Kettlebell Solution Workout

The 2-DVD set includes a workout video and an instruction video. On the workout video there are four 15-17 minute segments that you can mix and match with an excellent menu system. Also, it includes a 6-minute warm up that is perfect to use before you start any of the segments. You will get results even if you do one 15-min segment a day! This is an excellent workout set and I would give it a 10-star if i could :-) I also love the upbeat music from yesfitnessmusic dot com I like to breakup my workouts during the day; typically yoga/meditation in the morning, aerobics (running, elliptical, cycling, etc.) mid day, and weighted workout and a bit more cardio in the late afternoon. I can get an hour to an hour and a half everyday with this routine. This dvd makes it really fun and easy to add that afternoon weighted workout for a 15, 30, 45, or 60 minute workout (plus 6 minute warm-up) The four segments are: 1. Upper Body 2. Buns and Thighs 3. Core 4. Fat Burning (overall body) ...Plus 6 minute warm-up. With each segment you can choose to have Kathy Smith give verbal instruction, or just have music. Kathy is not too animated in this production like some of her other dvds, yet she is upbeat enough to keep interest and she provides a lot of variety with the exercises to keep your interest. The 15 minutes flys by! The second dvd is instructional only and provides an additional workout just by following along. It includes all of the exercises used in the segments on the workout dvd. For each of the exercises Kathy Smith narrates and explains form, while student (who is really Kathy's instructor), Mia Finnegan shows the moves. Mia is in excellent shape from working with kettlebells. Also, beginner, intermediate, and advanced form is provided. This is one of those instruction videos that you can keep going back to as your improve your skills to learn better form. This DVD includes everything you need to know about starting a kettlebell workout. I only wish it had a better menu system like the accompanying workout dvd to choose individual exercises. This dvd just runs from beginning to end 25 minutes. The exercises include: Standing exercises, kettlebell swings are included in all exercises 1. Swing with thrust (squatting up and down) 2. Hip extension (called "Bull" kicking alternating legs back) 3. Step forward, step back, then add leg lifts 4. One Arm Swings, then alternating hands, then add catching (fun!) 5. Clean with hip action (very important). Swinging down, rack it, and hold it, then add press overhead 6. Overhead snatch: down and up overhead 7. Standing Circles, moving to standing ribbon (taking around your body with a chop, stretch. I love this move, very creative and makes core/ab work fun!) 8. Twist side to side (more core work) 9. Chop (up and down, then sweeps, then dynamic 10. Reverse lunges with arm swing. Then, add pass-through under the lunging leg to other hand to add intensity) 11. Bicep & Tricep work with added lunge (whole body workout) 12. Deadlift 13. Lateral lunges, then add arm swing and leg lift (another fun one!) 14. Skater side to side 15. Upright row, then add overhead press 16. Bent-over rows 17. Alternating Kettle Drops 18. Ballet Plie swing side-to-side, zipping it up form Floor exercises for the core/abs, starts on your back 1. On back, roll down, roll up 2. Pull-overs 3. Pull-overs with crunch 4. Imprinting spine (Pilates move), then add moving alternating legs up and down 5. Pull-overs with leg lowering 6. Plank using heavy bell in one hand on floor so you're elevated on one side (I didn't really get the point of the kettlebell on this one) Plan beginner and advanced (raising alternating legs, then to chest) 7. Side plank. Beginner has one leg bend on knee, advanced has both legs outstretched. Extra-Advanced, then raising kettlebell overhead to your side, wow, hard!!! Recommended weight for kettlebells: Kathy uses a 3 lb. and 5 lb. soft kettlebell. This is a good weight for women starting off. For some of the arm exercises a 3lb. might be a little too heavy, so you can you a regular dumbbell weight if needed. As you get better or if you are pretty strong already, you may want to use heavier weights. I have a Universal 3-weight set of 5, 7.5, and 10 lb. which works well for me (average weight/strength). Kathy Smith has some excellent DVD workouts and this one is becoming one of my favorites. Produced in 2009 (I'm reviewing in 2013), it will be usable for years to come with upbeat music and excellent instruction. The clothing is really beautiful and Kathy is amazing for her age; she was born in 1951 and was 58 years old when she made this video. She's in amazing shape and I hope to look that good at her age! Kathy is really enthusasit and it makes me enthusiastic too. She is so funny in one segment she said "boom-shak-a-lak-a"; cracked me up! This dvd is well worth the $14 on Amazon...well worth the money if you want an excellent kettlebell workout!

I wanted to review this as soon as I tried 2 parts of the workout because I loved it so much. (upper body and fat burning sections) But, I thought, 'no you have to try out the rest to give it a fair review.' I've since tried out the lower body and core solutions. It is these four sections along with a good warm-up section. Also, very importantly, there is a separate instructional video which I sat and watched, then grabbed my 5lb kettlebell and tried some of it out with them to make sure I was doing things correctly. That is very important with kettlebells but once you've got it - you've got it! It's pretty easy really. None of the sections take too long, so you can survive them pretty well without wearing yourself out needlessly. Also, I'm excited about working out with kettlebells for a few reasons. A) they work! they trim and raise the heart rate like nobody's business! B) the workout is doable. I can hang with everything in its entirety except I will have to work up to a couple of the core exercises but, I did most of it, which frankly does not hurt in the self-esteem department of exercise C) Kettlebells give you something to concentrate on while you workout so your mind is occupied and not telling you - hey, let's go do something else. Kathy Smith is a fitness doll - I'm 45 and I know I did a workout video of hers when I was in high school and I swear she looks better than ever - if that was possible. She's a true inspiration! She's not overbearing, she's informative and she keeps it simple and just gives you a good solid workout. This is a good workout with kettlebells, beginner or intermediate. She has some challenging moves for the advanced AND it is fun. That is the best part. I actually look forward to it. Also, and someone back me up on this - I notice just after a few times of doing this my energy levels are off the chart. I do other types of workouts (boot camp type stuff along with walking or jogging...) Anyway, just curious if it really seemed to boost other people's energy to the point of noticing the differences. Good stuff - order it! Enjoy. 3 - 5 lb kettlebell is enough in beginning. I do a 5 lb. I may use my 10lb for a couple of the exercises. I believe Kathy uses a 3 and a 5. You can gauge what's best for you.

