I had a roommate back in the day who was the strength coach for a D1 college football program.
The day before their televised games, the team would come in and blast their arms, so they’d be looking and feeling their best.
So this is my kettlebell version of your “Friday TV Arms” workout:
5 min “TV Arms” Kettlebell Workout
10 halo + behind-the-head tricep extension
10 crush curls
Superset the exercises, move directly from one move to the next, do three sets of each without putting the KB down.If you like today’s video, be sure to grab the full CORE Kettlebell Beginner’s Guide (FREE for a limited time) at this link: http://bit.ly/corekbbeginner
…and stay tuned for more kettlebell exercise videos like this one!
We have this program we run at our studio called “Lean and Jacked”. It’s a small group of men and women that I have worked with personally a few times per week for the last six or seven years. Our workouts typically would look like this:
1 – “Big” lift – squat, deadlift, or bench (we peak out two three times per year, and use simple periodization to just work towards getting everyone a little stronger each 12-16 week training cycle)
2 – MRT – mix of kettlebell and bodyweight movements typically; where we’re spiking the heart rate for a solid 20 minute bout, but using various weighted movements in specific sequences to do it
We’ve seen dozens and dozens of dramatic body transformations come out of this group.
If you are trying to get both lean and strong and athletic, and transform your physique, all at the same time, I truly think that training like this is THE best way to get it done.
For the last 10 weeks or so though (so crazy to write that, I can hardly believe it honestly), our physical gym location has been closed.
And these guys and gals still have the same goals.
They want to continue to build strength, while staying lean at the same time.
But they don’t have the same access to the heavy weights.
So we’ve had to adapt.
The workouts we’re doing – to stay strong and lean, at the same time – are looking a lot like this:
*Time-Volume Training is about intelligently using training volume to create overload in muscles. It doesn’t require heavy weight or a gym full of equipment to work. Instead of building muscle with training INTENSITY (i.e. lifting heavy weights to failure with just a few sets), we will build muscle via WORKLOAD (a.k.a. training volume).
The “TIME” part of Time-Volume Training refers to the block of time that you’re working the exercise/muscle group. The “VOLUME” part refers to the work you’re doing within that time block. This method uses basic physiological principles of adaptation to build muscle and strength.
15-minute “5-3-1” Bodyweight Time-Volume Workout
– 5 close grip push ups (beginner / intermediate) OR handstand push ups on wall (advanced) – 3 assisted chin ups (beginner / intermediate) OR Tactical pull ups (advanced) – 1 elevated pistol squat per leg (beginner / intermediate) OR regular pistol squat (advanced)
Set your timer for 15 minutes.
You’ll start off by taking no rest at all, moving directly from one exercise to the next.
Once you approach failure on one of the exercises, you’ll then start to take 10 seconds rest in between each exercise…then 20 seconds, etc. if needed.
Get as many rounds as you can in the 15 minute time block.
…and you are done!
#
Now.
My friend and colleague Nick Nilsson created this Time-Volume training program.
He has dozens and dozens more workouts just like this, put into a full program to get you amazing results.
And he’s got far more details and intricacies that make the program work.
But truly, I am 100% on board with the course.
It’s similar in style and philosophy to how I train my peeps.
And I can certainly tell you, the folks in my Lean and Jacked group are getting as good gains as ever.
Many are saying their body feels BETTER, because they’re taking a break from the heavy lifting.
And they are doing it all in their own homes, using minimal, or in some cases zero, equipment, using workouts like the one I outlined for you today.
If you want to get similar gains, check out the Time-Volume Training program at the link below:
Over the last 10 years or so, in many Tactical Fitness circles, men and women have been doing the “Murph” workout on Memorial Day.
The workout was first made popular by the CrossFit community, who perform many workouts created to honor fallen heroes, commonly called the Hero’s WOD (Workout of the Day).
Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.
The workout itself was Michael’s favorite workout to do, which at the time referred to it as “Body Armor”, hence the 20 lb vest or body armor as part of the workout prescription.
The movie Lone Survivor was released in 2013, which tells the story of Michael Murphy and his men based off the book written by Marcus Luttrell, the lone surviving SEAL from Murphy’s group.
The Murph is now performed by men and women accross the US on Memorial Day as a fundraiser for the LT Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation, and to honor all those who have served and sacrificed in the line of duty.
