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Kettlebell Kettlebells Reps and Sets

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msuwendy

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Hi im new to kettlebell here, just wodering how to plan the kettlebell workout? is it always be like a giant sets 3-4 sets no break in between or the progression set or the classic weight training sets?

is the reps effect the same with the weights? for instance 1-5 mostly for power, 6-10 for muscle building, 10-20 hypetrophy (i know its not proven yet but i've been using that simple guide for a while)

sorry if i repost this topic

thanks
 
The rule of thumb for kettlebell ballistic exercises (swings, cleans, snatches) is to multiply the reps per set by 1.5-2 when compared to grinds (presses, squats, deadlifts) to achieve the same effect. For instance, the ideal strength/power building range seems to be 2-10 instead of 1-5. the reason is a single ballistic rep typically has less time under tension than a grind rep. There's a lot of ways to go about it all, based on your goals. A lot of people in this neck of the woods, myself included, are proponents of doing shorter sets (5-10 reps) that preserve maximal power production, and then adjusting the rest periods to get more of a strength/power effect or conditioning effect. But there are also plenty of people who prefer sport style training, doing sets that last up to 10 minutes or so. I hope this helps a little, I know I didn't really give you a solid answer o_O

There are some great books out there that explain things better. My favorites are "Simple and Sinister" and "Enter the Kettlebell," both by Pavel Tsatsouline and both available on Kindle for pretty cheap.
 
If you are new to kettlebells keep the rep ranges low, moderate sets, and longer rests while learning the movements. This manages CNS fatigue and keep the movements technically solid. When you become proficient start to challenge yourself.
 
Snowman said:
The rule of thumb for kettlebell ballistic exercises (swings, cleans, snatches) is to multiply the reps per set by 1.5-2 when compared to grinds (presses, squats, deadlifts) to achieve the same effect. For instance, the ideal strength/power building range seems to be 2-10 instead of 1-5. the reason is a single ballistic rep typically has less time under tension than a grind rep. There's a lot of ways to go about it all, based on your goals. A lot of people in this neck of the woods, myself included, are proponents of doing shorter sets (5-10 reps) that preserve maximal power production, and then adjusting the rest periods to get more of a strength/power effect or conditioning effect. But there are also plenty of people who prefer sport style training, doing sets that last up to 10 minutes or so. I hope this helps a little, I know I didn't really give you a solid answer o_O

There are some great books out there that explain things better. My favorites are "Simple and Sinister" and "Enter the Kettlebell," both by Pavel Tsatsouline and both available on Kindle for pretty cheap.
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cool thanks a lot,soo whats exactly the different between the single kettlebell and double kettlebells aside from the budget?

Geoff Chafe said:
If you are new to kettlebells keep the rep ranges low, moderate sets, and longer rests while learning the movements. This manages CNS fatigue and keep the movements technically solid. When you become proficient start to challenge yourself.
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thanks for the suggestion
 
msuwendy said:
whats exactly the different between the single kettlebell and double kettlebells aside from the budget?
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Doubles load your body more (no surprise), so it's one way to ramp things up. There are plenty of people who do single bell work for years, and just work up to using really heavy kettlebells instead of two smaller/medium bells. Anecdotally, it seems like doubles are better for putting on muscle mass and developing pure strength, but a single will still do both of those just fine. Really, using two bells is just another option that can be used to target things slightly differently. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though; it's generally recommended that people stick with single bell work for at least a year before they try doubles. If your technique isn't dialed in, you have twice the chance of screwing things up ;). Besides, it usually takes a heck of a lot longer than a year to "run out" of beneficial things to do with a single bell...

Oh, and +1 to what Geoff said.
 
Snowman said:
Doubles load your body more (no surprise), so it's one way to ramp things up. There are plenty of people who do single bell work for years, and just work up to using really heavy kettlebells instead of two smaller/medium bells. Anecdotally, it seems like doubles are better for putting on muscle mass and developing pure strength, but a single will still do both of those just fine. Really, using two bells is just another option that can be used to target things slightly differently. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though; it's generally recommended that people stick with single bell work for at least a year before they try doubles. If your technique isn't dialed in, you have twice the chance of screwing things up ;). Besides, it usually takes a heck of a lot longer than a year to "run out" of beneficial things to do with a single bell...

Oh, and +1 to what Geoff said.
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thanks a lot for the help,just wondering how much weight does you use? in kg please hehe
 
Ah, I see. For most women-8K and 12K are good to begin with (the 8K for presses and Turkish get ups, the 12K for swings), although you'll probably progress to 16K for swings pretty quickly (once you've been technically proficient for a bit). For most men-16K to begin with, with a mind to progressing to 24K for most movements. Women get one more bell because there's more of a difference between upper and lower body strength. This applies to most adults. For younger or much older people, you could subtract 4-8 kilos from each weight, and if you've been focusing on something like powerlifting or Oly lifting for a while you could probably add 4-8 kilos.
 
Haha you can definitely stick with just swings and get ups for a long time and gain a lot. For everyday fitness, you could probably stay with something like Simple and Sinister for years and not have any big deficiencies. That being said, depending your sport or goals, presses, snatches, windmills, etc. can all have a place. This is just my opinion, but swings and get ups are probably the best place to start.
 
@msuwendy, take @Pavel Macek's good advice and follow the program he recommends. A thorough answer to your question about rep ranges would require a book - that book is Kettlebell Simple & Sinister. :)

-S-
 
Pavel Macek said:
@msuwendy My suggestion: let somebody experienced decide for you. Do one of the time-tested and reliable programs, the reps/sets/rest periods/frequency etc. is explained in each of them. As you wrote you were new to kettlebell, there is no better start than with Kettlebell Simple & Sinister.
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simple and sinister, is way too good to be true, just the two exercise swing and get ups, i know this is a stupid question can we sculpt the body base on that exercise without having any other ex, bench press, clean, snatch, push ups, pull ups, etc

Steve Freides said:
@msuwendy, take @Pavel Macek's good advice and follow the program he recommends. A thorough answer to your question about rep ranges would require a book - that book is Kettlebell Simple & Sinister. :)

-S-
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Yeap its a very informational book for beginners
 
@msuwendy curiously, where are you located?? Getting a few hands-on sessions with the nearest SFG would be a worthy investment
 
msuwendy said:
simple and sinister, is way too good to be true, just the two exercise swing and get ups, i know this is a stupid question can we sculpt the body base on that exercise without having any other ex, bench press, clean, snatch, push ups, pull ups, etc

Yeap its a very informational book for beginners
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Yes. Meet at least "Simple" standards, and then decide what next.
 
As someone whose done both crossfit and S&S, I can tell you that S&S delivers just as well (if not better) in regards to strength, conditioning, and physique. The big difference is that after a month or two of crossfit most people (myself included) start to feel burned out, whereas S&S is a lot easier to just chug along and enjoy the results. No pain, lots of gain.
Of course, that's just my experience, but it seems to be a common one.
 
@msuwendy
Welcome. Here are a couple SF articles I have found to be helpful:
I reference the rehabilitation article because it highlights the potential that Simple & Sinister brings to the table, both as a program as well as a metric.

It is a great place to start. For many it is a solid long term decision and those whose goals change would do well to revisit the metric, if only to track their progress.
 
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