Mike Mahler Kettlebell Workshop Manual

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Kettlebell Workshop ManualBy Mike Mahler


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Disclaimer

The exercises and advice contained within this book may be too difficult or

dangerous for some people, and the reader(s) should consult a physician

before engaging in them.

The author and publisher of this book are not responsible in any manner

whatsoever for any injury which may occur through reading and following

the instructions herein.


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Mahlers Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshop Manual

A Mike Mahler Book/June 2003

All rights reserved.

Copyright 2003 by Mike Mahler

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by

any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing

from the publisher.

Copyright 2003, Mike Mahler


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Table of Contents

Section I: Kettlebell Exercises

Page 6: One-arm Kettlebell Clean

Page 7: Bottoms-up Clean From The Hang Position

Page 8: Two-arm Kettlebell Clean

Page 9: Alternating Kettlebell Clean

Page 10: One-arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side

Page 11: One-arm Kettlebell Press Looking Forward

Page 12: One Arm Kettlebell Para Press

Page 13: Seated One-arm Kettlebell Military Press

Page 14: One-arm Kettlebell Sots Press

Page 15: Two-arm Kettlebell Military Press

Page 16: Alternating Kettlebell Military Press

Page 17: Kettlebell See Saw Press

Page 18: Alternating Hang Kettlebell Clean and Press

Page 19: One-arm Kettlebell Floor Press

Page 20: Double Kettlebell Floor Press

Page 21: Extended Range One-arm Kettlebell Floor Press

Page 22: Extended Range Alternating Kettlebell Floor Press


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Page 23: One-arm Kettlebell Row

Page 24: Two-arm Kettlebell Row

Page 25: Alternating Kettlebell Row

Page 26: Renegade Kettlebell Row

Page 27: Alternating Renegade Row

Page 28: One Kettlebell Front Squat

Page 29: Front Squats With Two Kettlebells

Page 30: One-arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats

Page 31: Kettlebell One-legged Squat

Page 32: Kettlebell Windmill

Page 33: Advanced Kettlebell Windmill

Page 34: Double Kettlebell Windmill

Page 35: Kettlebell Bent Press

Page 36: Kettlebell Side Press

Page 37: Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Lunge style)

Page 38: Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Squat style)

Page 39: Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs

Page 40: One-arm Kettlebell Push Press

Page 41: Two-arm Kettlebell Push Press

Page 42: One-arm Kettlebell Jerk


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Page 43: Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk

Page 44: One-arm Kettlebell Snatch

Page 45: One-Arm Kettlebell Swing

Page 46: Double Kettlebell Swings

Section II: Kettlebell Exercise Programs

Page 47: EDT/Kettlebell Program For Major Strength And Size!

Page 48: HOC/KB For Fat Loss

Page 49: Basic Kettlebell Program For Strength and Conditioning

Page 54: The Five Pillars Of Kettlebell Training

Page 57: Breaking Into A Kettlebell Size And Strength Program

Page 61: How To Structure A Kettlebell Workout For Size And

Strength

Page 66: The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength

Page 73: Unleash The Power Of Heavy Kettlebell Training

Page 78: Westside Inspired Kettlebell Training Program

Page 80: The Kettlebell Solution For Speed And Explosive Strength


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One-arm Kettlebell Clean

Exercise Description

Place a kettlebell between your feet. As you bend down to grab the

kettlebell, push your butt back and keep your eyes looking forward. Bring

the kettlebell straight up using body momentum (dont even think about

trying to curl it). Drive through with the hips and raise the kettlebell to your

shoulder.

Performance Tips

Crush-grip the kettlebell in the starting position.

Open your hand as the bell passes your waist and get your hand around

the kettlebell. Breathe in forcefully as you clean the kettlebell and out as you lower the

kettlebell.

Contract your midsection and glutes at the top position to brace for the

weight.


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Bottoms-up Clean From The Hang Position


Initiate the exercise by standing upright with a kettlebell in one hand. Swing

the kettlebell back forcefully and then reverse the motion forcefully. Crush

the kettlebell handle as hard as possible and raise the kettlebell to your

shoulder.

Performance Tips

Keep a fairly loose grip when you swing the kettlebell back

Crush the handle as hard as possible as you clean the kettlebell to yourshoulder.

Flex your bicep and shoulder as hard as possible in the top position

Breathe in as you clean the kettlebell to your shoulder and breathe out as

you lower the kettlebell to the starting position.


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Two-arm Kettlebell Clean


Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push

your butt back and look straight ahead. Raise the kettlebells straight up as

fast as possible and take the kettlebells to your shoulders. Lower the

kettlebells back to the floor and repeat.

Performance Tips

Breathe in as you clean the kettlebells to your shoulders.

Drive through forcefully with your hips

Get your hands around the kettlebells, rather than letting the kettlebells

flip around and bang up your wrists.

Flex your stomach and glutes at the top of the clean to brace for the

kettlebells.

Avoid rounding your back at all times.


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Alternating Kettlebell Clean


Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push

your butt back and look straight ahead. Clean one kettlebell to your shoulder

and hold on to the other kettlebell. Take the cleaned kettlebell back to the

floor and then clean the other kettlebell.

Performance Tips

Make sure to start each repetition with both kettlebells on the floor.

As you clean one kettlebell, let the other kettlebell hang in the opposite

arm. Do not shrug the kettlebell or bend your elbow.

Breathe in as you clean one kettlebell and out as you take one kettlebell

back to the floor.


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One-arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side


Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Look at the kettlebell and press it up and

out until it is locked out overhead. Lower the kettlebell back to your

shoulder under control and repeat.

Performance Tips

Try holding your breath as you press the weight (Caution: Make sure to

clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or any

heart problems).

Look at the kettlebell as you press and lower it.

Flex your lat as hard as possible before pressing the weight for added

stability and power.

As you lower the kettlebell back to the starting position, actively pull it

with your lat as if you are doing a lat pull-down or chin up.

Contract your abs and glutes as hard as possible as you press thekettlebell for added stability and power

Crush the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased strength.


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One-arm Kettlebell Press Looking Forward


This press resembles the Arnold press and is more common in gyms.

Looking straight ahead, press the kettlebell out and overhead as if you are

trying to make half of a circle. Press the kettlebell behind your head and lean

forward slightly at the top for a stronger lockout.

Performance Tips



heart problems).

Look straight ahead (not up or down) as you press and lower the

kettlebell.




with your lat as if you are doing a lat pull-down or chin up. Contract your abs and glutes as hard as possible as you press the

kettlebell for added stability and power

Crush the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased strength.


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One-arm Kettlebell Para Press


Clean a kettlebell out to your shoulder. Press the kettlebell straight overhead

and then lower the kettlebell back to your shoulder.

