Death by Truck Ramp!

As you probably know by now, I'm an outspoken critic of most traditional forms of cardiovascular training. One of my blogs, 10 Reasons I Don't Do Aerobics, caused quite a furor, overloading my mailbox with missives from both nay-sayers and supporters. The exercise physiologists (whose livelihood depends on convincing us this exercise is so important) were hands-down the most upset.

Yet people in the physiology community conduct experiments and studies because their positions require they "publish or perish". These studies are typically run by students (as part of their education and training) and are, for the most part, unsupervised. To meet their deadlines, the students may fudge the data, as students will. I'll say it: Most of the studies conducted are worthless.

So, if you can't trust science, who can you trust? Old school trainers, who've been in the field a long time, have tons of in-the-ditches experience and empirical data about what does and doesn't work. Guys like myself ain't gonna have jobs for long if they aren't consistently producing good results for their clientele! As I travel across the country in my little RV, I have the opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals running gyms based on the same principles I espouse. I hear story after story of clients abandoning what passes as mainstream fitness to start training anew with the exercise models I preach--with terrific results! What passes for training, even personal training, in most gyms is for the most part, utterly worthless.

Most people haven't the access to some of these cutting-edge, alternative gyms, like Gym Jones, Monkey Bar Gym, Maxercise, Recreate Fitness and Prime Physique. These are five examples of phenomenal venues producing the fat loss and fitness gains most people desire.

But you don't need any gym at all! With the phenomenon that is online personal training you can benefit from the decades of personal training and coaching experience of hard boiled trainers like myself and your home (no matter what or where that may be!) becomes your gym--no membership required! You'll become one of the growing numbers of people realizing most gyms aren't even conducive to hard-core beneficial training. In fact, the required exercises are typically discouraged in such gyms!

Some of my--and my young assistant's--most tremendous workouts were completed out-of-doors while traveling cross-country. Obviously, this requires a fair amount of creativity on the part of the ol' Coach, who surveys the terrain and sees a workout opportunity at every turn...and every turn-out!

When I look out the window and see a construction site, I see not building materials but odd objects needing to be lifted. When I spy boulder fields and scree along the mountainside, it's a world of large, smooth stones to shoulder. Roadside warning signs? Forget 'em, I see only the sandbags anchoring the signs, hogging all that gravity! Public parks and rest stops? I possess the uncanny ability to ferret out the pull-up opportunity, using everything from swing sets to picnic kiosk cross beams, tree limbs...and the odd stall bar in the men's washroom.

Often, these workouts are impromptu, spur-of-the-moment affairs. One such workout introduced itself on the drive from Salt Lake City to Portland. As we were climbing a picturesque mountain range, I espied a runaway trunk ramp. A thing of beauty, I tell you! My teen assistant, who'd already been chauffeuring me a number of hours, was getting feisty and in need of a break. We pulled alongside the runaway ramp and Lil 't quickly donned her workout togs with my gentle--yet persuasive--prodding, heh.

Teresa loves a good workout, and physical exertion in general, thus she's made great progress under the Coach's tutelage and finds herself now, at 40+, in the best physical condition of her life.

One of the most results-producing cardio, and fat burning, exercises are hill sprints. The trunk ramp, though daunting, was the perfect venue for this unparalleled expression of fat combustion...providing actual runaway trucks are as uncommon as we hoped! Although a runaway truck would bring the motivation to a whole new level!

After a warm-up of the Maxwell Daily Dozen, Teresa sprinted from the bottom, as far up the ramp as she could, in 45-seconds. She noted the spot she hit each time I called out the time, then she'd return to the bottom of the hill and immediately perform an upper body exercise to balance the tremendous leg, hip, hamstring workout she was getting during those arduous uphill sprints. It didn't take long in that thin mountain air to get Teresa a-panting like a puppy dog.

Despite the chill (and the fact that she opted for minimalist workout attire) there was a thin veneer of sweat on that silky skin and the ol' Coach felt stirrings as he ogled his assistant!

The workout went like this:

10 sprints, coupled with 10 upper body exercises:

2 pushes
2 pulls
4 core
2 combination push-pulls

Specifically:

1) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
a) Hindu Push-Ups, on push-up board
2) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
b) Jungle Gym Rows
3) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
c) Chatturanga (yoga-style)Push-Ups
4) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
d) Curl Grip Rows
5) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
e) Full Sit-Ups, non-anchored
6) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
f) Continuous Clean & Press with boulder
7) hill sprint, 45-sec/return, 45-sec
g) Alternating Elbow-to-Knee
8) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
h) Continous Clean & Press w/ boulder
9) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
i) Elbow Plank then Side Elbow Plank, L/R
10) hill sprint, 45-sec/ return, 45-sec
j) Elephant Walk Outs

This was a fantastic workout requiring no equipment and though enhanced with a Jungle Gym and Push-Up board, they are by no means required.

We hit all parameters of fitness. There was a great deal of athleticism involved, including the anti-aging boon of utilizing those all-important fast-twitch muscle fibers, along with the upper body, core and back work most every woman so badly needs.

Compare this workout to the average woman's gym hour spent mindlessly running the treadmill or stairmaster, plugged into the excess inputs of television or iPod all the while shuffling along at a pitiful pace, burning a pitiful number of calories and deprived of any muscle strengthening benefit whatsoever. If she does any weight training at all, it's ridiculous movements, with light loads, in bad form, copying some silly, body-building or Shape magazine-style workout.

In this extreme high-intensity workout, your lady friend can hit every parameter of fitness in less than 40 min and continue to burn fat for hours later. Not to mention the effect of the altitude! This is one of thousands of versions of this type of workout I provide to my online clients--and they're seeing their hard-won results.

The only equipment you really need is some type of pull-up bar, a Jungle Gym, Push-Up board and a few kettlebells.
Some luxuries include:

• Power Wheel
• a couple sandbags
• optional barbells and dumbbells

You can get everything you've ever wanted in the realm of the physical body with this simple list. Combat athletes will want to add clubs, mace and climbing rope...and a sledgehammer!

The above can be purchased on even a modest budget, often second-hand.

Do yourself a favor: get out of the gym and get out in nature. Stop the ridiculous, marathon gym routines. Forget the aerobics, they're a waste of time. Start working out in a productive way.

In Strength & Health!

Coach Steve

P.S. I'd like to announce the sale of my Gladiator Seminar DVD! Coach Zach Even-Esh and myself provide more than eight hours of instruction to help you come up with your own creative, innovative and revolutionary ideas for your own unique training regimen. Imagine: two of this country's leading fitness coaches right in your own garage sharing the outstanding information presented in this seminar. It's the next best thing to having been there in person. I don't kid you: there's nothing like hands-on BUT this DVD package comes close!

Ancient Tools for Modern Warriors

Those of you who regularly read my blog know my penchant for ancient workout techniques. I prefer those exercises and exercise systems which have stood the test of time and I've a particular fondness for the Indian wrestling systems. Wrestling was a highly developed art with near-religious connotations. There have been several books written on the subject and one of my favorites is The Wrestler's Body, an anthropological study of the ancient Indian wrestling culture. Many of the techniques go back thousands of years and were instrumental in preparing young warriors for battle. Some historians claim yoga asana practice originated in the wrestling akharas, (which is easy to believe since the original yoga postures described in the ancient texts were 7 or 8 seated positions.) The wrestling workout sequences are known as vayam and consist of: body weight calisthenics, primarily dand (aka Hindu push-ups) and bethak (aka Hindu squats) The system also contains elements of yoga asana, such as bridging exercises and other calisthenic-like moves, variations of which you see in Western yoga classes. But the wrestling system went much further, including swinging heavy clubs and maces. Also included was heavy object lifting, like round stones, sandbags and partner exercises. Additionally, gymnastic exercises were included, like tumbling and rope climbing. The system worked extremely well, producing phenomenal wrestling champions. One such champion of the Indian physical cultural system was the Great Gama, the Lion of the Punjab. Gama was undefeated over a 50-year career. He was widely feared by potential European and North American challengers and most avoided him. He was especially known for his strength and stamina and represents the epitome of what this system can produce.

I have studied the Indian system in depth and used it myself for years. I see it not only as an excellent training system for combat athletes--especially grapplers--but as a great overall health and thus anti-aging regimen. On my way to Portland OR, after spending time with Mark and Lisa Twight of Salt Lake City, I was blown away by the beauty of the Columbia River gorge. One spot had a dock jutting out over the river and it at once brought to mind a scene from a venerable Indian movie, The World of Apu, which some readers were generous enough to send clips from for the gada blog. In one scene, the camera pans over youthful Indian wrestlers performing their ritual exercises on the dock overlooking the Ganges river in Benares. I was taken by the moment, mesmerized even, and thought to myself, "I can have my own holy Ganges river experience right here on the mighty Columbia!"

I grabbed the wheel of the RV, hard, and had my assistant/chauffeur promptly exit to a placid rest area on the river's edge. I gathered up my modern-yet-ancient training tools and hauled them down to the wooden dock. There, I worked my body like a wrestler of long-gone times, at one with the river and my own nature. There's something so serene--yea, magical--in standing over a body of water. I felt incredibly uplifted and energized. This is what your ageless athlete did:

1) Rope skipping, 6 min non-stop
Lifeline Heavy Speed Rope

2) Hindu Squats
200 reps 6 min non-stop
w/ pranayama breathing
1st min: Ujaayi breath for heat

3) Hindu Push-Ups
100 reps
dockside, using the dock as a push-up board,
just like the scene from the movie
Once again, synchronizing breath & movement

The tradition was always to do half as many push-ups as squats.

