Over this past weekend, I was writing up some kettlebell conditioning workouts for a new program I have in the works. I’m a big believer in actually doing the workouts I put folks through myself first – and I was due for a cardio/conditioning session - so I ran through one of ‘em.

It was a 30 minute, high intensity, single kettlebell/body weight workout.  I even surprised myself with this one –  I was smoked!  And the timed set break down during the session provided a unique challenge.

Next step was to work it into the rotation at the FVT boot camp … we actually did the workout at the early morning class today, and all the campers loved it too.  So I thought I’d break it down for you here to try at home.  Please enjoy -

(BTW, today’s post is particularly relevant because:

1) We have a Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop coming up in a couple of weeks – and there are still two spots left!  Click here to get more info and/or to sign up

2) We have our entire stock of kettlebells on a 20% discount through the end of May – so if you’ve been thinking about picking one up, you’ll have a workout you can do with it at home right away!)

Kettlebell/Body Weight Conditioning Workout

Set your timer to go off every 60 seconds.  Start each exercise on every 60 second interval; your rest period is the time between completion of your set and the next 60 second interval.  Repeat entire exercise sequence three times.

• plank – :40 hold
• TGU – 1 each side
• one hand swing – 10 each side
• push up – 15
• squat – 20
• wall slide – 10
• lunge – 10
• kb press – 8 each side
• kb row – 8 each side
• burpee – 10

Enjoy this kettlebell and body weight interval workout and talk soon -

Forest

PS - If you’re looking for more instruction on how to do any of the exercises in this workout, head over to my kettlebell basics blog and do a quick search by clicking here: Kettlebell Routines, Exercises, Videos & More

Are you in the Sacramento, CA area and looking to learn how to train with kettlebells safely and effectively?

Are you tired of your lower back aching after a few sets of Swings?  (Hint: You shouldn’t feel the Swing in your lower back at all if you’re doing it properly)

Do you feel like you’re just not getting as much out of your kettlebell training as you could be?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you owe it to yourself to check out our upcoming June 2nd Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop.  For all the details – and to reserve your spot before it fills – click here:

– >> Sacramento Kettlebell Workshop

Thanks -

Forest Vance, Certified Level 2 Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor

The FVT May 2012 Challenge Workout again, in case you missed it:

• power jacks
• push ups
• reverse lunges
• knee-to-elbow mountain climbers
• KB swings

Do 20 reps of each exercise.  Perform the workout circuit-style, moving from one exercise to the next with as little rest as possible.  Do five rounds of the circuit for time.

And the results:

1. S.G. 12:11
2. K.F. 12:31
3. J.G. 12:38
4. J.J. 12:58
5. A.A. 13:28
6. L.A. 14:57
7. J.G. 15:26
8. K.M. 16:01
9. D.S. 16:11
10. K.K. 16:15
11. M.G. 16:33
12. S.F. 16:39
13. S.K 16:55
14. B.P. 16:58
15. M.A. 17:15
16. L.E. 17:15
17. C.A. 17:18
18. N.G. 18:22
19. P.K. 18:22
20. M.T. 18:22
21. L.A. 18:28
22. M.H. 18:33
23. B.G. 18:39
24. F.R. 18:42
25. J.K. 18:45
26. B.C. 18:49
27. M.H. 19:41
28. M.B. 19:53
29. R.K. 20:00
30. L.S. 20:16
31. A.S. 21:25
32. P.W. 21:26
33. A.M. 20:42
34. E.A. 4.3
35. E.Z. 4.2
36. P.T. 4
37. N.P. 3.1
38. R.S. 3
39. S.S. 3

’till next month -

Forest

John and Sam are two guys moving towards the same fitness goal(s) -

They both want to lose about 20 pounds of fat, gain some lean muscle, and improve their overall health and energy levels.

They work out almost the exact same amount of time each week.  Their eating habits are very similar. But John, in addition to losing weight every week, is also losing inches and fitting better into his clothes – while Sam is just becoming a “smaller version of himself”  (some weight is coming off, but his shape is staying the same, and he’s still battling those pesky love handles).

