KettlebellPlanet.com

Here is the workout we did today to build our speed and improve our technique in the squat and the deadlift.

• Speed Box Squat 8 x 2 at 60% of max, straight weight (no bands or chains today)
• Speed Deadlift 10 x 1 at 60% of max
• Stiff Legged Deadlift 3 x 6-10
• Standing Cable Crunch 3 x 6-10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OamqHeqLDK8

Ken Blackburn
Hello everyone,
Just a quick note to say a new video from Coach Denis Kanygin has been uploaded to the IKFF You Tube Channel. If you subscribe to the channel, you will be alerted via e-mail whenever a new video is added.
Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/IKFFChannel
All the best,
Ken

Ab Torture III Workout: VIDEO INSIDE!
Scott Sonnon


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DzO3YxSXvs

Rannoch Donald
Here's a clip of the recent CKT 2 in Edinburgh Scotland. For those for you who've not yet experienced an IKFF certification, check this out and see what you are missing!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTuiZtmCHSc

Ryan Shanahan
Hello Kettlebell Lovers
Earlier this year I posted an exclusive interview with Lisa Balash, kettlebell trainer to bodybuilding champion Jay Cutler. At that time Jay Cutler was fresh from losing his Mr. Olympia title and had been facing harsh criticism for his thick waist and out of proportioned Abdominal muscles.
Many said his winning ways were in the past and would not return..."It's not if you get knocked down , its if you get back up"- Boxing Legend Muhamed Ali
Kettlebell trainer Lisa Balash spent a full year training Jay Cutler with a specialized waist slimming KettleBell routine.
The Result? Last night, Sept 26, Jay Cutler became the first bodybuilder in history to regain the Mr. Olympia title after losing it!
Bodybuilding magazine writers and experts were absolutely amazed at the transformation of his body, and some are know calling Jay 'the incredible shrinking waist' Cutler!!
Lets revisit our history making interview with 2009 Mr Olympia Jay Cutler's Secret Weapon, Lisa Balash.
Interview Link:
http://ilovemykb.blogspot.com/2009/01/who-is-jay-cutlers-sercret-weapon-for.html
I Love my KettleBell :-)
Ryan Shanahan
btw- Lisa Balash has just finished filming a DVD featuring her kettlebell techniques and routines.

Today I hit the gym for an upper body hypertrophy workout. As a powerlifter, speed days are what I usually do if it isn't a max effort day but you can never be too muscular, so mass days are important too.
Here is the workout I did:

• Barbell Clean and Press, work up to a good weight and then do 5x5
• Parallel Grip Pull-Ups x 50 reps total paired with Dips x 100 reps total

That is it! Pretty simple eh? If you still feel fresh after that short but brutal workout either you went too light or you wimped out on something. That being said, feel free to do some arm work to finish yourself off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpsZeSq4td0

Here is today's kettlebell workout to be done in a complex fashion (do one round of each drill then rest 3 minutes or so).

• Mobility Drills, 10 minutes
• Dynamic Warm-Up, 10 minutes

Kettlebell Complex, using 2 kettlebells, 4 rounds total, 5-10 reps per drill:

• Kettlebell Clean
• Single Leg Deadlift
• Kettlebell Military Press
• Kettlebell Suitcase Lunge
• Kettlebell Over Head Twist
• Kettlebell Rack Squat

If these complexes are easy finish with a burn-out set of as many swings as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA1n11ph_wU

IKFF Update - Rome CKT
Ken Blackburn.
Hello everyone,
We have some very important updates in regard to the IKFF CKT in Rome, Italy. First, Emanuele Mattera is no longer the host of this course or a Certified Kettlebell Teacher (CKT) through the IKFF. If you have registered through him, please contact him directly for a refund since the IKFF has received no registrations in that regard. If you are interested in registering for this course, please visit http://www.ikff.net/.
Questions? - contact Ken Blackburn at ken.blackburn@ikff.net
Thanks, IKFF Team


Anti-Muffintop Ab Torture Workout (Zuzana Alert!)
Scott Sonnon


http://www.flowcoach.tv/?p=619

16 minute Lifeguard Workout for a Chiseled Back and Shoulders
Scott Sonnon
http://www.flowcoach.tv/?p=617

Today my friend Casey and I hit the backyard for a fun kettlebell workout. It was really hot today so the workout was short and snappy, with the only interruptions being his 3 year old daughter demanding to be thrown in the air like a kettlebell!

