5 Big Mistakes

Here are 5 Big Mistakes Kettlebell Enthusiast Make.

1. Random acts of variety.

2. Not fixing poor movement patterns.

3. Focusing on Quantity and not Quality.

4. Trying to Out-Snatch a Doughnut.

5. Using the wrong Set and Rep schemes.

Want to know how to fix them go here http://kettlebellsecrets.com/burnreport1.html
and get your FREE Report by Master RKC Geoff Neupert.

L.A. Time 10/11/10

It's about time these fitness Pros were called out not everyone is qualified to teach kettlebells.



latimes.com
In-Your-Face Fitness: Ring the kettle bell. School's back in
Jillian Michaels needs to know what she's doing before she makes promises about her new fitness DVD.

By James S. Fell, Special to the Los Angeles Times

October 11, 2010
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I don't know much about proper kettle bell techniques. Neither does Jillian Michaels.

I have an internationally respected fitness certification and 17 years' experience with free weights, yet I lack the audacity to pretend I am qualified to teach kettle bells.

Jillian Michaels, on the other hand, is lacking in shame. At least that's what I thought until I realized Michaels is not actually a real fitness trainer — she's an actress playing the role of fitness trainer on TV and in a line of popular DVDs.

It's analogous to Jesse Ventura's choice of a Gatling-style minigun to mow down guerrillas in the 1987 movie "Predator." Most viewers thought it was way cool, but real soldiers shook their heads in disbelief that anyone would schlep such an ungainly weapon through the jungle.

Same thing with Jillian Michaels. Typical viewers think she's great, yet the collective jaws of professional trainers hit the floor after witnessing her regular displays of poor technique and unsafe training practices.

Michaels obtained some introductory fitness certifications (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Assn. and Aerobics and Fitness Assn. of America) 17 years ago and does not seem to ever have recertified. The biography on her website goes on and on about her multimedia endeavors, but there is not a single mention of any health-and-fitness education or credentials.

And now, seemingly without any qualifications, Michaels is teaching amateurs how to use kettle bells in her latest DVD, "Shred-It With Weights." Her toned, tanned and possibly Photoshopped physique stands proudly on the cover holding a kettle bell, while a bubble on the cover exclaims, "Lose up to 5 pounds a week!"

Lose 5 pounds a week? Sure, if you start off weighing more than a Smart Car.

It's not the first time she's made such a claim. Even though it takes hundreds of hours for a serious professional to become certified as a yoga instructor, Michaels made a yoga DVD that also promises you can lose up to 5 pounds a week, which is about as likely as Paris Hilton winning the Nobel Prize in physics.

A kettle bell is a traditional Russian training tool that looks like a cannonball with a handle affixed. It allows for a wide variety of swinging movements that focus more on development of power and endurance, whereas most weightlifting focuses on slow-speed strength. In order to reduce the risk of injury and maximize your results, qualified instruction is strongly recommended.

What made an unqualified Jillian Michaels decide to create a kettle bell DVD? I imagine she received a call one day from her agent that went something like this:

Agent: Jillie! How's the yelling at fat people business?

Michaels: Tiring. Almost as tiring as counting all my money.

Agent: Uh-huh. Listen, I've got an idea. It's totally hot right now. Two words: "kettle bells," baby.

Michaels: What's a kettle bell?

Agent: Some kind of bowling ball thingy. It will be a real moneymaker!

Michaels: Money? I'm in.

All jokes aside, I wanted to give Michaels the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps she got some professional instruction to ensure her kettle bell technique was safe and effective. So I asked Dave Cheng, chief instructor at Kettle Bells Los Angeles, to critique her form for me.

"Her technique is appalling," Cheng told me. "What she says in the video and what she demonstrates are two different things. She doesn't break things down into manageable pieces that prompt people to get the correct form, so instead she is enabling bad form… I would not recommend this from a safety perspective."

Cheng also added that he thought Michaels "is simply trying to capitalize on the popularity of kettle bells without going through her due diligence."

I asked Dave about the benefits of kettle bells compared with traditional weightlifting, and he informed me that kettle bells "allow for improving ballistic strength, making for a more optimal athlete," which actually sounds pretty awesome.

If you dismiss Cheng's comments as those of someone jealous of Michaels' fame and riches, consider that he is far from the only certified kettle bell instructor disconcerted with her technique. Denver-based instructor Josh Hillis had this to say in a blog post regarding her technique: "It's just wrong ... in every way. All of it. Every single thing she does is wrong."

Austin, Texas, trainer Jude Howe was so disgusted with Michaels' kettle bell movements that he posted a YouTube video showing how they really should be done. "Her technique and approach was so off the mark," he told me. "It couldn't have been more dangerous, and I felt the need to show people proper form."

If you decide to try kettle bells, Cheng recommends your instructor be RKC-certified, because the process is mentally and physically grueling, and they'll actually fail potential instructors who don't cut it; some other organizations will certify anyone who shows up with cash.

Now let's take a look at Michaels' weight-loss claims using the example of a middle-aged woman who weighs 190 pounds. Since there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, to fulfill Michaels' promise of losing 5 pounds a week, this woman needs a weekly deficit of 17,500 calories.

