Tag resistance training

Strength training, resistance training, working with free weights or machines and any other form of physical exertion can be dangerous if not approached properly. The 5 Strength Training Safety Tips included here are basics, and you may be taking them for granted currently.

But if your strength training workout is going to deliver the results you desire, you have to be healthy to implement it. That means if you are hurt, you can not work out, so follow these top 5 tips for strength training safety to ensure injury-free exercise.

1) Warm Up Before You Get Started, and Cool Down Afterwards

Okay, this is really two tips in one, and you are probably nodding your head and thinking, “I already knew this.” But a report from the Harvard Medical School shows that more than half of all non-professional strength trainers and weightlifters fail to either warm up before they get started, cool down afterwards, or both. And this can lead to injuries. Walking or climbing stairs for 5 to 10 minutes is enough to get your body ready for your workout, and the same amount of stretching will cool you down properly.

2) Practice Good Form

Don’t think about the weight, think about your form. Always align your body correctly according to the exercise or strength training move you are making. Poor form can not only result in injuries, both immediate and over time, but it can also slow down the delivery of the results you are looking for. Many strength training experts recommend starting with no weight or a very low weight at first until your muscle memory reflex helps you perform each exercise correctly.

3) Stick to an Established Routine

The human brain commits to memory and habit with anything you do 17 to 21 times in a row, in the same way, and at roughly the same time each day or night. Pick your strength training days for each week and stick with them. This “second nature” programming means you are less likely to injure yourself. It also helps your body understand when its muscles will be stressed and when they will repair, leading to more consistent results as you increase the weight, sets and reps in your strength training workout over time.

4) Give Your Muscles Time to Repair

Lots of water and proper nutrition are needed after you workout, and after an intensive strength training session, your muscles also require at least 48 hours to recover properly. When you stress your muscles, you create small tears in your muscle tissue. Not letting them heal before stressing them again can cause significant short and long-term injuries. Also, given proper hydration and nutrition as well as enough downtime, your desired results will start to materialize quicker.

5) Dress Appropriately for Strength Training Safety

Your clothing should allow for a full range of motion, regardless what exercises or routines your strength training regimen requires. Jeans are a no-no in the gym or wherever you workout regularly, because such restrictive clothing can cause a loss of balance and a significant injury, especially if you are dealing with heavy weights.

Safety should be your number one priority in the gym, your garage or wherever you decide to perform your strength training exercises. When handled properly, weightlifting and strength training are some of the safest physical exertion activities you can enjoy.

Whenever in doubt, think before acting or performing an exercise, and consult a trained professional if you ever have a question. Follow these 5 Strength Training Safety Tips, and you are sure to enjoy the biggest benefits from your workout, while helping eliminate injuries.

5 Common Strength Training Injuries and What to Do About Them

Strength training is a tool used by many athletes to help strengthen and develop their body and thus in the process reduce the risk of suffering an injury when playing other sports. However if not practiced correctly, one or more of the following injuries can occur when lifting weights:

1) Muscle Strain

A muscle strain or “pull” typically happens when you tear part of the fibers of a main muscle or tendon; it is usually caused by either stretching a muscle or tendon too far or trying to lift too much weight.

Muscle strains come in three levels of severity:

1. small tears with a little swelling and mild pain,
2. larger tears with more swelling and moderate pain,
3. considerable amount of torn fibers resulting in massive swelling, severe pain and total loss of mobility.

Treatment for the first and second level injuries is rest, ice and mild stretching. For the last level, surgery may be required depending on the severity of the tear.

2) Shoulder Impingement

Shoulder impingement is the inflammation of one of the rotator cuff muscles, usually caused by lifting too much weight; as a result the inflammation causes swelling. However this swelling also causes pain, localized weakness and even loss of movement due to the narrow space where the rotator cuff muscles go between the shoulder blade and collarbone.

Treatment includes reducing the swelling through icing down the shoulder and taking anti-inflammatory medications. Rehabilitation includes a specific range of motion and strengthening exercises usually prescribed by a physical therapist or sports medicine specialist. Heat, ice and ultrasound may also be prescribed.

