TRAINING THE ONE-HALF BODYWEIGHT KETTLEBELL PRESS

26
BY MARK REIFKIND, MASTER SFG

OK, so you have done your kettlebell clean and press ladders and have put in
your volume. You can press for sets and reps with a fairly heavy weight, but
when it comes time to put up that half-bodyweight kettlebell press for just
ONE rep, it just doesnt go. You either lift your shoulder first or dont get the
required amount of full body tension or something messes it up.

Every powerlifter knows that being able to do heavy weight for a top set of 3
or 5 does not always convert to a great max single; the same is often true for
the single kettlebell press.

This program is designed specifically to increase ones ability to press a

kettlebell for a single rep. The focus is on getting to a half-bodyweight
kettlebell press, but this will work just as well for getting you to the next bell
size, whatever that is. The protocol is based on Westside Barbells template of
how to train the three powerlifts using a speed day and a maximum effort
day. The basic concept is teaching the body how to apply maximum force at
all times.

Force=Mass X Acceleration

One can increase force by increasing either the mass (weight of the bar/bell)
or by moving it faster. One doesnt lift heavy weights slowly on purpose.
Heavy weights move SLOWLY because they are HEAVY. Learning to move
medium to light weights quickly is an advanced skill as is a half bodyweight
press; trying to grind a max effort from the start usually results in failure for
most. You may to be able to grind out the finish but rarely does that work at
the start. Learning how to accelerate weights with 60% loads will carry over
to the heavier loads IF one practices moving the heavy weights fast as well.
This too is a skill.

Yet its an entirely different thing when one only has to do a single rep and
there is no eccentric contraction FIRST to get the feel of it like the first rep
of a press. Its almost like a single rep deadlift; the first rep is ALWAYS the
hardest.

If the reps are done in a touch-and-go fashion, then each successive rep is
easier until muscle fatigue sets in. With no eccentric loading first on the
deadlift, or the kettlebell press for a single, one has to be able to commit ALL
his or her energy and focus into driving hard into the rep without losing ANY
form or total body tightness.

It is no small task, especially if one doesnt have much experience with single
rep efforts. Strength is a skill and one rep max efforts are a very specific
subset of that skill. Many miss that rep, not because they are not strong
enough, but because they dont have enough experience with maximum
effort for just one repetition.

This type of training addresses that problem specifically. The program has
two parts, two workouts most effectively separated by two days.

Day one is Speed day; its purpose is to teach and develop perfect form and
accelerative abilities in the standing kettlebell press. Using compensatory
acceleration (meaning each rep will be done using as much accelerative force
as possible) while still maintaining perfect form and short rest periods, the
necessary muscle tension will be developed in the groove.

An important point: When doing the press on speed day, do NOT think of
pressing the bell up. Think of shoving the bell to lockout-from rack position to
lockout in one movement. Of course its not really possible, but you need to
think about it this way in order to move the bell as quickly as possible. The
lower body has to be rock solid and not give an inch as you shove the weight
overhead for this to work. You have to be locked in completely.
This does NOT mean to use sloppy form to move the weight fast-just the
opposite. Learning to move the weight very fast will require optimal

biomechanics. Just like you cant spring fast with bad biomechanics; neither
can you press fast or heavy.

One can only do 3-6 repetitions above 90% 1RM effectively, but in this
method you will be trying to do 30 reps with 100% force (or as close as
feasible). Westside uses jump stretch bands and/or chains to accommodate
leverage in the squat and bench exercises and while this can be done with a
kettlebell press its not in the starting phase. You will learn to control the bell
while still maximally accelerating it. This is especially important when you
push hard and the bell seems to go nowhere, at first. The ability to keep
pushing and not lose the groove is the key to making max effort lifts.

The second day is Max Effort day; a variety of same but different versions
of the press will be done. I will suggest a few basic variations, but its up to
the individual lifter to decide which movements actually transfer for them,
into the main lift. This will take some experimentation eventually but for now
go through this cycle exactly at least two times before subbing out.

Its VERY important to understand that max effort lifts must be done with NO
psych or increase in blood pressure. Just take the lift in a workmans type
fashion. This will equate to approximately a 90% effort in competition but
thats not important. What is important is that you get used to pressing very
heavy weights for single reps almost casually; just another day at the office.

The easiest way to get stronger is to lift maximum weights. The only problem
with a program of maximum loads is that you only get 2-4 weeks of progress
before you go backwards. Fast. This program circumvents that by switching
the variation every 1-3 weeks; same but different. This way you get your
body used to very heavy single reps but in a neurological pattern that is
slightly different from the classic lift for which you are training.

