In this post we're continuing our kettlebell beginner's guide series. And today we're unpacking "what kettlebell exercises to focus on" based on your experience. If you're new to this series I recommend starting with part 1 first, then returning to this post.
Before we dive into what kettlebell exercises to focus on for kettlebells beginners. I wanna talk about three further upstream ideas: foundational movement patterns, skill development, and performance progression training to set context.
1: Movement Patterns
If you want to build a stronger and more capable body, focus on building functional movement patterns instead of stringing together random exercises. Functional patterns cross multiple planes of motion and "link" your body together as one functional unit.
These are the core functional patterns to build your foundation:
- Push (think vertical and horizontal pushing: overhead press and push-up).
- Pull (vertical and horizontal pulling: rows, pull-ups and chin-ups).
- Hinge (deadlift, kettlebell clean and swing).
- Squat
- Rotation (throwing and anti-rotational movements).
- Gait (lunge, walk, and run).
- Carry (farmers carry, kettlebell rack position).
All of these are known as "compound movements." Meaning they cross more than one join and involve multiple muscle groups. Compared "isolation exercises" like: leg extensions and bicep curls; which cross only one join like the knee and elbow respectively.
I recommend including more compound than isolation movements in your practice; compound movements are what build you into a complete athlete.
2: Skill Development
Skill in this context are the fundamental skills of strength not specific "sport skill."
This is where you approach your fitness routine as a "practice" instead of rushing into a "workout" or "sport specific training." Why the distinction? Because when you get tired; when adversity hits; you and I will default to our level of training and the skills we've developed.
If you have not developed your skills, the likely hood of getting injured increases. And the last time I checked... getting injured does not lead the results. Am I right?
Essentially your skills are your default settings. Only when you put in your time and develop your skills, will you get MORE out of your workouts; and see faster, and longer lasting, results... by DOING LESS.
And don't worry... when you establish an effective practice. It will feel like a workout.
3: Performance Progression Training
This is where you build functional performance on top of your foundational patterns and skill. You may have heard this referred to as "general physical preparedness." (GPP) One of the biggest mistakes I see kettlebell beginners make is training with their kettlebells BACKWARDS. Here's what I mean.
This is the "OPT Model."
(OPT Model: Optimum Performance Training Model)
(Source: Courtesy of National Academy of Sports Medicine)
Swings and other ballistic exercises represent the top of the pyramid.
(Ballistic exercises: Dynamic + explosive movements. I.e., speed and power training.)
You've likely been learning how to use kettlebells completely backwards (I know because I've taught it backwards). E.g., Maybe you learned how to pattern the hip hinge for a few reps. Then quickly progressed to 2 handed swings.
After that?
Heavier 2 handed swings.
Then double kettlebell swings (power, max strength, and muscle-building). Eventually, strength endurance training, and anti-rotational training with 1 handed swings; and I'm willing to bet a tomahawk steak dinner... you're snatching by the end of the month!
Backwards, see what I mean?
Not something a beginner should focus on, on day 1.
I mean.
You couuuuld but... it's not gonna turn out well in the long run.
(Even if you're an experience kettlebell'er.)
What you want to do is establish a foundation of strength following this framework.
"3F" Framework
Functional Movements ➡️ Functional Performance ➡️ Functional Skill
Build your movements patterns, through practice, and physical performance before... even thinking about functional skill. Functional skill (I.e., power training and sport specific skill) is not to be confused with strength as a skill––as mentioned above on development of skill.
Set a foundation of mobility and stability, strength, and then power. This will set you up for long term progress... without getting injured.
This is something we teach out students at Hardstyle how to do, in detail. Now that the foundation is laid (no pun intended). Let's move to part 3 of the kettlebell beginner's guide.
What Kettlebell Exercises to Focus On
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What I'm going to share with you is exactly how we map out the first 16 months of training for our students. Each phase of training will be aligned to the performance progression pyramid based on your level of experience.
Beginner: Months 1-4
When I first opened my gym in 2011 and started coaching my first students. I quickly recognized that not only was it overwhelming for them to grasp the concepts. But it was doing more harm than good because... we were starting with power first.
After 6 months we went back to the drawing board to create a repeatable system and training process; a system which works wonders not only for kettlebell beginners, but for advanced athletes as well.
We kept what worked (meaning what was repeatable) and moved the rest for a later day. What was left were these 5 core compound movements:
- Deadlift.
- Clean.
- Press.
- Squat.
- Lunge.
As you can see, these are aligned to the 7 functional movement patterns. Hinge (deadlift), Lower body pull (the clean is a variation of a bent over row), over head push, squat, and lunge.
The only pattern we're missing is rotation which is directly addressed in our Recovery Accelerating Mechanism system (Holding the bells in the rack position for cleans, presses, squats, and lunges addresses the carry.)
That said, the clean, the most overlooked––and under appreciated––exercise in the kettlebell universe, is multifaceted.
It's not only a lower body pull and carry, but it also teaches you how to: produce, reduce, and redirect force––skills (and tasks) you need to execute for the rest of our lives. And when done with one kettlebell, it builds your ability to reduce rotational forces and strengthens your midsection.
A truly under-appreciated exercise.
Intermediate 1: Months 5-7
Intermediate will be segmented into 3 parts to carry you from your first year through your 5th. This is where we introduce power training with the Kettlebell Swing and Getup.
Focusing on one skill at a time.
E.g.,
Month 5: 2 Handed Swings.
Month 6: 1 Handed Swings.
Month 7: Hand to Hand Swings.
