Every time I look at a kettlebell I want to lift it. There is something about the way it looks- raw- old school- heavy.
I like the thick handle and the feel of the rough, heavy, cold, black cast iron in my hand.
I have always been into old school training. Back in ’95 I purchased a book by Brooks Kubik- ‘Dinosaur Training’ that changed my whole approach to building my ultimate physique.
I had used power racks up to that point and heavy basic moves- but now I was introduced to a whole new level. Thick bars- grip work- sandbags- rocks- bottom position rack work and my body never looked the same again. Utilising the old school methods advocated by Brooks in his mould breaking book, I took on a new thickness and quality that enabled me to win the Europe title in ’99.
From then on I never looked back. I trained harder and heavier than ever, always on the lookout for the most obscure training tool.

One of these passed me by- one that I looked over many years ago, but never switched on to-- kettlebells.

The years ticked on by—like they do!
Fast forward to 2008.

I am moving into my new place I bought some on a whim. One morning I thought I would use them in my workout. We had been doing Clean and Press with dumbbells and had worked up to 30lbs in each hand for sets of 10- I had some 20k Kettlebells that I thought would be a little more difficult to handle and would give the body a change of pace.
Boy was I wrong- Clean and press with these was a whole new ball of wax.
The next day my delts and triceps were very sore.
That’s it, I was hooked.
I studied as much as I could- read every book I could get hold of- contacted the best kettlebell trainers in the business and then got to work on myself.
I improved, worked on technique, gained strength and agility.
I could say at the moment they comprise of 70% of my workouts. This is something I have always done, I always test out a workout protocol on myself first before I can pass the information on- I have to be a master at it. I believe a trainer has to be able to walk the talk and be able to do everything he asks a client to do.

Before I get into the nitty gritty of the productive workouts I have been doing, I would like to give you a couple of case studies- then the advantages of kettlebells and why they are an effective training tool for building thick, functional muscle tissue.

Sometimes it’s- “can not see the wood for the trees.”

A few weeks ago I bumped into an old friend of mine, John. I was taken aback by how well he looked; he was in the supermarket in his T shirt and shorts having just trained.
He looked awesome- thick and strong- just lean enough.
“Hi mate” I said. “God you look well, you still on with the kettlebells?”
“Yes that’s pretty much all I use these days.”
That’s when I made a mental note to give myself a slap later. I knew John had been into kettlebells for around 3 years and he has reaped the benefits.
Why had I not seen this? I am usually so on the ball- big mistake.
But- when I got in the car, in reflection, I was happy that I had chosen to use kettlebells in my programme and in that of my clients, the benefits were obvious.

I thought back to how over the last few months I had included them in my workouts and how hard they had made even the most basic of workouts.
Twiggy, one of my training partners, had really come on of late, so had Andy, both looked bigger than I had ever seen them.
I know that I had some unbelievably sore areas over the last few months- but if I am honest workouts had been something that was done- then I’d get on with my day’s work.
I hadn’t looked at myself with a critical eye since November of 2007 when in prep for the World Championships. I had just trained hard, eaten well and concentrated on my business.
All of a sudden it was Spring- as it does- bang- Spring, summer, Christmas- must be my age.
One Sunday I put a T shirt on and jeans to go out for a meal with the family. Nothing fit me- there was a definite new thickness to me.
I have always had good forearms, from years of thick bar work and never using straps, but bloody hell I am starting to look like Popeye- shoulders used to be a weak point but now I’ve much more depth to them from all the Cleans with the kettlebells.
For the first time in months I had a check out. I took off the tight T shirt and had a one on one posedown in the bedroom. Yes I could see a difference.
I was just lean enough- abs out- not silly, deep, touching your backbone- but there. I hadn’t done much ab work- all the stabilisation with the kettlebells had taken care of them.
You could say I was sold. Give me hard, heavy workouts 2-3 days a week and good food- and the body will look after itself.
You see I had just done the work and eaten the food and not thought at all cosmetically for months. But like I say- “Train hard and eat clean and that’s what you will look like you do.”


Why are kettlebells so effective?

