Rock Solid: Kettlebells Provide Superior Benefits for Endurance Sports
Editor’s Note: This article was originally printed in Endurance Magazine. I’m posting it here so it can be a permanent resource. The magazine didn’t pay me for the article, so I don’t think they will mind. 
I hope your triathlon season is progressing nicely. If you have a topic or a question involving beginning triathlons or beginning kettlebells, please don’t hesitate to contact me at brett@triathlonjones.com.
Rock Solid: Kettlebells Provide Superior Benefits for Endurance Sports
By Brett Cornwright
For the typical time-stretched endurance athlete, strength training usually occurs in the off-season, if at all. Workouts often involve a heavy dose of machines and isolated movements with free weights. During the racing season, and if the athlete is really motivated, he or she may get to the gym once or twice per week in an attempt to maintain what strength they managed to build over the winter.
There is an alternative to this mundane and ineffective routine, however, that is guaranteed to change your outlook on strength training. It is called a kettlebell, and it resembles a cannonball with a handle. Kettlebells are made of cast-iron and come in a variety of different weights, from 10 pounds (4 kilograms) to 106 pounds (48 kg).
As many professional triathletes, runners, and cyclists are discovering, including the king of cutting-edge, Lance Armstrong, there simply is no better strength and conditioning tool for your entire body.
“Kettlebells are unique from any other form of fitness equipment in a multitude of ways,” said Betsy Collie, owner and head trainer at Rapid Results Fitness in Durham. Collie is a Level II Russian Kettlebell Instructor (RKC II) and a Z-health Level I movement coach. “Kettlebells train the entire body at one time through full body movements. Unlike traditional gym equipment that focuses on isolating the body’s parts or performing cardio on stationery equipment, the kettlebell enhances the performance of all life’s activities.”
As you know, our body’s movements require more than one muscle to perform. They work in conjunction with one another, not in isolation. When you stick with machines and bodybuilding exercises, you are usually targeting one body part. With kettlebells, your entire body, including the core and the posterior chain, are effectively engaged.
“Due to the bell sitting below the handle instead of between it, the kettlebell’s weight is off-set in the hand, causing the body to use more muscles to hold and move the bell,” Collie said. “This causes the body to use more energy, which is convenient if one of your goals is to lose weight. Conversely, if one of your goals is trying to build strength, the kettlebell will literally force your body to use more muscles than performing similar exercises with barbells and dumbbells.”
Almost all kettlebell exercises begin with the hips, as this is where the power is generated in all sports, especially swimming, cycling and running. After training with kettlebells, swimmers find that their cores become much stronger, thus they have more power in the water. Cyclists find that their wattage outputs increase, despite no increase in volume or intensity on the bike. Runners often find that their posture and form is better, they have more spring in their legs, and their core, on which everything hinges, does not break down in the latter stages of a race.
“The reason kettlebell training translates to improved sports specific training is because of how kettlebell training works with your body,” Collie said. “It produces amazing results in all areas of sports specific training no matter what the sport. For example, in running the core gives out almost sooner than the legs and heart do. The kettlebell forces you to work your core on every set and every rep.”
Over time, many age group triathletes will develop overuse injuries from all of those miles. Because they have full-time jobs, families, and the stresses of the daily grind, protecting and building their bodies via strength training often falls by the wayside. Luckily, kettlebell workouts typically last 20 to 30 minutes, and your heart will be pumping the entire time. Thus, an athlete’s VO2 Max numbers can also improve with intense kettlebell work.
“The kettlebell can enhance any athlete for any sport,” said Tim Anderson, RKC II Instructor and Z-health III movement. Anderson is the co-owner of Outstanding Personal Training in Fuquay-Varina. “Endurance athletes can particularly benefit from kettlebells because of the tremendous cardiovascular training a kettlebell provides. Training with kettlebells can increase your VO2 Max, or your body’s ability to use oxygen. Kettlebells are also easy on the joints. They can save an endurance athlete’s joints from a lot of wear and tear.”
Many endurance athletes also might avoid lifting weights for fear of building too much muscle and becoming bulky. Kettlebells, however, are great for building a lean and athletically muscular body. They are also excellent at building strength endurance, which is something that is vital for all endurance athletes. Many are powerful on the bike or the run for the race’s opening miles. Maintaining that power throughout the race is where kettlebell training comes into play.
As far as preventing or treating injuries, kettlebell training cannot be beaten. Common injuries, like lower back pain, shoulder problems, plantar fasciitis, and tight hip flexors from sitting at a desk all day, are all effectively rehabilitated with kettlebells.
“Training properly with kettlebells can help prevent injuries,” Anderson said. “Kettlebells can be used to strengthen the whole body as well as correct asymmetries in strength and movement. Kettlebells are an amazing tool when it comes to preparing the body for performance and reducing the risk for injuries, but only when used properly with good form.”
And once again, all of these benefits to your core, your conditioning, and the strength in your legs and upper body, can be had in as little as 20 minutes three times per week.
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Brett Cornwright is a freelance writer and marketing consultant. He is a two-time Ironman, and achieved a personal best of 11:06 at Ironman Florida in November. He writes a blog for beginner triathletes at http://www.triathlonjones.com/.You can also follow him at http://www.twitter.com/brettcornwright.
Article on Benefits of Kettlebell Training for Triathletes
I don’t think this has hit the streets in print yet, but below is a link to an article that I wrote for Endurance Magazine. Check it out. I’m telling you, if you are a triathlete and you do any strength training, make it kettlebells.
You will thank me later. Increased power on the bike, increased power in the water, increased core strength for a speedier, more powerful stride on the run. Kettlebells also rehabilitate old injuries and prevent new ones. I’m not sure what else you could ask for! Drop the bodybuilding exercises for something that really gets results. OK, enough preaching. See what you think:
Rock Solid: Kettlebells Provide Superior Benefits for Endurance Sports
Besty doing a perfect turkish get-up.
Also, pictured is my friend Betsy Collie, RKC, who has been helping me a bit. She was also referenced in the article along with Tim Anderson, RKC, both of whom are teaching me the art of kettlebells.
You Have No Idea How Hard This Is
Meet Valery Fedorenko. This is simply unbelievable. That is 130 pounds, people!
Kettlebells and Hot Yoga for Breakfast
I’ve enjoyed a few new “training” experiences recently that I’d like to share. First off, I attended my first hot yoga class when I was in Albemarle, NC, visiting my mother who was in the hospital. Even though the circumstances are less than ideal with my mom’s health, I did have the opportunity to attend my first hot yoga class at Albemarle Pilates and Yoga. The studio is owned by my old friend Cindy. She taught the class and is quite the yogini I must say.
It is very easy for me to tell when someone has found their passion in life (unfortunately I don’t know enough people who have found something they are truly passionate about) but it is quite evident that Cindy has found her calling.
At any rate, this was my first indoctrination into hot yoga. It was not Bikram Yoga, as apparently you have to carry a license and know the secret password to call it that, but it was definitely hot! She had three heaters in her yoga room along with 10-12 sweaty people in various phases of breathing. Although it was cold outside, the room got pretty toasty as folks started warming up, pardon the pun.
I am heavy sweater anyway, so my mat was soaked at the end, even to the point of my feet slipping in Warrior II. I did feel that I was able to do the poses easier than in a normal, “cold” class. It would be simple to assume that the heat helped, but I think the heat helped. I hope to get back to Cindy’s class at some point soon. I really like yoga and I always seem to crave feeling those stretches after I have done a class.
First Kettlebell Lesson
I also had my first ever kettlebell lesson. I call it a lesson because that’s really what it is. In kettlebells, technique is so very important that you do not refer to it as “training” or “lifting.” It is practice and practice only, thank you very much. I think that’s what appeals to me so much aboutkettlebells. They get your body into excellent condition from a functional strength and cardiovascular perspective. However, using kettlebells , especially the two exercises on which I will be most focused, the swing and the snatch, are as much a skill as are swimming and running, which I have mentioned before.
At any rate, since I have a goal of becoming RKC Certified at some point this year, I thought it best to consult one to let me know how my form was. Turns out it was much worse that I thought, but RKC II Tim Anderson had me swinging properly in no time. Tim also asked me to show him my rendition of the turkish-getup. Turns out my rendition of that was also completely wrong. Sounds like my experience in learning how to swim four years ago.
Tim spent an hour with me and it was quite productive. Much more productive, I can assure, that continuing to try to learn something so technical on my own. I look very forward to working with Tim next week on another session. My hamstrings are killing me today, but so far I’m no worse for the wear. I am starting on Tim’s protocol to become RKC Certified, which I hope to do in around six months give or take. We’ll see how it goes and how my body holds out, but so far, so good.
