I remember getting my first personal training certification almost 20 years ago, back in 2004. It was during a time when I was recovering from knee surgeries and transitioning between NFL teams. That’s when I learned about the PHA method.
PHA stands for Peripheral Heart Action, and it completely changed the way I approached workouts. The concept is simple – alternate between upper and lower body exercises with minimal rest in between. This continuous flow of movement gets your heart pumping harder while engaging multiple muscle groups at once.
Now, at first glance, this might not sound like a big deal. But trust me, it is. You see, I was used to doing traditional workouts where I would perform a lift like back squats and then rest for several minutes before doing another set. It was great for building strength but did very little for my cardiovascular fitness.
When it came time for conditioning, we would head out to the football field for wind sprints. This was great for improving our cardio! However, when it came to building strength, these wind sprints fell short.
That’s where PHA comes in. It combines the best of both worlds by providing a workout that targets both strength and cardio. The structure of the moves ensures that one part of your body is working while another is resting, allowing you to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Instead of being limited by muscle fatigue, you’re only limited by your lung capacity.
And now, I’ve taken the PHA method, and adapted it specifically for use with kettlebells – so that you can get even better results, and get even more work done in less time!
Here’s an example workout from our upcoming challenge: perform as many reps as you can of each exercise in 30 seconds. Rest minimally between moves and flow seamlessly from one exercise to the next without putting the kettlebell down. Complete 3 rounds in total:
- One-arm kettlebell press (right side)
- Kettlebell rack split squats (right side)
- One-arm kettlebell swing (level 1) / 5 one-arm kettlebell snatches (level 2) – right side
- Burpees
- One-arm kettlebell press (left side)
- Kettlebell rack split squats (left side)
- One-arm kettlebell swing (level 1) / 5 one-arm kettlebell snatches (level 2) – left side
- Burpees
Give this workout a try! You’ll be amazed at how challenging it is and how much work you can accomplish in such a short amount of time. And if you like it, you don’t want to miss out on our upcoming 28-day Kettlebell PHA Challenge 2.0! Details and sign up at the link below:
–>> KB-PHA 2.0
Rooting for your success —
— Forest Vance @ KettlebellBasics.net