In today’s video, we talk about the correct way to do a kettlebell swing to avoid lower back pain.
The key is to keep the kettlebell close to the body on the downswing, rather than letting it swing too low and close to the ground. This can put strain on the back.
We suggest visualizing hike passing a football to help keep the movement proper.
Now take these tips and go get your Gladiator Kettlebell GAINZ — build the strength, power, and resilience of a Gladiator in just 20-30 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week at the link below:
These men stepped onto the blood-soaked sands of the Colosseum, knowing they’d either leave in glory… or in pieces.
These weren’t soft men. They didn’t waste time with pointless exercises or half-effort workouts. They trained with brutal efficiency—because their lives depended on it.
And while you’re not stepping into an arena, you are fighting your own battles—stress, time, energy, and the reality of getting older.
That’s why your training needs to be smart, efficient, and brutally effective.
Strength & Power – No fancy gym equipment. Just heavy stones, logs, and lead weights. They lifted, carried, and dragged brutal loads to build next-level strength.
Endurance & Stamina – The difference between life and death? Who lasted longer. These guys ran, jumped, sparred, and fought for hours on end to build a gas tank that never quit.
Combat Training – Every warrior had a specialized fighting style—some fought with a sword and shield, others with a trident and net. They sparred daily, took hits, and learned how to strike with precision.
Agility & Speed – In the arena, if you were slow, you were dead. Quick footwork, dodging drills, unstable surfaces—they trained their reflexes to be sharp and their movement to be unpredictable.
Mental Toughness – These men weren’t soft. They endured pain, exhaustion, hunger—and kept going. Every brutal session made them more resilient, more dangerous, and more prepared for battle.
Sound familiar?
It should. Because these same principles are what make a man strong today.
And you don’t need a Colosseum to train like a gladiator.
This workout builds strength, power, endurance, and resilience—the same way ancient warriors trained, but with modern efficiency:
Part 1 – Strength & Endurance Circuit
:35 work / :15 rest per exercise – 4 total rounds
KB Goblet Step-Ups (:35 per side) OR KB Side-to-Side Lunges (:70 total)
Spider Push-Ups – Be sure to do a push-up after each “climb”
Lying Hip Bridge w/ Feet Elevated (box or bench)
Rest :60 between rounds.
Part 2 – EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) Strength & Power Work
Set a timer to go off every 60 seconds
At the beginning of each interval, complete the prescribed reps. Your rest is the time between finishing the reps and the next interval starting. Keep moving non-stop for 4 total rounds.
KB Goblet Squats – 12 reps
1-Arm KB Rows – 12 reps per side (add a pause at the top of each rep)
Close-Grip Push-Ups – 12 reps (pick a version that challenges you: hands elevated, knees, or toes)
1-Arm KB Snatch – 6 reps per side
This is real training. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just results.
If you’re ready to train like a warrior and build a body that won’t break down, check out the full Gladiator’s Edge program here:
Back in 2005, while playing for the Green Bay Packers, I attended my first yoga classes.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but I did notice significant improvements in my recovery, flexibility, and overall athletic performance.
Unfortunately, after that stint, I let yoga fall off my radar for the next 10-15 years.
Fast forward to my late 30s, and I started noticing something: despite working out hard—training with kettlebells, competing in Spartan Races, and even participating in powerlifting meets—my recovery, mobility, and flexibility were taking a hit. I felt beat up and knew I had to do something about it.
That’s when I decided to give yoga another shot. Living in Sacramento at the time, I started taking yoga classes regularly. The difference was almost immediate. My body felt better, my flexibility improved, and I could recover faster from intense workouts.
Over the last six or seven years, my journey with yoga has deepened. I’ve completed multiple yoga certifications, including a 200-hour teacher training program. And I’m now regularly teaching yoga classes at my studio, in the greater community, and to my online audience around the world.
I still lift kettlebells, train hard, and do everything I love—but yoga has become the perfect supplement. It balances out the wear and tear of heavy lifting and intense workouts. If you’re curious about adding yoga to your routine but don’t have time for multiple 60-minute classes each week, I’ve got two simple recommendations to get you started.
1. Regenerate Sequences (3-6 Minutes)
If you’re short on time, these short yoga sequences are a game-changer. Designed to hit different parts of your body, they help you reduce pain, improve flexibility, and feel amazing—all in just a few minutes. I like doing these first thing in the morning, but they work anytime during the day.
Bonus: My Regenerate program is on sale this week, and I’ll drop the link below if you want to check it out.
2. Fire and Flow Sequences (10-15 Minutes)
For a more dynamic option, my Fire and Flow sequences are great yoga-based cardio finishers. Think of them as a blend of traditional yoga and movement patterns designed to boost your heart rate and stretch your muscles at the same time.
