Monthly Archives: May 2012

Home Training without Fitness Equipment

A Great Home Workout without any Fitness Gear If you don’t have a home gym containing the latest and greatest home exercise equipment there is no need to worry! There are still many ways you can get out of breath and move closer to your goal of improving your fitness or burning off a bucket load of calories. While it might not be as easy as hoping on an exercise bike or treadmill, good home fitness training without expensive equipment is possible and it can even be fun. One such way is to use your bodyweight and perform a number of exercises at a fast pace with minimal amounts of rest in-between.

Always start with a good warm up that consists of some light movements to get your heart beating a little faster and the blood pumping around your body. Some light jogging on the sport interspersed with some star jumps should get you ready for a home workout without all that fancy equipment. Once you are sufficiently warmed up go straight into a routine that switches quickly between a number of different exercises (which I will list in a moment) while trying to rest as little as possible between the different sets. As you become more proficient at the exercises you will be able to add more repetitions to each set and also reduce the amount of rest between each set. Don’t worry if the first few times you run through this your pace isn’t very fast as it is more important to get the form correct for each movement than to finish it quickly. Once you get the hang of each exercise your speed will increase over time.

The Workout

Here are some suggestions for which exercises to include in your workout without home gym equipment:

Jumping Jacks: start with your feet together and your arms by your sides. Jump up and open your legs so you land with your feet apart. As you jump also raise your arms up along your sides so your hands touch each other above your head. Then jump again bringing your arms back down to your sides and your legs together so you are in the starting position. Do 30 seconds of Jumping Jacks.
Bodyweight Lunges: lunges are great ways to improve your leg strength and tone up those pins! Traditionally performed with weights, bodyweight lunges can be just as effective at giving you a good cardio vascular workout without any expensive home fitness gear. Stand with your feet slightly apart and then step forward in a lunging motion moving only one leg out in front of you. Slowly lower your body until your rear knee almost touches the ground. Push off explosively with your front leg to return to the starting position. Switch legs each time and keep going for 30 seconds.
The Plank: now it’s time for a relaxing lie down, well almost! The Plank might look easy but don’t be fooled! This is an excellent way to work out your core muscles such as your lower back and abs but it will also leave you out of breath. Get in a press-up position with your toes the only part of your feet touching the floor. Rest your forearms on the floor to keep your upper body off the ground and keep your back straight as a plank from head to toe. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then collapse on the floor!
Oblique Twists: as the name suggests this exercise works the oblique muscles which are found around your midsection. This exercise should give you a nice rest after the plank so enjoy it while it lasts! Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder width apart and extend your arms at your sides to they are parallel with the floor and there is a straight line from the finger tips on one hand to the other. Now twist from the waist so that one arm is facing straight out in front of your while the other is facing out behind you. Keep your abdominal muscles tensed and feel the burn as you change direction at the end of each twist. Keep this exercise up for 30 seconds.
Burpees: this is quite a complicated exercise to master so maybe practice it a few times before starting this whole routine just to get acquainted with it. It is a great way to end this workout and should be a part of any fitness workout that doesn’t require home fitness equipment. Start in the press up or push up position again and then push your legs up and bring them in under your body so you are positioned like a frog before it jumps. Then jump up vertically on the spot and raise your arms as high as you can. Drop back down to earth and then push your legs out to the starting position to complete the rep. Now do this for 30 seconds.

After you have completed all those bodyweight exercises give yourself a pat on the back, rest for a minute or two and then start again. It should’ve only taken your about two and a half to three minutes to work through them all so with a rest added in you should be able to work your way through it five or six times in 30 minutes giving you a great cardio workout without any expensive home fitness equipment. As it becomes easier try adding in a few more exercises like press ups, bodyweight squats or sit-ups.

If you want more ideas for a great home workout head back to the Home Fitness Training Ideas hub.

Good Bicep Workouts for the Home Trainer

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How to get a Good Bicep Workout Just because you train at home and don’t have access to all the fancy machines at the gym it doesn’t mean you can’t get the results you want when it comes to building solid muscle mass and getting in great shape and getting a good bicep workout is no exception. The arms are the first part of the body people look at when trying to decide if someone is in good shape or not and the arms can be a great indicator of whether someone has a great physique under their clothes or are just a flabby wreck with a fat back!

Let your Arms do the Talking

If you want people to instantly be able to tell that you have a fit, toned and healthy looking body under those clothes then you need to enhance your arms to let them know you mean business. The arms are made up of two main muscles groups which are of course the biceps and the triceps. Most people refer to arms size in terms of the development of the biceps but it is actually the triceps which is the bigger muscle group and therefore they are just as important when it comes to increasing the size of your arms. So while this article is focussed on getting a great home bicep workout don’t forget to give your triceps an equal amount of attention when you are training.

Home Bicep Workout with Minimal Equipment

Home Bicep Training If you are training at home when you can’t make it to the gym or are doing all your workouts at home and don’t have a gym membership then there is some equipment we really recommend you should have. You don’t to go out and buy a power rack or anything like that but some weights are needed as body weight exercises at home can only get you so far.

So whether you have opted for kettlebells or dumbbells it doesn’t really matter as both can be used to perform a myriad of exercises that can work out the whole body and are especially great for bicep exercises to boost your arm size.

If you really want to go to town on your arms and get them pumped up then we recommend you devote a whole day to training just your arms and really burn those bicep muscles. We don’t recommend you do this over a long period of time but one day a week for a few months can really help jump start the development of your biceps or shock complacent muscles out of their slumber.

So here is our home bicep workout to give your arms a pre-summer boost to let people know exactly what you are packing under that t-shirt.

Rep Range: if you are training for size (hypertrophy) then we suggest you stick to a rep range between eight and 12. Strength trainers tend to do three reps for set and the five or six mark is good for a combination of both strength and size but for this workout we are looking to build muscle mass so around the 10 mark is best and 12 if you can manage it.

