Pattern practice for strength gains

There has been lots of talk about the Dan John/Pavel 40 day training program lately and quite a few people are having a tough time understanding how you can perform the same movements every day. I understand that this method may be tough in large groups or with high school athletes but the principles behind it are amazingly simple.

Here I will outline a easy template on how to practice a movement every day without feeling like that's all you are doing.

I will focus on 4 patterns so you can get the idea. They are:

Hip Hinge

Squat

upper body push

upper body pull

Yes, there are many more but I want to make this clear as mud. There will be 3 components that are practiced in this program and they are:

Movement Preparation or MP- you will practice the patterns as part on your warm-up once asymmetries and imbalances are addressed.

Deliberate Pattern Practice or DPP- you will focus on 1 or 2 patterns with a relatively low weight for 1 to 2 sets done at the beginning of your workout but after the prep.

Core Lift or CL- this is one of the lifts that you have a primary focus on. If you are focusing on deadlifts and pull-ups that day then these are your Core lifts

Here is how you can lay this out in a 4 day strength training program. I will use a MP, DPP and CL every day and practice one of these patterns via of those. I will address a squat, hip hinge, upper body push and upper body pull on each of these.

You can add much more volume to these as they are examples and not full workouts

Day 1

MP-pushups, 2 sets of 10-15 reps- upper body push

DPP- 2x10 goblet squats-squat

CL #1 Deadlift- covers the hip hinge

Cl #2 bent rows- upper body pull

Day 2

MP-naked hip hinge- this is a patterning drill with no weight. I normally have my athletes tap their butts on the wall- hinges

DPP- 2X10 DB rows- upper body pull

CL #1 front squat- squat

CL #2 Bench press- upper body push

Day 3

MP- Body weight squats- squats

DPP 2x10 light DB press- upper body push

CL#1 Pull-up- upper body pull

CL #2 RDL- hip hinge

Day 4

MP- 2x15 band rows- upper body pull

DPP- 2x25 kettlebell swings- hip hinge

CL#1 Back squat- squat

CL #2 Incline bench press- upper body push

There are hundreds of variations on this but I hope you get the idea. I would rather have my athletes own 4-8 exercises in 12 weeks instead of stinking at 16 in 12 weeks.

My point is that you are giving the athlete a basic skill set and understanding of how to move properly instead of confusing them and their CNS. If I am teaching someone how to build a shed I am going to start with a hammer, screwdriver, saw and a wrench. I would not give them a hilti gun, dremel tool, chainsaw and power drill and expect them how to use it.

Teaching proper movement is a gift. This gift can keep you moving better, feeling better and performing better. It can also keep you from injuring yourself.

Movement is a process and proper steps must be taken to move well and to move often.

A message to new RKC's

The RKC weekend is a life changer. The people are passionate, High Fives are flying around like moths on street light. People are pressing giant kettlebells, networking, flexing their abs and are all fired up. You leave the RKC and you say to yourself " I can't wait for RKC 2, and the CK-FMS. I am gonna sign up asap.

Here is my advice....don't. I am not saying that you shouldn't take the courses, I am saying that you should wait. Wait and take the time to apply what you have learned. It's great if you can accomplish the basic lifts but teaching it is a whole different story. Once you have taught 50 different clients how to do the basics well, you will have a deeper understanding of the basic lifts. Then after the 50 clients, you will still have much to learn.

I am amazed at newly minted RKC's that create DVD's a week after the certification. Props to them that they have taken the initiative but IMO, its a bit premature. Just because you can regurgitate verbatim what you learned at the RKC doesn't mean it's time to create your own DVD.

I am not ripping on you, I am just saying that you should take your time and learn how to be a great coach. A great RKC is a great coach, this means that you can teach anyone how to perform the lifts.

Take your time and enjoy the ride, strive to be better, teach for free, learn, screw up, learn again and repeat for life.

Random thoughts on training

Master the push-up before you bench press.

Master the body weight squat before you even think about throwing a bar on your back.

Do pull-ups correctly and strict. This means elbows locked out at the bottom and throat to the bar at the top.

Before you attempt a barbell hang clean make sure you have mastered a proper hip hinge and proper barbell front squat. If you can't do both you cannot hang clean.

Master the overhead squat and hip hinge before you barbell snatch.

Planks are about full body tension, if your glutes are not tight you are doing it wrong.

Prepare your body with a purpose. Butt kicks, A-skips, knee to chest and and a light jog will not help you squat better.

If you teach as a profession then someone must learn. If someone hasn't learned from you, learn how to teach better.

Swing before you snatch.

