TOUGH (but simple) Kettlebell Swing Workout

The kettlebell swing is the most basic of HardStyle kettlebell exercises, and is the first movement you should master before moving on to more advanced drills. I wanted to give you a sample workout to try - based around the kettlebell swing - just to show you HOW powerful this exercise can be, WHEN you program it properly into your training.


If you missed my recent three part kettlebell swing video tutorial, you can check that out here: => Kettlebell Swing Video Tutorial

TOUGH (but simple) KB Workout

• Begin your workout with a 3-5 minute dynamic warm up.
• Do two :30 holds of HardStyle planks, resting about :15 sec. between sets.
• Swings – do 5 sets of 20.  Rest about :30 between sets.
• Mix up the type of swings you do. You can do two hand, one hand, hand to hand, or double swings.  This is a great way to mix up the workout, hit slightly different muscle groups and give your body a slightly different stimulus throughout the session.
• Next, do a body weight circuit of Push Ups, Pull Ups or Inverted Rows, and Step Ups or Lunges – you'll do 2-3 rounds of 10-15 reps of each exercise.
• Modify the body weight exercises as needed to challenge yourself JUST enough. So ... if you're just starting out, you might do knee push ups and inverted rows. If you're advanced, you might do feet elevated push ups and standard pull ups. You can really make this workout as hard or as easy as you like.
• Finish off with a 3-5 minute static stretch of tight muscle groups ONLY.

And, there you have a very simple, but TOUGH, kettlebell swing-based workout. Enjoy! And talk soon

- Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

PS - Enjoy this workout?  In the Sacramento, CA area?  Head over and check out Forest's Sacramento boot camp website at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/bootcamp-sacramento

Kettlebell Lower Back Pain (video quick fix tip)

The KB swing is a great exercise.

 It's a move that works the heck out of the big back muscles ... the glutes ... the hamstrings ... the core ... but it's NOT an exercise for the lower back.

 I still get emails/Facebook and blog comments/etc. though at least weekly, if not daily, from folks experiencing kettlebell low back pain. So I thought I'd shoot a quick video breaking down of one the #1 causes of KB back pain - and how to fix it:

Looking for a complete program to help you fix your swing technique?  Check out the Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual here <=

Swinging the kettlebell too close to the ground is one of the main causes of kettlebell low back pain. 

To fix it, bring the 'bell as close to the body as you can as it swings back. The motion is similar to hike passing a football.

 Another great cue is to imagine you are throwing the KB through your stomach ... and then to get the hips out of the way at the last minute. Think of it this way - if you were going to pick up a heavy object, you would bring it close to the body as you could. It'a a simple mechanical advantage. Same goes for the kettlebell swing.  

 To sum up, the kettlebell swing is king.  But you gotta do it RIGHT and use perfect form to 1) stay safe and 2) get the most out of the exercise.  Use the tip in this video to eliminate the lower back pain you're getting from your swings!

 - Forest Vance, MS, RKC II  

 PS - Learn more about how to fix kettlebell lower back pain here => http://kettlebellbasics.net/2012/11/11/kettlebell-low-back-pain-quick-fix-tip-video/

Kettlebell/TRX Workout

I’ve had a TRX and’ve used it for basic things like body rows, chest presses, etc. in workouts for the last couple of years … and to be honest, I always thought it was cool, but wasn’t completely sold on it as a training modality …

But it wasn’t until I went through the TRX Suspension Training Course a couple of months ago that I realized the power of suspension training and just how well it compliments working out with kettlebells.

The TRX picks up where KB’s leave off – a few reasons why:

• KB training is largely stable in nature, while the TRX adds an element of instability to your training
• The TRX’s strengths – like horizonal pushing and pulling and single leg movements – are some of KB training’s weaknesses
• The TRX uses your own body weight as resistance while the KB is an external resistance tool

SO – here is a great kettlebell and TRX workout to get you started (I just did it myself the other day, try it at your own risk, it’s a smoker!):

Do three rounds of the first pair of exercises as fast as possible.  Rest for one to two minutes, complete the second and third exercise pairs in the same fashion.

• 20 KB goblet squats
• 10 TRX atomic push ups

• 12 kettlebell goblet lunges (ea side)
• 15 TRX inverted rows

• 20 KB swings
• 10 TRX burpees

In conclusion, TRX and kettlebells are a great training tool combination. They compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses perfectly and make for an efficient, effective, and flat out tough workout routine.

Train hard and talk soon -

Forest

PS - Click here to learn more all about the kettlebell basics - videos, articles, workouts and more!

Kettlebell Warm Up

There’s a school of thought out there that says warming up isn’t necessary.  That if you have minimal muscle imbalances, that if you’re mentally prepared for physical activity at all times, that you should be able to hop right into your workout full bore, right out of the gate.  That when our ancestors had to run for their lives or run to catch an animal or lift a giant bolder or whatever, that they didn’t get a chance to warm up.  And that even in real life today, there are situations where one may need to lift a heavy object, run fast, etc. without the luxury of getting physically or mentally prepared first.

And so while I do suppose there is some validity in this line of thinking, I mostly disagree with it   Maybe if you’re in law enforcement, training for combat, etc. and your life depends on being able to perform at a high level without a warm up … in that case I can totally see why you would want to train this way …

But I can also tell you from personal experience – I feel WAY better when I go through a sequence of exercises/movements to methodically and specifically prepare me for the workout ahead.  And honestly, for those of you simply looking for general fitness, and without specific performance needs like the ones listed above – why WOULDN’T you warm up?

