Here are two different dynamic stretches that can also be done as one movement to help loosen up your upper back, break away tension and feel amazing. Have fun :)
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Some more upper back flexibility for feeling amazing!
Here are two different dynamic stretches that can also be done as one movement to help loosen up your upper back, break away tension and feel amazing. Have fun :)
A little dynamic stretching to help your upper back feel lik a million dollars
Here's a quick dynamic stretch to help loosen up your upper back, get rid of tension, warm up, feel awesome and kick ass! I hope you like it :)
Thursday, April 24, 2014
To Kip or not to kip: Let's talk about some muscle up technique.
Now, I'm not going to go off on a really long debate about whether or not you should kip during your muscle ups and pull-ups. I do truly see the point of using the kip at specific times. for example, when you're first starting out and you don't quite have enough strength for the movement, kipping to the top and then using a very slow eccentric movement to get back o the bottom will very much help you out in building the strength and the technique to master either a pull-up or a muscle-up.
Also, I understand that kipping pull-ups and kipping muscle-ups can be used as a pretty good conditioning tool. They allow you to do a lot more reps to help and develop stamina an endurance.
What I don't get is the completely chaotic versions with a crap ton of kip and swing that don't resemble anything close to the actual movement. Yet, many people that perform their chaotic, frantic, swinging , kipping versions will some how still say that they are using proper body mechanics. It really makes you wonder.
Here are two videos that show, very nicely what a good muscle-up should look like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=W2qIBgbdH88
And, since the last video was on the high bar here's one on the rings. The gymnast starts out his routine with the muscle-up, check out how smooth this first move is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLNnJ5HuraRcWiqk_kVvm9dJpSJ6lEwI5S&v=2q8KMnWUsvg&feature=player_detailpage
So, while I can see the point in using the kip occasionally, try to make your muscle-ups look like the one's above and I can guarantee that you'll love the results even more.
Also, I understand that kipping pull-ups and kipping muscle-ups can be used as a pretty good conditioning tool. They allow you to do a lot more reps to help and develop stamina an endurance.
What I don't get is the completely chaotic versions with a crap ton of kip and swing that don't resemble anything close to the actual movement. Yet, many people that perform their chaotic, frantic, swinging , kipping versions will some how still say that they are using proper body mechanics. It really makes you wonder.
Here are two videos that show, very nicely what a good muscle-up should look like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=W2qIBgbdH88
And, since the last video was on the high bar here's one on the rings. The gymnast starts out his routine with the muscle-up, check out how smooth this first move is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLNnJ5HuraRcWiqk_kVvm9dJpSJ6lEwI5S&v=2q8KMnWUsvg&feature=player_detailpage
So, while I can see the point in using the kip occasionally, try to make your muscle-ups look like the one's above and I can guarantee that you'll love the results even more.
Monday, April 21, 2014
A Quick tour of the Home Gym
After getting a bunch of requests to see how I have my home gym set up, here's a quick tour of the inside. I'll be putting up a tour of the outside area at a later date. Hope you enjoy.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Some Ice Cream Makers
At the end of my morning hand balancing and rings practice I decided to throw in 5 sets of 5 for tuck front lever ice cream makers. Here's the final set.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Having fun!
Having fun with my new set of rings (I've had them for about a month now). I've always loved working on the rings, some of my favorite training methods are done with them. And I have to say, these rings kick ass! I love them!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Some pretty killer beginner's routines
Hey Fitness Friends,
For today I'm going to answer a question that I recieve quite a bit. That question is, "Brett, how come you don't put up a workout of the day, or a bunch of programs? And, what's a good basic workout for someone that doesn't have a lot of equipment?"
These are two great qeuestions. First, I don't do a WOD or a blank program because everyone had different goals, different strengths and weaknesses, different recovery ability, differet imbalances and assymetry, and more. So, putting out a workout for "everyone" isn't really going to cover what everyone really needs. It's the same reason why I can't stand group classes and boot camps. But that's all for a different tip. On to the second part of the question.
A basic workout for someone that doesn't have a lot of equipment. I'll conceed and put up a couple of basic programs here. Before you do any of them though, make sure that you come and see me or find another very knowledgeable coach to teach you the correct way to perform the exercises for your body type and fitness levels. Not a curves, snap fitness, LA ftiness trainer either. Look for someone that actually knows what they're talking about. Also, when I talk about doing a 5 x 5 program I'm talking about using 5 sets of 5 repititions. A good way to look at it for someone that is using 405 pounds on a back squat would be : 1 set of 5 with 135 lbs. 1 set f 5 with 225 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 315 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 365 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 405 lbs. As that person gets in better condition they may move to 1 set with 225, 1 set with 315, 1 with 365 and 2 sets with 405. Or something similar.
