Over the last few years, kettlebell training has grown by leaps and bounds in the US and overseas. Thousands of people have experienced the cardio and muscular endurance benefits of kettlebell training. However, not too many people realize that kettlebell training is a great way to pack on some functional size and strength. In other words, be as strong as you look with the strength and size that you build via kettlebell training. Is kettlebell training the best way to get bigger and stronger? Of course not. Progressive resistance with barbells will always reign supreme for that. However, if you enjoy the benefits of kettlebells and want to use them to get bigger and stronger, then this article is for you. Let’s go over the best kettlebell exercises for getting bigger and stronger as well as a training program to get the job done.
Mahler’s Kettlebell Arsenal
* Double Front Squat
* Double Swing
* Double Snatch
* Double Windmill
* Turkish Get-up
* Double Military Press
* Double Bent-over Row
* Kettlebell Pull-up
* Floor Press
It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that most of the above kettlebell exercises require two kettlebells. Why? The reason is obvious more resistance equals faster hypertrophy and strength gains. Lets use the example of the Double Military Press to illustrate this point further. When you press one 70lb. kettlebell overhead your body is working against 70lbs. total. When you press two kettlebells overhead, your body is working against 140lbs. I say ‘body’, as the military press requires a full body effort when executed properly. To lift the most weight overhead, you need to flex your butt, legs, stomach, lats, shoulder, triceps and biceps. The more weight that your body has to work against, the more intense the exercise is and the more hypertrophy will be developed. If lifting one kettlebell were superior or even just as effective, then why do thousands of bodybuilders and athletes focus on basic compound barbell exercises? Why not do one-arm bench presses instead of two-arm barbell bench presses? Unilateral exercises are great for addressing imbalances and have a place in a training regimen. However, focusing on compound bi-lateral exercises is the way to go for maximum size and strength. Lets use the example of the kettlebell front squat to drive the point home. Do you really think that front squats with one 88lb. kettlebell will be as effective as holding two kettlebells? Sure with one, your core has to work hard to maintain balance, but you are only working with 88lbs. With two kettlebells, you have to work against 176lbs. and believe me, this is harder than it sounds. Holding two big kettlebells in place for full body squats requires concentration, a strong upper body, and some strong wheels. The payoff? You get bigger and stronger legs.
The only exercise listed above that is done with one kettlebell is the Turkish Get-up. The TGU has many benefits. One, TGU’s builds a strong core, which is mandatory for heavy leg and overhead work. Two, TGU’s build up shoulder flexibility and stability, which is critical for strong pressing. The double windmill will work as well for building the core and shoulders. However, the TGU is still a wise choice to implement.
Next, lets go over a twelve-week training program to get you going:
Mahler’s Plan Of Attack
5x5 (Five Sets Of Five) Weeks 1-4
5x5 training is a standard protocol that has been around for many years. It is also an extremely effective way to pack on some size and strength. It was a favorite of legendary bodybuilder Reg Park who just happens to be Arnold’s idol. Here is how it works. Pick a training weight and do five sets of five reps. If and when you can complete all sets of five, increase the weight by five to ten pounds and shoot for five sets of five again. Take three-minute breaks in between each set. Obviously incremental weight increases are not possible with kettlebell training, so we have to look at other factors to manipulate. One factor to manipulate is time under tension. When you can do 5x5 with a quick tempo, increase the negative to four seconds and the positive to two seconds. When that becomes easy, try five seconds up, a pause at the bottom and five seconds down. Another factor to manipulate is the breaks between each set. Instead of taking three-minute breaks in between each set, take two-minute breaks. When that becomes easy, decrease the breaks to ninety seconds. When that becomes easy, go to sixty seconds. When you can do 5x5 with one-minute breaks and slower tempos, I have no doubt that you will be ready for some heavier bells. A third variable that can be manipulated are the training exercises. When you can do 5x5 on the standing Military Press, work on 5x5 on the seated press, and then 5x5 on the Sots Press. When you can do double swings easily with 5x5, move up to double snatches. There is always something that you can do to make an exercise harder or a training regimen more effective.
Here is a sample 5x5 kettlebell program:
Monday
A-1: Double Military Press
A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
Same directions as A-1 and A-2.
Wrap up with:
Double Windmill 5x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Wednesday
A-1: Double Floor Press
A-2: Double Bent-over Row
Same directions as above
B-1: Double Front Squat
B-2: Double Snatch
Same Directions as above.
Wrap up with:
TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Friday
A-1: Double Seated Military Press
A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
Wrap up with
Guard Sit-up 5x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Take a day off in between each workout. In other words, do day one on Monday, day two on Wednesday, and then Day 1 again on Friday.
Four weeks later you will be ready for another routine. I will outline two more kettlebell strength and size programs in Part 2.
About The Author Mike Mahler, RKC Sr. is a strength coach and kettlebell instructor based in Los Angeles, Ca. His upcoming DVD and book The Kettlebell Solution For Massive Gains In Size And Strength will be released soon. Check out Mike’s website at www.mikemahler.com for updates and for more information on his workshops and products. 