Welcome to the Vagbond Kettlebell Blog

The kettlebell is one of the most effective conditioning tools out there for training all-around fitness. It is literally like having a "gym in your hand".

Kettlebells enable dynamic loading of muscle groups, help generate power from the hips - which is essential for athletic performance- and help build strength and stability in the back and shoulders.

Here we will be posting schedules and workouts for the Vagabond KB specialty class along with other helpful, KB-related info.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Workout for Sunday October 28th


KettleBell "Bear" Complex

A. Turkish Get-Up Practice

     - 5 rounds of 5 reps each arm. Military press with only one foot touching the ground! Focus on engaging core and crush-gripping the KB. You will need to go light on these.

C. "Bottoms-Up"
     - 4 sets of 1-3 reps each arm of Bottoms-ups Clean and Press. Again, you will need to go light and focus on crush gripping the KB Handle.

D. Kettlebell "Bear"
     5 rounds* 7 reps of the following complex...
     Double KB Clean + Front Squat + Overhead Press + Front Squat + Overhead Press = 1 Rep!!
     * Rest as needed between rounds.
     - Choose the heaviest weight possible while going unbroken each set. If you put the KB down, you must do a 5 Burpee penalty before resuming round!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Workout for Sunday September 16th, 2012


Skill Review & Practice:
     I. Double Kettlebell Swing
     II. Double KB Clean and Press
     III. Double KB Snatch
     IV. Double KB Front Squat

WOD: "The Great Destroyer"
     3 sets * of the following.....
     10 Double KB Swings
     10 Double KB Snatch
     10 Double KB Front Squat
     10 Double KB Clean and Press
     10 Push-Ups on the Bells
     10 Upright Row
* Rest up to 3:00 between sets
The idea is to get through each set unbroken (i.e.-don't put the KB down). This is not for time and you can pause in the rack position for as long as necessary

Scaling:
     Big Dawg M/W = 35#/25#
     Pack M/W = 25#/18#
     Pup = Modify workout to be all single KB movements...
     10 Single KB Swings
     5 Snatch R/L
     10 Goblet Squats
     5 Clean and Press R/L
     10 Push-Ups
     5 Single Arm Row R/L

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Workout for Sunday August 12th, 2012

Yep. Lance Armstrong trains with kettlebells. And so should you!!


Skill Review:
     I. The kettlebell windmill
     II. KB Front Squat with Double Bells
     III. Double KB Clean & Press

Strength Work:
     I. Double KB Rack Squat: 5 sets of 5 reps. Rest 1-2:00 between sets
     II Double KB Clean and Press: 5 sets of 5 reps. Rest 1-2:00 between sets

WOD:
     "OMGWTF!!"
      10-9-8......3-2-1 Reps of
      One handed swing R. Hand
      KB Thruster R. Hand
      One Handed Swing L. Hand
      KB Thruster L. Hand
      Burpees

      First round consists of 10 swings R, 10 Thrusters R, 10 Swings L, 10 Thrusters L, then 10 Burpees!

     Rx KB Weights are 35# for men and 25# for Women. Scale as needed. You may also scale the volume if needed by skipping the odd numbered rounds. This will cut the overall volume of reps by almost 50%.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Workout for Sunday July 22nd, 2012

This workout is one of my favorites!


Skill Review:
        - Kettlebell Shoulder Mobility Exercises
             1. The "RKC Armbar" stretch
             2. Turkish Get-Up
         - Swing Practice: 8 sets of :30 work, :30 Rest
         - Review of the KB Snatch
             - Snatch Ladders 1-5 Reps each hand on the minute
         - Review of the KB Clean and Jerk
             - Clean and Jerk Ladders: 1-5 Reps each hand on the minute

Workout: The Kettlebell "300"

Perform a total of 300 reps for time consisting of the following....

