I’ve been in the kettlebell game for almost 20 years now. I did my first RKC certification back in 2009 in Minnesota, with Pavel as the lead instructor. Since then, I’ve attended dozens of certifications, as a participant and as an assistant, on both the RKC and SFG sides. I think they’re both great, and I’ve learned a ton from each.

One of the more curious things is the new RKC testing standards. The 100 swing test: 10 sets of 10 hardstyle one-hand swings in 5 minutes, 24kg for men, 16kg for women, good form throughout. Back stays neutral, shoulders packed, full hip and knee extension at the top, heels weightless for a moment at the apex of each rep.

Funny enough, we already have something almost identical as one of our kettlebell challenge tests at the FVT Warrior Wellness studio.

If you’re already fit and have been training consistently, this is a great test of what kettlebells can really do for you. Here’s how you could use it as a full workout:

Today’s workout (if you’re short on time and already trained):

• WARM UP – 2 rounds of:30 each: face-away from wall KB deadlifts; KB halos; down dog w heel pedals
• MAIN WORKOUT – Set your timer for:30 intervals. Do 10 one-hand KB swings at the top of each work period. Pick a weight that challenges you but one that you can keep perfect form with. Alternate hands each set. Your rest is from the time you finish your 10 reps of swings until the next:30 interval starts.
• COOL DOWN – :30 each of – kneeling hip flexor stretch; sphinx pose; child’s pose

That’s 15-ish minutes total, 5 minutes of real intensity plus a solid warm up and cool down, and that can be your whole session for the day.

This is not a beginner workout; I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re just getting started. But once you’ve built up some training experience, it’s a great option for a short, high-intensity day.

Speaking of which, stay tuned, because a lot of what we’ll be building the foundation around in our July / August KB Challenge is exactly this: swings, fat loss, and short workouts like this one, building you up toward being able to hit a test like this by the end. I’ve also got a new app launching for the next challenge, so this next round should be pretty cool.

That’s it for today.

Have a great week!

— Forest

P.S. Quick note on Warrior Flow Isometrics: the price did go up slightly, but it’s still available if you haven’t grabbed a copy yet. Still a highly valuable program, especially if you’re looking for an alternative to kettlebells, want something easier on your joints, want to ease back into a routine, or want some injury prevention work. Check it out at the link below:

-> Warrior Flow Isometrics

I started my day early today, and I’ve trained two small groups so far…

…and I’ve already worked with three clients who are dealing with, and working around, an injury.

We take a more comprehensive approach to strength at my physical studio…

…because I have the full setup for it!…

…we use barbells, kettlebells, bodyweight, steel mace, suspension trainers, all of it…

…moral of the story, I modify and make it so that people can still do what they can.

BUT

Here’s the thing:

Sometimes the injury isn’t something you can work around; it needs an actual break.

That’s where a bodyweight-based program comes in.

You can still maintain strength (if you do it right, using something like Warrior Flow Isometrics)

However, it can give your body a chance to “deload”

Cut down inflammation

Give the joints a break

If you are looking for something like this

Check out Warrior Flow Isometrics

This is your last week to grab it before the price goes up permanently

Here’s a sample workout from the program:

WARRIOR FLOW ISOMETRICS 2.0 – SAMPLE WORKOUT

Hold each position for 45 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds between movements. Do 3 rounds total:

• Chair pose -> 3-4, 10-15 second holds -> goal to get a little lower each time
• Down dog -> plank (alternate positions, approx 5 secs each)
• Isometric lunge, hands behind head, right side (alternate high/low positions, approx 5 secs each)
• Chaturanga hold -> high side plank R -> chaturanga hold -> high side plank L (alternate between positions, approx 5 secs each)
• Isometric lunge, hands behind head, left side (alternate high/low positions, approx 5 secs each)
• Reverse snow angels (hold approx 5 secs each in “Y,” “T,” and “A” positions)

It’s a blend of yoga, isometrics, calisthenics, and more

It requires zero equipment

You can do most of the workouts in 20 minutes or less

And it’s a great way to build real strength without adding more stress to a joint that needs a break

More info HERE – last chance to get it at “OG” pricing!..

— Forest

Yesterday I told you about my 500 Kettlebell Protocol, the system I recommend for anyone who wants to drop a clothing size, lose 8 to 10 pounds, or just get in great shape for the rest of the summer.

Quick recap on the three parts.

