3 Tips to Keep Your Knees Safe When Training with Kettlebells

Kettlebells are a great way to build strength and power, but they can also be a recipe for disaster if you don’t follow proper form.

Here are three tips to keep your knees safe when training with kettlebells, so that you don’t end up with a debilitating injury:

1 – Always have your knees facing in the same direction as your toes.

Using the kettlebell squat as an example, a common mistake is to let the knees cave in when squatting down. Don’t do this! Being sure that the knees are pointed the same direction as the the toes keeps things safe and stabilized.

2 – Keep the knees stacked directly over the ankles or slightly behind them.

Back to our kettlebell squat example – a common mistake is to let the knees drift out and forward over the toes. Don’t do this! Keep the knees stacked right above the ankles. Doing this helps to protect our knees and ankles from injury.

3 – Take time to strengthen and stretch surrounding joints.

Strengthening and stretching the hips and ankles – especially before any heavy kettlebell movements – can be very helpful. All of the muscles in the hips and ankles support the knees, so it’s important to keep them strong and healthy.

Being careful and taking these precautions will help you stay safe and avoid knee injuries. If you want more in-depth help via expert video instruction, personalized feedback and more on learning how to use kettlebells safely and effectively, join our upcoming 28-day Kettlebell Tabata Challenge. Registration is open now, sign up at the link below:

-> Join my 28-day Kettlebell Tabata Challenge for more help via expert video instruction on learning how to use kettlebells safely and effectively

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

The Most Excruciatingly Painful 20-Minute Kettlebell Tabata Workout You’ll Ever Do

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

This kettlebell Tabata workout is not for the faint of heart.

It’s a brutally difficult, 20-minute workout that will leave you shaky, sweaty, and probably in a lot of pain.

But if you’re looking for a challenge, this is it!

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28-day Kettlebell Tabata Challenge 2.0
Week 1 / Workout 1 / Part 1

Get as many reps as you can of each exercise in 20 seconds. Take 10 seconds between moves. Rest for 60 seconds after completing the full circuit; repeat for a total of four rounds:

1 – One arm KB press (right side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
2 – KB rack squat (right side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
3 – KB one arm swing (right side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
4 – Burpees
5 – One arm KB press (left side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
6 – KB rack squat (left side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
7 – KB one arm swing (left side) (12k-16k women / 16k-24k men)
8 – Burpees

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Ouch.

If you thought this workout was painful, just wait until you try my upcoming 28-day Kettlebell Tabata Challenge 2.0.

It’s going to be even more grueling, so if you’re up for the challenge, stay tuned and register when it opens later this week!

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

4 Things You’re Probably Overlooking When Buying Kettlebells

I recently moved, and I began working out at a new gym close to where we are staying.

This morning I was doing some kettlebell snatches to finish my workout, and I realized that I take for granted the high quality of my Kettlebell Kings ‘bells.

You see, buying kettlebells is not as simple as it may seem. There are a few things that you need to take into account before making your purchase.

Here are four things that you’re probably overlooking when buying kettlebells:

1 – Single Cast

Most kettlebells are made with welded handles, which makes them more prone to breakage. However, those made from a single piece of cast iron are more durable.

2 – Stamped in both pounds and kilograms

You want your kettlebells to be stamped with both kilograms and pounds so you can easily work with weights in either measurement.

3 – Colored bands for easy weight identification

Colored identification bands on the kettlebells are great for easily identifying the weight without having to pick it up or roll it over.

4 – Powder coated grip

Powder coating your kettlebell grip gives you a great grip even when your hands are sweaty. It also holds chalk better than other options like matte or e-coat, so you can keep your grip even during the most intense workouts.

If you’re looking for kettlebells, Kettlebell Kings is a great option. Their kettlebells are made with a powder coated grip, colored bands, and a single cast build. They also have a restock of most every size KB available. You can click this link for special pricing and to order now:

-> Kettlebell Kings Powder Coat Kettlebells (recent restock, most every size currently available!)

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

Green Juice for Body Reset and Stress Support: Is it Worth the Hype?

You’ve probably seen green juice all over Instagram and health blogs, but is it really worth the hype?

