Brian Copeland's Core Fitness, Kettlebell Training for a Strong Body

4. Training Tip: "High Intensity Cardio"

I have yet again seen the proof in the pudding for high intensity cardio versus long slow distance type cardio.

Read the testimonial from SW in the Testimonials, Section 6 below.

Choice of exercises for high intensity cardio should be noted as important.

Here are some guidelines:

1. The choice of exercises should be slightly varied within the session but should not constantly change session to session.

2. Pick a handful of exercises that work as many gross motor skills as possible. For instance, sprinting, kettlebell swings or snatches and burpees are a great combination and work many athletic qualities.

3. Pick exercises that do not irritate an existing injury or a weakened joint. This should be obvious but you would be surprised how many people do not heed this advice.

4. Depending on whether your goal is fat loss or simply to have over-the-top cardio fitness will determine the amount of time spent and the intensity level. For fat loss, use a little less intensity and do more rounds (or sets) and for extreme fitness on a time-limit, do less rounds but more intensely.

5. Intensity is relative. If you are seriously out of shape or just had triple bypass surgery, then walking up a 1 flight of stairs may be very intense. If you are an active injury-free athlete you might be sprinting at top speed.

Generally speaking, avoid the hamster machines and do some natural movements.

Until next time, train like an athlete not a hamster!

PS. If you are watching late-night infomercials and are thinking of buying the "Ab Gizmo 3000" or "Dance Your Way to a Super Six-Pack" don't bother. Save yourself some hard earned doubloons and instead purchase my Personalized Program Design. I'll get you better results with your own body weight and you won't have to make installments on an expensive piece of crap that sits in the corner collecting dust for the next 10 years for crying out loud!

5. Nutrition Tip: "Juicing! No Not Steroids!"

I've been telling everyone to eat lots of vegetables for a long time. In fact, if you have the will power, a diet of meats, vegetables and fruits with very little grain (preferably sprouted) and no processed foods is the way to go.

I'm a realist so try to make as much of your food fit this profile as possible and still enjoy some "sin foods" so that you don't feel like a Opus Dei monk.

Now on to juicing, and I don't mean taking steroids. I mean putting fruits and vegetables in a juicer and liquefying them.

This is a great way to get raw uncooked veggies and fruits in your diets. Uncooked fruits and vegetables have active enzymes that are good for you and all of the vitamins and minerals are intact, plus you are getting hydration in the process.

Cooking fruits and vegetables kills many of the nutrients in them. Hey, I'm not saying not to eat a vegetable, cooked or raw, eat the sucker!

When it is juiced you loose much of the fiber so you will still want to eat whole vegetables and fruits. Using a blender does not remove the fiber, just in case you are adding fruits to your protein shakes.

You can get a Jack Lalanne juicer or whatever. I have another brand, I couldn't tell you which is better so do some research. Look for one that is easy to clean and that will take large pieces so you don't have to cut up the fruits and veggies small before you put them in.

Ideally you want to put lots of vegetables and some fruits as fruits have a lot of calories and veggies do not. However, in the beginning you may have more fruits as you get used to the taste.

You can put darn near any fruits together and get a yummy tasting treat. Veggies take some more experimentation.

Try adding a little bit of kale leaves to your fruit juices, over time you will build up a taste for it.

Limes are a nice addition to both fruit and vegetable juices. Carrots mix well with anything. Broccoli and cauliflower are kinda gross so I think I'll stick to eating them whole. You can't go wrong mixing apples, pears and peaches with just about anything.

Look up recipes on the internet or buy a book. I'm still experimenting myself trying to come to a balance of ingredients I want with taste.

A lot of people get stuck in the rut of mixing berries, apples, bananas, etc. and miss out on a lot of other fruits and especially vegetables that you may not be eating: like kale, bok choy, beets, ginger and more.

Tips to Get Started:

1. Start small - make small amounts at first in case you don't like the flavor. I made this mistake.

2. Drink just 8 oz per day at first, no more. While I'm not sold on this, I've been told that your body detoxes when you start drinking raw juice and if you have been eating very poorly and all of a sudden drink 32 oz of pure juices per day you might feel ill as your body detoxes. Once again, not sure about this but better to be safe than sorry. Over the weeks and months you can up the juice intake. Remember to watch your calories if you use a lot of fruits!

3. Using a blender is not the same as using a juicer. You can make nice juices from fruits in a blender. However, as it leaves all of the fiber in, if you put kale (and some other veggies) in a blender you get moss. In a juicer you get green juice.

