Jared Savik, a kettlebell sport national champion and RKC, came up with this solution – according to him, it allows for 80-90% max rep range (he talks about using gloves in the context of high-rep snatching; but this is one big reason why I don’t like using gloves – it makes you weaker) and forces a little extra grip work.  The idea is that the gloves allow the kettlebell handle to rotate and not tear up your hands, while still allowing your fingers to catch the handle. 

The other cool thing is that you can pick up a pair of these gloves for just a few bucks at the local home improvement store.  If they’re the type with rubber dots on the palms, no problem – just flip them around.  They’re generally not right or left specific.

All this being said, here’s something to keep in mind:  If you’re tearing up your hands, you’re probably doing too much too fast, or you’re gripping the ‘bell too tightly at the wrong times.  If you slowly increase the length and duration of your kettlebell workouts and you pay attention to using perfect kettlebell training technique, your hands should be totally fine.

So if you’re trying to save your hands but you love training with kettlebells, try out the fingerless cloth glove solution – it could be a life saver for ‘ya!  Let me know what you think in the comments section below.  Oh, and if you haven’t signed up for the KettlebellBasics.net Newsletter, be sure to do so now!  You’ll get a free training video and my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training when you sign up – just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page.

1. We usually start off with a dynamic warm up of some kind … something like the warm up I talked about in this post: How To Warm Up For Your Next Kettlebell Workout In 3 Minutes Or Less

2. Then we move on to a ’strength circuit’ – this is sometimes kettlebells only, sometimes kettlebells and body weight or dumbbell exercises mixed together.  It’s usually a combo of two exercises, performed for a specific amount of reps each and rotated back and forth for 5 minutes non-stop.  This is a great set up that allows folks of various fitness levels to all get a great workout in a group setting.  Here’s a video of one of my favorite combos (this is actually a sample video from a brand new workout program I have out – I’ll give you more details about it at the end of this post):

3. Then, we do two ‘conditioning circuits’ – this might be something like:

10 Kettlebell Squat Cleans

5 Kettlebell ‘Renegade Rows’ each side

10 Walking Overhead Kettlebell Lunges

And we’ll run through these sequences in the same fashion as many times as we can for 7-10 minutes.

4. I then take about 5 minutes to do core and/or corrective work – Planks, Hip Bridges, stuff like that.

5. To finish, we do a simple static stretch at the end.

In 45 minutes you get resistance training, conditioning work, core work, exercises for injury prevention, and flexibility – and that’s tough to beat

That’s the structure of a typical kettlebell boot camp workout at Forest Vance Training, Inc.  Hope that helps you design your own boot camp workouts in the future!

Oh, and the video above is from my new 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge total transformation plan … if you’re trying to lose body fat, it’s for sure at least worth checking out.  Heck, I’m giving away bonuses with it for the next few days (3 days to be exact) that are worth more than the actual product, including a free copy of the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide … and on top of that, the package is over 50% off.  Get the details here:

The 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge

If you’ve been looking for some cool kettlebell-themed gear – to work out in or just to roll around town and show your pride with – check out the new KettlebellBasics.net online store here:

Kettlebell T-Shirts, Hoodies and more

And check out this recent post for a few reasons why ordering a shirt, hoodie or sticker is a great idea:

3 Great Reasons To Buy Your Kettlebell Gear Now

The design above is brand new – and more are in the works.  Heck, even if you’re not crazy about any of my designs, there are lots more out on the site I used to create them – here’s a couple other cool ones I found surfing around:

GET A PAIR (OF KETTLEBELLS)

Kettlebell Hardstyle Enjoy The Pain

Kettlebell_Easy/Hard

Here’s three great reasons why you should take the next step in your training career and book a spot at your next local kettlebell certification:

1. You want to teach others

This is probably the #1 reason why people get certified.  If you want to teach others how to safely and effectively train with kettlebells, it’s a must. Plus, being certified shows others that you’re serious, gives you more credibility, lets you charge higher rates … it’s just the right thing to do.

