KettlebellPlanet.com

Sunday is Max Effort Squat/Deadlift day. Since I often deadlift on Wednesday I try to focus on a squat variation for Sunday. Today I decided to do low box squats with flex bands. The flex bands add dynamic resistance, making the load heavier at the top of the squat than at the bottom. This teaches you to drive the weight explosively every single rep. Chains work just as well, and so I tend to mix it up between the two options.

• Box Squat with flex bands
• worked up to a 1 rep max
• dropped down to 80% 1 rep max and did 2 x 3
• Front Squat Hold
• for abs and lower back
• 3 holds x max time
• Glute Ham Raise
• 3 x 8-10

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What would Halloween be without hitting the gym for some heavy lifting before going out to gawk at all the girls who use this holiday to dress sexy?

Just to make this workout a little spooky I decided to use chains to use Fat Grips, Chains and a Swiss Bar.


The Fat Grips were used to make the bar harder to hold on to and thereby work my grip strength while hitting other movements.



Below is the workout I did. You don't have to hog wild like I did and use all these implements at the same time, but try to use some of these yourself to add some variety to your training.

• Swiss Bar Chain Bench Press with Fat Gripz
• worked up to a heavy 5 x 5
• Cable Rows with Fat Gripz
• 8 x 15
• did a set of rows between each set of bench press including warm-ups
• Narrow Grip Chain Bench Press with Fat Gripz
• 3 x 10
• Cable Curls
• 4 x 8-10

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I haven't hit the gym yet today (I won a years supply of wine the other day and may over indulged a tad), so instead of posting another workout of mine I decided to share some great training articles that I stumbled across this fine saturday morning.

Strongman Training Made Practical, by Zach Gallman
Depending on who's manning the radio, death metal or rap starts to blare (and occasionally, "The Lost Boys" soundtrack), the smell of liniment and chalk strikes the nostrils, and heavy ass weight starts to get thrown around. Tearing calluses, getting close to passing out, and lifting things that should be impossible to lift are just the norm. 




Band of Meatheads: The Glories of Group Training, by Dan John
I've been training groups for so long that sometimes I ignore basic principles that I learned the hard way years ago. One of the keys to working in a group, especially in something physical, is to understand that you — and perhaps this is even literally true — become part of an organism.

Programs for the Pull-Up Deficient, by Tim Henriques
You can't really consider yourself fit if you suck at pull-ups. That's just the way it is.

Think of the fittest, baddest looking sumbitches at your gym: do they bang out sets of 10 or more lat-stretching pull-ups, often with a couple chalk-dusted plates chained to their waist? Or do they struggle to perform even just one anemic rep before sulking over to the assisted chin machine?




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I’d like to introduce my friend and colleague, John Alvino.  I’ve known John for a long time, and I think he’s one of the most innovative guys in the business.  John has been in the trenches for years, honing and perfecting his fat loss techniques.  His approach is unique in that it burns fat at a crazy rate without causing any muscle loss or damage to the metabolism.  This is extremely difficult to achieve, and John’s got it down to a science.
I had the opportunity to sit down and pick his brain the other day, and I took full advantage of it.  John has always been the go-to guy for getting absolutely ripped in record time, so make sure to check this interview out.  It’s sure to be filled with fat-loss gems that will make a huge and immediate difference in your body transformation results!

Here is a transcript of our exact interview:

AC: First of all, thanks for taking the time to do this interview today.

JA: Thank you for having me, Alwyn!

AC: So we all know that you are the go-to-guy when it comes to helping people get ripped.  Can you explain to my readers how you developed your techniques?

JA: Absolutely.  For close to 20 years I’ve been obsessing (at times at the expense of my mental health and a normal social life!) about how to truly transform your body as fast as possible.
This goes beyond traditional fat loss methods and muscle building techniques.  After countless hours in my training center (my laboratory) with my countless clients (my unwitting guinea pigs), I’ve dealt with every conceivable problem that someone might encounter as they embark on the journey towards an awesome physique.

I took these problems and applied my God-given curse of obsessing about something until I either figure it out or I die.  Hey, I haven't died yet!  Anyway, I fussed and fiddled for years with different approaches and creative protocols until I came up with a solution for every single situation I faced.  Admittedly, some of my solutions failed at first (I can even remember you laughing at some of my theories Alwyn; thanks for the support!).

AC: Anytime pal!  Those were some good laughs haha.  For me, anyway.

JA: Yes they were...for you.  For me, it was just more sleepless nights wracking my brain!  But hey, buddy, as long as you got a laugh out it, I'm happy.  Alright, back to business.  A lot of the problems people face, and especially beginners, would be obvious to anyone who has trained and dieted in the past.  For example, if you want to eat Oreos every morning and now I tell you that you can’t, you may feel a little deprived.  Or if you hate to sweat and now I’m encouraging you to sweat, you may get a tad upset.

Now don’t get me wrong, although these issues may seem silly to many people, they do need to be addressed, because these are big issues for some people.  Dealing with people who had these issues actually forced me to make my programs more enjoyable, both from a nutritional and an exercise point of view.  So I'm glad I had to deal with it.  BUT...most of your readership is far beyond this stage of commitment.  So right now, I'm going to focus on the difficult (once thought impossible to solve) problems associated with serious body transformation.

AC: Great!  My readers are going to love this.  Now, what are the biggest problems (and their solutions) when it comes to shredding fat and getting ripped?  Come on Alvino, spill the beans!

JA: Alright, here we go!  At the end of the day, the #1 problem is achieving the body that you truly want.  Yea sure, there are plenty of people out there who drop some fat from time to time.  The question is, “Did they really transform into their ideal body type?”

Most people never do.  There are several reasons for this, but the one that I want to address in this interview is the fact that most programs are deeply flawed in that they cause losses in actual lean muscle tissue and energy substrates.