Number of Sets: we advocate one warm up set using your chosen rep range with a light weight and then three full sets using a weight that you can just about finish the last rep with. If you can’t make that last rep of each set then the weight is too heavy and if you feel you could do another few reps then the weight it too light.

Speed: doing the movements correctly is more important than how much weight you lift. You might want to show off to your friends at the gym or at home with how much you can lift but correct form is much more important. You need to decide what your priorities are: looking strong at the gym or building decent muscle mass by training correctly. The speed you perform the reps at should be slow and controlled. If you need to jerk the weight or use its momentum to finish a rep then the weight is too heavy. Try using the 2-1-2 method which is a two second movement as you lower the weight with a one second pause and then a two second moment as your raise the weight. This really gives you that burn and ensures you are using your muscles rather than the movement of the weight or gravity to help you out.

Ok, let’s start with the workout:

Standing Bicep Curl: this is a classic bicep exercise and the one we will be starting with. It can be performed with a dumbbell or a kettlebell or pretty much any heavy object so is great for the home trainer with little to no equipment.

Stand with the weight in one hand an position your feet so they are shoulder width apart
Bend your knees ever so slightly and keep your back straight
The starting position is with your arm by your side with your palm facing outwards
Keeping your elbow close to your body and your upper arm still lift the weight from the elbow
Keep your palm facing out as you raise your arm
When your arm is fully bent at the elbow your palm should now be facing your body
Keep your bicep tensed and hold this position for one second
Slowly lower your arm until it reaches the starting position
You have just completed one rep of this bicep exercise

Keeping going for 11 more and then change arms. As mentioned earlier this is a tried and tested exercise and should be at the core of all good bicep workouts.

Hammer Curls: similar to the standard curl but work the bicep from a different angle.

Use the same weight as before whether that is a dumbbell or a kettlebell and get in the same starting position only this time hold the weight like you would a hammer with your palms facing inwards. Complete the reps as above and don’t forget to follow the 2-1-2 method for a slow burn!

These are just a couple of the great bicep exercises you can do as part of your home workout or even at the gym. If you want to start training your arm muscles at home have a look at our article on adjustable dumbbells to see if they meet your requirements.

The Best Suspension Trainers

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What is the best suspension trainer? If you’ve been keeping up with the latest fitness trends then you can’t have helped but noticed the emergence or suspension trainers. If suspension training is new to you then check out our suspension training guide to get an idea of why this type of training is taking off big time.

As the popularity of this type of fitness equipment increases more and more gyms are installing them but if you are not lucky enough to have access to a set of suspension straps don’t worry, they can be purchased relatively cheaply and are perfect for use at home, office or even the garden. All you really need is a door or tree to attach them to and a bit of space and you can be working muscles you never knew you had in no time at all. But before you go rushing off to find a set of straps have a quick read of our suspension trainer reviews:

Suspension Trainer Reviews

Here is the lowdown on the best-selling and most popular suspension straps on the market at the moment. The good news is we will only be featuring the best suspension trainers here to save you sifting through the trash to find the gold. Let’s begin…

Rip 60 Fitness DVD & Suspension Trainer Set

This is much more than just a set of suspension trainers. This pack comes with a set of eight workout DVDs and four bonus DVDs that deliver a workout programme that will get you ripped in 60 days using just the included suspension straps and body weight exercises. If you just want to work out from home and don’t want to buy any additional weight training equipment then this pack has everything you need to get started. The fitness program increases in intensity each week and has titles like: ‘Wake Up Your Body’, ‘Hyper Burn’, ‘Built It Up’ and ‘Power and Strength’. The bonus DVDs offer extra programs from guest instructor like Georges St. Pierre who delivers an MMA cage fighter’s workout while Jillian Michaels delivers a fat loss program to get you ripped and in shape in no time.

But if you are not interested in the videos and just want to add some bodyweight leverage exercises to your bodybuilding routine then this is still a good value options and the suspension straps are high quality and come with a travel bag for easy use on the road.

Rip 60 Customer Reviews

Due to the great value of this product it has been pretty popular and there have been a number of customer reviews left for this it on amazon.com and the majority of them have been very positive. Overall the product has a customer rating of 4.2 out of 5 which is pretty darn good with most people giving it 5 out of 5 claiming it is the best suspension trainer on the market. To find out what people who have purchased the Rip 60 Suspension trainer set have been saying click here to read the customer reviews on amazon.com. Many people are asking which is the best product out there: RIP 60 vs TRX and the answer really comes down to which one you prefer and what your budget is. The TRX is certainly more popular and used in more gyms than the 60.

Summary

If you want a fully fledged weight loss and muscle building program to follow at home along with a set of suspension trainers then the Rip 60 is probably your best bet. The straps might not be as excellent as some of the others on the market but they will do and when you consider all the other stuff that comes in this pack then they offer great value. If you don’t want to follow a prescribed program though we suggest you carry on reading.

To get the latest prices of the Rip 60 or make that purchase click here now.

Lifeline Jungle Gym XT

This product is more focused on just the suspension straps although it does come with a handy instructional DVD to show you how to do the moves and exercises. There is also a nice wall chart included. The straps are really high quality with carbon fibre buckles which are really easy to use allowing you to adjust the length of the straps at the touch of a button. Being made from carbon fibre ensures they will last a very long time! The handles have two sides which are designed to either accommodate your feet or your hands. Due to their soft texture you can put your feet in the handles without the need for shoes or trainers making this ideal for home or work workout where you might not have a pair of sports shoes handy: just slip off your work shoes and get a quick lunchtime workout in the office! The anchor points which can be hung over the top of a closed door have been designed not to damage paintwork or door frames so you can use the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT with peace of mind knowing you won’t be doing any damage while performing the various bodyweight exercises. If you only plan to use this gear in one place or add it to a home or commercial gym then a purpose built wall Jungle Gym XT wall mount kit can be purchased separately to allow you to set the straps up without having to hang them over a door or other anchor point.

