I Tried the Kettlebell Stair Workout and I Have an Opinion.

Cardio is good for us, but if you don’t like running or spending time on cardio machines at the gym, you probably won’t want to hop on the VO2max improvement train. Luckily(?), there’s a viral workout that promises you can learn to run without running by doing a special resistance workout called a kettlebell ladder. I tried it and I have an opinion.

What is Kettlebell Ladder Training?

The “staircase” concept isn’t exclusive to this workout (or even the proper term for it), but I’ll explain it the way this workout is talked about online.

To perform the Viral Ladder Workout with VO2max kettlebells, you:

1. Do one kettlebell swing while breathing normally (usually you take one breath per rep).

2. Lower the weight and rest for as long as it takes you to take one breath.

3. Do two kettlebell swings and then rest for two breaths.

4. Do three kettlebell wings and then rest for three breaths.

5. Keep up the good work. Once you get to 20, you’ll go back down the stairs.

6. 19 swings, 19 breaths.

7. 18 swings, 18 breaths.

8. And so on, until one.

My gripe with the terminology is that in the sense in which the term is most often used in the kettlebell lifting world, the “ladder” only goes up. A “pyramid” is what you call a repetition pattern that goes up and down. So this is a pyramid. But be that as it may, the name does not really matter.

The idea is that you increase the number of repetitions from one repetition to 20, and then decrease again to one. And in each approach you rest for the same number of breaths as you just did the swings.

What TikTokers (and others) are saying about stair training with kettlebells

Probably the most viral video about this workout comes from a guy who says this workout is “a way to help fast runners become good runners” even if you don’t run. He doesn’t provide any hard evidence for this, just saying that he went through the training and was later able to pass the firefighter exam. (This test, Biddle, looks quite difficult, but I want to point out that it is not a running test.)

The same TikToker later said that he was actually tricking people into getting a good fuck . He then describes the kettlebell swing exercise as a “ballistic hip thrust”, saying that you “shouldn’t use momentum”, which gives me a “flame on the side of my face ” reaction, since ballistic movements are those that use momentum , and I’m starting to wonder if this guy even knows anything about exercise.

But. Kettlebell swings are a real exercise. They can provide a cardio or strength stimulus, or both, depending on how you use them. Kettlebell ladders aren’t a new idea at all, and they definitely didn’t start with this TikToker. I think he did a great job of bringing this idea to the masses. Let’s try it and then discuss.

What It’s Really Like to Do a Staircase Workout with Kettlebells

For you, dear reader, I went down to my garage gym and did 400 swings for the sake of fitness journalism. That’s right: one plus two plus… to 20 and back – that’s exactly 400 swings.

My butt, back and hamstrings hurt for several days . Please do not do 400 kettlebell swings in the same day if you haven’t done any kettlebell swings recently. (And even if you do, consider working your way up to this workout gradually.)

But this is in hindsight. Let’s talk about how it all went.

First I had to choose a kettlebell. I have a variety of models, from very light ones that I can flip and juggle, to big boys that are about 60% of my body weight. I almost grabbed the biggest one, figuring I could probably do a set of 20 reps with it, and this workout ends up having one set of 20 reps.

I must have had a guardian angel watching over me that day because right before I started the timer I said, you know what? I’m going to use a 24 kg (53 lb) kettlebell instead of a 40 (88 lb) kettlebell. If that’s too easy, next time I’ll take 40. Thank you, kind spirit, whoever you are. You were right. I would have died at 40.

Because, again, it’s 400 swings. And sure, technically you only need to do “one” set of 20 reps, but it’s sandwiched between two sets of 19 reps, which are sandwiched between sets of 18 reps, and so on. When in doubt, choose a lighter bell.

And guess what? Everything went perfect . The first few sets felt ridiculously easy: swing, breathe, swing, swing, breathe, breathe. It wasn’t until I was 10 that it started to feel like work, and then when I became a teenager I started thinking, oh god, I’m not even halfway there yet.

But I never doubted that I could do it. I intentionally slowed my breathing between sets because 12 deep breaths provide a longer rest than 12 quick breaths. And I used a weight light enough to not choke. I was wearing a heart rate monitor, and when I looked at the graph later, I realized it was perfect for a challenging, but not lethal, cardio workout. And it fit in a cool 30 minutes.

I spent most of my time in zones 3 and 4. This was not HIIT (which involved jumping between zones 1 and 5), and it was definitely not a low-intensity workout for zone 2. Rather, it was a moderate-intensity steady-state workout. Your heart rate never drops too much during short rests or increases too much during work sets, so there is some fluctuation, but it hovers around the average level. My average heart rate was around 80%.

Does stair training with kettlebells work?

For example, will it improve your VO2max? Likely! But only because almost any type of intense exercise will improve your VO2max in the long term , unless you’re already a professional athlete. Zone 2 will improve it. A Norwegian 4×4 will improve it. Even crap “HIIT” videos can improve it, at least a little.

And guess what? I think there’s something to the initial appeal of working out. If you want to run but hate running and feel more comfortable with a piece of heavy iron in your hands, then this workout might be the perfect training wheels for you. You’ll start to develop your aerobic fitness, and then you can use that fitness to go out for a run and not suffer as much as if you started with running. I’m all about making things more accessible when you’re new . Start where you can.

