Thursday, July 30, 2015

More Sprints, Kettlebells, and A Nice Ride

I had a great ride on Sunday out in the country, it was a 15 mile ride, heading out towards Portland Junction, a railroad connection out in the country.  It was a pretty ride to go on after sunrise.


Monday's workout and Wednesday's workout were Tabata Runs.

Monday was a 20 minute run of:
4 minutes easy
4 minutes Tabata
4 minutes easy
4 minutes Tabata
4 minutes easy

I also spooked up some deer along the river on this run, thankfully they ran along the river and not across the road!

Wednesday was a 16 minute run, similar to above.

Tuesday was a kettlebell workout, done Tabata style.
40# kettlebell used
2 minutes Swings
2 minutes Cleans
2 minutes Snatches
2 minutes Cleans
2 minutes Swings

Today's morning workout was kettlebell swings exclusively, done for 10 minutes and getting 250 of them in with the 40# bell.

I'm finding a nice mix of runs and lifting with rides interspersed.  My summer school class is done now, so I see some more time in the afternoons for riding more.

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Coffee Time:  Drinking some OG Black Gourmet as usual.  Its a good start to the morning and also goes well in the afternoon at work.  http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick

Saturday, July 25, 2015

A Strong & Steady Week of Training, Plus My Intro to Tabata's

This week has been pretty good with the workout schedule, feels like I finally found a nice blend of workouts to get in.  I'm mostly doing them in the mornings with some rides in the evenings.

The weekly schedule is pretty much:
Monday - Tabata Run - 16 minutes, 4 min easy, 4 min Tabata x 2
Tuesday - Kettlebell Circuit in AM, 8 mile Fat Bike ride in PM
Wednesday - Tabata Run - 16 minutes
Thursday: Kettlebell Circuit in AM, 6 mile ride in PM
Friday: Tabata Run, 16 minutes
Saturday: 3 mile run, easy/moderate pace

After next week, I won't have summer classes going on, so I will probably get more rides on the bike in, after my work days.  With a little more free time, I am planning some good rides.

The KB circuits have been Tabata based as well, working in 20/10 work/rest formats and alternating sides.  This makes for a very efficient workout, moving from left side to right side and keeping the body moving, while resting parts of it actively.  Tuesday was a series of 2 minute rounds with the 40# bell, doing Swings, Cleans, Presses, Swings, and Snatches.  Thursday was the same routine, but I also added a 4 minute Tabata circuit of good old cross-body mountain climbers.

I've really liked the Tabata format of workout design for about 15 years now. 

If anyone remembers the magazine, Muscle Media, I was introduced to it back around 1999 or 2000 in that magazine. It was a magazine published by Bill Phillips of EAS fame.  2000 seems like the right time in my memory, because I remember trying it as a 12 minute workout to do with 4 minutes easy, 4 minutes Tabata style, and 4 minutes easy as a cool-down. I experimented a lot with this format, mainly with my running workouts.  It became a staple workout for me, adding in 16 minute circuits and also 20 minute circuits. When I first worked as a sports performance trainer, I needed short brief workouts for my running ones, and the Tabata format did wonders for me. 

Fast-Forward to today, and I was introduced to Craig Ballantyne's 20/10 Home Workout Revolution system.  I liked it a lot, because:
1. Its more workouts than a P90X or Insanity or any other system's lineup of workouts.
2. The workouts were much, much shorter and less time-wasting overall. I'm sorry, but workouts like P90X Yoga were painful to do and go through, plus Insanity's 'recovery' workouts were far from it.
3. The videos were all downloadable, and I could CREATE my own series of workouts to put on a DVD myself.  I basically have my workout selection, all on one DVD, and no massive amounts of DVD's sitting around.
4. It follows my favorite workout pattern, the Tabata format!

Another bonus: it was far, far less than the cost of a P90X program or other infomercial system!

The other big bonus: I could sell this system and make more commission off of it, versus trying to sell P90X and those other programs.