This results in the following devastating side effects:
1) Lower metabolic rate
2) Decreased energy levels
3) Less strength
4) Worse body shape and muscle fullness.
5) Negative hormonal fluctuations

These side effects lead to frustrating plateaus, which puts most people on the path to find the "next greatest program” to follow.  And they always find that next program.  And it has all the same problems again.  And the cycle of frustration continues.

AC: Wow, dude, that's pretty deep.  You're like the Socrates of fat loss.

JA: Kneel before Alvino.

AC: I think I’ll keep my distance, thanks!  Alright, so most fat loss protocols cause all of these terrible side effects that totally derail people's fat loss efforts.  What specifically makes your protocol so different?  What are the main things you do to prevent the side effects that plagues and ultimately undermines most of the folks out there who want to get lean and ripped?

JA: There are many little tricks I employ with my clients.  I could probably write an entire book on that list of tricks and techniques. 

Let’s start with my nutritional approach.  It’s certainly no big secret that lower carb dieting will burn fat faster that a higher carb approach. 

This is because your body prefers to burn carbs for fuel.  But in the absence of carbs, your body is forced to shift gears a bit and start burning fat as a primary fuel source. 

Additionally, a lower carb approach controls insulin levels, and having stable insulin levels is the key to releasing, mobilizing and burning fat.

So you should lower your carbohydrate consumption.  Sounds easy, right?  Well, unfortunately, it’s not so easy.  Although low carb dieting may a burn more fat, it also leads to a host of nasty side effects that can stop your fat loss efforts dead in their tracks.

For instance, consistent low carb dieting can lower energy levels, thus making any intense type of training almost impossible.  On a physical level, low carb diets lead to glycogen depletion in the muscle, leaving the muscle with less strength.  Again, this clearly affects intense workouts adversely.

Low carb diets can even lead to straight up muscle loss.  Losses in lean muscle mass always result in a lower metabolic rate, which immediately make losing fat much more difficult.  Also, people tend to “flatten out” on a low carb diet; their physiques look a little flabbier, less toned and less healthy.  This is certainly not the look anyone is striving for.

AC: I sure hope not, unless they are auditioning to be a body double in the next Will Ferrell movie!  So what can people do to avoid the problems associated with low carb dieting?  Obviously, high carb dieting isn’t the answer.

JA: Of course not.  High carb dieting is definitely not the answer.  Actually, the answer is to blend the two approaches in a very specific way.

AC: I’m all ears.

JA: I recommend 3 different diets, each with a different purpose.  Diet 1 is for rapid glycogen depletion.  Diet 2 is for total glycogen replenishment.  And Diet 3 is for glycogen maintenance.  Now, the key to this approach is to coordinate these three diets on different days on the week, depending on your specific training routine for that particular day.

How many days per week a trainee will utilize a particular diet is dictated by many variables, including the trainee’s current level of body fat, ability to train intensely, and metabolic rate.

AC: Wow, that’s really interesting.  It sounds a little complicated.

JA: Not at all.  I’ve got it down to a science, and I know to make it really easy for people implement.  Not only that, but people actually enjoy eating diverse diets.  I’ve found that this type of nutritional protocol is much more fun for my clients, which means they have a much better chance of sticking with the program.  People get bored eating the same thing every day.

AC: Good point.  Now, talk to me about the training aspect of things.

JA: Sure.  For maximal fat loss, we have to address both resistance training and cardio.

AC: Let’s hit resistance training first.

JA: Fine.  Most resistance training programs out there that are “designed specifically for fat loss” actually burn muscle.  This makes it harder for people to burn their fat, and impossible for them to achieve the look they want.

The keys to successful resistance training for fat loss are:
1)    You have to target the nervous system during your training protocol.  This is an often overlooked yet crucial component of successful long term fat loss.  To a significant degree, your physical strength is a function of the efficiency of your nervous system.  This is due to the fact that the nervous system is responsible for activating your muscle fibers in a synchronized and coordinated way.  Increased nervous system efficiency basically means that you can use more muscle fibers per muscle contraction.  This clearly leads to greater strength and muscle maintenance, two critical aspects of any great fat loss program.  Now, there are two ways to successfully train the nervous system: either use maximal resistance in your workouts (this would be over 85% of a 1 rep max for 1-5 repetitions), or use maximal speed with lighter resistance.

2)    Make sure to utilize hypertrophy training in your workouts.  This is best done using a weight that allows you to perform 6-8 repetitions.  There are two keys here: keep the volume low, and always end your sets when you have 1 repetition left in the tank.  If either of these rules is violated, you risk overtraining and muscle loss, which must be avoided at all costs.

AC: Great point about the nervous system, John.  And I really like that you are telling people to leave 1 rep left in the tank.  People think maximal effort every single set is the way to go, and it’s not.

JA: Definitely not.  You have to be very scientific about this, or you’ll end up in a fat loss rut.  I learned this the hard way myself many years ago.

AC: Alright, now talk to me about cardio.  There seems to be a lot of confusion out there.  What are your thoughts?

JA: I have found high intensity interval training (HIIT) to be more effective and efficient than lower intensity steady state cardio.  However, HIIT does have its pitfalls. 

AC: Like what?

JA: Well, first of all, too much of it can actually lead to overtraining and muscle loss.  I’ve never seen this problem in beginners, but for advanced trainees who have developed a degree of muscle mass, this is a very real concern.

So basically, everyone should do some HIIT, for sure.  Beginners and most intermediates can do it exclusively.  But advanced trainees need a combination platter that includes some HIIT and some low intensity steady state.

AC: How often should people do cardio?

JA: I suggest 3 HIIT session per week for most clients.  Again, advanced clients may perform 1-2 HIIT session and 1-2 steady state sessions with a lower intensity per week.

AC: And how long should these sessions last?

JA: This depends on the type of exercise and the trainee’s ability to generate force.  But if I were to generalize, most HIIT sessions should run 12-16 minutes, and low intensity steady state sessions should run about 30 minutes.

Actually, Alwyn, while we’re on the topic, I’ve been experimenting with something recently that has been yielding great results for me and my clients.