• Mobility Work (try to move each joint one at a time through it's full range of motion)
• Dynamic Warm-Up (lunges, push-ups, ab work, etc)
• Kettlebell 2 Handed Swings x 20
• Kettlebell 1 Handed Swings x 10+10
• Kettlebell Juggling 2 sets to max
• Figure 8 With A Hold 2 x max
• Military Press 3 x max (using different sized kettlebells in each hand)
• Kettlebell Bear Walk 3 x max
• Kettlebell Lunge With Under Leg Pass 2 x max
• Kettlebell Arm Bar 2 x 5

As you can see it was a fun little workout that had us moving in a variety of different ways to keep us limber and lean! Check out the video of a kettlebell bear walk below, I highly recommend this drill if you have the space!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah2u2tWge-w

Hey everyone. The other day I received an Amazon.com gift certificate so I did a little shopping. I ended up buying a book called The Paleo Diet for Athletes, by Loren Cordain and Joel Friel. I have only just started it but it is already REALLY interesting. The health of hunter gatherer populations compared to that of Western people is truly amazing! Simply put, hunter gatherer populations perform better physically and remain much healthier than we do right into old age. Hypertension, diabetes and obesity did not exist in these populations until they were exposed to our processed foods. I will do a proper book review once I complete it, but I already recommend it!

Now, on to the kettlebell workout I promised you! Use two kettlebells for this complex and do not stop until you have done each drill. Do a total of 4 sets

• Mobility Work, loosen up your joints
• Dynamic Warm-up, lunges, push-ups, etc

And now the kettlebell complex, 2 kettlebells, a circuit of 5-10 reps for each drill, 4 rounds total, rest 3-4 minutes between rounds:

• Kettlebell Swing
• Kettlebell Clean
• Kettlebell Press
• Kettlebell Suitcase Lunge
• Kettlebell Bent-Over Row
• Kettlebell Stiff Legged Dead Lift
• Plank to Failure (yes, that is a little sadistic!)

Have fun with this workout!

Max Effort Bench Press Day:

• 2 Board Press for a max triple
• Incline Dumbbell Triceps Toss 6 x 8-10
• Pull-ups x 50 reps
• Hammer Curls 3 x 5
• Seated Face Pulls 3 x 15-20

Max Effort Squat/Deadlift

• Squat, worked up to a max single, then raised the weight and unracked it for a static hold
• Barbell Glute Bridge 3 x 10
• Barbell Torso Wheel 3 x 5-10

The Barbell Glute Bridge is a great drill to improve your posterior chain strength, especially your glutes. Check out the link above to learn more about it.

In my last post I wrote about my morning mobility/body weight warm-up workout. This afternoon I hit the gym and did a tough but quick barbell complex to really spark my metabolism and put some muscle on.
A complex is a series of lifts done in a row with the same weight in your hands the entire time. I did four rounds of the complex with a solid three minute rest between each set. Take a barbell and choose a weight that works for your weakest lift.
Do 6-10 reps for each drill and don't stop until you have done them all.

• Curl
• High Pull
• Military Press
• Jump Squat
• Reverse Lunge
• Good Morning
• Bent Over Row
• Romanian Dead Lift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGCLljisR9w

Today I am breaking my workout up into two quick sessions, the first one consists of mobility and glute activation drills. The second one is a brutal fat loss/hypertrophy session.

Proper mobility is incredibly important for athletes and non-athletes alike. The more complete your range of motion, the better you will perform and the longer you will stall the effects of ageing. As a naturally stiff guy myself, I do mobility drills almost every day.

Mobility, 1 set of 10-20 reps each depending on how stiff the movement feels:

• Neck movement, up and down, side to side, turning left and right
• wrist circles
• elbow circles
• shoulder circles
• arm circles
• Egyptian twist
• ankle circles
• knee circles
• hip circles
• right hip circles
• left hip circles
• upper body twist
• cat to camel on all fours

Dynamic Warm-up:

• reverse lunge with twist
• side lunge with twist (lunge to the right and touch the ground past your right foot with your left hand)
• Russian twist
• inch worm
• t-push-up

Glute Work:

I decided to do about 15 minutes of glute work because this muscle group is so important to athletic performance (powerlifting in my case) and the glutes can be trained hard at home without stress like heavy squats or deadlifts. So, it makes sense to give the glutes some extra volume since I can guarantee you are not training them to their full potential. If you want to look good, perform better or both, than I think you should give your glutes a kick in the pants.

For information on glute training and the workout I did, check out this awesome article I found on T-Nation that inspired me!

Dispelling the Glute Myth, by Bret Contreras

I am now going to be including body weight glute exercises into my daily mobility morning exercise routine and so should you!

Hey Readers, here is a great article I received from Alwyn Cosgrove's regarding the total calories burned during Resistance Training rather than Cardio Training.


Dear Readers,

I was talking to Chris Frankel ( a lecturer and PhD candidate at the University of New Mexico) recently about the massive difference in terms of results between a resistance training program and a cardio based program in terms of fat loss, despite calories burned supposedly being equal.

Chris pointed out that most of the ways to quantify caloric burn from weight training and other anaerobic activites are estimates and have significant amount of error built in. On the other hand, it is really straight forward to measure energy expenditure as calories during steady state exercise. The problem has come when we have tried to use that measurement of caloric burn during aerobic work and apply it to resistance training or circuit training. Quite simply - that method of figuring out the calories just doesn't work.

I also read some recent work from the University of Southern Maine that used a more accurate method to estimate caloric burn from weight training than had been used previously.

These researchers pointed out that a weight training circuit burned 71% more calories than originally thought. In fact 8 minutes of weight training burned somewhere between 159 and 231 calories. That's 20-28 calories per minute! And this was a very basic program - not one designed for fat loss - to really maximize caloric burn.

Coaches and trainers have known for years that resistance training is a superior method of exercise in fat loss programs. Up until very recently, we really didn't know why -- as just comparing estimated calories burned did not account for the difference. However - now we know that resistance training burns more calories while you are doing it (using more accurate measurements), and when you factor in any post workout increases in metabolism, and any increases in muscle over 12-16 weeks of the program, the metabolic advantages are even bigger.

Action step: make resistance training the cornerstone of your fat loss and general fitness programs.
--
AC
AlwynCosgrove.com
24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US

Here is the Speed Bench workout we did yesterday:

• Chain Bench Press 10 x 3 with 50% raw max plus about 100 lbs chain weight at the top
• Pull-ups paired 6 x 5 with Triceps Dumbbell Toss 6 x 6-10
• Pull-ups paired 6 x 4-5 with Cable Triceps Extensions 3 x 10
• Seated Face Pulls 2 x 20 paired with Hammer Curls 2 x 5

I am doing a lot of pull-ups these days to improve my back strength and fill out a bench shirt better. You can substitute rows instead of pull-ups if you wish, but I find most athletes do not do enough pull-ups.

Benching with chains will teach you to really accelerate the bar through the full range of motion as the weight is heavier at the top than the bottom. A fast lifter is a strong lifter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd4TIcaM4zM

Ken Blackburn
October 17th -
National Long Cycle Championship in NYC:
Click Link below for more information:
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/event.php?eid=123793016428&ref=mf
October 17th - Toldeo Kettlebell Midwest Open (Toledo, OH).
Contact Todd Baden at toddbaden@yahoo.com for more information.
November 14th - North Jersey Kettlebell Competition:
Click link below for more information.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101751792757&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=123793016428&ref=mf

Scott Sonnon
Ab Torture Challenge Workout: VIDEO INSIDE!
http://www.flowcoach.tv/?p=616

Hey guys,
Here is a great fat burning workout I did today as active recovery between powerlifting days.

• Mobility Work (10 mins)
• Dynamic Warm-up (reverse lunge with twist, side lunge, inch worm, t-push-up, Russian leg twist)

For the kettlebell drills I used two kettlebells the entire time.

• Swing x 30 reps
• Clean and Press x 15 reps
• Suit Case Lunge x 15 reps
• Overhead Twist x 15 reps
• Rack Squat x 20 reps
• High Pull x 20 reps

I just did one set of each drill to really get the blood flowing, then I took those same drills and turned it into a kettlebell complex (do one set of each drill without putting down the kettlebells!):

• Swing x 10
• Clean and Press x 10
• Suitcase Lunge x 12
• OH Twist x 5
• Rack Squat x 5
• High Pull x 5

Do each of those drills without resting, then rest for about 3 minutes. Do a total of 3 or 4 sets depending on your goals and where this falls in your training week.
Once you are done the kettlebell complexes, do a few sets of planks just to finish off the abs

Ryan Shanahan
You probably recognize Max's ABS on the cover of the newMen's Health Ultimate ABS Guide! on stands now...See how Kettlebells can help you chisel a six pack too!

