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Kettlebell Swing Modifications

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, VideosLeave a comment

Recently, I met a doctor here in the Sacramento area who, in addition to his medical practice, owns a weight loss clinic.  He has two BodPods at his clinic – a pretty rare, and super expensive body composition measurement device.

We got to talking, and when I mentioned how I had always wanted to get my BF% measured with one of these devices, he offered to do a test for me.  It was a great experience – and very helpful in the big picture of reaching my ultimate fitness goal(s).

(If you are in the Sac area, I would highly recommend hopping over to his clinic and getting this test done.  I’ll send out more details about exactly how you can set this up, in the next week or so.)

Good news is, I have lost some body fat since the beginning of the year. But I am still about two or three pounds away from my “fighting weight”. So, I need to keep focusing on fat loss … which in my world, means I need to keep doing lots of kettlebell swings 🙂

High volume swing workouts – like the ones in this program – are typically the approach I take to using kettlebells for fat loss.  But when you’re doing hundreds of swings in a single workout, you need to know how to “manage fatigue”.  Which is what today’s video is all about.

Check out the video below, then read the recap below it:

Video Recap

Hey guys, Forest Vance here from FVT Boot Camp in Sacramento, CA. One of the staple exercises in our boot camp program is the kettlebell swing. What we do many times, for a variety of different reasons, if we have people that are just starting off and getting going … if it’s towards the end of a workout we always value safety and want to make sure that people are using good form through the end so we use this when you’re getting smoked out and your form starts to deteriorate. We have a couple different modifications on the kettlebell swing that I want to share with you and break down in this video.

Two very basic ones. The standard two hand kettlebell swing. The kettlebell is coming to about shoulder level and that is what our standard swing looks like. Now if you start to fatigue and get smoked out, let’s say you are doing 100 reps, let’s say your form is not quite on point yet and you’re just getting tired and you know you are breaking down … instead of trying to keep going and getting sloppy go to a half swing. You’re just going to think, snap the hips and let the ‘bell swing up about halfway. That’s your variation number one.

Variation number two is you can switch to a sumo dead lift and you can practice a hip hinge. So you’re swinging away and you get to rep 30 and start getting smoked out I can switch to your half swing … now I’m getting smoked … now I switch to my dead lift. Then I can keep going, I can finish my set and keep getting a workout and I can continue on and practice my skills and drills and get into great shape and keep doing the workout you want to do.

In summary – if you’re just getting started with the kettlebell swing, or if you’re doing high rep/volume swing workouts and need to “manage” your fatigue, this video will help you.  Incorporate these techniques into your training today for better results!

That’s it for now – train hard, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

PS – If you liked this article, be sure to sign up for my kettlebell training email newsletter … you’ll get tips and tricks like the ones in this article sent to you several times each week when you do … PLUS a free copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training!  Just drop your best email address into the box at the upper right of the page to get signed up now.

AND – if you know anyone else who might benefit from this info, feel free to pass it on 🙂

KB/BW Boot Camp Workout (follow up video)

On By adminIn Kettlebell Workouts, VideosLeave a comment

Today’s video is a follow-up on the kettlebell boot camp workout I posted here … it goes through in detail how you would set things up – in a boot camp setting – to make the session as TOUGH as possible, but also flow smoothly from segment to segment, etc.

Whether you are a boot camp instructor yourself, or you just enjoy doing this style of workout, I think this video will really help you get the most out of this routine.  Check it out:

Grab the Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts Mega-Bundle at over 50% off (this weekend only!) by clicking here

Kettlebell/Body Weight ‘Heavy Day’ Mud Run Workout

On By adminIn Kettlebell WorkoutsLeave a comment

Last year, we put together a training group at my fitness center for one of the biggest mud run events in the U.S.

(I would share the exact name with you, but they actually contacted us and threatened legal action for using their name on our website.  Ha!  So I’ll leave it out this time 😉 )

The workouts were super intense, and a lot of fun.  So as springtime rolls in and the weather gets better here in Northern California, we are going to start up another outdoor training/mud run prep program.

