Top 4 Beginner Kettlebell Exercises

I was making a few tweaks / updates to my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training course (BTW – if you don’t have a copy yet – you can get it FREE for the next few days, here), and I ran across the article below.

I originally published this on EzineArticles.com in October of 2008 … almost 9 years ago!

MAN how time flies.

This particular article was viewed over 15,000 times in the first few months, and was really the first piece I did that got significant traction.

From this article came my kettlebell blog, then kettlebell email newsletter, then my current suite of online kettlebell courses and coaching programs …

You could say that this article was the start of it all!

I wanted to share it with you though because I think it’s great info for folks getting started with kettlebells.

And if you’ve never seen it – it’s new to you! ????

Hope it helps.

And don’t forget to pick up your copy of my Beginner’s Guide to KB Training while it’s up for free the next few days!

=> Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training

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Top 4 Beginner Kettlebell Exercises

Kettlebells are an awesome training tool for strength, flexibility, and endurance. They are incredibly versatile and the amount of different exercises we can do with them is vast – but which exercises are best for beginners trying to learn the basics? Here is an outline of my top 4 kettlebell exercises for beginners.

Note that all of these exercises can be done with one kettlebell – that’s all you need to get started!

1.) The Sumo Deadlift

A great exercise for the legs, hips, core, and back. It’s also key to learn this one before moving on to the swing.

With the kettlebell between your feet, start the movement by pulling the hips back. Imagine there is a wall behind you and you’re tapping it with your hips.

You should feel a nice stretch in the back of the legs at the bottom of the movement. Grab the KB with both hands and stand up with it. That’s one rep.

2.) The Swing

The beginning of this movement should be nearly identical to the Sumo Deadlift. Now, instead of simply picking the weight up, snap the hips (like you’re jumping) and let the kettlebell swing up to about chest level.

This is a totally lower body – driven movement. If you’re doing it right, you should feel the hams ‘load up’ at the bottom of the move, and the weight should float for second at the top.

Keep the arms relaxed and the shoulders down and back!

3.) The 1/2 Get Up

Start lying on the floor with the KB at shoulder level. Pull it into the body, roll over to your back, and press the weight in front of your chest, kind of like you’re doing a dumbell bench press.

‘Punch’ the weight up towards the ceiling while pivoting on the opposite elbow. The same leg as arm is up and should be bent at this point with the heel planted on the ground. Come up until the arm on the ground is straight, and then simply reverse the movement. That’s one rep.

The 1/2 Get Up is another great beginner kettlebell exercise. Next comes the Front Squat.

4.) The Front Squat

Holding the KB by the horns with both hands, perform a squat. Keep the chest up and shoulders down and back! And remember to sit back – and keep the knees behind the toes.

Learn these basic four beginner kettlebell exercises before you move on to more advanced ones. They can be done by themselves in sequence, for 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps each, for a great total body workout, or ‘vertically loaded’ – done one after another with minimal rest – for a killer circuit.

These are just a few basic kettlebell drills to get you going; if you’d like to learn in more detail about how to perform these exercises, get some sample workouts, check out some great kettlebell training videos, and a whole lot more, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training here:

=> Beginner’s Guide to Kettlebell Training

3 Events .. 16 Weeks .. Best Shape EVER (you in?)

I am a big fan of having things to train for, as a way to motivate myself to keep training hard and stay in top shape.

As you know, we have the Ultimate Challenge Workout coming up on June 24th. This is an approx 2-3 hour workout that will test your strength, endurance, and overall physical condition .. the proceeds go towards charity .. it is something that you NEED to sign up for, if you haven’t already!

FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout – June 24th, 2017

But now I am also looking at my calendar though for the rest of the summer, and the fall, and I have been thinking that it would be a lot of fun to do a couple more events as a way to get into / stay in top shape, and continue to challenge myself.

Would YOU like to participate as well?