I have been reading blogs and web sites about kettlebells for at least four years now. I’m really excited that I finally decided to get serious about training with them and trying to help some folks out myself. I’ve mentioned several times on this site, but the bells are the best thing going as far as strength training goes — unless, perhaps, you’re a bodybuilder. If you are, and I have no problem with bodybuilders and used to dabble myself, you should stick with the same old same old for hypertrophy. If you want strength you can use and can apply to a bike, a powerful stride that doesn’t break down in running, or a more powerful core and shoulders too move more water in the pool, kettlebells are for you.
At any rate, more on my foray into kettlebell certification later. I’m glad the journey has begun!
Tidbits
I ran a 5K with a good friend of mine in Charlotte last Saturday, also on my tour to visit my mom. My friend has just taken up running about six months ago, and has already run five or six 5Ks. She is not very fast, but her form is good. She would do better by walking a bit more, but most new runners are all about running the whole way. New runners take note — your goal of running the whole way in a 5 or 10k (3.1 or 6.2 miles) is a noble one. However, you will go faster if you stop and walk for a bit. Just pick one goal and stick with it. You can’t have both!
At any rate, Melissa set a PR of 42 minutes. I ran the first mile with her and made her walk up the one big hill. It was wet and sloppy, as the rain was pouring. However, we trudged through it. I told Melissa she would have gone probably a minute or so faster if not for the mud and crappy conditions. She has come along way already. I would not be surprised if she decided to tackle a marathon before too long!
Iroman Canada Registration Fee … Buh-Bye.
My training has been sparse as of late, as I just seem to be lacking the motivation to run in the freezing cold. I didn’t used to be this way, I promise. I used to run right through the winter. At night, solo, around a big dark lake. I trained for a marathon right through the winter just last year.
This year, however, I have grown accustomed to my living room, letting babies crawl all over me by the warmth of our indoor heating. I registered for the White Lake 1/2 Ironman, but I think I’m skipping it. I think Ironman Florida, a late Ironman held in November, has done a whammy on my motivation this year. I am still going to race, but it will be sporadic and only when I feel like it. I have done two Ironmans in two years. I have also done three standalone marathons, five 1/2 Ironmans and many international and sprint distance races over the past four years.
A break from “racing” will be good for me, and it will allow me to train more with kettlebells, my absolute favorite training tool. I might even try to become RKC Certified. I’m sure it will be difficult, you have to snatch a certain amount of reps for time based on your weight, along with other brutal punishment. I have heard great things about what great people the RKC folks are, so I look forward to learning all I can from them.
I really think functional training is important for anyone who is looking to extend their ability to “race” well into their 60s and beyond, and I think using kettlebells is a great way to do this. Bodybuilding, or what most people call strength training, is not helping anyone, and it seems to me a lot of new triathletes, especially those who have lifted in the past, are now really doing all the wrong things. Seeing a line of guys doing curls and benching seems the silliest thing to me.
Kettlebells will make your core ridiculously strong, hamstrings, quads, glutes, back, arms, shoulders. The entire posterior chain is worked with the swing. It sounds ridiculous but I can tell you from just the tiny amount of training with kettlebells I have done, I’m leaner and stronger than I’ve ever been, and I used to be a body-building guy, too.
At any rate, triathlon is still my passion so I’m sure I’ll do a few races this season. My ultimate goal for this year, and I have no idea of whether it’s realistic, is to try and qualify for Boston at the San Antonio Marathon in November. My wife has family there, so the race would be kind of a family vacation wrapped into one. I will need a 3:15 to qualify as a 39-year-old. A more realistic goal would probably be to wait until I’m 40 this coming November. Then the qualifying time drops to 3:20. Realistic goals are no fun, however, so that’s the plan as of now.
I’m still planning to do some long rides and perhaps some fast ones during the week. I’m also going to run, a lot. I hope not swimming and cycling sporadically will open up some time for me to train with kettlebells as well as yoga. We shall see. Tops on my list is being a good husband and father. Next is progressing on my freelance consulting business. Next is this blog. Next is Boston and RKC. Triathlon and racing are next, so do not laugh as you pass me on the bike.
Our local training group, the Growling Geckos, have a our annual showdown at the Triangle Triathlon in July, so I will definitely do that one, along with a few more. Ironman Canada is out for now I’m afraid. I kind of panicked when I signed up in the first place, not realized how far away it was and how much it would cost to go, stay, race, etc. I also know much of a commitment Ironman training is, and how much it takes me away from home. With 23-month-old children who are just learning to talk and who are doing new things each day, it’s hard for me to be away for a minute.
