The BIG Mudda Hill

Yesterday under overcast skies I took to my favourite hill here in the city (aka The Big Mudda Hill) for a Kettlebell Extreme Workout.

I hopped in the family minivan and took the 5 minute drive – even though I have issues driving to do a sprint workout – mainly because my 24kg kettlebell doesn’t sit well on the rack of my bicycle.

When I got there, I took my kettlebell and placed it at the top of the hill, walked down the Big Mudda, warmed up for about 10 minutes and then sprinted up the hill with all my might.

At the top, I did 25 2-arm kettlebell swings and 25 push-ups.

I did the circuit 5 times.

It was Extreme.

Within the TT Kettlebell Extreme Fat Loss program there are a few pretty extreme exercises and protocols as well (like handstand push-up variations and drills that involve Extreme KB Windmills).

When you combine an interval and MRT-based workout like the one I did with a proven Xtreme Diet, you’ll lose weight FAST.

THIS is the diet that will help you lose weight quickly and safely.

…And when you pick-up this diet, you’ll get my TT Kettlebell Extreme Fat Loss 4-Week Program for FREE….

I’ve never released this program as a “stand alone”, but with the weather changing and the sun coming out more frequently, I think you could use some rapid results and this is the program to get you there.

But you have to hurry because this offer expires tonight (Thursday, May 3rd) at Midnight…

Get the diet and TT Kettlebell Extreme HERE.

Then email your receipt to – kettlebellworkouts@gmail.com – and I’ll fire off TT Kettlebell Extreme Fat Loss to you immediately.

Melt the fat off quickly and get a jump start on your summer fat loss program.

Chris

It’s a very busy time of year and so regular training has had to take a back seat to some other priorities.

Don’t get me wrong, I still do other things.  I ride my bike everyday to get to and from clients and as I put my bike in my garage, I have a chin-up bar mounted between 2 posts so I’ll jump up and do a set of 8-10.

But picking up kettlebells and doing a “regular” workout has not been part of this week’s schedule.

Until yesterday when I filmed a couple of videos for you.  One of them is the video below on my Renegade Row Progressions.  I woke up this morning and my abs were sore.

I’m not talking sore like a dull ache.  I’m talking sore like it-hurts-to-cough-kind-of-sore.

AND I ONLY DID A FEW REPS OF EACH PROGRESSION.

So if I only did a few reps, how would I have felt had I done a few sets of 10 or 20?

As far as I’m concerned, Renegade Rows are the best Kettlebell Abdominal Exercise.

So do me a favour.  Watch the video below, do a set of each progression, and then tell me how you feel afterwards.

Chris

P.S. Try THE DEATH CRAWL and let me know how you like it as well.

P.P.S. In the Final Phase of The TT Kettlebell Revolution v2.0, we use Renegade Rows to really take your fat loss efforts to the next level.

=>Check out the TT Kettlebell Revolution v2.0 HERE

For me, it’s all about Bang-For-Your-Buck exercises that do a bunch of different things.

Enter the Spiderman Reach (or Spiderman Climb with Reach).

I love this exercise because…

1. It’s an incredible mobility drill for your hips, namely your groin muscles.
2. It’s a gut wrenching abdominal exercise if you really focus on keeping your hips low and squeezing your glute when you bring the leg back (you have to watch the video to see what I mean) and
3. It’s awesome for thoracic spine mobility which is the ideal area in our backs where we should be rotating from.

Check out the video below and if you’re down with what I’m sayin’, please hit the Facebook “LIKE” button above or below this post to let me know and please leave a comment!

Have a great weekend!

Chris Lopez, RKC, Certified Turbulence Trainer
Author, The TT Kettlebell Revolution

Click HERE to get the most effective Kettlebell Fat Loss Program available!

As I was riding my bike on my way to see clients this morning, I noticed that the bootcampers at local parks are starting to emerge and get back into the (kettlebell) swing of things.

I saw the trainers and campers alike all decked out in their shorts and new Nike Frees with their tan-less winter skin soaking up all the vitamin D!  It was a beautiful thing.

If you’re a trainer who works with groups, teams or runs bootcamps, then it would do you some good to read the article below by my fellow Certified Turbulence Trainers, Mike Whitfield and Craig Ballantyne.

What Makes a Good MRT Bootcamp Workout?

CTTs Mike Whitfield & Craig Ballantyne

By Mike Whitfield, CTT, and Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Co-Authors, TT Metabolic Resistance Training Bootcamps

Bootcamps have come a long way, and the days of running laps over and over are dwindling away. You already know that metabolic resistance training (MRT) is the hottest method to use with clients and campers to strip fat off in less time.

But how do you incorporate MRT into a Bootcamp setting, and how do you know if you have a good workout program designed?

=>Enter the Done-For-You TT MRT Bootcamp Workouts

A Structured and Professionally Designed Program

Every once in a while, it is certainly fun to throw together some fun exercises and just work hard. But if you do that day in and day out, you and your clients could be asking for an overuse injury.

That’s why a thought-out, well-designed program is important to use with your campers so that they get the best results in minimum time, all while avoiding overuse injuries.

The Layout

The workouts should be laid out in superset or circuit fashion with non-competing exercises so that you can produce more work in less time.

People want to lose fat and not have to be at your location for an hour and a half.

