Over head squat flow tutorial
If you have followed me for a while, you should know that i am not a huge fan of lifting super heavy. Ill turn 47 next month so I am careful about injuring myself. In my experience, the 2 most commong ways people injure themselves is by not warming up properly and lifting too much weight. So, how do you increase the difficulty of an exercise without having to increase the weight too much? The answer is use a slightly different variation of the same exercise. Example. Say I am doing racked squats and i want a more advanced variation. I can substitute racked squats for overhead squats! This squat variation is more difficult because you are holding the bell in the over head lock out position as you do a squat. This challenges your focus, balance and it hits your core more than the traditional variation. You can also expect it to challenge your mobility as well.
So here are a few tips on the overhead squat. First of all, try it without kettlebell first. It can be an awkward move for some people. After you feel comfortable using just your body weight, ad a light kettlebell include a sneak peak of one of my kettlebell flows from my upcoming KB Flow program!
to get a feel for it. In the video for this article, I break down the overhead squat and give you a couple of other safety tips. I also include a  sample workout from my upcoming KB Flow program! Enjpoy!

Max reps: Are they necessary to build strength?
Strength is something that can be defined in many different ways. The goal of a powerlifter is to lift the heaviest weight possible. Bodybuilders lift heavier in the off season primarily to build mass in their muscles for competition. But what if you are not interested in being a powerlifter or a bodybuilder? What if you don’t feel comfortable using a lot of weight when you are training? Does this mean you cannot build strength?
Fear not. You too can build a more practical and functional strength without having to do max reps. Even in the kettlebell community some organizations program their pupils to do max reps with Turkish get ups, presses and other kb exercises. In my opinion there really is no need for that. What good does doing one rep of a Turkish Get up do? If you are not a powerlifter or bodybuilder, why are you doing max reps? When it boils down to it, its more about stroking your own ego. Not only that, you are putting yourself at risk!
At 46 years of age, my body doesn’t snap back like it used to. I have to train smarter. When people start trying to do too much weight, then it often leads to injury.
Let’s take the Turkish Get Up for example. I feel you are losing a ton of benefits of this movement when your goal is to do max reps. The TGU is one of the best full body exercises anyone can do. If you it the Kettlejitsu way, there is not a muscle missed in this exercise! In my classes, we drill each individual movement that makes up a TGU. Then, we drill the whole movement for rounds. Who do you think is stronger? The person who can do one Turkish get up with a 40kg kettlebell. Or someone who can do 3 x 3-minute rounds of an alternating get up with a 16kg bell? The latter person has a much more functional strength.
So, are max reps necessary? No, they are not. Don’t be fooled by organizations that force you to use a lot of weight. You can build functional and practical strength by doing compound, full body exercises with a lower, safer weight!

Alcohol and Exercise: Do they mix?
I think it is safe to say that we all have our guilty pleasures. I think for many, alcohol is one of them. I mean after a stressful day at work, some people like to unwind with a nice alcoholic beverage. But what kind of toll is it taking on your body? Is it healthy?
Most of us go through a “party phase” in our lives. I did a couple of years in college and I can honestly say that me and my roommates always had beer in the fridge. Subsequently, during that period of my life is when I was the heaviest!
But once I hit my 30’s, I noticed that it became increasingly difficult to recover from a night out of drinking. So, I lowered my alcohol consumption. Now at 46 years of age, I can count on one hand how many drinks I have per month. If I tie one on, it will take me a few days to full recover. I really can’t afford to feel like that in my profession. I can’t imagine having to teach and train with a hangover.
Studies have shown that a few glasses of wine per week can be really beneficial. But after a certain amount of alcohol it can have a negative effect. Excessive drinking as we all know can lead to a variety of health issues. It can lead to constant fatigue and hormonal issues as you get older. So, if you are constantly tired, you probably are not going to want to exercise.
I know people who drink several times a week. After work a few times a week, they hit the pub with a few friends and have 2 or 3 drinks. Then on the weekends a few more. So, do the math, let’s say, they had 3 drinks 3 times during the week and 3 more on the weekend.