I am currently in the process of getting things organized for the coming program, and have been going through the workouts that we did.  So I thought it would be cool to share one with you (it was one of my personal favorites!) to try over the weekend …

(BTW, you’ll get this workout – and over 50 more – when you grab a copy of the Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts Mega – Pack I have on sale for the next few days.)

 

Kettlebell/Body Weight ‘Heavy Day’ Mud Run Workout

 

Warm Up

 

For each move, I’ve put a “general” movement pattern to choose from … I’ve also included a couple of example exercises you could do if you can’t think of any off the top of your head.

1. Cardio (run in place, jumping jack, etc.)
2. Lower body move (lunge, squat)
3. Upper body pressing move (push up, mountain climber)
4. Upper body pull (body row, pull up)
5. Total body ab exercise (plank, side plank)

Perform each exercise for ~:30 each, take no rest between exercises, and complete two to three rounds of the sequence total.

 

Workout

 

Pair 1

kettlebell swing – 15 reps
see saw press – 8 reps each

Do three sets of each exercise, resting minimally between sets. Make sure to use a challenging weight for both the swings and the see saw presses. If you only have one KB, you can do 5-8 straight reps on each side for the presses.

 

Pair 2

pull up – max reps minus one
walking lunge – 12 each leg

Set a timer for five minutes. Do as many rounds as you can of the above pair of movements. You should be able to get at LEAST four rounds in the alloted time.

 

Pair 3

push up – 15
bicep curl – 15

Perform three sets of each exercise, as fast and with as little rest as possible. Use a kettlebell, a pair of dumbbells, or resistance bands to do the curls.

We are putting together a training group for the mud run season at my fitness center as the weather gets better here in Northern California.  In the process of getting things organized, I stumbled across one of my favorite workouts from last year’s program – and thought it would be cool to share it with you here, to try over the weekend!

Enjoy, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, CPT, RKC II

 

PS – I am shooting a video of this workout, with exercise demos, etc., and will have it ready for you by tomorrow. Stay tuned.

PPS – If you liked this workout, be sure to check out the Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts 50% off special we have going this weekend … you’ll get the full program I pulled it from, plus dozens more just like it. Find out more by clicking here.

53 Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts

On By adminIn General, Tips and TricksLeave a comment

I have a “little black book” of my favorite kettlebell boot camp workouts – which I’m always adding to, tweaking, etc. – and 90% of the time, that’s where I pull my daily boot camp workouts from.  This way, I don’t have to spend hours a day racking my brain for fresh  and fun training ideas.

Of course, I have a plan and progression for my programming over time – but this method makes my life SO much easier.

Now, if you are a boot camp instructor – or, if you are just a boot camp workout enthusiast – you should be doing the same.  It’s the only way to go!

Interestingly though, based on talks with dozens of friends and associates in the business – most people KNOW they should be keeping their own version of a “little black book” – but for whatever reason, DON’T.

So I’ve come up with a solution to this problem.  I’ve put together dozens of my favorite kettlebell boot camp resources, for you to “steal” and use with your campers (and yourself!)

Click here to check it out now:

=> Over 53 Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts

Thanks, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

Safe and Effective Kettlebell Training (#1 secret)

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, General, Tips and Tricks, Videos4 Comments

I returned home late on Sunday night from my weekend San Jose RKC assistant duties, and I was right back at it Monday morning, teaching a kettlebell boot camp at my Sacramento, CA training studio.

After about 30 hours of learning and teaching kettlebells over the weekend – with some incredibly great and smart folks – I noticed that my boot campers were actually pretty darn dailed in with their swing form. Nice! Good job Forest! 🙂

So, on my drive home from work last night, I started thinking a bit about WHY this is so.  I mean, go into some workout rooms full of people swinging kettlebells, and instead of impressive, things look ugly.  Real ugly.

One reason that our campers look good in the kettlebell form department is simple – we care. We want people to do things RIGHT, and we coach them up until they get it. We don’t tollerate sloppy form.

However, I believe the single most important factor contributing to good kettlebell training form is effective cuing.

This is actually a somewhat complex topic, and can be broken down into all different specific components (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) … but at its core, is all about matching your teaching style to a student’s learning style.  It is part science and part art.

What I wanted to do in today’s post was simply break down a few of my favorite cues I have learned over the years. These will help you immensely if 1) you are a trainer yourself, or 2) you are training on your own and are having a hard time mastering the technique of a specific KB exercise.

I have also tried to include WHERE I got these cues … because I want to give credit where it is due!

 

5 Cues for Safe and Effective Kettlebell Training

 

1 – Punch your butt through a piece of glass behind you

This one comes from the book Kettlebells for Dummies by Sarah Lurie.

It’s a great one if you are having a hard time getting down the hip hinging movement that is the foundation of the kettlebell swing.

As you decend into the deadlift, punch your hips back like you are pushing them through a piece of glass behind you.

I go through a little breakdown of this in a recent video – check it out here:

=> HardStyle Kettlebell Swing Progression (part 1)

 

2 – Don’t be the guy at the beach

Got this one from David Whitley (the Iron Tamer).

This applies when you are doing a Turkish Get Up – to your bottom shoulder.

A lot of folks make the mistake of letting themselves slouch to the ground with their bottom (closest to the ground) shoulder during the movement.  Hence, you look like the “guy at the beach”.  Do NOT do this.

Instead, push yourself away from your shoulder, and create as much space from your shoulder to your ear as you can. This is a good cue to get you to do that.

 

3 – Just the right amount of power on the clean

This one comes from the Dragon Door forum, I think … honestly can’t remember.  Sorry to whoever I learned it from 🙂

If you are doing a KB clean, and you give it too much hip snap, the kettlebell will fly up and whack you in the wrist.

If you don’t give it enough power, the move essentially turns into a cheat curl.  Not what we are going for either.

Get it just right, and the movement is a thing of beauty.

Check out this video for a more detailed explanation:

=> How to Fix Your Kettlebell Clean

 

4 – Throw the kettlebell through your stomach

I am not sure where I got this one to be honest … it was from an RKC though, and maybe on a YouTube video somewhere … thanks again 😉 …

Anyway, it is great to get the proper path of the kettlebell going from the top of the snatch, down to the finish.  Just imagine your are throwing the ‘bell back through your stomach, as it comes out of the top locked out position.

 

5 – Rip the handles of the kettlebell apart – while keeping your arms straight

This is a great one to help you get your shoulders back in the two handed deadlift and swing movement.  Got this one from Pavel at my first RKC.

When you are at the top of a deadlift position, keep your arms straight, and imagine like you are ripping the handles of the kettlebell apart.  This will fire your lats and force your shoulders down.

 

Okay! There are five of my favorite coaching cues for you. Use these cues to improve your own form and that of those that you coach.  And watch your progress go through the roof!

Thanks for reading, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

 

PS – I got a killer new package of kettlebell boot camp workouts I’m putting together for you, and it’ll be available this weekend at a great discount.  Keep an eye on your email inbox for details …

PPS – If you want to learn more coaching cues like these, I recommend you attend an RKC event yourself. There is nothing like it. Click here for a list of all upcoming Dragon Door workshops:

=> Upcoming RKC Events

Kettlebell/Body Weight Boot Camp Buddy Workout

On By adminIn Kettlebell WorkoutsLeave a comment

I just finished up day one of assisting at the San Jose RKC.  So awesome to be part of an event like this …. I am learning a ton from everyone involved, from our head instructor, to my team leader, to my fellow assistants, and even the participants … plus, just because I love KB’s and everything about them, I am having a lot of fun! 🙂

One thing that is heavily utilized in the RKC cert work format is the buddy system.  The typical flow during the day alternates between instruction and drill work/KB practice/short workout.  And almost every drill/exercise/workout/etc. is done with a partner.

