The Hammer Cast

The Hammer Cast

Real strength. No fluff. 514 episodes.

514 episodes and counting. Every week, Aleks sits down with some of the strongest, most experienced coaches and athletes on the planet to bring you no-nonsense training knowledge you can use today.

Ep. 393: Calisthenics Training: Good for REAL Strength, or Just "Fitness"?

March 2, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com At some point or another, we all have to ask the tough questions in life. Mountains or Beach? Boxers or Briefs? The Rolling Stones or the Beatles? Some of these are conundrums with no easy answer (except for the Stones vs. Beatles. The Stones win…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

At some point or another, we all have to ask the tough questions in life.

  • Mountains or Beach?
  • Boxers or Briefs?
  • The Rolling Stones or the Beatles?

Some of these are conundrums with no easy answer (except for the Stones vs. Beatles. The Stones win hands down any dayum day of the week).

Other questions are a bit easier, such as:

“Can you really get objectively strong just using bodyweight exercises? Or can you only build general fitness?”

I reveal all in this episode.

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Ep. 392: Al Kavadlo on the Ups and Downs of a Career in Fitness

March 1, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com On this episode Al and Aleks natter on about the ups and downs of a career in fitness. Is it worth it? How do you REALLY get ahead as a fitness trainer? Listen in and find out! And be sure to check Al out online…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

On this episode Al and Aleks natter on about the ups and downs of a career in fitness. Is it worth it? How do you REALLY get ahead as a fitness trainer? Listen in and find out!

And be sure to check Al out online at http://www.alkavadlo.com

Ep. 391: Are Personal Trainers Obsolete?

February 24, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There comes a time when we all must ask tough questions: Where do we come from and where are we going? What is the meaning of life? Who are you and how did you get into my house? For some questions, there are no easy…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

There comes a time when we all must ask tough questions:

  • Where do we come from and where are we going?
  • What is the meaning of life?
  • Who are you and how did you get into my house?

For some questions, there are no easy answers. Others, however, are a tad easier to answer.

One that gets asked more and more these days is:

“Do I really NEED a personal trainer?”

The answer to that — like most things in this field — is…

Well, I’ll tell you all about it in this episode!

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Ep. 390: 3 Bodyweight-Only Moves to Muscle Up Your Pencil Legs

February 23, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com One of the criticisms I often hear about calisthenics training is "you can't strengthen your legs with your bodyweight only". To be fair, I'll say the criticism is half true. Ultimately I think that you DO need added weight to build your legs up to…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

One of the criticisms I often hear about calisthenics training is “you can’t strengthen your legs with your bodyweight only”.

To be fair, I’ll say the criticism is half true.

Ultimately I think that you DO need added weight to build your legs up to their full strength potential, BUT you can absolutely get a dynamite strength workout in with just your bodyweight alone.

The 3 moves profiled in this episode can give your legs just the boost they need.

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Ep. 389: 'When they go low rep, we go high rep!'

February 21, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com "Are high reps any good for strength training?" A mighty fine question indeed. The short answer is "hell yes". They're actually a must, in my correct opinion. This is for a variety of reasons, which – surprise of surprises – I actually cover in depth…

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Ep. 388: Learning The 'Language' of Calisthenics Training

February 20, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Calisthenics training for serious strength is really not much different than language learning. That may sound strange, but consider this: A language has a structure, a grammar, formal and informal styles, a vocabulary, common words and phrases, etc. Calisthenics training has principles, practices, certain 'lead-in'…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

  • A language has a structure, a grammar, formal and informal styles, a vocabulary, common words and phrases, etc.
  • Calisthenics training has principles, practices, certain ‘lead-in’ exercises to work you toward harder ones, progressions, programs, workouts, etc.

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Ep. 387: Avoiding the Price of Your Past Mistakes

February 19, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There's a saying I like that goes a little something like this: "Don't let your mouth write checks that your fists can't cash" In other words, mind your Ps and Qs and don't start trouble with people whose tush you can't whoop. The same goes…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

There’s a saying I like that goes a little something like this:

“Don’t let your mouth write checks that your fists can’t cash”

In other words, mind your Ps and Qs and don’t start trouble with people whose tush you can’t whoop.

The same goes for your body: don’t write checks that your body can’t cash!

I talk at length about what that means – and how to avoid needless pain – in this podcast episode. Stop reading this damn description and tune in already, will ya?

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Ep. 386: "What Builds More Strength — Going Heavier or More Reps?"

February 18, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com There are a great many questions out there that can help expand your mind: Who are we and where do we come from? What is the meaning of life? What makes Teflon stick to the pan? For some questions there are no easy answers. For…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

There are a great many questions out there that can help expand your mind:

  • Who are we and where do we come from?
  • What is the meaning of life?
  • What makes Teflon stick to the pan?

For some questions there are no easy answers. For others, things are markedly easier.

Here’s a good question I get asked not infrequently: “what builds more strength — going heavier or doing more reps?”

Well boy oh boy, do I have a good answer for you. Listen in and enjoy.

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Ep. 385: Wanna Do Pistol Squats? Try THIS First.

February 17, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com When it comes to strength training, one of the common rallying cries against calisthenics is that you can't use it to strengthen your legs (no one questions bodyweight training's ability to build epic upper body strength, however). The reality is that that is only partially…

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Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

When it comes to strength training, one of the common rallying cries against calisthenics is that you can’t use it to strengthen your legs (no one questions bodyweight training’s ability to build epic upper body strength, however).

The reality is that that is only partially true.

You absolutely CAN make your lower body stronger with just bodyweight exercises, though you’ll definitely get the best results by combining bodyweight and weighted exercises.

Unless you’re already strong as an ox (but hopefully prettier), you might need a little help – and I aim to give it to ya.

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Ep. 384: #1 Drill for Stronger Squats, Bulletproof Knees, and Resilient Legs

February 16, 2023

One of my favorite drills for happier knees and heavier squats is what I like to call the heels-elevated hip thrust (or hip bridge, whatever you wanna call it). Basically, it works like this: you lay on the floor near some sort of an elevation (a couch works great), and provided you first have your…

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One of my favorite drills for happier knees and heavier squats is what I like to call the heels-elevated hip thrust (or hip bridge, whatever you wanna call it).

Basically, it works like this: you lay on the floor near some sort of an elevation (a couch works great), and provided you first have your spouse’s permission, you put your feet up on the couch and then bridge your hips toward the sky.

It looks a little something like this: https://youtu.be/p6zml5Z7ghM

So what are they good for?

Well, quit reading this description and go listen to the episode already!

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