If my work can persuade one person to train with kettlebells, I’ll consider that a job well done as a fitness writer. While I firmly believe there is no one piece of equipment that’s necessary to further your fitness, a kettlebell can help you move the dial forward in more areas than most.
Strength? Definitely. Muscle? Absolutely. You can also make significant improvements to your mobility, stability, coordination, cardiorespiratory fitness and more with the help of the humble kettlebell. And once you’re ready to expand your training horizons, you can simply add a second one into the equation.
In fact, pressing two of them overhead is the “best thing you can do with kettlebells”, according to leading strength coach and kettlebell expert Dan John. And that’s not the only benefit to dual-wielding.
“One of the big advantages of using doubles is that, while doubles are heavier, they’re actually easier for most people,” he tells me. “Outside of the two-handed swing and the goblet squat, generally two-handed work is easier because you don’t have those asymmetries to fight through.”
Below, John explains where to start when training with two kettlebells. He also discusses the many benefits this can bring, and his favourite double kettlebell workout to try.
The best double kettlebell workout: The Armour Building Complex
Using two equally weighted kettlebells, complete the sequence below without putting the weights down:
Double kettlebell clean x2
Double kettlebell press x1
Double kettlebell front squat x3
This is the best, and arguably most versatile, double kettlebell workout in John’s armoury. You can use heavy kettlebells to target strength gains, pick up moderate kettlebells and complete the complex each minute for 10 minutes for more of a muscle-building hit, or set a 20-minute timer and complete as many rounds as you can with lighter weights to set your heart, lungs and muscles alight.
John created the workout for athletes, beta testing earlier versions on American football players in an attempt to replicate the rigours of game-day. The aim was to provide a test that developed solidity and strength throughout the entire body, and in the Armour Building Complex he found just that.
“You can call the area from your neck to your knees whatever you want,” John says. “Lots of people call it the core, but saying ‘the core’ is like saying ‘doing cardio’ – it’s an overused term.
“The three words I use for this area are armour, anaconda and arrow. Spine expert Dr Stuart McGill uses the word stone, so I sometimes like to think about these as ‘the three As of building the stone’.”
Armour involves packing on muscle, anaconda describes the development internal pressure for stability, and arrow refers to the ability to move powerfully. The first of these is what gives this workout its name, but the session will help you develop all three.
Kettlebell training can improve every facet of fitness, from strength to flexibility (Getty Images)
Benefits of training with double kettlebells
The first difference of double kettlebell training is that, unless you drop the weight of your kettlebells significantly, you’ll likely be lifting a heavier load. But this aside, John says the practice is easier than training with a single kettlebell because your movements are symmetrical.
“Some people say that singles are better, but the issue with asymmetrical work for a lot of people is that most of them, and certainly Americans, come in [to kettlebell training] pretty beat-up at a certain age.
“We have a lot of collision sports here, and we do a lot of throwing sports, so most of the people I work with walk into the gym with asymmetrical issues. Lower back problems, a dominant shoulder – it’s almost a given.”
For this reason, John says double kettlebell training is easier, and even safer, than chucking a single weight around for most people.
Strength coach Dan John says double kettlebell training is actually easier for most people than single kettlebell training as a result of the symmetry (Getty/iStock)
How to start double kettlebell training
While John says double kettlebell training tends to be easier and safer than a session with a single weight, there are still some fundamentals to wrap your head and hands around. Below, he explains how to get started, and dives into the three fundamental exercises you should learn first.
Starting position
Place the kettlebells a couple of feet in front of you and arrange them so the handles are angled inwards to form a V-shape.
“When the bells are on the ground, the V is to me,” John says. “By doing this, you allow your shoulders to move into a much more protected state.”
From here, you can hinge at the hips then, keeping your “eyes on the horizon”, pull the kettlebells back between your thighs to initiate a swing. The kettlebell swing marks the starting point of many other double kettlebell exercises such as the clean and snatch, so it’s worth perfecting this first.
Start with two kettlebells on the ground two feet in front of you, handles angled slightly towards you to form a V.
Assume a stance slightly wider than shoulder width.
With soft knees, hinge at the hips to bend over and grab a kettlebell in each hand with an overhand grip.
Keeping your spine long, arms straight and eyes forward, pull the kettlebells back between your thighs.
