I recently had a new client come in, and this is extremely common.

They had clear strength goals.
They were training consistently.
Kettlebell work was dialed in.

On paper, everything looked good.

But something was stalling them out.

Their hips were tight. Especially the hip flexor complex. Which meant the glutes weren’t firing well. And once that happens, everything downstream suffers.

Swings feel off.
Snatches feel awkward.
Athletic movements feel limited.

So before we touched a kettlebell, we spent 5–7 minutes at the start of every session opening up the hips.

Nothing crazy. Nothing aggressive.

Just a short, repeatable sequence — very similar to what I’ll be teaching in my upcoming 90-minute Hip Mobility Workshop.

I want to give you a simple version of that sequence right now so you can try it yourself.

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5–7 Minute Hip Reset (do this daily or before training)

1. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch (Couch Stretch setup)
:60–90 seconds per side

• Back knee down, front foot forward
• Light glute squeeze on the back leg
• Tall torso, slow nasal breathing

2. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor + Overhead Reach
:30–45 seconds per side

• Same position
• Reach the arm of the back leg overhead
• Gentle side bend away from the kneeling knee

3. 90/90 Hip Switches
:45–60 seconds total

• Sit on the floor in a 90/90 position
• Slowly rotate side to side
• Use hands for support if needed

4. Bridge Hold with Slow Breathing
:45–60 seconds

• Feet flat, squeeze glutes, lift hips
• Slow breaths
• Feel the hips fully extend

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Try this before your next kettlebell workout, or first thing in the morning if your hips feel stiff from sitting.

Most people notice an immediate difference.

Now — if this hits home for you, I’m teaching a full 90-minute Hip Mobility Workshop where we go much deeper into this exact process.

This is a live workshop I’m doing as a guest session for my friends at FleX16 (my former gym in Sacramento). You can attend in person if you’re local, or live on Zoom, and you’ll also get the replay.

When you sign up, you also get my 8-Minute Hip Fix (28-day daily routine) included as a bonus.

Today is the lowest price I’m offering as part of the 12 Days of Christmas.

If you want the full plan, the full progression, and live coaching through it:

-> Sign up for the Hip Mobility Workshop here

This is a one-day offer. When today ends, it comes down and the next deal goes live.

Give the sequence a try — and if you want the complete system, I’ll see you in the workshop.

— Forest

One of my favorite programs in the new Mission Ready Conditioning System is called Fire Breather.

The idea behind Fire Breather was simple — a conditioning plan you could run alongside your kettlebell or strength workouts to torch extra calories, boost cardio capacity, and even drop body fat without having to overhaul your diet.

I originally built it while training for ultra-distance Spartan races.
The more I followed this structure, the more I noticed something wild: I was trimming down and getting into the best shape of my life without counting calories or cutting carbs.

Fire Breather became my go-to way to maintain peak conditioning, mental toughness, and work capacity year-round.

Now — heads-up — this one’s not a casual “10-minute home workout.”
It’s real work. You’re layering meaningful cardio and conditioning on top of your strength training.
But if you’re up for it, it’s powerful stuff.

Here’s a quick look at what a Fire Breather week looks like (you’ll burn up to 900 calories in some of these!):

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DDay 1 – Hills (HIIT Day)

• 12 × 60-second uphill sprints with 2-minute walks between
• Duration: ~36 minutes total (including rest)
• Intensity: Very high (90–100% effort intervals)
  — Est. Calorie Burn: 450–700 kcal
  (closer to 700+ for larger athletes or full sprints on steep inclines)

Day 2 – “Roadwork 2.0” (70-Minute Aerobic + Calisthenics)

• Duration: 70 minutes
• Intensity: moderate steady-state + 5× short bodyweight bursts
  — Est. Calorie Burn: 600–900 kcal
  (most users in your 40+ demographic average 700–800 kcal if maintaining 130–150 bpm)

Day 3 – Bodyweight Circuit (HIIT Day 2)

• Duration: ~35 minutes (5×5-min rounds)
• Intensity: high, full-body movements with short rests
  — Est. Calorie Burn: 400–600 kcal
  (leaner / smaller athletes ~400; larger or more conditioned ~600+)

Day 4 – Recovery Cardio (50-Minute Aerobic)

• Duration: 50 minutes
• Intensity: conversational pace, 60–70% HRmax
  — Est. Calorie Burn: 300–450 kcal

Total Weekly Burn Potential

If someone completes all 4 workouts:
≈ 1,800–2,600+ calories per week
—and that’s purely from the Fire Breather sessions, not counting regular kettlebell or strength training.

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That’s one week — and it works.

If you like the look of this, you’ll love the full Mission Ready Conditioning System, which includes Fire Breather plus 11 other minimalist, bodyweight, and single-kettlebell training programs you can do anywhere.