For example, you would do a Bodyweight Bulgarian Squat, then immediately Close-Grip Pushups. Your lower body rests while doing an upper body exercise and vice versa.

Strength Training – When and Why

Many bootcamps make this mistake – they do a lot of cardio moves early on, like running or sprints, and then expect their campers to bust out pushup after pushup. Or worse, there is no strength training component at all.

The strength part of a bootcamp workout should be done at the beginning after the warm-up, when their muscles are ready to work, but fresh. This allows better effort for your campers and better results.

What Exercises to Use

Big, compound movements burn more calories and get your campers better and faster transformations. A variety of pushups (some you may not have even heard), lunges, rows and jumping movements should be utilized to keep your campers engaged and excited.

You can also incorporate different methods to give your campers the “Wow!”experience, including the 90% method, 1-1/2 rep style and more. These are fun gems you can use to keep your campers
coming back for more great workouts.

The 3 Keys to a Solid MRT Bootcamp Workout

We already talked about strength training and how it is missing or misplaced in a lot of bootcamps. But another key to use in your workouts is conditioning. You can typically use a circuit of bodyweight movements with little rest (30 seconds to 1 min) that will skyrocket your client’s conditioning.

They will appreciate that when they can go up and down the stairs easily.

Finally, the metabolic finisher and/or intervals – When most people think of intervals, they think of treadmills or bikes.

But you can actually perform intervals just using bodyweight exercises or moves like KB Swings.

The metabolic finisher is usually a superset or circuit with a variety of reps and sets with heart-pounding moves like Burpees, Swings, Pushups and more. They use incomplete recovery
with very short periods. They finish off your campers, revving their metabolism all day long.

The Most Important Thing to Remember – Timed Sets

The one thing that could make or break your bootcamp is using specific reps rather than timed sets. For example, you tell your campers to perform 15 Bodyweight Squats. That might be the perfect amount of reps for some, while others will struggle getting that many. For advanced people, that might be too easy.

That’s why you want to use timed sets. By asking your campers to perform 30 seconds of Bodyweight Squats, everyone can do what they can in that time, allowing people of all fitness levels to benefit.

Have Fun With Your Workouts

Any bootcamp workout is fun when you use some kind of camper interaction. This could be allowing one of the campers call the shots, or having your campers partner up for shadow drills, and more. The TT MRT bootcamp workouts utilize this strategy throughout the manual.

Be Unique

By offering your unique energy and enthusiasm, you will have campers coming back. You should even use unique exercises to keep the workouts fresh and exciting, like:

Spiderman Climb with a Reach
Total Body Extension
Plank to Triceps Extension (crushes the triceps with bodyweight only)
And more…

These unique exercises and more are built right into the done-for-you workouts.

Have fun, be safe, and bring the energy.

=> Get over 31 Metabolic Resistance Training Bootcamp Workouts here

You’ll save $30 this week only during the program release sale.

Plus, if you’re a trainer, you’ll get a complete bootcamp build-up blueprint to help you get more clients.

…And don’t forget to grab your copy of the TT Kettlebell Revolution v2.0

=>TT Kettlebell Revolution by Chris Lopez, RKC

One of the elements of this phase’s program that I’m excited to start again are High Rep Snatches.

I’ve noticed that when training using high-rep snatches – both for myself and my clients – that in addition to grip strength and upper back strength improving, fat loss results go through the roof.  This is why I recommend training for higher reps every now and then to break things up and to really initiate a change in your physique.

=>http:/kettlebellworkouts.com/fatloss – My Fat Loss Workout that uses higher rep training to get great results

It’s been a while since I’ve done the RKC Snatch Test.  For those of you new to the blog, the RKC Snatch Test is one of those Rite Of Passage evaluations that you have to go through in order to be certified with the very prestigious RKC Governing Body of Kettlebell Instructors.

It involves snatching a 24kg kettlebell 100 times within a 5 minute period.  A tough practice for anybody who attempts it and an incredible workout in itself.

Training for the snatch test, for me, involved really building up the work capacity for a couple of months and refining my technique to make the snatch look more athletic and fluid.

Having practiced the snatch for a few years now, one of the things that I’ve noticed is how my technique improves the longer I am into my set.

After a lot of deliberation, I’m pretty sure I understand why and I can almost guarantee that if you pay attention to your technique, you’ll notice that it will improve during the later periods of your set as well.

The reason is because the snatch is a movement that should be dominated by the hips (the powerful thrust that comes from driving your glutes and hamstrings).

The problem is that with a lot of kettlebell practitioners, the initial tendency at the beginning of a set of high rep snatches is to really use your arm to “pull” the weight up.

As your set continues, your arm begins to fatigue and your body tries to find ways to get your kettlebell overhead because “muscling” the bell up with your already fatigued arm is becoming more and more difficult.

The result is a more powerful hip thrust where you are creating a greater float in the bell and thus only guiding the kettlebell up to the overhead postion with your arm.

This creates a more esthetically pleasing snatch where your hips are the prime movers (as they should be) and your arm acts in a secondary role.

This completely explains why technique improves with fatigue when it comes to the snatch.  Your body has no other choice but to use the correct muscles – the bigger, stronger and more dominant hip prime movers – to perform the exercise leaving the guiding muscles – your arm – to do its job of just guiding the bell up.

One of the tricks I suggest you do to improve your snatch technique is to practice your snatches with your weaker arm and take notice of how much your hips come into play when “pulling” the bell isn’t so easy.  Ideally, this would be how the natural flow of the snatch should feel like.

In the end, to master your technique, you really need to simply just pay attention and be aware.  It’s almost a Zen-like approach where being present and constantly just being in the moment when you’re training can lead to breakthroughs in your kettlebell practice.

Try it and see if the same happens for you.

Chris Lopez, RKC

P.S. Make sure to check out the TT Kettlebell Revolution v2.0 for a fat loss workout that uses some challenging higher rep workouts to accelerate your fat loss results…

=>The TT Kettlebell Revolution

But first, here’s a question about power training for the elderly…

Q: What type of explosive movements do you do with your 70 year old clients because I know mine aren’t doing any type of jumping? Thoughts?

A: You’re right, I don’t believe in doing high impact movements like jumps or plyometrics with my older clients at all. Currently I’m using a lot of full body extensions and lots of kettlebell swings (both 1 and 2 arm). I also use tempo squats where I will vary the speed at which a client moves when they perform a squat (of a single leg movement like a split squat).

I think when you get into that age group, it all becomes relative. Something that’s explosive to them – like getting out of a chair as quickly as possible – may seem slow to us. Although, I do have a 71 year old grandmother that does burpees better than a 20 year old…but she’s an anomaly so I don’t recommend that.

Q: Chris, I’ve read EatSTOPEat on your recommendation and loved the logic and science behind it. My only issue, however, is that I don’t know HOW to eat on the days that I’m supposed to be eating. What kinds of foods are good for me to eat to make sure that I stay healthy, continue to build muscle and lose fat and that will allow me to have energy throughout the day? I guess the real question that I’m asking is, what diet do you use and do you recommend for those of us that need more “structure” with our eating?
-Raymond from Austin, Texas

A: Great question, Raymond. The truth is as much as I say I eat whatever I want, you have to understand that being 35 now and being more conscious about my health and the health of my loved one, I know that eating the aforementioned foods on a regular basis is a one-way street towards disease, inflammation and general poor health.

So I’ve changed my consciousness towards food so that “whatever I want” doesn’t have to be synonymous with “unhealthy”.

These days, I don’t want take out Chinese Food or over-processed junk food that makes me feel fat. I want food that will make me feel good, that will give me energy so I can keep up with my kids and outlast the athletes that I train and that will allow me to BOTH burn fat and gain muscle.

The way of eating and the way of life that I subscribe to (and Intermittent Fasting is included in this lifestyle) is perfectly summed up as THE RENEGADE DIET.

This way of eating completely dispels the utter lies that you need to eat 6 times per day to keep your metabolism elevated…there’s no research that backs up this outlandish claim.

It shows you how to naturally optimize your testosterone levels by eating the right foods AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY to keep you anabolic and performing optimally all the time.

And The Renegade Diet will tell you exactly why you DON’T need to be eating massive amounts of protein to put on muscle or cut your calories severely to lose fat.

I guess the beauty about the way I eat is that I don’t need to worry about carbs, fats and protein. I’ve been unknowingly following this style of eating for years now because it’s something that’s worked for me and something that’s fit into my busy lifestyle.

I skip breakfast most days. Later on in the day I’ll snack on nuts, veggies and if I’m really hungry I’ll have an anabolic “fat shake” – recipe to come.

And then I’ll eat to my heart’s content at dinner while I’m spending time with my family. I’m the one who cooks and prepares dinner most of the time, so you can bet that we’re eating lots of protein, veggies and my wife and I will have a little starch while the kids can load up on however much they want. After the meal we always eat some fruit. Lately it’s been mangoes.

I guess the point is that this isn’t so much a “diet” as it is a lifestyle that I/we (as in my family) follow. And it’s perfectly summed up in my friend, Jason Ferruggia’s new book THE RENEGADE DIET.

=>The Renegade Diet by Jason Ferruggia

Like I said, I’ve unknowingly been eating this way for years now and it’s all because it’s just a way of eating (and of life) that’s worked for me and that has fit into my busy lifestyle.

I think when it comes to eating, people get caught up in what everyone else is doing and fail to recognize a way that truly works for them.

My advice is to just find a way that fits your life and your goals and then tweak as necessary. We’re all different, so find a style that’s right for you.

Huh?

Here’s an email Geoff got regarding a guy who quit using kettlebells and actually LOST 15lbs. That’s not SUPPOSED to happen – yet it did.

And it all has to do with STRESS – and how your body REALLY handles it.

You might be surprised at how you much you see yourself in this explanation – I know I was.

It’s really meaty and it’ll be the best thing you read all week because Geoff just has a way of cutting through the BS and getting down to brass tacks – you’ll find strategies you can apply today that will jump-start your progress again.

Here’s the article:

Here’s an email I got from Todd. I’ve posted it in its entirety so you can see the context.

And the reason I’m doing it is because this question is a Gold Mine that will answer so many people’s questions – specifically, why you start a program/workout with one intention, say, to lose weight, and you never reach your goals.

That last part is really important – SO many people embark on a journey and never reach the destination.

And it doesn’t have to be that way. You just need to put a few keys in place and remove a few obstacles. Then it’s pretty much smooth sailing.

