It could be the “big things.” I never thought much of Double Kettlebell Cleans because I have such a history with the O lifts. Maybe, just maybe, it could be because I never did them right! Something as simply as the “V” position changes the lift forever and, if you need to be gassed, go right ahead and do a set of ten. Not enough, add some Front Squats.

I’m not sure most people reading the book will understand the challenge of the training system outlined. A double snatch followed by double presses followed by Front Squats? Good luck!

There is not enough hyperbole in my body to express how much I like this book. We are at an amazing time in the community. The new Kettlebells from the Ground Up, Kenneth’s new V02 Max book and this book and DVD show the maturation of the RKC. It is not enough to just get people tired…any fool can do that! It is important to manage rest period with effort, proper alignment, proper tools, proper load and a systematic approach to whatever goal is in the sights. ROTK is now the standard, the very high standard, of what to expect in the RKC texts.

To say that this work is “amazing” is an understatement. Anyone who plays with kbells must use this book as a resource. Completing the program and goals set in this book is a worthy fight for any man.

—Dan John, RKC TL, Murray, UT

I was mainly interested in trying some creative ways to help my lower back pain and scoliosis, so I decided that perhaps if I just clean and pressed a kettlebell and held it overhead for a while, one side at a time, that might do me some good.

Well I started out the first day with the 36lb KB, and that went just peachy, holding it overhead for about a full minute on each side. The second day I did it again, but then I decided that I should try it with the 54lb 'bell. It wasn't too much trouble, until I decided I should bring it back down to shoulder position doing a slow negative.

Bad idea.

It didn't feel like I really injured myself, but a couple of days later… holy cow. I could barely move my left (weaker) arm. It's feeling better today, although it's still bothering me, but now I'm going to have to lay off for a while to make sure it heals and I don't aggravate it.

Just a little reminder that just because you could lift at a certain level once, doesn't mean you can lay off for a month and then go right back to the same level. The funny thing is that if I had just waited a week before tackling the bigger kettlebell, I probably would have been fine.

Most people who participated in high school football or wrestling practice can fondly remember their coaches barking at them as they ascended and descended the stair steps of the football stadium or sets of stairs located inside school facilities. I am also sure, as you nostalgically ponder how this workout made you feel, that you swore to yourself you would never participate in this type of torture again. Well there is one reason why old coach tormented you with this routine, because it is an excellent way to build speed, endurance, and agility.

Traditionally, the stair workout is done by sprinting up three to four flights of stairs, touching every step on the way and jogging back down, after which you would repeat the process for a specified number of repetitions. While this is a very challenging workout, it definitely becomes much more “evil” when you integrate kettlebell training into the routine. Now you may be asking yourself, “Why would I put myself through this?” Because quite simply, it is an excellent way to train for speed, reap the cardio benefits as well as build muscular endurance and strength, not to mention the fat that you will be burning. Perhaps the best thing about the workout is that it can be done within fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on how hard you want to push yourself.

The workout is facilitated by bringing a kettlebell, that you can easily handle and placing it at the bottom of the stair steps, preferably three to four flights of stairs on a fairly steep incline. You sprint to the top of the stairs as fast as you can by touching every step and then jog to the bottom where the fun begins with the kettlebells. In all you should climb up and down the stairs and perform your exercises at the bottom of the stairs for a total of ten repetitions, with no breaks in between repetitions of course. If you find that the routine is too easy you need to use a heavier kettlebell. Here is the routine that I have been using, please feel free to vary the exercises if as you deem necessary:

Stair Routine

First Repetition: (10) KB presses with each arm
Second Repetition: (10) KB snatches with each arm
Third Repetition: (10) KB cleans with each arm
Fourth Repetition: (15) KB curls with a towel in KB handle
Fifth Repetition: (15) KB behind the head triceps presses with a towel in KB handle
Sixth Repetition: (20) Elevated pushups with both feet on the third step
Seventh Repetition: (20) Deep knee bends while holding KB close to the chest
Eighth Repetition: (10) KB presses with each arm
Ninth Repetition: (20) Elevated pushups with both feet on the third step
Tenth Repetition: (10) KB snatches with each arm

Well there you have it comrade, if you are not breathing heavily and sweating profusely at the end of this routine, then you have over trained and you must be dead. But seriously, make sure that you don’t overdo it the first time you train in this manner because this is a seriously intense routine, as a matter of fact I would not recommend that you do this more than once or twice a week. This kind of conditioning is definitely not for the faint of heart as it relentlessly works on your explosive power and anaerobic skills. Once you train this way I am sure that you will agree this is about as brutal of a workout that you can do in a limited amount of time.

Lieutenant Gundy is currently the Assistant Director of Training at the West Virginia State Police Academy and is an advocate of kettlebell training. Lieutenant Gundy is also the chief defensive tactics instructor and is very involved in the setting up fitness programs for law enforcement officers.

