All posts by Beyond Words Team

It’s pretty simple here at Beyond Words. We’re ordinary men and women from around the world, seeking out the extraordinary in travel, health, and style, all while maintaining balance in a fast-paced, ever-demanding society.

Let Go and Let Your Daughter Dye Her Hair Blue

“Mom, can I dye my hair blue?” It’s the question mumbled in cars on the way to middle school and screamed from darkened bedrooms across America. And these days, as the world’s most famous one-name only teens from Tavi to Kylie are getting experimental with their hair color, the question is coming up more often.

Let Go and Let Your Daughter Go Blue

This question sparks other questions in the mind of a parent. What will the neighbors think? Or, the modern equivalent, what will my Facebook friends think? Will this rebellious act inspire further rebellion? Is blue hair a gateway drug to real drugs?

In short, probably not.

Letting your teen take a safe risk like dying her hair an unconventional color can actually have the opposite effect, quelling the desire to take more dangerous risks. The teen brain needs to take risks in order to develop. Satisfying that impulse can even increase happiness, according to Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD. The American Psychological Association posits that encouraging risk-taking and experimentation with self-image is especially important for teen girls.

So, letting your daughter go blue is a safe way to let her experiment with her identity, to try on a different persona without long-term repercussions. Figuring out who you are from the inside out and outside in is just as important as finishing your chemistry homework. Self-expression can be thought of as homework with the goal of getting to know yourself and letting others get to know you.

So, if the question comes up, don’t panic. Instead, buy some Manic Panic. The cosmetic brand we all grew to love in the 90s makes a vegan, semi-permanent hair dye that contains no ammonia and fewer chemicals than the dye found in salons. Dying her hair at home can be a good bonding opportunity, too.

It’s hair. It grows back. And with it, so will a little bit of self-knowledge.

Body Positive Lingerie Brands That Embrace All Women

Not even Victoria’s Secret models look like Victoria’s Secret models in real life. Think of the dehydration and diets that happen before fashion shows. Then, you have hours of painstaking Photoshop that go into every catalog image. It all creates an illusion not even the models themselves can live up to. So, when an actual woman tries on the all-new Very Sexy Pushup and the image in the mirror isn’t quite airbrushed perfection, she can feel very un-sexy. Lingerie isn’t always our best friend.

Thankfully, several lingerie brands are taking a stand against the perpetuation of unrealistic beauty standards. They’re creating new products, more realistic advertising, and an underlying belief that all bodies are beautiful just as they are. Now, that’s Very Sexy.

Lonely Lingerie

“For women who wear lingerie as a love letter to themselves” is Lonely Lingerie’s one-sentence manifesto about body positivity. You won’t find any padding, push-up, or pretending in their line, nor airbrushing or unreality in their advertising. Earlier this year, they launched The Lonely Girls Project, a campaign featuring customers and unconventional models wearing their designs in natural environments. Even Lena Dunham joined the movement. She shared a photo of herself sporting a lime green Lonely bra and panty set on Instagram along with a message about loving your body just as it is.

 

Naomi and Georgia - Lonely Lingerie
Photo by: Naomi and Georgia, NYC via www.lonelylabel.com

Me and You

If you’ve been looking for granny panties with the word “feminist” written across them, then look no further than Me and You. It was founded by two best friends, Mayan Toledano and Julia Baylis. The up-and-coming lingerie brand has gotten the attention of young women who are embracing feminism and femininity on their own terms. The playful and subversive line of t-shirts, panties, and dresses looks a little like a psychedelic collaboration between Lisa Frank and Gloria Steinem. Cool girl photographer Petra Collins shot her best friend, Tavi Gevinson, for one of their look books. That’s a lot of feminist street cred.

 

Me and You - Best Friends
Photo by: Best Friends via Me and You

Neon Moon Lingerie

Frustrated with the way mainstream lingerie objectifies and sexualizes women, UK-based Hayat Rachi decided to take matters into her own hands. By making her own line of lingerie that fit her better both physically and philosophically. Her Kickstarter campaign for Neon Moon became fully backed earlier this year. She’s calling it a “feminist lingerie brand that’s empowering women in all phases of womanhood!”

 

Neon Moon lingerie
Photo by: Backless, Orange bof! via www.newmoon.co

Top 5 BB Creams for All Skin Tones

BB creams are a big deal. They exploded into the Western market in the early 2010s after taking Asia by storm starting in the 50s. Why do women around the world of all different skin tones love them? They save you time by essentially combining five products in one: serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation and sunscreen. You can use one on its own or underneath foundation, depending on the level of coverage you like. The BB technically stands for “beauty balm” or “blemish balm,” but we think it should stand for “basically badass.” Because they are.

Now, there are a variety of BB creams on the market that are “self-adjusting,” which means they come in a single shade that adapts to each person’s specific color. Here are our top five picks for self-adjusting BB creams that work for a range of skin tones to help you take the guesswork out of your beauty routine and ultimately, save you precious time in the morning.

1. Dr. Brandt Signature Flexitone BB Cream

Dr. Brandt was the first to introduce “tone-blending technology” in a BB cream to make it work for a variety of skin tones. It claims to brighten, perfect and hydrate as well as reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles

 

 

2. Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm

Just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Jart, that is. This light cream contains white gold, which promotes natural collagen.

 

 

 

3. Boscia BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 27

The boscia BB cream comes out of the bottle white, but quickly blends into your skin tone. A slight shimmer adds some brightness and glow.

 

 

 

4. DERMAdoctor DD Cream 15-Benefits-in-1 Dermatologically Defining BB Cream

bb creams

Dermatologists developed this ambitious BB cream, which combines 15 skin benefits in one. A white sapphire complex makes it self-adjusting to any skin tone.

 

 

 

5. Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream

bb creams

This relatively inexpensive best seller from the Body Shop is beloved by women of all skin tones and lovers of the environment alike. Fortified with Vitamin E, a little bit of this lightweight cream goes a long way.

5 Island Vacations to Escape the Cold

For many of us around the world, the cold has arrived. As much as we love sweater weather, mulled wine and cozying up around the hearth, we can’t help but start to fantasize about warmer climates and escaping for the beach. To help with your vacation dreaming, we’ve gathered our top five destinations for winter island vacations.

1. Mo’orea, French Polynesia

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Photo by: Flickr/Saïda Under License CC BY-SA 2.0

You’ve probably heard of Tahiti and Bora Bora, but Mo’orea is the lesser-known crown jewel in French Polynesia. Accessible by ferry or a short plane ride from Tahiti, Mo’orea, which means “yellow lizard” and is shaped like a heart, is the Platonic Ideal of a tropical island. White sand beaches, crystal clear water and laidback hospitality greet you on your arrival. Visitors can partake in world-class snorkeling and scuba diving among the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, or simply hold hands while watching the sunset. Paradise.

 

2. Punalu’u Beach, Hawaii

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Photo by: Flickr/Blake Handley Under License CC BY 2.0

Because of volcanic activity, Hawaii’s beaches come in all shades of white, green and even black. None is more breathtaking or mind-bending than Punalu’u Beach on the southeastern Kau coast of the Big Island. Inhabited by endangered species of turtles, seals and other flora and fauna, Punalu’u, also called Black Sand Beach, offers an unusual glimpse of some of the rarest creatures in the world. With a consistency closer to coffee grounds than sugar, the beach’s black sand is made of basalt, created by lava that flows into the ocean. So, pitch a tent (camping is permitted) and drift to sleep as you listen to the waves crash on shore.

 

3. Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Photo by: Flickr/karlnorling Under License CC BY 2.0

What’s better than horses frolicking on the beach? Frolicking puppies, of course. Vieques has both. Just a short 25-minute plane ride from Puerto Rico, Vieques is a world unto itself. Until recently, the 21-mile island was used as a bombing range and testing ground by the US Navy, which lead to massive protests, shutting down the operation in 2003. Because of that, tourism hasn’t infiltrated this gorgeous island in the same way it has other locations in the Caribbean. The W opened a luxury resort not far from the airport, but there are plenty of rentable beach cottages and apartments throughout the island. If horses and puppies aren’t your thing, you can take a nighttime canoe tour of Puerto Mosquito, considered the best example of a bioluminescent bay in the United States.

 

4. Tulum, Mexico

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Photo by: Flickr/mdanys Under License CC BY 2.0

If Cancún is a party girl, Tulum is her hippie (or some would argue, hipster) sister. An hour and a half away from Cancún, Tulum is a gem of a town on the Yucatan nestled among Mayan ruins and pristine white sand beaches. In recent years, it’s been “discovered” by jet-setting fashion editors and media types drawn to the plentiful yoga classes and spicy cuisine. It’s the perfect destination for travelers who are torn between experiencing the scene and the scenery. In Tulum, you can easily have both and at prices that aren’t New York level. Yet.

 

5. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

island vacations
Photo by: Flickr/Curtis Simmons Under License CC BY-NC 2.0

The main attraction on Virgin Gorda, the sleepiest and third-largest of the British Virgin Islands, are The Baths. On the southern part of the island, enormous granite boulders emerge along the beach, forming natural tidal pools of warm water that visitors can tour for just a few dollars. When done visiting The Baths, relax on the beach and enjoy the quintessential breeze that can only be found in the Caribbean.

5 Inspiring Books to Give This Holiday Season

We love books. We love reading them, collecting them and, above all, giving them as gifts. Since the holiday season is a time for reflection and resolutions, we’ve gathered our top inspiring books from thinkers, present and past, to jumpstart creativity and connection in the coming year.

 

Brave Enough

by Cheryl Strayed

Brave Enough

Released in October, this little canvas-bound book compiles some of the most provocative and beloved quotes from Cheryl Strayed. Drawn from her wildly successful books Wild, Torch and Tiny Beautiful Things, the quotes appear formatted one per page without attribution. Together, there are 160 pages to dip into when you need a little push of inspiration, encouragement or bravery, including this one: “Believe in the integrity and value of the jagged path. We don’t always do the right thing on our way to rightness.”

 

 

The Little Prince

by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Little Prince

As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry himself put it, The Little Prince is a book for children written for grown-ups. This classic French novella tells the story of an aviator who crashes into the desert. There, he meets a young boy, “the little prince,” who tells him tales of his unusual and otherworldly life in outer space. Each allegory illuminates an aspect of human nature and our collective potential. The accompanying watercolor illustrations are beautiful in their own right.

 

 

 

The War of Art

by Steven Pressfield

warofart_book (1)

Though we generally shy away from any books with “self” or “help” in the genre description, we’re making an exception for this energetic manifesto geared toward writers. Written in 2002, The War of Art is a straight-talking book about fighting the inner resistance that keeps us from achieving our goals, whether it’s writing a book, starting a diet or founding a company. Pressfield asks, “Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

 

 

Letters to a Young Poet

by Rainer Maria Rilke

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It’s the correspondence that has inspired millions. Over the course of 10 beautifully written letters, Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, gives advice to an aspiring writer enrolled at his alma mater. Not only do these letters offer insight into the author’s own poetry, but they provide gems of wisdom and strength for anyone, poet or otherwise. He writes, “If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.”

 

 

 

The Year of Magical Thinking

by Joan Didion

inspiring books

Death is part of life. Life is part of death. In recent years, no one has written about these truths as movingly as Joan Didion. The Year of Magical Thinking is a memoir of mourning, but it is also a memoir of surviving. Didion wrote the book following the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, while they were both dealing with the hospitalization of their daughter. Didion frankly describes her “magical thinking” and the difficulty she had grappling with the enormity of her grief. Whether you’ve experienced the death of someone close to you or not, Didion’s simple and elegant prose will inspire you to look at your relationship with your emotions and the ones you love.

Day it Forward – November 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice by emailing us. (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts!)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one or more to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

 

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of November 2017 are Vetsports and the Elephant Sanctuary.

 

vet sports logoVetsports was “founded in 2012 by three combat Veterans, VETSports aims to set the standard for how to improve Veteran’s physical, mental, and emotional health through sports, physical activity, and community involvement.” Vetsports was submitted by Cara Gadero on Facebook.

 

 

elephant sanctuaryThe Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee exists to provide captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being, and to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild.” The Elephant Sanctuary was submitted by a reader on Instagram.

 

 

Sylvia will be donating $750 to each charity, and you can, too, here (Vetsports) and here (Elephant Sanctuary).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of December, please send submissions by November 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “December 2017 Day it Forward”, or comment on our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter. We appreciate and consider all submissions!

4 of the Best Hikes in the Southwest

The desert isn’t always given the credit it’s due when it comes to beautiful destinations. While everyone else is planning tropical vacations, they’re missing out on colossal natural rock formations, unique desert flora, and unmatched red, orange, and yellow sunsets found right in our backyard. Not to mention, the low humidity (not that you were too concerned about your hiking hairdo, anyway). Here are a few of the best hikes in the southwest for a fun desert adventure.

 

The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

The Narrows is a hike through the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. If hiking makes you think of scorching heat and the yucky feeling of constantly sweating through your clothes, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a hike where you can trek comfortably through a shallow river while taking in the sights.

© Matthewtrain | Dreamstime.com - The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah Photo
© Matthewtrain | Dreamstime.comThe Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah Photo

You have two options here: take a paved path and see the Narrows from dry ground (wheelchair accessible), or get your feet wet in the Virgin River and wade through it up close and personal. You’ll be anywhere from knee- to waist-deep in water, depending on what time of year you go.

narrows virgin river zion
© Wollertz | Dreamstime.comThe Narrows In Zion NP Photo

At some points, the thousand-foot-high walls of the Narrows may be close enough for you to stand and touch both sides. For more information on Zion National Park, including guided tours, safety precautions (flash floods and high currents make this area risky during particular times of year), directions and more, check out the Zion National Park Website.

Duration: 1-5 hours

Time of year to hike: Fall

 

Havasu Falls, Havasupai Indian Reservation, Arizona

You might not think waterfalls and the desert go together, and if so, get ready to have your mind blown.

© Anirav | Dreamstime.com - Havasu Falls Hike Photo
© Anirav | Dreamstime.comHavasu Falls Hike Photo

Havasu Falls lies on an Indian Reservation, belonging to the Havasupai Tribe, meaning “people of the blue-green waters.” Seems pretty fitting for one of the most beautiful waterfall destinations in the world. Havasu Falls is known for cascading waterfalls reaching heights of 190 feet tall. Keep in mind that this hike requires steep descents and overnight stays; you’ll need more than a day to see the waterfalls.

© Raphoto | Dreamstime.com - Travertine Rocks And Mooney Falls Photo
© Raphoto | Dreamstime.comTravertine Rocks And Mooney Falls Photo

To smoothly ensure you see it all safely, consider booking a tour guide for your trip, like the Wildland Trekking Company. They offer a number of multi-day hiking/camping guided tours throughout Havasupai. For more information on Havasu Falls, check out the Havasupai Tribe’s Tourism website.

Duration: 3+ days

Time of year to hike: Throughout the year

 

Mojave National Preserve, California

Think back to all those Girl Scout or Eagle Scout camping tips you compiled as a kid and set aside a couple days for Mojave National Preserve.

© Chrisboswell | Dreamstime.com - Joshua Tree Sunset Cloud Landscape California National Park Photo
© Chrisboswell | Dreamstime.comJoshua Tree Sunset Cloud Landscape California National Park Photo

This 1.6 million acre large park is filled with Joshua trees, sand dunes, and plenty of great places for hiking and getting some amazing photos. There are two campgrounds to choose from, both of which access hiking trails.

 

© Chrisboswell | Dreamstime.com - Providence Mountains Edgar & Fountain Peak Mojave Desert Photo
© Chrisboswell | Dreamstime.comProvidence Mountains Edgar & Fountain Peak Mojave Desert Photo

Teutonia Peak Trail is a relatively easy and short hike, around 3.2 miles roundtrip with a short uphill climb, where you’ll see more Joshua Trees than you could imagine. Hole in the Wall is a campground named for the spectacular area of Mojave it is situated in, where the rocks have holes, or caves, naturally formed into them. Be sure to bring maps and your sense of adventure with you. For more information on Mojave National Park, including campgrounds and directions, check out the Mojave National Preserve Website. You can also drive through part of Mojave on 1-15 if you don’t have a lot of time.

Duration: Depends how much you want to see

Time of year to hike: Spring and fall

Also: Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Nevada

© Dpenn | Dreamstime.com - Red Rock Canyon Photo
© Dpenn | Dreamstime.comRed Rock Canyon Photo

Once in Mojave, you’re not far from Las Vegas where you can have a short hiking adventure through brilliantly-colored Red Rock Canyon. There are over a dozen trails of varying difficulty for you to hike where you’ll want to see the dramatic red and orange colors of the canyon for yourself. Find out more at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.

Duration: 1.5 – 3 hours for most hikes

Time of year to hike: All throughout the year

 

Buckskin Gulch, Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, Utah

Potentially the longest slot canyon in the world, Buckskin Gulch is 15 miles of narrow windy awesomeness.

© Deserttrends | Dreamstime.com - Buckskin Gulch Canyon Photo
© Deserttrends | Dreamstime.comBuckskin Gulch Canyon Photo

A defining characteristic of a slot canyon is that it is always deeper than it is wide, providing the opportunity to test how comfortable you are in tight spaces. Utah.com says that this is more of a backpacking trip than a 1-day hike but there are shorter options available if that’s more your speed. Slot canyons are formed by millions of years of water and sediment flowing through rock, so it shouldn’t surprise you that these formations are high-risk areas for flash floods. For that reason, be smart in planning when and how you make this hike, as the hike has been featured not only on lists of the most beautiful hikes in the world, but the most risky; Backpackers.com has listed Buckskin Gulch as one of the 10 Most Dangerous Hikes in the US.

© Swdesertlover | Dreamstime.com - Buckskin Gulch Photo
© Swdesertlover | Dreamstime.comBuckskin Gulch Photo

For more information on Buckskin Gulch, check it out on Utah.com.

Duration: 1+ days

Time of year to hike: Spring and fall

 

Always remember to keep safety in mind when planning your trip and arrange as much as you can ahead of time. Respect the land and do your part by not leaving waste behind wherever you choose to go. And last, but not least, enjoy your time with Mother Nature; get your shots for Instagram, but don’t forget to live in the moment and see the views without the obstruction of a camera phone.

SWEAT by BW: Kettlebell Workout

The kettlebell is a powerful strength-building tool that bridges the gap between strength and stamina.  A kettlebell workout provides both a wide variety of classic strength-building exercises and of cyclical high-velocity movements; together, the benefits of this one simple tool can take your conditioning to the next level.

Kettlebells are odd-shaped objects.  When negotiating classic strength movements with the kettlebell, that awkwardness will translate into increased levels of strength as well as resilience that you won’t find with other free-weight implements. Handling kettlebells requires significant levels of joint control and stability.  This makes them extremely valuable as a tool for injury prevention.  The durability you can develop from kettlebell training will not only create loads of strength and functionality, but it will also safeguard against orthopedic injuries throughout your lifetime.

But probably the most magical (and difficult!) aspect of kettlebell training is in the series of movements from which kettlebell sport training was created.  These exercises are derived from the classic lifts found in the sport of Olympic-Style Weightlifting.  However, in kettlebell training they are done cyclically for very high  repetition counts and can take you to your cardiovascular and stamina limits. Here, we will give an introduction to the concept of cyclic repetition training, but we’ll keep you within your limits to promote good technique while you learn the movements.

Here is a series of classic strength-builders as well as a taste of cyclic high repetition exercises that will test your stamina and mental toughness.

 

Kettlebell Snatch

The snatch is the quintessential fast lift with a kettlebell and comprises one of the primary events in kettlebell sport competitions.  Get your lungs, shoulders, and back ready for one of the most grueling and powerful weightlifting moves out there!

– Place kettle bell in one hand at arm’s length with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart

– Begin the same hip-hinging motion described above for the KB swing

– Explosively open your hips to send the kettlebell out and up

– At approximately chest level, pull your elbow up and back and “flip” the kettlebell over to smoothly land on the back of your forearm

– As the kettlebell rotates, punch your arm straight through the kettlebell handle and guide it to arm’s length overhead with your bicep covering your ear

– Once the kettle bell is locked overhead, begin the next rep by letting the kettlebell fall and flip over your hand and back into your initial hip-hinge motion

– Absorb the force of the falling kettlebell and connect powerfully into the next rep

– Your breath should be drawn in quickly as the kettlebell falls toward your hips; then expel your air with equal force as the kettlebell explodes forward out of your hips

Complete five sets of 15-20 repetitions. For a more challenging workout try 30 seconds of snatching on your right arm followed by a 30 second rest, then commence 30 seconds of snatching on your left arm followed by 30 seconds of rest and repeat for five rounds on each arm.

 

Kettlebell Front Squat

The kettlebell front squat is a supremely tough squat variation as it places tremendous strain on the core and upper back musculature.  This adds a powerful core connection to an already unsurpassed strength exercise choice.

