A key ingredient in ones ability to press efficiently, thus heavy, is the concept known as rooting.  Meaning, during the overhead press, the athlete should not only push the kettlebell up, but also push his body away from the resistance.  If done correctly, the athlete will be able to feel it in his feet and the feeling that you are pushing back against the weight with your feet should become obvious.  The power to press a heavy kettlebell overhead literally should come from the ground up.

Why this happens can be explained by Newtons third law which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  When we press, if we don’t push back with our feet, some of our power will bleed out.  Pushing back with our feet sends the energy back up through the kettlebell.

Now, lets take this concept one step further.  In addition to pushing down into the floor with our feet, visualize that you are cork screwing your feet into the ground.  This corkscrew effect will amplify the power you generate in the legs and create a greater degree of tension which moves it’s way up through the thighs, into your core and up through the kettlebell.  I like to plant my feet while twisting my heals in slightly and gripping the ground with my toes.  The affect is much greater if you press with bare feet.

I first learned of this concept while deadlifting.   I would set my feet and screw them into the ground.  This technique allowed me to create a great deal of tension before I even lifted the bar off the floor.  I have also employed this technique to my bench press where I would attempt to twist my arms inward during the press.  The amount of weight I could handle in both the deadlift and the bench press increased significantly by just employing this one technique.  I later experienced similar results while performing the military press.

Oh, and if you are having trouble trying to complete a pistol or a one arm push up, this technique is almost guaranteed to get you over the hump.

Kill It!

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.

Tweet This Post

If you have ever watch tennis on TV, then you have heard power breathing in action, sometimes to the annoyance of the viewer but always to the advantage of the athlete.  This technique was mastered by Karate masters long ago and perfected by the great Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee weighing 135 pounds was able to generate so much power with his kicks that he could send a 300 pound heavy bag slapping against the ceiling.  Chuck Norris has called Bruce Lee pound for pound one of the strongest men in the world.  While there are many factors that went into his amazing feats, power breathing was one of the most important and one that anybody can learn to master.

Power breathing increases your intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressure which in turn amplifies your strength.  Sudden forcing out of the breathe by use of a powerful contraction of the respiratory muscles and the abs in sync with the exertion of the muscles used to punch or kick a heavy bag or hit a tennis ball is called power breathing.  It manifests itself in the form of a yell or a scream as the air is powerfully forced out.  At this moment, your body is able to create a great deal of muscular tension, and it is this tension that equals strength.

Lets use the example of a press, in this case the bench press.  Before unracking the weight, inhale and flex your abdominals, holding the breathe.  Your abs should be tight but not bulging out and your anal sphincter should be contracted.   As you drive the bar upwards, squeeze your abs, and begin to exhale in a narrow, high pressure stream.  Be sure not to expel all the air as you want to remain tight and stabilized to the end.  This expelling of the air should be in sync with the time it takes to complete the lift.  Long slow exhalation if you are performing a bench press, short quick exhalation if you are performing a kettlebell swing.  Your abs will remain tight throughout.

A leading Russian strength authority, Prof. Vladimir Zatsiorsky recommends the following drill to learn proper power breathing technique.  Inhale about 75% of your maximum air intake while contracting your abs and keeping the glottis closed (basically the muscles of the throat) and the rectal sphincter contracted.  Expel the air forcefully in about 3 – 5 seconds.  The good Prof. recommends 15 reps of this and 3 -4 sets spread out over the course of a day.

In addition to making your lift stronger, inhaling and holding it with abs and sphincter contracted also serves to protect the lower back from injury and keep you stabilized throughout the lift.  It is this technique which allows me to deadlift heavy without the use of a lifting belt.  It has served me well but everybody is different so it is your choice whether or not to use a belt.

