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10 Kettlebell Workouts to Get Six-Pack Abs

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10 Kettlebell Workouts to Get Six-Pack Abs


This article was produced in partnership with Kettlebell Kings

It’s probably going to sound redundant, but it always bears repeating: Your core really is at, well, the core of pretty much everything you do. “Our core strength determines ultimately how strong our entire body is,” says Bob Garon, owner and head coach at Chicagoland’s Synergy Kettlebell Training. “It affects our posture, our back health, and how well we perform daily movements as simple as getting up from a chair.”

And kettlebell training is among the most functional—as in, training to improve body function and movement—types you can do. “The basic kettlebell movement patterns—squat, clean, press, swing, snatch—are loaded either on the front of your body in the racked position or overhead,” adds Samantha Carmean, CSCS, a certified kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in NYC. “This unique pattern allows a large amount lot of tension and muscular force to be developed, especially through the core.”

These core-focused workouts, designed by Garon and Carmean, therefore really tax the whole body. Before you jump right in, warm up with some light kettlebell swings, plank walkouts, even some burpees to get your muscles primed—or add one of these routines to the end of your existing routine. Where no rest is noted, rest only as much as needed.

Choosing the right kettlebell weight: We recommend investing in an adjustable bell and having both lighter powder coat kettlebells (for moves like Turkish getup and cleans) and heavier competition-style kettlebells (for moves like swings and squats). Try these from Kettlebell Kings:

10- to 40-lb Adjustable Kettlebell

Powder Coat Kettlebell Set (5-lb increments)

Competition Kettlebells Full Set – Contains one each of 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 KG

Workout 1

  • 5 x Single-arm Kettlebell Clean
  • 5 x Single-arm Kettlebell Front Squat
  • 5 x 20-yard Single-arm Kettlebell Front Rack Carry
  • 5 x Single-arm Kettlebell Row (square stance)

Directions: All this one-sided (unilateral) work makes your core have to stabilize that much more to maintain your form. Perform reps on each side for 3-5 sets, taking 60 seconds rest in between.

Workout 2

  • 2 minutes x Cardio: Row on an erg, run on a treadmill, or perform burpees
  • 20 x American Kettlebell Swings: American swings bring your arms up overhead rather than stopping at parallel, which forces more core control.
  • 10 x Scorpions (each side):  Lie facedown on the floor, pick up one foot and lift it up and over your body, allowing your hips to open—think of it like a scorpion stinger—then do the other side.
  • 15 Hollow Body Rocks
  • 20-yard Crab Walk  
  • 15 Kettlebell Suitcase Squats
  • 10 Kettlebell Goblet Situps
  • 10 Kettlebell Figure 8s 

Directions: Perform 3 sets.

Workout 3

  • 2 x Double Kettlebell Deadlift
  • 2 x Kettlebell Renegade Row
  • 2 x Double Kettlebell Clean
  • 2 x Double Kettlebell Front Squat
  • 2 x Double Kettlebell Military Press

Directions: It reads easier than it is—it’s Carmean’s favorite variation on a workout called “The Man Maker,” typically done with dumbbells. Perform 3 sets.

Workout 4

  • 3 x Kettlebell Man-Makers
  • 6 x Wall Climbs: Wall Climbs have you starting in a plank with your feet against a wall, then walking both your hands in and your feet up until you’re in a handstand—add a pushup at the top, if you’re really ambitious.
  • 12 x Double Kettlebell Windshield Wipers: Lie on your back, holding a kettlebell in each hand right above your chest; raise your legs up, feet to the ceiling, and slowly drop them as a unit to one side, then the other.
  • 24 x Heels to Heaven: Do reverse crunches with straight legs.
  • 48 x Bicycle Crunches

Directions: Perform a 16-minute AMRAP workout (complete as many rounds as possible of given reps in this timeframe).

Workout 5

  • 1/2/3 x Turkish Getup Ladder (each side): Perform 1, 2, then 3 get-ups per side. Keep these relatively light.
  • 10 x Single-arm Swings (each side) EMOM: EMOM means “every minute on the minute”—at the top of the minute, you’ll do a set, then rest until the next minute, for 15 to 20 minutes. In your second set of Turkish Getups, go heavier than the first.
  • 1 x Turkish Getup, each side: Perform 3 sets.

Workout 6

  • Wall Sit
  • Double Kettlebell Windshield Wipers
  • Plank
  • Kettlebell Windmill: For the Windmill, start with a wide straddle stance and hold a kettlebell in one hand directly overhead. With control, hinge your torso to the side, aiming to touch your toes with your free hand while keeping that kettlebell up to the sky the entire time.

Directions: This shorter workout makes a great core finisher. Perform 3 sets, taking 60 seconds rest in between.

Workout 7

  • 5 x Goblet Squats
  • 10 x Kettlebell Swings
  • 10 x Plank with Kettlebell Drag: Start in a tall-arm plank with the kettlebell to the left of your body. With your right hand, grab the handle and drag it to the right side; then do the other side for one rep. Make it harder by adding a pushup between reps.

Directions: Perform 5 sets, taking 60 seconds rest in between.

Workout 8

  • Mountain Climbers
  • Kettlebell Situps to Goblet Press: Hold a kettlebell, goblet-style, in both hands. As you sit up, press the bell up and overhead; bring it down as you lower your body.
  • Reverse Plank Kicks: Come into a reverse plank—from seated, place your arms behind you, hands on the floor, and press your feet into the ground to bring your body up, forming a straight line from shoulders to toes—then take turns picking up one leg, fully extended, without letting your hips drop.
  • Superman Planks

Directions: This non-stop workout is only 6 minutes long—possibly the longest 6 minutes of your core’s life. Do 20 seconds of work, taking 5 seconds to transition between moves. Perform 3 total sets.

Workout 9

  • 20 x Double Kettlebell Front Rack Walking Lunges
  • 20- to 40-yard x Bear Crawls
  • 20 x Hand-to-Hand Alternating Swings

Directions: There’s so much coordinated effort in this one, you won’t realize your core is working—until you do. Perform 3-5 sets with 60-90 seconds rest in between.

Workout 10

  • Crunchy Frogs: Start seated, balanced on your tailbone, then extend your body out into a wide V and crunch in to bring your knees to chest.
  • Double Kettlebell Windshield Wipers
  • Dirty Dogs: Begin in downward dog, then switch to upward dog (without letting hips hit the floor), then back to downward dog, at which point you pick up one hand and touch the opposite toe (or shin). Repeat and touch with the other hand.
  • Butterfly Situps: Start seated, soles of feet touching and knees bent out to the side. You lie back on the ground, then sit up, touching your hands between your legs.
  • Russian Twists With Kettlebell

Directions: Do 50 seconds of work then 10 seconds of rest. Perform 3 sets.

 


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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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