KettlebellPlanet.com

As a competitive strength athlete I really can't do all my training at home and alone, but if I just wanted to look good I probably would. That being said, it's fun to train with the guys! But sometimes you just have to get your swell on by yourself, in the basement or the back yard. Note how I wrote that sometimes you have to train at home, not, sometimes you miss workouts because you can't make it to the gym. Skipping a workout because you can't get to the gym is for loosers and fat people. Winner find a way to improve no matter what. Besides, sometimes training at home with little no weights is just what you need to freshen things up.

When I am training at home I usually use kettlebells for the bulk of the session. This blog is loaded with kettlebell workouts as a quick search will prove. But if you are really stuck with nothing but your own body, don't worry, there is still a ton you can do.

In these situations I like to make a quick list of body weight drills I want to hit. Usually it is a list of push-up, pull-up, core training and squat variations.

Then I create an order for a body weight circuit that might look something like this:

• 20 mins total, 2 min rest between rounds, as many rounds as possible, change the variation/drill each round
• Push-up variation
• Pull-up variation
• Squat variation
• Core drill

Here is the body weight workout I did yesterday. Note that I didn't work my legs or core on purpose because I knew that I would hit those areas today (see previous post).

• Upper Body Alternating Sets, do a set of push-ups then a set of pull-ups, then rest briefly, a total of 100 pull-ups must be completed to finish the session
• Push-up variations
• push-ups
• t-push-ups
• reach under push-ups
• clapping push-ups
• feet elevated push-ups
• push-ups on knuckles
• narrow hands push-ups
• Hindu push-ups
• Pull-up variations
• pull-up
• chin-up
• wide grip
• narrow grip
• horizontal body position
• clapping pull-ups

So for this workout I alternated between push-ups and pull-ups, I had to hit 100 pull-ups total to complete the workout. I also attempted to do a different variation of the drills each set. For push-ups this was easy but I quickly ran out of pull-up varations.

The idea here is to put a little creative thought into your training so you can make home workouts fun again and not feel that you are wasting your time.

Here are some videos by Rhadi Ferguson on body weight training.





Nathan Donahue

The holidays are a great time to eat tons of tasty food, catch up with friends and family, and hit the gym with your buddies for a care free training session. Today an old football buddy and I hit the gym to catch up and get our swell on at the same time. My training this week has been pretty haphazrd so I just let him plan the workout for me. It is always tougher to do someone else's workout, and I am feeling it as I write this. My right oblique and left hamstring are already very sore, it's going to be tough to move tomorrow!

If you are stuck in a training rut, as happens to everyone eventually. Find somebody who knows there stuff, turn your brain off, and just do what they tell you to do. This is when having a strength coach comes in real handy. Instead of going to your old faithful exercises for the same old set and rep scheme, you will be forced to challenge yourself with unfamiliar stressors. This will force adaptation and improvement.

Here is the workout my buddy had us do:

• Hang Clean
• Start with the bar and add 20-25lbs per set until you hit a max single or fail
• Really go for it on this drill, I missed a new PR on the first try but got it on the second attempt
• Overhead Split Squat
• Press the barbell overhead, hold it there while dropping into a static lunge, then squat up and down in the lunge position for a few reps, then switch legs
• 3 x 5 each side
• Squat and Plyo Jump Combo
• Do a set of squats and then bang out some box jumps
• 5 x 5
• Suitcase Deadlifts
• 2 Olympic Bars with a 25lbs plate on each side
• Grab a barbell in each hand and deadlift it for reps
• This will work your grip and extend the range of motion compared to a traditional deadlift
• 4 x 10-15
• Uneven Load Bench Press
• Put a 45lbs plate on one side of the bar
• Carefully press it off the rack and perform bench presses with a spotter present
• This drill will work the obliques like crazy!
• 3 x 8-10
• Hanging Leg Lifts
• 3 x max reps

Here is a great video demonstrating the Hang Clean


Here is an example of the Suitcase Deadlift




Nathan Donahue
http://www.kettlebellplanet.com/

The latest book in the New Rules of Lifting training series is now available! You can pick it up HERE .


This is the first book that I feel really reflects the programming that we do at Results Fitness.

The first two books had great programs in them, but I was brought in as a fitness consultant for these books.

In other words - the original books weren't my idea, or necessarily what we'd do if you joined Results Fitness.

This book is as close as it gets to being a member of our gym, without actually living in Valencia, Ca.

Hope you enjoy it!

Here's part one of an interview that I just did with my co-author Lou Schuler:

Alwyn, let’s talk about the origins of our book. In the Introduction, I tell readers why I had to change the way I trained. Short version: I hurt my shoulder playing lumberjack in my back yard, I reinjured a knee in the gym, and I got a hernia. There was a point in the summer and fall of 2008 where I could barely walk. Running was completely out of the question. I was forced to rethink not just the exercises I did or the way I did them, but the goal of training itself.

As it happens, around that time you and Rachel changed the way you trained your clients. What was different about your clients circa 2008, vs. earlier clients? And how did you change your programming strategy to address those differences?

AC: Well the changes came around long before 2008 Lou. Probably closer to 2002 we started noticing it, and in 2004 or so we’d made a massive switch.

Simply put, our new beginner clients were arriving in worse shape than beginners maybe 5 years previously had arrived.

