1000 kcal in 20 minutes: kettlebell complex “Spartan”

The Spartans went down in history as the strongest warriors with a tough way of life, which from an early age subjected the young Spartan to a military lifestyle. Sparta did not leave behind great politicians, philosophers or poets, but the military glory of this small state has been roaring through the centuries for more than 2,000 years.

The young Spartan was taken from home at the age of 7. From this period on, he was taught strict discipline and a special sense of structure, and was exhausted by training away from his mother and at home for 20 hours a day. You, too, will have to put in a lot of will to walk this path and at least get closer to the image of that very warrior who was forged on black stew and the stick of a veteran mentor.

For the Spartans, endurance played a big role. They did not set a goal to develop significant muscle volumes, but highly valued the ability to make long marches on foot, spear and repel blows for many hours, and go without food for a long time, so this program is based on the same principles. Stock up on carbs and buy a CrossFit gym membership with weights and sandbags, it will be hot.

Running is the basis of training for a Spartan warrior. Many of them competed in the Olympic Games over one (192 metres), two (384 metres) or seven (1344 metres) furlongs. There has not been a single Olympic Games where there was not a Spartan among the running medalists. In the camp, the warriors ran with a bronze shield in their hands, weighing 7 kg, and a 2 kg helmet on their head. Of course, you don’t have to look for a shield; just running with a sled and wearing special weighted vests, like those used by MMA fighters, will suffice.

Fist fight. Sparta encouraged fights between young warriors in every possible way; the strongest of them participated in the Olympic Games. The Spartans fought naked, wrapping leather straps around their fists. The rules of the fight were agreed upon in advance: until there was blood, before falling to the ground. The judges watching the fight armed themselves with a stick to separate the fighters. Sign up for boxing or MMA, train at least twice a week. The Spartans were warriors first and foremost, and only then athletes and participants in the Olympic Games.

All-around. The spear was the main weapon of the Spartans, the mastery of which the warriors devoted most of their time to. Spartan spears reached 2.5 meters in length, and the Spartans were taught to wield these weapons from the first day in the camp. Bristling with spears, the Spartan phalanx was an ideal fighting machine, capable of resisting even cavalry, which cut through an infantry formation of 100 people in 7 minutes.

The famous battle of Thermopylae (“300 Spartans”) was won due to the possession of a spear and a sense of formation. The Olympic all-around discipline was formed from javelin and discus throwing, running and long jump. Having added wrestling here, it was called pentathlon or pentathlon. An ideal analogue of pentathlon would be CrossFit with medicine ball. Run 1000 meters, then throw a medicine ball 10 times at a wall at least 3 meters high. Try to do 10 of these circles with a 6-8 kg medicine ball.

Weight training. The Spartans completed their training with exercises with stones and bags of sand or clay. The warriors carried such projectiles on their shoulders, tried to walk as far as possible while holding them on their chests, squatted and pushed them above their heads. The closest option would be a sandbag - a sports bag with sand, the weight of which can reach 77 kg. This is something you'll find in a CrossFit gym, but less commonly found in MMA gyms and large premium gyms. There you can also find weights - an analogue of a stone.

For weights, use the following complex:

• Long cycle push of weights – 5 minutes.
• Kettlebell push from the shoulder – 5 minutes.
• Kettlebell snatch – 7 minutes.
• Kettlebell sumo row – 10 minutes.
• Kettlebell squats – 7 minutes.
• Farmer's Kettlebell Walk - 5 minutes.

How often can girls lift weights?

The special configuration of the projectile and the shifted center of gravity make it possible to use it to perform special exercises and create external resistance that dumbbells or a barbell cannot provide. Kettlebells work targeted muscle groups and small stabilizing muscles responsible for maintaining body balance. For girls, regular training allows them to improve coordination of movements, acquire a toned figure, and get rid of excess fat.

Intensive exercise burns about 700 kcal/hour. They strengthen the heart muscle and improve breathing. CrossFit with a kettlebell (complexes include swings, presses, frontal lifts) is recommended for girls to perform a maximum of 3-4 times a week. The optimal training duration is 45-60 minutes.

