In this article, I lay out a microcycle of five training sessions. The program consists of five workouts to be done in succession, on different days. On the sixth training session, the microcycle starts over. The simplest way to implement this protocol is a week with five training days and two rest days. If you have problems with recovery, you can scale down to three sessions a week. Anything less frequent than that, and you will probably be losing your gains faster than you can acquire them. In the following description, week = microcycle, day = workout.

The goal is to raise overall strength. [Photo credit: Pixabay]

An Introduction to “The Five”

Every day you will do five exercises, one for each of Dan John’s five basic movement patterns (“The Five”):

• Squat
• Hinge
• Push
• Pull
• Loaded carry

Each day will be heavy for one of the exercises, medium for two of them, and light for the remaining two. You will rotate daily so that by the end of the week, each of “The Five” has had one heavy, two medium, and two light days. For each of “The Five,” this program has one primary exercise which you will choose. You will do that exercise three times a week with one heavy, one medium, and one light day.

For each of “The Five,” the program also has one secondary exercise. Its purpose is to support your primary exercise. You will do it two times a week with one medium and one light day. I will suggest an exercise for each pattern, but can select a different one, according to your equipment and your experience.

Sets and Reps Overview

With the exception of the loaded carries, your set and rep scheme will be the same:

• Light days: 2 sets (per side if the exercise is unilateral) of 5 reps with your 10-12 rep max (or about 50-60% of your 5RM)
• Medium days: 2 sets (per side if the exercise is unilateral) of 5 reps with your 7-8 rep max (or about 75-85% of your 5RM)
• Heavy days: 10 reps total (per side if the exercise is unilateral) in 3-5 sets.

For your heavy days, start out with 5 sets of 2 reps and work towards 2 sets of 5 reps. Once you can complete 10 reps in 2 sets of 5, add weight and start over with 5 sets of 2 reps. If you can only do singles, it might be too heavy for you. As you progress your weights on your heavy days, move the weights up on your light and medium days accordingly.

There are several daily templates possible, use at your discretion:

• Light – Heavy – Medium – Medium – Light
• Heavy – Light – Medium – Medium – Light
• Light – Heavy – Light – Medium – Medium
• Light – Medium – Heavy – Medium – Light

Notes on Specific Movements

Turkish get ups (TGU): There are several possible ways to program the TGU. The one that seems to work best for me is to do 10 alternating reps (five each side). On light and medium days, I do them without rest, but on heavy days I rest as needed. The goal on heavy days to get all the reps done with no rest.

Kettlebell step ups: Start out with the light TGU weight on your light day, medium on the medium day. Hold the bell by your side and do 10-20 marches starting with your left foot (left up, right up, left down, right down; that is one rep). If the weights feel too light, go one size heavier the next time you’re at it.

Feel free to throw in one or two warm-up sets, especially for your heavy exercise of the day.

You may add some direct ab work if and when you feel like, especially on the heavy hinge day. Last, I would suggest doing your loaded carries at the end of your session (except maybe on their heavy day).

Exercise Suggestions

Hinge:

• Primary: Dead swing or double dead swing (DSW) – Park the bells after each rep; focus on explosiveness.
• Secondary: One-arm dead snatch (SN) – Park the bell after each rep; focus on explosiveness and symmetry. Keep your hips, trunk, and shoulders square at all times. There’s still a back-swing at the beginning, so do not pull the bell straight from the ground.

Squat:

• Primary: Double front squat (DFSQ)
• Secondary: Pistol (PST) – Focus on tension and pressurization. I suggest doing them in alternating fashion, but it is not mandatory.

Pull:

• Primary: Pull up (PLP)
• Secondary: Renegade row (RR) – Focus on symmetry. Pull the bell with your lat, rather than curl it.

Push:

• Primary: Double press (DPR)
• Secondary: One-arm bottom-up press (BUP) – Focus on total tension, wedging under the bell. Don’t ‘balance’ the bell, but make it part of your arm.

