ABC Program Design - Nerd Math for Fitness Enthusiasts

[@jd7640]

Super helpful, Mark! Good to hear about complimentary programs- links well with your past heavy/light order of operations videos!

[@EnemyOfEldar]

I am still running those "Tetris of training" programs you laid out ages ago on the cork board with the coloured cards. With H L (two exercises) 4 days a week with advancement to 6 days with snatches and club thrown in. Been doing it like that progressing for well over a year and a bit. Went from the 6kg club --> 8kg club all movements. Progressed through 16kg --> 24kg in increments of 2kg (adjustable KB) in KB and on on second cycle of that now. Took months break on bodyweight and flexibility stuff (Tom Merrick and StrengthSide on KZbin) while training with the club. Can now pull up (could never do one. Took 3 months of progress with negative pull ups), do 30 sec L-sit, handstand and forward fold. That's how far your program design has got me. Anything I learn, even if it is a follow-along routine targeting certain things, I put it in a program of your design. What days. When. And always keeping the exercise to about 20mins. Minimal equipment. Minimal space. Gas in the tank. And in all that time I've lost 40kg (126kg --> 86kg) and transformed my body and mind. When people ask me how I did it, and everybody does (which feels wonderful) because we been in lockdown most of a year and I went into it squishy Jack Black (love that guy and love my old self -- I've turned into a bit a dick now) and came out hard body Jon Snow with the mood to match. Not that the body matters. Its the skills learned that matter to me and how much easier it is to get up now ha. Anyway, when they ask me I say: Friendship and Mark Wildman of Wildman Althletica. I started obese with a friend who just wanted to get fit through the power of friendship over lockdown and we found your channel and studied then trained in a massive empty field in the rain or the sun bare foot, 20 mins + warmup 4 days a week for a good 6 months. That was the transformation. And you were instrumental. Thank you so much man. Eternally grateful for the potential you unlocked in me.

[@EnemyOfEldar]

Finishing by saying what I doing now feeling a little outdated compared to the more sophisticated program design ideas to been discussing these past months. Thank you so much for by the way. And for your personal programs. Good to know how the beast operates (confirmed: beast). If I update what I'm doing soon, I'll be incorporating all this. But still trying to get 10x5 with 24kg all movements within 20 min in 1 week + 200 heavy club mills, pendulums and casts (various positions incl warrior etc, each) and the program I am running will get me there by mid summer. Also wanna thank this awesome Wildman KZbin community. I've gotten crap tonnes of useful stuff from you people too.

[@MarkWildman]

This.... this is the way

[@MarkWildman]

Best... story... ever

[@MarkWildman]

I can’t get over how rad this is. This makes me happy on another level

[@EnemyOfEldar]

@@MarkWildman Wow, what an amazing moment! Thank you so much dude!

[@jerryheath3887]

Exactly what I needed to learn. I also try to train 6 days a week. Started training regularly 3 years ago to help with stress/anxiety issues and the 6 day a week schedule is most helpful for that. This program design will help me better balance my intensity to recovery so I can maintain that schedule.

[@GooldMM]

Thank you for these videos breaking down training schedules. This is the stuff I’ve been looking for, but can never find it. I use kettlebells, weighted clubs, and running. I’m always mixing it up, your nerd math and Tetris of training videos help me get it all planned out perfectly!

[@GooldMM]

@@hazelmaines2040 yes I do. I use clubs and snatches on the same day I take a run on. I use the clubs to warm up for the snatches.

[@jimhamby]

My brother from another mother! All this nerd talk resonates so clearly with me. Lord’s day off, day of rest, move more than rest…my man! I just started your Wildman Intermediate Kettlebell program. I’m looking for something consistent for the in-between days. A third program to make it part of the ABC program would be the bee’s knees.

[@RandalEllsworth]

Very much appreciate this video! Great to see as a primer to make sense of your other videos when putting together our own programs.

[@jodohead]

Came to KZbin today, hoping to find answer to my questions and general confusion. Showed up to find a new video explaining everything, clearly and concisely. Thank you, Mark.

[@andyh3065]

Love these program talks. So very helpful. Thanks 🙏

[@ifrdr1]

You've talked about mountain biking before, how would you work cycling into this mix? Would rides be a C day, or do you see that as an addition to the ABC workout? Trying to figure out how to best balance mtn biking with my new love of kettlebells. This is the best instruction channel out there, and can't wait for the app (and given the delays at this point i'm guessing you can't wait for the app either...)!

[@fixedgearhooligan]

+1 to this. I ride MTB's too and have the exact same question.

[@jasonmurray4714]

Speaking of MTB and KB: www.bikejames.com/ I picked up one of James' programs years ago and got me into KB in the first place.

[@Phreestyle1]

This is great information. Thanks for sharing.

[@krisgee9553]

Favorite handle length for Mace. I want to use mace for low impact steady state cardio to build endurance.

[@randyallen2771]

Thanks Mark, very helpful. Guess I've been doing an A,B program and trying to stick in the occasional C on weekends with clubs/mace , but I'm not sure if I can get enough recovery with that. Maybe later. But this explains a lot.

[@tysonhenrie6089]

Thank you Mark this is great. I guess the follow on question is, How different should A be from B and B from C? Do you have problems if you do things that are too similar to each other. Like A = swing and B = Clean. Would you be better off if B was a Clean & Press instead of just a Clean? Or maybe this is not a problem at all...?

[@MarkWildman]

Make sure to ask me this again because it’s good. Remind me after the holiday.

[@MarkWildman]

It’s only a problem based on experience and load

[@nithishku4805]

@@MarkWildman Hi Mark, As a follow-up, would a program with swings, TGUs and squats for abc's be effective? I'm not an athlete, have a couch job

[@andy3410]

Mark, is there any way I can convince you to go more in depth on heavy/light distinctions? Obviously people have different overall strength levels, so I’m assuming reps would be the determining factor? For example: heavy KB days might range from 3-5 reps for 10 sets. After 10 sets of 5 up the weight? 2hand club heavy day might be 30-60 sec tut for 10 sets. After 10 sets of 60 sec, up weight? Never get tired of these nerd math programming vids!

[@gregbarber9183]

Guess I’ve been doing it wrong. If I miss a day I just don’t do that days exercise until the next week.

[@cucciafr68]

I tried a few times to plan out a week or two of workouts, but if I missed a day I would shift the workouts, which messes my calendar up.

[@gordonpatty8945]

Great video and it got me thinking while here at work. How would I quantify the lifting at work which can total out to be 700 kilos of dough having to be moved 3 plus times in a 5 hour period? I currently do this shift 3 days a week. Should they just be counted as a day of training?

[@kewner8556]

Hey Mark, I'm quite new to this way of training but I really like your channel, so thanks for the content. I boulder 3 times a week and I've always had a hard time balancing it with strength training, which I also enjoy. My experience is mostly in (weighted) variations of ring pushups, ring rows, ring dips, pullups, deadlifts, single leg squats, barbell squats, a bunch of core stuff (L-sit, hollow body work etc.). It's partly to assist my bouldering, but probably more for general fitness/strength. I'm relatively strong already and I'm curious about how that kind of training compares to kb training result-wise. Kb training might allow me to train my whole body with less exercises, which could make it more suited for training while also doing another sport; but I might be wrong. I wonder if it could also be good for injury prevention because of its high-rep nature (swings). I have to say I also wouldn't be sure about where to start when it comes to exercise selection and programming, on which you've made quite a lot of videos. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks and have a great day!

[@bjjboston.teamforsa]

Are you able to keep up with this program when you’re really training a lot in martial arts or stunt training. I’m train and coach about 5 days a week in BJJ and wrestling so my weight training varies between 3-5 days a week depending on my energy levels.

[@ScuderiaFormulaOne]

Very helpful! Thank you! Do you have a recommendation for Heavy/Light program for two handed clubs?

[@johnparadowski1747]

I was thinking doing an a.b cycle but instead of doing heavy light, I would do single kettlebell (20kg) one day other day double kettlebell. Possible? Potential problems? ANY thoughts?

[@szymons6996]

Hello Mark. i have question - I understand the tetris style plan programming, but can you write a little more detail about the exercises themselves? e.g. on a snatch day, do this exercise only (using a ladder, emom etc) is there a division into assistance work and main? i am wondering about every apcect of this - squat day, snatch day ect.. thanks for answer

[@yetieddy3379]

Hi Mark, should I train 4x week if I do Judo 6-7x week?

[@dsvenjohnson83]

I don’t like CrossFit (generally), but you mention it every so often. Does it fit in a program design (to get better at it?) or should it be thought of as a different “genre” (muscle confusion vs actually getting better/skilled at something). One thing I’ve noticed on CrossFit is their 3-day workout, then rest, then repeat. Would A, B, C, rest, repeat work? Thank you.

[@suncard19]

Coach, when should I jump from a 10# mace to a 15# mace? or should I save up for a 12.5#?

[@edmond0073]

Mark , a question . What are your thoughts about splitting the workout in multiple segments of the day like doing kettlebell clean and press in the morning and club swinging in the evening ? Is this going to affect performance ?

[@BigHat83]

TacFit progressive yoga or Kinesiology yoga on your rest day?

[@marcelzbr]

Hi Mark, do you think, that it's good idea to do this ABC program like A = full body gym workout, B = kettlebell workout and C = clubbell workout? I'm trying to combine KBs, clubs and gym together and I thing this should work..

[@MarkWildman]

That would work

[@sambsialia]

No bro splits here. We do Alphabet splits.

[@Matt-gw4wk]

Do you do only heavy exercises for the heavy days? On the older Tetris of training heavy light video you had heavy/light mixed for each day. Has your thinking on that changed? Any reason to go one way or the other?

[@ripdime1351]

I also have this question.

[@musicrobusto]

DVG in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

[@theredninja2817]

Dude... I was just sitting here thinking boy I wonder how I could run a really good program. And then Mark wildman goes yeah I know I've been inside your head 😱🤣....... It doesn't look good in there but here's a program that will help you

[@patsprehe4538]

I remember this video too, so I went and looked. It was "The ABC's of Movie Program Design" from Feb 8, 2020.

[@jerryheath3887]

Thanks for the heads up. I see it now. It's not in the Nerd Math Playlist. Today's video is a bit clearer to me.

[@Liam1991]

Could you do a video on how to incorporate clubbell and kettlebell training alongside doing sports? When my Krav Maga instructor is able to run classes again, I will be doing that 2 nights a week

[@cucciafr68]

This is an issue I have now that I can go to BJJ again. I try to do my lighter KB or my single arm club work on those days before practice. Though single arm club works on your forearms/grip, being a judoka, I don't suffer too much in training because of it.

[@byrond123]

I also am interested in this but incorporating kettlebell, club/mace, with climbing and trying to lay it out to avoid over training grip

[@cucciafr68]

@@byrond123 Yea, I would probably save the workouts for after climbing. Unless you really want to test yourself.

[@byrond123]

@@cucciafr68 yes based on previous Tetris videos I setup a rough schedule that is climbing Mon, Wed, Fri morning. Light mace in the evening on those days and Kettlebell and Club Tues, Thurs, and Saturday

[@byrond123]

I am just not sure how best to gauge levels and exercises for those blocks and best how to gauge when it is too much

[@cucciafr68]

I think my issue is I have multiple programs I want to work on as well as judo/bjj practices sprinkled in between. I am basically trying to work on a two week cycle but it spaces out some of the workouts too far. I try to find simple workouts I can accomplish on on the same days as practice.

[@ryusuikarate]

I think you already covered all of this on previous videos but it's great to have it here again in a simpler form. Repetition is needed for learning anyway.

[@MarkWildman]

Someone said it wasn’t explained well... so

[@mattnelson8325]

A: Club B: KB H2H swing C: Slam Ball Sabbath: 10mi 50# ruck. Brutal and so effective. ABC are your programs. GORUCK pack and weight on Sunday. Plenty of rest and great nutrition=great recovery. Your programs are the best ever. Thank you.

[@jasonmorton7979]

Good to know already training 6 days a b light program because I just like the work And because I suck

[@luisfernandourangahernande2456]

This was very helpful. I need to rewrite some things on my training.

[@Pilot964]

Hi Mark, are there any specifics regarding kettlebell program design that you would recommend for older clientele (I am in my early 50s)? Should reps and volume be adjusted to limit inflammation?

[@MarkWildman]

It’s just usually a slower progression of the same things

[@angeshtuto]

Hey Mark, how old are you?

[@inconspicuousjerry6660]

The 4 times a week AB program really helped me to develope the habit, coupled with the convenience and speed of Kettlebells and Clubs I'm now at exactly a year of training with the amount of days missed being easily under 10. As someone who really struggles with long term motivation and attention, I'm honestly floored how much of a difference its made in my life and how much my general health has improved, even though I wasn't neccesarily in a bad place before. Cheers Mark

[@CahoonHollow]

Is your A day kettlebells and B club? I have been doing A and B as MW shows in his Tetris videos and just added SA Club for a 5 day a week program. It’s too much for my age. I am considering an A day of kb’s and a B day of SA Club.

[@Sparrowhawk187]

I really dug the religious/historical rationalization for having at least one day off. Caught me off guard, and I'm still thinking about the consistency of human behavior across centuries.

[@utubepunk]

For the algorithm!

[@MatthewBuntyn]

This is the way

[@utubepunk]

@@MatthewBuntyn This is the way.