Kip Koelsch Author

Run + Strength + Athenian Garden

•July 24, 2009 • Leave a Comment

So, the a Thursday night routine is developing with one of my friends and training partners–run, strength training session and dinner at Athenian Garden. Unfortunately, last week, I had done a 60-mile road ride and after the evening run I was toast–so, no strength workout. Instead, we went to Athenian Garden (www.atheniangarden.com) for some great Greek food and a few carbo-beverages.

This week was different. My morning workout was teaching a spin class at the local YMCA and I made sure I refueled (Hammer Nutrition + real food) well throughout the day. The 45-minute run went better for me–even though I still feel like I’m slow as molasses when running next to Aaron (who is training for the Leadville 100). Still, I’m improving again and that makes me happy.

Following the run in the hot afternoon sun (Balmy? Yes!), we got into the following strength workout:

Leg/Core Circuit (3 sets of each)

1. Kettlebell Walking Lunges

2. Slosh Pipe Squat and Press

3. Web Mountain Climbers + Y: This is a new variation on the Mountain Climber using the webbing rig in my garage. After doing an even number of one-leg mountain climber movements in the push-up/plank position, hold one leg straight back and move the other leg out away from the body and parallel with the floor. Move it back to the center and move the other leg out–great body control and core work. Then, you can move both legs out to form a “Y” and bring them back in. Again, great body control and core work.

Upper Body/Core Circuit

1. Kettlebell Chest Presses on Log: We’re using a 12″ (or so) diameter log to lay on instead of a bench to provide a little bit of a core challenge.

2. Backpack Webbing Rows: I put on a backpack with some books and a sandbag and pony up to the webbing strap I have wrapped around the tree for some horizontal rows. You can also do this without the backpack.

3. Atomic Push-ups: YAWP!

4. Slosh Pipe Kayak Twists on a Log: great for rotational core strength.

Another great workout and then dinner at Athenian Garden (their International Sports Bar) on 9th St. N. (MLK) in St. Petersburg for some great Greek salad with chicken–a wonderful way to refuel for tomorrow’s morning kayak workout.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: Adventure Racing, Athenian Garden, Atomic Push-ups, core workout, CrossFit, Fitness, flatland hill training, Florida, garage gym, Greek Food, Hammer Nutrition, kayak, Kettlebell, Leadville 100, linkedin, Logs, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, Natural Movement, paddling, Primal Workout, Road Biking, slosh pipe, St. Petersburg, Trail run

Run + 300

•July 8, 2009 • 1 Comment

Yesterday’s workout featured a steady 40-minute run and a 300 Workout. A 300 Workout is a great way to pack some high intensity into a short (typically 30-minute or less) time frame. It is a “300” Workout because all of the reps for all of the exercises add up to a grand total of 300. Each exercise is done until the desired number of repetitions is completed, and then you move on.

50 Kettlebell Walking Lunges: that’s 50 repetitions for each leg!

50 Kettlebell Curl and Press

50 Tire Whacks: that’s 50 whacks for each side.

50 Webbing Horizontal Rows

50 Atomic Push-ups

50 Knees to Elbows: this was the toughest one for me–especially right after the Atomic Push-ups. Hang from your pull-up bar or rings and curl your knees up to touch your elbows.

Push yourself to do it in the shortest time possible. Have at it and have fun!

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: 300 workout, Adventure Racing, core workout, CrossFit, Fitness, flatland hill training, knees to elbows, linkedin, Mountain Athlete, Natural Movement, paddling, Primal Workout, sledge hammer workouts, slosh pipe, Trail run

Unsettle All Things…and get fitter

•July 5, 2009 • Leave a Comment

I’m sure many of you have heard that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” When I used to work at a gym, I’d see so many people doing the same thing on a regular basis–same speed on the treadmill, same workout on the weight machines, putting in the same level of effort. Sure, they were consistent; sure, they were doing something other than sitting on the sofa, watching TV and eating doughnuts. But, many of them were not progressing–they weren’t losing weight, reshaping their bodies or drastically improving their health.

