Category: Videos

Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout #14

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Okay – ONE more sample kettlebell workout from the “FVT KB Boot Camp Workouts Mega-Bundle” for you to try …

This one is “beat the clock” – style … it’s tough but do-able at the beginning, but as things progress, it gets REALLY hard … give it a try and you’ll see what I mean! 😉

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Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout #14

– 12 push ups
– 20 one arm KB swings (10 R / 10 L)
– 5 windmills/side
– 8 goblet lunges/side

This workout is done “beat-the-clock” style. So on the minute, every minute, you’ll start a set of a given exercise. Your rest period is the length of time between when you FINISH each exercise and the next 60 second interval starts.

For example – do 12 push ups. If it takes you 30 seconds, you get 30 seconds rest before you start the swings on the next 60 sec interval. If it takes you 10 seconds to do them, you get 50 seconds rest. If it takes you 45 seconds to do them, you get 15 seconds rest. Etc.

Do three to five rounds of the sequence total, using this same work-to-rest ratio.

Watch the video for this workout here:

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Last chance to get 72 of my favorite kettlebell workouts at over 66% off:

=> The FVT Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts Mega – Bundle

You’ll get a copy of my ’10×10 Kettlebell Solution’ program …

‘Extreme KB Cardio Conditioning’ …

‘Ultimate Kettlebell Challenge Workouts’ …

Full videos from my FVT Kettlebell Basics Workshop …

And several more courses and trainings that make this offer a must-have!

=> 72 Kettlebell Workouts (deal ends tonight)

If you are a fit pro, this is an awesome resource to add to your library.

Or if you’re a “workout junkie” who can’t get enough of new, fun, and exciting routines, I think you’ll find this mega – bundle equally useful.

But the sale we have going on it ENDS tonight at midnight – so pop over and grab your copy now!

=> Last Chance for the NEW and updated for 2015 KB Boot Camp Workouts Mega Bundle

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Thanks, train hard, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Level 2 Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor
http://forestvancetraining.com/kbboot11

Weird Tip to Fix Your KB Swing

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Okay, this tip might seem a little “weird” …

But trust me, it’s HIGHLY effective for fixing your KB swing form!

Check it out:

Video Recap

I have a simple – but HIGHLY effective – tip to share with you today that will help you improve your form on the kettlebell swing.

One of the most common problems with the swing that we see is folks having trouble with what we call the hip hinging pattern.

What people end up doing instead, is something that resembles a squat and then a front raise with the KB … which is NOT the correct way to do the exercise.

So a great way to practice that hip hinging movement, and do it in sort of a natural way, is to do a couple of vertical jumps right before you do your swings.

The movement pattern, and what’s happening with the lower body, is going to be very similar to what happens during a swing.

The other benefit is that the vertical jump drill is going to get you really close to where you want to be in terms of proper foot stance for the exercise.

And there is a simple, but VERY effective, drill to help you improve your form on the kettlebell swing.

Try it before your next swing workout, and see the benefits right away!

– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Certified Level 2 Russian Kettlebell Instructor

 

PS – 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.

Check it out at the link below:

=> 72 Kettlebell Boot Camp Workouts

Simple Trick for a Better Deadlift [video tutorial]

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The deadlift is one of the most powerful total body, compound exercises a person can do to add quality muscle mass and strength.

You end up using almost every muscle in your body to do the lift:

— arms, forearms, and hands to grip the bar and keep it in position through the exercise
— shoulders and traps to keep the weight stable
— back and core to keep your body tight and spine secure
— posterior chain and legs to act as a lever and lift the weight

And that’s why I love it!

All that being said – learning to do the move safely and with good form, can be tricky. Specifically, the hip hinging movement that’s involved when a person deadlifts can be hard, even foreign for many people to learn.

A great way to train this I have found is using a kettlebell to learn the move. It’s a bit easier to sumo deadlift a KB properly because the weight can be set between the feet, and you automatically shift the weight distribution and start off in a little more advantageous position … and when you learn it correctly this way, it naturally transfers over to the straight bar deadlift.

Check out this video for a demo:

Another question I get frequently is HOW to incorporate the deadlift into your workouts – as in, how to mix it, as well as other barbell lifts, with your kettlebell and bodyweight exercise …

I will be back next time with a sample “hybrid” barbell / kettlebell / bodyweight workout for you, and I will be digging in to this topic more all week … so stay tuned! 🙂

Thanks so much for reading / watching, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II, PCC
ForestVance.com

Quick Tip To Fix Your KB Swing

On By adminIn Tips and Tricks, VideosLeave a comment

Hope you had a great weekend!

Saturday was “FVT picture day” at our gym … it was a lot of fun, and we were long overdue for some updated shots!

Then on Sunday we went out to lunch at a really nice restaurant on the river to celebrate my grandma’s 96th birthday(!) … our daughter is almost 8 mos old now, and it’s getting a little trickier to take her out to eat these days, as she’s all of a sudden getting a LOT more active and energetic … but it’s all good, having fun and enjoying every day with our little girl!

Anyway, got a quick tip and video for you today to help you improve your KB swing form … but before we get to it, I would love to get your feedback on something real quick.

We are considering doing a live, streaming, follow-along workout from FVT and broadcasting it on the internet, and I’m wondering if you would be interested?

The way it would work:

— You sign up ahead of time for the workout (for a small fee – around $10 most likely for the first one)
— You “tune in” for the workout from wherever you are in the world and follow along
— The first session will be a minimal / zero equipment workout you can do at home
— I’ll be leading the session, and will have one or two or three folks that I’ll be coaching through the workout
— You would also get a recording of the workout as well – if you can’t make the actual event, so you could do it again on your own time, etc
— Folks who register will also get the opportunity to send in questions on things like exercise technique, etc ahead of time, and we’ll take 15 mins or so at the end of the workout to answer questions live

Sound interesting? Just hit reply to this message and let me know … and if I get enough responses, we’ll make it happen.

ALSO … if you are interested, can you also let me know what time of day / day of the week would be best for you, in Eastern Standard Time please?

This way, if we do end up doing this, we’ll be able to schedule the live workout at a time that works best for everyone 🙂

Okay, on to today’s kettlebell training tip – talk soon!

– Forest Vance
Level 2 Certified Russian KB Instructor
ForestVance.com

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Quick Tip To Fix Your KB Swing

Kettlebell training is one of the best exercise methods in existence for extreme fat loss and total body conditioning.

On the other hand, learning even the basic kettlebell exercises does take some study and practice of safe and effective lifting techniques.

The kettlebell Swing is the “pilar” movement of hardstyle kettlebell lifting; and while it is technically complex,the mistakes that we see folks make with it repeat themselves over and over again. One of the most common Swing mistakes in the Swing is what we call the “squat and front raise error”.

In a correct, “hip driven” Swing, the kettlebell is hiked back between the legs, and the arms do approximately 10-20% of the work.

When a kettlebell trainee makes the squat and front raise error, the individual will perform a squatting pattern with the lower body followed by a front raise – type move. In this scenario, the arms are responsible for more like 50-60% of the movement.

What we call the towel swing is a great drill to help you fix this flaw.

To perform the Towel Swing, you just do your two handed Swings with a towel wrapped around the horn of the ‘bell and grabbing the ends of the towel; to maintain tension on the towel through the entire movement, you have to use your hips and direct energy efficiently to the ‘bell.

It’s a great drill because it’s very self correcting. Do a few Swings with the towel and you’ll naturally use your lower body more and your upper body less as you get feedback from the towel.

Watch this video for a quick demo:

To sum up, one of the most common mistakes with the Kettlebell Swing is the “squat and front raise” error. This occurs when the trainee uses a squatting, knee-dominant movement on the “down” portion of the swing, and as a result has to over-involve the arms in finishing the movement. The towel swing drill is a great one to help you fix this flaw. Give it a try today!

Improve Your Kettlebell Clean – 3 Simple Tips

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Last week, one of my Elite Online Coaching clients told me that their kettlebell clean form needed some work – and sent me a video of themselves doing the move for me to take a look at and give some feedback on.

The kettlebell clean is actually one of the hardest of the basic KB moves to really perfect. I get questions about it freqently from both my online coaching clients as I mentioned above, and from a lot of folks that are just starting to train with us in person at the FVT studio.

See, most folks can pick up / swing a ‘bell into a rack position at the shoulder, and it will resemble something like what we would call a “clean” … however, to really get the movement DOWN, to make it smooth, efficient, and minimize impact on the forearm etc … is quite tricky.

So I thought I’d do a quick video with three simple tips to help you improve your kettlebell clean technique for ‘ya. Hope it helps!

1 – Think around getting your hand around the ‘bell

Most folks clean the KB up, but when it comes around their hand, it just kind of flops over the top and ends up smacking them in the wrist.

If you can think about getting your hand around the kettlebell instead, it will help you slip your hand around and finish in a nice strong position at the top.

2 – Think about zipping up a jacket

The motion your hand should be making is not unlike zipping up a jacket. Think about this next time you do the exercise, and it will help you keep your hand in the proper position.

3 – Land in the proper rack position

When the kettlebell is racked at the shoulder, this is called the rack position. You should 1) be able to touch your thumb to your collar bone 2) have the KB resting on your upper arm 3) also have the KB resting on your forearm when in the rack.

Give those technique tips a try, practice ’em, and let me know how they go for ‘ya!

Train hard, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance
Level 2 Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

PS – The “Elite Online Coaching” program that I mentioned today is my highest-level, highest-access, most customized online training program available. I design a custom workout and nutrition plan every month for folks that are in it … it also includes unlimited email access, unlimited video form technique critiques, and a LOT more …

Because it is so customized and time – intensive, I can only work with 10 folks in this program at any one time. And many folks who start training with me in this capacity end up training for a long, continuous period, because of the great results that they end up getting …

That being said, I have three clients who have met their goals and their training periods have come to an end … and so I will be accepting applications for the program this coming week, and accepting up to three new online training clients.

If this interests you, keep an eye on your email inbox – more info coming soon! 🙂

New Garage Built Body Program (time sensitive)

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Hey – wanted to send a quick follow up yesterday’s message, I forgot to mention something –

My friend Travis Stoetzel is holding a sale this week on his new Garage Built Body program:

=> Garage Built Body special offer (time sensitive)

I am actually doing this program myself to test it out. I have been doing workouts from it all this week. And I am SUPER impressed.

So if you’re looking for a new workout program to do at home on your own, if you enjoy training with kettlebells and your own body weight, if you are limited on time, and if you’re ready to WORK, you’re going to love this one.

Garage Built Body includes a TON of the stuff FVT readers have been asking for more of, like:

— How to not only get into great condition, but build serious muscle and strength with KB’s (and other tools)
— CRAZY hard KB complexes
— How to get the most out of limited training resources (minimal equipment) and time (all the workouts are 24 minutes or less)

=> Garage Built Body special offer (time sensitive)

You’ve probably heard me mention Travis’ name before … but if not, he’s a strength coach based out of the midwest (US) that’s a friend of mine. We share a similar background (Travis played college football and still competes now in the Crossfit games) and similar training philosophies (he uses kettlebells, body weight – based movements and other types of functional training modes heavily in his programming).

Anyway, that’s it for now. Enjoy the rest of your day, and talk soon –

Forest

PS – Here’s how my workout went yesterday – just to give you a little preview:

First, I foam rolled and stretched for a few mins to get my mind right before the workout.

(Travis includes his pre-workout prep routine if you need one.)

While I was doing that, I quickly reviewed 1) the coaching video for the workout of the day, and 2) the corresponding workout manual on my iPhone – just to make sure I knew how things were set up, and that I was doing everything correctly.

Then, I got all of my equipment ready, and hit the workout hard. I did:

(sequence 1)

— 1 KB power snatch
— 1 KB push press
— 1 KB thruster

Complete 3 full rounds through the complex = set
Alternate arms each minute
3 sets every minute, on the minute x8 (4 rounds each side)

(sequence 2)

— side lunge x5
— push up x5

As many rounds as possible in 5 minutes

(sequence 3)

— kettlebell swings x10,12,14 …

Every minute, on the minute, do a set
Go until you fail to do the work listed within the minute

Did a quick sixty second cool down and was done.

And that’s how my workout went down.

Okay. That is all. Have a great weekend 😉

=> Grab your copy of Garage Built Body here

Kettlebell / Bodyweight Workout for Abs

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Check out this quick ‘n’ dirty kettlebell / bodyweight workout for abs.

This is an example of the kind of ab workouts you’ll find in the new FVT Ultimate Abs Challenge program … it’s THE way to train your abs, for 1) the BEST results and 2) to save your back.

