Results matching “Bird”

Diesel Crew's Smitty interviews [.pdf, 285kb] Eric Cressey. Comprehensively.

Ah, it's great to have the rack set up again. Aside from a few celebratory chin-ups on completion of its assembly, tonight's workout was a pretty simple one - just to get back into the swing of things.

First cab off the rank - rack pulls. These were done with a conventional stance and a double-overhand grip (I think I'll keep using this grip until the weights get heavy enough to demand something else), and were from just below knee height. Enough to notice, not enough to be in pain for a week.

Tomorrow's challenge will be to come up with a routine which blends the bodyweight, Total Gym, kettlebell and rack work; most likely based around a fairly standard Westside 4-day per week template.

Gorilla chin 10@bw
Rack pull (double overhand, below knee) 2×10@60/132, 2×8@80/176, 2×5@100/225
Shrug 2×10@100/225
Hanging knee raise 2×10@bw

Making the switch back to powerlifting after more than a decade isn't exactly easy - but it's a great ride. Drop in and see Mission Surf Powerlifting.

Alwyn Cosgrove looks at a basic template for a well-balanced training routine. There's a lot more to it than resistance training and a little cardio.

I haven't tried this yet as it requires two kettlebells (my current collection stands at a mighty one), but it certainly looks interesting. If you've got the bands and bells at your disposal, let me know how it feels.

Ready for some serious heavy breathing? If Smitty's Core Statics article got you fired up, check out part II [.pdf, 877kb].

Bring on the bands.

If the On Sitting and Standing article got you thinking, you may be considering trying the Turkish Get-up. It's definitely a full body exercise.

Turkish Get-up

The idea is simple - lie on the ground, press a weight in the air and stand up with it (without it touching the ground). However, it's a little more challenging than it sounds.

Jeff Martone writes an excellent description of the process in Tactical Athlete magazine (a great read) :

1. Lie on the floor, in a supine position (i.e. face up), next to an appropriate size kettlebell.
2. Use both hands to press the kettlebell vertical – directly above your shoulder. Once in position, keep your elbow locked, wrist straight, and your eyes on the kettlebell.
3. Post your foot close to your buttocks (same side as your working arm.)
4. Allow the weight to drift slightly forward, then push off your posted foot and sit up. It is acceptable to allow your free arm to assist slightly in sitting up.
5. From sitting, slowly move to the kneeling position. This can be done a number of ways. The main thing is to move slowly, keeping your working arm perpendicular to the ground and to finish in well supported, 3-point kneeling position.

To see a video of the movement (which may make things a little easier), check out this one [.mpg, 29.9mb] from Lisa Schaffer at No Fear Fitness. If you're just beginning your kettlebell journey, you may like to read Lisa's Kettlebell Smart Start [.pdf, 1.3mb].

Here's a clip of the Blond Bomber himself - Dave Draper - going through a posing routine in about 1970. Good stuff.

If you've been wondering what kettlebell training looks like, take a look at the following sites. Whilst they're not exclusively kettlebells, the bells certainly feature heavily.

Rif's Blog (Mark Reifkind)
Kettlebells, conditioning and martial arts. A good one.

The Other Side of Strength (Ken Black - pictured)
Kettlebells, grip work, strongman training, powerlifting - a great mix.

The Dymmel
Kettlebells and rugby. Another superb combination.

New RKC Instructor (Pete Diaz)
Kettlebell workouts from a recently certified instructor.

Training to Evolve (Tom Shook)
Home to another certified kettlebell instructor.

Joe's Workout Blog
Kettlebells, conditioning and free weights. Another great blend.

Franz's blog (Franz Sniderman)
Kettlebells and conditioning.

Kettlebell Queen (Lauren Brooks)
You may recall Chris coming across Lauren's main site last week. This is her personal site - and whilst it doesn't yet contain a training diary, you may stumble across some interesting links on there. Definitely worth a read is The Need To Train Like A Man, Especially if You Are A Woman.

Nathaniel Morrison has a great article in Military Fitness Magazine on one commonly overlooked area of physical prowess: the ability to sit, stand and fall without using the arms.

From the article:

Try this; sit down. Now stand up. Now sit on the floor. Get up. How many times did you use your hands?

Very interesting stuff.