Finally, before we dig any deeper, it’s important that we acknowledge how the mind affects the body – especially the subconscious mind – the part that really makes the decisions.

If your rational mind – the part you think is in control doesn’t match the subconscious mind, and therefore your actions don’t match the necessary steps to achieve your goals, this will lead to internal friction, which is probably one of the worst forms of stress we experience.

(We all know what that is – It’s wanting to do something but engaging in thoughts/behaviors that leads to the opposite results – like raiding the fridge late at night for ice cream when your on a diet.)

So identifying potential and hidden roadblocks will help reconcile the rational and subconscious minds by increasing awareness, addressing hidden questions, and answering those questions in the context of our goals.

(If I lost you there – don’t worry – just keep reading. It’ll all make sense as we go through this together.)

So here we go -

“Geoff,

I have been folloowing your e-mails for over a year now and enjoy them – I have learned a lot. I am 49 yo and have worked out all my life. I have been using kb’s for about 3 years now. I started using them wanting to lose some weight and fat – but have had the opposite happen. I have gotten very strong, but have gained weight. Was up to 240lbs. Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it). I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!). I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?

Todd”

Todd – thanks for writing in.

Let’s break this down into pieces to get a clearer understanding.

1. You started using kettlebells “to lose weight and fat but… had the opposite happen.”

First, I can only infer from this statement that from using kettlebells you gained weight and gained fat.

So, the “weight” could’ve been muscle, especially since you said you’ve gotten really strong.

It could also be fluid build up, which is a result of chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is a result of too much stress. So, incredibly taxing workouts, like many kettlebell programs, will just place more stress on your body, preventing a system that’s already overworked from recovering. And therefore not getting the weight / fat loss you expected.

The second thing is that some people’s appetites increase from intense exercise. And unless your faithfully monitoring all the calories that go in your mouth, there’s a good chance you were just eating more without being aware of it. I’ve seen that happen quite often when people start using kettlebells.

The third and related thing is psychological – you start working out harder or more or both and subconsciously you give yourself permission to eat more. It’s a simple rationalization that many of us don’t mean to do.

“I’m working out more, so I can eat _______.”

And unfortunately “_______” isn’t usually more salad. It’s more of the calorically dense stuff that puts weight on in the first place.

I’ve seen that happen way too often to people who start using KBs.

2. “Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it).”

I’m not sure if this had anything to do with your weight loss because you don’t say. But since you mention it, let’s both assume that it did.

There are two things going on here -

Thing 1 – You’re eating less calories per week. Over time you’ll see your weight drop. It’s just simple math.

Thing 2 – You actually “really like” the program so you’re more apt to stick with it, thus ensuring your results. And because you’re getting results, you’re liking it even more, helping you stick with it. And then you get more results. It’s a nice little positive feedback loop. And that’s the way it should be.

And because both those “things” are helping you achieve your original goal – weight loss and fat loss, from a hormonal perspective, you’re setting yourself up for success.

You’re getting into a caloric deficit.

That caloric deficit is switching on your fat burning hormones.

And because you’re enjoying the process and possibly seeing results, your reducing the production of your stress hormones, which is decreasing the effects of stress on your body, and restoring the hormonal balance between all of your hormones – bringing you closer back to the baseline we’re meant to live and function in – lean, strong, and healthy.

3. “I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!).”

Ok, here’s the “meat n potatoes” of this post – so you’ll want to pay close attention here.

Respiratory infections are pretty massive bugs. In order to catch something of that magnitude, your immune system has to be working less than optimally.

And the quickest way to suppress your immune system is to be over-stressed.

What’s this got to do with kettlebell workouts?

Hang tight, amigo, we’re getting there. It’s just really, really important you see how this process is so interconnected.

One of the things about getting sick – especially like this – is that if forces you to rest. And rest, is a great antidote to stress. In fact, rest, sleep, whatever you want to call it, is probably the best form of stress-relief there is. (Probably why God created sleep…)

So, you start resting, and you start de-stressing. Not to mention the fact that your body is in “code red” fighting off those nasty little intruders – that infection. This means your metabolism is going to increase. (Running a temperature is a manifestation of this.)

And not only that, most of us, when we’re sick, don’t feel like eating that much. So there’s a natural caloric reduction here too.

So what you have is rest + metabolism increase + less external stress imposed from not working out + eating less food than normal = weight loss.

(This in fact happened to me when I got the shingles. I literally lost 10lbs in one day. Woke up Saturday morning at 205. Got up Sunday at 195.)

Not only that, but Todd, when you started recovering, you felt well enough to do some interval training on the elliptical.

Interval training, especially intense (relative term, I know – different for different people at different times) interval training, has been shown to blunt your appetite.

And not only that, the body does appreciate “novel stimuli” – variety – as a stimulus for change.

So, you got -

An elevated metabolism from fighting an infection +

less external stress imposed on your body from doing hard KB workouts +

change in workouts (novel stimulus) +

blunted appetite from interval training =

weight loss.

Is this making sense so far?

There are a lot of “mechanisms” for weight loss all going on at the same time here – I want to make sure we unpack them all so you can see how this will apply to you…

So back to THE Dilemma -

4. “I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?”

Todd – you didn’t say what kind of weight it was that you lost. Was it muscle? Was it fat? Was it a combination of the two? Unfortunately, unless you measured you won’t know for sure. But, based on experience, my best guess is that it was a combination of both.

