strength training

Man Quits Using Kettlebells – Loses 15lbs. The “How And Why”…

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I really appreciate reader and customer emails because it gives me feedback on what you’re struggles are and then helps me provide you with the solution.

Here’s an email I got yesterday from Todd. I’ve posted it in its entirety so you can see the context.

And the reason I’m doing it is because this question is a Gold Mine that will answer so many people’s questions – specifically, why you start a program/workout with one intention, say, to lose weight, and you never reach your goals.

That last part is really important – SO many people embark on a journey and never reach the destination.

And it doesn’t have to be that way. You just need to put a few keys in place and remove a few obstacles. Then it’s pretty much smooth sailing.

Finally, before we dig any deeper, it’s important that we acknowledge how the mind affects the body – especially the subconscious mind – the part that really makes the decisions.

If your rational mind – the part you think is in control doesn’t match the subconscious mind, and therefore your actions don’t match the necessary steps to achieve your goals, this will lead to internal friction, which is probably one of the worst forms of stress we experience.

So identifying potential and hidden roadblocks will help reconcile the rational and subconscious minds by increasing awareness, addressing hidden questions, and answering those questions in the context of our goals.

(If I lost you there – don’t worry – just keep reading. It’ll all make sense as we go through this together.)

So here we go –

“Geoff,

I have been folloowing your e-mails for over a year now and enjoy them – I have learned a lot. I am 49 yo and have worked out all my life. I have been using kb’s for about 3 years now. I started using them wanting to lose some weight and fat – but have had the opposite happen. I have gotten very strong, but have gained weight. Was up to 240lbs. Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it). I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!). I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?

Todd”

Todd – thanks for writing in.

Let’s break this down into pieces to get a clearer understanding.

1. You started using kettlebells “to lose weight and fat but… had the opposite happen.”

First, I can only infer from this statement that from using kettlebells you gained weight and gained fat.

So, the “weight” could’ve been muscle, especially since you said you’ve gotten really strong.

It could also be fluid build up, which is a result of chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is a result of too much stress. So, incredibly taxing workouts, like many kettlebell workouts, will just place more stress on your body, preventing a system that’s already overworked from recovering. And therefore not getting the weight / fat loss you expected.

The second thing is that some people’s appetites increase from intense exercise. And unless your faithfully monitoring all the calories that go in your mouth, there’s a good chance you were just eating more without being aware of it. I’ve seen that happen quite often when people start using kettlebells.

The third and related thing is psychological – you start working out harder or more or both and subconsciously you give yourself permission to eat more. It’s a simple rationalization that many of us don’t mean to do.

“I’m working out more, so I can eat _______.”

And unfortunately “_______” isn’t usually more salad. It’s more of the calorically dense stuff that puts weight on in the first place.

I’ve seen that happen way too often to people who start using KBs.

2. “Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it).”

I’m not sure if this had anything to do with your weight loss because you don’t say. But since you mention it, let’s both assume that it did.

There are two things going on here –

Thing 1 – You’re eating less calories per week. Over time you’ll see your weight drop. It’s just simple math.

Thing 2 – You actually “really like” the program so you’re more apt to stick with it, thus ensuring your results. And because you’re getting results, you’re liking it even more, helping you stick with it. And then you get more results. It’s a nice little positive feedback loop. And that’s the way it should be.

And because both those “things” are helping you achieve your original goal – weight loss and fat loss, from a hormonal perspective, you’re setting yourself up for success.

You’re getting into a caloric deficit.

That caloric deficit is switching on your fat burning hormones.

And because you’re enjoying the process and possibly seeing results, your reducing the production of your stress hormones, which is decreasing the effects of stress on your body, and restoring the hormonal balance between all of your hormones – bringing you closer back to the baseline we’re meant to live and function in – lean, strong, and healthy.

3. “I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!).”

Ok, here’s the “meat n potatoes” of this post – so you’ll want to pay close attention here.

Respiratory infections are pretty massive bugs. In order to catch something of that magnitude, your immune system has to be working less than optimally.

And the quickest way to suppress your immune system is to be over-stressed.

What’s this got to do with kettlebell workouts?

Hang tight, amigo, we’re getting there. It’s just really, really important you see how this process is so interconnected.

One of the things about getting sick – especially like this – is that if forces you to rest. And rest, is a great antidote to stress. In fact, rest, sleep, whatever you want to call it, is probably the best form of stress-relief there is. (Probably why God created sleep…)

So, you start resting, and you start de-stressing. Not to mention the fact that your body is in “code red” fighting off those nasty little intruders – that infection. This means your metabolism is going to increase. (Running a temperature is a manifestation of this.)

