Connie's Bear and Hamster

[Connie Brown]

A Bear and Rabbit-type program for strength and endurance.
The hamster is the role model for a small thing with neverending endurance.

AM Endurance exercises

swings 10# 3 x 10
inward/outward pendulum 5# 3 x 10
RT 10
RPE 6

Midday WW

PM Strength exercises 10#

Warmup swings
Armpit cast 2 x 3
Shield cast - 1 x 2 choked up.
Taskmaster too much (not good form) - more basic exercises first .
RT 6
RPE 7

[Connie Brown]

Tuesday February 3

AM Endurance exercises

swings 10# 3 x 10
inward/outward pendulum 5# 3 x 10
RT 10
RPE 6

Midday WW

Wednesday Feb 4

AM Endurance exercises

swings 10# 3 x 10
inward/outward pendulum 5# 3 x 10
RT 9
RPE 6

Midday WW

PM Strength exercises 10#

Warmup swings
Armpit cast 2 x 5
Shield cast - 1 x 3 full choke.
RT 6
RPE 7

Found some interesting form weirdness with inward/outward pendulums with the 5s. my "good" side is smooth but on the weaker side, there was clunky rotating of the wrist instead of a steady handshake-type grip. Wonder what that favoring is from.

Eeek, shield cast with 10# is not safe on the left side. Must find a different way to build strength on that arm.

[Connie Brown]

Monday February 9

AM Endurance exercises

forward/backward pendulum 10# 6 x 10
RT 8
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness™

PM Strength exercises

10#
Warmup swings
Armpit cast 4 x 5
5#
shoulder cast very slow 4 x 5
RT 8
RPE 8

[Connie Brown]

Wed Feb 11

AM Endurance exercises

10# forward/backward pendulum 4 x 10
5 # simultaneous inward/outward pendulum
RT 9
RPE 6

Midday WW

PM Strength exercises

10#
Warmup swings
Armpit cast 3 x 5
shoulder cast very slow 2 x 3
RT 7
RPE 7

Uh oh, hands cramping at 7:30 playing bagpipes after tiring grip at 5:30 with CBs. I did WW hand things in between but I was not loose. This is twice now.

I will be practicing 5 evenings a week on the pipes until St. Patrick's day.
Does this mean this is not the right time of year to be doing afternoon grinds, or am I not doing something right to relax the hands.

FYI, the hand motion for playing pipes is, fingers straight like a piano keys, and going fast like when you are behind someone mocking with your hand while they are talking - the blah blah, yadda yadda motion.

[Connie Brown]

Fri Feb 13

AM Endurance exercises

10# forward/backward pendulum 4 x 10
RT 9
RPE 6

Midday WW

Sat Feb 14

AM Endurance exercises

10# forward/backward pendulum 6 x 10
5# simultaneous inward/outward pendulum 2 x 5
RT 9
RPE 6

[Dan Chomycia]

Connie,

Good work, 8)

As for the Shield Casts try doing the exercise as a skill builder with your left arm 1st.
You may need to move down to the next weight to "Grease the Groove" for this exercise, use only you left( non-Dominate side) until your form improves.

Remember strength is a Skill.


I will be practicing 5 evenings a week on the pipes until St. Patrick's day.
Does this mean this is not the right time of year to be doing afternoon grinds, or am I not doing something right to relax the hands.

If you practice Grinds & your pipes on the same day do the pipes first so that you will have your digital dexterity available.

My other Clubbell is a Bruiser :!: :twisted:

[Connie Brown]

thanks on both counts, Coach.

on the shield cast I will check out dropping the weight.

why didn't I think of that on the digital dexterity, duh

[Dan Chomycia]

The Rhyme should go something like this,

Grind before Ballistic you'll be a Statistic,

Ballistic before Grind the weight is kind,

Fine before Ballistic unless you want your fingers to stop working while your practicing the bag pipes for St. Patrick's Day :!: :twisted:
:lol:

[Connie Brown]

The Rhyme should go something like this,

Grind before Ballistic you'll be a Statistic,

Ballistic before Grind the weight is kind,

Fine before Ballistic unless you want your fingers to stop working while your practicing the bag pipes for St. Patrick's Day :!: :twisted:
:lol:

Great rhyme Coach. I want to hear that one about 2 AM out by the Guinness taps... :P

Mon Feb 16

AM Endurance exercises

10# forward/backward pendulum 4 x 11
5# ditto 2 x 11
RT 9
RPE 6

Midday WW

PM Strength

10# armpit cast, one arm at a time 3 x 5, no choke to full
10# shield cast, left only, 1 x 3, full choke
5# shield cast, checking form, felt good
RT 7
RPE 8

Weaker arm shield cast went better when fully warmed up AND when doing it on the control pause of PB. Not so bad after all; there is hope.

