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View Full Version : exciting functional hypertrophy program w/ Bruiser et al.



casey
05-07-2004, 08:38 PM
Coach Szolek,

I got my Bruiser on Wednesday! I am so excited. I have been going through the ABC manual daily for the past few weeks just imaging what I am going to do with it. It was very, very hard to force myself to leave it alone yesterday. But I was sore and tired and needed a rest before really starting in on it.

I am not sure how best to "really start" though. I have had great success with density cycles, but usually short ones work better for me. In other words, I will get bored doing one exercise for 40 minutes and nothing else. It's not that I don't see the enormous value of that kind of specialization, and how certain movements (especially the ABC stuff) effectively work your whole body. Its just that clubbells are so much fun because you can swing them everywhere, any direction, slow or fast, etc. etc. I want something in between extreme specializtion and extreme unorganized play. I think I also had trouble because I basically took a month off of training (december) due to injury, spent 5 weeks doing nothing but the swipe and mill for the OCS, the next 5 weeks doing nothing but jerk and snatch for the Punch GS comp, and then just got bored. Also GS was making me permanently sore in my upper back between the shoulder blades.

So now I want to use KBs and CBs and focus on some key lifts with intensity, but have room for improvisation and for cycling alternatives in and out. I am interested in functional hypertrophy, but for instance I can't yet do any ABC combination routines so the functional hypertrophy program in the ABC manual is out. I also liked the idea from you Gada Sweat article of going back and forth between two big exercises for a certain time limit. It reminds me of the EDT programs Mike Mahler talks about.

But once again, right now I can't do those two exercises. The learning curve is very rapid with CBs as you know, so I am sure my abilities will improve quickly. This is one reason I don't want to be stuck in a four week cycle with CBs. In four weeks your skills can improve so much!

Maybe you have suggestions based on my vague parameters. Let me reiterate some key points:
- 40 minute density program too long, enjoy more variety
- looking for functional hypertrophy
- Clubbells and Kettlebells are fun
- I have one 16kg and 2 24kg KBs, 2 15 pound, 1 25 pound and 1 Bruiser CB.

This message is pretty long, so take your time replying. I wouldn't want to take any time away from you that might go toward the ABC DVD instead! :) But thanks in advance for any suggestions. I will see you in Philly for the CST Epsilon right?

Thanks in advance, I'm sure you'll come up with something that will make me say
:twisted:

Casey

Scott Sonnon
05-08-2004, 06:00 AM
Casey,

Why don't you consider a Double Density (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/17/sonnon1.html) cycle instead of a single 200 rep density cycle? I packed on some solid meat this way. In this manner you can use your KB in the morning and CB at night. Sandwhich a Warrior Wellness session somewhere in between during the day.

(Congratulations on your wedding! I heard you're back.)

casey
05-10-2004, 05:52 AM
Coach,
This is an intriguing idea. But I love this Bruiser so much I think I will lay the kettlebells aside for a few weeks.

The only things I can really do right with the Bruiser are Front Cleans to Order and Side Swings. I'd like to work on these both, but it doesn't seem like a complete program to me to do a double density cycle with just these two.

With this in mind, I am thinking maybe Bruiser Cleans in the morning and the Crossbow (from Coach Szolek's article) in the evening. How does this look?

If I wanted to work on side swings, just to smooth out future lateral Bruiser work, is there any place it could fit in a program like this (Double-D)? Let me know what you think and I will post my results this time!

CPR

Scott Sonnon
05-10-2004, 06:05 AM
Casey,

Consider working a Double Density programs with ABC Front Cleans in the morning and ABC Side Swings in the evening.

You could even make it progressive so that you combine these into a Combination Routine at the end or for another cycle.