4) Alternating Shield Cast
15# clubs
*in India and throughout the Middle East, they use large wooden clubs, sometimes colorfully decorated. I used Clubbells.
100 reps in 20-rep sets for 5 rounds

In the ancient vayam training system, a premium was placed on high-repetition movements, which builds tremendous tendon strength, mental toughness and the all-important strength-endurance required for extend bouts of grappling.

5) Gada swinging
100 swings, 50 each direction
20-rep sets x 5

6) Double Clubbell Swipe
100 reps in sets of 20
15# clubs

When I finished, I felt fantastic. I'd worked up a tremendous sweat despite the chilly drizzle coming. I stripped down and plunged into the cold river, bringing a sense of near-euphoria. Now I'd purified my body, along with my spirit, and was ready to present a fantastic kettlebell certification at Nate Jeffers' Recreate Gym in Portland OR! Enjoy the slideshow on the right==>

Nate and his wife, Tina, own and operate an incredible gym. It has everything I love. They've really expanded their kettlebell expertise and hosted a wonderfully successful seminar. Everyone learned a lot and proved their mettle in Coach's final, grueling graduation workout, maintaining terrific form and mental toughness throughout. I was proud to certify 14 new MaxBells instructors. If you're ever in Portland, I highly recommend you contact Nathan and Tina and check out their gym.

If you're interested in hosting a workshop, contact Maxercise@gmail.com, connect with my teen assistant and she'll set up a way to mainline a shot of the ol' Coach into your neighborhood!

In Strength & Health!
Steve

A Tale of Two Cuties

This week's blog I dedicate to the fairer sex.

In my many years of training and coaching I've spent a full 65-75% of my time training women of all ages. From young, nubile teens to 82-year old grandmothers. I've trained at least 30 women through full-term pregnancies and trained some of their daughters as they came of age for training, not to mention my three wives, multiple girlfriends, and two daughters.

I can't say I got along with all of them but one thing I did (and even people who don't like the Ol' Coach will tell you this) was produce some amazing results.

One of the most dependable tool in my bag of tricks is the humble kettlebell. This simple ball of iron has helped me sculpt and tone the lard off a lot of fat asses!

I remember one of my high-powered female clients who was especially resistant to trying the kettlebell: she challenged with, "Give me three good reasons why I should do this!"

The Ol' Coach, not to be thwarted, thought fast on his feet and came up with these three reasons:

1. The kettlebell gives you significant results in less training time
   
2. The kettlebell strengthens every muscle in your body from head-to-toe while burning fat...
3. and simultaneously improving the cardiovascular system

She said, "Well, then...ok!" Because high-powered, busy people want the biggest bang for the buck. They don't have time to be messing around. Let's examine each of the reasons in detail, why kettlebell training is the best value for women per minute of time.

1. Significant results in less training time
Most women gravitate towards long, slow, cardio-endurance training on treadmills and ellipticals. They operate from the mistaken notion that this is the best way to burn off excess body fat. Nothing could be further from the truth! Empirical evidence and the latest scientific findings show over and over again that short-duration, high-intensity exercise is best for stoking the metabolic furnace.

The idea that you can walk or jog off fat with long, slow exercise, simply doesn't work. The moment a woman stops jogging is the moment she stops burning calories, but with high-intensity training the caloric after-burn leaves the metabolic furnace revved-up long after the exercise session is over, ultimately expending far more calories.

Kettlebells are the ultimate high-intensity training protocol, and the best thing of all, they are so portable, training can take place right in your bedroom or living room, because very little space is required. Because of the intensive nature, the workout duration must be kept short. A woman can perform either a lot of easy, less-intense work, or a smaller volume of very hard work. But the body cannot perform a large volume of hard work. A large volume neither improves fitness parameters, nor is it efficient. The kettlebell, by its very nature, is extremely efficient.

2. Strengthen every muscle in your body from head-to-toe while burning fat
Most women weight train more as an after-thought than a primary element in their workout and if weight training is added at all, it consists of light dumbbells and isolation exercises, producing little in the way of worthwhile results. The major fear is getting big, ie, masculine-looking, muscles and no longer appearing pretty and feminine. We know that this is impossible without a hormonal profile conducive to building mass.

Kettlebell training consists of whole-body movement exercises requiring athleticism and coordination. It's well-known that compound movements are superior to isolation exercises for improving muscle tone, strength and body composition. (That's not to say isolation movements don't have their place, but compound movements are the winning ticket for our purposes here.)

The type of physique kettlebell exercises build is svelte, wiry and lean. Think Sarah Connor in The Terminator, or Madonna...but in a fraction of the time those women spent chiseling out their bodies!

Another advantage of the kettlebell over machines or light dumbbells is the importune muscle-loading and ballistic nature of the bell. This counteracts one of the leading problems with aging in women: decreasing bone-density.

Kettlebells further strengthen the connective tissue, eg, tendons and ligaments, making the joints tougher and less-susceptible to injury.

