bear_publishing

Bear Publishing The Kettlebell Bible is NOW available priced £30.00 (plus £3.00 P&P UK only. Europe £5.00 p/p, USA, £10.00 p/p ) email: Kettlebell.bible@intensefitness.net or call us on 01576 300691 To Buy This Unique Cradle to Grave Compendium Here
i Disclaimer ii Forward By Mike Lawson iii Profiles Of Stan Pike And Rob Beauchamp iv Introduction To The Kettlebell Bible The abiding aims when we began writing the Kettlebell Bible were to dispel the myth that kettlebells are for strong-men types alone, thus we have targeted the book at the average person, writing it in a down to earth, easy to understand manner and that every word of advice would be thoroughly grounded on our training experience that has resulted from many, many years spent “under the iron” and “nose in books.” We are seeking a reputation of integrity over commercialism…and the telling of the truth above all else. v The Kettlebell Ten Commandments: Following our Ten Commandments will ensure that your kettlebell training is as safe as possible. vi The General Exercise Guidelines: Twenty general guidelines for productive fitness training follow the brief introduction to The Kettlebell Bible TReAd cycle of supercompensation. vii The Kettlebell Training Equipment: Advice is given here-in on exactly what clothing and equipment is and is not necessary for you to start your kettlebell training from selecting your kettlebell to where to train. viii Testimonials To The Kettlebell 1 The History Of The Kettlebell: The history of the kettlebell was kindly written for us by the renowned strength historian David Webster OBE and charts the development of the kettlebell and introduces many of the characters, both old and new who have famously used kettlebells throughout its history. 2 What Can Be Achieved With The Kettlebell? Perhaps this recent association of kettlebells with “Mother Russia” is an unfortunate thing because it has contributed to shaping the very inaccurate view of kettlebells and their training effects held by the general fitness population – of gigantic, grunting, bearded men in barns and basements performing legendary acts of strength while the vodka flowed (OK – Stan Pike is an exception). So many think of old fashioned, primitive, brute strength when hearing the word “kettlebell.” This chapter dispels the myths by explaining why the nature and benefits of the kettlebell makes it so very different to other forms of exercise and what it can do for health and fitness, anti-ageing, strength/power athletes, bodybuilders, armed forces/uniformed service personnel, sportspersons, martial artists and athletes. 3 The Kettlebell Bible Ethos: Holistic Fitness: The “work hard but not for long” ethos detailed in The Kettlebell Bible is based on scientific research and the application of its findings to real life, to our own training and that of those in our care in order to determine which are the most effective and efficient training tools. After introducing the reader to Endurance, Stamina and Exercise Economy the chapter uses historical examples and scientific research to prove that high intensity exercise is the only way to train for health, fitness, performance and appearance. 4 The Components And Principles Of Kettlebell Fitness: The components of kettlebell fitness consist of Endurance, Stamina, Skill, Flexibility, Strength and Power, whilst the principles include Individuality, Specificity, Overload, Periodisation, Overtraining and Detraining. These are discussed in great depth and cover topics such as combining Endurance and Strength Training, the importance of a Cornerstone exercise, the four training stress factors and intensity cycling. 5 Exercise Physiology: Physiology is the study of how the body works and exercise physiology is how the body adapts to exercise both during and after your kettlebell training. All of the essential fitness information is provided in order to build a foundation of knowledge for you to understand exactly what you want to achieve and how to achieve it. All of the topics are discussed in “layman’s” terms with everyday examples given to relate the more complex scientific subject matter. The Muscular System: All basic knowledge of the Muscular System is provided covering the Types and Classifications of Strength, how muscles contract and the role of Adenosine Triphosphate, the different types of muscle fibre and motor unit recruitment with its implications to sport and performance. The less well known contribution of the Nervous System to strength and flexibility is discussed including muscular reflexes and the implication of nervous fatigue to under-performance/overtraining. You will learn how to develop Strength and Stamina correctly by understanding how your muscles adapt to these two different types of training. The Cardiovascular System: The cardiovascular (CV) system is of a greater interest than any other system in the human body, simply because without a healthy CV system the life span of the human being will be cut drastically short. Again, the chapter opens with the basic anatomy of the system and then explains how the heart beat adapts to the demands placed on the body. The effects of long-term exercise on the heart are discussed using examples of the heart at rest and during exercise to explain the benefits of kettlebell training for health and fitness. The Energy Systems: There are three pathways available to the muscle to provide the energy in order to perform exercise. Two that provide energy quickly and do not require Oxygen to work, the anaerobic systems and one that does require the presence of Oxygen, the aerobic system, which provides far more energy than the anaerobic systems but at a much slower rate. The Three Energy Systems are the Creatine Phosphate System, the Lactic Acid System and the Aerobic System. The chapter divulges how the energy from chemical bonds is released to replenish the muscles limited stores of ATP and provides real-life examples for you to understand the “feeling” of training each energy system in order to achieve your own fitness goals. 