WaterTribe Derby Overview
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP: You must be registered for a challenge
AND you must have at least the Captain's SPOT ir inReach configured and working before you
can enter any kind of workout.
IMPORTANT FOR DOUBLES: If you are registered as a Double
entry, both the Captain and Crew can earn their own derby points. Note the IMPORTANT
FIRST STEP above. If the Captain does not have a registered and working SPOT/inReach, neither
the Captain or Crew can log points. In order for the Crew to log more than 4 points
per day, there must be a second SPOT registered and working. VERY IMPORTANT:
The two SPOTs must be unique.
The WaterTribe Derby is intended to help you get organized, fit and ready for a
WaterTribe Challenge. These Derbies are optional but highly recommended whether
you are a newbie or a veteran of many WaterTribe Adventures.
There is a Derby associated with each challenge. These derbies that are tied to
a specific challenge like the North Carolina Challenge Derby or the Everglades Challenge
Derby are active in the weeks or months leading up to their associated challenge.
What You Can Win
The person who finishes the associated challenge and accumulates the
most points in the derby period is the derby winner. His or her entry fee is the prize.
The person who finishes the associated challenge and accumulates the
second most points in the derby period is the second place winner. Half of his or her
entry fee is the prize.
The person who finishes the associated challenge and is selected by a random drawing is the third place winner. One-third of his or her entry fee is the prize.
Each point earned in the derby becomes a "ticket" for the random drawing so again earning
as many points as possible increases your chance to win the random drawing even if you
don't win first or second in the derby.
In order to collect you must attend the award dinner or breakfast. If you win but don't
attend the award ceremony, we will pick the next person who is there.
SPECIAL NOTE 1: There must be at least 20 confirmed derby participants to have a
winning prize awarded.
SPECIAL NOTE 2: There must be at least 30 confirmed derby participants to have a
second winning prize.
SPECIAL NOTE 3: There must be at least 40 confirmed derby participants to have a
random drawing winner.
Three Ways to Earn Points
Special Note: This was recently updated on 12/5/2023.
You can select one of three Session Types each day. They are as follows:
- Tracking On the Water
- Tracking Off the Water
- Non Tracking Workouts
Each of these Sessions are discribed in detail below.
Session Type 1: Tracking On the Water
- You must be using a boat that meets one of the WaterTribe Class requirements. Most
of the time this should be the boat you intend to use in the challenge. However,
it is OK to use different boats in the Derby as long as they meet the class rules. For example, I might do lots of paddling in a class 1 kayak but end up doing the challenge in my class 3 kayak or vice versa.
- Special Note - If you are in Class 6 Electric, you can still enter the Derby, but
you may not use an electric motor at any time during any day that you use for a
Derby entry.
- You must carry ALL WaterTribe Required Equipment:
Official List
- You must use your SPOT/inReach and it must show up in our tracking system.
- You must start your trip with an OK Message.
- You must end your trip with an OK Message.
- You can use tracking or OK Messages to mark your course. Usually use of tracking
will give a more accurate estimate of the total distance covered.
- If your tracking subscription allows a tracking
interval less than 10 minutes, it is OK to go as low as 5 minutes. All points will
be erased if you set a tracking interval less than 5 minutes. Note that during a
challenge you must use a 10 minute tracking interval.
- Your course must be an out and back course or a polygon course. It is not OK for
all miles to be downriver or with the wind. We do allow exceptions to this if you
are on a multi day camping trip. You can log points each day as your trip progresses.
- You must enter your trip into the Derby using our online form:
Derby Entry
- On the water sessions with a SPOT/inReach get a point awarded for each nautical mile covered
up to a maximum of 20 noutical miles, plus 1 point for showing up, plus your average
speed in knots.
- SPECIAL NOTE FOR EXTRA POINTS: Once per week you may add 8 extra points for practicing some WaterTribe Survival Skills: rolling, wet exit and re-enter, swimming your boat to shore, hypothermia recovery, etc. Please remember that these should be practiced in a safe environment when you are paddling or sailing with a buddy. You can add these on any day that you also earn Tracking On the Water points.
Note that your longest Tracking session during a week gets full credit. All Tracking sessions that earn less points than your longest get set back
to a maximum of 16.00 points. This includes On the Water and Off the Water Sessions.
Session Type 2: Tracking Off the Water
- You can earn exactly the same number of points off the water as you can on the water.
You must use SPOT or inReach so it must be outdoors. You must carry a load but it can be modified
to be in a backpack, pulk (in the frozen tundra), loaded on your bike, or loaded into your boat while portaging around your neighborhood.