From here, squeeze your glutes to explosively drive your hips forward. As you do this, stand up straight and allow the momentum from your hip drive to arc the kettlebells up to the front rack position – elbows at your sides pointing down, thumbs against your chest, ‘bells between the fronts of your shoulders and forearms.
Allow the kettlebells to fall away from your body, curving back between your thighs, then repeat.
The double kettlebell clean involves taking the kettlebell from a swing to a front rack position, where it’s nestled between the front of the shoulder and the forearm.
“Mastering the double kettlebell clean should be your first order of business,” John says. “The biggest issue is that most people drop the ‘bells straight down [from the front rack position], get into a minor traffic accident with every rep, then hike them back up.
“You don’t drop the weights, you swing into each and every rep. It should be a hinge, then a clean.”
John also says it’s important to create a good front rack position to catch the kettlebells at the shoulder.
“I like the thumbs to be on the chest and the elbows to be touching your sides as appropriate – obviously you will have some people who are naturally winging out.”
Keeping the elbows low, he says, will encourage you to transition into a swing for the next rep, rather than dropping the weight straight down.
Clean two kettlebells into the front rack position.
Drive your fists to the sky until your arms are fully extended overhead, biceps by your ears. Your wrist will rotate inwards slightly as you do this, ending with your palm facing forward, and the kettlebells should follow a shallow J-shape when viewed head on.
Control the weights back down to the front rack position then repeat.
“Once you’ve learned the kettlebell clean, you set the stage for what I think is the best thing kettlebells do: the double kettlebell press family,” John says. “There’s the double kettlebell press and its cousin the seesaw press [where you press each kettlebell overhead alternately, lowering one as you drive the other upwards].
I think these are the two best things you can do with kettlebells. It’s a whole body exercise, and it’s exhausting.”
With the press, when you have both kettlebells in the front rack position, John recommends taking a moment and “squeezing everything down to engage that anaconda strength”.
Clean two kettlebells into the front rack position.
Create tension throughout your body then, keeping your chest up, push your hips back slightly to initiate the squat.
From here, bend your knees and lower your hips as far as you can while keeping your chest up.
Drive through your feet to return to the starting position.
“When I’m working with athletes, I used to spend a lot more time with the barbell front squat, but now I spend more time with this exercise because the double kettlebell front squat feels more like sports,” John says. “There’s no rest on any rep in a double kettlebell front squat.”
In other words, even when you’re standing tall, your whole body has to hold enough tension to resist the pull of the kettlebells and keep you upright. Then, as you descend, you face the challenge of maintaining this tension while using your legs to lower the weight before driving it back upwards.
With a series of simple movements you can hit every area of your body and with a very affordable piece of kit too. Double kettlebell training offers a raft of benefits and with this guide, it’s easy to start nailing the movements, wherever you choose to train.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University women’s basketball legend Whitney Knight has been selected to the ASUN Hall of Fame’s 11th induction class, which also includes Lipscomb’s Madi Talbert Artz (women’s cross county/track & field), North Florida’s Dallas Moore (men’s basketball) and North Alabama’s Ivy Wallen Murks (women’s basketball).
The Hall of Fame’s 11th annual induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Jacksonville. Knight, who played for FGCU from 2011-16, becomes the eighth Eagle to earn the ASUN’s highest honor, joining softball’s Courtney Platt, Cheyenne Jenks, and Carmen Paez, baseball’s Chris Sale, Casey Coleman, and Richard Bleier, and volleyball’s Brooke Youngquist Sweat.
Knight’s induction further cements her status as one of the most decorated players in FGCU and ASUN history. A program-defining guard and the first Eagle ever selected in the WNBA Draft, Knight’s impact on the conference and the Green & Blue remains unmatched nearly a decade after her graduation.
Knight was named to the ASUN All-Decade Team following a dominant career in Fort Myers. She became the program’s first WNBA draft pick when the Los Angeles Sparks selected her 15th overall in 2016, just the seventh ASUN player all-time to be drafted. As a senior, she earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America recognition while also being selected as one of 30 national candidates for the NCAA Senior CLASS Award, highlighting excellence both on and off the court.
A two-time ASUN Player of the Year (2015, 2016), Knight stands as one of only two Eagles ever to earn three First Team All-ASUN selections, joining FGCU great Sarah Hansen. Her postseason résumé is equally impressive, being named 2015 ASUN Tournament MVP, 2016 All-Tournament Team, 2012 ASUN All-Freshman Team, in addition to a program-record seven ASUN Player of the Week honors.