Check it out here 👇

Access to “Mission Ready Conditioning” System

The Hook:
Build Field-Ready Strength, Endurance & Resilience — Using Primarily Bodyweight Training (and One Optional Kettlebell)
A Complete No-Gym System for Men & Women 40+ Who Want to Stay Lean, Strong & Capable — Anytime, Anywhere

Author:
Forest Vance, MS Human Movement | CPT | RYT-200

What You Get:
– Road Warrior Workout – 4-week, travel-tested total-body plan
– Zero Equipment Fat-Loss Plan – 4-week no-gear shred system
– Firebreather Conditioning System – 5-week hybrid HIIT + cardio plan
– Mission 100 Push-Ups – build to 100 consecutive push-ups
– 5 Pistol Squats Report – progressions for true single-leg strength
– 5 One-Arm Push-Ups Report – upper-body power and control
– 5-Minute Abs – old-school bodybuilding-style core training
– Kettlebell + Bodyweight Beatdown – hybrid conditioning classic
– Kettlebell + Bodyweight Power Circuit Workout – explosive full-body power
– Kettlebell Challenge Workouts – 12 legendary short challenge sessions
– Total Body Abdominal Annihilation – hybrid strength + conditioning finishers
– Functional Flexibility Secrets – OG recovery and mobility system

Access to “Mission Ready Conditioning” System:

→ Mission Ready Conditioning System

– Forest Vance
MS Human Movement | CPT | RYT-200
Former Pro Football Player | Founder, FVT Warrior Wellness

I stepped outside yesterday morning, and had to put on a jacket for the first time!

And I look forward to this time of year.

There’s something about the cold air and quiet mornings — the constant movement, the trips, the tournaments, the chaos … all of it quiets.

And that’s when:

You lock in.
You disappear for a while.
You rebuild.

No one sees the work — and that’s the point.

The “winter arc” is about discipline for its own sake — and emerging in spring a different animal than you were when the leaves started falling.

And if you want to start your own winter arc, here’s a 20-minute bodyweight-only workout you can do anywhere — no gym, no gear, no excuses:

Get as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:

— 50 Seal Jacks
— 8 Bodyweight Renegade Rows (per side)
— 15 Total Body Extensions
— 12 Plank Jacks
— 10 Alternating Reverse Lunges (per side)
— 8 Burpees

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If you like this kind of short, minimalist training that gets real results, I’ve got something brand new for you.

It’s called the Mission Ready Conditioning System — a complete set of bodyweight and minimalist workouts designed to keep you strong, lean, and capable through the winter arc and beyond.

Inside are programs like:

– The Road Warrior Workout (for tight spaces and schedules)
– Zero Equipment Fat-Loss Plan
– Firebreather Conditioning (hybrid HIIT, hills, and circuits)
– Mission 100 Push-Ups (from zero to triple digits)
– Kettlebell + Bodyweight Beatdown (optional single-bell training)
– Functional Flexibility Secrets (mobility and recovery)

Right now it’s in fire-sale launch mode — starting at $30 and going up $1 for every 10 people who join.

If you want to jump in early and lock your rate, you can check it out here:
–>> Get the Mission Ready Conditioning System here

— Forest

If your hips are tight, locked up, or just off, everything else pays the price.

That’s because most back pain, stiff knees, and nagging injuries don’t actually start where they hurt… they start with hips that aren’t moving the way they’re supposed to.

Your hips are the power center of your body. When they lose mobility, everything else starts compensating.

That’s why I created the 8-Minute Hip Fix — a 28-day program designed for people 40+ to unlock hip mobility quickly.

You’ll get short, follow-along routines that relieve pain, build strength, and boost performance in just 8–10 minutes daily.

Check it out here -> Daily 8 Minute Hip Fix

5-Minute Hip Reset Flow
Try this quick routine before your next workout to loosen your hips and activate the right muscles:

• Glute Bridges – 10–12 reps, hold/squeeze at the top
• Bird Dogs – 6–8 reps per side, slow and controlled
• Cossack Squats – 4–5 per side, keep chest tall
• Hip Airplanes – 3–4 per side (hold wall for support if needed)
• Banded Good Mornings – 15 reps, hinge + glute drive

Just 5 minutes can reset your hips for stronger, safer training.

Get the full 28-day program here -> 8-Minute Hip Fix

– Forest
MS Human Movement | CPT | RYT-200
ForestVanceTraining.com | KettlebellBasics.net

Next year, I’ll need to recertify my kettlebell certification, which, for me, means hitting 100 snatches with a 63 lb bell in 5 minutes.

Obviously, the #1 thing I need to do is… work on KB snatches. But I also know that if I want to stay healthy, recover faster, and keep training consistently, I have to focus on mobility and prep.

That’s where my Regenerate 2.0 program comes in — and it’s on flash sale this weekend. Honestly, I use this program as much as any other I’ve ever created. The short 3–6 minute routines make a huge difference.

