Kettlebell Kettlebell Cardio & Endurance

[MikeTheBear]

Ah, off season training for downhill skiing. I hear the skiing in New Zealand is epic, but unless you are wealthy and can take off for two weeks during our summer months, you're out of luck.

I have not found a good way to train downhill technique in the off season. In my experience, I've found that technique for downhill comes back fairly quickly. A few easy runs the first day and I'm usually back up to speed. Your experience may be different, of course.

Best thing to do off season is to get your legs brutally strong. Then in the fall, work on building strength endurance in your legs as well as regular cardio endurance. Riding a bike will kill both of these birds, but any sort of cardio will do.

 

[Bret S.]

In my ski days I used to try to follow Stev Ilg's program each fall to prepare. But it was just too much. Too much volume, too much intensity, too much BB style gym work. Then Inhad no idea how to maintain it. Being burnt out on the gym, very little got done until MTB season in the spring. I had time, motivation, but didn't know what to do or how to do it.

This brings up an interesting and ongoing dilemma, I think by nature most folks on this forum for example are high achievers in some form or another. We get excited about attaining strength or fitness goals and always seek to 'up our game' and progress constantly thereby raising the bar to unsustainable levels. Unsustainable in the sense of being unable to hold those gains while we reach for the next shiny apple. "I want to press double 48's for 10 reps" is a lofty goal and attainable by some, but how do you hold that strength level while you shift focus to another goal? "I want to DL 3 times my bodyweight for 10 reps" is the next goal and so on..

It reminds me of the 'Cost of Adaptation' article by Pavel T. If I look at fitness and costs in terms of money and say I have $100 in my fitness account my tendency is to try and stretch my fitness dollars as far as possible which leaves little to no reserve funds. Then there is the problem of keeping the costly gains while I endeavor to go and buy something else.

It comes down to one question, 'what makes me happy?' I'm thinking that stretching fitness dollars, buying new shiny apples while watching my current apples wither while having fun and staying fit is quite possibly 'as good as it gets'..

 

[North Coast Miller]

This brings up an interesting and ongoing dilemma, I think by nature most folks on this forum for example are high achievers in some form or another. We get excited about attaining strength or fitness goals and always seek to 'up our game' and progress constantly thereby raising the bar to unsustainable levels. Unsustainable in the sense of being unable to hold those gains while we reach for the next shiny apple. "I want to press double 48's for 10 reps" is a lofty goal and attainable by some, but how do you hold that strength level while you shift focus to another goal? "I want to DL 3 times my bodyweight for 10 reps" is the next goal and so on..

It reminds me of the 'Cost of Adaptation' article by Pavel T. If I look at fitness and costs in terms of money and say I have $100 in my fitness account my tendency is to try and stretch my fitness dollars as far as possible which leaves little to no reserve funds. Then there is the problem of keeping the costly gains while I endeavor to go and buy something else.

It comes down to one question, 'what makes me happy?' I'm thinking that stretching fitness dollars, buying new shiny apples while watching my current apples wither while having fun and staying fit is quite possibly 'as good as it gets'..

I think my goals have shifted more toward Maxwell's definition of "intrinsic", have always been more or less. At least ever since I stopped training BB seriously. I like to hit solid numbers and see gains, but I'm also limited to the gear I have and training at home - no squat cage, no bench or even barbells. And then time is always a factor. I want to feel strong and be able to express strength and moderate endurance without pounding my joints. Body comp is always a part of the equation too.

One of the reasons I like to change modalities is I get to challenge myself with something I'm not familiar - I'm always making gains. Another is I like to back-test and see how changing modalities effected my last known working loads with other means. For me the idea is to get stronger at stuff I don't program, and I've found chasing numbers in a small variety of lifts is not the way to get there (for me).

If you can't define what you're training for you at least need to define what you aren't training for.

 

[Bret S.]

For me the idea is to get stronger at stuff I don't program, and I've found chasing numbers in a small variety of lifts is not the way to get there (for me).

If you can't define what you're training for you at least need to define what you aren't training for.

You nailed an important point with this I believe. Chasing numbers is a sure path to eventual disappointment in the long game. Staying strong across the spectrum of real life demands is important to me. Little things like...
- bending to tie my shoes without grunting
- knowing how to zip up before pulling an awkward heavy load from the trunk of my car
- knowing I can block and punch well enough to defend myself and my loved ones
- being able to walk 10 miles if needed while carrying a load
- getting out of bed easily
- looking good naked
- Playing with my grandkids (none yet, I can wait)

My father is 81 and doesn't exercise other than work, he's worked all his life and it's all he knows. We did some work on my car last trip to Sedona and he just kills it, I'm talking laying in awkward positions and getting up and down, bending to work on the engine and everything in between, for hours at a time. He has life strength from leading a strong life. We can all learn from that, I still remember when I was 18 working for a concrete contractor in Chicago, he had stove pipes for forearms and was strong as an ox well into his 50's. He said to me one day "it's a good life, if you don't weaken". I never forgot it.

