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Kettlebell AXE Training Thread

Aziatik

Aziatik

Level 6 Valued Member
Hey all, just thought to open a new thread focused on the training apart from the general discussion for motivation. Please share your axe practice! Be aware of not revealing the program if you choose to share.

So far I've had 2 sessions. 40 sets easy on the low rep scheme at 32kg 40%. Second time out I did barbell squats before the session per Pavel and then rested a bit. The axe session was done at higher rep scheme and went to 20 sets and called time though there was more. Heart rate briefly peaking at 147.

Guessing my lactate threshold is around 155 plus or minus 5. I got my heart rate up to 180 at 47 years old on a swim earlier in the summer so taking that at the high and the 10 min run effort 130 to 140 depending on the heat...halfway between is 155 to 160. Gonna use the LT limit in conjunction with the other stop signs. I have a 40kg, so I may try that next time out at the low reps.

So my set up is this-
Mon - AXE & Presses
Tues - SE Squats & Pull
Wed - Rest or LISS
Thurs - SE Squats 85% Day & Axe
Fri - Rest
Sat - SE Squats & Nordic Curls
Sun - Rest or LISS

Any day I have a bit left in the tank I'll grab the Sled and push pull press rotate and or row it.

Planning to post training results with the HR here to share the experience of the plan! Very curious to see how you all are doing with AXE and the motivation that brings. To your health!
 
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Today 40kg low rep count to 16' and stopped. Push up piece happening next. Maybe a few burpees sprinkled. Will stick at this weight and scheme for a while, climbing reps. Would have never thought I'd be pressing a 32 and one handing a 40kg with explosion... It's all a progression in long game friendly training. Grateful! This piece below I never let go of my breath... Deep, full, navel to face. Used the slow breath to get my hr down and didn't lose power nor grip. Touched 155 and pulled the plug. These smaller pieces are welcome after a period of heavier volume.

Screenshot_20231030-113450.png

Push ups 10 rest, 5 burbeeps, alternating otm. 8 minutes 4 rounds. HR to 157 last round of burpees. 7kgScreenshot_20231030-115333.png
 
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I'm still waiting for my AXE book to arrive from Amazon this week.

But I have played around with some body-weight variations for 20-minute sessions.

A Jump (Squat Jumps, Lunge Jumps, or Box Jumps) and a Pushup or Burpee work great together.

My last session was like this:

:00 - Burpees x 3
:30 - Lunge Jumps x 10 (5 per leg)
1:00 - Burpees x 3
1:30 - Lunge Jumps x 10
Etc.

That's a good combo and definitely felt more Aerobic than my previous session with Box Jumps x 3 and Pushups x 5.

Next time, I may only perform Burpees since it already combines upper and lower body in one movement. Performing 3 reps every 30 seconds seems just right.

I'm not sure if I'll be performing the AXE sessions on a regular basis just yet. If I do, I'll rotate exercises. I may not have time to work up to 40 or more minutes due to my erratic work schedule.

I'm still performing my BuiltStrong Minimalist sessions 3x/week.
 
Aziatik said:
Hey all, just thought to open a new thread focused on the training apart from the general discussion for motivation. Please share your axe practice! Be aware of not revealing the program if you choose to share.

So far I've had 2 sessions. 40 sets easy on the low rep scheme at 32kg 40%. Second time out I did barbell squats before the session per Pavel and then rested a bit. The axe session was done at higher rep scheme and went to 20 sets and called time though there was more. Heart rate briefly peaking at 147.

Guessing my lactate threshold is around 155 plus or minus 5. I got my heart rate up to 180 at 47 years old on a swim earlier in the summer so taking that at the high and the 10 min run effort 130 to 140 depending on the heat...halfway between is 155 to 160. Gonna use the LT limit in conjunction with the other stop signs. I have a 40kg, so I may try that next time out at the low reps.

