all posts post new thread

Old Forum KettleBells and High Performance Endurance Athletics

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Ross Dexter

Ross Dexter

First Post
It would be wonderful to get some commentary on kettlebells as a performance training tool for high performance endurance athletics (Nordic Skiing, Track and Field/Cross Country/Road Racing, Cycling, etc.)

Pavel, as the former soviet republics and Russia have great tradition in middle distance running and nordic skiing perhaps you have worked with these types of athletes?

Dan John, as a track and field man, I would assume you may have insight?
 
First of all, I do not have a ton of experience training endurance athletes, but in my past I was one.

My reaction would be that a kettlebell is just a tool. It definitely can be used to help endurance athletes improve, but it is simply one piece of a puzzle. There is no magical "one size fits all" prescription, it depends completely on context.

Couple thoughts: I imagine swings are fantastic for both runners and cyclists. Cycling is an incredibly quad dominant sport, so some hinge focused lifting in the off/pre-season would likely help maintain balance. As for runners, swings will allow athletes to get explosive training for the muscles and tendons/ligaments without some of the downsides of plyometric training.
 
Ross, my experience with athletes in cyclical sports is limited.  I can tell you that Lance Armstrong has been training with kettlebells using StrongFirst principles and techniques for years.
 
I'm a far cry from a pro, but my sport of choice is cycling. I race mainly off-road in cyclocross and long mountain bike races (12hr). If it were just a matter of spinning the pedals, I think that the added work of kettelbells would only be of minor interest.

When you're off-road, though, you end up using a lot of upper body to control the bike and get over obstacles while abdominal strength is necessary to have good stability. A strong grip comes in handy as well. I do the majority of my actual bike training on the road. Cycling specific strength, power and endurance cannot be faked. Having kettelbells to strengthen the rest of me is key to a good performance on race day, though.

If I were going to criticize kettelbell work for anything, I would say that it carries the risk of injury. I messed up my back about a month ago and it still isn't right. I think my form was/is reasonable (I did get some SFG instruction). I did some damage around my upper thoracic vertebra, probably by progressing too quickly with the load. I was able to do the S&S workouts with a 24 kg bell, but I didn't have the posterior muscular structure to support it. I should have stuck with the lighter weights longer. Live and learn.
 
Indeed. I wish I could argue otherwise.

Actually, this fact is yet another reason to incorporate a kettlebell program if you're a cyclist. I do believe that if you properly incorporate a KB program in with your 'on the bike' work that you protect yourself against many of the back issues that people face. In fact, you end up strengthening the entire posterior chain, which is neglected by just pedaling.

I don't doubt that my particular issue was self-induced, one way or the other. I'm probably 90% healed, but I'm giving it long enough that I can't feel any tightness before returning to my swings and get-ups.
 
G'day Ross, in the dim darks ages I ran half marathons and mountain runs (I haven't since 1999). I always felt that weight training was a valuable tool in increasing leg strength/endurance. I did heavy squats and lunges (pre KB).

One of my current clients is a triathlete. He initially came to me for post-surgical knee rehab & has continued to train. I have used a number of double KB programmes with him over the past year (based on Geoff Neupert's KB complex's) and he has consistently in every tri this year achieved a P.B. The weekend just gone he knocked 9 minutes off his previous P.B.  He is entering his first Ironman in June.  I think the posterior chain loading or KB ballistics has helped considerably with muscle balance and double front squats have increased quad strength & thereby endurance.
 
Andy, Tim, Dave, and of course Pavel,

Thank you for the discussion! This is a wonderful forum.

I saw that Nick Lynch recently posted this:

http://www.strongfirst.com/topic/endurance-athletes-program/

In the last 6 weeks I have also been doing the 500 swing workout format from the 10,000 swing challenge 2 days a week along with Total Tension complex 2 days a week alternately while returning to running 6 days per week. This combination seems to be very effective for elevating baseline fitness, strength endurance, and overall strength (measured by increases in press).

 
 
Ross, funny timing. I just posted this program yesterday for endurance athletes. We have several marathoners and ultra-marathoners at our studio. In addition, I'm the Strength and Conditioning Coach for MSOE College and work with the cross country coaches. Here is the program we use for:

http://www.strongfirst.com/topic/endurance-athletes-program/
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom