Christmas Eve Eve

Well, in keeping with family tradition....I spent the day with family today. We always have Christmas with the grandparents, the sunday before Christmas. So today we did. And I ate enough today to last for the rest of the year!!!! Ok, so in all honesty I didn't eat that much....I'm just not used to eating that much in a day...
I had a blast though...we had a 4 hour "jam session" with Danny and Tom...so yeah, I had a good day. On a more sour note...my knees are still REALLY disgusting...and VERY painful. Looks like I have a month or two with no riding, no running, and no skating. So that rules out MOST of my sports for a while! Needless to say I am a little ticked...but what can ya do?

The past 12 days.....

Ok...so yeah, I know, I'm a slacker! I have been spending a lot of time on the road for the last few weeks....a 3 hour commute everyday gets to be a little overwhelming at times. Everyone keeps asking me why I don't just move back to Raleigh...but that is a long story....not meant for this blog. Between working, driving, running, and slingin' iron....I, unfortunately have very little ME time. I have been working out...it's the holiday season....I have to look smashing in all of my formal wear! I think that this year may bring some changes...I am looking for a location change...time to really start training...It's what I love. I'm going back to Weaver rd on Christmas day...hopefully it will be cold and dry...but it's NC, so we won't hold our breath. Ok...I have more to say...but I am way too tired, and I still need to get up to WO before I go to church..

One Love

So after last night....

And all of it's twists and turns....looooooooooong story.....
I am having trouble sleeping....so what have I been doing???? I'll give you 3 guesses... Yep Clean and jerks....at midnight...something is seriously wrong with me...hahaha.

I have the day off tomorrow...so I think I may head out to weaver rd for some climbing....gotta love secret climbing spots....

Pressed for time...

Today is one of those days when everything goes wrong! haha
I need YET AGAIN a new tire...and of course...mine have to be the hard to find tires. I was trying to squeeze by and see Steve while he was in NC, but maybe next time. So today my workout has been slinging tires, slinging feed, and pull-ups....pull ups make me happy! So my workout will be short and to the point today. Ok...being a grown-up is calling...time to get to work.

Back in for the night...

Tonight was the best climbing night I have had in years!! 2 4's and a 5!!!! Along with a few various 2's and 3's. Granted it was on plastic...but Shane sets decent routes, and for the most part, grades fairly. The 5 was marked as a 6 (I thought it said V0) so maybe I am just afraid of the numbers and not the problems! Needless to say that I was STUNNED, I've been stuck with V3 as my max grade for quite sometime now.... I guess dropping 15 lbs helps. I'm down to 118 right now, but still strong..so I am liking this..think I may hit up Dorks after work tomorrow night for some late night...maybe work a couple problems...we'll see.
My side is still a little sore (probably shouldn't have climbed) but I used some of that voodoo magic many of you know as Z to help loosen some things up and I feel GREAT!
Long day tomorrow....gotta get up and train with the sun...sleep sweet ya'll.

Taking a day "off"

Today...

squat 155 3x15
MP 16kg 1x1x15
pull up bw 3x15
300 swings 16kg 10 minutes

not bad for 25 minutes
Then I rode a bit...too bad I got smashed into a tree...
I have some swelling and tenderness just above my left hip to show for a bucking horse and slick spot (horse fell and pinned me to a tree)....but I think it's just a bruise....we'll see tomorrow, at least it only hurts to the touch.

let's see how climbing goes tonight....we have a shoe demo so I get new shoes...
I love being a chick!

Letting my knees rest.....

The past couple of months have had me really struggling with who I am. I have filled my life with a thousand different ways to forget. I have loved people. I have been in love with one person....now I am learning how to fall in love with myself. I have to love me....not for what I can press....or how many snatches I can do in 10 minutes. I have to love me...not for my 6 pack...but even if that 6pack turns to a keg. I am starting a love affair...with myself....but hey...it does help to have the 6 pack!!


Ok....off I go....I have to finish work...and get ready.....



I'm even wearing a dress tonight!

A good day

So this morning...
5x3/3 MP 16kg
Row 8x3/3 16kg
TABATA swings 16kg
(I'm pressed for time today so I needed something short and mean)

Hurray for Black Friday!
I am doing a show with a friend tonight....hopefully my voice will hold out on me.

Thanks for the kind words Rif, you and Tracy are quite the inspiration....I'll be seeing you before too long!!

Much Tough Love

Being thankful

I'm back! I have had a rough year, and the past few months have been nothing but hell. But I am back, doing what I love. I'm going to be teaching a small yoga class, and have a few clients I am working with again. I'm training for a marathon, and I'm getting ready to start working with a FRG at Bragg, offering small group KB classes (just found out today!). I'm still slinging steel, and in all honesty, I think that it is the only thing that is bringing me through this year. Maybe I can turn this into a self-help booklet....KB Therapy..... hahaha.
Still struggling with eating habits....but I think I am getting a little better. Still not eating carbs....just veggies, fruit, and fish these days. (I'm growing allergic to poultry now). Getting tested, hopefully sometime next month.

Ok.....I gotta run....

