Integrating GMB + Kettlebells: Applying the Praxis Protocol

As you get older, your training priorities have shift.

Since GMB started back in 2010, I’ve gone from chasing impressive skills to building lasting capability. I used to train skills like one-arm handstands and one-arm chin-ups – fun challenges, but not what I need anymore.

Today, my training serves one clear purpose: keeping me effective on the martial arts mat, especially now that I’m training with partners who are bigger, younger, and stronger than me. That means prioritizing resilience and sustainable strength over flashy demonstrations.

My key insight?

Efficiency without sacrificing effectiveness. Every exercise has to earn its place by directly supporting my real-world goals.

The Short Version: GMB + Your Current Training

If you’re already lifting, doing a sport, or have a training routine you love, here’s how GMB fits:

• Elements gives you a movement foundation that makes your primary training safer and more effective
• Use Mobility after or between your regular workouts for mobility (duh 🤣) or active recovery
• Add Integral Strength to build work capacity alongside your sports practice
• The Praxis Protocol (details below) provides a flexible structure any training session, whether it’s kettlebells, martial arts, or your gym routine

GMB isn’t just another program to juggle – it’s the movement base that amplifies whatever you’re already doing.

Ok, so how about an example?

Here’s how I use GMB programming with kettlebells and martial arts…

Staying True to My Goals: Capability, Resilience, Maturing Wisely

After decades of trying different fitness approaches, I’ve learned to ignore the shiny new trends.

Instead, I focus on two things: physical capability and resilience.

This matters more as I get older and my body gives me clearer feedback about what’s working and what isn’t. I’m not interested in exercises that challenge me today but might break me down tomorrow. Every movement I choose has to support long-term function, not just short-term gains.

 

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This is why I’ve stayed committed to fundamental full-body movements that are directly meaningful to my goals and needs.

The goal is to sustain a level of performance that will serve me well over time. These foundational movements are life skills – they contribute to my day-to-day functionality, enhance my resilience, and support my capabilities in specialized practices like my martial arts training.

I’ve gotten pretty picky about what I add to my routine. I’m not interested in just doing more for the sake of doing more; it’s about purposeful integration.

Every new element is weighed through the lens of my priorities:

• Does it serve my overarching goals?
• Is it suitable for the stage of life I’m in?

If the answer is yes then it earns a place in my routine. It’s about what can keep me in fighting form for the long haul.

Amplifying The Fundamentals Not Supplanting

It’s always been drilled into martial artists since the first time we put on our pajamas, that continually improving our technique is the key to success.

Of course, some strength and a bit of muscle doesn’t hurt 🙂

The key is to just not lose sight of your primary goals though. It can be easy to get caught up in all the particulars of building strength and muscle and realizing down the road that it’s not making you better at your sport (and maybe even making you worse).

A while back, my wife and I joined the local YMCA for its convenience, even though gyms aren’t really my thing.

But it was there that I encountered a giant rack of kettlebells. The simplicity and efficiency of kettlebells has always intrigued me, and I saw this as a chance to incorporate some weighted exercises into my home training, alongside my trusty pull-up bar.

So I took the plunge, ordering a couple of kettlebells and I kicked off with the basics: swing, clean and press, and get-up. It helped that I was already familiar from learning them years ago.

After a while, I decided that the get-up, dead snatch, and clean & thruster worked best for what I wanted to achieve.

Alongside foundational exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and locomotion, this simplified routine is all I need to stay resilient both on and off the martial arts mats.

Integrating GMB and Kettlebells with the Praxis Protocol

The Praxis Protocol is the five-part (Preparation, Practice, Push, Play, and Ponder) framework we use to structure GMB training. It works for anything, from barbells and kettlebells to jump roping and synchronized swimming.

It’s so effective that we spent over a million bucks building our own custom training software around it!

Here’s a detailed look at how I use it to work kettlebells into my routine…

Preparation

I begin with a few minutes of joint mobility work using GMB’s foundational movements, the Bear, Monkey, Frogger, and Crab.