Some lifts will allow you to partially rest in between reps.  When performing the bench press, once the bar is again over your head, you can rest a couple of seconds before lowering it and performing another rep.  Taking a couple of breathes before lowering the bar is permissible but be sure to not expel all the air or you loose the tightness and stability we need to stay safe and perform optimally.  If you do rest and as you take some breathes, remember to keep the abs tight as you breathe.  This technique is called “breathing behind the shield” and it will serve to prevent many an injury.

As with anything, if you have any health concerns,  consult with a doctor before you begin using this technique.  And don’t be surprised it your doctor tells you it’s a bad idea to hold your breathe during exercise.  Unless his name is Bruce Lee, what does he know.

Kill It,

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.

Tweet This Post

Tension, tension, tension.  Learn to create it and you WILL become stronger overnight.  When I first heard that I could become stronger literally overnight, I was of course skeptical.  After I put the principle of irradiation into practice, I was amazed at just how much more weight I could lift, literally overnight.

I believe very strongly in creating tension during the grind lifts.  So strongly that I can at time over do it when training others to become stronger.  Without tension you are weak and prone to injury.  Learn to create tension before and during your lift and you will immediately be able to move more weight and be safer in the process.

Irradiation is best explained with this simple example that you can test right now.  As you read this, stand up and make a fist.  Nothing special, just make a regular tight fist.  Now, squeeze it even tighter.  You want to go from making a tight fist to making a tighter fist.  Now, make it even tighter.  I mean squeeze like you have never squeezed before.  Your knuckles should be turning white and your finger tips ought to be on the verge of cutting through your palm.

If you are doing it right, if you are squeezing for all your worth, you should notice that not only is your forearm contracting but your bicep and tricep and shoulder and even your chest ought to be contracting.  This is irradiation.  The tension spreads from your forearm and amplifies the strength of the working muscles.

Now, apply this to an overhead press.  Instead of just picking up a kettlebell and pushing it overhead, pick it up and crush the handle for all your worth and then press it.  The same thing will happen that happened when you made a fist.  Your shoulder and chest will contract harder then before because the tension has spread from your forearm up through the primary working muscles.  Again, you are amplifying your strength.

Taking the same example of the overhead press, try creating tension in your legs, glutes, abs and lats as well as in your forearm and the affect will be that much more pronounced.  If done correctly, this one technique should increase your pressing power considerably.  Irradiation should be employed on all your grinding lifts.

Not only will you be able to move more weight but you will do it more safely.  Tighten the abs and glutes during your presses and your lower back will be virtually impervious to injury.

One important point to consider is that you must create this tension BEFORE you begin your lift.  A muscle under load cannot contract to it’s fullest potential.  A good example of this is to watch an arm wrestler.  You will note that as the two opponents lock hands together and prepare for battle, they each create a white knuckle grip on the others hands.  If one of the competitors were to wait for the referee to say go before creating tension, the match would be over before it even started.

When performing a kettlebell clean to a press, it is important to create the tension in you body as the bell is coming up to the chest, just before it is caught in the rack position.  If you have been lifting kettlebells for a while, you know that it is usually easier to clean the bell between each press then it is to clean it once and perform multiple presses.  This is because you get the advantage of resetting the tension in your body in between each press.

Remember, tension equals strength, and lots of it.

Kill It!

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.

Tweet This Post

Day 36 – 10-19-09

Grind Block - light day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3 x 4 cycles
•    1 x 1 cycle
•    3 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 24 minutes

3 minutes between ladders

Music selection – Alice in Chains

Random Thoughts

• I decreased the time between ladders from 3 1/2 minutes to 3. 
• I decreased the number of squats to 3 for the light day.  This adds a cycle to the squats and mixes things up.

Day 37 - 10-20-09

Variety

Turkish Get Ups  24kg

• 5 minutes alternating hands 

Bent Press  24 kg kettlebell

• 2(reps) x 6 ea arm

Stretching between each set of bent presses.

