Ultimate Body Sculpt & Conditioning With Kettlebells DVD Review & Giveaway!

My love of kettlebells is certainly no secret. And my admiration of a certain kettlebell instructor isn't either. So the fact that the amazing, world renowned Lauren Brooks agreed to let me host a giveaway for her "Ultimate Body Sculpt & Conditioning With Kettlebells" DVD thrills me to pieces. I LOVE preaching about the benefits of incorporating kettlebells into anyone's exercise regime. I've had SO many people asking me about what type of exercise I did to get my abs back after 2 pregnancies in less than 2 years. And the answer is so simple... I did this exact DVD that one of my lucky readers is going to win!!

Honestly, kettlebells, and this DVD specifically, are the only form of exercise I do on a regular basis, and the only exercise I've done in my entire 26 years on Earth that I haven't hated. I mean, come on... if someone like me, a girl who hated all sports with a passion and would hook gym class every single day, can get fast and noticeable results, then there is absolutely no reason you can't, too!! Lauren's instructions are clear and simple, even for someone who has never laid eyes on a kettlebell in their life. The DVD includes an exercise demonstration section where Lauren goes through a step by step instruction of every single kettlebell and body weight exercise that you need to know to turn your body into a lean, fat burning machine! Some of the moves you will quickly learn to love are: 2 handed swing, alternating swing, high pull catch & squat, mountain climbers and many more.

This DVD comes with not one, but TWO fat burning workouts. If you're a busy mom like yours truly, then you will most definitely benefit from the 12 Minute Fat Blast workout. Hard to believe, but you can get an amazing, full body workout in 12 short minutes! Anyone can find 12 minutes in their day, no matter who you are. And don't let the short time frame fool you,-- this is a sweat inducing, heart pounding cardio workout that will leave you feeling completely accomplished. The 12 Minute Fat Blast is also an excellent way to ease yourself into using kettlebells, or any type of physical exercise in general since it is Low to Medium Intensity. Once you master the 12 Minute, you can repeat it back to back for double the fun and double the fat burning!

Also included is my personal favorite, the 40 Minute Sculpt and Conditioning Workout. If you can get through this workout just one time, you will be good to go after that. 40 minutes definitely sounds intimidating, I know. But the way this workout is designed, you get plenty of rest time. For every 2 minutes of intense exercise, you get a 1 minute break. This alternates throughout the entire 40 minutes. So no matter how tough it seems at any given moment, you can always keep in the back of your mind that it is ONLY 2 minutes and then you have a full minute to catch your breath, grab some water, and save up for the next round! Not only that, but the timer on the side of the screen shows you exactly how much time you have til your next rest. And if you're like me, your eyes will stay glued to that timer and you'll be so focused on that, that your body just goes into autopilot!

(for more info on kettlebells in general, check my blog post HERE.)

I just can't say enough good things about this DVD or about Lauren Brooks herself. She is just such an amazing and inspirational woman, and my personal role model. Here is an excerpt from her website:

"Lauren Brooks is the owner of On The Edge Fitness and Co-owner of BuggyBellz. She is the creator of the worldwide selling DVD's “The Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning with Kettlebells" Volume 1 and 2. Her 2nd DVD “Baby Bells, is the first and only Kettlebell video, designed specifically for pregnant woman. Lauren is a full-time working mother of 2 beautiful young girls. Her passion for leading a healthy and active life is an inspiration for mothers, parents, and woman everywhere.

Lauren is a Kettlebell Instructor (RKC) Team Leader, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, and has a degree in Kinesiology. She currently holds private and group sessions at her private indoor and outdoor studio, which is located in the beautiful Encinitas area. Lauren has also published many articles through various online magazines such as bodybuilding.com, performance menu, kettlebellinc, and Dragon Door. Lauren has appeared on NBC and is sought out all over the world for her expertise. Those who are not local are still able to benefit from Lauren’s training and nutrition services. Lauren is available for workshops, currently has clients all all over the world, which she offers services such as personalized online training programs, workouts, and nutrition programs.

In her free time Lauren enjoys snowboarding, wakeboarding, healthy cooking, efficient kettlebell workouts, Krav Maga, and spending precious time with her family and friends."

Lauren is a total sweetheart and has offered one of my lucky readers their own copy of "The Ultimate Body Sculpt & Conditioning With Kettlebells" DVD. A $39.99 value!!



**BUY IT**
Visit the On The Edge Fitness Store to purchase this fabulous DVD!

**WIN IT**
Visit http://www.ontheedgefitness.com/ and tell me something you learned about kettlebell workouts, or about Lauren Brooks herself that I did not mention here. (This entry is MANDATORY and must be done first!)

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES- (Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry. If it says +2, please enter two separate comments!)

* Like Lauren Brooks on Facebook. (+2)
* Like Me on Facebook. (+2)
* Follow my blog.
* Follow Lauren's Blog.
* Grab my pretty little button, post it to your blog & link me to it. (+3)
* Blog about this giveaway & link me to it. (+5)
* Follow me on Twitter. (+2)
* Tweet this giveaway. (You may do this ONCE per day!)
* Make a purchase from Lauren's Online Store (+8)

Contest open to US & Canadian residents, 18 years old and older. Contest ends 6/19/10 at 9 p.m. EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment unless it's visible on your Blogger profile. (If I can't contact you, a new winner will be drawn.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random.

*I was not financially compensated for this giveaway. I was given a sample of the above product for review. The opinions & views expressed are that of my own and were not impacted by having received merchandise.

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!!