’ve done the work. I’m ready. If I’m not, then I haven’t done the work properly.

What About You?

Are you ready? Sydney Cert is about 15 days away. WooooHoooo.

SIGN UP TO THE CERT HERE if you haven’t already. If you don’t feel ready, just remember you have 12 weeks after the cert to get across the line.

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs in Sydney, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please comment, share them and get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter BolsiusKettlebell Instructor Peter Bolsius SFG1

 

 

Our new promo video we got done the other week. I thought I’d just drop it in. As you will see, everyone isn’t doing perfect reps. It’s a journey and everyone is at different stages. Keep progressing, keep practicing. Back to the story:

Minimalism

:  a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterised by extreme spareness and simplicity

I’m sitting in the lounge at Dubai airport waiting for our connecting flight to Italy.

I bought a 28kg kettlebell on-line in Italy . It has arrived at my first place of stay so the training continues. WoooHooooo.

Minimalism has been the order over the last 2 weeks.

My prep has been quite good. However, I did feel a cold/flu coming on so I backed right off.

I thought a minimalist approach would be best served right now, so I keep doing something without pushing the body over the edge.

Training has looked like this:

Minimalism

Leo Preparing for the CERT.

Day A)

1 arm Swings 100 every morning 28kg bell first set 40 then 20 + 20 + 20 with around 10 seconds rest between sets.

Presses every minute or so 1 each side. My pressing is my worst lift due to my long levers so it’s what I practice the most.

Day B) Swings as above plus Get Ups again with the 28kg which is my SFG “Re-certing” weight.

Alternate between the 2 everyday.

Sunday morning before departure was Workout A, Swings easy,  the first 3 sets of presses were a little rough, but once I found the groove I increased the reps to 2 each side. Doesn’t sound like much but for me that is good progress.

As you can see this is pure minimalism. Nothing left to take away.

This approach got me through the Cold/Flu issue. I managed to dodge it by being smart. I’m 55 yeah? I’ve been in this position so many times and have learnt that when your body is telling you to slow down, you listen!

And just like my training….so is this post……. Minimal. I’m off to Italia ragazzi. Ciao!!

SIGN UP TO THE CERT HERE if you haven’t already. If you don’t feel ready, just remember you have 12 weeks after the cert to get across the line.

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs in Sydney, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please comment, share them and get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter BolsiusKettlebell Instructor Peter Bolsius SFG1

Is it Your Swing?

Struggling with your Kettlebell Clean or Snatch? Often we must go back to the swing.

Coaching this week, I was reminded of this again. My student’s swing was good, not perfect, but it’s improving. However, as soon as we moved to cleans, everything fell to bits.

We must remember, the clean is a swing that finishes in the rack, the snatch is a swing that finishes overhead

It’s always a swing. The more ingrained your swing is, the easier the clean and snatch will be.

Your swing needs to be crisp, with a powerful hip snap. If you have that, the rest is just to guide the bell to the right position.  Be it to the “rack” in the clean or overhead in the snatch, it all initiates from the hips. The power is in the hips.

The biggest problem I see as a coach, when we change the movement i.e. from swing to clean or swing to snatch, we seem to forget the swing portion of the movement.

It all initiates with the swing, then a small pull either high or low and the bell goes where you want it.

Practicing the swing

If your swing is really ingrained, then concentrate on the swing portion of the clean or snatch. DRIVE that bell with the hips, then steer it to where you want it to go. But SWING IT! It’s a swing never forget that. it doesn’t change.

I believe, you should swing everyday.

Having said that, if you have followed this series from the beginning, I didn’t swing for a long time. I was deadlifting regularly, but my swing was put on a back burner.

My first swing session 16 weeks ago was: 10 swings every minute for 10 minutes, 2 arms with a 32kg bell. It was difficult and as the sets continued, the power  diminished.

This morning, 100 swings in less than 5 minutes, 1 arm with a 28kg. The swings were crisp and fast. I have practiced this every morning for 55 days consecutively.

I know, that my snatch test will be easy, because of the power and endurance I have built up in my posterior chain over the last 16 weeks and especially over the last 55 days.

I have programmed 100 swings every morning for all my students who are sitting the StrongFirst Instructor Certificate. This is on top of any training they do. I recommend this to all my students, but I insist it from my CERT students.

This is now becoming a habit for all of them.

This is a habit I would like to take on for the rest of my life. I believe in it that much. With the deadlift, I was strong, but had no real power. With the swings, I feel fast, strong and explosive. (and my deadlift hasn’t suffered 1 bit.)

Regardless of what happens during the rest of your day, get your 100 swings and a short flow movement. Can’t start the day much better than that.

Moral of the story? SWING!!  Kettlebell Swing

What now?

SIGN UP TO THE CERT HERE if you haven’t already. If you don’t feel ready, just remember you have 12 weeks after the cert to get across the line.

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs in Sydney, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please comment, share them and get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter BolsiusKettlebell Instructor Peter Bolsius SFG1

 

StrongFirst Cert is Getting Closer.

6 Weeks till Cert!

I’ve had a few calls this week from Guys n Gals signed up to The StrongFirst Instructor Certificate here in Sydney June. Where to stay, what to bring, where are we eating etc.

