RKC News - March 2015

Most people swinging the kettlebell either work with an interval timer or simply do X sets of Y repetitions. Both work – but can get boring over time. Ladders are an interesting addition to program design. They allow you to vary the intensity of a session and thus optimally align with the respective training goal. This way, more reps can be performed, you stay fresh longer, and there are different phases where you can go all out, but also have the opportunity to recover. Practicing technique and conditioning can thus be incorporated within the same training session.

Different Types of Ladders:

The ascending ladder starts low and increases the number of reps with each step. It is suitable for gradually easing into training and focusing particularly on technique in the first shorter sets. E.g.: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

The descending ladder is the exact opposite, allowing for significantly more clean reps to be achieved than with a constant set length. E.g.: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

The pyramid is a combination of an ascending and a descending ladder. It features the highest intensity in the middle of the training session. E.g.: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

The saw is another variation where several short ascending ladders are completed one after the other. This also allows for a greater number of clean reps to be realized, and you can recover in between. E.g.: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.

The ascending saw also involves several short ladders placed one after the other, but each starts (and ends) one step higher than the previous one. E.g.: 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5.

You can do ladders on your own, incorporate them as round counters in supersets, or combine several ladders together. There are no limits to creativity. A tricky variation is the combination of an ascending and a descending ladder – this shifts the focus from one exercise to another throughout a session. What was easy at the beginning becomes increasingly challenging and vice versa.

The oldest known "kettlebell" is located in the Museum of Olympia – it is made of stone and bears the inscription "Bibon pressed it overhead with one hand." This ancient piece of sports equipment weighs 143.5 kg and is nearly 70 cm long. Unfortunately, how the legendary Bibon accomplished this remarkable feat has not been passed down.