This is a GREAT blog written by AKC coach Mike Stefano that discusses the history of kettlebells as well as kettlebell training in America.
http://firefightersworkout.blogspot.com/2007_09_23_archive.html
Good stuff Mike!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
A Simple Approach to Training
Due to my hectic professional and personal schedule lately I've had to make some changes in my training. I had been training 4-days per week - squat/deadlift on M/F, bench on W/Sa. I usually try to get up early in the morning before I start training clients (around 4-4:30am) and do some light cardio (20-30 min. of walking or jogging) and joint mobility and flexibility work. Unfortunately due to long work days and working 6-7 days per week my body felt like it has not been recovering that well between sessions. I have a powerlifting meet coming up in November and I also have the goals of stonelifting (travelling to Scotland and Iceland and trying my hand at some of the manhood and testing stones located in these countries) as well as improving my kettlebell lifting and achieving a high ranking in the kettlebell sport. Due to the fact that two of my goals are heading in opposite directions on the strength spectrum (powerlifting and stone lifting are more about maximal strength whereas the kettlebell sport is about strength endurance) I've had to reevalute my training plan. Here's what I've come up with so far.
Eliminate unnecessary crap and focus on what will be most effective for my goals. Current goal - hit PR's in the November PL meet (planning to go 475-500 squat, 315-335 bench, and 475-500 deadlift); while doing this I need to do maintenance work for my kettlebell lifting and stone lifting. My lifts need to be focused on building my squat, bench and deadlift and accessory lifts to address weak points while working in maintenance work for my stone lifting and kettlebell lifting. I also need to ensure I am getting enough down time for rest and recovery as my job is far from sedentary and I work 6 days per week from early morning until late evening.
Here's the training schedule:
Monday
4-4:30am - light cardio 20-30 min. + joint mobility, spineworx and flexibility
7pm - Squat/Deadlift training with my training partners Malcom and Derrick
plan A (weeks 1 and 3 of a 4 week cycle)
1. max effort squat: work up to a max single in a squat variation (high box, low box, SSB, etc)
2. GHR, good morning or RDL: 2-4 sets of 3-7 reps
3. heavy 1-arm KB jerks w/24-32kg bell: 1 set of 10-20 reps on ea. arm, a second and possibly third set of half the reps of the first set
4. 2 heavy ab exercises: 2-3 sets each for 6-12 reps
plan B (weeks 2 and 4 of a 4 week cycle)
1. dynamic effort box squats: 8x2x50-60% plus bands or chains
2. max effort deadlift: work up to a max single in a deadlift variation (pin pull, reverse band, etc)
3. same as plan A
4. same as plan A
Wednesday
4-4:30am - same as Monday
7pm - Bench Press training with Malcom and Derrick
plan A (weeks 1 and 3 of a 4-week cycle)
1. max effort bench press: work up to a max single in a bench press variation (2-4 board, floor press, reverse band, etc)
2. heavy triceps lift: 4-6 sets of 5-7 reps
3. light triceps lift: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
4. lats: 4-6 sets of 6-12 reps
5. upper back: 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps
6. heavy 1-arm kettlebell swings w/24-32kg bell: 1 set of 20-30 reps per arm, followed by 1-2 sets of half the reps performed in the first set
plan B (weeks 2 and 4 of a 4-week cycle)
1. shirted bench press work - full range, heavy triples and singles to master the groove of the shirt
2. db bench press: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
3. triceps lift: 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps
4. same as plan A
5. same as plan A
6. same as plan A
Friday
4-4:30am - same as Mon/Wed
3pm - Supplementary work for kettlebell lifting and stone lifting
1. kb jerks w/16-24kg: timed sets get a total of 10 minutes regardless of how many sets it takes
2. kb snatch w/16-24kg: one timed set
3. kb "feat of strength" lift (focus on various presses, bottoms up, chair press, bottoms up chair press, pinky press, etc.)
4. stone lift to chest, shoulder, press, carry, etc..
5. low back work: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps
6. extra abdominal, neck, trap and grip work
Saturday
9am
1. kb snatch w/16-24kg: timed sets get a total of 10 minnutes regardless of how many sets it takes
2. kb jerk w/16-24kg: one timed set
3. chin ups/pull ups: varied sets and reps
4. sled dragging
5. battling ropes conditioning work
6. extra abdominal, neck, trap and grip work
So there's the plan. This is allowing for a full day off between training sessions. My body usually feels good and ready to go by Monday. Nutrition is important but doesn't need to be rocket science. I am eating clean about 80-90% of the time then whatever the hell I want 10-20% of the time. If my bodyfat starts creeping up too high I'll eat less and move more. Simple stuff.
Plan for after the meet in November will change some. I'll be doing more KB specific work on the M/W workout and basically just doing the main PL exericise with Malcom and Derrick following with 1 or 2 supplementaries for them as well as more conditioning work and leaning up and I'll document the program changes when the time comes.
That's it, nice and simple. Training doesn't need to be super secret rocket science. Lift some stuff, add more weight to the bar and lift some more stuff. If you're doing rep work, add more damn reps. If you're goal is to lift stones, lift stones. Always strive for technical proficiency in the lifts and learn from what the best do - not charlatans who are out to make a name for themselves.
