My Personal Workout Plan (sample deadlift + double KB complex day)

Frequently, folks email in asking about what I do for a workout on a typical day.

So, thought I’d share with you my overall workout “template” – in case you have similar goals, and want to model it.

My current goals are:

– keep the aches and pains at bay
– gain strength and lean muscle
– if needed, be ready at any given time to take on a variety of physical challenges – these days, I don’t need to specialize and be an awesome strength athlete, but I want to be able to say run a 5k, or play pick-up basketball for 45 mins, do 10 pull ups, do a pistol squat, press a half-body weight kettlebell over head, bench press 1.5x my body weight, snatch a 24k KB 100 times in 5 mins, etc.

With that in mind, here is what I’m doing for my workouts currently:

– I do flexiblity and mobility work EVERY day – first thing in the AM when I wake up for 5-10 mins, and for 5-10 mins before every workout
– I do 3-4 days a week of work right now of barbell work, rotating between the “big” lifts each strength day (military press, deadlift, bench press, back squat)
– On the military press and bench press days, I do some extra upper body work – like chins, push ups, direct arm work, etc.
– On the deadlift and squat days, I do some kind of “finisher” (like I’ll show you here in just a sec) – this could be with kettlebells, body weight, whatever
– And on two or three other days I’ll do some kind of conditioning – getting outside is awesome, so try to do that – typically sprints or riding my bike

Cool thing is, this works great because it is regimented and planned, but also allows for some flexibility.

I get my strength work – which NEEDS to be planned over time to get the best results – but I can also “plug in” workouts as “finishers”, and on conditioning days, from different and new programs, and still keep the workouts interesting.

Here is the what I did for a recent workout:

** For more info on the Complete FVT Hybrid Barbell Training system – which incorporates the basic barbell lifts with kettlebell and body weight moves, so that you can build strength, lose fat, feel great and be fit ALL at the SAME TIME – click HERE **

1 – Warm Up (30 sec ea, 2x thru the circuit)

12 body weight squats
6 push ups with rotation
15 jumping jacks
10 leg swings each leg

2 – Strength work

trap bar deadlift – 4×5, work up to 295 on last set
(pair with)
walking lunge, body weight only, 3×8 each leg

3 – Double KB Complex

KB suitcase dead 5
double KB swing 5
double KB clean 5
double KB front squat 5
double KB push press 5

Five rounds of this complex, set KB down and rest about 30 seconds between rounds

So, there is my workout template. It works great to keep me strong, keep the aches and pains at bay, and maintain a decent level of overall fitness at the same time.

Feel free to model and use it to plan your own workouts.

Train hard, and talk soon –

Forest Vance
ForestVance.com

PS – For more info on the Complete FVT Hybrid Barbell Training system – which incorporates the basic barbell lifts with kettlebell and body weight moves, so that you can build strength, lose fat, feel great and be fit ALL at the SAME TIME – click HERE

Hybrid Deadlift Workout, RKC Price Hike + What’s New on FVTBiz …

Hey!

It’s my birthday today, and we are headed out to lunch shortly, so I’m going to make this message quick 🙂

First, I wanted to hook you up with a sample deadlift workout I posted up on the blog – I mentioned in the deadlift article / video I posted the other day that I would show you HOW to incorporate the deadlift into your workouts – as in, how to mix it, as well as other barbell lifts, with your kettlebell and bodyweight exercise …

So here’s a sample workout from my Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training program (on sale now as part of the Complete FVT Hybrid Barbell Training System) … this looks somewhat simple on paper, but trust me, it’s POWERFUL for helping you get strong … AND lose body fat … all at the same time:

###

Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training Workout A
from the Complete FVT Hybrid Barbell Training System

1 – Three sets, eight reps, as much rest as needed between sets, of:
– Barbell deadlift
– One arm KB press (8 each side)

2 – Three sets, eight reps, rest about 30 seconds between sets, of:

– Alternating reverse lunges
Try to increase weight each set, as you can keeping perfect form etc.

