Create Your Own Home Gym- The Kettlebell! WIN a copy of The SWING! By Tracy Reifkind!

Kettlebells are not a new tool by any means- they have a long history dating back to the 1700s- but these flat-bottomed spherical cast-iron weights with a horseshoe-shaped handle will offer your workout regimen a serious ass-kick. They are an exceptional tool for overall body conditioning as they offer the ability for extreme cardio (think about burning more calories than running) and muscular endurance training, plus super core shredding. A must-have for any home gym, they can be used for a full-body workout or used anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in any interval training workout.

Where to buy: You can buy kettlebells at most fitness stores- Fitness Depot, Fitness Source, Canadian Tire, even Target- but they can also be ordered online through various retailers.

Brands: There are too many to count, as some are ordered online, but some include Dragon Door, Ader, Lifeline, etc. All kettlebells are made of cast iron- the brand (in my opinion) does not matter as much.

Cost: This will vary depending on the weight and the coating, if any. Some bells have a vinyl coating covering the iron for comfort, and come in all colours. The bells usually are sold by weight in kg- and range anywhere from 4kg to 50kg- the smaller the weight, the less expensive the bell. You can find bells from $10- $100, and sometimes can get a better deal if you buy multiples.

I've been hesitant to incorporate the kettlebell into any of my at-home workouts for you amazingly hardcore peeps, not because you can't handle it, but because it comes with a whole new set of safety recommendations and guidelines. I received Tracy Reifkind's book, The SWING! Lose the Fat and Get Fit with this Revolutionary Kettlebell Program as part of TLC's Book Tours- which is a remarkably inspiring book, based on Reifkind's discovery of the bell, which helped her drop 120 POUNDS at age 41- dropping from a size 24 to a size 6!

It is an incredible read- beginning with changing the mind before changing the body. Reifkind goes through all of the essential safety precautions for the kettlebell swing, plus details food journaling and includes some excellent healthy recipes. Her book is a three-step program to getting your breakthrough body!

FABULOUS!!!!!

The workout part of the book focuses mostly on the cardio and endurance of swinging the kettlebell with two hands, one hand, or alternating. What I really liked was that it went into excellent detail about HOW the swing should take place- how your chest, shoulders, back, and core should look and feel during a swing- working on flexibility and bridge-like exercises to get the feeling of how it should feel. Reifkind also addresses what most people typically do wrong- they don't move with the momentum of the bell. It's important to really utilize the motion of the bell for the best workout- beginners usually try to work against it, because in most other exercise equipment, that's what we're told to do (resist, push away from, punch, etc.).

I've put together a 2- Minute video with 8 of my favourite kettlebell moves for a full body workout using the bell:


1. Russian swings
2. Crossfit swings
3. One-arm swings
4. Alternating one-arm swings
5. Catching the bell squats
6. Side plank twists using the bell
7. Plank hold on the bell (SUPER core power!)
8. Plank walks with Row

I highly suggest that you try the kettlebell, but that you get The Swing! or have someone show you proper technique. IT SHOULD NOT HURT YOUR BACK. EVER. You should not feel like your lower back is taking the brunt of the swing.

But don't take my word for it, take it from this extremely red-faced weird woman!

You're in luck, my peeps- you can WIN a copy of The Swing! By Tracy Reifkind by entering in any of the following ways:

+1 Like Tracy's Facebook page (and while you're there, tell her how fabulous she is!)
+1 Follow/Like your gal through the Follow button or via Facebook
+1 Share via Facebook or Twitter (@fit_in_heels is giving away Tracy Reifkind's book about Kettlebells and I want to SWING!)

Good luck! Leave me a comment for each of your entries either below or on my Facebook page. Contest closes Tuesday, May 8th!