Stronger Than Ever Before... Despite a Permanent Back Injury

I am constantly amazed to realize just how far I have come and how much I have changed mentally and physically. Right now I am a gazillion times stronger and in way better shape than I�ve ever been in and I have no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Much to my father�s chagrin who is certain that I�m going to hurt myself ��flinging around those damn, heavy cow-balls��  Eileen Laughlin



Blown away by the power of dedication and proper training! Here is an incredible inspiring story written by a distant student of mine. Eileen suffered from a fractured lumbar vertebrae after being rear ended in a car accident. This was devastating for her as it would be for anyone. Years later she ended up discovering kettlebells! Now at almost 42 years old she has an amazing story to tell. She accomplished strength and overcame an obstacle that most wouldn't have thought was possible. Reading Eileen's story WILL inspire you!

Stronger Than Ever Before Despite a Permanent Back Injury

by Eileen Laughlin

This year I will turn 42. Throughout my life I�ve always been fairly active. My main interests have consistently been weight training and various martial arts. I have rank in a few different martial arts and most notably two years ago I earned my 1^st degree black belt in ITF TaeKwon-Do. Despite periodic dabbling in weight training, I never stuck with any program long enough to accomplish any results or see any real changes.

Discovering Kettlebells

That is until I tried kettlebells about 2 years ago. I took some beginner classes at a local studio taught by an RKC instructor and I was instantly hooked. I admit that originally I was under the assumption that kettlebells were hazardous and would be a permanent for the back injury I sustained in a car accident in 2000. Totally not the case. I loved the fact that there was very specific and safe techniques that needed to be learned and continually practiced (very similar to learning a martial art). Shortly after taking the classes I discovered Lauren Brooks� iPad app and purchased her Kettlebells for Women book. Then came her dvds and once I felt I had a decent handle on the basics I ordered her BeSLAM program. Now, I�m not the type to typically follow programs but with the comradery of the fabulous women in the FaceBook group and the short, efficient and super effective workouts I found myself progressing along in the program, having fun and looking forward to the next sessions. It wasn�t long into BeSLAM that I began to see changes. I was getting stronger and starting to notice more muscle definition appearing!!! All the more motivation to keep plugging along! By the time I completed the program in July 2014, I was stronger in all of the exercises and had begun to develop the highly coveted �kettlebooty�. ? 

After Be SLAM I did the 12 week program from Kettlebells for Women and when that program was completed, I played around with some other programs and various workouts but realized pretty quickly that I was missing the programming and workouts from Be SLAM, so I started it for a second time. At this point I was pleased to realize that I was using all heavier weights than my first time through, and yet my strength continued to increase! It had to be magic; such a simple formula: follow the workouts (I did have to adjust a few things to accommodate my existing back injury and a Morton�s neuroma in my foot) and my strength increased!

The night before I was scheduled to finish Be SLAM for my second time I was making some tea. While it was steeping, I was goofing around in the kitchen doing pushups from the counter and then decided to see how much of a pistol squat I could do. I had only ever attempted them a few times, and never quite made it all the way down � forget about coming back up. So there in my kitchen I slowly descended on one leg and I went ALL THE WAY DOWN! To my amazement, I then reversed it and CAME ALL THE WAY BACK UP!!! I was shocked. I could not believe it. So, what did I do then? I ran into the living room saying �Hun, watch this!� AND DID ANOTHER ONE!!! Then posted about it to my FaceBook Kettlebell friends.  I was giddy like a child because this was not something I specifically trained for or practiced. It was simply a delicious byproduct of all my strength gains.  I went on to finish BeSLAM the next day and realized that in every exercise except for one, I had gone up in weight since I began for the second time. ALL BUT ONE. To put that in perspective, it took me approximately 4 months to complete Be SLAM this second time, and in that short amount of time I gained appreciable strength in virtually ALL areas. Not bad for 41 � years old!

I am constantly amazed to realize just how far I have come and how much I have changed mentally and physically. Right now I am a gazillion times stronger and in way better shape than I�ve ever been in and I have no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Much to my father�s chagrin who is certain that I�m going to hurt myself ��flinging around those damn, heavy cow-balls��

Without question, the vast majority of my success can be directly traced back to Lauren�s programs. They just work. For real. No gimmicks, nothing extreme or crazy and no fluff. I know I am not the first and won�t be the last to say it, but discovering Lauren Brooks has had such a dramatic, positive impact on my life and health. For that I am eternally grateful and a forever devotee� (and can not wait for Be SLAM2!!)