Here’s what it looks like:
1 mile Run 100 Pull-Ups 200 Push-Ups 300 Air Squats 1 mile Run
*With a 20 lb Vest or Body Armor
It is a brutal workout. But the movements are pretty straightforward, and they can also be tweaked / modified if needed.
The 1 mile runs HAVE to be completed first and last.
Of course, you can run / walk these as needed.
The pull ups, push ups, and air squats can be “partishioned” – the most common strategy being to partition the reps into 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats.
The pull ups could also be “scaled down”, and done with assistance like a band. You could even substitute ring rows to scale further.
And the push ups can of course be done with your hands elevated on a box or bench, or from the knees.
The workout can be performed with a weight vest, or without one.
And finally, you can also try a “half Murph” – where you do a 1/2 mile run, 50 pull ups, 100 push ups, and 150 air squats – if you don’t feel ready to attack the whole thing.
Doing the workout, thinking of, and honoring those who served and sacrificed for our country is the main point.
Not being able to lose weight is common, and extremely frustrating.
It’s exactly how I felt when I “retired” from my football career (I played through high school, college, and about two years bouncing around in the NFL).
But after loads studying to figure out what the best approach was going to be fore me – and also getting help from a coach I was working with at the the time at a gym – I was able to lose 64 pounds in 7 months… and keep it off for the last 15 years!
The program is both adaptive to you and your specific goals and needs… but we also give you LOTS of sample meals so that you can just plug-and-play, tweak slightly if needed, and rock it out.
There are also three keys the program is built on:
1 – PLAN – Start with planning out your meals. Use the block chart we give you in the 14 Day Metabolic Reset Challenge to figure out how much you need to be eating each day. I also walk through that chart and how to adjust it for your needs and goals in the video training.
Then you can either:
— Build your own meals using the block chart
OR
— Pick meals that you like from the sample meals provided that fit in with your daily targets
2 – SHOP – You have to go the store and get the food you’re going to need.
Seems simple but it’s a new habit many people have to develop. A lot of people are used to not doing much, if any planning when it comes to nutrition… and if you’re trying to lose weight, and build better habits for the long term, this won’t work.
You can’t just fly by the seat of your pants and grab meals out and eat when you feel like it. You have to get, and always have, the food you need on hand, to be able to follow your plan.
3 – PREP – This is where you prepare the food that you are going to eat.
This is another key, because let’s say you’re out working for 10 hours per day. You’re probably going to need to pack at least a couple of meals and one or two snacks.
It doesn’t have to be complex – you can have maybe some veggies and lunch meat and nuts for one meal, a protein bar for another, a piece of fruit for another. Whatever fits into your plan and your blocks.
And develop techniques that make your life easier – hard boil eggs for a few breakfasts all at once, or cook 2x or 3x portions for dinner, and eat leftovers for the next couple of days.
But prepping your food is another key to success.”
Again, I get that not being able to lose weight is common, and extremely frustrating.
Check out this Ascending Kettlebell Ladder Complex.
It’s from one of the three free 2-week kettlebell plans you get when you sign up for the 14 Day Metabolic Reset Challenge: https://bit.ly/14daymetabolicreset
It’s perfect to finish off a workout strong… or it can even be a short stand-alone burner on its own!
You’ll combine strength and conditioning all at the same time, burn a ton of calories, and crank up your metabolism for the rest of the day.
This one is “follow-along” style… so grab your ‘bell, and do it with me!
Enjoy the pain 😈
-Forest Vance, Master of Science in Human Movement, Certified Kettlebell Instructor, KettlebellBasics.net
We are looking for a few dozen more men and women over the age of 40 to join our 14-day nutrition reset program. We’ll give you the meal planning, the workouts, the motivation, and the accountability that you need right now. Click this link, check out the details, sign up and get started today right away: https://bit.ly/14daymetabolicreset
Pictured here is a “2 block” Zone meal:
(This is the meal plan we use as the “base” for our 14-day Nutrition Reset Challenge)
Zone Food Blocks are simply a measurement used to define how much of these macronutrients you should be eating throughout the day.
Each Zone Food Block consists of one block of protein, one block of carbohydrate and one block of fat.