Here’s one example warm-up I’ve been using before kettlebell sessions (not just snatches — it works for any KB workout):

5-Minute Kettlebell Warm-Up

1. Cat-Cow with Breath – 30 sec
2. Hip Flexor Rock-Backs – 5 reps per side
3. Shoulder Openers (Thread the Needle) – 5 reps per side
4. Glute Bridge with Reach – 8 reps
5. KB Halos (light bell) – 5 each direction
6. Overhead KB Hold (light bell) – 15 sec per arm

Takes about 5 minutes. Gets you moving, primed, and ready to go.

The truth is, if I only did this once in a while, it wouldn’t do much. The magic is in daily mobility and flexibility practice — 3 to 6 minutes a day, consistently. That’s why Regenerate 2.0 has been one of my best-selling programs ever (and why I just brought it back for a weekend-only sale).

-> Click here to grab Regenerate 2.0 while the flash sale is live

Stay strong, stay mobile,
Forest Vance
M.S., Human Movement
Certified Kettlebell Instructor

Back around 2015, I took something called the Progressive Calisthenics Certification.

To pass, you had to complete The Century Test: 100 total reps across four fundamental calisthenic moves — in 8 minutes or less.

Here’s the men’s version:

• 40 squats (full depth)
• 30 push-ups (strict form)
• 20 hanging knee raises
• 10 full pull-ups or chin-ups

The women’s version:

• 40 squats
• 30 kneeling push-ups
• 20 hanging knee raises
• 10 inverted rows

Rules: you had to do them in this exact order, each exercise in one unbroken set. You could rest between moves, but not mid-set. Form had to be clean — no half-reps, no kipping, no cheating.

Even just reading through that list, you probably started asking yourself: Could I do it?

That’s why it’s such a powerful benchmark — simple to understand, tough to execute, and a great standard to train for.

For me — I’m a big dude, not naturally great at bodyweight stuff — it took some serious prep to nail all the standards. But I did it. And I still think it’s a great benchmark almost anyone can work up to.

If you want a structured plan to get there, that’s exactly what my Project Bodyweight³ program is built around.

It’s based on the same principles I learned through the PCC, Convict Conditioning, my yoga teacher training, and 20+ years in fitness.

It’ll help you shred fat, gain lean muscle, and build the strength + mobility to crush challenges like this.

→ Check out Project Bodyweight³ here (back by popular demand)

– Forest

Back in high school, I stumbled across how Herschel Walker got so shredded — and it wasn’t gym time.

He used only bodyweight stuff: push-ups, sit-ups… and some uphill sprint repeats on a dirt road. No fancy gear, just grit and consistency.

Here’s the twist — as he got stronger, he dialed it way up:

• Hundreds (or more) of push-ups and sit-ups per day
• Mixes like one-arm push-ups, diamond variations, dips, pull-ups, and pistol squats
• Sprinting hills, martial arts, dancing, even farm chores — basically, anything to move

What you can steal from this:

• Start simple, like he did: push-ups, sit-ups, sprints.
• Keep adding volume or variation to challenge yourself.
• Mix it up — variety builds real athleticism.
• And stay consistent — even when nobody’s watching — that’s where results come from.

That mindset formed the root of Project Bodyweight³. It’s how I took 17 lbs of fat off, gained lean muscle, and stayed athletic — without stepping foot in a gym.

Want to see how to structure it into a full 6-week plan?

→ Check it out here

– Forest

PS – Herschel-Inspired Bodyweight³ Workout (try this today):

1. 8-min AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)

• 5 burpees
• 5 pull-ups (or 15 inverted rows)
• :20 handstand hold on the wall (or floor pike holds)

2. 8-min Ladder
Start with 4 reps each → then 6 → then 8… keep climbing:

• Walking prisoner lunges (each side)
• Close grip push-ups

3. Sprint Intervals (x5)

Rest = whatever time’s left after your run
(Ex: Run in 45s → rest 45s. Run in 60s → rest 30s.)

Run ~200 yards

Start a new set every 90 seconds

The special pricing for my Zero-to-20 Pull Up Plan ended last night, but I wanted to share something valuable with you regardless.

Here’s a simple test: Can you hang from a pull-up bar for 30 seconds with good form?

If not, you’re not ready for full pull-ups yet. And that’s totally fine!

Try this instead:

Week 1-2: Focus on dead hangs. Work up to 30 seconds.

Week 3-4: Add slow negatives (jump up, lower down slowly over 5-8 seconds)

Week 5-6: Try assisted pull-ups (small jump to help)

This foundation work isn’t “cheating” – it’s smart training that prevents injury and builds real strength.

Most people skip this and wonder why they never progress. Don’t be most people.

By the way, my “Operation Pull Up” Zero-to-20 Pull Up Plan is still available if you want the complete system with all 6 tracks, video demonstrations, and exact progressions.

-> Get Operation Pull Up

Your strongest days are ahead of you!

-Forest Vance – creator, Operation Pull Up

P.S. Remember, 30-day guarantee. If this doesn’t dramatically improve your pull-up strength, full refund.