The Hammer Cast

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com If you thought you couldn't impact your upper body strength by increasing the strength of your lower body...well, you're sorely mistaken, pal. And your penance shall be to listen to this podcast and take ample notes (oh, and test this stuff out for yourself; I think you'll find it holds true).

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There are loads of great ways to get stronger and more powerful. Without a doubt, the 2nd best option to effectively increase your strength and power is to arrange your workouts according to DUP — Daily Undulating Periodization. This is simply a way of cycling through the various different rep ranges (3–5/8–12/15–25) to make sure you leave no stone unturned. (And technically speaking, you don't even have to swing the rep ranges that drastically; oftentimes even just a mild change in reps per set can still work wonders) Why is this important? Well, wouldn'tcha know it? I cover *exactly* that topic on this issue of the Hammer Cast.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Everybody who's anybody in the world of strength has seen the 5x5 rep scheme before — 5 sets of 5 reps. It's often touted as the classic — even ULTIMATE — set and rep scheme for building strength and muscle. And yet, as you can see by the title of my podcast, I say it ain't all that. Tune in and find out some potentially better options for your gains.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Back in the days before bench pressing was the apple of every gym rat's eye, the military press was the measure of a truly strong man or woman. I'd like to think it still is. Having said that, I'd also like to point out that improving your military press — and especially working toward heavier presses — is a noble path filled with just as many dangers as rewards. And it's NOT because military pressing is inherently bad for you. Quite the opposite. Military pressing is great for the developing shoulders' strength AND muscle. But anything done mindlessly will hurt your body. Call it the 'mindless-body connection' if you will. So how do you mold a mighty military press without destroying your shoulders in the process? I'm glad you asked, chum. There are a few ways, which (as you have probably surmised) I cover in this fine episode of Ye Olde Hammere Caste.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com As much as most people love to pump up their chest or their shoulders or what have you, for my money the mark of a strong man or woman is — without any doubt — a big, powerful back. So, how can YOU get one? Well, listen in, friend, and I will reveal that momentarily.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Here's a question I once got: Are complexes bad for your strength? The answer is — as always — "it depends". Depends on your goals, depends on whom you ask, etc. First of all, what is a complex? According to Retired Master SFG Geoff Neupert in his book Kettlebell Muscle, a complex is: "…a series of exercises performed in a sequence with the same weight and without rest. All the reps for a given exercise are performed first, before moving on to the next exercise." Sounds like fun. But is it the RIGHT answer for YOUR needs? We dive into this on this jam-packed episode of The Hammer Cast.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com As you no doubt know by now, I'm a big fan of bodyweight and kettlebell training — specifically when they're combined. I know you are as well. The two go together like peanut butter and jelly; love and marriage; alcohol and bad decisions. It's a hard combo to beat. The problem? All too often, people make one of two mistakes: 1) Too LITTLE exercise variety 2) Too MUCH exercise variety The truth is you need a healthy balance between the two for the best results. Too little variety and you work your way toward boredom and injuries. Too much and you get frustration and zero progress. I dish on that in this episode And for your reference, here are video demos of the moves in question: * Elevated Rolls: https://youtu.be/HUsokoVZxQA * Lizard Crawls: https://youtu.be/bO2hJKU1vMQ

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm a big believer in the old axiom "There's no school like the old school" when it comes to strength training. And when it comes to old school, it doesn't get much older than the move I'm gonna reveal on this episode. For a video demo, click here: https://youtu.be/UgfQhnK0-GY

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com When it comes to building crazy levels of strength on a time budget, I love unconventional exercises. Who wants to be "conventionally strong" anyway? Being freakishly strong is way more fun. And when freakish strength is what you're after, this episode can show you how best to attain it. Listen in and find out how:

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There is one axiom that strength coaches and personal trainers alike tend to crow about often: "In order to get strong, you've gotta pump up the volume!" (Volume, in this case, means the number of reps you perform) But is that always true? I say nay - and I'll explain what I mean in this fine episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I remember years ago having a conversation with a friend of mine about full-body training — that is, training the body as a single unit with a skeleton crew of major head-to-toe strength moves. She could not wrap her mind around the concept. Fortunately, you're not in that position, since you follow me. However, you may still benefit from some deeper full-body training insights - insights which I intend to dish out to you right here and right now. Strap in, chow down on some popcorn, and tune in.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Strength is a great and noble pursuit — one that is both an art and a science. Now, in most cases when you want to get stronger, you're going to look at 1 of 2 things: 1) Starting a proven "cookie cutter" program to reach your specific strength goals 2) Getting a personalized program for your strength goals (I mean, I guess there is technically a 3rd option, which is stalling until you feel so out of shape that guilt consumes you and thrusts you into action, but we'll assume that's not you) And when most of us think of strength, we think of equipment, exercises, sets, reps, workouts, and what have you. Make no mistake: these are all obviously incredibly important. But they're not the only way to help you get stronger. There are other qualities that can help you to develop more strength as well - I dive into them on this mighty fine podcast episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Ever heard that saying "he missed the forest for the trees"? Of course, we all have. When it comes to kettlebell training, a LOT of kettlebell enthusiasts have huge blind spots, namely due to their stubborn refusal to do any movements that were not personally approved of by their guru of choice. But long gone must be those days of artificially limiting yourself to what movements you allow yourself to do, and it can all start with this episode. Tune in and give this tip a shot.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com It's no secret that I love kettlebells and bodyweight exercises as much as you do — maybe even a little bit more. But I'll tell you what, there are 3 things I don't like about the way most people train bodyweight and kettlebells, and 2 movements - 1 bodyweight, 1 kettlebell - that I DO like for building epic shoulder strength and more. Listen in for the details - you're not gonna wanna miss this one!