Jungle Gym XT Customer Reviews

Most of the people who have bought these suspension trainers and left a customer review on amazon.com claim it is the best suspension trainer out there and when you read their reviews it is hard not to agree. If you want to find out what people who have purchased the Jungle Gym XT have been saying click here now. When it comes to the question of the Rip 60 vs Jungle Gym XT, a lot of people seem to favour the latter.

Summary

Overall this is a great set of suspension straps that are high quality and versatile allowing you to workout on the road or at home. They don’t come with all the extras of the Rip 60 kit but if you don’t want to follow a particular program and want a high quality set of straps then we recommend the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT suspension strap.

To get the latest prices or buy today click here now.

TRX Suspension Trainer Professional

TRX are probably the biggest name in the suspension training equipment sector and this is their flagship product. When you get your hands on the TRX suspension trainer you know you have a high quality product in your hands. The yellow and black color scheme gives it a mean looking appearance and the build quality of the buckles, straps and cradles is very high. This is a professional piece of weight training equipment that would be not look out of place in a commercial gym. The TRX trainer comes with a small bag that the entire kit fits into that you can take out and about with you. Having the freedom to do you workouts outdoors cannot be overstated and if you can find anything to hook your trainer onto then you are good to go. We tried it with a tree and a mesh fence and both worked perfectly. Due to its small size when folded up this suspension trainer is perfect for taking on holidays with you and using in your hotel room.

What’s in the Box?

TRX have been kind enough to include a DVD which contains a 25 workout program on. This isn’t as comprehensive as the Rip 60 set of DVDs but is enough for you to get a good workout from. There is also a chart showing the top bodyweight leverage exercises you can perform with these straps. There is also the aforementioned bag which allows you to discretely and easily carry the TRX trainer with you outdoors.

TRX Suspension Trainer Customer Reviews

Lots of happy customers have left positive reviews on amazon.com with it having a 4 star rating from over 120 reviews. Most people gave it 5 out of 5 although there are a few 1 star reviews you should probably have a look at before handing over your hard earned cash. To check out the customer reviews click here now.

Summary

This is a great product that oozes high quality but for that extra level of detail you to pay a lot more than the other suspension straps on the market. If you want a set of straps for your commercial gym then we’d recommend these and if you want the best no matter what the cost then look no further than the TRX but if you are on a budget then the Jungle Gym XT offers much better value. Many people still ask which is the better set: Jungle Gym vs TRX but at the end of the day it comes down to budget, how you plan to use the straps and what your goals are. However, the TRX straps seem to be the most popular trainers around.

To get the latest prices or buy today click here now.

Suspension Trainers: Our Verdict

When it comes to picking the best suspension trainer it comes down to the Lifeline Jungle Gym XT vs the TRX Suspension Trainer Professional. There are lots of other products on the market but none as widely regarded as these two. The Rip 60 offers a good alternative if you want a full on exercise regime to follow but if are just interested in the straps then it’s a face-off between the Jungle Gym and the TRX. Both have received suspension trainer reviews from happy customers showing that people who have handed over their hard earned cash are eager to recommend their purchase.

Main Differences

The main difference between these two products is that the TRX straps are attached to each other while the Jungle Gym’s can be separated. This isn’t such an important point but it does mean two people can use the Jungle Gym at the same time while performing one armed movements. Whether this is important to you we don’t know but we feel it should be mentioned.

If money is no object then we’d say go with the TRX as they are tried and tested and used all around the world but if you don’t want to pay more than $100 the Jungle Gym XT is perfectly adequate and more than up to the task. We hope you have found our suspension trainer reviews helpful.

To get some exercise ideas check out our suspension training guide.

Get a Strapping Physique with Suspension Straps

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suspension training set If you are lucky enough to be a member of a gym that keeps its weight training equipment up to date then you might have noticed something new in your gym that looks a bit different from all the other heavy weights and machinery that makes up most of the gear in the gym.

If your gym manager keeps their eye on the latest trends in the world of fitness and exercise then there is a good chance they have added some suspension straps to your gym.

But what are Suspension Straps?

If you aren’t familiar with this new type of fitness equipment don’t worry: in the coming months you are highly likely to hear lots and lots about them as two recent surveys carried out by the American Council on Exercise and the IDEA Health & Fitness Association revealed that suspension training exercises or bodyweight leverage training as it is also known will be one of the top fitness workout trends of the year with an ever growing presence in gyms and the repertoires of personal trainers. To break it down for the uninitiated these strapsare pieces of weight training equipment that allow the user to performbodyweight leverage exercises.

But what are suspension training exercises I hear you ask?

home suspension training Well that is a good question and as the name suggests they are exercises that are performed while your body or parts of it are suspended above the ground. Now if you suffer from vertigo don’t worry! When performing this type of exercise there is no need to go higher than a few inches or feet at the most off the ground, there is no use of tightropes or trapezes required! Although there are already lots of different types of suspension straps on the market, from different brands, each with their own styling and features, the majority of products available do have a common appearance which is of a length of toughened material that can be adjusted in length. At each end you will find some kind of handle that you can either hold onto or put your feet through. Depending on the price of the suspension training equipment you have there could be just a few different types of handles or a wide variety of them. The larger number of different types of handles you have the more exercises you can perform. Although it is worth remembering that like most weight training equipment the core gear tends to get used the most while the more exotic equipment ends up gathering dust in the corner. This is also true with suspension strap accessories so in most cases you needn’t splash out on the most expensive product that comes with all the bells and whistles you might not ever use.

Why Suspension Training Exercises?