Part of this massive caloric deficit can result from dietary restriction — but not too much or it could cause her metabolism to slow down and she would experience intense hunger. A minimum intake for our hypothetical woman is around 1,400 calories a day, which is about 500 less than her typical weight-maintenance diet. Over the course of a week, she could lose 1 pound this way. So just 4 pounds — or 14,000 calories — left to account for.

Kettle bells can be a tremendous calorie-burner in the hands of an experienced user. But since Michaels' DVD is targeted at overweight and out-of-shape women, I think a generous estimation of how many calories our hypothetical woman can burn is about 600 an hour. Considering that she would burn roughly 100 calories sitting on the couch, the actual extra calories burned from doing Michaels' workout is 500 per hour.

Dividing that into the remaining weekly deficit of 14,000 calories, we find that our poor woman needs to use Michaels' kettle bell DVD for 28 hours each week. That's four hours of kettle bells a day — every single day.

I can hear the exploding lumbar discs already.

Since no one can reasonably expect that people are going to do this DVD for 28 hours a week, the only conclusion we can make is that Michaels is really bad at math.

I contacted Michaels to get her side of the story, but her schedule was too full to make room for a conversation with me, according to her publicist Ashley Sandberg in New York.

While Jillian Michaels fans must be frothing at the mouth, I think when a person proclaims the only way to get in shape is through hard work (true), then adds her name and image to a brand of diet pills (hypocritical), then faces a class-action lawsuit over the lack of efficacy regarding said diet pills (unsurprising), coupled with myriad examples of unqualified and unsafe training along with outrageous weight loss claims, then it's time to find a new source of fitness education and inspiration.

Fell is a certified strength and conditioning specialist in Calgary, Canada.

james@bodyforwife.com

Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times

Congrats Tim!

I first met Tim Peterson as a student of mine, working on his Masters in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University.

Tim was one of those students that took his education seriously and had the desire to learn. During this time I went to my very first RKC in Sep of 2007, I remember coming back from the fantastic weekend and the first student I shared with about my RKC weekend was Tim Peterson. Tim became interested in Kettlebell training and even assisted me at one of my high desert kettlebell warriors meet-up. (www.highdesertkettlebellwarriors.com) Earlier this year Tim went to the HKC and this past August the RKC. I just want to congratulate Tim on becoming a RKC and wish him the very best as he continues from here in starting his very own Kettlebell training business.

Check out his instructor page here
http://www.dragondoor.com/instructor/2394

Power To You Tim!

Correcting the Swing

Watch the "Coach" Steve Maxwell
Fix a Kettlebell Swing.

What I see in this video are very common problems with people when learning how to Swing, they don't know how or don't want to use their hips.

Kettlebell Queen

I was watching College volleyball this afternoon and guess who was on T.V. a nice young lady, which I had the privilege of teaching kettlebells to this past off-season.

Here is what she had to say

"Upon recommendation and an online evaluation I made the commitment to fly from Iowa to California to benefit from Gary's personal training. I play volleyball at Iowa State and wanted to get my vertical up and get more power when I jump. He managed to help me gain a half inch for my vert and helped my flexibility in just one week. He explained "why" I need to stretch and do all the exercises instead of just telling me to do them. Also he showed me the RIGHT way to do them. He was a great trainer and gave really good feedback. He is very skilled in this profession. The Kettlebells are a great way to get explosion when jumping. Gary also has a very good eye for "tweeking" the exercises. Overall he was a phenomenal instructor and I am going to recommend this for any athlete who wants to go above and beyond".
Kelsey Petersen - Ames, IA USA

I personally like the Iowa Hawkeyes, but for women's volleyball "Go Cyclones!"

Best of Luck this Year Kelsey!

PB Long Beach

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the Perform Better Summit in Long Beach California.

This is probably my 5th summit to attend and let me tell you, each time it gets better and better. The video above is from Alwyn Cosgrove's hands on session about Semi Private training. The content was great but being the kettlebell enthusiast that I am, I just have to give my opinion and this is just my opinion.

The video above shows fitness professional using kettlebells some have good form and some have terrible form, but here is where the problem is with me, some of these fitness professionals have very little KB training but after this weekends seminars they will be all pumped up and will start including KB's with the training of their clients, when they themselves hardly know what they are doing.

I don't teach Olympic lifts, why? Because I have not had formal training in O-Lifting the same for KB's get some training invest in yourself and learn, of course I recommend the "RKC" it was the original and still the best, but I will admit that there are other great coaches out there who do have KB certifications. But please take this serious if your a trainer get trained in KB's if your a client make sure your trainer has been properly trained and is certified in KB lifting. Rant Over!

Joint Mobility by Steve Maxwell

The "Coach" Steve Maxwell has a new Joint Mobilty Movement Series for instant download over at Maxwellsc.com.

I bought the 3 level package which includes a beginner, intermediate and advanced joint mobility workout series. Absolutely worth every penny for anyone who needs to feel better and recharge, you will want this series and best of all it is a instant download.