- Cross-country skiing, and hiking points are awarded per miles covered just like
on the water. The miles will be converted to nautical miles by your SPOT/inReach track.
You have to carry or pull a camping load. I have pulled a pulk for hundreds of miles
so no complaining.
- Biking has similar rules regarding equipment. You do have to carry a camping load.
Also, your nautical miles will be determined by SPOT/inReach and divided by 3.5 to even
it up with boat, hiking, or skiing points. For example, you have to cover 70 statute miles on your
bike with a camping load to earn 20 points for the distance covered. (I'll let you
do the math.)
- Just be careful about trees and such blocking your signals for your OK and tracking
messages.
Session Type 3: Non Tracking Workouts:
This category is intended for your standard fitness workouts that you do on a daily
basis. All non Kettlebell types should take one hour give or take 5 minutes to complete.
The Kettlebell Hell workouts use specific counts rather than time.
- 4 Points - One Hour - Gym/Yoga/Etc. - Use this for any P90X, Insanity, Core De Force or similar workouts lasting about an hour.
- 4 Points - One Hour - Run/Walk
- 4 Points - One Hour - Bike (mountain or road)
- 4 Points - One Hour - Exercise Machine of Any Type
- 4 Points - One Hour - Paddling, Pedaling, Sailing, Rowing (Why did you forget your tracking device?)
- 6 Points - One Hour or More - Towing/Portaging Loaded Boat
- 6 Points - Kettlebell Hell - 300 Reps
- 8 Points - Kettlebell Hell - 400 Reps
- 10 Points - Kettlebell Hell - 500 Reps
- 4 Points - SECOND HOUR of Any Workou
If you have some other type of workout that lasts roughly an hour, just enter it as a gym workout. This includes yoga, swimming, Curves, MMA, Jiu Jitsu, Kick Boxing, etc.
What if you only do 30 minutes? First option is to boost your time. Second option is to enter your workouts every other day.
The one hour can be give or take 5 minutes. No big deal. If your workout is 45 minutes do some stretching or jumping jacks or jump rope or something to get closer to the magic one hour.
An Example of a Derby Week
- Monday - P90X earns 4 points. Also did Insanity which is worth 4 points for a total of 8 points.
- Tuesday - Short paddle with SPOT earns 8.50 points by covering 4.10 nautical miles
at 3.40 knots and getting one extra point. Also did P90X but cannot submit two different session types
in one day.
- Wednesday - P90X earns 4 points.
- Thursday - Bad weather so did indoor rowing. Earned 4 points by going 5.76 miles
on the machine.
- Friday - P90X earns 4 points.
- Saturday - Paddled hard for 20 miles using SPOT. Earned 25.4 points (in my dreams)
for miles, extra point, and speed. This was my long trip for the week. Since only
one long trip per week is allowed, the 8.5 points earned on Tuesday is set back
to 8.00 points.
- Sunday - Rest Day
My derby week would earn 53.40 points.
Another Example of a Derby Week that earns a lot more points
- Monday - 14 Points - Kettlebell Hell - Modified Quick and the Dead for 300 reps. Plus Modified Shock and Awe for 200 reps. Plus a one hour walk with active stretching.
- Tuesday - 14 Points - Kettlebell Hell - 500 Swings using EMOMs. Plus one hour walk with active stretching.
- Wednesday - 14 Points - Kettlebell Hell - Modified Quick and the Dead for 300 reps. Plus Modified Shock and Awe for 200 reps. Plus a one hour walk with active stretching.
- Thursday - 14 Points - Kettlebell Hell - 500 Swings using EMOMs. Plus one hour walk with active stretching.
- Friday - 14 Points - Kettlebell Hell - Modified Quick and the Dead for 300 reps. Plus Modified Shock and Awe for 200 reps. Plus a one hour walk with active stretching.
- Saturday - 4 Points - Rest and Recovery Day - One hour walk with active stretching.
- Sunday - 25.4 Points - On the water sailing.
This derby week would earn 99.4 points.
Welcome to Kettlebell Hell!
Latest Update: 12/5/2023
Special Notice: Although these workouts concentrate on Kettlebells, they also include some body weight and dumbbell exercises. These workouts can be done at any time to earn points in the Derby.
Did You Notice? We use double swings, single swings, and a few other exercises to build various super sets. These super sets consist of 100, 200, and 300 reps that can be combined depending on your overall goals.
