I recently completed my first 90 cycle employing the protocol outlined in Pavel Tsatsoulines book, Return of the Kettlebell.  The results I experience were phenomenal.  I increased my overall strength, especially my pressing power.  My conditioning improved considerably and my shoulder flexibility is noticeably improved.  I was also successful in adding a couple of pounds of muscle, although that was not my goal and I did nothing different with my diet.

During this 90 day cycle, I performed exercises that I had not performed previously.  The double kettlebell long cycle snatch, the front raise snatch and the viking push press are all new to me lifts.  In addition, I regularly performed double kettlebell military presses which I had only done sparingly in the past.  All of these lifts have now become regulars, even when not performing this protocol.

The cycle I employed was also different.  The 90 day’s were divided into 2 week cycles in which I performed 2 weeks of grind lifts (military press) and 2 weeks of explosive lifts (jerk).  This mini cycling made all the difference in that I was able to make progress on a weekly basis and just when things were getting stale, a new, fresh cycle would come along to add life to my workouts. 

I set 3 specific goals for this 90 day period. 

1. Complete 90% of my scheduled workouts.
2. Complete 5 ladders of 5 rungs with a pair of 24kg kettlebells in the military press.
3. Complete 2,4,6,8,10 x 5 ladders with a pair of 24kg kettlebells in the long cycle clean and jerk.

The first 2 goals were met, but I fell short of reaching the 3rd.  In looking back, the 3rd goal was way to ambitious for only 90 days.  I really didn’t know what to expect with the long cycle clean and jerk since I had never performed it before.  I will, however be performing this protocol again which will give me the opportunity to reach this goal.

Here is a list of lessons learned and observations I had during the past 90 days.

• A stop watch or digital clock is a must to accurately keep time.  It is a must that the time between rungs and between ladders be consistent from one workout to the next.  There is no way to accurately measure your progress if the time between rungs changes from workout to workout.
• Get a dry erase board to keep track of reps and sets.  I find that during a workout, I tend to forget which rung I’m on because I get so into the workout.  Write it down and you won’t need to remember.
• I never lost my edge from one 2 week cycle to the next, in fact I felt stronger.
• Don’t overdo it on the variety days.  I have a tendency to always go heavy and that can’t happen all the time.  During this protocol, the heavy day falls on Saturday so you have 4 workouts during the week before you even get to your heavy day.  If you kill yourself during each of the first 4 workouts, you’ll have nothing left for Saturday.  During my second variety day, I focused on stretching, and shoulder mobility drills and grip work which doesn’t tax the entire body.  I came into my heavy day on Saturday fresh and ready to go even though it was the 5th workout of the week.
• Eat a lot before and after your heavy day. 
• Keep variety days consistent with the focus of the 2 week cycle you are performing.  For instance, if I was in the middle of a grind cycle, I performed grind type lifts during my variety days.  Usually bent pressing or get ups.  During my explosive cycles, I performed snatches or swings during my variety days.
• Missing workouts in inevitable during a 90 day cycle.  If you miss one and can’t make it up, take out a variety day instead of a light, or medium day and never miss a heavy day.  I missed a few workouts during the past 90 days but always made sure that I got my heavy day lift in.
• Stretching between ladders is a must.  I stretched and performed 30 seconds or so with Indian clubs to help with recovery between ladders.
• I made remarkable strength gains in my upper body, especially with my pressing power.  During my last workout, I performed 5 ladder of 5 rungs with a pair of 24kg kettlebells and felt very strong doing so.  I actually felt pretty good at the conclusion of the workout but it wasn’t all the pressing I had been doing that helped increase my strength.  In my opinion, it was the clean and jerks that had the most to do with my strength and power gains I made with my pressing. 
• The double kettlebell long cycle clean and jerk is as much a practice in mental toughness as it is one of physical toughness.  There weren’t any instances while performing my presses that I wanted to quit but I wanted to quit about mid way through all of my heavy long cycle clean and jerk days.  Give them a try and you will see what I mean.
• A training partner or somebody to be accountable to is a must.  I prefer to lift alone but having my blog readers holding me accountable made all the difference.  There were plenty of times that I just didn’t feel up to lifting but I knew that I would have to explain myself to my blog readers if I missed workouts.  Telling you that I just didn’t feel like lifting wasn’t going to cut it.  If you can, lifting with a partner, somebody that can hold your feet to the fire is a huge advantage when it comes to meeting your strength and conditioning goals.

