Frequently Asked Questions
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Website
What is the deal with Fatal Fluid, Fatal Fighter, and Rad Railage?
How do I submit a workout or autopsy?
Some of the exercises listed in the Dcs are not in the video archive
Fatal Fitness Methodology
What is Fatal Fitness?
How does Fatal Fitness differ from conventional programs?
What is up with the Character Development Slugs?
What is the principle of “muscle confusion,” and how does it benefi...
What makes you different from other sites like CrossFit?
Where is the structure? The Death Certificates seem pretty random.
What terminology should I know to understand everything?
I'm new to Fatal Fitness. Where should I start?
It seems like you hate bodybuilding. Why?
Ptossing
What is ptossing?
It seems a lot like parkour or free running. What's the difference?
What are the rules of ptossing?
Where did the name come from?
What do the terms ptask, ptrack, kink, ptacking, etc. mean?
How often should I go on ptoss runs? How often should I rest?
Team stuff
What is the deal with Fatal Fitness Teams?
How much does it cost to have a Team?
Do I need to be a certified trainer or have one to start a Team?”
Fatal Fitness Certification
Do you offer certification for fitness trainers?
I want to become a certified personal/fitness trainer, but I don't ...
Associate Program
Can I start a Fatal Fitness gym?
I already own a gym. Can we hold Fatal Fitness classes there?
General Health and Fitness
What's the best way to start eating more healthy?
I do plenty of cardio and have healthy eating habits, yet I can't g...
I heard girls should use light weights with higher reps to keep fro...
Why don't you ever utilize the Fat-Burning Zone for cardio?
How often should I take a rest day?
Some exercises have variations. What are the Fatal Fitness defaults...
What is the difference between a pull up and a chin up?
What do you mean by pronated/supinated/alternating, etc?
What do you mean when you say "active rest"
What do you mean by 40/20 and 60/30? What about 20/10?
How should my feet be positioned during a squat?
How far should I go down on a squat?
What does it mean when it says, “by the four count”?
What are kipping pullups and what is your take on them?
What is the difference between a single leg squat and a pistol?
I can't do an exercise, what should I do?
Equipment
What kind of running shoes should I get?
What equipment do I need?
What size of kettlebell should I get?
Where are some good places that I can find quality equipment?
Website
For questions regarding this website or how to use it.
What is the deal with Fatal Fluid, Fatal Fighter, and Rad Railage?
We discovered that the topics of swimming, and martial arts were each large enough that they merited their own sites. So we branched out. Since we created Ptossing, Rad Railage became the site for all things ptossing. Each site is still pretty new, and we are working hard to continually put new content up on these sites. Please be patient, help us out by posting in the forums, and check back often for updates!
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How do I submit a workout or autopsy?
Only site Cadre can post workouts and autopsies, however, you are more than welcome to create your own content and post it as a blog (this could be a workout you created or an article). If it's well-written, we may choose to feature it.
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Some of the exercises listed in the DCs are not in the Video archive.
The video archive is a work in progress. We will do our best to post exercises soon, in the meantime, try doing an online search for the exercise. Many of our exercises can be found on other sites. If you still cannot find an explanation/demo, post a question in our forum and someone will offer you a written description of the exercise, or post a question in the comments of whatever DC you're trying to do.
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Fatal Fitness Methodology
For questions about our content, methodology, etc.
What is Fatal Fitness?
Fatal Fitness is: perseverance, sacrifice, integrity, dedication, pushing beyond what is comfortable, accomplishing what you thought was impossible, and challenge. In short, it is a website, a community, an attitude, and a system of pushing physical boundaries to facilitate positive change in all aspects of life, such as intestinal fortitude, mental strength, and a sense of accomplishment that helps you be more productive at work, at home, and even in relationships. Not only can you increase your physical fitness with us, you can use it to launch a more meaningful existence. Push it, seize it, live it.
Read more about Fatal Fitness: About Fatal Fitness Standing in the Shadow of CrossFit Why Fatal Fitness or What the Hell are You DOING Here?
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How does Fatal Fitness differ from conventional programs?
Most fitness programs are offsprings of traditional bodybuilding programs. They use a process called periodization, which is a method used to facilitate progress through progressive overload, and like the term says, it's done through a series of periods, or phases, which should be carefully planned out. Unlike programs like this, Fatal Fitness uses another process called muscular confusion, which works by not allowing your body to fully adapt to stimulus like it wants to, which leads to homeostasis. Technically, this should not happen with proper systematic overload (through periodization), but the goal at Fatal Fitness is not continual muscle growth (bodybuilding). The muscle confusion serves to also alleviate boredom and give your body new challenges to overcome without the monotony of just adding weight or volume. Other stuff that makes us different: Using Fatal Fitness for Character Development Drinking the Kool Aid
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What is up with the Character Development Slugs?
We want to offer a positive constant for every member. Since it is up to each person as a human to take responsibilitY for their actions, we cannot force a person to act a certain way. But we offer a daily morsel--or slug--in an attempt to provoke thought and guided discussion to keep these things on the brain and hopefully help others better themselves not just physically. We do it because you can never have too many good people in this world.
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What is the principle of “muscle confusion,” and how does it benefit me?
Neuromuscular adaptation to exercise, most notably resistance exercise, can be summarized as thus: muscles, when faced with resistance, recruit as many motor-units as necessary to overcome the resistance. The nervous system responds by “re-wiring” itself, to more efficiently be able to perform the same work again with less motor-units. Muscle cells are fortified with increases in myofibrils within the cells and an increase in the size of the cross-section of the sarcolemma (muscle size). Typically speaking, after 8 weeks of repeating the same types of work loads, the neuromuscular system will have rewired itself to a better level of efficiency; after which point the adaptation is heavily focused on myofibril production and increases in the cross-section of sarcolemma. Studies also show that resistance exercise also leads to similar improvements in bone density, in the connective tissue and even in the nervous system’s performance. The principle of “muscular confusion” is to take advantage of the body’s natural adaptive abilities. By constantly changing the types of challenges placed upon the muscular system, the nervous system is forced to constantly adapt; constantly “re-wiring” itself for better and better muscle recruitment. The muscle cells themselves do experience hypertrophy, but mainly in the sense of myofibril density, and less in regards to hypertrophy of the sarcolemma. In short, the principle of muscle confusion leads to fewer “plateaus”, and greater improvements in performance, endurance, recovery time, and strength-to-mass ratio, without a heavy focus on the aesthetics of size gain.
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What makes you different from other sites like CrossFit?
