USING KETTLEBELLS TO COMPLIMENT A POWER LIFTING PROGRAM
Collecting dust across America in every big box gym are sets of kettlebells. Usually, they have the gym logo imprinted on them and are on the shelf in the corner of the gym. It is just heartbreaking. Many want to use kettlebells but have no idea where or even how to begin incorporating kettlebells into their programming. With just a few simple steps, including kettlebells into any program is not only safe but extremely effective.
WHY USE KETTLEBELLS?
Every piece of equipment in a gym can be replaced by a kettlebell. The kettlebell in a multi-functional strength and conditioning juggernaut. With six feet of space and a couple of kettlebells, your home gym is complete. Kettlebells are also extremely effective in busy gyms. No more waiting for equipment. Kettlebell seems to be always available and as stated earlier, six feet and a couple of bells is all that is needed.
The kettlebell is also a total body burn with a huge emphasis on posterior training. Strong glutes and hamstrings can help prevents injuries as well as relieve back and knee pain. The kettlebell is a work smarter not harder device. It gets the most bang for the buck in a short amount of time.
WHAT EXERCISES SHOULD I CHOOSE?
The bare bones basics for kettlebells would be Turkish Get-ups and kettlebell swings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSYeeudG91Q
I would also personally throw in squats. Kettlebells can be used as the focus of a program or a as supplemental lift to help compliment a program. There are many roads that can be traveled but for the sake of this article, we will be using kettlebells to help build stronger lifts and program them as supplemental.
WHERE SHOULD KETTLEBELLS BE PUT IN MY PROGRAMMING?
When using kettlebells as an auxiliary programming tool, the question becomes where they should be placed. Remember, plan the work, and work the plan. Just randomly throwing kettlebells into a program will not get the desired results or effects. There must be a systematic and calculated approach to any programming and kettlebells are no different. The key is to start simple and then build from there. Adding more exercises will influence the overall training volume but also recovery time so placement is key. The point to adding a kettlebell is to enhance WHAT you are doing and not take AWAY from what you are doing.
PLACEMENT FOR PROGRESS VERSION 1
Let’s keep things simple and work with a three-day split with the three major lifts: deadlift, bench, squat and add swings, get-ups and kettlebell squats.
Once again this is basic, but it is something to build from. When adding a kettlebell exercise think about where they can be placed to help compliment the main lift. The most obvious would-be adding kettlebell squats on Friday.
The nice option about adding kettlebell squats on Friday is the variety of the style of squats that can be done with the kettlebell: Goblet, single rack, double rack, overhead, hanging, split squats, lunges, etc. So, if heavy barbell back squats are programmed for Friday, a good choice for a kettlebell exercise would be a goblet or any racked squat. This will change the stimulus as well as give the spine a break from heavy loading.
With Friday being programmed, I would place the swings with the deadlift. The swing compliments the deadlift with a similar hip hinge and lock out at the top of the movement. This makes it perfect for deadlift day. Please check out my previous article, Build Your Deadlift Without Deadlifting, (https://builtstrongstrength.medium.com/build-your-deadlift-without-deadlifting-fb965fede370) about why the swing is so important to the deadlift. Like the squat, the swing has multiple variations: Two hands one bell, single arm swing, two hand two kettlebells, alternating single arm swing, etc. Once again, the provides an abundance of different types and style of stimuli and challenges. The swing can also be programmed in a variety of ways. The most popular programming would be for sets and reps (3 sets of 10 swings) or the swing can be used as a conditioning tool with timed swings with a predetermined work/rest ratio (30 seconds on/30 seconds off).
The get-up is where things get interesting. I am a firm believer that the get-up is the ultimate warm-up. A proper get-up increases mobility, stability, and strength throughout the body. In a previous article, Turkish Get-Up: The Ultimate Warm-Up, (https://builtstrongstrength.medium.com/turkish-get-up-the-ultimate-warm-up-65eb60e3747) I discuss the benefits of the get-up and have a step-by-step guide, but a warm-up needs to be specific to the individual. Because of this, the get-up can be used as either a complimentary exercise or used as an everyday warm-up. Below are two versions on how to implement the get-up.
With this model we can even alternate light and heavy days between the main lifts and the kettlebells.
PLACEMENT FOR PROGRESS VERSION 2
Working with the same three day split of Monday deadlift, Wednesday bench and Friday squat, we can change where we put our kettlebell work. It will still provide the same support, but it will give the body a “breather” by attacking similar muscle groups with a change of stimulus.
The squat is a knee dominant exercise, and the deadlift is a hip dominant exercise. By working opposing dominant exercises, it prevents muscles from getting “gassed out” allowing for more work to be done more often. We can go even further with this model by incorporating alternating heavy and light days.
With different versions of the swing and squat there are literally hundreds of workouts that can be designed. Additionally, within the week itself we can alternate between heavy and light on the main lift. For example, heavy deadlift on Monday and light squats on Friday and then the next week perform light deadlift on Monday and heavy squats on Friday. The combinations can decrease the workout becoming stale as well as leave the body “guessing’ which prevents adaptation to always allow progress.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PRESS?
Adding more exercises adds more complexity to programming. Remember, we are trying to be complimentary to the main lift. Pressing, like swings and squats, has a large amount of variability in exercise choices. The exercise selection becomes even greater when adding jerks and bent presses. When adding new exercises to a program, remember to keep it simple and add more complexity with time. Let’s continue with our three-day split but adding the press into the exercise mix.
Most would add the press to Wednesday. It does increase the volume of work done for that day so there is the possibility of burn out depending on the sets and reps done on the main lift ESPECIALLY when going heavy. It would be smart to vary between light and heavy when pressing which would mean when benching heavy, kettlebell press with a lighter than normal load and vice versa: bench light, press heavy.
When the get-up is performed as a warm-up, adding the press becomes easy. There is a natural hole on Wednesdays that the press fit into nicely. This makes the volume on each day “equal” which can help prevent overload.
Notice the mixture of heavy and light on the kettlebell work on Wednesday. The rep should remain the same but go up or down a kettlebell size depending on what is prescribed if needed.
Nothing is set in stone. Every program needs to be tailored to the individual. This is a basic guideline to start with and can help provide a framework to build off. Remember, and I cannot stress this enough, start simple and build from there. I have provided exercises to start with and rep ranges in the tables below for further reference. Take what is needed and move exercises around that make the most sense but remember, have fun. This is a lifelong journey and only stop when the good Lord calls.
What to know more? Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/67oL1FFpJ3rJe0K3Pe29Dc?si=I3XVJkMVRR63ihtd1g1MWw
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