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Kettlebell Geoff Neupert's The Long Haul More Kettlebell Muscle

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BrianCF

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I'm a big fan of More Kettlebell Muscle by Geoff Neupert. It has 20 complex/chain programs that you can do. Currently as we are entering summer for us north of the equator folk, I wanted to get leaner so I've picked the 2nd nastiest program of them all The Long Haul.

9 week complex program 3 x a week. Heavy day is doing work for 2:30. Medium day 2:00. Easy day 1:30

Work:rest ratio for 1st 3 weeks is 1:2, second 3, 1:1.5, third, 1:1 . You also progress in number of rounds every 3 weeks ranging from 4-6.

Heavy day is a mental test. For me, because you're doing cleans, snatches and swings each round, at about round 3 or 4 first the grip starts going and then the rear deltoids because you're squatting before presses.

I have found the perfect "hack" for the program, that allows finishing in the same amount of time, even less but with less fatigue and chance of injury.

I started this in week 6 and really liked the results.

For example, I'm in week 7, I did medium day earlier this week. which is 4 rounds, 2 minutes of work, 2 minutes of rest. Double Snatch x 30 seconds, Double Press x 30 seconds, Double Squat x 30 seconds and Double Swing x 30 seconds.

So, you have 8 minutes of work (4 rounds) . 6 minutes of rest (Between 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4) It's a 14 minutes workout.

In those 4 rounds, you're doing 4 sets (Snatch, Press, Squat and Swing) 4x4 is 16. Now there are 840 seconds in 14 minutes. Divide 840 seconds/16 sets. 52.5 . So, instead of gutting out the complex, I do a new set every 52 seconds.

Double Snatch 30 seconds (about 8-9 reps). Put 45's down for 22 seconds, pick up do 8-9 military press, put down bells for 22 seconds, pick up bells and do 9 squats for 30, put down bells for 22, finish with double swings, and start the next round after 22 seconds.

No extended rest. Much crisper higher quality reps, less chance for injury The heart still pumps over 170 beats per minute.

It's like Rest/Pause training meets Escalated Density Training.
 
Certainly sounds effective to me, similar to the "rest pause" protocol I tried in the 80s!......You 're still doing the movement s with incomplete rests not needing to drop poundage used.
 
Ive done several of the mkm programs, the wolf with 20kgs, the basic and ballistic beatdown with 16kgs, but I absolutely cannot get through the long haul with 16kgs, would have to buy a pair of 25lbs or something to complete it so congrats on tackling this beast.

I am not a huge fan of timed sets as i find myself working at a slow pace and doing leas reps without realizing it.

Do you find the set rep programs ballistic beatdown or the up and over just as effective as the long haul for fat loss or should i suck it up and buy some lighter weights some day and learn to embrace timed sets?

So far my favorite workouts in mkm are herky jerky, ballistic beatdown, ydks2.0, and the wolf
 
Ive done several of the mkm programs, the wolf with 20kgs, the basic and ballistic beatdown with 16kgs, but I absolutely cannot get through the long haul with 16kgs, would have to buy a pair of 25lbs or something to complete it so congrats on tackling this beast.

I am not a huge fan of timed sets as i find myself working at a slow pace and doing leas reps without realizing it.

Do you find the set rep programs ballistic beatdown or the up and over just as effective as the long haul for fat loss or should i suck it up and buy some lighter weights some day and learn to embrace timed sets?

So far my favorite workouts in mkm are herky jerky, ballistic beatdown, ydks2.0, and the wolf

I don't think they're as effective, because there is less volume. I did the Up and Over as a chain and it is brutal at the end especially day 3.

You have good taste with Herky Jerky, Jerk Work is a tough one as well.

For timed sets, I would start by doing the Basic first, which is only 20 seconds. Then move on to Oh Row You Don't 2.0, then try the Long Haul. You don't need lighter bells.
 
not gonna lie, I am now curious how doing the other programs as circuits would feel
 
I like it. Let’s one use heavier weights too. Get a lot of work done in a given amount of time.
 
I think I'm going to try it with the A + P. The heavy days with those are undoable from a grip perspective. Mark, it's still not a walk in the park, but the quality of the reps is MUCH better. I did week 6 heavy day which was 25 rounds. The whole workout should take 27:30. I just did a set at the top of each minute for 25 minutes and it took 24:30. There is no way the circuit way of doing it is not as good as the complex.

For example, if I did the complex, my press numbers for the rounds would have been: 8, 8, 7, 7, 6-7 . Probably 37 reps.
Doing it the circuit way, 9, 9, 8, 8, 7 . 41 reps. IN LESS TIME.

I'm 50. When I rest too long, I stiffen up a bit. But as long as I keep moving I'm good. I use 20kg bells. I would think, some of the stronger guys could do this using 24s.
 
So basically we have added a third option to MKM

Run (insert name of program here) as a circuit
 
Is the consensus from the experienced members that Basic is the best program to start with from MKM?

(by the way, I messaged Geoff about finding a copy or KB Strong and he said that the book was "currently" not available for sale. When I asked him if the "currently" inferred that it might be in the future, he responded with "Who knows" and a winking emoji.)
 
I like Basic, depends on where you are. I know a lot of users have used the Wolf program. I never have. I spent 4 weeks using the Ballistic beat down. Really tough particularly when up to 5 sets. Lifetime of programming with MKM. Try the Basic and see how you go.
 
You don't have to start with the Basic, but it is a good place to, especially if you want to do the Long Haul. Try non timed programs as chains as well. You'll curse me later :)
 
I think I'm going to try it with the A + P. The heavy days with those are undoable from a grip perspective. Mark, it's still not a walk in the park, but the quality of the reps is MUCH better. I did week 6 heavy day which was 25 rounds. The whole workout should take 27:30. I just did a set at the top of each minute for 25 minutes and it took 24:30. There is no way the circuit way of doing it is not as good as the complex.

For example, if I did the complex, my press numbers for the rounds would have been: 8, 8, 7, 7, 6-7 . Probably 37 reps.
Doing it the circuit way, 9, 9, 8, 8, 7 . 41 reps. IN LESS TIME.

I'm 50. When I rest too long, I stiffen up a bit. But as long as I keep moving I'm good. I use 20kg bells. I would think, some of the stronger guys could do this using 24s.
What were your thoughts on the program?
 
I've run it a couple of times. It's hard, you will be in great condition if you do it. Heavy day sucks. Especially in weeks 8 and 9. In the last 3-4 weeks, do not do anything else. You will need that recovery.

The only thing I can compare heavy day to is the Secret Service 10 minute snatch test, except it's 27-32 minutes. The grip is screaming from the cleans and snatches. The rear deltoids are screaming from the double snatch, squats and presses and you're huffing and puffing. The 2 and a half minutes rest goes by quickly.
 
45 lb. bells /20kg

I did my swings and snatches outside the knees, with a narrower stance. I feel I get a better hinge and snap.
 
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