Suspension Strap Training So now that we know what suspension straps are it might be a good time to find out why you should be thinking about adding these dynamic exercises into your routine. Although people have been getting great results from the dawn of time lifting heavy weights there is always room for improvement and incorporating elements from suspension training workouts into your routine can be a great way to mix things up a bit and bring new muscles into play that you didn’t even know you had.

Performing exercises while suspended above the ground means that you are no longer exercising on a stable surface. This lack of stability means you have to work harder while performing an exercise to keep your body under control and stop it from swinging out of position while it is in suspension. Trying to keep your body under control engages your muscles in unfamiliar ways different to how they are utilized while doing regular gym work with traditional weight training equipment such as barbells, dumbbells and resistance machines. The more suspension training exercises you include in your workout the more previously unused muscles you can start to work out which can only be good for your overall strength and conditioning.

Incorporating Suspension Trailing Into your Regular Workout

suspension training at home Although you can get a great workout by only using these straps and bodyweight leverage training we recommend you keep using the free weights but try to incorporate suspension training exercises into your regular workouts. This way you get the best of both worlds and can increase your strength and grow your muscles in the traditional way with your existing workout but improve core stability and develop those underused supporting muscles by using the suspension straps to perform bodyweight leverage exercises.

Example Suspension Training Exercises

If this type of training has captured your imagination here some example suspension training exercises to get you started:

Suspension Row

Muscles used: Lats, rhomboids, biceps

What is it: This is a back workout that mainly works the lats while also bringing the biceps and rhomboids into play. Best performed on your upper body pull day the increased instability provided by the suspension straps makes this seemingly simple exercise a real killer! To increase the difficulty of this exercise reduce the angle between your body and floor, bringing your back and head closer to the ground.

How to: Grip the handles of the straps with your palms facing each other in a hammer grip. Lean back slowly until your arms are straight. Keep your body straight from head to toe. Once your arms are straight you are ready to go. Start pulling yourself up, keeping your body straight from head to toe. Bend your arms at the elbows as you rise keeping your upper arms close to the side of your body. Hold the position for a few seconds and then slowly lower yourself down again to complete the rep. To increase the difficulty increase the length of the straps so you can lean back further.

Suspension Biceps Curl

Muscles used: Biceps

What is it: a new twist on the classic bicep curl that gives you an even tougher workout thanks to the instability of being suspended on a set of straps.

How to: Hold on to the straps and lean back with your palms facing upwards. Keep your body straight from head to toe with your arms fully extended. This is the starting position for this exercise. Now pull yourself into a standing position by bending your arms at the elbows. You are basically performing a bicep curls while leaning back so try to mimicking the movement and good form of a well-executed dumbbell bicep curl. Lower yourself back down to the starting position to complete the rep.

Suspension Strap Triceps Extension

Muscles used: Triceps and abs

What is it: Give your triceps a real burn by bringing a high level of instability into your regular tricep extension exercise. Perform the suspension strap triceps extension on your upper-body push day where it should be preceded by your compound chest exercises such as the bench press, incline bench press and the chest fly.

How to: face away from whatever the straps are attached to. Grip the handles of the straps with your palms facing down towards the floor. Lean forward towards the floor with your arms fully extended and outstretched in front of you. Then bend your elbows and lower yourself even further brining your hands towards your head in the movement of a skullcrusher. Then bring your arms forwards again so that they are straight and fully extended.

Suspension Strap Push-Up

Muscle used: Pecs, triceps and shoulders

What is it: if you’ve been training for a while and have improved your upper body strength somewhat you might have stopped doing push-ups as they are too easy. This suspension training exercise will make you think again and see just how difficult the humble push-up can be when it feels like the ground is moving beneath you.

How to: Place your ankles into the straps so they are suspended a few inches off the ground. Then start doing regular push-ups remembering to keep your elbows close to your body as opposed to sticking them out. As you lower yourself you will feel your body fighting to start swinging about, resist this force and try and keep in position as it will work your core as well as the chest, triceps and shoulder muscles. To increase the difficulty, shorten the length of the straps so your feet are higher off the ground. To give your triceps an extra burn, place your palms closer together on the floor. Make sure you keep your back straight at all times as you perform suspension strap push-ups and regular ones.

These examples should be enough to get you started with suspension training workouts. Remember you will be doing these alongside regular weight training exercises so they will be enough to begin with.

If you are interested in buying a set of these straps visit our suspension straps reviews page to find out which ones are the best.

The Best Kettlebell Exercises for Women

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kettlebell training for women When it comes to home workout options for women there is no reason why you should avoid the type of exercises that are popular with male trainers. Your average gym going female might have different workout goals to most men who train with weights but by using tried and tested workout routines and fitness equipment women can make great progress in the gym or at home without attending special women-only classes or following gender specific exercise routines.

The Rise of Kettlebell Training for Women

One of the most exciting new pieces of fitness equipment on the scene is the kettlebell which hails from Russia but is now experiencing widespread popularity in the United States and other Western countries. Once the sole preserve of male trainers this item is slowly moving into the mainstream and finding an audience with switched on women trainerswho are looking to get a great all round physique and also improve their fitness levels in one workout. Workout programs like Kathy Smith’s Kettlebell Solution have also helped to improve the popularity of this type of training and provide a great way for women to get started as it contains some great kettlebell exercises for women and the types of objectives they have.

Why Kettlebells?

Why kettlebell training for women? It could be said that the kettlebell is a one piece gym in that it offers a great level of versatility allowing you to target multiple body parts and perform literally dozens of exercises with just one piece of small fitness equipment. Due to this level of versatility they are excellent for men who want to expand their biceps or build up their neck and back muscles but they are also ideal for women who want to tone their legs and upper arms as well as sculpt their butts and thighs. Simply performing different movements with different weighted kettlebells can allow you to train with completely different outcomes in mind making them ideal for both men and women trainers who do not share the same fitness goals.