We’ve tracked the posture, range of motion, functional movement screen scores and initial body fat percentage of every new member at Results Fitness since we opened almost eleven years ago. We have more data on exercise than most peer-reviewed published studies have collected. People were arriving in worse condition than ever before.

A fitness program could have consisted almost entirely of weight training and cardio in the past. Now we had to address muscle imbalances, core strength and stability, dynamic flexibility, direct power training alongside strength and cardio.

As a result – our programming started to change around 2004, but we’re constantly tweaking. Each year we sit down and revamp the entire programming.

I’m excited because this is the first time I’ve been able to share exactly what we do at Results Fitness with the general public. The first two books in our series were good of course :) , but this more accurately reflects the training experience that our in-house clients are familiar with.

When I decided I was going to invest time for core training at the beginning of each workout, I didn’t really have a plan. I mean, that was my plan – to do core exercises. So I would do some stuff I got from McGill, some stuff I got from different articles, and some stuff I picked up from who knows where. I would just do stuff, then make it harder, then move on to new stuff.

I was genuinely excited to realize you had a systemic approach to core training. I could try to explain it to the readers, but I would just end up repeating what you told me.

AC: If it weren’t for dead guys, we’d probably never have started doing crunches. That’s because for years, much of our knowledge of the way muscles work was based on the study of human cadavers. By looking at the anatomy of corpses, modern scientists figured that the function of our abdominal muscles must be to flex the spine. Which is exactly what you do when you perform a crunch, a situp, or any other move that requires you to round your lower back. As a result, these exercises were popularized as the best way to work your abs.

But the reality is that your abs have a more critical function than flexing your spine: Their main job is to stabilize the spine. In fact, your midsection muscles are the reason your torso stays upright instead of falling forward due to gravity. So your abs and lower back actually prevent your spine from flexing.

The upshot is that if you want better results from your core workout, you need to train your abs for stability.

LS: Now let’s get specific. When we talk about stabilization, we’re talking about static exercises. Some people will look at that and think, “Planks? Side planks? Why do I need a book for those?”

But once you get past those basic exercises, the stabilization exercises in NROL for Abs get really hard, really fast. Even our models for the photo shoots couldn’t hold a couple of them longer than it took for the photographer to snap off a shot.

So explain how you progress within the stabilization category, and why it’s important to take those steps one at a time.

AC: The purpose of the core (not just the abs) is to stabilize the spine. That’s the basic level we begin at. But when we examine more closely – the reality is that the core functions to stabilize the spine while the extremities are moving and producing or receiving force.

So stage one is pure stabilization. That’s our entry level – the ability to stabilize the spine without any change in forces or loading.

LS: The next category is dynamic stabilization, where you’re moving a load around the core. This category includes a lot of exercises that people have seen before, like cable lifts and chops, Swiss-ball rollouts, and Valslide push-aways.

But I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen them done the way you want them done. Just to pick one example, the cable lifts and chops, you tell readers to do them from kneeling or half-kneeling positions, with the shoulders and hips facing forward throughout the movement. If you can’t turn your shoulders and hips, it’s a much harder exercise, and most of us have to cut the weight in half to get it right.

Explain your thoughts here – why not let readers do those exercises the fun way, with full-body rotation?

AC: Level two is what we call “Dynamic stabilization”. It’s kind of a misnomer I suppose. The purpose of this phase is to maintain spinal stability while moving an extremity and changing force and center of gravity. For example – instead of merely holding a plank – we’d do a plank with a mountain climber or a pulldown to really challenge stability.

Gray Cook was the one who really brought the chops and lifts to my attention. Now if you use your full body to pull the weight stack – you’ll definitely use more weight – but at that point it’s a core strength exercise – the core is moving. We want core stability – make the extremities move and challenge the core to resist rotation.

The final category is integrated stabilization. Readers are doing lunges, squats, and walks with unbalanced and offset loads. You also have Turkish get-ups in this category. I’m sure a lot of the people reading this – coaches and experienced lifters – will want to start with those exercises, and skip the first two exercises.

What will they get out of the exercises by building up to them with weeks of preparation, vs. jumping right in?

AC: Level three is integrated stabilization where we do traditional exercises with a twist – for example using one dumbbell instead of two in a lunge, or shoulder press. Basically we offset the center of gravity and force the core to work harder than it would with a traditional exercise.

Now of course someone can jump in and train anywhere they want. But that shows a real misunderstanding of the programming. If you aren’t used to this type of training then you’ll progress faster by following smart progressions.

Training is a process. Just follow the recipe. And besides – we give enough variation of even a simple plank that will challenge most people. Try a one arm plank wearing a weighted vest with your hand on a medicine ball and your feet in the TRX straps if you’re not convinced !!

--

AC

PS - You can pick up a copy of the New Rules of Lifting for Abs - HERE .

--
AC

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US

Nathan Donahue
http://www.kettlebellplanet.com/

While back in Ottawa for the holidays I decided to hit my old stomping grounds, the Ottawa Athletic Club. I worked there as life guard when I was a teenager and then was a member there for four more years before moving to Calgary. While a member there I trained for powerlifting meets with the Ottawa Strong. It was fun to go back and check the place out after their 2 million dollar renovation!

If you live in Ottawa this has to be one of the best gyms to actually lift weights in. They have tons of free weights but what I really love is that they have 4 power racks with lifting platforms attached, plus a dedicated lifting platform for Olympic lifting. This is one of the few gyms in the city that marries hard core lifting with the fitness club atmosphere.

As you can imagine I pretty much just parked myself in a power rack and had some fun for an hour. Here is the workout I did with no belt or lifting shoes because I left that stuff back home:

• Mobility Work
• joint circles and stuff
• Front Squats
• started with the bar and added 50lbs per set until I maxed out for a single PR
• somehow I managed to hit a new personal best without even using a belt! It just goes to show you how sometimes a new atmosphere and fresh attitude is all you need
• 8 sets total
• Front Squat Holds
• added 50lbs and did 5 sets of stand ups in the front squat position
• this drill really works your abs and upper back, plus prepares you for heavier front squats down the line
• Trap Bar Deadlifts
• did a set of deads between each set of Front Squat Holds
• added 100lbs a set for 5 reps until I maxed out for a single
• dropped it down 100lbs and did a 1 x 5 to add some volume
• GHR
• 3 x 10 to finish off the glutes and hammies
• Hanging Leg Lifts
• alternated between GHR's and Leg Lifts
• controlled swing all the way upside down and slow temp on the way back down

That is it. So if you are on holiday's and don't have your gear, don't be a wimp! Get your but to the gym and get your swole on right now! You never know, today could be the day you hit a new PR!

If you aren't sure how to front squat or why, just watch this video below. Front Squats will make you stronger and more athletic, so work them son!



Nathan Donahue
http://www.kettlebellplanet.com/

I am back in Ottawa for the Christmas holidays. While back in my home town I decided to visit an old friend and Professional Strongman, Paul Vaillancourt. Paul owns Ultimate Fitness Gym in Renfrew and Arnprior. Paul has been in the iron game for a long time and has a lot of knowledge to share up and coming strength athletes.

My focus was to really learn how to master the log press, a staple event of strongman contests. Usually I just muscle snatch the log, then clean and press it once I begin to tire out. The problem is that snatches only work when the log is 200lbs or less, and they gas me out pretty quickly. I find that my strength is then sapped due to systemic fatigue (gassed out). So I wanted to learn how to press more efficiently, both to handle more weight and beng out more reps on lighter logs.

Paul taught me a 3 step process to press the log as efficiently as possible.

1. Lap the log much like a stone, even if it is light. Have your hands pointing down, so your palms are facing your body.
2. Shoot the hips up and forward while driving your elbows high. Your wrists should pull up and back, spinning the log up your chest.
3. Rack the log, take a quick breath then drive with your legs, once the log clears your face look 45 degrees down. This will help you lock out the lock easier and maintain your balance.
1. If you can jerk the weight, do so. Use the legs to drive the log up, then immediately drop into a split snatch. Once the arms are locked out, bring the feet together.

In training bring the log down under control, it will help you build muscle. In competition use as little energy as possible on the descent. Also, even with light logs, use this technique, it will conserve energy and allow you to hit more reps. Plus, it will conserve your lower back strength, which of course is required for every event in strongman.

Here is a video of Paul working his log clean and press technique.


The workout at Ultimate Fitness looked like this:

• Mobility Drills
• Barbell Warm-up
• cleans, rows, presses, etc
• Log Clean and Press
• did a few sets with my old technique to show Paul
• singles with the new technique for 30 mins using a 200lbs log with Fat Handles
• Sandbag Lifting
• 260lbs sandbag
• carried it a while
• did a bunch of attempts at shouldering the bag
• finally shouldered it for 1 rep, really tough!
• The sandbag is great for training your stone lifting without banging up your joints
• Prowler Pushing paired with Clapping Pull-Ups
• not sure how many sets I did, just kept going back and forth until I started to cramp up

Sandbag training is awesome for strength and conditioning training. Check this out for ideas.


Nathan Donahue
http://www.kettlebellplanet.com/

With the holidays upon us it gets tougher to hit the gym on a regular basis, and to make matters worse, culinary temptations are everywhere.

So what is an aspiring hard body to do?

One trick is to sneak in mini body weight or kettlebell workouts that can be done at home. Another one I favour when training opportunities are limited is full body workouts. I did a full body workout today. The goal was to try and set a new personal record in the barbell clean and press, and then to make sure the rest of my body got some work in too. Oh, and it had to be done in under 45 minutes. Impossible you say? Read below.

• Barbell Clean and Press
• warm up with just the bar
• most men should start with 135lbs, then add 20-25lbs per set until you maxed out, but adjust according to your strength levels
• keep the reps low when testing your strength, 5 reps per set at first, drop to 1 rep by the last few sets to save energy
• Snatch Grip Deadlift
• Add 50lbs or so to the bar, then take a very wide (snatch) grip
• 20-25 reps total, break the sets and reps up as you wish, just make sure at least 20 reps are achieved and that it is challenging to do so
• for some reason 20-25 reps broken up across a few sets seems to be a sweet spot for strength and size development
• A1 Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press
• sitting in the gym is for fat people
• 5 x 5
• A2 Dumbbell Curls
• 5 x 5

The barbell clean and press is an all round muscle and power developer, so make them a staple in your training. More so than bench press unless you are a powerlifter. Trust me, working that overhead lifting will develop your upper body like nothing else. The snatch grip deadlift is an awesome drill for building muscle mass. The extended range of motion compared to a regular deadlift forces your muscles to spend more time under tension. This makes you grow! Lastly, I worked the dumbbell presses and curls because these are my weak points, do what you feel needs work. Just stay off the stationary bike!

Once again I cannot over emphasize the effect that clean and pressing as well as the snatch grip deadlift will have on your physique and performance. If you aren't as big and strong as you want to be ask yourself how much you can handle in these lifts. If it is less than your body weight you suck and that is why you are small. Work those lifts, eat a primal diet, and you will get big and strong without looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.



Nathan Donahue www.kettlebellplanet.com

One of my goals for this year was to complete 250 workouts - which translates to about 5 workouts per week on average.

Unfortunately, I was a little short - today I hit workout 220. I'll end the year with around 225 workouts performed which I'm not too unhappy about.

My goal for 2011 will be 200 workouts. My travel schedule is busy, and with work commitments increasing, I'll be very happy averaging four solid training sessions each week or around 16 each month.

This is what I call a process goal -- it's not an outcome that I'm looking for (e.g. lose 10lbs, increase my chin-up reps), although they are just as important - it's a simple "do this" goal that I can make constant progress towards.

Goal setting is still hard for some people. I'll often meet clients who are interested in losing fat and decide that they will start daily cardio, weight train four times per week, eat six small meals, cut calories by 20% and reduce their carb intake.

These are great goals -- but most people are trying to do too much at once. The solution to this is to use the goal snowball, an idea I first heard of from Chris Shugart. Here's how to do it:

1) List five or six behaviors you need to improve or change to reach your goals. What do you need to be doing that you're not doing? What bad habits do you need to kick? What good habits do you need to instill?
2) List these things from easiest to hardest.
3) "Maintain" all your other goals and focus your attention on the first thing on your list (the easiest one.) Spend two weeks just focusing on achieving that goal so that it becomes a habit.
4) Once that change has been made and ingrained, move up to the next item on your list and focus your efforts there.
5) One by one, knock out these changes and/or goals.

For example: Maybe you sleep late. First goal might be to get up 30 mins earlier every day.
Second goal might be to go to the gym as soon as you wake up - and go four times a week instead of three.
Third goal may be to make sure you always eat breakfast.

Fourth goal? Reduce portion sizes at 3 out of 5 meals...and so on.

So in 10 weeks or so - you're getting up earlier - never missing a workout, have done an extra ten workouts, and eaten breakfast everyday (which is a key factor in fat loss) while consuming less calories overall. These goals would "snowball" into a bigger overall effect with long-term success whereas trying to do all things at once would likely result in short term failure.

--
AC
PS - For a great resource on goal setting - check out The Magic Hundred

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US

Nathan Donahue www.kettlebellplanet.com

Kettlebell workouts can be a lot of fun but recently my training has been getting a little stale. I find myself doing pretty much the same workouts again and again. When this happens you have to look for new ideas to stimulate your training. When it comes to kettlebell training I listen closely to Mike Mahler so I have been reading his new free kettlebell e-book and it is giving me some pretty cool kettlebell workout ideas.

Here is a kettlebell circuit I did today that was inspired by his work. Do 4 rounds total, stop 1-2 reps shy of failure on each set, catch your breath between drills and rest for a few minutes between rounds.

• Double KB Swing
• Double KB Strict Military Press
• Double KB Jump Squat Shrug
• Double KB Renegade Row
• Double KB Windmill

Finisher: 50 body weight squats, as fast as possible

Here is another good example of a double kettlebell circuit you can do.



Please comment below! Your feedback makes this training blog better for you! www.kettlebellplanet.com

What’s wrong with a traditional warm up?

Jogging, cycling or jumping rope doesn’t prepare you to perform.

You've heard the phrase you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Every training session is a bit like that. It's vital that you set the tone straight from the off! I’m amazed at just how little thought seems to go into most warm ups. We’ve all seen it, the coach sending the team off to jog some laps, or the personal trainer sitting the client on a bike for 5 minutes before the training session. It’s just not good enough.

Traditionally warm ups are considered a necessary evil and a bit of a hassle, 'let's just get through this so that we can start training properly'.

Most traditional warm ups focus mainly on the temperature-related mechanisms and involve basic activities that require movement of the major muscle groups of the body, such as jogging, cycling, or jumping rope (skipping).

However, preliminary exercise should prepare the body not only physiologically but also psychologically. Forget About Warm Ups…from now on I want you to think of Movement Preparation.

Movement preparation encompasses technical reinforcement of fundamental movement patterns, promotes cognitive thought processes that are critical to body awareness, emphasizes the expression of movement speed on the force-velocity continuum, and finally it creates variety and interest that will engage athletes/clients. Oh….it also increases your core temperature and gets a bit of a sweat on!

Physical Responses to Movement Preparation

Movement preparation initially increases tissue temperatures throughout the body, which in turn causes a rise in whole body core temperature. This increase in temperature is brought about by:

• friction between muscle fibres during muscular contraction
• dilation of intra-muscular blood vessels
• redistribution of the circulation, and finally
• the breakdown and metabolism of fuels during exercise.

