Category: Videos

Top 4 Kettlebells For Fat Loss Resources

On By adminIn Tips and Tricks, VideosLeave a comment

Judging the feedback I get from readers of this blog and my own personal training clients, fat loss seems to be a goal on the top of most kettlebell trainee’s minds. So here’s a short list of four great resources to help you learn more about using kettlebells for fat loss:

1. Kettlebells for fat loss article on DragonDoor.com from Senior RKC David Whitley

This article breaks down all the important aspects of a fat loss program – no matter what tools you’re using to do it – and gives three different sample kettlebells for fat loss plans. Some solid, totally free programs to help you lose fat with kettlebells.

2. TRX Kettlebell: Iron Circuit Conditioning

This is an awesome new DVD set that features chief RKC instructor Pavel Tsatsouline and Chris Frankel, TRX® Head of Programming. It combines together two great fat burning and conditioning tools – the TRX® suspension trainer and the kettlebell – for one hell of a workout routine. Check out the video trailer – it’ll get you fired up, I promise 🙂

3. Barbell, Kettlebell, and Dumbbell Complexes to Take Your Body to a New Level of Hardness and Conditioning

This training article from Truth About Six Pack Abs author Mike Geary details the use of complexes – including those using kettlebells – for fat loss. If you’ve never heard of complexes before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a set, you sequence one rep of several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a set. It’s a training technique I talk about in my KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide and one you should, without a doubt, be incorporating into your programming if your goal is fat loss.

4. The KettlebellBasics.net Kettlebells for Fat Loss Workouts – Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workout 1 + Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workout 2

This is a two-part article series I did about a month back that details two different kettlebell routines for fat loss. These workouts would be another totally free starting point if you’re looking to get started asap with using kettlebells for fat loss.

Another side note: As you (hopefully) already know, diet is a huge factor in reaching your fat loss goals. A great addition to any of these workouts would be the Best Fat Loss diet plan from yours truly – for more info on that, click here: The Best Fat Loss Diet

So there you have four different workout programs to chose from to get you started working towards your fat loss goals. Ultimately, pick a program (all of the above are solidly designed programs that will get you to your goals), stick with it and get after it!! Training hard and training consistently is what it’s all about. And let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Two Tips To Improve Your Kettlebell Snatch

On By adminIn Tips and Tricks, Videos1 Comment

The kettlebell Snatch is a tricky movement to get the hang of – I know I got my fair share of bruised wrists when I was learning it.

I stumbled across this video from Jason C. Brown of KettlebellAthletics.com that shares a couple of great tips to help perfect your Snatching form:

To summarize:

Drill 1:

Grab a light kettlebell. Do a bottoms-up Clean with it – so the ‘bell should end up with the bottom facing towards the ceiling and racked at about shoulder level. Now, ‘punch’ your hand around the kettlebell from shoulder level up to being locked out overhead. The idea here is to practice actively getting your hand around the KB, instead of just letting it come over the top and crash down on your wrist.

Drill 2

You want to base the Snatch exercise off of the high pull – in other words, the arc of the ‘bell should be like that of a High Pull vs. a Swing (watch the video to see a demonstration). If you base the Snatch off of the Swing, the arc will be too far in front of your body.

So you can do a progression to work your way into doing a Snatch: Do a Low Pull, do a High Pull, and then a Snatch. I actually use that progression with folks all the time with a lot of success.

Remember: Practice makes perfect. Don’t just blast through your KB workouts with no regard for form; strive for perfection. And if you’re having trouble getting the hang of the kettlebell Snatch, the two tips mentioned in this video should help you out.

Hey – have you signed up for my newsletter? I’ve got two free gifts for ‘ya when you sign up today … just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right of the page.

How To Warm Up For Your Next Kettlebell Workout In 3 Minutes Or Less

On By adminIn Kettlebell Workouts, Videos6 Comments

A proper warm up can make all the difference in your kettlebell workout. It not only prepares your body physically for the punishment it’s about to receive, but it gets your mind right, too.

But what if you’re pressed for time? After all, I know a lot of you like kettlebell training because it’s so efficient – you can get a great workout with kettlebells in a really short amount of time. And when you’re in a hurry, often the warm up is the first thing you skip.

