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Kettlebells, Barbell Training and the 80/20 Rule

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The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that 20% of your effort in anything you do will produce 80% of the results.

Named after Vinfredo Pareto, an Italian economist from the 19th Century, this rule can be applied to almost anything from business, to productiveness and even to achievements and happiness.

A couple of examples:

— 20% of customers in a business will generate 80% of the profits
— 20% of the people on a work team will produce 80% of the results
— You use 20% of the stuff of in your house 80% of the time, and vice versa

The rule ALSO applies to your training program.  20% of the efforts you put in produce 80% of the results.

A perfect example comes from my Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training program. The first pairing of movements in workout A is:

— Barbell deadlifts
— KB overhead presses

Four hard sets pushed to the limit with these two exercise, and you’re 80% of the way there. You hit all of your major muscle groups … get stronger … get your heart rate up / a little “cardio” if you keep the rest periods down … work the heck out of your “core” … and a lot more … JUST with these two exercises.

Now, if you have a little more time, it’s a good idea to do the rest of the workout. I’m not saying to shorten your workouts, starting today, for the rest of your training career, by 80% 🙂

BUT … my point is, even if you only got 15 or 20 minutes to work out … you CAN get a great training session, if you focus on the “critical” 20%:

— Be consistent, don’t miss workouts
— Pick exercises that give you a lot of “bang for your buck”, and work a lot of muscle groups all at once – like basic kettlebell, barbell, and body weight movements
— Train with intensity
— Bring a positive attitude

No more excuses for lack of results in your workouts.  Make a plan, focus on the stuff that COUNTS, and get it done!
Have an awesome training session today, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II
ForestVance.com

PS – If you haven’t already … last chance to grab my Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training program for less than 10 bux – click HERE to get it now!

NEW Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training Workout

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, Kettlebell Workouts, VideosLeave a comment

When it comes to building brute strength, nothing beats the barbell as a training tool.

Kettlebells on the other hand are a fantastic piece of equipment for rapid fat loss, and shooting your conditioning levels through the roof.

So for folks like me and you, who want to:

– gain strength and lean muscle
– if needed, be ready at any given time to take on a variety of physical challenges – maybe run a 5k, or bench press 1.5x your body weight, or snatch a 24k KB 100 times in 5 mins …
– just look, feel, and perform at our best, all of the time

COMBINING these two training modalities gives you the best of both worlds.

BUT – what’s the BEST way to do it?

Well, after getting questions almost every day about the best way to mix barbell and kettlebell work in the most efficient way, I went to the “lab” (my gym) and tested dozens of different training programs first on myself, then on a few select training clients. I came up with a program that is the result of YEARS of hard work, experimentation, and figuring out the most effective barbell / kettlebell workout that will get you the fastest results, in the shortest amount of time. And I put it together into my new Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training program.

I wanted to give you an actual sample of one how one of these workouts is put together, so you could see if it’s a training style that would fit your needs:

 

Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Workout

1 – Start with a general warm up, including foam rolling and mobility work

2 – Move on to superset #1 – four rounds of these two exercises total:

– Barbell Deadlift x8
– KB Single Arm Press x8

3 – FOUR sets of alternating reverse goblet lunges, eight reps each, try to go UP in weight each set (until you can no longer complete the reps / your form breaks down / etc)

4 – Kettlebell – based metabolic finisher to end the workout

(This one is actally from my friends Funk Roberts and Chris Lopez’s new Kettlebells for Fighters program – the beauty of this plan is that you can use one of the “finishers” I give you in the workout, OR you can use any other one you like. It’s great for mixing things up, but also keeping the “core” lifts the same so you can continue to make progress on them etc. ):

– Do exercises circuit – style, one after the next
– 45 seconds work
– 15 seconds rest between exercises
– Rest for two minutes after round one and repeat circuit a total of four times

– 1/2 stance 1 arm KB swings (2 rounds right, 2 rounds left)
– single leg KB deadlifts (2 rounds right, 2 rounds left)
– goblet squats
– push ups
– one arm KB rack step ups (2 rounds right, 2 rounds left)
– KB renegade rows
– 2 arm KB swings

Video on how to do this circuit:

Click HERE for more info on the KBs for Fighters program

To sum up, for gaining strength and lean muscle, to be ready at any given time to take on a variety of physical challenges, and to just look, feel, and perform at your best, all of the time – you can’t beat the combo of barbell and kettlebell training. The key lies in HOW you combine the modalities for best results. And you can learn EXACTLY how to do this, in the most effective and time-efficient way, with my new Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training plan HERE.

Thanks for reading, have a great Friday, and talk soon –

– Forest

Simple Technique Tip for a Better Deadlift

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Deadlifts are a PHENOMENAL exercise … but they take a lot of preparation. You must be able to hip hinge properly, and have the proper mobility and stability to be in control of the movement before you load it up and go for it.

A great way to learn how to:

– Actively sit back into a hip hinge
– Brace your core
– Engage your lats
– Load and strengthen your posterior chain

And much more, is with the KETTLEBELL DEADLIFT.

Watch this video, try / practice the progression for yourself, and watch your deadlifts get better in a hurry!

 

Simple Technique for a Better Deadlift

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

PS – Got an AWESOME new Barbell / Kettlebell Hybrid Training 6 week workout plan coming your way VERY soon … stay tuned!

New Video – Best KB Exercise for Great Glutes!

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Want a KILLER “glute-enhancer” exercise? The kettlebell single leg deadlift is it.

You’ll also work your balance, core strength, and a bunch of other stuff while you’re at it.

Check it out:

 

Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift

 

A few coaching points on the exercise:

— Start by deadlifting the ‘bell off the ground with BOTH feet, not one (to protect your back)
— Keep the hips square
— Keep the shoulders square
— Start the move by picking up the back leg
— In the bottom of the move, you should be in a straight line from the head, hip, knee, and ankle
— Try to balance and do all your reps on one side continuously without putting the other foot down – but it’s also okay to tap the off foot down for balance if you need to

Work the kettlebell single leg deadlift into your training routine, and start enjoying the benefits right away!

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

 

PS – Speaking of kettlebell exercises … I almost forgot to mention something to you …

Killer KB / BW program from my friend Callie Durbrow on sale this week, called Gladiator Fat Loss:

=> Gladiator Fat Loss

I have followed Callie’s stuff online for the last couple of years, she both owns a rockin’ gym and manages a thriving online business , so I’ve been really impressed with all she seems to have going on all the time … and I actually got the chance to meet her in person a couple of months ago.

This new project of hers is awesome, so I just had to share it with you.

According to Callie:

Gladiator Fat Loss is a 12 week training system that utilizes Kettlebell and Body Weight training for an efficient, 22 minute training session each day. It features three specific phases of training:

– Phase 1 is the Fat Loss Furnace and prep portion where clients will use full body training sessions to sky rocket their metabolism and improve work capacity and strength
– Phase 2 is a Density Training cycle where clients will be challenged to get as much work done as possible in two short portions on each training day. This will elicit the response for lean, sculpted muscle and also continue to improve work capacity.
– Phase 3 is Gladiator Muscle and Strength where both men and women can benefit extremely well from this heavier phase of strength work combined with a metabolic push at the end of each session.

The training cycles are also supplemented with a HIIT manual and a nutrition protocol to enhance results.

This is the perfect program for men or women who want to get sculpted, lean and athletic. The workouts are created for gym sessions, basement or garage workouts or even outside. Each session can be advanced by working harder and faster or adding heavier weights, or regressed by performing lighter Kettlebell movements or body weight work. Overall this is for an intermediate to advanced trainee but can be modified for a beginner as long as they have some experience with a kettlebell.

Check it out here:

=> Gladiator Fat Loss (on sale this week)

KB Exercises for Abs – The Kettlebell Windmill (weightless,low,high / standard progression)

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I’ll admit it. Until I learned how to do the windmill RIGHT, about three years ago at the first RKC II I attended, I did NOT like the exercise. It felt awkward, I didn’t know if I was doing it correctly, and it just didn’t feel like I was getting much out of it.

Then I learned how to do the exercise PROPERLY — and I quickly realized just how powerful it was for building core strength, shoulder stability and mobility, opening up the thoracic spine, “unlocking” the hips, and a whole lot more …

My goal with today’s video is — especially if you’re in the same boat as I was before the RKC II — to help you learn how to do the windmill properly … and to fully realize all the wonderful benefits it has to offer!

