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Caveman Training - Hardcore Fitness Training

What is Caveman Training?

  1. What is Caveman Training?

    Caveman Training™ is not just a training system. It is more of an approach to training really. Let’s be honest, there is no such thing as a new exercise. Or even a new way to do exercises. What makes Caveman Training™ different is that it does not rely on one single training method or mode. It takes the best of all training methods and modes and puts them into a truly comprehensive routine that is specific to sport.

    Caveman Training™ Routines will take traditional strength training and mix them with non-traditional strength training. It will mix Olympic Powerlifts with Plyometrics. This way of training does not abide by traditional, “watered down” rules when it comes to routine structure. Caveman Training™ also mixes in all types of Cardiovascular training as well. We will do everything from Sprint type training to long slow training and we will hit everything in between. Caveman Training™ does no buy into current fads or “gimmicks”

    If it works, it will be in the routines regardless of how “old school” the approach. As of now, we have over 80 Caveman Training™ routines that are in use. That does not include our Fighter routines. The reason it is called “Caveman Training™” is because it returns us to the basics. Hard Work equals results.

    The motto for Caveman Training is simple “Commit…No Excuses”.

  2. Where did it originate and how is it that it's caught on so well with MMA?

    Caveman Training™ originated at API. Scott Ramsdell was tired of the usual, “play it safe attitude”. He was tired of seeing athletes coddled as if they were going to get injured or die if they were pushed too hard. His approach is simple. Whatever the intensity level of the competition, he feels that the level of training should be higher. Scott has heard from every one of his fighters that their training is harder than their fight. He feels this should be true of every sport. Regardless if it is MMA, football, basketball, etc. The training and preparation for the competition should be harder that the competition itself.

    I feel that the reason Caveman Training™ has caught on so well is simple. It works! Fighters have a rough job. They have to be good at so many different disciplines it is hard to get an advantage on the competition. Fighters have to be good at Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Boxing, Wrestling ND Submission Wrestling. In Scott's opinion, Conditioning is the advantage that most people often overlook. You can take the best fighter and if they have no conditioning, they will get beaten. You see it many times when fighters “gas”. When this happens, one of two things is inevitable. They will either get knocked out or they will get submitted. Caveman Training™ makes it so that does not happen. Ultimately, the reason that Caveman Training™ has caught on so well with MMA is simple, it works!

  3. I've seen training videos at your facility and while there seem to be certain exercises that are pretty consistent, there seems to be a lot of room for variation. How do you select the exercises for the circuits? How long is the potential list of exercises you can use?

    The videos that we have released are only a fraction of what Caveman Training is about. They are a teaser if you will. Caveman Training™ is so much more that what is on the videos. Most people who have heard of Caveman Training™ have only heard of it through MMA. Truth be told, Caveman Fighter Training is only a small part of Caveman Training. The majority of our clients are everyday working people that are like minded to us. They are tired of the gym scene and are looking for something that will truly change them.

    The way we select our exercises is simple. If the training routine is specific for a sport, ie: fighting. Then the exercises will best mimic the movements/energy systems that they have to be strong at. If the routine is for everyday people that are not “athletes”, then the exercises are limitless. It doesn't matter what types of exercises are put into the routines; they just need to be effective.

    The exercises that you will most see are multiple joint exercises. The reason for this is simple, the more muscles you move the more effective the exercise. There are very seldom single joint exercises that we will put into our Caveman Training™ routines because they do not tax the body enough to merit spending time doing them. All people are busy, so why waste their time with exercises that will not get them results.

  4. How can you make Caveman Training every-gym friendly? Home-gym friendly? Is that possible?

    In the Caveman Training™ routines there are several routines that implement just a few piece of equipment. There is one routine where all you need is a medicine ball and room to run. To make Caveman Training™ all user friendly, just takes some training and “know how” when it comes to exercise instruction, program design and implementing routines that “make sense”.

    The routines are broken up into three distinct levels. The Basic Level is for beginners or people who are detrained. At this level, the routines are more structured with a more traditional feel to them. There will be a set time for Cardiovascular Training, a set time for Strength Training and a lot more exercise instruction.

    The next level is the Intermediate Level. This level is for persons who are in good shape but are not ready for the next step. The routines are more complex and there is less instruction time.

    The last level is the Advanced Level. This is the level where things start to get crazy. There are only two ways to get into this level of training. You either have to be invited in by an Instructor or you have to “earn” your way in. The way you “earn” your way in, is you have a “try out”. You show up to an Advanced Level Session and go through it. The Instructor will monitor you closely to see how you are doing. If at the end, you make it through without quitting or “dying” (just kidding). Then the Instructor will make the determination what level is appropriate. However, there is a Gym Rule when it comes to Advanced Level. There is no quitting. If a client quits during an Advanced Level, they are kicked out of the gym and cannot come back. Over the past year, eight people were asked not to come back and they get the directions to the nearest Health Club.

  5. What are the MUST-HAVE pieces of equipment for any good Caveman Training program? Big tire? Sledgehammer? Wheelbarrow?