Get over to Maxwellsc.com to check it out.

Here is a article Steve wrote about joint mobility that is posted on his site.

Mobility Training May Be the Most Important Factor in Musculoskeletal Health
By Steve Maxwell

Mobility, or joint mobility, is the ability to move a limb through the full range of motion--with control. Mobility is based on voluntary movement while flexibility involves static holds and is often dependent upon gravity or passive forces. Mobility demands strength to produce full-range movement, whereas flexibility is passive, thus not strength-dependent. Some authorities refer to mobility as 'active flexibility'. It is possible to have good mobility without being especially flexible, just as one can be flexible with poor mobility, i.e., control. Of the two, mobility is more important. It is better to be inflexible with good mobility than flexible with poor mobility. The percent difference between your mobility and flexibility is the same percent chance of creating a musculo-skeletal injury during physical activities.

Sports, recreational activities and other daily physical practices can result in reduced range of movement in any participating joint. When the joint is unable to move through its full range, we call it compromised. When compromised movement is present in a joint, surrounding joints take up the slack, creating extra stress all around. A typical example are immobile ankles and feet underlying stress and injury to the knees, hips, and lumbar spine. It's a cascade effect, albeit in reverse: the body tissues are held together with sheets of connective tissue called fascia, so stress extends upwards from the feet. Poor mobility in one area can cause pain and stress in seemingly unrelated areas, but once fascial anatomy is understood, the idea that immobile feet could cause neck or shoulder stiffness is no longer a conundrum.

Mobility work reduces the potential body imbalances inherent in our athletic and recreational pursuits. For example, it's widely accepted that running for distance shortens the hamstrings, calf muscles and hip flexors, resulting in decreased free movement in simple full-range exercises, such as bodyweight squats. Well-documented is the compromised range produced by heavy weight-lifting and body building strength sports--yet, properly conducted, weight training can improve range of motion! All too often, in practice, weight lifters endow themselves with tight, restrictive movement by over emphasizing short-range movements and excessive hypertrophy. Worse, especially in the U.S., is that ubiquitous non-activity: sitting. Sitting in a chair, at a desk, while hunching over a computer is a recipe for a compromised structure full of imbalance and continual pain.

The solution? A joint mobility program. Joint mobility exercise stimulates and circulates the synovial fluid in the bursa, which 'washes' the joint. The joints have no direct blood supply and are nourished by this synovial fluid, which simultaneously removes waste products. Joint salts, or calcium deposits, are dissolved and dispersed with the same gentle, high-repetition movement patterns. Properly learned, joint mobility can restore complete freedom of motion to the ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, neck, elbows, wrists and fingers. It's especially important to keep the spine supple and free and if there were such a thing as a fountain of youth, joint mobility exercises come very close.

Use mobility exercises as a warm up, an active recovery during other activities, or as a stand-alone workout. You can rejuvenate yourself and reclaim the movement of a child with a good joint mobility program. Joint mobility makes a wonderful, energizing morning recharge and sets the day up on the right foot.

He also has a Joint Mobilty DVD which you can find at Maxwellsc.com

Kettlebells - Your Long Term Weight Loss Solution

Serious Writers Block

Here is a guest article from Geoff Nuepert from www.kettlebellsecrets.com and author of the book "Kettlebell Muscle"


Kettlebells are today's most popular training tool. In case you don't know what a kettlebell is, imagine a cannonball with a handle on it. They come in all different weights and can be used by the frail and the fit alike.

And kettlebells should be part of your long term weight loss solution.

Notice how I said "long term."

Most of us think only of the short term - the here and now. But that is a mistake. It robs us of our future.

Now I'm not saying you should live in the future. Not at all. I'm saying live in the present. Do everything in the present to ensure your long term, future success.

And that's where kettlebells fit into your exercise program.

With just one kettlebell you can set yourself up for current and future weight loss.

Here's how.

1. Strength Training. This is arguably the most underrated method for weight control. Strength training focuses on making your muscles work harder than they are currently working. This means that you will be forcing your body to use more energy than it is currently using. If you are eating correctly, this newly required energy comes from fat stored in and on your body.

The concept of making your muscles stronger is arguably one of the most important concepts of all. By making them stronger, your body can move more. Moving more requires more energy too.

So by focusing on strength training, you get two bangs for the same buck:

1. Muscles that constantly require more and more energy to function (fat stores are your energy) and
2. You are able to move a lot more than you used to which also requires more energy from your body.

Kettlebell workouts focus on using all of your muscles at the same time.

This requires a ton more energy than traditional forms of strength training found at your local fitness center. That type of strength training focus on isolating each body part one at a time. This does not require that large amounts of energy be expended. Therefore, you're not burning as many calories as you could be.

2. Cardiovascular Training. This is training that works your heart and lungs. This is vitally important for long term health, but more importantly, it burns stored energy (fat).

The best form of cardiovascular training is called interval training. It is the idea of periods of work interspersed with periods of rest. This form of training, when performed correctly, burns a ton of calories. In fact, when performed correctly, interval training burns a ton of calories long after you're done exercising!

Kettlebells are the perfect solution for cardiovascular training.

