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Key Kettlebell Exercises To Help You Create Better Balance

February 20, 2023 By William Sturgeon 1 Comment

Better Balance with Kettlebell Exercise - article lead image with multiple cropped examples of the exercises described in the article.

What effective balance training is NOT

Many people believe that balance training has to involve a bosu ball or a balance pad where you think that you’re challenging and improving your balance. This is an outdated idea of how balance should be trained.

When you work with the general population, you discover that a high number of them have a difficult time simply standing on one leg. If your client is already challenged by standing on one leg and you put them on a balance pad or bosu ball, you’re only building on dysfunction and a faulty base of support.

Instead of going right into challenging their surface area of support, challenge their base of support first. This allows you to help build a stronger base of support and go from stable to least stable using their own biomechanics.

The more effective way to train balance

To properly train balance you need to see where you’re at with your client. This can be done by assessing their movement. The FMS does a good job at helping screen for movement capabilities. The assessments that help to determine a client’s balance are the split squat and hurdle step. I prefer to use a single leg stand test which is similar to the hurdle step and ask my client if they can perform a lunge — and if not I test their ankle range of motion by using a simple ankle dorsiflexion test to see where their range of motion is.

When you train proper balance you begin with the most stable base of support which is going to be a bilateral position where both feet are flat on the floor. From there you can change the body position into a kickstand position, then further it into a step back position, then move into a full single leg motion. Balance training is about how well you can maintain stability of the fixed joint. When you do proper balance training there is no need for balance pads or bosu balls.

Here are some of my favorite kettlebell exercises to help build and progress in proper balance training.

Split Squat

kettlebell Goblet squat — Kettlebell Goblet Squat

The split squat is a great exercise because you get to train balance of the forward leg while maintaining stability through the rear foot.

You can begin with a traditional squat and once the technique has been properly mastered you can then move into a kickstand position where you begin to challenge the base of support, because you are raising the heel off the ground and pulled in-line with the fixed heel. From there you can begin to further challenge the position by going into a step back position, then going into a rear foot elevated position where you are creating a greater intensity to your balance and stability.

Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is another exercise I like to help train balance for clients. If the client is unable to perform a lunge then I will have them substitute it for a step up. The sequence is slightly the same, which would be starting with the greatest base of support where they’re continuing to learn how to squat from there they can move into an active kickstand position, then moving into a reverse lunge. You can progress this movement by elevating the front foot or by stepping forward.

Lateral Lunge

The lateral lunge takes you from the sagittal plane of motion into the frontal plane of motion where things can be even more challenging for creating better balance. You can begin by starting in a wide stance and squatting down in a stationary position. From there you can move into a more active lateral lunge where you are more active and fluid with the movement. You can progress this movement by adding in a cross over step to further challenge the base of support with additional resistance.

Single Leg Deadlift

The single leg deadlift is one of my favorite exercises to build better balance. This is a similar progression model where we begin with building a solid foundational base of support with both feet flat on the ground. From there clients can progress with a kickstand position then move into an active step back position, then lastly going into a full single leg deadlift. This allows you to build the lever arm of the traveling leg from short to long and from most stable to least stable.

Lateral Deadlift

The lateral kettlebell deadlift will be a similar build up from the lateral lunge. You can be in in a wide stationary position, then build into a more active movement, and progress it by adding in the crossover step. You can go from a single bell to double bells to help add load and complexity to the exercise.

Balance training should be a big component to your fitness program, but it needs to be done in a sequential manner where there is a gradual build up to the end goal. Adding strength onto dysfunction will only lead to further dysfunction, especially when your client is already lacking a bare minimum entrance point to their balance.

***

William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader, RKC II trains clients at his gym, Restored Strength. Contact him through his website at RestoredStrength.com or follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/restoredstrength

How I Finished Rehabbing My Shoulder Using Kettlebells

April 13, 2022 By Ryan Jankowitz 1 Comment

Disclaimer: This is Ryan Jankowitz’s personal shoulder recovery program. What worked for him may not be safe or appropriate for anyone else. If you are experiencing any shoulder pain, see a medical professional for a clear diagnosis and PT program for your injury.

In the Fall of 2021, I started experiencing pain in my left shoulder during presses and Turkish get-ups. I took a month off from practicing those exercises, hoping that rest would be enough to heal my shoulder. But, while the pain decreased, I still couldn’t perform those movements.

Finally, I decided to schedule time with a physical therapist. I was diagnosed with shoulder impingement. The physical therapist scheduled me to come to the office twice a week, plus exercises to do every day at home.

I paid very close attention to the work I was doing with the physical therapist. Soon after, I began to formulate my own program to follow after my course of physical therapy.

Here Are My Five Main Takeaways:

1. Work on Shoulder Blade Retraction

Part of the reason I developed shoulder impingement was because my shoulder blade was not tracking along my ribcage properly. My shoulder blade was “winging”, and I had to strengthen the muscles around my shoulder blade. I could accomplish this by practicing kettlebell rows, farmer’s walks, suitcase carries, and rack carries.