Would I recommend it to a more experienced runner or athlete? With reservations, yes! It doesn’t take up much time or space and gives you a good balance between work and play (as long as you choose the right kettlebell weight, which is very important). I could definitely add this to your daily routine in lieu of a cardio workout, as long as you still run a lot if running is your goal. (If you don’t care about running? Sure, do it. Pass out.)

How long does a stair workout with kettlebells take?

It took me 28:57, or just under half an hour. It would be difficult to do this much longer (unless you add extra breaks) or much shorter (if you do the full number of swings).

But if you’re just starting out, don’t think you have to jump into a full 1-20-1 pyramid on day one. You can do a shorter version (especially if you have a heavy kettlebell and are out of breath long before you hit 20). You can start with, say, a 1-5-1 pyramid and progress by adding more sets as your fitness improves.

How do you breathe when performing kettlebell swings?

Okay, important clarification. While resting, you count your breaths, but breathe normally during kettlebell swings . As is often taught, you inhale at the bottom of the swing (when the bell is between your legs) and exhale, perhaps forcefully, at the top (when the bell is at its highest point, in front of your chest). .

Personally, when things get tough, I like to exhale at the bottom (when I need to push a little harder) and inhale at the top (when I’m standing up straight and the bell is floating – it’s like a millisecond of rest). . I don’t think there’s really a wrong way if it feels right to you.

(And yes, I know there are kettlebell trainers who will say this is heresy. For what it’s worth, I have an IKO kettlebell instructor certification and I didn’t have to breathe in any special way to earn it .)

How to swing a kettlebell again?

1. Start with the bell on the ground, slightly in front of you.

2. With straight arms, pull it back toward your hips. Don’t bend your knees more than necessary.

3. Stand up straight. By straightening your hips, you push the bell forward, as if you were pushing a child on a swing. (The bell is the child. Your arms are the chains of the swing. Your hips are pushing the ball.)

4. As the bell turns toward you, absorb the force by bending your hips, but not your knees, and repeat the process.

5. After the last swing, again absorb the force in your hips and place the kettlebell in front of you.

If you feel like you’re using your arms and shoulders to lift the kettlebell, you’re not engaging your hips enough (and the kettlebell is probably too light ).

If you bend your knees so that your body rises and falls like a squat, don’t do it. Keep your knees still. Bend at the hips.

By the way, there is another type of kettlebell swing that uses a bit of knee tilt instead of the horizontal hip thrust I just described. If you know how to do it, feel free to use this movement instead. If not, forget what I said.

What heavy kettlebell should you use for kettlebell stair training?

That you can do 400 repetitions in half an hour. It’s okay if this number scares you a little, but it shouldn’t seem completely out of reach.

Another way to think about this is: can you do multiple sets of 20 reps in a row with a short rest in between? Because you will have to do… 18, 19, 20, 19, 18… after you are already a little tired from working from 1 to 17.

I used a 24 kilogram bell, which is about 53 pounds. For comparison, I squat about 250 pounds and deadlift over 300 pounds. If you train regularly, a kettlebell that weighs somewhere between 16 kg (35 lbs) and 24 kg (53 lbs) will suit you. If you’re new to exercise (or cardio, or kettlebell swings in general), it’s best to start with something lighter, like 20 pounds.

Usually, when it comes to scales, I would advise you to go a little heavier than you think. But since this is a cardio exercise, the lighter the better. This will help you keep moving without getting too tired. If you finish 400 swings and feel like it’s too easy, find a heavier weight.

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How do you monitor your kettlebell swing?

It was certainly a challenge. After a few sets, I grabbed a pen and a workout pad and started doing the math as I finished each set. Just made a set of seven? I will place the seventh hash mark and then count to seven breaths before moving on.

After I scored 20, I wrote the remaining numbers on a piece of paper: 19, 18, 17 and so on. After each descending set, I crossed off the number I had just completed.

The question then becomes what constitutes resting breathing versus the normal breathing you do during a set of kettlebell swings. I decided that I would count my exhalations when the weight hit the ground . If I breathe as I place the kettlebell on the ground or immediately after I pick it up, that’s working breathing until the kettlebell hits the floor.

How do I schedule this workout?

Regardless, just promise me one thing: don’t do this every day unless you’re used to doing workouts of that intensity every day. Here are the guidelines I would recommend:

• Do this once a week if you do other cardio workouts, such as light jogging or use cardio equipment at the gym, at least twice a week.

• Do this two or three times a week if for some reason this is your only cardio workout.

• Do this more than three times a week only if you have some experience with this type of training and can finish the workout feeling good, as if you would be happy to do it again.

How should I promote this workout?

You may want to start with shorter staircases at first to make the routine easier. (It’s also perfectly acceptable to go from 1 to 5 and back to 1, then rest a few minutes and then do another 1-5-1.) If you start this way, the obvious progression will be to increase the length of your stairs until you’re in your 20s.

If you do 1-20-1 regularly, you can, if you like, move up to longer staircases for a longer cardio workout. Or you can use a heavier kettlebell for a more intense workout in about the same amount of time.

There are no kettlebell ladder police, so feel free to make things difficult for yourself in any way that suits you. You can do several stairs per workout, do them more often, or combine stairs with, say, a running workout. For example, a short staircase would be a great indoor warm-up before heading out for a run on a cold day—I’m going to keep this idea in my pocket for when the weather cools down.

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