Fit Tip: Starting The Week Off Right

Well, the weekend is over.  How was yours?  Did it involve a lot of unwanted calories and laziness?  For me, not so much this weekend because of the Spartan Race.  Usually, there are a  fair share of unwanted calories.  It is crucial for you to get the week started the right way to burn those unwanted calories off.  It's a new week and time to try something new to really rev up that metabolism!  My beFIT tip to you this week are kettlebells.  If you haven't already tried kettlebells, now is better than never.  Kettlebells are an awesome way not only to burn calories but to utilize your core.  What are kettlebells?  They are iron weights that have a handle at the top and a round mass at the bottom.  They differ from dumbbells because the mass is not centered horizontally but vertically.  This in itself makes it harder because the mass of the kettlebell is working with gravity as you are trying to lift it.  I would say however that kettlebells should be taught to you by someone who has experience using them.  I'm not talking about your friend who saw someone use them at the gym or your trainer that uses them on occasion.  I'm talking about someone that uses them consistently and knows how the movement should be executed.  Kettlebells should not be used in the same fashion as dumbbells!  Please don't let me see you on a stability ball pressing kettlebells.  Learn the basics first and take it slow.  You will then become more comfortable with them and then you can start to learn more complicated movements.  You will burn more calories doing a moderate kettlebell workout than you will doing an intense dumbbell workout guaranteed.  After you have learned the basics, try stringing the movements together into circuits.  Kettlebell circuits are very challenging and really get the heart rate up there so be careful.  Once you have experienced a good kettlebell workout, you will want to use them all the time.  After you have become acquainted with the circuits, you can then start to incorporate other things like plyos, power lifting, and agility into the circuits.  This always keeps the workouts interesting and keeps your body guessing.  So get to it!  Start to research kettlebells and learn the movements.  I will post some movements later and then give you a killer circuit to try.  Looking forward to a better, fitter you!  Have a great week!  Be functional, be inspired, be transformed, beFIT Chicago!!