It turns out that many fish oil supplements on the market contain much lower levels of one or both of these components.  Further, my doctor noted that consuming fish several times a week as I do does not offer the same benefit.

This past week the Los Angeles Times published an article that explains why omega-3 fish oil supplementation works well to keep you healthy.  In a joint American and Japanese study, researchers found that omega-3 fish oil helps reduce inflammation caused by certain white blood cells.  An excess of this inflammation can make the immune system resistant to insulin thereby triggering diabetes.

So, it appears that in addition to moderating cholesterol in the blood, omega-3 fish oil can also protect you against diabetes and other conditions that result from chronic inflammation in the body.

Sad to say, those days are over.   Even with 4 to 5 rigorous, 90 minute workouts a week, those excess pounds are very slow to come off.

Nutrition experts as well as physicians with whom I have discussed this are fairly blunt – you have to count calories.

What does this mean, in a practical sense?  In my case, I need about 2,750 calories a day to maintain my weight.   A vigorous workout burns around 800 calories, so I can consume around 3,500 calories a day and not gain any weight.  A pound is equal to 3,500 calories.    Assuming that 2 days a week, I consume 3,500 calories, I need to limit myself to 2800 calories a day for 5 days a week to drop a pound a week.

I can't eat too few – or my body will go into starvation mode.

Recently, I started counting calories.   I made some surprising discoveries.

• I enjoy popcorn and I use a Whirley-pop 6 quart popper that uses 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels and 3 to 4 tbsp of oil – 6 quarts = 1,536 calories
• I enjoy French bread and butter or Smart Balance – my portion costs me between 1,200 and 1,500 calories
• Pizza – 3 slices of cheese pizza – 500 calories
• chicken breast (8 oz.) – 450 calories
• rice (flavored) – my portion around 800 calories

In my case, portion size is the problem, as is speed of eating.   I am using the About.com Calorie Count online service to track what I eat – we'll see how it goes.

Recently some of the regulars at the gym have been asking questions and one gentlemen has joined us in our kettlebell workout.  He is able to get through about 1/2 to 2/3 of each set but he keeps coming back so that is a good sign.  I'll go into more detail about our routine in a future post.

I suspect that you could perform different kettlebell exercises each day and find something different to do every day of the week.  In our case, we have to deal with the issue of schlepping the kettlebells from the car, as our L.A. Fitness does not have a full set.  Interestingly, however, about six months after workout partner Michael and I used our kettlebells for the first time, a couple of the personal trainers there purchased four or five bells and started using them occasionally.  Right now, there is one 16kb bell, the rest are very light weights – most of the trainer clients are women who do not run through a very intense workout.  We use 16kb and 12kb bells and it is nice to have one available to use in addition to what we bring.

In the mornings at L.A. Fitness at least, most of the regulars are in their 40's and 50's and I doubt that too many of these folks would be able to handle an intense kettlebell workout.  On the other hand, swinging a 2kb kettlebell is not going to do much.  For  us, at this time, two days a week is about right.  I think it is better to run through a solid kettlebell workout once or twice a week, as opposed to a peripheral use of the weights once every two to four weeks.

As I will discuss in a future post, many of our kettlebell day exercises are focused on core strength and now that we are consistent, I am really starting to see some good results.  Not quite ready for photos (although I have several very solid "before" photos!).

Monday:

• 15 minutes of work on the elliptical machine
• medicine ball twist – 2x up and down length of basketball court
• medicine ball squat – ball at small of back – 10 reps
• boxing workout – five or six 1 minute "rounds" hitting hand pads or heavy bag
• tricep pulldowns – 3 sets
• BOSU balance workout – 3 sets
• exercise bike warm down and protein drink

Tuesday:

• 15 minutes of work on elliptical machine to warm up
• medicine ball twist – 2x up and down length of basketball court
• medicine ball squat – ball at small of back – 10 reps
• boxing workout – five or six 1 minute "rounds" hitting hand pads or heavy bag
• kettlebell exercises – swings, lifts, balance ball
• exercise bike warm down and protein drink

