A while back, I nicknamed a mis-matched kettlebell carry “Strange Friends”. Not only are the two kettlebells used different sizes, they’re also carried in different ways. It’s a physical and mental challenge to say the least. I first tried it after doing a kettlebell windmill with a lighter kettlebell on top and a heavier kettlebell below. After picking both up I thought, “Huh, this would make for a weird but interesting weighted carry…” and thus “Strange Friends” was born.

Here’s the version I designed for an intermediate / advanced client, complete with a toasty warmup (a misnomer, it’s the first half of the workout) to make sure we didn’t freeze outside. It was 40 degrees but the sun was out, so we opted to workout outside… we’ve been having to spend too much time indoors and were happy to bundle up. She began shedding layers pretty quick into this workout, which was a good sign!

We started of course with my riff on the basic HKC joint mobility warmup (btw a very similar routine is in Dan John’s HKC Book), then continued with the RKC hip flexor stretch, the CC Trifecta, and a few other moves specific to my clients’ needs.

Here’s the 4-round toasty toasty warmup:

Start standing, walk your hands down (P.E. class inchworm style) to a pushup position.
Do 4 perfect pushups.
Adjust your feet to a wider stance then walk your hands back (while bending the knees at the same time) until you are in a low bodyweight squat position. If you are not in a squat, you forgot to bend your knees! Walk back out to the pushup position and try it again!
Do 4 bodyweight squats, on the last one, stay down.
Reach behind yourself on one side to transition to a crab walk.
While working to keep the torso stable, lift the opposite arm and leg and touch the two together (right hand to left foot, then left hand to right foot = 1 rep). Do this for four.
Reach forward to get back into a low squat, stand up.
Do 25 swings with a moderate kettlebell (enough for a little grip challenge, but nothing too dramatic – we used 18kg in this case)

Now for the “Strange Friends” portion of the workout. It should be noted that the first round of Neuro-Grip push-ups will determine the subsequent reps. In the example below I was proud to see that the number of reps for my client was actually a new PR! YAY! But, with other levels, you may end up doing singles or a regressed version of Neuro-Grip pushups (or even some crazy advanced version if you’re able to do more than say… 25-30 reps … see this book for regressions, progressions, and extremely creative moves.) The most important thing is to make sure you are doing productive reps for your level–whatever that may be. That was a long-winded way to tell you to do your best to get as many *GOOD* reps with the Neuro-Grips on the first round. If appropriate, decrease the number of reps by two or three each later round. The example below goes by twos. The pattern below is for three rounds, if you have the time and inclination, feel free to go for 4 or more rounds!

12x Neuro-Grip Pushups
6x 1 leg deadlift with kettlebell each side (we used a moderate 20kg kettlebell)
The “Strange Friends” weighted carry:10kg overhead, 26kg suitcase carry. Go 25-30 yards, switch hands, come back.
6x Tire flips (we have a moderately light tire, if yours is lighter, go for 10 flips, if it’s heavier, go for 4 flips)
10 goblet squats with a kettlebell or one of our training stones (choices include 40, 60 and 80lb stones)

10x Neuro-Grip Pushups
6x 1 leg deadlift with kettlebell each side (we used a moderate 20kg kettlebell)
The “Strange Friends” weighted carry:10kg overhead, 26kg suitcase carry. Go 25-30 yards, switch hands, come back.
6x Tire flips (we have a moderately light tire, if yours is lighter, go for 10 flips, if it’s heavier, go for 4 flips)
10 goblet squats with a kettlebell or one of our training stones (choices include 40, 60 and 80lb stones)

8x Neuro-Grip Pushups
6x 1 leg deadlift with kettlebell each side (we used a moderate 20kg kettlebell)
The “Strange Friends” weighted carry:10kg overhead, 26kg suitcase carry. Go 25-30 yards, switch hands, come back.
6x Tire flips (we have a moderately light tire, if yours is lighter, go for 10 flips, if it’s heavier, go for 4 flips)
10 goblet squats with a kettlebell or one of our training stones (choices include 40, 60 and 80lb stones)

We finished the session with a joint mobility cool down and carrying everything back indoors.

Let me know if you try this!

In other news, there’s a TON of items to the Dragon Door Sale page… and oddly enough a lot of these items are real favorites! While I am still WAY BEHIND on various projects after Iceland (including sharing things from Iceland) I wanted to talk about the specific items on this page. This first installement will cover the kettlebells in question. A future post (likely later in the week) will cover the books in the same sort of detail–I have info that you won’t see on the sales pages!