6 Total Body Tension: Total Body Tension is possibly the most important technique to master whether you are lifting kettlebells, barbells, odd-objects, your toddler or the weekly shop as without it you expose the body’s weakest links to injury and also drastically reduce your ability to produce force i.e. lifting lighter weights than you are really capable of, thereby limiting your physical development. You will never realise your true potential without TBT, thus this chapter teaches you the methods of achieving and applying TBT. 7 Core Strength And Stability: Throughout The Kettlebell Bible we constantly refer to what we have termed real core strength and stability, but what do we mean by this? Well, anyone who has wrestled with a cantankerous shopping trolley will have been using real core strength, although probably without knowing it! The muscles of the arms, trunk, hips and legs have to work as a coordinated team in order to keep the argumentative trolley going in the direction that you want it to! The Kettlebell by its very nature is the “King Of Coordination And Core Stability Training,” however this chapter teaches both valuable Olde-time and cutting edge core exercises. In addition this chapter also divulges little known sports science research on how to very simply improve both core exercise intensity and core muscle coordination, which will have enormous carryover effects to health and performance. Swiss balls are not required! 8 How To Apply Sports Psychology To Kettlebell Training: Where the mind leads the body will follow…this chapter will teach you how to SCRAM your long and short-term fitness training goals and how to use imagery and psyching up to improve your kettlebell performance. 9 How To Plan A Kettlebell Training Programme: We will show you “step-by-step” how to best plan and develop your kettlebell training including all the determinants and considerations you need to answer in order to perform kettlebell training that is specific to your fitness needs and goals. 10 How To Warm Up For Kettlebell Training: There is no scientific proof to either prove or disprove that not warming up will result in injury, however it is widely considered that warming up both the mind and body will reduce the possibility of an injury occurring whilst improving the performance during a Kettlebell session. Stretching is NOT warming up! In this chapter we show you how best to prepare both your mind and body for the exertion to follow by following the phases of the Psychological and Physiological warm up, which includes passive warming up, dynamic stretches for joint mobility, general warming up (optional), a kettlebell specific warm up and warm up sets prior to the kettlebell exercises. By the end of this chapter you will know when you are ready for kettlebell training! 11 The General Kettlebell Workout: Your body is only ever as strong as its weakest link and your current fitness level determines that. In this chapter we discuss the General Kettlebell Workout, which is all that really need ever be performed in order to attain super-health, holistic fitness, all-round strength and an aesthetic, athletic body. The General Kettlebell Workout is designed to develop skill-strength in order to strengthen the body whilst learning the exercise techniques, which is a MUST before increasing the intensity of your training sessions. As a by-product of the General Kettlebell Workout your fitness levels will naturally improve, we suggest that all kettlebell novices remain on the General Kettlebell Workout for twelve to sixteen weeks after which you will be ready to progress your kettlebell training even further using the Kettlebell Integrated and Cross Training Programmes discussed integral to this chapter. 12 The Methods Of Progressive Training For Strength, Stamina And Speed With The Fixed Weight Of A Kettlebell: The fixed weight of a kettlebell could be seen as a disadvantage, particularly when it comes to pure strength training; however remember that the bedrock of kettlebell training is the development of strength-endurance. However macho slogging away at improving your repetition maximum by mindlessly attempting to add one or two more repetitions at every training session may be to some, there are much more effective, enjoyable and challenging methods of developing super-fitness with kettlebells. At the same time these "step-by-step" methods provide methodical progress and specific goal orientated focus, plus motivation for your kettlebell training. We provide a potent mix of Olde-time and cutting edge Methods and Training Systems of applying overload progressively to your kettlebell exercises in order to specifically improve Strength, Stamina or Speed. Eclectic training is covered which provides integration and variety for your training programme, including odd-object lifting. 13 How To Measure Kettlebell Exercise Intensity: In order to accurately monitor the progress of your kettlebell training you need to accurately measure its intensity. That said, due to the nature of many of the kettlebell Training Systems your progress will be integral, endemic and easily monitored such as adding a repetition each session, decreasing rest times etc. and therefore the perceived rate of exertion and heart rate become less important, but there are those who will wish to be more scientific and The Kettlebell Bible would not be complete without a chapter on this subject. Importantly all kettlebell lifters should cycle the intensity of training according to their programme based on their recovery and preference, therefore you need to know the exact intensity of each kettlebell training session, which will vary according to the manipulation of the Three R’s: Resistance, Repetitions and Rest. Research has proven that the intensity of exercise is a more potent producer of fitness compared to the volume, duration or the frequency of the training. However, training hard all of the time is not conducive to continual progress or to achieving specific adaptations within the body for example, the intensity required for cardiac endurance adaptation is higher than that for developing as important muscular endurance, therefore you must be able to target your training at the correct intensity in order to achieve both progression and fitness goals. You will not find more advanced yet simple, cutting edge methods of measuring and monitoring your exercise intensity such as determining your kettlebell specific maximum heart rate and using the Percentage Maximum Zone method! 