Can You Gain Muscle With Kettlebells?
Over the last few years, kettlebells are really catching on because of their fat burning ability. But some people still wonder if you can gain muscle with kettlebells. Well of course you can!
As you probably know, muscle gain is caused by resistance training and proper diet. Well, resistance is resistance and a kettlebell certainly provides that. If you use a program designed for gaining muscle rather than burning fat, and plan on moving to a heavier kettlebell, you’ll build the muscle you’re after (with proper diet, of course).
To keep it simple, a program of lower reps (and possibly more sets) using slow grinds is the direction to go, rather than tacking on more and more swings or snatches. For each workout, choose a multi-joint press (military press, floor press, etc.), a multi-joint pull (row), and something for your legs (front squats, lunges, pistols), and a core exercise (Turkish get-up, windmill). For sets and reps, a classic place to start is five sets of five reps (5 x 5).
If you think you can’t gain muscle with kettlebells, just ask Mike Mahler.
Tags: Kettlebells, Muscle Building, Strength TrainingPopularity: 33% [?]
Explosive Speed Strength - Outside the Box
If your sport or job calls for explosive speed strength, then it makes sense to train in a way that would improve your condition in that area. While deadlifts are great for building limit strength, there are better exercises if your task is to maneuver through a defensive line, or wrestle someone to the ground.
While an effective speed training workout will include some sport- or task-specific drills, there are some exercises that will improve your overall explosive strength, and the kettlebell is an excellent tool. However, we won’t stop there.
Kettlebells by design, lend themselves to full-body ballistic drills such as the Read more
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Hardcore & Odd Object, Kettlebells, Speed StrengthPopularity: 29% [?]
Choosing a Kettlebell DVD…
Whether you’re brand-new to kettlebell training, or have been working out with them for a while, it may be time to pick up a kettlebell DVD. Just a few short years ago, it was difficult to find any kettlebell DVDs other than Pavel’s. Fortunately, the popularity of kettlebells has resulted in a surge of DVDs to choose from.
Now, I’ll admit that I haven’t seen most of these DVDs. However, I’m only presenting information from people who I know have the training, experience, and reputation to put together a useful, informative product. I thought I’d make a quick post putting a few in one handy place. Read more
Tags: Circuit Training, Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Kettlebells, Muscle Building, Speed Strength, Strength Training, Womens TrainingPopularity: 43% [?]
A Circuit Training Weight Loss Program…
If you are trying to come up with a circuit training weight loss program, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. One of the major benefits of circuit training is that you are able to train for strength and stamina at the same time. These workouts are often short and tough, which isn’t optimal for fat burning.
So, a circuit training weight loss program should have more thought toward fat loss. Two quick tips will help you with that.
First, keep your intensity level moderately low. It shouldn’t be easy, but you shouldn’t be huffing and puffing either (yet). Try to keep your intensity at a level where you can still carry on a conversation. It’s OK to be breathing a bit heavy, but you shouldn’t be gasping for air. That’s a different workout with a different purpose.
Second, extend your workout. This goes hand-in-hand with the first tip. You will burn more calories if you exercise at a moderate intensity over a long period of time.
Of course, you can have the best of both worlds. Try doing your circuit training as quick exercise workouts to build strength and stamina, with occasional longer workouts that will burn calories and fat. If you exercise to a comfortable stop - not overexerting yourself - you should be able to exercise every day if you want.
For some ideas about putting together some quick workouts, check out Jeff Martone’s article The Tactical Ten.
Tags: Circuit Training, Fat LossPopularity: 19% [?]
Basics of Circuit Training
If you’re trying to design a circuit training weight loss program, or your goal is to gain strength, there are a few basics to understand about circuit training in general. Let me preface this by saying that circuit training can be a very free style of training. You can take exercises from whichever bodyweight, barbell, kettlebell, or dumbbell weight lifting programs you like and put them together to make a circuit. Just keep a few things in mind before you get into advanced circuit training programs. Take the following options into account when thinking it over:
- Alternate weighted drills with bodyweight drills
- Alternate upper body drills with lower body drills
- Alternate strength drills with cardio drills
- Alternate difficult drills with easier drills
Keep in mind the overall objective of circuit training, which is Read more
Tags: Circuit Training, Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Strength TrainingPopularity: 23% [?]
New $5.00 Book Store…
I remember when I was a kid and it was time for the Scholastic Book Fair. We’d get these catalogs with dozens of books in them and they were always really inexpensive. I remember buying books for $1.00 - $5.00, and just getting really excited about it. Of course, these were mostly 10-20 page kids’ books, but I just loved it. There’s something fun about feeling like you can pick up five or six things and hardly spend any money.
So, I’m trying to incorporate that idea here. If you look at the top of the site, or under “Pages”, you’ll see a page called “$5.00 Book Store”. I plan on buying the rights to ebooks, reading them to check for quality, and offering them there if they have value. I plan to have books ranging from $3.00 to $10.00, keeping the average around $5.00.
Obviously it takes time to get these books and read them, so they’ll be added slowly. I’m not going to put up any useless junk - only books that I see some value in, and think you guys might like.
UPDATE:
I’ve put this on hold for the time being.
Popularity: 52% [?]
Kettlebells For Speed And Explosive Strength
Here’s another article by guest author, Mike Mahler. As you may know from previous articles by Mike, he puts out some hardcore tough stuff that often calls for two kettlebells. However, the general principles here, as well as most of the drills, can be applied to a single kettlebell as well.
The Kettlebell Solution For Speed And Explosive Strength
By Mike Mahler
We all know that kettlebells are fantastic for building muscular endurance and core strength. Moreover, I showed clearly on my last DVD, “The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength”, that kettlebells can be used effectively for getting bigger and stronger. My latest DVD is on how to use kettlebells to get faster and more explosive. Even if you are not an athlete, developing more speed and explosive power will enhance your goals. The more fast switch muscle fibers you can engage the stronger you will be and the more muscular endurance you will be able to tap into. Thus, my DVD will enhance any program that you are on. In this article, I am going to go over a program that is heavily inspired by Louie Simmons and the westside barbell club (www.westside-barbell.com) for increasing speed, strength, and size with kettlebells. Check it out: Read more
Tags: Kettlebells, Speed StrengthPopularity: 23% [?]
Kettlebells for Conditioning / Endurance…
It’s no secret that kettlebells reign supreme for burning fat, but of course, conditioning is part of that equation too. Regular sets of swings or snatches will build your muscular endurance as well as improve your heart and lung efficiency.
Kettlebell ballistics like the swing and snatch build endurance by default, and there are a few different approaches. One consideration is which would be better? Each has its own pros and cons: Read more
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, KettlebellsPopularity: 24% [?]