2. You want to further your knowledge and be the best you can be

I thought I knew quite a bit about kettlebell training before I got certified … and was humbled at the RKC weekend  Even if you’ve got experience working in the fitness industry, being around others who have enthusiasm and knowledge in your topic of interest is fantastic – as they say, knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied.

3. You want a mental and physical challenge

Several of my own training clients have gotten their kettlebell certification for this very reason … they’re ready to take their training program to the next level and they want the mental and physical challenge that goes along with getting their cert.

If you read this blog on a regular basis, you probably know that I’m impartial to the RKC system.  And I don’t have any other kettlebell certifications, so it’s true that I don’t have anything to compare to.  However, I do have several other ‘nationally accredited’ personal training certifications … and I can tell you that the physical challenge I endured at the RKC weekend, as well as the amount of knowledge I gained, was amazing compared to the rest of my certs.

When I say physical challenge, here’s a video to give you a little idea of what I mean:

Now just imagine three 10+ hour days of that

Another cool thing about the RKC system is that you have the option to get in with a ‘low barrier of entry’  - the HKC. For more details about that cert, you can check out the full post I did on it here: The HKC Kettlebell Certification

Basically, the HKC is a one-day kettlebell certification that teaches three basic moves – the Get Up, the Swing and the Squat. The physical test is a little easier than the RKC, and it costs about 75% less.  Additionally, it’s offered at a lot more places than the RKC … you can see a list of locations and learn more by clicking the banner below:

If you’re looking to go right for the RKC, click the banner below for more info on that:

So if you’re thinking about getting your kettlebell certification, hopefully this post has given you a few good reasons to make it happen … let me know what you think in the comments!

Kettlebell T’s, Hoodies, Buttons and more from KettlebellBasics.net and Forest Vance Training, Inc. are now officially available! Check out our store by clicking the link below:

Kettlebell Gear – Shirts, Hats, and More

If you’re like me, you love kettlebells.  And a shirt, hoodie, or hat shows everyone how much you like training with them.  And it’s a good converstation piece.

If you’re thinking about ordering some gear for yourself, here are three great reasons why you should do so now:

1. Show Your Kettlebell Pride

If you’re like me, you love kettlebells.  And a shirt, hoodie, or hat shows everyone how much you like training with them.  Plus, it’s a good converstation piece.

2. Quality Kettlebell-Themed Gear Is Hard To Find

It’s actually hard to find quality kettlebel-themed shirts, hats, and the like.  So you’ll have unique clothing that will be the envy of all your kettlebell enthusiast friends.

3. You Can Save 10% If You Order By This Sunday

You’ll save 10% off of every item in the store if you order by Sunday, July 25th.  On Monday the 26th prices will go up.  So if you’re thinking about picking up a shirt, hat, or hoodie, now’s a great time!

Grab your kettlebell gear at 10% off by clicking the link below:

Kettlebell Gear – Shirts, Hats, and More

• The importance of a proper hip crease during the Swing
• Why you should feel like you’re hike passing the KB back during the ‘bell’s decent phase
• How to ‘lock in’ your upper body throughout the exercise

Enjoy!

To grab your free copy of my training video ‘Kettlebell Rx: 3 Common Training Mistakes and How To Fix Them’, sign up for the KettlebellBasics.net newsletter!  Just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right of the page.

Istvan Javorek is the strength coach who has recently popularized the dumbbell complex concept – here’s a video of the Javorek Complex #1:

Quick summary of the complex in the video if you missed it:

Dumbbell Upright Row X 6
Dumbbell High Pull Snatch X 6
Dumbbell Squat Push Press X 6
Dumbbell Bent Over Row X 6
Dumbbell High Pull Snatch X 6

Perform In A Non-Stop, Continuous Order As Listed Above.

Five Exercise X 6 Reps = 30 Reps/Set

This complex can be done once or twice for a warm-up or three to five times for a complete workout.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

P.S.  Did you like this quick kettlebell training tip?  Sign up for our newsletter to get more like it delivered straight to your email inbox!