Pretty simple questions, but important. Here are some answers:

So, check out Air BnB  for Matraville or check out beautiful Coogee Beach or Maroubra Beach check transport though.

Food, we have some great Cafe’s pretty close by so no problems there. Coogee beach has some amazing restaurants and bars for the evening.

What to bring on the day.

  • A spare T-shirt or 2 and some comfy training gear. (You will sweat a lot even though it is winter.)
  • Medical tape for your hands (blisters may appear)
  • Hand cream for the evening and a nail file or similar to smooth up callouses.
  • Some easy snacks like nuts or bars for energy during the breaks
  • A towel
  • Pen and note book
  • Lunch, if you want to eat in house
  • Water
  • Your favourite test size kettlebells ( We have some but you might have your faves)
  • An open mind and plenty of energy.

‘Boy scout/girl scout always be prepared.

My Training:

CT my coach, has been “anal”yzing my lifts. That is not a misspell. I want everything to be spot on. Small details count. Elbows are locked, wrists are straight, Bells travel smoothly and crisply. You know. 

This is what my training has looked like these last few weeks:

  • SFG Warm-up
  • Straight and bent-arm kettlebell arm bars with a 12kg These help T-spine mobility, shoulder stability.
  • Get ups with the 28kg (my test weight)
  • Double Kettlebell Clean, Front Squat, Press ladders 1-2-3-4-5 with the 24kgs 1 size over MY test weight. In a week, I start over with the 28kg bells. (I love this program)
  • Pull-ups to supplement upper body strength, in ladders as above
  • Swings or snatches. I swing the 24kg bell 1 arm every morning at around 4.00am at Coogee beach before I do anything else. What a great way to start the day. yes it is still dark but hey….

This gives me 700 extra swings a week without even noticing. These have gotten really easy. So easy in fact, that I get 100 reps in 3 sets. 50-30-20. This week I started adding 1 set with the 28kg bell every session, so by next week, I will be doing 100 swings with the 28kg bell every morning before I do anything else. I will get that done in less than 5 minutes. 10 reps every 30 seconds. I’ll stick with that till I leave for Europe.

Snatches, I am still practicing once or twice a week. I do sets of 8 reps each side on the minute for 5 minutes with the 24kg bell. 1 size above test size (for ME) That’s 80 reps. Not easy, not hard.

Feeling strong and fresh! Looking forward to catching up with Master SFGs Shaun Cairns and Fabio Zonin in Italy next month and meeting people. There are always a heap of cool people to meet and network with at StrongFirst events.  Then back here for Sydney Cert!! Woo Hoooo!!!!

YOU? 

What are you doing to prepare? I would love to hear what your prep looks like or the prep of your students if you are coaching someone. Pop it in the comments below.

Sydney Kettlebell Club is organising a KETTLEBELL SWING & GET UP WORKSHOP.see here.

Saturday 6th of May. 9.00am @ Mojo Strength. Click the link to see more.

You can also

SIGN UP TO THE CERT HERE if you haven’t already. If you don’t feel ready, just remember you have 12 weeks after the cert to get across the line.

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs in Sydney, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please comment, share them and get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter BolsiusKettlebell Instructor Peter Bolsius SFG1

Learn Proper Lifting Technique

Move well, lift heavy, be awesome!

Continual improvement is our focus. In fitness, health, relationships, finances, and ourselves.

Keep practising and crush these moves!

If you need any pointers get in touch.

I was having a chat with one of the girls who is preparing for the StrongFirst Instructor certification in Sydney in June.

“I’m not ready, I won’t be ready” she said.

I replied, “Hit singles Claire” “Hit singles”

On Anzac Day every year, I Bear Crawl up Maroubra Beach. That’s over 1,000 metres in the sand.

How do I do that? I hit singles.

So what is “hitting singles?”

It’s about looking at the task ahead and breaking it down into smaller blocks.

In the case of the 1,000 metre bear crawl, I broke it down into 50 step blocks.

In the case of Claire getting ready for the CERT, it was concentrating on the set of cleans she was doing.

That’s it. Don’t think about how far you have to go. Think about the immediate task in front of you.

You can hit any target you want in life by hitting singles.

Training and Hitting Singles.

Of course hitting singles transfers well to training.

Coogee Exercise Nutrition

Getting ready for CERT for example is all about that. Doing 1 rep at a time and breaking it down into “bite sized chunks”

Last week I had to do 10 ladders of 1-2-3. If you think about the 10 ladders or the 60 reps of each movement it seems daunting and long. Thinking in the terms of “rungs” on that ladder is easier:

  • 1st rung = 1 single
  • 2nd rung = another single
  • 3rd rung = single

Taking your time and concentrating on the immediate task at hand will get you over the line. Be patient, do 1 thing at a time a string them together. Whatever that may be in life. I have some pretty outlandish goals for my life. Some would say I am crazy. I know I can reach them if I hit singles.

Workshop

Sydney Kettlebell Club is organising a KETTLEBELL SWING & GET UP WORKSHOP.see here.

Saturday 6th of May 2017. 9.00am @ Mojo Strength. Click the link to see more.

You can also

SIGN UP TO THE CERT HERE

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs in Sydney, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please share them, get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter BolsiusKettlebell Instructor Peter Bolsius SFG1