The AOS: Essentials Test

Attached is a brief video detailing The Art of Strength: Essentials Test by Anthony DiLuglio. Give it a shot - it is a smoker!

Smokin' Ladders...

I have been training hard since my back/neck felt better so I decided to purposefully do an easy training session today. I have a work commitment the next three days so I will not be able to train until Thursday - which gives me a full 72 hours of rest before I train again. Rest is something I need to incorporate more as I go forward.

My training looked like this today:

Smokin' Ladders - 3 Rounds (16kg bell used for all exercises)

then


5 sets of 5 hanging bottoms up curl - 16kg bells
and
5 sets of 1 crucifix - 16kg bells

AOS Essentials Test, Snatches & Wall Squats

Today I began preparing to pass the AOS Essentials Test from the course I took last week. I need to do the whole test (6 minutes without putting the bell down) with the 20kg bell. I am not strong enough on my right side yet to complete it because of my disk injury. I am going to build up my strength slowly. I have 3 months to complete the test either in person with Anthony DiLuglio or by video.

I did the test twice today. The first time I started with the 20kg bell and then moved to the 12kg bell the second pass. I am going to start with the 12kg bell going forward and work up to the 20kg bell. I am also going to mix in Providence and Smokin' Ladders to help build strength and endurance.

The test looks like this:

Right Side
Partial getup (start on floor, end standing - right) Take up to 30 sec for 1 rep
Single highpull followed by single snatch (right) repeat sequence for 30 seconds
Press (right) from rack position 30 sec
Squat (right) in rack position 30 sec
Clean (long cycle - right) 30 sec
One arm swing (right) 30 sec

Transition Drill
Figure 8 to a hold 30 sec (stop with handle in left hand)

Left Side
One arm swing (left) 30 sec
Clean (long cycle - left) 30 sec
Squat (right) in rack position 30 sec
Press (right) from rack position 30 sec
Single highpull followed by single snatch repeat sequence for 30 sec
Reverse getup (start standing, end on floor - left) Take up to 30 sec

After in finished my second pass I did:

10 sets of 5 snatches with the 16kg bells/each arm - 100 total reps and
10 sets of 5 wall squats lowering until I touched the handle of a kettlebell between my legs

Core Work...

Today I focused on core work. I did the following in no particular order using mostly the 16kg bells but also the 12kg in a drop set manner.

Slingshot
Figure 8/Hold
Saxon Side Bend
Get Up Sit Up
Double Get Up Sit Up
Plank
High Plank
Hanging Leg Raise
Windmill
Renegade Rows

I finished with
Crucifix - New Exercise (Basically you squat down and curl and press the bells at the same time to the top position - then do an Iron Cross until the bells are horizontal and perpendicular to the ground - now hold for 10 seconds) Good Stuff!

A set of 50 snatches (25 each arm) with the 16kg bells

New Kettlebell Gym in Waltham, MA?

I am working out the details of opening a Kettlebell Gym in Waltham, MA. I am looking forward to this venture as it has been a goal of mine for a while. It may be affiliated with Anthony Diluglio's - Punch Kettlebell Gym in Providence, RI. More details to follow!

"Providence & HLR/Pikes

I did "Providence" today but stuck to one minute rounds since O have not done KB circuits in 4 months. Instead of taking a break in between rounds I alternated a set of 5 Hanging Leg Raises and a set of 5 Pikes as an active rest.

Day Off...

I am taking today off from training. I have not had a day off since Saturday and have resumed kettlebell training. My shoulders are sore from yesterdays workout. See Saw Presses and Iron Crosses are great but are a lot of stress on the shoulder. I have picked up a bunch of new exercises from The Kettlebell Bible and am looking forward to incorporating them in my training soon.

I may go to Providence tomorrow morning to Punch Gym (www.punchgym.com) to take a circuit kettlebell class. I have not done that since January and am re-motivated since the workshop I attended last Saturday with Anthony Diluglio. I highly recommend it!

