It happens to every true clubbell athlete at some point. No one can avoid it forever. For me, it happened at the local YMCA in the weight training room two years ago. I was working out in the free weights section, tucked in a corner where, hopefully, nobody would bother me. Alas, my efforts to remain anti-social did not succeed for long. I had brought a pair of 15 lb clubbells with me that day, which I brought to the gym regularly, and was performing my usual routine with them.
Then it happened. Despite my lack of proximity and the scowl that appeared on my face as he approached, he started his long journey from all the way across the free weights section. Picture a guy in his mid-20′s who has been training for years, but hasn’t managed to change at all. He’s cocky, and naturally, he’s also a know-it-all – despite his apparent lack of progress (25 lb curls anyone?). His pace was steady, and eyes, hungry. I tried not to make eye contact in hopes that my awkward presence would detour him to the hip adductor machine. It was no use. He walked right up to me, nearly getting his pimpled face impaled by a 15 lb clubbell traveling at the speed of light. And what does he do? He just stands there and stares at me for a moment, with an almost satisfied look on his face.
“Nothing to see here – no tricks today,” I thought as I stared back into his inquisitive eyes. Then it happened. He opened his mouth and revealed his true incompetence when he said with a sinister smirk, “Hey man, those bats look great for shoulders.”
Knowing full-well the implications of this ludicrous statement, I cringed at the thought of how I would respond and instinctively gripped my clubbells until my knuckles whitened. This was in part an instinctive move for self-defense purposes and also to avoid a massive forehead-slap that would have broken the sound barrier and dropped everyone in the room like flies – bodies falling into an immediate comatose state.
After I had taken a deep breath and suppressed the surge of adrenaline in my veins, I looked him directly in the eyes and said what any self-respecting clubbell athlete would say, “Yeah, you got that right buddy.” And immediately, I started swinging my clubbells again, at which he chuckled and went back to whatever he was doing before.
Now, I think I dissolved the situation pretty well, and most importantly, nobody got hurt. But had I been as clever as my good friend, Shane Heins, a fellow clubbell athlete and expert instructor, then I might have responded like this…
Clubbell Training – More Than Meets The Eye
Note: For those who are not yet familiar with clubbells, this will help you get an idea of the total cumulative training effect that clubbell training – done properly – can have on the body. In particular, note that the vast majority of exercises are actually driven by the legs and hips, channeled through the core, and extended down the arms and into the clubbell. So much for clubbells being just for grip strength and shoulder mobility.
The burpee is a great rudimentary conditioning exercise that I’ve taught and recommended for years. Even though it’s a classic way to get conditioning benefits from a basic ground-engagement movement, I still consider the burpee a beginner level drill. There are dozens of more advanced ways to engage the ground for conditioning purposes, and did I mention that most of them are infinitely more fun, too? That’s right – infinitely.
Below, you will find a video that teaches you four mini-circuits at four different levels of difficulty. The first level (beginner level) is a modified version of the burpee exercise. Levels 2, 3, and 4 all involve more sophisticated movements than the basic burpee, and can be classified as intermediate to advanced level conditioning exercises. There are also three complete workouts provided below that use the movements taught in the video. These workouts would be best used in a program that is designed for fat loss, but it will also help you develop general conditioning and build functional “go muscle.”
Note: Not too long ago, I posted a survey asking my readers what kind of information they were looking for on this site. Overwhelmingly, the topic of bodyweight training and workouts topped the list. In fact, a whopping 66% of you wanted more info on bodyweight training, and 54% of you asked specifically for workouts and programs, too. With such an overwhelming response, I’ve considered creating an entire bodyweight training product, and with continued interest, I may pursue that route. For now though, here is a complete bodyweight workout that requires zero equipment and can be done anytime, and anywhere you have a little floor space.
So, let’s take a look at the movements you’ll need to know before we get into the actual workouts.
Yes, you read that right. With only a single, four minute mini-workout, you will get a metabolic boost offering you several hours worth of fat burning. You’d have a hard time finding a higher return on any investment. I meant what I said though. You are going to have to give me 4 minutes of your time. Trust me, it will be worth it.
You see, today, you are going to learn something by doing it. This is going to be educational through personal experience. So, prepare yourself to get out of your chair and move around for a few minutes.
You can do a lot of pushups in 4 minutes. Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reidgilman/
Instructions:
Step 1) Select one exercise from the list below, preferably one you’re familiar with and comfortable doing for several repetitions:
bodyweight squat
pushup
spinal rock
front or reverse lunge
bird dog
another comparable exercise of your choice
There, that was the easy part.