 Warm Up – Definition and Benefits

To start, here is the definition of a warm up from SparkPeople.com, along with some specific benefits:

A warm up is the act of preparing for an athletic event or workout by exercising or practicing for a short time beforehand. Warming up helps reduce your risk of injury and the aches and pains that come with exercise. The physiological reason to warm up is to assist your circulatory system in pumping oxygen-rich blood to your working muscles. The idea is to increase circulation throughout the body in a gradual manner. A proper warm up safely prepares the body for the increased demands of exercise. Cold muscles do not absorb shock or impact as well, and are more susceptible to injury.

A warm-up helps you prepare both mentally and physically for exercise and reduces the chance of injury. During a warm up, any injury or illness you have can often be recognized, and further injury prevented. Other benefits of a proper warm up include:

• Increased movement of blood through your tissues, making the muscles more pliable.
• Increased delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. This prevents you from getting out of breath early or too easily.
• Prepares your muscles for stretching
• Prepares your heart for an increase in activity, preventing a rapid increase in blood pressure
• Prepares you mentally for the upcoming exercise
• Primes your nerve-to-muscle pathways to be ready for exercise
• Improved coordination and reaction times

The Kettlebell Warm Up

Here is the sequence I use to prepare for myself and training clients for kettlebell workouts; it is both field-tested and backed by research and science as one of – ifthe best – way to warm up and prepare yourself for physical activity:

1. Self Myofasical Release

Deep tissue massage therapy modalities such as myofascial release improves flexibility, function, and performance; speeds up the recovery process; and reduces chronic pain and injury risk. Regular deep tissue massage breaks down adhesions and scar tissue that form in the fascia. With the use of a few simple, inexpensive tools (foam roller and a soft ball), you can perform daily self-myofascial release (SMR) and receive much of the same benefits as weekly professional bodywork.  And it’s fantastic to do before a workout; click the link below to check out a full article about it:

=== >> Self Myofasical Release

2. Joint Mobility

Joint mobility training is important for several reasons:

• It improves performance by helping you learn how to properly engage each joint and muscle group in your movements.
• It increases the efficiency of your movement.
• It drastically decreases the chance of injury by elimiating incorrect movements along incorrect joints.

Here are more details about joint mobility training and a quick video on how to do it:

=== >> Joint Mobility 

3. Dynamic Stretch

A ‘dynamic warm-up’ or ‘movement prep session’ is the last element in my warm up sequence; click the link below to learn how to do it:

=== >> Dynamic Warm Up How-To

In conclusion, while there are some folks out there that think warming up for your kettlebell workout isn’t necessary, unless you have specific training needs like the ones outlined in this article, I disagree with this line of thinking.  There are many proven benefits of warming up, and honestly, if you can, why not?

The warm up sequence detailed in this article is perfect to get you ready for your next kettlebell session. Incorporate it into your existing kettlebell routine and see increased results today!

Forest Vance, RKC II

PS - If you want to add body weight strength training to your kettlebell routines, check out  http://bodyweightstrengthtraining.com

The Kettlebell Complex – Your Fat Loss Secret Weapon

Mastered the kettlebell basics?  Ready for some variety in your program?  Time for the kettlebell complex.

Definition of the kettlebell complex – from DragonDoor.com:

If you’ve never heard of complexes before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a set, you sequence several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a set.

And some benefits of complex training – from steathbody.com:

• Lean body mass improvement will be enhanced with this type of training.
• You will stimulate your hormones to burn more fat and build lean muscle.
• Full body exercises (such as swings, squats, snatches) have been shown in numerous research studies to stimulate growth hormone (GH).
• The release of growth hormone will help to burn body fat and build lean muscle mass.
• Resistance training, higher reps, full body exercise, and minimal rest between exercises are all proven methods to stimulate GH, which are all accomplished with complex training.

In short, if you’re looking to gain lean muscle, burn fat, and get into phenomenal physical condition, kettlebell complexes are for you. I just shot and posted up a video showing you one of my favorite KBC’s – check it out, and then read the written workout recap below it:

 

Video Recap

• Do one top-down Turkish get up
• Immediately follow this with five snatches
• Finish your five snatches and go right to five clean, squat and overhead presses
• Complete the complex with ten one hand swings
• Repeat the complex for five to ten rounds total on each side

Also –  this post was in part inspired by a six week workout program I just finished up for my personal routine … and though it was brutally hard, I loved it  And I got some great results!  If you’re looking for a complete program built around kettlebell complexes, I highly recommend it – check it out by clicking here

Thanks for reading and train hard -

Forest

PS - To mix it up and kill your back, check out these back exercises without weight at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SGe1ePAns0.

Two Tips To Improve Your Kettlebell Snatch

The kettlebell Snatch is a tricky movement to get the hang of – I know I got my fair share of bruised wrists when I was learning it.
I stumbled across this video from Jason C. Brown of KettlebellAthletics.com that shares a couple of great tips to help perfect your Snatching form:



To summarize:

Drill 1:

Grab a light kettlebell. Do a bottoms-up Clean with it – so the ‘bell should end up with the bottom facing towards the ceiling and racked at about shoulder level. Now, ‘punch’ your hand around the kettlebell from shoulder level up to being locked out overhead. The idea here is to practice actively getting your hand around the KB, instead of just letting it come over the top and crash down on your wrist.

