6 Minute kettlebell workout

Originally posted 2009-05-17 11:41:06.

Variations of cleans, presses, squats, and swings with Kettlebells.

Originally posted 2009-04-24 12:44:56.

This upper body workout incorporates kettlebells, dumbbells and bodyweight. Since yesterdays workout was mostly lower body this evening I decided to do this upper body workout.
10 x 5 is 10 sets of 5 reps. Kettlebell weighs 16kg and dumbbell 12kg.

* Kettlebell cleans 10 x 5 on each arm alternate
* Kettlebell floor chest press 10 x 5 on each arm alternate
* Kettlebell shoulder press 10 x 5 on each arm alternate
* Narrow push ups on the medicine ball X 25
* Kettlebell bent over rows 10 x 5 on each arm alternate
* Dumbbell triple crush x 50
* Kettlebell Seated shoulder press 10 x 5 on each arm alternate
* Wide push ups x 50
* Dumbbell pullovers x 25 Dumbbell russian twists x 25 Dumbbell sicilian crunch
* Shoulder width push ups x 50
* Rustys x 50

Originally posted 2009-05-27 20:48:30.

The kettlebell has rapidly been gaining popularity in the health and fitness market. The thing about kettlebells is that they are a serious piece of kit. When you swing a 16kg or 20kg weight around in the air you need to have some idea of how to handle it. That’s why I’d suggest anyone starting wilth kettlebells purchase a kettlebell workout so they can get a handle on how the kettlebell is best used. My favourite kettlebell workout is Providence from Anthony Diluglio. Its a great full body kettlebell workout. Providence was filmed on location in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island. The first ever “work-along” kettlebell DVD puts the experience of America’s top kettlebell trainer, right in your living room. The workout is available here.

Below are some descriptions of kettlebell exercise that can be put together for a full body workout.

1. The Kettle Bell Swing

This is the basic movement in a Kettlebell workout, just like the fundamental steps in other types of exercise programs. Everyone who wishes to learn how to use the Kettlebells to lose weight must master this movement before moving on.

To perform a swing, lower your body into a squat position, with your feet adjusted to shoulder width and your weight on your heels. Grasp the Kettlebell between your legs with both hands as your arms are extended. Start to rise up pushing with your legs, and extend the kettlebell out and up until you have managed to lift it up to shoulder height.

You want to push your hips outward and use your lower body to push the Kettlebell up, you can assist with your shoulders, but do not rely on them or your arms to do the extension, and you want to use your lower body as much as possible.

2. Alternating Floor Presses

Another exercise that is key to a basic kettlebell workout is alternating floor presses. To do these, lie flat on your back with a kettlebell in each hand. Start by raising your right hand with all the way up, and then slowly lowering it back down.

It may be necessary to twist your body towards the opposite side as you do this. Repeat the process by alternating to your left arm and then back to your right. For safety, if you are new to these exercises, try to have a friend or workout partner spot you.

3. Kettlebell Clean and Press

To do a Kettlebell clean and press, conduct a swing, but keep your elbow pressed in as you lift the Kettlebell up to your shoulders. Once it is at your shoulders, back down into a half squat, and use your arm and lower body strength to lift into a standing position with the Kettlebell lifted above your head.

4. Front Squats

Front squats are a great beginner exercise for a Kettlebell workout that can tone almost every part of your body. To start, move your feet to shoulder width apart, and hold the Kettlebell with both hands in front of you straight out from your chest.

Slowly dip down into a squat while keeping the Kettlebell level with your chest. This takes an incredible amount of effort on your part, and it is okay to lean forward a tiny bit if needed when you are a beginner. Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, you can begin rising back up to the starting position to repeat.

Front squats performed with kettlebells are far more effective than just performing the squats alone. To complete them properly, stand with your legs about shoulder width apart, and the Kettlebell extended in front of your chest. Bend down with your knees slowly, while the kettlebell remains extended. When your legs are parallel to the floor, raise yourself back up to a standing position and repeat again.

5. Kettlebell Lunges

To do a kettlebell lunge, step forward with your right foot and go down into a lunge position. Once you are in a full lunge position, pass the kettlebell through your legs to your other hand, and then stand back up straight again. Step forward with your left foot and repeat the steps again as many times as needed.

6. Elbow to Knee Crunches

Hold the Kettlebell above your head, and then bring it down with your elbows tucked in, as you raise your right knee up to touch your elbows. Raise the Kettlebell again and repeat using your left knee. This intense exercise can work your arms, abs, and shoulders as well as your legs.

7. Overhead Squats

You perform a Kettlebell overhead squat in the same way as you would a regular squat, but as you bend down into the squatting position, you raise the weight above your head. If you are knew to Kettlebells, then you may want to have a friend or workout partner spot you until you get used to doing this.