Slight Rant: Yes, I used to sell the Beachbody lineups of their workout programs, back when P90X was the 'best thing ever' it seemed.  I did the programs, tried to sell the systems, and simply got tired of the same old rhetoric from the company that kept telling me to sell a big program plus their supplement packages, mainly Shakeology.

I get it: you want people on supplements because its a recurring thing to buy each month. But not everyone can afford $100 bags of powder to mix with milk or juice and only get a month's worth of servings out of it.

The reality of it: I would maybe make $30/sale on a $120 P90X program. Plus I'd still have to purchase so many 'points' worth of stuff, PLUS pay a monthly fee for my website that sold the stuff.

Now I make more money off one sale of HWR that I'd every bring in on a sale of a $120 program from BB. Needless to say, I've made more money selling HWR than I ever did off BB.

Anyways, back to HWR: it is a solid bargain to obtain this complete system. Check it out further at http://tinyurl.com/cbhwrevsale

If you like it, you can also sell it by signing up as an affiliate. There is no magical 'team' to be a part of, just sell it straight up like me and tell others about it. I've been selling it for a couple of years now through my blogs and websites.  Give it a look and see if it is right for you.

Maybe you want to read up on it while enjoying some OG Coffee: check out the many flavors of coffee, tea, and even hot chocolate from Organo Gold. Yes, you can also sell OG like I am doing, too. It is a pretty low-cost start-up and you can get a great discount on OG products on top of that. http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

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Coach Rick
Kettlebells & Coffee

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Run Less, Lift More, Bike A Bit

Greetings,
It has been a week since my last post, and it ended up being pretty active. I started to add more kettlebell work with a steady approach of Swings, Cleans, Presses and Snatches. I also ran less, but harder with Tabata cycles and intervals, plus some bike rides in there too.

The Tabata Runs I've been doing are essentially 16 minute workouts of alternating every 4 minutes with:
4 minutes easy
4 minutes of 20/10 Tabata hard/easy intervals
4 minutes easy
4 minutes of 20/10 Tabata's

I can get around 2.2 miles in this 16 minute time frame. Mileage isn't my concern, its the sprint/hard efforts that I get in. Some times it feels rough at first, but my body loosens up.

I also hopped on the bike a couple times for some quick rides. I have a nice 6 mile route that I can get done in under 25 minutes on a average day. It works great for an after-work ride and gives you time for more stuff at night to do.

This week, I started with a Tabata run on Monday, then this morning was a 10 minute Tabata pattern workout of 2 minute cycles of Swings, Cleans, Presses, Swings, and Snatches with a 40# kettlebell.

I'm aiming for 3 Tabata runs this week with rides in-between. Tues-Thurs will be KB days and potentially one on Saturday or Sunday as well.

Interested in some kettlebell workouts? Find your best program with the links up above with my Kindle guides, especially my #1 seller, "Just Swing It!". "Kettlebell XL" is also another popular one lately, too.

Buy yours today at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp

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After your workouts, enjoy some awesome coffee from Organo Gold: check out the lineup, from instant pouches to BrewKups for your K-cup coffee maker.

http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee
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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Tearing Up The Tabata's

Greetings,

Monday afternoon, I decided to dig into some files of mine and give a look at some programs I purchased a long time ago. One of them was the Kettlebell Metabolic Resistance Training program from Chris Lopez, a Turbulence Trainer who specializes in Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training method. After seeing a 4x/week plan of his for 4 weeks, I decided to give it a try. The first workout lasted 20 minutes and it seems that most of the workouts are around that time frame. That will work great for me and my schedule. I plan do to workout #2 this afternoon.

My workout this morning was a Tabata series of 2 cycles of hard/easy intervals.

It was a 16 minute run total, getting 2.25 miles in. Here's how it went:
4 minutes easy
4 minutes of 20s hard, 10s easy x 8.
I turned around, then continued with:
4 minutes easy
4 minutes: 20s hard, 10s easy x 8.

I haven't done Tabata's with my running in a long time, so I wasn't sure what to expect, other than handling the 4 minute Tabata intervals well since I have been doing speed sessions lately.

