Mastering Kettlebell Swings: Technique, Benefits, and Progressions

In this episode, my guest is Pavel Tsatsouline, a world-renowned strength and conditioning coach, former military special forces training instructor, author, and founder of StrongFirst—an online school focused on “low-tech, high-concept” training to build strength for men and women of all fitness levels.

We discuss the most effective and efficient ways to build strength, endurance, and flexibility. We cover bodyweight-only, free-weight, and machine-based protocols and describe training splits and lesser-known but highly effective ways to train, especially for people with limited time.

We also discuss local versus systemic nervous system and muscle recovery, how to complete training sessions with increased energy, why training to “failure” is not advised, optimal rest-between-sets protocols to improve performance, and how to vary effort levels across each week and month to ensure regular progress. This episode brings you highly practical, science-supported, and real-world-tested training methods to build strength, endurance, and flexibility from one of the world’s top experts.

Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/YC80Wvt

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Pavel Tsatsouline

00:02:29 Fitness, Strength, Model Athlete

00:07:19 Tool: Essential Training Movements

00:13:46 Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Levels

00:16:29 Dips, Pull-Ups, Farmer Carry, Tools: Kettle Bell Mile, Grip Strength & Longevity

00:29:57 Concentric vs Eccentric Only Movements, Isometric, Tool: Pause Reps

00:38:38 Sponsor: AG1

00:39:53 “Greasing the Groove”, Cramming Analogy, Strength is a Skill

00:48:27 Tool: Greasing the Groove Protocol

00:54:12 Tool: Movement & Motivation; Nervous System

01:00:00 Frequency & Recovery, Heterochronicity, Soviet vs American Training

01:10:25 Soviet vs American Strength Schools, Periodization, Recovery

01:20:00 Sponsors: LMNT & Joovv

01:22:45 Bell Squat, Non-Spine Compressing Leg Work, Tool: Zercher Squat

01:27:15 Machines, Beginners vs Advanced?

01:28:41 Shorter Cycles? Linear & Wave Progression, Step Loading, Variable Overload

01:32:04 Strength & Endurance, Bodybuilding, “Bro Split”

01:40:28 Endurance, Cost of Adaptation, Heart Adaptations

01:46:38 Rest Periods, Interval Training, Tool: German Interval Training 

01:51:34 Tool: Cardiovascular Training, Glycolytic Power Repeats; Muscle Growth

01:57:31 Sponsor: Maui Nui

01:59:00 Rest Period Activities, Tool: Protecting Back

02:04:33 Endurance Training, Anti-Glycolytic Revolution, Specialized vs Variety 

02:11:30 Not Seeking the “Pump”, Repeated Sprint Ability, Tool: Anti-Glycolytic Endurance Training

02:19:06 Seek Soreness or Pump?, Hypertrophy

02:23:05 Tool: Planning Strength & Endurance Training, Individualization

02:32:27 Training Quality, Practiced Skill

02:35:39 Non-Athletes, Strength & Endurance, Training Duration

02:40:20 Post-Exercise Fatigue, Tools: Fragmentation, Feedback, Volume

02:48:01 Pre-Workout Stimulants

02:53:51 Performance & Arousal, Breathing, Disinhibition, Emotion

03:03:42 Train to Failure?, Recovery

03:08:40 Flexibility, Range of Motion Training, Kettle Bell, Tool: Wall Squat

03:14:57 Training for Flexibility; Training as a Practice

03:17:46 Older Adults & Strength Training, Consistency Over Intensity

03:25:08 Body-Weight vs Barbell vs Kettlebell Training

03:34:06 Kettlebell Training, Swings, Power & Endurance

03:41:55 Training Choices, Tool: Simple, Consistent Program

03:47:38 Kids & Training, General vs Specialization?

03:51:21 Core Work, Abdominals, Tools: Tension & Attention; ‘Pressurize’ Abs

04:03:34 Breathing, Force, Strength

04:05:02 Directing Gaze While Weightlifting

04:12:37 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter