By Zach Even – Esh
Training, in my opinion, has become too scientific and too complicated. This might be why we see so many fancy training facilities and methods yet today, more than ever, people are struggling to get results. The basics coupled with hard work and consistency always works. They might require adjustments to meet your individual needs, but in a nut shell, they’ll always work. I have a few favorites that I’d like to share with you and that I suggest you try on your own. They require Kettlebells, A Pull Up Bar and if you’re able to, a Tractor Tire.
Many people think tractor tires are impossible to find. Not true, there are tire yards everywhere willing to deliver and give away used tractor tires, or you can rent a Home Depot truck and get one yourself. The benefits behind tire flipping are immense. This is a simple yet extremely effective movement for the entire body. One that delivers in terms of improving performance and appearance. This movement adds muscle to your posterior and works the forearms and hands intensely as well.
The tire flip is very similar to the barbell power clean. You are ripping a “weight” from the ground to a vertical position. The tire flip allows you to lean into the weight and allows more force to be demonstrated from your legs.
Tire Flips – excellent for developing raw power, strength, adding muscle and improving athleticism!
If you have a garage or a backyard, you can get yourself a tire, no excuses. Tire flips coupled with the 1 arm or double Kettlebell clean and press, another full body movement, are great. The double clean and press develops full body strength and power. In addition, I favor this movement because it is ground based, which forces your entire body to work overtime compared to typical seated movements that you’ll find in a gym.
The clean and press will develop a powerful back side, strong shoulders and a solid core. Holding the bells overhead requires stability and strength. Back in the day, overhead lifts were the main lifts that demonstrated your ability of strength.
I suggest switching between one handed and double overhead work. The one handed forces the opposing side of your body to stabilize while the two handed loads the body more intensely. Both are great and have equal benefits.
You can also vary between strict presses, push presses and the jerk. I tend to favor the push press and jerk because they involve more of the body and are more athletic type lifts.
Double and Single Arm Kettlebell movements BOTH serve their merit and should be mixed into your workouts equally.
I have been motivated to use the jerk now more than ever before after seeing Valery Federenko jerk a 150 lb dumbbell at my gym. No easy feat when you weigh 180 lbs! In addition, his mastery in the jerk had a great carry over to the tire flip. His first time flipping a tire he cranked out an easy 2 reps with a 600 lb tire.
The jerk teaches you to be explosive, strengthens the entire body and is an all around athletic lift.
Last on my list of top movements is the pull up. The pull up has countless variations and we use them all. We mix our grips on every set as well as use different bars, handles, ropes, towels and add weight via weight belts, back packs, weight vests and even use bands to pull us down as well pull up.
Rolling Thunder Pull Ups
These 3 exercises are super basic yet very effective. The magic bullet that everyone is looking for can be found with basic lifts and regular progression. If you think it’s unrealistic to get yourself a tractor tire think again. There are countless basement, garage and backyard lifters who have better equipped training compounds than the fancy gyms of today. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Zach Even – Esh is a Performance Coach located in NJ. For more info on Zach visit http://ZachEven-Esh.com & http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com
Meditation is one of the best things you can do to relax your mind and handle stress more effectively. High stress equals low DHEA, testosterone, and GH levels. You must get a handle on stress to be at your best. My online client Les Larson told me about this program and after only a few weeks I am hooked.
Just listen to the program for 30-60 minutes per day and you will notice a difference after a few days. After a week you will look forward to each session. I like to use it after working out or before going to bed.
