| " Kettlebells, ranging from 7 to 200 pounds, look more like something shot out of the business end of a cannon rather than equipment in a typical weight room. Originally used to whip soldiers and bodybuilders into shape, kettlebell training has re-emerged as an efficient way to burn fat, tone muscle and get a cardio workout simultaneously. " " "All the stars are doing it," says Ray Anderson, owner of Allentown, Pa.'s Personal Fitness Ltd. "It's probably the only workout in which each exercise works nearly every muscle set in the body." " " Anderson, 50, teaches a weekly kettlebell class on the second floor of his spartan Allentown, Pa., venue, drawing students -- from as far away as New Jersey -- who seek flat tummies, sculpted biceps and strong thighs. " " Kettlebells consist of a cast iron-based "bell" attached to two "horns," connected by a handle. Exercises include a variety of lunges, push-ups, presses, swings and squats, all designed to raise the heart rate and target major muscle groups. " " "It's not uncommon to lose 30-50 pounds in three months," says Anderson, a former 1st Class Naval officer, who speaks on his regime's weight-loss potential with authority. " " Anderson spent more than two decades overseeing the military's "obesity farm" before opening his own gym. " " "The Navy has zero tolerance (for obesity)," Anderson says. "If soldiers didn't lose weight in my class, they were out of a job." " " However, Anderson is a gentle giant when it comes to helping civilians tone up and lose weight. Success stories include one patron who dropped 94 pounds in 90 days. Another, training under Anderson's associate Nancy ... read the whole article |