Kettlebell 5x5 training is a standard protocol that has been around for many years. It is also an extremely effective way to pack on size and strength. It was a favorite of legendary bodybuilder Reg Park who just happened to be Arnold’s idol. Here is how it works.
Pick a training weight and do five sets of five reps. If and when you can complete all sets of five, increase the weight by five to ten pounds and shoot for five sets of five again. Take three-minute breaks in between each set. Obviously incremental weight increases are not possible with kettlebell training so we have to look at other factors to manipulate. One factor to manipulate is time under tension.
When you can do 5x5 with a quick tempo, increase the negative to four seconds and the positive to two seconds. When that becomes easy, try five seconds up, a pause at the bottom and five seconds down. Another factor to manipulate is the breaks between each set. Instead of taking three-minute breaks in between each set, take two-minute breaks. When that becomes easy, decrease the breaks to ninety seconds. When that becomes easy, go to sixty seconds.
When you can do 5x5 with one-minute breaks and slower tempos, I have no doubt that you will be ready for some heavier bells. A third variable that can be manipulated are the training exercises. When you can do 5x5 on the standing Military Press, work on 5x5 on the seated press, and then 5x5 on the Sots Press. When you can do double swings easily with 5x5, move up to double snatches. There is always something that you can do to make an exercise harder or a training regimen more effective.
Here are two sample 5x5 kettlebell programs (see 15 Top Kettlebell Exercises here)
Option One
Monday
A-1: Double Military Press
A-2: Alternating Renegade Row
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
Same directions as A-1 and A-2
Wrap up with
Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Wednesday
A-1: Double Floor Press
A-2: Double Bent-over Row
Same directions as above
B-1: Double Front Squat
B-2: Double Snatch
Same Directions as above
Wrap up with
TGU 2x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Friday
A-1: Seated Military Press
A-2: Renegade Row
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
Wrap up with
Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right) Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
Option Two
Day 1:
A-1: Double Military Press
A-2: Double Bent-over Row
B-1: Double Floor Press
B-2: Double Renegade Row
Wrap Up with
TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right)
Day 2
A-1: Double Front Squat
A-2: Double Snatch
Wrap Up with
TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right)
Take a day off in between each workout. In other words, do day one on Monday, day two on Wednesday, and then Day 1 again on Friday.
Key Points
Option one involves three full body workouts per week. This is a great program for people that have solid recovery abilities, lifestyles that are not too stressful, and solid nutrition each day. Option two is for people that need more time between each workout. You have more days before a training day repeats itself and more time for recovery. The workouts are split into upper body one day and lower body the next day so that you have less to focus on. Both program work very well. One will work better for you than the other so try them both out and monitor your progress. Stick with the one that works best for you.
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Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
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