Home Gym Workout – Kettlebells & Deadlifts #2
6:15 P.M.
Simple & Sinister Warmup
Goblet Squats – 5 x 16kg
Hip Bridges – 5
Pumps – 5
Halos – 5L & 5R x 16kg
Three rounds total
Workout B
Kettlebell Swings – 36kg x 10 sets of 10 two-handed swings (1:15 rest)
Military Press – Ladders (1,2,3) x 4 rounds x 24kg (:30 rest)
Snatches – 10R/10L – 4 rounds x 16kg (1:15 rest) / 10R/10L – 1 round x 24kg (1:30 rest)
Chinups – 5 x 3 sets (2:00 rest)
For those of us crazy enough to build our own home gyms and stock them with kettlebells, we have the perfect tool to take on the road when work commitments call us out of the office. I had to stay a few days at a resort in the suburbs earlier this week and figured what the hell and took a 32kg and 16kg kettlebell with me.
I kicked off the next phase of my Fall strength training program today – Pavel Tsatsouline’s Kettlebells and Deadlifts Part II.
The basic premise is to start with the “sort of max” from the Vodka & Pickles program – mine was 385# – and then plan to hit a double of that in 10 or 11 workouts. Alternate days of deadlifts with heavy kettlebell swings/snatches and at the end of the program test the sort of max again. Hoping to finally hit 405# in that one during the week of Christmas.
Someone suggested I put together all of my Vodka & Pickles workout posts together in one long post as a recap.
Today was the final workout of my Vodka and Pickles progression and the day for me to test my “sort of max,” as Dan John describes it. I’d based my deadlifts off a 360 max and I knew last Friday that I was beyond. I ate a ton of food this weekend and took four days off as per Pavel’s instructions and tested for real without all the extra reps at 325. I pulled an ugly 385 on Friday so I was hoping to at least get it a little cleaner.
Today was the final workout of my Vodka and Pickles progression and the day for me to test my “sort of max,” as Dan John describes it. I’d based my deadlifts off a 360 max and I knew last Friday that I was beyond. I ate a ton of food this weekend and took four days off as per Pavel’s instructions and tested for real without all the extra reps at 325. I pulled an ugly 385 on Friday so I was hoping to at least get it a little cleaner.
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
Deadlifts – 360 Max
I’ve always been a morning person. I was never one to sleep until Noon and would be lucky to still be in bed by 8:00 during the summer. Even now I still rarely sleep past 9:00 even with being out DJing until 3:00 in the morning.
An advantage of waking up earlier is that it’s easier to get more done and pack more into my day. Do I really need to stay up late and watch TV when I can just spend Sunday afternoons to catch my favorite shows On Demand?
And with the fall back time change this weekend, it’s a great time to reset your body clock and get in the habit of waking up earlier.
4:45 PM
Vodka & Pickles Workout #15
Cycle C Workout 5
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
5 Halos L&R – 16kg
Repeated 3x
Workout A
Deadlifts – 360 Max
Workout C5- 325 x 1/6 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
Felt good today so I added some reps even though they weren’t in the program.
5:00 rest
345 x 1/2 (reps/sets with :30 rest)
5:00 rest
365 x 1/2 (reps/sets with :30 rest)
The last rep at 365 slowed down a bit but I felt like trying for 385. It was my max back in April at the end of Dan John’s 40-Day Workout so I waited 10:00 and tried again.
New Gear Day – Rogue Hi Temp Bumper Plate – 45lb
With getting towards the end of the Vodka and Pickles workout and looking to do a “sort of” max attempt next week, I needed to add some weight plates. I currently max out around around 310# of iron plates and bumpers. Add in 45# for the barbell and so I’m coming up short when I look to do 405# next week.
With that, I placed an order yesterday morning for a pair of 45lb Hi Temp bumper plates from Rogue. Much to my surprise they showed up at my mailbox today so I was able to test them out during my deadlifts tonight.
5:15 P.M.
Home Gym Workout – Vodka and Pickles #14
Cycle C Workout 4
Warmup
10 Swings – 32 kg
5 Goblet Squats – 32kg
5 Halos L&R – 16 kg
Repeated 3x
Workout B
Deadlifts – see below
One-Arm Kettlebell Press – 8 x 3 – 20 kg (1:30 rest between sets)
Double Kettlebell Front Squat – 5 x 5 – 24 kg
Chins – sets of 3 superset with DKFS (1:30 rest between sets)
Turkish Getup – 5L & 5R – 24 kg
Deadlift cycle – 360 Max
Workout C4: 310 x 1/8 (reps/sets)
:30 rest between sets
When planning the setup for building your own home gym the first step is figuring out where you’re going to put it. Do you have a spare room, or a basement, or a garage? Will you have the whole room or just a small corner? You’ll need to figure out the best use of space and how much room you have within that space.
If it’s just a portion of any of the above then you’re going to have to make do with a smaller overall setup than if you have a larger utility room in the basement or a garage. Don’t worry if you’re lacking in space as just as there is equipment for any budget there’s also equipment for any sized space.