Get your own copy of the 9 Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge FREE here:

https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

In this episode of The Hammer Cast, Aleks "The Hebrew Hammer" Salkin explores why you must be careful what you let influence you—in training and in life. Drawing on a tense encounter at the post office and the principles of Psycho-Cybernetics and the "theater of the mind," Aleks shows how to reframe negative experiences, manage your emotional state, and protect your performance from toxic inputs, whether it's bad news, social media, or everyday stress.

You'll discover:

• How your environment subtly shapes your training results
• A simple visualization tactic to shrink negative experiences and amplify positive ones
• How to turn "bad vibes" into better focus, energy, and strength in your workouts

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

Get your own copy of the 9 Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge FREE here:

https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

In this episode of The Hammer Cast, Aleks "The Hebrew Hammer" Salkin answers a common question: Do you need to be perfectly recovered before you train again?

Drawing on principles from Pavel and real-world examples, Aleks explains why chasing "perfect recovery" can actually hold you back, and how strategic light, moderate, and occasional hard sessions can accelerate your progress. He also shares practical tips for adjusting training on days you feel run down, and simple daily habits—sleep, nutrition, and stress management—that improve recovery without obsessing over it.

Tune in, chill out, and enjoy.

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

Only got 6 weeks to get Swole by Summer? This episode will show you EXACTLY what to do:

• [0:00:03] Six-Week "Get Jacked and Lean" Question

  • Framing the core question: what to do in six weeks to look impressive at the beach/pool
  • Brief expectation-setting: six weeks is enough for noticeable change, not total transformation

• [0:01:00] Introduction to Aleks ("Hebrew Hammer") & Training Background

  • Aleks' personal training experience since 2010
  • Specialties: kettlebells, calisthenics, natural human movement, old-school bodybuilding, "True Grit"
  • Philosophy: most answers are already within you; success is about arranging habits correctly

• [0:02:30] General Strategy: Move Every Day

  • Daily movement as a non‑negotiable
  • Pat Flynn guitar analogy: frequent practice beats occasional marathons
  • Simple ideas: parking farther away, taking stairs, casual movement throughout the day

• [0:04:00] Weekly Training Framework

  • Suggested structure:
    • 3 days: traditional strength training (compound presses, pulls, squats, hinges)
    • 2 days: intermediate / "in‑between" work (cardio or other chosen exercises)
    • 2 days: "off" from hard training, but still walking and light movement
  • Distinction between "moving every day" vs. "training hard every day"

• [0:06:00] Protein & Diet Fundamentals

  • Protein at every meal
  • Recommended intake: 0.7–1.0 g per pound of lean bodyweight
  • Avoiding excessive protein obsession; importance of also getting fats, carbs, fruits, and vegetables
  • Why supplements and fad diets are overhyped compared to basic nutrition
  • "Gun to the head" test for healthy eating: lean meats, fruits, vegetables, whole foods

• [0:09:00] Muscle Building vs. Strength Training Focus

  • Defining strength training (lower reps, more sets, more neural efficiency)
  • Defining muscle building (working near failure with fewer hard sets)
  • Example: 10‑rep max exercise used for 1–5 reps (strength) vs. 8–9 reps (hypertrophy)
  • Quoting Lee Priest: "Stimulate, don't annihilate" – pushing hard without crippling recovery
  • Why the beach cares more about visible muscle than pure nervous system strength

• [0:12:00] Getting Lean: Why Diet Dominates

  • Importance of leanness even without massive new muscle
  • Rough breakdown of daily calorie burn:
    • ~60% basal metabolic rate
    • ~10–15% general movement
    • ~5% formal exercise
  • Practical takeaway: diet quality and quantity drive fat loss more than workouts

• [0:14:00] Sleep, Recovery, and Hormones

  • Sleep as a major lever for:
    • Recovery from training
    • Hormone production (e.g., testosterone)
    • Reducing cravings for sugar- and carb‑dense foods
  • Modern challenges: artificial light, doom‑scrolling
  • Tease of future content on sleep improvement strategies

• [0:15:30] Loaded Gait Pattern Work: Concept & Benefits

  • Explanation of "loaded gait pattern work" (walking/carrying weight)
  • Why gait is the most natural human movement pattern
  • Claim: loaded carries are powerful for fat loss and strength support, even with modest weights
  • Idea that you can build muscle and lose fat simultaneously beyond just beginners if done intelligently