Missing one of the twins say something or do something new because I’m out on a six hour ride is too much to bear for this guy at this point. The cost of getting to Canada, much less racing in the NCTS, is also bit prohibitive for the Cornwright clan at this point. We are making our ends almost meet, but they ain’t meeting just yet, so racing is far down on the priority list.
I am still very excited about providing some articles and making this blog a good of a resource for new triathletes as possible. I will also be posting my training and random thoughts on triathlon, endurance training, and my progress on a BQ in October. Possible RKC certification is something I’m definitely excited about, so I will post some of the training I’m doing with that here, too.
I’m meeting with a ocal RKC guy, Tim Anderson, on Monday, so I’ll let you know how that goes. He has a garage gym and he’s going to give me a session to see where I’m at. I’m hoping my form in the swing and the snatch is decent, but I have a feeling Mr. Anderson will have a few things to say about that. Stay tuned!
Training Update
Well, to say the previous week has been “active” would be a bit of an understatement. Unless you train more than me … then the statement would be silly. At any rate, I got in some good training over the past few days. My first week back to triathlon training on a schedule saw me going a bit farther and bit harder than I probably should have. I will say, however, that nothing kick-starts a season by getting your ass handed to you on consecutive training days.
The week started innocently enough with an easy 4-mile run at Shelley Lake, my beaten path. I think I could do this run blindfolded if necessary. It is flat and familiar, and I like it. I also swang (swung?) a 45-pound kettlebell for three sets of 20 that evening.
Wednesday was an hour trainer ride at an easy heart rate along with some one-legged drills. I also did snatches with the 35-pound kettlebell for three sets of eight with each arm. Thursday I don’t recall doing anything. Friday was where the proverbial shit hit the fan.
I ran with my friend Nasrin, a 42-year old female who is president of Mobile Reach. I’m doing some marketing for her company so I met her at Panera Bread in Cary (this spot also happens to be the home of Inside-Out Sports, where we do a lot of group rides during the week in the spring and summer). Nasrin and I worked for an hour, despite Panera’s ridiculous policy that you can only surf for 30 minutes! Cafe indeed!
Nas and I then ran rough-shod over a 5.8-mile run on a crazy hilly course around Inside-Out. As usual, I pleaded with Nas that we run slow. She, however, has always had a different definition of what slow and easy is. In fact, there is no running side-by-side with her. She will always be just a bit ahead, no matter what pace you are running and no matter the effort level.
At any rate, pair this with the fact that I’ve only run five times in 2009 and no farther than 4 miles. Nasrin, on the other hand, had been running and was building toward a 30-mile week in prep for her race at the Florida 70.3. Needless to say, this run hurt! This hills and Nasrin were more than enough to reduce me to walk on the final huge grade toward home. As I saw my heart rate hit 170 on the final turn, my shoestring conveniently came untied and had to stop. I told Nas to keep going. I think she was ill with me because she wanted someone to run the hill with her because it sucks so bad. Sorry I was of no help, Nas! Maybe next time when I’m in shape!
On Saturday morning, the family and I headed to downtown Raleigh to watch the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Essentially, you run 2 miles, eat a dozen doughnuts, then run back. The guy who won, a spry 22-year-old named Eric Mack, ran 5:28 miles on the way out and only slowed to 6:05 pace on the way back, when the race was in the bag, so to speak. He won by two minutes over the next nearest guy. I could certainly eat a dozen doughnuts, but there will be no running before, during or after. 5:28 miles at any point is also out of the question for this guy. It was a fun event though, and they raised a ton of money for this charity, like $35,000 for the N.C. Children’s Hospital. The run started three years ago with 11 folks and had more than 5,000 Saturday at the N.C. State Belltower. The Dunkin Donuts right across the street had no comment and refused to be interviewed for this story.
At about noon, I met a group of about 20 for a ride of the Duke 1/2 Ironman course. I had only ridden outside once this year, so 60 miles was probably a bit much for me, but I assumed the group I was going with would want to enjoy a nice, chatty ride while we soaked in the nearly perfect North Carolina weather for February. Much to my innervation, however, I discovered that I had been lulled into a false sense of security by some cyclists who were seemingly in a large hurry all day long!
I think I averaged 18.2 miles per hour for the ride and a few generous souls, Carolyn, Patrick, and Jon, had to come back and kind of tug me along. If there was a picture under the word “Toast” in the dictionary, a candid of me at about mile 50 of that ride would have been ridiculously appropriate.
