Midwest Kettlebell-
The foundation of Strength is where it all begins...
The foundation of Strength is where it all begins...
Kettlebells and Strength Training
Although Midwest Kettlebell focuses primarily on Kettlebell training as a form of strength
training, it’s not the only tool used by any means. It’s the most cost effective, space and time
efficient means I know of, but there are many means to an end. Kettlebells have the added
benefit of improving endurance/conditioning in multiple planes of motion. This equates to
similar movement patterns encountered everyday, not just in sports. So how do we define
Strength Training?
Contrary to popular belief, Strength Training is NOT shaving your head, growing a goatee,
tattooing a ring of barbed wire over your biceps and walking around looking like someone just
stole your car…
Strength Training is crucial for injury prevention, endurance, bodybuilding, sports, and everyday
life. Without strength, you have instability and are at risk of injury whether you’re lifting water
softener salt out of your car or taking on a 250 lb linebacker.
Women shouldn’t shy away from this type of training anymore, either. The benefits are
fantastic and, since a good portion of strength is neurologically based, you'll still look "feminine"
Additionally, the naturally low levels of testosterone in women prevent them from "bulking up"
and "getting huge" so this should be of little concern no matter what form of training is
employed. Kettlebell training, as a form of strength training, is especially valuable for firming
up those troublesome glutes and thighs. In fact, many of my clients are women and love KB
training for the fat burning potential alone.
For fat reduction, the word is out that to effectively burn fat, intense exercise is required…no
more walking around with a water bottle patting the moisture from you forehead after walking
30 minutes on a treadmill. That’s NOT strength training either.
One could argue that Strength is really not needed for endurance events such as marathons or
triathlons, but although these athletes don’t carry a lot of bulk musculature, the strongest ones
can tackle the hills and out sprint their opponents...I'd say it's advantageous.
Others could argue that it isn’t needed for Bodybuilding either since the muscles are “just for
show”. In some respects, I agree, you can build some impressive musculature but lift only a
portion of a comparable sized powerlifter. If you only lift like a "bodybuilder" you won’t build
what I call “elite” muscle. Some of the top bodybuilders of all time were powerlifters first. And I
doubt there’s anyone out there who will say Ronnie Coleman isn’t strong. He has “elite” level
muscle…dense muscle built by Strength Training. Without strength, you can’t lift heavy. If you
can’t lift heavy, forget about building elite muscle.
The Midwest Kettlebell and Frank's definition of “Strength Training” is: Any form of training that
involves intense muscular contraction in multiple planes and results in a preferential
myofibrillar hypertrophic state. This may not be the widely accepted definition, or easy to say,
but it suites us well. Bottom line, ditch the light weights, isolation exercises and walking.
For the most cost effective training DVD on the market, click on: Kettlebells, Strength Training and More!
Philosophy: Simplify and Intensify.
Simplify:
Tear down the old and rebuild using sound strength training principles.
Eliminate the waste and get back to the basics. No wraps, No belts, No cushy shoes, No
gloves, No pink weights, No multitudes of exercises, No hours spent in the gym, No fancy
machines, No circuit training, No Pilates, No gossip….just you and the iron. That simple.
Knowing thousands of exercises is great. Trying to use all of them each workout is not. Just
because you own jumper cables doesn’t mean you have to try and use them when you change
your oil…you get the point.
You don’t need all the “support wear” (belts, gloves, wraps, etc), in fact, you’re probably doing
more harm than good. The “support wear” can actually blunt the neurological connection
between body. What this means is the true signals to your brain aren't a reflection of the actual
direction, location and amount of force being generated. The ultimate result is microtrauma
and ultimately injury...not what we're after.
Along the same lines, you don’t need "isolation machines" like preacher benches, leg
extension machines, abdominal machines, etc either (I wish I hadn’t made that mistake early
on, they make good paper weights though). A solid bench press and power cage is plenty, you
could get by with even less. Kettlebells and an Olympic weight set will yield incredible results
for fat loss or increasing muscle without taking up hardly any room. If you have limited funds
and space, Kettlebells and bodyweight exercises can deliver results just fine too.
Intensify:
But doesn’t it take hours of lifting and cardio to get huge and ripped? In a word, hell NO
(I know, it’s two words). This is a huge misconception. In fact, excess cardio will prevent
muscle hypertrophy. Frank explains this in the Kettlebells, Strength Training and More, DVD.
Long story short, a few minutes of intense exercise is much better than 2 hours. How
intense? If you aren’t struggling, grunting, sweating and occasionally passing gas, then it isn’t
enough. If you can read on the treadmill, you’re going too slow.
Basically, somewhere between falling asleep and feeling like you’ve squeezed a grapefruit out
your butt…leaning toward the latter, maybe a plum.
Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean get off the couch and go crazy doing wind sprints. The
point is, it's OK to start out slow but you've got to keep pushing. The only way to force your body
to adapt is to continuously venture into unchartered water. But you MUST do it in an educated
way. It's much harder to heal damaged joints or correct poor form once they've happened.
When I was lifting like a bodybuilder/powerlifter, I was carrying a lot of extra fat, had bad form,
and was poorly conditioned. I couldn't run a quarter mile on the lowest treadmill setting, but
boy could I lift....until my disks gave out. I thought I was done lifting for good, but then was
introduced to Kettlebells.....well, long story short, with the proper form, bracing, breathing
techniques I've managed to surpass any previous level of fitness.
With the right training and open mind,YOU CAN TOO!
Although Midwest Kettlebell focuses primarily on Kettlebell training as a form of strength
training, it’s not the only tool used by any means. It’s the most cost effective, space and time
efficient means I know of, but there are many means to an end. Kettlebells have the added
benefit of improving endurance/conditioning in multiple planes of motion. This equates to
similar movement patterns encountered everyday, not just in sports. So how do we define
Strength Training?
Contrary to popular belief, Strength Training is NOT shaving your head, growing a goatee,
tattooing a ring of barbed wire over your biceps and walking around looking like someone just
stole your car…
Strength Training is crucial for injury prevention, endurance, bodybuilding, sports, and everyday
life. Without strength, you have instability and are at risk of injury whether you’re lifting water
softener salt out of your car or taking on a 250 lb linebacker.
Women shouldn’t shy away from this type of training anymore, either. The benefits are
fantastic and, since a good portion of strength is neurologically based, you'll still look "feminine"
Additionally, the naturally low levels of testosterone in women prevent them from "bulking up"
and "getting huge" so this should be of little concern no matter what form of training is
employed. Kettlebell training, as a form of strength training, is especially valuable for firming
up those troublesome glutes and thighs. In fact, many of my clients are women and love KB
training for the fat burning potential alone.
For fat reduction, the word is out that to effectively burn fat, intense exercise is required…no
more walking around with a water bottle patting the moisture from you forehead after walking
30 minutes on a treadmill. That’s NOT strength training either.
One could argue that Strength is really not needed for endurance events such as marathons or
triathlons, but although these athletes don’t carry a lot of bulk musculature, the strongest ones
can tackle the hills and out sprint their opponents...I'd say it's advantageous.
Others could argue that it isn’t needed for Bodybuilding either since the muscles are “just for
show”. In some respects, I agree, you can build some impressive musculature but lift only a
portion of a comparable sized powerlifter. If you only lift like a "bodybuilder" you won’t build
what I call “elite” muscle. Some of the top bodybuilders of all time were powerlifters first. And I
doubt there’s anyone out there who will say Ronnie Coleman isn’t strong. He has “elite” level
muscle…dense muscle built by Strength Training. Without strength, you can’t lift heavy. If you
can’t lift heavy, forget about building elite muscle.
The Midwest Kettlebell and Frank's definition of “Strength Training” is: Any form of training that
involves intense muscular contraction in multiple planes and results in a preferential
myofibrillar hypertrophic state. This may not be the widely accepted definition, or easy to say,
but it suites us well. Bottom line, ditch the light weights, isolation exercises and walking.
For the most cost effective training DVD on the market, click on: Kettlebells, Strength Training and More!
Philosophy: Simplify and Intensify.
Simplify:
Tear down the old and rebuild using sound strength training principles.
Eliminate the waste and get back to the basics. No wraps, No belts, No cushy shoes, No
gloves, No pink weights, No multitudes of exercises, No hours spent in the gym, No fancy
machines, No circuit training, No Pilates, No gossip….just you and the iron. That simple.
Knowing thousands of exercises is great. Trying to use all of them each workout is not. Just
because you own jumper cables doesn’t mean you have to try and use them when you change
your oil…you get the point.
You don’t need all the “support wear” (belts, gloves, wraps, etc), in fact, you’re probably doing
more harm than good. The “support wear” can actually blunt the neurological connection
between body. What this means is the true signals to your brain aren't a reflection of the actual
direction, location and amount of force being generated. The ultimate result is microtrauma
and ultimately injury...not what we're after.
Along the same lines, you don’t need "isolation machines" like preacher benches, leg
extension machines, abdominal machines, etc either (I wish I hadn’t made that mistake early
on, they make good paper weights though). A solid bench press and power cage is plenty, you
could get by with even less. Kettlebells and an Olympic weight set will yield incredible results
for fat loss or increasing muscle without taking up hardly any room. If you have limited funds
and space, Kettlebells and bodyweight exercises can deliver results just fine too.
Intensify:
But doesn’t it take hours of lifting and cardio to get huge and ripped? In a word, hell NO
(I know, it’s two words). This is a huge misconception. In fact, excess cardio will prevent
muscle hypertrophy. Frank explains this in the Kettlebells, Strength Training and More, DVD.
Long story short, a few minutes of intense exercise is much better than 2 hours. How
intense? If you aren’t struggling, grunting, sweating and occasionally passing gas, then it isn’t
enough. If you can read on the treadmill, you’re going too slow.
Basically, somewhere between falling asleep and feeling like you’ve squeezed a grapefruit out
your butt…leaning toward the latter, maybe a plum.
Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean get off the couch and go crazy doing wind sprints. The
point is, it's OK to start out slow but you've got to keep pushing. The only way to force your body
to adapt is to continuously venture into unchartered water. But you MUST do it in an educated
way. It's much harder to heal damaged joints or correct poor form once they've happened.
When I was lifting like a bodybuilder/powerlifter, I was carrying a lot of extra fat, had bad form,
and was poorly conditioned. I couldn't run a quarter mile on the lowest treadmill setting, but
boy could I lift....until my disks gave out. I thought I was done lifting for good, but then was
introduced to Kettlebells.....well, long story short, with the proper form, bracing, breathing
techniques I've managed to surpass any previous level of fitness.
With the right training and open mind,YOU CAN TOO!
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Incredible pieces of iron
*The information provided in this website should not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, disease, health problem, or
metabolic disorder. Always consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any nutrition, training or
supplement program.
metabolic disorder. Always consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any nutrition, training or
supplement program.
 |
Deads are GOOD, even with bad
lumbar discs....if done properly...
lumbar discs....if done properly...