• [0:17:00] Real-World Success Stories with Loaded Carries & Crawling

  • Crawl-A-Days Challenge examples:
    • ER doctor Judson Korn: big strength gains (one‑arm pushup) in ~14 days without specific practice
    • Lina Everby: noticeable fat loss and visible abs within ~14 days
    • Malcolm McAllen: visible abs within ~30 days from 10 minutes of crawling per day
  • Nine-Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge:
    • Program overview and purpose
    • Link mention: nineminutechallenge.com (9minutechallenge.com)

• [0:19:00] More Loaded Carry Examples & Case Studies

  • Matt Furey's story of the Canadian farmer:
    • 60-day journey carrying a 40 lb weight
    • Gradual progression to 10 short walks per day
    • Result: ~30 lbs lost, very lean, PRs in pullups and pushups at ~60 years old
  • Jamie Lewis' Amazon warehouse story:
    • Pushing moderate-weight carts at a steady pace
    • Rapid fat loss despite eating lots of pizza and being off steroids
  • Reinforcing loaded gait as a practical, almost "accidental" fat loss strategy

• [0:21:00] Practical Six-Week "Swole for Summer" Recap

  • Daily movement with 3 days of compound strength/muscle-building sessions
  • Minimum 5 days per week of loaded gait work
  • 2 lighter days (still walking/moving)
  • Protein at each meal (0.7–1 g per pound of lean bodyweight)
  • Emphasis on:
    • Muscle-focused training (near-limit sets, low volume)
    • Less emphasis on endless kettlebell ballistics for leanness vs. loaded gait
    • Improved diet and better sleep as primary leanness drivers

• [0:22:00] "Swole by Summer" Program Tease & Call to Action

  • Announcement of the upcoming 6‑week "Swole by Summer" program
  • Program focus areas:
    • "Movability" (flexibility, mobility, coordination)
    • Brief strength sessions to "prime" high-threshold motor units
    • Specific muscle-building work, including some avant‑garde movements
    • Dedicated loaded gait work for leanness and "showing off" built muscle
  • Managing expectations: you won't go from Woody Allen to Arnold Schwarzenegger in six weeks, but you can make dramatic, visible changes
  • How to get updates and access:
    • Join email list via http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com (and get the FREE 9 Minute Challenge, to boot!)
    • Instructions to email/reply if listening later and still interested in Swole by Summer

Get my 9 Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge HERE => https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

On this most glorious of episodes, Dave Whitley returns so we can talk about:

• Light banter about SNL host jackets and writing our cats in for president (note: in 2028, please write in Ozzy PAWSbourne, I insist)
• Why the Bent Press Matters
• • • • Dave's role in the modern revival of the bent press
      • Being called the "father of the modern bent press movement"
      • Social media reactions: from high praise to harsh criticism
      • Using the controversy as a practice in emotional balance and perspective

• Historical Strongmen & Bent Press Feats

  • Arthur Saxon and legendary one-arm bent press numbers (370–400+ lbs)
  • Comparison to modern strength standards (most people can't even deadlift that)
  • The famous Saxon vs. Eugen Sandow rivalry and its pro-wrestling–like storyline
  • Mention of Bill Hinbern and historical resources at Super Strength Books
  • Reference to Sig Klein and his 1936 article on the bent press
  • Quote and key idea: lifters' "greatest mistake" is ignoring the bent press

• How Fitness Culture Drifted Away from the Bent Press

  • Shift from physical culture to bodybuilding and machine-based training
  • Misconceptions: equating size with strength and leanness with health
  • Fragmentation into bodybuilding, Olympic lifting, powerlifting, strongman, kettlebell sport, etc.
  • Hope that modern training will re-integrate these strands again

• Modern Examples & Context

  • Mention of Colin Lake's 60 kg (135 lb) bent press as a current benchmark
  • Note about John Grimek bent pressing ~300 lbs well into the 20th century
  • Discussion of how incentives and popularity shape what athletes train for (e.g., US football vs. Olympic lifting)

• The Get Up as a Foundational Movement

  • Dave's view: the get up as the base for all grinding movements (especially overhead), except maybe the squat
  • Using swings and get ups as the primary starting tools with new students
  • Why people skip get ups (they seem complicated and "slow" vs. sexy complexes)
  • Client anecdote: feeling better, tighter, and more integrated after only a few get-up sessions

• Martial Arts & Yoga Analogies

  • Pavel's idea: the kettlebell swing as the "Sanchin kata" of strongfirst-style kettlebell training
  • Dave's parallel: the get up as the "sun salutation" of strength work
  • Multiple variations and progressions built on one foundational pattern

• How the Get Up and Bent Press Interrelate

  • "The bent press finish is what the get up starts," if done with proper attention
  • Finding the rack position from the get up
  • Why you shouldn't try to clean and press if you don't yet truly "own" the rack position

