03 Nov Ultimate Kettlebell Strength & Conditioning: The Double-X Program

Here’s a pretty sweet kettlebell strength and conditioning program I use with double kettlebells.

It’s not a kettlebell complex.

It’s a fast paced circuit moving from exercise to exercise with short rest periods and “fast and loose” drills in between each exercise.

I call it the Double-X Program for two reasons.

First, it’s a double kettlebell program.

And, second, you can interchange the core exercise (the X).

X is the core exercise and I’ll show you below in the example where X is the double kettlebell swing.

The goals of this training session are many, but include improving total body strength, enhanced conditioning, skill improvement with double kettlebells, explosive strength, and can certainly be done for fat loss or hypertrophy, as well.

Let me show you how it works and then how to adjust the program.

THE DOUBLE-X PROGRAM (TEMPLATE)

• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE CLEAN AND PRESS X 5
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE SNATCH X 5 (*substitute the single KB snatch, if you haven’t learned the more advanced doubles)
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE CLEAN AND FRONT SQUAT X 5
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL PRESS X 5
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE PUSH PRESS X 5
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• RENEGADE ROWS X 5 each side
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE JERKS (*substitute push press, if you don’t have your Jerks yet)
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE CLEANS X 5
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10
• DOUBLE SNATCH X 5 (*as above, substitute singles if needed)
• DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWINGS X 10

You can see from the program that each exercise is interspaced with a set of kettlebell swings (that’s the X).

The double kettlebell swing volume here is 100 reps (10 sets of 10), which is quite a bit of volume for doubles and can really wipe you out if you’re using the right weight.

This is where you interchange the core exercise (the X).

What else can you use as the “X” exercise?

Keep it simple with only the fundamentals, like presses, front squats, cleans, or snatches (single only for the snatch).

The difference is that your rep count would drop to 5 instead of 10 for the other exercises.

So, instead of 100 reps, you’re doing 50 (10 sets of 5, with the exception of snatches, as I mention).

You could also perform a single turkish get up as the X, if you want.

What if you’re doing presses for the “X” and the next set is presses?

Simple, just look at the list and substitute it with an opposing exercise such as renegade rows or front squats.

Understand what I mean?

Just make an appropriate substitution so that you’re not doing an exercise 3 times in the program sequence.

How do you use this program?

This works great for “variety days” in my opinion.

Because this program works well for so many different things, I like to use it when I’m working on skill development and for general strength and conditioning (when I’m in between programs, for example).

It could be done as a specific program for a short mesocycle, but the way I use it is as I just described.

Take the rest you need between sets, but work to keep the flow.

Work on your skills and technique and don’t let things get sloppy (if they do, take more rest between sets).

And, don’t compromise quality of movement for quantity, so if you start feel trashed, I’d just end the session and go to some mobility work.

If you have double kettlebbell skills, this is an effective way to refine your techniques and build up an exceptional level of strength and conditioning.

Give it a try or save it for later and let me know what you think.