4. Try to go organic if you can.

5. I save some of the left over fiber and add a little of the juice back in, blend it in a blender with a can of chicken and feed it to my cat. She freakin loves this stuff and it is very healthy for her. I had to add a little cat nip at first to get her interested. Check with your vet first to find out which fruits and veggies that a cat shouldn't eat. Ditto with dogs. By the way, if you think this is weird, realize that first off, I am weird, second, who wants to be normal and third, if you love you pet do you really want them eating ash from burnt up bones and other crap? Then make them some homemade food so they live longer and more disease-free. You can find recipes online also. Please remember that dogs and cats are carnivores so they need plenty of meat and some veggies and fruits, no grains! Grains are cheap crap filler used in animal and human food.

6. Some people get an upset stomach if they drink or eat fruits first thing in the AM on an empty stomach; so you may want to have a little protein with it if you drink juice first thing in the morning.

7. Start with more fruit and a little vegetables and as your taste buds get more used to it, you can shift the contents to more vegetables and less fruits.

8. If all of this talk about juice makes you feel like a sissy, go juice and then eat a beef steak! Free-range hormone and anti-biotic-free beef please.

Until next time...

Eat like an Athlete, look good nekkid!

6. Testimonials

I cycled 150 miles for the first time!!

I want to thank you for your support in my very successful quest for the 2-day, 150 mile Bike MS tour. I did very little on-the-bike training this year, with only a handful of training rides under my belt. I'm convinced that it was Kettlebell training that made the difference. So thank you for all the 5 minute swing tests, all the dead lifts, pistols and front squats, all the Tabata drills (especially the Tabata's!) ;) and all the Z-health! My knees thank you too, as I had NO knee pain on the bike for the first time in 3 years, while clocking more miles than in my past 2 attempts at this event!!

I know you say that your KB method is not meant for training for long endurance events, but I respectfully disagree. That might be the case if I was going at really fast racing speeds, but at my personal best charity ride pace I had so much endurance, especially on the first day! I only felt winded on the climbs. And I know that it was the raw strength and confidence I've gained that got me up those hills with more ease than ever before! There were even times along the way where my husband had a hard time keeping up with me - which never used to happen.

I have also gained a bragging husband. A motorcycle trooper who was volunteering on the route came up next to us on one of the bigger climbs. Scott jokingly made a gesture to him about them switching bikes. The trooper said if Scott could get 5 miles ahead of me then they could switch bikes, but that he was rooting for me. My husband said, "I know, have you seen those guns on her?" He then asked me to tell the trooper what I dead lift. I'm a small-framed woman at 5'4" and I get a kick out of shocking people by telling them that I dead lift 176 lbs, which is almost 1 1/2 times my body weight! And I love that my husband gets a kick out of bragging like that.

To top it all off, I had a massage therapist compliment me this weekend. A friend of our team captain came up to give chair massages to the team on Saturday. She told me that I was so toned it was difficult to tell on me what was a toned muscle vs. a tight muscle!!

Saying I'm thrilled with all this is an understatement. A word to the women out there who think that they can't lift that much, or do a certain exercise - yes you can!! And you won't get bulky, masculine muscles doing so. You'll get people noticing and complimenting you on how toned you look and you'll get the confidence to try things you never thought you could do.

SW - Colorado

Thanks Shari, you are a rock star!

Improve Core Strength and Reduce Low Back Pain

My Chiropractor referred me to Brian and kettlebells. I was looking to improve my core strength and reduce the pain in my lower back. I have seen definite improvements in both, as well as I have decreased the pain I had in my shoulders.

I really like the strength I get from kettlebells and how it translates into everyday activities, it makes them easier. I would absolutely recommend that you train with Brian!

Wendy H. - Colorado

Thanks Wendy, you and Doc Hamilton make 12:30 pm class a blast! P.S. Rock bottom pistols, here we come!!!

7. Denver Metro Area:
"Kettlebell Classes in Aurora"

Yep it's that time again. New Year's Resolution Time!

And what better way to kick off the new year right than with fun and butt kicking kettlebell classes taught by yours truly.

If you are new to kettlebells, I promise not to kill you... the first session ;-)

If you have been away for a while, time to come back and jump on the success train; have you seen the Hall of Achievements section?!

Classes are $19 per session for drop-in rates

Unlimited Month of Classes Discounts are available

Military, Police, EMT, Firefighter discount available (inquire please)

Classes are kept fairly small and have good fun people in them who all encourage each other to do their best!

You will get lots of personalized attention, improved kettlebell technique, general fitness and nutrition tips and the best body of your life!

What in the world are you waiting for?!

Email me today for more info brian@bccorefitness.com

8. HardStyle Magazine:
"Download the Latest Issue for Free!"

What you’ll get in this issue:

#1 HardStyle goes Hollywood—-Enter the Dragon’s John Saxon at 71 years old presses the 70lb KB overhead! and finds a new vitality with Pavel’s Russian Kettlebell training
Interview with Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader

#2 The Hungarian kettlebell revolution—-how a Krav-Maga instructor has inspired his fellow-countrymen to crush with kettlebells!
By Peter Lakatos, RKC

#3 Killer deadlift variations for foolproof strength gains—-an excerpt from Power to the People! Monthly
By Pavel

#4 How to Prepare for—-and PASS—-the RKC Instructor Certification Workshop
By Brett Jones, Master RKC Instructor

#5 Hurting?—-Find the REAL Problem Behind the Obvious Complaint
By Brett Jones, Master RKC Instructor and Gray Cook, PT, RKC

#6 “It’s not a matter of IF kettlebells will work for you; it’s a matter of HOW to work with them to fit your needs.”
By Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC Instructor

#7 Real World Power—-the Cardio Connection
By Kenneth Jay, MSc., Senior RKC

#8 How to assess and fix length tension relationships—-to eliminate pain, reduce the chance of injury and enhance your athletic performance
By Mark Reifkind, Senior RKC

#9 Superman—-the reinvention and rise of Mark Reifkind in the hardcore world of competitive weightlifting and strength training
Interview with Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader

This is a great quarterly magazine that I read religiously, heck I've even appeared in it a few times.

Download it for free by clicking on the picture.

9. Hall of Achievements:

Our newest updates:..

Shari Wagner - 150 mile MS Bike Tour

Alee Vang Webb - 1 Arm Row 53 lbs

Shelby Clousing - 1 Arm Row 53 lbs

Alee Vang Webb - Deadlift 176 lbs (2x88 lb KBs)

Everett Harcourt - 1 Arm Row 123 lbs (2 kettlebells, a 70 and 53 in the same hand)

Dr John Hamilton, DC - Chin-up on rings with 62 lbs + bodyweight

See all achievements on the "Achievements" link at the left navigation bar at the top of the page or click here

10. Personalized Program Design:
"Tired of Not Reaching Your Goals?"

One of my recent female clients went down 2 belt sizes in a month! She did it in just 15 minutes 3 - 5 nights per week and from the privacy of her own home using just her own bodyweight!

What are you waiting for?

Let's face it, we are our own worst trainers! We are great at telling other people what to do with their exercise programs but we can't seem to figure our's out to meet our goals.

Whether you are an athlete who needs to perform better at their sport, a guy or gal who wants to look better at the beach, maybe you just want a healthy heart and joints or you want a combination of all three; I can help you get there.

What is Personalized Program Design?

A custom "personalized" training program for created just for you. I take into consideration your goals, time, lifestyle, equipment you have access to, etc. You follow this on your own at home, the gym or where ever. Have kettlebells? Barbells? Dumbbells? Just your bodyweight? No problem!

Who needs Personalized Program Design?

New to Exercise:
- You know you want to get 'in-shape' but you have no idea of how to do it. Let me show you exactly what to do and how to progress.
Wants to Work Out at Home:
- Custom made training program based on your lifestyle, time, equipment or lack there of.
Hates Gyms:
- Join the club, or rather don't, I can't stand them either. Train at home with whatever equipment you have access to. You would be amazed what you can do with just your body weight if that's all you have.
Short on Time:
- You CAN exercise for 15-20 minutes per day 3-6 days per week easy! If not you are making excuses. I'll show you how, and yes this is effective. But don't kid yourself, you will be working your butt off!
Been Training for Years But Haven't Reached YOUR Goals:
- You need a fresh outside perspective on your training. You also need an experienced professional coach to show you the way. I am both of those. All you need to provide is the elbow grease and sweat!

Quit making excuses and treat yourself, you deserve it!

Learn more about my Personalized Program Design here

11. Charity in Focus:
"Precious Ones Outreach International"

My friend Janet "Ama" Annan has a special place in her heart for orphaned and abused children all over the world. She is the founder of Precious Ones of God Outreach International a non-profit organization that takes in orphaned and neglected children and gives them clothes, housing, food and schooling. I have volunteered my time and talents with this organization and can tell you that they are legitimate and make a real difference in the lives of hurting children. In fact, Janet and her husband both work full-time jobs just so they can provide more money to help the children. She can use all of the support she can get. No guilt trip but if you are moved in your heart then please visit her at her website here.

Until next time, train and eat like ATHLETES not hamsters and reap the rewards of a healthy, lean, sexy/studly body!

Brian Copeland, RKC

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Brian Copeland's Core Fitness Newsletter

Brian Copeland's
Core Fitness Newsletter