Swing before you clean.

Practice every day, you will become a better teacher by practicing.

Take care of your body, you only have one.

The deadlift was once called the healthlift for a reason. When executed correctly its an amazing exercise. When done wrong your dead.

Don't complicate your exercise regimen. If you can squat, deadlift push and pull there is no reason not to be fit.

If you sit at a desk all day in a flexed position there is absolutely no reason to perform "crunches." You are making your poor posture worse.

Stop reading a magazine on the cardio equipment. It's worthless. If you want to waste 45 minutes take a nap.

If you have dealt with a lumbar spine injury in the past and you are on the road to rehabilitation, quit while you are ahead. Leave your practice session feeling good not bad.

Throw away your wrist wraps and improve your grip strength. Don't let grip be your weak link.

Drink more water.

Find a healthy way to compete.

Today's workout 5/10

50 2 handed swings with 24k bell
1/4 mile run

8 rounds of this totaling 400 swings and 2 miles of running


1/4 mile runs were all between 1:45 and 1:55

Length of workout was 29 min and 42 seconds

My polar HR monitor said I burned roughly 411 calories in that time

Memories of my RKC certification, April 09

I just found some pics my from RKC weekend. It's hard to believe it's been one year since that life changing weekend. Here are a few memories that pop into my head from the weekend.

- meet and greet at the holiday, man the room was tough to find.
- Adam Glass at the meet and greet, he was tearing decks of cards like tissue paper
- the Kia rental car was the slowest car in the world, I can run faster than a Kia
- whats up with the stop lights on the exit ramps when entering the highway?
- Buffalo wild wings- beer and wings....the perfect ending to a hard days work
- a terrible sunburn on the backs of my legs, it was almost 80 degrees every day in MN in April, who would have thought!!
- swings, swings, swings, swings, swings, burpees, swings, swings
- Pavel kicking me in the stomach during my plank
- torn up hands, tape and chalk
- my victim was a sweet women who was the oldest "victim" there, she must have been 80. Man was I nervous, I knew I was gonna get her as my victim :)
- hamstrings and glutes were smoked, I couldn't walk right for 5 days
- meeting Mike Robertson, he's a smart man
- the graduation work out
- Brett handing me my certification, there is a man who cares about the RKC family

For those of you who are thinking about the RKC, just do it. You will cherish the memories and be part of something bigger than you.

A couple tips on head/neck position while swinging kettlebells

A couple tips on head/neck position while swinging

One of my new clients has just dove into Kettlebell training, but she has very little experience with KB's so there is a lot to learn. She had done some "swings" at her other gym with her boot camp trainer. She said that her neck was very sore after swings. I took a quick look and this is what I found.

1. She was shrugging at the top of each swing (bell at shoulder height).

2. Her shoulders were disconnected at the top of the swing.

3. Her C-spine was in full extension at the bottom of the swing and her C-spine was in full flexion at the top of the swing. There was way too much movement in the neck while swinging.

Geez, I wonder why her neck hurt.

Here are a few things to consider - they are some of the finer points of the swing that need to be addressed.

If you shrug, your chances of connecting the shoulders via lats is highly unlikely. If your goal is giant traps do shrugs, not crappy swings. The lats basically shut off when you shrug - sure you can still activate them, but it's not very efficient. Spend some time connecting your shoulders properly and reap the benefits. You may even get stronger at your pull-ups.

Ok, try this ( honestly don't really). Slam your chin to your chest, now look up at the ceiling really fast. Now, do this for 40 minutes....(please don't!!)

I have seen this ROM replicated in some people's swings, pay attention to your neck position during all KB lifts. Video yourself from the side and look at your neck position.

If your neck sore when training with KB's, try to use these tips.

Hope this helps!
__________________

Sundays workout 5/2/10 Man Maker-esque

Man maker-esque

My wife and I completed the following yesterday

50 swings
1/4 mile run

repeat 8 times through with no rest

400 swings and 2 miles total

She used a 16k and I used a 24k

Kettlebell Training for Soccer Players

I have trained roughly 20 professional soccer players in my career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach. Within the last 2 years I have incorporated Kettlebell swings into their off-season training. What have I seen?

Increased vertical leap
Stronger core, especially when going shoulder to shoulder
No more hamstring pulls
Stronger grip (for shirt pulling) :)
The ability to manage fatigue when tired

Now, these are only a few results that I have noticed in these athletes, but as far as I am concerned, these are HUGE benefits of kettlebell training. Let's dig a bit deeper and see how kettlebell swings helped to produce each of these results.