The Kettlebell Windmill (weightless,low,high / standard progression)

 

After you watch the video, some additional coaching points for you:

Kettlebell Windmill Progression

1 – Weightless Windmill

Start with a ketttlebell at the instep of your foot. Your feet should be pointed to the side at approximately 45 degrees.

Poke your hip out to the side. The movement in this exercise is coming from the hip and not the torso.Let the hand slide down the leg; tap the ‘bell and stand up.

(You’re imagining you have a kettlebell in your top hand throughout the movement here.)

2 – Bottom-Hand Windmill

Same exact movement; now you’re simply picking up the ‘bell with your bottom hand.

3 – Standard Windmill

Same movement — only now the KB is overhead. Arm is locked, shoulder is “packed” — same principles as the Turkish get up. Make sure you tense the glute and engage the core to stand up.

 

Kettlebell Windmill Workout

Now for a sample workout using the windmill, just so you can see how to use it:

— 12 push ups
— 20 swings
— 5 windmills/side
— 8 lunges/side

Do a set every 60 seconds. Do 5 rounds of the circuit total.

 

Total Body Abdominal Annihilation

And also, to remind you … I just finished putting together a new program, called “Total Body Abdominal Annihilation”.

In it, you’ll find:

– More of my favorite total body kettlebell and body weight exercises — like Janda Sit Ups, Windmills, and TGUs
– Simple to do yet SUPER effective total body ab workouts like this one in this article
– And more ..

Right now you can get this program FREE.

How? Just click this link (make sure it’s the LAST one you click before you order):

=> 0 to 6 Pack Abs

… check out all the details on my trusted friend Tyler’s “0 to 6 Pack Abs” program (on sale ’till the end of this week), see if it is a good fit for you … and when you grab your copy, I’ll send you a free copy of MY new program, “Total Body Abdominal Annihilation”.

(To get your bonus, just send your Clickbank receipt to my assistant at fvtraininfo (at) gmail (dot) com and she’ll get you all set up)

This offer is good when you order before July 12th, 2014.

Thanks, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

The Thoracic Bridge

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Here we have the thoracic bridge. This is a FANTASTIC move I picked up from Senior RKC Max Shank at a workshop earlier this year … it’s great for:

— improving hip mobility
— improving thoracic spine mobility
— improving shoulder mobility

And a whole lot more.

I was having some trouble with the double kettlebell jerk during the workshop – my thoracic / shoulder mobility was just not there going in to do the movement well.

SO, I worked these thoracic bridges for a good 10 mins … and it was AMAZING the difference it made! I went from a “just okay” double KB jerk, to a nearly perfect one!!

Try it for yourself. Do an exercise or movement you have trouble with. Then watch the video, do a few thoracic bridges on each side, and try the movement you were having trouble with again. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

– Forest Vance, RKC II

 

PS – In case you were wondering, this video is actually a short clip from my Kettlebell / Body Weight Hybrid Strength Workout … more details on the full program here:

=> Kettlebell / Body Weight Hybrid Strength Workout

Kettlebell Workout for Older Adults (50+)

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I must say, I was a bit surprised at the response I got to the email I sent out yesterday on my friend Dr. Dan Ritchie’s program, “The Functional Fitness Solution” (an at – home training program designed for folks in the 50 to 70 age range).

And it got me to thinking – most of the kettlebell routines I’ve created over the years are geared towards intermediate or even advanced kettlebell enthusiasts. And they are fantastic – provided that you are ready for them.

BUT – the problem is, sometimes folks are NOT ready for them … but they do them anyway. Then, they end up doing way too much, too soon … at BEST they don’t get all they could out of their kettlebell workouts, and at worst get a little (or a lot) injured … and they end up giving up a swearing off kettlebells all together. And that is not good!

SO, I thought it would be good timing to share a kettlebell workout I created specifically for older adults. (This is actually from my Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness program – which you can get FREE when you pick up a copy of The Functional Fitness Solution through my recommendation.)

Now, don’t underestimate the how powerful this workout is, just because it is simple. And also, this is actually week FOUR of the Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness program, so ideally you would work UP to this amount of volume of 1/2 get ups and deadlifts/swings slowly and progressively over a several week period.

Let’s get to it!

