The other day, one of my private training clients, let’s call him “Ben”, came to me with a gripe.

He LOVED the results he has been getting from our kettlebell workouts. But his complaint was that we were doing too much of the same thing. We have been working on the same routine for about three weeks, and he was getting a little bored.

Now, as a fitness professional, I know what is best for Ben and his goals – and that is to stick with the same program framework for at least a couple more weeks. He has been making progress, and has not hit a plateau, so there is no reason to switch things up. He just needs to get tough 🙂

BUT – I also am very careful to listen to my clients, and I want to do my best to keep them happy, having fun, etc. So we decided to introduce some of what Pavel calls “same-but-different” programming into the mix. We stuck with the same basic workout framework, but did variations of some of our exercises to change things up and keep them interesting. This was a great solution for Ben. He started enjoying his workouts again, and in fact started making even FASTER progress because of it!!

If you can dig this idea, you’ll LOVE this:

=> Get three new “same-but-different” workouts every week (deal expires)

For this approach to work though, you have to do it in a very specific way. You can’t just go substituting exercises willy-nilly. You have do switch out and progress to moves that are “same-but-different”.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say that your workout calls for a kettlebell press. What you can do is different versions of this press.

So let’s say that the first day of your routine calls for a double kettlebell press.  You’re doing your double press as part of a superset or by itself or whatever. There are all kinds of variations you can do of those presses.

One variation is an alternating press.

You can do alternating double kettlebell presses.  

You can also do, for example, a see-saw press. That’s where you take both of your ‘bells and one is coming down and the other one is getting pressed up. That’s one of my favorite press variations right there.  That’s a tough one.

Another option is a walking see-saw press. So you do that see-saw press but you take a small step forward, press on the right, take a small step forward and press on the left. Repeat that for reps.

You can use this concept with MANY exercises.

Another good example is with kettlebell swings. You could be doing two handed swings, one hand swings and hand-to-hand swings.

You can do it with body weight exercises. For example you can do squat thrusts which is like a burpee without a push up or a jump. You could do a burpee without the push up. You can do a burpee with a push up.

This simple concept can make a HUGE difference in your training.  I use it in my personal workout planning as well as with my training clients on a daily basis, and it works great.  I hope you can dig it and work it in to your programming to see some increased results!

Train hard, and talk soon –

Forest

PS – If you liked this article, you’ll LOVE this:

=> Get three new “same-but-different” workouts every week (deal expires)

Hope you are having a FANTASTIC weekend. The weather is great here in Northern California, perfect for an outdoor workout.

I am about to head out for a quick KB session and bike ride, but before I do –

I have been getting a lot of questions about my new Hybrid Kettlebell Strength program. So, I thought I would go throug,h and answer some of the ones we are getting over and over. I think these will help you out, whether you are doing Hybrid KB Strengh, or any other strength-based program.

Let’s go –

Q: How do I bump up the weight(s) I am using in my workouts?

A: Incorporate strength work into your overall routine, and use the principle of progressive overload.

Simply put, you need to strive to use more weight in your workouts over time. If you are pressing a 12k today for three sets of eight reps today, try to get nine, eight, eight with it next time. Then nine, nine, eight. Then nine, nine, nine. Then maybe ten. Then maybe bump up the weight. Etc.

THIS is why we want to stick with the same workout and exercises for at least four to six weeks, BTW. PARTICULARLY if gaining strength is our goal. If we change things up more frequently than that, there is no way to measure progress and see if we are getting better at specific exercises.

Q: How often should I change up my workouts?

A: Every four to six weeks.

If you are not the type that gets easily bored with your workouts, you could actually probably do the same workout even eight, ten weeks, or more. As long as you are making progress on the routine you are doing, you can (and should) keep doing it.

Q: How to I scale up or down, and adapt things for a more basic – or more advanced – fitness level?

A: Here are some progressions for some basic exercises included in the Hybrid Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning program. I have listed them in order from easiest/most basic variation, to hardest/most difficult variation:

• split squat-bulgarian split squat-bulgarian split squat with weight
• inverted row-band assisted pull up-standard pull up-pull up with kb on foot
• burpee with hands elevated, no jump at top – burpee with no jump at top – burpee with jump at top – burpee with jump at top, push up on the floor
• hands elevated push ups-knee push up-standard push up -feet elevated push up

Q: What if I travel often, and don’t have access to any equipment?