Work is calling....

ciao

4 seconds left in the 4th........

State is up by 4....sorry I got distracted!!!!! WE WON!!!!! WE WON!!! WE WON!!!!! The first in 4 games!!! I can't breathe! hahaha AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! Even Linky was a little nervous.... He was sporting his Mr. Wuf collar today! in support of his team. He even got a little beer to celebrate the victory.

Whoo hoo!!!

Big squat day!!! My butt hurts now! Today was a "fun day" I had too much other crap to deal with....so I didn't plan anything...I did some swings, swipes, sitting pull-ups (I had to improvise) and heavy squats...lemme tell you...the little bar on my brother's pretend weight set....not fun on the shoulders!!!!!! Even with a fat pad! Anyway....I broke a sweat and just played for about 45 minutes. It was good!

Last one for the night.

So John and I had a really good talk tonight. I went to Crossfit Cape Fear to get a "head check" and sweat out some of what I have been going through....instead I got a "heart check" and limits!! And if you know a redhead...that just means a challenge...but I give! I'm not allowed to do much since I have only been able to hold down about 500 cal. in the last 3 days...and I have covered 30 miles on those 500 cal. I may very well be the saddest girl alive, but I'm going to be one heck of a hot sad girl! Before jump on me for condoning starvation...please know that I have been through that, and yea, psychologically it may be a coping mechanism....but I am trying to eat. This isn't an excuse to fall back into a destructive behaviour. Something else John and I talked about today. But hey, if everything else in your life is going to hell in a hand basket...look for the good things...like I look freaking awesome!
I am learning a lot about myself...I have realized that I haven't forgiven myself for something that was out of my control and happened 6 years ago. I've learned that as hard as I try to trust people...I don't, even when they deserve it. I've learned that I am still punishing myself for what happened back then...even though I was already forgiven.
None of this makes up for what I have done in my present. It doesn't fix anything, and it doesn't get me back the one thing that I want. But for the first time in the last 6 years I have an odd peace....even though I still want to punish myself...I still don't want life to go on if it is without him, and I still cry...not is starts and stops....but solid for the last 3 days. But for the first time in 6 years, I feel that something, Someone, is holding onto me.
I can't ask for forgiveness, I know that I wouldn't get it anyway....good chance I never may....but one day....I might be able to forgive that 20 yr old girl for the decisions she made 6 years ago (for those of you just joining in...I'm speaking in the 3rd person here)and for the things that she never wanted and never asked for. And for now, that's a start.
I'm going for one last run of the day...maybe I'll meet the bear tonight!!


Take care of yourself...

This post has nothing to do with exercise, KB's CB's or anything of the nature...this is a dialog of growing pains......

So sleep was evasive last night...even with the ambien and scotch. I watched the entire first disk of the second season of Supernatural (with mixed emotions), and had a 4 hour conversation with Jason (my old youth pastor) that brought up a lot of old emotions. I hate how that man can see through me like he does....I swear he is psychic. He didn't let me bullshit, lie, or sugar coat the truth. He made me be authentic, and at the end of the conversation, when he knew every dark corner of my mind, he told me that he believed in me, and that he would go with me through this. Even after all that I have done...someone believes in me and is willing to walk this road with me.
I finally nodded off a little around 5, but kept waking up every 15 minutes or so. And when dawn came...it hurt....It felt like a punch in the gut, waking up, knowing that he hadn't just gone to work....that he was gone. I guess I will wake up that way for the rest of my life....But I woke up with purpose. I wrote down everything that Jason and I talked about...and the "Lessons I learned from Gary" part I. Sorry to ramble.....I just needed to vent a little. Thanks again Connie for listening....I'll see you a little later.

I'm learning to keep nothing to myself...so if you have a question...ask...I'm tired of pretending.

Yeah, I know....shame on me.....

I know that it has been 2 months since I last posted...but, as you know, sometimes life gets in the way. Right now I am working a menial job (gotta do something to pay the bills), and the hours are not being nice to me! I haven't even had time to train save a little riding time, which I am told, doesn't equal exercise...haha. Thanks to the job, I haven't been able to eat like I should, and so mentally and physically, I am starting to suck!! Today is the first day off that I have had where I didn't run off to the barn...so today I just did a really REALLY light weight day!

Sumo DL 135x5
TGU 12kg L/2 R/2
PlU BWx2 (still babying that shoulder)
MP 12kg L2/R2
5 sets

Like I said...really light...but it made me feel good to get moving again.

I finished up just in time to witness Clifford Riggs Cert on the RedNail!! Pretty freaking cool if you ask me!

Ok, I am going to get cleaned up and hopefully, I will be back tomorrow to ramble away a little more!!

Update!!

