Beginner looking clarification where to start

[discgolf]

Hello! First apologies, I’m sure these questions have been asked many times before, but I’m struggling to land on something to commit to.

So I’m looking to workout 3 times a week, the odd time I might try fit 4, but 3 is mostly likely due to quite a busy schedule. I have 2x12kg, 1x16kg and 1x20kg kettlebells at home. Ideally, I’d like to put on some mass. I’m currently quite a skinny guy so I figure anything at this point would help, but it would be nice to focus on movements that would help with this.

I’ve heard of programs such as simple and sinister, but I’m not a fan of TGUs and it seems more focused on conditioning? I really like the look of armour building complex, but I’ve read complexes don’t work like programs and shouldn’t be done 3 times a week, is this correct? Is there something similar out there like abc but fashioned as a program I’m able to follow?

Any clarifications around programs vs complexes and recommendations on where I should start are appreciated!

 

[dawn16]

@discgolf Dan John has a book coming out soon all about ABC and making it a program.

 

[discgolf]

@dawn16 Thanks for the heads up! Has he mentioned a date?

 

[dawn16]

@discgolf Haven’t found one yet but I did find an interesting idea when looking. He mentioned an A/B split with A being ABC and B being high rep single arm presses. Maybe 5 rounds of 2-3-5-10.

 

[saved_by_grace82]

@discgolf Honestly, as a beginner, almost anything you do will work for a while. Just do the ABC for a while and you’ll be fine. If it’s the only exercise you’re doing, you don’t need to worry about overtraining.

A lot of people get so worried about finding the perfect program they never just get started.

 

[byrdtalk]

@discgolf congrats on the kettlebells. just start with a program that has good reviews and looks good to you. put your focus on being consistent, healthy diet and good sleep rather than this or that program. what ever program you choose you will modify/change it later anyways . physical fitness is a journey that lasts lifetime

 

[dawes]

@discgolf Iron Cardio could help. The basic idea is: clean, press, squat (+swing/snatch/pullup, up to you). Very flexible structure: do 1 rep each for a various amount of sets without worrying about time, or set a timer and do as many sets as you can.
Singles or doubles is up to you every session. Load is up to you again.
Can do ladders 1-2-3, can do what they call moving target (2-3-5 on cleans, then 2-3-5 on press, then 2-3-5 on squats), can focus on higher reps for a lift (eg: ladder only the press), can do travelling 2s (2cleans, 1 press, 1 squat then 1clean 2press 1squat etc...)

It's a fairly simple and flexible plug and play system that doesn't lock you into session types and set days

 

[discgolf]

@dawes Thanks, I’ll check it out! Is iron Cardio a paid for program? Also ladders, is that first set one rep, second set two reps and so on? I tend to feel a little lost if there is too much flexibility as I don’t know whats good to begin with

 

[dawes]

@discgolf Yes the whole book is paid for, but the concept is talked about a lot if you google.

Ladder wise, you'd do 1,2,3 reps for 1 lift per ladder.

1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat

1 clean, 2 press, 1 squat

1 clean, 3 press, 1 squat

then you repeat the same ladder:

1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat

1 clean, 2 press, 1 squat

1 clean, 3 press, 1 squat

or you ladder another lift instead:

1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat

1 clean, 1 press, 2 squat

1 clean, 1 press, 3 squat

 

[felipe1]

@discgolf I started with follow along YouTube videos, there are lots of options but I used Lebe Stark. I found it helpful to watch their form and they have lots of technique videos as well to learn from.

 

[discgolf]

@felipe1 Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll look up Lebe Stark when I get home

 

[tamalyn]

@discgolf I've been doing ABCs 3x a week for about a year now. I still have all my limbs and Dan John has not appeared in my dreams to tell me off. I think my two most recent comments have a link with a way to programme it

 

[discgolf]

@tamalyn Haha true, doing something is better than nothing. I see you mentioned about sets while doing abcs, how does that work? I just assumed it was always emom

 

[tamalyn]

@discgolf I still do them on an EMOM / interval basis. By sets I mean the number of ABCs performed each interval. So sets of 2 is 2 cleans, 1 press, 3 squats, 2 cleans, 1 press, 3 squats, put the bells down and wait for the beep.

 

[riversong1119]

@discgolf Simple and Sinister is a good start for doing kettlebell. If it is combined with Zone 2, it can be the best cardio workout routine. I could lose weight 19lbs with this routine. If you interested, please reply.