Let's Talk About Kettlebell HIIT

[howardrf]

Hello Comrades!

I know that there are mixed thoughts about HIIT in this sub, so I wanted to open up a discussion so we can all share our collective knowledge. I'm a mod over at r/HIIT and would appreciate your thoughts on HIIT because your ideas will help me provide better guidance to the community.

I don't think that HIIT is the best workout. I just think that it provides a good structure and keeps you focused when you are short on time. That was the key for me. I wanted to learn how to use my limited time effectively throughout the week even when I can't make it to the gym. Now, I do my longer workouts on the weekend.

I wrote a Beginner's Guide for our sub that breaks down the basic elements, but I am only providing what I think are the three most important topics for us to discuss:

1. Structuring the Workout
2. Sample Kettlebell HIIT Routine
3. Research on Kettlebell HIIT

Please feel free to jump in about anything that you think is important and thank you.

Structuring the Workout​

There are several research protocols that were designed to test the impact of HIIT. Each protocol followed a basic structure that included a warm-up, intervals, and then a cool-down with various durations. Here is the basic structure of a HIIT workout:

[h4]Warm-Up[/h4]

• Time: 3-5 minutes (or more) of low-to-moderate intensity exercise depending on your fitness level.
• Note: Warm up properly to prepare your muscles for the intensity of the workout.

[h4]Intervals[/h4]

• Time: 6-10 sets of 30/60, 30/30, 20/40, 20/20, 20/10 (Working Intervals/Recovery in seconds).
• Note: You can adjust the amount of time for the working intervals and the resting intervals to make it easier or harder.

[h4]Cool-Down[/h4]

• Time: 3-5 minutes (or more) of low-intensity exercise depending on your fitness level.
• Note: You can cool-down by walking or stretching after your workouts.

Sample Kettlebell HIIT Routine​

Overview​

The Kettlebell HIIT Routine has three HIIT workouts that will be completed three times per week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) with a longer workout on Saturday. Generally, an average man should use a 16kg Kettlebell and an average woman should use an 8kg kettlebell. If you are an advanced athlete, this weight will be too easy for you. You should adjust the intensity of the program to make it more difficult. Here are the three Kettlebell HIIT intervals:

1. Double-Handed Swings (20/40)

• 10 sets of 20 seconds double-handed swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds active rest

2. Single-Handed Swings (20/40)

• 5 sets of 20 seconds of right-hand swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest
• 5 sets of 20 seconds of left-hand swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest

3. Snatches (20/40)

• 5 sets of 20 seconds of right-hand snatches (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest
• 5 sets of 20 seconds of left-hand snatches (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest

Note: As you improve, you should increase the weight of your kettlebell, decrease the amount of time for recovery, or increase the amount of time of your working interval.

Workouts​

[h4]1. Double-Handed Swings[/h4]

Warm-Up	3-5 minutes of light activity (squats/deadlifts with kettlebell or jumping jacks)
Intervals	10 sets of 20 seconds double-handed swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds active rest
Cool-Down	2-5 minutes of walking, foam rolling or stretching
Total Time	15-20 minutes

Workout
Details

[h4]2. Single-Handed Swings[/h4]

Warm-Up	3-5 minutes of light activity (squats/deadlifts with kettlebell or jumping jacks)
Intervals (1)	5 sets of 20 seconds of right-hand swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest
Intervals (2)	5 sets of 20 seconds of left-hand swings (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds of active rest
Cool-Down	2-5 minutes of walking, foam rolling or stretching
Total Time	15-20 minutes

Workout
Details

[h4]3. Snatches[/h4]

Warm-Up	3-5 minutes of light activity (squats/deadlifts with kettlebell or jumping jacks)
Intervals (1)	5 sets of 20 seconds right-hand snatches (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds active rest
Intervals (2)	5 sets of 20 seconds left-hand snatches (16kg/8kg) / 40 seconds active rest
Cool-Down	2-5 minutes of walking, foam rolling or stretching
Total Time	15-20 minutes

Workout
Details

Schedule (4-Weeks)​

1	Double-Handed Swings	Rest	Double-Handed Swings	Rest	Single-Handed Swings	Swings and Snatches	Rest
2	Double-Handed Swings	Rest	Single-Handed Swings	Rest	Double-Handed Swings	Swings and Snatches	Rest
3	Snatches	Rest	Double-Handed Swings	Rest	Snatches	Swings and Snatches	Rest
4	Snatches	Rest	Single-Handed Swings	Rest	Snatches	Swings and Snatches	Rest

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

[h4]Rest Days[/h4]

Although there are no scheduled workouts for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, our philosophy for rest days is that you should participate in active recovery. Active recovery means taking the stairs rather than the elevator at work. Heading outdoors during the day for sunlight and Vitamin D. Walking around the office building during a lunch break. Anything that keeps you moving with a low-impact exercise (like walking, elliptical, stretching or foam rolling) at an easy pace which will allow your muscles to recover faster and decrease fatigue. We have marked Saturday on the calendar as a day to consciously go outdoors. Light activity helps your muscles recover fast after a workout because it promotes blood flow and the transportation of nutrients to the active muscle groups. Take advantage of your rest days and go outdoors!



[h4]Post-Workout Analysis[/h4]

At the end of each workout, you can do a post-workout analysis to review whether the workout was too easy or difficult. By doing this analysis, you will understand what is working for you and what can be changed. The four week plan will guide your progression, but you are in control and can always adjust the variables that make these workouts more or less frequent, intense, and time consuming. The five questions in the post-workout analysis are:

1. How did the workout feel from a scale of 1 to 10 (easy to hard)?
2. Did I complete each interval as expected?
3. Do I want to change the intensity level during the next workout? Why or why not?
4. How will I change the intensity level during the next workout?
5. What is my goal for today?

It is good idea to track this information in a journal, so you can see your progression and know whether you want to increase the intensity of the workout during the following week or go back to a lighter exercise instead.

Research on Kettlebell HIIT​

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Demands of the Kettlebell Swing using Tabata Interval versus a Traditional Resistance Protocol

Tabata (TAB) training, consisting of eight cycles of 20 seconds of maximal exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, is time-efficient, with aerobic and anaerobic benefit. This study investigated the cardiovascular and metabolic demands of a TAB versus traditional (TRAD) resistance protocol with the kettlebell swing. Fourteen young (18–25y), non-obese (BMI 25.7±0.8 kg/m2) participants reported on three occasions. All testing incorporated measurements of HR, oxygen consumption, and blood lactate accumulation. Each participant completed Tabata kettlebell swings (male- 8kg, female- 4.5kg; 8 intervals; 20s maximal repetitions, 10s rest). On a subsequent visit (TRAD), the total swings from the TAB protocol were evenly divided into 4 sets, with 90s rest between sets. Outcome measures were compared using paired t-tests. The TAB was completed more quickly than the TRAD protocol (240.0±0.0 v. 521.5±3.3 sec, P

 

[dawn16]

@howardrf I do swings on my "rest" days. Great for stimulating muscle growth without overworking muscles.

 

[howardrf]

@dawn16 Interesting. How long have you been working out and do you exercise everyday?

 

[dawn16]

@howardrf I exercise M-F do weights 3x a week and swings 2-3x a week in between . Been weight lifting for 6 straight months, before that body weight fitness and gymnastic rings.

I recently had hip surgery 2 weeks ago so I won't be swinging for a little while. I changed up my workout routine to reflect that (no lower body) so I am doing a variation of full body workouts 4x a week. My focus is compound lifts. One day is slow tempo lifts(3x5). The next day is low volume, low rep, medium-high weight (3x3), 3rd day rest (from weights) 5/3/1+ and 5th day high volume at recovery weights (.4 max, progressing to .6 of my max).

I'd love to try to add kettlebells in there when my doctor says its safe. Before I had surgery I would do anywhere from 150-200 swings, alternating 2h and 1h. Thinking about adding like hiit with timed intervals on my 3rd off day, and maybe focus on doing 100 good swings on my weight days for warmup or burn at the end of my workout.

