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Body weight exercises : Bear and Crab Crawl

Published by Kyle Harrell on Dec 1 2009 | Permalink

More dynamic warm up and flexibility fun w/ the straight leg bear crawl.  For an alternative warm up, to increase flexibility, improve agility and body control try a 10 yard bear crawl with a sprint back and repeat.  Add more reps and or distance to improve conditioning.  Mix in a crab crawl and back pedal for variation.  Remember to keep hips high on both the crab and bear crawl. You’ll increase shoulder and hip mobility, as well as, improving trunk and core strength.  These total body exercises are sure to provide some added stimulus to your training.  Throw these old school moves in for an alternative to your tired old jog or treadmill routine.

To add resistance, partner up for a loaded bear crawl and let the fun begin.

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Kettlebell exercises : Juggling

Published by Kyle Harrell on Nov 15 2009 | Permalink

Add a new wrinkle to your training with some kettlebell juggling.  Juggling kettlebells is a fun way to challenge yourself, increase grip strength, and improve conditioning.  With a partner or by yourself, flips, switching grips, tossing between hands or your partner are just a few ideas.  Variations are endless.  Try some of these to get started or make up your own.

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Glutes : Hip thrusts

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 27 2009 | Permalink

The glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body.  Glute training can go beyond squats and lunges.  Two examples (hip thrust variations) using body weight, show how to work glutes and improve the performance of the back side.  Use benches or steps to increase range of motion. Barbell or dumbbells can be placed on upper thigh to add resistance. Powerful glutes increase explosion, speed, and bring the upper and lower body into balance.

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Kettlebells : Unbalanced (Alternate Double Snatch)

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 13 2009 | Permalink

Challenge yourself with an unbalanced attack on your training. Use different weighted implements to perform unbalanced exercises that will increase the difficulty of any movement.  Unbalanced movements will improve stability and bring the whole body into balance.

Begin with weight you are confident in handling and increase resistance and imbalance gradually.  Unbalanced lifts can be performed with just about any movement, with dumbbells and kettlebells alike. Go unbalanced with presses, pulls, and squats to strengthen your body from the mid-line out.

The above example is with the kettlebell alternate double snatch.  Select two disparaging weights ( 53 lb, 70 lb ) and continue to switch hands for several rounds or sets of the lift.  Unbalanced work is a great way to maximize your kettlebell or dumbbell collection, if you don’t have doubles of a particular weight.

Add ladders or drop sets by increasing or decreasing weight within the same set or round.  Progressive or descending drop sets are an excellent way to increase conditioning and improve cardiovascular fitness.  Work your way up or down the rack for time or more rounds. For additional stimuli and extra spice go unbalanced with your drop sets.  If you are looking for muscle confusion, unbalanced work is sure to shake things up.

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DIY exercise equipment : Make your own Bulgarian training bag

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 12 2009 | Permalink
bulgarian-sand-bag

photo from kbatoday.com

The Bulgarian training bag is a sand bag with handles, can be used for countless exercises, and a must have for your home gym.

All you will need to make your very own Bulgarian training bag is a car inner tube, knife or box cutter, zip ties, sand or other filler, and some duct tape. Cut the inner tube, fill it with desired amount of sand or other filler to weight you want, zip tie off ends w/ enough room at each end for handles to grip.  Duct tape handles (optional). Below video shows you how to build your own and some exercise ideas.

Use bags to add resistance to bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, plyometric jumps, and stairs.  Swinging movements will promote and increase balance, stability, trunk, and rotational strength.  Use at the beginning of your training session for a dynamic warm up, or to intensify conditioning work.

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Workout of the day : Celebrity Circuit

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 9 2009 | Permalink

Workout of the day: A backyard DIY workout with bodyweight and kettlebell exercises.

-Step ups: @25-30 reps or for time 20-30 seconds. Be explosive and drive off top foot.

-Kettlebell Towel Swings: @8-10 reps both directions. Great shoulder and trunk warmup, Variations include (standing and from squat position)

-Bodyweight Squats: @15-25 reps

-Burpees:@8-10 reps. Add a push up and jump to a burpee to increase intensity.

