Rite of Passage Classic and RKC Ladders

By Adam Mundorf

Rite of Passage Classic and RKC Ladders

There is no program I am more familiar with than the Rite of Passage and the more hypertrophy focused version 'RKC Ladders' from Beyond Bodybuilding.  The goal of these programs is as follows : 1/2 bodyweight press with one arm and 200 snatches in 10 minutes with the 24kg kettlebell.  In the following sections I'll explain each program's approach, how I will be cycling to reach the goals above and my approach to testing.

Keep in mind all mobility, flexibility and lifestyle guidelines are in the parent blog of this whole thing.

Rite of Passage Classic

You may organize these days however you like to match your lifestyle, energy demands and schedule.  

• Light Day
• Military Press
• Superset
• Chin Ups (Optional)
• Only do as many chin ups as comfortable and don't be afraid to nix them if you're too tired.
• Snatches
• Roll 2 Dice to determine time.
• 50-60% Effort.
• Variety Day (Optional)
• +8kg Loaded Carry Cook Drill
• Medium Day
• Clean and Press
• Superset
• Chin Ups (Optional)
• Only do as many chin ups as comfortable and don't be afraid to nix them if you're too tired.
• Swings
• Roll 2 Dice to determine time.
• 70-80% Effort.
• Variety Day (Optional)
• +8kg Loaded Carry Cook Drill
• Off Day
• Nothing
• Heavy Day
• Clean and Press
• Superset
• Chin Ups (Optional)
• Only do as many chin ups as comfortable and don't be afraid to nix them if you're too tired.
• Swings
• Roll 2 Dice to determine time.
• 100% Effort.
• Off Day
• Nothing

A bit more on the programming above.  For the press days : Light - 2 rungs lower than your tallest ladder of your previous heavy day.  Medium - 1 rung lower than your tallest ladder of your previous heavy day.  Heavy - there are many ways to cook heavy days, some people like to push heavy days as hard as they can, some people can ride a Rite of Passage wave for years by adding only a rung a week to each ladder but I prefer a more regimented approach.  It goes without saying to only increase your ladders/rungs as safely as you can without failure.  Have patience and take as long as you need, I may even have to be more gradual as I move up in weight :

• Heavy Day Progression (For me)
• 3(1,2,3)
• 4(1,2,3)
• 5(1,2,3)
• 5(1,2,3,4)
• 5(1,2,3,4,5)

A couple other notes about the program.  Don't be afraid to nix the chin ups if they are too taxing or you just don't feel like doing them but never exceed your press reps.  Feel completely free to take variety days off.

RKC Ladders (-4kg from Rite of Passage Classic)

RKC Ladders is a Rite of Passage variant from Pavel's Beyond Bodybuilding.  You may have heard it mentioned in StrongFirst material as Rite of Passage Jurassic with some slight changes.  It is a much simpler and streamlined progression than Rite of Passage Classic.  All you do is clean and press plus two mandatory variety days a week that I focus on the double kettlebell floor press.  

• Day 1
• 5(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 2
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 3
• 6(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 4
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 5
• Off
• Day 6
• 7(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 7
• Off
• Day 10
• 8(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 11
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 12
• 9(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 13
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 14
• Off
• Day 15
• 10(1,2,3) Clean and Press
• Day 16
• Off
• Day 17
• 3(1,2,3,4) Clean and Press
• Day 18
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 19
• 4(1,2,3,4) Clean and Press
• Day 20
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 21
• Off
• Day 22
• 5(1,2,3,4) Clean and Press
• Day 23
• Off
• Day 24
• 6(1,2,3,4) Clean and Press
• Day 25
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 26
• 2(1,2,3,4,5) Clean and Press
• Day 27
• 5(5) +12kg Double Kettlebell Floor Press
• Day 28
• Off
• Day 29
• 3(1,2,3,4,5) Clean and Press
• Day 30
• Off
• Day 31
• 4(1,2,3,4,5) Clean and Press

All ladders and rungs are done within 30 seconds of rest.  All of my clean and presses are done -4kg from your Rite of Passage Classic weight.  My double kettlebell floor presses are done with 12kg more than Rite of Passage Classic.  

Cycling and Testing

This is my schedule for cycling and testing :

• Rite of Passage Classic 16kg
• RKC Ladder 12kg
• Test
• Etc.

After every cycle of RKC Ladder I take two days off and test my kettlebell press +12kg from my Rite of Passage Classic weight. I then test my 10 minute snatch test with my main pulling bell.  Once I exceed 24kg in my Rite of Passage Classic training for pulls, I will test with only 24kg.

I find this method of training to be solid because a +12kg from your press isn't unreachable and plus once you reach around 32kg for the Rite of Passage, it starts getting a little bit finicky.  We all have a limit on how much strength we can build based on our structure and most people can't do that type of volume with that heavy of a weight.

I hope you enjoyed reading all of this and it might look complicated but I assure you it's not.

