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Kettlebell Programming the Armor Building Complex/Grad Workout

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Sean M

Sean M

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The Grad Workout / Armor Building Complex (ABC):
  • 2 double cleans
  • 1 double press
  • 3 double front squats
Has anyone programmed it for a few weeks? Such as (and I’m just spit-balling, please critique):
  • 3x/week: Heavy, Medium, Volume
  • Heavy: 3-5RM (press), as many quality sets in 15:00 as possible. Try to add a set every week or two
  • Medium: Same weight, but rest more so you do 2 less sets than Heavy day (e.g. 9 sets on Heavy day, aim for 7 sets on Medium day but 6 is ok too)
  • Volume: ~70% of the weight (2x16 if 2x24 is main weight, or 2x20 or 2x24 if 2x32 is the main weight), and done for more reps per set: 4-2-6. Try to match Heavy day sets.
Go for 6 weeks at the most.

I know the ABC is a workout/“a thing” and not a program, but why couldn’t it be?
 
Sean M said:
I know the ABC is a workout/“a thing” and not a program, but why couldn’t it be?
Click to expand...

It could and it should.

Borrowing my own stuff from another forum...

- Choose a *VERY* light KB: one you can strict press it at least five times. I would be even more conservative and choose my 8-10RM.

- Do five iterations of the 2-1-3 sequence and call it a day.

- Don't rush the reps, take your time between movements, make sure they all are beautiful, crisp reps. I also tend to rest between one minute and ninety seconds.

- Keep doing five sequences until it gets almost too easy.

- Then work your way up to ten sequences in the same manner.

- When it gets too easy again, try to get fifteen sequences (that's fifteen presses, thirty cleans and forty five squats total).

Once you can do those fifteen "easy" sets, there are two possible ways to progress:

- Bump the load a bit and start all over again at five sequences.

- Or do 4-2-6 instead of 3-1-2 and begin at five sequences. The ultimate goal would be being able to do fifteen sequences of 6-3-9 reps (ninety cleans, forty five presses and one hundred and thirty five squats). That would be complete KB ownage.

Aaaaaaand... if you are really, really, really a masochist, add some rack walks to the end of each sequence.

Dan John's "Left of Passage" is another workout worth exploring and, maybe, morphing into a full program.
 
Asked John about programing His ABC on His forum few weeks back.

That's a great answer.

I wish the interwebz people would ask ME about programming my workouts. They, of course, would be bothered by my response:

Do it. Then ask.

Use it first (the 2-1-3) as part of a workout...a few rounds. Then, try tossing it twice a week for a bit. When you get past the early issues with technical stuff...foot position seems to be a common questions (move them!)...you can easily add them:

I would suggest three times a week one week, then twice the next. Rotate that a few times, then move along. Occasionally, make this the whole training session: go for a while. I can't imagine more than 15-20 minutes, but online I have seen people do it longer.

I originally combined this with tumbling work, so people were gassed after training. I never did 2-1-3 WITH tumbling back to back, but I can only imagine it being exhausting and the quality would drop.

The key, I have always thought, is driving that press up. So, using double 36s and making the ONE press and THEN having those damn FSs seems to be more like what I was thinking originally.

Of course, same person, the next workout you use 16s and go for a long time...there is a logic (to me) there, too.

Don't make it crazy: stick with 2-1-3 (Proven to Work!)

Have some long, light sessions. Have some I go/you go sessions. Do some sessions "On the Minute," my all-time large group training method, maybe even slide the weeks into the fractal:

Week One: Two sessions
Week Two: One session
Week Three: Three sessions

It is a "one stop shop" for KB work, not unlike the O lifts, but oddly harder for some (the damn bells are harder to control).

Eric, that 2-1-3 with swings was not an original for them either, btw. My knock on that, as always, is the issue of "more."

"More" is the enemy of "enough."
Click to expand...
 
Seems like DJ answer is the one to start with...
I mostly do these buttom-up (lighter of course) in the prep part of the session for a couple of rounds... Really makes your body to pay attention

EDIT: corrected wierd stuff my auto-dictionary did...
 
Last edited:
Great answers already!
Since I do not have a fixed routine right now (will start one in 2 weeks to lose a bit of lard) I am just playing around.
By accident I did the Armour Building Complex yesterday to get a feel for 2x32.

Here is another variation that you could use if you want to use some really heavy weight:

Day 1:
8 sets

Day 2:
6 sets

Day 3:
10 sets

Rest: 2-5 mins between sets

Do if for 4-6weeks or so and it feels probably lighter after that
 
Fascinating stuff! @Stefan Olsson great find, thanks for sharing. I have seen the "2-1-3 + 10 swings" version too, and agree with Dan's comment that "More is the enemy of Enough".

I like the idea of sprinkling it in around other things and trying to go for more rounds over time. This kind of thing could fit in well as a variety day between Medium and Light days in RoP, in place of an S&S day (to keep up on double KB skills), or as a minimalist routine of 1-2 days of this and 1-2 days of A+A heavy snatches.
 
@Stefan Olsson yes, thank you for sharing.

The last few weeks, when my hands could use a day of rest from my S&S practice, I've been getting this complex in. I've really enjoyed how it breaks up my week of training.
 