2. Strengthen the Core

I was shocked at how much trouble I had with side planks on my left shoulder. Adding side planks to my training had an immediate positive impact on my shoulder and became a must-have in my program.

3. Improve Shoulder Stability

At physical therapy, we did a lot of shoulder stability work in the tall plank position, and I could tell that this exercise was beneficial. We also practiced lateral moving tall planks and shoulder taps. I decided these side plank variations would be an integral part of my program and would work well in my mobility warm-up.

4. Work on Thoracic Spine Mobility

My physical therapist noted that my ability to rotate from my thoracic spine was quite different on my right side to the left. This may have played a role in how I developed the shoulder impingement. Luckily, the RKC program teaches several exercises and mobility drills which can improve t-spine mobility: Turkish get-ups, windmills, bent presses, and the RKC arm bar. I felt that single kettlebell overhead squats could also improve my shoulder stability.

5. Increase Grip Strength with Bottom-Up Kettlebell Exercises

I remember reading that grip strength and shoulder health were related. I noticed that I had trouble doing even light bottom-up kettlebell exercises on my left arm and was determined to fix this! Oddly enough, even though they were difficult, I could do bottom-up presses without pain. So, I decided to include bottom-up presses along with rack carries in my program.

After six weeks of physical therapy, I was pain free and able to practice presses and get-ups with light kettlebells. I was determined to continue my progress by developing my own post-rehab strength program based on what I did in physical therapy and my RKC knowledge.

Here’s the 8-week strength program I created to address my needs and goals:

Day 1:

Mobility warm-up:
Combination of physical therapy and primal movements to activate my core and shoulder. And to raise my heart rate.

Strength Block 1:
Overhead Squat
Kettlebell Row
Plank variation
x 3 sets

Strength Block 2:
Single Leg Deadlift
Bottom-Up Press
Loaded Carry
x 3 sets

Conditioning:
1 Arm Swings

Day 2:

Mobility warm-up:
Combination of physical therapy and primal movements to activate my core and shoulder and get my heart rate up.

Strength Block 1:
Overhead Lunge
Kettlebell Row
Plank variation
x 3 sets

Strength Block 2:
Suitcase Deadlift
Turkish Getup
Loaded Carry
x 3 sets

Conditioning:
1 Arm Swings

Day 3:

Mobility warm-up:
Combination of physical therapy and primal movements to activate my core and shoulder and get my heart rate up.

Strength Block 1:
Overhead Squat
Kettlebell Row
Plank variation
x 3 sets

Strength Block 2:
Single Leg Deadlift
Bottom-Up Press or Getup
Loaded Carry
x 3 sets

Conditioning:
1 Arm Swings

Goals and Progressions

I also created a few milestone goals for myself, so I could recognize when it was time to move up to the next size kettlebell or movement progression.

Overhead Squat Progression: I started with a dowel and built up to 10 reps before moving to a single kettlebell. Once I could do 5 reps/side, I moved up to next kettlebell. Once I could do 5 reps with a 16kg kettlebell, I switched to practicing windmills.

Kettlebell Row: I worked up to 10 reps/set before moving up to the next kettlebell.

Single Leg Deadlift: I worked up to doing 5 reps/leg with 32kg, once I could do that I started practicing with double kettlebells.

Bottom-Up Press: I started with a 10kg kettlebell and gradually built up to 5 reps. Once I could do 5 reps, I moved up to next kettlebell.

Turkish Get-up: My first goal was to comfortably complete 3 reps/side starting with a 16kg kettlebell. Once I could do 3 reps per side, I moved up to the next kettlebell.

Overhead Lunges: I started with 16kg and built up to 5 reps/side. Once I could do 5x per side with a 20kg kettlebell, I switched to practicing the Bent Press.

1 Arm Swings: Start with 16kg and build up to 5 sets x 10R, 10L. Once 100 reps achieved, move up to next bell.

I followed this program for 8 weeks and made substantial progress without experiencing pain. I’ve now moved into a double kettlebell program that I created for myself to bring my skills back to where they need to be for my RKC Level 2 requirements. Ya gotta stay sharp!

This was an interesting learning experience for me. I learned that if I’m in pain, I need to go see a medical professional sooner rather than later. This experience also reinforced the notion that kettlebell training should be considered to be a practice, not just a workout. A practice requires patience—but this will result in developing greater skills. Sometimes it’s important to slow down to go faster.

Stay Strong.

***

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II, CK-FMS Owner of RJ Kettlebell. Ryan is on a mission helping busy men and women lose weight and gain more self-confidence using kettlebells. He enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others. If you’re new to kettlebells or you just need some guidance, download his FREE 5-Day Kettlebell Workout Plan.