Kettlebell Workout for Older Adults (50+)
from Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness, FREE bonus this week with The Functional Fitness Solution

Warm Up

– Box Squat – 10-15 repetitions
– Hamstring/Hip Flexor Stretch Combo

Perform these two exercises back-to-back without rest; repeat the pair of warm-up movements twice without rest

Workout

– swing progression (sumo deadlift – 1/2 swing – full swing) – 15-20
– ‘Active Rest’- :30
– ½ OR foot sweep Turkish get up – 3 reps ea side
– ‘Active Rest’- :30

Continue this sequence non-stop for 18 minutes

Cool Down

5 minutes of static stretching – tight muscle groups only

Kettlebells are a fantastic training tool for ALL age groups. But you have to know how to use them correctly, and “scale up” appropriately to the intensity level that is right for you. This workout is an example of a great way to do that.

Keep training hard –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II, Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist

PS – When you pick up a copy of Dr. Dan’s Functional Fitness Solution program this week, I am going to hook you up with a FREE copy of Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness.

Inside Lifetime Kettlebell Fitness, you’ll discover how to use kettlebells to lose weight, tone up, improve your posture, move freely and gain overall fitness.

Learn:

– A three minute body weight and kettlebell dynamic warm up that’ll have you feeling great and ready for your workout faster than you ever thought possible … and a complete extended warm up for those times you’re in extra need of pre-workout prep
– Unique progressions for traditional kettlebell exercises that’ll help you master them in a whole new way – like the ‘face-away-from-wall kettlebell sumo deadlift’ and the ‘foot switch Turkish get-up’
– A complete workout system to take you from KB newb to HardStyle master
– Answers to common hang ups and solutions the majority of kettlebell training beginners have
– And much more!!

** VERY IMPORTANT – I will get a list from Dan of all the folks who buy his program through my link when the current promotion is over. NO NEED to send us your Clickbank reciept.

BUT … you MUST purchase his program through THIS LINK – or any other one in this email – to qualify for the bonus. Thanks! **his email – to qualify for the bonus. Thanks! **

Hate Stretching? Here’s What to Do –

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Confession for you today.  I don’t like stretching and mobility work.

Don’t get me wrong – I know how important it is, and feel SO much better when I do my joint mobility and movement prep work on a daily basis …

I just don’t really LIKE to do it, as in enjoy it.

Plus, if I’m short on time, I am very sad to say that it can be the first thing to go.

NOT good – but true 😉

Maybe you feel the same way?

If so, I have a great strategy for you. I do this in my own workouts, as well as set up many of my programs this way these days (like in this month’s new kettlebell / body weight hybrid strength workout)

Simply PAIR TOGETHER:

— a strength movement
— a complimentary mobility or stability exercise

During your regular workout. You can “sneak in” your mobility work this way, and also actually improve the movement quality – and even performance – of your strength move.

Here’s an example:

(from KB / BW Hybrid Strength workout, day 2)

— weighted pull ups – 3 reps

PAIR with

— kettlebell arm bar (see a video on how to do this one below)

Simple strategy. Powerful results. And awesome if you hate stretching like me 😉

That’s it for now. Hope that tips helps ya. Thanks for reading, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, RKC II

 

PS – Check out the full Kettlebell / Body Weight Hybrid Strength workout I referenced in this article here:

=> Kettlebell / Body Weight Hybrid Strength Workout

 

The Power of the Kettlebell Complex (includes sample workout)

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Kettlebell complexes are awesome.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that even if you did NOTHING but complexes with kettlebells, it would be well worth the money investment to purchase some KBs, and the time investment to learn how to use them properly.

In today’s article, I’m going to explain to you exactly what a kettlebell complex IS, WHO they are best suited for, and exactly HOW to use them in your workout programming.

 

What IS a kettlebell complex?

A kettlebell complex is in essence a string of different kettlebell exercises, performed in succession and without rest.

You can do complexes with a variety of different pieces of equipment – or even using just your own body weight, so no equipment at all – but the KB is a great tool to perform them with, because of their compact nature, as well as their offset center of gravity. This allows one to flow from one movement to the next very well.

 

WHAT are kettlebell complexes best used for?

Kettlebell complexes are so awesome because they can be used for adding muscle, OR gaining strength, OR losing fat, OR improving conditioning – depending on how they are programmed.

 

HOW do you use them?

Okay, let’s get to how you would use a kettlebell complex in your actual workout. A great way is to program them into your “main” workout (like I do in my new KB / Body Weight Hybrid Strength workout HERE).

