Final Self-Assessment of the PM for MMA

Well I finished the 18 week program and took two steps forward and one step back. Since the last assessment I started really watching the carbs to cut the fat; and it worked very well since I’m back in my comfort zone. However it appears I sacrificed some size and my strength remains the same. I taped a Press Test and posted to Facebook here. I thought I had 6 reps, and thought I’d hit 7 however 5 was all I managed. My 60lb maximum remained which is 39% of my bodyweight so at least I’m not weaker and have a good strength to body weight ratio. Let’s look at body comp:

Fitness Progress Report:

Body Composition

Body Part                      Before                  After                   -/+

Neck                               14.00                   14.25             +.25

Shoulders                  44.50                   43.62              -.88

Chest                             38.00                  38.00               0

Waist                             32.50                   32.25              -.25

Biceps                           12.75                   12.50              -.25

Forearms                   11.10                    10.87             -.23

Thighs                         21.82                   21.95              +.13

Calves                          14                           13.8                -.20

Weight                         156 lbs              151.8                 -4.2 lbs

Body Fat %                15.7%                14.6%               -1.1%

Lean Body Mass    131.6 lbs        129.60           -1.0lbs

Final tally from when I started the program I have gains in weight, lean body mass, body fat, biceps, forearms, thighs and calves. Neck and chest dropped. Hmm, looking at it that way I feel better about the results. Big picture view works. I started practicing the more complex moves of the new program on Wednesday’s and that has helped my conditioning. Now after my deload week, no exercise at all I’ll get started on Mike Mahler’s Kettlebell Solution For MMA Strength And Conditioning though not at the level he recommends. I’ll start at two for the lifts instead of 5 since it’s my first time with double kettlebells, and I’ll be sprinting once a week as well for hormonal optimization. The strength will come from

Double Kettlebell Clean and Push Press

Double Kettlebell Squat Shrug

Guard Attack

Alternating Renegade Row

Full Body Attack or Full Body Defense

Double Swing

And Conditioning from One-Handed Swings and Squat Thrusts. Two lift days, one conditioning and one sprint day. Let’s see what that forges.

Related articles

• Three Years of Dedication; Conventional Wisdom Falls to the Primal Blueprint & Kettlebells (roninsjourney.wordpress.com)
• Geoff Neupert, StrongFirst Master Kettlebell Instructor, Releases New Video Showing the Best Upper Body Exercises to Use in Traditional Kettlebell Workouts (prweb.com)

Second Self-Assessment of the Year; Round Two of PM for MMA Complete

Two-thirds of the way through the Program Minimum for MMA; seeing some gains and efficiency as I progress. Before I was having problems maintaining three minutes of steady swings, which was really bothering me. Then three weeks ago…I broke it…the swing barrier. This past Friday I swung the 44lb kettlebell for 5 minutes straight. Very happy with that. Haven’t done that…ever. This, along with the jumping rope and running, kicks my heart into the top end of the moderate-high intensity to high intensity zone. The former builds above average cardiovascular endurance and the latter builds speed and power. I can’t argue with those results.

As for strength I’ll be adding to the TGU’s and Crush Curls, after three weeks of using only the 44lb I’ll take a superset out with it and add the 53lb for three weeks and then make it two supersets. Then I cool down with a walk with the 53lb locked out overhead. I’ve been getting stronger so how are the measurements bearing out.

Fitness Progress Report:

Body Composition

Body Part                      Before                  After                   -/+

Neck                               14.20                   14.0                  -.20

Shoulders                  44.80                   44.5                 -.30

Chest                             38.00                  38.00               0

Waist                             32.50                   32.50                0

Biceps                           12.40                   12.75              +.35

Forearms                   11                          11.10               +.10

Thighs                         22.10                   21.82              -.28

Calves                          13.8                      14                     +.20

Weight                         153.8 lbs            156                   +2.2 lbs

Body Fat %                15.2%                  15.7%               +0.5%

Lean Body Mass    130.50 lbs        13 1.60           +1.1lbs

Everything but my biceps, forearms and calves have stayed the same. The crush curls helped the pulling strength and size of the biceps, and gripping the kettlebell in swings tightened up my forearms. Calves, all I can say is the jump rope did it. Body fat crept up a half a percent but I don’t see it gathering anywhere in particular. Lean body mass went up as well, and odd balance of a pound of fat for a pound of muscle. I can deal with that, and can’t wait to see the end results and before/after pictures. I’ll probably start easing into the next program’s conditioning phase of 15 one-arm swings and 15 squat thrusts for ten rounds (I’ll work up to it).

Related articles

• Three Years of Dedication; Conventional Wisdom Falls to the Primal Blueprint & Kettlebells (roninsjourney.wordpress.com)
• Geoff Neupert, StrongFirst Master Kettlebell Instructor, Releases New Video Showing the Best Upper Body Exercises to Use in Traditional Kettlebell Workouts (prweb.com)

Three Years of Dedication; Conventional Wisdom Falls to the Primal Blueprint & Kettlebells

Wow, I just finished looking at my stats from three years ago. What stats, you’re wondering: my physical stats since I started intelligently training. I always trained but never knew what the hell I was doing. Let’s see how far I have come…

                                  March 2010              June 2011                 January 2013

Weight                    166.4lbs                               137                          153.8

Neck                        14.5in                                   14                              14.2

Shoulders              42.5                                      41.75                       44.8

Chest                       40.5                                      36                              38

Biceps                     13.25                                    11.75                        12.4

Forearms              11.25                                     10.33                       11

Waist                       34.5                                       30                             32.5

Thigh                       22.5                                       19.5                         22.10

Calves                     14.25                                     13.25                      13.8

LeanBody Mass  131.78lbs                             123.12                   130.5

Bodyfat                  20.8%/34.61lbs               10.13%/13.87     15.2%/23.37

Look at the belly

If you’ve read my Primal Blueprint Success Story here you’ll see how I dropped all the weight and so far kept the fat at athletic levels according to the YMCA. Or fitness levels

June 2010

here, as long as I stay in this area I’m good. Three years ago, I was shocked at my waist and the fact my strength was nowhere near where I thought it was. I mean my 15lb kettlebell I considered heavy and my 25lb dumbells really heavy. At one point I hit 174lbs, and that was the final straw. I jumped into a lifestyle change with the Primal Blueprint. Fat started disappearing, lean muscle mass disappearing as well, probably from the caloric deficit. But that could be built back up.

