The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout

http://us.myprotein.com/thezone/articles/training/the-ultimate-kettlebell-workout/

 

BY TYLER STARK |  
 

The kettlebell may be one of the most underused pieces of gym equipment, but why? Many blame it on the fact that it is not as isolated of movement as opposed to a dumbbell or barbell. Others will say that the kettlebell is only for those looking to lose some weight in a HIIT workout. Rest assured that working out with kettlebells can build some serious muscle when done properly. Using the correct weight and and form will help you reap the benefits so grab a bell made of iron and let’s hit it.

Kettlebell Workout #1: Turkish Getup

The Turkish Getup is a great workout for those with sticky shoulders and helps improve overall fluidity within the joints in upper and lower body. The main focus within this movement is being deliberate and really concentrating on the correct muscles doing the work. This is to be done slowly and with a lighter weight as well due to complexity- but don’t let this workout scare you. This will help suck the scapula into its correct position as well as correcting arm-overhead positioning and hip flexibility.

✓ Begin by selecting a kettlebell weight that is comfortable to handle overhead for at least 10 repetitions
✓ Lying flat on your back, start with bell in one hand and arm perpendicular to torso.
✓ Press the weight up straight to the ceiling and expanding the scapula while bending at torso- now supporting body weight with opposite hand
✓ From here, drop opposite leg from Kettlebell back behind your body, supporting body from knee and opposite hand now
✓ From the kneeling position, stand up all while keeping the bell arm straight and overhead.
✓ To complete the movement, do everything in reverse back to the lying  starting position.

Sets and Reps: 3×10-12

Top Tip: Allowing your shoulder to be pulled back and depressed against the scapula will translate into better shoulder function and mobility.

Kettlebell Workout #2: Goblet Squat

One of the best ways to build the lower body is with the squat. There are numerous ways to do a squat to hit various areas of the quad, but in order to really is isolate the lower quad as well as the glutes, the goblet squat with the Kettlebell is a total lower body annihilation. Keep your form tight and the movement slow and controlled and the amount of weight used will come later.

✓ To start, stand with feet slightly further apart than shoulder width.
✓ Hold Kettlebell with one hand on each side of the handle and in front of the body up around the chest
✓ While keeping weight right up against chest, perform a squat slightly lower than parallel and return to the top of the movement

Sets and Reps: 3 x 15

Top Tip: Keep constant tension on the quads by stopping just slightly before legs are completely extended, flexing the muscles in the quad to accentuate the leg development.

Kettlebell Workout #3: Kettlebell Snatch

Looking for an exercise to work the entire upper body as well as improve athletic performance? Look no further than the kettlebell snatch. The amount of core strength and precision of all muscles firing together is what separates this Olympic move from the rest. Holding the Kettlebell and keeping in a steady position only adds to the difficulty. Check it out:

✓ Start movement with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
✓ Hold Kettlebell between legs with one arm in the starting position
✓ In one continuous motion, move weight with arm straight overhead by shrugging up and back until weight is overhead and slightly behind you
✓ Lower weight to front rack position and the drop weight back down to starting position.

Sets and Reps: 5 x 5

Top Tip: This movement is a very tough one to master so start with no weight to get movement down correctly or ask a trainer or coach to pick apart your form to avoid injury and maximize performance.

 

A KILLER KETTLEBELL WORKOUT

 

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by Melissa Zimmerman | February 9, 2015

The kettlebell may look like your grandma’s teapot, but this cast-iron ball with a handle will give you an incredible workout. A kettlebell’s unique shape distributes weight unevenly, unlike a dumbbell. That means every kettlebell workout develops stability and balance, which is great for core strength! Kettlebells come in varying weights, from five pounds up to 75-pound competition-weight bells.

Kettlebell is a unique exercise that’s equal parts strength training, endurance building and cardio. Kettlebells have been around at least 350 years – it’s a time-tested method of building strength and increased muscular endurance. Exercises like kettlebell swings will get your heart rate up. And the American Council on Exercise found that the average person can burn up to 400 calories in just 20 minutes with a kettlebell workout.

Do these killer kettlebell moves for a serious workout that will get your heart pumping, build muscle strength, and strengthen your core.

Swinging Kettlebell Squats

• Begin with your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart.
• Squat down, holding the kettlebell between your legs with both hands.
• Your back should be flat, abs engaged, and toes slightly out.
• Inhale, pushing the floor away from your feet as you explode up.
• Legs should be straight while the kettlebell swings out in front of you until your arms are straight out at shoulder height.
• Exhale and return purposefully to a starting position, swinging the kettlebell back between your legs.
• Repeat 12 to 15 times.

One-Arm Kettlebell Swings

• Begin with feet hip-distance apart and a kettlebell between them.
• Bend at the hips and knees until your back is flat, your rear is pointed toward the back wall, and your eyes are looking straight ahead.
• Inhale, and with the right arm, swing the kettlebell back between your legs.
• Reverse the direction and drive the kettlebell through with your hips until it’s straight out in front of you as you exhale.
• Inhale again, letting the kettlebell swing back between your legs and repeat 12 to 15 times.
• Switch arms for 12 to 15 reps on the other side.

Alternating Floor Press

• Begin on the floor with a kettlebell next to each of your shoulders.
• First place one kettlebell on your chest, gripping the handle with your palm facing forward.
• Then sit the other kettlebell on your chest.
• Inhale, extending both arms to press the kettlebells directly above your chest.
• Exhale, lowering one arm to your chest.
• Alternate pressing one arm up and lowering the other.
• Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Single Arm Row

• Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart, bending at the hips until you have a flat back.
• Keep your upper body parallel.
• Step your right foot forward, bracing your right forearm across your right thigh.
• Hold the kettlebell in your left hand, pulling it up toward your ribcage.
• Repeat 12 to 15 times, then repeat on the other side.

Kettlebell Halo

• Begin by standing straight up with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold the kettlebell in both hands by the handle, with the weight facing toward your face and the handle below the weight like an upside-down teapot, at chest height.
• Lift the kettlebell up to the outside of your face, in a straight line above your ear.
• Slowly draw the kettlebell behind and around your head, drawing a circle around the top of your head.
• Trace your halo first in one direction, and then the other.
• Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Remember: Kettlebells can be deceiving. If you’re used to heavier dumbbells and barbells, don’t make the mistake of thinking that a heavier kettlebell is right for you. The unique shape of the kettlebell and its small stature can cause people to reach for heavier weights than they should. Start with a lower weight, and work toward a flawless execution of the moves. Once you’ve mastered each exercise and can go through the entire workout 2 or 3 times, you can move up in weight. Try it for yourself, and experience the killer workout that kettlebells have been offering athletes for centuries.

- See more at: http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/fitness/exercises/a-killer-kettlebell-workout.html#sthash.Ac0hGG1O.dpuf

Kettlebell Front Squats For Leg Strength

http://www.fitandwrite.com/category/kettlebell/ 

This #kettlebell front squat workout is literally based on Pat Flynn’s video. Check this out:

When it comes to total body workouts, squatting is probably the king. There are many variations of course but in our topic today, we’ll be doing the double kettlebell front squat. As performed above by Pat Flynn. It’s simple, you grab hold of the kettlebells in the rack position and squat deep as demonstrated in the video.

I tried this myself once and I found my glutes and thighs on fire. I also found myself almost unable to climb the stairs or even walk after doing this. This was like self-inflicted torture, a masochist’s dream workout.

But as much as I hate doing this, I found myself becoming stronger. After a few times with this, not every day mind you, I guess you could say that I’ve enhanced my overall #fitness and #strength. It also had quite an impact on my physical and mental #health since doing kettlebell front squats are not easy on the body and the mind. Not only does this workout physically drain you but it also makes you want to give it up and not finish. It would probably happen right around the 6th or 7th set and I tell you, it takes a lot of mental fortitude to finish this simple yet brutal workout.