14 Kettlebell Circuit Training: This chapter on Kettlebell Circuit Training provides a "step-by-step" programme for progressing the exercises in the General Kettlebell Workout into a more demanding Circuit Training format, if this is so desired. It would be impossible to provide a specimen of every variation of Kettlebell Circuits, therefore we have simply illustrated each type with a few examples in order to show the workings and to ”whet your appetite” – “bon appetite!” The topics covered include the effects of Circuit Training on Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Body-fat and Exercise Economy as well as how to plan a Circuit effectively, be that for yourself or a group training session. Before we delve into the different types of KBCT, we briefly look at the five methods of performing a kettlebell circuit: the Rolling, Roaring, Overload, Competitive and Distractive Methods. Your kettlebell training can be gradually evolved from the traditional set method of the General kettlebell Workout up to a full-bore General Kettlebell Circuits by progressing through the various types of Circuit which are: the Compression Kettlebell Circuit, the Karl Gotch Bible kettlebell Circuit, the Peripheral Heart Action kettlebell Circuit, the Complex kettlebell Circuit, the General kettlebell Circuit, the Individual kettlebell Circuit, the Exercise Ladder kettlebell Circuit, the Component of Fitness or Sport Specific kettlebell Circuit and the Giant or Freestyle kettlebell Circuit. 15 Kettlebell Interval Training: Interval Training involves periods of exercise separated by intervals of rest and offers an excellent method of training with a fixed weight. The main advantage of Interval Training to the body is that it provides a means of performing a greater workload in terms of intensity and duration at that high intensity as a result of the rest periods than when compared with continuous, steady-state training. Thus, for the effort involved Interval Training will provide the biggest payback in terms of improved fitness and health. Kettlebells fit beautifully into Interval Training, as the Training Systems for developing Strength-endurance can be incorporated easily into an Interval Training session with the workload variables dictating whether it develops Speed-endurance, Endurance or Stamina. The chapter includes the progressive eight-week long Kettlebell Bible Health and Fitness Interval Training Programme, in which as the intensity increases with each week so the duration of the work intervals correspondingly decreases. It is aimed at developing a combination of health and fitness, especially targeting the heart as Interval Training accumulates the greatest exercise stress on both its pumping and beating capacity. Thereafter, we discuss how to implement Interval Training and apply the kettlebell Training Systems to Interval training, again examples are provided to illustrate each example. 16 How To Cool Down After Kettlebell Training: The cool down phase, especially flexibility is often paid lip-service to in most training programmes - until it is too late! Developmental Flexibility Training is vital as a flexible body is far stronger, robust and healthier than a "stiff" body. Remember, "You are never too old to start, but you are too old NOT TO! Cooling down is more than just stretching; it is a time to prepare the mind and body for the next workout, thus promoting both recovery and progression. The Reduce, Return, Record, Relax, Stretch, Treat and Eat phases of the cool down are applicable to both individual and group kettlebell training, the phases are covered in-depth particularly the best exercises and methods for developing your flexibility, in order for you to complete the TReAD cycle, thus attaining your fitness potential as quickly as possible. 17 The Complete Kettlebell Exercise Technique Guide This chapter begins by describing the mechanics involved with kettlebell lifting and then proceeds to illustrate the kettlebell exercises that have been classified into Ballistic, Conventional and then Spinning exercises. All of the Core specific exercises can be found in the relevant chapter, with references to exercises within the above classifications that develop Core Strength and Stability as an aside. The conventional exercises have been sub-divided into legs-hip-back, upper body push and upper body pull and then listed alphabetically thereafter. Each exercise description begins with the easiest exercise variant and then progresses step-by-step to its hardest variation. We have included the basic kettlebell exercises from which the variations arise, follow these basic technique guidelines and adding to them as your experience dictates and you will not go far wrong. 18 How To Coach The Kettlebell Exercises: Those who aspire to becoming a United Kingdom Kettlebell Association Instructor, and then progress to UKKA Coach will be required to demonstrate and teach the kettlebell exercises, and may also become involved with sport specific or personal training. Maximum participation and the individual’s safety, performance and enjoyment of these coaching and training periods can be enhanced with the application of correct coaching methods such as the DEDI coaching technique and progressive practices. Everything you need to plan and conduct a coaching session is contained in this chapter, which underlines the importance of skill-strength i.e. learning and mastering the basic techniques whilst strengthening the body. 19 How To Organise A Kettlebell Event: At some point a kettlebell lifter, UKKA Instructor or Coach may want to organise a kettlebell event, be that a group coaching session, a seminar or a competition. There is more to accomplishing this “than first meets the eye” and the success of the event lies in its conscientious and comprehensive planning and preparation. A part of this is the attention to small details, which will either make or break the event and differentiate between a successful event and a memorable one! Using the checklists drawn up from our experiences you will be able to easily plan your event without missing a single issue. 20 About The United Kingdom Kettlebell Association: The United Kingdom Kettlebell Association - UKKA, is responsible for the promotion of the use of kettlebells as a recognized sport throughout the UK and the training of certified Instructor`s and coaches. The UKKA provides a structured framework for the staging of events such as seminars and competitions as well as acting as a central point of liaison with other related sporting organizations. The UKKA has produced and agreed its vision, mission, role and objectives that are included in this chapter for your information.	To Buy This Unique Cradle to Grave Compendium Here Profiles Stan Pike And Rob Beauchamp Introduction To The Kettlebell Bible The Kettlebell Bible Contents What Can Be Achieved With The Kettlebell? The Complete Kettlebell Exercise Technique Guide Reviews Forthcoming Publications Intensefitness The Kettlebell Bible is NOW available priced £30.00 (plus £2.85 P&P UK only. Europe £5.00 p/p, USA, £10.00 p/p ) email: Kettlebell.bible@intensefitness.net or call us on 01576 300691