This is a GREAT way to structure a group workout.  We use this format daily at my Sacramento, CA fitness/kettlebell boot camp, and it works great.  Folks typically push harder than they would on their own, they can see what the other person is doing and provide feedback, they get to know other folks in the group, etc.

So, to better illustrate how you could set up a session like this, and to give you a sample workout to try on your own, I pulled one of my favorite kettlebell and body weight – based boot camp buddy workouts out of the vault for you today. Check it out:

 

FVT Kettlebell/Body Weight Boot Camp Buddy Workout

 

1 – Start with your SMR/mobility/dynamic stretching work for 5-10 mins before the workout

(Check out this article for a simple progression: https://kettlebellbasics.net/2012/06/16/kettlebell-warm-up/)

 

2 – Buddy set #1 – ketttlebell squat and press + body row

*Person one does five KB squat and presses (with a – relatively for you – heavy weight!) on one side, a hand-to-hand swing switch, and five KB squat to presses on the other side.

HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES person one to do this, person two is performing body rows.

Rest briefly (10-15 secs), switch exercises and repeat.

Do this three to four times total.

 

3 – Buddy set #2 – burpee + kettlebell swing

*Person one does seven burpees.

HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES person one to do this, person two is performing kettlebell swings.

Rest briefly (10-15 secs), switch exercises and repeat.

Do this three to four times total.

 

4 – Buddy set #3 – kettlebell figure eight to hold + plank-to-push up

*Person one does ten kettlebell figure eight to holds.

HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES person one to do this, person two is performing the plank-to-push exercise (with a push up).

Rest briefly (10-15 secs), switch exercises and repeat.

Do this three to four times total.

 

5 – “Cool down” with SMR again, static stretching for your tight muscle groups only, etc.

 

Whew!  Nice. Enjoy that one 😉 That’s all I got for ‘ya for now. If you are not incorporating buddy training into your workouts, hopefully this article and sample workout has changed your mind … it’s a great way to structure your sessions, and will help you take your training to the next level.

Keep training hard, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

 

PS – I have a sweet program I’m putting together right now, that I will have available for you very soon … it’s a collection of kettlebell and body weight based workouts and programs for the fitness boot camp format.  If you lead boot camps of your own, ever plan to, or do workouts like this yourself, I think you will really enjoy it. Keep an eye on your email inbox for the FVT newsetter to get first news of its release …

Super Bowl Kettlebell Workout (burn 1036 calories)

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According to Yahoo.com, Super Bowl Sunday marks the day that Americans chow the second-greatest amount of food – second only to Thanksgiving.

You could stay strong, and watch your friends and family eat all the foods you love, while you sit in the corner chewing on a stick of celery …

OR … you could do my Super Bowl Kettlebell Workout … and feel okay about enjoying some of the foods you love on the big day!!

Do the workout exactly as outlined, and (assuming an “average” body weight of 180 pounds), you’ll burn a total of 1036 kcals.

Let’s get it going –

 

The 1036 Calorie Super Bowl Kettlebell Workout

1 – Do a 15 minute dynamic warm up – joint mobility, self myofascial release, dynamic stretching – check out this article if you need more details (90 calories burned)

2 – Do 35 minutes of high-intensity kettlebell/body weight training – something like this, one of my all-time favs from the 10×10 Kettlebell Solution (336 calories burned):

*Warm up – Do five Turkish Get Ups on each side. Start easy – with no weight at all or a light weight – and work up to a heavier weight with each rep. Switch sides after each rep.

*Perform the first exercise in each pairing. Immediately move to the next exercise (or exercises) and complete the prescribed number of reps. Rest :30 and repeat each sequence a total of three times.

1a: 8 reverse lunges
1b: pull ups – one rep short of failure

2a: 6 kettlebell presses
2b: 20 body weight squats (explosive tempo)

3a: 25 kettlebell swings (your choice)
3b: 15 push ups

3 – Run 5k – 3.2 miles – at a medium (6 mph) pace (504 calories burned)

If you are not into running, you could also do about 35 minutes of medium-to-high intensity biking, swimming, rowing, etc.

