Ask Martin Vol. 9: Kettlebells

Question: I enjoy your posts and web site very much. I have incorporated a lot of it into our training routines. This is my third year at the school and we are working at building a throws program literally from scratch and we are starting to make a little progress. I have a couple questions for you? Do you incorporate pud (kettlebell throws) in training? If so, what weight ranges do you use, type of throws (1 turn, opposite side throws, left arm, right arm), before or after throwing the hammer, etc.? -Paul

You’ve heard me say it before and I will keep on saying it: after technique, special strength is the most important aspect of training. It is more important than general strength training (e.g. squats, Olympic lifts, etc.). To read a little more about why I think special strength is so important, read this post from 2009 or this article about Bondarchuk’s training philosophy.

The best way to train special strength is by throwing, and that is why probably 60% of my training is spent in the ring. After throwing, the next best way to train special strength is through ‘imitation’ exercises with implements like the kettlebell, pud, or similar hunk of metal.

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