a little about kettlebells.

so i've had A LOT of people asking me about kettlebells. i'm going to try to sum it all up for you.

a kettlebell is basically a weight that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. here is a pic of one of mine:



they come in a variety of sizes, i've seen them as small as 5lbs and as large as 88lbs. right now i'm using a 12kg (26lb) bell. i also have a 15 and 20lb bell that i use for various exercises. i started with an 8lb just to get the feel for the workout and because i had no upper body strength to begin with. i wanted to start small. using the correct form is key so i definitely recommend starting small until you master each individual exercise so you can maximize you results without hurting yourself.

kettlebells are a complete all-around workout. it is not just "weight lifting". you get strength training and cardio in one. this workout will definitely get your heart rate up while toning your body. it's always good to be able to kill 2 birds with one stone, therefore not having to spend as much time on your workouts when we all have better things to be doing with our waking hours. i'm all about efficiency. especially with 2 kids and a house to care for! kettlebell workouts with lean you out, you will NOT bulk up, despite using the heavier weights. each kettlebell exercise works your core, legs, butt, arms, everything. so you are truly working your whole body. obviously in most exercises you hold the bell by the horns, but your arms are NOT doing all the work.

my personal favorite kettlebell workout is the ultimate body sculpt and conditioning with kettlebells by lauren brooks. lauren is an amazing kettlebell instructor and my personal role model. this dvd is everything you need to learn about kettlebells and get a GREAT workout. the video preview to the dvd is HERE. even if you have never picked up a kettlebell in your life, this dvd will teach you in very simple terms how each exercise works. plus, the way the dvd is set up is great. there is a 40 minute workout, as well as a 12 minute workout. even the busiest person can find 12 free minutes in their day. and as hard as it is to believe, you truly can get a great full body workout in 12 minutes! the 40 minute workout is fantastic too. the way it is set up is the best part (aside from the actual workout itself). you do 2 minutes of exercise, then rest for 1 minute. this goes on throughout the entire 40 minutes. it's great because even when certain parts seem hard, you still know that it will only last 2 minutes and a break is in sight. not only that, but the 2 minutes is counted down on the left side of the screen so you can see exactly how much time you have left until the next break.

i truly 100% stand by this particular dvd. it helped change my life and body. it does NOT take long to get results if you really buckle down and DO IT. i started kettlebells around january of this year and was noticing results within weeks... and i'm seriously not the type of person who has ever been "athletic" or into exercise. i used to hook gym class in high school bc i hated physical activity of any sort. so if i can do it, anyone can. if you decide to order lauren's dvd, let her know i sent you!! and as always you can feel free to ask me any questions, or if you prefer you could email lauren brooks herself. i have gotten great advice from her and she is truly inspirational.

here is me before:



and this is my current pic:



i've lost about 14lbs doing these workouts, and in a very short time frame. there are no quick fixes to weight loss. cleaning up your diet and doing some form of exercise is the way to go. pills and fad diets will not work, especially not in the long term.

i hope i helped everyone to understand kettlebells a little more. i'll close with a link to my favorite article by lauren brooks regarding kettlebell exercises. check it out.

xoxo,

lindsey

p.s. had to throw this pic in here because its so cute!!