On the court, Knight was a matchup nightmare whose versatility defined FGCU’s continual rise into a perennial mid-major power. She led the ASUN in blocks (99), steals (64), and three-pointers per game (2.8) as a senior, while also finishing top six in the league in rebounds and double-doubles. She produced eight double-doubles, five 20-point games, and scored a three-pointer in every game she played that season. Her nine-block performance remains one of the most dominant defensive outings in conference history.
Knight finished her career with 1,574 points, 735 rebounds, 333 blocks, 245 assists, and 206 steals, one of the most complete statistical profiles ever recorded by an Eagle. She remains the program’s all-time leader in blocks by a staggering margin while ranking second in career points, field goals made, field goals attempted, three-pointers made, and rebounds.
A four-year force whose two-way production and big-moment performances helped shape the foundation of FGCU’s women’s basketball identity, Knight’s legacy only continues to grow with her selection to the ASUN Hall of Fame.
More information about the ASUN Hall of Fame and the Class of 2026 will be released by the conference in the coming months.
To stay up-to-date on the Eagles, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at FGCU_WBB.
GRANT CITY, Mo. — Worth County senior Andrew Griffin made his college plans official on Tuesday morning in Grant City as the Tiger track star made his signing with the Southwestern Community College track and field program official.
“I’ve always wanted to be an electrician and they have a really good electrical program,” Griffin said. “I also wanted to continue my track career. Southwestern is just a nice small college. I didn’t want to go to a big college where there are lots of people. It makes me feel at home with the small town and small college.”
Griffin says its been a goal throughout high school to jump in college.
“Since freshman year honestly,” Griffin said. “That is when I actually started to get good at high jump and actually how to jump.”
Griffin had visited the campus in Creston, Iowa, previously, but recently made another trip to check out the track and field program as well as the electrician program. He was impressed with both.
“I went just a couple weeks ago with my parents,” Griffin said. “… We toured the campus and talked to the electrical teacher.”
And Griffin’s high-jump numbers impressed Spartans’ coach Scott Vicker who added one of Griffin’s rivals last season with North Nodaway graduate Owen Martin. Griffin is excited to compete on the same team as Martin.
“It is going to be really nice to be able to jump with Owen instead of against him,” Griffin said. “We will be on the same team now, and it is definitely nice having people up there that you know.”
The Spartan roster also includes former Tiger Kara Staton and Stanberry graduate Marli Hilton.
Last season, Griffin finished 10th in Class 1 in the high jump in addition to participating in the 200-meter dash and on the Tiger relay teams. Griffin’s career-best in the high jump is 1.85 meters — a mark that he reached in over half of the team’s meets.
Now Griffin prepares for his senior year with the Tigers, who return state qualifiers Lucas Frisch and Griffin as seniors. The Tigers open the season with the Worth County Early Bird on March 26.
“I’m really excited for it,” Griffin said of his final season as a Tiger. “I feel like I can do really well this year. It was good last year, but I’ve still got a lot of room to improve.”
App States track and field started their 2025-26 indoor season at the Winston-Salem College Kick-Off Saturday.
With the race starting for at the 60 meters, junior Kendall Johnson placed second with a 7.50 finish, just 1 second behind Converse University. Junior Nicole Wells finished 10th in the 60 meters with a time of 7.73. The 800 meter was led by senior Addison Ollendick-Smith who started her season with a fourth place finish with a time of 2:18.09.
The main event for the Mountaineers was the 4×400 meter relay, where they finished first with teammates Wells, senior Damyja Alejandro-Ortiz, senior Daye Talley and junior Jayla Adams, and had a record time of 3:45.76.
In the pole vault, senior Ava Studney finished first clearing 3.95m and sophomore Abigail Goetz followed and finished fifth in the pole vault with a 3.50m. Freshman Alana Braxton won the long jump with 5.87m and freshman Kelly MacBride finished in the top 10 with 5.31m. The triple jump saw 3 of the women’s teammates finish in the top 6, with Braxton finishing first with 12.32m. freshman Ashlynn Wimberly finished second with 12.14m, and sophomore Jahaila Wright finished with 11.60m.
In weight throwing, junior Dianna Boykin had a personal best of 14.70m to place eighth and sophomore Emily Edwards followed close behind with a top 10 finish in shotput, 12.17m and weight throw, 14.03m. In the 200 meter, both Adams and Talley finished top five with times of 24.39 and 24.77.
