workout

Finish Your Training Session With The Kettlebell Squat Massacre

April 25, 2018 By Frank Delventhal Leave a Comment

Frank Delventhal's Kettlebell squat massacre

A great training session often ends with a crisp finisher to expend any extra energy. At the end of a recent session, my students weren’t very enthusiastic about doing Dan John’s “6 Minute Squat Challenge” (one goblet squat every 30 seconds and staying in the lower position during the break). I like Dan John’s finisher, but my students wanted something with more variety. One student commented that they’d “rather have something nice, like a mixed grill plate.” That inspired me to name their finisher “Katrins Grillteller.” (Grillteller is the German word for mixed grill plate.) When I asked them if they wanted to do the squat challenge or the “Grillteller,” the decided to choose the “Grillteller” since they didn’t know what it would be. Afterwards, they renamed it the Kettlebell Squat Massacre.

Requirements:

All participants should be proficient in the following squat variants: double kettlebell front squat, single kettlebell front squat and the goblet squat. Be sure to review the correct form for each move and ensure that everyone is safe to complete this intense workout finisher.

Directions:

Have everyone form a large circle. Since most people will accidentally decrease the size of the circle during this finisher, mark the boundaries of the circle with small items.

Each person should choose a kettlebell that they can squat with for many reps. When performing the finisher, everyone squats at the same time—down and up when the trainer instructs them to do so. When everyone is standing again while keeping their kettlebell in the rack position, they march to their next spot on the circle. When everyone is in place, everyone squats together again. If someone’s kettlebell gets too heavy, they should quickly get a lighter kettlebell and rejoin the group.

For groups of less than four people, it’s best to do two rounds, otherwise one round is often enough. Each squat should be held in the bottom position for at least one full breath. Of course longer is always more “efficient.” Staying in the bottom position of the squat for a longer duration is the first way to make the finisher more difficult.

Procedure:

Everyone squats and stands at the same time. When everyone is standing with their kettlebells held in the rack position, it’s time to move forward again. This finisher is not a race, so there is no reason to rush the movements . Be sure to remember where you started on the circle, so you know when one round is complete. If the group is struggling to stay synchronized, be sure that you are giving clear instructions so that everyone can follow your commands.

As a trainer, I like to join in with this finisher. Normally I only lead the training and do not train myself. But I have found that if a coach joins this grind, then everyone seems to be more motivated. If you are the trainer, be fair to your students and pick an appropriately heavy kettlebell. Show that you can do what you expect from your students. “Shared pain is half of the pain.” The goal is for everyone to safely reach their limits and still finish.

Kettlebell Squat Variations

Double Kettlebell Front Squat

Frank Delventhal Double Kettlebell Front Squat

In larger classes it’s not always possible for everyone to have two kettlebells, but this is a great variation when there are not too many people in the group. Fewer people also means that there will be fewer stations on the circle for this difficult squat variation.

Single Kettlebell Front Squat (Left Side)

Frank Delventhal Single Kettlebell Front Squat

Pay attention to the time spent in the squat. At first, participants can stay in the squat longer when they’re “fresh.”

Single Kettlebell Front Squat (Right Side)

As above. Adjust the time spent in the squat, so that all can still hold a correct position.

Goblet Squat

Frank Delventhal Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Since the lower position of the goblet squat is relatively easy to maintain (and also a good mobility exercise in itself), aim to stay longer in the squat. So that “nobody gets bored”, while holding the squat, I recommend trying a few “kettlebell curls” since the elbows are already on the inside of the thighs. When leading the finisher, I will do the following reps: 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1. Don’t overdo it. And if you can do more than three curls, the kettlebell you’ve chosen is too light for the squats!

Crawling

The kettlebells are placed inside in a circle, then everyone gets on all fours and crawl once around the circle. Knees do not touch the ground, and keep the torso parallel to the ground. Imagine that you’re a moving coffee table

(Evil) Cardio Variation

Replace each kettlebell front squat round with kettlebell thrusters.

Frank Delventhal Double Kettlebell Thrusters

For an cardio intensive version of this finisher for very fit participants, try double or single kettlebell thrusters instead of squats. To perform this movement, squat down with the kettlebell, then use the explosive power of your squat to continue through your arms, pressing the kettlebell overhead. Since the kettlebell is already in motion from the power of the squat, you can lift heavier weights overhead than with a strict military press.

After the kettlebells are thrusted overhead, lower the kettlebells back to the rack position under control, then walk to the next circle position. For an even more difficult variation, keep the kettlebells overhead (“waiter’s walk”) and walk to the next point before bringing the kettlebells down to the rack position. This challenging variation is a good way to strengthen the shoulders and the top position of the lockout.

For groups with mixed fitness levels, advanced students can opt to do the thruster variation. If it becomes too difficult, the student can just switch back to front squats and walking with the kettlebells in the rack position. Be safe and use common sense.

The Unspeakably Evil Variation:

If you do the double thruster variation, add left and right single kettlebell thrusters before doing a round with regular double kettlebell front squats. (This variation is a good way to see how stupid tough you are.)

Adjustments for making the difficulty easier or harder:

If your kettlebell becomes too heavy to maintain good form, get a lighter kettlebell and rejoin the group.
For a more difficult finisher, do more rounds for each squat variations
Adjust the time spent in the bottom of the squat position
Adjust the time spent in the rack position before squatting down
A larger circle is more difficult, a smaller circle can be easier
Replace front squat variations with thrusters (let the kettlebells sink back into the rack position and then continue)
- To increase difficulty when doing thrusters, leave the kettlebells overhead while moving to the next spot on the circle
Do goblet squats with or without “kettlebell curls” at the bottom of the squat
For masochists, plan to do thrusters before double kettlebell front squats

Video Example (In German)

Conclusion

This is a “delicious” finisher that can be customized and made to be challenging for anyone. Even though it may sound complicated, it is in fact quite simple:

Everyone gets kettlebells and stands in a circle. They squat together, then move to the next position on the circle. When you reach the point on the circle where you started, switch down to an easier squat variation. The last round is crawling. Enjoy your “meal” and let me know how you liked it!

The original article published in German: https://hamburg-kettlebell-club.de/kettlebell-blog/144-katrins-grillteller-aka-kettlebell-squat-massaker.html

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Frank Delventhal, RKC2, PCC, 1 Dan Aikido, performing strongman. Visit his website: https://hamburg-kettlebell-club.de/

The Happy Challenge

February 14, 2018 By Suzanne Bos-Betlem 6 Comments

Suzanne Bos-Betlem, RKC

Two things I am very passionate about are music and kettlebells. They both cheer me up incredibly and I cannot imagine my life without them. But, bring these two together… and that’s when the magic happens!