Phonebook tear

Music selection – Metallica

Total workout time – 35 minutes

Random Thoughts

• Goal was to perform low reps with high sets for the bent press with the objective of adding a lot of volume but remaining fresh with a relatively light weight. 
• Bent Pressing will remain a constant during the variety days of my grind blocks.
• Lots of stretching between bent press sets to keep the shoulders and upper body lose.
• No negative on the bent press.  Once the kettlebell is in the top position and I am fully upright, I drop the weight to my chest in a manner similar to that of a jerk.

Day 38 – 10-21-09

Grind block – medium day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 4 cycles
•    1,2 x 1 cycle
•    4 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 29 minutes

3  minutes between ladders

Music selection – Variety

Day 39 – 10-22-09

Variety

Windmills  16kg kettlebell

• 5 x 3

RKC Arm Bar

• 5 minutes randomly switching arms

Pistols

• 2 x 3 ea leg

Miscellaneous grip work

Total workout time – 30 min

Music selection – Black Sabbath

Day 40– 10-23-09 – Rest

Day 41 – 10-24-09

Grind block – heavy day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 4 cycles
•    1,2,3 x 1 cycle
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Time to complete press / squat sequence – 22 minutes

Total workout time (not including warm up) 29 minutes

3  minutes between ladders

Music selection – Metallica

Random Thoughts

• Today I attempted to decrease the time it took me to perform my press / squat sequence.  Although I decreased the time between ladders to 3 minutes, I was not able to reduce the overall time.  My next heavy grind block day will then have an added rung.  (1,2,3,4 x 5)

Day 42  – 10-25-09 Rest

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.

Tweet This Post

Day 29 – 10-12-09

Grind Block - light day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3 x 4 cycles
•    1 x 1 cycle
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 24 minutes

3 1/2 minutes between ladders

Music selection – Alice in Chains

Random Thoughts

• I decreased the time between ladders from 4 minutes to 3 1/2. 

Day 30 - 10-13-09

Variety

Turkish Get Ups  24kg

• 5 minutes alternating hands 

Lateral Raises  10 lbs

• 10 x 3 

Stretching

Deck Pistols holding 10lb plate

• 3 ea leg x 3 sets 

Music selection – Stone Temple Pilots

Total workout time – 20 minutes

Day 31 – 10-14-09

Grind block – medium day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 4 cycles
•    1,2 x 1 cycle
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 30 minutes

3 1/2 minutes between ladders

Music selection – Stone Temple Pilots

Day 32 – 10-15-09 – This was a scheduled variety day but I was felling a little fatigued and rundown so I decided to take the day off.

Day 33 – 10-16-09 – Rest

Day 34 – 10-17-09

Grind block – heavy day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 4 cycles
•    1,2,3 x 1 cycle
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Time to complete press / squat sequence – 22 minutes

Total workout time (not including warm up) 30 minutes

3 1/2 minutes between ladders

Music selection – Metallica

Random Thoughts

• Felt strong but started to get a little warn down sooner then I should have.  In my experience this is due to not eating enough during the day.  I was guilty of that today.  Heavy days require lots of calories.  Will correct for future workouts.
• The number of ladders and rungs I performed are right at my limit.  Adding more at this time would most likely result in bad form and or injury.  My goal for the next heavy day will be to perform the same number of ladders and rungs for each in less time. 

Day 35 – 10-18-09 – Rest

Tweet This Post

Day 22 – 10-5-09

Explosive block - light day

Viking Push Press 16kg

•    2,4,6 x 4 cycles ea. arm

Front Raise Snatch  16kg

• 10 (reps) x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 24 minutes

Random Thoughts

• Start of a new week and with it comes the addition of a ladder.  The rungs will remain the same at 2, 4, 6 but I will add a ladder bringing the total to 4. 
• The Front Raise Snatch remains at 10 reps for 2 sets.  I’m still learning this lift and adding more reps and or sets starts to become grueling.  Too much for the light day.  The Viking Push Press is the focus on light days.

