Guidelines for designing a metabolic workout

[hermanchauw]

Have overwhelming demand on metabolic type workouts from the kettlebell class people. However, i have no experience designing a metabolic type workout, except Flowfit.

Could you give me guidelines/ideas on the following:
-Movements
-Reps
-Sets
-Volume
-Duration
-Tempo

Thanks

[Weib]

-Movements
2 lower body ( hip/quad) + 2 upper body (push+pull) + 1 core - so total of 5 exercise just mix and match and up to your creativity.
-Reps
All depend on load
Lower body 8-12
Upper body 6-8
-Sets
3 sets

-Volume
-Duration
-Tempo

Is dependent on one's physical capacity, since its a circuit you do it for time and how fast you go is how far you want to push yourself.

The thing is to try it out yourself when you design it to see if its feasible and moderate it according to the participants level of fitness.
If newbies do more bodyweight exercise then slowly progress them to loading.

These are sample circuits from my log-

Circuits
All 3 rounds

Circuit A

10 x swings - 20kg Hex Plate
10 x push ups
6 x chins
10 x Abwheel
12 x air squats

Circuit B

10 x Deadlifts - 60kg
10 x Incline Rows
6 x DB Push Press - 15kg
10 x Reverse Situps
12 x Box Pistols

Circuit C

6 x Incline Rows
10 x lunges - 40kg
6 x Military press
10 x Deadlifts - 60kg
6 x Push ups

Circuit D

6 x DB Benchpress - 40kg
10 x Swings - 20kg Hex plate
6 x Chins
10 x Front Squats - 50kg
6 x Two point Rows - 20kg Hex plate

Just got to edit it with KBs and bodyweight

[galapogos]

Have overwhelming demand on metabolic type workouts from the kettlebell class people. However, i have no experience designing a metabolic type workout, except Flowfit.

Could you give me guidelines/ideas on the following:
-Movements
-Reps
-Sets
-Volume
-Duration
-Tempo

Thanks

I think the basic would be a full body workout, alternating an upper body with a lower body. Then there's also "core" work that can be sprinkled onto the workout, as well as other full body exercises such as the burpee(both upper/lower).

In my experience, reps should be kept low and sets(we call it rounds) kept higher to keep density high. So, for example if you had the choice to do 50x of exercises A through F for 1 rounds, it would be better to split it up into, say 5 rounds instead. This keeps you moving fast from station to station before fatigue sets in and your exercises devolve into singles. Of course, the more advanced the trainee, the higher the rep range he can sustain, which is one of the goals anyway.

Different exercises also lend themselves to different rep ranges, eg an air squat is gonna require more reps to yield the same cardio/muscular effect than a pullup.

Volume/duration would depend on the specific energy system you're training. I don't like to do anything that extends too much over 10min, with 20min being the "limit" for me so far. Again, beginners start with lower volume.

Tempo is basically as fast as you can do it with decent form.

Just my opinion.

[Weib]

Yes form before anything else!
Best to show them how to do it properly with first then start them on a trial circuit.

When they lose form sound out and let them know they're doing it wrong.

[galapogos]

Actually a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures and a visit is worth a thousand videos, so why don't you drop by one 300 session and see how we do it?

[Weib]

ya get the whole crew down at tpy stadium do your class and join us!

scully we steal your customers

[galapogos]

No need to bring the whole crew lah just come alone also can, we also don't wanna spoil market. We don't have enough KB to go around also. I'm sure you will develop your own style that's more KB oriented than ours.

[Canuck eh]

Have overwhelming demand on metabolic type workouts from the kettlebell class people. However, i have no experience designing a metabolic type workout, except Flowfit.

Could you give me guidelines/ideas on the following:
-Movements
-Reps
-Sets
-Volume
-Duration
-Tempo

Thanks

I think the basic would be a full body workout, alternating an upper body with a lower body. Then there's also "core" work that can be sprinkled onto the workout, as well as other full body exercises such as the burpee(both upper/lower).

In my experience, reps should be kept low and sets(we call it rounds) kept higher to keep density high. So, for example if you had the choice to do 50x of exercises A through F for 1 rounds, it would be better to split it up into, say 5 rounds instead. This keeps you moving fast from station to station before fatigue sets in and your exercises devolve into singles. Of course, the more advanced the trainee, the higher the rep range he can sustain, which is one of the goals anyway.

Different exercises also lend themselves to different rep ranges, eg an air squat is gonna require more reps to yield the same cardio/muscular effect than a pullup.

Volume/duration would depend on the specific energy system you're training. I don't like to do anything that extends too much over 10min, with 20min being the "limit" for me so far. Again, beginners start with lower volume.

Tempo is basically as fast as you can do it with decent form.

Just my opinion.

I don't think we're experts by any means, but Goi does a pretty good job explaining of our sort of thought process in developing our workouts. Only other comment I would add is that technical exercises should be avoided unless everyone has practiced and are comfortable with them in a regular training session, else have similar alternatives available that will work the same muscle groups.

[shirl]

Herman, have a look at Providence or Newport from Art of Strength you will have an idea. Form is also very important in such workout. Providence is much easier while Newport is definitely more difficult. Some trailers here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFySE-ffyLI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eunPWJ57zX0

There are about 14 to 16 exercises and each one is done for 2 mins per round with 1 min rest in between exercises. Can be quite demanding if you are using a heavy enough kettlebell. Basically that is the type of workout format we are looking for after learning the technique. I can personally say it is fun doing it (did only Providence and can manage up to the 6th exercise) but tiring.

