Kayodoubleu
Level 2 Valued Member
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to share my self-created training program with you all, which I believe could help some of you make quick progress in the Clean & Press (C&P) and Front Squat (FSQ) using adjustable kettlebells. I developed this program because I hadn't come across a kettlebell program that offered a linear progression. With the availability of excellent adjustable kettlebells nowadays, I wanted to maximize their efficiency by implementing a linear progression, increasing the weight by 1kg per kettlebell every week. I understand that Pavel mentioned in a video (or perhaps it was in a book) that too small jumps in weight may not be effective, as the body doesn't register progress until it reaches a certain percentage. However, there are differing opinions, like Mark Rippetoe's belief that smaller increments can be beneficial.
For the program itself, I borrowed the best concepts from various kettlebell experts and created what feels like a Frankenstein's monster of kettlebell training:
From Pavel Tsatsouline, I incorporated the use of ladders and the concept of Light, Medium, and Heavy Days.
From Geoff Rupert, I adopted the concept of the Dry Fighting Weight (DFW), which I almost entirely integrated.
From Rippetoe, I embraced the linear progression and sets of fives (but 5x5 instead of 3x5) as the core component.
Here's a breakdown of the program:
**Equipment:** Double Adjustable Kettlebells (2x12kg - 2x32kg).
**Exercises:** Clean & Press (or Push Press or Jerks) and Double KB Front Squats. (I chose the Push Press because I wanted a change after many month of pressing)
**Programming:** Three days a week, with each session lasting 30 minutes AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible).
- Monday (Light Day): Ladders of 3.
- Wednesday (Medium Day): Ladders of 4.
- Friday (Heavy Day): Sets of 5s.
The idea behind this approach is to gradually acclimate to the weight, progressively increase repetitions, and aim to complete at least 5 sets of 5 reps (5x5) of C&Ps and Double KB Front Squats within the 30-minute timeframe on the Heavy Day.
C&Ps and Front Squats are performed alternately. Once you can successfully complete 5x5 at the heavy day within 30 minutes, you're allowed to add 1kg per kettlebell and continue the program with the new weight. This can be continued until you're unable to achieve 5x5 on the Heavy Day. If you happen to fail, you can reduce the weight by 1kg per kettlebell and perform 5x5 on all three days. Then, gradually increase the weight again, aiming to conquer the weight that previously posed a challenge.
My experience after 20 weeks on this program has been quite satisfying. I did the Right of Passage with the 28kg beforehand and could 7x C&Ps with a single 32kg KB in each hand after the RoP. While I couldn't manage to press the 2x32kg weight initially, I can confidently perform at least 2 reps now (I should test my max soon). As for the Front Squats, it was a revelation that they were more challenging for me than the Push Presses, especially in terms of holding the kettlebells in the rack position. However, I managed to work my way up to the 32kg kettlebells during the linear progression.
Throughout these 20 weeks, I didn't miss any other exercises. No swings. No get-ups. Nothing else. Presses and squats seemed to be all I needed. It never got boring because each week brought a new weight challenge. I didn't stall at any weight during this time. I would have liked to test how well the back-off sets worked.
I've never felt stronger. I started this program at 93kg body weight and now weigh 98kg, but I feel absolutely fine with the additional weight. I feel fitter and stronger than ever before.
In hindsight, I'm not sure what I would do differently next time. There were moments during training when I thought it might be better to work with fixed rep numbers instead of a 30-minute time limit. However, overall, it worked well. Another thought was that perhaps it would be beneficial to do Presses and Squats consecutively rather than alternating. This thought usually arose when I found Squats incredibly challenging, and my heart rate spiked to around 175 during the 5-rep squats. Alternating saves recovery time and makes sense within the 30-minute limit. So, I would keep the program exactly as it is now in hindsight. The only regret I have is choosing Push Presses over C&Ps; the latter seems to offer more benefits.
The one issue I encountered was making the jump from 30kg to 32kg, as my adjustable kettlebells don't have a 31kg option. They go directly from 30kg to 32kg. That was indeed the most challenging part of the program, especially at higher weights.
I highly recommend this program to anyone with adjustable kettlebells. I doubt there's a faster way to progress to 2x32kg. Once you can work with heavy weights, you can easily transition to established programs like Kettlebell STRONG!, but this time, with rewarding heavy weights that provide more advantages. The best part is that most workouts took only 40 minutes, including warm-up and cooldown. Just towards the end, I had to extend the warm-up a bit because the weights became quite challenging. With limited time, you can achieve a lot in a short period. What more could one ask for?
Feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts on this program!
I wanted to share my self-created training program with you all, which I believe could help some of you make quick progress in the Clean & Press (C&P) and Front Squat (FSQ) using adjustable kettlebells. I developed this program because I hadn't come across a kettlebell program that offered a linear progression. With the availability of excellent adjustable kettlebells nowadays, I wanted to maximize their efficiency by implementing a linear progression, increasing the weight by 1kg per kettlebell every week. I understand that Pavel mentioned in a video (or perhaps it was in a book) that too small jumps in weight may not be effective, as the body doesn't register progress until it reaches a certain percentage. However, there are differing opinions, like Mark Rippetoe's belief that smaller increments can be beneficial.
For the program itself, I borrowed the best concepts from various kettlebell experts and created what feels like a Frankenstein's monster of kettlebell training:
From Pavel Tsatsouline, I incorporated the use of ladders and the concept of Light, Medium, and Heavy Days.
From Geoff Rupert, I adopted the concept of the Dry Fighting Weight (DFW), which I almost entirely integrated.
From Rippetoe, I embraced the linear progression and sets of fives (but 5x5 instead of 3x5) as the core component.
Here's a breakdown of the program:
**Equipment:** Double Adjustable Kettlebells (2x12kg - 2x32kg).
**Exercises:** Clean & Press (or Push Press or Jerks) and Double KB Front Squats. (I chose the Push Press because I wanted a change after many month of pressing)
**Programming:** Three days a week, with each session lasting 30 minutes AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible).
- Monday (Light Day): Ladders of 3.
- Wednesday (Medium Day): Ladders of 4.
- Friday (Heavy Day): Sets of 5s.
The idea behind this approach is to gradually acclimate to the weight, progressively increase repetitions, and aim to complete at least 5 sets of 5 reps (5x5) of C&Ps and Double KB Front Squats within the 30-minute timeframe on the Heavy Day.
C&Ps and Front Squats are performed alternately. Once you can successfully complete 5x5 at the heavy day within 30 minutes, you're allowed to add 1kg per kettlebell and continue the program with the new weight. This can be continued until you're unable to achieve 5x5 on the Heavy Day. If you happen to fail, you can reduce the weight by 1kg per kettlebell and perform 5x5 on all three days. Then, gradually increase the weight again, aiming to conquer the weight that previously posed a challenge.
My experience after 20 weeks on this program has been quite satisfying. I did the Right of Passage with the 28kg beforehand and could 7x C&Ps with a single 32kg KB in each hand after the RoP. While I couldn't manage to press the 2x32kg weight initially, I can confidently perform at least 2 reps now (I should test my max soon). As for the Front Squats, it was a revelation that they were more challenging for me than the Push Presses, especially in terms of holding the kettlebells in the rack position. However, I managed to work my way up to the 32kg kettlebells during the linear progression.
Throughout these 20 weeks, I didn't miss any other exercises. No swings. No get-ups. Nothing else. Presses and squats seemed to be all I needed. It never got boring because each week brought a new weight challenge. I didn't stall at any weight during this time. I would have liked to test how well the back-off sets worked.
I've never felt stronger. I started this program at 93kg body weight and now weigh 98kg, but I feel absolutely fine with the additional weight. I feel fitter and stronger than ever before.
In hindsight, I'm not sure what I would do differently next time. There were moments during training when I thought it might be better to work with fixed rep numbers instead of a 30-minute time limit. However, overall, it worked well. Another thought was that perhaps it would be beneficial to do Presses and Squats consecutively rather than alternating. This thought usually arose when I found Squats incredibly challenging, and my heart rate spiked to around 175 during the 5-rep squats. Alternating saves recovery time and makes sense within the 30-minute limit. So, I would keep the program exactly as it is now in hindsight. The only regret I have is choosing Push Presses over C&Ps; the latter seems to offer more benefits.
The one issue I encountered was making the jump from 30kg to 32kg, as my adjustable kettlebells don't have a 31kg option. They go directly from 30kg to 32kg. That was indeed the most challenging part of the program, especially at higher weights.
I highly recommend this program to anyone with adjustable kettlebells. I doubt there's a faster way to progress to 2x32kg. Once you can work with heavy weights, you can easily transition to established programs like Kettlebell STRONG!, but this time, with rewarding heavy weights that provide more advantages. The best part is that most workouts took only 40 minutes, including warm-up and cooldown. Just towards the end, I had to extend the warm-up a bit because the weights became quite challenging. With limited time, you can achieve a lot in a short period. What more could one ask for?
Feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts on this program!