• Seven Anchor Principles for the Bent Press (and Other Grinds)

  • 1. Practice as the path to mastery
    • "Practice doesn't make perfect; practice makes permanent"
    • Importance of practicing the right pattern, not just more reps
  • 2. Keep your eyes on the weight
    • Head follows eyes, body follows head; looking away destabilizes the load
  • 3. Keep the forearm vertical and wrist straight
    • Managing the combined center of mass with heavier bells
  • 4. Build a structural column of support
    • Stack joints and bones under the load rather than muscling everything
    • Column shifts as you descend into the bent press
  • 5. Pack the shoulder
    • Depress and retract the scapula; "shorten the X" from shoulder to opposite glute
  • 6. Give the free hand a job
    • Beginner positions:
      • Free hand to opposite knee with elbow on same-side knee
      • More advanced: free forearm on same-side thigh, hand near chest
    • Using the free hand on the thigh to help stand with very heavy weights
  • 7. Make it look natural and easy
    • A key compliment: "You made it look easy"
    • Aim for smooth, elegant execution (e.g., like high-level pull-ups or handstand pushups)

• The "Circus Trick" Critique

  • Critics calling the bent press a mere "circus trick"
  • Dave's rebuttal: circus arts require real strength and skill
  • Observation that dismissiveness often comes from people who can't do the lift

• How to Learn More from Dave

  • Social media:
    • Instagram: @irontamer
    • TikTok: @irontamer
    • Facebook: Dave Whitley
  • Websites:
    • OldTimeStrongmanUniversity.com for coaching and education
    • IronTamer.com for speaking/performing background
  • Mention of Dave's book "Taming the Bent Press"
  • Free PDF on the seven anchor principles available via contacting Dave

• Belfest Event Info

  • Dave presenting at Bellfest in Austin, Texas (weekend of April 15th recording)
  • Co-taught/linked sessions with Peter Neimand on the bent press and get up
  • Mention of tandem bent press videos showing different body types moving efficiently
  • Discount code: DAVE30 for 30% off Belfest registration
  • Aleks' tongue-in-cheek suggestion to use your tax return to attend Bellfest

Get my 9 Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge HERE => https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

On this splendiferous episode with the great Clif Harski we dig deep into:

• Limitations of Only Training the Fundamentals

  • Critique of the "inch wide, mile deep" philosophy when it becomes a narrow trench
  • Analogy of digging a foundation but never building the house
  • Indiana Jones / Holy Grail analogy for strength that only works under ultra-specific conditions

• Over-Reliance on the "Big Six" Kettlebell Lifts

  • Why double front rack squats aren't the ultimate lower-body lift for strong lifters
  • Geometry and grip limitations with heavy kettlebells
  • Need for asymmetrical stances, different holding positions, and varied loading strategies

• Form vs. Getting Strong

  • Critique of obsessing over perfect form at the expense of progress
  • Example: Difference between cleaning a light bell vs. a heavy "beast" and why they can't (and shouldn't) look identical
  • How rigid standards in cert environments differ from what's safe and productive in real-world training

• Single-Leg & Unilateral Work

  • Value of lunges, single-leg hinges, and kickstand variations for strength and athletic carryover
  • Why lunges are often unfairly maligned in the kettlebell world
  • How bringing up weaker single-leg patterns can improve bilateral lifts

• Power, Explosiveness & "Construction Man Muscles"

  • Cliff's argument that training for power maintains strength better than grinding strength maintains power
  • Story of high-rep double beast cleans and the toll on grip/skin vs. systemic fatigue
  • Separation between muscles that make you "look jacked" or lift heavy (back, traps, grip) vs. muscles that make you jump higher and move faster (legs and hips)

• Aging, Athleticism & Movement Quality

  • How loss of explosiveness is an obvious sign of aging
  • Using kettlebells for safe high-volume power work vs. the limitations and risks of high-volume jumping/sprinting
  • Examples of explosive non-kettlebell work (clap pushups, box jumps) and how kettlebells complement or substitute for them

• Why Kettlebells Are Uniquely Suited to "Athletic" Training

  • Kettlebells as tools for multi-directional, explosive, and athletic patterns
  • Comparison with barbells and dumbbells for the same purposes
  • Critique of treating kettlebell training like "barbell lite" (purely bilateral, anti-rotation, simplified patterns)

• Dogma, Branding & Narrow Messages in the Kettlebell World

  • Discussion of how simple, rigid branding (e.g., "just the basics," "Simple & Sinister forever") can overshadow nuance
  • How organizational culture, "good soldier" behavior, and seeking approval from "upper echelons" feed dogma
  • Aleks's example of pushback on his hike-position power swing despite praise from Mark Reifkind