Here are two I am looking at:

August 12 Tri for Fun ( .5 mile swim – 16 mile bike – 3 mile run)

Sept 30th Spartan Beast (12-14 miles, 30-35 obstacles)

Are YOU interested in doing these too?

Let me know .. if we have enough interest, we will put together training groups for one / both of the events.

Rock on, let’s make this a great summer!

– Forest

Ultimate Challenge Workout Updates (exciting news!)

Exciting updates re: the upcoming Ultimate Challenge Workout on June 24th!

1 – We have EXTENDED the “T Shirt Deadline” to May 31st. The vendor we are working with has given us some extra time, and we are passing this benefit on to you. There is still time to sign up, and get a free T shirt:

FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout – June 24th, 2017

2 – We have added a HALF UCW option – you’ll still be able to participate and show your support, by completing a one mile run and a single boot camp workout.

Now EVERYONE can get in on the fun!

FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout – June 24th, 2017

Look forward to seeing you there!

– The FVT Team

Lean + Jacked Tryouts – May 15th thru 26th

Yesterday, at the 715am Lean and Jacked workout, Keith P deadlifted nearly double his bodyweight – 325 at 179!

Crazy thing is, until about 2 years ago, Keith had NEVER touched a barbell.

In fact, he had very little experience working out, and started with us at the age of 52.

Now he is one of our most dedicated clients … in addition to this personal record deadlift, he’s lost almost 40 pounds, completed several Spartan races, and much more.

What’s his secret?

One of the big ones (and this is straight from Keith, feel free to ask him yourself!) is our Lean and Jacked program.

He does it 2x per week religously, and swears by it as being a big part of the progress he’s made.

This program is for intermediate-to-advanced clients who want to get stronger, and take their results to the next level.

Whether you want to complete a Spartan race this year, or hit a double bodyweight deadlift, or whatever else – you should consider getting involved.

I am going to give you an opportunity to try it out, if you are interested. We have never done this before, but we’re doing to run it as a test. We are going to hold Tryouts for the Lean and Jacked group this month, from the 15th thru the 26th of May.

If you are interested, here is what you need to do:

1 – Contact me HERE => https://www.forestvancetraining.com/contact

2 – Let me know WHY you want to get involved, and why you think it would be a good fit for your goals and what you are trying to accomplish.

3 – From there, we will figure out if it’s an initial fit, then we will schedule a phone call to chat a bit more. THEN – if we come to the conclusion together that it could be a good fit AFTER we chat over the phone – you can come to a workout to try it out. We currently offer the program at 715 AM on Mon – Weds – Fri, and 4 PM on Tues – Thurs.

4 – You CANNOT simply sign up on the schedule, and drop in to try a workout, without talking to me about it first. We need to make sure it’s a good fit for what you are looking to do, explain the pricing structure to you if you were to continue, etc – BEFORE you attend a group. If you just show up and expect to hop in, 1 – I will tell you no, and 2 – you will be required to do 10,000 kettlebell swings as a penalty for not following instructions.

Fair enough? 🙂 hahaha cool. Seriously – contact me here if you are interested:

=> https://www.forestvancetraining.com/contact

Because for the right people, this is an AWESOME opportunity!

We look forward to hearing from you!

– Forest Vance
Owner, FVT Boot Camp and Personal Training

will you be joining us?

I just made this FB event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/611109619095182/

And wanted to reach out, and send you a personal invite!

So – will you be joining us for the Ultimate Challenge Workout on June 24th?

It’s a great way to get ready in this final stretch before summer, AND to support a local charity in the process!

Here are all the details, and the page where you can get your ticket:

=> Ultimate Challenge Workout 2017

Hope to see you there!

– The FVT Team

FVT Referral Program

Did you know ….

Current clients get $50 for any friend / family member / co-worker / etc they refer to the FVT studio (that signs up for one of our regular on-going training programs)?

It’s a TOTAL win – win, and our little way of saying thanks.

You help people you care about improve their fitness (and their life!), help spread the word about FVT, and earn a few extra $$ in the process.

What could be better?!?

Tell a friend today!

5 Fascinating Weight Loss Tips

Are you trying to lose weight?

Here are five simple – but HIGHLY effective! – tips to help you make faster progress towards your goals:

1 – Pay attention to your portion sizes

Your stomach is really only about the size of a fist; that’s about how much food it takes to fill it. You should feel BETTER when you’re done eating – not sluggish or stuffed.

Getting your portions under control could be the most important factor in your weight loss efforts. If you simply took everything you currently ate and cut it in half, you’d start losing weight fast.

2 – Be prepared

If you have healthy food around the house, you’re a lot less likely to hit up the In-n-Out burger on the way home after a long day of work.

Here are a few examples of foods that won’t ruin your diet, and are easy to prepare:

– Pre-cooked grilled chicken breast
– Bags of pre-washed greens
– 94% fat free microwave popcorn
– Containers of pre-cooked brown rice

Set yourself up for success!

3 – Think big picture

A lot of people seem to obsess about the ‘small’ stuff: if they ate white rice instead of brown, or if they slipped up and had desert one night after dinner. Honestly, these small things do add up and make a difference – but individually, they’re not going to kill your progress. This type of stuff happening every day is what ends up being a problem.

Look at where you’re at on a daily or weekly basis – if you’re in a calorie defecit, you should end up losing weight. This is where the importance of a food log comes in, too.

4 – Write down your goals and tell everyone about them

Write down your fitness goals. Tell your friends, co-workers, etc. about them. This is incredibly effective for any goal, fitness-related or not. Not only have you recorded what you’re trying to accomplish, everyone knows about what you’re doing, so you risk humiliation if you fail.

5 – Have a cheat day once a week

Reward yourself for sticking to the plan all week long and eat what you want. This really helps keep you on track and gives you something to look forward to.

If you liked these tips, you’ll LOVE our 14 Day Fat Loss Jumpstart program – click the link below to learn more:

These simple tips really can make a difference in your diet efforts. The #1 thing is that you have to be committed – if you’re mentally ready to change, you’re well on your way.

– The FVT Team

Meet Paula

A friend of Paula’s had participated in one of our Rapid Fat Loss Challenges in 2013, and had gotten some great results.

She told Paula about her experience, and it inspired her to come in and give our program a try.

Over the last 4 years, Paula has gotten stronger and healthier by leaps and bounds (which you’ll read more about below in just a moment), and also has become a fixture in the FVT community 🙂

Let’s get right into Paula’s story …

Before FVT:

Paula’s workouts would consist of distance running and lifting weights at the gym.

But after having her baby, she wasn’t able to dedicate the same time she did before when she would workout alone.

She had a friend training at FVT, and after hearing and seeing about her great results, she wanted to come in and give it a try!

Results:

Paula was hooked after her first workout. The 45 minute high-intensity workout fit perfectly into her schedule, and with so many available class times, she was able to really stick to a routine.

A Few Milestones:

Paula lost 21 pounds of body fat in the first 9 months of her training program … she not only has kept that weight off, but she also continues to get stronger and fitter by the month.

When Paula started, she was, in her words, “no where close” to doing a chin up … and she now currently can do 3 a row!

Before her training at FVT, Paula had never even picked up a kettlebell. Her strength training experience and knowledge was limited coming in.

Now, she is swinging a 53lb kettlebell regularly during workouts, and also recently pressed the 40lb kettlebell to earn the prestigous “2nd degree” FVT Black Band!

Advice to YOU:

“Consistency is key to get results in the long run. Keep at it!

The great thing is, FVT makes it easy. These workouts are easy to fit into a busy schedule, 45 minutes and you’re done.”

“Also, the community feeling you get here is great. It’s nice to get that accountability and the FVT staff checking in when you don’t show up or miss a few workouts, it really helps keep you on track.”

Congrats Paula! Keep working and training hard! We are so proud of you and all that you’ve accomplished, and are excited to see what new challenges you achieve this year and beyond!

– The FVT Team