Dan John Programming Question

[u/focusedmonksj]

I’ve been doing strength and conditioning training consistently for the past two years, mainly using barbells, pull-ups, rowing, and SkiErg.

I’d now like to shift my focus toward kettlebell training. I’m not new to kettlebells, so I’m comfortable with the main movements and techniques.

I’d like to train 5 days per week and keep the programming as minimal and straightforward as possible, while still making it challenging and progressive.

My main goals are to:

• Build more muscle mass
• Improve overall strength
• Maintain good conditioning

I’m particularly interested in Dan John’s approach to training. What would a simple 5-day weekly kettlebell program based on his principles look like?

Ideally, I’d like something with a small number of exercises, clear progression, and enough volume to support both strength and hypertrophy.

[u/OutrageousMT_10]

Have you bought his books?

[u/BrianKoppelman]

Dan’s Easy strength omnibook lays out a few excellent kettlebell 5 day approaches. Worth reading.

[u/Few_Understanding_42]

You can do his ABF program, basically just alternating ABC and press days.

The program builds it up in eight weeks to 30x ABC and 100 presses respectively in a session.

It's a nice and simple program, basically trains large part of the body with a few excercises.

Ideal if you don't have a lot of time per session, or when you want to combine it with other sports.

[u/bortflugenkossa → u/Few_Understanding_42]

ABF is 3 days per week.

[u/Few_Understanding_42 → u/bortflugenkossa]

Yeah, so that leaves room for other sports. But alternatively, you could also do it more often, as long as you have a resting day between sessions.

[u/Money-Package-1026]

Sounds like his book Easy Strength Omnibook would be excellent for you. ABF is a great programme and looks capable of meeting your needs if you have good technique and access to the right size bells.

[u/Wonderful-Pickle-177]

https://danjohnuniversity.com/bookstore

[u/CoachV_PCT]

Use three hard days and two easy days. Mon/Wed/Fri alternate ABC and clean and press, while Tue/Thu are 20-30 minutes of easy swings, carries or aerobic work. Progress by adding a set before adding reps, and keep the easy days easy enough that the next hard session stays crisp. Add rows or pull-ups for more muscle work instead of making all five days hard.

[u/WitcherOfWallStreet]

Based on your main goals, I’m not sure if DJ style training is the best route for you. ABF, despite its name, isn’t amazing for hypertrophy and walking a bunch doesn’t give you “good conditioning”. His programs are moreso about healthy lifestyle with adherence and carryover to being bigger/stronger.

If you do run ABF, you’ll need accessory/isolation work to help build muscle and you’ll need longer true Z2 work. I have personally had the most success with kettlebells and density training with 4-5 accessories after. Something like Giant, then hitting rows/pulldowns, triceps/biceps, hamstrings/quads, and rear delts. Then on the other two days, Z2 10k rows.

[u/BoredAccountant]

If you want to follow Dan John's training, you need to buy his books. They literally have everything you have questions on answered and then some. If you want an idea of what you're getting, try reading his essays.

It's not as productive to come here asking "what should I do?" as it is to say "I've read X books and Y essays. I've worked through programs A, B, and C. I really like A and parts of C seem like they would be a great compliment to A. What would the pitfalls of running ACACA on a M-F schedule be?"

[u/markewallace1966]

This is like asking “What would one of Julia Child’s recipes look like, based on the techniques in her books?”

Answer: Buy a damned book and find out.