 

[offwidth]

it's a good life, if you don't weaken"

I use that phrase all the time... it's classic (and true)

 

[Antti]

When it comes to long term, I like to think now - closer to 40 than 30 - is the time to hit my strength and hypertrophy goals while I still have the time to hit some major goals. After that, I'm happy to go for the next shiny apple behind the corner, while trying to keep in a certain shape strength and muscle wise.

 

[Bret S.]

When it comes to long term, I like to think now - closer to 40 than 30 - is the time to hit my strength and hypertrophy goals while I still have the time to hit some major goals. After that, I'm happy to go for the next shiny apple behind the corner, while trying to keep in a certain shape strength and muscle wise.

Men peak in strength around 45 I believe, go for it so you never have to wonder later in life 'what if'? I'm looking at 60 this year but I feel most of the time like I did at 40. Functional, usable day to day strength, cardiovascular fitness, good flexibility and the like are life goals for me, everything else is in the 'tweener' category..

 

[Antti]

Men peak in strength around 45 I believe, go for it so you never have to wonder later in life 'what if'? I'm looking at 60 this year but I feel most of the time like I did at 40. Functional, usable day to day strength, cardiovascular fitness, good flexibility and the like are life goals for me, everything else is in the 'tweener' category..

I hope for 45 as well. That would mean I still have a decent timespan. Most of the powerlifters peak quite early, but there are the odd ones, like Brad Gillingham, who wins the World's at 45 or so. I wonder if PEDs influence the matter.

I plan to to go as far as my body can take me without breaking too much. Exactly so I don't have to look back and wonder. Let's see where the road takes me. After it hits the dead end, I'm happy to fork around for variety and general amusement as much as I like. But still, I think strength and muscle mass are critical for a life both long and lived well, so I will have to look after them as well.

Spring last year, here in Finland, a man at 61 deadlifted 300kg without a belt. Just a couple of weeks ago, a different gentleman, at 72 years old, benched IPF raw/classic style 180kg nearby . I still have a long way to go.

 

[Bret S.]

Spring last year, here in Finland, a man at 61 deadlifted 300kg without a belt. Just a couple of weeks ago, a different gentleman, at 72 years old, benched IPF raw/classic style 180kg nearby . I still have a long way to go.

It sucks having to deal with the fallout of injuries sustained decades earlier but I would still live the same way if I had a do-over. Life on the couch isn't appealing at all, I can't believe how people let their bodies degenerate to a horrible state without even thinking about taking control and doing something positive. Nobody escapes the 2nd law of entropy but we can live as fully as possible by being strong, fit and healthy until we expire.

 

[offwidth]

It sucks having to deal with the fallout of injuries sustained decades earlier but I would still live the same way if I had a do-over. Life on the couch isn't appealing at all, I can't believe how people let their bodies degenerate to a horrible state without even thinking about taking control and doing something positive. Nobody escapes the 2nd law of entropy but we can live as fully as possible by being strong, fit and healthy until we expire.

Life is nasty, brutish, and short
-Lord Byron
Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse
-Hells Angels

 

[Bret S.]

@offwidth

Disclaimer: No personal affiliation

 

[MikeTheBear]

Men peak in strength around 45 I believe, go for it so you never have to wonder later in life 'what if'? I'm looking at 60 this year but I feel most of the time like I did at 40. Functional, usable day to day strength, cardiovascular fitness, good flexibility and the like are life goals for me, everything else is in the 'tweener' category..

I was reading something about the science of aging and one of the reasons we age is due to the shortening of telomeres. A telomere is attached to the end of a chromosome and each time the chromosome replicates itself, the telomere gets shorter. However, research has shown that exercise reduces the amount of telomere shortening to a significant extent. Thus, exercise is currently the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.

There is also the phenomenon of "old man strength." Dan John called it "Dad strength" in one of his articles. We've all likely met someone like this. Some guy in his late 50s or early 60s. He likely had a physical job all of his life. He may be cranky. He likely has never done any sort of exercise and probably thinks exercise is stupid. He eats crap and has a cigarette dangling from his mouth all the time, it seems. But whenever he works on restoring his classic car, he can lift the engine block out with one hand (I stole this from Dan John's article). The scientific hypothesis to explain old man strength is that, if someone has worked a physical job all of his life, they no only developed strong muscles but strong joints as well. Joints gain strength more slowly than muscle tissue, but by the time some reaches age 60, it adds up. So while all of the sedentary folks seem to get tendonitis each time they start a new exercise program, our cranky chain-smoker can keep plugging along and get even stronger because his joints are immune to injury.

What does all this mean? If you have been exercising regularly for many years, then you are not the same at age 45 as a 45-year old who has done little or no exercise. Don't place limits on yourself based on what "other people your age" are doing. Obviously, don't be stupid. Know your limits. I know I have limits, although many of those limits are likely attributable to a bad back as opposed to age itself.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Men peak in strength around 45 I believe, go for it so you never have to wonder later in life 'what if'? I'm looking at 60 this year but I feel most of the time like I did at 40. Functional, usable day to day strength, cardiovascular fitness, good flexibility and the like are life goals for me, everything else is in the 'tweener' category..