Ken Blackburn
Two Great Events to Choose from!
Advanced Kettlebell Sport Workshop - October 24th & 25th Manhattan, NY Register here: http://workoutiq.com/blog2/services/workshops-and-clinics/
Long Cycle Clinic - October 31stFenton, MIRegister here: http://workoutiq.com/blog2/services/workshops-and-clinics/
* Learn different variations on how to maximize your breathing – this is huge! Proper breathing slows your heart rate, improves oxygen intake, boosts your numbers etc.
* The importance of elevating your toes and shoulders. Engaging your secondary movers in this manner improves efficiency and counters grip fatigue
* How to program your training so that it’s customized to your anatomy and abilities. Not everyone should be trained the same!
* How Denis’s unique assistance exercises could be the missing link in maximizing your lifting mechanics and conditioning Testimonials:
“I have employed Denis as my own coach. Coaches need coaches too, and Denis is a wealth of knowledge, Please take advantage of his immense practical experience and enjoy!” Steve Cotter, Director, International Kettlebell & Fitness Federation www.ikff.net
“Denis is a fantastic coach. His methodology is detailed, innovative and effective. In this sport, it’s all about the results. Denis makes that happen and you will have fun in the process”. Ken Blackburn, IKFF Director of Operations www.ikff.net
“Superb Coaching!!...Denis Kanygin’s kettlebell coaching methods are brilliant. Denis combines his rich understanding of bio-mechanics and postural analysis with his 20 plus years of GS exposure to deliver outstanding individually tailored programs for his students and athletes. Although the training Denis has designed for me has been the most mentally and physically challenging work I have ever done, I REALLY appreciate his belief in the importance of rest days! Under Mr. Kanygin’s guidance, in less than 5 weeks I have destroyed all of my previous personal bests in kettlebell lifting! I am still shocked at how fast I am now able to fully recover after a 10 minute set! Encouragement, motivation, patience, great communication and a little sense of humor. Coach D brings all of these things along with his highly effective teaching strategies. Once again………SUPERB COACHING!" Jason Dolby- IKFF (assistant instructor)
"Denis has completely changed the way I left Kettlebells. He is the only one who has ever figured out what is going on with my body and been able to fix it! My numbers have been going up, up, up! Denis teaches things that others don’t. He has a fresh and effective method that is beginning to catch on in the Kettlebell community. Take advantage of your opportunity to learn from Denis now because soon he will be to busy to see any of us!"John Wild Buckley Founder Orange Kettlebell Club http://www.orangekettlebellclub.com/
Denis Kanygin Bio and Fun Facts
*Started kettlebell training at age of 8 and a half
*Over 10 years of coaching experience
*Postural Therapist and Human Biomechanics Expert
*Technical Advisor to IKFF
*Personal GS coach to Steve Cotter, Ken Blackburn, Mitch Blackburn, John Wild Buckley and Jason Dolby
*Born in Ekaterinburn, Russia in August during a snowstorm
*Husband and father

