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I just finished off a short flexibility session this morning to start my day.

This is something that I do almost every morning. I started the routine seven or eight years ago, and it has made a TREMENDOUS difference in improving recovery, mobility, conditioning, and overall athleticsim.

If you are looking for similar benefits, and you aren’t currently doing a routine like this, I suggest you work something like this into your training as well!

Here is the short series from today, if you want to give it a try… I held each of these poses for about 45 seconds each:

• Low lunge
• Wide leg stretch / straddle
• Lying spinal twist
• Couch stretch
• Standing legs-apart stretch
• Seated spinal twist

I also highly recommend a new, more comprehensive program from my fried Logan Christopher, called “7 Minute Flexibility“.

A few words from Logan on his new program:

“Like most of fitness, there are a bunch of myths and inefficient ideas surrounding that of stretching and flexibility.

In short:

Static stretching is over-rated.

…and…

Other forms of flexibility training are under-rated.

Stretching your muscles might make them feel good, but is it really the goal you’re after?

If you want to actually get more flexible it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of all the following:

Static Stretching
Isometric Stretching
Dynamic Stretching

Learn more here.

You’ll also find out how you can become much more flexible in just seven minutes!”

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To sum up, there are some tremendous benefits to be had from incorporating a regular stretching routine into your training, if you’re not already.

You can use the short sequence I shared with you today, or for a more comprehensive solution, check out 7 minute Flexibility from my friend Logan Christopher:

=>> 7 Minute Flexibility

To your continued success

-Forest Vance
Corrective Exercise Specialist
KettlebellBasics.net

One thing I LOVE to incorporate at the end of our outdoor boot camp workouts these days is sprints in one form or another.

Now when I say “sprinting”, this can mean different things for different people… and we give each person at a workout regressions or progressions depending on their current fitness level, goals, etc…

…but for example, last week we did:

• For six minutes, on the minute, do one “1/2 gassers” (run width of football field and back)
• In the “remaining amount of time” left in that minute (ex – it takes you 25 seconds to run your 1/2 gasser, you have 35 seconds left) alternate KB halos (first / third / fifth rounds) and KB slingshots (second / fourth / sixth rounds)

See, running is an athletic activity I believe a healthy, athletic man or woman should be able to do.

Now I’m not saying you have to go out and sign up for a marathon. Or even a 5k. But running, even a short distance, is part of normal athletic movement.

And sprinting can be a GREAT, and in a lot of cases superior, to just going out for a jog.

1 – Sprinting is WAY more time efficient – we’re talking workouts like the one above that literally only take a few minutes
2 – For guys, there is actually a lot of research behind sprinting boosting test levels – check out this page for more info
3 – I always tell people to find athletes you want to look like, and train like them. Elite endurance runners tend to be skinny, without a lot of muscle. Sprinters tend to be muscular and jacked. Enough said 🙂

As far as a full sprinting program, I recommend Anabolic Running 2.0:

=>> Anabolic Running 2.0

It’s a complete program adjustable for various fitness levels, that can be added right on to your current routine.

And here’s to taking your fitness to the next level!\

-Forest Vance
Certified Personal Trainer
KettlebellBasics.net

If you are a person that does any kind of HIIT-type workouts..

If you are a runner..

If you lift weights regularly..

Or even if you just want an easy way to get moving and start doing these things in the near future..

And ESPECIALLY if you are age 35 or older…

Regular mobility, flexibility and core work is probably one of the most overlooked parts of a training program.

And the cool thing is, in my REGENERATE program (FREE when you sign up for this month’s “500” 28-day KB Challenge), we put all of these elements together into short, simple sequences so that you can:

• Improve recovery 
• Improve conditioning
• Increase mobility
• Improve overall athleticism
• Prevent injury

And much more.

