The 3 S's Of Kettlebell Training
Hardstyle kettlebell training is unlike many other conventional forms of fitness.
One of the biggest differences is in The Two Types Of Movements In Kettlebell Training. If you’re unfamiliar with those, I highly encourage you to read this article first to gain a grasp of them.
‘Grinds’ are dedicated to slow movements whereas ‘Ballistics’ are biased towards moving fast.
For this article, I am referring primarily to the ballistics. With such a focus on strength and power, there are a few prerequisites you need to know before you unlock the full force of kettlebell training.
In order, they are;
Skill
Strength
Speed
You can’t have the latter without the former.
Meaning, that you need to be strong before you can move fast. And before you can be strong, you must be skilled at what it is you’re trying to do.
There isn’t a fast person on the planet who isn’t strong. But there are lots of slow people who aren’t (or because - more accurately…they aren’t) strong.
One prime example of this is mastering the often-butchered, kettlebell swing.
What’s the point of lifting something heavy if the technique isn’t right? What benefit will you get by doing 100 reps fast with sloppy form?
The answer is minimal at best, and an injury at worst.
Technique is priority #1 always, and forever.
That’s why I have a rule with my kettlebell training in Perth, you can’t (read: won’t) swing a kettlebell until you can’t show me a good-quality deadlift, like the one below.
It’s the first step to a successful set of kettlebell swings.
SKILL
Your ability to lift weights safely is predicated upon the notion you use the right mechanics. The correct joints and muscle groups for the task without cheating or compensating.
In the case of the kettlebell deadlift and swing, this means using your hips and the posterior chain to lift the load.
The way I communicate this to my students is as follows. I tell them to show me a deadlift before a swing — “Let’s start with a slow hinge”, I say.
Even for experienced lifters who know how to safely do a kettlebell swing, we start by greasing the groove, using the kettlebell deadlift as a ‘primer’. To practice the hinge pattern at a slow pace, and drill into the nervous system the right movement pattern.
If you can’t showcase a downright immaculate deadlift, you have no business swinging a kettlebell, plain and simple.
Think that’s too harsh? Tough.
This is called having standards and holding you accountable. No shortcuts and no side-stepping of the necessary steps. That’s how I instruct things in my kettlebell coaching in Perth.
Why? Because your technique and safety are paramount!
And that’s the best way to safely and steadily build your strength without getting injured.
I expect you to be able to deadlift at least twice the amount you can swing. If you can’t, that’s a red flag and a sign you need to move better and get stronger.
By doing being able to do this, it tells me you have strength in reserve and also that you know how to decelerate and apply ‘the brakes’.
Want to deadlift big weights?
Want to swing hard and heavy?
Want to build some serious speed?
You must first master — and I do mean MASTER — the humble deadlift first. Here’s how.
Prove that you know how to correctly perform a hip hinge. This entails bending from your hips NOT your spine.
It’s not only a requirement for building a set of strong legs and a powerhouse of a posterior chain, but for keeping your spine resilient and resistant to back problems.
You need a strong set of glutes to properly propel the bell through the air, and a tough trunk capable of absorbing the force upon the next rep or when parking it on the deck.
That’s why it is in fact in your self-interest to pay attention to the humble kettlebell deadlift.
A better deadlift leads to a better hinge which leads to a better kettlebell swing.
More Skill = more Strength = more Speed.
And, it must go in that order. Why, you ask?
Strength is one of the key ingredients for speed.
If you’ve been following my work online — like my Kettlebell Training Perth Instagram Account or YouTube channel (if you aren’t, you should) — you would know this vital equation.
F = M x A
Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration.
STRENGTH
You may be thinking, that there are two variables to manipulate to produce greater force, and therefore, more strength.
Mass
Acceleration
And you’d be correct.
The issue I have with working on speed before load is this.
What would you prefer, to swing a 24kg, or a 48kg kettlebell rapidly? Here’s my answer.
Cool, so we agree, that greater strength is never a weakness.
The goal, as I see it, is to swing the heaviest weight possible.
As a byproduct of being able to do that, you’ll (easily) be able to swing light kettlebells.
Let’s say the heaviest kettlebell you can swing is 24kg, and your strength ceiling is twenty-four kilograms. With your training options and kettlebell weights being somewhat limited;
24kg (very heavy)
20kg (heavy)
16kg (medium)
12kg (light)
8kg (super light)
4kg (this is a doorstop)
Compare that to someone who can comfortably swing a 40kg kettlebell. Like one of my students, Adam, below.
When you can swing big bells, you have so many more options at your disposal. The weights I would consider “heavy” for two-arm kettlebell swings are: ≥40kg for men and ≥28kg for women.
Doing this gives you a higher ceiling, meaning you have a lot more ‘in reserve’. I’ll use the same dot-point approach to paint the picture.
40kg (very heavy)
36kg (heavy)
32kg (somewhat heavy)
28kg (medium)
24kg (light-medium)
20kg and under (not even remotely difficult)
You see the difference in terms of both the strain on the body, plus how much easier it is on the RPE scale. What used to be heavy is now considered easy or medium due to having a greater strength base to fall back on.
Do all the speed work you want with lighter bells, but unless it translates to heavier bells (for you) over time, even moderate-size bells will feel heavy for you.
I remember coaching one of my ladies a few years ago and she was two-arm swinging the 24kg. That used to feel heavy for her. I still recall a session where she did what was then a high volume of swings — 100 — and she tore her hands.
That was her capacity and tolerance level. But now, she can one-arm swing the 20kg kettlebell with no problems (see below). The beauty and benefit of being strong cannot be underestimated!
If in doubt, get stronger. Then, once you have solidified and cemented this newfound strength, apply more speed.
SPEED
A great analogy for this is driving.
When you’re 16 years old and first discovering the wonderful world of cars and getting around in your first car.
You start off slow. Trying to learn all the rules. Figuring out what to do and what not to do. Understanding when to go and when to wait. How to shift gears up and down without grinding the gearbox.
Whether you’ve got an auto or manual transmission, the principles remain.
Begin slowly and conservatively. Work within your limited knowledge and experience.
After gaining over a hundred hours on the road, you start going a bit quicker as you’ve had plenty of kilometres under your belt, so to speak. Then you slowly and surely accumulate over one thousand hours, and you’re comfortable and confident navigating the roads seamlessly.
The road is less jerky and with less wear and tear on your car (and neck).
Same thing with kettlebell training.
First, learn how to hinge. Then learn how to hinge slowly. And then learn how to hinge heavy. Once you can hinge heavy, hinge fast. And lastly, hinge explosively WITH big bells.
The kettlebell swing is notorious for “being bad for your back”.
Like any exercise, it’s as bad and unsafe as the user in charge of the tool.
You are the one behind the steering wheel in the car. And you are the one holding onto the handle of the kettlebell.
It can be as safe or dangerous as your mindset, willingness to do the basics savagely well, and whether you follow the 3 S’s of Kettlebell Training I’ve laid out for you.
Whether you’re doing swings, cleans, or snatches, the principle holds true.
Move well, get strong, and then build capacity — in that order.
Live in Perth and want to learn from me directly? Come in for your very own lesson!
Live interstate or overseas but still want to learn? Take advantage of my online course, for less than $1/day.