Performance Tips

Try holding your breath as you press the kettlebell (Caution: Make sure

to clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or anyheart problems).


kettlebell.




with your lat as if you are doing a lat pull-down or chin up.

Contract your abs and glutes as hard as possible as you press the

kettlebell for added stability and power. Crush the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased strength.


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Seated One-arm Kettlebell Military Press


Sit on the floor and spread your legs out comfortably. Place a kettlebell in

one arm in the clean position. Press the kettlebell up and out until it is locked

out overhead.

Performance Tips



heart problems).


kettlebell.

Flex your glutes and abs before you press the kettlebell

Contract your lat for added stability

Crush grip the kettlebell handle


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One Arm Kettlebell Sots Press


Clean a kettlebell and go into a full squat. From the bottom position of the

squat, press the kettlebell up and out until it is locked out overhead.

Performance Tips



heart problems).

Look straight ahead (not up or down) as you press and lower thekettlebell.

Flex your glutes and abs for added stability.

Contract your lat for added stability

Crush grip the kettlebell handle

Make sure that you glutes are resting on your calves for maximum

stability

Do not do this exercise if you cannot do a full squat


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Two-arm Kettlebell Military Press


Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Press the kettlebells up and out. As

the kettlebells pass your head, lean into the weights so that the kettlebells are

racked behind your head.

Performance Tips

Try holding your breath as you press the kettlebells (Caution: Make

sure to clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or

any heart problems).


kettlebells.

Flex your lats as hard as possible before pressing the kettlebells for added

stability and power. As you lower the kettlebells back to the starting position, actively pull

them down with your lats as if you are doing a lat pull-down or chin up.


kettlebells for added stability and power

Crush the kettlebell handles as hard as possible for increased strength

Pull your shoulders down before each repetition


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Alternating Kettlebell Military Press


Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Holding both kettlebells in the top

position, press one while holding the other kettlebell stationary. Lower the

pressed kettlebell and immediately press with the kettlebell with your other

arm.

Performance Tips

Get into a rhythm and press the kettlebells as rapidly as possible with

solid form

As you press one kettlebell, pull the other kettlebell down.

Try holding your breath as you press one kettlebell (Caution: Make sure

to clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or any

heart problems).


kettlebells.

Flex your lat as hard as possible before pressing each kettlebell for addedstability and power.



Crush the kettlebell handles as hard as possible for increased strength

Pull your shoulders down before each repetition


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Kettlebell See Saw Press


Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Holding both kettlebells at the top

position, lean to the opposite side and press one kettlebell. Lower thepressed kettlebell, lean to the opposite side, and press the kettlebell with

your other arm.

Performance Tips

Get into a rhythm and press the kettlebells as rapidly as possible with

solid form

Try holding your breath as you press one kettlebell (Caution: Make

sure to clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressureor any heart problems).


kettlebells.

Flex your lat as hard as possible before pressing each kettlebell for

added stability and power.


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Alternating Hang Kettlebell Clean and Press


Place two kettlebell on the outside of your feet and deadlift both as if you are

picking up two suitcases. Standing upright, swing one kettlebell back andclean it to your shoulder, while holding on to the other kettlebell. Press the

cleaned kettlebell overhead. Lower the pressed kettlebell back to your

shoulder and take it back to the hang position. Immediately hang clean and

press the other kettlebell.

Performance Tips

Hold your breath as you press one kettlebell (Caution: Make sure to

clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or anyheart problems).


kettlebells.

Flex your lat as hard as possible before pressing each kettlebell for

added stability and power.

Make sure that you get a pre-swing before cleaning each kettlebell.


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One-arm Kettlebell Floor Press


Lie on the floor and position a kettlebell for one arm to press. Push the

kettlebell straight up toward the ceiling. Lower the kettlebell back too the

floor and repeat.

Performance Tips

Imagine that you are trying to push yourself through the floor as you

press the kettlebell.

Flare your lat as you press the kettlebell

Hold your breath as you press the kettlebell (Caution: Make sure to


heart problems).


kettlebell for added stability and power

Crush grip the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased strength


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Double Kettlebell Floor Press


Lie on the floor and position two kettlebells close to your pecs. Push the

kettlebells straight up toward the ceiling. Lower the kettlebells back too thefloor and repeat.

Performance Tips

Imagine that you are trying to push yourself through the floor as you

press the kettlebells.

Flare your lat as you press the kettlebells

Hold your breath as you press the kettlebells (Caution: Make sure to

clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or anyheart problems).



Crush grip the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased strength

Place a kettlebell in your weaker arm side first


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Extended Range Alternating Kettlebell Floor Press


Lie on the floor and position two kettlebells for to press. While you press

one kettlebell, turn and pivot with one leg in order to increase the range of

motion. Lower the press kettlebell and press the kettlebell in your other arm.

Performance Tips

Flare your lat as you press the kettlebell

Hold your breath as you press the kettlebell (Caution: Make sure to


heart problems).


Kettlebell for added stability and power

Crush grip the kettlebell handle as hard as possible for increased

strength


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One-arm Kettlebell Row


Using the example of the left arm, here is how you do a one-arm kettlebell

row. Place a kettlebell next to your right foot. Place your left foot behind

your back and rest your right elbow on your right leg. Pull the kettlebell off

of the floor to your stomach. Keep your back flat at all times.

Performance Tips

Flex the lat next to the arm that you are pulling with before you pull the

kettlebell.

Breathe in as you pull the kettlebell and out as you lower the kettlebell

Crush grip the kettlebell handle at all times.

Pull the kettlebell back rather than straight up.

Avoid rounding your back


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Two-arm Kettlebell Row


Place two kettlebells between your feet. Bend your knees slightly and then

push your butt out as much as possible as you bend over to get in the starting

position. Grab both kettlebells and pull them to your stomach. Lower and

repeat.

Performance Tips

Flex your lats before you pull the kettlebells.

Pull the kettlebells to your stomach rather than straight up.

Look straight ahead at all times.

Keep your back flat.

Flex your stomach and glutes for added stability.

Breathe in as you pull the kettlebells and breathe out as you lower the

kettlebells.


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Alternating Kettlebell Row


Place two kettlebells between your feet. Bend your knees slightly and push

your butt out as much as possible. As you bend over to get into the starting

position. Grab both kettlebells. Pull one kettlebell off of the floor while

holding on to the other kettlebell. Hold the kettlebell in the working arm at

the stomach for a second. Lower the kettlebell in the working arm and pull

the kettlebell with your other arm.