How and Why to Fix the “Drinking Bird” Kettlebell Swing Mistake

December 2, 2021 By Andrea Du Cane 2 Comments

When the kettlebell swing was first introduced, the idea of ballistically moving weight was a novelty. Other than Olympic Lifting, heavy weights were not lifted explosively. And the ability of moving the load behind the hips was unthinkable.

We take this for granted now after 20 years or more of kettlebell training. We all know the advantages of this type of ballistic training and the unique way it trains our posterior chain, a godsend for all athletes.

Teaching the Swing for Optimal Performance

Because it was so new and unique, we ran into problems with how to teach and perform the swing for optimal performance and effect. With many people quad dominant, it naturally turned into more of a squat style swing.

We worked hard to change that pattern and bring the swing into the hip-hinge dominant pattern it is today. There was lots of experimentation and drills used to find the right movement pattern. And I think for the most part we have succeeded. Today nearly everyone walking into an HKC or RKC Workshop knows the swing is a deadlift/hinge style pattern. Please note that I am not talking about the American (CrossFit) swing, which is meant to be an anterior and quad dominate movement pattern. That swing was developed to specifically mimic the Olympic lifting movement of a barbell snatch.

The “Drinking Bird” Kettlebell Swing Problem

The problem with something being “too good to be true”, is also that “too much of a good thing is no longer so good.” The swing has swung (pun intended) from a too squatty swing to a straight-legged swing, or as I call it the “Drinking Bird Swing”.

It seems that in every video I see, in every workshop I teach, my clients, even myself, people have been overcompensating for the squatty swing, by swinging with nearly straight legs. You could say we have taken the easy road to loading. Let’s face it, it’s more work to sit back deeper, I call it the “lazy butt syndrome”. And if you have flexible hamstrings like some of us, it is way easier.

Swinging with nearly straight legs puts all the power and loading into the hamstrings. It takes away from the quads, but it also takes away from deep glute engagement at the backswing, right where we need the most power. In other words, a “drinking bird” swing will have much less power.

If the hamstrings are on stretch at the backswing, the glutes are not back and down enough to fully engage, so the power in the upswing is diminished.

Imagine doing a lot of snatches only using your hamstrings? No wonder, the arms and back are doing so much of the work, they must make up for loss of power from the hips.

Troubleshooting the Kettlebell Backswing

Look at the photos below, in which position do I look the most loaded? I call this the “Goldilocks” of the backswing position.

1) My knees are very bent, and my hips and knees are nearly level.

An incorrect squatty kettlebell swing mistake — A “too squatty” kettlebell backswing

2) My knees are nearly straight, my chest down, my hips and shoulders are level.

A legs too straight "drinking bird" kettlebell swing mistake — A “drinking bird” kettlebell backswing

3) My knees are bent, my hips back and down, my chest and shoulders lifted slightly.

Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC Performs a correct RKC Hardstyle Kettlebell Swing Backswing — A correct RKC Hardstyle kettlebell backswing

Stand up and try each of these positions:

1) Stand feet shoulder distance, both arms in a back swing position, knees very bent, and hips in line with knees. What does it feel like? Where do you feel the most loading?

2) Same stance, this time hinge and keep the knees nearly straight, push the hips back, let the chest/head/shoulders face the ground- shoulders and hips level. What does it feel like? Where do you feel the most loading?

3) Same stance, this time sit back with hips, let the knees bend like you’re sitting back on a medium height chair, keep the chest/shoulders lifted. What does it feel like? Where do you feel the most loading?

My guess is that when you followed #1 you felt the most in your quads; #2 most of the loading is in the hamstrings; #3 you felt a little in the quads, a lot in the hips/glutes and some hamstrings. Picture #3 is the classic back swing position we teach at the RKC: Shoulders above hips and hips above knees.

How to Produce the Most Strength and Power with Your Kettlebell Swings

One of the key principles of Hardstyle kettlebell training is full body tension when we want to produce strength and power. If you don’t engage your glutes and quads and rely primarily on the hamstrings, are you not breaking that Hardstyle principle and losing power?

Yes indeed.

That’s Goldilocks for you. She lets us find the best position to get the most power. Try sitting back deeper into your backswing, I guarantee you’ll have more power, the kettlebell will fly, and you’ll feel your glutes more than you have in a long time.

***

Andrea Du Cane is a Master RKC Kettlebell Instructor, CK-FMS, CICS, and RIST, ZHealth certified, she has a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is also a Pilates instructor. She is the author of several books and dvds including The Ageless Body, The Kettlebell Boomer, and The Kettlebell Goddess Workout. She has over twenty years of aerobics, weight training and fitness experience, with an additional background in… Read more here.