One way to tell if it was fat was simply to see how your pants fit. If they’re looser in the waist, you lost some fat.

And that’s good.

But I’m with you – and at this point I’m going to address everybody in the global sense of the word “you” – I think it’s really important that you continue to use kettlebells for the plain and simple reason that you enjoy them.

Please don’t overlook that.

Enjoying something is HUGELY important in achieving any goal.

(As long as it’s consistent in achieving that goal.)

It means you’re more likely to remain committed to your goal and consistent in doing the things necessary to achieve it.

And because you enjoy what you’re doing, you will in fact, decrease your stress levels.

And again, please don’t overlook that point – because all stress produces adaptation but not always the adaptation that we want.

In this case, you want to lose weight and fat. (I’d just worry about the fat – stay as muscular as possible and lose the dough on top of it, but hey – that’s just me…)

So we need to apply enough stress to the body to get that to happen without over-stressing and accidentally encouraging the opposite to happen – which is probably the reason you gained weight in the first place.

Make sense?

So how do we apply “just enough stress” to the body without getting it to do the opposite?

Simple.

Here are the steps.

1. Think about your recovery first.

I’m a big believer that regardless of how you “feel” – the average person (that’s you and me) doesn’t need to work out every day. Even for stress relief. Sure, there are ways to do that (more on that in a minute) but it’s like walking a tightrope – not much margin for error.

So, make sure you’re getting enough sleep first and foremost. Don’t even think about doing any sort of hard kettlebell workouts if you’re only getting 5 hours of sleep a night.

Seriously. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Nothing lives there except injuries. And getting injured increases stress. BIG TIME.

So, get your sleep first.

Skip your workouts if you have to, but help your body rest and recover by sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night. No excuses.

2. Be an Underachiever.

Set aside a period of time you know you can commit to for your workouts.

I used to be infamous (in my own mind) for writing these fantastic periodized workouts for myself that were 6 days a week because that’s what all the champs did for their training.

I never completed any of them. My life got in the way.

The simplest and best (most productive as measured by actual results) weightlifting workouts were the ones written for me by my coach (surprise – how bout that). And they drove me crazy because the were “too easy” – 3 exercises per day, 3 days per week. Maybe 2.5 hours a week of workouts. That’s it. Massive results. But they worked so well I started doing other stuff. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid…

But I digress – we’re talking about you…

So if you know you can “only” fit in 2 hours a week for your workouts, then you know what?

Become an Underachiever.

We’re a society of Overachievers.

This just adds to our stress levels. So do the opposite with your workouts.

You can only commit to 3 hours per week to working out?

(From experience, I bet you’re wrong – I bet you’re overestimating.)

Cut it in half and commit to 1.5 hours per week.

Why so little?

So you can actually do it. Consistently. Routinely. Effortlessly. Without mental anxiety, angst, or aggravation.

By doing so you’ll build the recovery necessary into your workouts so you can actually see the results you say you want.

And because it’s “so easy” to get the workouts into your busy schedule, you’ll actually do them all the time.

And then you’ll be building that positive feedback loop that leads you down the Road to Success -

Easy workouts + very little time commitment + consistency + enjoyment = Results!

And that’s it – just 2 steps.

Why only two?

Simple. So you remember them.

And more importantly, don’t have to stress out about remembering them or whether or not you can remember them.

Some Sidenotes On Stress Relief…

Many of us, myself included, like to work out for stress relief. So my training is sometimes some sort of weird combination of training to reach strength goals and alleviating stress.

So I get the fact that workouts are stress relievers. But what I’ve found is that if I program in alternate easy activities for stress relief, I can focus on just training to achieve my strength goals. This works so much better.

(I actually achieve my strength goals sooner – which is a stress reliever itself.)

The simplest activity for me is just long walks on the weekends. A couple of one hour walks make a huge difference in my ability to handle stress. I’ll also toss in a couple of short 20 minute walks with the dog just to clear my head during the week when I need to.

Works like a charm.

Plus the extra activity helps burn extra calories and that helps keep me lean.

You should do the same.

Funny movies are great too.

When was the last time you laughed so hard you either cried or almost pee’d your pants? I’ll bet it’s been awhile.

There’s a story about Norman Cousins, a famous journalist from my grandparents’ generation, of how he cured a pretty debilitating illness by laughter.

So laughter is a great stress-reliever. Laugh. A lot.

Back to the kettlebell workouts…

What Kind Of Workouts?

Ok, so I realize I didn’t specifically answer your question about what kind of kettlebell workout you should be doing to lose fat moving ahead.

This is a simple one.

They should be -

1. Short enough to give you time to recover.

2. Fun – with variety to keep your mind stimulated and your heart engaged.

3. Frequent enough to keep your body stimulated and programmed for progress.

4. Properly designed using principles of Progressive Overload so you can track and see progress.

So that’s how I would design them if I were you.

Except, if I were you, I wouldn’t waste my time trying to design my workouts. That would only add one more thing to the “To Do” list and increase your stress levels.

Instead, I think you should pick up a copy of “Kettlebell Express!” which is my new “book” chock full of kettlebell programs – 49 different ones to be exact.

And the reasons are very simple -

1. They are short and to the point – you’ll workout for no more than 60-90 minutes per week, depending on the program you choose. This gives you time to recover.

