What The Heck Are Kettlebells Anyway?

So what the heck are the balls with a handle? Well, they are called kettlebells and have really been catching fire over the last few years. I use them quite a bit myself and with my clients in my studio.

Here is a quick history lesson.

Kettlebells originated in Russia around 1704 and gained popularity in 1913 when they were featured in Hercules magazine.  They gained momentum in the U.S. around 1985.

If you are using kettlebells (kb's) in your training then you already know how awesome they really are however you also realize how potentially dangerous they are if not used with perfect form.

Essentially, kb's are bowling balls with handles. In comparison with other weight-training tools, the strange form of kb's design makes trainees to pay attention to their every movement, which leads to an entire-workout with many different movements that concentrate on the lifter's core. 

Typically, kb's are constructed in iron or steel and are available in weights that vary from 2 to 100 pounds. No matter what the weight from lightweight to the heaviest kb's most of the muscles in the body will get exercised when utilizing them.

Because kb's are now being discovered by present day weight trainers, a lot of companies offer more cost-effective options compared to iron originals. Some kb's are even adjustable, permitting you to easily handle them with different weight without needing to possess a room filled with kb's on the ground.

On the top of enhancing your physique, a kb's routine, if done correctly, will enhance your cardiovascular health, while you move effortlessly in one exercise to another without a break.

Using kb's can be as simple or as difficult while you choose. For most people, an excellent use is by using them rather than hand weights or barbells to do familiar exercises. The bench press, military press, curls, along with other common exercises could be carried out using kb's. The only real difference when utilizing kb's may be the form of the load.

When you become comfortable want to bolster your relationship with kb's by carrying out kettlebell-specific exercises. Fortunately, you will find many exercises which were produced particularly for that unique shape and size of kb's. Specific exercises, like the kb swing and also the aptly named the Turkish Get-Up, provide the kb's user a huge number of intense exercises custom-designed to challenge the whole body and make muscle.

If you are looking to super-charge your workouts and burn fat then kb's may be the thing for you to try but make sure that you are using extremely good form to avoid injury.

Cheers

Bouncelife

#1 Tip To Alleviate Low Back Pain.

When I am first interviewing a client in our initial consultation the topic always turns to the core, what it is and how to work it. 
Clients often come to me saying that they have a weak core but don't understand why because they do 100's of situps.
As always I advise them that the core is not just made up of the abdominal muscles and we don't even do situps in the Bounce studio. (extremely ineffective exercise).


I thought I had better take some time out from my vacation to talk about this part of the body that is so important to the function of our bodies on a daily basis.


Your abdomen, hips, glutes (buttocks) and low back--collectively known as your core--serve many important roles. Strong core muscles reduce the chance of backache, shield vital organs, and transfer forces between your upper and lower body as will as all twisting movements.

A simple way to work the core is with any planking movement. In order to protect your low back, you'll need to "activate"your core muscles.  Draw your belly button inward, tense your abs, and hold this stabilized position during all exercises.  I always say to my client "imagine pulling your navel into your spine" For the ladies out there perform a Kegel contraction (tighten the muscles you'd use to stop the flow of urine;hold). Most dudes have no idea what a Kegel is...LOL.

In the beginning it may be a struggle to keep your core muscles (particularly the muscles of your pelvic floor) under tension for more than a few seconds at a time.  But don't worry, you'll build core strength and stamina after a few workouts. This tip alone is one of the best ways to beat backache.


At Bounce we focus on the core and improving it not only for you performance but also for better life quality and freedom from back pain. 


If you have a personal trainer you they should be focusing on this as well.

Yours in health,

Derek Shannon

What The Heck Are Phytochemicals?

In our diets we concentrate on proteins, carbs and fats for the most part. One of the key chemical compounds that are found naturally in plant life and therefore your  veggies that has come to light in recent years are phytochemicals.

Phyto means “plant” in Greek and are responsible for certain properties in veggies such as the blue in blue berries and the pungent smell of garlic. I had known about the colours of veggies being part of their phytochemical makeup but just learned this morning that their smell is part of this as well.

There are over 10,000 different phytochemicals and have the potential to affect many diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome.

One of the things that I am seeing in the supplement industry is that the companies are jumping on these chemicals and producing supplements that have a specific phytochemical make up. Currently there aren’t any studies that support this. In fact, the studies point out that the chemicals only work when combined with other substances in the foods they come from.

So as always get your nutrients from whole foods and you will always get exactly what Mother Nature intended for your body. Do not look for the quick fix in supplement form for these chemicals.

Remember that each and every colour has a different property that is good for your health so eating a rainbow of colours is key.

 

Cheers,

Bouncelife.

5 Myths Of A Successful Bathing Suit Season

It's bathing suit season and you want flat abs to flaunt.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I'm here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people believe. Don't waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Take diet pills to speed results.
I know it's so tempting! The ads make compelling claims about the power of popping a pill, but don't fall for it. There is no ‘magic pill'. Diet pills are more likely to burn through your pocketbook than to slim you down.

• Tip: Don't pop a pill - instead burn calories with intense exercise.

Myth #2: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.
Excessive crunches aren't the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a toned look you'll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your tummy. As I tell all of my private clients... we need to peel the onion.

• Tip: Don't obsess about crunches - instead focus on fat burning.

Myth #3: Turn to packaged diet products to boost results.
Don't fall for the foods that are packaged as ‘diet' or ‘weight loss' aids. Quite often these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn't need, and certainly won't help you attain that tight tummy.

• Tip: Don't eat packaged diet foods - instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth #4: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to achieve tight abs.
Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and should) eat carbs while slimming down. The key is to stick with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugar.

• Tip: Don't give up all carbohydrates - instead stick with wholesome carbs.

Myth #5: Starve the chub away. Trying to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective it can also be dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you'll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.

• Tip: Don't starve yourself - instead eat small wholesome meals throughout the day.

Now that you know what not to do in order to achieve tight abs, it's time to go over your flat tummy game plan. Here's what you need to know in 3 simple steps:

• Step One: No more junk.
  The best way to do this is by purging your kitchen. Throw out the sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out, don't buy any more of it. Remember that your beach-ready abs depend on what you eat – don't eat junk!
• Step Two: Eat whole foods.
  Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.
• Step Three: Come train with me.
  This is the most obvious step. You're ready to get into great shape and I'm in a unique position to make that happen for you. Call or reply to this post to get started on an exercise plan that will get you those amazing abs.

Yours In Health,

Derek