Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How Many Exercises Do You Need to Do To Per Workout?

via Lose Stubborn Fat! by Josh Hillis on 4/3/09

So I was talking to a friend of mine who is a trainer.

He told me that he used to have his clients do 16 exercises per body part

But now he's having his clients do full body workouts, and they are doing 16 exercises per workout, all different body parts and his clients are getting much better results!

I'm like, ok...  sure...

My clients do four exercises every workout.

And four only.

Trainers are often shocked by that.  I had one trainer ask me if my clients get mad because there are only four exercises per workout!  WTF?  Are you serious?

People love it because it's simple, and it actually makes sense.  Oh yeah, and it works really, really well.

The Four Big Bang Movements

1.) Push (chest and triceps)
2.) Pull (back and biceps)
3.) Squat (quads, butt, hamstrings)
3.) Deadlift or Kettlebell Swing (your butt, and most athletic power)

We put it all together and we've hit your whole body.

But the sum is more than the parts.  Bigger movements produce faster results.

These are the four biggest movements. 

Simplicity Illustrated

Unlike the mainstream fitness world which really does just focus on "doing more things", the kettlebell world focuses on doing fewer things, and doing them better.

Case in point - in the kettlebell world everything centers around two movements:

1.) The Kettlebell Swing

The swing of course fits into the deadlift/swing category of movements.

2.) The Get Up

Believe it or not, the Get Up actually falls into the push category.  In the process of getting up, your pushing muscles have to do a ridiculous amount of stabilizing.  The get up is a crazy, full body, static push.   


Narrow Your Focus.  Get Better.  Watch Your Body Transform

If you talk to a Senior RKC or Master RKC (really badass kettlebell instructor), you'll find they base everything around these two movements, the swing and the get up.

Or even look at Pavel, the RKC Head Instructor, the guy who brought kettlebells to the US - I've never seen him create a workout program that focused on more than two exercises.

*Note: When you move from the RKC Curriculum (get ups and swings) to the RKC2 Curriculum, they add Pistols and Pullups...  hmmm, doesn't that sound like push, pull, squat and deadlift?

You Already Have the Tools

If you don't have a kettlebell, no problem.

I often have my clients do Swings with a gripper plate.

And there is no reason you couldn't do Get Ups with a dumbbell.

Cut Out the Distraction and Just Cause A Result

Lots of people are too distracted in their workouts to even know if they are making progress.

The biggest benefit of such a focused routine is that you either get stronger and fitter, or you don't.

Check out this workout we did in my kettlebell bootcamp class last night:

Get Ups x 5 left + 5 right
Kettlebell Swings x 50

Get Ups x 4 left + 4 right
Kettlebell Swings x 40

Get Ups x 3 left + 3 right
Kettlebell Swings x 30

Get Ups x 2 left + 2 right
Kettlebell Swings x 20

Get Ups x 1 left + 1 right
Kettlebell Swings x 10

Simple, ultra powerful workout. 

Dave "The Irontamer" Whitley, Sr. RKC, says "Spend time finding depth in the things you think you know." 

In other words, instead of looking for the next thing, get better at the things you're already doing.

It doesn't have to be complicated to give you results.

Often times a program being overly complicated can be what is holding you back.

Simplify and kick ass.

Save up to 30% on Dragon Door's classic Kettelbells

********************************
News: "Project X" is coming.

Project X is going to stay top secret for another couple weeks, because I'm making some final revisions.

(And no, Project X doesn't have anything to do with the new Wolverine Movie coming out!)

I'm just calling it that right now because I can't tell you what it is yet.

But it's going to change everything.

For the last few years, I've helped so many people lose fat and transformed their body with The Stubborn Seven Pounds or Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss.  I still get emails every week from people who's fitness has been changed forever. 

Project X is something completely different.  It will make the books work even better.

I know everyone reading this blog want every edge they can get to lose stubborn fat.  

For a year now I've been working on what could take S7 and FW4FL to the next level.

It's ultra simple.  And it's just what you need. 

Keep an eye out.


By Josh Hillis

Josh is the author of the ever-popular fat loss e-book: The Stubborn Seven Pounds

If you've already completed The Stubborn Seven Pounds, take it to the next level with one of these two programs:

"I've seen more results in 6 weeks training with Josh than I saw in the previous two years working out on my own" -Stephanie Weis

Josh has been featured in USA Today and The Denver Post.

Posted via email from losefatandgainmuscle's posterous

No comments:

Post a Comment