For the Mountaineers next meet they will be in the UNC-Asheville Collegiate Opener on Jan. 10 at the Tryon International.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta junior outside hitter Layne Witherspoon has been named an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention selection following a standout 2025 campaign in which the Jaguars finished 25–9 and captured the Peach Belt Conference regular-season title.
Witherspoon delivered 346 kills on .295 hitting across 126 sets while adding 168 digs, 84 total blocks, and 433 total points. She tallied 17 double-digit kill performances, highlighted by a season-high 17 kills against Montevallo on Sept. 19 and a 21-point outing versus Francis Marion on Sept. 13. On the defensive side, she posted a season-best 14 digs at Flagler on Oct. 4 and recorded seven total blocks against Georgia College on Oct. 17. She was second on the team with 3.44 points per set.
A consistent presence in Augusta’s front row, Witherspoon helped power the Jaguars to their PBC regular-season championship and another postseason appearance.
Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gophers senior outside hitter Julia Hanson was named AVCA Northwest Region Player of the Year while Keegan Cook was named Coach of the Year, the organization announced today.
There are 14 first-team All-Region members and an additional group of honorable mention selections for each of the 10 regions. A Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year were selected for every region.
The 213 student-athletes who made All-Region represent 109 different schools. Nebraska leads the way with seven All-Region selections, followed by Pittsburgh and Stanford with six apiece. Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Minnesota, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin all have five All-Region first-team or honorable mention selections.
Joining Hanson on the AVCA All-Northwest Region First Team were freshman opposite Carly Gilk and redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson. Redshirt senior middle blocker Lourdes Myers and freshman middle blocker Jordan Taylor were named all-region honorable mention.
A Savage, Minn., native, Julia Hanson earns another major award after a magnificent senior season. She was also named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025. During her fourth year in the Maroon and Gold, Hanson won Big Ten Player of the Week on Sept. 1 and was named MVP of the Golden Gopher Invitational on Aug. 31.
For the year, she totaled 26 10+ kill matches in 32 chances, posting a career-high 4.13 kills per set, a mark that ranked her fourth in the Big Ten. Hanson also hit a career-best .309, a mark that ranked her third among Big Ten pins.
She tallied five 20+ kill matches and averaged a career-best 0.30 service aces on the year. Her 26 aces in conference play put her at No. 8 in the conference. Defensively, Hanson posted 0.64 blocks and 1.60 digs per set. She was named as one of 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List and was a Preseason All-Big Ten honoree. Hanson helped Minnesota reach its first Sweet 16 since 2022 after going for 36 kills last weekend in two matches (.500 hitting).
Coach Cook was named AVCA Region Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career and first at Minnesota. Cook led the Gophers to a 24-9 (12-8 Big Ten) record and a Sweet 16 appearance for the first time in his three years at the ‘U’. He and his coaching staff did this despite losing four starters to season-ending injuries in the first four weeks of the season. The Gophers played five freshmen starters for a majority of the season, including three-fourths of Big Ten competition. Minnesota also won four ranked matches this year, taking down No. 23 Indiana, No. 24 Penn State, No. 11 Purdue and No. 23 Iowa State.
Carly Gilk earned an all-region nod to go along with her Freshman All-Big Ten accolades. The rookie opposite posted 2.28 kills per set on a scorching .293 hitting in 2025. She also posted 1.70 digs, 0.60 blocks and 0.27 aces per set in 28 matches played. She had seven 10+ kill matches and seven 10+ dig matches on the year. Gilk had the best match of her freshman year on Oct. 26 at Purdue, tallying 15 kills (.364) and 10 digs in a five set match.
Redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson added an all-region honor after being named All-Big Ten Second Team and to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She averaged 9.78 assists, 2.16 digs, 0.61 blocks, 0.59 kills and 0.28 aces per set in her first year as a starter, playing in all 33 matches.
Swenson posted eight double-doubles, including a career-best 58-assist, 10-dig outing in a five-set win at Iowa. She ranked eighth in the Big Ten in assists per set and was fifth amongst setters with 0.59 kills per set. She was the first Minnesota freshman to post 1,000 assists in her rookie season since her sister, Samantha Seliger-Swenson, did so in 2015. Stella was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 1 after being named to the Golden Gopher Invitational All-Tournament Team. She was added to the AVCA Mid-Season Player of the Year Watch List as the only freshman on there,
Redshirt senior middle blocker Lourdes Myers had the best season of her career in 2025 in the Maroon and Gold. She was named AVCA All-Northwest Region Honorable Mention after going for 1.70 kills and 1.19 blocks per set, playing in all 33 matches. Myers had two 10+ kill matches in 2025, including a 12-kill, nine-block match at Washington. She had seven-or-more kills 13 times and five-or-more blocks 12 times. Myers ranked ninth in the Big Ten in blocks per set.