It's actually a hard kettle ball workout! Don't let the 2 DVD's fool you, one is simply a "how to use a kettle ball correctly" DVD and after watching it once you won't need this one again. I like Kathy Smith and have several of her workout DVD's. This one did not disappoint me. She's pleasant and informed and makes you feel comfortable.

i was looking for an effective, enjoyable exercise that i could use at my current level of fitness [middle age sedentary overweight]. I tried some bodyweight type exercise videos, but it was so hard to do a push up the video was already on to the next set before i did even 2 - didnt seem like i was getting much activity for all the struggle..... This video set was a different experience! The videos present kettlebell technique that is easy to learn. I started by doing the tutorial, increasing my activity as i learned the exercises, then i was doing the upper and lower body and core routines 3x a week. Now, after 4 weeks, I'm doing kettlebell with Kathy every other day! My clothes are fitting better. I"m so happy to find something more like fun [playing catch] and less like work [lifting weights]. I'm getting progressively more and more sweaty too! I believe this product was endorsed/advertised for any fitness level, it worked for me!

I would give the workout 5 stars but the disk itself well just stick. I don’t have this issue with my other dvds. I am in my 60s and enjoy the workout. I haven’t been able to find a 3 lb kettle bell. I have a 5 and 10 lb one but the movements are too quick to use heavier weight. So I use my dumbbell and it works just fine.

One of the very best I’ve got in my dvd arsenal. Wow what a workout this is! It’s got a lot of movements in it and it’s something to grow with as well. I got a five pound kettlebell for this and I thought that would be too light, it’s not. I’m sore right now and I only did the warm up and arms. I feel good, this is one of the best from Kathy. I read the reviews of everyone complaining she goes too fast, but honestly this is your workout. Go at your own pace. You shouldn’t need to be babysat while doing a DVD workout. I did as many reps as I could do and didn’t get mad at Kathy for being in better shape than me.

I am new to kettlebell workouts and from other reveiws decided to give this one a try. I like the extra dvd which explains how to do each exercise properly. I like Kathy Smith's enthusiasm. She is easy to listen to and gives good instruction. I am 48 and have some shoulder issues so I definitly need the lighter 3lb weight for certain exercises but the heavier for the rest was fine. Then maybe I can move up to the 8lb or 10lb. Over all I think this is an excelent workout and would recommend to others!

This is one of the best exercise DVD's I own. I've always loved Kathy Smith tapes and this one is no exception. Kettlebells are an incredible way to get your arms toned up and also work your core. I'm not one for doing situps, but this DVD pretty much has you doing them standing up. It's incredible. It's been about 2 months of using this tape and I've lost a good bit of weight -- the best thing is I've lost it around my waist which is my Achilles' heel.

I am a huge fan of Kathy Smith and have almost all of her DVD's. I was tired of traditional weight exercises and decided to try kettlebells. They are now in my opinion the best light weight exercise routines you can do. They work your entire body in fluid motion for an all over sleeker muscle definition. Plus it just feels good to do them, that's half the battle to staying motivated. This is a 2 DVD set, one is entirely instructional, the other is the routines. The instructions on the first one are a must see before you start. There is a quick learning curve to doing this right but you must learn proper form to avoid strain and possible injury in handling the kettlebell. (She has an expert showing the proper form and she explains it.) The 2nd DVD is broken into body section routines or you can do the entire DVD at once. I caution you to start with very low weight( she uses 3 and 5lb. which is ideal) until you get the full range of motion and build strength. It is very easy to injure your muscles by building too rapidly, plus if you want to do the entire program it is long and you will tire out too soon with heavy weights. I have purchased Bob Harper's and Gillian Michaels' kettlebell DVD's and while they are okay they are certainly not anywhere close to the workout with Kathy Smith. She gives you a true total body workout and fabulous instruction. Hers is not the easier one of all of them , in fact I think she is the toughest and you try very hard to do well. Why would I not want to get the best workout for my time? I should mention that I am 55 years old with one weak knee and fairly stiff lower back but can still do this and am loving every minute of it and see muscles again.I am now using 8lb. kettlebells and sometimes 10lb, but going slowly with the increasing. Do not hesitate if you are looking for a dynamic workout that will cater to your personal level of fitness and build up your strength, at your pace. Enjoy!

I do Kettlebells on regular bases to complement my Spinning program. I use various KB weights - from 5 kg to 12 kg depending on the moves in the workout. This DVD has moves that are not possible to perform with a heavier Kettlebell but are totally OK if you were using weights. As a matter of fact it makes for decent workout with moderately heavy free weights but forget about the KB-part. Better buy Angie Miller's.

I love Kathy Smith's workout. Her DVD is very informative and easy to follow.

This may be a good workout but Kathy Smith is very hard to follow because she doesn't work out to the music. Too bad - this ruins it for me. Why have music to work out to if you can't follow the rhythm?

I did not like this workout video. I absolutely love the kettlebell, but with her video it seems she switches from one move to the next with no real breaks. Its like ok now lets change it to this. I like when you do one exercise on one arm then switch it to the other. Then another exercise, not over doing one side before you do the other. The moves seem very 80's to me. Did not like it at all.