Personal Training In Athens, GA

Are you new to the gym? Are you tired of getting regular results at your regular gym? Are you tired of not getting measurable results (or worse, injured) at your Crossfit gym? Then come see us at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts and ask about personal training. There's never been a better time to sign up!

Read more about it here: Personal Training In Athens, GA

It's Never Too Early To Start On Your Resolutions

The new year is fast approaching, and for many people, that means New Year's resolutions. And as always, a large number of those goals will involve getting in better shape. If it's one of your goals, come check us out at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts. Whatever your goals are, we can help. Whether you want to lose a few pounds, get stronger, learn how to make smarter dietary choices, take a kickboxing class (why just join a fight "club", when you can be trained by an actual fighter), learn some self defense, learn how to use kettlebells with me, get some personal training (which I also do), learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or even get started on the path to becoming a professional fighter, we can help you do it. There are even programs for the kids if you want to get the whole family involved. If you're in the Athens/northeast GA area, come on in now and take advantage of our holiday specials! The new year will bring even more great specials, but remember: classes and personal training slots fill up fast, so sign up early! If you want real results, come see the people that can help you achieve them now.

The Gym: Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts

Personal Training: Personal Training at Athens Fitness & MMA

Boot Camp: Athens Fit U Women Only Boot Camp

Fitness Kickboxing: Athens Best Kickboxing Program

Kettlebells: Kettlebell Training In Athens, GA

Kids: Kid's Martial Arts in Athens

Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts is located at 240A Collins Industrial Blvd (across from FedEx). Stop by and see us, or call us at 706-850-8444 to set up an appointment.

Obesity SAVES A Life?

Only time will tell, but probably not. Obesity is still one of the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S., and the numbers are only getting worse. But that's not stopping Ronald Post from using his weight to try and keep him from being executed by the state of Ohio. You can read the whole story here. There are a few things I'm curious about, though. I'm no expert on prisons, but I don't think any of them offer buffets, do they? I mean, how did Post managae to gain 200 pounds in prison? And how did he manage to maintain a weight of 450 pounds while on death row? Is that something happens often? But kudos to Ronald Post for having the balls to attempt to use his poor health to prevent his death. Even if it works, I doubt gaining weight until you're almost a quarter of a ton is going to save anyone else's life. If you want to help save your own life, be active, eat smart, and get help some help if you need it. Oh, and don't commit any crimes, especially ones that might land you on death row.

It's Not a Winning Powerball Ticket, But It's Still Cool

I didn't win the Powerball this week, so I guess I'll have to settle for being happy about this:



(Originally posted by Valery Fedorenko via Steve Burroughs)

11/21-11/23

WEDNESDAY-UPPER BODY

Kettlebell clean and jerk (20kg) - 2x20
Pullups
Pushups
TRX rows
Turkish get ups (16kg)

FRIDAY-DEADLIFT
320x5
365x3
410x1

SSB Good mornings (145lb) - 3x5

11/20/12

MONDAY-SQUAT

WORK SETS:
260x5
295x3
Wasn't feeling the single, so I skipped it

ACCESSORY WORK:
SSB Squats (145lb) - 5x10

We had an awesome seminar on half-guard with Lloyd Irvin black belt Danny Ives.

TUESDAY-CONDITIONING
100 kettlebell swings (16kg)
5 minute tempo run (20 on/10 off) - 8.5mph/4 incline

11 - 5 minute mma/kickboxing rounds

11/12/12-11/16/12

MONDAY-SQUAT

WORK SETS:
245x3
280x3

TUESDAY-CONDITIONING
100 kettlebell swings (16kg)
5 minute tempo run (20 on/10 off) - 4 incline/8.5 mph

WEDNESDAY-UPPER BODY
Kettlebell clean and press (20kg) - 3x8
Pullups
Elevated pushups
TRX rows
Kettlebell armbars
Turkish getups

THURSDAY-CONDITIONING
Same as Tuesday

FRIDAY-DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
300x3
340x3
390x3

ACCESSORY WORK:'
Good mornings(ssb) - 145lbs, 5x5

Last Week (11/5-11/10)

I was slack last week about posting, so now I have to try and remember everything I did throughout the week. First, I started a new cycle, so my new squat and deadlift numbers are 350 and 430. Second, we got a new safety squat bar, so I started my new squat cycle with it, and it's been pretty tough. Apparently I have some weaknesses that I need to start bringing up.


MONDAY

SQUAT (ssb):
225x5
260x5
295x3 (Like I said, squatting with this bar is tough)

Did some goblet squats with a 28kg kettlebell for assistance work.

TUESDAY

CONDITIONING:

20kg kettlebell swings - 3x20

Tempo runs (treadmill at 4 incline/8mph) - 5 minutes, 20sec on/10 sec off

WEDNESDAY

UPPER BODY:
Kettlebell clean and jerk 20kg - 3x5
Pullups
Pushups
Turkish getups
Kettlebell armbars

THURSDAY

Same as Tuesday

FRIDAY

DEADLIFT
275x5
320x5
365x5

Did some kettlebell swings and pistols.

Deload Week

Last week was a much needed deload week. I also started bringing up my conditioning again.

MONDAY
Squat:
135x5
170x5
200x5

TUESDAY
Conditioning:
100 kettlebell swings (20kg)
Tempo runs (treadmill: incline-4, speed-8mph) - 5 minutes, 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

WEDNESDAY
Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell) - 6 per side
Pullups
Pushups
Kettlebell armbars

THURSDAY
Same as Tuesday

FRIDAY
Deadlift:
165x5
210x5
250x5

Good mornings (ssb) - 3x5 (135lbs)
100 kettlebell swings

10/24/12, 10/26/12

10/24

UPPER BODY:

Kettlebell clean and jerk (20kg) - 3x5
Pullups - 3x5
Pushups supersetted with TRX rows - 5x10
Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell) - 3 per side
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per arm

Worked on using guillotines to defend against a bad single leg attempt.

10/26

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
315x5
355x3
395x2

Finally done with this cycle. Now I can start deloading next week. Which I forgot to do after the last cycle. Whoops

ACCESSORY WORK:
Kettlebell swings (20kg) - 3x20, alternating hands each rep
Revisited the half guard series of chokes from the most recent seminar we had at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts.

Blood Drive at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts

10/22/12

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
255x5
285x3
320x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (28kg kettlebell) - 5x5
Ab wheel


Worked on some back takes and finishing with the rear naked choke.

10/19/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
290x3
335x3
375x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Hand-to-hand kettlebell swings - 3x20

Instead of the usual open mat that we have on Fridays, we had a special guest instructor teach a seminar. Junior Dos Santos' (UFC heavyweight champion) coach, Rodrigo Artilheiro, stopped by to teach us some trips, takedowns, and submissions (it IS Choketober, after all). It was an awesome 2 hours, and I definitely picked up some new things that I'll be adding to my game.

Why Getting Physically Stronger Will Help You Live Longer

I just came across this article on the io9 website (one of my favorites). I wouldn't say that there's any really groundbreaking information in it, especially not if you've been around the health and fitness scene for awhile, but it's still a good, informative article. I also like the fact that it comes from a science website, as opposed to a health and fitness website. Enjoy!