Drill 2

You want to base the Snatch exercise off of the high pull – in other words, the arc of the ‘bell should be like that of a High Pull vs. a Swing (watch the video to see a demonstration). If you base the Snatch off of the Swing, the arc will be too far in front of your body.

So you can do a progression to work your way into doing a Snatch: Do a Low Pull, do a High Pull, and then a Snatch. I actually use that progression with folks all the time with a lot of success.

Remember: Practice makes perfect. Don’t just blast through your KB workouts with no regard for form; strive for perfection. And if you’re having trouble getting the hang of the kettlebell Snatch, the two tips mentioned in this video should help you out.

P.S. For more tips and kettlebell exercises check out this kettlebell blog at kettlebellbasics.net

Kettlebell Cardio Workout

Kettlebell cardio workout for ‘ya today -
But before I break it down, a quick question:  how do you define “cardio”?
It might conjure up images of folks pedaling away on recumbent stationary bikes at the health club, catching up on the latest E! channel celeb gossip …
Or you might think of running or biking outdoors …
But odds are you probably DON’T think of cardio and lifting weights of any kind as one in the same.  So my goal with this kettlebell cardio workout is to PERMANENTLY change the way you think about cardio …
Let’s start with some defining facts about cardio from healthstatus.com:

Cardio exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate …  Cardio exercise uses large muscle movement over a sustained period of time, keeping your heart rate to at least 50% of its maximum level …  You need a minimum of 20 minutes of continued elevated pulse to get the best results …

So – if we elevate the heart rate, utilize large muscles of the body, work at a reasonable and sustained intensity, and do it for a continuous period of time, we’re good to go – no matter our implements/training tools of choice.
Kettlebells happen to be a great tool to elevate the heart rate quickly.  And if we work at a high – but sustainable – intensity with them for a continuous period, we get a killer kettlebell cardio workout.

Kettlebell Cardio Workout

This is a perfect short, intense workout you can throw in to mix things up with your existing cardio routine – or even replace it all together.  It can be done in about 10-15 minutes, and only requires one kettlebell.  Check out the video first, then see the video recap below for workout details:

Video Recap

• 5 one arm swing (right)
• 5 one arm clean, squat and press (right)
• 5 one arm swing (left)
• 5 one arm clean, squat and press (left)
• Rest 10-15 seconds, repeat for 5-10 total rounds

Chances are you do cardio of some kind to stay in shape, train your heart, etc.  But there’s also a good chance that you think of “cardio” as a long, slow and boring activity.  The kettlebell cardio workout outlined in this post is a great starting point to change your mindset – and to get you faster and more efficient results!
Train hard and talk soon -
Forest Vance, RKC II

PS -For more exercises like these, check out this Sacramento personal trainer at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/.

The Perfect Kettlebell Training Diet?

Although I spend 95% of the time on this blog talking about kettlebell exercises and workouts, diet is a critical component of any training program that can’t be overlooked. Like it or not, what you eat plays a huge role in your performance.

I truly believe that there is no perfect diet for everyone – and personal experience in servicing nearly 10,000 career training sessions strongly supports this fact. Different approaches work for different people.

Here are three meal plans that will compliment your kettlebell training program well – it’s ultimately up to you to pick which one fits your preferences and lifestyle best.

1. The Primal Blueprint

Author Mark Sisson (of Mark’s Daily Apple) makes an effort in this book to dispel many diet ‘myths’ that have come to be accepted as fact in popular culture. Life of our primal ancestors is put in stark contrast with the modern sedentary lifestyles most of us lead and the potential associated health issues. This book poses a solution that promises to guide us towards “effortless weight loss, vibrant health and boundless energy”.

Read more details, see a book preview and read reviews on Amazon.com by clicking below:

The Primal Blueprint

2. The Warrior Diet

The Warrior Diet has some similar themes as the Primal Blueprint as it looks to the habits of early cultures in an attempt to deliver a “radical yet surprisingly

simple lifestyle overhaul”.

The diet’s premise – based on both historical evidence and scientific studies – is the cycling of undereating during the day and loading up during the night. For a

more detailed description and to read about experiences others have had with the book, check out the link below:

The Warrior Diet

The Warrior Diet has some similar themes to the Primal Blueprint as it looks to the habits of early cultures in an attempt to deliver a “radical yet surprisingly simple lifestyle overhaul”. The diet’s premise – based on both historical evidence and scientific studies – is the cycling of undereating during the day and loading up on calories during the night. For a more detailed description and to read about experiences others have had with the book, check out the link below:

The Warrior Diet

3. The Best Fat Loss Diet Plan

This is my very own back-to-basics fat loss meal plan. It’s based on scientific evidence and what’s actually worked for me and countless training clients over the years. It’s a ‘super-quick-start’ sort of guide that skips all the theory, cuts right to how to set up your meal plan and gives you dozens of healthy meal and snack recipe ideas. Click below for more info:

Forest’s Best Fat Loss Diet Plan

Although I don’t talk about diet a whole lot on this blog, it’s a critical piece of any training program. I’ve given an overview of a few different programs in this post for those of you who need a little guidance; the most important thing is to have a scientifically backed and real-life proven meal plan and to stay consistent with it. Keep training hard!

P.S. For more kettlebell workouts and diet information visit Sacramento Boot Camp at sacramentobootcamp.net

3 Tips For Building A Solid Kettlebell Routine

Whether you’re trying to evaluate a pre-designed kettlebell routine or you’re attempting to design one yourself, you’ve got to have a way to determine if it’s going to be effective for helping you reach your goals. While there are a lot of factors that can make or break a kettlebell routine, a detailed plan, focus on great technique and emphasis on the basics are three things that are very important components of a solid kettlebell routine.

