Merkulin Ladder Workout

If you don't know who Sergei Merkulin is, he is one of the best Russian kettlebell athletes and coaches in the world. Honored Master of Sport, Master of Sport International Class, 16x World Champion... it's safe to say he knows how to train for Kettlebell Sport. ;) 

While the full Merkulin ladder training is actually a bit longer than the workout below (with a 4 minute set in the middle and an additional 3 minute set after that), for today's workout we'll do the more popular abbreviated (read: doable) version of the workout. 

For the abbreviated version of the Merkulin ladder, grab a pair of competition bells for Long Cycle. Complete the following intervals: 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute. The amount of rest you take will vary depending on the weight kettlebells you use and how challenging you would like the workout to be. I recommend 1-3 minutes between sets. The goal is to hit a fast pace with good technique - somewhere between 8-12 repetitions per minute.