Program Development for overall fitness

[Jonathan6]

I was in to getting "big" the last few years, but could care less as I move through my late 30s. I'd like to drop my weight from 195 to about 180. My workouts are my competition (used to play a lot of baseball, but now just work as a pitching coach).

I have a set of 10# cbs, a set of 15# cbs, one 45 # bruiser and one 25 #er on the way.

I can work out anywhere from 5-6 days a week.

Any suggestions? I'm not training for any particular sport, but want to lean out like Bill Fox and just (forgive me) look "good."

Thanks in advance.

Respectfully,

John

[admin]

John,

After using Kettlebells and Clubbells for almost two years, I thought I was in as good a shape as I was going to get into in my 50s. Then I began to use Coach Szolek's ABCs and to my happy surprise, I have started to get and look even leaner. Doing Gama Cast circles with 20s and 25s, I find my body continuing to get stronger and my body fat dropping, age not withstanding. Using those heavier CBs has done something none of the others did.

Oh, and lots of Mills and Swipes. Check out those pictures of Coach Sonnon after his build up for the OCS event. We have all the tools we need. If we apply consistency and incremental progression, the results are inevitable. I train 3-4 days/week.

If this doesn't get you into good shape, I'll eat my Clubbell! :wink:

-Michael Gannon, CST

[Jonathan6]

Michael--

Thanks for the quick response. I bought the ABC manual, read it in one sitting and then ordered the bruiser. I love Coach Szolek's manual, but I found the bruiser just a bit too much for me right now, especially with this sore rotator cuff on my left arm. I ordered the 25 #er and missed the fed-ex guy yesterday when he tried to deliver it. Should get it tomorrow.

Any ideas about how to work up to the bruiser? I'm really jacked to train this way. I messed around with one of my 15's (did the whack-a-mole and some two hand presses) and really loved the feel. It was too light though.

I've think I've read your articles on using both kbs and cbs. If so, do you incorporate any kb stuff into your workouts as of late.

Thanks in advance,

John Hicks

[Jonathan6]

Michael--

Thanks for the quick response. I bought the ABC manual, read it in one sitting and then ordered the bruiser. I love Coach Szolek's manual, but I found the bruiser just a bit too much for me right now, especially with this sore rotator cuff on my left arm. I ordered the 25 #er and missed the fed-ex guy yesterday when he tried to deliver it. Should get it tomorrow.

Any ideas about how to work up to the bruiser? I'm really jacked to train this way. I messed around with one of my 15's (did the whack-a-mole and some two hand presses) and really loved the feel. It was too light though.

I've think I've read your articles on using both kbs and cbs. If so, do you incorporate any kb stuff into your workouts as of late.

Thanks in advance,

John Hicks

[admin]

Hi John,

I still use KBs as well as CBs. My workout yesterday was a brief circuit-style routine: 10 hydra-swipes w/15s, 10 quad-hops, 10 pendulums w/15s, 10 hand-2-hand KB swings. Rest 1 minute, repeat. After three sets of this, I rested until I was pretty much back to base-line pulse and breath-wise, then did some ABCs with the 20s, mostly just some Gama circles, didn't keep count.

A prior workout was 50 KB swings, then five sets of (10 quad-hops and 10 Gama casts with a 20 lb CB), for a total of 50 each. Later in the day I did some pendulums with the 15s. As you can see, I tend to mix it up and rarely do the same routine twice. I'm doing it for fitness and fun, no particular sport or venue.

One of the great things about CST is the endless variety possible. And I still enjoy swinging the KBs, just not as often as I once did since I find the CBs more fun. I need to pay close attention to my recuperative abilities if I don't want to waste myself for several days.

I also do some WW joint mobility exercises each day and some Body Flow stuff on the floor.

Hope this answers your questions.

-Michael Gannon

[Jonathan6]

Michael--

Thanks again for that second dose of great information. I too am in it for general fitness and fun.

John Hicks