Monday Funtime Kettlebell

This is a fun ladder circuit we did for the first 10-15 minutes of class after we warmed up.
More detailed directions are all below the video.  This is not a follow along.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did for our class.  In case you are wondering what we did after we did quite a few pull-ups, snatches, roll-outs, crawling, jump squats, and other FUN ways to start a Monday.  People were laughing.  At the end of our workout after I was tired I had fun with Della's daughter.  Photo below!

Here is the workout

1. 
Start with your less strong side.
1 Push-up
1 Clean
1 Front Squat
1 Back Lunge
5 One Arm Swings

Stronger side (other side)
1 Push-up
1 Clean
1 Front Squat
1 Back Lunge
5 One Arm Swings

2.

Start with your less strong side.

2 Push-ups

2 Cleans

2 Front Squats

2 Back Lunges

5 One Arm Swings

Stronger side (other side)

2 Push-ups

1 Clean

1 Front Squat

1 Back Lunge

5 One Arm Swings

Take a quick break for a hip flexor stretch or hip circles

Next do this for 3 reps, then 4 reps, finally finish at 5 reps.  Let me know what you think.  Enjoy!

This is me just messing around.  She's a STRONG kid that does pull-ups and crazy things.  Most kids can't hold on to themselves this long.  Don't try this at home.  She's a freak of nature, in a GOOD WAY!!

Katie's Kettlebell Workout

Katie Dawers, instructor at On The Edge Fitness in Encinitas, designed this great class I had to share with you all. The beauty of this workout is all the strength exercises stay between the rep ranges of 1-5.  The high intensity exercises are higher reps of 6-8.  At On The Edge Fitness we all agree anything over 5 or 6 reps starts getting in the high rep category. 

I will explain the workout below since it may be hard to decipher from this photo.  Not that there is anything wrong with Katie's handwriting.  It's definitely better than mine.  :-)  Personally I used the 16kg's for the Double Presses and two 28kg's for the Single Leg Deadlifts for the workout.  I also used between the 28 and 32kg for the Squats depending on how I felt for that round.  I completed the 5 pull-ups for each round instead of doing 1 arm rows.  High Pulls I used the 18kg and the 20kg.  Swings I used the 32-40kg and the snatches I stuck with the 18kg. 

Directions:  Go through the entire list of exercises.  Refer to the photo to see how many of each exercise you will do. IGNORE the number written on the right of the exercise.  That was me tallying up how many TOTAL reps I did for the entire class.  

1 rep of Double Presses

2 reps each side of Single Leg Dead Lifts 

3 reps of Squats

(you get the picture.)

Your reps look like this. Refer to the photo to see how many of each exercise you will do. 

First Round 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (8 being 1 arm snatches. That's 8 on EACH side)

Second Round 1,2,3,4,5,6,7  You end at the swings

Third Round 1,2,3,4,5,6 You end up doing 6 high pulls on EACH side

Keep going through until you are at 1.  

Then if you have anything left or time left, put yourself through a 4-8 min Tabata drill of ropes or light swings!  Enjoy!!

Mini Healthy Egg Bites (For Kids and Big Kids)

First of all my kids won't stop asking me to make these.  They devoured them in minutes!  These mini egg bites or egg muffins were inspired from my friend Allison who found this on Pinterest.  Of course I immediately went to her board and had to repin it.  Allison is a mom of 2, almost 3 kids, who I truly admire.  She always has the coolest ideas from anything to recipes, costumes, to home organization.  As a working mom of 2 kids myself, I truly don't know how she does it all!  

Originally I wanted to use the large muffin tins that these are designed for.  However, due to our home flooding a few weeks ago, I currently don't have a kitchen.  Our kitchen supplies were quickly packed in boxes and it's hiding in one of the 40 boxes that were packed by the emergency flood workers.  The only muffin tins I could find were my mini muffin tins.  The positive side of using mini muffin tins is they take just 10 minutes to bake and they truly are bite size.  The not so positive side is they are gone in 5 minutes!!  My kids couldn't get enough of them!  You can make these egg bites many different ways.  I experimented by only using one of our muffin tins.  Next time I'll fill both up and add grilled onions, chives, and mushrooms. For the kids I wanted to keep it simple.  

Time to Prepare: 6 Minutes

Time to Cook: 10 - 12 Minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

3 Extra Large Organic Free Range Eggs

6 Tbs Almond Flour

Small Handful of chopped Arugula or chopped cooked broccoli (optional) (Any topping you desire.  Keep it small since they really are very small)

2-3 Tbs of Grass Fed Chedder Cheese 

Directions: 

Spray the muffin tin with nonstick Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Beat eggs together,  then add the Almond Flour.  Beat again.  Then sprinkle the cheese and veggie mixture in and mix well.   You can add the cheese last and sprinkle on top if you prefer.  

Pour in each mini muffin tin 3/4 of the way.  They will bubble and rise past the top in the oven, but will flatten out  once you take it out.    Let cool for 5-10 minutes.  Spoon them out and serve. 

Hope you like these super cute mini egg bites as much my kids and I did.  

64 Year Old Diabetic to Healthy in Just 4 months

64 Year old diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes now off all meds and loses 37 pounds 

"...I have lost 37 pounds. My glucose level has dropped from 137 to 104 (range 65-110). Cholesterol fell from 217 down to 164 (range: 120-200), LDL-Cholesterol went from 133 to 104.8 (50-130) and triglycerides came in at 213 and went down to 96. (Range: 36-165.) (Today is 10/18/12 - not quite 4 months since the "D" date.) I take no medicine as I prefer a holistic approach and believe that my success is due to my new eating plan and Lauren Brooks' kettlebells DVD."


