Is Kettlebell Minimalism Slowing Your Gains ?

[@georgecotton434]

Truth! Love to hear your thoughts joe, so glad you keep pumping out content on YT. Am in the middle of a 10,000 swing challenge at the moment but as soon as I'm done I'm jumping on your program ☺️

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

thannk you

[@rakketytam4573]

Pls pls pls never stop teaching, hands down your one of THE best kettlebell sports instructors on KZbin Just had to say it, and thanks again for all you do

[@nickl7827]

You’re exactly right. As strong and skilful as some of these you tube coaches are, not one of them has a body type I would aspire to. I got a better body than them from doing bodyweight for 5 years. One arm push-ups, pistols etc. I know that you naturally have a big frame but I like the fact that your body reflects the work that you do. Unless it is sport specific, I have never seen the point of being strong for the sake of being strong alone. I also want to look the part. Love your work man

[@hangonsnoop]

Preach it brother! Lots of people look for the quick fix that doesn't exist.

[@alexg4284]

Love it. Ive been training minimalist for last 3 years but the main thing ive developed is overuse injuries lol

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

See I see this often for people that only use a few exercises A kettlebell or kettlebells are minimal tools yet they're in extravagantly broad range of motions and loads you can use with them

[@Edythemighty]

Preach! I ran minimalist programs for the past two years because I could barely squeeze out 20 minutes a day, if that, to work out. I knew minimal training would be minimal results but something was better than nothing. Now that I have more time, I’m doing KBOMG and other full body programs because I know I need to work more to get better results.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

You did what you needed to. Well done!

[@CFWSILAT]

Your one of the only Coaches who is straight up and can back everything you do up.. #STKB 💥

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

thank you

[@gilbertgurney4898]

I found I can do most of my gym bros workouts with just my adjustable kettlebells. Throw in some club and mace work with some bands for isolation work and your golden. For Gen pop a pair of 32kg adjustable kb is more then enough weight.

[@ec4146]

Don’t forget heavy sledgehammer from strongergrip. I have mine loaded up to 30 to 70lbs

[@gilbertgurney4898]

@@ec4146 I just group them with mace as a leverage option same as mace.

[@MrProulx]

I didn't get into lifting to be gen pop and I imagine most others didn't either.

[@johnmcadam7493]

Spoken truth on multiple levels. I was guilty of the minimialist mindset. 1. I structured my KB training after Olympic Lifting: clean-press ; snatch ; front squats ; clean-jerk. It forms the platform with which to build and develop. 2. Minimalist ( like simple and sinister ) works very well as a "switiching rountine" a "finishers" or "starters". for "in-season" training such as wrestling or football. 3. I am an older lifter and went back to basics: Prepatory 5 x 5 4. Start at 50% of 1 RM with 2.5% / week increase in total weight. There will be weeks where nothing happens, but your rep count improves over a short time frame. This saves your joints big time and allows consistent training without overtraining. 5. Supplement KB training with ATG and / or BW training. Never felt better.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Good to hear !

[@gripandhikekettlebells]

I agree. Minimalism reflects peoples appetite for a quick fix. Also it doesn't help when channels often show a juiced up muscle bound athletes training with one KettleBell, it creates a dishonest perception, and they are often using a light KettleBell too and never heavy or 2 KettleBells. Great content, love your work. 💪💪💯

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Yes thank yoy

[@NGAOPC]

I’ve done a number of minimalist KB programs and while it was easy and motivational to see the progress, for all the claims of “wth” effects, that the magic is in the programming and “you won’t lose” progress you may have made in other exercise patterns, I really only GAINED in those minimal lifts or movements prescribed. I may not have lost the ability to do chin-ups, squats or deads - but I didn’t gain any reps/go up in 1RM through mostly-stiff-arm swings and pushups.

[@SaletheWhale]

My current minimalistic program: clean and press, dbl kb fsq, pull ups, push ups. :) gonna add rows to next program.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Nice

[@tiberiumnp8030]

I'm probably going to run my minimalist (swing, squat, clean & press, tgu) program until I get 40 kg bell and manage to get 40k tgu. Then switching over to KBOMG for those gainz.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Nice. But even what you mentioned is more than many minimalist programs out there

[@thomasthomas3269]

1. I love your programs got them all 2. 100% agree heavier weight is needed to get strong( why i got all from 4-48 :) ) 3. and different angels like your programs dose really 2 days in your 8 weeks program is what people to only and there are 8 weeks

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Thanks you sir!

[@marcusstoica]

Kettlebells are by nature minimalist, and that's exactly what allows you to push hard with them. I do feel like there is something to minimizing work and maximizing recovery, but I think people forget that the work has to be very high quality. If you do them right, kettlebells will smoke you in 5 minutes, get you stronger, build muscle, and build conditioning/endurance. Thanks Joe

[@73Shovelhead68]

I went through KBOMG1 and it was awesome! I bought 2 but haven’t been able to get into any kettlebells right now due to a shoulder injury. Getting older and having injuries isn’t fun.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Damn. Ca we modify it so ITS ALL LEGS!?

