We covered the first of the 3 ingredients necessary for building YOUR perfect KB plan and that was -
PRACTICE.
Today, we’re covering INGREDIENT #2, “F______,” which I’ll reveal in just a moment.
First, let me just say, that the way you think about “F” can make or break your ability to make progress - that is to say -
SEE actual results…
NOT just to “feel” like you “got a good workout in.”
And that the “F” is hard for many to wrap their minds around - maybe even you.
So, let’s take a closer look…
[1] Frequency.
You’ll notice this is shared with Practice.”
It’s simply the number of times you perform a lift, or lifts.
On a micro level - it’s the number of reps per set, and the number of reps per training session.
On a macro level - it’s the number of reps per week, per month, per quarter, even per year.
As we saw with Practice, the more frequently you can do something - perform a lift - train, the better you will get at it…
Within reason.
Typically, there’s an inverse relationship between “frequency” and “volume”.
The more frequently you train, the less “volume” or total work measured by (sets * reps * load) you can do per session.
Conversely, the more frequently you train, the more total volume you can over a measurable period of time - like a week, month, quarter, or year.
[2] Duration = The length of your training session.
Typically, the longer you train, the more “F” you accumulate.
And typically, the shorter you train, the less “F” you accumulate.
However, both are really dependent on -
[3] Effort = How HARD, or how much energy you exert during a training session
The harder you work, the shorter your duration, and the higher your “F.”
The less energy you exert per rep, per set, the longer you can train, typically, and the lower your “F.”
All three of these - Frequency, Duration, and Effort all contribute to creating or managing “F” -
FATIGUE.
The more fatigue you create per training session, the higher the recovery demand, and the less frequently you can train.
This is important to understand if you’re one of those people (not “those” people - lol) who enjoys frequent workouts.
It’s important to recall Prof. Vladimir Zatsiorsky’s “maxim” here.
Professor Vladimir Zatsiorsky, chief biomechanicist for all Soviet sports teams from 1980-1988, states in his book, Science And Practice of Strength Training, that the secret to gaining strength is the following:
“Train as often as possible, as heavy as possible, as fresh as possible.”
This then is the key to great strength.
Really, it’s the key to achieving anything physically great.
Therefore, it’s critically important that when building the “perfect” kettlebell workout plan we understand HOW to manage fatigue.
For most (not all), especially those of us over 40 and 50, 3 training sessions a week is plenty.
20 to 30 minutes is the “perfect” duration.
That frequency allows you to recover between sessions and still have a life.
That duration allows you to exert a fair amount of effort, without killing yourself.
Other options that work well for some:
[+] 4 days a week, 20-30 minutes a day
[+] 3 days a week, 45 minutes a day
[+] 5-6 days a week, 10-20 minutes a day (This one of my favorite schedules for when I’m really busy)
The key to making any of these options work?
A ruthlessly honest assessment of what you want to do balanced with what you actually can do.
Make sense?
Remember, this is about YOU, {first_name}, not anyone else.
So it’s not about what that guy on social media is doing…
And it’s not about what you “used to do back in the day”...
And it’s not even about what you think you “should do”...
It’s about what you can do where you are right now, and how that will get you where you want to go this upcoming year.
Furthermore, the “perfect plan” will actually expand what you can do right now, so you actually achieve, or get closer to achieving what you want to do.
Next time, we’ll cover the “O________” and some ideas for the program that delivers your Optimum Results for whatever your goals are for 2024.
Happy New Year,
Geoff
P.S. One of the #1 problems people struggle with is “consistency.”
This is directly related to FATIGUE - they work out too hard, and then don’t have the energy and/or are too sore to stick to a consistent training schedule.
So life becomes a “stop-start” merry-go-round of perceived motion, but never actually going anywhere or getting anything done.
If you can relate, the simplest way build consistency is to use my favorite training frequency and duration for when I’m super busy -
5-6x a week
10-20 minutes a day
This type of plan engrains the habit of working out into your brain, without killing you, so you still have energy to function throughout your day.
If that’s you, many people just like you love this plan.
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