With just one kettlebell you can swing, snatch or even perform a combination of exercises in a circuit and force your heart and lungs to work extra hard and burn off a ton of excess calories stored as fat.

Kettlebells have a ton of other long term weight loss benefits like joint health (say goodbye to aching knees and bad backs) but these are the primary two you need to focus on for long term success.

Remember, what you do today will set you up for future success or future failure. Why not ensure your permanent weight loss by incorporating kettlebells into your weight loss program?

Geoff Neupert has been a fitness professional for over 16 years. He helps all types of people lose fat and get in the best shape of their lives by using kettlebells. Learn how to get in the best shape of your life by going to Kettlebell Secrets.

Iron Circuit Conditioning

Iron Circuit Conditioning!

Today July 19th 2010
Dragon Door and Fitness Anywhere released a Brand New DVD called “Iron Circuit Conditioning” which combines the TRX suspension trainer with Kettlebells.

Click here for more.

Check out the Promotional Trailer

What workout is for me?

What is the ultimate workout?
Ask 100 people and you will probably get a 100 different answers.
Answers like:

Crossfit
P90X
Insanity
Marathon Training
Triathlon training
Kettlebells (of course!)
Olympic lifting
Power lifting
MMA
Pilates
Yoga
Spinning
etc,etc,etc

The list just goes on and on.

I don't care what program you choose I just think every program should include these 6 parts to be considered a complete and total program,these ideas are not mine but from Alwyn Cosgrove

Part 1 - Warm-up and Activation

I am not talking about a casual jog but a good warm-up that activates Core muscles and prepares your body for exercise.



Part 2: Pre-Hab or injury prevention

This is simply to take a few minutes to help make the shoulder, knee and hip joints a little more Resilient. It only takes a few minutes but really pays off in the end. A great exercise for this is the windmill!



Part 3 - "Core Training"

Core training is more than just sit-ups and planks but an emphasis on incorporating the Core into movement just like you would use your Core in life or athletics, not just Isolation. For me you get the most "Bang for your Buck" with the Turkish Get-up!



Part 4 - "Power Training"

As a person ages they will loose Power (or the ability to move fast) quicker than they will loose strength. An old person can walk up the stairs (strength) but not the ability to run up the stairs (Power). Again in my mind the kettlebell is your best bang for your buck because KB swings and snatches are fantastic power exercises moving weight as fast as you can.

Part 5 - "Strength"

We all need strength but what is it? Strength defined is the ability to apply force, and the more force you can apply the stronger you are. Again almost anything will work.

Body weight i.e push-ups
Machines - I can't believe I am saying this but yes machines are a strength tool.
Barbells and Dumbells
Sandbags and odd objects
And of course Kettlebells.

Bang for your Buck I again say KB's you can press, squat, row, a KB and there or so many different variations so from a time and space issue I give the nod to KB's

Part 6 "ESD or Energy System Development or to some Cardio"

All I can say here is if you have never done 20 minutes of snatches or even 10 minutes of snatches then you just don't know what i'm talking about. Go try 10 minutes of swings where at the top of each minute you perform 15 swings rest the remainder of the minute for 10 minutes and then get back to me.

Okay so now I have covered the 6 parts of a workout let me show you what 30 minute KB workout at home would look like and also note that some exercises will work for many parts i.e a Turkish Get-up is a Pre-hab and a Core exercise.

Parts 1 and 2 ( Warm-up and Pre-hab 5 minutes)
KB Jont mobilty from video above x 3 sets of 5
Windmills 2x 5 each side

Part 3 (Core 5 minutes)
The Turkish Get-up x 5 minutes switching hands each rep

Part 5 (Strength x 15 minutes)
As Many rounds as possible is 15 minutes of
Cleans and Presses x 5/5
Goblet squats x 5
Rows x 5/5

Parts 4 and 6 "ESD and Power"
The KB Swing
10 minutes
15 swings at the top of each minute.

There you have it a complete and total workout in 30 minutes using my favorite tool the Kettlebell.

FACT/FICTON: Cardio burns more calories than strength training.

Article from Yahoo Health on 7/9/10

Fiction.

Contrary to long-held belief, strength training is—as new studies have shown—superior to steady-state cardio in caloric burn. In one University of Southern Maine study, participants blasted as many calories doing 30 minutes of weight training as they did running at a six-minute-per-mile pace for the same amount of time. Unless you're Lolo Jones, strength is your best bet.

The other huge benefit of weight training? It boosts your metabolism after your workout—and builds muscle that will further increase your fat-burning potential in the long run. "If you do steady-state cardio, when you leave the gym, that's it for your calorie burn," says David Jack, general manager of Competitive Athlete Training Zone in Acton, Massachusetts. "But when you do strength work, you'll continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours."

To read the entire story click here


I have known this for a few years now but it is hard to make people beleive this, my example has always been to take a look at a sprinter and Marathon runner which pysique would you rather have?

The good news is that Kettlebells will give you the best of both worlds.

Try the "Program Minimum" from Pavel's Enter the Kettlebell (ETK).