And not only that, most of us, when we’re sick, don’t feel like eating that much. So there’s a natural caloric reduction here too.

So what you have is rest + metabolism increase + less external stress imposed from not working out + eating less food than normal = weight loss.

(This in fact happened to me when I got the shingles. I literally lost 10lbs in one day. Woke up Saturday morning at 205. Got up Sunday at 195.)

Not only that, but Todd, when you started recovering, you felt well enough to do some interval training on the elliptical.

Interval training, especially intense (relative term, I know – different for different people at different times) interval training, has been shown to blunt your appetite.

And not only that, the body does appreciate “novel stimuli” – variety – as a stimulus for change.

So, you got –

An elevated metabolism from fighting an infection +

less external stress imposed on your body from doing hard KB workouts +

change in workouts (novel stimulus) +

blunted appetite from interval training =

weight loss.

Is this making sense so far?

There are a lot of “mechanisms” for weight loss all going on at the same time here – I want to make sure we unpack them all so you can see how this will apply to you…

So back to THE Dilemma –

4. “I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?”

Todd – you didn’t say what kind of weight it was that you lost. Was it muscle? Was it fat? Was it a combination of the two? Unfortunately, unless you measured you won’t know for sure. But, based on experience, my best guess is that it was a combination of both.

One way to tell if it was fat was simply to see how your pants fit. If they’re looser in the waist, you lost some fat.

And that’s good.

But I’m with you – and at this point I’m going to address everybody in the global sense of the word “you” – I think it’s really important that you continue to use kettlebells for the plain and simple reason that you enjoy them.

Please don’t overlook that.

Enjoying something is HUGELY important in achieving any goal.

(As long as it’s consistent in achieving that goal.)

It means you’re more likely to remain committed to your goal and consistent in doing the things necessary to achieve it.

And because you enjoy what you’re doing, you will in fact, decrease your stress levels.

And again, please don’t overlook that point – because all stress produces adaptation but not always the adaptation that we want.

In this case, you want to lose weight and fat. (I’d just worry about the fat – stay as muscular as possible and lose the dough on top of it, but hey – that’s just me…)

So we need to apply enough stress to the body to get that to happen without over-stressing and accidentally encouraging the opposite to happen – which is probably the reason you gained weight in the first place.

Make sense?

So how do we apply “just enough stress” to the body without getting it to do the opposite?

Simple.

Here are the steps.

1. Think about your recovery first.

I’m a big believer that regardless of how you “feel” – the average person (that’s you and me) doesn’t need to work out every day. Even for stress relief. Sure, there are ways to do that (more on that in a minute) but it’s like walking a tightrope – not much margin for error.

So, make sure you’re getting enough sleep first and foremost. Don’t even think about doing any sort of hard kettlebell workouts if you’re only getting 5 hours of sleep a night.

Seriously. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Nothing lives there except injuries. And getting injured increases stress. BIG TIME.

So, get your sleep first.

Skip your workouts if you have to, but help your body rest and recover by sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night. No excuses.

2. Be an Underachiever.

Set aside a period of time you know you can commit to for your workouts.

I used to be infamous (in my own mind) for writing these fantastic periodized workouts for myself that were 6 days a week because that’s what all the champs did for their training.

I never completed any of them. My life got in the way.

The simplest and best (most productive as measured by actual results) weightlifting workouts were the ones written for me by my coach (surprise – how bout that). And they drove me crazy because the were “too easy” – 3 exercises per day, 3 days per week. Maybe 2.5 hours a week of workouts. That’s it. Massive results. But they worked so well I started doing other stuff. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid…

But I digress – we’re talking about you…

So if you know you can “only” fit in 2 hours a week for your workouts, then you know what?

Become an Underachiever.

We’re a society of Overachievers.

This just adds to our stress levels. So do the opposite with your workouts.

You can only commit to 3 hours per week to working out?

(From experience, I bet you’re wrong – I bet you’re overestimating.)

Cut it in half and commit to 1.5 hours per week.

Why so little?

So you can actually do it. Consistently. Routinely. Effortlessly. Without mental anxiety, angst, or aggravation.

By doing so you’ll build the recovery necessary into your workouts so you can actually see the results you say you want.

And because it’s “so easy” to get the workouts into your busy schedule, you’ll actually do them all the time.

And then you’ll be building that positive feedback loop that leads you down the Road to Success –

Easy workouts + very little time commitment + consistency + enjoyment = Results!

And that’s it – just 2 steps.

Why only two?

Simple. So you remember them. And more importantly, don’t have to stress out about remembering them or whether or not you can remember them.