10 to 12 blocks of balanced food is about right for a smaller woman for one day. You’d adjust your daily intake up from there based on gender, body size, activity level, and body comp.
Feel free to experiment with your number of daily blocks and move them around as you see fit. Everyone is different.
For a complete breakdown of the meal plan, to learn how to set up your days for success, for on-going accountability and coaching and more, check out our 14-day Metabolic Reset Challenge at the link below:
It’s the solution to help you both get rapid results, AND build the foundation and habits you need for long-term success.
But if you want to get in on the live video coaching / training / QnA I’m doing later this week, you’ll need to get registered ASAP: https://bit.ly/14daymetabolicreset
Look forward to working together, and hearing your success story!
Our world has been in turmoil over the last couple of months.
For many of us, both our physical and mental health has taken a hit.
But things are starting to open back up in most parts of the world, and we’re getting messages from men and women everywhere that they are excited to get back to training towards some fitness goals.
— You want to re-spark your motivation — You want to get and stay fit, lean and agile — You want to “get better with age” — You want to do all the things I want to do with out being out of breath or movements
This is a 14-day “kick-start”… focused on nutrition, with the full done-for-you meal plan and lifestyle guide you need to succeed… but also with the workouts where you will burn a MASSIVE amount of calories, to really take your efforts to the next level.
1 – Do a 15 minute dynamic warm up – joint mobility, self myofascial release, dynamic stretching (90 calories burned)
2 – Do 35 minutes of high-intensity kettlebell/body weight/etc resistance training – something like the workout below (336 kcals burned):
*Warm up – Do five Turkish Get Ups on each side. Start easy – with no weight at all or a light weight – and work up to a heavier weight with each rep. Switch sides after each rep.
*Perform the first exercise in each pairing. Immediately move to the next exercise (or exercises) and complete the prescribed number of reps. Rest :30 and repeat each sequence a total of three times.
1a: 8 reverse lunges 1b: pull ups – one rep short of failure
3 – Run 5k – 3.2 miles – at a medium (6 mph) pace (504 calories burned)
If you are not into running, you could also do about 35 minutes of medium-to-high intensity biking, swimming, rowing, etc.
4 – Finish with 15 minutes of simple yoga poses (106 calories burned)
–
Now not every single workout is this massive. Nor does it have to be to get results. And we give you modifications and adjustments, so that you can do the workout no matter your current fitness level, injuries, etc.
But the big idea is, get ready! Let’s do this! Because we are ready to start working towards those fitness goals, together!!
-Forest Vance ForestVanceTraining.com
PS – Stay tuned – the 14-day Metabolic Reset Challenge opens for sign up starting tomorrow!
First, kettlebell and bodyweight workouts – correctly designed – are a great start. You use full-body, functional movements that engage your core, without even having to work your stomach directly.
Second, if you really want to focus in on the gut, you can do a few minutes of direct ab work every day. Use a series of routines like the ones HERE, in the “Ab Torture Method” course I’ve been talking about for the last couple of days. It takes just a few minutes, and it goes a long way if you want to specifically work on and improve your midsection.
–
–
Check out this sample workout from the Ab Torture Method:
250-Rep “Ab Torture” Challenge
Side bridge 30 reps with 10 second hold
Ab wheel 75 reps
Weighted leg raises 100 reps
Plank on ball with feet elevated 2 X failure
Weighted v-ups 75 reps
*If you don’t know exactly what each of these exercises are, or how to do them, there are full video descriptions in the full program, here:
And also, you will learn how to sub some / all of the moves for an acceptable alternative, if they require equipment and you don’t have it available.
–
–
Finally, you’ll need to focus on your nutrition. If you have strong abs, but you have a layer of fat over the top, you won’t be able to see them. So get your diet right, and those midsection muscles will be showing themselves in no time.
There you have it. If you want better abs – which most everyone does! – 1) do functional fitness workouts with kettlebells and bodyweight 2) do direct ab work, and 3) focus on your nutrition.
Here’s to your continued success!
-Forest Vance KettlebellBasics.net
PS – If you liked today’s sample workout, get dozens more like it in the full Ab Torture Method plan here:
Now if you don’t know exactly what each of these exercises are, or how to do them, don’t worry – there are full video descriptions in the full program, here: