Compelling new research has found that certain types of exercise methods can slow the aging process by preventing celluar aging. 

One of these methods is HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

The study (linked at the bottom of this article) published in the European Heart Journal, researchers examined the cellular effects of different exercise types over a six month period with 124 participants.

One big find was that HIIT training increased what’s called telomerase activity, which is beneficial for cell growth and replication. Telomeres are nucleotide sequences found at the end of chromosomes that protect our genetic information. When they shorten, cellular aging occurs. HIIT was one of the modalities found to increase telomere length, inhibiting cell death, and produce an anti-aging effect.

A nice side benefit is that there is also a lot of research showing HIIT being one of the best methods for reducing body fat!

Plus, HIIT is very time-efficient, taking a lot less time to do then more traditional, endurance-based exercise methods.

Here is a kettlebell – based HIIT workout you can try:

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Anti-Aging Kettlebell HIIT Workout

For each exercise, use maximum effort for 40 seconds (goal – get heart rate to 80-95% of max), then rest (goal – heart rate comes down to 40-50% of max) for 20 seconds. Repeat for three (beginner) to four (intermediate/advanced) rounds total:

1 – One Arm Kettlebell Swing (beginner) OR Kettlebell Snatch (intermediate/advanced)) (20 seconds per side)
2 – Plank (beginner) OR Plank with Alternating Shoulder Tap (intermediate/advanced)
3 – Bodyweight Lunge (beginner) OR Kettlebell Tactical Lunge (intermediate/advanced)) (alternate legs each rep)
4 – One Arm Kettlebell Row (20 seconds per side) (beginner) OR Pull Up intermediate/advanced)
5 – Jumping Jacks (beginner) OR Burpees (intermediate/advanced)

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If you are looking for a complete program that uses kettlebell HIIT for anti-aging, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better one than my Filthy 50 28-day KB Challenge. But if you want to sign up, you’ll need to do so ASAP – we start today!

-> “Anti-Aging” Kettlebell HIIT 28-day Challenge

Here’s to feeling younger, stronger, and fitter in 2021 –

– Forest and the FVT Team at KettlebellBasics.net

PS – Check out the study on HIIT for anti-aging here: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/40/1/34/5193508

Since the end of 2006, when I started working full time in the fitness industry, I have had conversations clients most every working day who are looking to lose fat.

I can’t tell you how many times people are pretty dialed in with their kettlebell workouts, but they are just not getting the fat loss results, and they can’t figure out why.

Nine times out of ten, it comes down to nutrition. This is the missing puzzle piece from most people’s kettlebell fitness program.

And here’s the thing – the short-term diets DO work to get you quick results.

But you always have to remember – however you GET to your goals, that’s how you have to MAINTAIN them.

That’s why it’s so important to find an approach that is going to be manageable with your lifestyle, and do-able for you for the long term.

Learning how to make a few healthy, tasty recipes that are going to work for you and your family goes a LOT way towards that.

That’s why I love Anabolic Cooking.

It’s a nutrition program that’s based around meals that you’re going to actually like to eat.

No, you’re probably not gonna like every single one of them, but there’s over 200 recipes that you can pick from!…

So what I would do is go through the whole program and find a dozen or two dozen of these recipes that are your go to use.

Like for me:

— Vanilla Cream Oatmeal

— High Protein Pancakes

— Classic Denver Omelette

— Grilled Turkey Club

— Grilled Tex Mex Chicken

— Beef Teriyaki

— 15 Quick n Easy Tuna Recipes

Are some of my go-to choices.

Then what I do is, I have these as my go to meals that I rotate through. I’ll occasionally add other ones to the mix. This way, I’m able to lose fat and also maintain my fitness goals, in a way that is sustainable for my lifestyle.

Check out the program and pick up a copy here -> “Anabolic Cooking”

Especially if you’ve tried all different diets, and nothings really worked, give it a go, I highly recommend it!

Cheers-

– Forest and the FVT Team at KettlebellBasics.net

In part 1 of this Kettlebell “Versus” Series, I posed this question:

Who would you rather look and/or perform like – Brad Pitt, or Vin Diesel?

And we talked about how, if you want “functional fitness” and lean muscle, you’d want to model your training after someone like Pitt.

Today, we’re going to talk about talk how if you want to get straight up JACKED… if you want brute strength and raw power and an intimidating presence to go with it… how you can train like the Vin Diesel.

For maximum muscle size, there are a few specific things you want to focus on:

1 – Up the Volume

Training VOLUME – total number of reps x total number of sets – is a BIG factor if you want to gain size.

Short, 20-30 minute workouts WILL help you get lean and functional and fit – but they will NOT help you gain max muscle.

Here is an example chest workout I found on the internet, from an interview he did in TRAIN magazine:

SUPERSET 1

Bench Press – 4 sets of 8
Decline Bench Press – 4 sets of 8

SUPERSET 2

Dumbbell Flys – 4 sets of 8
Pushups – 4 sets of 8

SUPERSET 3

Incline DB Press – 4 sets of 8
Low Cable Crossover – 4 sets of 8

2 – Moderate Rep Range

If you’re going for all-out SIZE, you want to stick in what we’d call a “moderate” rep range – 8-12 – most of the time. Substantial evidence argues that this is the best way to build muscle mass. It increases hormone response, spares protein, and provides the necessary time under tension to spark muscle damage. You’re actually going to stay AWAY from low rep / very heavy (5 reps or less), most of the time. Counter-intuitive, I know, but true. Training for strength and training for mass are actually two different things.

3 – Keep Rest Periods Short

When the training goal is muscular hypertrophy, the combination of moderate-intensity sets with short rest intervals of 30-60 seconds might be most effective due to greater acute levels of growth hormone during such workouts.