• Variety, Programming & Long-Term Progress

  • The "magic" of any new focused program for 1–3 months and why people keep thinking each new program is "the one"
  • Concept of maintaining baseline strength while rotating focus to new qualities (jumping, unilateral strength, new skills)
  • Limitations of kettlebell progress without access to very heavy bells and why variety in stance and load is essential

• Training Frequency & the "3x/Week for 30 Minutes" Meme

  • Cliff's concept of "founderitis" and selection bias in program marketing
  • Why 3x30 works great for novices or detrained folks, but isn't a universal, permanent solution
  • Discussion of when and how to add more days or volume intelligently

• Science vs. Art in Strength & Hypertrophy Training

  • Hypertrophy chat: 5 reps vs. 20 reps, and why individual response and enjoyment matter
  • Argument that training is as much art as science, especially for long-term adherence
  • How personal preference, fun, and life context shape effective programming

• Inclusivity vs. Tribalism in Fitness

  • "Death is winning, do something" – why almost any modality is better than doing nothing
  • Caution against dismissing other methods or modalities (Pilates, etc.) that genuinely get people moving
  • The real goal for most people: health, broad capacity, and resilience—not niche over-specialization

• Bell Fest: Kettlebell Festival & Community

  • Origin story of Bell Fest and how Cliff got involved
  • Description of Bell Fest as a kettlebell party: community vibe, variety of styles, supportive environment
  • Shift from purely brutal workouts to more education-focused sessions
  • Lineup highlights: Cliff Harsky, Dave Whitley, Denis Vasilev, and others
  • Practical info: dates, Austin location, CEUs, pricing, and discount code via FKT
  • Emphasis on Bell Fest as a place to see many different kettlebell styles coexist in one event

• Wrap-Up & Where to Find Cliff

  • Cliff's social media: @cliftonharski and @functionalkettlebelltraining https://www.instagram.com/cliftonharski?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
  • Website: functionalkettlebelltraining.com

On that note:

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: https://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

Sometimes, despite your ambitions, your body simply pushes back against your attempts to get stronger.

For some exercises finding an alternative is easy. For instance, if your shoulders can't yet handle military presses, you can always knock a home run out of the ballpark with pushups and lay the foundation for military pressing strength later on down the line.

But what do you do when you can't do even the most fundamental of movements, like crawling?

I give some insights on how to work around - and then barrel through - this conundrum in this short episode.

On that note:

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

Got a labor-intensive job?

Good news: you can still train and make gains. You just have to approach your training correctly.

This episode will tell you how.

On that note:

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

PS: if you're interested in my Morning Recharge guide (mentioned on the show), here are some more details about it: https://go.alekssalkin.com/the-morning-recharge-lp

Today we bid farewell to a legend in the kettlebell world, without whom the entire movement almost certainly would've petered out and faded into fitness obscurity more than two decades ago.

I give my thoughts about it on this episode.

On that note, if you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

In this episode I dish on:

• [0:02:00] Seppuku & Why Machines Can't Make Poetry

• [0:03:00] Is AI Going to Replace Coaches?

• [0:04:30] Why Programming Is More Than an Algorithm

• [0:05:40] Real-World Coaching Example

• [0:06:20] Psychology & the "Rationalizing Animal"

• [0:07:10] AI Coaching Fails: Pistol Squats & Kettlebell Swings

• [0:08:30] Content "Inbreeding" & Soulless AI Output

• [0:09:40] Human Connection & Why Clients Choose Coaches

• [0:11:00] Being "AI-Proof" as a Trainer

• [0:12:00] Strength Legends & Experience vs. Science

• [0:14:00] My Programming Philosophy & Customization

• [0:16:00] Where AI Fits in Fitness & Its Limits

• [0:18:00] Be More Human: Final Takeaways

Tune in, chill out, and enjoy!

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin

Wanna get freakishly strong like the Cirque du Soleil acrobats or old time strongmen? I dish on how to do exactly that in this episode.

If you like training that:

· Gives you more strength than it takes from you · Improves your stamina and resilience simultaneously · Powers-up every nook, cranny, crevice, and corner of your Soft Machine

Then you just might like my 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge.

As the name indicates, it's just 9 minutes long, and it's designed to be done WITH your current workouts – NOT instead of them.

Even cooler:

Many find that it actually amplifies their strength in their favorite kettlebell and bodyweight moves, like presses, squats, pullups, and more.

And best of all, it's free.

How free?

I'm talkin' freer than the 4th of July, my friend.

Get thee thine own copy here: http://www.9MinuteChallenge.com

Have fun and happy training!

Aleks Salkin