Good way to blast my shoulders

I don’t consider myself to be a super-strong middle-aged man but am decent when it comes to the overhead press lift.  I remember years ago spending time working my barbell overhead press and got as high as 175 lbs. for a single repetition before moving on to “bigger and better” training.  Now, that training is using kettlebells. 

I enjoy taking them with me wherever I go.  Last Friday, one week ago today, I took them with me to Santa Cruz and put them to work for an overhead press workout at nearby La Selva Beach.

My workout consisted of ten rounds pressing a pair of 24kg kettlebells, starting a new round every three minutes.  I concluded with a bonus round using a pair of 20kg kettlebells. 

I enjoyed this workout as I do most of my workouts.  The background ocean breeze and sunny day made for a great outdoor training experience taking 30:37 to complete.

Double overhead press work with a pair of challenge-appropriate kettlebells is always a good way to blast my shoulders.

  

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Testing a pair of 24kg KB

My fitness minimalist toolbox has a new addition because I recently purchased a second 24kg kettlebell (KB) and it arrived earlier this week.  

I now have a pair of 24kg KB that allows me to ratchet up my training to the next level and that’s what I did on Monday.

Here was my Monday workout:

Superset

Alternating pull-ups and chin-ups (pull-ups on odd-numbered rounds and chin-ups on even-numbered rounds) for 5 reps, followed by double 24kg KB farmers carry for 45 seconds equals one round.  I started a new round every 2 minutes and completed 10 rounds in 19:32.

Double overhead press (OHP)

With an acknowledged weaker left side, I didn’t know how this was going to go but my plan was a double KB overhead press using a pair of 24kg KB for 10 rounds, starting a new round every 2 minutes.  I completed 2 reps per round except for rounds 3, 7 and 10 for which I did 3 reps.

Running

Not related to testing a pair of 24kg KB but part of my Monday workout, I wrapped things up by running a slow 4 miles in 44:13 and then ran 8 rounds of 30 seconds fast with 90 seconds of slow running recovery for a total of 1.46 miles in 16 minutes.  The rounds of 30 seconds fast running was to cultivate a faster running pace for my upcoming 6-mile fun run later this month.

Here’s a short video of my round 7 effort:

A pair of 24kg KB for overhead press work is HEAVY for me so I’ve got some work to do.

Last week, in doing remedial work for my weaker left side, I did left-arm overhead press work using a 24kg KB for multiple rounds of single reps after I had already done many rounds of alternating single-arm OHP for multiple reps.  I’ll solve this weakness riddle in a matter of time.

After my upcoming 6-mile fun run is over later this month, I look forward to using the pair of 24kg KB to do some double rack squat work.  This should be interesting and heart-thumping.

It was a very good workout testing a pair of 24kg KB.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum