Heavy Metal Cardio - 2 Kettlebell Drills to Get You Cardiovascular Horsepower!

In order to get what I like to call cardiovascular horsepower you need a moderately heavy to heavy kettlebell. I am very experienced with kettlebell training and tend to float between using a 24kg and 32kg kettlebell for the following drills. Tune in and add the following 2 drills to your conditioning program in order to achieve mind-blowing strength and conditioning!

1. The 100 Rep Snatch Challenge: This is a sick conditioning drill that is sure to test your will! If you haven't performed a significant amount of overhead kettlebell snatches then you are in for a rude awakening with this little challenge. The key here is to start with a moderately heavy bell for your personal ability. Next, the rules are that you have to be able to perform 100 total snatches in 6 minutes! This is a fairly challenging drill to overcome and takes significant practice. However, the cardiovascular benefits are off the charts! Give it a shot. Make sure that your technique is sound and that you are 100% confident in your ability before attempting this drill.

2. Swinging For 3 Minutes: For this drill you will also need a bit of experience and determination. You will also need a timer with a beeper or buzzer of some sort. Set the timer for 3 minutes and you will want to start performing the double-arm kettlebell swing for the duration of the 3 minutes. The key here is that you must swing continuously without putting the bell down. This will kick your cardiovascular horsepower into high gear! Give this a try and watch your fitness level take a big turn for the better!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at: http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

One Set of Dumbells, No Problem - 2 Exercises You Can Do With a Single Set of Dumbells!

The fact is that you can create an exceptional workout with only a single dumbell, but for the sake of this article I'm going to give you 2 great exercises that you can combine with both for a body-blasting workout! Since most dumbells have hex shaped heads on the ends I am going to assume that yours do to.

1. Man-Makers (aka. Push-Up Rows): This is an intense exercise that you can use with the dumbells to gain tremendous upper-body and core strength. Basically, you want to get into an upright push-up position holding yourself up by balancing on each dumbell. Next, you want to execute a push-up and then stabilize your body while doing a row with one of the bells while you balance yourself with the other one on the ground. From here just execute another push-up and do the same thing on the other side.

2. Squat Curls: This a fantastic movement that challenges many muscles at one time. It involves a lot of mobility therefore giving you a tremendous conditioning effect, as well as, the benefit from the resistance. To start, just stand with your feet about shoulder width distance apart. You should be holding the dumbells by your sides. Next, execute a squat and simultaneously curl the dumbells up in front of your body. You will find that by curling the weight in front the natural motion will force your hips and rear to sit back forcing you into a deeper squat. This is hugely beneficial! This dumbell fitness program will speed up your progress to gain core strength and lose excess body-fat.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

20 Yards of Misery! - A Killer Workout That Uses Your Body-Weight and 20 Yards of Space

Before you do anything you have to find a flat grassy surface and 20 yards of space. Mark off 20 yards and break out your timer. You are about to embark on an outdoor physical hell that will turn you into a hard-body fitness machine!

When you find the ground that you are going to use make sure you warm up your muscles appropriately. You will structure your 20 yards of misery to meet your level of ability of course. Next, you have to figure out your workout. To do this you have to be a bit creative because you must come up with 10 different styles of exercises to execute while covering the 20 yards of distance each time. For example, you may want to jump forward like continuously bounding until you cover the 20 yard distance. Next you might want to do power skips or bear crawls. The key is to stay creative. Take the time beforehand to sit down and write it all down before going out to begin. When you execute each exercise you want to use your timer to keep your rest time down to about 1 minute to 1 minute 15 seconds. All the exercises are to be performed with nothing but your own body-weight. When you master the body-weight exercise then you can intensify the drills by including medicine balls, weighted-vest, or dumbells.

Make sure that you stay strict with the recovery time and you will quickly see how this 20 yards of Misery is a great asset to include in your strength and conditioning program.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Kettlebell Performance Training - 2 Kettlebell Drills to Improve Explosive Hip Power!

I can honestly say that the versatility of the kettlebell and its effects on developing the body go far beyond any specific fitness device that I have ever used. It impacts the body in so many ways that it almost causes immediate physical benefit and change! The following 2 exercises are tremendous for improving one's individual level of fitness and developing extreme athletic explosive power.

1. The Deadlift/Squat Jump Combo: You need 2 kettlebells for this particular lift. If you are reasonably strong and athletic then you might want to start with 2-16kg (35lb) bells. You want to stand over the bells with them between your feet. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width distance. Enough for the bells to set side by side between your feet. The handles of the bell should be angled in the same position as a barbell would be if you were deadlifting it. Next simply squat down to grab the bells simultaneously and execute a perfect form deadlift. When you set the bells back on the ground after the deadlift then immediately execute a squat jump. After the jump immediately execute another deadlift. You see the pattern now.

2. The Full Range Swing: This one is pretty basic. You obviously want to learn the proper technique of the double-arm swing before you intensify this movement to do the full range swing. With the basic double-arm swing you basically are swinging the kettlebell back and forth between your legs using the force and momentum of our hips and glutes. With the basic swing you only swing the bell as high as chest level. When intensifying this drill we can do full range swings where you go 180 degrees with the arc of swinging the bell to all the way overhead! This involves way more explosive hip and core power to generate enough force to get the vertical lift with the bell. This is great for gaining explosive hip power and overall fitness and athletic performance.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

The Kettlebell 300 Workout - An Explanation of This Gruesome Workout For the Spartans!

 

If you have seen the movie then you probably saw a pretty accurate depiction of King Leonidas in terms of his fitness level. Gerard Butler no doubt went through a physical hell to get his body ready for the big screen, but the benefits were obvious to the movie goer. Since the movie there have been many people to create and use different variations of the infamous 300 workout. I want to address a version that I am partial to because of the simplicity of the concept.

The 300 workout that I am talking about teaching you is the kettlebell version. You first need to get yourself a kettlebell that will somewhat challenge you even in a moderate workout. This is important because the 300 workout will certainly challenge you in a whole new way. You basically want to come up with 10 different exercises with the kettlebell. The number 300 comes from the total number of reps that will be executed in the workout. You basically have 10 kettlebell exercises that will consist of 30 repetitions each. If you are a true Spartan you can complete this evil task in under 40 minutes. Now this is no doubt a killer program that will breed killer results. However, if you unable to complete the workout as described then you can modify it to suit your progress. A good example here would be to try 200 reps instead of the full 300. This will at least get you going in the right direction.

What are you waiting for? Can you hold your end up the way King Leonidas and the Spartans did at Thermopylae? Grab your kettlebell and embark on the strength training adventure of your life!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Real Walking Fitness - 2 Techniques to Turn Your Walking Program Into a Real Workout!

I am always big on intensity, but if you are involved in a serious walking program you can implement certain techniques to change the overall effectiveness of your workout. The beauty of a walking program is that you can walk anywhere. Your walking can be done around the block, on a treadmill, in the yard, or at a local park. I just want to make a couple of suggestions as to how you can intensify what you are doing to get the most out of it.

1. Carry Buckets Of Water: Oh boy, this is simply good old yard work turned fitness! Get a couple of buckets of water and fill them up to the desired level and weight of your choice. Start at one end of your yard and make sure you are on level ground. Walk across the yard with a bucket in each hand. Try to focus on not spilling any of the water because this stability and focus will add up to bigger results in your workout. When you get as far as you want to go set down the buckets and without breaking stride continue on your walk. As you get better walk a specified distance with the water and without it. Alternate this pattern back and forth as you build up your endurance.

2. Walking Backwards Uphill: This is another way to change the dynamic of your walking power. Find a reasonably long hill with a steady incline from the base to the top. You can walk the hill up and back down a couple of times to get the blood flowing. Next, turn and face away from the hill and walk backwards up the hill all the way to the top. You will find out real quick that this will seriously burn you thighs. As you get better at this you will find that your personal fitness training and aerobic walking program will improve drastically by including this simple technique.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

The Fat Burn in Your Back Yard! - 2 Fat Burning Exercises That You Can Do Right in Your Back Yard

Do you remember when you were a kid or teenager and could eat everything under the sun and not gain an inch on your waist? This is not necessarily the case when you get older. The metabolism naturally slows a little over time, but slows even less in fitter people. The only thing that can jump start it again is to get your heart pumping and pumping hard! Here are 2 exercises you can perform in your back yard to kick your metabolism back into high gear.

1. Lateral Rope Bounds: To do this all you need to do is pay a little visit to either your garage or local hardware store. You need to find a rope or cord that extends to a full length of about 50 feet. Now it doesn't have to be a rope large in diameter because that would get expensive. It can be one that is cheap, but it has to be loose enough to extend in a straight line. Next, go to your back yard and lay the rope down in a straight line on level ground. You are setting it up as a marker to execute the lateral rope bounds. From here you want to stand at one end of the rope and to one side of it. Then all you have to do is jump laterally over to the other side of the rope and as soon as you touch the ground come back to the side you started on. You are jumping in a continuous motion back and forth the full distance of the rope all the way to the opposite end.

 

2. Mountain Climbers: If you have kids that are involved in being physically active or athletics you may or may not know what mountain climbers are. Either way you are about to learn. All you do is get into an upright push-up position with one leg flexed with your knee up at your chest. The other leg should be extended back behind you. You should look as if you are in a sprinter's stance. From here you simply extend the bent leg that is at your chest to behind you simultaneously bringing the leg that was behind you up to your chest where the other leg was. You should execute this motion in a continuous fashion without slowing down. This is sure to get your heart pumping and your metabolism burning fat quicker than probably any fitness program you have ever tried.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Medicine Ball Fitness - 2 Exercises to Do in Order to Achieve Furious Fitness!

Medicine balls have been around as long as I can remember and as a kid I used to wonder myself what in the heck they could be used for. The fact is, depending on the type of medicine ball you get, there are several exercises that can be done. Check out the following 2 medicine ball exercises to gain awesome results in both core strength and muscular endurance.

1. Overhead Medicine Ball Throws: This is a fun and intense exercise to gain tremendous upper-body power and core strength. You need a hard style med ball for this particular drill. It should be one that can bounce if thrown against something. To do this drill you need to find a flat hard surface with a sturdy brick wall. The weight of the ball should depend on your level of strength. To give you an idea a reasonably strong guy should use a ball that is between 14 and 16 lbs. A reasonably strong girl can use one between 10 and 14 lbs. You start by standing about 20 to 25 feet away from the wall. Your feet should be shoulder width distance apart. Grab the ball equally with both hands and throw it against the wall as hard as you can from overhead! The ball should hit the wall and bounce to the floor and back to you. As soon as it reaches you catch it and immediately throw it again.

2. Side Medicine Ball Throws: This one is very similar to the overhead throw except you are standing to one side. If you are standing from the right side you want to make sure again that your feet are shoulder width distance apart. You want to grip the ball equally with both hands with an underhand type grip. When you throw it you want to bring around the front of your body the way you would if you were swinging a baseball bat. It should be caught and thrown again on the bounce. Complete the desired number and switch sides. You will develop tremendous core strength and mobility from throwing the medicine ball in this way.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

The Kettlebell Fat Terminator - The Swing and Push-Up Combination Totalling 400 Reps!

You may now be familiar with the very common kettlebell exercise known as the swing. This is the base lift with the kettlebell that involves the pull method in my training philosophy. This is an exercise that targets hundreds of muscles and generates an awesome production of lean muscle mass and terminates fat completely! With this article I'm going to combine a push method of 10 different styles of push-ups totaling 100 reps with 300 reps with the swing to make it a physically mind-blowing workout of 400 reps.

To start, you need to come up with 10 different styles of push-ups. If you can't do that off of the top of your head then I'll make it easy for you. Focus on weight distribution by taking one or more of your limbs out of the movement. For instance, if you are pretty advanced then simply get into an upright push-up position and lift one of your legs off of the ground and do 10 push-ups that way. To come up with another style simply switch legs. This immediately gives you 2 different styles. You can move on to do the same thing with your arms. The key is to come up with 10 different styles to do 10 repetitions with if you can. If you simply can't come up with 10 styles then you can stick to the same old traditional way. To execute the workout you want to complete 30 double-arm swings with the bell and then immediately without rest hit 10 repetitions of one of your styles of push-ups. After each combination only give yourself about 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds rest.

At first, the rest time will seem too long, but you will find out real fast that about 6 to 7 sets into the workout you will wish it was longer. This is one kettlebell strength training workout that is a sure Fat Terminator!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Iron Will - An Insight Into the Power of Mental Toughness!

There is an intangible trait that I notice in all of my best athletes and clients that far outweighs pure talent. It isn't something that I can document on paper or critique on a video, but it is there. The amazing thing is that you can only see it when situations in training or competing become difficult. This trait to which I am referring is what I like to call "Iron Will," otherwise known as mental toughness!

Sports psychologist have studied this very phenomenon and determined that not everyone is blessed with this particular trait, and it generally separates the great ones from everyone else. "Iron Will" is basically the ability for an athlete, competitor, or hard-driven individual to push on harder and longer than the other guy regardless of the circumstances, the odds, or pain the individual may be experiencing. It is an unrelenting drive to do better and fight harder even in the most dire situations. I have seen this same trait in the most successful athletes and clients that I have had the pleasure of working with over the past 8 years. I will say that the people with "Iron Will" are few and far between. Most of the general population isn't blessed with this powerful trait. Most people don't have that kind of intrinsic motivation to keep pushing on and willing themselves to new heights. Its not a trait that can be taught or learned. I have spent my career trying to improve peoples' individual level of performance and fitness by teaching them, but this is one trait that I can't teach nor can anyone else.

"Iron Will" is certainly the most valuable trait you can have in your strength training and fitness program. If you have the desire it will be much easier for you to obtain your goals.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Progressional Planning - You Must Plan to Progress in Life and Your Strength Program is No Different

I want to explain the importance of progressional planning. If you have ever started a construction project, worked on a car, or watched a baby go from crawling to walking then you just observed the development of progress over time in each of these examples. There is a certain order of things that have to be done before you move on to other things and this is what I am talking about.

In a fitness program progression is the most important variable especially when trying to strengthen weak or imbalanced areas of the body. If I am approaching starting a strength program then I should address my goals first. Once I establish my goals then I should plan accordingly and this is how I move forward. For instance, if a certain individual wants to increase his bench-press then there are certain things they should master depending on their skill level. If this particular person has never worked out and is incapable of even stabilizing the barbell to press it then they are probably not even able to execute a push-up with their own body-weight. So instead of jumping to the barbell, they should master the almighty push-up first. As a general rule of thumb it is my professional opinion that everyone should be able to handle an array of body-weight exercises before ever moving to load there body with additional weights. If you are addressing weak imbalances and asymmetries then certain exercises that involve isolation of that side of the body are necessary to equalize the strength and transfer of it within the working mechanics of the body.

The bottom line is to plan smartly when either beginning or if you are in need of reworking your current program. The more effective your strength and fitness program is then it will produce greater results for you like weight-loss, fat-loss, and overall fitness.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Push-Ups - 2 Evil Styles to Create Great Upper-Body and Core Strength!

Push-ups are an age-old exercise that we have probably practiced since we were kids. Its amazing to me how many of us lose the ability to execute this same movement later into adulthood. The good news is that as an adult when we practice our bodies generally respond very well.

1. Elevate The Feet: Once you master the traditional style push-ups a great way to intensify the drill for harder hitting results is to simply elevate your feet. This will distribute more of your body-weight to your arms making the exercise significantly more difficult. You can gain a great deal more upper-body power and core strength by doing this. Its important to feel out how hard you want to make it by adjusting your feet to the desired height.

2. Stability Ball Push-Ups: This one is certainly going to get your attention and will hit you hard in the stomach! That's right, I said in the stomach. Get a stability ball and put your hands on the ball. You want to grip the ball sort of to the sides almost like squeezing it, but not too much that you lose your hold. Next, make sure you maintain the integrity of your body alignment. Even though your body is elevated by the ball you must make sure that you still keep it straight from your shoulders to your heels. Lower yourself in a controlled manner and touch the middle of your chest to the ball before coming back up. You will experience great tension in your abs and will develop tremendous upper-body strength and stability with this drill.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

College Football Season Is Here!

  

College football is here and it is my favorite time of year! There is no doubt that my bulldogs are young at the skilled positions, but our offensive front is probably the best we've had in 20 years! At least thats what the writers are saying. Anyway, I know coach Richt and head strength and conditoning coach Dave VanHalanger will have them all ready to go. Lets just hope they are ready to start beating up on Florida! For my college fans here's to you for a great upcoming season. Train hard and enjoy the hell out of it!

Kettlebell Training For Women - The Best Way For a Woman to Get Healthy and the Greek Goddess Body!

If you are a woman that is looking to obtain an optimal level of fitness with the health benefits to match then this article is meant just for you. The kettlebell is a strength training device that is basically a hand held gym that you can use literally anywhere you wish. If you don't like the crowds at the gyms then no problem because this mean tool can be used right in the privacy of your living room or front yard.

Look there is no secret that there are serious health issues that target all different cultures and sexes. For the sake of this article I am addressing the issues that women may need to consider and a potential answer to those problems. Known health problems that women face today range anywhere from heart disease, arthritis, and varying types of cancer with breast cancer being one of the more common types. The truth is that exercise is a proven PROACTIVE approach to fighting off these potential risks. Its better to do good things now to prevent bad things from developing later. Now ladies listen carefully, I said that exercise is a proven effective approach to fight off these potential problems, but more specifically INTENSE exercise is a better approach to fend off these problems. This is where the kettlebell comes in. The basic lift known as the "swing" is an exercise that is highly effective in increasing your perceived level of exertion giving you a hard hitting take no prisoners workout. Practicing this one exercise is enough to be your entire workout if you want it to be. You gain huge benefit from this single exercise by building lean muscle mass, joint stability, resiliency, powerful cardiovascular fitness, strength, and ultimately you shock your body down to the cellular level reducing the risk of terrible diseases like cancer.

All in all, you gain superior health and simultaneously lose the fat and the stomach while gaining the Greek-Goddess body! All you need to do is keep your workout intense, even if it is short.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Kettlebells - 2 Great Lifts to Increase Your Lat Strength!

The kettlebell as you may or may not know is the ultimate hand held gym. You can use this fitness tool to manipulate your body in many ways to get specific results that you desire. For instance, you can develop superhuman lat-strength with this device with just 2 lifts.

1. High-Load Windmills-You may be familiar with the traditional stretch of windmills to target flexibility of the shoulders, hips, glutes, lower back, and hamstrings. To do this correctly proper technique must first be learned, but the same stretch can be intensified with the kettlebell in the hand that is above the head while you are basically bent over to one side. The normal windmill is executed by starting with your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width. Next, for the sake of argument, we'll assume you are doing the right side. The bell is pressed with the right arm above the head with your left arm tucked behind your back. Then you angle both feet diagonally with your toes pointing left or away from your right. Keep the right arm with the bell locked throughout the entire movement. Next you push your hips back favored towards the right and lower your torso to the left keeping your right leg straight. The movement should go down with a great stretch in the right side of your body before coming up. As you ascend in the movement you will feel the lats engage with the weight of the bell.

2. Loaded Lat-Press-This lift is performed exactly as the windmill is described above with the exception of you starting the bend of the torso with the bell being held in the "clean" position. As you bend allow the bell in your right hand to somewhat retract your shoulder-blade. You want to simultaneously press the bell as you are descending in the movement. Once the shoulder is locked out then simply stand back into it as you did with the windmill exercise. You will develop tremendous lat-strength by including this in your fitness training program.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Beginner Fitness - Introducing 2 Types of Squats to Teach and Help the Beginner

If you are a beginner that is looking to learn how to execute the "squat" properly then this article is for you. Keep in mind that everything in exercise and fitness requires a learning process. You must progress properly by first learning the basics in order to develop good habits early to prevent major problems later! Check out these 2 great exercises that are wonderful in training proper squat technique.

1. Chair Squats-This is a simple exercise that involves executing a squat with the aid of a chair to help mark your range of motion. One of the biggest problems that I observe with people like the so-called "experienced" weight-lifters is that they have poor squat technique. One of the biggest flaws is that they lack a full range of motion. The chair squats are a sure thing to practice to prevent one from developing bad habits early. To start, just get a regular old chair. You want to stand in front of the chair with your feet shoulder-width distance apart probably with your heels lined up with the 2 front legs of the chair. Next you want to descend with your rear first going back slightly bringing your chest out over your thighs. You should keep your spine straight (Note: I said straight not vertical). You want to go far enough until your rear touches the seat of the chair before coming up.

2. Facing the Wall Squats-You have probably done or seen these with the person facing away from the wall. In this case I want you to face the wall. Your feet should be about 3-4 inches away from the wall. Now you want to squat with the same technique as described above in the chair squats. By facing the wall you will find that you have to descend in a very controlled manner so not to "headbutt" the wall or hit it with your knees. This will teach you great technique and strengthen your legs and back by controlling the motion of your body.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Partner Fitness! 2 Simple Exercises to Perform With a Partner Using Their Body-Weight

I am a huge proponent of body-weight exercise. If you use logic we execute normal day to day and athletic feats with bodily movements standing on our own 2 feet. We never do anything with significant resistance either seated or lying down like many machines tend to function in a gym. So it makes perfect sense to do most of our training on our feet and with our own weight, right?

1. Resisted Partner Runs: This exercise can be performed a number of different ways, but I am going to discuss the most basic. You first want to make sure that you have a partner or friend of approximately the same size and ability as you. You also want to do this on straight and level ground. You and your partner must next pick a role. There has to be a "pusher" and a "resister." The pusher and resister stand facing one another with the pusher placing their hands on the shoulders of the resister. Next the exercise is executed by the pusher either walking forcefully or running pushing the resister backwards. The resister, of course, doesn't just allow the pusher to freely move them back, they resist.

2. Body-Chain Push-Ups: This is a very challenging exercise that is tremendous for stability, core strength, balance, and upper-body strength. Depending on the parties involved this exercise can be performed by many people at once. It is a simple concept that is cruel and challenging to execute. To do this you want to get into a straight line with everyone that is involved and everyone is to get into an upright push-up position. Now here is the catch. The feet of the person in front of you will be placed on your shoulders instead of the ground. Your feet will be placed on the shoulders of the participant behind you and so on. Everyone has to execute the desired number of push-ups together. This is true strength with nothing but body-weight exercise.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Women's Fitness - The Kettlebell is the Perfect Gentlemen That Isn't So Gentle!

If you are a woman that is looking for that perfect workout date and don't mind some tough love then the kettlebell will make your dreams come true! Although your roles will have to somewhat be reversed because he certainly isn't going to pick you up for the date. You'll be responsible for that part. He also won't open doors for you, but he sure is capable of dinging them up. When its all over with you may even be a little mad at him, but just like most intriguing guys you might even want to give it another "Swing!"

If you are even somewhat familiar with kettlebell training then you know that the "Swing" I am talking about is one that is more challenging than any second date you've ever been on. It is the base lift of the bell and will tighten your thighs, hips, and legs more than anything you have ever done before. The funny thing is that this kettlebell can take a woman's breath away quicker than James Bond was ever capable of doing with any of his admiring vixens. You can also expect a tremendous amount of weight-loss due to the strain of the relationship, but the funny thing is that even Dr. Phil would classify it as a healthy courtship. I know that this all sounds like he is a bit rough around the edges, but I know that you will fall in love with him in the end.