AC: Really?  What’s that?

JA: Well, I’ve been substituting some of the more traditional HIIT workouts with a metabolic circuit consisting of dynamic flexibility, muscle activation and total body core training.  These sessions burn fat at an amazing rate, while simultaneously improving mobility, flexibility and core strength. 

AC: Wow.  That’s crazy - we've been doing something similar at Results Fitness but never really thought of combining it as a cardio session.  I think that most people should be integrating that type of work into their routine at some point anyway.  Combining it with cardio is a creative idea.

JA: Thanks.  I’ll keep you posted on the results, but things look really good right now.

AC: Awesome.  I’ll look forward to hearing about it.  Now, one last question.  Does any of the information you’ve given us today vary depending on the gender of the trainee?

JA: The answer is yes.  Nutritionally, relative to their body weight, women will need about half the amount of carbs and 75% the amount of protein that a man needs.  Their fat intake should be about 20% less than men, relative to their body weight.

AC: How about differences in working out?

JA: There are some subtle differences in regards to their training protocol.  I have found that as a general rule, women need less rest between sets than men do.  All else being equal, I usually cut women’s rest intervals in half compared to men’s rest intervals.  This is due to the fact that most women have better cardiovascular conditioning than they do muscular strength.  With most men, it’s the other way around, so they need more rest.

AC: I totally agree.  If I ever tried to keep up with my female clients’ work to rest ratio, I’d be actively seeking the nearest garbage can and making good use of it within the first twenty minutes of the workout!

JA: Haha no kidding.  Women (when they’re fit) are machines that way.  Very few strong men can hang with a fit woman pound for pound when it comes to work to rest ratio.  Now, here’s another reason why I like to lower women’s rest intervals: even though some studies disagree with what I’m about to say, it has been my experience time and time again that women’s nervous systems generally aren’t as efficient as men’s.  This means that they aren’t activating as many motor units per contraction as men are.  Thus, they don’t need as much recovery time, because they don’t tax themselves as much on a given exercise as men do.

And finally, there is a psychological factor here as well.  Women usually want to feel that their cardiovascular system is being challenged, or they tend to get bored and think that the workout is not as effective as it could be.  Thus, for the sake of motivation alone, I find it very effective to reduce the rest interval between sets for women during a resistance training workout.

AC: Wow, this was a great interview, John.  And all these years I thought you were just another meathead!

JA: Uhh…thanks?  Haha!  Alwyn, it’s always great catching up with you and exchanging our thoughts on training.  I hope we can do it again real soon.
AC: So do I!  Now, where can people find out more about your fat loss methods?
JA: People can go to JohnAlvino.com.  I am giving away a free report on the website right now that I think your readers would find very helpful.

AC: Great.  Cheers mate!

JA: My pleasure, Alwyn.

AC: Alright guys, make sure to go to JohnAlvino.com and check out John’s free Ninja fat loss report.  It will make a quick and lasting impression on your fat loss efforts, to be sure!

Till next time,
--
AC

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US



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Hey kettle-dudes, sorry for my lack of posts. I have been a busy guy these days and I barely have time to train let alone write awesome blog posts about them. Below is this week's worth of training sessions to help you achieve a god-like physique. Check it out and if you have any suggestions or questions just post below.


Monday, Kettlebell Pump and Grind

• Lots of mobility work first
• Alternate sets during each pairing
• Pairing #1
• 2 kettlebell swing x 10, 10, 10
• Halo x 8, 8, 10
• Pairing #2
• 2 kettlebell renegade row x 5, 5, 5
• 2 kettlebell alternate swing x 6, 6, 6
• Figure 8 to Hold, 1 set x max reps

 Tuesday, Upper Body Hypertrophy

•  Pairing #1
• 1 Arm Barbell Press, a la Power to the People
• 5 x 5
• Pull-Ups
• 8 x 10
• Pairing #2
• Dumbbell Curls
• 3 x 5
• Cable Triceps Extensions
• 3 x 15
 

Wednesday, Lower Body Hypertrophy

• Reverse Band Deadlift
• 5 x 5
• Pairing #1
• Heavy Kettlebell Swings 
• 3 x 20
• Hanging Leg Lifts
• 3 x 5 (I suck at these, feel free to do more)

Thursday, Kettlebell Circuit

• 3 rounds of 5-10 reps per drill using 1 kettlebell, rest 2 minutes between rounds
• two handed swing
• one handed swing
• clean
• high pull
• figure 8 to hold
• lunge with under leg pass
• figure 8 keeping the kettlbell between the legs
• press
• bottoms up clean
• two handed swing

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Here's a study that might be of interest to you...

Supervised exercise versus non-supervised exercise for reducing weight in obese adults.
Nicolaï SP et al
J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2009 Mar;49(1):85-90.

This research study looked at the effects of training with supervision/instruction (ie a qualified trainer) versus "advice"
Two groups - Group one met a trainer twice a week for 4 months (as a group).
Group two received basic advice to increase physical activity and access to a fully equipped gym (any exercise they did was unsupervised).
The group with supervision lost on average 362% more fat over a 4-month period. (Total fat loss of 13.4lbs in the coached group - and only 3.7lbs in the advice only group)
Interesting side note -they made these improvements without ANY dietary advice given.
This is not a new finding, nor is it that surprising as a good coach or training partner/team can really help with your results. The fact that the group exercised together only served to improve those results further (as social support is one of the key variables in fat loss success) so I'm not sure that the supervision and instruction alone was entirely responsible for the enhanced results - or the social support was part of it. However, it's clear that together it's an unbeatable combination. And perhaps that's one of the reasons why semi-private training seems to get better results than one-on-one training.
You'd also have to assume that there was more instruction in the supervised group as there was more contact with instructors.
Another study came out a few years ago showing that a participant would exercise 30% harder or more (can't remember the exact number) with someone just watching them (i.e. not offering any instruction or encouragement). You can imagine how that could translate into much greater results, when added with a good program, great coaching, great social support and great instruction.
If you are serious about changing your body - hire a coach, or get a great training partner or team to help you. If you're serious about increasing your client's results if you are a trainer or coach - consider running some small group or semi-private options.
--
AC
PS - To pick up our newest DVD - a recorded seminar on "Designing Successful Semi-Private Training Programs" - click here

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US


www.kettlebellplanet.com

Here are a few quality training articles I stumbled across today when looking for some new training ideas and tips. Check em out.

