Category: Tips and Tricks

Kettlebell + Body Weight Strength Workout

On By adminIn Kettlebell Workouts, Tips and Tricks, Videos2 Comments

It’s so easy to get sucked into the ‘alure’ of the metabolic conditioning workout …

And don’t get me wrong … the high-rep, low-rest, kettlebell and body weight circuit – style workouts I typically post on this blog are awesome.  These sessions hit every muscle in your body and work your a@@ off!  But it’s very important to remember that you have to do some strength work as well.

Having this strength foundation is so important … a simple, non-scientific way to look at it is this:  If you’re doing a workout that calls for, say, 10 pull ups and 5 presses with a 53# kb, if you lack the basic strength level to complete these moves, you’re sunk.  The workout is going to be really hard.  On the other hand, if you max out at 10 pull ups with a 53# ‘bell hanging from your waist and you can press the 106# kb with ease, this workout is going to be a heck of a lot easier.  So strength work will vastly improve your performance in your conditioning workouts.

Now, one of the big obstacles with this type of training can be lack of equipment – if you’re working out at home or don’t have access to traditional strength implements like barbells and dumbbells, building a sound strength based workout can be tricky.  So I wrote the workout in the video below with this exact predicament in mind …

You could approach this workout as either 1) mixing it in with what you’re currently doing (maybe alternating conditioning and strength workouts) or you could devote a specific period of time  – say four to six weeks – to exclusively working on building strength.  Watch the video for a walk-thru of the workout:

Workout Recap

  • Start with 3 ‘low intensity’ Turkish get ups on each side
  • Your first exercise pairing is pull ups and split squats. Stop two reps short of failure on the pull ups, and do six reps each leg of the split squat. Take as much rest as you need to hit it hard and use maximal weight – probably 2 or 3 minutes between sets.
  • The second pairing is the kb clean and press (6 reps per side) and a ‘negative’ sit up (6 reps) – do these in the same fashion as the pair discussed above.
  • Finish the workout with about 50 swings.

This is a basic strength workout you can do with a single kettlebell and your own body weight … if you’re not doing at least some strength work like this, you’re missing out.

Thanks for reading and talk soon –

Forest Vance

P.S. If you’re looking for more specifics about workout programming … if you’d like more detailed explanation of any of the exercises above … or if you just want a no-brainer, done-for-you program you can follow and start on right away, check out the great sale I’m running on all my best-selling fitness programs this weekend – it’ll give you tons of new workout ideas and help you reach your goals.  Click the link below for more info:

http://ultimatefitnessresourcetoolkit.com/

The Turkish Get Up (broken down into steps)

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, Tips and Tricks, Videos7 Comments

The Turkish getup, along with the kettlebell swing, forms the foundation of HardStyle kettlebell training. It is, however, a tricky exercise to master –

Here is a video (this is a clip from my premium kettlebell workouts mega-bundle package, by the way) that breaks the Turkish Get Up down into easier-to-digest steps – check it out:

Video Recap

1. Start the move lying on your side with the kettlebell at your shoulder. Pull the ‘bell into your frame, roll to your back, and punch the KB up towards the ceiling.

2. If you are on your right side, your right heel will be tucked up to your right glute. Your left leg will go out slightly at an angle along with your left arm.

3. Now, drive through the right heel and punch up towards the ceiling. Straighten out the bottom arm so you are supporting your weight with your bottom arm completely outstretched.

4. Drive the hips towards the ceiling, come up to a bridge position, and bring the foot through the hips. Shoot to get the knee that’s coming thru to land right by the hand that’s on the ground.

5. Come up to your lunge position and get set. Brace the abs, make sure the bicep is directly by the ear and the shoulder supporting weight of kettlebell is tight and stabilized. Stand up!