Fibonacci Kettlebell Complex

  http://www.fitandwrite.com/category/kettlebell/

I wanted to spice things up on my weekends so I decided to invent my own little complex based on the ever popular Fibonacci Sequence earlier today. I’m a fan of the Fibonacci Sequence as it’s one of my favorite choice of passwords (no, that’s not the password to this blog, silly) for most of my “money” accounts. I love this mathematical sequence in particular as it also implores the logic of nature when we pertain to the Golden Ratio. But we’re not here to talk about math and philosophy.

www.mathsisfun.com

As for the workout I made, I take this inspiration from Pat Flynn’s Sequential Dismay. There are two versions of this as of this writing and below are the official videos. Note how Pat uses snatches and his friend uses the one from the blog.

Bonus: Pat Flynn’s Sequential dismay (both versions) using two kettlebells performed by this guy.

For creativity’s sake, mine was very different. I wanted to incorporate my #kettlebell Burpee workout into a #strengthtype of kettlebell workout. To cut to the chase, it went like this:

1 x double clean, 1 x double press, 1 x KB Burpee

1 x double clean, 1 x double press, 1 x KB Burpee

2 x double clean, 2 x double press, 2 x KB Burpee

3 x double clean, 3 x double press, 3 x KB Burpee

5 x double clean, 5 x double press, 5 x KB Burpee

Then reverse it back down to 1. This was all done using a pair of 24 kg kettlebells. I dare you to go up until 8 without resting. If you can do it then props to you but beginners should attempt to finish the recommended reps above.

As you can see, it covers a pretty good ratio of upper #body strength as well as adding a ballistic resistance cardio workout that covers a good portion of the lower body. Well burpees were designed to be a full body workout but kettlebell burpees puts emphasis on leg power since there is added resistance right before the jump.

http://www.dirtroadcrossfit.com/

A kettlebell push up is also integrated with the burpee which is also a pretty mean version of your average push-up if you’re gunning for more muscle coverage on your chest and shoulders. Just be mindful of the landing, though, since the it can take its toll on your knees if you don’t hinge right. Yes, I recommend a hinge because you don’t have to bend your knees much when doing a Kettlebell Burpee. Too much knee bending after a jump (with weights specially) may cause serious injury.

Quite frankly, this workout may only take you roughly 10-15 minutes TOPS. If you go beyond 15 minutes then you are resting too much or if you finish too early it’s either you’re strong or your kettlebells are too light. If you want to add difficulty, add double front squats. It would definitely take a lot of rest time but it’s a pretty good upgrade if you ask me.

This workout is best used as a “closing” to your #fitness routine to end the day. Give it a go and tell me your experience in the comments section!

Top 3 Common Kettlebell Injuries

  http://www.fitandwrite.com/category/kettlebell/

As much as I feel at home with my #kettlebell techniques, I am not an exception to injury. In fact, I’ve experienced a bunch of common injuries associated with weightlifting in general. Some of the minor ones, the types of injuries that won’t bother much with working out, include big calluses, arm bruising, bruises on my thighs, and a few shoulder blade injuries. These injuries made me wince but did not really prevent me from training. I usually just shrug the pain off and proceed. If I had to modify just so I wouldn’t exacerbate my injuries, I would do so.

 1. Torn Hands

From minor injuries, let’s go now to a few major ones.  Let’s begin with one of the most common: tearing your hands.

I once tore my hands so much that they were bleeding hard after a session. It’s funny since it happened when I tried to enhance my grip of the bell by applying a few layers of tissue paper. This is since, depending on the humidity, I can get pretty sweaty palms. And sometimes I fear having the kettlebells slip from my hands when I do a snatch or swing.