Shawn Mozen IRONWORKS Fe presents: NYC - LONG CYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~COME EXPERIENCE KETTLEBELLS IN THE CITY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Kettlebell Sport has been around for over 100 years. Hardcore super-fit athletes step up to the lifting platform for ten minutes and more,performing hundreds of repetitions. Right now, Vasily Ginko of Latvia is working feverishly to bring Kettlebell Sport to the Olympic Games. Competitions are held around the world, as well as here in the United States. For the first time ever Kettlebell Sport comes to New York City when IRONWORKS Fe - National Long Cycle Championships arrive on October 17th, 2009.
It's all Long Cycle, all day. Anyone familiar with Olympic weightlifting has heard of the clean and jerk (barbell). Long Cycle is thekettlebell equivalent, and a very exciting event to watch, requiring android strength, and robotic endurance, from exceptionally talented athletes.
This ground breaking event will take place on Manhattan's chic mid-town location at Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis HS, 120 W. 46th Str. NYC 10036. If there ever was a perfect place to hold a kettlebell competition, this is it. Between events, take a walk around the city, shop, or pick up refreshments and snacks all around beautiful NYC.
BONUS: TEAM RELAY RACE- Any team of up to 4 peopleyou should perform one arm "short" jerk, both males and females, or males perform doubles, females singles, time limit 3 minutes for each participant, each team competitor perform one after another, all teams perform simultaneously using all platforms, total time of team of 4 will be 12 min. Men use 24kg, women-16kg, Winner in Team Relay Race is determined by the sum of points of each team member.
1 Lift-1 Point..
Gift Certificate for dinner for the winning team to a NYC Restaurant.
Men and women from around the country, including some of America's best lifters will converge on New York City, making this competition a must-attend event.
Tickets for spectators are reasonably priced at $20 per person for this all day gala experience. Purchase tickets at the door.
Come and see New York City in it's peak season and enjoy a truly unique experience. This soon to be Olympic sport will have you on your feet cheering for the noble performances put forth by all the competitors.
SCHEDULED EVENTS:
Men's Long Cycle (2-arm)*
.16kg Division.
20kg Division·
24kg Division·
28kg Division.
32kg Division
Men's Long cycle (1-arm)*
.16kg Division
.20kg Division
.24kg Division
.28kg Division
.32kg Division
Women's Long Cycle (1-arm)*
·12kg Division
·16kg Division
·20kg Division
Team Relay Race.
Up to 4 people*
ALL ATHLETES MUST HAVE LIFTING EXPERIENCE*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~National Long Cycle Championship
LOCATION:
Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis HS120 W. 46th Str.New York, NY 10036
DATE: October 17, 2009
TIME: 9 to 7
WEIGH IN: 8:00 a.m. on Saturday
HOST: IRONWORKS FeTICKET
PRICE: $20 (Spectators)
ATHLETES ENTRY FEE: $75 (Go to Website to pay)
Spectator Fee: $20 (Go to Website to pay)
IRONWORKS WEBSITE [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102704487346&s=11081&e=0014nZSr3xv9m46AJlDPIh8YP2Cx2avNvzkNq1zeUvpfgyWKj5dLBG856rD--aByCwVY3YdD44dMSYiiIZQbj-BlhzIi2FkVpiTSIeGiR1fqlWNGWrujRyIgw==]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~REQUEST REGISTRATION FORM BY EMAIL OR GO TO OUR WEBPAGE TO DOWNLOAD IT AT IronWorksWebsite ; [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102704487346&s=11081&e=0014nZSr3xv9m46AJlDPIh8YP2Cx2avNvzkNq1zeUvpfgyWKj5dLBG856rD--aByCwVY3YdD44dMSYiiIZQbj-BlhzIi2FkVpiTSIeGiR1fqlWNGWrujRyIgw==]
EMAIL [mailto:info@ironforeverybody.com]
PAYMENT METHOD: [http://www.ironforeverybody.com/]
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REGISTRATION FORM IS NOT VALID UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED.
*PAYPAL:
GO TO: IronWorks Website [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102704487346&s=11081&e=0014nZSr3xv9m46AJlDPIh8YP2Cx2avNvzkNq1zeUvpfgyWKj5dLBG856rD--aByCwVY3YdD44dMSYiiIZQbj-BlhzIi2FkVpiTSIeGiR1fqlWNGWrujRyIgw==]
Info. on Front of Webpage.
*CHECK: MADE OUT TO F.E. IRONWORKS634 Middle Neck Rd., Great Neck, NY 11023.PLEASE NOTE: Registration open till midnight October,17, 09.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Join Our Mailing List! [http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1102268107719]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Contact Information
Chriss Silverstein; Rick Carranza & Joe Carranza of IRONWORKS Fe6 34 Middle Neck Rd. Great Neck, NY 11023516-487-4766
Aleksandr Khasin; Technical Advisor for IronWorks Fe (Questions concerning lifts,rules & regulations)212-501-1401 ext. 4334

Nobody cares about something you didn't do. The same goes for something you almost did, thought about doing, or are going do to...when you get to it. Nobody cares, so stop talking about it like a loser!
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but being on a powerlifting team in a commercial gym we experience a lot of this. As we say, "Everyone wants to be a gangsta, but nobody wants to go to jail." What that means is, you can't be a successful powerlifter unless you make the commitment.
Every day we get some new guy who expresses interest in joining our team, then doesn't. They want to put up the big weights and get all the respect, but they don't want to make the commitment! Usually they don't even show up for the fist practice, and if they do, they never make it back for the next one.
It isn't like we are jerks to them, we are actually really welcoming, but people won't make the commitment! They want to gratify themselves by almost being a powerlifter. By being able to tell themselves that they would have been great if they really wanted to. It is a weak attitude.
I know I am ranting but lately there has been a string of wimps that "almost" joined our team. The fact is, any powerlifting team needs lifters, not wannabes! The same goes for any sports team, not just powerlifting. You need people that will make you better, not bring you down.
At Westside, the most famous powerlifting club in the world, they have a saying, "do you want to be a pit bull or a poodle?". On our team, just like Westside, poodle's are not welcome!
If you want to be a REAL LIFTER, then read this.