The more you lift the worse you look? By Dan John
If I see one more guy with tribal tats, rolled up sleeves, and a 145-pound body doing a lat spread in front of a gym mirror, bad things will happen.
Real power and success comes from the muscles you DON'T see in the mirror, but little Eddie with his weight belt on for curling doesn't know this yet.

Excelling at the big lifts. By Tony Gentilcore
Becoming a better, stronger lifter takes years of practice, but you can sure speed up the process by remembering a few simple cues. Part of my job as a strength coach is to not only help you get bigger, faster, and/or stronger, but with any luck, make someone of the opposite sex want to get naked in front of you — preferably on more than one occasion.


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For today's max effort squat/deadlift session I decided to do cambered bar low box squats. The cambered bar is a great tool to help build posterior chain strength because it tends to pull your forward, forcing your back to pull against the momentum to keep you upright. Basically the bar teaches you to squat upright, plus it is a different stimulus than the straight bar, which is always good when you are trying to force adaptation.

As for box squats, these used to be a staple of my powerlifting training because they are safe to do alone provided the safety racks are postitioned properly. They are also a great drill to build hip and posterior chain power, allowing you to squat deep and low safely.

• Cambered Bar Box Squats
• worked up to a max single
• 3 x 5 at 75-80%
• Front Squat Holds
• 3 x max time
• Glute Ham Raise
• 3 x 10

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Chains, like bands, are a great tool to build power and add muscle by forcing your muscles to adapt to a new stimulus. With chains, as you raise the bar the weight increases, making the bar heavier at the top than at the bottom. This will force your body to accelerate the bar through the full range of motion, instead of relaxing after breaking through your sticking point. Teaching your body to accelerate the bar will make you stronger by becoming faster and more explosiveness.

Saturday is my max effort bench day, so I chose to do heavy chain bench presses working up to a max single. Between sets of bench press I did heavy sets of fat dumbbell rows. The fat dumbbell really works the grip making the rows much more challenging by taxing more muscle groups.

• Chain Bench
• worked up to a max single
• Dinosaur Rows
• Fat Dumbbell Rows 9 x 6
• did a set between each set of bench and Tate presses
• Tate Press
• 3 x 10
• Hammer Curls
• 3 x 5

www.kettlebellplanet.com

For a great article on what separates the great ones from the also rans, check out this article below. It is full of great advice on how to take your training and life from good to great.
The 7 Principles of NFL Athleticism, by Ryan Burgess

Martin Rooney is one of the pioneers of MMA training and believe it or not he does not believe in brutal full body circuits to improve the conditioning of his athletes. "It's pursuing fatigue and not improvement, all part of the idea that you're not a man unless you're getting your ass kicked in the gym as well as in the ring."
11 Myths of Warrior Training, by Martin Rooney and Bryan Khan

So, before you start frying up some hash browns in that bacon fat or enjoying an extra large baked potato with your steak, ask yourself: are you Samwise Gamgee or Frodo Baggins? An interesting article on whether potatos should be included in your diet for ideal body composition.
Is Samwise Gamgee Right About Potatos?


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For the first time today I tried out some EFS Short Mini Bands. These are the same as regular flex bands only shorter. The shortness makes them really easy to use, especially on deadlifts. Basically just place the bar through the bands and then step on them before deadlifting. This way you don't have to anchor the bands against anything.

Why use bands in the first place? They make you stronger and more explosive. If you want more than that then read someones opinion who actually knows what he is talking about like Louie Simmons.

• Flex Band Deadlifts
• worked up to a heavy 5 x 5
• Glute Ham Raise
• 4 x 10
• Dumbbell Ab Roll-Out
• 4 x 5-8

www.kettlebellplanet.com

I may never look like Arnie but I still love to hit the iron on a quest for bigger muscles and heavier weights. The split I use these days is the famous Westside for Skinny Bastards template created by Joe Defranco. It is pretty simple, 4 days a week lifting, 1 day upper body hypertrophy, 1 day lower body hypertrophy, 1 day upper body strength, 1 day lower body strength. Also, you want to constantly change the primary lifts you use to keep your training fresh and force adaptation.

Today was my upper body size day, or as I call it, Yoke Day. Yoke day is all about getting big son! So I usually start with some kind of clean and press variation since my strength day is inevitably focused on benching and clean and presses really hit the Yoke (neck, traps, shoulders). Switching between vertical and horizontal pressing keeps helps keep the shoulders healthy.

Anyways, as I mentioned in a previous post we have a new Swiss/Football bar that I am in love with. So I hit that for a clean and press workout, actually it looked more like a power curl and press than anything. You can see the whole workout in detail below. Pretty simple but it hit the entire upper body

• Swiss Bar Clean/Power Curl and Press
• 5 x 5 (plus warm-up sets)
• Pull-Ups
• 8 x 10 (varying grip each set)
• Dips
• 3 x 15-20
• Dumbbell Curls
• 3 x 5  

Don't worry, you don't have to listen to Creed when using a Swiss Bar and getting huge.

www.kettlebellplanet.com

For Monday's kettlebell workout I decided to mix it up and do all my drills with two kettlebells instead of one. Obviously using two kettlebells will double the weight so I think it is a good strategy if you are trying to pack on some muscle while getting a great metabolic workout at the same time.

This workout was done in a circuit fashion with a quick rest between each drill. I did 3 rounds because I was pressed for time but you can customize this circuit to meet your needs. I didn't do any drills to hit my legs only because I had a hard front squat workout the day before. If you want feel free to add some goblet or rack squats for fun!

