Snatches Followed By Power To The People

I did 100 snatches to get the juices flowing and felt quite good doing them. Easy pace and I'm happy that snatching hasn't pulled a callous in almost a year. Nice:)

Second session of PTTP cycle. If you want to really understand what "Hard Style" training is then read this book. It is a masterpiece. Clear and concise it flat out rocks.

So I followed the book and did dead lifts today as well as Barbell Side Presses. I feel like I could blast through a brick wall.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Delaware Hard Style By Way Of LA

If you were one of the dedicated ones who made it to Middletown DE on June 21, 2009, then you came away with some amazing new tools for your toolbox. I always have a lot of trouble describing events in detail. Sorry about this inability but I will give it a shot anyway.

If you are an RKC and you attended, then you were surely blown away by all that Doctor Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader, shared with us. If you had never been exposed to "Hard Style" training then you may not fully appreciate yet what you learned. You will. Trust me. Here's a look at the thoughts of one such uninitiated.

Doc Cheng contacted me 3 or 4 months ago to see if I'd be interested in helping him put on his "Hard Style, High Density" workshop at his Alma mater, St. Andrews School. I saw it as a unique opportunity to help spread the work about the RKC on the East Coast, work with Doc Cheng and help out the school since we donated 50% of proceeds back to them. Pretty much a "win-win-win" situation. But it just gets better.

First off, St. Andrews School is first rate and reminded me so much of my beloved St. James. I graduated in 1980 and there are many similarities between the institutions. I was happy we could be of financial assistance and we look forward to this being an annual event. I would guess that many of the folks who attended this year will be back.

Secondly, Dr. Cheng is really tuned in to proper movements and patterning movement. I truly believe Pavel Tsatsouline himself would have learned something. I learned far more than I bargained for and was humbled a bit by the experience. The RKC system of strength is fairly easy to implement safely but mastery is another entire matter. Mastery may always prove elusive and that is now a wonderful feeling. I hated that thought at first but am fully at peace with it now. I will never, ever stop learning.

The focus of this workshop was the RKC Program Minimum. Dead lifts, Swings, Turkish Get Ups. We also did some work with cleans, Tactical Pull Ups and snatches. The focus was all on the foundation that the RKC is built on. Tension equalling strength. Breathing being a huge component of that. If all we had worked on was breathing and creating tension it would have been a worthwhile day.

Luckily we also worked a lot on mobility in general. Specifically the t-spine work we did was amazing and has already helped me with my Turkish get ups (which I thought were decent pre workshop) and also has allowed me to really improve my tactical pull ups. Put another way, fairly fatigued a came within an inch of a completed tactical pull up with the 24 KG Kettlebell hanging off my right foot.

How about thinking of your body as a can? Without the top and bottom to keep the contents in the container and under pressure it is useless. If you can't create the bottom of the can in your pelvis and the top from the lats down you will have difficulty. But if you can, then imagine the power capability.

Everyone who participated learned something. My 69 year old mom learned a ton that will help her move better than she does and she moves fairly well.My fellow RKCs and I learned a ton. I will be stronger, move better, teach better and feel better from what I learned and how far I have to grow. Do you know how hard light dead lifting can be? Ask Jen Morey!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

What I Learned in My Week Off From Training

I took a week off from training and started back today. I did play some tennis and also one round of golf while I was in Rehoboth Beach. We had amazing weather and the surf was perfect. Great water temperature and enough of a curl that body surfing was equally good.

The last day I trained was at the Delaware Kettlebell Workshop we had at Saint Andrew's School on June 21st. I hadn't taken anytime off since I was in New Orleans at the beginning of last June. Here's what I learned:

Taking time off for me isn't that worthwhile. I know for many people this isn't the case but I didn't get weaker and I didn't get stronger. My absolute strength work out today was the exact replica of the one I did two weeks ago. Same rep count, same resistance and then the "back down" sets until form denigrates to the point of a repetition that lacks "hardstyle" quality.