Some Sidenotes On Stress Relief…

Many of us, myself included, like to work out for stress relief. So my training is sometimes some sort of weird combination of training to reach strength goals and alleviating stress.

So I get the fact that workouts are stress relievers. But what I’ve found is that if I program in alternate easy activities for stress relief, I can focus on just training to achieve my strength goals. This works so much better.

(I actually achieve my strength goals sooner – which is a stress reliever itself.)

The simplest activity for me is just long walks on the weekends. A couple of one hour walks make a huge difference in my ability to handle stress. I’ll also toss in a couple of short 20 minute walks with the dog just to clear my head during the week when I need to.

Works like a charm.

Plus the extra activity helps burn extra calories and that helps keep me lean.

You should do the same.

Funny movies are great too.

When was the last time you laughed so hard you either cried or almost pee’d your pants? I’ll bet it’s been awhile.

There’s a story about Norman Cousins, a famous journalist from my grandparents’ generation, of how he cured a pretty debilitating illness by laughter.

So laughter is a great stress-reliever. Laugh. A lot.

Back to the kettlebell workouts…

What Kind Of Workouts?

Ok, so I realize I didn’t specifically answer your question about what kind of kettlebell workout you should be doing to lose fat moving ahead.

This is a simple one.

They should be –

1. Short enough to give you time to recover.

2. Fun – with variety to keep your mind stimulated and your heart engaged.

3. Frequent enough to keep your body stimulated and programmed for progress.

4. Properly designed using principles of Progressive Overload so you can track and see progress.

So that’s how I would design them if I were you.

Except, if I were you, I wouldn’t waste my time trying to design my workouts. That would only add one more thing to the “To Do” list and increase your stress levels.

Instead, I think you should pick up a copy of “Kettlebell Express!” which is my new “book” chock full of kettlebell programs – 49 different ones to be exact.

And the reasons are very simple –

1. They are short and to the point – you’ll workout for no more than 60-90 minutes per week, depending on the program you choose. This gives you time to recover.

And remember – Recovery = Results.

2. There’s a lot of variety in the programs. This means they’re enjoyable. Unless you’re a monk, most of us cannot do the same old kettlebell routine.

For many of us –

Variety = Motivation.

And Motivation = Consistency.

And Consistency = Success.

3. The thinking and programming has been done for you.

Dan John is very fond of the quote – “The client who represents himself in court has a fool for an attorney.” His point is that all of us not only need coaching but will ultimately fail if we don’t for the simple reason that we bring our own biases and blindness to the table.

Which means unless you’re an expert in workout program design, your best efforts are “hit or miss.”

4. And all that means less stress for you.

Remember, Stress Management = Success.

So when you’re looking for a variety of fun, short, time-efficient stress-relieving kettlebell programs (49 of them), click here and grab yourself a copy of Kettlebell Express!. You’ll be very glad you did.

Wrap Up.

So Todd, I think that pretty well answers your question.

I appreciate you sending it in because you brought up so many good points that I know so many people have struggled with, but weren’t aware of all the underlying mechanisms and implications and how each of these things tied together.

And if you (global you – not just Todd) have any comments or questions, leave them below.

Oh yeah, almost forgot – the special promo for Kettlebell Express! ends at Midnight Wednesday night. When you want to stop stressing about which workouts to do to reach your goals, click here.

Combining Bodyweight And Kettlebells For Fat Loss

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As you know, I’ve been on a tear lately with bodyweight training.

As you also know, I’ve designed a very successful “kettlebell only” fat loss program – Kettlebell Burn.

However, it’s strength may also be a limitation. (*GASP!* He just said his program wasn’t the end all-be all!)

It is only kettlebell work. There’s nothing else included. Just kettlebell exercises. And I know from customer feedback that it works great.

But for some people it doesn’t.

Some people “need” more than just kettlebell work. (They’re what super-coach Louie Simmons calls “extroverts” – they need more training stimulus.) And that’s cool.

One of the best combinations for fat loss is combining bodyweight training with kettlebells.

Much to my dismay, I haven’t designed a fat loss program specifically for them, one that specifically combines the two.

Fortunately, my friend and fellow RKC Chris Lopez has.

I recently sat down and interviewed Chris all about it. You can read Part 1 here on yesterday’s post.

Today, Chris will discuss the proverbial “elephant in the room,” his mistakes as a trainer, how the RKC changed his program design for the better, the “Rule of 165,” and a very interesting take on eating for fat loss without expensive supplements and with a limited budget.

Here’s Part 2 – we’ll pick up with the bodyweight question we ended with yesterday.