Click here: Why getting physically stronger will help you live longer

10/15/12, 10/17/12

10/15
SQUAT

WORK SETS:
235x3
270x3
305x6

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (28kg kettlebell) - 5x5

10/17
UPPER BODY:
Kettlebell clean and press (20kg) - 3 ladders, up to 4 reps
Pull-ups
Push-ups supersetted with TRX Rows
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per arm
Turkish get-ups (16 kg kettlebell) - 3 per side

10/10/12, 10/12/12

10/10

UPPER BODY

Kettlebell clean and press (20kg) - 3 ladders, up to 3 reps
Pullups
Pushups supersetted with TRX rows
Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell) - 3 per side
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side

10/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
270x5
315x5
355x5 (felt sort of weak today)

ACCESSORY WORK:
100 reps of hand to hand swings with the 20kg kettlebell

10/8/12 (New Cycle)

Started a new cycle today, and my new numbers are 340 for squat, and 420 for deadlift.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
220x5
255x5
285x8

ACCESSORY WORK
Goblet squats (28kg kettlebell) - 5x5

Class focused on triangle chokes.

An Amazing Kettlebell Collection

Unfortunately, the video isn't in English, but you still get see huge variety of kettlebells throughout the ages.

10/5/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
305x5
345x3
385x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
One hand kettlebell swings (24kg) - 100reps

Worked on north-south chokes at open mat.

10/2/12

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
240x5
270x3
300x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (28kg) - 5x5

9/26/12, 9/28/12

9/26/12 - UPPER BODY

Kettlebell clean & press (16kg) - 4 ladders, up to 5 reps supersetted with pullups
Turkish get ups (16kg kettlebell) - 3 per side
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side

9/28/12 - DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
285x3
325x3
365x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Didn't really keep track of this like I should have, but it was mostly shrugs and one-hand kettlebell swings.

9/24/12

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
230x3
260x3
295x3

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (28kg kettlebell) - 4x5

Worked on more guard passing in class, mostly passing butterfly guard.

Another Testimonial To Kettlebell Training In Athens, GA

One of my clients finished her last session of kettlebell training with me at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts on Friday. I just wanted to share the thank you card that she brought in for me.



And of course, I got a short video of her talking about her kettlebell experience. She even went out and bought a couple of her own.



If you're in Athens, GA (or the Northeast Georgia area) and you're interested in kettlebell training, stop by Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts at 240A Collins Industrial Blvd and ask for me, Steve, or give us a call at 706-850-8444 to set up an appointment.

9/21/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
265x5
305x5
345x10

ACCESSORY WORK:
Shrugs - 5x10 (140)
Kettlebell swings (20kg) - 5x20

Did a few kickboxing rounds and a few grappling rounds at open mat.

9/19/12

UPPER BODY

Kettlebell clean & press (16kg) - 3 ladders, up to 5 reps

Turkish getups (16kg) - 3 per arm
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side
Pullups - 5x5

Worked on more guard passing.

9/17/12 (New Cycle)

My new numbers are 330 for squat and 410 for deadlift. Still paying around with clean & press/military presses with the kettlebells for upper body.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
210x5
245x5
280x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squat (28kg kettlebell) - 3x5
GHR - 3x8

Deload Week

MONDAY - SQUAT
125x5
160x5
190x5

ACCESSORY WORK
Goblet squat (24kg kettlebell) - 3x5
GHR - 3x8

WEDNESDAY - UPPER BODY
Kettlebell military press - 3 ladders, up to 5 reps (16kg)
Pullups - 5x5
Turkish get ups (16kg kettlebell) - 3 per side
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per arm

FRIDAY - DEADLIFT
160x5
200x5
240x5

ACCESSORY WORK
Box jumps (24") - 5x5
Kettlebell swings - 3x20

9/7/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
300x5
340x3
380x3

ACCESSORY WORK:
Shrugs (190lb) - 4x8
Kettlebell swings (32kg) - 5x20
GHR - 4x6

Grappled for about an hour at open mat.

9/5/12

UPPER BODY:

Kettlebell clean and press ladder - 3 ladders, up to 5 reps (16kg) supersetted w/ pullups
Turkish getups (16kg) - 3 per side
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side

Jiu-jitsu focused on passing from half-guard.

Don't forget to check out my new Squidoo Lens about kettlebell training in Athens, GA.

Stop Making Excuses

9/4/12

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
240x5
270x3
300x5

Didn't have any time for accessory work today, but class was 5-5 minute rounds of punch-shot work with small gloves, followed by 5-5 minute rounds of kickboxing w/ clinch.

My New Squidoo Lens About Kettlebell Training In Athens,GA

In case you missed it, I created a Squidoo lens about Kettlebell Training For Beginners a while back. Now, if you're interested in getting started in kettlebell training, and you're in the Athens/Northeast GA area, I've got a new lens that you'll want to check out. Take a look, and then come on by Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts and check out what kettlebell training is all about.

Kettlebell Training In Athens, GA

8/31/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
280x3
320x3
360x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swing (32kg) - 5x15

Grappled for about an hour.

8/29/12

Decided to drop the weighted dips and try adding shoulder presses with the kettlebell. It won't really be a 5/3/1 type of progression, but I think it will work out well.

KETTLEBELL CLEAN AND PRESS

WORK SETS:
16kg kettlebell - 3 ladders, up to 5 reps

ACCESSORY WORK:
(All sets were done with a 16kg kettlebell)
Kettlebell armbars - 3 per side
Turkish getups - 3 per side

Class was more work on standing guard passes.

8/27/12

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
220x3
255x3
285x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squat (24kg) - 5x5
GHR - 3x8

Worked on guard passes in jiu-jitsu class.

8/24/12 - Deadlifts and a Shoulder Mobility Video

First things first, I need to go back to the drawing board with this weighted dip idea. It's just not working out like I'd hoped. Hopefully I'll be back on track by Wednesday. That being said, on to deadlifts.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
260x5
300x5
340x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Kettlebell swings (40kg) - 5x10
Inverted shrugs - 3x10

I also gave this a try today:


Got in over an hour of grappling at open mat.

8/20/12 (New Cycle)

Started a new 5/3/1 cycle today. These are my new working numbers:

Squat: 320
Weighted Dips: 80
Deadlift: 400

SQUAT:
205x5
240x5
270x10

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

Worked on knee-on-belly techniques.

8/15/12

This is a deload week, so I haven't been doing too much.

8/13/12 - Kettlebell christmas tree - started at 1 reps, worked up to 20 reps. Did a 45 minute grind match during jiu-jitsu.

8/14/12 - Didn't really do anything other than an mma class

8/15/12 - Jump rope, Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell - 3 per arm), 100 2-hand swings - 24kg kettlebell. Had a another 45 minute grind match when we grappled.

8/10/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
290x5
330x3
370x3 (it should be noted that I weighed in at 185 today, so this was a 2x bodyweight lift)

ACCESSORY WORK
Kettlebell swings (24kg) - 5x20
Inverted shrugs - 4x10

Practiced with the jump rope

Rolled for an hour, actually pulled off a Ric Flair style figure-four leglock on one of my training partners today. WOOOOO!

8/8/12

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
55x5
60x3
70x2

Supersetted ring pullups between each set

Grappled for about an hour and a half.

8/6 and 8/7/12

8/6 SQUAT

WORK SETS:
230x5
260x3
290x5

8/7 ACCESSORY WORK:

Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell) - 10 minutes
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side

8/3/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
270x3
310x3
350x3

ACCESSORY WORK:
Inverted shrugs - 4x10

Grappled for about an hour.

I Guess A Little Discrimination Is OK Once In A While

‘Plus-Size Friendly’ Gym Bans Skinny People

This is sad, but unfortunately, it's not really anything new. Planet Fitness has been discriminating against athletes, bodybuilders, and serious lifters for quite some time now. You can click here to read about their "judgment free zone". These guys are just taking it a step further. I'm not exactly sure how it's even legal, because I'm sure that if I started a gym that didn't allow people over a certain size or weight through the doors, I'd be slapped with a discrimination lawsuit before the end of the first week.

Honestly though, it's really not a bad business model. My friend Rory once said "The greatest way to make sure you have a thriving business is to make sure that you get paid for something that you can never actually supply. People will be stupid enough to keep buying it and they will make sure that what they are selling can never truly be achieved. Sell a fitness membership and make sure that the person buying never actually gets fit. That shit is genius". That's not the way he runs his gym, but he's got a great point. Sure there's going to be the odd person who goes in and loses a bunch of weight, but what then? Will they be kicked out? Or will they be put on pedestal as an inspiration and a role model? I'm guessing the former. Meanwhile, the gym will still be full of fat people who keep paying their memberships on time, but who never get any better because there's no real motivation to. When I see the pros killing it during their circuits and workouts, it makes me think "Damn, I want to be that good. I need to turn it up and work harder". As opposed to the people in the plus-sized friendly gym who will just be looking around and thinking "Well, at least I'm not as fat as that guy". You're only as good as the people that you surround yourself with. You can surround yourself with people going through the motions, or you can surround yourself with people who are trying to be the best. Which one do you think will help you achieve your goals the fastest?

7/30/12

SQUATS

WORK SETS:
215x3
245x3
275x6

And that was all I had time for today. Jiu-jitsu was more focus on lockdown and half-guard.

Unfortunate, But All Too Often True

7/27/12

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
250x5
290x5
330x8

ACCESSORY WORK
2-handed kettlebell swings (24kg) - 5x20
Inverted shrugs - 4x8

Didn't do any grappling, but I did start training a new client today.

7/25/12

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
45x5
55x5
60x5

Supersetted pullups with each set.

Class was more half-guard/lockdown work.

NAGA Results, Cycle 4, and a Workout

You win some; you lose some. Unfortunately, when I went to NAGA Georgia this past Saturday, I managed to lose them all. I competed in the masters expert division (cruiserweight). I only had two matches, and I lost both of them. Granted, I only lost each match by one advantage point, but I still lost (although in all honesty, I started tapping to a foot lock as the bell sounded in the second match). Losing sucks. Fortunately, it's not the end of the world. And if I had to lose, I'd rather do it sooner than later. Losing seems to be easier to deal with psychologically when you have to experience it earlier on, since it removes some of the pressure of being "undefeated". Also, it's said that you learn more from your loses than from your wins, and I believe that's true. I certainly learned about some holes in my game that I hadn't noticed. I need to improve my guard breaking and my footlock defense. I need to learn the scoring system better. I need to pay more attention to the clock and the scoreboard. I need to learn how to deal with extremely sweaty, shirtless opponents (it was like a sauna in that gym). Plus, now I really feel driven to go out and win. I don't plan on getting another bronze.

I also started my fourth 5/3/1 cycle on Monday. Here are my new numbers:

Squat: 310
Weighted Dips: 75
Deadlift: 390

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
200x5
230x5
260x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet Squats (28kg kettlebell) - 3x5

Worked on lockdown and some half-guard stuff. Made sure to start from closed guard whenever I could.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/20/12)

Last day of deload week and the last day before NAGA.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
150x5
190x5
230x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swing (24kg) - 5x20
Band work for shoulders

7/19/12 Conditioning

CONDITIONING

Kettlebell clean & jerk (16kg) - 3 rounds, 12rpm/1mph
Level 1 hurricane - 9, 9.5, 10mph
Core work

The Last Few Days

Got slack about posting the last few days, but it's been pretty busy. On Sunday I rode with Rory Singer up to Maryland to attend a seminar about infomarketing that was being hosted by Lloyd Irvin. It was a two day event, and the amout of information was pretty overwhelming, but it will definitely be useful for helping to promote and grow the gym. Plus, I got to met Lloyd Irvin and David Avellan, two grapplers I have a lot of respect for. And yes, I dragged a kettlebell along with me.

I didn't get to use it much. Just the usual swings in the mornings, plus a bunch of swings, goblet squats, and armbars in the hotel room on Monday night. Should've kept better track of things, but my brain was a little fried from info-overload at the time.

We got back last night, and I was back in the gym today to continue finishing my deload cycle. All I had time for were some weighted dips (just a 20lb vest), some pullups, and some bottoms-up presses before class. Then I got in a good hour and a half of grappling.

Ten Thousand Swings to Fat Loss

Be on the lookout for results from this sometime in the near future:

Ten Thousand Swings to Fat Loss

A friend of mine, who is also a trainer, sent it to me because he thought it looked interesting, and he was right. Unfortunately, with NAGA coming up next Saturday, I don't have time to test it out right now. It'll probably happen instead of a deload week after my next 5/3/1 cycle (about a month or so). The idea of 1000 swings everyday for 10 days seems a bit daunting, but I certainly feel like it's realistic and doable. If it's something you want to try, just keep this in mind:

"If you're going to try this experiment, you must be very proficient with kettlebells. If someone certified by a respectable organization like the RKC hasn't coached you, this probably isn't for you. If you walk into a gym with no experience, pick up a kettlebell and make a swing-ey motion like the picture in the magazine for ten thousand reps you'll destroy your back. Don't do it."
(Need help finding a trainer? Click here).

I already know what a great exercise the kettlebell swing is. I can't wait to see how much just one exercise can change my body in just 10 days.

If you're in the Athens/Northeast Georgia area, and you're interested in giving kettlebells a try (or if you're just looking for a personal trainer), stop by and see me at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/13/12)

Last heavy s&c workout before I start deloading and getting ready for NAGA next Saturday. Here we go!

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
285x5
320x3
360x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swings (32kg) - 5x20

Grappled for about an hour.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (7/12/12)

Never got around to posting my workout from Tuesday. I just did 100 snatches with my 16kg kettlebell (15/15, 15/15, 10/10, 10/10). I also had to move Wednesday's workout to Thursday, due to time constraints.

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
45x5
50x3
60x4

Supersetted pullups between each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 4x10 supersetted with
TRX pull aparts - 4x10
Lots of band work for upper back and core.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/9/12)

Last heavy before NAGA. Here we go!

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
225x5
255x3
285x6

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

We did a "Fight Gone Bad" tonight. 5 minutes in each position: guard, half-guard, cross-side, mount, and back. If you started on the bottom, you stayed on the bottom until you made it all the way through. Then you did 5 rounds from the top.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/6/12)

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
260x3
300x3
340x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swing (28kg) - 5x20

Grappled for about about 45 minutes.

How About A Little Irony For Breakfast?

Does anybody remember these old commercials?







It wasn't really that long ago that people felt like if they could pinch an inch of flab around their middle, it might be time to do something about their weight. Now obviously that's not the best way to determine your BMI, your bodyfat, or your overall health, but I still think that idea is better, and certainly healthier, than what American society has shifted towards in the last few years.

They might all be beautiful, but I'd be shocked if they're all healthy.

Even though the campaign isn't around anymore, bravo to Special K for trying to make people healthier. The irony being that they proposed people do that by eating cereal whose ingredients include rice, wheat gluten, and high fructose corn syrup, none of which are exactly known for their health benefits. But at least they tried.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/5/12)

Finally got around to doing the workout that I should have done yesterday.

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
40x3
50x3
55x5

Supersetted pullups with each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 3x10 supersetted with
TRX pulls - 4x10
Band work for shoulders/upper back
Kettlebell armbars (16kg) - 3 per side
Ab work

The gym was technically closed today, but several of us got together to train since several guys have fights coming up, as well as NAGA. I got in about 45 minutes of grappling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/4/12)...

