Kettlebell Blocks

Equipment tier: kettlebells — one or two kettlebells available. No barbell, no rack, no bench. If the user also has bodyweight capability, the composer can pick from either tier's blocks.

Source of truth for kettlebell blocks. Each ## slug section is one block. All kettlebell blocks are foundation kind — sport-specific and injury blocks live in bodyweight-blocks.md.

Schema reference

See bodyweight-blocks.md for the full schema and field definitions.

Intensity scaling

• high — sets and RPE as written
• moderate — sets as written, RPE − 1 (min 5)
• low — sets − 1 per exercise (min 2; exercises authored at < 3 sets unchanged), RPE − 2 (min 4)

Some blocks define a low_override when the default rule produces a bad result.

Foundation

kettlebell-staple

Minimalist two-movement full-body block. Heavy swings plus get-ups. Inspired by the classic minimalist kettlebell template, capped at 6 sets because higher volume is too much alongside a marathon block. The bell weight scales with the athlete — 16kg early, 32kg+ advanced. Block structure stays fixed.

• Kind: foundation
• Intent: general
• Equipment: kettlebells
• Target: Full Body
• Phases: base, build, peak, taper
• Neuromuscular Load: moderate
• Metabolic Load: moderate

Exercises

Low override

Default low scaling (sets − 1) would give 5×10 + 5×1 — still a lot of volume for a recovery day. Override:

heavy-kb-ballistics

Heavy kettlebell ballistics programmed for strength. Low reps, long rest, heavy bell. Swings build the hip hinge under load; cleans and snatches add pulling and overhead work. Rests are long enough to produce maximum force on every rep — this is strength work that happens to look explosive.

• Kind: foundation
• Intent: max_strength
• Equipment: kettlebells
• Target: Full Body
• Phases: base, build
• Neuromuscular Load: high
• Metabolic Load: low

Exercises

clean-and-thruster-complex

Single-bell complex that destroys you in fifteen minutes. One rep = clean → front squat → press on the way up → return to rack → drop back into the next clean. All reps on one side without putting the bell down, then switch. A brutal test of strength, work capacity, and grip.

• Kind: foundation
• Intent: power
• Equipment: kettlebells
• Target: Full Body
• Phases: base, build
• Neuromuscular Load: high
• Metabolic Load: high

Exercises

Execution note: One rep = clean + front squat + press + return to rack. Complete all reps on one side before switching arms. Do not put the bell down mid-set.

kettlebell-strength-four

Four-movement single-bell strength session. Covers the fundamental patterns: squat, press, pull, hinge. Less technical than the ballistic blocks, easier to scale for newer kettlebell athletes while still producing real strength adaptation.

• Kind: foundation
• Intent: general
• Equipment: kettlebells
• Target: Full Body
• Phases: base, build, peak, taper
• Neuromuscular Load: moderate
• Metabolic Load: moderate

Exercises