How to Get Started

WARNING: Working out with weights is a sure-fire way to develop your muscles to the point where your body has that toned appearance we all crave. Don’t worry about putting on too much muscle as it is a slow process and not something that will happen overnight without you noticing! Once you get the toned, firm look you desire then take your foot off the gas for a while and just workout to maintain your new body composition instead of adding more muscle.

If you want the best results then you need to be prepared to move out of your comfort zone and when you start training with this type of fitness equipment that can often happen, at least for the first couple of times you use them. Due to misinformation and people following the status quo most women who attend the gym steer clear of the weights section for fear of building too much muscle and losing their feminine shape. They tend to stick to the cardiovascular machines such as the treadmill or elliptical trainer while the more adventurous trainers might use some of the workout machines. Taking this approach is great if you want to get fit and improve your running or cycling ability but if your goals also include getting toned and firming up certain areas of your body then you might be running for a long time before that happens!

Using something like a kettlebell is not only a great way to tone your body, build functional strength and burn calories but due to the large full body movements involved it also rivals a cardio workout for improving your fitness levels. For more information the different types of kettlebells available check out our ultimate guide to training with kettlebells. As you can exercise nearly any muscle in your body with one of these weights they make a great investment for anyone who wants to avoid the gym and start working out at home. They are small, practical and relatively low cost and offer numerous workout options to stop you from getting bored and giving up.

Beginners Women’s Kettlebell Exercises

If you are thinking of giving kettlebell training for women a try then here are some basic exercises to get you started:

The Kettlebell Squat Press is one of the best kettlebell exercises for women and when you do it for the first time you will feel why! This exercise targets the legs, glutes and core so your lower body and abs will get a great workout helping to increase the firmness of your stomach while also improving the strength of your back which can help with your posture.

In a standing position hold one kettlebell in your hand and position your feet so that they shoulder width apart.
Lift the weight up to your shoulder and then bend your knees to squat down towards the ground. Keep your hips pushed back and your back straight.
Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground or even further if you can manage it.
Pause at the bottom then push you from your feet so you are standing upright again, this time with the weight held over your head.

Walking Overhead Lungesare another great exercise that targets the lower body and will get your bottom toned in no time at all! These make a nice change from regular lunges as you will be walking with the weight held above your head.

From the starting position with your legs shoulder width apart hold the weight with your arm stretched out straight above your head.
Keeping your back straight and your abs tensed step forward while keeping the weight held above your head.
With both knees bent and your front foot flat on the floor push off explosively with your back foot and bring your back leg forward to meet your front leg.
You should now be back in the starting positioning with the weight still above your head.

Kathy Smiths Kettlebell Solution These are just a few of the great workouts suitable for women who want to train with these exciting free weights.

To give your workouts even more impact intersperse them with bodyweight exercises such as press ups, sit ups and jumping jacks. If you want to get started with this type of training at home or the gym then we recommend you take a look at the Kathy Smith’s Kettlebell Solution as it includes two weights, a DVD and an instructional wall chart to keep you on the right track.

Is Kettlebell Training Suitable for Women?

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Are Kettlebell workouts suitable for women? Due to their origins, emanating from deepest, darkest Siberia, the kettlebell isn’t a piece of fitness equipment you would immediately associate with women trainers wanting to get in shape. But despite its core fan base this type of gym equipment is ideal for those wanting to get toned and in shape without the hassle of having to join a gym or kit out your spare room as a home gym. Even if you do train in a gym a kettlebell workout for women can make a great addition to your existing workout routine.

Kettlebells vs. Resistance Machines

Resistance Machines vs. Kettlebells As the popularity of kettlebells has grown over the recent years, they have slowly began to catch the attention of savvy female trainers who aren’t afraid to implement fitness and exercise strategies that have traditionally been the preserve of male trainers, in order to get the results they want on their own terms. If you are willing to step away from the exercise machines in your gym and pick up the harder to handle free weights then you will begin to reap rewards far beyond what the resistance machines can offer you. If you are prepared to expand your horizons in the gym beyond the Swiss ball and the hip abductor machine and start training with a kettlebell then you might just be in for a pleasant surprise.

There is nothing wrong with resistance machines and the exercises you can perform on them but due to the way they work they can be a time consuming option. As each exercise you perform on the machines only works one or two muscle groups you could end up spending a lot of time getting around to exercising all the areas of your body you want to tone such as they upper arms, thighs and stomach to mention just a few.

Kettlebell exercises on the other hand tend to use large portions of your body as opposed to just one muscle group such as the triceps. A basic kettlebell exercise such as the swing utilizes your legs, hips and back performing a full body workout in just one movement. Not only does this help tone up multiple muscles and areas of your body but it also burns more calories as your body is working as a whole to not only move the weight but also keep yourself stable and balanced. This is why such exercises are increasing the popularity of kettlebell workout routines for women.

These kettlebell exercises mimic the kind of workout you would get playing a sport as your whole body or at the very least, large parts of it are used. Just think of a sport you might play such as badminton, swimming or netball and you will be able to see the parallels between the workout you get when playing them and working out with a kettlebell.

As good as resistance machines are for isolating single muscle groups they can’t compete with the type of workout you get when playing a strenuous sport or working out with a kettlebell. And not only will your new workout help you get in great shape but you will be improving your body in a way that will transfer directly to whatever sport you play as you get stronger and fitter.

If you are sold on the idea of this type of training and want to take your progress to the next level, check out our in-depth guide to the humble kettlebell.

What are the Best Kettlebell Workout Routines for Women?