So my set up is this-
Mon - AXE & Presses
Tues - SE Squats & Pull
Wed - Rest or LISS
Thurs - SE Squats 85% Day & Axe
Fri - Rest
Sat - SE Squats & Nordic Curls
Sun - Rest or LISS

Any day I have a bit left in the tank I'll grab the Sled and push pull press rotate and or row it.

Planning to post training results with the HR here to share the experience of the plan! Very curious to see how you all are doing with AXE and the motivation that brings. To your health!
Click to expand...
What does SE squat mean and other than your “Axe’s” what is the protocol that you use for presses, pulls etc? Sorry couldn’t understand the details of the workout…
 
Ege said:
What does SE squat mean and other than your “Axe’s” what is the protocol that you use for presses, pulls etc? Sorry couldn’t understand the details of the workout…
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Strength Endurance... The squats and axe are the fixed pieces of the workout. The presses and pulls and optional accessory work I fill in based on what my body is telling me and what I have done recently.... Intuitive training in the spirit of iron cardio. Might be a heavy moderate or light day close of grip bench, 2x kb presses, dips, kb floor press, push ups. .. Then pulls of pull ups weighted and non, bent over rows, Sled rows or hand over hand pulls, ring rows, iso holds... Things of that nature. Accessory work sometimes includes knees over toes guy core movements to unlock range of motion and strength. I use go wod for mobility.
 
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SE Squats 225lbs 3 reps 17 sets with a minute rest between each. Felt a change in my legs and speed in the last sets and stopped at that sign.

Rested a bit then looked for a heavy triple weighted pull up with the kb on the foot - went 30,35,44lbs then worked 3 more sets of 3 at 35 after getting to 44lbs.

Screenshot_20231031-112521.png
 
well as far as results are concerned, i stayed at my initally tested 32kg swings 4/18, for about 3 weeks.

Then I tested again, and I hit 4/30. big jump for me.

I wonder how long this step load will last.

So far, so good, as far as what it says on the tin.

I'm currently alternating my swing days with Simple Getups, and I don't really feel like I'm lacking much.
 
Adachi said:
well as far as results are concerned, i stayed at my initally tested 32kg swings 4/18, for about 3 weeks.

Then I tested again, and I hit 4/30. big jump for me.

I wonder how long this step load will last.

So far, so good, as far as what it says on the tin.

I'm currently alternating my swing days with Simple Getups, and I don't really feel like I'm lacking much.
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Nice.
Do you plan to go to 6 reps or 4/40 next?
 
I'm combining AXE with a PS press program. I'm doing AXE with the 36k, twice a week. Currently getting to 20:00 fine. Will stay with it through next week and then bump up to 6 reps. Long term goal would be finally pressing the Beast (all time PR was the 44k a few years ago) and a LONGER term goal would be timed Sinister.
 
Started first Axe session yesterday. My elbow was bothering me so I took it easy and made the switch to two hand swings and it seems to be allowing my elbow to rest. I will eventually want to go back to snatching again. I did a 20 minute session for 20 sets with 40kg.
 
Today the opportunity for experiment presented it's self. I was resting or doing liss on Wed following SE Squats but I decided to try another AXE session after hitting one on Monday and feeling fully recovered from both.

Today after a good shoulder warm up I went 40kg AXE at the low rep count and took it to 24 minutes...i could feel my grip going and noticed a change in explosivity in the last 2 rounds. Heart rate was fine as was breathing. It was the muscles themselves that hit the stop sign. I rested a bit then grabbed a pair of 24s for 5 press on the 2' which I took to 8 rounds, 40 reps. Long session today all told at 68min.

I like the way today went and will alter my schedule to -
Mon axe/press
Tues SESquats/pull
Wed axe/press (option to rest)
Thurs SEheavy day/sled/pull (option to rest)
Fri Axe/press
Sat SESquats/pull
Sun Rest or LISS

I'm really liking this program! Screenshot_20231101-123907.png
 
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My training plan:

Monday. Axe 1h swing.
Tuesday: light hypertrophy. Push-ups, band rows, lunges, power wheel roll out.
Wednesday: easy z2 training on stationary bike. For 20 -40 minutes.
Thursday: Axe 1h swing.
Friday: free.
Saturday: light hypertrophy.
Sunday: z2 training and suitcase walk.

