The Essential Kettlebell Guide

74 Pages·2016·3.13 MB·english

by  Moriarty

THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE
Hello, our names are Emma and Grant.
We will be assisting you throughout this
guide, giving you helpful tips and advice.
We will help you train safely and with
correct form so you can achieve the best
results and fulfil your goals.
DISCLAIMER:
Kettlebell exercises may not suit all people.
Always consult a health professional before beginning a fitness program.
Author and publisher are not rendering medical advice of any kind, nor is this book
intended to replace medical advice.
Author and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability,
loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the
use, application or interpretation of the material in this book.
Any references to events, people, places, or entities in the
essential collection books are purely fictitious and not
intended to represent any actual event, person, place, or
entity. The essential collection disclaims any likeness or
similarities to actual events, people, places, or entities,
and any such likeness or similarities are unintentional
and purely coincidental.
C O N T E N T S
THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE
BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING 2 SIDE PRESS 40
BENEFITS OF USING KETTLEBELL 3 SINGLE FLOOR PRESS 41
CONSTRUCTING A FITNESS PROGRAM 4 DOUBLE FLOOR PRESS 42
MEASURING YOUR SUCCESS 5-6 BENT OVER ROW 43
SAFE TRAINING STRATEGIES 7-8 BENT OVER ROW, STAGGERED 44
PLANKED ROW 45
STRETCHES - REASONS TO STRETCH 9 ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 46
METHODS OF STRETCHING 10 SUITCASE DEADLIFT 47
SUGGESTED STRETCHES 10-18 HALFWAY GET-UP 48
TURKISH GET-UP (SQUAT) 49
KETTLEBELL DESIGN 19 TURKISH GET-UP (LUNGE) 50
CHOOSING A KETTLEBELL 20 KETTLEBELL SQUAT 51
KETTLEBELL SAFETY GUIDELINES 21 OVERHEAD SQUAT 52
KETTLEBELL GRIPS 22-23 KETTLEBELL LUNGE 53
SWITCHING YOUR CORE ON 24 REVERSE LUNGE 54
FINDING THE HINGE 25 TACTICAL LUNGE 55
CORRECT FORM FOR SQUATTING 26 THE SNATCH – FIRST PHASE 56
PICKING UP A KETTLEBELL CORRECTLY 27 THE SNATCH – SECOND PHASE 57
THE RACKED POSITION 28 THE SNATCH – THIRD PHASE 58
A SAFE PICK UP FROM LYING DOWN 29-30 CRUNCH WITH TWIST 59
BRIDGE 60
ALL KETTLEBELL EXERCISES 31-67 RUSSIAN TWIST 61
THE KETTLEBELL CLEAN 31 FIGURE OF EIGHT 62
THE ONE ARM SWING 32 WINDMILL PRACTISE 63
THE DOUBLE HANDED SWING 33 LOW WINDMILL 64
THE HAND TO HAND SWITCH 34 LOW WINDMILL VARIATION 65
SINGLE OVERHEAD PUSH PRESS 35 HIGH WINDMILL 66
DOUBLE OVERHEAD PRESS 36 HIGH & LOW WINDMILL 67
OVERHEAD PRESS, ALTERNATE ARMS 37
THE JERK PRESS 38 KETTLEBELL WORKOUTS 68-71
MILITARY PRESS 39 OTHER AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE INTRODUCTION
BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING
Whether you are wishing to lose weight, gain weight, improve your fitness,
improve your performance in a particular sport, or simply feel healthier
and happier, you can achieve your goals with the addition of strength
training to your lifestyle.
Aerobic exercise is essential, yet to really achieve the best results, you
must combine cardiovascular exercise with strength training.
Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build
the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of muscles. It is for all ages,
all fitness levels and all body types. The benefits are endless, they include:
• Decreasing body fat. As you train, your metabolism speeds up and burns
greater levels of calories 24 hours a day. Strength training can even
help reverse natural declines in your metabolism that occurs around
the age of 30.
• Increased muscle, bone, ligament and tendon strength, leading to fewer
injuries and less health issues in later life, i.e. helping prevent osteoporosis.
• Improving your posture – As you gain strength and learn great form, your
posture will improve and you will stand straight and confident.
• Increasing your energy – Greater stamina, flexibility and strength will
give you more energy and enjoyment of all aspects of your life.
• Improved performance of the systems within your body. Hair and skin
look healthier, your lymphatic system works better at removing toxins.
• Improves the functioning of your immune system.
