Kettlebells - Welcome to the Revolution!

Kettlebells aren’t simply a new fad. At the most basic level, they are essentially weight-lifting, or resistance training; and can be used in much the same way as ‘traditional’ lifting.

Where kettlebells come into their own, though, is the nature of the design. Kettlebells are off-centre – that is to say, the main bulk of the weight is always a little further away from the body than is the case with dumbbells, or barbells.

Normal gym-work teaches us to keep control and always know where the weight is; kettlebells take that concept and throw it out of the window. The whole point of kettlebell training is that your body doesn’t always know where the weight is, and as a consequence your muscles have fight to keep stability and control. This constant battle for stability is at the heart of what any kettlebell enthusiast will tell you – they’re fantastic for core development, both appearance AND strength. A training tool that gives you an impressive midsection as a by-product? Now we’re talking…!

So, if KBs are so great, why doesn’t everyone train with them? Well, like anything, it comes down to your individual goals. Want to be a 200lb, 8% body fat bodybuilder? You’re not going to build enough muscle solely with kettlebells to hit that goal. Need to drop from 300lbs to a ‘normal’ weight for your size? Again, kettlebells are unlikely to help; you’re unlikely to have the range of movement and basic fitness levels to make the best of them. So who are kettlebells perfect for? In my opinion as a PT, the list below are the kind of people who will get the most out of kettlebell training:

• Anyone looking to lose body fat

• Women seeking to gain a ‘toned’ appearance who have no interest in traditional weight-training

• Regular gym-goers who wish to build muscle whilst keeping body-fat levels under control

• Almost any person involved in a sport that demands a good level of CV conditioning

• Anyone who has ever used the simple phrase ‘I just want to get fitter’

• Strength trainers who rarely venture into higher rep ranges • Anyone who takes part in endurance activities (including marathons, 10ks, etc)

When you first start training with a kettlebell, as with anything new, take it easy! There’s no rush, no need to fly into the latest highimpact routine that will leave you feeling like a car crash victim for days afterwards. All the key, basic, big moves in kettlebell training start with the ‘swing’. Master this first, getting both the ‘half squat’movement AND the ‘straight back’ spot-on before graduating to more complex moves. Like with any new sport or training method, get the basics right first and you’ll avoid wasting time (and avoid potential injuries) further down the line. I’d recommend you then learn the kettlebell snatch and the clean and press.

After you have these mastered, you’ll have a good appreciation of kettlebell work, and can start getting to grips with some more complicated moves, and begin to incorporate body weight exercises as well to create some of the most demanding circuits you’ll ever do.

If you’re completely new to any kind of structured weight training, I’d suggest starting with a 4kg (females) or a 12kg (males). This is obviously a very broad generalisation, but it’s based on my personal training experience and it goes against the usually recommended 8kg for females, and 16kg for males. I’ve seen regular gym-goers utterly humbled by a 16kg KB; and there’s nothing like annihilating your confidence to put you off trying something that could otherwise be perfect for you. Similarly, women new to training often are simply incapable of pressing an 8kg weight above their heads, and to insist they just try harder is demoralising (not to mention ignorant of the trainer!)

If you’re used to the gym, and are capable of body-weight equivalent lifts (in the squat, bench press, and chin-ups for example) then by all means dive in at the higher end of the starting range; but don’t be surprised if a 16kg KB feels a LOT heavier than the equivalent dumbbell. Just for reference, it is often cited that a 16kg kettlebell, at the bottom of a ‘swing’, actually weighs nearly three times the weight because of the momentum generated, and the force needing to be applied to slow it down. Worth bearing in mind…!

To sum up, kettlebells can introduce a whole new level to your training. If you’re a complete newbie to fitness, they are a genuinely fun and interesting way to get some excellent, quick results. If you’re more seasoned, you’re still very likely to find even the most basic routine a good new challenge, and will be surprised to uncover some weaknesses (and strengths!) that you didn’t know you had.

Carbs are not the enemy!

I've come across a lot of this kind of thinking recently; that to lose any weight, the only approach that will work is low carb. This post will hopefully show you some of why that is a common knee-jerk reaction, and why it's often misguided.

Carbs are necessary to function. They provide the most accessible source of energy for your body - in other words, it doesn't have to make much effort to generate usable energy from most carb sources. Proteins and fats require a little more of your body. Side effects of 'going low carb' (typically meaning having less than 50g of carbs per day) include headaches, bad breath and dizziness. If that doesn't show you how much your body needs carbs for adequate function, then what does?!

There is a process known as 'ketosis', which many low carb diets aim for and extol as being the holy grail of fat loss. Done properly, by a knowledgeable person who is already in control of their eating habits and is insanely disciplined, it can work. Chances are, though, that YOU aren't that person.

So why is low-carb such a popular approach?

Mainly because in the Western world we've got our food balance all out of whack. We've gone way too far in favour of carbs, in most cases, and some people's diets consist of 80% carbs. Put simply, they're too prevalent and too more-ish, and are the key constituent of too many foods that are truly awful for you - most cereals, cakes, chocolates, crisps etc.

You can probably see that not all carbs are created equal. Maybe the distinction should be made between foods that are decent nutritionally (potatoes, vegetables, fruit) and foods that aren't (crisps, cakes, cereals).

Carbs tend to form a huge part of our diets - bread as an accompaniment to meals, pasta and potatoes taking up half a plate with no green veg to be seen. This is the real problem, and why the low(er) carb approach can work - it removes some nutritionally defunct calories from a diet.

Aim to get your carbs from good sources - sweet and normal potatoes, vegetables, some (not an excess of) fruit, pasta and wholegrain bagels. Unless you're heavily into your training, and need the excess energy, try to keep the servings of potatoes and pastas down to fist-size, and not the whole plate!

Don't treat carbs as some kind of pariah. Simply cutting carbs out of your diet alone will not make you lose fat. Ultimately, it's a calorie deficit that will do that. Removing the nutritionally-barren carbs (chocolate, crisps, cereals, white breads) from your diet, and replacing them with good fats and proteins, however, will always lead to positive mental and physical results.

Fitness for Fat Loss - Rebecca Conlin, PT @ RWF

A subject I am very passionate about! You don’t have to spend long arduous hours on the bike or treadmill! It has been proven in recent research that a combination of high intensity interval training (HITT) and a specific weight training programme yields the greatest results for losing body fat and weight. By working at a higher intensity for shorter periods you will not only burn more calories you'll also benefit from the ‘afterburn effect’, a boost to your metabolism meaning you burn calories at a faster rate for the rest of the day, even after you've finished your work out.

Why stop there? An effective weight training programme aiming to gain lean muscle will permanently increase your resting metabolism. More muscle means you burn more calories whilst doing…NOTHING! 

For all the ladies worried about bulking up, STOP! It is almost physically impossible for you to bulk up because women don’t produce enough of the hormone responsible for muscle growth, testosterone. Putting muscle on for ladies will only achieve that long, lean and athletic look most women strive for.

Finally, diet and nutrition are of vital importance and half the battle. Fad diets aside, now is the time to change to a permanent, new healthier lifestyle that is sustainable over long periods. Real World Fitness personal trainers are experts in diet and nutrition and would be happy to advise you on the perfect nutrition specific to your body’s needs.

Failure is only a fact when you give up. Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up?