Kettlebell swing
Explosive hip hinge with a bell, swung one-handed or two, in short sets
A cast-iron bell is hiked back between the legs and thrown forward by a snap of the hips, not lifted with the arms. It floats to chest height, then drops into the next rep. Hard style versions treat every swing as a braced maximal effort, which keeps sets around ten reps and rest generous; sport styles pace them for minutes at a time. People use swings for hip power, conditioning and grip, often as the fast half of a session whose other lifts are slow. The whole setup is one bell and a few square feet of floor.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Pavel TsatsoulineRecommends
Strength coach · StrongFirst
Swings are half of Simple & Sinister, and he prescribes them near daily rather than saving them for hard days. He points to a StrongFirst team leader who identified 100 swings three times a week as the dose that gives the most for the least, and notes Tim Ferriss got what he wanted from 150 to 300 a week.
Source: StrongFirst: A Kettlebell Simple & Sinister Excerpt
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or energy.
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Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
High-intensity interval training
Short all-out efforts with full recovery in between, a few times a week
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 has discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Running
Regular running, from a short daily loop up to ultramarathon distance
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 recommends it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Swimming
Lap swimming as low-impact cardio and a reset for the head
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it
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