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Coffee choice today is the generic brand of Arabica coffee out of my K-cup maker. Later on, I'll get some more OG Black Gourmet.

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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick Karboviak
KB's & Coffee
http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

Monday, July 13, 2015

Almost a Fat Bike Face-down

Greetings,
After taking Saturday off, I got back on the fat bike on Sunday morning for an early morning ride. After more than 2 miles into my ride, I missed running over a rabbit with my fat bike by just a few feet.  The rabbit kind of darted out of nowhere behind some branches and ran across the trail in front of me.  It startled me, as you'd imagine, something just darts unexpectedly and you get that weird sense around you. It's the first time I've been fat biking and encountered a critter. I have come across deer before on gravel rides but they usually jump out plenty of feet in front of me.

This morning was a nice 2.5 mile run on my usual route for a brief morning run. Sometimes you get bored with the same old routes, but the nice thing with a repeated run on the same route is that you pretty much know where the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 mile increments are at along your route. I am getting consistent with 7:30, easy pace mile time averages.  Just need to find a race soon!

There might be a race next week. until then, I am getting ready for putting on another race in September locally.  I helped out with another race in a local town on Saturday and they had a tremendous turnout for it. It was for the non-profit fitness center that first hired me after college, so it was nice to see them put on a great race, a race that I once helped direct years ago.

As far as morning coffee, its some OG Black Gourmet once again.

Have you ordered some yet? Maybe you're thinking of getting into selling some coffee yourself: visit the opportunity for both at http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

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Kettlebells & Coffee
Coach Rick Karboviak

Friday, July 10, 2015

More Runs & Fat Bike Friday

Greetings,

The schedule this week had me doing 2 more runs and a Fat Bike ride later today.  Thursday, I started it off with a 20 minute run around the campus of Mayville State, as I'm trying to find a new running route for a 5K race. I ran into a problem with the first trial run of it, just wasn't long enough. So I ended up trying it again this morning and I believe I found a better route to try. It should be a unique race to do through parts of the sports complex for our Farmers Bowl day that we have here in September.

Later today, I'll get out on the Fat Bike for a fun ride out in the country. I'm trying to get in a ride every Friday this summer as my "Fat Bike Friday" tradition.

I will help time a 5K this Saturday for something else to do this weekend.

If the weather is decent, I will probably get in a longer ride over the weekend too.

Morning coffee this morning was some Eight O-Clock Columbian Perks, later this morning I'll have a Café Latte from Organo Gold. I'm starting to run low on Café Latte now, I'll have to order some more from my site: http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

Enjoy the weekend!

Get on your Fat Bike for #FatBikeFriday!

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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Subsonic Sprints and Swings

Greetings,

Last night I hit the track for some sprints and intervals, then hit the Swings this morning.

The track workout last night was brief:
400m every 2 minutes x 4, getting 400 in 83-85 seconds each.
Rest until 10 minute mark
4 x 300m with a 300 in 60 seconds, rest 60 seconds after.
400m to finish in 78.

First mile added up was in 5:40, 2nd mile was about 5:18 when all said and done.

I did ride the bike out to the track and back, 3 miles of that put in, plus another leisure ride for about 3 miles after the workout later in the evening.

This morning was a great time to hit the KB Swings:
2 x 100 with the 35# KB
2 x 100 with the 40# KB
I did a set of 100 every 3:20, so I finished this workout in under 13 minutes total.

It is raining out this morning, so hoping I can get a quick bike ride in this afternoon.

Coffee choice this morning is OG Black Gourmet.

It's a staple of many OG customers, why not make it one of yours? http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick
Kettlebells & Coffee

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Cooler mornings = smoother runs

Greetings,

The temps have come down a lot in the mornings yesterday and today. On Monday, it was in the 50's and a bit breezy from the north, making it for a great running temp for a run. I had about an 18 minute time, with change, 18:18 to be exact, for a 2.5 mile run, making for a nice smooth workout where I kept about a 7:20 pace for the run.

Since I have Tuesday Night Track (TNT) tonight, I opted for a bodyweight and KB workout this morning.

