Which Exercises You Should (...and shouldn't) Do With DOUBLE Kettlebells? | Dan John
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2025
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Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.
Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. Dan is also a Senior Lecturer for St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.”
In 2015, Dan wrote Can You Go? on his approach to assessments and basic training. In addition, Before We Go, another compilation akin to Never Let Go became an Amazon Bestseller.
In early 2017, Dan’s book, Now What?, his approach to Performance and dealing with “life,” became a Bestseller on Amazon. Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge became available in September 2017, too.
Thank you very much Coach for sharing all that knowledge for free. That's rare.
My pleasure!
I've been doing ABCs since I learned about them from your videos. I felt the 24kgs we very manageable and my family got me some 32kgs. I was having trouble with the squat portion until this video helped me realize that I wasnt packing my shoulders or holding my hands/arms in a good position. Feels MUCH better now! The weight made me realize that I was getting away with some poor technique!
Thanks again! Your simple explanations make it incredibly easy to incorporate your wisdom into my workout.
That’s fabulous. Thanks for sharing this with me. And by the way, the 32s are a big deal.
Having found out about you because of the Armour Building Complex and Mark Wildman mentioning you in one of his videos I am so grateful for this creation Dan. When I first attempted it I played it safe and just did it 12 KGs on each arm and a Burpee (as I got restless with the light weight) for a 30min EMON as recommended. Then I upgraded to 16KGs 30min EMON with the Burpee of course!!! Takes me about 30 seconds to do everything including the Burpee here. And funnily enough only yesterday when I missed the class at my gym did I decided to try the 20KGs (without a burpee) and did a 20min EMON there. I manage to do it constantly in about 20-25seconds with 20KGs the time increased at the end because those squats were taking longer and I felt like I was getting stuck a little at the end. Breathing though too here is so important to get through it. The goal is to do 30min EMON with 32KGs on each arm and for fun why not throw in that Burpee too! Also for Fun I may go back and get rid of the Burpee and do 16KGs Armour Building complex but instead of every minute every 30 seconds and aim for 15min to start. Effectively doing the same volume in half the time. Thanks again Dan for all what do and keep up the good work!
This is great to read. Thank you.
So cool! You’re strong, pal. Those are distant goals for me, but I’m on my way!
Love the thumbnail and increased production quality Dan!
Thanks! We are trying.
This bloke is so amazing with his explanations his 2 1 3 Armour Building Complex is the Bollocks
Is that good or bad?
Ok sorry that was just so slang from across the pond😅
It means the best of the best !
I am 56 now I played Rugby 🏉 to a good level when I was younger . I had a rather abusive training regime of Deadlifts and Barbell Clean and press mainly which took a bit of a toll on my body. Recently got into Kettlebells and avidly watch your stuff on UA-cam
@@DanJohnStrengthCoach The Dog's Bollocks are unequivocally good
The problem with moving from goblet squat to double KB front squats is the additional weight pulls your shoulders forward in a different way. You need to keep your shoulders packed like coach John said, make sure you keep your back straight, lean back and squat down in the hole between your legs not over your legs if you get my meaning. If you are looking at your knees on the way down it will pull you forward. Probably easier to demonstrate than explain ;)
Well said
Dan, the ABC is a marvel.
Kudos, Dan! Like the questioner, I too have had problems with double KB front squat. It felt like my sides wanted to explode. I am strong enough with the press, swing, pullups, etc. probably from decades of doing "bodybuilding" type workouts for the upper body and only machines for lower body. My core is weaker than it should be.
At any rate, I always felt I racked the KBs well enough, but after seeing this podcast, the next workout I made sure to drive my thumbs into my clavicle. Lo and behold, success! The inch or so gap between my thumb and chest apparently made a big difference on the load on my core. Now the exercise is still challenging at 2x24kg, but now it's a good challenge and not one that I fear will hurt my back.
You rule, Dan John
But I am a gentle ruler...
I do double KB deadlifts, but add heavy (and multiple) bands for top end resistance, since I only workout at home now. It's not the same as a barbell DL, of course, but works for me, and I no longer worry as much about injury.
Totally. The barbell maybe a better tool in a gym, but logistically for the home gym user, doing more reps with bells is going to take a lot less space and equipment.
Dan - im a recent discoverer of your excellent learning material. Amazing. The content is great - and the way that you express it makes it the best there is. The ABC is a regular for me now. Progressed from double 20's to offset 24 and 26 d-kettlebells ABC for 10 rounds. Thank you.