• Decreasing your resting blood pressure.
• Elevated levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Decreasing the gastrointestinal transit time, therefore
helping reduce your risk of colon cancer.
• Improves balance and coordination.
• Improves agility and flexibility.
• Increasing your self-esteem – As you feel great, so also
will you look great and your confidence levels will rise.
Achieving targets and fitness goals will boost your mental
and physical assurance.
• Elevating your mood – exercise feels good.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE INTRODUCTION
BENEFITS OF USING KETTLEBELLS
The kettlebell is a traditional cast iron weight, resembling in appearance
a cannonball with a handle.
The kettlebell is a popular and widely used feature
of modern fitness training and sporting develop-
ment. They are used throughout the world and as
a part of many strength competitions, due to their
great range and versatility.
The origins of the kettlebell stem from Europe
and Russia where it is believed they were used
in a very practical setting as a counter weight for
agricultural scales. Their wide accessibility led to
popular use at festivals and events, where men would use kettlebells to
compare strength, endurance and coordination. Their popularity led on to
their use in the training of elite Russian military. They also became widely
used by police, militia, professional athletes and wrestlers. Now with wide
exposure and growing awareness, everybody from firemen, to post-rehab
patients are benefiting from everything kettlebell training can help achieve.
A great advantage of using kettlebells as part of your training is their
effectiveness in engaging the major muscle groups, through complex
complete body movements.
In contrast to many traditional isolation exercises, during kettle bell routines,
muscles must work in symbiosis across multiple planes of motion, whilst
retaining constant control and balance. The ballistic nature of kettlebell
lifting creates challenges for the muscles delivering faster results.
With kettlebell workouts, two different actions must work together, resis-
tance and overall body movement, challenging both the muscular and
cardiovascular system. This delivers incredible fitness benefits, and an
intense workout.
Versatile, Easy to learn, Fun to use: Kettlebell workouts will develop a great
deal of explosive, dynamic strength and coordination.
Use this guide to practice and perfect kettlebell patterns of movement and
begin to enjoy a great new facet of your fitness regime.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE INTRODUCTION
CONSTRUCTING A FITNESS PROGRAM
When you begin a fitness program, be clear about what you wish to achieve
and set a realistic goal that you are going to aim for. This goal could be
measured in weight, inches, fat percentage, timed achievements, desired
clothing, blood pressure or cholesterol levels...... whatever works for you
as an individual. Once you have established a long term goal, break this
down into a series of short term progression goals.
• Think about the time you are willing and able to make available to
achieve these goals.
• Decide what time of day will best suit you and what environment you
wish to train in.
• Choose a method of training that fits your personality; do you motivate
yourself and like to train alone? Do you need the assistance and encour-
agement of others and may want to find a training partner or personal
trainer?
Remember, to get the best results, you need to enjoy
what you are doing.
Once you know what you are aiming for and how you
are going to incorporate the training into your lifestyle
you should make each session as beneficial as you can.
• Take measurements/photographs before you begin so
you can chart your progress. Keep a journal to record
your combinations and progress.
• Try to complete a training session every 2nd day.
Ensure you alternate muscle groups and rest to each
targeted area for at least 48 hours.
• Each strength session should last from half an hour to an hour in length.
• Follow all safety guidelines; warming up, stretching, cooling down, hy-
dration, nutrition etc. All are essential for your results and your safety.
• Practise your form, be slow and controlled, watch yourself in a mirror, ask
to be critiqued, it is crucial your muscles learn good habits from the start.
• Alter your workouts every few weeks, even if it is only the order of your
exercise, this will prevent your muscles adapting to your routine.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE INTRODUCTION
MEASURING YOUR SUCCESS
Depending on your goals, the definition of a successfully achieved fitness
goal shall be different for each individual. The best indicator of change
is how you feel and what you are able to do now but unable to do before.
Medical Results
The doctor can tell you your cholesterol level, blood pressure, heart rate etc.
These are all numbers that can be monitored for improvement throughout
your fitness program and will provide great incentive for change as you
help improve the quality and even length of your life.
Weight on the scale
Be careful when judging success by weight alone, fluctuations are common
and misleading. You should only take a reading once a week, at the same
hour of the day. Remember as you lose weight in fat, you are also gaining
muscle weight and your standard scales do not distinguish the difference.
Photographs/Mirrors
You know your body better than anyone and you will recognise the changes
in the mirror. A series of photographs taken as you progress can be a great
motivator as you can celebrate your achievements.