Well, there you have it.  I hope that my experiences during the past 90 days can serve to help you with your training whether you are performing the Return of the Kettlebell protocol or some other routine.  If you are on the fence about whether or not you want to give this type of training a try, I highly suggest you go for it.  Pavel and his training strategies NEVER disappoint and this time is no different from the others.

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.

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Day 85– 12-07-09 – Took day off.  Last week I had to push the workouts back one day so to get a rest after my heavy day, I scheduled it today.  I felt it was more important to miss a workout to get some rest then to push it and possibly ruin the week because of fatigue. 

Day 86– 12-8-09

Variety

Bent Press 24 kg kettlebell

• 3(reps) x 4

Indian Clubs (performed this as a kind of superset with the bent press.  Immediately after completing my bent press set, I pick up the indian clubs and do a couple of minutes.  Rest for a couple and repeat the bent press / indian club set.)

Misc. grip work.

Day 87 – 12-9-09 – 

Grind block – medium day

Double Kettlebell military press  20kg / 24kg

• 1,2,3,4 x 1
• 1,2,3 x 4

4 kettlebell front squats after each ladder

Sumo deadlifts 20kg / 24kg kettlebells

• 20 x 2

3 1/2 minutes between each ladder

Total workout time – 28 min

Day 88 - 12-10-09 – Rest

Day 89 - 12-11-09

Variety

Indian Clubs – 15 minutes

Bottoms up get ups 16kg kettlebell

• 2 ea side x 2 sets

Misc. grip work

Total workout time – 30 minutes

Random Thoughts

• First time I have performed the bottoms up get up.  This is a real grip smoker.  Master the bottoms up press before performing this move and don’t be afraid to bail on the lift if the kettlebell starts to fall.

Day 90 – 12-12-09

Grind block – HEAVY

Double Kettlebell military press  24kg / 24kg

• 1,2,3,4,5 x 5

5 kettlebell front squats after each ladder.

Sumo deadlifts  24kg / 24kg kettlebells

• 20×2

3 1/2 minutes between ladders.

Time to complete military press ladders – 33 minutes

Total workout time - 39 minutes

Random Thoughts

• Today was the final day of my 90 day Return of the Kettlebell protocol.  One of my goals for the 90 days was to complete 5 ladders consisting of 5 rungs with a pair of 24kg bells.  Although I had not planned to attempt that during this workout, I felt strong and since it was the last day of the cycle, I went for it and accomplished my goal. 
• My goal of 90% of the workouts completed during the 90 day cycle was also met this week.

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Day 71– 11-23-09

Explosive block - light day

Viking Push Press 16kg

•    2,4,6 x 5 cycles ea. arm

Front Raise Snatch  16kg

• 10 (reps) x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 29 minutes

Day 72 – 11-24-09 – Due to a scheduling conflict, today’s workout had to be postponed.

Day 73 - 11-25-09

Explosive block - medium day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 20 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 5 ladder – 3 minutes between each ladder (this is a 1/2 minute decrease from my last explosive block medium day cycle)

Total workout time – 25 minutes (shaved 1 minute from last explosive block medium day cycle)

Day 74 – 11-26-09 – Turkey Day! Rest

Day 75 – 11-27-09

Variety

Indian Clubs – 20 minutes

Misc grip work

Card deck tear x 2

Total workout time 37 min.