Performance Tips

As you pull one kettlebell, stretch the non working arm in the opposite

direction

Breathe in as you pull one kettlebell and out as you lower the kettlebell

Flex the lat of the working arm before pulling each kettlebell off of the

floor

Flex your glutes and stomach for added stability


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Renegade Kettlebell Row


Get into the top position of the pushup holding on to two kettlebells that

are less than shoulder width apart. Push one kettlebell into the floor andpull the other kettlebell. Hold the kettlebell in the working arm in the top

position for a second and repeat. Switch arms after each set.

Performance Tips

Push the kettlebell of the non-working arm into the floor with as much

force as possible

Breathe in as you pull one kettlebell and out as you lower the

kettlebell Flex your butt and stomach for added stability

Flex the lat of the working arm before pulling each kettlebell off of

the floor


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Alternating Renegade Row


Get into the top position of the pushup holding on to two kettlebells that

are less than shoulder width apart. Push one kettlebell into the floor andpull the other kettlebell. Hold the kettlebell in the working arm in the top

position. Lower it to the floor and push it into the floor. At the same time

pull the kettlebell in the opposite hand. Repeat for several reps on each

side.

Performance Tips

Push the kettlebell of the non-working arm into the floor forcefully.

Breathe in as you pull the kettlebell and out as you lower the kettlebell Flex your butt and stomach for added stability

Flex the lat of the working arm before pulling each kettlebell off of

the floor


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One Kettlebell Front Squat


Clean one kettlebell to your shoulder and take a stance that you find

comfortable for your body type. As you squat down, push your butt out.

Looking straight ahead at all times, squat as low as you can and pause at the

bottom. Rise back up and repeat.

Performance Tips

Breathe in as you squat down and hold your breath as you stand up(Caution: clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure

or any heart problems).

Look straight ahead at all times or look up, but do not look down.

Flex your glutes and stomach as hard as possible before rising back up

from the bottom position of the front squat

Press the kettlebell into your upper body to keep the kettlebell in place.


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Front Squats With Two Kettlebells


Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders and take a stance that you find

comfortable for your body type. As you squat down, push your butt out.

Looking straight ahead at all times, squat as low as you can and pause at the

bottom. Rise back up and repeat.

Performance Tips

Breathe in as you squat down and hold your breath as you stand up

(Caution: clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure

or any heart problems).

Look straight ahead at all times or look up, but do not look down.



Press the kettlebells into your upper body to keep the kettlebells in place.


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One-arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats


Clean and press a kettlebell with one arm. Looking straight ahead and

keeping a kettlebell locked out overhead, push your butt out and squat as

low as possible. Pause at the bottom position for a second before rising back

to the top. Repeat for several reps and then switch arms.

Performance Tips

Breathe in as you squat down and hold your breathe as you stand up

(Caution: clear this with your doctor if you have high blood pressure

or any heart problems)

Look straight ahead or look up, but do not look down.



Keep the kettlebell locked out at all times


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Kettlebell One-legged Squat


Pick up a kettlebell with two hands and hold the kettlebell like a steering

wheel. Hold one leg off of the floor and squat down on the other. Keep the

kettlebell above your knee at all times. Hold the bottom position for a

second and then stand up. Lower yourself again and repeat. Make sure to do

the same amount of repetitions for both legs.

Performance Tips

As your lower yourself, contract your butt and stomach and pull yourself

down under control.

Pause at the bottom for a second and contract your abs and butt as hard as

possible before standing back up.

Breathe in on the way down and hold your breath on the way up

(Caution: Make sure to clear this with your doctor if you have high

blood pressure or any heart problems).


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Kettlebell Windmill


Clean and press a kettlebell overhead with one arm. Keeping the kettlebell

locked out at all times, push your hip out in the direction of the locked out

kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with

the kettlebell. Lower yourself until you can touch the floor in the opposite

direction. Pause for a second and then reverse the motion back to the starting

position.

Performance Tips

Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the windmill.

Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit

down.

Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor and out slowly as you return

to the starting position.

Keep the reps between one and five. Windmills require a great deal ofconcentration.

Do not force the range of motion. Stay within your limits and gradually

increase the range of motion.


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Advanced Kettlebell Windmill


Clean and press a kettlebell overhead with one arm. Keeping the kettlebell

locked out at all times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out

kettlebell. Keep the non-working arm behind your back and turn your feet

out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the kettlebell. Lower

yourself as far as possible. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back tothe starting position.

Performance Tips

Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the windmill

Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down


to the starting position

Keep the repetitions between one and five. Windmills require a great dealof concentration.

Do not force the range of motion. Stay within your limits and gradually

increase the range of motion.


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Double Kettlebell Windmills


Place a kettlebell in front of your front foot and clean and press a kettlebell

overhead with your opposite arm. Keeping the kettlebell locked out at all

times, push your butt out in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Turn

your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the arm with the locked out

kettlebell. Lower yourself until you can pick up the kettlebell next to yourfront foot. Pause for a second and reverse the motion back to the starting

position.

Performance Tips

Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the windmill

Focus on pushing your butt out to the side as if you are trying to sit down


to the starting position Crush grip the kettlebell next to your foot and slowly stand up

Keep the rep range between one and three. Double Windmills require a

great deal of concentration.


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Kettlebell Bent Press


Clean a kettlebell with one arm. Push your hip out in the direction of the

cleaned kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the

arm with the kettlebell. While you are sitting back and lowering yourself,

contract your lat as hard as possible and move your body away from the

kettlebell. Continue to bend to the side until the kettlebell is locked out.

Performance Tips

Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the bent press


down.



Limit yourself to singles until you are confident with your form.

Remember that you are not pressing the kettlebell. You are contracting

your lat as hard as possible to hold it in a fixed position and moving your

body away from the kettlebell.

Think of the bent press as an extension rather than a press


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Kettlebell Side Press


Clean a kettlebell with one arm. Push your hip out in the direction of the

cleaned kettlebell. Turn your feet out at a forty-five degree angle from the

arm with the kettlebell. While you are sitting back and lowering yourself,

press the kettlebell at the same time. Continue to bend to the side until the

kettlebell is locked out.

Performance Tips

Look at the kettlebell during the entire duration of the side press


down.



Keep the repetition range between one and three.

Make sure to contract your lat as you press the kettlebell for added

stability.


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Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Lunge style)


Lie on your back and floor press a kettlebell to the top position. Keeping the

kettlebell locked out at all times, pivot to the opposite side and use your non-

working arm to assist you in driving forward to the lunge position. While

looking up at the kettlebell, slowly stand up. Reverse the motion back to the

starting position and repeat.

Performance Tips

Focus on keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times

Flex your stomach and glutes to drive off of the floor into the lunge

position.

Look at the kettlebell at all times.

Breathe in as you stand up and breathe out as you lower yourself back to

the starting position.