...has been postponed until tomorrow due to unbridled patriotism.




(NSFW)

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (7/3/12)

CONDITIONING:

Kettlebell clean & jerk (16kg) - 1 mph/12-14 rpm for 3 rounds.

Class was several rounds of punch-shot drills followed 5 - 5 minute rounds of kickboxing with clinch. Tough day.

A Testimonial To Kettlebell Training

When Sean first came to Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, his only exposure to kettlebells had been a Bob Harper kettlebell dvd. After nearly injuring himself trying to follow along with the poor form and technique in the video, Sean came to see us at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, and he was introduced to me. We set up an appointment, and he came back the following week for his first session.

When Sean came in for his first session, I asked him to show me what he'd been doing from the video. After seeing the form and technique he'd learned, I knew we needed to fix some things, or he would definitely be risking a serious injury. Fortunately, Sean was enthusiastic about learning, and ready to work hard. And work hard he did. We spent an hour just covering the two-handed swing. This is what he had to say after that session:



It's been a month since that video. Sean now knows the proper form and technique for the two-handed swing, the one-handed swing, the goblet squat, the Turkish get-up, the high pull, the snatch, the clean, and the press. He's lost even more weight, has gotten stronger, looks better, and most importantly, feels better. This is what he has to say about kettlebells, personal training, and Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts now:



Sean is another kettlebell success story, and further proof that hard work, dedication, and the willingness to change does pay off. If you're ready to make a change in your life for the better, come see me about personal training at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts. It's never too late to get started.

Sean rocking out with his band, Athens' punk legends Five Eight. They blew the crowd away when they headlined Athfest this year. Go check them out if they're ever playing in your neighborhood.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (7/1/12)

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
210x3
240x3
270x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squat (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

Class was another Brazil night, so I got in almost an hour and a half of grappling.

And on a side note, while I didn't see "Mr. Fitness", at least I know what kind of car he drives.

Affordable (And Practical) HealthCare For Everyone

Don't worry, this isn't some rant about Obamacare. There's enough of that nonsense on Facebook. Besides, I'm not a lawyer or a Constitutional scholar, and I doubt that you are either. But I do know some things about health. And I can tell you this: your health is YOUR responsibility! It's not anyone else's. Don't pretend like it is. Take responsibility for your health and your life. Over 68% of adults in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. The numbers are almost as bad for children. That fact that we even need to have obesity stats on children as young as 2-5 years old (and that it's over 10%) is just mind-boggling. Being overweight/obese is just asking for health problems. These are just some of the diseases that are associated with obesity:

Type 2 (adult on-set) diabetes
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart attack
Heart failure (congestive heart failure)
Cancer (certain forms such as cancer of the prostate and cancer of the colon and rectum)
Gallstones and gall bladder disease (cholecystitis)
Gout and gouty arthritis
Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) of the knees, hips, and the lower back
Sleep apnea (failure to breath normally during sleep, lowering blood oxygen)
Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face, underventilation, and drowsiness)
(For more info, click here).

Sadly, large numbers people suffer (and many die) from these diseases, yet they aren't difficult to prevent. It's just a matter of deciding to take responsibility. Yes, it's easy to blame the food industry for making so much cheap junk food, but there's plenty of healthy food in the store too. YOU have to decide to buy and eat it. It's also easy to say you can't exercise because of an injury or disability, but there's almost always an alternative to whatever exercise you don't think that you can do. YOU have to look for a way and make it happen.

(Tell Kyle Maynard about your disability that keeps you from exercising)

Look, I know getting started can be tough. And admitting that you have to be responsible for yourself can be tough too. Not everyone is going to understand why you're doing it. Not everyone is going to be supportive. But your health is your responsibility, so it's up to you, not them. Don't try and completely change your life all at once though. Pick somewhere small and start there. Try some (or all) of these:

*If you smoke, stop.
*If you drink alcohol, drink less.
*Eat less sugar.
*Drink more water. Also, cut out sodas, juices, and sugary energy drinks.
*Eat more veggies.
*Eat less carbs. I'm not saying you need to stop completely. Just eat less. No one needs 300g of refined sugar a day.
*Look at the ingredient list on your food. If you can't pronounce (or don't know) everything in your food, you probably don't need it.
*Buy foods that have ingredient lists that match the product name. For example, a carton of egg whites should just have egg whites in it. Why would it need anything else?
*Look for foods that don't have/need labels (apples don't usually have nutritional info on them).
*Research healthier ways to eat. I like the paleo type diets, but it's not the only way to eat healthy.
*Get more exercise. Walking, jogging, pushups, jumping jacks, etc. don't require any equipment. Plus, they're free.
*Join a gym. Make sure that you go if you do.
*Hire a personal trainer, especially if you're unsure about what you should be doing at the gym. They can be great for motivation, plus it makes it a lot harder to skip your workouts if you're accountable to someone else.
*Find a friend to exercise with. It's more fun, and it can be motivating. A little friendly competition can be a good thing. Plus, accountability.
*Buy a kettlbell. Learn how to properly use it. (Come on, you knew I'd mention kettlebells sooner or later. Look at the page you're on.)

The statistics for obesity in America are scary.
• 58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
• 8 out of 10 over age 25 are Overweight
• 78% of Americans not meeting basic activity level recommendations
• 25% completely sedentary
• 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 since 1990 Obesity Related Diseases
• 80% of type II diabetes related to obesity
• 70% of Cardiovascular disease related to obesity
• 42% breast and colon cancer diagnosed among obese individuals



But the scariest statistic is this one: Obesity is the #2 cause of preventable death in the United States.

Look, I'm not saying anything new. "Eat healthier, exercise more" isn't groundbreaking stuff. Unfortunately, there's been a lot more "groundbreaking" in cemeteries all over the country because people can't (or won't) follow some simple advice. Your health is your responsibility. Don't be a statistic. Use your head. Eat things that are good for you. Throw out the processed junk food. Move around and get some exercise. THAT'S how you get practical, affordable healthcare.

Saturday ATG (6/30/12)

Went to the gym and got in a little extra work on some weak points today. Nothing too intense, but definitely much needed.

* Mobility/stability for my shoulders
* Shoulder work with the bands
* Kettlebell presses: 16kg-3x5, 20kg-2x5
* Chinups - 5x5
* Upper back work with the TRX
* A variety of ab work

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/29/12)

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
250x5
285x5
320x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swings (24kg) - 5x20
Ab work

Got in about an hour of grappling at open mat tonight. Honestly, I didn't feel like it was a very good night for me.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (6/28/12)

Nothing fancy today, just some light conditioning.

Turkish getups (16kg kettlebell) - 3 per side

Kettlebell clean & jerk (16kg) - 1 mph/12-15 rpm

Class was 12 rounds of boxing. I only did the first 11, since I was busy trying to clean up a bloody nose during the 12th. Good times.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/27/12)

Started doing something different today. I've decided to drop (at least temporarily) bench pressing and military pressing. I'll be using weighted dips for my upper body work instead. I also plan to start doing more back work, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of a 2:1 pull/push ratio. So today was a workout and a bit of an experiment.

WEIGHTED DIPS

WORK SETS:
20x5
30x5
40x5
40x8
50x1
60x1
70x1 (this is probably the weight I'll set my percentages from)

Supersetted chinups with each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Chinups 5x5

Today was a "Brazil night" in grappling. I got beat up by a brown belt for about 35 minutes, then rolled with a couple of lower belts.