Part 1 is the kettlebell workout. You do three kettlebell sessions a week, each one designed to burn around 500 calories.

Part 2 is your off days. On those days, you do some kind of low-impact cardio, walking, rucking, hiking, sprinting, or biking, again aiming for about 500 calories burned.

Part 3 is a diet audit. You don’t have to give up your favorite foods. You just make a few small tweaks to reach a 500-calorie deficit each day.

Put those three things together, and over the next 28 days, you’re looking at that 8 to 10 pounds or a full clothing size down.

Today I want to give you a sample kettlebell workout so you can see exactly what these sessions look like.

Here’s the thing about a well-built kettlebell workout. You’re burning calories during the session, but you’re also building lean muscle, and that muscle keeps burning calories at rest long after you’re done. For the 28-day challenge, we want both. Short-term calorie burn and long-term metabolic payoff. That combo is hard to beat, and it’s exactly why kettlebells are the tool I keep coming back to.

Here’s a sample from the program. Try it today:

#

500 Cal Kettlebell Challenge

Buy-in: 100 bodyweight squats, as fast as possible. Only done once.

Then complete the following for 4 total rounds, resting as needed between moves and 40 to 60 seconds between rounds.

• 1-arm KB clean and push press, right – 5 (Women 12k+, Men 20k+)
• 1-arm KB clean and push press, left – 5 (Women 12k+, Men 20k+)
• Side-stepping KB swings – 20 total reps (Women 16k+, Men 24k+)
• Push-ups – 10 (modify by elevating hands)
• Jump lunges – 10 total reps (modify with alternating rear lunges)
• 1-arm KB gorilla row, right – 10 (Women 16k+, Men 24k+)
• 1-arm KB gorilla row, left – 10 (Women 16k+, Men 24k+)
• KB plank drag through – 20 total reps (Women 12k+, Men 20k+)
• Burpees – 10 (modify by elevating hands)

#

If you want the full program, here’s what’s waiting for you inside the 500 Kettlebell Protocol.

• The full 28-day 500 Kettlebell Protocol Workout Plan
• The 500 Cal Engine Builders program
• The 500 Cal Cut Method diet plan
• Bonus: the 28 Day Drop a Size Challenge (4-week training plan to do next)
• Bonus: a digital copy of my CORE kettlebell book (Amazon top seller)
• Bonus: access to my live kettlebell workshop (learn the basics of safe and effective KB training)

Check out the 500 Kettlebell Protocol HERE (on sale for Summer Shred, this weekend only).

— Forest and the FVT Team

I was chatting with a client at my studio this morning after a kettlebell workout.

He told me his goal was to drop about 10 pounds over the next month or so to get ready for some things coming up at the end of the summer.

I recommended my “500 Kettlebell” protocol.

In a nutshell, here’s what it looks like:

1. Do high-output KB workouts that burn 500 calories (give or take), 3 times per week.

The KB class he had just done would qualify. A home-based KB workout (like the progressive programming I give you in the 500 Kettlebell Protocol program) would as well.

Big thing: a smartly designed, progressive kettlebell workout, appropriate for your fitness level, done 3x per week.

2. On your non-KB days, ruck, sprint, or do some other kind of conditioning that burns 500 calories.

We are prepping for a 5K ruck at our studio as part of an event we are putting on in the fall, so working toward that was perfect for my client. Three times per week of 500-calorie-ish rucking.

You could also do something like the 500 Calorie Engine Builders for active build days. Various options depending on your preference. If you want low-impact, I’ll give you options like walking. If you want something more dynamic or higher-intensity, I’ll give you sprint intervals. Big ideas designed to burn an extra 500 calories per day through activity.

3. Cut 500 calories from your diet each day.

I recommended he start with things like creamer in his coffee, chips at lunch, and his giant serving of pasta for dinner, plus dessert.

For you, it might be sugary snacks, or the beers at night, or whatever else.

The goal is to CONSISTENTLY cut 500 kcals from your daily diet.

You’ll learn my 500 Cut Method nutrition plan. This is a guided nutrition system that helps you eliminate up to 500 calories per day without a starvation diet or cutting every food you enjoy.

Follow this plan, and you will:

• BURN an extra 500 kcals/day
• Consume 500 kcals LESS/day
• Get into a 1000 kcal deficit/day
• Get into a 7000 kcal deficit/week
• Lose about 2 pounds per week (3500 calories in a pound)

If you want to lose about 10 pounds over the next month, follow this.

