Month 2: One Lift a Day Workout Plan

The One Lift a Day Workout Plan is a strength focused, 4 week series of workout developed by Greg Mihovich, owner of the Underground Gym. This workout plan focuses on five core lifts: the Weighted Pull Up, Kettlebell Pistol, Double Kettlebell Press, Double Kettlebell Snatch, and the Kettlebell Turkish Get Up.

Month 2: One Lift a Day Workout Plan Overview Video:

One Lift a Day Workout Plan Description:

The One Lift a Day Workout Plan was written by Greg Mihovich and featured in the June/July 2012 edition of the My Mad Methods Magazine. It focuses on strength and technique development by featuring one core lift per workout day; the lifts include Weighted Pull Up, Kettlebell Pistol, Double Kettlebell Press, Double Kettlebell Snatch, and the Kettlebell Turkish Get Up. The workout plan also utilizes Animal Conditioning Warm Ups developed by Greg Mihovich in a recent DVD.

Here an an excerpt from Greg Mihovich's article about the One Lift a Day Workout Plan:

The programs presented in this article are constructed from purely kettlebell movements, even though I strongly believe that Bodyweight and Kettlebell training modalities go hand to hand. This is done on purpose; to learn something new, you have to empty your cup and pour the new material in without anything mixed into it. Once you get a firm grasp of the new material, you can integrate it with others.

I have used this method successfully many times throughout my training; for example, 10 years ago I stopped doing all other conditioning modalities in order to solely work on Olympic weightlifting for a year straight. It paid off with great gains and improved lifting mechanics. Another time, I stopped doing other martial arts and focused solely on Systema for a while; it helped me to advance to another level much quicker than if I simply took a bite every so often. Later, when you come back to more well-rounded training with a better understanding of a particular training aspect, everything gets much better from there.

If you are trying to get good at something, it takes daily practice! In the words of wrestling athlete and coach extraordinaire Dan Gable, "If it is important, work on it every day!" That is why I chose the infamous "One Lift a Day Program" format, which takes this notion to the very core of its programming.

I first heard "One Lift a Day Program" from studying the great athletes of the past and reading up on the American Olympic weightlifting legend Bob Bednarski, the first man to Clean & Jerk 486 lbs (double his bodyweight at the time). At the peak of his career, Bednarski used to practice "only" one lift a day, 6 days a week; it allowed him to focus precisely on that one lift and get it down really well with no distractions.

I also read up on it from Dan John, Highland Games competitor, Olympic lifter, thrower, coach and writer. Recently, this training program came back to me full circle through discussing physical conditioning training for martial arts with my new Underground Gym facility business partner, great friend and a very sharp athlete and coach, Sergei Karaliou.

How Does the One Lift a Day Program Fit In with Your Other Activities

When I first embraced the idea of the OLAD Program, the biggest concern for me as a full time martial artist who "sharpens his sword" daily, was how I was going to recover from that much strength and conditioning work and prevent it from interfering with my daily martial arts practice, a high priority for me. The athletes mentioned above are full time lifters and for them, lifting was it; for me, it was a vehicle to support my primary activity.

On the other hand, I strongly believe in solid strength and conditioning preparation for martial artists. As late Karl Gotch, 1946 Olympic Greco Roman and Freestyle Wrestling Champion and master Catch Wrestler was famous of saying, "Conditioning is my greatest hold!"
So, I modified the program to fit my needs as summarized below for you. To my pleasant surprise, not only was I much less sore daily, my recovery skyrocketed! And on top of that, I was improving my strength and conditioning! Now that is something to write home about!
You do not have to be a professional martial artist to benefit from this protocol. Everybody could use being less sore while getting stronger and in better condition with minimal time investment. I tested the programming arrangement across a wide variety of students, and everybody reported some great gains and their love for the program.

One very good thing about OLAD is its straightforwardness and reliability, just like the case with AK-47. You only have one lift a day to worry about, and that is a very simple yet powerful way of training. Naturally, when focused on one lift and getting a lot of high quality work sets in, you get very good at that lift. After the first few sets you will "dial-into" the lift, and unlike most training programs where you would typically move on to another exercise, you keep going instead!

I also noticed (and it has been confirmed by my students), that despite initial unsure feeling about the program, after the first week it will turn into something that you look forward to and very easy on you mentally. Now, even though I'm what most people would call a hardcore training enthusiast, we are all humans and some days we are not 100% motivated to get up and lift; it just happens from time to time. With OLAD, you know that today you do not have to go through a battery of exercises, it is "just one lift," and that makes it a lot easier on you mentally to get started, regardless of whether you are in full mojo on this particular day or not.

After the practice session is over, you feel that you own the lift. You performed so many correct repetitions with it that you and the lift have become one. It is a good feeling!

It is worth noting that it is a very different concept from a typical bodybuilding body part split. With OLAD, you work primarily on movements, not muscles. Due to the compound nature of the lifts, you still work your whole body every time you train.

Contributor Information:

Greg Mihovich is the owner and head trainer of the Underground Gym. With a lifetime of experience in martial arts and fitness, Greg utilizes multiple disciplines to enhance the athletic performance of his clients. His innovative approach to training has led to the development of the Compound Conditioning method. Find out more.

Demonstrator Information:

Mark de Grasse is the owner of MyMadMethods.com, My Mad Methods Magazine, and My Mad Methods Productions. In addition to being a certified trainer specializing in kettlebells and bodyweight training, Mark is also the chief editor and designer of both the website, magazine, and My Mad Methods Productions DVDs. Find out more.

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