The kettlebell swing is a much under-used and extremely underrated exercise. It’s the most basic of all the kettlebells exercises, and it’s imperative that you learn how to do it correctly, before attempting more complex moves like snatches and cleans. However, just because it’s basic doesn’t mean that it’s easy, unimportant, or without benefit. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of swinging.

Posterior Chain

The posterior chain is the collective term for your hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles. Many people try to target these areas individually – you’ll often see people in gyms doing leg curls for their hamstrings, butt kicks and leg lifts for their glutes, and back extensions to target the erector spinae muscles of the lower back. While there’s nothing wrong with these exercises, the posterior chain really does work better as a unit.

The kettlebell swing, and more specifically, the split second where the bell changes from descending to ascending, as you powerfully snap your hips forward, is fantastic for hitting your entire posterior chain, and is far more effective and time efficient than trying to target the muscles individually.

Increased Total Body Strength

You may not realise this, but increased posterior chain strength translates into increased total body strength. Whenever you perform a free-weight or body-weight leg exercise, you posterior chain muscles have to work to either create movement, or provide stabilization. Even many upper body lifts, such as bench presses, overhead presses and rows require your posterior chain to do some work. Think of a powerlifter performing a bench press, or Olympic lifter jerking a weight overhead – they have to get their whole bodies, including their legs, glutes and lower backs, as tight as possible. A stronger posterior chain equals a stronger you.

Speed

The kettlebell swing is an extremely quick move. You should always aim to emphasise the hip “snap” when performing it, and aim to launch the bell up on every rep. This increased speed and power can be enormously beneficial if you need to get quicker. Sprinters, wrestlers, football players and many other athletes will include kettlebell swings in their training to help improve their hip drive, and increase speed.

Core

When you think of what muscles the kettlebell swing works, your core muscles may not immediately spring to mind, but your core is just as important as your hamstrings, glutes and back when swinging. In order to maintain a neutral spine, your abdominals have to work very hard to prevent your lower back from rounding, and keep your head and chest high.

Unlike sit ups and crunches, which emphasize spinal movement, swings train the core for what it’s designed to do – stabilization. There aren’t many exercises that will work your core harder than heavy kettlebell swings will.

Reduced Lower Back Pain

This links back to increased posterior chain strength. Often, lower back pain can be attributed to weak glute muscles, and tight hamstrings. As we’ve already discussed, swings will take care of your weak glutes, but they can also be used as an assessment tool. If you have tight hamstrings, you will find it very difficult to sit back into the correct position for a swing. Therefore, not only will swings reduce lower back pain by strengthening any weak muscles, they can also be used to identify any which are tight, and may need stretching.

Hopefully that’s enough to convince you that you need kettlebell swings in your training. Now, get swinging.

I fell in love with Kettlebells over 5 years ago, and have been using them along side my Bodyweight workouts for extra calorie burning, a boost of strength, and overall challenging workouts. I’ve since tried a multitude of workouts written by variety authors and Kettlebel coaches. The following are 8 of my favorite fitness professionals out there who are just as in love with Kettlebells as I am:

1 – Chris Lopez

Chris Lopez has 5 kids. That in itself should shock you. I mean, who has 5 kids these days? (I want 5 kids, but I don’t think my girlfriend feels the same way). Anyways, not only does he have 5 kids, but he’s also super lean. How does he do it? He uses Kettlebells! Chris Lopez is one of most influential Kettlebell coaches because he gives new meaning to a busy lifestyle.

Interesting Tips, Advice, and Shares:

• How Often Should You Train with Kettlebells?
• Short Intense Workouts with Kettlebells Burns More Fat
• 3 Major Kettlebell Mistakes

2 – Forest Vance

Forest is a RKC certified Kettlebell trainer and owns a gym in Sacramento, California. He also has an extensive athletic background and has played Football at the college and pro level. His best-selling book on Amazion – No Gym? No Excuses! – teaches people how to workout even if they have not access to a gym (which is EXACTLY what this website is about!). His greatest accomplishment is when he lost 64 pounds in 7 months!

Interesting Tips, Advice, and Shares:

• Kettlebell Fat Loss Plan for Beginners
• The Kettlebell Swing
• Perfecting your Swings: Kettlebell Training Basics

3 – Josh Hillis

Josh Hillis is another superstar Kettlebell trainer. He specializes in combining celebrity-style Kettlebell workouts with solid diet programs to help you achieve your goals. In fact, his blog is full of celebrity workouts. That’s all he talks about! Whenever a new movie comes out, and if the actor is using Kettlebells, Josh will know about it, and he’ll write about. I get most of my celebrity workout news from him.