And remember - Recovery = Results.

2. There’s a lot of variety in the programs. This means they’re enjoyable. Unless you’re a monk, most of us cannot do the same old kettlebell routine.

For many of us -

Variety = Motivation.

And Motivation = Consistency.

And Consistency = Success.

3. The thinking and programming has been done for you.

Dan John is very fond of the quote – “The client who represents himself in court has a fool for an attorney.” His point is that all of us not only need coaching but will ultimately fail if we don’t for the simple reason that we bring our own biases and blindness to the table.

Which means unless you’re an expert in workout program design, your best efforts are “hit or miss.”

4. And all that means less stress for you.

Remember, Stress Management = Success.

So when you’re looking for a variety of fun, short, time-efficient stress-relieving kettlebell programs (49 of them),click HERE.

For those of you that don’t know, my wife Rozanne and I have 5 kids (and they are ALL ours…because you have to specify that these days).  We have one child, our 13 year-old, in school part-time and the rest of them – ages 8, 6, 4 & 2 – are all home-schooled by none other than my wife.

Obviously I do what I can to help out with the homeschooling, but for the majority of the time, my wife has the lead and I “supplement” with lessons on physical education and kettlebell swinging .

She spends almost every waking hour with at least one, if not all 5, of our children…and she LOVES it.  And because she spends ALL of her time with our kids, I can confidently say that we are so incredibly happy with who are kids are as people (so far).

Our kids are compassionate, responsible, self-directed and well-adjusted.  I run into so many parents that are constantly complaining about their children and their attitudes and selfishness and -here are some harsh words – I can’t help but wonder who’s responsible for it.

After all, they’re YOUR kids, right?  (Sorry for the harsh dose of reality).

BUT, this isn’t an opinion piece on parenting, so we’ll leave it at that.

What this is about, though, is our reality as homeschooling parents.

Because we don’t send our kids to school and because they don’t leave the house unless we are all together or with each other, my wife has had to get VERY creative with how she stays in shape.  Sometimes it entails getting up with me at 5am to prepare lessons for kids for the day and then training.  And other times it’s involved keeping the kids upstairs where kids #2 & #3 do independent work while #1 reads a book to #4 & #5.

Whatever time she decides to train, the truth is that we don’t have the luxury of “alone time” or “a moment to catch our breath” as often as some other parents.

Either way, she has made fitness a priority in her life because 1) it makes her look good; 2) it makes her feel good and 3) it gives her oodles of energy to keep up with 5 kids.

Last week I wrote about February being a stressful month for me and no doubt, my wife was feeling the same way.  She could have easily just fallen off the training wagon and conceded to the February “blahs”, but instead she coped, focused on our priorities (which would be our kids) and did what she could with her workouts.

In a timely email early in February from my friend Geoff Neupert, I was sent one of his eBooks, “Kettlebell Express! ULTRA” to review.  In the eBook I found over 45 short, bang-for-your-buck, stress-busting workouts that lasted no longer than 30 minutes (with some only lasting 10 minutes).

When we were deep into our February down-time, I pulled up Kettlebell Express! ULTRA and decided that both my wife and I try a program from it.  We chose the Beyond The Basics 1.1 Program.

With Geoff’s permission, I’ve reprinted that program for you below…

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Beyond The Basics (as reprinted from Kettlebell Express! ULTRA)

In the RKC system, we teach the Swing as the basic kettlebell movement. Itʼs the one that all others are built on top of. Master the Swing, and the others are just that much easier to perform. At the RKC Certification, we teach the Instructor Candidates proper Swing mechanics with one kettlebell as the foundation, then we work them up to and test them with the Double Kettlebell Swing to challenge their understanding and grasp of the movement. Not all of them pass.

This is because the Double Swing (DSW) is a challenging and rigorous movement. These are programs using just the DSW.

It looks easy, but, trust me, itʼs not.

• Use a pair or pairs of medium-sized kettlebells.
• Total time commitment: 60 minutes (excluding warm-up).

BTB 1.1
• Use a pair or pairs of light to medium sized kettlebells
• Time commitment: 45 minutes per week (excluding warm ups)

Day 1: DSW
• Sets of 10.
• As many sets as possible in 20 minutes.

Day 2: DSW
• Sets of 20.
• As many sets as possible in 20 minutes.

Day 3: DSW
• Sets of 15.
• As many sets as possible in 20 minutes.

• Perform this program for 6 weeks. Then switch to something else.
• Start week 1 pretty easy. Week 6 should be your hardest week.

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That’s it.  Each workout lasted no more than 25 minutes.

So without paying any attention to our diet (we ate “normally”), and cutting her training time in half (she usually trains for almost 40 minutes per session), you would think that she would either stagnate or “maintain”.

Not the case.

Instead, she lost 5 lbs.

No diet modifications.  No tricky supplements. No 45 minute marathon sessions.

And she’s only on Week 4 of the 6-week program.

Geoff is offering Kettlebell Express! ULTRA as a FR*EE Bonus – only to MY friends – when you purchase his Kettlebell Express! Program.   But in order to get it, you have to use this link…

=>Get The Kettlebell Express! ULTRA Bonus for Chris Lopez’ Friends ONLY

This is a special page that Geoff’s set up only for us.  So if you were to go to the regular Kettlebell Express! website, you’d pay $47 and just get the one eBook.  If you go to our special “Friends of Chris Lopez” page, you’ll get both.