3. Lifting kettlebells improves the cardiovascular system
Most women who have kids and work (and husbands can be like having an extra kid) simply don't have the time for a strength program separate from their cardiovascular program. With the kettlebell, you get both in the same package! Not only that, but the heart-strengthening effect of performing high-repetition kettlebell exercises has proven to provide superior heart and lung conditioning than you'd ever get on a treadmill. I've already discussed the importance of high-intensity training for fat-burning, but here I'd like to stress that improved heart-lung conditioning doesn't come from long, slow, cardio workouts. With steady-state cardio, any improvements in fitness parameters happen within the fist couple of months...only to subside. With kettlebell training, because of its intense nature, you get continual fitness improvements, and it's much easier to gauge these same improvements because as soon as the current load becomes sub-maximal, you jump up to the next weight!

Another key point is the simultaneous loading of both the upper and lower extremities. Most cardio machines involve primarily the lower body (with the exception of rowing and certain elliptical machines.) Even when the machines DO add an upper-body endurance component, it's generally through a pitiful range of motion. The kettlebell puts the arms and shoulder girdle through a very wide range of movement possibilities, much of it being vertical, placing tremendous stress on the cardio system, thus offering considerable benefit. This saves the busy woman a huge amount of time in her day, because all of her health and aesthetic concerns are wrapped up into a single, kick-ass-and-take-names workout done 2-3 times per week. What more could a busy, modern woman ask for?

Two perfect examples of what kettlebell training can do for women are two of my favorite clients, Teresa and Jane. Both women are over forty but look like teen models when training time comes around! Check out the beautiful contours and curvaceous, feminine physiques, while sporting that enviable, lean, G.I. Jane look.

I've produced these same results in hundreds of women. The proof is in the pudding, my friends! I stand by my work. I don't know about you, but I prefer my women with balls of steel!

In Strength & Health,

Steve

P.S. The Portland MaxBells Kettlebell Instructor certification is sold out but there is still space in the Kettlebell Basics Workshop Saturday 8 November. The workshop is from 1-5PM. Contact Nathan Jeffers: natetina@mac.com or phone: 503-243-5644

Please join us! I'd love to meet you.
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ASK COACH!!!! *******************************************************************

Q: ...I have very good friend who was in a bad accident a few years ago. His hip was broken to pieces and had to get bolted together, and his arm was dislocated and the front muscle's torn. He can't even throw a stone without extreme pain. We wanted some advice on whether or not it would be a good idea to introduce him to kettlebells or is the hip movement to much for that kind of injury?

A: Several of the leading back pain specialists are now using the kettlebell swing as a rehabilitation tool. The swing is a very safe exercise because the back muscles themselves--and the spine--stay in perfect alignment throughout the exercise, through static contraction
of the spinal muscles. The KB is actually propelled by loading the hamstrings and the glutes. many former back patients claim the swing makes their backs feel great.
(One word of caution: the back must be flat, not rounded.)

Many people who've experienced back pain from injuries become frightened when they feel muscular fatigue in the low back and sacral region. They equate all back discomfort, including the discomfort of exercise, with injury. Like all muscles, the muscles of the low back will burn, ache and even get a "pump" with blood, just like the biceps and thighs.
People need to learn to recognize the difference between injury pain and exercise pain, especially those who've been injured in the past.

As far as your friend's hip goes, there's only minimal bending of the hip and leg and no arm involvement at all in the execution of a kettlebell swing. So the KB swing is ideal for knee and hip patients. The hamstring and hip muscles will get a nice overload without any damage or injury.

Gitchy Gitchy Gada Ya-Ya!

When it comes to training, I like old stuff, oftentimes the older the better. The reason why? I can trust exercises, movements and systems which have stood the test of time. My training ideas have always been based upon performance. It's not about the look, but what you can do with it. When good health and functionality are combined, the aesthetics will be there. I don't trust modern training because you often find it's not the training technique, or the implements, which have produced the reported results but performance-enhancing drugs. I've said this many times before: The information prior to the 1960s is the best resource out there because it pre-dates the entire drug issue. Most of my performance-based training has always been geared towards the martial arts, grappling in particular. There were plenty mighty men of old capable of feats even modern, drug-using athletes are unable to perform--and all this in the early 20th century-- for example: Arthur Saxon and his 370+lb. Bent Press; Herman Gorner's One-Handed Deadlift of 734.5 lbs. and the Hindu Wrestler, the "Great" Gama, who walked through all the great European wrestling champions of his day unscored upon, remaining undefeated throughout his 50-year career.

