workouts

Man Quits Using Kettlebells – Loses 15lbs. The “How And Why”…

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I really appreciate reader and customer emails because it gives me feedback on what you’re struggles are and then helps me provide you with the solution.

Here’s an email I got yesterday from Todd. I’ve posted it in its entirety so you can see the context.

And the reason I’m doing it is because this question is a Gold Mine that will answer so many people’s questions – specifically, why you start a program/workout with one intention, say, to lose weight, and you never reach your goals.

That last part is really important – SO many people embark on a journey and never reach the destination.

And it doesn’t have to be that way. You just need to put a few keys in place and remove a few obstacles. Then it’s pretty much smooth sailing.

Finally, before we dig any deeper, it’s important that we acknowledge how the mind affects the body – especially the subconscious mind – the part that really makes the decisions.

If your rational mind – the part you think is in control doesn’t match the subconscious mind, and therefore your actions don’t match the necessary steps to achieve your goals, this will lead to internal friction, which is probably one of the worst forms of stress we experience.

So identifying potential and hidden roadblocks will help reconcile the rational and subconscious minds by increasing awareness, addressing hidden questions, and answering those questions in the context of our goals.

(If I lost you there – don’t worry – just keep reading. It’ll all make sense as we go through this together.)

So here we go –

“Geoff,

I have been folloowing your e-mails for over a year now and enjoy them – I have learned a lot. I am 49 yo and have worked out all my life. I have been using kb’s for about 3 years now. I started using them wanting to lose some weight and fat – but have had the opposite happen. I have gotten very strong, but have gained weight. Was up to 240lbs. Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it). I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!). I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?

Todd”

Todd – thanks for writing in.

Let’s break this down into pieces to get a clearer understanding.

1. You started using kettlebells “to lose weight and fat but… had the opposite happen.”

First, I can only infer from this statement that from using kettlebells you gained weight and gained fat.

So, the “weight” could’ve been muscle, especially since you said you’ve gotten really strong.

It could also be fluid build up, which is a result of chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is a result of too much stress. So, incredibly taxing workouts, like many kettlebell workouts, will just place more stress on your body, preventing a system that’s already overworked from recovering. And therefore not getting the weight / fat loss you expected.

The second thing is that some people’s appetites increase from intense exercise. And unless your faithfully monitoring all the calories that go in your mouth, there’s a good chance you were just eating more without being aware of it. I’ve seen that happen quite often when people start using kettlebells.

The third and related thing is psychological – you start working out harder or more or both and subconsciously you give yourself permission to eat more. It’s a simple rationalization that many of us don’t mean to do.

“I’m working out more, so I can eat _______.”

And unfortunately “_______” isn’t usually more salad. It’s more of the calorically dense stuff that puts weight on in the first place.

I’ve seen that happen way too often to people who start using KBs.

2. “Started doing the eat-stop-eat diet about 2 months ago (I really like it).”

I’m not sure if this had anything to do with your weight loss because you don’t say. But since you mention it, let’s both assume that it did.

There are two things going on here –

Thing 1 – You’re eating less calories per week. Over time you’ll see your weight drop. It’s just simple math.

Thing 2 – You actually “really like” the program so you’re more apt to stick with it, thus ensuring your results. And because you’re getting results, you’re liking it even more, helping you stick with it. And then you get more results. It’s a nice little positive feedback loop. And that’s the way it should be.

And because both those “things” are helping you achieve your original goal – weight loss and fat loss, from a hormonal perspective, you’re setting yourself up for success.

You’re getting into a caloric deficit.

That caloric deficit is switching on your fat burning hormones.

And because you’re enjoying the process and possibly seeing results, your reducing the production of your stress hormones, which is decreasing the effects of stress on your body, and restoring the hormonal balance between all of your hormones – bringing you closer back to the baseline we’re meant to live and function in – lean, strong, and healthy.

3. “I got a respiratory infection about 6 weeks ago and could not work out for a couple weeks and then decided to take a break from the kb’s and just did some interval training on the eliptical. So not doing any kb’s for about a month and I have lost 15 lbs. down to 225 (wtf!).”

Ok, here’s the “meat n potatoes” of this post – so you’ll want to pay close attention here.

Respiratory infections are pretty massive bugs. In order to catch something of that magnitude, your immune system has to be working less than optimally.

And the quickest way to suppress your immune system is to be over-stressed.