An increase in whole body temperature allows the muscles and joints to move optimally, reduces the resistance to blood flow throughout the body so that blood can then be easily distributed to the working musculature and improves nervous activity leading to improvements in the rate of muscular contraction, reaction times, and the overall control of whole body balance and motor function. Finally, from a cardiovascular perspective, temperature is central to the rate at which oxygen can be released from the blood and delivered to the working muscles.

And you thought it was just about getting a sweat on!

Psychological Responses to Movement Preparation

Peddling on a stationary bike, jogging round a football field, or sitting down performing static stretches are not particularly mentally stimulating activities! However, I still see athletes and gym-goers alike adopting such approaches to their pre-exercise preparations on a regular basis. These activities are ‘easy’ to perform and in most cases don’t require much thought.

I personally want my athletes and clients mentally ‘dialed in’ and ‘switched on’ at the start of the training session. It’s an absolute must in my books to work on elevating the cognitive function of the body, placing value on developing the alertness, acuity, and mental arousal needed to focus the athletes mind.
Complex tasks used as movement preparation can serve to promote a number of cognitive functions.

• Neural activity within the brain is elevated, and the higher centres of the brain are stimulated above resting levels.
• Activation of the brain centres required for motor function gives a cognitive focus to kinaesthetic feedback. As an athlete begins to become aware of what a given movement feels like, he/she can then go about changing components of that motor function in order to execute the motor task more efficiently or effectively. Kinaesthetic movement patterns can then be rehearsed, with the mind becoming intimately associated with the quality of the performance outcome.
• Stimulating the mind through more complex movement preparation tasks often allows for ‘technical reinforcement’ of an activity and/or movement patters that will be experienced in an ensuing activity.
• Effective use of the movement preparation time will elevate the psychological focus of an athlete, allowing them to enter into their training session with a mental state that is conducive to optimal performance. Performing semi-complex movements, such as those utilized in the P2P approach to movement preparation will promote this mental focus.

Be it physiological responses or psychological responses, movement preparation activities should serve to elevate all the systems of the body to heightened levels, where they will then promote optimal performance standards. Gone are the days jogging round a field or a court and then performing static stretching prior to training or competition.

Prepare 2 Perform: Olympic Movement Preparation represents a new approach to Movement Preparation!!

The use of Weightlifting techniques by athletes and gym-goers alike is widespread. Performing Olympic weightlifting movements requires balance, coordination, and proprioceptive feedback from the whole nervous system. In order that they be performed correctly, weightlifting variants require the correct sequencing of explosive/ballistic muscle actions. What is more, due to the dynamic nature of this type of exercise, the weightlifting movements can also elevate cardiovascular and metabolic systems above resting levels.
It's time to move with the changes.

Prepare 2 Perform

If you spend the first 10 minutes of every session just getting your clients muscles warm, before you do the 'serious work', then you are wasting a massive portion of your time.

Prepare 2 Perform: Olympic Movement Preparation represents a novel strategy to movement preparation and warm-up. It removes athletes from the proprioceptively-starved environments of traditional warm-up routines, and challenges all the physiological and psychological systems that are critical for ensuing activity. The Olympic lifts are dynamic, whole body movements, and activate a large number of muscles in gross motor actions. All in all, Olympic Weightlifting activities represent an fantastic way to perform movement preparation, and by their nature they fit in with the P2P philosophies.

Nick Grantham
--
AC
PS - The Prepare 2 Perform program is on sale until midnight UK time Dec 24th.
Check it out ==> Prepare 2 Perform

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US
Please comment below! Your feedback makes this training blog better for you! www.kettlebellplanet.com

For those of you who don't know, El Guapo is my evil alter ego. He comes out during times of duress to protect me, and usually hurt others. The last time El Guapo showed his masked face was at my bachelor party. You see I had 24 of my best "friends" trying to beat me up and get me to drink myself unconscious. Instead, El Guapo came out and exacted the blood of his enemies. Once again El Guapo has been awakened from his slumber to punish those that would do Nathan harm.

So ya, this is all a joke but I really am going to hurt Nick. Training has to be fun right?
I hope it gives you a laugh. What do you think?

Nathan Donahue
www.kettlebellplanet.com

As you can see, I am a proud Mike Mahler affiliate so feel free to take this review with a grain of salt. But be aware that I was a fan of his work before I started blogging, and became an affiliate of his because I respected his work in the fitness industry.

Anyways, I was on his site this morning and found a free e-book he recently produced. This book is a great resource to help you get started with kettlebell training. It will give you clear direction on how to spend your time to get the most bang for your buck. If you are a kettlebell veteran like myself, this book is great to help you refocus your training. After reading it I realized that my kettlebell training I was lacking in some pretty fundamental areas.

The e-book is free so you may as well check it out. But don't let the price fool you. It is full of quality training information and I am sure you will pull a gem or two from this great resource by Mike Mahler.



If you have already read this e-book please comment your thoughts on it below!
www.kettlebellplanet.com

If you want a strong and powerful looking upper body you need to mix it up. Varying your grip, implements, drills, sets and reps are all important keys to keep your body guessing and developing. The old time strongmen, like Arthur Saxon above, used various sizes of fixed bars (non rotating), dumbbells, kettlebells, stones, sacks, barrels, a lot of wrestling and plenty of grip work. The variety in their training was effective. Their feats of strength, such as Arthur Saxon's one handed bent press of 385lbs, are mind boggling when you consider steroids weren't invented yet.