The number one thing when evaluating a kettlebell routine is to make sure it lays out a very specific and detailed plan. What you don’t want to do is just randomly piece together workouts from this blog or any other source; you want a complete program, such as the one(s) found in theKettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide.

Secondly, great technique is paramount. If you’re training with sloppy form, you’re not only shortchanging yourself on results, you’re putting yourself at a greater risk of injury. Get some instruction, watch videos, study books (probably in that order of importance, too) to master the basics of safe and effective kettlebell training technique.

Lastly, focus on the basics. You don’t need to be doing crecent swings or slingshots if you can’t do a basic swing or snatch; you truly can cover all of your major muscle groups by focusing exclusively on swings, get ups, clean and presses, squats, and snatches.

Having a specific and detailed plan, using great technique, and focusing on the basics are three of the most important things you can do when putting together or evaluating a kettlebell routine. If you want a guide to proper kettlebell training technique and a workout plan to go with it, check out theKettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide. I put this guide together to solve the basic problems that so many people have when getting started with kettlebells. Keep training hard!

P.S. If you are trying to lose 10 pounds month and get in better shape through kettlebells, check out lose10poundsmonth.com

The Kettlebell Overhead Walk

The Problem(s):

• A weak press
• Bad snatch form
• Poor shoulder mobility

The Fix:

The Overhead Kettlebell Walk

I’ve done a lot of bench pressing in my day. And while I got pretty strong at this specific exercise (I benched 455 for a single at my peak), it left me with some big time upper body imbalances – one being tight a@@ shoulders.

So when I first started training seriously with kettlebells a few years ago – which naturally comes with a lot of overhead work – my weakness was pathetically exposed! And all of my overhead work/exercises – presses, snatches, etc. – suffered because of it.

The kettlebell overhead walk exercise (combined with a steady diet of TGU’s) was largely responsible for restoring health and natural range of motion to my upper body. It’s a simple drill I first learned at the Russian Kettlebell Challenge. And now, I use it almost every day in my own training and with personal training/boot camp clients. It’s fantastic for improving your pressing/snatching form, teaching you how to ‘suck the shoulder into the socket’, improving shoulder mobility, and a whole lot more. Check out this video to learn how to do it:

I hope the kettlebell overhead walk is a valuable addition to your training program!

Thanks

Forest Vance, RKC II

P.S. For more exercises like this, check out these basic kettlebell routines at http://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/05/25/kettlebell-routines/.

MORE Kettlebell Exercises For Abs

This is (at least) the third post I’ve done on kettlebell exercises for abs … but given that almost everyone wants to lose belly fat … and given that if you’re reading this blog, you’re a fan of kettlebells … it’s one of those topics most of us probably can’t get enough of

Enjoy this video from fellow RKC Chris Lopez - in it, he covers five kettlebell exercises you should be doing for your abs, but probably aren’t. In addition to showing us some cool and unique kettlebell moves, Chris does a great job of covering the critical coaching points of each exercise in detail.

Thanks -

Forest

Video Recap (exercise descriptions)

Reverse Ab Curl

You will need a relatively light kettlebell depending on how strong your abs are. You will be using a medicine ball or a light ball, like a basketball. Be sure it is tucked in-between your heels and butt, this occupies your hamstrings and forces your hip flexors to relax and allow your lower abs and obliques to work on getting your knees up to your elbows. Use the kettlebell above your head for leverage, the lighter you go, the harder it will be for your abs to work. Be sure to keep your back flat and curl up and repeat. Make sure the kettlebell on top of you isn’t lifting off of the ground, if it is use a heavier weight.

Push-Away Squat

Start the exercise by holding a light kettlebell in a gauntlet position. Think about front squatting, but at the same time, drive the bell away and keep your back as straight as you possibly can. This works your shoulders and abs. Your body will want to somewhat collapse and your abs will start to fire and brace, try to keep your spine straight.

Renegade Row

If you don’t have two kettlebells, you can use a platform or a couple of thick books. In addition to your back, it works your obliques. Prevent any rotation in your hips, squeeze your glutes, and brace your abs to resist any rotation going on in your torso as you are moving the weight up. The wider your feet are in the exercise, the easier it will be. Place one hand on the platform, the other on the kettlebell and row.

Opposite Hip Touch

Same as the renegade row, make sure you aren’t twisting during the movement. Brace your abs, place your shoulders over the top of your elbows and your elbows above your wrists, squeeze your glutes, and rotate your hand to the opposite side and return. Repeat the motion with the other side.

Spider Man Climb

Get yourself into a push up position with your toes together, take one leg and drive it all the way forward as far as you can, with this leg forward, keep your hips low and squeeze your glute, then bring your leg back under control without moving your torso or hips.

P.S. For more kettlebell exercises to blast your abs check out http://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/05/25/kettlebell-routines/

Kettlebell Workout For Men

If you’re a meathead at heart … if your chief fitness pursuit is muscle size and strength at the expense of everything else … kettlebells may not be the best training implement for you.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to get lean and strong, to build strength without bulk … if you’re looking to gain lean muscle in your shoulders and arms, to trim and tone your stomach … then kettlebell training may be right up your alley.

In this article, I’m going to go over some common fitness goals men have, explain how working out with kettlebells can help you reach those goals more effectively and efficiently, and then outline a new and unique kettlebell workout for men.

