Strive Performance Training » Muscle Confusion: Shock tips

Workout of the day: Kangaroo workout

Kyle Harrell — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:47:32 +0000

Spring is here and it’s a great time to get outside and exercise. This video gives you some great bodyweight exercise ideas that wil jump start your day or throw a wrinkle into your training. The kangaroo workout in the video shows several plyometric moves and multi joint exercises that will improve strength, cardio vascular fitness, and flexibility. Get outside, enjoy the weather, and try a few or all of these.

Replace curls with pull-ups

Kyle Harrell — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:44:24 +0000

Make your time in the gym count by choosing multi-joint movements over single joint ones. Engage larger muscles and replace single joint exercises (curls, tricep extensions, etc.) with multiple joint movements (pull-ups, dips, incline press, etc.) Focus your time on multi- joint movements and larger muscle groups (lats, shoulders, chest, hips, and legs) and your smaller muscle groups will get plenty of work (biceps, triceps, and abs).

This article by T-nation shows how pull-ups stack up to bicep curls of all flavors for activating the biceps. Not only are pull-ups a tremendous rear shoulder and back developer, but benefit the biceps to boot.

Heavy rope training exercises

Kyle Harrell — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:38:06 +0000

Heavy rope training packs a supreme punch in improving conditioning and takes your fitness to another level. Improved core and shoulder girdle strength headline the benefit spectrum of heavy rope or battle rope exercises.

Joe Hashey from Synergy athletics shows some MMA style work that is sure to challenge any athlete and gives you some great ideas on how to incorporate heavy ropes into your training.

Grab a rope or fire hose and get to work.

Exercise of the day: Turkish Get Up

Kyle Harrell — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:50:58 +0000

Turkish Get Up an exercise for the development of strength, flexibility, and coordination of your entire body.

Adding complex exercises like the Turkish Get Up and variations of will bring into balance areas of your body that might be neglected from more traditional strength training approaches. Balance is the key to building a strong foundation and addressing areas in need of improvement.

Heavy Rope Training with Fire Hoses.

Kyle Harrell — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:40:35 +0000

Heavy rope training will add variety and intensity to your workout. Several movements can be performed for an entire body exercise, beneficial for shoulder rehab, stability, and strength training. Ropes provide multi- joint, multi- plane movements that will deliver an intense conditioning training element to anyone’s workout.

Ropes can be purchased in the mid $100 range (depending on length) at performbetter.com. They offer free shipping a couple of times a year. I would recommend longer ropes for greater versatility.

For those looking for money saving alternatives, contact your favorite local fireman and ask if you can have an old fire hose. Fire stations throw out old hoses when they wear out. Duct or electrical tape up the ends for handles, and get to work.

Today’s Tabata : Plyometrics and Kettlebells

Kyle Harrell — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:19:10 +0000

Equipment needed for today’s 4 minute conditioning finish (Tabata).

• Box, step, or bench (height that you can jump onto for 10+ reps)

• 2 Kettlebells or dumbbells (weight that you can perform 10+ reps of variety of exercises)

Exercises performed at high intensity for 20 seconds (@10+ reps) / followed by 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds.

• Box Jumps

• Double long cycle kettlebell, dumbbell, or kettlebull (clean and jerk)

• 2 handed swings

• Double High Pull

• Box Jumps

• Double long cycle kettlebell, dumbbell, or kettlebull (clean and jerk)

• 2 handed swings

• Double High Pull

12 minute workout, Tips for time-saving workout success

Kyle Harrell — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:37:51 +0000

Yesterday work went long, and I had a meeting coming up with little time to workout. I had about 15 minutes to squeeze one in, and this is what I did.

Equipment: 53 lb. and 70 lb. kettlebell

Warm up: Swings

Round #1: 53 lb kettlebell snatches. 10 snatches every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. 100 reps total (50 with each arm)

Rest: 3 minutes

Round #2: 70 lb. kettlebell snatches. 8 snatches every 30 seconds for 4 minutes. 64 total reps (32 with each arm)

Tips for building your own 12 minute workout:

•Increase intensity

•Focus on Complex (multi-joint exercises) – Snatch, Burpees, Clean and Jerks, Squats, Thrusters…

•Limit rest

Give this a try and let me know what you think. Comment with your favorite variations.

Determining your ( _ ) rep max

Kyle Harrell — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:40:44 +0000

I had a question come in today from a friend that is about to start a strength training protocol that requires 5 and 10 rep max of each lift to set up the amount of weight for each lift. Rather than spending a ton of time testing each of these yourself. After you have adequately warmed and greased up you can blow out a weight you are comfortable with for reps. Plug that weight and number of reps into a Max calculator, and there you have it. This can be a safer alternative to a 1 rep max, and although not quite as gratifying, can be fun.

Testing can be rewarding, motivating, and fun. So if testing is something you haven’t done ever or in a long time, maybe it’s time to pick 2 or 3 exercises and go for it. Make sure you’ve got a partner, and plenty of time to warm up, and have fun.

Is determining my max important? It’s not a requirement, but can provide motivation, and inspire you to set new goals and reach for more.

4 minute finish: Kettlebell Tabata of the day

Kyle Harrell — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:51:55 +0000

I’m loving this Tabata Lite i phone application. It’s free and it makes for a fun and challenging way to finish up a training session. The Tabata protocol is just one of many high intensity interval training (HIIT) methods for increasing VO2 Max, improving conditioning, and burning calories.

The variety and combination of exercises you can plug into this 8 round interval are limitless, and I have yet to duplicate one myself. So here are a couple of examples of Tabata’s I have done in my last couple of workouts.

#1 (All Snatch)

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Repeat 4 X

KB Double Long Cycle (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Double Long Cycle (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Push ups : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Double Long Cycle (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Tabata training (the 4 minute workout)

Kyle Harrell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:15:28 +0000

High Intensity Interval Training or (HIIT) is a high intensity circuit of various exercises performed at your highest level followed by a brief timed rest period. This can be done w/ any combination of exercises and there are dozens of protocols. A great approach for busy people that want “the most bang for their buck” when it comes to conditioning training or a calorie burning workout.

One specific variation of interval training is 4 minutes total with 8 rounds of 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by a 10 second rest interval is called the Tabata. Named after its developer Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. The study published in 1996 in the Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise Journal showed a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity and 14% increase in VO2Max (ability to consume oxygen) in subjects after 6 weeks. These incredible results were achieved by already physically fit individuals, but similar results can be achieved by anyone performing a few of these training sessions a week. After experimenting with several of these HIIT workouts I decided to try Dr. Tabata’s .

In the past I had issues with being able to see my watch and had difficulty setting my timer. Yesterday, I found Tabata Lite a free iphone app that is easy to use, see, and hear. So I downloaded the free app at the gym and was off. Nick Tumminello’s article gives you some great ideas for initiating this strategy and even an 8 week build up progression for beginners.

What I did:

Tabata #1

KettleBell (KB) swings Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB swings Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB front squat Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB front squat Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Push Press Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Push Press Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB straight legged dead lift : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Body weight speed squats : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Tabata #2

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Push ups : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Swings Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Push ups : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

I finished up with some plyometric box jumps, walking lunges, Swiss ball hand stands, Swiss ball push ups, and jump rope.