Lose Stubborn Fat!

How To Move Up To The Next Heavier Kettlebell

2012-01-26T23:20:29-07:00

One of the biggest questions I get from users of System Six: Easy Fat Loss, is how to move up to the next heavier kettlebell when you get stuck.

A lot of female clients especially write to me about getting stuck on the kettlebell military press. Dudes probably get stuck too (I know I do), but are too stubborn to ask =)

First - I would actually avoid all of the "move up to the next heavier kettlebell" articles and tricks you can find out there. There are actually entire books written on how to move up on your press. But I would avoid all of these methods for one simple reason - they are designed for someone who's goal is to press a heavier kettlebell.

Your goal is not to press a heavier kettlebell.

Your goal is to get leaner.
You are interested in getting stronger
in service of getting leaner.

This is a really important distinction.

I know I'm the guy that pushes how important getting stronger is for fat loss. I just want to remind you to keep the goal the goal.

What If You Get Stuck?

Ok, there is still the legitimate question of what to do if you are stuck between kettlebells - say the 18lb kettlebell is way too light, but the 26lb kettlebell is way too heavy.

I'm going to use all of the examples with the most common question I get, how to get from the 18lb kettlebell to the 26lb kettlebell. That being said, all of these same principles apply to going from the 26 to the 35lb kettlebell.

Or, for guys, going from the 36lb kettlebell to the 44lb kettlebell, or the 44lb kettlebell to the 53lb kettlebell.

Step One: Two 18lb Kettlebell

My favorite method is the simplest: If you have a second 18lb kettlebell, start doing your presses with both. Max out your reps with two kettlebells before you even think of using a heavier one.

I really think that double kettlebell work is amazing for fat loss, and I'm still shocked that everyone else is only using one kettlebell for fat loss.

If you don't have a second kettlebell, but you have a spare dumbbell, use that. Switch hands after every set. While I wouldn't do this with the heavier kettlebells (35+ for women, 53+ for men), it works great with the lighter ones (18 for women or 35 for guys).

Step Two: Make the 18lb Kettlebell(s) "Heavier"

a.) If you haven't already maxed out the sets and reps on the plan you are on, we shouldn't be having this discussion. In other words - if the workout program you are on says to work your way up to X number of reps, do that first. Max out all of the sets and reps first.

b.) Next, work on form. If you are hitting all the reps, but it's getting sloppy at the end - clean it up first. In general, doing the work with good form is more work than doing it with bad form, so you are lifting "more" by doing it right. Clean up the form.

c.) Last, speed up the press, slow down the "negative" part of the movement. Press the kettlebell as fast as you can safely and with strict perfect form - then really tighten up and pull the kettlebell down slowly (like four seconds down slowly). Four second negatives.

Step Three: Make the 26lb Kettlebell "Lighter"

a.) Push press to the top. If you can't press the kettlebell off your shoulder, use a little leg drive to "jump" the weight up.

b.) Over time use less and less leg drive, and more and more shoulder pressing to get the weight to the top.

c.) Bring in that slow (4 second negative). So the push press is going to be mostly loose, but the you are going to lower the kettlebell to your shoulder slowly and as tight as possible.

Push presses alone aren't going to get you there, but the combination of using less and less leg drive, and using the slow negative will get you ready for that heavier bell.

When To Use Which One

First I'd go with making the lighter kettlebell "heavier". If you can follow all of those steps, you might be able to make the jump to the 26lb kettlebell straight from there.

Most of my fat loss programs tend to be on the lower volume side (less sets and reps) than the average fat loss workout. Inside of that context, it's ok to "make it harder".

I would only use the "make the 26lb kettlebell lighter" as a last resort, or if it would add a significant benefit to your workouts - like if you have one 18lb kettlebell and one 26lb kettlebell, and getting to the 26 would open the door to un-even double kettlebell workouts.

*Bonus Method for Making the 18lb Kettlebell "Heavier"

This is one of my favorites, but unfortunately very few people have the flexibility to do it (even with their legs straight out in front of them)"

But without the extra tension that you can generate from the legs, seated presses are much harder than standing.

Progress in Your Fat Loss Workouts

Since kettlebells have fairly big jumps in weight, most of your progress is going to be picking up reps.

Don't be in a huge hurry to move to the next kettlebell if you don't have to. Just pick up a rep here and a rep there.

When you max out all the reps on your plan, make your form better, add more tension, make it harder, ect.

Then, when there is nothing to add to that weight, then move up to the next weight by any means necessary.

Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth; Avenger's Workouts

2012-01-25T19:54:32-07:00

Ok, the upcoming Avengers Movie is a full on celebrity fitness nerdgasm.

It's like all of my favorite celebrity workouts, all at the same time!

But first, I just have to point out the absurdity of pairing these characters together. There are two groups:

Group One: Legitimate Superpowers

Thor/Chris Hemsworth - Is the God of Thunder, has a super strength hammer, controls lightning
Hulk/Not Ed Norton - Nearly unkillable, ten times the size of a normal man, and super strong
Captain America/Chris Evans - US Government's ultimate genetically modified supersoldier
Iron Man/Robert Downey Jr. - Bulletproof flying supersuit, billionaire, genius

Group Two: Mostly Attitude and Cool Uniforms

Black Widow/Scarlett Johansson - Is super hot
Nick Fury/Samuel L. Jackson - Played "Shaft" in another movie
Hawkeye/The guy from "The Town" - Has a bow and arrow

Now, is it just me, or is there some disparity between these two groups of characters? How are they all going to even halfway make any sense together?