If you train hard on a regular basis you will soon learn that every day can't be a balls to the wall workout, especially if you train 6 days a week like most athletes. Your workouts will have to vary in intensity for you to maintain a high volume of training.
Your high intensity workouts will depend on your goals, for me these are my powerlifting workouts with the team of which we do four a week. Your lower intensity workouts should act as feeders for the tough days, on these days the workouts should be short, challenging but not stressfull.
For feeder workouts I enjoy lighter kettlebell circuits, body weight circuits or riding my bike. The idea here is to burn some calories and improve overall athelticism and conditioning but not to tire you out for tomorrow.
Using kettlebells as an example, say you use two 24 kg bells for your real workouts, then I would recommend using one 16 kg bell for your feeder workout. 30 minutes of fairly easy high rep drills would be more than enough to make you more energized than before the workout.
That really is the key to Active Recuperation Days, you feel more energized, not beaten down. Workouts like that will add up to make you a leaner and better athlete, especially if you have fun and mix a lot of variety into those workouts.
Some ideas are:

• light kettlebell drills for high reps
• body weight drills (push-ups, squats)
• barbell complexes
• hill sprints (start easy on these)
• cardio
• mobility drills
• playing a sport with friends
• pulling a sled or pushing a prowler
• going for a long walk
• Flex Band circuit

You will notice that most of these "workouts" can be done outside. Take advantage of this! Training outside is one of the best things you can do for your health and happiness. There is something uplifting about training outside in the sun that I can't explain, but I highly recommend it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z4-tgvvchw

Today I had two training, one easy body weight circuit as I try to break my body back into shape after a 6 week layoff in Ottawa and Greece. The rest was nice but man am I amazed at how much conditioning and strength I lost! Very frustrating!

Anyway's here is the body weight circuit, it is taken straight from The New Rules of Lifting.

• Reverse Lunge with Twist
• Side Lunge
• Swiss Ball Russian Twist
• Inch Worm
• T-Push-Ups

Do as many reps of each as you want and a couple of sets. This is a great warm-up or a mini-workout.

Later that day I met the Powerlifting Team for a short but intense Squat and Deadlift session:

• Speed Squats, 8 x 2 with mini-bands and weight (50% raw max)
• Max Effort Sumo Deadlift, work up to a max single
• Heavy Ab Work

The guys were spent due to maxing and being overtrained, I on the other hand am still out of shape and was already getting sore during the session so we called it a day early. Normally there would have been an accessory exercise in there like Romanian Deadlifts or hypers.

I was reading a great article on T-Nation the other day called, Screw Cardio! Four Complexes for a Shredded Physique, and it reminded me of why kettlebell training is so effective for fat loss. Successful kettlebell training elevates your heart rate tremendously, will make you a little nauseous towards the end, and will keep you warm and hungry for hours afterwards. All good signs of an elevated metabolism!
I won't go into all the merit's of high intensity training such as complexes in this post, the T-Nation article sums it up nicely, but I will give you guys a snappy little kettlebell complex to do at home.
A complex is similar to a circuit in that you do a series of exercises in a row, only you never let go of the kettlebell/barbell/dumbbell. So grab a weight and use it for the entire round without stopping. Then rest for a bit and repeat.

Sample Kettlebell Complex:
Take two light kettlebells, do the series of drills without stopping, rest only at the end of the series.

• Suitcase Deadlift x 10 reps
• Swing x 10 reps
• Clean x 10 reps
• Rack Lunge x 10 reps
• Press x 6-10 reps
• Bent Row x 10 reps
• Rack Squat x 10 reps
• Rack Twists x 10 reps

After this round you should be pretty gassed out, that is fine! Rest for 3 minutes or so between sets but try only 8 reps per drill on the next set. For the third set do 6's, and the fourth set do 4's, then lie down and die.

If you can't complete the prescribed reps on any one drill just do what you can and then move to the next one. The key is to keep the kettlebell moving and elicit systemic fatigue (whole body) not to destroy any one muscle group like a bodybuilder might. This way you will get a greater metabolic effect and thereby burn some ass fat!

This kettlebell complex is just an example of one you could use to burn fat, but the fact is there are endless variations you could try. The only "rules" are that you need several exercises, they need to be done without rest, and you have to work deep into discomfort in order to really burn some fat. Have fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReYPxPKl0Ak

Saturday and Sunday are Max Effort days for our powerlifting team. On these day's we pick one major lift (the lift is different every time) and work up to a max single, hopefully a PR, then do some assistance workout afterwards. Here are the workouts we did this weekend.

Max Effort Bench Day

• 2 Board Bench Press, start very light with low reps and slowly work out to the most weight you can press for a single.
• Incline Dumbbell Press 4 x 10 paired with Pull-ups 32 reps total
• Dumbbell Triceps Extension 6 x 10 paired with Machine Rows 6 x 10 (light on the rows)
• Cable Triceps Extension 3 x 15 paired with Cable Curls 3 x 15

Max Effort Squat/Deadlift Day

• Deadlift, same as 2 Board Press
• Sumo stiff leg deadlifts 4 x 5-10
• Band Leg Curls 4 x 10-15
• Band Circuit 3 x 10 per drill