Music can be a great stimulus during a workout. It’s a powerful tool that can take your training to the next level. For quite some time, I’ve been looking for a good song-based kettlebell workout. I specifically looking for a cheerful tune—an upbeat song that could effectively brighten up your day. Even more importantly, I needed a song that would respect the kettlebell principles I strongly believe in. So, there would be no rushing or pushing through with sloppy technique, definitely no reps over form. I was looking for a happy song that would help you rather than hurt you while working with kettlebells. And I found it! The universe gave me…. “HAPPY”, the Pharrell Williams song that was released in 2013 and featured on the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2.

Here’s the workout I designed to go with the song, AKA The Happy Challenge:

Start off with double kettlebells in the rack position. This is your basic position throughout the song.

Each time you hear the word “Happy,” you perform a military press on one side. Alternate sides with each “Happy.”

No need to rush. The “Happy” part (including “clap along…”) allows plenty of time to press your kettlebell up and bring it back down to rack. That’s the beauty of the song!

Between the presses, maintain the basic position (double kettlebells in the rack position) solid and strong. At Trainingscentrum Helena, we also call this double kettlebell rack position the Trojan Pose.

At the song’s bridge, Pharrell sings “Bring me down”. When you hear this part, perform a double kettlebell front squat. This will come to eight squats in the first bridge and four more during the second.

At the end of the song (in just under four minutes) you will have done 24 military presses (12 on each side), 12 squats and a lot of static rack holds. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Give it go and let me know what you think in the comments below!

P.S. In my classes, I give my clients the option to switch to push-presses if they lose form on their military presses. If they fail a press entirely during the workout, I’ll tell them to put the kettlebells down and continue with “imaginary” heavy kettlebells.

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Suzanne Bos-Betlem is a PCC, RKC and Trojan Workout certified trainer in Haarlem, The Netherlands. In addition to bodyweight and kettlebell training, she is an enthusiastic Krav Maga practitioner and yoga-lover.

Programming the TGU

November 9, 2016 By Jason Kapnick 5 Comments

Programming the TGU by Jason Kapnick

“What sets and reps should I use to make progress on my TGU?”

This is one of the most common questions about programming kettlebell training. Finding the right scheme of sets and reps is especially challenging because the get-up doesn’t follow the same rules as any other exercise in the gym. Because a single repetition of the TGU can take roughly 30-seconds, doing “5 sets of 10” simply doesn’t make sense.

Below are a few of the strategies that I’ve found to be effective for adding the TGU into your strength training program.

1. The “3-Week Wave Cycle”

This first option is intended for intermediate to advanced kettlebell lifters, and it’s my favorite way to use the get-up as a “main lift.” In other words, this option will treat the TGU as a primary exercise. Make sure that you’re relatively fresh in your workout (I would recommend doing get-ups first), leave plenty of time, and don’t plan to do an excessive amount of assistance work afterwards. Simply put, this progression WILL produce PRs.

TGU with partner spotting

Do get-ups once per week, according to the following loading scheme:

Week 1 “Volume Accumulation”: 8-12 get-ups with a medium weight (a good rule of thumb is 60-70% of your best-ever TGU).
Week 2 “Weight Ladders”: Choose three kettlebells, a light kettlebell, a medium-heavy kettlebell (similar or slightly heavier than week 1), and a heavy kettlebell (not quite your personal best). The kettlebells should be evenly spaced about 4-8kg apart (12-16-20, or 24-32-40, for example).Perform 3 rounds of 1 TGU on each side, first with the light kettlebell, then with the medium, and finally with the heavy kettlebell. The idea is that the heavy kettlebell will show you where your technique needs work, then the light kettlebell will allow you to practice and correct technique errors or inefficiencies. The “wavy” load is also useful for learning.
Week 3 “Run the Rack”: On this day, you’ll start with a very light kettlebell, perform a TGU on each side, and keep working up to progressively heavier kettlebells. Once you’ve reached the heaviest kettlebell you can manage for that day (which may or may not be a personal best), work with it for a few sets. Then perform a few slightly lighter get-ups to cleanse your palate. The total number of get-ups per side for the entire workout should be 8-10.
Week 4: Either start at Week 1 (trying to exceed either the previous weight or number of reps from last time), or take a light week to recover.

Heavy kettlebell TGU

Here’s an example of how this program might look over a few months. In this example, the athlete’s previous personal record for the TGU is a 40kg kettlebell:

32kg x 8 reps per arm
(28-32-36) x 3 cycles; 9 total get-ups per arm
3. 16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40x1x2, 32×1
32kg x 9 reps per arm; Note that this is more than the 8 reps in week 1
5. (28-32-36) x 3 cycles; a chance to drill technique
16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40x1x3, 32×1; On this day he manages one more rep at 40kg vs. the prior week.
Rest week
32kg x 10 reps per arm; Note that this is more than the 9 reps in week 4
(24-32-40) x 3 cycles; Today he feels strong and increases the top set from 36kg to 40kg, but drops the weight on light and medium bells such that he can still complete the workout comfortably.
16×1, 20×1, 24×1, 28×1, 32×1, 36×1, 40×1, 44×1 PR!, 36kgx1 32×1;Today, he sets a new personal record before dropping down!

2. The TGU as a Warm-Up

Simply perform 3-5 get-ups with a light-medium kettlebell (~50% of your best-ever get-up) before your scheduled workout. This is a great option if you’re working on a more involved bodyweight or barbell program, and don’t have the bandwidth or desire to fit a lot of get-ups into your program. This option also emphasizes the idea that the get-up is not just training, but also assessment.

A note on the get-up as assessment: While we use the TGU as a stimulus for adaptation, the TGU also has a useful role as a form of assessment. By mindfully practicing the get-up and noticing where the challenges are and how they evolve, you can gain important insights into the quality of your movement. For example, if I’m in a heavy powerlifting cycle involving high-volume bench pressing, and the “low sweep” of my get-up starts becoming challenged, I might conclude that my pectoral muscles have become tight, and that I need to spend some time mobilizing my overhead position.

TGU in group fitness

3. 10-15 Minute Practice Blocks

Simply set a timer for 10-15 minutes and practice the TGU until the time is up.

This is our preferred way to teach the get-up to novices in a personal training or semi-private training scenario. While this program works great for those working with a coach or trainer, it’s also an excellent option for self-coached kettlebell lifters. When learning, it can be useful to remove the pressure of hitting a certain weight or number of reps, and let the athlete simply explore the movement and work on technique. We usually program this towards the end of a training session.

TGU partner spotting

4. 10-15 Minute Work Capacity Blocks

This option uses exactly the same parameters are #3, except with a different purpose. Now, the goal is to perform as many get-ups as possible within the time interval, while never sacrificing quality for quantity. Record your results, and look to improve each week. This is a great option for losing weight while also improving movement quality, or for conditioning and building work-capacity.

An appropriate weight for this option is anywhere from 50-75% of your best get-up.