If you primary goal is fat loss, then shorten the rest periods. If it's getting yoked that you are after, then add more rounds but rest a bit longer between drills.

• 2 Kettlebell Swing x 15-20
• 2 Kettlebell Military Press x 8-10
• 2 Kettlebell Clean x 5-8
• Renegade Row x 5-8

www.kettlebellplanet.com

Developing Foot Speed and Agility – Guest Newsletter

Michael Boyle

A couple of threads on the StrengthCoach.com forum got me thinking about the question of foot speed and athletes. I can't tell you how often I hear a parent or a coach ask, "How can I improve my son's/daughter's/ athlete's foot speed or agility?" It seems everyone always wants the shortcut and the quick fix. The better question might be "Do you think you can improve foot speed?" or maybe even the larger question, "Does foot speed even matter?"

That begs the larger question, "Does foot speed have anything to do with agility?" I know coaches or parents reading this are asking, "Is this guy crazy?" How many times have we heard that speed kills? I think the problem is that coaches and parents equate fast feet with fast and quick feet with agile. However, fast feet don't equal fast any more than quick feet equal agile. In some cases, fast feet might actually make an athlete slow--often I see fast feet as a detriment to speed. In fact, some of our quick turnover guys, those who would be described as having fast feet, are very slow off the start.

The problem is fast feet don't use the ground well to produce force. Fast feet might be good on hot coals, but not on hard ground. Think of the ground as the well from which we draw speed. It is not how fast the feet move, but rather how much force goes into the ground. This is basic action-reaction physics. Force into the ground equals forward motion. This is why the athletes with the best vertical jumps are most often the fastest. It comes down to force production. Often coaches will argue the vertical vs. horizontal argument and say the vertical jump doesn't correspond to horizontal speed, but years of data from the NFL Combine begs to differ. Force into the ground is force into the ground. In spite of what Brett Contreras may say, vectors don't seem to matter here. The truth is parents should be asking about vertical jump improvement, not about fast feet. My standard line is "Michael Flatley has fast feet, but he doesn't really go anywhere. If you move your feet fast and don't go anywhere, does it matter? It's the old "tree falling in the woods" thing.

The best solution to slow feet is to get stronger legs. Feet don't matter. Legs matter. Think about it this way: If you stand at the starting line and take a quick first step but fail to push with the back leg, you don't go anywhere. The reality is that a quick first step is actually the result of a powerful first push. We should change the buzzwords and start to say "that kid has a great first push." Lower body strength is the real cure for slow feet and the real key to speed and to agility. The essence of developing quick feet lies in single-leg strength and single-leg stability work… landing skills. If you cannot decelerate, you cannot accelerate, at least not more than once.

One of the things I love is the magic drill idea. This is the theory that developing foot speed and agility is not a process of gaining strength and power, but rather the lack of a specific drill. I tell everyone I know that if I believed there was a magic drill we would do it every day. The reality is it comes down to horsepower and the nervous system, two areas that change slowly over time.

How do we develop speed, quickness and agility? Unfortunately, we need to do it the slow, old-fashioned way. You can play with ladders and bungee cords all you want, but that is like putting mag wheels on an Escort. The key is to increase the horsepower, the brakes and the accelerator. I think the answer for me is always the same. I wrote an article last year called "IS ACL Prevention Just Good Training?" In much the same way, development of speed, agility and quickness simply comes down to good training. We need to work on lower body strength and lower body power and we need to do it on one leg.
I lalso ove ladder drills. They provide excellent multi-planar dynamic warm-up. They develop brain-to-muscle connection and are excellent for eccentric strength and stability. We do less than five minutes of ladder drills, one or two times a week. I don't believe for a minute that the ladder is a magic tool that will make anyone faster or more agile, however I do believe it is a piece of the puzzle from the neural perspective. People waste more than five minutes on biceps curls, but we have long debates about ladder drills.

These are also a great tool to show to coaches who want "foot speed." Sometime it's easier to "yes" them than to argue with them. Give a guy with "bad feet" a jump rope and you get a guy with bad feet and patella tendonitis.

PS- I have never used the term "speed ladder." We always call it an agility ladder if we call it more than the ladder.?

--
AC
PS – you can check out more training tips, program and articles (including programs for speed development) from Michael at his new website - HERE

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US
www.kettlebellplanet.com

Sunday is max effort squat/deadlift day. On this day I pick a squat or deadlift movement and work up to a max single. After the hitting a new PR (hopefully), I do some assistance work to improve my weak points. This is pretty basic Westside Barbell stuff but it works. The max effort work makes you brutally strong as long as you rotate lifts to avoid burnout and work new weak points. As for the assistance work, it will build muscle mass and improve your overall base.

Today I chose the front squat as my max effort lift. I love front squats because they work your legs, back and abs like few exercise do. Plus they are pretty safe, either you can lift the weight in good, upright form, or you simply dump it. The Good Mornings I did next are often used as a max effort lift. My back needs to get stronger so I am hitting the GM's on a very regular basis, sneaking them in whenever I can. The Front Squat Holds were done to really smoke my abs, hit my upper back, and finally get me used to heavier weights in the front squat.

 Max Effort Squat/Deadlift Day

• Front Squat
• worked up to a max single
• actually I missed two attempts at a new PR
• Good Mornings
• 3 x 5-8
• Front Squat Holds
• 3 x max time
• the sets of holds were done between sets of GM's

www.kettlebellplanet.com

As a competitive strength athlete and guy who is very passionate about training and nutrition I am always looking for quality information about getting yoked. Check out the article on Cardio and Fat Loss I found below. It is really informative but a fun read at the same time.

There are only two types of people I hate in the fitness world: (1) people who are intolerant of other people's exercise choices, and (2) runners! Read More


www.kettlebellplanet.com

I train at Remington's Gym in Calgary, Alberta with the Independent Power Lifting Team. We all pay dues and the money goes into buying new training tools like kettlebells, benches and bars. One of the recent club purchases is a seriously heavy duty Football or Swiss Multi Bar. As you can see in the picture on the left, this bar allows you take a different grip than a traditional barbell.