The Turkish Get Down Press and the Road to Windmills and Bent Presses

November 12, 2021 By Dan John 1 Comment

Let me cut straight to the point, something I rarely do: the Turkish Get Down Press (TGDP) has allowed me to speed up the teaching process of three of the most difficult kettlebell exercises to teach and master:

The Turkish Get Up
The Windmill “Family”
The Bent Press

Actually, the TGDP has helped me speed up the teaching of the entire pressing family, too, but I like my world to fit neatly in threes. Certainly, you may know the exercise, but like The Rock’s world in Jungle Cruise, there seems a whole lot more to discover

I liked the movie. Just saying.

Committing to a few rounds of this lift might save you a lot of time and energy later trying to explain the hows and whys of doing the movement.

If you know how my brain works, you also know that this “all starts with a story.” We, my morning training corps (my Intentional Community), were having a typical gym discussion about what to do next in the workout. For the record, not EVERY thing we do in training is computer generated perfection.

Actually, the BEST things we do are usually cobbled together. Not every group can handle a Jazz Improv training program but it seems to work with us as we are a mix of ages, occupations and experience.

I had just returned from a workshop. At said workshop, someone asked about having a workout with just a single kettlebell and a basic knowledge of Tim Anderson’s Original Strength. (I include an example at the end) and we talked about how much I love, love I tell you, doing the Half-Kneeling Press for home trainees. Including me.

Done correctly, with the 90-degree angles at the knees and a tall position of the body, the Half-Kneeling Press stretches, mobilizes, and strengthens a host of bodyparts and “just feels good.”

And, of course, the question came up.

“Which hand with which knee?”

You see, with this press varietal, you have some options. You can press with one arm…or two. You can have your left knee down or your right knee. As you know, in lifting there are three knees:

The Left Knee
The Right Knee
The Hiney

I crack myself up. By the way, spellcheck does NOT like my spelling of “hiney.” For your illumination, I give you the dictionary explanation of my awful joke:

The first records of hiney come from the first half of the 1900s. It is derived from words based on the root word hind, meaning “the back,” as in behind (another euphemism for the buttocks) and hindquarters. The suffix -y or -ie is used to add an endearing or euphemistic quality to words—to make them cuter or more familiar, as in granny and doggie.

We came to a decision as a group that the left knee should be down if pressing with the right hand and the right knee should be down if pressing with the left hand.

Why?

The Turkish Get Up!!!

Actually, one would learn this doing a correct Turkish Get Down. And, for total candor, it is the Turkish Get Down Press that got us thinking of this reason.

You don’t know the Turkish Get Down Press? Let me say this: for speeding up the teaching of the TGU, I have yet to find anything better than the TGD Press. It’s very simple:

At each step of the TG Down, add a press. I am telling you this now also: go lighter than you think.

Simply, here you go:

I suggest snatching the bell up to the top. You can certainly clean and press but that adds an additional press to a lot of presses.
Standing tall, press the bell.
Step back with the foot opposite the bell into what I call the Cross Country Ski Position. For the record, the “key” to the TGD is a longish step back as it gives you space to move later. The knee will get close to touching the ground, but don’t let it touch. Press the kettlebell.
Bring the knee down to the Half-Kneeling position. Press the bell.
Windshield Wiper the front foot. I recommend pressing the bell here, too.
Hinge back and bring the free hand to the floor. The hand, knee and foot should all be in a line. The knee should bisect that line. Press the bell.

(It should feel like a warmup for the Bent Press because it is a warmup for the Bent Press) Look, an asterisk: * (See Below)

Sweep the butt through to the Tall Sit Position. Press the bell.
Roll to the elbow. Press the bell.
Roll to the floor. Press the bell.
With BOTH hands, bring the bell down, cuddle it, roll to the side and release the bell safely to the floor.

*Position Six is called the Kneeling Windmill and will be the focus of the next article in this series.

Let’s watch someone demonstrate it. The model seems to know what to do.

That’s eight presses. That’s a lot of presses. Moreover, as you will discover, the press grooves were different almost every press. I find that my shoulders feel better after this exercise. This movement can be done for mobility work and this is what I use the move for in my own training.

The TGDP can also be done for hypertrophy. If you did three rounds of both sides for eight total reps per round (24 total presses per hand), I’m just guessing something good would happen. Perhaps you would get those “shoulders that are the envy of your friends” that I used to read about in the muscle magazines. My friends envy my naturally curly hair (with a nod to Peanuts).

So, yes, this exercise is a great exercise. For my work with kettlebells, there are other values to this movement.

First, I’m not sure there is a better way to teach the Turkish Get UP. The Turkish Get DOWN with presses stops the participant at several key points and holds these positions in place. If you can’t get the press groove, there is a good chance the bell is in the wrong place. Most of the little troubling positions and points of the TGU are cleaned up with this simple drill.

Second, and it was only at the most recent RKC II that I realized this as clearly as I do now, this drill is gateway to the Windmill and Bent Press family.

Next time, we will dissect the Kneeling Windmill and show you how this single position can teach so much, so fast to so many.