i Disclaimer

ii Forward By Mike Lawson

iii Profiles Of Stan Pike And Rob Beauchamp

iv Introduction To The Kettlebell Bible The abiding aims when we began writing the Kettlebell Bible were to dispel the myth that kettlebells are for strong-men types alone, thus we have targeted the book at the average person, writing it in a down to earth, easy to understand manner and that every word of advice would be thoroughly grounded on our training experience that has resulted from many, many years spent “under the iron” and “nose in books.” We are seeking a reputation of integrity over commercialism…and the telling of the truth above all else.

v The Kettlebell Ten Commandments: Following our Ten Commandments will ensure that your kettlebell training is as safe as possible.

vi The General Exercise Guidelines: Twenty general guidelines for productive fitness training follow the brief introduction to The Kettlebell Bible TReAd cycle of supercompensation.

vii The Kettlebell Training Equipment: Advice is given here-in on exactly what clothing and equipment is and is not necessary for you to start your kettlebell training from selecting your kettlebell to where to train.

viii Testimonials To The Kettlebell

1 The History Of The Kettlebell: The history of the kettlebell was kindly written for us by the renowned strength historian David Webster OBE and charts the development of the kettlebell and introduces many of the characters, both old and new who have famously used kettlebells throughout its history.

2 What Can Be Achieved With The Kettlebell? Perhaps this recent association of kettlebells with “Mother Russia” is an unfortunate thing because it has contributed to shaping the very inaccurate view of kettlebells and their training effects held by the general fitness population – of gigantic, grunting, bearded men in barns and basements performing legendary acts of strength while the vodka flowed (OK – Stan Pike is an exception). So many think of old fashioned, primitive, brute strength when hearing the word “kettlebell.” This chapter dispels the myths by explaining why the nature and benefits of the kettlebell makes it so very different to other forms of exercise and what it can do for health and fitness, anti-ageing, strength/power athletes, bodybuilders, armed forces/uniformed service personnel, sportspersons, martial artists and athletes.