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Kettlebell Turkish Get-up (Squat style)


Lie on your back and floor press a kettlebell to the top position. Keeping the

kettlebell locked out at all times, pivot to the opposite side and use your non-

working arm to assist you in driving forward to the bottom position of an

overhead squat. Looking up at the kettlebell slowly stand up. Reverse the

motion back to the starting position and repeat.

Performance Tips

Focus on keeping the kettlebell locked out at all times.

Flex your stomach and glutes to drive off of the floor into an overhead

squat position.

Look at the kettlebell at all times.

Breathe in as you stand up and breathe out as you lower yourself back to

the starting position.


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Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs


Place one kettlebell between your legs and take a comfortable stance.

Bend over by pushing your butt out and keeping your back flat. Pick up a

kettlebell and pass it to your other hand between your legs. Go back andforth for several repetitions.

Performance Tips

Contract your abs and butt at each kettlebell pass

Turn in the direction that you are passing the kettlebell to

Set a stopwatch for a certain time period such as 30 seconds to a

minute and do as many passes as possible.


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One-arm Kettlebell Push Press


Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Squat down a few inches and reverse the

motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebell

overhead. Once the kettlebell is locked out, lower the weight to your

shoulder and repeat.

Performance Tips

Push the kettlebell off of your upper body.

Do not squat down too far.

Breathe in as your lower the kettlebell and breathe out as you push press

the kettlebell overhead.


Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebell to brace for the

kettlebell.


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One-arm Kettlebell Jerk


Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Squat down a few inches and reverse the

motion rapidly. Immediately after the initial push, squat down again and get

under the kettlebell. Once the kettlebell is locked out, stand upright to

complete the exercise.

Performance Tips

Push the kettlebell off of your upper body.


Breathe in as your lower the weight and breathe out as you jerk the

kettlebell overhead.


Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebell to brace for the

kettlebell.


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Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk


Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Squat down a few inches and

reverse the motion rapidly driving both kettlebells overhead. Immediately

after the initial push, squat down again and get under the kettlebells. Once

the kettlebells are locked out, stand upright to complete the exercise.

Performance Tips

Push the kettlebells off of your upper body.


Breathe in as your lower the weight and breathe out as you jerk the

kettlebells overhead.


Flex your stomach and butt as you lower the kettlebells to brace for the

kettlebells.


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One-arm Kettlebell Snatch


Place a kettlebell between your feet. Bend your knees and push your butt

back to get in the proper starting position. Look straight ahead and swing thekettlebell back between your legs. Immediately reverse the direction and

drive through with your hips. Pull the kettlebell towards your body as if you

are starting a lawn mower. As the kettlebell rises to your shoulder open your

hand and punch through straight overhead.

Performance Tips

Breathe in as you take the weight overhead and breathe out as the

kettlebell swings between your legs. Punch through at the top forcefully to lock out the kettlebell overhead.

At the starting position, crush grip the kettlebell. As you raise it past your

chest open you hand and get your hand around the kettlebell rather than

letting the kettlebell flip over your hand and crush your forearm.


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One-Arm Kettlebell Swing


Place one kettlebell between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend

your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat

and look straight ahead. Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully.

Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips taking the

kettlebell straight out. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs and

repeat. Switch arms with each set.

Performance Tips

Breathe out at you swing the kettlebell out and breathe in as the kettlebellswings between your legs.

Contract your midsection and glutes at the top of the exercise and as the

kettlebell swings between your legs for added stability.



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Double Kettlebell Swings


Place two kettlebells between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend

your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat

and look straight ahead. Swing the kettlebells between your legs forcefully.

Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips taking the

kettlebells straight out to chest level. Let the kettlebells swing back between

your legs and repeat.

Performance Tips

Breathe out at you swing the kettlebells to chest level and in as the

kettlebells swing between your legs. Contract your midsection and glutes at the top of the exercise and as the

kettlebells swing between your legs for added stability.



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EDT/Kettlebell Program for Size and Strength

This is a workout program that requires four workouts per week. Each

workout takes forty-five minutes to an hour. If you are taking longer than anhour, then you are doing something wrong. With EDT, the goal is to do as

many reps of each exercise in each Personal Record Zone (PR Zone). Pick

exercises and kettlebells that you can handle for at least six to ten

repetitions. Start each PR zone by doing three to five repetitions for each

exercise. As fatigue builds, lower the reps to one to two and take longer

breaks between each set. At the end of each PR Zone record the total number

of repetitions that you achieved for each exercise. For example, if you did a

total of forty repetitions on military presses, your goal at the next workout is

to do a minimum of forty-one repetitions. As long as you are doing more

repetitions, you will get bigger and stronger.

EDT Program Option One:

Monday and Friday: Upper Body

PR Zone 1 (20 Minutes)

Two-arm military press

Renegade Row

Five minute break


Kettlebell Alternating Press

Kettlebell Alternating Row

Two minute break

Core Work

2x5 (two sets of five) of Windmills


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Wednesday and Sunday: Lower Body

PR Zone 1 (Twenty Minutes)

Front Squats with two kettlebells

One-arm snatch

Five minute break

PR Zone 2 (Fifteen Minutes)

One-arm Kettlebell Overhead Squat

Double Kettlebell Swings

EDT Program Option Two:

Day 1: Monday and Friday


One-arm kettlebell military press

Chin-up

Five minute break


One-arm floor pressesOne-arm kettlebell row

Two minute break

Core Work

2x25 (two sets of twenty-five) Kettlebell pass between the legs


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Day 2: Wednesday and Sunday

PR Zone 1 (Twenty Minutes)

Front Squat with one kettlebell

One-arm snatch

Five minute break

PR Zone 2 (Fifteen Minutes)

One-legged Squat

One-arm Kettlebell swing

For more information on EDT, visit Coach Charles Staleys website at

www.edtsecrets.com


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HOC/Kettlebell Combo For Serious Fat Loss!

High Octane Cardio (Hoc) is based on a style of conditioning that

boxers often used called roadwork. Roadwork combines cardio such as

running with muscular endurance exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups.

