Good Kettlebells Workouts

Well, consider changing the following:
The load
The reps
The sets
The rest periods
The tempo of the exercise (slow negative on the Press, for example)
The order (All Cleans, then Presses - a complex)

“For context, a year ago at sixty one I had trouble getting up off the floor on one side of my body - glute wouldn't fire, and some weak posterior lower back muscles. A year ago was when I decided the party was over and I had to get very serious about moving heavy objects or become old and brittle. Too much time behind a computer, and more recently behind a computer and a road bike. Made 2024 my year of being strong first."

1- Autoregulation
Simply stated, autoregulation is a performance method that flexes or adapts to the individual using it. Use intra-workout and intra-set performance
2- Load Variability
Around 1996, my weightlifting coach and mentor, Alfonso Duran, showed me his favorite loading parameters from Prof. A. Vorobyev’s work.
3- The RM (Repetition Max)
As a competitive lifter, I have always trained for a RM - usually a 1RM - the most / greatest amount of weight I can lift one time.

1- Moving up a bell size:
Typically, I use a 10x5 - 10 sets of 5 - in 20 minutes - as a test to know that a client (or myself) “owns” a KB - especially for a combo lift (two lifts in one - the C+P) or straight up “Grinds” for strength work.
2- Moving to a More “Advanced” Exercise:
For example - moving from the 2H Swing to the 1H Swing.
3- Moving To The Double Lifts:
Once you hit the “benchmarks” in the previous two sections, you’re physically ready to move to the double KB lifts.

Well, I don’t know about “EVER” - you’d have to be the judge of that.
Sure, there’s “Simple” and there’s “Sinister” -
Simple = 10x10 Swings every 30 seconds with a 32kg and 10 Get Ups on the minute for 10 minutes
Sinister - 10x10 Swings every 30 seconds with a 48kg and 10 Get Ups on the minute for 10 minutes.
Both sound incredibly boring to me, which is why I’ve never done either.

The past 3 years I’ve used this time of the year heading into my birthday to hunt and conquer new PRs. 2024 was no different. But not everyone experiences that.
In fact, many guys (and girls) look back over their year at this time of year and are disappointed at their lack of progress.

In order to lose body fat, you have to be able to do work.
And in most cases, A LOT of work.
Problem is, if you’re not strong, you can’t do work - let alone a lot of work.
So, get started and keep focusing on training for strength, add in some “conditioning,” and as long as you’re not eating like a pig, you’ll watch yourself slowly transform.

Hard to believe it will be 20 years ago next month when the bottom dropped out of my training life.
I tore the labrum in my right hip, and could barely walk. I ended up ruining a family vacation to Kauai, Hawaii because it was so bad. All the things I loved to do, I could barely do.

[1] OWN IT.
[2] GET JUNK FOOD OUT OF THE HOUSE.
[3] I'D EAT A "PROTEIN-FIRST" DIET.
[4] I'D LIFT HEAVY (HIGH FORCE).
[6] I'D "BIAS" MY TRAINING.
[7] I'D SLEEP MORE.
[8] I'D BREATH MORE.
[9] I'D TRAIN 4-6X WEEK.
[10] I'D PRIORITIZE RECOVERY.

1- Too much direct chest work - including Bench Press - can tighten up your shoulders, and limit your Press, and any other overhead work.
2- Too much direct chest work - including Bench Press - can screw up your shoulder mechanics, and even lead to injury.
3- Direct Overhead work, like the Press, is actually good for your shoulders, when performed using the correct technique and can actually help fix your shoulders.

1- Time Efficient
You can get A LOT of work done in minimum time.
2- Use A LOT of Muscles All At Once
… Especially the ones that make life “easier” - hips, lower back, legs, upper back, shoulders, arms.
3- They Create A Conditioning Effect
Or “Incidental Conditioning” as we used to say back in the old RKC days.

So, let’s start where I started:
1- PURPOSE
2- PROCESS
3- PARADIGM
If your workouts are boring, your life is likely lacking true entertainment and you need to go find that apart from your workouts.