     - 25 V-Ups (Pike sit-ups where you touch your fingers to your toes)
     - 50 Snatches (25 R, 25 L)
     - 25 Push-Ups
     - 50 Russian Swings
     - 50 1/2 Burpees (Burpees with no push-up and no jump)
     - 50 Clean and Press (25 R, 25L)
     - 50 Double Unders

Scaling:
     - V-Ups can be scaled to regular abmat sit-ups
     - Snatches/Cl. & Jerk : Women- "Big Dawg"= 35#, L2=25#, L1= 18# or less
         Men - "Big Dawg" = 53#, L2=45#, L1= 35# or less
     - Swings: Women: Go with the above scaling for Snatches/Cl. & Jerks or one weight heavier
     - Double Unders: L2= 100 Single Unders, L1 = 50 Single Unders

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Workout for Sunday June 24th, 2012



Skill Review
     - Single and Double Swing (Russian)
     - Single and Double Clean and Press
     - Double KB Front Squat

"Heavy Metal"

5 Rounds, not for time. Rest 2-3 minutes between rounds
This one is meant to be a low rep, heavy workout. Rx weight is 20kg/45# for Men and 12kg/25# for women. Advanced Men and Women can use 24kg/53# and 16kg/35# respectively


Round 1 = 5 Reps of the following complex
     - Double Kettlebell Front Squat
     - See-saw Press

Round 2 = 5 Reps of the following complex
      - Double KB Clean
      - Double Kettlebell Front Squat
      - See-saw Press

Round 3 =  5 Reps of the following complex
      - Double KB Swing
      - Double KB Clean

      - Double Kettlebell Front Squat
      - See-saw Press

Round 4 =  5 Reps of the following complex
      - Double KB Swing
      - Double KB Clean

      - Double Kettlebell Front Squat
      - See-saw Press
      - Push Up on KB's

 Round 5 = 5 Reps of the following complex
      - Double KB Swing
      - Double KB Clean

      - Double Kettlebell Front Squat
      - See-saw Press
      - Push Up on KB's
      - Renegade Rows (see video)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Workout for Sunday May 20th

Skill Review
     - Swing Practice / Corrections
     - KB Clean Review and Practice
     - Snatch Review and Practice
     - Intro to the Kettlebell Clean & Jerk

WOD
     "The 12:00 Kettlebell Complex...from Hell! "



for 12 minutes perform each of the following movements on the minute. For one handed movements, you will switch hands at the :30 mark within each minute. Do NOT put the KB down for the entire duration of the workout!!!


     One Arm Swings R/L
     Cleans R/L
     High Pulls R/L
     Snatch R/L
     Jerk R/L
     Single Leg Deadlift R/L
     Reverse Lunge R/L
     Military Press R/L
     Front rack squat R/L
     2 Hand Swing
     KB Swing Burpees (yep, not a typo...I said Swing Burpees!)
     Plank

Men Rx = 16kg (35#)
Men Scaled = 12kg (25#)

Women Rx = 12kg (25#)
Women Scaled = 18#


Friday, April 20, 2012

Schedule and Workout for Sunday April 22nd

Sunday's Class will begin at approx. 11AM right after the 10AM CrossFit class

***** Announcement: Time to lose the cushy shoes!! *****
     - Wearing highly cushioned running shoes or crosstrainers may be fine for running but they are highly inefficient and sometimes unsafe for doing any kind of weight training where you are transferring high amounts of force from the ground through your body. This is especially true for kettlebells. Below are some of the Rx footwear choices for kettlebell training....
          - Barefoot !!! The best way to train natural movement is to go au naturel! Just be careful not to drop a KB on your foot! As the saying goes, quick feet are happy feet.
          - Vibram Fivefingers: They may look goofy but they are perfect for kettlebells
          - Converse All Stars (aka Chuck Taylors)
          - New Balance Minimus
          - Adidas Sambas
          - There are many others but you get the point. Many of you wear Inov-8's and those are what I would consider borderline acceptable as a footwear choice




I. Warm-Up and Dynamic Stretching

II. Skill & Drills
     - Review of the RKC "Hardstyle" Kettlebell Swing (2 handed & 1 handed)
     - Review of the Clean & Press

     - Intro to the Kettlebell Front Squat

III. WOD: "Jacob's Ladder"
     - 2 Rounds (not for time) of 1-5 Ladder:
           - Right Hand Swing/Right Hand Clean & Press/R. Hand Front Squat/Repeat on Left side.
                - (for the first rung on the ladder, you will cycle through the above movements. For the second, you will cycle through twice and so on...)
     - * Rest 30-60 seconds between each rung on the ladder