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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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