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Kettlebell Best strength exercises for minimal routine for older folk to combat sarcopenia and slowing down

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Marino

Marino

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Thinking double kettlebell clean and jerks plus heavy snatches. Explosiveness plus strength plus hyper trophy plus range of movements without Oly learning curve.

From someone feeling beaten up by barbell basic lifts worrying that absolute strength for a 50 year old is not the best strength focus for good aging.

Any other moves strike you as better for this aim?
 
Marino said:
Thinking double kettlebell clean and jerks plus heavy snatches. Explosiveness plus strength plus hyper trophy plus range of movements without Oly learning curve.

From someone feeling beaten up by barbell basic lifts worrying that absolute strength for a 50 year old is not the best strength focus for good aging.

Any other moves strike you as better for this aim?
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S&S
 
Biggest issue with a lot of old(er) people is the ability to get up and down from the ground surprisingly... I would go

1) get ups
2) snatches, if mobility is an issue then swings

Clean & press would be close 3rd***
 
Simple & Sinister, easy on the knees, shoulders and joints in general. I've been running this program along side by BJJ practice and couldn't recommend enough. I'm seeing really good results and feel great for it :)
 
I note that you’re “feeling beaten up” by your barbell work but you’re proposing to replace it with the kettlebell work that doles out the biggest beating.

I think that the classic StrongFirst prescription for your stated goals (which are the same as mine) is S&S. I also like Dan John’s Armor Building Complex. Whatever you choose, have fun and good luck!
 
Marino said:
Thinking double kettlebell clean and jerks plus heavy snatches. Explosiveness plus strength plus hyper trophy plus range of movements without Oly learning curve.

From someone feeling beaten up by barbell basic lifts worrying that absolute strength for a 50 year old is not the best strength focus for good aging.

Any other moves strike you as better for this aim?
Click to expand...
About to be 51. Your intuition probably is your best answer. Make adjustments as you proceed. Usually limited to few is better than doing many. Go for it.
 
Marino said:
Thinking double kettlebell clean and jerks plus heavy snatches. Explosiveness plus strength plus hyper trophy plus range of movements without Oly learning curve.

From someone feeling beaten up by barbell basic lifts worrying that absolute strength for a 50 year old is not the best strength focus for good aging.

Any other moves strike you as better for this aim?
Click to expand...

Cleans, squats, chins and dips.
 
Marino said:
From someone feeling beaten up by barbell basic lifts worrying that absolute strength for a 50 year old is not the best strength focus for good aging.
Click to expand...

You may find double kb C&J plus heavy kb snatches beating you up even more...

Used to love going hard 'n' heavy with BB dead, squat, and press in my forties, but recovery became a real drag

Now 51 and already finding the combination of A+A or Q&D snatches and 1H-swings plus high-rep BW mobility work and easy-jogging truly rejuvenating after just six months in...
 
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Interesting question! I don't have any answers but a couple more questions for the knowledgeable among us:
1) Is the best approach to tackling sarcopenia hypertrophy-focused training? If so,
2) Does S&S offer enough?
 
I think there is a lot of good exercise suggestions here. I still believe based on coaching my parents a bit is that ballistics are quite hard to learn for people above 60. It can be done, but they have to be motivated. If you are not very motivated learning the grinds like TGU and press and maybe some carries are better.

In StrongFirst people believe in training in a mindful way. That is however not how most people outside of Strongfirst train, and neither is it probably the way they want to train. I think many people see training as a chore that they just want to get over with. If this is so, easier exercises with slower speed are better.

So teaching an impatient 65 year old how to kettlebell snatch ? Good luck with that.
 
Anders said:
My father is 65. He loves deadlifts and says IT has cured his backpain.
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This. I've told my story many times, but your sentence above serves the same purpose: I count on the deadlift to keep my back healthy.

Here's a timely, new article from StrongFirst on the subject of the deadlift: Enter the Barbell Deadlift | StrongFirst

Last but not least, please consider

1) attending PlanStrong, so that you can write yourself deadlift programs, or

2) purchasing a custom-written PlanStrong-based plan, which you can do right here on our web site.

I'm 65 and started lifting about 20 years ago, and PlanStrong is simply the best way to avoid overtraining I have ever come across because it's the perfect balance of what you need to progress or maintain your strength without pushing yourself too hard.

In my opinion, the sweet spot comes from using Q+D to add a little explosive training to your strength regimen. Not that there aren't other ways, but this way absolutely does work and will work for many years for many people.

-S-
 
Gepet said:
Interesting question! I don't have any answers but a couple more questions for the knowledgeable among us:
1) Is the best approach to tackling sarcopenia hypertrophy-focused training? If so,
2) Does S&S offer enough?
Click to expand...
1) You could tackle sarcopenia with 2-5 sets of 2-5 reps with 2-5+ minutes rest btwn sets with basic KB,BB, and BW exercises.
2) Yes.

" The best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

---JFK
 
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I work at a 6000+ member facility, where 60% of membership is 55+. Let me tell you, ain't nobody doing KB ballistics. I can count on one hand the number of average folks that will strength train enough to reach the level of swings. The 50+ crowd on this forum are an anomaly.

OP your theory is nice, but in practice my experience tells me unreasonable. Work grinds. Push/Hinge absolutely. If able, press OH. Get the squat pattern. Unloaded get-ups. IF they are even interested in this.
 
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