I was hoping to somehow get stronger while off the kettlebells and other resistance training for a week. It seemed that the extra time off would give me a chance to have extra recovery. Here's what I found for me with "Hardstyle" Training we do enough "Same but different" work as Pavel puts it, that I don't seem to get stale and I seem to increase my strength too. I am rarely if ever sore. Soreness really doesn't indicate the level of work you've done. In most cases it means you are working muscles that you haven't worked in awhile. Since "hard style" work is essentially full body work then soreness isn't an issue.

So what is "same but different" mean exactly? Well for the snatch it may mean that after a MVO2 cycle you do a Secret Service Snatch Test Cycle. The operative phrase is "Complete a cycle."

Or instead of doing heavy swings you could do a cycle of overspeed eccentric swings. Same but different doesn't mean you jump from one exercise to the next. A lot of this is covered if "Power To The People." This book is an absolute "must" if you desire to understand and implement the RKC system of strength.


Please share what you have learned when you take time off from training. I'd love to know what you have found out!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

P.S. Be sure to read my take on the Delaware Kettlebell Workshop. I will post that tomorrow.

What is Sea Wave Training?

If you read my blog, then you know that the level of intensity from workout to workout varies pretty wildly. And it's by design. You just can't go "all out" each and every day and expect to really see the gains that you are probably looking for. You break yourself down during a workout and then get strong during recovery. Lots of you may find this hard to grasp. Why wouldn't you? It's been drilled into our heads that hard is better and if you don't work hard then you don't get results.

Well working hard is only part of the equation that will end in results. Intelligence in training is often overlooked it seems to me. First you must start with a plan. Each day should be mapped out before your workoout week begins. For example, I know what I am doing today and each day for the rest of the week. The work I'll do this week is the "same but different" as last week. I don't workout for entertainment. I work out to get fitter and stronger so the rest of my life is easier. Workout variety is overrated and one way that a lot of trainers seek to entertain their clients. Doing fewer things very very well is the real meal ticket. Folks want results. And there are only a few primal movement patterns. Use them. Each week I do swings, TGU, Clean and Press, Tactical Pull Ups, Pistols, Squats, Renegade lunges, and snatches. That may be too much and maybe I need to pare something.

I wrote the "same but different" above. What do I mean by that? I mean that the workout movements really don't vary. I change the volume and I change the intensity in waves. Oleg Chelischev wrote, "The Workload must flucuate like a sea wave: Up and down, from glass calm to a storm."

I'm very happy with my fitness level and I'm happy with my progress. Give wave training a chance and I think you will be happy too!

Learning From The Masters

Back in the 1930s, one of the nations most prominent institutions of higher learning abandoned traditional educational orthodoxy and decided that learning from the source was a better alternative than textbooks.

St. Johns College in Annapolis MD and later also in Santa Fe NM took a radical step in implementing their "Great Books" program but the thesis of the program was that if you read the Masters then through discourse and thought, you as a student could have a clearer understanding of the matter at hand. For example, Euclid would be considered the source for Geometry and say Adam Smith for Economics. You learn by studying from the real source and then with true critique and thought apply it on your own. No textbooks or secondary sources were allowed. Interesting idea.

So what does this have to do with kettlebells? It turns out a lot. A year and one half ago I decided to attend a "certification" (still can't believe that they got away with calling it that) of a kettlebell business. The weekend was not conducive to learning. I didn't learn to design a workout program or for that matter teach any students what I was learning. If you can call it learning. My recollection is that my snatch got a bit better but that nothing else changed much. I was using a secondary source as the instructor; a former Pavel protege.

I was still convinced that I was onto something with kettlebells and I reached out to Delaine Ross,RKC and David Whitley, SRKC. Why not learn from the Master they both said? So instead of a watered down and seemingly misinterpreting secondary source I went to the RKC. Or the direct source for Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning. If you are looking to participate in kettlebell sport than the source would be AKC.

Now I am going to admit something that I've never publicly admitted before. The first certification was physically and mentally much easier than the RKC. When I heard about the RKC requirements my first thought was that it was insanity. I had to do how many snatches? The graduate workout? Yea right. But I wanted it badly and set off on a journey that I'm not sure has a end. The destination keeps changing and I like what I've seen so far on my trip.