Train hard!
Scott
Due to my hectic professional and personal schedule lately I've had to make some changes in my training. I had been training 4-days per week - squat/deadlift on M/F, bench on W/Sa. I usually try to get up early in the morning before I start training clients (around 4-4:30am) and do some light cardio (20-30 min. of walking or jogging) and joint mobility and flexibility work. Unfortunately due to long work days and working 6-7 days per week my body felt like it has not been recovering that well between sessions. I have a powerlifting meet coming up in November and I also have the goals of stonelifting (travelling to Scotland and Iceland and trying my hand at some of the manhood and testing stones located in these countries) as well as improving my kettlebell lifting and achieving a high ranking in the kettlebell sport. Due to the fact that two of my goals are heading in opposite directions on the strength spectrum (powerlifting and stone lifting are more about maximal strength whereas the kettlebell sport is about strength endurance) I've had to reevalute my training plan. Here's what I've come up with so far.
Eliminate unnecessary crap and focus on what will be most effective for my goals. Current goal - hit PR's in the November PL meet (planning to go 475-500 squat, 315-335 bench, and 475-500 deadlift); while doing this I need to do maintenance work for my kettlebell lifting and stone lifting. My lifts need to be focused on building my squat, bench and deadlift and accessory lifts to address weak points while working in maintenance work for my stone lifting and kettlebell lifting. I also need to ensure I am getting enough down time for rest and recovery as my job is far from sedentary and I work 6 days per week from early morning until late evening.
Here's the training schedule:
Monday
4-4:30am - light cardio 20-30 min. + joint mobility, spineworx and flexibility
7pm - Squat/Deadlift training with my training partners Malcom and Derrick
plan A (weeks 1 and 3 of a 4 week cycle)
1. max effort squat: work up to a max single in a squat variation (high box, low box, SSB, etc)
2. GHR, good morning or RDL: 2-4 sets of 3-7 reps
3. heavy 1-arm KB jerks w/24-32kg bell: 1 set of 10-20 reps on ea. arm, a second and possibly third set of half the reps of the first set
4. 2 heavy ab exercises: 2-3 sets each for 6-12 reps
plan B (weeks 2 and 4 of a 4 week cycle)
1. dynamic effort box squats: 8x2x50-60% plus bands or chains
2. max effort deadlift: work up to a max single in a deadlift variation (pin pull, reverse band, etc)
3. same as plan A
4. same as plan A
Wednesday
4-4:30am - same as Monday
7pm - Bench Press training with Malcom and Derrick
plan A (weeks 1 and 3 of a 4-week cycle)
1. max effort bench press: work up to a max single in a bench press variation (2-4 board, floor press, reverse band, etc)
2. heavy triceps lift: 4-6 sets of 5-7 reps
3. light triceps lift: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
4. lats: 4-6 sets of 6-12 reps
5. upper back: 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps
6. heavy 1-arm kettlebell swings w/24-32kg bell: 1 set of 20-30 reps per arm, followed by 1-2 sets of half the reps performed in the first set
plan B (weeks 2 and 4 of a 4-week cycle)
1. shirted bench press work - full range, heavy triples and singles to master the groove of the shirt
2. db bench press: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
3. triceps lift: 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps
4. same as plan A
5. same as plan A
6. same as plan A
Friday
4-4:30am - same as Mon/Wed
3pm - Supplementary work for kettlebell lifting and stone lifting
1. kb jerks w/16-24kg: timed sets get a total of 10 minutes regardless of how many sets it takes
2. kb snatch w/16-24kg: one timed set
3. kb "feat of strength" lift (focus on various presses, bottoms up, chair press, bottoms up chair press, pinky press, etc.)
4. stone lift to chest, shoulder, press, carry, etc..
5. low back work: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps
6. extra abdominal, neck, trap and grip work
Saturday
9am
1. kb snatch w/16-24kg: timed sets get a total of 10 minnutes regardless of how many sets it takes
2. kb jerk w/16-24kg: one timed set
3. chin ups/pull ups: varied sets and reps
4. sled dragging
5. battling ropes conditioning work
6. extra abdominal, neck, trap and grip work
So there's the plan. This is allowing for a full day off between training sessions. My body usually feels good and ready to go by Monday. Nutrition is important but doesn't need to be rocket science. I am eating clean about 80-90% of the time then whatever the hell I want 10-20% of the time. If my bodyfat starts creeping up too high I'll eat less and move more. Simple stuff.
Plan for after the meet in November will change some. I'll be doing more KB specific work on the M/W workout and basically just doing the main PL exericise with Malcom and Derrick following with 1 or 2 supplementaries for them as well as more conditioning work and leaning up and I'll document the program changes when the time comes.
That's it, nice and simple. Training doesn't need to be super secret rocket science. Lift some stuff, add more weight to the bar and lift some more stuff. If you're doing rep work, add more damn reps. If you're goal is to lift stones, lift stones. Always strive for technical proficiency in the lifts and learn from what the best do - not charlatans who are out to make a name for themselves.
Train hard!
Scott
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