Kettlebell Training Programs

Kettlebells resemble bowling balls attached to suitcase-like handles. Bodybuilders and the military rely on kettlebell training as an important fitness tool, and kettlebells are popular among fitness aficionados as well. Due to the unstable, shifting weight as you maneuver them, kettlebells recruit many stabilizer muscles and offer a more intense workout than either dumbbells or barbells, according to Certified Kettlebell Instructor Mike Mahler. Available in a wide range of weights, kettlebells serve as a basis for a variety of training programs, whether your goal is strength, endurance or explosive training.

Strength Training

You can substitute kettlebells for dumbbells or barbells in your strength-training program to benefit from the instability they provide, allowing for a full-body workout. Exercise physiologist Fabio Comana of the American Council on Exercise suggests exercising with kettlebells two to three times per week. He recommends that, starting out, women work with 8- to 15-lb. weights and men work with 15- to 25-lb. weights. You can strengthen your back, glutes and quads with kettlebell deadlifts; focus on your chest, core and triceps with kettlebell push-ups; target your back and biceps with kettlebell rows; and improve your shoulder and tricep strength with kettlebell shoulder presses.

Endurance Training

In addition to increasing your muscular strength, kettlebells provide intense endurance training. According to the website Sports Fitness Advisor, kettlebell workouts focus less on lifting maximal loads and more on muscular endurance than traditional free-weight fitness routines. Therefore, you should choose a kettlebell weight that is lighter than your typical dumbbell weight for a given exercise. Kettlebell alternating floor presses, jerks, power cleans, squats, swings and windmills all provide endurance training for your major muscle groups. Start by performing three sets of each exercise, with 15 to 20 reps per set and a 60-second rest period in between sets. As your muscular endurance improves, graduate to a slightly heavier kettlebell and decrease your resting time between sets.

Explosive Training

Explosive power, or moving with great force at a high rate of speed, is important in many athletic pursuits. Ballistic movements with kettlebells can improve explosive power when you move through the resistance of the kettlebell very quickly, explains Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Paul Fleschler of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Kettlebell exercises such as the power clean and power snatch are explosive movements that require continuous acceleration through a full range of motion. Incorporate each of these kettlebell exercises into your fitness routine as part of your explosive power training, performing three to five sets of three to five reps as quickly as you can.