Lovely Legs Kettlebell Workout!

WARNING!!!  This workout will also tone and tighten your midriff!  

Here's a lower body workout for you.  I will post a video of all the exercises soon, but technical hitches over the weekend meant all the footage I got was useless!

So for those of you who know what each exercise is I thought I'd get the workout out for you, contact me if you have any questions, otherwise I'll update you when the video is done!

WARM UP:  5 - 10 mins progressive warm up to include dynamic stretches and joint mobility work for the full body and static stretches ONLY for muscle groups that are particularly tight (eg calves and hamstrings).

You can also foam roll tight areas, especially the ITB, at this point (more info HERE).

PERFORM THIS CIRCUIT WITH 30s REST BETWEEN EXERCISES (MAX!!) 1-3 TIMES:

Swings x 15  (If you want even more of a cardio blast for maximum fat burning you can add a set of swings in between every other exercise in the circuit! You can also have an active rest by performing a 'round the body pass' or slingshot for the 30 s rest period - this will give you abs some extra work and stop the heart rate dropping too much...)

Squats x 20 (10 each side if holding KB racked to one side, alternatively hold to your chest, by the horns).  

Single Leg Deadlift x 10 each leg

Cossack Side Lunge x 10 each side

Single Leg Straight Leg Deadlift x 10 each side

KB Overhead Squat x 10 each side.  Hold one kettlebell overhead as you squat - only if you have strong and stable shoulders and feel comfortable doing this.  The alternative is to leave the KB out of it and hold your arms above your head in a Y shape.

Tactical Lunges x 10 ES.  Pass the kettlebell under your leg at the low point of the lunge, while keeping the body tall.  Step back with the leg you are holding the kettlebell in.

Side Lunges x 10 ES.

Single Leg Get Ups or Full Pistol Squats x 5 ES.  If you can do full Pistols, then shoot!  If you can't (or don't know what I'm on about!) then try the Get Up - sit on a chair, extend one leg in front of you and stand up with one leg only, then sit back down!  Start high and gradually lower the seat as you improve.

Windmill x 10 ES.  This should be done without the Kettlebell until you have the movement dialled, then add a light kettlebell to the lower arm and eventually hold the kettlebell in the upper arm.

Same Side Elbow to Knee Crunch x 10 ES.  Hold a light kettlebell in the arm overhead, bringing the elbow down to the knee as you lift the knee up on the same side.

Side Plank 30 s ES.  To make this harder, lift the top leg so you are in a star shape....

You can repeat this circuit up to 3 times!  As you improve, reduce the rest periods and increase the number of circuits...

Snatches with the 20kg Kettlebell!

Well, I thought I'd try snatches with the 20kg kettlebell... 

Just some Sunday afternoon fun!

Kettlebells For Women - Article in Washington Post

Thought I'd bring this article to your attention, some more media coverage regarding Kettlebells for women, it's all good!

A Great Workout for Women Who Like To Throw Their Weights Around

Another Steve Cotter Workout - Cardio Circuit & Some Core...

Did the Cardio Circuit from CD 4 with a 16kg.  Again, not intense cardio but shoulda really been a rest day today so deliberately chose something more chilled!

The workout starts with 10 or so Round the Body Passes each way, and these are done in between every exercise...

Single arm swings x 10 each side

Single arm clean x 10 ES

Sgl arm clean & press x 10 ES

Squat - KB racked x 10 ES

Snatch x 20 ish ES

Squat - KB overhead x 10 ES

Windmill - KB lower hand x 10 ES

Tactical lunges x 10 on each leg

Single leg deadlift x 10 ES

Windmill - KB upper hand x 10 ES

Sgl arm clean & press x 10 ES

Turkish Get Up x 5 ES

I then did couple of other exercises - a few more Turkish Get Ups and Windmills (this is the first time I've done them with the 16kg so very pleased with myself!) and some killer same side elbow to knees (standing) with the kettlebell overhead in the arm you are bringing down to meet the knee, if that makes sense...  Plus a standing twist, but I don't really like them, they feel a bit weird and pointless, which is why I decided to call it a day and go and do some yoga...

Did the 'Post Surf' section of Peggy Hall's Yoga for Surfers 1, a great way to relax and unwind after a hard day on the water, or session with the iron!!

Today's Workout - Steve Cotter's DVD

Just did one of the workouts from Steve Cotter's Extreme Kettlebell DVD - the Cardio Circuit 2 & 3 from disk 4, about 30 mins in total...

