Kettlebell Workouts with Master Geoff Neupert

As we’re about to wrap up this series we need to address “Kettlebell PLUS…” programming. You know, KBs PLUS other modalities (a.k.a. "Hybrid KB Programs"): [+] Running / Rucking / Walking [+] Bodyweight [+] “Cardio” [+] Barbell work Where do these fit into the 5 LEVELS? How do YOU fit them in if you wanted to? Well the very first thing to do is run a “Needs Analysis.” [1] What’s my goal? [2] What’re my current limitations? [3] How can I align the two? For example, you may want to run and swing your KBs. But maybe you have a gimpy ankle… Or you love to bench, but your shoulder doesn’t… Or you love to barbell squat, but you don’t have a bar and a rack at home, and you can only get to the gym once a week… Or you want to add in Pull Ups, Chins Ups, or Pistols… Things of this nature. In the first two cases, the gimpy ankle and the sour shoulder, pick KB exercises that work around those issues, and if possible, either directly or indirectly strengthen those areas. Gimpy Ankle Examp...

  Last video I gave some general ideas on how to set up your LEVEL 5 workouts when you were ready for them - guidelines and such. Today, I thought it’d be helpful to show you actual EXAMPLES. The first, we can call “Vanilla,” because it’s plain and reliable. (Personally, I think training for Power Endurance is one of the smartest and healthiest ways you can train, if you set up your programming correctly. And that’s because it’s applicable to almost every area of your life.) EXAMPLE #1: GOAL: Power Endurance EXERCISE: Double KB Clean + Jerk / Push Press Use your 10RM. Set your timer for 30 minutes. Perform sets of 3. Rest as necessary between sets. Here’s the second, think of it as an “Ice Cream Sundae” more than one component and still delicious, but in a different way than “Vanilla.” EXAMPLE #2: GOAL: Power / Strength Endurance EXERCISES: Multiple STRUCTURE: [Strength] Circuit A1. Double Front Squat A2. Double Military Press A3. Double Swing A4. Double Push Press Find a 10RM for...

Most of us got into KB training because we bought into the concept that we could do more, with less. And, if you recall, that was the original premise of the Soviet/Russian research studies back in the late 1980s, kettlebell training by itself: [+]  Strengthened barbell lifts [+]  Decreased times in sprints and running endurance events [+]  Improved power outputs in jumps Much of that research was based on the single KB Snatch (LEVEL 2) and the long cycle (double KB) Clean + Jerk (LEVEL 4) and if I recall correctly, they used LEVEL 5 programming. Recall that LEVEL 5 programming is based upon LEVEL 4 mastery and primarily focused on training the following: Power, Power Endurance, Strength Endurance. And it’s the LEVEL 5 programming where many people [finally] see amazing transformations in their bodies - like stripping off body fat, and packing on muscle. (Not all, just many. I personally think because they’re finally pushing themselves outside their comfort zones.) To tra...

People often ask me what I think are the BEST kettlebell exercises to do. In my last email I said the Top 3 LEVEL 4 exercises were the Double Front Squat (DFSQ), the Double Clean (DCL), and the Double Military Press (DMP). And that’s because they form the “Foundation” of the LEVEL 4 exercises. And from there, you’ll have a “base” from which to build and launch the other, more advanced double KB exercises like the Push Press, Snatch, and Jerk. But if you asked me, what are the most “accessible” and therefore the most “Transformative,” LEVEL 4 exercises, ones that pretty much anyone with single KB proficiency can do, especially if they have ankle or knee or even some hip issues from a rough and tumble lifestyle in their younger days… I’d go with the Double Clean + Press (DC+P). While it’s true that the original Soviet/Russian research was done on the Double Clean + Jerk, I’ve found that most Westerners, especially Americans, don’t have the thoracic spine mobility and shoulder stability f...

As you know by now, the LEVEL 4 kettlebell exercises are truly “next level” and are based upon the Double Front Squat (DFSQ). A lot of guys who grew up in the 80s and 90s still hate squats, so they refuse to do them. That’s a shame, because the DFSQ reinforces ONE of TWO POSITIONS critical for your success with double KB lifting: THE RACK. The Rack Position is where everything starts. It’s the “launchpad” and the “rest stop” for most of the double kettlebell drills, so it’s important to get this position correct from the start. The Rack teaches you how to: [1]  Become “comfortable” with the discomfort with a pair of KBs trying to crush you and keep you from breathing. And, [2]  How to turn your body into a solid “Pillar of Power,” from which you move your heavy KBs. AND… [3]  Provides a valuable “pre-flight checklist” for every rep, to ensure you produce maximum force with maximum safety. (No good having the first without the second. It’s like having a dragster engine and...