The Ultimate Body Sculpt & Conditioning Vol. 2

I've had this DVD since it came out and 5 years later it's still one of my favorite Kettlebell workouts. Great form, relatively low reps so you can go heavy, and a variety of challenging and interesting moves.

The Grind is a great quick, but surprisingly tough, strength workout. I especially love the Turkish get ups with the squat variation. It's intense enough that you'll feel you've done enough for the day. If I have any energy and time left, I like to add one set each of the exercises in the Smoker, which is more of a cardio workout, and/or one set each of the exercises in the Ab workout. The warm up is short but good, and the cool down seems yoga-inspired, including extended child's pose, supine pigeon (thread the needle) and a deep yogic squat. I also like that the breaks in between sets are shorter than in vol 1 (30 sec instead of 1 min), so it keeps my heart rate fairly high.

The Smoker with the Finisher is really intense and includes some plyo moves.

This is a DVD you can continue to use for a long time and move on to heavier kettlebells as you build strength.

Lauren leads these workouts with two background exercisers (Dela & Emily). Dela & Emily alternate demoing the less intensive versions of exercises. The setting is outdoors, and similar music is used like in Lauren's previous workout (techno-ish music). This DVD has two main workouts, Grind (heavier bell, slower pace, less reps) & the Smoker (lighter bell, fast pace, mix of bodyweight exercises), as well as a short abs workout, Finisher (add-on that follows Tabata protocol w/ a few exercises: snatches & high pull, catch & squat), and the warm-up & cool-down are in their own section (not paired w/ workouts). The workouts are not chaptered, but fast-forward works to skip sections, if desired. There is an excellent tutorial for the primary exercises led by Lauren.

I really like this DVD, more than Lauren's Vol. 1 because of the variety of exercises, and workouts that can easily be mixed together w/ each other or other workouts. And they're short but effective, definitely feel worked w/ the right size KB and intensity.

Exercise Demonstrations (13 min): Tutorial for primary exercises led by Lauren

Kettlebell Diamond push-up

Kettlebell Diamond burpee

Windmill

Overhead squat

Turkish Get Up Sit Up/TGU

TGU Squat style

Single Leg Deadlift

High Pull

Snatch

Tactical Lunges

Push Press

Single Kettlebell plank

Warm-up/Joint Mobility (4 min.)

Neck: Head turns to each side (turn in direction of shoulder)

Shoulder rolls to the back

Hip Circles

Single Leg circle-balance on one leg, moving leg has flexed foot

Alternating Side-to-side lunges

Squats- bodyweight

Cool-down (3 min.)

Child's Pose

Lying glute stretch

Lying Hamstring stretch

Lying circles w/ bent knees

Squat- isometric hold in lowered position (hands clasped in front of body), alternate rocking side to side

The Grind (20 min.)- mostly Grind exercises/pressing type exercises, heavy bell, slow, controlled pace

Turkish Get-Up (60 seconds each side)

Diamond Kettlebell Push-up: 5 reps

Kettlebell swing (30 seconds): two arm

30 seconds rest.

Turkish Get-Up Squat Style (30 seconds each side)

Repeat previous sequence of two exercises (starting w/ Diamond kettlebell push-ups), 30 second rest.

Windmill (30 seconds each side)

Single Leg Deadlift: 10 reps each side

One Arm Rows: 8- 10 reps each side

Squat to Triceps Extension: uses lighter KB, 8-10 reps.

30 seconds rest, repeat entire sequence again.

The Smoker w/ the Finisher (22 min.)- Ballistic & cardio exercises, use lighter bell & more reps than the Grind

Tactical Lunges (30 seconds)

High Pulls (30 seconds each side)

30 seconds rest.

Overhead Squats (30 seconds each side)

Kettlebell Burpees (30 seconds)

Hand to Hand Swings (30 seconds)

30 seconds rest.

Push Press (30 seconds each side)

Star Jumps (30 seconds): X Jack w/ body (arms & legs form an X) landing in squat w/ elbows resting on knees (return to starting position)

30 seconds rest, repeat Tactical Lunges & High Pull sequence.

30 seconds rest, repeat Overhead squats, KB burpees, Hand to Hand Swings sequence.

30 seconds rest, repeat Push Press & Star Jumps sequence.

60 seconds rest, Finisher sequence.

The Finisher (6 min.)- follows Tabata Protocol, 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest per interval. Moves from one exercise to the next, no extra rest between exercises.

Snatches: complete one side, rest, repeat on other side, Repeats once.

High Pull, Catch & Squat: High pull w/ both arms. Repeats once.

Repeat entire sequence again (3 min. per sequence).

Bonus Killer Abs (13 min.)- 30 seconds for some exercises (Pullover to Crunch, Russian Twist, Prone Cobra), except the unilateral (60 seconds total, 30 seconds per side)

Single Kettlebell Plank

Overhead sit-ups (60 seconds, 30 per side)

30 seconds rest, repeat entire sequence once, 30 seconds rest.

Pullover to Crunch

Russian Twist

Side Planks: isometric hold w/ straight legs and arm (working).

Prone Cobra: isometric hold

30 seconds rest, repeat entire sequence once.