 

[howardrf]

@dawn16 Thanks for sharing this and hope you recover soon! Adding in 100 2h light swings at the beginning of a workout is something that I will try too.

 

[jim35215]

@howardrf This is a great post!

I have a few questions. First, what is your opinion on the benefit of strict HIIT versus just doing a comparable amount of work at a slightly lower level of intensity. For example, if person's fitness level enables them to do 200 snatches in 10 minutes on a strict HIIT timer, how much less beneficial would it be to do that in 12 or 13 minutes? I think significantly less effective; you can gain a lot of cardio output form ten minutes of exercise, but it has to be intense, the heart rate has to get to the maximum safe level.

Minor critique of your program, which is excellent overall- 100 kettlebell snatches before switching sides is very taxing on grip strength, 100 swings is depending on weight. If you set an interval timer for 30 seconds, you can do 10 swings every 30 seconds, you have just enough time between sets to dry your hands, possibly apply chalk, and switch sides. That way you get 100 swings in 5 minutes. 10 snatches takes about 20 seconds, which can vary a little depending on how long you stay locked out at the top. 10 swings takes almost exactly 15 seconds, the timing is as regular as a pendulum.

From your third study:

Thus, the 4-week 15:15 MVO2 kettlebell protocol, using high-intensity kettlebell snatches,

This is the Viking Warrior Protocol if anyone is interested. Get your snatch form perfect before starting.

 

[whisperpoetry]

@jim35215 I've got no credentials but Tim Ferriss interviewed Dr. Martin Gibala who has studied HIIT extensively and to sum up what he had to say: HIIT at any intensity provides more beniefits than traditional cardio but to really get the most out of it you should go at an intensity that makes you want to puke. I went a few weeks using his recommended 5, 3- minute intervals with kettle bell swings with great results.

 

[howardrf]

@jim35215 Thank you for the feedback! This is great and the question is probably one of the most important questions that everyone wants to know - is it necessary to go all-out to get the benefits of HIIT.

I agree that there is definitely a difference between all-out and sub-maximal intensities in results for any type of exercise. Also, the research that I cite below used a stationary bike rather than kettlebell training, so it is not the best reference, but it is still interesting to read to understand how the different intensities impacted results.

The Tabata, Wingate, and One-Minute Workouts went above the VO2max to the highest all-out efforts. The Little and Meyers Protocols did not go all-out and were significantly less intense than Tabata/Wingate. The benefits were different, but still consistent with their general position that HIIT can match certain effects of moderate-intensity endurance training (ET).

My opinion is if you have 10-20 minutes to workout for general health and fitness, then you should warm-up and do HIIT. If you have much more time or have specific goals, then focus on the program that is right for you. Hypertrophy depends on resistance training. Weight-loss depends on a change in diet. My fitness journey started with long-distance running and I have always liked running outdoors more than sprints at the track, but I save my runs for the weekends now and use kettlebells during the week. Exercise should make you feel great, so do what makes you feel great.

The Tabata Protocol	8 sets of 20 seconds of high-intensity (all-out effort at 170% VO2max) / 10 seconds of low-intensity active recovery	Tabata's team found that HIIT on a stationary bike significantly improved aerobic and anaerobic capacity as compared to the moderate-intensity training group
The Wingate Test	4-6 sets of 30 seconds of high-intensity (all-out effort) / 4 minutes of low-intensity	SIT increased skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and induced specific metabolic adaptations during exercise comparable to traditional ET (45 minutes)
The Little Protocol	10 sets of 1 minute high-intensity (~90% HRmax) / 1 minute low-intensity	The study found that a less-intense low-volume HIIT can rapidly improve glucose control and induce adaptations in skeletal muscle that are linked to improved metabolic health in patients with Type 2 Diabetes
The Meyers Protocol	13 sets of 30 seconds of high-intensity (100% VO2max) / 60 seconds of low-intensity	This is more sustainable than an all-out effort like the Tabata or Wingate protocols. The researchers found that interval training had significantly less cardiac stress on the participants and can be recommended to at-risk populations
The One-Minute Workout	3 sets of 20 seconds of high-intensity (all-out effort) / 2 minutes of low-intensity.	Dr. Martin Gibala and his team found that a 1-minute HIIT protocol provided health benefits equivalent to 45-minute ET group