Wednesday:

• 15 minutes of work on elliptical machine to warm up
• medicine ball twist – 2x up and down length of basketball court
• medicine ball squat – ball at small of back – 10 reps
• various stretching exercises
• leg press exercises
• exercise bike warm down and protein drink

Thursday:

• 15 minutes of work on elliptical machine to warm up
• medicine ball twist – 2x up and down length of basketball court
• medicine ball squat – ball at small of back – 10 reps
• boxing workout – five or six 1 minute "rounds" hitting hand pads or heavy bag
• bench press exercises
• exercise bike warm down and protein drink

Friday:

• 15 minutes of work on elliptical machine to warm up
• medicine ball twist – 2x up and down length of basketball court
• medicine ball squat – ball at small of back – 10 reps
• boxing workout – five or six 1 minute "rounds" hitting hand pads or heavy bag
• tricep pulldown routine + leg work
• exercise bike warm down and protein drink

About 2 months ago, I changed my vitamin and mineral routine to take my minerals (including the pills with trace minerals) at night instead of in the morning.  About a month after doing so I began noticing some irregularities in my heartbeat and fluttering in my chest.

The chest fluttering was not painful nor did I have any shortness of breath – but it was noticeable enough that I called my doctor.  After I told him about my symptoms and that I had been working out with heavy weights he reassured me that my issue was likely not cardiac in nature and he suggested that I may be experiencing a potassium deficiency.

At his suggestion I ate a bannana prior to working out and a bannana in the afternoon and immediately my heartbeat returned to normal and I have had no issues since.

Now, obviously not ever instance of chest pain or fluttering heartbeat is benign and if you have any questions you should seek medical attention.  In my case, however, it appears that a minor potassium deficiency was at the root of my experience.  This also explains why a number of long distance runners I know carry a bannana with them in their workout bags.

Our bodies don't need a lot of potassium or trace minerals, but take them away and strange things happen.

Further, there is a bit of  a fear factor with free weights  – you know that if you drop them you could embarass yourself, hurt yourself or your workout partner.  In my experience, you are much more attuned to your limits when you use free weights.

I find that I get a lot out of decline bench workouts.  A decline bench is like a regular weight bench except that the head of the bench sits at a 45 degree angle – in other words, your head and arms are inclined below your feet.  For me, this type of workout fits my body type and I feel that it puts less stress on my shoulder joints.

At some point, I will do my own video, but for now, here is an example of a decline bench exercise that is done effectively.  You can use a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells with a decline bench.

You can find other examples of decline bench exercises on YouTube although many of them feature blaring music and gym rats who are lifting 400 lbs.  You don't need a lot of weight – lift what you can do comfortably and handle 10 to 15 reps for 3 sets before you move up in weight.

Bionic brand gloves give a very nice grip when they are new, but they are relatively thin and in my experience, break down a little too easily.

My new favorite are weightlifting gloves made by GoFit, called GoFit DTAC.

I got these at Buy.com for about $22 (including shipping) and I have been using them for just over 2 months.  I am very impressed with both the grip and the durability.  I put a lot of stress on my gloves, using them for kettlebells, weight bench training, rope pulldowns and even pushups.  So far these are the best gloves I have every used.

The gloves come with an exercise CD that is fairly generic but if you are looking for durable, functional workout gloves, give the GoFit DTAC gloves a try.

Protein also has a role in fat burning and weight loss.  Presumably any carbs in your system are burned for energy during your workout.  Post-workout protein goes to rebuild muscle.  Therefore your post-workout body with energized metabolic function will use stored fat for at least a few hours post workout.

For the past several months, I have been testing different protein drinks.  Right now, chocolate Muscle Milk is the most palatable, although it is a little high in calories.  Have you tried other protein drinks?  What do you like?

Marc's post summarizes in a few hundred words what a lot of folks put in entire books.  Take a look.  Also take a look at Mark's blog – MuscleHack.  This week he has an insightful post called "10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 21."   With March Madness in full swing, this must be the month for numbered lists.

