Train Like You Mean It! Kettlebell and Body Weight Workout

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your great suggestions for a new article for me to work on. I can’t say it will be done immediately (given my schedule right now), but I am glad to have some topics to focus on that you will find helpful.

As I said last week, I have managed to injure myself and I believe it was due to over-training, or at least over training strength and getting too caught up in the numbers game again. We all want to be impressive and strong, but not at the cost of our health and function.  So, I have now impeded my training because I refused to slow down when I first got that “niggle” of something being wrong. For this reason, I need to focus on my home workouts and “lighter” gym training.

Going lighter is so difficult for me, because I seem to attach so much meaning to “being strong” and if I am not doing max lifts in the gym, then people will think I’m weak. How weak-minded is that of me! Who cares what anyone else thinks, right?? So, while I am a little embarrassed for admitting this, I am grown up enough to be able to admit fault (most of the time LOL).  After all, if I can overcome an obsession to get lean, I can overcome this! Besides there’s nothing like an injury to make you stop and reassess things.

So after a relaxing weekend away with plenty of food, drink and laughs I am feeling a little more up to doing a workout today 🙂

The Workout

This workout has quite a lot going on in it and will benefit most aspects of fitness.  There are 3 sections and each section has a different pace and a different purpose. All in all, you will train strength, conditioning and burn calories.  The first section is double Kettlebell strength work, but if you don’t have two KBs, then don’t worry one is fine too. Section 2 is an upper body Push/Pull conditioning challenge, and the final section is just plain conditioning torture 😛

Section 1

Complete 3 rounds of the following 4 exercises. The set reps depend on the weight you have available, so try to challenge yourself when you can by adjusting the reps. Set your
Gymboss Interval Timer for a suitable time to match your current fitness level while still challenging your endurance. If preferred you can swap this exercise for the Two-Handed KB Swing instead of the Double Swing.

1. Double Kettlebell Clean and Press x 8 – 12 reps (I used 2 x 14kg) (10, 10, 8 )
2. Double KB Front Squat x 8 – 12 reps ( 2 x 14kg in first round then 2 x 16kg) ( 12, 10, 8 )
3. Double KB Swing x 1 min (2 x 14kg) ( 28, 27, 27)
4. Double KB Bent Over Row x 8 – 12 reps (2 x 14kg in first round then 2 x 16kg) (12, 10, 10 )

Section 2

This is a real challenge! Complete 3 – 5 rounds of this circuit. Don’t forget to allow adequate recovery after the burpees … you’ll need it. Try and complete burpees with push ups. Alternatively you can separate the push ups and burpees into 2 exercises. Set the reps for push ups and set time for burpees minus push up.

1. Pull Ups x sub-max reps (I did 5 rounds and I found the pull ups tough today) (4,3,3,3,3)
2. Burpees x 1 min (18, 16, 16,15, 13 )

Section 3

Pure conditioning hell now everyone. Set your Gymboss Interval Timer for 18 cycles of 15 seconds rest and 45 seconds effort and complete 3 rounds of the following:

1. Alternating Single-Leg Hip Thrusts (or choose what version is appropriate for your level) (24, 22, 21)
2. Elevated Plank Climber (21, 20, 22)
3. KB Vertical Swing Burpee (20kg) (12, 11, 11)
4. Stand-Kneel-Stand (left) (16kg) (17, 16, 16)
5. Stand-Kneel-Stand (right) (16, 16, 16)
6. Side to Side Step Overs (46, 45, 42)

Beginners

• Focus on single Kettlebell exercises in the first section and reduce the time to 30 or 40 seconds
• Modify the pull ups by doing assisted variations using a chair or band for support or performing negatives (jump up and slowly lower).
• Split the burpees and push ups and perform 5 – 8 push ups each round and set the timer for 30 or 40 seconds for the burpees.
• For section 3, perform glute bridges on the floor, or double leg hip thrusts.
• No need to elevate the plank climbers if this exercise is still challenging from the floor
• Vertical Swing minus burpee if this is too challenging.
• Body weight stand-kneel-stands
• Side to side step overs should be fine, but you can also replace this with skipping or mountain climbers if you prefer.
• Finally you can adjust the interval times in the final section to 3 separate rounds and/or adjust the times to 20/40 or 30/30 (rest/effort).

If you have any doubt about this workout, just ask me and I’ll try to help 🙂

That’s it for today everyone, I really enjoyed this workout and hope you all do too!

Talk to you soon.

Marianne