How To Find Real Food At The Supermarket

I've seen worse ways to pick food

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/25/12) *Cycle 3*

Time to start my next 5/3/1 cycle. I skipped the deload week this time around. My next grappling tournament is July 21st, so with some of the changes I've got planned, this cycle's deload will coincide with my tournament prep. I'll go ahead and post all of the new numbers for this cycle, but I've got some different upper body ideas in mind, so they might not apply. It's time to start adapting and modifying the program to meet my own needs.

Squat - 300
Bench - 210
Deadlift - 380
Military Press - 110

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
195x5
225x5
255x10

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet Squats (24kg kettlebell) - 5x5

Class focused on more sweeps from half-guard. We finished up with 5 - 5 minute rounds of grappling.

Saturday ATG Training

I went to the gym today for a little extra work, but I didn't have a set plan in mind, so it turned into an "anything goes" workout (hence the ATG in the title). I didn't really keep track of sets and reps, but here's a list of everything I did.

* A few hundred kicks on the heavy bag
* A lot of jumping rope
* A lot of pullups (and variations)
* Shoulder work with bands
* Some upper back stuff with the TRX
* Several Turkish getups with the 16kg kettlebell
* Kettlebell armbars with the 12kg kettlebell
* Ab work

And unfortunately, I couldn't make it to Irmo for Sorinex Summer Strong this year, but at least we have some of their stuff at the gym to play with:

Conditioning and Shoulder Mobility/Stability

My shoulder is still acting up, so I kept things simple today. Did some mobility work to warm up, which I followed with some jump rope. Then on to the workout.

Snatch (12kg) kettlebell - 30/30

Turkish getups:
16kg - 3 per side
20kg - 1 per side
24kg - 1 per side

Did some abs and finished with some more light shoulder work/stretching.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/20/12)

Yesterdays's conditioning was just 100 snatches with the 16kg kettlebell.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
75x5
85x3
95x8

Supersetted chinups with each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 4x10 supersetted with
TRX rows - 4x10

Class tonight continued to focus on more deep half-guard stuff.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/18/12)

Between clients and classes, I was running sort on time today. I only had time to get my main lift in.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
275x5
310x3
350x6

Class focused on sweeps from deep half guard.

A Saturday Circuit

Decided to do some extra conditioning today, so I went with a circuit similar to what our pros use to get ready for fights. These were my exercises:

1. Treadmill - 7.5mph/10 incline
2. Bodyweight squats
3. Pushups
4. TRX rows
5. Ball slams (16lb)
6. Airdyne
7. Box jumps (24")
8. Medicine ball chest pass (12lb)
9. Battle ropes
10. Toe taps

I did 3 rounds. Each round was 5 minutes @ 30 seconds per exercise. The rest period between rounds was 60 seconds. 17 minutes of fun and excitement!

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/15/12)

BENCH

WORK SETS:
150x5
170x3
190x6

Did neutral grip pullups with the Fat Gripz between each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Dips: 4x10
Kroc rows: 2x20 (50lb)
Kettlebell armbars (12kg): 3 per arm

Rolled at open mat for about an hour, and worked on some new stuff I've been kicking around.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (6/14/12)

Didn't do too much today. My shoulder has been bothering me a little bit, so I just did some mobility/stability work with the kettlebells.

Turkish getups (16kg) - 10 minutes nonstop
Halos (8kg) - 2x8
Kettlebell armbars (12kg) - 3 per side

Class was 5 - 3 minute rounds of mma with small gloves followed by 7 - 3 minute rounds of boxing with big gloves.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/13/12)

I was lazy and didn't do much yesterday, conditioning or otherwise. Just 200 swings with my 16kg <a href="www.squidoo.com/kettlebells-for-beginners">kettlebell</a> (100 per hand). I got over being slack though, so let's move along to today.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
215x5
245x3
275x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (32kg) - 5x5

Started class by drilling sweeps, then rolled for about 45 minutes.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (5/15/12)

Just did some light conditioning today to get ready for Saturday.

CONDITIONING:
Prowler + 90lbs: 10 trips of 25yards each
Kettlebell clean and jerk - 1 mph/15 rpm (16kg)
Turkish getups (20kg) - 3 per side

(I must have forgotten to hit "publish" on this one when I originally wrote it)

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/11/12)

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
70x3
80x3
90x8

Did some chinups between each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 3x10 supersetted with
TRX rows - 3x10

Worked on sweeps during jiu-jitsu class today and got in 5 - 5 minute rounds of grappling.

May Was A Good Month

As I mentioned in a previous post, I competed in (and won) my very first grappling tournament.
And while that was certainly a big deal to me, there was something else pretty big that happened in May That I forgot to post about.

I got my purple belt. Or I guess more specifically, my purple shirt, since Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts is technically a no-gi school (for the moment). I've been training consistently for a little over four years now under Adam and Rory Singer, both of whom are black belts under Roberto Traven. I've still got a TON of work to do do, but it's a big step closer to my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

One Of My Clients Being Awesome!

This is a client of mine who has been doing kettlebells for about a year now. We just started adding some traditional weight training (squats, deadlifts, bench, military press, etc.) into her program in the last two months. Just for fun after a conditioning workout today, we decided to see if she could flip the smaller of the two tires we have at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts. After some pointers on technique, this is what we got:


Not bad for a first timer, especially since all she's ever really done is swing kettlebells. If you're interested in getting in shape and being strong enough to do things like this, just let me know and we can arrange some personal training sessions for you. Just stop by the gym and we can get started. What are you waiting for?

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/8/12)

Felt run down yesterday, so I just did a little conditioning. Pushed myself through a Hurricane, taught class, and went home. I felt bad about skipping training, but I was just exhausted. I think I made up for it today though.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
255x3
295x3
330x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
2-handed kettlebell swings (40kg) - 4x10

Rolled with two different purple belts at open mat, which doesn't sound like much, but those two matches took over an hour. Not a bad day.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/6/12)

Skipped standup last night, but I did get some conditioning in. Nothing fancy, just some snatches with my 16kg kettlebell. Kept the pace at 16rpm/1mph for 3 sets. On to today's workout.

BENCH

WORK SETS:
140x3
160x3
180x8

All sets were done with the log bar, and I did chinups between each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:
Dips - 4x10
Kroc rows (50lb) - 2x20
Kettlebell armbars- 3 per arm (12kg)

UFC fighter Cole Miller was at the <a href=" http://www.athensfitnessandmixedmartialarts.com/">gym</a> today. He went over some sweeps from half-guard, then we got in about 45 minutes of grappling.

Need A Reason To Get Started?

If you're ready to start getting into shape, but you're not sure if hiring a personal trainer is the right thing for you to do, take a moment to read some testimonials from some of my clients:

"A year ago I was overweight and unhappy. When I decided to do something about it I went to Coach Steve at The Hardcore Gym. We decided that strength training with kettlebells was right for me. Since starting I have not only lost 25lbs but I’ve also noticed a number of other benefits. My doctor says that my previously high blood pressure is the best that it has been in years. I used to take three prescriptions just to be able to sleep at night. I have been off of all three for eight months. Not only do I sleep better but I have more energy during the day. I enjoy working with kettlebells because you accomplish a lot with short but intense workouts and I feel totally badass when I finish. In short I am thinner, stronger and my butt looks amazing!" - Sara

"Coach Steve and The Hardcore Gym are the perfect combination to help you achieve your fitness goals. The gym has the equipment to do everything from basic lifting and cardio to the craziest MMA style workouts on the planet. And Coach Steve’s knowledge and creativity will keep you motivated and continuously seeing results. With Coach Stever you are not just another client at some big chain gym. He will create a program tailored specifically for you; your body, your goals. Whether you are looking to loose weight and tone up or you are an athlete looking to take your game to the next level, Coach Steve has a dizzying array of dynamic exercises that will make you stronger, leaner and more athletically explosive. Regardless of where you are starting from or what your goals are, Coach Steve and The Hardcore Gym can get you there and push you beyond what you thought was possible." - Matt

If you need more convincing that personal training is right for you, or if you want to see what we can offer you at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, check out the website, or give us a call at 706-850-8444. Don't wait another day!