On "upper arms" days, we do exercises on both stable and unstable platforms.  Stable platform arm work includes work on the bench press and the pull down machines.  Instability work includes kettlebells, dumbbells and bar bells.

Stable platform work allows for more weight, while unstable platform work tends to be more aerobic and tone oriented.  Of all the unstable platform exercises we do, the kettlebells work the stabalizing muscles and they tend to be much more aerobic.

We have not been focusing as much on the kettlebells lately because our gym (LA Fitness) does not have kettlebells and we have to bring our own.   For whatever reason it seems to take too much effort to schlep in the kettlebells on a freezing cold morning.  In addition, I strained my back back in November and again last week and I have been hesitant to carry the kettlebells in from the car before I am warmed up.  As the weather gets warmer, we'll get back to including the kettlebells at least once a week.

As I understand Brian's logic, weight training breaks down muscle fiber, thereby creating a need for a protein source to rebuild the muscle.  Cardio exercise, by contrast, draws on glucose or stored energy.

Brian suggests that after weight training I should immediately sip a high protein drink to feed stressed muscle tissue.  With the body supplied with protein, cardio exercise will tend to draw on glucose (if available) or on stored fat cells.

Michael Siegel suggests a further refinement of Brian's technique as set out at the RealAge website – according to an article entitled "Give Your Workout a Break," the rate at which the body burns fuel can be enhanced by engaging in two 30 minute cardio sessions broken up by a 20 minute gap. 

Michael and I have implemented Brian's tip about the order of our workout and about the use of a high protein drink immediately after the weight training.  I definitely feel less drained after a hard workout and I don't tire as easily later in the day.  I suppose that I might also notice more weight loss if I stopped eating so much, but, after all, Rome was not built in a day.

Our routine has been to run through three sets of five exercises.  Most of the exercises involve 20 repetitions of the exercise.   Each set takes about 20 minutes so our routine totals about an hour.   We also include a 20 minute pre-workout stretch and sometimes a 30 minute interval training on the eliptical.  There is still probably too much talking going on, but I always work up a good sweat and the routine is a great start to the day.

Recently we changed things up a bit.  Instead of performing three sets of five exercises, with each a break between each set, we are performing two sets of 10 different exercises with increased reps and increased weight.  I like the new approach as it breaks up the routine and involves more muscle groups.  We tend to alternate between upper body and ab work which enhances the whole body benefit of the kettlebells.  As we get used to the increased weights, I expect that we will move to three sets of the ten exercises.

Technorati Tags: workout routines, kettlebell exercises, kettlebells and abdominal exercises

Currently Michael, Michele and I are undertaking a kettlebell workout at least two times a week – right now, both Michael and I play in a recreactional basketball league and we have not summoned the willpower or energy to pump kettlebells the day after a basketball game.

I will go into each exercise more specifically in blog posts to come, but for now, here are the six exercises that we have learned from Jeff Hopeck:

1. squat/raise with a single kettlebell
2. bicep raise and balance with two kettlebells
3. kettlebell squat and swing with one kettlebell
4. swing, toss and raise with one kettlebell
5. core leg lift on the mat with two kettlebells
6. reverse lunge with two kettlebells

Our routine is to start with ten repetitions of each exercise, then nine, then eight.  Rest for five minutes, then do seven reps, six reps and five reps.  Take another five minute rest.   Finish with four, three, two and one rep.

We finished up with interval sprints for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, although there was probably more talking than what would be optimal.

The entire kettlebell portion of the workout takes about an hour and it is exhausting.  I feel that we easily are packing in 2 to 2 1/2 hours of workout into sixty minutes.

Stay tuned for more variations of these exercises and videos. 

Technorati Tags: kettlebells, kettlebell exercises, core exercise, bicep curl, Jeff Hopeck

Jeff will be making regular contributions to this blog in weeks to come and he mentioned a less well known component of kettlebell workouts – proper breathing techniques.