Weight today: 128 Body Fat 17%

The Carb restrictions have been worth it! I didn't think they would be....You have to realize that I live my life on a VERY restricted diet...not out of choice...but out of necessity. I am allergic to almost EVERYTHING. Now, my reaction to different things varies. Most of the "regular" foods I can consume and just be a little nauseous afterwards...but then there are the big dogs: Red Meat, and Pork...more than just a few grams of either of these blessed items sends me on a mad dash to the nearest emergency room. Try eating high protein when all you get to eat is chicken and fish (and even those make you sick to your stomach). Whey proteins are almost as bad. You would think that it would be easy to keep weight down with so many different foods that you can't eat....but the opposite is the unfortunate truth. Most of my life I have lived on a VERY high carb diet....pastas and rice are some of the only things that I can eat without getting sick...so I REALLY lived off of them. Enter my RA (rhuematoid arthritis)!! It just kept getting worse and worse....and no matter how many different prescriptions I tried.....nothing was helping..... Not to mention I had this little ball of "pudge" around my belly that WOULD NOT GO AWAY!!! (I'm talking high rep swing/snatch not working). So enter a few new "weapons". Kevin got certified in Z and started working on helping me make my body happy....I found a GREAT full body cleanse (that actually gets my allergies under control enough that I can eat a steak now and then)....and I joined the "low carb train". I am eating carbs based on my lean body mass...so I eat about 35-45 grams of IMPACT carbs a day...and then "carb up"(130-150 grams) once a week. My joints are working for me now..and because my body is happy and more efficient...I am dropping weight like crazy.....and this is with me not training like I should (I'm doing well if I get 3 days a week in right now). Anyway...enough rambling.....I'll devote more time on the "hows" and "whys" later...right now I am headed over to the gym to do some swipes, swings, and lunges.......talk to you about later!!

Tracy...you are a beast!

Ok, so yesterday I decided to try a Tracy Reifkind workout...I keep forgetting that I am coming back from a shoulder injury, and that means my hands are soft....so that brings my blister count to 6! Two of which are blood blisters! I didn't get to actually finish the workout, because I was worried that if I kept going I wouldn't be able to train for the rest of the week. But I did get through all but half of the last set...then blood started flying around TPT..usually means the time to stop passed you by a few reps ago! So today I did a Press/Pull day. Amazingly enough...my shoulder only bugs me during push-ups these days....so back to pressing I go....don't worry....I'm going slow and starting back with the 12 kg.
So todays workout looked a little like this......

12kg MP 3L/3R
24kg Frt Squat x5
16kg Bent Press x1
Body weight Pull Up x3
Pistols 3L/3R

I ran through this 5 times

A great way to have some fun when your hands look like they were mistaken for whole block taco cheese! I guess tomorrow I will go back to "Flow" and then a maxVO2 day (If the hands are happy!!!) If not.....I'll swing again...In GLOVES to work that grip!!!!

Ok...time to head to the farm and go for a ride. My horse Freaky and I might go for a swim (if we can find some water in the dry and thirsty land we call NC).
have a good sweat!

Congrats!!

Ok, so it has been a while....I'm VERY ADD! What do you expect!?! Anyway...since the last time I posted........
I have been managing my "Low GI diet" pretty well, and the results are starting to show! I've gone from 23% body fat to 17% since June! Just goes to show you how High protein and low carb can work for someone with RA!! Needless to say I was pretty darn grumpy for the first few weeks! I don't know how my fiance' put up with me. The greatest accomplishment though, has been how good I feel! I have climbed out of the "Carb Fog" I was living in. I will talk a little more about my diet limitations later....
I have been ACTIVE...now I can't say that I have been getting my 5 hours a week, like I should, but I have done something everyday. I am getting addicted to Club Bells!! They are great for my shoulder, and hopefully, will help me get rid of this "teacher arm" I have! haha I have also been playing over at TGT doing the "Intelligent Strength" program. It will never take the place of my KB's!!, but it is really good for just relaxing and adding a little extension to the body. I feel like a dancer when I leave.
We are preparing for a KB seminar in Fayetteville on the 25th of this month...I would invite you...but I think we are full! YAY!!!! I love teaching groups!!! haha
Finally!!! I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! To Connie. You are now officially a competitive POWER LIFTER!!!! And you make me look bad! (Benching the same thing I do at 30 lbs lighter!!)http://www.carolinapowerlifting.com/results.htm
Ok, well it is time for me to head out...I'm going to visit a couple of boarding barns today! Time to get my horse up here!

A starting place...

So this is where I begin.... A little about me and why I am here! My name is Jes Brock. I am an RKC Level II instructor and a Kettlebell Nerd, according to my friends. My bells live with me...literally. They go everywhere I go; in fact I have 4 in my car right now(hey, you never know when you might find a little time to grease the groove).

I have been active all of my life...I have been a competitive equestrian for over 20 years, played ice hockey with the boys growing up, rugby in college, and have been an avid climber since my early teens. But try as I may, I could never find an exercise program that fit ME. I tried aerobics classes (eww), gym membership after gym membership, and then finally, 3 years ago, I met the Kettlebell. My first thought was "wow, a cannonball with a handle," then I thought, "there is no way I can use that thing with my shoulder!" (long story....I'll tell that some other time). But my inability to let anyone show me up made me cave....and I've been addicted ever since I grabbed the horns!

You might think that this is a fad....or some other silly commercialized "widget", but I promise you this....let me introduce you to the "tough love" of the kettlebell and YOU will change your life forever for the better!

Power to you!