And if you want the full done-for-you version, plus a shot at dropping a full clothing size in 28 days, grab my 500 Kettlebell Protocol while it’s on Summer Shred sale this weekend:

-> 500 Kettlebell Protocol Summer Shred Sale

Here’s to feeling like a lean, mean machine this summer!

— Forest Vance – creator, the 500 Kettlebell Protocol

German Volume Training – also known as GVT – has a reputation for adding rapid muscle to lifters.

It’s the fastest way I’ve ever personally added mass in my 30+ years of lifting.

However, for people working out at home and with limited time, it has limitations. It’s typically done with barbell moves and machines that most people don’t have access to or the knowledge / desire to use properly.

That is, until now.

We’ve put a twist on the traditional GVT and slightly tweaked the protocol so you can rapidly add muscle anytime, anywhere, with just a couple of kettlebells.

Here’s a sample from the program:

#

KB GVT – Week 1 / Day 1 (kettlebell lower)

PART 1

Alternate the following exercises, performing 10 rounds of 5 reps of each movement. The squat reps should be performed at a pace of 4-0-2: 4 seconds to lower, no pause at the bottom, 2 seconds to rise up. Resting 45 seconds between exercises.

1 – Double KB Front Squat – 5 (Women:16k+, Men: 20k+)
2 – Double KB Swing – 5 (Women:12k+, Men: 16k+)

If you only have a single KB, do the following:

1 – KB Goblet Squat – 10 (16k++ women / 24k++ men – go as heavy as you can)
2 – Two-hand KB Swing – 10 (Women:16k++, Men: 24k++ – go as heavy as you can)

Tabata Finisher -Alternate the following exercises for 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (4 each) = 4 minutes

1 – Bottom Half Burpee
2 – Push-ups

#

Learn more and grab the full KB GVT program at the link below:

-> Kettlebell German Volume Training

— Forest and the FVT Team

Happy 4th of July!

Today is America’s 250th birthday.

To celebrate, I have two special things:

1 – Tactical BW Conditioning System 4th of July Sale

With this program, you’ll build tactical strength and conditioning using just your bodyweight (and one optional kettlebell) in 20 to 30 minutes a day, 3 to 4 days a week.

You’ll get all the programs listed below:

• “No Kit Fat Loss Protocol” (Zero Equipment Fat Loss Plan)
• “Field Ops Conditioning” (Road Warrior Workout)
• “Zero Kit Operator” (No Gym, No Excuse, Updated Edition)
• “Operator Pull-Up Protocol” (Operation Pull-Up: 0 to 20 Pull-Ups)
• “Combat Core Conditioning” (5-Minute Abs)
• “Tactical Firebreather” (Firebreather Conditioning)
• “Operator 100” (Mission: 100 Push-Ups)
• “Iron Operator Circuit” (KB + Bodyweight Beatdown)
• “Field Power Protocol” (KB + Bodyweight Power Circuit)
• “Tactical Challenge Series” (Ultimate Kettlebell Challenge Workouts)

The best part is that the program is on sale for Independence Day weekend.

It’s the perfect time to pick up a copy. You’ll be set for training the rest of the summer:

-> Tactical BW Conditioning System 4th of July Sale

2 – America’s Birthday 250-Rep Kettlebell Boot Camp Challenge

MAIN WORKOUT: 3 Rounds
45 sec work per exercise, rest to the end of the interval

• Kettlebell Swings, 15 reps
• Push-Ups, 10 reps
• Goblet Lunges, 5 per side
• One-Arm Kettlebell Rows, 10 per side
• Burpees, 5 reps

Round Total: 60 reps x 3 rounds = 180 reps

FINISHER: 2 Rounds
45 sec work per exercise, rest to the end of the interval

• Kettlebell Halos, 5 per side
• Kettlebell Slingshots, 5 per side
• Goblet Squats, 15 reps

Round Total: 35 reps x 2 rounds = 70 reps

GRAND TOTAL: 250 REPS FOR 250 YEARS

Do the kettlebell workout before today’s festivities. Then pick up your copy of Tactical BW Conditioning System, so you’re set for your workouts the rest of the summer, but hurry, the 4th of July sale is ending:

-> Tactical BW Conditioning System 4th of July Sale

— Forest and the FVT Team
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com

A few people on this plan have told me they dropped a pound or two a week without changing what they eat:

Have you ever watched how people eat at an ultra-distance event? I ran a 25k a few years ago, right after I moved to the KC area. (25k isn’t really ultra distance, it’s a bit more than a half marathon, about 15.5 miles, but it was part of an event where some folks were doing two laps for a 50k.)