While the similarities are numerous--intensity, functional, challenging, we both post daily workouts--CrossFit has a much different focus than we do. We tend to focus a lot more on exercises that are traditionally found in military PT programs (flutterkicks, etc.). The workout structures are different (see our FAQ on our workout structure for more details). We also like to run more and as far as we know we have more pool workouts. The bottom line is that we are a small group of people who simply like working out this way. We felt like sharing that with the public. While we now have Cadre with Crossfit certifications; we focus on doing our thing and trying to make it better.
For more info on the differences between us, check out Standing in the Shadow of CrossFit
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Where is the structure? The Death Certificates seem pretty random.
The DCs are designed to seem random, however, they are not entirely. We use a 5-phase rotation. Each phase is 8 days--6 workouts with 2 rest days. Each day has a specific focus, such as one day will be themed on developing power, another will be for strength, another endurance, etc. The 8-day rotation was developed by one our cadre, George Anthony, and the 5-phase program was developed Mike “Boomer” Hussel, another cadre. The DC for each day will follow the theme outlined in the structure. It was designed this way for several reasons--to still allow an element of randomness throughout the workouts for muscle confusion; it allows a variety of fitness components to be worked so you get a more balanced approach; you should never see the same rotation twice.
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What terminology should I know to understand everything?
For starters, we have our own terminology, which will help you better understand us.
Here are some common terms we use:
Death Certificate (DC)--the workouts
Autopsy--an article
The Morgue--our forums
Athlepedia--our health and fitness wiki
The REAPER--our fitness test. It stands for "Really Elite Athletic Performance Enhancement. Really."
FF or FFitness--Abbreviated term for this site
FFuel--Fatal Fuel (nutrition)
FFluid--Fatal Fluid (water training)
FFighter--Fatal Fighter (functional martial arts)
In addition to these FFitness-specific terms, there are a number of other terms or abbreviations that you should know:
x4ct--by the 4-count (see exercise FAQ)
1RM--one repetition maximum
40/20, 60/30, 20/10--HIIT paces (see exercise FAQ)
BB or BBell--barbell
BP--bench press
bw-- (no caps) bodyweight (exercise with no weight)
BW-- (all caps) bodyweight (your weight on the bar, as in a BW OHS)
CD--Character Development; a defining theme of FFitness
CDS--Character Development Slug (a thought-provoking question or statement included in each DC)
CF--CrossFit (our elite fitness counterparts)
DB or DBell--dumbbell
DL--deadlift
FS--front squat
GJ--Gym Jones (another elite fitness site)
HIIT--high intesity interval training
KB--kettlebell
MBall--medicine ball
OH--overhead, as in OH Squat or OH Press
OHS--overhead squat
PR--personal record
SLeg--single leg, as in SLeg Squat
TGU--Turkish get-up
WO--workout
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I'm new to Fatal Fitness. Where should I start?
Check out our starter page. The Death Certificate was too easy.
Our workouts are designed to be challenging while still allowing you to do other activities. Some people play sports in addition to our workouts, while others use our workouts exclusively. Also keep in mind that we cycle through variations of "heavy" days and "light" days. In the end the decision is entirely up to you as to whether you want to do more.
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It seems like you hate bodybuilding. Why?
We don't hate bodybuilding, nor do we hate bodybuilders. The sport of bodybuilding (if done properly) requires extensive knowledge and training, and that is admirable. The whole fitness realm, in a way, owes a lot to bodybuilding--guys like Vince Gironda, Joe Weider, the guys at Muscle Beach--and they made a lot of significant discoveries. We simply have a different focus here--ours is more geared towards functional fitness and well-rounded conditioning. What we don't like is how many people just don't realize that bodybuilding serves a specific purpose. It is not the be-all-end-all for everything under the sun. We don't like people who don't know any better who diseminate disinformation and tout it to the masses like it's gospel. Our goal is to help people by educating them on how to distinguish between stuff that is meant for bodybuilding and stuff that will help them in a more multi-faceted way.
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Ptossing For questions on the activity of ptossing.
What is ptossing? Ptossing (pronounced "tossing"--the p is silent; called "Desent" in the UK)is a game or fitness method which utilizes the method of perpetual motion training, and combines bodyweight exercises as resistance with varied-intensity cardio as a non-traditional form of intense outdoor exercise. It was inspired by the art of displacement (parkour, see Differences below), and like parkour ptossing utilizes the environment as a tool of implementing the exercises; the driving force behind ptossing is to enable anyone to achieve high levels of fitness at any time of day from any location. While many people can say they have "done something like this" before, it is the 5 Laws of Ptossing that give ptossing a unique set of specific parameters that separates ptossing from everything else. The concept itself is not new (continually moving, physical activity outside, etc.), however, the rules of the game make it a unique activity. Read the full description and rules of ptossing. Visit our exclusive site on ptossing. Check here for a video demo!
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It seems a lot like parkour or free running. What's the difference?
In short: with parkour, the fundamentals include running, jumping, and climbing in order to build the fundamentals to improve the ability to pass over, under, around and through obstacles with more complex movements. So where a traceur might approach an obstacle with complete intentions of going over, under, around, or through it--to be free and clear of it--a ptosser will approach the same obstacle and utilize it to perform some exercise. Ptossing is markedly different from freerunning and parkour, in that the focus is entirely on fitness, rather than the negotiation of obstacles by efficiency (parkour) or elegance (free running). In fact, the only similarity is in that in each activity, running and spontaneity are involved. With ptossing, the goal is to maintain constant movement for purposes of elevating the heart rate, and the performance of advanced bodyweight techniques to develop high strength-mass ratio; the whole essence of ptossing exists to offer participants a way of achieving elite fitness levels without needing extra equipment or funds. Where parkour uses a limited selection of specific movements, called passements, to negotiate obstacles as quickly and efficiently as possible, ptossing does not. Free running uses passements from parkour in addition to acrobatic movements to add additional flair. In ptossing, while these movements would technically be allowed, they are not the sole purpose. The sole purpose of ptossing is to run fast for fitness, and increase the intensity of the workout with advanced bodyweight exercises.
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What are the rules of ptossing?
There are 5 Laws of Ptossing. They are:
The First Law of Ptossing: You must be in a perpetual state of motion.
The Second Law of Ptossing: You must always travel a new path.
The Third Law of Ptossing: You must be outdoors.
The Fourth Law of Ptossing: Your body must provide the resistance for every exercise.
The Fifth Law of Ptossing: You must sprint every hill.
