How to overcome disappointment from kettlebell workouts that “don’t work”

Grab your copy and start seeing the results you deserve from your KB workouts.

I used to indulge myself by watching Shorts or Reels or Whatever-They’re-Called on the ‘Gram or IG or whatever you call it of #kettlebellworkouts.

I always saw some interesting stuff.

I really “enjoyed” the “choreographed” “flows” (WOW. LOTS of quotation marks there.)

Some man-bunned shirtless or tanked up dude moving through a flow (a.k.a. A Chain) next to a well made up, well-coiffed woman in painted-on spandex to some kind of “techno-thumping” music…

Or a pair of dudes - shirtless of course - doing the same thing.

(Nothing wrong with training shirtless. I do it in my garage. Lately, in my backyard, barefoot. Great for “grounding,” catching some rays, and getting my Vitamin D in.)

In fact, this seemed to be the norm for IG.

But how well do these workouts work?

And do these dudes / dudettes even regularly use their own workouts?

Methinks not.

Why?

From the number of emails I get from guys (and ladies) who seem truly honestly shocked that they’re getting results from my programs.

So, let me say this again because many people miss it the first time:

The kettlebell is NOT magic.

It’s a great tool - better than most - especially for those of us “over a certain age” for “getting in shape.”

BUT…

Your kettlebell workouts must still follow these 5 basic principles of PHYSIOLOGY:

[𝟏] 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 “𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝” 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

In order to grow or change, your body requires a mechanism of overload - creating a bigger stimulus for change.

There are three simple mechanisms :

[ i ] Volume - total work performed in a session

[ ii ] Intensity - the load lifted relative to your maximum

[ iii ] Density - the total amount of work performed in a specific time period

[𝟐] 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞

After a stressor, there’s a recovery period where your body mobilizes its resources to create the change placed upon it by the stimulus: Stronger, bigger, faster, leaner.

You get the picture.

After that recovery period, you’ll see the results - the adaptation you’re looking for.

The greater the stressor, the longer the recovery period.

[𝟑] 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

After a given period of time, the stimulus you’re using ceases to be a stimulus anymore because your body trends towards homeostasis - or balance.

You’ve just run into the Law of Accommodation.

You must eventually change something about your training to keep making progress.

[𝟒] 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞

SAID - Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.

You can also think of this as the specificity principle.

You get what you train for.

For example:

Sprinters won’t get better at sprinting by running marathons, even though both are “running.”

[𝟓] 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲

You can think of this principle, or corollary, as the bridge between the Law of Accommodation and the SAID Principle.

Humans are built for novelty and variety.

So, it’s no wonder we crave “new” and “different.”

However, it doesn’t mean “muscle confusion” or anything goofy like that.

[NOTE: Muscles can’t be “confused.” They are effectively “rubber bands” that stretch and contract under the control of your CNS - Central Nervous System.]

One of the simplest applications of this principle is simply changing how you perform a particular exercise.

For example:

TGU → TGU with a pause at each stage of the lift

DFSQ → DFSQ with a 2-second pause in the hole

You get the idea, right?

I hope so.

If you’ve been frustrated by your lack of progress, like variety, and are ready to see results, I think you’ll like my newest program.

Here’s what Inge Pettersen reported (watch it at almost at the end of the video)

Grab your copy and start seeing the results you deserve from your KB workouts.

👉 https://go.chasingstrength.com/kettlebell-maximorum-e/ (Opens in a new window)

Stay Strong,

Geoff