30 Minutes to Fitness: Slim Sculpting

Slim Sculpting is Kelly Coffey-Meyer’s latest offering in her 30 Minutes to Fitness series (she came out with another one as well: Athletic Conditioning) and I love it (as usual). Slim Sculpting is a metabolic strength workout using a kettlebell. I happen to love kettlebell workouts so I was very excited when Kelly announced this. Just like all of her other workouts in this series, there are two workouts on this DVD. Tho they are supposed to be 30 minute workouts, they are both pushing it–one is 38 minutes and the other is 39 minutes. There are of course the many wonderful premixes Kelly always includes. If you do the premix that combines both workouts, you get an intense 70 minute total body metabolic workout. Pretty awesome and one I definitely plan to use in the future. However, the first time I did these workouts I did them each on their own as doubles workouts.

As usual, Kelly has a modifier. This modifier is using a dumbbell rather than a kettlebell. Kelly also shows low impact moves if you do not want to do the high impact moves (there is some cardio). Every single exercise uses the kettlebell. She also uses a soundtrack similar to what she used in Shape Up. In both workouts, you will do 4 sets of each exercise, each set is done for 30 seconds with a 10 second recovery between sets. There is a voice (just like in Shape Up) that alerts you when the count begins and when it ends–so everything is perfectly timed.

You are moving pretty much non-stop with only short rests in this workout. I used a 15 and a 20 pound kettlebell, depending on the exercise. She notes in her intro and the description of the workout that she didn’t use every kettlebell move out there; she omitted cleans and snatches because of how important form is when executing them. Instead, she used lots of swings. Which is fine with me. I love kettlebell swings. I remember the first time I did a kettlebell workout (Brook Benten), my glutes were so fried the next day from all those swings I could barely sit… then stand up again!

Finally, Workout 1 & 2 have the same warm up but different stretches. These are not advanced workouts, but high-intermediate if you use a heavy kettlebell. The lighter the bell, the easier the workout.

Workout 1: 38 minutes; 4 minute warm up, 31 minute training period and 3 minute stretch. 4 sets of each exercise, each set is done for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest between sets.

1. Kettlebell swings

2. Goblet squats

3. Rack, curl and Arnold press

4. Cardio: scissor 4 and squat to side (hold kettlebell at chest for scissors bring lower between legs for squats)

5. Overhead tricep extensions (French press)

6. Airplanes (balance move: hold kettle bell in one hand, lean forward and raise opposite leg, touching kettlebell to the ground; straighten, raising knee in front)

7. Single arm rows

8. Push press with front lunge

9. Figure eight swing (passing kettlebell around legs in figure 8 formation)

10. Modified Turkish get ups (half get ups)

11. Lay on back and hold kettlebell overhead with feet also raised to ceiling; scissor legs twice then upper crunch twice

Workout 2: 39 minutes; 4 minute warm up, 30 minute training period and 5 minute stretch. 4 sets of each exercise, each set is done for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest between sets.

1. Single arm kettlebell swings

2. Hold plank with hands on kettlebell handle

3. Side lunge, explode up

4. Cardio: Jack feet alternated with pushing kettlebell in front of you (arms were burning by the end!)

5. Suitcase deadlifts

6. Rack and overhead press

7. Holding kettlebell in one hand, lean to side (same side that is holding the kettlebell) and raise opposite leg to side

8. Hand to hand kettlebell swings

9. Alternating reverse lunges, switching kettlebell from hand to hand under front leg

10. Russian twists (on floor) (BTW–these were some of the hardest Russian twists I have ever done!)

11. Pullover into sit up

Premixes (all premixes have warm up and stretch):

Both workouts 70 minutes

Combined workouts (no swings) 61 minutes

Combined workouts (no floor work) 59 minutes

Lower Body 32 minutes

Swings and lower body 40 minutes

Swings and upper body 38 minutes

Core and Abs 32 minutes

Combined workouts (no overhead presses) 57 minutes