GN: Why do you like mixing bodyweight training with kettlebells? What are some of the benefits you’ve noticed?

CL: Bodyweight training, in my opinon, is the PERFECT compliment to kettlebell training. I honestly think that when the training Gods came together to match training modalities, they said that KBs and Bodyweight were all that anyone would ever need.

With a lot of my clients, a lot of the benefits of what I’ve noticed has been mental. I know that clients somewhat enjoy having to put down the kettlebell to superset their swings/snatches with some complimentary bodyweight exercise.

Supersetting bodyweight exercises into the program gives clients that mental break thinking that they are resting because they are not holding the kettlebell.

We’re almost – and I hate to say it – “tricking them” into thinking that they’ve got a break, all the while they are doing more work because they are doing a low impact bodyweight exercise.

From a strength standpoint, I find that a lot of people are lacking in basic relative strength and because of that, the advanced stages of the program incorporate a bodyweight strength based exercise. Nothing will get you moving better, and get you stronger than moving your own bodyweight through space doing exercises like pistols and chin-ups.

GN: You’ve got a very successful kettlebell fat loss program – please tell us a little bit about it. What makes it unique instead of one of those “me too” kettlebell programs?

CL: Back in 2008 I was approached by my good friend, Craig Ballantyne, to become the very first Certified Turbulence Trainer. Craig and I have known each other for close to 8 years now and I was one of his first test subjects on the very first Turbulence Training program.

I’ve seen Craig train clients in the gym and use his methods to get great results. After a while, I started using his non-competing superset and interval training methods on my clients.

Because I live in Toronto and my clients opted to not do interval training on a hill in 40-below winter weather, I started using kettlebell swings & snatches or even full kettlebell/bodyweight circuits for their interval training sessions.

Craig saw this and saw that I knew what I was doing with kettlebells and asked me to write a fat loss program that involved his TT methods but incorporated the use of kettlebells & bodyweight training….and that was the birth of my program, The Turbulence Training Kettlebell Revolution.

GN: Ok, Chris, I’ve got to ask about the proverbial “elephant in the room” – the name – “TT Kettlebell Revolution?” I mean c’mon man, the “kettlebell revolution” started 10 years ago! In fact, I know you upset a more than a few people with that name in 2009 when you launched the first version. What’s so revolutionary about your program?

CL: Ha! I knew this one was coming!

Yes, I know for a fact that a lot of people were upset for several reasons. The “revolution” name was one of them. The fact that I was a virtual unknown and that I didn’t have my RKC designation yet was another. A lot of questions were asked in a very unfriendly way. I don’t even want to know what kind of discussions were going on in the Dragon Door Forums!

Putting the program together, launching it and doing it under the Turbulence Training umbrella was revolutionary for those using Turbulence Training because it was their first introduction into kettlebells.

We recognized a need in the market to put together a program that used kettlebells & bodyweight training that used Turbulence Training Methods of non-competing supersets with interval training sessions that exercisers could use in the comfort of their own homes. That, in of itself, was revolutionary to the initial group that we launched the program to.

After that, and because of the results that we saw with the initial group that we had using the program, the name stuck.

There’s no doubt that Pavel & John DuCane were the pioneers of the kettlebell movement in North America and that guys like you and Brett Jones were responsible for spreading the word and teaching. It’s you guys that were responsible for the REVOLUTION.

This program was a way for us to help get kettlebell training out to the masses and the people that followed the TT methods religiously.

I gotta tell you though, after the launch and hearing all the rumblings about it, I really started to question my validity as a trainer and whether or not it was the right thing to do. One of the natural characteristics of human nature is to have self-doubt and believe me, I had a lot of it.

Then, as hokey as it sounds, I asked myself why I was a trainer and why I was doing what I was doing and realized that the nature of it all came from a good place. I didn’t put the program out to piss off my colleagues and peers, I did it to help people. Plain and simple.

From that point, the only way to prove to people and to myself that what I was doing was legit and that I was the “REAL DEAL” was to get out there be part of the army spreading the word about kettlebell training.

So, I did something that I knew in my heart that I should’ve done years ago when I read about Pavel in Rolling Stone Magazine in 2001 and registered for my RKC.

I’ve never looked back since and plan on doing my CK-FMS next year and then my RKC II.

Everything about the RKC, from its Eastern Philosophy roots to it’s movement-based practice is everything that I believe in as both a trainer and as a person.

Would I have done anything different from that time in September 2009 when we launched the program?

Hell no.

I wouldn’t have gotten to this point – being interviewed by you, a Master RKC and living a great life both physically & mentally – if I didn’t. I’m able to apply my passion to my business because it is part of my life and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.

