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I’ll admit that even though I’m no stranger to fitness, I haven’t really worked with kettlebells before. Besides knowing the basics of the kettlebell swing, my kettlebell knowledge was limited.
Well, now I’m happy to say, no more!
Living.Fit not only sells kettlebells and other strength exercise equipment, but also offers a (in my opinion) pretty stellar virtual kettlebell training program to help fitness professionals and enthusiasts alike master the basics of kettlebell training in just a few hours.
In this Living.Fit review, I’m going to talk about the Kettlebell Fundamentals Course, and if this $19.99 virtual class is worth it to up your bell game.
Strength Is Our Strength
The team here at GGR is chock-full of people who really know fitness, from certified personal trainers (CPTs), to CrossFit Level 1 Trainers, to competitive weightlifters, and more. Our product reviews on an array of fitness equipment from barbells to kettlebells to treadmills are considered the industry’s best, thanks to our founder Coop’s relentless pursuit of helping people get moving, build muscle, and just generally live healthier lives. We’ve also completed our fair share of CEUs and other training, so we’re excited to give you our unbiased opinion about this course.
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course
Product Highlights
- Virtual course that teaches kettlebell basics
- 6 hours, self-paced
- Taught by kettlebell expert Marcus Martinez
- Pass the open-book exam at the end and earn LF1 certification
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable
- Virtual
- Self-paced
- Taught by a knowledgable expert
- Learn kettlebell basics
Cons
- Need to be self-motivated
- Need a stable Internet connection
- Virtual learning is not as feedback-driven
Bottom Line
Living.Fit's Kettlebell Fundamentals Course is an affordable virtual learning program that teaches kettlebell basics to fitness professionals and enthusiasts.
A Quick Look at Living.Fit
Through Living.Fit you can shop products like hex dumbbells, battle ropes, Kettlebell Kings kettlebells, and resistance bands, and you can also take advantage of a robust selection of workout plans and courses for purchase. Ranging in price from $1.99 to $19.99, most of these plans are equipment-specific and come with a video component, a downloadable PDF, and, most recently, an Offline Mode, so users can feel confident that they know what to do when it’s time to hit a workout.
What makes Living.Fit workouts unique, says co-founder Jay Perkins, is the level of expertise of the trainers who have created them. “These are 30-day plans designed for specific goals as opposed to random workouts, so you can measure progress week over week.”
In addition to the workout plans, you can take an array of educational courses to help you become more knowledgeable about working out with equipment like kettlebells, as in the Kettlebell Fundamentals Course I took.
Before You Buy
- You will need at least one kettlebell to successfully complete this course
- Know that you can stream the video lessons on your mobile device, TV, or tablet, or download the files in Offline Mode to watch without a connection
- The course is subtitled
- You’ll need six hours to complete this course
Is the Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course Worth It?
As a CPT and group fitness instructor myself, I had basic knowledge of kettlebell training before I took this course but never really incorporated it into my own training or programming for clients. After taking this course, though, I can confidently say I know more about the ins and outs of coaching bells than I did before, and for $20, you can’t beat the price. Here’s who should click Add to Cart and head to the checkout with their credit card, and who should think twice.
Great for:
- Fitness professionals who want to start coaching their clients on kettlebells
- Enthusiastic trainees who want to learn more about kettlebell training for their own workouts
- Those who like the flexibility of virtual, self-paced learning
Not recommended for:
- Complete beginners
- Kettlebell aficionados
- Those who don’t have a stable internet connection or the ability to store large files on their devices
- Those who prefer in-person training
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Specs
| Cost | $19.99 |
| Instructor | Marcus Martinez, CSCS |
| Type of training | Kettlebells |
| Fitness level | All |
| Format | Video |
| Duration | 6 hours |
| Available on | Living.fit |
| Live coaching | No |
| Gym required | No |
| Equipment needed | At least 1 kettlebell |
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course Design and Layout
Marcus Martinez, CSCS, created the Kettlebell Fundamentals course, which Living.Fit uses to teach trainers at large commercial gym chains how to coach kettlebell training. Martinez himself is a kettlebell expert with more than 20 years of experience, and, according to the Living.Fit website, is a “pioneer in kettlebell flow.”
From going through the course you can tell Martinez knows his stuff—he’s super knowledgeable, provides great explanations and demonstrations, and obviously draws on his own coaching experience during his teachings.
This course hits all of the basics, from the warm-up and importance of posture, to the main kettlebell movements—the hinge, deadlift, swing, clean, and snatch—in great detail. Once you go through this six-hour self-paced course, you’ll earn your Kettlebell Fundamentals Specialist LF1 designation (LF1), which is pre-approved for CEUs to many personal training organizations like NASM, ACE, and ISSA.
Let’s explore a quick summary of the course, section by section:
Safety 101
This 5-minute intro sets the scene for kettlebell training with basic safety rules, including being aware of your surroundings and knowing your limits (don’t be a hero if your palms rip, OK), and a quick rundown of bell anatomy.
Breath
This is a really interesting segment that I think is super important but often glossed over when it comes to teaching strength training in general—the importance of your breath and general awareness of your body in totality during your workout. Martinez walks you through diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, pelvic positioning, and breathing while moving through tension.
Mobility Warm-up
Next up is the warm-up segment, which starts with mobility. As Martinez says, mobility is about “what you have the right to be able to do if you want to stay healthy and resilient.” During this lesson you’ll learn how to do an in-depth—and effective—warm-up routine. You probably won’t have the time to do this in its entirety every time you work out or train a client, but it’s great background information to have regardless.