I was thinking of dropping the deadlifts. Do you believe I can still work the same muscles by doing only kettlebell snatches?

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This is the routine I will be using for the next two weeks starting saturday. The main point is variety, mixing up heavy days and light days, and having fun.

Saturday/Sunday

high rep swings and snatches

MONDAY
Good Morning stretch
Windmill
Russian MP
Bottoms Up Press
2 step fwd/1 step back MP
Elbow Raise
Yeilding Press
TurboCharged Janda Situps
Pistol and PullUps – GTG style

TUESDAY
swings
cleans
under the knee pass
1 arm snatch
side to side arm pass
dead weight cleans
jandas
pullups and pistols – GTG

WEDNESDAY
Good mornings
Russian MP
cleans
Russian MP
1 arm swings
clean and jerks
military palm press
cleans
push press
jandas
pullups and pistols – GTG

THURSDAY
2 arm swings
1 arms swings
cleans
1 arm snatches (drop and catch)
bottoms up 2 arm press
jandas
pistol and pullups GTG

FRIDAY
Good Morning stretch
Chest opening windmill
handstand pushups
side to side pass
Russian MP
Elbow raises
MP with pause
Graduated press
2 step fwd 1 step back MP
Static contraction
Jandas
Pistols and Pullups – GTG

Additional details

The bulk of my high repetition program is based on doing one arm Clean & Presses and one arm swings for 50-60 reps 3-4 times per week. My original plan was to start with more sets of less repetitions and then increase the reps and cut the sets (i.e. 5 x 10, 4 x 15, 3 x 20). These are done non-stop until all reps are completed for each movement but I alternate the arm work. My plan was to get to 50 continuous reps on each arm and then increase the weight.

I'm wondering if this is the correct approach. It seems there are real advantages to keeping to a lower rep/higher sets scheme. Some of the points are:

1. More flexibility.

Sticking to alternating sets of 10 allows you to better decide when you take a break because of endurance limitations. It also allows you to push a bit further. For example, you do three sets of 10 and start to feel the need for a breather. You can push for another set on each arm since this is not too great a time to push for. If you were doing 50 reps on each arm, you might start to need a breather in the middle of your second arm, and have to stop before completing the goal number of repetitions. The higher the rep range, the greater the possibility this will happen.

2. More strength and speed.

Lower repetition sets allow you to use more weight and also to go faster since you are not fatiguing the arm as quickly. With high rep sets you fatigue the arm more and it's harder to recover for the next set. I did 40 reps on each arm in the one arm swing today (followed by another set of 20 each non-stop). I got the sense that as I approached higher reps I was slowing down. There is also a mental element to higher reps where you might tend to go easier because you know you have more reps to do and don't want to burn out.

3. More total volume.

Because you're not limited by muscular fatigue with low rep sets you can do more reps. If I do 40 reps per arm, then 20, I will probably only be able to do a third set of 10. If I do lower reps I could probably knock out 10 sets of 10 for 100 reps total. Perhaps instead of shooting for 50 continuous reps before adding weight, I should shoot for 100 total reps before adding weight. Instead of progressing from five sets of 10 to one set of 50, I should progress from five sets of 10 to 10 sets of 10.

There are other considerations: Do higher reps give something (muscular endurance) that low rep sets don't? Is this something that is necessary? Is there an ideal rep scheme that will allow for incraeses in muscular endurance, strength and maintain speed? I'm thinking that if sets of 10 allow for more speed and weight, that may sacrifice muscular endurance. Sets of 50 will give more muscular endurance but sacrifice weight and perhaps, speed. Would sets of 15, 20 or 25 give a perfect combination of all three elements?

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Over the course of 35-40 minutes last Friday, I did 70 snatches and 35 Clean & Jerks, with a 35 lb dumbell. Afterwards I was pretty viciously smashed. Now I'm wondering if should I modify the rest/work ratio, or is this intense enough a pattern to allow me to switch to a higher weight when I reach 100 reps on the snatch?

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I'm looking to build explosive power, strength, and muscular endurance without bulking up.

Will doing more sets of the presses make me bigger? Should i just do them like PTP [Power to the People]: 2 sets of 5 reps? On the snatches and cleans, you say you can do 1-100 reps but don't go to muscle failure… Won't doing 100 reps with any of the kettlebells fatigue your muscles?

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My wife has gone to Gold's with a friend on a guest pass a few times and really likes their "Body Pump" classes, so for our anniversary I thought I'd go ahead and get us a couple of memberships. Yeah, yeah I know… I'm a true romantic.

She doesn't ask for a lot of stuff (as opposed to some guy I know, who is always sniffing around for the latest DVD or electronics gear), so I thought it was the least I could do.

I really can't stand their misleading marketing tactics, but they don't have a 24 Hour Fitness any closer than about 30 miles away. Normally I would just go out and buy an Olympic weight set, but since I'm self-employed and work from home, I really need to get out of the house more, so I went ahead and signed up.

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