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Where did the name come from?
The name came from the short version of the 5 Laws.
P - perpetual state of motion
T - travel a new path
O - outdoors
S - self as resistance
S - sprinting is vital
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What do the terms ptask, ptrack, kink, ptacking, etc. mean?
Here are all the terms used in the art of ptossing:
*ptoss run - one complete session of ptossing (pronounced "toss run")
*ptosser - one who engages in ptossing ("tosser")
*ptask - exercises, or tasks, that must be completed during a ptoss run ("task")
*ptrack - the route one runs ("track")
*pterrain - the environment and everything it contains which is used for exercise
*freestyling - incorporating exercises "on-the-fly" as opportunities present themselves during a ptoss run
*kink - a random parameter thrown into some ptoss runs to enhance the experience or increase intensity
*ptacking - when exercise requiring weights is added (ptacked) onto a ptoss run, either at the beginning or at the end. ("tacking")
*bracketing - when exercise requiring weights is thrust into the middle of a ptoss run; the presses/lifts/etc. are essentially "bracketed" by two ptoss runs.
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How often should I go on ptoss runs? When should I rest?
While you could technically do ptoss runs every day, you would need to vary the intensity of each, with a lesser-intensity run following any really intense days, either that or follow it with a flat-out rest day. It won't really help your sprinting development to do these every day of the week. Ultimately, the amount you do and at what intensity will be driven by how you feel. If you ever feel too drained, you should probably take a rest day. It also doesn't hurt to take two rest days if you really need it, but anything longer than that probably isn't necessary.
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Team Stuff This category is for questions regarding Fatal Fitness Teams.
What is the deal with Fatal Fitness Teams? It's been our experience that a lot of folks make bigger gains when they have the motivation of other like-minded people behind them. Not only does it foster greater progress, but it develops leadership, teamwork, and camaraderie, which is what we're all about. We created the Team program to allow users to get together and form units that not only work out together, but also pit against each other in the spirit of competition.
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How much does it cost to have a Team?
Nothing. It's free of charge.
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Do I need to be a certified trainer or have one to start a Team? You do not need a certified trainer to start a Team.
How do I start or join a Team? Check here.
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Fatal Fitness Certification For questions regarding Fatal Fitness Certifications.
Do you offer certification for fitness trainers?
Not at this time.
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I want to become a certified personal/fitness trainer, but I don't want to wait for FFitness certification. What do you recommend?
There are several certifying agencies you could do well to obtain an education from. Here is a list of some that are highly regarded: Kettlebells Russian Kettlebell Challenge World Kettlebell Club Olympic Lifting USA Weightlifting Cross-training CrossFit* Specialty Certs Total Immersion Pose Method *It would be unprofessional for us to neglect mentioning our CrossFit counterparts, because they have very high standards. And that is awesome.
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Associates Program
For the Associates Program.
Can I start a Fatal Fitness gym?
Not yet.
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I already own a gym. Can we hold Fatal Fitness classes there?
We are working on creating a Fatal Fitness Methodology program, which will be the starting point. After you have passed this program and have obtained or can show proof of being certified with an approved agency, you will be able to hold Fatal Fitness classes at your location. Keep checking back for more info.
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General Health and Fitness
For our most frequently asked questions regarding health and fitness.
What's the best way to start eating more healthy?
The single greatest factor in producing results for those who need to eat healthier is--brace yourself--a food log! Studies have shown that people who keep food logs lose more weight, and faster, than their non-food-log-having counterparts. Furthermore, most people have a rosy perception of their eating habits, and find that in reality their habits weren't really all that great. Keep a food journal/diary/log/notebook and you'll start to see things in a different light--and you'll start to see positive changes.
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I do plenty of cardio and have healthy eating habits, yet I can't get rid of these last few pounds? What is wrong?
The problem is that you've probably been doing the same thing for too long. You body adapts to a program in about 4-6 weeks, and gets more efficient, thereby reducing progress, or plateauing. Another thing is that you're probably not incorporating any weightlifting into your routine. A purely cardio/pilates/yoga routine will get you a little smaller, but it won't change your body composition in the way you're probably looking for, which is to look toned and tight. To do that you need to train with more weights and less cardio. The reason is that cardio alone doesn't do much to change your body composition (lean mass vs. fat mass). Cardio only can also make you lose weight but still look fat. Lifting weights will boost your metabolism (which is determined by lean muscle mass) and help you get more firm. Furthermore, the cardio you're doing--long duration, low intensity--isn't helping you torch calories as much as it could. In order to get rid of those last few pounds, your focus should go from lots of long duration, low intensity cardio with little or no weight training to more weight training and cardio of higher intensity but less duration.
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I heard girls should use light weights with higher reps to keep from bulking up. Is that true?
No, it is not true. Think about this--damn near all the guys in the gym are trying very, very hard to bulk up, and a lot of them are still struggling. You would also have to eat a LOT of food. Bulking up just doesn't happen all that magically, so using heavy weights on a limited basis isn't going to transform you into a man-chick. Women just don't produce enough testosterone to seriously bulk up, and even if they did...see above. If that answer doesn't do it for you, consider that professional female bodybuilders work out hours a day AND use performance enhancing substances--and they STILL have to work very hard to bulk up like they do. Our answer is that you need to train every component of fitness in order to be well-rounded. Neglecting strength training exercises (as opposed to endurance/stamina) just isn't practical, and you have nothing to worry about. And here's a great article about the stripper workout, and those girls don't look bulky, do they? Do they? http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2005/...
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Why don't you ever utilize the fat-burning zone for cardio?
Because the fat-burning zone is outdated and inefficient. Plus, it's based only partly on fact and spun to make it seem like it's the greatest thing in the world. The truth of the matter is, to lose weight it's calories you need to burn--it doesn't matter if they're from fat, carbs, or protein--to lose weight. The other reason is because you can burn up to 9 times more by using high intensity interval training than with slow, monotonous, lengthy cardio sessions. Not only does your body torch more calories from the higher intensity, you also continue to burn calories post exercise, which doesn't happen with long bouts of cardio. Plus, the more monotonous your cardio regimen, the more efficient your body will become at that exercise, thus rendering it less and less effective. So not only will you save a lot of time with HIIT (you can do a whole HIIT session in 25 minutes, including the warmup and cooldown, as opposed to 45-60 minutes of slow cardio), you'll burn much more calories, be less inclined to hate your workouts, improve VO2 max, and you won't plateau. HIIT is better in every way.
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How often should I take a rest day?