Goals

Here’s a short list of some common fitness goals men have:

• Add lean muscle in the shoulders and arms
• Trim and tone the stomach area
• “All around fitness” – maintain the ability to do things like run a couple of miles or play a game of pick-up basketball at any time
• Strengthen the lower body without bulking it up
• Feel great and be healthy

Benefits

Here’s how kettlebell training can help you reach the above listed fitness goals:

• Kettlebells build strength and endurance with unique high-repetition exercises like the swing and snatch.
• Kettlebells allow you to train both aerobically and anaerobically within a single workout, therefore allowing you to develop both cardiovascular and strength enhancements.
• Kettlebells can help you build increased strength without increase of mass. Kettlebell exercisers are lean and toned, not bulky.

Kettlebell Workout For Men

Based on what we’ve discussed so far, here’s a sample kettlebell workout for men:

(warm up)

• slingshots
• close grip push ups

These two exercises done at a low intensity will get your upper body warmed up and involve the core and lower body a bit, too. Perform two sets of each exercise, doing as many reps as you can in 30 seconds for each working set.

(main workout)

• One Arm Rack Squat – 8 reps R, 8 reps L
• Renegade Row – 6 reps ea side
• Turkish Get Up – 1 rep ea side

These three exercises hit your upper body and abs in a unique way. Perform each exercise for the prescribed number of reps, rest for 30 seconds, and then move to the next exercise in the sequence. Perform a total of three sets of each exercise.

(conditioning finisher)

• Swings – two hand, one hand, or hand-to-hand – 100 as fast as possible

Quick finisher to end the workout strong!

In conclusion, if your main fitness goals are to put on size and strength, kettlebells may not be the best fitness tool for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking to gain lean muscle and shoot your conditioning through the roof, try this kettlebell workout for men!

Train hard and talk soon -

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II

P.S. For more information and sample workouts like these, visit sacramento personal trainer at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/personal-trainers-sacramento

Why Counting Calories Might Not Be The Answer …

Are you having trouble losing weight?

Here’s a quick story about a personal training client of mine you might be able to relate to (I’ve changed my client’s actual name, but the story is 100% true):

When Molly and I first started training, she was somewhat resistant to my diet advice, but brought the energy to our workouts, gave every one all she had, and followed the workout plan I gave her (for workouts on her own time) to a ‘T’.

Measurement time came after a month of training – and she had only lost two pounds. Although she had lost fat and gained some muscle, she was discouraged. We had set an initial weight goal, and progress wasn’t going quite as fast as she thought it should.

Why?

At the end of the day, it’s your diet that’s responsible for at least 70% of the weight loss equation – if not a lot more.

The good news is, Molly started keeping a food log, we worked together to cut out excess calories and make better food choices, and she lost nine pounds over the next four weeks.

It comes down to eating less and moving more when you’re trying to lose weight – this simple equation must be in place. But, different approaches work differently for different people. And success in the end comes down to picking a diet you can actually stick to – the greatest diet advice in the world is worthless if you can’t follow through.

If you’ve already found a plan that works and you know what to do – good for you!

If not, here are three examples of diet programs that are very different, but probably equally effective for getting you to that fat loss goal – it’s a matter of which one appeals to you the most as to which one will get you to your goal the fastest. I’ve linked to each one if you’d like to find out about the details of any of them:

1. Fat Burning Kitchen

Did you know that the majority of people (between 75-90%) consistently (and massively) under-report their calories consumed when they are asked to track their calories?

The idea behind this plan is that although counting calories is important, other things – like the fact that people tend to have problems keeping track, controlling appetite is a huge barrier for most folks trying to hit a calorie goal, and the influence hormonal imbalances have on your metabolic rate, fat storage, etc. – have at least as big of an influence on your weight loss efforts.

The plan is based around the idea that if you choose the right foods and understand how these foods react with your body, you can automatically attain the right calorie level without the need to ever count calories again.

Find out more about the Fat Burning Kitchen here:

Fat Burning Kitchen

2. Eat Stop Eat

This is a plan based around the concept of intermittent fasting. It definitely goes against the grain – but a lot of people are having great success with it.

On Eat Stop Eat, you go for 24 hours without food two days per week. Sounds crazy, especially if you’re used to eating five or six meals a day (like me), but as I said, it’s a very popular program and many people are reporting a lot of success with it. If you’d like to learn more, click the link below:

Eat Stop Eat

3. Easy Veggie Meal Plans

One thing I notice with vegetarians trying to lose fat is that they often have a hard time selecting the right foods and getting a proper balance of protein, carbs and fat. So here’s a program that’s geared towards fat loss for you veggies – and will show you exactly what to do and what to eat along the way. Find out more here:

Easy Veggie Meal Plans

So, the moral of the story is this: at the end of the day, you gotta burn more calories than you take in to lose weight. But there are a lot of different ways to do it – and different methods will work differently for different people. Whichever route you take, if you’re not getting the results you want, start focusing on your diet today!!

P.S. If you are searching for healthy meals check out these slow carb recipes at http://www.thefitnessmonster.com/2012/01/slow-carb-recipes.html.

Kettlebell Exercises For Women

I’m going to make a statement that’ll probably ruffle a few feathers, that’s probably a little politically incorrect, that a lot of strength coaches might disagree with … but one that, in my opinion, is a simple truth -

Women have different training needs than men.