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP: You must be registered for a WaterTribe Challenge AND you must have at least the Captain's SPOTor inReach configured and working before you can enter any kind of workout. This is a great way to earn points in the Derby
MANDATORY SECOND STEP: Your doctor needs to certify that you can engage in
super human physical insanity.
This is for real. If you have a heart condition or any other medical condition, you should not do this. See your doctor and get his or her approval.
We are going to use two special sets of workouts along with standard sets of double arm swings. You can put these together any way you want. What follows is the way I plan to put my workouts together.
Your First Giant Set: 100 Swings and 100 Pushups and 100 More of Your Choice - Adapted from Pavel's, The Quick and the Dead
This is an EMOM - Every Minute On the Minute
for 45 minutes
- 10 Double Arm Swings
- 10 Double Arm Swings
- Rest
- 10 Pushups
- 10 Pushups
- Rest
- 10 Dumbbell Curls or Pullups or Dips or Goblet Squats or any other exercise that you need
- 10 Dumbbell Curls or Pullups or Dips or Goblet Squats or any other exercise that you need
- Rest
Repeat 4 more times for a total of 45 minutes and 300 reps (100 swings, 100 pushups, 100 curls).
When completed, this counts as 300 Reps.
I do this Giant Set on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Your Second Giant Set: 12 Complexes - Adapted from Scott Iardella's, The Shock & Awe Protocol
Latest Update: 12/15/2023
There are 12 different workouts or "Sessions." You do a different one each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for four weeks. If you are aiming at 500 reps, do the previous super set first then do one of these.
Complete all moves for each Complex with no rest. Then rest 2 minutes before starting your next round. If necessary, you can rest 3 minutes. Are you ready?
Complex Session One -- Monday Week 1
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Snatches Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Cleans Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Two -- Wednesday Week 1
- 5 Cleans Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Push Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds give 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Three -- Friday Week 1
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Cleans Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Push Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Renegade Rows Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
4 Rounds give 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Four -- Monday Week 2
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Cleans Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Five -- Wednesday Week 2
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Snatches Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Push Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Six -- Friday Week 2
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Renegaade Rows Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Cleans Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
4 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Seven -- Monday Week 3
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Snatches Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Eight -- Wednesday Week 3
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Renegade Rows Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Clean and Front Squat Each Arm = 20 Reps
4 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Nine -- Friday Week 3
- 5 Clean and Jerk Each Arm = 20 Reps (Note Compound Movement)
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Ten -- Monday Week 4
- 5 Clean and Press Each Arm = 20 Reps (Note Compound Movement)
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Push Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
4 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Eleven -- Wednesday Week 4
- 5 Snatches Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Push Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Renegade Rows Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Clean and Front Squat Each Arm = 20 Reps (Note Compound Movement)
4 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Complex Session Twelve -- Friday Week 4
- 5 Snatches Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Front Squats Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Presses Each Arm = 10 Reps
- 5 Swings Each Arm = 10 Reps
5 Rounds for 200 Reps.
2 Minutes rest between rounds. No rest between extercises.
Classic Double Arm Swings
Latest Update: 12/5/2023
On Tuesday and Thursday I do 500 standard double arm swings. These can be done using various programs as listed below:
- Pyramid 40, 30, 20, 10 with one or two minutes rest between groups. 100 swings, repeat five times for target count.
- Steady 25, 25, 25, 25 with one or two minutes rest between groups. 100 swings, repeat five times for target count.
- EMOM 50 minutes with 10 swing per each minute. 500 Swings.
- EMOM 10 minutes with 10 swings per each minute. 100 swings, repeat five times for target count.
- I sometimes mix these up to get my 500 swings.
What weight do I use?
The standard recommended weight for men is 16 to 24 kg (~35 to ~55 lb) and for women it is 4 to 12 kg (~10 to ~25 lb). However, you might want to start with
a lot less than that if you haven't already done a lot of kettlebell training. While getting ready for the Kettlebell Hell, consider starting out at about half of the
recommended weight. That would be about 25 lb for men and 10-12 pounds for women. But here is the key point: You can pick
any weight you want. You can go up or down in weight during any set or between sets. You can increase your weight each week
as your strength and metabolism improve - or don't. The weight selection is completely up to you.
Note that RKC Kettlebells come in kgs, but your gym might only have US pounds so there is some fudging in the recommended weights shown above.
How do I prepare for this?
Excellent question. There are two books you might want to checkout:
Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel Tsatsouline available from
Dragondoor
or
Amazon.
The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge by Dan John available from
Dragondoor
or
Amazon.
There are also some good videos showing correct form for each of the movements: