Kettlebell training with insufficiently active older adults

12 weeks progressive hardstyle kettlebell training, performed 3-times weekly for 45 minutes (including a warm-up and cool-down period) on non-consecutive days in a supervised group setting, and two prescribed but self-paced sessions at home. Supervised group training is conducted face-to-face, led by a Physiotherapist and certified hardstyle kettlebell instructor (RKC). Training is based upon but not limited to, the kettlebell swing, clean, press, squat, snatch and Turkish get-up. A familiarisation week (3x 45min sessions on non-consecutive days) will take place prior to commencement of training. This will introduce participants to the exercises and technique and involve no load or low-load only. During week 1 of training, participants will perform relatively low intensity (light weight kettlebell) low volume exercises to minimise the likelihood of experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness. Intensity throughout the program will not be determined by participant’s functional capacity (1RM kettlebell deadlift). Participants will determine exercise intensity (kettlebell weight) based on self-determined physical and psychological comfort. Participants will however receive frequent encouragement to work at a moderate to high intensity, with the aim of increasing intensity and/or volume between sessions. It is anticipated that session Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) will be around 15 on a 6-20 point Borg scale (described as “hard”) from week 2 onward. Classes will involve a range of whole-body exercises involving high repetitions, with ample time given between sets for participants to feel sufficiently rested. Recommendation to increase intensity (bell weight) will be given if RPE appears low to moderate and technique is acceptable. Adherence and training load are monitored with training logs completed during and after each session. A nominal score of mean training intensity for the session (session-Rate of Perceived Exertion - sRPE) will be obtained from each participant after every training session using a modified CR-10 scale (0-10, 5 = “hard”). Participants will be familiarised with the scale according to standard procedures before commencing the study. Supervised group training will be augmented by two non-consecutive days of prescribed, self-paced home exercises. These are intended to improve motor patterning (technique), increase chronic training load volume and help develop a habit. Home exercises have not been set a-priori however all participants will receive an 8kg kettlebell for their home exercise. Example home exercise may include: accrue at least 50 deadlifts or 30 chair squats (with or without load) throughout the course of the day; perform (practice) 10 floor transfers (Turkish get-ups) without weight as described; accrue at least 5 minutes of walking while holding the 8kg kettlebell. The exercise intervention will be described in detail according to the exercise-specific Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) and Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. A completed CERT and TIDieR checklist will be available as extended data. Normal variation in physical capacity and movement competency may require that some exercises are modified based on individual requirements. Consistent with strategies to improve adherence within community-based group exercise programs, participants will receive regular positive encouragement (individually and as a group), with particular focus on maintaining their training diary, providing individual and group recognition of attaining new personal bests, and promoting a spirit of competition within the group. Attendance will be recorded and form part of the adherence analysis, together with reasons for non-attendance. Participants will be asked to bring with them a record of home exercise(s) completed, which will be captured and recorded for analysis.