The following, 1 minute rounds with a 16kg:

Hand to hand swings

Front Squat - KB to chest

Clean and Press - 1 side only

Overhead Squat - same side

Clean and Press - other side

Overhead Squat - same side

Single Arm Row - one side

Reverse Lunge KB to chest - one side

Single Arm Row - other side

Reverse Lunge KB to chest - other side

Snatch

Lateral / Cossack Lunges KB to chest

Snatch other side

Side squats / Bob & weave

Horizontal Row - one side

1 leg single leg deadlift

Horizontal Row - other side

1 leg single leg deadlift - other side

Biceps Curls - holding horns, bell uppermost

Half Squat round the body pass

Followed by the 10 minute circuit with 2 x 16kgs, 30 s of each exercise...

Double cleans

Dive bomber push up

Double Snatch - I didn't actually have the kahunas to try this with the two 16kgs as I've only just started doing double KB ballistic stuff... Next time...

Clap Push Ups

Front Sq uats - KBs racked

High Kicks

Double Mil Press - only managed a couple of these - heavy!

Squat hold

Double arm bent over row

Jump lunges

Double swings - managed these, although feel like legs have to be super wide!

Lateral shuffles

Renegade row

Hip Switches

1 Leg Deadlift

Bob & Weave

Double clean and press - actually did 1 leg DL on the other side as only did 1 side earlier...

Jumping Push Ups - amazed I could do these - easier than they appear - give em a go!

Double arm horizontal row

Cossack side lunges

All that was only 30 mins!  Didn't feel as high intensity cardio as the Anthony Diluglio DVDs, as there is still a strength element for me, espscially using the 2 16kgs.  But feel energised rather than depleted and looking forward to training tomorrow!  

450 cals according to my Polar HRM with a max of 166bpm...  

Workout of the Day: AOS Firepower

I've had this DVD for ages and never got round to doing it - as it requires 2 kettlebells and by the time I got two 16kgs I went and had some knee surgery and haven't used any of my kettlebell DVDs since then, preferring to write my own training sessions.

But sometimes it is good to defer the programming to someone else, and be the trainee rather than the trainer for once!  I love using DVDs both for kettlebells and yoga for that reason!

I do train myself hard, but when someone else is deciding what you're going to do you invariably push your limits in one way or another.

AOS Firepower has 5 different programmes you can choose from, all using the same 15 drills but manipulating the sets and rests.  I went for doing the whole thing twice, but the longer rests, taking 55 mins (the final option is doing the whole thing twice with shorter rests taking 45 mins).  

Whereas with all his other DVDs I skip the rest completely, I must admit I was grateful for it today!

I used mostly my 16kg kettlebells, as I only have one of all the others, although the first round I used the 11kg & 14kg for the alternating military press as I thought I'd never manage it with a 16kg (swapping half way).  The second round I used only the 16kg for all exercises, except the Turkish Get Up where I used a 14kg (next time will stick to the 16kg for all)...

Drills are as follows:  

Turkish Get Up

Alternating Clean and Press

Double Bent Over Row

Super Burpee

Figure 8 to Hold

Super Plank

Alternating Double Clean (this one I didn't do as he does as I was a bit to malco-ordinated, so cleaned one then then other rather than strictly alternating)

Suitcase Deadlift

Alternating Chest Press 

Russian Twist

High Pull and Snatch

See Saw Press

Figure 8 & Hold Tactical Lunge

Renegade Row

Squat & Triple Crush

...Oh yeah, and then the 5 minute snatch test!  

I kinda lost count but think I did 95 in the 5 minutes with the 16kg, alternating hands every 5 reps.  All I need to do now is work on doing 100 on each hand for 5 minutes, then on the other for another 5 and I can enter that Girevoy Sport Kettlebell Challenge I read about in Kettlebell Info Mag.... 

I wore my heart rate monitor, which I tend to do as I can see how intensely I've worked on a cardio level (although I put the watch down the front of my top as it gets in the way of the kettlebell - can someone please invent one that you can attach somewhere kettlebell friendly please?!) and the 55 min workout (including 5 mins mobility at the start) burned 650 cals, getting my heart rate to a max of about 185 bpm.    

A fat blasting, heart pounding, muscle pumping workout, that's for sure - thank you Anthony!

Turkish Get Up Sit Up

Turkish Get Ups are one of the best kettlebell exercises there are.

You lie on the floor, with a kettlebell in your outstretched arm, and stand up.

How can something so seemingly simple be so brutal and so effective?  Well, there's a hell of a lot going on - giving you strength, endurance, mobility and even cardio (you'll see after a few!)

Today I'm going to give you a really good video that takes you through the first stage - just the Sit Up part.  You go from lying to a seated position, without getting all the way up.