3 The Kettlebell Bible Ethos: Holistic Fitness: The “work hard but not for long” ethos detailed in The Kettlebell Bible is based on scientific research and the application of its findings to real life, to our own training and that of those in our care in order to determine which are the most effective and efficient training tools. After introducing the reader to Endurance, Stamina and Exercise Economy the chapter uses historical examples and scientific research to prove that high intensity exercise is the only way to train for health, fitness, performance and appearance.

4 The Components And Principles Of Kettlebell Fitness: The components of kettlebell fitness consist of Endurance, Stamina, Skill, Flexibility, Strength and Power, whilst the principles include Individuality, Specificity, Overload, Periodisation, Overtraining and Detraining. These are discussed in great depth and cover topics such as combining Endurance and Strength Training, the importance of a Cornerstone exercise, the four training stress factors and intensity cycling.

5 Exercise Physiology: Physiology is the study of how the body works and exercise physiology is how the body adapts to exercise both during and after your kettlebell training. All of the essential fitness information is provided in order to build a foundation of knowledge for you to understand exactly what you want to achieve and how to achieve it. All of the topics are discussed in “layman’s” terms with everyday examples given to relate the more complex scientific subject matter.
The Muscular System: All basic knowledge of the Muscular System is provided covering the Types and Classifications of Strength, how muscles contract and the role of Adenosine Triphosphate, the different types of muscle fibre and motor unit recruitment with its implications to sport and performance. The less well known contribution of the Nervous System to strength and flexibility is discussed including muscular reflexes and the implication of nervous fatigue to under-performance/overtraining. You will learn how to develop Strength and Stamina correctly by understanding how your muscles adapt to these two different types of training.
The Cardiovascular System: The cardiovascular (CV) system is of a greater interest than any other system in the human body, simply because without a healthy CV system the life span of the human being will be cut drastically short. Again, the chapter opens with the basic anatomy of the system and then explains how the heart beat adapts to the demands placed on the body. The effects of long-term exercise on the heart are discussed using examples of the heart at rest and during exercise to explain the benefits of kettlebell training for health and fitness.
The Energy Systems: There are three pathways available to the muscle to provide the energy in order to perform exercise. Two that provide energy quickly and do not require Oxygen to work, the anaerobic systems and one that does require the presence of Oxygen, the aerobic system, which provides far more energy than the anaerobic systems but at a much slower rate. The Three Energy Systems are the Creatine Phosphate System, the Lactic Acid System and the Aerobic System. The chapter divulges how the energy from chemical bonds is released to replenish the muscles limited stores of ATP and provides real-life examples for you to understand the “feeling” of training each energy system in order to achieve your own fitness goals.

6 Total Body Tension: Total Body Tension is possibly the most important technique to master whether you are lifting kettlebells, barbells, odd-objects, your toddler or the weekly shop as without it you expose the body’s weakest links to injury and also drastically reduce your ability to produce force i.e. lifting lighter weights than you are really capable of, thereby limiting your physical development. You will never realise your true potential without TBT, thus this chapter teaches you the methods of achieving and applying TBT.

7 Core Strength And Stability: Throughout The Kettlebell Bible we constantly refer to what we have termed real core strength and stability, but what do we mean by this? Well, anyone who has wrestled with a cantankerous shopping trolley will have been using real core strength, although probably without knowing it! The muscles of the arms, trunk, hips and legs have to work as a coordinated team in order to keep the argumentative trolley going in the direction that you want it to! The Kettlebell by its very nature is the “King Of Coordination And Core Stability Training,” however this chapter teaches both valuable Olde-time and cutting edge core exercises. In addition this chapter also divulges little known sports science research on how to very simply improve both core exercise intensity and core muscle coordination, which will have enormous carryover effects to health and performance. Swiss balls are not required!

8 How To Apply Sports Psychology To Kettlebell Training: Where the mind leads the body will follow…this chapter will teach you how to SCRAM your long and short-term fitness training goals and how to use imagery and psyching up to improve your kettlebell performance.

9 How To Plan A Kettlebell Training Programme: We will show you “step-by-step” how to best plan and develop your kettlebell training including all the determinants and considerations you need to answer in order to perform kettlebell training that is specific to your fitness needs and goals.