1. 5 minutes of Turkish Get-ups (Strength)
2. 12 minutes of KB swings alternated with a easy pace jog. (cardio and strength)

Give it a shot!

Indepence Day Workout

Happy 4th of July! or Better said "Happy Birthday America"!

Here is a quick workout for you to try this weekend using a jump rope and a kettlebell.

Perform 100 skips and 20 swings.

Options:

Perform as many rounds as possible in 10 minues

Perform as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes

Perform 10 rounds total for time.

Your FREE to choose your workout!

Have a Great 4th of July!

Kettlebells for Dummies!

Just Released!



Check it out here.

I Got It!

The New Book Kettlebell Muscle, I read through most of it last night and will finish it this weekend.

I have been waiting for a book like this

• Quick effective workouts
• 12 week plan
• Fat loss and strength

I can't wait to get started, I will update my progress here.

Ladies Only

Guest Blog Post by:Stone Knox of kettlbellReviews.org.

Ladies Only!

Contrary to popular opinion, kettlebell training is not just for men. In fact, kettlebell training is making it's way as a hidden secret among some of the most famous supermodels today!

So ladies, if you're craving that sexy, youthful body that turns heads on the beach - consider "The Kettlebell Goddess Workout."

This is pretty much the workout to end all workouts when it comes to sculpting that Goddess-like body that you are after.

Unlike most workout programs sold on TV or taught in the gym, "The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" is nearly two and a half hours of workout material which addresses EVERY part of the body without leaving one muscle group out.

Get the DVD and a couple of kettlebells and you can toss your gym membership bill in the trash bin. No more storing complicated exercise apparatuses in your house either. You can fit these Kettlebells in your closet right next to that new outfit you are going to buy when you are done!

Some of the Benefits of Using "The Kettlebell Goddess Workout"

"The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" is a thorough combination of exercises which are designed to burn fat and to build lean muscle faster than anything you may have ever tried before!

It has an extensive cardio workout section for getting the heart and the lungs in super shape.

So why bother with the muscle? Muscle is active tissue which increases your metabolism and burns fat while you are sleeping. Yes, you heard me right. You won't have to sleep walk on your treadmill anymore!

You see, most men and women gain weight as they get older. Not only that, the weight gets harder to lose. Ever wondered why? Well, it's actually because the body is LOSING lean muscle as it ages. As the body loses muscle, the metabolism and energy levels go down. Fat burns slower and you either start doing some serious dieting or you start gaining fat. No way around it. Unless...

Unless you develop a way to build the muscle that your body needs to maintain its energy level and metabolism. That is precisely what the muscle toning exercises in "The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" are designed to do.

Imagine that: muscle is kind of the 'fountain of youth' when it comes to maintaining a great figure.

"The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" website says:
"The ancient Greek Goddesses were famous for their vigorous and vibrant strength, their power, their grace and their physical elegance."

Ok, so maybe you don't care to be a Greek Goddess. But who doesn't want to be known for her vigorous and vibrant strength, her grace and her elegance. Just image what that will do for your self-confidence!

About the Kettlebell Instructor

"The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" is guided by Andrea DuCane.
She delivers super high energy cardio and strength workouts for toning the body, getting the heart and lungs in shape, and building lean muscle and melting away fat.

What qualifies her to do this? Well, she is one of the senior Russian Kettlebell Challenge expert trainers and if you've ever seen her, surely you'll realize that she knows something about getting and staying in great shape.

The Russian Kettlebell Challenge team is headed up by Pavel Tsatsouline who works with the elite military of the United States and would not be complete without a world class female instructor like Andrea DuCane who specializes in creating a set of kettlebell exercises especially for women.

Who Is "The Kettlebell Goddess Workout" For and What About the Price?

If you want to look and feel great then this is the most comprehensive workout you can get for the money - it's surprisingly inexpensive at only $29.95.

This DVD is also two and a half hours, which is over twice as much material as the other RKC DVDs and the price is one of the lowest. Considering that comparison, this is one of the best deals the RKC team has to offer.

This is for any woman who wants to build a great physique and enjoy greater energy, health and self-confidence.

If you're an extreme female athlete, this may not be for you. "The Kettlebell Goddess" is designed for creating a jaw-dropping, sexy bikini body - but if you're looking for extreme endurance to get a leg up on your competition, you may also want to check out "From Russia With Tough Love" which may just be more targeted for your needs as an athlete.

All in all, with a 100% Money Back Guarantee for a full-year - it's really something worth trying!

Stone Knox is an avid kettlebell enthusiast, athlete, and expert in Kettlebell Training techniques. He is dedicated to providing the tools, techniques and information that people need to create superhuman strength, endurance and a chiseled physique.

More information on Kettlebell Training, how to buy kettlebells, and how to start your training program and can be found at KettlebellReviews.org.

Kettlebell Chains

I read a great article this past week on DragonDoor called
"Time Efficiency; seem too good to be true"?
Betsy Collie, RKC Team Leader

In this article Betsy writes about Complexes and Kettlebell Chains.

What is a Kettlebell Chain?

Basically a chain is a group of exercises built on top of each other.

