I’ve just pulled together my first training video and it’s gone down really well. Most of the people who I was expecting to take the piss out of me, have actually said they thought it was done really well. I’ll take it and if I can inspire a few other people along the way, it’s all good!

The foundation of the video was the run up to Total Warrior. Some of the training I’m doing for this event is featured in the video. I wanted the video to start slow, introduce a few motivational quotes and then nail it. The music was key. It starts with The Wheat from Gladiator and then follows The Contender. Both tracks were written by Hans Zimmer, he’s a legend in my eyes. The main focus of the video is to inspire. I wanted to get across a wide range of body movements, boxing, weight training (including kettlebells) and plenty of running. I also wanted to get across I’m not afraid of a bit of rain and I like to get creative to my workouts.

Those of you that have been following my blog will know I’m big on motivation and I swear by quotes and philosophy. When I posted this up on my Facebook page I didn’t know what reaction I’d get. The title of the video was simply “Some of you may smile. Some of you may laugh out loud. Some of you may be inspired.” Overall the response was very positive. I even had a few people private message me to say how much it inspired them. Thanks again.

Thanks,

Background

Although I’m not sure who invented the kettlebell, research suggests it was either someone in Russia, the military or both! Either way, I’m just glad someone invented them as I use kettlebells a lot in my fitness training. Kettlebells are used for power training that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility.

Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell’s center of mass is extended beyond the hand. This facilitates ballistic and swinging movements. Variants of the kettlebell include bags filled with sand or steel shot, water, or which take a variable number of plates. Kettlebells also allow for swing movements and release moves with added safety and added grip, wrist, arm and core strengthening due to the shifting fill material.

Exercise

Kettlebell exercises build endurance and strength, in particularly the lower back, shoulders and legs. The movements used in kettlebell exercise can be dangerous to those who have back or shoulder problems. However, if done properly they can also be very beneficial to health. They offer improved mobility, range of motion and increased strength.The basic movements, such as the swing, snatch, and the clean and jerk, engage the entire body at once and in a way that mimics real activities such as farm work or shoveling. Kettlebell exercises are in their nature holistic, therefore they work several muscles simultaneously and may be repeated continuously for several minutes or with short breaks.

Calories

I remember ages ago reading in a magazine that kettlebell training burnt off a ridiculous amount calories. Before I looked any further I decided to research it a bit more and I came across an article by ACE (The American Council on Exercise). These are a well respected fitness research and certifying body in the United States. Their study on the calorie burn of kettlebell training was simply astonishing!

Dr. John Porcari, leader of the study, said “So they were burning at least 20.2 calories per minute, which is off the charts. That’s equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace. The only other thing I could find that burns that many calories is crosscountry skiing up hill at a fast pace.”

That’s 1200 calories per hour!

Benefits

I’ve already mentioned above about the amount of calories kettlebell training burns but what other benefits do they offer?

I do loads of training at home and kettlebells are perfect for this as they don’t take up much room. You can do so much with just a set of three or four kettlebells and costing half the price of some dumbbells. They’re also a great piece of exercise equipment for busy people, meaning they combine cardio and strength training together thus saving you time. I also found that my posture was much better after training with kettlebells.

Kettlebells are enjoyable, fun, versatile and easy to learn. I’ve included a banner below should you wish to look at some prices. Give the kettlebell a shot and let us know what you think.

Thanks,

I’ve been aware for some time about yoga as have most people and is something that for the last two years on and off I have integrated into my training at some stage (normally when I feel tight in my range of movements or I am seeking a bit more mental clarity).

Clubbells like Kettlebells have been around for years and years and are not a new FAD. I’ve been using Kettlebells properly now for about 3 and a half years and know that IFS Personal Trainer of the year 2010 Charlotte Ord is a big fan of them. I don’t hammer the kettlebells 24/7 and only use them when I feel the need to.

I don’t however use Clubbells but have toyed with the idea of buying some for quite a while now. I have seen various fitness professionals like Paul Chek use them and been impressed but more recently I’ve been watching a lot of the Scott Sonnon videos from TACFIT and been even more impressed. Scott Sonnon is recognised in the fitness industry for a host of things one being the Circular Strength Training® System which is definitely worth a read.

The Circular Strength Training® System uses full-range, multiple-joint movements which increases acceleration, agility, coordination, speed, extreme range strength, dynamic flexibility, deceleration, and mental toughness!

Scott has also wrote a book called Prasara Yoga: Flow Beyond Thought. It’s an enlightening read and a resource that I have used to help with my own training when I have integrated these practices into my routine, another great read.

It wasn’t till tonight that I saw Scott Share this video on his facebook page and was blown away with the concept of mixing clubbells and yoga in the way that Summer Huntington has done so.

So I thought I’d share it with all of you and see what you think.

Thanks,