10 How To Warm Up For Kettlebell Training: There is no scientific proof to either prove or disprove that not warming up will result in injury, however it is widely considered that warming up both the mind and body will reduce the possibility of an injury occurring whilst improving the performance during a Kettlebell session. Stretching is NOT warming up! In this chapter we show you how best to prepare both your mind and body for the exertion to follow by following the phases of the Psychological and Physiological warm up, which includes passive warming up, dynamic stretches for joint mobility, general warming up (optional), a kettlebell specific warm up and warm up sets prior to the kettlebell exercises. By the end of this chapter you will know when you are ready for kettlebell training!

11 The General Kettlebell Workout: Your body is only ever as strong as its weakest link and your current fitness level determines that. In this chapter we discuss the General Kettlebell Workout, which is all that really need ever be performed in order to attain super-health, holistic fitness, all-round strength and an aesthetic, athletic body. The General Kettlebell Workout is designed to develop skill-strength in order to strengthen the body whilst learning the exercise techniques, which is a MUST before increasing the intensity of your training sessions. As a by-product of the General Kettlebell Workout your fitness levels will naturally improve, we suggest that all kettlebell novices remain on the General Kettlebell Workout for twelve to sixteen weeks after which you will be ready to progress your kettlebell training even further using the Kettlebell Integrated and Cross Training Programmes discussed integral to this chapter.

12 The Methods Of Progressive Training For Strength, Stamina And Speed With The Fixed Weight Of A Kettlebell: The fixed weight of a kettlebell could be seen as a disadvantage, particularly when it comes to pure strength training; however remember that the bedrock of kettlebell training is the development of strength-endurance. However macho slogging away at improving your repetition maximum by mindlessly attempting to add one or two more repetitions at every training session may be to some, there are much more effective, enjoyable and challenging methods of developing super-fitness with kettlebells. At the same time these "step-by-step" methods provide methodical progress and specific goal orientated focus, plus motivation for your kettlebell training. We provide a potent mix of Olde-time and cutting edge Methods and Training Systems of applying overload progressively to your kettlebell exercises in order to specifically improve Strength, Stamina or Speed. Eclectic training is covered which provides integration and variety for your training programme, including odd-object lifting.

13 How To Measure Kettlebell Exercise Intensity: In order to accurately monitor the progress of your kettlebell training you need to accurately measure its intensity. That said, due to the nature of many of the kettlebell Training Systems your progress will be integral, endemic and easily monitored such as adding a repetition each session, decreasing rest times etc. and therefore the perceived rate of exertion and heart rate become less important, but there are those who will wish to be more scientific and The Kettlebell Bible would not be complete without a chapter on this subject. Importantly all kettlebell lifters should cycle the intensity of training according to their programme based on their recovery and preference, therefore you need to know the exact intensity of each kettlebell training session, which will vary according to the manipulation of the Three R’s: Resistance, Repetitions and Rest. Research has proven that the intensity of exercise is a more potent producer of fitness compared to the volume, duration or the frequency of the training. However, training hard all of the time is not conducive to continual progress or to achieving specific adaptations within the body for example, the intensity required for cardiac endurance adaptation is higher than that for developing as important muscular endurance, therefore you must be able to target your training at the correct intensity in order to achieve both progression and fitness goals. You will not find more advanced yet simple, cutting edge methods of measuring and monitoring your exercise intensity such as determining your kettlebell specific maximum heart rate and using the Percentage Maximum Zone method!

14 Kettlebell Circuit Training: This chapter on Kettlebell Circuit Training provides a "step-by-step" programme for progressing the exercises in the General Kettlebell Workout into a more demanding Circuit Training format, if this is so desired. It would be impossible to provide a specimen of every variation of Kettlebell Circuits, therefore we have simply illustrated each type with a few examples in order to show the workings and to ”whet your appetite” – “bon appetite!” The topics covered include the effects of Circuit Training on Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Body-fat and Exercise Economy as well as how to plan a Circuit effectively, be that for yourself or a group training session. Before we delve into the different types of KBCT, we briefly look at the five methods of performing a kettlebell circuit: the Rolling, Roaring, Overload, Competitive and Distractive Methods. Your kettlebell training can be gradually evolved from the traditional set method of the General kettlebell Workout up to a full-bore General Kettlebell Circuits by progressing through the various types of Circuit which are: the Compression Kettlebell Circuit, the Karl Gotch Bible kettlebell Circuit, the Peripheral Heart Action kettlebell Circuit, the Complex kettlebell Circuit, the General kettlebell Circuit, the Individual kettlebell Circuit, the Exercise Ladder kettlebell Circuit, the Component of Fitness or Sport Specific kettlebell Circuit and the Giant or Freestyle kettlebell Circuit.