How to perform the kettlebell swing So now you know why this type of workout can be great for women trainers you might want to know what the best kettlebell workout routines for women are. Well the swing mentioned above is a great place to start as it is the core of most exercises using this type of free weight and it is relatively easy to perform in terms of technique. Just make sure you start with a light enough weight and practice on getting your form correct before moving to a heavier weight. Follow these steps to perform the swing which is a great kettlebell workout for women and men alike:

Put the kettlebell on the floor between your feet
Stand with your feet slightly wider apart than your shoulders
Keep your back straight and reach down, bending at the hips and knees to pick up the weight at the handle with both hands
Now swing the weight forward between your legs and then when it is in front of you push up, pushing your hips forward to send the weight up in front of you to about shoulder height
Keep your back straight at all times to avoid injury!

Another great exercise that works the whole body as well as improving your fitness levels with a cardio workout is the kettlebell get up. This one really focuses on your core so if you are looking to get abs of steel or at least a firm stomach then you can understand why this exercise is very often featured in kettlebell workouts for women not to mention the ever popular Jillian Michaels kettlebell workout. Here is how to perform the get up, a great shoulder and core exercise:

Place the kettlebell on the ground and lie down next to it so it is on the right-hand side of you
Grasp the handle of the bell with your right hand and then using your left hand also bring the weight onto your chest
Now push the weight straight up into the air in the direction of the celling with your right arm
With your right arm locked vertically stand up by first sitting up then using your other arm for support stand up, while constantly keeping your right arm extended above you
Once you are fully standing follow the steps in reverse so you are lying down again
Change arms so you are holding the bell in your left hand with your left arm outstretched to the celling

If this exercise sounds a bit complicated you might want to check out a kettlebell workout for women DVD such as the Jillian Michaels kettlebell workout found on her Shred-It With Weights offering.

From Russia with Love

So as you can see this Russian import is a great way for women to get in shape and get a powerful, dynamic workout at home or in the gym. Just familiarise yourself with one or two exercises which you can then try out at the gym or at home and then slowly add more exercises to your repertoire as you get more confident and in no time at all you will have built your own personalised kettlebell workout for women!

If you want some workout ideas to get you started then take a look at our guide to the best women’s kettlebell exercises.

Is Kettlebell Certification a Good Idea?

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If you are a personal trainer looking to add another string to your bow in order to help you stand out from the ever increasing crowd of people plying their trade in this rewarding profession then you should seriously consider getting a kettlebell certification. Likewise if you are a dedicated gym goer who takes their workouts seriously and wants to stay on the crest of the wave when it comes to new workout methodologies and doesn’t want to rely on second hand information from so called experts at the gym then taking a kettlebell certification course is also something you should seriously consider.

What Kettlebell Certifications are Available?

Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor Until recently there has only been one industry standard certification for those wishing to be a kettlebell instructor and that was the Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor, or RKC as it is known for short. This is a three day course which comes with a hefty price tag which can be as high as $2500. From those who have done the RKC course the reports say that this is a gruelling three days during which you have to truly earn your certification. There is no easy way to bluster your way through this program I am afraid and you have to not only talk the talk but walk the walk when it comes to handling the iron. Due to this it is not surprising that not everyone passes first time which although is a shame for those who fail it does give the qualification some credibility as we have all been on some sort of course or training seminar in which everyone passes no matter how little effort they put in; this is definitely not the case here! Even if you don’t plan to become a kettlebell instructor this course is a great way to vastly increase your knowledge of using this type of fitness equipment and is also a great way to put yourself through a tough workout that perhaps left to your own devices you might not be able to fight your way through. Being surrounded by likeminded individuals who are all supporting each other to reach their goals and push themselves to their physical and mental limits is a great way to spend a few days and can help raise your training to new levels.

Alternatives to the RKC?

Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification Although this Russian kettlebell certification is the best there is of its type, for some it might be too much in terms of time commitment and financial outlay. If either of those applies to you then there is still an option available to you that comes well regarded within the fitness and personal training community. That alternative to the Russian kettlebell certification is the Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification, or HKC as it is also known. The HKC is better suited to those with either less time or money to spare as it only takes one day and costs a fraction of the price of the RKC. Although it only lasts a third of the time of the longer more expensive RKC course the Hardstyle program teaches you how to design your own workouts using this piece of gym equipment by following a template that gives you the framework to create countless new exercises and variations on existing moves. It also looks at using these free weights from both power and strength perspectives to help you tailor your workouts for different goals. Due to the lesser time requirements of this new course it is quickly growing in popularity and is proving increasingly popular with those not quite ready to attempt the more demanding Russian kettlebell certification and with those who just have a passing interest in this type of training and want to know more and get a cert at the end of the day.

At the time of writing the organisers of the HKC were allowing their participants to put the entire cost of taking the course towards the RKC should they wish to attempt it after doing the Hardstyle program.

For Kettlebell Instructors and Enthusiasts Alike

So whether you are a personal trainer who wants to become an expert in delivering kettlebell training instruction or you just love using these unique free weights taking one of the certifications available is something you should definitely consider. Having a bit of paper to say you know what you are talking about is always a good thing when it comes to finding work and clients and although it doesn’t always mean you know what you are talking about it can’t hurt your chances at all. Even if you don’t plan on working as a kettlebell instructor but just want to make sure you are performing your workouts correctly and get a raft of new ideas to help you advance towards your fitness and muscle building goals one of these courses is a great way to spend a day or three and could even save you money in the long run as you won’t have to pay for professional instruction from a holder of one of these kettlebell certifications. These courses are open to those who are at a suitable fitness level and are a great way to devise a tailored kettlebell workouts for women and men alike.

If you want to know more about the different types of kettlebells on offer visit our in-depth guide to the most popular kettlebells.