Freshman middle Jordan Taylor also earned AVCA All-Northwest Region Honorable Mention. She had a banner freshman season, averaging a team-best 1.24 blocks per set, playing in 30 matches. Taylor averaged 1.35 kills per set on .355 hitting, going for five-or-more kills 12 times. She had five+ blocks nine times, including a career-high 11 block match at Iowa on Nov. 16.
The Gophers (24-9, 12-8 B1G) compete in the Sweet 16 against No. 1 seeded Pittsburgh (28-4, 18-2 ACC) at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday. The match will be on ESPN2.
MADISON, Wis. – Five total players of the Wisconsin volleyball team were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) North All-Region Team. Outside hitter Mimi Colyer was named North Player of the Year, while head coach Kelly Sheffield was named Coach of the Year.
The Badger list of North All-Region First Team honorees consists of Carter Booth, Mimi Colyer, Grace Egan, Kristen Simon and Una Vajagic. Head Coach Kelly Sheffield also earned his sixth Coach of the Year honor.
Freshman Kristen Simon was one-of-three freshman named First Team. In the regular season, Simon played in 89-of-92 sets as the starting libero for Wisconsin. The Kentucky native led the team with 3.49 digs per set, chipped in with 14 service aces and averaged 1.10 assists per set. She reached double-figure digs 19 matches, including a season-best in her very first collegiate match against Kansas with 23. The 5-foot-8 libero also earned Big Ten All-Freshman this season.
For the first time in her career, right side hitter Grace Egan earned All-Region honors. Traditionally, an outside hitter, Egan moved over to the right side and averaged 2.43 kills per set, 2.19 digs per set, 3.09 points per set and chipped in with 25 service aces this season for the Badgers. She totaled three double-doubles (kills, digs) against Texas, Florida and Northwestern.
Outside hitter Una Vajagic steadily became one of the Badgers most dynamic players in the starting rotation. The Serbian native totaled 2.71 kills per set, 2.56 digs per set, and 3.07 points per set in her first full season with the Badgers. Vajagic also collected eight double-doubles (kills, digs) in the regular season, including a back-to-back double-doubles in her first two collegiate matches against Kansas and Texas. The 6-foot outside hitter also chipped in with 18 service aces for UW.
Senior Carter Booth claims her fourth All-Region honor and third with the Badgers. In all four years, she has been a First Team honoree, including Freshman of the Year when she was with Minnesota. In the regular season, Booth led the Badgers and ranked 5th in the NCAA with a .436 hitting percentage. She added 2.02 kills per set, 1.24 blocks per set and 2.70 points per set. Booth totaled eight matches where she didn’t have a hitting error, including a season best 11 kills on 15 swings with no errors. Defensively, Booth achieved a season best 10.0 blocks at Michigan St. on Nov. 15.
Also joining Booth as a four-time AVCA All-Region recipient is outside hitter Mimi Colyer. She also repeats as All-Region Player of the Year. As a freshman Colyer was named the Pacific North Region Freshman of the Year at Oregon, and in 2024, she was named the Northwest Region Player of the Year. In just one season with the Badgers, Colyer has already broken and is on pace to break several more single-season offensive program records. The California native reached double-figure kills in every match but one this season, including nine matches with 20 or more kills. Colyer averaged 5.32 kills per set, 5.93 points per set, 2.20 digs per set, and added 0.69 blocks per set. She also hit .334 in the regular season. Colyer totaled seven double-doubles including a season-best 25 kill, 18 dig performance at Washington on Oct. 24.
Head coach Kelly Sheffield earned his sixth All-Region Coach of the Year honor after leading the Badgers to a 24-4 regular season record, and a 17-3 Big Ten record for second place. Sheffield replaced nearly his entire starting rotation, including four All-Americans from a season ago.
Wisconsin is 1-of-55 teams assigned to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) North Region, joining just Michigan State as a Big Ten school representing the North Region.
