Our New Kettlebell Workouts For March

My wife has been bugging me to start working out again, and as it happens, I was re-reading Bud Jeffries Super Strength and Endurance For Martial Arts:


(http://strongerman.com/martial_arts.html)


Bud has a lot of good ideas for mixed implement conditioning and I found some ideas for a few workouts to get our minds and bodies out of the winter doldrums.


I'm going to use three different kettlebell-based workouts, and do them for a month or so in order to get us back into the exercise habit.


Here's what we're doing today:


Basic warm-up


Cables -- Overhead pulldown x 20; Front chest pull x 20; Tricep extension x 20; One-arm press x 20; Bent row x 20. We'll do these using Lifeline USA's cables. The trick is to stay relatively light and use a quick pace to get the blood pumping.


Squats -- Close-stance x 8; Medium-stance x 8; Wide-stance x 8; Hurdler squat stretch x 8; Cossack stretch x 8; Boot strapper x 8; Hindu jump squat x 8.


Kettlebell painkiller complex -- Windmill x 5 each side; Good morning x 5 each side; Twisting deadlift x 5 each side; Swings x 20 (two-handed). These are done with a kettlebell lighter than you normally use. These should be easy. The goal should be to focus on the movement and get the muscles ready for the workout to follow.


Bridge -- Start with 30 seconds.


Now for the main workout:


As I haven't been training for a while, I'm going to use a 16kg (35lb) kettlebell, while my wife will be using a 9kg (20lb) kettlebell.

1. 
   Clean the kettlebell, squat the kettlebell, press the kettlebell, windmill with the kettlebell. 5 times through the series before switching hands and repeating. As we're just getting back into our workouts, we'll go slow and steady with an emphasis on breathing and form.
   


2. 
   Swings - 2-handed and for 20 reps.
   


3. 
   Squat thrusts - 10 reps.
   


4. 
   1 minute rest then repeat 1-3, two more times, for a total of three times through the series. Checkout the slideshare in the sidebar for a view of the kettlebell exercises.
   


5. 
   Finish with 3 sets of 5 reps in the Powerwheel roll-out from the kneeling position.
   
   All told, this workout took us a little less than 45 minutes. Stay tuned for Wednesday's workout.
   
   Of course, the exercises listed above may be too strenuous or dangerous for some people. The reader should therefore consult a physician before trying them.