Tip & Technique Video: Revenge of the Burpees

So by now, it's become a staple of so many training programs. It's become a fall back tool in so many trainer's toolboxes and we've moved well into the stages of...well...been there done that.

Ever done a 1 arm burpee? Could there be anything worse?

Who you talkin' to? There's always something worse!

...there's something evolving...

One of the most popular words in Hollywood franchises right now, reboot. Seems we’ve got a bit of a reboot on our hands over at West River. We’re bringing back the group training. But in a change of pace from the Blowouts, we’re giving things a different tone. Don’t get me wrong, the trash can will still be front and center for anyone who thinks they may be in danger of losing the battle with the evil from below. This time we’re going to be taking a little more time on developing the training technique and skills that will make you successful on your own.

So here’s the breakdown, high intensity anaerobic threshold training with a huge variety of tools, body weight, TRX, kettlebells, free weights, cardio intervals and Olympic lifting to name a few, Wednesday nights, 8pm at West River Health & Racquet Club. $20.

If you’re planning on coming, shoot me an email just so I can program the evening as efficiently as possible.

West River Health

424 West End Ave

@ W81st St.

Penthouse level.

Workout of the Week

4 Rounds of the following for time.

5 Turkish Get Ups

10 Burpees

15 PushPress

20 SumoDeadlift High Pulls

Watch your loads. The goal here is speed. Be safe, be honest with yourself and have fun! Demos are listed below.

The Follow Up

I don't normally detail other folks' programs and classes, but given the lead in I posted on Thursday....I suppose I owe you one.

Honestly, the soreness is just starting to set in now from Thursday's training. You know that's a tough one. We knew we were in for an anniversary surprise, but isn't that the thing about a surprise? Even when you're expecting it, it still is one.

So after the half hour of straight burpees (yes, 30 minutes of as far as you can push it), we got into the maximal anaerobic threshold bodyweight training. Oh, then there was the heavy deadlift and endurance mix followed by the 1000 weighted rows and the mile run.

Think I'll take it a little easy this afternoon.

EFCMadness.blogspot.com You should try it.

Tip & Technique Video: Jumping

A look at another application of jumping in your program. Keep in mind, make sure you've got your shock absorption/landing down before progressing to more difficult variants. If you're spending too much time with power development, but you're not developing the ability to absorb the resulting impact, you're setting yourself up for trouble.

Madness 52

Today marks a very important anniversary in my immediate sphere of the training world. I'd like to congratulate the consummate madman trainer Steve Cirbus on his 52nd weekly Midnight Madness tonight at The Rock in Astoria. Happy 1 year Steve. I'd also like to thank you for pushing me to kick more ass at higher loads and reps than I might otherwise have even have the guts to attempt.

For the uninitiated, Steve and his partner in crime, Justin Cotler (whom you may remember from such memorable roles as that dude in the burpee video), take a beautiful no holds barred approach to developing hardcore, whole body, systemic fitness. Every week the faithful, the battle hardened, the determined are tested and pushed to their physical and mental limits. Every week they're forging stronger, more capable machines out of their client's minds and bodies.

Bastards. It hurts.

But we love it.

Steve is preaching something that not many other people get. Fitness is just as mental and emotional as it is physical. If any of those three links become weakened or fail, the whole system goes down.

But that ain't going to happen, not if Steve and Justin have anything to say about it.

Congratulations guys on a year of fashioning some of the most elite, hardened athletes the every day arena has ever seen. Can't wait to see the abomination to God's great creation wrought in order to commemorate the occasion.

Visit EFCMadness.blogspot.com for more info.

Workout of the Week

I'm going to keep the editorial to a minimum today. This one speaks for its self. Demos are pasted below. There isn't a video for renegade row just yet, so I've pasted in the man maker demo. A renegade row is the pushup, row, pushup row portion of the man maker. Stay down in the plank position, pushing and rowing. 1 renegare row = 1 pushup & 1 row.

10 Cirbies

20 Renegade row

30 Deck Squats

5 Rounds

Haiti Relief Bootcamp

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I am so very grateful to everyone that came out to the class tonight. You guys worked so hard tonight. Man, it beautiful.

There were also a number of people who couldn't make it to class tonight that stopped in to contribute anyway. To you guys, your generosity is so touching. Thank you.

My brain keeps trying to come back to the train of thought that says "That's nice and all, but in the grand scheme, how's one little class going to help with all that destruction?"

You know, it's not just one small class. Each of our participants tonight didn't just donate $30.They were participants in a collective effort to help and support. Tonight was a puzzle piece in a picture that stretches clear across the entire planet right now. Classes, fundraisers , collections, telethons...you know, individually, a few hundred bucks at a time isn't going to do much. But put enough drops in that bucket and eventually it's going to overflow.

If anyone couldn't make it last night, here's the link to donate. Please give. Be the next drop in the bucket. They're still pulling people out of the rubble. They're still trying to figure out how to get water in there. Water. Coming up on a week later, they still don't have water. We need to keep giving.

Here's the link.
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&JServSessionIdr004=rkheqwwce3.app194a

Haitian Relief Bootcamp Reminder

No video today kids. Today it's all about the special edition Blowout at West River, 5pm.

Admission: $30 check made payable to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund

Let me know if you're planning on showing up. Post to comments or email me at JtNett@gmail.com.

West River Health & Racquet Club

424 West End Ave

Penthouse

Special Haiti Relief Bootcamp

Good Evening Everyone,
I'm sure you have all been watching the news with as much horror and heartbreak as I have this week. It's hard for me to wrap my head around the extent of the destruction and loss in Haiti right now. I'm just a fitness coach at a small gym in NY, but I can't not try to help as best I can. I believe we've all been given gifts with the expectation that we'll do the utmost good with them. My gift is making people sweat. So that's what I'm going to do.

This Saturday, January 16th from 5pm -6pm I'm throwing a special Bootcamp for Haitian relief. West River members and non members alike are welcome. I want to fill this place to the gills.

Admission is a $30 check made out to the American Red Cross with "International Relief Fund: Haiti" in the comments line. Do not make checks out to me or to the gym. Only your donation gets you in.

This will be an open level class that is appropriate and challenging for all fitness levels. Kettlebells, sandbags, calisthenics and a whole lot of sweating going on. If you're planning on coming, shoot me an email so I can make sure to have enough...fun...planned for everyone.

Even if you can't make it on Saturday, please pass this message along to the people in your contacts list. Maybe someone there can and is looking for a way to help. To make a donation straight to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief fund please follow this link.
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&JServSessionIdr004=rkheqwwce3.app194a

Class will be held at :
West River Health & Racquet Club
424 West End Ave @ W81st St.
Penthouse level.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Saturday.

--
Jt

Progress

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey....

I agree and disagree with that on so many levels, particularly in the athletic realms. At any rate, I'm a few steps into my girevoy sport journey by now. I hope I was able to give some idea as to what it's like and what happens at a g.s. competition.

In the end, what's it all about? You and your set. Well, for what it is, here's mine. Last time around it was 34 reps in around 7 minutes. This time personal best of 43 repetitions at the 24kg level, 6 minutes and change, 85kg weight class. Progress. The next steps in the journey.

Workout of the Week

6 Rounds of the following progression. Use the same barbell for all.

5 reps, in the first, 10 in the second, 15 in the third and so on.

Deadlift

SumoDeadliftHighPull

Hang Power Clean

Hang Power Snatch

The videos for the SDHP, Clean and Snatch are listed below. Don't worry about the burpee, just use the video for reference on the hang power clean technique.

I finally lifted & finished. 43 reps at 24kg long cycle. Pretty sure
tht's a personal best. Going to have to check on that.

Jt

...still lifting.

Getting it done.

It's all about the fans really.

Pink Ladies

Flight #1. And so it begins..

Competition Day

We're going to try something a little different today. I'm out here in Great Neck, NY all day at the Ironworks FE "So You Think You Can Lift" event. I'm going to do my best to take photos and some video and upload them to the blog as the day goes on. For anyone that can't make it out, or that hasn't experienced a kettlebell meet yet, I hope to be able to give some idea as to what goes down. Keep checking back throughout the day. We'll be out here until early this evening.

Tip & Technique Video: Hang Power Snatch

If you can get this one, it has applications in so many different areas. Take your time though. Make sure to get extremely comfortable with the mechanics of the thing.

Better Choices

7 Days into 2010. What one better decision did you make for yourself today?

Salad instead of the fries?

Left a little on the plate instead of trying to join the clean plate club?

Multi-grain instead of white?

Walked around the long block?

Look at tomorrow. Look at your day. What's one decision you can make right now to plan for your success tomorrow? Prep now to pack your lunch instead of buying a highly processed, preservative rich sandwich at the corporate chain bakery. Pack your gym bag and leave it in the car tonight so you're guaranteed a trip to the gym after work. The possibilities are endless.

Keep it up. One day and one better choice at a time.

2010's 1st Workout of the Week

Welcome to it. Let's ratchet it up a notch. All videos are posted below the workout. If you haven't been practicing the db box jump progressions, then sub in an unloaded, regular box jump.

You have 20 minutes to complete as many rounds of the following as possible:

5 Dumbbell box jump w/jerk

5 Deck Squat w/ Ball Slam

5 Dumbbell High Pulls.

Tip & Technique Video: Box Jumps Progressions

Well, I promised things would get interesting in the new year, and being the man of my word that I am, here you go. There are a million ways you can progress box jumps. So starting from what we've already practiced, here's a couple of different directions to get you started.

Be careful. Train safe. Have fun.

MOVE!