(Photo: Duende (“having duende”) loosely means having soul, a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity;
[1] The artistic and especially musical term was derived from ‘The Duende’- a magical elf or goblin-like creature in Spanish mythology.)
Kettlebell high pull + Goblet catch:
10 x 3 @ as heavy as possible in each
Focus in this movement variation is a powerful, dynamic kettlebell high pull transitioning into an organized and aggressive “catch” in the standard Goblet position (hands on side of handles, forearms driven into sides of kettlebell). Today, hold each rep for an organized, stopped 5/1000, quickly re-position hands, and re-trace steps to the ground. There is no “hinge” in the up- or- down of a kettlebell high pull. Adjust weight by round as position and execution dictate.
Then:
Benchmark
“Duende“- 7:48 (Catharsis– “Passion”)
6 Rocking chair
6 Strict or kipping pull-up (Or 9 jumping pull-up. No butterfly.)
6 Straight jump
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 7:48, and note results. Keep a violent pace and laser-focus; Benchmark is not supposed to be easy or casual. Both rocking chair and straight jump may be weighted with bumper plate (10lb. W, 15lb. M) if it improves position.
And then:
Sprint of 1/2 bodyweight in calories on Airdyne
1/2 bodyweight: Exactly 50% of what your body currently weighs. Check, don’t guess; You will always guess low.
Indulge any transitional impulses/ needs you have (arms only, arms + legs, legs only, underhand grip… ) except the one telling you to stop.
If you stop: Exit the bike, next person starts, you re-start from the beginning, no matter where you were in the process. Mind your mind, complete your task; Finishing spent is far better than starting twice.
While waiting for a bike, and :60 sec. after completion of calories until all others are finished:
Accumulate sets of 10 walking lunge + 5 push-up + 5 breaths
Move steadily and specifically; Keep rest to designated duration, and mind mechanics, even in fatigue.
Push-up: If mechanics or range of motion fail, scale accordingly to ensure both progress and safety; Leave the ego out of the equation- excellent, scaled push-ups are far better than crwp-contenty, broken “unscaled” ones.
And finally, “Time under tension”:
Simple, thorough, unloaded, movement-based cool-down: Insulate what we need, fix what we broke.
Reminder! (Almost) all movements referenced above are linked to high-quality video demonstrations/ explanations!
Please use them to your advantage!