Clothing
If your goal is weight loss – an item of clothing that you desire
to wear can be a strong measure of success. Donating or
re-sizing clothing which is too large will help prevent
you returning to old bad habits.
Abilities
If you can run further in a certain time, lift a greater
weight, do more reps, stretch further, jump higher, score
more tries, play with your children longer - anything that is
important to you, use that as a marker for success.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE INTRODUCTION
Using a BMI chart
Your Body Mass Index should be 20 - 25. A BMI of over 30 carries a
definite health risk.
You can calculate your BMI using the following formula:
BM I = Weight (kg) / height² (m)
You can also plot your height and weight on the chart below and see if
you come within the healthy weight range.
Be aware - These charts tell you how much you should weigh based on
your height alone, this can be misleading, especially for bodybuilders and
athletes who carry more muscle than fat. Muscle is heavier by volume than
fat. A sporting athlete weighing 80kg will usually appear slimmer and more
toned than another person of equal weight and height
It may be better to use a body fat percentage calculation to measure your
true body fat. A health professional will be able to assist you to correctly
complete an assessment.
NEVER CONTINUE TRAINING IF YOU FEEL PAIN
Results come from correct technique, do not continue to
do repetitions if your form is no longer correct.
Consult a doctor before starting training if you have any injuries
or illness.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE PREPARATION
SAFE TRAINING STRATEGIES
Before beginning a training program, it is recommended to discuss your
plans with a health care professional, especially if you have not exercised
for a few years, are over 35 years old, overweight or suffering from a
health condition.
Before training you should always stretch out and warm up your muscles.
A proper warm-up will elevate the heart rate and increase blood flow to the
working muscles which results in less risk of injury, improved performance
and decreased muscle stiffness.
Additional benefits of warming up include physiological and
psychological preparation for your workout.
Stretching a cold muscle can increase the risk of injury
from pulls and tears, it is better to do gradual aerobic
exercise before stretching. Make sure you stretch the
muscles that will be stressed during exercise. A sug-
gested warm-up would be light jogging or skipping
with some body weight exercises such as
push ups combined with some static
stretches.
Maintain correct posture and technique
To get the most out of your workout and to reduce your risks of injury, you
must pay close attention to your posture and to the way you are performing
each exercise. Never twist or arch your back.
Keep your body well balanced, stabilize your core, and control each move-
ment. Focus on what you are doing and which muscles are in use.
NEVER CONTINUE TRAINING IF YOU FEEL PAIN
Stay hydrated throughout your workout
Have a bottle of water at hand; drink every few minutes, your
performance will suffer if you are dehydrated.
Don’t forget to breathe
Take strong deep breaths. Breathe out during exertion (the
difficult part of the exercise) and breathe
in on the return (the easy part). Exhaling
through your teeth with a hissing sound
can help when you are focused and your
muscles are contracted and working hard.
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THE ESSENTIAL KETTLEBELL GUIDE PREPARATION
After your work out, cool down
A cool down is a gradual yet continuous decrease in exercise
along with stretching and rehydration. About 5-10 minutes of
light aerobic activity will help to prevent blood from pooling
in peripheral dilated veins and decrease the likelihood of
fainting or muscle cramping whilst also helping to break
down any lactic acid that may still be present in your muscles.
5-10 minutes of static stretches help muscles to relax, realign
muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement.
Rest and Recovery
Resting between rounds is essential to recover your muscles capacity.
Do not make it too short a time or your muscles will not have sufficiently
recovered and you will be unable to perform to the best of your ability,
but do not wait too long or your heart rate will decrease and you will lose
focus. Between 60-90 seconds is a balanced amount of recovery time.
Use the time to have a drink, stretch or just breathe deep.
Resting between training sessions is crucial; your muscles are growing
during the recovery time. Do not over train, as your muscles will not have
had time to repair themselves. Alternate muscle groups, take rest days
where you do no training at all and get plenty of quality sleep.
Follow good nutritional habits
It is crucial for growth and recovery that you give your body sufficient fuel
to operate and a good balance of protein, fibre, carbohydrates
and fats to stay healthy and achieve your fitness goals.
Eat regularly and well, avoid processed food, satu-
rated fats and too much alcohol.
Stay healthy
An additional safety tip regards hygiene, there are
many bacteria and viruses that flourish in a gym environ-
ment (even your home gym), always use your own towel, wash your wraps,
wipe down the bag with a disinfectant spray and wash your hands before
eating – common sense can prevent illness.
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