Pushing yourself too hard can be just as detrimental as not doing anything. Every person is different; some require more time to recover, while some people almost seem to need none at all. The general guideline is that you should take about 48 hours to allow a muscle group to recover. It is perfectly okay to take extra time off if you feel you need it. However, on some occasions your body may be sore for a week following a workout. This doesn’t mean your body needs to wait that long before working out again. In these cases, waiting 48 hours and continuing your program will be fine. Exercises Our most frequently asked questions about exercises.
What kind of warm-up and cool-down should I do?
Our warm-up: Anesthesia Our cool-down: Demerol For more on the warming up and cooling down, read: Reincarnating the Warmup and Cooldown.
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Some exercises have variations. What are the Fatal Fitness defaults for each exercise?
Here are a few of our defaults. Any time one of these exercises is posted, it will be according to these defaults unless otherwise stated. burpees--will always be accompanied by a pushup in the middle unless otherwise stated pullups--will always be strict, dead-hang pullups unless otherwise stated flutterkicks--will always be by the four count; all other ab exercises are normal unless stated x4ct. intervals--will always be 40/20, 60/30, or 20/10 (your choice) unless specifically stated
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What is the difference between a pullup and a chinup?
A pullup is where you grip the bar with your palms facing away from you while a chinup is when you grip the bar with your palms facing toward you.
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What do you mean by pronated/supinated/alternating, etc?
We're referring to different ways to grip the bar. Using the standard pullup as an example: pronated = palms facing away from you (also the predominant grip for the standard bench press) supinated = palms facing toward you (also the predominant grip for the standard bicep curl) alternating or mixed= one palm facing away, one facing towards hook = grip with the thumb first gripping the bar, with the fingers overlapping (see here). Used mostly in Olympic weightlifting to lift heavier weights without straps
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What do you mean when you say "active rest"?
We program in an automatic two rest days per every 8-day cycle. Some days, you just don't feel like taking a rest day, which is fine. What active rest is, then, is using a DC as a "light day" so you're not completely screwing yourself by missing the rest day.
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What do you mean by 40/20 and 60/30? What about 20/10?
We're talking about paces for doing high intensity interval training. 40/20=going for 40 seconds moderately, alternated with 20 seconds of vigorous intensity. 60/30=going for 60 seconds moderately, alternated with 30 seconds of vigorous/near-vigorous intensity. 20/10=going for 20 seconds extreme intensity, alternated with 10 seconds of rest.
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How should my feet be positioned during a squat?
At or greater than hip-width apart, firmly planted on the heels with the toes and knees pointing in the same direction.
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”How far should I go down on a squat?
As far as you can. The conventional wisdom that says to go only to 90 is flawed. The position with the greatest stress on the knees is at 90 degrees, so it doesn't make sense to pause at that point. Furthermore, the deep squat is a natural position (think how babies squat). A good indicator that you're going down far enough is that the crease of the hips goes below the plane of the knees. Try pushing your knees apart if you're having trouble getting down that far.
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What are kipping pullups and what is your take on them?
Kipping pullups are a type of pullup that utilizes the entire body. While a kipping pullup is easier on your direct pulling muscles, they are much harder on your grip and a lot more cardiovascular than strict pullups. It's a full body movement where you generate power at your hips. It utilizes many of the same principles needed to master other power type exerices, and it also allows for greater work in shorter time. So there are many benefits to kipping pullups. For some places, such as Gym Jones or CrossFit, kipping pullups are the default pullup. They are very effective. Our default pullup, however, is the traditional pullup. We actually treat regular pullups and kipping pullups as two separate exercises. On the occasion that we utilize kipping pullups--usually it will be to keep you moving constantly--we will specify that kipping is to be used. This also brings up other questions, such as, "Don't you want to keep moving like that anyways?" Our answer to that is, when we ask you to train pullups the strict, traditional way, we're stressing your body in that specific, particular way (like if we're working on strength days). When we want you to get the benefits of the kipping pullup, we integrate it into the Death Certificate. Check out Josh Hillis' article on kipping for more info: http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2006/...
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What does it mean when you say "by the four-count?"
By the four count is the way many exercises are counted in the US military. For most exercises, it simply equals out to 1 four count rep is 2 normal reps. So if you were to do 25 pushups at the four count, it would equal 50 pushups. By default here at Fatal Fitness, only flutterkicks are always done at the four count--every other exercise will be normal unless otherwise stated.
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What is the difference between a single leg squat and a pistol?
Check out our Autopsy: Single Leg Squat vs Pistol vs Single Leg Touchdown
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I can't do an exercise. What should I do?
You can substitute the exercise with something similar that you can perform. If you find that you can at least do a few of the prescribed exercises, do as many as you can before changing to something else. Unless you feel pain [other than "this sucks" kinds of pain] you should strive to challenge yourself. If you cannot use the recommended weight, it's okay to lower the amount to something you can manage and work up to it over time. If you don't know which exercises are good substitutions, just post a comment under that DC and we'll help you out.
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Equipment For questions regarding the use of equipment.
What kind of running shoes should I get?
That really has a lot to do with you. There is a great resource on Runner's World that can aid you in selecting a shoe that's right for you. We do, however, recommend that you only use running shoes for running and not for weight training. The reason is because the cushion of running shoes are not ideal for lifting weights (esp. squats), and a shoe with less cushion should be used. Regular sneakers, wrestling shoes, or even no shoes are great for this (if you are confident and don't mind the risk). Most facilities, however, require that you wear shoes.
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What equipment do I need?
Because we use a wide array of equipment at Fatal Fitness it wouldn't be feasible for us to tell you everything to purchase, however, at a minimum, we recommend having access to at least the following: -at least one kettlebell -pullup/dip bars -an Olympic bar with plates or bumper plates -a pool Everything else is just extra. Some other items that will serve you well: -rings -a jump rope
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What size of kettlebell should I get?
That would all depend on your current level of fitness (or the level you're about to reach). For example, for an active male of normal size, a 36 lb KB would likely feel "just right", while a 53 lb KB would almost seem like too much. Since they come in all variations and sizes nowadays, it would help if you could try out several of them. We suggest picking up a set that's just beyond your fitness level. If you have money to burn, then by all means, get several sizes.
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Where are some good places that I can find quality equipment?
There are a million places you can go for great equipment. Here are a few we recommend. Rings: Ring Training Kettlebells, etc.: Muscle Driver USA Everything: Garage Gym and Rogue Fitness
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Website
What is the deal with Fatal Fluid, Fatal Fighter, and Rad Railage?