Why?

Sam’s entire workout program consists of low-to-medium intensity and relatively long duration cardio sessions (typically about 45-60 minutes in length), performed three or four times per week.

John on the other hand does metabolic resistance – style training (like we do in our Sacramento personal training program).  He performs high-intensity, combination resistance training/cardio circuits about three times per week, in addition to three high-intensity, shorter duration (typically 20-30 minutes in length) interval cardio sessions.

High-intensity, combination cardio and resistance – style sessions, like the ones John is doing,:

1) Burn more calories in less time

2) Give you a lengthened metabolism increase (you burn more calories not just during the workout, but many hours afterwards)

3) Help you build muscle and burn fat at the same time

See, moderate intensity cardio, like jogging, may help you burn calories … but it does little to help you build muscle.  You’ll end up with the look of the marathoner pictured above instead of the sprinter.

SO … moral of the story … if you want to lose fat as fast as humanly possible … and if you want to actually change your body SHAPE in the process … is that you NEED to be doing metabolic resistance – style workouts – like this month’s challenge!!

May 2012 FVT Challenge Workout

• power jacks
• push ups
• reverse lunges
• knee-to-elbow mountain climbers
• KB swings

Do 20 reps of each exercise.  Perform the workout circuit-style, moving from one exercise to the next with as little rest as possible.  Do five rounds of the circuit for time.

Good luck to you!  Stay tuned for the results posted later this week -

Forest

PS - Kettlebells are a big part of the metabolic resistance workouts we do at the FVT studio … and we happen to have a Kettlebells For Fat Loss Workshop coming up very soon!  Stay tuned for registration details in the next few days.

PPS - Don’t forget – the FVT pro shop is now officially open!  The “Yay Burpees” T’s are selling like hot cakes at 20% off regular price through May 31st, so make sure to grab one before they’re gone!

“T-Shirts, Kettlebells, Bands, Oh My!”

(what you’ll say when you see our new Pro Shop)

These SWEET T-Shirts are now available at the FVT studio

We also currently have in stock:

• No Gym? No Excuse! books and DVD’s
• 10×10 Kettlebell Solution books
• KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide system (includes printed manuals, DVD & free bonuses)
• No Gym? No Excuse! Body Weight Training system (includes printed manuals, DVD & free bonuses)

AND – we’ll have kettlebells and continuously looped resistance bands available next week!

Please shoot me a quick email if you’re interested in any of the above items and I’ll be happy to answer questions, give exact prices, etc.

Thanks -

Forest

PS - I’ll be holding a Kettlebells Fat Loss Workshop at the end of May or beginning of June … keep an eye out for exact date/registration details coming very soon.

PPS - Don’t forget about the Riverside Spring Boutique this Saturday, May 5th from 10am – 4pm.  The street fair we held at our complex last November was a big success and this one looks to be even better.  We’ll have special deals from all the merchants in the 3200 Riverside complex, guest vendors, face painting for the kids, and much more.  Hope to see you there!

Staci led our Rapid Fat Loss Challengers through a Zumba workout a little over two weeks ago at our RFLC end party … and though I’m not personally planning on participating in a class any time soon , everyone loved the session … and equally as important, got a great workout!

So – we’re holding a special $1 trial Zumba class on Tuesday, May 1st at 7:15 pm.

What is Zumba?

Click the video below for a preview of what you’ll experience next Tuesday night:

And a few of the benefits Zumba provides:

• The average amount of calories burned in a one hour Zumba class according to a study done in California recently was 817
• Not only does it burn calories, but Zumba also puts participants into an endorphin-release zone, improving your mood
• You engage a ton of muscles, often unaware that you’re incorporating traditional fitness moves like squats and lunges into your choreography

A special Zumba class led by certified instructor Staci Fiori at the Land Park Forest Vance Training studio … next Tuesday night, May 1st at 7:15 pm … and it’ll only set you back one dollar!

One more thing – we have exactly 15 spots available, and based on initial client interest, they’ll fill fast.  Contact us here or simply sign up in studio to save your spot.  See you there!