As the amazing book Manthropology explains, men are genetically designed to be incredibly strong and durable. If you push your body you will be amazed at what it is capable of. Instead most "men" sit on their fat saggy asses and what other guys kick as on TV.

Here is the workout I did today to try and stimulate some growth in my upper body. Try it out yourself and don't be afraid to substitute other fun tools make your training fun and fresh.

• Swiss Bar Bench Press with Flex Bands
• warm-up
• work up to 5 x 5
• dropped it down for a 1 set rep out to failure
• Fat Dumbbell Row
• 10 x 6
• did a set between each set of bench press
• TRX Circuit, 3 rounds of 10-12 reps per drill
• reverse flys
• curls
• triceps extensions

Here is an example of training with the Swiss Bar, which is a nice variation from a regular bar. Bands or chains will teach you to explode the weight up as it is heavier at the top. This will also really hit your triceps.

Don't let the super scrawny trainer dude fool you. TRX Suspension Trainers are great for working your whole body while getting some core activation at the same time.


Please comment below! Your feedback makes this training blog better for you! www.kettlebellplanet.com

Wish your wheels were bigger. Well, there's an old saying. Just learn to front squat double your body weight for 8 reps and your legs will be plenty big.

Now I don't know if anybody actually enjoys squatting. Despite being an avid squatter and competitive powerlifter for years I am still always happiest when my squats are done. Let's face it, they aren't a sexy lift, they are brutally hard, and nobody really cares what you squat.

But the fact is, if you want to be a strong and powerful athlete, you have to squat till you drop. You have to put your work in under the bar to develop the full body muscle and power that will make you a champion. Here is a cool squat workout I picked up from Charles Poliquin. Do a set of front squats and stop 1-2 reps shy of failure, then catch your breath with the bar racked. Next get right back under the bar and bang out a set of back squats. Again stop shy of failure. Keep increasing the weight until you can't front squat any more and forced to only back squat.

This will allow you to improve your max strength on the front squat while still getting plenty of volume in, which will help induce growth. I tried it today and it is a killer! My legs are really beat up tonight and I can feel the extra volume that I snuck in. Give it a try for yourself.

• Mobility Work
• Squat Super-Set
• work up to a max single in the front squat, for each set do the following
• Front Squat
• catch your breath quickly
• Back Squat
• Stone Lifting, substitute deadlifts with a snatch grip if you don't have a stone (which is ghetto)
• work up to a max single
• Front Squat Holds
• do one set between each set of stone lifts
• 110% of your max front squat, un-rack the bar and stand with it in the front squat position

Think your squat workout is tough enough but you aren't getting any bigger or stronger. Check out this workout done by strength legend Jesse Marunde.


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With the holiday's upon us the annual onslaught of treats and booze has begun. Every day a different co-worker brings in home made treats to share with the office. Personally I do my best to follow a paleo diet, but with a metabolism like mine sometimes hunger and temptation break me down into a brownie eating flunkie. I love eating paleo, but let's face it, life is too short not to eat home made brownies! With reality being what it is, we all need some tools in our shed to fight the tide of expanding waist lines this time of year.

One tool that will help you turn some heads is the kettlebell complex. Complexes are similar to circuits in that you move from one drill to another without rest. The only difference is that you use the same weight for the entire round and never put the weight down. This results in even less rest time than most circuits.

To give you an idea of the effectiveness of this tool, it's been two hours since I finished my kettlebell complex workout and I am still sweating. Mind you the copious serving of stuffed peppers (bison, pork, onions and red peppers) didn't exactly cool me off. But whenever I bang out some kettlebell complexes/circuits, I am always reminded how dramatically they effect my metabolism.

Kettlebell complexes are a great tool to help you burn fat, improve athleticism and put some muscle on. Mind you I do a lot of heavy lifting 4 days a week with barbells and odd objects, so for me kettlebells are pretty much only used for conditioning and burning fat. Here is the workout I did to do just that:

• Mobility Work
• Dynamic Body Weight Warm-up
• lunges, inch worm and other body weight drills taken from Alwyn Cosgrove's New Rules of Lifting 
• 1 Kettlebell Complex, 3 rounds of 10 reps per drill per side
• hand to hand pass around the waist
• 1 hand swing
• lunge with pass under the leg
• figure 8 to hold
• 1 Kettlebell Complex, 2 round of 10 reps per drill per side
• snatch
• windmill
• bottoms up clean

Here is a good example of a kettlebell complex. And don't worry, you don't have to become a skinny dude with lots of kettlebell training. If you mix in some heavy lifting you will carry some nice muscle armour as well. I use kettlebells all the time and am a competitive strength athlete.

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What is it that separates you from your goals? Or from being at the very top?

If you want to be a World Class fitness trainer or business owner - what is it that is keeping you from accomplishing that?

Is it education? If so - what books do you need to read? What DVD's do you need to watch? Who do you need to meet or consult with ? What audio CD's do you need to listen to? What seminars do you need to attend? What mentorships are you  going to?

Is it experience? If so - who can you study under to fast track that experience? How many clients would you need to train to get more experience? If you currently train 20 sessions per week, if you got up to 25, that would be an extra 250 sessions per year (or over ten extra weeks of experience by comparison).

