Kettlebell Time.

I would like to introduce to you a gym toy called the kettlebell (KB).  It is basically a bell shaped weight connected to a handle for easy gripping and also allows you to be able pass it from hand to hand with ease depending on the exercise.  It is a great tool for full body exercises, getting your heart rate up and can also be used for many power and Olympic lifts that would typically be performed with a barbell.  I really like the kettlebell and like that there's countless exercises you can do with it. 

 

 I picked out some of my favorites that I'd like to share with you as well as a sample workout for you to try.  I will also give you a break down of what muscles you will primarily be using for each exercise.  I just had a client think that a bent over row was primarily working her triceps when in fact it has been focusing on her mid back.  So from now on I will always enlighten you on which muscles are getting stronger while you work.  Sometimes being aware of this will help you focus in on them a little more.  Before you know it, you will be a finely tuned machine.

 

KB Swings- glutes, low back, quads, hamstrings, core, shoulders. Start with your feet shoulder width apart and hold the kettlebell between your legs with both hands.  Make sure throughout the whole exercise that you are keeping your chest up and your shoulders back to promote good posture.  The most important part of the exercise is two fold.  The first part is a lower body drive.  As you begin to swing the kettlebell forward you want to think about bringing your hips forward until your legs are straight and squeeze your glutes together as you come to a standing position.  The quicker and more powerful you are with this lower body movement, the easier time you'll have controlling the kettlebell.  The goal is to get the weight parallel with the ground with each repetition you perform.  As you lower the kettlebell, you want to go back to your squat position with your chest up and shoulders back.  One of the mistakes that people make is they try to control the kettlebell with their upper body too much.  This will only burn out your shoulders and the chances of you being able to do a higher rep count won't be very high.  As long as you keep good posture and keep your chest up as the weight comes down you should be in good shape to perform another repetition.  The first time you try this exercise, don't worry so much about how high the weight goes but rather how much power you are getting from your glutes and hamstrings.  Remember hips comes forward and as your legs straighten to a standing position squeeze those glutes.

 
 
 

 

KB Sumo Squat to High Pull -  quads, hamstrings, shoulders, traps.  This exercise you will be starting in a little bit of a different stance than the swing.  Start with your feet farther apart and your toes should be on an angle.  When you squat in this position, you want to think about doing a plie like the ballerinas do.  Your knees should be going out towards your toes and you should feel a good stretch in those inner thighs.  The same rules apply though as far as keeping your chest up and shoulders back to promote good posture.  So to start the exercise you are going to squat down driving your knees towards your toes and as you come to a standing position you want to lead with your elbows and pull the kettlebell up towards your chin keeping it nice and close to your body.  At the top of you exercise, your elbows should be higher than the weight itself.  As you come back down you are going to fall right back into that plie position and repeat for the specified number of reps. 

 

Kettlebell Crunches - abdominals.  This is just a spin on a regular crunch.  You are going to start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.  Whenever performing any type of crunch you want to make sure you aren't putting any extra stress on your neck so really concentrate on lifting up at your shoulders instead of coming forward with your head and neck first.  A good rule of thumb is to always pretend you have a tennis ball between your chin and your chest throughout the whole exercise.  You are going to hold the kettlebell by the handle with your hands on either side of the weight.  Your arms are going to start straight above your chest and as you lift your shoulders off the ground you want your arms to continue to stay straight and you want the kettlebell to raise straight up to about face level.  If you are looking for an extra challenge, use a lighter kettlebell to start and sit all the way up and back down with your arms straight.  At the top of this exercise, the weight should be above your head.

 

Kettlebell Single Arm Shoulder Press - Start by holding the kettlebell in one hand by the handle.  Your arm is going to start at a 90 degree angle with the weight resting on the back of your wrist to start.  The motion is going to be just like a press with a dumbbell as far as pressing it straight overhead and back down to that 90 degree position.  If the weight starts to get heavier and you can't press it without using your legs, add a little squat in to get some power from your lower body to help it up.

Quick KB Workout

15x KB Swings

15x/arm Single Arm KB Press

15x Sumo Squat High Pulls

25x KB Crunch

Repeat 5x

 

**Try to get through each set exercises as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form.  You can take a minute or two between each sets though to let your heart rate come down a bit. Push yourself and remember to exhale on the hard part of the exercise and inhale during the easy part.  For example, the hard part of the KB Swing is going to be when the weight is on the way up so exhale as you come up, inhale as you lower it back down. Have fun with it and always remember to keep good form.  If you are unable to, lower your weight and work your way up.
 

Learning new things everyday.

It's amazing how much I learn in my field of work on a regular basis.  I think that is one of the reasons I really enjoy what I do.  It is never really the same old, same old...things are always changing and evolving.  Some of the people I work with have more knowledge and experience to share with me and I am always willing to learn and grow as a Personal Trainer.  

Don't get me wrong though, there are many diets, fad workouts and exercises that I've learned about that just don't go along with what I believe in or how I want to portray myself to my clients.  Some things are better off going in one ear and out the other.  I have developed my own style and realistic approach and I think it's given me good success thus far.  