- Forest

This Friday, April 27th, will be the last 6 am boot camp class offered on Friday mornings. In its place, a 6 am Monday and Wednesday boot camp class is being added beginning the week of May 7th.

Starting May 7th, class times will be offered at the following times:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday @ 6:00 am
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday @ 6:00 pm
• Monday, Wednesday @ 9:15 am
• Saturday @ 8:00 am, 9:00 am

Thanks -

Forest

Eric Z lost 17 lbs. in 30 days!

Our recent 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge was a huge success … the average challenger ended up losing:

• 6.5 pounds
• 5.2 total inches
• 2.3% body fat

In just 30 days!!

Eric Z (pictured above) was our individual winner.  He lost a total of 17 Pounds, 3.2% Body Fat and 7.5 Inches!  Our second and third place winners on the individual side both lost over 10 lbs. as well …

So … I thought you might like to know … exactly what did these folks did to lose fat so quickly?  Well, over the last couple of weeks, I’ve talked personally with almost all of the challengers … I took careful notes … ‘reverse engineered’ their best practices … and put together a rapid fat loss checklist!

These checklist items might seem simple – and they are – but odds are if you’re not losing one to two pounds of body fat consistently each and every week, you’re not doing them!  So, without further ado, your rapid fat loss checklist:

Rapid loss checklist – your five keys to success

1. Exercise most, if not all days of the week

Working out more frequently = more total calories expended = faster fat loss. Mind boggling

Folks who lost the most fat during the challenge exercised five to seven days per week.

2. Follow a goal-specific, properly designed workout plan

Getting some exercise is almost always better than none. HOWEVER, a goal-specific, properly designed workout program can get you FAR better results than the “just-showing-up-and-doing-what-you-feel-like-for-the-day” approach (I’ll give you more exact details about the program we used for the Challenge shortly).

3. Consume fewer calories than you expend

We provided a meal plan for the 30 Day Challenge … following it to a “T”, got folks into a roughly 1000 calorie deficit per day … and those that were consistent with the plan, lost weight fast!

Taking in less calories than you expend is the most important part of the fat loss equation – end of story.  To know exactly what your caloric needs are, though, you need to make sure that you …

4. Log your food

It might be a pain … it might be time consuming … you might just not want to do it … but it works.  In a recent study by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, participants who kept food journals lost almost double the weight of their nonjournaling counterparts!

Also, if you’re consistently logging your food, you’ll know without a doubt what’s working and what’s not … which allows you to test and tweak as needed to reach your final fat loss goals.

5. Be consistent

If you’re consistent with getting exercise every day … if you’re consistent with following a well-designed workout plan … if you’re consistent with eating less calories than you expend and logging your food … you’re going to see fat loss results!  Again, mind-boggling I know , but oh-so-true.

Here’s the thing - most people never get more than a week or two of consistent compliance with a workout and diet plan.  What I’ve discussed in this article may seem basic – but it’s the basic stuff that’s effective.  If you’re not losing one to two pounds of fat every week, implement the five factors discussed in this article – starting now – and you will get the fat loss results you’re looking for.

’till next time -

Forest

PS - Want to see the exact meal plan and workout we used in the Rapid Fat Loss Challenge? Click here

Video Recap

Vance and Kaos

Thanks to all who participated in the FVT/Paws For Health Charity Boot Camp last weekend.  Our original goal was to raise $300 (enough to help three Paws For Health animals in need) … we ended up smashing our target with a total of $385!

I thought it’d be cool to drop off the donation in person and visit with some of the animals we helped.  Turns out that Murphy, Luke & Leia (the three dogs I listed on the original sign-up page) are currently in foster care (which is a good thing!), but two kittens, Vance (!) and Kaos, were  were at the shelter (see their picture above).

We couldn’t have made this boot camp a success without your help – so thanks again, and keep an eye out for more FVT Charity Boot Camps coming later this year!

- Forest

PS - Vance and Kaos are currently healthy, out of foster care and looking for a permanent home.  If you or anyone you know is interested, give me a call at 916.273.9366 and I’ll direct you towards the proper contact at the SPCA.