lifeline fitness

It’s Just a Kettlebell Swing and Suspension Trainer Workout

Quick Tips

A few months ago, I wrote a post titled:

—>  It’s Just a Kettlebell Swing Workout

Kettlebell Swings

That has been my most popular post on this blog, by far.

I wrote it because I wanted to convey how simple a workout can be, and probably should be for most people.

Totally stripped down.  Nothing but a timer, a towel and water bottle, and a kettlebell of a decent weight.  You could make the argument that a “totally stripped down” workout would only involve bodyweight exercises, but that’s beside the point.

A lot of people avoid physical activity because of two things:

  • Time
  • Preconceived thoughts and anxiety about how the workout will feel.

Simple workouts are time effective and aim to limit anxiety.  You look at the agenda for the workout and say to yourself, “Oh, I just have to focus on kettlebell swings today.  I can do that”.

If you have a kettlebell or have the means to acquire a kettlebell for the future, I will ALWAYS encourage you to make the purchase.  Don’t wait, don’t peruse, don’t over-analyze.

Just buy and be done with it.  You won’t be sorry.

Well, I take that back, you could be sorry… if you buy it and fizzle out and using it.  Then it’s just another heavy object holding a door open.  What a shame that would be.

Anyways, I wanted to build on that post, because I felt that the workouts displayed were rock solid, and applicable to a large population of readers.

They are simple, yet brutally effective.  I would consider them entry-level workouts, however, I have to admit that I continue to use the 15sec work/ 15sec rest (24 rounds) kettlebell swing protocol to this day.

The only difference is that I have climbed the ladder in weight.  When I started with the protocol, I used a 20kg kettlebell from LifeLine Fitness.  I then climbed to the 24kg kettlebell, then to the 28kg kettlebell and now on to the 32kg kettlebell.  All were purchased from LifeLine Fitness also (yes, I promote these guys heavily, they make equipment worth buying).

Don’t be fooled by elaborate training protocols.  Keep it simple and be detailed.

A simple workout/program executed to perfection will trump the world’s most complex/perfectly written program done poorly.

Stay in the “simple” zone, do it right.

That being said, I would like to say that kettlebells and suspension trainers are a match made in heavy.  For roughly $300, you can outfit your home with a Jungle Gym XT and a nice variety of kettlebells ranging in weight.

The combination of a suspension trainer and kettlebells is magic.

Seriously, they are match made in heaven.

Let’s look at workout that I’ve employed over the years…

Kettlebell + Suspension Trainer

A workout like this is complete.

The kettlebell swings alone are enough to initiate a tremendous training stimulus, but when paired with the other movements, the workout is magic.  Push, pull and ballistic movements for the upper and lower body are all represented here.

With high volume workouts, I typically choose simple rep schemes.  It’s annoying trying to remember how many reps to complete in the middle of round, when you’re real focus should be on controlling your breathing and fatigue.  Once you experience this frustration, you’ll wish that you would have picked simple rep schemes.

After completing each round, I would rest anywhere from 45-75 seconds depending on your conditioning level.  Don’t be a hero and rest for 45sec in the first round if you can’t handle it.  This decision may bite you in the ass in the later rounds when your fatigue levels spike.

Fatigue accumulates throughout the workout, just as it does for every workout.  It’s inevitable that it’s coming, but timing it so that you complete quality work while you can is the idea here.

The number of rounds that you complete is depends on your ability to complete quality work (exercise technique, complete reps, etc).  If your form breaks, you make the decision to rest before re-engaging, or you pull the plug on the workout altogether.

Safety first, always.  Form good habits.

Put this workout in your back pocket for now, load it in the chamber when you need a challenging high tempo training session.

 

 

Cheers to ST’s, BW’s and KB’s!

KG

(PS:  I turned on “Location Tagging” so that you’ll really believe that I reside in God’s Country… Eau Claire, WI)

Hybrid Suspension Training: Body Row + Anti-Extension Ab Roll Out

Quick Tips

Suspension training is probably the best training option for the home, travel or outdoors.