It was disheartening to see such a “waste” of the consistency and dedication they had managed to achieve. While they may have had some results within the first weeks or months of beginning to work out, most of these people didn’t realize that their body had, at some point, adapted to the new stress of working out.

Once the body adapts, the same old fitness routine will provoke litttle change in your body. That is why you (or your personal trainer) should always be looking for ways to “unsettle” your workouts–to change things so that your body is constantly challenged to adapt. At the very least, you should look to make changes to your program every four to six weeks.

You can challenge your body with change in a number of ways–increase the amount of resistance (weight); increase the number of repetitions; increase the total volume (sets and/or number of exercises) of a session; decrease the total volume of a session and really focus on high-quality, high intensity exercise; take a new group fitness class.

One of the best things you can do to shake up your training and take big steps towards your goals is to enlist the help of a personal trainer. Most trainers will spend a good part of their first session discussing your training goals and developing a plan to achieve them with you. Most personal trainers will also build in periodic program changes to constantly challenge your body, your mind and your motivation.

I don’t think Ralph Waldo Emerson knew much about personal training, but he certainly knew a lot about life. Still, I like to use one of his most famous lines in my approach to my own training and to training my clients:

“I unsettle all things.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

(from the essay Circles)

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Adventure Racing, Circles, core workout, CrossFit, Fitness, flatland hill training, garage gym, Gym Jones, I Unsettle All Things, Jungle Gym Fitness, kayak, Kip Koelsch, linkedin, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, Natural Movement, paddling, Personal Training, Primal Workout, Ralph Waldo Emerson, sledge hammer workouts, slosh pipe, Trail run

Modified Bear Crawl and More Workout Craziness

•July 3, 2009 • 2 Comments

Workout in the Jungle Gym

I love having a killer workout after a day that just didn’t quite go as planned. First thing to adapt to was the AC guy supposedly coming by and then not showing–so, I missed the one window of no thunderstorms today to either get in a paddling workout or mow the lawn. I made my planned trip to Sarasota and back almost without incident. But, when I stopped at the grocery on the way back, I noticed the left rear tire of my Subaru Baja looking quite soft. After taking the groceries home I checked the glove box for the last time I got tires–70,000 miles ago. So, with an unplanned trip to the Firestone service center and four new tires later, I was home to have a snack and get psyched for my strength workout. It was still raining lightly, but I was determined not to let a little rain stop me–besides, it did make things just a bit cooler (in more ways than one).

Tonight’s workout was four times through the following circuit:

1. Kettlebell Walking Lunges:yup, I broke down and bought two kettlebells. I love the way they feel in my hands and wanted something specifically for this exercise. I was unhappy with the sandbags because they would touch the ground before I felt like I was getting into the full lunge position. The kettlebells did the trick!

2. Kettlebell One-arm Rows:legs spread just wider than shoulder width and back position similar to what you would use for a bent-over barbell row. I try to start with the kettlebell centered between my legs–that allows me to rotate the working shoulder and my torso a bit for a good stretch that is similar to what I would do while kayaking. I always concentrate on pulling my elbow past my body.

3. Kettlebell One-arm Clean and Press:okay, so all of a sudden I’m using the kettlebells a lot. This is also an exercise that I will do from time to time with the sandbags. This is similar to a barbell clean in that you start with the weight on the floor, power it upward to collarbone height and then press it overhead. Doing it one side at at time creates stability and balance challenges.

4. Atomic Push-ups

5. Dumbbell-enhanced Bear Crawl Log Pulls: like I needed to make this one harder–of course I did! I’m still pulling two logs, but now I’ve added 10-pound dumbbells in each hand that I have to hold onto while I crawl and drag.

6. Pull-ups

The Sledgehammer Tire Whack Track

7. Tire Whack: definitely a bit more of a challenge in the rain as the sledge hammer’s handle gets wet.

Finished!

By the fourth time through, I was whooped. This is a great all-body conditioning workout with some exercises that are particularly useful for adventure racers.