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com "Unfortunately, a lot of people think in terms of just 'lifting weight'…they're missing half of the rep (by skipping the negative)." - Dorian Yates, 6-time Mr. Olympia When it comes to getting stronger, there are a number of factors at play. The standard variables that we focus on for programming strength building are: 1) Intensity (amount of weight/level of difficulty of an exercise) 2) Volume (number of reps) 3) Density (amount of work done in a given time) You can look at these as your "main course" variables for strength programming. But just like no meal is complete without a few side dishes, neither is your programming complete without honing in on the nuances that will help you make the most of your meal. I dish on precisely that in this episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Some time back I got an awesome email from Jonathan, one of my Inner Circle members, where he talks about how he was essentially able to 'steal strength' and perform some intermediate and advanced strength moves without practicing them, thanks to his focus on one of the missing links of strength training. This episode focuses on that "missing link" and how to potentially get similar gains.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com When it comes to strength and physical prowess, nothing quite beats Old Man Strength. You know the type: where a guy (or gal) who looks perfectly unassuming or average has a grip like an industrial vice or can help move a giant, awkward object like a huge antique dinner table or some other huge chunk of furniture seemingly without much strain and without breaking a sweat. I've long been working on my old man strength (it's high time, too, given that I'm on the wrong side of 30 now), but I've still got a long way to go to catchup with some of these folks — most of whom would become absolute physical specimens to behold if they trained more seriously, but I digress. While most people write this off as an anomaly or a fluke, old man strength actually holds a number of the keys to life-long strength, health, and fitness. How? Let me count the ways. Listen in and learn.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com For many people, the final frontier of their fitness is training their gait pattern. Today I want to continue to talk about that frontier, and go even beyond it, into seemingly esoteric directions (though as you'll soon see, they're very much grounded in real, actionable steps). I'm gonna talk a bit about what I consider the "fifth element" of fitness and one of the least-used keys in our quest for a lean, youthful-feeling body that performs as well into our later decades as it did in our younger ones (and arguably better). Tune in to find out WTF I'm talking about...

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'd be willing to bet evergreen dollars to shiny shekels that the Israelites were some pretty strong mofos after 40 years of wandering in the desert. Why? Because they practiced THIS movement pattern a whole helluva lot during that time. Tune in to find out.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com One of the things I've found is that when it comes to crossing over into the next step in their training, one of the most common questions people will ask me is "How do I keep all the strength I built doing X, Y, and Z exercises when moving on to new ones?" Great question. And an easy one to answer. So easy, in fact, that I dive deep into it in this short episode. Listen and enjoy.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There are 3 major things you need to know about flexibility work for better, more youthful movement. I dive into them on this fine episode, which I am sure you're gonna love (you'd better, anyway).

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com A gal named Kristen Mitchell — a busy mom with a full-time job — wrote to me a while back after finishing one of my free programs, The Anytime, Anywhere Bodyweight Strength Program. It's an ambitious-but-sensible program I designed that uses only bodyweight exercises at various degrees of intensity with a laser-sharp focus on technique to build strength and fitness safely and surely while providing a guide on how to find the right variation/intensity level of each exercise to lead you from where you are to wherever you want to go. Here I talk about what makes such a program successful. Have a listen and enjoy!