Anything that makes an exercise harder will make it much more productive- the more you have to fight to overcome gravity, the more muscle will be recruited.
Kettlebells are hard to lift round objects that resemble an old fashioned pot type kettle with a handle, with a flat base, all the weight is in the bottom.
They have thick handles- they don’t revolve like an Olympic bar and they are not nicely shaped and balanced like a dumbbell- no they are big, bloody awkward things that pull you in all directions.
Let me explain.
Let’s say you are going to perform a standing shoulder press with two kettlebells, you have to start the movement tight into your chest with the KBs – hold them tight on the back of your forearms, fists just under your chin. Here you have to grip them hard and pull them into you tightly keeping your body very tight from your Achilles heel to your neck. You then press up and move your arms back and out to the usual press position. Still keeping the KBs tight to your forearms push to arm’s length overhead, then slowly reverse the movement to back in front of you.
This is a fantastic delt, triceps, well all body movement if I am honest. As you press up the KBs pull you backwards, to the side, outwards, all directions. You have to fight like hell to keep them in the groove. You are not just pressing linear hence the press is very hard- so more muscle everywhere- delts, traps, triceps, abs, forearms, upper chest- awesome movement. Also in with these is a Clean. Every time you want to start a press you have to clean them up again, with KBs this is very tough. Don’t be a wimp and have your training partner pass them up, clean them and get on with it.

Take my word for it

In fact don’t take my word for it, give kettlebells a test drive.
I did this workout at home a couple of weeks ago. It was hard and made me ache a fair amount the next day.
I did this whole workout with two 24k kettlebells, go heavier or lighter- your choice.

A whole body kettlebell workout

After an initial warm up with some light dumbbells and a few freehand squats and stretching my first exercise was
Front KB Squat
Racking the KBs high up on your shoulders, elbows held up parallel to the floor, chest high, tight arch in your back and feet at a comfortable squatting position for you- Squat deep and in control, tightening the whole body as a unit as you descend. Two sets of 20 reps here, 30 seconds rest at the most between sets.

KB Swing throughs
Holding one KB at arm’s length between your legs, feet slightly wider than your squat width, squat down pushing your hips and butt back. Let the KB swing underneath your backside between your legs.
From here power forward with your hips, driving the KB forward and up with the power of your hip thrust and not from your shoulders- it’s a swing through not a front raise.
Let the KB come to around shoulder height then let it reverse the direction. Squatting down as it does, the KB should then travel back again right up and under the bum.
This exercise done right is awesome for your hamstrings, glutes and thighs. Two sets of 20 reps again, only 30 seconds rest at the most.

Kick back Lunges
Hold one KB at the chest, holding the handle like a steering wheel. Hold abs and core tight, chest high with good posture.
From here step out with one leg into a lunge- the leg should come out and be at a right angle when out in front of you, your knee should not travel over your toes.
Lunge deep till your trailing knee comes to within an inch of the floor.
Power up from the lunging leg, driving through the heel. Power back up to the standing start position and then immediately step out with the opposite leg, 10 each leg should be great here alternating legs 1-1 2-2 and so on.
This exercise will give your thighs, glutes and hamstrings a great workout.
After a quick stretch I moved on to some upper body work.

Floor Kettlebell Press
This is a fantastic chest exercise- I had been doing these for years in the form of a Floor Barbell Press and a Dumbbell Floor Press. I must say that the KB version is much tougher.
As explained earlier the KBs are offset so when you are performing a press they pull you outwards and backwards. With the pull being away from your centerline the pecs have to fight to pull your arms together, as in a press up, over your chest. A much better contraction is obtained and there is no dead spot at the top as gravity is always pulling on those KBs.
Here is the rundown on this basic but highly effective movement.
Lay on your back on the floor, feet tucked up and braced into the floor for stability.
Grip the handles of the KBs so that they are again tight to the back of your forearms. Pull them in close to you and then press them above you at arm’s length.
Now you are about set to start.
Lift your chest up high and sink your shoulders down, nipping your shoulder blades together below you. This will engage much more chest action and less front delts. Slowly lower your upper arms to the floor in control as in a normal dumbbell chest press. Lower until your triceps come into contact with the floor- actually resting on the floor, but keep tight-KBs held tight, shoulders tight, abs tight- the works- the whole body.
Hold them there a second allowing 60-70% of the weight to be on the floor but stay tight, never go loose.
Press these up in a smooth motion- concentrate and work hard for 2 sets of 15-20 reps.
After again a quick drink and a stretch I move on to