All in all, you don't ever have to worry about him not complimenting you on how your legs and stomach look in certain outfits because he will make sure that you will receive plenty of those from everyone else. He's not jealous at all. He's the perfect exercise date and the perfect gentleman that isn't so gentle!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Youth Exercise - 2 Great Exercises For Your Kids to Practice!

Once again, I want to address the importance of kids and exercise. I want to especially focus on youth strength training. Many parents hear the words "strength training" and freak out thinking that it means "weight-lifting." There is a big difference. Strength training involves the participant learning how to manipulate different types of resistance by developing the muscular coordination and force to do so. These 2 exercises are a great for your kid to practice.

1. Push-Ups: This is a great exercise for pretty much anyone. It promotes upper-body strength, balance, coordination, and power, all without the use of any equipment. All you need is the proper instruction and your child can practice the movement pretty much everyday of the week. It is vital that they are taught the correct technique before practicing this age-old movement. Also, they need to be shown how to properly progress to doing the push-up if they are incapable of properly executing one immediately.

2. Body Planks: This is also a great exercise for the general public, but is fantastic for teaching a kid how to develop fantastic core strength and stability. This is a constant tension building movement that is also a great way to supplement the push-up exercise. This is a timed event. Once they are shown the proper way to get into the plank position then they can do timed sets. As they improve time can be lengthened appropriately.

Again I would strongly suggest that you seek professional instruction before getting your child involved in any youth strength training program. This is a great start to keep your child clear of obesity and other rampant youth health issues.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Fat Burning Furnace - Short and Painful Beats Out Slow and Easy!

So everyone wants to know what really works when trying to lose weight, burn fat, and resemble the model on the cover of those health magazines. The truth hurts, literally. You have to kick your own rear-end into high gear to get off those pounds.

If you are lazy and fat then you are hopeless. However, if you are not afraid to work, and are just uninformed and fat then get ready to tighten up your belt. The most efficient way to get your body to be a fat-burning furnace is to intensify your workouts. Even if you only last half as long, a third as long, or only 5 minutes you will destroy more calories in that shorter time frame going hard, rather than casually lengthening out your time. It is shown that the production of growth hormone is greater when you are sucking wind and sweating.

This is good because GH is the agent that is responsible for eliminating love handles. It has also been shown that when your nervous system is stimulated in combinations of higher intense movements such as plyometrics, olympic-style lifts, and calisthenics you develop lean muscle mass quicker. The more you can do in a shorter amount of time will also speed up your resting metabolism. This is the biggest factor because this is when you sustain burning a ton of calories long after your workouts are over even while you are at rest!

This is the truth about making your workouts more EFFECTIVE! If you don't believe me then go on doing the same old weak workout you have always done that has never worked, or step up your game to see real results in only 8-10 weeks!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

The Fountain of Youth! The Benefits of an Effective Strength Program For Older Adults

If you are familiar with my opinion on strength training, fitness training, and exercise then you know I'm going to absolutely push this on you in this article. I never let up and I'm not going to start now. If you are an older adult then you need to read what I have to say here.

To begin, age is really only a number. I understand that there are physiological explanations of "getting older" that are unavoidable. However, many of these ailments, diseases, and disorders that eventually catch up to us later in life can and have been shown to be slowed down with the aid of exercise. Strength training for older adults is way UNDER-RATED! It should be your mission to put doctors out of business due to good health. The upside to strength training in both men and women are almost overwhelming. Increased bone density, lower blood-pressure, lower cholesterol, joint stability, flexibility, and balance are just a few examples of many that you gain from a proper and effective program design! Would you rather be laid up in some bed, in a wheelchair, or feeling pain all the time? I don't know about you, but I would rather live to 75 years of age feeling like I'm 25, rather living to a 100 feeling like I'm 200 years old. As far as I know we only get one body at birth so we should make the most of it.

With all the problems in the healthcare system today and always worrying about the cost of medicine I think the best solution is to eliminate the need for it. Effective strength training and a personal program design to make you sweat is the answer. You are not going to find the "Fountain of Youth" in a medicine bottle.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Women's Fitness - The Kettlebell is the Perfect Gentlemen That Isn't So Gentle!

If you are a woman that is looking for that perfect workout date and don't mind some tough love then the kettlebell will make your dreams come true! Although your roles will have to somewhat be reversed because he certainly isn't going to pick you up for the date. You'll be responsible for that part. He also won't open doors for you, but he sure is capable of dinging them up. When its all over with you may even be a little mad at him, but just like most intriguing guys you might even want to give it another "Swing!"