GN: Great Chris. That makes perfect sense. And I admire you for your convictions. Very cool. OK, Chris, this is version 2.0. How is this different from your previous version? Why is it better?

CL: The first version was pretty intense. In the more advanced phases of the program, I had clients working out 6 days per week alternating days of strength based programming with days of interval training. It was a lot of volume, but nonetheless, we were getting great results.

Then, I noticed something funny. When I would look into the client journals and the success stories that I was receiving, I noticed that most people were really only training 3 to 4 days per week. The 6-day per week model seemed to be a little much for those that were incredibly busy like me.

These clients were getting similar results but training anywhere from 50-66% less than those training the full 6 days per week.

Around the same time, I took off to Disney World for the weekend to complete my RKC certification (it broke my heart, by the way, to leave my wife and 5 kids at home and go to Disney World). Over that weekend, meeting and learning from all the great instructors that the RKC has to offer, I realized that the Simpler is Better approach is the way to go with my training.

So, this NEW & IMPROVED version of the TT Kettlebell Revolution reflects all the knowledge and simplicity that I have learned over the past 2 years. The programming is simpler – not easier, but simpler – and puts a bigger emphasis on movement & strength all within a fat loss programming template.

GN: So my customers and subscribers will want to know how is “TT Ketttlebell Revolution 2.0” different from “Kettlebell Burn 2.0”? How would a “Kettlebell Burn” customer benefit from “TT Kettlebell Revolution 2.0?”

CL: The major difference is the element of bodyweight training.

I come from a school of thought where, if you can’t handle your own bodyweight, you have no business introducing another element of resistance into your training. So the majority of the initial stages of the program is a lot of bodyweight strength training with some foundational kettlebell movements.

I know the RKC recognizes the value of bodyweight strength training. Evidence is the fact that we just introduced the bodyweight pull-up/flexed arm hang test into the standards of attaining an RKC designation.

Those loyal to Burn will get a lot of variation of movement with the combination of the foundational kettlebell exercises and bodyweight exercises in TTKB. TTKB is written from a skinny, wiry guy’s athletic experience and so I’ve taken a lot elements from sport – high intensity bouts followed by short rest periods – with a lot of bodyweight power exercises like burpees, stride jumps and tuck jumps.

I’m also a huge fan of full body abdominal exercises like mountain climbers and Spiderman climbs and am devout follower of Dr. Stuart McGill, so you know I’ll have a lot of his stuff in there as well.

GN: Very nice job highlighting those differences and the benefits of them. OK, more controversy – I’m not a big fan of high reps for much of anything. Although I do believe they have their place in certain situations. I’ve noticed you’ve got some higher rep schemes in this program. Can you tell us why?

CL: Progressive overload. You’ll notice that a lot of the higher rep schemes in the TT Kettlebell Revolution incorporate timed sets mainly because most of the people that use my program only have access to one kettlebell.

So some of the higher rep programming is an additional way to use the overload principle to challenge the exerciser. I’ll ask the client to use their previous performance as a baseline measure for their next workout and so progress will occur if they are able to do one or more reps more than their previous workout.

Another area that I believe higher rep training to be beneficial is in the upper back/postural musculature. I have rep ranges in the 15-20 range for exercises like staggered stance rows because I believe that everyone needs some endurance in those smaller and essential postural muscles to combat all the forward leaning/anterior dominance that we get in today’s “desk-jockey” Western Society.

GN: Ok, great reasoning as well as practical application. Switching gears here, as most people, including you Chris, know, I’m a BIG believer in nutrition for fat loss. I love your ideas on fat loss nutrition. What are your 3 biggest nutritional strategies for fat loss while kettlebell training?

CL: Like I was saying above in my Rule of 165, I think nutrition plays as important, if not a more important role, than intense training.

If you don’t believe me, just take a look at all the senior citizens who can stay lean by just walking and eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables.

GN: Yeah, that’s a great point that’s often overlooked. My dad lost 30lbs in only 6 weeks back in 2003 just after his triple bypass. He changed his diet to the Zone and could only walk. Thanks for bringing that up.

CL: That said, my 3 best nutritional tips are:

1. Eat REAL FOOD. Stay away from processed crap. Eat as close to nature as possible. I’m not a big calorie counting type of guy because, well, I just don’t have the time and most importantly, I’m a parent who leads by example. So, the last thing that I want my 13-year-old daughter to see is me worrying about how many calories my grass-fed hamburger has and whether or not I’m within my “acceptable calorie range for the day”. Instead, if I can show my kids that I’m eating my fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and that we can’t buy you each an iPad because we choose to spend our money on premium beef from a cow that was allowed to graze on a pasture, then I think I’m being a good parent.