Step 2) Now, I also want you to get either a timer, or a clock/watch with a second hand and place it somewhere you can easily see it while practicing that exercise.
We’re going to do a mini-workout that lasts for only four minutes – just enough to get your heart rate going and break a sweat without utterly exhausting you.
Step 3) So, let’s say you picked the bodyweight squat exercise. Here is what I want you to do…
After a brief warmup, repeat the following 8 times in a row: 20 seconds of bodyweight squats, followed by 10 seconds of rest (then immediately into the next 20 second round of bodyweight squats). The total duration should equal four minutes.
Warning: do not attempt if you are injured, unfit, or otherwise wimpy. Only attempt with clearance from your doctor and if you want to enjoy exponential fat burning benefits from a ridiculously short time investment.
Performance tips:
-Use the first 3 rounds as gradually escalating warmup rounds. Focus on your technique and try to make each repetition perfect – even if you must go very slowly to dial in the correct movement pattern. For rounds 4-6, gradually start to build intensity, but maintain good technique as your highest priority. At this stage, the challenge should be moderate, but not extreme (rating of perceived exertion should be between 60-80% of your max). The last two rounds should be an all-out effort (80-100% of your max exertion), and you should be striving to maximize the amount of good repetitions you can score during those short, 20 second windows.
-This should not be four minutes of all-out effort. It’s not a 4 minute “set.” Instead, pace yourself and only push hard for the last 2 rounds. You don’t want to go over-kill in the beginning and burn out before the end. Think of the 8 successive rounds as a formula for peaking at the very end. Round 8 should be your highest scoring round.
You wanna know how to to burn more calories? You sure? Because what I’m about to share with you isn’t gonna be easy.
After a few rounds of this, your legs will literally feel like they’re on fire, which is really quite ironic since they’ll be dripping with sweat. Your lungs will have you believe you’re a fire-breathing dragon and your heart will feel like it’s pumping battery acid. And if you’re a redhead like me, your entire cranium may morph into a fireball for a few minutes afterward. It’s ok, I’ve survived this many times myself – just don’t inhale too much smoke. Now, if that wasn’t enough already, the good news is that you’ll also be burning calories and burning fat like a pro. If that sounds like a fun time, then you and I share some of the same character flaws, and this will be right up your alley.
You won't be smiling when you're done with this. Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lululemonathletica/
I know, I know. You’re probably looking for a top 10 list of suggestions for how to burn more calories – with neatly arranged bullet points and liberal use of the bold feature. But the truth is that burning calories isn’t exactly rocket-science, folks. Everything we do burns calories. Eating burns calories. Digestion burns calories. I know it’s hard to believe, but sleeping and even just thinking burn calories, too. So, if you’re looking for advice like “drink more caffeinated green tea and chew gum all day,” then look elsewhere sweetie-pie. This place is reserved for men and women of resolve. There are no wusses in this corner. Continue reading How to Burn More Calories Than a Triathlete on Adrenaline
Last week, one of our Burn The Fat Inner Circle members asked me for details about how to do the side plank exercise correctly. I wish I could have just sent her a link to a simple instructional video, but it appears that most of the side plank exercise videos offer little more guidance than “squeeze your abs, and keep you back straight, etc.” The blatant lack of attention to detail is staggering. So, I decided to film an instructional video offering all the nitty-gritty details about how to do the side plank exercise the right way.
It’s a bit on the long side as I tend to blab a little bit. Though some of you have told me you like the longer videos, and I took the least amount of time that I could justify to explain all the relevant points without turning this into a Hollywood production.
Now, before we begin, I already filmed a detailed instructional video for the front elbow plank exercise: The Right Way to do the Plank Exercise. If you haven’t seen that video yet, then it will help you to internalize the basic techniques of front planking before moving on to the more advanced side plank, and I’d recommend you view it first.
This past weekend, I was privileged to attend the Circular Strength Training Coaching Seminar at Wolf Fitness Systems in Salinas, CA. It took me 18 hours to finally get to Salinas, and even longer to get home (flying in the US has gotten beyond ridiculous – can I get an amen?), but the whole trip was worth the effort – even if I had to check a pair of clubbells in my luggage. This was my second CST seminar since I first got involved with the organization back in 2006, and it was leaps and bounds better than the first one I attended in the Fall of 2009 (past seminar review is here). What follows are my thoughts on the full experience to help you decide if this type of event would be right for you.
There’s nothing worse than loosey goosey shoulders during the pullup and chinup exercise. Trust me, as a personal trainer, it’s not a pretty sight to behold from across the gym floor. Even from several yards away, I can feel the shearing forces on the soft tissues around the shoulders – sending shivers up my [...]