Here’s that link again…

=>Friends of Chris Lopez – Kettlebell Express! ULTRA Bonus

Now that I’ve got access to Express!, you can bet that I’ll be using those workouts whenever I feel stressed out or overwhelmed or when I’m just so busy that training is the last thing on my mind (hey, it happens…I’m human too).

And to tell you the truth, I’ll be using it a lot in March, mainly because I have a bucket-load of work to catch up on from February.

Have a great day,

Chris

P.S. Geoff and I have decided that we’re only going to keep the “Friends of Chris” page up until the end of the weekend, so please take advantage and grab your copy today…

=>Friends of Chris Lopez (only until Sunday, March 4th, 2012) – Kettlebell Express! ULTRA Bonus

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Master RKC Geoff Neupert

STRESS can be a KILLER.

And nothing sabotages your workouts faster than unchecked stress.

One day you’re going along fine and the next you hit a brick wall.

You just can’t seem to make progress. And the harder you press forward, the greater your chances of moving backwards and losing so many of your hard won gains.

In the last post, we looked at some of the symptoms of stress and being over-stressed.

I told you I would introduce you to a workout template to help you “de-stress.”

Upon further thought, I thought I’d cover not one, but three different kettlebell workout templates you can use immediately to reverse the effects of the stress process.

Let’s take a closer look…

One of the problems with feeling stressed is that we need an outlet.

Many people actually find that trying to maintain their workouts during seasons of stress, (like maybe where you find yourself right now now) becomes a stress in and of itself. So they’re tempted to quit in the short term only to promise themselves that they’ll pick it back up some time in the future. Only for many, the future never comes.

These are the “I don’t have time”-ers.

So if you fall into this group, the workout template for you is very simple – you need to use the approach called -

TEMPLATE #1: “Something Is Better Than Nothing.”

Just commit to completing minimalist workouts 5 days per week. Now I know 5 days per week sounds like too much, but notice I said “minimalist.” And by that I mean “minimal time commitment” and “minimal exercise complexity.”

About 5 months after our son was born, my wife was ready to start working out again. She used this template and loved it. It allowed her to mentally check the box without thinking too hard about what she was doing. And she also knew that because she was being consistent, she would make progress.

(That’s a KEY point to remember – Consistency Begets Progress.)

Here’s what one of those workouts could look like:

2 Hand Swings: 10 minutes. As many as possible.
Monday through Friday.
Total workout time per week: 50 minutes excluding warm up.

Why 2 Hand Swings?

Because it’s a major bang-for-your-buck exercise that will make you stronger and better conditioned. Plus it’s simple.

Why 10 minutes?

Because EVERYBODY can “find” 10 minutes to workout. NOBODY is that busy. If you think you are, well, sorry to break it to you my friend, you’re lying to yourself.

Obviously, this is just a template. You can plug any exercise in here that you want if Swings honestly don’t appeal to you. Or you can pick two exercises and alternate back and forth between them on alternate days. That might be good for variety’s sake.

I’ve used this approach successfully with several of my personal training clients. The “mission” is basically 2 Hand Swings six days per week for 30 days. Nothing fancy, just short, short workouts. I’ll usually start them with a whopping 3×10 (3 sets of 10 reps) every day for a week with the goal of hitting 100 Swings by the end of the 30 day period.

How’s it for them?

Beautifully. They always feel like it’s so easy that they can’t not do the workouts. And by the end of the 30 days they’re happier, leaner, and they got a small, easy, exercise habit embedded in their lives.

Why does this work? / Why will this work?

Because it relieves the stress of fitting in your workouts by packaging them into ridiculously bite-sized pieces that your mind/subconscious can get behind with little to no resistance. Anybody can find 10 minutes in their day to work out.

Not only that, because of the frequency of the workouts, it builds consistency, which keeps your momentum, and therefore basically puts your results on autopilot.

TEMPLATE #2: “Doing The Opposite.”

Many times we get stuck in a rut.

We do the workouts we like to do, not necessarily what our body’s need us to do for proper maintenance and performance.

In our kettlebell community we have a bunch of “hard chargers” who really push the “pedal to the metal” a great deal of the time. The problem is when you redline your engine constantly, your engine needs more frequent maintenance otherwise it breaks down.

One of the most common areas we face is Met Con – or Metabolic Conditioning – which primarily consists of ballistics work. While good in the short run, too much of this will burn you out. Badly.

So if you find yourself doing lots of ballistic work right now – Swings, Snatches, whatever – stop.

That’s right – STOP.

Do the opposite.

Spend some time slowing down and working on your grinds.

Do pure strength work.

This is one of the ways I lost 20 pounds last year.

I have spent the last 15 years lifting as heavy as I could with not much variety in my routine. And in case you’re wondering, kettlebells are not really variety when all you do is Olympic lifting – squatting, pulling, and pushing – it’s really more of the same – the same patterns. So I did exactly the opposite.

I spent a lot of time on bodyweight exercises and really focused on the flexion pattern.

This presented my body with a novel stimulus and started to take care of some of the compensations I had built up over the years. (I won’t get into those details cause that’s not a blog post but a book.)