Thank you for reading.

Path to Muscle and Might - Joint Mobility and Flexibility - Grip Strength - Steps - Supplements - Nutrition - Conclusion

 

Operation 9th Floor

Path to Muscle and Might - Health Training - Nutrition - Conclusion

By Adam Mundorf

Path to Muscle and Might (Beginning on 11/02/26)

Being a physically capable person is something that is vitally important to me and I've always been capable but inconsistent.  I've spent a lot of money and time getting access to strength coaches and people who have aged well.  This has come at the expense of my sanity, focus and commitment.  You see, when you don't know what you believe everything becomes an argument.  I kept on going back and forth from weights to calisthenics.  I kept on overthinking in my head about whether ballistic exercise is safe or not.  Listen, the best results I ever had was when I didn't worry, I just put the work in regardless of modality, technique or coach.  Do what you enjoy provided it's safe and progressive.

These are programs that I am familiar with but have never completed or haven't completed in many years.  This is a path forward that makes sense to me and it's pretty sustainable :

1. Rite of Passage rotated with RKC Ladders (Muscle Rejuvenation and Muscle Build-Up)
1. Goal
1. 1/2 Bodyweight Press
2. 200 Snatches in 10 Minutes with 24kg
2. Reasoning
1. This will give you strength in the press, chin up, swing and snatch.
2. Armor Building Formula (Muscle Build-Up)
1. Goal
1. Finish 30 rounds of Armor Building Complex in 30 Minutes (EMOM) with Double 32kgs
2. Complete 100 Reps of the double 32kg military press in one workout.
2. Reasoning
1. This will build upon your Rite of Passage foundation using a classic approach by Dan John. The goal of this program is to gain muscle through the double military press, front squat and cleans.
3. Kettlebell Axe and One Arm Push-Ups (Muscle Rejuvenation)
1. Goal
1. 40 Sets of 6 h2h swings with 48 kg
2. Turkish Get Ups
1. Simple and Sinister Style
2. Reasoning
1. This will build your power with your new found strength and hypertrophy.  Kettlebell Axe will give you power and endurance while the one arm push-ups will give you some different pushing power.
4. Quick and the Dead Rotated with Kettlebell Muscle in 12 Week Blocks (Muscle Rejuvenation and Muscle Build-Up)
1. Goal
1. Keep on Rotating until 32kg is Reached in Kettlebell Muscle.
2. Reasoning
1. Kettlebell Muscle is a legacy program of hypertrophy.  This will allow you to build solid amounts of muscle and q&d will provide you with conditioning/power.
5. Time for Barbell Training
1. Probably something StrongFirst related like Reload or Power to the People.  Kettlebells possibly will be included as an accessory.

There's my progression that will probably take a decade or so.  There will be blips along the way but the most important part is that we don't deviate because a change in direction only causes an illusion of progress.

 

Joint Mobility and Flexibility

Many people neglect their mobility at their own peril especially because mobility is extremely simple to maintain. I've written more extensive mobility and active flexibility routines in the past but Simplicity is King.  Simplicity trumps complexity and every plan looks good on paper before life happens.  Most of this is inspired by my friend, Steve Maxwell.  Steve moves better than anyone I know and he's in his 70s!

I am not a huge believer in extreme stretching because I believe that exercise when properly done should enhance your mobility and flexibility.  Generally speaking a person should have enough range of motion to do their sport plus a little more.  For most of us, our sport is life.  Working up to splits or being able to contort our bodies won't lead to a better quality of life and may even make us more injury prone.  The human body has limits and they are much more modest than what people think.

All I do is a simple pre-workout joint circling routine to prime my body and coat my joints in synovial fluid.  I touch my toes and reach overhead to work some hamstring flexibility plus it feels great.  Then I wrap it up with some stick dislocates to work every angle of shoulder mobility and flexibility.

On all dedicated off days I do an active flexibility routine of various calisthenic holds, 5 Minute Squat Hold and a passive bar hang.  This allows me to work some flexibility through strength.

Pre-Workout Warm-Up

• Joint Circles 
• Toe Touch/Reach Overhead 
• Stick Dislocates

Post Workout Stretch

• 90/90 Stretch
• QL Cross Legged Stretch
• All I do is sit cross legged in front of a heavy kettlebell and hold onto it while reach over my head/to the side with my opposite arm.
• Passive Bar Hang

Dedicated Off Day Active Flexibility

• Same Pre-Workout Warm-Up as Above
• Trifecta (20 Second Holds)(Various Regressions and Progressions)
• Bridge
• L-Sit
• Twist
• 5 Minute Squat Hold
• Passive Bar Hang

So there you have it.  A simple, one and done routine for synovial fluid.  A simple, one and done routine for whole body flexibility without becoming a yogi.  