Day 76– 11-28-09

Explosive block - heavy day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 24 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 5 ladder – 3  minutes between each ladder

Random Thoughts

• This workout was absolutely brutal and a gut check as much as it was a physical test.  I gave it everything to shave 3 minutes off my best time. 
• My next long cycle clean and jerk heavy day goal will be to perform 2,4,6,8 x 1 / 2,4,6 x 4 ladders.
• Time between ladder will resume at 3 1/2 minutes 

Total workout time - 24 minutes – (shaved 3 minutes off last heavy day)

Day 77 – 11-29-09 – Rest

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Day 57 – 11-9-09

Grind Block - light day

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

•    1,2, x 5cycles 
•    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 1/2 minutes between ladders

Total workout time – 24 minutes

Day 58 - 10-10-09

Variety

Bent Press  24kg

• 2 reps x 3 ea arm

RKC Arm Bar 16kg kettlebell

• 5 minutes alternating arms

Stretching

Misc. Grip Work

Total workout time – 25 minutes

Day 59 – 11-11-09

Grind block – medium day

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

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

Sumo Squat 20kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 28 minutes

3 1/2  minutes between ladders

Day 60 – 11-12-09

Variety

Turkish Get Up  – performed with a 55lb barbell

• 5 minutes alternating arms

Overhead Squat  24kg kettlebell

• 5 minutes randomly switching arms

Stretching

Miscellaneous grip work

Total workout time – 30 min

Day 61– 11-13-09 – Rest

Day 62 – 11-15-09

Grind block – heavy day

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

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

Sumo Squat 24kg & 24kg kettlebells

•    20 x 2

Time to complete press / squat sequence – 27 minutes

Total workout time (not including warm up) 33 minutes

3 1/2  minutes between ladders

Random Thoughts

• I am acclimating well which means I am adding muscle and getting stronger.  In previous workouts, the last 2 ladders were performed with all heart.  During this workout, even though the workload was more then any other grind block workout, I felt strong until the end.  I think that I could have performed another 1 or 2 ladders in good form.

Day 63  – 11-16-09 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.

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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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Day 50 – 11-02-09

Explosive block - light day

Viking Push Press 16kg

•    2,4,6 x 5 cycles ea. arm

Front Raise Snatch  16kg

• 12 (reps) x 2

Total workout time (not including warm up) 23 minutes

Day 51 - 11-03-09

Variety

Hindu Squats

• 20 x 3  

Dead Stop Kettlebell Snatch  24kg

• 2 (reps) x 10 ea arm

Double Kettlebell Swings (both kettlebells held in one hand)  2 – 20kg bells

• 5 x 3 ea arm

Total Workout Time – 30 min.

Day 52 – 11-04-09

Explosive block - medium day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 20 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 5 ladder – 3 1/2 minutes between each ladder

Total workout time – 26 minutes

Day 53 – 11-05-09 – Rest

My schedule prevented me from getting in a workout today.  Ok though, I could use the rest.

Day 54 – 11-06-09 -

Variety

Kettlebell Snatch (light) 16kg

• 20 x 3

Misc grip work

Kettlebell Halos  16kg

• 5 each direction x 3

Phonebook tear

Total workout time 30 min.

Day 55– 11-07-09

Explosive block - heavy day

Long Cycle Clean and Jerk  2 24 kg kettlebells

• 2, 4, 6 x 5 ladder – 3 1/2 minutes between each ladder

Random Thoughts

• The time for the next workout will be reduced to 3 minutes between ladders. 
• As Pavel points out in his book, Return of the Kettlebell, long cycle clean & jerks are “as hard as exercises get due to the extra distance the bells have to travel and the extra muscle groups involved”.  I can certainly verify this as I get further into my workouts, especially when the time between ladders is reduced to 3 minutes.  At the end of each ladder, I am breathing like a locomotive and my arms are all but spent.  Long cycle clean and jerks are as much a mental workout as a physical one.   

Total workout time - 27 minutes

Day 56 – 11-08-09 – Rest

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I started this blog because I wanted to provide good quality information that others could benefit from in their quest to become stronger and better conditioned.  The information in these pages is derived from my studies and my experiences over the last 25 plus years in the iron game.  