3 – Three sets each, resting AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE of:

– 15 two hand KB swings
– 5 burpees

###

Second, I wanted to remind you that the price for the RKC we are hosting this Sept at FVT is going up tomorrow. This is going to be an AWESOME event, and I am very excited to be hosting the first one EVER in Sacramento at our facility!

You can read more about the event and find a link to register here.

Third, if you are a fit pro, I wanted to give you the heads up about something I’m doing this week over on FVTBiz.com – if you are facing some challenges in getting your business to where you want it to be, this will be SUPER helpful for you – don’t miss it!

=> Let’s Talk …

Okay, that’s it for now. Have a great day, and talk to you soon –

– Forest Vance
ForestVance.com
ForestVanceTraining.com
FVTBiz.com

Simple Trick for a Better Deadlift [video tutorial]

The deadlift is one of the most powerful total body, compound exercises a person can do to add quality muscle mass and strength.

You end up using almost every muscle in your body to do the lift:

— arms, forearms, and hands to grip the bar and keep it in position through the exercise
— shoulders and traps to keep the weight stable
— back and core to keep your body tight and spine secure
— posterior chain and legs to act as a lever and lift the weight

And that’s why I love it!

All that being said – learning to do the move safely and with good form, can be tricky. Specifically, the hip hinging movement that’s involved when a person deadlifts can be hard, even foreign for many people to learn.

A great way to train this I have found is using a kettlebell to learn the move. It’s a bit easier to sumo deadlift a KB properly because the weight can be set between the feet, and you automatically shift the weight distribution and start off in a little more advantageous position … and when you learn it correctly this way, it naturally transfers over to the straight bar deadlift.

Check out this video for a demo:

Another question I get frequently is HOW to incorporate the deadlift into your workouts – as in, how to mix it, as well as other barbell lifts, with your kettlebell and bodyweight exercise …

I will be back next time with a sample “hybrid” barbell / kettlebell / bodyweight workout for you, and I will be digging in to this topic more all week … so stay tuned! 🙂

Thanks so much for reading / watching, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II, PCC
ForestVance.com

Rocky Balboa’s Training Secret (pic inside)

Knocked out a kettlebell / bodyweight workout earlier this morning in my garage … I was listening to the Rocky 4 Soundtrack of course … and that’s when it hit me … Rocky trains with KBs!

(If you haven’t seen Rocky Balboa, you gotta watch it. It’s actually probably my 3rd favorite of all the Rocky movies (after 1 and 4). I was surprised, since Stallone hadn’t made a Rocky movie for at least 20 years when it came out … but def worth checking out!

Anyway, Stallone is in GREAT shape in the flick, and he’s at least 60, if not older.

Could his secret to getting in such amazing shape, even at 60+ years old, been training with KBs?

It very well may have been!!

And word is on the street that Stallone is working on a NEW Rocky film, scheduled for release at the end of 2015 … and if I were a betting man, I’d guess that he’s using KBs to get into top shape for this one, too.

So … if YOU are wanting to get into training with kettlebells … but you worry about your form, and getting the most out of them that you can while preventing injury, then you should check out my “13 Dangerous Kettlebell Mistakes and How to Fix Them!” program.

=> 13 Dangerous Kettlebell Mistakes … and How to Fix Them

In this e-manual and 13 video series, you’ll discover over a dozen KB mistakes and how to fix them, including:

– How to choose the PERFECT kettlebell weight for you
– The secret technique to ensure you learn each kettlebell exercise correctly
– Why most people mess up the swing and do it wrong
– Simple steps to master the Turkish get up
– How to avoid whacking and bruising your forearms on the KB clean
– A simple way to instantly boost your KB pressing power 10-20%
– How to do perfect snatches, every time

And more.

Plus, you get a bonus fully illustrated guide to 41 different KB exercises – “The Ultimate Kettlebell Guide” – with your purchase. This guide even includes some kettlebell workouts to get you started.

Check it out at the link below:

=> 13 Dangerous Kettlebell Mistakes … and How to Fix Them!

Okay, that’s it for now … off to enjoy the weekend.  If you want to use kettlebells to get in great shape like Rocky, BUT you’re worried about using proper form and avoiding injury … then make sure to check out 13 Kettlebell Mistake and How to Fix Them.

Have a great one, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance
Level 2 Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

 

PS – Here’s what my workout looked like this morning, if you’re curious:

1- foam roll + joint mobility + dynamic warm up for about 10 mins

2 – 4 sets of 6 kb presses (24k) ea side + 4 sets of 6 chin ups

3 – KB complex – 3 rounds ea side (2 24k):

— 5 snatch
— 5 rack squat
— 10 one arm swing
— 5 reverse lunge

4 – Approx 20 minute walk to finish / cool down

How to Perform the KB Snatch Correctly

The snatch is one of the best kettlebell exercises around for:

– burning a ton of calories
– rapid fat loss
– building world-class conditioning

And a whole lot more.

However, learning and mastering proper technique in this exercise (and in kettlebell training in general) can be a little tricky.

By breaking the movement down into three steps, we can drastically cut the learning curve and help you learn how to do the movement efficiently and effectively in as fast a time as humanly possible!

Check it out:

How to Perform the KB Snatch Correctly

1 – The Lockout

You’ll start with a kettlebell between the feet in a sumo deadlift position. Cheat curl the ‘bell up to your shoulder and press it up over your head. All we’re trying to do is get comfortable with our overhead lockout position.

The bicep should be right by the ear. A common mistake is to hold the ‘bell slightly in front of the body. If you lack proper shoulder mobility, this is likely going to be a problem for you (all the more reason to practice your Turkish getups).

** A great drill to practice and get comfortable in this lockout position is an overhead walk. To perform this drill, you would simply get the KB pressed over your head and walk around the room with it. If your elbow is bent, or the kettlebell is out in front of you too far, this is nearly impossible – and that this drill is very self-correcting is part of the beauty of it.

=> Find learning progressions like this one for all the basic KB exercises (swing, Turkish get up, clean and press, more) here

2 – The Downswing

To start the downswing phase of the snatch, from your overhead lockout position, think about closing the distance from the elbow to the rib cage as fast as possible to bring the kettlebell down.

The arc of the snatch is much closer to the body than the arc of the swing.

Another good coaching point for this part of the snatch is to think about throwing the kettlebell through the stomach.

If you were to take a snapshot of the kettlebell at the bottom position, it would look identical a one arm swing (another reason why it’s so important that you master the HardStyle swing before moving on to more advanced drills like the snatch).

3 – The Upswing

We’ve now progressed to performing a full kettlebell snatch. We’ll start with the ‘bell about one foot in front of us (the same set up as a swing).

To start the move, hike pass the weight back – again, the same ‘start’ as the swing. But, instead of swinging the weight in front of you and up to shoulder height, we’re going to go straight overhead with the move into a snatch.

Remember:

The arc of snatch is much closer to the body than the swing. And so to drill this idea down, we’ll perform the following progression:

– Three one-hand swings.
– Three high pulls – try to make the ‘bell ‘float’ at the top by pulling the elbow back and snapping the hips simultaneously.
– Three snatches. The snatch will simply be an extension of the high pull. The weight floats at the top during the high pull, and then we get our hand around the ‘bell to finish the snatch.

In summary, the kettlebell snatch can be a little tricky to master technique-wise, but it’s well worth it considering the benefits it provides. Use the three steps outlined in this article to fast track your learning curve in learning the kettlebell snatch!

Train hard, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC

PS – Did you find this article helpful? Find learning progressions like this one for all the basic KB exercises (swing, Turkish get up, clean and press, more) here