Maine-ah KB said:
To my mind one could just program it via time. Heavy day 25 min
Med 20min
Light 10 and

And just add subtract time from week to week and however many sets you get is what you get that day.
Click to expand...

This is what I was thinking. Similarly, you could do it EDT/Dry Fighting Weight style and set the timer for 30 minutes. Just make sure to not turn it into a metcon and keep the reps crisp. If possible, some days do sets of three, some days do singles, some days doubles, some days ladders, etc as prescribed in DFW. Again, not sure if that's possible if the weights are heavy enough.

If it is as taxing as DFW, I wouldn't go more than four weeks without a deload/program change if doing three days a week.

I think you might be able to go with a heavier KB with ABC compared to DFW. As I understand it, one of brilliant parts of ABC is that DJ balanced out the complex. The press, not the front squat and not the clean, is usually the first to fail if the movements are equal. Hence, more cleans than presses and more front squats than cleans. I haven't tested it, though. I'm curious what others think or have experienced.

-------------

Or you could do it the way Dan John laid out above and not listen to me. :)
 
What results have you seen from ABC? It's almost like a double kettlebell evolution of S&S. S&S has a push and a pull (carry too for me as I always do farmers walks after. I think they've been a game changer. Thicker upper back and shoulder area). ABC has a push, pull, and a squat (again, I would do carries but that's just me).
 
I need to buy another 24k ... with a pair of bells another world of training opens up!
 
Stefan Olsson said:
Asked John about programing His ABC on His forum few weeks back.
Click to expand...


Stefan,

Started doing the ABC last week, unfortunately I only have 2x24kg and 2x32kg (1x36kg & 1x48kg). 24kgs are too easy, 15sets in 15min with relative ease.. but with 2x32kg , my FS form falls apart, core strength I think..

Thinking of adding one Sots Press to the ABC instead of the military press with the light bell to help progress to the 2x32kg..

Thoughts?
 
justin peter lynch said:
Stefan,

Started doing the ABC last week, unfortunately I only have 2x24kg and 2x32kg (1x36kg & 1x48kg). 24kgs are too easy, 15sets in 15min with relative ease.. but with 2x32kg , my FS form falls apart, core strength I think..

Thinking of adding one Sots Press to the ABC instead of the military press with the light bell to help progress to the 2x32kg..

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Dan John has stated how he program his ABC. See quote below;

I wish the interwebz people would ask ME about programming my workouts. They, of course, would be bothered by my response:

Do it. Then ask.

Use it first (the 2-1-3) as part of a workout...a few rounds. Then, try tossing it twice a week for a bit. When you get past the early issues with technical stuff...foot position seems to be a common questions (move them!)...you can easily add them:

I would suggest three times a week one week, then twice the next. Rotate that a few times, then move along. Occasionally, make this the whole training session: go for a while. I can't imagine more than 15-20 minutes, but online I have seen people do it longer.

I originally combined this with tumbling work, so people were gassed after training. I never did 2-1-3 WITH tumbling back to back, but I can only imagine it being exhausting and the quality would drop.

The key, I have always thought, is driving that press up. So, using double 36s and making the ONE press and THEN having those damn FSs seems to be more like what I was thinking originally.

Of course, same person, the next workout you use 16s and go for a long time...there is a logic (to me) there, too.

Don't make it crazy: stick with 2-1-3 (Proven to Work!)

Have some long, light sessions. Have some I go/you go sessions. Do some sessions "On the Minute," my all-time large group training method, maybe even slide the weeks into the fractal:

Week One: Two sessions
Week Two: One session
Week Three: Three sessions

It is a "one stop shop" for KB work, not unlike the O lifts, but oddly harder for some (the damn bells are harder to control).

Eric, that 2-1-3 with swings was not an original for them either, btw. My knock on that, as always, is the issue of "more."

"More" is the enemy of "enough."
Click to expand...


Other than that I know Pat Flynn has a few versions of the ABC like The “Cardio” Muscle-Builder and Armor Building + Snatches. They are found in his free E-book Racked and Loaded, a great source of workouts.


Hope that helps!
 
justin peter lynch said:
Stefan,

Started doing the ABC last week, unfortunately I only have 2x24kg and 2x32kg (1x36kg & 1x48kg). 24kgs are too easy, 15sets in 15min with relative ease.. but with 2x32kg , my FS form falls apart, core strength I think..

Thinking of adding one Sots Press to the ABC instead of the military press with the light bell to help progress to the 2x32kg..

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

If 2x24 is too easy, do 4/2/6 instead of the official 2/1/3, working your way up to fifteen sets, and then give 6/3/9 a try.
 
Hi all,

I’ve been experimenting with the ABC for a few weeks now. The times below include both work and rest. Every 2 weeks I’ll reduce the time by 10 seconds per set or add additional reps.

As far as progress, the 24s keep feeling lighter but I have not “tested” in any way.

Medium day:
2x20kg 1:40 for 3 sets
2x24kg 2:40 for 8 sets

Light day:
2x20kg 1:40 for 8 sets
2x20kg 0:55 for 10 sets

Heavy day:
2x20kg 1:40 for 3 sets
2x24kg 2:40 for 10 sets

I may need to rethink the “light” day as it really kicks my a#@ with the shortened rest periods, even with the lighter bells. Any feedback or thoughts would be much appreciated!
 
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