The Kettlebell Bible

I received my copy of "The Kettlebell Bible" from 'http://www.intensefitness.co.uk/Kettle_bell_bible.htm' today. I love it. It is loaded with great information but is a bit pricey. It is 40 pounds (the postmark was from Scotland) which is about $80 US. Check out the website and the book!

EDT Upper Body

I have started doing EDT again although I am going to keep it short until I build up my strength and my shoulder and chest have full flexibility. This morning's training looked like this:

First PR - 10 Minutes

KB Row - 24kg bell - 25 reps
KB See Saw Press - 16kg bells - 25 reps

I did not rest between PRs

Seconds PR - 5 Minutes

KB Iron Cross - 16kg bells - 15 reps
KB Floor Fly - 12kg bells - 15 reps

Core work & Other Stuff...

I did some core work today with the 16kg bell. No training template in mind just letting one exercise flow into another. I used the 16kg bell for the following exercises:

Slingshot
Figure 8/Hold
Hot Potato
Plank
Get Up Sit Ups
Turkish Get Up
Windmill

At the end I worked in some:

High Pulls
Snatches
One Arm Swings
H2H Swings
Flip and Swings

Overall a great freestyle workout with a core focus and little to no rest between exercises.

EDT Legs - Kettlebells

This morning I did a short EDT Leg training session.

First PR - 10 Minutes

Front Squats - 16kg bells - 25 reps
One Leg DL - (2) 16kg bells - 25 reps

2 minutes rest

Second PR

Sumo Squats - 20 kg bell - 26 reps
Dragon Walks - 26 steps each leg

Core Work & Upper Body

After yesterdays seminar I felt a bit spent but not in pain! Good News! My disc problem seems to be getting better every day. I decided to do some core work and mix in a few upper body exercises as I try to regain my strength in my shoulder, chest and back especially on my right side.

I did the following exercises for core:

Slingshot
Figure 8/ Hold
Get Up Sit Up
Hanging Leg Raises
Turkish Get Ups

I used 12kg, 16kg and 20kg bells with no specific rep scheme in mind. I just focused on the motion of the muscle.

Then I did some shoulder and back work. The following exercises were used:

See Saw Presses
Iron Cross
KB Rip Row

It felt great to start to build up my strength and head towards total health.

The Art of Strength: Essentials

I took Thursday and Friday off from training because I had to go to Albany, NY for work but am happy to report that my arm/neck feels great! I hope I am on the other side of this disk problem and on my way to total health. I think the key thing was not pushing myself too hard. We shall see.

Today my wife and I attended a whole day class called The Art of Strength" Essentials in Rhode Island. Anthony DiLuglio for Punch Gym in East Providence ran it and it was great!

It focused on the 6 main - Essential - kettlebell exercises that are needed to learn correctly to you and your clients can eventually move on to the more advanced moves. The six exercises are:

Swing
Turkish Get-Up
Clean
Military Press
Snatch
Front Squat

We learned the basics of each move, variation on each move and assistance exercises to correct form and help you and your clients better perform the exercises.

Anthony also put us through a killer kettlebell circuit to show us how intense kettlebell circuit training can be. In order to "Pass" the course you have to videotape yourself performing a 6 minute routine that he designed. This is to prove that you have the requisite skills necessary to teach and train a client without potentially hurting him and or her. Overall great course and a killer workout!

Mobility Training & Rehab

This morning I did some rehab exercises for my back and some streching. Then I did a circuit of the following:

Halos - 8kg, 12kg & 16kg bells
Slingshot - 12kg & 16kg bells
Standing Kneee Ups - 3 sets of 10

More of an ective rest than anything else. I was not motivated to do cardio today. I am looking forward to resuming kettlebell circuit training in the mold of Providence or Firepower.

EDT - Upper Body

After a few days off (if you call driving 1100 miles to Toronto round trip with 4 kids time off) I am feeling better and have decided to move away from HIT and start EDT again while mixing in some kettlebell work.