I hope this video helps you refine your technique in the tricky-to-master kettlebell Turkish Get Up exercise. Talk to you soon –

Forest

P.S. To learn more about the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Mega Bundle I mentioned earlier in the article, click here

P.P.S. If you’d like to get kettlebell training tips and tricks like this one delivered to your email inbox every week – AND get a free copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training – please sign up for my email newsletter by dropping your name and best email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page!

Cool Kettlebell Juggling Videos

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Today’s post is a bit of a change of pace – I typically cover the basics of kettlebell training on this blog and focus mostly on the mastery and variations of the ‘big 5’ kettlebell exercises (the swing, turkish get up, goblet squat, clean and press, and snatch).

There’s no denying that folks are doing all kinds of crazy stuff with kettlebells outside of these fundamental drills (some good, some bad – but that’s a discussion for another day 🙂 ).  And once you’ve learned and mastered the basics, incorporating some advanced drills like the ones covered in these videos can help ‘kick start’ you out of a training plateau and keep your workouts interesting.  I hope you enjoy these videos I’ve hand-picked from YouTube that showcase some unique kettlebell training methods:

Kettlebell Lifting Team Footage

Think anything you can do with a kettlebell you can do with a dumbbell? This video will make you think again:

Kettlebell Juggling – Jeff Martone

Jeff Martone is an awesome kettlebell instructor – he’s a former RKC guy who is now involved with CrossFit. In this video, he shows some of the kettlebell juggling stuff he’s gained notoriety for:

Beginner Kettlebell Juggling Moves

In this video from Australian Kettlebells, some basics of kettlebell juggling are covered – good starting point if you’re looking to incorporate some beginner kettlebell juggling exercises into your workouts:

I hope you enjoyed these kettlebell juggling videos and that they give you some ideas to take your KB workouts to the next level. Keep training hard and talk to you soon!

Forest Vance, RKC

P.S. If you haven’t signed up for my email list, please make sure to do so now – you’ll get a free copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training as a free gift when you enroll! Just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page.

26 Free Kettlebell Workouts

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kettlebell routines
The best kettlebell routines from KettlebellBasics.net

This post:

Kettlebell Routines

Has been the most popular post of all time on KettlebellBasics.net.

It lists out every one of the kettlebell workouts I’ve posted since I started this site about a year and a half ago … and given that it continues to get over one thousand views every month, I try to go back and update it as often as I can.

I just got finished adding a bunch of new routines to the list, and it’s now up to 26! So click the link below to head over and check it out for some new kettlebell training ideas:

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/05/25/kettlebell-routines/

Keep lifting hard and talk to you soon!

Forest Vance, RKC

P.S. Make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter if you haven’t yet … you’ll get new kettlebell workouts just like these delivered straight to your email inbox every week, PLUS a free copy of my ‘Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training’ just for signing up! Drop your name and best email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page to do so now.

Mastering The Kettlebell Snatch (part 3)

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

The kettlebell snatch is great exercise, but learning good technique can be tricky.  Today’s post is the last in a three-part series on Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch.

In part one of the series, we talked about the lockout phase of the movement. In part two, we covered the downswing.  Now, in today’s final installment, we’ll cover the upswing.

Here’s a video that covers part three in detail – watch it first:

Video Recap

We’ve now progressed to performing a full kettlebell snatch. We’ll start with the ‘bell about one foot in front of us (the same set up as a swing).

To start the move, hike pass the weight back – again, the same ‘start’ as the swing. But, instead of swinging the weight in front of you and up to shoulder height, we’re going to go straight overhead with the move into a snatch.

Remember:

The arc of snatch is much closer to the body than the swing.

And so to drill this idea down, we’ll perform the following progression:

  • Three one-hand swings.
  • Three high pulls – try to make the ‘bell ‘float’ at the top by pulling the elbow back and snapping the hips simultaneously.
  • Three snatches. The snatch will simply be an extension of the high pull. The weight floats at the top during the high pull, and then we get our hand around the ‘bell to finish the snatch.

