Todays Workout - Push, Pull, Squat

10 Sandbag Push Press,
10 Sandbag High Pull,
10 Sandbag Zercher Squats.

Complete 5 rounds as fast as possible.

Record your time.

Train Hard!

Shut Up & Train Ladies Racerback Tanks

Shut Up And Train with Kettlebells Ladies Racerback Tanks. 

Shut up and Train in style with these fabulous quality sexy tank tops for women.

Grab your favorite style out of the two or both here

Tank tops are currently in the works.

We have men and unisex tank tops as well now!

GRAY SUAT TANKS WITH YELLOW ACCENTS

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PURPLE SUAT TANKS WITH SOLID BLACK

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We want you to model your shirt. Share with us and hashtag #SUAT and #shutupandtrain so we can find you! 

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!!)

Top 5 Ways Kettlebells Can Transform Your Life

CHECK OUT EPISODE #49 ON ESPN RADIO TO HEAR THE SHOW. TODAY IT'S THE THIRD IN THE QUEUE

It aired on May 4th 2015 to find it easier. 

I come on live at around 25 minutes in

EPISODE  #49 ABOUT PROMOTING

 "STRONG AND SEXY MAMAS"

 TOP 5 WAYS KETTLEBELLS CAN TRANSFORM YOU 

LIFE!

Shut Up & Train with Kettlebells DVD by Lauren Brooks

The workouts you've been asking me for! 6 Workouts all under 15 minutes. 2 Discs. No more excuses can be made!

 Shut Up and Train is like no other workout you've ever experienced. It's 6 amazing quick workouts that can be done almost anywhere in less than 15 minutes. Stop making excuses and take a few minutes to go through these strength and fat loss workouts. Your energy levels will sky rocket and you may be surprised how amazing you feel. These workouts will keep you going for years. Like our popular 12 min workout on  Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning with Kettlebells this gives you SIX to choose from. They get progressively more challenging in a very subtle way. If you're a beginner you will LOVE these workouts. If you're advanced this is your time to get your heavy load day in. Short & sweet.. results driven.... you won't even believe it yourself. Now let's stop talking so we can SHUT UP AND TRAIN!

SPECIAL PRE-ORDER SALE - Grab your copy today!!

40% off - Code: 40off

Kimberly Baker - Beautiful & Strong at 42 yrs old - Mother of 3

"They have no idea the struggles I�ve gone through with my self-image and I�m so careful not to discuss weight or anything like that in front of them. I want them to love the body God gave them and be comfortable with who they are and not let society or anyone else change that for them."  Kimberly Baker

I'm always blown away when I learn more about my students, especially Kimberly, full time working mother of 3! Knowing Kimberly now for 7 years I had no idea she went through the self image struggles she has shared with all of you below. Kimberly has chosen to open up because she wants you to know that you're not alone! I can't tell you how many of my students have suffered from these exact battles with body image. Whether we are too thin, too big, too weak, not good enough, too this, too that... Kimberly has put this all in to perspective which is extremely inspiring. With Kimberly's full schedule she seems to still make time to show up for her short workout sessions. I always see her at school functions and she is a dedicated wife, friend, mother, and student. I hope Kimberly's raw and deep core story that she wrote inspires you to continue to find the path that brings you strength and joy in your life. 

Kimberly's Story - Full Time Working Mother of 3 

written by Kimberly Baker

7 years ago�that�s when my journey with Lauren to a healthier, stronger me began. At the time my oldest daughter was 8, my middle daughter was 3 and my youngest had just turned 1. I�ve always been active, mostly a runner, but wanted to build strength. I�ll be honest�I really wanted nice abs! I remember my sister in law, who lived in Tucson at the time, was talking about this new workout she was doing�kettlebells. I had never heard of it, but I could see the results she was getting. So, like anything that I want to learn more about, I turned to the internet. I couldn�t believe it�one of the best instructors was living right in my backyard. I read about Lauren, looked at all her photos, and was in love with how her body looked. She was tone, but still feminine looking. That�s exactly what I wanted and the more I read about the kettlebells�the more I thought�"I could do this." 

I called Lauren and set up an appointment to meet with her and �talk� more about this workout and how it could work for me. Lauren must have spent a good 15 minutes on the initial phone call with me answering questions and getting to know me before I ever met her in person. When I finally did make it to her house, with my littlest one in tow, I felt like I had known her forever. She just had this warmth about her that made me feel right at home. Any fears or doubts about doing kettlebells went right out the window. She gave me such confidence!  Something I have to say that I haven�t always had when it came to my body. 

The History and Struggles

I guess I should take you back�way back�to high school. I was your typical girl�social, athletic, good in school, but I had body image issues. I swam on the swim team for 3 years so I was pretty fit�I had to be right? But at the time I didn�t think I was.  When I was in college I suffered a bit from Anorexia, but I would never admit it. This is the first time I have actually said that out loud. I remember I would go an entire day without eating or just eat a couple crackers. My stomach was always upset and bloated, but I couldn�t understand why so I just wouldn�t eat because I thought that would make it worse. I was actually starving myself and my stomach was trying to tell me that. I remember my parents being worried and sending me to the doctor and I would make up stories about just being stressed, but that I ate and they were just overreacting. After all I was in college, I was an adult, and I thought I looked good�I was thin.