4 minutes of 20/10 work/rest for KB Swings
2 minutes of 20/10 with push-ups
2 minutes of 20/10 with sit-ups
2 minutes of 20/10 with KB cleans

I have been lacking a lot of KB/BW workouts since April, and I know its well past time to do some workouts like that again. I feel I need to follow the 20/10 pattern since that has many advantages.
- Short, brief workouts
- Easy transition between exercises
- very minimal equipment to use
- videos can be downloaded, burned onto DVD's if you wish
- workouts are easy to follow

I follow the Home Workout Revolution programs (and create my own with that style, of course) and have done so for a few years now.  I feel they are better than most home workout video systems on the market and you're not bombarded with endless garbage of supplements to take after the sale.

Check it out at http://tinyurl.com/cbhwrevsale

If you ask me, its one of the most affordable home workout programs you will find.

50+ videos are yours for the taking.

Take a serious look at it here: http://tinyurl.com/cbhwrevsale

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Coffee choices this morning are Eight O-Clock Columbian Peaks, mixed with Café Latte. from OG.
Order your own OG coffee at http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

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Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Dashes at Dawn

Greetings,

It was pretty humid out this morning, but I got a good little track workout in. The air was eerily still and calm, and very humid, but I was able to get some kind of a track workout in.

1.5 mile ride to the track

Jog 100, race pace 100's x 8: 1600m total in 6:30 for time. I find that this series of jog/sprint over 100 meters each one for a mile is a good indicator of your 5K race pace.  Its just about spot-on.

I walked for a good 4 minutes after this, then did one lap of 200/200, jog/race pace in 85 seconds. Rested about 1 minute, then did an all-out 400 in 82 to end the workout. Was just getting too humid for me to cool off, so I went back home.

Rode the bike back to my place, so its always nice to get some bike miles in on a trip to the track. It also helps cool you down a bit with the breeze generated by your ride.

Got finished with my morning coffee (OG Café Latte mixed in with some basic coffee) and checked my email. I got my affiliate information for SoloStrength, a very cool bodyweight training apparatus. They have doorway options, wall options, and free standing options.  Bodyweight training is a trend that will never leave, and offers many functional movements to strengthen your body well. SoloStrength has some unique options for you, if you are serious about a home gym setup that will last.

Check out what they have to offer here:
http://solostrength.com/ctpevents/af/ASAPWorkouts

Hope you have a Happy & Safe 4th of July!

Celebrate your freedom to do whatever you want, like starting a home business and earning money by sipping, sampling, and sharing a great, All-American classic morning beverage: Coffee!
http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

Swing & Sip!
Coach Rick

Friday, July 3, 2015

Fat Bike Friday

Greetings,

I added in some kettlebell swings to the workout mix this week, some track stuff, some easy running, and a nice fat bike ride as well.

Monday was a nice run for 2.5 miles, nice and easy pace to start the week.

Tuesday was a 5 mile bike ride in the morning, with a 2.5 mile track workout in the evening for TNT, or Tuesday Night Track.  I did 400's in 82-85 second times, doing one every 2:30 on the clock. After 2 miles of that in under 20 minutes, I then did some striders for 4 x 100 walk, 100 striders. Before the 2 miles under 20 minutes, I also did a warm-up 400 in 90 seconds to add up to 2.5 miles total.

Wednesday was a Swings workout in the morning, and a 7 mile ride after work.

Thursday was another 2.5 mile run in the morning. Today was a nice adventure ride in the country on "Fat Bike Friday", its kind of a summer theme I have going on, trying to get in a nice ride on the fat bike each Friday if I can.

As for coffee choices, I'm getting a mix of OG's Gourmet Black and Café Latte in the mornings, and a cup in the afternoon at times.

Check out OG's great tasting coffees and teas at http://tinyurl.com/kbcoffee

I'll be adding more kettlebells next week, just have to start doing it. Harder to make the choice between morning runs and kettlebell workouts this summer. Was a lot easier this winter to make that decision.

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Coach Rick
Kettlebells & Coffee