After the main press on each day, a variety of assistance exercises will be
done to build the foundation muscles of the press. Their order of use should
be decided based upon your weak points. If your lats are a weakness in the
press, do lat exercises first. If its your shoulders, start there. Still do a lat
move but put it in order of weakness. If its your strongest muscles do them
last.

This will change as working on your weak points continues. It is a seven week
program with a test in the seventh week. Reassess after each testing and
new PR as your weak links will change very often.

Heres the routine:

Kettlebell Press Speed day: Monday

(choose a bell approximately 60% of your CURRENT best 1RM standing
military press)
ALL sets are to be done on one arm before switching to your second arm.
START with the weak arm first.

Kettlebell press
60% x 8-10 sets of 3 reps, 20 seconds rest between sets, then do second
arm.
(Start each press from DEAD pause in the rack position. Press it as strongly as
possible and then pause at the top with a 1 count. Let the weight down
quickly but do not drop it. Pause and repeat.)

Loaded cleans (one kettlebell size up from the press)

5 sets of 5 with 2 second pause in rack, focus on zipping up the entire body;
a standing plank.

Tactical pull-ups
3-5 sets of 3 with pause at top of rep, 30 second rest/set

Floor kettlebell extensions (paused on floor behind head)

Lie on the floor with a kettlebell behind your head. Hold the horns of the bell,
elbows tucked in. From a pause extend your arms and flex the triceps hard.

Lower back to the floor and pause for one second. Repeat. The goal of this is
to work the triceps but also to accelerate the bell quickly too as you build
more triceps meat.
5-6 sets of 8 of a challenging kettlebell (dont worry about pushing this
weight up its for hypertrophy)

Kettlebell side raises

Hold light kettlebells (or dumbbells) at your side and with slightly bent elbows
lift them to shoulder level or slightly above. This is a classic side lateral done
for eons by bodybuilders. The kettlebells give it a slightly different feel but
the goal is to work the medial deltoid and create more shoulder mass and
stability.
3-5 sets of 10-12
(this for medial deltoid work and supraspinatus stability)

Max Effort: Thursday

Each Thursday for six weeks, you will perform a variation of the press.

Do 3-6 singles with the SAME WEIGHT. You can stay with each variation for 13 weeks increasing the number of sets each week -if you can. When you miss
or go backwards, change to the next variation. You could also change
variations every week if you like. If the first cycle around you can only get
three singles, the next time you do it, shoot for 4 (and so on). The idea is to
prepare both physically and mentally for just ONE rep sets and get used to
grinding through maintaining perfect form.

If you miss a rep, miss it like a professional (maintaining perfect form tension
and alignment). Keep your focus the entire time.

Rest as much as desired between sets but at least two minutes.

Week One

Bottoms-up Kettlebell Press

Week Two
Stacked Kettlebell Press

Week Three
Floor press with single kettlebell

Week Four
Kettlebell Get-up

Week Five
Medium grip weighted pushups on floor or to a bar in the power rack (2 sets
to 90% failure- if you tried one more rep you would miss) reps between 15
and 30.

Week Six (De-load)

Kettlebell military press with one bell up from Mondays weight for 5 sets of 1
done perfectly strict.

Week Seven (Test)

Test Kettlebell military press: work up in single after using Mondays weight.
Rest 3-5 minutes between attempts.

Assistance work:

Loaded clean OR Bottoms-up clean

Work up to 1-2 sets of 1-2 reps with goal weight or above on clean and one

below on bottoms-up OR as heavy as safe as possible on bottoms-up clean.

Must be able to pause each strongly for 2-3 seconds for it to count.

A loaded clean is where you do a regular kettlebell clean but tighten up the
entire body, from the toes to your nose, as if someone where hanging their
entire bodyweight off the kettlebell in the rack position. Zip it up for 1-2
seconds and do the next rep.

The ability to tighten up the entire body just before pressing is vital for single
max rep success.

Heavy two hand swings (for rooting stability)

5 sets of 8-10

Kettlebell row of your choice

3-5 sets of 5, heavy add weight each set

Weighted abdominal work of your choice

3-5 sets of 5-8

Thats it. On your other training days do as you like but dont fatigue the
pressing muscles. As important as the exercises and the loads are, your
mindset is equally key. You must get used to the idea of only one rep as the
set. Each single rep has many components to it and you must get used to
all of them, the setup, the breathing, the tension where you need it, etc.

Most important is controlling your mind so it does not wander when it comes
to starting and finishing that heavy weight. Visualize the lift from start to
finish EVERY TIME you are to get under a max effort. SEE IT. You cant spend
too much time practicing mentally. It is vital.