Here’s a sample 10-15 minute Fire and Flow finisher you can try today:
10-minute “Fire and Flow” Finisher
Perform the following sequence continuously for 10 minutes:
Mountain Pose to Forward Fold: Start in Mountain Pose, hinge at your hips, and fold forward.
Halfway Lift: Flatten your back, bringing your torso parallel to the floor.
High Plank to Low Push-Up (Chaturanga): Transition into a strong plank, then lower to a hover.
Upward-Facing Dog: Roll onto the tops of your feet, lift your chest, and stretch the front of your body.
Downward-Facing Dog: Press back into your heels, lengthening your spine and hamstrings.
Step Forward to Half Lift: Flatten your back, bringing your torso parallel to the floor.
Forward Fold: Hinge at your hips, and fold forward.
(back to Mountain Pose and repeat)
— This is a most basic example — I add many small variations to progress you throughout the full program — learn more and sign up now HERE
If you’ve been looking for a way to enhance your training, recover faster, and move better, I can’t recommend yoga enough. Start small with short sessions, and I guarantee you’ll feel the difference.
That’s all I’ve got for you today—have an awesome day, and I’ll talk to you soon!
-Forest and the FVT Team at ForestVanceTraining.com — KettlebellBasics.net
A few years back, my wife and I took a trip to London, and one of the best parts was a day trip to Bath.
If you’ve never been, it’s this incredible town packed with history, and the highlight is definitely the Roman Baths.
As we walked through the place, I couldn’t help but picture what it must’ve been like back in the day. Bath was famous for its hot springs, and it was a recovery hub for Roman soldiers (and maybe even gladiators) who needed a break after years of brutal combat.
That’s what inspired me to create this “Ageless Gladiator” KB Workout. It’s quick, effective, and designed for people who refuse to let time slow them down. With just 18 minutes, you can start building strength, boosting endurance, and feeling like the best version of yourself.
Give it a try – and if you like it, check out Gladiator’s Edge Kettlebell, where you can get the full 28-day Ageless Gladiator kettlebell plan, plus 9 more 28-day plans like it, at a 90% discount:
This is a complete arsenal of 10 expertly designed kettlebell training plans, each crafted to help you dominate your fitness goals.
Whether you’re looking to build gladiator-level strength, torch fat, boost endurance, or improve recovery, this bundle has everything you need to succeed.
Inside, you’ll find:
Strength Programs: Forge unbreakable power and muscle with focused kettlebell routines.
Conditioning Plans: Push your limits and achieve peak endurance with high-intensity challenges.
Recovery Workouts: Rebuild and revive with routines designed to keep you strong and resilient.
Specialized Programs: Tackle unique challenges like EMOM, Metcon, and German Volume Training to transform your physique.
Mix and match these 10 programs to create your ultimate gladiator training experience:
One of the biggest reasons I love kettlebells so much is that they’re just… different.
If you come from a traditional strength training background like me, you probably did a lot of separate cardio and lifting sessions. Maybe you jogged, hit the stationary bike, or something similar for your cardio, and then hit the weights for strength.
That was basically my routine for the first 10-15 years of my lifting career. And of course, playing football added conditioning drills and athletic movements into the mix. But when I thought of “working out,” it was always either cardio or strength training.
Kettlebells changed that.
Kettlebell training combines it all: strength, mobility, cardio, and functionality. It’s efficient, effective, and just plain fun. Plus, you don’t need much—a couple of kettlebells at home can give you a killer workout without ever stepping into a gym.
Take today’s Triple Sevens Kettlebell Finisher, for example:
Set your timer for 7 minutes and complete as many rounds as possible (AMRAP):
7 Kettlebell Goblet Squats
7 One-Arm Rows per side
7 Burpees
This little workout hits all the major movement patterns—squatting, pulling, and pushing—while getting your heart rate up.
In just 7 minutes, you’ll burn as many calories as you would walking on a treadmill for 20-30 minutes, but it’s way more efficient and fun.
Introducing the Gladiator’s Edge Kettlebell Bundle
If you like the Triple Sevens Finisher, you’ll love my Gladiator’s Edge Kettlebell Bundle.
It’s a massive collection of 10 kettlebell challenges with over 120 full workouts designed to help you:
Burn fat
Build strength
Forge a body fit for the arena—all without spending endless hours in the gym
Here’s what’s inside:
Colosseum Conditioning Trial (28-Day KB Conditioning Challenge) Master your endurance with workouts built to keep you fighting strong.