Some Certification Pics

These are just some pictures from the different kettlebell certifications that I've participated in so far.

Me with Master RKC Instructor David "The Irontamer" Whitley at an HKC certification.


The very first group of WKC Combat Athlete Specialists. From left to right:
Scott Shetler - WKC Master Trainer and owner of Extreme Conditioning and Fitness in Atlanta, GA.
Douglas Seamans - Owner of PRIDE Conditioning in Charlotte, NC.
Adam Singer - Co-owner and head coach of Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts aka The HardCore Gym in Athens, GA.
And, of course, myself.

Kettlebells For Beginners

I'm trying something new (to me at least). I just published a Squidoo Lens titled Kettlebells For Beginners. Go check it out!

Kettlebells For Beginners

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/4/12)

Busy day today. I almost didn't manage to get any lifting in. Started the day off training a new client, had to go into immediately coaching a teen's class, and then immediately into bjj practice. Finally managed to get into the rack after about an hour and a half of grappling. It was rough, but I got it done.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
200x3
230x3
260x6

And that was all I had in me. Did some foam rolling and stretching, then headed home to eat.

Saturday Fun (Kettlebell Juggling)

Didn't do anything serious today. Just went outside and played around with my 8kg and 12kg kettlebells. Practiced some juggling. Simple stuff like hand-to-hand passes, flips, and such. Just a fun way to kill half an hour. It'll be a long time before I'm as good as Sergei.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (6/1/12)

It's a new month and I decided to start the day with what I plan to make a new habit. As soon as I got out of bed, I walked over the my 16kg kettlebell, and I did 20 swings with each hand. That was it. I'm planning on starting every day with a few swings or snatches. Nothing hard or complicated, just enough to get the blood flowing before breakfast and build up my work capacity and training volume. Now, on to our regularly scheduled workout.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
(All sets were done with the log bar)
65x5
75x5
85x12

Did 5 chinups between each set

ACCESSORY WORK
Pushups - 4x10 supersetted with
TRX Rows - 4x10

Did some abs, rolled a little with the teens during their class, and then grappled for about an hour.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (5/31/12)

Conditioning time again! Tried a new warmup today that I really liked. Basically it was a nonstop ladder that alternated between 2-handed swings and goblet squats. It went like this:

1 swing/1 squat
2 swings/2 squats
3 swings/3 squats
4 swings/4 squats
5 swings/5 squats

I used a 24kg kettlebell and never stopped or put it down until all reps of both exercises were complete. Then I did it again.

After the warmup, I took one of the root hog sleds outside, loaded 100 pounds on it, and pushed it for 12 trips of 25 yards each.

Training tonight was a movement/stance drill, followed by 10 rounds of boxing.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/30/12)

It was time to get back to the grind today after a long weekend of the zoo, pool parties, and generally eating too much of things that I shouldn't have. I did do some standup training yesterday, but no lifting or conditioning.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
240x5
275x5
310x10

ACCESSORY WORK:
Box jumps (24") - 5x5
Kettlebell swings (32kg) - 3x15

Worked on tightening up cross-side top, and then rolled for about 45 minutes straight.

Saturday Fun In The Sun

So I got bored this afternoon and went to the gym. I guess 3 lifting days, 2 conditioning days, and 4 training sessions this week just wasn't enough. I grabbed a 24kg kettlebell, loaded 140lbs on the prowler, and I headed outside. It was a pretty simple day. After warming up with 100 2-hand swings, I pushed the prowler for 10 trips of 25 yards each. After that, I strapped the prowler to my belt and dragged it for another 100 yards. Finished up with some foam rolling and stretching. Not a bad way to kill some time.


(In the interest of full disclosure, the tire just lives outside. The only thing that I used it for was a seat.)

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/25/12)

Didn't do too much on Thursday. Just a quick Hurricane and then 10 - 3 minute rounds of boxing. Still ended up pretty sore for some reason though.

For this cycle of bench, I'm trying something different. Instead of using a regular bar, I'll be using the log bar we got from Sorinex. It's a 60lb bar with neutral grips and a "log" section in the middle, probably about 8" in diameter. It's about the same as doing a 2-board press. I figure that it should be a little less stressful on my shoulders.

BENCH

WORK SETS:
135x5
155x5
175x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Dips-4 sets of 10 supersetted with
TRX rows-4 sets of 10

Got in a good, nonstop 30-minute roll with Lawson, one of our pro fighters.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/23/12) *Cycle 2*

Finally time to get back to some regular lifting. If I understand things correctly, I need to add some weight to my starting numbers. So now they'll look like this:

Squat: 290
Bench: 205
Deadlift: 370
Military: 105

And that takes us into squat day.

WORK SETS:
185x5
215x5
245x8

ACCESSORY WORK:
Goblet squats (24kg) - 5x5

Grappling tonight was pretty much just a few minutes of cross side drills followed by an hour of live rolling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/22/12)

Monday was military press and my last deload workout before increasing the weights and starting the 5/3/1 cycle all over again.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
40x5
50x5
60x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 3 sets of 10 supersetted with
TRX rows - 3 sets of 10

Worked some cross-side chokes and did some light grappling.

Today's workout was just some light conditioning since I didn't feel too good.

CONDITIONING:
Kettlebell snatch (16kg) - 3 sets: 1 mph/12-15 rpm
Kettlebell armbar - 3 per side

The Average American Diet

The Average American Diet is sometimes also called the Standard American Diet, or SAD. And it most certainly is sad. This is terrible. Try to be better than this. If you need help on where to start, the paleo diet is a good place to start. That's what I base a lot of my own personal nutrition guidelines on, and I've never felt better.
For the article this image came from, click here.

2012 Copa America Submission Grappling Championship

It finally happened. Yesterday was my first grappling tournament. Things got off to a rough start since I had to work the night before and got less than two hours of sleep before we had to leave for Atlanta, but it still turned out well. We got to the tournament shortly after 9am for the weigh-ins. The limit for master's middleweight was 189.9, and I made it easily at 187. Most of the morning and early afternoon were spent coaching our kids and teens as they competed in their matches (all of whom did really well). My first match wasn't until around 3pm. When my turn finally rolled around, I got a bit of a surprise. It seems there was no one else in my weight class, so I had to fight up a class (cruiserweight was 190-209.9). Fortunately, I'm used to training with larger opponents. I was a little nervous during my first match, but I managed to go out and get a takedown. I jacked up my foot somehow, but I maintained good top control and won my first match on points. I got another takedown in my second match, but I managed to get behind on points. I did get a reversal though, and caught my opponent in an arm-in guillotine just a few moments later, causing him to tap out. And that was it. I had won the men's masters advanced division. All in all, it was a fun day and a good experience. I definitely think I'll be competing again.


If you're interested in trying out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for yourself, come see us at Athens Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/18/12)

Just did some conditioning on Thursday

CONDITIONING:
Level 2 hurricane
Turkish getups (20kg) - 3 per side

Came in today and did my deload deadlift

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
140x5
180x5
215x5

Walked 2 miles on the treadmill and did a bunch of foam rolling for recovery. Copa America is tomorrow morning. My weight is good and I feel ready, but I'm not looking forward to getting up in the morning since I have to work tonight. Oh well, it'll be fine.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/16/12)

I understand the concept of deloading, but it always feels strange to go into the gym and essentially do nothing. Today's workout would barely qualify as a warmup for most bench days, but sometimes less is more.