While it did make me grab the kettlebell better, the tissue paper also rubbed hard on my palms. It almost PEELED the skin on my palms off. I was literally in so much pain I couldn’t even grab on to anything without regretting the dumb idea of cheating the grip. It took me five days of not swinging and a whole lot of Betadine and Band-aid before I could feel the layers of skin getting thicker.

Don’t cheat the grip

When I tried to do a single swing before healing, the iron touching my hands’ unprotected skin didn’t exactly motivate me to continue. What I did to remedy my workout need was to go without kettlebells. At this point, I am thankful I know a few good bodyweight workouts. The only hard thing to do was when I had to use my hands, specifically my palms, when doing a push up. To do that, I used the closed-fist variation. Simply put, I just let my palms heal for one week and after that I was off swinging again.

Moral of the story? Don’t cheat the grip. Occasionally wipe your hands and the kettlebell with tissue but DO NOT wrap your hands or the handle of the kettlebell with tissue or even a towel. You not only risk tearing your hands but it also puts stress on your grip and you may end up with sprained hands after a session.

2. Bruised Forearms

After the hands, we move toward the arms. Now let me first say that bruising your arm is actually quite common in thekettlebell community. Yes, if you’re a real kettlebell enthusiast you would, on numerous occasions, bruise your forearms. Often times the bruising is minor or, with enough practice and mastery, will no longer be an issue. It would be wishful thinking to say that forearm bruising due to kettlebell training is something everyone eventually overcomes but that is simply not the case.

For instance, yours truly had serious forearm bruising when I overstepped my boundaries and practiced cleans with a 32 kg kettlebell. I practiced the swing with them for a few months and I thought maybe I could do cleans now. I also thought that transitioning from 16 kg to 32 kg shouldn’t be that much of an issue. Admittedly, I was naive about my error and unfortunately it took me a few weeks to understand how dumb it all was.

Never attempt a huge jump in weight

During this period, I repeatedly banged my forearms so much that the kind of bruises it left were large and dark. People at work even thought I was into BDSM. I also ended up developing bumps on my forearms which, as I searched for the answer, was (possibly) a result of calcification or tissue thickening. They once got so big I feared lifting heavier kettlebells. I watched and re-watched so many kettlebell clean videos just to check on what I’m doing wrong. The root of the problem, in all honesty, was my big jump on weight. I realized that when the bruising was already so bad that I started fearing for my forearms.

Long story short, I eventually practiced with a lower weight (24 kg), the bruising was either light or no longer present after much practice, and I can now double clean a pair of 32 kg effortlessly.

Moral of the story? Never attempt a huge jump in weight when it comes to kettlebell training. Perhaps increase your increments by up to 4 kg max at a time. Also, no matter how adept you are at kettlebells, it’s always good to have you technique checked by a professional or at least watch a few videos on how to properly execute a move specially when it comes to cleans and snatches to prevent forearm bruising.

3. Back Injury

Last on our list is the back injury which is probably the worst injury a kettlebell user will ever have. When done in good form, kettlebell workouts greatly benefit the back. This usually stems from a bad form particularly by overextending at the lumbar spine. The kettlebell swing is the common source of this injury or rather the improper use of it.

It’s better to have complete mastery of something small than look like an idiot attempting something you aren’t capable of yet. 

Once again I’ve also experienced perhaps one of my most painful injuries due to a bad form. It actually happened to me twice but the second one wasn’t so bad that I was still able to perform swings. Cleans and snatches, which required more “back”, were off limits. The first time was the one that made me learn my lesson.

It happened when I was still forcing myself on a pair of 32 kg. I was swinging when I suddenly heard something pop (not crack) and I stopped right there. When I tried to stand up, it was as if I got stabbed in my lower  back particularly the lower left. Sitting, standing, walking, turning in bed, I always ended up wincing in pain. I had to stop training for more than a week. Not only that, I also had a hard time doing my job. This was the single most painful injury I’ve ever had when using kettlebells. It was at this point that I decided not to double swing until I get a lighter pair. I was practically scared of double swinging that it took me a while to double swing again after this incident.