Increased Vertical Leap

Simply put, we found their glutes! A proper hardstyle kettlebell swing teaches proper hip hinge. Think of the start position on a vertical jump…looks similar to a swing, huh? Kettlebell swings teach athletes to load their hips properly as well as to drive their hips forward and through (think of a soccer player going up for a head ball). The swing mimics the same stretch/reflex principles of plyometrics, but with the added benefit of an external load.

Stronger Core

Controlling the bell on a hardstyle swing requires great core strength and coordination. When teaching the swing, I tell my athletes "your glutes are the gas pedal and your stomach/core is the brakes." Exploding through the hips is great but if you can't control the bell then you are asking for trouble.
I am sure you have seen athletes who have explosive hips that end up chasing the bell because they cannot stabilize it.There are many other reasons why this happens, but a weak core can be one of them. At the top of the swing, the glutes are flexed, the distance from the pelvis to ribcage is shortened/tightened and the shoulders stay connected. A proper eccentric pull of the swing calls for great core strength as well. When performed correctly with the biomechanical breathing match, it compresses the diaphragm and creates great tension through the midsection. Keeping tight is vital when players are competing for a 50/50 ball.

No More Hamstring pulls

Does the term synergistic dominance mean anything to you? Hamstring pulls happen way too much in pro soccer and I'll let you in on something…it's not from weak hamstrings! If you were to perform isolated hamstring tests on healthy professional soccer players, they would pass with flying colors. The problem is that when hamstrings are overworked, they act as hip extensors when the glute should be doing it. The glutes shut down and the hamstrings do double the work, resulting in pulled or torn hamstring muscles.
Most soccer players have tight hip flexors which prevents them from extending their hips properly. When the hip flexors are too tight, the hamstring works too much and the glutes are not utilized. Then comes the hamstring pull.
The kettlebell swing will help soccer players find their glutes. Plenty of kettlebell swings, paired up with some great hip flexor stretches, will help keep your athletes going all season.

Better Endurance

Sprints aren't the only way to get soccer players fit. These athletes spend all day running yet what do most strength coaches prescribe for fitness? More running. Don't even get me started on why this is wrong.
Imagine if there was an exercise that drives heart rate, works the glutes/posterior chain, increases body awareness, increases core strength and does not pound on the joints. Oh wait, that's the hardstyle swing. Enough said.

Stronger Grip

Ok, I know shirt pulling is cheap, but it's a reality in the professional soccer world. Just the other day I was playing with a few of the pros I train and I had to resort to the shirt pull. What happened? It was a foul and he ended up on the ground, but he did not score. Mission accomplished. If you are gonna pull someone's shirt, why not have great grip strength, never let go and pull them to the ground? This way you are sure they won't score a goal. One thing to note... try not to do this in the penalty box.

The ability to manage fatigue

As soccer players, we run sprints our whole lives. As we get older we learn how to condition ourselves and manage fatigue. We lengthen our strides, have better body control in the corners, control breathing and learn how to pace ourselves.
Try to perform anywhere from 300-500 swings as quickly as possible. You will notice a few things. Your swing may clean up and you'll stay more compact so you do not have to chase the bell with unwanted movement. You'll stay tight when needed and stay loose when needed - this is the essence of hardstyle training. Utilize proper breathing patterns to stabilize the bell in every position of the swing.
I am fairly certain that there have not been a lot of studies about kettlebells and soccer players. All i know is that the proof is in the pudding. This is what I have seen and experienced. I don't play nearly as much soccer as I would like to, but I train with kettlebells almost every day. Fitness and strength are never an issue when I play with the 'big-boys'… technical ability and foot skills, well thats another thing.

Kettlebells, Training and Injuries

Lately, I have seen a ton of posts relating to lower back discomfort when using KB's. Here are some things to think about if you honestly want to learn what we teach and practice as RKC's.

1. Get cleared by a Doctor, they normally know best.

2. Get screened by a PT, SFMA or FMS certified individual. I am not saying that the FMS is the only way to screen, but it's very consistent and will give your trainer/PT a nice roadmap on what you need to work on. Oh and it works!

3. Spend the money and visit an RKC. I thought I knew how to swing a bell before I was an RKC, but I didn't. My point is that you can read all the books the Pavel has written and may do very well, but nothing beats working with an RKC who has invested thousands of hours and dollars to hone his/her craft.

4. Learn a proper hip hinge. This is must, period. A hip hinge practiced correctly should not create pain. If you are swinging a bell and it hurts, did you get cleared by a Doctor? Did you get screened? Did you visit a RKC?

