New! Kettlebell Cardio Blast

by admin on May 18, 2012

This post details a great new kettlebell cardio workout for you … but first, three reasons why I hate traditional, long/slow cardio, and why workouts like this one are superior for fat loss and super-human conditioning:

1) LSD cardio is mind-numbing

Doing 45 minutes of low-to-medium intensity cardio on a stationary bike or treadmill is seriously boring.  That’s why I was excited when I found out that LSD (long-slow-distance cardio) is not the best way to lose fat …

2) It’s unfavorable for “positive” changes in body composition

Perfectly evidenced by the pic above … high-intensity, interval-based cardio is the type of training the individual on the right does on a regular basis … low-intensity, sustained effort training is the type the individual on the left does for his sport.  Which physique would you rather have?  I rest my case :)

3) Humans aren’t designed to work this way

To quote Mark Sission of the Primal Blueprint:

Humans were just not designed to work for extended periods of time at 80-90% VO2max. Our evolutionary blueprint, the last draft of which was completed well over 10,000 years ago, set us up as great slow-movers and occasional fast sprinters.

(To read the rest of this article, click here)

So … based on these three reasons to avoid LSD cardio like the plague … here’s a smoker of a cardio kettlebell workout for ‘ya – enjoy!

Video Recap

Kettlebell Cardio “Build Up” Workout

  • Lunge
  • Push Press
  • Pull Up/Row
  • Plank
  • Swing

1st round :20 on/ :10 off … 2nd round :30 on / :10 off … 3rd round :40 on/ :10 off … 5 rounds total, up to :60 on/ :10 off

Enjoy the workout, and keep training hard.  And remember – as you approach the fourth and fifth rounds of the session – buck up.  Hard workouts are part of getting the results you desire.  And pain is simply weakness leaving the body.

Forest Vance, RKC II

PS - AWESOME kettlebell cardio program – with complete workouts like this one, organized into a complete plan – coming for you very soon.  Make sure to sign up for my weekly kettlebell email newsletter to get news of its first release!  To do so now, just drop your name and best email into the box at the upper right of the page.

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Kettlebell Swing Form Tips

by admin on May 10, 2012

Do you feel like your form’s not quite right on some (or all) of the basic kettlebell moves?

Does your lower back ache after a KB session?

Time for a “kettlebell form re-set”.  And it all starts with the swing …

As you know, the swing forms the foundation of HardStyle kettlebell training.  Most of the more advanced moves (snatches, cleans, etc.) are built around the swing.

So whether you’re just starting out … or you’ve been training for years with KB’s … this new kettlebell swing form tips video will help you. It’s the progression I take everyone through to learn – or re-enforce the technique basics – of the kettlebell swing.  Enjoy!

(FYI, we’ll be covering tips like these in an in-person, hands-on fashion at my June 2nd Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop in Sacramento, CA … click here for more details about that if you’re interested)

Video Recap

What’s up guys, Forest here from KettlebellBasics.net. Today I want to take you through a basic progression if you are learning how to do the swing, or if you are still trying to refine your form. This is the progression I use with every single one of my clients when they are learning the swing and it is really the best way to quickly, easily, effectively get down the motion. So it is going to be a progression, we are going to start with a sumo deadlift, we are going to go to a half swing, and then go to a full swing.

I am just going to demonstrate each exercise for you here.

The first one is going to be your sumo deadlift and what you are going to do is imagine there is a wall behind you. You can actually do this drill with the wall behind you to emphasize hinging at the hips and punching your hips back towards the wall. It’s going to look like this, you are going to start with the bell even with the toes, hinge at the hips, grab the bell, stand up as tall as possible, tap the ground, and you repeat. Do 5 of those. After you have done 5, you are going to continue and now try to touch the bell down, even with the heels. This is the same motion, we are just loading up the hips more now, bringing the bell back further. Now what you are going to do is tighten up. So after you have done 5 and 5, you are going to imagine like you are doing a standing plank; tighten the quads, tighten the glutes, brace abs, chest up shoulders back, flex the triceps totally tight. This is what you are going to feel like at your locked out position in the swing.

