Kettlebell training

I have been doing kettlebell and resistance training for about a year now and it is such a huge difference and enjoyment compared to the boring gym machines. There are so many exercises one can do with this wonderful cast iron ball. I normally train with the 12kg one (red), but the other day I did a Turkish get up with a 16kg kettlebell (the green one) and felt amazing when I got it right. I even had an audience… It is quite a difficult exercise in the beginning as there are a few things you have to concentrate on, but once you get it right it’s really cool and it works your whole body, but for me it works my shoulders and abs the most!

Here is a picture of what it looks like and is actually step by step if you want to try it:

You can obviously do it with a lighter kettlebell – they range from 4 – 60kg, so choose your weight and try it!

Remember girls, you will NOT look like muscle woman when you do this with a heavy weight as you burn fat quicker and you are not doing fast reps (repitions) so you will only tone… When you do fast reps with a heavy weight you will “pump up” your muscles and you WILL then look like a body builder, but if you take it slowly and do little reps, you just tone.

So, next time you’re in the gym and you have kettlebells to your disposal – try it!

Hardcore training session

Man, did I have fun at gym last night! I got to the gym to find my trainer nowhere in sight… I started to get worried and thought that I might have the times wrong, which happens to me so often, when my phone buzzed with a message saying: we are training outside tonight, I’m waiting! My heart started to pound a bit faster as I knew I was in for something hectic! And so it was…

I met him outside gym in the parking lot where a 65kg tractor tyre, chains and a sledge hammer was waiting for me… It is then when I knew that a little of me will die, but at the same time make me stronger.

It was awesome. I lunged up and down a hill with chains hanging from my hands pressing it up with every lunge. I then moved on to tyre flips. Also up and down the hill! It is a great exercise and works your hammies as you have to squat down to get a grip on the tyre, it also works your shoulders, biceps and triceps when you flip the tyre oh and don’t forget your abs as you have to keep those babies contracted constantly not to lose your balance.

Just to keep the fitness going I did 10 laps of up and down sprints and then went on with push ups on the tyre, sprawling half around the tyre, doing another push up and repeating it 10 times for 3 consecutive sets. Just when I thought, cool we are done for the day, out came the sledge hammer! I had to hit the tyre with a full oblique swing opening up my body and slamming the hammer down on the tyre. And to end this wonderful session off, I had to jump in the centre of the tyre and out the other way and that was also done 10 times and repeated for 3 sets.

I burned 450 kcal, which is great and I felt awesome after my session. Something very different and I would recommend it to those who are looking for a new challenge, but you need to be a bit fitter for this one. I also read on a nutrition blog that asparagus is regarded as one of the healthiest veggies to eat if you want to shed some of that belly fat of yours.

Till the next post…
Yours in fitness.

Gym is food for the soul

About five years ago you would never hear me say the word gym, fitness, exercise, or anything that requires physical activity, but now I am completely hooked and can’t imagine my life without doing something that involves physical activity.

I got my inspiration from my gran who was devoted to running and gym. Sadly, five years ago she was taken away from us and this is when I decided to pay a tribute to her and continue her legacy. I haven’t had one regret ever since I made this decision. Going to gym is food for my soul! I absolutely love it and feel like a junkie, because if I don’t exercise one day I feel uneasy and moody.

Two years ago I decided to challenge myself a bit more and take on running… I am not that great at it, but do enjoy it and it is a great feeling after you have completed a race. I’ve ran a few half marathons, Two Oceans, Knysna, Miles for Smiles, Safari, but haven’t yet cracked the sub 2 hour yet. 2012 is the year I am attacking that challenge.

At the beginning of this year I did a gym instructor course to teach step classes, aerobics and weight classes along with an anatomy course. And just last weekend my boyfriend, who is an excellent athlete by the way, bought me a Merida TFS 500! And as you can imagine I am hooked beyond repair and just want to go mountain biking. It is awesome and love it to bits, even though I am still scared and falling off my bike, I can’t get enough.

I’ve had a personal trainer ever since I started my gym journey and we are constantly challenging each other, which is great. It’s good to stay challenged and knowing that you can do even more with your body than what you think.

It is amazing what I have learnt about myself and my training abilities. I also know how far I can push myself and where I can improve. There are so many myths when it comes to training. I would like to share these things with you here… I am going to try and give you tips regularly of what you can try and what you can take note of and implement.

Yours in fitness,
A fitness junkie