[1] The Double Kettlebell Clean + Press
[2] The Double Kettlebell Clean + Push Press
[3] The Double Kettlebell Front Squat.
[4] The Single Kettlebell Snatch.
[5] The Goblet Squat.
[6] The Turkish Get Up.

So, my friend, if you find yourself in this situation (again), how do you avoid it in 2025?
Simple.
UNDERACHIEVE.
Pick the simplest program that you KNOW 100% you can do - and do it.

If you haven’t committed to a FOCUSED, HARD, THREE, Non-consecutive days of the week training plan can do for you…
Test it out for yourself.
I think you’ll be surprised what slowing down, getting 7+ hours of sleep a night, adequate protein, and “only” training 3x week can do for your strength, muscularity, and conditioning.

One of the most practical steps you can start using today?
Add pauses in the middle of your reps.
Pause in the bottom of your squat making sure your posture / position is correct.
Pause in the rack after a Clean and before your Press.
Pause in the lockout / overhead position after a Press.
Pause in the rack after a Press and before your next Clean.
Pause in the lockout / overhead position after a Snatch.

“Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.”
Deliberately slowing down your training and identifying your “gaps” - your recovery, your technique errors, and your “issues”…
And then fixing them…
Improves your training efficiency and therefore your results in both the short and long runs.
Assuming of course you’re using a quality training program and not just throwing the proverbial spaghetti at the wall and seeing if it sticks.

1- They can’t / won’t / refuse to focus.
They either end up program-hopping with a nasty case of “Shiny Object Syndrome”...
2- The cares of life overwhelm them.
Or…
3- They’re so HYPER-focused on the outcome - the goal - they’re easily discouraged when the results don’t come “fast enough.”

I've worked through Maximorum and am currently working through the Kettlebell S&C Beta Test program. I'm curious about this general question as it relates to how your programs prescribe running them given, e.g., a ‘5 RM in the double kettlebell clean and press’ as is the case with Maximorum. Let's say you have a 7 RM with two 28KG kettlebells in the double KB clean and press, but then let's say you have a 2 RM or 3 RM with two 32KG kettlebells in the double KB clean and press.

[1] Use the 5,4,3,2,1 countdown with progressively heavier bells as a warm up. Finish the last set - the "1" - with your old 10RM if you're going for a new 10RM. For some, this helps spare their energy.
[2] Use a "DeLorme" modification: Set 1 = 50% of old 10RM, Set 2 = 75% of old 10RM, Set 3 = 10RM for max reps OR new weight attempt for new 10RM.
[3] Use some lighter than your old 10RM KBs and do 3-5 warm up sets, going progressively heavier and by feel on the reps.

1- Grip Strength[1].
Built from heavy Swings and better yet - Snatches.
2- Getting Up From the Floor Without Using Your Hands[2].
Have to be able to Lunge and Squat and have good hip internal rotation for this.
3-Leg Muscle Strength and Diameter[3].
In other words, muscular legs.
Make sure you can still Squat and Lunge.

When discussing muscle growth, we need to think in terms of “systemic” vs. “localized.”
“Systemic” is the impact a load or stimulus has on the body as a whole.
“Localized” is the impact a load or stimulus has on a region - like the shoulders / shoulder girdle.
The Kettlebell Clean + Press is categorized as a “compound lift” - which is made up of two or more “compound exercises” - exercises that use multiple joints.

Use the “Brain Dead” Fat Loss template.
It has 2-moving parts:
[1] NUTRITION.
Drink a protein shake 2x a day - breakfast and lunch.
2 scoops (48-50g of protein) twice a day.
[2] TRAINING.
Use the simplest kettlebell exercise around:
The Swing.

Yes you can build strength, but muscle will be harder. The current recommendation for building muscle is 1.6g/kg of bodyweight. How would you feel improvement? You wouldn't. You'd measure it objectively through your training log, a tape measure, and body composition measurements.

1- Regulates Blood Sugar & Insulin Sensitivity
2- Stores & Releases Amino Acids
3- Acts as a Communication Hub
4- Adapts to Energy Needs (Metabolic Flexibility)
5- Follows Daily Rhythms
6- How Aging Impacts Muscle