Now, I’m ready for some Recoverite and a good dinner–maybe some salmon cakes and couscous.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: Adventure Racing, Bear Crawl, core workout, CrossFit, Fitness, flatland hill training, garage gym, Gym Jones, Jungle Gym, kayak, kayak fitness, linkedin, Logs, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, Primal Workout, sledge hammer workouts, slosh pipe, Subaru Baja, Trail run, underground workouts

Built-in Smile Rewrite

•July 1, 2009 • Leave a Comment

So, after having a few of my “readers” go over the full version of the manuscript, I’m going back to the keyboard to slice and dice The Built-in Smile. With their constructive feedback, I’m sure I can take a good story with well-developed characters and give it the increased pace and pop the action deserves.

At the same time, I’ll be jotting down more ideas for the next novel involving many of the same characters that you will all come to love (once the book is published and in your hands).

When I started spewing The Built-in Smile in March of 2007, I thought I’d have the manuscript done by the end of the summer. Of course, more than two years later, while I have a complete story, I’ve realized that my job is not nearly finished. Still, I’m enjoying the writing process and will continue to cherish those flow moments when my fingers fly across the keyboard like Mozart.

Posted in The Built-in Smile: Wendall's Lullaby
Tags: Bottlenose Dolphins, Dolphin Communication, dolphins, Fiction, linkedin, literary agent, NOAA, The Built-in Smile, Thriller

The Kiwi Mindset And My Morning Workout

•July 1, 2009 • Leave a Comment

No whining–not even the thought of whining. No hesitation. The old Nike slogan–“just do it.”

I was scheduled to do a paddling workout this morning. But, thunder and lightning storms were (and still are) rolling continuously through our area and I thought it safer to avoid being on the water. It would have been very easy to turn off the alarm and roll over–catching some more much needed sleep. Instead, I laced up my running shoes and went for a run in the rain.

In 2001, I had the opportunity to do my first expedition adventure race (Raid the North Extreme–Newfoundland) with a racer from New Zealand (plus a former Navy SEAL and one tough lady). The team’s attitude was solid–do what it takes to keep moving forward no matter what the conditions. That mindset (and the boiled potatoes), kept us moving through the TAs and helped us be the last team to complete one paddle section (while most of the other teams were re-routed or pulled from the water) and put us in a solid eighth place.

My second encounter with a Kiwi teamate was at Primal Quest Lake Tahoe (2003). It was during our emails with Kevin and our conversations during the race that he outlined what he thought was the major difference between Kiwi and American training techniques. The undertone was that Americans had gone soft–that if the weather wasn’t right, the trails were too muddy, the wind blowing too strong, they would cancel a workout. In contrast, he said that most Kiwi adventure racers just shrugged their shoulders (if that) and headed out into the storm–taking what they were given, because, in a race, they would have to keep moving in all conditions.

So, whenever I’m training seriously (and, I think I’m at that point again) and the weather makes me hesitate even slightly, I think about my Kiwi teammates standing on top of some craggy ridge in a torrential downpour with packs full of potatoes and a very big grin on their faces.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: Adventure Racing, Fitness, kayak, Kiwi, linkedin, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, New Zealand, Primal Quest Adventure Race, Primal Workout, Raid the North Extreme Adventure Race, Swamp Stomp 30-Hour Adventure Race, Trail run

Dancing Queen Fitness and Goal-setting Success

•June 25, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Last Friday evening, one of my personal training clients showed the value of dedicated training–nailing a dance routine at a yearly review put on by the local Fred Astaire Dance Studios. I was very proud of her. The routine was both technically and physically challenging–well beyond many of the other dance students. The applause and cheers reflected her success.

One of the reasons that she was able to handle such a routine (other than her dancing talent) was because of her approach to her training outside the studio. This client regularly attends my wife’s (St. Petersburg YMCA) indoor cycling class to help build her cardiovascular fitness and leg endurance. But, more importantly, several months ago she came to me looking for a strength program to help make her strong and enduring enough to pull off a highly physical dance routine with numerous lifts and jumps and quick foot work–her goals were very specific.