We are going to go into a half swing. Hike the bell back and just let the weight fly up. And then, you are going to progress to a full swing. That is your progression, you have your sumo deadlift, your half swing, and your full swing.

So just real quick, a couple of things that can go wrong with this. Number one, make sure the bell isn’t going too close to the ground. So as you swing, a very common mistake is to let the bell go close to the ground here. Hold the bell tight to the body as it swings back, imagine you are throwing the bell through stomach and getting your hips out of the way at the last minute. Number two thing, is make sure you are not doing a squat and front raise, make sure you aren’t squating and raising, but hike pass and then you are snapping the hips, letting the weight fly up at the top. Those are two really common mistakes that I see. The third one is to make sure you aren’t overextending at the top and leaning back. Make sure you hike pass the weight back and finish your swing standing straight up and down.

So there is your basic swing progression and a couple of mistakes to watch for. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time at KettlebellBasics.net.

In summary, mastering the kettlebell swing is key – no matter what your current kettlebell expertise level or eventual fitness goals.  The video above covers the basic progression I use with all my kettlebell training clients to learn – or re-enforce technique basics – with the kettlebell swing.

Train hard and talk soon -

Forest Vance, Certified Level 2 Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor

PS - For more details about our upcoming Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop in Sacramento, CA – and to reserve your spot while they’re still available … click here

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Best Kettlebell Challenge Workouts

by admin on May 4, 2012

You'll LOVE these kettlebell challenge workouts

You’ve got an EPIC kettlebell session planned for the day and want to make sure you’re feeling great and firing on all cylinders … here’s the pre-workout scene:

It’s two hours ’till kettlebell time.  You have your standard pre-workout meal with just the right balance of protein and carbs.  Time to start getting your mind right for the workout ahead …

Finish up work for the day and KB time’s almost here.  You slam down your pre-workout supplement mix, change clothes and head to the training center …

Walk in the door, throw on your favorite workout tunes and you’re ready to rock.  You get a PERFECT warm-up, including some foam rolling, joint mobility, and dynamic stretching … and it’s time for the main event!

Now you’re fired up and ready to hit your best kettlebell challenge workout ever!  I do workouts like these every month at my Sacramento kettlebell gym, and they’re hard to beat for shocking the body and building mental toughness.  Give one (or all) of the workouts below a go and kick your results into overdrive:

Kettlebell Challenge Workouts

    1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ZaXcWbl9c
      1. This challenge has four circuits with five exercises each.  There should be no rest between the exercises and your goal is to do each circuit in less than three minutes.
    2. http://www.myomytv.com/new-remember-the-love-500-rep-kettlebell-challenge/
      1. This is a 500 rep challenge with ten exercises, fifty reps each, with as little rest as possible between the exercises.  You are not allowed to move onto the next exercise until you have completed fifty reps.
      2. (Challenge 2, same creator) http://www.ptgear.co.uk/fitness-news/kettlebell-workout-500-rep.html
        1. This is a 500 rep challenge with ten exercises, fifty reps per exercise.  Just as Marianne demonstrates in her other challenge, you must complete all fifty reps prior to moving onto the next exercise.
    3. http://hostyleconditioning.com/hostyle-300-kettlebell-challenge/
      1. With 300 reps total, this challenge incorporates everything from swings to halos.  In order to see your progress, you should do this challenge every month or so and attempt to beat your initial time.
    4. http://www.trainingroomonline.com/2011/07/12/heres-your-weekly-kettlebell-challenge/
      1. This challenge has a great (and difficult) kettlebell warm-up to lead you into a 300 rep challenge.  You are trying to shoot for a low time with the challenge so the key is speed and proper form.
      2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM  Here is a sample video demonstrating the exercises above.  Instead of squat thrusts, it includes the full on burpee.  You may choose to modify with the squat thrust, or do a complete burpee.
    5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYpAzZRnhcY
      1. This challenge incorporates cleans, jerks, and snatches.  You are going for time with five reps on each side.