How do I submit a workout or autopsy?
Some of the exercises listed in the Dcs are not in the video archive
Fatal Fitness Methodology
What is Fatal Fitness?
How does Fatal Fitness differ from conventional programs?
What is up with the Character Development Slugs?
What is the principle of “muscle confusion,” and how does it benefi...
What makes you different from other sites like CrossFit?
Where is the structure? The Death Certificates seem pretty random.
What terminology should I know to understand everything?
I'm new to Fatal Fitness. Where should I start?
It seems like you hate bodybuilding. Why?
Ptossing
What is ptossing?
It seems a lot like parkour or free running. What's the difference?
What are the rules of ptossing?
Where did the name come from?
What do the terms ptask, ptrack, kink, ptacking, etc. mean?
How often should I go on ptoss runs? How often should I rest?
Team stuff
What is the deal with Fatal Fitness Teams?
How much does it cost to have a Team?
Do I need to be a certified trainer or have one to start a Team?”
Fatal Fitness Certification
Do you offer certification for fitness trainers?
I want to become a certified personal/fitness trainer, but I don't ...
Associate Program
Can I start a Fatal Fitness gym?
I already own a gym. Can we hold Fatal Fitness classes there?
General Health and Fitness
What's the best way to start eating more healthy?
I do plenty of cardio and have healthy eating habits, yet I can't g...
I heard girls should use light weights with higher reps to keep fro...
Why don't you ever utilize the Fat-Burning Zone for cardio?
How often should I take a rest day?
Some exercises have variations. What are the Fatal Fitness defaults...
What is the difference between a pull up and a chin up?
What do you mean by pronated/supinated/alternating, etc?
What do you mean when you say "active rest"
What do you mean by 40/20 and 60/30? What about 20/10?
How should my feet be positioned during a squat?
How far should I go down on a squat?
What does it mean when it says, “by the four count”?
What are kipping pullups and what is your take on them?
What is the difference between a single leg squat and a pistol?
I can't do an exercise, what should I do?
Equipment
What kind of running shoes should I get?
What equipment do I need?
What size of kettlebell should I get?
Where are some good places that I can find quality equipment?
Website
For questions regarding this website or how to use it.
What is the deal with Fatal Fluid, Fatal Fighter, and Rad Railage?
We discovered that the topics of swimming, and martial arts were each large enough that they merited their own sites. So we branched out. Since we created Ptossing, Rad Railage became the site for all things ptossing. Each site is still pretty new, and we are working hard to continually put new content up on these sites. Please be patient, help us out by posting in the forums, and check back often for updates!
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How do I submit a workout or autopsy?
Only site Cadre can post workouts and autopsies, however, you are more than welcome to create your own content and post it as a blog (this could be a workout you created or an article). If it's well-written, we may choose to feature it.
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Some of the exercises listed in the DCs are not in the Video archive.
The video archive is a work in progress. We will do our best to post exercises soon, in the meantime, try doing an online search for the exercise. Many of our exercises can be found on other sites. If you still cannot find an explanation/demo, post a question in our forum and someone will offer you a written description of the exercise, or post a question in the comments of whatever DC you're trying to do.
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Fatal Fitness Methodology
For questions about our content, methodology, etc.
What is Fatal Fitness?
Fatal Fitness is: perseverance, sacrifice, integrity, dedication, pushing beyond what is comfortable, accomplishing what you thought was impossible, and challenge. In short, it is a website, a community, an attitude, and a system of pushing physical boundaries to facilitate positive change in all aspects of life, such as intestinal fortitude, mental strength, and a sense of accomplishment that helps you be more productive at work, at home, and even in relationships. Not only can you increase your physical fitness with us, you can use it to launch a more meaningful existence. Push it, seize it, live it.
Read more about Fatal Fitness: About Fatal Fitness Standing in the Shadow of CrossFit Why Fatal Fitness or What the Hell are You DOING Here?
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How does Fatal Fitness differ from conventional programs?
Most fitness programs are offsprings of traditional bodybuilding programs. They use a process called periodization, which is a method used to facilitate progress through progressive overload, and like the term says, it's done through a series of periods, or phases, which should be carefully planned out. Unlike programs like this, Fatal Fitness uses another process called muscular confusion, which works by not allowing your body to fully adapt to stimulus like it wants to, which leads to homeostasis. Technically, this should not happen with proper systematic overload (through periodization), but the goal at Fatal Fitness is not continual muscle growth (bodybuilding). The muscle confusion serves to also alleviate boredom and give your body new challenges to overcome without the monotony of just adding weight or volume. Other stuff that makes us different: Using Fatal Fitness for Character Development Drinking the Kool Aid
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What is up with the Character Development Slugs?
We want to offer a positive constant for every member. Since it is up to each person as a human to take responsibilitY for their actions, we cannot force a person to act a certain way. But we offer a daily morsel--or slug--in an attempt to provoke thought and guided discussion to keep these things on the brain and hopefully help others better themselves not just physically. We do it because you can never have too many good people in this world.
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What is the principle of “muscle confusion,” and how does it benefit me?
Neuromuscular adaptation to exercise, most notably resistance exercise, can be summarized as thus: muscles, when faced with resistance, recruit as many motor-units as necessary to overcome the resistance. The nervous system responds by “re-wiring” itself, to more efficiently be able to perform the same work again with less motor-units. Muscle cells are fortified with increases in myofibrils within the cells and an increase in the size of the cross-section of the sarcolemma (muscle size). Typically speaking, after 8 weeks of repeating the same types of work loads, the neuromuscular system will have rewired itself to a better level of efficiency; after which point the adaptation is heavily focused on myofibril production and increases in the cross-section of sarcolemma. Studies also show that resistance exercise also leads to similar improvements in bone density, in the connective tissue and even in the nervous system’s performance. The principle of “muscular confusion” is to take advantage of the body’s natural adaptive abilities. By constantly changing the types of challenges placed upon the muscular system, the nervous system is forced to constantly adapt; constantly “re-wiring” itself for better and better muscle recruitment. The muscle cells themselves do experience hypertrophy, but mainly in the sense of myofibril density, and less in regards to hypertrophy of the sarcolemma. In short, the principle of muscle confusion leads to fewer “plateaus”, and greater improvements in performance, endurance, recovery time, and strength-to-mass ratio, without a heavy focus on the aesthetics of size gain.
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What makes you different from other sites like CrossFit?