Protocol
Method
Result

 

[valentino]

@howardrf Then protocol looks good for its intent. I get a little nervous when folks recommend snatches in a program without context. It's usually something that is more technical than a swing and requires a fair amount by of practice. Still nice work and I've got a new subreddit to check out.

 

[howardrf]

@valentino Thank you! I definitely would not recommend this for a beginner and didn't go into the details of proper form. I should clarify in the text that this is supposed to be for someone who already has experience with these movements.

Looking forward to seeing you there! Let us know if there is anything to the sub or resources that we can add to make it better.

 

[juancarlos]

@howardrf Man, I only now checked the first research abstract. "Tabata" using 8 kg kettlebells (or 4.5 for women). No wonder the heart rates are so low. I can kind of understand if trainers or just regular people get Tabata wrong, but researchers...

But I guess it doesn't much to be aerobically better than the "traditional" approach.

 

[howardrf]

@juancarlos Yeah good catch. They should have used 16kg.

 

[dawn16]

@howardrf I have a question about swings. I think my form is good but I have not learnt from a coach. I did have horrible form when I started but then one day I just sat back into the swing a little and discovered the whole hamstring utilisation concept.

The problem is that, whenever I do high volume swings, my lower back ends up hurting pretty bad. What can I do to fix this?

 

[juancarlos]

@dawn16 Form issues likely. You forget to brace correctly or let the bell fall too low (hinge too early). Also possibly a hamstring mobility/flexibility issue (check out Active Straight Leg Raise).

 

[howardrf]

@dawn16 Can you send us a form check video? I think it may still have to do with form. Either that or the weight of the kettlebell is too heavy.

 

[lady_of_rohan]

@howardrf If you want to do HIIT, why not do it on a bike? It's the right tool for the job; far lower injury risk, far more efficient and effective.

I mean you could build strength by lifting a bicycle over your head but that wouldn't be as effective as swinging a kettlebell... Choose the right tool for job and you'll get better results.

 

[juancarlos]

@lady_of_rohan Maybe you don't have a bike. Maybe you don't want a bike. Bikes are definitely useful, but there are multiple aspects to training. Why train without a coach since that seems to be most optimal?

 

[lady_of_rohan]

@juancarlos Good point - not everyone does have a bike. Run hill repeats or do shuttle runs then no equipment at all needed (beyond a stop-watch/timer). Injury risk is higher than a bike but lower than using a KB in highly fatigued state.

Is 'why train without a coach' a serious question? Assuming it is:
Cost - coaching is expensive
Even if you can afford a coach, you may not like the coaches or approaches taken by local coaches
Time, the coach you like and can afford may not be free to fit your schedule.

Quick tip though, if you value performance and can afford a coach and that coach recommends any type of fitness program, protocol, or approach based on a study of 8 people, rather than an evidence based approach that has been used successfully by thousands of people before you you might want to reconsider hiring them.

Of course if you favour fun over performance, then do the thing that makes you most happy, that's cool. Just be clear why you are doing it.

 

[juancarlos]

@lady_of_rohan "Why train without a coach" was just a rhetorical question to point out why a more optimal solution might not be suitable, cost being the biggest in this case.

Sure, kettlebells are riskier but I wouldn't recommend them in a highly fatigued state. I don't know if high fatigue is needed for all the cardio gains you could get.

 

[firewatchduty]

@juancarlos I think his point (if poorly stated) is that HIIT should be done to absolute fatigue, which puts you at greater risk of injury with a kettlebell than on a bike. Compare that to S&S, where it is clearly stated you should always leave something in the tank and form is more important than pushing to fatigue.

I don't have a strong opinion on it either way, but I think that is the point comrade SafeHazing was making.