Specifity within your goal-setting is often the key to successfully reaching your goals. Here are some other great ways to enhance your goal-setting successes:

1. Write Down Your Goals: Putting what you want to achieve down on paper is one of the best ways to reinforce your resolve. It also helps you clarify what you want to achieve. Once you’ve honed in on something specific, write it down and put it someplace (or some places) where you will see it every day.

2. Share Those Goals With Others:This is another way to increase your motivation and resolve. Communicating your goal can be an important way of letting the people in your life know to expect some reprioritization of your time. It also helps provide you with (hopefully) a support network of family and friends–people who can encourage you and help keep you on the path to accomplishment.

3. Set Achievable Goals:Most people set themselves up for failure by making their goals too general–“I want to lose weight” or “I want to get stronger.” The more specific the goal, the easier it is to measure, the easier it will be to reach. My client didn’t just tell me she wanted to “be a better dancer.” She explained the showcase routine and we determined what fitness components we wanted to highlight–controlled body motion strength as well as dynamic strength, core strength for plank-like lifts, and balance. While designing a workout plan, I created some specific benchmarks to aim for–like holding the long slosh pipe overhead on one foot on the balance pad for at least one minute and being able to do two lenghts of my yard while executing an Overhead Walking Lunge with the Slosh Pipe. One of my client’s non-dance related goals was to be able to do more “real” push-ups. One of her post-dance showcase goals is to be able to do a pull-up.

While I talk about setting goals in a fitness context, these basic goal-setting strategies can be applied to any aspect of your life in which you want to achieve great things.

If you are looking to improve any aspect of your life or fitness–to take everything and anything you do to the next level–I am available in person or online to help you define, create a detailed plan and reach those goals. Contact me at kipkayak@hotmail.com and we can arrange everything from personal training to goal-setting sessions.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Achievement, Adventure Racing, Ballroom Dancing, Dancing, Excellence, Fitness, Fitness for Dancing, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Goal-setting, Goals, linkedin, slosh pipe, Strategies for Success, Strength Training for Dancing

Today’s Bonus Round

•June 25, 2009 • Leave a Comment

After a short, higher intensity run early this morning, and taking care of one of my best personal training clients (read more about her later), I was psyched to hammer through my own strength/conditioning workout for today. The “basic” workout was the following circuit of exercises/movements:

1. Overhead Walking Lunges with Sandbags: If you’ve read my workout blogs before, you know how much I LOVE lunges and how much I really love the walking lunge. This is a variation that further develops balance and core strength.

2. Web Leg Curls: Using my ghetto TRX-like webbing, lying on my back and pulling one leg under my butt (while in a plank-like position–hips off ground) at a time.

3. Atomic Push-ups

4. Pull-ups

5. Bear Crawl Log Pulls: Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

6. One Arm Sandbag Rows

7. Tire Whack: you have to grunt during this exercise!

8. Webbing Mountain Climbers

9. Log Cleans with Chest Throw: I use a log about 2 feet long and about 8 inches in diameter. I clean it to my chest and throw it horizontally. The throw should be explosive. I try and travel in a straight line and will pick up the log however it lands and while cleaning move my body to throw the log in that line of travel.

10. Sandbag Overhead Presses Balanced On A Log: My friend Aaron found a great log for us to use for balance exercises. With the log lying on the ground, stand on it with soft knees and press the sandbags over your head. Stay focused and you’ll stay on the log.

I went through this circuit three times and then had the masochist idea to add a “bonus round” of just three exercises–Atomic Push-ups, Pull-ups, and Bear Crawl Log Pulls–executed for three extra sets. Of course, I upped the intensity in two ways–first, by deciding not to rest until I was done; and, second, by doing a set of Bear Crawl Log Pulls after each set of Atomic Push-ups and Pull-ups. So, while I ended up doing three more sets of Atomic Push-ups and Pull-ups, I ended up doing six extra sets of Bear Crawl Log Pulls!

