Adding Kettlebell Armor Building to Other Programs | Dan John

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Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly strength training workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. Dan is also a Senior Lecturer for St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.

His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.”

Dan is one of the original practitioners of the "Kettlebell Swing" in the US and is widely renowned to be the inventor of the "Kettlebell Goblet Squat". He is the host of the weekly Dan John Podcast; discussing all things strength, kettlebells, Olympic weightlifting and athletic performance as well as doing live workshops, coaching and online personal training.

#danjohn #strengthtraining #nutrition #onlinepersonaltraining #danjohnpodcast #kettlebell #powerlifting #kettlebelltraining

[raymondwade]

The kettlebell ABC Complex is a constant in my various workout programs. From primary workouts: 20-30 minute EMOM’s with a pair of 20k’s; 5x5’s with 36k’s, to a component of high rep calisthenics workouts, to sprints, the ABC complex remains my go to.

[warrenellis]

When I program it, I do ABC as Dan John suggests. Monday, Friday, Wednesday, repeat. I stagger it with another program by someone else, some Pavel guy, called the “total tension complex.”

It’s one clean, one press, one squat, row right, left, done. You only pyramid the presses up and then down, keeping everything else at one rep for the duration.

For me, a program like this compliments the ABC because abc is squat dominant, and presses seem to be at practice volume. The opposite is true with the other program. I do this on the Wednesday Monday Friday I’m recovering from ABC.

Not posting to advertise another program, but humbly offering ideas for the kinds of things which can go nicely with ABC, depending on your goals.

Thank you.

[albertsmith]

I would have loved to have seen this question three months ago. I jumped in at the new year with the Armor Building Complex on the days after my primary kettlebell long cycle program and crashed about 6 weeks in, suffering from aches, pains and an unexpected spike in my BP.

I had to cut out something, so I dropped the ABC, and I'm back to a high level of performance and have no adverse pains and my BP and resting heart rate have gone back down to my usual low normal.

My long cycle program will end the end of April, so I'm going to go back to the ABC as my primary exercise along with my walking, about 4 to 5 miles a day. Hopefully I can enjoy the benefits of the ABC as a stand alone program.

Let us know when your book on the ABC comes out, Dan.

[kevinorr]

I have PTSD from the air bikes from back in my academy days!! I fail the talk test when i just get near them! I like rowing, but it just isn't the same feeling at all as walking, for me at least. (algo bump)

[charlesmarshall]

I use a rowing machine a lot, but it’s really ideal for high-intensity training rather than z1/z2 cardio. Much easier to use a bike for the latter if brisk walking isn’t your thing.

[topher]

Hi Dan, you mentioned a book where ABC is the focus? Can you share a link? Thank you for all the great content.

[yellowbeard]

I did the double kettlebell ABC with 30 pound bells. First time ever doing a double kettlebell workout and I did 17 rounds before stopping due to core stability issues. My low back muscles and core have been sore for 5 days, my glutes and quads already recovered.

Not sure how to address this outside of doing the same workout over and over but either way lower volume, then add volume over time so that I’m only sore for 3 days.

The bells are 30 pounds because I’m at Planet Fitness and that’s the heaviest they have. Someday I will get 2 adjustable weight kettlebells for my place but those are expensive and $10 a month is cheap.

[thomasdobson]

Hey John. Me again...lol
This is my second week of doing the ABC workout 3 times a week. My God, my body changing but I am exhausted by the third day. I tried the Humane Burpee in between but I just fell in love with the ABC. My question is, am I doing this to much. By the I train with double 40lb kettlebells?

[markrobinson]

I ❤ assault bikes, great for a light no impact warm up, and great at trying to explode your heart and lungs when doing sprints on them

[nicksteffen]

Whats the book you referenced as just having finished?

[sethbaughman]

What is the absolute longest amount of time you would perform an EMOM armor building complex workout? I regularly do 30 minutes with dbl 16kg(my only set of doubles I own currently) Would stretching it up to 60 minutes maybe once a month be too much?