Here are three reasons why I think you should consider giving it a try:

First, you’re probably not getting enough veggies in your diet. And even if you are, there’s a good chance that you’re not getting all the nutrients your body needs from them.

Second, green juice is a great way to get a lot of nutrients in one drink. Green juice is packed with vitamins and minerals that can help boost your health.

And last, green juice just plain tastes good. Many people enjoy the taste of green juice, and it’s a great way to start your day or to refuel after a workout.

All this being said, green juice is not a substitute for a balanced diet. The best way to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs is to eat a variety of healthy foods.

However, if you know that you typically fall short on daily fruits and veggies… if you travel frequently and have a hard time eating healthy consistently… if you just like the idea of supplementing your diet and being sure that you’re covering all your bases… it’s something to consider giving a try!

I’ve tried a lot of different green juice brands, and my current favorite is Organify. It’s high quality, has a great track record, is backed by solid customer service, and tastes great too! Details and special pricing here: -> Organify Green Juice for Body Reset and Stress Support

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com
KettlebellBasics.net

How To Do More Pull-Ups: 3 Tips From A Personal Trainer

If you’re looking to increase your pull-up max, you’re in luck. 

In this article, we’ll share three tips from a personal trainer (yours truly!) that will help you do more pull-ups. 

With consistency and proper form, you’ll be able to see results in no time. 

Let’s get started!

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How To Do More Pull-Ups: 3 Tips From A Personal Trainer

sponsored by – Bodyweight Beast Building 2022

Tip #1: Proper form is key

First things first, it’s important to start with proper form. This means using a shoulder-width grip and keeping your elbows close to your sides. You should also keep your chin over the bar and focus on using your back and shoulder muscles to lift your body up.

Tip #2: Increase your reps gradually

There are a few different ways you can do this:

-Start by adding one additional pull up to your daily routine. After a week or two, add two more pull ups. Continue adding one pull up per week until you reach your goal.

-OR-

-Start by doing as many pull ups as you can for one set. Every week, try to add one more set. 

Tip #3: Incorporate negative reps

If you’re looking to increase the number of pull-ups you can do, a great way to do that is by incorporating negative reps into your routine. Negative reps are when you lower yourself down from the top of the pull-up position, rather than pulling yourself up. This puts more emphasis on the lowering portion of the exercise, which can help you build more strength and do more pull-ups overall.

Here’s a quick rundown on how to do negative reps:

– Start at the top of the pull-up position with your chin over the bar
– Slowly lower yourself down until your arms are fully extended
– Once your arms are extended, pull yourself back up to the starting position

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If you’re looking to do more pull-ups, you’re in luck. This article provides three tips from a personal trainer that will help you improve your pull-up game. Follow these tips and you’ll be doing more pull-ups in no time. And, if you found this article helpful, be sure to check out my Bodyweight Beast Building program at the link below – it’s new and updated for 2022:

-> Bodyweight Beast Building 2022

– Forest Vance 
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

Video – 3 Tips To Improve Your Kettlebell Tactical Lunge

The kettlebell tactical lunge is a great way to build strength and power in the lower body while also improving your balance and coordination. In this video, I share three tips that can help you take your kettlebell tactical lunge to the next level!

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I’ve lots more unique kettlebell exercises for you like the tactical lunge in my 12-week total body conditioning program, OCR Domination. You can get your copy free this week when you purchase Bodyweight Beast Building. Click this link for more info and to order now – https://bit.ly/3tC8gL4

Bodyweight Beast: SHRED (week 1 / workout C)

Welcome to Bodyweight Beast: SHRED.

In this program, we’ll be using bodyweight exercises to help you get in shape and build muscle.

This is workout C from week 1:

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Bodyweight Beast: SHRED (week 1 / workout C)

1 – Do 10 sets of 2 lunge jumps on each leg, starting a new set every 20 seconds. Your rest period is the time between when you finish your set and the next 20 second interval starts.

2 – Do three rounds of the following sequence, taking as much rest as needed between sets:

– 3 wall walks
– 15 prisoner squats
– 8 body weight renegade rows (per side)

3 – Every minute, on the minute, do:

– 8 burpees
– 10 burpees
– 12 burpees – etc

Until you can no longer continue.

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In conclusion, the workout C for week 1 of the Bodyweight Beast program is an effective way to get strong and shredded.

