I occasionally get feedback that my fitness posts on this site are just too much for the beginner. I get that. Everyone is somewhere, right? But if you ever try to duplicate someone else’s plan, all you can be sure of is different results than they got. All I aim to provide in my posts are direction, ideas, and information for you, and additional accountability for me.
That said, what should the person do who is just starting out and isn’t quite …ready for the deep end of the kettlebell pool…yet? Where do you begin…when you don’t know where to begin?
Well, I suggest you start with the Swing.
The Swing is the foundational kettlebell movement. Once you have your Swing dialed in, especially your One-Handed Swing, you’re well on your way to mastering the Clean. The Clean is necessary to get the bell into the Rack position, itself a starting point for Presses and Squats. The Clean and the Snatch also rely on the hip-hinge you’ll master in the Swing. So yeah, the swing has very high utility. If you can’t do the Swing, your kettlebell options are severely limited, and you’re missing out on a great, explosive movement. That takes me to my next point.
The Swing is different enough from most folks’ normal routine that it stimulates fat loss right away. I admit it: the Swing is a weird movement. It looks funny, and I’ve had plenty of folks ask me, “What’s that supposed to work?” I usually tell them something like, “Grab a 53-pound kettlebell and do 200 swings, and you’ll know for a few days what it’s supposed to work.” (*I don’t recommend that a beginner actually does that, by the way. Don’t be stupid.) So it’s a beneficial movement, but it’s pretty new for most people, so their bodies enjoy some positive results right away: a stronger back, a leaner physique, even a higher vertical leap. Eventually, as your body adapts to this movement, it learns to work more efficiently. Until then, you’ll probably enjoy some great results.
I’ll give one more: the Swing is the kettlebell cousin to the greatest strength exercise out there (the deadlift). It’s a ballistic counterpart to the grind of the deadlift; it works many of the same muscles, but differently.
So maybe you’re convinced to Swing away, but don’t know what to do. Well, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Something like what I’ve written below would be a great start, and it takes less than 30 minutes of actual kettlebell work per week. Throw in your warmup and recovery time, and you’re looking at about an hour total per week for some great results.
One more thing before I give you the program: Don’t be discouraged if you can’t use the weights I’ve suggested. But you also don’t want to go with too light of a kettlebell, either; using too light of a kettlebell is counterproductive because it’s too easy to “cheat,” pulling the bell upward with the arms and shoulders rather than exploding from the hips. If you have questions on this, leave a comment below and I’ll try to help. Fair enough? Now, on to the program:
Use a medium- to heavy-weight kettlebell (like 35 pounds for women and 53 pounds for men). Warm up with some brisk walking, jumping rope, jumping jacks, squats, pushups, or some such frivolity, then do the following:
MONDAY (Heavy day)
5 rounds:
1. 20 Swings
2. Rest 60 seconds
TUESDAY (Optional Variety Day)
Go for a long, brisk walk. Pop in the headphones and listen to an audiobook or sermon or something.
WEDNESDAY (Light day)
3 rounds:
1. 20 Swings
2. Rest 60 seconds
THURSDAY (Optional Variety Day)
Take another walk, do some yoga, or do some pushups and squats on your lunch hour or during commercial breaks on your favorite program.
FRIDAY (Medium day)
4 rounds:
1. 20 Swings
2. Rest 60 seconds
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
Off
Finish each workout with some easy walking and/or stretching, and you’re on your way to the new you.
Each week add one round to each day until you’re up to 10 rounds on your heavy day (that’s week 6). Then it’s time to move up to a heavier bell or move on to a different program.
Is this program too simple for you? Try a heavier kettlebell and you’ll be surprised how challenging it can be. Think someone would have to be pretty strong to complete this program with a 106-pound kettlebell? I’d think so.
I’d love to hear how this goes for you. Share your questions and successes in the comments below!