Total workout time – 24 minutes

Day 23 - 10-6-09

Variety

Kettlebell Swings  16kg

• 20 x 3 alternating hands 

Turkish Get-ups  20kg kettlebell

• 5 minutes

Hindu Squats 

• 20 reps x 3

Pinch block static holds  – one hand alternating

• 30 lbs x 20 sec
• 25 lbs x 25 sec
• 20 lbs x 30 sec

Stretching throughout workout

Music selection – Alice in Chains

Total workout time – 31 minutes

Day 24 – 10-7-09

Explosive block - medium day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 20 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 4 ladder – 3 minutes between each ladder

Random Thoughts

• As with the Viking Push Press, I added a fourth ladder.  Today’s workout felt much better then last weeks medium day.  I was in the groove from the first rep and felt strong the entire workout.

Total workout time – 19 minutes

Music Selection – Metallica

Day 25 – 10-8-09

Variety

Kettlebell Swings  20kg

• 20 x 3

RKC Arm Bar  16kg

• 5 min randomly switching arms

15/15 conditioning protocol  16kg bell

• 7 reps x 20 cycles

Stretching

Total workout time 30 min.

Music selection  – Alice in Chains

Day 26 – 10-09-09 – Rest

Day 27 – 10-10-09

Explosive block - heavy day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 24 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 4 ladder – 3 minutes between each ladder

Random Thoughts

• This protocol calls for a rest period between ladders that is slightly to short to aid in full recovery.  The theory being that if you begin each ladder in a less then fully recovered state, progress comes faster then if you were fully recovered.  I have elected to rest 3 minutes between each ladder which for me is about 1 or 2 minutes less then optimal recovery.  I kept an eye on the clock after my last ladder and felt like I was fully recovered at about 4 and a half minutes.  3 seems like a good time between ladders.  I am recovered enough to that I have caught my breathe and am able to complete the next ladder in good form but could still use another minute or so to feel really good.
• By the middle of the 3rd ladder, it becomes a mind of matter game as my body desperately wants to quit.
• It is a mental struggle to maintain good form by the middle of the 3rd ladder.  It is critical to stay focused and not zone out here. 

Total workout time - 20 minutes

Music Selection – Black Sabbath

Day 28 – 10-11-09 – Rest

Tweet This Post

As I have always said, one of the best things about incorporating kettlebells into your strength and fitness routine is it’s versatility.  In the video below, I demonstrate how a kettlebell, in this case 2 kettlebells can be used in combination with body weight only exercises to create a full body strength and conditioning program.  Do this combo for time or for a set number of reps and beware, it will kick our butt.

Yours in Health,

Dennis

PLEASE RETWEET

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.

Tweet This Post

Today starts the fist week of explosive block training.   My main focus during this block will be the long cycle clean and jerk.  Before each jerk, the kettlebell must be cleaned.  I will still be performing ladders but they will look a little different.  Each rung represents 2 reps,  2, 4, 6, 8, 10.  I will eventually climb 5 ladders which will total 150 reps.  The other major difference is that I will not be performing this lift with 2 different size kettlebells.  My heavy day will consist of 2 24kg bells and my medium day, 2 20 kg kettlebells.  Same number of ladders and rungs on both days, the difference is the weight of the bell.

On light days, I will not perform the long cycle C & J, substituting the Viking Push Press instead.  Also performed on the light day will be the kettlebell front raise snatch.  (both these lifts will be explained in latter posts)