Whenever I feel like it I skip training a day. Axe and suitcase walk is a priority so I try to make room for them. When I feel very tired I do a short very easy z2 training instead of what the program calls for. I feel this improves my sleep.
 
Anders said:
My training plan:

Monday. Axe 1h swing.
Tuesday: light hypertrophy. Push-ups, band rows, lunges, power wheel roll out.
Wednesday: easy z2 training on stationary bike. For 20 -40 minutes.
Thursday: Axe 1h swing.
Friday: free.
Saturday: light hypertrophy.
Sunday: z2 training and suitcase walk.

Whenever I feel like it I skip training a day. Axe and suitcase walk is a priority so I try to make room for them. When I feel very tired I do a short very easy z2 training instead of what the program calls for. I feel this improves my sleep.
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That listening to your body is crucial for long term consistency. I don't hesitate to rest when need be either... There's enough pieces in the week always to keep fit, emotionally balanced and healthy.
 
Aziatik said:
That listening to your body is crucial for long term consistency
Click to expand...
yeah, I think it's basically always the right answer to err on the side of more rest.

I will say the session-to-session drops in RPE are fascinating.

Today I took note of when the sets started to feel like "Hard Sets" whatever that means.

and over the sessions, the hard sets started around set 10, then I noticed set 10 still felt "easy-ish" then I noticed set 12 felt tough another session. Today, I feel like it didn't get tough till set 16. That seems to shift around sometimes higher sometimes lower, but overall trending to higher and higher numbers of sets feeling easy as I go.
 
Adachi said:
yeah, I think it's basically always the right answer to err on the side of more rest.

I will say the session-to-session drops in RPE are fascinating.

Today I took note of when the sets started to feel like "Hard Sets" whatever that means.
Click to expand...
Totally, listening to the body in my experiences naturally produces that waviness to training load and volume that seem to be ideal in making solid progress.

Today I just did the 85% day of SE Squats... Nothing else, besides a lot of walking and playing with my 5 year old! Maybe some gtg pull & chin ups later in the house if there is time... Sets of 3 alternating otm for like 20 to 30 min.

SE SQUATS 85% Day -
95X5 (with long pauses in the bottom to warm up) 135x5,185x3,225x3
Working weight 275x2x2. Resting long between each set, strength focused today more than the other 2 squat days, the 70%x3xminimum 10+ sets.
 
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Played around with another AXE session this morning.

C+J+J
24kg
Every 30 seconds
20 Minutes/rounds

Then did five additional rounds with 28kg.

Felt good. Similar to the "Best All-Around" (A+A) Kettlebells StrongFirst training program.

Finished with 2 minutes of continuous 1-Arm Kettlebell Snatches to maintain my SFG1 conditioning:

10/10
10/10
5/5
 
I’m gearing up to start AXE training next week, just wrapped up a Plan Strong MP program that was pretty beefy so I didn’t want to interfere with it. I’m planning to pair it with Geoff Neupert’s Easy Muscle program A (the OG version, not the Strong and Fit version). Going to do Barbell for Easy Muscle.

Tested RMs this morning to see where I should start and hit 20 reps H2H with the 36kg. Could have squeezed out a couple more reps out but that’s my 40% bodyweight bell and I don’t feel compelled to push harder than that as a starting bell. So I’ll see how the first session goes at the middle rep and unless I hit 20 sets that’ll be my go to for the next few weeks.

I’ve been pushing hard for the last few months, in my KB practice but especially on the work front. So I’m looking forward to a program that will be a bit more restorative in nature.
 
Rested yesterday in place of the 3rd axe session, was feeling the recovery debt from 4 days of training straight.

Today I just did the SE squats 3 at 225 resting a minute between and took it to 11 sets today....did some mobility and got out of the gym! Lots of walking recently with the dia de muertos celebrations here in Mexico.
 
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