In-Season Lifting With Double Kettlebells

Over the last 2-3 years, kettlebells have become a part of our strength and conditioning program. Exercises such as swings, goblet squats, and get ups have been incorporated to complement all of the other aspects. I must mention that I like kettlebells but would not consider myself to be a “Kettlebell guy” when it comes to my athletes' training programs. Like barbells and dumbbells, I believe that kettlebells are good tools to have in the toolbox.

As I have found that our players have improved in efficiency and strength in swings and goblet squats, I ask myself “What is the next progression?"

With goblet squats, in the off-season, we will do them for a 3-week phase before transitioning to the traditional barbell front squat for the remainder of the offseason. With swings (which will use year-round), our players have progressed with 1 kettlebell to where they can swing up to a 32k. Explosive hip extension is what I want to see and our players have complied.

With the fact that we currently have a shortened season that includes a large number of games in a short period of time, I felt that I needed to devise an in-season program that will help our players build strength or at least delay the process of losing strength. Usually, in a typical in-season schedule, I want our players to get in brief workouts, especially when we train post-game. However, in the case of this season (2012-2013), I feel like we have even less time to get lifting sessions in.

What I have found is that we can get shorter lifting sessions in by using double kettlebell exercises and complexes. By using double kettlebells, we don't have to spend any additional time changing weights and/or adjusting bar heights for our shorter or taller players. We simply have pairs of 16k's, 20k's, and 24k's lined up on the floor.

Double Kettlebell Swing

I always want our players to be proficient at swings. I like swings because of the movement of the exercise. With hockey players, tight hip flexors and rectus femoris' are common issues. With swings, we will get full hip extension at the top which promotes lengthening of the hip flexors while strengthening the glutes. I feel that the hip extension aspect swings is a good thing for hockey players.

When we transition from 1 bell to 2, we are obviously doubling the weight. The only difference in technique is that we have to have a wider stance. Other than that, everything else remains the same.

Double Kettlebell Press

Although that there are some coaches who will not prescribe overhead pressing for their athletes, we have found them to be more comfortable with kettlebells. Double presses have been a great addition to our program because of them being closed chain with core musculature and upper body pressing demand. We will coach our players to think about pushing their feet through the floor while also squeezing their glutes as they perform the movement. I must mention that we will not prescribe the double kettlbell press for those players who may exhibit asymmetries on the shoulder mobility part of the FMS.

Double Kettlebell Front Squat

The double kettlebell front squat has also been a great addition to our program. Like goblet squats, kettlebell front squats are difficult not to do correctly. The torso will be upright and it is easier to get proper depth. We coach are players to inhale before descending and exhaling while ascending. By having 2 kettlebells, the load can be twice the amount of the Goblet squat so it becomes a better strength exercise. Currently, we are doing complexes of 5 presses followed by 5 front squats.