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Kettlebell Simple 3-Day Split to hit all muscles

jayjo

Level 5 Valued Member
I am always looking to refine my training program. I find many of the official programs offered to be too constrictive. I am 50 years old and have a job where I do labor a few days per week so I have to be flexible. I completely love SIMPLE & SINISTER but over the long term I feel it does not hit all the muscle groups such as the pecs, quads, upper back or even the deltoids. So this is my new 3-Day training split that I complete in a week or less:
  • SWINGS: 1 or 2 hand swings or a mix of both.
  • CLEAN & PRESS
  • TURKISH GET UPS with a warm-up of PUSHUPS & GOBLET SQUATS.
 
I am always looking to refine my training program. I find many of the official programs offered to be too constrictive. I am 50 years old and have a job where I do labor a few days per week so I have to be flexible. I completely love SIMPLE & SINISTER but over the long term I feel it does not hit all the muscle groups such as the pecs, quads, upper back or even the deltoids. So this is my new 3-Day training split that I complete in a week or less:
  • SWINGS: 1 or 2 hand swings or a mix of both.
  • CLEAN & PRESS
  • TURKISH GET UPS with a warm-up of PUSHUPS & GOBLET SQUATS.
How do you plan to progress those lifts/exercises?
 
I am always looking to refine my training program. I find many of the official programs offered to be too constrictive. I am 50 years old and have a job where I do labor a few days per week so I have to be flexible. I completely love SIMPLE & SINISTER but over the long term I feel it does not hit all the muscle groups such as the pecs, quads, upper back or even the deltoids. So this is my new 3-Day training split that I complete in a week or less:
  • SWINGS: 1 or 2 hand swings or a mix of both.
  • CLEAN & PRESS
  • TURKISH GET UPS with a warm-up of PUSHUPS & GOBLET SQUATS.
Is training time per session a major concern?
 
How do you plan to progress those lifts/exercises?
I am not very concerned with progressing. I am more concerned with staying fit, looking strong and avoiding injury. I have plenty of Kettlebells so I will go up in weight when I feel ready. And when I get board I will change the program slightly. Summertime when I can workout outside offers more variety. I have a Shot Put. Sometimes I tie a bunch of kettlebells together and drag them around my yard.
 
Is training time per session a major concern?
The opposite. I work alone in a warehouse and I keep Kettlebells there (profile pic). When its busy I don't work out. But there are slow days when I need to kill time so I stretch out my workouts. But I enjoy being minimal. Years ago I would spend 4-hours in the gym on all the machines working all the little muscles. Now I am older, less vain and just want to feel strong.
 
Plug some rows or pull ups in there.

Imo I think as kettlebell lifters, we neglect the horizontal and (even more so) vertical pulls…

I’m running pull ups, presses, sl deadlifts, dbl front squats and push ups and caries- all using rep max percentages and auto regulation (two lifts per day, three times a week. Once a week I do “300” Workout for time as a measure of overall conditioning and work capacity. Everything is covered, literally, in the above movement selections.
 
The opposite. I work alone in a warehouse and I keep Kettlebells there (profile pic). When its busy I don't work out. But there are slow days when I need to kill time so I stretch out my workouts. But I enjoy being minimal. Years ago I would spend 4-hours in the gym on all the machines working all the little muscles. Now I am older, less vain and just want to feel strong.
Agree with @Bkb, I’d get some rows in there on swing day, and don’t just warm up with pushups and goblet squats. If anything I’d make the TGU your warmup/lead-in and hit the PUs and Goblet squats as a feature.

Maybe throw in High Pull on Pushup day (opposite/pull shoulder accessory lift on “big push” day) and presses (opposite/push shoulder accessory on “big pull” day). No need to go hard on the shoulder stuff, maybe half the volume of the rows and PUs.

Just my POV, if you’re going to do a 3 day rotation there is not much argument for using a minimalist approach. Everything will have plenty of recoup time.
 