The training methods used by these old-school, old-world, athletes worked then and they work today. One exercise device which has always caught my imagination was used by Middle-Asian wrestlers. It's called a mace and in northern India, where wrestlers go at the sport with a religious fervor, it's called a gada. The gada has its origins in weapons training for young warriors but because of the physical attributes it provides, the exercise was continued in times of peace to train athletes and has survived, in one form or another, to this day--because it works! Mace swinging was an integral part of the "Great" Gama's routine, as you can see here, he is pictured with his mace. The mace, or gada, is a long stick with a stone ball attached to one end. There are several exercises it can be used for but the main one is a big circular swinging motion behind the back and head. Although the gada isn't heavy, the leverage force created by the long handle tremendously increases the resistance so that a relatively light weight is producing high levels of force. The gada is pushed upwards, then, as it pendulums behind the body, you must suddenly pull it to the front starting (or order) position. The elbows must remain tight to the body and a significant amount of work is supplied to the fingers; hands; wrists; forearms; elbows; shoulders; lats, and core stabilizers. It very much simulates the stresses applied to those body parts during combat. But even if you're not a combat athlete, grappler, wrestler, or jiujitsu practitioner, very favorable results can be obtained from the ancient art of mace swinging. Hey, if mace swinging can provide the strength and stamina necessary for warriors of old, it can certainly provide all the fitness benefits needed by todays' office warrior!

You can buy a mace bell for approximately $170 + shipping or you can do what I did and make your own out of a peewee basketball, Quikrete, and a shovel handle. With a sharp knife, I cut a hole in the top of the basketball big enough to spoon in the Quikrete into the form of the ball. I mixed the Quikrete right in its own little bucket with a jug of water into a nice pudding-like consistency and ladled it right in there, taking care to shake it around so it filled all the parts of the ball. The shovel handle I'd bought had some holes pre-drilled into it for bolting on a shovel head, so I stuck a couple nails through the holes before inserting that end into the wet Quikrete, in order to give the Quikrete something to grab and hold. Next, I carefully set up the gada so the bottom of the ball would flatten out a bit, so I could set the gada upon the ground with the handle upright. Then I left it to sit overnight.

The next morning I had my delightful gada to include in my toybox! I put it through its paces and I'm satisfied with it as a highly functional training tool. All this for under $30 at Home Depot and Toys-R-Us. I actually found the basketball, partially deflated in a dumpster. Be careful in your selection of ball size! This is the third gada I've made, the first time, in San Francisco, I chose a full-size basketball and it was shockingly difficult to swing. I repeated my mistake in New Hampshire, in Joe Egan's backyard. The peewee/kid-sized ball I used this time is just about perfect. It comes in a little under 15#, which is a nice starting weight for most people. I never weighed the full-size basketball version, but I assure you, it was a handful. For strength-endurance, the lighter implement swung many times is the superior methodology.

A secondary benefit to mace swinging is the profound cardio effect. The cardio system and breathing are pronounced as you pick up the speed and hit higher reps. It's interesting how these whole-body movements used by the ancients thoroughly work a body from head to toe, including the cardio-respiratory system. Unlike the modern isolation techniques used by so many of today's athletes, these types of training modalities preclude a separate cardio program since you're getting it all.

My interest was to perform a high-intensity, strength-endurance, interval cardio workout using whole-body movements with an emphasis on upper body strength-endurance. I chose four exercises:

1) Lifeline USA Heavy Speed Rope
2) Hindu Push-Ups on the Push-Up Board
3) Mace Swinging
4) Side-to-Side Cossack Lunge

The Lifeline Heavy Speed Rope is an amazing device that totally engages the upper body while performing the rope skipping. the rope weighs about 1kg (2.2 lbs) which is light enough to turn quickly but heavy enough to work the heck out of the wrists, forearms and shoulders. It's a major butt-kicking rope.

The Hindu Push-Up Board is a 2000 year old exercise device allowing a much deeper spinal stretch and shoulder opening than traditional push-ups done on the floor. The connecting of the two hands together via the wood implement permit better shoulder/elbow alignment and while providing more work, is less stresfull on the joints.

The workout went like this:

A1) 100 jumps on the Heavy Speed Rope
as fast as possible
A2) Hindu Push-Ups x 10
A3) Mace Swings
10 R/10 L
A4) Side-to-Side Cossack Lunge
5 L/5 R

A1-A3 are a circuit. Repeat 10 rounds. No rest--the Cossack Lunges are your rest!

This is a phenomenal workout and my hands, grip and upper body were feeling it. I felt like I'd just gotten off the mat with a live opponent.

Your old Coach is currently outside of Cleveland OH in a most picturesque little town near Chagrin Falls. I taught a wonderful group of people for a four hour kettlebell seminar last weekend, assisted by my crazy strong friend, Jane Easly. (Enjoy the slide show to the right.) I also presented two Gracie jiujitsu workshops at the local Fight Gym where I gave four blue belt promotions to the well-deserving students. If you're in the area, come train with Jason, Scott and Jane, it's a fantastic facility.

The next formal seminar is Portland OR Sunday 9 November. This is a MaxBells Kettlebell Teacher Training Certification. The event is near capacity, there are only twelve spaces total, so if you'd like to be there, definitely contact Nathan Jeffers by email: natetina@mac.com
or phone: 503-243-5644

The MaxBell Teacher Training is quickly being recognized as the very best of its type. Many of the participants come in with an RKC and/or AKC certification and assure us our training is worth every penny. We cover topics not covered by the other certifying bodies. These topics are unique to those wishing to teach kettlebells in group classes or personal training.

I'm proud to announce a new DVD from the Gladiator Seminar last summer with Zach Even-Esh. This was a fantastic seminar in which Zach and I pulled out all the stops--as you can see from the highlight video below--while sharing our conditioning secrets with the participants. It was all documented by Shawn Rubin, a film student, and will soon be available for sale to everyone who wishes they could have been there. This DVD is like having Coaches Steve and Zach in your own living room! Lots of cool ideas to intensify your workouts, unusual exercises and their variations, and some great workouts. I know you'll find this DVD well worth the time and money and I can't wait to release it for sale. It's at the duplicating house now.

So that's the latest news! Let me know how your DIY gadas come out.

In Strength & Health,

Steve

Maxercise Metabolic 300

In keeping with the last blog on Metabolic Conditioning, I'd like to present another variation on metabolic conditioning in the form of a 300-style workout challenge. As you may remember, metabolic conditioning occurs when you simultaneously engage the muscular system (using full-range, whole-body movements) and the cardio system. In order to do this, you perform these exercises back-to-back, with little-to-no rest. Metabolic conditioning has an amazing effect on the body and it's the finest way to alter body composition while giving yourself a killer cardio workout. Unlike regular cardio, where you get no muscle-building benefits and, in some cases, can even lose hard-earned muscle, the Maxercise Metabolic 300 will actually contribute to building muscle while stripping away unwanted body fat. The workout is set up with five double-kettlebell movements, all performed back-to-back, without setting the kettlebell down. You have the choice of performing either 20, 15 or 10 reps (depending upon your strength & conditioning levels) using about 1/3 to 1/2 your body weight. If you perform 20 repetitions, go through the circuit three times. If you perform 15 reps, four times, and 10 reps go five times through. Each option gives you a grand total of 300 repetitions. This workout is versatile in that you can change each circuit, as long as each movement is a whole body, ie, compound movement. For my first circuit, I opted for double 16kg kettlebells, which at 72# is a bit more than 1/3 my body weight, about 40%.

For my first round, I performed:

15 Double Swings
15 Double Snatches
15 Double Front Squats
15 Double Clean & Press
15 Renegade Rows w/ push-ups

*I did a push-up, then Row L/R for 15 reps

It took me approx 6:41 to complete

I rested for 3 min.

I went into my next circuit, which I changed slightly:

15 Overhead Jerks
15 Bent-Over Rows
*w/ KB between the legs
15 Double Front Squats
15 High-Pull Swings
15 Bottoms-up KB push-Ups aka Crush push-ups
*I like this exercise because it has a very strong abdominal component to it, in order to maintain balance on the handle

3-1/2 min rest

Next circuit:

15 Double KB Thrusters aka Squat-to-Overhead Press
15 Double Alternating Rows
15 Double Swing-to-High Pull
15 Jump Shrugs
*w/ the KBs OUTSIDE the legs
1/4 squat, attempting to jump while vigorously shrugging the shoulders
15 Push-Ups on the KB handles

Last circuit, I was pretty blown out! In my mind, I thought I'd already completed the 300 Challenge and forgot I still needed a 4th circuit of 75 reps!
Funny how the mind resorts to trickery when doing intense workouts like these!
Here's what I came up with next:

Alternating See-Saw Press
*my arms were so tired I was only able to get 10 reps per arm
10 Bent-over Alternating Rows
I needed 35 more reps to finish my circuit and I was failing bad!

Next:

a Kettlebell Maxwell Manmaker, basically a Burpee, with a push-up and then a clean
a) It's a double clean
b) You put the KBs down
c) Squat and jump back into a push-up position
d) Perform a push-up
e) Recover back to a semi-squat and
f) re-clean the bells and repeat the sequence.

I did 10 of these.

Man, was I getting tired...and I still had 25 reps to go!

Because my hands were getting so tired and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to grip the bells anymore, I decided to go with an old standby--a great finisher--the Bear Crawl.
Did I mention that I performed this workout outdoors, on a worn tennis court, in the midst of a rain storm? (I'm talking to YOU, Dr. Fink) Well, damn the puddles and full speed ahead.

I Bear Walked across the tennis court for at least 25 reps per arm, then for good measure, knocked out 15 Double Swings, giving myself a bonus 40 reps, depending how you count your bear crawls....I kicked my own ass and it felt great. My teen assistant was there with the BCAAs at the ready, water and a pwo shake at the finish line. She also documented the workout on the youtube page if you'd like to see it.