Kettlebell exercises have the advantage of compressing several hours worth of traditional exercise into one-half to one-third of the time, but you must incorporate the right breathing into the exercises to maximize your exertion and to avoid injury.  Proper breathing also underlies the aerobic component of kettlebell exercises.

Jeff will be demonstrating some of these breathing techniques in future posts and we are glad to tap into his expertise.

Technorati Tags: kettlebell exercises, exercise breathing techniques, Jeff Hopeck

Michael & Michele demonstrate a squat with Swiss Ball support:

Kettlebell swing

Overhead lift

Technorati Tags: sprint intervals, kettlebells, calorie burning, increased heart rate

 1.  Lawnmower pull – stand with feet at shoulder width, kettlebell at rest next to left foot.  With right arm, reach down and across body, grasp kettlebell handle and pull slowly across body.  Make sure to keep stress off lower back by bending at the knees and keeping body weight towards heels.  Pull kettlebell across body and straight up to the right.  Repeat 15 times with the left arm and 15 times with the right.   We did three sets of these, running sprints in between sets.  Note that I started with my right arm because I am left handed – a right hander would start with the left arm.

2.  Standing dip – stand with feet at shoulder width and kettlebell between feet.  Bending at the knees lower body and grasp kettlebell handle, raising to waist.  15 dips constitute a set.  Do three sets total, breaking up each set with a sprint or other exercise.

3.  Upper body raise – stand with feet at shoulder width and kettlebell held in both hands at waist.  Raise arms to chest level keeping elbows extended.  15 raises constitute a set.  Do three sets.  Michael did this exercise with two kettlebells, one in each hand.  Michele and I used only one.

4.  Back dip – stand with feet at shoulder width and kettlebell in hands behind body.  Slowly dip into squatting position.  Note that this exercise was actually quite easy as the weight of the kettlebell held behind the body did not really trigger any stabilizing muscles.  Do three sets of 15 reps.

5.  Standing arm extension – standing with feet at shoulder width, hold the kettlebell at chest level and rotate upwards towards face, taking care not to hit your face with the handle!   Three sets of 15 reps.

6.  Kettlebell planks – start in pushup position with hands on the round part of the bell.  Hold pushup position for 45 seconds.   Secondly, vary position from low to ground, high and middle – 15 seconds each for a total of 60 seconds.

Technorati Tags: kettlebells, stabilizing muscles, planks, low back support, kettle bell

Today we did the following exercises:

1) standing cross arm pull – from a standing position with the kettlebell to the left of my left foot, I reached down (making sure to bend my knees), grabbed the handle with my right hand and pulled diagonally upwards into a full extension on the right.  Then, I returned the kettlebell to the starting position.  Think of the motion you would use in starting a power lawnmower.  I did 12 reps using the right arm and 12 on the left.

2) "stars" with the kettlebell.  I started by lying on my right side on an exercise mat.  With my legs extended and my left foot on top of my right, I balanced and braced myself  using my right arm only.   In my left hand, with left arm extended, I held the 8kg kettlebell over my head.  In theory, I should be able to hold this position for 30 seconds – in reality, today, I held it for less than 15.   I then changed arms and was able to brace with my left, holding the kettlebell in my right hand.  I was able to hold this position for 25 seconds.  Note that I am left handed so my left arm is stronger.

My workout partners Michael and Michele had more success than me – they were both able to hold both the left and right positions for 30 seconds.

3) balance ball with kettlebell.  I started by sitting on the balance ball and slowly rolled the ball to the point where I was parallel to the ground, with the balance ball between my shoulder blades.  I then did three kettlebell exercises.

First, I did a chest press by holding an 8kg kettlebell in each hand and extending straight up for 12 repetitions. 

Second, I did a rounded press starting with the kettlebells at shoulder width and height and, by forming a rounded "C" brought my hands together for 12 repetitions.

Third, I did a press holding the kettlebells at waist level for 12 repetitions.