What’s this got to do with kettlebell workouts?

Hang tight, amigo, we’re getting there. It’s just really, really important you see how this process is so interconnected.

One of the things about getting sick – especially like this – is that if forces you to rest. And rest, is a great antidote to stress. In fact, rest, sleep, whatever you want to call it, is probably the best form of stress-relief there is. (Probably why God created sleep…)

So, you start resting, and you start de-stressing. Not to mention the fact that your body is in “code red” fighting off those nasty little intruders – that infection. This means your metabolism is going to increase. (Running a temperature is a manifestation of this.)

And not only that, most of us, when we’re sick, don’t feel like eating that much. So there’s a natural caloric reduction here too.

So what you have is rest + metabolism increase + less external stress imposed from not working out + eating less food than normal = weight loss.

(This in fact happened to me when I got the shingles. I literally lost 10lbs in one day. Woke up Saturday morning at 205. Got up Sunday at 195.)

Not only that, but Todd, when you started recovering, you felt well enough to do some interval training on the elliptical.

Interval training, especially intense (relative term, I know – different for different people at different times) interval training, has been shown to blunt your appetite.

And not only that, the body does appreciate “novel stimuli” – variety – as a stimulus for change.

So, you got –

An elevated metabolism from fighting an infection +

less external stress imposed on your body from doing hard KB workouts +

change in workouts (novel stimulus) +

blunted appetite from interval training =

weight loss.

Is this making sense so far?

There are a lot of “mechanisms” for weight loss all going on at the same time here – I want to make sure we unpack them all so you can see how this will apply to you…

So back to THE Dilemma –

4. “I enjoy the kb’s and want to get back doing them but I don’t want to put the weight back on. I was doing different workouts w/ 50 and 60lb. kb’s. What do you think was going on and what type of kb workout should I be doing in the future to continue losing weight and fat?”

Todd – you didn’t say what kind of weight it was that you lost. Was it muscle? Was it fat? Was it a combination of the two? Unfortunately, unless you measured you won’t know for sure. But, based on experience, my best guess is that it was a combination of both.

One way to tell if it was fat was simply to see how your pants fit. If they’re looser in the waist, you lost some fat.

And that’s good.

But I’m with you – and at this point I’m going to address everybody in the global sense of the word “you” – I think it’s really important that you continue to use kettlebells for the plain and simple reason that you enjoy them.

Please don’t overlook that.

Enjoying something is HUGELY important in achieving any goal.

(As long as it’s consistent in achieving that goal.)

It means you’re more likely to remain committed to your goal and consistent in doing the things necessary to achieve it.

And because you enjoy what you’re doing, you will in fact, decrease your stress levels.

And again, please don’t overlook that point – because all stress produces adaptation but not always the adaptation that we want.

In this case, you want to lose weight and fat. (I’d just worry about the fat – stay as muscular as possible and lose the dough on top of it, but hey – that’s just me…)

So we need to apply enough stress to the body to get that to happen without over-stressing and accidentally encouraging the opposite to happen – which is probably the reason you gained weight in the first place.

Make sense?

So how do we apply “just enough stress” to the body without getting it to do the opposite?

Simple.

Here are the steps.

1. Think about your recovery first.

I’m a big believer that regardless of how you “feel” – the average person (that’s you and me) doesn’t need to work out every day. Even for stress relief. Sure, there are ways to do that (more on that in a minute) but it’s like walking a tightrope – not much margin for error.

So, make sure you’re getting enough sleep first and foremost. Don’t even think about doing any sort of hard kettlebell workouts if you’re only getting 5 hours of sleep a night.

Seriously. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Nothing lives there except injuries. And getting injured increases stress. BIG TIME.

So, get your sleep first.

Skip your workouts if you have to, but help your body rest and recover by sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night. No excuses.

2. Be an Underachiever.

Set aside a period of time you know you can commit to for your workouts.

I used to be infamous (in my own mind) for writing these fantastic periodized workouts for myself that were 6 days a week because that’s what all the champs did for their training.

I never completed any of them. My life got in the way.

The simplest and best (most productive as measured by actual results) weightlifting workouts were the ones written for me by my coach (surprise – how bout that). And they drove me crazy because the were “too easy” – 3 exercises per day, 3 days per week. Maybe 2.5 hours a week of workouts. That’s it. Massive results. But they worked so well I started doing other stuff. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid…

But I digress – we’re talking about you…

So if you know you can “only” fit in 2 hours a week for your workouts, then you know what?