HOC takes roadwork to the next level by combining various forms of cardio

with ballistic kettlebell exercises. The result is a fat loss program that will

exceed your wildest expectations. The negative is that it is hard as hell and

separates the champs from the chumps. Here are some sample HOCprograms that are done three times a week to eradicate that gut of yours:

HOC Option One Beginner Program

Go to a track field and place a kettlebell on opposite sides of the track. Start

jogging and each time you pass a kettlebell station, stop and do a ballistic

drill as follows:

First pass: 10 one-arm Kettlebell swings

Second pass: 10 one-arm Kettlebell snatches

Third pass: 10 one-arm Kettlebell clean and jerks

Fourth pass: 25 Kettlebell pass between your legs

HOCIntermediate Program

First pass: 20 One-arm Kettlebell snatches with each arm

Second pass: 20 One-arm Kettlebell swings

Third pass: 15 Clean and push presses with each arm

Fourth pass: 35 Kettlebell pass between your legs

Fifth pass: 20 One-arm Kettlebell snatches

Sixth pass: 20 Kettlebell pass between your legs


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Advanced

First pass: 25 One-arm Kettlebell Swings

Second pass: 10 One-arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerks

Third pass: 20 Kettlebell Pass Between Your Legs

Fourth pass: 25 One-arm Kettlebell Snatches

Fifth pass: 15 Clean and Push Presses

Sixth pass: 20 Kettlebell pass between your legs

Seventh pass: 15 One-arm Kettlebell Swings

Eighth pass: 10 One-arm Kettlebell snatches

HOC Option Two Program

This is a great program for fighters or anyone else that needs an aggressive

outlet. This time you are going to combine Heavy bag boxing rounds withkettlebell exercises.

Beginner

On this program take a one-minute break between each round of boxing and

each kettlebell set.

One minute heavy bag round

10 One-arm Kettlebell snatches


25 kettlebell passes between your legsOne minute heavy bag round

10 One-arm kettlebell Swings


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25 kettlebell passes between your legs

Intermediate

Same as above, only extend the heavy bag rounds to twominutes.

Advanced

Same as above, only extend the heavy bag rounds to three

minutes. You can also add reps to the other exercises.

Tips

There are several ways you can incorporate these workouts into your current

regimen.

1) You could do one HOC workout per week to gradually work into it.

2) You could cut back on other kettlebell training and do two HOC

workouts per week. This would be kind of a half-and-half program in

which your progress on other kettlebell days would slow down and

your conditioning would improve gradually.

3) You could do HOC three times a week and do a strength only

kettlebell workout once a week. This option would really be for those

who want to lose as much fat as possible in the least amount of time.

It's also a good option for those that compete in mixed martial arts orsome other combat sport.


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Basic Kettlebell Program For Strength And Conditioning

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

Option One:

One-arm Kettlebell clean and press: 3x6-10

One-arm Kettlebell Bent Over Row: 3x6-10

One Legged Squat: 3x6

Windmill: 2x5

One-arm Kettlebell snatch: 3x10


Option Two:

Two-arm Kettlebell clean and press: 3x6-10

Two-arm Kettlebell Bent Over Row: 3x6-10

Front Squats With Two Kettlebell: 3x10-12

Turkish Get-up (Squat Style) 2x5

Double Kettlebell Swing: 3x10-12


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The Five Pillars Of Kettlebell Training

Many trainees often forget that kettlebells are weights and the rules of

effective weight training apply to kettlebell training Similar to traditional

weight training, effective kettlebell training requires a balanced approach

and an emphasis on the basic compound drill that provide the most bang for

the buck. For most trainees, following a regimen with a strong emphasis on a

few basic exercises is the way to go. However, putting all of your efforts

into one or two exercises long-term is not the way to go. There are five areasthat are worth focusing on for balanced development. Lets get going.

The Five Pillars:

Press

Pull

Squat

Lower body pull

Core

Whatever form of weight training you engage in, you want the five above

areas covered. Now lets cover each area with kettlebells as the focus:

Press:

KB Military Press or KB Floor Press. This includes all of the variations such

as the Sots Press, Double Clean and Press, Alternating Floor press, See-sawPress.

Pull:

Renegade Row, Alternating Bent-over Row, Double Bent-over Row, One-

arm Row, Pull-ups with a kettlebell

Squat:

Double Front Squat, Hack Squat, overhead squat, one-legged squat

Lower body pull:

Double Swing, Double Snatch, One-arm Swing, One-arm Snatch, DoubleClean, One legged Deadlift

Core:

Windmill, Turkish Get-up, Bent Press, Side Press


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Covering the above five areas ensures that you build a strong and balanced

physique. Many people tend to focus on what they enjoy and neglect what

they do not care for. For example, people that like to press tend to spend a

great deal of time on Military Presses and not enough time on pulling

motions such as rows. When I first started training with kettlebells, I made

the mistake of doing too much pressing work and pretty much no pulling

work. Sure enough imbalances starting popping up followed by shoulder

pain. Once I balanced the training with pulling motions, my shoulders felt

better and more stable and my strength went up dramatically. If you feel that

covering five areas is too complicated for you, then do not bother getting off

the couch. Better yet, do not go out the door or drive on the road. You are adanger to anyone you come across.

Lets cover a few balanced kettlebell programs for different levels:

Beginner:Here is a good program for a trainee that only has one kettlebell:


One-arm Clean and Military Press 2x5 l,r (two sets of five left and

right)

One-arm Bent-over Row 2x6 l,r

One-arm Windmill 1x3 l,r

One-arm Front Squat 2x6 l,r

One-arm Swing 2x10 l,r

Take one to two minute breaks in between each exercise and work on

technique.

Intermediate:


Double Clean and Military Press 2x6

Double Bent-over Row 2x6

Turkish Get-up 2x3 l,r

Double Front Squat 2x8


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Breaking Into A Kettlebell Size and Strength Program

Before I wrote several articles and came out with a comprehensive DVD on

using kettlebells for size and strength, many trainees confined the benefits of

kettlebell training to muscular endurance and fat loss. No doubt kettlebell

training is a very effective component of an effective fat loss program (the

other component being pushing yourself away from the kitchen table more

often). In addition to fat loss and muscular endurance training, kettlebells

can be used effectively for adding size and strength. However, many trainees

are confused with how to transition into a kettlebell focused size and

strength program. If you have been using kettlebells for endurance and fat

loss, you have to gradually transition into high volume strength training for

muscular development. Many trainees make the mistake of jumping into a

5x5 (five sets of five with heavy weights) paradigm or worse a 10x5

paradigm and go into an over trained state rapidly. A much better plan is to

get used to the most effective kettlebell exercises for size and strength with a

few sets and a few workouts per week. Once you get the hang of these sizeand strength exercises you can start adding some volume and intensity.

Lets start off with the exercises:

Primary ExercisesDouble Kettlebell Clean and Press: In addition to being a full body

exercise that will stimulate overall growth, the Double Kettlebell Clean and

Press is an incredible upper body developer with particular emphasis on theshoulders and triceps.

Alternating Kettlebell Renegade Row: In addition to working the lats, mid

back, and biceps, the Renegade Row works the core and oddly enough the

pecs as well. The pecs have to work over time to keep your stable and do not

be surprised if you wake up with sore pecs the next day. Thus, men with

"breast envy" will love this exercise.

Double Kettlebell Swing: Great hamstring blaster that focuses on fast

twitch muscle fibers which are by far the most important for developing size

and strength. Great transfer to the "midnight move" as well. Hopefully, youdo not need me to elaborate on this further.