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Kettlebell / Bodyweight Workout for Abs

— 30 sec plank w opposite shoulder touch
— 30 sec 1 arm KB swings
— 30 sec “knee-to-elbow” mountain climbers
— 30 sec 1 arm KB swings (other arm)

Repeat circuit 3x with as little rest as possible between moves.

See a video demo of the workout here:

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Add an ab workout like this one to your current routine two or three times per week, and you’ll be on your way to a leaner, stronger, more defined midsection in no time!!

And for more info on the FVT Ultimate Abs Challenge workout program and diet plan, click HERE.

Train hard, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II, PCC

Secrets of the Turkish Get Up (new video)

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The Turkish get up is a total-body move that is great for both shoulder mobility and stability, hip mobility and stability, working pretty much all the “pushing” muscles in your body … and it’s GREAT for getting stronger, more “functional” abs!!

HOWEVER … a lot of folks also shy away from the move. It’s a little tricky to get down, and there is both some technique involved, as well as some strength / flexibility in certain parts of the body necessary, to do it well.

So I made a video for you that breaks down the move in detail … check it out, and follow along with me as I show you how to do the exercise:

I hope this video helps … and that you take the time to learn and perfect this great kettlebell exercise.

Train hard, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II
ForestVance.com

PS – One of the best kettlebell training systems – Kettlebell Evolution – is on sale this week. If today’s video got your interest, this program will be right up your alley. Check it out and get it at a great discount HERE.

How to Fix Kettlebell Lower Back Pain – #1 Tip!

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The kettlebell swing is a GREAT exercise for rapid fat loss and total body conditioning.

According to a recent study by ACE – one of the oldest and most respected certifying bodies in the United States – kettlebell training burns at LEAST 20.2 calories per minute. That’s 1200+ calories per hour!!

Pretty hard to beat.

That being said, using proper form when training with kettlebell is KEY. They aren’t terribly hard to learn how to use safely … BUT if you just hop right in with no regard to using solid technique, you might end up getting injured.

One common thing we hear folks complain of is back pain when training with kettlebells. So today I got my #1 tip to help you FIX kettlebell lower back pain.

Swing the kettlebell CLOSER to your body as it comes back. Make sure the handle is ABOVE the level of your knees.

Simple tip, but makes a HUGE difference if you’re doing it wrong.

Here’s what a GOOD swing looks like:

And now here’s what a BAD swing looks like – look at the bottom position:

See the difference?

In the BAD form example, 1) the KB handle is lower to the ground – below my knee level – and my back is also rounded out.

If you are swinging the kettlebell too close to the ground when you’re doing your swings, try this form tweak and see if it helps.

Happy New Year!!

– Forest

PS – You’ll get TONS more coaching tips and tricks like these to improve your kettlebell training in my FVT Kettlebell Workshop videos … and I’ve just added these as a FREE BONUS when invest in the next 12 months of FVT Coaching Club workouts.

These workshops are $97+ for attendees when we hold them at our studio … and you can get them for FREE, for this week only. Click HERE to learn more.

PPS – Here’s a video of me going through the coaching tip in today’s article:

KB Basics “Quick Start Guide”, Part 2

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We’re back today with part two of the Kettlebell Basics “Quick Start Guide” – a 100% FREE video series I’ve put together, showcasing my BEST videos on the basic kettlebell exercises!

Watch these videos several times each, take notes on them, and then actually practice the form tips and pointers that are suggested.  Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to mastering the basics of  safe and effective kettlebell training.

In part one, we covered the swing, the Turkish get up, and the squat … so today, in part two, we’ll go over:

– the clean
– the press
– the snatch

Let’s get right to it –

 

The Kettlebell Basics Video Series (part 2)

1 – Kettlebell Clean Technique Tips

2 – Proper Kettlebell Rack Position – a Quick How – To

3 – Is Your Kettlebell Press Jacked Up? Here’s How to Fix It!

4 – Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch (part 1)

5 – Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch (part 2)

6 – Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch (part 3)

 

Enjoy those videos, hope they help.  Feel free to post your questions etc in the comments section below.

– Forest Vance, Level 2 Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor

 PS – If you missed part one of the KB Basics Quick Start Guide, be sure to check that out as well.  Click HERE to see the first six videos in the series.