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Jason Kapnick is the co-founder of Catalyst SPORT, one of New York City’s top kettlebell training facilities. He has made multiple Elite powerlifting totals, with best lifts of 545/355/660 in the 198lb weight class, and achieved the Beast Tamer Challenge at his RKC in April 2013. He can be contacted through catalystsportnyc.com .

CrossFit, Kettlebell Training, Kale Salad and Donuts

October 26, 2016 By Nick Lynch 1 Comment

Nick Lynch kettlebell press

First off, I’d like to admit that I love donuts. It may or may not have been the years of skipping Sunday Boy Scouts to watch The Simpsons with my dad that programmed my subconscious to love donuts but nonetheless, I love donuts. Would I eat them all the time? Only if I wanted to be as soft and squishy as the crème filled varietal. I’ve come to learn that in order to have a donut here and there, I need to eat some kale salad. So what’s all this donut and kale salad talk have to do with CrossFit and kettlebell training? Everything…and here’s why.

I’ve learned to appreciate CrossFit over the years. Many clients that I train with participate in it, love it, and swear by it. If it weren’t for Crossfit, I’m not sure kettlebells and dinosaur training would be so popular today. CrossFit has popularized otherwise forgotten strength secrets like carrying heavy stones, pushing and pulling heavy loads, and of course, Olympic Lifting. But, it’s the Hardstyle training methods that we teach as RKCs that make these lifts safe and effective. You could say it’s a match made in heaven! So what’s with the whole kale salad and donuts analogy? Well, the vast majority of the people I know who participate in CrossFit quickly realize that they can’t only do CrossFit. They need their kale salad, which in this analogy is Hardstyle kettlebell training.

Why?

Kettlebell training serves as corrective exercise and therefore has functional carry-over to other intense physical activity, such as CrossFit. One must master his/her breath, the hinge, the wedge and gain strong grip strength in order to perform such exercises as the Hardstyle swing, strict pull-up, Turkish get-up, snatch and strict press. Guys like Bolt take home gold medals for having a strong hinge, wedge, wrists, feet and coordinated breath. When you take talent and combine the skills required of an RKC, you’re on your way to a gold medal, so to speak. You’re a strong and functional athlete.

Hinge = staying in your wedge, reach your butt towards the wall behind you without forward bending of the knees.

Wedge = shoulders packed, pelvis neutral, glutes locked and abs flexed rock solid.

The general population does not lead a physically challenging lifestyle. We type, we click, we press, and we swipe to “work” our grip strength. Our daily squatting happens in the form of on-and-off the toilet and up-and-down off a chair. That said, we don’t have the wrist strength and the hip/lumbar/thoracic mobility to safely barbell snatch overhead and catch the bar without something debilitating happening; hence the high injury rate associated with intense physical activities. I’ve learned that you can greatly reduce debilitating injuries during any activity simply by learning functional movement patterns and gaining strength with RKC kettlebell training. It’s fun to eat donuts just like it’s fun to snatch a barbell. But you can’t eat donuts all of the time just like you can’t snatch a barbell all of the time. You’ve got to have your kale salad just like you’ve got to have your corrective exercises.

I here’s a major example of how one can utilize Hardstyle kettlebell training as a form of corrective exercise to enhance their athletic performance at CrossFit:

Phil Ross RKC demo

Wrist strength. Many movement patterns in Olympic lifting require catching a fast moving weight with the wrists in extension. This pattern forces the body to respond with borrowed movement from the elbows, shoulders, back and knees putting the body in a dangerous and compromised position. In martial arts and fighting, this body position would require one to submit or tap out. You’re basically rendered useless as your successor could, if they wanted to, break your arm. Additionally, I want you to think for a second about how many sports and or physical activities require an emphasis on extended wrist positions. Here’s a few functionally and daily movements that DON’T require extended wrists: pull-ups, deadlifts, running, climbing, swimming, rowing, punching etc. Lifting weights in a way that means you could tear or break your arm is a bad idea unless you practice the solution!

Extended wrists in action as showcased by Jared Byczko, RKC and owner of CrossFit Naptown:

Jared CrossFit Naptown wrist extension

The solution: Hardstyle Turkish get ups, kettlebell presses, knuckle push-ups, strict pull ups and bottoms up presses. These exercises require you do the opposite of Oly lifts. In addition, the speed in which you perform such exercises is slow and focused. Wrists maintain a neutral and flexed position throughout each exercise therefore strengthening. Lastly, the body does not need to borrow movement to compensate, instead, one can utilize the wedge to support the weight. The wedge strengthens your whole torso and hips, while the neutral and flexed position of your wrists strengthens your wrists, hands, forearms, elbows, shoulders and postural chain.

RKC Workshop Jared squat

Now you can go a little more nuts next time you clean and jerk with the barbell for reps.

In the following program, I’m going to outline a simple and effective corrective exercise program that utilizes kettlebells. I’ve found that bodybuilders, CrossFitters, powerlifters, etc. all respect and enjoy this program simply because it’s difficult, yet restorative.

Day 1 – WOD – light – Practice your technique, don’t go heavy, don’t set new PRs, be mindful of form. 50-65% max

Day 2 – Hardstyle – Follow the program listed below. Ensure you practice the Hardstyle technique as it’s specifically designed to strengthen your wrists, postural chain, hands/wrists and feet.

Day 3 – WOD – medium – Same as Day 1 except go a little heavier (but not much!). 65-75% max.

Day 4 – Hardstyle – Follow the program listed below.

Day 5 – WOD – hard – heavy- 80-90% max.

Days 6 and 7 – Functional human activities such as running, jumping, swimming, climbing, carrying, etc.

You may have noticed on the hard WOD day I recommended going 80-90% max. Save your 110% effort for every 3-6 months. After all, the greats really only PR once or twice per year and that’s at a competition.

Hardstyle Program-Day 2:

Suitcase Deadlift – go heavy, 3-5 reps

Push ups – on front two knuckles if you can, otherwise on two kettlebells or Neuro-Grips

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Farmer Carry – very heavy for 30 seconds. For extra grip strength, wrap a towel around the handle of your bell

OH Press – 3-5 per side, medium weight, stellar technique!

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

Reverse plank x10 seconds

Plank x10 seconds

Side planks, both sides, x10 seconds each

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

Hardstyle Program Day-4

Goblet Squat – heavy, 3-5 reps

OH Double press – medium, 3-5 reps

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Pull ups – 3-5 reps

Split squat – medium, 3 reps per side

Rest 1:30

Repeat 4 sets

Core:

Log roll – 5 to the right, 5 to the left

Mtn Climbers – 20 reps

Pelvic Push Ups – 3 reps

Rest 30-seconds

Repeat 2-4 sets

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RKC Team Leader Nick Lynch is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE). He owns Superb Health Milwaukee, a kettlebell studio in Milwaukee, WI. He has 13 years of full-time training and coaching experience and a lifetime of wellness education. Nick lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Natalie and son Weston.