I couldn’t believe how people were eating. Oreos, soup, pasta, pizza, fries, mashed potatoes, all of it.

But it got me thinking.

To finish a 25k or 50k, you have to train a lot. There’s no way around it. Running 3-5 days a week, with long runs over 20 miles as race day gets closer, burns a serious amount of energy. That’s how these folks can eat like that and still cross the finish line lean. It’s not magic, it’s volume of work.

That’s where the Firebreather 4x HIIT Plan came from.

Now, I know most of you are kettlebell people, not runners. That’s the point. This isn’t about becoming a distance runner. It’s about borrowing the conditioning those athletes build, without the miles, so you can stack it on top of your kettlebell work.

Two sample workouts:

Hill Day

• Power walk/run/sprint up the hill, 60 seconds
• Walk back down to recover, 120 seconds
• Repeat for 10 rounds

Roadwork Day

Set your timer for 60 minutes. Walk, jog, or run, whatever intensity is right for you. The goal is to keep your heart rate between 130 and 150 bpm. Use a heart rate monitor, or count manually.

I’ve also had great success with the run-walk-run method for this one.

Every 5 minutes, stop and do:

• 30-second high plank hold (minute 5, 20, 35, 50)
• 10 burpees (minute 10, 25, 40, 55)
• 15 bodyweight squats (minute 15, 30, 45)

#

Doing workouts like this (along with bodyweight circuits, “easy conditioning” days, and more) 3-4 times a week on top of your kettlebell training, and you’ll build real cardio conditioning while burning extra calories in the process.

The Firebreather 4x HIIT Plan comes as part of Mission Ready Conditioning. It isn’t sold on its own anywhere else. And it’s on special for the 4th of July weekend.

Grab it here:

-> Firebreather 4x HIIT Plan + Mission Ready Conditioning

Here’s to getting into great shape this summer!

— Forest

I was just chatting with a client on the phone the other day, and he asked if you can really get strong and lean with just bodyweight.

I said, think of boot camp. Guys get in amazing shape in like 8 weeks, and typically they are just doing bodyweight exercises: pull ups, push ups, calisthenics.

I have taken this concept and put together a full training system.

Here is a sample workout from it to give you a feel for one of the workouts that is a little more on the challenging side from my Tactical Bodyweight Conditioning System:

1 – Set your timer for seven minutes. Do as many rounds as you can of:

— 5 burpees (pick the version that works best for you)
— 5 pull-ups (can sub out 12 one-arm KB rows if no pull up bar)
— :20 handstand holds on the wall (can sub out pike push up/hold or L-handstand wall hold for a scaled-down alternative)

2 – Set your timer for seven minutes again. Start with four reps of each exercise. Without rest, do six reps of each exercise. Without rest, do eight reps of each exercise. Get as high as you can “climbing the ladder” WITH PERFECT FORM:

— walking prisoner lunges (each side) (can add KB in goblet position for added intensity)
— close grip push-ups

3 – Sprints, four times:

— Run approx. 200 yards
— start a new set every 90 seconds
— your rest is the time it takes between when you finish and the next set starts (ex: you run 200 yds in 45 secs, you get 45 secs rest. Run it in 60, you get 30 seconds rest, etc.)
— can’t run, but have a kettlebell? Try 45 on/45 off KB one-arm snatches instead

If you liked this workout, you’ll LOVE my Tactical BW Conditioning System.

You get the full “Field Ops Conditioning” program today’s sample is pulled from, plus:

— “No Kit Fat Loss Protocol” (Zero Equipment Fat Loss Plan): more zero-equipment workouts for the summer
— “Zero Kit Operator” (No Gym No Excuse, Updated Edition): bodyweight + (optional) single KB workout for fat loss + lean muscle
— “Operator Pull-Up Protocol” (Operation Pull-Up): your step-by-step system to go from 0 to 20 pull ups
— “Combat Core Conditioning” (5-Minute Abs): ab workouts that will have you feeling it for days
— “Tactical Firebreather” (Firebreather Conditioning): high-octane conditioning workouts to get into superhuman shape and burn more calories than last time
— “Operator 100” (Mission 100 Push-Ups): your step-by-step system to go from 0 to 100 push ups
— “Iron Operator Circuit” (KB + Bodyweight Beatdown): a second bodyweight + (optional) single KB workout for fat loss + lean muscle
— “Field Power Protocol” (KB + Bodyweight Power Circuit): a third(!) bodyweight + (optional) single KB workout for fat loss + lean muscle
— “Tactical Challenge Series” (Ultimate Kettlebell Challenge Workouts): Forest’s classic 8-week kettlebell challenge system