 A few years passed and I started to become healthier, I would eat but I would really watch everything that I put into my mouth. It was so unhealthy I can�t even explain it. This habit went on for years. I eventually married, had a daughter, moved crossed country, got divorced, and moved back home. Still with my unhealthy habits�constantly watching what I ate, working out at the gym, running, limiting myself, and skipping meals. How I could even workout with how little I was eating is beyond my comprehension. I needed to start to rebuild my life with my daughter. I started working full time, which meant I really had to work out because sitting in a chair all day was going to make me fat, right?



I rekindled a friendship with my high school sweetheart.  We started dating and to make a long story short we got married. I was happier than I had ever been�life was great and I was right where I wanted to be.  Mind you still with my unhealthy habits. My husband, Cord, could never wrap his head around it.  He would always tell me how great I looked and how beautiful I was, �but he had to say that, right?� he was my husband after all.  Now just to clarify, I was unhealthy in my eating, but when I was pregnant I never deprived myself of meals. It was the warped way in which my mind worked. I�m not worth eating for, but I will do it for my babies. It wasn�t until my 30�s, looking back at an old swim meet video before I noticed what great shape I was actually in and really had been my entire life. Had I really gone this far in life thinking I was fat? Never being able to take a compliment? Thinking people were just trying to be nice by saying I looked great for having 3 kids? WOW!  What a waste of those years and truly being able to enjoy my body and the shape I was in. 


My Life Changing Experience

Fast forward to the day I met Lauren. She changed everything for me. Granted she�s not a psychologist or a doctor or a life coach, but she is a strong, healthy, beautiful woman, who exudes confidence, oh and by the way, happens to be one of the best kettlebell instructor around. Have I mentioned that? When I first started training with Lauren I couldn�t even do a push up�not one, but she never once made me feel less because I couldn�t do it. She kept encouraging me to keep going and that it would take time to see results, but that I would get there. For me that was the hardest part�.waiting for the results, but I stuck with it and continued to work hard. How could I not?�if I stopped now I would let myself down and her�and I wasn�t about to do that. I�ve had to take a break here and there due to work and children, but luckily my husband is very supportive of me working out because he sees how healthy it makes me�not only physically, but mentally. I can honestly say that kettlebells has made me a better person, a stronger person, a better mom and wife. As a full-time working mom of 3 and a wife, it�s not easy to carve out the time for myself. Sometimes I feel guilty that I go off to kettlebells 2-3 times a week, but it makes me so confident that I come home thinking I can handle anything life throws at me�and with 3 girls�a lot gets thrown at my husband and me!

STRENGTH

Today, I�m almost 42, I�m the healthiest and strongest I�ve ever been and can honestly say that, for the first time, I am comfortable in my own skin. I�m currently training for my second half marathon�let�s just say my first had a less than desirable ending and I want to prove to myself that I can do it.  I�m hoping I get there, but what I can tell you is how kettlebells has positively impacted my training. Now, I have to build up my lung endurance, but my legs and body are stronger than ever. I remember going out for my first run in almost 2 years and was shocked at the strength in my legs. That was the moment I knew kettlebells was definitely working for me�not to mention I can do regular push-ups back to back. That to me is motivation to keep going, to keep training with kettlebells, and become stronger and healthier. I also feel it�s a good role model for my girls. They have no idea the struggles I�ve gone through with my self-image and I�m so careful not to discuss weight or anything like that in front of them. I want them to love the body God gave them and be comfortable with who they are and not let society or anyone else change that for them. What I love seeing is how they want to run with me or do sit ups or planks alongside me at home. Several times I�ve brought them to class with me, because I couldn�t leave them home, and they love watching. I find that to be the best way I can teach them�leading by example. If they see me do it, at almost 42, then they know they can do almost anything! I never thought I would be in better shape today than I was at 25, especially after having 3 children. However, I feel amazing, healthy and strong and I thank God every day for bringing Lauren and kettlebells into my life when he did.  

Quick words from me:

Thank you so much Kimberly for sharing your deep personal story with us. I know many women of all ages will find this extremely inspiring. Kimberly also has a little side business of sewing and photography. She's quite talented and you can check her out here.
At the end of the day it's imperative for you to never feel guilty to carve out a small chunk of the day to take care of yourself. This will make you a stronger rock for your loved ones and they will appreciate it in more ways than one.  YOU GO GIRL! Keep rocking and motivating those around you. 

Free Spartan Race Entry!

At Sandbag Fitness we believe that you should be fit for a reason. Which is why I'm really happy to share this competition from Spartan Race UK. Just comment on this post by saying why you keep fit and you'll be entered into the competition to win!

I have one prize of a free race entry to any UK Spartan Race event up for grabs. If you're not picked as the winner you can still get 10% off any race with the code BLOGGER15 here.

Not in the UK? Add your specific country with your comment and I'll see what I can do!