[@73Shovelhead68]

@@kettlebellmusclegain not a bad idea! I reluctantly made a dr appointment and have yet to go but I’ll hit you up if that seems like the best option.

[@ec4146]

Kettlebell press fixes shoulder issues due to the position of the hands being pressed directly over the shoulder. Ditch barbell bench . Add in a ton more overhead pressing. Will fix shoulder. Rehab shoulder not with weird exercises but with overhead pressing.

[@MikeChris2]

What's a good weight kettlebell for a first purchase? Watching you compete in Portugal got me interested. Did they show you the video I made? Tell T. Mike says hi.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Hello. Ladies 10 to 25lbs. Guys 20 to 40 depending on strengrh , biomechanical awareness and lifestyle activities.

[@ec4146]

An adjustable one helps in the beginning. Start light to learn the technique. Then go from there.

[@patricknolan3948]

I'd say pretty much everybody will at least progress from 16kg to 20 to 24. At that point you may as well get a good adjustable that goes all the way to 32kg. Will set you up for a lifetime of lifting.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Bam.

[@oscarbear7498]

​@@patricknolan3948 which ajustible do I get?

[@matthewdelanoy4243]

Sure I can make a routine with just dips and swings. Is it optimal? Probably not. Is it fun. Definitely not. It’s fine to find minimum required dosage but the extremes are ridiculous. I much prefer programs with some variety. I think minimalist programs are perfect if you dislike training or have serious time constraints.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Haha DEFINITELY NOT FUN!

[@tomsaint786]

But pav says I only need to look at the kettlebell and it’ll be better than doing anything else 🤔

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Lol it's better than nothing for sure.

[@bobdole7292]

Interesting thoughts on volume vs strength. Don’t you think there’s any merit to becoming much stronger by increasing rep count? Like, you say working with a 53# bell forever probably won’t allow you to pick up a 106 one day and rep it, but how many people can do 75 or 100 snatches on each arm with a 53# bell and not go hit a 106 for at least some reps? Not trying to undermine you, you know more about this stuff than me, just curious. It just seems like going from snatching 24kg for 10 or 15 reps to 75 or 100 reps unbroken isn’t purely an endurance gain. There must be at least a good chunk of strength increase there

[@patrickokeeffe4787]

I'd have to agree with you. Lets say I start out and lift a 16kg for 5 reps but I can't lift a doubling of that weight (32kg) yet for 1 rep. I'm quite sure that if over time I work my way up to pressing that 16kg bell for 20-30 reps....then I would at least get one or two reps off that 32kg bell. That would equate to an increase in strength....simple as. As for minimalist programs not being great to get you strong???.....strong for what??? If its "gym strong" then Joe has a point. But if its "general strong" to live life....then I disagree. If I start out with a 12kg bell on a program like S&S and finish up one arm swinging and TGU with a 32kg.....I'll be super strong enough to tackle ANYTHING in life. I'm 60 years old so I've lived a fair bit of life and I have yet to encounter anything even near 32kg that I would have put over my head except in the gym. I can't even recall in real life where I was ever even called on to lift 32kg off the floor. Actually, in my place of work, the guidelines state that you shouldn't lift more than 25kg at waist level or 5kg overhead and if I do and get injured, I'd have no case in a court of law as I've been instructed not to even though I can lift more. Sure....swinging and doing a TGU with a 32kg would mean nothing in the world of "gym strength".....but it would be super strong enough to get you through life. I heard once from Pat Flynn and the renowned Dan John that to be strong in life you want to be able to clean and press 2 x 24kg....that's a load of bollocks! If you can clean and press even half that weight (2×12kg) and rack squat them and perhaps deadlift them for 10 plus reps..... then you will be super strong enough to put that luggage case overhead or lift those heavy shopping bags to the car at a whim. I think these fitness guys have gotten too carried away about strength and think we live the lives of James Bond.

[@bobdole7292]

@@patrickokeeffe4787 I’ve never had any success increasing strength other than with volume. Lots of volume at weight X for a while, go up a small % in weight and do it until you get to the same volume as you were at with weight X. Repeat. Bit more complex than that but that’s the formula Even if I’m doing a 5x5 or something, I get the best results when it’s multiple times a week. Frequency and volume just make your body adapt faster. At least for me. The neuro efficiency from repping something over and over and over just isn’t going to be had with very low reps, imo. If you’re already extremely adept at a certain movement it probably isn’t as important. But yeah, volume is king

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Trust me I like vol ume hell I snatch for hubdteds of reps in a session. But the jumps I see many people used with KB isnt the same as barbell.

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

32kg is ABSOLUTLEY great for more than most people

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

There deffinitely will be th ability to do it. But the doing it OFTEN wont really happen therefore the rest of body structure wont be ready to do it anytime. Just depends on what type and level of strength people want

[@tomhutchison5992]

Pavel, the king of minimalism, is the root of this trend

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Yup. Minimalism is ok for GPP but I'd still beg to differ.