In other news, I am still running outside believe it or not.  I have found something realistic and challenging to work towards and am enjoying it for the most part.  I have a 10k program I have been following which requires two shorter runs and one long run each week along with two days of strength training and two days of cross training.  I only started babbling about this because it is the most recent topic that I am learning new things about that I think could be of value to you.

So here is my list of things I've either learned or already knew but really feel they are important to my new set of goals.

  

1. A running training program doesn't necessarily require "balls to the walls" training.  It does require hard work but the most important components to ensure success are consistency and upping your mileage on a weekly basis.  With no knowledge of what a running program really entails, I would've designed a program for myself where I would try to run at a fast pace and get my mileage done as quickly as possible.  In reality, it is more important to learn to pace yourself and be able to keep a consistent pace for longer periods of time.  A lot of people start off too fast and seem to struggle to finish. 

 I set a goal for myself to make sure I finish with an average pace between 8:30 and 9 minute miles.   A good rule of thumb when running is you should be able to hold a conversation comfortably at the pace you choose is right for you.  If you can't,  just slow down a little.

2. Get comfortable with your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  This is a subjective scale to determine basically how hard you're working. 1 would be sitting on the couch, 10 would be passed out tired.  When done with a work out, you should be tired so a 7-8 is a good goal. When running, a 7 would be about the time when it's harder to hold a comfortable conversation.  Using this scale will help you become more in tune with your own body.

3. Cross training is a very important component to successful training.  Not necessarily with just a running program but in any exercise routine.  If you are a biker, there is no harm in jumping in the pool once in a while or even taking a day to relax with an hour of yoga and stretching.  Your body is prone to many overuse injuries when it gets used to do the same thing over and over again.  So change it up once in a while.  

Strength training is an incredibly important aspect of exercise to incorporate in your week.  Strengthening the muscles that get used most frequently will help prevent injury. For me, I have really been putting an emphasis on making sure my glutes and hamstrings are strong and solid so my running is more fluid.  Those are the main muscles when it comes to the gait in running.  For the record, I would much rather lift upper body than lower body but tailoring programs is important.  Check yourself and what you want to achieve, make sure all the supplemental exercise you are doing will be beneficial to your goals.

4. Footwear = happy joints. From what I've learned new shoes should be bought based on 'mileage' put on your shoes.  Whether it be walking, running, working or dancing...they all put wear on the soles of the shoe.  I usually change out my shoes every six months or so because I am constantly in running shoes for work and working out.

5. Take your days off and enjoy them.  Your body needs recovery days to prevent injury, burn out and overall fatigue.  Rest days won't set you back, they will only help you be successful in achieving your goals.

Hopefully, you can take something away from some of the fun facts I've learned and they don't go in one ear and out the other.  Check your routine and make sure you're getting everything out of your workouts.

Caprese Skewers.

I wanted to share an easy appetizer recipe that I have made a few times and it was a fresh, light and delicious hit.  Everyone likes a good old caprese salad and this is just a spin off of that. So here are the directions to make cute and simple caprese skewers.  This would also be a great snack too if you didn't have a summer party to go to anytime soon.

Caprese Skewers

1 pint cherry tomatoes
8 oz container of fresh mozzarella (small balls)
Large bunch of basil leaves
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Toothpicks

1. Put one basil leave, one cherry tomato and one piece of fresh mozzarella onto the toothpick.
2. This should make around 20 skewers.  Once you are done with all the skewers, sprinkle Salt, Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar on them and they are ready to be served.

They are so delicious and the single servings are nice because no plates or utensils are necessary.  Enjoy this fresh appetizer before some great barbeque food and they won't fill you up, just satisfy you!

Family Favorite #2: Beef and Veggie Goulash

Another family favorite recipe coming right up...my mom likes to make it, my step dad likes to eat it and I like to add a few ingredients of my own to make it healthier and more flavorful.

I mean who doesn't like old school hamburger helper...we used to eat that growing up every now and then but it's filled with salt and not so good pasta and sauce.  So instead of kicking it old school, we make goulash and a side salad and get a pretty well rounded and healthy meal.

Beef and Veggie Goulash
1 lb Ground Beef
3 c. Brown Rice Pasta or Quinoa Pasta
2 cans Stewed Tomatoes
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Oregano to taste.

My extras:
2 c. Spinach
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp. Coconut Oil

1. Saute spinach and zucchini in a large pan with coconut oil until tender.  Put into separate bowl to add back into the mix later.
2.  In same pan, brown the ground beef.
3. Using a small pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package.
4. Once ground beef is cooked, add in veggies, stewed tomatoes and spices to large pan.
5. Once pasta is tender, drain and add into the pan.  Let it all simmer for 5-10 minutes on low.
6. Serve with side salad :)

It has a little bit of everything in it, protein, carbs, complex carbs and it fills you up...it tastes good too of course.  You can always make substitutions with the veggies if you like something else better.  You can also use ground turkey instead of beef.

I hope you enjoy recipe #2 of our family favorites.  Don't forget to have a big glass of water with your meal...I'm sure the reason you're hungry and thirsty in the first place is because you decided to do my shoulder workout and do a little HIIT training before dinner...way to rock it ;)  Have a great week ya'll.