I only did 15 total minutes of training today as I do not want to over do it. My training look like this:

First PR - 10 Minutes
Chest Fly Machine - 135 lbs - 4 sets of 10 - 40 reps
Negative Chin Up - 16kg bell - 4 sets of 5 - 20 reps

3 minute rest

Second PR - 5 Minutes
KB Iron Cross - 12kg bells - 3 sets of 8 - 24 reps
Bottoms Up KB Curl - 12kg bells - 3 sets of 5 - 15 reps

Taking a few days off....

I have been training regularly for about a month and need a few days off. Timing is great because I am heading to Toronto with the family tomorrow for a wedding. I will be gone 5 days and am going to try to not train at all......and not let it bother me.

I have regained all of my lost weight and am back to 165. Feeling better and learning to train around the herniated disk although I have not done too much kettlebell training yet. The HIT works well but becomes boring and monotonous. Although it is better than not training at all!

HIT - July 8

I have added more negatives into my training and a few more exercises for chest and shoulders.

One Arm KB Row - 32kg KB/12
Low Cable Lateral Raise - 40 lbs/12
High Cable Lateral Raise - 30 lbs/12
Pec Dec Fly - 120 lbs/12
Negative Pec Dec - 150 lbs/12
Negative Chip Up(10 sec per rep) - Bodyweight/12
DB Curl - 55/45/35 lbs/5/4/3 reps
Hammer Curl - 80 lbs/9
Pec Dec Fly - 30 lbs/12

HIT - July 6

One Arm KB Row - 32kg KB/12
KB Iron Cross- 16kg KB/12
Pec Dec Fly - 120 lbs/12
Negative Chip Up - Bodyweight/12
One Arm Cable Curl - 60 lbs/12
Reverse Curl - 60 lbs/12
DB Pullover - 55 lbs/12

July 5

I decided to swim/tread water today as a rehab for my neck. More of an off day than anything else but it felt good to do something different.

HIT - Wednesday July 4th

I am feeling stronger although my arm pain has started to creep back in. I need to schedule another nerve block shot. I may start swimming as an alternative to regular training for a while to mix things up.

One Arm KB Row - 32kg KB/12
KB Iron Cross- 16kg KB/12
DB Shrug - 85 lbs/12
Incline Push Up - Bodyweight/12
Negative Chip Up - 16kg KB/12
Ez Bar Curl - 90 lbs/10
Reverse Curl - 80 lbs/9
Pec Dec Fly - 105 lbs/12
DB Pullover - 55 lbs/12

HIT

One Arm KB Row - 24kg KB/11
KB Iron Cross- 16kg KB/12
DB Shrug - 85 lbs/12
Incline Push UP - Bodyweight/12
Negative Chip Up - 16kg KB/12
DB Curl - 50 lbs/10
Reverse Curl - 80 lbs/10
Negative Push up - Bodyweight/12
DB Pullover - 55 lbs/12
Inverted Row - Bodyweight/12

Sunday July 1st - Cardio and Abs

I did 10 minutes of Sprint Incline Cardio at a 15% incline and then 10 minutes on the elliptical machine just as a warm up. The I focused on abs.

Hanging Leg Raises - 3 sets of 10 - 30 reps
Knee Ups - 3 sets of 10 each leg - 30 reps each leg

HIT - Saturday June 30

Because of my triceps issues I have stopped doing incline bench and incline flys. I am going to try to work chest in other ways - with back in pullovers or doing push ups and negative push ups until I feel better.

Row - 240 lbs/11
Lateral Raise Machine - 130 lbs/12
Hammer Shrug - 450 lbs/12
Negative Chip Up - 24kg KB/8
Cable Curl - 140 lbs/10
Reverse Curl - 70 lbs/12
Negative Push up - Bodyweight/12
DB Pullover - 75 lbs/12
Barbell Pullover - 55lbs/10