4 – Finish with 15 minutes of yoga work – here is a great sequence for you to try (106 calories burned):

=> Yoga for Big Bastards

 

Carve out about 90 minutes tomorrow morning before the big game to do this workout, and you can feel a-okay about the extra kcals you consume later in the day 😉

May your favorite team win –

Forest

PS – Signed up for the FVT email newsletter yet? Get workouts like this one delivered straight to your email inbox. Just drop your best email into the box at the upper right of the page to get signed up now!

Sacramento, CA Kettlebell Workshop @ FVT

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, General, Kettlebell Workouts, Tips and Tricks, Videos3 Comments

I’m going to do a recap and “top 10 take-aways” list from last Saturday’s Sacramento Kettlebell Workshop here in just a sec … but first, have a quick look at this footage –

I got “challenged” to do one of my kettlebell combos with my biggest KB – and my wife caught it on film! Check it out:

 

Okay, enough of that 😉 –

Every time we hold a kettlebell workshop at the studio, it gets a little bit better … and I think Saturday’s event was no exception.

This time around, we had folks come in from over 100 miles away – which was a first! – we made it a two-session, optional full – day (five hour) event, which was also a first – and most importantly, I think it was the most fun I’ve ever had teaching one of these.  So thanks again to all who attended.

There were so many things that I ended up covering, that I wanted to share with those of you at home who couldn’t make it out –

So, I thought I would put together a quick list of the top 10 highlights of the day, based on initial feedback –

 

1 – Kettlebell footwear tips

One important point I covered was what kind of footwear to use when you’re training with kettlebells.

I covered this topic in depth in a post on this blog some time back; if you missed it, check it out again here:

=> 5 Reasons Why You Should Train Barefoot

 

2 – What size kettlebell to use

This is something I haven’t covered at previous workshops, but realized that it was an important thing a lot of beginner KB users are struggling with. Check out this video to for some tips:

=> What size kettlebell to use (video)

 

3 – History of the kettlebell

I added a fun little intro piece about the history of the kettlebell, and folks told me that they enjoyed it. Here is some info for you, from Wikipedia:

=> History of the kettlebell

 

4 – Simple warm up

A simple kettlebell warm up that you can use any time, to get ready for a great KB workout:

  • KB sumo deadlift – 8 reps
  • KB halo – 8 each way
  • ‘pumps’
  • repeat 2-3 times total

This warm up, by the way, is from Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel:

=> Get Enter the Kettlebell

 

5 – Box squat/vertical jump/towel swing progression

A couple of drills, that are great to help you learn the fundamentals of the kettlebell swing.

First is the box squat – practicing sitting back on to a box/bench/etc. – and learning how to move through the hips.

Then, you progress to the same movement, but jump out of the bottom – to simulate the explosiveness of a swing.

Finally, the towel swing is done with a towel inside the handle of the KB – this is a separate drill, but it teaches you to use your lower body, in the way that you learned to in the box squat progression – and then you can put everything together and improve your swing technique!

(This one came from Enter the Kettlebell as well.)

 

6 – Simple three step TGU progression

This is the Turkish Get Up, broken down into its simplest steps.

  • The pick up – roll to the side, pick the KB up off the floor
  • The 1/2 get up – the movement performed up to the hip bridge position
  • The full get up – the movement performed to the full standing position

Here is an article and video breaking down the full Turkish Get Up progression for you:

=> How to do the Turkish Get Up

 

7 – Pull up progression

I covered some tips to help you do more pull ups – which are an amazing complimentary move to your kettlebell training. You can find some great pull up tips in these two articles:

=> How to do more pull ups fast
=> “Controlled cheating” for more pull ups

 

8 – KB clean tip(s)

The technique tip on the kettlebell clean that I think helped everyone the most was to use less hip snap than you would in a swing.