Given that roughly 60-70% of my in-person training clientele is female – and has been for the duration of my (nearly) decade – long personal training career – I feel I have enough first-hand experience to make this statement. Here are a few ways a woman’s training needs differ from a man’s:

• Women commonly have different areas of focus (lower vs. upper body, for example)
• Women have different strengths and weaknesses (women will smoke most men when it comes to strength/endurance-type work but will typically lose a pull-up match – or any other test of relative upper body strength – to a man of the same fitness level)
• Women generally have different goals (i.e., most women don’t want to put on slabs of bulky muscle)

So this blog post is all about the best kettlebell exercises for women. I’ll start by explaining how women can benefit from kettlebell training. I’ll cover some common target/problem areas. And then I’ll outline some kettlebell exercises to target these areas along with a full kettlebell workout.

Kettlebells For Women – Benefits

Here are a few benefits of kettlebells that are specific to most women’s fitness goals:

• Fat Loss (kettlebells provide intense fat burning workouts)
• Strength without bulk
• Endurance and stamina (without the running)
• Muscle balance and function (promotes proper body mechanics)
• Boosts metabolism with high rep balistic exercises like swings, cleans and snatches
• Confidence to handle anything that life throws your way!

Specific Target Areas

Here’s a short list of typical ‘problem’ areas for women:

• Midsection/Abdomen
• Hips
• Thighs
• Butt
• Arms
• Back

The Best Kettlebell Exercises For Women

The basic kettlebell exercises hit all of the problem areas I just listed above very effectively. The swing and snatch, for example, work the heck out of your hips, glutes, back, and core muscles. The Turkish get up – as well as the clean and press – are both great for hitting your midsection and arms. And the goblet squat is hard to beat for complete lower body strength and development.

Here are the main kettlebell exercises women should be focusing on learning first – all other more advanced kettlebell drills are built on the ‘base’ of these five:

(For more specific technique tips on each drill, click the exercise name):

• Swing
• Turkish Get Up
• Goblet Squat
• Clean and Press
• Snatch

Sample Kettlebell Workout For Women

Here’s a workout that incorporates everything we’ve covered so far – it’s designed to help you lose fat, build strength without building muscle bulk, improve endurance, and hit those hard-to-target areas like the midsection/abdomen, hips, thighs, butt, arms, and back :

Warm up – foam roll/joint mobility/dynamic stretch

(For exercise pairs – perform each exercise back-to-back without rest, rest for :30 and repeat pair two more times for a total of three sets of each exercise):

Exercise pair 1

Turkish get up – 3 each side
Body row/pull up – 2 reps short of failure

Exercise pair 2

KB lunge – 10 reps each side
Swing or Snatch – 8 reps each side

Workout ‘finisher’

Double kettlebell clean and press – 5 sets of 6-8 reps, heavy enough weight to get 1-2 reps short of failure, 15-20 second rest between each set

finish w/ 5 mins. of static stretching for tight muscle groups

In conclusion, kettlebells are a fantastic training tool for women. They meet specific training needs that many women are looking for and are great for targeting typical female problem areas. Even better, the basic kettlebell moves are all you need to meet all of these goals.

Keep training hard and talk soon -

Forest Vance, RKC II

P.S. For more training information and routines go to Sacramento Personal Trainer at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/personal-trainers-sacramento

3 Tips For Building A Solid Kettlebell Routine

Whether you’re trying to evaluate a pre-designed kettlebell routine or you’re attempting to design one yourself, you’ve got to have a way to determine if it’s going to be effective for helping you reach your goals. While there are a lot of factors that can make or break a kettlebell routine, a detailed plan, focus on great technique and emphasis on the basics are three things that are very important components of a solid kettlebell routine.

The number one thing when evaluating a kettlebell routine is to make sure it lays out a very specific and detailed plan. What you don’t want to do is just randomly piece together workouts from this blog or any other source; you want a complete program, such as the one(s) found in theKettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide.

Secondly, great technique is paramount. If you’re training with sloppy form, you’re not only shortchanging yourself on results, you’re putting yourself at a greater risk of injury. Get some instruction, watch videos, study books (probably in that order of importance, too) to master the basics of safe and effective kettlebell training technique.

Lastly, focus on the basics. You don’t need to be doing crecent swings or slingshots if you can’t do a basic swing or snatch; you truly can cover all of your major muscle groups by focusing exclusively on swings, get ups, clean and presses, squats, and snatches.

Having a specific and detailed plan, using great technique, and focusing on the basics are three of the most important things you can do when putting together or evaluating a kettlebell routine. If you want a guide to proper kettlebell training technique and a workout plan to go with it, check out theKettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide. I put this guide together to solve the basic problems that so many people have when getting started with kettlebells. Keep training hard!

P.S. While you’re here, don’t forget to sign up for your free KB training video – drop your name and email in the box in the upper right hand corner of the page!

P.S. If you liked this post, you are sure to like kettlebell exercises posted at http://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/05/25/kettlebell-routines/.

Gift Ideas For The Kettlebell Enthusiast

It’s a great time to be a kettlebell enthusiast.

The popularity of kettlebell training has exploded over the last several years … and with this uptick in popularity has all kinds of cool gear to make your KB workouts more efficient and fun been created.

That being said, knowing exactly what to get for the KB lover in your life can still be tough … so I’ve come up with this list of 10 gift ideas for the kettlebell enthusiast to get your holiday/kettlebell gift-giving thoughts started:

Kettlebells, books, + DVD’s: A somewhat obvious starting point – but not to be overlooked. Most folks have a new KB book or DVD they want – or a new kettlebell size they need for their collection.