If this has wet your appetite and you’d like to get started with kettlebells you can purchase the kettlebells pictured above from here.

Originally posted 2010-07-28 16:41:25.

Common sense and good judgement are prerequisits for all kettlebell related activities. These are my top 10 tips for safe use of the kettlebell.

1. Increase the kettlebell weight gradually.
2. If in trouble drop the kettlebell.
3. Train on a surface that won’t be damaged by a dropped kettlebell.
4. Have a 15-20 feet/5-6 meter diameter of space to work in.
5. Exercise away from other people.
6. Give the kettlebell 100% of your attention.
7. Balance exercises by using both sides of the body.
8. Wear flat soled shoes, a running shoe with an elevated heel may not allow proper form and balance.
9. Maintain control by not exercising to the point of fatigue.
10. Practice the kettlebell movements with little weight until you can achive proper form, only then increase the weight.

Always do a full body warm up before starting a kettlebell workout. Maintaining proper form will reduce the chance of injury and maximise the benefits of the kettlebell workout. Don’t sacrifice form in favour of more repetitions. Breathe properly when exercising. The general rule of thumb is to breath out when exerting and to breath in on the return part of the exercise. Don’t forget that a cool down is just as important as warm up. Perform 5 to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise, this will flush out any potentialy harmful lactic acids.

The kettlebell or girya (Russian: гиря) is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle. The best kettlebells are hollow but cast the same size so that different weights have the same footprint. The kettlebell has become a popular exercise tool due largely to the efforts of strength and flexibility coach Pavel Tsatsouline.

Kettlebells are now manufactured in many sizes, 4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32 and 40Kg. Traditionally they were made in just 3 weights 16kg (1 Pood) 24kg (1.5 Pood) 32kg (2 Pood).

The best starting size for for someone regardless of how fit you or if you have lifted before, who hasn’t exercised with a kettle bell is 8kg for a woman and 16kg for a man.

Kettlebell workouts are intended to increase strength, endurance, agility and balance, challenging both the muscular and cardiovascular system with dynamic, total-body movements.

The shape and design of the kettlebell make transitioning from one movement to another easy. Ideally the kettlebell is a near perfect sphere with a small flat bottom and an handle slightly wider than one hand width. As a result combination lifts can be performed smoothly and as such they are paricularly suited to movements such as “jerks”, “cleans”, “clean and jerks”, “snatches” and “swings”.

With the growing popularity of kettlebells, maufacturers are now producing kettlebells in a multitude of colours and designs, many come with rubberised bottoms or are vinyl dipped. Competition kettlebells vary slightly from the standard kettlebells in that they retain the same spherical dimensions regardless of the weight and they are also usually more expensive but, a 12kg kettlebell has the same dimensions as a 16kg kettlebell. This allows for consistency without compromising technique when lifting competitively or training for long durations.

This evenings workout was once again the Providence Kettlebell workout. I love this Kettlebell workout although I really should put together more of my own. I’ve been doing this workout with a 20kg Kettlebell for a while now so I may just get myself a 24kg Kettlebell and see if I can manage it with a one. You can read a full description of the workout here.

This evenings workout was a kettlebell workout using a 20kg kettlebell and my own bodyweight:

After warming up I performed: Ten rounds of squat thrusts for 30 reps and then one arm kettlebell swings 15 reps each arm. A round is one set of squat thrusts and one arm kettlebell swings done back to back with as little rest as possible between rounds, just enough to shake out your body and grab a quick drink of water. The squat thrust is a bodyweight exercise in which you squat down, get into the top position of a pushup, and then get back to up the standing position.

You don’t always need to use traditional exercise equipment and training routines in your workout program, as there are many great “alternative” training methods. One of my favourite “alternative” workout tools is the sledgehammer, although this is the first time in ages that I’ve used it. Using my 14lb sledgehammer and 20kg kettlebell after a quick warm up I performed:

* 10 sledge swings from each side x 2 (total of 20 each side)
* 20 2 handed kettlebell swings
* 15 incline push-ups (feet resting on the bottom of my free standing punch bag)

* 90 seconds rest

* 20 sledge swings from each side
* 10 kettlebell swings with each hand
* 15 incline push-ups

* 90 seconds rest

* 15 sledge swings from each side x 2 (total of 30 each side)
* 30 2 handed kettlebell swings
* 15 incline push-ups

* 90 seconds rest

* 30 sledge swings from each side
* 15 kettlebell swings with each hand
* 15 incline push-ups
* Grab a drink and cool down.

This was my workout for July 15th 2010.

This evenings workout was the Art of Strength Providence using a 20kg kettlebell. This was my first time using a kettlebell in a while. I had half expected my strength to have declined after doing mainly bodyweight exercises for approximately the last six weeks but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to complete the workout with pretty much the ease that I have been to on past occasions.