That’s 12 drinks a week. By months end, you have consumed 48 alcoholic beverages!
That kind of alcoholic consumption will eventually take its toll on your body. I think it will interfere with any type of exercise program. Consuming alcohol tears down your immune system and can even lead to thyroid problems. Since It weakens your immune system your body recuperates slower. This makes you more susceptible to illness.
Bottom line is excessive drinking and exercise does not mix. Instead of heading to the pub with your friends after work, try heading to the gym instead. Reducing your alcohol consumption can lead to better moods, increased energy levels, and it will reduce your chances of alcohol related diseases. Don’t get me wrong! Nothing wrong with a nice cocktail every now and then. But remember, moderation is key!

Fitness and Form: Is Form Everything?
I started my Kettlebell journey close to ten years ago. I was instructed by a certified trainer. So naturally, form was something that was definitely emphasized. Afterwards, I started to develop my own kettlebell movements and released a DVD on My Mad Methods Productions (later bought out by Onnit). Once I started putting my new stuff out there I got mixed reviews. Some people loved it and felt it was a natural evolution for kettlebell training. But, the form police came out as well! A lot of traditionalist openly criticized my movements and told me my form was bad and that I would hurt somebody.
Your form when performing any fitness exercise is always important. But what everyone should know is that form varies from instructor to instructor. Even when it comes to something like the kettlebell swing. One organization teaches one way and another organization teaches another way. So, if 5 different kettlebell organizations teach the swing differently, whose form is correct??
Is form everything? In my opinion my student’s safety is everything. It is my priority to keep my student’s injury free. Form is something that is taught and refined over a long period of time. Nobody’s form is perfect 100 % of the time. Plus, I have new students trying out my classes all the time. Do I expect them to have perfect technique in their first class? Of course not. Does that mean I should not even let them workout because their technique is not there? Hell no! When people come to your class, they are there for a workout. If you don’t give it to them, then you may have lost money there.
Some organizations brainwash their pupils to believe their technique is above and beyond everyone else’s. I read an article from a man who was master instructor from a prominent kettlebell organization. He was talking about how he was invited to teach a boot camp at a local facility. He went on about how he didn’t like the boot camp because it wasn’t enough time to correct everyone’s form. He also said he could never do boot camps if it meant that form would have to be sacrificed. I thought to myself, man this guy obviously doesn’t have students. Lol So, I did a little digging. I checked out his Instagram account. Just as I thought, Mr. Master Kettlebell instructor had a few videos of himself in a garage doing the most basic and boring workouts ever. SMH! Just because someone is certified doesn’t automatically mean they are capable of teaching. To be an instructor, one must be flexible and be able to adapt.
Keep in mind these are the same guys that heckle me and tell me my form is imperfect. Yet, I make a living from teaching. How ironic! Lol I will also tell you, from my experience, the people that always critique and heckle are the ones training in their garage or living room. The arm chair experts.
If you ever want to make a living by being a trainer, you must be patient and give your client what they came there for. If they came for a workout, then that’s what you need to give them. If you spend an hour just correcting technique and they don’t break a sweat, don’t expect them to come back.
I believe one of the reasons people are so concerned with technique is that they believe it leads to injury. In all of the years I have been teaching, I have come to the conclusion that improper warm up is the number one reason people get injured. Once your body is thoroughly warm, it can sustain most strenuous workouts as well as different sporting activities. Take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for instance. During the course of a BJJ fight, almost every position you’re in is a mechanical disadvantage. You are constantly lifting, pushing and pulling from awkward positions. Do you think we stop and say, “let me shoot that double leg again, my form was a little off?” lol In fact, I have trained a ton of BJJ fighters over the years. A large portion of them have back problems. After I warm them up, most of them are like, man, we don’t even really warm up, we just train hard.
So, is form everything? I believe warming up and my client’s needs are everything. Form should always be emphasized. But a trainer has to be patient and realize that form is something that comes with time.

For the very best Kettlebell and body weight workout downloads, visit our store! Click banner below! Get 25% off on all downloads! Use code Kj25 at checkout!