Kettlebells, books, + DVD’s

Heart Rate Monitor: Heart rate monitors allow exercisers to establish a target zone and maintain their goals by monitoring their progress on a daily basis. This would give a person who has begun to workout or has the desire to challenge themselves further the ability to accurately gauge their growth.

Heart Rate Monitor

Gymboss Timer: The beauty of this inexpensive supplemental workout tool is that it can help a person plan and execute their kettlebell workouts, giving them an opportunity to exercise as if they were in a boot camp class because it takes thinking out of the picture. This timer creates structured intervals for a person to move through with any form of workout.

Gymboss Timer

ForestVanceTraining Kettlebell-Themed Apparel: Browse our website with different clothing items and accessories, giving that special someone a way to express their enthusiasm outside of the gym.

ForestVanceTraining Kettlebell-Themed Apparel

Vibram Five Fingers: A type of minimalist shoe manufactured by Vibram, originally marketed as a more “natural” alternative for different outdoors activities (sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and as a camp or after-hike shoe). The footwear has thin, flexible soles that are contoured to the shape of the human foot, including visible individual sections for the toes. Perfect for kettlebell training.

Vibram Five Fingers

Kettlebell FitDeck Exercise Cards: If you know someone who enjoys working out at home, but is searching for a way to mix up their options, these cards are a great opportunity for them to have variety and create their own workouts. Multiple ‘themes’ of these cards exist, including kettlebells and body weight training.

Kettlebell FitDeck Exercise Cards

Jump Rope: This is a great present for a person who is unable to get into the gym on a daily basis, and works out from home because it creates a self controlled cardio workout with very little required space.

Jump Rope

Foam Roller: If you know someone who works out often, you can be pretty sure that they deal with aching muscles and soreness, that is where the foam roller comes in. This tool causes self-myofascial release to occur, breaking up tension in muscles and giving a person the benefit of being able to work out regularly with less pain.

Foam Roller

MP3 Player: This would make a great present for someone who works out by themselves at the gym or outside, music is a great form of motivation and this provides a person with a great variety to choose from.

MP3 Player

Massage Gift Certificate: Massages can help break down lactic acid, loosen up tight muscles, and increase blood flow. This is very beneficial to people who workout often because it can alleviate current pain and help prevent future pain.

In conclusion, more cool stuff exists now than ever before for the kettlebell lover. This is a short list of gift ideas to get you thinking about what to get for the kettlebell enthusiast in your life this year. Happy holidays to you!

Forest

P.S. If you liked this post, you’ll be interested in the information personal trainers Sacramento has to offer at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/personal-trainers-sacramento.

Kettlebell Workout For Seniors (50+)

I’m personally not a big fan of the term ‘senior’. The images it conjures up are far different than the folks in the 50+ age group that, for example, I’ve met and trained with at RKC events. I have personal training and boot camp clients that defy ‘senior’ in every sense of the word. And I certainly won’t be excited about being called a senior myself 20 or so years from now

But in the context of this article, I’m going to use it to refer to individuals over the age of 50. I’ll outline specific training requirements and benefits of working with kettlebells for people in this age group, and then provide you with a kettlebell workout designed specifically for seniors.

Training Requirements

1. Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a pre-existing condition. Ask if there are any activities you should avoid. Start slow. If you haven’t been active in a while, it can be harmful to go “all out.” Instead, build up your exercise program little by little.

2. Get a qualified instructor who can regress the workouts to your ability and needs. Ideally this would be in person; if for whatever reason that’s not possible, at minimum get some personal guideance in a coaching program like this one: The Kettlebell Basics Weekly Workouts program

Benefits

1. Kettlebell training – done right – leads to stronger muscles, which in turn lead to multiple benefits, such as:

• less degeneration of cognitive function
• reversal of muscle wastage
• decreased risk of alzheimer’s
• control of diabetes

2. Exercise is the key to staying strong, energetic, and healthy as you get older. It can help you manage the symptoms of illness and pain, maintain your independence, and even reverse some of the symptoms of aging. Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling.

3. Research has shown that strengthening exercises (like kettlebell training) are both safe and effective for women and men of all ages, including those who are not in perfect health. In fact, people with health concerns—including heart disease or arthritis—often benefit the most from an exercise program that includes lifting weights a few times each week.

Kettlebell Workout For Seniors

Now, keeping everything in mind I mentioned above, here is a kettlebell workout designed for seniors:

Warm Up

foam rolling/joint mobility exercises/dynamic warm up

Workout

• 1 half or full Turkish get up (right and left)
• 10 body weight or kettlebell squats
• 15 kettlebell sumo deadlifts or swings

Repeat circuit three to five times. Rest as much as needed but as little as possible.

Finish with ~ 5 mins. of static stretching.

Questions about how to perform any of the exercises listed above? Check out the kettlebell exercises section of this site: Kettlebell Exercises

In conclusion, kettlebell training is fantastic for folks over the age of 50. If you are in this age group, take into consideration the specific training requirements I listed in this article. Make sure you get a qualified instructor to give you some personal assistance in reaching your kettlebell training goals. And train hard!

Thanks for reading and talk soon -

Forest Vance, RKC II

P.S. If you liked this post, you may be interested in our boot camp sacramento group, which you can visit at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/bootcamp-sacramento

10x10 Kettlebell Workout

Honestly, I was scared to show you this kettlebell workout.

I was afraid you’d take it out of context (it’s a just a very small part of the 10×10 Kettlebell Solution workout plan).