The other two lifting days are for speed and or hypertrophy, depending on what the lifter requires at the time. On top of that I like to do 2 metabolic/athletic workouts to keep my body fat down and my conditioning up.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1nRIS0qIBQ

Hi Nathan,
Ive just been reading your blog with regards to kettlebell training and noticed that you used to do powerlifting.
I'm currently training towards my first strongman competition in September and want to start working on my conditioning for the stamina needed for the medley events.
I only weigh 85kg at the moment and my long term goal is to carry on gaining weight to compete in the higher weight classes. Currently i am carrying a little more fat than i would like and therefore hope that along with working on my conditioning it will burn some of my unwanted fat.
If i continue my clean bulking diet along with weight training 4 times per week - will i be able to gain lean muscle or will the kettlebell training limit my weight gain?
Thanks for your time reading this e-mail & i appreciate if you have time to reply.
Regards
Chris

Hello Chris,

Thanks for the great question. I have limited experience in Strongman competition, having only competed in one and organized another myself. A good friend of mine, Paul Vaillancourt, is a professional strongman though and we talk about training for the sport often.

The key to being a good strongman is to be big, strong (obviously) and in great condition. So, your plan to clean bulk and lift weights for days a week is a great start. Obviously lifts such as the squat, overhead press, deadlift and power clean should factor in as pillars in your training. Carrying and throwing training are important as well. I recommend the book Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik as a great starting point.

As for kettlebells, they can help you become a better strongman, and will make you a better athlete overall, but it is important to note that they are a great tool for conditioning and explosiveness, not necessarily brute strength. Heavy barbells and odd objects are the key to that.

If you are lifting weights 4 days a week than two light kettlebells days, focusing on conditioning would be ideal. These workouts should be a brisk, sweaty but non-stressfull 30 minute workout. Train at a fast pace and try to gas yourself out, but do not stress yourself out with straining under the weights, save that for your heavy days.

Kettlebell training will not hamper your ability to gain quality muscle, but it will lean you out! 30 minute kettlebell workouts will not kill progress the way boatloads of long slow cardio like jogging will.

Here are some basic guidelines:

• eat a lot of of quality protein, veggies and nuts
• lift really heavy 2 days a week, and moderately heavy 2 days, check out Westside for Skinny Bastards by Joe Defranco
• Your training sessions should include as many strongman implements as possible, your will thank yourself on the day of the meet
• Use kettlebells judiciously, less is more, 1-2 snappy workouts a week on top of your 4 day a week weight training
• sleep 8-10 hours a night
• don't drink, it will your progress!

There it is Chris, I hope that helps. For all you other readers, feel free to post your questions or comment on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ3xMuX0dLE

Here is a great workout that my number 1 reader Jaydeep sent me. I haven't tried it yet but will later this week. Thanks for the idea Jay!

Hey Nathan. I came up with the following ladder routine which really gasses you out:
Iteration 1:

10 KB Swings
10 Ab Rollers (or Swiss Ball Rollers)

1 burpee
1 snatch + 1
1 single-armed pushup + 1
1 pullup
1 clean & press + 1Iteration 2:

10 KB Swings
10 Ab Rollers (or Swiss Ball Rollers)

2 burpee
2 snatch + 2
2 single-armed pushup + 2
2 pullup
2 clean & press + 2Iteration 3:

10 KB Swings
10 Ab Rollers (or Swiss Ball Rollers)

3 burpee
3 snatch + 3
3 single-armed pushup + 3
3 pullup
3 clean & press + 3

As you can see the first two exercises stay static. The goal is to repeat it all the way to 10 for the variable exercises. The first time I tried it I got to 7 and stopped because I'd been at it 40 minutes (and realized later that I was sick). For swings I go 24KB and the snatches are 16KB but obviously each person should feel the weight out for themselves. Let me know if you try it!

Hello everyone,
I first learned about Mike Robertson from T-Nation.com. This guy is the knows what he is talking about so check out his newsletter and website when you have the chance!

In the latest edition of In the Trenches Fitness, we have a very cool interview with Charlotte Bobcats strength and conditioning coach Mike Irr. In our interview we discussed the following:- What got Mike into strength and conditioning- His experience at UCONN- Differences between the elite college player and a professional basketball player- Programming strategies for the NBA basketball player- Off-season and in-season training strength and conditioning- Tips for the up-and-coming basketball strength coachCheck the interview out at the link below and have a great holiday weekend!
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/podcast/