The simple program I promised you.

One KB only mixed with Original Strength.

A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day One:

Super set with Sets of Eight (Three Rounds)
A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

Superset with Sets of Eight (Three Rounds)
C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

Superset for maybe Thirty Seconds each
D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

Five Rounds of 15 Swings and appropriate Egg Rolls
F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day Two

Three Sets of Eight
A1. Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
A2. Prone Neck Nod

Three Sets of Eight
B1. Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
B2. Prone Find Your Shoes

Three Sets of Eight
C1. Goblet Squat
C2. Six Point Rock

Three Rounds of Thirty Seconds Each
D1. March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
D2. Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
E1. March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
E2. Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)

“Up to 100 Swings”
F1. Swings
F2. Egg Rolls

“Maybe” Day Three

The entire circuit for three rounds of eights and thirty seconds as appropriate.

Left Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
Prone Neck Nod
Right Hand Press (Stand or Half-Kneeling)
Prone Find Your Shoes
Goblet Squat
Six Point Rock
March in Place with Load in Left Hand (Suitcase Carry)
Six Point Rock with Left Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
March in Place with Load in Right Hand (Suitcase Carry)
Six Point Rock with Right Leg in wide position (Kickstand)
Swings
Egg Rolls

There you go…off the top of the head but pretty good.

***

Master RKC, Dan John is the author of numerous fitness titles including The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge: A Fundamental Guide To Training For Strength And Power, the best selling Never Let Go and Easy Strength. Dan has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. For more information visit DanJohn.net

One Kettlebell And 30 Exercises For Infinite Workouts

August 15, 2021 By William Sturgeon Leave a Comment

Exploring non-traditional methods of fitness will allow you to add new movements into your training. Josh Henkin from DVRT (Dynamic Variable Resistance Training) Fitness is well known for his “out of the box” ideas around training. To some, it might look overly complicated nonsense, but even if that’s your opinion, there will still be plenty of take-aways to benefit your training.

Your training should be purposeful and intentional. If it isn’t, you’re only trying to find ways to burn calories. Your kettlebell workouts should have some structure with which you program the exercises you will do in a session. Variations can be added to exercises for a particular purpose or variety/novelty—and you get to decide!

In the videos below, I’ll review some new and old variations on the traditional RKC Hardstyle kettlebell exercises. The best thing about all these exercises is that you only need one kettlebell to do them.

Kettlebell Press

When it comes to pressing, there are many ways we can hold the kettlebell and perform this movement. The less stable the body, the more challenging pressing will become.

Tall Kneeling Press
Half Kneeling Press
Z Press
Narrow Stance Press
Rotational Press
Single Leg Press
Bottom-Up Press
Wide Grip Press

Goblet Squat Variations

Goblet squats are a staple in my programming—I always add them to my workouts. These kettlebell goblet squat variations can provide even more “bang for your buck” when it comes to getting the heart rate up.

Kickstand Goblet Squat
Power Clean to squat
Simba Squat
Single Arm Rack Squat
Same Side Kickstand SA Rack Squat
Single Arm Squat to Press

Kettlebell Swings

What’s a kettlebell article without talking about the kettlebell swing? Before trying some of these surprisingly advanced variations, be sure to have a solid foundation in your standard Hardstyle swing. Here’s an earlier article I wrote to help master the kettlebell swing.

AS KB Swing
SA KB Swing
Hand to Hand Swing
Step Back KB Swing
Lateral KB Swing
Walking KB Swing

Kettlebell Rows

Rows are another staple in the workouts I lead to counteract all the sitting that most people do for lengthy periods of time. Helping your clients strengthen their upper backs with these kettlebell row variations will do wonders for their posture.

3-Point Row
Kick Stand SA Row
Bent Over Row
Same side SA Row
SA Bent Over Row

Kettlebell Lunge

Lunging is something we do in our normal activities every day, so we should train the movement to improve our daily lives. Before attempting to train with lunges, make sure that the ankle is stable and strong enough to support the movement.

Lunge to Press
Same Side lunge
Power Clean to Lunge
Lateral Lunge to Row
Tactical Lunge

Exercise doesn’t have to be a “one shoe fits all”, but there are principles that we must practice to ensure proper training and safety with our clients. If you’re ready to take your kettlebell training to a new level get yourself RKC certified!

***

When to Breathe During Different Kettlebell Exercises

July 29, 2021 By Ryan Jankowitz Leave a Comment

Kettlebell Technique Includes Breathing Technique

The fact that you’re reading this post means that you take your health and fitness seriously–this is also why I’m so excited to share this information with you.

Often, people who are new to kettlebells don’t realize how important breathing is during a workout.

Learning how to breathe correctly for kettlebell training will allow you to produce more power and contract your core properly, which will also protect your back. Correct breathing will also allow you to get oxygen to your brain, so you don’t pass out.

