Beginning kettlebells can be intimidating and often, for some women, learning the swing is the most intimidating of all.

First, many women are still fearful of heavy weights being misled that lifting heavy will make them bulky. If this is you I assure you, that for the vast majority, weight training will not make you bulky. Yes, some women will build muscle easier than others (lucky them!) but most of us would have a hard time getting “bulky” if we tried. Additionally, training with just kettlebells would make it nearly impossible to get bulky.

Secondly, kettlebells by their appearance can be intimidating. Don’t  worry with practice you’ll develop an affection for your kettlebells and see them as a symbol for strength. Besides they are cute in a compact  hamster-like sort of way.

Thirdly, in my experience teaching the beginning kettlebells to women, it has not been uncommon for some beginner women to struggle with learning the swing. Specifically some women have trouble reaching a full hip extension on the swing.  (See the photos at the bottom of this post.) It’s not that they don’t have the physical capabilities. In fact, it seems to be more of an issue of feeling self-conscious and “unlady like”. If this is you, think of  the hip extension as a “hip snap” as opposed a “hip thrust”. I’ll admit “hip thrust” makes me cringe a little especially when I’m in a public park. A simple change of words seems to help some women feel more comfortable with the movement and with practice most women begin to appropriately associate the swing with power and strength.

Beginning Kettlebells is a Snap Workout

Part One

1. Military Press – 5 each arm
2. Goblet Squat – 5
3. One Arm Row – 5 each Arm
4. Split Squat  – 5 each leg
5. Push ups – 5

Repeat 3-5x

Part one is strength based alternating between upper and lower body exercises. 

Part Two

Deadlifts – 5
Swings – 10

Repeat 6x

Part Two is designed to help you work on full hip extension during the swing. As you are doing the deadlifts think about fully extending your hips (bringing them forward) as you come up. Remember this feeling when during the “hip snap” of the swing.

Here are some photos to show the difference.

Incomplete hip extension

Full hip extension

Compare the top picture to the bottom picture and notice in the top picture how my hips are not fully forward. I’m not getting the full extension. In the second photo my hips have been fully extended. You want a full extension like in the second photo.

Alright so that’s it. Just a few more beginner kettlebell workouts left for the state series! I hope this was helpful to someone. If you are feeling a little uncomfortable with the hip extension just remember beginning kettlebells is a snap!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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Are kettlebells for cardio or strength training?

That’s a question I get asked regularly. The answer is “It depends.” and “Both“. Since I don’t have access to a ” real gym” I’m using mostly kettlebells for cardio and strength.

Kettlebells exercises are divided into two basic groups “grinds” and “ballistics“. Kettlebells for strength are often referred to as grinds. Grinds are performed slowly, rooted in strength, use full body tension, and include exercises like squats and presses. Kettlebells for cardio are called ballistics. Ballistics are generally fast (explosive), rooted in power and force, use a combination of relaxation and tension, and include swings and snatches. Of course, there are some of exercises that feel like both such as thrusters.

There is a lot of crossover between cardio and strength with kettlebells. If you are using kettlebells for cardio there is a lot of strength involved (assuming your bell is heavier than 10 lbs) and if you are using kettlebells for strength, depending on how you structure your workout, there is usually a fair amount (sometimes a lot) of cardiovascular work involved.

My Massachusetts workout was designed with beginners in mind (Kettlebell workouts filmed in the original 13 colonies are beginner based.) and primarily as a cardio circuit. However, as I said before, the beauty of kettlebells (and many of my other favorite tools) is that you get stronger while improving your conditioning and vice versa. They are an effective all around functional fitness tool making them perfect for busy people who don’t live to workout.

Cape Cod was an amazing place to workout. It’s hard to believe I was just there a few months ago.

When I look back at the pictures it feels like I’m looking at pictures of a dream!

Kettlebells for Cardio – Massachusetts

1. Press or Push Press – Left
2. Swings
3. Press or Push Press – Right
4. Swing
5. Rows – Left
6. Swings
7. Rows – Right
8. Swings
9. Squats
10. Swings
11. KB Toss
12. Swings
13. Hot Potatoes

Set your timer to your desired interval (I used a gentle 30/30 work to rest interval.) and do exercises 1-13. Repeat circuit 1-3x. 

Hint – If you are short on time use longer work periods (don’t go over a minute), shorter rest periods, and do the circuit once. If you are a machine keep the rest periods short and repeat 3x. 

Kettlebells won’t fit everybody’s goals. If you want to be able to deadlift 300 pounds then you are going to need to use a bar and weights. But if you are looking for an alternative to the hamsterwheel treadmill while still improving your cardiovascular health then kettlebells are your friend.

Do you use kettlebells for cardio, strength, or both?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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Kettlebells are popular not only because they are portable (Take them to the beach and workout with wild horses? Yes please.) but because they give a good strength and conditioning workout.

This kettlebell workout (geared for beginners because Maryland was one of the original 13 colonies) has two parts.

Part one focuses on strength. Part two focuses on conditioning. Both parts consists of basic kettlebell exercises.

Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning Workout

Part One
1a. Suitcase Deadlift 5-8 reps
1b. Military Press 5-8 reps

Repeat 2-3x

2a. Goblet Squat 5-8 reps
2b Single Arm Rows 8-10 reps

Repeat 2-3x

Part Two
1. One handed swing
2. Hot Potatoes
3. One Handed Swing
4. KB Toss

Set a gymboss or use a timer for 30/30 sec or 40/20 sec work to rest intervals

Repeat circuit 2-4x

We shot this kettlebell video on the Maryland side Assateague Island. So far out of all the places we’ve visited Assateague National has been one of my my favorites.

It’s not very often that my fitness blog and my travel blog line up. If you are interested I just posted about our day on Assateague Island with lots of pictures of wild horses. It’s a horse lovers heaven. (WARNING: I’m a little over the top when it comes to horses, i.e., weird horse girl.)

Do you like strength and conditioning workouts? Or do you prefer a separate workout for strength and a separate workout for conditioning?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook (Be sure to click “subscribe” if you want posts to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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While traveling the country fulltime in a RV allows me to do kettlebell workouts in some pretty amazing locations like on the top of a mountain in Yosemite or next to the aquamarine waters in the Florida Keys, most of my workouts take place in less “magical locations” like Texas Longhorn pastures.

Since I no longer have a gym membership or a garage gym, most of the time I’m dealing with the weather, bugs, or dirt. Not only that I don’t always use just kettlebells.

A heavy rope and kettlebell workout in New Jersey.

I love working with my heavy rope almost as much as I do kettlebells.

I also use the picnic tables a lot.

Brent rocking some double kettlebell swings in Massachusetts.

Working on my double single leg deadlifts. Yes, I occasionally workout flip flips.

I typically don’t take pictures of all my workouts but I want to remember every detail of our travels so I’m going to start regularly sharing all the places I workout even the grubby ones. It will also help me stay accountable because sometimes travel and fitness are hard to merge. Most of all thought, this is such an amazing time  in my life and I don’t want to forget a single minute or…workout.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook (Be sure to click “subscribe” if you want posts to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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I’m taking a break from my beginner kettlebell routine this week and posting a more advanced workout video.

The first half of the workout starts with a kettlbell complex that is repeated four times on each side. I’m not sure what was going on but when I did my left high pull I found out my shoulder was stiff. It took me by surprise as this had never happened before. I’ve been a little lazy regarding mobility work since I started traveling. Taking my stiff shoulder as a sign that it’s time to get back to consistent mobility work. Another thing I noticed is I should have taken more time with the eccentric presses. Recording my videos has been a great way to continue to try to improve my own form.

Here is the workout.

West Virginia Kettlebell Routine

Part A – Kettlebell Complex

1. Snatch Up
2. Eccentric Press (Lower to the rack)
3. Squat
4. Press

Repeat 4 times each side.

Part B – Kettlebell Ladder

1. Swings 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10
2. Rows 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Do 80 swings followed by 8 rows and continue working down to 10 and 1. As always adjust as needed. 

Regarding my personal life, it’s been a wonderfully crazy two weeks filled with old friends, new friends, and lots of adventure. I’ve been so busy I’ve only had time for one workout. We spent a week in New York City where I saw lots of old friends and recorded my New York kettlebell workout in a killer location. Then we spent a 5 days at a rally with other families who live on the road fulltime in RVs. It was amazing.  I was hoping to do a group kettlebell workout but we ran out of time.

Despite not having time to blog or do kettlebell workouts I’m having an amazing time.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook (Be sure to click “subscribe” if you want posts to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

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I’m still doing my kettlebell workout for beginners series but didn’t get a chance to post a workout last week as I was struggling with depression. If you’ve known me or read my blog for any length of time you know depression is something I deal with from time to time.

As always working out, especially outdoors, lifts my spirits greatly. However, when you’re down it can be hard to find the energy to get up and even harder to find the energy to workout.

Ironically, when I’m down I sometimes am able to write things that are positive. It’s my way of self soothing and finding hope.

Anyway, here is short workout. Like all my beginner workouts it’s made up of basic moves. This one is has a strong upper body focus with pushing and pulling exercises but incorporates a good deal of swings as well. Mentally, I find descending (reverse rep) ladders easier. Just make sure you do a full warm up before you start especially since you are starting with higher reps.

Kettlebell Workout for Beginners – Virginia

1. Presses – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
2. Kettlebell Rows – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
3. Push Up – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
4. Swings – 50, 40, 30, 20, 10

Go through exercises 1-4 performing 5 reps for the first three exercises and 50 swings. Rest and then repeat with 4 and 40 reps. And so on. 

As usual, if you decided to do one of my workouts, scale it to your own fitness level. If regular push ups are too much of a challenge elevate your hands by placing them on a bench of sturdy box.  Lower your elevation as you get stronger. If you start to feel fatigued at 25 or 20 swings then stop and decrease by counts of 5 rather than 10. 

Dumbbells can easily be substituted if you don’t own a kettlebell. Dumbbell swings don’t feel as natural as kettlebell swings but you could certainly do them if that is what happens.

My next workout was filmed in West Virginia which wasn’t one of the orginal 13 colonies so for my upcoming video post I’m going to take a break from the beginner workouts.

Hope you are having a great Monday! I’m taking it easy with my kids getting ready to go to Philadelphia and then New York City later this week!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook (Be sure to click “subscribe” if you want posts to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

The post (another) Kettlebell Workout for Beginners – Virginia appeared first on Girl Heroes.