I remember back when I first started lifting weights, I followed a bodybuilding protocol.  I would target 2 or 3 different body groups and perform 3 or 4 different lifts per body part.  I would then follow a schedule that prescribed that I work each body part twice weekly.  The lifts targeted specific muscle groups and not the body as a whole.  The results were muscles that were not as strong as they appeared.  I certainly didn’t have any real world strength.  What I could do was perform barbell curls with a ton of weight.  Big f*#k’n deal.

What has changed for me during the last half of my lifting career is that I now focus on becoming strong and being able to use my body as one.  Who gives a crap how much you can curl unless you are training specifically to be a bodybuilder.  Beyond that, your focus should not on performing single joint, specific muscle targeted lifts.  Your body does not work that way in the real world and you shouldn’t train it that way in the gym.

Enter the kettlebell and the combination lift.  With a kettlebell, it is possible to create a workout by putting together a sequence of lifts that target multiple muscle groups or even the entire body in one superset.  Not only will you be working your entire body, you will be able to do it effectively in a very short period of time. 

The key here is to complete each set without putting the kettlebell down between lifts.  Transferring from one hand to another is ok but parking the bell is a no no.  Not only will you get a heck of workout in a very short period of time, but if you use your imagination, you will defeat one of the top reasons why people don’t stick with their workout routines; boredom.  Face it, we all get bored from time to time if we do the same things over and over again.  If you take every kettlebell lift and pick your favorite 3 or 4 or 5 lifts and combine them, you create for yourself a never ending list of workouts always different and more challenging from the last. 

Here are a few exaples for you:

Clean / Press / Squat
Clean / Squat / Press
Swing / High Pull / Snatch / Press
Double kettlebell front squat / Double kettlebell press / Alternate kettelbell cleans

….and the list goes on.  One of my favorites is to add a get up at the beginning of the lift and then reverse it after the last rep.  In other words, start your combination lift lying on the ground and finish in the same fashion.  You can design your combination lifts to be all slow grinds or all explosive lifts or a combination of the two.  You can perform 2 or 3 lifts that target a specific group of muscles or the whole body.  I prefer the latter but it is up to you.  Perform the combo lifts for reps or for time. 

The thing to remember is to get creative and forget about what you have been taught in the past.  To steal a saying from Nike, just do it.

Yours in Health,

Dennis

P.S. – I will soon be adding a members area to the blog.  In the past I have stopped short of giving to many specifics in my posts but in the new premier members area, I will go into great detail about how to properly perform each lift, in depth strategies for improving your strength and conditioning, grip strength and what ever else I can think of.  I will also be revealing all the tools I use in addition to my kettlebells.  More videos, audio interviews with top trainers and much more exclusive content.  If you are a regular subscriber to my FREE blog, you will be the first to know when we go live so you can be the first to get it.

This post is meant to give you some ideas and get you pointed in the right direction as it relates to using a kettlebell.  You will obviously not master the kettlebell just by reading this post.  I would strongly suggest you seek out quality instruction either with a certified trainer or through the use of books and videos.  The best in the business is Pavel Tsatsouline.  I would suggest to you “Enter the Kettlebell“  by Pavel.  As with any fitness routine, check with your doctor first.  

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