Interesting Tips, Advice, and Shares:

• Are You Waisting your Time in the Gym?
• Kettlebell Training burns 1200 Calories per Hour
• The Advanced Kettlebell Swing

4 – Scott Sonnon

Scott Sonnon is a character. Many people love to hate him because he talks so weird. But, he delivers results and that’s what matters! He is the way he is because he’s had to fight for everything he has. Growing up, he had physical and learning disabilities which prevented him from doing many things. Now, he has a bustling business, is a world class trainer, and has abs of steel!

Interesting Tips, Advice, and Shares:

• Never Give Up. Never Give In. Always Get Up. Always Get Going.
• You can Be a Winner Once, but a Champion Only Always
• Your Body Knows More than your Mind Thinks

5 – Josh Henkin

Josh Henkin has a number of certifications to his name, and world-renowned coaches such as Charles Poliquin love his training style. What’s his training style? It’s absolutely fat burning metldown. His workouts push your body to the max, and then some. So if you’re looking for some brutal workouts to add to your regimen, then Josh Henkin is the man to follow.

Interesting Tips, Advice, and Shares:

• Fighting Strength: Combining Sandbags and Kettlebells
• TRX & Kettlebells: Functional Movement Drills
• Sandbags or Kettlebells

Your Favorites

These were my favorite Kettlebell coaches. There are many other incredible coaches that approach Kettlebell workouts in a variety different ways.

• Who are your favorites?
• Who would you like to add and why?

The Kettlebell Swing is the most simplest Kettlebell exercises. But don’t let it’s simplicity fool you. The swing has the capability of making even the most elite athletes beg for mercy.

However…

There is no such thing as the “perfect” workout. I recommend performing high-rep kettlebell swings very often. However, this is not the only way to train the kettlebell swing. You can also grab a heavy Kettlebell and perform lower repetitions.

This form of training will have it’s own benefits. I believe that you should modify your training approach based on your goal. For example:

Kettlebell Swings for Cardio

If you plan to use Kettlebell Swings to replace your boring cardio, then I recommend doing intervals. Grab a Kettlebell and perform swings non-stop for 15 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds, then repeat 7 more times for a total of a 4-minute workout.

You can also combine Kettlebells with another cardio movement. One example is to go to the track, do 10-20 Kettlebell swings, then run one lap. Rest for 30-60 seconds, then repeat. Start off with 3 rounds, and built yourself up to performing more rounds and more repetitions of Kettlebell Swings.

Kettlebell Swings for Muscle

Swings are also a great muscle builder, especially if you pair them with a squat variation. One of my toughest legs workouts went as follows: Perform 15 swings, then 15 goblet squats, followed by 15 swings. Rest 1 minute, then repeat 3 more times.

Another lower body workout that can also be used as a great cardio workout is to perform a circuit of the following 4 movements: burpees, goblet squats, split shuffles, and swings. Perform 30 seconds of each movement followed by 1-2 minutes of rest. Perform 3 rounds.

Kettlebell Swings for General Fitness

You can also incorporate them into full-body circuits for general fitness. One simple workout is to perform each of the following movements for 30 seconds: Bodyweight Squats, Pushups, Pullups, and Swings. Perform 5 rounds for a quick, 10 minute workout.

Another great way to use Kettlebell swings is to perform them before and after your workout. For example, start off with performing 30 swings. Rest 30 seconds, and repeat 2 more times. Go through your regular weight training workout. At the end of the workout, Do another 3 rounds of 30 swings with 30 seconds break in between.

As you can see, there is more than one way to use Kettlebell Swings. However, despite the training method you use, you’ll still be burning tons of calories and in the process burn fat. Kettlebell Swings trully are the ultimate fat burner! For more awesome kettlebell workouts you can do at home, check out my brand new blog: FlabToFit.com!

The following is a Guest Post by Shawna Kaminski:

It turns out I’m sorta fickle!

I hate to say it, but the burpee has lost just a little of his pizazz!.

Sure, he still makes me weak at the knees and outta breath, but since adding 50 burpees a day into my workout for a few weeks now, I’m getting a little bored. You know what they say about familiarity!

Aaand, I’m actually enamored again.

