Every once in a while as a mom (or dad) you get a really cool gift from your child.  It’s usually something they didn’t even realize would be special to you.  This morning my son (age 9) watched me do my workout.  I noticed he was paying close attention, and he even got up and followed along with me for a bit, using a small weighted ball in his hand.  I was thrilled with just that.

Later, while I chugged  a protein shake, I noticed he was pouring over a drawing at the kitchen table.  Several minutes later he presented me with this:

He mistakenly called a clean a snatch throughout, and the time was really more like 20 minutes, but otherwise, a pretty accurate description of what the practice looked like.  

I really have a love/hate relationship with the workout of the day – the Lower Body Workout from Elise.  The official name I’m giving this one is Brutal.  It’s exhausting and humbling from front squat after front squat after front squat.  Almost in a MMA Conditioning Workout  kind of way.  But, the rewards are significant - legs that feel they’ve been given a good shake up, and a  healthy number on the heart rate monitor in the calorie burn category.  Plus a feeling of accomplishment from knowing that I’ve given due attention to my most “troublesome” area.

Here’s the program:  10  2 Hand Swings, 10 Front Squats, 10 Reverse Lunges (5R, 5L) 10 Single Hand Swings (each hand) and 10 Clean & Squat (5R, 5L.)  Rest and repeat.  Over the last 3 weeks, this has been my progression with the workout:

• 12 kg kettlebell x 6 rounds (2 weeks ago)
• 12 kg kettlebell x 3 rounds. 16 kg kettlebell x 2 rounds (last week)
• 12 kg kettlebell x 4 rounds, 16 kg kettlebell x 2 rounds (today)

I don’t want to do more than 6 rounds of this one EVER if I can help it.  Ugh!  So I guess next week I’ll try to use the 12kg for 3 rounds and the 16 kg for 3 rounds.  I don’t know if that will happen, though.   Any other suggestions?

This is what I did for fun practice, after the above: 

• snatches with the 8kg bell 5R, 5L
• Windmills with the 4kg (tiny I know, but I was tired by then) 5R, 5L

Did that 2 times through.  I wanted to do more snatches but I was pretty much in agony with my hands.  They are lagging behind on the snatch-adaption process.  Sigh.

Over the weekend I also performed  the workout I named Beautiful.  Nothing major to report – it was decent, although the cleans must have gone wrong at some point because by the end I had some tender spots on my left forearm.  I practiced snatching and windmilling and deads at the end, and felt good, with the exception of my hands.  See above.

This week I have the goal of adding in a strictly HIIT day also.  Haven’t decided what it will consist of.  Probably it won’t include a kettlebell.  Just for a change. 

I’ve decided I’m naming these work outs that Elise designed.  Today’s will be known as Beautiful.  It’s one with very  fluid movements, a sweet blend of cardio and strength.  Everything is unilateral – Kettlebell Swing, Swing Clean, Squat, Press.   I used the 12kg throughout this time.  I considered adding an extra set at the end, but I was too fatigued to do many more cleans and/or presses.  So instead I just did more swings.  I borrowed my friend, www.twitter.com/kravmascara ’s, idea and did one hand swings for :30 per side and then :30 rest.  It didn’t take too many rounds before I was toast.   Total workout time 22:23.  I burned 203 calories.  But we all know that the afterburn is what counts.