Creating a Customized Fitness Program
Creating a Customized Fitness Program
Instinctive vs. Structured Training
One training concept is called instinctive training — doing whatever you feel like doing. Study the materials, learn the techniques, but when you step into your training space and pick up those bells, do you want to leave it to how you're feeling, or do you need a schedule to keep you on a precise path?
Instinctive Training
Structured Training
Which approach is most appropriate for you?
Practice, experimentation, recording (logging a training journal is crucial), and revision — these are all necessary steps along the path to lifelong strength and fitness. The sample programs here are as much food for thought as they are rules. They will work, but they eventually will stop working without the knowledge of how to adapt them.
Types Of Training Programs
For general health and fitness, the most common focal points for training programs are:
- Fat loss
- Muscular strength and endurance
- Strength and power
The most effective approach depends on your goal:
| Goal | Best Approach |
|---|---|
| Fat loss | High-intensity circuit-type workouts |
| Muscular strength | Lower volume, heavier loads |
| Strength and endurance | Moderate loads, longer duration/higher volume |
Fat-Loss Programs
Muscular Strength & Endurance Programs
Strength & Power Programs
Fat-Loss Programs
Traditional fat-loss programming relied on long, slow cardiorespiratory training — running, cycling, steady-state aerobics. Dr. Kenneth Cooper pioneered aerobic conditioning; James Fixx's The Complete Book of Running (1970s) further established the fitness craze.
Prolonged aerobic training can increase inflammation and does little to increase fat loss. Because of these catabolic effects, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has proven much more effective for modern fat-loss programs.
The Tabata Study
An influential 1996 study by Dr. Izumi Tabata demonstrated the power of HIIT:
- HIIT group: 8 sets of 20-second maximal intensity exercise + 10 seconds rest, 5 days/week for 6 weeks (4 minutes total per session)
- Cardio group: 60 minutes steady-state training, 5 days/week for 6 weeks
Results:
- Cardio group showed only minor improvement in aerobic capacity and no improvement in anaerobic capacity
- HIIT group showed improvements in both aerobic and anaerobic capacities
HIIT burns a lot of calories but avoids the cortisol spikes associated with long-duration training — allowing the anabolic recovery phase to do its work building strength and muscle.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic
There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Most effective fat-loss programs incorporate a mixture of anaerobic and aerobic exercises.
Muscular Strength And Endurance Programs
In my experience, nothing works more effectively than kettlebell training for muscular strength and endurance goals — a point emphasized throughout this book. It is precisely the blend of load, speed, and duration that gives kettlebell training its versatile utility.
If your goal is a blend of strength and endurance, a consistent, progressive kettlebell program is probably all you need. Dumbbells, barbells, and body-weight protocols can also be used for increased muscular strength and endurance.
Strength And Power Training Programs
For maximal strength, barbells reign supreme because they can achieve heavier loads in all basic lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, clean, snatch, and overhead press.
To improve power, you must move a load as quickly as possible through a full range of motion. Medicine balls are excellent for this because they can be accelerated with maximal velocity and then released at full extension — fully expressing power in the movement.
Power = work performed per unit of time.
- Strength = amount of force produced (a component of power)
- Speed of movement = what differentiates power from strength
Programs for power development must include full-speed movements.
Fitness Program Design
Before you begin training with kettlebells, it is a good idea to create a program you can follow. Designing a program requires consideration of your goals and current capabilities.
Know your starting point
Have an idea of your current fitness level so you have a starting point from which to measure progress. There are simple tests you can do (as covered in chapter 4).
Clarify your focal point
Before writing your own program or following a template, clarify your most important goal for that period. Do you want to lose weight? Complete a triathlon? Having a specific goal will keep you focused. If you need to drop 20 pounds (9 kg), prioritize a fat-loss program for the next 3 months.
Start slowly and progress gradually
If you have injuries or medical conditions, consult a doctor first. Select kettlebells appropriate for your current level that will allow progress for the next 3 to 6 months. Listen to your body — pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea signal a need to rest.
Address all movement patterns
You'll need a well-rounded program that addresses strength, endurance, and range of motion. Keep track of goals and progress using a journal or logbook.
Allow time for recovery
Rest between sessions is essential. Always include a proper warm-up at the start and cool-down at the end. If you're not feeling well, take a day or two of rest.
The Seven Movement Patterns
When designing general fitness programs, the guiding philosophy is to address all major movement patterns:
| Movement Pattern | Example Exercises |
|---|---|
| Vertical push | One-arm press, double press, push press, jerk, seated press, dips, handstand push-ups |
| Vertical pull | One-arm snatch, one-arm clean, double clean, pull-up, deadlift |
| Horizontal push | Floor or bench press, any push-up variation |
| Horizontal pull | One-arm bent row, renegade row, horizontal row, inverted pull-up |
| Lower body — knee emphasis | Front squat, squat swing, kettlebell jump squat |
| Lower body — hip emphasis | Two-hand swing, one-leg deadlift, good morning, pistol, hand-to-hand swing |
| Core — stability & dynamic mobility | Overhead squat, windmill, get-up, bottoms-up plank, side planks |
These examples are not exhaustive. By sticking to these movement groups, you will address all your strength and conditioning needs without lacking variety.