Become an Underachiever.

We’re a society of Overachievers.

This just adds to our stress levels. So do the opposite with your workouts.

You can only commit to 3 hours per week to working out?

(From experience, I bet you’re wrong – I bet you’re overestimating.)

Cut it in half and commit to 1.5 hours per week.

Why so little?

So you can actually do it. Consistently. Routinely. Effortlessly. Without mental anxiety, angst, or aggravation.

By doing so you’ll build the recovery necessary into your workouts so you can actually see the results you say you want.

And because it’s “so easy” to get the workouts into your busy schedule, you’ll actually do them all the time.

And then you’ll be building that positive feedback loop that leads you down the Road to Success –

Easy workouts + very little time commitment + consistency + enjoyment = Results!

And that’s it – just 2 steps.

Why only two?

Simple. So you remember them. And more importantly, don’t have to stress out about remembering them or whether or not you can remember them.

Some Sidenotes On Stress Relief…

Many of us, myself included, like to work out for stress relief. So my training is sometimes some sort of weird combination of training to reach strength goals and alleviating stress.

So I get the fact that workouts are stress relievers. But what I’ve found is that if I program in alternate easy activities for stress relief, I can focus on just training to achieve my strength goals. This works so much better.

(I actually achieve my strength goals sooner – which is a stress reliever itself.)

The simplest activity for me is just long walks on the weekends. A couple of one hour walks make a huge difference in my ability to handle stress. I’ll also toss in a couple of short 20 minute walks with the dog just to clear my head during the week when I need to.

Works like a charm.

Plus the extra activity helps burn extra calories and that helps keep me lean.

You should do the same.

Funny movies are great too.

When was the last time you laughed so hard you either cried or almost pee’d your pants? I’ll bet it’s been awhile.

There’s a story about Norman Cousins, a famous journalist from my grandparents’ generation, of how he cured a pretty debilitating illness by laughter.

So laughter is a great stress-reliever. Laugh. A lot.

Back to the kettlebell workouts…

What Kind Of Workouts?

Ok, so I realize I didn’t specifically answer your question about what kind of kettlebell workout you should be doing to lose fat moving ahead.

This is a simple one.

They should be –

1. Short enough to give you time to recover.

2. Fun – with variety to keep your mind stimulated and your heart engaged.

3. Frequent enough to keep your body stimulated and programmed for progress.

4. Properly designed using principles of Progressive Overload so you can track and see progress.

So that’s how I would design them if I were you.

Except, if I were you, I wouldn’t waste my time trying to design my workouts. That would only add one more thing to the “To Do” list and increase your stress levels.

Instead, I think you should pick up a copy of “Kettlebell Express!” which is my new “book” chock full of kettlebell programs – 49 different ones to be exact.

And the reasons are very simple –

1. They are short and to the point – you’ll workout for no more than 60-90 minutes per week, depending on the program you choose. This gives you time to recover.

And remember – Recovery = Results.

2. There’s a lot of variety in the programs. This means they’re enjoyable. Unless you’re a monk, most of us cannot do the same old kettlebell routine.

For many of us –

Variety = Motivation.

And Motivation = Consistency.

And Consistency = Success.

3. The thinking and programming has been done for you.

Dan John is very fond of the quote – “The client who represents himself in court has a fool for an attorney.” His point is that all of us not only need coaching but will ultimately fail if we don’t for the simple reason that we bring our own biases and blindness to the table.

Which means unless you’re an expert in workout program design, your best efforts are “hit or miss.”

4. And all that means less stress for you.

Remember, Stress Management = Success.

So when you’re looking for a variety of fun, short, time-efficient stress-relieving kettlebell programs (49 of them), click here and grab yourself a copy of Kettlebell Express!. You’ll be very glad you did.

Wrap Up.

So Todd, I think that pretty well answers your question.

I appreciate you sending it in because you brought up so many good points that I know so many people have struggled with, but weren’t aware of all the underlying mechanisms and implications and how each of these things tied together.

And if you (global you – not just Todd) have any comments or questions, leave them below.

Oh yeah, almost forgot – the special promo for Kettlebell Express! ends at Midnight Wednesday night. When you want to stop stressing about which workouts to do to reach your goals, click here.

