Maximum Strength & Conditioning - The Ultimate Workouts To Coach Yourself To Supreme Fitness Part Two

Last time we looked at how to use Convict Conditioning to start yourself on the road to supreme strength and conditioning.  When you are ready to add another piece to the puzzle, Enter The Kettlebell is the next step.  This Soviet strength training tool has been around for over 300 years.  Again, as with most things you search for on-line, you will find more data than you need.  The Kettlebell is no different and unfortunately, if not careful, improper use, instruction from untrained trainers and winging it with the Kettlebell will lead to injury and a poor conception of what is one of the most effective and powerful tools to build a heart of a lion and be as strong as you look.

Squats, for example are only bad for your knees when you do them wrong.  Kettlebells, like squatting, lead to injury ONLY when you don't use them proper.   

Keep in mind, we are building up to something great.  All great things need a foundation.  We are going to use Convict Conditioning to establish a foundation of strength and get to know our body again.  Once that foundation is solid it will be time to add to that foundation.  We will begin the steps to mastery of the two most important and foundational movements with the Kettlebell.  The primary Kettlebell movement is the Swing.  It is an explosive, ballistic power move that will condition and strengthen the body.  The other foundational Kettlebell movement and perfect compliment to the Swing is the Turkish Get Up.

Adding these two movements to your strength and conditioning training will complement and enhance everything you're accomplishing with Convict Conditioning.  You will want to master the Swing and Turkish Get Up, then begin to PRACTICE the Kettlbell Clean and Press and start work on the Kettlbell Snatch.

Enter the Kettlebell is a book written by Pavel Tsatsouline who is the man who brought Kettlebells to the United States and if there was one person responsible for the resurgence of Kettlebell Training in the States, Pavel is that guy.  He is a former Soviet Special Forces trainer that has brought an immense knowledge of strength and conditioning beyond the Iron Curtain and into America to whip us all back into shape!  He's the real deal.  Period.  This book will teach you the basic Kettlebell drills and build on your foundation of strength.  Follow the progressions Pavel lays out for you and by all means, as Pavel says, "Respect the Kettlebell."

Beginner - Total Body Mastery Part 2.

After you've progressed into Convict Conditioning and believe you are strong enough to handle the Kettlebell, it will be time to start working on your Swing and Turkish Get Up.  The best Kettlebells on the market are at Dragon Door.  You can also get yourself a copy of Enter the Kettlebell there.

Putting the two together...

For one session, work on Convict Conditioning.  In another session PRACTICE your Swing based on Pavel's instructions from Enter the Kettlebell.  In another session, work on your Get Ups.

A week might look something like this:

Monday - Convict Conditioning
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Swing Practice
Thursday - Rest
 Friday - Convict Conditioning
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Turkish Get Up Practice

See the pattern?  As you develop you can start experimenting with intensity levels and combining modalities.  Here's an example:

Monday - Convict Conditioning and Swing Practice
Tuesday - Turkish Get Ups
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - Convict Conditioning and Swing Practice
Friday - Turkish Get Ups
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Shoot Hoop, Bike Ride, Jog, etc (Active Recovery)

As you progress through Enter the Kettlebell, you'll start into the Clean and Press and Snatch.  So that will then look like this:

Monday - Convict Conditioning, finish with Swings
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Convict Conditioning, Clean and Press PRACTICE
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Clean and Press Practice and Snatch PRACTICE
Saturday - Convict Conditioning
Sunday - Rest

The following week up the intensity and volume of your Clean and Press, Snatch and Swing. 

GENTLY work up to a personal record and then back off 30 - 40% of where you peaked and then start back up slowly.  Pavel and Coach Wade outline some very simple protocols to help you build up your strength and conditioning.

There is a difference between practicing and working out.  Strength training should be progressive.  Look at this combo of numbers to get the idea:

1,2,3,4,5  -  2,3,4,5,6  -  3,4,5,6,7  -  4,5,6,7,8  -  5,6,7,8,9  -  6,7,8,9,10

See what's happening there?  If these numbers matched your intensity level on a scale from 1-10, 10 being maximum intensity, could you plug this into your training?

This type of progression allows you to train injury free, finish stronger and recover better all the while building on and maintaining strength and conditioning.  You can train like this for the rest of your life.  Not convinced?  Read Power To The People and get back to me!

OK, so bottom line here is step two is to work on and with Convict Conditioning and Enter The Kettlebell.  These two training paths could keep you busy for the next 20 years by them selves.  Low tech and minimal financial commitment for supreme fitness, strength and conditioning.  Not a bad deal really.  Ready to cancel your gym membership yet?

So get to work on this and in part three we will progress into the Intermediate/Advanced level of the Ultimate Strength and Conditioning routine.