exercise programming

Practical Programming

April 1, 2015 By Max Shank 10 Comments

Max Shank Teaching In Germany

Programming is a scary word for coaches, trainers, and exercisers. There seems to be this mystic fog of confusion centered around the idea that the way you put an exercise plan together will completely make or break your gains. Obviously we are all afraid of wasting our time in the gym, so it’s natural for us to feel this way about it–we want optimal results!

There has been a ludicrous amount of time, energy, and experimentation in trying to determine some of the best training plans and methods. You can take a simple idea: “Exercise=good” and after years and years of research, start to worry about whether you did enough transverse plane movements at 85% of your 1RM on Day 4 in week 3 of your 12-week periodized program within a 3 year macrocycle.

Confused yet? Yeah I know.

Here’s the thing, there is a decent amount of science and experimentation to back this stuff up, so in theory it makes sense.

However, my two main issues with complicated programming are centered around the following:

1) Reality
2) Who is this for again?

In a land where unicorns roam free and butterflies kiss the cheek of every child, maybe these intricate plans make sense. However, we live in the real world. We get in an argument with the wife, the kids keep you up all night, you’re stressed out at work, maybe you got super drunk last weekend or didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Whatever it is, we are not consistent nor are we precisely linear. A good plan allows for wiggle room based on how you feel on a given day. Trying to force a certain amount of reps/sets or movements on a day where you maybe shouldn’t is a surefire way to injure yourself. Don’t force square pegs into round holes. Take advantage of the days when you feel good, and don’t push your luck on the days where you don’t.

Most of the best-known and revered programs in the world all center around heavily specified activities like powerlifting/Olympic lifting or gymnastics. What we fail to remember is that these programs are geared toward PROFESSIONALS in these SPECIFIC sports. Last I checked, most of us are just trying to feel better, look better, and then perform better. I don’t know about you but I don’t get paid by the pound when I do a deadlift. The issue here is that we are sacrificing the main goal (better health and fitness) for the secondary cause (lifting more weight). I know that we love measuring things, and it’s a very efficient metric, but let’s not forget why we are lifting weights or training in the first place!

Professional athletes sacrifice health for performance all the time–because they are paid to do so. If you’re not getting paid to lift more weight, you might want to rethink using a program that is built for those who do.

Here’s some parting wisdom when it comes to putting a plan together.

Your nervous system likes frequency over intensity, so train full body workouts and hit all the main patterns every session.

Upper Push
Upper Pull
Lower Push
Lower Pull

Be flexible. When you feel super strong, throw on some extra weight. When you don’t feel 100% focus more on things like flexibility and medium weights.

Max Shank Twisted Flagstand

Build your plan around the rest of your life.

One of the biggest problems with any plan is consistency. So take a look at your schedule for the week and find the BEST times where training will fit around that–you want to remove as many barriers as possible when it comes to working up the motivation to work out. Have a plan for when you can’t make it to the gym so you can still train at home or at the park–it’s always good to have a plan B.

The challenge is not in lifting the weight, the challenge is in having the resolve and forethought to be consistent over the long term.

Better every day.
-Max

***Master RKC Instructor Max Shank is the owner of Ambition Athletics in Encintas, California. He is very active in martial arts, competes in the Highland Games, and promotes a holistic approach to overall fitness. For more information about Max please visit www.maxshank.com.

Max Shank is the author of Master the Kettlebell, now available in paperback and ebook format.

He has also recently released Ultimate Athleticism, an ebook and training program.

Pass Your RKC: A Complete 6-Month RKC Level One Preparatory Program

September 24, 2014 By Nick Lynch 4 Comments

RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch Training With Kettlebells

As athletes preparing for a grueling physical feat, we must ask ourselves, “How do I train properly?” There are many outstanding training programs already out there, so my hope for this program is to further help you and your students prepare for a successful RKC certification. I’ve personally had great success with this program, as have my clients. Please, feel free to ask questions about this program, as each individual’s needs differ. I’ll do my best to answer or point you in the direction of a fellow RKC Leader who can help.