In the RKC, we use a breathing technique called “Hardstyle Breathing” for power and safety.

It’s a very distinctive hissing sound that may sound a little silly, but it’s vital!

This hissing sound is applied differently depending on which type of kettlebell exercise you’re doing.

Hardstyle Kettlebell Exercises are Categorized as Ballistics or Grinds:

Ballistic exercises are explosive and fast (kettlebell swings, cleans, and snatches).
Grind exercises require lots of tension and are generally performed more slowly (presses, squats, deadlifts).

Breathing for Ballistic Kettlebell Exercises

When you’re doing a ballistic exercise, the exhale is much shorter compared to the exhale during a grind exercise.

For example, during a swing, clean, or snatch the exhale happens at the same time that your glutes and quads contract, or when you stand straight up. It’s a short, sharp exhale that generates more power, which will help the kettlebell float.

Ryan Jankowitz easily switches hands at the top of a one arm kettlebell swing during the "float" — Ryan easily switches hands at the top of a one arm kettlebell swing during the “float”

This short exhale will also contract your abs, which will prevent you from leaning back and placing stress on your lower back. Think of the exhale as a way to brace your abs for an incoming punch.

As the kettlebell goes into the backswing part of a swing, clean, or snatch, quickly sniff in through your nose filling your belly with air.

Breathing for Kettlebell Grinds

Kettlebell grinds are slower and require more tension. Similarly, your inhale and exhale will be longer to match each part of the movement.

For example, during an overhead kettlebell press, you will exhale through your teeth as you press the kettlebell overhead. Then, inhale through your nose as you pull the kettlebell back down to the rack position.

Using Hardstyle breathing during grind exercises will help you keep your core tight, so you don’t hurt your back, and will help you generate more power.

I hope this information helps you in your quest to get into better shape using kettlebells.

Stay Strong,

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II, CK-FMS

***

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II, CK-FMS is the owner of RJ Kettlebell. He’s on a mission to help busy men and women get into better shape using kettlebells. He enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others. If you’re new to kettlebells or you just need some guidance, try his FREE 5-Day Kettlebell Workout Plan.

The Kettlebell Get-up in Detail Part 2

May 6, 2021 By Ryan Jankowitz Leave a Comment

Ryan Jankowitz Demonstrating the move between the tall sit and the half windmill - kettlebell Get-Up Tutorial Part Two

Welcome back to my 3-part series on the kettlebell get-up! While my last post focused on the set-up, roll to elbow and the tall sit, today I’m going to focus on the leg sweep to windmill, lunge and stand up.

Once you’ve achieved the tall sit position, the next step is to sweep your leg back underneath you into the kneeling windmill position.

Some people may get confused at this part of the get-up because they are not sure how high they should bridge their hips before sweeping their leg back. This is mostly a matter of personal preference, however, I’ve found that with heavy get-ups doing a small bridge is the safest and most effective way to start the leg sweep. If you’re warming up with naked (no weight) get-ups or using a light kettlebell, then a high bridge can be okay. Just do what feels most safe and appropriate.

When you sweep your leg back, aim to line up your wrist, knee and ankle. A nice straight line here will allow you to load your hips and use your torso to straighten up to the kneeling position. Also, make sure to tuck your toe under (dorsiflex) after you sweep your leg back and keep your toe tucked in order to help you with the lunge.

Be aware that if you don’t bring their knee back far enough, you will not be able to properly use your hips and torso to straighten up. When this happens, the arm on the ground and the lower back are overused—and at risk of injury.

Now that you’ve straightened up, you must put yourself into a lunge position. Here are the two different ways to do this:

“Windshield wiper” your back leg
Step across with your front leg

When teaching the get-up at the HKC and RKC, the “windshield wiper” method is taught first. This movement can sometimes be uncomfortable for people who have had a knee injury, knee surgery, or their knee just doesn’t like this type of movement. In this case, step your front leg across to move into a lunge position.

At this point, the arm holding the kettlebell should be vertical. The kettlebell should be behind your head so that if you were to look up you wouldn’t see the kettlebell in front of you. Now, you’re ready to stand up from the lunge. Push both feet powerfully into the floor to help you stand up. When you bring your legs together, hit your Hardstyle plank by contracting your glutes, quads and abs.

To see all of these steps in action, please watch this video:

Focus on improving these steps to gain the strength and confidence to perform the get-up with heavier kettlebells.

Stay tuned for my third and final blog post about the kettlebell get-up.

Stay Strong,
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II

***

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC-II and owner of RJ Kettlebell, lives in Maryland with his wife and two dogs. They love to go hiking and spend time on the beach. When he’s not telling his dogs to stop chasing squirrels, Ryan enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others how to train with kettlebells. Try his 2-week advanced kettlebell plan: https://rj-kettlebell.ck.page/b59325e156

The Kettlebell Get-up in Detail Part 1

February 25, 2021 By Ryan Jankowitz 1 Comment

Ryan Jankowitz Get-Up Setup, Elbow, Tall Sit

If you’re doing Kettlebell Turkish Get-ups, then you’ve clearly invested time and energy in your health and strength.

