FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Want some more information about our workouts and kettlebells in general? Here are answers to some questions you might have:
Do I need to have or buy a kettlebell?
No, I provide the kettlebells. Some people will find they want to buy one to use at home, and I can help you pick out the right one for you. But you absolutely don't have to do that. There is nothing else you have to buy to participate in our training.
Do I need to know how to do kettlebell exercises already?
No. The first thing I'll do is teach you how to do the exercises with proper form and technique. This is very important with kettlebell exercises. Done properly, kettlebell exercises will "bulletproof" your body and make it resistant to injury better than any other form of exercise. But like any type of exercise, they can injure you if you don't do them correctly. And most of the people out there teaching kettlebell exercises don't know how to do them correctly! But I know how to do these exercises right, and I'll make sure that you do, too. No one will be allowed to participate in the workouts without being taught the exercises first.
Do I need to be in good shape already to train with you?
No! Kettlebell workouts are easily adaptable to whatever your current level of fitness happens to be. Someone in very good shape can simply use a heavier kettlebell, while someone who's not quite as fit (yet!) can choose a lighter kettlebell. Both will still get a good workout that is appropriately challenging for their level of fitness. In addition, we'll often use timed sets in our workouts. With these, a really fit person can do an exercise for the entire period of time, while someone else who isn't quite ready for that can exercise for part of the time, stop and catch their breath, and then rejoin the exercise when they're ready. Finally, many of the exercises will have harder and easier versions, and each exerciser can do the one that is right for them.
(As a side note, all of this gives you a lot of different ways to measure your progress. When you're able to move up to heavier kettlebell or a harder version of an exercise, or when you do an exercise for an entire timed set for the first time, you'll know immediately that you've just done something you couldn't have done when you started!)
MoveStrong training sessions are small and informal, allowing the instructor to pay attention to each student and adjust the exercises and workouts individually to match their capabilities.
Are these workouts appropriate for women as well as men?
Absolutely! The majority of our trainees are women. Kettlebells are an ideal form of exercise for women. You'll get strong and toned while you burn fat. Most women are astonished when they discover how strong they actually are -- and are even more astonished at how strong they can get using kettlebells. You can build muscle if you want to, or just focus on getting strong and lean. There's also a special bonus benefit: kettlebell exercises match up perfectly with the type of training that research has shown is best for increasing bone density, at the hip and spine in particular.
Of course, men get all the same benefits from training with kettlebells: more strength and muscle while burning fat and improving cardiovascular conditioning and injury resistance.
Why do you call the MoveStrong program a "training club" instead of an exercise class?
Training clubs are common in many sports -- think Masters swimming clubs, Olympic weightlifting clubs, etc. They're places where people with different levels of experience can come and get instruction, coaching, and workouts in a communal, cost-effective group setting. That's what we do in the MoveStrong program. On any given day, there might be brand-new beginners learning basic exercises while intermediate and advanced trainees are doing workouts that are appropriate for them. Trainees can work together and learn from each other, and the instructor can circulate among the whole group to teach, coach, correct, or encourage as needed. It's a more effective way to accommodate people with a wide variety of fitness and experience levels into our training program than a formal "class" in which the instructor just leads everyone through the same workout. We're focused on building a tight-knit kettlebell training community that can welcome everyone, rather than just offering a workout class.
What do you mean when you say kettlebells will "bulletproof" your body?
Kettlebell exercises, properly done, help to establish and reinforce proper movement patterns and body mechanics while strengthening the stabilizing muscles around your joints -- all of which makes your body more resistant to injury.
Kettlebell exercises are unmatched at activating and strengthening your glutes while lengthening your hip flexor muscles -- an ideal combination for preventing lower back pain. And they can also reduce your chances for shoulder and lower back pain by training your rotator cuff and core muscles according to the way they're supposed to function: as stabilizing muscles, resisting forces that try to pull your joints out of alignment.
As an example, consider the one-arm kettlebell swing. On each rep of a perfect 1-arm swing, the glutes contract strongly; the hip flexors relax to allow a full lockout; the oblique muscles contract very strongly to prevent the off-center weight of the kettlebell from rotating the torso; and the scapular and rotator cuff muscles contract to prevent the weight of the kettlebell from pulling the arm out away from the shoulder. Those are all very good things when it comes to preventing injuries -- and you're getting a great cardiovascular workout at the same time!
What should I wear and bring?
Bring water! There is a water fountain at the facility, but most people bring their own. Trust me, you'll want it!
The facility has restrooms, but no locker room or changing area.
Any type of workout attire is fine. For training in the studio, bare feet or soft-soled shoes that haven't been worn outside are requested. Highly cushioned running shoes are not ideal for kettlebell training.
What kind of results will I get?
No fitness instructor or trainer can honestly guarantee specific results in a certain period of time. Everyone is different and makes progress at different rates. But millions of people have achieved amazing results from kettlebells and bootcamp-style training. So if you come to class, give it your best effort, and follow a good nutrition program, you'll definitely get leaner, stronger, and more fit, and you'll do it more quickly than you could with any other type of exercise.