3) Herniated Disc

Discs in our spine act as tiny shock absorbers to keep vertebrae from rubbing against each other. However, if we try to lift too much weight or lift improperly, one or more discs can push out against the fibrous outer ring or even break through it, called herniated disc.

Treatment ranges from rest and ice up to major back surgery depending on the severity of injury. In most cases, the cause of a herniated disc is from using improper form when lifting.

4) Ligament Sprain

Ligaments are the connective tissue that holds bones together, such as in a joint. A ligament sprain is normally caused by overstretching one of more of these connective tissues. Common sprain locations include joints such as the ankle, wrist and knee.

Ligament sprains, just like muscle tears, come in three grades:

1. mild over-stretching,
2. partial tear,
3. complete tear.

For the first two, treatment should include rest, icing down the affected area, wrapping with an elastic bandage and elevating the injured area to reduce swelling. For a complete tear, most often surgery is required. The most common cause of sprains while in the gym are unexpected falls or trips.

5) Muscle Contusion

Also known as a bruise, a contusion is usually caused by a blunt force hitting a muscle. The bruise forms due to blood seeping out from broken capillaries and into tissue. Along with a dark discoloration, there is usually swelling, pain and in severe cases, loss of strength and mobility.

Treatment of muscle contusions is the same as it is for the first two levels of ligament sprains – rest, ice, compression and elevation. Sometimes gently massaging the affected area can help restore blood flow and relieve the pain.

As you probably surmised, muscle contusions are associated with the unexpected dropping of weights onto fingers, toes, feet or other body parts.

Through proper lifting form, and knowing your limitation as far as how much weight you should be lifting, most of these injuries can be eliminated or at least reduced in severity. Lift safe – lift smart and use the 5 strength training safety tips listed above. For more helpful strength training tips visit the section on bodybuilding at http://myfitnessnut.com/bodybuilding and sign up for the free MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter.

Every year women spend upwards of 10 million+ dollars on products created to fight cellulite. New products, creams, miracle cures and other weird contraptions flood the market constantly. All fighting for a slice of the very profitable pie.

Yet, there is not a single product on the market that works effectively or shows permanent results. Slick marketing, compensated ‘testimonials’ and other tactics that prey on women’s emotions, are all used to sell these products.

Almost all the products are a waste of time or money and in most cases, both.

The truth is that cellulite is just fat. That’s it. Not accumulated toxins, poor circulation, damaged fatty tissues or any other nonsense that is so often spouted by the companies that sell anti-cellulite products.

You Banish Cellulite the Same Way You Banish Fat

Since cellulite is just normal fat, it can be eradicated just like normal fat. The same rules apply. No need for special creams or massages to get rid of cellulite. Exercise, a healthy diet and a close eye on your body fat percentage will do more for your cellulite than any cream or massage ever could.

If you were to tell certain woman that resistance training is more beneficial than cellulite creams, she’d probably think that you lost your marbles. Yet, this is the hard truth.

Fat can only be burnt off with exercise. You cannot melt fat with creams and you definitely cannot massage fat away.

If Only It Were That Easy to Banish Cellulite

Of course to lose weight, you will need to watch your diet closely and engage in cardio sessions on a frequent basis. In this article, we will take a closer look at resistance training.

Most women feel that weight training or resistance training is only for men. Again, this is fallacy. Women will benefit greatly from resistance training.

You will not get big and bulky by doing resistance training. Even men struggle to gain muscle. Resistance training will give you a lean and toned body. You will have firm thighs and a nice, perky butt. Toned muscles will give your thighs and legs a taut appearance and cellulite will be less visible.

Good Example of Resistance Training Exercises to Banish Cellulite

Examples of resistance training are squats, lunges, dead-lifts, snatches, leg presses, etc. You may wish to focus more on resistance training for the lower body to increase the lean muscle mass in your lower body. Most women are prone to storing fat in the lower body and cellulite most frequently occurs on the thighs and butt.

When you engage in resistance training, your body composition will change. While your body fat decreases, your lean muscle will increase. So, even though the numbers on the weighing scale don’t change, the appearance of your body will. Your weight may be the same but you will look smaller and more toned. That’s because muscle is denser than fat.

