Women are surprised to learn that there is a wonderful alternative to traditional cardio.  In fact, they are delighted to discover that they can combine their cardio and strength-endurance training in short, very efficient training sessions.  They no longer need to go jogging, sign up for expensive gym memberships, or train on monotonous cardio machines.  There is a better way to improve cardio vascular conditioning, burn fat, and develop functional fitness.

About 90% of my training is accomplished using kettlebells.  I use light to moderate weight kettlebells for non-stop cardio workouts, heavy kettlebells for strength training, and everything from light to heavy weight kettlebells for interval training.  Yes, just a few kettlebells is all that is needed.  I highly recommend kettlebell training for women of all ages and all fitness levels.  Since the reasons are many, I decided to list them:

Time-efficient

• cardio workouts (including warm up & cool down) in as little as 10 minutes
• get a total body strength workout in 10-30 minutes
• burn fat faster than with traditional aerobic training
• say “Good-bye” to hour-long workouts
• save time used for commuting to the gym and spend it with your family!

Build strength and improve stamina simultaneously

• both can be worked efficiently every day
• even when cardio is the focus, gains in overall strength will become significantly noticeable
• routines as short as 4 minutes yield measurable and immediate results!

Improve functional strength

• women need strong, healthy bodies to carry and deliver babies
• young mothers need a strong core to safely lift small children – often done while in compromising positions
• be strong and fit enough to play with your children; don’t settle for sitting and watching in the bleachers!
• plan, prepare, and expect to live an active lifestyle in the senior years

Convenient – Work out at home

• Indoors:  family room, basement, garage, – even your bedroom!
• Outdoors:  find a level patch of grass
• Carport:  The roof shelters the level concrete floor from rain and ice – and you from getting a sunburn.  Ideal for slow strength training.
• Sand Pit:  can be build indoors or outside (don’t forget to rake in search for surprises left by the cat!)
• Anywhere:  take it with you!

Never miss a workout!

• Bad weather?  No need to drive to the gym.
• Kids are sick?  No need to cancel training sessions or miss classes at the gym.
• Vacation?  Secure a couple kettlebells safely under the seat of the car.
• Flying?  Pack small kettlebells inside your suitcase (protected by the way too many clothes you packed!) – or – stow as a piece of luggage.   The handles make it easy to carry!

Versatile:  “The Hand-held Gym!”

• work just about every muscle in your body with a couple of kettlebells
• replaces the need for numerous pieces of gym equipment
• compactly stores out of sight in a closet or under the seat of your car
• don’t outgrow the smaller kettlebells; learn technique tips and exercise variations to make the lifts more challenging
• program design can be as simple or complex as you desire

For everyone:
Rehabilitation

• improve strength and stabilization of the core, shoulders, and knees
• greatly improve your grip strength
• train the entire body to work harmoniously together

Beginners

• no prior strength training required to begin kettlebell lifting
• most kettlebell exercises are suitable for average, healthy women
• rapid progress will be made by high-repetition kettlebell training
• are wise to seek training under a certified kettlebell instructor

Elite athletes

• kettlebell exercises are easily incorporated into current training programs
• perfect for off-season training
• “Carry-over” benefits have been documents by athletes in just about every sport

Meet specific goals

• improve upper body strength (which most women lack)
• slim your abs, hips, and legs
• balance out your physique:  build or lose size in the appropriate areas
• get lean
• improve cardio
• become functionally fit with total body strength training
• protect yourself from carpal tunnel syndrome by improving grip strength

Inexpensive alternative

• Gym membership fees – a few kettlebells can be purchased with money saved from annual membership fees.
• Home gym equipment – a whole set of kettlebells can be purchased for the price on just one machine
• Living space:  don’t sacrifice costly, precious living space for bulky equipment
• Only one kettlebell needed to get started.  However, I recommend getting a 2-3 different sizes if you want to do all your training with kettlebells.

It’s FUN!!!
So, yes – “When Cardio Just Isn’t Enough . . . Pick Up A Kettlebell!”