The get-up is one of the best exercises you can do for total body strength and to prolong your life. Studies have shown that older adults who can “get up” off the floor easily will more likely avoid falls and live longer than adults who need help getting up from the ground.

There are many steps to learn with the get-up, but once you’ve learned the basic movements you can dive deeper and fine tune the exercise for greater strength and safety.

In order to communicate all of the information I want to share with you, I’ve decided to make this a 3-part series:

1. Set-up, roll to elbow, tall sit (this post)
2. Leg sweep to windmill and lunge, stand up
3. Get back down through all transitions, parking the kettlebell, switching sides, and eye position

This post will be a dive deep into the set-up, rolling up to your elbow and the tall sit position. Improving movements will help take your get-ups to the next level.

The get-up actually starts from the fetal position with both hands wrapped around the kettlebell handle. Use the weight of your body to roll into position while bringing the kettlebell with you. Don’t try to “arm wrestle” the kettlebell.

Ryan Jankowitz kettlebell-Get-Up beginning at fetal position

Once you’ve pressed the kettlebell over your chest and locked out your arm, you must put your limbs opposite the kettlebell in the right spot on the floor. Place your unloaded arm (not holding the kettlebell) on the ground about 45 degrees from your body. This will ensure that when you come up to your elbow, your elbow will be right under your shoulder. From there, you will give you a strong base to work from.

Ryan Jankowitz Turkish Get-up unloaded limbs

Your legs should form the letter “V”. Bend the leg that is on the same side as the kettlebell and place your foot on the ground.

Now that you’re setup, you can focus on generating tension. Most of the tension you create will be on the side of the kettlebell. You will pack your shoulder supporting the kettlebell by pulling your shoulder down away from your ear and squeezing your armpit. This will also keep the tension out of your neck.

Next, you will start to crunch your obliques on the side that’s holding the kettlebell. The bent leg can then start contracting the glute and hamstring as you push your foot into the floor—this will help roll you up to your elbow.

Finally, push through your heel and flex your quad on the straight leg, which will help keep the leg down on the ground as you sit up to your elbow.

Okay, now that you’re set up, it’s time to roll up to your elbow. Think of this movement as a diagonal crunch where you’re trying to bring your shoulder closer to your opposite hip.

If you’ve set up correctly, then your shoulder should be stacked over your elbow when you roll up. This will give you a solid base to work from.

In this position, make sure to squeeze your shoulder blades together and push your chest up to the sky. This will help keep the tension out of your neck.

RyanJankowitz Get-Up to elbow

Once you’ve established a solid position on your elbow you can then sit up to your hand. This is known as the tall sit position.

I like to rotate my hand back slightly as I transition to my hand because it allows me to open up my chest and squeeze my shoulder blades together, which will prevent shrugging the shoulder up to the ear and putting tension in the neck.

Ryan Jankowitz Get-Up tall sit

Make sure to lock out your elbow. Imagine flexing your triceps and then pinching your triceps and lat together to create a solid base.

To see all these steps in action, please watch this video:

If you take the time to incorporate these tips into your kettlebell Turkish get-ups, then I know you’ll feel the changes taking place.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for the next blog post in my get-up series.

Stay Strong,
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II

***

Deadlift Variations with One Kettlebell

November 18, 2020 By Ryan Jankowitz Leave a Comment

Even though I’m writing this blog post during a global pandemic, I’m not trying to scare you into working out with kettlebells. However, kettlebell training will make you stronger and more resilient. My goal with this post is to give you a few new ideas for your kettlebell workouts because kettlebells and other fitness equipment have been hard to find recently. You may have just one kettlebell or several kettlebells and no matching pairs—but you can still do kettlebell deadlifts.

The deadlift is arguably the king of strength building exercises. Not only is it great for getting stronger, but it can improve your posture and strengthen your hips. When performed correctly, the deadlift can alleviate back pain.

Additionally, mastering the kettlebell deadlift will allow you to transition to the Hardstyle kettlebell swing. From there, a whole world of kettlebell exercises await.

First, you must master the standard kettlebell deadlift and understand the hip hinge.

The hip hinge means that you move from your hips, the strongest set of muscles in your body, while keeping your spine straight or neutral. Once you’ve mastered the standard kettlebell deadlift, you can begin training with a number of exciting variations. Here are a few to get you started:

Let’s Get Asymmetrical!

Now we can unevenly load the body—for greater core engagement—by learning two different one-arm kettlebell deadlift techniques.

1. The kettlebell suitcase deadlift places the kettlebell outside one of your feet. This deadlift variation is great for grip strength because you’re only using one hand to grip the kettlebell handle. Make sure that you don’t lean or rotate toward the kettlebell as you move in and out of your hip hinge. Stay square all the way through the movement.

