As you may know from the table, I can be a bit of a talker. I can shut up too, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. I’ve recently become a bit of a kettlebell evangelist. In addition to the usual training and books and video watching and self-experimentation, I’ve also been examining the research literature and there’s a lot of evidence-based benefits to kettlebell training. We’re talking about strength development, mobility and flexibility improvement, heart and endurance training, and ultimately; looking and feeling our best – being fit and healthy.
Because Ethical Responsibility; let me remind everyone that this is a general posting to a general audience and may not apply to you specifically. It might be best for you to get one-on-one coaching, personal training or attend a workshop before undertaking a new training. Maybe you should check with your doctor first? Take responsibility for what you do with what you find on the internet, is, I guess, the point you should take away…
When it comes to safety: It’s your fault. If you hurt yourself it means you did too much, too soon, or too sloppy.
I will be sharing my current workout plan with you soon, but first I’ll share an introduction to kettlebell training.
Start with the right weight:
If you are an average lady, start with 8 kg (18 lbs).
A strong lady can start with 12 kg (26 lbs).
If you are an average man, start with 16 kg (35).
A strong man may begin with 20kg (44 lbs).
Here’s your beginner program:
Twice a week do 12 minutes of kettlebell swings alternating with light jogging. Swings are done to a comfortable stop, and jogging is for active recovery (the key thing is just to keep moving, jog a few hundred yards, walk up and down the stairs, gently jog on the spot for a minute, don’t come to a dead stop and don’t push yourself either).
Twice a week (on a different day than the swings), do 5 minutes of continuous slow and controlled get-ups, switching hands every rep. Don’t count your reps and don’t try to top them, that will only encourage you to go faster and lose the benefit of the get-up.
Why 12 minutes? Why 5 minutes? Why not? You can increase or decrease the time if you need to. Give this a try for a few weeks to really get the swing (ha ha) of things and you’ll be ready for new challenges in no time.
Here are two videos that demonstrate a perfect swing and a perfect get-up (the get-up is being done with a ridiculous weight and a spotter in the video, don’t let that frighten you). The videos were chosen for their accuracy and brevity.
Interested in knowing more about online training with Nathan Walton so you can experience the benefits of kettlebell training? Click these links to learn more about how it works and coaching fees.