Postural Engagement
Here, Martinez walks you through some bodyweight movements that will prime you for kettlebell work, including squats, lunges, planks, and glute bridges.
The Hinge
Ah, the hinge—the foundational pattern of kettlebell work. This segment dives deep into how to properly perform a hinge, including progressions like rotation with control and an explosive hinge.
The Deadlift And Variations
Next up is the deadlift, which is important to master in order to build up to a swing. Again here, Marcus walks you through progressions of the deadlift, including isometric, controlled, controlled rotation, explosive, and explosive rotation.
The Swing And Variations
After the deadlift comes the kettlebell swing, which is something many people want to rush into without being prepared. Martinez says even with athletes, he typically won’t have them start real swings for a week or two, as it takes time to build up to this movement pattern with the correct awareness. He starts with the chest-supported good morning into the chest-supported swing, then into a controlled rotation, then into the swing with proper setup and dismount.
The Clean And Variations
Marcus walks you through how to master the rack position, the foundation of the clean, and then he breaks down the clean position by position, making the ever-important point: You need to find your position around the kettlebell, rather than the kettlebell finding its position on you.
The Snatch
Lastly, you’ll learn about the snatch. This lesson starts with the bottoms-up position, then progresses to the press, the windmill, and eventually the snatch.
Living.Fit Dumbbells
Living.Fit Dumbbells
Product Highlights
- Dumbbells sold individually or as a pair
- All handles are 1.3″ in diameter regardless of weight
- Comes in a wide range of weights
- Rubber-coated solid cast for durability
- Hexagon shape to prevent rolling
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lifetime warranty for at-home use and 2-year warranty for commercial use
- Handles become wider in the middle to fit your hand better
- Weight is covered in rubber to protect your floors
- Sold individually or as a pair
Cons
- More expensive than some other retailers
- Company states dumbbells can sometimes be separated during transit
- Not many customer reviews
Bottom Line
With weights ranging from 5-100 pounds, rubber encasing on the weight, and handles specifically designed to fit your hand, the Living.Fit Dumbbells are a great dumbbell for all types of gym users.
Learning Objectives And Outcomes
Kettlebell Fundamentals is designed for trainers who want to feel better prepared to teach others kettlebell movements, or for people who want to maximize their own workouts with kettlebells. After you complete this course you should have a clear understanding of kettlebell workout safety, preparation, and the main movements in order to effectively integrate high-quality kettlebell training into your own routine, or for your clients.
There’s no physical test-out for this course, just a written assessment at the end, and it’s self-paced; this means that it’s really on you to work diligently, pay attention, and master the skills on your own.
Where To Go From Here
If you took Kettlebell Fundamentals, earned your LF1 designation, and want more, check out the LF2 Kettlebell Fundamentals Course. The aim of this course is to enable you to become a better kettlebell coach to others.
To pass this course, you’ll need to complete the six-hour virtual learning component and a two-hour live evaluation with a member of the Living Fit Senior Instructor Team where they will evaluate your skills, technique, and ability to coach others. If you pass, you’ll earn your LF2 certification.
If you want to go further, you can check out the Kettlebells Advanced Course, which will help you earn your LF3 certification and is meant for top-level trainers.
You can also explore battle ropes education, which is a unique offering.
Living.Fit Battle Ropes
Living.Fit Battle Ropes
Product Highlights
- Comes with rubber grips on the end for comfort
- Comes with a 2-year warranty for at-home users and 1 year for commercial
- Get 25% off Battle Rope workout plans when you buy a rope
- Both braided and canvas-covered options available
- All ropes are 50′ in length
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Available in 3 different thicknesses
- Free shipping
- 2-year warranty for use at home
- Both braided and canvas-covered options
Cons
- Not many customer reviews for the product on the website
- Only comes in one length option
- 30-day return policy only for unopened and unused items
Bottom Line
Living.Fit Battle Ropes are durable battle ropes that come in six different options for both at-home and commercial users.
Customer Reviews
The Kettlebell Fundamentals course has 61 reviews on the Living.Fit website as of this writing, with a 4.93-out-of-5-star rating. The 60 5-star reviews praise the knowledge of Martinez and the thoroughness of the course as a whole, both from a mix of fitness professionals and home gym enthusiasts.
Final Verdict of Our Living.Fit Review
Living.Fit’s Kettlebell Fundamentals course provides fitness professionals and enthusiasts with a great primer to kettlebell training.
- Work at your own pace to complete this six-hour, video-based course led by expert kettlebell instructor Marcus Martinez.
- Master the basics of kettlebells, with movements like the hinge, clean, and press, and receive your LF1 certification after passing the written assessment.
- For only $19.99, this course is a treasure trove of information from an expert.
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course Rating
Living.Fit Kettlebell Fundamentals Course
In this Living.Fit review, we’ll discuss their Kettlebell Fundamentals Course and whether or not it’s worth your time and money.
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 20
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.69
Living.Fit Review FAQs
How do you become a kettlebell coach?
There are several certifications you can get, from companies like Living.Fit or Kettlebell Kings, to teach you all of the basic and advanced kettlebell techniques. You should also probably consider obtaining a general CPT certification, as well. Then, it’s all about practice, practice, practice!
Is kettlebell training effective?
Yes, kettlebell training can be super effective for building strength and power. Kettlebells provide a full-body workout, and because, unlike a dumbbell, the weight is unbalanced, they can provide a unique challenge during your workout.
How long does it take to become a kettlebell coach?
You can obtain a certification in just a few hours, but it will take months and years of practice to become an effective kettlebell coach.
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