Who Reigns Supreme: The Barbell or Kettlebell?! 75 unbroken Kettlebell Swings via Timothy Ferriss

Sep 10, 20222 min read

Who reigns supreme? The barbell or kettlebell?

This is an easy answer: B.O.A.F.... BOAF (an in both).

Here's why:

The barbell is unparalleled in strength gains. The kettlebell cannot compete with the amount of weight you can load on the bar.

Hold up though, the kettlebell is unrivaled in its versatility and portability. If I could, would travel with my barbell everywhere but it is tough to squeeze in the car. However, I can grab my 70 lbs kettlebell and take in the car anywhere. The stability and core gains you get from this piece of equipment are next level.

My favorite kettlebell exercise is the Russian Kettlebell Swing (KBS). It is so simple and effective. The KBS is one of the most effective conditioning tools while also increasing strength and power in the glutes, core, and hamstrings.

While being simple, the KBS might be the exercise I see most often done with incredibly poor form in the gym. This exercise is a hinge, not a squat. This is not a shoulder exercise, we drive with the hips. Now, I am not a KB disciple and when I pick it up there's not some drawn out process. I just deadlift it off the ground, brace my core, and begin the exercise.

Challenge: The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss is a great read. A bit out there but thought provoking and a ton of great info. My took big takeaways: eat a few Brazil nuts daily (that's for another article) and do Kettlebell Swings.

His challenge in the book was to build to being able to perform 75 unbroken KBS with a heavy weight with proper form. Do that and you could be done working out for the day in a few minutes. In doing 75 unbroken swings properly you will increase cardiovascular endurance, build a stronger posterior chain, increase your grip strength, crush your core, and forge insane mental toughness! Who is up for the challenge?

Start small with 25 unbroken reps with your chosen weight and over time build to 75 reps in a row. It must be heavy enough to challenge you. I used 70 lbs.

Key points:

On any lift, begin with a braced core

Hinge at the hips

Slight bend in the knees at the bottom of each swing

Drive up by forcefully squeezing the glutes

At the top, don't lean backwards

Repeat