Balance in Kettlebell Training
A primary goal should be balance in developing the body and your skill set. Kettlebell training naturally emphasizes vertical pulling and pressing more than horizontal movements. With this predominance of vertical movements, add some horizontal movements to address other angles of motion.
Similarly, there is a predominance of movement in the sagittal and frontal planes, so including some movements in the transverse plane is a good idea for balance.
Creating A Training Log
Record the following for each session:
- Duration of sets
- Duration of rest between each set
- Total time of workout
- Total tonnage
- Date
- Name of exercise
- Load selected
- Number of repetitions
- Number of sets
With this information, you can see exactly how much work you did, what weight you used, and total volume and duration. Over time, you should see numbers increase — heavier loads, more reps or sets, shorter rest periods.
Sample Training Programs
The following sample programs address the common concerns of fat loss, muscular strength and endurance, and strength and power development. You can follow them exactly, modify the weight/reps/sets/duration of any exercise, or use them as inspiration to create your own. The possibilities are limitless.
Sample Fat-Loss Programs
Beginner
Figure 9.1
Warm-up (5 min): Around-the-body pass 30s each direction, halo 30s each direction, kettlebell deadlift 10 reps, goblet squat 10 reps, joint mobility 10–20 rotations.
Main session: Single swing + single press, Tabata protocol (20s work / 10s rest), 4 sets each, 1 min recovery between sets.
Cool-down (15 min): Easy jog 10 min, stretch 5 min.
Intermediate
Figure 9.2
Warm-up (10 min): Two-arm single-leg kettlebell deadlift 8 reps/side, windmill 10 reps/side, joint mobility.
Main session: As many rounds as possible in 10 min — double swing 15 reps, double clean 15 reps, double front squat 15 reps, Russian twist 40 twists.
Cool-down (17 min): Easy jog 10 min, stretch 7 min.
Advanced
Figure 9.3
Warm-up (15 min): Easy jog 5 min, dynamic mobility, single overhead squat 30s/side, spinal flexion hold 1 min, calf stretch 1 min/leg.
Main session: Double half snatch Tabata 4 sets, bottoms-up push-up Tabata 4 sets.
Cool-down: Static stretches 30s/side.
Sample Strength and Endurance Programs
Beginner
Figure 9.4
Warm-up (10 min): Easy jog 5 min, joint mobility 5 min.
Main session: 10 reps each exercise, 3 rounds with 1 min rest between rounds — single swing, single clean, single press, snatch, goblet squat.
Cool-down (7 min): Stretches 1 min each.
Intermediate
Figure 9.5
Warm-up (10 min): Easy jog 5 min, goblet squat 1×10.
Main session: Double clean 10×10 (1 min rest), one-arm jerk 5×10 each arm (1 min rest), double front squat 10×10 (1 min rest).
Cool-down (7 min): Stretches 1 min each.
Advanced
Figure 9.6
Warm-up (5 min): Body-weight squat 1 min, body-weight push-ups 30s.
Main session: Single overhead squat 5×5 each side (1 min rest), double clean and jerk 10×10 (1 min rest), farmer's carry 1 set as long as possible.
Cool-down (29 min): Easy jog 20 min, stretch 9 min.
Sample Strength and Power Programs
Beginner
Figure 9.7
Warm-up (10 min): Easy jog 5 min, figure-eight pass 1 min each direction, joint mobility 20 reps each.
Main session: 5 sets of 5 reps per hand with moderate-heavy kettlebell (1 min max rest between sets) — single swing, single clean, single press, push press, half snatch, front squat.
Cool-down (9 min): Stretches 1 min each.
Intermediate
Figure 9.8
Warm-up (10 min): Easy jog 5 min, body-weight squat 30s, joint mobility 20 reps each.
Main session: Rack hold 2 min light / 1 min rest / 2 min moderate / 2 min rest / 1 min heavy; overhead hold 1 min light / 1 min rest / 1 min moderate; bottoms-up press 2×5 per hand; renegade rows 3×10; kettlebell jump squat 3×15; farmer's carry 1 set max time.
Cool-down (14 min): Easy jog 5 min, stretch 9 min.
Advanced
Figure 9.9
Warm-up (10 min): Body-weight squat 30 reps, skipping rope 1 min, dynamic mobility 15 reps each.
Main session: Squat method get-up 5 reps/arm, double overhead squat 5×5 (1 min rest), double alternating clean 1 min / 1 min rest, double alternating snatch 1 min / 1 min rest, double clean and jerk 5×10 (1 min rest).
Cool-down (19 min): Easy jog 10 min, stretch 9 min.
The Bottom Line
Following the philosophy of total-body integration, being mindful of the seven common movement patterns, and using the rich assortment of kettlebell exercises described in this book, you can easily put together your own constantly varied exercise programs to stay motivated and prevent boredom.
When you combine kettlebell exercises with other great training tools, you have a virtually unlimited range of movements and tools to choose from.
With the knowledge in this book — and the discipline to log, assess, and adapt — you have all the practical information needed to reach your fat-loss, strength and endurance, or strength and power training goals.
Advanced Exercises
Master advanced kettlebell movements requiring breath control, coordination, flexibility, stability, raw strength, and power.
Sport-Specific Training Programs
Kettlebell cross-training for athletes — exercise principles, energy systems, the FITT model, and ready-to-use programs for 11 sports including football, basketball, boxing, soccer, tennis, and wrestling.