Again, perfecting your form on the kettlebell snatch takes work.  If you’re having trouble learning the movement or if you’re just looking to refine your form, go through the three step learning progression I’ve outlined in this article and video series. Good luck and keep training hard!

Forest Vance, Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor

P.S. Signed up for my weekly newsletter yet? You’ll get my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training when you do so, along with tips and tricks just like these delivered straight to your e-mail inbox each and every week. Just drop your best e-mail and name into the box at the upper right of the page to sign now!

Mastering The Kettlebell Snatch (part 2)

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

Back today with part two of my ‘Mastering The Kettlebell Snatch’ video series –

First, watch the video:

Video Recap

If you remember, part one of mastering the snatch is the lockout (by the way, be sure to read part one of this post series and watch the video if you haven’t yet – you can do that by clicking here).

Part two of mastering the kettlebell snatch is the downswing.  Here are your coaching points:

  • To start the downswing phase of the snatch, from your overhead lockout position, think about closing the distance from the elbow to the rib cage as fast as possible to bring the kettlebell down.
  • The arc of the snatch is much closer to the body than the arc of the swing.
  • Another good coaching point for this part of the snatch is to think about throwing the kettlebell through the stomach.
  • If you were to take a snapshot of the kettlebell at the bottom position, it would look identical a one arm swing (another reason why it’s so important that you master the HardStyle swing before moving on to more advanced drills like the snatch).

Work on perfecting your snatch downswing, and I’ll catch you next time when we cover the third and final component to mastering the Snatch: The upswing!

Forest

P.S. The kettlebell snatch is a key exercise in a ‘premium’ package of smokin’ kettlebell combos (workout manual and video kettlebell training program) I have coming for you in just a couple of days … if you’re interested, keep an eye on your email inbox for details! I’ll be sending out a message as soon as it’s available.

Mastering The Kettlebell Snatch (part 1)

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, Tips and Tricks, Videos11 Comments

The kettlebell snatch is a highly technical move.  But taking the time to master it is well worth it – you’ll have a great exercise under your belt for power generation, world-class conditioning, and a whole lot more.

Over the next few blog posts, I’m going to teach you the three most important elements you need to learn to master the kettlebell snatch. In part one (this post), we’re going to cover the lockout.

First, watch this short video – it covers this first ‘phase’ of the learning process and some tips on how to practice:

Video Recap

You’ll start with a kettlebell between the feet in a sumo deadlift position. Cheat curl the ‘bell up to your shoulder and press it up over your head. All we’re trying to do is get comfortable with our overhead lockout position.

The bicep should be right by the ear. A common mistake is to hold the ‘bell slightly in front of the body. If you lack proper shoulder mobility, this is likely going to be a problem for you (all the more reason to practice your Turkish getups).

A great drill to practice and get comfortable in this lockout position is an overhead walk. To perform this drill, you would simply get the KB pressed over your head and walk around the room with it. If your elbow is bent, or the kettlebell is out in front of you too far, this is nearly impossible – and that this drill is very self-correcting is part of the beauty of it.

Developing a great lockout is critical to mastering the kettlebell snatch; with tips covered this article and video, you’ll have it down in no time. Practice what we talked about today, and I’ll see you next time for part two in mastering the kettlebell snatch series!

P.S. Don’t forget – if you want a complete guide to mastering the basics of kettlebell training – including the snatch – check out the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide by clicking here

P.S. Signed up for my weekly newsletter yet? You’ll get kettlebell training tips and tricks like the ones covered in this article and video delivered straight to your e-mail inbox every week – plus, I have a special kettlebell training video and beginners guide FREE for new subscribers! Just drop your name and best e-mail into the box at the upper right of the page to sign up now!

How To Purchase Kettlebells (5 steps)

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Thinking about purchasing your first kettlebell(s)? Looking to add some new weights to your arsenal?

Here’s how to purchase kettlebells in five easy steps:

Step one – preliminary research

There’s all kinds of freely available information about kettlebells on the internet – and this blog, of course, is a great place to start 🙂

If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to simply learn all you can about the basics of kettlebell training to make sure it’s right for you. Check out this recent blog post for a great overview:

Kettlebell Blog Overview – The Best Of KettlebellBasics.net

Step two – try before you buy

Most folks I see for kettlebell training sessions are just getting started with them – and it’s certainly a good idea to get some in-person instruction to make sure you learn the basics right the first time around.

If you’re in a relatively big city, there’s likely an RKC certified instructor near you – to search for one in your area, click here

Step three – determine the weight of kettlebells you’ll need

Depending on your starting fitness level, your experience with kettlebell training, and a host of other factors, you’ll need to determine what size kettlebell you’ll need.

I actually have an entire post about this here, so I’ll direct you to that if you need more info:

I’m Going To Purchase Some Kettlebells; What Size Do I Need?

Step four – shop around

Your two basic options when you’re looking to purchase kettlbells are 1) buying locally or 2) ordering online.

Search around sporting goods stores in your area if you’re looking to buy locally. The advantages here are that you can see the kettlebells before you buy them, you potentially save on shipping costs, and you don’t have to wait – you could run out and buy your kettlebells today.

You might even try looking on places like craigslist or local classified publications – after all, used kettlebells are often times just as good as new ones.

Ordering online, you’ll likely be able to get a better deal on the ‘bells themselves. You’ll also have more selection, as there are dozens of kettlebell brands you can order on the Internet.

My personal preference, of course, is Dragon Door kettlebells. Of the half dozen or so brands of kettlebells I’ve trained with, these are hands down the best. They are the best balanced, have the smoothest grips, and just are all-around well-built. A good testament to how much I like them is the fact that I’ve outfitted my training studio with Dragon Door ‘bells almost exclusively.

Step five – pickup any extras

Proper instruction is what will make your kettlebell training a success or failure. So at the very minimum, make sure you get some quality instructional materials (click here for more details on kettlebell training resources).

Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel is another great resource to get you pointed in the right direction when you’re first starting out, as is the recommended resources section of this blog.

If you’re looking to purchase kettlebells, a bit of planning will go a long way in helping you select the right sizes, get the highest quality, and get the most out of the training you’re planning on doing with them. Good luck!

Forest

P.S. Have you signed up for my weekly newsletter yet? When you do, you’ll get TWO awesome free gifts as my way of saying thank you – plus you’ll get first news of all the kettlebell training tips, videos, and workouts I post up on this blog – just drop your name and e-mail into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page to sign up now!

Kettlebell Blog Overview – The Best Of KettlebellBasics.net

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, General, Kettlebell Workouts, Product Reviews, Tips and Tricks6 Comments

Kettlebell Blog

In the last 24 months or so, KettlebellBasics.net has featured:

  • Well over 150 blog posts
  • At least as many weekly email newsletters
  • Several original kettlebell training ebooks and video courses
  • A kettlebell-themed clothing line

And much more …

So naturally, one of the questions I get most from new readers (and long-time readers alike) is where the heck to start!

This post is going to provide a starting point for this kettlebell blog – even if you’ve been reading my posts regularly for a while, chances are there’s some things I mention in this post that you may have missed that could be of some value in your kettlebell training.  Let’s get started!

Where to Start

If you’re brand new to kettlebell training – or you’re still learning the basics – start with my ‘Best Of’ posts.  You can find these on the right sidebar from any page on the blog … you’ll find in these posts a ‘directory’, if you will, of kettlebell exercises, kettlebell routines, and kettlebell videos.

The Weekly Newsletter

If you like my ‘Best Of’ series, you’ll love my weekly kettlebell newsletter.  You get two free bonuses when you sign up – ‘Kettlebell Rx: 3 Training Mistakes And How To Fix Them’ (a KB training video) AND a copy of my ‘Beginner’s Guide To Kettlebell Training’ (e-manual).  Plus, you’ll get weekly email updates from me with new kettlebell workouts, videos, and training tips.

Programs + Products

Next stop is the programs and products page.  You can access this page from anywhere on the blog, too … it highlights my series of paid products that’ll help you make even faster progress towards your kettlebell training goals ….

The Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual is the ‘basic’ guide that teaches you the foundation of HardStyle kettlebell training.  This is where you should start.

The KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide is an all-inclusive program that teaches you the five basic KB training moves.  It includes both audio and video instruction in addition to an e-manual … it’s a good bet once you’ve finished the Swing Manual, or if you’re just ready to jump in right away.

My Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series is designed to help you take your kettlebell training to the next level; it’s the progressive plan you need to make continued progress with your training.

The 10×10 Kettlebell Solution is a brand new workout program designed to help you gain lean muscle, torch body fat and transform your body in just 10 weeks, using just 10 exercises and 10 workouts.

And the Kettlebell Basics Weekly Workouts program is the one-stop shop for on-going workouts to help you reach any fitness goal.

More Recommended Resources

Finally, if you’re looking for additional KettlebellBasics.net – approved kettlebell resources, look here.  You’ll find recommendations for the best brand of kettlebells, interval timers, Dragon Door books and DVD’s, and much more.  You can find this page too at the top of this blog at any time.

So there you have a kettlebell blog overview – the best of KettlebellBasics.net.  Whether you’re brand new to the blog or you’ve been around a while, take some time and check out the resources I’ve listed here .  There’s enough free info here to last you a long time and give you a great kettlebell training foundation … and, if you’re so inclined to save yourself some time and hassle, I’ve got an array of paid products to help you, too.

Train hard and good luck!

Forest Vance

Master of Science in Human Movement

ACSM, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Level 2 Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

Is Lack Of Recovery Between Kettlebell Workouts Holding You Back?

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Lack of recovery between kettlebell workouts could be what’s stalling your progress …

For years, I worked out at the same gym every day at the same time. I saw the same folks there day after day … and unfortunately, progress the vast majority of them made over time was, put nicely, less than spectacular.

Why?

I’m convinced a big factor was lack of recovery between workouts.

Even if you’re already aware of the basic info I’m about to cover, bear with me, because it’s important and it’s worth reviewing:

When you lift weights of any kind – kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, whatever – you’re essentially tearing your muscles down. You need to give them time to recover and build themselves back up (about 48 hours) before hitting the same muscle group again.

Now, there are some exceptions to this:  Light body weight training, like Push Ups, Sit Ups, Squats, etc. can probably be done most days – depending on your fitness level. So can things like high rep and relatively low intensity kettlebell training.

But – in general – the rule is 48 hours of rest before hitting the same muscle group again.

What you wouldn’t want to do, as an example, is hit your shoulders two days in a row with a bunch of heavy kettlebell pressing exercises. Less than 48 hours is too just little – and it’ll eventually lead to overtraining and stalled kettlebell progress.

There are a couple of different solutions to this problem:

1. You could train your entire body in one session and give yourself a day of complete rest before you hit it again.  This is the best solution for the majority of folks who are trying to lose fat, build a lean muscle, and improve their conditioning levels.  The main workout in the Kettlebell Basics Swing Manual would be a perfect example of this.

2. If you really want to train every day, you could split your body parts up – for a good example of what a workout like this would look like, check out this post: Kettlebells For Building Muscle

So it’s pretty simple, really:  Give yourself adequate recovery and continue to progress! Don’t train the same muscle groups two days in a row.  Incorporate this simple training tip into your programming today – it could be the key missing element in what’s holding you back from making progress in your kettlebell workouts.

Forest

P.S. Are you signed up for my weekly kettlebell newsletter yet? Do so today and you’ll get 1) my ‘Kettlebell Rx’ training video AND 2) my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training – both FREE as a thank you for signing up!  Just drop your name and best email into the box at the upper right hand corner of the page to sign up now.