How to Guarantee Intensity & Burn 26 calories a minute with Kettlebells!

Using a Stopwatch:
Intensity = Meet or Beat Your Previous Time

In an effort to keep my workouts productive and intense I've been using a stopwatch to time each ladder I perform of Clean and Presses. On Mondays during my first ladder I will try to meet or beat my time from the previous week, Wednesdays I compare to the previous Wednesday and so on. During the second ladder I try to meet or beat the times from the first ladder, you get the idea. Not only do I time each ladder but I am also recording the times it take me to complete X ladders and then meet or beat it next week. This guarantees that I am continually compressing both my work and rest periods as much as possible. As I've been recording my workouts I've noticed that my first ladder is usually the slowest and my last ladder is consistently the fastest.


Using a Heart Rate Monitor:
Calories burned per minute as a measure of Intensity

With the help of my heart rate monitor I've started tracking calories burned during each portion of my workouts as well never letting my heart rate drop below 130bpm during rest periods. This has turned out to be yet another fun and challenging way to ensure that I keep my Kettlebell workouts intense and on track. My Nike Heart Rate Monitor takes my age, gender, weight and heart rate to calculate a running total of calories burned during my workout. With each Ladder of Clean and Presses I record the time it takes me to complete the ladder as well as my heart rate at the end of the ladder. My rest period between ladders is equal to the time it takes for my heart rate to drop no lower than 130bpm and start my next ladder, at times this can translate to little or no rest between the 1st,2nd and 3rd ladders.

In addition to limiting my rest periods my Heart Rate Monitor allows me to track the calories I am burning per minute during each workout. Using my Heart Rate Monitor I record the number of calories burned each workout and calculate the number of calories burned per minute each workout. Each week I will try to improve upon one or both number each workout.

Here are my results from today's workout.

Calories Burned per pound of body weight per minuteKettlebell Clean and Presses: = 0.074
Kettlebell Swings and snatches = 0.159*

*Note: 0.159 x 164lbs (my body weight) = 26.076 calories/minute!

I was curious how this compared to other exercises and found a "Calorie Burn Chart" at whatscookingamerica.net.

This chart lists the calories burned per pound of body weight per minute for 37 exercises. I dumped all the data into an excel spreadsheet, added my Kettlebell Grinds and Kettlebell Ballistics data to this list and found the following:

My method of performing Kettlebell Ballistics (Swings and Snatches) are superior calorie burners compared to all other 37 exercises listed and superior to my method of Kettlebell Grinds (Clean & Presses).

My method of Clean & Presses came in 4th out of 39 and outperformed Weight Training/Free weights which ranked 27th.

Here is the full data:
Keep in mind that heavier person will burn more calories per minute than a lighter person.

Rank	Activity	Calories burned per pound per minute
25	Badminton	0.044
17	Basketball	0.063
33	Bicycling (5.5 mph)	0.029
24	Bicycling (9.5 mph)	0.045
21	Climbing	0.055
16	Climbing hills (with 22 lb. load)	0.064
20	Climbing hills (with 9 lb. load)	0.058
38	Cooking	0.022
18	Dance, Aerobic, intense	0.061
23	Dance, Aerobic, medium	0.046
37	Dancing, ballroom	0.023
28	Golf	0.038
34	Grocery shopping	0.028
10	Jumping Rope (125 jumps per minute)	0.08
7	Jumping Rope (145 jumps per minute)	0.089
13	Jumping Rope (70 jumps per minute)	0.074
1	Kettlebell Ballistics (Swings/Snatches)	0.159
4	Kettlebell Grinds (Clean & Press)	0.097
22	Mowing the lawn	0.051
9	Racquetball	0.081
35	Raking leaves	0.025
3	Running (6-minute mile)	0.115
6	Running (8-minute mile)	0.095
8	Running (9-minute mile)	0.087
39	Sitting Still	0.009
15	Skiing , cross-country, walking	0.065
2	Skiing, cross-country, uphill	0.125
11	Snowshoeing, soft snow	0.075
5	Squats	0.096
12	Swimming, breast stroke, fast	0.074
14	Swimming, crawl, fast	0.071
19	Swimming, crawl, slow	0.058
32	Table tennis	0.031
36	Volleyball	0.023
30	Walking, normal pace, asphalt road	0.036
29	Walking, normal pace, fields & hills	0.037
31	Weeding	0.033
26	Weight training, circuit training	0.042
27	Weight training, free weights	0.039

How Calories Could You Burn performing Kettlebell Swings?

