21Feb
When You Want to Up Your Strength Game, Who Best to Choose?
By Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC We were recently asked a very good question: “I’m opening a small gym and it will be a strength and conditioning facility that will cater to rock climbers, mace and kettlebell enthusiasts. Here is the conundrum RKC? SFG? Both? Or another cert?” To be fair we get that question fairly often. The person asking that question is obviously a very thoughtful athlete and business owner and he wants to make a correct and informed decision. Let me break this down as best I can. John and Pavel started the RKC many years ago – 2001 to be...
23May
Why Kettlebell Workouts?
Wondering what the benefits kettlebell workouts have over traditional free-weight workouts? Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC, Director of Certifications, Dragon Door Publications and owner of Kettlebell Fitness, shares her insight on kettlebell workouts. What do you like about kettlebell workouts? Kettlebell workouts are functional and full-body, making them a very efficient tool for all your workout goals. You can spend as little as 10-15 minutes and get a full-body workout. The variety of sizes allows all populations to use them safely and effectively. And because they are relatively small, they don’t take up much space so you can use them in your home or...
21Sep
Training Special Populations
Why focus on Special Populations? Let’s discuss the unglamorous fitness market of Special Populations (SP). This large group includes: seniors, de-conditioned, post re-hab and pregnant women. For the purpose of this article I will focus on seniors and de-conditioned populations. Many of us have lots of clients that fit into this category. That’s why it is important to realize we are much more than a personal trainer, we are the first line of defense against life’s effects and lifestyle choices. Our success working with this SP is the ability to safelyand effectivelylead them to a place of health and fitness.I believe the...
19Sep
Kettlebell Workouts: A completely unique total body workout
A number of years ago I wrote an article for Twin Cities Wellness introducing and explaining Pilates as a fabulous fitness program. I still believe in Pilates and continue to teach classes. I now want to introduce you to a new and completely unique total body workout. That's a tall order, an all-in-one fitness program. It is very rare to run across a completely new and different form of exercise--one that includes strength training, muscular endurance, cardiovascular health and fat loss, in one workout! The Russian kettlebell is a time-tested system of strength and endurance training. I would like to...
07Sep
The Goddess Workouts
Act it, Live it, Look It, Be It, Feeeeeel It! How to Be Every Inch A Goddess, Look Like An Immortal… And Feel Like Heaven By Andrea Du Cane, Senior RKC I have arranged for These Six Powerful Kettlebell Goddess Workouts to Destroy the Pitiful Earthling in You and Replace it With a Bona Fide Godly Bod. Just DO the darn things and I personally guarantee your results.” —Zeus, Mount Olympus So…which Goddess do you want to be today? There is finally a simple way to become the Goddess you’ve always wanted to be. My Kettlebell Goddess Workout DVD helps you...
01Jul
The Single Rep Dead Stop Swing, Clean, Snatch Workout
As I travel around teaching HKC and RKC’s, I notice a common problem (theme – challenge), the sloppy start/stop of a Kettlebell ballistic lift. Imagine this scenario: someone is getting set up to swing; it doesn’t matter if it’s 2-handed, single arm or double. They get over the Kettlebell, lift it up, and rock it back a couple of times between their legs and THEN swing it back far enough to load their hips and explode up. What’s wrong with this picture? The set-up was not correct, was not focused nor was it properly executed. There must be an intention and...
25Apr
The Deadlift Row With Andrea Du Cane
I hope you enjoyed my last post and video on the low or pendulum swing. The second exercise I came up with during my knee re-hab was the kettlebell deadlift row. This is an incredible back and lower body exercise that again anyone can do. It follows the deadlift/hinge pattern, the key to a lower body killer workout is to keep the shins as vertical as possible and yet drop your hips down as low as possible. This exercise really targets the mid-back muscles, like the hard to strengthen Rhomboids, as well as lower trap, lats, triceps and biceps. The key...
21Jun
Give Your “Kettlebell Boomer” Clients the Body of Their Dreams
The Safe, Practical - And Highly Effective - Way to Give Your "Kettlebell Boomer” Clients the Golden Body of Their Dreams Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC There are an estimated 77.3 million "Baby Boomers" in the United States. Ranging from middle age to early retirement. Of this group most are still in the work force and earning good money. Some are beginning to retire with fairly secure incomes. Because of the G.I. Bill and the increased interest in higher education, a record number of this generation attended college and attained college and post-graduate degrees. Recent health studies have shown that in...