Here is Rachel's Incredible Story:

Before being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in June 2012, my son kept asking me to use kettlebells. To appease him, I bought a 5 pound one and later a 10 pound one - and they sat on the shelf. Always athletic, I continued with the Step that I've used for the past 20 years. I would lose four or five pounds only to regain it. Then came the frightening diabetes news and so many thoughts crossed my mind. My son told me this was no time to hit the snooze button and I had to get into gear.

I started on a low carb diet and got the kettlebells off the shelf and started using them 5 times a week. I bought two other kettlebell DVD's, one for beginners that ended up with her doing jumping jacks (*.*). The other one has three people using the kettlebells with the lead gal perpetually smiling and saying something like no cardio is lardo. No breaks, no pausing, too severe for me. I told my son that I wasn't happy with the ones I bought and he suggested I look at the kettlebell queen, Lauren Brooks, on You Tube. I liked what I saw and bought The Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning with Kettlebells DVD and am I ever glad I did.

I like Lauren's soft approach and thorough explanations of what we're about to do and why. I feel like I'm engaged when I'm working out to her DVD as there are messages on the DVD and a timer and Ms. Brooks tells us how long a particular work out will be and how long a break we will have. A rest and water break!!! There's a great idea! It gives me a moment to cool down and get ready for the next segment.

I'm 64 years old and in spite of my athletic abilities when I was younger, I've never had strong arms. Imagine my surprise when one day at the dinner table, for fun, I made a "Popeye" muscle - and I actually had a lump there - a good size one. I don't think any one would want to see me in a dark alley!

I had no idea that you use 400 calories for a 20 minute workout. Lauren's DVD has a warm up and a 12 minute work out along with a 40 minute one. I keep up with them both and now have a 15 and 20 pound kettlebell that I use. I cannot believe my strength and stamina. Lauren's DVD includes a mountain climbing exercise that I used to just sit out or swing the kettlebells. One day I thought, oh, what the heck, I'll give it a try. And I can do it!!! Again, never had strength in my arms, never able to do pushups and here I am on the back nine of my life and I'm doing it!

Since that June day, I have lost 37 pounds. My glucose level has dropped from 137 to 104 (range 65-110). Cholesterol fell from 217 down to 164 (range: 120-200), LDL-Cholesterol went from 133 to 104.8 (50-130) and triglycerides came in at 213 and went down to 96. (Range: 36-165.) (Today is 10/18/12 - not quite 4 months since the "D" date.) I take no medicine as I prefer a holistic approach and believe that my success is due to my new eating plan and Lauren Brooks' kettlebells DVD.

I am amazed at the mobility I have - and I have no more back aches!!! I'm sold on these kettle bells and glad my son 'introduced' me to her wonderful work. I love her sensible and down-to-earth approach. I am going to purchase whatever else this 'kettlebell queen' has produced. I'm sold - give it a try. The only thing you have to lose is weight.

Kettlebell Class with a Double Kettlebell Complex

The secret is out!  You finally get to see my horrible hand writing.  Is it an excuse that I'm a lefty and hardly use my hand to write anymore?  Probably not!  Anyhow, this is a workout that my class and I did yesterday.  Directions below. 

We warmed up with alternating light Turkish Get Up for a total of 3 on each side, with some Down Dog, Up dog, and walk outs. 

Part A. Take two heavy bells you can Suitcase Deadlift for at least 5 times, then carry it for about 15-20 seconds. Then a tall kneeling press for 3-5 reps per side (squeeze those glutes)

Total 3-4 Rounds

Part B.  Perform 5-8 stiff one arm rows.  Pelvis is drawn to ribcage, just like the top of the swing.  You are SLOWLY descending on the one arm rows keeping your lats engage as long as possible. 

Single Leg Squats can be done on a bench, using a TRX, or just straight Pistol if you can do 5 on each side that is what is suggested.  Only PERFECT reps please!

Part C.  Just as my beautiful handwriting says.  You must use the same bells for all the exercises in the complex, UNLESS you have 8kg's.  If you do the Renegade Rows you must use at least 12kg's, then you can quickly switch.  Follow the rep scheme as you and your partner pace each other.  It's only 12 reps all together when you are done with everything. 

Part D.  I took my class through a fun circuit with Ropes, TRX core work, and some other explosive body weight drills TABATA style.  It was an advanced group so we definitely did more than I'd recommend the general fitness population to do.  

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!  Stay tuned for more workouts that I'll be sharing.  We have many more as well and will continue to post. You can view them up on the tab above that says Free Kettlebell Workouts. 

Ladder Fun (Kettlebell Workout)

Here is a workout we did at On The Edge Fitness the other day.  It's probably one of my favorite workouts so far.  Warm up with light Turkish Get Ups or/and Joint Mobility

I posted this last month over at the On The Edge Fitness Facebook page, but thought I'd make it easier to find and put it on under the kettlebell workouts label of my blog.

Directions:

A. Begin by doing 8 reps for each exercise in this section. Then do a hip flexor stretch and begin back at 7 reps, until you make it down to 1.  If you are just starting begin at 5 or 6 reps.   Pace yourself and take breaks as needed.  It's not a race.

B. Go through each exercise for this section and perform 5-6 reps each.  Rest and repeat for 3 rounds.  Make sure you are challenging yourself since the reps are low.

C. Cool down on your own

D.   ENJOY and let me know how you do!

We've Been Nominated For An Award!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I (and Sandbag Fitness) have been nominated for Best Kept Secret in this years WEGO Health Activist Awards!

I certainly don't run this blog for the promise of awards but it's great to know that people appreciate some of the effort that goes in. If you think that more people should know about Sandbag Fitness then I'd love it if you could cast a vote too:

Many thanks.

Matt

Train hard!