Kettlebell Swing Calculator
Your bodyweight	lbs.
Minutes Kettlebell Swings (35lb KB @ 45 sw/minute)	minutes
Calories Burned

A different way to use ladders

Today I decided to play around with the ladders format. My muscles are sore today from overdoing it yesterday with the new 79lb kettlebell. I wanted a brief but whole body workout.

Here's the three rung ladder I performed today using a 24kg/54lb kettlebell.
Notice how each rung of the ladder I increase the number of reps differently depending on the type of exercise.

1. 
   1 press /arm > 1 high pull /arm > 5 snatches per arm > 1 front squat with kick per side > 5 swings per arm
2. 
   3 presses /arm > 3 high pulls /arm > 10 snatches per arm > 3 front squat with kicks per side > 10 swings per arm
3. 
   5 presses /arm > 5 high pulls /arm > 15 snatches per arm > 5 front squat with kicks per side > 15 swings per arm

The workout was short & had my heart rate up there. I thought it was an interesting way to get in a full body workout without overdoing it before tomorrows workout. I could fine tune the number of reps for each exercise a bit but I think this a repeatable and enjoyable workout that my group classes will enjoy.

More Reasons Why Kettlebells Rule

Kettlebell vs Aerobics, Jazzercise, Zumba, etc...:

• Kettlebells are cool, Richard Simmons is not.
• You don't have to look or feel stupid trying to memorize emasculating steps and dance routines.
• No lousy cover band music destroying your eardrums.
• No leg warmers are allowed. Ever!
• You get to lift real cast-iron weights instead make believe plastic replicas.
• You'll never hear the instructor ask if you can "feel the burn".

Kettlebell vs the Treadmill:

• Train like a man, not a hamster.
• Develop better cardio without any impact on your knees.
• You can throw a Kettlebell when you get angry with it.
• You can put a Kettlebell in your car and take it anywhere.
• You look cool using a Kettlebell outdoors. You look stupid using a treadmill outdoors.
• People will understand if you curse at a Kettlebell.

Easy Day: Monday, Sept 15

Clean & Press: 5 ladders, 3 rungs 32kg
To make things more interesting I used a countdown-timer to try and beat last Mondays times for of the the first four ladders. Since I only performed 4 ladders last week I used today's 4th ladder as the time to beat for my 5th. (sample video of a 3-rung Clean & Press ladder) .

Time to beat	Time	Heart Rate	Sample video:
2'07"	1'25"	n/a	3-rung C&P Ladder with High Pulls
1'44"	1'13"	161 bpm
1'20"	1'10"	164 bpm
1'15"	1'00"	167 bpm
1'00"	0'57"	170 bpm

Note: It is much easier to perform each press as a sort of rebound from each clean. The longer I hold the Kettlebell in the rack/clean position the harder it is to press.

Snatches: 9 minutes 24kg. Today called for snatches performed at 50% of my all out pace of 30 reps a minute.My Goal = 8 left, 8 right in 30 seconds, 30 seconds rest each minute.

Time	Reps	Heart Rate	Sample video:
0'00"-0'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	148 bpm	24kg Snatches. 10L/10R.
1'00"-1'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	164 bpm
2'00"-2'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	167 bpm
3'00"-3'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	170 bpm
4'00"-4'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	171 bpm
5'00"-5'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	173 bpm
6'00"-6'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	174 bpm
7'00"-7'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	176 bpm
8'00"-8'30" seconds	8 left / 8 right	176 bpm

I was able to finish all sets right at 30 seconds for each minute.
Despite having not taken care of my calluses for over a week my hands did not even come close to tearing. I attribute this to improved technique that uses more hip drive and therefore requires less pulling from my working arm. I use a pressurization/grunt at the bottom of the snatch as I explode upward, the kettlebell "floats" upward to about chest level before I need to give it a slight pull overhead.


Stats
Total Duration of Workout: 22'36"
Total work time (excluding rest periods): 10'15"
Total calories burned: 264 calories

Workout: 9/10

Clean & Press
32kg: 4 ladders, 3 rungs

Snatch Ladder
7 minutes
24kg
5/5, 10/10, 15/15, 20/20, 25/25 = 75 per arm
Plenty of rest between sets

Swings 80%
9 minutes
24kg
25-28 swings every 30 seconds

My Videos:
I've begun posting videos of myself and students on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/RKCjsstevens

Story of Interest:
Marine/Kettlebell Instructor apprehends violent criminal

Workout: Mon 9/8

Clean & Presses: 4 Ladders, 3 rungs 32kg/70lb
Snatches: 32kg x 15/arm
Snatches: 7 minutes 24kg/53lb 10 reps per minute. (easy)

