Double kettlebell training has a lot more to offer than single bell drills, it is way harder to press, swing or snatch two bells than one, your body has to work much harder to stabilise and control the bells. Strength gains, fat loss and muscular endurance will be increased with the addition of some double drills in your kettlebell practice so lets get you started with a few of my favourites.

 

Before I get into this I want to go over some abbreviations so that you know what the hell I am talking about.

 

DSW – Double swing

DCL – Double clean

DMP – Double military press

FSQ – Double Front squat

DHP – Double high pull

DSN – Double snatch

DPP – Double push press

DBR – Double bent row

 

Some other movements I like to do with two bells are thrusters, suitcase deadlifts, single leg deadlifts, push ups (of the bells), farmers walks, racked walks, overhead walks, lock out presses, alternating rows, double get ups, floor presses, lunges (with bells either racked or hanging at your sides)  renegade rows and windmills.

Now of course you can go ahead and do straight sets and reps in these exercises and that is where I would suggest you start if you have not tried them before. Once you get proficient in these drills, start putting some combinations together into complexes and chains. Complexes are where you perform a number of reps on one movement before transitioning straight into the next without putting the bells down. A fantastic way to hit all muscle groups, with a considerable load I might add, in a really time efficient way. Chains are similar but now you will perform one repetition of each movement to form the chain, then you will keep running through that chain of movements for a prescribed number of times.

Here’s some examples of double complexes first.

 

DSW – 5

DCL – 5

FSQ – 5

DMP – 5

 

When you have done the 5 reps of each movement in succession park the bells, take a 1-2 min recovery before getting the next round.  I would recommend anywhere between 3-6 rounds depending on your strength and conditioning level.

 

DSW – 5

DSN – 5

FSQ – 5

DMP – 5

DBR – 5

 

Same as above but now with 5 movements to complete taking your reps per round to 25. Depending on your strength and conditioning do anywhere between 3-6 rounds.

 

DSW – 10

Thrusters – 5

Reverse lunges (bells racked) 5 each leg

 

Take a 1-2 minute recovery for 4 to 5 rounds.

 

DSW – 5

FSQ – 5

DMP – 5

FSQ – 5

DPP – 5

 

One of my personal favourites, gotta love the presses and squats! Rest as needed and get 4/5 rounds.

 

Here are a few of my favourite double chains.

 

DSW, DSN, FSQ, DMP x 5 x 5

So in this example you would swing the bells, snatch them over head, drop them to the rack, squat them, and then press them. That is one time through the chain. The sets/reps here are 5 x 5 so that means go through the chain 5 times for 5 sets. Take a 1 min recovery between sets.

 

DSW, DHP, DCL, FSQ, DMP x 5 x 5

This one is gonna smoke your grip, hold on tight!

 

DSW, DCL, forward lunge, thruster x 5 x5

Great drill for the legs, you may be walking funny for a day or two after this one.

 

 

Never go for quantity over quality, if your form starts to deteriorate, put the bells down and rest.

 

Enjoy!

 

Pete

 

 

So you may or may not know that I am currently training for the most prestigeous of kettlebell certifications the RKC level 1. To pass this gruelling 3 day event, trainees have to not only show excellent technique and form in the 6 main exercises, and show competence in instructing others in these exercises but they also have to pass a conditioning test which for men is to perform 100 snatches in under 5 minutes with a 24kg bell. This all takes place over the 3 day certification in which trainees will also under go numerous daily workouts and form critiques. On the last day (if you are still alive) you will go through the graduation workout which I understand is pretty tough. Throughout the course men typically work with 24kg bells and ladies with 12kg and 16kg.

I have tailored my training towards increasing work capacity performing two workouts most days, a strength based session in the morning and a conditioning session in the evening.

Every month or so I test myself with the RKC snatch test. Today I did pretty good

Take away points for me are

Its definitely better to try not to put the bell down and rest in the lockout position if needed.

Breathing could have been better, at the beginning my breathing was all over the place, need to work on that.

Hands/callousses weren’t a problem so no worries there.