Press ups on Kettlebells
Place the kettlebells a press up width apart with the handles in a comfortable position- for me this was a palms facing each other position.
Assume a press up position, body tight and locked in- too many trainers sag in the core in this movement, “Don’t keep tight.”
From here I performed a press up with a fairly deep stretch in between the KBs. My aim was 2 sets of 20, I got 20 and 17. Work them right- tight body- good range and contract at the top.
My chest was very pumped and sore at this point- more stretching and a drink and I quickly moved on to back.

Two arm Kettlebell Rows
Standing in between the KBs with them pulled tight to your sides, i.e. an inch away from your shins in a normal width, stable stance, bend down in a dead lift stance with your back tight and arched and dead lift the KBs to standing position.
From here tense your core hard- place a tight arch in your back and bend your knees. Push back your butt and lower your upper body to around 70 degrees. You are now in a position to perform a KB row.
From an arms outstretched position pull the KBs towards your hips, up and back. Contract the upper back muscles and lower lats and return to arms outstretched- the KBs will come to about knee height- keep in the tight 70 degree position through all the reps. 2 sets of 20 reps here will be good.
Resting only long enough to have a quick drink, by now I was really feeling this workout- it’s amazing how much work you can do with two kettlebells, I moved on to

Renegade Rows
I love this movement and have been doing this a lot of late. It’s excellent for the core- abs- forearms- chest- triceps- back- rear delts- traps and even legs.
Here is how it goes.
Place the KBs a little closer together on the floor then you did for the press ups, the handles in a palms facing each other grip.
Now place yourself in a press up position- lock the body tight- feet slightly wider than shoulder width- body straight, no sag or bum up, straight.
From here push down with say the left hand, pushing the locked left arm into the kettlebell handle and push it into the floor.
This will give you a solid, stable base from which to pull from. Pull the right kettlebell into your hip area, slowly and in control. You will feel your whole body lock into this. Hold for a second at the hip then slowly lower to the floor. Place the KB lightly on the floor, don’t drop it, use the muscles of your body. Push the right one into the ground now and then pull the left one up- slowly into the left hip.
Awesome movement- I did 5 each arm as one set and another 5 each arm as Set two.
Remember I used 24k KBs on the whole workout so the reps were in line with the movement performed.
Next up-


Standing Kettlebell Press
This I explained earlier in this article.
I cleaned the KBs up to the rack position on my chest and then tightly pressed them overhead. 2 sets of 5 at this stage was tough. I finished the workout with

One arm Kettlebell Cleans
These are performed in a dead lift, flat,tight arched position with a slight squat down. The KB is in between the legs, grab it and swing it through your legs under your bum similar to the swing through but not as hard or as far back.
Reverse the direction and drive through. Power the KB up and clean it to the rack position at the shoulder of the arm you are using.
This takes practice as you don’t want to bang yourself with the kettlebell- if you open your hand slightly as it is heading up you can spin your hand around it and not spin the kettlebell around you.
Reverse the movement doing 5-6 reps with that arm then work the other side. Great conditioning movement that you feel in the legs, back, hips, hamstrings, traps, delts, forearms and core. I did 2 sets of 5 reps each arm.

That’s it- job done, I felt fatigued but good.
I followed this with a post workout drink of VP2 and HSC by AST and some rice cakes- on hour later I had Wild Alaskan Salmon, organic potatoes and veg and plenty of Green Tea.

The Wrap up
I performed this workout at home with just two kettlebells. The next day I was sore all over as I explained earlier.
It has taken me weeks to put this article together, as I have had to write in between clients and other writing-- so in that time I have had chance to assess.

Over the last few weeks we have done Rack Squats utilising the top position, then Kettlebell Squats- or just Kettlebell Squats and Swing Throughs. Just this last week we did some full deep Squats,3 ½ plates was very easy- I mean easy as easy to control. I was very much in charge of this weight- the difference was a much stronger core- yep that’s the kettlebells.

Hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Thank you for your time and trusting my judgement in this area of your life.

Yours in strength and health
Ian Duckett- www.bodyindesign.co.uk