While the similarities are numerous--intensity, functional, challenging, we both post daily workouts--CrossFit has a much different focus than we do. We tend to focus a lot more on exercises that are traditionally found in military PT programs (flutterkicks, etc.). The workout structures are different (see our FAQ on our workout structure for more details). We also like to run more and as far as we know we have more pool workouts. The bottom line is that we are a small group of people who simply like working out this way. We felt like sharing that with the public. While we now have Cadre with Crossfit certifications; we focus on doing our thing and trying to make it better.
For more info on the differences between us, check out Standing in the Shadow of CrossFit
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Where is the structure? The Death Certificates seem pretty random.
The DCs are designed to seem random, however, they are not entirely. We use a 5-phase rotation. Each phase is 8 days--6 workouts with 2 rest days. Each day has a specific focus, such as one day will be themed on developing power, another will be for strength, another endurance, etc. The 8-day rotation was developed by one our cadre, George Anthony, and the 5-phase program was developed Mike “Boomer” Hussel, another cadre. The DC for each day will follow the theme outlined in the structure. It was designed this way for several reasons--to still allow an element of randomness throughout the workouts for muscle confusion; it allows a variety of fitness components to be worked so you get a more balanced approach; you should never see the same rotation twice.
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What terminology should I know to understand everything?
For starters, we have our own terminology, which will help you better understand us.
Here are some common terms we use:
Death Certificate (DC)--the workouts
Autopsy--an article
The Morgue--our forums
Athlepedia--our health and fitness wiki
The REAPER--our fitness test. It stands for "Really Elite Athletic Performance Enhancement. Really."
FF or FFitness--Abbreviated term for this site
FFuel--Fatal Fuel (nutrition)
FFluid--Fatal Fluid (water training)
FFighter--Fatal Fighter (functional martial arts)
In addition to these FFitness-specific terms, there are a number of other terms or abbreviations that you should know:
x4ct--by the 4-count (see exercise FAQ)
1RM--one repetition maximum
40/20, 60/30, 20/10--HIIT paces (see exercise FAQ)
BB or BBell--barbell
BP--bench press
bw-- (no caps) bodyweight (exercise with no weight)
BW-- (all caps) bodyweight (your weight on the bar, as in a BW OHS)
CD--Character Development; a defining theme of FFitness
CDS--Character Development Slug (a thought-provoking question or statement included in each DC)
CF--CrossFit (our elite fitness counterparts)
DB or DBell--dumbbell
DL--deadlift
FS--front squat
GJ--Gym Jones (another elite fitness site)
HIIT--high intesity interval training
KB--kettlebell
MBall--medicine ball
OH--overhead, as in OH Squat or OH Press
OHS--overhead squat
PR--personal record
SLeg--single leg, as in SLeg Squat
TGU--Turkish get-up
WO--workout
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I'm new to Fatal Fitness. Where should I start?
Check out our starter page. The Death Certificate was too easy.
Our workouts are designed to be challenging while still allowing you to do other activities. Some people play sports in addition to our workouts, while others use our workouts exclusively. Also keep in mind that we cycle through variations of "heavy" days and "light" days. In the end the decision is entirely up to you as to whether you want to do more.
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It seems like you hate bodybuilding. Why?
We don't hate bodybuilding, nor do we hate bodybuilders. The sport of bodybuilding (if done properly) requires extensive knowledge and training, and that is admirable. The whole fitness realm, in a way, owes a lot to bodybuilding--guys like Vince Gironda, Joe Weider, the guys at Muscle Beach--and they made a lot of significant discoveries. We simply have a different focus here--ours is more geared towards functional fitness and well-rounded conditioning. What we don't like is how many people just don't realize that bodybuilding serves a specific purpose. It is not the be-all-end-all for everything under the sun. We don't like people who don't know any better who diseminate disinformation and tout it to the masses like it's gospel. Our goal is to help people by educating them on how to distinguish between stuff that is meant for bodybuilding and stuff that will help them in a more multi-faceted way.
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Ptossing For questions on the activity of ptossing.
What is ptossing? Ptossing (pronounced "tossing"--the p is silent; called "Desent" in the UK)is a game or fitness method which utilizes the method of perpetual motion training, and combines bodyweight exercises as resistance with varied-intensity cardio as a non-traditional form of intense outdoor exercise. It was inspired by the art of displacement (parkour, see Differences below), and like parkour ptossing utilizes the environment as a tool of implementing the exercises; the driving force behind ptossing is to enable anyone to achieve high levels of fitness at any time of day from any location. While many people can say they have "done something like this" before, it is the 5 Laws of Ptossing that give ptossing a unique set of specific parameters that separates ptossing from everything else. The concept itself is not new (continually moving, physical activity outside, etc.), however, the rules of the game make it a unique activity. Read the full description and rules of ptossing. Visit our exclusive site on ptossing. Check here for a video demo!
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It seems a lot like parkour or free running. What's the difference?
In short: with parkour, the fundamentals include running, jumping, and climbing in order to build the fundamentals to improve the ability to pass over, under, around and through obstacles with more complex movements. So where a traceur might approach an obstacle with complete intentions of going over, under, around, or through it--to be free and clear of it--a ptosser will approach the same obstacle and utilize it to perform some exercise. Ptossing is markedly different from freerunning and parkour, in that the focus is entirely on fitness, rather than the negotiation of obstacles by efficiency (parkour) or elegance (free running). In fact, the only similarity is in that in each activity, running and spontaneity are involved. With ptossing, the goal is to maintain constant movement for purposes of elevating the heart rate, and the performance of advanced bodyweight techniques to develop high strength-mass ratio; the whole essence of ptossing exists to offer participants a way of achieving elite fitness levels without needing extra equipment or funds. Where parkour uses a limited selection of specific movements, called passements, to negotiate obstacles as quickly and efficiently as possible, ptossing does not. Free running uses passements from parkour in addition to acrobatic movements to add additional flair. In ptossing, while these movements would technically be allowed, they are not the sole purpose. The sole purpose of ptossing is to run fast for fitness, and increase the intensity of the workout with advanced bodyweight exercises.
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What are the rules of ptossing?
There are 5 Laws of Ptossing. They are:
The First Law of Ptossing: You must be in a perpetual state of motion.
The Second Law of Ptossing: You must always travel a new path.
The Third Law of Ptossing: You must be outdoors.
The Fourth Law of Ptossing: Your body must provide the resistance for every exercise.
The Fifth Law of Ptossing: You must sprint every hill.
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Where did the name come from?