Day 15 – 9-28-09

Explosive block - light day

Viking Push Press 16kg

•    2,4,6 x 3 cycles ea. arm

Front Raise Snatch  16kg

• 10 (reps) x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 21 minutes

Random Thoughts

• Today was a first for a couple of lifts.  The Viking Push press I have practiced with to get the feel for the lift but I have never performed it in during a workout.  Performing this lift properly is all about getting the timing down.  The first couple of cycles were an issue in that my timing on the left side was off and I found the kettlebell bouncing off my chest awkwardly.  On the right side I was fine.  By the 3rd cycle, I had the timing almost perfect and the lift felt really good.  One thing to note is that Pavel calls for performing this lift with 2 kettlebells.  I only have 1 16kg bell so I elected to perform the lift with just the one alternating hands after each cycle.  I think it is actually slightly more work that way because there is no rest after each rung is performed on each side.  Once I comeplete the first rung consisting of 2 reps on the right side, I switch hands and complete it on the left.  Switch hands and then complete the next rung, swithch hands and so on. 
• The other new lift is the kettlebell Front Raise Snatch.  Again, I have only toyed around with this lift in the past.  The verdict is in, I love this lift.  This movement targets not only the entire shoulder and the muscles of the upper back but it does a number on the body as a whole.  To perform this lift properly, one must become as rigid as a steel beam.  My thighs actually started to feel a little bit of a burn form tensing them up so hard at the top of the lift.  (Stay tuned for a vid explaining this lift)

Day 16 - 9-29-09

Variety

Kettlebell Swings  16kg

• 20 x 3 alternating hands 

Misc. body weight only (explosive movements)

• Push-ups  5 x 4 – performed these explosively attempting to see how far I could come of the ground.
• Standing broad jump – 5 x 2

Stretching – emphasised on upper body and hips.

Deck of cards tear – 1 deck x 2

Total workout time - 25 min

Music selection – Stone Temple Pilots

Day 17 - 9-30-09

Explosive Block – medium day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk – 2 20kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6, x 3 cycles – 3 minute rest between cycles

Total workout time – 15 minutes

Music selection – random artists

Random Thoughts

• Today was another first.  First time I have performed the clean and jerk with 2 kettlebells and the first time I have performed this lift employing the ladder protocol.
• This lift is a very good systemic workout that really gets the heart pumping. 
• Amazed how much this lift targeted my thighs.  On the last rung of 6 reps they were starting to burn.  Good stuff!
• You will not that the workout time was only 15 minutes.  The first thing to recognize is that this is the first workout employing this protocol so it will be the shortest.  By the ime I’m done, I will be racing the clock to get the workout completed in 45 minutes.  I will also be performing 150 reps per workout at the top of the ladder.  And remember, we are cycling so in the beginning, the workouts will be easier then towards the middle and the end.  Trust me, I have been cycling for years and as you progress further and further into the cycle, you will be praying for an easy workout.  Cycling involves a cumulative effort.  It’s not today’s workout or tomorrows workout that counts, it’s today’s workout and tomorrows and the day after that and so on that counts. 

Day 18 - 10-1-09

Variety

Front raise snatch  16kg kettlebell

• 10 (reps) x 2

Viking conditioning 15/15 protocol  16kg

• 20 cycles, each consisting of 7 reps.

Misc Stretching

Windmill  16kg

• 3 x 3 ea. side

Total workout time – 30 minutes

Music selection – various artists

Day 19 10-2-09 – Rest

Day 20 - 10-3-09

Explosive Block – heavy day

Long cycle clean and jerk  24kg / 24kg

• 2, 4, 6 x 3cycles – 3 minutes of rest between cycles

Random Thoughts

• First explosive block heavy day and it was short but brutal.

Day 21 - 10-4-09 – Rest

Week 3 wrap-up

• First explosive week in the books.  The workouts this week were short but very intense.  This is the first time I have jerked 2 kettlebells in a workout and I feel like I am adjusting nicely.
• First time doing the kettlebell front raise snatch.  Loved it so much I performed in on a variety day. 
• The long cycle clean and jerk is a real systemic killer.  My entire body feels it when I’m down.  Completing 5 ladders of 5 rungs with the last rung being 10 reps is going to be a bitch but I will be a better man for completing it.