Hard work on yourself

One of the best trainers and world-famous former rock climber Mark Twight helped him transform from an ordinary American into a Spartan leader in 4 months. It was he who developed a training program for Gerard Butler, thanks to which the Hollywood actor got into ideal shape.

Twight called his set of exercises “300 repetitions.” However, many are still surprised by the trainer’s unique and difficult methodology, jokingly commenting that the name “7 circles of hell” is more suitable for it.

Gerard Butler had to do a lot of things. The complex of classes included exercises on gymnastic rings, long-distance running and the heaviest types of strength training. But it was not only Butler who experienced the “Spartan” life outside the set, but in reality. His co-stars also suffered a lot.

After 5 weeks of training with Mark Twight, the famous bodybuilder from Venezuela Franco Licastro joined the training program. He helped the actor finally “get used” to the role of King Leonidas.

Licastro admitted several times in the press that it is funny for him to watch how many actors play the roles of courageous warriors, but from their appearance one can only wonder with what difficulty they hold the heaviest sword and wear armor.

Therefore, the main task of the bodybuilder was to help Gerard Butler “make” an ideal body without a hint of skinny arms, a protruding belly and other flaws unacceptable for such roles.

His work was not in vain. Critics and viewers were able to appreciate what kind of bodybuilder Gerard Butler has become.

But for his ideal image, enormous shoulders, sculpted abs, toned leg muscles, the actor paid a big price.

Precautions and Tips

Such exercises are combined with exercises that involve the use of your own weight:

• push-ups;
• pull-ups;
• squats.

Compact exercise equipment is also used. Exercises with weights within one workout are combined with jumping rope and exercises with a fitness band.

An important aspect is the power supply system. For breakfast, it is recommended to eat protein-rich foods and dishes.

Before training, you need to warm up well. This will warm up the muscles, increase their physiological capabilities and avoid damage. With an insufficient level of training, difficulties arise with bench press of a 16 kg weight. Precautionary measures require a secure grip of the heavy sports equipment with your palms. It is necessary to observe safety precautions so that the weight does not slip out of your hands and cause injury.

It is recommended to start regular training with a small weight, gradually increasing it as the muscular system strengthens and develops. Such activities are associated with an increased risk of injury. They require maximum attention, concentration and accuracy. Exercises with straight arms place excessive stress on ligaments and joints, which can lead to sprains or tears.

Preparing for filming in the film “300 Spartans”

According to information from various sources, the preparation of the actors took 8 weeks. According to Butler, this is not so; he personally prepared, as he assures, for 7 months. The actor says that these 7 months were the most difficult for him in his career and that after 28 weeks he found exactly the shape that he showed on the screen. As for the shape of the other actors, there is no official information, but the screen showed that they were all trained and had enviable body proportions.

The most difficult thing for Butler, according to him, was training, although he had maintained relatively good shape before, but he did not have to train as suggested. But getting used to the image of the main character and conveying the entire emotional component was not particularly difficult for him, because he is a Scot, whose ancestors fought for freedom no less than the Spartans and, as the actor says, there was a sense of the spirit of war in him. You've probably watched this film and you can see on the screen that the actors and Butler himself gave their all on the set.

After the release of the film, there were rumors online that after the filming of the film, the abs that were cherished by many were drawn on the computer, and sometimes those who were carried very far appeared, they claimed that the actors’ abs were false. Grimm was indeed used, but only to visually emphasize the already clearly visible relief on the stomach. The budget of the film was 65 million dollars, what sane director would spend money from the budget of a film to create a non-existent press, more than one, of course, this is not true. Everything we saw on the screen was created live; no one drew anything with graphics.

The actors trained hard, sat on a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, add the right lighting, makeup, and here you have the whole recipe for the impressive relief of Spartan bodies, and of course, pump. It's no secret that before each take, actors pump their muscles with blood so that they appear larger and have a good venous pattern.