10 minutes perpetual motion: 24kg
performed the following combination with one arm then the other and repeat for the duration.
Swing, Clean, Press, Snatch, Reverse Overhead Lunge, switch hands, repeat

Double KB Getup Situps: 16kg

Snatches: 24kg
30 per arm, 20 per arm, 15 per arm, 10 per arm, 5 per arm

Snatch Ladders: 24kg
5 reps per arm, 10 per arm, 15 per arm, 20 per arm, 25 per arm, 30 per arm

Workouts: Sept 2nd, 3rd, 4th

Tues Sept 2nd

• Loaded Cleans: 5 sets, 5 reps ea. arm (32kg/70lb KB)
• Getups: 5 sets, 1 rep ea. arm (32kg/70lb KB)
• 15 minutes of "Perpetual Motion" (16kg/35lb kb)
  Goal: Keep the 35lb Kettlebell moving for the entire 15 minutes.
  Choose any exercise that comes to mind and doing at least 5-reps per arm, then choose another exercise. When necessary active rest = Slingshots.
  This session of 15 minutes included the following exercises:
  upside down presses, high pulls, snatches, windmills, getups, overhead lunges, twist press, figure-eight, swings, alternating swings and finally slingshots as active rest.

Wednesday Sept 3rd

• Clean & Presses: 3 Ladders of 3 rungs (32kg/70lb kb)
• Tabata Protocol: Renegade Rows & Swings
• Tabata Protocol: Snatches. Left arm, rest, Right arm, repeat.

Thursday Sept 4th

• Freestyle Exercises
  · 10 thrusters/side,
  · 10 clean and presses/side, then
  · 10 overhead squats/side,
  · 10 windmills/side, and finally
  · 10 swings /side.
  · 10 overhead sq/side,
  · 10 squat kicks/side,
  · 10 overhead lunges/side,
  · 10 tactical lunges/side,
  · 10 swings/side, and finally
  · 20 bodyweightsquats.
  
• Tabata's Round 1: Snatches 35lb kb
• Tabata's Round 2: Anchored Snatches 2-35lb Kbs
• Tabata's Round 3: Anchored Cleans 2-35lb Kbs
• Double Overhead Situps: 3 sets of 5. 2-35lb Kbs
• Partial Getups: 3 sets of 5
• Russian Twists / Hot Potato: 3 sets of 20 (L,R =1 rep)

Sat August 30th: New Personal Best

Saturday August 30th:

Morning Group Class
Warmup: Joint rotations, Halos, Miscellaneous freestyle KB exercises
5 getups per arm
5 Clean & Press, High Pull Ladders with 4 rungs each.
9 Minutes of swings at 100%.
Cool Down
One Arm Overhead Carry KB in lockout position. Farmer's Carry. Repeat other arm.
Pump Stretch

Group Workout Continued: Snatches
One of my Kettlebell students was doing extra KB work and wanted to perform his snatch test. He has been using 35lb & 40lb kbs and has not built up to snatching the 24kg/54lb Kettlebell yet so he was using a 45lb kettlebell and was able to perform 8-10 reps per arm. I matched him with 15 reps per arm with my 28kg/62lb kettlebell.
We did several sets to a comfortable stop.


Press Test
Once a month I try to perform either a press or snatch test, or both.
I've been performing the Rite of Passage with the 28kg Kettlebell and I've completed 5 ladders of 5 rungs of clean & presses with the 28kg/62lb kettlebell with solid technique, heels on the ground, knees locked. According to the Enter the Kettlebell Rite of Passage I should be performing clean & press ladders with a kettlebell that I can press 5-8 times. If I can press the kettlebell more than 8 times.... move up to a heavier kettlebell.

Here are the results:

One Arm Press with the 28kg / 62lb Kettlebell
10 times with each arm.
This was tough but I could have probably done 1 or 2 more reps per arm.

32kg / 70lb Kettlebell
4 Left, 4 Right. This was a personal best and yet seemed easy. So I tried again.
5 left, 5 right. Rested... tried again.
6 left, 6 right. This felt right.

Since I can press the 28kg / 62lb kettlebell at least 10 times and the 70lb Kettlebell now 5-8 times I will begin doing my press ladders with the 70lb kettlebell.

It will be Labor day this Monday and I will miss my standard Kettlebell workout, so I decided to get a head start and do my first "Light Day" workout with the 70lb today. I rested a few minutes after doing the press test and felt ready to go.

Extra Saturday Workout: 32kg Clean & Press Ladders
3 C&P Ladders, 3 rungs each.

That should last me until Tuesday.