You have heard me talk in the past about functional or real world strength. I can’t take credit for the term, I first read about it in an article that Bruce Lee wrote for a popular muscle magazine. What functional strength means to me is being as strong as you look and knowing how to use that strength in real world situations.
For example, being able to barbell curl lots of weight may give you big biceps but it doesn’t really help you in the real world. Being able to pick up a hundred pound sand bag off the ground, clean it to your shoulder and run with it 100 yards builds strength, power and speed that has many useful applications.
One of the often overlooked aspects of strength in general and functional strength in particular is strength endurance. It’s one thing to be able to clean and jerk alot of weight overhead once and it’s an etirely different thing to be about to do it 10 or 20 or 30 times. Each type of strength has it’s purpose and each is critical to your success as an athlete.
Check out some of these accomplishments from professional strongman and grip master John Brookfield. He was not only strong but he possessed enormous strength endurance.
- Ripped in half 60 decks of cards in 1 minute.
- Ripped 100 decks in 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
- 302 kettlebell snathces in 10 minutes with a 24 kg bell.
- 1200 snathces with a 24 kg kettlebell in 1 hour.
- Bent 520 60d nails in 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Holy shit, that is one strong SOB.
We build strength endurance by practicing lifting heavy weights for many reps and sets otherwise knows as volume training. I’m not talking about body building type lifting in which we perform 10 or 12 reps of a particular lift. We want to chose a weight that allows us to perform in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 reps. You could get 6 but it would be an all out effort and we do not train to failure here.
Now, perform 2 or 3 reps, rest 30 seconds or so and repeat. You might perform 8, 9, 10 sets. Or you could employ the ladder technique. Same weight but perform 1 rep and rest briefly. Then perform 2 reps and rest, then 3, 4 and 5 in the same manner. Thats 1 ladder. Rest a few minutes and repeat up to 5 ladders. You get the idea. Of course remember to always be cycling your training for maximum benefits.
Give this a try and I promise you strength that won’t quite.
Yours in Health,
Dennis
P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it. ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com
Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates kettlebells, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen. Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable. In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.
List of John Brookfield feats provided by Dennis Rogers.
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I have been in the iron game for over 25 years. In that time, I have become a student of how to increase ones strength and fitness. I swear by kettlebell training and can say without a doubt that kettlebells are your one stop source for taking your strength and fitness to extreme levels.
"It is not enough for me anymore to keep what I have learned through study and through trial and error to myself. It has now become my quest to pass my knowledge and experience on to anybody who truely shares my passion to become the best athlete they can".
-Dennis