First though, the KETTLEBELLS and the Pavelizer! (and yes I still owe you a detailed Pavelizer video–going to map that out today while I use it… I ate way too much lamb and goat with the neighbors last night at a new Indian restaurant.) But anyway, I’ve never seen Dragon Door kettlebells at these prices. And while they may look like “odd sizes” to the uninitiated, let me explain how I like to use all of these (and I do have ALL of them… LOL… next on Kettlebell Hoarders…):

8kg kettlebell: The starter for many beginners, this innocent looking 18lb kettlebell is a must have (preferably in pairs) for any trainer of the general public. This is the “gateway bell”. More advanced clients and exercisers will enjoy using it for mobility moves like the RKC arm bar, haloes, bottoms-up exercises, and super high rep/long duration sequences. (Like the 5 minutes of continuous get-ups on one side at a time challenge…don’t put it down…) A must-have for group classes, preferably in pairs. From the beginning I made sure to have several available for small groups. You can also really have some fun with people if you toss one of these into the mix for swings… sure, you can swing a 24kg for 30, but then can you keep the 8kg under control right after? Here’s an extreme form of this idea: The Beast and Puppy Workout.

10kg kettlebell: If you’re training women of any level, a pair of the 10kg need to be in your toolkit. They’re a fabulous size for teaching double kettlebell moves to strong/advanced ladies, and they’re a great goal size for those building their strength. The size and shape of the 10kg handles are especially ergonomic and truly a friendly gateway to heavier kettlebells. The 10kg is my teaching kettlebell of choice, most people are willing to try something new with this friendly looking, but still weighty (22lbs) kettlebell. It’s also fantastic for any mobility moves – the RKC Arm Bar, haloes, etc. Lately I’ve taken to setting a timer for 5 minutes and keeping it overhead for the entire time while performing get-ups in constant motion on one side… then taking a break and trying it on the other side. That 10kg adds up FAST over time. BTW that great get-up idea is from the Dragon Door interview I did with Carolyn Taylor Harris.

16kg narrower handle kettlebell: Another game changer for women’s kettlebell training. These kettlebells are exactly like the standard 16kg except they feature a slightly smaller diameter handle. It’s fantastic for snatching… even though my weight class uses the 14kg, I’ve had a pair of the 16kg narrower handled kettlebells on hand for years. Who knows, if I keep devouring all this wonderful local grassfed beef from Baldwin Farms I might add a few more lbs of muscle to my frame and need to use the 16kg. I’ll be ready. While I also have pairs of the standard 16kg kettlebells, it’s fantastic to allow clients and students to choose which they prefer. Really, anyone with smaller hands will love these kettlebells.

18kg kettlebell: This is one of the best odd sizes out there. If you’ve been faithfully training high reps with 16kgs, this 18kg is a great way to bump up the intensity. It’s also a great starter size for men who are learning the kettlebell basics. Double 18kg exercises are especially challenging for most anyone. I love doing double 18kg presses, and they add up QUICK!

22kg kettlebell: Must admit, at first I thought this was the oddest of odd sizes, but have come to love it. While I have been able to press the 24kg for singles on a bad day and doubles or triples on a good day, having a pair of the 22kg in my collection has been super helpful. 24kg is close to my max and 22kg is comfortably just under that. Double 22kg kettlebell exercises definitely make me hungry for a big dinner.

26kg kettlebell: I shouldn’t really admit this in public, but sometimes when a client/student has gotten really good with swinging the 24kg kettlebell, I kinda … sneak this one into their session. This is a “gateway bell” leading to an addiction to heavy kettlebell swings, presses, bent presses etc. It feels enough like the 24kg to inspire confidence, but those extra 2kg set you on the road to heavier pastures. I’m going to get back to pressing this 26kg and the 28kg again on the regular…. at least for singles.

Pavelizer: I first tried the Pavelizer waaay back in the day at one of the original Pavel Bodyweight Workshops from Dragon Door (circa 2011?) and was quickly humbled. Think you’re not using your hip flexors on a sit up? Think again. The Pavelizer will call you out. I love to use it with a breathing pattern that has the exhale on the contraction… then I hold it and keep exhaling… it’s like a much more dignified version of that weird “stomach vacuum” exercise. This is merely observational on my part, but I swear the day after I use the Pavelizer for the recommended 5 sets of 5, I wake up the next day feeling a little slimmer around the tummy region. Now, when/if I ever feel bloated, I get out the Pavelizer!