The Barbell Strength RKC Prep Program

September 28, 2016 By Jason Kapnick 2 Comments

The instructor cadre from last year’s RKC at Catalyst SPORT.

Much has been written about the synergy of kettlebells and barbells. They complement each other’s “blind spots” extremely well. Training properly with either will make you better at both. The RKC is the world’s premier kettlebell certification, and I can tell you first-hand that the skills I learned at the RKC have made me a better powerlifter.

This program is intended for an RKC candidate who wants to keep barbells in his or her program, while still building the requisite work capacity and skill to excel at an RKC Workshop. Whether you’re a powerlifter, football player, strongman competitor, or simply a barbell enthusiast, this program will get you strong, conditioned, and ready to impress at the RKC. It is also great for would-be Beast Tamers (just add some pistol squat practice).

When preparing for the RKC, there are three Pillars of Success you must consider:

Work Capacity. The RKC has evolved beyond its brutal and punishing roots, and is now more focused on teaching skills and helping you become a skilled instructor. But, it is still a challenging three days which will test your fitness. Be prepared for multiple workouts per day, interspersed with lots of drills and technique practice. And oh yeah, there’s a snatch test in there too.
Maximum Strength. The role of maximum strength is less obvious than work capacity (after all, most men won’t have to handle anything larger than 24kg, and women 16kg). Being strong will make your RKC weekend so much easier. When heavy kettlebells feel light, you can more effectively focus on technique.
Movement Quality. It is important to safely and effectively place kettlebells overhead, squat, and have good hip extension.

The rack position is a crucial kettlebell skill. Here the author demonstrates the “loaded clean” to drill lat engagement and rooting to the floor. — The rack position is a crucial kettlebell skill. Jason Kapnick demonstrates the “loaded clean” to drill lat engagement and rooting to the floor.

It is worth noting that I have not included “kettlebell technique” on this list. While having familiarity and skill with the kettlebell will greatly benefit you throughout the certification weekend, it is not essential to show up with PERFECT skills. The purpose of the course is to teach you these skills, and the master RKCs, team leaders and assistant instructors meet will give you all the coaching you need to pass the rigorous skills tests on the last day of the certification. The amount of progress candidates make during the RKC is nothing short of mind-blowing. So, work on your technique and get comfortable handling kettlebells, but don’t sweat it if you’re not perfect.

This program focuses on Pillars #1 and #2 (strength and work capacity), while also giving you ample time to gain familiarity and exposure to the “Big 6” kettlebell lifts tested at your RKC. While Movement Quality (Pillar #3) is absolutely crucial for success at the RKC, it mostly beyond the scope of this article. I highly recommend finding an FMS certified professional in your area for a movement screen before starting this (or any) program.

This program should be run for 6-10 weeks prior to the certification workshop.

The Program:

Day 1—KB Press & Deadlift

A1. Single Arm Press Ladder (1,2,3,4)x3
A2. (Weighted) Tactical Pull-up 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps

Deadlift 5,3,2; then drop 20% and 3×5 with 2:00 rest.
Kettlebell Skill Practice: 10-20 minutes

Press Ladders: Use the classic “Rite of Passage” progression. Add a ladder each week, and then once you get to 5 ladders, start adding rungs to the ladders. Build volume.

Deadlift: In week 1, pick a weight you can perform 8-10 reps with. Perform a set of 5, rest, a set of 3, rest, and then a set of 2, all with that same weight. Then, take 20% of the weight off the bar and do 3 sets of 5 with just a 2:00 rest. Each week, add 5-10lbs per week to the 5,3,2 sets.

Deadlifts are the key to unlocking maximal strength.

Day 2—Snatch Density and Work Capacity

Snatch Density Training

B1. Double Kettlebell Clean 5×8
B2. Double Kettlebell Squat 5×6
B3. Rack Walk 5×10-15 yards

Farmer’s carries will build a strong grip while encouraging good posture and alignment.

C1. Farmer’s Carry 2-4 sets of 15-20 yards
C2. Hang from Bar 2-4 sets of As Long As Possible
C3. Ab Wheel 2-4 sets of 5-8

Snatch Density: Perform snatches on each arm every minute on the minute (EMOTM). Add reps each week, and decrease number of minutes as necessary. Try to “arrive” at being able to do 10 snatches per arm for 7 minutes (a snatch test plus an additional two minutes). For example:

Week 1: 5/5 x15 minutes
Week 2: 6/6 x12 minutes
Week 3: 7/7 x10 minutes
Week 4: 8/8 x10 minutes
Week 5: 9/9 x8 minutes
Week 6: 10/10 x7 minutes

In reality, your progression might not be as linear or quick.

B1-B3: Perform these as a super-set, without setting the kettlebells down. Rest a few minutes between sets.

Day 3—Swings and Get-Ups

Turkish Get-Up – 8-10 Total Get-Ups. Vary the load each week (wave loading).
Heavy Single Arm Swing Volume—20 minutes. Choose a kettlebell 1.5-2.0x your snatch test bell. Perform as many sets of single arm swings as you can. If you manage more than 10 sets per arm, the pick a heavier kettlebell next week.

C1. Single Arm Rack Carry
C2. Chin-Ups
C3. Bulgarian Split Squat

Day 4—Bench Press & Squat

A1. Close Grip Bench Press 5×5
A2. Chest Supported Row 5×8-12

Front Squat 5×5

C1. Single Leg Deadlift 3×8
C2. Paloff Press 3×8
C3. Kettlebell Armbar 3×8-10 breaths

The author at a powerlifting meet in June 2015, where he posted a 1,555lb total, culminating with a 660lb deadlift.

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How to Lead the 10,000 Swing Challenge with Small Group Classes

August 3, 2016 By Lori Crock 9 Comments

Lori Crock MoveStrong Kettlebells

You may be familiar with the 10,000 Swing Challenge shared by Master RKC Dan John. In the challenge, you complete 500 kettlebell swings per day, five days a week, in a 30-day period.

In this post, I will share how I’ve adapted the 10,000 Swing Challenge for a small group class environment. My version of the plan lasts for a few months since my students are typically in the gym for class 2, 3 or 4 times each week. We do 100 to 300 kettlebell swings per class, so depending on how often they train per week, it will take 5-6 months for the average student to complete 10,000 swings.

In a 45-minute class, we prioritize swings but include many other lifts and movements such as the press, snatch, clean, squat, and Turkish get-ups. We also do carries and bodyweight movements such as planks, push-ups and pull-ups along with kettlebell and barbell deadlifts. Mobility is a high priority. We allot 10-15 minutes of class time for mobility drills relevant to the work we’re doing that day.