What about a personal goal of fat loss or muscle gain? What if you want to lose 20lbs? What foods would you have to eat on a daily basis? What training would you have to do? How much cardiovascular work? How many sets, reps, exercises in your weight training program? Should you even have a weight training program?

Who is the best trainer in your area that you can hire? What sort of time commitment is needed?

Is that time commitment realistic for you?
Are you just lacking the information?
Are you lacking a plan?
Or do you know what to do and just aren't doing it?
Are you supposed to take a 6am spinning class and sleep in instead?
Are you just not taking action?

I bet most of you have never even figured out these factors. Most people prefer to stay the same, yet complain about where they are, and how hard it is, and how it's "different" for them or in their gym/town/city/state/country...

As we wind up 2010 - are you where you wanted to be 12 months ago? What about 12 months from now? What steps do you need to take?

If it's a lack of information - then get that information and then take action.

If it's a lack of action - then get off your butt and DO something.

If you can answer these questions make a list and start moving towards your goals.

AC
PS - I've been getting a lot of emails as regards books to read about goal setting and the success mindset. The single best resource I've ever found on this topic is from UK super-trainer Dax Moy: you'll find all the details HERE

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US
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MMA is probably the fastest growing sport in the world right now, and for good reason, it's damn entertaining. Personally GSP is my favorite fighter because he is so incredibly athletic and always finds ways to win. A few years ago I wrote an article for Fighter's Only Magazine called the Kettlebell Fight System, check it out here. Fighters need to be strong, explosive and have amazing conditioning, so it's no surprise that kettlebells are used fairly extensively in mma training.

Here are some workout routines that Funk Roberts, a trainer I have a ton of respect for, created to help fighters improve their athletic ability. Even if your not a fighter, these workouts will burn fat and improve athleticism at the same time, so why not try them?






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Sunday is Strongman Practice for the Bells of Steel Crew so we all met at the high tech training trailer and got to work in preparation for a contest that is coming up January.

Here is the workout we did:

• Joint Mobility
• Kettlebell Circuit for Warm-up
Log Clean and Press
• 4 sets of about 8-10 reps
• 4 sets of 5 reps, focusing on technique
• Super Yoke Walk
• worked up to "max weight" then did 90 seconds max distance

This doesn't look like much work but with all the warm-ups it took just over an hour to complete. Whether you are going to compete in strongman or not there are still some good take-aways from this workout.

First off, standing overhead pressing is vitally important to being a well round lifter. If you can't pick your body weight off the ground and put it over your head then you really can't be considered strong. Working your overhead press will do so much for your athletic performance and physique that is can't be over looked. I know when I switched from powerlifting to strongman and started really working the overhead press, my shoulders just blew up and made me much broader.


Secondly carrying heavy objects is probably one of the most important elements to building strength that is overlooked by most athletes. That and throwing. Carrying objects in the farmers walk, yoke walk, or holding in front of your body develops the ankles, thighs, hips, back, abs, and depending on the lift, the arms are well. Long, hard carries are not fun, but they put so much stress on your body for an extended period of time that it will force new muscle growth and mental toughness. Plus carrying develops your conditioning, which is obviously important for health and performance. In the gym, pick the heaviest dumbbells there and take them for a walk; in the park find a big stone and do the same.

Here is an example of the Super Yoke done by Pro Strongman Derek Poundstone.



If you don't have access to strongman implements, just find a big stone and take it for a ride. If you get good enough you might even be able to challenge the Husafell Stone.



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Did any of you guys watch the GSP vs Josh Koscheck  fight last night? As a proud Canadian I always get nervous when GSP enters the octagon. As usual though he was completely dominant and made another top rank fighter look like an amateur. GSP's jab set the pace of the whole fight right from the start. He would leap in, land one or two shots on Koshchek's face, then leap out before taking any damage. It is amazing how he seems to improve with each fight and totally negate his opponent's style. It is also amazing how explosive GSP is. Talk about an athlete who has his diet, training and technique all down to a perfect science.

I will give Koscheck credit for a few things though. First off he proved to be tough as nails. I was obvious that his swollen shut right eye was causing him a ton of pain. Every time the doctor applied ice to it he would flinch away in pain. That being said he kept on fighting and coming after George no matter what.

Also, Koscheck's wrestling proved to be world class as GSP had a really hard time taking him down. This forced the fight to be a stand up battle which made it more entertaining for sure.

Lastly, I was a little dissapointed that GSP didn't go in for the kill near the end. Koscheck couldn't see out of his right eye and was quite vulnerable. I wanted to see GSP finish Kos with a big round house or something. Instead GSP stayed conservative through the whole match and never went in for the kill. I understand that he doesn't want to risk taking any unnecessary damage, but a knock out finish would have been more entertaining.

What do you think?

www.kettlebellplanet.com

Saturday's workout was a little more bodybuilding-esque than I usually train. The reason being that I was tired and wanted to a less intense "back-off" workout. So I hit the gym and avoided any powerlifts or explosive full body lifts like clean and presses. This workout is a good one if you are trying to put some muscle on your chest, back, shoulders and arms, and really what guy isn't?

• Dumbbell Bench Press
• worked up to a heavy 4 x 6
• Fat Gripz Cable Rows
• 10 x 6-10
• did a set of rows between each set of presses
• Dips
• 3 x 20
• Preacher Curls
• 3 x 12-15

Don't get me wrong, I am a big believer in focusing your training more for function than form, but hitting the weights to build some aesthetic muscle at any age is still a good and noble use of time. Check out his video of 64 year old Mike Brown pressing 115lbs dumbbells.

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Today is your LAST opportunity to take advantage of the 75% off Turbulence Training "Holiday Fat Loss Workouts" sale... and here are my Top 10 reasons why you'd be extremely wise to get on board before the offer expires TONIGHT...

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2. There's an old saying, "You can't out-train a bad diet." However, some research subjects claim that intervals CAN help you lose fat even if you're diet is filled with holiday treats. Let's face it, we all know that we are going to eat too much and too many treats this month, so we may as well use the proven workout system that will help us avoid belly fat - and research has shown us that interval training is the best system to do that. (PLUS, we can use bodyweight exercises in circuit format to burn fat without equipment in place of intervals.)

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When you combine Workout B from the "TT Bodyweight Cardio" program together with interval training, your all-day calorie burning levels will skyrocket!

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7. I know these workouts will help you. I know that you can succeed. Don't let anyone bring you down in your goal to lose fat over the holidays! Hang around positive people on the TT Member's Forum (another bonus you'll receive with your At-Home Fat Burning System)! And use the motivation, inspiration, and positivity from other Turbulence Training Success Stories to support you on your fat loss journey.

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8. Most fat loss programs are either too easy or too complex and impossible to do at home. But Craig Ballantyne has been creating these types of workouts for over 10 years for Men's Health and for his thousands of online clients. He's helped men AND women lose over 33 pounds in just 12 weeks. And now it is YOUR turn to lose fat in the comfort of your own home. As world-famous fitness expert Joel Marion says, "Craig Ballantyne is the absolute best at what he does, and there's a reason why he's regularly featured in magazines like Men's Health and Oxygen for Women -- his stuff works."

9. I wish I knew all of Craig's bodyweight and interval training secrets back in the day. I would have gotten results even faster! But listen, if you're skeptical, I just ask you to try one of the workouts in the Bodyweight Cardio program. I guarantee that one will shock you with how effective it is at boosting your calorie burning. And if you don't agree...

10. You have my full money-back guarantee that you will love the Turbulence Training At-Home Fat Burning Workouts or you can simply request a refund. It's that easy.

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You'll discover that the Turbulence Training Intervals and Bodyweight Cardio Circuits are the best workouts you can do at home to burn fat in just a small amount of time. I guarantee it.

Just say NO to cardio,

--
AC
PS - The 75% off sale ends TONIGHT at midnight, EST.

This is your last chance to save 75% on the Turbulence Training At-Home Fat Loss Workouts:

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Be confident in the changes you are making and you will succeed.

For the motivation, inspiration, exercise demonstrations, and the workouts you need, get the TT At-Home Fat Burning Workouts today.

AlwynCosgrove.com

24420 Walnut street
Newhall, CA
91321
US
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Manthropology, The Science of why the Modern Male is not what he used to be.

"If you are reading this, then you - or the man you have bought it for - are the worst man in history."

Wow, talk about a take no prisoner's statement for the first line in a book! I bought Manthropology a little while ago on a whim and haven't been able to put it down since. You see, as a history buff I have always wondered how in the hell ancient man achieved the feats of physical prowess he did. From hunting mammoths with spears, to doing battle in full armour with heavy weapons for hours on end, to doing back breaking manual labour for years on end without any true physical breakdown.

I have always been astounded at these feats I read about, especially when I compare them to "normal" men are capable of today. If you read my post What is Happening to Modern Man? then you already know I have had a deep seeded disappointment with the physical and mental toughness of "normal" men these days. For the most part men have turned into complete girly men. From skinny jeans, to effeminate hair, to physical decay and a lower sperm counts, men are not the great warriors and fearless hunters they used to be.

Men have been civilized, but has it gone too far? I think so, and so does Peter McAllister. After reading his book my suspicion of the decay of manliness was confirmed. We are wimp-i-fying, and I don't like it!

My dad used to tell me stories of his grandfather, my great-grandfather, Uncle Jake. Uncle Jake was a simple man who never really learned English after he moved to Boston. With no language, or writing skills, he did what men did back then for money. Hard manual labour. Most of the time Jake worked as a long shore man. Carrying crates, boxes and sacks out of ships and onto the docks. He did this all day, five or six days a week for about 40 years.

As a young man my dad was a butcher, and a big strong one at that. He would always challenge his grandpa, Jake, to arms wrestling matches. You know what, not once, even when Jake was in his sixties, did my dad beat him. Apparently Jake's grip would crush my dad's hand so bad that it wasn't even a fight. You see, Jake came from a different world. He was from the old country, where you grew up doing back breaking labor and kept doing it until you died. To be strong wasn't a nice attribute, it was how he and other men of his time earned a living. The weak just didn't get good jobs until after WWII, so damn near everyone was strong because they had to be!

I do love this book though. Manthropolgy is a fun and easy read that backs up a great story of manly devolution with hard facts and science. If you are a real man, this is a must read. After you hit the weights and eat a steak that is.

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