I recently found this YouTube video that provides a great solution: It’s a quick kettlebell warm up that takes about three minutes to do. It includes three exercises:

1. The Halo
2. The Slingshot
3. The Figure Eight

Check it out:

So next time you’re rushing to get your workout done, throw this kettlebell warm up in and get ready to go in about three minutes!

P.S. Looking for a complete warm up plan? Check out the Functional Flexibilty Secrets bonus in my comprehensive workout, diet, and lifestyle program, the Ultimate Fitness Resource Toolkit by clicking below:

The Ultimate Fitness Resource Toolkit

Kettlebells For Fat Loss Part 2

On By adminIn Kettlebell Workouts, Videos5 Comments

If you missed the first article on using kettlebells for fat loss, you can check it out here:

Kettlebells For Fat Loss Part 1

Last time, we talked about how circuit-style kettlebell workouts (like the ones you’ll find in the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide) are great for fat loss and general conditioning.  And the truth is, if you’re training regularly with kettlebells, burning fat and gaining lean muscle is a natural consequence.

But I know many of you want to take your training to the next level; you want to strip that final layer of body fat and get flat-out ripped.  So we also covered how some small tweaks can make your circuit training even more effective with regards to losing body fat.

Today, I’m going to give you the second kettlebell workout for fat loss:

KB Fat Loss Workout B

*Just as in Workout A – do the first exercise in each pairing. Without rest, move to the next exercise. Complete the prescribed number of reps in the second exercise, rest :30 seconds, and complete the sequence two more times. Rest one minute before moving on to the next pairing.

1A. KB Renegade Row 3 x 16 each side

1B. KB Overhead Lunge 3 x 15 each side

2A. Pull Up (hang kettlebell from feet if additional resistance is needed) 3x 15

2B. Double KB Front Squat 3×15

*You can substitute Body Rows for Pull Ups if you can’t get all 15

Here’s some articles that should help you with the workout:

The Kettlebell Row – A how-to on KettlebellBasics.net
The Kettlebell Squat – How to do it and why it’s a different animal

And a nice demo of the KB Overhead Lunge:

Here’s how you put these workouts together: Perform workout A and some steady-state cardio on Monday.  Do some interval training on Tuesday (I’ll talk about the cardio specifics again in a second).  Do Workout B on Wednesday with some light cardio.  Do intervals again on Thursday.  Do workout A on Friday with some light cardio.  Do intervals again on Saturday.  Take Sunday off.

Repeat this same routine again the next week, except you’ll do workout B on Monday, workout A on Wednesday, and workout B on Friday.  Then start the whole cycle again the next week.

With regards to cardio, if you’re serious about fat loss, I believe you need to do six days per week of cardiovascular activity.  Three interval days and three steady-state, lower-intensity days is a great set up – for some ideas on interval training, check out this post: The Magic of HIIT Cardio For Burning Fat

You can do this workout for about 4-6 weeks until you’ll need to switch it up.

And one last thing: Your diet is more than 50% of the equation when it comes to fat loss.  You can have the best designed workout in the world, but if you’re not eating properly, it won’t do a thing for your fat loss efforts.  If you’re looking for a done-for-you, effective and client-tested fat loss program, check out my very own Best Fat Loss Diet here:  The Best Fat Loss Diet

So there you have a complete workout for losing fat with kettlebells.  Apply the principles we’ve covered in the last two articles about using kettlebells to lose fat and you’ll be well on your way to reaching your fat loss goals.  Keep training hard!

3 Tips To Improve Your Kettlebell Swing

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, General, Tips and Tricks, Videos2 Comments

Here’s a short video that didn’t make it into the final KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Video Series … the audio quality isn’t great, but I still think there’s some good info here.  I cover:

  • The importance of a proper hip crease during the Swing
  • Why you should feel like you’re hike passing the KB back during the ‘bell’s decent phase
  • How to ‘lock in’ your upper body throughout the exercise

Enjoy!

To grab your free copy of my training video ‘Kettlebell Rx: 3 Common Training Mistakes and How To Fix Them’, sign up for the KettlebellBasics.net newsletter!  Just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right of the page.

Why Kettlebell Circuits Are An Essential Tool In Your Training Toolbox

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, General, Kettlebell Workouts, VideosLeave a comment

Many times, one of the first workouts people ever do with their kettlebells is a circuit-style routine.  This is actually a bad idea if you’re just getting started – you’ll get so much more out of simply focusing on perfect technique.  It might not be sexy, but it’s true.

Now on the other hand, if you’ve been faithfully practicing your kettlebell moves, your technique is improving and you’re getting the basic exercises down pat …

Guess what? It’s about time to add the kettlebell circuit to your training arsenal. Here’s just a few of the benefits you can expect from incorporting kettlebell circuits into your routine:

* Burning fat without sacrificing muscle mass
* Improved conditioning
* Increased strength
* Increased athleticism

Another great thing about kettlebell circuits is that they are super efficient and usually can be completed in 20 minutes or less.

Here’s an example of a kettlebell circuit workout – it’s a video from my ‘kettlebell combo’ video series:

Don’t forget: Although it might not be that exciting, mastering the basics is essential before you start doing kettlebell circuits.  You’ll get a better workout, prevent injury and enjoy your kettlebell training experience a lot more.

Kettlebell circuits are an awesome way to burn fat, improve your conditioning, increase strength, and increase athleticism. Start incorporating them into your routine today!!

If you haven’t mastered the basics of kettlebell training, the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide is a great place to start. I’ve recently added a video series to the package, and the price is going up next week, so now’s the time to grab a copy if you haven’t already at a great price!!

Kettlebell Videos

On By adminIn General, Videos1 Comment

Watching how-to videos is one of the best ways to learn how to use kettlebells – that’s why I use video as a teaching medium so frequently here at KettlebellBasics.net. Here’s a complete list for you of all the kettlebell videos we’ve done on this blog:

The Kettlebell Swing

Basic demo of the Kettlebell Swing

How To Do A Turkish Get-Up

Details how to do the Get Up step-by-step

Bodyweight and Kettlebell 300 Workout

You’ll be energized by this cool challenge workout

Overview Of Kettlebell Swing Styles

HardStyle vs. Competition vs. CrossFit/American – which is best for you?

How To Fix The Kettlebell Clean

Three common Kettlebell Clean mistakes and how to fix them

Troubleshooting the Turkish Get-Up

Great video that walks you through this complex exercise step-by-step

The Kettlebell Row

How to perform several variations of the Kettlebell Row

Two Down And Dirty Kettlebell Circuits

Includes a video of how to perform the Kettlebell Thruster

Positives And Negatives Of YouTube For Learning To Train With Kettlebells

YouTube can be great … but be careful 🙂

Kettlebell Swing Styles Part Two

Even more Swing variations

Kettlebell Basics Combo #1

Swing, Thruster, Snatch

Kettlebell Basics Combo #2

Get Up + Snatch

Kettlebell Basics Combo #3

Clean and Press, Snatch, Goblet Squat, Hand to Hand Swing

Kettlebell Basics Combo #4

The ‘Super Full Body Attack’

Teaching The Swing

A great video with Senior RKC David Whitley on the basics of the Kettlebell Swing

New videos – updated 11/19/10:

3 Tips To Improve Your Kettlebell Swing

A video that didn’t quite make it into the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Video Series – but great tips none the less

Kettlebell Warm Up

How to warm up for your next kettlebell workout in 3 minutes or less

Tips To Improve The Snatch

Two great tips to improve your kettlebell snatch form

Kettlebells For Fat Loss Resources

Great places to look if your goal is to lose fat with kettlebell training

Unique Kettlebell Exericse Videos

Videos of cool new kettlebell exercises you’ve probably never heard of

KB Fat Blast

Quick kettlebell workout to burn some fat fast

Snatch Technique Tip

Here’s a tip to save your wrists during the kettlebell Snatch

The DARC Swing

How to perfect this tricky Swing variation

More New Videos – Updated 1/12/12

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2012/01/03/7-great-kettlebellbody-weightconditioning-gymboss-workouts/ The gymboss is a great tool to use for kettlebell and bodyweight workouts, this article provides different workouts to try to find out for yourself!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/12/22/complete-kettlebells-for-fat-loss-plan-free-gift/ This is a free gift for Christmas to show my appreciation, with three components that will help you learn how to lose fat with with kettlebell training.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/12/15/instantly-boost-your-kettlebell-pressing-power-revisited/ If you are looking to increase your rep count or weight, your press/re-clean technique could be the key to unlocking extra pressing power.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/11/24/black-friday-kettlebell-workout/ Although Black Friday may have passed, this workout is still a tough one with a mix of body weight and kettlebell exercises!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/11/10/10-minute-home-kettlebell-workout-video/ Unable to get out of the house?  This kettlebell workout takes little time, but is still incredibly effective.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/10/27/basic-kettlebell-strength-workout/ This workout incorporates heavy training with kettlebells to improve your strength and fitness level.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/10/19/halloween-kettlebell-workout/ Halloween has passed, but that doesn’t mean candy isn’t still available throughout the year, try this bodyweight/kettlebell workout to burn some of those calories!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/10/05/2-training-tips-for-kettlebell-beginners/ This is a video meant to aid beginners, those perfecting their form, or coping with an injury that explains two easy modifications to kettlebell workouts.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/09/28/the-kettlebell-overhead-lunge/ This video helps teach you how to perform a kettlebell overhead lunge, which is similar to the Turkish Get Up.

