Why the “Ex-Spurts” are WRONG about Kettlebells Building Muscle

1- Program off a 5RM using the double lifts, like the Clean + Press and Front Squat.
(Here’s an example.)
https://go.chasingstrength.com/kettlebell-maximorum-e/
2- Program off a 10RM, also using some of the double lifts, like the Clean + Press or Clean + Push Press.
(Here’s example 1 using the Clean + Press, and example 2, using both the Clean + Press and the Clean + Push Press.)
https://salutis.kartra.com/page/oWP219
https://salutis.kartra.com/page/giant-x
Or, one of my all-time favorites -
3- Using Double Kettlebell Complexes and Chains like these.
https://cart.chasingstrength.com/hard3b
I just answered an email the other day about it from a reader.
“At 70 kgs weight and 85 grams of protein a day, can I build muscle mass and improve my strength using kettlebells? How would I feel improvement in my muscle mass and strength?
“Will KB workouts alone be sufficient to build muscle mass and strength? There are some extremely conflicting insights on it on online forums.”
First, here’s what I told this gentleman -
“Yes you can build strength, but muscle will be harder. The current recommendation for building muscle is 1.6g/kg of bodyweight. How would you feel improvement? You wouldn't. You'd measure it objectively through your training log, a tape measure, and body composition measurements.
Yes. Resistance builds muscle and strength, regardless of the implement/ tool. The key is knowing how to structure your program to do so. Many, if not most people don't know how to do this - especially with kettlebells, so they say "kettlebells don't build muscle" or "you can't get strong using kettlebells" or "kettlebells are an endurance / conditioning tool."”
Second, before we get to the “not knowing how program” part we have to deal with the fact that there are many different explanations for muscle growth.
At the very least, we have the following:
Mechanical Tension and Mechanotransduction: Mechanical signals from resistance exercise are primary stimuli for hypertrophy. These signals activate mechanotransduction pathways, which convert mechanical stress into cellular responses, promoting protein synthesis and muscle growth (Wackerhage et al., 2019; Bamman, Roberts and Adams, 2018; West et al., 2010).
mTORC1 Signaling: mTORC1 is a pivotal regulator of muscle protein synthesis and ribosomal biogenesis, facilitating the growth of muscle fibers. It is activated by mechanical overload and nutrient availability, particularly amino acids (Wackerhage et al., 2019; Roberts et al., 2023; Schiaffino et al., 2020).
Satellite Cell Activation: Satellite cells, or muscle stem cells, contribute to muscle hypertrophy by fusing with existing muscle fibers, increasing the number of nuclei and enhancing the muscle's capacity for growth (Roberts et al., 2023; Bamman, Roberts and Adams, 2018; Schiaffino et al., 2020).
Ribosomal Biogenesis: The increase in ribosome production enhances the muscle's ability to synthesize proteins, supporting hypertrophy (Roberts et al., 2023; Bamman, Roberts and Adams, 2018).
Hormonal and Growth Factor Influence: While systemic hormones like growth hormone and testosterone have limited direct impact post-exercise, local growth factors such as IGF-1 play a role in muscle adaptation and growth (West et al., 2010; Schiaffino et al., 2020).
Metabolic Stress: Metabolic stress from resistance exercise, such as that induced by blood flow restriction, can also stimulate hypertrophy, although the exact metabolites involved are not well characterized (Wackerhage et al., 2019; Schoenfeld, 2010).
Third, the kettlebell, unlike the barbell or a dumbbell, does have at least one unique property:
The offset handle.
The fact that the kettlebell sits on the back of your wrist or rotates inside your palm and around your hand, landing on the back of your wrist…
And that makes your muscles and joints work harder, increasing the tension both on your joints and muscles. Which, according to at least some of the aforementioned “hypertrophy mechanisms,” creates muscle growth.
Plus, the fact that you can swing the kettlebell through your legs and quickly stretch the muscles of your posterior chain (called “fast eccentrics”) and compress your abdominal musculature making it harder to breathe…
Also gets a few more of those “hypertrophy mechanisms” depending on how you program your workouts.
Which actually gets us to “how to program your kettlebell workouts for muscle growth.”
I’ve found there are three basic, but surefire ways:
1- Program off a 5RM using the double lifts, like the Clean + Press and Front Squat.
2- Program off a 10RM, also using some of the double lifts, like the Clean + Press or Clean + Push Press.
3- Using Double Kettlebell Complexes and Chains like these.
Again, at the end of the day, it’s not that hard to build muscle using kettlebells. You just have to be
A - Willing to do the work.
B - Be smart about the work you’re doing.