I don’t want to do Kettlebells…part 2 = I love my Kettlebells!
In February of this year, I was asked to share my experience with you about Kettlebells and the WKC Fitness Protocol. At that time I had just started working with the 12kg exclusively after passing all the levels of the Fitness Program with the 8kg. But in working with the 12kg, I was kind of hopping around between the levels and not doing the max reps. In early April, I went for it and was able to get Rank II in Long Cycle.
For 4 months after, I was going from Fitness to Strength & Conditioning to Sport, doing whatever with the bells I felt like that day. Sometimes I’d pick up the 12kg, and sometimes the 16kg (usually the 12kg). Sometimes I’d do a 10 minute set switching hands every minute, and sometimes I’d do 5 minutes each hand only 1 switch. Even looking at my own training log, I’m a bit confused what I was doing 
I was working out with the bells and I was loving it, but I was doing it just to get my workout in. I didn’t really have a clear goal and was kind of just going through the motions of doing my set for the day.
Then came the World Kettlebell Lifting Championships in August. Personally I was going through a transition, and after attending the Championships and, again seeing smaller women than me using bigger bells, it was time for a change. I found my goal…Candidate for Master of Sport (CMS) in LongCycle. On the way back from Worlds, I asked Eric if he would be my Coach and get me to CMS. He agreed after I told him I really was serious about it and I would work hard to get it. I also asked, “Do you think I can get CMS LongCycle by Vegas?” (in November of this year). The answer was unsure, so at the time I was settling to make it by Worlds 2010. I had the goal set…now, what did I need? Let me think…oh yeah…mental focus And LOTS of it!
The first 2 days after Worlds were days off-no bells. September 1st was the first day of training, and Coach asked me what I could do. So even though I hadn’t done the Rank II level since April, I picked up the 12kg and did Rank II a second time (with 1 extra rep each hand, breaking my PR ). For a few days after, it was alternating between shorter sets of more reps per minute and longer sets with stable reps per minute trying to increase my numbers. At the start it seemed like Rank 1 was a long way off-14 extra reps per hand from that first day. But on the 10th, I decided I was just going to go for it, and that failure wasn’t an option. Mental focus and mental strength…HELP ME! I got it! 9 days of training took me from Rank II to Rank I ! Thanks Coach! Now what? Well, right after I had to go for a run to get out the excitement
The next day I started working with the 16kgs, and every day since until yesterday when I decided I was going to try for Rank I Biathlon. I have NOT been training for biathlon at all, and the last time I tried for Rank in biathlon was back in early April. I tried for Rank II and I didn’t get it. My numbers at the time? 40/40 Jerk (enough for Rank II) but only 30/34 Snatch. That’s a long way from Rank I numbers of 55/55 in Jerk and 55/55 in Snatch! But I just wanted to see. I got the 55/55 Jerk no problem…took an hour and 20 minutes rest after…and was nervous I told myself that at the very least I was getting my Rank II. I was pretty sure I could at least get the 40/40. It’s absolutely amazing what you can do when you’re telling yourself to just do it! One rep at a time…just do it! Rank I Biathlon was mine yesterday!
Eric posted to the forum that I had achieved Rank I in both events and was asked to show my video. I had filmed, but I did it sideways, and even though there was a solution suggested on the forum of how to rotate the video, Eric posted that I would be able to do it again at will and that I would re-film. Thanks a lot Eric 
So today, the day after getting Rank I Biathlon, with sore muscles and not much sleep, I decided to test Eric’s theory and put MY money where HIS mouth is And…I did Rank I numbers again in LongCycle! I think I CAN get Rank I everyday…I think I can, I think I can
I have received an amazing amount of support from those who knew I was trying to get Rank, and I couldn’t appreciate it more!! Thank you all! And especially thanks to my Coach, Eric, for helping me make tremendous gains in just a short period of time! Onward to CMS. I know now it’s just a matter of time. It’s really not to compete…It’s just for me. This is my goal that I know will happen. A clear goal, mental strength and focus, and my Coach & support system. That’s all I need! So….What’s YOUR goal?
Krystina, Office Manager, AKC Lab Rat & soon to be CMS