This is a hard concept to grasp – not on an intellectual level but on an emotional level. We all have our “favorite” exercises and workout designs/programs. The ones that are the worst for us are usually the ones that produce phenomenal gains for us. This is because instead of switching and doing something different – opposite – we keep trying to milk the program and end up going nowhere or hurt.

Case in point – last October, while teaching at the “Hardstyle Ventura” event, I spoke with a gentleman named David who really loved my book, Kettlebell Muscle and saw phenomenal results after the 12 weeks. So instead of taking my advice in the book and switching to something else entirely different, he tried to milk the program and stay on it. The result?

Two busted shoulders.

So here’s how you avoid burnout and injury and do this for yourself.

Look at your program. (You are following a program, aren’t you? If you’re trying to “design” your own you are really spending a lot of time and energy you don’t need to be. Get on a professionally designed one. Seriously. Despite what some may say, there are really a lot of us who know what we’re doing with program design.)

What are you doing the majority of?

Now do the opposite.

Here are some suggestions:

Lots of Swings, Snatches and other ballistic work? Do strength work.

Strength work? Do some conditioning. Get your heart rate up.

Heavy for low reps? Go lighter and use higher reps.

Only use kettlebells? Add some bodyweight exercises into your program.

High volume work? Drop the volume, push the intensity. Rest more – a lot more. And use heavier weight.

Long workouts? Do short workouts.

Short workouts? Do shorter workouts.

High frequency workouts – like every day? Cut your workout frequency by 50%. Workout every other day.

Personally, the more I study this, the more I think we ALL need shorter, less frequent workouts. When I look back at my private clients’ training, most of our “work” over the course of an hour block is done in 20 to 30 minutes segments. The rest of the time is spent decompressing from the day and transitioning – transitioning from the day to the workout and from the workout back into the day. This of course includes warm-ups and cooldowns.

It just really hard to focus – to really focus on our workouts for more than 30 minutes at a time when the world around us is zooming by at a million miles per hour.

Why does this work? / Why will this work?

What I’ve learned over the years and has been corroborated by really smart guys like Soviet sports scientist, A. Vorobyev, is that the body performs better on contrasts – one type of training load contrasted with something relatively different, yet similar. For example, heavy with light. Fast with slow. (Ballistics with Grinds.)

Remember the key word here – similar. Running 3 miles one day and then maxing out your deadlift the next does not work. It’s counterproductive.

TEMPLATE #3: “Get In, Get Out”

This is really a time-based template.

It’s arguably my favorite. And it’s really good for those of you who find yourself feeling almost frantic at this time of year – or anytime of the year for that matter.

You set the duration of your workout and you do what you want to do within it. So time becomes the limiting factor. This is called “density training” and is one of the smartest, easiest ways to track your progress.

(Charles Staley popularized this over the last decade with his EDT programs and so has Ethan Reeve, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Wake Forest U. And you’ll also notice that Template #1 is organized around time. I really like training this way.)

Another reason I think these are some of the best templates is because it allows you to really focus and be present in your workouts. That of course allows for a much higher quality workout which in turn produces higher quality results, which of course is what we’re all after.

So here’s a density based program called “The Kitchen Sink” because it encompasses everything you can and should be doing at various times of the year. You can actually use this right now with great success.

“The Kitchen Sink.”

Frequency: 3 days per week. Non-consecutive days.
Duration: 20 minutes, excluding 5 minute warm-up
Focus: Everything.

Day 1: Single KB Work Basics

A1. 2 H Swings – sets of 10
A2. Get Ups – sets of 1

Day 2: Bodyweight

A1. Chin Ups – As many reps per set as possible minus 1 rep (leave one in the bank)
A2. Pistols – Play. As many as you feel like each set

Day 3: Double KB Strength Work

A. Double Clean + Press – ladders. 1,2,3,4,5

Yes, these workouts are short. You may feel like you can and should do more.

That’s the point.

That’s one of the biggest lessons I failed to learn early on from my weightlifting coach. You should ALWAYS feel like you could do more after each workout – training session – training lesson.

By keeping each workout purposefully short, you maintain your focus, you maintain your desire, and most importantly, you manage your stress levels and ensure that you can constantly make progress.

And yes, it is exactly the opposite of what most of us tend to do.

Why does this work? / Why will this work?

Probably the biggest reason these types of workouts produce results is -

They bring hormonal balance through increased recovery. As your body starts to de-stress, your body starts to re-optimize your stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Because you’re no longer killing yourself in your workouts, you won’t risk over-training. Your sleep patterns will improve. And from there your body composition will start to change.

Plus, density training has been shown to increase testosterone levels, which makes it easier to grow muscle and improve strength, which in turn decreases estrogen levels, which can add fat to the body – especially lower body fat in women and the unmentionable in men – manboobs. Testosterone in turn has been shown to improve moods which promotes an increased overall sense of well-being, which in turn is a natural way to fight stress, and therefore decrease elevated cortisol levels.

It’s a little more complicated than this, but that’s the 30,000 foot view.

Pretty cool, huh?

I think so.

What To Do Next

Hopefully you identified yourself and your needs in one of those three templates.

I encourage you to put one of them to use – now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.

Play with one of these templates and drop Chris a line back here on his blog and let us know how you got on.

And keep an eye on your email because Chris and I will be sending you some more goodies shortly.

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