6 Weeks to Superhero Hold the Gym add Kettlebells

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

I really enjoyed the concepts and strategies laid out in the 6 Week to Superhero program. I have one minor issue though. I prefer to train like it’s 1911 instead of 2011. Meaning what? I have Kettlebells, Indian Clubs, Cast Iron Dumbells, A Chest Expander, Old School Leather Everlast 12 pound Medicine Ball, adjustable Gymnastics rings that I hang from an oak tree at my local park. I’ve spent the last week and a half adapting the program to the tools I have and am already feeling a difference. I’m curious if anyone else has tried this program using Kettlebells and what kind of results they are seeing and CT if you see this, what would be your suggestion(s) for an old school physical culture guy like myself on how to plug Kettlebells into this program?

Here’s what I have so far:

-Deadlift Complex

Double Bell Swings 6 reps w/ two 24kg KBs
Single Bell 2-Hand Swings 8 reps w/ one 40 kg KB
1 Arm Swings 5 per side w/ 32 kg KB
Hand-To-Hand Swings 12 reps w/ a single 24 kg KB
Box Squat to Vertical Jump up to 12 reps
Broad Jump 30 yards

-Bench (Chest Focus)

1 Arm Push Up 1+1
Floor Press 6 reps w/ two 24 kg KBs
Push Ups on Rings 8 reps
Medicine Ball Chest Toss 10 reps
Plyo Push Ups up to 12 reps
Chest Expander 15 reps

-Squat Focus

1 Leg Squat (Pistol) 1+1
Double Bell Front Squat @ 24 kg 3-5 reps
1 Arm Cleans 3+3 @ 32 kg
Squat Clean @ 16 kg 8
Vertical Leaps 10 reps
Walking Lunge 12 reps

-Overhead Press

Turkish Get Up 1+1 with 32kg Bell
1 Arm Press @ 32kg 3+3 reps
Sea Saw Press with 24’s 5+5 reps
Double Snatch with 16’s 8 reps
Feet Elevated Ring Push Up 10 reps
Medicine Ball Push Press 12 reps
Chest Expander 15 reps

I’m warming up with Joint Mobility drills and basic calisthenics and doing Hanging Leg Raises after with some stretching to cool down. Off days I’ll practice my Club Swinging…

So far so good… really good! What say you good people?

2

You are missing a few components, like overload.

Good on you though for sticking to your guns.

I’ll elaborate when I get home.

Home.

His complexes are divided into 5 “stages”. Each stage has a purpose. If you ignore one, you are not doing correctly.

Take for example your deadlift complexe.

Ill keep you kettlebell as the weight, just for example sake.

First one should be an overload. Lots of weight starting at mid point for 2-4 reps. Find the heaviest weight you can lift and put it on a box about knee high. Example: you are standing between two boxes, knee high, with two BIG kettle bells. Now deadlift for two. If you can do more, it’s too light.

Second: Full deadlift. Again. Full weight, but full movement for 3-5 reps.

Third and fourth is where you would shine with your philosophy.

Third: Clean with kettle bells actually sounds awesome. Look at the video and do it. 2-3 Reps

Fourth: A kind of good morning “swing”. Lighter weight and watch the form. 8-10 Reps

Fifth: Kettle bell swing. Light kettle bell and emphasize the glutes. 8-10 Reps.

Do you see the difference?

Nothing wrong with your complexes, they just will not have the same effect.

Hope this helps.

And also, thank you. You have given me new ideas.

Just looking at your Press complexe. Turkish Get up would be more of a Third Stage exercise. And chest expander? I would use two (one in each hand or do one shoulder at a time if only one) and do explosive push presses. Nothing wrong with the exercise in the actual article either.

3

JFG, I appreciate the input. This also gives me something to consider. I fully expected there would be some issue with the overload aspect which is why I’m going as heavy as I can while maintaining perfect form. Since the Kettlebell Swing is a deadlift pattern, I think I just need to swing heavier.

My heaviest bell is 40 kg and the last time I hit the gym for a DL session I pulled 350 weighing 175… so for me, being committed to stay out out of the gym and at the park, I’ll just need to continue working toward a creative solution. When in a lack of additional poundage, I’ll need to increase the difficulty of the movement, so perhaps I can tinker with a Single Leg Deadlift for a single as my overload…

Either way, I’m digging these complexs and how its working for me. I’m feeling some new developments coming, especially since the plyo-esc and jumping movements are new to me. My shoulders are filling out, my calves are coming alive and I feel the mid section tuning up.

I’ll keep you and all interested parties up to date on the experiment. I fully plan on increasing the reps and then the weight (or difficulty) over the next 5 weeks.