kettlebellbasics.net/2011/09/22/kettlebell-body-weight-and-stability-ball-circuit-workout/ To branch out, this workout has ten exercises utilizing body weight, a stability ball, and kettlebells; this combination is great for losing fat and gaining lean muscle.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/09/05/kettlebell-basics-premium-workout-series-preview/ This video gives you a glimpse of what is inside the Kettlebell Basics Premium Workout Series.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/09/01/kettlebell-press-squat-conditioning-ladder/ This is a tough exercise series that you can use as a finisher to your own workout.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/08/25/double-kettlebell-circuit-workout/ This is a strength based workout incorporating conditioning and two kettlebells.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/08/12/what-size-kettlebell-to-use/ Unsure of what size kettlebell to use?  This video provides the paramaters to determine what size would best fit you.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/07/28/kettlebell-body-weight-strength-workout/ The inclusion of strength training in workouts is incredibly crucial and this workout targets that need with the use of a single kettlebell.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/07/13/beginner-kettlebell-workout/ If you are just beginning to train with kettlebells, this circuit is designed for you, incorporating simple, yet effective kettlebell exercises to get you started.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/06/29/reverse-aging-reduce-pain-and-restore-lost-vigor-with-the-kettlebell-boomer/ This video provides a workout plan specifically targeted towards those who are 50+ with your specific goals in mind.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/06/23/the-turkish-get-up-broken-down-into-steps/ This video breaks the Turkish get up into steps to make it easier to master.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/06/16/cool-kettlebell-juggling-videos/ It’s amazing what can be done with kettlebells, including juggling!  Check out these videos to view the mastery of kettlebells these people have grasped.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/05/25/mastering-the-kettlebell-snatch-part-3/ This video, number three in its series, details the upswing of the kettlbell snatch.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/05/18/mastering-the-kettlebell-snatch-part-2/ Number two in the series, this video explains how to master the downswing of the kettlebell snatch.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/05/11/mastering-the-kettlebell-snatch-part-1/ Need to perfect your kettlebell snatching skills?  This video helps to perfect the first step, the lockout of the snatch.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/04/27/kettlebell-turkish-get-upclean-presssnatch-combo-workout/ This is a great combination video with the Kettlebell Turkish Get Up/Clean and Press/Snatch.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/04/13/new-kettlebell-workout-preview-of-april-kb-members-workout/ This is a sample workout from April’s kettlebell members workout.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/03/17/kettlebell-swing-mistakes-and-fixes-part-3/ Part three of the Kettlebell Swing Mistakes and Fixes helps to correct the common range of motion problem in the Swing.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/03/03/a-crunchless-kettlebell-workout-for-abs/ This video demonstrates four kettlebell exercises for abs that don’t require you to perform any crunches!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/02/24/kettlebell-swing-mistakes-and-fixes-part-2/ Addressing the problem of a Squat and Front Raise Pattern – vs. the correct ‘hip-driven’ Swing where the arms account for maybe 10-20% of the movement and how to properly fix that mistake.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/02/17/kettlebells-leaving-your-wrists-bruised-heres-what-to-do/ Here are steps on how to help save your wrists and forearms in your kettlebell training.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/02/09/kettlebell-swing-mistakes-and-fixes-part-1/ The first part in this series helps you learn how to correct for lack of hip extension, which is a common mistake that people make in their kettlebell training.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/02/03/how-hard-do-you-really-need-to-train-with-kettlebells/ Unsure of how hard you need to train in order to see results with kettlebells?  Read this article to find out!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2011/01/13/top-10-kettlebellbasics-net-posts-of-2010/ These are the most popular posts of 2010, thanks for all of your support!

