Hi everyone,
Firstly, this workout was meant to be up over the weekend, but the Internet connection in my B&B in Dublin was way too slow to even dream of uploading anything, so here it is today. I will be uploading some footage from the course over the next few days, so I will fill you all in then 😀 (suspense) LOL
There has been a little debate over the table format on my previous posts, particularly when people have wanted to print the workout. Fran has said it is pretty easy to paste the tables onto a MS Word Document (or equivalent I’m sure) and print them from there. I am still deciding which method is quicker for me to type up. But I do like the look of the tables. Plus it looks more like a programme would.
The set up is pretty straight forward today as there are only 2 rounds of 10 exercises. Except for Beginners it is an interval training workout. I will give the usual option for beginners to use intervals, but I think, until you are proficient at the exercises, it works best with set reps.
How funny is the video still 😛
This workout is good for all round fitness, fat loss (in combination with a calories deficit) and conditioning. Use a moderate weight when possible and aim for max reps in most of the exercises. The high deficit reverse lunges and plank climber are of greater benefit when the movement is slower and more controlled. Control comes into all exercises, but some are better to be performed faster to benefit from the cardio vascular and/or power elements.
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[table id=16 /]
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I hope the table breakdowns are easy enough to understand and print 🙂 There seems to be a little format clash in places after the tables, but I am working on that.
Let me know how you get on. And I’ll be back soon with the next update 😀
Cheers
Marianne
Hi Marianne,
I have only just found your blog and I am really impress by it all. I am also a fan of kettlebell and I started with 6kg in january, at first it was very hard and challenging but now after about 4 weeks it seems it’s getting easier. I just want to find out what you mean by fasting and could you explain it more in details please. Thank you, I would really appreciate if you reply.
This is great Salmat, I am so glad you have seen improvement!
What I mean by Fasting is Intermittent Fasting (IF). Instead of the usual 6 small meals a day in 3-4 hour intervals, I eat all my calories during a feeding window of time (about 1pm-9pm), then I fast the rest of the time and try to do my training in that fasted state. There are many benefits to IF, but the main one for me is that it’s so flexible and I don’t need to be as strict about what I eat. Plus I get to eat LARGE meals, instead tiny ones, which keeps me happy!
Nia Shanks does a great job of explaining about 3 IF methods .
Hope this helps 🙂
Hi Marianne 🙂
First of all, kudos for you!This is a great KB workout blog I’ve been searching all this while :)I’ve been following your workout since I found your blog site about 2 weeks ago 🙂
I need your advice, I’ve been using one 8 kg KB for a couple month.And I think I need to upgrade the weight, since the swing doesn’t feel intense anymore.So, if I want to buy a new KB, should I buy 12kilo or another 8 kg KB perhaps?
nenie
Malaysia
Hi Nenie,
Thanks for following and thank you for your kind words 🙂 Great to have you on board.
My advice is absalutely get a 12kg. Before long you won’t need the 8kg for very much and having the 12kg there can be used for the swings, rows, squats, deadlifts. You can then progress the squats and deadlifts even more by using the 8 and the 12 at the same time (once you are ready of course). The other reason for getting a 12kg over another 8kg is, you will certainly get more “bang for your buck”, in every sense 😀 You will use the 12kg much longer than the 8kg, before progressing to a 14kg or 16kg. Although the swings usually progress in weight quicker, as you have found.
I hope this helps, happy kettlebelling 😛
Cheers
Marianne
Thanks so much for your feedback.Really appreciate it!
Hey Marianne! I am the one who was looking for a new site/trainer to follow, even though I love the exercises of my current site, there is too much questionable content and I would like a site I’m not embarrassed for my son or husband to see! Loved this workout – so excited to start checking out more and more of your site! I did this with 10# free wts because that was all I had – it was still a workout for me! I am sooo glad you use the Gymboss (I have one) – for me it keeps me working at my max potential and it makes it hard to get lazy!! Thanks and I think you definitely will be having a new “client” – thanks so much!!!
Michele, I am am glad to have you coming here 🙂 Especially if you my workouts are meeting your training needs. This means you can limit your exposure to the other site yo are dubious of 🙂
I love my Gymboss too, without it I wonder if I could ever do cardio LOL 😀
Hey Marianne-
I have have been a ‘blog stalker’ of yours for about a month now, and I just wanted to let you know you are a HUGE inspiration to me and the group of ladies that I workout with. We do a small kettle bell routine, but nothing this advanced. We are going to give this one a go, and I am so excited! I will be sure to come back and let you know how it went! 😉
Thank you for posting great videos, tutorials and all of the other resources you have here.