We did three sets of each of these exercises with minimal rest in between.

Our final kettlebell exercise was aerobic and took place in the basketball gym.  First each of us did two sprints across the gym diagonally.  Next we did two sets of  "suicide"s.  Our final "suicide" was a kettlebell haul – run to the free throw line, leave the kettlebell and run back.   Next, run to pick up the kettlebell and bring it to midcourt, leave it and run back.  Next, run to pick up the kettlebell and haul it to the far free throw line, leave it and back.  Next, run to pick up the kettlebell run to the end line, leave it and back.  And finally, run to pick up the kettlebell, and run with it back to the base line.

Technorati Tags: kettlebells, chest press, rounded press, full extension

When, for example you initially grip a kettlebell placed on the floor, you hold it by a handle.   As you  begin lifting the kettlebell, you are engaged in a pulling motion.  As you raise the kettlebell, its center of gravity relative to your body begins to shift and at approximately shoulder height, the pull on your bicep, tricep and shoulder muscles becomes a pushing motion.

The effect of this change in the center of gravity in this sample exercise is to engage stabilizing muscles at multiple points in and around your arm and core.  By contrast, a standard biceps curl engages only those stabilizing muscles necessary to support your arm in a single plane of motion.

While kettlebells offer advantages over dumbbells, both are far superior to using exercise machines commonly found in exercise gyms.  This past Thursday, my regular workout partner, Michael, and I conducted an experiment to examine this difference.  The exercise we selected was an overhead triceps curl.  Our regular triceps exercise involves lying on an exercise ball with arms extended overhead, grabbing a 70lb. weight and raising 45 degrees until the weight is directly overhead.  My maximum for this exercise is currently 70 lbs. and Michael's is 75.

We decided to test our capacity on a pulldown machine, which triggers approximately the same muscles.  Each of us was able to comfortably pull down close to 150 lbs.  The reason – the pulldown machine does not engage any stabilizing muscles and requires movement in only one plane.  All muscle energy can be focused on one controlled movement.  This machine might be helpful building bulk, but I suspect that it would not be helpful creating strength.

Our next step is to substitute a kettlebell for the dumbbell in our exercise ball routine.  I would imagine that the center of gravity weight shift will occur at about a 20 degrees angle of lift.

You really have to know what you are doing when you start kettlebell training. If you do it incorrectly, you can easily injure your lungs. Once you master the techniques, the wrist action of kettlebell exercises will help you develop strong tendons and ligaments in your wrists, elbows and shoulders and thus will increase the strength of your arms.

A basic kettlebell exercise is a one arm swing. To do this lift, you have to swing the bell back between your legs and then over your head. This enables you to use the muscles of your back, hips and legs. When you start kettlebell training you should start with the lowest weight first and work your way up, even if you have done weight training before.

The different technique of the exercise could cause injuries if you are not doing it correctly. Many people think that because the person doing the exercises on the instruction video is not having any problems, that they can easily do the lifting as well. You have to remember that this person spent years of kettlebell training to reach that point.

Triathletes are a special population due to the fact they are training for three events simultaneously, i.e. swimming, biking, and running.  Efficiency is of the utmost importance, especially for Ironman competitors, 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run ALL IN ONE DAY!!  Thus, there are many problems these athletes run into throughout the course of their training programs.  The most common issues are over-training, weak core, tight hip flexors, tight low back, and stress fractures mainly in the lower leg and small bones of the feet.

This article will address some specific protocols that have been effectively used to correct some major strength and flexibility imbalances of a current client.  She is 33 years old and has competed in two Ironman triathlons, as well as many shorter races.  When we started working together, nine weeks prior to her second Ironman, she was rebounding from a stress fracture in the femoral head, major quad/ham imbalance, rotator cuff problems (past injuries from swimming on college scholarship), and tight hip flexors.