And I was worried it’d be too tough (it’s a somewhat advanced workout that you don’t attack until the eighth week of the ten week program).

But I figured what the heck

So here you go – a sample workout from the 10×10 Kettlebell Solution. Enjoy!

Week 8

*Warm up – Do five Turkish Get Ups on each side. Start easy – with no weight at all or a light weight – and work up to a heavier weight with each rep. Switch sides after each rep.

*Perform the first exercise in each pairing. Immediately move to the next exercise (or exercises) and complete the prescribed number of reps. Rest :30 and repeat each sequence a total of three times.

1a: 8 reverse lunges
1b: pull ups – one rep short of failure

2a: 6 kettlebell presses
2b: 20 body weight squats (explosive tempo)

3a: 25 kettlebell swings (your choice)
3b: 15 push ups

*Finish with static stretch of tight muscle groups

Train hard, and talk soon -

Forest

P.S. If you liked this post, you should check out our bootcamp sacramento website for more posts like this one at http://www.forestvancetraining.com/bootcamp-sacramento!

Kettlebell Workout for Firefighters

This article is about why kettlebells are a great training tool for firefighters. I’ll start by giving some specific reasons why firefighters should use kettlebells in their workouts, and I’ll also give you a sample kettlebell workout for firefighters.

In their daily jobs, firefighters do things like:

• Handling / raising heavy ladders
• Rescue and removal of trapped victims
• Advancing high pressure hose lines
• Forcible entry operations
• Overhaul / removal of walls and ceilings
• Hauling heavy hose and equipment
• Operating with 50 lbs of thermal protective gear

And so a workout designed specifically for firefighters should be focused on the qualities needed to do these things well. For example:

• Building the cardio system- specifically with high intensity interval training, because this is much like the work that is done in the above mentioned tasks
• Focusing on multi-joint exercises – because firefighters never perform a task where they only use a single joint movement
• Focusing on developing not only strength but power – the ability to lift maximal loads, but also to do so quickly
• Improving balance and core strength – because these are qualities that are involved to a large degree in the above-mentioned tasks

Circuit – style workouts using explosive kettlebell movements is great general physical preparedness training for firefighters. This type of workout builds your cardio system, is highly functional and multi-joint in nature, develops not only strength but explosiveness, and utilizes core and balance to a large degree.

So here you go -

Kettlebell Workout For Firefighers

Start by performing the following warm up circuit three times at a low-to-medium intensity:

• 10-15 goblet squats
• 10-15 push ups
• 6-8 single leg deadlift (each leg) (like a traditional deadlift, only performed balancing on one leg)
• 3-5 Tactical pull ups

Then, perform the following combination 5-10 times on each arm, taking just as much rest as needed to use good form:

• 1 clean
• 2 squat to overhead presses
• 3 snatches

So you’ll do one clean on the right side, immediately follow that with two squat to overhead presses on the right, and immediately follow that with three snatches on the right. Switch sides and repeat.

Finish by static stretching tight muscle groups.

In summary, kettlebells are a great training tool for firefighters because they help develop specific qualities needed in their everyday job duties. Try this sample kettlebell circuit workout for firefighters to get you started!

Thanks for reading -

Forest Vance, RKC II

P.S. Forest Vance is a Sacramento, CA based Kettlebell Enthusiast, to learn more about his Kettlebell gym and other training programs, visit http://forestvance.com

Kettlebell, Body Weight, and Stability Ball Circuit Workout

Pavel Tsatsouline, along with many other folks involved in the RKC school of strength, is/are by far my biggest influence(s) in kettlebell workout design, kettlebell exercise technique, and overall kettlebell training philosophy.

However, there’s also big world out there that exists outside of the RKC … and being open minded to new training concepts and ideas is part of being the best trainer you can be.

Craig Ballentyne of TurbulenceTraining.com is someone I highly respect and follow closely when it comes to training advice and innovative workouts. I actually use ideas and exercises from a variety of Craig’s programs for my training clients’ and own personal workouts at least every week, if not every day.

Here’s a video from Craig where he outlines and demonstrates a killer kettlebell, body weight and stability ball circuit workout:

Video Recap

This kettlebell, body weight and stability ball circuit workout consiststs of 10 exercises performed for 20 reps each as fast as possible. A few notes on the exercises:

• To perform the extended push-up, place your hands about palm width in front of your face and do a push – up.
• To do a high-pull, use about the same amount of hip snap as you would on a snatch. The goal is to get the ‘bell to float for a second at the top of the move and become weightless … a great cue for the high pull is to imagine you’re throwing an elbow at someone right behind you.
• When doing mountain climbers, make sure your hips are down and abs are braced.
• For close – grip push – ups, place your hands about shoulder width apart. Make sure to keep the arms close to the sides and focus on using your triceps to do the bulk of the work in the movement. To make them easier you can do them from the knees … or you can increase the difficulty by putting your feet up on something.
• For the stability ball leg curls, you’ll (obviously) need a stability ball … make sure to keep the hips up high throughout the entire movement as you curl the legs in toward you and straighten them back out.

Metabolic conditioning – style workouts like this one from Craig Ballentyne of TurbulenceTraining.com are great for losing fat, gaining lean muscle and sending your conditioning level through the roof. Enjoy the pain!

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II

P.S. If you liked this workout, you’ll love the KettlebellBasics.net email newsletter … sign up by dropping your name and best email into the box at the upper right of the page and you’ll get new kettlebell workouts, videos, and training tips like the one(s) in this article delivered straight to your email inbox each and every week!