Turkish Get Up - Part 4

The Get Up

Part 4 (Final Lesson)

and final portion of the full body incredible exercise The Get Up. Please let me know how you do!

To view the other sections scroll down on my blog or go to this playlist via youtube. 

Here's a super simple tutorial of how stand up effectively and reverse the steps on the way down for an effective Get Up.  Covers proper head positioning.  You will find this exercise utilized in the popular Be SLAM program, Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning part 2 and the new Kettlebell Body DVD.

The Way to Results Without Spending Your Life in a Gym... by Regina H.

What an honor to receive this testimonial/review. Thank you Regina Hurley for sharing this. I hope this inspires others to add this type of life changing training in to their lives. 

"It is possible for anyone � young, old, men, women, anywhere in the world, and cancer survivors and those affected by thyroid disease like me."  --- Regina H. Connecticut

The Way to Results Without Spending Your Life in a Gym.

I did what I was told for 21 days, cardio and weights in a circuit on machines. I did lose 5 lbs but I didn�t feel any stronger, or better. The trainer was quick to say � to make the cardio harder walk up hill and put the weights on the lightest possible and said � �you don�t want to get bulky.� then was somehow disappointed with me that I didn�t achieve in 21 days � lower fat percentage, inches off my waist and hips. The trainer repeated that I need to make the cardio harder, work longer, spend more than an hour in the gym. I didn�t have that kind of time and even if I did, physically I don�t have it in me to spend hours at a gym.  I began to feel discouraged.  

However, while sitting at my desk. I saw Lauren�s book Kettlebells for Women. 

I opened up Kettlebells for Women and reread the first line �Have you been discouraged from lifting weights or resistance training due to the fear of becoming big and bulky?�  It was like a light bulb had been turned on.  That was definitely what had just happened.  Right then and there, I decided to reread her book. I had read the book back in 2012 when it first came out. Yet the last 7 years I have battled serious health issues.  

In 2007, after a bout with pneumonia, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and was put on generic thyroid meds but I did not improve. From 2007 to 2013, I had gained 70 lbs about 12 lbs a year. In 2010 after a routine mammogram, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was caught early enough and I am cancer free. 

In 2013, I finally found the right doctor for my thyroid condition.  It was his diagnosis that I most likely had Hashimoto's disease, which went untreated from 2007, and so I progressed to hypothyroidism.  My endocrinologist explained that I have been in a constant state of stress for the last 7 years and I needed a break from workouts. In March 2014, I was finally cleared to start workouts again. 

I already know Lauren to be a bad ass when it came to Kettlebells.  She is not in any way bulky or big, and has maintained a level of strength that most men don�t even have, while raising her own children, and running her own business, kettlebell classes, working with her clients, making videos, DVDs etc.  I also know her to be one of the strongest, most affective, intelligent, efficient, caring, compassionate strength coach, kettlebell instructor and fitness professional. Lauren Brooks truly wants results for her clients and works tirelessly to see to it that it happens and this book clearly shows this. 

Her book reminded me to work smarter not harder that results were achievable without spending hours in the gym. Most importantly this book helped me realize that getting strong and lean isn�t some big secret or complicated workout program.  It is possible for anyone � young, old, men, women, anywhere in the world, and cancer survivors and those affected by thyroid disease like me.   Lauren has provided simple straightforward exercises that are very effective in an easy to follow format. Kettlebells for Women also gives valuable nutrition information. Kettlebells for Women provides detailed instructions and photos about various exercises and how they benefit you.  Lastly, the book provides you with workouts for any level of fitness to help you get started and achieve results. 

More importantly, she never asked me to write this review. I contacted her and told her this was the least I could do to show my gratitude. This book changed my life for the better as it brought me from feeling discouraged, tired, out of shape to empower me with optimism and what is possible when I commit to the work. I would recommend Lauren Brooks's Kettlebells for Women to anyone looking to get strong, lean, sculpted and sexy.  Lauren Brooks truly believes that anyone can get those results and now so do I.