Through a combination of JM drills and KB’s, she was able to effectively overcome many of these weaknesses in nine short weeks.  Every session began with a minimum of ten minutes of joint mobility head-to-toe and then specifically returning to problem areas.  Refer to Super Joints (book or DVD) for these exercises:  Belly Dance, Cossack, extended Cossack, Bootstrappers, and Split Switches.  After a general mobility warm-up, emphasis was on the Wall Squat, essential to recovery and progression of imbalances, weaknesses and mobility of the hip/low back region.  Within two weeks, her squat depth had improved four inches due to increased flexibility and relaxation of the hip flexors.  This almost immediate improvement led to relaxed bike pedal power, relaxed running and overall increased power and efficiency.

The remainder of each training session revolved around KB training.  The foundational movements apply to triathletes as they do for any athlete.  Five main KB exercises were used.  A healthy dose of swings, cleans, snatches, renegade rows and windmills were the focal point.

Swings teach hip and hamstring firing.  Most programs neglect to teach athletes in general how to neurologically program their hamstrings which leads to efficiency in biking and running.

Cleans re-teach the hips to fire while simultaneously relaxing the shoulders…crucial during a grueling multi-sport race.

Snatches are an extension of the swing and help ‘re-wire’ the CNS to fire on demand and also adding to overall efficiency.

Renegade Rows are a full body core workout teaching the abdominals stabilize in a ‘relaxed tension’ state instead of mindlessly rowing a weight.  This movement transfers to more effective hip stabilization in triathletes while building a solid core.

Windmills work the core at the same time stretching the glute/hamstring complex while maintaining mental awareness of the upper body, once again engaging the ENTIRE body to work as a unit vs. a collection of body parts.

These five exercises revolve around everything that a triathlete is looking for:  increasing core strength without increasing muscle mass, and increasing work capacity while maintaining aerobic efficiency (relaxed tension).

Treating the body as a ‘unit’ vs. a collection of body parts–which leads to increased efficiency–is crucial for triathletes.  Kettlebells fill the void where traditional strength training lacks, effective strength workouts in minimal time.  Ask any triathlete:  his/her last priority is strength training.  However, every triathlete is interested and understands the benefits of “core” training and the Party knows what the MOST EFFECTIVE core-training tool is:  kettlebells.  Help your fellow triathlete comrades by showing them these intricate Party Protocols.  They will surely thank you!

Brad Nelson is a Minneapolis/St. Paul based certified Level II kettlebell instructor and strength and conditioning coach (CSCS).  Brad is unwavering about getting you results through private or team training and workshops.  For additional information or to witness a demonstration on how and why kettlebells are the single most effective tool for increasing strength, burning fat, general conditioning and teaching movement visit http://www.mtxeconditioning.com or  contact brad@mtxeconditioning.com.

© Copyright 2005 Brad Nelson — http://www.mtxeconditioning.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_Nelson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Kettlebell-Training-for-Triathletes&id=98129

I know after reading about kettlebells either in ads or on the www.DragonDoor.com website, they can seem intimidating. After all, anything proven to enhance the performance of Special Forces units, Olympians, or professional athletes must be hard core right? Even the kettlebell itself looks a little uninviting, a round, black cannonball looking thing with a handle? What could a woman possibly get out of this? Everything. Kettlebells will improve your quality of life. They will increase your energy level, reshape your body, increase your strength, relieve stress, increase your metabolism and take up less time.

No matter what stage of life you find yourself, everyone is busy these days. Usually the first thing to get cut out of a busy schedule is your workout. However, even the busiest mom, career woman or student can spare 15 minutes a day. And now with kettlebells that is all you need. I used to spend over an hour in the gym with weight training and cardio exercise almost everyday. I now have two young children and I don't have time for long workouts. I still made time to work out but my training was inconsistent and something always had to be left out. Usually it was my cardio. I did get back in shape after having my children but my fitness level wasn't where I wanted it to be.

