The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You--In 15 Minutes a Day! (38 page)

A

• Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your torso and stand with your feet hip-width apart.

B

• Release the kettlebell into your right hand and move both arms behind your back. Grab the bell with your left hand and bring it back to the front (completing a full circle around your body). That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10, then switch directions and repeat without stopping to rest.

TIP:
Keep your core engaged and avoid moving your hips throughout the entire move.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE

The bottom line to being fit for life: Find what you really enjoy and what gets you going, says Kristen Dieffenbach, PhD, an assistant professor of athletic coaching education at West Virginia University. “Try as many classes, running paths, and exercise machines as you can. Somewhere between swimming and spinning, you will click with an activity or two.” Spend your workout hours doing these types of exercise and you’ll find excuses to get out more often instead of skipping sessions.

Swing

A

• Grab a kettlebell with both hands and stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart.

• Squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Keep yourlower back slightly arched.

B

• Immediately stand and swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height.

C

• As the kettlebell begins to arc back down, bend your knees and squat, swinging the kettlebell between your legs. Then swing it back to shoulder height as you stand.

REPS:
Do 15 to 20.

TIP:
If you have any back problems, do this move without using a weight.

Bent-Knee Dead Lift

A

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, the kettlebell on the floor between your feet.

• Squat down and grab the handle with both hands, keeping your back flat. Your arms should be straight.

B

• Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, and slowly push down into your heels as you stand up, keeping your arms extended. As you rise, thrust your hips forward. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10 to 12.

Halo

A

• Hold a kettlebell upside down by the horns with both hands, arms extended overhead.

B

• Keeping shoulders down, chest forward, and abs tight, rotate your torso from the waist in a circle to the left.

• The kettlebell should make small, controlled halos overhead.

REPS:
Do 6 circles, then switch directions.

KETTLEBELL WORKOUT 2

Kettlebells bring cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training together into one efficient workout. Here are four more classic kettlebell exercises. Alternate this circuit with workout 1, or combine the two when you have more time.

START HERE:

Do these moves one after another with no rest between them. Rest for 60 seconds at the end of the circuit. Then repeat the circuit twice more.

Split Squat Kettlebell Pass

A

• Hold a kettlebell by the handle in your right hand, arms at your sides, palms facing in. Stand with your right foot 2 to 3 feet in front of the left, toes pointing forward, your back heel off the floor.

• Bend your knees, lowering your hips toward the floor, as you pass the bell under your right leg to your left hand.

B

• Then pass it over your right leg to your right hand as you straighten your legs

• Continue for 8 passes, then reverse arms directions and repeat. Next,repeat the exercise with your left leg forward.

REPS:
Do 16 under each leg, switching directions every 8 reps.

Figure 8

A

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, knees bent into a quarter-squat position, back straight, and chest up. Hold the kettlebell behind your left leg with both hands, one arm on each side of your leg.

B

• Grab the bell with your left hand and swing it in front of your left leg, between your legs, and behind your right leg in a figure-8 pattern.

• Grab it with your right hand and swing it in front of your right leg, between your legs, then behind your left leg. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10.

TIP:
The movement should be slow and controlled but fluid.

Half Get Up

A

• Lie faceup on the floor, legs straight, holding the kettlebell in your right hand straight above your shoulder.

B

• Bend your left knee, place your foot on the floor, and prop yourself up on your left arm. Keep the weight directly in line with your shoulder and sit up until your back is straight.

• Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 5, then repeat on the other side.

Snatch, Pull, and Push Press

A

• Grab a kettlebell and stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out about 45 degrees. Place the kettlebell on the floor between your feet.

B

• Stand up and lift the weight to chest height.

C

• Grab the sides of the handle and push the kettlebell straight overhead.

• Lower it to your chest and then to the floor. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10.

EXERCISE BAND WORKOUT 1

It’s easy to dismiss exercise bands or tubes as lightweight tools for girls who don’t like to sweat. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite their pretty colors and featherweight feel, exercise bands challenge your muscles with constant tension through a full range of motion, targeting parts that are often missed by free weights. And you can buy both the band style and rubber tube style in different resistance strengths to vary your exercise. The result is a powerful workout that you can take anywhere.