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.AleksSalkin.com Are your workouts feeling stale, boring, and unproductive? These 3 tips might just help you kickstart your long-stalled strength once more.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.AleksSalkin.com One of the best (and most ignored) ways of building seriously strong stems (i.e. legs) is through higher rep sets. This might come as a surprise to anyone who has had the idea hammered into their head that low reps are the only way to go, but the truth is quite the contrary. I dish on why (and how) in this fun-filled, jam-packed episode. Here are those videos for reference, too: * https://youtu.be/RF3CGxhauAY * https://youtu.be/6xKskXoTce8

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.AleksSalkin.com People are creatures of habit; we tend to find something we like and stick with it. As far as working out is concerned, kettlebells and bodyweight are a great example (and for good reason: they'll deliver strength, fitness, mobility, and resilience gains for years to come and with relatively low occurrence of injuries provided you know what you're doing). However, mixing things up CORRECTLY can be one of the best things you ever do for your strength, fitness, and overall badazzery. This episode will give youa foray into one such tried-and-proven method.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.AleksSalkin.com If you've been lifting kettlebells even for just a short period of time, there's one thing you've no doubt noticed: overhead pressing is just cool. I still remember over 10 years ago when I first clean & pressed a 24 kg kettlebell over my head. It was a monumental occasion for me - and if you'd like more such monumental occasions, the tips in this episode just might help you build up your own military press faster than you can say "how much ya press, bro?" Listen, learn, and apply. Have fun and happy training! Aleks

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.AleksSalkin.com Kettlebells have a long history among old school strongmen, weightlifters, circus performers, special operators, and countless other tough-as-nails men and women. The reason why is simple: The kettlebell is one of the most versatile tools around for building strength in every nook and cranny of your body. Combine them with bodyweight movements and you've got yourself a system that can forge bold new strength and crush endless amounts of weakness from here to eternity. Here are 4 ways YOU can use kettlebells (and bodyweight) to boost your strength from here to the moon.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com In the world of kettlebell training, the undisputed king of lifts is the overhead press. In fact, in the "olden days", long before the bench press was the apple of any gym rat's eye, the clean and press was THE measure of upper body strength. Still is, as far as I'm concerned. However! There is another contender that at LEAST deserves consideration for the #2 spot. I dish on that in this episode (which you won't wanna miss)

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There are a few things people often tell me they want: 1) To get stronger with kettlebells and bodyweight exercises 2) To have a routine that fits their time budget (usually around 20–30 minutes 4–5 times per week) And let's be honest, this is most of us. So how can we get at least closer to this goal when we have sub-optimal issues to deal with like our sleep, eating, etc? This episode will reveal 3 1/2 ways (that's right, 3 1/2) of doing just that.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I've talked recently about several of the key things you need to turn your workouts from sucky to spectacular. Among them were things like training odd angles, getting generally strong before specifically strong, your exercise selection, etc. But just like how you need your vegetables in addition to your steak, you also need exercises you typically ignore or don't excel at as much in order to get truly strong and fit. I dish on how to do that in this fine episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Let's talk about your workouts and how to make them less sucky (unless you're getting the results you want, that is; in which case, keep up the good work). There are usually two primary culprits that lead to you having sucky workouts: 1) Too much variety 2) Not enough variety A paradox, you say? Not quite. As former senior kettlebell instructor Rob Lawrence has said: "I need specificity to get me strong and variety to keep me sane." In other words, you need a balance, of sorts. I dish on how to get to that semblance of balance in this fine episode...

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com One of the most unsung ways of building strength is isometric strength and static strength, and one of the best ways to build it is with calisthenics training. In this episode I dish on exactly how to get that process kickstarted in no time flat.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com A long time ago in a European country far, far away, I got a great testimonial from Fran Perez — a member of my Inner Circle (my monthly training newsletter). He had started a few issues prior and started making some really impressive gains in strength from the word "go". I could go into more detail, of course, but I'll let him tell you a little bit about the major leaps forward he made in his strength and conditioning over the course of a short 4 weeks (which, of course, you can hear in this episode)

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Wanna clean up your clean? This video will show you how: https://youtu.be/Z6Mf8jMioE0

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com One of the things that strength trainees often overlook is the importance of building 'all around' strength. This is the type of strength you can use for what we might call "everyday carry". You know the type: the strength that you can pull out of your back pocket and astound your friends with when you help someone move and you're able to carry heavy pieces of furniture with little or no help, whisk your spouse off of his/her feet (literally), or rough house with your kids or grandkids. Or, if you feel so inclined, walk on railings and do various other goofy stunts you haven't specifically trained for. For me, that's what strength is all about: the ability to do what you want, when you want. I dish on how to do just that in this jam-packed episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com On the topic of bodyweight training for strength, there's one axiom that I hold to be self-evident: "In order to be bodyweight strong, you must be able to do pullups" However, there are 2 major problems that I hear from a great many people looking to get stronger with bodyweight training: "I can't do any pullups yet" Or: "I can only do 1–2 pullups" Well, pardner, this episode will get you started off on the right foot (as will this demo video) https://youtu.be/IG9qHQfoWNM