The name came from the short version of the 5 Laws.
P - perpetual state of motion
T - travel a new path
O - outdoors
S - self as resistance
S - sprinting is vital
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What do the terms ptask, ptrack, kink, ptacking, etc. mean?
Here are all the terms used in the art of ptossing:
*ptoss run - one complete session of ptossing (pronounced "toss run")
*ptosser - one who engages in ptossing ("tosser")
*ptask - exercises, or tasks, that must be completed during a ptoss run ("task")
*ptrack - the route one runs ("track")
*pterrain - the environment and everything it contains which is used for exercise
*freestyling - incorporating exercises "on-the-fly" as opportunities present themselves during a ptoss run
*kink - a random parameter thrown into some ptoss runs to enhance the experience or increase intensity
*ptacking - when exercise requiring weights is added (ptacked) onto a ptoss run, either at the beginning or at the end. ("tacking")
*bracketing - when exercise requiring weights is thrust into the middle of a ptoss run; the presses/lifts/etc. are essentially "bracketed" by two ptoss runs.
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How often should I go on ptoss runs? When should I rest?
While you could technically do ptoss runs every day, you would need to vary the intensity of each, with a lesser-intensity run following any really intense days, either that or follow it with a flat-out rest day. It won't really help your sprinting development to do these every day of the week. Ultimately, the amount you do and at what intensity will be driven by how you feel. If you ever feel too drained, you should probably take a rest day. It also doesn't hurt to take two rest days if you really need it, but anything longer than that probably isn't necessary.
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Team Stuff This category is for questions regarding Fatal Fitness Teams.
What is the deal with Fatal Fitness Teams? It's been our experience that a lot of folks make bigger gains when they have the motivation of other like-minded people behind them. Not only does it foster greater progress, but it develops leadership, teamwork, and camaraderie, which is what we're all about. We created the Team program to allow users to get together and form units that not only work out together, but also pit against each other in the spirit of competition.
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How much does it cost to have a Team?
Nothing. It's free of charge.
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Do I need to be a certified trainer or have one to start a Team? You do not need a certified trainer to start a Team.
How do I start or join a Team? Check here.
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Fatal Fitness Certification For questions regarding Fatal Fitness Certifications.
Do you offer certification for fitness trainers?
Not at this time.
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I want to become a certified personal/fitness trainer, but I don't want to wait for FFitness certification. What do you recommend?
There are several certifying agencies you could do well to obtain an education from. Here is a list of some that are highly regarded: Kettlebells Russian Kettlebell Challenge World Kettlebell Club Olympic Lifting USA Weightlifting Cross-training CrossFit* Specialty Certs Total Immersion Pose Method *It would be unprofessional for us to neglect mentioning our CrossFit counterparts, because they have very high standards. And that is awesome.
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Associates Program
For the Associates Program.
Can I start a Fatal Fitness gym?
Not yet.
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I already own a gym. Can we hold Fatal Fitness classes there?
We are working on creating a Fatal Fitness Methodology program, which will be the starting point. After you have passed this program and have obtained or can show proof of being certified with an approved agency, you will be able to hold Fatal Fitness classes at your location. Keep checking back for more info.
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General Health and Fitness
For our most frequently asked questions regarding health and fitness.
What's the best way to start eating more healthy?
The single greatest factor in producing results for those who need to eat healthier is--brace yourself--a food log! Studies have shown that people who keep food logs lose more weight, and faster, than their non-food-log-having counterparts. Furthermore, most people have a rosy perception of their eating habits, and find that in reality their habits weren't really all that great. Keep a food journal/diary/log/notebook and you'll start to see things in a different light--and you'll start to see positive changes.
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I do plenty of cardio and have healthy eating habits, yet I can't get rid of these last few pounds? What is wrong?
The problem is that you've probably been doing the same thing for too long. You body adapts to a program in about 4-6 weeks, and gets more efficient, thereby reducing progress, or plateauing. Another thing is that you're probably not incorporating any weightlifting into your routine. A purely cardio/pilates/yoga routine will get you a little smaller, but it won't change your body composition in the way you're probably looking for, which is to look toned and tight. To do that you need to train with more weights and less cardio. The reason is that cardio alone doesn't do much to change your body composition (lean mass vs. fat mass). Cardio only can also make you lose weight but still look fat. Lifting weights will boost your metabolism (which is determined by lean muscle mass) and help you get more firm. Furthermore, the cardio you're doing--long duration, low intensity--isn't helping you torch calories as much as it could. In order to get rid of those last few pounds, your focus should go from lots of long duration, low intensity cardio with little or no weight training to more weight training and cardio of higher intensity but less duration.
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I heard girls should use light weights with higher reps to keep from bulking up. Is that true?
No, it is not true. Think about this--damn near all the guys in the gym are trying very, very hard to bulk up, and a lot of them are still struggling. You would also have to eat a LOT of food. Bulking up just doesn't happen all that magically, so using heavy weights on a limited basis isn't going to transform you into a man-chick. Women just don't produce enough testosterone to seriously bulk up, and even if they did...see above. If that answer doesn't do it for you, consider that professional female bodybuilders work out hours a day AND use performance enhancing substances--and they STILL have to work very hard to bulk up like they do. Our answer is that you need to train every component of fitness in order to be well-rounded. Neglecting strength training exercises (as opposed to endurance/stamina) just isn't practical, and you have nothing to worry about. And here's a great article about the stripper workout, and those girls don't look bulky, do they? Do they? http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2005/...
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Why don't you ever utilize the fat-burning zone for cardio?
Because the fat-burning zone is outdated and inefficient. Plus, it's based only partly on fact and spun to make it seem like it's the greatest thing in the world. The truth of the matter is, to lose weight it's calories you need to burn--it doesn't matter if they're from fat, carbs, or protein--to lose weight. The other reason is because you can burn up to 9 times more by using high intensity interval training than with slow, monotonous, lengthy cardio sessions. Not only does your body torch more calories from the higher intensity, you also continue to burn calories post exercise, which doesn't happen with long bouts of cardio. Plus, the more monotonous your cardio regimen, the more efficient your body will become at that exercise, thus rendering it less and less effective. So not only will you save a lot of time with HIIT (you can do a whole HIIT session in 25 minutes, including the warmup and cooldown, as opposed to 45-60 minutes of slow cardio), you'll burn much more calories, be less inclined to hate your workouts, improve VO2 max, and you won't plateau. HIIT is better in every way.
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How often should I take a rest day?