WORK SETS:
80x5
100x5
120x5

ACCESSORY WORK:
Kettlebell armbars (12kg) - 3 per arm

Worked on killing the inside arm from cross side top and a walkaround d'arce before a few rounds of live grappling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/14/12)

Finally finished up my first cycle of 5/3/1 and so far, I've been enjoying it. Today started my deload week before the next cycle begins, which is convenient since I'm planning on competing in the Copa America grappling tournament this weekend. I've never competed in grappling tournament before and I'm looking forward to it. Now I just need to drop about 6-7 pounds this week so that I can compete in a lower weight class. Anyway, on to today's training.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
115x5
140x5
165x5

Just did a little foam rolling and stretching before teaching class. Tonight's training involved some cross-side isolation and live grappling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/12/12)

Didn't post yesterday (5/11), but I did get in my last workout before the deload week.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
75x5
85x3
95x8

Did chinups between each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 4 sets of 10
Kroc rows - 20 reps (40lbs)

Rolled with the head instructor for 45 minutes straight.

Went in today and did some light conditioning work.

Level 2 Hurricane (with abs)
Tabata interval on the battle ropes

5/3/1/, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/9/12)

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
270x5
305x3
340x3

ACCESSORY WORK:
GHR - 4 sets of 6

Did an hour long grind match for grappling class.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/7/12)

Woke up exhausted for some reason, even though I got plenty of sleep. Oh well, on to bench day.

BENCH

WORK SETS:
150x5
170x3
190x5

Chinups between each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:
Dips - 3 sets of 10 supersetted with
TRX rows - 3 sets of 10

Taught class and called it a day. I was just too tired to grapple.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (5/5/12)

Finally getting around to posting workouts from 5/3 and 5/4. Thursday (5/3) was another conditioning day, so here we go:

CONDITIONING:
100 2-handed swings with a 24kg kettlebell (20 reps at the top of each minute for 5 minutes)
Prowler + 90lbs: 10 trips of 25 yards each
Tabata interval with the sledgehammer

3 rounds of handpads and 10 rounds of boxing

Friday (5/4) marked my first cycle of the 1 rep phase in the 5/3/1/ program.

SQUAT

WORK SETS:
210x5
235x3
265x5

Unfortunately, that's all I had time to do before teaching a class. I got in a few rounds of grappling after that, though.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (5/2/12)

It looks like I forgot to post yesterday. I just did some snatches with the 12kg kettlebell. 5 sets, 16 rpm/1 mph. That was followed by an hour or so of hard sparring, in which I thought I broke my foot on someone's knee. Turns out it's ok. So on to today.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:
70x3
80x3
90x10

Did some chinups between each set

ACCESSORY WORK:
Pushups - 4 sets of 10 supersetted with
TRX Rows - 4 sets of 10

Finished with an hour and a half of cross-side bottom work and live rolling.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and BJJ (4/30/12)

Quick workout today. I only had time to do the main lift before teaching a class.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:
250x3
285x3
320x6

We started a new topic in jiu-jitsu today, so it looks like May will be all about cross-side. Today was work from the bottom.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA (4/28/12)

I got a little slack about posting for the past few days, so here's how the week ended:

THURSDAY - CONDITIONING:
Prowler + 70lbs - 10 trips, about 25 yards each

One 4-minute Tabata round of sledgehammer strikes on the big tire.

14 - 3 minute boxing rounds (including 4 rounds of nothing but body shots)

FRIDAY - BENCH:

WORK SETS:
140x3
160x3
180x9

3 chinups between all sets

ACCESSORY WORK:
Dips - 4 sets of 10 supersetted with
TRX Rows - 4 sets of 10

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And BJJ (4/25/12)

Today was my first 3 rep cycle on Wendler's 5/3/1 program. Here's what happened.

SQUAT:

WORK SETS:
190x3
220x3
250x6

ACCESSORY WORK:
Kettlebell swing 32kg - 3 sets of 10 reps

GHR - 3 sets of 5 reps

Worked for about an hour on leg attack entries from x-guard.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And MMA (4/24/12)

I only did some conditioning before training today. Some snatches with the 12kg bell at 20 rph/1 mph. Did 4 sets of that with 60 seconds of rest between sets. That was followed by an hour of hard sparring.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And BJJ (4/23/12)

After a monumental cheat day, it's back to the grind to with another upper body day. Given the sorry state of my max lift for the military press, I definitely needed to hit it hard on this one.

MILITARY PRESS

WORK SETS:

65x5

75x5

85x12

I did 5 chinups between each set.

ACCESSORY WORK:

Pushups 3x10

TRX rows 3x10 (These were supersetted with the pushups)

Kettlebell Armbars: 3 per hand, 10 seconds each with the 12kg bell

Finished the day with 90 minutes of jiu-jitsu. Still focusing on kneebar entries.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And BJJ (4/20/12)

Time for the last big workout of the week. Unfortunately, time ran short because I had to teach a class, but here's what I did.

DEADLIFT

WORK SETS:

230x5
270x5
300x10

ACCESSORY WORK:

Kettlebell Swings 40kg: 3 sets of 10

Friday is open mat, so I got in about an hour of grappling. All in all, not a bad week.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And MMA (4/19/12)

Just some light conditioning today. Did some snatches with the 12kg bell, one minute per hand at around 15-16 reps per minute hand for 3 total sets. Training tonight was 3 - 3 minutes rounds of hand pads followed by 10 - 3 minute rounds of light boxing.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And BJJ (4/18/12)

Bench Day

WORK SETS:
130x5
150x5
170x10

Accessory Work:
Chin-ups: 3 sets of 5
Dips: 3 sets of 10
TRX Rows: 3 sets of 10

(Dips and rows were supersets)

Finished with 1 and a 1/2 hour of grappling (focus was on kneebars again)

5/3/1, Kettlebells, And MMA (4/17/12)

Nothing fancy today, just some light conditioning. Put 50 pounds on the Prowler and pushed it for 10 trips of about 25 yards each. Came back inside and did 3 turkish getups with each hand using the 20kg bell. Finished the day with an hour or so of hard sparring.

5/3/1, Kettlebells, and MMA/BJJ

I've gotten slack about posting lately. Since I'm starting a new training cycle based off of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program (with quite a bit of kettlebell work thrown in), today seems like a good day to start posting again. So let's get on with my less than stellar maxes that I hit last week to get my starting points. My working maxes that I'll base my initial training cycles on will be in parentheses.

Squat: 315 (280)

Bench: 225 (200)

Deadlift: 400 (360)

Military Press: 115 (100) *This is embarrassing*

So, on to today's workout, which was squats.

WARM UP:

Squats: 135x5, 155x5

WORK SETS:

Squats: 180x5, 210x5, 235x8

ACCESSORY WORK:

Kettlebell swings 32kg: 5 sets of 10

GHR: 2 sets of 5

This was followed by a one and a half hour Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu session that focused on kneebars.

Kettlebells To Ease Back Pain

Turning To Kettlebells To Ease Back Pain


This article is dead-on. Used properly, kettlebells can definitely help alleviate back pain by strengthening the posterior chain and the core muscles. If you're in the Athens/NE Georgia area and would like to give kettlebells a try, come by and see me at Athens Fitness And Mixed Martial Arts. Just ask for Steve. You can also follow this link: Personal Training In Athens

Ready To Make A Change?

