Why are You Thankful?

I think we should all remember to give "thanks" throughout the year. Most of us at least remember to at this time of year. I have so much to be thankful for. I've started a new business this year and I have a wonderful crop of kettlebell enthusiasts who help make each day a blessing. I am really thankful for the faith and trust they put in me to help them achieve their fitness goals.

I have an incredibly supportive girlfriend who is the best thing that could have happened to me. I have a very funny, warm, affectionate, smart and loving four year old son and an amazing family. Oh and we have 3 pain in the ass pets who I love too.

Since we have so much, I asked earlier in the week for those who are more fortunate to help me help the Bea Gaddy Family Center. They serve thousands of the less fortunate year round and Thanksgiving in particular is a big day for them. Earlier this week the Center suffered a fire so they are pretty much behind the eight ball. Please drop off anything you can by Tuesday. I stopped there today and they are so grateful for any support now.

My Fells Point Kettlebell students brought in their first turkeys today, along with some canned goods too. Thank you all so much and I know more help is on the way.

I also want to thank all the folks at Citizens Lending Group for pitching in as well.

I really want to give special thanks to Tracy Kwiatkowski and Nicole Callender for really helping to spread the word about the Bea Gaddy dilemma. THANK YOU SO MUCH:)

Be sure to know why you are thankful as we enter the upcoming holidays. If there is anything you can do to help someone out, please do so. If you can't do much, at least you can smile for what you have and smiles are pretty contagious. Have a great weekend!

Be fit,

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Charm City Kettlebells

How I Got Where I am Today

About two years ago I found kettlebells. Actually they found me. I can't even remember how I got to the Dragon Door Website but I got there somehow and ended up finding at trainer in Baltimore who introduced me to the KB.

As soon as I picked it up I knew that I had found my new workout tool. It felt right from the get go.

I soon become addicted and went to a Mike Mahler seminar. Soon after, I found myself in Providence RI where I worked for a day with Anthony Diluglio.

Every day I continued to work out with the kettlebell and found I was getting back into football shape. Athletic power was coming to me again and I felt like I was in my twenties all over again. I felt great. I was moving and getting flexibility in my joints.

Next I met Josh Elliot, RKC and also had conversations with Delaine Ross, RKC and David Whitley, Senior RKC. The chats I had with them really impacted me and my thoughts on sharing the kettlebell and its benefits,with others.

Right off the bat, I really loved Delaine's energy and intelligence.

She is one of those amazing individuals who just "gets it" in all ways.

I want to thank Josh, Dave and in particular, Delaine, for urging me to get to the RKC and really, really learning how to share an amazing tool.

My life is so different now and I congratulate you on your one year anniversary with your own Condition Gym. You Rock!

Be fit!

Sandy Sommer, RKC

Charm City Kettlebells

The Best Kettlebell Exercises for Rapid Fat Loss and Lean Muscle Gain

As a former College football player and a current real world fat loss expert who has helped lots of people lose a lot of pounds of fat, I know a thing or two about exercise selection. Everyone always asks me what the best kettlebell exercises are to lose fat AND gain muscle fast.

I’ll keep this as simple as possible for you. The best exercises for fat loss are also the best exercises for muscle gain and visa versa. These exercises all have one thing in common: they provide a UNIQUE challenge to your body AND involve as many muscles in your body as possible.

Both the scientific research and the real world case studies have shown that total body workouts are superior for maximal fat loss and muscle gain. But let’s take this one step further…

Let’s dramatically accelerate results by preferentially selecting TOTAL BODY EXERCISES within each TOTAL BODY WORKOUT! For example, goblet squats are well known for being one of the best muscle-builders with a serious a fat-shredding effect. However, the squat goes from great to UNSTOPPABLE for changing your body for the better when you make it a combination movement by adding a row or press to each squat rep. It’s obvious that you can reap more benefits this way since you have now involved your upper body into the king of lower body exercises.

It’s as simple as the Dream Body Equation below:

Performing Total Body Exercises Within Each Total Body Workout 

More Muscles Involved =

More Calories Burnt + Greater Muscle-Building Stimulus =

Greater Fat Lost + Greater Muscle Gain

I must be honest in that I have a true love-hate relationship with the following movements I am about to share with you. Love because of the unparalleled fat-melting, muscle-building results they provide to help you look your best. Hate because they break me every single workout by leaving me in tears while in a pool of my own sweat. In other words, these are not for the weak of mind, body, or soul!

Without further ado, here is the official top 8 list of my favorite exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain:


Exercise#1- Racked Kettlebell Squat to Overhead Press Combo…The Kettlebell Thruster


Exercise#2- The Swing- Kettlebells or Sandbags

Exercise#3- Alternating Reverse Lunge plus Row

Exercise#4-Squat Thrust to Push Up

Exercise#5- Hard Style Kettlebell Press

Exercise#6- Kettlebell Snatches or High Pulls

Exercise#7- Turkish Getup

Exercise#8- Kettlebell Single-Leg RDL plus Row

Later this week I will have a Part I and Part II video series out demonstrating the above.

Well I hope you take my expert advice and jack up your training with these 8 deadly total body combination exercises. I guarantee you better results in less time by regularly employing these movements into your workouts. Of course it’s now up to you to take your workouts, and your body, to the next level.

I’ll be sharing some more great exercises in the weeks and months to come.

Be fit,


Sandy Sommer, RKC

Charm City Kettlebells

New Kettlebell Facility in Baltimore

Today was the first day in our new facility at our facility in historic Fells Point.

I'm excited as now we have our own dedicated space and have more flexibility in our kettlebell class schedule than we enjoyed before.

Today we started with our ordinary joint mobility work and then we did a kettlebell interval circuit.

40 seconds on/20 off for 5 exercises:

Deadlift

Push ups

Alternating reverse lunges

swings

side planks

Nice 4 sets for a 20 minutes kettlebell boot camp workout!