Sometimes you have to tear it down

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:12:00 -0700

This is my last blog on the Johnwildfitness site. I have enjoyed it and I hope that you all have too. However, this is not the end of the blog, but the beginning! I have built a new site. A site with a much higher ceiling. It is still starting up, so there are a few glitches but I think you all will like it,,, eventually.

The new blog will be available to everyone. If you want to leave a comment on it (and I really hope that you do because they mean a lot to me) you have to register. It is free and I promise I will not spam you or give your info out. It just makes the site a little more secure. There will also be sections of the site available to registered members, like the comment option and the forum, that will not be in the standard area.

As time goes by the site will expand. I am working on it every day and I have big ideas for the future. I hope that you all like it and enjoy the experience.

Thank you all so much for your support,

cheers,

jw

JAPAN!!!!!

Sat, 5 Jul 2008 14:39:37 -0700

Konnichiwa,

This was the most fun I have ever had at a Kettlebell workshop. This is truly a great group of guys and they are all amazing lifters. The workshop was in a Japanese dojo. It was in a sweaty hot basement on a super sweaty day. We were all soaked thru before the thing even started and it was great! Everybody was serious and enthusiastic to the maximum. It was an honor to work with such a group. Taikei-san was the most gracious host and an excellent professional. His students truly respect him as do I. Ken Black is a manic savant! He is an excellent communicator and a skilled teacher. I think the three of us worked very well together. The OKC’s international director Nazo was the bow that tied the whole event together, her energy and translation were perfect and beyond expectation.

I can not believe how much fun this really was. Everybody was so eager to learn! We had our seminar, a little Hard Style, a little GS, then Ken did a 6 min set of Jerks, followed by feats of strength and all participated. Afterward, some of us went out for dinner and had many laughs. I feel that I have made some new friends that will last. I also will be expecting some visitors to California in the near future.
I can not wait for today’s workshop! Domo-Arigato

Otsukare-sama-deshita!

jw

I have failed

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:52:43 -0700

I have failed. In the final testing for the RKC2 i failed to hit my pistol and am therefore not currently an RKC2. I was worried about it going in and I was hoping that I would learn some new methods to get me past my sticking point and I did not. But I did learn something about myself. I learned that I am not strong enough to crush a pistol. (I think that I passed the other tests but will find out later) I need to find more mobility. I need to get stronger, lighter, and more focused. I was not cheated here. This was nobody’s fault but my own. I am now the one who will fix it.

I apologize for letting all of you down. I promise you that I will not quit. This is a new beginning for me. The fire has been put back in my belly.

I have failed but I have not died and I have come back from bigger falls before. I will be back...

I promise,

jw

i’m ready

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:50:34 -0700

I’m back in St. Paul. I’m actually in the same room I was in last year. I got in early so I took a nap and got in some cardio to shake off the jetlag. I just ate dinner and am getting ready for the rest of the night.

The meet and greet is in about 30 min. I am going to see some people again and some for the first time. I am excited to be reunited with some of my old friends. Today I will find out whose group I am in. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.

Shoulder feels good. Legs feel good. I don’t think the snatches or pullups will be a problem. The pistol should be fun but I am confident that I can crank out one rep.

Oh, yes I did clean my face up mom,,,don’t worry.

Cheers,

jw

Taikei’s Tire

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:50:33 -0700

Just got a few pictures from over the weekend. I was up in Sacramento with my friend Ken Black. He has the coolest stuff I have ever seen. When I got to his place I was overwhelmed by the choices. I could not figure out where to start. How does one choose between a giant tire and an Atlas stone? So we got to the flipping and lifting and bending. It was the most fun ever and I want to thank you Ken,,,thank you.

Other than that my training has been going well. I have been so focused on rehab that I had forgotten how much fun pure hard style training really is. I have been killing it lately and I am looking forward to the RKC2.

Tokyo is just around the corner now and I am nervous and excited. I am looking forward to making some friends and feeling very tall :-D

I am feeling stronger now. Ken noticed that my left arm does not fire when I try to use it, just my posterior delt and my forearm. This could be a problem but it has not killed me yet. I will do everything I can to fix it.

Cheers,

jw

one step closer

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:26:51 -0700

10 min z-health warm up
20 min long cycle
10 sets 5 rep presses (grind)
10 min swings, 2 arm- to one arm, 1 min switch no rest,

tonight before bed one long set snatches w/32-24-16, 20 min.
Pistol practice
10 min z-health

I started messing with the windmill today and the get-up but to my surprise I am still having trouble pushing off laterally.

I heard today that kObA is swinging two beasts with one hand! That is insane!

Cheers,

jw

koba’s drawing

Tue, 27 May 2008 21:08:00 -0700

This is a drawing my friend kObA from Japan drew. How cool is that?!

Not too much work today, I’m still feeling really Jet lagged, just 10 min of swings @30rpm with a 32kg bell. Just enough to get the heart rate up. I should get a good night sleep tonight and tomorrow morning I am expecting a crusher!

cheers,

jw

fun in nyc (big belly style)

Mon, 26 May 2008 19:51:21 -0700

I was in NYC this past weekend for the first AKC Fitness Certification with Valery Fedorenko and Scott Sonnon. Scott could not attend because he was very ill but the workshop was still a lot of fun. It is always a great time when a bunch of bell heads get together for the weekend and this was no exception.

While I was in town I went to my old stomping ground (Equinox @ 63rd st) and got to play around with some strongman toys with my friend Ryan. Above is a picture of “The Log”. It weighs something over 200lbs. I got a few presses out of it (one at a time), the thing is heavy and awkward. We also did some people pressing and some kettlebell feats of strength. It was a great time.

Now my attention is focused on The RKC2 and my trip to Japan. Diet and train,,,,what fun!

Tomorrow I will start to post my daily training :-)

Cheers,

jw

coolest thing i have ever seen

Fri, 16 May 2008 19:28:31 -0700

My friend Mr. Katsutoshi Kobayashi has put the coolest page together in Japan! Hit the link above and check it out. He is one of the strongest guys I have ever seen! I can not believe the things he can do. I train hard, and I am strong, but really...WOW!

I am preparing for the RKC2 in June and then my trip to Japan in July. I could not be more excited! I am finally beginning to feel strong again, not KOBA strong, but it’s a good start.

To my friends in Tokyo, Thank you for the motivation.

Cheers,

jw

it’s like a switch

Tue, 13 May 2008 15:41:23 -0700

It really is like a switch, and anyone who speaks to the contrary doesn’t know anything about kettlebells...or switches. Thank God it is too, because until today I was really nervous. I got my 200 snatches with the 32kg today. Sure I did them sissy style (10 at a time with 1min, 45sec, and 30sec rest intervals) but it just felt good to have her in my hand again. I did 50 reps rdl’s with 315lbs. My numbers are still down on everything, and I can feel my out of shape body gyrate with every move, but I really do feel better about my direction. I’m going to take another shot at the turkish tomorrow (I have not been able to push laterally with my left arm yet) and I will get to some real pistol work.

Oh, I started my diet so if I am rude to you just remember that it’s all your fault :-)

I started my cardio too: zone 1 30 min (I really am a sissy). This is also your fault.

I really do love Over The Top, it’s the greatest story ever told+++plus arm wrestling!

Cheers,

jw