Here is another kettlebell circuit shot in one of my favorite places to visit, New York City!

Okay, truth be told, I actually did this kettlebell circuit in Liberty State Park in New Jersey so I could get the view of Manhattan skyline.  Still counts as New York right?  Liberty State Park was an amazing place for a kettelbell workout. The boys flew remote control helicopters while I swung kettlebells.

We had a fantastic time in New York. This was the only kettlebell workout I got in that week but that was okay because I was walking between 10,000 and 20,00 steps every day. Good thing because we were also going out to eat a lot. We have a number of friends, including two bridesmaids from our wedding, who live in New York and it was fabulous to see everybody. There are few things as special as catching up with old friends and family.

I love looking at city skylines. It makes me feel small and my problems insignificant.

Anyway here’s the workout!

Kettlebell Circuit – New York

1. Heartbeat Squats
2. KB Reach
3. Deadlift
4. Alternating Rows
5. Swings
6. KB Toss
7.Down Ups

30/30 or 40/20 – Work/Rest.
Repeat Circuit 1-3x

Kettlebell circuits are a good on their own or as option for conditioning days as opposed to a cardio machine for those who follow a more traditional strength training program. The best thing about kettlebells is that you can take them anywhere and everywhere!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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

The post Swinging by the Big Apple – Kettlebell Circuit – New York appeared first on Girl Heroes.

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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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

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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 Kettlebell Routine – West Virginia appeared first on Girl Heroes.

Onward with the beginner kettlebell workout series.

In case you missed it I’m a big nerd doing 13 kettlebell workouts geared towards begginners in my state workout series for the states that were the original 13 colonies. Because beginning a new kettlebell routine is symbolic to starting a new country? Ummmm….yeah.

Anyway…

This kettlebell workout is really straightforward and like most of my workouts it relies on basic kettlebell movements because basic movements done with good form and adequate intensity get results. Beginners should always master the basics. Occasionally, I may throw a “new” move in to keep things interesting but for the most part basics is where it’s at.

Beginner Kettlebell Workout

Part A
Kettlebell Presses – 5
Goblet Squats – 5
Kettlebell Rows – 5
Repeat 5x

Part B
Swings
8 minutes using an interval that feels right to you. Most people do well with a 30/30 (work to rest) or a 40/20.

Although this is a beginner kettlebell workout it would be easy to make it more difficult by using a heavy weight or substituting harder moves like bottoms up presses, overhead squats, and renegade rows. Personally, I’m sticking with the beginner moves these next few weeks so I can continue to practice my form.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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The post Beginner Kettlebell Workout – South Carolina appeared first on Girl Heroes.

I know being sore is necessarily indicative of a good workout.  I don’t care.  I like being sore.  In fact, I LOVE being sore and I have a feeling that I’ll be sore tomorrow after today’s workout.

I just did this workout this morning with my friend, Deb, aka, Smoothie Girl.

Isn’t she cute.  If you didn’t read her GH interview last week, you won’t want to miss it.

Her kettlebell was cold so she bundled it up.  Awwwwww.

I didn’t time how long it took us to do this workout.  I’m guessing about 30 minutes.

Circuit 1 – Swing / Push Up Ladder

10 Swings
2 Push Ups
20 Swings
4 Push Ups
30 Swings
6 Push Ups
40 Swings
8 Push Ups
50 Swings
10 Push Ups

Repeat ladder 2x.  Don’t have or feel comfortable with dumbbell swings?  While swings and squats are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT movements.  (Please don’t swing like this.) Squats or or jump squats could be substituted for the swings.  Last week, I did a similar workout but with squats and I was sore for days!  Yeee-haw!!!

Circuit 2 –  Superset

Single Leg Deadlift – 10x each leg
High Pulls 10x each arm

Repeat superset 3x.

Circuit 3-  Superset

Single Leg Squats – 10x each leg
Renegade Rows – 10x alternating arms

Repeat superset 3x.

Bodybugg Review Update

I had some technical difficulties with my Bodybugg last week.  First my data wouldn’t upload to the program and then my watch wouldn’t synch correctly to the armband.  I emailed the Bodybugg tech support and they were very S.L.O.W.( took over 24 hours) to respond. Maybe I’m impatient but when I’m have a 6 month paid subscription every day it doesn’t work correctly and I can’t use it COUNTS.  It seems each time I emailed tech support my email went in a queue which resulted in having to repeat myself to numerous tech support people.  It was very difficult to discuss a problem with anyone because you can’t email back and forth with the same person.  At one point they told me how to fix the problem using Internet Explorer when I clearly explained I was using Safari.  Ugh.  Regarding the watch issue they said a 5% difference was allowable.  That’s fine but a 500 calorie difference is not just 5% when I burn a total of 2100 on a good day.  (Yes, I’m a slug.)  All said and done, tech support didn’t help at all.   I ended up rebooting my armband and watch and after a few days the numbers were in synch again.  Not sure what happened but I did lose .5 pounds this week and it’s working just fine now so we’ll see.  I’m assuming it’s like a cell phone or computer and needs to be reset every few days to work properly.  However, I don’t regret my purchase so far.

I hope you had a great weekend.  Mine was wonderful.  I competed in a mini taekwondo tournament.  It was my first one.  I got first in forms and tied for 3rd in sparring out of four people.  I sort of freaked out when I was supposed to kick a stranger in the head.  Eeeeek!!!  The rest of the weekend was spent cuddling with my hubby on the couch and hanging out with the kiddos.  My idea of a perfect weekend!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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