Here we go again …

Wow, what a difference a year makes! We have been neglecting our dear blog. If you have stuck around, thanks! We will be posting more frequently now. Getting fit with our kettlebells is again a priority for both of us.

Much has happened for us at FitKettlebell. Brian began this blog after his Afghanistan deployment in 2006. He is again deploying, this time to Iraq (for his second visit). A favorite kettlebell went with him the first time around. This time, I lost count of how many of those kettlebells he took with him. I think his company is in for trouble!

As for me, I spent this past year pregnant with twins! They were just born in March of 2009. Now that my life is busy with our two daughters, our son, my job, and managing our home and lives while Brian is away, I have little time to stay in shape … but this is exactly why it is a priority for me.

I started working with kettlebells after my first pregnancy and got into awesome shape. My first goal is to get back into the swing of things (no pun intended!) and to make time for exercise. Welcome back to our blog, and follow along with us as we offer what is working with us. As always, we love to hear your comments!

Just A Little Workout…

Lately I’ve really been struggling to find time to workout.  So, I’ve started doing really short kettlebell workouts that are pretty intense.  By short, I’m talking less than 10 minutes sometimes.  One workout was just 5 minutes of kettlebell snatches, 52 per arm.  That was a smoker, but over quick.

I’m probably not making gains by doing such short workouts, but I’m probably not going backwards either.  I’m maintaining my fitness level until I can get myself on a better, more stable workout schedule.  Most people just quit working out all together when the going gets tough and it is stressful time in their lives.  This is a huge mistake, by the time you get around to working out again, it’s 6 months, 15 lbs later and everything hurts, it’s like starting over.

If you can’t get to the gym or have time to do the perfect workout that’s OK.  Just do a set of push ups and sit ups every day.  Or 1-3 hard sets of a high intensity exercise like kettlebell (or dumbbell) swings or snatches. Maybe go for a quick 2 mile run or some sprints.  Do something to maintain what you’ve worked so hard to get even if it’s only once per week or 5- 10 minutes 4-5 times per week.  Something is waaaay better than nothing!

Dumbbell Circuit

Well, I’m travelling again and thought I’d post the workout I did the other day in the tiny hotel “gym” which basically just had some cardio equipment (no thanks) and a pair of adjustable dumbbells.

After a joint mobility warm up, I went through 4 exercises back to back for 1 set, then rested 30 seconds and repeated 2 more times.  I rested 30 seconds then did 4 different exercises back to back for 3 more sets with 30 seconds rest in between.

1st 4 exercises:  Standing military press with 2 dumbbells

Squats holding both dumbbells

Renegade rows (push up position with hands on dumbbells, rowing one at a time)

Double snatches (legs together bringing both dumbbells up overhead in one motion).

2nd 4 exercises:  Incline bench press with dumbbells

Lunges holding on to both dumbbells

Bent rows with both dumbbells

Slow sit ups on the floor, nothing holding my feet

The workout only took about 20 minutes and was pretty intense.  I did about 8-10 reps per exercise.  6 super-sets with only 30 seconds in between or 24 individual exercises.  You can use any combination of upper and lower body exercises and can vary the intensity by manipulating the rest period, weight and repetitions.

-Brian

For more workout ideas and kettlebell videos please visit fitkettlebell.com

Working Out While On The Road

I recently returned from a business trip and managed to get some good workouts in while I was gone. For strength I did one leg squats, pull ups on the hotel bathroom door (they have 3 commercial grade hinges) and elevated (feet on desk) as well as handstand (feet on wall) push ups. For cardio I did bodyweight exercises using the card deck method I posted about earlier. One day I went for a short run.

There is always a way to get a good workout as long as you have some imagination and a few square feet of space. Another fun thing to do would be to locate a nearby park with a playground and set up a circuit using different pieces of equipment for pull ups, push ups, squats and anything else you can imagine. Run a lap around the park in between each exercise. It’s Spring, get outside and have some fun while you exercise!

Health Effects of Mary Jane

I stumbled on an interesting article about a British woman who took part in a month long study about the effects of smoking marijuana. article

She smoked 1 joint every day for 30 days. She suffered some severe mental anguish as a result and a level of paranoia higher than most schizophrenics.

As far as health effects more related to fitness here are a few relevant quotes from the article (remember she’s English):

“Even basic things like trying to send emails or talk to people on the phone became a real effort of will and brain power. There is no way I could carry on with the life I lead now, looking after my children, at the same time as smoking cannabis, even if it was just occasionally.”

If Nicky’s mind seemed to be getting smaller, her waistline was expanding. Over the course of her investigation, she gained half a stone, due to the drug’s tendency to bring on cravings for junk food.

“Cannabis triggers a chemical surge in the brain which stimulates the appetite, and in particular makes you crave sweet and salty snacks while you are stoned,” says Nicky.

“I could easily get through a couple of packets of biscuits and a huge bag of crisps, and the result was I quickly gained weight.

“I usually go running every day, but the effect of the drug on my lungs meant this was no longer possible either, because cannabis compromises lung function three times as much as ordinary cigarettes.”

Anyway, I found the article fascinating…I had no desire to smoke dope previously, but the paranoid schizophrenia in addition to the other mental and health effects kinda seals the deal. Don’t smoke dope…swing a kettlebell instead!

-Brian

New Dragondoor Product Release: The Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout!

I know, I know. You pick up that kettlebell and all cardio workouts seem pretty extreme! They do to me anyway!