Here is a simple one of these sequences to get you started. Do/hold each pose/stretch for about 60 seconds:

• Cat / Cow
• Lying hamstring stretch
• ‘Modified’ cobra
• Quadruped rocks
• Downward dog
• Cobra

And if you liked this sequence, you have one last chance to get my REGENERATE program for free when you sign up for the 28-day “500” KB Challenge here =>> https://bit.ly/500kb20social

Here’s faster recovery, better movement, and less injury! –

-Forest Vance, Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, KettlebellBasics.net

In part 1 of this Kettlebell “Versus” Series, I posed this question:

Who would you rather look and/or perform like – Jason Statham, or the Rock?

And we talked about how, if you want “functional fitness” and lean muscle, you’d want to model your training after someone like Statham.

Today, we’re going to talk about talk how if you want to get straight up JACKED… if you want brute strength and raw power and an intimidating presence to go with it… how you can train like the Rock.

For maximum muscle size, there are a few specific things you want to focus on:

1 – Up the Volume

Training VOLUME – total number of reps x total number of sets – is a BIG factor if you want to gain size.

Short, 20-30 minute workouts WILL help you get lean and functional and fit – but they will NOT help you gain max muscle.

Looking at one sample Rock training session, he splits up his bodyparts, and focuses on training one or two each day. Here is a sample leg workout I found (you’d also want to have separate days for back, chest, shoulders, arms, etc):

Run on Treadmill – 30-50 minutes
Eat Breakfast
Barbell Walking Lunge – 4 sets, 25 reps
Leg Press – 4 sets, 25 reps
Leg Extensions – 3 sets, 20 reps
Barbell Squat – 4 sets, 12 reps
Hack Squat – 4 sets, 12 reps
Single Leg Hack Squat – 4 sets, 12 reps
Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets, 10 reps
Seated Leg Curl – 3 sets, 20 reps
Thigh Abductor – 4 sets, 12 reps

2 – Moderate Rep Range

If you’re going for all-out SIZE, you want to stick in what we’d call a “moderate” rep range – 8-12 – most of the time. Substantial evidence argues that this is the best way to build muscle mass. It increases hormone response, spares protein, and provides the necessary time under tension to spark muscle damage. You’re actually going to stay AWAY from low rep / very heavy (5 reps or less), most of the time. Counter-intuitive, I know, but true. Training for strength and training for mass are actually two different things.

3 – Keep Rest Periods Short

When the training goal is muscular hypertrophy, the combination of moderate-intensity sets with short rest intervals of 30-60 seconds might be most effective due to greater acute levels of growth hormone during such workouts.

Again – this is NOT the approach you take when training for maximal strength… but it works for building mass.

See this research paper for more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19691365

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So there you have a few keys to training for maximum strength and size!

Is this a realistic routine for most?

Not really 🙂

The time and energy and available equipment etc etc this takes can be tough, especially if you’re managing other priorities in your life.

And we didn’t even get into the nutrition side, but that is also a HUGE factor too.

The great news is, if your goals are more along the lines of “functional fitness” and lean muscle, you absolutely CAN reach your goals in just a few 20-30 minute kettlebell-based workouts per week.

Like we do in our upcoming 500 KB Challenge.

Details on that here:

=>> 500 KB Challenge

Hope this “kettlebell versus” serious was both informative, and entertaining 🙂

If you have ideas for more athlete or celebrity training styles you’d like me to break down, let me know!

And whatever your goals, here’s to your continued success –

-Forest Vance
Kettlebell Expert
KettlebellBasics.net

28-Day “500” Kettlebell Challenge 2.0 for Men and Women Over 40

Starts Monday, Sept 28th – sign up now:

=>> http://bit.ly/500kb20

If you:

• Are looking for a challenging training program, but one that is designed with specific considerations for your age group in mind
• Are wanting to get into a regular training routine, but lack the motivation and accountability to do so from home
• Are over the age of 40

Check this out!

But hurry, we start Monday, Sept 28th:

=>> http://bit.ly/500kb20

-Forest Vance, Certified Kettlebell Instructor, KettlebellBasics.net