-Christin
Hi Christin, thanks for posting 🙂 I don’t mind you being a “blog stalker” at all, it really nice to hear that your workout group enjoy kettlebells and all they have to offer. It sounds like a great set up 😀
Looking forward to hearing how things go with this one.
Cheers
Marianne
I’d have to agree that this was one of the tougher workouts – gave it a go this morning. I noticed your thrusters were “ATG” :P, so I tried to go as low as possible – definitely makes a difference! I found myself dropping down to 12kg for the Defecit Reverse Lunges, as I found my legs shaking from the previous exercises, and my one-leg stability on the bench still isn’t there. And the Kettlebell Swings after the Plank Climbers was a KILLER!
Thanks for posting your numbers – it’s a huge help to have something to gun for! One question – any advice for those Defecit Reverse Lunges?
Thanks as always!
Marty
Thanks Marty. Advice for the deficit reverse lunges would be to reduce the deficit and weight until your balance in there. I also think it’s better, balance-wise, if you use the Goblet Hold. Really control it too, the lowering phase then get deep. Then push forward slightly with the rear leg and bring it home with the front. If stability on the bench becomes an issue, take away the bench. Body Weight Single-Leg Deadlifts are great for single leg stability. Try these barefoot too – this get your stabilising muscles really firing up in the foot and ankle!
Hope this helps.
Marianne
This was really tough! I would have thought that after all these months of doing Marianne’s workouts, some would get easier, but apparently not! I was pressed for time this morning, so this sweet 20 minute challenge was just perfect!
I had to go down in weights, and it was still everything I could do to keep going:
KB Thrusters (nice and low) 12 Kg R 12, 8.5
L 10, 9
Deadlift to burpee (14+16Kg) 10, 9
Elevated plank climbers 13, 11 (so hard!)
Swing 14 Kg 27, 27
Bent over row (30# DBs) 16, 15 (even these were hard!)
Deficit rev lunge 12 Kg R 10, L 10
2nd round 10 Kg R 11, L 11
Dive Bombers 10, 11
Vertical swing to burpee 14 Kg 9, 8
So with this, no one can ever complain that they haven’t enough time to workout! With warmup and cool down, it took a total of 35+ minutes!
You know, sometimes I really would like an easy one!
Thanks
~ Gillian
Gillian, each workout feels just as difficult because you’re probably gettin better range of movement. So, even with lighter weights you still work the muscles to their max. I have found the same thing. This workout was very challenging, even though I increase the pace. When you commented the other day on that older workout of mine from November, with only the 2 rounds, I though I’d do that style again. It is nice not to have to do loads of rounds!
Good numbers though – you’re tough on yourself 🙂
I just got my gymboss today! Ready to time myself!
Yay!!! Did you get a Gymboss MAX? I want a new one, the clip on mine broke the other week 😀
I’m gonna give this a go today! Looks good! I know what you mean about dreaming about the lifting. It’s weird I dream or daydream even about performing different kettlebell moves. Weird. Maybe obsessive??? Hope not lol. Can’t wait to see the clips from Dublin!
LOL, you could be right Aimee 😀 I won’t be obsessing about lifting for a couple of days. Tonights KB Class nearly finished me off !
Hi Marianne,
I can’t wait to watch the video of your classes.
Ready for the Italian Inquisition? I would like to know which is – according to your experience – the best method to change body composition, keeping the same overall weight (more or less), but decreasing fat and building muscle.
Both in terms of type of workout and in terms of nutrition too.
I know you are neither a nutritionist nor a big-headed idiot who thinks she knows it all in nutrition, but I would like to have your opinion on it.
Thanks
Bianca
Hey Bianca,
It sometimes depends on who it’s for. If it is you, you might respond best to cycling your calories, so you’re not in a deficit the whole week. Eating low calories on less active days and more (closer to normal) on active days. Keep the training more strength orientated too, so you will keep your muscle mass. To burn fat, the small deficit over the whole week (with you cycling the calories), will mean your fat loss will be slower, but with your body type, this is what you need. Keep your cardio short but intense like HIIT, the more aerobically you train the more muscle you will likely burn. Keep your training more anaerobic – heavier weights (mostly), then a day moderate and maybe one or two days lighter, but intense HIIT. Train when possible in a fasted state too, this way you will likely burn more fat but also produce more Growth hormone, which will help you keep your muscle.
Does this make sense? Hope so. If not, just ask me more 😉
Hi Marianne,
First off, I love your site. I’ve just recently discovered it and your workouts are tough! I’m also in major envy of your strength.
Second: How tall are you? Your legs look insanely long! (I mean it in the best way possible, coming from my majorly short self)
Third: you mention training in a fasted state for fat loss, and I’ve read about this as well when looking up the links you’ve posted on intermittent fasting. I’ve tried this a few times and walked away majorly disappointed as my strength and overall energy levels sucked. Is this the norm or am I doing something wrong? I’ve been drinking the bcaa supplement Leangains mentions but it really doesn’t seem to help. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi Jessica, welcome to the site 🙂
I am 165cm, and thanks for saying my legs look long, I always thought they looked stumpy lol
I have never really found that fasting caused me to have a decrease in strength and energy, unless there were other factors, like stress, injury or I was just off night duty. In theory you should have more energy as your body is using the sympathetic nervous system which means you have more adrenaline and energy releasing hormones. However, this nervous system also controls stress hormones, so maybe this can make some people feel less energetic. I am only making a guess at that point.
Sometimes it also has to do with the time of day that you train. Some people (like me) train best mid – late morning, others are better in the afternoon. There are days when I fast all day and then go to the Kettlebell class in the evening and I am busted, yet training in the morning I am super strong. Play around (if your timetable allows it) with the time of day that you train.
The BCAAs are not so much for energy, as they have no calories, but are meant to be for recovery and repair. Over time they are meant to improve performance, but I am suspicious about these claims. I am actually suspicious about most supplements. With my fasting, I don’t take any supplements, and my muscle and energy levels have been fine.
The final point is that many people have a deep psychological link between food and energy, so when food is absent so is energy. While it is true that circulating glucose will be used first during exercise, it is a myth that you need it to exercise. This is why the body stores energy, so it can be released on demand. Sometimes people can’t get over this link and, for them, fasting just doesn’t fit.
Perhaps 2 x 24hour fasts per week, like with Eat Stop Eat would work better for you? As long as you still do train regularly, the calorie deficit caused by the 2 fasts, should help you lose fat. If you are doing resistance training, you should find your energy levels improve.
I hope this helps a bit. I guess what I am saying is that one size does not fit all. Fat loss happens when calories are at a deficit and you do some sort of resistance training and cardio. How you go about the calorie deficit is a personal preference. Consider how big you like your meals to be, and consider that fasted training, even just first thing in the morning (before breakfast), will still help you with reaching your goals.
Let me know if you need any further help 🙂
Cheers
Marianne
Thanks Marianne
In light of your reply, I am going to keep trying it out, as perhaps it is a question of getting past that psychological barrier of ‘I haven’t eaten, therefore I can’t work as hard.’
I have one more question, and I know this is pretty relative to one’s own strength levels, but say I wanted to start working out with Kettlebells, what is a good weight to start with as a first purchase so that I can cover a wider variety of exercises? They’re quite pricey so I’m afraid I can’t really afford to buy several different weights in one go.
Thanks again!
Jessica
No worries Jessica. Good luck with the fasting 🙂
A good all round starting weight for women is 8kg. Anything lighter will make the swings and lower body exercises less effective, but anything heavier will make the upper body exercises impossible at the start. 8kg will still feel heavy for presses though, but you can always do push presses until you build up more strength 🙂 You will progress in weight, but 8kg will be a good investment because it will always be useful for a resonable length of time 🙂
Hope this helps
Cheers
Marianne
Hi Marianne. good one I have to take today off I worked out all weekend and finished things off by doing hot yoga.
The last time I went to hot yoga I had a really hard time with some of the one leg standing poses, this time it was a lot easier due to the fact that my hamstrings and glutes are a lot stronger.I love going back and seeing how much I’ve improved since last year.
I look forward to seeing some video the videos of your class.
cheers
That hot yoga sounds really tough!! Must give it a go sometime – though it’ll probably kill me LOL Just finished editing the clips from Dublin, it came together quite well. Can’t say I’m great at the lifts, but they are drilled into my sub-conscious now. Was dreaming about them last night LOL 😉