The advantages of using this bar include less stress on the shoulder joints for healthier shoulders, a different stimulus on the muscles for new hypertrophy, and the fun of doing something different.

It is a fun tool to use and will make your lifts much more challenging, so if already have a pretty solid set-up at home or locked up at your gym, I highly recommend picking one of these up.

• Bench Press
• using a football/multi grip swiss bar
• worked up to a heavy 3 x 5
• T-Bar Rows
• did a set between each set of bench press
• 5 x 5
• Football Bar Triceps Extensions
• 3 x 8-10
• Football Bar Curls
• 3 x 8-10
• Dumbbell Laterls
• 2 x 10

www.kettlebellplanet.com

Saturday, October 23 · 9:00am - 6:00pm

Hyperfit USA

Take your healthy, vitality, and fitness to the next level with Kettlebell Training, joint mobility, and natural hormone optimization!

"Thanks so much for the workshop on Saturday - it was one of the best things I've paid money to attend in my whole life, and it was worth way more than $300. you are EXCELLENT. I feel very inspired! next time I attend, I will leave my 3kg baby rattle at home. while I may not be quite ready to Li...ve Life Aggressively, I am certainly not as much of a sissy as I was last week. thank you."
- Alysia Nolan, Los Angeles, CA

"I was convinced of the value of Mike's workshop. I had wondered previously about its value since I had already learned a lot from videos. But now there was no doubt: some of these things you just need to learn in person. And with exercises I had learned before, the reinforcement of proper form in all its subtleties was worth the time and money. One of the important differences between videos and the workshop is how Mike would build up to an exercise. With the military press, for example, he started by teaching a deadlift, then a clean, then doing a tension exercise, then power breathing, then finally the press. The tension exercise was great: he had us hold a heavier bell than we were used to in the clean position. I was used to a 35lb bell, but now I had an 88lb bell cleaned. Holy cow, it took my whole body just to hold the thing there for 10 seconds! But generating whole body tension was exactly the point. That's the kind of thing you can't get from watching a video."
- Josh Carter, Denver, CO

When:
Saturday October 23, 2010

Where:
Hyperfitusa
Suites 3 & 4,
670 Airport Boulevard
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.hyperfitusa.com/
Please direct all questions about the course to Mike Mahler

Time:
10am to 6pm

Instructors:
Ken Blackburn and Mike Mahler

Let me get right to the point. If you are serious about getting into great shape and developing strength, flexibility, core strength, endurance, and turning your body into a fat burning machine then this workshop is for you and we want to work with you. You will love our workshop Not a possibility, it is a certainty. If you want to take charge of your physical health and make a serious investment in your well-being, then we want you at this seminar. We love working with people that take charge of their lives and are prepared to pay for high quality services for self-improvement. If you like to blame others for your problems and think society is to blame for you being out of shape, then go ahead and leave my website now and never come back. Our training philosophy is not for you and we do not want you at my workshop. we only work with motivated people.

You should be super excited about this seminar. This informative hands on eight hour seminar is for all intermediate level kettlbell trainees.
In addition to all of the incredible training information that will be delivered, I am going to give a lecture on the importance of optimizing sex hormones naturally and why everyone should make hormone optimization a priority. Moreover, I will reveal how to train and modify your lifestyle to optimize these hormones naturally. This information is crucial to optimal health and well-being. This lecture alone is worth the price of the course. Sick of having no energy and making zero progress with your workouts? You need to be at our seminar. As an additional bonus, we are going to discuss the intricate field of training program design and what the common pitfalls are. More than likely you are not maximizing your time working out and you will love this section of the course. You will understand clearly why training programs need to be personalized and how to make that happen.

As if the kettlebell and hormone optimization info were not enough, it gets better. Top kettlebell instructor and fitness expert Ken Blackburn is going to show you how to become more agile, mobile, and flexible then ever before. Ken's agilility, mobility, and flexibility routine is going to blow you away. Not only will Ken's agility training improve your kettlebell game, it will improve any athletic endeavor, as well as enhance well being and health. Ken weighs close to 250lbs and has the agility of a fit person half his age and bodyweight. You will be amazed with Ken's abilities and more importantly with his instruction. What he will be teaching has the power to improve the quality of your life dramatically. After all, lack of mobility seriously hampers your well being and must be addressed.

Okay, enough with the sales pitch, lets provide some more info to make your decision an easy one

First off let me tell you who I am. I am a Kettlebell Instructor and fitness information provider. I am the author of the DVD's The Kettlebell Solution For Speed And Explosive Strength, The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength, and The Kettlebell Solution For Fat Loss And Mental Toughness I have done over 100 Kettlebell workshops across the US and overseas. I am the producer of a series of best selling workshop DVD's: "The Boys Are Back In Town", "Collision Course", and "Kettlebell Training In The Age Of Quarrel." I am also the author of "The Aggressive Strength Solution For Size And Strength."

Thousands of people have benefited from my experience with kettlebells and I have written about the benefits of kettlebells in several magazines in the US and Japan including Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Planet Muscle, Industry Magazine, Testosterone Nation, Ironman Magazine, and Ironman Magazine Japan.

Of the thousands of people that I have trained, I have never received any negative feedback. Not one person has been disappointed. What does this mean? It means that you are guaranteed to have a great time at our seminar.

Next lets talk about top kettlebell trainer Ken Blackburn

Ken Blackburn is the Associate Head Instructor with the International Kettlebell & Fitness Federation. Along with Head Instructor Steve Cotter they travel all over the world teaching workshops and their very popular instructor certification – The CKT (Certified Kettlebell Teacher) course.
A lifelong athlete and martial artist, Ken began seriously training with kettlebells after attending a workshop at his BJJ club with Steve Cotter several years ago. Always on the lookout for training that would enhance his athleticism, he immediately recognized the value in Kettlebells and has been training/teaching with them ever since.

