Kettlebell Smoke Session

I realized this morning that my last 6 CFB postings have all been nutrition related, and I owe a bunch of avid Catapult Fitness Blog readers (you know who you are!), a Kettlebell workout!

I've actually spent the past few days looking for a killer KB workout to share with you all, and ultimately decided to go with the workout that would definitely give you a real kick in the rear. Yes, Turkish Getups are involved!

In addition to the workout itself, I'm posting an interview that Craig Ballantyne did with the program creator, Troy Anderson, as I found it to be very informative.

Troy M. Anderson is the owner of Anderson Training Systems, of Tempe, Arizona. Troy is often referred to as "the MacGyver of coaching" for his unique ability to build effective fitness programs using only the most basic equipment.

Troy's Smoke the Fat Meltdown Kettlebell Program features his "Big Iron Burn" and "Smoke Sessions" to help you smoke the fat from your love handles, thighs, and lower abs.

CB: So what's the big deal with Kettlebells anyway?

TA:
They bring a few unique and very beneficial facets.

For example for those people that maybe coming off a bodyweight only home training program.

I am sure that you have a beginner program that fits this definition.

The kettlebell will allow that person to do really critical things for long term fat loss:

1. Introducing the progressive overload principle, this will allow the body to get stronger; a long with helping to keep the body in a state of metabolic disturbance which is a good thing as far a fat loss is concerned.

2. It also allows the individual to start to implement crucial movement pattern under load. Movements like:

- Squats - Deadlifts - Presses

However, do the nature of the kettlebell and its design it is a lot more effective at allowing the novice 'lifter' to learn these foundational movements, even more so than the barbell or dumbbell.

Along with those two key benefits to the fat loss enthusiast, the kettlebell is extremely versatile, it can literally be used anywhere anytime.

This can be seen with its popularity with the military it can commonly be found in war zones around the world and on the other end of the spectrum I work with a Dr. that keeps one in his office and uses it on a daily basis.

I personally love to take mine outside but I will elaborate more on that in a second.

It is also very versatile in the variety of drills that you are able to perform and combine.

For instance, a double kettlebell clean-front squat and overhead press is a brutal fat burning combo; and while you may be able to do this type of exact drill with a dumbbell the difference is it is a whole lot smoother with a kettlebell.

As far as how that relates to fat loss, once you implement the more athletic drills like, cleans, snatches, and swings your fat loss will go through the roof for two reasons.

1. You are placing high demand on the entire body by doing these athletic movements

2. You can get a hell of a lot 'weighted' worked done in a brief period of time. The feedback I always get after someone does their first set of swings is: 'why am I so winded, I didn't movement my feet'

CB: Yeah, I know that feeling! So what exercises should we use to burn fat with Kettlebells?

TA:
Here are my Top 5 movements in descending order:

#1 Kettlebell Snatch



The snatch is far and away the most athletic lift there is, when done well it is borderline artistic.

Not only that but it takes hell of a lot of different muscles firing in sequence, ultimately burning some series calories, i.e. fat.

The kettlebell snatch allows the beginning enthusiast to experience this movement, much quicker than would be possible with a barbell and more fluidly than with a dumbbell.

I love this drill I personally try to get in 25 snatches per arm per day.

#2 Turkish Get-up or The Get Up (TGU)



If I only had one drill that would give my clients everything they need this would be the one.

- Upper body Strength
- Shoulder Mobility & Stability
- Leg Strength
- Flexion and Rotational Trunk Strength
- Hip/Pelvis Mobility
- High Volume of Work

All that fits the needs of 90% of all my clients.

Plus it develops one of the 6 Points of Fitness that I identify as critical, and that is the ability to get you body up off the ground.

Due to the dynamic demand of this drill it really requires that one stays engaged with what it is that they are doing; this built in benefit will allow the client to get the most strength and fat loss benefit possible.

#3 2-Hand swing



This drill is #3 because of its quick and simple implementation. I know of fitness coaches that use the 2 Hand swing as 1 of 2 primary drills that use with their clients.

Think about that only two kettlebell drills and the 2 hand swing is one of them, and they get really excellent results.

The shear volume of work that can done is astounding, as we know in the fat loss world work usually = fat loss.

Along with that there is another little secret many often overlooked about the 'swing' and that is the dynamic stretch you get on the hip flexors, a very tight area for many of us.

#4 The Double Kettlebell Front Squat



My client absolutely hate this drill, they hate it so much that they actually beg to be able to do barbell back squats.

If that doesn't tell you something about this drill I don't know what does.

The two great things about this drill are:

1. Any time we hold a weight on the front side of the body to squat, it just makes squatting properly so much easier. Specifically that act of pushing your 'hips back'.

2. Again because the weight is on the front side of the body, you have to engage your core/trunk to a significant degree otherwise the weight will pull you forward and down.

Pretty slick really, your abs just get smoked doing this drill.