I like the 10,000 swing program for a small group class environment for three key reasons:

The challenge builds excitement for kettlebell swings and helps people set goals in a competitive but good-natured environment. We can see everyone’s swing totals on a white board, so we encourage, cajole and challenge each other to keep going strong. People often start doing swings outside of the gym when they can’t make it to class.

Everyone’s kettlebell swing technique improves dramatically, and that makes everything else we do in the gym better. Swings are fabulous for hip mobility, glute, back and abdominal strength, cardiovascular endurance, and overall strength and conditioning for life and sport.

Our other lifts and movements naturally get stronger when we do more swings. When we do barbell deadlifts every two weeks, we see PRs nearly every time when we have increased swing training. Snatches are easier, cleans are stronger, grip improves, and torso strength goes through the roof.

In my experience, there is no downside to this program as long as students learn safe technique from an RKC instructor. Students must also be careful to keep up with mobilizing tight muscles, continuing to train other lifts and movements and not to overtrain.

Lori Crock Group Kettlebell swings

Programming Guidelines:

Use one and two arm kettlebell swings as the base of the program. Include hand-to-hand swings, too.
Use other types of swings, but less often—examples include low swings, pendulum, eccentric, walking, double kettlebell, dead-stop, and mixed double kettlebell swings.
Have students perform their swings individually, or with a partner (or in two groups) using a you-go-and-I-go format. Try a “swing wave”: when one person finishes their swing, the next person starts their kettlebell swing.
Use complexes, chains, ladders, pyramids, and AMRAP (as many reps as possible; we use 2-10 minute sets) workout formats to create challenging sessions.
Encourage your students to swing different weights. Do sets of 30-50 swings with light kettlebells, and sets of 20 with moderate weight kettlebells. Use heavier kettlebells for sets of 5, 10, or 15 swings with 30 to 60 seconds of rest. Try swinging heavy, medium and light kettlebells in succession. There are no rules or limits other than to simply be smart and don’t overdo it.
Use “duos” to practice other skills at the same time with these combinations: swing-snatch, swing-clean, swing-squat, and swing-high pull.
Pair mobility work with swings for practice and recovery; see the get-up and swing training example below.

Small Group 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge Training Examples

Deadlifts, Get-Up Mobility, and 120 Kettlebell Swings

Warm-up: T-spine mobility, RKC hip flexor stretch, and RKC arm bar

Sumo deadlifts: 5 sets of 5 reps, then 5 sets of 8 reps while progressively increasing the weight

Get-up to post 3L + 3R
3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
Get-up leg sweep and crooked arm bar in half-kneeling 3L + 3R
3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
Get-up high bridge 3L + 3R
3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings
Get-up step-back lunge and step up with kettlebell overhead 3L + 3R
3 x 10 two-hand heavy kettlebell swings

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes (include a full get-up on each side)

Work-Rest Interval Kettlebell Lifts, Carries and 160 Swings

Warm-up: Squat mobility, hip openers, shoulder circles, lunging, skipping and crawling

Goblet squats: 30 seconds on, 20 seconds off x6
Carry: goblet lunges x10
Two-arm kettlebell swings: 20 seconds on, 15 seconds off x 6
Carry: single kettlebell suitcase walk or lunge 10L + 10R
Push-press: 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off x6
Carry: single kettlebell overhead walk or lunge 10L + 10R
Clean: 20 seconds on, 15 seconds off x6
Carry: single kettlebell racked walk up to 2 minutes on the left side then repeat on the right

Finisher: 100 hand-to-hand swings

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes

Swings, Squats, Push-ups, and 200 Kettlebell Swings

5 rounds:

Two-hand walking kettlebell swings: 10 reps, active rest with fast & loose, 10 more reps
Single kettlebell racked squat, 5L + 5R
Push-ups: knee or strict 1-20 reps (or Hardstyle plank or tall plank for 30 seconds)

5 rounds:

Single-arm kettlebell swings 10L + 10R

Mobility cool down: 5-10 minutes

Bottoms-Up and Swing Variations with 300+ Kettlebell Swings

Warm-up: choose a light kettlebell for halos, good mornings, French press, prying goblet squat, RKC hip bridge, planks, t-spine bridge. Include wrist and finger mobility, and shoulder rolls

3 rounds:

Bottoms-up cleans: 5L + 5R
Bottoms-up clean to squat: 3L + 3R
Bottoms-up clean to squat to press: 3L + 3R

5 rounds:

Two-arm pendulum swings: 20 reps

Complete the following sequence of two-arm kettlebell swings without putting the kettlebell down:

5 reps low swings
5 reps standard swings
5 reps eccentric over-speed swings

6 rounds:

Windmills for recovery (choose a light kettlebell or no weight): 3L + 3R

AMRAP kettlebell swings: do as many single-arm swing variations as possible in 5 minutes. Choose standard, pendulum, hand-to-hand, low and dead-stop swings with various kettlebells.

Lori Crock Group Kettlebell deadlifts

If you’ve used the 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge with your clients in a small group format, please comment below to share your experience.

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Lori Crock is an RKC Team Leader, PCC instructor, FMS-I & II, USAW-I and owner of MoveStrong Kettlebells in Dublin, Ohio. Lori teaches small group kettlebell, bodyweight and mobility classes to all ages and fitness levels. Lori can be reached at lori@movestrongkbs.com, www.movestrongkbs.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MoveStrongKBs/

How to Keep Training When Life Gets in the Way

July 6, 2016 By Phil Ross 4 Comments

Phil Ross Master RKC One Hand Handstand

Other than the excuse of “I don’t have the money to train”, the other top excuse for not exercising is “I don’t have time”. The money issue is usually more a question of priorities. At my gym, it costs about five dollars a day to join my classes. That’s not much when it seems like many people spend $3 to $5 on their morning coffee, $10-15 on lunch and waste even more on other frivolous expenditures. If it still isn’t in the budget, people can always work out at home with books like Convict Conditioning, Survival Strong, or Master the Kettlebell for a small one-time investment. But, budgeting to join a class could be as easy as packing your lunch and making your own coffee. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve been almost penniless—twice—and never stopped training. Excuses are like armpits, everyone has them and they all stink! But, my focus for this post isn’t savings, it’s time allocation.

“No time, no time, no time…” That’s no excuse. Make time! It doesn’t take much. Pick an activity and do it for one hour, three times a week. Do something else for 20 to 30 minutes a day on your “off days”. If you still can’t manage one hour, three times a week, start by doing this little workout to get your juices flowing—all you need is 30 minutes, a floor and a $10 jump rope:

The goal is 1000 jump rope skips (200 per round for 5 sets), 100 push-ups (25 per round for 4 sets) and 120 abdominals (30 per round for 4 sets). Here’s the order: jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope, push-ups, abs, jump rope. End the workout with planks, bridges and stretching.

