What to do if you’re stuck in paralysis analysis about program choice...?

To lose fat:

Kettlebell Burn 2.0 (if you need variety and want a nutrition program to speed up the process)...

… Or Kettlebell GHFL if you don’t want to change the food you eat.

For Max Strength, the best are:

LEVEL 1: None

LEVELS 2 & 3: ‘THE GIANT 3.0’

LEVEL 4: Kettlebell STRONG!

Kettlebell MAXIMORUM

LEVEL 5: Kettlebell RMF

For Building Muscle:

LEVEL 1: None

LEVEL 2 & 3: ‘THE GIANT 1.0 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 2.0’

LEVEL 4: Kettlebell MAXIMORUM

LEVEL 5: Kettlebell HARD!

Kettlebell RMF

I got an email from a customer who wished to remain anonymous about mixing strength and cardio.

He’d found a recent email of mine very helpful for getting him out of “paralysis analysis about program choice.”

And so, if you find yourself stuck there too - in “paralysis analysis”...

I thought we’d quickly discuss how to get out and make the choice that best suits you so you can “get back on the horse” pronto.

The simplest way I’ve found to get “unstuck,” is to ask yourself:

“What is my #1 goal? What is it that’s THE most important to me?”

Then pick the program that best meets that goal, based upon:

1. Your technical prowess using kettlebells

2. Your accessibility to kettlebells

3. Your injury history

4. Your training history

5. Your schedule

6. Your stress levels

7. Your willingness to make any necessary changes

Generally speaking, all physical prowess is based upon strength.

So, training for “maximum strength” should take precedence.

Even over “cardio.”

And yes, I know “Zone 2” cardiovascular training and improving your VO2max is all the rage now.

But remember this:

In order to run 3 miles, you have to be able to run 1 mile first.

That’s “strength.”

Build your maximum strength first, and use “strength based conditioning” to improve your “cardio” at the same time.

Remember, it’s not a “low VO2max” that puts people in a nursing home.

It’s a lack of mobility - they can’t get around on their own anymore.

At its heart, it’s a lack of strength.

Then, if you need to, get rid of your excess body fat - especially the stomach/visceral fat - you know, the “beer gut,” the “spare tire,” the “jelly belly.”

And that’s because it speeds up your meeting with the Grim Reaper. And worse, it makes the years between now and then less “fun” because you’ll end up with all kinds of fun (and totally avoidable) lifestyle diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and ED.

Next, train to put on some muscle.

And that’s because we (men) lose 10% of our muscle mass per decade after the age of 30.

And that means if you aren’t proactive in building muscle, you can lose up to 40% of your muscle between ages 30 and 70.

Which is why a lot of older guys are shaped like Christmas trees.

What about the “cardio?”

Where’s that fit into all this?

Well, I’m of the opinion that between daily walking and “strength based conditioning” (of which, certain types improve your VO2max), cover your bases. And those get done simultaneously with the other goals.

Unless of course you want to do a Spartan Race or something like that, and then you’d need to train specifically for it with running, etc. And that’d have to be built specifically into your program.

If I had to diagram this all out for you, it would look something like this:

Build Max Strength — Get Leaner —- Build Muscle — REPEAT.

|--------- Strength Based Conditioning ------------|

So to recap - Pick your #1 goal. It should loosely fall on the scale above.

[SIDE NOTE: The term “Recomp” - short for “Recomposition” - refers to taking continuum we just reviewed and “smooshing it” into one “thing.” When you “Recomp,” you do all 3 at once. It’s slower than training sequentially, but for many, it requires less “Mental RAM” and “emotional effort.” And typically, there’s no “dieting” involved.

I bring this up, because some of my customers prefer “Recomping” than following the continuum.]

Then decide where you skill level falls on the 5-Phase Pyramid for Kettlebell Training below:

If you’re at a loss of where to start, and you have some extra stomach fat that’s been plaguing you and you know you want to get rid of that - start there. Focus on “Getting Leaner.”

And that’s because when you’re over 40, excess stomach fat is just an unnecessary risk / danger you don’t need to be fooling around with.