PLUS, you get a digital copy of my classic best-selling book, No Gym? No Excuse! (unannounced bonus, check the download page)

Click here to get it now on the 4th of July Sale (this weekend only):

-> Mission Ready Conditioning – Tactical Bodyweight System

Forest

Yesterday I told you a little about how my body took quite the beating after 15+ years of football, and how I’ve been focused in recent years on yoga, mobility training, and “pre-hab” – type corrective exercise.

Well, I’ve got a Disney trip coming up where I’ll be logging 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day for the better part of a week. My knees are already saying “oh boy.” So I’m being proactive.

Here’s what I’m doing: a daily 5 to 10 minute mobility and strengthening routine targeted specifically at the knees.

Now, quick disclaimer. If you’ve got a serious medical situation going on, that’s outside my scope. I’m not diagnosing or treating anything. What this kind of routine CAN help you with is:

• Reduce knee pain and stiffness
• Improve knee stability and tracking
• Restore squat, lunge, and step confidence
• Bulletproof your knees for long-term training
• Move better in everyday life (stairs, walking, getting off the floor)

And honestly, if someone tells me their only goal is to get stronger and lose body fat with kettlebells, I’d say kettlebells can absolutely form the foundation. Great for strength, great for conditioning. But the one thing that tends to be missing is mobility and flexibility work. And it doesn’t have to be a 45 or 60 minute yoga class. I’d actually argue that a focused 5 to 10 minutes daily on a targeted area is more effective than a long session once in a while.

So here’s an example 8-minute sequence you can add to your training today:

#

5-10 Minute Knee Support Sequence

• Glute Bridge Hold (1 min) — Activates the glutes and takes load off the knee.
• 90/90 Hip Stretch (1 min) — Opens the hips, which directly reduces stress on the knee joint.
• Terminal Knee Extension (band or bodyweight) (1 min each leg) — Fires up the VMO, the quad muscle most responsible for knee tracking.
• Wall-Supported Calf Raises (1 min) — Strengthens the lower leg and improves ankle stability.
• Step-Back Lunge with Knee Drive (30 sec each side) — Low-impact strength and balance.

#

Do that daily, layered on top of your kettlebell training, and your knees will thank you.

If you want the full 28-day version of this, the 8-Minute Knee Fix Challenge includes targeted work like this every single day for a month. You’ll start day one and finish day 28 in better shape than when you started, knees included.

It’s on a last-chance sale right now. Check it out here:

-> 8-Minute Knee Fix (last chance for original pricing)

— Forest

You may have seen people do the “Sally Up – Sally Down” Challenge before.

Sometimes they do it with push-ups. Sometimes with other exercises.

My version? Kettlebell goblet squats.

I actually filmed this back during the pandemic, of all times, when both of my gyms were shut down, and I was sitting in my garage all day filming content and leading Zoom workouts.

That’s where this one came from.

And I keep coming back to it. It’s a great finisher. I use it regularly in my kettlebell boot camp groups. I even programmed it as a finisher for an online coaching client just today, and we used a variation of it in our group workout this morning.

Here’s how it works:

1 – Grab your kettlebell and get into a goblet squat position. I used a 24kg. Scale up or down based on your level. Bodyweight works too if you’re just getting started.

2 – Hit play on “Flower” by Moby.

3 – Every time the song says “Sally Up” you stand up. Every time it says “Sally Down” you squat down. Hold the bottom position on every “down.”

The song is 3:27 long.

That’s your workout.

And here’s the thing.

This is just a tiny taste of the type of stuff inside the Ageless Warrior Kettlebell Boot Camp.

It’s not just about programming. It’s about doing stuff that’s fun, interesting, and keeps people engaged and coming back. That’s what this workout is all about.

-> Ageless Warrior Kettlebell Boot Camp

Talk soon,

– Forest