Dominus Drop-a-Size Challenge (28-Day Drop-a-Size Challenge) Sculpt a lean, powerful physique worthy of the arena.
MRT Gladiator Grind (28-Day KB MRT Challenge 4.0) Combine muscle-building intensity with fat-burning circuits to dominate your goals.
Metcon Arena Blitz (28-Day KB Metcon Challenge) Push your limits with explosive, high-intensity conditioning workouts.
Extreme Arena Endurance Challenge (28-Day Extreme KB Conditioning Challenge) Test your mental and physical limits with intense, calorie-torching circuits.
Ageless Gladiator Program (28-Day Ageless Warrior Kettlebell Challenge) Maintain your strength and vitality with this rejuvenating program.
Rebirth of the Warrior (28-Day Kettlebell Regenerate Challenge) Restore and rebuild with workouts focused on recovery and renewed power.
Arena HIIT Assault (HIIT-FIT Kettlebell Conditioning) Conquer fast-paced conditioning routines to maximize fat loss and stamina.
German Steel Gladiator Program (German Volume Kettlebell Training) Build strength and muscle with high-volume, gladiator-inspired training.
Click below to grab your bundle and start building your arena-ready body:
**Ready to train like a gladiator? My new Gladiator’s Edge Kettlebell Bundle is live! It’s packed with 10 full 28-day challenges designed to help you gain strength, torch fat, and move like a warrior. Click here to grab it now during the launch sale!
In ancient times, warriors like gladiators didn’t just fight—they trained relentlessly to survive and thrive in the arena. Their routines were the perfect example of functional fitness, blending strength, agility, and endurance.
Gladiators trained with basic tools like weighted bags and wooden weapons, but their movements were purposeful. Every drill helped prepare them for combat scenarios: strikes, dodges, and defense. They likely supplemented with long hours of sparring, footwork drills, and endurance work.
Inspired by these legendary training methods, I’ve created a kettlebell workout to bring that same spirit to your fitness routine:
Colosseum Conditioning Trial
PART 1:
KB Swings
Split Squat (22.5 seconds per side; add KB in suitcase position as an optional progression)
Single Arm KB Swings (22.5 seconds per side)
Pushups (add a 1-second pause on the floor as an optional progression)
Hand to Hand KB Swings
Do as many reps as possible of each exercise in 45 seconds, rest 20 seconds between moves, and take a 1-minute break between rounds. Complete 3 rounds total.
PART 2:
KB Goblet Switch Lunge (22.5 seconds per side)
Plank with Alternating Shoulder Taps (touch hip as an optional progression)
Single Arm KB Row (22.5 seconds per side)
Plank with Alternating Foot Step Outs (plank jack as an optional progression)
Squat Jumps
Same format as PART 1: 45 seconds work, 20 seconds rest, 1-minute break between rounds. Complete 3 rounds total.
You might or might not know this about me, but I played in the NFL back in the mid-2000s. I had short stints with both the Packers and the Chiefs, and let me tell you-it was an eye-opening experience in more ways than one!
Here’s the thing: growing up, I was always one of the strongest guys on my football teams. I set records in the weight room in high school and college, so when I got to the NFL, I assumed everyone was going to be superhuman-freakishly strong.
The reality? Sure, there were freak athletes, but what really surprised me was how much emphasis the pros placed on injury prevention. The guys weren’t maxing out their lifts in the offseason or risking tweaks and tears. Instead, there was a huge focus on flexibility, mobility, recovery, and—believe it or not—bodyweight conditioning.
This was a huge paradigm shift for me. These players did not get where they were by ego-lifting. They trained smarter, not harder, using tools like bodyweight circuits to build endurance while keeping their joints safe and explosive.
Today, I am sharing with you a simple bodyweight lower body conditioning workout that a strength and conditioning coach in Green Bay would actually put us through on a regular rotation. You can do this circuit with just your body weight, or if you’re feeling extra spicy, throw on a weight vest. If you are an athlete, a former athlete, or somebody who wants to move better, feel stronger, and stay injury-free, this will be great.
Here’s how it works: Perform these exercises in circuit fashion with little to no rest between movements. At the end, rest for 1-2 minutes, then repeat for 4-5 rounds.
You can do this circuit with just your bodyweight or add a weight vest in for an added challenge:
Bodyweight Squats -20 reps
Lunges – 10 reps per leg
Step-ups-10 reps per leg, using a sturdy chair, box, or step
Squat jumps-10 reps.
That’s easy on paper, but trust me, your legs will be burning come round two. It’s that perfect mix of strength and conditioning that builds functional lower body power without overloading your joints.