The kettlebell challenge workouts in this article are a great starting point for keeping your current kettlebell routine fresh and testing your mental toughness.  Thanks for reading, train hard and talk soon -

Forest Vance
Level II Certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor

PS - I’ll be holding an in-person, one day kettlebell workshop in about a month in the Sacramento, CA area … if you can make it out, we’d love to have you.  Keep an eye on your email inbox for exact details about class time and location!

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The Best Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners (revisited)

by admin on April 26, 2012

*If you’re a complete kettlebell beginner, please review the first part of this series here: Best Kettlebell Exercises For Beginners

It’s critical that you perfect your get up and swing technique before you start learning the moves covered in the article and videos below.*

You’ve perfected your form in the basic KB moves – the swing and the get up. You’ve even gone through a basic program that focuses primarily on these two exercises to lose weight, tone up, improve your posture, move freely, gain overall fitness, etc.  Where do you go next?

The next kettlebell exercises you should learn are the snatch and the clean and press.  First, check out the videos below – I’m confident that whether you’re a beginner or you’ve been training with kettlebells for some time, you’ll pick up at least a few technique tips that’ll improve your workouts.  Then, check out the workout below the videos I’ve put together that incorporates all of the basic kettlebell drills (and a few basic body weight moves as well).  Enjoy!

Kettlebell Snatch/Clean & Press Video Series – Technique Tips & Much More

The Clean – Technique Tips

The Press – Tip to Boost Your Power

Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch (three video series)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Kettlebell Basics Workout

*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: 10 reverse lunges
1b: pull ups – until muscle failure

2a: 5 kettlebell clean and presses each side
2b: 25 body weight squats (explosive tempo)

3a: 10 kettlebell snatches each side
3b: 20 push ups

*Finish with static stretch of tight muscle groups

In summary, once you’ve perfected your technique with the two basic kettlebell drills – the swing and the get up – it’s time to move on to the snatch and the clean and press.  The videos and workout above will help you learn all the basic kettlebell exercises for beginners.

Train hard and talk soon -

Forest

PS - Remember – this is one workout to help you with learning your kettlebell exercises for beginners - not a complete plan.  Please make sure to work it into a solid and well-thought-out comprehensive program.

If you know how you’re going to work these moves into your existing routine, awesome!  But if not, here are a couple options to check out:

1. For total kettlebell beginners, click here

2. Once you’ve mastered the TGU and the swing, graduate to this program

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The Kettlebell Complex – Your Fat Loss Secret Weapon

by admin on April 20, 2012

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 - If you liked this kettlebell complex workout, you’ll LOVE my free kettlebell email newsletter … plus, when you sign up, you’ll get a copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training!  Just drop your best email into the box at the upper right of the page to sign up now.

 

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Kettlebell Workout For Arms

April 12, 2012

Before I break down this kettlebell workout for arms, I want to make one thing clear:  I’m NOT a big believer in direct arm work.  This is primarily because during most pushing, pulling and lifting movements (like those performed during all the basic kettlebell exercises), your arms and shoulders work together while your spine, abs [...]

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Kettlebell Cardio Workout

April 5, 2012

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 [...]

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Turkish Get Up Technique Tips (video)

March 29, 2012

Don’t forget – when you pick up a copy of the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series – or any of my other products priced at $37 or more – between now and the end of the month, I’ll send you a free physical copy of my book, No Gym? No Excuse! Get more info and grab your [...]

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Law Enforcement Fitness Training – With Kettlebells

March 22, 2012

If you’re reading this blog, I assume you’re not doing what most police/law enforcement/criminal justice types probably are: long, slow distance runs, a typcial bodybuilding-style weight training routine, or a combination of both. And if you’re stuck in the 90′s and are still training this way, here’s why you need to stop: LSD cardio and/or [...]

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The Kettlebell Overhead Walk

March 15, 2012

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 [...]

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