20 February 2012, Kettlebells/Krav Maga, 6 to 9 PM
Kettlebell Instructor: Ed

That’s Ben in the background and John in the foreground doing KB cleans.

• A. 2 KB swing – 10, add weight, 10, add weight, 10 (I stuck to 30 lbs.)
• B. 2 KB clean and press – 10, add weight, 10, add weight, 10 (I stuck to 8 kilos.)
• C. 2 KB clean – 15 x 5 (8 kilos)
• D. 2 KB swing – 10 x 3 (30 lbs.)
• E. Figure 8 – 10 x 3 (16 kilos)
• F. Abs

Krav Maga: Defense against choke holds.
Krav Maga Instructor: Bjorn

I’ve know I’ve said this many times before but I really love training with new instructors. There’s always something new that they bring to the table.

Bjorn’s exercises are more physical. We’re no longer shadow-boxing. We’re connecting. Not necessarily to hurt but to put our partners on guard so that they can respond appropriately.

According to Bjorn, when we experience an act of aggression against us, the body searches for some memory of a response to it. Failing that, it freezes. Which is why, he makes us go through the motions of being pushed, being held down and, yes, even being choked. He asked us to partner-up and to have our partner choke us until it becomes unbearable that we have to tap out.

Some of the guys who partner with me are hesitant to get too rough with me so I have to push them around first and really have a go at them before they start giving me something decent to practice with.

21 February 2012, Kettlebells, 5:30 to 7 PM
Kettlebell Instructor: Fred

My Korean classmate and Fred, the instructor.

• A. Sumo deadlift – 10, 15, 10 (32 kilos)
• B. Two-hand swing – 15, 25, 15 (20 kilos)
• C. High-pulls – L/R 8, 12, 16 (8 kilos)
• D. Snatch – L/R 10 x 8 (8 kilos)
• E. Snatch to windmill – L/R 5, 7, 7 (8 kilos)
• F. Tactical lunge – 20 x 3 (16 kilos)
• G. Abs

22 February 2012, Kettlebells/Krav Maga, 6 to 9 PM
Kettlebell Instructor: Ed

Warm-up: Halo – L/R 10 x 3 (I started off with 14 kilos, hurt myself, pyramided down to 12 and then to 8.)

5 sets of:

• A1. Chest press – 10 (I used 8 kilos for the first set, then eventually just used 6.)
• A2. Flys – 10 (4 kilos)
• A3. Tricep extension – L/R 10 (4 kilos)
• A4. Tricep kickeback – 10 (4 kilos)
• A5. Single KB row – L/R 10 (12 kilos)
• A6. KB push-up – 10

Krav Maga: Defense against grabs from the front.
Krav Maga Instructor: Bjorn

I looooooved this session.

There were a lot of newbie women in tonight’s class so Bjorn’s lesson addressed common attacks that women experience, that of being grabbed. First, he taught us how to avoid being grabbed and how to deflect grabs. Then he showed us how to extricate ourselves from grabs. The moves were very simple but effective. He showed us how we could inflict pain using slight motions.

It was pretty impressive to see Ed wince with just a small movement from Bjorn. So cool.

23 February 2012, Kettlebells/Krav Maga, 6 to 9 PM
Kettlebell Instructor: Fred

• A. Figure 8 – 15, 15, 20, 20 (I used 16 kilos for my first set, then pyramid up to 20 and kept using that till I finished all four sets.)
• B. Two-hand KB swing – 30 x 4 (I kept it light because of all the reps. I only used 16 kilos.)
• C1. Hand-to-hand swing – 20, 30, 40, 40 (Again, kept it light at 30 lbs.)
• C2. Chin-up – 10, 10, 10, 10
• D1. Burpee – 10, 10, 10, 10
• D2. Close-grip pull-up – 10, 10, 10, 10
• E1. Double KB row – 10, 10, 12, 12 (8 kilos)
• E2. Squat to hammer curl – 10, 10, 12, 12 (I did the first set with 8 kilos but was so tired that I had to use 6 kilos for the subsequent sets.)
• F. Abs – 6 points

Working out in my CrossFit MNL shirt.

Krav Maga: Review of soft falls (forward falls when tripped or pushed from a stationary, upright position) and hard falls (falling forward when already in motion).
Krav Maga Instructor: Bjorn

When Fred taught this to us, I refused to cooperate because I felt uncomfortable about making myself fall forwards, but Bjorn used a different approach. He guided us through it in reverse (yup, pretty clever) so that by the time we had to put it all together and roll forwards, well, it was still strange but I myself was no longer averse to it.

I still can’t roll very well. I hurt my neck tonight trying to get it right. I guess I’ll have to keep rolling with it.

Friday, Saturday – Rest Days. Amen.