With kettlebells, you can do a 12 or 20 minute Tabata interval sequence. Pick 3 to 5 exercises, and set your interval timer for 20 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest and hit it! Your heart rate will rise and you’ll be sweating in no time! For example, you could pick three exercises like double kettlebell swings, double kettlebell front squats and double kettlebell presses. If you pick five exercises you might add double kettlebell rows and cleans. There are endless combinations. Pick a few that work well together. A bodyweight exercise only version could be burpees, push-ups and abs. End the workout with bridges and stretch out. There are endless possibilities.

Here’s a real life example of how I kept training in a very busy time…

It was crunch time. I had less than three weeks before the photo shoot for my upcoming book with Marty Gallagher, Ferocious Fitness. I needed to be in peak condition, so missing my training was out of the question. My training had been going according to schedule, but then life happened—as it often does—when you own a business, are a parent, a spouse, have older parents, and have dogs, too.

Right before noon, I got a call from my six year old daughter’s school. She was sick and needed to come home. Since my wife was at her job 40 miles away from home, I also needed to take my daughter to the doctor. I told my blue belts what to cover in our noon Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, and I was out the door.

The first available doctor’s appointment was 2PM, and it was already 12:22 by the time I picked up my little one. After I situated her on the couch at home, I had 1 hour and 38 minutes to workout, eat, shower and get her to the doctor. Game on!

I went into the garage and hit it. I started with the 5 Geometric Bando forms (Point, Square, Cross, T and the Line), three times each. Then I did a nonstop circuit with Neuro-Grip push-ups and kettlebells. I did four sets of the Neuro-Grip push-ups and three sets of the other exercises:

25 Neuro-Grip push-ups
10 hand to hand kettlebell swings
Table top push-downs, 10 seconds, 6 reps
Single kettlebell front squats, 5 reps each side
WOD-QB roller: 5 seconds out and back, 5 reps to the center and each side
Single kettlebell high pulls, 8 each side
4 way neck, 10 seconds dynamic tension in each direction
Single kettlebell rows, 8 each side

I ended the workout with 5 sets of uneven kettlebell shrugs (20 reps per set).  Since I didn’t have time for a “real” lunch, I made a shake with a banana, a splash of OJ, water, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and egg white protein powder—then chugged it. I took the next 7 minutes to shower, get dressed and get in the car. (I’m glad I’m bald at times like this!) At 1:45PM we were off to the doctor’s office, and made it on time. It even worked out that we were able to pick up her prescription, and drop her off at home with the sitter by 3:15PM. I had plenty of time to teach my 4PM kettlebell class, and since my wife got home from work early, I was able to teach my classes through 9PM.

I could have easily bypassed the workout and no one would have thought less of me—except for me! My point is that these scenarios happen fairly often. A sick child, a parent who needs help, a dog eating the carpet, network problems at the studio… Life happens, but if you roll with the punches, you can still fit in your workout. You can do it!

Strength and Honor,

Coach Phil

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Master RKC Phil Ross is the creator of many strength and conditioning programs, including The Kettlebell Workout Library DVD set. Visit www.philross.com to learn about his programs, classes, and workshops. Subscribe to his YouTube channel for more workout and exercise info.

Five 5s: Five Simple, Effective, Nourishing Kettlebell Workouts

March 2, 2016 By Nick Lynch 11 Comments

Nick Lynch Group Workout Kettlebell Jerks

Sometimes, I just want to do a quick workout and either can’t or don’t want to spend an hour to do it. That’s why I put together this series of efficient kettlebell workouts which can be done in a short amount of time with minimal equipment (a kettlebell, the floor, rings and a pull-up bar of some type). These workouts are also simple to modify. If you DO have an hour in the gym, you can simply multiply your sets. As you’re reading, I invite you to take note of any questions you may have and ask them in the comments section below this blog post. I’m more than happy to do my best when answering them. I hope you enjoy these programs as much as we do in Milwaukee!

1: “The Zen of Zane”

Frank Zane used to train chest, triceps and shoulders in one day. Compared to how his competition was training, his approach was totally bizarre. His competition was training opposing muscle groups such as chest and biceps. Frank was known for his amazing symmetry and muscularity. With a daily dose of this workout, I think you might start to look and feel like Frank Zane!

Set a timer for five minutes and repeat the following sequence of exercises until five minutes has passed.

5 push presses per side
5 pull-ups
5-10 push-ups
30 seconds break
1 push-up
1 push press per side
1 pull-up
5 push presses per side
5 pull-ups
5-10 push-ups
30 seconds break

Modification
Trade reps for seconds. For example, instead of 10 pull ups, perform a 10-seconds flex arm hang.

2: “My Favorite”

This workout is my personal favorite, let’s see what you think!

Set a timer for eight minutes, complete at least four full sets of the following:

5 ring dips
25 swings
1:30 minutes rest

Modifications
Option one: try putting your feet a raised platform for extra stability. Option two: perform bench dips instead of ring dips. Option three: forming a triangle with your hands, and perform 5 push-ups, be sure to use the entire range of motion, bringing your sternum down to your hands.

3: “Lungs of Hell”

The name of this workout is a tribute to the classic Megadeth song which I think also sounds great played loud along with this workout…

Set a timer for five minutes, and perform the following sequence safely for time:

Perform a get-up to standing, do 5 overhead lunges, 5 push presses, 5 squats, then 5 snatches. Keeping the kettlebell overhead finish the get-up and return to the floor. Switch sides, resting as needed.

Modifications:
Option one, reduce your reps to three. Option two, reduce the size of the kettlebell you’re using. Option three, reduce your reps to one.

4: “Speak To Me/Breathe”

Pink Floyd begins their infamous albums, Dark Side of the Moon with “Speak To Me” which leads right into “Breathe.” I think this is funny because this could also describe the breathing techniques we teach and use in the RKC community. There’s the classic hiss during the swing and goblet squat “hoooop” grunt. You’ll need to focus on your vocalizing your breaths to keep up with these reps. The end result is amazing lung capacity, strong legs, bullet-proof abs, and grip strength that won’t quit!

Set a timer for 8 minutes with the goal of completing 4 rounds of the following:

10 goblet squats
25 swings
rest
5 goblet squats
25 swings
rest

Use a HEAVY kettlebell.

Modifications
Option one: use a lighter kettlebell. Option two: reduce overall reps. Option three: perform bodyweight squats and vertical jumps instead of goblet squats and swings.

5: “Look Alive”

Coordination and attention to detail make this last workout effective and nourishing. It’s challenging and fun at the same time because you must focus on every rep for the entire five minutes.

Set a timer for five minutes. Repeat the following sequence for a total of five sets. If you finish early, take a short active-rest break and, a swig of water and continue until the end of five minutes.

5 push-ups
5 partial jumps (please refer to video for the technique)
5 swings

These five simple but scalable workouts produce results even when time is limited. I invite you to share your experience after trying one or all of the Five-5s. Feel free to have fun and modify them to fit your needs.