The 2 Best Bodyweight Exercise To Add To Your Kettlebell Workouts

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I’ve written pretty extensively over the last 4 to 6 months about the benefits of bodyweight training. In fact, I just finished up about 4 months of almost exclusively bodyweight training – centered around pull-up varations, pistols, and parallel dips.

I’ve gotta tell you, I haven’t felt this good in a long, long time.

I can basically roll out of bed and do a pistol on each leg. I believe this is an important litmus test – as the Pistol is a key indicator of your “reflexive stability.”

And that was something I couldn’t do before I focused on bodyweight training.

Bodyweight Exercise #1: The Pistol

For that reason alone the Pistol is my #1 bodyweight exercise you should look to incorporate into your kettlebell training.

It’s a key indicator to your overall health and performance.

I don’t care how strong you are with a bar or pair of kettlebells, if you can’t do a bodyweight Pistol – without counterbalance – you’ve got some work to do. In the long run, you’ll be stronger.

And as an addendum, you might be wondering just how strong you can get by doing bodyweight Pistols. I recently just put a pair of 24kg kettlebells in the rack and did a Pistol on each leg. (It was a 9 out of 10 on the RPE scale.) So really, the sky’s the limit.

I’ve written at length about the Pistol – click here to check the ol’ archives.

Bodyweight Exercise #2: The Chin Up

Not the Pull Up, the Chin Up. It’s performed with your palms facing you.

And there are several good reasons for this.

1. Most people type or write all day.

This places a long duration load on their shoulders, internally rotating them. The lowly Chin reverses that loading and aligns the wrists and elbows.

2. Loaded stretching and combination cinching of the front of the body.

This is actually pretty cool when you think about it. The front of the body becomes short and tight from sitting all day long. You can very easily stretch it out and then load it by doing Chins. You can also decompress the spine and increase your spine health. Once you can get strong enough you can add weight to your Chins. This will make the front of your body contract in a healthy way, unlike sitting.

Here’s an interesting side note:

We in the fitness industry say that loading the posterior chain is good for countering sitting. I agree to some extent.

But I also disagree.

You have to address the abs too. And not just all the trendy counter-rotational stuff that’s being popularized. You actually have to get some trunk flexion and rotation in there too. (If you don’t believe me, go back and study your child development…)

So the Chin Up is a way to help get this done.

3. Functional Antagonistic Balance (FAB?)

I can’t remember where I first learned this – probably Gary Gray or Vern Gambetta about 15 years ago. However, I forgot all about it until Jedd Johnson of the Diesel Crew reminded me about this in one of his bending DVDs.

Essentially, it’s performing the opposite movements to your main sporting and/or exercise/training movements.

The Chin Up is a great FAB exercise for pretty much all kettlebell training. Here’s why:

KBs.                                      v.                    .Chins
– palms pronated                                  – palms supinated
– feet loaded                                            – feet unloaded
– spine loaded                                        – spine unloaded
– posterior chain emphasis                – anterior chain emphasis
– extension dominant                          – flexion dominant
– lower body intensive                          – upper body intensive

And of course there’s my current favorite version of the Chin – a Chin with an “L-Seat.”

This is where you raise your legs so they’re parallel with the floor and then hold them there throughout your set. Great stretch on the lats, great load on the abs.

How To Incorporate Chins And Pistols Into Your Kettlebell Workouts

There really is no right way. But here are some simple ideas.

1. Work the Pistol and its variations before all ballistics work.

Treat it like practice and you’ll actually open up your hips and make your Swings, Snatches, and Cleans that much better.

2. Work the Pistol in combination with the Get Up.

Do a set of GUs, then work Pistol variations. Go back and forth between them. Each will make the other better.

3. Do a set of Chins after all upper body kettlebell work, like Presses.

This is a great pairing for double kettlebell work.

4. Do a set of Chins after all ballistics work.

Again, another great pairing with exercises like the Double Swing or Double Front Squat.

There are some ideas to get you started.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

“What Program Should I Do Next?” – The Real Answer.

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3 Simple Steps To Help You Decide Which Direction To Take

I often get asked that question and it’s one of the most common questions I see on the kettlebell forums.

Let me help you out by putting this in perspective by sharing with you EXACTLY what I am trying to accomplish with my training, and then why I have made the choices I have.

