It's Not The Tools, It's How You Use Em'

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "so you do kettlebell training" or "I used to do kettlebell training", well, I'd have a few hundred bucks.  Of which, maybe I'd use to by more kettlebells.  The problem with these comments or statements is not the fact that involves kettlebells, rather, that certain tools have become such a fad or trendy that people are basing their entire conditioning program on them.  A hammer is a great tool for construction, but if you had to build a house, is that the only tool you'd use?  Absolutely not! And if you would, I feel sorry for whoever has to sleep under that roof.

Now, don't get me wrong.  Kettlebells are an excellent tool.  I use them in just about every session.  But to develop every aspect of the athletic performance skill set, you need the help of as many tools possible.  For example, ketllebell swings are a great way to develop good hip drive and glute activation.  The problem is, what's the most weight you can push using a kettlebell? 80? 90 pounds?  Instead, take that same hip drive and reinforce it in other ways (and with potentially more weight). 

Developing an effective training program is less about the actual tools and more about how you implement them into your program and why.  Just because you saw a crazy exercise with a TRX, stability ball, or kettlebell doesn't mean it works.  Even if it does work, make sure you're using it at the right time, in the right way, and for the right reason.  Not just to look cool for YouTube. 

So you saw a great exercise to help develop lower body power.  That's the easy part.  Now, when is the most effective part of your workout to incorporate it?  Is it more beneficial to use it before or after another exercise?  Is this circuit or that circuit?  A hammer and a saw are both great tools, but would you nail a board down and then cut it? 

All in all, rather than asking "do you do kettlebell training", you should ask "how do you use kettlebells in your training".