If you are even somewhat familiar with kettlebell training then you know that the "Swing" I am talking about is one that is more challenging than any second date you've ever been on. It is the base lift of the bell and will tighten your thighs, hips, and legs more than anything you have ever done before. The funny thing is that this kettlebell can take a woman's breath away quicker than James Bond was ever capable of doing with any of his admiring vixens. You can also expect a tremendous amount of weight-loss due to the strain of the relationship, but the funny thing is that even Dr. Phil would classify it as a healthy courtship. I know that this all sounds like he is a bit rough around the edges, but I know that you will fall in love with him in the end.

All in all, you don't ever have to worry about him not complimenting you on how your legs and stomach look in certain outfits because he will make sure that you will receive plenty of those from everyone else. He's not jealous at all. He's the perfect exercise date and the perfect gentleman that isn't so gentle!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

My Ebook: Better Than Steroids

I have been getting a lot of positive feedback on my ebook. If you want to learn more about my training philosophy and influence then I have included most of it in this ebook. My clients have given me some sincere feedback and I always ask them to tell it to me "straight!"  If you want a highly informative ebook on training and a great supplement to your fitness and kettlebell program then check it out. It is over 20,000 hard-hitting words of straight mind-blowing content to help you take the knowledge you gain from it and apply it towards a RESULTS oriented plan of your own! Simply click on the link to your right or on the link below:

Better Than Steroids Ebook

My Latest Kettlebell Showreel Video!

Got a cool response from my latest kettlebell showreel video. I enjoyed filming it. For those of you who haven't seen it I combined the kettlebell with the swimming pool. Man it was way more exerting to swing, clean, and snatch that bell up out of the water than I thought it would be! It was a lot of fun though. Check it out. You can either click on my YouTube Channel button to the right at my links or I will include a hyperlink here below. 

Aquatic Kettlebell Showreel Video

Youth Fitness! The Importance of Strength Training For Youth!

First of all, I want to say that strength training for today's youth is something that everyone should consider as long as your kid meets certain standards. Now what do I mean by standards? It is fine for a child to participate in a youth strength training program provided that the kid is mature enough to focus and follow instructions.

I want to clarify that when I say strength training, I am talking about a well-structured and competent program that is supervised and meets the needs of the participant involved. This doesn't mean competitive weight-lifting. Also, when I say supervised I mean professionally supervised. Mom and Dad, unless you are a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist don't bother trying to be the expert. Set aside your pride and let the professionals take over if you want what is best for your kid. I have been training kids and youth athletes for a long time and have seen too many problems with kids getting injured, misinformed, or burned-out due to receiving incompetent instruction from an unqualified adult. Too many problems like childhood obesity and youth onset diabetes are piling up in this country. Not only are we the fattest nation in the world, but because of the many health problems I just mentioned the same diseases we face as adults are spilling over into our youth. Strength training for kids offers a tremendous solution to these raging health issues. It gets kids used to handling resistance and developing lean muscle tissue to promote a healthier foundation further on into their adulthood development.

Get your kids involved. Youth exercise should be a priority for your child. Be a proponent of fitness and use your own health as an example to get your child involved in a strength training program!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Circle of Misery - A Cardio and Resistance Workout That Will Chisel Your Body More Than Anything!

I would like to introduce the Circle of Misery. This is one major calorie burning workout that will get your heart pumping and your muscles bulging. The setting of this workout involves a quarter mile track, 4 markers (like cones or plastic bottles) and 2 kettlebells that can be the same or different weight depending on how intense you want to be with the workout.

To get started you want to find a quarter-mile track at a high school or park. You need to use the 4 markers to set up at equal distances apart at 4 corners around the track. Next you want to set up the kettlebells at 2 of the opposing markers diagonal to each other. Now the work starts. Depending on how advanced you are you can either jog or run at a higher pace around the track. Each marker that you come to will be a different station of torture within the circuit training course. The structure of the torture stations can be set up however you desire, but I like to stay consistent with my personal philosophy of implementing the push/pull method. So as you start your run and come to the first station with the kettlebell stop and execute a pull exercise like double-arm swings. Immediately set it down and continue your run when you are finished with the desired number of swings. When you get to the next marker stop and execute a series of push movements like push-ups. You understand where I am going with this program, right? Continue on and execute another pull movement to the next station with the second bell. Finally, you finish out with a push exercise.

This big circuit, with intervals of running, will shed body-fat off of you quicker than any workout you have ever tried to tackle. Enjoy the Circle of Misery!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Leg Strength and Endurance - A Killer Squat Workout Using Plastic Water Bottle Caps!

If you have read any of my previous articles you know that I am a big proponent of utilizing your own body-weight to achieve mind-blowing fitness and conditioning. The key to doing this without the use of equipment is being innovative with how you distribute, move, and manipulate your own body-weight.

I want to describe one way, like above, to optimize your leg-strength and endurance in the convenience of your living room. All you need to do is collect 10 different plastic bottle caps. If you can't do bottle caps then coins, game piece checkers, or just about anything you can easily fit into the palm of your hand will work. Next, all you have to do is make sure that you have a straight uninterrupted stretch of floor space. From here just line up all 10 caps in a straight line with about 8 inches of space between them. From here you will execute a series of squats. Walk up to the first cap and straddle it with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Now squat and pick up the first cap. Next, walk up to the 2nd cap and squat to put down the 1st cap. Immediately squat again to pick up the first cap followed by another squat to get the 2nd one. Then walk to the 3rd cap and once again put down each of the 2 caps one at a time to turn around and pick all 3 back up one at a time. Continue this pattern all the way to the end of the caps.

You will develop astounding leg-strength and endurance from doing these squats. As you get better don't be afraid to jump to doing 20 or 30 caps!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Kettlebells For Hikers - A Great Way For the Avid Hiker to Include the Bell in Their Trek

If you want to step up your hiking ability to the point that you will eventually be able to complete walking through the Appalachian Trail then all you need are 4 things. Get yourself a watch (or timer), a sturdy and durable backpack, and 2 8kg kettlebells (17.6lbs each). Now all you need is a formidable hiking trail. Ok, maybe with the trail its technically 5 things.

To begin, simply find a hiking trail that has some steep terrain, but not so rough. Make sure there are hills, because this will intensify your trek. Next, stick the bells inside of your backpack and take off for your walk. Try to walk at a steady pace more so than your usual trekking pace. Now you want to use your watch or timer to notify you of specific intervals. You can set the timer to go off at the desired time because when it does you are going to stop and drop the backpack and take out the kettlebells to execute a kettlebell lift. It doesn't matter what lift you do, just choose a random lift at the end of every timed interval. Just make sure that the ground is somewhat level enough to perform the desired lift of choice when its time. The point of this training is to add stress to your journey by including the extra weight of the bells for you to haul around. Its also a great way to make you much more resilient as a hiker for those future adventures!

Give this a try and both your hiking and kettlbell training will transform completely!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Workout Plateaus 2nd Edition - Another Key Ingredient to Include to Ensure an Optimal Workout!

When I refer to the types of exercises that you include in your fitness training as being the reason for the effectiveness of your workouts, I really mean that the types of movements you include will be the key elements in optimizing your fitness. Too many training programs are very one-dimensional. If I have kept your interest so far, please read on and I'll explain what I mean by "key elements."

What do I mean by one dimensional? Well we live in a 3 dimensional world, right? So your elements (or exercises) should consist of multi-planar or 3-dimensional movements. This only makes sense when you think about the abilities of human mechanics. The point that I'm getting at is that basically the human body is capable of moving through 3 planes of motion. From now on when I say "plane" imagine a giant square piece of wood, because this will simplify my point. The first plane of motion I will discuss is the sagittal plane. Imagine standing with the plane facing parallel to your body. Every exercise that you can do that moves along (or parallel) to this plane like squats or overhead snatches would include the sagittal plane. Next is the frontal plane. Imagine the plane splits your body into front and rear halves. Its parallel to your body and perpendicular to the sagittal plane. Something like pull-ups would run along this plane. Thirdly, is the transverse plane. Here imagine standing on the plane, like the floor, and any movement that you make that involves rotation or twisting the trunk would run along this plane. A good example of a transverse plane movement would be figures eights in your kettlebell training.

Any great program should contain the elements that cover all 3 planes of motion to blast through and avoid workout plateaus!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Kettlebell Supremacy - 2 Kettlebell Exercises to Eliminate Love Handles and Construct a Hard Butt!

I have frequently been asked about what kettlebell exercises work the best when trying to eliminate sagging unwanted body-fat? The truth is that all of the exercises are great, but I will talk about 2 that can be learned quickly and are intense enough to make up your entire kettlebell training workout!

1. The Full-Range Swing! This exercise is super intense and will burn your love handles off of your body faster than you going out and running 5 miles a day! Thats right, I said more than running. I will assume that you know what the basic kettlebell swing is and how it works. If not, feel free to look up the "Swing" in my other articles. The full range swing is basically the normal swing that is executed by taking the bell the full range of motion all the way above your head. The complete 180 degree arc of the bell swinging with constant force causes your abs to forcefully contract, your hips to burn, and shoulder girdle to tighten up enough to take your breath away. This will melt your love handles away like a stick of butter in a broiling oven.

2. The Suitcase Deadlifts-This is another lift with the bell that you can do to supplement your full-range swings to build up razor sharp hamstrings and a tight butt to match. All you have to do is stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Set the kettlebell right beside one of your feet with the handle parallel to your foot. You will only be lifting the weight on one side of your body. Next just execute a proper squat and reach down beside you to pick up the bell like you would a suitcase, hence the name. Fight the sensation to lean to the loaded side. Continuously pick the bell up and set it down for the desired reps and switch sides. This lift will enhance your fat-loss and tighten up your backside unlike anything you've tried.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!