For me, I like to be strong. And lean. Maybe you can relate. I have been both and I have been strong. I just like the feeling.

But I have a MAJOR problem – my life is about to be turned upside down and inside out by the birth of our first child – our son in two weeks or thereabouts.

Plus, I no longer want to have limitations and restrictions in my movement abilities like I once had – I want to be able to run, jump, roll, and play with my boy, not be stiff, sore, and achy from my training, which is ultimately what the Olympic lifting was doing to me and why I retired.

Now I know that sleep will be interrupted. I know I won’t be able to use my preferred methods for gaining strength and getting lean. So, what am I going to do?

In my last post I outlined what I came up with, but basically, it was this – I am matching my training to what I think my lifestyle can accommodate. Pretty simple.

See, I tend to overcompensate and in the past it has really gotten me in trouble. Life would “pile on” and I would match that by making my training harder and more complicated instead of what I’m doing now, which is making it less so. My training now is based on sustainability – how long can I do this without having to think to hard about it or make too many adjustments?

I’m not saying everybody’s training should look like that – but mine needs to right now.

So how do you decide what program you should do next?

Here are three simple steps to help you out:

1. Decide what you REALLY want to do – what’s the one thing or theme that you see as the undercurrent in all your training? Is it being as to be as strong as you possibly can be? Is it to be super-conditioned and meet some amazing goals? Or is it to get into the low single digits for body fat percentage and stay there so you can pick up women? It doesn’t really matter to me – because it’s all about YOU.

2. Evaluate where you are now and if what you’re currently doing is in line some way, shape or form with what you really want to do. If it is, keep going in the same vein. If not, stop doing it and do something that is in line with your goals. I love the thrill of heavy overhead lifting – nothing comes close – but I want to play with my kid(s) and I’ve found that Olympic lifting as thrilling as it is, is not the best thing for my body, based on my injuries. So I quit doing it.

3. Pick a program that is in line with your goals and STICK WITH IT. Give it time to germinate. You may not see results tomorrow (you might though) or even the next day. You are “sowing seed” for a future “harvest” – or the realization of your goals. Now obviously if you new program injures you, then it’s not the best for you and you should stop. But if it doesn’t, you should see noticeable improvement in 2 weeks or so. Keep sticking with it.

And it’s really that simple.

You just align your behavior with your goal. And then head toward your goal at your own speed and your own pace. And of course, measure along the way.

Hope that helps you out and clears up any confusion.

Rethinking “Fitness” – Industry Trends and Loading Parameters

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Rethinking “Fitness”

I got to spend this past weekend in Alexandria, VA where I was invited to present at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute – an annual convention geared toward presenting the latest, greatest fitness/health/strength & conditioning ideas to personal trainers interested in becoming more highly skilled professionals.

On Friday, I presented for 3 hours on, what else – you guessed it – kettlebell training in an interactive lecture called “Kettlebell Fundamentals: Laying A Foundation of Success.” I introduced a group of 75 people to RKC principles and taught the basics of the Swing, Get Up, and the Goblet Squat. It was great to see so many people interested in kettlebell training.

It was great to see people grasp some of the major concepts. However, as wonderfully organized as this conference was, I am disturbed to see still just how complicated we, as professionals, have attempted to make “getting in shape.”

For example, I chose to use very simple language in my presentation painting pictures with words, and still many people wanted to know the 17 steps to a perfect Swing. What’s the exact knee angle during the Swing? How about the incline of the torso to the floor? And, honestly, it’s not their fault. It’s what they’ve been conditioned (unknowingly) to accept, look for, and embrace. Many couldn’t grasp the concept that as long as you felt the hamstrings and gluts at a bare minimum on the Swing, we were doing great. Again – not their fault – I believe it’s conditioning.

That’s of course why I value the kettlebell and the RKC methods so much – Swing the kettlebell, put it down. Repeat. Sweat. Get results. Of course there’s a little bit more to it than that, but not really that much more.

We, as professionals, are always looking for the next great big secret that will give us that extra edge, both with ourselves and in our businesses. The truth is, we could find those secrets just by practicing much of what we already know and if we wouldn’t let ourselves become distracted with bright shiny objects – which I myself have been guilty of many, many times in my career. The more scientific something sounds, and the more letters the guy has after his name, the more we are likely to embrace it. I know that was certainly my case in the past. I got caught on that 2 or 3 times.

