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Minimalist Strength for Maximal Endurance
How a two-lift kettlebell protocol enhances swimrun power, economy, and durability.
Tom Jenkinson
December 07, 2025
I’ve always been drawn to minimalism; not just lightweight shoes, but in training itself. I like finding ways to achieve more with less complexity, as far as I can, try to do more with less. And despite knowing exactly what I should be doing for strength and prehab, those routines are often the first thing to slip when life gets busy.
So I started asking myself: Is there a simpler alternative? Something effective enough to matter, but simple enough to become a true habit.
That question led me back to Pavel Tsatsouline, the father of modern kettlebell training and a pioneer of “minimalist strength.” What I found is a system built around just two lifts; a protocol that develops swimrun-specific power and stability without draining recovery or adding noise to your week.
WHAT (The Two Perfect Lifts)
This entire protocol is built on mastering two movements; the "quick lift" and the "slow lift." Your entire practice revolves around perfecting these drills.
The Lift | The Action |
1. The One-Arm Swing | An explosive, hip-driven power movement. This drill trains your posterior chain to generate maximum, rapid force efficiently—your engine for speed. |
2. The Turkish Get-Up (TGU) | A slow, controlled, full-body stability movement. This drill teaches your body to link its upper and lower halves, stabilizing every joint from the ground up. |
WHY (Minimalist Strength for Swimrun)
I chose this protocol because it uniquely solves the problems endurance athletes face. As part of my program, you don't require a gym membership, but you do need to purchase a kettlebell to have at home to make S&C easily accessible and an integrated part of your daily routine.
The Endurance Athlete's Strength Dilemma
For us, the challenge isn't just getting strong; it's getting strong without sacrificing recovery or performance. Traditional strength work often leads to interference.
Strength Program Type | Pros | Cons for Endurance Athletes |
Starting Strength (Heavy Barbell) | Builds maximum absolute strength and bone density. | High Interference. Causes extreme muscle soreness (DOMS) and neural fatigue, directly conflicting with high-volume swim/run training. |
CrossFit / Hyrox (High Intensity Circuits) | Excellent cardiovascular conditioning and high work capacity. | Glycolytic Overload. Produces lactic acid that interferes with the aerobic base we constantly rely on. High risk of technical breakdown under fatigue. |
Core Philosophy: Maximum Gain, Minimal Cost
This protocol works because it focuses on the Minimum Effective Dose and respects your recovery schedule.
Efficiency First: As the principle dictates: It is vain (or stupid) to do with more what can be done with less.
The Daily Mantra: This practice isn't a depletion event; it's a recharge. It must contribute to, not detract from, your energy levels: A workout should give you more than it takes out of you.
The "What the Hell?" Effect: This training is famous for producing unexpected performance improvements, like faster run times, better mobility, and increased joint resilience.
Direct Swimrun Carryover: "Functional Strength" for Chaos
Swimrun demands strength in every direction (frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes), not just linear power. The single-bell, asymmetrical nature of this protocol builds functional stability and anti-rotation, which are the keys to handling uneven terrain, sudden slips, and awkward scrambling over rocks or steep banks.
The Lift | Swimrun Carryover & Benefit |
1. The One-Arm Swing | Explosive Running Power: The hip-hinge is your true engine, sparing the quads. This translates directly to speed and better running economy over long distances and on technical trails. Alactic Conditioning: Improves your ability to create powerful bursts of energy (for sprints, steep climbs, or fast transitions) and rapidly recover. Posterior Chain Durability: Creates resilient glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles that maintain strong posture. |
2. The Turkish Get-Up (TGU) | Core Integration: Develops 360 degree core strength by demanding continuous tension (anti-rotation, anti-flexion). Shoulder Health: Strengthens the shoulder joint through a massive range of motion, providing stability to prevent common swimming injuries. Total-Body Resilience: Improves hip mobility, balance, and the ability to stabilize your trunk against chaos—essential for explosive transitions and navigating technical trails. |
Crucial Side Benefit | Grip Strength & Lat Activation: The extended grip work acts as a neurological governor. Stronger grip signals the brain that the hands can safely handle more tension, unlocking the ability of your lats and core to apply maximum propulsive force during the swim catch (especially with paddles). The lat engagement directly reinforces this pull. |
HOW (Executing the Protocol)
This is your practical guide to starting the program safely and effectively.