Crossfit exercises with kettlebells

Sports equipment can be used in different ways. The following techniques are considered basic:

Most of these techniques are aimed at developing explosive strength. In CrossFit complexes, exercises are cyclical and performed at high intensity.

Such activities allow girls to:

• strengthen the muscle groups of the torso;
• eliminate the fat layer on the waist and hips;
• increase the physical endurance of the body;
• strengthen the body's immune defense;
• improve overall physical health and psychological state.

CrossFit with kettlebells, sets of exercises with your own weight and various expanders combine well with each other. Combined training is designed primarily for experienced athletes. They can be challenging for beginners. Kettlebells are not considered complex equipment. You can master the technique of working with it perfectly in just a few lessons. Different grip options develop the ligaments and muscle fibers in a new way.

The optimal weight of the projectile for well-physically trained girls is 16 kg. Large weights are designed for men who want to achieve rapid hypertrophy of muscle structures. Below are some effective basic exercises.

Kettlebell swings

A multifunctional technique, the implementation of which involves a large number of muscle groups and segments of the ligamentous apparatus, increasing endurance. Such exercises improve body strength and quickly burn fat. Kettlebell swings are performed in a lying position on an elevated platform, which can be used as a gymnastic bench or exercise equipment. Use a stance with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

CrossFit with a kettlebell is a classic swing exercise.

Typical algorithm:

1. It is necessary to take a stable position with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Rock the torso, pushing the arms out with the hip muscles so that the projectile rises to the level of the face.
3. At the top point of the amplitude of movement, exhale deeply.
4. On the return trajectory, the weight should fly between widely spaced legs. The knees are slightly bent, and the body is tilted following the projectile.
5. At the lowest point of the amplitude, an inhalation follows. The weight is again pushed upward by the force of inertia.

This exercise strengthens the hamstrings, gluteal muscles, and small stabilizing muscle groups of the lower extremities. Constant static tension is created on the abdominals, which protects the spinal column from overload and related injuries.

Kettlebell push (short amplitude)

The exercise is aimed at working out a large number of muscle fibers.

The short amplitude kettlebell push engages:

• biceps;
• triceps muscles of the forearm;
• lower limb stabilizers;
• back muscles;
• shoulder girdle;
• pectoral muscles.

The technique has several variations. With a short amplitude the most popular of them. The movements are performed from the starting position with the legs spaced slightly wider than the shoulders. They need to be straightened and relaxed, and their arms should be folded on their chest.

The algorithm is as follows:

1. A shallow squat is performed with the body slightly tilted back. The fulcrum for the weights is the chest, which bears the main load.
2. Perform a powerful pushing movement with the legs and back, rising on the toes at the highest point of the amplitude.
3. The accelerating movement, which imparts inertia to the projectile, continues synchronously with the arms and shoulders.
4. As a result, the athlete finds himself in a half-squat position with his upper limbs thrown above his head, holding the handle of the weight.

In the final phase of the exercise, you need to fully straighten your knee joints without changing the position of your arms. Fixing the apparatus with bent elbows is fraught with injury, especially when working with heavy weights.

Overhead Kettlebell Lunges

The exercise is a typical gymnastic technique. The difference lies in the use of external resistance. The kettlebell serves as an additional load base to improve the coordination capabilities of the body and increase flexibility. The technique is difficult for beginners who find it difficult to push out a weight while maintaining balance. They are recommended to start training with a minimum weight.

To begin the exercises, take a stance with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended with weights held in your palms up perpendicular to the floor. The back must be kept straight. From this position, do regular lunges with each leg in turn. The position of the arms should remain unchanged and the back should not be rounded throughout the entire exercise. When doing a deep lunge, your knee should touch the floor.

Kettlebell row to the chin from a squat

CrossFit certainly includes this exercise. Kettlebell rows to the chin from a squat are included in the gymnastic training complexes. The weighted technique improves coordination and strength endurance. The exercise is performed from the starting position with your legs spaced slightly wider than your shoulders and your back straight. The bow of the projectile is clamped in the palms, the hands are located in front of the body.

The weight is pulled up to the chin with the elbows spread to the sides. The muscles of the lower extremities and back are involved in the work. As a result of the training movement, your elbows should be in line with your shoulders.

Progressive load

The main reason why people slow down their results in strength or aesthetics is a lack of structure.

They either do too much, too quickly, or they are lazy.

Both approaches lead you to stagnation and loss of motivation.

The solution is proposed by Milo of Croton, a Greek athlete from Croton, Italy, who lived around 520 BC. BC and mentioned by Herodotus, Pindar, Plutarch and other ancient Greek and Roman authors. Competing in wrestling, he won six times at the Olympic Games, six times at the Pythian Games, nine at the Nemean and ten at the Isthmian.

As a child, Milon dreamed of becoming the strongest athlete in Greece.

To build up his strength, he carried a calf on his shoulders.

He did this every day, and the calf, mind you, grew, so did its strength.

Years later, at the ancient Olympics, he stepped into the stadium, sparkling and beautiful, with a bull on his shoulder.

Although this is a myth, it perfectly illustrates the principles of progressive overload.

Every time you train, you should improve in some way, even adding a 5-pound weight plate to the bar, even just doing a few extra reps, even cutting the rest between sets a few seconds, etc.

If you constantly increase the load, you constantly progress.

This is science.

What exercises are suitable for training at home?

CrossFit is a special system of functional training and physical development. Its advantages lie in its comprehensive approach and the ability to use exercises at home. Classes improve the cardiological and respiratory functions of the body, develop endurance, flexibility, and strength. The use of relatively compact weights that can replace bulky training equipment allows you to perform complexes at home.

There are no restrictions on the direction of exercises. Any workout with weights is suitable for independent home use. You can perform swings, pushes, lunges. Simplified techniques are suitable for independent use even by new products. Workouts that are effective for them at home include bending over with a kettlebell, pushing with both hands, and squats with light weights.

The CrossFit complex uses the maximum number of muscle groups and can be performed in a limited space. It is recommended to combine exercises with weights with push-ups and squats.

In a healthy body healthy mind

The Romans and ancient Greeks viewed training as a philosophical act rather than a physical one.

For them, this was part of a full-fledged education, “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

The "Palaestra", the ancient schools, taught the young not only exercises.

However, today fitness has nothing to do with brain function. And this is more like the Cartesian doctrine of the body as an unworthy appendage to the mind.

Recent research has already shown how physical activity and cognitive function are linked: for example, the secretion of endorphins during exercise affects mood and concentration. Exercise affects physical changes in the brain: the connection of nerve cells responsible for learning and memory increases, the speed of neurons increases, blood flow accelerates, and the volume of brain tissue increases.

Various studies have noted that physical activity, especially cardio, improves cognitive function in people of any age.

Crossfit workouts and complexes with weights

30 minute sessions are enough. 3 times a week to keep your body in good shape with the help of such exercises. CrossFit complexes with weights promote rapid weight loss, build muscle mass, and form an attractive figure.

Exercises with kettlebells improve agility, flexibility, and increase the coordination capabilities of the body. Such training is universal. They are equally suitable for men and girls, experienced athletes and beginners. Kettlebell exercises evenly develop the muscles of the whole body and strengthen the ligamentous apparatus.

Complex: Funbobbys Filthy 50

One of the most popular and interesting CrossFit training programs. Each exercise is performed 50 times.

The complex includes:

• pull-ups on the horizontal bar;

• deadlift;
• pushups;
• swings with a projectile weighing 24 kg for men and 16 kg for girls;
• squats with a barbell on the shoulders (recommended weight of the discs is 60 and 40 kg, respectively);
• pulling the knees to the elbows;
• 16/8 kg dumbbell throws;
• lunges with dumbbells of similar weight;
• Burpees

It is important to do the exercises in the order in which they are given. Well-trained athletes need about 30 minutes to complete. The program is considered quite complex, tedious and energy-consuming.

Complex: Lazy

The training provides a high strength load and requires significant endurance. As part of the complex, you need to perform 50 pushes, swings and jerks of the kettlebell. It is recommended for men to use a projectile weighing 16 kg, for women - 8 kg. The workout is high intensity. You should try to complete the exercises in a minimum time interval. The workout is designed for constant acceleration. To achieve the best results, maximum tension is required.

Complex: 300 Spartans

A complex technique that involves performing the following exercises during one workout:

• pull-ups with any grip – 25 times;
• deadlift – 50 times;
• push-ups from the floor – 50 times;
• jumping onto a gymnastic stand up to 75 cm high – 50 times;
• floor polishers with a bar – 50 times;

• lifting the weight and touching it to the floor surface – 50 times;

CrossFit with kettlebells (complexes are mostly focused on developing strength endurance) “300 Spartans” ends with 25 pull-ups. The result is 300 high-intensity sports activities.

The program allows in 30 minutes. get rid of 1000 kcal. Before performing the exercises, you need to warm up well and warm up your muscles. This type of training requires a lot of endurance.

The program involves performing each exercise 50 times.

The following order cannot be changed:

• deadlift with a load weighing 30% of its own weight;
• push-ups from the floor with any position of the hands;
• swings with one weight or a pair of shells;
• pull-ups on the bar;
• bench presses;
• jumping on a gymnastic stand;
• grouping your knees to your elbows while lying on the floor;
• double jumping rope.

A complex multi-component program aimed at developing strength endurance, improving athletes’ speed performance and increasing flexibility. Intended for experienced athletes who are able to complete the complex in the allotted time of 30 minutes.

Complex: The bell from hell

A grueling program that requires enormous endurance and well-developed muscles. Designed for professional athletes.

The complex involves performing the following exercises in 1 round:

• 53 swing movements of kettlebells weighing 24 kg for men and 16 kg for girls;
• covering a distance of 200 m on foot, holding the projectiles on arms straightened parallel to the floor surface;
• 53 kettlebell rows to the chin;
• walking a distance of 150 m with weights on outstretched arms;
• 53 jerk movements with kettlebells;
• penetration 100 m with 2 shells;
• 53 arm extensions with kettlebells;

• covering a distance of 50 m in a similar way.

The sequence of performing the components of the CrossFit complex cannot be changed. You should try to keep it within 30-45 minutes. This type of kettlebell training is used as an alternative to standard powerlifting and bodybuilding techniques.

Biography of Gerard Butler

The actor was born in Glasgow (Scotland) on November 13, 1969. Born and raised far from being in an acting family, his father was an accountant who dreamed of building his own business. When Butler was 6 months old, his father decided to make his dream come true and moved his entire family to Montreal (Canada). Having moved to Montreal, he cherished the hope of starting his own business after repeated attempts ended in failure, and buried the meta forever, blaming his wife and children for everything, even little Butler, who was not even a year old. This was the last straw of patience for Margaret Butler (that was the name of Gerard’s mother), after which she filed for divorce.

Gerard was not the only child in the family; he had an older brother, Brown, and also an older sister, Lynn. When Butler Jr. was two years old, his mother took him, his older sister and brother and returned back to Scotland to a town called Paisley, where she was born, where the actor spent his entire childhood. Some time after returning to Paisley, Margaret marries again. In his youth, Butler Jr. was seriously interested in cards, a good foundation for the future star of the Hollywood Olympus. He practiced karate so seriously that he could have become a champion in his city, but, alas, or perhaps fortunately, this did not happen, and his second passion, cinema, prevented him.

The Butler house was located next to a movie theater, where he enjoyed going with his mother from time to time. These trips to the cinema became the beginning of the birth of a future Hollywood star. After some time and much persuasion from his mother to take him to audition for the theater, he managed to get to several auditions, and was accepted into the Scottish Youth Theater, and at the age of 12 he played his first role at the Royal Theater of Glasgow, although the role then belonged to it was small. But his mother was not happy with his hobby and constantly talked about him getting a normal profession.

Despite his passion for theater, he studied well at school, and after graduation, so as not to upset his mother, he entered the Faculty of Law at Glasgow College. In college, just as in school, he studied well, not just well, but was one of the best students, he even managed to become president of the student law society. After graduating from university, he hurried to go to Los Angeles and gain acting fame, but, alas. All he achieved in a year and a half of film testing was a small role as an extra in the film “The Bodyguard.” We all remember this picture, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. But hardly anyone remembered Gerard Butler in this film. It was during this period that the hardest thing happened for Gerard; he learned that his father was terminally ill. He suffered from cancer, Gerard hurried to Canada to visit his father, where he buried him, and after that he no longer thought about cinema, but returned to his homeland in Scotland. He got a two-year internship at a major law firm, where he met a man named Alan Stewart, who would play an important role in his life.

Despite her success at work, she did not bring him joy. He was depressed by the routine of everyday life, going to work from 9:00 to 17:00, and depression began. Even his participation in the rock band Speed, which he organized together with Alan, did not save him. His depression drove him into binge drinking, which ruined his career; he was unable to complete his internship and was fired two weeks before the end. His addiction to alcohol not only ruined his career, but almost ruined his life. One day he woke up on the roof of a skyscraper; his friend Alan prevented him from taking the last step into the abyss. He was inspired to return to acting by the play Trainspotting at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, and just two weeks after his dismissal, he went to London in search of the key to the door to the film industry. But even in London he was disappointed.

Before Butler took on his first acting role, he managed to work as both a waiter and a demonstrator of wind-up toys; in general, he changed professions and only in 1997 he made his film debut. By the way, before his debut, he played the main role in the play “Trainspotting,” which he watched with admiration from the auditorium in Edinburgh (Scotland).

WHO'S IN BOSS?

To achieve his goals, Gerard Butler enlisted the help of Mark Twight, a world-renowned trainer and former climber known for his fierce obsession with training. Mark always worked out as if his life depended on it. It’s quite difficult to blame a coach for such a thoughtless approach to one’s own health. Twight always countered that it was much better to vomit out the entire contents of your stomach during training than to feel your back fall from a kilometer high onto sharp stones or simply lose to a more determined opponent.

To get Gerard Butler's body into shape, Mark Twight created what he called the spartan "300 reps" routine, although in reality this miracle of fitness technique should have a more satanic name, something like "Beelzebub's Three Hundred"! In addition to this circuit training from the underworld, the future Leonid was daily subjected to a number of other, no less sadistic types of stress: he turned over truck tires, tortured himself on gymnastic rings, ran over rough terrain, and so on. A similar regime was expected by most of Gerard Butler's partners in the film. One of them described his feelings during preparation for filming: “I felt as if someone had just killed my beloved dog!”

Whatever it means, the guy experienced powerful emotions.

Exactly five weeks before the first scenes, the noticeably stronger and leaner Butler hired another specialist in the field of physical torture in the name of beauty. A Venezuelan bodybuilder named Franco Licastro made an invaluable contribution to the actor’s form, adding the final details to the masterpiece named Leonid. Of course, Licastro also did not want to fall flat on his face and did his best - Gerard received another deadly portion of the load. “I wanted to look very strong on screen

, Butler justified himself.
“ How many times in similar roles have we seen actors whipping up pathos with a bulging belly or skinny arms, it’s unclear how they were holding a heavy sword!
The Spartans enjoyed the feeling of belonging to an elite military class; no one was as strong and brave as them. If no one trains as hard as you, what's the point of being embarrassed about being the best. Enjoy! Go and take what is yours!” Well, all this work of body and spirit was not in vain. On screen, Gerard Butler looked like a testosterone-fuelled discus thrower with model abs, enormous shoulders, columnar legs and the terrifying gaze of an angry king, growling furiously through the slits of his combat helmet. Undoubtedly, he was scary and cool, but for these seconds of glory he soon had to pay a serious price.

In his free time from training, Gerard Butler worked part-time in a car repair shop.