Tweet This Post

I remember back when I first started lifting weights, I followed a bodybuilding protocol.  I would target 2 or 3 different body groups and perform 3 or 4 different lifts per body part.  I would then follow a schedule that prescribed that I work each body part twice weekly.  The lifts targeted specific muscle groups and not the body as a whole.  The results were muscles that were not as strong as they appeared.  I certainly didn’t have any real world strength.  What I could do was perform barbell curls with a ton of weight.  Big f*#k’n deal.

What has changed for me during the last half of my lifting career is that I now focus on becoming strong and being able to use my body as one.  Who gives a crap how much you can curl unless you are training specifically to be a bodybuilder.  Beyond that, your focus should not on performing single joint, specific muscle targeted lifts.  Your body does not work that way in the real world and you shouldn’t train it that way in the gym.

Enter the kettlebell and the combination lift.  With a kettlebell, it is possible to create a workout by putting together a sequence of lifts that target multiple muscle groups or even the entire body in one superset.  Not only will you be working your entire body, you will be able to do it effectively in a very short period of time. 

The key here is to complete each set without putting the kettlebell down between lifts.  Transferring from one hand to another is ok but parking the bell is a no no.  Not only will you get a heck of workout in a very short period of time, but if you use your imagination, you will defeat one of the top reasons why people don’t stick with their workout routines; boredom.  Face it, we all get bored from time to time if we do the same things over and over again.  If you take every kettlebell lift and pick your favorite 3 or 4 or 5 lifts and combine them, you create for yourself a never ending list of workouts always different and more challenging from the last. 

Here are a few exaples for you:

Clean / Press / Squat
Clean / Squat / Press
Swing / High Pull / Snatch / Press
Double kettlebell front squat / Double kettlebell press / Alternate kettelbell cleans

….and the list goes on.  One of my favorites is to add a get up at the beginning of the lift and then reverse it after the last rep.  In other words, start your combination lift lying on the ground and finish in the same fashion.  You can design your combination lifts to be all slow grinds or all explosive lifts or a combination of the two.  You can perform 2 or 3 lifts that target a specific group of muscles or the whole body.  I prefer the latter but it is up to you.  Perform the combo lifts for reps or for time. 

The thing to remember is to get creative and forget about what you have been taught in the past.  To steal a saying from Nike, just do it.

Yours in Health,

Dennis

P.S. – I will soon be adding a members area to the blog.  In the past I have stopped short of giving to many specifics in my posts but in the new premier members area, I will go into great detail about how to properly perform each lift, in depth strategies for improving your strength and conditioning, grip strength and what ever else I can think of.  I will also be revealing all the tools I use in addition to my kettlebells.  More videos, audio interviews with top trainers and much more exclusive content.  If you are a regular subscriber to my FREE blog, you will be the first to know when we go live so you can be the first to get it.

This post is meant to give you some ideas and get you pointed in the right direction as it relates to using a kettlebell.  You will obviously not master the kettlebell just by reading this post.  I would strongly suggest you seek out quality instruction either with a certified trainer or through the use of books and videos.  The best in the business is Pavel Tsatsouline.  I would suggest to you “Enter the Kettlebell“  by Pavel.  As with any fitness routine, check with your doctor first.  

Please Retweet

Tweet This Post

Day 8 – 9-21-09

Grind block – light day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3 x 3 cycles
•    1 x 2 cycles
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 16kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 23 minutes