But I digress. Why study from either Pavel Tsatsouline or Valery Fedorenko? Well why not? They are the two who introduced their time tested methods here in the United States. Do they have a monopoly on excellent kettlebell ideas? No, they don't but if you learn from the Masters than you can ultimately put your own indelible mark on the mastery you've acquired.

Who Needs Shiny Objects? We Have Kettlebells!

I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to the latest, greatest stuff. It's fun to try out something new and variety is said to be the spice of life. To be truly skilled though in anything that we need to be well schooled in the basics. To paraphrase from the RKC instructors manual "the difference between the elite and the merely able, is that the elite do the fundamentals to perfection."

Interesting. Yet I get emails all the time wondering about why my workouts don't seem to have much variety in them. All I am interested in is results. I'm not in the entertainment business for either me or my clients. My business is physical and mental renovation. So we focus on the Swing, Turkish Get Up, Clean, Military Press, Tactical Pull Ups, Pistol, Front Squat and the Snatch. I will throw in a few other things from time to time that are body weight or kettlebells but what you see is what you get.

I was talking to Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader, today and his focus on the RKC fundamentals is like a laser. And why wouldn't it be. If you want to move well and with power than kettlebells are likely your prescription. Speaking of a prescription, check out Dr. Cheng's Delaware Kettlebell Workshop. It will prove to be a great opportunity to learn from one of the best. To give you an idea, about half of the enrollment is RKC certified, yet a complete neophyte will be comfortable and learn enough that they will be more than competent.

It is quite simple...I didn't say easy, I said simple. I can help someone reverse engineer almost any goal or, if it isn't realistic or is too easy, then I can help them come up with something better. To complete a physical renovation goal you really need to be able to quantify where you are now and where you want to be.

Next time, I will share with you a lot of my thoughts on reverse engineering. Trust me it works.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

On Kettlebells and Benchmarks and Goals and Such

Why do we work out? Do you know?

If not, then you are like most of the people who are out there struggling to get more fit. As an example, "I want to get stronger" is not a goal. "I will do 100 snatches in five minutes by July 1, 2009 " is a goal.

Goals are important to the success of any endeavor. I mean how can you do something if you don't know what you want to do. Right?

We need goals for each workout. Goals for life. Goals for love. Short term goals. Medium ones etc. etc. Sunday drives with no particular destination are surely nice from time to time. But every day?

The start of a workout is not the time to decide what you are going to do. You really ought to consider trying to create your workout the day before. You should know what you will do and then do it. Folks who have no goals before a workout typically don't want to be held to account. Don't be this person. Look, freestyle workouts are great from time to time. But you won't accomplish much if freestyle is your workout of choice.

The only way to set up new benchmarks is to keep a workout journal.I find that those who keep a diary are much more successful than those who don't. Write down your results, your state of mind....in short, anything that will impact what you were able to accomplish. And your benchmarks should be realistic for you. 100 snatches in 5 minutes isn't realistic for most of my clients in the foreseeable future. Now 50 in 5 may be good. Benchmarks are personal and need to take into account lots of things. How hard you are able and willing to work? Your age, your sex, etc...all will come into play. The key is to always be improving.

Memorial Day Weekend Workouts

I went to Rehoboth Beach Delaware to spend the weekend with my family. We had great weather and a wonderful time celebrating those who have given their lives for our country.

I played tennis each morning and was a bit surprised by the Heart Rate Monitor results for tennis doubles. We played for 2 hours each day from 9 AM to 11 AM. I was going through 900 + calories in that time frame. AHR was around 64% and max was 91%. Not bad at all and we had a blast. I am so much faster and quicker than pre-kettlebell.

My kettlebell workouts were (as always) based on the Viking Warrior Strength Practice and Conditioning Program. I'm getting amazing results in raw strengthm, sustained power and cardio conditioning.