In other news, My good friend, strength coach Josh Henkin, interviewed me last week and it was a real pleasure. Listen in here.

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ASK COACH!
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Q: Can you over train with Kettlebells and Jungle Gym??? And what would be the definition?

I'm a Martial Art instructor in the evenings/weekends teaching 2hours Sunday, 2 hours Tuesday and 3 hours Wednesday. I work by day as a Computer Analyst (...sitting on my butt pressing buttons) but to compensate I get in a 2.5 - 4mile jog 1 to 3 times per week. I also use the kettlebells (first 12 exercises of your 300 KB challenge) 1 or 2 times a week and the Jungle Gym (2 sets of 3 exercises for 10-12 reps) 2 or 3 times a week. Am I over doing it or can I safely do more? I often feel I could do more but I don’t want to start catabolizing due to overwork.

Also...

I have read if I am still sore from the previous days training I can still train today? Is this valid for KBs and JG’s???

A: You can over train on anything and everything. You certainly can overdo it. Over training is not a condition per se but a state that comes about from prolonged lack of recovery.
Over reaching is the more acute state, over training is something that takes time and effort to get to and thus a longer recovery time.


The parameters are:

• are you feeling strong?
• are you making progress?
• are you getting morning erections?
• are you sleeping well?
• are you feeling recovering from your workouts?
  

or

• are you feeling run down, flu-ish?
• are you getting injured?
  
• are you gaining fat?
• is your appetite all over the place?

Re: the jogging, for martial arts, it's probably a waste of time, unless you have weight control issues, there's simply no reason for you to jog like that and it's the activity that should be cut out first.

Re: Training while sore from the previous day. I say, get your workout started, maybe with some joint mobility, and if you don't begin to feel better, and more motivated, lighten up or do something else.

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Testimonial Corner
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About three years ago you published an article in Hard Style about a muscular-endurance circuit using KBs. I didn't know who you were at that time, but it looked interesting, so I tried it. Even though I was not prepared for this type of work, I scaled it back and managed to get through three rounds. I did this twice a week for about four weeks, and was making tremendous progress. I then decided that KBs were indeed the one true way, and ordered a full set. The next week I fractured my collarbone and two ribs in a mountain biking crash. After a long recovery, and then doing too much, too soon, I turned to an online KB coach. It was an O.K. experience that lasted six months. I then began Pavel's ETK program and made good progress -- on those specific lifts. But nothing else really changed and I soon realized that ETK and kettlebells-only work might not be the best all-around program for me.

I then remembered your Hard Style workout (I saved the issue) and despite my misgivings about online coaching, I decided to turn to you. It was a great decision! So, back to the new workout that you sent, which contains at least two of the five exercises in that Hard Style article: double snatches and double thrusters. The difference now, though, is that you've had me build a foundation that will allow me to support that work. This is really getting good...

John B.

Thanks John, and thanks to everybody for reading!
Let me know how you do with the Maxercise Double KB 300 Challenge!

In Strength & Health!
Steve

The Philly Kettlebell Cert is a Success!

Sunday 21 September was the second in-house MaxBells Instructor certification. We gradated 17 new Maxbells instructors. We had an Iceland certification last August and are heading to the UK and Germany in the spring of 2009.

At the end of every certification, in the back of the manual, is a three-question questionnaire:

1. What did you like about our certification?


2. What didn't you like about our certification?


3. What will you tell others about our certification?

We've received overwhelmingly positive reviews. There are always a few comments about what people didn't like, and suggestions to improve, and I study them carefully and take them to heart. Why are people saying such great things about this course? It's because I teach from the heart and give of myself. My vast experience in the field of teaching group kettlebell classes gives me an advantage over the others out there. My goal in teaching this course is to provide genuinely useful, practical and time-tested information about how to teach a superior kettlebell class. We touch on important subjects like:

• Workout construction & design


• Movement-based workouts


• The three major obstacles in providing group KB classes and how to overcome them

The students are given the opportunity not only to perfect their own personal KB skills but how to break these same skills down and teach them to others. We identify the major faults in all KB movements and offer a tool kit of fix-its. Also covered are:

• Payment plans


• Using KBs in personal training


• The client interview process


• Goal-setting

I model sample workouts using the three different teaching styles and help trainees identify the best style for them. Anyone who wishes to become a group kettlebell instructor will greatly benefit from this course. I hope to see you there soon!

- Steve


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ASK COACH!
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Q: Since you use rings in the Ultimate Upper Body DVD, I am curious about the relative advantages and disadvantages of the split Jungle Gym vs. rings.

A:
There's nothing wrong with the rings but for my needs I find the Jungle Gym more useful. They are extremely lightweight and portable and I live in an RV and travel constantly. I basically carry a Jungle Gym in my backpack and use it with all my clients. In fact, it is the first piece of equipment I tell them to purchase. The Jungle Gym is more versatile than rings, which makes it especially useful for me. just last night, i wanted to do a workout and drove all over Westchester PA looking for a pull-up bar, which I never found, but I did find a playground behind a church where I could hang the JG and do pull-ups.