Enjoy and until next time, have a most excellent day!
Nick Lynch, RKC Team Leader

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How to Turbo Charge Your Big Six (Part 2)

November 25, 2015 By Phil Ross 3 Comments

Master RKC Phil Ross RKC Plank

To get the full effect of these routines it’s important that you’ve read the first part of this series. If you haven’t, please consult my previous blog post: How to Turbo Charge Your Big Six (Part 1).

Now, we will continue our heavy load volume training with the next two workouts. As explained in Part 1, although the movements are relatively basic, these workouts should only be attempted by experienced kettlebell lifters. There is a great deal of volume involved and one must possess the strength, muscular endurance and technical skill to complete the workouts as designed.

Workout #3: Press Pyramid, Row Ladder and Cleans

Pick a bodyweight warm-up, then perform 2 sets of the following:

Armbar
Lying side press, 10 each side
Kettlebell pullover, 10 reps

Press Pyramid:
Strategically plan out which kettlebells you will be using. Again, I start with the RKC Snatch Test sized kettlebell. Do 5 reps with the first kettlebell on each side, then go up in weight and do 4 reps, increase and do 3 reps, go up again in kettlebell size and do 2 reps. When you get to your heaviest chosen weight, perform one rep on each side. Now we go back down the pyramid, but not all the way. Once you get to kettlebell # 3, perform 3 reps on each side and stay at this weight for the 4 rep and the 5 rep sets. If you are not able to increase the weight each set, then simply stay at the highest weight you can do and simply decrease the reps. If you want to make your pressing pyramid more challenging, do the “bottoms-up” version of the press.

Row Ladder:
These static kettlebell rows are a double kettlebell exercise. To understand the importance of stability in this exercise, sssume the bent over kettlebell row position, contract your lats and pack your shoulders. If the kettlebells touch the ground, your position is not stable.

Your palms are facing forward while you are in the racked position. NEVER begin this exercise from the bent over position, start by grasping the bells, standing straight up, then lowering yourself into the 10 & 4 position (head at 10 o’clock and tail at 4). Employ a 180 degree rotation as you allow one kettlebell to descend so that it is in front of your knee, while keeping the other kettlebell racked. Bring the kettlebell back, pause, then repeat this on the other side. Envision pulling your chest through the kettlebells to help counter the temptation to be standing more upright. The reps are 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, & 5, 5. Repeat this series 2 more times.

Bottom-Up Clean and Hold:
During this exercise we will alternate between the ballistic clean and the full body tension of the hold. You must use tension through your abdomen, trunk. lats, glutes, pecs and legs to maintain this position with a heavy kettlebell. We will perform 5 reps on each side for 5 sets. There will be a 3 second hold at the bottoms up racked position. Clean the bell, beginning with your thumb facing forward, especially if you are using a heavy bell. This is virtually the only exercise that I recommend performing the backswing between your legs in this fashion. It’s difficult to control a large kettlebell while twisting it into a secure bottoms-up position. It’s far better to take a straight line approach.

Cool down and you’re done. Be sure to de-load your forearms during your cool down, your grip will get very taxed during this session.

MasterRKCPhilRossKettlebellSnatch

Workout #4: Snatch Pyramid, Squat Ladder and Planks

Choose from one of the aforementioned warm up routines from Part #1 and then you are good to go!

Snatch Pyramid:
Take your RKC Snatch Test sized kettlebell and begin. The idea is to move through the routine without resting between the sets. Perform these reps in succession on each hand. 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10. And then back down – 9, 9, 8, 8, 7, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1 & 1. Shake your arms loose and stretch out your forearms.

Squat Ladder:
5 reps each side, 10 sets. As with most of the other exercises, we begin with our snatch test size kettlebell and increase the weight each set, if you can. If not, stick with the heaviest possible kettlebell you can manage and complete the remainder of the sets with that particular size. We do not travel back down the ladder, we end with the highest weight that we are able to use for 5 repetitions on each side.

Planks:
I call this “Just Plank Fun.” If you have a training partner, switch off and on, holding each other’s feet up in the tall plank and then release one foot. You may also pick one hand off of the ground or if you are adventurous, have one foot in the air and pull the adjacent hand off of the ground, while keeping your hips and shoulders in the same plane. If you are alone, you may use the wall to press your feet against and remove one foot and then switch. You may also remove one hand from the floor as well.

For less conditioned students, plank practice is always beneficial. RKC-style planks (on your elbows), power planks, tall planks or side planks may all be used to finish up the training session. Again, this depends on your level of expertise and fitness.

PhilRossRaised_Plank

Workout #5 Fun Friday: Toss, Sprint, Push-up, Sprint, Toss, Abs & Repeat

On Fridays, I like to have some fun and mix up my workouts. Living in the Northeast, training a great deal of the time outside is not very practical. So during the warmer months, I like to get into nature and enjoy. On a recent Friday, I did the following and I really got into the zone – it was great! I felt like the Energizer Bunny, because I just kept going and going. Check out this workout and have some fun!

First, I grabbed a 20kg kettlebell from the garage and farmer carried it through the woods behind my house and to an open field. I had done a 1/2 hour of bodyweight exercise and an hour of No-Gi Jiu Jitsu a few hours before, so I didn’t need to do a complete warm-up. If your workout wasn’t preceded by what I did, I would suggest a thorough 15 minute warm-up including hip openers and hamstring stretching.

After I got to the field, I kicked off my flip flops, did a light warm up. I jogged to the 50 yard mark and set my towel down. I jogged back and did some cossacks and hamstring stretches. Then I got to work…

Here was the routine:

One kettlebell toss: Either straight out or overhead.
50 yard sprint (to the towel)
15 Push-ups
50 yard sprint (back to the kettlebell)
One kettlebell toss
50 yard sprint (to the towel)
20 abdominals
50 yard sprint (back to the kettlebell)

I repeated this for a total of 40 sprints which also yielded 20 kettlebell tosses, 150 push-ups and 200 abdominals. I was sweating and PUMPED! There’s not a great deal of thinking involved, so you can allow yourself to “get into the zone”.

I cooled down and farmer’s walked back home. I did have to change hands once on the way back to my house as I went through the woods.

There you have it, five workouts, four that reinforce the basic kettlebell movements and one that’s a total burner to round things out–all accomplished while providing a challenging set of sessions. Put these routines into your training cycles and enjoy improvement with all of your movements!

Enjoy!

Coach Phil Ross

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For more information on Master RKC, 8th Degree Black Belt, and Bodyweight Specialist Phil Ross’s strength and conditioning programs, videos (including The Kettlebell Workout Library), and workshops, please visit www.philross.com.

