This Weeks Routine - Tabata Intervals

Today you will use the Tabata Protocol with your kettlebell training.  You will only have to perform 1 exercise...the 1 armed snatch.  Keep your rhythm and breathing consistent, and use a kettlebell that you can flow with crisp movement.

Directions:  

1) Perform snatches for 20 seconds on 1 arm.
2) Rest for 10 seconds.
3) Perform snatches for 20 seconds on the 2nd arm.
4) Rest for 10 seconds.
5) Repeat for 8-12 intervals, depending on your fitness level.

Don't Forget Lateral Movement

 Most of our training in the gym comes in the form of forward/ backward movement.  But if you think about it, a significant portion of your life is spent moving in many different directions, and that is especially true if you are involved in athletics.  Almost every field sport, and even activities like sailing, gymnastics, and martial arts, require changing direction.  Being sure to incorporate kettlebell exercises that vary the planes of movement and include changes in directions will decrease the likelihood of being injured in your other athletic endeavors.

 The lateral lunge or "cossack" is a great exercise in improve your lateral stability and strength during side to side movement.  It teaches you how to properly engage your abdominal brace while driving forcefully through the ground to change directions.  Additionally, the exercise is a great active stretch for the adductors and hamstrings, which are often tight muscle groups in athletes.  Try including this exercise in one of your weekly training sessions early in the routine, keeping the tension high for reps of 3-5 each direction.

Last Chance to Sign Up For MCRD Kettlebell Classes

Its that time again!  The spring season for my kettlebell classes begin in April for the Montgomery County Recreation Department.  This time, I have 4 class options on 3 different days.  My hope is that more choices will provide more people with opportunities to experience the amazing benefits of kettlebell training.  For those of you wishing to get into summer shape, kettlebells will quickly help you lose bodyfat and sculpt your muscles faster than any other fitness tool available.  The results can be insane!

Below are the classes that are available to chose from.  All of them are 8 weeks long, and the fee is $120.  I will supply the kettlebells, although you will need to buy your own so that you can practice at home.  Click on this link to register, and then search for the course numbers you are interested: https://recweb.montgomerycountymd.gov/Start/Start.asp . Above all, spread the word!  By the time classes begin, I need a minimum of 8 people enrolled in a class for the county to allow me to still teach it.  That means that if I only get 7 people or less in a class by the first day it starts, it will be canceled for the spring season.

Kettlebells for +50

Course # 300923   

Meets at East County Community Center, Saturdays, from 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Kettlebells for Everyone

Course # 300928

Meets at Marilyn J. Praisner Community Center, Tuesdays, from 11am -12noon

Course # 300927

Meets at East County Community Center, Thursdays, from 11am -12noon

Course # 300926

Meets at East County Community Center, Saturdays, from 11:30am – 12:30pm

This Week's Routine - High Tension and High Velocity Drills

So we tried this in class for the first time last week, and it worked out quite well.  We were able to maintain the tension of the bottom up drills, and at the same time, get our heart rate elevated adequately.  This seems to be another great way to improve strength and drop the bodyfat all at the same.  Kettlebells never cease to amaze me in their versatility!  So here ya go, join the club:

Flow Drill:

1 Bottom Up Getup into 10 One arm snatches:   Complete on 1 side, then move to the other side.  Repeat back and forth 3-5 times.

Ladder Drill:

5 Bottom Up Cleans and Press, decending down to 1....
   
      Pair that up with,

10 One arm swings:  Just like the flow drill above, complete on 1 side, then move to the other side.  Repeat back 1-2 times.

Indian Clubs - The Cousin of the Kettlebell

I have been a huge fan of  indian clubs and clubbells for quite a while now.  Indian Clubs are great for shoulder mobility and coordination.  Clubbells are a heavier version of them that incorporates full body movements, and therefore are perfect for systemic mobility and coordinating athleticism and power.  Here is a introductory video using 1 pound indian clubs.  We have them at the office, so if you are local, consider stopping by to learn how to use them in your own training.

This Week's Routine - RKC Minimum Modified

For those of you who have been around kettlebells for a while, you may be familiar with the RKC Minimum routine, which is a 4 week long conditioning program using only a getup and swings to produce a base for future strength training programs. I decided to take that basic idea and turn it into a modified workout.  Don't worry....it's still hard!  Here it is:

10 minutes of getups - no stopping!

 Followed by:

10 minutes of swing intervals:  20 reps per minute
     ( if you chose to do 1 arm swings, that is 10 reps per side)

By the end, you should have gotten you heart rate up to at least 150 bpm.  Good luck!

Mobility Often Determines Strength

I love being strong, and always encourage others to become stronger.  However, I would be remiss if I did not remind you that strength is predicated on mobility and coordination.  You can not SAFELY swing a kettlebell correctly unless your hips and shoulders are flexible enough to do so, and you certainly can't do it if your coordination sucks!  If you were tight around the hips, and tried to explosively swing a heavy kettlebell, you could very well end up on the ground with a lower back injury.  So to prevent this from happening to me, I practice mobility drills on a daily basis. 



As you can see, they are very easy to do.  In fact, those of you who come to kettlebell classes regularly will notice I use some of them as our warmup to kettlebell training.  So, figure out where you have the most tension around your body, and start with a few mobility drills that loosen up those areas.  Perform them everyday.  And like everything else, once things improve, find ways to make those drills more difficult and interesting.



Many of you will need to focus on mobility work around your neck, shoulders, and hips.  This is especially true if you sit at a desk most of the day.  So how about trying some mobility drills to break up the monotony at work.  My guess is, you'll magically feel better!  And then when you get home to do some kettlebell training, throw in some more mobility work as part of your warmup and cooldown.

This Week's Routine - Up & Down

Just like the name says, you will be using the getup to change levels between exercises.  Start with the snatch.  Perform 5 snatches, then on your last one, get to the ground using your getup, and then get back up, perform 5 more snatches, and go down and up one more time to end with another 5 snatches.  Repeat this on the other side of your body.  Then repeat the pattern, but use a clean and press instead of the snatch.  And then repeat the pattern a third time, but use the 1 arm swing instead of the clean and press.  So the workout would look like this:

5 Snatches
1 Getup
5 Snatches
1 Getup
5 Snatches
Repeat on other side

5 Clean and Presses
1 Getup
5 Clean and Presses
1 Getup
5 Clean and Presses
Repeat on other side


5 Swing

1 Getup
5 Swing
1 Getup
5 Swing
Repeat on other side

Magnesium Oil Decreases Muscle Soreness

 For those of you who are looking for an effective way to decrease the soreness experienced from kettlebell training and speed up your recovery, check this Magnesium Oil out.  Magnesium relaxes muscles and improves sleep quality due to the relaxation of the nervous system.  It is best absorbed through the skin, and NOT the gut.  Most of the oral magnesium supplements on the market are crap, and even if they were good, the mineral is poorly absorbed through the intestines in therapeutic dosages.  An active adult should be supplementing with 300-500mg of magnesium a day, which equates to 24-40 sprays of this magnesium oil.  Don't start there though, as magnesium also has a laxative effect that your body needs to get used to.  Begin around 8-16 sprays a day.

Maryland Kettlebell Class Promotional Video

 Finally, I created a decent promo video for us!  Thanks to all the participants in the video who helped provide the content of this simple video!