Thank you for this Coach, I'm a big fan of the ABC complex. Was wondering your thoughts on using offset Kettlebells for it? Like a 20 and 24KG? Thank you
It's really is pretty good...try it out. Just switch every round.
Added swings to initiate the ABC and it's working out well, also changing up the reps between 2-3-2-3 for strength and 3-3-3-3 and 4-4-4-4 for volume.
But I have to disagree that ABC exhausts the potential for double KB. Almost anything done with single can be upgraded to a double with good results, including snatch and getups. Just have to careful about progression and solidify technique with singles on both sides.
"Collision sports" term he uses. I like that!
Dear Sir, I have a question. When swinging for sports performance(rugby & sprint), which is better, a heavy kettlebell (KB48) or a normal (KB24 or 32) swing?
Not a KB expert, but I know with barbells you’d pick the lighter weight for low reps (3-5) done as fast and explosively as possible (with good fourth of course lol) with lots of rest in between sets, for like 5-7 sets. So I’m guessing the same set-rep scheme can be done with KBs but I dunno lol
Great info
Glad you think so!
I have never understood why people insist on deadlifting kettlebells. Although I do love a single leg deadlift as a warmup/prehab/rehab movement.
Single leg DLs are pretty good!
I think it has its place (the single) on beginners JUST starting out. My wife has since moved onto the trap bar, but I started her out with a single 45lb and it really got her in the hip hinge groove.
@@jculbert2221 I agree with that, actually. My wife does them as well and probably won't move on to the trap bar. It's just that I often see them promoted by trainers who view the kettlebell as a do-everything tool. It simply isn't. During the pandemic, when all I (and my clients) had was a couple kettlebells, a medicine ball, and myself, I programmed accordingly. Which meant no deadlifts for a few months. That was ok.
QL stamina
I use Kball DL for burnout sets to fry my quads. Has helped me playing ice hockey through my 40s and now into my 50s.
Double kbs deadlift,why not,heavy load is overated for recrational purpose and in general for people who just want to to stay functional with their hinge movement..u can always play with the tempo with double kbs deadlift and have a great functional hinge movement in check..traditional deadlift with heavy load for an average joe who just want to get more fit and functional is to risky..
Maybe it's a mobility issue? He has tight ankles or weak abs/lower back? Go lighter with double kettlebells? They definitely "feel" heavier than one thinks!
Its very different to do double presses wirh 2 20 or 16 kg kettlebell compared to double 24 kg. But squats feels easier to transition to. I still have issues with 24kg double press but easily do 24 kg squats almost feels like 20kg ones esp 3 squats but two clean and one press feels a lot harder..
It’s interesting for me to see how people react differently to every exercise program I put together. Thank you for the feedback.
I have a hip replacement and cannot do goblet or deep squats. Cam I get benefits from partial squats?
I would clear it with your doctor. I have double hip replacements and I’m OK but I also took a lot of time building up to it.
💪
Nice gun.
I’ve added kettlebells to my workouts for mobility and functionality now that I’m in my 30s… what do you think about the kettlbell gorilla rows for added strength to the pull?
I'm not sure what those are...literally, not a day has gone by in the past two weeks where someone has asked here (or on the site) a question about an exercise I don't know. I still think the classics are best...save the Goblet Squat, Slosh Pipe, Loaded Carries, Suitcase Carries....
@@DanJohnStrengthCoacha gorilla row is an alternating bent over row. A good pulling exercise in my opinion
@@DanJohnStrengthCoachwhat's a slosh pipe?
Gorilla Rows are a great concept to build strength. I use them often because you can either perform the movement like a bent over row. OR because you have a KB in each hand start to learn variations. Some make the row easier and some make it hard Top down Gorilla row, where you hold the weight at the top in-between reps, instead of the bottom. Make it more challenging.
Question Sir : when double kb pressing up, when i pack up my shoulders i feel pain in the middle of my spine. Any corrections that could help ? Thank you and best regards from France.
PS. I am 52
Do the single side variations bug you?
Coach, I know you don't approve double KB snatch because of the risk involved but what about double KB high-pull?
It's not my favorite move...in fact, I would have to spend some time thinking of a worse one.
There's only talking :\
It's a clip from a podcast. I am so very sorry to disappoint you.