You end up getting and awesome leg and ab workout all at once.

#5 Kettlebell Overhead Press



(I actually prefer double kettlebell overhead press, but single KB's work well too)

The best thing about the kettlebell overhead press is that when done well it is a:

- Dynamic shoulder mobility drill, this is due the way the kettlebell sits it naturally allows the shoulder to move through a very 'open/unrestricted' range of motion.

- Along with that one that when the kettlebell is press properly it is very much a total body movement even more so performed with doubles.

Here's a quick little program protocol using just these 5 drills:

Day 1
Snatches-using ladders (see below to see specifics about ladders)
Dbl Front Squat 5 x 5
Swings 4 x 30sec

Day 2
TGU - using Ladders
Dbl OHP 5 x5
Swings 4 x 45 sec

Simple stuff.

CB: But brutally effective. What are some other cool things you can do with kettlebells, and explain those ladders for us.

TA:
That being said a protocol that is common with KB's and not with other resistance implement is the use of timed work intervals.

That being said there are many different ways to program the kettlebell so; let me share a few of my favorite and more traditional protocols with you.

For the 'grind'/strength movements(squats, deadlifts, press, rows, etc..) I like to use rep ranges between 3-5 reps of 3-5 sets.

For the ballistics movements like cleans, snatches, swings, etc... I like to use a little higher rep protocol of course this dependent up the load.

If I am using a heavy kettlebell I may only do sets of 2 or 3 reps. However generally I like to perform sets of 8-15 with the ballistics at a medium load.

Another protocol that I really like is ladders, which are performing ascending sets like 1rep, 2reps, 3reps, 4reps, & 5 reps,

You will usually do 3-5 repeats with this formula; and never more than up to 5 reps, before adjusting the load.

Ladders are great for using a heavier weight especially with the ballistic movements.

Lastly, you have timed work intervals I have 2 general rules of thumb here:

1. With 2 hands movements I never go beyond 60 seconds of work time

2. With 1 hand movements I never go beyond 40-45 seconds of work time.

There is probably enough programming protocol in those four areas to keep someone in 'fresh' programs for quite awhile.

CB: What the heck is a "Smoke Session" for fat loss?

TA:
This is one of my absolutely favorite uses for kettlebells as you are aware in several of the programs that I have written simple protocol called smoke sessions.

A smoke session is generally a combination of bodyweight exercise and/or running with kettlebell work.

I have found that this technique really gets you in the proverbial 'fat burning zone'.

Two of my favorite places to perform these smoke sessions are either at a track or at a hill.

This great summer time exercise for those that are looking for a change of pace from doing intervals on the treadmill or bike.

You, a track or hill, your kettlebell and a sunny day, it doesn't get much better than that.

For those that might like to see what one of these type of Kettlebell smoke sessions looked like I have several of them posted on youtube, if the just enter the search 'kettlebell smoke session' they should be able to find it pretty easily.

Though I don't exclusively use kettlebell for interval training; I am always working on new bodyweight exercise circuit usually focusing on a sequence of movements so that they can be done with a quick transition and no rest in between.

Right now I am working on developing some jumping/plyometric and flexband combinations that are paired with flat ground sprints, some of these are pretty evil.

So while KB are used very frequently they are not the only tool I use for interval training.

CB: So what does a fat burning Kettlebell workout look like?

TA:
I like to structure a pure kettlebell program much like I might any other program for fat loss.

That is front loading the first part of the workout with strength work and then moving into circuit work I have found this to be very effective. I call this my Big Iron Burn Method.

It might be easier to understand if I just script out a training day so let's give it a shot.

Here's what a beginning week might like for an intermediate client.

Big Iron Portion
Double Kettlebell Front Squats 4 x 5
Kettlebell Snatches Ladders 3-5 x 1,2,3

Burn Circuit - 3 cycles
Turkish Get-ups - 2 reps per side
Renegade Push-Hold + Push-up - 30 sec + 5 reps
Blast Strap Body Row - 12
2 Hand KB Swing - 20

This type of pairing has made for real high quality and high return training sessions for my clients.

There are those out there that may scoff at kettlebells being a strength tool; yet I think the Beast Challenge that the guys over at DragonDoor have put together really puts that one to sleep (The Beast Challenge is with a 106lb KB, 1 pistol, 1 pull-up, 1 press) I think out the thousands they have certified there are only around 5-6 that have done this challenge.

When you combine that strength component with the burn circuit, we can knock through a total body workout with very little additional equipment in a short period of time, some times less than 45 minutes, it depends on how 'winded' my client get.

I really think the KB is a great all around fitness tool, especially for those that training at home, and are looking for top fat loss results.

As a matter of fact I am about to head out into my home gym aka garage and do some kettlebell work. Double kettlebell clean to front squat to press, nasty.

I hope this interview will be beneficial to the readers.

Remember Fitness Ain't Pretty, RESULTS ARE!

CB: It was, great stuff!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan