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. 346: The 'Anti-Exercise' Manifesto

January 4, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Manifestos often get a bad rap. Serial killers have them. The Unibomber had one. Karl Marx had one. But really, a manifesto is kind of like a mission statement, and if you've seen enough James Bond and Mission: Impossible movies, you know that missions are…

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

Manifestos often get a bad rap. Serial killers have them. The Unibomber had one. Karl Marx had one.

But really, a manifesto is kind of like a mission statement, and if you’ve seen enough James Bond and Mission: Impossible movies, you know that missions are badass and totally cool.

So why the “anti-exercise” manifesto?

Because exercise — as necessary as it is for us nowadays — is to movement what vitamins and protein powder are to eating: a supplement.

Ideally you should be adding exercise and (maybe) nutritional supplements to your existing movement routine and diet.

What in the hell can I possibly mean by this? Listen in closely and find out.

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Ep. 345: TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY: Scott Craft on overcoming brain surgery, dominating gravity with kettlebells and calisthenics

January 3, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm joined on this episode by Scott Craft – a kettlebell and calisthenics enthusiast who has had a long and storied history: from wrestling in high school to undergoing a life-saving brain surgery in Europe in his early college years, to crushing weakness all the…

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

I’m joined on this episode by Scott Craft – a kettlebell and calisthenics enthusiast who has had a long and storied history: from wrestling in high school to undergoing a life-saving brain surgery in Europe in his early college years, to crushing weakness all the live-long day as a busy career man and dad. Tune in to this riveting episode and listen to his awesome story!

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Ep. 344: The 16-Minute 'Boulder Shoulders' Workout

January 2, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com If you're like me and you prefer to train at home, you'll typically have to be a little more creative with your workouts to get the results you're after. The good news is that creativity in training can make some much-needed creativity elsewhere in your…

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

If you’re like me and you prefer to train at home, you’ll typically have to be a little more creative with your workouts to get the results you’re after.

The good news is that creativity in training can make some much-needed creativity elsewhere in your life easier.

The better news is that you you’ll very possibly end up with a badazz physique because you won’t be doing the cookie-cutter programs you see everyone in the gym doing, AND you’ll be more likely to stick with it since training at home is far more convenient. Win/win!

And let’s say one of your goals is to beef up your skinny shoulders. Good for you. This episode will show you how.

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BONUS EP. #5: How to *Effectively* Learn a New Language in the New Year

January 1, 2023

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com If you listen to this podcast regularly, odds are you like to break a sweat. Well, maybe you'd like to break a mental sweat, too, and use the opportunity brought to you by the New Year to learn a brand new language. Well, luckily for…

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

If you listen to this podcast regularly, odds are you like to break a sweat. Well, maybe you’d like to break a mental sweat, too, and use the opportunity brought to you by the New Year to learn a brand new language.

Well, luckily for you Yours Jewly knows a thing or two about language learning, and I have some insights that you might find helpful. Tune in, chill out, and learn my wiley ways to learning a foreign language.

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Ep. 343: A Sleek Critique of Jack Black's Technique on the Kettlebell Swing

December 31, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com Yours Jewly and Pat Flynn take a peek at Jack Black's swing (yes, THAT Jack Black) and offer some ideas on how it could be made even sharper, smoother, and stronger.

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

Yours Jewly and Pat Flynn take a peek at Jack Black’s swing (yes, THAT Jack Black) and offer some ideas on how it could be made even sharper, smoother, and stronger.

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Ep. 342: The Lost Element of Strength

December 30, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm a very contemplative person. I often sit around and ponder the deeper mysteries of life, such as "What is the meaning of life?", "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" and "what makes Teflon stick to the pan?" Occasionally I land on a…

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

I’m a very contemplative person. I often sit around and ponder the deeper mysteries of life, such as “What is the meaning of life?“, “what is the sound of one hand clapping?” and “what makes Teflon stick to the pan?“

Occasionally I land on a question for deeper consideration than all of the above:

“How can people get stronger without grinding themselves into the ground?”

That’s exactly what I aim to uncover on this fine episode. Tune in and find out.

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Ep. 341: Mark Limbaga on Bringing the Kettlebell to the Philipines

December 29, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm joined on this episode by Mark Limbaga – a StrongFirst Elite trainer who began his journey to the kettlebell many years ago…and has since brought many other Phillipinos into the fold. Hear his story in all its glory exclusively on The Hammer Cast.

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

I’m joined on this episode by Mark Limbaga – a StrongFirst Elite trainer who began his journey to the kettlebell many years ago…and has since brought many other Phillipinos into the fold. Hear his story in all its glory exclusively on The Hammer Cast.

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Ep. 340: The 7 Deadly Sins That Sabotage Your Strength

December 28, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com If you don't mind throwing your hard-earned money down the crapper with physical therapist, chiropractic, and doctor's appointments, be my guest. But if you would be happier with your money and your health AND big, consistent gains in your strength and fitness, avoid these 7…

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

If you don’t mind throwing your hard-earned money down the crapper with physical therapist, chiropractic, and doctor’s appointments, be my guest. But if you would be happier with your money and your health AND big, consistent gains in your strength and fitness, avoid these 7 mistakes covered in this episode.

Be sure to subscribe and share with anyone who is guilty of one (or more) of these 7 deadly strength sins.

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Ep. 339: "The Scottish Mad Lad" Jim Bain on making huge gains while working a hard-labor job

December 27, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com I'm joined on this brand-new episode of TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY by none other than bona fide Hammer Head Jim Bain – whom I have affectionately dubbed "The Scottish Mad Lad" for his ability to make crazy good gains despite both working a hard labor job AND…

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

I’m joined on this brand-new episode of TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY by none other than bona fide Hammer Head Jim Bain – whom I have affectionately dubbed “The Scottish Mad Lad” for his ability to make crazy good gains despite both working a hard labor job AND creeping ever upward toward age 50. Listen in and hear his epic tale of working some of the craziest, toughest jobs around AND doing some hard-as-nails workouts at the same time.

(Side note: We didn’t cover this in the episode itself, but Jim mentioned something to me after we finished recording that made me want to let you all know: his grandma’s milk man in Edinburgh, Scotland way back in the day was none other than Sean Connery himself! According to her “I’m glad he turned out to be a good actor because he was a rubbish milk man”)

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Ep. 338: 3 Reasons Why You Don't Need More Than 1 Kettlebell to Get Stronger

December 26, 2022

Get my 9-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge FREE here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com One of my favorite quotes ever is from the Chief instructor of StrongFirst's kettlebell education department, Brett Jones: "Lock me in a room with a 16 kg kettlebell. I will get stronger." You don't have to be that extreme since there are definitely benefits to…

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

One of my favorite quotes ever is from the Chief instructor of StrongFirst’s kettlebell education department, Brett Jones:

“Lock me in a room with a 16 kg kettlebell. I will get stronger.”

You don’t have to be that extreme since there are definitely benefits to owning a multitude of kettlebells and other equipment, but most people make the mistake of thinking that owning an entire caravan of bells and other equipment is their ticket to strength.

It’s not!

It certainly doesn’t hurt, but it’s no guarantee either.

Here are 3 reasons why sticking with only 1 kettlebell can be one of the best things you do for your strength.

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