If you did all of those and it still hurts, seek out a Doctor and start fresh.

5. Master the basics. At the RKC we spend 3 full days on 6 exercises. I can guarantee you that almost all RKC's still practice the basic 6 and are still perfecting their technique.

Don't rush into exercises because they look sexy. I would rather see a perfect swing than a viking push-press went wrong.

6. If it hurts, stop. Do I have to explain?

Most RKC's are pretty cool people. Most are willing to help. If you need a hand, reach out. We are all passionate about Kettlebell training. We took the RKC because we truly love and believe in Kettlebell Training and the RKC.

Just my 2 cents...

Todays workout 4/28

70 BW pistols, 35L and 35R

Did 5 sets of each leg then switched, no rest

Todays workout

foam roll/tennis ball soft tissue work

Kb press
20k X10
24k X6
32k x5 2 sets

S-leg RDL
20k 4x4
24k 1x4

Weighted pull-ups
32k 3x3
cranks 2x4

BW pistols 4x4

Back is feeling better so I will increase volume on the pistols. Trying to quit when I still feel good ;)

Airborne Lunge ( how to video)

Here is a quick video on the airborne lunge. It's not as sexy as the pistol but IMO it's the precursor to the pistol. Enjoy!

View Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ63WK_bCOk

Todays workout

Z mobility
ASLR prep
T spine
Dowel press from different squat depths

Akro wheel progression

Swing ladders, 20 each, 20, 24, 32 x5

Press ladders 2,3,4,5 w/32k x4

Ring work

Something to Consider

When approaching the KB, make sure you focus on the task at hand. YOU and only YOU determine how the bell will move. Be aggressive focused and relaxed, you own the bell, it does not own you. You react, the bell moves. Do not approach it half-heartedly, if you aren't dead set on achieving your task you will not complete it. Every goal is attainable, but only you determine the road map to reaching it.

POWER TO YOU!

Beast tamer challenge 1 out of 3 DONE!!

Pull-up ladders paid off, I did a 48kg (106lb) pull-up today. I am pretty happy. Still practicing on the pistol and press but I am pretty happy! Slow and steady wins the race



http://www.youtube.com/user/skillofstrength#p/a/u/0/6LAVJIpmVKM

Great Practice Day

Z mobility drills
aslr work
rib pulls
dowel squat press from different depths (WOW)
16kg get-ups 5 L/R
100 24kg swings
3x4 16kg pistols L/R
4x3 s-arm press 32kg x3 and 36kg x3 (felt light today about time) :)
40 strict pull-ups
40 strict dips

Added tons of mobility work into each set, lots of ASLR work, S-leg deads before pistols and modified Bretzels.

I think i am learning how to practice better these days, I feel good after my lift not worse!!

1st ever RKC GTG in New England

I can't wait!!! New England RKC's have to represent, soooooo here is the scoop on the RKC New England GTG:

When: Saturday April 17th

Time: 10:30am to whenever we are done

Where: Athletic Evolution, 78B Olympia ave, Woburn, MA 01801

Please forward this to all RKC's you know and see if they are interested. I have some bells but the more the merrier. I also have an FMS test kit if we choose to use it. I have plenty of chalk as well.

Please email me to confirm at mpbass5@gmail.com.

Bring a snack and get ready to have some fun! Anyone own a beast?

Mike
mpbass5@gmail.com

Kettlebells make you invincible

Here is a quote from a good friend of mine, I introduced him to hardstyle KB training a few months back.

"Dude, kettlebells are scary. They make you feel invincible. Like I did tough workout today and I was pretty certain I could kill a man with my bare hands."

Hardstyle Kettlebell Training- if your goal is to kill someone with your bare hands, please contact your nearest RKC.

POWER TO YOU!

Assisting at a RKC

I inquired yesterday about assisting at an RKC in the future. I was pleased to find out that my team leader had reccomended me as an assistant. It doesn't seem like a big deal but it made my day. Power to the RKC!

a few things

Just got back from the Bahamas, Atlantis was fun, we may have to re-mortgage the house after paying for the food there. If you ever go, bring some cash or get a 2nd job 6-8 months prior to the trip.

Atlantis didn't have kettlebells, booooo...

I just signed up for the Z-health R and I phase certs in Boston - can't wait.

My website www.skillofstrength.com is getting built by my amazing wife, it should be ready to go within the next 30 days or so. Honey you are the best!!


Back is feeling better, its amazing....when I stick to my mobility drills and not over train I feel better. I guess a need a strength coach.

Just got my "I just pood" bumper stickers - yes I am 30 and think it's funny.