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Double Kettlebell Front Squat: It all start with a strong foundation and the

Front squat will develop strong quads. Just make sure you hold the bells

higher up like I do on my Size and Strength DVD to take the emphasis off ofthe shoulders.

Optional

Double Windmill or Turkish Get-up: Two great exercises for the core and

shoulder stability and flexibility. Core work is no doubt important. However,

you get a lot of it indirectly with the primary exercises so do not obsess

about doing a ton of abdominal work. If you want a six pack, you need tohave low bodyfat.

What about variety? I get bored with doing the same exercises over and overagain? That is why you have a forgettable physique and strength levels that

are far from impressive. Get exceptional at a few basic moves first and then

add some variety down the road. Forget about variety for at least one month.

Get good at the primary exercises and it will be much easier to transition

into other exercises such as the Alternating Military Press, Sots Press,

Double Bent-over Row, and Double Snatch. Yes this will require an

attention span that most TV addicts will find painful. Too bad, life is about

making sacrifices to win the prize.

Now lets go over a sample "break in" program.Month One


A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 2x5

A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 2x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks inbetween each set of A-1 and A-2.

B-1: Double Front Squat 2x5

B-2: Double Swing 2x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in

between each set of B-1 and B-2.


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Double Windmill 1x5 l,r (left and right)

Month Two

In month two go to three sets per exercise. Keep the core work (TGU and

Windmill at one set). In month three, go to four sets per exercise and split up

the exercises as follows:

Month Three

Monday-Thursday



Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in

between each set of A-1 and A-2.

TGU 1x5

Tuesday-Friday






Month Four: 5x5 Program

Month Four

In month four you are ready to start the 5x5 program and can start adding

some variety to the program. For example:

Monday



Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in

between each set of A-1 and A-2.



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Tuesday






Thursday

A-1: Alternating Military Press 5x5

A-2: Double Bent-over Row 5x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks inbetween each set of A-1 and A-2.


Friday

B-1: Double Clean and Front Squat 5x5

B-2: Double Snatch 5x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks inbetween each set of B-1 and B-2.


Next, you can pick any of the other programs in my Kettlebell DVD E-book

which comes with my Size and Strength DVD. Do not have it yet? Pick it up

today at The Aggressive Strength Online Store and start making some realprogress.

Also remember that without optimal levels of Testosterone and Growth

Hormone you can forget about developing a strong and muscular body thatcommands respect. Have your Doctor test your T and GH so you know

where you are at. Ideally, everyone at age 25 should have these levels

checked but it is never too late to ascertain where you are at.


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How To Structure A Kettlebell Workout For Size and Strength

I get tons of emails from kettlebell trainees on how to structure kettlebell

workouts for getting bigger and stronger. Many trainees make the mistake of

doing too many exercises; apply improper use of volume; and use flawed

training frequency. Training frustration is soon to follow with the inevitable

lack of progress from not having a clear target. When designing a program,

you must consider that you can only be good at so many things. Thus, one of

the keys to designing an effective program for strength and size is to keep

things simple and focus on doing a few things well. Moreover, you balanced

development is critical as is proper exercise selection. Lets get into some keyingredients for maximizing a kettlebell program for size and strength.

The first thing you need to do is focus on are exercises that provide the most

bang for you buck. I like to break down a full body workout into five

categories. Pick one pressing exercise, one pulling exercise, one exercise for

the quads, one for the hamstrings, and one core exercise. This ensures that

the entire body is getting a workout and prevents trainees from focusing too

much on one area. For example, men like to focus on the upper body and

women like to focus on the lower body. To avoid imbalances and being

mistaken for a California bodybuilder, focus on working the entire body andpick one exercise per category. Lets discuss each category:

Pressing

A pressing exercise will take care of the shoulders, triceps, and depending

on what you pick the chest as well. Here are some kettlebell pressingexercises to choose from:

The Double Clean and Military Press (clean before each press)

Double Military Press

Double Sots Press

Alternating Military Press Floor Press

Alternating Floor Press


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Pulling

Pulling exercises are a necessity to ensure balanced development for the

upper body. Moreover there is a synergy between pulling and pressing

muscles. The better you get at pulling, the stronger your pressing will be and

vice versa. Here are some excellent pulling exercises for you to choose from:

Pull-ups with a kettlebell attached (use a dipping belt)

Renegade Row

Double Bent Over Row

Alternating Bent-over Row

One-arm Rows with two kettlebells

Quads

To avoid looking like a California bodybuilder you need to work on the legs.

Even if you do not care about leg development, if you care about upper body

development you need a strong foundation. I have had online clients that

blast through pressing plateaus by increasing leg strength. You body is only

as strong as you weakest link. Build a strong foundation with the followingexercises:

Double Front Squat

Double Lunge

Suitcase Squat

Double Front Box Squat

Hamstrings

The next critical area is the back of your legs. You need to balance the quad

development from the squats with some hamstring exercises. In addition, if

you are an athlete, you need strong hamstrings for explosive strength and

speed. Choose from the following:

Double Swing

Double Clean

Double Snatch


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Full Body Attack (on my new DVD, The Kettlebell Solution For

Speed and Explosive Strength)

Double One Legged Squat

Core

The last important area to cover is the midsection. The midsection is the

hook that connects the lower body to the upper body and if your core is

weak so is your entire body and you will not be as strong as you could bewith a well-developed powerful midsection. Choose from the following list:

Double Windmill

One-arm Windmill

Turkish Get-up

Turkish Get-up Sit-up

Now that we have all of the bases covered. Lets go over program design

options. If your main goal is to get bigger and stronger then split your

workouts into upper body and lower body and workout each area two timesper week. Here is a sample program:

Monday: (Upper Body Focus)

A-1: Double Clean and Press 5x5

A-2: Double Bent Over Row 5x5

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait a minute

and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and so forth. Continue in this fashion

until you have completed 5x5 on both exercises. When you can do 5x5, addanother set and do 6x5. Your long-term goal is to do 10x5

Tuesday (Lower Body Focus)

A-1: Double Front Squat 5x5

A-2: Double Swing 5x5




Take a one-minute break and then do:


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Turkish Get-up 2x5 l,r (left and right with one-minute breaks)

Thursday: (Upper Body Focus)

A-1: Double Floor Press 5x5

A-2: Pull-up with a kettlebell 5x5



until you have completed 5x5 on both exercises. When you can do 5x5, add

another set and do 6x5. Your long-term goal is to do 10x5

Friday (Lower Body Focus)

A-1: Double Front Lunge 5x5 each leg

A-2: Double Snatch 5x5





Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right with one-minute breaks)

Now if you are under some time constraints and only have time for two

workouts per week then try doing two full body workouts per week. This isalso a great program for people that require more rest days for adequate

recovery. Here is a sample program:

Monday

A-1: Double Floor Press 3x5

A-2: Pull-up with a kettlebell 3x5



until you have completed 3x5 on both exercises. Your long-term goal is towork up to 6x5 per exercise.

