Guest post by Forest Vance
500 Rep Kettlebell Challenge
by Forest Vance, author, Kettlebell Challenge Workouts 2.0
I’m kind of a modest guy, and I don’t really like to talk up my accomplishments.
But, since Shawna has invited me to do a guest blog post and video for you, one of her loyal readers, I thought I’d share with you a bit about my own personal training background, how I got into the kettlebell training “universe”, and ultimately how I can help YOU get into peak physical condition with KB’s.
Back in my football days, I was in top shape. But after a great college career and a ‘cup of coffee’ in the NFL, it was time to move on. The transition was pretty smooth – except from a personal fitness standpoint.
Long story short, I ended up at about 310 pounds. I saw a picture of myself in the mirror one day and pretty much decided that enough was enough. That’s what ultimately triggered my transformation.
I started on an intense workout and diet plan, and lost 64 pounds over the next 6 months. And this experience “kick started” my personal training career.
Now, almost ten years later, I’ve helped thousands of people – both online and off – reach their ultimate fitness goals. And a big way I’ve done that is using kettlebells … and more specifically, kettlebell challenge workouts.
Today, I’m going to break down one of my special kettlebell challenge workouts for you to try at home. I think you’re really going to like this one, because you’ll get a KILLER workout, but you’ll also test your fitness level a bit, and have some fun in the process.
Enjoy!
This is going to be a killer workout, 500 reps total, and you are going to try and do the whole workout as fast as possible.
We’re going to start off with kettlebell swings. For women, the prescribed weight is 16 kilo (35 pounds) and for men it is 24 kilo (53 pounds.) You don’t want to hop up and double your weight just for this workout if you’ve never done it before. That’s what we’re working towards eventually so we’re keeping it standardized.
You can do two-hand swings, one-hand or hand-to-hand if you want. Any one of this three variations on your swings.
100 reps and you’ve got to do all of them before you move on to the next exercise. You can rest if you have to but you’ve got to complete all of the reps before going on to the next one.
The next one is going to be push ups. We’re going to do 100 push ups! Make sure you get down 90 degrees at the bottom and lock ’em out at the top. That’s our standardization on that one.
So for this one since we’re using it as a gauge where we do it today and then come back in two to three weeks and do it again to see how we’re progressing…just make sure you pick the same push up version. If you do knee push ups the first time come back and do it that way the second time. If you’re doing toe push ups, repeat toe push ups.
Next, we’re going to do alternating reverse lunges. 100 steps. 90 degree bend on the front leg, 90 degree bend on the back leg and make sure that back knee comes about an inch off the ground.
Knee-to-elbow mountain climber is next. Your knee is going to come up and touch the same elbow. Slow and focused! Get your core focused on this one. So it’s not our traditional mountain climber where we are hopping back and forth. One foot is going to stay on the ground the whole time.
Then we’re going to finish off again with 100 kettlebell swings.
Enjoy that kettlebell challenge workout – it’s a tough one but I know you’re going to love it!
Thanks, and talk soon –
Forest Vance, MS, RKC
PS – If you would like to check out more workouts that I have for the kettlebell, you can check out the special deal I’ve set up for Shawna’s readers on my Kettlebell Challenge Workouts 2.0 program here.
About Forest Vance
Forest Vance holds a Master’s degree in Human Movement and personal training certifications through the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is also a level II Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor, Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist, and Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach.
Over the last decade, Forest has experience as a personal trainer, group fitness/boot camp instructor, fitness manager, and health club general manager. He curr
ently works as the owner and head trainer at his Sacramento functional training gym.
He also maintains a network of fitness-related websites, makes regular guest appearances on many others, has been featured in national newspaper, radio, television, and other media, and is the creator/author of numerous books, DVD’s, and digitally delivered workout programs/systems. Check out Kettlebell Challenge Workouts 2.0 program and see if it’s a good fit for you.