2. Drink lots of water. I’m finding more and more with the people that I work with that what they perceive to be hunger is, in fact, THIRST. I think we live in a population that is severely dehydrated and your body needs water to not only function properly but eliminate itself of toxicities (like bodyfat). My rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces of water. I got that from a book called “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water” by Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj.

3. Eat when you’re hungry. This probably goes against everything that you’ve ever read in any fitness and weight loss book, but I have yet to see any empirical evidence that if you eat 5-6 small meals per day you’ll lose more weight than if you just ate when you were hungry. It seems a little counter-intuitive to me. Eating every 2 hours means that you are constantly feeding yourself and causing an insulin response. If you’ve constantly got insulin in your blood, how is it possible to lose fat? Now, I’m just going on logic and the experience that I’ve had with both using myself and my clients as guinea pigs, but if you eat when you’re hungry, then you’ll find that you’ll eat a lot less and not be obsessed about food. If you’re eating less, then the liklihood of you losing weight goes up. It’s just a matter of recognizing when you truly are hungry or when an external stimulus causes you to think about food. There is a difference and once you’ve mastered and recognized that difference, you’ll change the game of fat loss for yourself.

GN: Those are excellent, Excellent points, Chris. Unlike the much of the mainstream fitness world, I’m a BIG believer in shorter workouts. And it looks from TTKB that you are too. Why do you believe shorter workouts are better for fat loss, especially with kettlebells?

CL: I think the metabolic effect is undeniable with shorter more intense workouts. Truthfully, with a properly structured kettlebell workout, I’d be shocked to see someone go longer than 40 minutes straight without sacrificing quality of movement and form in their exercises.

One of the major reasons why I like shorter workouts is because I’m a realist. As I said above, I first started training with kettlebells because of the restraint on my time. The only way for me to get a GOOD QUALITY workout within a set time was to train with kettlebells and bodyweight. That said, I know that a lot of people are like me – we have kids, we have jobs, we have commitments, we have LIVES – and so we need an effective fat loss solution that fits into our busy schedule. Short but intense kettlebell workouts fit that mould, give us a great hormonal effect and make us feel energized as opposed to some of these high-rep marathon workouts that make you feel like you just got hit by a truck.

That’s another thing about training with kettlebells – and forgive me if I’m off on a tangent – but I don’t think that your workouts should be punishing. I think with the birth of some of these 80% technique, 100% guts and puke workouts (and I won’t mention the name of the workout I’m talking about, but you and I both know), people believe that if you’re not hurting by the end of the session then you’re doing something wrong.

GN: I totally agree. I’m 100% against beating yourself to a pulp in order to achieve results. For many, it produces some short-term and short-lived gains, but for most, it leads to injury and frustration.

CL: Yeah, again, logically, that just doesn’t make any sense. If we are trying to feel better. If we’re trying to move better and improve the quality of our lives, why are we trying to hurt ourselves into submission to get to that healthy state?

When it comes to exercise and health, if people just stop and think – apply the rule of 165, remember that they’re supposed to feel energized and not hurt after a workout and eat real food – not only will they lose fat and gain muscle and strength, but they’ll be a lot happier as well.

GN: You’ve got something special for “Kettlebell Secrets” subscribers. Why don’t you tell us about it?

CL: Yes I do, Geoff. I’m really happy and confident with the work that I’ve done with the TT Kettlebell Revolution v2.0 and after getting people that I really respect review it and give me their feedback (you were one of those people), I know it’s something that will help a lot of people.

So with the new program (the ebook, the Training & Transformation Journal and the demo videos), I’m also offering 3 new programs:

TT Kettlebell Extreme is probably one of the most FUN programs that I’ve ever written and done. It involves some of the best off-the-cuff kettlebell and bodyweight exercises (like handstand push-ups and windmills) and sandwiched in the middle is a brutal Kettlebell-Bodyweight-Hill Training Day that is one of the simplest and brutalist (is that a word?) workouts you’ll ever do.

The KB-Barbell Hybrid Program was specifically designed for those skeptics who know that kettlebell training is where it’s at, but they just haven’t been able to give the gym up yet. This program gives them the advantage of using traditional barbell exercises – sorry, I stuck to my “no bench rule” though – and combines those foundational movements with the best kettlebell exercises to get an incredible strength & conditioning hybrid workout. Athletes – weekend warriors and serious athletes – will LOVE this program.