See this tip broken down in more detail in this video:

=> Kettlebell clean tips

 

9 – Power breathing

We did a series of really cool power breathing drills, and a lot of folks ended up setting pressing PR’s.

See these covered in more detail in The Naked Warrior by Pavel:

=> The Naked Warrior by Pavel

 

10 – Swing => high pull => snatch progression

This progression seemed to help attendees get the feel for the snatch exercise the most.  It is broken down into detail in this post/video series:

=> Learn the KB snatch

 

All in all, it was an awesome day. I had a ton of fun teaching it, and want to say thanks again to everyone who made it out.

If you missed this workshop, I hope to see you at the next one! And, in the meantime, don’t forget – the next best thing is to grab one of my “flagship” programs, here:

=> The Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual
=> The 10×10 Kettlebell Solution

 

Thanks again for reading, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

How To Build Mental Toughness With Kettlebells

On By adminIn General, Tips and TricksLeave a comment

Twelve weeks ago, we put together a training group for a mud run event.

And now that official start time is 36 hours away, what’s done is done … we’ve done all we can when it comes to mental preparation, it’s time to GO!

I have been reflecting a little today about the last twelve weeks of training … we put together an awesome group of folks for the event …  I’ve learned a LOT as a trainer during this time.

One specific take-away I wanted to share with you and that I think can help you a lot with your kettlebell training is …

 

Mental toughness is a learned skill

I had folks from varried backgrounds and training experience levels sign up for this program.  So here’s what I discovered:

Let’s try and flash you back to the first time you ever worked out. Maybe it was 20 years ago. Maybe it was this month. Either way, you have a “starting point” when it comes to your training. You didn’t start with a hard mind at 3 years old.

I still remember the first time I lifted weights HARD. I was 15 and it was in a football weight training class.  I didn’t even make it 30 minutes without running to the side of the building to have a puke.  Which I wasn’t super excited about at the time.  BUT – it made me realize I could push myself to a new level.

Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve been subjected to a LOT of hard workouts.  And each time I push myself a **little** harder, it takes me to a new level.

This is why I think folks that are just getting started have a hard time really pushing themselves to exhaustion. They really don’t even know what it’s like. It’s not even in their realm of thinking.

And this is also why I think people that were athletic, that maybe have trained hard in the past, many times get injured, throw up, etc. when they first get back into it. Because their MIND knows how to push hard, but their body’s forgot 🙂

How To Build Mental Toughness With Kettlebells

So – the moral of the story is that you need to be striving to push yourself a little bit harder – than you ever have before – on a somewhat frequent basis. Now, let me be clear – you CAN”T train like this every day, or even every week. But you should be training hard every once in a while to really test your limit and get to a new mental toughness set point!

Train hard, and talk soon –

Forest

PS – If you liked this article, check out this other recent one I did on my toughest leg workout ever:

=== >> Story of the Hardest Leg Workout Ever

PPS – I also have a special deal on one of my programs that’s PERFECT for learning how to push yourself to the limit. More details on that one coming very soon.

Forest Vance, RKC II

Kettlebell Challenge Workouts Contest Winners + Special Offer (3 days only)

On By adminIn GeneralLeave a comment

Huge thanks to everyone who entered the Kettlebell Challenge Workouts give-away contest … I was seriously shocked by the response.  As I write this, we have a total of 99 comments on the entry post!

My assistant wanted me to pass along that she had a really tough time picking the winners.  And I totally agree – there were SO many amazing entries, and I want you to know that I appreciate each and every one of you who entered the contest.

We ended up choosing Alia & Jeff … so keep an eye out, I’ll be sending you both info on how to grab your free copies of the full program shortly.

Now, if you didn’t win, no worries … the Kettlebell Challenge Workouts program is now officially available, and we’re having a special promotion to kick things off.  You can grab the full program for over 50% off for the next 72 hours or so.

Head over, get all the details and grab your copy now by clicking the link below:

=> Kettlebell Challenge Workouts special offer

Thanks and have a great weekend –

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II