[Dan Chomycia]

Connie,

Good Work :!:

Do the Sheild Cast this way(left only) for one more Training Session,

and add the following strategy, :idea:

Do the,
5# shield cast with the left hand 5 times,
each time "Pretending Vividly" that the weight is that of a 20#.

Before doing the 10# sets.

Then do your regular set with the 10# clubbell once again "Pretending Vividly" only this time imagine it to be a paperweight or something lighter than even the 5# Clubbell. 8)

Keep up the Good Work &
keep us posted on your results,


My other Clubbell is a Bruiser :!:

[Connie Brown]

ok Coach I will do that on the Wed PM session.

Tue Feb 17

AM Endurance exercises

5# simultaneous inward/outward pendulums (pendula?) 8 x 12
RT 9
RPE 7

Midday WW

Getting better grooving this. Weaker side not as smooth.
Could feel this one in my shoulders toward the end.

[Connie Brown]

Do the, 5# shield cast with the left hand 5 times, each time "Pretending Vividly" that the weight is that of a 20#.

Before doing the 10# sets.

Then do your regular set with the 10# Clubbell® once again "Pretending Vividly" only this time imagine it to be a paperweight or something lighter than even the 5# Clubbell®. 8)
Coach I had difficulty with this. My mind was skittery and I had trouble imagining both times. RT = 3. Perhaps it is an out-of-practice thing or a bad day because....

my training area was flooded with a spectacular water-heater blowup and it was quite a day with the water co., plumber, and damage cleanup crew. So I felt distracted.

I want to try again though.

[Dan Chomycia]

Distractions happen,

no worries Connie, 8)

You are growing more than you know.

When you do it, let us know of the results :!:


My other Clubbell is a Bruiser! :twisted:

[Connie Brown]

Sat Feb 21

AM Endurance

5# swipes 150 at 16 rpm
RT 9
RPE 7

Midday WW

PM Strength (slow for form)

5# left side Shield Cast "pretending vividly" it's a 20# 1 x 5
10# Shield Cast "pretending vividly" it is light 2 x 5 (left)
10# armpit cast 3 x 5 (both)
RT 7
RPE 8

What a rush. The pretending worked this time. What fun this is!

Discovered some form asymmetry on the swipes because I was working in a different room with a better reflection in a patio door.
See, I am spoiled now because at the OCS championships
the swipes were parallel and symmetric.

[Dan Chomycia]

Good Job :!:

Now do the Shield Cast with both arms starting with the Right first. 8)


See, I am spoiled now because at the OCS championships
the swipes were parallel and symmetric.

:idea:
I find it easier to use my peripheral vision to get the Clubbells in good form. I don't recall if this is one of the performance goals of double Clubbell work.
If not,
it's probably because in the beginning most of those using Clubbells were Martial Artists. :shock:

[Connie Brown]

AM Endurance

10# forward backward pendulums 2x12, 5x10
RT 9
RPE 7

Midday WW

PM Strength (slow for form)

5# parry cast 2x3 both sides
10# armpit cast 3 x 5 (both)
10# Shield Cast 2 x 5, 1x4 (both)
RT 7
RPE 8

On the pendulums I was fooling around with hip snap after reading in Doug's OCS book how important it is. I found out that my hip snap can generate more momentum than my wrists/forearms can handle to catch the 10# in order.

On the shield casts the left was better tonight - a twinge in the right. will watch that tomorrow in DROM

[Dan Chomycia]

Good insight! :idea:

I finally brought the Bruiser to Order the other day!
Hip is indeed crucial.

[Connie Brown]

OMG on the Bruiser. :)

Thu Feb 26

AM Endurance exercises

5# swipes
13 x 10
RT 10
RPE 6

Midday Warrior Wellness

Friday Feb 27

AM Endurance exercises

5#
Parry cast 1 x 10
Saber inward pendulum 1x10
Short Whip 1 x 10
Taskmaster 1x10
Mills 10 x 8/8
RT 8
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

Just for fun I tried the OCS assistance lifts for the Mill with
the easy weight. Those can use some smoothing out
hence RT 8.

[Connie Brown]

Mon Mar 1

AM Endurance exercises

5#
swings 1 x 10
spout 1 x 10
cossack 1 x 10
swipes 7 x 14
RT 10
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

PM Strength exercises

10# half choke
shield cast 3 x 5
spouts 2 x 5
RT 8
RPE 8

Tue Mar 2

AM Endurance exercises

5#
saber inward pendulum 1x10
short whip 1 x 10
taskmaster 1x10
mills 5 x 8/8 (ran out of time)
RT 8
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

Hmm, mills in the morning I was not quite warmed up.
must do swings first I guess.