Fortunately, that's not my department. My department is how awesome all of their workouts are. Let us begin:

Scarlett Johansson:

Circuit training: Kettlebells, jump lunges, pushups, pullups

http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2010/05/finally-the-real-details-on-scarlett-johanssons-iron-man-2-workout.html

Robert Downey Jr.:

The Iron Man workout is oldschool and simple: Kettlebells, tire flipping, sledge hammers, battling ropes.

http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2010/05/robert-downey-jrs-iron-man-2-kettlebell-workout-1.html

Chris Evans:

Circuit training or cardio daily: Kettlebell swings, burpees, pullups, TRX rows and pushups, barbell overhead squats.

Then a bodypart split:

M: Back and arms: Deadlifts and curls
W: Legs: Lots of heavy, heavy squats
TH: Chest and shoulders: Presses at multiple angles and grips
S: Posture Work: Rear Delts/Rhomboids ect.

By the end they were adding weight to all of his bodyweight exercises also. He was doing 3 sets of 12 pullups with a 35lb plate, and dips for the same sets and reps with between 45-60lbs.

Chris Hemsworth:

Nearly identical plan to Chris Evans - circuits to keep him lean, and barbell bodypart splits to add muscle.

And I think that's is going to be a huge trend that's coming in 2012:

1.) Circuits for Fat Loss

combined with

2.) Barbell Bodypart Splits for Muscle Gain

This may seem like an unlikely combination, kettlebell and bodyweight circuits with essentially old-school bodybuilding, but I think we're going to see a lot more of this.

There are a lot of trainers/gurus that are invested in kettlebell/battling ropes/tires/TRX being the only way, and a lot of trainers/gurus that are investedin bodybuilding/gym workouts being the only way - but that's going to have to change. We're moving towards a fitness world that's a lot less either/or. We're going to be seeing people take what works from multiple sources and combine it in new and powerful ways.

Different Trainers, Same Plan

I think it's totally amazing that they all had different celebrity trainers, and that they all did essentially the same things.

They all did the same kinds of bodyweight/kettlebell circuits for fat loss. If this isn't the undisputed ultimate fat loss workout by now, I don't know what is.

On top of that, the guys that needed to get big did bodypart splits for muscle gain.

What works is what works is what works.

By Josh Hillis, RKC, CPT, PES, ZMIS
author, The 21 Day Kettlebell Swing Challenge
and System Six: Easy Fat Loss
quoted by USA Today, The Denver Post, and The Los Angeles Times

January/February at the Gym: How To Make Your Workouts Work

2012-01-18T16:34:00-07:00

Lines for the treadmills, all the dumbbells taken, three people waiting for the squat rack, what do you do?

For years I was a Master Trainer at the busiest gym in Colorado, and in January and February, the membership would literally quadruple.

You've got six weeks of New Years Resolutioners - During this time, you need a plan.

When I was a new trainer I would actually write out three workout plans. After a couple years, I just had a few backups in my head.

For example, if today we were supposed to barbell squat, but all the barbells were taken, we'd do dumbbell front squats. If the dumbbells were taken also, we'd do the hardest appropriate body weight squat variation (could be split squats, step ups, pistols, ect.)

Change The Movement, Not The Phase

I'd be totally willing to change the movement we were doing, the one thing that I wouldn't change would be the sets and reps we were doing that month. If we were in a phase where we're doing 2x12 for squats, it didn't matter *which* squat, just so long as we got in 2x12 of some squatting variation.

And considering our squat options were limited to three variations (a barbell version, a dumbbell version, a and a body weight version) it wasnt like we were doing something new every time - wed do three variations and we'd get good at all three.

Your Options, In Order:

Squats: Barbell, Two Kettlebell, Dumbbell, Bodyweight Variation

Hip Hinge: Barbell Deadlift, Double Kettlebell Swing, Barbell Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Single Leg Deadlift (dumbbell or kettlebell)

Horizontal Push: Dumbbell Bench Press, Pushup Variation

Horizontal Pull: Body Row, Two Dumbbell Chest Supported Row on a Bench, One Dumbbell Row, Seated Cable Row

Vertical Push: Kettlebell Military Press, Dumbbell Military Press, Switch to Horizontal Push

Vertical Pull: (Assisted) Pullups, Bodyweight Partial Pullup or Hang, Lat Pull Downs, Switch to Horizontal Pull

These are all options of course for strength workouts. If it's a circuit, it's all going to be kettlebells and/or body-weight anyway.

Stop the Internet Censorship Bill

2012-01-18T07:29:07-07:00

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16612628

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57329001-281/how-sopa-would-affect-you-faq/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/sopa-blackout-internet-censorship_n_1211905.html

What Is The Best Time of Day To Work Out?

2012-01-16T07:03:04-07:00

I answer in Experience Life Magazine: (click below to read)

http://experiencelife.com/article/your-qs-the-best-time-to-work-out-and-more/