Something that helped me was dropping the idea behind a "training week". There is no reason to say I need to hit muscles xyz in this arbitrary 7 day period. Changing that mindset opens new opportunities. I would suggest rotating between squat, push, pull, hinge, gait, rotate in whatever order/schedule works for you. That covers all your needs. If you need a starter template check out Super Simple Strength over at the Original Strength website. He had a template laid out there.

I ran it with S&S and had good results.
Even if a "week" takes 9 days your body will still adapt, it doesnt know a 7 day week.
 
Plug some rows or pull ups in there.

Imo I think as kettlebell lifters, we neglect the horizontal and (even more so) vertical pulls…

I’m running pull ups, presses, sl deadlifts, dbl front squats and push ups and caries- all using rep max percentages and auto regulation (two lifts per day, three times a week. Once a week I do “300” Workout for time as a measure of overall conditioning and work capacity. Everything is covered, literally, in the above movement selections.
Something that helped me was dropping the idea behind a "training week". There is no reason to say I need to hit muscles xyz in this arbitrary 7 day period. Changing that mindset opens new opportunities. I would suggest rotating between squat, push, pull, hinge, gait, rotate in whatever order/schedule works for you. That covers all your needs. If you need a starter template check out Super Simple Strength over at the Original Strength website. He had a template laid out there.

I ran it with S&S and had good results.
Even if a "week" takes 9 days your body will still adapt, it doesnt know a 7 day week.
How many times or with what frequency you are running this protocol? More or less? Do you hit squat, push, pull, hinge, gait in one day? Or like in easy strength of OS Kind of three every other day if I am not mistaken.
 
Plug some rows or pull ups in there.

Imo I think as kettlebell lifters, we neglect the horizontal and (even more so) vertical pulls…

I’m running pull ups, presses, sl deadlifts, dbl front squats and push ups and caries- all using rep max percentages and auto regulation (two lifts per day, three times a week. Once a week I do “300” Workout for time as a measure of overall conditioning and work capacity. Everything is covered, literally, in the above movement selections.
Pull ups aggravate my elbows, even with sleaves/cuffs on. And I get a pump on my upper back just from doing Kettlebell Cleans.
 
Back when I was bodybuilding my "week long" split would take 9-days. Now I am trying to get all the muscles in within like 5-days so I can stimulate grows and strength more quickly. I disagree with warming up with Turkish Get Ups. I find them very hard on my body, especially the Lunge portion. I need the Goblet Squats to get my knees ready.
 
How many times or with what frequency you are running this protocol? More or less? Do you hit squat, push, pull, hinge, gait in one day? Or like in easy strength of OS Kind of three every other day if I am not mistaken.
The last run was:
Day 1 - squat push carry
Day 2 - hinge pull crawl
Day 3 - S&S (I didn't swing for day 2 hinge)
Day 4 - Rest or something else
Rinse and repeat

I just cycled through those 4 days. Here and there I threw in somethint different if I was feeling it. Like a ruck or other conditioning. If I missed a day I didnt worry about it.
 
The last run was:
Day 1 - squat push carry
Day 2 - hinge pull crawl
Day 3 - S&S (I didn't swing for day 2 hinge)
Day 4 - Rest or something else
Rinse and repeat

I just cycled through those 4 days. Here and there I threw in somethint different if I was feeling it. Like a ruck or other conditioning. If I missed a day I didnt worry about it.
This program looks handsome!
 
How many times or with what frequency you are running this protocol? More or less? Do you hit squat, push, pull, hinge, gait in one day? Or like in easy strength of OS Kind of three every other day if I am not mistaken.
Two each day.

Ie.

Mon- Press & Pull Ups
Tues- Squat & DL
Weds- off
Thurs- Push Ups & Carry
Fri-off
Sat- “300” (Squat, Rows or Pull Ups, DLs, Presses x 50 each, push ups x100)

Saturday is what I look forward to every week… shaving time off almost every week…
 
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