15 Kettlebell Interval Training: Interval Training involves periods of exercise separated by intervals of rest and offers an excellent method of training with a fixed weight. The main advantage of Interval Training to the body is that it provides a means of performing a greater workload in terms of intensity and duration at that high intensity as a result of the rest periods than when compared with continuous, steady-state training. Thus, for the effort involved Interval Training will provide the biggest payback in terms of improved fitness and health. Kettlebells fit beautifully into Interval Training, as the Training Systems for developing Strength-endurance can be incorporated easily into an Interval Training session with the workload variables dictating whether it develops Speed-endurance, Endurance or Stamina. The chapter includes the progressive eight-week long Kettlebell Bible Health and Fitness Interval Training Programme, in which as the intensity increases with each week so the duration of the work intervals correspondingly decreases. It is aimed at developing a combination of health and fitness, especially targeting the heart as Interval Training accumulates the greatest exercise stress on both its pumping and beating capacity. Thereafter, we discuss how to implement Interval Training and apply the kettlebell Training Systems to Interval training, again examples are provided to illustrate each example.

16 How To Cool Down After Kettlebell Training: The cool down phase, especially flexibility is often paid lip-service to in most training programmes - until it is too late! Developmental Flexibility Training is vital as a flexible body is far stronger, robust and healthier than a "stiff" body. Remember, "You are never too old to start, but you are too old NOT TO! Cooling down is more than just stretching; it is a time to prepare the mind and body for the next workout, thus promoting both recovery and progression. The Reduce, Return, Record, Relax, Stretch, Treat and Eat phases of the cool down are applicable to both individual and group kettlebell training, the phases are covered in-depth particularly the best exercises and methods for developing your flexibility, in order for you to complete the TReAD cycle, thus attaining your fitness potential as quickly as possible.

17 The Complete Kettlebell Exercise Technique Guide This chapter begins by describing the mechanics involved with kettlebell lifting and then proceeds to illustrate the kettlebell exercises that have been classified into Ballistic, Conventional and then Spinning exercises. All of the Core specific exercises can be found in the relevant chapter, with references to exercises within the above classifications that develop Core Strength and Stability as an aside. The conventional exercises have been sub-divided into legs-hip-back, upper body push and upper body pull and then listed alphabetically thereafter. Each exercise description begins with the easiest exercise variant and then progresses step-by-step to its hardest variation. We have included the basic kettlebell exercises from which the variations arise, follow these basic technique guidelines and adding to them as your experience dictates and you will not go far wrong.

18 How To Coach The Kettlebell Exercises: Those who aspire to becoming a United Kingdom Kettlebell Association Instructor, and then progress to UKKA Coach will be required to demonstrate and teach the kettlebell exercises, and may also become involved with sport specific or personal training. Maximum participation and the individual’s safety, performance and enjoyment of these coaching and training periods can be enhanced with the application of correct coaching methods such as the DEDI coaching technique and progressive practices. Everything you need to plan and conduct a coaching session is contained in this chapter, which underlines the importance of skill-strength i.e. learning and mastering the basic techniques whilst strengthening the body.

19 How To Organise A Kettlebell Event: At some point a kettlebell lifter, UKKA Instructor or Coach may want to organise a kettlebell event, be that a group coaching session, a seminar or a competition. There is more to accomplishing this “than first meets the eye” and the success of the event lies in its conscientious and comprehensive planning and preparation. A part of this is the attention to small details, which will either make or break the event and differentiate between a successful event and a memorable one! Using the checklists drawn up from our experiences you will be able to easily plan your event without missing a single issue.

20 About The United Kingdom Kettlebell Association: The United Kingdom Kettlebell Association - UKKA, is responsible for the promotion of the use of kettlebells as a recognized sport throughout the UK and the training of certified Instructor`s and coaches. The UKKA provides a structured framework for the staging of events such as seminars and competitions as well as acting as a central point of liaison with other related sporting organizations. The UKKA has produced and agreed its vision, mission, role and objectives that are included in this chapter for your information.

Bear Publishing