I won’t call it “love” cuz I know you’re gonna think I’m just some crazy love sick fool. So let’s just say I’m “very fond” of this guy.

I found the burpee’s younger good looking brother!

The one-legged burpee.

Yes, call me crazy, but this burpee is even more challenging.

If you’re up for more challenge and variety, you’ve got to give this a shot.

I created a little circuit for you here:

I used a timer as you can see, with the following times and exercises:
30 work/10 seconds rest (transition)
One leg burpee
Other leg burpee (aren’t you glad we only have two legs?)
DB row (2 arms)
Jump rope
Plank
Repeat this circuit up to 5 times for a quick 20 minute killer workout.
*Here’s a tip to force the intensity: I kept my burpee reps to 8 in 30 seconds and 15 for the DB rows. Knowing that I could catch my breath after each 30 seconds of work (with the 10 sec rest) allowed me to push a little harder. The 10 seconds rest wasn’t very “restful’ but I could grab a quick drink and breathe.
Here’s the reasoning behind the exercises I chose for the circuit!
The burpee is very difficult and works the legs and chest muscles, so I didn’t want to add more exercises that focused on the chest or legs in the circuit.
I wanted to do a back exercise that allowed for a little active recovery after the burpees.
I wanted to spike the heart rate again with the jump rope set.

I needed to catch my breath and work on my core with the plank.

I chose 30 second sets because it revved up my heart rate: it’s a short enough time that I could really push, but long enough to make it difficult. The 10 second recovery allowed me to keep going and not give up.

Holy hamstrings, the one legged burpee should do a number on me.

Thinking about it now. I’ll always love the burpee, but it’s nice to spice up my love life with his younger brother: the one legged burpee.

If you’re up for the ultimate challenge, how many pull ups can you do? Want to increase the number in a short time? Then you can start doing burpee pull ups!

Author Bio:
Shawna Kaminski is a retired schoolteacher of 20 years who’s found her passion in the fitness industry. She’s been a competitive athlete all her life and has competed nationally in three sports. She’s parlayed her ability to teach and her love of training into programs that you can directly benefit from. Shawna is in her late forties, is a mother of two teenagers and understands how busy life can be. Her workouts are short and intense and often can be done anywhere. She’s always up for a challenge and shares her fitness challenges with you. Currently she runs her own fitness boot camps and coaches clients in person and online with her amazing result getting programs. Check out her latest program designed to help you boost your pullup and pushups here ==> ChallengeWorkouts.com

Makes 10 Servings

Ingredients

• - 15oz can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• - 15oz can of Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• - 15oz can of Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• - 15oz can of Diced Tomatoes, rinsed and drained
• - 3/4 cup of Salsa
• - 1 1/2 cup minced Oignons
• - 1 tbsp of Olive Oil
• - 2-3 Tablespoon of Lime Juice
• - 1 Tbsp of Chili Powder
• - 1 Tbsp of Curcuma
• - 1 Tbsp Parsley
• - Pepper , Garlic Powder , Oregano , Basil
• - Splenda 

   

  Directions

   

• 1. Cook Oignons with olive oil. Set aside
• 2. Mix the beans, tomatoes, salsa in a big casserole
• 3. Add onions, lime juice, chili powder, curcuma… also, use a little bit of pepper, garlic powder, organo, basil, and splenda.
• 4. Cook for about 20 mins at medium heat 

   

  Nutritional Facts

  (Per Serving)

   

• Calories: 145
• Protein: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fat: 1g

For more great recipes, check out Anabolic Cooking:

www.AnabolicCooking.com

In the past few years, I’ve written a lot of articles that can be considered anti-bodybuilding. I have even stated that I am anti-bodybuilding. But, the truth is that I actually use a lot of bodybuilding techniques…without even realizing it!

One of them is the pre-exhaustion technique. The pre-exhaustion method is a method where you exhaust a smaller muscle group so that your body is forced to recruit the larger muscle group – the one you want to work.

Many people, when performing the pushup, end up using a lot of their shoulders to do the work. So, you’re left with big shoulders, but a small chest. This was one of my problems.

After much experimenting, I realized that what I needed to do was get my shoulders tired before doing pushups so that I can recruit my chest muscles the way they needed to be recruited.

Whats the solution? A superset involving the dumbbell push press and pushups!