    Obviously, the more pieces you have, the larger the facility, the more variety you can build into your routines. If I have to state the bare minimum amount of equipment, I would say that there are not many “must have” pieces of equipment. Depending on the number of athletes the minimum equipment that is needed:

    • tire (suggested 185lb or heavier depending on the athlete)

    • 12lb sledge

    • power rack with a pull up bar

    • set of Dumbbells

    • Olympic Barbell with some plates

    • couple of medicine balls (a 10lb bouncing type and a 20lb non-bouncing type)

    • utility bench

    • couple of boxes that are 12” or 18”tall

    • couple of Kettlebells

    • jump rope

    • another way to get cardio in (either a treadmill, Airdyne bike, or track for running)

    **keep in mind that there are many Caveman Training™ routines that use only bodyweight.

  6. What are the specific benefits Caveman Training?

    The basic structure of the routines is such that the end result is a complete athlete. It does no matter what level the athlete; the end result is the same, a complete athlete. What I mean by this is the athlete will not only be bigger, faster and stronger, they will also be leaner, have much better cardio and will perform better in whatever their competition is.

    The secret to why the routines are so effective is because the routines train Energy Systems, not body parts. We will train Muscular Power, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Cardiovascular Power and Cardiovascular Endurance along with some Speed and Agility Work. These Energy Systems are trained in both our Athlete Training as well as our everyday groups. Granted, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to separating these systems but we have guidelines when it comes to designing programs that closely fit these energy system needs.

    In a sport specific program for example, we will periodize the program over the course of a training camp. During the periodization, we will utilize different cycles to make sure that all of the required Energy Systems are trained for the athletes’ specific event.

    How this translates into our everyday groups is the Energy Systems are each assigned a certain day per week. We will pair Muscular Strength with Speed and Agility, Muscular Power with Cardiovascular Power and Muscular Endurance with Cardiovascular Endurance. These pairings will then cycle through the week, repeating every fourth day. That way if a client comes in on a regular basis two times per week, they will not see the same workout for approximately four months.

    The benefits from this training are varied. Our clients will have a much stronger body. Not just arms or legs, but the entire body becomes stronger and leaner. We have seen significant increases in lean muscle mass and significant decreases in fat mass. Our clients will become more flexible and their “core” becomes unbelievably strong. Cardiovascular Endurance is improved dramatically as is our clients proceed through the routines. To put it simply, our clients don’t get tired. Recovery rate is unbelievable. In our highly trained athletes, I have seen them training at 190+ beats per minute and then less that a minute later, their heart rate is down around 140bpm.

    Our job as Instructors is to push people out of their comfort zone. If they can talk, they are not working hard enough. This type of training also toughens the athlete mentally. It forces people into their “red zone”. People are very surprised to learn what their body is able to do under the right stress. We intentionally place environmental stress on our clients as well. We will have music up loud; Our Instructors become very loud and “in your face” at times. All of this is to toughen the client. Most people will place limitations on what they can accomplish by allowing negative thoughts to creep into their psyche. We do not allow quitting. Most of our clients will tell you that there is a certain sense of accomplishment after completing one of our routines.

  7. What benefits does this type of training offer someone trying to build muscle, or just look better in the mirror?

    For the most part, our clients build a tremendous amount of muscle throughout their entire body. They will see significant increases in lean muscle mass and significant decreases in fat mass. The muscle will be developed on the upper body throughout their chest shoulders and back. Muscle will also be developed through the core and into the upper legs and hips. During a one month period, a 44 year old male client of ours, increased his lean mass by six pounds while decreasing his bodyweight. (This was calculated by skin fold measurement). He cleaned up his diet, did a little extra cardio training and attended two to three Caveman Training™ routines per week.

  8. How much do you have to alter a client's diet with this kind of training to make sure they don't LOSE too much muscle?

    The alteration is less than you would think. Most of our clients are everyday working people who don’t have time for an Athlete specific diet. For the most part, our clients will clean up their diets and make sure that they eat several times throughout the day. Their diets will be comprised of mainly Complex Carbs and High grade Protein. When someone is training with us, their Metabolism goes “through the roof”. They become hungry all of the time. This is due in part to the increase in lean muscle mass. We do recommend that people take in a little more Protein when they train with us but for the most part, clients’ diets usually get cleaned up and they intake more calories with a focus on Complex Carbs and Protein.

  9. How many days a week would you do this?

    We recommend that our clients participate in Caveman Training™ two to three times per week, with at least one day in between rest from strength training. The majority of our clients will train Caveman Training™ twice per week and then will do a separate strength day once per week with two to three additional cardiovascular training days per week. We help design these days as well so that our clients get the biggest benefit from training with us.

  10. How does Caveman Training compare to CrossFit?

    The Crossfit™ system was the program that “blazed the trail” for programs like ours. They are the ones that made “non traditional” training routines acceptable in the mainstream. They have helped thousands if not millions of people world wide get more fit. They are different in both structure and design.

    The biggest difference between Caveman Training™ and Crossfit™ is that we require an Instructor to be present during our routines. We do not have a “routine of the day” posted on the Internet for people to use in their homes. I have been asked to do so many times but I refuse to do so. I feel that for people to get the best result (and safest), they should be supervised by a qualified professional.

    Our Caveman Training™ system is constantly evolving and developing. We are always developing more routines so that we can continue to bring “cutting edge” workout routines to the world.


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