But I’m super excited about a brand-new kettlebell video. By Keith Weber, RKC, this DVD is 58 minutes long and includes a manmaker, upper body blast, leg burner, swing workout, slingshot, Turkish getup, core workout, and cool-down. You think you’ll be standing after all of that?

This highly-rated DVD stars Weber, a physical therapist, and you can watch a preview of it, right here!

At only $29.95 and with your satisfaction 100% guaranteed, what’s stopping you? Order it today, and let all of us at fitkettlebell.com know what you think!

New Size Kettlebell Released!

And you thought there were enough sizes of kettlebells to go around!

Dragon Door and Pavel Tsatsouline have designed a 79 lb. cast iron kettlebell for those men wishing to develop severe overall strength.

The 79 lb. kettlebell brings another level of nastiness to those require it to stay on top of the heap: martial artists, football players and other athletes for whom explosive power and egregious strength are a MUST.

Want to make the Greek Gods look mediocre? Regular practice with 79 lb. kettlebells will give you the etched magnificence and physical proportions of the old-time strongmen—and have Hercules crying “Uncle!”

Men: you will probably start with Dragon Door’s specially designed 35 lb. kettlebell, and then move up to the 53 lb. kettlebell, which will become your staple. However, if you wish to move into the front ranks of physical excellence, make it your goal to incorporate 79 lb. kettlebells into your workout programs.

Nothing will earn you more respect and fear from your fellow athletes, than a steady diet of 79 lb. kettlebell drills!

Men, to make sure you take full advantage of your 79 lb. kettlebell, get Pavel’s landmark book and DVD, Enter the Kettlebell. Still unsure? Check out our review of Enter the Kettlebell.

Be sure you get your 79 lb. kettlebell prior to April 11th for the promotional price!

Rockin’ Workout Music

Do you workout with music? Or do you watch a video?

There’s a reason that gyms blast upbeat music. It makes a huge difference in our persistence!

Even as a musician, it took me a while to catch on to this one! (duh!) Even if I’m working on a video like Andrea DuCane’s Kettlebell Goddess, I’ll turn it down and put on some music to keep me motivated. Lugging around that heavy kettlebell is ten times easier with some great tunes. This works a bit better if you’re used to the DVD. Use it some, get used to what you’re doing in each set, and then turn it down and put on your favorite music.

So, we would love to hear your top songs to workout with … I’ll give you a few to get a good start. Comment and add your favorites!

Mr. Brightside – The Killers
E-Pro – Beck
Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall

- Rachel

Subscribe to Fit Kettlebell Magazine …

… for Free! I love free!

You may not know we have our very own weekly Fit Kettlebell Magazine. This magazine keeps you up to date on new products, includes weight loss and exercise tips, and often includes free workouts for you to try out!

And if you subscribe today, you’ll receive a free guide, “The Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) Circuit.” In this pdf, Brian explains the benefits of circuit training and includes a workout program you can use today. You don’t even need a kettlebell!

To subscribe, check out this link: Fit Kettlebell Magazine

See you there
- Rachel

Back in the swing of things.

As you have noticed, I’ve been letting Brian do most of the blogging these days! I haven’t shared that I started work on my master’s degree. I’m going to seminary and commute each weekend, spending the night on Fridays, and coming back late Saturday afternoons. This has added a pretty time-consuming thing to my life! I just finished up the first term and am sitting here on my first day of spring break looking out the rainy window.

If you know me at all, you know that working out is one of the first things to go when I become busy, I mean  * really* busy. BTW, the other thing that is easily let go is cleaning my house! But that is a subject for another blog.

I had sort of a revelation last weekend at school, though. It got me motivated. Maybe it will help you too.

I’ve been observing my fellow classmates in ’student mode,’ slugging up the stairs, lugging around backpacks and suitcases (literally) of books, and looking tired and stressed out. A couple of my classmates even get pretty stiff during class and stand up once in a while during the lecture. They’ll bend over their desk to take notes just to get the creaks out. Others have a really difficult time walking across campus to get to class, or to lunch, or to wherever. Ah, the life of a student.

Boy, this is no judgment on them. After all, I’m the one who has let an important thing slide over seven weeks now. *Seven!* Wow, that’s a long time! In observation of my sluggish classmates, I started reflecting on my own experience:

* I haven’t been paying attention to how little water I am drinking, and I’ve been relying on coffee quite a bit during the week at work. It’s hard to go to school all weekend and jump into work on Sunday and then the week following. Soda gives me stomach aches, so coffee it is. Well, I haven’t been feeling so good!

* In just a few days I’ll be the ripe old age of 32, and I gotta say, I’m feeling creaky! Is that a word? If you’re over 30, you know what I mean, but our 30’s don’t have to be that way. I gotta get the creaks and cricks out.

* I have been sleeping terribly. I fell asleep last night at 10:30 PM, keeping in mind that it was kind of only 9:30 PM due to the daylight savings thing, and I still fell asleep … hard … before Brian even had lights off and doors locked. I stayed up late during the term to get all of my reading and studying in – with work and our daughter there’s no other time to do it – but I bet if I had made time to exercise, sleep would have come easier.

These are just a few BIG changes I’ve noticed since I’ve stopped working out! I got back to it today too! So, if you’re like me and making some excuses today, do it for as long as you can … take just five minutes if you have to, but do *something.* You’ll be so happy that you did!

- Rachel
Kettlebells and Weight Loss