Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 3:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there....

"Not enough time" is a frequent excuse given as to why people are unable to train. This week, I put the proverbial nail in that coffin while simultaneously showing you what REAL 'cardio' and 'core' training is.

While not something you'd want to do on a regular basis, give this a try whenever you are really pressed for time, or as a 'finisher' to your regularly planned training session.

WARNING: This is not for the faint of heart.

Post-Gazette 1/12/2014

My latest appearance in the Post-Gazette. Hey PG, with as many times as a grace your pages per year, how about appointing me as Health & Fitness Editor/Reporter?!?!

It's an opportunity for you to step up your game and offer the same high-quality and up-to-date health & fitness coverage as the New York Times.

Just sayin'.

Before the clock even struck midnight on Jan. 1, we had our first obligatory fitness resolution-related article (“Fitter Faster,” Dec. 30). While the article made a few great points — namely the importance of intensity, less is more when it comes to time spent, fancy equipment is unnecessary, etc. — the numerous egregious errors present in the program, and form demonstrated in the pictures within, yet again demonstrates the need for qualified fitness professionals.

Many trainees — particularly the unconditioned ones — lack sufficient mobility and/​or stability to properly perform many of the movements listed. With no regressions suggested, this leaves the door wide open for injury.

Speaking of injury, repeated spinal flexion as demonstrated on No. 4 (abdominal crunches) is precisely how world-renowned back specialist Dr. Stuart McGill states most lower back injuries occur. Similarly, No. 7 (triceps dip) is also a known way to irritate the shoulder through impingement resulting from anterior glide of the humerus in the shoulder socket.

Lastly, the elbows-flared/​scarecrow like posture demonstrated on No. 3 (pushups) places undue stress on the shoulder and surrounding rotator cuff. These are just a few of the common errors I see daily in my practice that I correct to prevent unnecessary pain and injury.

The good news is potential trainees will be glad to know that setting up a successful exercise program is even simpler than the article suggests, as a good number of the exercises are redundant. Truthfully, all a successful and sound bodyweight strength program needs is one hip-hinge, squat, upper-body push and upper-body pull movement each. Just remember it’s still worth investing in a lesson or two from a qualified professional on form/​technique to get the most of your time invested as well as to prevent injury.

RUSSELL DEMCZAK
Pittsburgh Kettlebells
Ohio Township
The writer is a personal trainer and a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

Exercise Correctly - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 2:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there. Perform each movement back-to-back without setting the bells down:

4 'dead' cleans
4 ...1/2 kneeling see-saw or alternating overhead presses
4 reverse lunges
4 double kb bent-over row*
4 sldls's
4 spiderman pushups off the kb handles**

Rest 1-2 minutes

Repeat 4x

Note: split the work equally(2 sets each) when performing the reverse lunges and sldl's

* substitute single-arm supported bent over rows if you are unable to maintain good posture

** substitute walking planks if you are unable to perform spiderman pushups. aim for 4 'steps' per leg

#wow #kettlebells #training #workout

Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 1:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there. Perform each movement back-to-back without setting the bells down:

5 double snatches*

5 double overhead press
5 double front squats
5 double bent over row**
5 push-ups on the bell handles***

Rest 2 minutes. Repeat 5x.

Done.

* substitute double swings or cleans if you are unable to snatch
** substitute 1-arm KB rows if you are unable to maintain neutral spine
*** substitute a 20-30s plank off the handles if you are unable to perform a push-up.

#wow #kettlebells #training #workout

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 4 (11/18/2013)

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 4

Spending as many hours in the gym as I do on a daily basis, I'm afforded no shortage in sights of things that just make you shake your head. Unfortunately, quite often these sights are complete with a fitness 'professional' standing right there supervising the whole ordeal. I've decided the instead of standing silent and shaking my head, it would be better to call attention to said sights in order to educate my peeps.

This Week's Winner: BS explanations and not taking responsibility and admitting you were wrong or at fault.

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Special Edition: American Diabetes Association Expo 2013 Recap

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Special Edition: American Diabetes Association Expo 2013 Recap

Diabetes affects 24 million people in the U.S., but only 18 million know they have it. About 90% of those people have type 2 diabetes, a condition that can largely be controlled through diet and exercise.  Furthermore, a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine states a person with type 2 diabetes may spend an average of nearly $85,500 to treat the disease and its complications over his or her lifetime. Might be something we want to get a handle on.

Being diabetic myself, the cause is obviously near and dear to my heart.  As such, I try to get involved as much as possible in order to create awareness and make a difference in people's lives by teaching them how to successfully avoid and/or control this deadly disease which has become a global epidemic. I also tend to get a little fired up when I see it manipulated and/or pimped out for financial benefit as the expense of those suffering from it.

Cue Pittsburgh Kettlebell's participation in this past weekends American Diabetes Association Pittsburgh Expo at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center......

WARNING: NSFW language ahead.

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 2 11/4/13

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 2

Spending as many hours in the gym as I do on a daily basis, I'm afforded no shortage in sights of things that just make you shake your head. Unfortunately, quite often these sights are complete with a fitness 'professional' standing right there supervising the whole ordeal. I've decided the instead of standing silent and shaking my head, i...t would be better to call attention to said sights in order to educate my peeps.

This weeks 'winner': Physioball seated 1-arm overhead presses, WHILE PERFORMING BICEP CURLS WITH THE OPPOSITE ARM AND....AND AN ISOMETRIC LEG EXTENSION ON THE OPPOSITE LEG WITH KETTLEBELL HOOKED AROUND THEIR FOOT!

No, I didn't make that up. I couldn't if I tried. Talk about multi-tasking. It started out ok with the overhead press, but what purpose did adding in the bicep curl AND leg extension serve? Someone's taking the term 'muscle confusion' WAY too far. For starters, those are both inefficient single-joint exercises which provide no metabolic challenge to your system. Second, they require the load to be reduced across the board by such a degree as to render all 3 exercises about useless.

If you can't succinctly explain the purpose of each and everything you are doing in the gym, it's time to re-examine what it is you are doing and make the necessary adjustments. Everything should have a specific purpose with measurable outcomes.

Successful exercises programs are based around 5-7 basic movements, and the variables manipulated are rest, volume, and load - NOT the # of exercises.

You can look 'cool', get 'tired'...or - you can get BETTER!