A common concern in passing the RKC is the Snatch Test. 100 strict reps in 5 minutes or less proposes many issues beyond tearing hands. What many first time RKC hopefuls don’t account for is that the Snatch Test will occur after already having completed hundreds of swings, countless overhead presses and a plethora of skill refining corrective exercises. You’re already physically fatigued by the time the Snatch Test begins! Another major issue to consider: food and sleep! Your nervous system is taxed and therefore sleep is light (for most of us) and there is little time to eat throughout the day, especially to meet the needs of your great caloric output.

To ensure you’re getting adequate nutrition while training for the RKC keep it basic! Avoid large amounts of alcohol, sugar and refined oils. Stick with nutrient dense foods like sprouted grain cereal and bread, free-range eggs and organic meats, fruits and veggies. Looking for something to drink? Try water.

Hand care is of utmost importance, as is the correct kettlebell. Dragon Door’s kettlebells may cost more than the kettlebell you’ll find at your local used sports store but they’ll help prevent tears as they’re single mold cast iron. Huh? Single mold cast iron bells do not have a bump or ridge on the bottom of the handle. That ridge is best to avoid. It will cause extra friction during kettlebell ballistics. Here is a simple hand care protocol:

Buy a 2-sided callus shaver. Sold at any drug store.
Fill a bucket or pot with hot water.
Soak hands and then shave skin.
Apply Shea butter or Bag Balm (Yup, the stuff for cow udders. Hey! I’m from Vermont and now live in Wisconsin’s Dairyland! What can I say…)

2-3 times per week soak hands in water hot enough to make you think twice for about 5-10 minutes. Thoroughly dry hands with hand towel and wait about 30 seconds for moisture to completely evaporate. Now, take the callus shaver’s rough side and shave calluses for about 20-30 seconds on both hands. Flip callus shaver over to the gritty sand paper side and shave 20-30 seconds on both hands. The dead skin will start to crumble off, leaving your rough hands smooth. DO NOT over shave or your hands will burn.

Now we know how to eat and care for our hands, so how do we train? Good question. Below you’ll find a foolproof training program that’ll leave you with two thick pieces of paper and a shiny, new red shirt that says “RKC Instructor”.

*The following program is based on testing with a 24kg kettlebell. Please adjust based on your test size bell.

Monday – Light Day working on Level 1 skills. Smooth out your form and master the techniques.

Warm up: 12-16kg Arm Bar per side w/20-second hold; Turkish Get Up (TGU) per side; Pull up bar hang x10-seconds w/shoulders packed; hold deep Goblet Squat x10-seconds; x10 Swings; Cobra Stretch and x3-4 deep breaths arching on the inhale, Kime stance on the exhale.

Nick showcasing the mobility enhancing RKC Arm Bar

x10-minutes TGU with 16kg. Do as many TGUs as possible in 10 minutes with strict form.
*light weight is used to fix form. No record setting here…

x5 sets of x5 Cleans per side

x5 sets of x5 Presses per side

x5 sets of x5 Double Bell Front Squats

x5 sets of x10 Single Arm Swings per side

*all the above exercises are done with a 16KG Kettlebell. Switch in the air.
**allow 20-30 Seconds break in between the ballistics, x45 Sec – 1 minute in between the grinds.

Superset: x10-Second Hardstyle Plank with x5 Straight Leg Raises for a total of x5 sets. Ensure your lower back is hard pressed into the floor during the leg raise.

Tuesday – stretch, practice deep breathing to expand the diaphragm.

Wednesday – medium day

Warm up: same as above

x30 seconds – 1 minute Hardstyle Plank.

x10 2-handed Swings with anywhere from 24kg-32kg bell EMOTM (every minute on the minute) for 10 minutes.
*fast n’ loose between sets of Swings

x2 Single arm Clean, Squat and Press with 20-24kg EMOTM for 10 minutes
*alternate sides each minute

x1 TGU per side with 24-32kg (based on current level of strength) By using strict form you’ll know the appropriate weight to utilize.

x1-minute Hardstyle Plank.

RKC hopeful Natalie showcasing proper TGU form. Note locked out joints and knee-to-hip alignment.

Thursday – same as Tuesday

Friday – Press/Pull Up Ladders

Clean and Press x1-5 reps superset with Pull Ups x1-5 reps

*if you perform x1 clean and press then perform x1 pull up. If you perform x2 clean and presses, perform x2 pull ups and so on; if you cannot yet do pull ups, supplement the number of pulls ups with seconds for a flexed arm hang. Ensure you end each rep with elbows locked out overhead before releasing the bar.

*climb the ladder up to 5 reps a total of twice per side. Example: x1 left, x2 right, x3 left, x4 right, x5 left and then start again with x1 right, x2 left, x3 right and so on…

*bell size is subjective to the individual’s current level of strength. Choose a bell you can perform x2 full ladders utilizing strict form. Practice this high load for about 6-weeks before moving up to a higher bell. Never sacrifice form for pride. If you need to do fewer reps, sets or weight so be it!

*When to move up? Once you can successfully complete x2 full ladders per side for a few consecutive weeks.

x5 set of x5 Heavy Bell Single Arm Swings per side with 32kg, for a total of 50 Single Arm Swings

Saturday and Sunday – Stretch, practice deep breathing, visualize passing the RKC, read Master The Kettlebell by Max Shank and watch Lord of The Rings (the extended versions!)

For the first 2-3 months, pick one Sunday per month grab a 24kg, set the timer for 5-minutes and:
Clean and Get-it-Overhead (without setting the bell down).

Options include: Clean and Press, Clean and Push Press or Clean and Jerk. Your resting positions are overhead or in the rack. This will help build your mental and physical threshold. Use a single kettlebell or if you’re mobility is like that of Bryan (below) use double bells!

Bryan showcasing mobile joints with double 24kg kettlebells locked out overhead.

Before you begin incorporating Snatches, I recommend following the plan above for your first 2-3 months of RKC preparation. The purpose of this is to develop mobility, stability and comfort with the RKC standards. There is no use in weight training with improper form. I call this “injury training”. You want to “strength train”. Once the 2-3 month mark hits, practice this Snatch progression in place of the 5-minute Clean and Get-it-Overhead:

Weeks 1-6: 16kg or 20kg

Weeks 6+: 24kg

Week 1: Snatch for 1-minute

Week 2: Snatch for 1½-minutes

Week 3: Snatch for 2-minutes

Week 4: Snatch for 2½-minutes

Week 5: Snatch for 3-minutes

Week 6: Snatch for 5-minutes

Start over with a heavier bell if you achieve 100 strict Snatches in 5-minutes. Focus on form and the biomechanical breathing match.

There you have it! A simple, effective and nourishing kettlebell program. How cool would it be to see 90% + pass at the RKC Workshop in Milwaukee May of 2015?

A word to the wise: If you are not sure of the RKC standards, hire a local RKC to help you prepare. If there are no local RKCs, reach out to me or another member of the community and we’ll do our best to assist you via the Internet.

RKC hopeful Andrew nailing his 5-minute Snatch Test!

***RKC Team Leader, Nick Lynch is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE). He owns Superb Health Milwaukee, a kettlebell studio in Milwaukee, WI. Most recently, he became an RKC Team Leader. He has 13 years of full-time training and coaching experience and a lifetime of wellness education. Nick lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Natalie and son Weston.

7 Fun and Whimsical Kettlebell Workouts to Burn Fat and Build Muscle

July 23, 2014 By Pat Flynn 1 Comment

Yesterday, in the sultry middle of the afternoon, I went outside to do some sprints. There is a hill in the far corner of my neighborhood of the perfect gradation for this kind of work, and at the top, standing all alone, is a tree. After my rounds, I inspected the tree and made the wonderful discovery that this loveliness was a producer of blackberries, fresh, dark and delicious. I picked some, and ate. The verdict was that they were of top quality, and not costly; so I thought I’d gather two or three bunches, carry them home, and making an honest pie out of my efforts, but at the last minute decided against it. Pie is no good. Too much sugar, too much work, and I don’t know the first or last thing about baking.

I unquestionably detest the fuss of baked goods, all the measuring that goes along with it. It is too much of a meticulous science for me—I need something that will give me the room to wiggle when I need it, or the ability to make things up as I go along without the promise of dismal results.