Jan 2011

  

And I did, with the help of Pavel’s Enter The Kettlebell and starting with the sad little 15lb kettlebell to the 30lb kettlebell (close to average) to now alternating between the 44lb and 53lb kettlebells. So between the ballistics of swings and snatches and the grinds of high volume presses and TGUs, I have come  a long way. Strength has come a long way and the size is coming back but its back as muscle. And it’s a new year, I’m just getting started. In fact my second assessment of the year is next Sunday, and In April I’ll document the change the Program Minimum for MMA has accomplished in pictures. Then…double kettlebell work. To see all the details check out Ronin’s Primal/Kettlebell Journey

44 and 53 last June 2012

What Brings You Joy?

What are your simple joys in life? The things you make time for, that you prioritize. What are the benefits of them?

 

Myself, I make time at least twice, usually 3 times a week to pick up a Kettlebell and train. An hour at the most, the shorter the better as long as the intensity is there for a good session.

 

Why do I love it? I am improving myself, learning my limits and beating them all. Functional fitness. Why I love it is also the benefits.

 

Wednesdays, comic book day, where I can escape into the world of fantasy. Life takes so much attention and thought it is nice to escape to Gotham City, or run with the X-Men. Benefit: relaxation. 

 

Reading anything of my interest. When I start something, and even before for that matter, I research, and continue afterwards gaining even more understanding. Benefit: knowing myself and the power of applied knowledge.

 

Saturdays: Martial Arts (also a much read topic) which bleed over into the week as I practice and internalize the “how”, “why”. Benefits: fitness, confidence, and self-defense.

 

And most importantly, the one thing that trumps all the others combined, Sundays when I go on dates with my wife. If I miss more than one date day, my mood goes to crap. Quality Time with her makes me feel loved, and one of the few things that keeps me off the Internet. Priorities after all. Benefits: love, spiritual recharge and a healthy marriage. 

 

So what brings you joy? What does it say about you?

Program Minimum For MMA; Six Weeks In and A Long Way From Fighting Form

Jeff Martone

Taking a small break from the body of politics to see how my training has affected my body. Six weeks into the variation of the Program Minimum for MMA program designed by Steve Baccari, and I am displeased with my progress as far as stamina goes. It did increase from what I have started with. The first week was 35 swings one day and 50 later in the week for no more than a minute and a half. By the end of the six weeks, my best day was 115 swings in 3 minutes, and I have stayed at 3 minutes. I will have to note that I started swinging the 53lb kettlebell in the beginning and switched to the 44lb after reading a post at Science of the Swing about ‘bell size and goals.

“To wrap it up, increasing the load can only contribute to the power out point to a certain extent. Once above about 30% of body weight the increase in power output is very nominal – so if power output is the goal heavy isn’t better. Speed is king. Now, if power is your ULTIMATE GOAL – the swing might not be the best choice in exercise. WHAT?!?!?! The swing isn’t the best tool – sorry, but no. There is another KB drill that with the same load that results in significantly more power. If you are at Level II right now, you are about to be introduced to the drill – if not, go with what you’ve got, the swing.”

From his test results, the best option for me is 30%of my bodyweight or the 44lb kettlebell for my swings. 3 minutes of swings left me 9 minutes to jump rope and jog. With a Cool-Down of walking for 3 minutes with my 53lb kettlebell locked out overhead. For now, I manage to hold it for thirty seconds. To improve my conditioning I will add a day of Man Makers on Wednesday (12 minutes of swings, jump rope and jogging) in addition to my Monday and Friday sessions.

Now for the Strength portion. I love the progress. I used my RKC Brad’s routine for Turkish Get Ups of five reps instead of 5 minutes alternating in the beginning with my 30lb kettlebell for three reps and my 44lb for two. Now I am up to three reps with the 44 and two with the 30. Next week I begin with four reps with the 44. Three weeks later, I plan to be up to five reps with the 44. The Crush Curls are between 4 to 5 reps with whatever kettlebell I performed I used during the TGU. So let us see what this has accomplished.

Fitness Progress Report:

Body Composition

Body Part Before After -/+

Neck 14.35 14.20 -.15

Shoulders 43.25 44.80 +1.55

Chest 38.75 38.00 -.75

Waist 32.25 32.50 +.25

Biceps 12.25 12.40 +.15

Forearms 10.85 11 +.15

Thighs 21.25 22.1o +.85

Calves 13.5 13.8 +.30

Weight 150.2 lbs 153.8 +3.6 lbs

Body Fat % 14.4% 15.2% +0.8%

Lean Body Mass 128.50 lbs 130.50 +2.0lbs

Minor loss in my neck and chest and the three biggest gainers in mass was my shoulders, courtesy of the TGU’s and Overhead Kettlebell Walk; my thighs and calves thanks to the swings and jumprope. Arms went up due to the crush curls. I predict in six weeks I’ll even out and be more symmetrical. My body fat went up by almost a percentage point along with 2 pounds of muscle. Back up to my post 53lb ROP plus a little more lean body mass. I did predict the fat would drop, and I was wrong. Still in my comfort zone. We’ll see!