TT Kettlebell Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT) ($47) – MRT is the latest craze in the fitness industry, but the problem was that most MRT programs incorporated exercises and equipment that you only had access to in a gym. I took the best of the MRT workouts and adapted them for use with just a kettlebell and your bodyweight (and whole heck of a lot of mental toughness). This workout is definitely one of my favourites that I’ve ever written (and experimented on myself).

So you’ll get those 3 workouts, plus the new TT KB Revolution and the Women’s Program and the Getting Started MP3 for $57.

This is something that I’m only offering for your friends, Geoff.

GN: Wow – that’s A LOT of stuff and really cool of you Chris – thanks!

CL: It’s just a way for me to give you a BIG THANK YOU for all that you’ve done to help me, the knowledge that you’ve shared and for the interview.

You’ve really been instrumental in my journey to this point, and I’m truly grateful, so thank you.

GN: Cool – you are more than welcome – glad to have been able to help you out. And thanks for helping my subscribers out with your more-than-generous offer!

Thanks again for your time, Chris. And thanks for leading from the front on the fatherhood thing with 5 kids!

——-

When you’re ready to combine bodyweight training and kettlebells, I recommend you get started right away with Chris’s generous special offer.

You can do so by clicking here.

The Four Pillars of Power Production

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Bigger.

Faster.

Stronger.

More.

That’s what we’re always striving for, whether it’s our kettlebell workouts or our chosen sport – doesn’t matter.

Here’s a little interview I did with my good buddy Brett Jones, Master RKC, and all-round  in which we discover exactly how to achieve just that – Bigger -Faster-Stronger-More. It’s called “The 4 Pillars of Power Production” and Brett gives some great information of the “how’s” and “why’s” and “what to do now’s.”

So grab a pen and a notepad and enjoy!

(Click the “Play” button to start.)

For the EXACT PLAN to dramatically increase YOUR Power Production Click Here.

1 Focus For Faster Results

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I was traveling down from North Jersey a couple of Thursdays ago along the NJ Turnpike on my way to the Pavel/Dan John seminar, thinking lots of thoughts. (Some of them I’ll keep to myself, thank-you-very-much.) I had spent the afternoon talking shop with my coach, Alfonso, and then stopped in to see Zach Even-esh and grabbed a couple of slices of pizza. (By the way, there is no better pizza in the world than Jersey pizza…)

Both Al and Zach have different methods – much different methods actually, but one things for sure, they both get results with their clients. And so does everything that gets put out by Pavel and the other various Dragon Door authors. But the key is, you really have to use what you have in front of you.

I don’t know about you, but I am, or at least used to be, distracted by bright, shiny things – the latest new workout techniques, rep and set schemes and loading parameters, and especially anything with the words “Russian,” “Soviet,” or “Bulgarian” attached to them. (Know what I mean…?)

But lately, things have been different.

I’ve narrowed my strength training focus. I’m really focused on packing on muscle and strength simultaneously. Yes, I’m still focused on the Olympic lifting, but at a heavier weight with better (and proven) leverage to lift the bigger weights. But in those training sessions, especially with the pulling and the squatting, I’m focused on pretty much one particular area.

My midsection. Or, more particularly, my abs. I used to lock down my thoracic spine and hold the air in my lungs and chest. Not a good strategy for lumbar spine health. But I used to brace my abs hard on all my pulling and squatting. And guess what? I got pretty good and strong from doing it.

I’ve been re-reading Power To The People! lately. (If you don’t have it, shame on you. You’re a bad person and I know you probably kill kittens in your spare time. Really… Kidding…) Just this morning while waiting for an appointment I was reading the entire section on the abdominals and “power breathing” for strength amplification (p.60-67).

It really hit home because, as I mentioned, I’ve really been focusing on this area in my own training. And my numbers have been going up every week on my lifts. Like clockwork. Might be something to that…

So, if you’ve been slogging your way through your kettlebell workouts, but haven’t been seeing any noticeable improvement recently, why don’t you change just one thing – only one.

You might be tempted to change your kettlebell workout altogether. Don’t. Change your focus to your breathing, more specifically, breathing into your abdomen and the connection between your abs, your breathing and your strength. (Don’t know what that connection is, find it on pages 60-67 in Power to the People!)

Then, like me, you’ll start to see your numbers, and more importantly, your results, improve once again.

More Than Kettlebells, Workouts, Fat Loss, And Strength – The Pavel / Dan John Workshop

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It’s been a quick/long 2 weeks traveling back and forth to Philly 2 weekends in a row.

Just got back 1am Monday morning from the Pavel / Dan John RKC workshop.

It was great.