Take a one-minute break and then move on to:



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until you have completed 3x6 on both exercises. When you can do 3x6, add

another set and do 4x6. Your long-term goal is to do 6x6 per exercise.


Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right with one-minute breaks)

Thursday


A-2: Renegade Row 3x5 l,r (left and right)

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait a minuteand then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and so forth. Continue in this fashion

until you have completed 3x5 on both exercises. Your long-term goal is towork up to 6x5 per exercise.

Take a one-minute break and then move on to:

B-1: Double Front Lunge 3x6

B-2: Double Snatch 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait a minuteand then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and so forth. Continue in this fashion

until you have completed 3x6 on both exercises. When you can do 3x6, addanother set and do 4x6. Your long-term goal is to do 6x6 per exercise


Turkish Get-up 2x5 l,r (left and right with one-minute breaks)

To summarize, the keys to building an effective kettlebell program for size

and strength is to focus on compound exercises and balanced development.

Make sure to cover the five major categories for balanced development andorganize a program in such a way that all of the bases are covered with the

appropriate amount of training days, volume, and intensity.


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The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength

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. Lets go over the best kettlebell exercises

for getting bigger and stronger as well as a training program to get the jobdone.

MAHLERS KETTLEBELL ARSENAL

Double Front Squat

Double Swing

Double Snatch

Double Windmill

Turkish Get-up

Double kettlebell Clean and Press

Double Bent-over Row

Kettlebell Pull-up (pull-up with a kettlebell attached to your waist)

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 moreresistance 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,


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stomach, lats, shoulder, triceps and bicep. 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, TGUs builds a strong core,

which is mandatory for heavy leg and overhead work. Two, TGUs 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:MAHLERS 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 Arnolds

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


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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 anexercise 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 youhave 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


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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 youhave 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.

After four weeks of the 5x5 protocol, it will be time to ramp up the volume

with GVT (German Volume Training)

GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING (GVT) WEEKS 5-8

I learned about German Volume Training (GVT) from top strength coach

Charles Poliquin several years ago. Coach Poliquin stated that many German

athletes used the GVT protocol to successfully add ten pounds of muscle.

Here is how it works. Take 60% off your one rep max on an exercise and do

ten sets of ten reps. Use the same weight on all ten sets and do not increase

the weight until you can do ten sets of ten with the same weight. This

program is of course very effective, but extremely brutal. Ten sets of ten on

exercises such as squats and deadlifts are real pukers and great way to

handicap you for the rest of the week. I remember the pain of getting up in

the morning the day after doing GVT for legs. Another drawback with GVT

is that while following a 10x10 protocol will increase muscle size, it does


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not increase brute strength. In fact many trainees reported that they actually

got weaker after six weeks of GVT. Hardly the results that we are after.

Thus, I think that changing GVT from 10x10 to a starting program of 10x5

is more appropriate. Now since we cannot increase the weights

incrementally with kettlebells, lets work on other factors. First, start with

10x5 and when you can complete 10x5, go up to 10x6. When you can

complete 10x6, go up to 10x7. Once you can do 10x8, move up to heavier

kettlebells or pick harder kettlebell drills and start back at 10x5. You can

even start at 10x2 or 10x3 to get started and gradually work up to 10x5 and

above. Use the same kettlebells for all ten sets rather than doing the some

sets with heavier bells and some sets with lighter bells. One final

modification that you can do with GVT is to pick two exercises instead of

one. For example, do one-legged squats for five sets of five and then double

front squats for five sets of five right after. The total volume will still be ten

sets. This is a great way to get around possible overuse injuries and the sheerboredom that can come with doing ten sets of the same drill over and overagain.

Here is a sample GVT/Kettlebell Programs

Day 1:

A-1: Double Front Squat 10x5

A-2: Double Swing 10x5

Double Windmill 3x5 l,r (left and right)Day 2:

A-1: Double Military Press 10x5

A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up 10x5

TGU 3x5 l,r (left and right)

Take a day off between each workout. In other words, do day 1 on Monday,day 2 on Wednesday and then Day 1 again on Friday.

HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING (HIT)

High Intensity Training is one of the most controversial training programs

around. People either swear that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread or

that it is complete garbage. Like many things in life, the truth is often in the

middle. The truth about HIT and really any program is that it does not work

forever. Many people test drive HIT and are amazed with the progress that


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they make in the first few weeks. They often believe that they have found

the holy grail of training and preach the benefits of HIT to everyone in site.

Even after their progress comes to a screeching halt in four to six weeks,

they still hang onto the false belief that HIT is superior to every other form

of training. Unfortunately this blind devotion only results in training plateaus

and frustration. Executed correctly, HIT works great for about four weeks.

After four weeks, you adapt and it is time to move on to something else. Lets

go over what HIT is and then discuss how to incorporate it into kettlebelltraining for strength and size.

With HIT the goal is to do a few sets, usually no more than three and to take

each one to failure. For many HIT trainees, it is usually one all out set that is

taken to absolute failure. Absolute failure means that you cannot possibly

get another rep in the set no matter what. Once you have completed this one

super intense set, you move on to the next exercise. You have done all thatyou can do to build that muscle. Sounds great in theory. However, it is not

the best approach to take to really benefit from HIT. I believe that doing

three low rep sets and taking the third set to your limit is a better approach.

With this approach you build up your confidence with the first two sets and

then go all out on the last set. Also, instead of going to absolute failure use

some common sense. For example, on the third set of five, shoot for as many

reps as possible. Lets say that you do seven reps. You doubt that one more

rep will go so you stop at seven. Wise move as building a pattern of success

is always better than a pattern of failure. You got close enough, so increase

the weight or difficulty at the next workout and live to fight another day.You dont have to puke after a workout or risk an unnecessary injury with

poor form. Also, forget about forced reps, negatives, and all that jazz. As

Franco Columbu once said, forced reps are better done by you. Just takeyour last set to the limit and end it. Here is a sample HIT/Kettlebell program:

Monday

A-1: Double Kettlebell Military Press 3x5

A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up 3x5

B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat 3x5

B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing 3x5

Double Kettlebell Windmill 3x5 l,r (left and right)


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Wednesday

A-1: Double Kettlebell Floor Press 3x5

A-2: Double Kettlebell Bent-over Row 3x5

B-1: One-legged Kettlebell Squat 3x5 (left and right)

B-2: Double Kettlebell Snatch 3x5

TGU 3x5 l,r (left and right)

Friday

A-1: Double Sots Military Press 3x5

A-2: Double Kettlebell Bent-over Row 3x5

B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat 3x5 B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing 3x5


On the last set of every exercise, do as many reps as you can in good form.