Saturday, before we played tennis I did my low volume tactical pullups and hit 100% of goal so I was happy. Didn't feel quite as strong as I hoped but hit the numbers. Late afternoon was when I had planned my first new Viking Conditioning Workout. By new I mean that I moved to the :36/:36 protocol. 35 work sets is the goal and I didn't hit that the first time out but I felt pretty good. My grip fell apart and I can't wait to do this on Tuesday again. Keep in mind that this was done after pullups, two hours of tennis and a full beach day of surf and sand so I wasn't all that unhappy.

Sunday was just a tennis day but today was tennis this morning and then I did high volume presses this evening when we got back from the beach. I hit 100% of goal and felt stronger than ever. Really a great workout. Did 15% more work than last Monday and I didn't it in 85% of the time. So it was way solid.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning and Low Volume Pistols

Today it's beautiful here in the Baltimore Metro area and I did all of my work outside.

Started with 10 minutes alternating from kettlebell halos, Pumps and bodyweight squats. Felt perfect upon completion.

Did 10 reps of the one legged squat with a kettlebell or pistol. I just did 5 on each side alternating with rest between each two. I revisited the Naked Warrior this morning and if there is a better resource for pistols, then please share it with me.

Reviewing the information really got me onto the razor as we say. Balanced and as thin as I could be.

Once I finished the pistols I went to the Viking Warrior Conditioning. Did 80 work sets for 560 total reps with the 16kg Kettlebell. Next up: :36/:36 protolcol.

Viking Warrior Strength Practice and Conditioning

Many of you know that I have a goal to be an RKC II and I plan on earning that in June, 2010. Check out the requirements here.

To that end I continue to work on my Viking Warrior Strength and Conditioning Program. Today was all about the kettlebell press.

This was the first day for me to use 2 16kg kettlebells in one hand. So 32 kgs total but with a weird level of stability and a different center of gravity than the 32 kg kettlebell has.

Last week, I did 4 sets of 4 reps per hand using the 12 and 16 kg kettlebell in one hand. Today, I was able to press the 16 and 16 3 times for 3 sets on the right side. I did 2 sets of just one rep on the left side and then finished strong with the final set pushing 2 reps.

I also did 40 sets of the mVO2 with the 16 kg kettlebell with a cadence of 7.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Progress in My Viking Strength Practice

I'm making great strides in my cardiovascular conditioning as well as my maximal strength in the Press, Pistol and Tactical Pull Up.

I do the Viking Warrior Strength Practice 6 days a week. I do each exercise twice each week. Once, low volume with near maximum weight and another high volume with sub maximal weight. I have seen big gains in a short amount of time.

Twice a week I do the Viking Warrior Conditioning as well. With another day of Turkish Get Ups thrown on a low volume day.

I haven't had any recovery issues and each workout is planned well in advance. The next workout is based off the one prior to it.

As an example, I'm using information from Marty Gallagher to do the low volume component of the workout. Once I get to 4 reps per side per set for 4 sets I move up. So I will be working with 2 16 kg kettlebells in my 1 hand next week on the low volume day of presses.Single-hand double kettlebell presses are an amazing tool. First of all they tell you the truth. You simply can't do them and not do them right. Drive a hip out and hello bell to head. Take your forearm off perpendicular, hello bell. If you didn't know what you were doing wrong before now you know:)

In addition, the bio mechanics of the movement are a bit different than a single whole kettlebell. The center of gravity changes with two bells. Try it with the larger bell on top of the smaller bell and you will see what I mean. You really must generate explosive power to move two bells. The sticking point is different as well. Give this a shot but remember to clean the bells safely using two hands. DON"T TRY IT WITH ONE HAND!

For the high volume work, I'm currently using the 20 kg kettlebell. I'm a workout or two away from moving up to the 24 kg kettlebell for this part of the practice. This week, my high volume session was 264 reps with the 20 kg bell. So I moved 5280 kgs. Not bad at all. That is the volume. On the low volume day it was around 900 kgs of volume. Quite a bit different. And that difference allows for recovery. Good sleep and proper fueling allow we do keep going.

I hope you find this helpful and please feel free to ask me any questions at all or feel free to comment.

I'll give some info about the pistols and Pull Ups another time. I'm excited to write about pistols as I've made significant progress lately.

