My training over the last couple of weeks has gravitated over to boxing type training. I now have a training partner and both of us have boxed in the past, we’ll usually warm up with some jump rope then we work for 12 two minute rounds with 30 seconds rest between round. One of us will hit the bag for one round of straight punches, the next round will be hooks to the head, the next hooks to the body, the next combinations and so on… while the other does bodyweight exercises. We’ll then do 12 two minute rounds with the focus pads each alternating between gloves and pads. We usually finish up with 3 two minute rounds of light sparring. We’ve been training six days a week with one day off. One day will be training of the type I’ve described above, the next will be a kettlebell workout, the third probaby a bodyweight workout that includes shadow boxing and the fourth day we’ll mix it up to include all of the above.

Boxers, Grapplers, and Martial Artists can benefit from the Gymboss personal boxing training timer which allows you to time ANY round time followed by ANY rest time from 2 seconds to 60 minutes.  I appreciate any feedback and workout routines that you use and I have listed a few of the ones I use below, send me yours and I will gladly add them.

Running – Perhaps the simplest use of the Gymboss timer, set the timer for 20 minutes, when the buzzer sounds turn around and run back.

Jump Rope – Set the timer for 10, 2 minute rounds with 30 seconds rest between rounds. This is a great way to warm up before your main workout.

Tabata – 20 seconds work followed by 10 seconds rest – 8 sets – brutal, but effective. Tabata is the name of the Japanese researcher who discovered a way to increase both anaerobic and aerobic pathways at the same time. It’s an excellent training program that seems to fit across all training disciplines for athletes looking to increase their VO₂max and lose fat quickly. Its only 4 minutes, but it is a 4 VERY DEMANDING 4 minutes. I personally use burpees with this one and aim for 8 burpees in the 20 seconds. Repeat 3 more times. This is a real ass-kicking workout that blasts your stamina and fat loss through the roof.

Bodyweight Circuit Training – Set the Gymboss interval timer for 6 rounds of 1 interval 30 seconds long. Choose 6 exercises that target different body parts; squats, pushups, rusties, mountain climbers, diamond pushups, lunges . Start the timer and switch exercises every time you hear the beep. After one circuit get a quick drink then start the timer again and repeat then repeat again untill you’ve worked through your desired number of circuits for a full body workout you can perform anywhere.

Interval Training -  The Swedes call this “Fartlek”, or speed play. Simply put this means varying the intensity within a workout.You add intensity in short bouts that you could not sustain throughout the session. If you consistently keep a moderate intensity during your cardiovascular conditioning, your body adapts over time, and you’ll find yourself on a plateau. To improve your fitness level while running either outdoors or on the treadmill, add some intense intervals. Run for five minutes, then run a faster pace or sprint for one minute, and repeat.

10 Minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workout

Get the Gymboss Interval Timer here.

When it comes to training nothing is much more low tech than a sandbag, except maybe a rock. Sandbags are easy to learn, challenge the whole body, and have more versatility than almost any other form of equipment. They are an incredibly versatile inexpensive tool that offer the benefits of unstable training with a challenging load. Sandbags offer the ultimate in functional training, combining all the benefits of resistance training, with the versatility of medicine balls and core stability in one highly effective piece of equipment. The adaptability and multi-use features of the sandbag make it one of the most effective training tools available.

Versatile enough to carry out any strength training exercises with the advantages of added rotational variations and throwing progressions that are unable to be safely performed with barbells or dumbbells. It is the inherent instability of sandbags that makes them much more difficult to lift than traditional weights, typically users will lift only 40/50% of what they are capable of lifting with conventional weights. This inherent instability encourages stabilising muscles to be switched on during training, thus making the lift more complex and encouraging increased levels of coordinated movements during training and making lifting harder.

With sandbags the use of the core stabilizers becomes an integral part of many exercises rather than a separate component phase of the exercise program. The built in instability due to the construction of the sandbags magnifies the effects of poor core stability. Sandbag training recruits stabilising muscles to a greater degree than working with traditional weights. The inbuilt instability means that far greater core and postural recruitment is required to stabilize during the lifting movement.

Sandbag training carries over to sports performance, again this is due to the inherent unstable nature of the sandbag. It improves the function of stabiliser and neutraliser muscles which strengthens joint stability and allows a higher potion of prime movers to be recruited. This in turn improves the ability to apply more power and strength to any given situation on the playing field.

The increased workload on your stabilizers and muscular and nervous system in general not only prepares your body for the instability of actual sports and life in general but will also increase calorific expenditure significantly i.e. you can burn more fat training with a sandbag than you can on machines and, in some cases, free weights. The bottom line is sandbag training burns fat. Adding intense sandbag training to your routine will have you ripped in no time!