The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you will burn on a daily basis. That means the chances of your body storing fat are much lower. Since cellulite is just stored fat, you will not see it returning anytime soon, unless you start slacking on your diet and training of course.

Two resistance training programs that will give you a good workout for both your upper and that all important lower body are Dumbbell workouts and the Kettlebell workouts. Both provide resistance where you can start out low and work your way up as you see, and get fit.

Resistance training is one of the key components to banish cellulite so start now by making it a part of your daily workouts and you will see and feel the difference in a matter of weeks.

Thousands of women all over the world would save themselves a whole lot of money if they knew how effective diet and exercise is when it comes to wanting to melt cellulite.

The creams, massages, supplements and other fads just do not work. They are rip offs and just a waste of time and precious resources.

Note that there’s no difference between actual fat and what is called cellulite beneath the surface. It just normal fat that looks different because of the tissue structure in a woman’s body. The tissues are connected in a manner that squeezes the fat out and makes it look clumpy and gives a similar appearance as cottage cheese.

Nevertheless, it’s the same type of fat found all over your body and just like normal fat, cellulite can be blasted away with cardio and weight/resistance training. This article will focus on cardio training.

Using Cardio Workouts to Melt Cellulite

There are many types of cardio workouts from running to cycling to swimming to even classes like Zumba or Taebo. Any workout that elevates your heartbeat and keeps it elevated for a prolonged period of time is considered a cardio workout and is helpful to melt cellulite away.

Cardiovascular training is one of the most important and effective components in a fat loss quest. You must include both resistance training and have a healthy diet to achieve good results. However, without cardio workouts, your progress will be slowed down considerably and you will take ages for you to be able to burn the fat.

How Much Cardio is needed to Melt Cellulite?

Depending on your age and fitness, the intensity of your cardio workout will vary. What may seem intense to a 40 year old woman may be easy as pie for a 25 year old woman. So, intensity is based on how you feel.

You always want your cardio workouts to be short and intense. We are not interested in those long 45 to 60 minute walks. Your cardio workouts should be around 20 to 30 minutes and work your muscles hard.

When you’re panting and sweating and feel like giving up means that you’re giving it your best and this is when you will melt cellulite the fastest.

As long as you feel that it’s intense, that’s a good sign. Uphill sprints, stair climbing, skipping, kickboxing, etc. are excellent forms of cardio. You want to choose a cardio workout that focuses more on your lower body. So, it may be advisable to skip swimming or rowing as those exercises focus more on the upper body.

Focus on Lower Body Cardio to Melt Cellulite Away

When your cardio workout focuses on the lower body, your legs, thighs, calves and buttocks will be targeted. The muscles in these areas will become stronger and tauter.

While you cannot spot reduce fat, the fat burning process in these areas will be accelerated due to the increased muscle mass in those areas.

Most women notice cellulite in the lower body because these are the more prone areas. The skin is thinner and generally, women have a tendency to store fat in the lower body. So, by engaging in cardio that works your lower body, you are directly targeting the problem areas in their entirety.

The key point to note is that you need to do your cardio sessions regularly and intensely. 4 times a week would be great. It will take time to burn off your fat, but if you persist and stay the course, in time to come, your body will tap into all of your fat stores and that is what it will take to melt cellulite and burn it all off.

That is your goal and to help you achieve it, be sure to get your My Fitness Nut Newsletter subscription activated at the top of MyFitnessNut.com and be sure to check out the free muscle building video series that comes with your free newsletter subscription.

Exercise is one of the best ways of dealing with cellulite. Before looking at the specific exercises any woman would benefit from engaging in, we must first understand what cellulite is.

It is fat that is trapped beneath the skin. It is not the result of toxins or poor lymph ‘drainage’ or other reasons so commonly given by cellulite treatment companies that have a vested interest in this 12 million a year industry.

Cellulite is fat. Plain and simple and just like all fat, it can be reduced with a sensible diet and exercise. Of course, to a certain extent cellulite is also hereditary. Women who gain fat easily and have thinner skin will show more signs of cellulite.

Whatever the case or genetics, all women will gain from exercising regularly and the best way to do exercise trainings will involve both cardio and resistance training.