Exercise One: Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Without a doubt, the best shoulder builder is the dumbbell overhead shoulder press. In this superset, you’re going to use lighter weights and perform 15-20 repetitions. Then you’re going to perform a max rep of pushups (striving for 15-20 repetitions). Here is how to perform the dumbbell shoulder press:

Exercise Two: Pushups

Pushups are pretty straight forward. The first time your perform this superset, your shoulders are going to be screaming because you’re so used to using your shoulders for this movement. However, over time you will learn to better recruit your chest. To make this movement harder, perform the pushups on pushup handles. Lets go over basic pushup technique:

Now, if you’re looking for a solid training regimen to help you build lean muscle mass, then I recommend grabbing Craig Ballantyne’s M-MRT routine. The M-MRT program will help you increase your metabolic rate, boost strength, build muscle and burn fat, all at the same time.

MRT stands for metabolic resistance training. MRT is basically the next level of supersets, circuits, trisets, speed training, low rest, and compound movements. Its a combination of all these jam packed into one intense, no-holds barred workout.

And..it’s an advanced training regimen. Beginners can do it to, but I wouldn’t advise it. You need to build yourself up to it. If you’re a complete beginner then I have some workouts for you right here (click here).

But, if you’re someone who’s been training for quite some time, then MRT might be the regimen for you. If you’re ready to implement Metabolic Resistance Training into your fitness program, then click here to check out the best Metabolic Resistance Program for Building Muscle (click here).

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

• - 1 pound fresh tilapia fillets
• - 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• - 1 Tbsp. lime zest
• - 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
• - 1/4 cup orange juice (preferably freshly-squeezed)
• - 1/2 thai red pepper (optional, only if you like it spicy)
• - 1 tsp. seasalt
• - 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper 

   

  Directions

   

• 1. In a bowl, mix olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, orange juice, chili sauce and salt and pepper.
• 2. Place tilapia fillets in the dish, turning to coat well with marinade.
• 3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. 

   

  Nutritional Facts
  (Per Serving)

   

• Calories: 193
• Protein: 33g
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Fat: 9g

For more tasty and healthy recipes, check out Anabolic Cooking:

www.AnabolicCooking.com

You all remember Dominic? Well, he’s been having a tough time making his legs grow. He’s been taking all these supplements and going to the gym, but his legs just aren’t keeping up with the rest of his body.

So I gave him 2 brand new exercises that he needs to implement into his gym muscle building routine:

1 – Narrow Stance Barbell Squat

He does heavy squatting at the gym, which is good. When most people squat, they take wider stance. The wider stance helps with balance and helps put on more weight on the barbell. It’s a great beginner move. However, once the regular squat stops working, it’s time to lighten the load and go for the narrow stance variation. The narrow stance focuses more on your quads, and the wider version recruits more of your hamstrings. So, if quads are your problem, then you really need to try the narrow stance version. Here’s how to do them:

2 – DB Goblet Squat

I began teaching the goblet squat because I found people were rounding their backs too much with the regular squat. With the goblet squat, the weight is in front of your body, which forces you to keep your back nice and straight. I also like the movement because it helps increase your flexibility and allows you to perform the squat with a greater range of motion. Here is how to perform the goblet squat:

If you’re looking for a solid training regimen to help you build lean muscle mass, then I recommend grabbing Craig Ballantyne’s M-MRT routine. The M-MRT program will help you increase your metabolic rate, boost strength, build muscle and burn fat, all at the same time.

MRT stands for metabolic resistance training. MRT is basically the next level of supersets, circuits, trisets, speed training, low rest, and compound movements. Its a combination of all these jam packed into one intense, no-holds barred workout.

And..it’s an advanced training regimen. Beginners can do it to, but I wouldn’t advise it. You need to build yourself up to it. If you’re a complete beginner then I have some workouts for you right here (click here).

But, if you’re someone who’s been training for quite some time, then MRT might be the regimen for you. If you’re ready to implement Metabolic Resistance Training into your fitness program, then click here to check out the best Metabolic Resistance Program for Building Muscle (click here).

Oh…here we go again. Another article about metabolic resistance training. What is all this hoopla all about? Oh and this one is claiming that metabolic resistance training, or MRT can build muscle.

What exactly is MRT? Is metabolic resistance training really some brand new form of training that is to revolutionize the way we see fitness? You want the short answer or the long answer?

Short answer….yes

Long answer….

Yes because MRT is basically the next level of supersets, circuits, trisets, speed training, low rest, and compound movements. Its a combination of all these jam packed into one intense, no-holds barred workout.

