Yes indeed, I made it to the Arnold for the second year in a row.  The "haunted house of fitness" as Ken Blackburn called it last year, was bigger and badder than ever.  I should have set up a booth selling breast augmentation revisions and/or  BiPAP/CPAP machines.  I would have had lots of customers.  As usual I felt like I just didn't fit in, I am just too small and I wasn't wearing a shirt with skulls on it.  No matter, I was there for the kettlebells. 

The IKFF hosted a meet at this years convention and it was very well done.  I have to thank Ken Blackburn and his team for doing an outstanding job of organizing this.  Rebecca Cate did a superb  job of organizing the judges and making sure the flights were all on time.  A lot of folks competed and it couldn't have been any better.  Thanks to all the judges, lifters and everyone who brought bells for the competition.  Usually organizing this sort of an event is like trying to herd cats; it is exponentially worse in the chaotic environment that is the Arnold.  These guys made it look easy.  There were some outstanding performances.  Particularly noteworthy was Sara Lieber who did 133 reps in one arm long cycle with 20kg.  This is a Master of Sport World Class level of performance!  Strong work!

Overall it was a great time and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do a set.  I did a set of long cycle with the 24kg bells.  I just wanted to go the full ten minutes so i was happy.  Although I was pleased, every time I do this I can't help but wonder "what the hell am I doing this for?".  I rationalize it like this:  Since we really have no natural predators (i.e. large animals are not chasing us down and eating us), we need to have some way to challenge ourselves.  Since it isn't coming from the external environment it must come from within.  That has to be it.  I think I also answered another question I posed recently to a colleague of mine.  He had just returned from riding motorcycles through Central America.  Sounds ok at first glance.  However the rest of the story is that he and the other guys he was with had no real itinerary and nothing but a gps.  I guess not all the towns were gringo friendly.  Different strokes for different folks I suppose.  Fortunately lifting kettlebells seems unlikely to lead to a scene reminiscent of "Deliverance" in Spanish.  Maybe it is time they shot a new version of that, motorbikes instead of rafts, Central America instead of Georgia, marimbas instead of banjos...  It could happen.

Back to the Arnold.  Here are a few pics:

First we have John Wild Buckley.  Johnny Depp on steroids, I think that is what Ken called him.  Here he is picking up a surprised young lady.  Security was not amused when their tasers only served to make John angry.


Next up we have Eric, Ken, and Boris still celebrating the Canadian Hockey golds at Vancouver.  No wait, that was just after Ken finished an impressive set of long cycle. 


I was surprised at the amount of emotion shown by some of the competitors.  Here Phil breaks down sobbing after Ken led off the meet with a soul-stirring rendition of "Wind beneath my wings".  Just funny how this picture turned out, particularly if you look directly above them.  Sometimes you don't need photoshop.


In any case there is lots more to talk about so this place may be a little busy for the next few days.  Stay tuned....