Previously, i've reviewed P90X and my experience with it: this is what i thought was a high intensity 12 week set of work outs attached to the mantra "bring it." My entire opinion of P90X has now been shredded based on my experience with Art of Strength's second kettlbell workout video, AOS: Newport [UK: LondonKettlebells.com for ordering | Northamerica, here direct to AOS]. P90X is a gentle romp compared to this.
This is a 55 minute post modern workout (it has three endings: that's pretty pomo). If you *think* you're strong and want to check in with yourself, this is an excellent workout for a very fast very efficient reality check. If you *think* you're interested in this kind of test, or would even like to use this as a regular workout, read on.
Technorati Tags: kettlebell
Brett Jones, in a great article on the Deadlift, refers to Steve Justa and one of his ultra simple deadlift plans. That plan is in Justa's fantastic book Rock, Iron, Steel: The Book of Strength [UK: Londonkettlebells.com it about £5 less than Amazon / North America, Amazon works]. In chapter one, "Lifting for Strength and Endurance" Justa writes about every once in awhile doing something very challenging that taxed both strength and endurance to see where you are with yourself. For Justa, that's included walking a few miles with a 200lb weighted vest. For me right now, it's Art of Strength's Newport DVD.
The 55 min multiple set kettlbell workout is designed as a "regular" workout. If you do not alrady have a regular kettlebell workout regimen - or are coming off some other high intensity workout routine like P90X and are wondering where to go next - there are enough ways to pace yourself through this DVD that it would be an awesome tool as such. I have a workout routine right now that i'm pretty happy with. Therefore, Newport has become a monthly Justa-fy myself, where i have to get the moxy up to push to keep up with Anthony Diluglio, the workout leader.
Again, i don't wish to give the impression that this is not a great regular workout on it's own: my review of it is how it fits in with an established routine in order to take stock of where i am, and where i want to be.
Solo Diluglio
Unlike other DVDs of this sort, there's no back up participants following along: it's just Mr. Diluglio in front of the Big Anchor down in Newport with his Punch Gym truck parked in the shot. Actually that's one of the subtle pluses of this vid: it's clear that a kettlebell is pretty much something you can use anywhere: if you have enough room to swing a small cat, you can swing a kettlebell - and push up on a kettlebell, and kick while holding a kettlebell, and sots press with a kettlebell - you get the idea. If you've seen Anthony Diluglio's Minute of Strength videos explaining various moves, this is the same guy: much less talking about a move here; much more doing those moves (does he even break a sweat? at least you can hear him breathing).
The Moves.
As for those moves, the DVD assumes that you've mastered kettlebell basics like the Swing, Turkish Get Up, Snatch, Clean and Press, and feel comfortable with the occasional kick, squat, cossack stretch and sots press (try alternating a kick with a bell in the rack followed by a sots press, changing sides for three minutes - after 40 mins of intense work).
If you are not yet up on these moves, you're recommended to get hip with the form via Enter the Kettlebell book/ebook/DVD (review here) [note, AOS makes a super workbook to go along with Enter the Kettlebell's beginner and intermediate workouts].
Big Balls? Definitely Not
The instruction makes clear that this workout is designed to be done with two particular kettlebells, gender specific: 8kg for women; 16kg for men (if you're super strong 12/20 are the other gender ok'd ranges).They're not kidding. I'm comfortable doing a lot of snatches with a 16, and doing cleans with a 20kg. The first time through this video with the 8kg, i had to change my weaker side in the sots press (round 6) for a ten pounder. The very first move of round 1 of holding up that 8kg while doing a cossack stretch - without resting my elbows on my thighs - was enough to make me wonder if i could get through the rest of the routine. Fortunately, things actually seemed more tractable after that - at least till that dam sots press. Conquering that particular move is a measurable accomplishment (at least to me).
The Sets
The sets or rounds themselves are alternating two moves within a three minute slot, and/or alternating sides. If you do all three endings, that's 10 sets of 20 moves, circuit style, plus an 11th set bonus 5 min. snatch test. It's this full body attack that ensures you feel fully flushed by the end of the endeavor.
The amazing thing is, just watching through the video, i thought oh ya, no probs, i can do all these moves; there's lots of full minute breaks. Should be *easy*. I actually said this to myself: "easy." Ha! it is to laugh. P90X is *easy* compared to this (and i'm in much better shape now than i was at the end of P90X). This is a *serious* workout.
That said, again, it would be wrong to give the impression that i've fallen on the ground gasping for breath after doing the Newport workout. On the contrary: it's exhilarating. This positive ending, is, i think, largely because of the pacing and the full minute recovery. These workouts are thought out. And of course, if that one minute recovery isn't enough on some days, well, press pause for a little longer. Likewise, if snatching at the same pace as Diluglio is more of a killer than your life currently requires, well go slower.
Big Special Effects for Training
Because the sets are SO intense, one of the best assets of the video presentation is the big red bar timer on the left of the screen present for each three minute set, with the bar marked at 30 sec. intervals. As time passes, the red in the bar drops down. This bar is not unique to the AoS video, but it is a great feature to have. This, along with Anthony's vocal reminders of X many seconds left in a particular move, makes it easy to know exactly where one is in the set - and how far away that next full minute recovery is. The video also has three soundtrack options (two different original music tracks and one with no background music track). AoS also promotes those musicians on its web site. Nice touch, guys.
While Diluglio doesn't recommend it or not, one can wear a heart rate monitor (just turn the watch face away from where the bell will land in a snatch): this is another way to monitor progress from one session to the next.
After the Party's Over
At the start of this review, i suggested that for me, the AOS Newport vid is a monthly challenge; a way to take stock of where my current strengths and weaknesses are - as well as a way just to say wow, i did that. There are a bunch of ways to keep tabs and think about tuning a regular workout relative to this monthly test. This is how i've done it:
1. keep track of how many sets are at the same pace as Diluglio
2. keep track of where any extra pauses are put in (or not)
3. able to keep going with the kettlebell you start with?
4. there are three possible endings/bonus rounds: how many were completed?
5. record numbers from the five minute snatch test
6. check/record heart rate at end of workout or at end of each set.
What i've found is that depending how i'm feeling in a different place, i can see if i want/need to take up my VO2 max training, or work on particular muscle groups. That sots press really let me know that my left shoulder could use some attention - just doing the sots press on it's own as part of my usual routine had not shown that up; that combination did. Likewise feeling winded at one point made me wonder about beefing up my swing/snatch work during the week.
Wrap UP
AOS's Newport DVD is a non-trivial workout: it certainly gets my heart going, tests my strength and, depending on how frequently i've done it, my mental fortitude. If you're looking for an intense regular cardio/endurance workout that can be done in a small space with little gear, AOS Newport is bang on; if you're thinking you'd like to Justa-fy yourself once in awhile as part of a monthly (or so) check in with an other regimine, AOS Newport will definitely take you there.