Music selection – Rush

Random Thoughts

• I altered slightly this workout from what is prescribed in Return of the Kettlebell.  The light day ladders calls for 5 ladders containing 2 rungs less then you performed on your heavy day.  The medium day would be 1 less rung.  As I talked about last week, I had a misunderstood of how I was supposed to be performing the ladders so I only performed 3 ladders and attempted 5 rungs.  Should have been the reverse, 5 ladders containing 3 rungs.  With that said, today’s workout would have been 5 ladders with 1 rung each.  So on my heavy day from week 1 I performed 3 ladders, 2 of which had 5 rungs and 1 containing 2 rungs.  Today I improvised and did 1,2,3 x 3 (2 rungs lower then my best on my last heavy day) and 1 x 2 (2 rungs lower then my last ladder on my last heavy day).  Clear as mud right?  On my next heavy day, I will attempt 5 ladders, each with 4rungs with a pair of 24kg bells.  I should be able to get at least 3 ladders with the prescribed 4 rungs.  The last 2, provided I can’t get my 4 in good form would contain 3 or possibly 2.  My next light day should be back on track. 
• Still feeling the affects of my last heavy day which was only 2 days ago. 
• Starting to become comfortable with 2 kettlebells of differing weights.

Day 9 - 9-22-09

Variety

Bent Press – 20kg kettlebell

• 2 (reps) x 5 each arm

RKC Arm Bar – 16kg bell

• 5 minutes randomly switching arms

Pinch-block Lifts – 25lbs

• 5 x 3

Stretching  – Concentrated on shoulders and upper torso. 

Deck of Card Tear

Total workout time - 30 min

Music selection – Metallica

Day 10 – 9-23-09

Grind block – medium day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 3 cycles
•    1,2 x 2 cycles
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 30 minutes

Music selection – Godsmack

Random Thoughts

• Feeling a little rundown from the cumulative affects of the workouts.  My shoulder feel tired.  One problem that I have always had is the inability to hold back during workouts that should be light.  I tend to do to much on my variety days.  Tomorrow’s lift has to be light or I’m going to start seeing diminished results.
• Need to concentrate on leaning into the press and not back.  Leaning backwards is not healthy for the back and will eventually result in injury.  I started to feel it a bit in my back because I caught myself leaning backwards slightly.
• I need to do a better job at contracting the glutes to protect my lower back.  There were times during this workout where I felt myself being too loose in my lower body.  Again, this is a recipe for disaster as I continue to climb the ladder and the workouts become more demanding.

Day 11- 9-24-09

Variety

Lateral raises – very light – 10lb plate – 10×3

• 2 (reps) x 5 each arm

Turkish Get-Ups – 16kg bell

• 5 minutes alternating arms

Hindu Squats  – 20 x 2

Stretching  – Concentrated on shoulders and upper torso. 

Total workout time - 20 min

Music selection – Black Sabbath

Day 12 – 9-25-09 Rest

Day 13 – 9-26-09

Grind block – heavy day

Double Kettlebell Military Press / Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    1,2,3,4 x 3 cycles
•    1,2,3 x 2 cycles
•    5 front squats on last set of each cycle

Sumo Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 37 minutes

Music selection – Metallica

Random Thoughts

• Tough workout but I felt very good throughout.  I forgot to do squats at the end of the first ladder so I made them up at the end.  No worries though.
• One problem I have had in the past is leaning back and not staying tight, especially in my glutes.  Today I focused on that and felt zero strain on my lower back.
• Between ladders I perform very light presses and lateral raises with a 5 or 10 pound plate.  Just 5 of each and then I stretch the shoulders and shake out my arms.  I fell a noticeable difference in the recovery between ladders when I do the light presses and lateral raises.  Active recovery definitely works.

Day 14 - 9-27-09 – Rest

Week 2 wrap-up

I started the week feeling tired and rundown and was almost certain I was going to have to take off an extra day.  I think the main reason for this is that I find it very difficult to lay off during my variety days.  The second variety day this week was only 20 minutes long and I did a good job of laying off and performing some very light work to just get some blood flowing.  Seemed to work because I felt great going into my heavy day.

I am beginning to acclimate to the use of 2 kettlebells.  As I have said, I for the most part have only trained with 1 bell with the occasionally double kettlebell alternate clean or the sea-saw press. 

I completed so far all the scheduled workouts and feel physically very good going into week 3.  Week 3 will begin the explosive block phase giving me a break from pressing for the next couple of weeks.  Should be fun. 

Tweet This Post