And..it’s an advanced training regimen. Beginners can do it to, but I wouldn’t advise it. You need to build yourself up to it. If you’re a complete beginner then I have some workouts for you right here (click here).

But, if you’re someone who’s been training for quite some time, then MRT might be the regimen for you. And here’s why you’ll love it: metabolic resistance training does not only help you lose fat, it also helps you build lean muscle mass!

So how does MRT exactly work, and how do it help you build muscle? It works by maximizing the metabolic cost of each exercise. For example, take the regular barbell squat. Most people are not maximizing the full benefits of this movement. By a quick modification, you can increase the results you get from this movement by over 50%. In other words, you achieve your goal 50% faster then you would if you were to perform regular squats.

So what is this change? Well, you have to grab an MRT workout to actually find that out. In a moment I will send you to the best muscle building workout which uses the MRT training technique.

Before that, I have one final tip for you: the essence of metabolic resistance training is mental strength. You must get into the right frame of mind, or else you will not be able to handle these workouts.

What I want you to do right now is close your eyes and think about the toughest workout you’ve performed. Now, multiply that feeling by 10, and you get MRT. Open your eyes.

How do you feel?

Are you ready to take on MRT? (Sorry if I scared you).

If you’re ready to implement Metabolic Resistance Training into your fitness program, then click here to check out the best Metabolic Resistance Program for Building Muscle (click here).

Not having a gym membership is no excuse for not reaching your goals. Simply by being alive, you are in possession of the best workout tool ever made for getting lean and burning fat – your own body.

That’s right, you really don’t need access to any fancy cardio machines, vibration plates or lots of heavy weights to burn fat. You can get the body you desire in the comfort on your own home.

Now you know this, there’s no excuse for missing a workout. Here are two workouts that you can alternate every week. Perform Workout A on a Monday and Thursday, and Workout B on a Tuesday and Saturday. Each session should only last around 30 minutes, so even if you’re busy, you can still get your training done.

Workout A

Perform 4 rounds of -

-          Bodyweight Squats – 20 reps

-          Wall Sit – Maximum

-          Glute Bridge Raises – 20 reps

-          Squat Thrusts – 10 reps

-          Plank – Maximum

-          Perform each of the following exercises in a circuit fashion as many times as you can until 15 minutes has passed:

-           Push Ups – 15 reps (Do these on your knees if you need to)

-          Chair Dips – 15 reps

-          Hand to elbow Plank – 15 reps

-          Birddogs – 10 reps per side

-          Curl Ups – 15 reps

Workout B

Perform each exercise in turn. In round one, do 15 reps of each exercise, in round two, do 14, in round three, do 13, and so on, until you get down to one rep.

-          Lunges

-          Squats to Chair

-          Push ups

-          Reverse Crunches

-          Burpees

-          Elbow to hand plank switches

You also have the option of purchasing a small amount of equipment if you wish, which may help to add variety and new challenges to your home workouts. This isn’t necessary, but is something you may want to consider, should you find that the workouts are getting a little easy.

If you’re looking for a complete bodyweight training manual you can use for your fat burning home workouts, then I recommend Workout Without Weights. Click here to learn more!

There are plenty of pieces of kit which are excellent for home workouts. They all require very little storage space, can be transported easily, and are relatively inexpensive.

-          Kettlebells. These range in weight from 4 kilograms right up to 60kg. An 8 or 12kg bell is a good place for most people to start. They are great for explosive exercises such as swings, snatches and high pulls. If you’re looking to get started with Kettlebells, then click here to check out an incredible Kettlebell program!

-          Resistance Bands. A very light training tool that offers you literally thousands of exercise alternatives. Try a beginner resistance band package, and add in pullaparts, face pulls, x-band walks and band curls to your home workouts.

-          Medicine Balls. These are fantastic for adding weight to squats and lunges, and also for invigorating your core training.

Home Workout Guidelines

Just as gyms have rules, you need to set yourself some guidelines when working out at home.

-          Don’t turn the TV on while you’re training, it’ll only distract you.

-          Unless you’re actually training with someone, make sure there’s no one else in the room when you’re working out. Just like the TV, it won’t help your concentration.

-          Wear comfortable workout clothes.

-          Put a mat/towel down so that you don’t scratch or sweat on the flooring, and so your back is protected when doing floor work.

-          Work just as hard as you would in the gym.

-          In the Summer, take your workouts into the garden for a change of scenery.

And the number one rule – enjoy yourself.