A: Plan ahead, and work around it.

For your real strength days, it is best to have access to your KB’s. So plan those one to two days per week for when you are home, or will have access to kettlebells.

Then, you can do body weight – based workouts for your metabolic conditioning days when you are on the road.

You can also do interval cardio when you are on the road – running is the simplest way, or just using simple body weight – based movements (jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, etc.)

I travel about once a month or so – in anywhere from three to seven day stretches – and this system works great for me. I am able to stay on track with my workouts and even make progress while I am away.

Q: What if I only have three days per week to train? Can I still make progress?

A: Follow this template:

Day 1 – Metabolic conditioning + interval cardio
Day 2 – Off
Day 3 – Heavy strength + Recovery/LSD cardio
Day 4 – Off
Day 5 – Metabolic conditioning + interval cardio
Day 6 – Off
Day 7 – Off

This will allow you to get all the work you need in three 45 -60 minute sessions.
Alright! Hope this Q&A has helped you out. If you have any other questions, I am here to help – feel free to ask them. Now I’m off to hit my kettlebell workout for the day!

Train hard, and take care –

Forest

PS – Hybrid Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning is on sale for just one more day. Check it out and grab your copy at a great discount here:

=> Hybrid KB Strength and Conditioning

I have a “little black book” of my favorite kettlebell boot camp workouts – which I’m always adding to, tweaking, etc. – and 90% of the time, that’s where I pull my daily boot camp workouts from.  This way, I don’t have to spend hours a day racking my brain for fresh  and fun training ideas.

Of course, I have a plan and progression for my programming over time – but this method makes my life SO much easier.

Now, if you are a boot camp instructor – or, if you are just a boot camp workout enthusiast – you should be doing the same.  It’s the only way to go!

Interestingly though, based on talks with dozens of friends and associates in the business – most people KNOW they should be keeping their own version of a “little black book” – but for whatever reason, DON’T.

So I’ve come up with a solution to this problem.  I’ve put together dozens of my favorite kettlebell boot camp resources, for you to “steal” and use with your campers (and yourself!)

Click here to check it out now:

=> Over 53 Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts

Thanks, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

Twelve weeks ago, we put together a training group for a mud run event.

And now that official start time is 36 hours away, what’s done is done … we’ve done all we can when it comes to mental preparation, it’s time to GO!

I have been reflecting a little today about the last twelve weeks of training … we put together an awesome group of folks for the event …  I’ve learned a LOT as a trainer during this time.

One specific take-away I wanted to share with you and that I think can help you a lot with your kettlebell training is …

Mental toughness is a learned skill

I had folks from varried backgrounds and training experience levels sign up for this program.  So here’s what I discovered:

Let’s try and flash you back to the first time you ever worked out. Maybe it was 20 years ago. Maybe it was this month. Either way, you have a “starting point” when it comes to your training. You didn’t start with a hard mind at 3 years old.

I still remember the first time I lifted weights HARD. I was 15 and it was in a football weight training class.  I didn’t even make it 30 minutes without running to the side of the building to have a puke.  Which I wasn’t super excited about at the time.  BUT – it made me realize I could push myself to a new level.

Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve been subjected to a LOT of hard workouts.  And each time I push myself a **little** harder, it takes me to a new level.

This is why I think folks that are just getting started have a hard time really pushing themselves to exhaustion. They really don’t even know what it’s like. It’s not even in their realm of thinking.

And this is also why I think people that were athletic, that maybe have trained hard in the past, many times get injured, throw up, etc. when they first get back into it. Because their MIND knows how to push hard, but their body’s forgot 🙂

How To Build Mental Toughness With Kettlebells

So – the moral of the story is that you need to be striving to push yourself a little bit harder – than you ever have before – on a somewhat frequent basis. Now, let me be clear – you CAN”T train like this every day, or even every week. But you should be training hard every once in a while to really test your limit and get to a new mental toughness set point!

Train hard, and talk soon –

Forest

PS – If you liked this article, check out this other recent one I did on my toughest leg workout ever:

=== >> Story of the Hardest Leg Workout Ever

PPS – I also have a special deal on one of my programs that’s PERFECT for learning how to push yourself to the limit. More details on that one coming very soon.

Forest Vance, RKC II