One of Those Days

Today has been one of those days:) I don't know if it's the July like humidity here but I've been having trouble getting it together today and can now barely keep my eyes open.

I planned on doing low volume pistols using the 16 KG kettlebell and got that accomplished. Did 10 reps total.

After I did that my idea was to do 72 work sets of the mVO2 conditioning from Viking Warrior Conditioning. I had made sure to hydrate myself but apparently drank too much agua. At around the ten minutes mark the "sloshing" of liquid in my gut was bugging me. By 15 minutes I thought it was going to make me lose lunch so I stopped. Now feel poorly mentally and physically and just need to move on!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Sandy Sommer, Baltimore Kettlebell Instructor Demonstrates 40 KG Turkish Get Up

I've been working on my Turkish Get Ups quite a lot and have made some real progess the last few weeks. "Kettlebells From The Ground Up" is the resource I've referenced in order to get more proficient in this kettlebell movement. And I've practiced and practiced. I want to be able to press the 40 KG Kettlebell and the Turkish Get up will help me get there.




Sandy Sommer, RKC

New RKC Certification Requirements

This is sure to get all into an uproar. It is what it is. You can and will pass.

New RKC Kettlebell Snatch Test Requirements (as of SEptemember 2009)

An RKC candidate is required to do 100 repetitions regardless of bodyweight.


Kettlebell Sizes Men Open Class 24kg
Men Masters (50 and Older) 20kg
Women Open Class over 56kg/123.5lbs bodyweight 16kg
Women Open Class up to 56kg/123.5lbs bodyweight 12kg
Women Masters (50 and Older) 12kg

Old Kettlebell Snatch Test Requirements (runs through August 2009)

An RKC candidate is required to put up the number of reps matching his or her weight in kilograms, up to 100 repetitions.

Students heavier than 100kg are still required to do only 100 reps. For instance, an 60kg student needs to perform 60 snatches, an 82kg student 82 snatches, a 100kg student 100 snatches, a 122kg student 100 snatches.


Kettlebell Sizes Men Open Class 24kg
Men Masters (50 and Older) 20kg
Women Open Class 16kg*
Women Masters (50 and Older) 12kg

* Women under 50kg /110 pounds in the open class may opt to perform 80 repetitions with a 12kg kettlebell instead.

How to Convert Kilograms to Pounds
One kilogram equals 2.2046 pounds.

Here is a sample conversion of 53kg:

53x2.2046=116.84.

To make a quick kilos to pounds conversion multiply the kilos by two, then add ten percent. For instance, 53x2=106. 106+10=116. Thus a 53kg comrade weighs approximately 116 pounds.

Is There a Best Way To Eat to Prepare for the RKC Certification?

If you are thinking of readying yourself for the RKC Certification you may want to think about what I wrote here.

The reason you should pay attention is that you may have to do some fine tuning in order to find your own nutritional sweetspot.

Preparing for the RKC clearly requires advance planning and strict adherence to a prescribed training schedule. With a goal of RKC certification you know how to train in order to pass the strict requirements. (If you don't then I'm happy to help).

Nutrition may be an area that too many overlook, however. It can be a huge component of your prepartion. Proper fueling ensures that you will recover well between practice sessions and that you keep getting stronger and fitter. The better you eat, then the stronger you will get.


The biggest rule of thumb is that if you need a dictionary to read your food label, you should strongly consider passing on that item. I eat clean Sunday-Thursday. Not one label to read! Eat organically as much as you can but read this first!

I've always eating pretty well but I was using the Warrior Diet prior to the RKC. I got strong and always had a lot of energy. Recently, I've switched over to the Paleo Diet For Athletes and have had amazing results with it. I have NEVER been as strong or as lean as I am at age 47. I don't practice it strictly Friday and Saturday and I think that makes it even more effective.

The reason I mention finding a sweet spot is that both, none or one of these could serve as a catalyst for you to take your training over the top. Right now the only supplements I use reguarly is Krill Oil and a post workout protein drink.

If you want to maximize your workouts and really recover well between sessions, then I suggest you keep these ideas in mind. Remember, I train hard 6 days a week, I'm and old man:) and I never am sore or lethargic.

Let me know if you have any questions at all and I'd love some feedback from you!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning

What a great day it was to do kettlebell training in the great outdoors!

I did some nice joint mobility work and got straight to work with the mVO2 prototocol as directed by the ilusteius Kenneth Jay, Sr. RKC. If you are an experienced kettlebell user than you owe it to yourself to check out the Viking Warrior Conditioning manual. Your whole road map is simple to folllw and you will get results ASAP.

Yesterday I did 60 worksets and that amounted to 420 snatches in 30 minutes. Ii, striving to get back to 80 sets this coming week so I can move onto the :36/:36 protocol.

Heading to DC today to work out with La Saun Taylor, RKC, as well as my good friend, Warren Morgan. We are hitting Gravely Point and the day's weather is promising.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Strength Day

Today was my second Viking Strength Day of the week. I did 9 sets of work. Each set consisted of Kettlebell Press for 12 reps with the 20 KG Kettlebell. Additionally, I did 4 one legged pistols and 4 pull ups. Total rep count was 108 presses, 36 pistols and 36 pull ups. Will finish out this week with the mVO2 :15/:15 tomorrow and a variety day on Saturday.

I felt great today and continue to make progress in the "Beast Challenge" Exercises. I am attacked Kenneth Jay's Viking Warrior Conditioning program and I am seeing real pogress.

Also, wanted to remind you that we have opened regisration the Delaware Kettlebell Workshop that Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader is conducting at St. Andrews School in Middletown Delaware.

Click here for details!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Strength and Conditioning for Today

Did 4 ladders with three rungs using a paired 12 and 16 kg kettlebell. Simulates feeling of heavier than 28 kg since it isn't really very stable. I don't own a 32 or 36 so I make do.

Also did 50 work sets of the MVO2 :15/:15 today as well.

And big news......Just cleanly and easily did the pistol using a 16 kg kettlebell. Quite pleased and will continue to make progress. Will be able to do Tactical Pull Up with 24 KG kettlebell by July 4th.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Strength Practice Pressing Two Kettlebells in One Hand

Kenneth Jay, Senior RKC, recommends pressing two kettlebells together in one hand as a way to simulate a heavier kettlebell. The Viking Warrior Strength and Conditioning program requires low volume and high volume raw strength training as well as killer conditioning.

My inventory leaps from 28 KG kettlebell to a 40 and I'm not able to press the Bulldog yet. Working on it. And I will get it. I keep making progress in my conditioning as well as my strength.

The way that KJ recommends that we use two bells in one hand is to safely rack the bells together from dead. The smaller bell should have the larger bell resting on top once you have the kettlebells racked for pressing. It's a bit tricky and is best done outside. Always be safe with kettlebells and be aware of your environment. You don't want to get hurt.

Once the bells are racked you really have no choice but to execute the lift with proper RKC form. If your form goes in the toilet then you will lose the kettlebells at best.



Today I did 3 ladders of 3 rungs with the 12 and 16 kettlebell. That simulates a level of resistance similar to a 32 KG kettlebell. So 36 reps total. Low volume strength work.

Please leave me a comment and I love the feedback!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Kettlebell Pistols in the Viking Warrior Strength Program

As you may know by now, I'm strictly following the Viking Warrior Conditioning program. Kenneth Jay wrote a great article a few years ago about Viking Warrior strength and how to train to be as strong as you can be essentially. That's what I'm doing now.

This week I'm in a Low Volume week so I did body weight pistols with an 8 KG Kettlebell for additional resistance today. I did fifteen reps on each side for a total of 30 reps rested very briefly between sets of two. When you watch the video you'll see that it's a work in progress.Please bear in mind that I taped the pistol video post workout. I can't wait to see where I am in two months or so.



I have quite a way to go but I wasn't doing pistols at all until 8 months ago. I have practiced to get this far and will continue to do so.
Would love to hear your thoughts, questions and comments!

Sandy Sommer, RKC