-Elevated Spiderman pushups: @10-20 reps. Elevated feet, hands, or both or ground level this is a nice twist to a great bodyweight exercise.

-Front squat/ Front squat w/ overhead press: @8-10 reps. One hand or two.

-Kettlebell swings: @16-20 reps

-Kettlebell Towel Curls and or overhead tricep extension: 10-15 reps.

-Elevated Knee Tuck Pushups: @15-20 reps. Variation of the spiderman

Repeat for 2 or 3 more rounds.  Reps are listed to give you an idea, don’t get hung up on counting reps. Keep it simple, and do @10 reps of everything, or set a timer for 15-25 seconds and forget about counting reps.

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Kettlebell exercises : Double Snatch

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 8 2009 | Permalink

As you gain confidence with kettlebells and have mastered the swing, clean and jerk, and high pull, next on the list is the snatch.  The single arm snatch can be performed with kettlebells, dumbbells, and even the straight bar, and is one of the best builders of explosive total body strength there is.  Along with the mentioned variations, the kettlebell double snatch and alternate double snatch are two additional ways to increase resistance and add a degree of difficulty to a great complex multi- joint movement.

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Kettlebell exercises : Double Swing

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 6 2009 | Permalink

The Kettlebell swing is the foundational lift for kettlebell training.  The same goes for kettlebell doubles.  The video below shows the double swing and later a simple complex beginning with the swing, one rep of alternate cleans, and finishes up with the clean and jerk.

Swings (single or double) are terrific for developing hip snap and target the glutes and hamstrings.  Coaching points include: drive from heels, snap hips, keep back flat (big chest and butt). Weight should float close to eye level from hip drive, with no engagement of shoulders.

Other benefits include: trunk (core strength) and grip strength.

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Kettlebell exercises : Kettlebell Gunslinger

Published by Kyle Harrell on Oct 2 2009 | Permalink

tombstone

Add this to your figure 8, figure 8 to a hold, and/ or kettlebell swing progression.  The Gunslinger is performed with bent knees and keeps the legs engaged and loaded throughout the multi- plane dynamic movement.  Punch and dip hips as you continue through the exercise while you keep the bell moving.

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Hamstrings: Straight leg dead lift

Published by Kyle Harrell on Sep 28 2009 | Permalink

Introduced to me years ago by a favorite college coach of mine, the straight leg dead lift or Romanian dead lift should be a staple in stiff-leg-deadliftseveryone’s training.  This exercise helps bring balance to the lower body, strengthening and stretching the low back and hamstrings.  An absolute must for any speed athlete, and anyone with a history of hamstring pulls.

Coaching points include keeping chest and butt big and not rounding shoulders or back.  Pivot from a single point at the hip keeping head and eyes up.  Keep the lift smooth.  Keep the weight light and focus on the stretch, not moving big weight.

Varieties include: olympic bar (pictured right), dumbbells.  Add the one legged version to improve balance and better body control.

(Single Leg) Straight Leg Dead Lift

Good Morning: Olympic bar in back squat position (good morning) same coaching points.

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ABOUT
KYLE HARRELL

Kyle has coached at the high school and university level in Texas and has worked with athletes of all ages for over 15 years. Kyle spent 5 years in Houston-area High Schools, and later was named Strength and Conditioning Coach at Texas State, heading up the Football, Baseball, and Women's Basketball programs.

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TESTIMONIALS

CHRIS MANTOOTH

Brandeis High School
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Working with Kyle Harrell has made me and our athletes at Brandeis High more aware of functional strength and flexibility. Kyle's insights have paid dividends with regard to core muscle groups, stability, and overall athleticism.

NICK PACE

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Coach Harrell taught me the skills and work ethic that would help me earn a scholarship to Baylor University, and that would ultimately help me start in the Big 12 conference as a true freshman. I learned more techniques from him and found his practices more beneficial than anything I ever did in college.

JUSTIN MARCELLUS

TEXAS STATE BOBCATS
TIGHT END

Coach Harrell's intense and fun approach increased my strength and explosiveness. His positive coaching style encouraged me to be more confident on and off the field.