The equipment I use in the DVDs was donated by Torque Athletic in exchange for the promotional value. I have nothing against the rings, I like them, I just prefer the Jungle Gym. You can do a lot of lower body stuff with the JG like leg curls and Atomic Push-Ups, too. I really liked the TAPS unit I used in the DVD but it doesn't fit in the van!

Q: While I can clearly see other advantages with the split Jungle Gym, can you get the grip you demonstrate on training to do a muscle up on the Ultimate Upper Body DVD with the split Jungle Gym that you did with the rings?

A: I've never tried a muscle up on the Jungle Gym. The muscle up is a gymnastic stunt and while it's cool, it creates tremendous stress on the elbows and shoulder capsule and it's caused a lot of injuries to a lot of people. The strength required to do a muscle up on rings or a pull-up bar is useful for doing muscle ups only, not much else.
Being good at muscle ups doesn't improve anything else in your life and the risk to wrists, shoulders and elbows is significant.
If you insist upon it, be careful, and do it on a set of rings, like the DVD shows. But there are far better ways to strengthen arms, wrists and shoulders with less risk of injury.

I showed muscle ups on the Ultimate Upper Body DVD because they are a popular exercise and people really enjoy them but unfortunately, I've seen a lot of injuries in people who weren't prepared.

Sunny San Jose and Shamrock MA

On Saturday 13 September, I presented a seminar at the gym of legendary MMA fighter Frank Shamrock. Enjoy the photos in the slide show. The facility was perfect in every way for what we'd set out to accomplish. I played to a packed house--couldn't have fit in another person--standing room only. We had to take turns with the Turkish Get-Ups!

One of Frank's instructors, Jannsen, attended the workshop and he is in every way a gentleman. Several of the workshop trainees were also local fitness instructors and trainers and walked away with new program ideas for the classes and clients.

I'm rescheduled in San Jose November 17 for a MaxBells Instructors Certification, which is being organized even as I type this...if you're interested in attending, contact Maxercise@gmail.com

Things got pretty exciting at the gym when tryouts for Team Shamrock got underway in the adjoining room. Brawny young lads from as far away as Texas had arrived for Frank's team tryouts. It was like stereophonic workouts. I don't know who got worked harder, the people in my seminar or those poor guys under the direction of Frank's instructors.

The manager of Shamrock MA, Ralph, is a gracious host and took care of our every need. Anybody in the San Jose area seriously interested in becoming an MMA fighter should check out this gym.

Some of the topics covered in the workshop were:

• Kettlebells for mobility and injury-prevention
• The notorious Maxercise Omelet
• Proper workout construction and design
• Double-bell complexes for power-endurance
  
• and a slew of new exercises I've developed for abdominals, lower back and core

Everyone left Saturday afternoon tired...but happy. Like a nice full belly after a good meal...but different. I went back to my hotel and traineed my gf into a lather at the hotel fitness center, which was actually pretty good...for a hotel gym. A trainer's work is never done!

When I returned to Maxercise on Tuesday, I put myself through the paces with another fabulous metabolic conditioning workout hybrid. I used the Lifeline Heavy Speed Rope (green, 2.2 lbs) for 100 jumps as fast as I could get 'em. Then I immediately went to the high Pull-Up bar and performed 5 Maxercists, which consist of:

a) Deck Squat-to-Shoulder-Stand-to-Plow
b) roll back to Full Squat
c) jump back to Upward Dog
d) push hips up into Downward Dog
e) sit to Bear Squat
f) dive thru to Hover
g) push-up to Plank
h) sit back to Bear Squat
i) extend legs into Downward Dog
j) jump to Full Squat
k) leap up to a high bar
l) pull your throat over the bar
m) hold for 5-sec
n) lower s-l-o-w-l-y down
o) drop lightly to the feet and immediately begin again

That's one rep. Repeat for 5 reps. Rest 30-sec.
Repeat for 10 rounds.
Brutal!

I don't know which were more fatigued: my arms, legs...or breathing. A true systemic workout.

Tomorrow I present another Level 1 Kettlebell Workshop, then Sunday brings the fifth MaxBells Teacher Certification. The last one, in Iceland, was a big success and I look forward to certifying the next group of MaxBells instructors. Hopefully, I'll see you there!

Anyone who's been to my Maxbells certification knows that I give up some of my life's blood in every event. I stand by my work: no hype and no DuCane-ry!

In Strength & Health,

Coach Steve

P.s. Zach Even-Esh emailed to say the Gladiator Seminar DVD set is just about ready. As soon as I get my copy, I'll get 'em out for sale. This is my first self-produced (with Zach) DVD project and I'm really looking forward to the release. The seminar was a great time and you know you want to recreate it in your own garage!