Swing
Swing + High Pull
Swing + High Pull + Snatch
Swing + High Pull + Snatch + Clean and Press
Swing + High Pull + Snatch + Clean and Press + Front Squats

I did a KB chain much like this with my Meet-up group this weekend, the set-up was a
I Go You Go with a partner.

Set 1 - 1 rep of every exercise of the chain
Set 2 - 2 reps of every exercise on the chain etc

I gave them 12 minutes and the highest 1 group was able to get was 3 reps on the chain and they were wiped out!

There is a new book out that implements Kettlebell Chains called
The Secrets of Compound Kettlebell Lifting—for Faster, More Efficient Gains in
Strength and Power By Geoff Neupert, Master RKC, CSCS

Kettlebell Muscle The Secrets of Compound Kettlebell Lifting—for Faster, More Efficient Gains in Strength and Power
Kettlebell Muscle is the doorway to intelligent hypertrophy training. It's a book about building muscle mass fast. Geoff's clever use of time is the factor for stunning muscle gains. The tools are simple, the moves are simple, the schemes are simple and the results are amazing.

6 Benefits from kettlebell workouts

Guest Blog Post by Geoff Neupert



Everyone is really interested in training with kettlebells these days. What are some of the benefits you'll receive from incorporating them into your workouts? They are numerous, depending on your goals. But generally speaking, kettlebell users notice an increase in the following six areas:

· Increased stamina. Many kettlebell users experience an increase in endurance when doing activities like sports. There have even been reports of kettlebell users who have run marathons without training for marathons but by only using kettlebells!

· Increased overall daily energy and increased youthful vigor. Feeling good is very important to having a productive life. Kettlebell users from all over the world report having increased energy and even feel like they can reverse the hands of time, often fixing injuries that have nagged them for years. This allows them to participate in activities they had stopped doing because of the injuries.

· A decrease in body fat. Kettlebell exercises can be very demanding from an energy standpoint. Some exercises like the swing and the snatch burn up to twice as many calories per minute than traditional aerobic activities like spinning and newer activities such as kickboxing. One of the side effects of this is that kettlebell training forces your body to burn calories - the "afterburn effect," long after your exercise session is over.

· The development of lean, hard, "bulk-free" muscles. Let's face it the only people who want big muscles are bodybuilders and teenage boys. The rest of us will settle for some nice definition in our muscles without stretching out our clothes and having our legs or armpits chafe. Exercising with kettlebells has produced the following noticeable effects - those who are overweight, lean out; those who are skinny, put on just the right amount of muscle in the right places.

· Increased flexibility without spending time stretching. One of the wonderful "side effects" of using kettlebells is what appears to be automatic increases in flexibility. That's because this style of workout strengthens weak muscle groups while simultaneously loosening (and strengthening) tight muscle groups, restoring the body's default settings for flexibility, alignment, and muscle harmony.

· More time to do the things you love and less time working out. That pretty much sums it all up in my mind. Why work out when you don't have to? What if you could work out and get twice the results in half the time? Kettlebells provide the very real option to see this occur in your life.

So what are you waiting for? Go enjoy the wonderful benefits of kettlebell training today!

Learn the shortcuts and the secrets to using kettlebells for faster results in getting leaner, losing fat, and getting maximally fit, go to Kettlebell Secrets.

Geoff's New Book

Kettlebell Muscle The Secrets of Compound Kettlebell Lifting—for Faster, More Efficient Gains in Strength and Power
Kettlebell Muscle is the doorway to intelligent hypertrophy training. It's a book about building muscle mass fast. Geoff's clever use of time is the factor for stunning muscle gains. The tools are simple, the moves are simple, the schemes are simple and the results are amazing.

Memorial Day

Today is a Day to Remember our Country's Fallen Hereo's as a tribute
Check out the Dragon Door video about Kettlebells and the Armed Forces
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoR1F1g2lGw

Fundamentals!

Secrets of the Hip and Knee
Gray Cook, RKC and Brett Jones, Master RKC

This past week I had the privilege, to work with a Division 1 college volleyball player.

Here is what I did.

1. Functional Movement Screen (FMS) by Gray Cook
Finding's - Asymmetry on the Active Straight Leg (ASLR)
Asymmetry on the rotary stability test

2. Hop and Stop test
Hop test - over 89% height (good)
Leap test - over 109% of height (good)

3. Vertical jump = 21.5 inches a collegiate female should at least be 20 inches.(source functional training for sports by Mike Boyle)

What did I end up doing with this athlete?

I gave her corrective exercises for her asymmetry's, but I also taught her the Turkish Get-up which she liked, but after further questioning she said they are not doing any power movements i.e Olympic lifting, so I taught her the KB swing.

When you consider the KB swing it mimics a vertical jump, the start loads the hips and hamstrings followed by a quick powerful contraction of the hips and hamstrings. I am interested to see her results after a few weeks of corrective exercises, Turkish Get-ups and swings, this stuff just ain't that hard is it?

Time Efficient Workouts

Today I want to give you 6 time efficient workouts.
Never again use the "I don't have time excuse!"

