Post: #1

Not sure in any of you have embraced Kettlebells yet, but I am impressed with how quickly my body has responded to this very simple program.

It's called Simple and Sinister and involves two Kettlebells (migh have to get a heavier one, one day) and just two excercises.

Stronger, fat loss, functional strength and people have noticed the changes in my body.

Maybe a better body will enhance the effect of some of those pheromones.

Post: #2

I'd like to second this. A few years back, I had a professional trainer telling me to do a few exercises with kettle bells. And yep, there is something about them that helps quick fat burn.

Am not sure about the simple and sinister name. But he was showing me a few movements with kettle bells. Worked for me. That was when I was going to the gym. But now I use only dumb bells. Both in the camp when am there and at home when am home.

Post: #3

Yes, Pavel Tsatsouline (former Russian specials forces) was a big proponent of kettlebell exercises. Simple and Sinister is a streamlined approached. I watched the following video last year to see some other exercises which can also be gradually incorporated:

Post: #4

You can definitely have a killer workout with kettlebells. It's intense. I got into it a few years ago when I stumbled upon some of Pavel's stuff. Think the program was called Naked Warrior. It was around the time I got into bodyweight training after reading Ross Enamait's blog and reading books like Convict Conditioning. It's very good stuff. There are other good sources too like Barstarzz and Scott Sonnon stuff. For the last couple of years I've been heavy into bodyweight training and moved away from some of the lifting though I still do deads, squats and overhead press regularly. I use kettlebells sometimes, but should probably do it more.

Post: #5

(02-06-2018 4:33 AM)TheManInTheFedora Wrote:  Yes, Pavel Tsatsouline (former Russian specials forces) was a big proponent of kettlebell exercises. Simple and Sinister is a streamlined approached. I watched the following video last year to see some other exercises which can also be gradually incorporated:

Great stuff! I've added pull ups and push ups with his greasing the grid technique, but those other excercises look like nice additions.

(02-06-2018 6:58 PM)MacCauley Wrote:  You can definitely have a killer workout with kettlebells. It's intense. I got into it a few years ago when I stumbled upon some of Pavel's stuff. Think the program was called Naked Warrior. It was around the time I got into bodyweight training after reading Ross Enamait's blog and reading books like Convict Conditioning. It's very good stuff. There are other good sources too like Barstarzz and Scott Sonnon stuff. For the last couple of years I've been heavy into bodyweight training and moved away from some of the lifting though I still do deads, squats and overhead press regularly. I use kettlebells sometimes, but should probably do it more.

I read on one of the boards about Convict Conditioning and the body weight stuff. You are right about Naked Warrior.....I read a bit about that book too when I was looking for something fast and easy. I liken Pavel's work out systems to me discovering pheromones. Never knew it could be this easy and wish I had heard about it sooner.

Post: #6

The simple & sinister program was really good. Straight forward and simple and I was using it until I got to the one handed 50lb kettlebell swings. I'd gotten a strained glue or hamstring a few times and work got in the way doing a physical job and I was only doing 3 days a week of S&S. Then I started doing construction and just didn't keep it up. Also wanted to close my 2.5 ironmind gripper but training grip strength was overdoing it on S&S and the days of swinging hammers.

But anyway I got into chest expanders because I wanted useable strength and they've been really great. Also found them great for building that core strength that I was lacking and it gives me what I need so that I don't strain the glutes doing simple & sinister which I'd love to get back into. I've been slowly building back into it because i want to remain injury free and I don't have the hard labor job anymore. So I recommend chest expanders they'll give you a great foundation for swings and getups and they'll build up your stabilizers and give you a strong core. I just bought the inexpensive Lifeline Chest Expander that comes with resistance bands that you can upgrade as you get stronger.

I've kept up with the Simple & Sinister warmup- I use a 50lb kettlebell and my body is responding quite well to just that every day and the chest expander stuff 3X a week. If I were to do the whole workout I'd just stick with a 35lb kettlebell for the warmup because of the volume and I'd want to get the most out of the swings and getups.

So if you want to go heavier than a 35lb kettlebell on Simple & Sinister, I gotta recommend the chest expanders. If you only want one chest expander exercise this is the one that hits the core but it's really full body and a great base for whatever you wanna do. The guy on the video is ridiculously strong and I don't know that I'll ever get to a 250 lb expander.

Post: #7

If you're into pull ups and pushups I bet you'll love Convict Conditioning. There are many variants detailed in the book like archers pull ups, muscle ups and diamond push ups. The progressions are straight forward and easy to follow. The guy who wrote it really proved that you don't need a gym membership to build an impressive physique. I also got a lot of inspiration from guys like Hannibal For King on youtube. I spent over 2 years before I could do a full one arm pull up. It's a lot harder than people think. Bodyweight training is really fun and useful. But weights are good too if you're all about gains. I like to mix it up though I perform my pull up ritual of 10 sets every day. Hands down my favorite exercise. Sometimes I use olympic rings which was a solid investment.

Best books on bodybuilding I've read;

Muscle Mass Fast by Anthony Ellis
Convict Conditioning by Coach Wade
Never Gymless by Ross Enamait
Diamond Cut Abs by Danny Kavadlo

Post: #8

Thanks to all for the great comments! I'll check out chest expanders and some of the body weight excercise books.

Learn something new every day is one of my mottos! And always get better!

Post: #9

+1 about convict conditioning, also check "you are your own gym"

Isolation excercises give by definition unnatural results, adding a risk of "hanging muscles" when you stop (not a myth, muscle cells overexpand from these excercises) and also by definition, beauty is the natural result.The more natural you excercise your body the more likely is to be objectively beautiful.

I only do calisthenics and not one person hasn't commented of how perfect I've build my body.

Post: #10

(02-07-2018 5:10 AM)stefdude Wrote:  +1 about convict conditioning, also check "you are your own gym"

Isolation excercises give by definition unnatural results, adding a risk of "hanging muscles" when you stop (not a myth, muscle cells overexpand from these excercises) and also by definition, beauty is the natural result.The more natural you excercise your body the more likely is to be objectively beautiful.

I only do calisthenics and not one person hasn't commented of how perfect I've build my body.

Yeah, it depends on what you're going for. If you want to become a pro bodybuilder it's best to do lots of isolation exercises. They only care about mass and not functionality and agility. I've seen some bodybuilders walk into various boxing gyms and it's amusing how their oversized lats and stiff shoulders prevents them from throwing a proper punch. And you're right, most bodybuilders aren't symmetrical. It's a shame what happened to the sport. Gear is one thing, but insulin, synthol and HGH is begging for trouble.

You can build a great physique with bodyweight programs alone. There are few things that could be modified in my opinion. I get a better range of motion by doing overhead press instead of handstand pushups. There aren't any real alternative to deadlifts. Heavy deads is the best exercise for core strength and testosterone spikes.

But pullups have a greater range of motion than pulldowns. Pushups works the chest more than benchpress, though I like benchpress too. Pistol squats has much better range of motion than weighted squats while reducing the risk of injury. Leg raises are better than any machine. Full bridges are great for posture and back support. Dips are great no doubt.

I'm not against using weights, not even isolation. But I agree bodyweight exercises are better with very few exceptions. You can also increase the resistance by adding things like weight vests while doing pullups for example.

I've also read Convict Conditioning 2 and implemented some of that stuff into my workouts. That shit is on another level.