2. The kettlebell one-arm deadlift is fairly self-explanatory. The kettlebell will be between your feet but toward the hand that will be grabbing it. Stay square all the way through the movement and don’t lean or rotate toward the kettlebell. Again, grabbing the kettlebell with one hand will improve your grip strength and the offset load will really engage your core.

3. The kettlebell staggered stance deadlift is a unique variation because you use one hand—and also load one leg more than the other. You can practice this move with your opposite arm and leg, or by holding the kettlebell with the arm on the same side as the loaded leg.

Ryan Jankowitz Staggered Stance Deadlift — Staggered Stance Deadlift

4. The last variation I want to share is the kettlebell single leg deadlift. This deadlift is performed while balancing on one leg. The kettlebell single leg deadlift improves balance and is great for your feet and ankles. This move is challenging, so take your time when performing it and move slowly with purpose. You can hold the kettlebell in the opposing hand, or on the same side as the working (standing) leg.

Watch this video for demonstrations of each kettlebell deadlift variation mentioned in this post.

Stay Strong and Safe!

***

Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II lives in Maryland with his wife and two dogs. They love to go hiking and spend time on the beach. When he’s not telling his dogs to stop chasing squirrels, Ryan enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others how to train with kettlebells. He’s got a 90-day kettlebell transformation program that helps busy adults lose 10-15lbs., shed their spare tire and build lean muscle so that they look great naked and move like they did in their 20’s. Click here to schedule a free call with Ryan.

How To Fix 4 Common Kettlebell Swing Mistakes

September 4, 2020 By Ryan Jankowitz Leave a Comment

The kettlebell swing is a phenomenal exercise. I think it should be part of every training program. It addresses explosive power, the posterior chain, anaerobic conditioning and even grip strength. The kettlebell swing has many awesome qualities!

It’s also the foundation for more advanced kettlebell movements like one-arm swings, cleans and snatches. Before progressing to those more advanced movements, make sure that your two-hand swing is dialed in and that you can maintain proper technique with heavy kettlebells and high reps.

Let’s dial in our kettlebell swing technique by avoiding these four common mistakes.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #1:
Poor Setup

There are several key concepts to remember for the kettlebell swing setup.

How far away are you from the kettlebell? If you’re too far from the bell, then you might shift too much weight forward and shrug your shoulders up to your ears while reaching for the bell.

Ideally, you want to sit back with your shoulders pulled down and the kettlebell tilted toward you.

Also, make sure that your hips are below your shoulders. If your hips are too high, then you may not be able to generate a lot of power with your first rep. And the swing is all about power.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #2:
Arms Disconnected from the Body with Wrong Hip Hinge Timing

This mistake can cause discomfort or even injury to your lower back, so let’s dial this one in!

Each time the kettlebell is swung between your legs, even from the initial hike, your arms should connect to your torso. Upper arms connect to your ribcage and forearms connect to your inner thighs.

This will allow the hips to propel the kettlebell forward creating much more power.

Once you’ve reached the top of the swing, you want to stay standing tall for as long as possible while the kettlebell comes back down. Essentially, you’re playing chicken with the kettlebell.

Pushing your hips back too soon—while the kettlebell is still out in front of you—can cause unnecessary stress on the lower back.

The hips push the arms forward, the arms push the hips back.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #3:
Using Your Arms and Shoulders to Raise the Kettlebell

The kettlebell swing is an explosive hip hinge, not a shoulder raise or shrug.

If the kettlebell is drooping at the top of the swing, or your shoulders and neck are feeling it, then you’re using your upper body way too much.

The arms are simply a tether holding onto the kettlebell. They shouldn’t do the heavy lifting. If you’re having issues with this, then check out the towel swing drill in the video below.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #4:
Not Fully Locking Out Your hips or Knees at the Top of the Swing

In order to fully express your power, you must have full extension from the hips and knees. This doesn’t mean hyper-extending your knees, rather straightening your knees by flexing your quads.

You also don’t want to leave your hips back. You MUST contract your glutes hard at the top of the swing for maximum power and to protect your lower back.

Watch this video to see each mistake and correction.

I hope these tips help you master your kettlebell swing. When you get the swing dialed in, it’s one of the best exercises you can do for your fitness.

Keep Swingin’!
Ryan Jankowitz, RKC II

***

Ryan lives in Maryland with his wife and two dogs. They love to go hiking and spend time on the beach. When he’s not telling his dogs to stop chasing squirrels, Ryan enjoys spreading the RKC message and teaching others how to train with kettlebells. He’s got a 90-day coaching program that helps busy adults get into shape, look and feel better by working out with kettlebells and eating healthier so they can elevate their self-esteem. Visit his website rjkettlebell.com or schedule a free call with Ryan: https://go.oncehub.com/RyanJankowitz