I'm more jacked and strong now than I have been in over 20 years, more jacked than my avatar pic which was from early Spring, and my goal now is to add just a few more lbs and slowly improve mobility and body comp till I croak. Am 50, Bday in Sept.

I intend to finish this thing on my feet.

 

[offwidth]

Some guy in his late 50s or early 60s. He likely had a physical job all of his life. He may be cranky. He likely has never done any sort of exercise and probably thinks exercise is stupid. He eats crap and has a cigarette dangling from his mouth all the time, it seems. But whenever he works on restoring his classic car, he can lift the engine block out with one hand

That described my old man to a 'T'. He stayed pretty hard until his 70's

It's sort of a multi-decade GTG...

 

[Bret S.]

I was reading something about the science of aging and one of the reasons we age is due to the shortening of telomeres. A telomere is attached to the end of a chromosome and each time the chromosome replicates itself, the telomere gets shorter. However, research has shown that exercise reduces the amount of telomere shortening to a significant extent. Thus, exercise is currently the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.

There is also the phenomenon of "old man strength." Dan John called it "Dad strength" in one of his articles. We've all likely met someone like this. Some guy in his late 50s or early 60s. He likely had a physical job all of his life. He may be cranky. He likely has never done any sort of exercise and probably thinks exercise is stupid. He eats crap and has a cigarette dangling from his mouth all the time, it seems. But whenever he works on restoring his classic car, he can lift the engine block out with one hand (I stole this from Dan John's article). The scientific hypothesis to explain old man strength is that, if someone has worked a physical job all of his life, they no only developed strong muscles but strong joints as well. Joints gain strength more slowly than muscle tissue, but by the time some reaches age 60, it adds up. So while all of the sedentary folks seem to get tendonitis each time they start a new exercise program, our cranky chain-smoker can keep plugging along and get even stronger because his joints are immune to injury.

What does all this mean? If you have been exercising regularly for many years, then you are not the same at age 45 as a 45-year old who has done little or no exercise. Don't place limits on yourself based on what "other people your age" are doing. Obviously, don't be stupid. Know your limits. I know I have limits, although many of those limits are likely attributable to a bad back as opposed to age itself.

I read the same thing I think..
Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging

I'm trying to get my parents to do some exercise, I think I remember from another thread you were having better luck with that. I'm not giving up though..
I've battled lower back stuff forever, luckily swings have made me more durable than ever, I can tweak it doing something (usually something stupid) and it heals in 1/10th the time it used to. I know it's said that swings don't 'fix' back problems but in my case I've come closer than ever to 'fixed'. I'm sure you've done tons of swings and maybe had some improvement? Kettlebells are a great tool for a life of strength and fitness.
I agree about the effects of leading a physical life and having joint strength, tendon strength and tougher bone structure.
I've seen it many times, it cracks me up seeing supposed tough guys in movies or on TV, they puff up some muscle and cuts, have the tough guy facial hair and attitude...
But then I look at their little girly hands (no offence meant to our ladies) and laugh. You can't fake man hands, you have to earn them.

 

[Bret S.]

I'm more jacked and strong now than I have been in over 20 years, more jacked than my avatar pic which was from early Spring, and my goal now is to add just a few more lbs and slowly improve mobility and body comp till I croak. Am 50, Bday in Sept.

I intend to finish this thing on my feet.

Amen brother! I went for a dirty bulk phase in Nov 2016
Stupidest move, it stretched my skin out too much.

Then I stopped any hypertrophy work and concentrated on SFG. In the end I now have some skin stretch, you can't see it in the pic but it's there...stupid...stupid...stupid...Arrrghhh...

 

[Antti]

Life is nasty, brutish, and short
-Lord Byron
Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse
-Hells Angels

"It is entirely seemly for a young man killed in battle to lie mangled by the bronze spear. In his death all things appear fair."
-Homer

 

[Bret S.]

In his death all things appear fair

Not to him I'm sure :-\ Easy for Homer to say as he's not in the young man's place..

 

[Bret S.]

our cranky chain-smoker can keep plugging along and get even stronger because his joints are immune to injury.

Sounds like a good candidate for the O.F.C.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Amen brother! I went for a dirty bulk phase in Nov 2016 View attachment 6002
Stupidest move, it stretched my skin out too much.

Then I stopped any hypertrophy work and concentrated on SFG. In the end I now have some skin stretch, you can't see it in the pic but it's there...stupid...stupid...stupid...Arrrghhh...
View attachment 6003

This is why I stopped doing most chest work unless it more or less isolates the upper pec. I didn't like what gravity was doing to my manboobs when they weren't pumped up good, which was less and less...they gotta just go.