Kettlercise For Women, Volume 2 - 2 Weeks Later

   I've been using Kettlercise For Women Volume 2 for a smidge over two weeks now, and I'm quite happy with it. It's similar to volume 1, as I'd expected, but a good number of the moves are different and it does feel like a step upwards. In fact, a few of them I find quite challenging - I'm quite comfortable using 6kg-8kg kettlebells, but the reverse woodchop I can only manage with a 4kg, and even then I struggle. So it's good to know that it is, undeniably, volume 2, level 2.

   The 22-minute workout is actually 24, and only 17 minutes of real work, so I'm a bit disappointed in that. When it says '22 minutes' I expect at least 20. Fortunately, it's easy to add on a few extra moves to make up the extra minutes - yes, I really, really am that finickety. I add on a minute of Turkish get-ups on each side and a minute of bridge raises, bringing 17 to 20.

   Unfortunately, the '50 minute' program is worse. It's actually about 45 minutes long, and only 36 minutes of work. I had expected at least 40 minutes, so, as before, I add on a few extra moves to add on the missing time.

   So while I do have complaints, they're easily remedied. The workouts themselves, and the instruction, are all top-notch and seriously good, hard work. You perform each move for a minute, or 30 seconds on each side, and transition quickly from one to the next with no rest, but it's structured so that you don't need it. You'll perform a move that works certain muscles, then move right on to one that works others, keeping you moving but giving the right muscles a rest so that you can just keep on going, really making the most of the workout.

   One thing that does baffle me, however, is that I have yet to see Turkish get-ups on any Kettlercise DVD I've used - Kettlercise for Women volume 1 (2 workouts), and Lean In 14 (6 workouts). The reason that confuses me is also the reason it's my go-to move to fill in the missing time: it's one of the best kettlebell moves in the world. It's seriously full-body, takes a lot of control, and works so many big muscle groups including your glutes, legs and core. I presume it's on one of the few others - I'd hope so, at least - but as it is, it does seem to be a bit of a hole in the system.

   But that point aside, which I suppose does provide me with the solution to my complaint, I am really enjoying this workout. And I knew I would. Kettlercise has proven itself to be really effective, even if it does have time-keeping problems, and I would already recommend its use.

   And as I said at the beginning of the month, rather than use kettlebells every day, I've been using the 20 minute program Monday and Thursday, the 50 minute program on Saturday, and Pound on Tuesday and Friday. And I have to admit, I forgot how much fun and how tough Pound is. And I've been supplementing both with kickboxing and Kukuwa, the latter of which I still maintain should be a staple dance workout in everyone's collection.

   I'll be back at the end of the month with my verdict on Kettlercise, though I doubt it will be much different from here, as well as a full DVD review in the first two weeks of September for anyone who wants more detail on the structure of the workouts.