You can also use month 7 as an integration of all 3 skills. E.g., day 1: 2 handed swing, day 2: 1 handed swing, and day 3: hand to hand swing.
Intermediate 1.2: Months 8-10
Months 8-10 we introduce the Kettlebell Snatch and body weight strength training.
At this point in the process, we're 8 months into training and our students haven't done a single kettlebell snatch. Why? Because it would be a disservice to them and their long-term progress. Many of our students, in the beginning, would ask "when are we going to start snatching? I seen people online, and at other gyms, doing snatches."
In this phase we guide them through several snatch progressions like: learning the snatch from the bottom-up and the top-down. And because they've spent time developing their clean and press first, the progression to the snatch is more natural.
Because both the clean and the press are "bottom-up" regressions of the snatch; they teach the vertical trajectory, the path, of the snatch. Exercises like the half snatch help teach beginners the "top-down" trajectory.
And with enough practice, the snatch "just happens."
Nuances of Body Weight Training
Body weight training is a different animal, and not something I recommend for complete beginners, which is why we wait till month 8 to introduce.
Exercises like: the push-up, one arm push-up, one arm one leg push-up, and pull-up are high level skills; and require a lot of coaching.
To learn these skills, one ought to know how to leverage elevations. Because your body weight, is your body weight. You can just lop off one of your limbs to make yourself "lighter." Compared to a barbell, and even kettlebells, where you can reduce the weight and train at percentages of a 1 rep max (1RM). A 200 pound gentleman or a 130 pound lady is a 200 pound gentleman and a 130 pound lady.
Since you can't reduce and manipulate the weight, the only option is to manipulate elevations. Example with the push-up: The more parallel you are to the floor, the more intense the exercise. Elevating your hands takes the weight off your hands and puts it in your legs, like: doing push-ups on a 30-inch box or push-ups against a wall.
With elevations you become virtually weightless; so you can work on the patterns and skills while building your strength.
Intermediate 1.3: Months 11-13
Months 11, 12, and 13––Intermediate 1.3––are an introduction to circuit training. At this point we have developed 10 months of skill.
You've learned the deadlift, the Clean, the Press, the Squat, the Lunge, Swing, Getup, and Snatch. Essentially you've learned all 6 core kettlebell movements and patterns for 10 months.
Circuit training is where we introduce our students to methods like Kettlebell Complexes, Chains, and Hybrids (a combination of Chains and Complexes)––and how to incorporate and integrate these skills into one full training system.
This is also where we get into specific fat loss training and muscle building––although they will be working on fat loss (if that's a goal for them) in the other phases of the system.
The longer I've been coaching, and teaching, real people in the trenches. Complexes are not something I would teach a beginner. While they may do a complex in the form of: 3 Cleans followed by 3 Presses as an example. What I'm talking about in this context are Complexes in 4 or 5 exercise circuit.
If you're a beginner and have never experienced the physical demand of a Kettlebell Complex. It's fatiguing to say the least.
"I feel like I'm not strong!"
This is how complexes can make one feel. Which can lead to self-doubt about the reality of your progress.
I'll never forget when we took one of our students through their first Complex. At that time she had been coaching with us for over a year; but she was completely out of her element, a fish out of water.
She said, "I've been training for over a year and after just one set I feel like I'm not strong. I want to cry; I feel like all this training I've been doing is for nothing; this is very hard."
I'm happy to report, after a few weeks, she acclimated and crushed the program. Can you image what someone, who was a complete beginner, would think if we took them through Kettlebell Complexes in their first few weeks?
Complexes are a high level and specific skill set. Without a foundation of functional patterns and performance progression, we're leaving results on the table. Fatigue hits and fatigue makes cowards of us all.
When fatigue and adversity hit you and I will always default back to our level of training and the skills we've developed. So if you haven't followed a process, like the one I'm laying out for you, and you dive into Kettlebell Complexes prematurely... you're in for a rough ride––and a rude awakening.
Can see the value in why we don't introduce this method of training to our students until month 11; almost a year into their journey?
Intermediate 1.3 is a synergy of all skills developed up to this point.
Advanced: Months 14-16
This phase is "advanced."
But in my professional opinion practitioners 14 months into their practice are still intermediate. Intermediate experience is 1-5 years, in my professional opinion. But within the context of this post I'm giving you example of what the first 16 months of your training could look like.
This is where we explore StrongFirst Girya (SFG) level two exercises; it's where we build Functional Skill, the top of the pyramid. At this stage we can now build higher-end skills like: the Double Push-Press, Jerk, Long Cycle Clean and Jerk, and the Bent Press.
These exercises would complete what I call the "Power 9;" the 9 core kettlebell exercises.
One of the, many, great things about using kettlebells. Their simplicity, as there only 9 core movements. Simplicity is what make them repeatable for the long haul; and that repeatability is what allows one to be consistent toward their goals.
If you wanted to simplify your training even more, you don't need all 9 movements. Only the "deep six;" the 6 core movements: Clean, Press, Squat, Swing, Getup, and Snatch.
If all you did in your journey was practice, and train, these 6 skills. You'd be a complete athlete, and virtually unbreakable by mastering these for 16 straight months.
I appreciate your time and attention reading this kettlebell series. If you found it valuable, and helpful, drop a comment below and let us know your takeaways.
hec "the kettlebel coach" g.
P.S. Want to know how to use kettlebells to build a stronger, leaner, and more capable body so you can become the strongest version of yourself?
Book a "discovery call" with me: https://strongashec.com/discovery-call/
On the call we'll get clear on your goals and establish if it would make sense to work together. If we are a good fit, and it makes sense to work together, we'll discuss the enrollment process.