I started lifting weights seriously when I was in my mid teens and have become extremely passionate about trying to reach the limits of my physical potential.  Now I have become passionate about helping others do the same thing.  Sharing what I have learned is my way of paying it forward. 

I have learned a lot over the last quarter century, mostly about what doesn’t work.  I am the classic hard gainer who has to work for every ounce of muscle I have.  I started out by reading an issue of Muscle & Fitness and following the workouts described.  My dream was to become a pro bodybuilder so that’s the kind of workouts I did.  

Although I abandoned that dream in my early twenties, I continued to train like a bodybuilder with my primary goal being to get as big as I could.  Being strong wasn’t my focus at that time.  I figured that by getting big, I would get strong as well. 

In my mid twenties I was a follower of Mike Mentzer and his high intensity principles.  My workouts were short and very intense.  I predominantly performed 1 or 2 lifts per body part with 1 working set after the warm up.  That set was always to all out failure and sometimes beyond.  I never left anything in the tank.  I lifted at one speed and that was all out balls to the wall.  

I continued to study and try new things but wasn’t ever able to see the results that I had hoped for.  I was fit and stronger then the average person but I had hoped to have more success then I had at that point. 

It was about 8 or 9 years ago that I first read an article by Pavel Tsatsouline in Muscle Media.  I don’t remember what it was about, but I remember being intrigued by what Pavel was saying.  What he said was nothing new because it was based on what the Soviet lifters had been doing for many years.  And doing very well I might add.  

Although what he preached was nothing new, it was to me.  I quickly began to read everything Pavel wrote and started buying his books and DVD’s and studying and practicing his methods.  That’s when I began using kettlebells and no longer trained to failure.  I changed my entire approached to working out and that’s when I started to realize my true potential. 

I now focus all my attention on strength and power.  Muscles for show no longer interest me.  A huge portion of my workouts are performed with kettlebells, probably 75 or 80 percent.  The rest of the time I use a barbell or perform odd lifts.  

I avoid training to failure like the plague and cycle my training to always be making progress.  My reps for grind type lifts like military presses, dead lifts or bent presses are kept around 5.  I only go higher for explosive type lifts like snatches or jerks. Back in the old days, a rarely performed less then 8 reps and usually did 10 or 12.  Also gone are the days of hour and a half or two hour workouts.  40 to 45 minutes tops. 

The biggest change is probably my focus on total body lifts.  Barbell curls serve no purpose in real life and do nothing to make you strong and powerful.  I practice moves like the Turkish Get Up, the Bent Press, the Clean and Jerk and deadlifts.  These lifts require you to coordinate all the muscles of the body to work in concert with each other.  You must learn to move under load, a feat that mimics real life.  

I have learned how to use body weight only lifts to supplement my resistance training and lastly, I have added odd, non-conventional lifts and feats of strength.  Pull ups holding onto a rope with one hand, sandbag carries, phonebook and card tears and nail bending.  

This paradigm shift in my thinking brought on by the desire and passion to continue my workout education has brought me much success in the last 6 or 7 years.  I have made more gains in that time then in the almost 20 years prior.    

I have never been stronger and better conditioned then I am now at 41.  Every year I continue to make progress by continuing to educate myself and practice what I learn.  

In this age of massive amounts of information exchange, there has never been more knowledge available to you and me with regard to strength and conditioning.  Yet with all the advancements in the field of physical culture, it is the simple things that have always worked in the past to make men strong that will work in the future. 

Kettlebells have been around for hundreds of years and are as effective now as they were then.  A simple circular piece of iron with a handle helped change who I am physically and mentally.  I only discovered kettlebells because I never stopped trying to learn and improve my approach towards lifting.  

Never stop asking the question, what if?  Never stop asking the question, what about me?  I am who I am and have achieved the things I have because I am always asking those questions and seeking the answers. 

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.

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