It was enough to put me on the floor in the garage–soaking up the cool air from the fan. A great way to finish off an already tough workout and to prove that I could do that little bit extra when I put my mind to it.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: Adventure Racing, Bear Crawl, Bonus Round, canoe, Chest Throw, core workout, CrossFit, Fitness, flatland hill training, garage gym, Gym Jones, kayak, linkedin, Log Cleans, Logs, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, Natural Movement, paddling, Primal Workout, Trail run, Workout with Logs

Quick, Hard Morning Workout

•June 23, 2009 • Leave a Comment

After teaching my spin class this morning, I rushed home to try and get in a quick, hard workout before our record-setting Florida heat started to kick in. I even managed to get through the first rep of the first movement without breaking a sweat! After that, I was drenched.

Here’s the workout (with a bit of a shoulder strength emphasis):

Overhead Walking Slosh Pipe Lunges (each set was about 40 meters)

Atomic Push-ups (using my hanging webbing)

Squat Throws with a Sandbag

Weighted Pull-ups (wearing a backpack stuffed with clothes, books and a sandbag)

Sledgehammer Tire Whacks–this continues to be one of my favorites as it is highly anaerobic as well as attacking the core muscles that assist with any rotational strength/power. And, I love having a tire just light enough to slide along the ground with each whack.

Sandbag Curl and Press–it’s simple curl the bags and press them overhead. Repeat.

Sandbag Side Lateral Raises–I alternate sides and pass the sandbag off to the other hand at my waist.

I went through this three times with only the change/walk from station to station as any “rest.” I also through in a final set of bodyweight only pull-ups for good measure.

Now, have at it and get strong for all of your adventure sports and for life.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing, Orienteering/ROGAINE, Primal Fitness
Tags: Adventure Racing, core workout, CrossFit, garage gym, Gym Jones, kayak, linkedin, Logs, Mountain Athlete, mountain biking, Natural Movement, Primal Workout, slosh pipe, Trail run, WeCeFAR

A New Approach: Paddling for Adventure Racing

•June 17, 2009 • Leave a Comment

2001 Expedition BVI

I won’t go on too much (because I have many other times and in many other places) about paddling being the least practiced or trained discipline in adventure racing. F0r most people (not me), it just isn’t as convenient as stepping out the door with your running shoes on or your bike under your butt.

But, when you do go out for a paddling “workout,” I want you to approach as a paddling training session and not just as a leisurely paddle down the lazy river. GET SERIOUS! If you are serious about improving your running, you don’t just do some some steady jog for hours on end. If you want to improve your mountain bike, you don’t just go down the old canal path while watching the ducks. You do a variety of different workouts–long, steady or intervals or tempo or hills. You should approach your paddling workouts the same way.

YES, there is a place for long, steady (NOT SLOW) distance at a low to low/moderate intensity. But, there is also a place for interval work to improve your intensity and overall speed. It also is a great way to fit an intense workout into a short time frame. Many mornings, I have but one hour to paddle before work–most of those mornings, I’m doing some type of interval workout.

Two of my favorite 60 minute (give or take a minute or two) workouts:

10 minute warm-up (some steady paddling with 10/20/30 stroke pickups sprinkled in)

1 minute high intensity/1 minute rest paddling (repeat until the hour is over)

10 minute warm-up

1 minute high intensity/1 minute easy paddling

2 minutes high intensity/2 minutes easy paddling

3 minutes high intensity/3 minutes easy paddling

2 minutes high intensity/2 minutes easy paddling

1 minute high intensity/1 minute easy paddling

(repeat until the hour is over)

My walk to the water (about 200 meters) with the boat on my shoulder is also a nice warm-up. My walk home is a nice cool down.

During the easy paddling, pay particular attention to good technique–this is an easy time to slack off and get sloppy. The better you can maintain good technique while tired, the better you will reinforce the proper neuromuscular pathways. You can also use the “rest” interval to rehydrate if necessary.

Now, stop lily-dipping and get out and work while you’re in the boat.

Posted in Adventure Racing, Kayak Racing
Tags: Adventure Race Paddling, Adventure Racing, canoe, INTERVAL TRAINING, kayak, linkedin, paddling, Swamp Stomp 30-Hour Adventure Race