Training for bikini competitions requires a ton of hard work and dedication. You need to stick to a strict workout plan, diet and practice your posing to meet your competitive goals. One of the problems you might run into is the same thing that most of us run into eventually with working out. You start to feel bored, overworked and unmotivated to do the same thing over and over. Whether you are training for a bikini competition or just want to have a better figure, we believe kettlebells can help. The best things about kettlebells is how diverse they are, you can target any muscle group and you can do so in such a way that the possibilities and combinations are endless which will always keep you challenged. Staying challenged and motivated is the key to working out long term. With kettlebells, you can train for time, reps or both. Additionally, you can train for strength, cardio or even train in competitive lifting in which competitors compete in weight classes for rep counts. These competitions will challenge your strength, cardio and mental focus as well as build muscles which are important for bikini competitions. When you are done reading, you can learn more about Kettlebell Sport training here.
We met Nikky Burns, of Transform Fitness, in Austin when she came to our facility to pick up a few kettlebells so she could train for The Texas Open Kettlebell Championship and pick up a few bells for her training clients. After watching her compete and getting a chance to talk to her more about her background we thought it was really interesting to find out she is a bikini competitor as well as a Kettlebell Sport competitor. We have written extensively about Kettlebell Sport, but had not previously spoken with someone who competed in bikini competitions and used competitive kettlebell training as a method for bikini competitions. So, as we talked more we were curious about how kettlebell training can overlap with bikini competitions and figure training in general to meet your fitness goals. We asked Nikky if she would be interested in helping us write a piece designed for those interested in competing in bikini competitions or working on their figure and she was glad to. Here we go!
By Nikky Burns:
I have always been into fitness. It has been a part of my life ever since I started training with my older brothers while we were growing up. In 2010 I had a mild stroke that changed my life. If it were not for my love of lifting I would not have recovered as fast, because it gave me something to work towards. I believe that having training goals can help anyone overcome physical obstacles that happen in their lives. At the time, I was in my late 30’s and spending 2 to 4-hour days at the gym. I had been doing Bikini competition for a year and I was hitting back-to-back-to back workouts, and stomping up the Stair Master in between in order to reach my competitive goals. However, I felt that I needed a new way to train while I recovered. Anyone who has trained for bikini competitions can speak to the monotony of all the workouts mixed in with hours on the Stair Master. One day, my husband came home with a pink plastic Kettlebell which I still have and something finally clicked for me, fitness could be exciting, fun, and fulfilling. All I needed was a Kettlebell and some time.
Benefits of Kettlebell training for bikini competitions:
- target specific muscle groups like Quads, Glutes and Shoulders
- challenge yourself with new and diverse workouts
- build strength and cardio into one workout
Read more about kettlebell movements and specific workouts designed for bikini competitors below!
Author Nikky Burns of Transform Fitness
I now am certified Kettlebell trainer with Onnit Academy And Texas Kettlebell Academy. I find that both sport style and fitness Kettlebells can offer you amazing results. I changed my entire routine and started training 3 days a week with kettlebells. This gave me a workout like never before. It helped tone my body without the strain of heavy lifting. Since, I have competed in over 15 shows and one of the things that has helped me prepare the most are my kettlebells. Kettlebells provide you with a different type of workout and have such versatility with each work out. I found out that I could get a better work out and increase my cardio with a much lighter weight, therefor not taxing my body as much with heavy weights and leaving me more energy for training. Kettlebells provide you with unlimited creativity and versatile workouts that target specific muscle groups important for bikini competitions like Quads, Glutes and Shoulders.
My workouts consist of the following lifts. I keep it simple to get great results.
Weight training Days:
3x10 Goblet Squats increasing weight each set
3x10 Kettlebell Swings increasing weight each set
3x10 Windmill
3x10 Turkish Get ups
I will do these movements with other traditional isolation movements.
Kettlebell Sport Bell Training Days:
3x Timed Sessions 1min, 2min, 3min Kettlebell Sport Jerks
3x Timed Sessions 1min, 2min, 3min Kettlebell Sport Snatch
3x Timed Sessions 1min, 2min, 3min Kettlebell Sport Long Cycle
Want to learn more about Kettlebell Sport? We have created an intro you can read more about HERE!
These workouts are designed to focus on Quads, Glutes and Shoulders all of which are essential for competition. All non Sport lifts like Goblet Squats and Kettlebell Swings are mixed in with normal gym days in which you are focusing on particular areas of your body. Kettlebell Sport lifts like Jerks, Snatches and Long Cycle are done on separate days and are great for building a strong core and burning calories. For most women doing timed kettlebell sport lifts you should train with and 8kg competition style kettlebell for most lifts. If you are stronger or have more experience you can start with 10kg to 12kg.
If you would like to speak with Nikky more in depth about training with kettlebells she can be found on Facebook at Transform Fitness.
Next:
We recommend you have a look at our series about Kettlebell Sport, Kettlebell Sport is competitive kettlebell lifting and it is what Nicky discusses in her article, you can click below to learn more! The exercises mentioned, Jerks Snatch and Long Cycle are all profiled individually in our series.
Also, at Kettlebell Kings we strive to create content that demonstrates the effectiveness and give you uses for your kettlebells. We publish kettlebell workouts each week, which you can receive automatically in your email in box. These workouts are designed to keep your kettlebell workouts challenging and exciting each week.
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