[jerry.mobbs]

Yes form before anything else!
Best to show them how to do it properly with first then start them on a trial circuit.

When they lose form sound out and let them know they're doing it wrong.

Most of the kb lifts on your last 300 workout had -very- bad form.

Like really bad, even for you 'form' nazis.

Just pay Herman for some coaching as a group and sort it out.

[shirl]

Yes form before anything else!
Best to show them how to do it properly with first then start them on a trial circuit.

When they lose form sound out and let them know they're doing it wrong.

Most of the kb lifts on your last 300 workout had -very- bad form.

Like really bad, even for you 'form' nazis.

Just pay Herman for some coaching as a group and sort it out.

Have to add, both Jordon and Louis did have some good form.

[jerry.mobbs]

To be honest your better off getting workouts from guys who actually do/run them, rather than use ones pulled out of a theoretical template by a man with a gimpy leg

check out

http://www.kettlebell-athletics.blogspot.com/

Google Jason C Brown of Crossfit Philly, he has tons of kb metcon

[jerry.mobbs]

Yes form before anything else!
Best to show them how to do it properly with first then start them on a trial circuit.

When they lose form sound out and let them know they're doing it wrong.

Most of the kb lifts on your last 300 workout had -very- bad form.

Like really bad, even for you 'form' nazis.

Just pay Herman for some coaching as a group and sort it out.

Have to add, both Jordon and Louis did have some good form.

Gonna have to disagree with you there Shirl

Will post the video analysis later if anyone interested

I don't know the faces of most folks here, so i'll apologize now if I confuse Louis with Goi!

Having watched the video, everyone could do with a bit of coaching on the kb lifts (and i include myself in that category as well)

[Sufian]

no doubt about the bad form. How about a trade-off with Herman?
He comes and give us proper guidance on KB moves, we then share our met programming.

BTW, I have to say Jordan always impresses me on his KB moves. Very KB-instructor like.

And, I am no form Nazi... I am concerned about time under tension. As much as possible the better. Heck, I have even started to use smith machine for squats. Hahaha

[galapogos]

Unfortunately Herman only teaches soft style...

[jerry.mobbs]

Unfortunately Herman only teaches soft style...

theres nothing 'soft' about the soft style

[xarope]

Will post the video analysis later if anyone interested
...
Having watched the video, everyone could do with a bit of coaching on the kb lifts (and i include myself in that category as well)

post away, I certainly don't claim to be a KB expert, but I don't get bruises on my forearms so I must be doing something right.

[hermanchauw]

Unfortunately Herman only teaches soft style...

Soft style can give you more reps. How about that.

[hermanchauw]

Most of the kb lifts on your last 300 workout had -very- bad form.

Hahahhah, all the presses no count. No lockout.

[hermanchauw]

BTW, I have to say Jordan always impresses me on his KB moves. Very KB-instructor like.

Of course lah, he came for the class before what.

[shirl]

Just finished watching the MetconJinja clips, can see why they don't have the form for kettlebell lifts. They treat the kettlebells like dumbbells and doing dumbbells lifts instead. Probably did not realise that the technique is different for lifting and pressing kettlebells.

[galapogos]

Unfortunately Herman only teaches soft style...

theres nothing 'soft' about the soft style

Yes but it's not something that is preferable for metcon work, which is why Crossfit also doesn't use it.

As for the rest of the critique that our form is off, yup, it is. That's why we charge $0 for our sessions, because we don't give qualified coaching. I was telling everyone that we should at least do a demo for all the lifts for that workout, and get them to try it out/practise from last week onwards, but somehow this did not happen. Perhaps this week it will. I hope so anyway, but I can't control a dozen other people if they don't want to learn proper form either.

[galapogos]

Most of the kb lifts on your last 300 workout had -very- bad form.

Hahahhah, all the presses no count. No lockout.

Sufian made a very clear point that he doesn't want to lock out. He's going for TUT. Questionable reason if you ask me, but it's his choice so I respect that.

[Weib]

lol as much as you want to keep the proper form, fatigue will get to you.
We the people of 300, invite herman down to give it a go and we'll film it for proper form.

[Sufian]

Louis, I think the challenge to Herman is uncalled for. As a KB instructor, of course he's concerned about our form. Same as I am concerned about safety.

[Weib]

film for our own reference la, so we can learn.
He can learn to adapt to the intensity of the workout and innovate new ways to keep good form but he has to do the work out to understand the intensity and fatigue that most 300-ers are facing.
E.g of simple innovation - i use my free arm and place it on my lower back for overhead lunges to lock in my lower back.

This will be good for him to teach KBs in met circuits, because people who ask him will be doing the same things as us.

[Sufian]

Ok, I get what u mean.

Anyway, April onwards, I will work on my form. Lock out all the way. But, honestly, I believe that doing high reps, locking out is the easier way out. Don't need to flame me. Try yourself can liau.

[aaron]

eh i think only my dips the form very suck lor. the rest i think quite acceptable. for me. >_>. dun so anal la. haha

jordon here lol

[hermanchauw]

We the people of 300, invite herman down to give it a go and we'll film it for proper form.

I need my mornings for my kb sport training. If got afternoon session on my High Day i may go after my training.

[Twxian]

High day means on that day chius ish very high one ?