No crappy reps or forced reps allowed. When you can do seven reps on thelast set, upgrade to some heavier kettlebells or pick a more difficult exercise.

Okay you know what weapons to use and you have a plan of attack. The

only thing left is commitment and hard work on your part. If you are up to

the challenge and want to get bigger and stronger with kettlebells, then

execute the plan in this article today.


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Unleash The Power Of Heavy Kettlebell Training

Many people believe light to moderate kettlebell training is ideal, 53lb

kettlebells for men and 26lb kettlebells for women. This line of thinking is agreat way to miss out on the benefits of heavy kettlebell training.

For example, 53lb kettlebells are not challenging to me at all and if I based

my training on 53lb kettlebells, I would not have the strength, size,

endurance, and explosive power that I currently have. Moreover, my clients

would not make the improvements that they have made if they stuck to lightbells.

Even if your goals are cardio and muscular endurance, why not work up to

heavier kettlebells for reps? Do you really think that knocking off ten double

swings with two 88lb kettlebells will not be beneficial? Do you think that ten

Clean and presses with the 70s will not benefit you as an athlete? Of course

both will. An athlete would clearly do better with do twelve Clean andpresses with two 70s than thirty Clean and presses with two 53s.

If you can do thirty reps with a weight, it is too easy to have any dramaticbenefit for athletic activities and strength (unless your sport is GS, a

kettlebell sport), especially, for combat athletes. The heavier the kettlebells

you can handle for muscular endurance, the more benefit you will have for

your sport. Using Olympic lifting as a back drop, an athlete who can Power

Clean 315lbs five times is going to have much more explosive power than an

athlete who can Power Clean 135lbs fifteen times. Moreover, the athlete


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who can Power Clean 315lbs will be able to do far more than fifteen repswith 135lbs.

Heavy training improves light training, but not the other way around. So

why even bother with light training? With the exception of working on form

and back-off weeks, I would say do not bother. Personally, 70lb bells are thelightest ones I own and I only use them for GTG (Pavel's Greasing the

Groove in which you practice an exercise daily for neurological facilitation)for presses and sometimes high-rep Front Squats.

Recently someone asked me how many reps I can do for the ten-minute

Snatch test with a 53lb kettlebell. I have no idea as I have never done the

test. With all due respect to the test and the great people who have

participated in the test (lots of impressive numbers by people who have

taken the test), I'd rather have an athlete knock off twenty Snatches left and

right with an 88lb kettlebell and eventually the 105lb bell. Sounds like toomuch? I can do 17 Snatches left and right with a 105lb kettlebell and I amfar from a gifted athlete.

A few months ago I knocked off 50 reps per arm on One-arm Snatches with

a 53lb bell. I am not breaking any records, and there are a few things you

should know. I never train with light kettlebells; I rarely work on high reps

(over ten reps per set), and the 50 reps left and right was easy for me. The

power and endurance that I built with heavy kettlebells carried over very

well to light weights for high reps. However, take a man or woman who can

do 50 snatches with a 53lb kettlebell who has never trained with a heavier

kettlebell and I promise you that he or she will not be able to do more than a

few reps with a 105lb kettlebell. More than likely, he or she will not even be

able to do one rep. If you are an athlete, light training it is not ideal for themajority of your workouts.

Once you have the technique down, ramp up the intensity. Heavy kettlebell

training will do far more for explosive power and when done in high repswill develop muscular endurance that will transfer to your sport.

Now I am not blowing my own horn here or trying to convey what a greatathlete I am. Again I am not a great athlete and certainly not a genetic freak.

My anabolic hormone levels are good, but certainly not exceptional. Thus, I

do not have tremendous recovery abilities either. I did not even start lifting

weights until I was 18 and got pinned with 100lbs on the bench press when I

first got started. I never played sports in high school or college. Thus, if I

can work up to the numbers above, it should be no problem for gifted


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athletes. I am just an average guy who learned how to train smart, recruit the

CNS, and use my own leverage points to handle heavier bells - more aboutleverage points later.

My point to drive home is that heavy kettlebell training is not just beneficial

for size and strength, but for muscular endurance as well. The muscularendurance you build with heavy kettlebells is much more beneficial than

light kettlebells for athletes. In addition, heavy kettlebell training engages

the CNS more efficiently, teaches you how to master your own leverage

points, and if used correctly, probably has a great benefit to optimizinganabolic hormones. Of course this is far more complicated than just training.

Let me make it clear by stating that I do not think heavy weight low-rep

training takes the place of muscular endurance. That is not what this article

is about. Of course you need to work with high reps and lots of volume or

frequency to ramp up endurance, but you should not be afraid of heavykettlebell training. If muscular endurance is your thing, have a goal of

working up to some high reps with some heavy kettlebells on the Double

Clean and Press, Double Swing, Double Front Squat (or Double Clean and

Front Squat), Double Clean and Jerk (or Clean and Push Press), DoubleSnatches, One-arm Swings, and One-arm Snatches.

Heavy kettlebells are bells you can only do a few reps with, say 2-4. Start

with low reps to get used to the heavier kettlebells. For example, if you can

Clean and Press two 53lb bells ten times, do a few sets of two reps when you

start working with the 70lb bells. Make each rep perfect. Once that gets

easy, start building the reps. When you can do ten Clean and Presses withthe 70s, get a pair of 88s and do the same thing.

One important thing to keep in mind is that training form needs to be

modified as the bells get heavier. Let's use the Clean and Press as an

example. With light kettlebells, you can keep the body fairly loose and still

maintain proper technique. You can easily keep your body upright as

leverage is not a necessity. However, once you start doing Clean and Presses

with heavy kettlebells, you are playing in a whole new ball game. You have

to tighten up and apply more tension to have a solid foundation. You will

have to let your back "sit back" and push your hips as far forward as possible

for optimal leverage. Your breathing will change. Now you have to hold

your breath or apply "power breathing" to keep the tension high to get thebells moving.


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An another example is the One-arm Snatch: When I do Snatches with a

105lb bell my form is much different than my form with a 70lb kettlebell. I

drive through with much more power and pop the pelvis through and let my

back sit back for more explosive power and leverage similar to what

Olympic lifters do. As the bell goes overhead, I bend my knees slightly to

get under the weight and catch it. When I return the bell to the starting

position, I keep it close to my body for maximum control. I also do not

swing the bell back as far between my feet as that also throws off the

leverage. It is almost a completely different exercise all together than a One-arm

Documents

Mike Mahler Kettlebell Workshop Manual