Pushing yourself too hard can be just as detrimental as not doing anything. Every person is different; some require more time to recover, while some people almost seem to need none at all. The general guideline is that you should take about 48 hours to allow a muscle group to recover. It is perfectly okay to take extra time off if you feel you need it. However, on some occasions your body may be sore for a week following a workout. This doesn’t mean your body needs to wait that long before working out again. In these cases, waiting 48 hours and continuing your program will be fine. Exercises Our most frequently asked questions about exercises.
What kind of warm-up and cool-down should I do?
Our warm-up: Anesthesia Our cool-down: Demerol For more on the warming up and cooling down, read: Reincarnating the Warmup and Cooldown.
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Some exercises have variations. What are the Fatal Fitness defaults for each exercise?
Here are a few of our defaults. Any time one of these exercises is posted, it will be according to these defaults unless otherwise stated. burpees--will always be accompanied by a pushup in the middle unless otherwise stated pullups--will always be strict, dead-hang pullups unless otherwise stated flutterkicks--will always be by the four count; all other ab exercises are normal unless stated x4ct. intervals--will always be 40/20, 60/30, or 20/10 (your choice) unless specifically stated
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What is the difference between a pullup and a chinup?
A pullup is where you grip the bar with your palms facing away from you while a chinup is when you grip the bar with your palms facing toward you.
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What do you mean by pronated/supinated/alternating, etc?
We're referring to different ways to grip the bar. Using the standard pullup as an example: pronated = palms facing away from you (also the predominant grip for the standard bench press) supinated = palms facing toward you (also the predominant grip for the standard bicep curl) alternating or mixed= one palm facing away, one facing towards hook = grip with the thumb first gripping the bar, with the fingers overlapping (see here). Used mostly in Olympic weightlifting to lift heavier weights without straps
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What do you mean when you say "active rest"?
We program in an automatic two rest days per every 8-day cycle. Some days, you just don't feel like taking a rest day, which is fine. What active rest is, then, is using a DC as a "light day" so you're not completely screwing yourself by missing the rest day.
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What do you mean by 40/20 and 60/30? What about 20/10?
We're talking about paces for doing high intensity interval training. 40/20=going for 40 seconds moderately, alternated with 20 seconds of vigorous intensity. 60/30=going for 60 seconds moderately, alternated with 30 seconds of vigorous/near-vigorous intensity. 20/10=going for 20 seconds extreme intensity, alternated with 10 seconds of rest.
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How should my feet be positioned during a squat?
At or greater than hip-width apart, firmly planted on the heels with the toes and knees pointing in the same direction.
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”How far should I go down on a squat?
As far as you can. The conventional wisdom that says to go only to 90 is flawed. The position with the greatest stress on the knees is at 90 degrees, so it doesn't make sense to pause at that point. Furthermore, the deep squat is a natural position (think how babies squat). A good indicator that you're going down far enough is that the crease of the hips goes below the plane of the knees. Try pushing your knees apart if you're having trouble getting down that far.
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What are kipping pullups and what is your take on them?
Kipping pullups are a type of pullup that utilizes the entire body. While a kipping pullup is easier on your direct pulling muscles, they are much harder on your grip and a lot more cardiovascular than strict pullups. It's a full body movement where you generate power at your hips. It utilizes many of the same principles needed to master other power type exerices, and it also allows for greater work in shorter time. So there are many benefits to kipping pullups. For some places, such as Gym Jones or CrossFit, kipping pullups are the default pullup. They are very effective. Our default pullup, however, is the traditional pullup. We actually treat regular pullups and kipping pullups as two separate exercises. On the occasion that we utilize kipping pullups--usually it will be to keep you moving constantly--we will specify that kipping is to be used. This also brings up other questions, such as, "Don't you want to keep moving like that anyways?" Our answer to that is, when we ask you to train pullups the strict, traditional way, we're stressing your body in that specific, particular way (like if we're working on strength days). When we want you to get the benefits of the kipping pullup, we integrate it into the Death Certificate. Check out Josh Hillis' article on kipping for more info: http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2006/...
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What does it mean when you say "by the four-count?"
By the four count is the way many exercises are counted in the US military. For most exercises, it simply equals out to 1 four count rep is 2 normal reps. So if you were to do 25 pushups at the four count, it would equal 50 pushups. By default here at Fatal Fitness, only flutterkicks are always done at the four count--every other exercise will be normal unless otherwise stated.
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What is the difference between a single leg squat and a pistol?
Check out our Autopsy: Single Leg Squat vs Pistol vs Single Leg Touchdown
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I can't do an exercise. What should I do?
You can substitute the exercise with something similar that you can perform. If you find that you can at least do a few of the prescribed exercises, do as many as you can before changing to something else. Unless you feel pain [other than "this sucks" kinds of pain] you should strive to challenge yourself. If you cannot use the recommended weight, it's okay to lower the amount to something you can manage and work up to it over time. If you don't know which exercises are good substitutions, just post a comment under that DC and we'll help you out.
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Equipment For questions regarding the use of equipment.
What kind of running shoes should I get?
That really has a lot to do with you. There is a great resource on Runner's World that can aid you in selecting a shoe that's right for you. We do, however, recommend that you only use running shoes for running and not for weight training. The reason is because the cushion of running shoes are not ideal for lifting weights (esp. squats), and a shoe with less cushion should be used. Regular sneakers, wrestling shoes, or even no shoes are great for this (if you are confident and don't mind the risk). Most facilities, however, require that you wear shoes.
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What equipment do I need?
Because we use a wide array of equipment at Fatal Fitness it wouldn't be feasible for us to tell you everything to purchase, however, at a minimum, we recommend having access to at least the following: -at least one kettlebell -pullup/dip bars -an Olympic bar with plates or bumper plates -a pool Everything else is just extra. Some other items that will serve you well: -rings -a jump rope
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What size of kettlebell should I get?
That would all depend on your current level of fitness (or the level you're about to reach). For example, for an active male of normal size, a 36 lb KB would likely feel "just right", while a 53 lb KB would almost seem like too much. Since they come in all variations and sizes nowadays, it would help if you could try out several of them. We suggest picking up a set that's just beyond your fitness level. If you have money to burn, then by all means, get several sizes.
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Where are some good places that I can find quality equipment?
There are a million places you can go for great equipment. Here are a few we recommend. Rings: Ring Training Kettlebells, etc.: Muscle Driver USA Everything: Garage Gym and Rogue Fitness
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Comment by Sven on March 30, 2009 at 6:53pm - These links do not work on this page.
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