A couple of minutes each and I’m good to go. I’ve practiced these movements forever so I’m able to use them as mini-assessments and “check in” on how my body is doing. Then I can make the proper adjustments and spend some more time on what I need for the day.

That’s one of the great benefits of a regular practice of these full body locomotion movements.

After this quick but comprehensive warm-up, I’m ready for more intensive work!

 

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Practice

After warming up, I dedicate five minutes to kettlebell Get-Ups. This serves as a secondary warm-up but is also a focused practice time where I pay close attention to posture, alignment, and breath.

If you’re already familiar with our programs, you know that this section of the workout is all about improving your ability in a chosen movement skill.

Focus on the quality of your performance and learning how your body feels and reacts to your efforts. This is key to improving your strength and mobility while also building total body control.

Whether it’s kettlebell lifting, rock climbing, or a martial art, it’s deliberate mindful practice that gets you where you want to go.

Push

It’s here that I integrate kettlebell work. I sampled a fair amount of kettlebell programs for a bit but none clicked until I discovered Eric Does Kettlebell. As I wrote above, I’m looking to consciously enhance my training, not just jump around from one shiny new thing to another.

I saw that this resonated with my training goals: it’s structured yet adaptable, and revolves around my favored movements of clean & thruster and dead snatch.

My aim isn’t to lift heavier and heavier weights. The journey with kettlebells serves my ultimate goal—maintaining a healthy, consistent presence on the grappling mat with friends.

Could I do this without kettlebells? Perhaps. But for me they fit well, adding fun and a unique challenge to my training. Even if there was a “better way”, if it doesn’t fit my temperament and needs then it’s not really better.

In our 5P Praxis Protocol, the Push section is for providing the appropriate meaningful stress to the body and stimulate adaptations.

We’ve found it best to do this with movements/exercises that you are more familiar with. This way, your exercise form is already dialed in so you can concentrate on your effort while still maintaining a high level of movement quality.

Then I wind down by hanging from my pull-up bar and performing modified pigeon and pancake stretches. This entire session, from start to finish, is done within 45 minutes.

Non-Kettlebell Days:”Play Days”

In our programs, we include Play right in the middle of the sessions, but for my current plan I decided to separate it into fully dedicated “play days”.

These are days where I fully lean into my GMB training, letting my body guide me through various locomotion patterns.

Here my focus shifts from structured workouts to a more open-ended, intuitive form of movement exploration. These days serve as an fun mix of recovery and mindful engagement, allowing me to pay attention to any muscle soreness or tension that may have built up from my kettlebell or martial arts sessions.

Instead of adhering to a specific set of exercises, I engage in full-body locomotion activities that give me the freedom to follow my body’s cues. These could be foundational moves that I’ve practiced for years, or they could be more challenging, complex sequences.

Because I’ve invested time in mastering these movements, I’ve cultivated the freedom to improvise, creating a dialogue between my body and my practice.

The primary goal here isn’t to break new grounds in athleticism but to deepen my understanding of how my body moves and feels. This is a shift from years past, where I was more focused on learning new skills or crafting complex movement combinations. Now, these days are about tuning into what my body needs, whether it’s stretching out sore muscles, working on alignment, or just enjoying the fundamental joy of movement.

So, in essence, my Play days are my time to engage in unscripted movement exploration, practicing a range of locomotion exercises from the foundational to the complex. This not only aids in recovery but also enriches my understanding of my physical capabilities, serving as a mindful check-in with my body’s status.

For a more detailed example, check out this video and follow along!

The Real Strategy: Train for Your Actual Life

The point isn’t kettlebells specifically – it’s the approach.

Focus on movements that directly serve your actual goals, whether that’s a sport you love or just moving well in daily life.

This structured-but-flexible method works because it’s built around what you really need, not what looks impressive or what everyone else is doing. That’s how you build training that actually makes you more capable, both in your chosen activities and in real life.

Structure Your Routine for Everyday Capability

Elements

Practice essential movements for practical physical fitness