You can also use them as a “finisher” sort of thing at the end of a session.

You can even use them as a stand-alone quick workout if you are short on time.

 

Sample Kettlebell Complex

Here is a sample kettlebell complex from my Kettlebell / Body Weight Hybrid Strength Workout:

Complete all reps on one side without setting the kettlebell down, before moving on to the other side. Push the pace, and get three rounds on each side as fast as possible:

— snatch – 5
— front squat – 5
— one arm swing – 10
— reverse suitcase lunge – 5

Okay! You now know exactly what a kettlebell complex IS, how they are best utilized, and even have a sample complex to try for yourself.

Of course, this is an extremely brief, “30,000 mile high” overview of kettlebell complex training. But hopefully it’s given you a good start.

If you like the idea of the complex and would like to learn more about how to best use it, check out my new kettlebell / body weight hybrid strength workout HERE.

And have a great day!

– Forest Vance, RKC II

PS – Don’t forget – if you are still trying to master the basics of kettlebell training, and learn how to do the kettlebell exercises we talked about in today’s article safely and effectively, a great resource to do that you can find here:

=> 13 Dangerous Kettlebell Training Mistakes (and how to fix them)

How I Lost 64 Pounds in 7 Months (my personal story)

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A little less than 9 years ago, my football career came to an end. Half of my life up to that point – over 10 years – had been invested in being the best I could be at my sport. I played all four years of high school, five years in college and two in and out of the NFL.

So it was quite the transition. And going from working out hours per day with a very specific purpose, to NO directed workouts at all, and no real purpose to train for … real quick I was out of shape.

One day, I saw this picture of myself:

And decided enough was enough. I set out to train six days per week, plan my meals religiously and get to my “fighting” weight of 246 (at the end of the summer after my senior year of high school I was weighing in at 246, and that’s when I had been in the best shape of my life, up to that point).

So I started on the plan. Things went very well at first, if I remember correctly, the first 10 or 20 pounds came off very fast – within the first month or so.

But pretty soon, the weight loss started to slow down. I hit a plateau for a few good weeks, and it was very frustrating.

At this point I was training by myself. All my strength workouts, all my cardio sessions – I was doing them alone.

I realized that I had trained in a team environment, been around like-minded people working towards a common goal for more than 10 years. And I realized that that’s what I needed again to kick-start my progress again.

So what I did at the time was 1) take two or three spin classes per week at the gym I was working at, and 2) lifted with the guys I worked with at the gym two or three times per week.

That snapped the plateau. In fact, it took me all the way to my goal weight in about 7 months. And I KNOW that getting around other like-minded people was the #1 factor that helped me really reach my ultimate goals (and maintain them until now, I might add):

So, if YOU are struggling, if you’re at a plateau … if you feel like your workouts and your nutrition is pretty good, and you can’t really figure out why you’re not making progress … this could be the missing factor for you.

And, the exact type of support you need is individual to you. Maybe it’s a spin class. Maybe it’s a training partner. Maybe it’s a boot camp in your town (if you’re in the Sacramento, CA area, I invite you to come in for a training session at our gym!)

I have just put the finishing touches on a new project that I think will also be a great solution for a lot of folks. It’s called the FVT Inner Circle.

=> FVT Inner Circle (new and improved)

I am going to put together a new body weight and kettlebell – based workout every month for FVT Inner Circle members (the first one is already up). The workout will include a written manual, as well as video coaching.

I also am giving the official FVT Meal Plan away for free to all members – to make sure all nutritional bases are covered.

So you’ll have everything you need, you’ll know exactly WHAT to do to reach your fitness goals.

But then, as you go through your workout, as you need motivation, coaching, if you have questions for me personally, whatever – you can post them in the group forum, and we’ll be there to help you along the way.

If you have questions about exercise technique – I got you. If you want to post a video of you doing an exercise to make sure your form is on point – you can do that. If you just are feeling lazy and need some motivation to work out that day, post as well – and the group will be there to get you on the right track!

=> FVT Inner Circle (new and improved)

I’m very excited about this new project, and hope you’ll join us, and at least check it out. But the moral of the story is, wherever you’re at, get some help and don’t go at it alone. Find the best solution for YOU, whatever it is. And see your results blast through the roof!!!

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II