Ken is one of the top American competitors in kettlebell sport and won the Chair Press at the World Championships in November, 2007 doing over 50 reps with two 70lb kettlebells.

I attended a kettlebell certification course that Ken taught with Steve Cotter in 2008. I was very impressed with Ken's teaching abilities. As Ken was teaching I was looking around the room to see how receptive the students were. It was very clear that they were having a great time and were learning a great deal. I knew that I wanted to work with Ken when the right opportunity came along. That opportunity is here and with it is an opportunity for you to learn from one of the best kettlebell instructors around. Ken is an incredible resource for kettlebell training as well as physical training in general.

Detailed Information On Mike's Intermediate Kettlebell Training Material:
I cannot wait to cover all of the new information that will dramatically impact your strength and health in the best way possible. I will get right to the point. This course is not for beginners. If you cannot do the following exercises with decent form then this course is not a fit for you.

• One-arm Clean
• One-arm Military Press
• One-arm Snatch
• One-arm Swing

Course Information:

• Mastering the double rack walk to learn the "sit-back" to increase overhead pressing dramatically. You will be able to move to the next KB size up when you master this and do not have to add any more muscle or bodyweight.
• Why too much tension is a waste and how to apply just enough tension to get the job done. I did not clean and press two 70lb bells 19 times by over doing tension.
• Where to look and what to think when doing heavy KB mil presses
• What the kickstart press is and how to use it to ramp up your Mil press numbers.
• The advantages of doing double swings and double snatches with the bells on the outside of your feet and how to do it.
• Why you must do rows and other pulling movements for healthy shoulders and strong pressing.
• Why body positioning and leverage is more important than maximum tension for strength and efficiency
• How to use the side press to take your mil press through the roof
• Learn the Kickstand Lunge for the benefits of the one legged squat without the stabilizer issues. Also great for building strong well developed calves.
• The Kneeling Squat for ramping up one legged strength and demolishing imbalances
• Low position walking lunges one of the best KB quad exercises that you have never done! That will change after the course
• Tons of tips to go from Renegade row failure to renegade row success. Variations of the Renegade row to accelerate strength and progress.
• The ten best kettlebell exercises for fat loss and how and when to do them.
• How to avoid over-training the shoulders with kettlebells. Every KB exercise is a shoulder exercise. Learn which ones to focus on and which to cut out. Otherwise, expect to have expensive shoulder injuries. You cannot have it all all of the time.
• Why the Double KB Swing is the best ballistic KB exercise for strength and power and how to handle more weight than you ever imagined was possible in the safest manner possible.
• Why Double Swings carry over well to double pressing
• The best KB exercises for speed and explosive strength and why you should never do more than three reps when speed and explosive power are your goals.
• Develop incredible explosive power with the Jump Shrug and Full Body Attack
• How to use kettlebells for strength and size
• How to get ripped with your KB program and why high rep KB programs are not the answer. Not by a long shot!
• Why exercise form changes with each kettlebell and why light KB work does not transfer well to the heavy work. How to get the best of both worlds.
• The biggest mistakes that kettlbell trainees make with program design and why many KB trainees are over-trained stimulus addicts.
• The critical role of nutrition and supplements to get the most out of your training.
• Why nutrition supplementation needs to be personalized and how to determine what you will benefit from.
• The importance of hormone optimization and how to to achieve it

Here are the exercises that I will cover in detail at the workshop:

• Double Clean and Relaxed Military Press
• The Kickstart Press
• Alternating Hang Clean and Mil Press
• Alternating Renegade Row
• Outside Double Swing
• Outside Double Snatch
• Double Snatch
• One-arm Double Kettlebell Bent-over Row (two bells in one hand)
• Suitcase Kickstand Lunge
• Double Front Kickstand Lunge
• Low position walking lunges for the quads
• Double Rack Walks
• Kneeling Squats
• Double Overhead Position Walks
• Double Clean And Squat Press
• Hang Clean
• Hang Snatch
• Full Body Attack
• Jump Shrug

Bonus Hormone Lecture Information

Here is what will be covered in detail at the hormone optimization lecture:

• Why stress management skills are critical for hormone optimization and what you can do today
• Why hormone optimization starts in your brain: the 4 brain chemicals that you must optimize for brain and body health
• The importance of eating organic food and why it is even more critical if you eat meat.
• Why Insulin, Leptin, and Adrenaline are the three most important hormones to optimize regardless of what your goals are
• Why you should have long stretches in between each meal
• Why real hormone optimization is essentially lifestyle optimization
• The two best supplements to take for increasing free levels of testosterone
• What supplements have been proven to increase growth hormone by up to 700%
• What style of exercise to engage in to ramp up growth hormone dramatically
• Why focusing on one hormone is a big mistake
• What adrenaline exercise is and why it must be balanced with restoration exercise
• The connection between doing the career you love and creating an optimal hormone environment
• What supplement works for androgen receptor uptake and for increasing insulin sensitivity
• Why hormones need to be optimal for long term fat loss and muscle gain. Forget about counting calories and doing cardio all day long. It is your hormonal environment that determines how you look.
• Why DHT is important for men and what supplements to take to optimize it
• The importance of melatonin and why everyone should be using it
• The three best supplements for destroying estrogen dominance
• The best supplements for increasing insulin sensitivity and improving physique composition goals (in other words fat loss and muscle gain)
• The most important vitamins and minerals for sex hormone optimization

Detailed Information On What Ken Blackburn is going to cover:

Mobility/Agility training (bodyweight and k-bells) and Assistance Drills for Kettlebell Sport