Kettlebell Basics Combo #1

Kettlebell Basics Combo #2

Kettlebell Basics Combo #3 incorporates four basic kettlebell drills into a giant circuit: Clean and Presses, Snatches, Goblet Squats, and Hand to Hand Swings.

To complete the circuit, you’ll perform 2 Clean and Presses on each side, 4 Snatches on each side, 12 Goblet Squats, and 16 Hand to Hand Swings.  Repeat this circuit 5 times for an amazing, efficient, full-body-blasting workout!

Don’t forget: You can get free access to the Kettlebell Rx video and a free copy of the Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training by signing up for our newsletter!  Just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right of the page.

According to this article in New York Magazine:

How We’re Wrecking Our Feet With Every Step We Take

Prior to the invention of shoes, people had healthier feet. The modern Zulu population, which often goes barefoot, had the healthiest feet in a study sited in the above article. Europeans, the habitual shoe wearers, had the most foot problems.

So here are five reasons why you should think about losing your shoes for your next kettlebell training session:

1. ‘Feel’ the floor

Going barefoot allows you to build a nice strong base from the ground up for performing kettlebell drills. Also, cross trainers or running shoes may have elevation in the sole as to pitch your feet forward and impair mobility.

2. Strengthen the foot muscles

You get this only with barefoot (and some very unique footwear that I’ll mention in a bit) training. Plus you can use your toes to grip things better.

3. Improves balance

This is almost immediate.  Just try it and report back.

4. No tension loss

If you follow Pavel’s teachings, you know that tension is strength. So cushy shoes are out.

5. Proper gait

Wearing shoes makes natural gait impossible. And chronic shoe wearing can result in lower and upper back pain.

So now let me address the common objections I get to this:

“I train in a gym and I can’t take my shoes off”

“I train at the local park and don’t want to cut my feet/step in dog poo/etc.

“I don’t want to drop a kettlebell on my foot”

Stop being a sissy

But if these are serious problems for you,Vibram Five Fingers are a cool alternative footwear that are well worth a look. Wearing a pair of Vibrams is, from a biomechanical standpoint, like going barefoot, but gives you some protection against the elements.

Check out this article on Tim Ferriss’s Four Hour Blog for more about problems with wearing shoes and the Vibram Five Fingers:

Vibram Five Finger Shoes: The Barefoot Alternative

I don’t personally own a pair of Vibrams (I just train barefoot), but I know a lot of kettlebell people who love them. It comes down to preference and convenience in the end.

What kind of footwear do you sport in your kettlebell training?

1st Tier Brands:  Ader + Dragon Door

It seems that the kettlebell brands most widely used are Dragon Door and Ader – this is just from personal observation and other discussions I’ve seen about this topic.

Dragon Door:

• Generally agreed upon that the ‘bell is more comfortable
• DD ‘bells have a nice, flat bottom that’s great for stuff like renegade rows
• Nicely built and well balanced ‘bell
• For a more detailed review of the Dragon Door ‘bells, click here

Ader:

• Harder to grip, which could be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it
• Generally well reviewed bell and slightly cheaper price than Dragon Door

2nd Tier Brands: Powermax + Apollo

These ‘bells aren’t as good quality and aren’t as well made – they’re also considerably cheaper.  Reviews aren’t as good across the board.  But, the lower price makes them attractive to some – and if you’re just planning on doing some occasional swings with them – maybe using them for CrossFit workouts or something – they’re probably just fine in all honesty.

• Powermax
• Apollo

Adjustables

This is a new kettlebell breed. The purists like myself would never consider something like this, but for some, it may be a good option.  Positives are that one can have only one kettlebell and adjust the weight as you get stronger, switch exercises, etc.

• Bowflex
• Kettlestack

So there you have a review of the different kettlebell brands! Which one is your favorite?

While you’re here, make sure to sign up for the KettlebellBasics.net newsletter and claim your free bonuses today if you haven’t done so yet … and have a great weekend!