The Most Annoying People in the Gym

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Gyms attract a wealth of different people and over time you will come into contact with some very interesting characters. Some of them will leave a good impression upon you but others might do just the opposite and have you starting in disbelief as they perform their 100^th dumbbell curl of the day with a 2kg weight in an attempt to get ‘toned rather than big’. If you’ve frequented a number of gyms over the years then you will start to notice the same characters popping up again and again from the grunter to the incredible sweating man. Where do these people come from and are they as annoying in real life, outside of the gym or do, once they step through the doors of the gym and put in their spandex shorts, turn into the fools and idiots we recognise them as. Here are some of the trainers we love to hate from our years in the gym:

The Grunter. More often than not The Grunter will be a man although from time to time a female version does crop up to the horror of the patrons of the gym. As the name suggests The Grunter makes disturbing noises of the grunting variety when performing any exercise no matter how strenuous or not. Don’t get me wrong, a little noise when working out is fine. We all understand that pushing yourself that extra bit harder for that last rep can cause you to momentarily lose control of your bodily functions and let out an audible sigh or bellow but The Grunter takes it to the next level of self expression. The Grunter in my current gym makes ridiculous noises to accompany every movement he does whether it be picking up weights to put on the barbell or simply getting up off the bench. It is cringe inducing to hear and on occasions has forced me to leave the gym as his outbursts are so obnoxious. In very small cases, some Grunters can be forgiven for not knowing what they do but for the majority of this ilk they are guilty of a heinous crime and should be sentenced accordingly with a minimal punishment of a life time ban from all gyms.

The Expert. In all walks of life you will encounter The Expert but in no arena is he more comfortable and at home than in the gym. No matter what exercise you are performing whether it be the bench press or a lesser spotted movement like dumbbell pullovers, if The Expert is around you are likely to be interrupted which a call of “Don’t do it like that mate”. Shortly after your concentration and focus was punctured you will receive an uninvited stream of advice and comment that starts out related to the exercise you were in the middle of but soon moves onto topics close to your new friend’s heart such as the how his friends is loads bigger than you, his appraisal of the female patrons of the gym and ending up on any number of random topics nothing to do with the gym whatsoever. Now please note we are not saying we are opposed to getting advice from people who know their stuff and can deliver it in a concise way. After all, this is the best way to learn but that kind of advice is rarely given by The Expert and the reasons for their motivation to tell you how it should be done is more for their own benefit in order to stroke their ego and draw attention to themselves. Overall The Expert is relatively harmless and once he has burnt up a few minutes of your time he will be on to his next victim. It goes without saying that you should ignore and wisdom they impart and stick to what you know works.

The Incredible Sweating Man. Although one shouldn’t blame a guy for sweating too much as he was most likely just dealt a poor hand by mother nature it isn’t that easy to keep a cool head when using some equipment after he has finished with it. Some people with overactive sweat glands are aware of the effect this has and considerably carry a towel with them to mop up afterwards but this is not always the case and when someone neglects their duty to tidy up after themselves they are known as The Incredible Sweating Man and become a bane to any gym and its customers. There isn’t much you can do about this character apart from stay out of their jet stream and avoid using any machines or equipment after them. There is nothing worse than getting ready to do some dumbbell bench presses only to spot a round pool of sweat and hair just where you were about to place the back of your head.

I don’t Train Legs; I Play Football. When you started out in the gym you probably didn’t train your legs. Hell, I didn’t even train my back as it was all about the chest and biceps. I quickly wised up and started working the front and back muscle groups of my body before eventually adding leg movements such as squats, stiff legged deadlifts and calf raises into my training routine. But some people never catch on. We can all understand that training legs is more of an obligation than a treat but it has to be done in order to maintain a balanced physique, improve core strength and most importantly get that natural testosterone boost that only big compound moves like the squat can deliver. People come up for all kinds of excuses for not training legs such as ‘I want to be able to wear skinny jeans’, or ‘I don’t need to as I play football’. Running around might make your legs tired but it can’t be compared with lifting 100kg of dead weight on your back using the power of your legs and the muscle gains from these two different activities cannot be compared. So next time someone gives you an outlandish excuse for why they don’t train their legs just nod and refer them to The Expert.

Doing Curls in the Squat Rack. Now, if you are like the previous guy and don’t put much effort into training the lower half of your body then you might be wondering what that big rack in the corner is with an Olympic barbell hooked up in it. Well my chicken-legged friend that is the squat rack. As the name suggests it is for performing squats in and nothing else. Sometimes it might be combined with a power rack for doing bench presses and pull ups in but if it is just a squat rack then it is for nothing more than squats and maybe a few other leg exercises. But as lots of people neglect to train their legs they often have no idea what it is and use it for all kinds of activities much to the chagrin of the serious trainers in the gym. Having to wait for someone who is using the gym equipment

The Weekend Warrior. Sometimes known as the Weekend Millionaire this creature lives life to the full and wants everyone in their immediate and not so immediate vicinity to know it. If you aren’t having it as large as The Weekend Warrior then you are living life in the bus lane and he wants you to know exactly how great life is from up on his perch. This guy isn’t unique to the gym environment at all but due to the close confines of the fitness centre uses his time in the gym to tell his bros at high volumes exactly what he was up to at the weekend and who he did what with and where. Due to the loud nature of his call which is done entirely with purpose everyone else in the gym gets to hear how cool he is and how amazing his life is. The Weekend Warrior is pretty harmless and can easily be avoided by using earphones and keeping clear of the gym on a Monday when his weekend’s exploits are still fresh in his mind. It is very unlikely you will approached by this guy as it is likely you don’t even register on his radar.

Know someone who fits one of these descriptions? Met someone even more annoying? Leave a comment below and let us know what grinds your gears in the gym.

Shock Your Muscles into Growth without Changing Your Routine

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If you are attached to your current weightlifting routine and don’t want to throw it out just because your gains have started to slow down then this article is for you. We will show you how you can follow the same set of exercises but shock your muscles into growth as if you were following a completely new weightlifting routine.

