Kettlebell Full Body - Beginner to Moderate Level

This workout mostly hammered upper-body but still was an effective overall workout. I listed this as a beginner to moderate level as the movements themselves are simple but the workout itself can be difficult with some modifications. Also, like any workout, it's best to progress slowly with weights if the client or yourself are still new to training.

Lastly I need to note this was for my new group and it was the 2nd week. Most of the group is still relatively new so I had to go over some things at the beginning. Plus I wanted to do some double kb work however we just didnt have enough equipment. So I cut the double work. In the end it wasn't a prob as we just spent a little more time on warmup.

Warmup:
Usual stuff; shoulder and back movements and stretches
Went over tech a bit and basic movement patterns (swing, clean, press, etc.)

Protocol 1: 1 min each
Clean/ Press/ LC-Push Press

Protocol 2: 30s each , 2 rounds
swing/ clean/ press

Lower: 30s each, 3 rounds
Single KB- Front squat/ Rev. Lunge/ SL RDL (1st round right arm, 2nd rd left, 3rd hold with both hands)

Upper: 30s each, 4 rounds
Single KB- Both hands; Press, curl, Front raise, upright row

Core: 1min each arm
Windmill, SA Crunch, Seated twist

Finisher: x2 KB Pyramid , 30s rest between sets
Swings
5 reps- 10- 15- 20- 15- 10- 5

World's "Biggest" Biceps

Excuse the smell of bullshit as you read this...its bad.
 (FYI- for some reason blogspot spaced out a lot of sentences. Im working on fixing it)
So apparently they're letting anything into that record book these days. Regardless of how you come about it. 

 Quick back track here. If you bothered to look at the mans arm things he has attached to his shoulders you'd see very quickly something is very 'off'. Especially the massive disproportion of his biceps to his forearms. Biceps do not grow that size without some help from the shoulders and forearms in which he really doesn't have either.

Enter the magical shit known commonly as Synthol. In a nutshell this stuff is oil that is injected in the muscle to spread the fascia apart. Idea is that the body absorbs the oil to only then replace the space with more muscle tissue. Well as you can see it really doesn't work that way. Most of the oil sticks around and then you get this swollen mass of shit called a muscle. Not to mention most of these guys dont understand that one muscle growing to massive proportions looks ridiculous and incredibly fake.

Unless you're the Huffington Post or apparently 80% of the ignorant world of training.

Moustafa Ismail gets in Guinness

 He lifts an amazing 500 pounds! Eats pounds on pounds of meat!! Trains twice a day!!!

 Sorry but...wtf? For starts that article couldn't be any more vague. Second how can you even look at him without busting out laughing hysterical. I have to hide the picture while I write this for the sake of actually finishing this blog. 

You want to know what REAL biceps look like? 

See the difference? Need another comparison?

   

Sure Arnold was juiced to no end but at least he legitimately trained and earned those WMD's he regularly carried around in his prime. With Synthol you just need to simply inject and enjoy some gluttonous masses growing in your arms. Its pretty clear what 'popeye' here has been up to. Hell, those forearms are just incredible. You know who else has some massive arms??

Do ya????

 

This guy...

Worlds fattest man. Those 'guns' look sorta familiar. Like they may be filled with some excessive fatty oils. 

 

Truth be told I'm not sure what pisses me off more. Moustafa's following of this guy-

 

Or the shear ignorance of the articles sprouting up all over. Especially since how dangerous the internet is with information. Idiots the world over will read this article and think this sort of thing is not only normal but somehow possible for mere mortals to achieve. Even worse so is that synthol can be purchased through the internet allowing free use to fuck yourself up royally. 

I got to go get lifting...this shit gets me heated.

Another Leg Day, Another day for PRs

Last week jumped 49". This week jumped 50.5"
Last week hit 410 + 120lb chains in box squat. This week went 415 with a crack at 420.

So, yea, things are going well with leg work so far. Just hope this transfers well to the field as last Saturday I honestly thought I had one of my worst showings on the pitch in a long time. I may or may not, probably not, get into that later but for now lets discuss todays training.



Today was unfortunately cut short. Much shorter than I'd planned. Originally I wanted to get my training in early but was called in to cover a shift so my morning/ afternoon was shot. Got what I could done before a few prospects showed up to get their ass kicked via kettle bell.

Not to say the day was a waste. Still got some solid training in. Several jumps in all of which were over 48" on the tires. In fact I think I landed every one. Now just still chasing the magic 50+ range. Some reason that is a barrier I need to get over. Finally did but just barely with the 50.5". Im scraping cleans while Im in season. Unfortunately that lift just takes up too much time and I need to focus on movement and get my quickness/ first step faster on the pitch. I'll be tossing them back into the mix once track season rolls around in the next 3 months. Finished off with several sets of 3 on box squats and then rounded off with 4x5 on RDL's. Those are feeling solid as well. Finished at 330 and really felt I should've gone heavier.

Next week.

Deadlifting a Globe

Realistically I can use my atlas stones to do the same thing. However, the Globe is a little more versatile since its weight adjustable, the primary source of weight moves during the lift, and its much more portable than several stones.



I really felt this one in my biceps, hands, back, chest, and shoulders. With the ball adding another 14lbs I didn't think trying to pick up a 125lb kettlebell would be such a chore.

Another Globe Exercise

Continuing on my series of Globe Exercises heres one for the Triceps.



So what would be the usefulness of these variations over normal triceps work?
As for the press downs because of the Globe if you only place your hands on top there isn't going to be much change. Things like grip, shoulders, fingers, etc. really are not activated very effectively. Put those hands on the side and maintain a strong grip and now you got a full upper body exercise. Hands, wrists, forearms are all activated to maintain a hold on the ball. Shoulders, biceps, and chest are activated to clamp the arms onto the object to prevent it from slipping. So now we just made a simple triceps exercise into a monster 'isolation' workout.

The overhead variation I liked a lot better. Few reasons;
- It simulates more effectively the overhand throwing motions involved in a variety of sports
- It still forces activation from the target muscle groups listed above with the added BONUS of shoulder, core, and base stability.
- It can be tweaked to involve a rocking motion to involve the lower body as well. So what started out as one small muscle group just turned into a full body exercise for overhead throwers and hitters (think Baseball, Volleyball, Javelin, Rugby line-outs, Quarterbacks)

More to come later.