Grip Strength

While you do get great benefit to your grip from just simply lifting weights and calisthenics, I firmly believe that it can be enhanced through the use of grippers and expand your hand bands.  All you want to do here is go to IronMind and purchase some grippers/bands.  Choose a grippers and band that is easy for you but with a little bit of a struggle.  Close them frequently as you are able and stop way before you're fatigued.  The best way to do this is to have them by your place of rest while watching TV or playing games etc. Overtime you'll develop some powerful crushing strength and your extensors will stay healthy due to the band work.

Steps

I think it's a great milestone to get at least 10,000 steps per day.  The number isn't scientifically backed but is just a decent round number.  Walking is an underrated activity for strength, mobility, losing weight and just simple health.  This goes doubly so if you work a desk job as it helps to break up all that sitting.

If you work an active job, you can disregard this because you're naturally getting plenty of movement throughout the day.

My Approach to Supplementation with Reasoning

I've gone back and forth over the years about supplementation.  Just to be clear supplements and vitamins are not 'needed' to have a healthy lifestyle but I just can't help wanting to take some things that might improve my long term outlook.  If you can afford it, I recommend them.  If you can't, don't fret, you don't need them but they might help.  Anywho in the next session you'll see my approach to nutrition with supplementation but first let me explain my supplements and why :

• Multivitamin
• I view this as an insurance policy of sorts.  A carpet bombing of nutrients we may not be getting in our daily diet.
• Fish Oil
• I don't eat fish and for years I've heard people preach the benefits of omega 3's for inflammation.  
• Vitamin D3 + K2
• I don't go outside and I don't want to go outside.  Vitamin D isn't even called a vitamin much anymore but rather a hormone.  It does wonders for mood, immune system, absorb calcium and bone health.  Vitamin K2 is there to ensure the calcium ends up in the right place.
• Magnesium
• It's pretty hard to get enough magnesium from your diet alone.  Magnesium helps reduce anxiety, improve sleep (mandatory for proper recovery) and helps relax your muscles if you're working them hard.
• Probiotic
• While there's still a lot of research to be done when it comes to gut health and probiotics, I can't help but shake that you can't use what you can't absorb.  If you don't eat fermented food or much fiber, I think a quality probiotic would be great to have.
• Whey Protein Isolate and Protein Shakes
• If you eat as I do (one main eating window per day) protein can be rather low.  I'm not a huge believer in slamming massive amounts of protein but adding in a single protein shake a day can do wonders.  Whey protein is an extremely bioavailable protein with a great amount of amino acid concentration.  On muscle rejuvenation phases, I have one shake a day before dinner/post workout.  On muscle gain phases, I'll pulse three 30 gram protein shakes throughout the day with the whey protein shake before dinner/post workout.  This ensures I have at least 100 grams of protein before even thinking about dinner and without taxing the digestive system.
• Creatine
• This supplement gets so much press, I probably don't even have to write about it.  Creatine is pretty well researched to benefit your brain, muscles, sleep and strength.  It's just simple so hard to get enough creatine from food, you have to eat a ton of meat to get 5 grams.  

For all supplements I try to choose the best quality I can afford.  I chose Thorne as my preferred company because they seem to have a high track record for quality and rigorous third party testing.

Nutrition

My approach to nutrition is rather simple and pretty unorthodox.  To keep it simple and short, I eat nothing or extremely light during the day and a good heavy meal at night.  This makes sense to me from the perspective of circadian rhythm and the cyclical nature of life.  Stay light while fighting the day battles and eat to your hearts contents when the day is done.  My only rule is to avoid processed sugar most of the time and eat plenty of vegetables with your main meal at night.

There will be two main classifications of eating styles below.  Muscle Rejuvenation is based around maintaining a healthy weight, muscle density and relative strength.  Muscle Build-Up is based around putting on quality muscle, muscle size and absolute strength.  

• Muscle Rejuvenation 
• Day Time
• Water
• Zero Calorie Caffeine
• Nighttime
• Whey Protein with Fruit, Multivitamin, Fish Oil, Vitamin D3 + K2, Probiotic, Magnesium, 5g Creatine
• Salad
• Steamed Vegetables
• Protein Source
• 4 Days a Week
• Eggs and Nuts/Rice Alternated
• 2 Days a Week
• Pizza
• 1 Day a Week
• Eating Out
• Muscle Build-Up
• Day Time
• Water
• Zero Calorie Caffeine
• 3 x Protein Shakes spread throughout the day.
• Nighttime
• Whey Protein with Fruit, Multivitamin, Fish Oil, Vitamin D3 + K2, Probiotic, Magnesium, 5g Creatine
• Salad
• Steamed Vegetables
• Protein Source
• 4 Days a Week
• Eggs and Nuts/Rice Alternated
• 2 Days a Week
• Pizza
• 1 Day a Week
• Eating Out

All major holidays feel free to eat out or have a large meal with family.  I still like to have my vitamins and fruit/vegetables like normal but eat out or have a large meal with family/friends.  Nothing exercise related on this day, just enjoy the day.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog!  Perfection is the enemy of progress.