Why Change is Good for Growth

Daniel Craig The problem with sticking to the same weightlifting routine for too long is that what once gave us great gains no longer delivers the goods due to our bodies and muscles getting used to the exercises that make up the routine.

Our muscles know what is coming before we even pick up the weights and find themselves just going through the motions when you are lifting much as our minds do when performing a repetitive exercise such as doing the dishes, starting the car or brushing our teeth.

It doesn’t take long for our muscles to get stuck in a rut almost as if they are bored and when this happens they stop growing. Something new needs to happen to kick start the muscle building process.

Why not Just Start a New Weightlifting Routine?

Many of us have a favourite routine for lifting weights in the gym that we have either followed for months or even years. Even if you do often change your training routine there is probably one that you keep coming back to.

Whether this is because it is the easiest to remember, has your favourite lifts in or was your very first routine and gave you the best gains when you were starting out; we all have a favourite routine that we fall back on when we need something tried and tested.

So if for whatever reason you don’t want to go through the rigmarole of moving to a new routine here is what you need to do to bring some variety back into your workouts.

Rotation is the Key

Now most of us start our workouts with a big compound move that utilises all or most of the muscles we will be working that day. For chest days this is most likely to be the bench press. For legs the squat and back the deadlift.

After that we follow the compound exercise with a series of isolation exercises that work the smaller muscles such as the triceps, biceps and calves for chest, back and leg days respectively. The key here is to change the order we do the isolation exercises in.

An example chest day workout might look like this:

Barbell bench press
Incline dumbbell press
Dips
Dumbbell Flyes

This is a tried and tested chest workout but if you follow it for too long you will stop seeing results because each time you perform this gym routine, by the time you reach the dips and dumbbell flyes your body is already fatigued and not functioning at its best.

This means that the muscles worked in those two exercises hardly get a workout as you are already tired and your muscle power is down. To remedy this we recommend that each time you do a chest workout you change the order of the isolation exercises.

Continue to start with a big compound move like the bench press but change the order of the following exercises. This means you will be hitting each one on rotation with a full tank and can give it your all.

The same can be applied to other body part workouts such as back, shoulders and legs. It even works with full body workouts, just change the order you do the exercises in. Rotating in this way should shock your muscles into growing without you having to rip up your old routine.

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Bowflex SelectTech 552: Are these Adjustable Dumbbells any Good?

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We recently did a feature on whether cheap adjustable dumbbells were worth investing your money in so we thought we’d better follow it up with some adjustable dumbbells reviews to help you find the right set of weights for you.

If you use a gym that has this type of weights or take a look at any of the best sellers on fitness equipment websites then you will probably find the Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells featured prominently.

If you are familiar with these weights then you will know why they are so popular. Just by looking at them you can tell that they are high quality merchandise but it’s not until you actually get your hands on them and give them a try that you realise just how good they are. For adjustable dumbbell sets to be worth considering over regular dumbbells they need to be easy to adjust.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Review

There’s no good having a set of weights that you have paid extra for so you can adjust them but that when you actually come to changing the weights it takes a lot of time and effort as can often be the case with cheap gym equipment.

Being able to change the weights easily like you can with good adjustable dumbbell sets means you can also use them for performing supersets as you can move from one exercise like the dumbbell bench press for which you would use a heavier weight before switching to an exercise you would use a lighter weight for like perhaps the bent over dumbbell row.

If you are using cheap gym equipment and not a good pair of adjustable dumbbells then you will waste valuable seconds or even minutes faffing around with the adjustable dumbbells rather than getting straight into the next set. This is where a high quality piece of fitness equipment like these adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex comes into their own.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells Product Features

Hopefully you now understand the need for a high quality set of changeable weights and to find out why we think these adjustable dumbbell sets from Bowflex are just the ticket check out the product features straight from the manufacture:

Both dumbbells are adjustable from 5 pounds up to 52.5 pounds or 2.2 kg to 23 kg and are adjustable in increments of 2.5 lbs.
Easy to switch from one weight to another saving you time in gym between workouts.
Suitable for a wide range of exercises in both home and professional gyms.
Saves valuable space as they eliminate the need for multiple sets of dumbbells.
Comes with a two year warranty in the event of damage occurring to the adjustable dumbbell sets.

The Best Adjustable Dumbbells

When it comes to the SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex the price might be high but they are the best product in their class but don’t just take our word for it. Check out some of the customer feedback left by people who have actually paid their hard earned money for this set of weights, many people agree that these are the best adjustable dumbbells available:

“Excellent solution for P90X or those that don’t want a house full of weights”

“Amazing home workout tool”

“BEST DUMBELLS EVER!!!!”

“Spend the money and get these, 100% worth it”

“Can’t complain, even if I tried.”

Of course you can’t please all of the people all of the time and in the interests of fairness we should take a look at some of the less positive feedback from customers left on amazon.com:

“Great Design, its just the ruggedness thats the problem”

“Was expecting better quality, but still happy”

“Conveniently compact, inconvenient to use”

So as you can see these weights are not perfect but with over 350 customer reviews on amazon.com alone and an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 most people were more than happy with their purchase. If you are interested in buying the Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells then we suggest you have a look at the customer feedback on amazon.com as there is quite a lot of good information there from people who have bought or are using these weights.

To read the customer reviews click here now.

Summary: Are these the Best Adjustable Dumbbells?

So to surmise, if you are looking for cheap gym equipment then these are not the adjustable dumbbell sets for you due to their substantial price tag but if you want a professional-grade set of weights that will save you time, space and allow you to perform a large number of exercises at different poundages then the Bowflex SelectTech 552 are perfect for you.

We hope you have found this feature useful; keep an eye out for more adjustable dumbbells reviews in the coming weeks as we look at the some of the other products on the market.

To get the full details and the latest pricing information on these free weights click here now.