The Key to Cellulite Reduction

The key to reducing the appearance of cellulite is to bring your body fat percentage down. We are not so concerned about the weight on the scales. We want to alter our body composition. You want more lean muscle and less fat.

Sometimes, there may be no visible difference on the scale since your body has replaced burnt fat with lean muscle. Therefore, it would be a good idea to measure your body fat and keep trying to lower your body fat percentage – aim for a 15 to 18 percent level if you are a woman. This may be a little difficult but it’s a goal worth striving for.

To burn your body fat and boost your body’s stamina levels, you will need to engage in cardio activities. I’d recommend about 20 to 30 minutes of cardio. If you can spare 45 to 60 minutes, that would be great. However, most women are pressed for time, so 20 to 30 minutes should be sufficient if you maintain intensity.

Reduce Cellulite Dramatically with High Intensity Workouts

During these 20 to 30 minutes, your cardio must be at a very high intensity. You must be gasping for air and exhausted. Slow walking or jogging is just not going to cut it. You want to be working out at a fast pace. You want to be tired. Choose cardio activities that engage your lower body the most.

Running, cycling, stair climbing, spinning, skipping, etc. are great forms of cardio. Most women show cellulite on their thighs, butt and legs. These are the areas you want to tone and target. So, engage in high intensity cardio that involves your lower body.

Reduce Cellulite with Resistance Training

The second component would be resistance training. Many women avoid this because in their mind, weights and resistance training is a man’s type of exercise. This is wrong.

There are immense benefits from weight training and one of the best is Kettlebells. Kettlebell workouts can give you a full body workout that will produce better results in less time than most any other type of resistance exercise routine.

Target the Cellulite Directly

You want to do compound exercises such as lunges, squats, leg presses, calf raises, thigh movements, etc. When you do these exercises, your lean muscle mass in your thighs and legs will increase and you will burn off fat more readily in these areas.

A firm buttock or thigh will show less signs of cellulite. So, research on exercises that will tone up your lower body or you may use the exercises stated here. The key is in performing them regularly.

The tips listed above will work wonders for your health and well-being. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at the top of http://MyFitnessNut.com to help you become, fitter, healthier and have a body that many other women want to have. Cellulite will be the least of your worries.

This is an excellent question and it does make me smile. There was an info product created by an excellent marketer claiming to provide shortcuts to getting a six pack. The whole fitness community online was in an uproar calling the guy a snake oil salesman, liar and other things I shall not mention here thus avoiding giving this article a PG 13 rating.

The fact of the matter is that there are no shortcuts. That being said, I can also understand what the marketer was trying to mean when he said ‘shortcuts’. He meant getting the best results in the least amount of time.

Is this possible?

Yes, but there is a price to pay. However, I’d gladly pay that price.

Let me explain. If you do a slow cardio workout such as jogging for 60 minutes, you will burn about 250 to 300 calories during those 60 minutes. However, once you stop, your metabolic rate will drop and taper off real fast. Your body will not be in fat burning mode for the rest of the day.

High Intensity Interval Training Burns Fat with Effectiveness

However, if you engage in a high intensity interval training (HIIT) for 30 minutes which involves sprinting uphill for 1 minute. Then resting for 1 minute and sprinting back downhill for 1 minute and you repeat this 15 times, you may not have burned as many calories as the 60 minute jog but, this is where it gets interesting…

The 30 minute workout will leave you gasping and panting because of the sheer intensity. You will be sweating profusely and your heart will be pumping like crazy. What you have done is create and oxygen deficit and an afterburn effect. Your body will now be burning fat for the next 8 to 10 hours. Some studies have shown that the fat burning effects last for up to 18 hours.

The point to note here is that a 30 minute workout has more benefits to your six pack quest than an hour long workout. Is this a shortcut? Definitely. You spent less time and burnt more fat. Is there a price to pay? Yup! You truly suffered during your workout. It was tiring and painful. Was it worth it? Hell yeah!

The same applies to weight training or resistance training. You can go to the gym and spend an hour doing bicep curls, tricep curls and using the calf raise machine. You may even take a 10 minute rest with every set or ogle like a fool at the girl with the hot pants on the treadmill. Will that be effective?

Nope. Instead, you may go and do a 45 minute workout that involves compound exercises such as deadlifts, snatches, renegade rows, pull-ups, etc. with minimal rest time and you would have achieved more in 45 minutes than someone who spends 90 minutes doing slow or moderate workouts.

Is that a shortcut? Yes!

Price to pay? Yes… pain and effort.

Worth it? Yes definitely.

So, in this case, shortcuts do not mean an easier way but a faster way to achieve results while working your butt off. The shortcuts are more tiring. They save you time by making you more efficient but they are tough.

I’d suggest training hard and tough for shorter periods. It’s more challenging, fun and the results that come sooner will motivate you to do more. Next thing you know, you’ll be the guy at the gym with a six pack that other guys are only dreaming of.

Learn More about Fitness and Making Six-Pack Abs Your Reality

To help you create the six-pack abs that you would like to call your own, get a free subscription to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at http://MyFitnessNut.com and receive a full body workout video series to help get you into shape fast. Get yours now while we’re still giving them away.

This is a question that has run through many guys’ minds as they have struggled over and over to get the washboard abs that gets the girls sighing. It looks so easy on the television with all the guys walking around parading their abs like it’s so normal. So why is it so difficult to get six pack abs?

Firstly, do not believe everything you see on TV. The directors are not going to cast a fat slob as an action hero. Even the major stars go on ridiculous diets and hardcore training for months before even getting in front of the camera. Henry Cavill took 11 months to train for Man of Steel.

Building Your Six Pack Abs Takes Patience

Patience is crucial. To see your abs, your training sessions must be intense and rewarding. You will need to combine resistance training with cardio workouts on alternate days. You will need to be doing full body workouts comprising mostly of compound movements.

Your cardio sessions must be of high intensity. You will end up panting and gasping for air on most sessions. Your shirts will be soaking with sweat after every workout. You will have to raise your metabolic rate and your workouts must be tough enough to create an oxygen deficit and produce lactic acid.

When you create an oxygen deficit, your body experiences an after-burn effect. What that means is your body will be in fat burning mode for 8 to 12 hours after your workout. This after-burn effect only occurs if you work out at full intensity.

Building Your Six Pack Abs Requires Strict Fitness Nutrition.

Your diet must be spot on. You will need to watch everything that you put inside your mouth. You can’t consume empty calories such as sodas or candy or chocolates. You’ll need to be on a clean, wholesome diet comprising of the correct amounts of protein, fats and carbohydrates. Above all this, your calorie consumption must be at a deficit of about 500 calories of your daily requirement.

This is where most guys falter. They can’t handle the diet. Or rather, the sacrifices just seem too much. The body starts craving for the usual unhealthy food. The pizzas, burgers, pasta, beer and other wonderful delights just keep beckoning to them. They give in a little and eat a slice here and have a sip there and sooner or later, they’re eating whatever they want.

The workouts can’t compensate for their poor diet. The calories accumulate and instead of losing fat, in some cases they gain fat. This is even more depressing and makes them want to quit. They do not understand that they are sabotaging themselves. They fail to realize that it takes time to get a six pack and there are sacrifices.

It is not as easy as the movies make it out to be. Only about 2 percent of the world’s population has ripped abs. There is a reason for that. It’s difficult but it is NOT unattainable. It is not a dream that cannot be achieved.

Anybody who really wants a six pack bad enough and is willing to endure the sacrifices, go through the hard yards and have patience will see his six pack. That is almost a guarantee. It is a dream that can come true.

Learn More about Making Your Six-Pack Abs Dream Come True

To help you create the six-pack abs that you would like to call your own, get a free subscription to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at http://MyFitnessNut.com and receive a full body workout video series to help get you into shape fast. Get yours now while we’re still giving them away.

Getting a six pack is tough work. It really is. It’ll take determination, time, hard work, patience, sacrifices and motivation. There is no hiding the truth. This is one of the toughest goals to achieve.

Things may be worse if you go about it wrongly without knowing what to do. Not only would you have wasted time and effort, it may also discourage you and make you give up. We certainly do not want that.

