Viking Warrior Conditioning

I've been working the Viking Warrior Conditioning for a few months now with some success. I have gotten a lot leaner and my absolute strength continues to rise as well. I practice my strength using the Press, Barbell Front Squat, Pistol, Turkish Get Up and I also do swings for cardio work.

The first part of the Maximum VO2 work is getting through the :15/:15 on cadence for 40 minutes. Once you do that you can revisit it at a new, faster count for move to the :36/:36 at a newly determined cadence. The final goal is 35 work sets. Today was the day I had mapped out to hit the ultimate goal. I was only successful in realization that I couldn't do the full session. I had worked up to 28 sets last Thursday and backed off this Tuesday to go for the whole enchilada today. Fail. My grip crapped out and I will finish this upon return after vacation. I am royally peeved. I hope to come back strong after my beach trip and Doc Cheng's Delaware Kettlebell Workshop.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning and Low Volume Pistols

Great day today. Hit 100% of plan on both the Viking Warrior Conditioning as well as the Low Volume Pistol session that I did prior to the VWC protocol of 36 seconds on and off.

I felt great during the workout. Excellent drive on the pistols and the snatches. Feel a bit worn now. I haven't taken off any time from workouts since last June. Planning on a week off after Father's Day.

I will succeed at getting to 35 work sets on my new VWC protocol June 18th. In the meantime, I will continue to add work each session. Also, I'm in the process of reverse engineering my Beast Challenge Success.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning and Low Volume Pistols

Today it's beautiful here in the Baltimore Metro area and I did all of my work outside.

Started with 10 minutes alternating from kettlebell halos, Pumps and bodyweight squats. Felt perfect upon completion.

Did 10 reps of the one legged squat with a kettlebell or pistol. I just did 5 on each side alternating with rest between each two. I revisited the Naked Warrior this morning and if there is a better resource for pistols, then please share it with me.

Reviewing the information really got me onto the razor as we say. Balanced and as thin as I could be.

Once I finished the pistols I went to the Viking Warrior Conditioning. Did 80 work sets for 560 total reps with the 16kg Kettlebell. Next up: :36/:36 protolcol.

One of Those Days

Today has been one of those days:) I don't know if it's the July like humidity here but I've been having trouble getting it together today and can now barely keep my eyes open.

I planned on doing low volume pistols using the 16 KG kettlebell and got that accomplished. Did 10 reps total.

After I did that my idea was to do 72 work sets of the mVO2 conditioning from Viking Warrior Conditioning. I had made sure to hydrate myself but apparently drank too much agua. At around the ten minutes mark the "sloshing" of liquid in my gut was bugging me. By 15 minutes I thought it was going to make me lose lunch so I stopped. Now feel poorly mentally and physically and just need to move on!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning

What a great day it was to do kettlebell training in the great outdoors!

I did some nice joint mobility work and got straight to work with the mVO2 prototocol as directed by the ilusteius Kenneth Jay, Sr. RKC. If you are an experienced kettlebell user than you owe it to yourself to check out the Viking Warrior Conditioning manual. Your whole road map is simple to folllw and you will get results ASAP.

Yesterday I did 60 worksets and that amounted to 420 snatches in 30 minutes. Ii, striving to get back to 80 sets this coming week so I can move onto the :36/:36 protocol.

Heading to DC today to work out with La Saun Taylor, RKC, as well as my good friend, Warren Morgan. We are hitting Gravely Point and the day's weather is promising.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Viking Warrior Conditioning today

Jammed today. Did 70 work sets in 35 minutes of training. My number is 7 so I got 490 reps with the 16kg Kettlebell.

Will do the MVO2 for 80 work sets and move up to faster speed.

Sandy Sommer, RKC

My Viking Warrior Conditioning Plan

I’ve finished the above book and I’m stoked. The conditioning and strength I’ve gained from ETK etc has me wanting to take my general physical preparedness to another realm.

I’ve lain out the below plan and hope you can offer your input.

I want to follow this for the foreseeable future and KJ makes a good case that is feasible.

Each session will be preceded with a joint mobility warm up as well as some swings and goblet squats.

Monday: Viking Strength Practice

Tuesday: Viking Conditioning

Wednesday: Variety day: Will always include TGU practice and then I may get out a sledgehammer, sandbag or a Power Wheel. Probably will do a wind sprint or 20 as well.

Thursday: Viking Strength

Friday: Viking conditioning

Saturday: Viking Strength

Plan to cycle this for 5 weeks and then take a week off to recovery. Will do joint mobility work etc during this week.

Here’s where I am: PR on Press is 36 KG. I’ve done 40 minutes MVO2 going 15/15. Am going to retest the cMOV2 and start again. Last did it fully in January.

