Not Feeling Like You're Making Improvements In Your Kettlebell Training? Here’s Why…

For Swings, use this one.
https://salutis.kartra.com/page/SWING-HARD-2
For the Clean + Press, use this one.
https://chasingstrength.com/kettlebells/giant/
For the Snatch, use this one.
https://cart.chasingstrength.com/ksk2
And if you want to mix and match, this one uses the Snatch, Clean + Press, and Front Squat.
https://go.chasingstrength.com/kettlebell-maximorum-e/
… And how to fix it.
Hard to believe it will be 20 years ago next month when the bottom dropped out of my training life.
I tore the labrum in my right hip, and could barely walk.
I ended up ruining a family vacation to Kauai, Hawaii because it was so bad.
All the things I loved to do, I could barely do.
Ever had something like that happen to you?
If you have, you know sometimes it’s something that you can’t recover from.
It took me until 2012 to fully recover.
I had to come up with new things - new exercise - and new ways to measure my progress.
I’ll share some of the things I’ve learned over the years that can help you as soon as now - today.
But first, if you feel like you’re not making progress, it’s only for one of two reasons:
𝟏- 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐍𝐎𝐓.
𝟐- 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
The first comes from:
a- Not training consistently
b- Bouncing around from program to program
c- Not training at all
They’re pretty obvious1- You're actually Not.
2- You are, but you're not measuring it correctly, or at all.
The “cure” for #1 is to actually get on a program and FINISH it.
I also recommend you put some “skin in the game” and purchase a professionally designed one. For most people, having to pay for something means they value it more.
The second usually comes from:
Not measuring and tracking your training sessions / workouts correctly.
Here are the TWO SIMPLEST WAYS you do that:
[𝟏] 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥
A good ol’ fashioned pen and notebook works great.
It’s what I’ve used since… Forever. 1991 at least.
Use whatever you have. It can even be the “Notes” app on your iPhone.
Just make sure you keep everything in the same place and record everything the same way.
For example:
Date. Exercise Name: Weight / reps / total reps / duration.
Tuesday, 12/24/24. Swing: 24kg / x10 / 100 / 20 minutes
[𝟐] 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Density = weight * sets * reps / duration
Said differently:
Do the same amount of work in less time.
OR -
Do more work in the same amount of time.
Ex. Swings: 24kg / x10 / 100 / 20 minutes → 24kg / x10 / 100 / 18 minutes (Same amount of work in less time.)
This, by the way, is one of the reasons I’m a fan of minimalist workouts requiring only one or two exercises. They are very easy to track and measure progress.
Tracking density became the primary way I tracked most of my training sessions after I hurt my hip.
I figured out what I could do (no more max effort lifting) and did more of it. As much of it as possible, actually.
I recommend you do the same.
It works every time.
And that’s why most of my programs are “density based.”
Everyone who’s used them and reported back to me has made measurable progress.
Everyone.
And they’ll work for you too.
Pick one, follow it, and you’ll feel like you’re making progress - finally - because you will be.
Stay Strong,
Geoff