Kettlebells solved my workout problems by giving me a great cardio and strength training workout at the same time. After only 6 weeks, and having hardly scratched the surface of all the kettlebell specific exercises, I looked better and felt better than I had in years. In fact, I had reached a fitness level higher than at any time during my 20 plus years of traditional weight and cardio training! I attribute my success to the better and more intense workouts I get with the kettlebells. I am also more consistent due to the decreased time working out with a kettlebell requires and the different and greater variety of exercises.

Women often complain about how a slow metabolism contributes to their inability to lose weight. Increasing your metabolism is easy. High rep ballistic exercises and circuit training with kettlebells really boost your metabolism. You can include ballistic exercises in every workout. Swings, snatches, and cleans can be performed in numbers from one to hundreds. Just make sure you do the ballistics at the end of your workout. You want to be fresh and strong for all the pressing exercises for safety reasons. You can perform ballistic exercises in greater numbers with kettlebells than with dumbbells because it is easier to keep your technique in check and easier to hold.

Here is how to perform your sets to increase your metabolism and melt fat. Make sure your sets last a minute, then rest for only one minute, then move on to your next set. Working out this way really gets your heart rate going. Start slowly and work your way up. You shouldn't have to worry about dieting again. I didn't diet and I have achieved my goals, and you will too. As long as you control the quality of food you eat, and don't increase the quantity, you should lose weight and decrease body fat.

Give these beginner exercises a try: Box Squats, Good Morning Stretches, and 2-Arm Swings. Start with a 20-pound dumbbell. These exercises will give you a good overall body workout and give you a good feel for what training with kettlebells is all about. Perform these exercises in a circuit of 3 to 4 sets and work out three times per week.

The Box Squat: 10-20 reps. The box squat will help you perfect your squat form, work your legs and hips, plus improve your flexibility. Take a sturdy chair or box; stand about 12 inches in front of it, facing away from it. Your feet should be a shoulder distance apart. Hold the weight in front of you with both hands at about chest level. Remember to keep your weight on your heels and sit back on the box by arching your lower back and pushing your butt back as you descend. Lightly touch your butt to the box and then plant your feet and stand up squeezing your glutes the whole way up or, you can sit lightly on the box and rock back only on your butt then instantly rock forward and stand up. This will also work your mid-section.

The 2-Arm Swing: 15-20 reps. Swings work your hips, inner thighs, glutes, shoulders, back, and help flatten your stomach. You also get a great cardio workout. Place a 20-pound dumbbell on the floor between your feet. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and your knees should track them. Squat down and pick up the weight with both hands. You should feel the weight loading your hamstrings. Then stand up explosively and at the top push your hips forward tucking your tail in. At the same time your arms will project the weight up about waist level. Your arms act as chains holding the weight. You do not use your arms or shoulders to lift the weight. The ballistic movement of your legs and hips is what swings the weight up. When you get to the top with your hips forward, immediately squat back down with the weight descending and swinging through your legs and behind your knees. Continuously repeat the move for 10-20 explosive reps.

Once you have tried this with a dumbbell imagine a three-fold increase in intensity! That is what working out with kettlebells is all about and results come quickly. In as little as a week you can decrease body fat and see more muscle tone and definition. Kettlebells deliver on the promises. When you get the proper form down for the exercises your strength and flexibility will increase rapidly. You will be moving into new and more advanced drills in no time. Adding even more variety and intensity to your workouts. After almost a year I'm still making progress. Plus my workouts are so varied that I no longer get bored. I look forward to working out with my kettlebells every day. Challenge yourself and experience exercise at the maximum level with kettlebells!

—————————————————————————————————— Lisa Shaffer is a Certified Kettlebell Instructor based in Dallas, TX, and the author of the best selling kettlebell manual "Get in the Best Shape of Your Life". She holds kettlebell classes, workshops, and is available for one on one sessions. She specializes in kettlebell training and programs and has trained hundreds of clients throughout the US. To learn more about No Fear Fitness and kettlebells, please visit her site: http://www.nofearfitness.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Shaffer

Everyone who is involved in a strength training program agrees that good strength training equipment is worth its weight in gold. Are kettlebells good strength training equipment? The answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Are Kettlebells Good Strength Training Equipment For All Sports?