This article has 5 pointers for you to take note of. I can safely say that if you follow these 5 tips to the letter, there is an over 90 percent probability that you will attain your six pack goal.

Five Important Six Pack Ab Necessities

1. Get your six pack diet right

Sounds obvious but so few do it. You will need to find out your calorie requirements for the day and how many calories you should be hitting to get a calorie deficit to attain a loss of 1 lb. a week.

Avoid foods such as pastries, pasta, candy, sodas, etc. You can do a quick online search with Google to see which the foods you should be avoiding or visit this page http://myfitnessnut.com/healthy-nutrition-guide for lots of great tips concerning fitness nutrition.

2. Do not starve yourself

Many people make this mistake. They cut their calories too quickly and drastically. When this happens, the body goes into starvation mode and holds on to every bit of fat that it can. Your metabolism will also drop. You do not want this.

Drop your calories sensibly using the diet tips at the page above. There are no instant results to be had, nor are there shortcuts to a chiseled six pack.

3. Workout regularly for six pack success

You must be training at least 4 to 5 times a week. Intensely. You will need to mix up cardio and resistance training. Your cardio workouts should be high intensity with little time for rest.

Your resistance training routines will involve compound movements such as squats, bench presses, dips, pull-ups, snatches, renegade rows, deadlifts, etc. Compound movements enlist the aid of major muscle groups. It’s a complete full body workout.

You will burn way more calories this way. Lactic acid will also be produced and that is good because it aids fat loss. If your workouts are intense, your body will be burning fat for hours after you have stopped. That’s what you want.

4. Drink water

Water is so essential to fat loss. Drink lots of water and your body will metabolize the fat and remove toxins faster. You should be aiming for 8 to 10 glasses a day. As with all things, don’t overdo it and drink too much water.

5. Have one cheat day a week

This is very important. A cheat day will ease the mental torture of going through a strict diet and training regimen. It gives your body a chance to indulge in its favorite food. This can be very motivating and refreshing. It’s like a reward for all the hard work.

Another benefit is the surge in metabolism your body will create due to this sudden surplus in calories. It’s fat burning mode all over again.

If you follow these five tips, you will surely get a six pack in due time. Put in the effort, stay the course and be patient. That’s the only way to make your six pack dream come true.

Learn More About Creating Six-Pack Abs of Your Very Own

To help you create the six-pack abs that you would like to call your own, get a free subscription to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter at http://MyFitnessNut.com and receive a full body workout video series to help get you into shape fast. Get yours now while we’re still giving them away.

It may seem like kettlebell training is the latest fitness trend these days. There are DVD videos dedicated to kettlebell workouts and eBooks and hardbacks published covering all the different techniques and tips of kettlebell training. Even the actors in the movie, 300, reported that part of their daily workouts consisted of kettlebell training to build their bronze, ripped bodies.

The kettlebell itself resembles a bowling ball with a handle attached. They come in various sizes and weights. Yet, the techniques and methods of using them are the same.

Kettlebell Training is an Age-Old Practice

Kettlebells are not new exercise contraptions developed for late night infomercials. In fact, research shows that they were used by the Olympians in ancient Greece to train. The difference is that their kettlebells were carved of stone and not steel. They were probably crude pieces of equipment so unlike the cool kettlebells we have today that even come in pink for women.

Despite the appearance, one thing can’t be denied. Kettlebells are a highly effective tool for fat loss and body toning. They increase core strength and are able to target muscles that the normal dumbbells or barbells just can’t reach.

Martial artists, runners, golfers and just about all athletes can reap rewards by including a kettlebell workout in their training program. Kettlebells also require less training time due to the nature of the workouts involving these apparatus.

Kettlebell Training Lets You Do More in Less Time

The average workout time for a kettlebell routine ranges from 20 to 45 minutes depending on the individuals strength and stamina. A kettlebell workout for 30 minutes will be just as effective as a 60 minute run if done with intensity. The afterburn effect of these workouts will have your body burning calories furiously for up to 8 or 12 hours.

Kettlebell training is basically made up of a few moves such as swings, snatches, cleans and drop squats. The key to kettlebell training is the hip drive which powers all these moves. Unlike conventional training using dumbbells, kettlebell training trains the core.

