Reader Mail: How often should the "300 kettlebell melt down" be performed

Hi Nathan,
My name is A.C., my question is how often should the "300 kettlebell melt down" be performed for best results?

Hi A.C.,
Thanks for writing me. For those of you who don't know the 300 kettlebell melt down workout, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM

This is a pretty damn intense session that is sure to elevate your metabolism through the roof for probably 24 hours afterwards. I don't see it putting much stress on your joints, so physically you could do this kettlebell workout pretty frequently. It is tough though, and would be hard to "get up" for on a daily basis. I think the greatest frequency you do a workout like this with solid intensity is 3 times a week, and that would only last for a few weeks. After that you would have to shake things up a bit to keep your body adjusting and your mind fresh. You don't have to reivent the wheel, just change the reps, weight, order of exercises or some of the drills altogether.
I just returned from India where I did not have access to kettlebells, so I used dumbbells, cables and my burgeoning body weight to make challenging circuits and complexes. In three weeks I trained every day of the week, resting only three days. The point I am making is not to brag about my discipline, but to demonstrate that you can do complexes or circuits daily if fat loss is your primary goal. You will not fall apart or fail to adapt with tough daily exercise, you just have to be intelligent about it.
For example, someone looking to build muscle and keep fat at bay might have a weekly schedule like this

1. kettlebell complexes
   
2. heavy weights, upper body
3. kettlebell and body weight circuit
4. heavy weights, lower body
5. kettlebell complexes, extra ab work
6. lighter weights, higher reps, full body
7. rest, eat, and be merry

Someone trying to really lose fat would do something closer to this:

1. kettlebell complexes
2. kettlebell and body weight circuit
3. outdoor activity or sport (soccer, hill sprints, bike sprints, park circuit training)
4. kettlebell complexes
5. circuit training
6. outdoor activity
7. light outdoor activity

You can exercise hard every day if the weight (stress) is not too much for you to handle. So regular high intensity interval training such as the Kettlebell 300 melt down or the other examples above are fine to do daily, just keep it fresh so you stay challenged!