-Place kettle bells in front rack position.  Front rack position is where your hand is  inside the kettlebell handle with the kettlebell “ball” resting (or, “racked” as the name suggests) on the top of the forearm and upper arm.

-Set your feet approximately shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly turned out

-Breath in and brace your abdominals.  Also, inflate your chest to create a stable platform for the kettle bells

-Push your hips back and break at the knees simultaneously.  Descend until your hips are slightly below the knees (or to whatever depth you can reach that is stable)

-Once depth is achieved, drive your legs through the floor until you are back to standing position

-Complete three sets of 8-12 repetitions before increasing kettle bell weight. Note: The repetition tempo should be slow and controlled on the “down” phase and strong and quick on the “up”.

 

Kettlebell Press

The kettlebell press takes a classic strength builder and adds a massive trunk and shoulder stability element to it.  For a strong midsection and resilient shoulders look no further!

– Place the kettlebells in Front Rack position. (as described above)

– Set feet approximately hip width apart.

– Breath in and brace abdominals and chest.

– Drive both kettlebells to an overhead position where elbows are locked and biceps cover the ears.

– Once lockout is achieved and stable, return kettlebells to slowly to front rack position.

Complete 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

 

Kettlebell Windmill

The windmill will simultaneously challenge flexibility, balance and core strength.

– Place single kettlebell in overhead position with the “ball” side resting on the back of the arm.

– Set feet approximately shoulder with apart with toes turned slightly away from ketllebell arm.

– Breath in and brace abdominals

– Push hips sideways moving toward the direction of kettlebell arm.

– While creasing to the side reach free arm in from of the closest foot and slowly feel for the floor while you descend.

– Once fingers tough the floor (or as deep as you are stable), return to standing position.

Complete 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions. Due to the extreme balance challenge all phases of all reps should be performed in a slow and controlled manner. For an added challenge to your flexibility and control, try to place unweighted palm flat on the floor before ascending to standing.

 

Kettlebell Swing

The swing is our first look at the “fast” lifts done with kettlebells.  It is a necessary pre-requisite to all other fast lifts listed below.

– Stand with kettlebell hanging at arms length and feet slightly wider than shoulder width.

– Hinge your hips back and pull the kettlebell back with momentum

– Drive hips open explosively to send kettle bell forward at arms length to approximately chest level

– Allow gravity to send kettlebell down and back into hip hinge and catch and repeat

– Breath should be drawn in quickly as kettlebell falls toward hips and then expel air with equal force as kettle bell explodes forward out of hips

Complete 5 sets of 15-20 repetitions, or try 20 sec of kettlebell swings followed by 40 seconds of rest for 10 rounds for a more challenging workout.

 

 

Complete these workouts with good technique before increasing kettle bell weight.

Day it Forward – October 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice . Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

 

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of October 2017 are the Las Vegas Victim’s Fund and United for Puerto Rico/Unidos por Puerto Rico.

 

LV victims fundThe Las Vegas Victims’ Fund is in place to assist the victims of the tragic Las Vegas shooting that occurred on October 1st, 2017 at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip. Funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting​.

united for puerto rico logoUnited for Puerto Rico is an initiative brought forth by the First Lady of Puerto Rico, Beatriz Rosselló, in collaboration with the private sector, with the purpose of providing aid and support to those affected in Puerto Rico by the passage of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane María. 100% of the proceeds will go to helping the victims affected by these natural disasters in Puerto Rico.

 

Sylvia will be donating $1,375 to each charity, and you can, too, here (Las Vegas Victims’ Fund) and here (United for Puerto Rico).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of November, please send submissions by October 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “November 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – September 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice. Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of September 2017 are Team Rubicon and SBP: Disaster Resilience and Recovery

We can’t prevent natural disasters. But we can prevent some of the suffering they cause. By increasing resilience before disasters occur and streamlining the post-disaster recovery process, we’re able to fortify people against unnecessary stress and trauma. -SBP

SBP is providing recovery efforts in Houston, TX following Hurricane Harvey, as well as many other places where they also provide resilience training.

 

Team Rubicon‘s primary mission is providing disaster relief to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international. By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, Team Rubicon aims to provide the greatest service and impact possible.

Sylvia will be donating $1,375 to each charity, and you can, too here (Team Rubicon) and here (SBP).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of October, please send submissions by September 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “October 2017 Day it Forward”.