On Saturday night, my legs were already so sore, I decided to try and endure my first ice bath ever. I should have been less brave and kind of gradually reduced the temperature, but I made it work and none of my boys were injured. I must say that the soreness that I normally would have experienced did not rear its ugly head, so I’m pretty sure ice baths are here to stay at the Cornwright household.
Today is Tuesday and I am recovering from a yoga/pilates class at my old friend’s yoga studio, Albemarle Pilates and Yoga. Cindy led a group of us in what was my first-ever attempt at pilates. It was good and not too tough for me, suprisingly. I would like to practice some more arm-stands. I’m curious to know what percentage of newbie yogis tries this maneuver the first time and fall and break their noses. It seemed like a highly likely scenario as I stared at her hardwood floor while precariously perched on palms.
I’m planning on swinging my 45-pound kettlebell tonight. Actually, I’m going to snatch it a few times, too. Training is good, life is good. I hope to post myt first article in what will be a series on how I use kettlebells to supplement my triathlon training. I’m also planning a post on the best way to approach swimming if you are newcomer to the sport, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already!
P.S. I thought, as did Keith, that these pullups were cool.
Training Update
I am nursing a cold today but I’m hoping to make a 42 mile ride tomorrow morning. Beginning Monday, I will resume triathlon specific training once again. There are three months until the White Lake 1/2, so I need to get my butt in gear if I want to have a decent showing in my first Master’s Clydesdale race.
My friends often ask me why I don’t race in my age group. Although I wouldn’t be upset if they did away with the Clydesdale category, which is for men who are above the 200-pound Mendoza Line, since there is a category that I fit under, I’m racing in it. It’s not as simple as saying that I race in this division to win stuff. It’s true, I do like to win stuff. However, one of the big reasons I stay in this category (and I realize all of you could probably care less), is that I like to have people to race!
If I were to race in my age group, which, as of this year, is men 40-45, I would perhaps finish 10th on a good day. Top 10 would definitely be an excellent race. The top five of those guys I would likely never even see during the race. In the Clydesdales, or Master’s Clydesdales as the rules states that I now am, at least I have an idea of who’s in front of me, and who I may or may not be expecting to come knocking on the run.
In the North Carolina Triathlon Series, I’m usually one of the first out of the water for Clydes. Then, about three of them pass me on the bike. They make it easy to tell who’s who in triathlon by writing the category you are racing on your calf. If you get passed by a “C” you have just been passed by some fellow who’s north of 200 (well, he’s supposed to be anyway. I’ve seen “Clydesdales” who looked 190). Anyway, three or four of them pass me on the bike. Usually, and in fact likely if I’m having a good race, I will catch at least three of them on the run. Sometimes, I win. Other times, I will darn near kill myself trying to make it to the finish line and just as I cross, I spot some large dude standing there sipping a Diet Coke while yukking it up with his boys.
At any rate, my training begins in earnest Monday, following the 42-mile ride Sunday. Or not. My goal is to swim three times, run three times and ride three times per week. Until I can fit that in, I don’t really even need a plan. One longer ride, two harder ones. Three longish runs (two around 8 miles, one longer up to 15 or 20). Three swims with long sets focused on technique. I have a poster that is signed by one of my triathlon heroes, Gordo Byrn, where he has written “Keep it simple” and he signed it. What can I say, he made an impression on me.
I just finished swinging a 16 kg (35 pounds for the metrically challenged) kettlebell around and I feel as loose as a goose. I did the following with the 16 kg:
– 20 swings, rest 15 secs.
– 5 one-handed swings, right into 8 snatches (R&L), rest 30 secs
– Repeat 3 times
I kid you not, my heart was still pounding for awhile after I finished. My resting heart rate is 49. That workout took probably 3 minutes, tops. I cannot believe how much swinging and snatching a kettlebell works the aerobic system, or anaerobic as the case may be. Wow. Just wow. Not to mention the strength workout you are getting for your entire body, especially the core, the hamstrings, and back. My shoulders are loose, back is loose, hips are loose!
Throw some pressing in there along with a few turkish getups (see video below) and you have done more good for you self in about 6 minutes than every single soul who went to the gym this morning and pushed a pin into a Nautilus machine or slapped another plate onto the curl bar. If you have not tried kettlebells, you have got to give it a try. You will be amazed when you put it down after a set of swings and you stand up straighter.