Today, and everywhere, all the people are training, following a strictly periodized program, and adhering to their charts and tables of statistics. Everything is baked goods—all the ingredients, now, are measured meticulously; the sets, the reps, and the time between exertions—and nobody has done a whimsical workout in years. Because nobody, so far as I know, has been given the permission to simply throw a bunch of exercises into a skillet and see how it turns out. Even CrossFit, the proposed inventor of stir-fried exercise (proposed…), well now all of them are following some sort of granular programming, too (I would say something further about that here, usually, and then regret it later).

I thought the purpose of exercise, like cooking, was meant to be fun. It’s the whimsy we are missing, now, and it’s the whimsy that can breathe freshness into an otherwise very stale exercise routine. Having said this, I am not against structure of any kind. I measure out ingredients for myself, certainly I do it for my clients, and I bake things—but every so often, like yesterday, I take out the skillet and see what I can come up with on the spot. My creation wasn’t bad either. Sprints and hindu push-ups, ten rounds, resting as little as I needed between efforts. Could have used a little more heat, I think, but overall I was pleased with the dish.

What I say is pretty true. Whimsy has its proper place in training, and can be used usefully. The best place for it, by the way, is for your fat burning stuff. Strength work should be kept largely repetitious, and maybe even a little bit boring—but your conditioning! Ah, yes, your conditioning indeed! Well spruce that right up why don’t you? Throw in some red pepper flakes, a little splash bourbon even, and from time to time, feel free to go out on a limb and invent something new entirely. Mostly when I’m doing it—improvising, that is—I take the same, few basic ingredients (the fundamental human movements: push, pull, hinge, squat, core), and tinker with their ordering and dose. Rarely do I cook with any thing exotic as I’m somewhat cowardly, but maybe you will?

What follows are seven of my more whimsically put together kettlebell complexes. They’ve gained honorable mention here for being well-mannered, even-tempered, thoughtfully assembled, and worth doing.

– Pat

PS – If you enjoy these workouts and kettlebell complexes, I have 101 more of them which you can get HERE, free of charge.

Double Kettlebell See-Saw Thrusters

Grab two bells: males use 2x24kg, females use 2×16. Then, clean the bells into the rack and perform the following:

1 squat to overhead press (right)

1 squat to overhead press (left)
1 squat to overhead press (right + left)
1 squat to overhead press (right)

1 squat to overhead press (left)
1 squat to overhead press (right + left)

Set 15 minutes on the clock, and gather as many quality rounds as you can.

The “Cardio” Workout that Builds Muscle

This I scrapped together on the spot when the strong and lovely Jen Sinkler came down to hang out, swing bells, and eat oysters with me.

Full Body “Girls Gone Strong” Workout

I can claim no credit for this as Molly either zipped it together on the spot or pulled it from out storage, I never asked which.

She explains the need to know in the video.

How to Crawl Your Way to Better Fitness

It was chilly weather when the Aleks “The Hebrew Hammer” came to town, but we were excited to see what the mixture of our demented brains could come up with.

The Beastmother

Fred, the groundhog who lives outside of the Dragon Gym, who is twenty pounds overweight and looks like an objectionable dog, waits in high anticipation each year for the budding of the peach tree. I was going to say Fred inspired this workout, but he really had nothing to do with it.

A Workout of Just Swings and Goblet Squat

A Complex of Uneven Proportions

This workout requires two bells of opposing sizes—for males I suggest a 24kg and a 16kg, for females a 16kg and an 8kg.

1 double swing
1 double clean
1 double press
1 front squat
2 double swing
2 double clean
2 double press
2 front squat
3 double swing
3 double clean
3 double press
3 front squat

Again, like all the other workouts (unless otherwise noted) set 15 minutes on the clock and accumulate as many quality rounds as you can.

***

About Pat Flynn: Pat Flynn is a certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge instructor, fitness philosopher, and 7th degree blackbelt in hanging out. Pat is the founder of ChroniclesOfStrength.com and chief contributor to the Chronicles of Strength Inner Circle where he shares his best ideas on how to chop fat and multiply muscle through kettlebell complex training. Pat also offers online coaching. It’s expensive, and certainly not for those who are fragile by nature. Email Pat at PatFlynn@ChroniclesOfStrength.com with the subject line of “online coaching” to learn more.