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Run The Rack Workout With Kettlebells

Running the rack is is a type of workout where you start with a light weight, and without rest keep moving up to the next heavier until you reach the heaviest weight in the rack that you can lift. You can use the run the rack method with kettlebells to build strength and muscle while also helping to burn off body fat.

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Running the Rack

By Chris Lancaster

I scored this idea while scratching my head the other day on "what can be taken from bodybuilding, and applied to kettlebell training?" Perhaps this was due to some unconscious process, since the Oak is now our Governor, who knows. In time, the concept of running the dumbbell rack surfaced as a painful, ugly, stomach clutching memory.

The only real con here is that many bells are required, as in three or more. A second con is training to failure at each new weight, so try to pull out just a few reps short of this for best results.

Fortunately, I have quite a collection of bells, ranging from 35 to 145 in fairly consistent increments of 15 pounds. Why so many? Couple of reasons: one, endless possibility; two, periodization; three, LA gyms are cluttered, and anyone who chooses to finish work, fight traffic there, fight for parking, fight for a locker, fight for a bench, while of course tripping over spandex, fight over the cute blonde, all to the hammering tune of techno rock...is insane... laughs, well you get the picture. I'm quite sure that LA readers will get this.

The following exercise selections can be traced to my recent obsession over "ballistic" kettlebell drills, such as jerks, cleans, clean and jerks, and snatches. When done in great number, these drills maketh the man, or woman, depending on the case so to speak. In my opinion, these drills promote the greatest, fastest change in body composition and cardiovascular conditioning. I will also resist the temptation to write volumes on how these movements transfer to grappling, various sports, physical testing, and even Olympic weightlifting.

In addition to the ballistic drills, the front and overhead squats work well in this approach. Here are two samples. Note that these repetitions are FAR from my max. The idea is to simply get a great workout, and conserve something for the next set. Stimulate, don't annihilate:

A

1)Short cycle jerks:

(35#), 50/50; (53#), 20/20; (68#), 15/15; (85#), 10/10; (100#), 8/8.
*try to take 30s rest between weights. When finished, rest 2 mins, and repeat for a total of five cycles.

2)(Deep) One KB Front squats:

(53#), 10/10; (68#), 8/8; (85#), 8/8; (100#), 8/8
**use the same specs as above for time and sets.

B

1)Long cycle clean and jerks:

(35#), 20/20; (53#), 20/20; (68#), 10/10, (85#), 5/5; (100#), 5/5 (x2); (85#), 5/5; (68#), 10/10; (53#).
*This one demonstrates the forward and reverse directions of the rack, again, with numbers that are far under a max. Try to approach this with the same time and total sets (5) as above.

Based on this framework, feel free to create new workouts using snatches and cleans. I would recommend two of these each week, in addition to one lower volume session of presses and windmills.

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