Having competed in a long laundry list of sports has given me some of life’s greatest lessons. From winning to losing, from the meaning of team to mano a mano each presents a certain gift.
One particular gift that simply falls short in the “text books” versus “real life” is the understanding of sport specific energy systems. An athlete conditioned for one sport does not simply insert themselves at the top of another.
With the start of our spring season right around the corner and this weekend’s SEVENS, I have been experimenting with various modes of training to prepare myself for the conditioning needed on the pitch.
After some GPP, DROMs I completed this circuit for 20 min.
Sandbag shouldering 8x (4 to each shoulder) with 80# bag
Sprint 50 yards at about 70%
Perform 5 Burpees
Sprint 50 yards at about 70%
Double Kettlebell Snatch for 8x
*REPEAT
Kettlebell training is great teaching tool for athletes. It teaches them generate movement by utilizing the ground and root their feet and the action can be powered by the core structure.
Here is a short clip of two of my top Lacrosse players progressing through a complex. They project the weight through the hips into the arms and accept the weight and decelerate through the hamstrings.
To build upon a past post by Jennifer Calderone on the subject of GPP. I wanted to share a short video clip of one of my young athletes. The “G-man” demos one round of gpp for the camera, but we typically perform 2 or 3 rounds (4 to 6 minutes block) as a warm-up.
So, with the cluster of holidays in the rear view mirror, I of course want to share a short story with everyone.
This year Santa Claus must have had his a** is shape becaue I received two 70lb. kettlebells stuffed tightly into my stocking! Great gift for a guy like me and the reindeer were able to get in a great weighted gpp workout pulling the sleigh.
So like any kid when they receive a new gift……well I opened them up and “played” with them.
Over the river, through the woods and down to my basement I went. I tossed in my Henry Rollins CD.
As the lyrics of GRIP slapped off of the wall………well my grip was burnt! ( I was burnt!)
This is often a greatly overlooked training benefit to kettlebells.
Forget about the little “wrist curls”! Get some weight in your hands!
Want more? Need more?…………try swinging the kettlebell with a towel wrapped around the handle!
Although it seems that the Kettlebell has taken on the latest marketing buzz in the “fitness” industry, they have been utilized as a training medium in Russian since the 1700’s.
Everywhere we look there are “guru’s” flipping, switching and juggling and practically performing circus tricks with their kettlebells.??????????
Kettlebells are a great training medium and tool. But learn to generate proper movement patterns and focus on the rooted feel to projecting power. Simple, Simple, Simple…….
In preparation for my journey out to select my Christmas tree for this year (ya, I didn’t call it a holiday tree…….my bad), I decided to rip it up in the comforts of my basement again. Not much time, so it had to be affective.
So, armed only with my kettlebells and Xvest, Public Enemy bounced off of the concrete walls and sweat poured into my DC t-shirt.
To fire up the engine I hit some DMC. (You haven’t attempted it? Shame on you! It makes a great stocking-stuffer!)
Hip mobility
Xvest on
10 burpees
Kettlebell Swings with doubles 10x
Kettlebell See-saw presses 10x
- rest as needed (but limit) and repeat for 10 rounds
Ab wheel roll-outs 4×15
Simple primal movement patterns. Works……
Oh no! The total reps added up to 300! Maybe this is the next “300 workout” some little fella can sell you on dvd?………LOL!
That’s for another post!
Until next time,
Shawn
three-rivers kettlebell specialist
moody01db@yahoo.com
A wise man (he shall remain nameless) once told me that I should always be training for performance. At first I really didn’t understand this comment, because like a majority of the population I envisioned a group of athletes training hard in the off-season for their upcoming sport.
Well that was then, and this is now. Training for performance is training for life. Life is full of unpredictable situations and we must be prepared mentally and physically for what we may encounter.
Making use of the kettlebell in your training is a great way to enhance the performance aspect of your training by acting as an extension of your body during movements.
This photo is of my client Rick performing single-arm kettlebell presses (with a 40lb bell) and pull-ups with a 20lb X-vest. If this isn’t an example of functional performance training then I’m not sure I know what does.
Shawn Moody
the “burgh’s” kettlebell specialist
moody01db@yahoo.com
I’m not an expert in explosives. But I wanted to share the workout that I put myself through with limited time and in the comforts of my basement. The luxuries of a soft light bulb and Metallica whistling softly in my ears!
DMC variation
Hip Mobility
And then 8’s!
burpees 8x
kettlebell swings (with doubles) 8x
bulgarian split squats 8x each leg
for 8 solid rounds
wrestling bridges 12x
ab wheel roll-outs 12x
shoulder capsule work 12x
for 3 rounds
Everyday we see “them”…………..
You know who “they” are………… “They” are the guys (typically) that walk into the gym with their belts and ipods ready to rock their next workout. All appears well in the world until the “workout” begins. A little flap of the arms, a slight tricep stretch and then they load the bar on the bench press with a 45lb. plate on each side for the “warm-up”! Yep………still stuck in the box!
My client Dave, is nothing like this and today he ripped it up.
Static Holds
Dynamic Range of Motion Work
GPP for 2 rounds
Complex 1:
Kettlebell single-arm snatch 5x each arm
medball backwards scoop 5x
Kettlebell front squats 10x
* rested for 1 min. and repeated for a total of 4 rounds
Complex 2:
Kettlebell swings (two bells) 10x
meball woodchop 5x
Kettlebell push-press (two bells) 10x
* rested for 1 min. and repeated for a total of 4 rounds
Ab wheel roll-outs 3×12
It Rocked! He Rocked! And it was well outside the sqare box.
Shawn
the “burgh’s” kettlebell specialist
moody01db@yahoo.com
For anyone involved in sports, you can not deny the importance of hip development. It’s the “life joint” of movement and the simple Kettlebell swing is a great teaching tool for young athletes.
It trains:
-Movement
-Postural alignment
-Force developed such that it can be projected, accepted and redirected at maximal levels
Here is a short video clip of one of my young baseball players preparing for the spring…
Having competed in a long laundry list of sports has given me some of life’s greatest lessons. From winning to losing, from the meaning of team to mano a mano each presents a certain gift.
A wise man (he shall remain nameless) once told me that I should always be training for performance. At first I really didn’t understand this comment, because like a majority of the population I envisioned a group of athletes training hard in the off-season for their upcoming sport.