Just so we’re clear – I’m NOT ragging on the IDEA conference here – it was great, wonderfully organized, and opened up a lot of possibilities to a lot of my fellow professionals seeking to improve their knowledge and their clients’ lives. What I am saying is that as an industry, we are still attempting to make things more complicated instead of less so.

Which brings me full circle to the kettlebell and of course the miracle that we call the body.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, we should be able to do anything that we choose with our bodies (within reason) and not only survive, but thrive. At least that’s what I believe. The kettlebell is a great tool to aid in that objective.

Speaking of, I had the privilege of teaching my first “Kettlebell Burn” seminar on Saturday morning. We had 21 people (I think) pack into the room and it was just fantastic to be able to help explain the methodology behind “Burn” and show them how to implement it into their own training. Great stuff – and so much fun for me to be able to share.

I then ran back over to the IDEA conference where I put about 60 people through a workout called “Rethinking Bodyweight Training” which was based on the bodyweight Get Up and its variations. I’d like to publicly thank Brett Jones, Gray Cook, and Jeff O’Connor for the influence they’ve had on me and my implementation of the GU into my training and my clients’ training. Nothing but positive results. Anyway, I got to share some of these ideas with these fine professionals on Saturday – 60 minutes of non-stop rolling around on the floor and getting up and down in and through various positions of the Get Up. I think most were surprised at how demanding of an exercise it could be without any form of external loading. Imagine how much fun that would be with a light kettlebell! (On a side note – it was great to have two fellow RKCs in the room.)

I hope that these fellow professionals saw the value in all the work they did that afternoon and will further investigate the wonderful benefits of the Get Up.

I’d like to think that in some small way I was able to help my fellow professionals rethink fitness in the simplest of terms – what can you do with your body compared to what you want to do with it.

On Loading Parameters…

It’s no secret that I want to lift fast and heavy. But the really strange thing is that overall, I feel much better lately NOT lifting fast and heavy. So, I’m rethinking my loading parameters and digging back into the archives. I’m running a 30 day experiment on loading parameters to see what this particular range and kind will do for my body. There’s some science to support my efforts so I look forward to reporting back to you about my successes around the end of March.

What am I doing? I’m not ready to say, but I will say it’s much different than anything that I have done over the last 15 years or so. Much different.

I’m experimenting on myself because I think it will help quite a few of you out – not to mention of course the benefits that I will receive. 😉

That’s all for today – gotta bounce. In the meantime feel free to drop a comment how you’ve tried to make getting in shape more complicated than it need be and what you did to overcome it.

Kettlebell Workouts – The Forgotten Key to Success

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When I was younger I used to train “all out” – “full throttle” – and all those other cliches. I thought that the harder I worked in each and every workout (which is what I called them then) the faster I would get the results I wanted.

And it worked – for a little while.

See, I was under the illusion, or delusion, that you had to train not only hard, but heavy every single workout, otherwise, it was a waste of time. It was almost a form of HIT brainwashing.

You may be training that way too, or have done so in the past.

It’s very common. In fact, I recently saw a comment on one of the Dragon Door forum about day 1 of Kettlebell Muscle being easy. The individual was worried about it.

It’s ok to have “light” and “easy” training sessions. In fact, not only is it ok, at this point in life, I’d argue that its downright necessary to have in order to continue to make the progress you want to make. And, on top of that, I would argue that you will see faster progress if you DON’T lift hard and heavy all the time.

The forgotten key to success with your kettlebell training, and strength training in general, is to wave your loads.

Mix up your training intensities or volumes or densities – however you’re currently measuring them – with heavy/hard and medium/moderate and light/easy training sessions.

In fact, I’d argue that the “average” joe only needs to go hard/heavy once per week, depending on the training schedule. Any more than that and recovery will start to suffer. (Twice a week is probably ok if you’re using an upper/lower split.)

Recovery, after all, is the determining factor in adaptation. Stimulation without recovery fails to produce adaptation.

So, take a look at your workouts/training. If you’re going hard/heavy all the time, you might just be a “thrill-seeker” instead of someone who’s serious about making results. Or you might be confused about how to best achieve the results you desire. Either is ok as long as you recognize where you are and who you are. If you want faster, longer lasting results (sounds like a commercial for something), remember to wave your loads.

Feel free to leave your comments, ideas, and experiences that you’ve had below.