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com It's no secret that kettlebells and bodyweight exercises go together like Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, love and marriage, and just about any other "perfect pair" you can think of. The reasons? There are two: 1) Bodyweight exercises teach you to master your body movements through free space 2) Kettlebell exercises teach you how to move both quickly and slowly with an awkward external load What might still be a secret to you, however, is how to combine the two for maximum strength building in minimal time. I dish on that in this episode.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm joined on this episode - his first podcast appearance ever - by Matthew Shoffner: a true calisthenics master and a real artist at the one-arm pullup. In this episode we discuss his origin story, how he got to be so freakishly strong, "the greatest sport of all time", and his journey to one-arm pullup greatness. You won't want to miss this one. Be sure to check out his incredible videos on his YouTube channel: Matthew Shoffner - YouTube

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Someone once asked a famous strength coach "How can I improve my squat?" to which he answered "Squat." Pretty straight forward. And make no mistake: if you want to get good at squatting, you're going to have to squat. It's just like any other movement — you need to practice it specifically in order to get any good at it. And because the squat is one of the greatest movements for full-body strength (not just lower body strength), it's worth your time to practice it and master it. But there's more to better squatting than JUST squatting alone. On this episode I dish on 3 assistance moves that can help boost your squatting strength seemingly instantly. Keep them in your regular rotation for a few weeks and watch as your squatting strength goes through the roof.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm a big fan of gymnastics-style bodyweight strength training. And while most people view it as basically just insane feats of bodyweight strength, such as iron crosses on rings and planches and what have you, in reality those are only examples of the more high-level strength skills and are not representative of the entire system. Even at very basic levels, gymnastic strength training can help you build tremendous levels of immediately usable strength for everyday use — not to mention hit PRs in your favorite kettlebell lifts. On this episode I dive into 3 badazz gymnastics drills to build up your kettlebell skills.

Let's talk about your matchstick legs and how to muscle them up a bit, shall we? There are two things I am not a big believer in: 1) That Monday should remain International Chest Day 2) That your thighs have to be massive and chafing before you can claim to have reasonably good leg development. Now, as far as #2 goes, that also doesn't mean that I think you should intentionally maintain twig legs. Far from it. You can have great and respectable leg development (not to mention strength and explosive power) without having thighs so big that they sound like a round of applause whenever you run. This episode will show you how.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com there are two big mistakes people make in bodyweight training: 1) They take too traditional of an approach and ignore various "unusual but effective" bodyweight drills 2) They avoid the "basic" drills in favor of flashy advanced stuff Both of them are ultimately going to short-change you when it comes to strength, muscle, and skill building, and both of them are a big reason why a lot of people quit seriously pursuing bodyweight strength training as a discipline, AND why their bodyweight training never has a significant carryover into their kettlebell training. Let's fix that. This episode will help get that journey kicked off.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm a big believer in gymnastics-style strength training for helping improve my own strength as well as my students' strength. This is for a couple of reasons (3 to be precise) that I dive into in this episode, along with the top 4 gymnastics tactics for increased (and freakish) kettlebell strength.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com This is a somewhat different (but still exciting) episode today. Today we cover a case study from Frances Moylan (who has been a guest on this show) about how she worked her way up to squatting 85% of her bodyweight - with kettlebells - for a whopping 25 total reps! Listen in and be amazed. And take good notes, too, because you might find some details that you'll be able to apply to your own training.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Believe it or not, the old time weightlifters and strongmen have a LOT to teach us to help us overcome the various challenges and frustrations we face in our own fitness. Listen in to this episode and find out just a few such tips that you - yes, you - can start implementing right this very day to start seeing some undeniable gains in no time flat.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com In this-here podcastI've compiled a few of my best tips and tricks for stacking strength on strength on strength in your kettlebell and bodyweight workouts. Many of these tips are old-school, tried-and-true strategies that have stood the test of time, while others are personal observations from my 12 years of personal training and 16+ years of working out myself. And here…we…GO!

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com You're in for a treat, friend because in this episode I've got not one, but TWO things for you that will help you crush some workouts. And they won't cost you a dayum thing save for some sweat and hard work! Oh, and you'll have to actually listen to the episode first. Do that and you'll be in like Flynn.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I've talked a lot recently about the importance of high-rep exercises as a part of a balanced workout (you thought I was gonna say "balanced breakfast", didn't you?). Low reps are far and away a great go-to, but eventually you'll work yourself into a corner and you'll find that your low-rep strength will be hard to use repeatedly if you can't back it up with some higher-rep endurance. This episode will help you kick off your journey to greater gains in your work capacity and potentially 1-rep max strength as well.

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com You get best at what you do daily - so whether that's sitting on your duff, arguing with strangers on Facebook, or getting jacked and powerful, your daily activities determine your fate over the long term. Wouldn't it make sense to focus on stuff that's actually going to HELP you though? I sure think so. That's why I recorded this podcast. Duh. In it there are 4 things you can toss into your daily diet of activities that - over the long run - will have a great impact on your strength, health, and fitness. Tune in and take action.