[Connie Brown]

Wed Mar 3

AM Endurance exercises

5#
swings 1 x 10
spouts 1 x 10
cossacks 1 x 10
swipes 6 x 14
RT 9
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

[MalB]

Good stuff Connie!

[Connie Brown]

Thanks Mal!

Friday March 5

AM Endurance exercises

10#
swings 10 x 12
RT 10
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

Saturday March 6

AM Endurance exercises

5#
Saber inward pendulum 1 x 10
Short whip 1 x 10
Taskmaster 1 x 10
Mills 10 x 8/8
RT 9
RPE 5

[Connie Brown]

Mon Mar 8

AM Endurance

10#
swings 6 x 10
RT 10
RPE 6

Midday Warrior Wellness

PM Strength exercises

10# half choke
armpit cast 5 x 5
shield cast 3 x 5
RT 9
RPE 8

[Connie Brown]

Tue Mar 9

AM Endurance

5#
saber grip inward pendulums r/l 1 x 10
short whip r/l 1 x 10
taskmaster r/l 1 x 10
mills 5 x 9/9
RT 9
RPE 5

Midday Warrior Wellness

mills too few. up late and ran out of time. just FYI for me

[Connie Brown]

Thu Mar 11

AM Endurance

10#
froggers 5 x 5, 6 x 6
RT 9
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness
I am doing the intermediate now, yay

[Dan Chomycia]

Congrats on popping a level Connie!

Do tell anyone but unless you are adding weight to the beginner's Warrior Wellness, I think the Intermediate is more fun anyway. 8)

Shh!

[Connie Brown]

yeppir Coach Dan!

figure eights rule

[Connie Brown]

Fri Mar 12

PM Endurance session

5#
swings 1 x 10
spouts 1 x 10
cossacks 1 x 10
swipes 9 x 12
RT 10
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness

[Connie Brown]

Monday Mar 15

5#
Saber inward pendulum 1x10
Short Whip 1 x 10
Taskmaster 1x10
Mills 9 x 13/13
RT 9
RPE 7

[Connie Brown]

Tuesday March 16

AM Endurance exercises

10#
swings 8 x 12
RT 10
RPE 6

Midday Warrior Wellness

Wednesday March 17

Lots of crossover benefits from CBs on this St Paddy's piping extravaganza. This is my first time playing pipes all day after training with CBs.

Wind: much improved.

Upper body (bellows = chest) more like "perpetual" exercise from the advantages of performance breathing.

Some improvement on fine-motor playing on the control pause.

Core improvements make it easier to play longer. (it is like blowing up a tractor tire while standing on it)

HUGE benefits from grip strength. Teachers have been telling me for years that a strong grip helps. I was like, what's the deal, my fingers are fast and they cover the holes. BUT now that I have personally experienced what happens when they are fast, cover the holes, and have explosive strength - WOW

My report on this quantum improvement in grip strength (while not even working on it on purpose) REALLY caught the attention of our visiting professional piping judge and teacher who knows me and my progress.

He gets requests all the time for grip/forearm exercises that really work. I had him heft a 5 and gave him info from the web site and told him that CBs are the perfect exercise equipment for pipers and drummers, flat out, bar none. stay tuned for further exploration on this one.

This pro, Rene Cusson, lives on Vancouver Island and I forgot to tell him that there are experts on this in Bellingham! hmmm we must have been busy.

[Dan Chomycia]

Awesome discovery,

I think it is more important to find strength for your activites, and for fitness than just for fitness.

This training continues to amaze me!

[Connie Brown]

Tue Mar 23

AM Endurance

10# full choke
swipes 15 x 5
RT 8
RPE 7

Midday Warrior Wellness. Hm, turns out, not so fast with the intermediate program. My feet get fried before I finish all that on-one-leg stuff at the end. oh well, onward

[Connie Brown]

I was going to the end of March with this but I want to move on so will close it now.

After Action Report, 7 weeks on rabbit-and-bears type thing

Strength

beginning, 10# full choke
armpit cast 2 x 3
shield cast 1 x 2
RT 6
RPE 7

ending, 10# 1/4 choke
armpit cast 5 x 5
shield cast 5 x 5
RT 9
RPE 7

Endurance with 10#

beginning
swings 3 x 10
swipes none
RT 10
RPE 6

ending
swings 8 x 14
swipes 10 x 7 (full choke)
RT 9
RPE 7

Warrior Wellness: moved to Intermediate

Weight Loss: 6 pounds in 7 weeks, running total 27
waist inches loss 2, running total 4.5