So are you finally ready to make a change for the better in your life? Are you ready to improve the way that you look and feel? Do you want to be happier about what you see in the mirror? Are you ready to lose inches, gain muscle, and get stronger? If you answered yes to any of these, then come see me at Athens Fitness And Mixed Martial Arts. We can help set you up with a personal training package that's right for you. So if you're ready to make an investment in yourself, just follow the link below for more information.

How To Give Yourself A Head Start Reaching Your Goals

The 7 Jerks You Meet In Every Gym

Fortunately, you won't run into too many of these people at Athens Fitness & Mixed Martial Arts. In general, at least. It's just a shame that the picture with "Unsolicited Advice Guy" is someone showing a kettlebell technique. Oh well.

The 7 Jerks You Meet In Every Gym

A New Year, A New You

The holidays are finally over, and I hope that they were great for you. Now that they are though, it's time to get back on track and start working on making 2012 even better. I have my goals (both fitness and otherwise) for the year, but have you thought about yours? Do you need to lose a few holiday pounds that you picked up? Do you need to get in shape for Spring Break? It's right around the corner, after all. So is summer, with beach vacations and hanging out at the lake or the river. Maybe you want to look good in a bikini, or for the guys, maybe you want to look good with your shirt off. Do you have some sort of competition coming up that you just need to improve your overall fitness and conditioning for? Maybe it's just time for you to do something that will make you look and feel great! Whatever your reasons are, NOW is the time to do something about it. If you're ready to make a positive change in your life, and you're in the Athens area, then please get in touch with us at Athens Fitness & Mixed Martial Arts. You can visit the website, give us a call at 706-850-8444, or stop by and see us at 240A Collins Industrial Boulevard. We've got some great specials going on right now, so if you're ready to take the plunge into personal training, just let whichever of our consultants that you speak to know you'd like to train with Steve. Even if you don't come see me, best of luck in all of your fitness and training endeavors for the new year.

I See Their Point, But...

Vintage Weight Gain Ads

Remember, doctors used to endorse and prescribe cigarettes too. If you do gain weight though, just make sure it's muscle, not fat. I'll get into that more on a another day, but for now I'll provide some pictures as to why.

7 Reasons Women Should Try Kettlebells Now

7 Reasons Women Should Try Kettlebells Now

This article makes a lot of excellent points. The women I've trained with kettlebells have really enjoyed using them and have been extremely happy with their results. It should be pointed out though, if you think that kettlebells are something that you'd like to try, please make sure that you find a qualified instructor to teach you how to use them. The average personal trainer (and even some internationally known trainers) don't necessarily understand how to teach the mechanics of even the most basic kettlebell movements.

This isn't meant to slam personal trainers. It should be pointed out though, that the most common personal training certifications can all be acquired by doing nothing more than passing a written test. That's all well and good, but teaching someone to use kettlebells safely and effectively requires a little more hands-on training. All of the kettlebell certifications I've participated in involved being taught the proper movements, learning how to properly teach the movements, and then a performance based evaluation. Think of it like this. Just because you passed the written portion of your driving exam, it doesn't necessarily mean that you could go out and drive in the Indy 500.

Bottom line, kettlebells are a fun and extremely effective way for women (and men) to lose fat, gain muscle, look good, feel great, and get in fantastic shape. Just make sure that you find the right instructor so that you learn how to use them safely and efficiently. The best instructors will usually be certified through the World Kettlebell Club (WKC/AKC), Dragon Door (RKC/HKC), the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation (IKFF), and Kettlebell Concepts (KBC).

There Might Be Easier Ways To Get Injured, But I'm Having Trouble Thinking Of One

I used to like Crossfit. I even tried it myself for a while. It really seemed like there were some decent ideas at the core of the system. Their ideas about the so-called "American" kettlebell swing aside (which will eventually be its own topic of discussion), I've tried not to say too much bad stuff about them as they've gotten further away from their roots. This video I just came across, however, is just too much to stay quiet about. Take a look:

Amazingly, this video is supposed to be encouraging, and not a warning against bad technique. As a fellow trainer put it, the things going on in this video are "simply egregious". If you train at a gym that condones, much less encourages, this type of lifting with no regards for safety, get your money back and go somewhere else. It's not a question of if you'll get hurt, but when.

(Also, I understand that strongmen do this lift. However, these are average people, not professional strongmen. I have no doubt that the "Strongman Certified Coaches" the video mentions are just Crossfitters who had an extra $299 to spend and 8 hours to play with strongman equipment one weekend. It also bears mentioning that professional strongmen are almost constantly nursing some type of lifting-related injury. So take that as you will)

It Really Is Just A Number

Your age is just a number. It's not necessarily an expiration date. Granted, there are sports where if you haven't started training by a certain age then you'll probably never compete at the highest levels, but that doesn't mean that you can't train and have fun. There are two great examples of this recently.

At age 52 (and after spending 26 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Dewey Bozella made his professional boxing debut. He won a unanimous decision over a much younger opponent. Even though he said that it will be his only fight, he still got in the ring and lived his dream. You can read the whole story here:

Wrongfully convicted man wins pro boxing debut at age 52

Even more impressive is the story of Fauja Singh. Singh is 100 years old and just entered the Guinness Book of World Records (and not for the first time either) as the oldest person ever to complete a marathon! Think about that for a minute: a 100 year old man went out and ran 26 miles. In fact, Singh runs 10 miles every single day. Keep that in mind the next time you're "feeling old". Here's the amazing story about Singh:

100-year-old smashes world record for the oldest marathon runner

Your age really is just a number.

What's YOUR Excuse?

Every day you have a choice. You can make progress, or you can make excuses. Anthony Robles, despite being born with only one leg, chose to make progress. He became one of the most dominant wrestlers in the history of Arizona State University, and even won a National Championship. What choice will YOU make today?

An Introduction To Kettlebell Sport (GS) Lifting

So this afternoon my girlfriend and I drove down to Duluth, GA to visit Scott Shetler at Extreme Fitness and Conditioning. Scott is the WKC Master Trainer who certified me as one of the very first WKC Combat Athlete Specialists back in July. Today he was hosting a clinic for people who were interested in getting started in the sport of kettlebell lifting (also known as girevoy sport, or GS, for short).

Scott managed to pack a lot of information into the two hour seminar. So much, in fact, that it went for three and a half hours, and it could have easily gone longer. This was in NO way a bad thing. He's a fantastic coach with a lot of knowledge and practical experience in the sport (he's currently Rank 2 and working towards Rank 1). We covered technical aspects of all three lifts that comprise the two traditional events in kettlebell sport.

We began with the biathlon event, which consists of the jerk and the snatch. After some instruction and a demonstration of the jerk, Scott broke us up into groups and had us lift while he walked around making corrections and giving advice. Typically, GS events go for 10 minutes. We did 3 minute sets, and they were challenging enough. After both groups did two sets, we moved on to the second part of biathlon, the snatch. Once again, we received instruction and a demo, and then we got to try for ourselves. We then moved on to the second event (and the one that I'm the most interested in), the long cycle. After more instruction, a demo, and some lifting of our own, Scott concluded the "hands on" part of the clinic.

Scott then sat us down and went over some the ways to prepare for a meet. After about 45 minutes or so, I had a MUCH better idea of how to start getting myself (or a client) ready to do a continuous ten minute kettlebell set. Basically, you better be ready to put in almost daily work for a few months. Unfortunately, we couldn't hang around after the clinic was over, but I have ZERO complaints. After all, the whole thing only cost $50 per person. You'd be lucky to get one hour with a regular personal trainer for that price, much less three and half hours with someone that has Scott's qualifications. All in all, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.