Moral of the story? As with forearm bruising, don’t get carried away with the weight you are using. Before you run you must first walk and before you walk you must first learn how to crawl. It’s better to have complete mastery of something small than look like an idiot attempting something you aren’t capable of yet. Also, form is key in any workout. The right form will give you all the benefits and the wrong form, all the drawbacks.

Conclusion

Those were the top 3 common kettlebell injuries. Mind you there are probably a lot more to enumerate but these three are the most common primarily due to it mostly affecting newcomers into the kettlebell scene. Perhaps even those who are relatively veteran can get these injuries too specially if they try to make the move adjust to them and not them adjust to the move. Kettlebells are great tools for fat burning, #strength development, and enhancing overall #fitnessbut safety will always come first. If you can afford it, have a professional teach you the proper ways of conducting every move or at least take some time to learn on Youtube or buy a few videos on kettlebell workouts.

Remember, the most common mistake is not recognizing the mistake. Get yourself educated, always take time to review, and stick to the technique!

Kettlebell Complex: Beauty in Simplicity

   http://www.fitandwrite.com/category/kettlebell/

I’ve been trying out this new #kettlebell complex I made last week. It’s more to do with endurance and #strength than anything else. It’s simple but it will definitely take its toll on your body. I conjured this while lying on my back, thinking of my previous article and about how it is sometimes important to stick with the basics.

Complexes are great specially if you have a lot of equipment available for use. But often times people perform these complexes in an attempt to complete or finish them without focusing on technique and form. I’ve seen too many people finish these complexes just so they can tell themselves how they were able to complete it. This is dangerous for people who aren’t so experienced with kettlebells. Injuries usually stem from repeating an imperfect technique which results from the user adjusting the technique to their liking and not them adjusting to it.

Let’s get this straight: When you are training, the technique remains static at all costs and the user will be the one to mold themselves around it even if they have to use lighter weights. The technique is like a constant that it has a fixed value which most people have agreed to and with the reason being safety.

It goes without saying that sometimes we tend to forget how to properly execute a simple swing or a clean what with all the fun we’re having at doing swing-squat-clean complexes. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying going beyond the basic move set is not the way to go. What I’m saying is 100 perfectly executed swings is far better than a swing-clean-press-squat-push up complex done in a “just to finish” fashion. Not only are you not maximizing the fat burning and strength building capability of the workout but you’re also risking injury, something proper form would have prevented. The purpose of going back to basics is to review your foundation, testing the stability of the very platform in which you have placed your kettlebell skills. It’s a chance to see if you’re straying or staying; focused or distracted.

Beauty in Simplicity

Now mind you, I’ve posted articles on different kinds of complexes before but this is in addition to that. The great thing about one or a pair of kettlebells is the variety of workouts you can perform. You basically have your own gym if you own a pair and some decent floor space. As with that, here is the complex I developed. You may find some similarities to other complexes you’ve seen somewhere else (and please tell me where you saw it) but I guarantee you I just thought of this myself.

Beauty in Simplicity complex:

Tool: 1 x 32 kg (or the heaviest kettlebell you can swing 100 times with in 5 minutes)

Sets will be in a descending ladder which means you will subtract the total number of reps as you progress

1st set

10 Single kettlebell swings per arm (20 swings total)

5 kettlebell squats per arm (10 total)

5 one leg push ups per leg (10 total)

2nd set

8 Single kettlebell swings per arm (16 swings total)

4 kettlebell squats per arm (8 squats total)

4 one leg push ups per leg (8 push ups total)

.

.

.