I used to feel a little guilty about promoting suspension training because I felt like I was turning into a guru.  Then I just came to the conclusion that I value the tool so much that it’s completely worth the time taken to talk about it.

As I have mention, I am an avid Lifeline Fitness product user.  I love the innovation coming from this company.  It’s innovation within reason, meaning that they are bringing products to consumers that solve problems and serve a purpose.  Best of all, they are made with quality and are affordable for just about anyone.  The portability of all of the products is a major benefit to people who love to workout at home without sacrifice.

Quality workouts in the comfort of your own home will change you life, literally.  

I will commonly work hybrid style suspension training exercises into my warm ups and the meat of my workouts.  The versatility of products like the Lifeline Jungle Gym suspension trainer make these hybrid movements safe and natural.  Nothing feels forced or out of control.

Jungle Gym Suspension Trainer

A strap with two handles and foot loops

In the video below, you’ll see me performing a sub maximal body row that flows into a standing anti-extension abdominal rollout.  The body row is best performed on a suspension trainer.  The hands are free to rotate, which adds a rotational component to the rotator cuff and shoulder muscles.  The standing anti-extension ab rollout (besides being a mouthful) is a tremendous movement for reinforce core stability and preventing extension in the mid-section.

Both exercises provide tremendous functional carry over to the demands of a physical lifestyle and sport.

I like the explosiveness of the body row.  You’ve got to put some force into the full in order to get yourself to the standing position, transitioning into the forward fall of the ab rollout.

With this movement, the upper body does the bulk of the work.  The feet should not move and the rest of the body should remain rigid.  After the aggressive pull on the body row, you’ll transition from the heel of your foot, to the mid-foot, then on the balls of your feet.  Pulling out of the ab rollout you will go in reverse order (ball, mid-foot, heel).

heel, midfoot, forefoot

Heel (hindfoot)— Midfoot— Ball (Forefoot)

***Wear non-skid soled shoes or perform on a non-slip surface to avoid any unnecessary slippage on the ground surface.  One slip and you’ll understand what I am talking about.  I am wearing my trusty Vibram Five Fingers in the video demo.

 

 

Cheers to pulling and resisting extension…

KG

Video: Long Circuit Kettlebell Training for Fat Loss

10 minute Workouts, Kettlebell Training, Pure Fat Loss

I have to admit that the circuit in the video below has been adapted over the last few years to serve as a warm-up for me before my higher work capacity/short bout training sessions.

I use it for two reasons:

  • It gets my brain and eyes focused on what’s about to happen (hand to hand exchange helps this).
  • Physically, I warm-up every muscle in my body in one shot (after foam rolling/static/dynamic stretch)

In the video below, I am using my trusty 20kg kettlebell, that’s 44lbs for all of the Americans reading this.

 This is my warm-up bell, my hand to hand swing bell, and my long cycle snatch bell.

Initially, when I started kettlebell training it was all I could handle weight-wise.  That’s my indirect advice to you to start slow, and progressing at an your intelligent  pace.  Don’t “Hail Mary” your training or you may find yourself in the emergency room.

All in good time.

Enjoy the music…

The details:

  • 5 reps of all movements (keep it simple!).
  • All movement patterns must be addressed (with exception of upper extremity pulling).
  • Don’t put the kettlebell down until the circuit is complete.

A couple tips…

Tip #1:  Use a dry erase board to map out what movements you’ve programmed and what order you want to perform them.  This helps a lot.  Double clutching a 44lb kettlebell rarely has a positive end result.

Tip #2: Treadmills and ellipticals are $2,000 coat racks.  Sell your old useless fitness equipment and go buy some Lifeline kettlebells or PowerBlocks.

Have fun, tell me how it goes…

Coming soon:  Why single kettlebell/dumbbell training is where it’s at…