• Improve mobility and flexibility with unique bodyweight and k-bell exercises
• Develop joint health and freedom of movement
• Enhance athleticism while simultaneously taking your conditioning to higher levels
• Train the body to perform in a spontaneous/instinctual manner
• Develop a high level of body/kinesthetic awareness
• How to greatly reduce the chance of injury through an effective pre and post workout mobility routine
• Learn how to effectively transition from the ground to standing and condition your body to handle the demands of these transitions – excellent for many sports
• Overcome the body’s fear response thru advanced movement training
• How joint mobility helps correct mechanical imbalances, reduces injury and improves performance
• Why warming up is essential for creating the much needed mind/body connection
• Simultaneously train all physical attributes in a short duration of time
• How to take your competition lifts to the next level with unique and effective assistance exercises and drills
• How to safely incorporate progressions into the more advanced agility exercises
• Eliminate the guesswork and learn how to program your cardio training in a manner that is specific to kettlebell sport and your indvidiual attributes

Testimonials for Ken:

“I had the fantastic opportunity to work with one of the best instructors ever, Ken Blackburn! Coming into my first real experience with KBs I had no idea what to expect... how hard they would be or how detailed the form is... My initial thought was, this looks easy, haha, boy was I wrong! It looked easy due to the fact that Ken made it look effortless.
As I progressed through the first day of my certification I was happy to learn from Ken and have his expertise available to me. After the fantastic warm-up of agility, mobility and stretching movements, led by Ken, I was excited to see what else I would pick up from his coaching and direction.
Ken has an easy going personality that makes it fun to learn... Even as 'large and in charge' as he is, he comes across with an ease that anyone could learn from and feel good about themselves. Ken is very approachable and listens before he answers, which in my book is extremely important!
Even though the KBs were the reason for my attending the course, I thoroughly enjoyed the warm-up that Ken led. I wish I could do that everyday with him leading; I am sure I would have less neck and joint aches!
I highly recommend Ken as an instructor... he is one of a kind. With that said, I still can't keep the image of him in the splits with the biggest KB overhead! Now, if I could just get him to point his toes... LOL!

”Monica Brant, IFBB Fitness Olympia Champion/IFBB ProFigure

“When it comes to combining kettlebell training with other aspects of athleticism, Ken Blackburn one of the best trainers in the world. Ken is a big strong guy and he moves better than most athletes out there regardless of their size. This combination of strength and agility is rare. Ken combines these skills with the ability to teach them to others. I have known Ken for a number of years and I have seen him continue to evolve and refine his teaching style. I think that anyone from beginner to elite athlete would benefit significantly from Ken's unique approach to training. If you train with Ken you will not be disappointed.”

Scott Helsley MD, PhD , Master of Sport


Testimonials for Mike:

"Mike Mahler is an expert in the challenging field of sports conditioning. His unique and innovative teaching tactics guarantee high retention of these one-of-a-kind workouts. His extensive knowledge feeds a powerful passion to explore the human body with safety and strength. If you get a chance to train with him; do so or regret it."

- Frank Shamrock, Five Time UFC Middleweight Champion
________________________________________

"I often get this question asked at seminars. Who do you respect in the industry? Mike Mahler is certainly of the most decent beings and leaders in the fitness industry. Mike loves to help, and he does it from the bottom of his heart, that is what makes him a great leader. Zero ego, all heart. Great job Mike."

--Charles Poliquin author of Modern Trends In Strength Training And The Poliquin Principles http://www.charlespoliquin.com/
________________________________________

"My Name is Harley Flanagan I am a Purple belt under Renzo Gracie some of you may know me from my bands the Cro-mags, Harley's War and others. I have always been into working out and over the years I have suffered from various shoulder injuries. After just one of Mikes seminars I felt improvement in my shoulder. A lot of my injuries from grappling and life in general got aggravated by using standard weights. However, when using kettle bells I felt improvement in my strength and in those weak areas. These damn kettlebells get you strong as hell, but I would never suggest playing around with them without proper instruction. That's why you should get in touch with Mike Mahler and check out his Dvds and his seminars! You will be glad you did whether you are a martial artist or just into strength training these things are the bomb! This stuff will REALLY get you in top shape for MMA or anything else life throws your way!"

- Harley Flanagan, Cro-mags / Harley's War www.hardcorehalloffame.com and www.cromags.com
________________________________________

"Since I have been using Mike's techniques I have gotten into absolutely amazing shape. I'm proud to say it! I cannot recommend his expertise enough. In the past few months, everyone I know has asked me how I got so fit and I direct them all to kettlebells and Mike Mahler. Mike realizes that everyone has different training goals and what they need to do to achieve them. He knows what works and what doesn't and will get you where you want to go. Thanks Mike, you seriously kick ass!"

- Chris Pontius of MTV's Wildboyz and Jackass


REGISTER HERE: http://www.mikemahler.com/michigankettlebells.html

Questions: e-mail Mike Mahler at: mahler25@yahoo.com

• Master high intensity “kettlbell combinations” to supercharge your explosiveness and athleticism – perfect for combat athletes!
• How to choose which assistance drills for kettlebell sport are the most specific to your goals, body type and abilities
• Why integrating k-bells and bodyweight exercises will prepare you for the stress and demands of “neuromuscular transitions” that occur in sport and everyday life
• Why mastering advanced movements will take your “basic” movements to the next level



www.kettlebellplanet.com

Friday, November 19 · 12:30pm - 6:00pm

NW Calgary

www.kettlebellplanet.com

Milan, Italy
Copenhagen, Denmark
Athens, Greece

Why attend a CKT course?

*Mastering the basics - proper foundation is everything! Learn the classical mechanics, alignment, breathing and groove of k-bell lifts that will deliver results and keep you (and your students) safe!

*Coaching - understand learning styles, presentation skills and program design.

Milan, Italy:
http://ikff.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202&Itemid=40

Copenhagen, Denmark:
www.eleikosport.se/gymfitness/product.asp?PageNumber=&Product_Id=523

Athens, Greece:
http://ikff.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192&Itemid=40

In addition, new Level 2 course added to the IKFF schedule:

Santa Monica, CA:
http://ikff.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221&Itemid=40


www.kettlebellplanet.com

www.kettlebellplanet.com