KB's vs BFS

Kettlebells vs BFS

There is a popular strength and conditioning program used by many coaches called BFS or Bigger Faster Stronger. Now I am not going to "BFS" Bash but I personally have a lot of problems with their programing, but the goal of this article is not to nit-pick the BFS program but maybe to give the coach some ideas how he or she could incorporate KB’s into the current BFS program.

Below is an example of a typical BFS program

Monday
Barbell Squat
Bench Press

Wed.
Barbell Cleans
Trap Bar Deadlifts

Friday
Bench Variation
Squat Variation

Now this program is missing a lot in my mind but let’s keep things simple and incorporate KB’s into this program

Monday
KB Front or Goblet Squat
Bench Press

Wed.
Double KB Cleans
Trap Bar Deadlift

Friday
DBL KB Clean and Press
KB Swings

Now lets take a look at each day

Monday
Instead of Barbell squats I incorporated KB front or Goblet Squats. The first question is always aren’t you using less weight and the answer is yes, but…. Lets be realistic here how many good squats to parallel are actually being done? Be honest! A KB front squat looks good because it’s easier to learn and you use a greater range of motion, therefore more muscle mass is being used. Mike Boyle a famous strength coach has said "if it doesn’t look good then it’s not good!"
What a true statement do yourself a favor and discover the KB front or Goblet Squat.

Wed.

Double KB Cleans instead of barbell cleans. Why? Because you can throw KB’s between your legs and work your glutes and adductors to a greater degree more range of motion and more glute involvement makes it a better exercise.

Fri

KB Clean and Press for your Bench variation: using one or 2 KB’s an athlete can attack the shoulders through a safer range of motion with KB’s. The biggest advantage is the clean before the press, which turns this lift into a full body power exercise, which is performed on your feet working every muscle from head to toe not just the shoulder and chest muscles.

KB Swings vs. the Box squat
First of all I hate the box squat because athletes
1. Use to much weight
2. Only work through a partial range of motion
3. Power through with to much weight

The idea of the Box squat is basically to develop power from an athletic position.

Why the KB Swing

1. Performed from the athletic position
2. Incorporates unbelievable glute power
3. Incorporates the Core
4. Can show defiencies by how the athlete swings the bell
5. Great Conditioner

Coffee or No Coffee

Coffee or No Coffee?

In his Book and DVD “Enter the Kettlebell” Pavel tells a story about Coffee or no Coffee.

There was a man in Russia who would walk into the coffee shop and ask for a cup of coffee, the usual answer was “We have no coffee”. This Russian man eventually made his way to America and went to a local coffee shop and asked for a cup of coffee. To his dismay the answer was what type of coffee a latae, mocha, hot, cold etc… The poor Russian could not handle all of these choices and left the coffee shop without any coffee.

What is Pavels point?

In America we have too many exercise choices and we use exercise as a means of entertainment instead of focusing on strength. We have curls for our biceps, leg extensions for our quads etc… Pavels point is we try too many different routines and exercises and we get no where. What we need is FOCUS a Big Push and a Big Pull if we focused on two big lifts we would make more progress and stay more focused. Pavel has written several books with the focus being on a Push and a Pull.

Books
Power to the People
• Deadlift - Big Pull
• Side Press – Press

Enter the Kettlebell
The Program Minimum

• Turkish Get-up (Push)
• Swings (pull)

ETK ladders
Clean and Press ladders (Clean is the pull and the press is your press)

Return of the Kettlebell
Grind Days
• Snatch and Presses (snatch is your pull)

Explosive Block

• Clean and jerks

Simple and effective but most Americans would consider this programming to simple and boring. Strength training is about goals, what are yours? My favorite Acronym is K.I.S.S Keep it Simple Stupid lets not complicate things but instead focus on what works.


Here is my 6 week Clean and Press Plan which I will keep you posted on.
This plan is simple but should be very effective.

Double Bell Clean and Press

Week 1

Day 1 – 6x2 (6 sets x 2 reps) 80% max
Day 2 – 6x3 80% max
Day 3 – 6x2 80% max

Week 2

Day 1 – 6x 4 80% max
Day 2 – 6x2 80% max
Day 3 – 6x5 80% max

Week 3

Day 1 – 6x 2 80% max
Day 2 – 6x6 80% max
Day 3 – 6x2 80% max

Week 4

Day 1 – 5x5 85% max
Day 2 – 6x2 80% max
Day 3 – 4x4 90% max

Week 5

Day 1 – 6x 2 80% max
Day 2 – 3x3 95% max
Day 3 – 6x2 80% max

Week 6

Day 1 – 2x2 100% max
Day 2 – 6x2 80% max
Day 3 – 2x1 105% max

Time Efficient Workouts

Kettlebell Training is very time efficient!

Why?

Kettlebells do not isolate but integrates the whole body into the lifts.
By using the whole body instead of body parts to perform a lift a lot of muscles are involved and more calories are burned.

Kettlebells provide a great mix of cardio and strength, Swings will give your heart and the muscles of your hips,legs and back a great workout all at once. Very efficient!

How can I put together a time efficient kettlebell workout?

Here is my suggestion there are 6 basic kettlebell movements taught at the "RKC"

3 of the lifts are called Grinds or Strength lifts they are

1. Turkish Get-ups
2. Squats
3. Presses

The other 3 lifts are explosive movements or quick lifts they are the

1. Swing
2. Cleans
3. Snatches

You can create very good workouts focusing on 1 Grind and 1 Quick lift.

Below are a few examples each workout would probably last take you 30 minutes or less.

Wkt A

Turkish Get-ups 5x1/1 r/l
Swings 5x20 with a minute of jump rope, jumping jacks, run in place etc. between each set of swings.

Wkt B

Swings and squats a "RKC" classic

10 swings followed by 10 squats, followed by 9 swings then 9 squats.... all the way down to 1 swing and 1 squat. Try not to put the bell down GOOD LUCK!!!

Wkt C

Clean and Squat Ladders.
5 series of 1,2,3 right and left.

right hand clean the bell and perform a front squat, repeat on the left. Next perform 2 reps on the right then 2 reps on the left, on the next set perform 3 reps r/l, that's 1 series try to perform 5 total.

Wkt D

Clean and Press ladders performed just like the Squat ladders but now you will be cleaning the bell and then pressing the bell.

Wkt E

Presses and Snatches.
15 seconds on and 15 seconds off.
Presses for 10 minutes
15 sec press right, 15 sec rest, 15 sec press left 15 sec rest for 10 sets each arm or 10 total minutes.

Repeat the same workout above but now with snatches.

There you have it 5 very time efficient workouts.