The Theme for 2009 is Old-School meets New School
1.) Kettlebells
Despite the sad state of kettlebell swing form in the national media, the fact is that we are seeing kettlebells in every fitness magazine, TV, newspaper, online, everywhere!
At first it was a big deal that Katherine Heigl was working out with kettlebells, that they were in Rolling Stone, Oxygen, Men's Fitness, Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey has used kettlebells, Penelope Cruz, Sylvester Stallone, Tim Ferris author of the Four Hour Work Week, they were on The Biggest Loser, Bravo's Workout, the list goes on and on.
Kettlebells are everywhere.
You simply don't find a more intense workout than kettlebells anywhere.
Kettlebells will rock your world.
I've been kettlebell lifting for six years, and I'm still shocked at how hard-core a workout they are.
It's the fact that it's more work in less time.
More work + less time = higher intensity,
and intensity does magical things in terms of fat loss.
Kettlebells are the ultimate old-school fat loss tool, they've been "cutting edge fitness" since the early 1800's.
For the last 100 years they've been the mainstay of hardcore russian military units.
The last 10 years they've been adopted by hardcore US miltary and law enforcement, boxers and cage fighters.
And now, in 2008 and 2009, kettlebells have made the jump from military fitness to really hot hollywood starlets.
Hollywood likes kettlebells for the same reason as the military:
The Military needs to be wicked fit - their lives depend on it - and kettlebells are brutally effective at getting results.
Hollywood needs to be wicked hot - their career depends on it - and kettelbells are brutally effective at getting results.
2.) TRX - Suspension Training
TRX Suspension training puts a really cool new twist on some oldschool bodyweight training.
TRX is starting to pop up everywhere.
It works for the same reason that gymnasts have wicked bodies - it's a full body workout that's really freakin hard.
Seriously, have you ever seen a gymnast that wasn't ripped? Bodyweight training can kick ass.
They've done some really cool things, like adding foot straps, so you can do a million new variations.
What's even better, is that it can meet you at whatever fitness level you are currently at.
Changing the angle slightly changes the difficulty level completely. So you can make it easier or harder in a second.
Like kettlebells, because you can get a full body workout all in one package, you end up with a quicker, faster, more intense full body workout.
Pushing, pulling, squatting in powerful, quick circuits. It's everything that I ask for in a workout, all in tight, compact, portable package.
3.) Boxing
Told you this summer is old school.
How is it that every starlet in Hollywood is doing boxing and circuits of strength training?
It just works.
Boxing only goes out of style every couple years, then it comes back.
It just keeps coming back because it produces results.
It's full body, high intensity interval training - It's the very definition of what works for fat loss.
Boxing produces a powerful fat loss result for the same reason that kettlebell lifting does - explosive full body movements in intervals.
I originally put together Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss and Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss for Women to get the same results, without having to fit a boxing class into your schedule.
And boxing is definitely doing a good job of keeping Lauren Conrad looking lean these days.
By Josh Hillis
Right now the platinum coaching group is kicking serious ass. If you feel like you need a good kick in the ass on your summer workout routine, you ought to check it out.
Josh is the author of the ever-popular fat loss e-book: The Stubborn Seven Pounds
If you've already completed The Stubborn Seven Pounds, take it to the next level with one of these two programs:
"I've seen more results in 6 weeks training with Josh than I saw in the previous two years working out on my own" -Stephanie Weis