There is an example 10 exercise sandbag circuit available here.

Art of Strength: Newport is the second in the world’s 1st work along kettlebell DVD series by Anthony Diluglio.

This workout is a circuit style kettlebell workout, it’s a tough workout divided-up into 10 “rounds” including a 5 minute snatch test. Most rounds take about 4 minutes and consist of continuously alternating between two exercises for 4 minutes then ending with 1 minute of abdominal work before allowing a 1-minute rest before the next round. Most of the ab-work is done with bodyweight while most of the other exercises are done with 1 Kettlebell.

AOS Newport Preview.

The instruction makes clear that this workout is designed to be done with two particular kettlebells, gender specific: 8kg for women; 16kg for men.

Beautifully produced with the scenic backdrop of Newport, Rhode Island, this should be a mandatory addition to every kettlebell enthusiasts library. The DVD is available via the AOS website.

This was my workout for 1st August.

Art Of Strength Firepower kettlebell workout has 5 different programes you can choose from, all 5 use the same 15 drills but manipulating the sets and rest time between sets. Each of the 5 rounds has that number of exercises, and each set is 1 minute long. So round 5 has 5 exercises and the round lasts 5 minutes. Since this was my first time doing this workout with 2 16kg kettlebells I opted for doing the whole thing twice, with longer rests, taking 55 minutes, the final option is doing the whole thing twice with shorter rests taking 45 mins.

Kettlebell drills are as follows:

Turkish Get Up
Alternating Clean and Press
Double Bent Over Row
Super Burpee
Figure 8 to Hold
Super Plank
Alternating Double Clean
Suitcase Deadlift
Alternating Chest Press
Russian Twist
High Pull and Snatch
See Saw Press
Figure 8 & Hold Tactical Lunge
Renegade Row
Squat & Triple Crush

The Art Of Strength Firepower kettlebell workout is a real heart pounding, muscle pumping fat blaster of a workout. This was my workout for 28th July.

Kettlebell Complexes string several Kettlebell exercises together to create one smooth flowing set of movement. This type of training is excellent to work a huge amount of musculature in a short amount of time. The conditioning aspect of this type of training is great, you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing after repeating a sequence just two or three times.

Kettlebell Snatches
Kettlebell Clean & Press
Kettlebell High Pull and Squat for 2 minutes time
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell Squat to press

Reps are 5 on the right, then 5 on the left, then 4 on the right, then 4 on the left and so on down to 1.
I worked through this circuit 3 times. This was my workout for July 22nd.

Kettlebell workout. Reps are 5, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 on the right and 5, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 on the left.

* Snatch
* Clean and Press
* Front Squat 2 minutes
* Bent Over Row
* Lunge 2 minutes
* Swing
* Burpees 1 minute

Using a 16 kg kettlebell I worked through this workout twice. This was my workout for July 19th.

This evenings workout was a mix of dumbbell and bodyweight exercises, If you want real fitness, fat loss and physique building results that you can use in the real world, then combining bodyweight and dumbbells is the best option. Forget about strapping yourself into some machine that has no relation to any movement you’ll do in the real world. Bodyweight calisthenics are the best way to train your body to move in the way it most naturally moves. Dumbbells are the best way to train your body to move objects. You can use dumbbells in unison, one at a time or in an alternating manner. Again these weighted resistance movements are closely related to the way you move in the real world.

Example bodyweight and dumbbell circuit workout. Each exercise is done for 30 seconds time with 30 seconds rest using the Gymboss Timer. Work through the circuit twice.

* Split dead lift
* Press-ups
* Shoulder press
* Plank
* Dumbbell lunges
* Mountain climbers
* Bent over row
* Side crunches
* Seated Russian twists
* One arm snatch (30 seconds each arm)
* Jumping jacks
* Dorsal raise
* Squat thrusts
* Sicilian crunch

I worked through this circuit twice. This was my workout for the 15th July.

This evenings workout, another deck of cards workout:

Suits
* Spades = Rustys
* Hearts = Push-ups
* Diamonds =Tuck Jumps
* Clubs = Squat Thrusts

Repetitions
* ace = 11 reps
* 2 = 2 reps
* 3 = 3 reps and so on
* Jack = 11 reps
* Queen = 12 reps
* King = 13 reps
* Joker = 25 of the previous exercise.

I worked through the deck of cards twice for a total of 908 exercises, make no mistake about it, there are few routines that are as challenging as a deck of cards workout. Don’t rest between exercises and only have a very short rest between decks.

This Kettlebell workout from dragondoor.com was brought to my attention by Graeme in a comment he posted on one of my posts. Thanks Graeme.

