Workshops
Standalone events covering kettlebell, barbell, or bodyweight exercise techniques or mental tools and strategies for improving clarity, confidence, and connection.
Mental Performance
Heroic Workshop: Clarity & Antifragile Confidence
Built to help you know exactly what matters most and develop the strength to follow through, especially when it’s hard. You’ll leave with clarity, confidence, and a simple, yet powerful system to help you show up as your best self.
In this workshop, you’ll:
- Gain clarity on what matters most.
- Learn the science behind developing unshakeable confidence and how to apply it.
- Build a simple daily protocol to help you show up at your best—consistently.
- Learn how to use every challenge as fuel to become more focused and capable.
Kettlebell Technique
StrongFirst Kettlebell 101: Simple & SinisterTM
This is kettlebell ground zero. Practice the basic and finer details of a few kettlebell exercises with an easy learning curve but wide range of benefits.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Swings—to build a strong posterior chain (back, glutes, and hamstrings), a vice-like grip, and endurance that won’t quit.
- Get-ups—to forge resilient shoulders and rock-solid abs.
- Goblet Squats—to develop a unique blend of leg strength and hip mobility.
You’ll also get a training plan—with progressions—to make the best use of what you’ve learned.
StrongFirst Kettlebell 201: The Rite of Passage
Prerequisite: You should be competent in swings and get-ups prior to attending this workshop.
Raise your hand if you’re having fun! Overhead skills are the bulk of the material covered, so make sure your shoulders are healthy prior to registering.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Snatches—like swings, but amped up a notch to deliver even greater improvements in total body explosive power, endurance, grip strength, and fat loss.
- Cleans—a solid “pull” exercise in and of itself, and the safest way to get a kettlebell into position for presses (and double kettlebell exercises).
- Presses—to develop strong and resilient shoulders.
You’ll also get multiple training plans, including a Strong Endurance protocol for snatches and three different protocols for presses.
StrongFirst Kettlebell 301: SFG Ready
Prerequisite: You should be competent in swings, get-ups, goblet squats, snatches, cleans, and presses prior to attending this workshop.
Here comes double trouble—double kettlebell exercises to deliver greater strength and muscular development gains than can be achieved with unilateral kettlebell exercises, prepare you for the SFG Kettlebell Instructor Certification, or both!
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Double Swings—to plug even the tiniest of leaks in your hinge technique.
- Double Cleans—a developer of total body strength and athletic power.
- Double Front Squats—tough on the legs, easy on the joints, and an ab trainer to boot.
- Double Military Press—a classic upper body developer that won’t allow even legitimate compensation strategies that can occur with unilateral presses.
You’ll also get multiple training plans—for squat and press strength, muscular development and fat loss, and specific preparation for successfully completing the SFG certification.
Barbell Technique
StrongFirst Barbell 101: Power to the People
Develop total body strength as a barbell ultra-minimalist with but two primary lifts—plus a traditional, yet currently uncommon variant.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Deadlifts—because picking up heavy objects from the floor is not only a functional life skill, but also a movement that works almost every major muscle group.
- Bench Press—the most efficient upper body strength-building exercise there is. Learn it right to protect your shoulders.
- Bridge Floor Press—a favorite of old-time strongmen and wrestlers, and a perfect variant for minimalists; no bench required!
You’ll also get a training plan that will keep you progressing for a solid 8–12 months.
StrongFirst Barbell 201: Stand Strong
This is old school barbell at it’s best—classic lifts that will make you look strong and be even stronger than you look.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Military Press—a classic upper body developer, thought of as a pushing exercise, but which also works the upper back if done right.
- Zercher Squats—feels better on the wrists and shoulders than traditional back squats, doesn’t require a squat rack, provides great carryover to sports and other lifts, and works the abs more than most ab exercises.
You’ll also get a strength-building training plan that incorporates both lifts.
StrongFirst Barbell 301: SFL Ready
Prerequisite: You should be competent in the deadlift (conventional or sumo), bench press, and military press prior to attending this workshop.
Round out your strength-focused barbell journey, and prepare for the SFL Barbell Instructor Certification.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Back Squats—for those who want to pack as much muscle onto their frames as possible without wrecking their back or knees.
- Front Squats—a strong choice for athletes and those who want powerful legs but without the chafing.
- Good Morning—a complete posterior chain developer like the kettlebell swing, but as a “grind”, or slow movement, instead of a “ballistic”, or quick movement.
You’ll also get a training plan that will prepare you for successfully completing the required tests at the SFL certification.
Bodyweight Technique
StrongFirst Bodyweight 101: The Naked Warrior
Drop the ineffective, high-rep calisthenics in favor of bodyweight movements that will help you master muscle tension and actually make you strong.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- One-arm Pushups—a lesson in total body tension that carries over to any kettlebell or barbell pressing movements, sports, and some life skills.
- Pistol Squats—the ultimate mix of lower body mobility and strength.
(Since there is no way to quickly adjust bodyweight, two-arm/two-leg and leverage-focused progressions will be taught as stepping stones to the more advanced variations.)
You’ll also get a “Grease the Groove” training plan that is both flexible and fail-proof.
StrongFirst Bodyweight 201: Hard Style Pullups & Abs
Non-kipping, neck-to-bar pullups are rare sights at most gyms and playgrounds today. Become one of the few who are capable of the real deal.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Hard Style Pullups—reverse engineered from gymnastics and martial arts for the greatest carryover to sports and life.
- Hard Style Hanging Leg Raises—strict pullups are but a dream without strong abs, which is why we cover a step-by-step progression for this insanely strict and challenging drill.
(Since there is no way to quickly adjust bodyweight, leverage-focused progressions that can be performed on the ground will be taught as stepping stones to the more advanced variations.)
You’ll also get a military designed and tested pullup training plan.
StrongFirst Bodyweight 301: SFB Ready
Prerequisite: You should be able to perform—or at least be close to—the one-arm pushup, pistol squat, hard style pullup, and hard style hanging leg raise prior to attending this workshop.
Consolidate your knowledge and practice of bodyweight training principles, and prepare for the SFB Bodyweight Instructor Certification.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Wall-supported Handstand Pushups—the “vertical push”, strength- and muscle-building drill of the bodyweight world.
- Multi-modality Application—how to apply bodyweight training principles to other conventional and unconventional strength-building tools.
You’ll also get a total body training plan to prepare for the SFB certification.