As many of you know, Bill Hartman, Eric Cressey, and I are very close to releasing a new product. In fact, we spent the weekend going through edits on the footage and pulling together the tag-along manuals.
This new product includes a lot of our newer perspectives on assessment and corrective exercise. Many of the drills we outline actually piggyback on those we outlined with our previous DVDs, Magnificent Mobility and Inside-Out. There is even a bit of overlap where we discuss how the “older” drills fit into our up-to-date progressions.
So, while the MM and I/O DVDs might be a few years old, the good news is that the human body hasn’t evolved dramatically since then - so these drills are still highly effective. However, with new products, older products sometimes get forgotten - and that’s why we figured we’d throw out this opportunity to grab up these two previous products at a big discount.
Here’s the deal…
30% off on Magnificent Mobility and Inside-Out from Monday, August 31 through Wednesday, September 2. All you need to do is head over to the
RobertsonTrainingSystems.com Products Page and add the item(s) to your cart. At checkout, enter the coupon code “FALL09″ (all caps, no quotation marks) and the discount will be applied.
Don’t miss this last chance to get two great products at a great discount!
Stay strong
MR Robertson Training Systems LLC

In this edition of "In the Trenches Fitness" we feature the one and only Michael Boyle. In this podcast we cover the topics of sports hernias, low back pain, and why your kids shouldn't be playing the same sport year round.
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/podcast/ Coach Boyle is at the top of his game in this interview - be sure to check it out!

How Healthy is Running?
I've never been a good one myself, and I'm always intrigued as to why some people are so drawn to it.Biases aside, I started thinking to myself, what causes runners to get injured?And maybe more importantly, what can we do to keep runners healthy? My insights are given below. Enjoy!http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/newsletter/August+26th%2C+2009/
Stay strong MR
Robertson Training Systems LLC
9402 Uptown Dr., Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN
46256 US

Hello, I have been away in Greece for the month on my honeymoon so posting has had to take a back seat. I am lazy, I know. Anyways, here is some kettlebell and fitness newa I received that you may find interesting. New workouts of mine will be posted regularly once again. Thanks, Nathan.

Scott Sonnon
Download a FREE $ZERO$ sample issue of RMAX Fitness Magazine now! http://www.rmaxinternational.com/75.pdf

Zuzanna of Bodyrock.tv ROCKING her Clubbells!
http://www.flowcoach.tv/?p=609

FREE 18 Minute Total Abs and Arms Workout - VIDEOS INSIDE
http://www.flowcoach.tv/?p=608

Macebells!
Spartan Macebells in Spartan Webshop! 5, 8, 12 kg
http://www.anp.se/newsletter/48415C4A76414A59457040/0

Steve Cotter
Indian Clubs For Shoulder Health Workshop
IKFF Instructor Jason Dolby will be doing an “Indian Clubs for Shoulder Health” workshop on Friday, September 4th, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.
Location: Spectrum Athletic Clubs South Bay,
2250 Park Pl, El Segundo, CA
90245
To register, go to: http://www.calicaveman.com/
Take this opportunity to learn how to keep your shoulders free of injury regardless of your strength training intensity! Just a few of the exercises covered will be: Folding Arc, Falling Arc (frontal plane), Falling Arc (sagittal plane), Single Figure 8's, Double Figure 8's, Falling Circles (inside), Falling Circles (outside), and several others.
Indian Club training key points
•Training with Indian Clubs will bring countless benefits to any athlete of any sport
•Indian and Persian warriors were using these clubs thousands of years ago. They are still here for a reason, they work
•Indian Clubs will save time in your warm up and allow more time for your kettlebell or strength training programs.
•One of the most effective ways to mobilize multiple joints at once and prime your nervous system for serious training
•The Club exercises are perfect for preparing the shoulder girdle for all that the kettlebell will be demanding of it
•Indian Clubs can be used to warm up, warm down, or for a well rounded workout on their own
•Burn tons of calories on the days that you don't feel like heavy kettlebell or weight training. The Benefits of Indian Club Training
•The natural arching motions build non-linear strength
•The dynamic traction created by the moving clubs will help create freedom in stubborn connective tissue
•Achieve better focus and athletic awareness through practicing the complex movements
•Help increase your circulation
•Gain new range of motion in the frontal, sagital, and transverse planes
•Indian Clubs are excellent for developing dynamic strength, fluidity, and coordination in young children, before weight training is appropriate
•Think pre-hab instead of rehab, use the clubs regularly to save medical and physical therapy bills
•The Indian Clubs will help assist in bettering your postural alignment and structural integrity
•Scapula mobility
•shoulder mobility
•elbow mobility
•wrist mobility
•hand mobility
•thoracic spine mobility
•lumbar spine mobility
•cervical spine mobility
•Help prevent shoulder issues such as: sprains, strains, dislocations, separations, bursitis, arthritis, impingements, instability.
Thanks,
IKFF Team