Kettlebell Training, the Secret to an All American Distance Runner’s Success

September 9, 2015 By Phil Ross 3 Comments

Carleen Jeffers Running Track

Over the past 22 months, Carleen Jeffers has amassed an incredible amount of championships—and has set distance running high school and county records that were previously unbroken for decades. Brown University bound, Jeffers didn’t even consider long distance running until the summer of 2013. But in the fall of that same year, she earned the honor of First Team All County for Cross Country in the incredibly competitive county of Bergen, NJ—population, one million. During her first season, she went from not running track to First Team All County! Some top-shelf athletes train their whole lives and never achieve that level of success in our county. Prior to running, Carleen played softball, trained in the martial arts for many years, and began swinging kettlebells about a year before track.

Many distance runners don’t like the idea of resistance training, but they need strength! While bodybuilding routines or powerlifting will usually be counter-productive, kettlebells and bodyweight training can also provide relief from the repetitive movements of running. Tendons and ligaments will also become stronger which can prevent injuries and/or lessen their severity. Diaphragm strength also increases, and will supply the muscles with more oxygen. The body will process lactic acid more efficiently, allowing an athlete to have a stronger kick at the end of a race. Becoming stronger also has psychological advantages. Obviously, kettlebell and bodyweight training makes a lot of sense for runners.

Even during her highest mileage training of more than 60 miles a week, Carleen was able to maintain her muscle mass and avoid injury. While teammates suffered from stress fractures, shin splits and other common overuse injuries, her season was uninterrupted.

Carleen Jeffers With Kettlebell

She completed her senior year by placing 4th in the New Balance National High School track meet on June 19th, 2015, earning her High School All American status. Her performance of 16.58 in the 5K smashed both the former Bergen County and Ridgewood High School records and earned her Track Athlete of the Year for Northern New Jersey. That’s quite a few accomplishments for an athlete in a sport for only 22 months.

Carleen’s coach, Jacob C. Brown, of Ridgewood High School, is a coaching legend in the world of women’s track. He’s coached more champions and championship teams than virtually any other coach in the state of New Jersey. He advised her to keep training with kettlebells while she is in college—even if the college strength program doesn’t call for it. Coach Brown and I agree that that Carleen’s kettlebell training was the major differentiator in her success as a runner.

How did a 97 pound, 5’ 4” high school distance runner quickly achieve such a high level of success? Normally in track and field, athletes rarely improve from one contest to another, especially at higher levels of competition. The goal is to stay healthy while peaking for the States, Nationals or Worlds.

Carleen Jeffers Trail Running

Many runners—along with many in the general population—have rounded shoulders and poor thoracic mobility. And this situation is acerbated by the form these athletes adopt while running. Instead, they need to open up their chests to expand their lung capacity and increase blood flow.

The following are examples of Carleen’s training with kettlebells as a track athlete. We generally cycle our weekly training.

Warm-Up and Mobility:
Each session includes a warm up of jumping rope for 3-5 minutes, and a mobility sequence. The mobility portion includes six posterior chain and shoulder mobility exercises performed with a bo staff or dowel, armbars, thoracic bridges, deck squats or some other squat, hip opening movements, zombie rolls, and push-ups, to name a few. We also employed crawling movements along with quad and hamstring stretching.

Power Days:
Heavy lifting with sets of 5 to 10 reps. We have Power Days within three or more days before an event. If it’s a major event, we’ll leave a week between power sessions. These sessions include heavy swings, sumo squats, double kettlebell squats and heavy presses, bottoms-up presses, heavy get-ups, floor presses, heavy rows, kettlebell carries, and complexes. We also perform low rep plyometric versions of some of these movements.

Endurance Days:
Endurance days include chains with 30 to 40 reps, and weighted plyometrics of 10 to 20 reps per set. With kettlebells, we perform walking figure-8 lunges, walking swings, over-speed eccentric swings, ladders, and VO2Max snatch workouts. If we don’t do a VO2Max workout, we’ll end with “6 Minutes of Hell” or 5 minutes of kettlebell snatches (similar to part of the RKC Workshop testing requirements).

An example of a “6 Minutes of Hell” variation: Perform a clean, press, and a squat as a chain for one minute on one side, then change to the other side for the next minute. Repeat this for 6 minutes.

After an endurance day, we would make sure to have at least two days of rest before an event. Sometimes we might do an endurance day workout the day before an event, but with reduced weights, so the athletes would not be too sore to compete. However, we wouldn’t have an endurance day before a big meet.

PowerDure Days:
A good 40 to 50% of our weekly workouts are based on the PowerDure method. We perform the first half of the workout using mid-range power sets. We’ll do 3 to 4 sets of a mobility exercise along with an upper body push and pull, and lower body push and pull. 8 to 10 reps per set. Sometimes unilateral, other times bilateral.

In PowerDure, grinds are our primary focus. The second half of the session is dedicated to muscular endurance, while maintaining our bracing and the lock and pop of our ballistic movements. We focus on chains and circuits using workouts like our “Warrior’s Challenge”, “Scrambled Eggs” (see example below), and Tabatas. Heart rates are high and so is the sweat production! Afterwards, we cool down with mobility and flexibility training. I have a pool of several hundred workouts in the PowerDure category.

Bodyweight Days: These are performed once a week, especially close to the meets and sometimes the day before. We will either train with low reps (1 to 5) for strength or we will use timed circuits, moving from one exercise to the next while trying to hit 80% of our max reps. Generally, our bodyweight circuits are timed at 50 seconds on, 10 seconds off. We usually do 9 exercises for 5 rotations. During strength (low rep) days, we’ll challenge ourselves with the most difficult exercises. On bodyweight days, we always revert to regressions when the reps of the more difficult movements are no longer achievable. I find the bodyweight-only days round out the training since bodyweight exercises also improve balance and overall coordination.

Bergen County Track Stars 2014 — Bergen County Track Stars

Example PowerDure workout with an intermediate variation of “Scrambled Eggs”

Our “Scrambled Eggs” circuit requires anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes to complete prior to the 1 minute rest between sets. There is no rest between the exercises, only one minute rest at the end of each set. This type of training prepares the body to deal with the lactic acid produced during sports or other strenuous activities.

Circuit 1: 2 sets

Two-hand kettlebell swings: 50 reps
Armbars: 10 each side
Side Press: 10 each side

Scrambled Eggs (1 kettlebell): 3 sets

Two-hand swings: 20 reps
Hand-to-hand swing: 10 reps each side
Snatches: 10 each side
High pulls: 10 each side
Swing squats: 10 reps
Waiter press: 5 each side
Single-leg deadlift: 5 reps each side
Bottoms-up press: 5 reps each side
One minute of rest

Strength and Honor!
Coach Phil

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For more information on Master RKC Phil Ross’s strength and conditioning programs, videos (including The Kettlebell Workout Library), and workshops, please visit www.philross.com. Coach Jacob Brown’s website is available at jacobbrown.com. View Carleen Jeffers’ MileSplit profile.