Here’s a sample workout similar to what we’ll be doing in our upcoming 20 in 6 Kettlebell Challenge:

Did I ever tell you the story of how I dropped about 70 pounds over about a 6-7 month period?

It was 2005, and I had just retired from my football career. I was a 300-pound offensive lineman, fresh off a stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, and I knew it was time for a change. I was transitioning into the next phase of my life and needed to get healthy, which meant dropping some serious weight.

But here’s the thing—after years of training to be as big and strong as possible, I had to re-educate myself on how to train for fat loss and overall health. I knew how to stuff myself to fuel my workouts, but I didn’t know how to eat to shed body fat. So, with the help of trainers and coaches, and a lot of personal drive and focus, I lost about 70 pounds over those months, and over the next couple of days, I want to share with you the two key takeaways from my journey.

Today, we’ll focus on the training side of things.

How I Used to Train

When I was playing football, my training was all about getting big and strong. My workouts focused on heavy lifting and big compound movements—bench presses, power cleans, back squats. I’d break up different body parts on different days, and I had trainers doing most of the thinking for me. My job was to show up and lift heavy.

But when I shifted my focus to fat loss and long-term health, things had to change.

Shifting to Fat Loss Training

This is around the time I discovered kettlebells and began integrating more metabolic conditioning workouts into my routine. I was still doing some of the basic barbell movements, but my focus shifted to using kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, and circuit-style training. These faster-paced workouts allowed me to burn more calories while still building strength and improving overall fitness. This style of training became a huge part of my approach and remains a core element of how I train today.

Now, I work primarily with people in their 40s, 50s, and beyond —folks who want to stay fit, strong, flexible, and perform well in everyday life. They want to look good and feel good, and that’s what I help them achieve.

Here’s a sample workout similar to what we’ll be doing in our upcoming 20 in 6 Kettlebell Challenge:

Full-Body KB Circuit to Burn 500+ Calories

*Estimated calories burned total is based on an ACE kettlebell study where participants burned approximately 20 calories per minute. As written, the workout below should take you about 27 minutes to complete, and should burn about 540 total calories. Depending on body size, fitness level, and many other variables, results may vary!

Part 1 (90 reps total)

Perform the prescribed reps of the first exercise below, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat three times. Rest for 60 seconds after finishing the round, then repeat the sequence two more times for a total of three rounds:

• 10 hand-to-hand KB swings (5 per side)
• 5 one-arm KB clean and presses per side
• 5 lateral KB lunges to balance per side (alternate legs each rep)

Part 2 (90 reps total)

Complete three rounds of the pair of exercises below as fast as possible. Alternate back and forth between exercises:

• 10 one-arm KB rows per side
• 10 spider climbs (5 per side, alternate legs each rep), add a push-up after each side

Part 3 (120 reps total)

Set your timer for 60 seconds. At the top of each minute, perform the prescribed number of reps of the first exercise. Rest for the remainder of the minute. Move to the next exercise in the sequence and repeat, continuing for four rounds total:

• 5 double burpees
• 5 side plank holds with leg raise per side
• 15 prone skydivers (hold for 1 second at the top of each rep)

This style of workout keeps your heart rate up, burns tons of calories, and helps you build strength at the same time.

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Join the 20 in 6 KB Challenge

We’re using this same approach in our upcoming 20 Pounds in 6 Weeks Spartan Kettlebell Challenge, where we combine strength training with high-intensity metabolic conditioning to help you drop fat and get in shape. If you’re one of the first 15 to sign up, I’ll even build a custom nutrition plan for you.

Be sure to check out the link below for more details, and stay tuned for tomorrow’s post where I’ll dive into the nutrition strategies that helped me drop 70 pounds and can help you do the same.

–>> 20 in 6 Spartan KB Challenge (7 custom meal plans left)

Keep training hard, and reach out if you have any questions!

-Forest