1. Program Minimum
A1- 5 Minutes of TGU
B1- As many swings as possible in 12 minutes
Total Time = 17 minutes

2. Countdowns
A1- 5 min of TGU
B1- As amny reps as possible in 10 min of Swings/Squats counting down 10,9,8...2,1
Total Time = 15 minutes

3. Clean-Squat-Press
Clean the bell, squat the bell and then press the bell 5 times each side.
Perform as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes.

4. Laddders 1,2,3
Clean and Press Ladders 1 right, 1 left, 2 right, 2 left, 3 right, 3 left
As many ladders as possible in 15 minutes

5. Get-up and Snatch
A1- 5 min TGU
B2- Top of each minute x 10 minutes 5 snatches each arm

5. Squat-Walk-Press
Set up 2 markers 10 yards apart
Marker #1 - 10 Goblet Squats followed by walking swings for 10 yards to marker#2.
Marker #2 - 5 clean and presses each arm followed by walking swings to marker #1.
Perform as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes.

There you go 6 No time excuse workouts.
Kettlebells= No Excuses and No Explanations!

Happy Mothers Day

Mom can use Kettlebells Too!

From Russia With Tough Love
Pavel's Kettlebell Workout for a Femme Fatale

High Desert Kettlebell Warriors 5/1/2010

Video from my May Kettlebell Meet-up
check it out at:
http://www.meetup.com/High-Desert-Kettlebell-Warriors/

4 Minute Madness

If your short on time and cash here is a quick but intense workout for you!

All you need is a Kettlebell, your Body weight, and if you have one,
a gymboss timer will make keeping time easier.

You are going to perform Four 4 minute rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds.

Round 1
4 minutes of Turkish Get-ups

Rest x 1min

Round 2
A1- 10 KB swings
A2- 10 push-ups
perform as many as you can in 4 minutes

Rest x 1min

Round 3
A1- 10 Threaded Lunges
A2 - 5 rows r/l
Perform as many rounds as possible in 4 minutes

Rest x 1 min

Round 4
Snatches as many as possible in 4 minutes

A Steve Maxwell Classic

I love Minimum workouts, these are workouts that make you focus on 1-3 execises and take them to the limit!

I came across a classic workout from Steve Maxwell for you to try out this week on a variety day. Click here for the article.

Here it is!

10 sets for time of:

10 No momentum deck squats
5 weighted push-ups

Click Here to watch video

Shoulders

I read a interesting guest blog post by Eric Cressey on www.alwyncosgrove.com

Make sure to head over to www.a;wyncosgrove.com to read the entire post, below are some of the main points.

1. You should NEVER be intimidated when you hear/see the words “rotator cuff tear” or “labral tear.” Why? Because if you are training clients, you are absolutely, positively already training people who have these issues but are 100% asymptomatic.

2. When assessing a shoulder, everything starts with total motion. In healthy shoulders, total motion – which comes from adding internal rotation and external rotation – should be the same on the right and left side.

3. 100% of all shoulder problems involve scapular dysfunction. The interaction of the glenoid fossa of the scapula (socket) and humeral head (ball) is what allows the glenohumeral joint (shoulder) to do what it needs to do.


For someone who has suffered from chronic shoulder dislocations I can honestly tell you that nothing in my opinion is better for the shoulder than the Turkish Get-up (TGU).
For stability, strength and range of motion the best program out there is

"Kettlebells from the Gound Up" by Brett Jones and Gray Cook

I Guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Double Bells,Ropes and the GymBoss!

Here is a workout that kicked butt!

Using my gymboss timer,ropes
and double kettlebells

GymBoss Timer set for 30/30 (work 30 sec, rest 30 sec)

1. Double Snatch
2. Clean and Press
3. Clean and Squat
4. Thruster
5. Ropes

Rest 1 minute and repeat for 5 total rounds.

Kettlebell Carrys

I did this workout earlier this week give it a try.

The Workout
Warm-up
A1- TGU or Variation x 5-10 minutes
Carrys
B1- Overhead Press x 5r, overhead walk x 10yds, turn
Overhead Press x 5L, overhead walk
B2 – Front Squat x 5r, Clean Carry walk x 10yds, turn
Front Squat x 5L, Clean Carry walk x 10yds
B3 - Swings x 10r, Farmers Walk x 10yds, turn
Swings x 10L, Farmers Walk x 10yds

Below is an example of some KB Carry Variations

Making it Fun!

Here is a workout I did with my PE c;asses this past week, but one you could modify for your self.

1. I divided the class into 4 teams (I tried to make them as even as possible)

2. I assigned points to exercises

A. 10 Sit-ups = 2pts
B. 10 push-ups = 3pts
C. 20 KB Swings = 5pts
D. 1/4 mile jog = 10pts

Rules:

1. Must finish and start as a team
2. They can do whatever exercise they want they just can't do it back to back. For example the team could jog 1/4 mile then do 10 sit-ups, and then jog again. The team was not allowed to run 1/2 mile at once to accumulate 20 points.

The team with the most points would get extra credit when the workout was over. I allotted 20 minutes.

The students encouraged each other it was fun for them and they got one of the best workouts of the year, give it a shot.

Oh My Aching Back!

Jillian Michaels is a quote "Super Trainer"

I would never teach anyone to swing like this! Watch the video all the way to the end.

Gym Boss Interval Timer

Quit watching the clock!

Set-up your workout however you want.

Work to rest intervals.
Here are some popular intervals times being used by kettlebell enthusiast that you can preset with your Gymboss interval timer.

2min on /1 off
1min/30sec
40/20
30/30
30/15
20/20
20/10 (tabata)
15/15

Much more!





Check it out!

Happy Valentines

This weekend is Valentines Day!

So here is a Kettlebell workout that you and your valentine can do together, it's called
"I Go You GO" You will do a exercise for a certain number of reps then your partner does the same while you rest.

Here's an example:
Warm-up 5-10 minutes of Turkish get-up's
Perform as many rounds as possible in 15- 20 minutes.
I Go You Go

Round 1 = 5 swings each
Round 2 = 10 swings each
Round 3 = 15 swings each
Rest and repeat starting with round 1 again for 15-20 minutes.

Have a Happy Valentines Day!

January 30th meetup

Video from my last kettlebell meet-up
visit http://www.meetup.com/High-Desert-Kettlebell-Warriors/
to join us.

Burn 20 calories a minute

New Study Proves that Kettlebells are King of Cardio!

Scientists at University of Wisconsin are stunned by research: Kettlebell calorie burn is off the charts. Pavel Tsatsouline and Dragon Door Publications introduced kettlebells to America in 2001 with their landmark Russian Kettlebell Challenge programs. Their claims that the kettlebell delivers superior fat loss to any other method have finally been vindicated by scientists, in research funded by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

The research team led by John Porcari, Ph. D and Chad Schnetter, M.S at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, used a VO2max kettlebell snatch protocol developed by Dragon Door author and Master RKC kettlebell instructor Kenneth Jay, in Jay’s bestseller Viking Warrior Conditioning.

After only a 20-minute kettlebell workout, research subjects burned an average of 272 calories. However as, Dr. Porcari states in his research conclusions: “We also measured the blood lactate, so anaerobically they were burning another 6.6 calories per minute, which is off the charts. That’s equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace.”

The scientists credit the startling level of calorie burn to the fact that the kettlebell workout is a total-body movement that is also done very quickly, due to the interval-training format. Added researcher Schettler, "The kettlebell workout gives you a big bang for your buck in a very short amount of time.”

Read the entire article : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3486484.htm

Roll the dice for complexes

In his new book "Cardio Strength Training" coach Dos calls complexes the King of Cardio Strength Training.

To learn the difference between complexes, comb lifts and hybrids I suggest reading this article by Alwyn Cosgrove. Complexes are great for strength, endurance and fat loss, just set your clock for 20 minutes and complete as many sets as possible.

The set-up is easy

• These complexes are set up for use with one bell.
• Begin each session with 5-10 minutes of Turkish Get-ups.
• 5 reps of each exercise
• Finish all the reps on one side of the body before moving to the other side.
• Don't set the bell down until the complex is completed on both sides.
• Roll the dice to determine what complex you will be using, i.e. rolling a 1 then you will do workout #1, roll a 2 then you do workout #2 for the day, you get the idea.

Workout #1

• swing
• clean and press
• front squat

Workout #2

• swings
• snatch
• clean and press
• front squats

Workout #3

• cleans
• front squat
• press
• snatch

Workout #4

• Swing
• Snatch
• Reverse Lunge
• Bent Over Rows

Workout #5

• swings
• snatch
• thruster (front squat, push press combo)

Workout #6

• swings
• snatch
• clean and press

Do this on your "ETK" variety days or when you need or short workout. Better yet make these complexes the focus of your workout for 4-6 weeks and then see what changes happen to your body!

Countdowns

Last week I told you about the New book "Cardio Strength Training" by strength coach Robert Dos Remedios. You can find the book at www.Amazon.com or your local bookstore.

Coach Dos provides the reader with many metabolically tough workouts, one of which being a routine called countdowns, i.e 10 push-ups 10 squat jumps working down to 1 push-up and 1 squat jump as fast as possible.



Here is a KB countdown that we did at the San Diego RKC in August, and I have done several times since, this one looks much easier than it is.

Men use a 16-24kg Kettlebell
Women use a 12-16 kg kettlebell

Start with 10 goblet squats followed by 10 swings, trying not to put the KB down down now do 9 goblet squats and 9 swings keep going until your down to 1 squat and 1 swing. Simply sinister and will boost your metabolism into overdrive!

Cardio Strength Training

I got it today!

And I have practically already read the entire book, I'm talking about the new book
"Cardio Strength Training" by Robert Dos Remedios aka "Coach Dos" www.coachdos.com this book is awesome and the information in it is perfectly suited for kettlebell training. If you have been training with kettlebells then you will already recognize many of the routines.

• Tabatas
• Complexes
• Timed Sets
• Battling ropes and kettlebells
• And much more...

This book is a must have for any serious fitness enthusiast!