Carry:

• Primary: Turkish get up (TGU)
• Secondary: Kettlebell step ups (KSU) – Focus on straight arm, packed shoulder, full extension without side hinge. Stand tall and proud, and move as a single unit.

The Microcycle Program

Day 1:

• DFSQ – light
• PLP – medium
• BUP – medium
• SN – light
• TGU – heavy

Day 2:

• DSW – heavy
• RR – light
• DPR – medium
• PST – medium
• TGU – light

Day 3:

• DSW – light
• PLP – heavy
• BUP – light
• DFSQ – medium
• KSU-medium

Day 4:

• PLP – light
• DPR – heavy
• PST – light
• SN – medium
• TGU – medium

Day 5:

• DFSQ – heavy
• DPR – light
• RR – medium
• DSW – medium
• KSU – light

More on kettlebell training:

Hike, Swing, and Park for More Kettlebell Power

The post The Punch the Clock Training Program appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

This program has you focus on five movements:

1. A large posterior chain movement. In this case we are using the hinge pattern, so either kettlebell hinge, deadlift, or swing.
2. An upper body push. We will use standing overhead presses, ½ kneeling, or tall kneeling presses.
3. An upper body pull, such as pull-ups, rows, or batwings.
4. A simple, full-body explosive movement. Kettlebell swings do the trick.
5. A loaded carry and crawling at the end.

With this program, you will never plan or worry about the weight or the load. Auto-regulate based on how you feel daily based on other lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep quality/hygiene, and stress. We will be squatting during the movement prep portion of the training session, so as to not neglect the pattern but to focus on other movements.

Most important is that you start and finish the program. That is ultimately the secret to success in any endeavor.

The 40 Day Recipe

• Frequent, low rep, high quality strength work
• Less frequent, high intensity metabolic conditioning
• Emphasis on reflexive and low impact cardiovascular conditioning

Pressing

Find a moderately heavy kettlebell (dumbbells will suffice if necessary) that you can comfortably press for 3 reps on each side. When you reach sets of ‘3-3-3-3-3’ or ‘5-5-5-5-5’ add load.

Pulling

The Fighter Pull-Up Program

• Day 1 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
• Day 2 5, 4, 3, 2, 2
• Day 3 5, 4, 3, 3, 2
• Day 4 5, 4, 4, 3, 2
• Day 5 5, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Day 6 Off
• Day 7 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Day 8 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
• Day 9 6, 5, 4, 4, 3
• Day 10 6, 5, 5, 4, 3
• Day 11 6, 6, 5, 4, 3
• Day 12 Off

Kettlebell Swings

Swings should be performed with ⅓ of total bodyweight.

Warm Up and Movement Prep

Each day, you will begin with the Turkish get up. Do one rep with each arm for three sets, alternating arms.

Then you will do a simple complex of 15 kettlebell swings, 1 goblet squat, and 10 cross crawls. Perform 3-5 sets of this complex, until your body feels fully warmed up and primed.

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 1

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 2

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 2
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 3

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 1, 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 3, 2
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 4

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 4, 4, 3, 2
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 5

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 5, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 6

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 7

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 8

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 9

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 2, 2, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 10

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 2, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 11

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 3, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 12

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 3, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 13

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 14

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 15

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 4, 4, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 16

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 3, 3, 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 5, 5, 4, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 17

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 3, 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 6, 6, 5, 4, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 18

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 4, 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 19

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 4, 4, 4 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 4, 4
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 20

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 21

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 22

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 5, 5, 4
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 23

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 4, 4, 4 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 6, 6, 5, 4
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 24

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 4, 4 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 7, 7, 6, 5, 4
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 25

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 5, 4 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 26

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 5, 5, 5, 5 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 5, 5
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 27

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 28

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 29

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 5 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 6, 6, 5
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

At this point, you have reached 30 days and made it through five sets of five reps in the big movement of this program: the single arm press. If you have followed the program diligently, you have also completed 120 get ups, 2500 swings, 100 minutes of carries, and 100 minutes of crawling… you get the idea.