Now, here's a great little Barbell routine to start out with and you only need a barbell, some weigh plates and either a squat stand or power rack:
Monday: Heavy and High Intensity Day:
1.) Back Squats: 5 x 5
2.) Floor Press: 5 x 5
3.) Deadlift or Power Clean (from the floor or the Hang): 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Wednesday: Light and Low Intensity:
1.) Back Squas: 5 x 5 with 50-75 lbs. less than on Monday.
2.) Floor Press: 5 x 5 with 25-50 lbs. less than on Monday
3.) Clean Grip High Pulls from the Floor (even though you can go really heavy with these, go pretty light today) 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Friday: Heavy and Medium Intensity:
1.) Squats: 3 x 5 followed by 2 x 3 (use you're top weight from Monday for the first set of 3, then increase the weight forthe seconds set of 3. Use this top weight for your new top weight the next Monday for 5.)
2.) Strict Military Press: 5 x 5
3.) Bent Over Rows: 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds
Stick with that for 6-12 weeks and you'll see huge gains in strengh, endurance, power and more and you'll drop body fat, gain muscle and feel and look better. Put your all into it.
Here's a Great Basic Bodyweight routine. Even though Bodyweight Training is incredible for overall strength gains, most people don't start out with enough strength to do a lot of the great movements, so this will be like basic training for your bodyweight training while still offering good gains in strength and really awesome gains in conditioning.
Monday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Set a goal of 300-500 reps and perform as many sets as you need to to get there whether it's 1 set of 300, 2 sets of 150, or 300 sets of 1.
2.) Hindu Push-ups: Set a goal of 50-100 reps and perform as many sets as you need to get there.
3.) Body Rows: 4-6 sets of 5-15 reps
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds
Wednesday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Same As Monday
2.) Classic Push-ups or Push-ups with the Hands Elevated: Same As Hindu Push-ups on Monday
3.) Briding (Holding a Yoga Bridge, Wrestler's Bridge or Gymnastic's Bridge): 3 sets of As Long As Possible (ALAP)
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds
Friday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Same As Monday
2.) Handstand Variations (Choose a variation of the handstand progressions that's right for your fitness level) 3 x ALAP
3.) Towel Over Door Pull-up Isometrics: 3-5 sets of 10 seconds
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Again stick with this for 6-12 weeks and you'll notice dramatic chagnes.
And, here's a final Basic routine designed for a single kettlebell.
Monday:
1a.) 1-arm Snatches 10 sets of 10 per side supersetted with:
1b.) 1-arm Clean and Jerks: 10 sets of 10 per side
2.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Wednesday:
1.) 1-arm Strict Military Press: 5 x 5-10 per side
2.) 1-arm Bent Row or 1-arm Renegade Rows: 5 x 5-10 per side
3.) Goblet Squats: 5 x AMAP (As Many As Possible)
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Friday:
1.) Get-ups: 5 x 5-10 per side
2.) 1-arm Swings: 5 sets of 40 reps (switch hands every 10 reps on each set) with 60 seconds of rest between sets)
3.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Well, there you have three very effective traing routines. Each one will build strength, endurance, stamina, balance, coordination, mobility, flexibility, stability, agility, speed and power; and will build muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones while also burning body fat. Even though these are all geared for the beginner, a trainee that's moe intermediate to advanced can still easily reap benefits from these type of routines. Take one and work the hell out of it.
Now, go out and train smart, hard and heavy and create your greatness.
Yours in strength and health,
Brett
For today I'm going to answer a question that I recieve quite a bit. That question is, "Brett, how come you don't put up a workout of the day, or a bunch of programs? And, what's a good basic workout for someone that doesn't have a lot of equipment?"
These are two great qeuestions. First, I don't do a WOD or a blank program because everyone had different goals, different strengths and weaknesses, different recovery ability, differet imbalances and assymetry, and more. So, putting out a workout for "everyone" isn't really going to cover what everyone really needs. It's the same reason why I can't stand group classes and boot camps. But that's all for a different tip. On to the second part of the question.
