Unbroken

Last Thursday's workout was doing as many rounds of seven clapping pushups, 14 box jumps and 21 kettlebell swing as was possible in 16 minutes.  For women, the prescribed kettlebell weight was 1 pood (36 lbs).* 

I really wanted go hard that day to make up for a disappointing workout the night before.  I decided to use the 1 pood kettlebell.  I'd never gone that heavy during a timed workout, but I thought I could swing it (pun intended).  I warmed up and felt ok, but 1 pood turned out to be too much for me at that volume.  Part way through round one, I dropped down to .75 pood, the weight I usually use.

Despite that hiccup, I felt good about the workout.  I'm glad that I tried the heavier weight instead of staying in my comfort zone.  I'm also glad that I stopped when my form went to hell. 

Perhaps more importantly, by dropping down to a lighter weight, I was able to focus on doing unbroken sets of 21 swings.  At 1 pood, I would've let myself set the weight down once if not twice during each set.  At .75 pood, I knew I had no excuse for breaks, as tempting as they were.  I fought through the fatigue and discomfort. 

In the end, I did six full rounds plus seven clapping pushups and three box jumps, but I was most psyched that I did all but my final set of kettlebell swings unbroken.

-Gym Belle-

*Coach actually didn't post a women's weight that day, but the men's weight was 1.5 pood (54 lbs) and the ratio tends to be about 2:3.