It's time to rev up your workout with some kettlebells. More versatile than dumbbells, using kettlebells to strength train increases your caloric burn. We had celeb trainer — she introduced Jessica Alba to CrossFit — Yumi Lee teach us four effective exercises using the kettlebell. Watch the video for a quick tutorial, then try these moves in your next workout.
Like using kettlebells? Then check out these kettlebell workouts that Karena and Katrina from Tone It Up posted in their Tone It Up group in the FitSugar Community.
Hey FitSugar community! It's Karena and Katrina from Tone It Up.
Here's a fun routine to do with the kettlebells that tones the inner thighs, lifts the booty, strengthens the core, and tones the waistline and entire upper body! Have you ever tried it? Now's the time; here's a printable routine to bring to the gym.
There's more! Check out Tone It Up's kettlebell workout videos (and a printout for a beginner's kettlebell routine) after the break.
Going through the same workout routine can be boring, which is why new products and methods keep people motivated to get fit. However, with so many options, it's hard to anticipate which technique or method will stick around and influence gym workouts nationwide. Now's your chance to vote on the workout equipment you think is a fad versus the ones that you are convinced are here to stay.
There is a reason I follow celebrity trainers who tweet: it's often the best place to find the latest breaking news in their lives. And, it's often uncensored, honest, and timely. If you follow trainer Jillian Michaels on Twitter, then I'm sure you've been glued to all her recent developments:
There's some serious mudslinging going on in the fitness world: earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times printed an op-ed piece on trainer Jillian Michaels. Author James S. Fell, a certified trainer and health author, slams Jillian, calling her "an actress playing the role of fitness trainer on TV" with "regular displays of poor technique and unsafe training practices."
James's opinion is stirred, in part, from Jillian's latest fitness DVD: Shred-It With Weights Kettlebell Workout. In the op-ed piece, James also speaks to a kettlebell expert who calls her technique "appalling" and unsafe. This isn't the first slam against Jillian's kettlebell DVD; if you search "Jillian Michaels kettlebell" on Google, the first page is awash from trainers calling her kettlebell technique improper. (Personally, I haven't seen the video.)
Jillian is not taking the Los Angeles Times piece lightly. The trainer told Us Weekly that she'll be going forward with legal action: "They didn't do any of their homework. They flat-out [lied]. It's defamation, it's libel, it's full-on." As for her credentials, Jillian responded by saying, "I currently own two certifications, one of which doesn't expire. I developed my own continuing education program for trainers, with sports medicine doctors. I've been a trainer since I was 17 years old for 19 years." Jillian's fans are in her corner, offering more than 1,000 comments of support via her Facebook.
I can't believe that it's already October — where did the year go? No doubt about it, October spells Fall: cooler temps, Halloween, and squash aplenty mean that Winter is around the corner. But before we welcome in snowy skies, Kris Kringle, and chestnuts, let's celebrate October with some choice gear. Keep reading for products to warm you up, keep you buff, and shine the light on.
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Carrie Underwood has always come across as a fit and healthy gal — even before making it big. She works hard with trainer Tony Greco and maintains a really healthy diet — she even resists the temptation to dine out! Keeping all of this in mind, it's no wonder that Women's Health would choose Carrie as its October cover model. She's celebrating life as a newlywed while prepping for her new tour yet somehow manages to look amazing through it all! Here are the highlights:
For Lo Bosworth, life after The Hills meant working on an upcoming book on dating advice, and starting her own website — The Lo Down. This month, Lo gave readers a peek into what her fitness schedule is like. Given that she's always talked about fitness being a big part of her life, I wasn't surprised to find out that she works out at least five times a week. And since the Summer is full of "beach barbecues and bathing suits," the reality star makes a point to hit the gym regularly. Check out her workout schedule here:
Spin (50 minutes, two to three times a week): Lo has often talked about her love of spinning, even if her BFF Lauren Conrad is not a fan. Lo says that she appreciates the instructor’s "drill-sergeant commands and the loud, pumping jams . . . I burn roughly 500 calories in a 50-minute class."
Kettlebells (30 minutes, two times a week): Although Lo pencils in a kettlebell workout two times a week, she says it's probably more likely she'll only make it to one. "I hate his class, but it does make my butt less jiggly so I go. It’s hardcore strength training: you lift your kettlebell weight at the same time as you lunge, squat or dance around. It’s hard. After my very first class I couldn’t move for about a week."
Yoga (60 minutes, one time a week): Yoga is another class she dislikes, but still goes to in order to get the benefits. But having a workout partner to go to class with makes things easier for Lo — especially since it's her sister!
I can't stress enough how important it is to mix up the equipment you use when strength training. Dumbbells, weight machines, and resistance bands are common fitness tools you'll find at the gym, but you may have also seen kettlebells. Though they look like some medieval torture device you want to avoid, they're actually a really effective way to tone and strengthen your muscles. Here are five reasons you should give them a try.
To hear why else you should use kettlebells, read more