I’ve been practicing low volume pull ups with 8 KG attached to one foot. High volume with bodyweight.

When I practice pistols I usually do it with body weight.

I will continue to do my ETK press ladders separate from my pull ups.


I thought I’d rotate the Viking strength practice with the 3 Beast Exercises. For example, I’d start Monday with Press, High Volume.

Then Thursday, Low Pistol practice.

Saturday would we High volume pull up practice.

The next week I’d start with Low volume press Monday. High Volume Pistols Thursday and then end on Low volume pull ups and so on.

Do you agree with my approach? What suggestions would you make?

My goal is to be able to do the MV02 with the 24 KG kettlebell. Also, will go to RKC II next summer and kill it so I will be pressing the 40 KG KB by then as well be able to pull up with the 24 KG bell.

Thanks for your thoughts!

The Start of The Viking Warrior Program

I took some pictures in July, 2008 and then again today. The pictures essentially tell you nothing but that I was lean in July and still lean today. I don't see much difference in the photos. Here's whats interesting to me though. I weigh about 193 in the tan short pictures and weigh 182 now. So somehow, I've lost 11 pounds total. Additionally, I'm so much stronger now that their is no comparison. My PR is 36 KG kettlebell on the Press now and I was at 28kg then. Able to get much more work done in my sessions now as well. Correct me if I'm wrong but I see hardly any cosmetic difference. The ones from today are at the top and at the bottom are from July, 2008. Please feel free to share any thoughts.

How To Become A Viking Warrior

I'm starting a new journey. I have finished the Viking Warrior Conditioning Manual and I'm about to embark on a journey that may have no final destination. Based on what I've come up with, I may be able to work Kenneth Jay's strength and conditioning program from now on.

Allow me to share my how I got to where I am. I was first introduced to the kettlebell in November, 2006. I somehow ended up at the Dragon Door website and saw a kettlebell for the the first time. Looked pretty cool. At that point there were no RKC instructors nearby but in February of the following year one moved back to Baltimore from LA and I invested in a bunch of training sessions with her.

I thought I was in great shape but she quickly helped dispel of those notions. I may have looked like I was in shape but I couldn't move well at all. My hips were locked up. My glutes maybe could "spark" but certainly weren't capable of "Firing" effectively and I was all bound up.

Our focus was on creating effective movement and once we got that ball rolling she introduced me to the swing. I was hooked. It didn't take me long to figure out that I was going to become a kettlebell devotee.

We worked together for sometime but she moved again and I lost my instructor. Mike Mahler was 2 hours away and I went to his all day seminar and learned even more. At that point I knew I wanted to become an RKC and share this amazing tool with a client base. Why?

Well, first of all, as a former very competitive athlete, it took me all of about a minute to realize that the explosive nature of kettlebell practice had application beyond any tools I had ever used. Second, workouts were short, intense and effective. In our society, where we value time so dearly, I knew that it wouldn't be hard to share my passion with others.

I kept training, using what I had learned from my local trainer as well as from Mike, but again found that I wasn't technically as sound as I thought I was. I worked with two other regionally based RKC instructors and was finally ready for my RKC weekend.

I was in the best condition of my adult life and perhaps of my whole life.

Now, I'm about to take that up a notch. I will be sharing each workout session here. It will be a combination of Viking Warrior Strengh Practice and Viking WArrior conditioning workouts.

Follow my progress as I become a Viking Warrior!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

A Rare Opportunity To Become A Viking Warrior

Kenneth Jay's new book, Viking Warrior Conditioning answers all the questions you may have about getting a "heart of elastic steel with the strength of a rhino and the endurance of a rachorse."

The approach is scientific, yet very readable. Nothing is left to chance. Every VO2 protocol is broken down and explained. The protocols dissected is worth the price of admission. The roadmap makes the book a required part of your library.

If your goal is to become a man or woman of uncommon fitness than you really should invest the time to study this manual. And it is a manual by definition. It's a "handy book of facts, instructions, etc. for use as a guide or reference; handbook." That is the Viking Warrior Conditioning.

Why leave your conditioning to chance? The information maps out the "Tripod of Power" as well as the "Tripod of Conditioning."

There are wonderful interviews with those who are already "Hard" men and women.

There are a few editorial mishaps but I'm sure those will be corrected. What can I say? I'm OCD about stuff like that.

Most of us you are using kettlebells to get fitter will need to look no further than this volume in order to reach our goals.

Email me if you have an additional questions! Oh and if you'd care to sign up for the next RKC worshop here is the information.

Sandy Sommer, RKC