The last couple of weeks have been a blur of 70-hour+ work weeks, some training during the day, and trying to fit in a few hours of reading before I pass out at night.
I've been studying for my ISSA Fitness Trainer Certification in the hopes of becoming generally more knowledgeable about training and nutrition. I've had a lot of questions about whether or not I'm doing the right things in terms of diet and exercise. Ideally, working through the various Fitness and Nutrition certifications the ISSA and other associations offer will help answer some of those questions, as well as provide answers to inquiries that people come here with. In my mind, if it teaches me "to fish" instead of always being reliant on other trainers, it's money well spent.
The little bit of exercise I've been sneaking in outside of BJJ and the occasional Boxing class has been primarily based Steve Maxwell's 300 Kettlebell Challenge (and a few other Kettlebell and bodyweight routines). A few other KB "300" routines are floating around on YouTube. They're definitely worth checking out as well. They include a mix of bodyweight (burpees, mountain climbers, etc) and KB exercises. In all cases, the end goal in each case is to do 300 total reps by the end of the routine in as little time as possible. So far, I've found the 300 Kettlebell Challenge to be the most complete KB only routine.
Steve Maxwell's 300 Kettlebell Challenge provides 18 exercises that can be used independent of the routine to create the foundation of a new routine or just spice up your time in the gym (garage). The routine lasts for about 25-30 minutes and only requires one kettlebell, a surface to lay on, and maybe a towel towards the end. I only needed to watch the video a few times to get the gist of the routine, but it was worth the money. I got it directly from Steve's site, since the first two places I tried were out. It was slightly more expensive there than the list price on Amazon, but it's not like I go to the movies or eat out and... well... Steve seems like a good guy.
As a bonus, here are some videos of Steve helping to train Xande Ribeiro. Keep in mind that this is not the KB 300 workout, but there are some good exercises and interesting gear (such as the weighted KB backpack and training rings).
There are more videos of Steve's work, but I'll let you go to his YouTube page to check them out. If you're not familiar with Steve Maxwell, the summary is that he was one of the first BJJ practitioners in the US to receive his blackbelt, he's an amazing strength and conditioning guru, and all around badass.
Check out this interview with him here at the Fightworks Podcast.
Thanks!