Do I need to have or buy a kettlebell?
No, I provide the kettlebells. Some people will find they want to buy one to use at home, and I can help you pick out the right one for you. But you absolutely don't have to do that. There is nothing else you have to buy to participate in our training.
Do I need to know how to do kettlebell exercises already?
No. The first thing I'll do is teach you how to do the exercises with proper form and technique. This is very important with kettlebell exercises. Done properly, kettlebell exercises will "bulletproof" your body and make it resistant to injury better than any other form of exercise. But like any type of exercise, they can injure you if you don't do them correctly. And most of the people out there teaching kettlebell exercises don't know how to do them correctly! But I know how to do these exercises right, and I'll make sure that you do, too. No one will be allowed to participate in the workouts without being taught the exercises first.
Do I need to be in good shape already to train with you?
No! Kettlebell workouts are easily adaptable to whatever your current level of fitness happens to be. Someone in very good shape can simply use a heavier kettlebell, while someone who's not quite as fit (yet!) can choose a lighter kettlebell. Both will still get a good workout that is appropriately challenging for their level of fitness. In addition, we'll often use timed sets in our workouts. With these, a really fit person can do an exercise for the entire period of time, while someone else who isn't quite ready for that can exercise for part of the time, stop and catch their breath, and then rejoin the exercise when they're ready. Finally, many of the exercises will have harder and easier versions, and each exerciser can do the one that is right for them.
(As a side note, all of this gives you a lot of different ways to measure your progress. When you're able to move up to heavier kettlebell or a harder version of an exercise, or when you do an exercise for an entire timed set for the first time, you'll know immediately that you've just done something you couldn't have done when you started!)
MoveStrong training sessions are small and informal, allowing the instructor to pay attention to each student and adjust the exercises and workouts individually to match their capabilities.
Are these workouts appropriate for women as well as men?
Absolutely! The majority of our trainees are women. Kettlebells are an ideal form of exercise for women. You'll get strong and toned while you burn fat. Most women are astonished when they discover how strong they actually are -- and are even more astonished at how strong they can get using kettlebells. You can build muscle if you want to, or just focus on getting strong and lean. There's also a special bonus benefit: kettlebell exercises match up perfectly with the type of training that research has shown is best for increasing bone density, at the hip and spine in particular.
Of course, men get all the same benefits from training with kettlebells: more strength and muscle while burning fat and improving cardiovascular conditioning and injury resistance.
Why do you call the MoveStrong program a "training club" instead of an exercise class?
Training clubs are common in many sports -- think Masters swimming clubs, Olympic weightlifting clubs, etc. They're places where people with different levels of experience can come and get instruction, coaching, and workouts in a communal, cost-effective group setting. That's what we do in the MoveStrong program. On any given day, there might be brand-new beginners learning basic exercises while intermediate and advanced trainees are doing workouts that are appropriate for them. Trainees can work together and learn from each other, and the instructor can circulate among the whole group to teach, coach, correct, or encourage as needed. It's a more effective way to accommodate people with a wide variety of fitness and experience levels into our training program than a formal "class" in which the instructor just leads everyone through the same workout. We're focused on building a tight-knit kettlebell training community that can welcome everyone, rather than just offering a workout class.
What do you mean when you say kettlebells will "bulletproof" your body?
Kettlebell exercises, properly done, help to establish and reinforce proper movement patterns and body mechanics while strengthening the stabilizing muscles around your joints -- all of which makes your body more resistant to injury.
Kettlebell exercises are unmatched at activating and strengthening your glutes while lengthening your hip flexor muscles -- an ideal combination for preventing lower back pain. And they can also reduce your chances for shoulder and lower back pain by training your rotator cuff and core muscles according to the way they're supposed to function: as stabilizing muscles, resisting forces that try to pull your joints out of alignment.
As an example, consider the one-arm kettlebell swing. On each rep of a perfect 1-arm swing, the glutes contract strongly; the hip flexors relax to allow a full lockout; the oblique muscles contract very strongly to prevent the off-center weight of the kettlebell from rotating the torso; and the scapular and rotator cuff muscles contract to prevent the weight of the kettlebell from pulling the arm out away from the shoulder. Those are all very good things when it comes to preventing injuries -- and you're getting a great cardiovascular workout at the same time!
What should I wear and bring?
Bring water! There is a water fountain at the facility, but most people bring their own. Trust me, you'll want it!
The facility has restrooms, but no locker room or changing area.
Any type of workout attire is fine. For training in the studio, bare feet or soft-soled shoes that haven't been worn outside are requested. Highly cushioned running shoes are not ideal for kettlebell training.
What kind of results will I get?
No fitness instructor or trainer can honestly guarantee specific results in a certain period of time. Everyone is different and makes progress at different rates. But millions of people have achieved amazing results from kettlebells and bootcamp-style training. So if you come to class, give it your best effort, and follow a good nutrition program, you'll definitely get leaner, stronger, and more fit, and you'll do it more quickly than you could with any other type of exercise.