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/12/29/dont-have-a-kettlebell-yet-try-this-workout/ This provides a dumbbell complex workout that will give you a fast-paced, time efficient, fat burning workout that can be done without a kettlebell if you are on the road or at the gymw

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/12/23/10-minute-burpee-kettlebell-swing-workout/ Low on time?  Here is a two exercise workout that hits every major muscle group in your body and can be completed in just 10 minutes.

https://kettlebellbasics.net/2010/11/30/kettlebells-for-cardio-without-machines/ This video shows you how to use your own body weight and kettlebells for a quick, intense and effective cardio workout without using any cardio machines.

Whew!  That should be enough video to last you for a while 🙂  Enjoy!

Have you signed up for the KettlebellBasics.net Newsletter yet?  You’ll get the ‘Kettlebell Rx’ Video and A Beginner’s Guide To Kettlebell Training totally free for signing up!  Plus you’ll get regular updates from KettlebellBasics.net … just drop your name and email into the box to the upper right of the page.

Kettlebell Video – Teaching The Swing

On By adminIn Basic Kettlebell Drills, Videos2 Comments

The Swing is a movement that can almost always be refined.  I’ve said this many times before, but mastery of the other basic balistic kettlebell moves (like the Clean and Snatch) all starts with the Swing.  In this video with Senior RKC David Whitley and RKC Matt McBryde, you’ll learn:

  • Background and history of the kettlebell
  • Why ‘cushy’ shoes are a no-no for your kettlebell training
  • How to learn the ‘hip hinge’ and the proper swing movement pattern from the KB deadlift

And much more!  Check it out for yourself:

Kettlebell Basics Combo #4

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

For the forth installment of the Kettlebell Basics Combo series … The Super Full Body Attack!!

This one is really just a single exercise, but I’m calling it a combo because it’s a bunch of kettlebell moves all mixed together … it’s truly a smoker. I challenge you to find a muscle group in your body that this exercise doesn’t work.

Here’s the video:

Start this one in a standing position with the kettlebells about six inches in front of you. The first trick is to make sure the KB handles are placed in such a way that your palms can face each other when you jump back to your Push Up.

Jump your feet back to a Push Up position – like a Burpee. Do a Push Up. Now, jump the feet forward in one motion and make sure your feet land outside of the kettlebell handles.

Clean the ‘bells up, do a Front Squat, and move straight from the Front Squat to an Overhead Press. Rack the KB’s, return them to the ground and you’ve done one rep.

For a quick, incredibly tough full body blast, do 50 of these for time. You must pay very close attention to your form with this combo. Especially as the rep count starts to climb, your form can easily break down.

If you’re just starting out, you can of course scale the workout down and do maybe half the amount of reps. You could also do more if 50 is too easy.

(BTW, I got the idea for this one from the ‘original’ full body attack – I’ve just added a Push Up and Front Squat to make it tougher.)

Here’s a video of the original for reference:

That’s it for kettlebell basics combo #4! Enjoy and keep training hard.

Still strugling to learn the basics of kettlebell training? Your first move is to read through the archives and check out the videos on this blog – there’s a ton of great info here. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter, and you’ll get a free Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training – you can do that by simply inputing your name and email into the form at the upper right of the page. For a more complete and in-depth guide that teaches you basic kettlebell exercises and workouts, check out my KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide. And last but not least, visit the recommended resources page of this blog to order kettlebells and all the other stuff you need to make your kettlebell training a great experience!

Kettlebell Basics Combo #3

On By adminIn Kettlebell Workouts, Tips and Tricks, Videos1 Comment

It’s time for Kettlebell Basics Combo #3!  Here are links to the first two videos in the series in case you missed them:

Kettlebell Basics Combo #1

Kettlebell Basics Combo #2

Kettlebell Basics Combo #3 incorporates four basic kettlebell drills into a giant circuit: Clean and Presses, Snatches, Goblet Squats, and Hand to Hand Swings.

To complete the circuit, you’ll perform 2 Clean and Presses on each side, 4 Snatches on each side, 12 Goblet Squats, and 16 Hand to Hand Swings.  Repeat this circuit 5 times for an amazing, efficient, full-body-blasting workout!

Don’t forget: You can get free access to the Kettlebell Rx video and a free copy of the Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training by signing up for our newsletter!  Just drop your name and email into the box at the upper right of the page.