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The Kettlebell Solution For Speed And Explosive Strength

By Mike Mahler

We all know that kettlebells are fantastic for building muscular endurance and core strength. Moreover, I showed clearly on my last DVD, "The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength", that kettlebells can be used effectively for getting bigger and stronger. My latest DVD is on how to use kettlebells to get faster and more explosive. Even if you are not an athlete, developing more speed and explosive power will enhance your goals. The more fast switch muscle fibers you can engage the stronger you will be and the more muscular endurance you will be able to tap into. Thus, my DVD will enhance any program that you are on. In this article, I am going to go over a program that is heavily inspired by Louie Simmons and the westside barbell club (Westside-Barbell.com) for increasing speed, strength, and size with kettlebells. Check it out:

Monday: Speed Day

• Double Clean and Speed Press 8x3 (pick a weight that you can press 8-10 times and press the bells as fast as possible while remaining tight. Do a clean before each press and take one-minute breaks in between each set.
• Double Kettlebell Box Squats 8x3 (pick a weight that you can 8-10 times and take one-minute breaks in between each set. Squat down to a box just below parallel, sit on the box for a second and stand up as fast as possible)
• Double Kettlebell Swing 8x3 (pick a weight that you can do 8-10 times and focus on driving through as forcefully as possible. Keep the bells at no high than chest level. The focus should be on your hamstrings. One-minute breaks in between each set)

Doing the speed work first fires up your CNS and gets your fast twitch muscles engaged for the work to follow.

• Double Kettlebell Bent-over Row or Weighted Pull-up 3x6 (stay one rep away from failure and take two-minute breaks)
• Double Kettlebell One-legged Deadift 2x6 l,r (left and right one-minute breaks)
• One-arm Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right and one-minute breaks. Go heavy on these, but do not train to failure)

Wednesday: Medium Intensity Day

• A-1: Double Floor Press 2x6 reps
• A-2: Renegade Row 2x6 reps l,r

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2. Keep going back and forth until you have completed all of the designated sets.

• B-1: Double Front Squat 2x6 reps
• B-2: Double Snatch 2x5 reps

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion. In other words, do a set of B-1, wait a minute and then do a set of B-2. Keep going back and forth until you have completed all of the designated sets.

Wrap up with

• Turkish Get-up 2x5 l,r (two sets of five left and right and one-minute breaks in between each set)

Friday: Maximum Effort Size and Strength Day

• A-1: Double Kettlebell Military Press 5x5 reps
• A-2: Weighted Pull-up or Double Kettlebell Bent Over Row 5x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait ninety seconds and then do a set of A-2. Keep going back and forth until you have completed all of the designated sets. The last set should be very hard on each exercise. When you can do 5x5 with an exercise, add another set.

• B-1: Double Front Squat 5x5
• B-2: Double Swing 5x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion. In other words, do a set of B-1, wait ninety seconds and then do a set of B-2. Keep going back and forth until you have completed all of the designated sets. The last set should be very hard on each exercise. When you can do 5x5 with an exercise, add another set.

Wrap up with

• Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (two sets of five left and right and one-minute breaks in between each set)

Every thee weeks change the exercises on the maximum effort day to avoid burnout, boredom, and lack of progress. For example do the Sot press instead of the Double Mil Press or Double Lunges instead of Double Front Squats.

 

Recommended Kettlebells

Our Kettlebells are supplied by LondonKettlebells.com and are rediculously good quality. Currently they offer FREE DELIVERY within the UK. If you are outside the UK, please check out the Dragondoor Kettlebells range.

Our Mini K-Bell Range

These are great training 'bells and are ideal for ladies whow want to get into Kettlebell training.

	6kg Mini K-Bell - Only £27.50 The lightest Kettlebell in our range, this is recommended for someone with little or no previous exercise experience or for rehabilitation & strengthening purposes. Also a great tool for introducing Kettlebell traiing to your kids.
	8kg Mini K-Bell - Only £34.95 This would be a good starting weight for ladies who are used to gyms, but tend to stick to cardio equipment and machines (in which case please, please, please, consider our Online Personal Training Service!) and are looking to introduce Kettlebells into their training.
	12kg Mini K-Bell - Only £39.95 This one is for ladies who know what they're doing in the weight room and are used to free weights. If you've not used Kettlebells before you should probably kick off with a 6kg or an 8kg. You will make progress quickly however and the 12kg is a nice weight to progress to. Also a good weight for men who have no weightlifting experience.

 

Our Pro-Kettlebell Range

The Pro-Kettlebell Range is awesome. The 'bells are finished to a high-quality and are smooth to the touch unlike a number of other brands which are crudely cast and are rough to the touch. This makes them perfect for the higher rep swings and snatches utilised in CrossFit programming.

	16kg/1 pood Pro-Kettlebell -Only £49.95 FREQUENTLY USED CROSSFIT WEIGHT The 16kg kettlebell is the usual starting weight for the average man. If you train but use machines more than free weights this is where you should start. This weight is frequently used in high-rep CrossFit work and is the standard weight specified for ladies on the benchmark workouts for Swings and Snatches.
	20kg Pro-Kettlebell -Only £59.95 If you're looking for the perfect balance of strength and cardio conditioning with a kettlebell, the 20kg is perfect for most men. We recommend that men who like training with free weights begin with a 20kg as it is a good stepping stone to the 24kg. Some women will also want to use this for developing phenomenal levels of strength.
	24kg 1.5 pood Pro-Kettlebell -Only £69.95 FREQUENTLY USED CROSSFIT WEIGHT Getting heavy now! The 24kg kettlebell is ideal for men who want to get strong and should be used by people with some weight training experience or powerlifters looking to get into kettlebell work. The 24kg weight is the standard weight specified for men on the benchmark workouts for Swings and Snatches.
	28kg Pro-Kettlebell -Only £79.95 Your stepping stone between the 24kg and 32kg Kettlebells. More for the Kettlebell specialits, than CrossFitters, this is a nice challenge to work up to on your way to the 32kg press.
	32kg/2 pood Pro-Kettlebell -Only £89.95 The 32kg Kettlebell is the strength tool of choice for many Kettlebell lifters. If you can press this, then you are STRONG. You're only going to want this if you can comfortably handle the 24kg 'bell and are a Kettlebell specialist.