Again – this is NOT the approach you take when training for maximal strength… but it works for building mass.

See this research paper for more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19691365

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So there you have a few keys to training for maximum strength and size!

Is this a realistic routine for most?

Not really 🙂

The time and energy and available equipment etc etc this takes can be tough, especially if you’re managing other priorities in your life.

And we didn’t even get into the nutrition side, but that is also a HUGE factor too.

The great news is, if your goals are more along the lines of “functional fitness” and lean muscle, you absolutely CAN reach your goals in just a few 20-30 minute kettlebell-based workouts per week.

Like we do in our upcoming Filthy 50s KB Challenge.

Details on that here:

=>> Filthy 50s KB Challenge (starts Monday)

Hope this “kettlebell versus” serious was both informative, and entertaining 🙂

If you have ideas for more athlete or celebrity training styles you’d like me to break down, let me know!

And whatever your goals, here’s to your continued success –

-Forest Vance
Kettlebell Expert
KettlebellBasics.net

Who would you rather look and/or perform like – Brad Pitt, or Vin Diesel?

See, if you want “functional fitness” and lean muscle, you want to model your training after someone like Brad Pitt. (We’ll talk about his training approach in today’s article, and then dial in on Vin Diesel next time.)

When Fight Club first hit the big screen in 1999, people were blown away by Brad Pitt’s incredible body. He was in amazing shape for the role:

From the internet sources I’ve seen, the main things he focused on were:

• Doing fast-paced weight training workouts, lifting relatively heavy weights, for higer rep ranges
• Pushing himself on the cardio, hitting things like HIIT frequently, and working at a high percentage of his max heart rate
• Eating extremely clean

Very similar to the methods we use in our “Filthy 50” 28-day KB Challenge!

Doing workouts like this:

“Filthy 50” Strength Chipper – You will perform all the reps of each exercise before moving on to the next exercise. Rest as needed to maintain proper form. Record your time to track your progress. Post your time in the group as well!

1 – 1-Arm KB Rack Squat – 50 (25/ea side)
2 – 1-Arm KB Push Press – 50 (25/ea side)
3 – 1-Arm KB Swing – 50 (25/ea side)
4 – Bodyweight Walking Lunges – 50 (25/ea side)
5 – Side Plank with Hip Dip – 50 (25/ea side)

PLUS hitting the HIIT cardio (which we include with the challenge) AND dialing in your diet (you get that too!) – THAT’s how you do it if you want to look and perform like Brad.

Learn more about my full Filthy 50 KB workout plan here:

-> https://bit.ly/filthy50kbchallenge

And stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow… we’ll talk about how if you want to get straight up JACKED… if you want brute strength and raw power and an intimidating presence to go with it… how you can train like Vin Diesel.

-Forest Vance, Kettlebell Expert, KettlebellBasics.net

Guys, try this new 50-rep “Dirt Off My Shoulers” KB Challenge workout!

If you are looking to:

• Take your KB training to the next level
• Develop greater functional strength, so that you can live life to its fullest
• Get in shape without getting injured

You need to join our upcoming “Filthy 50” 28-day KB Challenge!

-> “Filthy 50” 28-day KB Challenge

Here’s the workout:

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50-rep “Dirt Off My Shoulers” KB Challenge

1- Narrow Stance Heels Elevated KB Goblet Squat – 50
2 – Paused Push-ups, 3 second pause – Men: 50, Women:30
3 – Prisoner Lateral Lunges – 50 (25/ea side)
4 – 1-Arm KB Press (strict) – 50 (25/ea side)
5 – Rotating Side Plank – 50 (25/ea side)

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How’d you do?

This is just a one-off workout to give you an idea of what we’re going to be working on.

If you want the structure and progression and accountability and MUCH more, sign up to work with us for the next 28-days:

-> “Filthy 50” 28-day KB Challenge

Look forward to helping you reach your fitness goals in 2021!

-Forest and the FVT Team @ KettlebellBasics.net

I will admit, I am not a “natural” fan of cardio.

I’d rather lift something heavy than go for a run, most any day.

But, especially as the years go by, I realize that balancing strength work with conditioning is KEY to staying lean.

If you are in the same boat, you will like today’s workout.

It’s in the style of my HIIT Extreme program (which happens to be free this week when you pick up a copy of KBs for Abs!).

It’s fun.

It’s cool

It’s different.

And I especially love it, because it doesn’t really feel like cardio:

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Cardio for the Person Who Hates Cardio: Push/Squat/Ruck/Sprint

1 – Fill up a backpack with 15 (beginner) to 40 (advanced) pounds. You could also use a weighted vest if you have one.

2 – Walk one mile at a brisk pace. Your target is to get your heart rate into Zone 2 (60%-70% of max).

3 – Drop the backpack / weighted vest. Now you’re going to do:

a) 100 yard jog / run / sprint (ideal is to find a football field, park where you can do these back and forth)
b) 10 squats with your backpack / vest
c) 100 yard jog / run / sprint
d) 10 push ups

Rest about 30 seconds between exercises / efforts.

Repeat this sequence 3-5 times, for a total of 6-10 jog / run / sprints, and 3-5 sets each of squats and push ups.

4 – Pick up your backpack / weighted vest, and walk another mile.

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The great thing about a workout like this is that it can easily be added on to your current kettlebell routine.

And that’s the exact ideal behind HIIT Extreme.

It’s a 5-week course designed to be added on to your current training, and take your cardio to the next level.

And you get it FREE when you pick up a copy of Kettlebells for Abs by midnight tonight.

Learn more at the link below:

-> HIIT Extreme + KBs for Abs

And get some cardio sessions scheduled for this week!

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net