A basic workout for someone that doesn't have a lot of equipment. I'll conceed and put up a couple of basic programs here. Before you do any of them though, make sure that you come and see me or find another very knowledgeable coach to teach you the correct way to perform the exercises for your body type and fitness levels. Not a curves, snap fitness, LA ftiness trainer either. Look for someone that actually knows what they're talking about. Also, when I talk about doing a 5 x 5 program I'm talking about using 5 sets of 5 repititions. A good way to look at it for someone that is using 405 pounds on a back squat would be : 1 set of 5 with 135 lbs. 1 set f 5 with 225 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 315 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 365 lbs. 1 set of 5 with 405 lbs. As that person gets in better condition they may move to 1 set with 225, 1 set with 315, 1 with 365 and 2 sets with 405. Or something similar.
Now, here's a great little Barbell routine to start out with and you only need a barbell, some weigh plates and either a squat stand or power rack:
Monday: Heavy and High Intensity Day:
1.) Back Squats: 5 x 5
2.) Floor Press: 5 x 5
3.) Deadlift or Power Clean (from the floor or the Hang): 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Wednesday: Light and Low Intensity:
1.) Back Squas: 5 x 5 with 50-75 lbs. less than on Monday.
2.) Floor Press: 5 x 5 with 25-50 lbs. less than on Monday
3.) Clean Grip High Pulls from the Floor (even though you can go really heavy with these, go pretty light today) 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Friday: Heavy and Medium Intensity:
1.) Squats: 3 x 5 followed by 2 x 3 (use you're top weight from Monday for the first set of 3, then increase the weight forthe seconds set of 3. Use this top weight for your new top weight the next Monday for 5.)
2.) Strict Military Press: 5 x 5
3.) Bent Over Rows: 5 x 5
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds
Stick with that for 6-12 weeks and you'll see huge gains in strengh, endurance, power and more and you'll drop body fat, gain muscle and feel and look better. Put your all into it.
Here's a Great Basic Bodyweight routine. Even though Bodyweight Training is incredible for overall strength gains, most people don't start out with enough strength to do a lot of the great movements, so this will be like basic training for your bodyweight training while still offering good gains in strength and really awesome gains in conditioning.
Monday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Set a goal of 300-500 reps and perform as many sets as you need to to get there whether it's 1 set of 300, 2 sets of 150, or 300 sets of 1.
2.) Hindu Push-ups: Set a goal of 50-100 reps and perform as many sets as you need to get there.
3.) Body Rows: 4-6 sets of 5-15 reps
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds
Wednesday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Same As Monday
2.) Classic Push-ups or Push-ups with the Hands Elevated: Same As Hindu Push-ups on Monday
3.) Briding (Holding a Yoga Bridge, Wrestler's Bridge or Gymnastic's Bridge): 3 sets of As Long As Possible (ALAP)
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds
Friday:
1.) Hindu Squats: Same As Monday
2.) Handstand Variations (Choose a variation of the handstand progressions that's right for your fitness level) 3 x ALAP
3.) Towel Over Door Pull-up Isometrics: 3-5 sets of 10 seconds
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Again stick with this for 6-12 weeks and you'll notice dramatic chagnes.
And, here's a final Basic routine designed for a single kettlebell.
Monday:
1a.) 1-arm Snatches 10 sets of 10 per side supersetted with:
1b.) 1-arm Clean and Jerks: 10 sets of 10 per side
2.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Wednesday:
1.) 1-arm Strict Military Press: 5 x 5-10 per side
2.) 1-arm Bent Row or 1-arm Renegade Rows: 5 x 5-10 per side
3.) Goblet Squats: 5 x AMAP (As Many As Possible)
4.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 x 10 seconds.
Friday:
1.) Get-ups: 5 x 5-10 per side
2.) 1-arm Swings: 5 sets of 40 reps (switch hands every 10 reps on each set) with 60 seconds of rest between sets)
3.) Hollow Body Holds: 4-6 sets of 10 seconds.
Well, there you have three very effective traing routines. Each one will build strength, endurance, stamina, balance, coordination, mobility, flexibility, stability, agility, speed and power; and will build muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones while also burning body fat. Even though these are all geared for the beginner, a trainee that's moe intermediate to advanced can still easily reap benefits from these type of routines. Take one and work the hell out of it.
Now, go out and train smart, hard and heavy and create your greatness.
Yours in strength and health,
Brett
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