These two men just have such a passion for what they do. This was a 3 day workshop, but honestly, I got the feeling that they could’ve held it over the course of a week and still had plenty of information left over to share.

Let me just say this – if you are an RKC and you chose not to go for whatever reason, you really missed out. Big time.

For me, it was a “two-for-one” weekend. I got in early Thursday morning and drove up to North Jersey to see Alfonso, my weightlifting coach. It was just like old times. We drank espresso, grabbed lunch, and talked training, and drank more espresso.

On my way down to Philly, I stopped in to see the Underground Strength Coach himself, Zach Even-esh. We talked shop and ate. (I really admire Zach’s passion to bring the best to his young athletes. He has a great thing going.)

Then I got in just in time to catch the tail end of the meet-n-greet and grabbed dinner with the Iron Tamer, Doug Nepodal, and Shaun Cairns, and Dan John. (Maybe that was Friday night – it all ran together!)

I won’t give away the contents of the seminar, because, really, it was 3 days, and how can I do that on a blog. Plus it wouldn’t be fair to those who went or to Dan or Pavel. Just buy their book when it comes out. You’ll be glad you did. Really.

There are three points  I took away from this seminar – and they were BIG and I really think that if we all just followed these, we’d see much faster progress in our own physical efforts and would therefore be much more satisfied with our results.

And these points – they apply to more than just kettlebells, or getting stronger, or your workouts. You can use them in all areas of your life.

They are a mindset.

1. Follow Success.

This seems like a no-brainer, but I’m surprised at the number of people who just make up their workouts. Here’s the reality – there are a ton of strength and kettlebell programs for you to follow that will give you the results you’re looking for.

Here’s a reality check for you (and you may not like me for it, but it’s the Truth) – unless you have time to study program design, follow somebody else’s who’s been successful. You just don’t have the time or energy to do this on your own without accumulating a certain amount of frustration. It’s ok. You may be an accountant. I have one of those and he does my taxes. And I pay him very well to do so because I don’t have the time or energy to learn the tax code and file my income taxes.

For example, if you are using kettlebells and want to lose body fat and get lean, you should be using my Kettlebell Burn program. (Shameless plug, I know… 😉 )

I talked with Alfonso and had him set up a program for me that he’s used for 20 years that never fails to pack on slabs of muscle and get people freaky strong at the same time.

Why didn’t I design my own?

I did. But I no longer want to. I want to take my brain out of it.

So you too should follow success, based on your goals.

Go to Dragon Door and choose from any of the titles that look like they meet your needs. Buy something. Read it and then follow it. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

If that doesn’t work for you, hire somebody to coach you who has coached others just like you to success.

Life’s too short to do things the hard way.

2. Keep It Simple.

The older I get, the more responsibilities I have. And that takes away from the energy I need to train. So, my strength training programs must become simpler. The more moving parts they have, the easier things are to break.

Interestingly enough, as simple as my training program has been, I can still simplify it for faster results. That’s one of the things Alfonso and I talked about when I was with him. And then Pavel and Dan just hammered home that point. And it’s a good thing too. Because my life is about to get infinitely more complicated in the coming months.

So if you’re going to follow a strength program, make sure it’s simple to follow. One of Dan’s points was that simple doesn’t mean easy. For those who like “hard workouts,” follow Return of the Kettlebell. That’s hard – I guarantee it. But it’s also simple to follow.

3. Keep It Real

The reality, as Dan pointed out, is that we only have so much energy in any given day. And life takes a toll on us. So the best thing we can do is follow “programs” that require as little energy as possible to follow and that maximize our return on investment.

Be brutally honest with yourself.

If you can only workout/train twice per week, then find the program that will let you do just that. Don’t set yourself up for failure by saying you can train 6 days per week and then only make 3 of the workouts. You’ll never succeed that way. And it doesn’t take that much to succeed. Pavel told us that Marty Gallagher, former Powerlifting World Champion and coach to many powerlifting greats, once had a life so busy that he could only train once per week. So he did. And he still progressed.

It’s better to underachieve in this area and succeed than overachieve and fail.

Dan gave an example of his “One Lift A Day” program. Pick one lift to do each day. That’s it. One. Lift. A. Day. One.

Working out 3 days a week? 3 lifts. One per day.

I could keep going about this stuff, but I’ve got to get moving on to some other things in my day.

The bottom line is that Pavel and Dan have taken the world’s cutting edge research on strength and conditioning and their 70+ years of experience and jammed it into a 3 day seminar. It was great. I thoroughly enjoyed being a student again.

It’s like Einstein said, “Everything should be made a simple as possible and no simpler.”