I do these after my main workout, a great way to train the abs and get that six-pack going!

Try them for yourself!

Letter From Your Belly Fat

How's it goin'! This is a letter from your ol' pal, Belly Fat. We had a great run this summer, didn't we? Lots of good times, great food, and plain ol' sitting around eating too much.

Well, I'm thinking about sticking around another year if you don't mind. But you might need to get a bigger pair of pants, as I was thinking about expanding my place down here.

So do me a favor, avoid that interval training you were thinking of doing. The last time you did that stuff, I nearly had to look for a new place to live. I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West in the land of Oz. Did you hear me yelling, "Help me, I'm melting!"?

Instead, stick to that slow cardio stuff. Sure I get a little sweaty, and the ol' brain up there thinks it's doing "a real fat 
burning workout", but it's never enough to melt me outta here.

Another thing, keep listening to those experts who say strength training doesn't burn body fat. Since research shows they're wrong, if you added strength training to your program, you'd practically need to throw me a going away party!

After each one of those superset workouts you tried last January it felt like someone lit a match under our collective butt. I was burning up down here!

But boy oh boy, I sure was glad you gave that up and went back to just lifting utensils and not dumbbells. Otherwise we wouldn't have been able to celebrate another summer together this year.

Sometimes I wonder, what did you ever do in college without me, your trusted belly fat? Back then, you were probably one of those people that couldn't wait to get to the beach to show off your body, unlike these days.

Nope, stay in the shade and keep the cover-up clothes on, that's the way to go now. Besides, its a lot closer to the cold beer and the BBQ when you're sitting in the shade avoiding all the fun down on the beach.

Well, it sure was good catching up with you. I'm sure we'll be in touch more often, as long as you stay away from that Turbulence Training workout routine.

Brings a tear to my eye whenever I even think about that workout program and all the belly fat it's burned. Heck, it's fried more fat than a short order cook at a roadside truckstop.

So again, if you want to keep your dear old belly around for another year and another summer, do NOT use Turbulence Training - otherwise, its all over pal, and you'll never see me again.

Belly Fat says, "Don't use this"

==> TURBULENCE TRAINING.COM

Your friend and spare tire,

Belly Fat

PS - Seriously!

Don't go near that Turbulence Training program unless you want to see me, Thunder Thighs, Manboobs, Jigg Lee Arm Fat, and Luv Handles pack our bags and hit the highway. 
  
It will be a sad farewell, and you'd be stuck with ripped abs, gorgeous glutes, and toned arms, and you know how much attention those guys get from the opposite sex. Who needs it, I say.

PPS - Don't do what this guy and gal did.

They used Turbulence Training and look what happened to their belly fat. Now please go get me some more comfort food... 
  
"Hi Craig - First, I LOVE your program. In just under two weeks, I have already started seeing definition - that has been my goal for as long as I have been working out (a LONG time). Keep up the GREAT work, and thanks!" 
Susan Siceloff 
  
"I lost 14 pounds this month and the weight is just falling off me. My wife says I now look like when we first met and I still have more to go. I can fit into my old jeans again which is a big deal for me. I just cut back on starches and bread and do your routine 2-3 times a week. I never thought in a million years that just 10-20 minutes of weight training followed by some cardio would get me such steady results. I even cheat a bit on the weekends." 
Billy Williams

CLICK HERE ==> TURBULENCE TRAINING - IT MAY NOT BE KETTLEBELLS BUT IT'S GOING TO BLAST YOUR BELLY FAT!

Get Flabby - Train for an Ironman...

I've been through the cardio fatness loop (loads of cardio, getting fatter, think you should be doing more...). Here Rachel Cosgrove tells all about how training for an Ironman left her flabby and undefined!

http://www.figureathlete.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin

Intensity Rules!  

Check Out My Motivation Interview for Lead Britain To Wellness

I had the privilege of being interviewed by Noel Lyons (www.noellyons.com), for a new 'Let's Get Motivated' series as part of his 'Lead Britain To Wellness' programme.  

You can sign up to receive notification of all the audios in the series here: Lead Britain to Wellness.

Or to download my interview directly go here (you have 24 h before the link expires, so get there quick!):

Motivation Interview  

Post-summer is one of the busiest times in the fitness industry - I think most of us have indulged too much over the summer, or looked at our holiday pics and and decided next year we're going to look fab, so are wanting to take action!  

This audio series is designed to help you kick start your motivation, so you can start taking action now - think of all the progress you can make between now and Christmas if you get going right now...

Download My Interview With Noel Lyons HERE!