Now it’s time to increase your weight in the all areas of training and go back to lower rep ranges. Maintain your progress with the pull ups and keep adding reps. If baby crawling is too easy at this point, transition to a more challenging crawl pattern like Spiderman or leopard crawling.

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 30

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 7, 7, 6, 5
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 31

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 8, 8, 7, 6, 5
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 32

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 3, 4, 5, 1, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 6, 5
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 33

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 4, 3, 1, 2, 3 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 6, 6
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 34

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 7, 7, 6
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 35

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 36

Off

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 37

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 5, 3, 2, 3, 5 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 8, 8, 7, 6
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Day 38

• Single Arm Press: 5 x 2, 3, 5, 3, 2 (each arm)
• Pull up/Row: 5 x 9, 9, 8, 7, 6
• Hinge/Swing: 5 x 10
• Carry: 5 x 1 minute
• Crawl: 5 x 1 minute

The 40 Days of Movement: Days 39 and 40: Test Days

Grab a kettlebell that scares you a little and try to press it for a new PR. Go for broke on a set of max pull ups. Try Spiderman or leopard crawl for 10 minutes straight without resting. This is what training is all about: to make strong look simple, enhance quality of life, and prepare you to be awesome at the things you like to do.

More on training for strength:

7 Markers of a Solid Strength Program

References:

1. John, Dan. “Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer.” Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2013. Print.

2. John, Dan, and Pavel Tsatsouline. “Easy Strength How to Get a Lot Stronger than Your Competition – and Dominate in Your Sport.” New York: Dragon Door Publications, 2011. Print.

3. “The Fighter Pullup Program Revisited.” StrongFirst. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

4. “The Forty Day Workout…Again.” Dan John. N.p., 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.

5. Petrucci, Kellyann, and Patrick Flynn. Paleo Workouts for Dummies. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

The post The 40 Days of Movement Challenge appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Treat your training like practice and watch your results and performance skyrocket. [Photo courtesy of Knuckles via Wikimedia Commons]

Two New Ways to Swing

Dead swings are done using a heavier bell than you would normally snatch. To do a dead swing, you start from a hinged position, hike the bell, swing it to eye level, and park it again after each rep. Hence the name of the program: “Hike, Swing, Park”. It is thought that this method requires you to expend somewhere in the neighborhood of 35% more energy.

In an over-speed eccentric swing, you actively throw the bell back through the legs during the backswing to add eccentric load to the hamstrings and hips, i.e. posterior chain. This technique teaches the body to brace for a load and maintains tension through the entirety of the movement.

The Hike, Swing, and Park Program

On the minute for 10 minutes, you will pair heavy dead swings with 2-handed, over-speed eccentric swings. Tension is good: tension means strength. But tension can also mean stiff and immobile. Mobilize and move during rest periods. Do not sit down or be idle. I recommend you do this program 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days.

Week 1

• Minute 1: 5 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 10 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 75 reps.

Week 2

• Minute 1: 6 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 12 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 90 reps.

Week 3

• Minute 1: 7 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 14 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 105 reps.

Week 4

• Minute 1: 8 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 16 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 120 reps.

Week 5

• Minute 1: 9 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 18 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 135 reps.

Week 6

• Minute 1: 10 dead swings (2 sizes up from your snatch size bell)
• Minute 2: 20 two-handed swings (snatch size bell)

Complete these 2 sequences on the minute for 10 minutes to total 150 reps.

Increase Your Power

Why does this develop more swing power? It’s because you’re doing more work in the same span of time each session. And that’s one of the definitions of power – more work in same or less time. Because your technique and form will also be dialed in, you won’t suffer from “crappy swing syndrome” that generally results from doing too many reps with too little rest. Treat your training like practice and watch your results and performance skyrocket.

More on kettlebell technique:

The Kettlebell Snatch: A Simple Tool for Complex Benefits

The post Hike, Swing, and Park for More Kettlebell Power appeared first on Breaking Muscle.