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Kettlebell swings are a full body, multi-muscle, multi-joint exercises that work your lower and upper body including your core muscles. This exercise will help build power and strength, and they will help increase your cardiovascular system.

Why do Kettlebell Swings?

For these 7 reasons:

1. High calorie burn.
2. Easier on your joints than other cardio/power exercises.
3. Full body workout.
4. Increase your power.
5. Stronger posterior chain (muscles on the back of the body).
6. Better cardiovascular fitness.
7. Increase overall strength.

What Muscles Are Used in a Kettle Bell Swing?

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Erector spinae
• Trapezius (traps)
• Rhomboids
• Deltoids (Shoulders)
• Core Muscles

How to Perform a Kettlebell Swings

It is important to know how to do a kettlebell swing properly to prevent injury and to get the most out of the exercise.

Here are step-by-step instructions for how to do kettle bell swings:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a kettlebell with both hands (palms facing toward you) and arms straight down.
2. Inhale and push your hips back (hinge your hips) and slightly bend your knees to bring the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Keep your back straight and core engaged. No rounding the spine or this could result in a back injury.  
4. Exhale, contract your glutes, and push your hips forward to lift your body into a standing position. Swing the kettlebell up until you reach shoulder height or parallel to the ground.
5. Inhale and lower the kettlebell between your legs by pushing your hips back and slightly bending your knees.
6. Perform 3 sets of 10–20 reps or as many as you can do to start with.

IMPORTANT – During your kettlebell swing, the power is coming from your lower body (your hips and glutes). You should not feel you are using arm strength or muscling the kettlebell up.

On your last rep, make sure to slow your momentum down gradually until your swing comes to a stop. If you abruptly stop the exercise in the middle of a swing, it can result in an injury, specifically in the back.

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‘Tis the season for yummy treats!

Holiday treats and food can be healthy and also easy to make, like this Gingerbread smoothie.

Gingerbread Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 700 ml Almond Milk
• 1 banana (frozen is best)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

Instructions: 

• Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Enjoy this festive healthy smoothie, and the holiday season!

Life is all about balance, which is why from time to time we need a little indulgence in our eating!

If you love bacon, here is a delicious recipe to try out.

Bacon Wrapped Smoky Chicken Thighs Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, Skinless chicken thighs
• 4-8 slices of bacon
• Smoky spice blend (see recipe below)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Prepare smoky spice blend (see recipe below).
• Sprinkle each chicken thigh with 1 tsp smoky spice blend.
• Wrap each thigh with 1-2 strips of bacon.
• Sprinkle bacon wrapped chicken with smoky spice blend.
• Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 F.

Smoky Spice Blend Recipe: Mix these spices together.

• 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sea or Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Happy eating!

All woman have different length cycles. While most woman have a 28-day cycle, some are shorter, and some can go as long as 30 days or more.

It is important to know the different hormone changes throughout your cycle because your hormones do not stay consistent throughout the month. This constant change in hormones is important to know because you will feel emotionally and physically throughout the month as your hormones rise and fall. Knowing the effects that each hormone has on your mood, motivation, energy, sleep, and appetite can be life changing.

Day 1-10 of your menstrual cycle

Your major sex hormones, which are estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, are at their lowest level. This is also known as the powerhouse phase. At this time of your cycle, it is best to do intense workouts like heavy lifting, HIIT workouts, etc.

The best foods to eat during this phase are Healthy fats and proteins with lower carbohydrates. Foods that support estrogen during this phase of your menstrual cycle:

• Olive oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Avocado
• Lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and mung beans
• Sesame oil
• Carob
• Black-eyed peas
• Lentils
• Nuts – Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, and walnuts
• Seeds – Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds
• Peas
• Soy beans
• Chickpeas
• Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Onion
• Garlic
• Cranberries
• Strawberries
• Broccoli
• Blueberries
• Cauliflower
• Healthy Protein (muscle building foods) like chicken, beef, fish, pork, milk, eggs, cheese, tofu, beans, and pumpkin seeds

Day 11-15 of your cycle

These days are known as your ovulation period of your cycle. This 5-day period is when your estrogen and testosterone start to build and increase. During your ovulation phase, you may feel more motivated and a surge in energy making it a good time to get hard, intense workouts in such as heavy weightlifting, HIIT training or any other intense workouts that you enjoy.

Foods that are best to consume when estrogen and testosterone levels are at their peak are listed above but also include:

• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower
• Green Leafy vegetables
• Bitter lettuces
• Sesame and flaxseeds
• Blueberries & raspberries
• Boysenberries
• Green apples
• Green tea,
• Dandelion or dandelion tea
• Fermented foods such as kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, or kombucha
• Fish such as salmon
• Spices such as turmeric, saffron, cumin and dill.
• Healthy Protein (muscle building foods) Chicken, beef, fish, pork, milk, eggs, cheese, tofu, beans, and pumpkin seeds

Day 16-18 of your cycle

During these days you may feel similar as you did during the first week of your cycle, with one major exception – instead of your body preparing to make estrogen, your body is ramping up to make progesterone. This is also known as your power house phase. Meaning you can continue your intense workouts.

During this phase you want to stick to healthy proteins and healthy fats with lower carbohydrates, following the same guidelines as day 1-10 of your cycle.

Day 19 – Day you start to bleed (Day 25-30) of your cycle

This is when your body produces progesterone. The hormone that calms and relaxes you. This is when your body needs more rest. It is also known as your nurture phase. You want to stick to lower intensity workouts during this time. Lighter resistance training, nature walks, yoga, meditation, stretching, etc.

Now is the time to eat progesterone supporting foods include healthy proteins and healthy carbohydrates such as:

• Potatoes – red, russet, gold, Yukon, and purple
• Sweet potato and yam varieties
• Squash
• Lentils
• Black beans
• Wild rice and brown rice,
• Blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries
• Tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes, and papaya
• Lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges
• Healthy Protein (muscle building foods) like chicken, beef, fish, pork, milk, eggs, cheese, tofu, beans, and pumpkin seeds

Training & Eating Foods That Support Your Hormone Cycle is Beneficial

Training and following proper nutrition based on your cycle can offer many health benefits such as more energy, reduced bloating, healthy weight loss and toning, and less menstrual symptoms as your hormones change throughout the month. You may notice you are reaching your health and fitness goals faster following this system based on your specific hormone cycle.

Looking for support to achieve your fitness goals? Contact our passionate and expert Newmarket personal trainers at Premium Personal Training. We’d love to help you achieve your goals!