I. Equipment & Starting Weights (KG)
Athlete Profile | TGU Starting Weight (KG) | Swing Starting Weight (KG) | Strength Progression Benchmark |
Weaker | 8 kg to 12 kg | 12 kg to 16 kg | 16 kg TGU / 24 kg Swing |
Stronger | 16 kg | 16 kg to 24 kg | 24 kg TGU / 32 kg Swing |
Rule #1: Always choose the lighter weight if you are unsure. Technique is paramount.
II. The Beginner's Daily Protocol
Training Frequency: 5-6 days per week is ideal, but a minimum of 3-4 days is necessary. The entire session should take 20-30 minutes.
A. The Warm-Up (3 Rounds)
Perform 3 sets of 5 reps of each movement with a light kettlebell (or no weight for the Hip Bridge).
Prying Goblet Squat: 5 reps. Focus on driving your elbows into your inner thighs to open the hips. YouTube: The Kettlebell "Prying" GOBLET SQUAT
Kettlebell Halo: 5 reps in each direction. Use a light bell and maintain a stable core. YouTube: Kettlebell Halo Tutorial
Hip Bridge: 5 reps. Squeeze glutes aggressively at the top for maximum hip extension cueing. YouTube: Hip Bridge
B. The Main Practice: Swings (100 Reps)
Phase | Exercise | Sets & Reps | Focus & Rest Protocol |
Initial Phase | Two-Hand Swings | 10 sets of 10 reps (100 total) | Master the Hinge. Do NOT time yourself. Rest for as long as needed between sets to ensure your next 10 reps are perfect and powerful. |
Progression | One-Arm Swings (Every third day swap to two handed swings, this acts as a deload) | Gradually transition until you are performing 10 sets of 10 reps (alternating the working arm after each set). | Grip & Lats. Focus on pulling the bell down (packing the shoulder) and resisting the rotation. Keep using the "Talk Test" to regulate rest. |
C. The Main Practice: Turkish Get-Ups (10 Reps)
Phase | Exercise | Sets & Reps | Focus & Rest Protocol |
Initial Phase | TGU with Shoe / Light Bell | 5 sets of 2 reps (1 left, 1 right) (10 total) | Own the Movement. Start by balancing a shoe on your fist (no bell) until the movement feels completely automated. Only then progress to your starting bell. |
Practice | TGU with Current Bell | 5 sets of 2 reps (1 left, 1 right) (10 total) | Controlled, Deliberate Speed. Each rep should be done slowly, with total focus on the bell stability. Rest as needed between the 2-rep sets. |
A Minimalist Addition: Foot & Lower-Leg Strength Without Extra Work
One thing was still missing from this minimalist approach: robust foot and lower-leg strength, which are essential for Swimrun but often neglected. Instead of adding more exercises, I looked for a solution that could be layered seamlessly into everyday training.
That led me to incorporate technical trail running in minimalist “barefoot” shoes.
Footwear like Vivobarefoot restores natural mechanics by removing the artificial cushioning and stiffness of modern shoes. This brings proprioception back online, activates the foot’s intrinsic muscles, and strengthens the arches, toes, and lower-leg stabilisers.
Pair that with technical trail terrain, which forces hundreds of micro-adjustments per minute, and you get a highly effective, self-regulating strength session for the feet, ankles, and calves. No extra gym time. No added complexity. Just smarter movement.
By weaving both elements, the two-lift kettlebell protocol and minimalist footwear on technical trails into my daily routine, I’m building full-body strength and resilience through micro-dosed consistency. The kettlebell work gives me powerful hips, a stable trunk, and durable shoulders; the minimalist trail running builds strong, responsive feet and lower legs. I’m still in the early weeks of this combined experiment, but the results are already noticeable: better trail stability, fresher calves, improved posture on long runs, and a sense of being strong everywhere without ever feeling sore or drained.
If traditional S&C keeps slipping off your schedule, try this minimalist approach for a few weeks. Two lifts. Natural movement. Zero friction. Maximum return.
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