A bicep curl with a dumbbell will only work the biceps and maybe 1 or 2 surrounding muscles. A snatch with a kettlebell will work your core, back, thighs, legs and shoulder muscles in just one move. So, this ensures a more thorough full body workout and you will burn more calories when more muscles are engaged.

Kettlebell Training is Resistance Training With Your Core Training All in One

The craze in kettlebell training is due to thousands of people reporting fast weight loss with kettlebell workouts. The real truth is that kettlebell training is resistance training with core training included. Many women, who are intimidated by heavy weight equipment such as dumbbells and barbells, take to kettlebells more readily. It just seems ‘cuter’ and they come in colors too!

Resistance training is very effective for fat loss. So, people who were averse to other ‘hardcore’ equipment in the gym and didn’t include resistance training in their training regime will see fast results when they give kettlebells a try. It is not so much the kettlebells that do the trick but the nature of the workouts they are used in.

Harder workouts, more muscles engaged and more calories burned resulting in faster fat loss and a more toned, fit and beautiful body. A dream come true, thanks to kettlebells.

Learn More by Watching: Get 20 of the Best Kettlebell Training Exercises on Video for Free

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Kettlebells are the latest craze now and for good reason too. Thousands of people report health benefits such as increased strength, fat loss and a general sense of feeling fitter ever since they started working out with kettlebells.

What’s really happening here is that more people are involving themselves in resistance training than before. This is probably due to the fact that it is a trend and people feel that it’s fun to jump on the bandwagon and join the rest. That’s basically what kettlebell training is. It is resistance training without dumbbells, barbells, cables, etc.

For Excellent Resistance Training – Grab the Kettlebell

Only kettlebells are needed for your resistance training and nothing more.

Kettlebells also work the core muscles which are often neglected by most people. So now that more people are including resistance training into their routines, they are seeing improvements whereas in the past, all they probably did was some cardio activity.

There are many mistakes that people make when training with kettlebells. This article will enlighten you on what they are so that you can steer clear of these mistakes.

The Top 5 Mistakes Many People Make Doing Kettlebell Workouts

1. Ignoring the fundamentals

Kettlebell training is progressive. Many people do not have a strong grasp of the basic moves before progressing on to the intermediate and advanced moves. Worse is that most don’t even know that the moves are classified as beginner, intermediate and advanced. Not all moves are equal.

The 2 most important moves one should master in kettlebell training are the swings and Turkish Get Ups. All other moves are derived from these 2 moves. Master them and you will be a head above the majority of people training with kettlebells.

2. Not working progressively

People are so used to getting things fast and easy in today’s world that they expect exercise to be the same. Well, it’s not. You can just raise the weights and expect your body to handle it if it’s not accustomed to weight training.

Many guys use kettlebells that are way too heavy for their skill level.

Furthermore, when working with kettlebells, you will need to build up your static and dynamic stability. If you can’t hold a kettlebell above your head in a stable manner, you have no business pressing it.

Work from the ground up. Make sure your stabilizing muscles are strong before engaging in pressing moves.

3. Treating a kettlebell like a dumbbell

You can’t use kettlebells for bicep curls or other exercises that only dumbbells are suited for. Of course, for some exercises, kettlebells may be substituted for dumbbells. Knowing which exercises is the key to being effective and not looking foolish.

Kettlebells were made for training your core, thighs, butt and other muscles so often neglected. Use kettlebells for the exercises that were meant for kettlebells and not use them for dumbbell or barbell exercises.

4. Using kettlebells that are too light

I realize that one must train progressively but I’d recommend a minimum weight of 35lbs for men and 16lbs for women. Anything less is not optimal. Train with fewer reps in the beginning and progress on

5. Unnecessarily complicated workouts

Keep your workouts simple. Include a few different moves comprising of squatting, lunging, pulling, pushing, etc. Keep the workout at a high intensity and on a simple circuit.

Many people come up with unnecessary complex moves and ridiculous circuits just to keep the workout interesting. It just ends up confusing. You want to be focused on the training only and not a hundred other things.

These are the most common errors that people make. Avoid them like the plague and you will do just fine and the kettlebells will be your new best friend in time to come.

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