If you’re reading this, you probably are not playing in the NFL at the moment. But you are likely the person who loves being active-maybe played sports in your life or just want to stay strong and not get injured-then this kind of training is gold. It improves strength, adds to better mobility, and can make a person just feel great in and out of the gym.
Speaking of training, I’ve got a couple of programs that are perfect for building total-body strength and athleticism:
— Bodyweight Beast Training Course — Operation Pull-Up: Go from 0 to 20 Pull-Ups
Both programs are on a special two-for-one sale right now—but it’s ending. If you’ve been thinking about leveling up your training, this is your chance. Hit the link below and grab them before the sale wraps up:
Alright, that’s it for today. Give the workout a try, let me know how it goes, and get those programs if you want a killer plan to complement your current training routine!
-Forest and the Team @ ForestVanceTraining.com — KettlebellBasics.net
PS: The workout above is from Arnold’s book, Education of a Bodybuilder. I highly recommend you read it. The book is packed with inspiration and workouts like this one. You’ll feel motivated to tackle any goal or challenge you’re pursuing.
PPS: If you’re looking for a simple but powerful home-based plan to build strength and improve flexibility, check out my Bodyweight Beast Building + Operation Pull Up 2-for-1 sale. These programs are inspired by Arnold’s timeless principles but updated to deliver even better results:
As I’ve been getting back into different forms of yoga, calisthenics, bodyweight training, isometrics, and the like, one thing that’s caught my interest is the workout routines of prisoners.
With limited space and no fancy equipment, inmates have developed incredible bodyweight programs. One standout approach is interval training—short bursts of intense effort using push-ups, pull-ups, squats, burpees, and other dynamic exercises. Research shows that interval training can produce up to nine times more fat loss compared to traditional long, slow cardio.
Why? It cranks up your post-workout metabolism and keeps you burning calories long after you’re done. Think of it as a jailhouse approach to maximum efficiency: no excuses, no wasted effort.
Curious about putting this idea into action? Click the link below:
PS – One of my favorite Jailhouse interval workouts is called the Deck of Pain—a simple but brutal session that will push you to your limits. Here’s how it works:
Grab a standard deck of 52 cards.
Assign an exercise to each suit:
Clubs = Squats
Spades = Push-ups
Hearts = Pull-ups or Inverted Rows
Diamonds = Hanging or Lying Leg Raises
Shuffle the deck and start drawing cards.
The suit determines the exercise.
The number tells you the reps to perform (face cards count as 10, Aces as 11).
Keep drawing cards and performing the corresponding exercises until you’ve worked through the entire deck.
Why is this style of interval training so effective? It cranks up your heart rate, keeps your muscles burning, and torches fat long after the workout is over—up to nine times more fat loss per calorie burned compared to traditional cardio.
Curious to give it a try? Click the link below to check out my full course jailhouse-style bodyweight training and interval workouts:
Every time I recertify for my kettlebell certification—about every 2–3 years—one thing always looms over me: pull-ups.
At 6’4” and 240 pounds, pull-ups don’t come naturally for me. In fact, they never have.
Back in 7th grade, I remember staring at that pull-up bar during the Presidential Fitness Test, feeling defeated because I couldn’t even manage one.
Fast forward to my pro football days when I weighed over 300 pounds—I still couldn’t crank out more than 3 or 4.
But since retiring in 2006, I’ve dropped about 60 pounds and started focusing more on mastering the basics. Through consistent practice and the right training strategies, I’ve made massive progress over the years.
One of the most effective tools I’ve used? Pull-up ladders.
Ladders are a game-changing method for building strength and volume without burning yourself out. If you’re stuck at 1 or 2 pull-ups and want to break through to 5, or even 10, this is where you start.
Here’s a simple ladder system you can try today:
1️⃣ Do 1 pull-up. Rest 30 seconds. 2️⃣ Do 2 pull-ups. Rest 60 seconds. 3️⃣ Do 3 pull-ups. Rest 90 seconds. 4️⃣ Repeat the sequence 1–2 more times.
The challenge is a 28-day system that takes you step by step from where you are now to crushing up to 20 pull-ups.
Whether you’re at zero or already hitting 10, the program is built to push your limits with different phases and proven techniques—like pull-up ladders.
My team and I have been working hard on this program, creating videos, guides, and tools to help you master pull-ups while building strength for your entire upper body.
Right now, you can grab Operation Pull-Up Challenge (and even get it free) when you pick up my Bodyweight Beast Building program. Learn more at the link below:
If pull-ups have been your nemesis—or you’re ready to take yours to the next level—this is your chance!
Talk soon, – Forest
P.S. Try the simple ladder method above for the next month, 3x per week. You’ll see progress, guaranteed. If you want the complete system, grab the challenge now!