It is important to thoroughly understand the purpose of a kettlebell. A kettlebell is aptly named. It is a cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball that has a handle on top. It was originally developed in Russia and is considered one of the most effective training tools available on the market.

It is for use by people serious about developing muscle strength. Answering the question "Are kettlebells good strength training equipment?" leads to a list of the advantages to using them in a fitness program.

• Can be used for proper muscle development for any sport or athletic activity
• Combines development of strength and flexibility
• Provides overall muscle development
• Improves grip strength
• Improves fat to lean mass ratio
• Defines physique
• Expands stamina

There are obviously many benefits to using kettlebells by competitors in training. But there are many people equally serious about muscle development who never join a competition or participate in athletics on a regular basis.

But when we ask the question again, "Are kettlebells good strength training equipment?" the answer does not change. They can be used in any serious fitness program that focuses on strength training.

Are Kettlebells Good Strength Training Equipment for John Doe?

Kettlebells come in various weight sizes. Like any program that uses weights, you build your muscle strength through practice, repetitions and regular effort. Kettlebells are perfect for the person who wants to seriously train, but not invest a lot of money and space on equipment.

The iron weights replace a variety of traditional exercise equipment including dumbbells, medicine balls and grip devices. It also offers overall body fitness that benefits anyone interested in good health. Are kettlebells good strength training equipment? Judge for yourself!

• Improves back strength
• Strengthens shoulders
• Reduces chances of injury through development of joint flexibility
• Strengthens arms and grip

The benefits of training with kettlebells apply to anyone who needs muscle strength, flexibility and endurance. Now ask yourself, "Are kettlebells good strength training equipment?" and see if you don't agree they are a remarkable and effective tool.

Are Kettlebells Good Strength Training for Jane Doe?

You know that kettlebells are great weight training equipment for men. But are kettlebells good strength training equipment for women? The answer is "yes" again. Women get just as much benefit from using kettlebells as men. The only difference is that they normally start training with a smaller weight.

There are kits and videos and manuals available for purchase that explain how to get the most benefit from training with kettlebells. Using Russian kettlebells you can develop the physique you have always wanted. The answer is always a yes when asking, "Are kettlebells good strength training equipment?"

I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what’s next in the sequence. Here’s an example of a killer barbell complex that really gets me fired up:

Example Barbell Complex

1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);

2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and “catch” the bar at shoulders);

3. barbell back to floor, then clean & jerk;

4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;

5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift

Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting… That’s 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight. For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today’s workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155 lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.

Now I’m going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. I’ve been training with kettlebells for a little over a year now, and can definitely say that they’ve dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you’re not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results. Learn more info and pick up one of your own body-hardening kettlebells at http://truthaboutabs.com/fitness-products.html. I’d recommend just starting off with one bell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or you can just incorporate kettlebell training into your normal training routine once or twice a week to shake up your routine and stimulate new results.

Example Kettlebell Complex

1. one arm swing

2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;

3. one arm overhead squat;

4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm split snatch;

5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press

As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That’s one set…and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you’re not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!

Alright, since most people will have easier access to dumbbells instead of kettlebells, now I’ll show you how to compile a good dumbbell complex.

Example Dumbbell Complex

1. upright row with each arm separately, then both together;

2. front lunge with one leg, then the other;

3. back lunge with one leg, then the other;

4. curl to overhead press;

5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat

Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days. For example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened individual!

For more killer full body training routines and a fully comprehensive nutritional analysis for developing the body you’ve always wanted, check out http://truthaboutabs.com.

Michael Geary is a nationally dual certified personal trainer (NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT), and author of "The Truth about Six Pack Abs" ©2004-2005.

Visit http://truthaboutabs.com/Training-and-Nutrition-Articles.html to receive your own personalized metabolic rate calculator as well as 5 of my secret hard-body workout routines – both FREE, with no purchase necessary.