The exercises are tough, but they will help you build muscle and lose fat!

If you want to see results, you need to follow the program and put in the work.

For more information on my complete bodyweight training plan, check out the link below:

-> Bodyweight Beast Building + OCR Domination (summer outdoor workouts special)

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

The Deck Of Pain: A Bodyweight Workout That Will Challenge You Like Never Before

Prisoners have come up with highly effective strength-building routines that they can do in the small space of their cell or with limited equipment in the yard.

These workouts are known to make prisoners look and feel really strong, even with the limited space and resources available to them.

One popular workout among prisoners is called the “Deck of Pain.”

This workout is so named because it can be done with a deck of cards, which prisoners typically have on hand.

You can use a standard deck of 52 cards to create a workout routine. Assign one of the exercises below (or a variation) to each of the four suits. For example:

Clubs – Squats
Spades – Push Ups
Hearts – Pull Ups or Inverted Rows
Diamonds – Hanging or Lying Leg Raises

Then start drawing cards from the top. The suit tells you what exercise you’re doing, and the number tells you the reps. Face cards count as 10, and aces count as 11. Draw the cards and perform the corresponding movement until you get through the entire deck.

If you want to build muscle, shred fat, and build superhuman conditioning, give that workout a try. You can do it anytime, anywhere, with minimal-to-zero equipment.

Here’s to your continued success!

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net

PS – If you liked today’s Deck of Pain workout, stay tuned. I have my top-selling bodyweight training plan – NEW and updated for 2022! – going on sale later this week.

How To Do A Kettlebell Turkish Get Up: 7 Steps For Beginners

The first three steps of the Turkish get up ^^

I am starting prep to re-certify for my SFG certification later this year. There are multiple physical requirements one needs to meet to pass, but to start one needs to demonstrate safe and effective form on all the basic kettlebell moves, including the Turkish get up.

The Turkish get up is one of the most beneficial kettlebell exercises around, but it’s also one I find people tend to shy away from. Thing is, it’s amazing for building shoulder stability, strengthening the core, and improving posture… the technique can just be a bit tricky to master. But it’s well worth the time and effort!

What I do is have my online kettlebell clients shoot videos of a couple / few reps of them doing the move, then I give them feedback and have them shoot again for next time etc, until it’s perfected.

What I really helped me when I first learned the exercise was to break it down into these 7 basic steps:

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How To Do A Kettlebell Turkish Get Up: 7 Steps For Beginners

1 – Extend the arm
2 – Bend the knee
3 – Sit up!
4 – Extend the hips (optional)
5 – Sweep the foot
6 – Come to half keeling
7 – Stand up

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This article outlined the steps for doing a kettlebell Turkish Get Up. This is a great exercise for beginners, as it is a total-body workout that helps to improve strength, stability, and mobility. If you want to learn how to do this exercise correctly, apply for personalized one-to-one coaching at the link below:

-> Personalized One-to-One Coaching with Forest

-Forest Vance
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

Week 1 / Workout 1 – KB MRT Challenge 4.0

The KB MRT Challenge 4.0 is a high-intensity four-week workout program that uses kettlebells to improve fitness, strength, and endurance. 

Today’s sample workout consists of levels of increasing intensity, made up of five exercises that target different muscle groups. 

The exercises are designed to be completed as a EMOM format circuit, performing the listed number of reps, then resting until the next minute starts.

To sign up for this month’s kettlebell MRT Challenge, click here https://bit.ly/3O7vlgT 

-Forest and the Team at KettlebellBasics.net

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Week 1 / Workout 1 – 28-day KB MRT Challenge 4.0

*See the full video breakdown for this workout when you sign up for the Challenge here

Set your timer for 60 second intervals. At the beginning of the first 60 second interval, perform the number of reps listed of the first exercise in the sequence. Your rest is the time from when you have completed all listed reps, until the next interval starts. Repeat for each exercise in the sequence. Rest for 60 seconds at the end of the sequence, repeat for three rounds total:

  • 5 cross-body mountain climber burpees
  • 10 one arm KB rows w/ 1 sec pause @ top per side
  • 15 triple stop push ups
  • 20 (10 per side) alternating reverse lunges – add weight if desired
  • 25 kettlebell swings