5th set

2 Single kettlebell swings per arm (4 swings total)

1 kettlebell squat per arm (2 squats total)

1 one leg push ups per leg (2 push ups total)

This workout may take you less than 10 minutes or up to 15 minutes, depending on your skill level with the kettlebell you use. Now why use the heaviest bell you can swing for 100 times under 5 minutes? Simple reason: this is to see if your form has been perfected. The kettlebell swing is the simplest but also the most effective workout you can use. As Andrew Read states it:

If you were looking for a single exercise to care for the human frame you’d probably look for an exercise that helped us regain our posture from one of sitting hunched over to one that was upright, extended, and open. You’d probably also look for an exercise that worked the posterior chain to overcome all the negative effects of sitting and, if you could find one exercise that could do both of those, you’d probably also wonder if you could find one super exercise that could strengthen your heart and help you lose weight, too.

It’s called the kettlebell swing.

Kettlebell Burpee Workout

http://www.fitandwrite.com/category/kettlebell/

www.menshealth.com/

How many exercises can you fuse kettlebells with? Probably in the thousands. We all know the functional benefits of kettlebells. We all know the kind of #strength it can give a person due to its holistic approach to #fitness. The fact that it is usually done with moderate volume makes this a great combination of cardio and weight training.

Needless to say, the very strength of #kettlebell training is its fat burning potential. Among the exercises kettlebells provide, the swing usually takes the cake as the most important exercise of all. They always did say that the swing is the perfect exercise but let’s go beyond that and say the kettlebell swing is the best fat burning exercise out there. So if kettlebells are the best tools for fat burning, why not combine it with another powerful fat burning exercise?

I’ve been experimenting with a whole roster of movements for my kettlebell workouts and it wasn’t until my recent detour from kettlebell training did I realize that I forgot one workout that I found very, very good for fat burning and a pretty sweet cardio. I’ve performed this type of workout before, using lighter kettlebells, and I’ve used them as part of a very long complex. It’s actually a combination of one of my favorite bodyweight exercises with my kettlebells. It’s called the kettlebell burpee.

Kettlebell Burpee Tutorial

Now you may simply do a Google search and you’ll find a whole bunch of other videos of which you might mistake as the kettlebell burpee but not really. Although this is just me sticking to what a burpee should look like with kettlebells.

This workout is pretty mean on its own. I actually did a number of these earlier today and I felt the burn in just a few rounds. Try doing this in under 15 minutes or maybe as a 5-minute finisher to your lifting just to get your daily cardio fix but with some weights on.

You may try the other variations but I’m not quite fond of them. Among those other variations I’m not quite fond of, but interested in doing, is the one done by people from the RKC. One reason I’m not as crazy about them is due to the level of risks involved. Just check it out:

The level of fatigue may injure you, or those around you, if you’re not careful with those snatches. Take note of their forms as well. As the fatigue sets in, their backs start to arch which is a pretty bad sign that you’re overdoing the workout. Kettlebells ultimately require perfect form every time and perhaps a rest period is definitely recommended for those willing to take the challenge above. Also, notice how their push ups are starting to arch and become half-done. Quality reps matter no matter what kind of workout you do specially when you’re fatigued.

www.dirtroadcrossfit.com/

Take the danger factors and add safety in the mix, it looks mean and I’ll wager it’s on the advanced levels of kettlebell workouts. I may try them one day but not now or next month. Alternatively, what you I usually do is perform swings (double KB or one handed) and burpees separately. I usually do a countdown workout with fast-paced exercises like those.

BONUS: Pat Flynn’s variations seem safer although he also does a similar workout as with the video above.

Conclusion

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Kettlebells are one of the best tools for fat loss, strength building, and enhancement of functional fitness. The fact that they are minimalist tools means you can combine them with hundreds of exercises to make thousands of workouts or complexes. The burpee is another minimalist workout that requires the whole #body to work which in turn provides an effective fat burning workout. Combine the two and you are guaranteed to get one hell of a fat incinerator in as little as 10-15 minutes.