This can happen from simple muscle soreness of the back muscles. Sometimes if the back muscles are so used to compensating for poor hip mobility or poor glute strength, they will get over-worked, especially when you progress the weight. Is there a particular exercise when you feel it in the back? Pain is not always dangerous, but this will give you a good idea of what you need to strengthen. As a general rule with people, their posterior chain is weak as a whole, and their lower body mobility sucks. I would try doing more glute work (activation and strengthening exercises) and also hip mobility drills. If you go to my Glute Bridge Progression Page there are some suggested drills there.

Is it lower, middle or upper back?

Just restarted my program with the 15 lb weight. My back is killing me. Is this to be expected when you go up in weight. Any suggestions on how to best deal with that? Thanks in advance.

Avis, I don’t count my carbs, protein or fat, or even calories anymore. I recommend focusing more on total calories if you need to. Perhaps look at getting most of your carbs from vegetables. I eat a lot of root veges, like sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, squash, and I find that has really helped my health. Of course I still have to odd blow-out and chocolate treat 😀 At the start it’s good to have an idea of how many calories you are consuming, but what’s more important is that you feel good about your diet and it doesn’t always feel that you are forcing yourself to do things you hate. Less stress = more fat-burning, muscle-building potential 🙂

Greetings Linda and Marianne,

Thank you again. I will purchase a larger set of kettle bells within the next couple of weeks. I also need a couple of benches from what I can see from in your workouts. When I have them, I will begin doing Marianne’s workouts. Because I don’t want to get out of the swing of things :), I will restart kettleworx next week with 15lb bell because I have one already one.

Thank you again ladies.

Another ? what is your carb breakdown daily?

Good advice Lynda, thanks for helping out with this one 🙂

I did buy the advanced program and really there are only a few extra exercises and a lot of repeating what you already have. You would probably be better to follow Marianne’s workouts or as you said go back to week 1 with a heavier bell. I was doing my own thing at home for about a year using kettleworx, TRX and then found Marianne’s fantastic site. Her workouts allowed me to get stronger. When I was using kworx I would line up a 8kg, 12kg and 16kg and depending on the exercise because I have a shoulder issue and had to use the 8kg on some of the twisting type exercises and also how I was feeling on the day would determine my KB selection 🙂 Nowdays at the gym I’m swinging the 24kg around and that’s the heaviest my gym has otherwise I would be looking to go heavier – you will be amazed at your progression but remember to take your rest days and train safely. Good luck!!

Greetings Linda,

Thank you so much for responding. How long did you work out with kettleworx? Did you do kettleworx advance program and if so what did you think of it? I’m just finishing up my 6 weeks. I’m trying to decide whether to start over with a heavier weight or continue to the advanced program with the same weight. I’ve noticed that Marrianne’s program is more condusive to using heavier weight which is fine with me. I would like to incorporate some of her routines into my workout schedule. You mentioned from time to time you do still kettleworx, what is the heaviest weight bell you use?

Thanks again for you input. I’m sure I’ll be reading your comments in the future.

Greetings Marrianne,

Thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate it. I’m on my last two days of the six week program. Yeah!!! I’m trying to figure out how to incorporate some of your routines into what I’m doing already. It is correct that a 3 day, 20 minute routine is best for kettle bells? The heaviest bell I have right know is a 15 lb. I’m not afraid of progressing up the latter its just I have tendonitis in my left arm and I don’t want to overload it all at once. I’m hoping I can get at least a 30 lb bell in the near future to do some of your workouts with. I will definitely be tuning in. Thank you so much for the wealth of infomation on this site. Its greatly appreciated. I hope you will continue.

Have a Great Day. 🙂

Hope I can help here, I started out with the kettleworx dvd’s and still love them, I think they are more of a conditioning metabolic type workout but with a heavier bell I can make them more challenging. Great place to start to learn the moves although there are better instructional dvds out there and I do have a lot of them. I found your instructional s on youtube and you actually helped me with correcting my form. I’m like you focused on heavy compound lifts in the gym at the moment but still love to throw in a Kb Workout to use the body as a whole unit.

Your workouts are most definitely harder than Kettleworx, but sometimes it’s nice to follow along and not have to think about what’s next. I now consider them a light workout… wow I remember when I thought they were hard I have come a long way in this fitness and strength lifestyle.

Good luck to Avis in her KB strength journey. Progression is so empowering!!

Hi Avis, sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I was asking a friend, who I know started out with the Kettleworx dvds, to answer your question. I only know a little about Kettleworx, so I don’t want to make judgments when I am in no position to. My friend is now competing in KB Sport, so he knows the benefits of all types of KB training.

I will get back to you when he replies. In the meantime I would highly recommend you try some of my Beginner Workouts. You will build a lot more strength doing my workouts along with stability, mobility and then stand to burn more fat. I encourage progression to heavier weights and a mixture of strength training and conditioning workouts. If any of my other readers feel like chiming in about Kettleworx, then I think that will help you.

Thank you for your patience 🙂