Minutes 1 and 2:
Around the Body Pass. This is my first exercise for every kettlebell workout. It is a beautiful opening move, and helps prepare my mind as much as my muscles for the coming real work.

One minute in a clockwise direction, and then one minute counter-clockwise.

Minutes 3 and 4:
Halos. I’m showing a slightly different version of this exercise. Holding the kettlebell by the ball, handle downward, move the kettlebell in a slanted orbit, the back of the orbit is at head level and the front of the orbit is at chest level. Inhale and open the chest while the kettlebell is behind your head.

One minute in a clockwise direction, and then one minute counter-clockwise.

Minutes 5 and 6:
Figure 8s. Keeping your back flat, and the weight on your heels, pass the kettlebell through your legs in a figure 8 pattern. This will open your groin and adductors.

One minute in one direction, and then one minute in the opposite direction

Minute 7:
Good Morning Stretch. Time to stretch the lower back and hamstrings. Cradle the kettlebell close to your chest with folded arms. Bend over with a straight back until you feel the stretch reflex of your hamstrings. Then bend your knees slightly, round your back, drop your head, and roll up slowly. Finish each repetition by lifting your chest

One minute.

Now, you’ve completed the warmup. It is time to begin the body of the workout.

Minute 8:
Windmill, left arm. The Windmill is great movement, working the core and upper body, while developing hamstring strength and flexibility. Whenever I include this exercise, I put it close to the beginning of the workout, because it is the most technically difficult movement, and therefore has the highest risk of injury. Remember to point your feet away from the kettlebell and to keep looking at the kettlebell.

One minute, left arm only

Minute 9:
Squatting Around Body Pass. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees forward. Squat, as though you were sitting on a chair and perform the Around Body Pass, except when you pass the kettlbell behind you, it is passing under your thighs. This exercise works your lower back, hips and thighs statically, while your arms are engaged in moving the kettlebell.

One minute

Minute 10:
Windmill, right arm. Of course you have to work both sides.

One minute

Minute 11:
Squatting Around Body Pass. Your thighs may be complaining a bit at this point.

One minute.

Minute 12:
Single Arm Swings, left arm. Now we’re getting to the real work.

One minute.

Minute 13:
Turkish Get-Ups, left arm. Don’t put that kettlbell down, hold on to it. Lay yourself down and perform Turkish Get-Ups with your left arm. Keep your eye on the kettlebell.

One minute.

Minute 14:
Single Arm Swings, right arm. Keep your back flat and concentrate on that hip-thrust.

One minute

Minute 15:
Turkish Get-Ups, right arm. It probably feels good to lay down at this point, but don’t stop. These 4 minutes are actually the most difficult ones, and the centerpiece of the workout. The alternation of Single Arm Swings and Turkish Get-Ups is actually good news and bad news. The good news is that after the Swings, you get to lie down and perform a slower exercise. The bad news is that your blood is moving from one end of your body to the other, and there’s a level change. Both of these factors will tax all of your energy systems.

One minute.

Minute 16:
Side Lunge. Back to hip, thigh, and lower back work, with emphasis on the groin. Hold the kettlebell in front of you and keep your chest forward. Your lower body is working dynamically and your upper body is working statically.

One minute.

Minutes 17 and 18:
Snatch. Still working the lower body dynamically, with more emphasis on the core and shoulders.

One minute with the left arm, then one minute with the right.

Minutes 19 and 20.
Clean and Press This is not as much rest as you think, all of the blood is now racing to the upper body to fuel your traps, shoulders and triceps. There is an order here, the Swing is more difficult than the Snatch, and the Snatch is more difficult than the Clean and Press. Still, you may need to use your legs to help drive the kettlebell up.

One minute with the left arm and one minute with the right.

Just two minutes to go, but they’re going to be two very tough minutes. During these last two minutes, think about the last two minutes of a martial arts match. You’re tired, but the other guy has to be just as tired. Reach down inside and pull out everything you have left for these last two sets.

Minute 21:
Swing-Catch-Squat: Perform a Swing. At the top of the arc, release the kettlebell, and grab it by the ball. Pull it in to your chest and perform a squat. After completing the squat, give the bell a slight toss, and then re-grip it by the handle to swing it again. The entire body is involved in this movement, which also provides some excellent grip work.

Minute 22.
Deck Squats. Grip your kettlebell by the horns and perform your last set of total body, torment. If you’re really good, you can re-grip your kettlebell by the horns after your last toss of the kettlebell after your final squat of the Swing-Catch-Squats. Squat again, but move into a set of deck squats for your last minute of exercise.

This was my workout for Jul 13th. I performed this workout with a 16kg kettlebell.